Learn: What is Critical Race Theory

 I've heard about Critical Race Theory, and fortunately, Dictionary . com decided to do a spotlight on it, and provide an explanation, so today's blog shares that with you, so you can learn, too.

WHAT IS CRITICAL RACE THEORY?

Dictionary . Com July 6, 2021

Critical Race Theory (commonly abbreviated as CRT) refers to a way of analyzing systems, institutions, and power through a lens of race and racism.

Central to Critical Race Theory is the idea that many institutions are built on and enforce systemic racism and oppression of people of color, that this racism and oppression have a long history in the US and the world (including slavery and its legacy), and that they are ongoing and driven by white supremacy.

As an academic, intellectual, or philosophical discipline or school or thought, Critical Race Theory is broad and encompasses the discussion and use of many related concepts and terms, such as implicit bias, intersectionality, and white privilege.

Critical Race Theory has widespread influence among scholars who study race and racism and is also applied by scholars and professionals in other fields, including law and education. It is part of or is the basis for part of the curriculum in some schools and universities.

The theory has become a target of criticism, particularly among conservative politicians and others who claim it is divisive and is used to further many of the policies and values that they are opposed to. Proponents of Critical Race Theory often accuse such critics of frequently misrepresenting the theory, the ideas behind it, and the ways in which it is taught or used as the basis for programs or policies.

 

Idiots of the Week: The Vatican; Protests Against Italy's Anti-LGBTQ and Disabilities Discrimination Bill

There's nothing like shouting you are a bunch of intolerant bigots, as using a Pulpit to do it, and one that gives you a front row seat to the world of followers. Well, the Vatican and Catholic Church did just that. They're protesting a bill in Italy that would punish discrimination and incitement to violence against the LGBT community, as well as women and people with disabilities.   Here's the story of This Week's Idiots, (courtesy of the BBC News):  

(The Vatican, the Catholic Church's fortress. Credit: WIRED) 

Vatican protests against 'unprecedented' Italian bill on homophobia

BBC News, June 22, 2021 

  The Vatican has protested to Italy over a bill on homophobia currently passing through parliament.

The Zan bill would punish discrimination and incitement to violence against the LGBT community, as well as women and people with disabilities.

The Vatican argues the bill would curb religious freedoms secured in a treaty.

Under current Roman Catholic doctrine, gay relationships are referred to as "deviant behaviour".

Advocates of the bill say it has safeguards to ensure religious freedoms.

The Zan bill, named after LGBT activist and politician Alessandro Zan, was passed by the lower house of parliament in November, and now needs to pass the Senate.

It would add legal protections for women and people who are LGBT or disabled. Those found guilty of hate crimes or discrimination against these groups could face up to four years in prison.

(Photo: Inside St. Peter's Basilica. We took this photo in 2016. Credit; R.G)

What are the Vatican's objections?

The Vatican informally delivered a letter to Italy's ambassador on 17 June, protesting against the proposed law.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told AFP news agency the bill was "an unprecedented act in the history of relations" between Italy and the Vatican. The Vatican believes it would violate the Lateran Treaty, signed by the two in 1929, which recognised Vatican City as an independent state.

According to Il Corriere newspaper, the Church has objected to Catholic schools not being exempted from a proposed national day against homophobia and transphobia, to be held on 17 May.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS

image captionAlessandro Zan, sponsor of the proposed law, has insisted it would not lead to religious censorship

It has also expressed concern that Catholics could face legal action for expressing their opinions on LGBT issues.

Matteo Salvini, the leader of far-right Northern League, said his party was aligned with the Church's stance.

Alessandro Zan, who is sponsoring the bill, has rebuffed accusations that it would bring censorship.

"The text [of the law] does not restrict in any way freedom of expression or religious freedom. And it respects the autonomy of all schools," he tweeted.

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has adopted a more liberal stance towards homosexuality.

In a documentary last year, he said same-sex couples should be allowed to have "civil unions".

But Pope Francis has previously reiterated the Church's position that homosexuality is a sin. In 2018, he also said that he was "worried" about homosexuality in the clergy, calling it "a serious matter."

Good Person/Hero of the Week: India boatman praised for saving baby girl floating in a box

This week's hero is a fisherman on India's Ganges River. He saw a box floating on the river and realized there was an infant within that had obviously been abandoned. He saved the baby. Here's the story from BBC News 

(Photo of fisherman holding the box with the baby. Credit:  https://indianlekhak.com/india-news/newborn-baby-girl-found-floating-in-the-ganges-in-a-wooden-box-saved-by-the-sailor )

India boatman praised for saving baby girl floating in a box

BBC NEWS June 17, 2021 

A boatman in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state is being praised after he rescued a baby girl found floating in a wooden box in the Ganges river.

Gullu Chaudhary said he was alerted by the cries of the 21-day-old and found her wrapped in a red scarf in the box decorated with images of Hindu deities.

The baby has been taken to hospital and her health is being monitored. She will be sent to a shelter home later.  Officials are investigating how the baby ended up in the river.

They have not speculated on possible motives for the abandonment, but India's gender ratio is one of the worst in the world. Women are often discriminated against socially and girls are seen as a financial burden, particularly among poor communities. Although most unwanted female fetuses are aborted with help from illegal sex determination clinics, cases of baby girls being killed or abandoned after birth are not uncommon either.

Police said the box had a birth horoscope card which had the time and date of the baby's birth, and mentioned her name as Ganga - the Hindi name for river Ganges.

The state government said it would bear the costs of the baby's nurturing. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the boatman would be rewarded with government benefits, including a house, for showing a "matchless example of humanity".

Officials in Ghazipur district, where the baby was rescued, told reporters that District Magistrate MP Singh had checked on the baby and that officials were also sent to meet the boatman.

Mr Chaudhary told local reporters that when people on the river bank heard the baby girl's cries, no one stepped forward to help. "But I rushed to rescue her. When I opened the wooden box, I found her." The incident created a stir as a crowd gathered on the banks of the river. Videos shot at the scene showed the boatman picking up the box from the water and cradling the newborn in his arms. He then took the baby to his house from where police picked her up and the child welfare officials took her to hospital.

Short Video History: Wanda Sykes Takes Us Through the History of LGBTQ+ — Now You Know

During June (Pride month), one of the areas of my employer included this in their panel to educate employees about the history and issues facing the gay community (LGBTQ- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer). This well-done video is about 4 minutes long, narrated by comedienne Wanda Sykes. Watch and learn.

Video: Wanda Sykes Takes Us Through the History of LGBTQ+ — Now You Know

Have you ever wondered about the beginnings of homosexuality? Get to know a little bit about the fight for equality as Wanda Sykes takes us on a journey all the way back to the Middle Ages. Now, in 2019, we get to celebrate moments like Pride Month in June and Transgender Awareness Week in November. 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wkzwDOCEDCo

Never Buy "Green Dot" Debit Cards - They are a SCAM.

 Another life lesson learned - Do Not Ever buy a "Green Dot Debit Card" for any reason. Especially for a gift.  This company is a SCAM. These cards are actually for sale in CVS, Walgreens and other outlets. In today's blog you'll learn why you should avoid them (and the mess I dealt with). 

WHY I BOUGHT IT - Last week my credit card was compromised (2nd time in a year, UGH) and I refuse to use my debit card for on-line purchases (because if you do, and it gets compromised, thieves can wipe out your bank account). So, these "Green Dot" cards came recommended by an acquaintance on social media. BIG MISTAKE.

HOW IT WORKS - First, you must pay $2.00 for the card at purchase on top of the amount you want to put on it. I put $20 on the card because that was the minimum. I didn't mind the $2.00 since it's a service. What I DID mind came next.

CARD NUMBER COMPROMISED - I don't understand why people steal other people's credit and debit cards. It seems that people go into stores and write the card numbers down or something. Whatever happened, the number of the GREEN DOT Debit Card was STOLEN and used, not once but 3 TIMES in 1 week.  * When you set up the card, they ask for a phone number, so they texted me of 3 different fraud alerts, two from Fake companies in Florida, one in California... so I had to reply "NO" to the valid charges text question.  - 

ONE OF THE FRAUDULENT CHARGES- Some weird website listed as www.schfve.com charged $39.99 on the card. I've never heard of them. 

HIDDEN MONTHLY FEE CHARGED NEXT DAY AFTER PURCHASE - I had to log into the Green Dot Website to check that the false charges were removed (which totaled $83 and the card only had $20 on it). That's when I saw "GREEN DOT MONTHLY MAINTENANCE FEE" of $7.95!  So, just ONE DAY after I put $20 on the card, it was only worth $12.05 . WTH?

POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE - I tried going the "Chat" route on their website, which was useless. Then I finally found a phone number and went through about 10 prompts, including inputting your card number, Phone#, Birthday and SS# (which I found out was mandatory to prevent terrorists from buying debit cards and purchasing airline tickets- it's a 9/11 regluation- that I'm uncomfortable with).   30 Minutes of navigating later, I got a HUMAN. They put an "In-store purchase Only" lock on the card, so on-line purchases were blocked - at least that was okay. 

TO REISSUE THE CARD  - Would be yet another $5.00 charge to the already dwindling balance of $12.95. I was ready to tell them to keep the freaking Card!  

THEN... 

ANOTHER CHARGE WHILE I WAS On-LINE with Customer Service! - They said another $2.99 charge was JUST MADE against the card from another company while I was on hold! WTH?  The customer Service Person said, "You can dispute the charge but I have to transfer your call." So he did. RIGHT into LIMBO. 

NO MORE RESPONSE - I called back again. And again, and again. No one answered. I went back to the On-Line Chat, and got  a response that said "Someone will return your call in 24 hours." They didn't. 

END RESULT- No resolution. My $22 card is now worth $9.06 and I must spend it in store today to keep the money, otherwise the July "Monthly Fee" will take another $7.95 and leave the card at $1.11. THIS IS A SCAM. 

CVS and Walgreens should immediately stop selling this garbage.  

Good news: Woman Looking to Adopt from Penn. Shelter Finds the Dog She Lost 2 Years Ago

Wow. This is one happy, emotional story. Tom found this story in People dot com, and when I read it, it brought a tear to my eyes. Our dogs are our kids. This woman's dog went missing 2 years ago, and the surprise reunion was pretty emotional. Here's the story.

 

(Photo: Aisha Nieves reunited with her dog after 2 years. Cr:  Lehigh County Humane Society's (LCHS)) 

Woman Looking to Adopt a Pet From a Pennsylvania Shelter Finds the Dog She Lost 2 Years Ago 

Vanessa Etienne, People.com Mon, June 28, 2021,

A Pennsylvania woman had a sweet reunion with her lost pup after over two years apart.

Aisha Nieves from Allentown, Pennsylvania, was recently searching for a new dog for her two sons and decided to look at the Lehigh County Humane Society's (LCHS) adoption webpage. She immediately noticed that a tan pit bull-Rottweiler mix up for adoption at the shelter was the same beloved dog she lost a few years ago.

"I thought, 'Wait, that can't be him,'" Nieves told The Morning Call. "Then, I saw the little scar over one eye, the scar from when he got caught in a gate, and I was like, 'Oh my God, that's my baby, that's Kovu!'"

Nieves first adopted Kovu, who the LCHS listed on their adoption site as "Ash," when the canine was just 7 weeks old. Kovu lived with her until he went missing in May 2019. Weeks later, he was found by the LCHS in bad health.

"He needed to be treated for fleas, was missing hair on his hind end and had inflammation," LCHS director of development Deirdre Snyder told the outlet. "He was treated with antibiotics and bathed with a special medical shampoo. He was in our shelter for about four months and then adopted out to a family Oct. 25, 2019."

However, Kovu was returned to the shelter earlier this month because the family who adopted him was facing eviction. After seeing her lost dog online, Nieves immediately called the shelter to verify she was Kovu's original owner and reunite with the pup.

According to The Morning Call, Nieves said that at the reunion, "He was screaming, trying to get away from the guy holding him and run to me. Then, he just jumped on me, and we started kissing and hugging. He sat on my lap. I told him, 'Yeah, buddy, you're going home. I'm so sorry this happened. Never again am I losing you.'"

"Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and that is likely the first thing that brings the recognition," Snyder added, explaining it's not unusual for a dog to recognize their owner after a long period of time. "There are many videos online of military personnel coming home after a long time away and their dog will recognize them with a similar joy and excitement that Kovu had for Aisha."

After the emotional reunion, Kovu is now home with Nieves and her family, looking forward to celebrating his seventh birthday this winter.

In the News: Stolen Picasso and Mondrian Paintings found in Athens

An art heist that happened in Greece in 2012 has been solved. Police found 2 priceless paintings in a man's attic in Greece. Here's the story from Greece's news source E-Kathermerini.

(Image: Pablo Picasso’s “Head of a Woman” and Piet Mondrian’s “Stammer Windmill” Credit: Times of Malta) 

Stolen Picasso found in Athens 

 Newsroom - E-Kathemerini-com, Greece 28.06.2021 • 22:14

Almost nine years after they were stolen in a near-perfect heist at the National Gallery in Athens, Pablo Picasso’s “Head of a Woman” and Piet Mondrian’s “Stammer Windmill” have been found.

The two works were recovered in the eastern Attican town of Keratea, hidden inside the house of a Greek man, who was being monitored by police.

The perpetrators of the 2012 theft had also removed an early 17th-century sketch attributed to the Italian Mannerist artist Guglielmo Caccia. This sketch was found damaged.

The two paintings are now in the possession of the police.

The 2012 art heist had baffled police. The two burglars entered the gallery in the early hours through an unlocked balcony door, having drawn security guards away from the paintings by setting off alarms at several locations throughout the museum.

Security footage shows the men swiftly removing stripping the paintings from their frames.

Although two men were arrested and convicted for the heist, the identity of the mastermind behind the heist remained a mystery.

Picasso painted “Head of a Woman” in 1939. Ten years later, he offered the work to the Greek people in honor of their contribution to the resistance under Nazi occupation.

On the back of the painting, a handwritten dedication of the Spanish painter states: “Pour le peuple grec, hommage de Picasso” (For the Greek people, tribute from Picasso). visual arts crime

ABOUT PIET MONDRIAN'S PAINTING:  Pietmondrian.com said: 

There is a charming bridge alongside the mill, plus a small building which was perhaps for storing the daily farm yield. The view is typically Dutch and in all honesty this painting could have appeared a decade earlier, such is the style used by Mondrian. It was only several years later that he changed his painting approach and at this stage he concentrated on Dutch landscapes, including a number of other paintings of windmills and small rural villages.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, US owns this painting and it is clearly proud of having an original Mondrian within its collection.

Fantastic Mystery: Lights Out! by Donald Bain 5 of 5 Stars

Donald Bain is one of my favorite writers. He's penned most of the Murder She Wrote mystery series, and many of the "Margaret Truman mysteries." He also wrote several books under his own name and I just enjoyed one called "Lights Out" published in 2014. As the promo said, it's a   bold money-making scheme that spins wildly out of control in this absorbing thriller!

  Sadly, Donald Bain passed away a couple of years ago, but the books he left behind are all brilliant. I love his style of writing short, pointed chapters. That will always grab me in reading a book. In short, this book will grab you from the start and make you like the main character Carlton Smythe, and as he makes bad decisions, you cringe, but the author is brilliant in making the reader continue to be somewhat sympathetic. The end totally surprised me. 5 of 5 stars!! 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Five major blackouts have paralyzed the USA since the late 1950s. The sixth will occur in a few months' time.

At the age of fifty-three, married Canadian engineer Carlton Smythe meets a mysterious woman in a Buenos Aires bar - and falls head over heels in love for the first time in his life. Desperate to find the funds to escape his loveless marriage to Cynthia and embark on a new life in Argentina with the beautiful Gina Ellanado, Smythe devises an audacious money-making scheme, brilliant in its simplicity and boldness. But to pull it off, he will need to do business with some wholly undesirable criminal elements, including reputed local Mafia boss Dominick Martone and some USA counterparts. And that's when things start to spin wildly out of control.

Idiot of the Week: Kansas Republican kicked teen in testicles - says it was God's plan.

Sometimes when people are way too immersed in their religion and they lose their grip on reality, they cite their god as an excuse to brutalize, harm or even kill others. Such was the case in May when a Republican state legislator was acting as a High School Substitute teacher and brutalized a 16 year old student. This guy committed assault and should be jailed and undergo psychiatric evaluation and never be allowed near children. He's dangerous. Here's the story from the Kansas City Star and Huff.post.>>

Kansas Republican accused of kicking teen in testicles says it was God's plan 

Huffington Post/Kansas City Star  May 26, 2021

State Rep. Mark Samsel allegedly assaulted a 16-year-old student while substitute teaching at a public school in his hometown last month. The deputy’s affidavit, released to reporters Tuesday, said the boy showed him a golf ball-sized “road rash” and a 3-to-4 inch scratch on his back that he said appeared after Republican state Rep. Mark Samsel, of Wellsville, pushed him up against a classroom wall on April 28.

The Kansas City Star reported: The Wellsville Republican faces three misdemeanor battery charges involving two approximately 16-year-old victims from an April 28 incident at the city’s high school. Numerous videos taken by students that day show Samsel ranting about God, the Bible, masturbation and suicide. One student told police Samsel kicked him in the crotch.

Videos show Samsel telling one student, “You’re about to anger me and get the wrath of God.” He then grabbed the student with both hands and shoved him against the wall.

Samsel, 36, was charged in May with three misdemeanor counts of battery following his “rude, insulting or angry” interactions with two students, ages 15 or 16, during an art class at Wellsville High School. He has pleaded not guilty. Each of the charges is punishable by up to six months in jail. When the deputy asked Samsel whether God told him to do so, Samsel answered, “Twice.”

The Wellsville school district has banned Samsel from its property and events for a year. A Franklin County magistrate ordered Samsel to undergo a mental health evaluation. His next court hearing is set for July 12. LINK: https://www.kansascity.com/news/article251138149.html

Good News/Hero of the Week: My Autistic Son Didn’t Have A Prom Date. What His Brother Did Next Was Beautiful.

 This week's Good News story has a number of things to appreciate. First, its important that everyone be more accepting of people with disabilities like Ian in this story, who has autism. Second, Jonah, the brother of an autistic high school student is a Hero in my eyes. He is the epitomy of "Brotherly Love" and his actions brought a tear to my eyes when I read this story.  

 The author's sons, Jonah (right) and Ian (left), poses for prom pictures on their front lawn. COURTESY OF LAURA MCKENNA

My Autistic Son Didn’t Have A Prom Date. What His Brother Did Next Was Beautiful.

Laura McKenna

to the Huffington Post, June 16 ,2021 

My husband and I will be two of those tearful parents of a high school graduate in a couple of weeks. We are beyond proud of our boy, Ian. But our pride is mingled with some irritation and resentment because students with disabilities like my son do not always feel included in this month of graduation parties and rituals. They often remain on the outskirts of school life, even during this special time.

My son Ian is on the autism spectrum, a disability that affects social skills, so he did not have a partner or group of friends to join him at prom earlier this month. Instead, his older brother, Jonah, took the day off from his summer job to escort Ian to the prom. While schools may be slow to find a place for families like mine, sometimes a good-natured big brother can make a difference.

From a young age, siblings of kids with disabilities often need to support their parents with caretaking responsibilities and watch their brothers and sisters struggle to complete tasks that nondisabled kids might find effortless. Conformity-loving teens can be embarrassed by their siblings’ behavior and appearance. Ian’s version of autism is relatively light, but his therapies and tailored activities were sometimes so time-consuming that I had less energy for Jonah.

At the same time, these relationships can provide powerful gifts for these siblings. They are able to learn to appreciate the beauty in differences and neurodiversity. Jonah told me that his relationship with his brother has changed the way he sees the world and, he believes, made him kinder and more patient.

“I can empathize with lots of different people,” he said. “I don’t judge people too quickly based on their behavior.”

Back when he was in high school, I suggested that Jonah write his college admissions essay about his experiences having a brother with a disability. He refused. Jonah said he didn’t want to feel pressured to say anything negative about Ian because his brother was only a source of positivity in his life. “I just like the dude,” he said.

About a month ago, when I asked if he would accompany Ian to prom, Jonah promptly said yes. The afternoon before the big day, we picked up matching charcoal gray suits and scarlet bow ties from the local tuxedo rental shop. Jonah styled Ian’s hair with goop and attached his cuff links. As I took the obligatory photos on the front lawn, Jonah showed his red-headed brother some men’s catalog-style poses for the camera.

During the evening, Jonah texted me with updates about how Ian blended in on the dance floor and chatted with classmates. When they came home, I asked Ian how it went. Not one to emote, he simply said, “Great!” He had a huge smile on his face, so I knew it was a special night. Jonah said he also had fun that night because it was so enjoyable watching Ian have a good time. Both kids gave the empanada truck the school had brought in for the event a big thumbs up.

Proud of both boys, I shared a prom picture the next day with my small group of friends and followers on Twitter, writing, “When my kid with autism didn’t have friends or a girlfriend to join him at the prom, his big brother took the day off work and went with him. Two awesome kids.”

Shortly after I posted that tweet, we drove to upstate New York to go camping for the weekend. With spotty internet access at the campsite, my phone only came to life when we drove into town for dinner. My jaw dropped when I saw the responses to the prom photo. Ten thousand people from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations had liked and retweeted the picture of my kids. They told me about their siblings or children with disabilities, while others simply offered congratulations. Some replied with pictures of their own disabled children with their siblings at prom.

Out there in the woods, surrounded by some tall trees and ticks, I felt the embrace of other caregivers, families and kind people everywhere. And that support came at just the right time.

I won the lottery with my two boys, but sometimes being a parent to a disabled child can be rather exhausting. With graduation around the corner, I can’t help but reflect on our history in public education, including those tough years when we wrangled with school administrators to properly educate my son. While his teachers were always kind and well-meaning, special education is underfunded, and smart kids with autism can be particularly difficult to integrate into public schools. Some of those wounds from our school struggles never fully healed.

While [my son’s] teachers were always kind and well-meaning, special education is underfunded, and smart kids with autism can be particularly difficult to integrate into public schools. Some of those wounds from our school struggles never fully healed. Those sensitivities are exacerbated now as we deal with graduation rituals and parties that are often inaccessible to kids with disabilities and focus on honoring kids in AP classes and varsity sports. There’s no award for the kids who are kind or who overcome obstacles. When Ian left the hospital last spring after a three-day stay to recover from a dangerous reaction to epilepsy medicine, he insisted on going to school the next day with his mouth still grotesquely puffed out. There should be some recognition for that.

The support of strangers on the internet helped me make peace with the past, so I can tackle our next challenges with greater optimism and hope.

In a couple of weeks, we’ll attend graduation day. We’ll cheer extra hard for kids like Ian — kids who are hardworking and often don’t get celebrated in the same ways their peers do. I already made a mental note to bring my big purse that day stuffed full with tissues.

Northwestern U.S. and Canada Shatter Heat Records

Global warming causes temperature extremes. We’ve seen colder than normal spells in winters here in the U.S. East Coast, and hotter than normal summers. That’s how global warming affects the planet. In the last weekend of June, residents of the Northwestern United States, and southwestern Canada broke record high temperatures with scorching heat in the 110s Fahrenheit! In today’s blog you’ll read about the Pacific Northwest, and southwestern Canada (courtesy of a BBC News article) and how an Omega Block made it happen.

(Image: What an "Omega Block" looks like in the jet stream, that brought record heat to the Pacific Northwest. Credit: CBS News) 

WHAT IS AN “OMEGA BLOCK”? – It’s an area of dangerously hot air in the shape of the Greek Letter “Omega.” In this case, the jet stream has trapped a ridge of high pressure (that's the heat dome) over the Pacific Northwest, creating a block in the atmosphere that prevents the weather system from moving on.

RECORDS SHATTER IN U.S. PACIFIC NORTHWEST - Before the weekend of June 26-27, the record high for the city of Seattle, Washington was 107 degrees in 1981. Seattle reached 108 degrees Monday, June 28, beating its prior record of 104 degrees reached Saturday – its all time record high temperature, ever!   Portland, Oregon recorded its all-time high temperature of 116, setting new record for third day in a row. Portland hit 116 degrees Monday afternoon, June 28, 2021, setting a new record high temperature for the third day in a row, according to the National Weather Service.

 Canada weather: Dozens dead as heatwave shatters records

 BBC NEWS June 30, 2021  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57654133

 Dozens of people have died in Canada amid an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed temperature records. Police in the Vancouver area have responded to more than 130 sudden deaths since Friday. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions, with heat often a contributing factor.

 Canada broke its temperature record for a third straight day on Tuesday - 49.6C (121.3F) in Lytton, British Columbia.

 The U.S. Pacific Northwest has also seen record highs - and a number of fatalities.

 Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated.

 

(Image: Record high temperatures in the western and Eastern U.S. the weekend of June 27-28. Credit: CNN) 

WHAT CAUSED IT?

The heat over western parts of Canada and the US has been caused by a dome of static high-pressure hot air stretching from California to the Arctic territories. Temperatures have been easing in coastal areas but there is not much respite for inland regions.

WHAT WAS THE PREVIOUS HIGH?  Before Sunday, temperatures in Canada had never passed 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) .

MANY HEAT DEATHS IN VANCOUVER - In Vancouver alone, heat is believed to have been a contributing factor in the unexpected deaths of 65 people since Friday, June 25. "I've been a police officer for 15 years and I've never experienced the volume of sudden deaths that have come in in such a short period of time," police sergeant Steve Addison said. Three or four a day is the normal number.

FINDING THE DEAD IN HOUSES -  He said people were arriving at relatives' homes and "finding them deceased".  British Columbia Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said 100 more deaths than normal had been reported in the period from Friday to Monday.

NORTHEAST OF SEATTLE, TINY CANADIAN TOWN SHATTERED HEAT RECORDS -  The tiny village of Lytton, about 155 miles (250 km) east of Vancouver - and not much further south than London - has recorded all of Canada's recent record highs.  Canada temperature reaches record 49.6C.

NO AIR CONDITIONING - Many homes in British Columbia do not have air conditioning as temperatures are usually far milder during the summer months.

HEAT WARNINGS - The country's weather service, Environment Canada, has issued heat warnings for the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, along with areas of Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba.

 

 

18th-Century Wooden Road Unearthed in Poland (and 14th century road beneath it!)

 An ancient road has been discovered in southeastern Poland and it dates back to the 1300s!  In fact, there were remnants from the 18th century on top of the original road from the 13th century. Here's the story from Science in Poland, complete with an animation.

(Photo of the 18th century wooden road. The road was about 3 m wide. Credit: K. Oleszek)

Remnants of old surviving wooden road found in Poland

Szymon Zdziebłowski 6-15-21 / Science in Poland
 

A 30-metre wooden road from the 18th century has been discovered in southeast Poland.

Described as one of the longest surviving roads to be found in modern-day Poland, the remnants uncovered in the centre of the town of Jarosław, would have once led to the city gate in the direction of Kraków and Rzeszów.

Archaeologist Katarzyna Oleszek, who examined and laser scanned the road said: “So far, we have been able to uncover a 30-meter-long wooden trail. We know that it was certainly several dozen meters longer, because I found further fragments during archaeological supervisions.”

She added that the 3-metre-wide, one-way road is one of the longest of its kind to be found in Poland so far and as there are no visible traces of hooves or tracks, the wood used to build it - probably oak - was very durable.

(Photo: The road during excavations. Credit: K.Oleszek)

Research has revealed traces of repairs in several places, which indicates regular 'road works’.

The archaeologists also found coins, fragments of soles and nails nearby.

The road consisted of a load-bearing structure in the form of three wooden joists arranged transversely in relation to the lodged beams. The beams were connected with pins.

Oleszak said that because the town was the scene of one of Europe’s largest fairs, attracting up to 30,000 people including fabric, leather and wine merchants, officials had probably spent quite a lot on the road’s maintenance.

Several hundred years ago Jarosław was on the 400 kilometre route from Bielsko Biała to Lviv. The route was built by the Habsburg Austria.

The road was wooden only in the city, outside the city it had a dirt surface.

After removing the wood, archaeologists found that underneath there was an even older hardened road, probably dating back to the 14th century. Once it has been conserved, the road will go on display in the town’s centre.

VIDEO ANIMATION OF THE ROAD: https://youtu.be/c5N3pgdRz9c