28 April 2022
Daily Newsletter
Oklahoma Gov. Signs Ban on Non-Binary Birth Certificates
The Facts
On Tues., Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) signed a bill banning non-binary gender markers on state birth certificates, making Oklahoma the first US state to explicitly do so.
This follows a settlement last year that permitted a non-binary marker on the birth certificate of an Oklahoma-born Oregon resident who sued the Oklahoma DOH after the request was initially denied.
The settlement prompted outrage among Republicans, and Stitt issued an executive order prohibiting any other nonbinary birth certificates.
The Spin
Left narrative
This is yet more anti-equality legislation that targets the LGBTQ+ community. It's a clear attempt to erase the identity of non-binary Americans and goes against the views of most Oklahomans.
Right narrative
This is common-sense legislation that demands clarity and truth on official state documents. Though leftists are self-proclaimed advocates of science, they're quick to throw it out the window when convenient.
Fidelity to Offer Bitcoin Exposure to 401(k) Investors
The Facts
Fidelity Investments, the largest provider of tax-advantaged 401(k) retirement savings plans in the US, announced that it will offer some investors a chance to invest in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
The investment giant's new digital assets account would only be available to investors whose employers have opted to add Bitcoin as a new investment asset.
Fidelity is responding to organic requests from retirement plan sponsors - employers who contract with Fidelity to manage investments on behalf of their employees - according to Dave Gray, Fidelity's head of workplace retirement offerings.
The Spin
Narrative A
This will give Fidelity investors a means of accessing a new monetary technology with the potential to revolutionize banking and finance.
Narrative B
This is dangerous. Bitcoin remains inherently speculative and volatile. Employers and fund managers alike have a fiduciary duty to protect investors from an asset category that is insufficiently understood and regulated.
Cynical narrative
"Not your keys, not your coin." Bitcoin purists know that if you don't hold the coin yourself on a hard wallet protected by your own 12 (or 24) word seed phrase, then you don't actually hold any Bitcoin. Your assets could be subject to forfeiture or seizure.
College Sports: NCAA Pres. Emmert to Step Down
The Facts
The NCAA has announced Mark Emmert will step down as its president either until his replacement is found or until Jun. 30, 2023.
Emmert, 69, has served as president for 12 years and received a contract extension for 2021-2025 at $3M anually.
NCAA revenues reached $1B a year during Emmert's tenure, but the primary governing body of the multibillion-dollar US college sports industry has been in turmoil in recent years – even rewriting its constitution last summer.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is a chance for the NCAA to go in a new direction after Emmert's tenure saw the association's relevance reduced. Someone from outside college sports might be able to better handle the tough responsibilities of returning the NCAA to an integral role. This requires leadership which can present a vision for why the NCAA is vital to the well being of college athletics.
Narrative B
Why does the NCAA even exist? This is the perfect time to consider disbanding this disgraceful organization that has done nothing for years except keep its boot on the throats of college athletes.
Transgender Inmate Sentenced for Rape of Female Prisoner
The Facts
A transgender inmate at NYC's Rikers Island facility, Ramel Blount, now known as Diamond Blount, was sentenced for raping a female prisoner after pleading guilty on Apr. 7.
On Feb. 8, 2021, the victim, whose name hasn't been released, was attacked by Blount after showering.
A rape kit administered by jail officials matched Blount's DNA in the New York State Registry.
The Spin
Right narrative
New York's leaders' fear of being labeled as bigots is what led to the rape at Rikers. While every individual has the right to live their life as they please and should be treated with respect, refusing to acknowledge hard biological facts in cases like this simply puts women at risk.
Left narrative
While the rape at Rikers Island is a tragedy, it doesn't speak for all transgender people in prison. In fact, transgender inmates are often on the other side of such incidents. There needs to be a concerted effort to protect trans and cis-gendered people alike.
Narrative C
The atrocious conditions at the Rikers facility itself borders on a civil rights emergency. The facility is plagued with violence, chronic mismanagement, and horrific living conditions. Dramatic systemic reforms are needed.
Biden Considers Forgiving More Student Loan Debt
The Facts
In a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Mon., Biden said he's exploring further potential actions on student loan debt forgiveness.
Although he didn't discuss forgiving all student debt, he said he's open to going beyond the $10k loan forgiveness pledged during his campaign.
Rep. Darren Soto reported that canceling student debt is something Biden hopes to "carry out sooner rather than later," in a manner that will avoid adding to inflationary pressures.
The Spin
Left narrative
Canceling student loan debt makes sense both economically and politically. Millions of Americans would start with a clean slate, and the stimulative effects in the future would be significant. It would also prove that Democrats can get something done for ordinary Americans, helping their odds in the upcoming midterm elections.
Right narrative
Biden has yet to present a plan to reduce new student loan volume. In the absence of such a plan, even if he were to forgive $50k per borrower, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget calculates that overall student debt will climb back up to current levels by 2030. This will only lead to higher inflation rates and more taxpayer dollars wasted.
Cynical narrative
This is nothing more than a transparent effort to bribe one of the wealthier cohorts of Americans to vote blue in the midterms. Even left-leaning think tanks agree that student loan forgiveness would be a boon to the rich and a transfer of wealth to the young and already privileged.
China Condemns US Warship Transit Through Taiwan Strait
The Facts
On Wed., China protested the passage of a US warship through the Taiwan Strait, which occurred on Tues. The PLA's Eastern Theatre Command accused the US of sending the "wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' forces" by provoking China.
According to a statement from the US 7th Fleet stationed in Japan, the USS Sampson conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, affriming it demonstrated the "United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
In mid-Mar., a US warship also transited the strait. China condemned this action as "very dangerous."
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
The US' traditional strategy of ambiguity with regard to Taipei must be reformed in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Washington must stand for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the Pacific.
Pro-China narrative
The US should respect the agreed upon One-China policy. The PRC doesn't want a conflict but it's prepared to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Nerd narrative
There is a 7% chance that there will be a military conflict between the PRC (China) and ROC (Taiwan) before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community."
Meta Stock Soars Following Q1 Earnings
The Facts
Shares in Meta, the parent company of Facebook and other social networking apps, are on the rise after the company posted its results for the 1st quarter of 2022 on Wednesday.
Meta announced a modest increase in user numbers coupled with an uptick in revenue, although its profits declined for the second straight quarter.
Meta also announced plans to cut costs and to slow the pace of its massive investments in the "metaverse," a virtual/augmented reality ecosystem.
The Spin
Narrative A
Zuckerberg, the visionary founder of Facebook who radically changed the nature of the internet, has set his sights on the metaverse. Investors are clearly confident that Meta's Reality Labs will be a leader in the new space. This is laying the groundwork for very exciting 2030s.
Narrative B
Meta's positive results are little more than a temporary sugar high amidst a broader tech correction. The digital advertising market is saturated and consumers and regulators alike are waking up to the dangers of this model both for individuals and society.
Narrative C
It's not entirely clear what's happening. After two decades of immense profit and negligible oversight, it's high time for transparency social media companies must start handing over their data to researchers and regulators so that we can get a better handle on the broader effects on society.
Trump's 'Truth Social' Tops Apple App Store Chart
The Facts
Truth Social, former President Trump's social media app, has spiked in popularity this week and overtaken Twitter and TikTok to reach the top spot on Apple's US app chart.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the reason Truth Social was doing so well was because Twitter is censoring free speech.
Musk's comments come after his purchase offer was accepted by Twitter's board earlier this week. There's speculation he may be open to reinstating Trump's account, which was suspended following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Millions of users are flocking to Truth because it provides a voice for conservatives shut out by Twitter, plus anyone else is welcome. Besides, Truth now features unimpeachable, fast tech that is working hard to keep out the bots and fake accounts that plague Twitter.
Left narrative
A spike in downloads isn't a predictor of future success. Conservatives are showing interest in returning to Twitter after the Musk news, while would-be subscribers to Truth are landing on a wait list. It's a long row to hoe for Trump's platform, which even he hasn't used since making one post upon its launch.
Cynical narrative
Trump might claim he's not going to return to Twitter, but considering how important it was to him before his ban, one has to expect his desire for the attention and the wider audience Twitter provides will lure him back.
Nerd narrative
There's a 62% chance Trump will be back on Twitter before the end of 2022, according the Metaculus prediction community.
Day 64 Roundup: Missiles Strike Kyiv as UN Head Meets Zelenskyy
The Facts
Kyiv was reportedly hit by two Russian cruise missiles on Thurs. evening, with one striking a residential building. At least three people were injured, according to Ukrainian officials. This couldn't be independently verified.
The alleged attacks came as UN Sec. General António Guterres met with Ukraine Pres. Zelenskyy in Kyiv, after visiting Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. Guterres denounced the war as "evil" and an "absurdity," and urged evacuation corridors to be opened out of Mariupol.
Meanwhile, a series of explosions reportedly boomed in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson late Wed. night. Russian and Ukrainian media both reported a TV tower was struck, at least temporarily knocking Russian channels off the air.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
Putin has launched an illegal war of aggression and has laid waste to Ukraine, committing numerous war crimes along the way. The US and its allies have helped Ukraine fight off Putin for now, but he must be stopped from ever being able to commit these kinds of atrocities again.
Pro-Russia narrative
NATO and the US ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking their promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3% chance that Russia will control Kharkiv on June 1, 2022 according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: 1/5 Reptile Species Threatened With Extinction
The Facts
According to a study published in the journal Nature on Wed., around one-fifth of all reptile species face the risk of extinction, with crocodiles and turtles most threatened.
This represents a combined loss of 15.6B years of evolutionary history if each of the 1,829 threatened reptiles in the study became extinct.
Of the nearly 10,200 reptile species analyzed, around 20% are "vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered," according to standards set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is another drumbeat on the path to ecological catastrophe. Like the climate crisis, the global biodiversity crisis threatens humans because healthy ecosystems provide fertile soil, pollination and water supplies. The potential collapse of so many reptile species is a true emergency.
Narrative B
Too much alarmism about the loss of species is a turn off. The world's animals, and all of their amazing nuances, should be better communicated to the public without an endless barrage of issues like habitat loss, climate change and pollution. Let's tell moving stories about biodiversity without being counterproductive.
Nerd narrative
24.7% of the Earth's land is expected to be protected for wildlife in Jan., 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
