Jules Roscoe

My very first for Refractor: DNA extracted from parrot feathers in a tomb in Peru provide new evidence for an expansive ancient trade network spanning across the Andes Mountains. A fascinating study. https://refractor.io/history/feathers-parrots-trade/

This week for Matter News : Ohio is considering a formal trade partnership with Israel. Businesses say good for business. Residents wonder why state is spending time on this instead of "literally anything that would benefit a single regular person."

https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-proposed-trade-partnership-with-israel-draws-criticism/

This week @ Matter News: A Columbus coffee chain has been under fire for saying it would not refuse to serve ICE agents; but the people who work there say that’s not the full story. Raises interesting questions about how businesses should handle ICE visits:
https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-the-fallout-of-serving-iced-coffee/

This week at @matternews.org Columbus received a fat check from the state this month, because for the past two years, people here have sold weed. And nobody seems to know what we’re going to use it for.
https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-show-me-the-weed-money/

Did you guys know that dots don't matter in Gmail handles? Because I didn't.

Anyway, if you want to contact me about journalism, feel free to email me at julesroscoe.news@gmail.com OR julesroscoenews@gmail.com! You learn something every day.

This week for Matter News: Do we carry the flame? I wrote about Columbus educators' thoughts on Ohio's proposed Charlie Kirk bill.
https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-are-we-charlie-kirk/

Guys, I was on a podcast! Huge thank you to Mark Simon at The Journalism Salute (@journalismpod@newsie.social) for letting me talk for way too long. Give a listen to hear how I approach stupid questions and what it's like to pursue journalism while working a full-time job. Crazy, but it can be done I think. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wmTCqJm3dS9EGBQxCMkqB?si=8P765fB8SGeUWOESqF9hyA

For @404mediaco@mastodon.social this morning: a group of immigrant rights organizers are helping people use Fortnite to practice what to do if they encounter ICE agents in the wild. And I got to see it.
https://www.404media.co/ice-defense-training-on-fortnite-new-save-collective/

Politics this month in Columbus: an unassuming end to the city's most contentious election this year might not be as disappointing as you think. https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-a-step-away-from-the-status-quo/

Guess who's now writing a Columbus Local Politics column ! My first this month is about the Columbus Ohio school board elections next week— but it's actually a lot more than that. If you have city politics tips, please find me :)
https://matternews.org/voices/local-politics-what-the-federal-government-has-to-do-with-your-school-board-vote/

A long time coming for @404mediaco@mastodon.social: @jasonkoebler@mastodon.social and I looked at hundreds of pages of court docs to see what lawyers say when they're caught using AI. Some good ones include being a lawyer is hard, good advertising, and "I didn't mess up actually":

https://www.404media.co/18-lawyers-caught-using-ai-explain-why-they-did-it/

Today for WIRED (!): You're not ready for the next generation of scammers. What happens when AI tools get so sophisticated that even real-time video calls can't be trusted?
https://www.wired.com/story/youre-not-ready-for-ai-powered-scams/

Crazy story today: this group of distant water fishermen is fighting for Wi-Fi on their boats so they can talk to their families (or anyone else in the outside world) for the ten months a year they're out at sea.
https://www.404media.co/they-sometimes-worry-that-im-dead-already-deep-sea-fishers-fight-for-wi-fi/

TODAY for @404mediaco@mastodon.social: Photos of famous people on Wikipedia are famously, famously, tragically bad. These volunteer photographers are trying to change that:
https://www.404media.co/photographers-are-on-a-mission-to-fix-wikipedias-famously-bad-celebrity-portraits/

New: The $2 billion media conglomerate that owns sites like IGN and CNET is quietly taking DEI information off its website:
https://www.404media.co/ziff-davis-dei-commitment-websites/

TODAY: Amazon is arguing to the NLRB that its union-busting tactics are "protected by the First Amendment," and that requiring it to put up NLRB posters on workers' rights violates that amendment. https://www.404media.co/amazon-says-it-has-a-first-amendment-right-to-union-bust/

TODAY: Everything you need to know about the Friend AI necklace diss track beef on Twitter: https://www.404media.co/ai-companion-device-releases-diss-track-against-friend/

TODAY: A new report says that Microsoft's Dynamics 365 Field Service technology uses AI to single out workers and closely monitor their performance. Microsoft says it's on the customer to use this tool legally: https://www.404media.co/how-a-microsoft-app-is-powering-employee-surveillance/