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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.
Illinois Senate Passes Its Version of Proposed Assault Weapons Ban (Maria)
The author writes, “The Illinois Senate passed its version of the proposed assault weapons ban bill on Monday night. The bill now goes back to the Illinois House for consideration. … If approved, Gov. JB Pritzker has said he would sign into law.”
Five Democratic Politicians’ Homes or Offices Have Been Shot at in Albuquerque (DonkeyHotey)
From NPR: “Local and state police are working with the FBI in Albuquerque, N.M., to investigate five shootings that have targeted Democratic politicians’ homes or offices since in the past month. Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, whose home was the first to come under fire, told NPR on Friday that the attacks have been difficult to process, ‘especially knowing that other women of color elected officials have also been targeted.’ In the attacks, multiple rounds have been fired into the doors and walls of buildings — in some cases while elected officials were inside with their families — but no one has been hurt.”
ER Docs Call Private Equity Staffing Practices Illegal, Seek a Ban (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “A group of emergency physicians and consumer advocates in multiple states are pushing for stiffer enforcement of decades-old statutes that prohibit the ownership of medical practices by corporations not owned by licensed doctors. Thirty-three states plus the District of Columbia have rules on their books against the so-called corporate practice of medicine. But over the years, critics say, companies have successfully sidestepped bans on owning medical practices by buying or establishing local staffing groups that are nominally owned by doctors and restricting the physicians’ authority so they have no direct control.”
Why the Godfather of Human Rights Is Not Welcome at Harvard (Sean)
From The Nation: “Kenneth Roth, who ran Human Rights Watch for 29 years, was denied a fellowship at the Kennedy School. The reason? Israel.”
US Government Approves Use of World’s First Vaccine for Honeybees (Laura)
The author writes, “The world’s first vaccine for honeybees has been approved for use by the US government, raising hopes of a new weapon against diseases that routinely ravage colonies that are relied upon for food pollination. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a vaccine created by Dalan Animal Health, a US biotech company, to help protect honeybees from American foulbrood disease.”
Starlink Satellite Trains — Is This the Future of the Night Sky? (Russ)
From The Washington Post: “As SpaceX continues launching more Starlink satellites into space, astronomers and others ponder if their visibility will be a growing constant in the night sky.”
The Wildest Tech at CES: Party Fridges, Pee Readers, Suction Cup TVs, and More (Dana)
The author writes, “CES brought plenty of new gadgets and doodads to get excited about, from countless dazzling TVs and fascinating concept devices to an actual flying car. But beyond all the glitz lies one of the consumer tech show’s most delightful hallmarks: a whole crop of jaw-dropping, quirky or just plain weird gadgets. Some of CES’ oddities are extremely costly, while others are affordable. Not all these weird highlights will even hit the market, but sometimes that’s part of their charm.”
