Protesters in Portland have
used a motley assortment of
scrounged-from-home items in
their clashes with authorities.
They may not be highly effective
tools, but they’re becoming power-
ful symbols.
Sketchbook
D.I.Y. FOR THE CAUSE
LAN TRUONGThe BBC reported in 2014 that
if the Kariba Dam, on the border
between Zambia and Zimbabwe,
collapses, the resulting torrent
would knock down another dam
a hundred miles away.
River of TimeTHE MAGAZINE, PAGE 24
Until the 1860s, reputable scientists
considered pandas a ridiculous myth.
Beyond ScienceBOOK REVIEW, PAGE 20
The soul singer and songwriter
Erykah Badu, who is also a doula,
is planning to launch an apothecary
line and is taking classes to learn
how to code.
Erykah Badu Is Blazing a New Trail
ARTS & LEISURE, PAGE 10
Google controls 97 percent of the
search traffic in Brazil.
Delivering Tech’s Message
SUNDAY BUSINESS, PAGE 1Born in the Bronx, breakdancing was
created during the 1960s by street
gangs who modified martial arts
moves that were originally learned
for defensive purposes.
Travel the World With These Dances
AT HOME, PAGE 5- A fan of the singer and artist Grimes
described her on Reddit as a hybrid
of a fairy, a witch and a cyborg.
Over the MoonSUNDAY STYLES, PAGE 1
In 2017, a report from the American
Psychological Association included a
new word, “ecoanxiety,” which the
A.P.A. defined as “a chronic fear of
environmental doom.”
EcoanxiousTHE MAGAZINE, PAGE 28
Of Interest
NOTEWORTHY FACTS FROM TODAY’S PAPER
ADAM HIGTONCoronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count
Though case numbers continue to surge in most of the nation
— the total soared to more than four million last week —
deaths remain well below peak levels. More than 40 percent
of fatalities have been tied to nursing homes and other long-
term care facilities. This was the most-read article last week.
Trump, in a Departure, Says Virus Will Get Worse
President Trump veered abruptly from his rosy projections
about the coronavirus, warning Americans that the illness
would get worse before widespread recovery. In stark con-
trast to previous statements, Mr. Trump also implored citi-
zens — especially young people — to wear masks.
No Longer in Shadows, Pentagon’s U.F.O. Unit Will Make
Some Findings Public
Despite Pentagon statements that it disbanded its U.F.O.
program, it is still operating and now resides in the Office of
Naval Intelligence, where officials continue to study encoun-
ters between military pilots and unidentified aerial vehicles.
A Navy Veteran Had a Question for the Feds in Portland.
They Beat Him in Response.
The veteran said he wanted to ask the officers whether they
felt their actions violated the Constitution. Video shows them
tear-gassing him and smashing his hand with baton blows.
The Conversation
FOUR OF THE MOST READ, SHARED AND DISCUSSED POSTS
FROM ACROSS NYTIMES.COM LAST WEEK
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE“This is not creeping
authoritarianism. The
authoritarianism is
here.”
JENNIFER KRISTIANSEN,a family law
attorney who recently participated in a
“Wall of Moms” protest in Portland,
Ore., and said she was groped by a
federal agent.Quote of the Day
FEDERAL AGENTS’ AGGRESSION
IN PORTLAND STRETCHES LEGAL
LIMITS PAGE 19
To a cause.Many Americans feel more
passionate about issues than about poli-
ticians or parties. For them, donating to a
cause can be the best solution, because
their money will also ultimately support
candidates who back that cause. There is
no shortage of such groups — for and
against abortion rights; for and against
gun control; to protect the environment;
and on and on. Many mutual aid societies
and similar networks — grass-roots efforts
allowing neighbors to directly support one
another — have recently sprung up, first
around the pandemic and then the Black
Lives Matter protests. Search online to
find groups in your area.
To a party.The most meaningful informa-
tion about politicians today is their party.
Once you know someone’s party, you know
how they will vote the overwhelming
majority of the time. That didn’t used to be
true, but it is today. If you’re like most
Americans, you align much more with one
party than the other. So the best way to
affect policy on a long list of issues —
immigration, health care, taxes and more
— is to donate to a political party.
Party committees are one good option.
For federal elections, consider donating to
one of four groups: one that helps Republi-
can Senate candidates, Republican House
candidates, Democratic Senate candidates
or Democratic House candidates.To a candidate.Giving directly to candi-
dates might be the most emotionally re-
warding donor experience — we all want
the feeling of helping someone whose
cause we believe in. If your preferred
candidate is new to politics, unlikely to win
party endorsement or more ideologically
extreme, it’s also often one of the more
effective ways to help.
Give where it matters. Donating within
your own state may not be the best option
if your state doesn’t have many competi-
tive races. Also, don’t be afraid to give
small. Combined, small-dollar donations
can pack a financial wallop — and allow
candidates to brag about their grass-roots
appeal. And give locally. In fact, first-time
local candidates often have a harder time
getting the support they need than candi-
dates for higher offices.
IAN PRASAD PHILBRICK AND NANCY WARTIKFor more tips, look for “How to Participate in
Politics” at nytimes.com/guides.Here to Help
GIVING MONEY IN POLITICSGEORGE WYLESOLIn The Times’s Parenting newsletter, readers are invited to
submit a Tiny Victory, the celebration of those small moments
of triumph in the long days of parenting. For instance, the
ingenious way a parent headed off a toddler meltdown on a
long car ride or persuaded a youngster to take a bite of some-
thing foreign. Find a Tiny Victory one reader submitted below.I sat down for just a
second on my
3-year-old’s bed.
Unprompted, he
brought me my book
and said, “Here mama,
you read, I play!” I got
to relax and read my
book while he played,
by himself, in his room!
GABBY HERNANDEZ, MCALLEN, TEXASSpotlight
STORIES CONTRIBUTED
BY READERS OF THE NEW YORK TIMESSign up for the Parenting newsletter at nytimes.com/parenting. To get
your Tiny Victory published, find us on Instagram @NYTparenting or
email us at [email protected].THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2020 0 N 3BULOVA.COMPlease call 866.598.2784 or Visit Us atBECAUSE THERE WILL BE NEW ADVENTURES
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