Most every day at some point, weather permitting, I sit outside for a while, sipping one of two drinks -- coffee or carbonated water. While out there, I greet the passersby.
These usually include a bumblebee, a hummingbird, a butterfly, several songbirds, a squirrel and the occasional gopher.
Oh, there are humans too: Walkers, joggers, bikers, dog-walkers, skaters, scooters and older folks walking with canes.
I raise my hand in greeting to all; some return the wave and smile, but a surprising number remained glued to their mobile devices as they expertly navigate the area right-to-left or left-to-right, never looking up to check their bearings even for a moment.
This may be that screen addiction you've heard so much about.
Recently I had occasion to witness how a sizable group of children interacted with a single screen when I was the lone adult in a room suddenly filled with nine excited kids -- three 12-14 year olds, three 9-11 year olds, and three 5-7 year olds.
As the children grouped themselves around a large monitor, they loaded on a video game that could only accommodate two players at a time.
The older kids knew how to play the game; the middle tier knew enough to compete; but the youngest group had no clue as to what was going on. Or so I thought.
The oldest boys were determined that everybody should get a fair shot, so they devised a system whereby that could happen.
What amazed me was their patience with the youngest kids, who all got their turns in order, as they struggled to keep up. No one raised his voice as they calmly issued instructions -- "you push this button to go forward, that one to spin, this one to attack."
The elaborately designed virtual set included many unfamiliar elements to me, but one item stood out somewhat incongruently -- a vintage VW van, a classic for my generation. It made me wonder who was the designer behind the game.
We used to criss-cross the country in those vans, joining the larger tribe at Woodstock, Selma, Santa Monica or the Haight-Ashbury. They were essentially a metaphor for "hippie."
As my mind wandered through this distant past, smelling virtual weed in the air, the children around me were navigating the future. Very quickly, I realized, the youngest members had mastered the game.
Then just as suddenly as they'd appeared, the entire group dropped their consoles and raced out of the room, leaving me alone once again.
As they exited, I thought I heard someone say, "Pizza!"
***
The headlines, with I'm sorry to say, no pizza on the side...
* A frantic warning from 100 leading experts: Our democracy is in grave danger (WP)
* After Dramatic Walkout, a New Fight Looms Over Voting Rights in Texas -- After killing a Republican-sponsored bill to restrict voting in the state, Democrats vowed to oppose any efforts to revive it. Republicans pledged to pass it in a special legislative session. (NYT)
* After defeating restrictive voting bill, Texas Democrats call on Congress to protect rights -- The coordinated walkout jolted the national debate about voting rights, putting the spotlight on Democratic-backed federal voting rights legislation that has been stalled in the Senate. (WP)
* Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the extremist Oath Keepers, was ready for orders from former President Donald Trump on the day of the Capitol insurrection to seize control of the government, according to an indictment against several members. "We want him to declare an insurrection, and to call us up as the militia,” Rhodes was quoted as saying. [HuffPost]
* Now proven against coronavirus, mRNA can do so much more -- The approach that led to remarkably safe and effective vaccines against a new virus is also showing promise against old enemies such as HIV, and infections that threaten babies and young children, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and metapneumovirus. It's being tested as a treatment for cancers, including melanoma and brain tumors. It might offer a new way to treat autoimmune diseases. And it's also being checked out as a possible alternative to gene therapy for intractable conditions such as sickle cell disease. (CNN)
* Covid-19 Prevention Steps Are Keeping Childhood Diseases at Bay -- The disinfecting and hand-washing that became common during the pandemic have also served as powerful tools against childhood ailments such as chickenpox, stomach viruses and strep throat. (WSJ)
* Families losing a loved one to the coronavirus now described a surreal, lonely kind of grief, as the threat from the pandemic lessens in the United States. (NYT)
* Toyota, Honda temporarily halt production in Malaysia due to COVID-19 lockdown (Reuters)
* Japan’s vaccine push ahead of Olympics looks to be too late (AP)
* In Thailand and around the world, dogs are being trained to sniff out the coronavirus in people. So far, the results have been impressive. (NYT)
* Biden set for G-7 boost in push for a global minimum tax on corporate profits (WP)
* Everything’s becoming a subscription, and the pandemic is partly to blame -- Delivery services, socks, razors, gyms, streaming services, and even restaurants and car washes. Some Americans are now signed up for 10 or more. It’s bringing convenience — and a lot of monthly fees. (WP)
* “Australia’s Greta Thunberg” steps up climate change activism --Leading thousands of protest marchers through central Sydney and joining a landmark class action lawsuit aren’t the usual activities for most 14-year-olds. But Australian student Izzy Raj-Seppings has become one of the country's most prominent environmental activists since her tear-stained face made global headlines in late 2019 when she stared down riot police threatening to arrest her outside the prime minister's home. "I think a lot of people look at us and just say, 'oh, they're kids, they don't know what they're talking about." (Reuters)
* The Biden administration on Tuesday suspended oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, reversing a drilling program approved by the Trump administration and reviving a political fight over a remote region that is home to polar bears and other wildlife — and a rich reserve of oil. (AP)
* 'Big risk': California farmers hit by drought change planting plans (Reuters)
* Illinois became the first state to pass a bill that will ban police from deceiving youth suspects during interrogations -- a practice that adds significantly to the risk of false confessions and wrongful convictions. The legislation passed a near-unanimous vote in both chambers. [AP]
* This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 18-hour attack known as the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. At least 300 people died from May 31 to June 1, 1921, as a white mob terrorized Black residents in the Oklahoma city, looting and burning homes. A entire thriving community, at least 35 square city blocks, fell. (HuffPost)
* ‘I Knew That I Couldn’t Stay Quiet’ -- Millions of Americans took part in street demonstrations after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A year later, first-time protesters reflect on what happened — and what is next. (NYT)
* A Daughter's Journey To Reclaim Her Heritage Language -- Assimilation has a cost. As a third generation Chinese American, Emily Kwong is rediscovering the language her father once knew, and what that means for where she comes from. (NPR)
* Close encounters: Democrats and Republicans unified in taking UFOs seriously (WP)
* Newly Discovered DNA Evidence Suggests Children Could Be Closely Related To Humans (The Onion)
***
"As Tears Go By"
Sung by Marianne Faithful
Songwriters: Andrew Loog Oldham / Keith Richards / Mick Jagger
I sit and watch the children play
Smiling faces I can see
But not for me
I sit and watch
As tears go by
I want to hear the children sing
All I hear is the sound
Of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch
As tears go by
I sit and watch the children play
Doing things I used to do
They think are new
I sit and watch
As tears go by
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