Newsbites + Other Bits: A Weekly Roundup (vol. 2)
I'm aiming to post this weekly roundup every Friday morning. But this site is a one-person operation and this week was dizzyingly hectic. I can't wait for the day I get to do this.
A weekly edition of content I think you'd like to read, listen to, and watch
Everything that unravelled and keeps unravelling this year, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, seems to have wrought collective emotional devastation. As someone who eagerly consumes news, this year has been challenging – some days, it's just too painful and overwhelming to read the headlines, never mind the stories.
Although we can't control the news around us, we can better manage our intellectual and emotional state of mind to make sense of it all. I've been trying to mix my news consumption with content that sparks my curiosity but also soothes my mind. Other times, I go offline and, weather-permitting, go for a long walk.
These are disorienting times. Sometimes all we can do is take each day as it comes.
❤️ Be kind to yourself and others. Enjoy your weekend.
📖 To Read
- Manyu Jiang explains for the BBC's Remote Control how the intersection of the pandemic, working from home, physical distancing and video chats are making us physically and emotionally distressed and knackered.
- Marta Martinez reports for OneZero, many social media managers, who have found themselves on the frontlines of responding to the 2020 news cycle, are at breaking point.
- Chatelaine's Denise Balkissoon writes about children in Canada being neglected in the country's response to the pandemic because of economic reasons.
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Climate change and COVID-19: Two weeks ago, in my first weekly roundup, I shared a story about how hurricane Eta could unravel a humanitarian crisis in Central America. A few days later, Iota, a second, more destructive hurricane hit the region, especially affecting Honduras. The Guardian's Jeff Ernst reports that the pandemic, which had already sunk the country's economy, will also be one of many other factors that makes it difficult for the country's government to receive much needed foreign aid, as the global community’s attention is focused on their own pandemic responses. The Intercept's Sandra Cuffe highlights the life-altering challenges and losses of Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala's indigenous populations after the hurricanes.
Natural phenomena like these hurricanes are a direct result of climate change. As Cuffe points out:The populations that least contribute to climate change are bearing the brunt of its impacts.
👂 To Listen
If you like fútbol and have questions or deep feelings on how Spain pulverized Germany this week in the Nations League (6 – 0 😱), the Stadio guys, Ryan Hunn and Musa Okwonga offer a top-notch dissection of what happened, talk about celebrities owning fútbol clubs (Hi, Ryan Reynolds!), among other topics.
👁️ To Watch
The process of hand-blocked wallpaper. It's captivating.
🎇 Other Bits
- Check out the wonderful Shazam of Plants – free without ads.
- This fascinating site where you can play and wonder about life millions of years ago - the Ancient Earth Globe. Type your city to see how it looked in relation to the rest of the world up to 750 million years ago.
👀 Did I miss anything? Make a mistake? Let me know. Share with me your thoughts, suggestions, or critiques. Follow me on Twitter: @e_sarin. Or email me at: elenasosalerin@gmail.com.