Friday, October 29 top stories
Hello, it is Friday, October 29. I am taking Alex’s place today. Ready for today’s top news briefs?
Facebook is changing its name and logo. Facebook Inc. is now called Meta Platforms Inc., or Meta for short, to reflect what CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday is its commitment to developing the new surround-yourself technology known as the “ metaverse.” But the social network itself will still be called Facebook. Facebook the app is not changing its name. Nor are Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The company’s corporate structure also won’t change. But on Dec. 1, its stock will start trading under a new ticker symbol, MVRS.
What is the metaverse? Think of it as the internet brought to life, or at least rendered in 3D. Zuckerberg has described it as a “virtual environment” you can go inside of — instead of just looking at on a screen. Essentially, it’s a world of endless, interconnected virtual communities where people can meet, work and play, using virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, smartphone apps or other devices. Things like go to a virtual concert, take a trip online, and buy and try on digital clothing.
Critics wonder if the potential pivot could be an effort to distract from the company’s crises, including antitrust crackdowns, testimony by whistleblowing former employees and concerns about its handling of misinformation.
Leaders of the NAACP issued a two-page open letter Thursday and signed by NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson that was sent to the MLB, NFL, NHL, WNBA and NBA players' associations. The organization pointed to recent laws on abortions, voting rights and mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic as reasons to avoid joining teams in Texas.
If you are considering signing in Texas, I ask you to ensure that owners are upholding their responsibility of protecting you, the athlete, and your family. I ask you to use your influence to help protect the constitutional rights of each individual at risk.
Professional athletes serve as some of our country's greatest role models and we need them to join us to fight for democracy. If you are a woman, avoid Texas. If you are Black, avoid Texas. If you want to lower your chances of dying from coronavirus, avoid Texas.
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Baltimore-Washington DC area sees one of the biggest tidal flood events of the past 10-20 years, possibly since Hurricane Isabel in 2003 at some locales, is expected to peak on today and linger through Saturday. During this time, two to four feet of coastal flooding is likely. Rain began pouring over the region from 1 a.m. today and will continue all day. High tide is expected to push the Potomac River in Georgetown and Alexandria. A high wind has been issued for Southern Maryland where east winds could gust over 60 mph.
Tidal flooding is the temporary flooding of low-lying areas near a coast. Tidal flooding usually occurs through the combination of winds, offshore storms, and full moon cycles during high tide events such as full moons and new moons. As average global temperatures rise, oceans expand and push seawater even further ashore. The sea-level rise is tied to climate change.
According to Waste Dive, 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfill every year. Instead of throwing them out;
Pumpkins are mostly made up of water and decompose quickly, making them ideal for composting.
You can use them to feed local wildlife. The seeds in pumpkins are especially good for foraging animals as they are believed to contain cucurbitacin which is frequently used to treat tapeworms and roundworms in livestock. Make sure not to do this with your pumpkins if you have painted them as paint may be toxic to animals if ingested. If you don't want to leave it in your backyard for wildlife, you could instead try contacting local zoos, animal shelters, farms or community gardens.
If you're not sure where to look, try checking the websites of pumpkin donation organizations and find your nearest drop off point.
That is all the top stories for today. I hope you won’t get spooked and have a safe weekend. Stay with the light!
https://www.newsweek.com/pumpkin-waste-compost-wildlife-1634633
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/10/28/dc-storm-wind-coastal-flooding/
https://www.nbcwashington.com/weather/weather-stories/coastal-flooding-weather-dc-maryland-northern-virginia/2857331/
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32497111/naacp-calls-athletes-not-sign-texas-teams-due-recent-legislation
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/28/1050175142/naacp-pro-athletes-not-sign-texas-teams-voting-abortion-laws
https://apnews.com/article/facebook-meta-mark-zuckerberg-technology-business-5ad543ab7780caae435935f0aca9fac6