JFC, I don't know if I can withstand another 4 more years of everything being the biggest, bestest, worstest, smallest, whatever hyperbolic shit "EVER" as well as, "nobody's ever heard of this," coming out of his fucking mouth. It's like listening to hyper 4-year olds who are just experiencing life for the first time.
"Mix and match the filters below and the years above to explore nearly 4,000 (book) recommendations from NPR staff and trusted critics."
"As climate change pushes seas to rise ever higher, shallow groundwater could become a more costly hazard across the Atlantic coast, particularly in South Florida where the water table sits just feet below the surface, according to a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey."
"The UK is shutting down its final coal-fired power plant (end of September), marking the end of an era for the country’s energy system. Once the backbone of the grid, coal has been steadily replaced with other, less polluting energy sources."
"The famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen next month for the first time since a devastating fire crippled the beloved church in 2019… French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, took a tour of the cathedral early on Friday. Macron marveled at the soaring light stone ceilings — now cleansed of soot and centuries of grime — as he toured the more than 800 year old restored cathedral."
From the end of October, "A pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been detected in U.S. swine and raises concerns about bird flu's potential to become a human threat." Cue the dramatic music.
"The virus has already shuffled between hundreds of herds and repeatedly jumped into humans. And, in a troubling twist, several cases have emerged in North America without any known source of infection, most recently in a child living in the San Francisco Bay area and a teenager in British Columbia, who remains hospitalized in critical condition."
"If you or your kid has a cough that's been lingering, keep reading. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases of mycoplasma pneumonia are surging across the U.S., especially among young kids." It's still big.
"'The apple itself, as an eating apple, it’s very acidic and very floral and you just get a huge ester bomb before it’s even fermented,' Walter said. 'Some of the best cider makers in the region come for these apples and this juice.'… And the juice, much like the apple’s interior, is also a shocking rich magenta. The hard ciders made from it often keep that rosy hue, which has led to a burgeoning category of Rosé Ciders."
"Germany’s highest court on Thursday rejected complaints by renewable energy producers against a government decision in 2022 to use their 'excess profits' to help finance a cap on electricity prices." What it looks like when a government works for the people.
"The District of Columbia is suing Amazon, saying the company secretly stopped providing its fastest delivery service to residents who live in two predominantly Black Washington neighborhoods but is still charging residents millions of dollars for a service that provides speedy deliveries."
"The Chinese Exclusion Act is widely considered to be the first significant crackdown on immigration in American history. It's a riveting tale that parallels today and may provide insights into the economic consequences of immigration restrictions and mass deportations. This is Part 2 of that story, which explores the economic and political factors that led to the Act and examines what happened to the American economy after it was passed… Please note: this story includes racist quotes from the 19th century."
How goes that more modern Taliban in Afghanistan thing? "The European Union on Wednesday condemned the Taliban for violating human rights and women’s access to education after media reports that the Taliban’s leader has ordered private and public institutions to stop providing medical courses for women and girls in Afghanistan." Just a reminder, this future was brought to you by Trump.
"Thousands of Syrian insurgents fanned out inside Aleppo in vehicles with improvised armor and pickups, deploying to landmarks such as the old citadel on Saturday, a day after they entered Syria's largest city facing little resistance from government troops, according to residents and fighters."
The BBC live reporting on S. Korea declaring martial law. Until the military and police return to their former stations, martial law is still in effect.
"While a stray ballot ending up in the wrong place can happen during election season, the number of ballots destined for other states and counties that ended up at Thompson’s office is unusual. The Associated Press found it wasn’t an anomaly. Election offices in California, Louisiana, New Mexico and elsewhere also reported receiving completed ballots in the mail that should have gone to other states."
"Here are twenty things you can do to counter fascism—yes, you! yes, now! Dream up and put into motion many, many more things too. This is only a beginning." Fascism divides communities and tries to make people look to the government for solutions so that there are no other structural ties in culture except between you and the state. The best way to fight that is to build stronger communities.
The Guardian journalists are on strike Dec 4 and Dec 5. This link about surviving the "broligarchy" is a Guardian story. I will re-instate the link on Thursday Dec 6th.
"At least seven large Oklahoma school districts said (mid November) they have no intention of showing a video of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters discussing his state agency's new Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism, despite Walters saying doing so was required."
"In a bestselling book and in a Fox special earlier this year, Hegseth aired his critique of security measures designed to keep 'patriot extremism' — a term for militia-linked ideology — out of the military. He has also shared his story of personally being dubbed an 'extremist' by the Pentagon due to the ink on his body."
