#Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

newstfionline · 3 years

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Friday, October 30, 2020

U.S. refugee admissions (Foreign Policy) The number of refugees allowed into the United States in the coming year will be at its lowest level in modern times, after the White House announced just 15,000 refugees would be allowed settle in the country next year. According to a White House memo, 5,000 of those places will go to refugees facing religious persecution, 4,000 are reserved for refugees from Iraq who helped the United States, and 1,000 for refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; 5,000 open slots remain, although refugees from Somalia, Syria, and Yemen are banned unless they can meet special humanitarian criteria. The future of U.S. refugee policy hangs on Tuesday’s vote: Former Vice President Joe Biden has promised to increase annual refugee admissions to 125,000, while the Guardian reports that a second Trump administration would seek to slash such admissions to zero.

Days From Election, Police Killing of Black Man Roils Philadelphia (NYT) There is a grim familiarity to it all. In the final days of a bitter election, it is a reprise of the terrible images that the country has come to know all too well this year: The shaky cellphone video, the abrupt death of a Black man at the hands of the police. The howls of grief at the scene. The protests that formed immediately. The looting of stores that lasted late into the night. It began on Monday, when two officers confronted Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old with a history of mental health problems. A lawyer for the family said that he was experiencing a crisis that day and that the family told officers about it when they arrived at the scene. In an encounter captured in video that appeared on social media, Mr. Wallace is seen walking into the street in the direction of the officers, who back away and aim their guns at him. Someone yells repeatedly at Mr. Wallace to “put the knife down.” The officers then fire multiple rounds. After Mr. Wallace falls to the ground, his mother screams and rushes to his body. Mr. Wallace later died of his wounds at a nearby hospital, and the neighborhood exploded in rage. In the days since, dozens have been arrested, cars have been burned and 53 officers have been hurt. On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf called in the National Guard. On Wednesday, the city declared a 9 p.m. curfew. And once again, the people in the neighborhood where it all took place were left to consider what had happened and what, if anything, could be done about it.

Zeta soaks Southeast after swamping Gulf Coast; 6 dead (AP) Millions of people were without power and at least six were dead Thursday after Hurricane Zeta slammed into Louisiana and made a beeline across the South, leaving shattered buildings, thousands of downed trees and fresh anguish over a record-setting hurricane season. From the bayous of the Gulf Coast to Atlanta and beyond, Southerners used to dealing with dangerous weather were left to pick up the pieces once again. In Atlanta and New Orleans, drivers dodged trees in roads and navigated intersections without traffic signals. As many as 2.6 million homes and businesses lost power across seven states, but the lights were coming back on slowly. The sun came out and temperatures cooled, but trees were still swaying as the storm’s remnants blew through. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said the state sustained “catastrophic” damage on Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish, where Zeta punched three breaches in the levee. Edwards ordered the Louisiana National Guard to fly in soldiers to assist with search and rescue efforts and urged continued caution.

Violent criminal groups are eroding Mexico’s authority and claiming more territory (Washington Post) Organized crime here once meant a handful of cartels shipping narcotics up the highways to the United States. In a fundamental shift, the criminals of today are reaching ever deeper into the country, infiltrating communities, police forces and town halls. A dizzying range of armed groups—perhaps more than 200—have diversified into a broadening array of activities. They’re not only moving drugs but kidnapping Mexicans, trafficking migrants and shaking down businesses from lime growers to mining companies. It can be easy to miss how much the nation’s criminal threat has evolved. Mexico is the United States’ No. 1 trading partner, a country of humming factories and tranquil beach resorts. But despite 14 years of military operations—and $3 billion in U.S. anti-narcotics aid—criminal organizations are transforming the Mexican landscape: In a classified study produced in 2018 but not previously reported, CIA analysts concluded that drug-trafficking groups had gained effective control over about 20 percent of Mexico, according to several current and former U.S. officials. / Homicides in the last two years have surged to their highest levels in six decades; 2020 is on track to set another record. Mexico’s murder rate is more than four times that of the United States. / Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes to escape violence; the Mexican Congress is poised to pass the country’s first law to help the internally displaced. / More than 77,000 people have disappeared, authorities reported this year, a far larger total than previous governments acknowledged. It is the greatest such crisis in Latin America since the “dirty wars” of the 1970s and 1980s. / The State Department is urging Americans to avoid travel to half of Mexico’s states, tagging five of them as Level 4 for danger—the same as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has created a 100,000-member national guard to reclaim areas with little state presence. It’s not clear that will make a significant difference. Years of Mexican and U.S. strategy—arresting drug kingpins, training Mexican police, overhauling the justice system—have failed to curb the violence.

Many Cubans hope US election will lead to renewed ties (AP) Not so long ago the tables at Woow!!! restaurant in Havana were filled with tourists ordering mojitos and plates of grilled octopus. But as President Donald Trump rolled back Obama-era measures opening Cuba relations, the restaurant grew increasingly empty. Now entrepreneurs like Orlando Alain Rodríguez are keeping a close eye on the upcoming U.S. presidential election in hope that a win by Democratic challenger Joe Biden might lead to a renewal of a relationship cut short. “The Trump era has been like a virus to tourism in Cuba,” said Rodríguez, the owner of Woow!!! and another restaurant feeling the pinch. Few countries in Latin America have seen as dramatic a change in U.S. relations during the Trump administration or have as much at stake in who wins the election. Former President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations, loosened restrictions on travel and remittances and became the first U.S. chief of state to set foot in the island in 88 years. The result was a boom in tourism and business growth on the island. Trump has steadily reversed that opening, tapping into the frustrations of a wide segment of the Cuban American community that does not support opening relations while a communist government remains in power. He put into effect part of a previously suspended U.S. law that permits American citizens to sue companies that have benefited from private properties confiscated by the Cuban government, put a new cap on remittances, reduced commercial flights and banned cruises. The president has also forbidden Americans from buying cigars, rum or staying in government-run hotels. A Trump reelection would likely spell another four years of tightened U.S. sanctions while many expect a Biden administration to carry out at least some opening.

Winter gloom settles over Europe (Washington Post) The clocks were dialed back an hour across Europe this week, and the long nights come early now. The hospitals are filling up, as the cafes are shutting down. Governments are threatening to cancel Christmas gatherings. As new coronavirus infections surge again in Europe, breaking daily records, the mood is growing dark on the continent—and it’s not even November. The reprieve of summer feels a long time ago, and Europe is entering a serious funk. Germany and France announced national lockdowns Wednesday to try to get the virus under control. The new measures are less restrictive than in the spring, and yet they face more resistance. People are no longer so willing to remain confined to their homes, venturing onto balconies in the evenings to applaud health-care workers. Many people remain scared of covid-19, but they are exhausted and frustrated—and growing angry and rebellious. In a sign of the times, the head of the World Health Organization recognized the “pandemic fatigue that people are feeling” but urged “we must not give up.” The smugness in Europe about having bested the Americans under President Trump is fading with the daily record-breaking counts.

Young and Jobless in Europe: ‘It’s Been Desperate’ (NYT) Like millions of young people across Europe, Rebecca Lee, 25, has suddenly found herself shut out of the labor market as the economic toll of the pandemic intensifies. Her job as a personal assistant at a London architecture firm, where she had worked for two years, was eliminated in September, leaving her looking for work of any kind. Ms. Lee, who has a degree in illustration from the University of Westminster, sent out nearly 100 job applications. After scores of rejections, and even being wait-listed for a food delivery gig at Deliveroo, she finally landed a two-month contract at a family-aid charity that pays 10 pounds (about $13) an hour. “At the moment I will take anything I can get,” Ms. Lee said. “It’s been desperate.” The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly fueling a new youth unemployment crisis in Europe. Young people are being disproportionately hit, economically and socially, by lockdown restrictions, forcing many to make painful adjustments and leaving policymakers grasping for solutions. Years of job growth has eroded in a matter of months, leaving more than twice as many young people than other adults out of work. The jobless rate for people 25 and under jumped from 14.7 percent in January to 17.6 percent in August. Europe is not the only place where younger workers face a jobs crunch. Young Americans are especially vulnerable to the downturn. In China, young adults are struggling for jobs in the post-outbreak era. But in Europe, the pandemic’s economic impact puts an entire generation at risk, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

3 dead in church attack, plunging France into dual emergency (AP) A man armed with a knife attacked people inside a French church and killed three Thursday, prompting the government to raise its security alert status to the maximum level hours before a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The attack in Mediterranean city of Nice was the third in two months in France that authorities have attributed to Muslim extremists, including the beheading of a teacher. It comes during a growing furor over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that were republished in recent months by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo—renewing vociferous debate in France and the Muslim world over the depictions that Muslims consider offensive but are protected by French free speech laws. Other confrontations and attacks were reported Thursday in the southern French city of Avignon and in the Saudi city of Jiddah, but it was not immediately clear if they were linked to the attack in Nice.

Germany does not believe Thai king has breached state business ban: source (Reuters) Germany does not believe that Thailand’s king has so far breached its ban on conducting politics while staying there, a parliamentary source said on Wednesday, after lawmakers were briefed by the government. Following a meeting of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, the source said the government had briefed lawmakers that it believes the king is permitted to make occasional decisions, as long as he does not continuously conduct business from German soil. When asked about the status of the king, the government told the committee he has a visa that allows him to stay in Germany for several years as a private person and also enjoys diplomatic immunity as a head of state. Thailand’s political crisis has made the king’s presence a challenge for Germany, but revoking the visa of a visiting head of state could cause a major diplomatic incident.

China’s New Confidence on Display (Foreign Policy) The Chinese leadership is currently meeting in Beijing to set economic and political goals for the next five years. In the run-up to the plenum, speeches by President Xi Jinping and others have demonstrated a bold confidence that this is China’s moment. As economic policymaker Liu He put it, “Bad things are turning into good ones.” Despite the damage to China’s global reputation this year, its leaders seem to believe that Western economic weakness and mishandling of the coronavirus have created opportunities. That may be true, but it may also encourage dangerous overconfidence, as happened in 2009, when the Chinese leadership was convinced the economic crisis had significantly weakened Washington. That overconfidence is most frightening when it comes to Taiwan, where recent saber-rattling has again raised the specter of an invasion. Distinguishing signal from noise on Taiwan is difficult, but the traditional restraints on Chinese military action—fear of U.S. intervention, reputational damage, and corruption inside the People’s Liberation Army—have weakened. The odds of Chinese action in Taiwan increase if the U.S. election doesn’t produce a clear result, or if a lame duck President Donald Trump embarks on a scorched-earth program on his way out—since Beijing may be convinced that a distracted Washington has no will to block it.

#headlines #news

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joachimnapoleon · 4 years

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How the (Quarantined) Murats broke the Internet (and Lannes). [Part 2/2]

Hello all! Here is the second half of my and @histoireettralala‘s AU on our Trifecta in Quarantine. (Part 1 can be found here.) ^_^

***

Caroline groggily plops into her desk chair, yawning in between sips of her morning coffee as she waits for her laptop to start up. She smiles at the sound of the sewing machine running from across the hall; Joachim is already hard at work making a new batch of masks for their friends and family. He has become quite determined, he informed her this morning, to make as many as he can, now that he's discovered he has such a talent for it.

She is secretly relieved that he has developed such a liking for this new hobby. Joachim has been delighted to be able to spend so much more time with the kids since the office temporarily closed, but at the same time... she knew her husband well enough by now to sense his restlessness. Joachim has always been bursting with energy and a perpetual need to be doing Something Important--not unlike Napoleon himself. Sitting at home for days on end, feeling useless, was simply unbearable for him.

Now, he has a purpose again, and she can already see the effect it is having on her husband, the added spark in his eye, the renewed spring in his step. And, she thinks, I've gotten an adorable new video out of it to add to my collection.

Caroline takes another sip of coffee as her YouTube page loads.

She nearly chokes on the hot liquid in her surprise.

Since she went to bed last night, her video of Joachim sewing with Letitia has accumulated... 12,184 views. There are hundreds of new comments and subscribers.

Caroline blinks. She figured Paulette and Josephine would be able to give it a nice boost, but... wow.

She refreshes the page.

12,192.

She refreshes it again.

12,203.

She decides to take a look at some of the top-rated comments.

@napoleon, 12:03: Well this was most... unexpected. So, when can I expect my masks?

@j.poniatowski, 1:05: MY DUDE

@ney, 12:17: very sweet, and kudos on not hurting yourself yet joachim

@bakingsoult, 3:27: maybe we can make a deal, fresh cookies of your choice for masks? PM me

@elisa.bacchiochi, 2:08: CAROLINE WE ALL NEED MORE OF THIS PLZ

@augereau, 4:02: My dear Murat, I think we could do a very lucrative business together; give me a call if you're interested.

@jeanlannes, 12:54: O___O

The majority of the comments, though, are from total strangers, many of whom have felt compelled to comment on the physical beauty of Caroline's husband. It would take far too long to go through them all and filter out the ones that go a little too far, especially as new comments are constantly being added to the thread. She sighs. At least most of them seem to be wholesome enough. And, anyway, it isn't like Caroline isn't used to this by now.

After finishing her coffee and refreshing the page one more time--the video is now up to slightly over 14,000 views--Caroline grabs her camera.

She has an audience to please.

***

[Three days later]

Lannes is not happy.

Aside from being bored to death right now as a result of so many days pent up inside, the masks he ordered from Amazon still haven't arrived, and wearing them is now required in order to go anywhere. The family's groceries are running low (except for their toilet paper; Lannes had made sure to buy twelve 24-packs of that once this whole thing had started, a foresight of which he was extremely proud). How is he supposed to go grocery shopping now without the requisite mask?

To make matters worse, Murat had entirely abandoned him for the past couple nights. Lannes is deeply wounded by this. How could his best friend just up and forget about two straight Skype cocktail hours? Especially when he knew perfectly well that they were the only thing keeping Lannes sane at this point? Even a flurry of furious text messages had failed to impress upon Murat the gravity of his neglectfulness.

Ten minutes later, a "sorry lol" was the verbatim response Lannes had received, followed shortly after by a "super busy" and then a "maybe this weekend idk". Murat had not even had the decency to reply to Lannes' ensuing "WTF".

If I don't get out of this house soon, I'm going to lose my mind, Lannes thinks.

He grabs his cellphone and dials the one man capable of helping him in this crisis.

"What in God's name is it today, Lannes?" a weary Larrey asks after the seventh ring.

"Doc!!! Do you have any spare masks?"

"I've already told you three times I don't!"

"How can you still not have any though? YOU'RE A DOCTOR!!!"

"That's correct; I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker. The mask demand has far outpaced the supply right now. Have you tried asking Murat?"

Lannes blinks, uncomprehending. "Ask... Murat...?"

"Yeah, I've gotta give it to him, he's been making some excellent quality masks!" Larrey exclaims. "I'm actually wearing one right now."

Lannes doesn't know how to even begin to process this statement. His arm holding the phone goes slack; the phone drops from a limp hand to the carpeted floor.

Everything Lannes knows is wrong.

Well, except one thing: he needs alcohol.

A lot of alcohol.

Now.

He heads towards the kitchen.

"Lannes?" the voice of Larrey calls through the abandoned phone. "Are you still there?? Lannes???"

***

Ney stares at himself in the mirror, studying his new mask. Murat had delivered it to him personally earlier this morning, along with a set of masks for Aglaé and all their children.

"Letitia picked the fabric for your mask personally," Murat had said with a wink.

"Well, I hope you'll give her my thanks. Tell her she has very good taste."

A giant image of the perpetually scowling Grumpy Cat covers Ney's mask.

Aglaé appears behind him in the mirror. Appraising her mask-clad husband for a moment, she nods approvingly.

"It suits you perfectly, my love."

Her husband's mouth might be covered by the mask, but Aglaé isn't fooled. His smile is betrayed by his eyes.

***

[Three weeks later]

Fifty-thousand subscribers.

And Caroline is only just getting started. A prominent blog had e-mailed her this morning about doing an article on Joachim's mask-making venture. Shortly afterwards, a local news channel had called to inquire about conducting a Skype interview with Joachim (and would it be possible for little Letitia to be present too?). Joachim had been reluctant to leave his work--there were still so many masks he needed to make!!--but Caroline had convinced him it would be for the Greater Good.

At Pauline's suggestion, she had monetized the YouTube channel yesterday morning.

Joachim enters Caroline's office, carrying Louise in his arms. Caroline greets them warmly.

"Did Napoleon like his new mask?" Joachim asks.

The last video Caroline had uploaded had been of Joachim and Letitia making Napoleon's mask, complete with her brother's signature "N" ornately embroidered by Joachim himself. His skills were progressing at a surreal pace. Imagining the look on Madame Campan's face at the sight of Joachim's meticulous sewing and craftsmanship, Caroline makes a mental note to forward the video link to her former mentor. See?! Caroline imagines herself screaming triumphantly at the haughty old woman. I was right about him all along!!!

"Napoleon said, and I quote: 'Tell him it's really not bad at all.'" She gives him a knowing smile.

Joachim beams. He's fluent enough in Napoleonese to know that this is high praise indeed.

***

[One month later]

Two-hundred-fifty-thousand subscribers.

Caroline's latest video--Joachim teaching Lannes to use the sewing machine--is shaping up to be their biggest hit yet. (She'd had to implore the two to keep their language as clean as possible; this is a family-friendly blog and besides that, it simply wouldn't do to put the ad revenue at risk). Her viewers couldn't get enough of Letitia and Louise laughing in the background at the struggles of their grumbling Uncle Jean to figure out "this demonic device" (as he called it). But Joachim was a patient teacher, and eventually Lannes had succeeded at making his very first mask. The video culminated triumphantly with him holding the mask aloft towards the camera like a hard-won battle trophy, as Letitia and Louise cheered and Joachim glowed with pride.

Now, Joachim is beginning to experiment with increasingly ornate embroideries and higher quality materials.

"Just because it's for a pandemic," he insists, "doesn't mean it can't be fashion."

***

[Three months later]

One million subscribers.

"Vogue?" Pauline's tone is one of total disbelief.

"Vogue," Caroline affirms.

"THE Vogue?" Elisa presses.

"Yes."

"And he's going to be... on the cover?"

"Yes."

"On the cover of Vogue."

"Yes."

"THE Vogue."

"Yes."

***

[One year later]

Five million subscribers.

Caroline parks her new cobalt blue Maserati, grabs her Louis Vuitton handbag off the seat, and heads into the house.

Joachim is in his design room, hard at work as always. He greets her with a kiss.

"How's it coming?" she asks.

"Pretty good, I think. Maybe another week or so and everything will be wrapped up."

After months of hitting the runways and photo studios of some of the most famous designers in America and Europe in the aftermath of the pandemic, Joachim has decided to pursue his long-cherished dream of putting out his very own clothing line--for both adults and children. So far, their videos of Achille, Letitia, Lucien, and Louise parading around and posing in their dazzling new haute couture outfits were proving to be immensely popular.

They have been floating the idea of live-streaming a fashion show to launch the new line; the participants would be their friends and family. So far, Lannes, Jerôme, Pauline, Elisa, Eugène, Lasalle, Bessières, and Poniatowski have all volunteered. Lannes' runway walk needs serious, serious work, but there's still plenty of time.

Of course, the children all want to participate in the show too, and how can Joachim possibly say no?

***

[Six months later]

Napoleon hates shopping. Primarily because Josephine always spends obscene amounts of money--really, if anybody ever found out just how many pairs of gloves she has--he lets out a sigh. It isn't just about the money though. Shopping for clothes is always such a hassle. Napoleon is a simple man with simple tastes. No frills, no feathers, no silly ornamentation--unlike some people. He just wants something nice and comfortable. Something breathable. Something that doesn't cut off the circulation in his arms or legs.

So of course, he has to live in the age of... skinny jeans. A crime against God and man. If he was in charge, he'd criminalize the horrid things. Of course, his ludicrous brother-in-law doesn't mind them. Murat is always delighted to have an excuse to show off those perfectly chiseled thighs of his.

"Napoleon! Come over here!!" Josephine calls. "I've found something you might like!"

I highly doubt it. He sighs again, but proceeds in the direction of her voice.

***

[The following afternoon]

Napoleon and Josephine arrive at the Murats' monthly garden party. Caroline has been renovating the place obsessively for the past few months; the spacious property now has a massive heated outdoor pool and vast gardens full of exotic plants and flowers. To the house itself, has been added a large marble terrace.

All this because she didn't want to learn how to sew, Napoleon marvels. He wonders how Madame Campan is processing it all.

Joachim and Caroline see the newly-arrived couple and hurry over to greet them.

Joachim's greeting cuts off in mid-sentence. His eyes are locked onto Napoleon's shirt.

"You're... wearing..."

"Yes. You know, it's really not bad at all, Joachim. You should make more like this." He gives Joachim's ear his signature tweak, before continuing on towards the food table.

Caroline giggles at the sight of her husband stricken speechless--the rarest of rare events.

"Come, my love," she takes his hand. "Let's go celebrate our success."

[THE END]

#Trifecta AU #Quarantine AU #@histoireettralala

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soliair · 4 years

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Can Complementary and Alternative Medicine Help Fight CoronaVirus (Covid-19)?

It Goes Without Saying that New, stunningly virulent and resurgent illnesses have been escalating around the globe, with alarming intensity, and advancing more rapidly than ever before. This epidemic of epidemics, and now the pandemic of pandemics in the coronavirus (COVID-19) phraseology, not only signal a crisis in human history, but also the tizzy dance of mutual adaptation that we ‘share’ with our microbial fellow travellers. We have got only to blame ourselves for such a horrid reality and also complexity. We have brought the pathogen ‘wolf’ through the door by rendering and disturbing the natural fabric of our environment, while changing our behaviours and, paradoxically, by our ingenuity to increasing the length and quality of our lives without nurturing the nature of our soul.

So, how — and, most importantly, why — have we gone wrong? In the words of Arno Karlen, PhD, a psychoanalyst, researcher, and author, “for each new disease known to the general public, there are a dozen others; because, the wheels of biological change keep turning faster. The common progression of humans and microbes has accelerated to a frenzied pace. For example, much has been written about AIDS, but far less about other new diseases.” He adds, “our scientific and historical research is fragmented, like pieces of mosaic rarely assembled in more bits and patches. We have been slow to understand that we live in a new bio-cultural era. For decades, we cherished the myth that infectious diseases were fading forever. This was a posture born of inherited optimism.” Karlen’s words speak of one inescapable truth: about new emerging viruses, such as the novel COVID-19, and its disastrous, cascading magnitude that has brought the world to its feet, aside from increased microbial resistance to drugs.

You get the point. Without seeing our larger evolutionary picture, we cannot respond intelligently to challenges facing our health and survival. For thousands of years, since the first hunter gatherers settled in villages, infections killed more people than war and famine. New diseases, as is obvious, do not fall from the sky, or leap from some mysterious black punnet. To paraphrase Karlen, “parasitism and disease are a natural, in fact necessary, part of life. They are fundamental to the existence of everything — from the earliest, simplest organisms to human beings.” Add to this, international travel and technology, our changing diet patterns, clothing, other fads, warped relationships and work-life (im)balance, and you are witness to a hysterical wave of new-fangled epidemics. This has also led to the (re)emergence of a chaotic, also amplified, panorama in the chronicle of natural history of disease retold.

Savage Test

This is a savage test: where do new diseases come from, why have old spectres, such as tuberculosis (TB) and malaria returned with avengeance, and why now? This is not all. Think of the terrifying impact of measles and smallpox that trembled the ancient empires of Rome and China, not to speak of intertwined stories of leprosy and the assault of European microbes that overwhelmed the natives of America, including the flu pandemic that killed millions, over a century ago — or, the diabolical emergence of new illnesses, with weird names, such as the ‘old-new’ dengue, chikungunya, SARS Coronavirus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), H1N1 influenza, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Corona-virus (MERS-Cov), among others.

It is vital for us to understand the complex and dynamic relationship that exists between man and microbes, in the emergence of new difficulties postured and challenges flung by new diseases, especially viral illnesses. “Every age of new plenty,” as Karlen outlines, “demanded a price of biological re-adaptation.

Diseases occurred in increased numbers when our ancestors left the trees for the ground; when nomads became hunters and spread around the world; when village life began, and with the growth of cities; with the start of global travel, and then with the Industrial Revolution; and, with the social and technological results of prosperity.”

Mayan Saga Revisited

When we analyse history, it provides us with a gloomy case of the ordeals of the Mayan culture, to highlight a famed exemplar. The Mayan empire covered 200,000 square km and lasted 1,500 years, what with its fabulous stone cities. Yet, a thousand years ago, the empire collapsed; the jungle reclaimed its ruins, and people returned to village life. Studies of Mayan bones and of the Mayans’ living descendants showed that they were clued-up for catastrophe by their ‘use’ of the environment and their parasites.” Is this not a gloomy, yet dispassionate, example for everyone to learn from — in terms of history and reality?

It is apparent that for a thousand years before their empire fell, the Mayans’ over-reliance on maize and beans compacted their size and strength. “The skulls of ancient Mayan children showed pitting of the orbital bones and spongy degeneration of the cranium — a classical sign of acute iron-deficiency anemia. The soil the Mayans farmed was also poor in iron. As a result, so were their crops and mother’s milk. Their diet was low in vitamin C — which the body needs to absorb and use iron — and, protein, which is prerequisite for hemoglobin synthesis.”

“The custom of soaking maize in water,” as Karlen puts it, “destroyed most of the folic acid and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) needed for developing red blood cells. Maize contains iron, but it also has phytic acid, which inhibits iron absorption in the intestine. The Mayan practice of stone-grinding maize altered it chemically, so iron absorption was further inhibited. Heavy sweating, unavoidable in the Mesoamerican tropics, caused more iron loss, as did intestinal bleeding caused by hookworm, tapeworm, and other parasites common in Mayan farmers. In addition, the Mayan diet lacked zinc and other substances (nutrients) needed for growth and resistance to infections.”

The situation today is no less gloomy; it is also challenging, but not impossible. There is hope, notwithstanding the continuing misuse of our ecosystem, flawed food habits, the over stressed hygiene factor, which cares less for our natural immunity, or immunology, and more for promoting hand wash, soap, and sanitizers, aside from the dramatic changes that has emerged in the biosphere. The irony is stunning. Our forebears had to cope with new diseases, and so did our Stone Age forebears. So did the first farmers and the first city dwellers. However, in spite of all the struggles and crises, they were able to survive the challenges. Obviously, we all will too with modern medicine’s much-vaunted, also spectacular diagnostic and remedial armamentarium — which has, ironically, been found appallingly wanting in the COVID-19 pandemic, so far — and, other traditional systems of healing, aside from our buoyant, if lopsided, immune response, and imagination, including our amazing ability to adapt and flourish.

It goes without saying that we are caught in a flagrant web — the repetitive episodes of health crises through which we are accelerating the escalation and extension of new pathogens. They, like us, are trying to acclimatise and survive. The best thing to do is — we ought to, no matter what, conquer a majority of the illnesses, or diseases, and make a prudent armistice with some we just can’t defeat, despite our high-tech medical and therapeutic progress.

Let Nature Be

The lockdown has ushered in a skewed sense of time. For some, time just flies, as for others time stands still. Literally. So much so, an event that happened early this year feels like something that occurred 30 years ago. More than that an eerie sense of trepidation also seems to crawl at the back of everyone’s mind — there is an element of foreboding that pervades the horizon too.

This is a time when modern medicine is groping in the dark, trying to search for safe, and effective, drug interventions and vaccines. The twist also is the focus, as a result, has ‘shifted’ to natural treatments, viz., complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), as also integrative medicine, among others. The premise for such a change, however, is not for thrusting the all-too-cliched magic potion, as some proponents of CAM are animatedly indulging in, but to ‘up’ one’s immunity in the best manner possible. CAM and other protocols have had a long tradition in providing that natural fillip to our immune defenses. This holds the key to fight Covid-19 from the inside out and to the best extent possible.

Natural Supplements

Curcumin has been extensively used as a healing agent — right from ancient times. The active principle in turmeric, which also gives the herb its yellow hue, is curcumin. Curcumin is nature’s antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant. It is evidenced to have ‘aspirin-like’ anti-inflammatory effects, yet it is relatively safe, when used prudently, than conventional or synthetic aspirin. This primeval element has been confirmed and replicated through clinical studies.

That curcumin has received a renewed ‘look-in’ as a natural candidate to ‘jazz up’ our immunity, ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, is no surprise. Some open-minded physicians have been advocating the use of curcumin for reducing inflammation in the lung caused by coronavirus and also as a possible ‘preventative.’ Others maintain that curcumin has the ability to augment our immunity and possibly help to curtail certain COVID-19 symptoms.

It’d be interesting to note that most conventional treatment choices help, at best, to reduce just a few pro-inflammatory cytokines — a large group of proteins, peptides, or glycoproteins, which are secreted by specific cells of our immune system. Curcumin, on the other hand, has the potential to suppress more than just a handful of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Curcumin delivers other benefits too — it helps to cleanse, or ‘detox,’ the respiratory tract and combat infections that trigger cold and flu. It is a first-rate immunity booster for individuals that suffer perennially from allergies, sinusitis and bronchitis. It helps to ease inflammation in the upper as well as the lower respiratory tract — this alleviates nasal congestion, bronchial asthma and other related conditions. Most important — the antiviral factor in curcumin reduces the replication of viruses.

The use of curcumin has amplified in the wake of the COVID-19 storm — be it Asia, the Middle East, Europe, or elsewhere. Most of us, especially in the East, have been consuming turmeric powder, as a tradition, in warm milk. However, the fact is — the quantity of curcumin in turmeric powder is just not adequate, or optimal. It is, therefore, imperative that consuming high-quality curcumin supplements is the need of the hour — primarily because the dose of curcumin in quality supplements is optimal, also therapeutically appropriate.

Thanks to best practices and new strategies aimed to resolve the ‘poor’ bio-availability and low aqueous solubility of ‘regular’ curcumin, you’ve a select range of high-quality curcumin supplements to pick from. In simple terms, they correspond to scientifically accurate and sufficient dosages of curcumin ‘earmarked’ to provide optimal relief, from viral and other symptoms, and with real-time safety.

A clinical trial of ArtemiC (artemisinin and curcumin), a food supplement, for the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19 infection is now underway in Israel. The study is designed to help address viral infections with inflammatory complications. Open scientific data on artemisinin and curcumin support the testing of ArtemiC in COVID-19 patients. The double-blind, placebocontrolled trial will investigate the safety and efficacy of ArtemiC, a natural formulation intended for immune-modulation. The purpose of the project is to effectively treat certain pathophysiological complications of COVID-19.

In this context, it’d only be appropriate, also imperative, to highlight the recommendations of the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM), US, and its approach to the COVID-19 crisis:

1. Adherence to all health recommendations from official sources to decrease viral transmission. 2. Optimising modifiable lifestyle factors in order to improve overall immune function. 3. Reduce progression from colonisation to illness. 4. Personalised consideration of therapeutic agents that may: a. Favourably modulate cellular defence and repair mechanisms. b. Favourably modulate viral-induced pathological cellular processes. 5. Promote viral eradication, or inactivation. 6. Mitigate collateral damage from other therapeutic agents. 7. Promote resolution of collateral damage and restoration of function. 8. Treatment of confirmed COVID-19 illness (as per conventional standards and practice): -- May reduce the severity and duration of acute symptoms and complications. -- May support recovery and reduce long-term morbidity and sequel.

A coronavirus, such as COVID-19, as the IFM underlines, can be lethal because of its capability to ‘fuel’ a part of the inherent immune response called the inflammasome (immune system receptor and sensor), which can cause unrestrained discharge of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to ‘cytokine storm’ and severe, sometimes irreparable, damage to respiratory epithelium. The COVID-19 virus has been shown to trigger inflammasome. It is evidenced that certain natural compounds, or phytonutrients, such as curcumin (turmeric), resveratrol, found in grapes, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), found in green tea, and quercetin, found in onion, are potent inhibitors of the inflammasome. Besides, such phyto-nutrients regulate inflammation. This is useful to counteract the COVID-19 ’hyper-inflammation.’ It is also suggested that such bio-active compounds may have the ability to inhibit the COVID-19 main protease, which is required for viral copying. Though supplementary research is necessary to prove their usefulness, the existing credo provides biologic plausibleness and systematic support for COVID-19 protease inhibition to support their use.

In an article published in Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, H A Mousa et al articulate, that, “in recent years viral respiratory tract infections, especially influenza viruses, have had a major impact on communities worldwide as a result of unavailability of effective treatment or vaccine. The frequent alterations in the antigenic structures of respiratory viruses, particularly for RNA viruses (Note: COVID-19 is one such virus), pose difficulties in the production of effective vaccines. The unavailability of optimal medication and shortage of effective vaccines suggests the requirement for alternative natural therapies. Several herbal remedies were used for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory illnesses.

Among those that were found effectiveincluded maoto, licorice roots, antiwei, North American ginseng, berries, echinacea, plants extracted carnosic acid, pomegranate,guava tea, and Bai Shao. There is scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of several complementary therapies for colds. Oral zinc may reduce the length and severity of a cold. Taking vitamin C supplements on a regular basis only slightly reduces the length and severity of colds. Probiotics were found better than placebo in reducing the number of episodes of acute upper respiratory tract infections, the rate of episodes of acute upper respiratory tract infection and reduced antibiotic use. Alkaline diets or drinks might have antiviral properties as in vitro studies demonstrated inactivation effect of alkaline medium on respiratory virus.”

Astragalus - has traditionally been used to fortify the immune system and to treat colds, among other viral disorders. Some studies suggest that certain compounds found in the herb ‘upturn’ the production of white blood cells, particularly T-cells, macrophages and other cells imperative for immune system function. Astralagus has anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects;this includes a certain activity against a specific type of coronavirus that frequently infects poultry. In China, astragalus, alone and in combination with other herbs, has been advocated to possibly help prevent COVID-19 infections. The fact, however, is there is no fullscale clinical evidence that it can, like other popular herbs, prevent, or treat, coronavirus infection.

Green Tea - modulates the inflammasome while potentially targeting the COVID-19 main protease — in so doing, it reduces viral replication. Green tea has also been found to be useful in preventing flu in healthcare professionals.

Melatonin - may have an inhibitory effect on the inflammasome. This has led to the idea of using melatonin as a healing agent in COVID-19-like infections.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) - has been shown to be protecting in influenza. Says Richard Firshein, DO, a pioneer in integrative medicine, “Modern science offers (very) few drugs to combat viruses, but NAC may offer hope in this area. A study in Anti-Viral Research reports that NAC inhibited replication of the hepatitis B virus, reducing viral DNA fifty-fold. Exciting new research also indicates that NAC may protect the body against HIV.”

Quercetin - reportedly has antiviral effects against RNA (e.g., influenza and coronavirus) and DNA viruses (e.g., herpes virus). Quercetin is an antioxidant. It has anti-inflammatory properties; it modulates signalling alleyways related to post-viral remedial outcomes.

Resveratrol - is evidenced to ease the inflammasome. It has also been shown to have useful antiviral activity. Vitamin C promotes immune defence by enhancing a host of cellular functions of the immune system. Vitamin C augments microbial annihilation. Supplementation with vitamin C appears to prevent and also treat respiratory and systemic infections. Vitamin C has been used in hospital practice to manage and treat COVID-19 infections. Vitamin D supplementation may prevent upper respiratory infections. It may also ease, or alleviate, illness from COVID-19 infection.

Zinc - props immune defence. Studies suggest that it suppresses viral attachment and replication. Zinc deficiency is common with most people at risk of severe COVID-19 infections. It is reported that zinc supplements prevent viral infections; they also reduce their severity and duration. It has also been evidenced that zinc reduces the risk of lower respiratory infections. This obviously holds significance in COVID-19.

Other Options

Ayurveda is the Science of Life. It promulgates the bounty of nature in the maintenance of optimal health and well-being — and, not merely the absence of disease, or illness. Ayurveda’s extensive knowledge base on preventative care accrues from two models based on dinacharya — daily regime — and ritucharya — seasonal regime — to sustain a healthy, balanced life. Ayurveda is a plant based science. Candace Pert, PhD, the co-discoverer of peptides, our ‘molecules of emotions,’ referred to Ayurveda as the completest of medical sciences. The amplification of consciousness about oneself and the synchronization of each individual, as Ayurveda also emphasizes, can be achieved by elevating and preserving our immunity in accordance with the medical system’s pristine and classical scriptures. That the genius of Charaka (300 BCE), the first physician to present the foundational premise of digestion, metabolism and immunity, could so articulately describe the contextual and also the ‘contour’ of a virus, such as COVID-19, is testimony to its great legacy.

It’d be heartening to note that the government of India has approved of a randomized controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) as a potential preventative intervention among healthcare professionals and high-risk coronavirus population vis-à-vis hydroxychloroquine. The joint initiative of the ministries of Ayush, health, science and technology, through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with technical support from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will encompass formulated and designed clinical research protocols for prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases through review and consultative process of experts of high repute from different organisations across the country. The purpose is to analyse and study different interventions — viz., ashwagandha, yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), pippali (Long pepper) and a poly-herbal formulation (Ayush-64).

This isn’t all. The Ayurvedic formula Fifatrol is reported to act as an immune booster. The natural formula is a multi-drug combination of Ayurvedic classical medicines and herbs. Research suggests that Fifatrol acts as a natural antibiotic and fights infection, flu and ache. It is evidenced that Fifatrol provides quick relief from nasal congestion, sore throat, body ache and headache. The formula also has micro-nutrients, along with a balanced combination of vital phyto-constituents, immune-modulators and antioxidants — this, according to clinicians, apparently justifies its beneficial effects in the treatment of upper respiratory tract (viral) infections.

Homeopathy is ‘bespoke,’ or personalised, medicine. Homeopathy treats the individual; it does not limit treatment to the diagnosis of illness alone. When you are ill, your illness has its own unique pattern of symptoms. You tend to get illnesses that result from the particular pattern of imbalance with your immune and other systems — one that is distinctive to your unique disposition and/or susceptibility.

Homeopathy is based on the principle that one can treat ‘likes with likes’ — that is, a substance which causes certain symptoms, when taken in large doses, can also be used in small (‘less is more’) amounts to treat the ‘same,’ or ‘similar,’ symptoms of the illness, or health issue. Homeopathy is unlike conventional medicine, where individuals are diagnosed on the foundation of just the illness, or disease — and, the same medicine is prescribed for each illness. Homeopathy prescribes a different remedy for a given illness, depending on a multitude of factors, such as the personality, or constitution, of the individual, their state of mind and lifestyle. In other words, the illness may be the same by name, but the presentation in no two individuals is always the same — so, they are given different homeopathic remedies that match their unique personality, or ‘individuality.’

Homeopathy has a long history in preventative medicine. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), MD, the founder of homeopathy, was the first to achieve significant outcomes in the prevention and also of the scarlet fever epidemic, a vicious form of ‘strep’ throat, which swept Germany in 1802. He was also the first experimental physician to lay emphasis on the importance of preventative medicine. This wasn’t all. He was also the first medical pioneer to think of ‘immunization,’ when Louis Pasteur, the founder of vaccination, was eight years old.

To highlight a case in point. The flu pandemic of 1918 is reminisced for its devastating death toll. It was the worst epidemic in US history, with 600,000 people dead. Besides, the deadly flu took away the lives of hundreds of thousands of people elsewhere. The Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy (1921) reported, that in Dayton, Ohio, the overall mortality rate of flu patients was 28 per cent, and in 26,000 cases of flu treated homeopathically the mortality rate was 1 per cent.

The homeopathic Arsenicum album 30c is advocated to be a useful ‘immune booster.’ Ayush ‘recommends’ its use in India. Camphora 1m — with its classical pathophysiology that corresponds to COVID-19 — has emerged as the genus epidemicus — a remedy identified for preventing communicable illnesses in certain quarters. There are reports that it has been used with ‘good’ effect in Iran, also Europe, and elsewhere.

It’d be interesting to note that with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) ‘making’ news headlines — albeit the credo of its ‘utility value’ to ‘easing’ the COVID-19 effect in certain countries, including India, is being debated — one could also, perhaps, think of a homeopathic corollary in the context. Bacillinum (made from maceration of the typical tuberculous lung) may, perhaps, be used as an ‘intercurrent,’ immune-boosting ‘prophylactic’ remedy, as also Tuberculinum (a nucleo-protein; a ‘nosode’ made from tubercular abscess).

The whole idea is, of course, ‘nascent,’ a probability premise. It led this writer into a conversation with Lionel Milgrom, PhD, the English chemist and homeopath, who graciously delved into its ‘nitty-gritty’ and formulated a possibility construct. Milgrom’s ‘take’ is simple, also reflective — if one were to ‘buy’ the so-called conspiracy theory approach and work on the basis that COVID-19 is a laboratory-based organism, then in order to grow and manipulate such a thing would require a substrate. There was this recently published article which suggested that the substrate for growing such a virus is bovine serum. So, there it is. Using something like Bacillinum and Tuberculinum — from a totally different perspective and/or the homeopathic miasmatic (constitutional susceptibility, or predisposition) point-of-view — would, perforce, make some sense, although its full essence and purpose may only be found, or established, by experiment.

The Society of Homeopaths, UK, states, that, “Homeopathic medicines have been used extensively for flu-like symptoms and in epidemics around the world. If you decide to take a homeopathic medicine, this should be in addition to the various measures recommended and should not be your only approach. Selection of the most appropriate homeopathic medicine is based on an individual’s unique symptoms.” The European Committee for Homeopathy says, “(That) homeopathic health professionals should inform patients of the standard hygiene practices to contain and mitigate the spread of the epidemic. They may inform their patients of potential non-specific measures to increase their immunity. Homeopathic symptomatic treatments offer a safe and cost-effective possibility to support the self-healing processes of patients and are to be considered (within the therapeutic tool kit).”

Other adjuvant measures that would be useful are meditation, yoga, biofeedback, and counselling — especially to combating depression, anxiety, and stress, aside from the undulating effects of homebound, ‘shelter’ living, or isolation, and social and physical distancing.

Best Regards Solomon J. (Ayurvedic/Alternative Therapist)

======

** A New Hope for the Corona-Virus (COVID-19) Patients!

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garudabluffs · 2 years

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"A more searing, accurate dissection of Donald Trump and his associates will likely never be written. Trump, Packer writes, is “an all-American flimflam man and demagogue, . . . spawned in a gold-plated sewer.” He was able to articulate so effectively the resentment that is the essence of his supporters’ condition because its taste “was in his mouth, too.” Of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a senior official in Trump’s White House “with expertise in nothing,” Packer notes that “he interfered in the work of more competent officials, compromised security protocols, dabbled in conflicts of interest, flirted with violations of federal law and then promised nationwide [COVID-19] testing through his business connections, which never materialized.” Packer’s main interest, however, is not Trump and his circle but the country that elected him, since “a failure the size of Trump took the whole of America.” The book focuses on the events of 2020 because “nothing Trump did was more destructive than turning the pandemic into a central front in the partisan war,” thereby causing hundreds of thousands of needless deaths. Packer traces recent U.S. history through a piercingly insightful exploration of what he discerns as four overlapping national narratives. They are not those captured by statistics but those that describe Americans’ “deepest needs and desires . . . [and] convey a moral identity.” He calls them “Free America” (libertarian), “Smart America” (meritocratic), “Real America” (the populists’ mythical provincial village), and “Just America” (more accurately, Unjust America). All have emerged from a half century of rising inequality, which has produced a country that, in Packer’s view, is no longer governable."

READ MORE https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/capsule-review/2021-08-24/last-best-hope-america-crisis-and-renewal

In 'Last Best Hope,' George Packer asks if America can unite again

November 26, 2021

LISTEN 47:23 READ MORE https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2021/11/26/in-last-best-hope-george-packer-asks-if-america-can-unite-again

Book Excerpt (scroll down)

"The biology of a pandemic is designed to show the limits of individualism and affirm a truth that’s too hard to keep in mind—our common humanity. Everyone is vulnerable.Everyone’s health depends on the health and behavior of others. No one is safe unless everyone takes responsibility for everyone else. No community or region can withstand the plague without an active national government. No country can do it alone."

From The Reading List

#book review author interview Last Best Hope George Packer

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pennsylvaniaprelawland-blog · 2 years

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Have the American Oil Companies Lied To The American People?

By Blake Morrisey, University of Pittsburgh Class of 2023

November 9, 2021

Last week, there was a stand-off in Congress as ExxonMobile, Chevron, Shell, and BP America contested with congressional Democrats. Recent allegations point towards the oil industry lying about knowing their products were one of the driving forces of climate change. However, the world’s largest oil companies denied the allegations, stating they are doing their best to cut emissions and adapt to science [1].

Many Democratic Representatives hope the big oil companies do not follow the same steps as the tobacco industry. This hearing draws a great comparison to the Big Tobacco hearings in the 90s in which tobacco companies hid information about the dangerous effects of their products [2].

The Democrats believe the oil industry has known about their products’ effects on global warming since 1977. They accuse them of using campaigns that spread false information about their contribution to global warming. For example, there are claims that Exxon scientists had evidence that burning fossil fuels would broadly impact the climate and nothing was done about it. The moment that caused alarm bells about this disinformation was in July when an undercover video exposed an Exxon lobbyist lobbying against efforts on climate change. Democrats also have video evidence of an oil company lobbyist undermining the efforts against carbon emission by wanting a carbon price. Lobbyists of these companies have also tried to influence influential senators to help weaken Biden’s climate plan, which plans to lower the emission of fossil fuels. [3].

Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, a member of the Subcommittee on the Environment, says, “the idea is for them to admit to the American people what they have done.” [4].

Exxon CEO Darren Woods says, “I do not agree there was an inconsistency” [5].

He and the other CEOs emphasized that they have taken voluntary steps to fight climate change and promote renewable efficient energy. For example, companies like Shell and BP pledge their support to climate action by writing letters to Congress this year. The oil companies say, “We are ‘deeply committed to combating climate change and promoting clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency, and... have taken significant steps to reduce emissions and embrace climate-forward business strategies’” [6].

Many believe the oil companies are “greenwashing” by portraying themselves as more environmentally friendly than they are. For instance, these oil companies misled the public by focusing their ads on renewable energy when the industry is mostly f fossil fuels. One Democratic Representative says, “Shell is trying to fool people into thinking that it’s addressing the climate crisis when what it’s doing is actually continuing to put money into fossil fuels,” [7].

Harvard University researchers found that roughly most of Exxon’s internal documents recognized the effects of fossil fuels' effects on the climate. However, the researchers also found that the company’s advertisements downplay their products contribute to global warming. Harvard’s findings highlight the confusion on whether the oil giants are telling the truth or not. [8].

And when requested by the Committee to Provide internal documents between top executives and lobbyists. The oil companies failed or provided incomplete information to the panel. Democratic Representative Maloney says, “They are obviously lying like the tobacco executives were,” [9].

Oil companies may lack corporations because they fear for their industry. The top executives believe legislation only targets American oil companies. They fear stricter laws and regulations will reserve the industry that provides energy and jobs for Americans. A depleted oil industry would harm our nation’s economy and national security, they believe. [10].

Khanna disagrees with the companies’ fear. He argues, “You are powerful leaders at the top of the corporate world at a turning point for our planet. Be better.” [11].

The only way to find the absolute truth would be to subpoena the oil companies to get more information regarding their contribution to climate change and their campaigns to undermine climate action. In a memo early this week, Maloney stated the Committee plans to subpoena the oil companies to gain more insight into their disinformation. A BP spokesperson said the oil company is, “carefully reviewing the subpoena and will continue working with the committee.” [12].

It seems like the subpoenas are just the beginning of a lengthy legal process the oil industry could be in for. Until then, the Committee has asked the oil companies to do their part of the Paris Agreement, which calls for the companies to reduce their production of fossil fuels. Also, Maloney requests that the CEOs stop undermining public policies to reduce emissions [13].

______________________________________________________________

[1] Daly, M. (2021, October 28). “Oil giants deny spreading disinformation on climate change.” AP NEWS. Retrieved November 4, 2021, From https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-environment-and-nature-campaigns-

[2] Lederman, J. (2021, October 28). “Big oil CEOS deny lying to the public about climate change.” NBCNews.com. Retrieved November 4, 2021, From https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/big-oil-ceos-deny-lying-public-climate-change-rcna4033.

[3] Lederman, J.

[4] BBC. (2021, October 28). “Climate change: Major US oil companies to be quizzed in Congress.” BBC News. Retrieved November 4, 2021, From https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59075686.

[5] Lederman, J.

[6] BBC.

[7] Daly, M.

[8] Lederman, J.

[9] Lederman, J.

[10] Lederman, J.

[11] Lederman, J.

[12] Daly, M. (2021, October 28). “Oil giants deny spreading disinformation on climate change.” AP NEWS. Retrieved November 4, 2021, From https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-environment-and-nature-campaigns-cf3524fd23854d2c2df2d3294dd58134.

[13] Lederman, J.

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mlow19ahsgov-blog · 6 years

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Media Assessment of Issue

Article 1 (RedState): Yet Another Leftist Anti-Energy Misdirection: Hiding Behind the Animals [https://www.redstate.com/setonmotley/2018/09/06/yet-another-leftist-anti-energy-misdirection-hiding-behind-animals/]

Subject: The author’s main point is that everything about green energy is either stupid or just a huge lie. According to him, renewable resources are terrible, so therefore everyone advocating for it is really just lying about how great it is in order to “halt any and all productive human activity.” He says people lie so much about advertising green energy, that apparently Earth Day is even fake because it’s on Vladimir Lenin’s birthday. He also accuses those on the Left of using “cute animals” to persuade people to invest in using renewable resources for purposes like global warming or climate change, which he calls “The Greatest Scam on Earth” that supposedly belongs to the Leftist environmentalists. Later in the article, the author addresses the Stand for Salmon ballot measure, an attempt to improve salmon habitat protections, which he says it’s misguided.

Author: Seton Motley is the president of Less Government, a DC-based non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the power of government. He is a writer, television and radio commentator, political and policy strategist, lecturer, debater, and activist. He is extremely conservative and hates Obama.

Context: The article was published online on September 6, 2018. The article is very recent, as it was published only a few days ago. This article represents the small percentage of people who don’t believe in climate change, thinking it is all fake and nonexistent. Everything about the article advocates against renewable resources and protecting the environment, making it only mean much to those who agree with the author.

Audience: The audience are the online community of RedState, who are most likely to be more on the extreme side of conservatism and might not even believe in climate change either. The article would only attract those who share this same opinion of climate change.

Perspective: The article is extremely subjective, as the author uses insulting language throughout the whole article, saying climate change is fake and that those on the Left are only lying to prevent productive human activity. I personally despise this author’s claim because it is downright rude and inaccurate. Sure, people use animals in advocating renewable resources, but it is because animals are a huge reason of why these resources need to be used. The pictures of animals are meant to show people some of the many consequences of using too much fossil fuels and raising the Earth’s temperature, which would cause several species and habitats to be in danger, which has already started to happen. It was amusing to see how one-sided people are about environmental issues, as the whole argument about Earth Day being fake was ridiculous. It’s likely that Motley exaggerated the Stand for Salmon ballot measure in order to invoke even more anger in the readers who believe the article’s content.

Significance: Motley provides plenty of commentary on his topic. Near the beginning of the article, he calls the “ideas for alleged energy – are awful, and awfully dumb. Solar, wind, ethanol and the like – are terrible sources of energy…and are worse for the environment than the real energy sources they purport to replace.” He also constantly accuses liberals of hiding “their anti-energy insanity behind cute animals. That way they don’t have to say “We hate energy, and capitalism, and human activity, and humans” – they can say “We like cute animals.” As Motley still thinks climate change is all a hoax, his opinion on seeing animals and their habitats destroyed because of it is: “So instead we get pictures of Polar Bears and Penguins on ice floes. Oh look – how cute. About which they lie – and say the floes are fleeting due to Climate Change. Oh no – what will become of the cute animals?!?”

Article 2 (HuffPost): Is President Trump the Kick in the Butt We Need to Get Onto a Sustainable Path? [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/is-president-trump-the-kick-in-the-butt-we-need-to_us_58ab1d89e4b0b0e1e0e20e05]

Subject: The author is advocating to go against President Trump’s environmental policies in order to protect mankind from collapsing environmentally, economically, and socially. They explain that burning coal for energy can cause deaths for miners, citizens, and the unborn because of air/water pollution, mining accidents, and the destruction of plant/animal species and their habitats. A list of solutions are proposed like using renewable resources, finding the true health and environmental costs of products, services, and technologies, taxing behaviors that damage human and environmental health and rewarding behaviors that protect it, creating social equality, and strengthening democracies. The article ends off by stating that a crisis like this can empower people to advocate for their climate, health, living beings, and democracy. The author encourages the audience to immediately take action and make changes to society in order to thwart the president’s plan to the nation’s demise.

Author: Ellen Moyer is an environmental consultant with a BA in anthropology, an MS in environmental engineering, and a PhD in civil engineering. She is a registered professional engineer and a US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional.

Context: This article was published online on February 20, 2017. The article is one year old, and it is not likely President Trump has changed his opinion on the environment or his related policies. Even though the article is a little less than a year old, its arguments are still very much related to the problems circulating today. The only thing that is not as relevant anymore is that people have already started to make changes towards using renewable resources. It is now a matter of funding and spreading its use.

Audience: The audience are the readers of the HuffPost (formerly called the Huffington Post). It is likely that liberals would read this article, as the article clearly opposes President Trump’s environmental policies and encourages people to take charge. The author uses descriptive words to demonstrate her own opinion towards the president, giving a slightly dramatic and harsh spin of what is happening.

Perspective: This article is subjective, as the author‘s message is to defend the nation’s environment by standing up for major changes that need to happen in order to prevent Donald Trump from permanently ruining the nation. I agree with the author’s claim because I believe President Trump barely cares about the environment, and that it is up to us, as the citizens, to do what is best for the country so that the environment, society, and economy don't fall apart. I think enforcing these processes would significantly benefit not just the United States, but the world too by setting a positive example for other nations to follow.

Significance: The author inserts her own opinion throughout the article many times using both statements and rhetorical questions. She starts off with the very first sentence being “For someone with such immense financial wealth—and now power—President Trump displays a baffling ‘can’t do’ attitude and ‘poverty mentality.’” Moyer later asks a clearly slanted question: “Will we continue along Trump’s “road to ruin”—like lemmings running off a cliff? Or will we veer onto a path of safety and prosperity just in time?”. One of the last few sentences of the articles even says “President Trump’s reckless environmental policies have our species heading straight for the rocks even faster than before.” Even the title of the article shows bias, as it is called “Is President Trump the Kick in the Butt We Need to Get Onto a Sustainable Path?”.

Article 3 (The New York Times): A Year After Trump’s Paris Pullout, U.S. Companies Are Driving a Renewables Boom [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/climate/companies-renewable-energy.html]

Subject: The author’s main point is that even though President Trump has made the United States exit the Paris Agreement, many large corporations are continuing to honor the agreement. These corporations have invested billions of dollars in wind and solar energy projects to power their operations, making them a driving force of America’s renewable electricity growth. Many hope that it will be easier by making “green tariffs” (utility-created programs that allow customers to buy renewable energy from specific renewable energy projects) more popular and offered to encourage more people to use green energy, as these green tariffs are limited to the larger companies. As some of these corporations managed to purchased an amount of renewable electricity equivalent to all the power that they use, it doesn’t mean that the company is truly 100% run on renewable energy. The next step for these companies is to figure out ways to completely power everything using zero-carbon energy sources.

Author: Brad Plumer is a reporter covering climate change, energy policy and other environmental issues for The New York Times's climate team.

Context: This article was published in print and online on June 1, 2018. Since this article was written only a few months ago, corporations probably haven’t made much progress yet and are still trying to figure out ways to power their projects 24/7 using renewable resources. They may try to overhaul electricity markets and allow companies to make direct purchases, incorporate additional technologies like battery storage, or even use nuclear power.

Audience: The audience is the readers of The New York Times, and anyone who is interested in what major corporations are doing and encouraging the use of renewable resources. Both liberals and conservatives who are aware of climate change and support the use of renewable resources would likely be interested in reading this article. This article does not aim to please anyone who does not support renewable resources.

Perspective: This article is primarily objective, as the author shows no opinion leaning toward a liberal nor conservative perspective. The article proposes that it would be difficult for smaller companies to run on renewable energy without green tariffs. However, many are hoping for the demand and popularity of green tariffs to rise, while major corporations are trying to find ways to run completely on carbon-free energy.

Significance: Using a lot of money to make long-term purchases for renewable electricity would make the smaller companies have to “create its own energy subsidiary and receive federal approval to trade its excess power, which wouldn’t be practical for [them].” Although green tariffs are often limited to larger companies, Rob Threlkeld, a global manager for renewable energy, says “If we can show utilities that the demand is there, that could convince regulators to expand these programs and allow access for smaller companies.” Seeking ways to completely run on no carbon power is important to many, as Michael Terrell, head of energy market strategy at Google, said that “Reaching 100 percent renewable energy is an important milestone, but it’s just the beginning. We have to keep our eyes on the ultimate prize, which is to enable carbon free power in every hour of every day.”

The 3 articles were not very similar, but more different. One focused on the denial of climate change, another one acknowledged it and encouraged people to do something about it, while the last one showed an economic perspective of how large corporations are trying to switch to renewable sources. The only things that are similar is maybe that 2 of the 3 articles came from reliable sources (HuffPost and The New York Times), while one came from an extremely biased conservative source (RedState). And that they all discuss ways people are persuading each other to use renewable resources. From using pictures of animals, to companies investing money, to public advocation.

I identify with the second article (HuffPost) the most because I agree with most of what is said. As someone who is very against the first article (RedState), the second article is nearly the complete opposite, which is why I identify with it more than the third article (The New York Times). I definitely agreed with the third article, but I didn’t feel as close to it because it was talking more on an economic perspective, versus the second article talking on a social perspective. I extremely disagree with President Trump’s environmental policies and hope that more people will continue to fight for an increased use of renewable sources because I think it’s very necessary in order to protect environments worldwide.

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hopefulfestivaltastemaker · 3 years

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September 12, 2021

My weekly roundup of things I am up to. Topics include learning curves, Telosa, the fine-tuned universe, and some anniversaries.

Learning Curves

Last week I commented on Matt Clancy’s site, New Things Under the Sun, and in particular the material on fertility rates. It is meant to be “what academics generally believe” on questions related to innovation. The site is chock full of good material. This time I’ll comment on his work on learning curves. See in particular this and this article.

A learning curve, also known as the “learning-by-doing” phenomenon, is the idea that the cost of producing a product goes down as more is produced. This makes intuitive sense. As production goes up, we would expect more workers to be trained to be efficient, for companies to optimize their production processes, for more efficiency techniques to be discovered, and so on.

The empirical evidence is fairly strong too, or at least it appears to be. Learning curves are also known as Wright’s Law, going back to a paper by Theodore Wright in 1936 where he observed that for every doubling of airplane production, the cost goes down by 20%. There are numerous other studies that find similar cost reductions (albeit of widely different magnitudes) in many areas.

But the old mantra of “correlation doesn’t imply causation” applies here. One could tell the opposite story. Maybe cost reduction has nothing to do with learning-by-doing, but rather happens for other reasons, such as technological improvement. That’s what many of papers that Clancy cites show, to an extent.

Some, but not all, of cost reduction really is due to the learning-by-doing effect. What is the portion exactly? This turns out to be very difficult to estimate, and reading through the studies that Clancy discusses, I don’t have a good answer. Until now, though, I had naively assumed that it was the full portion.

These observations have several policy implications. Many decarbonization models, for instance, rely heavily on deployment of already developed technology and assume cost reduction going forward as this technology is deployed. This assumption has two purposes. First, if we expect that the price of solar panels, wind turbines, HVDC cables, lithium-ion batteries, and other technologies will decline with further deployment, then this makes models that rely on these technologies look more cost-effective than they would appear if present costs are assumed. The second purpose is that cost reduction is a beneficial spillover of deployment, and therefore a justification for subsidizing deployment that goes beyond carbon dioxide reduction. This point has been invoked, for instance, in justification of the policies behind Germany’s Energiwende (renewable energy transition).

If we determine that learning-by-doing effects are weaker than a naive learning curve analysis would indicate, then there is less justification for subsidizing deployment. The Investment/Production Tax Credits for renewable energy look less attractive. Policy should be more oriented toward technological change than deployment. The idea of a France- or South Korea-style nuclear power buildout also looks less attractive, and we should focus more on next generation nuclear technology instead.

Several things I have done will have to be rethought.

Telosa and Other New Cities

Telosa is a newly announced planned city with a target of 5 million people by 2050, to be built in the American Southwest somewhere. The official website, linked above, has a lot of pretty pictures and buzzwords from urban planning.

I hope the project is successful, but I also hope to be forgiven for not getting too excited. There is an extensive history of new city projects not working out or performing less well than hoped, including seasteading, Khazar Islands, Masdar City, and others.

The main headwind I see is that, as Alain Bertaud describes in his book, cities are first and foremost labor markets. When a new city starts seeking residents, it has the basic problem of providing jobs for those residents. Attracting employers will be difficult too because there won’t be many employees for those employers to hire. This is a fundamental problem that will also make space colonization difficult. As this article explains, the youngest of the top 10 cities in the United States is Phoenix, AZ, founded in 1868.

Most wealthy countries now have declining populations or soon will. Under current demographic trends, most other countries will reach this crossover point sooner or later. A declining population is another headwind for founding new cities, since they will also have to complete with depopulating existing cities.

Despite the problems noted above, Masdar City is an example of a project that has achieved at least some success. For one thing, it is not really a new city because it is within the commutershed of Abu Dhabi, reasonably close (though a bit outside the commutershed) to Dubai, and close to a major airport. The developers were also smart in recruiting IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) as an anchor tenant, which helps resolve that chicken-and-egg problem of building a robust labor market.

Fine-tuned Universe

The idea of fine-tuned universe is that it appears that many aspects of the universe we live in are set to specific values that are conducive to the emergence of intelligent life, to a degree that is hard to imagine being a matter of chance. Such parameters include the relative strength of gravitation and electromagnetism, the rate of hydrogen fusion, the fact that there are 3 non-compactified spatial dimensions, and many others. Explanations as to why this is the case have been all over the map, and the issue intersects deeply with questions of creationism and intelligent design.

One of the argument, outlined by Lawrence Krauss here, is that the large number of seemingly life-conducive parameters may be an artifact of our lack of understanding of physics. We are learn more, several factors that seem to be unrelated may turn out to be multiple manifestations of the same phenomenon.

While I don’t think that intelligent design is the best solution for the fine tuning problem, this explanation doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. For one thing, it is rather hand-wavy. It appeals to things that we might know in the future, but without a clear sense of what those things might be. Second, even if this argument holds, it remains unclear why a deeper theory of physics should have any cases where it resolves into a universe that is conducive for life, and thus is it unclear to me why, even if different parameters that are conducive for life turn out to be related, this should resolve the paradox.

Intelligent design is one of those topics that I avoided when it was a much more active area of debate, but now that it has calmed down somewhat, I would be interested in understanding these issues better.

Anniversaries

Yesterday, the news was occupied with the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

George W. Bush gave a speech that I thought was interesting for two reasons.

First, and this was the issue that most of the news coverage picked up, was that Bush equated domestic terrorism with foreign terrorism and portrayed the two as being comparable threats. I would have found such a statement from a prominent figure unthinkable 20 years ago, especially from Bush. But I think it goes to show the extent to which the United States has again become an inward looking country. This is the normal state, at least that I can remember. Of the presidential elections I am old enough to remember (since 1992), the 2004 election was the only one where foreign issues were dominant.

I would reckon this state of affairs began with 9/11, and it was definitely over with the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, though it could have ended with Donald Rumsfeld’s departure from the Defense Department, or maybe sooner with events that eroded Bush’s standing, including the Terry Schiavo incident, the failed attempt to reform Social Security, and Hurricane Katrina.

Bush’s foreign policy during these years was a weird mix of anti-terrorism and Wilsonian democracy-promotion. Such a combination was probably never stable. Now the “America First” movement is strong politically. There is bipartisan opposition to immigration and trade, two issues where Bush was a proponent. In justifying the withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden was keen to emphasize that ongoing combat would not have been in the US interest. The political right has made hay for obvious partisan reasons and because the withdrawal was executed so badly, but they were much happier with Trump championed the same policy. Such is the degree of the inward turn that even Bush himself has to respond to it.

The second interesting point was on the idea of national unity. There is a certain 9/11 nostalgia now that pines for the apparent sense of unity that prevailed immediately after the attacks. It would appear to be distinct from, but related to, the idea of the “Sputnik moment” that prevailed in the aftermath of the 1957 Soviet launch of Sputnik, or current anticommunism and anti-Chinese sentiments. It is the hope that widespread recognition of an external threat can suppress internal acrimony and catalyze a more dynamic posture than Americans have shown in recent years. Though it has never been clear to me what this apparent unity is supposed to mean.

Tomorrow I am also noting the first anniversary of my brain aneurism. In the months after the event and my recovery from it, I have more or less resumed the patterns of living that I had pre-stroke. Perhaps some things are subtly different, such as a more visceral appreciation for the fragility of life and a greater sense of seriousness with which I pursue my goals.

I still get the chills, though, when I think about how close I came to death. I was unlucky that event happened in the first place, of course, but given that it did, I was fortunate to have a successful operation. Based on what doctors said in the hospital, I probably wouldn’t have survived if this had happened in 2001. I was fortunate to have access to a good (albeit expensive) health care system. I was also fortunate that the aneurism struck when I was in a well-trafficked hallway of my apartment building, so I was found almost right away.

In happier anniversary news, next week I will be celebrating my 40th birthday.

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bigtickhk · 3 years

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Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal by George Packer

US: https://amzn.to/3vj6KeY

UK: https://amzn.to/3qdf1jN

https://bookshop.org/a/17891/9780374603663

#books #essays #culture #us politics #biden administration #Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal

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patriotsnet · 3 years

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Why Are The Republicans So Evil

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/why-are-the-republicans-so-evil/

Why Are The Republicans So Evil

In 2008 Republicans Said That If We Elect A Democratic President We Would Be Hit By Al Qaeda Again Perhaps Worse Than The Attack On 9/11

A VOTERS’ GUIDE TO REPUBLICANS

Former Vice-President Dick Cheney stated that electing a Democrat as president would all but guarantee that there would be another major attack on America by Al Qaeda. Cheney and other Republicans were, thankfully, completely wrong. During Obama’s presidency, we had zero deaths on U.S. soil from Al Qaeda attacks and we succeeded in killing Bin Laden along with dozens of other high ranking Al Qaeda leaders.

Republicans Will Likely Take Control Of The Senate By 2024

The usual midterm House losses by the White House party dont always extend to the Senate because only a third of that chamber is up for election every two years and the landscape sometimes strongly favors the presidential party . But there a still generally an out-party wave that can matter, which is why Republicans may have a better than average chance of winning in at least some of the many battleground states that will hold Senate elections next year . If they win four of the six youll probably be looking at a Republican Senate.

But its the 2024 Senate landscape that looks really promising for the GOP. Democrats will be defending 23 seats and Republicans just 10. Three Democratic seats, and all the Republican seats, are in states Trump carried twice. Four other Democratic seats are in states Trump won once. It should be a banner year for Senate Republicans.

The Corruption Of The Republican Party

The GOP is best understood as an insurgency that carried the seeds of its own corruption from the start.

About the author: George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal,Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century,The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America, and The Assassins Gate: America in Iraq.

Why has the Republican Party become so thoroughly corrupt? The reason is historicalit goes back many decadesand, in a way, philosophical. The party is best understood as an insurgency that carried the seeds of its own corruption from the start.

I dont mean the kind of corruption that regularly sends lowlifes like Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic former governor of Illinois, to prison. Those abuses are nonpartisan and always with us. So is vote theft of the kind weve just seen in North Carolinaafter all, the alleged fraudster employed by the Republican candidate for Congress hired himself out to Democrats in 2010.

The fact that no plausible election outcome can check the abuse of power is what makes political corruption so dangerous. It strikes at the heart of democracy. It destroys the compact between the people and the government. In rendering voters voiceless, it pushes everyone closer to the use of undemocratic means.

Read Also: How Many Republicans Voted To Impeach Trump In The House

Opinion: If The Gop Is Now Home To Evil Lunacy Its Time To Leave

The Republican Party refuses to investigate the most violent act of insurrection since the Civil War because it might make the party look bad.

Think about that. It would look bad because it would be obvious that their cult hero incited a MAGA mob and because House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , who pleaded with the president to call off the rioters at the Capitolon Jan. 6, would be compelled to testify. He might then have to explain why he still takes direction from someone who betrayed his oath.

A commission would look bad for the GOP because it would short-circuit the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen, confirming that this effort at subterfuge was intended to assuage the ego of a dangerous man-child. The optics, as they say, would be bad because the GOPs continued refusal to renounce its disgraced former leader would affirm its willingness to open the country up to another violent insurrection. It would also look really bad if some members of Congress were shown to havecommunicated with the Jan. 6attackers. We get hung up on Republicans refusal to endorse the commission, but we should remain focused on their original sin: subversion of democracy.

With or without the commission, the Republican Party is a danger to the republic. And that gets back to the central question as to why any respectable patriot remains in the party. The GOP of Ronald Reagan, of John McCain, of Mitch Daniels does not exist. But dont take my word for it.

Think Republicans Are Disconnected From Reality It’s Even Worse Among Liberals

A new survey found Democrats live with less political diversity despite being more tolerant of it with startling results

In a surprising new national survey, members of each major American political party were asked what they imagined to be the beliefs held by members of the other. The survey asked Democrats: How many Republicans believe that racism is still a problem in America today? Democrats guessed 50%. Its actually 79%. The survey asked Republicans how many Democrats believe most police are bad people. Republicans estimated half; its really 15%.

The survey, published by the thinktank More in Common as part of its Hidden Tribes of America project, was based on a sample of more than 2,000 people. One of the studys findings: the wilder a persons guess as to what the other party is thinking, the more likely they are to also personally disparage members of the opposite party as mean, selfish or bad. Not only do the two parties diverge on a great many issues, they also disagree on what they disagree on.

This effect, the report says, is so strong that Democrats without a high school diploma are three times more accurate than those with a postgraduate degree. And the more politically engaged a person is, the greater the distortion.

Should the US participate in the Paris climate accord and reduce greenhouse gas emissions regardless of what other countries do? A majority of voters in both parties said yes.

You May Like: How Should Republicans Vote In California

Prior To Going To War In Iraq Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Optimistically Predicted The Iraq War Might Last Six Days Six Weeks I Doubt Six Months

What’s more, Vice-President Dick Cheney said we would be greeted as liberators by the Iraqi people after we overthrow Saddam.

They were both horribly wrong. Instead of six weeks or six months, the Iraq war lasted eight long and bloody years costing thousands of American lives. It led to an Iraqi civil war between the Sunnis and the Shiites that took hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives. Many Iraqi militia groups were formed to fight against the U.S. forces that occupied Iraq. Whats more, Al Qaeda, which did not exist in Iraq before the war, used the turmoil in Iraq to establish a new foothold in that country.

The Iraq war was arguably the most tragic foreign policy blunder in US history.

Why Is Billionaire George Soros A Bogeyman For The Hard Right

US mail bomb threats

He’s a Jewish multi-billionaire philanthropist who has given away $32bn. Why does the hard right from America to Australia and from Hungary to Honduras believe George Soros is at the heart of a global conspiracy, asks the BBC’s Mike Rudin.

One quiet Monday afternoon last October in leafy upstate New York, a large manila envelope was placed in the mailbox of an exclusive country mansion belonging to multi-billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

The package looked suspicious. The return address was misspelt as “FLORIDS” and the mail had already been delivered earlier that day. The police were called and soon the FBI was on the scene.

Inside the bubble-wrapped envelope was a photograph of Soros, marked with a red “X”. Alongside it, a six-inch plastic pipe, a small clock, a battery, wiring and a black powder.

More than a dozen similar packages were sent to the homes of former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other prominent Democrats.

None of the devices exploded. The FBI traced the bombs to a white van covered in pro-Trump and anti-Democrat stickers, parked in a supermarket car park in Florida.

Immediately the right-wing media claimed it was a “false-flag” operation intended to derail President Donald Trump and the Republican campaign, just two weeks before the crucial US mid-term elections.

Soon the internet was awash with allegations that the bomb plot was a hoax organised by Soros himself.

Also Check: Why Are Republicans Trying To Repeal Obamacare

The Banality Of Evil And The Evanescence Of Democratic Governance

On May 28, Republican U.S. Senators chose to prevent the creation of an independent commission to investigate the insurrection that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. They did so after Democratic Party leaders had acceded to their many demands concerning the composition and remit of the body and despite the fact that many who voted to oppose the commission, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, had previously embraced the need for just such a group and investigation. More, they quite openly justified their vote by contending that the findings of such a body might prove difficult for the GOP politically as it seeks to win control of the Congress in 2022.

;;;;;;;;In a commentary entitled the Banality of Democratic Collapse, published before the Republican Party took this historically significant anti-democratic step, the likelihood of which was then all but certain in any case, New York Times columnist and Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman contended:; ; ; ; ;;

;;;;;;;;The GOP Senate vote to prevent creation of the commission is surely an example;of the phenomenon to which Krugman pointed. He went on to argue that this action and the weakness and cowardice of far too many craven careerist Republican officeholders is why American democracy is hanging by a thread. Cowardice, not craziness, is the reason government by the people may soon perish from the earth.

;;;;;;;;Elon observed that Arendt insisted,

Notes

Krugman. The Banality of Democratic Collapse.

Republicans Are Suddenly Afraid Of Democracy

Comedian: Being Taught That Republicans Are Evil (Pt. 2) | Bridget Phetasy | COMEDY | Rubin Report

In a series of tweets, Senator Mike Lee laid the groundwork to contest the results or block an elected majority from governing.

Were not a democracy, Republican Senator Mike Lee tweeted in the middle of Wednesday nights vice-presidential debate. He was reacting to something hed heard onstage there, in his home state of Utah. Another tweet: The word democracy appears nowhere in the Constitution, perhaps because our form of government is not a democracy. Its a constitutional republic. To me it matters. It should matter to anyone who worries about the excessive accumulation of power in the hands of the few. Hours after the debate Lee was still worrying the thought: Democracy isnt the objective; liberty, peace, and prospefity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that.

My guess is that Lee wasnt just being pedantic. Worried about an election in which the people can express their will, Lee was laying the groundwork to contest the results or block an elected majority from governing.

Also Check: Did Republicans Lose Any Senate Seats

Republicans Claim That Raising The Minimum Wage Would Kill Jobs And Hurt The Economy

There is far more evidence to the contrary. Cities and states that have higher minimum wages tend to have better rates of job creation and economic growth.

Detailed analyses show that job losses due to increases in the minimum wage are almost negligible compared to the economic benefits of higher wages. Previous increases in the minimum wage have never resulted in the dire consequences that Republicans have predicted.

Republicans have accused President Obama of “cutting defense spending to the bone”. This chart of 2014 discretionary spending firmly disproves that argument.

In 2001 When George W Bush Cut Taxes For The Wealthy Republicans Predicted Record Job Growth Increased Budget Surplus And Nationwide Prosperity

Once again, the exact opposite occurred. After the Bush tax cuts were enacted:

The budget surplus immediately disappeared.

The budget deficit eventually grew to $1.4 trillion by the time Bush left office.

Less than 3 million net jobs were added during Bushs eight years.

The poverty rate began climbing again.

We experienced two recessions along with the greatest collapse of our financial system since the Great Depression.

In 1993, President Clinton signed the Brady Law mandating nationwide background checks and a waiting period to buy a gun.

Recommended Reading: What Did The Democratic Republicans Stand For

In The 1960s Republicans Claimed That The Passage Of Medicare Would Be The End Of Capitalism

California Governor Ronald Reagan even proclaimed Medicare would lead to the death of freedom in America. Of course, they were laughably wrong. Since the passage of Medicare, capitalism has thrived and millions of elderly Americans have had longer, healthier lives and greater personal freedom. Medicare remains the most popular form of health insurance in the United States.

When Bill Clinton raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.5%, Republicans predicted a recession, increased unemployment, and a growing budget deficit. They were wrong.

The 2024 Presidential Election Will Be Close Even If Trump Is The Gop Nominee

One very important thing we should have all taken away from both the 2016 and 2020 presidential contests is that the two major parties are in virtual equipose . The ideological sorting-out of the two parties since the 1960s has in turn led to extreme partisan polarization, a decline in ticket-splitting and and in number of genuine swing voters. Among other things, this has led to an atmosphere where Republicans have paid little or no price for the extremism theyve disproportionately exhibited, or for the bad conduct of their leaders, most notably the 45th president.

Indeed, the polarized climate encourages outlandish and immoral base mobilization efforts of the sort Trump deployed so regularly. Some Republicans partisans shook their heads sadly and voted the straight GOP ticket anyway, And to the extent there were swing voters they tended strongly to believe that both parties were equally guilty of excessive partisanship, and/or that all politicians are worthless scum, so why not vote for the worthless scum under whom the economy hummed?

The bottom line is that anyone who assumes Republicans are in irreversible decline in presidential elections really hasnt been paying attention.

You May Like: How Many House Seats Were Won By Republicans

But What About Conservatives

I could say some very similar/but different things about conservatives. But a lot of that brings us back to the start and perceptions.

Liberals think that the only way to solve things is with government/taxes/regulations to try to fight injustice… thus not doing so, must be because they just don’t care. Which is where the left’s view of the right as being greedy and morally inferior comes from.

But not choosing the same solutions, isn’t the same as not caring. Some just know they can help more by NOT getting involved and letting them learn/work it out on their own. Or that short term economic benefits with long term economic costs aren’t always a good trade .

That doesn’t mean Republicans are never wrong, or don’t go too far. And of course Government CAN help with some problems, in the short term. Just long term, many of those solutions will make things worse . But either extreme: Always Government or Never Government – can be equally wrong. But the point is perceptions. Once you assume the other side is evil , they’re going to get back to assuming your stupid.

The majority of impassioned and frank discussions with the left, from my side , often gets them to claim I hate the poor, or am just greedy, self deluded and so on. And when I share what I’ve done in my past, to try to convince them otherwise, they get mad . Good people can disagree on how to solve things. Or even on priorities of what should be solved first.

In 2009 Republicans Predicted That The Economic Stimulus Package Would Only Make The Recession Worse And Cause More Unemployment

The results show they couldn’t have been more wrong. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ended the recession after only a few months. Although 750,000 people were losing their jobs each month when Obama took office, after the Recovery Act was passed the rate of job loss immediately decreased each month and within a year the economy showed positive job growth.

Considering the severity of the 2008 economic collapse and the total opposition by Republicans to do anything at all to stimulate the economy, it is remarkable that the US economy recovered as quickly as it did.

Looking at the rate of job loss and job creation, its easy to see that the stimulus of 2009 was highly successful in stopping the job losses and turning the economy around.

Also Check: How Many People Are Registered Republicans

Republicans Said Waterboarding And Other Forms Of Enhanced Interrogation Are Not Torture And Are Necessary In Fighting Islamic Extremism

In reality, waterboarding and other forms of enhanced interrogation that inflict pain, suffering, or fear of death are outlawed by US law, the US Constitution, and international treaties. Japanese soldiers after World War II were prosecuted by the United States for war crimes because of their use of waterboarding on American POWs.

Professional interrogators have known for decades that torture is the most ineffective and unreliable method of getting accurate information. People being tortured say anything to get the torture to end but will not likely tell the truth.

An FBI interrogator named Ali Soufan was able to get al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah to reveal crucial information without the use of torture. When CIA interrogators started using waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation methods, Zubaydah stopped cooperating and gave his interrogators false information.

Far from being necessary in the fight against terrorism, torture is completely unreliable and counter-productive in obtaining useful information.

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jiggyjaguar1 · 3 years

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Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal (Farrar, Straus and Giroux: June 15, 2021) National Book Award winner and Atlantic staff writer George Packer

The challenges of 2020 exposed the nation’s underlying conditions – discredited elites, weakened institutions, blatant inequalities and how difficult these problems are to remedy. In his new book, Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal (Farrar, Straus and Giroux: June 15, 2021) National Book Award winner and Atlantic staff writer George Packer argues warring tribes are tearing the country…

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violetsystems · 3 years

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#personal

There’s a point where you are pushing a boulder uphill where you actually think you’re pushing it over the top. You look up. You look down. There’s this exact even point between joy and dread where you don’t know which way it will go. Seeing as how it’s an exact middle point you expect it to pass. Like this whole process goes on for a year and you emerge mentally “over it.” You expect something to change outside of your skill at rolling the boulder. You say to yourself that you can keep doing this all day like some juiced up eighties American action hero. And then you look up and down again to observe your process. It’s still limbo. You might even become strong enough to maintain this mirage of an ascent while doing other things. Watching a movie or a television show. Play a game on your phone. But the boulder is always there. The positioning is different these days. It feels like I keep pushing the boulder and the hill keeps stretching. Like there’s a bulldozer dumping other people’s shit onto the incline. Which makes it seem I’m climbing up a relentless garbage pile of other people’s baggage, perceptions, and detritus. This is essentially true particularly in the city I live in. Which mind you living in a city is much closer to the edge than where I came from. I lived in the suburbs for half my life. It felt like the bottom. An Irish and Italian Catholic suburb plagued by hard drugs and abuse. I eventually found a job in the city through my friends at the time. And later I eventually found a place to live. And I have lived in this city long enough to know there isn’t really something wrong with me. The incline is easy enough but sinking in other people’s shit seems to be the norm. Around here whether it’s Chicago or America, people like to disarm you by making your priorities seem selfish. We’re all in this together after all. In times of crisis, we pull together and help our own. Which is a reminder that for about a year I’ve been isolated taking care of my own. I spent about as much time per day trying to engage people on LinkedIn without any real success. It is place where I feel I’m successful at showing the professional side of me. Sort of like Tumblr is a place I feel like I’m successful showing the human and empathic side of me. Which one feels like the boulder? After all the years I’ve spent writing to the void here, I’ve seen a connection. Expecting too much is what shatters hopes and dreams. But I have spent a really long time expecting the very least and being given less. In a twisted turn of fate, I have a lot more financially than I may have in my previous life. To have to label it previous is a sure sign I stopped pushing that boulder a long time ago. I was forced to. Left with a realization that the world is bigger than this and yet I can’t seem to escape it. I played a game of magic yesterday online. Sometimes lately the player names are a little too telling. I had just built a Tiamat deck so I tested it out in Standard Ranked. The username popped up as “Escapeurf8yt.” I quit Hearthstone for less. The last two games I played in that Blizzard game were so sus that the player names were meant to trigger me. That last match was against a player named “Imcomingforyou.” Nerds aren’t the most delicate when they have their chance to wield power. I won the Tiamat game without even having to play Tiamat. But it left me with a similar feeling. Why do I try to be part of things that don’t have any real modicum of respect for other people’s feelings and identity?

That example could be chalked up as being a little too sensitive I guess. Every time I walk around the neighborhood lately it’s like I have to tiptoe around people’s feelings. I’ve gotten mad at my situation more times than I can count the last year. Anybody would. I lost all my ground. I lost everything and yet gained something in the process. People whispered behind my back and watched. Looking for clues to pin the blame on my downfall on me. And yet for all the new things I tried and did to survive, I’m still pushing the same generic boulder to most people. I’m not even good enough to be recognized as a writer by the broad public. I’m some sneaky individual that everyone feels it’s their duty to check up on at the expense of my civil rights and general mood. The gaslighting is at the very center. That nobody wants to address the elephant in the room. They can’t really. And maybe it’s for the best. Because the way I see everything from the inside out is troubling. Nothing has returned to normal. People’s privilege has been laid bare and somehow everyone is looking for the scapegoat to deflect the blame. I’m sick of it. Everybody being so nosy and confrontational with nothing to offer expect a bad attitude and a jokey stare. This is why I no longer go out for anything other than groceries. Why I decide to have things delivered instead of having to participate in a clown show parade of well intended bullshit. Why everybody speaks for me when no one has spoken a kind word to me at all. Everybody expects me to reach out and fix the trust they broke with me. And it gets sadder and sadder that people don’t understand that I’m pretty much a boarded up house at this point. Living in a little shack enclosed by people’s expectations and barriers. Time just keeps passing. People do keep reading. But here is where I feel people have the most context at how horrible I feel after all of this. Some of it is for the best. The community people ask for in the real world without deserving it is non existent or coerced. I know this because I’ve been welcome down here in the bowels of the internet. You don’t expect the community here to cross the line. Even when it does, it is a more delicate and slow process how you let people into your life. In the real world, it’s abrasive, clumsy and inconsiderate. And I dance around it all just the same. But there’s a point when it just becomes macabre. People out there might say they know me. But I’m the one out here alone constantly. I have a full year to prove it. More than that to be honest. I just gave up on trying to figure out everything that happened before that. I’ve lost my own history in that regard. I will never reboot my dj career. I will never be accepted as a writer. I will never be good enough to be called an artist. I remember this intense discussion I had with an ex during a break up. We were living together at the time. We had been together for about a decade at that point. We lived in the eastern side of this neighborhood at the time. It was designated by the developer as an artist’s neighborhood. My girlfriend at the time was a photographer. I was mostly her assistant. I paid most of the rent. We were at a crossroads. She cheated on me in front of my face in front of our house. Even after telling her to go, she wouldn’t leave. She told me to my face that I didn’t belong there because I wasn’t an artist. I also gave up my car in that breakup. I’m realizing just recently the reason I never renewed my driver’s license was because I knew I would never afford a car again after I lost that one. Which is a great thing to remember when State officials yell at you asking why you haven’t renewed it.

The world says it gives a fuck. It doesn’t show it. It doesn’t act. If it did we would never be in this situation. I know this because I was born to survive. I have pushed many boulders up many hills. So much so that I’m grey and over the hill. And apparently completely fucking meaningless to most people. Only good enough to speak through T-shirts and guerilla marketing. There’s a level beyond that I know. There are people that actually care but the situation is impossible at best. I’m supposed to see this and accept this out of love, care and attention. And for a few people I barely know, I do. The person I care about the most probably knows this too. But I don’t know anything. It’s blind faith. Which is saying a lot for spending two paragraphs saying I have faith in nothing around me. I don’t, That’s the curse. Seeing it how it really is. Knowing you’ve spent half your life pushing up a boulder for other people that wasn’t worth the slough. I gained some muscle mass. Some context to my backstory. But my life is dead in the fucking water aside from having actual net income. Kanye and Trump are cash poor. This is just a fact. I’m not. And yet nothing has changed. There’s no end in sight to where I need to be a year later. Just the same disrespectful shit. How I’m supposed to sacrifice my humanity for some rich people’s game with my emotions. The world uses you, eats you up and spits you out. If you are lucky to survive this you’d be me. Has anyone out there really thought about how I feel after all of this? How dark it must be to know the real truth and keep pushing that boulder just the same? How tiring and exhausting it feels to be able to write it so delicately but still be so fucking misunderstood just the same? Is my life just to be joked about backstage as some quirky subplot to steal ideas from? You cannot be me after all of this. I will remind you on my very last breath. And every day that passes is a reminder that you’ve tried. People have tried to say they know me. People have tried to say they speak for me. Understand my pain. And yet I’m never good enough to acknowledge. I’m invisible and supposedly this is my thing. In that case it is. From this day forward. Let’s not beat around the fucking bush. I got here on my own. I bled, I cried, I screamed and I retreated into the inevitable. How does anyone expect me to feel if I’m supposed to accept what I accept and know what I know. I don’t really know. I feel awful. I feel broken. And I feel like everyone who cares about me knows this by now. And the stakes are higher than my personal feelings about it all. But my words are meant for people who read them to understand me better for the love of it. Not to get a jump on me. Not to subvert me. Not to teach me a lesson or use me as a stereotype. Not to be a punching bag or scapegoat for communities who would rather burn me at the stake than hear what I have to say. In that you will forever fail. I love the culture that swirls down here. I love how hardcore it is without pinging the radar for the vultures and the marketing teams. And yet we have this power that still goes ignored. Gets laughed at. Joked about. Talked over because people are vapid, bored and only succeed by watching other’s fail. I dropped that boulder a long time ago. It apparently has not smashed the opposition yet. It is a long way down as it’s been a long way up. Tough at the top for sure. But there’s only room enough up here for two. And that seat is taken. <3 Tim

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alainguillotpodcast · 3 years

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368 George Packer: Last Best Hope, America in Crisis and Renewal

https://www.alainguillot.com/george-packer/ George Packer is a journalist, novelist, and playwright. His latest book is Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal. Get the book here: https://amzn.to/3qGK6g2

Check out this episode!

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orbemnews · 3 years

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The Stock Market Loves Biden More Than Trump. So Far, at Least. From the moment he was elected president in 2016 through his failed campaign for re-election, Donald J. Trump invoked the stock market as a report card on the presidency. The market loved him, Mr. Trump said, and it hated Democrats, particularly his opponent, Joseph R. Biden Jr. During the presidential debate in October, Mr. Trump warned of Mr. Biden: “If he’s elected, the market will crash.” In a variety of settings, he said that Democrats would be a disaster and that a victory for them would set off “a depression,” which would make the stock market “disintegrate.” So far, it hasn’t turned out that way. To the extent that the Dow Jones industrial average measures the stock market’s affection for a president, its early report card says the market loves President Biden’s first days in office considerably more than it loved those of President Trump. Mr. Biden would get an A for this early period; Mr. Trump would receive a B for the market performance during his first days as president, though he would get a higher mark for much of the rest of his term. From Election Day through Thursday, the Dow rose about 26 percent, compared with 14 percent for the same period four years ago. Amid signs that the United States is recovering briskly from the pandemic, early returns for Mr. Biden’s actual time in office have also been exceptional. The stock market’s rise from its close on Inauguration Day to its close on Thursday marked the best start for any presidency since that of another Democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson. For those too young to remember the awful day of Nov. 22, 1963, Johnson, the vice president, was sworn in as president that afternoon after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Measuring stock market performance from the end of the day they were all sworn into office allows us to include Johnson as well as Theodore Roosevelt, who became president on Sept. 14, 1901, after President William McKinley died of gunshot wounds. The Republican Party has long claimed that it is the party of business, and that Republican rule is better for stocks. But the historical record demonstrates that the market has generally performed better under Democratic presidents since the start of the 20th century. Over all, the market under President Biden ranks third for all presidents during a comparable time in office since 1901, according to a tally through Thursday (the Biden administration’s 109th day) by Paul Hickey, co-founder of Bespoke Investment Group. These are the top performers: Franklin D. Roosevelt, inaugurated March 4, 1933: 78.1 percent. Johnson, inaugurated Nov. 22, 1963: 13.8 percent. Mr. Biden, inaugurated Jan. 20, 2021: 10.8 percent. William H. Taft, inaugurated March 4, 1909: 9.6 percent. Note that three of the top four — Roosevelt, Johnson and Mr. Biden — were Democrats. That fits an apparent pattern. Since 1900, the median stock market gain for Democrats for the start of their presidencies is 7.9 percent; for Republicans, only 2.7 percent. By contrast, the Dow gained 5.8 percent in Mr. Trump’s first days as president. That was a strong return for a Republican, but not quite up to snuff for a Democrat. Updated May 7, 2021, 11:26 a.m. ET Now consider longer-term returns — how the Dow performed over the duration of all presidencies, starting in 1901. Again, the market did better under Democrats, with a 6.7 percent gain, annualized, compared with 3.5 percent under Republicans. Using this metric, the Trump administration looks much better, placing fourth among all presidencies. These are the annualized returns for the top-ranking presidents: 25.5 percent under Calvin Coolidge, a Republican, in the Roaring Twenties. 15.9 percent under Bill Clinton, a Democrat. 12.1 percent under Barack Obama, a Democrat. 12.0 percent under President Trump. That’s an extraordinarily good market performance under Mr. Trump, when you recall that it includes the stock market collapse of late February and March last year as the world reeled from the coronavirus. The market recovered rapidly once the Federal Reserve jumped in on March 23, 2020, and in response to emergency aid programs enacted by Congress. But neither the market, nor the economy, nor the pandemic improved sufficiently in 2020 to win President Trump another term. As for President Biden, he is undoubtedly benefiting from the upward trajectory in the economy and the markets that started under his predecessor — much as President Trump benefited from the growing economy bequeathed him by President Obama. It doesn’t always work that way. In the Great Depression, the market roared in Franklin Roosevelt’s first 100 days. He offered a hopeful contrast — and a stark break — with his immediate predecessor, Herbert Hoover, who presided over what was then the worst stock market crash in modern history. During Hoover’s four years in office, the Dow lost 35.6 percent annualized, by far the worst performance of any president. The market’s recent boom can be easily explained. Back in July, I cited an investment analysis that suggested the stock market might perform quite well in a Biden presidency, despite Mr. Trump’s claims to the contrary. Those factors included more vigorous and efficient management of the coronavirus crisis, which would promote economic recovery and corporate profits; generous fiscal stimulus programs, with the possibility of colossal infrastructure-building; a return to international engagement accompanied by a reduction in trade friction; and a renewal of America’s global climate-change commitments. So far, that analysis is holding up. But will it lead to strong returns through the Biden administration? I have no idea. Alas, none of this tells us where the stock market is heading. All we know is that it has risen more than it has fallen over the long run, but has moved fairly randomly, day to day, and has sometimes veered into long declines. Another decline could happen at any time, regardless of what any president does. The only approach to investing I’d actively embrace is passive: using low-cost stock and bond index funds to build a well-diversified portfolio and hang on for the long run. And I’d try to ignore the exhortations of politicians, especially those who would tie their own electoral fortunes to the performance of the stock market. Source link Orbem News #Biden #loves #market #stock #Trump

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olko71 · 3 years

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New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on http://yaroreviews.info/2021/03/air-travel-is-showing-signs-of-renewed-demand

Air Travel Is Showing Signs of Renewed Demand

Airline executives said they are starting to see a path out of the coronavirus pandemic as more passengers resume travel, following a weekend when airport volumes hit their highest levels in a year.

Delta DAL 2.33% Air Lines Inc. bookings began picking up five or six weeks ago as people have begun making plans for spring and summer, Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said at an industry conference Monday.

“We’ve seen some glimmers of hope over the last year, but they’ve been false hope,” Mr. Bastian said. “But this seems like it’s real.”

Airline stocks climbed Monday. Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. UAL 8.26% rose 8.3%, while shares of American Airlines Group Inc. AAL 7.70% climbed 7.7% and Delta shares rose 2.3%.

The pandemic brought travel to a near halt last spring. Travel restrictions and fear of infection kept people at home and out of airports for most of the year: U.S. airlines carried 60% fewer passengers in 2020 than in 2019, bringing passenger traffic to the lowest level since the mid-1980s, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Major U.S. airlines lost about $35 billion in 2020. But on Monday, United and Delta said they could stop bleeding cash this month.

That was hard to imagine at the beginning of this year. Airline executives said January and February were even weaker than they expected, as a high numbers of cases, the rise of more contagious variants, and new Covid-19 testing requirements for people arriving from abroad had a chilling effect.

Executives said they remain cautious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still advises against travel, and the number of people passing through U.S. airports is still half—or less—of what it was for most days in 2019, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

But the numbers are climbing. Airports screened nearly 1.36 million people Friday and more than 1.34 million people on Sunday, two of the busiest days since March 2020.

Numbers of new Covid-19 cases are dropping, and distribution of vaccine doses has picked up. President Biden said earlier this month that the U.S. will have enough vaccines for all American adults by the end of May.

Some states, including New York and Connecticut, are relaxing rules requiring that inbound travelers quarantine.

And there is more to do once people arrive. California, for instance, has paved the way for Walt Disney Co. ’s Disneyland and other attractions to reopen at limited capacity if certain test positivity benchmarks are met. State and local governments—even in heavily restrictive states such as Michigan and Illinois—are allowing restaurants to seat some patrons indoors again.

Southwest Airlines Co. LUV 1.75% and JetBlue Airways Corp. also said Monday that more people are making plans to travel, booking vacations or trips to visit friends and family, helping to pare expected revenue declines this quarter.

Amy Curtis, who lives in Arizona, has been vaccinated since the end of February. When she learned over the weekend that her mother in Pennsylvania had also received her second shot, Ms. Curtis decided to book a visit.

“It was one of those impulsive things,” she said. “Life is so short—I feel like I need to take this opportunity. I don’t know when I may have it again.”

Ms. Curtis said she doesn’t yet feel comfortable traveling just for fun or vacation. But others are hitting beaches and ski resorts, according to airlines and analysts. JetBlue sold more bundled flight-and-hotel vacation packages last week than ever before, Chief Executive Robin Hayes said at the conference hosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Bookings to destinations such as Florida and Hawaii, while still down from 2019 levels, are holding up better than other areas, according to data from ForwardKeys, a travel-analytics company. Domestic bookings were 42% of 2019 levels in the first week of January but were at 64% of 2019 levels in the first week of March, according to its data.

“There has been progressive growth in U.S. domestic bookings every week since the beginning of the year,” said Olivier Ponti, vice president of insights at ForwardKeys.

The recent uptick in flight bookings is helping to stem the amount of cash the carriers have been losing daily, executives said Monday. Airlines have been on track to burn through $150 million in cash a day during the first three months of this year, according to trade group Airlines for America.

Covid-19 and Travel

United CEO Scott Kirby said at the conference Monday that the company expects its cash flow to turn positive, excluding debt payments, this month. Mr. Bastian also said Delta expects to stop burning cash as soon as this month.

“We know that we can’t yet put Covid in the rearview mirror,” Mr. Kirby said, noting that the airline remains unprofitable and would have to focus on repaying the debt it has taken on. But he said he expects there could be a steady travel boom on the way after a year when many people suspended or curtailed leisure experiences.

Airline executives have long said that travel demand would roar back once more people are vaccinated. While many international borders remain closed and businesses aren’t rushing to resume client meetings and conferences, executives said there are signs that pent-up demand is returning.

“Our last three weeks have been the best three weeks since the pandemic hit,” American Airlines AAL 7.70% CEO Doug Parker said.

Airports in Paris and Singapore as well as airlines including United and JetBlue are experimenting with apps that verify travelers are Covid-free before boarding. WSJ visits an airport in Rome to see how a digital health passport works. Photo credit: AOKpass

Carriers are also on firmer financial footing, having secured three rounds of government aid to cover the costs of paying workers, in addition to billions of dollars of private funding. The American Rescue Act that President Biden signed into law last week includes $14 billion to cover salaries and benefits for airline workers in exchange for pledges not to furlough or lay off employees until the fall. That brings the total amount of government payroll support for airlines to $54 billion.

American Airlines also said last week it would raise $10 billion by putting up its frequent-flier program as collateral.

Mr. Parker said, “For the first time since this crisis hit a little over a year ago, we at American are not looking to go raise any money.”

How the Reopening Will Affect You

Write to Alison Sider at [email protected]

#PAID

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