Sunday, July 4, 2021

And another day of empty gestures, canceling events, health insurer threats, bipartisan pleas, high levels of bacteria, a mystery illness, no cheering at the Olympics, and an explosion lights up the Caspian Sea comes to a close:

“Reminder: Many of the same corporations putting out July 4th tweets also pay nothing in federal income taxes.” — Robert Reich

Deaths

US: 621,293 (+132 over two days)

World: 3,993,319 (+13,418 over two days)

Cases

US: 34,592,377 (+12,179 over two days)

World: 184,562,051 (+711,120 over two days)

Corporate America took a stand against the lies that powered the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, pledging to avoid donating to the lawmakers who objected to certifying Joe Biden's victory. It was a striking gesture - but largely an empty one.

State museum canceled book event examining slavery’s role in Battle of the Alamo after Texas GOP leaders complained, authors say. Authors of the book, titled “Forget the Alamo,” and the publisher, Penguin Random House, say the cancellation of the event, which had 300 RSVPs, amounts to censorship from Republican elected leaders and an overreaction to the book’s examination of racism in Texas history.

US Supreme Court won't overturn ruling against business that refused service for gay weddings.

ICYMI: Spain has passed a ‘self-ID’ draft bill that will let anyone over the age of 14 to change their gender officially. The Spanish government on Tuesday approved the draft of a bill to allow anyone over the age of 14 to change gender legally without a medical diagnosis or hormone therapy

Health insurers are threatening not to cover some patients’ ER bills. United Healthcare, the largest insurer in the US, recently announced a new policy it said would help hold down health care costs: It would review claims for emergency department care, opening up the possibility that the company might deny coverage if a patient’s medical needs were not actually an emergency. — Healthcare is a right, not a fucking privilege.

Western governors make a bipartisan plea as states battle record heat and drought. A pair of governors on Sunday called on the federal government for help and pushed for solutions as their states grapple with recording-breaking temperatures, drought and wildfires that officials have said is being driven by climate change.

High levels of bacteria were detected at more than a dozen western Washington beaches ahead of Fourth of July weekend prompting closures and warnings for beachgoers.

A Mystery Illness Is Killing Mid-Atlantic Songbirds.

And the crowd goes … silent? How no cheering could affect Olympic performance. The smaller-than-usual crowds will be almost entirely Japanese, and they won’t be allowed to cheer or sing or chant, because that’s one way of spreading the coronavirus.

'The ocean is on fire again': Explosion lights up the Caspian Sea. A fireball erupted south of the Azerbaijani capital on Sunday. Authorities suggest it was caused by a mud volcano. -- It was huge.

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

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