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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.
On the Edge of Retreat: An Island Community Moved to the Mainland. Now the Rising Sea Is Following. (Maria)
The authors write, “A century ago, about 250 people lived on Hog Island, a seven-mile expanse off the Virginia coast. They raised livestock and gathered oysters. They lived in a town called Broadwater, worked at the lighthouse and Coast Guard station, and danced at night in a social hall called the Red Onion. But that was back when there was still soil beneath their feet. Historical maps show Hog Island’s shoreline was already retreating over a century ago. … The remains of Broadwater have been lost to the Atlantic Ocean.”
Accuser Testifies Jeffrey Epstein Brought Her to Meet Donald Trump When She Was 14; No Wrongdoing Alleged (DonkeyHotey)
The authors write, “A woman who said she was sexually abused by Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein more than two decades ago testified in court Wednesday that she met Donald Trump when Epstein took her to Mar-a-Lago when she was 14 years old. The woman, identified in court under the pseudonym ‘Jane,’ also testified that she flew on Epstein’s private plane several times along with Prince Andrew, celebrity chef Adam Perry Lang and Epstein’s mother and brother. She did not accuse the former President or any of the other plane passengers of wrongdoing.”
Iran Prosecutor General Signals ‘Morality Police’ Suspended (Mili)
From Al Jazeera: “Iran has suspended its morality police, the Iranian prosecutor general said as protests in the country continue into the third month. The protests erupted shortly after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by a unit of the morality police in Tehran for allegedly not adhering to the country’s mandatory dress code for women. Speaking on Saturday at an event about ‘outlining the hybrid war during recent riots,’ which is how Iranian officials describe alleged foreign influence in the unrest, Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri was quoted as saying by local media that morality police operations are over.”
Taliban Silence Voice of America Broadcasts in Afghanistan (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “The Voice of America said Wednesday that Taliban authorities have banned FM radio broadcasts from VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Afghanistan, starting Thursday. VOA said Taliban authorities cited ‘complaints they have received about programming content’ without providing specifics. VOA and RFE are funded by the U.S. government, though they claim editorial independence.”
One More French Lesson — Le Drugstore (Gerry)
The author writes, “I’m heading home today after spending three months in Paris on a trip that was mostly research and reporting, and partly pleasure just by being here. Along the way, I learned a lot about the French health system. One fascinating detail, with lessons for policy in the United States, is how France regulates pharmacies. Under French law, a pharmacy must be owned by a licensed pharmacist and each pharmacist may have only one. As a consequence, there are no chains. It would be illegal in France for a pharmacist to front for a chain. The results are the opposite of what free-marketeers might expect and what chains like CVS would claim. Drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, are cheaper than in the U.S., and the service is far better.”
How Houston’s Homeless Strategy Became a Model for Other US Cities (Russ)
From Smart Cities Dive: “Houston worked with surrounding county governments, various community stakeholders and nonprofit service providers to develop a model that, despite operating with a small budget, has decreased the area’s homeless population by roughly 63% since 2011, according to a recent city report. The area has experienced an 82% reduction in family homelessness and a 69% reduction in chronic homelessness in that period, Eichenbaum said. And by 2015, it had effectively ended veteran homelessness.”
A ‘Wormhole’ Built on a Quantum Computer Teleported Information as Predicted (Sean)
The author writes, “For the first time, scientists have created a quantum computing experiment for studying the dynamics of wormholes — that is, shortcuts through spacetime that could get around relativity’s cosmic speed limits. Wormholes are traditionally the stuff of science fiction, ranging from Jodie Foster’s wild ride in Contact to the time-bending plot twists in Interstellar. But the researchers behind the experiment, reported in the December 1 issue of the journal Nature, hope that their work will help physicists study the phenomenon for real.”
