Saturday, August 21, 2021

CoViD-19: Hospitals In Bad Shape | More Looks At Breakthrough| US Extends Sanction On Russia | PETA Alleges Orca Death Caused By Aggressive Orca | Vote NO On California Recall |

  

Orcas at Sea World (Taken 6.23.21)

I finally worked through my Friday inbox (while catching up on 3 different Housewives franchises) and found some content worth sharing going into the weekend. Most of it is repetitive: if you've watched any newscast, you're well aware of what's going on with COVID, mask and vax wars. hospitalizations, breakthroughs, etc, but maybe new reading will be more clarifying. 

What I was shocked to find in my inbox was a message directly from PETA about a whistleblower report that alleges that Amaya was maybe injured by another orca, Corky, after all 10 orcas were put in the same tank. As I mention below, I've never seen more than 3 whales in any given tank, but obviously there's a lot of unseen areas and practices at Sea World, so in this case, I would agree with PETA that an independent external investigation needs to happen. It's so very tragic and I haven't been quiet about how conflicted I feel even having a membership pass in the first place, but this makes me feel like I need to go visit instead of making me not want to go at all. 

Sometimes things are conflicting and life is so very hard. We're seeing that every day with what is unfolding in Afghanistan. I'm glad we are leaving Afghanistan and ending this senseless war, I wish it had been done years ago, or better that we were never there in the first place, but it doesn't make it any easier to see the anguish and pain happening there. We may joke about it often, but we really are "hashtag blessed" to live where we live. Which is why elections matter. Can you imagine the past 18 months under someone like Elder or Cox or Faulconer or Jenner? No thanks. My ballot tracker already notified me that my vote has been received by the registrar. Make sure they get your no vote, too. 

Stay safe out there. 





  • News:
    • 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission: Votes to Not Count Federal Prison Populations in CA - WeDrawTheLines.org (8.20.21)
    • While not a fan of PETA, I got this email regarding the death of Amaya at Sea World. For the record, I've never seen more than 3 whales in the same tank at the same time. I can't imagine what circumstance would make Sea World do something so different.
      Last night, when SeaWorld confirmed that 6-year-old orca Amaya had died, PETA had already filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture this week requesting an investigation after receiving two whistleblower reports about an incident that may have caused this death. Below, please find a statement from PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman:
      • "If the whistleblower reports that PETA received are true, orca Amaya died just days after SeaWorld workers put all 10 orcas into a single tank, despite a documented history of aggression among some of them—leading Amaya to chase, rake, and injure the much older orca Corky, who may have retaliated overnight. PETA is demanding a full outside investigation into whether SeaWorld’s incompetence left Corky injured and Amara dead at just 6 years old."
    • U.S. extends travel curbs at Canada and Mexico land borders - Reuters (8.20.21)
  • Other Reading:


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