Uvalde, Texas School Shooting: Live Updates and News – The New York Times

In a tense and at times emotional news conference outside of Robb Elementary School, a top Texas state police official acknowledged that the decision by local police officers on the scene of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, not to breach the classroom for more than an hour as the rampage was taking place was “the wrong decision.”

“Obviously, based on the information we have, there were children in that classroom that were still at risk,” said Steven C. McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. “From the benefit of hindsight where I’m sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. Period.”

We know what the problem is (easy access to guns)

America is reeling from yet another devastating spate of mass shootings. In the last 10 days, shooters have targeted a Taiwanese church in California, a grocery store in a Black neighborhood in New York, and an elementary school in Texas. Although opponents of sensible gun control—the kind that prevails throughout most of the civilized world—continue to put the spotlight on the shooters’ motivations or unstable mental states, these are cynical diversions from the one obvious truth: The common thread in all of the country’s revolting mass shootings is the absurdly easy access to guns. The science is clear: Restrictions work, and it’s likely that even more limitations would save thousands of lives. So why not take the laws much further, as other countries have done? The alternative is painfully obvious—living with more and more senseless carnage, courtesy of the National Rifle Association and their well-funded political lackeys.

Source: We know what the problem is

Loup: Nicolas Vanier

Context, Thought, and Learning: ShiraDest Offers Project Do Better

Loup(English is below…)

Cette histoire de devenir adulte faisait plaisir à lire. (J’aimerais voir le film de 2009.) Vanier a réussi très tôt de faire sentir l’empathie pour un prédateur qu’il montre tel comme il est, et avec des détails. Il m’a réussi d’étonner, aussi, côte émotionnelle chez les hommes, en montrant qu’il est bien possible qu’an homme aussi peut se sentir abusé sexuellement par une femme, même après avoir fait l’amour volontairement. Jamais trop douce, on sent la dureté des deux mondes, humain tant que lupin, en sentant aussi (pour moi, au moins) connecté avec tous les deux. Du bon boulot émotionnelle et aussi d’un point de vue écolo.
(Si vous avez, les Amies, des corrections pour mon français, j’accepte volontiers…)

This was a very interesting and well-written coming-of-age story. (I’d like to see the 2009 film version.) Vanier manages early on to build reader sympathy for a predator…

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Wild, Wild Ramps

snapshotsincursive

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fab Foodstuff: Wild, Wild Ramps! “We have become foragers!”, my daughter-in-law proudly proclaimed as they walked through the front door. My son extended his hands with a large bouquet of wild ramps, as though they were a dozen long stem roses. “You can eat the tender bulbs as well as the leafy greens!”, they said in unison. Imagine my surprise. Little did I know that every Spring, foodies as well as seasoned chefs embark on a quest to unearth this subterranean gem known as Wild Ramps. What I learned that day is that ramps are simply wild leeks. Their flavor mimics garlic and onion. The fleshy leaves are a savory delight when sautéed in olive oil and butter. I promptly washed and trimmed the precious globular buds before serving them with breakfast. How unexpectedly delicious! It was only later, while traveling, I discovered their value…

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Nesta semana, os Yanomami comemoram 30 anos da demarcação oficial de seu território em 25 de maio de 1992, mas dezenas de milhares de garimpeiros ilegais aliados a quadrilhas criminosas armadas estão operando impunemente em seu território, contaminando rios com mercúrio e intimidando e prejudicando a comunidade! — Barbara Crane Navarro

Criança Yanomami brincando no rio (antes da invasão dos garimpeiros)foto: Barbara Crane Navarro « Meus avós pescavam neste rio para alimentar a comunidade. Agora é tudo contaminação por lodo, gasolina, diesel e mercúrio. Os peixes estão morrendo e nossa terra Yanomami está morrendo. Nós Yanomami estamos sofrendo, não temos paz. Os garimpeiros destroem nossas casas (Yanopë), […]

Nesta semana, os Yanomami comemoram 30 anos da demarcação oficial de seu território em 25 de maio de 1992, mas dezenas de milhares de garimpeiros ilegais aliados a quadrilhas criminosas armadas estão operando impunemente em seu território, contaminando rios com mercúrio e intimidando e prejudicando a comunidade! — Barbara Crane Navarro

Why birds migrate vast distances – and how you can help during their breeding season! — Geography Directions — Barbara Crane Navarro

By Louise Gentle, Nottingham Trent University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Now that spring is in the air, the UK is starting to see its summer visitors arriving. Ospreys are already back in their nests, chiffchaffs are singing their song to re-establish their territories, […] […]

Why birds migrate vast distances – and how you can help during their breeding season! — Geography Directions — Barbara Crane Navarro

Northampton School Committee revisits COVID mask mandate – masslive.com

NORTHMAPTON — The school board has scheduled a special meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss and potentially vote to “amend or repeal” its COVID-19 mask mandate.

Although face coverings had become option on campus back in March, the district “temporarily” reinstated its mask mandate May 10 in response to rising COVID cases. It was one of few school districts in the state to do so. A decision on whether to continue the mandate was expected last week but was delayed so more data could be gathered.

Source: Northampton School Committee revisits COVID mask mandate – masslive.com