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For Meta’s Threads, the Real Rival Is Still TikTok — Not the Former Twitter (Maria)
The author writes, “Threads, the simple, bare-bones text-based social network created by Facebook owner Meta, burst onto the scene during a particularly bad week for the rival then still known as Twitter. It quickly amassed 100 million signups — a huge feat for a newcomer in the space — and was dubbed as a ‘Twitter killer.’ By week two, though, signups began to drop off. … Is Mark Zuckerberg’s latest venture just a flash in the pan? That depends on whether it can hold its own against its biggest rival. And no, that’s not X, the former Twitter. It’s TikTok.”
Arizona Democrats Lose Lawsuit Looking to Block No Labels Party (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “An Arizona judge has rejected the state Democratic Party’s lawsuit targeting the new No Labels Party, which many Democrats fear will boost former President Donald Trump’s bid to return to the White House. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes properly recognized No Labels as a political party earlier this year, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper wrote in a decision dated Monday. Cooper rejected Democratic claims that there were deficiencies in the paperwork No Labels filed but said she may allow Democrats to refile the lawsuit with new arguments.”
Trump’s Truth Social Tipped FBI to Man Killed During Arrest Attempt for Biden Threats (Al)
The author writes, “The social media company owned by former President Donald Trump in March tipped off the FBI about threats made by a Utah man who was fatally shot Wednesday by FBI agents as they attempted to arrest him for threatening to kill President Joe Biden.”
Revealing Andrew Tate’s Secretive War Room ‘Brothers’ (Sean)
From Bellingcat: “Despite being formally charged in June 2023, Andrew Tate remains hugely popular. From his home just north of Bucharest, where he was under house arrest until August 2023, Tate continues to post online about the War Room and his other businesses. Tens of thousands of men, if not more, have been estimated to sign up for his online money-making courses. A virtual army bombards social media with clips of Tate’s videos. Millions of devotees take to social media every day to view his content.”
Are Carbon Offsets All They’re Cracked Up To Be? We Tracked One From Kenya To England To Find Out. (Dana)
From Vox: “Carbon offsets are suddenly everywhere. Long the domain of airlines and unimaginative bureaucrats, firms selling offsets have proliferated, promising a way for ordinary people and organizations in wealthy countries to fight climate change with the click of a button. These companies claim that emissions in the rich world can be canceled out by buying credits from projects that sequester carbon, often in poorer parts of the world. … As economists who care deeply about the climate crisis, we wanted to understand what customers actually get when they buy a carbon credit.”
Tree Keepers: Where Sustaining the Forest Is a Tribal Tradition (Laura)
From Yale Environment 360: “The Menominee tribe of Wisconsin has sustainably harvested its woods for nearly 170 years, providing a model for foresters worldwide. Amid climate change and other threats to the forest, the tribe continues to follow a traditional code: Let the healthy trees keep growing.”
‘Large’ Creature — With 20 Arms — Found Lurking in Antarctic Sea. It’s a New Species (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Scientists aboard a research vessel near Antarctica pulled their nets out of the chilly ocean water. Among their catch, they found a 20-armed creature with a distinctive body shape. It’s a new species. Researchers trawled the Southern Ocean on several research expeditions between 2008 and 2017, according to a study published July 14 in the journal Invertebrate Systematics. They were searching for a group of ‘cryptic’ sea animals known as Promachocrinus, or Antarctic feather stars.”
