Sunday, July 25, 2021

And another day of reality, wrong directions, new vaccine rules, anger and protests, full-body suits, non-binary characters at Disney, ID cards for non-binary citizens, a new type of cicada, bras, and some terrific high school students comes to a close:

“If Trump wins the [‘24] nomination, it will be because Southern conservatives don’t care about party affiliation. EVER SINCE black people got the right to vote, the same party has been in control of the South. It’s not Democrat OR Republican. It’s the Lily white faction.” — Michael Harriot

“The Pro-Democracy coalition is sleep walking into the ‘22 election and the stakes couldn’t be higher. What will we tell our grandchildren? I suppose the truth will be this; we lost our Republic to the people who told us they despised it because the fools who should have defended it didn’t believe they were telling the truth.” — Steve Schmidt

Deaths

US: 626,762 (+49)

World: 4,175,080 (+7143)

Cases

US: 35,199,465 (+14,794)

World: 194,825,130 (+452,546)

Many Americans were looking forward to a carefree summer, but the latest Covid-19 surge is quickly shaping a different reality.

Fauci says US headed in `wrong direction’ on coronavirus. He said recommending that the vaccinated wear masks is “under active consideration” by the government’s leading public health officials. Also, booster shots may be suggested for people with suppressed immune systems who have been vaccinated, Fauci said.

French parliament OKs restaurant COVID pass, vaccine rules. France’s parliament approved a law early Monday requiring special virus passes for all restaurants and domestic travel and mandating vaccinations for all health workers. Both measures have prompted protests and political tensions.

Thousands protest amid global anger against COVID restrictions. People take to the streets in Australia, France, Italy and the UK in protests against lockdowns and vaccine pass schemes.

COVID Made Us All Assholes. Will We Ever Recover? Countless think pieces have been written about the nature of friendship post-pandemic. Some are cheering the return of casual friendships; others are hoping their social circle stays pared down when everything else returns to normal. My personal wish is a bit more abstract, though. I want to stop thinking about how frequently my friends wash their hands. I want to stop worrying that the Easter brunch hosted by someone from my hometown will be the superspreader event that eventually kills my parents. I want to forget that some of my friends were sharing Plandemic memes. But I’m not sure I can. Global pandemic or not, am I really comfortable sharing finger foods at a Super Bowl party with people who don’t believe in preventative health care?

Tennessee resuming nearly all adolescent vaccine advocacy. The top health official said the agency used the time to review its marketing materials to "make sure they were appropriately directed at parents."

The German women's gymnastics team wore full-body suits in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics  after saying their fashion choice went against the sexualization of their sport and showed that women could wear what they choose.

Disney's The Owl House introduces first non-binary character. Raine is voiced by Avi Roque, a non-binary Latinx actor and voice artist.

Argentina rolls out identification cards for nonbinary citizens, allowing them to use “x” on their national ID document and passports in the field corresponding to gender.

Four shootings in Seattle leave 3 dead, 5 injured.

More than 250 people in the UK and Ireland have been convicted of child sexual abuse offences committed while they were Scout leaders or in other positions of responsibility within the Scout movement…The 255 cases include convictions for rape, indecent assault, voyeurism and the possession, creation and distribution of indecent/pornographic images.

Bezos, Branson may not get official astronaut status after FAA changes policy.

Gillian Anderson says she's had it with bras -- 'I don't care if my breasts reach my belly button'. The US-British actress concluded with a damning verdict of the undergarment, saying: "It's just too f**king uncomfortable…Writer and social campaigner Nicky Clark praised Anderson in an opinion column for British newspaper The Independent, writing: "I applaud Gillian Anderson's attitude to sagging breasts -- it highlights our love-hate relationship with an item of clothing that is supposedly good for us, without necessarily being good to us."

A new, larger type of cicada is emerging — and they have big black eyes and "like to scream".

Robert Moses, civil rights activist and education advocate, has died at 86. "What a brilliant, conscious, compassionately active human being," tweeted the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in response to Moses' death.

A team of high schoolers built a device that allows people in wheelchairs to walk their babies. -- It’s nice to end with a good story. Those high school students rock!

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

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