🌞 Free Gas – July 27 2022

*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 5:00 am ET. 

The Lead: Monkeypox

credit: dw

Last Saturday, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency. Africa tried to tell us.

Monkeypox is not an STD, even though the West seems to have lazer focus on the fact that the first concentrations of the virus were in males who had sex with males. The smallpox-like virus is spread through close skin-to-skin contact with others. This could be through sex, but it doesn’t have to be. Africa could tell you that too.

Central and West Africa have been going through monkeypox outbreaks for years. Decades. Vaccines do exist, but they are nowhere to be found in the country.

“We know that for those countries that have some stocks [of vaccines], they are mainly reserving them for their own populations,” said Fiona Braka, lead of emergency operations at WHO Africa.

The U.S. currently has around 3,400 confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases. According to the CDC, that makes the country the current leader in known monkeypox infections. We are not at Covid-level threat here, but it’s definitely spreading. 

While the disease has proven fatal in several cases in Africa (where they are still seeking vaccines), there haven’t been any deaths elsewhere. 

Hopefully that won’t be another thing Africa tried to tell us.

EU Tries to Ween Itself Off Russian Gas

EU President Ursula von der Leyden credit: getty

The European Union is prepping for a full stop of Russian gas.

EU member states agreed Tuesday to a proposal that outlined the process for reducing each country’s use of gas by 15%. The reduction is voluntary for now, but there is a process for it to become mandatory in emergency situations. Such as…Russia cutting off all gas, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says is a “likely scenario.” The latest signal of this is today’s expected reduction of gas flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to 20% capacity. 

Because of the looming threat, this agreement had a super-fast turnaround. There are carve-outs and exceptions, but most of the EU supports it. Hungary was the only opposing member, which is not a surprise. 

Last year, Russia supplied 40% of the EU’s gas. That would definitely be missed if it went away. This proposal will hurt, but it allows countries to voluntarily save gas when they have it for a rainy day when they don’t.

Beach Ready with MANSCAPED™

We've got the best July beach readiness package you've ever heard of. Meet Manscaped. This awesome company will change your personal grooming life. Seriously. 

Manscaped just rolled out their new Performance Package 4.0 which is the best below-the-waist grooming package you'll ever need. Inside you'll find their new Lawn Mower, love the name, which is a SkinSafe trimmer to reduce nicks to your two best friends. 

When you order the Performance Package you'll get a free travel bag and a pair of their super comfortable anti-chafing boxer briefs. 

Get 20% and free shipping by using our coupon code REDACTED when you visit Manscaped.com. Your family jewels will thank you.

Contraception Vending Machines

credit: ms

Vending machines are a fast, convenient way to get what you need. Several U.S. colleges are taking that beyond snack food.

Emergency Contraception for Every Campus, or EC4EC, is a campaign from the American Society for Emergency Contraception to increase emergency contraception access for kids on college campuses across the country.

Along with helping to organize peer-to-peer networks, the campaign also helps students take vending machines to the EC level. Around fifteen campuses in seven states have EC vending machines now, featuring emergency contraception, condoms, pregnancy tests, and more. They’re open when students are more likely to have emergencies (like weekends and nights) and they don’t judge or charge too much.

Vending machines aren’t scary, they’re not threatening. In a country where abortion is both for a lot of people, increasing EC access can help to achieve the fewer abortions desired by everyone. Rather than go to a pharmacist who might be allowed to deny the sale of EC because of moral objections, with an EC vending machine, Plan B could be right next to a vending machine with Fritos. While there might be a time when people can deny the sale of Fritos due to moral objections, we’re not there yet. 

For Americans, these may seem novel. For the Italians, not so much. Condom vending machines are easy to find in the streets of Milan, Rome, you name it. 

News By The Numbers

credit: WSJ

75 miles. That is how long Saudi Arabia’s planned mirrored skyscraper will stretch. If it happens, it will be the world’s largest structure.

750 euros. That is how much French shops with A/C will be fined if they leave their doors open or otherwise fail to limit electricity waste.

67. That is how many Chinese cities were under severe heat warnings Monday, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Art As a Form of Protest

credit: chizzy

Meet Rhonda Santis.

Florida artist Chad Mize has some colorful stickers for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who recently expressed his support of child protective services investigating parents who bring kids to drag shows and strip clubs. Desantis says it's a form of child endangerment. 

The stickers depict Ron DeSantis dressed in the drag persona “Rhonda Santis,” waving a rainbow flag and saying “gay," a reference to the Parental Rights Education Bill, which opponents have dubbed "Don't Say Gay." 

100% of proceeds from the stickers—which are selling like Rhonda Hotcakes—will go to advocacy organization Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQIA+ rights group.

Mize told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that “Let’s Go Rhonda” yard signs could be coming soon so when you see them, now you understand the meme. 

What's Trending?

credit: getty

Tony Dow is trending because the U.S. director and actor who played Wally Cleaver on the TV series “Leave it to Beaver” died at age 77.

Hulu is trending. The streaming service owned by Disney blocked Democratic political ads on subjects like abortion and gun control. Many people are not happy about this.

#ADA32 is trending because yesterday was the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

Share The Love

Become a friend of Morning Invest by sharing this newsletter with someone you love.

When you do, we don’t just give you a pat on the back and say, “Well done old sport.” We give you actual rewards that’ll make everyone jealous.

Share Now

Or copy & paste your referral link to others:

[AFFILIATE_URL]