The United States Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision rejected a request from a California church to block limitations on the number of people who could attend religious services during the pandemic. Chief Justice Roberts sided with the liberals on the bench. [CNN 5/30/2020]
When it comes to use of social media, Americans report the following usages:
- 69% – Facebook
- 59% – YouTube
- 35% – Instagram
- 21% – Pinterest
- 19% – Twitter
- 18% – Snapchat
- 16% – LinkedIn
- 4% – Tumblr
23% of Democrats, 23% of Independents and 17% of Republicans describe themselves as frequent social media users. [ Diana Orces PRRI 5/27/20]
Over the last year, there has been a growing partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats over their trust in medical scientists and scientists generally.
| Rep/Lean Rep |
Dem/Lean Dem | |
| Medical Scientists | ||
| 2019 | 32% | 37% |
| 2020 | 31% | 53% |
| Scientists | ||
| 2019 | 27% | 27% |
| 2020 | 43% | 52% |
| [Pew 4/26/20] | ||
Ballotpedia is tracking 57 recall campaigns targeting 80 officials this year in 18 states. Eleven recalls have been scheduled. Eight have been approved and eight have been defeated. In 2019 Ballotpedia covered 151 recall efforts against 230 elected officials. Of the 66 officials whose recalls made it to the ballot, 34 recalls were successful for a rate of 52% [Ballotpedia 5/22/20]
Having run out of new things to read on a daily basis, I decided to try a number of blogs of which there are an unlimited number on any subject you can think of. Most of them did not tickle my interest but one did get continuing attention.
The subject matter of the blog, “the environment”, had never been one of special interest to me but as I glanced thru the content over a couple of days (it publishes 5 days a week), on each day there was at least one item that drew my attention and on most days there were several.
The blog is Monica and Miro’s Our Daily Planet. The authors are Monica Medina and Miro Korenha.
Monica was the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce and helped to lead NOAA during the Obama Administration. She has spent most of her 30+ year career advocating for conserving the environment, protecting pristine areas in the ocean and on land, and holding polluters accountable.
Miro has spent the last decade working on climate change and sustainability issues for government, NGOs and businesses.
Monica and Miro cofounded Our Daily Planet because they wanted to bring news of the environment and climate change to people all over the country in a way that is easy for them to take in. To subscribe, click here or go to www.ourdailyplanet.com.
A subscription is free although as you would assume there are opportunities to contribute.
WW does know Monica Medina.
Many people have started new habits that they “plan” to continue when various restrictions are lifted.
| I drive my personal vehicle less | 70% |
| I miss my old routines | 61% |
| I am keeping up with my usual grooming habits | 63% |
| I have new routines for grooming and personal care that I hope to continue |
30% |
| I am currently trying to eat healthier | 52% |
| I am cooking from scratch more | 52% |
| I have new cooking routines that I hope to continue | 41% |
| I have new routines for grocery shopping that I hope to continue | 44% |
| I am keeping up with my usual exercise routine | 44% |
| I am exercising more | 34% |
| I have new exercise routines that I hope to continue | 35% |
| [Ipsos 4/27-28/20] | |
The 2020 NFL draft was unique and historic in more ways than one. Not only was this year’s version of the annual Player Selection Meeting the first completely virtual operation, it was the most watched ever.
55 million viewers watched on a combination of the NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes and digital channels. [NFL.com 4/26/20]
According to Nancy Friedman, who runs Wordworking, a naming consultancy in Oakland, California, there are 575 live trademarks that included “zoom” or “xoom”. [NYT 5/10/2020]
In these incredibly difficult times of the pandemic it is nice to see that regular life does go on. WW could not resist repeating the following from the Nextdoor Glover Park North item on May 30, 2020:
“I’m in need of recommendations for an animal behaviorist…We need a strategy for our cat and dog to coexist peacefully in our home. The cat is non-aggressive and non-assertive and is 9 years old. The puppy is a nine-month-old bird dog being trained for hunting.” [5/30/2020]