U.C. Strikes, Papal Prejudice, & Mating Rituals Heating Up
November 30, 2022
Crunch Time On Campus
As finals season approaches University of California campuses, the U.S.’s largest-ever strike of higher-education academic workers has continued into its third week. The group of 48,000 striking academic workers, comprised of academic researchers, graduate student researchers, and academic student employees, are protesting for higher wages and more support from the U.C. system, which they say is necessary to compensate for the ever-growing cost of living in areas near U.C. campuses.
Current delays and the possibility of higher price tags for future research efforts have many academics worried about the consequences of the strikes on their work, especially as U.C. research is very important in the fields of climate change, genetic engineering, and economic inequality. Academics and academic workers seem to be united against college administrators, though, with many complaining about lack of funding for students that’s been made worse by spending on “administrative bloat.”
On Monday, 300 faculty members (including Angela Davis, Judith Butler, and Robin Kelley) from all 10 U.C. campuses showed their support for the striking workers, announcing that they would not cross picket lines until the strike ends. “As long as this strike lasts, faculty across the system will be exercising their right to honor the picket line by refusing to conduct university labor up to and including submission of grades — labor that would not be possible without the labor of all other academic workers as well as university staff,” they said in a statement.
As students prepare to head home for winter break, grading delays are on the table. Classes end as early as this Friday, with finals beginning within the next couple of weeks. Academic Senate leaders released a statement last week that a continued strike could see the U.C. system employing temporary readers or even making final exams optional. (LAT, $)
Some Good News
- Sheriff: 200 anglers rescued after large ice chunk breaks free on Upper Red Lake (CBS)
- Universal flu vaccine may be available within two years, says scientist (Guardian)
Love Thy Neighbor, As Long As They’re Not Buddhist Or Muslim
- The head of the Catholic Church has chosen to take aim at ethnic Russian minorities serving in the army invading Ukraine, calling Chechen and Buryat members of Russia’s armed forces “the cruelest” Russian soldiers serving in Ukraine. Buryatia is a mainly-Buddhist region of Russia while the Chechnya republic is majority Muslim. Pope Francis’ full comments read, “Generally, the cruelest are perhaps those who are of Russia but are not of the Russian tradition, such as the Chechens, the Buryats, and so on.”
- Alexandra Garmazhapova, founder of anti-war organization Free Buryatia, spoke out against Francis’ comments, calling them “inexcusable and racist.” “Russia is waging an imperial war started and led by Vladimir Putin,” she continued, ”who is by all accounts not a member of an ethnic minority. The pope should condemn him personally, but he decided to sidestep the Russian president.”
- “Let’s not forget that the Russian Orthodox church is one of the biggest supporters of the war,” she continued. Francis has also stated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was “perhaps somehow provoked,” citing some politicians’ concerns that NATO was “barking at the gates of Russia.” (Guardian)
The Official State-Sponsored Minority Religion
- The official religion of England is officially now a minority religion. According to Britain’s most recent census, less than half of all citizens in England and Wales consider themselves Christians. Other census findings besides the drop in religiousness include the fact that the country is becoming slowly less white.
- The English 2021 census, results of which were released on Tuesday, encompasses the populations of England and Wales but not Scotland or Northern Ireland, which conduct their own demographic surveys. 46.2% of the population identified as Christian for the census, down from 59.3% a decade before. The number of Muslims grew from 4.9% to 6.5%, with the Hindu bloc growing slightly from 1.5% to 1.7%.
- The shift has secular politicians declaring that the English state should reconsider how it funds and runs society. Currently, the state funds Christian schools and Anglican bishops sit in the upper chamber of Parliament. “One of the most striking things about these results is how at odds the population is from the state itself,” said Andrew Copson, chief executive of the charity Humanists U.K. “No state in Europe has such a religious set-up as we do in terms of law and public policy, while at the same time having such a non-religious population.” (AP)
Additional World News
- China lockdown protests pause as police flood city streets (AP)
- Russia postpones nuclear arms control negotiations with the U.S. (NBC)
- Hong Kong asks Beijing to rule on fight over foreign lawyers (Al Jazeera)
- US dismisses China objections to South China Sea mission (ABC)
- China targets older people in Covid-19 vaccination drive (Guardian)
- Ex-president of Comoros convicted of selling passports (WaPo, $)
- South Korea’s Yoon warns of unprecedented response to North Korea nuclear test, calls on China to do more (Reuters)
“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Iowa-nna Go First!
- In an interview this week with NBC News, Iowa’s Republican party chair Jeff Kaufmann said he would consider moving the state’s caucuses (used to identify the state’s preferred presidential candidate) “to Halloween” if Democrats change their primary schedule. Earlier this year, the DNC changed the primary process to allow states to vote before Iowa and New Hampshire, which have voted first since 1972.
- For years voters have called for a different state to go first, seeing as Iowa isn’t exactly representative of the country as a whole – Michigan has materialized as a favorite for an alternative. According to U.S. census data, 84% of Iowans identify as “white alone, not Hispanic or Latino”, and 89% identify the same way in New Hampshire. Nationwide, 59% of Americans identify as “white alone”, according to the census.
- Republicans are furious about the whole situation, and Kaufmann didn’t hold back in his criticism, saying, “This is the Democrats that are pulling this crap and I’m telling you right now, they don’t want to play chicken with me. This is pure, progressive, power politics.” Kaufmann added, “If, for some reason, California and New York dictate policy for the entire DNC and they give the middle finger to Iowa and the midwest – if that happens, we will be first.” Moving the vote to Halloween would be adding another two months to the presidential primary process. (Guardian)
Suspension-Happy DeSantis
- Andrew Warren appeared in federal court on Tuesday nearly four months after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended him from his position as Hillsborough County state attorney. Warren’s legal team argues that DeSantis’ decision to suspend him violated Warren’s First Amendment rights and was done for purely political reasons, and Warren hopes to get his job back.
- DeSantis suspended Warren after he pledged to not enforce certain laws, including the state’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy without exceptions for rape or incest. DeSantis said Warren’s speech was not protected, and it’s become clear that Warren’s decision to sign onto a statement regarding abortion was the main reason behind his suspension.
- The outcome of the case will essentially decide if there are ever limits to the governor’s ability to suspend employees. Suspensions can be voted on by the Florida Senate, and in the past, there haven’t really been limits imposed, but DeSantis has been much more active with his abilities. Former governors typically reserved their powers for egregious behavior, and given that DeSantis just won a second term handily, expansion of his powers could have sweeping effects. (Politico)
Additional USA News
- Biden Says Congressional Leaders Must Act to Prevent Rail Strike (NYT, $)
- Rural Arizona county delays certifying midterm results as election disputes persist (CNN)
- Oxford High School shooter should’ve been sent home under policy, former school officials say (USA Today)
- Trump’s Jewish Allies Denounce Dinner With Kanye West and Nick Fuentes (NYT, $)
- Bodies of 4 infants found at Boston residence, police say (NBC)
- Walker to Trump: Please phone it in. (Politico)
- ormer White House deputy chief of staff meeting with January 6 committee Tuesday (CNN)
Is It Hot In Here, Or Am I Actually In Heat?
- As the planet warms and the ice caps melt, it seems that animals’ standards are shifting just like polar ice sheets. Males, who usually use mating displays to gain an edge in spreading their genes, are changing their habits, while females are also reconsidering how they approach mating.
- Male animals are usually the ones trying to market their products (their sperm), with many species relying on flamboyant features to show their health and good genes. However, some of those displays are energy draining – for example, some dragonflies use dark wing pigmentation to attract mates, but their colorings make their bodies heat up more, not a desirable trait as the climate warms. In recent decades, those male dragonflies have begun opting for less dark pigmentation.
- On the female side of things, the animal kingdom (queendom?) is definitely feeling the heat. Researchers have found that, at higher temperatures, some moths have become less choosy in their partners. This might be due to stress caused by higher temperatures, making them believe that they need to find a partner quickly. Female fruit flies have also changed their standards, becoming more promiscuous as temperatures rise. (WaPo, $)
Additional Reads
- Joshua Cooper: Teen who allegedly confessed on Instagram video chat to killing girl told police it was an ‘accident,’ complaint says (CNN)
- Toomaj Salehi: Dissident Iranian rapper could face death penalty (BBC)
- Queen Camilla Opts for Companions Over ‘Ladies-in-Waiting’ — How the Position Breaks Precedent (People)
- China rocket taking 3 to space station to blast off Tuesday (NBC)
- Three people found sitting on ship’s rudder survived an 11-day voyage from Nigeria (CNN)
- Harris and Macron to strengthen working relationship with NASA headquarters visit (CNN)
- Trolls, propaganda and fear stoke Bukele’s media machine in El Salvador (Reuters)