Pandemic, Week 48 (Less than Noble Gasses)

This week the Senate held the second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump. Democrats linked Trump's incendiary rhetoric encouraging supporters to attack his opponents, his refuted claims of election fraud and his statement that he was going to march with the mob to the Capitol to "stop the steal" as inciting the insurrection on January 6th. They presented a video timeline of events that day, new footage of Capitol Police officers leading Senator Mitt Romney away from the mob and potentially saving his life, and argued that by failing to convict Trump, Senators would be granting a "January exception," where lame-duck Presidents could act in their final month of office with impunity. Republicans argued that Trump's speech before the riot was "ordinary political rhetoric," that Trump had adamantly denounced the rioters, and then presented a video montage of Democrats advocating "fighting back," which, they argued, mirrored the language of Trump. On the final day of the trial, new details emerged involving a phone call where House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy asked Trump to call off the rioters and Trump declined. In response, the Senate voted to allow witnesses be called, but then opted instead to merely have statements read into the record. In the end, the Senate failed to secure the two-thirds necessary to convict the President, with only seven republicans voting against Trump, 57 to 43.  Afterwards, Mitch McConnell addressed the Senate and declared, despite having just voted to acquit him, that Trump was "practically and morally responsible" for provoking the events of January 6th. 

In other news, a hacking attempt to poison the water supply of Oldsmar, FL was thwarted when staff quickly noticed the levels of lye had increased to 100 times their normal levels. Most of the U.S. was subject to severe winter storms due to a collapsed polar vortex resulting in freezing temperatures, dramatic snow fall and ice storms. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by 43 year old Tom Brady, won the Super Bowl. Hustler publisher and noted First Amendment advocate Larry Flynt died. 

The world reached 109.2 million total COVID cases and 2.4 million deaths this week, of which the U.S. accounted for 28.2 million cases and 496,000 deaths. 36.4 million Americans have now received at least one does of the vaccine and this week Grandpa Fawcett got his second. In addition, the Biden administration reported that it had purchased an additional 200 million vaccine doses.

The kids and Allen gathered at the Meeting House on Sunday to measure methane gas levels in the neighborhood. Using their trusty gas sniffer, First Day School detected a leak of over 50,000 ppm (CH4 atmospheric concentrations are 1.8 ppm), which is above the explosion threshold. They immediately reported the leak to Washington Gas, who promised to investigate, and then headed back to the Meeting House for warm apple cider. Allen was supposed to have his Polar Bear Plunge this week, but ironically, it was postponed due to inclement weather. I ventured into work for the first time in eleven months in order to renew my ID badge and retrieve some personal items (including candy). The whole experience felt a little post-apocalyptical, which probably wasn't helped by having to navigate the new barriers and armed National Guard along my commute all while the Impeachment trial was being broadcast outside of Union Station.

But it was at least reassuring to see that my office still exists, even if the Office I was part of no longer does (it was disbanded in July).

(To see all of this weeks pictures, click here.)