23 Exceptionally Weird Items People Paid Too Much For At Thrift Stores. Tabs, Mon., Aug. 16, 2021

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A University of Florida study predicts that the COVID-19 delta variant’s current surge should peak Wednesday, and then there will be much rejoicing as cases start to fall. Let’s remain optimistic and pretend this isn’t a study from the University of Florida. Maybe it’s right! (WESH) 

James C. Hormel, the first openly gay ambassador from the United States, died Friday in San Francisco. He was 88. —President Bill Clinton appointed him the ambassador to Luxembourg in 1999. (The Daily Beast) 

Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, who’s still alive, blocked all presidential nominations in protest, because Clinton had sidestepped GOP bigotry and appointed Hormel during Senate recess. Inhofe said Hormel was a ''gay activist who puts his agenda ahead of the agenda of America.’’ Inhofe apparently didn’t think promoting human rights for gay people was in line with US interests. (New York Times) 

Really wish Oregon Governor Kate Brown had embraced a COVID-19 vaccination verification app. (PDX Monthly) 

New York City added 629,000 residents since the last census. They are probably all on the waiting list for the same $4,000 studio apartment. (NBC New York) 

Elie Mystal on why soon-to-be-former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was always hot garbage. (The Nation) 

Why are Americans so pissed off? It’s like we’re stopped up with exceptionalism. (Mother Jones) 

Maybe all is not lost when we send our kids back to school, especially if their school follows basic COVID-19 mitigation protocols. (The Atlantic) 

Unfortunately, no such schools appear to exist in Tennessee. (Memphis Commercial Appeal) 

There is more of Ayn Rand’s Virtue of Selfishnessin the Republican response to COVID-19 than anything Jesus might’ve said in the New Testament. (New Statesman) 

Extreme heat is endangering Portland, Oregon's food cart scene. (Eater) 

The pandemic sucks but at least Anders Erickson was able to teach us how to make refreshing cocktails.

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