02/27/23
Good morning! It’s Monday, February 27th. International Polar Bear Day!
Here’s a fun fact about polar bears…
Okay, we know their skin is actually black and their fur is translucent but looks white because it reflects the snow. We know they can swim for days at a time. And that they look very cute but are, you know… bears. So not as huggable as they look.
But, did you know that scientists can extract polar bear DNA from two small scoops of snow from a paw print? And not only can they get the bear’s DNA, but also a seal it just ate.
And now, the news.
SCOTUS Takes on Student Loans
-via Washington Post
Let’s start with the Supreme Court! Where nine people without any student debt at all are going to decide the financial future of more than 40 million Americans.
Neat!
Oral arguments begin Tuesday over whether Biden has the power to cancel billions in student loan debt. You know, the debt the country hasn’t had payment on in years.
While the case goes on, the pause on debt payments is also paused. Payments will resume 60 days after the Court makes their decision. If not decision is made by the end of June, payments will resume 60 days after that.
And that’s just… I just think it’s very cool to play with people’s emotions and money like this. Very very chill.
Day of Resolve
-via CBS News
Last week, police warned that antisemitic groups were planning Saturday, February 25th, as a “Day of Hate,” and warned Jewish communities to be vigilant following the news of threads nationwide.
Happily, we can report that Saturday turned into a “Day of Resolve,” with some places holding outdoor Shabbat services without incident.
While the threat of these white nationalist anti-sematic groups is, unfortunately, not gone, it is a relief to know that their planned day of hate was exactly what they are in every other aspect of their lives… unsuccessful.
No Definitive Answer on COVID Lab Leak
-via The Hill
Responding to a Wall Street Journal report saying that the Department of Energy found that the covid pandemic likely came from a lab leak, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says there’s still “no definitive answer.”
While they are still looking into the origins of the virus, the fact remains that there is still no definitive answer.
This has gotta be such a bummer of a day for Jake Sullivan, because here’s the Wall Street Journal coming out here like “yeah! We got em! It was a lab made virus!”
But in actuality, while yes the Department of Energy did say it was most likely caused by a lab leak in Wuhan, they also said it with “low confidence.”
You can just pick and choose pieces of the news you want, just because it works for you. If that was the case, I’d just pull a headline from any Rolling Stone article and turn it into this: “Kelly Clarkson, who will certainly EGOT in her lifetime, has committed to putting out a brand new album, just for Kim Moffat, every single month for the next ten years.”
Wishing and reporting are different things.
Come on.
Wild to think the Wall Street Journal used to be a serious paper.
Winter Storm Recap
If you live in LA, you probably already know this. But if not… dude, it rained this last weekend.
Big time.
And snowed!
It was wild.
Currently, more than 126,000 customers are without power because of the rain and winds.
The storm is expected to stick around today and tomorrow, before heading northeast.
Migrant Boat Breaks off Italian Coast
-via AP News
A wooden boat carrying migrants crashed into the rocky reefs of the Italian coast, killing at least 60 people, with dozens more missing in the waters.
The boat, which set off from Türkiye, had as many as 200 passengers. So far, at least 80 have been found alive, though officials fear the number dead could surpass 100.
One person, indicated by survivors as a trafficker, has been taken into custody.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
Short episode. Slow news day. Again, we embrace these moments.
I’m proud of polar bears. Some weigh as much as 10 men! That’s so gnarly!
And they’re rich, because they invested in Coke early. That’s why they’re always in those commercials. Because they own 17% of the company. Not a lot of people know that.
But more than that, more than a well-behaved polar bear at a Coca-Cola board meeting… I’m proud of you.