As of 18 February 130 countries had not received a single coronavirus vaccine dose. The UN has criticised the “wildly uneven and unfair” distribution of Covid vaccines, revealing that 10 countries with the money to buy them have administered 75% of all vaccinations, while 130 countries have not received a single dose. The UN secretary …
Continue reading ‘Here is something termed a “moral test”. How to look at it.’ »
More than 100 prominent evangelical Christian pastors and church leaders have condemned the “perversion” of Christian nationalism and its role in the insurrection at the Capitol on 6 January. In an open letter, the leaders said they were speaking out because they did not want to be “quiet accomplices in this ongoing sin”, and called …
The world’s most robust study of universal basic income has concluded that it boosts recipients’ mental and financial well-being, as well as modestly improving employment. Finland ran a two-year universal basic income study in 2017 and 2018, during which the government gave 2000 unemployed people aged between 25 and 58 monthly payments with no strings …
A divorce court in China has ordered a man to pay his ex-wife the equivalent of $7,700 as compensation for housework during their marriage. The case fell under a new civil code in China that enables someone to seek compensation during a divorce if they were the primary carer for children or elderly parents, or …
They think we’ll rejoice, Offered infinite choice. But in fact more is less; Indecision means stress. Why think it is clever – – While wasting our time (a maddening crime) – – To propose the adoption Of every damned option Under the sun, Instead of just one? Just take the car, Where they’ve gone …
Only in America! A thief who stole an Oregon woman’s SUV with her 4-year-old child inside drove back to criticize her parenting. The unnamed woman left the vehicle idling outside a store while she ran in to buy milk. The suspect stole it and drove off, but briefly returned to demand the woman remove her …
An education commission formed by the Trump administration after last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests issued a report this week equating progressive politics with fascism and accusing American educators of brainwashing kids. The “1776 Report” prepared by the 18-member commission—with no professional historians—called for “patriotic education,” blasting educators for highlighting the nation’s “sins.” The commission …
“If it was racist to call the virus the ‘Chinese virus’ or ‘Wuhan virus,’ why do you insist on referring to the ‘U.K. variant?’” —Chuck in Wisconsin For whatever reason, we — media, health experts, politicians, humans in general — have historically referred to novel viruses by their unique new “thing.” But not only is …
The way dementia patients in British care homes have been treated during this pandemic “should make us sick with shame and pity”. Afflicted by an illness that attacks their memory and sense of self, they draw special comfort from the presence of loved ones. Yet in the name of infection control, the Government has seen …
Continue reading ‘A tale of cruelty and despair in the UK’ »
“Reputation is what other people know about you. Honour is what you know about yourself. Guard your honour. Let your reputation fall where it will.” (Novelist Lois McMaster Bujold, quoted in The Times) My comment: What you know about yourself can give you secret misgivings, e.g you know you lied to someone when you were …
More than 25% of Americans are likely to refuse the vaccine, according to an international study Only 11% of US citizens said they trusted their government to be a reliable source of information on vaccines, compared with 30% in the UK. Three out of four Republicans don’t think Joe Biden won the election legitimately. About …
An education commission formed by the Trump administration after last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests issued a report this week equating progressive politics with fascism and accusing American educators of brainwashing kids. The “1776 Report” prepared by the 18-member commission—with no professional historians—called for “patriotic education,” blasting educators for highlighting the nation’s “sins.” The commission …
Most would-be reformers of social media want to rewrite Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which largely exempts social media companies from legal liability for what users post on their sites. But attempts “to ‘fix’” Section 230 would massively backfire, forcing Twitter, Facebook, et al. to heavily censor all controversial posts on all …
Continue reading ‘Reining in social media and it’s abusers’ »
Since 2010 there has been a steady increase in people being killed by motorists in cars. In that year 4,302 pedestrians were killed on American roads. Since then the total of deaths has steadily increased. In 2018 41% more pedestrians were killed than in 2008. Drivers, on the other hand, have become safer, that is, …
Up to 200 academics from more than a dozen UK universities are being investigated on suspicion of unintentionally helping the Chinese government build weapons of mass destruction. China overtakes Russia as world’s biggest state hacker. Russia warns US against including China at nuclear disarmament talks. China uses microwave weapons to blast Indian troops in disputed border …
Continue reading ‘Are we taking the threat of China and its chief megalomaniac seriously enough?’ »
