"Through fires and hurricanes, through lethal heat waves and flash floods, the world seems to be ending — or at least, that's what it feels like… And if it seems like natural disasters are happening more and more often, that's because they are: Climate change has helped drive a fivefold increase in the number of weather-related disasters in the last 50 years. Climate change means disasters are happening simultaneously, too." An NPR article on eco-grief, "a type of mental exhaustion that stems from accepting the harsh realities of climate change and feeling overwhelmed or hopeless." And, actually, this has been a problem within the academic and research group for awhile now, but for reasons not explored in this article. Because the general populace hasn't come to a point where they will accept the truth that the world as we know it is dying. The US political scene is only just now coming to terms with human caused global climate change (congrats, conservatives, you're barely caught up to the conversation circa 1995). Our ecosystems are ill and collapsing. We focus on disasters because, well, mankind is narcissistic. We champion when species we attempt to protect come back. And we avoid the questions of why are our forests so sick, why are so many trees dying, why are our food crops not as nourishing as they were, why are populations declining, why is biodiversity (plants, animals, microbes, fungi) decreasing, why are there so many species going extinct before we even know about them. The good news is the world will live, life finds a way. It just seems that way is to get rid of humans first.
"Coastal tour boat operators in Australia were treated to a rare spectacle last week as more than 100 humpback whales set upon a swirling ball of baitfish. The mass aggregation or megapod of whales was spotted by Simon Miller, owner of Sapphire Coastal Adventures, and his team on Thursday off the coast of Bermagui in New South Wales, on Australia's southeast coast."
"You've heard of startups building computer chips, delivery drones and social networks. One called Colossal has a very different goal: bringing the woolly mammoth back from extinction by 2027 using CRISPR, a revolutionary gene editing technology… The plan isn't to re-create true woolly mammoths exactly but rather to bring their cold-adapted genetic traits like small ears and more body fat to their elephant cousins, creating a hybrid that can wander the tundra where mammoths haven't been seen for 10,000 years." Just what a warming planet needs, an elephant suited to the ice age. But this is not about the "end product" (or even any of those "side-quests"), this is about siphoning venture capital from rubes who don't understand the technology only to shrug their shoulders in 10 years time and say they tried… after a decade of stunning income levels.
"Children in the UK aged 12 to 15 are set to be able to get a Covid jab, following advice from the UK's chief medical officers… They have recommended the youngsters should be offered one dose of the Pfizer vaccine… Some other countries have been vaccinating younger teenagers for some time - but approaches do differ."
"Covid-19 case counts in the U.S. are showing signs of easing off their latest highs but remain elevated as the country heads into the fall season and colder weather… The seven-day average of daily Covid cases is about 144,300 as of Sept. 12, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. That figure is down 12% over the past week and 14% from the most-recent peak in case counts on Sept. 1, when the country was reporting an average of roughly 167,600 cases per day." One data point does not a trend make. But, yes, people are looking for any hope right now.
"Ray DeMonia, 73, was born and raised in Cullman, Ala., but he died on Sept. 1, some 200 miles away in an intensive care unit in Meridian, Miss… Last month, DeMonia, who spent 40 years in the antiques and auctions business, suffered a cardiac emergency. But it was because hospitals are full due to the coronavirus — and not his heart — that he was forced to spend his last days so far from home, according to his family."
So, about that "lt colonel" who retired "early", a twitter thread. Look, if you give up your pension and benefits over a vaccine (one of how many you needed to get in the military), that's not "strength of character" that's a mental deficiency that calls into question just how you rose in rank previously. (Grokked from Eric VanNewkirk)
"Russian President Vladimir Putin is quarantining after several people in his inner circle tested positive for Covid-19, the Kremlin said Tuesday… Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin has tested negative for coronavirus and is 'absolutely healthy.'" Hey Peskov, really, really try to avoid kremlinese, okay?
"Prices for beef, pork and chicken have surged during the pandemic, and the Biden administration believes it knows who's partly behind it: a handful of big meatpacking companies that control most of the country's supply."
"The plane maker Boeing says it expects that it will take another two and a half years for global aviation to return to pre-pandemic levels… Its vice president of commercial marketing, Darren Hulst, said: 'The industry recovers to 2019 levels of traffic by the end of 2023, early 2024' and domestic flying would be at the forefront of any recovery." Yeah, Bob. In other news, company whose livelihood depends on a market recovery sees a market recovery in the near future, but far enough away to hand wave away any criticism.
"Facebook has a system protecting elite users from being reprimanded for breaking content rules, the Wall Street Journal reports." Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now do Twitter.
"Years of internal research at Facebook has concluded that Instagram is toxic to the mental well-being of teenagers, especially girls, but the social-media giant has done next to nothing to remedy the situation, The Wall Street Journal reports." Also, Duh.
"The famed Squaw Valley ski resort near Lake Tahoe is changing its name, after a long debate and input from Native American tribes. The leadership of the resort, which will now be known as Palisades Tahoe, says 'the old name was derogatory and offensive.'… The California resort made the decision to change the name last summer, as many U.S. institutions and communities contemplated the legacy of centuries of racism. In recent decades, several other locations, in states from Minnesota to Oregon, have dropped the term from place names." Also, just including this because it's lost on most people… "Other place names in the Sierra Nevada and beyond are also being scrutinized — including Lake Tahoe itself. The name comes from a mispronunciation of the Washoe word for lake — 'Da ow' — so it essentially means, Lake Lake." Which means, in the past, some white person asked a local native, "What do you call that" pointing to the lake. And the native replied, "It's a lake, you stupid white person." They may not have vocalized that last part, but I'll bet they said it in their head.
"Norway's Labour Party began coalition talks with other members of the center-left bloc on Tuesday, seeking to form a government after their parliamentary election victory with the focus on climate change and oil."
"For the first time in nearly two decades, California voters will decide whether to remove their governor in a recall election on Tuesday, Sept. 14… This time, it's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's job that's on the line. In recent days, national Democrats have been weighing in on his performance in office over the last 20 months, trying to convince voters to keep him at the helm."
"Following the murder of George Floyd last year, the Paramount Network abruptly canceled the law enforcement reality TV series Cops. Now the show has found a new home… Fox Nation, a subscription-based streaming service owned by Fox News Media, has given the green light for the return of the controversial series, which will premiere its 33rd season on Oct. 1, the company announced Monday." The network is on brand.
"Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed back Monday against harsh Republican criticism of the handling of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying the Biden administration inherited a deal with the Taliban to end the war, but no plan for carrying it out."
"House Democrats have proposed a top marginal income tax rate of 39.6% for individuals, part of a sweeping change to the tax code to fund climate investments and an expansion of the U.S. safety net… That rate, an increase from the current 37% levy for the wealthiest taxpayers, would kick in for single individuals with taxable income over $400,000, according to a legislative outline issued by the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday."
"Senate Democrats are proposing new legislation to overhaul voting laws after months of discussions to get all 50 of their members behind a single bill, allowing their caucus to speak with one voice on the issue even though it stands virtually no chance of becoming law… The proposal -- announced in a statement by a group of Senate Democrats on Tuesday -- comes in the aftermath of their party's failed effort to open debate on the issue in June. Even though they unified behind the procedural vote at the time, Senate Democrats were not on the same page over the policy, kicking off months of talks to get the party's factions behind the bill that they will propose on Tuesday."
"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out fellow Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on Sunday after the West Virginia senator referred to her as 'young lady' while responding to recent criticism."
"Though Democrats lack a majority large enough to overcome the 60-vote threshold that has become all but required to pass major legislation through the Senate, they plan to use an arcane process known as budget reconciliation to pass the bill with just a simple majority vote."
"In August, Desai filed a lawsuit on behalf of Arizona's teachers union, school business officials, civic groups and others arguing a handful of policies passed as part of the budget are unconstitutional. That includes rules for conducting elections, regulations for what teachers can and can't talk about in their classrooms, and the ban on local school leaders requiring students and staff to wear masks."
"Congressional leaders and top security officials say the U.S. Capitol will be well-prepared for a far-right rally expected for the area on Saturday, including plans to reinstall perimeter fencing that was up for months after the Jan. 6 insurrection… This weekend's rally will present law enforcement officials with the first large-scale security test to the Capitol since the attack on the complex by a pro-Trump mob." Man, the insurrection comes earlier and earlier every year.
"The leader of an Illinois anti-government militia group who authorities say masterminded the 2017 bombing of a Minnesota mosque was sentenced Monday to 53 years in prison for an attack that terrified the mosque's community."
"In an interview, Tucker Carlson admitted: 'I lie.'" In the larger context he was talking about CNN hosts whom he believes lies, but then he also does it (backhanded bothsiderism). Hint to conservatives, projection is really ugly. You all should stop it.
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