Thursday, October 14th, 2021
Wind Energy Boost, Supply Chain Solution? & Netflix’s Biggest Series
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com/newsworthy and Rothys.com/newsworthy
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to peruse the latest happenings...
Biden’s Offshore Wind Farm Plan
There could soon be several major offshore wind farms along nearly the entire U.S. coastline. The Interior Department will start picking federal waters to lease to wind developers by 2025. The goal is to lease several sites on both the east and west coasts, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. Already this year, the Biden administration approved the nation’s first major commercial offshore wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts. However, not everyone is on board. Commercial fishing businesses are worried offshore wind projects could make it tough to harvest valuable seafood species, and some conservation groups worry big turbines will kill birds. The federal government is studying those concerns.
Read More: NY Times, Axios, AP, DOI
J&J Booster Study
A new preliminary study out this week says people who originally got the Johnson & Johnson shot might be better off getting a booster from Moderna or Pfizer. An NIH study found people who got the J&J shot followed by a Moderna booster saw their antibody levels rise 76fold within 15 days. Those who got a second J&J shot saw only a four-fold rise in the same time. No matter what combo of vaccines the volunteers in the study got, no one reported severe side effects. But, the scientists who did this study say more research is needed.
Read More: CNBC, Politico, AP, FDA, NIH Study
New WHO Group Studying Covid Origins
The World Health Organization has a new team to study the origins of Covid-19. The new group is larger and will include scientists from the U.S., China, and roughly two dozen other countries. Some of them have expertise in animal health since a common theory is Covid-19 spread to humans from an animal. Others have experts in laboratory bio risks, virology, and epidemiology. Together, their mission is to find out how Covid-19 first infected humans, then come up with a plan to combat future pandemics.
Read More: Axios, NPR, WSJ, WaPo, WHO
Havana Syndrome at Colombian Embassy
It seems the so-called Havana Syndrome affecting diplomats, troops, and other U.S. personnel is striking again. This time, cases have been reported at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá, Columbia, one of the largest American embassies in the world. The Wall Street Journal reports at least five families with links to the embassy have gotten sick recently. Remember, Havana Syndrome is a mysterious neurological condition, first appearing about five years ago in Havana, Cuba. Now, it’s in Colombia just days before the U.S. Secretary of State is expected to visit. The U.S. government is still working to figure out exactly what is behind these attacks.
Read More: WSJ, WaPo, NY Times, BBC, ABC News
Hurricane Pamela Remnants
What was once Hurricane Pamela is now pouring heavy rain over parts of Texas and Oklahoma. By the end of the day, it could bring some areas up to eight inches of rain, along with serious flooding. Flash flood watches are in effect throughout a lot of Texas, from Laredo to San Antonio and Austin to Dallas, and then up into southeast Oklahoma. Hurricane Pamela first made landfall yesterday north of the western Mexico resort and port city of Mazatlan. Wind and rain knocked down trees, damaged businesses, and flooded streets. There are no reports of anyone seriously hurt.
Read More: AP, WaPo, Reuters, Fox News, NHC
Plan to Ease Container Ship Backlog
The White House announced the port of Los Angeles will now become a 24/7 operation, with the number of hours spent unloading ships nearly doubling. The nearby port of Long Beach has already made this change. Officials say expanding working hours is vital as the two ports handle nearly half of all container ships that enter the U.S. The backlog has caused product delays, inflation, and other issues. Walmart, FedEx, UPS, Samsung, Home Depot, and Target have all agreed to unload during off-peak hours, making it easier for the ports to operate nonstop.
Read More: NPR, AP, WSJ, CBS News, White House
Social Security Payments Hike
The millions of Americans who get monthly payments from Social Security are going to get more money starting in January. The cost-of-living adjustment is going up by 5.9%, the largest increase in four decades. Right now, the average monthly check for a retired worker is about $1,565. After the increase kicks in, it will be about $90 more. The bump is tied to recent inflation, but some advocacy groups also say it’s long overdue. Federal data shows roughly 70 million people, including retirees and disabled people, receive Social Security already.
Read More: CNBC, WSJ, USA Today, Social Security
FDA’s New Sodium Guidelines
The FDA released new guidelines meant to lower Americans’ average daily sodium intake by 12% over the next two and a half years. The agency is encouraging food manufacturers, restaurants, and foodservice companies to scale back. Researchers say about 70% of the extra sodium Americans eat comes from restaurants as well as processed and packaged food. Americans consume an estimated 3,400 milligrams of salt per day. The FDA’s new goal is to get that down to 3,000 milligrams, still higher than what medical experts recommend for a healthy diet.
Read More: WaPo, CNN, NBC News, Axios, FDA
‘Squid Game’ is Netflix’s Biggest Series Launch
It’s official: “Squid Game” is now the biggest original series ever launched on Netflix. The streaming company ranks shows based on how popular they are during their first 28 days on the platform. Netflix now says “Squid Game” has been viewed by at least 111 million subscribers since it debuted on September 17th and is still the number-one show on its platform in 94 different countries. The Korean drama is about a survival game where people who are deeply in debt risk their lives by playing high-stakes Korean children’s games for a chance to win a lot of money.
Read More: Fox Business, BBC, Today, Netflix
Thing to Know Thursday: COVID Vaccines Could Inspire Better Flu Shots
The technology used to make the COVID-19 vaccines could help us better fight the seasonal flu. Right now, traditional flu shots are grown in chicken eggs and, because the process takes so long, medical experts have to make estimated guesses about which strains of the virus will be most common during the next flu season. That’s why flu shots can be anywhere from 10-60% effective against the virus, depending on the year. That could change soon. Researchers have been working on a newer type of vaccine using mRNA, the same technology Moderna and Pfizer used to make their highly effective Covid-19 vaccines. Major health agencies recommend getting the flu shot as soon as possible.
Read More: NY Times, PBS News, CDC