MIA

Day 260 Friday, December 11 – MIA

News blues…

Oh, oh! In the past 24 hours, South Africa recorded more than 8,100 new Covid-19 infections, and 173 deaths. Ninety deaths occurred in the Eastern Cape, 52 in the Western Cape, 13 in Gauteng, 10 in KwaZulu-Natal and eight in Gauteng.
Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said, “We wish to reiterate our plea to South Africans to heed the threat of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases identified. There is clear evidence of an exponential rise in transmission and this is cause for serious concern.” 

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The Covid-related death toll in the US, meanwhile surpasses its World War II combat fatalities. 

Healthy planet, anyone?

The US is currently MIA as a signatory to the Paris climate agreement, but that isn’t stopping the 54 cities that are on track to meet the targets. Let’s join the mayor of Paris to praise an “important milestone” on fifth anniversary of the landmark agreement.

More than 50 of the world’s leading cities are on track to help keep global heating below 1.5C and tackle the worst impacts of the climate crisis, according to a new report. 
From mass tree-planting in Buenos Aires to new public transport networks in Mexico City, 54 of the world’s leading cities are now rolling out plans that will cut their greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris agreement, according to a new study by the C40 cities network. 

Fifty-four sane cities! Perhaps there’s hope for our planet after all!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

A word about masks and mask-resistance so prevalent in the US.
A friend in California notes that no one attending children’s soccer games in local parks wears masks or face coverings to inhibit the spread of Covid.
Outraged by the anti-mask mentality, my friend called to complain to the local parks and recreation department. The park’s department representative, however, agreed with my friend’s assessment. She explained that the department regularly posts signs urging the wearing of masks in public.
Local anti-makers tear down the signs.
The department is creating sturdier signs that they intend to embed in concrete.
One hopes that might help. It is, however, common sense and respect for others that’s missing-in-action in the current US. Addressing that is immensely more difficult.