Grand morning out

We woke up this morning and decided suddenly that it was time to go to the beach. It took a little while to get ready (consult tide table, weather forecast, traffic). We each used the toilet twice (TMI? relevant, because we really don't plan to use public toilets, even when available, which in many places they are not). We were out of the house by 7:15 AM. We don't live on the coast. Our favorite sort-of local beach is Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, except on days that we take the T, in which case, Revere beach. I haven't been on the T since March 11th. I'll think about that another day. Even during what used to be rush hour, we went the speed limit the whole way, with lots of other cars and LOTS of trucks, but not the parking lot effect of old. Parking next to Singing Beach is for residents of the town only, so our habit is to park half a mile away and walk. Under the current circumstances, the whole town beach might be for residents only, but I believe the old rule that anything up to the tide line is for public use. Official opening time is 9, and we got there at 8:15. There were about a dozen people, giving us plenty of space for spreading out. I went in as far as my waist. I would have gone swimming for real, I think, but Arthur was only in up to his ankles, and I didn't want to violate the buddy rule. The weather changed frequently - brightly sunny, densely foggy over the water, interesting clouds. We left by the time the lifeguards and other staff were finished setting up. Someone clicked a counter as we left, leading us to assume they have established some sort of maximum number allowed on the beach, to enable distancing, but we didn't ask. I had my face covered all the time, and could smell the salt water, but Arthur kept taking his down, for more effective sniffing. As mentioned, we weren't near other people, but still.

on this date

In my memory, June 12 is always this event in 1982
https://lauradi7dw.dreamwidth.org/311568.html#comments

but in 1963, it was the day Medgar Evers died (DW finds both of those to be misspelled words. Step it up, spell-check). I was seven and a half, and I don't remember any news at all that summer that wasn't related to astronauts (or cosmonauts - this was just before Valentina Tereshkova went up. DW is OK with the spelling of *her* name). I was pretty much ignorant of racial justice movements at the time. I am not sure I knew before today that ME is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, as a WWII veteran.

in 2016, 49 people were murdered at the Pulse nightclub, in Orlando. in 2020, the Trump administration finalized a reversal of health protections for transgender people.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/06/12/868073068/transgender-health-protections-reversed-by-trump-administration

NASCAR

Among the sporting news this week was NASCAR banning the display or use of the CSA battle flag (stars and bars), and the fact that Bubba Wallace's car has Black lives Matter painted on it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/motorsports/bubba-wallace-to-pilot-supernumberblacklivesmatter-car-at-martinsville/ar-BB15gcMb
The race was re-broadcast this evening, and we watched a few minutes of it. Still a lot of turning left. I had the vague thought of writing to a sponsor to be supportive, but didn't see any commercials or logos of a product I would buy.

Also see
https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/story/_/id/29294475/the-confederate-flag-gone-nascar-races-miss-second