Welcome 💙 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
Sometimes it seems to be all about attention. Whoever gets the most clicks and eyeballs seems to be winning.
And, as we’re hard-wired to pay attention to things that put us in danger, bad news gets a lot of attention. It’s hard to smile when a major war was started this week. In fact, I’m not asking you to smile.
It’s not time to hide under the covers, either, but to face what needs to be faced and to deal with it. We will deal with it. We’re grown-ups. We’re responsible. We care.
But good things are still happening and they deserve our attention too. They need our attention. They need to be encouraged. And we need to learn about them so we’re encouraged, too.
So read the good news, fortify yourselves, then pull on your big-kid pants and join the efforts to make this world a better place.
Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:
💙 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
🗽 Biden as President!🗽
Biden, Harris and their administration have been hard at work. Here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room.
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: Remarks by President Biden on Russia’s Unprovoked and Unjustified Attack on Ukraine
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: Remarks by Vice President Harris After Swearing In Scott A. Nathan as Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: President Biden Announces Key Regional Appointments for USDA, EPA, and FEMA
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: Statement by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese on One Year of Action and Progress on America’s Supply Chains
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: FACT SHEET: Joined by Allies and Partners, the United States Imposes Devastating Costs on Russia
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Biden’s Meeting with G7 Leaders
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: The Biden-Harris Plan to Revitalize American Manufacturing and Secure Critical Supply Chains in 2022
- Thursday, February 24, 2022: Statement by President Joe Biden on Phone Call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Statement by President Biden on Russia’s Unprovoked and Unjustified Attack on Ukraine
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Remarks by Vice President Harris Before a Meeting with the National Black Caucus of State Legislators
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 23, 2022
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Statement by President Biden on Nord Stream 2
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Delivering Results 100 Days into Infrastructure Implementation
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Joint Statement by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the One-Year Anniversary of the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Iowa Disaster Declaration
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Nebraska Disaster Declaration
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: A Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate, on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Notice on on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels
- Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Bills Signed: H.R. 1281
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics and Deputy NEC Director Daleep Singh, February 22, 2022
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Bills Signed: S. 566 and S. 583
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Remarks by President Biden at a Virtual Event on Securing Critical Minerals for a Future Made in America
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on Russia Sanctions
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Libya
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Libya
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Readout of White House Meeting with Parents to Discuss Efforts to Invest in Children and Cut the Cost of Child Care
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Fact Sheet: United States Imposes First Tranche of Swift and Severe Costs on Russia
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Remarks by President Biden Announcing Response to Russian Actions in Ukraine
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s Meeting with Foreign Minister Kuleba of Ukraine
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022: FACT SHEET: Securing a Made in America Supply Chain for Critical Minerals
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Russia and Ukraine
- Monday, February 21, 2022: FACT SHEET: Executive Order to Impose Costs for President Putin’s Action to Recognize So-Called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate regarding the Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect to Continued Russian Efforts to Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Executive Order on Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Continued Russian Efforts to Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Macron of France and Chancellor Scholz of Germany
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine
- Monday, February 21, 2022: Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Russian Announcement on Eastern Ukraine
- Sunday, February 20, 2022: Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki
- Sunday, February 20, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France
- Sunday, February 20, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s National Security Council Meeting
- Sunday, February 20, 2022: Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle
- Saturday, February 19, 2022: Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Biden’s Briefings on Ukraine
- Saturday, February 19, 2022: Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Munich Security Conference
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Background Press Briefing on the Vice President’s Events in Munich, Germany
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Remarks by President Biden Providing an Update on Russia and Ukraine
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger, and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics and Deputy NEC Director Daleep Singh, February 18, 2022
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Readout of President Biden’s Call with Transatlantic Leaders
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Bill Signed: H.R. 6617
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Readout of Vice President Kamala Harris’s Meeting with Baltic Leaders
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Remarks by Vice President Harris, President Levits of Latvia, President Nausėda Of Lithuania, and Prime Minister Kallas of Estonia Before Multilateral Meeting
- Friday, February 18, 2022: Day Of Remembrance Of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II
👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍
About damned time:
💉 Some teens sneak off to get vaxxed Nina Feldman NPR
Montero and his parents are separated by a political and cultural rift common throughout the U.S.: He says his parents are part of a small but vocal minority who oppose COVID-19 vaccination and have refused to let him get the shots.
"The thing about these beliefs is that they alternate by the day," said Montero, who is 16. "It's not one solid thing that they're going with, so it's just really baseless. It's like one thing they see on Facebook, and then they completely believe it."
The impasse eventually led to an act of quiet defiance: Montero traveled to Philadelphia, where a little-known city regulation permits children age 11 or older to be vaccinated without parental consent.
This 16-year-old kid fills his life with extracurricular activities and studies in the public library in order to spend as little time as possible at home. That’s tough. He’s got a supportive aunt, though.
💣 Republicans in Disarray 💣
Republicans aren’t even pretending they want to make your lives better Noah Lanard Mother Jones
In 2016, Donald Trump became president by appealing to white people who resented both people of color and billionaires. Trump’s economic populism was always murky. Later in his presidency, he often broke with conservative economics, but that only came after self-dealing, trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and cutting taxes for the rich. Regardless of whether Trump actually governed as an economic populist, it was at least slightly comforting that he thought winning required pretending to care about helping working-class Americans.
Six years later, it seems Republicans are no longer trying.
The clearest evidence for that is the “11 Point Plan to Rescue America” that Florida Sen. and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Rick Scott released on Tuesday as his party tries to take back Congress in November’s midterm elections. Scott’s plan for saving the country contains no mention of reducing the cost of housing, health care, child care, and college. Trump’s talk about lowering prescription drug prices for seniors is gone.
Remember “no new taxes”?
🎩 Carla in Sequem. Some Missouri Rs actually don’t think they should cater to the Hitler-is-good crowd Joseph Choi, MSN
The Missouri Republican Party on Tuesday announced that it had rejected the filing fee for conservative radio host Steve West due to his "vile" past statements. ✂️
"West's past statements are vile and conflict with the fundamental values of our platform," the party added. "The Missouri Republican Party believes there is no room for hate and divisiveness and the Missouri Republican Party will not associate with anyone who promotes these abhorrent ideas."
West is known for spreading conspiracy theories as well as antisemitic, Islamophobic and homophobic statements on his radio show. In one notable instance, West said that "Hitler was right" about who was responsible for what occurred in Germany before WWII.
Nice news, although I don’t know how it’ll play with the GOP base, who mostly seem to think Hitler was bad but then are encouraging Neo-Nazis. Well, they’re never that concerned with consistency.
In the meantime, Greg Abbott is pulling unpopular moves with the National Guard
💙 Democrats Being Cool 💙
First, because you might need a smile:
Let’s see what some of the local dems are doing:
📚 Wisconsin governor Evers improved the education and the budget in his state Press Release, no problem with fair use, and remember that WI was damaged severely by WI Gov Scott Walker before this.
MADISON, Wis. — In 2018, Wisconsin’s schools were ranked 18th in the nation.
Fast forward to today, and under Governor Tony Evers’ common sense leadership, Wisconsin’s education system has propelled forward ten spots to 8th best in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report. ✂️
As Wisconsinites celebrate Public Schools Week, the governor’s leadership and commitment to public education couldn’t be more clear. During his first term, Gov. Evers has restored the state’s two-thirds school funding commitment for the first time in two decades, signed the first special education funding increase in over a decade, expanded mental health services with the #GetKidsAhead initiative, funded the University of Wisconsin System’s tuition freeze, increased per-pupil funding by an additional $133, and invested in teacher training.
But there is still more work that needs to be done, and with a record breaking budget surplus, Gov. Evers wants to continue moving Wisconsin forward. That’s why Gov. Evers’ surplus plan will invest nearly $750 million into improving education quality, which will help students across the state succeed, while also providing property tax relief for parents.
Kansas governor also weighs in on education:
I don’t know if she has that power. I hope so.
Kentucky governor Beshear announces cleaner water projects for his state Monica Watkins and Brady Williams 14News
HENDERSON, Ky. (WFIE) - Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced new infrastructure improvements Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Beshear delivered $2,941,819 to Henderson, McLean, Union and Webster counties to provide cleaner drinking water and improved sewer and wastewater systems.
They say the funding is a part of the Better Kentucky Plan’s $250 million Cleaner Water Program and is estimated to create around 3,800 jobs across the state.
“These investments will provide improved water and sewer services to thousands of residents, support economic development for current and future businesses and increase the resilience of our infrastructure,” Gov. Beshear said. “Together, we are building a better Kentucky.”
💜 Unity? 💜
Thank Ceiling Cat 🐱 that Biden is president:
This bit was decisive:
☀️ The Ukraine situation is pushing the EU faster in the direction of renewables. Michael Birnbaum and Stefan Mufson Washington Post
The strategy to split from Russian energy, expected to be announced by the European Commission next week, would give Europe a freer political hand against Russia than it has had in the past. It would take years and come with a hefty bill for European taxpayers. But it comes with the crucial backing of Germany, a nation so entangled with Russia that one of its former chancellors, Gerhard Schröder, is the chairman of Rosneft, Russia’s biggest oil company.
With this week’s arrival of Russian boots on Ukrainian soil, Germany had enough. Chancellor Olaf Scholz shelved the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, a new project that was emblematic of Europe’s energy-focused approach to Russia. And the European Commission’s planned strategy next week aims to accelerate the transition to renewable energy so that Europe never again is so dependent on the Kremlin to keep households warm and factories humming.
💜 With Biden sanctions on Nordstream 2, Cruz lifts holds on State nominees Shawna Chen Axios
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has lifted his hold on President Biden's State Department nominees after the Biden administration sanctioned the Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2.
Why it matters: Cruz has campaigned to sanction the pipeline for months, calling it a chance to stop a Russian invasion into Ukraine. His bill failed to clear the Senate in January, per Reuters. ✂️
The U.S. has long held the position that Nord Stream 2 is a malign Kremlin geopolitical influence project that would increase Europe's reliance on Russian gas, but Biden allowed construction to proceed last year in order to repair relations with Germany.
Someone want to explain this to me? It seems that Cruz did something that was not totally evil.
New tone?
Also, some perspective. And if you want to know who DFG is, it’s defeated former guy, e.g. tRump. Now, I’m not quite this optimistic, but still:
Note, although China is denying backing Putin on this, I don’t really believe them. Still, the fact that they’re not being open about it is a wee bit of hope.
Here are some of those Russian citizens:
Creating trust of the police in Glynn County Emma Hurt Axios. Glynn County is where Ahmaud Arbury was murdered, and where the police officers first on the scene did not even bother to arrest the white men with blood on their hands.
State of play: After a national search co-led by the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Jacques Battiste was sworn in as chief in December, the first Black person to hold the position full time. Battiste tells Axios in an interview his goal is to bring "transformative change" to the department and to help the officers and the community "not only to heal but to begin to trust each other again."
- He has overseen a pilot implicit bias/community outreach training for command staff. There are plans for other above-and-beyond trainings, including for mental health crisis intervention and programs to help officers recognize issues with their colleagues.
- This month the commission passed a countywide payscale reset, the first in a decade, which Battiste said has done a lot to recruit new talent, and even bring back some who had left.
- He said the department is also looking for ways to "get beyond policing" by assigning officers to attend community events and facilitating internship programs for young people. "All of these things serve to greater enhance people’s understanding of law enforcement," he said.
📥 Actions You Can Take 📤
A FEW WAYS TO HELP UKRAINIANS — some suggestions by Timothy Snyder. Also, let your representatives know that you want the US to support Ukraine.
Voting rights. This may be the biggest issue threatening our democracy right now. Besides contacting your representatives at the state and federal level to do the right thing (depending on who they are), you can support and contact these organizations:
ACLU — American Civil Liberties Union
Democracy Docket — founded by Marc Elias, so important in fighting the challenges after the last election.
Fair Fight — founded by Stacey Abrams
🌱Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy.
🏃 Run for something. If you want to run for something, but have no idea what to do, these people will help you. They also like money and volunteers to help those people who are running, so even if you’re not in a position to stand for office, you can help. Note: they are especially planning to target the 57 Rs in local governments who participated in the insurrection.
👎 Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists, and their current approach to supporting or not supporting the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others.
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
Anyone surprised?
Going after Junior!
Another tRump kid:
Trucker convoy to DC sputters and turns around Zachary Petrizzo The Daily Beast
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND—At first, ardently MAGA trucker Bob Bolus vowed that his makeshift “freedom convoy” making a beeline from Scranton, Pennsylvania to D.C. this week would “choke” the nation’s capital like a boa constrictor in protest of vaccine mandates.
But on Wednesday, when his overhyped convoy turned out to be a piddly procession of one, Bolus backtracked, telling The Daily Beast that his plans have changed and he will not attempt to interfere with traffic. ✂️
This particular wing of the convoy movement was originally slated to arrive in the D.C. metro area around noon, with the hopes of causing a gridlock blockade like the Canadian anti-vaccine mandate trucker demonstration that caused chaos in Ottawa until it was dispersed by police. Earlier this week, the Pentagon approved the use of nearly 700 National Guard personnel to assist local authorities with the possibility of multiple convoys blocking up the D.C. area.
🐙 Let’s not forget the Kraken!
Let’s hope this is true!
Hope this stays true, too!
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️
This week we honor Marc Elias and his team, defenders of democracy (Democracy Docket):
North Carolina:
Ohio:
Who he’s up against:
And it seems that Elias also appreciates the importance of truth!
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
❤️ 💙 💜 Reunion ❤️ 💙 💜
And separation…
This article has 72 ways to show love for kids. And I think most of these actions would work on adults, too! Angela Pruess, Parentswithconfidence
- Tell them a story about your childhood
- Really listen to them
- Take a 1:1 walk around the block
- Make eye contact when you’re talking to them
- Join in their play
- Clean their room for them
- Ask about the high/low of their day.
- Ask how you can help
- Give them free time to play
- Teach them their character > their grades
- Make a heart candy trail from their bedroom to breakfast
📎Odds & Ends 📎
☀️ Using solar power to convert CO2 into fuel Lund University Science Daily
A research team led by Lund University in Sweden has shown how solar power can convert carbon dioxide into fuel, by using advanced materials and ultra-fast laser spectroscopy. The breakthrough could be an important piece of the puzzle in reducing the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the future. The study is published in Nature Communications.
The sunlight that hits Earth during one hour corresponds roughly to humanity's total energy consumption for an entire year. Our global carbon dioxide emissions are also increasing. Using the sun's energy to capture greenhouse gases and converting it into fuel or another useful chemical, is a research focus for many today. However, there is still no satisfactory solution, but an international research team has now revealed a possible way forward.
"The study uses a combination of materials that absorb sunlight and use its energy to convert carbon dioxide. With the help of ultra-fast laser spectroscopy, we have mapped exactly what happens in that process," says Tönu Pullerits, chemistry researcher at Lund University.
Environmental justice for Latino community Olivia Rosane EcoWatch
A majority Latino neighborhood on Chicago’s Southeast Side has won a major environmental justice victory.
On Friday, the city denied a permit for a metal shredder that community members fought with a month-long hunger strike last year.
“This is a testament to the love and pride we have for the Southeast Side,” activist Gina Ramirez told The Guardian.
The metal shredder, known as Southside Recycling, would have processed two billion pounds of scrap metal every year. It was set to open around one year ago, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, but this was delayed due to concerns about environmental racism. The business, formerly named General Iron, had been relocated from the wealthy, white neighborhood of Lincoln Park to a majority Latino community surrounded by Black communities. Residents pointed out that the Southeast Side already faces high levels of air pollution, and the complaints led to an ongoing federal civil rights investigation.
Of course, recycling metal is a good thing. I guess it needs to be done better.
❌ 💉 Studies show three covid shots may last a long while Bethany Biron Yahoo News
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Studies show that 3 vaccines may be enough to protect against coronavirus variants for a long time.
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An expert told the New York Times that they're seeing diminishing returns from additional doses.
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Medical officials are still considering the official guidance around additional boosters in the US.
If you recently got a booster shot to protect against COVID-19, you may not need another for several months, or even several years, new studies suggest.
Still, it’s much better not to get this disease; it seems to be dangerous for heart health.
🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recent offering: Hunters of the Feather, a story about a thinker-linker crow who wants to save birdkind from extinction, and the sequel, Scavengers of Mind. (They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively! And Hunters is also available on Audible!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — including a new one for lovers of Pride & Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet’s Advice to Young Ladies — and others on Greek mythology, can be found here.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time.
Current projects:
Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters
And some other ideas:
You can relax and recharge.
You can join protests and freeway blog.
You can help register new voters.
You can smile.
You can get out the vote for special elections.
You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back.
You can share your ideas below.
🌻
💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙
President Joseph R. Biden
🌹 🌹 🌹
TRUTH MATTERS. LOVE MATTERS.