Edition 26: When life gives you prickly pears, make … biodegradable fuel?
(This newsletter was sent to email subscribers on May 29, 2020.)
Happy Friday, muggles. Turns out Georgia peaches are quite high maintenance and require a hibernation-like period of up to 1,000 hours of cold weather. Now, the USDA has released three genetically-engineered Georgia peach varieties that can thrive with only 650 to 850 hours of cold weather. And much like a delicious, but hibernating 🍑, we’ve found the important stories that were hiding this week.
TECH & INNOVATION
Facebook Messenger uses AI to spot scammers without decrypting messages
Thurs May 21
Facebook Messenger has implemented a new AI tool that can identify suspicious DMs in your inbox — without actually reading them.
How does it work?
The tool looks for suspicious activity, such as
- Accounts that have names similar to users’ friends
- Accounts belonging to an adult sending messages or friend requests to minors
When these behaviors are flagged, Facebook warns the users being targeted so that they can review the messages and block the accounts if necessary. The feature has been successfully tested on Android users since March. This week, the tool has been rolled out on iOS devices.
FDA approves a new non-hormonal contraceptive gel
Fri May 22
The gel changes pH levels in the vagina, creating an inhospitable environment for sperm. It comes in an applicator that should be inserted in the vagina up to one hour before sex. In a clinical study of roughly 1,400 women, the gel was 93.3% effective when used correctly (and 86% effective overall). In comparison, spermicides are only 82% effective when used correctly (72% overall).
Why is this important?
This new gel has the potential to shake up the contraceptive market because, unlike the pill, it …
- Only needs to be applied right before intercourse (rather than being taken daily)
- Does not cause side effects caused by hormone imbalances (such as nausea, headaches, or changes in your period) generally associated with bill control pills
Currently, the product is scheduled to launch in September.
Lawsuit calls for AT&T to stop misleading “5G” ad campaigns
Wed May 20
After losing an appeal regarding misleading marketing slogans, AT&T will have to stop calling its network “5G Evolution” in advertisements. Despite the name’s implication, the network is actually a 4G LTE-A (as in, 4G Long Term Evolution Advanced) network, which the latest upgrade that finally provides true 4G speeds, unlike 4G LTE. The term 5G Evolution (or 5GE) is just superficial branding of 4G LTE-A with the sneaky tagline “The First Step to 5G,” which can invite misinterpretation from consumers.
Wait, what *is* 5G? How is it different from 4G?
These terms refer to the version of cellular network technology that allows us to call others, stream videos, and access the web from cellphones and other wireless devices. 5G represents an improved version of the 4G network — faster download speeds, less buffering on videos, and the ability to support our increasing use of internet-browsing devices. For reference, 4G networks can support roughly 4,000 devices per square kilometer; 5G would support about one million, making 5G important not just for individual consumers but the industry as well.
FOOD & POWER
Mexican company turns prickly pear into sustainable fuel
Mon May 25
A local business in Camémbaro, a farming community in Mexico, has started using the inedible by-product from harvesting nopal crops (aka prickly pear) as an alternative fuel source to gasoline.
Why the prickly pear?
Many crops can be distilled into a form of biofuel, but nopal comes with a few key advantages:
- Unlike other popular sources of biofuel (corn, soybean, etc.) which are grown specifically for fuel production, nopal crops can be harvested for food and fuel simultaneously
- It contains plenty of sugar for fuel production and performs similarly to gasoline
- It is very easy to grow, producing crop yields between 300 and 400 tons per hectare in less fertile soil (it can even use seawater!)
Local officials of Zitácuaro appear optimistic about this renewable energy source, having signed an agreement to use cactus-based fuel in government vehicles, such as police cars and ambulances.
“Big Food” corporations score huge food-service contracts by undercutting local farmers
Wed May 20
Ever wonder why many cafeterias sell processed food instead of fresh, locally-grown produce? A report by the Real Food Generation, an activism-journalism group, has uncovered shady dealings between big-name food vendors and the food service management companies (FSMCs) they sell to: rebates as high as 50% on purchases.
Local farmers simply can’t compete, but they might be able to take legal action. These FSMCs and food manufacturers may have broken antitrust laws if any of those companies had agreed to form an exclusive business relationship in exchange for discounted prices.
USDA introduces genetically-engineered Georgia peaches
Wed May 20
Peaches are a high-maintenance fruit as they need a hibernation-like period or else they won’t bloom properly in the spring. These “chill times” vary depending on the peach type, but most of Georgia’s peaches need 850 to 1,000 hours of cold weather (32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit). However, historical data shows that these chill periods are becoming shorter and warmer, with one warm year resulting in a loss of 85% of Georgia’s crop.
After years of cross-pollination and experimentation, the USDA has released three new peach varieties that can thrive under shorter chill periods. These genetically-engineered Georgia peach varieties now only require 650 to 850 hours, which is closer to the current chill period durations.
FOREIGN AID
U.S. considers a $38 billion military aid package for Israel
Fri May 22
Israel, which already receives a majority of the U.S.’s military aid, may get an additional boost in funding. The House of Representatives has recently voted in favor of a whopping $38 billion military aid package, which would:
- Raise funds by $3.8 billion each year for the next decade
- Improve missile systems, fighter aircraft, and soldiers’ mobility
- Increase the U.S.’s supply of weapons kept in Israel, which they can borrow if necessary
What happens next? The bill will move on to a Senate vote. Since it has bipartisan support, it may become the largest military aid package ever approved by Congress.
Libya and Somalia suffer civilian losses while the U.S. boasts altruistic practices
Fri May 22
In March, the State Department boasted that it had sent over $100 million in medical aid to foreign countries to fight COVID-19. Ironically, two of them, Libya and Somalia, are also suffering from intense military campaigns conducted by the U.S.
Some background …
Over the past decade, the U.S. military has conducted campaigns to drive out terrorist groups in Libya and Somalia. However, it appears that these two nations have not received enough medical relief to make up for the damage caused. For example:
- Compared to the 13 African countries in which the U.S. has engaged in combat, Libya and Somalia have experienced the most intense attacks
- They also are the only two African nations in which the U.S. has been accused of killing civilians and not claimed responsibility
- They have also received the least amount of medical aid since 2001 — with Somalia receiving, at most, $99 million versus other nations, that collected over $7 billion
Previously on Below the Fold: Despite insistence from the U.N. to pause military campaigns during the pandemic, the U.S. has ramped up airstrikes in Somalia, launching 39 within a four-month period. For reference, under the Obama administration, the U.S. had conducted 36 strikes over eight years.
GOVERNMENT
Air Force removes height restrictions in an effort to encourage more female applicants
Sat May 23
Before this change was implemented, pilots had to be between 5’4” and 6’5”, a requirement that roughly 44% of women in their twenties do not meet. Although applicants can easily request a height waiver as part of their application, the policy itself discouraged many female applicants — who, statistically speaking, are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t meet all the qualifications.
“This is a huge win, especially for women and minorities of smaller stature who previously may have assumed they weren’t qualified to join our team.” — Gwendolyn DeFilippi, Air Force (CBS)
RNC sues California in an attempt to stop mail-in voting
Mon May 25
Earlier this month, California announced that it would send mail-in ballots to all its registered voters for the November election. Now, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and other Republican groups have filed a lawsuit to challenge that policy change.
Why? The RNC claims that mail-in-voting risks delegitimizing the election due to voter fraud, despite research showing that fraud is actually very rare.
Don’t live in California? Check to see if your state has updated its vote-by-mail policies in light of the pandemic.
Also happening in the U.S.: President Trump has threatened to move the Republican National Convention from Charlotte, North Carolina to a different venue, because the governor would not, at this time, allow for the space to be fully occupied.
That’s all for this week. Have a magical weekend.✨
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