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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.
Sheriff, Group Sue to Block Strict Oregon Gun Control Law (Maria)
The author writes, “An Oregon gun rights group and a county sheriff have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a voter-approved ballot measure that is one of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. The Oregon Firearms Federation and Sherman County Sheriff Brad Lohrey filed the lawsuit Friday in US District Court contending the measure scheduled to take effect Dec. 8 is unconstitutional because it violates the Second Amendment right to ‘keep and bear arms.’ The lawsuit seeks to prevent the measure from taking effect. … Oregon voters earlier this month approved the measure.”
What the Litigation Path of Eligibility Challenges to Donald Trump May Look Like (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “If I had a crystal ball into the future of litigation surrounding Donald Trump’s candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, I would project something like this: In January 2024, administrative tribunals in Illinois and New Hampshire will issue the first decisions on the merits examining whether Trump is eligible to appear on the ballot for the presidential primaries. That will be the first merits decision in a torrent of litigation with an unknown future.”
188 Convictions Tied to Discredited NYPD Officers Are Tossed Out (Dana)
From The New York Times: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Thursday sought the dismissal of 188 misdemeanor convictions, going as far back as 2001, that were tied to the work of eight former New York Police Department officers, sergeants and detectives who have since been discredited. The move follows similar actions by prosecutors across the city in a sweeping effort to review cases that relied on police officers who were convicted of official misconduct and other crimes related to their work.”
Soviet-Era Anti-Aircraft System That Misfired on Poland (Sean)
From Deutsche Welle: “According to the Polish government, the missile that killed two people on a farm in Przewodow, Poland, on Tuesday was a ‘very old Russian-made missile.’ The missile was ‘most likely’ fired by Ukraine, said Polish President Andrzej Duda. … Prior to intense shelling on Tuesday, western Ukraine had repeatedly been attacked by Russia. The Ukrainian Yavoriv military base, as well as energy infrastructure had been targeted. Located around 90 kilometers south of the rocket’s impact site in Przewodow, Yavoriv was the westernmost military base in the Soviet Union until the end of the Cold War. It’s unclear whether the rocket was launched from there or from another location in western Ukraine, possibly to ward off a Russian attack — and then misfired.”
People With Complete Paralysis Walk Again After Nerve Stimulation Breakthrough (Mili)
The author writes, “Using a mix of electrical stimulation and intense physical therapy, nine people with chronic spinal injuries have had their ability to walk restored. All suffered from severe or complete paralysis as a result of damage to their spinal cord. Incredibly, the volunteers all saw improvements immediately, and continued to show improvements five months later.”
Lab-Grown Meat Cleared for Human Consumption by US Regulator (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time cleared a meat product grown from animal cells for human consumption, the agency announced on Wednesday. UPSIDE Foods, a company that makes cell-cultured chicken by harvesting cells from live animals and using the cells to grow meat in stainless-steel tanks, will be able to bring its products to market once it has been inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), said a release from the FDA.”
Scientists Discover Giant Turtle the Size of a VW Beetle in Spain (Sean)
From New Atlas: “Paleontologists have discovered the fossil remains of one of the largest turtles that ever lived. Measuring about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, it roamed the seas of Europe during the age of the dinosaurs. The new species, which lived around 70 million years ago, has been named Leviathanochelys aenigmatica, which translates to ‘giant beast turtle enigma.’ And that name is fitting — the creature is estimated to have measured 3.74 m (12.27 ft) long, making it comfortably one of the largest known turtles to have ever existed. It’s the biggest found in Europe, and just shy of its American cousins like Archelon.”
