Links for you. Science:
What to Know About the New Covid Variants: HV.1 has overtaken EG.5 as the leading variant in the U.S. Scientists are also watching two other variants, BA.2.86 and JN.1.
Coyote vs Dog (It’s Not Always as Obvious as You May Think)
MOBFinder: a tool for MOB typing for plasmid metagenomic fragments based on language model
Is AI leading to a reproducibility crisis in science? Scientists worry that ill-informed use of artificial intelligence is driving a deluge of unreliable or useless research.
Update on SARS-CoV-2 Variant JN.1 Being Tracked by CDC
Cantaloupe recall: Salmonella outbreak leaves 8 dead, hundreds sickened in US and Canada
Other:
Sometimes You Gotta Fight When You’re a Man: Anxious masculinity and preening congressmen
Corruption Unbound: Donald Trump and his cronies left his first administration with a playbook for self-enrichment in a second term. (gift link)
About That University President’s Viral Video (gift link)
A MAGA Judiciary: In a second term, Donald Trump would appoint more judges who don’t care about the law. (gift link)
Joe Biden Is Not Your New Bicycle – and That’s OK: Maybe the best thing is to not be too emotionally invested in your vote for president (send this to younger, on-the-fence voters…)
Netanyahu, Ignore the U.S.’ Ideas About Gaza at Your Peril: In Washington, there’s a realization that Israel’s war with Hamas is not aligned with or derived from any political objectives. So, after two months, the Americans are unilaterally proposing their own framework, though they know Netanyahu’s extremist government will never agree to it (gift link)
Hundreds of Jewish organization staffers call for White House to back Gaza cease-fire
GOP lawmaker: Ousted aides targeted my daughter for OnlyFans account (it’s always self-projection with these assholes…)
Police have recovered video of Florida GOP chair and alleged victim in rape investigation
Health workers at highest COVID risk least likely to always follow infection-control protocols, study finds (paper here)
Another Outrage from Ken Paxton
Viper Sack
Archaeologists unearth ‘most shocking example of Roman slavery’ at Pompeii
Bowser Opts to Ignore the Law, Raiding Money for Increased SNAP Benefits Mandated by the Council (what will actually lead to ‘defunding the police’ will be budget strains)
‘He is hated’: House Republicans secretly consider expelling Matt Gaetz after booting George Santos
A Cultural Critique of the Tesla Cybertruck: The Cybertruck might be the most 2023 car out there.
The Danger Ahead: If Donald Trump returns to the White House, he’d bring a better understanding of the system’s vulnerabilities, more willing enablers, and a more focused agenda of retaliation against his adversaries.
Police Departments Nationwide Are Struggling to Solve Crimes
The Estate Tax Has Hit A Historic Low In America: Thanks to policy changes, more and more of the country’s megarich are keeping their wealth in the family.
Stolen Checks Are for Sale Online. We Called Some of the Victims. One reason this fraud is rampant: Open forums where anyone can buy checks that thieves have taken from the mail.
Donald Trump’s Plot Against America
Mike Johnson Compares Himself to Moses at Christian Nationalist Gala: The House Speaker alleges God directed his path to power through the “roiling sea”
Loyalists, Lapdogs, and Cronies: In a second Trump term, there would be no adults in the room.
‘This Massacre Should Have Been Prevented’: Despite Israeli Intelligence Warnings About a Hamas Attack, the Army Didn’t Evacuate the Nova Festival. Top defense officials held urgent consultations the night before October 7 about a possible Hamas attack. But no one in the IDF notified the the Nova festival organizers or the party-goers, hundreds of whom were mown down – and for nine hours, no one came to save them (gift link)
How Trump Gets Away With It: If reelected, he could use the powers of the presidency to evade justice and punish his enemies.
If Our Eyes Can See the Huge Scope of Atrocity, Can Our Hearts Contain Two Pains at Once?
The legend of Skokie: How some Americans learned to equate free speech with Nazis