06/18/24

Good morning! It’s Tuesday, June 18th.

National Sushi Day.

Are you kidding me? I am… very on board. Perhaps have never been more on board with a day in all the days I’ve ever seen.

And now, the news.

Surgeon General Warning

-via NY Times

Big day for news!

Starting with… the US Surgeon General announced that there should be warning labels on social media platforms, advising parents that the platforms could damage our youth’s mental health.

Now, the good doctor cannot require them, that would have to happen in Congress, but calling it out, calling out the dangers of social media, matters.

…unless you follow me. Then – we’re good!

Dr. Murthy noted that the need for warning labels, ala cigarettes and alcohol, stems from the fact that these companies aren’t doing anything about it. “I don’t think we can solely rely on the hope that the platforms can fix this problem on their own,” he said. “They’ve had 20 years.”

Yeah, no… for sure we can’t count on a company making billions from having a large numbers of users to do something that might mean a few number of viewers and therefore dollars.

Especially because Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of the tech lobbying frim Chamber of Progress said this: “Legally speaking, it’s no different from a Trump administration surgeon general declaring there needs to be a warning label on mainstream media because he deems it to be fake news. It’s all the same abuse of government’s power to infringe on speech.”

You know… not everything is like something.

The Trump administration saying mainstream news is fake news because they got their feelings hurt that people didn’t like that instead of getting therapy because his dad didn’t love him, Trump separated kids from their families and put them in cages, is not the same thing as a study that says social media is detrimental to a mentally and socially developing brain.

Anyway, hey… be careful out there on social media.

…unless you follow me. Then – we’re good!

Maryland to Pardon Marijuana Convictions

-via ABC News

Maryland’s governor Wes Moore announced on Monday that his office is going to pardon more than 175,000 marijuana convictions. Calling it, "the most sweeping state-level pardon in any state in American history,” before adding, "We cannot celebrate the benefits of legalization if we do not address the consequences of criminalization."

I have no notes. This is just some good governing.

A Different Jersey Scandal

-via Gothamist

From good governing to… what’s going on out there?

New Jersey… what’s going on out there?

Because a powerful democratic political figure in the state was indicted on Monday on racketeering and related charges. And no, I’m not talking about Senator Bob Menendez, who kept literal gold bars in a jacket that we know is his because it was embroidered with his name on it.

No, I’m talking about George Norcross III, a sort of democratic king (or queen!) maker who, it turns out, allegedly, used extortion to promote his political and philanthropic empire, with which he illegally secured hundreds of millions in tax credits and development rights.

So that’s not great.

New Jersey: home to my best friend, Rook coffee, and political corruption that is vast and, frankly, unsurprising.

Hunter Biden Withdraws Motion

-via CNN

Just a quick update to remind you about how incredibly popular this podcast is… One week after being found guilty of gun charges, Hunter Biden filed for a new trial, before quickly rescinding the request.

As a reminder, I did mention last week that he should not asl for a new trial. So… that’s so smashing that subscribe button, Hunter!

Hot Hot Heat

-via CBS News

It’s getting on in here, so regret every time you turned on the air conditioning with the windows open…

The National Weather Service is warning that a heat dome is out to break records in cities all over the northeast, with temperatures so intense that, "the longevity of dangerous heat forecasted ... has not been experienced in decades."

Decades.

Cities in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts will see "rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief.”

This story is how I learned that heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the country. So stay indoors when possible, stay hydrated at all times, and wear sunscreen at all times.

Title IX Hits a Snag

-via AP News

A new Title Nine rule that would expand civil rights protections for LGBTQIA+ youth from the Biden administration hit a snag on Monday when a federal judge in Kentucky called it “arbitrary in the truest sense of the word” before granting a preliminary injunction in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

“Arbitrary in the truest sense of the word.” It’s pride month! Our LGBTQIA+ youth are dying. There is nothing, not one single thing, arbitrary about protecting them.

The reason for the injunction, per the judge, is that Title Nine was meant to level the playing field between men and women in education, but redefying sex to include gender identity makes it, “not only impossible to square with Title IX but with the broader guarantee of education protection for all students.”

The judge also notes that he believes the new rule includes some “serious First Amendment implications,” writing, “Based on the ‘pervasive’ nature of pronoun usage in everyday life, educators likely would be required to use students’ preferred pronouns regardless of whether doing so conflicts with the educator’s religious or moral beliefs. A rule that compels speech and engages in such viewpoint discrimination is impermissible.”

First of all… if you don’t know what a pronoun is, you don’t get to use it to cause harm. “Pervasive” nature… everyone has pronouns!

It’s pride month!

I will be talking more about this on today’s Substack but let me just say this… this is an absurd ruling. You were asked to talk about Title Nine, so keep the First out your mouth. Especially because you clearly don’t actually understand it. Protect a teacher’s right to the First Amendment, for sure, but you don’t get to protect their right to the first over a student’s. Everyone has a right to the First Amendment.

Also… again… it’s pride month! Instead of these injunctions, we need to be working on ways to evolve the language of the law to match the reality of the world.

And that’s it. That’s the news.

Hey, as always, I’m proud of our LGBTQIA+ youth! All they want to do is live their most authentic lives!

Also sushi. Not as proud. A different level of proud. But still, you know… still… more than sushi, because you are also raw and cool… I’m proud of you.