Thursday, March 18, 2021

And another day of ‘theater,’ alarming upticks in infections, new lockdowns, student financial needs, no waiting periods, migrants, foster kids, children working in gold mines, matching theory, and seaweed, all comes to a grateful close:

“NO ONE is more contemptuous and cruel towards sex workers than the people who say they want to SAVE us.” -- Mistress Matisse

“Do people outside of media know that we have about 50% fewer journalists today that we did in 2010 and they make about 50% less than they did? I feel like there's this weird thing where no one outside of media talks about that. If it were any other industry, people would worry.” -- Amy Westervelt

Deaths

US: 552,470 (+1821)

World: 2,703,176 (+10,555)

Cases

US: 30,358,880 (+64,082)

World: 122,366,215 (553,077)

Masks are not theater, Fauci tells Sen. Rand Paul in hearing exchange. Dr. Anthony Fauci got into a contentious exchange with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) Thursday over whether people should wear masks if they have recovered from Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it. -- Either Rand Paul is not a smart man or he is evil. Regardless, he is trying to kill you and your loved ones. Don’t listen to him.

15 states are seeing an alarming uptick in COVID-19 infections. Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon and West Virginia, are experiencing increases in new infections by at least 10 percent.

I got the COVID-19 vaccine. What can I safely do? You can enjoy small gatherings again, but should continue wearing a mask and social distancing in public. -- Remember, you are not fully vaccinated until two after you receive your last dose of vaccine.

EU agency: AstraZeneca vaccine safe, will add clot warning.

Seriously, stop sharing your vaccine cards on social media. While selfies are encouraged as a way to express joy at being vaccinated and broadcast that people are doing their part to help stop the spread of Covid-19, multiple government agencies have warned about the risks of posting vaccine card images online. "Think of it this way — identity theft works like a puzzle, made up of pieces of personal information. You don't want to give identity thieves the pieces they need to finish the picture," the Federal Trade Commission said in a blog post last month. "Once identity thieves have the pieces they need, they can use the information to open new accounts in your name, claim your tax refund for themselves, and engage in other identity theft."

Paris to enter four-week lockdown as France faces third Covid wave.

Older people more likely to catch Covid a second time.

Student Financial Need Greater in Second Year of Pandemic. More than 60 percent of the students surveyed in mid-February said food and rent were their top two financial needs, according to an overview of the survey results.

Atlanta Shooting Suspect Bought His Gun the Same Day He Allegedly Killed 8 People. Georgia has no waiting period to purchase a gun.

And now, your racist moment of the day:

"There's old sayings in Texas about find all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree. You know, we take justice very seriously, & we ought to do that. Round up the bad guys." -- Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

“There's an old saying in my neighborhood that goes: "This guy is fucking racist."” -- Elie Mystal

Flashback: You can't understand white supremacists without looking at masculinity. “These guys believe something has been taken from them that they were entitled to, that they deserved, and it was given to people who don’t deserve it, like immigrants and gay people and women.”

The House has passed two bills that could reform immigration, including providing a pathway to citizenship for "Dreamers".

Through the brush: A migrant teen mom's journey across the U.S.-Mexico border. Word is spreading in Central America that minors and mothers of young children can enter the country, the migrants said, prompting them to take the weeks-long journey in buses, on foot, and in the back of trucks to arrive at the Rio Grande.

Foster kids starved, beaten and molested, reports show. Few caregivers are punished.

Children still working in gold mines in the DR Congo, human rights groups say. Videos and photos sent to the FRANCE 24 Observers team on March 3 show children working in gold mines in Kamituga in South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Even though it is illegal, child labour is still a reality, according to human rights organisations.

Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson is being sued for alleged sexual assault by three women he had contacted to perform massage therapy, according to court documents.

Doctors are seeing a concerning spike in alcoholic liver disease, especially among young women. And the damage can be lethal. They say it's been supercharged by isolation and pressures in the pandemic.

18-year-old Yunseo Choi won $250,000 for her work coming up with a matching theory, which can be applied to people looking for a life partner. Her algorithms could be used in other areas, too — like matching organ donors with recipients. -- Math. It’s awesome.

The NFL is giving Amazon Prime Video exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football — part of its new 11-year deal with TV networks valued at more than $100 billion. -- That’s a big deal from a streaming perspective. And if I watched football, I’d give a shit. But I don’t watch football. And I encourage you to not watch it, either.

Scientists in US and Canada set to battle murder hornets.

Feeding cows seaweed could cut their methane emissions by 82%, scientists say.

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

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