THREAD: Today, @courierjournal published Beyond Breonna, a series on systemic racism and how Louisville can end it.

It was spurred by the death of Breonna Taylor. But these issues have existed for generations. People are tired of the same

As @FBruceWilliams said: "It kills me when people ask, 'Well, what do you want?' ... Why is it so difficult for people to believe (a Black community) wants for its residents the same opportunities, services, convenience and quality in their

The series covers disparities in health, education, housing, employment and criminal justice.

We start with health because Black people are dying younger in Louisville - from homicides, chronic illnesses and now the

Environmental conditions - such as access to healthy food, quality housing and clean air - contribute to higher rates of illness in Black communities.

And disparities in treatment have made Black patients mistrust the

Alisha Beatty had 7 miscarriages before she said doctors took her seriously and looked into the cause.

"I was always told, 'It's an act of God, these things

11 moments women changed the world in 2020 💪What would you add?👇

1. Kamala Harris makes history as first woman of color elected US vice-president

2. Female-Led countries handled coronavirus better, study suggests

3. Record number of women took over Fortune 500 companies in 2020

4. Malala Yousafzai Graduates from Oxford University

5. Zendaya makes Emmys history as youngest lead actress drama winner

There is a lot of conflicting "information" about the TX blackouts. Here's the bottom line: the root cause of the TX blackouts is a national and state policy that has prioritized the adoption of unreliable wind/solar energy over reliable energy.

THREAD

For the last decade+ policy in TX and in the US has been focused on mandating or subsidizing as much wind and solar as possible. TX has bragged about being the biggest wind generator in the US.

The TX focus on wind has come above all at the expense of coal, which has the resiliency advantage (along with nuclear) of being able to store large quantities of fuel onsite; gas mostly requires "just in time" delivery from pipelines.

“In 2009, coal-fired plants generated nearly 37 percent of the state’s electricity while wind provided about 6 percent. Since then, three Texas coal-fired plants have closed...In the same period, our energy consumption rose by 20

Because intermittent wind and solar can always go near zero--as we saw recently in TX--they don't replace the cost of reliable power plants, they add to the cost of reliable power plants. This is why the more wind and solar grids use, the higher their electricity prices.

COLD WEATHER ADVICE, FROM A MONTANA YOTE TO ALL MY TEXAS FRIENDS STRUGGLING RN!

1) Cotten Kills. Cotten fabrics absorb water and stay wet. Wet will make you cold. Stay as dry as possible and if any under where or socks become wet change into dry ones right away.

2) layers. Wear as many layers that is comfortable. It is much easier to stay warm than it is to warm back up.

3) close all the doors in the house and isolate to one room. Your body produces heat! Use it!

4) gas is cheeper than electricity. If the power is off-

But the gas’s is still on isolate to the kitchen, and turn on the oven! Many gas stoves can be turned on with a hand lighter. Take caution ⚠️ as you don’t want to cause a gas fire.

5) buddy up! Yes even the dog. Mammals make body heat so get all the pills and blankets and sleep-

Together. It’s -12 and no heat can be very serious. If someone dose go out make sure they remove any and all cloths with snow on them before returning to the warm blanket. NO MOISTURE!

6) tent time! Have a tent? Set it up in the living room as your new hot space with body heat

7) help yourself neighbor. These are very serious times. Covid is still ongoing so take precautions but if you know anyone who is currently living alone and low risk without power could be life threatening. Mask up and invite them in to add to your body heat It could save someone

Before the civil rights era, ALL presidential administrations in this country were both white supremacist and white nationalist. In the "modern" era, mainstream politicians learned to performatively eschew white nationalism and embrace what I call "rainbow white supremacy".

Some precisions might be helpful. White nationalism claims this country exists for the benefit of white people -- it's the legalization of white political power. White supremacy is closely tied to white nationalism, but is a broader assertion of white superiority and dominance.

From 1776 through the 1960s (roughly 200 years), the U.S. was an explicitly white nationalist and white supremacist society. After the 60s, many politicians abandoned overtly white nationalist rhetoric without redressing or dismantling centuries of white nationalist policies.

The most important thing to understand is that literally nothing was ever done by our political leadership during or after the civil rights movement to systematically uproot and dismantle the ideologies of white nationalism and white supremacy.

Instead, civil rights legislation and rhetoric were co-opted to *disregard* the white nationalist past and to *ignore* - or worse - *deny* the white supremacist present. (Cue the Bakke decision + every MLK quote used to undermine antiracist activism in the name of colorblindness)

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day. I pray that it is peaceful and that it is not a continuation of what occurred on January 6th. I won't argue the merits of it. I can't imagine for a moment what the possible outcome could have been for even going to the Capitol. 1/

I watched as pastors were maligned, even condemned if they did not vote Trump. To attach one's own salvation to a vote. Shame on you and your damnable lies for adding to the stress and propping up a bullying culture because someone else thought and voted differently than you.2/

We will not forget still others who told Christians that they were not Christians if they voted "Democratic". It wasn't just John MacArthur, I assure you, but as he continued his campaign for Trump on every conservative outlet that would have him he emboldened other pastors

to neglect and even supplant "teaching of the Word" for political rhetoric. You were there, you saw. Republicans want us to move forward and "heal". Sweep it under the rug and "move on". Only wait, there's still this "COVID thing" (Dec. 20th-John MacArthur called it) we 4/

have to continue to ignore. "There's no pandemic". Perhaps you didn't hear John MacArthur continue that same mantra "What pandemic?" as he stood there, 30 pounds lighter, and looking quite ill still. As others have said, "it's not the MacArthur I recognize", or maybe you 5/

THREAD: Last-Century thinking got humanity into a mess. It worked well though, just too well. Into the third decade of the new century and I am sad to see how little last century thinking is being named and challenged. 1/

OLD THINKING: Take that nature, use that nature. Same amount of land that we stated with, but going on four times the population and much soil erosion behind us. NEW THINKING: use it, put it back, regenerate it. 2/

OLD: Either you are good or bad. Promoted on almost every TV show. Reality is, we created a system and it grew and that system brings out the worst in us to an extent we have forgotten how to bring out the best in each other, almost. 3/

OLD: If you have money you should spend it on what you want. A few people had cars back in the 1920's. Now there are so many on the Earth that they alone can push the climate over the tipping point. NEW: Money should never give you the power and right to commit ecocide. 4/

OLD: the power in the economy is consumption. Using stuff up. Problem is, we are already using more stuff than our earth-society-earth can sustain. Successful ideas like that end badly when there is more human stuff on the earth than natural. 5/

Mini thread on @deshaunwatson & #Texans
Because I’m reading far too much BS from national mouthpieces who want to protect the Texans and the #NFL

This idea that Watson is going about everything wrong & disrespectfully is straight BS. Let’s use common sense here /1

Many national pundits claim Watson is handling things wrong because he’s shut off communication with the Texans & allowed “his team” to leak out various items about his being disgruntled.
These same ppl say Watson should not use media but go to team & talk behind closed doors /2

That’s a very team and league serving position for these national mouths to have. Always about protecting their access to the teams and the league.
Here’s the reality. Why would you continue to have talks with someone who clearly doesn’t give a damn what you have to say? /3

Watson was nominated by his team to bring issues to ownership. One of the biggest issues was the divisiveness & mistrust created & caused by Jack Easterby. The team’s lack of direction & lack of strong leadership. Deshaun brought these issues & more to Cal McNair during season /4

Cal McNair even spoke publicly that Jack Easterby wasn’t a “football ops” guy. Understood his role was more administrative & that he wouldn’t be involved in the GM or coaching search. He told Watson that the QB would be involved in those searched. /5

1/ To meet or not to meet, that is the question. Is Highfields Church going to keep meeting in-person on Sundays? (27 part thread coming up, for the brave-hearted), beginning with three intro comments:

2/ • This is a wisdom call not a right/wrong call; Satan would love to have churches & leadership teams divided on the topic, so we need to pray for unity and grace as we decide what’s best in our context.

3/ • What we decide will vary hugely on what the virus is doing in the geography and the demography of the church. I have friends pastoring where the case rate is over 1000, with majority older congregation. I don’t judge them at all for making the call to close.

4/ • I'm not going to rehearse the theological reasons for in-person gathering (e.g. by @WilliamsGarryJ earlier this week, which you can read again here:

5/ Rather this thread will focus on 10 practical reasons why in our context, we've decided to keep meeting in-person on Sundays (though we'll keep reviewing, in line with Welsh Govt guidance).

i have to head to the grocery store for my fortnightly supplies run in a minute here and i'm trying to formulate a plan for if that pack of anti-mask goons shows up who have been roaming the state livestreaming themselves pestering people in grocery stores

i'm sure the store itself would try to keep them out but what if i'm the unlucky shopper wiping down my cart in the lobby right as they show up and start causing a scene before the cops come

i'm not even remotely scared of them but i don't really want an assault charge so is there a way i can ruin just their video? can i play copyrighted disney music on my phone really loud or something

it's just a group of horrible old conspiracy theorist ladies and one or two gigantic nazi biker thugs and they're not going to hit a white woman on camera, i won't be in danger from anything but the germs

if they are in fact streaming live is there anything i could verbally communicate to their audience directly that would encourage them to turn off the stream and not donate to the streamers? "these people are scam artists and you are being scammed by them" that sort of thing

The notion that only western Caucasians can be racist is, in itself, racist, since it implies that white folk are somehow morally superior and should know better - and judging 'superiority' and 'inferiority' are the basis of racism. /2

2. There are many examples of non-white people's racism, often to sub-groups of their own race: the Hindu caste system; the treatment of Chinese Uighurs; even racism amongst light and dark-skinned American blacks.

So why are whites always targeted as 'racists'? /3

3. Why is racism often found where clearly none/little exists? As a specific example: a bearded, long-haired and hirsute man being called an ape by a 13yo girl and booed by crowds, but 86 other Indigenous players not being subjected to 'racist' comments and actions similarly. /4

4. Why is it that the Left is so preoccupied with race and racism? Is it simply to be morally superior? Is it to be the guardians of society? Is it to control a narrative? Is it to be the arbiters of good and evil?

Or is it about their own prejudices and insecurities? /5

5. Those who see racism everywhere are those who look for it. The Offence and Outrage Industry thrives on it, if only to put them in the beatific limelight to signal their virtue loudly and clearly.

Does racism exist? Of course. Does it exist to the degree the Left suggests? /6

Gemini, Libra, Capricorn, & Pisces 💌 - You’re involved in a complicated situation romantically. There’s someone you’ve clicked with on another level, mentally & sexually - you’ve found a lot of healing in their presence & you two may open up to one another like never before. -

You met on vacation/traveling, online, at work, school, or through mutual friends. You two felt a sense of familiarity & comfort from the moment you met, but also trigger feelings of inadequacy in one another stemming from childhood, their mother figure, & on/off affections. -

They’re around & offer support in times when are most convenient for them, rather than keeping the relationship equal & communicative throughout. This response is from childhood, not feeling understood or having others make an effort to understand them. -

They prefer to keep others at a distance bc of this - the emotion & acceptance you’ve poured into them is something stable unlike they’re used to, so their first instinct is to run away & repel from anything that may make them face their darkest insecurities & vulnerabilities. -

Part of them just prefers to live in ignorance & not accept love in bc they aren’t sure if real love exists, what’s true & what’s not. They could have grown up in an abusive home, in foster care, or under a roof of people that never made an effort to nurture or understand them. -

Share wildly. The anti trans (and anti VAWA, Equality Act) Heritage Foundation 'feminist' group, Women's liberation Front (WoLF), has issued its media guidelines.
This will become the standard for the trans hate groups and anti trans media (eg BBC, The Times,The Australian).

1/n

(1) It erases intersex people and even the word "intersex". Intersex people to referred to as "men or women with a Disorder of Sex Development (DSD)"
(2) Wants conversion therapy done on trans youth.

2/n

{3) State that "Primary sex determination occurs upon fertilization and is determined by the presence or lack of a Y chromosome."
(4) Always misgender and deadname trans people.

3/n

(5) Use “cosmetic body modification”, “cosmetic genital surgery”, etc rather than “gender reassignment surgery”.
(6) Make it clear when trans people are victims of male violence it is by romantic partners or when they experience violence as a result of being in the sex trade.
4/n

(7) Use "“About 10 percent of murders in the US are committed by women or men who identify as women” rather than “About 10 percent of murders in the
US are committed by women”
(8) Not to conflate women’s sex-based rights with discrimination against trans-identified people.

5/n

The anti-trans rhetoric masquerading as philosophical inquiry and political philosophy in our field is both intellectually vacant and manifestly harmful.

From an academic perspective it is an embarrassment to the profession that trans lives are "up-for-debate."

It should a matter of professional legitimacy taken up by our learned societies that people engage in and are rewarded for the kind of vapid pseudo-scholarship that I see crop up in the field around trans lives.

I have a chapter in my thesis about the problem of anti-trans propaganda which focuses on the *central* argument in that propaganda: that trans women, by virtue of their socialization as men, pose a credible threat to cis women if allowed in to gender-regulated space.

I'm going to tweet out some of the points below.

Canada has a data problem when it comes to sexual violence perpetrated against anyone other than cis people.

White dude wrote a thread about how he 'taught' his hungry 9 year old to use a can opener; 'figure it out' The child was in tears unable to figure out how to get the opener to align with and bite the increasingly damaged can for 6+ hours, during which time she didn't eat anything

Leaving aside all the incredibly abusive elements of this, I want to talk a bit about the things I've learned about teaching children, something I've spent a decade doing.

1) Kids, even very young kids, are incredibly perceptive, intelligent, curious, and sensitive.

2) Kids can figure out very complicated things on their own (I taught media analysis/fiction writing ages 7-16), but they need to be given the parts.

ALL my kids knew what a character arc was, but would not have been able to give you the words 'character arc' in a million years.

To repeat, I didn't teach them what a character arc was. They already knew what it was, I just pointed it out to them so they could see the patterns.

Same for plot structure, grammar, punctuation, etc. They all knew what these things were, but not necessarily how to apply them.

Kids can absolutely figure things out, but because they're kids and lack life experience, they have to have what they need in front of them.

You don't tell them 'find all the apples in this picture' and then surprise 'there's two in the shopping bag!'