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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.
EPA Sets Legal Limits on Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water (Maria)
The author writes, “The US Environmental Protection Agency has taken the extraordinary step of setting legal drinking water limits for six of the most studied and toxic PFAS compounds, known commonly as ‘forever chemicals,’ that are at the center of an ongoing environmental crisis. The new limits mark the first time in 26 years that the EPA has set legal limits for a contaminant in drinking water. Municipal utilities will be required to remove the compounds from drinking water, which could set off a wave of lawsuits directed at PFAS polluters.”
Mainstream Media Is Doing PR for Pete Buttigieg (Al)
From Jacobin: “To the left, [Pete Buttigieg], the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is the corporatist compromiser without the vision or guts to go as big as he should. To the right, he is the embodiment of elitist abandonment of real Americans, hopped up on his own grandiosity, who thinks more about social engineering than transportation.”
Ron DeSantis’ New Book Is a Gift to His Opponents (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “Ron DeSantis is one of the most prominent Republican leaders [who skipped] this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. Perhaps the Florida governor [chose] instead to prepare for his upcoming visits to key primary states as part of an unofficial tour for his new book, which has the depressingly generic title ‘The Courage to Be Free.’ While DeSantis’ absence from CPAC has made headlines, what’s absent from his book is far more telling. For a man who likes to pick his fights, the ones DeSantis avoids in his book are signposts for Democrats looking for weaknesses.”
Ukraine Short of Skilled Troops and Munitions as Losses, Pessimism Grow (Russ)
The author writes, “The quality of Ukraine’s military force, once considered a substantial advantage over Russia, has been degraded by a year of casualties that have taken many of the most experienced fighters off the battlefield, leading some Ukrainian officials to question Kyiv’s readiness to mount a much-anticipated spring offensive. U.S. and European officials have estimated that as many as 120,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the start of Russia’s invasion early last year, compared with about 200,000 on the Russian side, which has a much larger military and roughly triple the population from which to draw conscripts.”
The Case for a Banking Public Option (Dana)
From The American Prospect: “The Silicon Valley Bank collapse illustrates a common misconception about banking. When people put their money in a bank, there’s a natural tendency to think that the bank is just hanging on to it, when in reality it typically lends the money out. … A run creates an artificial shortage of cash. … But there’s a way to bank that is guaranteed to ensure that anybody can always get their money out, no matter what the circumstances or amount: a Federal Reserve account. Currently, only banks have access to these, but there’s every reason for the public to have them too.”
Climate Change Is Fueling More Conflict Between Humans and Wildlife (Laura)
The author writes, “Wildfires pushing tigers towards Sumatran villages. Drought prodding elephants into African cropland. Hotter ocean temperatures forcing whales into shipping lanes. Humans and wildlife have long struggled to harmoniously coexist. Climate change is pitting both against each other more often, new research finds, amplifying conflicts over habitat and resources.”
Scientists Are Close to Finding a Hidden Underwater Civilization (Mili)
From Popular Mechanics: “Doggerland is an ancient landmass submerged under what is now the North Sea, a large body of water among England, Denmark, and Norway. Scientists are now analyzing magnetic field data gathered from magnetometers to explore this ancient landmass and to search for evidence of our Mesolithic ancestors. The scientists are racing against time as interest is growing in both sea mining and construction of offshore wind farms in the North Sea.”
