"The gunman who opened fire inside a Virginia Beach government building on Friday shot two supervisors, a high-ranking city government official has confirmed."
"Some witnesses said they were unsure the muffled sounds they noticed from afar were indeed gunshots." So, it's still to early to talk about gun control. Again. Look, at some point we have to talk about it because it appears there won't be any time soon when it's not just after a mass shooting.
"The use of dental exams to help determine the age of migrants increased sharply in the last year, one aspect of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and illegal border crossings… The accuracy of forensic testing to help determine the age of migrants is very much a subject of the debate. And with the stakes so high, the exams are becoming another legal battleground for the government." This is complete bullshit. There is a wide range of natural variability. Stress and diets at a young age can change the results of these kinds of tests. And they're using panoramics to boot. WTF? These things are fucking bad for you, no matter your age. The radiation dose you receive is very high (compared to regular dental scans). Yes, there are circumstances where these are the best way to image teeth to diagnose or help treat specific diseases. But as a part of a regular dental exam, nope. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
Trigger warning, long story about suicide and how in the midwest and west it's mostly white, middle-aged men. "'There was hope that "OK, as the economy recovers, boy, it’s going to be nice to see that suicide rate go down,"' says Dr. Jane Pearson, a suicide expert at the National Institute of Mental Health. 'And there’s a lot of us really frustrated that didn’t happen. We’re asking, "What is going on?"'" Besides the lack of mental health resources (actually just basic medical resources), what strikes me is the rampant disfunctionality. Maybe part of this is that after the 80s and 90s we know this isn't normal, and that creates greater despair as most people can't find a way to break the cycle (which could be helped with mental health infrastructure or even a cultural awareness campaign, but I'll note the conflicts surrounding even "corporal punishment" of kids tells me this won't happen anytime soon). There's a line in there about how the myth of self-independence and prevalence of guns helps fuel this trend, because guns always work. I'm here to tell you, no, they don't. I've seen the result. The dark humor part of me would like to tell you all about it, repeat the phrase of how to cut your wrists, but they don't work here. And I think that's one part of me I still need to change. The National Suicide Prevention hotline is 1-800-273-8255. If you need help, don't be afraid to reach out. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
How go the Trade Wars? "Investors are overlooking the threat posed by the U.S.-China trade war, which could send the global economy into recession in less than a year, according to a research note published Sunday by Morgan Stanley."
How's our breadbasket doing? "Standing next to his red mud-splattered pickup in Central Arkansas, a tired Robert Stobaugh watches an osprey soar over a field of flooded rice. If anything can survive flooding, he says, it's rice… 'But even rice doesn't like this,' he says, looking at the swamp of rust-brown water in front of him."
"President Trump received a royal salute as he arrived in Britain for a state visit Monday, making his way to Buckingham Palace to greet Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family. Scripted to the minute, the carefully choreographed visit also included a review of an honor guard at the palace." And of course he is pissing people off and being the general racist bore as always.
The "Baby Trump Balloon" flies again.
"The Washington Post reported on Sunday it had obtained an audio recording of Mike Pompeo in which the US secretary of state told Jewish leaders that the still-secret plan might not 'gain traction' and critics might reject it as not 'particularly original'." Gee, ya think? But don't worry, we'll still blame the Palestinians.
"U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Kevin Hassett will 'shortly' leave his post, but did not provide a reason for the latest high-level departure from the administration." He got what he came for, his tax cut.
"In an interview with Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep, Wolff, the author of 'Fire and Fury' and the forthcoming book 'Siege: Trump Under Fire,' defended an explosive claim in the book that had already been called into doubt before its publication."
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