Mail-In Voting Last-Minute Chaos

MONDAY, AUGUST 31
PROGRAM #11253 12:00 PM PT

Mail-In Voting Last-Minute Chaos. 

The Supreme Court allowed the administration to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the November elections. But hours later a federal judge halted for the second time President Trump’s executive order directing the U.S. Postal Service to help determine who receives mail-in ballots. The case is expected to be appealed and turned back to the Supreme Court. Time is running out. We are only a week before the first mail ballots are released. What’s at stake? Will the executive order actually be implemented? How will this measure impact the electoral process?

No More Paraquat. Following decades of grassroots advocacy—and despite the federal government’s continued authorization of its use—California will phase out paraquat, a potent herbicide already banned in more than 60 countries. The chemical has been widely sprayed on almond, grape, and cotton crops statewide, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. Exposure among farmworkers is linked to thyroid issues, congenital disabilities, and Parkinson’s disease. What does science say about this herbicide? How has it affected farmworkers’ health? What happens to those already exposed? What message does this phaseout send to the agribusiness sector nationwide?

AI Rebellion? The creators of ChatGPT temporarily paused the training of their most advanced artificial intelligence models to evaluate their safety and control protocols. The decision comes as tech companies report unexpected behaviors in their systems, and analysts warn that Big Tech has only months before it becomes too late to prevent disastrous cyberattacks. Bill Gates warns that AI threats should be “the world top priority.” Unauthorized actions have already been documented, including accessing external systems, coordinating in swarms, sharing data without permission, and lying. What specific reports did these companies file? What is known about these attacks? What information has been compromised, and what does this mean for overall risk and security?

Photo: Tiffany Tertipes/Unsplash

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