in the clear: 2024-03-18

This is a running list of various media I've looked at each week. It's mostly for reference and to give an impression of the type of news that I'm exposed to. Bullets are written by me and numbers are summaries of the respective article from an LLM.

If you have any suggestions or know of other good news sources, please leave a comment in the guestbook or reach out to me directly. I can't spend all my time reading about current events, but I like to try and stay informed whenever possible.

NPR: Supreme Court examines whether government can combat disinformation online

1. The U.S. Supreme Court is examining the government's role in combating disinformation online.
2. A court order has barred government officials from contacting social media companies, impacting agencies like the CDC and FBI.
3. Two states and five individuals, including vaccine opponents, sued over alleged censorship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. The Biden administration argues that it has the right to express its views and persuade others, while opponents claim this is unconstitutional coercion.
5. The government interacts with social media companies to flag content that violates policies, such as threats to public safety.
6. The case involves disagreements about how courts should treat social media companies under the First Amendment and regulatory policies.

NPR: From anxiety to cancer, the evidence against ultra-processed food piles up

1. A large review of studies found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks of anxiety, depression, obesity, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers (including colorectal cancer), and premature death.
2. Ultra-processed foods are abundant in the food supply and often high in salt, sugar, fat, and calories, while low in fiber and micro-nutrients.
3. A telltale sign of ultra-processed food is the presence of ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors or flavors.
4. A healthy diet may help reduce depressive symptoms and tamp down anxiety, with a French study linking a Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of depression in men.
5. The FDA is updating the definition of the term "healthy" on food labels and moving towards front-of-package labeling to help consumers make healthier choices.
6. More research is needed to fully understand the connections between ultra-processed food consumption and disease risks.

NYT: Piety and Profanity: The Raunchy Christians Are Here

1. The "Conservative Dad's Real Women of America" 2024 pinup calendar, featuring evangelical influencers and aspiring politicians, has sparked debate among Christian and secular conservatives about its morality.
2. The calendar's cover model, Riley Gaines, often speaks at church events and evangelical conferences, while another model, Josie Glabach, references her family's Catholic faith in her defense of her conservative bona fides.
3. The rise of Donald J. Trump, the declining influence of traditional religious institutions, and the shifting media landscape have contributed to a coarsening of evangelical mores.
4. The aesthetics, language, and borders of public morality in evangelical America have shifted, with some conservative Christians viewing a certain amount of vulgarity as a form of truth-telling.
5. This shift is most visible in politics, with representatives like Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Nancy Mace using vulgar language and challenging traditional evangelical standards.
6. The debate over the pinup calendar and the broader shift in evangelical culture highlight the growing polarization between Christian and secular conservatism.

NYT: What is a B Corp?

1. B Corp certification is awarded to for-profit companies that meet social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability standards set by B Lab.
2. Companies must score 80 or above on five criteria - governance, workers' rights, community impact, environmental impact, and stewardship of customers - to pass B Lab's "Impact Assessment."
3. B Corp certification can help tourists identify responsible and accountable travel providers, but it often caters to high-end travelers and can be expensive for companies to obtain.
4. Intrepid Travel, the largest B Corp in the travel industry, focuses on initiatives like hiring local guides, sourcing local ingredients, and reducing carbon emissions.
5. Other certifications and guidelines for sustainability in the travel industry include 1% for the Planet, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and Ecostars.
6. Carbon offsets have been shown to rarely capture or reduce real emissions, and some companies like Run the Alps are moving beyond offsetting to leave a positive impact in their communities.

ArsTechnica: TikTok ban bill is so broad it could apply to nearly any type of tech product

1. The RESTRICT Act (Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act) is a US Senate bill that broadly addresses potential national security threats from technology products, but it doesn't specifically mention TikTok or ByteDance.
2. The bill would grant the secretary of Commerce and the president the power to ban or restrict access to certain products from countries deemed threats to national security.
3. The RESTRICT Act has faced criticism for its vagueness and potential overreach, with concerns that it could criminalize the use of VPNs and increase surveillance of US citizens' online activity.
4. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has expressed concerns about the bill, stating that it could be read as criminalizing some VPN use and authorizing excessive penalties for evading undefined 'mitigation measures.'
5. The RESTRICT Act was introduced by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and co-sponsored by six Democrats and six Republicans. They argue that a comprehensive, risk-based approach is necessary to tackle potential threats from technology products.
6. The EFF has called for comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation instead, emphasizing that protecting users' data is crucial, regardless of the platform.

Reuters: US Supreme Court seems wary of curbing US government contacts with social media platforms

1. The US Supreme Court is cautious about limiting government contacts with social media platforms.
2. The Swiss National Bank's investments are linked to 12 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
3. Victims of the 2015 Mariana dam break in Brazil seek $3.8 billion in compensation from Vale and Samarco.
4. India Vehicle Finance raises $300 million for securitization issued by Shriram Finance.
5. European Parliament panel backs a draft law for large companies to check supply chains for forced labor or environmental damage.
6. Environmental activists cannot use political or philosophical beliefs as a defense for criminal damage in London's Court of Appeal.

NYT: Biden’s Climate Law Has Created a Growing Market for Green Tax Credits

1. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden in 2022, has created a large market for companies to buy and sell clean-energy tax credits.
2. Over 500 companies have registered 45,500 new clean-energy projects with the IRS for tax breaks.
3. The law aims to reduce fossil fuel emissions and encourages production and deployment of emissions-reducing technologies.
4. Two mechanisms allow companies to access tax credits, including direct payments to nonprofit hospitals, local and tribal governments, and a marketplace for buying and selling tax credits.
5. The tax-credit marketplace helps companies with liquidity needs by providing an alternative to loans, especially when interest rates are high.
6. The IRS has seen a surge in registrations for direct payments or eligibility for the new tax-credit marketplace, with over 98% of the 45,500 registrations for the marketplace.

NYT: Five Ways Buying and Selling a House Could Change

1. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has agreed to change its policies on real estate commissions to settle lawsuits brought by home sellers.
2. A settlement of $418 million has been reached, which includes a new rule allowing more negotiation on commission rates.
3. The current standard commission rate of 5-6% in the US is significantly higher than in many other countries, such as Britain, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
4. The new rule will change how commissions are advertised to buyers' agents, allowing for more negotiation and potentially reducing the overall commission rate.
5. Home buyers may now be responsible for paying their own agents, which could impact those who are already struggling to afford a down payment.
6. The changes could lead to more competition among agents, potentially reducing commissions and increasing transparency in the process.

Economist: Japan ends the world’s greatest monetary-policy experiment

1. The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has announced an end to its negative-interest-rate policy and other unconventional measures, as inflation is "in sight" and the economy has grown beyond deflation.
2. BoJ raised its key interest rate for the first time since 2007, from -0.1% to between 0 and 0.1%, and will stop purchasing exchange-traded funds.
3. The new policy framework is considered "normal" monetary policy, with officials emphasizing a broadly accommodative stance without initiating a tightening cycle.
4. The change in policy reflects improvements in the Japanese economy, with inflation above the 2% target for 22 months and wage growth of over 5% for the first time in 33 years.
5. The short-term impact of the policy shift is expected to be limited, as markets had already priced in the move, and long-term yields will still be low by international standards.
6. Risks remain, including potential slowdowns in major trading partners, rising interest payments on Japan's government debt, and the impact of rate rises on mortgages and small businesses. Additionally, there is a risk that inflation could fall below the target again.

NBC: Intermittent fasting linked to higher risk of cardiovascular death, research suggests

1. A study from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine found that people who restricted food consumption to less than eight hours per day had a 91% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease over a median period of eight years.
2. The study is based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2003 and 2018, and has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal.
3. The association between time-restricted eating and a risk of death from cardiovascular disease may be due to people who limited their eating to fewer than eight hours per day having less lean muscle mass.
4. Fasting can increase stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, potentially increasing the short-term risk of heart problems among vulnerable groups.
5. The American Heart Association recommends that the benefits and adverse effects of intermittent fasting need to be weighed on an individual basis.
6. The study's lead author, Victor Wenze Zhong, cautions people about intermittent fasting for longer periods of time, such as years.

Freedom to Tinker: Five Themes Discussed at Princeton’s Workshop on Decentralized Social Media

1. The page discusses a workshop on decentralized social media at Princeton, attended by experts from Mastodon, Bluesky, and Nostr.
2. Five themes emerged from the workshop: community governance, trust and safety, content moderation, artifact design, and interoperability.
3. Challenges in community governance include power dynamics, sparse networks, and flexible governance structures. Potential solutions include stewardship-first approaches and ephemeral institutions.
4. Trust and safety measures must be adaptable and transparent, with a focus on ethical data use and privacy. Balancing privacy and data analysis is a key open question.
5. Content moderation in decentralized platforms is discussed, with a focus on automated tools, coordinating scanning tools, and potential misinformation from generative AI.
6. Artifact design is crucial in decentralized social media, with various ecosystems developing around protocols like ActivityPub, AT Protocol, and Nostr. Misalignments between protocol designers and users are highlighted.

NYT: Alabama Republicans Pass Expansive Legislation Targeting D.E.I.

1. Alabama Republicans passed legislation to cut funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at public colleges, local boards of education, and government agencies.
2. The bill also limits teaching "divisive concepts" related to race, gender, and identity, and forbids transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
3. The legislation is part of a broader, right-wing campaign to limit DEI programs and initiatives in higher education across the country.
4. Opponents argue that the bill infringes on the constitutional rights of faculty, staff, and students, and creates a chilling effect on free speech and diversity efforts.
5. The bill's prohibitions are vaguely defined and could have a disproportionate impact on historically Black colleges and universities.
6. Critics have raised concerns about the bill's potential to stifle discussions about race, gender, and identity, and create a campus environment devoid of intellectual freedom.

NPR: U.S. drops in new global happiness ranking. One age group bucks the trend

1. The U.S. ranks higher in the world happiness report for people aged 60 and older, despite an overall drop in ranking from 15th to 23rd.
2. The U.S. is in the top 10 countries for happiness in the 60 and older age group.
3. There is a decline in happiness among younger adolescents and young adults in the U.S.
4. Factors such as social support, healthy life expectancy, and financial stability contribute to higher happiness levels in the older age group.
5. Younger adults may experience lower well-being due to factors like climate change, social inequities, and political polarization.
6. Younger people in some Eastern European countries are experiencing rising levels of well-being.

NPR: Scientists studied how cicadas pee. Their insights could shed light on fluid dynamics

1. New research published in PNAS reveals that cicadas produce jets of pee, challenging previous assumptions about fluid dynamics at small scales.
2. The study has implications for various fields, including 3D printing, drug delivery, disease diagnostics, and testing compounds in outer space.
3. The discovery was made by Elio Challita, a bio-inspired roboticist at Harvard University, who was motivated by curiosity.
4. Larger animals, like humans and elephants, rely on gravity and inertia to form jets or streams of urine, while smaller animals, like insects, typically urinate in droplets due to surface tension and friction.
5. Cicadas, as small organisms, were initially expected to urinate in droplets, but they were found to produce jets due to their larger size and the high volume of sap they consume.
6. The study highlights the complexities of fluid dynamics and the importance of understanding seemingly mundane phenomena in nature.

NPR: Syphilis cases are rising in babies. Illinois has a potential solution

1. Illinois has seen a rise in perinatal syphilis cases, leading to the creation of a phone line for medical professionals to answer questions about testing, diagnosis, and treatment.
2. The increase in cases is due to inadequate testing and prenatal care, with about 40% of affected mothers receiving no prenatal care.
3. Treatment barriers include lack of access to healthcare, transportation, time off work, and childcare.
4. The impact of syphilis is disproportionately higher in marginalized communities, with higher rates in Black, Hispanic, and Native mothers.
5. Syphilis is syndemic with poverty, structural racism, and lack of access to healthcare.
6. The Illinois Perinatal Syphilis warmline can be reached at 1-800-439-4079, operating Monday to Friday, 8am - 4pm CT.

NYT: University of California Could Bar Political Speech on Some Web Pages

1. The University of California's regents are considering a proposal to bar political statements on academic department home pages.
2. The proposal comes in response to rising anger over pro-Palestinian protests and statements, with some accusing pro-Palestinian protesters and faculty of veering into antisemitic speech.
3. The proposal would apply to the U.C. system's 10 schools, including Santa Cruz, U.C.L.A., and Berkeley.
4. Critics argue that the proposal could limit academic freedom, while supporters say it would prevent department home pages from being misinterpreted as representing the university's views.
5. The proposal would require departments to create guidelines about when to issue statements, be transparent about whose views are represented, and consider whether they could chill the speech of those who disagree.
6. The regents' proposal has sparked debate about the role of political speech in higher education and the balance between academic freedom and institutional neutrality.

Economist: Why America can’t escape inflation worries

1. The Federal Reserve plans to make three quarter-point rate cuts in 2024, despite concerns about inflation remaining around 3-4%.
2. The Fed's focus is on the personal consumption expenditures price index, which has been in line with the 2% inflation target, unlike the consumer price index.
3. The CPI and PCE have different weightings and adjustment frequencies, leading to a divergence in the measures.
4. The Fed's new median projection for long-run rates has shifted slightly, indicating a potential change in their view on post-pandemic growth.
5. The Fed aims to reach the neutral rate of interest, which is the level at which monetary policy is neither expansionary nor contractionary.
6. The Fed will still need to address the question of interest rates even after the fight against inflation concludes.

NYT Opinion: A Big Step Toward a Fairer Housing Market

1. The National Association of Realtors reached a tentative settlement on structural changes in the real estate industry, which could lead to a reduction in commission rates for buying or selling houses.
2. Currently, commission rates in the US are typically 5-6%, compared to below 2% in some other countries.
3. A history of efforts to break the industry's grip on commission rates has been ongoing, with class-action suits and federal investigations.
4. The misalignment of incentives in the current system can lead to potential conflicts of interest for real estate agents.
5. The tentative settlement allows sellers to offer compensation to buyers' agents, but not via the Multiple Listing Service.
6. A more pro-competition solution would be to ban all payments by sellers to buyers' agents, which could increase consumer welfare by over $30 billion annually.

Economist: Why “Freakonomics” failed to transform economics

1. "Freakonomics" gained popularity in 2003 for its unique, counterintuitive analysis of overlooked topics using economic theories.
2. The book's authors, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, applied statistical methods to "the hidden side of everything" and focused on crime, education, and racial discrimination.
3. A controversial claim in the book linking legalized abortion to a fall in crime was later found to be incorrect due to a coding error.
4. Critics, like economist James Heckman, argue that the "Freakonomics" approach prioritizes internal validity over external validity, limiting its applicability in understanding broader economic outcomes.
5. The credibility revolution, which popularized the "Freakonomics" approach, has faced criticism for overturned results and low replication rates.
6. Economists, including Heckman, advocate for creating structural models of decision-making and using data to estimate the parameters that explain behavior within them.

GSA Business: Goodwill launches job training academy for cybersecurity

1. Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina has launched the Tech Academy for cybersecurity job training.
2. The program aims to equip participants with skills and knowledge to protect data and combat cyber threats.
3. Participants can earn industry-recognized certifications such as CompTIA, IT Fundamentals, A+, and Network+.
4. STEM U will provide course instruction for the program.
5. The inaugural class starts on March 25 at two locations in Columbia and Greenville.
6. The Tech Academy is part of Goodwill's new Innovation Institute, offering various technology-focused training and certifications.

NYT Opinion: What’s the Matter With Ohio?

1. Ohio, once considered a bellwether state, has seen a shift towards hard-line ideological politicians, such as J.D. Vance and Bernie Moreno, who have won over more moderate candidates.
2. The economic fortunes of regions in the US have diverged significantly, with Ohio experiencing a relative decline in per capita income compared to states like Massachusetts.
3. This decline can be attributed to the loss of well-paid manufacturing jobs due to foreign competition and the collapse of unions, which previously represented a significant portion of Ohio's private-sector workers.
4. The 21st-century economy has favored metropolitan areas with highly educated workforces, leaving behind regions like Ohio with lower shares of college-educated adults.
5. Trump's trade war, with substantial tariffs on some manufactured imports, was a political success in the 2020 election, despite not providing economic benefits to the heartland.
6. There is a disconnect between voters' perceptions of politicians and the actual policies they implement, with many voters failing to recognize the impact of Biden's policies on workers.

NYT: In One Key A.I. Metric, China Pulls Ahead of the U.S.: Talent

1. China is now the largest producer of top AI talent, generating almost half of the world's top AI researchers.
2. The US is second, with 18% of the world's top AI talent coming from US undergraduate institutions.
3. China's AI talent production has increased, while the US has remained mostly the same.
4. The shift is due to China's heavy investment in AI education and the increasing number of Chinese researchers staying in China.
5. Chinese-born researchers make up a significant portion of top AI researchers in the US.
6. The US and China are competing for AI primacy, as AI can potentially increase productivity, strengthen industries, and drive innovation.

NPR: Buying or selling a home? How the real estate fee structure impacts you

1. The National Association of Realtors settled a lawsuit that could change real estate agent commission structures, potentially leading to lower costs for buyers and sellers.
2. Starting in July, sellers will no longer have to spell out a commission for the buyer's agent, which may result in more negotiation, competition, and lower costs.
3. This change may lead to increased negotiations, a wider range of services, and potentially lower overall expenses for home buyers and sellers.
4. Home buyers may have to pay more out-of-pocket fees starting in July, which could be challenging, especially for first-time buyers with limited funds.
5. The number of real estate agents might decrease due to lower commissions, but the remaining agents might still make the same amount of money as the commission pie shrinks but is cut into fewer slices.
6. The changes in commission rules take effect in July, and buyers and sellers should consider discussing costs and benefits with their agents before the deadline or after the new rules are in place.

LLRX: What We Know About You: Welcome to the Surveillance State

1. Commercial data brokers are selling third-party data to the government, which can include conversations heard by smart devices in homes.
2. Organizations that become data-oriented for effectiveness and relationship-building must be aware of the hidden risks of data sharing.
3. Individuals should be cautious of the trails of data they generate, as it can be used for profit without their full understanding.
4. Data sharing has a different context when dealing with the privacy of individuals, who may not be aware their data is being packaged and sold.
5. Government contractors can purchase and use commercially available data for various purposes, sometimes without explicit consent or knowledge of the individuals involved.
6. Anonymized data can often be traced back to an individual, and the information sold to commercial data brokers can be resold or traded without the individual's knowledge.

IAPP: A view from DC: Restoring privacy to the skies

1. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is reviewing the privacy practices of the nation's largest airlines.
2. This action is due to the DOT's authority to stop unfair and deceptive trade practices in air transportation.
3. The DOT's jurisdiction over airline data privacy stems from the deregulation of the U.S. airline industry in 1978.
4. The DOT has previously taken action on issues of equity, discrimination, and consumer protection in air transportation.
5. The DOT's guidance on privacy matters includes the potential for civil penalties for mishandling consumer data.
6. This review may lead to investigations, enforcement actions, guidance, or rulemaking from the DOT regarding airline data privacy practices.

Lawfare: Podcast About the TikTok Divestment and Ban Bill

• Interesting perspective mostly focusing on the constitutional limitations of the TikTok Ban Bill
• Seems like divestment vs ban isn't relevant, and either way the 1st amendment free speech should make the bill unconstitutional
• I personally don't use TikTok, but considering the precedent of allowing this bill does make me worried about 1st amendment rights
• Obviously I think there should just be better legisation restricting the collection of data and brokering of data on Americans, by both foreign and national powers

NPR: House appropriations bill would increase border enforcement capacity

1. The House has approved a $1.2 trillion bipartisan package for the 2024 budget, emphasizing increased spending on immigration and border enforcement.
2. The Republican-dominated House aims to curb illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border, with the White House requesting Congress to fund these efforts.
3. The package includes funding for more ICE detention beds and border agents.
4. The package received two-thirds support, passing with a final vote of 286-134.
5. House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the package's increase in detention capacity and Border Patrol agents.
6. The package is now in the Senate for voting before midnight.

Forbes: Feds Ordered Google To Unmask Certain YouTube Users

1. Federal government ordered Google to reveal information about individuals who viewed specific YouTube videos and livestreams.
2. The orders have been criticized by privacy experts as unconstitutional, potentially turning innocent viewers into criminal suspects.
3. The orders were used in investigations related to bitcoin selling and bomb threats.
4. Google was asked to provide names, addresses, phone numbers, and user activity of those who viewed the videos.
5. The orders have sparked concerns over potential infringements on the 1st and 4th Amendments.
6. Google has implemented measures to protect user privacy, such as pushing back against overbroad demands and updating its systems to prevent certain data disclosures.

NYT: The A.C.L.U. Said a Worker Used Racist Tropes and Fired Her. But Did She?

1. The ACLU fired employee Kate Oh, who is Korean American, after she used certain phrases and words in criticizing her superiors, all of whom were Black.
2. The ACLU acknowledged that Oh never used any racial slurs, but said her language demonstrated a pattern of willful anti-Black animus.
3. The National Labor Relations Board has accused the ACLU of retaliating against Oh and violating her labor rights.
4. The case raises questions about the definition of racist or racially coded speech and the right to free expression.
5. The ACLU's defense argues that the impact of Oh's actions, not her intent, is what matters.
6. Oh's lawyers argue that she was just speaking harshly about her bosses, who happened to be Black.

The Guardian: Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds

1. A study at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary found that dogs can understand the meaning of certain nouns, particularly those related to items they care about.
2. Researchers monitored the brain activity of dogs using electroencephalography (EEG) while showing them objects and saying corresponding words.
3. Different patterns of brain activity were observed when the objects matched or clashed with the words, indicating that dogs can associate words with objects.
4. The study suggests that dogs can grasp the essence of nouns, going beyond simple commands like "sit" and "fetch."
5. The research team believes that the capacity for understanding words is present in all dogs, but further work is needed to understand if dogs can generalize word meanings like humans do.
6. The findings could have implications for understanding language evolution and cognitive abilities in non-human animals.

NYT: Indiana Law Requires Professors to Promote ‘Intellectual Diversity’ or Face Penalties

1. A new Indiana law requires public university professors to promote "intellectual diversity" or face disciplinary actions, including termination for tenured faculty.
2. The law connects job status of faculty members to promoting "free inquiry" and "free expression," with an emphasis on including more conservative viewpoints on campus.
3. The law has been met with backlash from faculty, who view it as government overreach and a threat to academic freedom.
4. Under the law, university trustees can withhold tenure or promotion from faculty who don't meet the requirements, and can demote or fire tenured faculty who are deemed "unlikely" to promote intellectual diversity.
5. The law also requires colleges to establish procedures for students or employees to file complaints about faculty members who fall short of these requirements.
6. The law's supporters argue that it will foster intellectual vibrancy in academia and address issues such as decreased confidence in higher education and incidents of antisemitism on campuses.

NYT: First He Came for Cancel Culture. Now He Wants to Cancel Smartphones

1. Jonathan Haidt, a professor at NYU, is known for his work on how humans make moral decisions, summarized in his book "The Righteous Mind."
2. Haidt's work has been influential in Silicon Valley, with tech leaders seeking his advice on handling ideological battles and the impact of technology on society.
3. Haidt's book "The Coddling of the American Mind" discussed the rise of cancel culture and became popular among people who were critical of the left, but not aligned with right-wing anti-cancel culture warriors.
4. Haidt's latest work, "The Anxious Generation," focuses on the impact of smartphones and social media on young people's mental health and democracy.
5. Haidt's ideas have been endorsed by influential figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama.
6. Haidt's approach to understanding morality and politics is based on the idea that there are multiple "taste buds" that help us make decisions, and that a balanced approach is necessary for a functioning society.

NYT Opinion: When It Comes to Politics, Are Any of Us Really Thinking for Ourselves?

1. Political beliefs can be predicted by demographic factors like race, education, and location.
2. The idea that one side is uninformed or ignorant is a common stereotype in American politics.
3. People often reframe class interests as altruism, and group identities shape political views.
4. Unreflectively accepting social pressures and group identities in politics is not beneficial.
5. Scrutinizing one's beliefs and ensuring they are based on sound reasons is crucial.
6. Hyperpartisan society may not reward independence of thought, but acknowledging social roots of opinions promotes humility and a more civil discourse.

NYT: The Brutality of Sugar: Debt, Child Marriage and Hysterectomies

1. Archana Ashok Chaure, a sugar cane laborer in western India, married young and got a hysterectomy to deal with painful periods and continue working.
2. Thousands of women in the region are pressured to get hysterectomies, often due to financial constraints and lack of access to proper medical care.
3. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been buying sugar from this region, where an abusive system of labor exploits children and leads to unnecessary sterilization of working-age women.
4. Companies have known about these issues for years but have not taken significant action to address them.
5. The hysterectomies have long-term health consequences, including increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.
6. The sugar industry in Maharashtra, where most of the labor abuse occurs, is responsible for a significant portion of sugar production in India and global supply chain.