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.
|
Listen To This Story
 |
The Framing of the Shrew: Students Photograph Mammal Never Caught on Film (Maria)
The author writes, “[The student scientists were] hoping for a glimpse of an elusive creature: the Mount Lyell shrew, the only known California mammal never photographed alive. [They] faced a tight timeline. They baited 150 pitfall traps — small cups dug into the earth to catch wandering creatures — with cat food and mealworms and monitored them across a 600-foot area, checking each trap every two hours. … Shrews have such a fast metabolism that they die in traps quickly, one of the reasons this species had never been photographed or studied live. Despite initial skepticism, they caught five shrews within the first 24 hours, working mostly during the night.”
Here’s How President Trump Shifted Policy in His First Week (Sean)
From The New York Times: “President Trump’s blunt message after a whirlwind week of executive orders and presidential proclamations may boil down to this: Take me at my word. During four years in political exile after his first term, Mr. Trump vowed to radically reshape American life, culture and politics if he got another chance. His first week has demonstrated that he will seek to do just that — and fast — as he races to make good on the promises that vaulted him back into power. Not all of his directives will succeed in the end. But already, the United States is a different place than it was a week ago.”
Capitulation Is Contagious (Gerry)
From The Atlantic: “Trump promises to punish people for disagreeing with him. Lately, he’s found that such threats are sufficient to bring many of his perceived enemies in line. This was certainly the case when the leaders at Disney rolled over after Trump sued ABC for alleged defamation by George Stephanopoulos, in a case that First Amendment lawyers widely believed Disney would have won. This is one way that institutions fail: not because they are forced into submission, but because people in positions of power collapse all on their own.”
Trump Pardoned Her for Storming the Capitol. ‘Absolutely Not,’ She Said. (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “Many of those convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, have celebrated the pardons or commutations that they received this week from President Trump. Not Pamela Hemphill. A retired drug and alcohol counselor who lives in Boise, Idaho, she pleaded guilty in January 2022 to a misdemeanor offense for entering the Capitol during the riot and was sentenced to 60 days in prison and three years of probation. She said she did not want a pardon. ‘Absolutely not,’ Ms. Hemphill said in an interview on Wednesday. ‘It’s an insult to the Capitol Police, to the rule of law and to the nation. If I accept a pardon, I’m continuing their propaganda, their gaslighting and all their falsehoods they’re putting out there about Jan. 6.’”
Keene Man Arrested for Storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 Rejects Trump’s Pardon (Al)
From NHPR: “On his first day in office this week, President Donald Trump pardoned all rioters at the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jason Riddle served time in jail for his participation in the 2021 riot where he stole a bottle of wine and a book on Senate procedure. He told NHPR’s Morning Edition host Rick Ganley that he is rejecting Trump’s pardon.”
Conspiracies Are Rife About Water and the LA Fires. Here’s What Experts Say (Dana)
The author writes, “As massive fires continue to sweep through Los Angeles, firefighters are relying on local water infrastructure not designed for fires of this size, researchers say. Fires in California have grown more explosive because of climate change, which is largely driven by humans burning oil, gas and coal. And yet prominent right wing influencers and political figures, including President Donald Trump, are falsely blaming the fires’ destructiveness on the city not having enough water to fight the blazes. … Here’s what you should know about the water situation and the fires.”
Bloomberg to Fund UN Climate Agency After US Exit From Paris Accord (Laura)
The author writes, “Billionaire former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced … that his foundation would fund the UN climate change agency after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement. Bloomberg’s pledge will cover the 22 percent of its $96.5 million budget previously provided by the US for 2024-2025.”
