Periodic friendly reminder that the Covid pandemic is not over, kiddos! We're still All Up In It, and a new variant is starting to make the rounds. Wear your mask in public. Don't go out or to work if you're feeling even a little sick. No, a negative Covid test does not necessarily mean that you don't have Covid. No, a negative Covid test does not mean you aren't contagious. No, a negative Covid test does not mean "it's just allergies".
If writing to legislators is your kind of thing, now might be a good time to remind them that we still 100% need unlimited free Covid tests, vaccines, and paid medical leave.
Coincidentally, this seems to expose a gap in #Fediverse security—since right now there's no way for me to continue posting to a hashtag I use frequently and avoid this user, who openly admits that they use .social to browse hashtags and then quote posts.
The only way I can use a hashtag on this federated network is to make my post publicly visible. Doesn't that make all hashtag-based communities here vulnerable to surveillance and potential abuse?
@adnan Maybe the #Fediverse would benefit from some kind of "listed and fediverse-public but not external-public" level of post visibility that would allow people to have their posts on hashtags propagated across the fediverse and visible internally within the federated timeline but not visible via pages like the non-authenticated external search on most instances to people who are not logged in 🤔
Ten Years After the Flint #Water Crisis, Distrust and Anger Linger
A city is forever changed, and so is residents’ relationship with their water.
The betrayal of trust by the institutions meant to protect Flint’s residents has made some of them extra cautious as they look to keep themselves and their community safe.
#EPA Proposes Ban on Pesticide Widely Used on Fruits and Vegetables
The ban on acephate comes a week after a ProPublica investigation highlighted the EPA’s controversial finding that the bug killer doesn’t harm the developing brains of #children.
US Consumer Product Safety Commission: "If you've lost power due to a tornado and are using a portable generator, make sure it is outdoors and at least 20 feet away from your home. If you've set up temporary shelters and are using portable generators for power, make sure they are at least 20 feet away from any windows and vents on the shelters.
Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can build up in an enclosed or partially enclosed space in just minutes. Always have working carbon monoxide alarms in your home." #tornado#safety#generators
In Vox, I explained how federal policy encourages car bloat, making American vehicles more enormous, polluting, and dangerous than they'd otherwise be.
That's the exact opposite of what we should be doing.
It's changed (2015 looks to be more current) but appears you need guards on decks more than 30 inches above grade in the International Residential Code (IRC). Thus, the "one floor above and drop into the jungle" is absolutely a safety hazard, and not code compliance. ("Guard required if more than 30 inches") #deck#safety
After CPAP #Recall, Philips Must Institute New Safeguards in Agreement With #DOJ
The settlement comes nearly 3 years after the company acknowledged that an industrial foam fitted inside its machines could degrade and release toxic substances into #patients' masks.
What to Know About the Roiling Debate Over U.S. Maternal Mortality Rates
A new study challenged the accuracy of public health data on deaths related to #pregnancy and #childbirth — and the narrative of high and rising U.S. maternal mortality rates. An unusual public dispute has ensued.
New York’s #Guardianship System Is Broken. Will Lawmakers Pay for a Modest Fix?
As legislators negotiate a budget worth hundreds of billions of dollars, advocates wonder whether Albany will approve $5 million for reforms to the state’s troubled guardianship system.
Nearly Two Years After #Uvalde Massacre, Here Is Where All the Investigations Stand
As a grand jury considers whether any law enforcement officers are criminally charged for their inaction during the Robb Elementary #shooting, some families say they feel they've been let down and betrayed by elected officials.
How the U.S. Waged a Global Campaign Against #Baby Formula #Regulation
Records and interviews show that the U.S. government repeatedly used its muscle to advance the interests of large baby formula companies while thwarting the efforts of #Thailand and other developing countries to safeguard children’s #health.
Why are so many young people getting cancer? ( www.vox.com )