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A Volcanic Island Erupted From the Sea in Iceland – Can It Show How Nature Works Without Human Interference? (Maria) 

The author writes, “‘It is very rare to have an eruption where an island forms and is long lasting. It happens once every 3,000 to 5,000 years in this area,’ says Olga Kolbrún Vilmundardóttir, a geographer with the Natural Science Institute of Iceland…The emergence of Surtsey in the 1960s presented researchers with a precious scientific opportunity: They could observe how life colonises and spreads on an island away from the human interference that has overtaken much of the Earth.”

How the Border Patrol Uses Rodeos To Recruit (Dana) 

From Mother Jones: “For nearly two decades, the government has been hiring workers for border enforcement at rodeos. In 2008, US Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, began its sponsorship of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the largest competitive bull-riding league in the world, which brings sanctioned rodeo competitions to hundreds of cities every year. The contract for the initial partnership petered out during the Obama years. But during President Donald Trump’s first term, amid a broad push to hire for the Border Patrol, the administration reupped the association.”

Dominion Voting Systems Sold to Company Run by Former Republican Election Official (Sean) 

The author writes, “In recent weeks Dominion also settled defamation suits with former Trump-associated attorneys Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, though the amounts were not disclosed. In a statement, Liberty Vote called its purchase of Dominion ‘a bold and historic move to transform and improve election integrity in America.’ ‘As of today, Dominion is gone,’ the statement said.”

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy (DonkeyHotey) 

From Harvard Magazine: “Now, the Trump ruling looms over cases that are likely to, or scheduled to, come before the Court in coming months, including at least two involving the government’s attempts to punish Harvard for perceived political excesses—which Harvard argues are a direct violation of its First Amendment rights. Other cases seem similarly fateful, about the authority of Congress, the independence of federal agencies, the use of the military in policing civilian life, and the nature of American citizenship.”

Postal Traffic to Us Still Down 70% Five Weeks After Duties Exemption on Low-Value Packages Ended (Reader Steve) 

The author writes, “Postal traffic to the US is still down about 70% five weeks after the end of the ‘de minimis’ exemption that spared low-value packages from duties and packages, the United Nations postal agency said Friday. Confusion has reigned since the US ended the tariff exemption for packages worth less than $800 on Aug. 29. In September, the Universal Postal Union reported 88 of its 192 member countries had suspended all or some of its postal services to the US to have time to adjust their shipping procedures. On Friday, the UPU said ‘only a handful’ of those had resumed operations to the US.”

The Scientists Making the Case for Nature’s Rights (Laura) 

From Inside Climate News: “She came to the conference in July with ambitious plans. Wetlands, she would argue, should have the highest form of protection the law provides: rights. Davies is one of a growing number of Western scientists joining the rights of nature movement, helping to advance laws recognizing that ecosystems possess inherent legal rights because nature has intrinsic value. Led by Indigenous peoples, the rights of nature movement has grown dramatically over the last two decades, from constitutional protections in Ecuador to national legislation and court rulings in Spain, New Zealand, Panama, India and beyond.”