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Terrifying Rogue Waves Haunt the Ocean. Scientists Have a New Plan (Maria)
The author writes, “Monstrous and deadly waves that arrive without warning have been recounted in fishing and sailing lore for more than a century. These so-called ‘rogue’ or ‘freak’ waves have been seen from cruise ships, cargo vessels, oil platforms and beaches. … Rogue waves remain a serious danger to ships, offshore infrastructure, and other maritime equipment. Unfortunately, reliable forecasts have been unheard of — until now. Now, for the first time, in a new study released Thursday, researchers say they’ve invented an AI tool that can give up to five minutes warning.”
Supporting Palestine Helped the Left Win in France and Britain. Will Democrats Learn From It? (Laura)
From The Intercept: “Immediately following the surprise victory of left party coalition New Popular Front in France’s parliamentary elections last week, Jean-Luc Mélenchon — the leftist leader of the bloc’s largest party, France Unbowed — vowed to see France ‘recognize the Palestinian state as soon as possible.’ France’s far-right National Rally party, alongside conservative centrists, had spent weeks painting the left’s support of Palestine as an electoral poisoned pill. In attacks all too familiar in the U.S., they conflated anti-Zionism with antisemitism, slamming Israel’s critics as antisemites. Israeli officials explicitly backed the far-right party. In this last election, at least, it didn’t work to prevent left-wing success.”
The Bible According to the RNC (Dana)
The author writes, “As speakers throughout the RNC have cited Scripture [last] week, they’ve done so in two primary areas: to talk about the U.S. and to talk about Trump. In both ways, the speakers attempted to repurpose verses to bestow a divine blessing upon their nation and their nominee.”
Kennedy and West Third-Party Ballot Drives Are Pushed by Secretive Groups and Republican Donors (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Libertarians in Colorado want to put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot to create chaos. Petition drives for Cornel West in Virginia and North Carolina are being run by groups with Republican ties. And in Arizona, a convicted fraudster who’s been repeatedly investigated for using deceptive tactics to gather signatures for conservative groups is also working on West’s behalf.”
Congress Accidentally Legalized Weed Six Years Ago (Sean)
From The Atlantic: “When lawmakers voted to allow hemp production in 2018, they quietly opened the door to legal THC in all 50 states.”
Electric Vehicle Batteries Adding to Toxic PFAS Pollution, Study Finds (Sean)
The author writes, “A type of toxic PFAS in lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and other electronics is polluting air, soil and water in the United States and Europe, adding to concerns that the growing clean energy sector could harm the environment even as it strives to combat climate change, according to a new study.”
We Mapped Weather Forecast Accuracy Across the US. Look Up Your City. (Gerry)
From The Washington Post: “Everyone complains about the weather forecast, but some people have more cause to grumble than others. In Miami, the temperature forecast is usually accurate a week into the future. But in Paonia, Colo., even the one-day temperature forecast is wrong by almost 6 degrees Fahrenheit on average. That’s according to our analysis of government data shared publicly for the first time with The Washington Post. The data reveals the broad patterns and the fine contours of the accuracy of the National Weather Service’s official forecast, which triggers the country’s emergency alert systems and powers countless commercial weather products.”
