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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.
Alex Jones Must Pay Sandy Hook Families Nearly $1B for Hoax Claims, Jury Says (Maria)
The authors write, “Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay at least $965 million in damages to numerous families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting for falsely claiming they were actors who faked the tragedy, a Connecticut jury said on Wednesday. The verdict, which came after three weeks of testimony in a state court in Waterbury, Connecticut, far outstripped the $49 million Jones was ordered to pay in August by a Texas jury in a similar case brought by two other Sandy Hook parents.”
Voters in Some Key Swing States to Decide on Voting Access (Reader Steve)
From The Seattle Times: “All but lost in the shadow of major contests for U.S. Senate and governor, voters in some battleground states will be deciding ballot proposals this November that could reshape the way they vote in the next presidential election. In Arizona, scene of the closest presidential contest in 2020, the question is whether to require more identification to vote in the future. In Michigan, another swing state, voters will consider whether to make it easier to cast early ballots.”
The CIA Thought Putin Would Quickly Conquer Ukraine. Why Did They Get It So Wrong? (Sean)
From The Intercept: “Ever since Ukraine launched a successful counteroffensive against Russian forces in late August, American officials have tried to claim credit, insisting that U.S. intelligence has been key to Ukraine’s battlefield victories. Yet U.S. officials have simultaneously downplayed their intelligence failures in Ukraine — especially their glaring mistakes at the outset of the war. When Putin invaded in February, U.S. intelligence officials told the White House that Russia would win in a matter of days by quickly overwhelming the Ukrainian army, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials, who asked not to be named to discuss sensitive information.”
Man Pleads Guilty to Staging Arson as Politically-Motivated Attack for Insurance Payout (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “A man from Brooklyn Center pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Tuesday after he filed a bogus insurance claim for a camper he burned down as part of a fake politically-motivated attack. Court documents state that 30-year-old Denis Vladmirovich Molla falsely reported that someone else had lit his camper on fire. He also told law enforcement that ‘three unknown males’ were near his home when he heard an explosion. Molla reported that his property was targeted because of a ‘Trump 2020’ flag that was displayed on his camper.”
Texas Is Now the Nation’s Biggest Emitter of Toxic Substances Into Streams, Rivers, and Lakes (Laura)
The author writes, “Texas is a notably easy place to set up shop for industrial projects with lots of liquid waste and nowhere good to put it. The state’s waterways are open for business, an analysis of Environmental Protection Agency data shows, to send large volumes of discarded chemicals and industrial discharge downstream and out to sea. In a new report by Environment America, a Denver-based nonprofit, Texas ranks first among U.S. states for toxic discharges into streams, rivers and lakes, a title held by Indiana since the organization began analyzing nationwide water pollution in 2009, when Texas ranked fourth.”
Undersea Cable to Funnel 3 Gigawatts of Solar Energy From Egypt to Power Millions of European Households (Mili)
From the Good News Network: “Taking advantage of the huge output of solar energy in places neighboring the Sahara Desert, a massive undersea power cable is coming to Europe from Egypt. Bringing 3,000 megawatts of renewable energy, the GREGY interconnection will run from northern Egypt to Attica, Greece. Expected to be in operation for around 8 years, one-third of the cable’s supply will power Greek heavier industry, another third will be exported via shared grids to other European countries Bulgaria and Italy.”
Pennsylvania Parks Officials Release Curious Statement About Bigfoot Warnings (Dana)
The author writes, “Parks officials in Pennsylvania say they don’t know who’s posting signs warning of Bigfoot activity in the area, but it’s not them. They also threw cold water on the notion that Sasquatch might be making a home in the Keystone State ― or anywhere else for that matter. … The signs state that there have been ‘encounters’ in the area and call on visitors to ‘observe elevated park etiquette, be cautious of your surroundings and to keep the location of any small children/pets within a tighter scope of awareness.’”
