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  • Here is a super depressing report about Utah residents protesting mask mandates because “Jesus gives us a choice" and "mandates are against freedom.” One woman declared, “We are perpetuating a lie. COVID is a hoax. It’s a lie. It’s a political stunt.”
  • The NY Times Magazine has a profile of Robin DiAngelo that suggests her anti-racism training, while well-intentioned, is also very problematic and doesn't really achieve its stated goals.
  • White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said today that, “the science should not stand in the way” of schools reopening.
  • Security officials announced that hackers linked to Russia's intelligence services were "actively trying to steal information from researchers working to produce coronavirus vaccines in the United States, Britain and Canada."
  • The Austin Police Department showed off some suspicious "thank you" cards last month that, according to Texas Monthly, were almost certainly not real. At least 30 were signed by the same person, and 46 of the cards included the same bizarre message taped to the inside: "In case you forgot to remind yourself this morning…Your butt is perfect. Your smile lights up the room. Your mind is cool. You are way more than enough. You are doing a great job."
  • What happens to all that Washington football team merch when the team changes its name?
  • A vacant Midtown Manhattan building partially collapsed into a neighboring construction site this morning.
  • Get a first look at Don Delillo's upcoming novel The Silence, coming out in October.
  • A woman shouted "I still love sharks" as she was being taken to the hospital after being attacked by one.
  • It was a great day for reissue announcements: listen to six previous unreleased Replacements songs from their upcoming rerelease of Pleased To Meet Me; a demo of "Down By The Water" from a reissue of PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love; and an unbelievably great early take of “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” from Prince's forthcoming massive Sign O' The Times reissue.
  • And finally, don't you wish you had a sheep to play with your dog?