Below the Fold - stealing water in a drought

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Imagine dreaming about how to navigate the world around you, and then waking up to experience exactly that. Turns out, newborn mammals actually do this! Through studying mice, scientists discovered that in the moments before newborn mammals open their eyes for the very first time, they’re experiencing waves of activity that mimic the environment they’re entering. By the time they wake up, they know exactly what to do — including how to immediately respond to environmental threats.

RACIAL INJUSTICE

Jamaica asks Britain to pay reparations
Wed Jul 21

Jamaica is asking Britain to pay up through a petition seeking an estimated 7.6 billion pounds ($10 billion USD) in reparations over slavery. As a refresher:

Jamaica came under British rule in 1655, during which ~600,000 Africans were forcibly shipped over to work on plantations for sugar cane, bananas, and other crops that created fortunes for many of their owners.
When slavery was abolished in 1834, the British government took out a 20 million pound loan to compensate the slave owners (for the loss of their free labor). Not only was this a large amount for that time, but reflected 40% of the government’s annual income.
Jamaica gained independence in 1962, and now, the Caribbean country is using the British government’s loan as a benchmark to determine how much money is still owed to them.

Who would the money go to? Britain’s High Commissioner dismissed the petition saying it’s unclear who would recieve the reparations (such as the government) and instead called for better education about slavery’s history. There is precedent for compensating direct descendants, however, at the Virginia Theological Seminary in the U.S., where reparation payouts began this year to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Black American slaves.

Last month, a U.N. report showed that reparations are needed for people facing racism globally. Commissioned following the murder of George Floyd, the report aims to speed up action by countries to end racial injustice, end police impunity, and begin reforming education to ensure such injustices won’t happen again. Some progress has been made in the form of financial compensation, even if just one part of the ultimate solution.

Earlier this year, Germany asked its former colony of Namibia for forgiveness and paid 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion USD) in reparations for reconstruction and development projects.
While the U.S. has struggled to make federal progress, Evanston, Illinois became the first American city to make reparations available. In March, they voted to distribute $25,000 to qualifying Black households for home repairs or down payments on property.

Our Sources:

→ Initial coverage: Essence and Reuters
→ British High Commissioner dismisses reparation claim: Voice Online
→ U.S. school paying out reparations: CNN
→ U.N. report calling for reparations: Associated Press
→ Germany pays Namibia: Wall Street Journal
→ First U.S. city to pay reparations: NBC News

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DROUGHT

Water theft on the rise as drought continues
Thu Jul 22

When supply is limited, demand rises — and water is no exception. As the American West continues grappling with severe drought, water thieves in California are profiting off water stolen from just about every source imaginable.

Some are pumping water from rivers and lakes. And despite LA County allocating $250K to enhanced patrolling, the thieves are already finding ways to avoid getting caught, such as using U-Haul trucks to mask their identity.
Others are tapping into fire hydrants, a process that threatens water supply for the nearby homes due to improper valve shut-off. In one city, authorities had to remove 100 of the area’s 176 hydrants and put locks on the rest.
And most dangerous of all is hot-tapping, a destructive approach that requires breaking directly into pressurized water mains. Antelope Valley has had to repair twelve water main breaks in the past year as a result, each one costing $10,000.

Where is the water going? Sold on the black market, this water most often ends up on illegal marijuana farms set up in the desert, which is great for privacy but requires a higher amount of water for crops. In fact, illegal growers across three Southern California counties alone consumes 5.4 million gallons of water every day — that’s enough water for 72,000 people.

Well, why aren’t the farms just shut down? After California legalized recreational marijuana use for adults three years ago, it reduced penalties for pot farms from a felony to a misdemeanor. As a lower-level crime, it's less likely to be prosecuted. Meanwhile, anyone witnessing the water theft (or with information, such as local governance) are too afraid to report it after being threatened to keep quiet or by seeing the armed guards protecting the entire operation.

Our Sources:

→ Extensive coverage: The Counter

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ASCII OF THE WEEK

          /*`*`*`\
         {  .zZz. }
          \   .,./
           \ /
            \!
.-.  ,.______(`)_(`)
,-` /          u u
`*./\         =\./=
     `m.’-`m.’
                   btf

Ahhh looks like I have a mice day ahead!



Art Credit: Below the Fold

Below the Fold

2261 Market St # 4135

San Francisco, CA 94114-1612

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Below the Fold - stealing water in a drought

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