The Weekly Whatever: Chuffed to bits
“Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.”
— Tim Cook, 2016, explaining why Apple shouldn't bypass iOS privacy protections to fight terrorism
Climate news
In case you hadn't noticed, July was the hottest month on record. The new IPCC report says we need to cut global emissions in half by 2030, and to net zero by 2050. But obviously we're not going to do that, so here's how to talk to your children about the end of the world.
And hey, at least hermit crabs are excited by all the plastic in the ocean.
Arts and technology
Some of the music of early synth musician Janet Beat has been released for the first time. The record company would release more, but her dad didn't think music was a suitable career for a woman, and used some of her master tapes to hold up his tomato plants.
Nvidia computer-generated their CEO for a recent conference speech.
Twitter's photo-cropping algorithm particularly likes young, thin women. What are the odds?
Aphex Twin's sister is the new Climate Change Minister for Wales. Her favorite AFX track is "Digeridoo".
Pandemic
In Wales, a man's entire family died of COVID the same week after refusing to get vaccinated.
Louisiana is so overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases that they're sending ambulances to Texas. Meanwhile in Texas, 40 children are being hospitalized per day, San Antonio ran out of ambulances on Thursday, and kids are being airlifted hundreds of miles to hospitals that still have ICU beds.
Business news
A Florida woman was fatally shot by her toddler while on a work Zoom call. (But remember, the only way to stop a bad toddler with a gun, is a good toddler with a gun.)
Airbnb policies will no longer require arbitration for sexual assault cases.
Law and order
Police in Philadelphia are temporarily declaring parking spots as no-parking zones, giving cars a "courtesy tow", leaving them in loading zones and other no-parking areas, then coming back to impound them and sell them at auction.
Sound decisions
Chicago has a rat problem, so they've released 1,000 feral cats into the streets. Hopefully they're already stockpiling dogs.
Oregon high school students can now graduate without being able to read, write or do math.
Dog bites man, that's not news. Man bites dog, that's no longer news either. Man bites venomous snake in revenge attack and then dies, now that's news.
A California surfing instructor and QAnon follower killed his children with a spear because he's convinced his wife has reptilian DNA.
Two North Carolina men decide to mourn their dead brother at the very spot where he was hit and killed by a train. They're hit and killed by a train.