A Typo Set in Stone
Hot Topics | June 25th, 2021
Correcting a typo on a word processor is quite straightforward, but the same cannot necessarily be said for other media that are used for writing and recording text. Consider the Lincoln Memorial, where a typo was engraved into the stone walls of the monument.
Plans for the Lincoln Memorial called for the president’s second inaugural address to be engraved on the temple’s north wall. Look closely, and you will notice the engraver misspelled the word “future” carving “…HIGH HOPE FOR THE EUTURE” into the wall. When the mistake was caught, the third line in the capital “E” was filled in to correct the error. However, the correction was made using a stone that is a different color from the rest of the memorial, meaning anyone with a sharp eye can still spot the typo that was quite literally, set in stone.
We hope you enjoy reading this week’s headlines, fully proofread for typos:
A swing and a miss
- This week the White House acknowledged that the country would not meet President Biden’s goal to have at least 70% of American adults partially vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 4. (Roll Call) The goal will be missed chiefly due to Americans under age 27 who are getting vaccinated at a slower than expected rate. (The Hill)
- Read more: With vaccination rates varying widely between states, Dr. Anthony Fauci issued a warning earlier this week that areas of the country with lower vaccination rates are at risk of “localized surges” of COVID-19. (The Hill)
Federal officials issue statement on vaccine safety
- Top officials from the Biden administration joined representatives from various industry groups (American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, etc.) to issue a joint statement on Wednesday that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for adolescents. The statement came as federal officials are tracking rare reports (~1,200 reports out of 300 million+ shots administered) of heart inflammation in people who have received mRNA vaccines. (The Hill)
Eyes and ears and teeth
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced he was supporting the efforts of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to expand Medicare to include vision, hearing and dental coverage. Schumer acknowledged that this policy proposal faces long odds passing under normal Senate procedure, and plans to include the policy in the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. Democrats would use reconciliation to circumvent the threat of Republicans filibustering these bills. (Axios, The Hill)
Medicaid reaches new high
- Spurred by the pandemic, a record 74 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid as of January 2021. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), there was a 15% jump in Medicaid enrollment between February 2020 and January 2021. (The Hill) However, with the pandemic waning in the United States, millions of Americans may be kicked off Medicaid as states resume eligibility checks following a pandemic-induced hiatus. (The Washington Post)
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