Pandemic, Week 88 (The Quiet Before...)

This week Steve Bannon pleaded "not-guilty" to criminal contempt charges associated with failing to testify before the January 6th Commission. The House voted to censure Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), who posted animated videos of himself violently attacking President Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). The House passed President Biden's Build Back Better Act, which expands Medicare, lowers prescription drug costs, subsidizes childcare and provides hundred of millions to combat climate change.  Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teen that drove to Wisconsin with an AR-15 and his mother to protect private property and provide medical assistance but ended up shooting three people, two of them fatally, was acquitted on all counts. Kim Kardashian and SNL star Pete Davidson are officially dating.

The world reached 257.6 million COVID cases and 5.2 million deaths this week, of which the US accounted for 48.6 million and 793,000 respectively.  230 million Americans (69 percent), including 2.7 million children between 5 and 12, have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 196 million (59 percent) are fully vaccinated. The CDC has endorsed booster shots for all adults, making them available as soon as Monday. Meanwhile, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that starting Monday DC will relax its mask mandate for private businesses, despite concerns voiced by the DC Council and local businesses and that neighboring Montgomery County, MD just reinstated its mask mandate.

We had a relatively quiet week. Owen completed 3 volunteer hours of the 100 required to graduate high school (I think his current tally is 10) at Martha's Table, where he helped set up its Winter Coat Giveaway for DC residents. As the press continued on Allen's recently published collaborative Science paper, a colleague suggested some stunt casting for the unplanned Avengers: Net Zero, with Allen as Hulk (to which Allen responded, "Hulk smash GHG emissions"). Elaine and Nora made what the New York Times calls Bolani with Morgh Kofta (albeit with sausage in lieu of chicken) and what Nora calls, "a thingamawhatsit." But most impressively, Nora was inspired to create their own stuffed animal using a sock, buttons, pillow-stuffing, and a pompom they repurposed from a Santa hat. The result is Boba-Kiki, our newest – and arguably most adorable – family member, who weirdly channels Max Scherzer.

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)