Scientists Have Backed Away From the Worst-Case Climate Scenario — and the Best One, Too
In Portland, Getting Out of Jail Requires Relinquishing Constitutional Rights ; Georgia Camp Outbreak Shows Rapid Virus Spread Among Children ; and More Picks
In Portland, Getting Out of Jail Requires Relinquishing Constitutional Rights ; Georgia Camp Outbreak Shows Rapid Virus Spread Among Children ; and More Picks 8/3
In Portland, Getting Out of Jail Requires Relinquishing Constitutional Rights (Chris C.)
The author writes, “Federal authorities are using a new tactic in their battle against protesters in Portland, Oregon: arrest them on offenses as minor as ‘failing to obey’ an order to get off a sidewalk on federal property — and then tell them they can’t protest anymore as a condition for release from jail. Legal experts describe the move as a blatant violation of the constitutional right to free assembly, but at least 12 protesters arrested in recent weeks have been specifically barred from attending protests or demonstrations as they await trials on federal misdemeanor charges.”
How China Used Nationalism to Hide Coronavirus Truth (Dana)
From CNET: “In February, two video bloggers, Bin Fang and Chen Qiushi, vanished after posting videos documenting life in Wuhan that contradicted the official narrative. After writing an essay criticizing the Communist Party’s coverup, billionaire property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang also went missing and now faces prosecution.”
Georgia Camp Outbreak Shows Rapid Virus Spread Among Children (Dana)
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Some 260 cases of the coronavirus have been tied to attendees and staff at a North Georgia YMCA children’s camp in June, according to a report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the largest known superspreading events in the state. The report details how COVID-19 spread rapidly among children and teens within the camp and raises questions about the effectiveness of safety protocols as school districts and colleges contemplate reopening for in-person instruction this fall.”
Ransomware Feared as Possible Saboteur for November Election (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Ransomware attacks targeting state and local governments have been on the rise, with cyber criminals seeking quick money by seizing data and holding it hostage until they get paid. The fear is that such attacks could affect voting systems directly or even indirectly, by infecting broader government networks that include electoral databases. Even if a ransomware attack fails to disrupt elections, it could nonetheless rattle confidence in the vote.”
Fox Found With Impressive Shoe Collection in Berlin (Mili)
The author writes, “For weeks residents of Zehlendorf were baffled that a thief was stealing their flip flops and sports shoes from their gardens at night. Finally a man spotted the culprit on a patch of wasteland, ‘in flagrante, carrying two blue flip flops in its mouth,’ the daily Tagesspiegel reports. The fox had a hoard of over 100 shoes.”
