PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
State of the Planet: UN to Reveal Landmark IPCC Report Findings (Maria)
The author writes, “The findings of the world’s largest report on climate change will set out the stark reality of the state of the planet. The study, by the UN group Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, looked at more than 14,000 scientific papers. The report will be the most up-to-date assessment of how global warming will change the world in the coming decades. Scientists say it will likely be bad news — but will also have ‘nuggets of optimism.’”
Facebook Just Suspended the Accounts of Some of Its Biggest Critics (DonkeyHotey)
From Vice: “Facebook has made good on its threat to kick out a group of researchers who’ve been among the platform’s biggest critics. The Cybersecurity for Democracy project at New York University has revealed major flaws in Facebook political ad transparency tools and highlighted how Facebook’s algorithms were amplifying misinformation. Most recently, it helped track vaccine disinformation in coordination with the Virality Project, a group that tries to neutralize false narratives spreading on social media. Despite the obvious benefits of the work being done by these researchers, on Tuesday evening, the company cut the cord.”
Amid Tangled Haiti Assassination Plot, a Mysterious Figure Emerges From the Shadows (Doug)
From the Miami Herald: “Since the July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, the growing cast of shadowy characters swept up in the investigation has resembled a scrambled jigsaw puzzle. One of those characters, a Doral businessman, has just spoken out — in writing, through lawyers — to deny any intentional involvement in the killing and to claim he was duped by other malevolent actors, including a business associate. Issuing a detailed ‘news release’ to tell their client’s story is highly unusual, but so is the tangle of conflicting and outlandish stories coming out of Haiti.”
Mexico to Sue US-Based Gunmakers Over Flow of Arms Across Border (Dan)
The authors write, “The Mexican government said Wednesday it plans to file legal action against several major U.S.-based gun manufacturers, alleging that lax controls contribute to the illegal flow of weapons over the border, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The unusual suit is expected to be filed in U.S. federal court in Boston, since some of the manufacturers are headquartered in Massachusetts, according to the documents. The suit — which seeks unspecified financial compensation from the companies — does not target the U.S. government.”
New Cybersecurity Technique Keeps Hackers Guessing (Mili)
The author writes, “Army researchers developed a new machine learning-based framework to enhance the security of computer networks inside vehicles without undermining performance. With the widespread prevalence of modern automobiles that entrust control to onboard computers, this research looks toward a larger Army effort to invest in greater cybersecurity protection measures for its aerial and land platforms, especially heavy vehicles.”
‘Financially Hobbled for Life’: The Elite Master’s Degrees That Don’t Pay Off (Sean)
From The Wall Street Journal: “Recent film program graduates of Columbia University who took out federal student loans had a median debt of $181,000. Yet two years after earning their master’s degrees, half of the borrowers were making less than $30,000 a year. The Columbia program offers the most extreme example of how elite universities in recent years have awarded thousands of master’s degrees that don’t provide graduates enough early career earnings to begin paying down their federal student loans, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Education Department data.”
Climate Crisis: Scientists Spot Warning Signs of Gulf Stream Collapse (Russ)
The author writes, “Climate scientists have detected warning signs of the collapse of the Gulf Stream, one of the planet’s main potential tipping points. The research found ‘an almost complete loss of stability over the last century’ of the currents that researchers call the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). The currents are already at their slowest point in at least 1,600 years, but the new analysis shows they may be nearing a shutdown. Such an event would have catastrophic consequences around the world.”
Nevada County Commissioners Vote to Rename Justice Complex After Former President Trump (Reader Steve)
From The Nevada Independent: “Lyon County commissioners voted 3-2 on Thursday to rename the county’s justice complex after former President Donald Trump. … The proclamation points to Trump’s immigration policies and his progress in filling federal judicial vacancies — including appointments of three Supreme Court justices, 54 appellate court judges and 174 District Court judges — as reasons for the renaming.”
Titanic Museum Visitors Hospitalized in Tennessee After Iceberg Wall Collapses (Dana)
The author writes, “Even Titanic fans are getting downed by icebergs. Three visitors to the world’s largest Titanic museum in Tennessee have been hospitalized after an iceberg wall collapsed, the owners said.”
