April 30, 2021

Newsom gets strong ratings on schools, economy despite recall attacks

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2021/04/29/newsom-gets-strong-ratings-on-schools-economy-despite-recall-attacks-1378663

"Gov. Gavin Newsom just got the most concrete evidence to date showing why he’s positioned to survive a recall vote."

"But a new statewide poll suggests those two pillars of anti-Newsom sentiment aren’t as sturdy as his foes think. The Public Policy Institute of California found 59 percent of likely voters approve of how Newsom has managed school reopening — and 59 percent approve how he has handled jobs and the economy. That figure is a few points higher than the share of likely voters who told PPIC in March they would vote to keep Newsom in office."

"By comparison, in a June 2003 PPIC poll, only 21 percent of likely voters approved of then-Gov. Gray Davis' job performance. The same survey found 51 percent of likely voters supported a recall, presaging his ouster four months later. The latest PPIC poll did not ask voters whether they would support removing Newsom."

April 30, 2021

There is evidence of infections even among the vaccinated in India...is there a new variant?

"Doctors, the public and the media point to anecdotal evidence of infections even among the vaccinated. Scientists say the data is too thin and cite other reasons behind the country’s second wave."

"NEW DELHI — At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a huge facility in the middle of India’s capital, 37 fully vaccinated doctors came down with Covid-19 earlier this month."

"The infections left most with mild symptoms, but it added to their growing fears that the virus behind India’s catastrophic second wave is different. They wonder if a more contagious variant that dodges the immune system could be fueling the epidemic inside the world’s hardest-hit nation."

"So far the evidence is inconclusive, and researchers caution that other factors could explain the viciousness of the outbreak, which has overwhelmed India’s capital so quickly that hospitals are entirely overrun and crematories burn nonstop. Still, the presence of the variant could complicate the taming of India’s Covid-19 disaster.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/world/asia/india-covid19-variant.html#click=https://t.co/UBhglvGMMT

April 28, 2021

CDC says fully vaccinated people can go without masks outdoors, except in crowded settings

"Today is another day we can take a step back to the normalcy of before," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a briefing by Biden administration officials. "Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what they cannot do, what they should not do. Today, I'm going to tell you some of the things you can do if you are fully vaccinated."

"The new recommendations say fully vaccinated individuals can engage in the following activities without wearing masks:

Walking, running, hiking or biking outdoors alone or with members of their household

Attending small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated family and friends

Attending small outdoor gatherings with a mixture of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people

Dining at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households."

"Fully vaccinated people can also attend "a crowded, outdoor event, like a live performance, parade, or sports event," as long as they remain masked, according to a CDC infographic of the new guidelines. "

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-guidance-face-mask-outdoors-vaccinated-americans/

April 26, 2021

Why are places having a hard time finding employees to return

to work once they are given the green light to open? Is it that many people have been able to work from home and prefer it? Are people getting help from the govt still and they are making more than they were when they were employed before the pandemic? Are people afraid to return and possibly get infected?

I keep hearing and reading that employers, especially in the restaurant industry, are having a hard time getting employees to fill the same jobs that are open again.

April 25, 2021

Are citizens in "Western" countries more likely to boycott the Covid vaccination?

I was just watching CNN and there are "Covid is a hoax" protests in London like there are in the US and other European countries. Do you think this is a common problem in certain countries while not in others? If so, what would account for this? I considered Russian propaganda as a factor but there are anti-vaxx/Covid protests in Russia too.

April 24, 2021

1 in 4 workers is considering quitting their job after the pandemic--here's why

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/19/1-in-4-workers-is-considering-quitting-their-job-after-the-pandemic.html

"Of the 26% of workers planning to leave their employers after the pandemic, 80% are doing so because they're concerned about their career advancement; meanwhile, 72% say the pandemic caused them to rethink their skill sets. More than half of potential job-hoppers have sought out new trainings and skills during the pandemic, possibly to prepare to change jobs in the next few months."

"The notion of jumping ship to get other offers and increase your market value tends to work better for members of dominant groups" including white men, but less so for women and minorities, Avery tells CNBC Make It. Already, people who can work remotely tend to be white, college-educated and higher-income workers. If a post-pandemic workplace accelerates this trend, it could worsen existing income inequality, Avery says."

"One result of the pandemic has been an accelerated rate of technological adoption to remain competitive, and therefore a need for learning skills," Falzon says. But in the past year, many organizations have focused less on skills training and more on shifting their business operations, as well as providing workers with emergency resources for concerns like mental health and child care."

April 23, 2021

John Oliver poem, "Ted Cruz Can Fuck Himself"

This is from a few weeks ago but I just discovered it. I think it is like Dr Seuss.

April 22, 2021

Gov Newsom declares drought in two CA counties....

https://abc7news.com/drought-emergency-ca-monitor-mendocino-county-sonoma/10535104/

Calif. -- Standing in the dry, cracked bottom of what should have been a more watery Lake Mendocino, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared an emergency executive order Wednesday in two Northern California counties in response to drought conditions affecting much of the state and the West Coast.

The announcement affects Mendocino and Sonoma counties, where Newsom says drought conditions are especially bad, but it falls far short of a statewide declaration despite some regions seeking one. California, which is now in its second year of drought conditions, is bracing for another devastating wildfire season after a winter with little precipitation

April 21, 2021

I just got back from my dispensary, 4/20 deals were

good. I was speaking with the budmaster and he said that he could see the difference tRump was making with his customers and their medical needs (anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, etc). I asked if he has seen much of a change since Biden won and he was hesitant to answer, "not really". I think it will take a long while to get our minds and bodies back to where we were before 4 years of tRump Hell.

Maybe it is "languishing" and not depression/anxiety as a post on DU last night stated.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=15354209

April 20, 2021

Jesse Jackson has been looking very solemn standing in the back of the lawyers.

He looks so sad.