Showing posts with label coronavirus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coronavirus. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 106: 'Houston...We Have a Problem and It's Not Just You, It's the Whole Country'

Dear Diary,

Houston, Texas, is well on it's way to being the new epicenter for the pandemic in the United States.

That message was conveyed by Republican Rep. Pete Olson. He warned the House Energy and Commerce committee that at the current trajectory in Houston the city was on pace to be one of the worst affected cities in the nation.

I remember when the pandemic was first recognized and people were panic-buying toilet paper and paper towels. In a sign of just how bad it is in Houston today; there's now a limit on how much toilet paper and paper towels can be purchased at one time.

Olson admitted, "It's damn scary."

What's also damn scary is the pandemic has ramped up - thanks to reopening too soon on Memorial Day - and 46 states are watching COVID-19 cases rise.

With no central leadership against the virus, America is losing the battle daily, with no end in sight. Trump refuses to take the pandemic seriously and goes against what his own CDC recommends. Like wearing face masks.

Republican governors that followed Trump's lead on opening practically everything, are now faced with slapping restrictions on their states and possibly closing down again. Science denier, and Trump puppet, Florida governor Ron DeSantis is having trouble concealing how badly infected the state is.

His only excuse is that young people went to bars and beaches without social distancing. What the hell did he think young people were going to do after been released from shut-down orders? The problem with the bars could have been lessened with enforcing proper safety precautions.

But no one wore masks and they crowded together like mice in cages. No state mandate added to the fuel that caused the fire that's spreading across Florida right now.

Healthcare experts know things will get worse because we're not responding correctly. Dr. Fauci made that clear yesterday during a CNN interview.

The only hope the country has is that individual governors - in particular Republicans who've been following Trump like sheep - will quit be intimated by him in favor of saving their constituents lives. 

That is to say if the governors start going by science instead of rhetoric, there's still hope.

                       On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
As an old hippie I find it amazing that the things they use to lock people up for - marijuana and now magic mushrooms, are being accepted in mainstream America.
(AP Photo by Peter Dejong)
There's an Oregon ballot measure to legalize the use of psilocybin in therapeutic settings. Organizers say they already have enough signed petitions and believe it will appear on the November ballot.

**Oregon hits 3rd consecutive day of more than 200 new coronavirus cases. The most recent health report says there's been a total of 8,423 confirmed novel coronavirus cases, and 202 deaths from the virus.   

Quote for the Day; "Every solution to every problem is simple. It's the distance between the two where the mystery lies." -Derek Landy

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Pandemic Diary Day 103: Trump - 0 and Coronavirus - 2

Dear Diary,

When historians look back at this chaotic year two things will stand out.

Trump's total denial of reality (in all things).
and
He tried to bully a pandemic by attempting to deceive Americans about how deadly it is. 

Both remarkable failures for an American president. Especially one who is trying to get re-elected. It's almost like Trump has given up and cranked up his crazy meter just to feed his cult followers, and everyone else be damned!

As Trump's fate becomes clearer (that he's going to lose) his last restraints have collapsed. No more listening to adults. He's still going after DACA despite losing his cruel case in the Supreme Court. He's going after Obamacare (again) in the middle of a pandemic when Americans desperately need health care. He's firing career officials to give his golf buddies jobs. It goes on.

Underwater in nearly every poll in the nation, Trump is still trying to dial up 2016 and replay his biggest hits like "Build that Wall!" 

The problem is this is 2020. Trump's not running against someone who was even more unpopular than he was this time around. Joe Biden's popularity is increasing weekly, as political pundits whisper, "Landslide win for Uncle Joe in November."

Trump has been a reflection of what's bad in America. He's a racist and a serial liar. Most Americans know that now after three-and-a-half of the most chaotic years in our nation's history. 

I expect the next four months will be full of challenges. Can we as a nation stand up to Trump's last ditch attempts to destroy our Democracy?

I sure the hell hope so.

                 On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon
STRIPPER STRIKE
Portland strippers marched for equal scheduling of Black dancers.

I just love their motto: No Justice - No Booty! 

To date, 27 clubs have signed on to make the necessary changes to make their workplaces less discriminatory. You go girls!

**COVID stats - The Oregon Health Authority reported two new deaths and 124 new cases yesterday. There's 7,568 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 202 people who have died from it.

Quote for the Day: "Remember, a fact is a fact, no matter how hard the liars amongst you might try hushing it up." -Billy Childish

Universal Music Power

In a delightful description of the power of music William Congreve wrote "Music hath charms to sooth a savage beast..." in his 16...