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‘I’m a Blue Whale, I’m Here’: Researchers Listen To Songs That Hint of Antarctic Resurgence (Maria)
The author writes, “Centuries of industrial whaling left only a few hundred Antarctic blue whales alive, making it almost impossible to find them in the wild. New research suggests the population may be recovering. Australian scientists and international colleagues spent two decades listening for their distinctive songs and calls, and have found the whales — the largest animals ever to have lived — swimming across the Southern Ocean with growing regularity.”
Biden’s Young Dems Problem: ‘They’re Leaving in Droves’ (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “With the 2024 election just over six months away, President Biden is working with two big thorns in his side that threaten to damage his reelection bid: Israel’s continued war against Hamas in Gaza, and the subsequent campus protests that are roiling colleges and universities across the US. Axios notes that the commander in chief is routinely heckled now at his various public appearances over these topics, but there’s one group in particular that may prove especially worrisome for Biden: young voters from his own party, with support plummeting at an ‘increasing pace of concern,’ Elise Joshi of Gen-Z for Change tells The Hill.”
Missouri and South Dakota Move Toward Abortion Rights Ballot Questions (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Two more states with near-total abortion bans are poised to have citizen-sponsored measures on the ballot this year that would allow voters to reverse those bans by establishing a right to abortion in their state constitutions. On Friday, a coalition of abortion rights groups in Missouri turned in 380,159 signatures to put the amendment on the ballot, more than double the 172,000 signatures required by law. The Missouri organizers’ announcement followed a petition drive in South Dakota that announced on Wednesday that it, too, had turned in many more signatures than required for a ballot amendment there.”
A Prosecutor Asked Texas to Kill Melissa Lucio. Now He Says She Should Be Freed. (Laura)
From The Intercept: “If the courts agree to vacate the conviction, Lucio will have spent 16 years on death row for a crime that never happened.”
Waste Deep: How Tyson Foods Pollutes US Waterways and Which States Bear the Brunt (Sean)
From the Union of Concerned Scientists: “Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest meat and poultry producer, released hundreds of millions of pounds of pollutants from its slaughterhouses and processing plants into local waterways across the United States between 2018 and 2022. Water pollutants from Tyson plants pose a risk to people and the environment and include large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients feed algal blooms that clog water infrastructure, exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions, and contribute to dead zones that harm fish, shellfish, and people. Many of these facilities are also located close to federally defined critical habitats for endangered or threatened species.”
Senior Homes Refuse To Pick up Fallen Residents, Dial 911. ‘Why Are They Calling Us?’ (Russ)
From The Washington Post: “Lift-assist 911 calls from assisted living and other senior homes have spiked by 30 percent nationwide in recent years to nearly 42,000 calls a year, an analysis of fire department emergency call data by The Washington Post has found. That’s nearly three times faster than the increase in overall 911 call volume during the same 2019-2022 period, the data shows.”
John Lennon’s Guitar, Rediscovered After Decades Languishing in an Attic, Heads to Auction (Dana)
The author writes, “A long-lost Framus Hootenanny that belonged to John Lennon has finally been found and will hit the block in New York this month. The storied 12-string acoustic guitar will headline the Music Icons sale that Julien’s Auctions is hosting at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City on May 29 and 30. The Framus is expected to smash its estimate of $600,000–$800,000, making it the highest of sums anticipated for the sale’s other artifacts, which include guitars, stage-worn fashions, and set lists penned by musical stars. In fact, the Framus might become the priciest Beatles guitar ever sold.”
