Hello Friends,
Is it me, or does the world feel like it’s suddenly spinning out of control?
Maybe it's the midterms, maybe it's AI, maybe it's just the holidays on the horizon, but I feel the need to take a breath and return to the roots of SmartHER News: In a cluttered world that feels more and more artificial, we will deliver quick, concise, nonpartisan news at your fingertips. Real news for real people.
So here's a quick read for the weekend ~ something simple and smart with a dash of delight.
I compiled three quick news items that personally made me smarter this week ~ and a little something extra at the end. Enjoy!
💻 PHP: PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor — I would've never answered that correctly on Jeopardy! The New York Times describes it as “a piece of software that underpins much of the internet.” Cybersecurity experts using artificial intelligence (or “superintelligence”) recently found a serious vulnerability related to this software. Because it's so pervasive, some companies and government agencies decided to simply take their websites offline rather than risk a bad actor exploiting the opening for mischief. This is one reason you may have suddenly seen or heard the term “Black October.” (I raise a skeptical eye to many news stories around election time, but this conversation has moved from 'X' to government officials.)
🐴 Horse-Drawn Carriage History: The New York City Council voted to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 1, 2028. Debate over the carriages has raged for years between those who want to protect the iconic tourist staple and those who argue the carriages endanger animals and people – this latter critique has a much longer history than I realized. In 1866, shortly after Central Park opened, a philanthropist witnessed the beating of a horse and went on to found The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) which still operates today.
🎄A Christmas song inspired the Muslim Brotherhood. You may have seen this viral moment from a campaign town hall or this other sharp exchange at the Michigan debate this week. Both exchanges, which related to a highly contested Senate seat, mentioned the "Muslim Brotherhood." Bottom line – this group has ties to many of our biggest stories. War correspondent Hollie McKay provided a great primer about why this group conjures up so many different feelings – and how a popular Christmas song, "Baby, It’s Cold Outside," had a role in building the MB's profile. 👀 Here's how to listen to or watch our conversation.
Jewels: I haven’t stopped wearing these earrings for the last three days (including during my interview with Hollie!) — they add a little something special to every outfit.
Recipe: We made this recipe at home — protein & pasta in the same sentence proved a winner for the whole family.
Gloss: I grabbed this pretty, inexpensive lip gloss at a quick trip to the drugstore, and it’s a total winner for the season. The color? "Haute Honey 007"(James Bond worthy, indeed). Now that I see the other options, I may have to order a few more!
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Wishing you a peaceful weekend ~ with secure PHP, protein pasta and a little shine!
🩷,
Jenna
ICYMI - This hilarious personal story about my son brings home why curiosity over commentary matters. Thank you for being part of that mission!
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