“For America’s millennials, the long pandemic has created quite an introspective moment. According to stationery company Shutterfly, 40% of them said they would be sending a greeting card for the first time in 2021. Something in the lockdowns and social distancing is compelling them to send notes of appreciation. The shift toward gratitude fits with a new survey in Britain by Virgin Media O2. It found that more than half of adults in the country have become ‘more grateful’ during the pandemic. Nearly two-thirds of 18- to 24-year-olds, who are usually glued to digital screens, made new friends in their local areas. For all the reports of a rise in loneliness, drug addiction, and other issues associated with mental health during the pandemic, the rise in gratitude has been overlooked.” (07/23/21)
“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Thursday said the Jan. 6 committee will continue to seek the truth [sic] about the cause of the deadly Capitol attack …. ‘It’s my responsibility as Speaker of the House to make sure we get to the truth on this, and we will not let their antics stand in the way of that,’ Pelosi said Thursday during a news conference at the Capitol. Pelosi on Wednesday blocked two of McCarthy’s five appointments from serving on the committee (Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Jim Banks, R-Ind.), citing their statements that she said dismissed the seriousness of the attack and undermined the integrity of the committee’s work. McCarthy responded by boycotting the committee and not allowing his three Pelosi-approved picks from serving on the panel.” [editor’s note: So blocking anyone who is at all skeptical about your own predetermined conclusions (i.e., that Trump must pay!) is “seeking the truth?” – SAT] [additional editor’s note: Jordan and Banks aren’t “skeptical,” nor are they “seeking the truth” any more than Pelosi is. They’re all politicians playing politics – TLK] (07/22/21)
“British rock icon Eric Clapton has said he will not perform at venues that require concertgoers to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said proof of vaccination must be shown at clubs and venues from September. Clapton said he will not perform anywhere there is a ‘discriminated audience present.’ His announcement came through the social media accounts of an outspoken anti-vaccine activist. The guitarist said he felt ‘honour bound’ to make the statement, which was posted on Wednesday to the accounts of Italian architect and film producer Robin Monotti. In May, Clapton said he had experienced a ‘severe’ reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine. In a letter to Mr Monotti, he blamed ‘propaganda’ for overstating the safety of the vaccine. He added that he feared the ‘disastrous’ reaction would leave him unable to play music again.” (07/22/21)
“A New York man and a Maine woman are facing charges over cocaine disguised as a cake that was seized from their vehicle, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency said Wednesday. Acting on a tip, police stopped the car on Interstate 295 in Gardiner on Tuesday, and a drug-sniffing dog found 4 pounds (2 kilograms) of cocaine worth $200,000 on the street, the MDEA said. Also seized was $1,900 in cash. About 2 pounds of the cocaine was disguised as a marble cake with coffee grounds used to cover up the scent, officials said. The two were released on bail and were expected in court on Wednesday.” (07/22/21)
“For those who were looking forward to obtaining transparency for the incompetent negligence, malfeasance, and reckless disregard for the health and safety of the American people that were the hallmarks of Donald Trump, the prospect of that reckoning has dimmed. Joe Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland appears to be working to protect the interests of Trump and all those in his administration who may have broken the law and were investigated in federal grand jury proceedings. Garland’s Justice Department is now advocating that federal judicial procedure should be amended to instate a 50-year ban on grand jury information. What would this mean? Had this proposal been in practice during Watergate, we still would not know until 2023 or 2024 all the facts about Nixon’s crimes that were uncovered by grand juries.” (07/22/21)
“A California judge on Wednesday cleared the way for conservative talk radio host Larry Elder to join the field of candidates for an upcoming recall election aimed at removing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. Elder scored a swift court victory in Sacramento, where he challenged a decision by state election officials to block him from the September recall ballot. In a tweet, Elder wrote, ‘Victory! My next one will be on Sept. 14 at the ballot box.’ He added: ‘This isn’t just a victory for me, but a victory for the people of California. And not just those who favor the recall and support me, but all voters, including many who will come to know me.'” (07/22/21)
“The Summer Olympics, which open July 23 in Japan, promise to be one of the most unusual Games in modern history. For one, they will be performed before very few in-person spectators. They also are a year late, a result of the pandemic. They are officially still the 2020 Olympic Games. But one thing won’t be new: the suspicion that a sizable percentage of athletes will have broken the rules of fair play and used banned performance-enhancing drugs. Just how many athletes will cheat in this way is difficult to know, but some estimate it could be thousands of the 11,000 or so who will compete.” (07/21/21)
“I made a mixed media piece about Jeff Bezos and his little rocket. [My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge.]” [editor’s note: I thought it high time I included her own pitch for support – SAT] [Flash video] (07/22/21)
“Are you getting deja vu? ‘Market Meltdown: Dow Plummets 900 Points on Covid Fears,’ said one headline. It’s been 16 months since the infamous stock market crash in March 2020. I argued back then that the market sell-off was overdone, and even encouraged by corporate media that were welcoming anything that could place then-President Trump in a bad light. I also stressed if you could see through that media noise, it was a buying opportunity, because no matter how challenging the coronavirus would become, we are a capitalist nation. Smart companies would develop vaccines. The nation would open back up, and in time, America would be back on its feet. I was right. We got vaccines in record time (something the former administration gets little credit for), and sure enough, the economy bounced back.” (07/22/21)
“The U.S. House on Wednesday passed the PFAS Action Act of 2021, a bill that, if passed by the U.S. Senate, would improve the regulation and facilitate the cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, long-lasting synthetic chemicals that pose a threat to public and environmental health. H.R. 2467, introduced by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) in April, passed by a margin of 241-183. Twenty-three Republicans joined nearly every Democrat in supporting the bill to protect people and ecosystems from harmful PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they persist and bioaccumulate for years on end. Five Republicans and Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) abstained. Following Wednesday’s vote, Dingell said that ‘we are one step closer to protecting the health of Americans from these toxic forever chemicals.'” (07/22/21)
