Friday, March 26, 2021

And another day of discrimination towards the LGBTQ community, free membership to a gym, requiring students to be vaccinated, migrant children in federal custody, sexual harassment, audio descriptions, millions of rodents, and the deaths of two authors comes to a close:

“They were totally fine with all of these innovations...with how everything ran until Democrats won, until a Black senator was elected. And only THEN did they say: we need to change this entire system because it’s not working for us anymore.” -- Ari Berman

“So let me get this straight: Sitting members of Congress face no consequences for inciting a deadly insurrection at the Capitol, but a Georgia Democratic rep gets a felony for trying to watch her governor sign an egregious voter suppression bill?” -- Robert Reich

Deaths

US: 561,142 (+1398)

World: 2,779,741 (+12,458)

Cases

US: 30,853,032 (+78,999)

World: 126,700,364 (+642,607)

Arkansas governor signs bill allowing medical workers to refuse treatment to LGBTQ people. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday signed into law legislation allowing doctors to refuse to treat someone because of religious or moral objections, a move opponents have said will give providers broad powers to turn away LGBTQ patients and others. The measure says health care workers and institutions have the right to not participate in non-emergency treatments that violate their conscience. The new law won’t take effect until late this summer. -- Once again religion is used to oppress others.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a transgender sports bill into law Friday requiring students to prove their sex at birth in order to play in middle and high school sports.

Covid-19 cases are rising. States are opening up anyway. The uptick comes at a critical time: Americans are exhausted, but also perhaps better equipped than at any other point in the pandemic to turn the tide.

When Texas ended its mask mandate, the event cancellations started — and the losses are adding up. At least four organizations canceled conferences or conventions in Austin, citing health concerns after Texas ended its statewide mask mandate earlier this month. The cancellations cost the Hilton Austin hotel $350,000 in revenue, according to Austin Convention Enterprises, a city-created corporation that owns and manages the hotel.

New Jersey gym owners offer free membership to those who don't get COVID-19 vaccine. -- I can’t make this shit up.

Rutgers University announces that it would require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before coming to campus next fall. The public institution in New Jersey may be the first or at least among the first universities to take the step of mandating students receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Students sue Oregon colleges over cost of remote learning during the pandemic.

Colorado shooting suspect passed check in legal gun purchase.

Number of unaccompanied migrant children in federal custody jumps by nearly a thousand in one day.

More than 100,000 kids could show up alone at our border this year. What's going on?

MLB could move All-Star game from Georgia after controversial new voter restrictions.

Lower your mask: Female restaurant workers face sexual harassment even during pandemic. Shelly Ortiz spent 10 years working in restaurants, most recently at a ramen joint in Phoenix, Arizona, before deciding to change careers five months into the pandemic. The last straw: A male customer asked that she pull down her face mask so he could base his tip on the attractiveness of her smile. When she declined, he declared that he would instead make his decision by eyeballing her chest.

'It's not a safe place': Thierry Henry quits social media, hoping to inspire others to stand up to online abuse. Former France international Thierry Henry says he hopes his decision to step away from social media will inspire others to stand up against racist abuse and bullying online.

HBO Max begins rolling out audio descriptions. Select titles on HBO Max now have audio descriptions, which are separate audio tracks that describe what’s visually happening on-screen. The option is currently available on the website and mobile apps but not on TV apps.

'Worst mice plague I've ever seen': Millions of rodents descend on eastern Australia.

RIP Beverly Cleary. She was 104.

RIP Larry McMurtry. He was 84.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.