Today is International Eagle Day (Taken 10.20.2020 at San Diego Zoo) |
There's so much happening in these chaotic final days of this administration. While we're all focused on the Capitol attempted coup, there are still things slipping through and that still deserve attention. The other day, I was watching a NatHub, and the presenter recommended a film by Patagonia called Public Trust about how the exiting administration did everything in their power to sell off and privatize public lands. It mainly focused on Bears Ears National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I've embedded the full movie at the end of this post because everyone should see it. (It was released in September 2020, but sometimes I, too, miss these kinds of things.) It was funny that is was the same day that a person in my extended family was posting about how horrible the next administration is going to be for the country, and it made me want to scream. We can only hope some of the damage is reversible. All this because on the same day of the insurrection, the US Government covertly auctioned off energy leases in ANWR. The energy giants didn't bite, probably because they know they will be in litigation and don't want the bad press while they're casually raising gas prices (my gas station went up 6 cents/gallon overnight, up 25 cents in the past month.
I also kinda watched some stuff about the California budget, so those notes and links are below, and there's a lot of push and pushback on school reopenings, while there's still some fantasy that kids will get back to school this school year. As it stands, CA schools may not reopen until cases are under 28/100k residents. San Diego sits at 53.4 cases per 100k. Additionally, research out of the UK on the B.1.1.7. variant is not looking good, suggesting that it is 43% more transmissible amongst children (0-9), while the Pfizer vaccine is only recommended for people 16+. And let's not forget that locally, we have barely tested kids at all since March, only picking it up in the more recent months when reopenings were on the table and cases were still under 10 per 100k, so the "kids don't get it" theory just doesn't hold a lot of water. Anyway, I'm fired up today but we loaded up on produce so despite my Santa Ana allergies kicking up into high gear, I feel really good and clean from loading up on fruits and salads. Stay safe out there. I'll be back later with all of today's data and reading.
- Politics/News:
- California Budget: On Friday, Governor Newsom released his proposed budget for FY2021-2022. We're currently about halfway through FY2020-2021. This thing is going to get mangled and rewritten and added to and subtracted from so many times before it's signed that there's no way I'm watching the two and a half hour presentation on it. But you can read the budget proposal here or download the summary here.
- $227B Spending Plan; $15B Budget Surplus
- Asking for immediate action from legislature on key issues:
- $300M Vaccination Rollout & Education
- Small biz assistance $575M grants, $71M fee waivers
- $2B: Prioritizing in-person instruction for youngest students. More funding for low-income, English learners, foster youth
- $2.4B Golden State Stimulus - $600 for earners under $30k
- Extending Eviction Moratorium
- Full budget
- $89.2B for K-12 Schools & Community Colleges
- $4.5B (includes above Small Biz Assistance, but also $430M Cal Competes; $100M Main Street Hiring; $100M Loan Guarantees/iBank; $100M Sales Tax Exclusions; $35M CA Dream Fund)
- The Man Who Saw Yesterday’s Coup Attempt Coming Is Only Surprised It Wasn’t Much Worse. “It was not the army I expected it to be.” -GQ (1.7.2021)
- Read this Twitter Thread of Internet Sleuthing to ID Insurrectionists
- INDIVISIBLE: A Practical Guide for Fixing our Democracy
- Grand jury to investigate Elijah McClain's death - The Hill (1.8.2021)
- Pro-Trump Rally, Counter-Protest in PB Turns ‘Violent,' Police Declare It ‘Unlawful Assembly' - NBC San Diego (1.9.2021)
- COVID-19:
- Interim recommendations for use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, under Emergency Use Listing - World Health Organization (1.8.2021)
- Vaccines should be distributed as studied and tested...two doses, given at 21-28 day intervals. Second doses can be delayed if needed to get more 1st shots into arms, but shouldn't be delayed more than 42 days between shots.
- To consider when San Diego's investigation rate is 36%. Do-It-Yourself Contact Tracing Is a ‘Last Resort’ in Communities Besieged by Covid - Kaiser Health News (1.8.2021)
- HHS Announces $22 Billion in Funding to Support Expanded Testing, Vaccination Distribution - CDC (1.6.2021)
- Money comes from Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and is based on population
- California to receive $1,696,424,899 for COVID-19 Testing
- California to receive $357,026,635 for Vaccination Activities
- Money will be distributed by January 19, 2021
- Kids Back In Schools?
- Large urban districts object to Gov. Newsom’s school reopening plan. They cite funding inequities and want the state to cover the full costs of testing - KPBS (1.8.2021)
- Large urban districts object to Gov. Newsom’s school reopening plan. They cite funding inequities and want the state to cover the full costs of testing - EdSource (1.7.2021)
- Rate of COVID Infection in U.S. Children Rising - Statista (1.8.2021)
- "While the B117 variant is has 33-36% higher attack rate vs common types overall... it’s even greater in youngest kids. Notably, in kids 0-9, the new B117 is 43% higher in the shortcut B117 test." -@DrEricDing
- Investigation of novel SARS-CoV-2 variant Variant of Concern 202012/01 Update- Public Health England
- Other Reading/Watching:
- Trump Administration Offers Drilling Leases in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, but No Major Oil Firms Bid - Inside Climate News (1.7.2021)
No comments:
Post a Comment