🌞 Top Gun – March 30 2022

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

• Markets: U.S. stock futures drifted slightly lower last night after a regular session rally, as investors cheered upbeat developments on discussions between Russia and Ukraine.

The Lead: Health Crisis in Ukraine

northwestern Obolon district of Kyiv credit: afp

Russia says it will scale back “military activity” around Kyiv and Chernihiv in Ukraine, though some are skeptical that this will change anything. Even if it does and the end of war is in sight, Ukraine will still be heading toward a health crisis that could set them back decades.

Before Russia moved in, a large number of Ukrainians were living with HIV and hepatitis C, and not many were vaccinated against things like Covid, measles, or polio. Drug-resistant tuberculosis has been rampant in the country, too.

But according to the New York Times: “The Ukrainian health ministry in recent years had made progress in bringing these epidemics under control, including a 21% drop in new HIV infections and a 36% decline in TB diagnoses since 2010.”

Enter: Putin’s war. Iana Terleeva, who heads tuberculosis programs for Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, put it bluntly: “Last year, we were working to differentiate between different TB mutations. Now instead, we are trying to differentiate between aerial shelling, raids, and other military hardware.”

War is, a breeding ground for many diseases, and it also prevents people from getting diagnosed and treated. A public health crisis seems unavoidable.

Parental Rights or Parental Spies? 

credit: the Florida channel

Parental rights sound like a good thing. As parents, our job is to guide our kids and help them both survive and become good humans. Some people think this means controlling every part of their lives, which is pretty unsustainable.

But is it? Politicians are speaking to those people right now, using the term “parental rights” to empower parents to spy for them. Florida just passed a bill that lets parents dictate curriculum in public schools (coming soon in Kansas, too). Together with Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, there are now some pretty solid battle lines drawn in the state between teachers (who are underpaid and overworked) and parents.

This kind of legislation is clearly and explicitly focused on the conservative side of the aisle, using the parents’ rights argument to target history, sexuality, and anti-racism with book bans, language bans, and curriculum bans.

The world is becoming more authoritarian across the board, but in the U.S., the “land of the free,” authoritarianism has to be sneaky. It seems like the current parental rights push encourages authoritarian behavior and discourages freedom, pitting teachers against parents. And not all parents. Texas’ attempt to take away parental rights by classifying gender-affirming surgery for trans kids as child abuse is an example of that.

I’m not saying some of these legislators don’t believe what they’re saying/legislating. But it seems like “parents’ rights” could be a way for conservative politicians to gain control by empowering (parent) spies that will keep the future authoritarian government ticking.

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Gas Pains

credit: giphy

Inflation and skyrocketing gas prices are hitting consumers at the pump across the world. In the U.S., instead of re-evaluating the trillions spent on fossil fuel subsidies or prohibiting gas companies from profiting, instead of bringing the child tax credit back or implementing some other form of assistance, some states are giving out tax vacations.

So far, Georgia, Connecticut, and Maryland are offering gas tax holidays to give drivers some relief. Ohio, West Virginia, New York, and New Jersey are also considering it. California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to give every driver in the state a $400 gas tax rebate, and the Gas Tax Relief Act, which would suspend the federal gas tax until January 1, 2023, has been introduced in the Senate.

Gas taxes fund the maintenance of roads and highways across the country, so if this push continues, all those full cars may not have anywhere to go by next year. Also, many are concerned that making it easier to drive more is NOT what the Earth needs right now.

Starcups

credit: starbucks

Starbucks is bringing its affordable luxury brand to reusable cups. For real this time.

As part of its goal to halve waste and carbon emissions by 2030, Starbucks is targeting disposable cups and lids, which account for 40% of the company’s packaging waste. They tried this before, but missed their goal of a quarter of consumers going reusable by 2015.

But this time, they mean business. According to the Starbucks Stories announcement: “Our goal, by 2025, is to create a cultural movement towards reusables by giving customers easy access to a personal or Starbucks provided reusable to-go cup for every visit, making it convenient and delightful to reuse wherever customers are enjoying their Starbucks Experience.”

The company is currently in the testing phase, trying out different reusable programs in eight different markets around the world to find the best way to reach customers.

I am all for every move Starbucks is making here, but how will this time be different for customers who love convenience and pampering? Maybe Gen Z sustainable-first buyers will make up for any lost customers.

News By The Numbers

4 million. That is how many meals the non-profit organization World Central Kitchen has provided to Ukrainian refugees as of last week, according to founder José Andrés.

7 hours. That is the length of the gap in former President Trump’s phone log before, during, and after the insurrection on January 6. Now investigators are wondering if he used a burner phone during that time.

$26 billion. That is how much President Biden is requesting for the 2023 NASA budget. This would be the largest in NASA’s history.

1 century+. That is how long U.S. legislators have been trying to pass a federal anti-lynching bill. President Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022 into law Tuesday.

What’s Trending?

credit: theverge

Spam text messages is trending because people in the U.S. are reporting getting spam texts (many linking to Russian websites) from their own cell numbers. The call is coming from inside the house.

Zelda is trending because the sequel to the game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been delayed until 2023.

Mick Mulvaney is trending because CBS News has hired Trump’s former acting chief of staff as a contributor.

Top Gun: Maverick is trending. The trailer is out (in theaters May 27) and people are both excited and full of cracks about Tom Cruise’s “seniority.”

Today’s Live Show

JOIN US TODAY AT 9AM EASTERN TIME

Join us on today’s live morning show where we’re looking at Dr. Fauci’s lockdown comments and why health advisors are saying get ready for more. Western leaders are saying they don’t believe Putin’s pulling back in Ukraine. And what the hell is happening to Disney? We have some leaked meeting video that shows Disney is going full on woke. Click here to RSVP and I’ll see you at 9 AM Eastern.

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