Saturday, April 25, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 40: Trump's Lysol Lie and More Dangerous Cures From a World Class Narcissist

Dear Diary,

I almost feel sorry for Trump supporters.

Almost.

I expect some will be dying soon. 

Not from the coronavirus that they see as a hoax, but by ingesting Lysol! In another surreal Task Face briefing Thursday Trump was pushing Lysol and Light as cures for the coronavirus.

The backlash to Trump's dangerous stupidity was almost instant. The makers of Lysol begged people NOT TO INGEST their product on their website and a series of tweets.

Trump tried, and failed, to get the two healthcare officials at the briefing to go along with his crazed contention that a combination of light "put in the body," and putting a disinfectant "in the body," would be a miracle cure.

Afterwards, the medical world was horrified. 

Republicans and Democrats were both confused and stunned that the president of the United States took a swan dive from reality on national TV. While Republican lawmakers were looking for places to hide to avoid any interviews on Trump's latest cure, Democrats called bullshit on his insane claims.

For most of Trump's life as a pitchman he only had his own reputation on the line. But now, during a pandemic other peoples lives are at risk.

After Trump's dangerous flight from reality, he came back the next day and told Americans that their eyes had lied... and what he really said was done so with sarcasm. One of his propaganda minions told the press Trump's words were taken out of context... which of course, was another lie.


Before peddling his latest snake medicines, Lysol and Light, Trump was selling hydroxychloroquine as a "game changer" cure. 

After studies and healthcare experts knocked that claim down, Trump went in search of another "miracle" cure, which led to him suggesting ingesting Lysol would cure COVID-19.

Trump is a world class narcissist who rejects science and healthcare experts in lieu of political propaganda that he's got the pandemic under control - with plenty of testing - and cures.

No one seems capable of stopping the dangerous misinformation from flowing daily during the Task Farce briefings. The only thing the media can do is to continue  fact-checking him immediately, and wait until he's voted out of office in November.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon
**The Oregon Health Authority reported three new deaths from the coronavirus Friday. Confirmed cases are at 2,177. Statewide, the death toll is at 86. Still none in Jackson County where Shirley and I live.

**Some good news - Gov. Kate Brown has ok'd non-emergency medical procedures in a step towards re-opening.

**Donate to a good cause - The Oregon Zoo is asking for $1 million lifeline in emergency fundraising effort.

After reading about a zoo in Berlin, Germany, where zookeepers were going to have to kill some animals to feed the rest because they were out of money for food... I sent a donation.

**Despite taking medication for my vertigo (or whatever I have) I'm just not 100 per cent. Still hard to concentrate. I feel weak and am still walking unsteadily.

Since the governor's decree of opening non-emergency medical procedures, I do have hope that I'll be able to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist in the near future. Pretty sure it's my left inner ear that's the problem. Hopefully, I'll find out soon.

Quote for the day; "The first wealth is health."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday, April 24, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 39: Things We'll All Remember About 2020



Dear Diary,

It's early to be summarizing this year, but with four months in I can't help myself.


Look at what's already happened:

The year started with a bang as Congress impeached Trump.

Then Trump was alerted that a deadly virus poised a major threat to the US economy, and every American life, and didn't do a damn thing about it!

Leaping into inaction, Trump stalled the scientists, healthcare professionals, and even his own team (think Navarro's report) in an effort to see if the problem would just "magically disappear."

Then the Senate acquitted Trump, and he went on a revenge tour, which continues to this day.

But, the coronavirus didn't go away and Donny had a new problem. America went on to have more cases and deaths from the coronavirus than any country in the world. And here we are... still counting.

Historians will be slapping their foreheads when they read (and watch videos) of Trump protestors demanding states re-open in the middle of the pandemic.

You want crazy? 2020 will be remembered for odd shit like when a physicist was hospitalized for putting magnets up his nose and...

when the INSANE CLOWN POSSE demonstrated a better understanding of epidemiology than the president of the United States!

And the merry-go-round continues...

**The American Oil Boom ended with a whimper as shale oil markets dried up this month.

**As of this entry, there's 26 million Americans who went on unemployment - literally wiping out all the job gains since 2008

**Oh Yeah! This just happens to be a presidential election year!

Right now, the soon-to-be-confirmed Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, is beating Trump in crucial swing state polls. Hopefully that trend continues and widens into increased support for Joe in November.

We're one quarter of the way through the year after next week. 


On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon
In Jackson Country, where Shirley and I, live there's been 48 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and NO DEATHS from the virus. Better yet, it's been four straight days with no new cases!

The folks around here hunkered down quickly after the governor's order to stay at home, and it seems to be working.

For the record, there's been 3,533 coronavirus cases in the state, and 78 recorded deaths. On the plus side, there's not been any new deaths statewide for two straight days.

My concern is that Oregon is among the bottom four states in testing. I don't know what to think about these official stats. Good? Bad? Ugly? I'm going to have to think about it some more in the coming days.

As I ponder the question there's another very serious threat to Jackson Country - it's been declared a local disaster due to drought conditions.

Quote for the day; "No matter how bad things are, you can always make them worse." - Randy Pausch
Q


Thursday, April 23, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 38: I'm back! I See That Things Are Worse

Dear Diary,

I'm up to writing again.

Been battling dizziness. I went to the hospital, and I've got medication for my battle with my balance. 

Still adjusting to it.

Meanwhile...

My head is spinning metaphorically at some of the recent news. I'm still catching up with things now that I can read without vomiting!

I knew politics would eventually interfere with facts about the coronavirus. It's plain to see what's happening now. States with Democratic governors are suddenly under assault by fringe lunatics (from white supremacists to militia groups like the Oath Keepers) to open up the state and forget about people's safety, and just plain scared people.

Conservative groups for Trump are becoming more organized daily as they turn the protests into Trump re-election rallies.

Trump and Fox News hosts are colluding daily on the messaging - Open Up America and fuck people's safety! Signs claiming COVID-19 safety precautions are a hoax and a liberal conspiracy have showed up at every protest thus far since they started last week.

Republican governors are opening up parts of their states, even though they don't meet Trump's own guidelines for re-opening. Trump's response has been to encourage their activities, and to lie on TV about the protestors practicing social-distancing.

I see doctors and scientists talking about COVID-19 being worse than they fully comprehend yet. Reports of the virus affecting other parts of the body - beyond the lungs - are surfacing daily. Heart, liver, kidneys, and even the brain are affected by the deadly bug.

It's apparent that healthcare experts are only slowly learning about everything the coronavirus does to the body.

Is America going to survive all of this? I'm really starting to wonder. With five more months of Trump in office we can expect things to get worse. Trump want's to be re-elected and there's nothing he won't do to achieve that aim.


On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon
**The good news is at least 595 coronavirus patients in Oregon are now fully recovered from COVID-19.

We currently have 2,059 COVID-19 cases, with 78 deaths reported.

**Don't ask me why, but Oregon waited for the Supreme Court to invalidate an 85-year old law that allows defendants to be convicted by a non-unanimous jury of any felony short of murder. 

The state law was rooted in racism. The question is why didn't Oregon legislators do something about it before now?

**The City of Sublimity (and surrounding areas) has a volunteer project going where every resident will get free face coverings.

Quote for the day: "The tougher the comeback, the better the comeback." - Bernard Osei Annang

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 34: I Need to Take a Blog Break



Dear Diary,

Still dizzy.

I'm taking the day off, and I'll see how I feel Monday.

Shirley is calling Monday to set me up with my prime caregiver (VA) to get this crap sorted out! I'll probably get an appointment in a few days.

One way or the other I'm getting to the bottom of this condition. And, I'm going to beat it!

Enough said. Damn head is spinning...

It's Time to Pay Up Donnie!

It's looks like there will be some prime real estate going on the market soon in New York City. Convicted rapist and former president ...