Thursday, April 22, 2021

And another day of climate migrations, D.C. statehood, restrictions on protesting, hate crime bills, racism thriving, a GOP infrastructure bill, a metaphor for global capitalism, and the smallest-known black hole in the galaxy comes to a close:

"Earth Day. Earth Day. Earth Day." - Mars — Jarrett Bellini

Deaths

US: 584,226 (+896)

World: 3,084,995 (+13,370)

Cases

US: 32,669,121 (+67,070)

World: 145,322,553 (+890,684)

Why Climate Migration May Lead to the Next Great Housing Crisis. Living on the edge of an abyss. That's how one climate migration expert describes our current plight as nearly 15 million Americans could seek new homes in our lifetime as they try to escape the worst of effects of climate change. If that projection proves accurate it would reshape our country in more significant ways than the exodus of Black Americans from the South following the Civil War or the devastating Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

World leaders pledge climate cooperation despite other rifts.

D.C. statehood approved by House as Senate fight looms.

When Adding New States Helped the Republicans. Putting new stars on the U.S. flag has always been political. But D.C. statehood is a modest partisan ploy compared with the mass admission of underpopulated western territories—which boosts the GOP even 130 years later.

Florida Adopts Nation's Toughest Restrictions On Peaceful Protests. “To be clear, the goal of this law is to silence dissent and create fear among Floridians who want to take to the streets to march for justice."

Oklahoma passes a law that can protect drivers who run over protesters. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill Wednesday granting immunity to drivers who unintentionally injure or kill protesters while attempting to flee and which stiffens penalties for demonstrators who block public roadways.

“So let me get this straight: people in Oklahoma could now face greater consequences for blocking a public roadway than running over and killing protesters?” -- Robert Reich

Moderna, Pfizer vaccines safe during pregnancy, study finds.

COVID-19 hospitalizations tumble among US senior citizens. COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged more than 70% since the start of the year, and deaths among them appear to have tumbled as well, dramatic evidence the vaccination campaign is working. -- Get vaccinated, people.

University of Washington study finds first cases of COVID-19 antibodies in Washington dogs.

Dodgers offering "fully vaccinated" sections for fans. Fans will be seated directly next to each other, meaning that social distancing will not be required. However, face coverings must be worn, except while active eating and/or drinking. Patrons who have tickets for a fully vaccinated section will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Anyone with a ticket who cannot provide valid proof will not be permitted to enter the stadium.

COVID-19 found at Everest base camp.

US Senate votes 94-1 to pass hate crime bill responding to wave of violence against Asian Americans after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The more openly racist Josh Hawley behaves, the more money he raises. This is actually happening. Josh Hawley is a mirror to America, accruing white love for hating Black and brown folks the most.” -- saira rao

8 in 10 Asian Americans say violence against them is increasing.

White Texas Teacher Suspended After Sending Photo of Her Foot on Black Boy’s Neck to the Boy’s Mother. The two women apparently know each other, and the photo was supposed to be a joke, but the boy’s father, his family, and the Texas school district didn’t find the humor in it. Now the teacher, who is white, has been suspended and is under investigation by the Texas school district.

Racism thrives in the online dating world. “...white daters are more likely to ignore overtures from people of color who hold a conventionally more desirable education background, height, and body type, while being responsive to those who lack those qualities, but are still white.”...Meanwhile, there aren’t many harmful stereotypes that exist for white men and women. White women are unlikely to respond to non-white men, and almost every other racial group readily responds to white men more often than to men from their own racial group. Even gay Asian and Latino men prefer white men. The pervasiveness of white desire paints online dating as an effective tool for white daters to not only succeed, but enjoy.

Republicans unveil a $568 billion infrastructure framework—their answer to Pres. Joe Biden's far more expansive $2 trillion package. -- Republicans are incapable of governing.

High court moves away from leniency for minors who murder. The Supreme Court made it easier Thursday to sentence minors convicted of murder to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a ruling that reflects a change in course driven by a more conservative group of justices.

Mayors, county executives or even the governor would have to give their approval before police could use tear gas to quell riots under a compromise reached in the Washington state Legislature.

New probe confirms Trump officials blocked Puerto Rico from receiving hurricane aid. The Trump administration also obstructed an investigation looking into why it was depriving the U.S. territory of congressionally approved funds, the report found.

The European Super League is the perfect metaphor for global capitalism. Where the free-market critics of the ESL are wrong is in thinking the ESL is some sort of aberration, a one-off deviation from established practice, rather than a metaphor for what global capitalism has become: an edifice built on piles of debt where the owners of businesses say they love competition but do everything they can to avoid it. Just as the top European clubs have feeder teams that they can exploit for new talent, so the US tech giants have been busy buying up anything that looks like providing competition. It is why Google has bought a slew of rival online advertising vendors and why Facebook bought Instagram and WhatsApp.

Florida Supreme Court strikes down effort to legalize recreational marijuana in 5-2 decision.

Scientists have discovered what may be the smallest-known black hole in the Milky Way galaxy and the closest to our solar system - an object so curious that they nicknamed it 'the Unicorn.' The researchers said the black hole is roughly three times the mass of our sun, testing the lower limits of size for these extraordinarily dense objects that possess gravitational pulls so strong not even light can escape. A luminous star called a red giant orbits with the black hole in a so-called binary star system named V723 Mon.

RIP Les McKeown. He was 65. 

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

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