Circuses in Washington State Are Becoming Much More Humane
Good news about consumer protections, animal welfare, and more
The day before Easter1, NPR published a 2019 White House photo featuring an Easter Bunny costume that’s even creepier than the one I shared recently. Hold on, though, why is the rabbit wearing glasses?! Bunnies eat carrots — it’s like their whole thing — and carrots are good for your vision2, so come on, bunny costume-maker!
Random news you can can’t use: Two new colors have been discovered. One is a blue-green shade called “olo” (jump scare: pic of a giant eye) — though granted, the study co-author admits it’s “certainly very technically difficult to see” (OK then). The second is a cat color mutation called “salty licorice” (named for a questionable-sounding Finnish candy). It’s a solid black with white sprinkled throughout.
I must also share that Dolly Parton’s new collab with the (partly-Kardashian-owned) brand Good American is a line of jeans called … JOLEANS!3
Magnolia update & proof of life: Despite the wacky weather this spring, it’s blooming!!! Definitely not as fully as it’s supposed to, but MUCH better than last year, yay!
Today I’m sharing good news about animal welfare, parenting peer support, life in Navajo Nation, and consumer protections.
✨Consequences Corner✨
“HP Inc. has agreed to pay a $4 million settlement to customers after being accused of ‘false advertising’ of computers and peripherals on its website. … The complaint accused HP's website of showing ‘misleading’ original pricing for various computers, mice, and keyboards that was higher than how the products were recently and typically priced.” — Ars Technica
Clorox has been fined $8.25 million Australian dollars ($5.19 million U.S. dollars) after falsely claiming that half the content of its GLAD kitchen and garbage bags were made from recycled oceanic plastic waste, thus breaching the Australian Consumer Law from June 2021 to July 2023. — Reuters
Bank of America must pay more than $540 million for allegedly refusing to pay $1.12 billion in mandatory assessments for deposit insurance and for “‘unjustly enrich[ing] itself’ at the FDIC’s expense.” — PBS News
Disclaimer: While I often include stories in Consequences Corner that indicate incarceration as punishment, I believe our prison system needs serious reforms.
“Airbnb will now show total prices by default” — CNN
Back in December, I shared news of the FTC’s new rules regarding junk fees charged by hotels, ticket sellers, etc., and I’ve got a partial update. Despite Trump’s attacks on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, these rules are still kicking, and most will go into effect on May 12, DOGE willing.
You don’t have to wait for this one, though: As of this Monday, Airbnb customers will see the full price of a stay up front, including fees and taxes, and not solely the nightly rate.
For some reason, the article doesn’t say whether Airbnb hosts’ notorious “cleaning” fees are also included, but I randomly checked another story that confirms the transparent pricing must include cleaning and service fees.
“Lions, tigers, bears, and more banned from Washington circuses under new bill” — KOMO News, Seattle
The cruelty of animal circuses is well-documented, but here’s some positive news: The Washington state legislature has passed a law that prohibits circuses and other traveling shows to use elephants, bears, wild cats, and nonhuman primates. It garnered bipartisan support.
The bill was delivered to Governor Bob Ferguson on April 17, but from what I could find online (the article is dated April 10), he hasn’t yet signed it. If/when he does, Washington will join 11 other states, including Maryland and Massachusetts, with similar laws on the books.
P.S. Don’t read the comments on the story. *eyeroll*
“For fathers in search of friendship, a growing group has emerged: the Brooklyn Stroll Club” — The New York Times [gift link]
Social groups for moms are everywhere, but for various reasons it’s harder for dads to find opportunities. In December, I shared an article about the Daddy Stroller Social Club in Fort Worth, Texas, which provides “a safe space for fathers and father figures of color,” and this NYT story (which has some great photos) features a similar group in Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Stroll Club — with the tagline “a community for every father” — was founded in 2024 by first-time dad Joe Gonzales, 32. The quickly growing community of dads meets regularly, both outdoors for walks and indoors at kid-friendly spots, and its events are so popular that tickets always sell out.
Gonzales told the NYT, “I didn’t have a lot of dad friends in New York, and I really wanted to connect with people who were going through a similar experience.”
“Groundbreaking Held for $267 Million Water Treatment Plant on Navajo Nation” — Native News Online
Navajo Nation, which covers 17,544,500 acres of land across parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and is home to about 400,000 tribal members4, has launched a “transformative project” for the reservation’s residents, and it just had its groundbreaking.
Through a partnership with the federal government, construction has begun on a $267 million New Mexico water treatment facility. Starting in late 2028, the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant will ideally treat 18.8 million gallons daily to provide clean drinking water to more than 200,000 people over the next four decades. The construction process will also create about 200 jobs.
Btw, tomorrow is International Pallas’s Cat Day [Facebook], which I just found out from the Substack Pazi's Pallas.
Social media / featured image credit: Fire Calls by yeiBB via Pixabay / Pallas’s Cat image via Reddit / Bumper sticker image from stickergalshop at Etsy.
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This year I was excited to find s’mores-flavored and Rice Krispies Treats-flavored Peeps for the first time! (I will not entertain any Peep slander.) Related “fun” fact: Years ago, I entered a Peeps diorama contest at a local library, and my, er, “creation” depicted a scene from Shirley Jones’ “The Lottery.” Sadly, I can’t find the photos, but I DID find an old pic of a giant novelty gummy bear I bought once. Behold.
Did you know about the WWII carrot propaganda? (I think my friend saw Carrot Propaganda open for Phish once.)
If you could use a random Dolly quote today, here’s a good one: "Find out who you are. And do it on purpose.”
“Navajo Nation,” Wikipedia