It’s time once again for news and views that you can peruse. It’s another edition of your Weekly Reader! As always, if you have something you’d like to share, drop a link in the comments!
The Daily Wire Spent Thousands of Dollars Promoting Anti-Amber Heard Propaganda (from Vice): “Dozens of sites are currently running thousands of Facebook ads capitalising on the trial, which has seen harrowing testimonies and allegations of physical, sexual and emotional abuse from both sides. The adverts are part of an ecosystem of ad supported “news” sites, bogus content platforms and click-bait websites which facilitate the spread of misleading, false and polarising content.”
Climate change deniers are over attacking the science. Now they attack the solutions. (from Grist): “That came as a surprise to the researchers. Scientists get called “alarmists,” despite a history of underestimating the effects of an overheating planet. Politicians and the media are portrayed as biased, while environmentalists are painted as part of a “hysterical” climate “cult.””
TikTok Users Believe They Will Be ‘Lone Survivors’ (from Vice): “Using audio from the 2007 film version of The Transformers, the TikTok users are picturing themselves climbing atop or striding toward various things, facing away from the camera. “I am Optimus Prime,” the voiceover intones, “and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.” The videos are hashtagged with a mixture of anti-vaccine hashtags like “#unvaccinated” and others, in a bid to have them appear on users’ “For You” pages and get more views. The most-viewed video has nearly half a million likes thus far.”
America was not founded as ‘a Christian country’ based on ‘Judeo-Christian’ values (from Salon): “The United States was founded with an attempt at secularism as well as freedom of religion. As opposed to monarchies, democracies in general are less Christian-based, as rulers are not justified on the “divine right of kings.” Practically, “freedom of religion” often meant the freedom to practice whichever sect of Christianity, or sometimes even Protestantism, a person chose. Considering a number of colonies were founded based on disagreements over which Protestant sect was “correct,” even this level of legally inscribed religious freedom was progressive for the late 18th century.”
‘It was wrong’: North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson says he paid for abortion in 1989 (from WRAL): “NC GOP spokesman Jeff Moore said the party wouldn’t comment because it was “a personal matter.””
A third of COVID survivors suffer neurological or mental disorders: study (from Reuters): “Post-COVID cases of stroke, dementia and other neurological disorders were rarer, the researchers said, but were still significant, especially in those who had severe COVID-19.”
That’s all for this edition. But don’t fret. I’ll be back next week with more information to help you flex your brain muscles. Until then, have a great week and happy reading!
Iacon East 