UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME #UBI
The solution to poverty could be as "simple as expanding cash"



Bryan Walsh
Sat, October 9, 2021

Experts in philanthropy are gradually coming around to the idea that simply giving poor people cash — rather than services or in-kind benefits — is the most efficient way to make progress on severe poverty.

The big picture: The divergent economic experiences between rich and poor countries during the pandemic has shown the value of directly giving money to those in need.

With extreme poverty in developing countries spiking during the pandemic, direct cash giving is more important than ever.

What's happening: GiveDirectly — a charity that pioneered the practice of sending money to people in poverty, no strings attached — recently announced it sent $1,000 each to more than 178,000 U.S. households in need during the pandemic, with plans to reach another 20,000 over the next few months.

GiveDirectly works with Propel — a company that provides software that helps Americans digitally manage food stamps and other benefits — to identify households in need and quickly send out money.

The direct cash giving model's greatest advantage is its "exceptional efficiency," says Alex Nawar, GiveDirectly's U.S. director, who estimates that 98–99 cents of every dollar donated to the charity goes directly to giving, with little required for overhead.

Between the lines: GiveDirectly's program, as successful as it was, is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions in direct stimulus checks and expanded jobless benefits from the federal government that have flowed to Americans during the pandemic.

That aid — much of it cash — not only prevented much of the massive economic pain Americans could have suffered during the pandemic, but it actually helped reduce the U.S. poverty rate in 2020.

But what both private philanthropy and government aid demonstrate is the power of rapidly distributed cash to shield the needy from catastrophe and actually lift people out of poverty.

What they're saying: "It was really exciting to see the U.S. embrace cash as a first solution for the financial security problems people are facing through the pandemic," Nawar says.

Globally, there has been a 148% increase in cash social programs during COVID-19, with a total of 782 cash transfer programs being implemented or planned across 186 countries.

"I think there's a lot of room for both governments and NGOs and other kind of disaster responders to increase how often we use cash, because we know it's more efficient than delivering in-kind aid," says Nawar.

By the numbers: Poverty declined in the U.S. during the pandemic but not in the poorest countries in the world.

The number of people in extreme poverty — defined as households spending less than $1.90 a day per person — had fallen from 1.9 billion people to 648 million people in 2019, even as the global population increased by 2.5 billion people.

Extreme poverty levels were projected to fall to 537 million people by 2030, but the pandemic interrupted this trend, with the number increasing for the first time since 1997 to an estimated 588 million people.

"There are people who might have exited poverty in the last few years or the last decade through growth and all of the progress that has been made, and unfortunately, have fallen straight back in," Vishal Gujadhur, deputy director of development policy and finance at the Gates Foundation, told Fast Company recently.

How it works: During the pandemic, GiveDirectly worked with the government of Togo — where half the citizens live below the poverty line — to identify and distribute millions of dollars in cash aid to those in need.

To speed the process up, GiveDirectly used satellite images to identify tell-tale images of poverty, like houses with thatched roofs rather than metal ones, as well as mobile phone data, employing an algorithm to find people who more often made short, cheap calls — another sign of poverty.

Details: A 2018 review of 165 studies of cash-giving programs found it tends to increase spending on food and other goods — dispelling the idea that much of the aid would be wasted by recipients — while not reducing recipients' willingness to work.

A 2019 study by GiveDirectly of its cash-transfer program in Kenya found positive spillovers even to those who didn't receive money, with little effect on price inflation.

The other side: "Cash can't buy everything," as Drake University economist Heath Henderson wrote this year.

Cash assistance can't always help with the structural issues that keep people in poverty, including the lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines in very poor countries.

The bottom line: Even if money isn't a cure-all, when it comes to tackling poverty as quickly as possible, "it can be as simple as expanding cash," says Nawar.

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Biden declares October 11 Indigenous Peoples' Day and says restoring national monuments is the 'easiest thing I've ever done so far as President'

Morgan Keith

Fri, October 8, 2021,

A demonstrator marches to Faneuil Hall with other protesters while participating in the Indigenous Peoples Day rally and march in Boston on Oct. 10, 2020. Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Image

• President Joe Biden declared October 11 Indigenous Peoples' Day.

• Biden acknowledged in a Columbus Day proclamation that European explorers harmed Native Americans.

• On Friday, the Biden administration restored protections for two national monuments in Utah.

Following years of campaigning by Native Americans for federal recognition, President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, which he declared would be observed on October 11 in honor of America's first inhabitants.

"Since time immemorial, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians have built vibrant and diverse cultures - safeguarding land, language, spirit, knowledge, and tradition across the generations," a White House proclamation release from Biden said.

Although Indigenous Peoples' Day will be celebrated on the same date as Columbus Day, Biden acknowledged the atrocities inflicted on Indigenous communities by European explorers in another proclamation and urged the country not to try and bury "shameful episodes of our past."

"For Native Americans, western exploration ushered in a wave of devastation: violence perpetrated against Native communities, displacement and theft of Tribal homelands, the introduction and spread of disease, and more," a White House proclamation from Biden said. "On this day, we recognize this painful past and recommit ourselves to investing in Native communities, upholding our solemn and sacred commitments to Tribal sovereignty, and pursuing a brighter future centered on dignity, respect, justice, and opportunity for all people."

Biden also announced Friday that his administration will restore protections for the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, as well two monuments in New England.

"This may be the easiest thing I've ever done so far as President," Biden said Friday during a speech outside the White House.

Former President Donald Trump had previously revoked protections for thousands of acres across the four monuments, Indian Country Today reported, which opened them up to mining, commercial fishing, and other developments.

"Today's announcement, it's not just about national monuments. It's about this administration centering the voices of Indigenous people and affirming the shared stewardship of this landscape with tribal nations," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, a citizen of the Laguna Pueblo nation.

Tensions persist between legacy of Columbus, native people

Indigenous Peoples Columbus-HolidaysFILE - In this Oct. 8, 2012 file photo, people ride on a float with a large bust of Christopher Columbus during the Columbus Day parade in New York. Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus continues to divide those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian Americans’ history and those horrified by an annual tribute that ignores the native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)


KATHLEEN FOODY and WILSON RING
Sat, October 9, 2021, 11:03 PM·5 min read


Monday's federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus is highlighting the ongoing divide between those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian American history and others horrified by an annual tribute that ignores native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

Spurred by national calls for racial equity, communities across the U.S. took a deeper look at Columbus' legacy in recent years — pairing or replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day.

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” the most significant boost yet to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Columbus.

But activists, including members of Native American tribes, said ending the formal holiday in Columbus' name has been stymied by politicians and organizations focusing on Italian American heritage.

“The opposition has tried to paint Columbus as a benevolent man, similar to how white supremacists have painted Robert E. Lee,” Les Begay, Diné Nation member and co-founder of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Coalition of Illinois, said, referring to the Civil War general who led the Confederate Army.

Columbus’ arrival began centuries of exploration and colonization by European nations, bringing violence, disease and other suffering to native people already living in the Western Hemisphere.

“Not honoring Indigenous peoples on this day just continues to erase our history, our contributions and the fact that we were the first inhabitants of this country,” Begay said.

Across the country tension, over the two holidays has been playing out since the early 1990s. Debates over monuments and statues of the Italian explorer tread similar ground, as in Philadelphia where the city placed a box over a Columbus statue last year in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer. Protesters opposing racial injustice and police brutality against people of color rallied for months in summer 2020.

Philadelphia lawyer George Bochetto, who has been fighting Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney's administration to uncover the statue, said Saturday many felt efforts to remove it were an attack on Italian-American heritage.

Kenney previously signed an executive order changing the city’s annual Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day. Monday will be the first city holiday under the new name.

“We have a mayor that’s doing everything he can to attack the Italian American community, including canceling its parade, removing statues, changing the Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day by fiat," Bochetto said.

Kenney spokesperson Kevin Lessard said the statue should remain boxed up “in the best interest and public safety of all Philadelphians.”

In 2016, Lincoln, Nebraska, joined other cities adding Indigenous Peoples' Day to the calendar on the same date as Columbus Day. Events on Monday will focus on the newer addition, including unveiling a statue honoring the first Native American physician, Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte.

Some feel a split day causes further harm. Activists plan a small protest outside the Robert V. Denney Federal Building, calling for an outright end to the holiday in Columbus’ name at all levels of government.

“It’s patently absurd to honor Indigenous people and the man who tortured and murdered their ancestors,” said Jackson Meredith, an organizer. “As far as we’re concerned, we’re going to keep protesting it until Columbus Day is abolished.”

In New York City, the annual Columbus Day Parade returns after a one-year, in-person absence attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. The parade is touted by some as the world’s largest Columbus Day celebration.

In May, Italian American activists complained after the Board of Education erased Christopher Columbus Day from the New York City school calendar, replacing it with “Indigenous People’s Day.” Following the outcry, the schools changed the designation to: “Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous People’s Day.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he supported the compromise.

“We have to honor that day as a day to recognize the contributions of all Italian Americans, so of course the day should not have been changed arbitrarily,” de Blasio said.

Chicago's annual Columbus Day parade also returns Monday after the pandemic forced 2020's cancellation of the event that draws 20,000 people. It's a vivid reminder of the ongoing fight over three statues of Columbus, still warehoused by the city after protesters targeted them in summer 2020.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot in July 2020 ordered the statues removed and said demonstrations were endangering protesters and police.

She later created a committee to review monuments in the city, including the fate of Columbus monuments. No plans have been announced publicly, but the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans that plans the Columbus Day parade this summer sued the city's park district, demanding that one be restored.

Ron Onesti, the organization's president, said the parade usually draws protesters and expects that on Monday too. He sees the holiday, parade and statues as a celebration of Italian Americans' contributions to the U.S., not just Columbus.

“The outcome I'm looking for is (for) our traditions to be respected and conversations to continue,” Onesti said Saturday. “Every plaque that goes along with a statue says it recognizes the Italian community's contributions. So people need to understand that's why it's there, and then let's sit down and figure out where to go from here."

Illinois in 2017 designated the last Monday in September as Indigenous Peoples Day but kept Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. A proposal to replace Columbus Day filed this year hasn't received any action.

Chicago Public Schools in 2020 voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, provoking outrage from several alderman and Italian American groups. The city's holiday calendar still lists Columbus Day.

Begay, the Indigenous Peoples Day advocate, said the organization decided to focus on changing Columbus Day first in Cook County, hoping it would be an easier path than convincing state or Chicago officials. But so far, members of the county's board haven't lined up behind the proposal.

“Why are 500 plus years still forgotten?” Begay said. “Why don't we have this single day to recognize these horrible atrocities committed against native people?”

___

Associated Press Reporter Lawrence Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

DR. DEE THE ORIGINAL 007

The Aztec Origins of a Mysterious Elizabethan Mirror

Candida Moss
Sun, October 10, 2021

Public Domain/Oxford University

When Elizabeth I’s scientific adviser and “philosopher” John Dee died in 1609 at the age of 81 he left behind a trove of unusual artifacts. Among them was his speculum, a hand mirror made of polished obsidian (volcanic glass), that was also known as “the Devil’s Looking-Glass.” This mystical device for talking to the dead was coveted by his peers and later generations; it was acquired by politician and writer Horace Walpole before winding its way into the British Museum, where it resides today. Despite its popularity, however, the mirror’s history was shrouded in mystery. A just-published scientific study has tracked its origins to 16th century Mexico and the religious rituals of the Aztecs.

The mirror in question is part of a cluster of obsidian artefacts in the British Museum and measures about 7.2 inches in diameter and half an inch thick. Visually it resembles drawings of black mirrors that appear in the pages of codex Tepetlaoztoc, a 16th century Aztec book made by residents of Tepetlaoztoc in Central Mexico. The book depicts images of the tribute that indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica were forced to pay to the Spanish conquistadors and among jewelry and other precious objects were at least 10 obsidian mirrors. These objects were associated with the god Tezcatlipoca (literally “smoking mirror”), the authors explain, and were used for scrying, or examining the future.


Public Domain/Oxford University

Just because the mirror resembles those in the manuscript does not mean, however, that it is the real deal. Anything of value is susceptible to forgery, and Dee moved in spiritualist circles that included known forgers like the alchemist Edward Kelly. A scientific team, led by University of Manchester professor of archaeology Stuart Campbell, analyzed the various obsidian objects at the British Museum and compared their chemical composition to various samples from regions of modern Mexico. Their findings, which were published this week in the journal Antiquity, show that the mirror is very similar to the samples from Pachuca, an area that was heavily mined for obsidian during the period that it was under Aztec control.


Though rock mirrors date to 4000 B.C. Anatolia, they were not easy to make. The Franciscan missionary and ethnographer Bernardino de Sahagún (c. 1499–1590) writes that the mirrors were made by specialists, who polished the stone using abrasive sand and a fine cane to make it shiny. The obsidian was believed to have medicinal and religious properties that could protect the user from harm as well as allow them to look into the future. Though there were a variety of different kinds of spiritually useful mirrors in use in Mesoamerica, at least one important was a tool for metaphorical “self-reflection.” Contemporary mirror divination among the Huichol of Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlan sees mirrors as “like the apprentice’s notebook” in which the diviner learns what is inscribed in the mirror. Among the Huichol, Karl Taube summarizes, the mirror “is much like a camera” and “functions similar to the sight and minds of human beings, with images recorded in the “memory” of the object.”

Though not all mirrors work the same way—some are portals, some are introspective devices, others are predictors of the future, some are combined with hydromancy (water divination), and others are recording devices—the idea that the mirror is a conduit to deities of one kind of another is a cross-cultural phenomenon. Similar kinds of catoptromancy (mirror-divination) took place among ancient Greeks. The travel write Pausanias describes a ritual at a Greek temple in Arcadia in which supplicants would look into a sacred mirror and “see himself very dimly or not at all, but the actual images of the gods” (8.37.7). The Romans also had religious experts who worked as scryers, called specularii (from the Latin word for mirror). Gazing into reflective surfaces was a widely practiced form of divining that involved religious specialists and training.

In Europe the association of polished surfaces with demonology became explicit in the medieval period. The 12th century writer John of Salisbury wrote that any shiny object—from the blade of a dagger to a polished fingernail—might inadvertently become a vessel for communicating with the devil. It is implicit in contemporary practices of crystal ball-gazing and forms the basis for the 2013 supernatural horror movie Oculus.

Given the history of mirror-gazing, one would expect that John Dee, who served as the queen’s philosopher during one of the most religiously contentious periods of history, was a secret occultist. This would only be partly correct, however, as there was nothing secret about it. While Dee was, in many ways, an occultist (his mirror is categorized as an ‘occult artifact’ by the British Museum today) he was also a scientist, a philosopher, and—most surprising of all—a devoted Christian.

The reason for this is that he was, as the quip goes, a true Renaissance man who wrote on everything from astrology and alchemy. In a period in which the line between magic and religion was constantly moving and was as much about power as it was anything else, he straddled the divide. Moreover, his interest in mirror-divination must be understood against the backdrop of Renaissance mirror technology in general. In the sixteenth century, as Sabine Melchior-Bonnet writes in her beautiful history of The Mirror, technologies of mirror-making were still evolving. Mirrors were as likely to distort one’s image as to reflect it. Fifteenth century visitors to the French Chateau of Hesdin were apparently fascinated by the mirror that adorned the entrance to the gallery. The Duke of Burgundy’s financial manager reported that “one sees someone else there rather more than oneself.” All mirrors, in other words, encouraged introspection and invited commentary about the source of the images. “The goal of reflection,” notes Harvard University curator Sara Schechner, “was not mimetic but transformative.” Mirror-gazing was supposed to take you beyond the superficial.

While he was once accused of treason for casting the horoscopes of Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary, more recent evaluations of Dee see him as a serious book scholar, manuscript curator, and scientist. In addition to his role of court astrologer and scientist he was allegedly the first to coin the phrase “British Empire” (a questionable achievement) and contributed to developments in navigation and cartography. His commitment to the importance of mathematics led him to write a “Mathematical Preface” for craftsmen and artisans who had not attended university. Investigation into the supernatural wasn’t some side hobby for Dee, however, he hypothesized that mathematical objects could serve as mediators between the human and the divine. If this sounds strange, bear in mind that mathematics, metaphysics, and divination have been intersecting ways of discovering the mysteries of the cosmos since antiquity. That a mathematician might also be a book collector, or a spiritualist is not strange. If you want to commune with the divine why not use every available technology to do so? Arguably, it’s extraordinary that we partition our ways of understanding the world into hermetically sealed streams.

For the Aztecs, the obsidian mirrors had a very particular religious and ritual usage to which specific cultural meanings were attached. When Dee acquired and used his looking-glass and used it in his rituals, said Campbell, “it gained a whole new life and a whole new set of meanings — and it’s continued to acquire those.” For British intellectuals with interests in the occult, the mirror became quasi-famous and accrued a reputation as a demonic portal. “So,” says Campbell “it now sits in the British Museum as an occult artifact. It’s got its own biography and its own impact in the world. I think, because of that, it’s a particularly fascinating object.” Just don’t stare too long—you never know who will look back.

What to Know About the Vibrant Traditions of Día de los Muertos

McKenzie Jean-Philippe

Fri, October 8, 2021, 

Day of the Dead—or Día de los Muertos—celebrates life.

With spirited traditions that largely take place across Mexico, Latin America, and the United States, family and friends come together to honor their lost loved ones on November 1 and 2. Traditions include gathering at cemeteries to enjoy traditional foods like pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and calaveras (sugar skulls), dressing up in eye-catching costumes, and assembling colorful floral decorations, which often include symbolic marigolds.

"This tradition is rooted in the native Mexican belief that life on earth is a preparation for the next world and of the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the dead," Juan Aguirre, Executive Director of the Mexican culture non-profit Mano a Mano tells Oprah Daily.

But what is at the heart of these beloved festivities? Here's a look at the Day of the Dead's rich history, and some facts you might not have known about the Mexican holiday.

"It’s not a funeral. It’s not morbid, and it’s not about being spooky. It’s about joy and color and flavor and celebration, all the mixed emotions," James Beard Award-winning chef Pati Jinich adds."It’s a very Mexican thing to have extreme sadness with extreme joy at the same time."

Here's a look at the Day of the Dead's rich history, and some facts you might not have known about the Mexican holiday.

Día de los Muertos is not a somber occasion.

During the ancient Mexican holiday, it's believed that spirits of the dead momentarily return to the land of the living, for a brief reunion. The community looks at death as an opportunity for renewed life.

Day of the Dead is celebrated with parades, festivals, and more across Mexico.

Photo credit: Jan Sochor - Getty Images

Though these traditions are universal, various regions across the country also have their own unique takes on how to honor the dead. Mexico City has held a boisterous parade since 2016, complete with entertainers in bold costume, music and dance, and floats. National Geographic identifies Michoacán as the place to go for foodies. The people of La Huasteca Potosina indulge in day-long parties, while Aguascalientes' festival of skulls have near week-long celebrations that include their annual skeleton parade, Legends of Mexico. And at Guanajuato's University of Guanajuato, students create an altar (much-loved by photo-snapping tourists) that honors deceased scholars.

Día de los Muertos is not connected to Halloween.

While Halloween and Day of the Dead occur nearly in tandem and share similar customs (candy, face painting, and community gathering), the two are not related. Halloween has ancient Celtic roots, while Day of the Dead has its own origins that date back to the Indigenous people of Mexico and Central America.

Photo credit: Alfredo Martinez - Getty Images

The holiday first began with the Aztecs.

Roughly 3000 years ago, amongst the Aztec, Toltec, and Mayans, death and the dead were seen as a natural part of life that should be honored and celebrated, rather than mourned. In particular, the Nahua people of central Mexico believed the deceased traveled on a years-long journey to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. The living would provide supplies, such food and water, to aid them on the trek. This practice inspired the modern tradition of creating altars—known as ofrendas—at their homes, in addition to leaving offerings at the gravesites of loved ones.

Día de los Muertos wasn't always celebrated in November.

Once the Spanish colonized Mexico in the 16th century, their own Catholic views on the dead influenced Mexican customs. Día de los Muertos was originally celebrated in the summer months. The holiday came to fall on November 1 and November 2 to align with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on the Catholic calendar. The first day honors children who have passed, while the second celebrates adults.

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Altars, or ofrendas, are the centerpiece of celebrations.

Photo credit: Vincent Isore/IP3 - Getty Images

To beckon spirits back into the Land of the Living for the festivities, revelers create makeshift altars, or ofrendas, at their homes and at the gravesites of their deceased loved ones. Families gather at the site to eat, tell stories, and even clean the graves.

Offerings to the dead are inspired by the four elements.

Ofrendas are decorated with offerings for the spirits that are meant to represent the four elements: fire, water, earth, and wind.

Ofrendas are decorated with offerings for the spirits that are meant to represent the four elements: fire, water, earth, and wind.

• Fire: Candles are lit to help guide the spirits' journey.

• Water: Pitchers of water are left to quench their thirst while traveling to the Land of the Living.

• Earth: A variety of traditional foods are prepared to help nourish the dead.

• Wind: Papel picado are vibrant delicate paper banners are strung. They're decorated with elaborate cut-out patterns, that are said to allow souls to pass through.

Altars are also adorned with sentimental photographs, toys, marigolds, and skulls.

Traditional Mexican foods play a huge part in celebrations.

Photo credit: The Washington Post - Getty Images

As mentioned, when gathering offerings for the ofrendas, the earth element is an integral part of preparations. And since that symbolizes the food eaten throughout the holiday, it's basically its own category.

Pan de Muerto translates to "bread of the dead."

The most prominent food consumed is pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, which is a yeast-based sweet egg bread. Other delicacies include calabaza en tacha (candied pumpkin), calaveras (the famous sugar skulls), tamales, atole, and spicy Mexican hot chocolate.

One of the most prominent symbols of the holiday—the signature skull face—originated from a Mexican illustrator.

Photo credit: NurPhoto - Getty Images

It's likely that even those who don't celebrate Day of the Dead are familiar with the holiday's famous symbol: calaveras, aka, the skull. Perhaps you've seen them as decorative face paint, costumes, delicious sugary treats, or even in Pixar's Oscar-winning animated film, Coco. But as with everything for Dia de los Muertos, its significance has a rich history.

Around 1910, Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada created a satirical lithograph that offered commentary on the political and societal unrest at the time; particularly the elite's tendency to adopt Eurocentric customs. According to The Grace Museum, the image—a skeleton donning a decorative European-style hat—depicted Chicunamictlan, the queen of the Aztec underworld. Posada dubbed her La Catrina, which is a slang word for "the rich." La Calavera Catrina means elegant skull.

Photo credit: Jan Sochor - Getty Images

Years later, in 1947, famed artist Diego Rivera depicted an elaborately dressed La Catrina in his celebrated mural Dream of a Sunday Afternoon. As it is displayed in Mexico City's Alameda Park, La Catrina gained even more visibility amongst the country's people. As a leader of the dead, and an integral part of Aztec history, she was a natural fit amongst Day of the Dead celebrations.

Cempasúchiles, or marigolds, bring color to the festivities.

Photo credit: Jan Sochor - Getty Images

While cempasúchiles are often used as an offering to decorate ofrendas, over time they've earned a spot next to skulls as one of the most prominent Day of the Dead symbols. Also known as flor de muerto, or flowers of the dead, the importance of the lively orange and yellow marigolds date back to the time of the Aztecs, according to Remezcla. The color and scent of the flowers are believed to lure spirits from their places of rest to their families.

If you want to wear a Day of the Dead costume, consider this.

"Sugar skull makeup," as it's called in many a Youtube beauty tutorial, is undeniably gorgeous on a purely aesthetic level; it's a large part of why it's been a popular Halloween costume idea for years. Know that if you're not of Latino or Hispanic—and of Mexican descent, particularly—some people may consider this cultural appropriation.

If you do decide to wear sugar skull makeup and other costume accoutrements such as flower crown headbands and traditional Mexican dresses, there are ways to make sure you're doing so respectfully. Keep in mind that, again, Day of the Dead is actually unrelated to Halloween. Before you apply that face paint, take a moment to educate yourself on the historical and lasting cultural significance of La Catrina. And, as Refinery29 notes, avoid any bloody or scary elements to your costume, because uplifting celebration is an integral part of Día de los Muertos.

Canada's overworked healthcare sector brace for staff shortages as vaccine mandates loom

Moira Warburton
Sun, October 10, 2021, 

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Canada's health and long-term care industries are bracing for staff shortages and layoffs, as deadlines for vaccine mandates loom across the country, with unions pushing federal and provincial governments to soften hard-line stances.

For hospitals and nursing homes, a shortage of workers would strain the already overburdened workforce dealing with nearly two years of the pandemic. The uncertainty sparked by vaccine mandates underscores the challenges on the road to recovery.

Devon Greyson, assistant professor of public health at the University of British Columbia, said officials are steering into uncharted waters with mass vaccine mandates, and it's not clear how workers will respond.

"A shortage of workers can mean people's health and well being. It's scary," Greyson said.

However, he added, "we're in an ethical situation where it's also scary not to ensure that all health workers are vaccinated. So it's a bit of a Catch-22."

To tackle staff scarcity, at least one province is offering signing bonuses to nurses. Provinces including Quebec and British Columbia have made it mandatory for healthcare workers and nursing staff to be vaccinated to continue working in their respective fields.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also unveiled one of the strictest vaccine mandates in the world last week, saying unvaccinated federal employees will be sent on unpaid leave and making COVID-19 shots mandatory for air, train and ship passengers.

Layoffs have are started to hit, with one hospital in southern Ontario last week dumping 57 employees, representing 2.5% of staff, after its vaccine mandate came into effect. A long-term care home in Toronto put 36% of its staff on unpaid leave after they refused to get vaccinated, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported.

British Columbia will place staff at its long-term care and assisted living sector on unpaid administrative leave if they fail to get at least one shot by Monday.

Some 97% of long-term care staff in Vancouver and the surrounding areas have at least one dose as of Oct. 6, the province said. But northern B.C. has only 89% of staff with at least one dose, although the data was still being updated.

The province recently changed the deadline, giving more time for people to receive their second vaccine dose. "It is because we know we have a very limited healthcare resource," Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's medical officer, said.

'POLITICAL' DECISION

Quebec is offering C$15,000 bonuses to help attract and retain about 4,300 full-time nurses. Some 25,000 healthcare workers who are yet not fully vaccinated ahead of an Oct. 15 deadline risk suspension without pay, said Christian Dubé, the province's health minister.

Some 97% of all staff in University Health Network, which operates medical facilities in and around Toronto, Ontario, has been vaccinated ahead of Oct. 22, with efforts underway to find backup for the remaining.

Daniel Lublin, a Toronto-based employment lawyer, called the mandates "very political" and based on the majority view that vaccines are good. "The fallout is that it's another segment of the Canadian workforce that is going to be faced with job loss if they choose not to vaccinate."

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents 215,000 federal workers, said while the union supports the government's vaccination stance, its members who do not get inoculated should not be punished.

"Especially when remote work options are available that do not jeopardize the health and safety of co-workers and allow our members to continue to serve Canadians," said Chris Aylward, PSAC president.

Treasury Board, which oversees the public administration, is engaged with PSAC and other labor representatives about the implementation of the mandate, a government source said.

Louis Hugo Francescutti, an emergency room physician in Edmonton, said he worked with several people who were continuing to refuse vaccination, even though it would cost them their jobs when the mandate takes effect on Oct. 31.

Alberta has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Canada, and its hospitals have been overwhelmed by the fourth wave.

"We're so under the water right now that losing a couple of people who don't want to get vaccinated - it's going to be sad (but) the impact will be minimal," Francescutti said.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver,; Additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal, Steve Scherer and Julie Gordon in Ottawa; Editing by Denny Thomas and Chizu Nomiyama)

#TAXTHECHURCH

Lakewood Church will repay the $4.4 million PPP loan  FORGIVABLE GRANT it received in 2020

Rebecca Cohen
Fri, October 8, 2021

Joel Osteen speaks during SiriusXM Joel Osteen Radio Town Hall with Joel and Victoria Osteen at SiriusXM Studios on December 16, 2019 in New York City.

 Bonnie Biess / Stringer / Getty Images


Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church will repay the $4.4 million it received in PPP loans, the Houston Chronicle Reported.

Lakewood Church was one of 60 religious institutions in Texas to receive more than $1 million in loans from the CARES Act.

The church faced backlash when it initially received the loan by church-state separation groups.

Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church will repay the $4.4 million it received last year in a PPP loan, the Houston Chronicle reported.

After receiving millions of dollars from the CARES Act funds in December, the Houston-based church faced major backlash online, specifically from church-state separation groups, according to the Houston Chronicle. At the time, owner Osteen's name even trended on Twitter.

Ten months later, the church will repay the total amount of funds received.

Initially, the church defended the decision to apply for the loan, making the argument that none of the money was going to go to Osteen or his wife.

"Like many organizations temporarily shuttered by the pandemic, this loan provided Lakewood Church short-term financial assistance in 2020 ensuring that its approximately 350 employees and their families would continue to receive a paycheck and full health care benefits," the church said through a spokesperson.

Lakewood was not alone in this case, as at least 60 Texas religious institutions were approved for more than $1 million in PPP loans, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Still, church-state separation groups criticized religious groups who received this government payout. They argued that since the loans were forgivable, they were essentially grants from the government, which was, by their measure, subsidizing religious practices. This goes against the Constitution, they said.

"Religious freedom is a core promise of our Constitution, and that means that no one should be forced to pay for someone else's religious beliefs or practices," Rob Boston, senior adviser for the Washington, based Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Joel Osteen took over Lakewood Church in 1999 following the death of his dad in 1999, Fox Business reported. His sermons to 52,000 weekly congregants are seen worldwide.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

GREENWASHING

Top fossil fuel lender JPMorgan joins UN climate action finance plan


FILE PHOTO: JPMorgan Chase & Co corporate headquarters in New York

Elizabeth Dilts Marshall
Fri, October 8, 2021

NEW YORK (Reuters) -JPMorgan Chase & Co said Friday it was joining the United Nation's Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a group of global banks that have committed to dramatically reducing their carbon financing and investment activities.

As the largest U.S. bank and a major lender to the fossil fuel industry, JPMorgan has been criticized for not joining the group, which launched in April, sooner. The announcement comes ahead of next month's UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP 26, in Glasgow.

JPMorgan followed rivals Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and others in aligning its climate plan with the UN's Race to Zero campaign.

"We are joining the Net Zero Banking Alliance because we support the ambition for greater climate action, the sharing of best practices and a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors to reach this goal," Marisa Buchanan, JPMorgan's global head of sustainability, said in a statement.

Member banks are required to submit science-based climate plans that cover all types of emissions, include 2030 interim targets and commit to transparent reporting and accounting. Banks have 18 months to set the 2030 interim targets.

Critics say the group's targets are too weak and flexible.

"Without a plan to stop funding the expansion of fossil fuels, commitments like this are completely inadequate," said Ben Cushing, fossil-free finance campaign manager at the Sierra Club.

In May, JPMorgan set out mid-term, carbon reduction goals for clients, including asking oil and gas clients reduce the intensity of direct and indirect emissions. [L1N2MZ2S4]

(Reporting by Elizabeth Dilts Marshall; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Massive flare seen on the closest star to the solar system: What it means for chances of alien neighbors


R. O. Parke Loyd, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Astrophysics, Arizona State University
Sun, October 10, 2021, 

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the solar system and is home to a potentially habitable planet. Hubble/European Space Agency/WikimediaCommons, CC BY-SA

The Sun isn’t the only star to produce stellar flares. On April 21, 2021, a team of astronomers published new research describing the brightest flare ever measured from Proxima Centauri in ultraviolet light. To learn about this extraordinary event – and what it might mean for any life on the planets orbiting Earth’s closest neighboring star – The Conversation spoke with Parke Loyd, an astrophysicist at Arizona State University and co-author of the paper. Excerpts from our conversation are below and have been edited for length and clarity.

Why were you looking at Proxima Centauri?

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to this solar system. A couple of years ago, a team discovered that there is a planet – called Proxima b – orbiting the star. It’s just a little bit bigger than Earth, it’s probably rocky and it is in what is called the habitable zone, or the Goldilocks zone. This means that Proxima b is about the right distance from the star so that it could have liquid water on its surface.

But this star system differs from the Sun in a pretty key way. Proxima Centauri is a small star called a red dwarf – it’s around 15% of the radius of our Sun, and it’s substantially cooler. So Proxima b, in order for it to be in that Goldilocks zone, actually is a lot closer to Proxima Centauri than Earth is to the Sun.

You might think that a smaller star would be a tamer star, but that’s actually not the case at all – red dwarfs produce stellar flares a lot more frequently than the Sun does. So Proxima b, the closest planet in another solar system with a chance for having life, is subject to space weather that is a lot more violent than the space weather in Earth’s solar system.

A photo of the surface of the Sun with a towering explosion of plasma.

What did you find?

In 2018, my colleague Meredith MacGregor discovered flashes of light coming from Proxima Centauri that looked very different from solar flares. She was using a telescope that detects light at millimeter wavelengths to monitor Proxima Centauri and saw a big of flash of light in this wavelength. Astronomers had never seen a stellar flare in millimeter wavelengths of light.

My colleagues and I wanted to learn more about these unusual brightenings in the millimeter light coming from the star and see whether they were actually flares or some other phenomenon. We used nine telescopes on Earth, as well as a satellite observatory, to get the longest set of observations – about two days’ worth – of Proxima Centauri with the most wavelength coverage that had ever been obtained.

Immediately we discovered a really strong flare. The ultraviolet light of the star increased by over 10,000 times in just a fraction of a second. If humans could see ultraviolet light, it would be like being blinded by the flash of a camera. Proxima Centauri got bright really fast. This increase lasted for only a couple of seconds, and then there was a gradual decline.

This discovery confirmed that indeed, these weird millimeter emissions are flares.

A gray rocky planet with a pale star behind it.

What does that mean for chances of life on the planet?

Astronomers are actively exploring this question at the moment because it can kind of go in either direction. When you hear ultraviolet radiation, you’re probably thinking about the fact that people wear sunscreen to try to protect ourselves from ultraviolet radiation here on Earth. Ultraviolet radiation can damage proteins and DNA in human cells, and this results in sunburns and can cause cancer. That would potentially be true for life on another planet as well.

On the flip side, messing with the chemistry of biological molecules can have its advantages – it could help spark life on another planet. Even though it might be a more challenging environment for life to sustain itself, it might be a better environment for life to be generated to begin with.

But the thing that astronomers and astrobiologists are most concerned about is that every time one of these huge flares occurs, it basically erodes away a bit of the atmosphere of any planets orbiting that star – including this potentially Earth-like planet. And if you don’t have an atmosphere left on your planet, then you definitely have a pretty hostile environment to life – there would be huge amounts of radiation, massive temperature fluctuations and little or no air to breathe. It’s not that life would be impossible, but having the surface of a planet basically directly exposed to space would be an environment totally different than anything on Earth.
Is there any atmosphere left on Proxima b?

That’s anybody’s guess at the moment. The fact that these flares are happening doesn’t bode well for that atmosphere being intact – especially if they’re associated with explosions of plasma like what happens on the Sun. But that’s why we’re doing this work. We hope the folks who build models of planetary atmospheres can take what our team has learned about these flares and try to figure out the odds for an atmosphere being sustained on this planet.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: R. O. Parke Loyd, Arizona State University.