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.
US Military Units Track Guns Using Technology That Could Aid Foes (Maria)
The authors write, “Determined to keep track of their guns, some US military units have turned to a technology that could let enemies detect troops on the battlefield, The Associated Press has found. The rollout on Army and Air Force bases continues even though the Department of Defense calls putting the technology in firearms a ‘significant’ security risk. The Marines have rejected radio frequency identification technology (RFID) in weapons for that very reason, and the Navy said this week that it was halting it as well.“
131 Federal Judges Broke the Law by Hearing Cases Where They Had a Financial Interest (Reader Jim)
The authors write, “More than 130 federal judges have violated U.S. law and judicial ethics by overseeing court cases involving companies in which they or their family owned stock. A Wall Street Journal investigation found that judges have improperly failed to disqualify themselves from 685 court cases around the nation since 2010. The jurists were appointed by nearly every president from Lyndon Johnson to Donald Trump. About two-thirds of federal district judges disclosed holdings of individual stocks, and nearly one of every five who did heard at least one case involving those stocks.”
Texas Court Orders Release of More Than 200 Migrants Imprisoned in Gov. Greg Abbott’s Border Security Clampdown (Dan)
From The Texas Tribune: “Texas is set to release nearly 250 migrants who were arrested under Gov. Greg Abbott’s ‘catch and jail’ border security policy and sat in prison for more than a month without being charged with crimes. A state district judge granted a motion to release the men on no-cost bonds Tuesday morning after defense attorneys challenged the continued imprisonment of hundreds of migrants, citing widespread violations of state law and constitutional rights to due process. Texas law requires criminal defendants be released from jail on no-cost or affordable bond if prosecutors delay cases by not filing charges quickly. For trespassing, the charge on which the vast majority of the migrants were arrested, that deadline is set at 15 or 30 days, depending on the charge level.”
In Deep Red West Virginia, Biden’s $3.5TN Spending Proposal Is Immensely Popular (Inez)
The author writes, “Elizabeth Masters isn’t a natural Joe Biden supporter. A self-described conservative who lives in Parkersburg, in deeply Republican West Virginia, she said she registered to vote in the last election so she could cast a ballot for Donald Trump. Masters says she doesn’t approve when people ‘just stand for a handout’ — she doesn’t think the United States should be spending money on undocumented immigrants, for example — but says anything that will ‘help people that are trying to do for themselves, I’m all for it.’”
Trump Return to White House ‘Would Be a Disaster’ for US Intelligence: Former DHS Whistleblower (Reader Steve)
The authors write, “A former senior Department of Homeland Security official who once accused the Trump administration of politicizing intelligence said Sunday that a return of President Donald Trump to the White House in 2024 ‘would be a disaster’ for the U.S. intelligence community. ‘(Former President Trump) has denigrated the intelligence community, he puts out disinformation — and that’s an existential threat to democracy and he is one of the best at putting it out and hurting this country,’ Brian Murphy, who once led the DHS intelligence branch, said Sunday in an exclusive interview on ABC’s ‘This Week’ with George Stephanopoulos.”
‘We’re All Fighting the Giant’: Gig Workers Around the World Are Finally Organizing (Sean)
From Rest of World: “To understand how platform work is experienced worldwide, Rest of World, in partnership with the research company Premise, surveyed more than 4,900 gig workers across 15 countries. We combined their responses with data compiled by global labor bodies and academic researchers, along with in-depth interviews with gig workers in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. We also approached six of the largest platform companies operating globally, none of which agreed to be interviewed. The data shows that, while the experience of platform work is very local and takes on features of the societies and economies in which it operates, it’s also universal. Platform workers, whether they’re based in the U.S. or Nigeria, Indonesia or Ethiopia, are all struggling with a shared set of challenges: insecurity, anxiety, low wages, and high costs.”
Exotic Beasts Are Taking Over Maryland (Dana)
The author writes, “There are some fantastic beasts out there, and we know just where to find them. Just go to Maryland. The state’s animal control services have struggled with a bit more than just your usual dogs, cats, and raccoons. They’ve had to add zebras and pythons to the list as well.”
