How is everyone’s weekend going? It’s darn hot out there!
Saturday, the hottest of the year according to the National Weather Service. It was 87 degrees in Chicago (a few degrees cooler where I am in the ‘burbs), exceeding the 86 degree temperatures Thursday and Friday. For context, the average temperature this time of year is 73 degrees.
What does this mean for the upcoming summer? If things trend warm, more desire for outdoor activities and less tolerance for whatever remaining Covid-related restrictions remain. June 11, the target date for the full re-opening of the state, can’t get here fast enough. In many ways, it’s already here.
Before you enjoy another glorious day, spend a few minutes with the Six.
Let’s proceed.
The School Re-Opening Debate Was a Failed Test.
There’s a massive conversation going on around this country around masking. There’s another, more contentious, conversation going on around masking in schools. As thousands of high school and middle school graduations take place this weekend and into June, this article states how the inability to get kids back in the classroom in 2020-21 was a total national failure of policy. This excerpt from the piece: “as the data became increasingly clear that reopening schools could be safe, even in settings of high community spread, the fear had become so hardened, the inertia so profound, and the politics so fraught that the science fell on deaf ears. Children sat in virtual school and watched as everything opened around them, learning how little their needs matter compared to the desires of the grownups running the world.” Compelling argument from Bloomberg.
Oregon Counties Vote to Become Part of Idaho.
Someone sent me this article and I was compelled to share it. There are a lot of wacky things in the past year that have happened west of the Rocky Mountains but counties seceding from a state? That’s what happening in Oregon. Fed up with what they believe to be “politically liberal urban areas,” leaders of a coalition voted to leave Oregon and join Idaho, a state they believe to be “more in line with their values.” It’s a long shot as both state legislatures and Congress have to sign off on the move, but credit these folks for taking action in a land fight that is not new to that part of the country.
Live Music Venus Still Waiting For Government Bailout Money.
As a huge live music fan, I’m thrilled concerts are coming back in some form this summer (Lollapalooza is back!) But I was disappointed to read this article from Rolling Stone that smaller, club level venues remain in financial trouble as they wait for promised money from the Small Business Administration. The fact that many of these facilities are no better off then they were 14 months ago is troubling to read. Give these business owners their money Biden Administration and help them get back on their feet and hosting live shows.
How The Pentagon Started Taking UFO’s Seriously.
Any story that has a sentence like this—“the government may not have been in regular touch with exotic civilizations, but it had been keeping something from its citizens”—is worth the read. I like a good UFO story, and this one from New Yorker is a fascinating tale.
Stanford Reverses Sports Cuts After Cutting 11 Olympic Sports.
Hearing about this story made one of my days last week. I’ve reported on this in The Kerr Report newsletter, how a disturbing trend during Covid at the collegiate level is for Power 5 schools to cut Olympic sports such as swimming/diving, volleyball, wrestling and others. Stanford did the right thing in flipping a ruling from last year to trim 11 Olympic sports from its athletic department. It’s decision to re-instate sports is a huge win for athlete empowerment and sets a precedent that hopefully, will be imitated at other colleges that have tried to use Covid as a reason to cut scholarships and opportunities for collegiate athletes. Good summation of what went down at Stanford from the Washington Post.
Bengal Tiger Found in Houston.
OK, so I almost posted this last week. But I decided to wait as the story was fluid…a Bengal tiger was spotted roaming the streets of Houston. Then it went missing, reportedly taken away in a white Jeep Cherokee (can’t make this up.) A huge manhunt ensued, concluding with India (the name of the tiger) being found. The Daily Mail tells the story in its typical tabloid style, but the wild nature of the tale deserves the tabloid treatment.
Have a great rest of your weekend everybody. Thanks for reading as always.
Have a suggestion for the Sunday Six? Send email to jon@jonjkerr.com.