"If you live in London, Dr Leon Barron knows what you’re up to. He knows what prescribed drugs you’re on – painkillers, antidepressants, antipsychotics or beta blockers – and what illicit ones you’re taking for fun. He knows if you’ve been drinking and when (“Friday and Saturday are the main ones”); perhaps even if you’re worried about your dog getting fleas." The study of wastewater seemed to hit its stride just in time for the science to be used as a remarkably effective way to track the rise and fall of Covid cases in distinct regions. As the tech advances, researchers can learn a lot about what going on (and in and out) across local populations. There's something in the water. And it's the story of us. The Guardian talks to a water detective who studies London's wastewater. ‘I see cocaine in wild shrimp in Suffolk’: meet the scientist who analyses our wastewater. 2Case Breakers"On Sunday, Mexican authorities announced that the bodies of the three tourists, found at the bottom of a well with gunshot wounds to their heads, had been identified by their families. The men had been killed in a carjacking gone wrong, the authorities said, and suspects had been detained within days of the men’s disappearance. More people are being investigated. It was a tragic yet somewhat fast resolution to a case that had drawn international attention." What shocked Mexicans wasn't necessarily that the crime had occurred, but rather how quickly the investigation has moved. NYT (Gift Article): Where 3 Dead Tourists Were Found Fast, Thousands Remain Missing. "The message those of us who work on these issues get is that there are lives that matter, and there are others that don’t." 3The Fog of Negotiation"In fact, Hamas did not 'accept' a cease-fire deal so much as make a counteroffer to the proposal on the table previously blessed by the United States and Israel — a counteroffer that was not itself deemed acceptable but a sign of progress. At the same time, Israel’s strikes in Rafah evidently were not the start of the long-threatened major operation but targeted retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks that killed four Israeli soldiers over the weekend — and along with the warning to civilians, a way to increase pressure on Hamas negotiators." NYT (Gift Article): Inside the White House Scramble to Broker a Deal in Gaza. The region, the players, the stakes. The situation couldn't be much more tense, and it seems like the White House sometimes finds out details about the same time the rest of us do. 4Trump Ruins Porn
My favorite Trump cartoon was drawn by the New Yorker’s Barry Blitt: Donald Trump is on a therapist’s couch. In the chair next to him sits a psychologist holding his pen to a notepad. But when you scan up, you realize that the shrink’s head has exploded. It was hard not to see that cartoon as understated during some of today's much-anticipated testimony from Stormy Daniels. I mean, this headline: Adult Film Star Stormy Daniels Testifies That Donald Trump Told Her She Reminded Him of 'His Daughter.' Here's the latest from NBC and The Guardian. (Here's one thing to note: Stormy Daniels testified that she didn't care about the money and that she didn't want the sex with Trump story to go public either. Trump not only committed election fraud, he once again made a terrible deal.) 5Extra, ExtraYour Phone Has Your Number: "Over the last several years, academic researchers and startups have built AI-powered apps that use phones, smart watches, and social media to spot warning signs of depression. By collecting massive amounts of information, AI models can learn to spot subtle changes in a person’s body and behavior that may indicate mental health problems." Your phone can tell when you’re depressed. (That doesn't seem all that hard. About five times a day while reading the news I say out loud, "Oh man, I'm so f-cking depressed...") 6Bottom of the News"Reum’s deal with the team included a loan, described as in the six figures, to ease the club’s financial pressure, as well as potential future investment and access to Reum’s extensive business and finance network." WSJ (Gift Article): The Newest Rookie in Pro Soccer Is a 45-Year-Old Finance Bro.
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