The Daily Valet. - 12/13/21, Monday
✔️ No One Saw This Coming
Monday, December 13th Edition
I miss ‘Succession’ already.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
Dozens of Tornadoes Hit
Death, destruction and chaos across at least six states
Devastating images rarely seen outside of a fictionalized disaster film played out across televisions nationwide this weekend, as Americans woke up to see the devastation left behind by a series of catastrophic tornadoes that ripped through six states.
More than 80 people have been reported dead in Kentucky alone, and that number is expected to surpass 100, Gov. Andy Beshear told NPR. Kentucky was the worst-hit state by far in an unusual mid-December swarm of twisters across the Midwest and the South that leveled entire communities.
The storms also killed at least six people in Illinois, where an Amazon distribution center was hit; four in Tennessee; two in Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed and the governor said workers shielded residents with their own bodies; and two in Missouri.
Across a battered region, a public reckoning with unimaginable loss began Sunday, as survivors dug out homes and businesses, and rescuers—who had to crawl over the dead to get to the living at one scene—searched with diminishing hope for loved ones, and mourned others who died in the tornado’s path.
Reports of increased fatalities, injuries and loss of power have continued throughout the region as emergency efforts push on. In freezing temperatures, nearly 90,000 homes and businesses remained without power across western Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee, mauled by winds that blew one family’s photograph to a town 100 miles away.
↦ Look Closer: These before and after satellite images reveal the extent of the tornadoes’ destruction.
The Holiday COVID Spread
34 states have higher cases than they did before Thanksgiving
Well, this isn't great news: COVID is surging in many parts of the country in the wake of Thanksgiving, with Christmas and New Year's gatherings on the horizon.
Health authorities in some hard-hit states, like Vermont, New Jersey and Maine, say people who became infected after traveling or gathering indoors for Thanksgiving are likely adding to the case numbers. By this weekend, some 34 states had higher seven-day averages for new cases than they did before Thanksgiving, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Epidemiologists believe colder weather, which draws people back inside where respiratory viruses can more easily spread, plays a big role.
As Christmas nears, U.S. officials have largely shied away from significant new restrictions. Instead, they're reminding everyone to get vaccinated—including booster shots. Health authorities are also asking people to know the vaccination status of people with whom they celebrate, urging rapid tests to check for infections and continued mask use. Be responsible out there, okay kids?
↦ FYI: The booster is ‘optimal care,’ but the fully vaccinated definition stays put, Fauci says.
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Uber, Lyft Drivers Want Protection
Rising crime is keeping drivers off the road
Some gig-economy drivers are quitting amid a spike in violent incidents, exacerbating an already short supply of drivers amid the wider nationwide labor shortage.
Drivers simply aren't returning as quickly as consumers, despite big bonuses from companies and the expiration of temporary unemployment benefits. I'm sure, like me, you've noticed fewer drivers available and higher prices quoted.
But can you blame the drivers? According to the Wall Street Journal, many of them are getting caught up in a surge of carjackings, murders and other violent crimes. Apparently, some will only work during the daytime or pick up passengers from the airport. Others have taken to wearing bulletproof vests.
It follows Pew Research Center research that found 35% of gig workers said they had felt unsafe while on the job. While workers go through background checks and are often required to take selfies to prove their identity, customers can create accounts using false names, making it easier for wrongdoers to pose as passengers.
↦ Meanwhile: GM plans to invest more than $3 billion in Detroit factories to make electric vehicles in Michigan.
Author Anne Rice Dies at 80
She stood fiercely by her work and its fans
Anne Rice, the legendary novelist died at the age of 80 due to complications from a stroke, her son and fellow author Christopher Rice announced on her official Facebook page and his Twitter.
Rice's biggest success was her first novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” which was later adapted into a popular movie in 1994. It was also expected to be portrayed in a TV series on AMC and AMC+ in 2022.
Over her five decade career, she wrote dozens of books and sold more than 150 million copies worldwide. Thirteen of those books were part of the “Vampire Chronicles.” But did you know that under the name Anne Rampling, she wrote steamy novels including “Exit to Eden” (which featured sex slaves and was later turned into a Rosie O'Donnell/ Dan Aykroyd buddy cop movie)? Or as A.N. Roquelaure, she wrote an erotic series known as the “Sleeping Beauty” novels?
Her books resonated not only with gothic fans, but also with readers who found a spiritual element in them—some gay and transgender readers who identified with the themes of isolation and alienation. Critics may've been dismissive of her writing, but she aspired to more. “What matters to me is that people know that my books are serious and are meant to make a difference,” she told the New York Times. “Whether that's stupid or pretentious-sounding, I don't care. When I get dismissed as a 'pop' writer I go crazy.”
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Morning Motto
It’s okay to fear failure. The trick is to move forward in spite of the fear.
↦ Follow: @resetnyc
That’s all for today...
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