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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-vox">From Vox</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>“I Am the Only One”: Trumps Messianic 2024 Message</strong> - Under threat of prison, the master of fear and anger takes another dark political turn. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/i-am-the-only-one-trumps-messianic-2024-message">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ukraines Counter-Offensive, and What Comes After</strong> - Zelensky has mounted a major effort to take back territory seized by the Russians. But hell have to do more than prevail on the battlefield. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/ukraines-counter-offensive-and-what-comes-after">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Is Donald Trump Scared?</strong> - At the former Presidents arraignment in Miami on Tuesday, it was impossible to say whether his fate was more likely to be a return to the White House—or prison. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/is-donald-trump-scared">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>How Trump Compares with Presidents Who Burned Their Papers</strong> - The Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore sees historic parallels—as well as willful and unprecedented behavior by the freshly indicted ex-President. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-trump-compares-with-presidents-who-burned-their-papers">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Post-Racial Vision of “Across the Spider-verse”</strong> - The movie treats its fantastical multiethnic team of superheroes and their forays into cultural determinism with Obama-like breeziness and tact. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-post-racial-vision-of-across-the-spider-verse">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>How to tell when youre getting good advice</strong> -
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<img alt="A collage-type image of a blue megaphone projecting an array of colorful triangles." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gwQIJ8Bu2vP7iN51podjhRSqTPs=/0x243:6653x5233/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72378996/GettyImages_1348357293.0.jpg"/>
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Getty Images
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Overwhelmed by too much guidance from all directions? This should help.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2IS9NO">
Few peoples job description includes doling out wisdom to strangers on the internet. John Paul Brammers does. His column, <a href="https://holapapi.substack.com/"><em>¡Hola Papi!</em></a>, is billed as “What if Dear Abby was a gay Mexican man on Grindr?” Readers have sought Brammers guidance on matters of the heart (like whether to <a href="https://holapapi.substack.com/p/im-leaving-a-decent-thing">let go</a> of a decent, if not thrilling, relationship) and platonic issues alike (such as <a href="https://holapapi.substack.com/p/i-hate-my-writing-group">whether to ghost</a> an exhausting writing group). Recently, a reader sent a letter to Brammer asking for advice on how to ask out a crush. Brammers <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/hola-papi-how-do-i-ask-him-out.html">suggestions were measured and actionable:</a> “Express interest. Avoid desperation.” Every once in a while, Brammer will receive an update from one of those inquiring minds.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jj5wCb">
“He sent me a letter back saying, Hey, so I did ask that guy out and we went on a date, and even though it didnt really go anywhere, I felt more confident I can do that again now,’” Brammer says.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="I1Lnun">
Humankind has long sought crowd-sourced answers to problems. From the <a href="https://www.vox.com/first-person/2017/6/14/15782712/advice-columns-dear-abby-history">300-year history of the advice column</a> to the plethora of advisers at our employ — spiritual, political, financial, emotional, professional, legal — people are inclined to make better choices when those actions have <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-78026-001">been guided by another</a>. “We all have biases,” says <a href="https://commarts.wisc.edu/staff/van-swol-lyn/">Lyn Van Swol</a>, a professor of communication science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “and if you can meld your perspective with another good source of information, youre starting to cancel out some of your biases.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="d6Wgta">
Advice is ubiquitous and virtually no topic is off-limits. People seek counsel about the mundane — what TV show to watch, where to go to dinner — to the consequential — how to invest money, where to send kids to school. Those whom we typically seek advice from are people we know and who are <a href="https://oxfordre.com/communication/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-178">easily accessible, people we like, and people we believe to be experts</a>, says <a href="https://cas.la.psu.edu/people/erina-farrell/">Erina Farrell</a>, a professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State University.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bJoVwK">
But not all advice is welcome. Well-meaning loved ones or clueless outsiders offer their unsolicited guidance in <a href="https://www.vox.com/instagram-news">Instagram</a> comments and the grocery store check-out line alike; in the age of <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lifehack">TikTok life hacks</a>, no one is immune to passive consumption of advice. The sheer volume of advice available can make it difficult to discern valuable intel from bogus verbal snake oil.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="McEH2n">
When advice is everywhere — from the therapy room to our phones — how can we parse the reasonable from the absurd? What we consider effective counsel has more to do with our own preferences than it does with the quality of the information provided by our advisers (though that definitely matters, too). Here are some alternative ways of distilling and implementing advice.
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<h3 id="DNFJx7">
Do you actually want advice?
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="T3kb9P">
Most often, advice is sought and utilized when we havent <a href="https://oxfordre.com/communication/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-178">thought through solutions on our own</a>. In these moments adrift, it can be tempting to get swept up in the deluge of guidance, both online and off. Friends and family are inclined to fix our problems by offering advice when, perhaps in reality, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/avoid-fight-ask-partner-comfort-solutions_l_602ae37fc5b6591becdadf3d">all we want is to vent</a>. The myriad tips that populate our social feeds may influence us to make changes we never considered before. Were notoriously bad at taking advice, even if weve solicited it ourselves, Van Swol says, but the more were exposed to certain messages — for example, TikTok tips about how to wake up earlier — the more we start to consider the suggestion.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="8f3FPa">
To determine whether advice is what were after, we need to consider whether the subject matter at hand is something weve previously thought about independently, and not because a friend or a piece of content on the internet brought it to our attention. Because we usually solicit advice with a specific goal in mind — like improving a relationship or making more money — absorbing ambient advice requires us to think about what we actually want, instead of what outsiders say we should want, says <a href="https://faculty.smu.edu.sg/profile/michael-schaerer-1331">Michael Schaerer</a>, an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources at Singapore Management University. “Maybe your goal is not to get up at 6 am and start running around like a crazy person. But instead, maybe your goal is to have a more healthy sleep cycle and be able to stay in bed a bit longer and to reduce your stress from the previous day,” he says. “When you get bombarded with advice, you should always try and filter it through these criteria to figure out [if] this is actually something that concerns me and [if] it will be helpful to me.”
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<h3 id="7xOTgo">
Does the advice align with your life?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NoLNQy">
People take advice when the suggestion addresses a problem or concern, is feasible to achieve, and doesnt have any major consequences or “side effects,” Farrell says. A friend might propose you buy a car to solve your issues of <a href="https://www.vox.com/transportation">transportation</a>, but maybe the cost of the purchase makes the advice unfeasible — and carries the added consequence of going into debt.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3GzNIc">
Alternatively, some advice is too generic and superficial, Schaerer says, and therefore provides no realistic roadmap toward implementation. Platitudes like “stop worrying” and “follow your heart” dont concretely apply to anyones life.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WxBONq">
When weighing advice, think about the realities of your life and your preferences. Taking an online strangers <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23700540/parenting-advice-endless-recycling-dr-spock-gentle-parenting">advice to limit kids screen time</a> may not be sage wisdom if plopping your toddler in front of an iPad allows you time to tend to chores and help your older child with homework. “If the advice just does not gel with your lifestyle, if its not practical, it can be good advice for someone but not for you,” Brammer says. What works for one person and their lifestyle may not be as effective for another.
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<h3 id="bkHHX8">
Who is giving the advice?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="m2LrTP">
The source of advice is as important as the content of the advice. Trustworthy advisers have some amount of expertise in the specific domain theyre discussing, like a lawyer giving legal advice or a person who is married doling out marriage lessons. However, someone whos experienced a challenge or who is still in the “messy middle” may provide alternative viewpoints. “When you fail, or something doesnt work out for you, you actually think about it much more deeply than when everythings going smoothly,” says <a href="https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/eskreis-winkler_lauren.aspx">Lauren Eskreis-Winkler</a>, an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. This may prove helpful when considering advice.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="usGQWC">
Just because someone has experienced something (successfully or not) does not make them the definitive source of wisdom. We tend to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37104799/">favor advisers</a> who are <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-art-of-giving-and-receiving-advice">more confident</a>, but their guidance may not always be accurate.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="UVgORa">
Differing and diverse points of view can help us make better decisions because the advice is “coming from someone who has had different experiences,” Van Swol says. “Their advice is going to be able to account for some blind spots you might have.” The more open-minded we are to advisers who differ from us, the greater number of alternative options we can weigh before making a decision. The more people we solicit advice from also leads to better decisions overall, Van Swol says, since we can meld together aspects of all of the advice or one course of action stands out as the most recommended from the panel of advisers.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xVwmrk">
When it comes to online advice, take time to consider the source. Does the person have expertise in the subject matter or are they just a person on the internet? Are they impartial or are they being paid to offer a specific view? Are they looking to stoke controversy by peddling potentially dangerous advice? Is the person doling out advice actually taking their own advice? “You have to ask yourself why you trust them,” says money coach <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nobudgetbabe">Nicole Victoria</a>, who shares financial wisdom with an audience of over 1.6 million followers on TikTok. “Do you trust them because you have information that will lead you to know that they are a trustworthy source? … Because anybody can create content. And its not always good.”
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<h3 id="1C0yWX">
What emotional reaction does the advice garner?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nvMfeP">
Emotions can be a good barometer for whether we should take advice — but theyre not the only metric. We may initially bristle at a therapists suggestion to <a href="https://www.vox.com/even-better/23317604/side-hustle-burnout-work">ditch a time-suck of a side hustle</a>, but after further reflection, come to realize how much life would improve without the extra responsibility. Good advice can also come in a terrible package: sage life lessons delivered condescendingly from a parent, for instance. “That doesnt always necessarily mean the advice, that the thing thats being advised, is a bad thing to do,” Farrell says. “Its your gut reaction to being told what to do.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="LdAAP7">
Pause and examine the emotional reaction to the advice, Farrell says, and reflect on whether the guidance is actually incompatible <a href="https://www.vox.com/life">with your life</a> and circumstances or if its simply uncomfortable to hear, is difficult — but not impossible — to achieve, or a different message than expected.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kErEQn">
For Brammers letter-writer, asking someone out on a date was anxiety-inducing and put them in a position to be rejected — but it was the right advice.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Y6lSHu">
“Good advice tells you what that change looks like,” Brammer says, “and reminds you that there is something waiting for you on the other side.”
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<li><strong>The savage bug-eating plants of New Jersey</strong> -
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g9RpZw6Kwj8uEWH1HulVtHWVKVg=/0x0:2423x1817/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72378940/B88A7771.0.jpeg"/>
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A carnivorous sundew plant in New Jerseys pine barrens. | Benji Jones/Vox
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Carnivorous plants are thriving in the most unlikely place.
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For small aquatic critters like mosquito larvae and water fleas, a plant called the bladderwort is a nightmare. Like the Venus flytrap, its carnivorous; it eats bugs.
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On the waters surface, bladderworts dont look menacing. They have long and slender stems topped with small, colorful flowers. Yet underwater, they have a web of leaves covered in insect-ensnaring “bladders.” If a small invertebrate gets too close to those bladders (which look a bit like lentils), the structures will open, suck the animal inside, and then seal tightly. The plant then secretes digestive chemicals to consume its catch.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="sL1ceE">
The whole entrapment process — shown in the GIF below — takes <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/video-worlds-fastest-moving-carnivorous-plant#:~:text=Catching%20this%20on%20film%20for,plant%2C%20including%20the%20Venus%20Flytrap.">less than a millisecond</a>, making bladderworts the fastest known carnivorous plant in the world.
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<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nWNZNx_fu6TbQJq-WvagR-HRVE0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24714169/giphy__13_.gif"/>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="47AbzR">
I always imagined carnivorous plants like this lived far away in tropical jungles — the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and other famous forests that harbor enormous amounts of biodiversity and unique species.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qCoxfa">
Then I learned that carnivorous plants are abundant in, of all places, New Jersey. Thats right: urban, temperate New Jersey.
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<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bJY4sGlugKCzsUOLawdlRzAKFu4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24713979/B88A7795_copy.jpg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
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A bladderwort in the water. The things that look like watermelon seeds are the bladders.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="T8lwUy">
A vast ecosystem in New Jersey called the pine barrens has abundant populations of not only bladderworts but also pitcher plants and sundews, two other kinds of carnivorous plants with their own ingenious ways of trapping invertebrates. The barrens are also home to roughly <a href="https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/ecosystem/pinelands-plants-overview/plants-of-the-pine-barrens/">30 species</a> of orchids and dozens of species of rare and threatened wildlife, including a particularly cute amphibian called the pine barrens tree frog.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="68aCbR">
Even more surprising is that the barrens are, as a whole, healthy and largely intact. The ecosystem is thriving as if its in some remote part of, I dont know, Alaska, yet its in the most densely populated state in the country. How have the barrens — unlike so many other suburban ecosystems — survived? The answers, I learned, hold lessons for conserving the nations last remaining natural areas.
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<h3 id="O8PDKa">
A carnivorous plant paradise
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="hezVH4">
On a hot Friday morning<strong> </strong>in June, a couple of coworkers and I drove from Brooklyn to the barrens, where we met Jason Howell. Upbeat and tan, Howell is a public lands advocate with a local environmental group called the Pinelands Preservation Alliance.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qeXgno">
Howell drove us along sandy roads in a large truck filled with kayaks and a canoe. Our path was flanked, as if in an elvish fairytale, by pink mountain laurel, wild blueberry bushes, and acres upon acres of fragrant pine trees.
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<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SZE4io_mr79nTue-HD88csL8Lb4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24722426/GettyImages_182874101.jpg"/> <cite>Getty Images/iStockPhoto</cite>
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A young opossum hangs from a pine tree in the pine barrens.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="w27OFC">
Encompassing more than a million acres of pine forest and wetland in southern New Jersey, the pine barrens comprise the largest stretch of natural area along the mid-Atlantic seaboard. Like a mini Amazon rainforest, the barrens are home to a truly remarkable diversity of life, including <a href="https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/ecosystem/pinelands-plants-overview/plants-of-the-pine-barrens/">more than 1,000 species of plants</a>.
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Ironically, what makes this ecosystem so special is what it lacks: nutrients. The barrens are covered in a thick layer of sand — deposited during past glacial cycles when this region was underwater — and sand cant hold on to nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that plants need to grow. The soil and water are also highly acidic. Because the ground cant support most crops, the pine forests here were dubbed the pine barrens.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="C09HVG">
But theyre not so much barren as they are filled with plants and animals uniquely adapted to life under harsh conditions. Carnivorous plants, for example, thrive in nutrient-poor soil. Their whole shtick is that they catch insects to supplement their diet of nutrients that their roots pull out of the soil. (Bladderworts dont have roots at all.)
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<div class="c-wide-block">
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<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WKeMzFcsORlhOdshx-xwgbDt01o=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24714015/B88A7858_copy.jpg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
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A group of pitcher plants.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ug7uBP">
That afternoon, we visited a bog near a small town with Russell Juelg, a botanist and senior land steward at an environmental group called the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. The water was shallow and clear and dotted with cartoonish lily pads.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yNbCY8">
The carnivorous plants were impossible to miss. As we paddled through the water, we saw hundreds, maybe even thousands, of pitcher plants, blooming bladderworts, and shimmering sundews around the waters edge.<strong> </strong>It was a place where bugs go to die.
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<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mBq2dlsdXJQ-NzWBAdxLSjJBgT0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24724348/B88A7897.jpeg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
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Pitchers are lined with downward-facing hairs that prevent insects from escaping.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AvmpQO">
Pitcher plants specialize in drowning insects. They grow leaves in the shape of a pitcher that collect rainwater. Those pitchers attract insects by <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/05/nectar-nurtures-pitcher-plants-eating-habits/#:~:text=The%20sweet%20nectar%20is%20produced,from%20escaping%20the%20water%20below.">producing nectar</a> (<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2023/april/pitcher-plants-might-be-luring-prey-specialised-scents.html">and possibly smells</a>), and when those critters approach the lid, they easily slip and fall into the water. Downward-facing hairs on the pitcher walls, and the walls slippery texture, prevent insects from escaping. So they perish. Digestive enzymes in the pitcher help the plant absorb nutrients from the insects bodies. Yum!
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZRrbNt">
Sundews, meanwhile, are just living sticky traps. Their leaves are covered in hair-like stalks that are topped with beads of nectar. Those glistening beads lure in small invertebrates, which easily get stuck in the sticky liquid, like flies in honey. The stalks then begin to slowly close around the victim, which the plant digests.
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<div class="c-image-grid__item">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/C57TcoEsXJpMNvOFvxDoVPuqBCc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24722209/B88A7877.jpeg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
<figcaption>
A spatulate-leaf sundew.
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<div class="c-image-grid__item">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A close-up shot of a spatulate sundew." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QbYJW1jGdwr5JwSZmUy1IguIIik=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24722276/B88A7926__1_.jpeg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
<figcaption>
Sundews are incredibly common in parts of the pine barrens.
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="KOdn3P">
Throughout the day, we visited a handful of spots in the barrens including sand dunes in the middle of a forest and wildflower-filled meadows. Each was full of life (and surprisingly not <em>that</em> full of ticks).
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="f8HmO5">
Close to sunset, we stood by a narrow creek in a park called Franklin Parker Preserve listening to birds with Emile DeVito, a skilled birder who leads science and stewardship at New Jersey Conservation Foundation. As the birds sang, he called out their names one by one, in a charming Jersey accent. Blue-gray gnatcatcher. Common yellowthroat. Eastern kingbird. He clocked at least a dozen species.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qjphAh">
Then DeVito imitated the call of a barred owl. “Hoo hoo hoo-hoooo.” At first, I thought it was a joke, but after about 15 minutes, a real barred owl started calling back. It was as if they were having an interspecies conversation. Eventually, we saw it — a mottled brown and white bird landed on a pine tree some 50 feet in front of us before flying away without a sound.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A barred owl in flight." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HBRLLcwTTNhqFfFIbSpQfiMZtuI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24722294/GettyImages_1133736091.jpg"/> <cite>Scott Suriano/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
A barred owl in Baltimore.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3 id="X6xZ7b">
Why the barrens havent been destroyed
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RxltM4">
New Jersey may be called the Garden State, but its known by many for its industrial cities, and it has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/census-2020-8ea2822132a47e70a57f6cd2dce24257'">more people</a> per square mile than any other state in the country. Nonetheless, the pine barrens — which make up more than 20 percent of the state — have been relatively well conserved.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Eo5dzT">
There are a few key reasons for that, Howell said, including the lack of nutrients. Sandy, nutrient-poor soils are not easy to farm, so when farmers were transforming natural vegetation along the Eastern Seaboard over the past few hundred years, they mostly left the pine barrens alone, he said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="iMfqy1">
Barren soil comes with another perk, Howell said: It makes the region largely inhospitable to invasive species and dangerous pathogens that decimate wildlife elsewhere, including the frog-killing Chytrid fungus.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A view of a wetland on a cloudy day in the pine barrens." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GDBHdnvk4rph7AtDJViykb5C6tI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24722352/GettyImages_184295468.jpg"/> <cite>Sheldon Kralstein/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
Summertime in the New Jersey pine barrens.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Fy7ZCS">
Since the late 70s, the pine barrens have also been conserved by a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/pine/index.htm">large reserve</a> and formally governed by a state agency called the Pinelands Commission. These efforts only worked to safeguard the barrens, Howell said, because they had buy-in from private landowners, who own a lot of property within the reserve. (Landowners in certain regions designated for preservation are essentially compensated for conserving the natural habitat.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yCCdjf">
“The reason that it succeeded is because it didnt simply squash all the private interest,” Howell said of these efforts to protect the barrens. “There had to be a recognition and compensation for what otherwise would have been a taking of land for conservation.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Lb42d7">
Theres a lesson here for protecting nature anywhere, Howell said: Without getting buy-in from the broader (human) community, environmental protections dont work.
</p>
<h3 id="Um2x9R">
A simple way to keep threatened ecosystems protected
</h3>
<div class="p-fullbleed-block">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KbG0x5RoK9fmhZOH8YPhj06kHmA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24724333/B88A7848.jpeg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
<figcaption>
A collection of flowering pitcher plants in a bog in the pine barrens.
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="D705PN">
Despite these protections, however, the barrens are under <a href="https://pinelandsalliance.org/issues-facing-the-pinelands/">threat today</a>, Howell said, largely from the expansion of human infrastructure, such as shops and office buildings, <a href="https://pinelandsalliance.org/off-road-vehicle-damage/">offroad vehicles</a>, and poaching of rare plants and animals. In some cases, developers are leveling forests that fall outside of areas designated for preservation. Environmental advocates are also concerned that existing designations — which determine where certain environmental impacts are restricted — could soon change.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QEDgim">
“Theres always a threat of losing what we have,” Howell said. “Were witnessing the development of what is essentially a gigantic megacity that stretches from Boston well into Virginia,” he said, referring to how the footprints of major East Coast cities are starting to bleed into each other.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="20xTI8">
Whats especially concerning, Howell and DeVito said, is that interest in conserving ecosystems in rural areas is waning, in New Jersey and elsewhere, even as efforts to fight climate change have become more mainstream. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is responsible for nominating some officials to the Pinelands Commission, supports the expansion of clean energy, but he doesnt pay much attention to the barrens, DeVito said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0fZAGo">
Bailey Lawrence, a spokesperson for the governor, said Murphy has been committed to supporting the preservation of New Jerseys pinelands since he stepped into office in 2018. He supports the states plan to restore 10,000 acres of rare Atlantic white cedar forests in the pinelands, Lawrence said. Hes also appropriated millions in state funds for the Pinelands Commission. Susan Grogan, executive director of the commission, said Murphy has been “an invaluable part of our mission to preserve, protect, and enhance this special part of New Jersey.”
</p>
<div class="c-float-left c-float-hang">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FnxOQmTydsf8-I6WTEuR5MhPdeQ=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24714035/B88A7862_copy.jpg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
<figcaption>
A bladderwort in bloom.
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Xg6LyB">
Moving forward, Howell said, the only way to truly protect the barrens — and countless other natural areas — is to show people whats here, whats worth conserving. Its not just the plants and animals but the clean water that ecosystems produce. Its the carbon dioxide the pine trees absorb. Its the experience of being here, of relaxing.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TBI1JF">
The state<strong> </strong>should make it easier to visit the barrens, Howell said, for instance by providing more public transportation to the region and offering free tours. “If people have no opportunities to go to nature or to understand and recognize the importance of having open space, then forget about it; the developers will win,” Howell said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="u8A0eo">
Its a basic, yet important, point: To conserve an area, the public first needs to understand what value it provides. And theres no better way<strong> </strong>to recognize an ecosystems value than to experience it oneself.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Ddefhv">
At nightfall in the barrens, the amphibian chorus begins. Its comically loud. The toads sound like someone screaming; the carpenter frogs make generic construction noises; the pine barren tree frogs sound like a sped-up fire alarm (but slightly less grating).
</p>
<div id="vRzZrN">
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="T0hLsx">
As we walked on a trail through the forest, a small snake slithered by, seemingly fixated on catching its next meal. We dodged thick clouds of buzzing flies.
</p>
<div class="c-wide-block">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y1FwGDZqGgytvDENMxLdd14eYlE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24713925/IMG_2940.jpg"/> <cite>Benji Jones/Vox</cite>
<figcaption>
A pine barren tree frog.
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DcAu2B">
Here we were, just two hours from the largest US city, standing<strong> </strong>in the center of a fully functional ecosystem — the likes of which I often write about but rarely see. That, to me, is worth saving.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JXbuaf">
<em>Byrd Pinkerton contributed reporting.</em>
</p></li>
<li><strong>The “anti-intellectual attack” on higher ed will take years to undo</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="Protesters hold signs that read “We believe in educational freedom” and “We stand with faculty, staff, admin.”" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0L61qRobCCIAgHJ7ggX5-cy_ME8=/167x0:2834x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72378911/1246703175.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Demonstrators protest as Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints the New College of Florida board. | Octavio Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Heres whats really behind the right-wing campaign on academic freedom.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="pzgqh8">
Republican lawmakers around the country are moving quickly<strong> </strong>to remake higher education in their conservative vision.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bJ8A8A">
Bills in states including <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy/2023/6/2/23742508/ron-desantis-florida-higher-education-ideological-war">Florida</a>, Texas, and Ohio have alarmed proponents of academic freedom, who say that the efforts to limit or mandate certain courses or the teaching of certain topics, restrict or end faculty tenure, and defund and ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs will damage higher education.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="hb6Xre">
In Florida, a state thats received a lot of attention for <a href="https://www.vox.com/ron-desantis">Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>s takeover of the New College of Florida or laws that ban the teaching of concepts like critical race theory or <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/20/18542843/intersectionality-conservatism-law-race-gender-discrimination">intersectionality</a>, the laws have already been signed and take effect in July. In other states, such as Montana and North Dakota, efforts have stalled due to pushback from students and faculty. According to the <a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/here-are-the-states-where-lawmakers-are-seeking-to-ban-colleges-dei-efforts">Chronicle of Higher Education</a>, legislators in 20 states have introduced more than 30 bills targeting DEI programs.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="en8rm6">
Public opinion on the matter has become divided. A 2022 Pew Research <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/11/17/anti-corporate-sentiment-in-u-s-is-now-widespread-in-both-parties/">survey</a> found that 76 percent of Democrats believe colleges and universities have a positive effect on the country, while less than a third of Republicans did. About 76 percent of conservative Republicans said colleges affect the country negatively.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="pA8Bw4">
Ultimately, these bills threaten democracy, said Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the organization that has long promoted the benefits of faculty tenure and intellectual freedom. By the AAUPs count, there have been more than 50 such bills in 23 states.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="9eLgAi">
“The bills have produced a chilling effect on academic freedom,” Mulvey said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NCvqts">
She talked to me about whats behind these bills and why all academics, even those in blue states and even those with tenure, are under attack. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
</p>
<h4 id="m8vfhx">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rEa96N">
How has your job changed this year since these bills have been introduced?
</p>
<h4 id="B4lQ25">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GaZxTj">
My job this year, when Im serving as president in my first year of retirement, feels about 100 times harder than when I was doing the job while I was a full-time faculty member. This year is incredible because the bills keep coming up all over the country in different states. Its like playing whack-a-mole to try and address them. Every day brings some new fresh outrage.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fnNjpX">
In the past, it was that an individuals academic freedom has been violated at a certain institution. We would look into that, issue a statement, and have some people talk about it. Now in red states, attacks from the state legislature, the governors — people elected to serve our country — are damaging higher education and its role as a public good in a democracy. These bills are being turned out at a fever pitch and they are very damaging, not only to higher ed, but to democracy. Education in a democracy is essential. You have to educate voters; you have to have experts who can criticize the government or expose corruption.
</p>
<h4 id="xyqYlR">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="y4VXGL">
Who or what is behind these bills?
</p>
<h4 id="mnbbP3">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FDnKDx">
The bills are being drafted in right-wing think tanks funded by dark money. Its a well-funded, well-orchestrated, <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/05/09/launch-long-game">decades-long campaign</a>. Its not just springing up out of nowhere since the language in the bills is very similar.
</p>
<h4 id="USs4WB">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6BV5WX">
It feels like Floridas legislation is getting the most attention. Why is that?
</p>
<h4 id="zqqgLc">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="KpExQw">
Floridas getting a lot of attention because the governors running for president and doing all he can to get the most press and generate the most clickbait and sound bites. But the bills, like the ones out of Texas and Ohio, for example, are equally as bad. Florida is leading the race to the bottom for sure.
</p>
<h4 id="CoqUwN">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="my2pTd">
What elements of the bill stand out to you as damaging?
</p>
<h4 id="RU3csj">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="22Woig">
In all the bills, theyre attacking key elements of higher education; theyre attacking academic freedom and theyre attacking governance. Theyre attacking tenure, either limiting tenure or outright getting rid of tenure. Tenure exists to protect academic freedom, which is essential to democracy. If you dont have academic freedom, you end up in an authoritarian state where the government gets to tell you what is true and what you can and cant learn. In an authoritarian state, the public is in the dark.
</p>
<h4 id="Nv3VWx">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DobXLO">
What do you say to academics who may already have tenure and live in states where these threats arent present? Or academics who work at private institutions and believe these threats wont affect them?
</p>
<h4 id="Omc8Zj">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Qk1uw0">
Its a very selfish point of view to think this cant affect a certain kind of academic. The majority of faculty in higher education do not have tenure, are not eligible for tenure, and will not ever see a tenure decision because they are contingent faculty. This has been going on for about four decades where thats an attack on academic freedom. These contingent faculty members do not have academic freedom. Its up to the faculty who have tenure to speak up on behalf of the profession. Our colleagues who do not have tenure are not able to speak up.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3L4S0A">
For example, if theres someone doing work on <a href="https://www.vox.com/climate">climate change</a>, and a Board of Governors member who has made their wealth in the <a href="https://www.vox.com/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> industry says, “Get rid of that guy. I dont like where his research is going,” hes gone. The person who has to speak up against that is the tenured faculty because those people do not have the protections, the power, nor do they have the voice. Tenure is not for the individual; tenure protects academic freedom. And the academic freedom it protects is not for the individual, its for the work. The work, the research, and the teaching have to be allowed to go wherever they lead without interference from politicians, board members, governors, or state legislators. Its up to all of us in the profession to protect our colleagues who do not have the protections of academic freedom that are necessary in a democracy.
</p>
<h4 id="osA2ZL">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2OIrgV">
Take me back to 1915, when AAUP was founded. What similarities exist between then and today?
</p>
<h4 id="peONV0">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XKDhzc">
The current moment is an exact parallel to our origin story. In 1915, the American Association of University Professors was founded because, at the time, the people in charge of universities were railroad magnates and people who had made their money in various industries. They were insisting that anyone doing research that was critical of the industry they made their wealth in be fired.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1LXWDr">
It was inappropriate interference from the people who had the power that led to our founding. And then our founding principle is that higher education is different from businesses in the sense that you hire these faculty members for their expertise and then you allow them to teach and conduct their research with the full academic freedom required so that we learn what is true. One of our founding documents points out that faculty are like judges in the sense that they are appointed to their job by the Board of Trustees. But once theyre appointed, they are not beholden to the Board of Trustees. Theyre only beholden to academic freedom, to their scholarship and to education as a public good.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wZ3zGe">
If their research or teaching is found to be unfavorable to the person that appointed them so be it. If the research in the work or the teaching are evaluated positively by the scholars who are experts at the cutting edge of this field, then thats where we are. So this is our origin story and its our entire 108-year history. We have been fighting off inappropriate interference in higher education, whether its from a board of governors, whether its from wealthy donors, like in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/19/business/media/nikole-hannah-jones-unc.html">Nikole Hannah Jones case at the University of North Carolina</a>, or from governors or state legislators.
</p>
<h4 id="2zydov">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="aXs4KN">
There are also specific parts of the bills that ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programming. What are the immediate and long-term consequences of this?
</p>
<h4 id="c8MqQz">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QqQfgV">
Its absolutely devastating. Ive testified in Texas and Florida and have listened to students who say they are benefiting from DEI programs. And Ive listened to people who are 20 or 30 years out of college, who are testifying to the benefits of these DEI programs, that they wouldnt be where they are without these programs. For faculty of color and students of color, its demoralizing in an existential way. These states have completely mischaracterized DEI programs that are there to make our campus communities welcoming to all. Anti-DEI efforts make the campuses unwelcoming.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EyFMjp">
Its also going to have a devastating effect on recruitment and retention of faculty in Florida. Everybodys looking at their options. The academic chatter right now is that one person after another is leaving Florida. Its very difficult for faculty to move and pick up their families. The attack on DEI efforts is truly a dog whistle to people who want to revive the prejudices of the past. This is an effort to halt, thwart, and undo the real but limited progress we have made toward a multiracial democracy. It feels like a last-ditch effort to revive the prejudices of the past and it saddens me deeply.
</p>
<h4 id="GCtcF3">
Fabiola Cineas
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="uWGcu0">
So what else is at the heart of all this? Why are red states doing this now?
</p>
<h4 id="pvlRms">
Irene Mulvey
</h4>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gxLGCR">
What theyre identifying are not problems in higher education or things that need to be fixed.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ircYkk">
A lot of it is made up. There are real problems in higher education to fix, like decades of underfunding. There is the problem of contingent faculty that have no academic freedom. So to argue that this is indoctrination in higher education is completely made up. Theres no evidence thats happening. The rationales for these bills are a completely made-up mischaracterization of whats happening in order to drag higher education into the culture wars, to make higher education a political talking point for voters who may not be paying attention to whats really going on.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="o5Zw68">
They want higher education to become a football like [critical race theory] or <a href="https://www.vox.com/abortion">abortion</a>. Theyre dragging higher education into the culture wars to serve a political agenda. The damage it will do to higher education is the real story. They may be doing this just to get some votes, but the damage to public higher education will take decades to undo. The damage to higher education is essentially a domino and democracy itself is at the end of this line of dominoes.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WMjEgo">
</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>What does the future hold for Karolina Muchova?</strong> - The 26-year-old Czech, when injury-free, can bewilder the best tennis players in the world — as she proved during a memorable fortnight on Parisian clay. She can now look forward to the seasons second half on faster courts, which will suit her dynamic, all-around game even better</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Defender, drag-flicker, leader: Harmanpreet inhabits the best of all worlds</strong> - The Indian hockey captain has grown into a talismanic figure. He marshals the last line, scores from penalty-corners and exerts a calming influence in even the most tense of situations</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Bangladesh trounces Afghanistan by 546 runs for its biggest-ever test victory</strong> - Bangladeshs biggest previous win was by 226 runs against Zimbabwe in 2005</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Morning Digest | Gujarat grapples with destruction caused by cyclone Biparjoy; 73 academics defend efforts to update NCERT textbooks, and more</strong> - Heres a select list of stories to read before you start your day</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy top odds board after U.S. Open Round 1</strong> - The second-shortest odds, meanwhile, belong not to co-leader Rickie Fowler but Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Heavy rainfall lashes Meghalaya; deaths, landslides reported</strong> - Indian Meterological Department (IMD) has asked all districts to be on alert for heavy rainfall.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Decision to hold Plus One improvement in March for students benefit: Minister</strong> - Plus Two students will get additional 15 working days if improvement examinations are not held in September</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Centre reviews preparedness for flood management ahead of monsoon season in Assam</strong> - Health Minister chairs meeting with Central and State agencies, highlights the need for strong coordination</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>PM Modis State Visit to U.S. will have significant outcomes, says Jaishankar</strong> - External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also said that it would be the first time that an Indian Prime Minister addressed the U.S. Congress twice</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>UAPA misused to file cases against activists, claim rights activists and peoples organisations</strong> - Under the banner of Forum Against Repression- Telangana, led by its convenor Prof. G. Haragopal, a round table conference was held here on June 17 in which representatives from several organisations participated and expressed their opinions</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ukraine war: Putin confirms first nuclear weapons moved to Belarus</strong> - Russias leader says the move is to remind anyone “thinking of inflicting a strategic defeat on us”.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Greece boat disaster: People smugglers brainwashed my son</strong> - Shehryar Sultan was told he would only be at sea for two to three days, before the boat he was in sank.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Cameroons Ngonnso: My fight to bring our sacred stolen statue home</strong> - The Ngonnso statue was looted from Cameroon in 1902 and has been on display in a Berlin museum.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Dazzling ancient bronze sword found in Germany</strong> - German archaeologists find a Bronze Age sword so new-looking it “almost shines”.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The women baring all in Smoke Sauna Sisterhood film</strong> - A group of women strip off for a session of sweating and soul-bearing in this candid documentary.</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese companys encryption chips</strong> - US government warns encryption chipmaker Hualan has suspicious ties to Chinas military. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948695">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Weirdly, a NASA official says fixed-price contracts do the agency “no good”</strong> - “What really makes me worried is that I think it shows where the heart of the agency is.” - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948558">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Valve gives Steam its biggest update and redesign in years</strong> - Its a night-and-day difference for macOS and Linux users. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948635">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>FCC chair to investigate exactly how much everyone hates data caps</strong> - ISPs clearly have technical ability to offer unlimited data, chairs office says. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948619">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Deadly fungal meningitis cases nearly double as CDC rushes to find exposed</strong> - The source and fungus are both elusive; officials are aggressively treating exposed. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948611">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Reddit is killing third-party applications (and itself). Read more in the comments.</strong> - submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/JokeSentinel"> /u/JokeSentinel </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://i.redd.it/1j5nee06kx5b1.png">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/1490rmv/reddit_is_killing_thirdparty_applications_and/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>When I was 13, I hoped that one day I would have a girlfriend with big tits..</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
When I was 16, I got a girlfriend with big tits, but there was no passion, so I decided I needed a passionate girl with zest for life.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
In college I dated a passionate girl, but she was too emotional. Everything was an emergency; she was a drama queen, cried all the time and threatened suicide. So I decided I needed a girl with stability.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
When I was 25, I found a very stable girl but she was boring. She was totally predictable and never got excited about anything. Life became so dull that I decided I needed a girl with some excitement.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
When I was 28, I found an exciting girl, but I couldnt keep up with her. She rushed from one thing to another, never settling on anything. She did mad impetuous things and made me miserable as often as happy. She was great fun initially and very energetic, but directionless. So I decided to find a girl with some real ambition.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
When I turned 30, I found a smart ambitious girl with her feet planted firmly on the ground, so I married her. She was so ambitious that she divorced me and took everything I owned.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
I am older and wiser now, and I am looking for a girl with big tits.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/HelpingHandsUs"> /u/HelpingHandsUs </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14b1jfp/when_i_was_13_i_hoped_that_one_day_i_would_have_a/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14b1jfp/when_i_was_13_i_hoped_that_one_day_i_would_have_a/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Two young boys walk into a pharmacy store to buy tampons</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The pharmacist at the counter asked the older boy, Son, how old are you?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Eight, the boy replied.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The man continued, Do you know what these are used for?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The boy replied, Not exactly, but they arent for me. Theyre for him. Hes my brother. Hes four."
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Oh, really?” the pharmacist replied with a grin.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Yes.” the boy said. “We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim, play tennis and ride a bike. Right now, he cant do none of those.”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/wordswithmagic"> /u/wordswithmagic </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14blw9e/two_young_boys_walk_into_a_pharmacy_store_to_buy/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14blw9e/two_young_boys_walk_into_a_pharmacy_store_to_buy/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>My Chinese waiter thinks all white people look alike and gave my food to the wrong customer..</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Wait. Never mind. That wasnt my waiter.
</p>
</div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/HelpingHandsUs"> /u/HelpingHandsUs </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14b83lk/my_chinese_waiter_thinks_all_white_people_look/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14b83lk/my_chinese_waiter_thinks_all_white_people_look/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A young woman visits a florist to get some flowers for her mother.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
As shes perusing, she notices the most gorgeous rose shes ever seen sitting next to the cashier, and asks for its price.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Oh, sorry,” the cashier replies. “That ones not for sale. I got that as a gift from a fellow florist for hooking him up with a woman I met yesterday.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Yesterday?!” she gasps. “How did they hit it off so quickly?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Well, hes a handsome man and a wonderful lover, for one. Hes a really nice guy, of course. And to top it off,” he says, leaning into a whisper, “hes got a <em>10-inch cock!”</em>
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
She giggles, blushing. “Sounds like a catch! Where can I find him?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Hes just a block over. But fair warning…hes also a little…<em>kooky.</em> Hes only interested in women named after flowers. So if I ever meet a woman with a flowery name, I send her his way.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He points at the rose. “Then, he sends me the flower as a thank you. Yesterday was Rose. A week ago, I recommended Violet to him,” he says, indicating a slightly wilted violet in a vase behind him.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The woman thanks him and leaves, bitterly cursing her own name. Nevertheless, she visits the well-endowed florists shop. Stepping up to the counter, she pointedly says, “I heard you are particularly…<em>skilled</em>… in certain areas?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He smirks. “So I have been told. And who might you be?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
She grins. “I was referred by your friend down the street. Perhaps you can…assist me?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Perhaps,” he says, “but tell me…what is your name?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
She hesitates. Then, pouting slightly, she replies “Kristen, but everyone calls me Kris.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
His smile falters, and his head sinks as he shakes his head. Kriss heart drops, knowing shes blown her chance.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Well then…if its not too much trouble, Id like some flowers for my mother.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Of course, what kind of….” Suddenly, he brightens up again. Without another word, he locks the shop door, swoops upon her, and takes her into his arms.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Three hours of mind-altering orgasms later, she bids him goodbye with a kiss as he presents a complimentary bouquet for her mother.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“And please,” he says, “tell your sweet mama she is welcome to as many flowers from my shop as she would like.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Flustered with ecstasy, she promises to convey the message, and calls her mother that night to tell her everything.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The next day, Kris feels incredible, and stops by the original florists shop.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“I just wanted to thank you for telling me about that dashing gentleman! He was AMAZING!”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He smiles sheepishly. “I suppose I should thank you too. I just got another beautiful flower for recommending you to him.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Really? What flower could he have possibly sent that was named after me?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The florist sighs. “Chrysanthemum.”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/KairuSmairukon"> /u/KairuSmairukon </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14bfcmy/a_young_woman_visits_a_florist_to_get_some/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/14bfcmy/a_young_woman_visits_a_florist_to_get_some/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
</ul>
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