Podcasts: The Many Difficulties Ahead For Restaurant Patio Dining

Wired Spoken Edition PodcastPublic health experts think Covid-19 risk is lower outside, and restaurateurs want to fill tables. It’s an easy solution—except for all the hard parts.

“In a restaurant operating on the typical dining model of table service, I have not yet seen a case where outdoor seating would make up for the amount of lost indoor seating due to distancing,” Boor says. “Even the ones that come close require some pretty big assumptions about making that outdoor seating usable, like building something like wind screens and heating elements.” Few cities in the US have year-round pleasant weather in the evenings, whether that’s because of heat, humidity, cold, or rain. So restaurants trying to expand their borders are going to have to build some kind of nimbus of infrastructure to minimize the picnic-in-the-rain vibe. Of course, the more enclosed an outdoor space is, the more it is like an indoor space—with all the concomitant risks.

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TOP TRAVEL VIDEOS: “AERIAL AMERICA – NEBRASKA” (SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6kEKW0WugQ

Nebraska: Soar above this agricultural powerhouse as we explore the Cornhusker State’s vast farms, towering spires, desolate badlands, and gleaming cities. We also celebrate Johnny Carson, Warren Buffet, Carhenge, the College World Series, and other great figures, landmarks, and pastimes that call Nebraska home.

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Covid-19: “Superspreading Events” Responsible For Up To 80% Of Infections

From Scientific American (June 23, 2020):

Scientific AmericanIn fact, research on actual cases, as well as models of the pandemic, indicate that between 10 and 20 percent of infected people are responsible for 80 percent of the coronavirus’s spread.

Researchers have identified several factors that make it easier for superspreading to happen. Some of them are environmental.

  • Poorly ventilated indoor areas seem especially conducive to the virus’s spread – A preliminary analysis of 110 COVID-19 cases in Japan found that the odds of transmitting the pathogen in a closed environment was more than 18 times greater than in an open-air space.
  • Places where large numbers of people congregate – As a group’s size increases, so does the risk of transmitting the virus to a wider cluster. A large group size also increases the chance that someone present will be infectious.
  • The longer a group stays in contact, the greater the likelihood that the virus will spread among them – The benchmark used for risk assessment in her contact-tracing work is 10 minutes of contact with an infectious person, though the CDC uses 15 minutes as a guideline.
  • Some activities seem to make it easier to spread respiratory gunk – Speech emits more particles than normal breathing. And emissions also increase as people speak louder. Singing emits even more particles, which may partially explain the superspreader event at the Washington State choir practice. Breathing hard during exercise might also help the spread of COVID-19.

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Art: “Audrey Munson” – The First “Supermodel” In American History (Video)

The year 2020 marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted millions of women in the U.S. the right to vote. The Frick is celebrating with a series of videos honoring the stories of women who made, appeared in, collected, and took care of art in this collection.

Frick Curator Aimee Ng continues the series with a look at the model, actress, dancer, writer, and artist known as “Miss Manhattan”—Audrey Munson. 

Audrey Marie Munson was an American artist’s model and film actress, today considered “America’s First Supermodel.” In her time, she was variously known as “Miss Manhattan”, the “Panama–Pacific Girl”, the “Exposition Girl” and “American Venus.”

Top New Daily Podcasts: “Axios Today” Features Political & Media Insights

Axios TodayIn the past few weeks, best seller lists and streaming platforms have been full of books, shows, and songs about racism in America. Demand for this type of content is growing, streaming companies are featuring more prominently and it could have a lasting impact.

Animated Video: “Salvador Dali’s Magic Cheque Book”

Directors – Luke Marsh + Alexander Hellebaut

Designer – Alexander Hellebaut
Animation – Luke Marsh, Alexander Hellebaut, Michael Towers + Ish Ali
Voiceover – Javier Fernandez
Music + Sound Design – Arthur Brouns
Producer – Eve Somerville
Creative Director – Giles Dill

With thanks to Fundació Gala Salvador Dalí, Shamina Knights and Danielle Hallock.

Surrealist master Salvador Dali would often be found in Catalonia’s capital Barcelona. His visits were often followed by stories as strange as his artworks. One such tale is of Dali’s magic chequebook… a story of food, drink and finances that may or may not have happened.

Find out more here

Politics Monday: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter On 2020 Election News (PBS)

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including whether younger voters will turn out this fall to support presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, President Trump’s unfounded claims of fraud with mail-in voting and what to watch in a key primary race in Kentucky this week.

New Travel Podcast: Ljubljana Castle In Slovenia (Monocle 24)

Monocle 24 The UrbanistMonocle 24’s “Tall Stories” visits Ljubljana Castle, a former medieval fortress that’s now at the heart of city life in the Slovenian capital. It hosts everything from award-winning restaurants to a diverse collection of cultural venues.

Slovenia, a country in Central Europe, is known for its mountains, ski resorts and lakes. On Lake Bled, a glacial lake fed by hot springs, the town of Bled contains a church-topped islet and a cliffside medieval castle. In Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, baroque facades mix with the 20th-century architecture of native Jože Plečnik, whose iconic Tromostovje (Triple Bridge) spans the tightly curving Ljubljanica River.

Top New Travel Videos: “Moments In Cuba” By Víctor A. Hernández

Filmed and Edited by: Víctor A. Hernández

This is a short film from a 15 days trip around Cuba in 2019.

From the peaceful countryside of Vinales to the busy timeworn streets of Havana, every corner in Cuba is filled with the joy of the charming cuban people, with a mix of origins and cultures, offering a variety of afro-caribbean and latin music and dances, which you can enjoy with great cocktails and best cigars in the world.

Places visited: Havana, Viñales, Playa Girón, Cienfuegos, El Nicho, Trinidad, Santa Clara.

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