Dr Seuss’s legacy of kindness has only been bolstered by his estate’s decision

5760.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=8

We make changes to children’s books all the time. It’s important to ask: does the cultural value of this book outweigh the potential harm?

Children’s literature sits at an awkward crossroads, where it is expected to be art, education and moral instruction. Children’s books are designed to teach our kids to read, to teach them about the world, about themselves and their bodies, about how to be kind, about society’s morals and values.

This is true of all children’s literature, but it is particularly true of books by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr Seuss), which do all these things deliberately and explicitly. Which is why I’m not at all surprised that Seuss’s estate has decided to cease publication of six titles due to their racist portrayal of people of colour. To do otherwise would be disrespectful to Seuss’s legacy of kindness and empathy.

Continue reading…

Inoreader – For some Texans who lost loved ones to the coronavirus, lifting the mask mandate is a “slap in the face”

But with more than 43,000 dead in Texas — including her husband — is wearing a mask in public too much to ask? At the least, it could take pressure off the medical systems and help prevent more people from dying, she said.

“It’s not about taking away anybody’s job or making anybody else suffer financially because everybody has their families to take care of,” said Ramos, who lost her husband Ricardo Ramos to the coronavirus last year.

“People can go pick up groceries, people can go into a restaurant and people can shop around the mall in masks,” she said.

Abbott’s Tuesday declaration that it was time to “open Texas” has been decried by local officials and health experts, who say it’s too soon to become lax with coronavirus restrictions, as just 7% of the state’s residents have been fully inoculated against the virus. President Joe Biden likened the decision to “Neanderthal thinking,” and an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s not the time to loosen precautions.

But the announcement hit harder with Ramos, and others who have lost spouses, parents or friends to the virus — in some cases, making them wonder if the deaths of their loved ones meant nothing.

Source: Inoreader – For some Texans who lost loved ones to the coronavirus, lifting the mask mandate is a “slap in the face”

Coronavirus tracker: Hospitalizations fall below 5,000 in California with 4,239 new cases and 298 new deaths reported as of March 3

Hospitalizations are at their lowest since mid-August in California.

The end-of-day totals from California public health websites for Wednesday, March 3, registered 4,967 hospitalizations of people with coronavirus-related infections.. That’s a 78.3% drop since the Jan. 1 high of 22,853 people who needed hospital care.

There were 4,239 new cases of the coronavirus added in the state as of Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases there have been to 3,558,159.

The 14-day total of new cases, 5,217, is down 87.7% from the Jan. 1 high of 42,268.

There were 298 new deaths reported Wednesday, for a total of 53,075 people in California who have died from the virus.

OCR-L-STATE-TRACKER-0305-map.jpg?fit=620

OCR-L-STATE-TRACKER-0305-tab.jpg?fit=620

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, the World Health Organization, the California Department of Public Health, The Associated Press, reporting counties and news sources

Related Articles

Safety First

Inhale Peace; Exhale Love. Joy will Follow! - RUELHA

I've worked for three different airlines. And their priority is somewhere on the same lines. Some had their focus on service and OTP. while some were hardcore about safety. At the core of it all, aviation security and safety. Can never ever be taken lightly. Now try applying this logic to everything you do. And it somehow makes sense to me and you. For example, when you're cooking in the kitchen. Always make sure before you light your stove ignition. Safety cannot be ignored in reckless cognition. Right from the time your out of that umbilical chord. Safety is the immediate need under an umbrella not too broad. Like the way most of us let our guards down. Around religious people who put an imaginary crown. Remember everyone is subject to temptations. Maybe be more realistic in your evaluations. Because safety comes first. And you don't want to face the…

View original post 187 more words

Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt Are Cool, But It Was Wyomia Tyus Who 1st Won Consecutive Olympic 100m Gold Medals

When you control the narrative, you create the rules. And when it comes to Olympic sprinter Wyomia Tyus, it should come as no surprise that history has tried its best to cast yet another Black woman aside. btmuxvjfrw9cus0bprvv.png

When you control the narrative, you create the rules. And when it comes to Olympic sprinter Wyomia Tyus, it should come as no surprise that history has tried its best to cast yet another Black woman aside.

Read more…

Whisky a go go: US suspends tariffs on UK exports including scotch

Move raises hopes of post-Brexit trade deal and relates to dispute over state support for Boeing and Airbus

The White House has agreed to suspend retaliatory US tariffs on UK exports including scotch whisky, raising hopes of improved relations as talks continue about a post-Brexit transatlantic trade deal.

Move raises hopes of post-Brexit trade deal and relates to dispute over state support for Boeing and Airbus

The White House has agreed to suspend retaliatory US tariffs on UK exports including scotch whisky, raising hopes of improved relations as talks continue about a post-Brexit transatlantic trade deal.

In 2019, then US president Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on a range of EU exports, as part of a 16-year trade dispute over state support for aerospace rivals Boeing and Airbus.

Continue reading…

These GOP Governors Are Trying to Distract Us From Their Deadly Failures by Killing More People

Public health officials felt differently. “Texas has been making some real progress, but it’s too soon for full reopening and to stop masking around others,” Dr. Mark McClellan said after the decision. McClellan is a public health expert and one of Abbott’s advisers, who wasn’t consulted before the governor’s announcement.

Clearly these actions flagrantly reject all scientific evidence about the spread of the disease and will inevitably cause unnecessary infections and death. The governors’ individual timing is also worth noting: The twin decisions come on the heels of twin climate disasters in the both states. Ever consistent, these Republican governors have looked at bad situations and have decided to make them worse.

In his announcement liberating Texans from the burdens of mask-wearing, Gov. Abbott returned to a cherished Republican talking point and emphasized the importance of “personal responsibility.” Throughout the pandemic, taking their cues from then-President Donald Trum

abbottcorona-3421.jpg?w=1200&h=630&crop=

On Tuesday afternoon, Republican governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Tate Reeves of Mississippi, announced that they would be lifting all coronavirus restrictions in their respective states. That means no mask mandates and all businesses could operate at full capacity. “It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” Abbott said.”People and businesses don’t need the state telling them how to operate.”

Public health officials felt differently. “Texas has been making some real progress, but it’s too soon for full reopening and to stop masking around others,” Dr. Mark McClellan said after the decision. McClellan is a public health expert and one of Abbott’s advisers, who wasn’t consulted before the governor’s announcement.

Clearly these actions flagrantly reject all scientific evidence about the spread of the disease and will inevitably cause unnecessary infections and death. The governors’ individual timing is also worth noting: The twin decisions come on the heels of twin climate disasters in the both states. Ever consistent, these Republican governors have looked at bad situations and have decided to make them worse. 

In his announcement liberating Texans from the burdens of mask-wearing, Gov. Abbott returned to a cherished Republican talking point and emphasized the importance of “personal responsibility.” Throughout the pandemic, taking their cues from then-President Donald Trump, most Republican governors repeatedly crowed about a bottom-up, individualized approach to managing the public health crisis. Who needs real government leadership during a public health emergency when you can just rely on good old common sense from the American people? Aside from just how ill-advised this is, clearly their approach will kill people of color, poor people, and other marginalized people—not to mention their own constituents. Already devastated by suffering the disproportionate harm from COVID, now communities of color are doubly damaged by the massive infrastructure failures in the two states. When it comes to the Republican Party, whether in the federal government or on the state level, when many of their core convictions are translated into policy—from voting rights to public health—they usually exact the greatest suffering from the most vulnerable among us.

But these governors are not operating in a vacuum here. They need to distract the residents of their states from the real catastrophes they recently have experienced. Last month, a historic winter storm swept across several utterly unprepared southern states. In Texas, the power grid failed leaving millions of people freezing in the dark and often without water for days. A similar disaster unfolded in Mississippi, where 250,000 people lost electricity at the height of the storm. After 4 million Texans were left without power, the Lone Star State received most of the media attention, but Jackson, Mississippi’s 170,000 residents also face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Damage from the storm rendered the city’s water plant inoperable leaving those who live there without running water for more than two weeks. 

First, let’s recall what happened in Texas, since Gov. Abbott seems just to want to forget it. The record-breaking winter storm that brought snow and below-freezing temperatures led to burst water pipes in Texas and caused widespread power and water outages. Why? Mostly because Texas’ energy operators were not required to winterize the state’s individual power grid, leaving it vulnerable to winter weather. Across the state, residents lined up for food and water. For people living in poverty, it pushed them even further over the edge. At least 80 deaths were reported—mostly from hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisonings—but it could take months before state officials are able to tally the full number. At the height of the disaster, Abbott went on Fox News, to falsely blame the black out on the Green New Deal, which, to be clear, is a policy idea, not a law. Meanwhile, mutual aid groups sprang up to do the job that the government couldn’t—or wouldn’t. “Unfortunately, Gov. [Abbott] is desperate to distract from his recent failures during the winter storm,” Democratic state Rep. Chris Turner said in a statement, “and is trying to change the subject.”

“Unfortunately, Gov. [Abbott] is desperate to distract from his recent failures during the winter storm and is trying to change the subject.”

In nearby Mississippi, almost 100 water main lines burst open in Jackson, an 80 percent Black city, where tens of thousands of the city’s residents still don’t have running water. The city’s old system needs $2 billion in repairs, but midcentury white flight left Jackson’s crumbling infrastructure without a strong tax base to pay for repairs. There is no timeline for when water service will return. So, thanks to Reeve’s decision to lift all restrictions statewide, Mississippians will be able to crowd indoor restaurants and shopping centers, but Jacksonians will struggle to simply wash their hands—it’s one of the best ways to stay safe from the coronavirus.

The climate disasters in the South did not make the pandemic disappear. In Texas, more than 2.2 million people have been infected and approximately 44,000 have died. This is all familiar territory for Gov. Abbott. Last spring, during the United States’ first (and most promising) attempt at a full lockdown, Abbot decided to buck the trend. Texas began reopening restaurants, malls, and other businesses early despite the threat that remained. (Sound familiar?) After prematurely lifting restrictions, Texas saw a record number of infections and hospitalizations. In Mississippi, more than 295,000 cases have been reported and 6,724 people have died. It was always a bad idea to lift restrictions, but especially now. As my colleague Jackie Mogensen reported, it “could give the virus even more opportunity to accumulate dangerous mutations.”

All the borders that divide the states mean nothing to a contagious virus. What happens in one state inevitably will have reverberations across the region and the entire country. When Texas politicians do something dangerous, we all do something dangerous. When Texas and Mississippi governors throw their own residents under the bus, they do it to all of us. 

The timing of their announcements was especially infuriating, considering recent vaccine news. While Abbott and Reeves were forging ahead in their plan to kill their own constituents, President Joe Biden announced that there would be enough vaccine for each adult by the end of May. We’re so close, why are these Republican governors taking a bold stand on the side of the coronavirus?

One reason, as state Rep. Turner observed, is that it distracts from their terrible mishandling of a response to the weather disaster. But the other reason goes to the heart of the GOP modus operandi. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Republicans, starting with the former president, have largely treated the virus as a side show. Even with the world’s highest death toll at more than 515,000, they’ve stuck to their dusty old playbook written by Ronald Reagan more than 40 years ago. First, you demonize the government. That then undermines any of its efforts to provide the kinds of services that citizens need. Then you promote personal responsibility as the cure, even for structural problems. When the worst inevitably happens, blame individuals for not pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. Rinse and repeat.

But while the fallout from the governors’ choices once more will disproportionately affect the most marginalized communities of color and people living in poverty, completely lifting the coronavirus restrictions has the benefit of  delighting their narrow base that has become obsessed with owning the libs. Maybe Abbott and Reeves will score interviews on Fox News where they can brag about reopening their states and further distract from their abysmal handling of their infrastructure disasters. But all this posturing won’t result in anything tangible for the people of Mississippi or Texas, because the Republican Party has ceased to become a party governed by policy, ideas, or any core beliefs beyond the narrowest of self interests. They’ve laid the groundwork for new virus hotspots, just as the long COVID winter is coming to an end. For these GOP leaders, creating endless calamities for people of color seems to be one of the byproducts of their irresponsible actions. Was that one of the objectives all along? Or just a dividend in their over-investment in the myth of individual responsibility.

Second Look Behind the Headlines – News you can use…

Baldacchino di Perla

"Luce di parole, ombra di sogni."

Northern Desert Photography

Living on the Edge of the Sagebrush Ocean

Susana Cabaço

Spiritual Insights & Personal Empowerment

Barbara Picci

Artist & Art Blogger

craft journey

Furnicraft, woodwork, and art

musings corner

reveries and rants

Japão para Românticos

Bem Vindos a este espaço onde compartilhamos um pouco da realidade do Japão à todos aqueles que desejam visitar ou morar no Japão. Aqui neste espaço, mostramos a realidade do Japão e dos imigrantes. O nosso compromisso é com a realidade. Fique por dentro do noticiário dos principais jornais japoneses, tutoriais de Faça você mesmo no Japão e acompanhe a Série Histórias de Imigrantes no Japão. Esperamos que goste de nossos conteúdos, deixe seu like, seu comentário, compartilhe e nos ajudar você e à outras pessoas. Grande abraço, gratidão e volte sempre!

Leben als Mensch

Willkommen auf Elke´s Glücks-Blog

Sharpshot Nature .Com

- Specializing in the great outdoors, capturing nature at its finest!

Diane Ravitch's blog

A site to discuss education and democracy

Expansão e Percepção

Seu Guia de Inspirações e Reflexões Diárias

noga noga.

my-health-and-beauty.com/

Uğurcan'ın Ütopyası

Benim Gezegenime Hoş geldiniz !!!

AKILS

Blog de viajes y lugares

Ed Mooney Photography

The official blog of Ed Mooney Photography. Dad of 3, Photographer, Blogger, Powerlifter. Exploring the historical sites of Ireland.

everything Explored on the earth

It has new aidias,news, about education , motivation, social, historical, culture, marketing creation new aidias education of language science culture and history

Born to die

L'unico modo sensato di vivere è senza regole

Early Morning Memories

by Anuran (A) & Sayoni (S)

My thoughts

Fun for the Brain

Neo Vision College

An exemplary learning community.

Anthony’s Crazy Love and Life Lessons in Empathy

Loves, lamentation, and life through prose, stories, passions, and essays.

Episodic Squalid Rants

public tantrums by a non-two-year-old

The Street Art Directory

Public, street and urban art worldwide

Artie & Stu

all the rules of free form

Everyone read that they fell in love first

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2937106805202763" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

davidscottmoyer

Lapsed Painter, Occasional Photographer, Compulsive Writer

Health & Fitness

Health Blogs

Buildings Tell Tales

Exploring the hidden architectural heritage of Budapest

Divit kalem

Yaşamdan

Roy's Weblog

The third incarnation...

Thought Pukes

More than a thought less than a question

"بوصلة الحياة"

"بوصلة الحياة: مدونة متعددة المجالات، من السياسة إلى الرومانسية، ومن تطوير الذات إلى الأدب وأكثر!" بقلم مشاعر بنت عبدالرحمن

parallax

The view from here ... Or here!

ClearingSpace4Joy

Bringer and seeker of joy

Belladonna’s Flashlight

The One Where She Stumbled Through Her 40's and Faced Her Demons

~ Trivial Music Silliness ~

Baw wit da baw. Just sayin'.

mo mnsoor blog

Website storys

Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Welcome to the Anglo Swiss World

gnaddrig ad libitum

Querbeet und ohne Gewähr

Peace & Truth

KINDNESS IS FREE, sprinkle it all over the world, and 😁 smile

Ética de la vida diaria

Nuestra ética de todos los días...

Elizabeth Gauffreau

Fiction Writer in Poet's Clothing