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Celerity
Celerity's Journal
Celerity's Journal
April 5, 2022
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/roe-v-wade-overturn-abortion-rights/629366/
https://archive.ph/cgIUs
I.
One bright afternoon in early January, on a beach in Southern California, a young woman spread what looked like a very strange picnic across an orange polka-dot towel: A mason jar. A rubber stopper with two holes. A syringe without a needle. A coil of aquarium tubing and a one-way valve. A plastic speculum. Several individually wrapped sterile cannulas—thin tubes designed to be inserted into the body—which resembled long soda straws. And, finally, a three-dimensional scale model of the female reproductive system.
The two of us were sitting on the sand. The woman, whom I’ll call Ellie, had suggested that we meet at the beach; she had recently recovered from COVID-19, and proposed the open-air setting for my safety. She also didn’t want to risk revealing where she lives—and asked me to withhold her name—because of concerns about harassment or violence from anti-abortion extremists.
Ellie snugged the rubber stopper into the mason jar. She snipped the aquarium tubing into a pair of foot-long segments and attached the valve to the syringe’s plastic tip. In less than 10 minutes, Ellie had finished the project: a simple abortion device. It looked like a cross between an at-home beer-brewing kit and a seventh-grade science experiment.
The two segments of tubing protruded from the holes in the stopper. One was connected to a cannula, the other to the syringe. Holding the anatomical model, Ellie traced a path with the tip of the cannula into the vagina and through the cervix, positioning it to suction out the contents of the uterus. Next, to show more clearly how the suction process works, she placed the cannula into her coffee. When she drew back the plunger on the syringe, dark fluid coursed through the aquarium tubing and into the mason jar, collecting slowly within the diamond-patterned glass.
snip
A Covert Network of Activists Is Preparing for the End of Roe
What will the future of abortion in America look like?https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/roe-v-wade-overturn-abortion-rights/629366/
https://archive.ph/cgIUs
I.
One bright afternoon in early January, on a beach in Southern California, a young woman spread what looked like a very strange picnic across an orange polka-dot towel: A mason jar. A rubber stopper with two holes. A syringe without a needle. A coil of aquarium tubing and a one-way valve. A plastic speculum. Several individually wrapped sterile cannulas—thin tubes designed to be inserted into the body—which resembled long soda straws. And, finally, a three-dimensional scale model of the female reproductive system.
The two of us were sitting on the sand. The woman, whom I’ll call Ellie, had suggested that we meet at the beach; she had recently recovered from COVID-19, and proposed the open-air setting for my safety. She also didn’t want to risk revealing where she lives—and asked me to withhold her name—because of concerns about harassment or violence from anti-abortion extremists.
Ellie snugged the rubber stopper into the mason jar. She snipped the aquarium tubing into a pair of foot-long segments and attached the valve to the syringe’s plastic tip. In less than 10 minutes, Ellie had finished the project: a simple abortion device. It looked like a cross between an at-home beer-brewing kit and a seventh-grade science experiment.
The two segments of tubing protruded from the holes in the stopper. One was connected to a cannula, the other to the syringe. Holding the anatomical model, Ellie traced a path with the tip of the cannula into the vagina and through the cervix, positioning it to suction out the contents of the uterus. Next, to show more clearly how the suction process works, she placed the cannula into her coffee. When she drew back the plunger on the syringe, dark fluid coursed through the aquarium tubing and into the mason jar, collecting slowly within the diamond-patterned glass.
snip
April 5, 2022
1 THE COVID CRISIS
The COVID pandemic has brought immeasurable suffering. Loved ones have been lost, dreams scuttled, businesses destroyed, and communities torn apart. Perhaps it is human nature to look for a silver lining in everything, even in a global pandemic. As social scientists, as students of business and public policy, we believe that COVID has given us an opportunity—to experience ‘Giddens’ Paradox’ in something akin to real time. And if we draw the right lessons, maybe we can solve some of society's most pressing challenges, above all averting the worst of climate change. It is time to think through the implications of COVID and what they can teach us about how to approach the future.
2 GIDDENS’ PARADOX IN COVID TIMES
A decade ago, the British sociologist Anthony Giddens defined the paradox that has long prevented forceful action to save the planet: ‘As collective humanity, we might wait until the destructive potential of climate change is irrefutable. But by then it will, by definition, be too late, because—at least so far as we know at the moment—it is irreversible’ (Giddens, 2015). The reason is that incurring certain short-term costs to achieve uncertain long-term gains runs against the incentives of policymakers and CEOs. In fact, many of us deal with forms of Giddens’ Paradox in our everyday lives: how many lung cancer patients wished they had stopped smoking decades ago?
Unlike the natural sciences, laboratory experiments are rare in social science. Yet COVID offers as close to a laboratory setting for Giddens’ Paradox—and how to resolve the conflict—as we can hope to find. Consider the early lockdowns. Because of the often-asymptomatic spread of the virus, lockdowns had to happen before widespread suffering and death occurred. Perversely, when such decisive actions prevented carnage, critics quickly seized on the better-than-feared situation as evidence that the measures were overblown. No wonder that decisive action became harder politically, although the evidence of its effectiveness grew stronger. On the individual level, Giddens’ Paradox is operating even more brutally, as social media timelines in the US in particular fill with the regrets of COVID patients and their loved ones over not having taken the vaccine (Healy, 2021).
snip
Tripod Missions: Five Principles for Solving Society's Most Pressing Challenges
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1758-5899.13082Abstract
The COVID crisis has forced policymakers to design new and comprehensive rescue programmes under huge time pressure. This task has required innovative policy thinking and the pursuit of new kinds of collaboration. The handling of the pandemic, however, also provides valuable lessons on how to address some of society's other pressing challenges—above all climate change. ‘Tripod Missions’ provide a framework for turning the pandemic's lessons learned into a guide for tackling other major societal problems.
The COVID crisis has forced policymakers to design new and comprehensive rescue programmes under huge time pressure. This task has required innovative policy thinking and the pursuit of new kinds of collaboration. The handling of the pandemic, however, also provides valuable lessons on how to address some of society's other pressing challenges—above all climate change. ‘Tripod Missions’ provide a framework for turning the pandemic's lessons learned into a guide for tackling other major societal problems.
1 THE COVID CRISIS
The COVID pandemic has brought immeasurable suffering. Loved ones have been lost, dreams scuttled, businesses destroyed, and communities torn apart. Perhaps it is human nature to look for a silver lining in everything, even in a global pandemic. As social scientists, as students of business and public policy, we believe that COVID has given us an opportunity—to experience ‘Giddens’ Paradox’ in something akin to real time. And if we draw the right lessons, maybe we can solve some of society's most pressing challenges, above all averting the worst of climate change. It is time to think through the implications of COVID and what they can teach us about how to approach the future.
2 GIDDENS’ PARADOX IN COVID TIMES
A decade ago, the British sociologist Anthony Giddens defined the paradox that has long prevented forceful action to save the planet: ‘As collective humanity, we might wait until the destructive potential of climate change is irrefutable. But by then it will, by definition, be too late, because—at least so far as we know at the moment—it is irreversible’ (Giddens, 2015). The reason is that incurring certain short-term costs to achieve uncertain long-term gains runs against the incentives of policymakers and CEOs. In fact, many of us deal with forms of Giddens’ Paradox in our everyday lives: how many lung cancer patients wished they had stopped smoking decades ago?
Unlike the natural sciences, laboratory experiments are rare in social science. Yet COVID offers as close to a laboratory setting for Giddens’ Paradox—and how to resolve the conflict—as we can hope to find. Consider the early lockdowns. Because of the often-asymptomatic spread of the virus, lockdowns had to happen before widespread suffering and death occurred. Perversely, when such decisive actions prevented carnage, critics quickly seized on the better-than-feared situation as evidence that the measures were overblown. No wonder that decisive action became harder politically, although the evidence of its effectiveness grew stronger. On the individual level, Giddens’ Paradox is operating even more brutally, as social media timelines in the US in particular fill with the regrets of COVID patients and their loved ones over not having taken the vaccine (Healy, 2021).
snip
April 4, 2022
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/04/investing/elon-musk-twitter-stares-stake/index.html
Let us all hope I am dead wrong.
My crazy hot take prediction: Musk buys a controlling share % of Twitter, reinstates Trump
Elon Musk buys 9.2% stake in Twitter, making him the largest shareholderhttps://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/04/investing/elon-musk-twitter-stares-stake/index.html
Let us all hope I am dead wrong.
April 4, 2022
https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/21286-new-covid-mutant-xe-found-in-uk-more-transmissible-than-omicron-sub-variant-who.html
A new COVID mutant 'XE' has been found in the UK, the World Health Organisation has said in its latest report and noted that it may be more transmissible than the BA.2 sublineage of COVID-19. XE is recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of COVID-19.
"The XE recombinant (BA.1-BA.2), was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 19 and >600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since," the WHO said.
"Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of ~10 per cent as compared to BA.2, however this finding requires further confirmation. XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported," it added.
The United Kingdom has reported 637 cases of XE and experts said it has shown a variable growth rate. According to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), its new analysis has examined three recombinants known as XF, XE, and XD. "Of these, XD and XF are recombinants of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2," it said in an update.
snip
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/helsinki-times/
New Covid Variant XE Found In UK, May Be More Transmissible Than Omicron: WHO
XE is a "recombinant" which is a mutation of BA'1 and BA.2 Omicron strains. Recombinant mutations emerge when a patient is infected by multiple variants of Covid.https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/21286-new-covid-mutant-xe-found-in-uk-more-transmissible-than-omicron-sub-variant-who.html
A new COVID mutant 'XE' has been found in the UK, the World Health Organisation has said in its latest report and noted that it may be more transmissible than the BA.2 sublineage of COVID-19. XE is recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of COVID-19.
"The XE recombinant (BA.1-BA.2), was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 19 and >600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since," the WHO said.
"Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of ~10 per cent as compared to BA.2, however this finding requires further confirmation. XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported," it added.
The United Kingdom has reported 637 cases of XE and experts said it has shown a variable growth rate. According to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), its new analysis has examined three recombinants known as XF, XE, and XD. "Of these, XD and XF are recombinants of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2," it said in an update.
snip
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/helsinki-times/
April 4, 2022
Daniel Dale
@ddale8
Reporter for CNN, fact-checking the president and others.
Washington DCcnn.com/profiles/danie…Joined December 2010
1,635 Following
1.2M Followers
https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1510706731470491653
almost 40,000 retweets now, over 200K likes and so many copycats
https://twitter.com/JaimeySexton/status/1510411705905561601
fake quote with 32,000 retweets and counting; New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern (not Adern) never
it. “We have no recollection of the Prime Minister making this comment and cannot find any source for it,” Ardern spokesman Andrew Campbell tells CNN.Daniel Dale
@ddale8
Reporter for CNN, fact-checking the president and others.
Washington DCcnn.com/profiles/danie…Joined December 2010
1,635 Following
1.2M Followers
https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1510706731470491653
almost 40,000 retweets now, over 200K likes and so many copycats
https://twitter.com/JaimeySexton/status/1510411705905561601
April 4, 2022
Label: Repulsion – RE 015-2
Format:
CD, Album, Silver Version
Country: Germany
Released: 1993
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk
Turbonegro - Armed and Fairly Well-Equipped (Norway hardcore from 1993)
Label: Repulsion – RE 015-2
Format:
CD, Album, Silver Version
Country: Germany
Released: 1993
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk
April 3, 2022
Literally one minute apart.
https://twitter.com/NoahFinneburgh/status/1510400494228836354
April 2, 2022
A German man allegedly got the COVID-19 vaccine not once, twice, but at least 87 times, according to the German Freie Presse newspaper.
The man allegedly carried out his shot campaign in Saxony for anti-vaxxers who didn’t want to get the shot themselves, paying the man to get it on their behalf.
According to police, the man went to three different vaccination clinics a day and presented his name and birth date—but not his health insurance card, which could have alerted authorities sooner.
The scheme was busted after an employee at a vaccination clinic in Dresden recognized the man. The man was arrested and charged by the German Red Cross for selling the vaccination records, prompting calls for a national vaccine database. "A national vaccine register or a coronavirus vaccine register would have shed light on the case immediately," said Knut Köhler, a spokesperson for the Saxony state medical association.
Read it at Freie Presse
German Man Was Allegedly Paid to Get COVID Shot at Least 87 Times
https://www.thedailybeast.com/german-man-was-allegedly-paid-to-get-covid-shot-at-least-87-times-by-anti-vaxxersA German man allegedly got the COVID-19 vaccine not once, twice, but at least 87 times, according to the German Freie Presse newspaper.
The man allegedly carried out his shot campaign in Saxony for anti-vaxxers who didn’t want to get the shot themselves, paying the man to get it on their behalf.
According to police, the man went to three different vaccination clinics a day and presented his name and birth date—but not his health insurance card, which could have alerted authorities sooner.
The scheme was busted after an employee at a vaccination clinic in Dresden recognized the man. The man was arrested and charged by the German Red Cross for selling the vaccination records, prompting calls for a national vaccine database. "A national vaccine register or a coronavirus vaccine register would have shed light on the case immediately," said Knut Köhler, a spokesperson for the Saxony state medical association.
Read it at Freie Presse
April 2, 2022
Kyle Rittenhouse, who successfully killed two people, still insists that President Joe Biden somehow defamed his character. After the September 2020 COVID-19 superspreader debate event, Biden tweeted a video with the caption: "There’s no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night.” The video included an image of Rittenhouse armed for urban hunting; the voiceover was moderator Chris Wallace asking Trump if he was "willing to condemn white supremacist and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland.”
https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1311268302950260737
So, the video itself doesn’t directly call Rittenhouse a white supremacist, and his own legal defence described him as a member of the militia. Rittenhouse certainly added to the violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Biden’s single tweet is not why people think he’s a smug asshole. He killed two people, permanently injured a third, and seems to think that’s very amusing. During an appearance on legal whiz Jenna Ellis’s podcast, Rittenhouse claimed he’s reached out to Biden for an apology but the president (of America) has blown him off.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1508923482087821319
It’s unclear how Rittenhouse has “reached out” to Biden. Is he calling the official White House crank line? Rittenhouse has also repeatedly threatened to sue Biden over his tweet. This, combined with his history of resolving disputes through violence, would make it unwise for the president to sit down with him and explain why he’s a jackass. Rittenhouse has incorrectly claimed Biden called him a white supremacist during interviews with Tucker Carlson and Glenn Beck. Carlson, who should know, said it’s not "a small thing to be called that.” A significant number of people consider Carlson a white supremacist and have said as much in print. Carlson still hosts a highly rated cable news show.
snip
Kyle Rittenhouse Wants His Beer Summit With President Biden, And He Wants It Noooowww!
https://www.wonkette.com/killer-kyle-rittenhouse-would-like-his-beer-summit-with-president-biden-pleaseKyle Rittenhouse, who successfully killed two people, still insists that President Joe Biden somehow defamed his character. After the September 2020 COVID-19 superspreader debate event, Biden tweeted a video with the caption: "There’s no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night.” The video included an image of Rittenhouse armed for urban hunting; the voiceover was moderator Chris Wallace asking Trump if he was "willing to condemn white supremacist and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence in a number of these cities as we saw in Kenosha and as we've seen in Portland.”
https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1311268302950260737
So, the video itself doesn’t directly call Rittenhouse a white supremacist, and his own legal defence described him as a member of the militia. Rittenhouse certainly added to the violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Biden’s single tweet is not why people think he’s a smug asshole. He killed two people, permanently injured a third, and seems to think that’s very amusing. During an appearance on legal whiz Jenna Ellis’s podcast, Rittenhouse claimed he’s reached out to Biden for an apology but the president (of America) has blown him off.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1508923482087821319
It’s unclear how Rittenhouse has “reached out” to Biden. Is he calling the official White House crank line? Rittenhouse has also repeatedly threatened to sue Biden over his tweet. This, combined with his history of resolving disputes through violence, would make it unwise for the president to sit down with him and explain why he’s a jackass. Rittenhouse has incorrectly claimed Biden called him a white supremacist during interviews with Tucker Carlson and Glenn Beck. Carlson, who should know, said it’s not "a small thing to be called that.” A significant number of people consider Carlson a white supremacist and have said as much in print. Carlson still hosts a highly rated cable news show.
snip
April 2, 2022
R.L. Burnside: See My Jumper Hanging On the Line (1978)
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: London
Home country: US/UK/Sweden
Current location: Stockholm, Sweden
Member since: Sun Jul 1, 2018, 07:25 PM
Number of posts: 43,778
