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Heat Exposure of Older People Across World to Double by 2050: Study (Maria)
The author writes, “The heat exposure of older people will at least double in all continents by 2050, according to a study that highlights the combined risk posed by a heating world and an aging population. Compared with today, there will be up to an extra 250 million people aged 69 or above who are exposed to dangerous levels of heat, defined as 37.5C. The paper warned this is likely to create biological and social vulnerability hotspots with increasing concentrations of older adults and high temperature extremes. The impact on health systems and global inequality will be huge, the paper published in Nature Communications warned, because older people are more vulnerable to high temperatures.”
One Man Was a Capitol Police Officer. The Other Rioted on Jan. 6. They’re Both Running for Congress (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “For Derrick Evans, being part of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol wasn’t enough. The former West Virginia lawmaker wants to make his path to the halls of Congress permanent. On the other side of the metal barricades that day, Police Officer Harry Dunn couldn’t stand what he saw as he defended the Capitol and its inhabitants from rioters on Jan. 6, 2021. Ultimately, the Maryland resident watched lawmakers he had protected vote to acquit former President Donald Trump and deny the violence and trauma that led to the deaths of some of his fellow officers.”
NYU’s Mandatory Ethics Homework for Student Protesters Includes ‘The Simpsons,’ Wikipedia (Gerry)
From Gothamist: “NYU is requiring students it says violated policy during recent protests over the war in Gaza to complete written assignments on character, morality and ethics, according to documents reviewed by Gothamist. And unless they successfully complete the work, the students were told that they could be banned from campus and have a disciplinary note on their transcripts. The assignments include a five- to six-page ‘reflection paper’ to be written by students in a specified font, with prompts like ‘what have you done or need still to do to make things right?’ Students are asked to list ‘who was affected by the incident’ that led to the disciplinary action, including ‘society as a whole’ and ‘property.’”
Wall Street Is Buying Up Entire Neighborhoods (Dana)
From Jacobin: “Driven by the pandemic-era real estate boom, corporate landlords are ramping up their purchases of assets like apartment buildings and mobile home communities nationwide. They’re especially active in fast-growing Sun Belt markets like Phoenix and Atlanta, where more than a third of homes on the market are now being purchased by private equity firms like Blackstone or dedicated single-family rental companies. Even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has entered the single-family housing market. Critics say that such companies’ encroaching presence in the housing market and their focus on short-term profits are pricing out first-time homebuyers and gentrifying neighborhoods, contributing to an ongoing housing crisis and excluding families from the generational benefits of homeownership.”
Violence Against Environmental Journalists Rises, UNESCO Says (Laura)
From Reuters: “Journalists who report on environmental issues face increasing violence around the world from both state and private actors, UNESCO said [in early May], highlighting that 44 of these journalists have been murdered between 2009 and 2023. More than 70% of the 905 journalists the agency surveyed in 129 countries said they had been attacked, threatened, or pressured, and that the violence against them had worsened — with 305 attacks reported in the last five years alone.”
Many Americans Can’t Afford Vet Care. Is a New Business Model To Blame? (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “There is no obvious reason why vet services have increased so much. Some blame the price hikes on inflation, some point to the increased cost of drugs and pet products, while others cite higher wages for veterinary technicians. And some think it’s just plain greed. They point to the influx of private equity firms and corporations that have been buying up vet clinics at a rapid clip since 2020. That’s when the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to close across the US, requiring many people to stay home. Many responded by seeking an animal companion.”
Does Rick Scott Really Want to Relitigate His Medicare Scandal? (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Before becoming a far-right politician, Scott led a company called Columbia/HCA, which faced a federal fraud investigation over Medicare. As the FBI’s investigation advanced, Scott resigned as CEO, though he nevertheless faced considerable scrutiny — including an infamous civil deposition in which the Republican asserted his Fifth Amendment rights 75 times. Scott’s former company ultimately pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and was fined $1.7 billion. It was, at the time, the biggest Medicare fraud case in American history. … That was 14 years ago. Now, evidently, Scott has settled on an entirely new position: He was a victim of a secret Justice Department plot orchestrated by then-first lady Hillary Clinton. Even by contemporary GOP standards, this is awfully weird.”
