Screen Time at Ages 1 and 6 Linked To Poorer Learning, Memory: New Study

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Screen Time at Ages 1 and 6 Linked To Poorer Learning, Memory: New Study (Maria)

The author writes, “Screens are now a routine part of life for many young children, raising questions about how early exposure can influence development. New research found that more screen time, especially during infancy and around the time children begin school, was associated with lower academic performance at age 9 and weaker memory at age 10. The results suggest that when children use screens may matter just as much as how much time they spend.”

Chatbots Are Doing the Work of Congress With Little Oversight (Russ)

The author writes, “The amendment was one of hundreds filed this summer to an annual defense bill making its way through Congress. Along with her proposed change, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s office had sent a summary of what it would do. But the first line made no sense. ‘increasing example specific factors. Identical to H.R. 100 (118th Congress).11:25 AM????Claude responded:’ One of Luna’s staffers had copied a chatbot’s answer — time-stamp and all — and pasted it into the public record of the National Defense Authorization Act. As a screenshot of the garbled text circulated on social media, the Florida Republican was nonchalant. ‘Not a shocker,’ she wrote. ‘Most staff use it.’”

‘Disappointed’: Ranchers and Republicans React to Trump’s Beef Import (Bethany)

From NOTUS: “Jim Richardson’s weekly trips to sell beef at the Battle Creek and Sunset Valley farmers markets in Austin, Texas have dipped in revenue. Local restaurants also aren’t buying much of his hormone- and antibiotic-free beef. He’s had to double his prices because of rising costs for processing, fuel, labeling, packaging, labor and electricity. Now Richardson, a 77-year-old rancher based in Georgetown, Texas, with about a 100-head cattle herd, is facing another pain point: President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States will import 300,000 metric tons of tariff-free beef in an attempt to lower costs for consumers.”

Trump Wants Carrier Towers Moved Toward the Middle (Reader Jim)

The author writes, “President Trump’s style preferences are rippling down to the blueprints of the Navy’s newest aircraft carriers. The Washington Post reports that current and former officials said the service is studying whether to shift the towering command center on future Ford-class carriers toward the middle of the ship so they more closely resemble World War II-era flattops — an idea raised in response to Trump’s dislike of the current rear-positioned ‘island.’ A previous internal review in his first term found such a move could cost billions and significantly slow the already-delayed program. One former official said the time and expense involved would be ‘extraordinary.’” 

As Workplace Surveillance Grows, Experts Say It’s Good To Know the Ways Your Employer Is Watching (Reader Steve)

From the Associated Press: “Thousands of employers are keeping tabs on the whereabouts, productivity and communications of workers with technology that was adopted widely during the coronavirus pandemic. A vast array of digital tools still are being used to track locations, collect data on task completion rates, and access work-issued smartphone and laptop cameras, raising concerns about how much privacy employees have relinquished, even in their own homes.” 

‘Living Proof Damaged Landscapes Can Recover’: Exploring a Vast Restored Forest in Southern Sweden (Laura)

From The Guardian: “Söderåsen national park is one of Europe’s largest protected broadleaf woods, offering wild swimming, spectacular hiking trails and an inspiring story of regeneration.” 

Visitors Outfoxed by Footwear Thieves at Provincial Park in Canada (Dana)

From CBC News: “Cunning and furry thieves are outfoxing campers and cottagers at Great Blue Heron Provincial Park. Sonnet McGuire, manager of the park located about 50 kilometers north of Prince Albert, says she started getting reports about shoes going missing in early July. Visitors found single shoes left in bushes, on the side of the road, or even at the boat launch. The culprits: a group — sometimes known as a skulk — of sly foxes with a taste for footwear.”