Sunday, October 31, 2021

And another day of vague commitments, vulgar codes, the 2nd amendment in 2008, lawsuits to stop mandates, ousting Fauci, the UF bars faculty from testifying, road fatalities, and selling contaminated meat to the public comes to a close:

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Deaths

US: 766,299 (+2515 over three days)

World: 5,014,940 (+19,603 over three days)

Cases

US: 46,823,938 (+138,793 over three days)

World: 247,460,597 (+1,197,678 over three days)

G-20 make mild pledges on climate neutrality, coal financing. Leaders of the world’s biggest economies agreed Sunday to stop funding coal-fired power plants in poor countries and made a vague commitment to seek carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century” as they wrapped up a Rome summit before the much larger United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland. -- We’re fucked. Apologize to your children and grandchildren for fucking up the planet.

How ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ became code for insulting Joe Biden. The line has become conservative code for something far more vulgar: “F—- Joe Biden.” It’s all the rage among Republicans wanting to prove their conservative credentials, a not-so-secret handshake that signals they’re in sync with the party’s base.

The Second Amendment Didn’t Protect Your Right To Own A Gun Until 2008. Before then, in the eyes of the federal courts, the amendment protected the rights of state militias to bear arms — not the rights of individual Americans. That all changed in 2008 with the stroke of a pen. And this November, the Supreme Court has the chance to expand the meaning of the Second Amendment yet again, potentially allowing more concealed weapons onto the streets of major cities like Los Angeles and New York.

Vaccinated people who get the virus are "much less infectious more rapidly." Experts said there's no doubt the delta variant is among the most hyper-transmissible versions of the virus to have emerged. That hyper-transmissibility makes it possible to spread between vaccinated people. But that risk is still low. Even if the delta variant is transmissible among vaccinated people, new data suggests "it's for a shorter period of time" compared to the unvaccinated, said Durbin.

Psaki tests positive for Covid, last saw Biden Tuesday. 

Bon Jovi tests positive for Covid, cancels show in Miami.

Eighteen states filed three separate lawsuits Friday to stop President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, arguing that the requirement violates federal law.

Poll: Majority of voters say Fauci should resign. The poll comes as Fauci remains a polarizing figure among partisans.

University of Florida bars professors from testifying against Ron DeSantis' voting law. But the notion that the work of university employees must not contradict the political maneuvering of elected officials—and that the interests of a university must be aligned with the interest of the governor at all—is a fairly radical one and counter to the bedrock idea of academic freedom. Truly no such independence can exist if professors cannot testify against the abuse of state power. — The Fascism snowball gets bigger and it picks up speed.

911 transcripts filed in updated “Trump Train” lawsuit reveal San Marcos police refused to send escort to Biden bus. The transcribed recordings were filed in an attempt to show that San Marcos law enforcement leaders chose not to provide the bus with a police escort multiple times, even though police departments in other nearby cities did. In one transcribed recording, Matthew Daenzer, a San Marcos police corporal on duty the day of the incident, refused to provide an escort when recommended by another jurisdiction.

Pathetic trolls bomb Marvel's Eternals with hundreds of one-star reviews over gay character. Some people have been “review-bombing” the film on IMDb, in order to “protest” its LGBT+ representation. Eternals garnered at least 450 one-star reviews on IMDB, The Direct reported, despite the fact it hasn’t yet been released.

‘This is a crisis:’ Road fatalities hit 15-year high. The Department of Transportation announced it will put together a strategy to combat rising deaths, which are increasing the most in the West and the South. That is the biggest percentage increase in road deaths in the first half of the year since the U.S. Department of Transportation began recording fatal crash data in 1975. And it has put the U.S. on a pace for more than 40,000 traffic deaths just this year, with 15 states and Puerto Rico accounting for half of the road fatalities, according to the department.

American Airlines cancels hundreds of weekend flights. American Airlines has canceled more than 1,600 flights over the past three days, citing blustery conditions in Texas and a shortage of flight attendants.

NFL wide receiver steps away from football for 'mental wellbeing'. Ridley follows other prominent athletes including tennis star Noami Osaka, U.S. gymnast Simone Biles and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price who have taken time off in their respective sports to focus on their mental health.

For years, a dangerous salmonella strain has sickened thousands and continues to spread through the chicken industry. The USDA knows about it. So do the companies. And yet, contaminated meat continues to be sold to consumers. With a public health threat unfolding across the country, you might have expected federal regulators to act swiftly and decisively to warn the public, recall the contaminated poultry and compel changes at chicken plants. Or that federal investigators would pursue the root cause of the outbreak wherever the evidence led. None of that happened. Instead, the team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closed the outbreak investigation nine months later even though people were continuing to get sick. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees meat and poultry, was not only powerless to act but said nothing to consumers about the growing threat. So supermarkets and restaurants continued selling chicken tainted with drug-resistant infantis. And they continue to do so today…See how often salmonella was found at the plant that processed your chicken or turkey.

New York elementary schools ban Squid Game Halloween costumes. Schools warn parents against allowing kids to wear outfits inspired by Netflix series over ‘violence depicted in the show’.

Halloween is a time to be haunted by ghosts, goblins and ghouls, but nothing in the universe is scarier than a black hole. Black holes are scary for three reasons. If you fell into a black hole left over when a star died, you would be shredded. Also, the massive black holes seen at the center of all galaxies have insatiable appetites. And black holes are places where the laws of physics are obliterated.

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

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

Thursday, October 28, 2021

And another day of deals, delays, strategies, reluctance, infecting, complaining, debating ‘gifted and talented’ programs in schools, name changes, gene-edited strawberries, and the ‘penis plant’ blooms for the third time in 20 years comes to a close:

“White parents trying to ban Toni Morrison’s Beloved because their children are having nightmares. Those aren’t nightmares, they are reflections on the sins white people committed which gave you everything you have  — and you can’t handle it.” — Frederick Joseph

Deaths

US: 763,784 (+1942)

World: 4,996,337 (+8570)

Cases

US: 46,685,145 (+97,704)

World: 246,262,919 (+494,117)

Biden announces deal, seeks votes: ‘Let’s get this done’. Biden’s remarks at the White House came after he traveled to Capitol Hill to make the case to House Democrats for the still robust domestic package — $1.75 trillion of social services and climate change programs the White House believes can pass the 50-50 Senate. “It will fundamentally change the lives of millions of people for the better,” Biden said at the White House. “Let’s get this done.”

House Democrats again delay infrastructure vote amid party divisions. House Democratic leaders on Thursday were once again forced to push back the timeline for a vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, a sign of ongoing divisions within the party and a major blow to President Joe Biden and party leaders eager to show they can deliver on their agenda. -- Of course.

Trump's strategy to overturn the 2020 election didn't work. Next time it might.

Vaccine reluctance in Eastern Europe brings high COVID cost. Ukraine is suffering through a surge in coronavirus infections, along with other parts of Eastern Europe and Russia. While vaccines are plentiful, there is a widespread reluctance to get them in many countries — though notable exceptions include the Baltic nations, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary.

Double jabbed people are catching Covid and passing it on to those they live with, warn experts. Individuals who have had two vaccine doses can be just as infectious as those who have not been jabbed. Even if they have no or few symptoms, the chance of them transmitting the virus to other unvaccinated housemates is about two in five, or 38%. This drops to one in four, or 25%, if housemates are also fully vaccinated.

‘Stupid’ and ‘insane’: Some billionaires vent over tax plan. With a personal fortune that is flirting with $300 billion, [Elon Musk] the Tesla CEO — the richest person on earth — has been attacking a Democratic proposal to tax the assets of billionaires like him. -- Fuck off, Elon Musk.

Schools debate: Gifted and talented, or racist and elitist? Communities across the United States are reconsidering their approach to gifted and talented programs in schools as vocal parents blame such elite programs for worsening racial segregation and inequities in the country’s education system. A plan announced by New York City’s mayor to phase out elementary school gifted and talented programs in the country’s largest school district — if it proceeds — would be among the most significant developments yet in a push that extends from Boston to Seattle and that has stoked passions and pain over race, inequality and access to a decent education...Nationwide, 8.1% of white children in public schools are considered gifted, compared with 4.5% of Black students, according to an Associated Press analysis of the most recent federal data...Most gifted and talented programs have relied on tests to determine eligibility, with some families spending thousands of dollars on tutoring and expensive specialized programs to boost scores and increase their children’s chances of getting a coveted spot.

(Editorial: There are very few people in this country who are truly “gifted and talented” academically. Otherwise this country would be in better shape than it currently is. I question the validity of the percentages given in the article. Relying on “tests” is not a good indicator to determine if one is gifted or talented. How “gifted or talented” can one really be if thousands of dollars are spent on tutoring and specialized programs to boost one’s scores? Not at all, I would argue. That’s actually called “preparation.” One is studying and doing work to be successful. They have a support system to help them be successful. I would argue that is what’s missing from the students deemed not “gifted or talented.” The students labeled “gifted or talented” are not necessarily smarter than the other students, they just have more opportunities and support. So yes, like parochial schools, the “gifted and talented” programs are inherently racist and elitist. Maybe that’s the point.)

Facebook changes its company name to Meta. The change will demote Facebook's namesake service to being just one of the company's subsidiaries, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than the overarching brand. A rebranding could be part of an effort to overhaul Facebook's reputation and turn the page following a series of PR nightmares, including misinformation on its platforms, content moderation failures and revelations about the negative effect its products have on some users' mental health. -- Shit covered in candy sprinkles is still shit.

Companies planning gene-edited strawberries to reduce waste. J.R. Simplot Company and Plant Sciences Inc. (PSI) announced they are expecting to produce the first commercially available, gene-edited strawberries in the next few years. The goal for the gene-edited strawberries is to reduce waste by making the strawberries have a longer shelf life.

The rare 'penis plant' just bloomed for the first time in over two decades. In a Netherlands garden blooms a rare plant with a tall, phallic shape. It's known as the "penis plant," and this is only the third time the species has flowered in Europe since 1997.

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

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

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

And another day of ‘fire,’ book investigations, the TX abortion law, dropping family/medical leave, taxing the wealthy, Repubs lambasting Garland, not using the word ‘victims,’ ‘X,’ vaccines, pay raises, Taiwan, a ‘unisex condom,’ and so, so much more comes to a close:

“Biden calls himself a transitional president, but what is he transitioning us to? Dictatorship? If you don't fight for justice, if you don't preserve voting rights, we are screwed for generations." — Andrea Chalupa

"If you treat voting rights like an optional element of democracy when it's in fact the foundation, you are surrendering to that crime cult. It's bizarrely self-destructive: the Dems are setting up a system where they can never win again." — Sarah Kendzior 

“Elon Musk’s net worth increased $36 billion yesterday, more than twice the entire yearly spending for the climate crisis in this current budget bill.” — The Gravel Institute 

Deaths

US: 761,842 (+1910)

World: 4,987,767 (+9042)

Cases

US: 46,587,441 (+89,722)

World: 245,768,802 (+493,318)

America ‘on fire’: Facebook watched as Trump ignited hate. But it wasn’t until after Trump posted about Floyd’s death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased “rapidly” on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-president’s social media post reveals...Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trump’s social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit “on fire” with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebook’s own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump’s message broke the tech company’s rules against inciting violence. Yet, the tech giant didn’t take any action on Trump’s message. Offline, the next day, protests — some of which turned violent — engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small...Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trump’s tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Texas House to launch investigation into school library books. The chairman of a Texas state House committee tasked with conducting investigations is launching a probe into books that school librarians keep on their shelves in the wake of a measure the legislature passed earlier this year to bar teaching of critical race theory in public school. In a letter to the Texas Education Agency and unnamed school superintendents, state Rep. Matt Krause (R) asked school leaders to identify the number of copies of hundreds of specific books they have sitting on library shelves, and how much money the districts paid to purchase those books…Krause asked the districts to provide information about books that deal with sexuality, sexually transmitted disease, AIDS and HIV and “material that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex.” — Check out the list of books. Authoritarianism is running rampant in Texas. The state is quickly becoming a fictional dystopian reality.

Texas lawmaker says 850 books ranging from race to sexuality could cause 'discomfort'. Teachers union fires back: “What will Rep. Krause propose next? Burning books he and a handful of parents find objectionable?"

“The white parents didn't attack Anne Frank, The Canterbury Tales, the Bible, or Shakespeare for sexual content. But they did attack Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' because it positioned white men, instead of enslaved Blacks, as sexual deviants.” - Charles Blow

How the Supreme Court could strike down Texas law — and still limit abortion. When Texas goes before the U.S. Supreme Court to defend its new abortion law on Nov. 1, the eventual ruling could change 50 years of legal precedent. “This now becomes just an enormous referendum on not just the future of abortion, but also on the procedural maneuvers.”…”So, whatever we think about the right to an abortion - whether it should even be a right to an abortion - I'm troubled by a precedent where any state legislature can frustrate the enforcement of any constitutional right, maybe one that we like more, or not, just by pulling the move Texas has pulled here.”…In other words, if the Texas law is upheld, what’s to stop other state legislatures from passing, say, a ban on guns by allowing citizens to enforce it, thereby making it more difficult to test the constitutionality of the law itself? — If the Texas law is upheld, then our constitutional rights will no longer exist. Fuck you, Texas. 

A new Texas abortion law has no exception for rape. Supporters say the state can arrest more rapists. But Texas solves fewer cases than the U.S. average. An NBC News review of state and FBI data, however, indicates that the clearance rate for rapes in Texas has been dropping year to year and that Texas' clearance rate now lags behind the national average by almost a third. In 2019, the most recent year for which national and state data are available, the national rate was 32.9 percent, while the rate in Texas had dropped to 23.3 percent. Just four years previously, Texas had cleared 38 percent of rape cases.

Democrats drop paid family and medical leave from safety net bill. The move comes after Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a key centrist, raised objections to including guaranteed paid leave in the social safety net spending bill. Its removal deals a blow to Democrats who viewed the proposal as a key component of Biden's legislative agenda. -- Fuck Joe Manchin. One person should never have so much power.

“Joe Manchin represents .5% of US population but just killed paid family leave supported by 80% of Americans. Shockingly undemocratic.” -- Ari Berman

“This is an absolute travesty. The richest country in the history of the world "can't afford" to take care of its own citizens...is this what they mean by American exceptionalism?” -- Robert Reich

Manchin skeptical of billionaire tax proposal as Democrats push for deal. "I don’t like the connotation that we’re targeting different people. There’s people that basically, they’ve contributed to society, they’ve created a lot of jobs, and invested a lot of money and give a lot to philanthropic pursuits," Manchin, D-W.Va., told reporters Wednesday when asked about the billionaire tax.

Joe Manchin has made millions from coal. His ties are now facing examination as Democrats scramble for a climate and economic agreement. -- In case you missed it earlier: Fuck Joe Manchin. One person should never have so much power.

Democrats are eyeing a new tax on the wealthy as a way to help pay for President Biden's sweeping social services and climate change bill. A 5% surcharge would be collected on incomes above $10 million, with an additional 3% on incomes over $25 million.

Republicans are losing their minds because the Justice Department is trying to help localities combat the rash of violent threats against school officials.

Garland defends school board memo amid Republican criticism. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a memo aimed at combating threats against school officials nationwide while Republicans insisted he rescind the directive. He signaled he had no plans to do so despite their criticism.

Cruz, along with other Republicans, lambasted Attorney General Merrick Garland for directing the Justice Department this month to investigate the rise in violent threats against educators.

Cotton tells Garland: 'Thank God you're not on the Supreme Court'. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday clashed with Republican senators over the Justice Department's efforts to crack down on violent threats against school boards, with one GOP member telling the former judge, "Thank God you're not on the Supreme Court."..."This testimony, your directive, your performance is shameful," Cotton said. "Thank God, you're not on the Supreme Court. You should resign in disgrace, judge." -- Tom Cotton should fuck off.

“AG Garland is so concerned about protecting the institution, that he is not pursuing Trump and Barr - leaving the door open for aspiring authoritarians like Tom Cotton to use Trump's playbook to seize power and destroy our institutions. We need accountability!” -- Amy Siskind

“In 2008, Herschel Walker’s ex-wife said he pointed a gun at her and said: ‘I’m going to blow your f---ing brains out.’ In 2012, Walker’s ex-girlfriend told police he threatened to ‘blow her head off.’ In 2021, Mitch McConnell endorsed him for Senate.” -- Keith Boykin 

Editorial: It’s the Republican way.

The men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in August 2020 can potentially be referred to at his trial as "rioters" or "looters," a Wisconsin judge said Monday while reiterating his long-held view that attorneys should not use the word "victim."

The United States has issued its first passport with an “X” gender designation — a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people who don’t identify as male or female — and expects to be able to offer the option to nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming people early next year, the State Department said Wednesday.

Australian soccer star Josh Cavallo comes out as gay. Australian soccer star Josh Cavallo came out Wednesday, becoming the only openly gay male top-level professional soccer player in the world.

Florida strips schools of federal aid as punishment for imposing mask mandates. The Florida Department of Education (DOE) this week withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funding from two school districts because of their masking policies, defying warnings from the Biden administration.Alachua County officials in a statement said the state stripped more than $160,000 this week as punishment for the school district requiring masks. That figure equals the monthly salary of five school board members, as well as the entire amount of the federal grant meant to compensate school districts that have their money withheld by the state.

Why even some vaccinated parents aren't planning to rush to give kids Covid shot. More than 1.9 million children ages 5 to 11 have tested positive for the coronavirus, and more than 8,400 have been hospitalized, officials said. Nearly 100 have died. Polling suggests an uphill battle to convince parents about the vaccine for young children. Only a third of parents said they would immediately seek vaccinations for kids 5 to 11, according to Kaiser Family Foundation polling.

Cheap antidepressant shows promise treating early COVID-19. A cheap antidepressant reduced the need for hospitalization among high-risk adults with COVID-19 in a study hunting for existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat coronavirus.

Costco told employees last week that it would increase its minimum wage from $16 an hour to $17 starting on Monday.

Starbucks raising pay up to $23 per hour. The Seattle-based coffee giant said all of its U.S. workers will earn at least $15 — and up to $23 — per hour by next summer. In late January, employees with two or more years of service will get a 5% raise, while those with five or more years of service could receive up to a 10% raise. Workers can also get a $200 recruitment bonus to help attract new employees.

Taiwan's President says the threat from China is increasing 'every day' and confirms presence of US troops on the island.

The FDA announced changes including new labeling with a boxed warning and a patient checklist telling people that implants don't last a lifetime.

2nd onion recall issued after US salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds. The recall for red, white and yellow onions is a precaution because they could have salmonella. People who have these are urged to throw them out.

Cigarette sales increased in 2020 for first time in two decades. The FTC also noted that advertising and “promotional expenditures” for cigarettes between 2019 and 2020 increased. Last year, $7.84 billion was spent on advertising and promotional expenses compared to $7.62 billion in 2019.

Malaysian gynaecologist creates 'world's first unisex condom'. A Malaysian gynaecologist has created what he says is the world's first unisex condom that can be worn by females or males and is made from a medical grade material usually used as a dressing for injuries and wounds.

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

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

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

And another day of FB not doing the right thing, Covid vaccines for kids, Republican voters not for accountability, our doom awaiting us, ending ‘gender-normalizing surgery,’ and recognizing hippos as people comes to a close:

“America’s moral crisis isn't about ending pregnancies, contraceptives, or which bathroom people use. The real moral crisis shows up on Wall Street, in legislative cloakrooms, and in the failure of those with power to serve the public good.” — Robert Reich

Deaths

US: 759,932 (+2083)

World: 4,978,725 (+8561)

Cases

US: 46,497,719 (+80,194)

World: 245,275,484 (+457,810)

Facebook froze as anti-vaccine comments swarmed users. In March, as claims about the dangers and ineffectiveness of coronavirus vaccines spun across social media and undermined attempts to stop the spread of the virus, some Facebook employees thought they had found a way to help. By altering how posts about vaccines are ranked in people’s newsfeeds, researchers at the company realized they could curtail the misleading information individuals saw about COVID-19 vaccines and offer users posts from legitimate sources like the World Health Organization. “Given these results, I’m assuming we’re hoping to launch ASAP,” one Facebook employee wrote, responding to the internal memo about the study. Instead, Facebook shelved some suggestions from the study. Other changes weren’t made until April. When another Facebook researcher suggested disabling comments on vaccine posts in March until the platform could do a better job of tackling anti-vaccine messages lurking in them, that proposal was ignored.

FDA panel backs Pfizer’s low-dose COVID-19 vaccine for kids. The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer’s shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

Fossil fuel messaging has won over Republican voters, poll reveals. Nearly two in three Republicans believe oil and gas companies are at least somewhat responsible for the climate crisis – but they don’t want to keep these companies accountable. In fact, even when they were told that oil and gas companies knowingly misled the public about their products driving climate change, most Republicans said the public and the government should not hold those companies accountable. — WTAF?

45% of Americans Don't Believe Humans Cause Climate Change. But while 69.5 percent of respondents believe global warming is happening, they were divided on what’s causing it. Forty-five percent don’t think humans are mostly to blame for global warming, opting instead to blame “natural changes in the environment” or “other,” and 8.3 percent denied global warming is happening altogether. — Our doom awaits us.

Current commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions put the planet on track for an average 2.7 degrees Celsius temperature rise this century, a UN report has said. The UN World Meteorological Organization said that greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the world is "way off track" in capping rising temperatures. — Humans are not the brightest species on the planet.

Intersex people have been challenging 'gender-normalizing surgery.' Doctors are starting to listen. An increasing number of surgeons are giving parents of intersex children options, rather than recommending surgery as a default solution.

Luxembourg is set to become the first European nation to legalize the growing and use of cannabis, the government announced in a statement on Friday. Consuming cannabis in public, however, will remain illegal.

A U.S. court order says the offspring of hippos once owned by Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar can be recognized as people with legal rights in the U.S.

Astronomers may have found planet beyond Milky Way for first time. Astronomers have spotted tantalizing signs of a planet in a star system outside the Milky Way, which, if it's confirmed, would be the first ever found in another galaxy...The possible planet was discovered in a spiral galaxy called Messier 51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, which is more than 23 million light-years from Earth.

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

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

Monday, October 25, 2021

And another day of a whole mess of FB troubles, the Afghan humanitarian crisis, Tesla trying to keep autopilot investigation secret, ‘The Liberty Way’ (as in Liberty U.), trans women can be Amazons in Themyscira, and relief funds used to purchase a $57,000 Pokemon card comes to a close:

“A political party that stages a coup and blocks investigation ultimately wants that coup to succeed.” — Sarah Kendzior 

Deaths

US: 757,849 (+1487)

World: 4,970,164 (+6498)

Cases

US: 46,417,525 (+104,743)

World: 244,817,674 (+393,293)

Facebook says it does not take the political winds of Washington into account when deciding what posts to take down or products to launch. But a trove of internal documents shows that Facebook’s own employees are concerned that the company does just that…The new disclosures come after years of internal and external grumbling at Facebook about the role played by Kaplan, who has angered Democrats in Washington who say he has amassed outsized power at the company and used his position to cater to the GOP. They also follow recent revelations in The Wall Street Journal that Facebook has a private internal system, known as XCheck, that exempted high-profile users such as Trump from the company’s normal rules…In message board conversations dating back to 2019, Facebook employees took particular issue with one aspect of the company’s internal structure: The teams charged with writing and enforcing Facebook’s content rules answer to Kaplan, the company’s vice president of global public policy. That’s different from other social media companies such as Twitter, which separates its “trust and safety” team — a group that handles difficult questions around online speech — from its policy team, which interacts directly with governments around the world. A similar firewall exists at Google, where the heads of the company’s content and public policy teams answer to different executives.

People or profit? Facebook papers show deep conflict within. Thousands of pages of internal documents provided to Congress by a former employee depict an internally conflicted company where data on the harms it causes is abundant, but solutions, much less the will to act on them, are halting at best.

Two years ago, Apple threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from its app store over concerns about the platform being used as a tool to trade and sell maids in the Middle East. After publicly promising to crack down, Facebook acknowledged in internal documents obtained by The Associated Press that it was “under-enforcing on confirmed abusive activity” that saw Filipina maids complaining on the social media site of being abused. Apple relented and Facebook and Instagram remained in the app store. But Facebook’s crackdown seems to have had a limited effect. Even today, a quick search for “khadima” – or “maid” in Arabic – will bring up accounts featuring posed photographs of Africans and South Asians with ages and prices listed next to their images. That’s even as the Philippines government has a team of workers that do nothing but scour Facebook posts each day to try and protect desperate job seekers from criminal gangs and unscrupulous recruiters using the site.

Facebook has known it has a human trafficking problem for years. It still hasn't fully fixed it. Facebook has for years struggled to crack down on content related to what it calls domestic servitude: "a form of trafficking of people for the purpose of working inside private homes through the use of force, fraud, coercion or deception," according to internal Facebook documents reviewed by CNN...But while Facebook managed to assuage Apple's concerns at the time and avoid removal from the app store, issues persist. The stakes are significant: Facebook documents describe women trafficked in this way being subjected to physical and sexual abuse, being deprived of food and pay, and having their travel documents confiscated so they can't escape. Earlier this year, an internal Facebook report noted that "gaps still exist in our detection of on-platform entities engaged in domestic servitude" and detailed how the company's platforms are used to recruit, buy and sell what Facebook's documents call "domestic servants."

The Biden administration plans to unveil on Monday its detailed rules requiring nearly all foreign air visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting Nov. 8.

“The Liberty Way”: How Liberty University Discourages and Dismisses Students’ Reports of Sexual Assaults. Universities across the country have long faced scrutiny for their handling, and mishandling, of sexual assault cases. But Liberty University’s responses to such cases stand out. Interviews with more than 50 former Liberty students and staffers, as well as records from more than a dozen cases, show how an ethos of sexual purity, as embodied by the Liberty Way, has led to school officials discouraging, dismissing and even blaming female students who have tried to come forward with claims of sexual assault.

Afghan baby girl sold for $500 by starving family. Afghanistan is facing the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, with the country seeing a sharp deterioration in the situation since the Taliban seized power in August.

New Wonder Woman comic welcomes DC's first trans Amazon: 'She isn't a box to tick'. The creators of DC’s new series Nubia and the Amazons have confirmed that trans women can be Amazons and are welcomed onto Themyscira – the island nation of the female warrior women known as the Amazons.

Tesla doesn’t want anyone to see its response to the Autopilot investigation. If Tesla’s request is granted, it would effectively bar the public from seeing the company’s response to a host of information that NHTSA has requested regarding its probe into Autopilot and possible defects.

Kellogg's faces lawsuit over amount of strawberries in Pop-Tarts. Popular cereal and pastry brand Kellogg's is facing a multi-million dollar class-action lawsuit in the U.S. that claims the company isn't being forthcoming about the lack of actual fruit used in it's strawberry "Pop-Tarts" food product.

Georgia man got COVID relief loan — and spent $57,000 of it on Pokemon card, feds say. Vinath Oudomsine was charged by criminal information on Tuesday with one count of wire fraud after the government said he lied about how many employees he had and the revenue his business generated in an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL, during the pandemic…It wasn’t clear in court filings which Pokemon card Oudomsine is accused of purchasing, but certain rare and valuable Pokemon cards can sell for thousands of dollars.

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

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