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NASA’s Oldest Active Astronaut Is Also One of Planet’s Most Curious Humans (Maria)
The author writes, “For his most recent trip to the International Space Station, in lieu of bringing coffee or some other beverage in his ‘personal drink bag’ allotment for the stay, NASA astronaut Don Pettit asked instead for a couple of bags of unflavored gelatin. This was not for cooking purposes but rather to perform scientific experiments. … Donald Roy Pettit is not like most of us. At the age of 69, Pettit is NASA’s oldest active astronaut and began his third long-duration stay on the space station last month.”
Incendiary Device Damages Hundreds of Ballots in Vancouver, WA, Drop Box (Reader Steve)
From The Seattle Times: “A fire caused by an ‘incendiary device’ damaged hundreds of ballots inside a Vancouver, Washington, ballot box early Monday, potentially affecting one of the most competitive congressional races in the country. Vancouver police extinguished the fire near Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, located in a Democratic stronghold of Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, where the race for U.S. representative is seen as key for partisan control of the House where Republicans currently have a narrow majority.”
He Runs Fox News’ Decision Desk. Here’s How He Sees Election Night Coming. (Dana)
From Politico Magazine: “The man who may call the winner of the 2024 presidential election is ready to make a prediction for at least when the news will come. ‘The over/under is Saturday,’ said Arnon Mishkin, the head of Fox News’ decision desk. ‘Which was when the call was made last time.’ In an interview with Politico Magazine at the News Corp. building in Midtown Manhattan, Mishkin said that he plans on calling the election as soon as he can, but that a protracted vote count means it may take a few days. Regardless though, he said he feels no pressure from executives at the conservative-leaning network to ‘make our audience happy.’”
What Happened in Whitewater (Bethany)
From ProPublica: “Over the past few years, several hundred immigrants from Nicaragua have arrived in the small Wisconsin city of Whitewater. … Most of the Nicaraguan immigrants came to Whitewater for low-paying jobs in local factories, food-processing plants and egg farms — jobs employers were desperate to fill. … Former President Donald Trump said the city is a haven for ‘migrant crime,’ but that’s untrue. Police say a big challenge has been immigrants driving without licenses.”
Lyft Settles With FTC Over False Driver Earnings Claims for 2.1M (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “On October 25, ride-hailing giant Lyft agreed to pay a $2.1 million fine to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) allegations that it misled drivers about expected earnings. The proposed settlement, pending judicial approval, concludes an FTC investigation into advertisements Lyft aired in 2021 and 2022 that the agency claims exaggerated earnings amid a driver shortage.”
Literary Institutions Are Pressuring Authors to Remain Silent About Gaza (Reader Jim)
From Truthout: “[The] conflation of opposition to Israel’s military action with hatred of Jewish people is only one part of a broader wave of political and social repression that is attempting to silence writers speaking out against the war. In the past month alone, authors who have criticized Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza — which is funded largely by the U.S. — have been labeled extremists, been suspended and fired from faculty jobs, and targets of defamation and harassment.”
New Species of Tardigrade Reveals Secrets of Radiation-Resisting Powers (Mili)
The author writes, “A newly described species of tardigrade is giving scientists insights into what makes these tiny eight-legged creatures so resistant to radiation. Tardigrades, also known as water bears, have long fascinated scientists with their ability to withstand extreme conditions, including radiation at levels nearly 1,000 times higher than the lethal dose for humans. There are around 1,500 known tardigrade species, but only a handful are well-studied.”
