I’ve been an amateur old fart for the past few years, but now I’ve turned pro. Yesterday I got dentures. Partials both upper and lower. Yay?

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, and Debt:

Biggest Bitcoin fund in the world could become ETF by July as GBTC nears $40B AUM

Facebook Steals Another Crypto Idea for Its Nonsensical Rebrand

Canada economy seen weaker than expected as supply chain woes weigh

Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:

FDA authorizes Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11

Moscow shops and restaurants shut in partial lockdown

Vaccinated People Also Spread the Delta Variant

People inoculated against Covid-19 are just as likely to spread the delta variant of the virus to contacts in their household as those who haven’t had shots, according to new research.
The results go some way toward explaining why the delta variant is so infectious even in nations with successful vaccine rollouts, and why the unvaccinated can’t assume they are protected because others have had shots. Those who were inoculated cleared the virus more quickly and had milder cases, while unvaccinated household members were more likely to suffer from severe disease and hospitalization.

The Real Scandal About Ivermectin

Claims about the drug are based on shoddy science—but that science is entirely unremarkable in its shoddiness.

Politics:

Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s Question About ‘The Biggest Lie’ Backfires Spectacularly

Judge Assails ‘Schizophrenic’ Prosecutions for Capitol Riots

The chief judge presiding over the federal court in Washington on Thursday unleashed a blistering critique of the Justice Department’s prosecution of Capitol rioters, saying fiery rhetoric about the event’s horror did not match plea offers involving minor charges.
Said Judge Beryl Howell: “No wonder parts of the public in the U.S. are confused about whether what happened on January 6 at the Capitol was simply a petty offense of trespassing with some disorderliness, or shocking criminal conduct that represented a grave threat to our democratic norms. Let me make my view clear: The rioters were not mere protesters.”

How many calories are in a bowl of Juche? North Korea tells starving citizens to eat less

The Biggest Problem In American Politics

One of the most important facts of U.S. politics right now is the terrible shape the Republican Party is in. It has been dysfunctional for more than a decade, and more recently the mainstream of the party has been acting as if they live in a fantasy world.
I attended the American Political Science Association’s annual conference in Seattle last month and heard nothing but a string of pessimism about the Republican Party — something that simply was not the case even 10 years ago. Of course, not everyone was pessimistic about the future of the republic. But no one seems to be able to imagine how the Republicans can turn themselves around, and I can’t remember the last political scientist I’ve spoken with (yes, Republicans included) who didn’t see serious problems here.

Bipartisan Group of Former Lawmakers Files Brief Against Trump’s Claim of Executive Privilege

Joe Arpaio Cost Arizona $100 Million In Legal Fees

Nearly five years after Joe Arpaio was voted out as sheriff of Arizona’s most populous county, taxpayers are covering one of the last major bills from the thousands of lawsuits the lawman’s headline-grabbing tactics inspired.
The payout takes to $100 million the attorney fees, settlements and other costs the county has paid from lawsuits stemming from Arpaio’s six terms over things such as jail deaths, failed investigations of the sheriff’s political enemies and immigration raids of businesses.

The Entire GOP Leadership Is Covering Up for Trump

Together, these statements from 10 of the most powerful Republicans in Congress—five in the Senate, five in the House—show that authoritarian corruption has permeated the party’s power structure. No Republican in leadership is willing to challenge the former president’s lies about the election. Every Republican in leadership is determined to bury the investigation of his coup attempt.
The story of the Trump presidency and its aftermath is no longer the story of one failed tyrant. It’s the story of a party that has become a platform for autocrats—and is ready for its next master.

Serendipity:

These World Heritage Forests have gone from removing carbon from the atmosphere to emitting it

California condors: Virgin births discovered in critically endangered birds

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