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Tips For Stepping Back From Screens and Starting a New Hobby (Maria)

The author writes, “‘Last year, Rachel Martin came to a startling realization: She spent most of her free time staring at screens. Watching TV, playing video games and creating digital art, Martin, 33, sometimes spent more than 12 hours a day looking at screens. She longed for an analog alternative. After some trial and error, she found one: journaling with fountain pens and specialty inks…‘Step one is experiencing positivity when you engage in these activities,’ Rutgers Associate Prof. Gabriel Tonietto said. ‘The consequences are feeling more relaxed, feeling less stressed, feeling happier.’”

Sonia Sotomayor, in Seattle Area, Talks About What Gives Her Hope (Reader Steve) 

From The Seattle Times: “But, she said, she remained hopeful. She talked about American history — it took a century after the country’s founding to end slavery. It took another century after that to end legal segregation. Women can vote today, she said, because other women fought and died for the right. ‘We have people who are courageous enough in every generation to get up and fight the battle,’ she said. ‘That’s what gives me hope, that there are good people in the world.’”

It’s Time for Democrats To Get Behind Mamdani — Or Risk Getting Left Behind (Reader Jim) 

The author writes, “Democrats are once again failing to meet the moment and risk being behind the times – something that will hurt them as they try to rally the party for the 2026 midterm elections. Mamdani is clearly doing something right; it would be good for the Democratic Party to acknowledge that, even run with it. The poll found that two things are working in Mamdani’s favor: his likability and his stances on issues they care about. Those two factors are areas where the Democrats need a boost.”

Humans Are Altering the Seas. Here’s What the Future Ocean Might Look Like (Laura) 

The author writes, “Among the other ecosystems at high risk are sea grass meadows, rocky intertidal zones and mangrove forests. These parts of the ocean, near shore, are the ones people most depend on. They provide natural defenses against storm damage. And the vast majority of commercial and recreational fishing, which together support more than two million jobs in the United States alone, takes place in shallower coastal waters.”

France Says Apple Notified Victims of New Spyware Attacks (Sean) 

From TechCrunch: “France’s national cybersecurity response unit said on Thursday that it was aware that Apple on September 3 sent a new notification to affected customers whose Apple devices may have been hacked. The cybersecurity unit said receiving a threat notification means that at least one of the devices linked to a customer’s iCloud account ‘has been targeted and would be potentially compromised.’ It’s unclear how many individuals, including in France, received the September 3 threat notification, which spyware was used, or when the intrusions began.”

At the Bus Stop, a Living Ad for Nature (Russ) 

The author writes, “Green roofs on buildings have become even more common in many cities around the world, and those larger surfaces stand to have more environmental impact than a relatively tiny bus shelter. But roof plantings are often out of view from the street. Cultivating a garden on a bus shelter can influence how people perceive the world as they make their way around town.”