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Saudi Arabia has been all over the news recently for the apparent murder of an anti-Saudi journalist. The murder was so brazen, so public, and so cruel (the journalist was allegedly tortured) that observers comment that the Saudi king would only order such a thing if he knew that he would not be punished. This John Oliver segment looks at the relationship between the Saudi government and the United States, and particularly the Trump administration, to see why they should feel so confident. 

California’s death row houses the most violent criminals in the state. Ironically, these prisoners are very rarely violent to each other. First, security on death row is very tight. The inmates are housed separately, but they can socialize a little on the yard during exercise time. Second, the inmates have, historically, been non-violent. The last such death-row slaying was in 1997. As of yet, the motive for the murder is unknown as is the connection between the two men.

You’ve probably walked by pork loins at the grocery store or butcher shop hundreds of times without thinking about them. They do look rather intimidating––they’re massive, they’re kind of slimy-looking, and pork is supposed to be really complicated to cook. But after you watch this Basics with Babish episode, you might be more willing to try your hand at a pork line. You’ll learn how to make pork chops and a more fancy pork roast. 

Facebook has had a bad few months, what with John Oliver’s attack on Facebook’s scorched-earth international business practices and then the latest news about a massive hack revealing 14 million users’ data. Oh, and don’t forget all the governmental trouble Facebook has been in for its total lack of control over the “fake news” content used to manipulate US elections. But it is even worse than you think. Facebook hit an all-time high in July, but its stock is down more than 30% since then. That’s the lowest its been since the Cambridge Analytica scandal. 

Chances are you remember Kony 2012. You may not be able to explain exactly what it is, but you remember it in general. Here are the basics: a questionably gay guy from America, an evil warlord from Africa, a child army, and a mental breakdown consisting of marching through the streets naked. Ring a bell? This Internet Historian video digs into the history of that bizarre movement known as Kony 2012 and tries to determine if it was a successful piece of activism or just “slacktivism.” 

If you go to a school recess almost anywhere in the world, you’ll see watchful teachers or even volunteer parents ensuring that the kiddos are playing safe. The key word there is almost everywhere. At this New Zealand school, the principal got fed up with telling kids they couldn’t do things. So he let them do everything. At recess, there are literally no rules. Seem crazy? Psychologists actually advise that kids be given the freedom to take risks and make bad choices, as this is far better for their mental health than helicoptering. 

Early next year, all Texas dioceses the names of clergy who have been “credibly accused” of sexually abusing a minor. The dioceses have hired a team of law enforcement agents to investigate any claims––not just claims of sexual abuse––against priests. 

Younger millennials didn’t experience Napster directly. But for those who did, Napster was a game changer. It made it possible get what felt like (at the time) an infinite amount of music. It also convinced those of us who used it that everything online should be free––or at least could be free if you were willing to do a little bit of leg work. This documentary explores the origins of Napster, how it died, and how it changed the world. 

We all folded paper airplanes in the past, generally in school when we’re bored. But usually we grow out of that. This guy did not. His name is John Collins, and he holds the record for the longest paper airplane toss in the world. He’s so good that he even mastered the art of origami in order to up his paper airplane-folding game. This video shows you how he does it, and it shows some of his incredible tosses. 

Scientists are freaked out about global warming. Previously, scientists suggests that if we could keep the planet from warming past 1.5C, we could manage it. Unfortunately, we’re on the way to doubling that. The latest report, a 33-page Summary for Policymakers, is a kind of last-warning for a world on the brink of peril. 

In what might be the most peak Berkeley moment you can imagine, a Berkeley Whole Foods recently had to file a restraining order against a group of animal rights protestors. Despite Whole Foods alleged attention to healthy and animal-safe farming practices, the protestors believe that one of the grocery chain’s farms violates its “free range” policy for its chickens. The protestors used to protest in the store, blocking customers and employers. Now, they will now have to protest outside. 

Lael Wilcox likes to ride her bike. A lot. She calls it her “passion,” but maybe obsession would be the better term. Her first race was a 400 miler, and in her words she just didn’t get tired. In fact, she rode through the night and her pace increased! That just gave her a taste. She began upping her mileage, and this video explains how (and why) she did it, and it covers some of her many cross country trips.