Russia Trains "Attack Dolphins," Absurd 1868 Treaty Denying Arizona Residents Water, Europe Euthanizing People for Being Autistic (The Five for 06/27/23)
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Let’s dive into the news.
[one]
Netherlands programs have euthanized otherwise healthy individuals with autism and intellectual handicaps in recent years, researchers have found.
Five individuals under the age of 30, who cited autism as a factor in their decision to seek legal euthanasia, are among the cases reviewed by specialists at the U.K.'s Kingston University.
"Factors directly associated with intellectual disability and/or ASD were the sole cause of suffering described in 21% of cases and a major contributing factor in a further 42% of cases," Kingston University's report on the issue found.
The study noted that in many cases, doctors determined there was "no prospect of improvement" for intellectually challenged individuals because there is no treatment for their handicap.
"Reasons for the EAS [euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide] request included social isolation and loneliness (77%), lack of resilience or coping strategies (56%), lack of flexibility (rigid thinking or difficulty adapting to change) (44%) and oversensitivity to stimuli (26%). In one-third of cases, physicians noted there was ‘no prospect of improvement’ as ASD and intellectual disability are not treatable," the study reads.
Just to go through those “reasons” for euthanizing adults with intellectual disabilities:
Loneliness
lack of coping strategies
lack of flexibility
oversensitivity to stimuli
All of those…CAN BE TREATED WITHOUT KILLING SOMEBODY.
[two]
Please try to read about the Russian attack dolphins without laughing.
We shall proceed.
The Russian Navy is “likely” training combat dolphins to intercept enemy divers in the Black Sea, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defence.
The information came in an “Intelligence Update” from the ministry on Friday, which revealed imagery around the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s main naval base at Sevastopol, Crimea.
“Russia has trained animals for a range of missions, but the ones housed in Sevastopol harbour are highly likely intended to counter enemy divers,” the statement said.
The intelligence gathered by the U.K. showed nets, booms, and marine mammal pens used to defend the base and train dolphins for military purposes. The ministry’s post stated, “This includes at least four layers of nets and booms across the harbour entrance. In recent weeks, these defences have highly likely also been augmented by an increased number of trained marine mammals.”
Not only have we uncovered one of the most bizarre tactics of the Russia/Ukraine War, but I think the writers if The Fast & the Furious XIII just found their inspiration to refresh the franchise…
[three]
The Navajo Nation just lost a case in the Supreme Court (5-4), over getting water to their arid lands in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.
The lack of water and infrastructure to pipe it across the vast reaches of the more than 17 million-acre reservation — larger than the state of West Virginia — which straddles parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, remains one of the biggest challenges facing Navajo leaders.
The tribe says the federal government has failed to keep promises and left tribe members to suffer even as the Colorado River runs directly along the reservation's border and provides water for surrounding states.
For Andrew Curley, a Navajo member whose research as a professor at the University of Arizona focuses in part on the relationship between Native American tribes and the federal government on resources like water, the ruling was expected.
"It’s not surprising that the Supreme Court, a colonial court, would side with a colonial government," he said. "The power is stacked against tribes in this scenario."
The case touches upon the complex array of agreements and court decisions that over the decades have dictated how the waters of the Colorado River, divided into upper and lower sections, are allocated among the states. Further complicating matters, the Colorado River system is already depleted due to long-term drought conditions, with the longer-term threat of climate change also looming.
The tribe wants rights to waters in the lower Colorado River that flows along the Navajo reservation’s northwestern border.
Rita Maguire, a lawyer who represented the nearby states at the Supreme Court, said the ruling "makes it clear that the federal government can have no trust duty to a tribe without clear direction by treaty or Congress." Because the Navajo treaty did not require it, the federal government has no duty to secure water.
Uhhh…the treaty was signed in 1868.
So, we’re going to deny water to a people group…over a hastily thrown together after the U.S. government burned the Navajo out of their homes and slaughtered all their livestock, then force marched them 350 miles to an arid patch of desert, killing about 1/3 of the tribe in the process.
So, people today…can’t have water…because their ancestors…hang on…the 2/3 who weren’t slaughtered…forgot to ASK for it 155 years ago?
Does anybody think the Navajo nation was in a position to bargin at that time?
This is lunacy.
[four]
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death in British Columbia, where hard drugs are now legal.
The Daily Wire reports:
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 59 in British Columbia after the Canadian province decriminalized several hard drugs.
Deaths from illegal drugs are now higher than homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural disease combined, British Columbia’s Public Safety and Solicitor General Ministry said Monday in a press release.
From January to May this year, 1,018 British Columbians died from drug overdoses, a 2.9% increase over that period last year. At least 12,264 British Columbians have died from illegal drugs since April, 2016, according to the ministry.
In January, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to decriminalize fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and morphine.
The British Columbia government promised at the time to “treat addiction as a health issue, not a criminal justice one.”
I tend to lean (somewhat) away from dealing with drug abuse through jail time…but the numbers here don’t lie.
[five]
Amazon wants your packages to be delivered by…a local business.
According to a new report from Axios, Amazon wants to partner with small businesses, such as bodegas and IT shops, so that they can become delivery partners. The company pays a small fee to small retailers for each package they deliver.
With this program, Amazon wants to expand its last-mile delivery network and find new partners who can deliver packages for the e-commerce company. Every day, small partner shops receive packages for customers who live in the area. Shop owners or retail employees will then deliver those packages to Amazon customers.
In other words, Amazon wants to turn your florist, dry cleaner or hair salon into small Amazon storage spaces. More importantly, Amazon is always trying to find innovative ways to expand its external workforce. Some small business owners might be looking at ways to supplement their income.
The company has been exploring this idea for a while and it is accepting applications from potential partner stores on its website. Amazon says that partner stores receive 20 to 50 packages per day, seven days a week.
According to Amazon’s referral program, the company is targeting small and mid-size cities, such as Columbia, Missouri, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Fayetteville, Arkansas and Findlay, Ohio. It is also actively recruiting businesses located in Manhattan, New York.
On one hand, small businesses get a cash boost.
On the other, you’re still buying from a corporate behemoth and not people in your own community.
Until the next one,
-sth