The Climate Change Clues Hidden in Art History
The Pandemic Is the Right Time to Defund the Police ; Deepfakes Are Going to Wreak Havoc on Society ; and More Picks
The Pandemic Is the Right Time to Defund the Police (Chris)
From the New Republic: “Even when oversight is exercised, police continue to kill and keep their jobs. Now some cities are being urged to take a broader view: to shrink the police force altogether through the power of the budget, particularly at a moment when so many other social programs and essential services are at risk of being cut during a pandemic.”
Wyden Asks Federal Watchdog to Investigate Insurance Companies (Reader Steve)
From the Oregonian: “OHSU professors and psychiatrists have repeatedly raised the alarm about what they see as attempts by private insurance companies to circumvent federal laws that require mental health insurance to be treated equally to other medical health care. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, sent a letter Thursday to federal watchdogs calling for an investigation into what he says appear to be violations of state and federal parity laws.”
‘All-Out Combat’ Feared as India, China Engage in Border Standoff (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Analysts fear the latest standoff may escalate, as Chinese trucks have allegedly moved equipment inside the Indian side of LAC. Ajai Shukla, a defence analyst based in New Delhi, fears that any further escalation would mean ‘all-out combat.’”
Deepfakes Are Going to Wreak Havoc on Society. We Are Not Prepared. (Gerry)
The author writes, “Today we stand at an inflection point. In the months and years ahead, deepfakes threaten to grow from an Internet oddity to a widely destructive political and social force. Society needs to act now to prepare itself.”
Smart Sponge Could Soak Up Oil Spills (Mili)
From Technology Networks: “A Northwestern University-led team has developed a highly porous smart sponge that selectively soaks up oil in water. With an ability to absorb more than 30 times its weight in oil, the sponge could be used to inexpensively and efficiently clean up oil spills without harming marine life.”
