I read something different re: the cause.

It’s difficult to say how they made it past the Darien Gap, but there are several possibilities, Earl said. Monitoring and surveillance for screwworm was relaxed due to the COVID-19 pandemic several years ago, and an increase in illegal cattle trafficking in the region might also be helping to spread animals infected with maggots. The increase in human migration northward may also be playing a role, Earl said.

Source

FYI the Women’s March org is hosting “Free America” protests for the July 4th weekend. See the Women’s March site here. Some other groups may be organizing protests too, but from what I’ve read the WM ones are probably the biggest.

If there’s not a scheduled protest nearby there’s always the option to make a sign and take to a street corner for a solo protest. If you’re feeling especially ambitious there’s always making a giant sign to prop up against the chain link at an interstate overpass (I’ve never done this but it looks fun).

Understanding of course that it’s not just about the presence of amenities, but also the quality. Sure there might be a grocery store, but the fresh produce is questionable, it has limited brand choices, and doesn’t cater to specific dietary needs/preferences, like organic, vegan, gluten-free, etc. Sure there might be a hospital, but it’s chronically understaffed and/or lacking in certain departments. Sure there might be a dentist, but they’re so overbooked they’re not taking new patients. Sure there’s an airport, but tickets are twice as expensive and it’ll take two transfers to visit family every holiday. Etc etc.

This is a very strange time to want to move from one of the most politically progressive to one of the most politically conservative states in the country. I’m assuming your husband is an American-born straight white cis man?

Regardless of politics, has he ever been to Wyoming? It’s a huge state, and much of it is a dry, barren wind tunnel. The NW corner is quite pretty, but also quite expensive. Depending on your budget, he may be surprised to realize the places within financial limits are not anywhere near as nice to live as the photographs indicate, and that’s completely ignoring the issues re: remoteness that others have already described. Seriously you could not pay me to move to most places in Wyoming due to the wind alone; I cannot emphasize enough how windy the I-80 corridor (near the “population centers” of Laramie and Cheyenne) can get.

Basically what I’m getting at is “why Wyoming” of all places?

Rice grown in former plantation states tends to be very high in arsenic, a holdover from the cotton-growing days.

For US-grown rice, my understanding is that California-grown is much safer to consume.

I’m seeing articles about Japanese youth taking record advantage of temporary work programs like working holiday visas, but living abroad for 1-3 years is quite different from leaving Japan altogether. The bigger issues seem to be what’s causing both the temp work abroad and low birth rate issues: high CoL relative to wages, poor work culture, and general perception that the “traditional” life trajectory is unfulfilling/unrewarding.

I always feel like a total dweeb using “contemporary,” but my desire for accuracy wins out every time.

Or rural experience. Wages are still shit but ever since covid rural housing and food costs have gone through the roof.

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For urban environments I 100% agree, but e-bikes and public transport can’t help farmers* get their produce to market. I don’t know much about this truck, but if it can fill a similar niche as the Japanese kei truck, I think it’s great to provide people who actually need a pickup with an alternative to the F-150+ behemoths currently available stateside.

*Yes there are some urban farms that totally could operate via ebike/other form of micro mobility, however most farms, even small ones, are located >10 miles outside urban centers, usually in areas only accessible by roads and highways that are currently very dangerous for non-motorized transportation modes. Fixing this problem would take decades and hundreds of billions if not trillions of dollars even if the government were fully on board with the transportation network and/or land use changes necessary to allow for a true car-free society (which of course they aren’t). I’m not such an idealist as to poo-poo a significant short-term improvement to the “oversized working vehicle” problem.

Somewhat amazed they’ve rebounded this much given the VW emission scandal some years back. Guess it wasn’t that brand-damaging after all.

There’s also a severe shortage of medical professionals ever since covid in all fields all over the country (but especially in rural and rapidly-growing areas). Good luck actually getting a medical appointment, and even if you can swing one standards have been weakened so that what would normally be a visit with a doctor (or the field’s equivalent) is now a nurse practitioner or other less-educated title. If you want a “real” medical professional you need a referral, and again, good luck getting that appointment scheduled. Everyone working in medicine is overworked and burned out. Unless you’re actively bleeding out, seeking medical attention, especially routine checkups and preventative screening, doesn’t feel worth it anymore.

I’m not too surprised to see cancer deaths being one rare area that’s decreasing; besides strides in treatment, most cancer sufferers are older and thus wealthier and also have Medicare, plus they also probably already have a primary care physician from pre-shortage. The hardest-hit in the medical care shortage are the young and people who have recently moved, and find themselves running into the wall of “no one is taking new patients.”

While I appreciate the effort, how is this not an inevitable losing game of whack-a-mole?

Read the article: they were indoor only cats

Broken clocks…

Wear a face mask at the airport, and you’ll never get a surprise facial recognition photo again.

The article seems a bit scant on details re: why people are leaving. Is it because the youth are unsatisfied with the quality of life available in the country? Are they seeking a more western-style way of life (perhaps one that’s more secular)? Is this yet another case of younger generations getting pushed out because they cannot find success in a place where all the good homes and jobs are tightly clutched by the older generations? Or is there something completely different causing the mass migration out of the country? The article mentions “the economy” but that could mean so many things, especially when much of the world is also still struggling with post-covid fallout in one way or another.

Unfortunately Idaho has really incredible geology and ecology. The panhandle is nestled in a beautiful mountain range with lush pines and scenic towns like Wallace and Sandpoint. The southern regions have their gems too: Craters of the Moon for instance is one of the best western parks you’ve never heard of. Idaho is a gorgeous state, and it’s a complete shame how insane “libertarian” politics have turned it into a horror show.

Which makes me wonder, are there literally no alternatives in South America itself? I know Argentina has gone to shit, but what of the other countries?

I think all mowers except non-motorized push mowers should be illegal for home use. You want a big, manicured lawn? Well then you gotta work for it, buddy.

Most properties where I live have huge grass lawns, but I almost never see anyone actually using them. The only time anyone is out on their lawn is to mow it, and they all use these low-effort riding mowers. Every single nice day (and I live in the maritime Pacific Northwest, so warm and sunny days are precious things) is always filled with the din of mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, and other gas-powered tools of ornamental landscaping. And for what? An ecologically-devoid patch of land that even the landowner isn’t utilizing.