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The NYTimes reports that the 2 states leading the league in new infections are Alabama & Louisiana. Damn. In New Orleans the large majority of people have been vaccinated, but not so for the Trump-loving rest of the state. It’s a disgrace. Coastal Mississippi & South Louisiana are culturally connected and should be our own state, but we are stuck with the other people.
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Canadian fears of US societal breakdown -
In The Globe & Mail, Thomas Homer-Dixon, a scholar of violent conflict who has published on the causes of war, social breakdown, revolution, ethnic violence and genocide, for nearly two decades, has written a powerful, disturbing account of his research into history & conversations with experts, leading to his concern that the US is reaching existential breakdown … and what that portends for the safety of Canada.
“A terrible storm is coming from the south, and Canada is woefully unprepared. Over the past year we’ve turned our attention inward, distracted by the challenges of COVID-19, reconciliation, and the accelerating effects of climate change. But now we must focus on the urgent problem of what to do about the likely unravelling of democracy in the United States.”
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-american-polity-is-cracked-and-might-collapse-canada-must-prepare/
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Axios says “How European car buying works: Order the exact car you want — color, features, bells and whistles — then wait a month or so for delivery.”
Interesting that this is presented as the next new thing - I remember my parents buying a car by going to the dealer and … ordering the exact car they wanted, and waiting 6 weeks for delivery … in 1960.
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Reuters tells us of an interesting experiment - “Australia is pushing ahead with plans to reopen the economy even as new COVID-19 infections hit a record and hospitalizations rise.” This should be interesting.
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Dissent in China re Covid - https://www.dw.com/en/how-chinas-zero-covid-pursuit-is-stoking-anger-public-shaming/a-60327210?maca=en-newsletter_en_bulletin-2097-xml-newsletter&r=57278021385065673&lid=2023873&pm_ln=127810
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Hong Kong flight bans - “Passenger flights from the eight countries — the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan and the Philippines — had to be suspended, [Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie] Lam said, because of a “drastic” increase in imported coronavirus cases.” [WaPo]