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Getting a Covid Vaccine Will Be Different This Year: What To Know (Maria) 

The author writes, “As colder weather approaches and respiratory viruses flourish, it’ll soon be easier to get your updated coronavirus vaccine shot — even if it’s slightly more work than in previous years. A federal vaccine advisory panel voted last week to recommend a more restrictive approach to coronavirus shots, urging people to consult a clinician before getting vaccinated. The move marked a shift from previous Centers for Disease Control and Prevention policy that made vaccines widely available to almost all Americans without question or cost.”

Microsoft Blocks Israel’s Use of Its Technology in Mass Surveillance of Palestinians (Dana) 

From The Guardian: “Microsoft has terminated the Israeli military’s access to technology it used to operate a powerful surveillance system that collected millions of Palestinian civilian phone calls made each day in Gaza and the West Bank, the Guardian can reveal. Microsoft told Israeli officials late last week that Unit 8200, the military’s elite spy agency, had violated the company’s terms of service by storing the vast trove of surveillance data in its Azure cloud platform, sources familiar with the situation said. The decision to cut off Unit 8200’s ability to use some of its technology results directly from an investigation published by the Guardian last month.”

China Bought $12.6 Billion in US Soybeans Last Year. Now, It’s $0 (DonkeyHotey) 

The author writes, “Soybeans are the single largest American export to China in terms of value, $12.6 billion worth last year. But as the fall harvest gets underway across the country — 9 percent of planted beans had been harvested as of last week — the country that bought 52 percent of all American soybean exports last year is completely absent. Sept. 1 was the beginning of the new marketing year for soybeans, the starting point for big sales. Instead, China hasn’t bought any American soybeans since May. The cause is retaliatory tariffs China has placed on the United States, making the price of American soybeans unattractive for buyers there.”

‘Politics of the End’ Is a Seattle U Class. It Could Be a Study of Last Week’s News (Reader Steve) 

From The Seattle Times: “For his Seattle U course ‘Politics of the End,’ the first reading is uncomfortably about us, Schoettmer said. It’s from Canadian journalist Stephen Marche’s 2022 book, ‘The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future.’ The course is full. It ought to be required for the whole country right now.”

The Gaping Hole in the James Comey Indictment (Laryn) 

From Vox: “It is impossible to understand what federal prosecutors are claiming Comey did wrong, or why they’re claiming it. You may think this is normal for a high-profile federal indictment. I assure you it is not. A typical indictment contains clear and specific details designed to show that there is good reason to believe the accused person committed the crimes in question…But if you read the Comey indictment, you’ll find absolutely nothing of the kind. There is zero reason to believe that he committed any crimes other than the government’s said so.”

Rodents Prevail in Rat Race: New York City’s Rat Czar Resigns From Post (Sean) 

The author writes, “After a years-long war over who is allowed to live in New York City, the rats have won – or at least dethroned the czar. The city’s famed ‘rat czar,’ Kathleen Corradi, who was appointed by the New York mayor, Eric Adams, in 2023, has resigned, effective 10 October…An estimated 3 million rats live in the five boroughs. The city awarded Corradi $3.5m to increase public awareness about rat mitigation. Corradi’s effort included birth control for rats. She appeared to be progressing in making the rodents feel less welcome. In January, calls to 311, the city’s government services line, decreased by 24% over the same period a year earlier, the New York Times reported.”