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When I began Schwartzreport my purpose was to produce an entirely fact-based daily publication in favor of the earth, the inter-connectedness and interdependence of all life, democracy, equality for all, liberty, and things that are life-affirming. Also, to warn my readers about actions, events, and trends that threaten those values. Our country now stands at a crossroads, indeed, the world stands at a crossroads where those values are very much at risk and it is up to each of us who care about wellbeing to do what we can to defend those principles. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to SR, particularly those of you who have scheduled an ongoing monthly contribution. It makes a big difference and is much appreciated. It is one thing to put in the hours each day and to do the work for free, but another to have to cover the rising out-of-pocket costs. For those of you who haven’t done so, but read SR regularly, I ask that you consider supporting it.
Stephan A. Schwartz, Columnist and Editor - Explore Journal
Stephan:
This will give you factual data on the real underpinnings of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a nasty and uniquely American story.
When medical historians look back on the Covid-19 pandemic, years after the pain, suffering, and death of this disease have faded from immediate emotions, I think what will stand out for them above all else is the grotesque financials of this pandemic.
It began with a Washington state resident returning from Wuhan, China on January 15, 2020, the first person in the United States diagnosed with a confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus.1 In 2021, one in 500 Americans had died because of Covid, in all its variants. The death rate is staggering. By March the 4th 2022, 103 million Americans, about a third of the population, had contracted Covid, and 1.13 millions had died. How did we get to these appalling statistics? The answer is one man, Donald Trump, and one party, the Republican Party. Is that a partisan political statement, or merely a statement of fact supported by multiple non-political surveys by recognized research organizations? It is, in fact, the latter.
When Covid entered the country in Washington State in January 2020, the […]
Since social media is how young people mostly absorb information today What I see occurring in this is that the very well financed distribution of misinformation to young people is going to cause the country a great deal of trouble, particularly in Red states where concurrently they are doing their best to transform education into indoctrination.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just over half of U.S. teenagers (51%) report spending at least four hours per day using a variety of social media apps such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), a Gallup survey of more than 1,500 adolescents finds. This use amounts to 4.8 hours per day for the average U.S. teen across seven social media platforms tested in the survey.
Across age groups, the average time spent on social media ranges from as low as 4.1 hours per day for 13-year-olds to as high as 5.8 hours per day for 17-year-olds. Girls spend nearly an hour more on social media than boys (5.3 vs. 4.4 hours, respectively).
These data are from the Familial and Adolescent Health Survey conducted by Gallup June 26-July 17, 2023, using the Gallup Panel. The survey collected data from 6,643 parents and 1,591 adolescents who were the children of those parents. The survey asked about parental and child wellbeing, parenting practices, youth mental health, youth activities, quality of parent-child relationships, and other topics. The data were collected amid […]
This is the first survey I have seen about how younger people see the older generation’s role in their financial situation and future. BUt what I particularly took away from reading this was what a large percentage of Americans are having a very tough time financially while the uber-rich are raking in money by the truck load. You can see this also in the writers’ Guild and UAW strikes. America has the worst wealth inequality of any of the world’s developed nations.
Teenager and senior grandfather argue about money. Credit: Miljan Živković / stock.adobe
NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Sixty-five percent of millennials and Gen Zers are worried about baby boomers’ impact on their financial future, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults evenly split by generation looked at the differences between their financial experiences. Results show that although younger generations are worried about their elders getting in their way, bad money habits are actually common among Americans of all ages.
Just 27 percent rate their money-saving habits as “excellent.” Even though respondents have some good habits, most admit they make poor money decisions sometimes (62%).
The survey, conducted by OnePoll for National Debt Relief, finds that some of the most common bad money habits include writing off small purchases as insignificant (43%), gambling (39%), and using credit cards to pay bills (33%). Respondents say their money habits are inspired by their parents (48%).
Whether these lessons were sound could be up for debate as more than half of Americans have been in debt at […]
Kasey Meehan, Jonathan Friedman, Sabrina Baeta, and Tasslyn Magnusson, - PEN America
Stephan:
States, both Red and Blue, are having their libraries attacked by hysterical semi-literate White people, mostly women, who seek to purge their libraries of books they often haven’t read, nor seem to understand. There is a growing anti-intellectualism in the United States that is doing massive damage to libraries, once seen as cherished sources of self–improvement. You can stop this nonsense. Go to whatever organization controls the libraries in your schools and community and register your support for them, and your objection to censorship.
Introduction
The freedom to read is under assault in the United States—particularly in public schools—curtailing students’ freedom to explore words, ideas, and books. In the 2022–23 school year, from July 1, 2022, to June 31, 2023, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of book bans in US public school classrooms and libraries. These bans removed student access to 1,557 unique book titles, the works of over 1,480 authors, illustrators, and translators. Authors whose books are targeted are most frequently female, people of color, and/or LGBTQ+ individuals. Amid a growing climate of censorship, school book bans continue to spread through coordinated campaigns by a vocal minority of groups and individual actors and, increasingly, as a result of pressure from state legislation.
Key Findings
Book bans in public K–12 schools continue to intensify. In the 2022–23 school year, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of books banned, an increase of 33 percent from the 2021–22 school year.
Over 40 percent of all book bans occurred in school districts in Florida. Across 33 school districts, PEN America recorded 1,406 book […]
Degrowth, as described in this article, I think, is the only way we are going to deal with the environment our stupidity and greed has created without ghastly misery, death, migration, and immigration. The problem is that the Republican Party has no interest in any of this. Power, greed, and profit and anocracy are the things the Republicans care about and work for. The 2024 election is going to determine which way we go as a country. Are we up to making that choice, smart enough, compassionate enough? To be honest, I’m not sure that Americans are up to understanding, let along making the degrowth choice. It will depend on people like you not just voting to put Democrats in power, but volunteering to work as election staff, or to participate in wellbeing oriented citizen movements. Are you up to it? Only you can answer that question.
Stave Hill Ecological Park on the former site of the Surrey Commercial Dock in London, UK. blue sky in my pocket Credit: Photodisc / Getty
What Is Degrowth?
Degrowth is the idea that we should prioritize sustainability and human well-being over economic growth.
It comes from the French “décroissance,” which was coined in 1972 by social philosopher André Gorz.
It first emerged as a distinct movement and theory in the early 21st century and entered the English language in 2008.
Between 2000 and 2019, increased renewable energy capacity covered only 16 percent of new energy demand.
Human activity has surpassed five out of nine planetary boundaries: global heating, plastic and chemical pollution, biodiversity loss, habitat loss and nitrogen and phosphorous pollution.
Global North countries are responsible for 92 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in excess of planetary boundaries, and wealthy economies are responsible for 74 percent of unsustainable resource use.
The U.S. has the highest GDP in the world but scores behind several countries on well-being indicators, including Panama and Costa Rica.
