Saturday, October 09, 2021

CoViD-19: First Expectant Mother Death In San Diego | Governor Vetoes "Idaho Stop" & "Jaywalking" Bills | Appeals Court Reinstates Texas Abortion Law | OECD Sets Global Minimum Tax | Biden Restores National Monuments |


I don't like Halloween. I never really have. I don't like thinking about a costume. I don't like dressing up. I despise people who scream, whether out of fear or joy. I know, I know. I'm a fun-killer. I also realize this might all stem from the trauma I had on Halloween in 1985, when my brother's best friend Pete made fun of my Cyndi Lauper costume and I chased him in the parking lot to try to hit him and instead slipped and spent the entire night bleeding from my gravel-filled legs, my makeup streaming down my face, my orange side-pony completely ratted up from falling. 

But I was excited to go to the San Diego Zoo on Friday night. Granted, it's free October for kids which means there are A LOT of kids around, and it's Halgloween so it is impossible for you not to hear the Monster Mash or the Addams Family theme song. But still, any excuse for a nighttime Zoo is fine by me. And because there are different nighttime activities most of the kids were occupied, while we stumbled upon a mariachi performance to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos by the Sabertooth Mexican Grill in Elephant Odyssey. This girl's voice is amazing! Unfortunately, we only caught the last two songs and a large group of obnoxious people wouldn't shut up, but I highly recommend catching them. I believe they play 4 sets at the top of each hour, separated by a 20 or so minute break. We just might have to go back this weekend. Halgloween runs Friday-Sunday during October and on these nights, the Zoo is open until 9pm. We'll be back for sure. 

The rest of my day and night weren't very eventful. Before the Zoo, we met my family for dinner at Point Loma Seafoods. I know restaurants are short-handed, but the quality of their food has really gone way down. I think it was in decline long before the pandemic. I know I'm spoiled because Darren really stepped up to be a master in the kitchen during the pandemic and we've been buying fresh fish from Know Seafood, getting 2-day frozen delivery from Costco, and taking advantage when Vons puts their shrimp on $5 Friday deals, but it's hard to spend that much money on mediocre food that probably just comes from Sysco anyway. And on top of all that, we didn't even eat with the family because they chose to sit inside the restaurant. I love my family and I love spending time with them, but I'm not sitting inside at a tourist spot when the restaurant can't even be bothered to keep their overhead fans on. Maybe I'm ridiculous, but I haven't been sick yet. 

So yeah. I was trying to taking a breather on a post for Friday, but my inbox was too out of control and I didn't wanna just kick the can to the weekend. There was a lot of news on Friday that I just couldn't skip. An appeals court put a stay on the Texas abortion law, thereby reinstating it. The US and like 130 countries agreed on a global minimum tax. San Diego experienced its first death of an expectant mother. Governor Newsom signed a shit ton of new laws, some which are great, some which are neutral. But he also vetoed two major ones on bike and pedestrian safety. DHS is canceling some remaining contracts for building the border wall. Biden restored national monuments including Bears Ears.  

Jen Psaki spent what felt like half her briefing explaining why everything feels like it costs more and why there are shortages of workers and goods, and she has to say the same stuff over and over, though I think she keeps missing the mark a little bit that it isn't just fear of COVID keeping people home, but parents of school-aged kids can't get jobs when their kids keep having to quarantine or isolate for ten days because of the spread in schools in many places in the US. I keep seeing everyone talking about the decline of Delta and that the virus is in retreat, but let's not get crazy. Friday was the first day under 100,000 new daily cases in months. But 99,000+ cases ain't nothin'. There's was also a lot on the investigation and clean up of the oil pipeline leak that is worth looking at because our beaches are affected, too. 

I've got a project I need to work on, plus my cousin is coming back and we'll probably try and visit my dad again, so don't expect a Saturday night post. 

Stay safe out there.   


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