How is everyone’s weekend going? Thanks for spending a portion of it with the Six.
Has there ever been more of a “wedge issue” in this country than abortion?
Hard to argue otherwise after the events the past few months.
Friday’s SCOTUS ruling that effectively overturns federal abortion rights in this country was not as dramatic as it would have been, had we not already known it was coming.
Still, the official notice from SCOTUS whipped both sides into a frenzy Friday and continues this weekend with rallies all over the country.
The outrage – and predictable public protests – are a functional aspect of our democracy. But it also reveals the public’s inability – intentional or otherwise – to grasp the real meaning of decisions like Friday and thus, appropriately modulate emotion.
The SCOTUS ruling itself doesn’t really change what’s been legal in this country for almost 50 years. If a woman wants to get an abortion, she still can. Yes, there are states that now forbid the practice. Women in those states will have to travel to a safe haven state (like Illinois, which creepily promotes “medical tourism” like an amusement park) but can still end a pregnancy if they so choose.
SCOTUS did not rule on the legal right for a woman to terminate a pregnancy. It ruled the Constitution does not confer that right, so it tossed that authority back to the states.
The action should be nothing more than a memorable civic footnote in our country’s history.
But on Twitter and all other social media platforms? Celebration Day.
I see it as The Day of Dopes; the issue framed in the utmost binary form imaginable, with idiot politicians calling it “one of the darkest days in American history” or “one of our finest hours.” WTF?
The extreme reaction on both sides is the latest example of today’s intense political climate, how every issue is a wedge issue.
I wish we’d all take a deep breath and respond like sane, reason-minded citizens. But that ain’t happening anytime soon.
Let’s proceed with the Six.
Abortion Rights May Be Just the Beginning for SCOTUS.
In his concurring opinion Friday, SCOTUS judge Clarance Thomas suggested the court should also reconsider previous rulings. Those rulings include rights to birth control and gay marriage. Said Thomas: “We have a duty to ‘correct the error’ established in those precedents.” Thomas was alone in signing that opinion but could Friday’s ruling just be the beginning of a re-definition of “due process” over other social issues? People has more on the story.
Teen Summer Employment Poised to Continue Comeback.
Teenagers are doing a lot more than just lounging by the pool or beach this summer. They are once again in demand. Last summer, six million teenagers — about 36.6 percent of them — had a paying job, which was the highest percentage of teens in the workforce since 2008. This year the job market couldn’t be better for teenagers, with lifeguards, food service employees and seasonal recreation employees working as much as they want. In July of 2021, teens made up 36.2 percent of accommodation and food service jobs, 21.3 percent of retail jobs, and 8.1 percent of arts and recreation jobs. Dew Public Research breaks down the data.
The International Fight Over a 300-Year-Old Treasure.
The San José was a Spanish galleon with a cargo of millions of gold and silver coins and other treasure that sank off the coast of what is now Colombia in 1708. A month ago, the Colombian navy released footage of the now-found ship 600 meters under the waves. The cargo today is worth anywhere from $17 billion to $20 billion, but to whom it belongs is a thorny, legally fraught question. Spain says it’s theirs; claiming it owns the military vessel sunk in a military engagement. Colombia says it’s theirs and The Qhara Qhara, a Bolivian indigenous group, says it’s got a claim on it, because they say the contents of the ship were looted from them. Lastly, Sea Search Armada, an American salvage company, says they actually discovered it and are entitled to half of whatever is raised. The real winners of the discovery? The lawyers charging by the hour. Fascinating read from The Grid.
U.S. toy sales are up 37 percent over the past two years, hitting $28.6 billion in 2021, and a rising demographic for toys and games is – get this – increasingly adults. A 2021 toy industry survey of parents found that 65 percent were buying board games just for themselves or other adults, 61 percent were buying art and building sets for adults, and 53 percent were buying collectibles for adults. This demo has been a rising target for the industry, with Lego cranking out pricey and intricate sets explicitly for their grown fans, and other brands popping up segments with more expensive items for their adult buyers. Bloomberg has the details.
Jeff Bridges On The Secret to Happiness.
He’s 72 years old and “The Dude”…still abides.
Gator Lunges At Photographer. Why Mess With Reptiles?
This video is about 30 seconds long. Stay with it until the 16-17 second mark when then, a sleepy Florida alligator suddenly lunges at a photographer, Foster Thorbjornsen, who says he was strolling through a park when he saw the reptile roughly 20 feet from shore. From the NY Post: “He was the biggest alligator I have seen in the wild,” estimating its length at 8 to 10 feet. This is the same area where a previous visitor to the same park is believed to have been fatally attacked by a gator while looking for golf discs in the water (lost three limbs). Why would any sane person even go near any body of water in the Sunshine State not an ocean? Life-long Floridians are a different beed of human.
Thanks for reading everybody and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
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