Thursday, August 26, 2021

And another day of bombings, ‘white people,’ states restricting case counts, Capitol Police suing Trump, SCOTUS allowing evictions, mental health providers at US Open, a previously unknown group of humans, and the benefits of owning a dog comes to a close:

“What the world is seeing now in Afghanistan is what the world chose to ignore for far too long. War is hell. It always has been. And it always will be. Its currency is death, dismemberment, desperation, and fear. It doesn’t end in parades. It ends in caskets.” -- Dan Rather

Deaths

US: 651,956 (+2276)

World: 4,488,570 (+12,877)

Cases

US: 39,342,153 (+184,904)

World: 215,477,312 (+755,865)

Kabul airport attack kills 60 Afghans, 13 US troops. Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. The attacks killed at least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops, Afghan and U.S. officials said.

It's 'White People'. If there's nothing wrong with discussing Black voters, Hispanic neighborhoods and Native American culture, why is the media so afraid to mention whiteness? This insidious but invisible phenomenon is pervasive throughout the news and media outlets charged with writing the first draft of history. Although they pride themselves on the Caucasian-created mythology of “journalistic objectivity,” the American storytelling machine has collectively decided that “whiteness” is synonymous with “humanity.” Every Black writer or journalist can tell you a story about when they were accused of “race-baiting” or “being divisive.” White journalists don’t have to face that same critique—not because they don’t talk about race—but because they almost never talk about the white race. White people are just “people.” The concept has become so accepted that the utter mention of white people is not just unnecessary, it’s considered divisive. For instance, almost every media outlet in America has reported on the protests and antipathy against mask mandates. It is one of the biggest stories in the news. However, if objective journalism existed, wouldn’t it be more accurate for outlets to point out that the anti-mask movement is composed almost entirely of white people?…According to the Chicago Project on Security and Threats’ analysis, 93 percent of the 532 people arrested by federal authorities for the Jan. 6 attack are non-Hispanic whites. They weren’t from any particular part of the country. They weren’t from a specific ideology. The vast majority (87 percent) had “no connection to existing far-right militias or groups” and they were not even associated with a particular political movement. Just white people…“People” don’t oppose mask mandates; it’s white people. The people who tried to overthrow the government weren’t Republicans; they were white people. “Parents” don’t object to Critical Race Theory, just white people.

As Covid case numbers rise nationwide, Georgia and some other states have restricted the case count data they share publicly. Public health experts are voicing concern about the pullback of Covid information. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said the trend is “not good for government and the public” because it gives the appearance that governments are “hiding stuff.”

Florida is the only state where more people are dying of COVID now than ever before. What went wrong? — The state’s governor is DeSantis.

Brother and sister banned from high school for not wearing masks. Their father said wearing masks violates their religious beliefs. -- What utter bullshit.

Capitol Police officers sue Trump, allies over riot. U.S. Capitol Police officers who were attacked and beaten during the Capitol riot sued former President Donald Trump, his allies and members of far-right extremist groups Thursday, accusing them of having intentionally sent a violent mob on Jan. 6 to disrupt the congressional certification of the election.

Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Players at the U.S. Open will have access to licensed mental health providers and quiet rooms as part of an initiative announced Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association.

Apple loosens app store payment rules in lawsuit settlement. Apple has agreed to let developers of iPhone apps email their users about cheaper ways to pay for digital subscriptions and media by circumventing a commission system that generates billions of dollars annually for the iPhone maker.

New study finds one food [hot dog] can actually take 36 minutes off your life each time you eat it.

Ancient DNA from a teen girl reveals previously unknown group of humans. The bones of a teenage hunter-gatherer who died more than 7,000 years ago on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi tell the story of a previously unknown group of humans. This distinct human lineage has never been found anywhere else in the world, according to new research.

The benefits of owning a dog -- and the surprising science behind it.

ABBA tease comeback with first new music in 40 years. Legendary pop band ABBA is set to make a comeback, with new music and a hologram tour reportedly coming soon.

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

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