Sorry I didn't get around to a diary post last week. We had the roofers here most of the week and I had the ear infection and it was the Superbowl and then there was that shooting and I just kinda felt limited in how I wanted to engage in that kind of world in that kind of moment. There are people who are definitely for gun safety and banning certain types of weapons, or getting background checks, or licensing and training requirements, and more, but if I had my way about it, there would be no guns owned by any private citizen anywhere ever. Unless, I guess, you really think you need a fucking musket. Then I guess, be my guest. When I have been saying, "Stay Safe Out There," in my posts, I always meant someone coughing in your personal space could be make you sick. I guess it also means, "watch out for random shooters when you're out doing life."
On a more personal note, last week was good, but I didn't hit the zoo nearly as much as I prefer to. Three full days of Handymen working and then Darren using the van for floral delivery on Valentine's Day, led to a lot of moving and loading and unloading and organizing and cleaning. We're letting this first storm pass before restoring the catio, but I was happy to get my van organized and back to normal, and I carried the theme into the weekend. After Saturday morning at the zoo, I went to and from Jamul to the alpaca ranch and brought home Mexican food. Darren and I ended up hanging out having some beers while the kid was at OSP Prom, and then Darren eventually went to bed, so I decided it was time to clean. 9 hours of cleaning later, the studio is almost livable again. That made my Sunday not productive in any way besides taking my dog to Fiesta Island, but I've made up for it this week with my zoo time, and even going with a couple of my zoo friends to Sea World for Presidents Day.
It's rained again this week, so I hope it's been just a normal storm and not too troubling for anyone out there and we can just go back to the good ol' days of San Diego storms where some ice cream shops in Mission Beach talk about loading up on sandbags and the rest of us just complain about some potholes and make fun of people who don't understand that the Fashion Valley parking lot was literally designed to flood.
I love you. Stay safe out there.
I love you. Stay safe out there.
- COVID-19:
- CDC says it has no plans to ease Covid isolation yet, despite urging from doctors. Public health is “more than controlling one virus,” one expert said, as federal health officials consider their next steps in the pandemic. - NBC News (2.13.24)
- COVID-19 behind thousands of excess US deaths, analysis shows - CIDRAP (2.7.24)
- ZOO NEWS:
- Scoop: China plans to send San Diego Zoo more pandas this year, reigniting its panda diplomacy - AP News (2.21.24)
- Since I go to the zoo nearly every day, I can say there's sooo much happening behind-the-scenes at the moment. The red pandas were moved to Explorer's Basecamp mid-January and renovation for the Panda habitats began almost immediately. Trees were pulled and it appears they're being extensively upgraded and expanded. Meanwhile, rumor is that the Hippo habitat is getting closer to being done...I was told about another month but we've heard that before, but when it's ready, the hippos will go back to their habitat, the okapi will return, and at least one rhino will return to Urban Jungle, though someone said rhinos, plural, so we'll see what happens. Someone posted that a male giraffe has joined the ladies (not all together quite yet) on a breeding recommendation. He was born at this zoo but isn't related to any of the current ladies of the herd. The orangutans and siamangs were off habitat for a week as their habitat is getting some renovations, but since it rained this week, they let them out for a couple days, but still have more things to do, so seeing them is hit-or-miss while construction proceeds. In the meantime, they reinstalled some firehose hammocks, painted their climbing poles, and it seems maybe they still have to reinforce some of the poles and ropes. I guess all I can say about any of this is Zoo Gossip is HOT right now, and if you don't have an annual pass, BUY IT NOW because the way the membership prices have grown over the past few years, no telling if they'll try to jack it up even more if/when the pandas are back. Always more to come!!
- NEWS:
- Attorney General Bonta Announces Massive Fentanyl Seizure of More Than 720,000 Pills in San Diego County - Atty General Bonta Press Release (2.14.24)
- Orange Line Service Has Been Fully Restored - SDMTS (2.16.24)
- Following severe flooding on Jan. 22 that damaged two stations, our rail team worked tirelessly to restore service to the Orange Line. Thanks to their swift and diligent work, the Orange Line service is now fully operational. This morning, our team conducted a successful test train run on the track, and starting this afternoon, trains have resumed regular service to all stations.
Previously, the Trolley was unable to serve Massachusetts Avenue and Encanto/62nd Street due to damage to a retaining wall at 65th Street and Imperial Ave., causing riders to have to depart the Trolley and take a bus bridge to the next operational station. Riders will no longer have to deboard the Trolley and take a bus bridge between Lemon Grove Depot and Elucid Avenue to pass the damaged stations. - SANDAG considers 200 miles of new freeway lanes in next transportation plan - kpbs (2.8.24)
- Oversight board continues to push body scanning of staff entering jails - kpbs (2.14.24)
- Nex Benedict:
- Me and the kid just had a really long talk about the death of Nex Benedict that is being shared across the internet. It is horrifying beginning to end, but there is more information coming out. Nex Benedict was jumped at school on February 7th, went to a hospital upon a school nurse's recommendation, and was purportedly sent home with pain pills. The next day, emergency services were called and the teen was transported to a hospital where they died. Nex was buried about a week later, on February 15th. The first most of us heard of this story was on February 19th or 20th, and it was implied that the fight killed Nex, but now the implication is it could've been self-harm via overdose. We just don't know. But whatever the result of investigations, it doesn't take away that this poor child is dead and wasn't made to feel accepted in this world while they lived. And that is not okay.
- What we know about death of Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict after beating in school bathroom - USA Today (2.21.24)
- Oklahoma police say nonbinary teen’s death was not result of injuries from high school fight - AP News (2.21.24)
- The death of an Oklahoma teen after a fight in school has LGBTQ+ advocates seeking answers - CNN News (2.21.24)
- GUN CONTROL:
- Kansas City shooting latest: Police take three people in custody after one killed and 22 wounded in parade - Independent (2.15.24)
- County Supervisors Approve Gun Violence Reduction Work Plan - County News Center (2.7.24)
- US COVID-19 Stats
- CDC Data Tracker: New Weekly Updates on Fall and Winter Virus Season
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