Pandemic Diary- Day 104: Foiled Again! Trump Caught Playing Golf When Said He Wasn't Going To

 AP Photo by Alex Brandon -    Trump motorcade going through the gates of  Trump National Golf Club Saturday in Sterling, Virginia 

Dear Diary,

Only someone with utter contempt for reality would avoid it as much as Trump does. Documenting his lies have become a national pastime. 

Americans can see he's delusional about claiming victory over the pandemic. One thing that has not changed is Trump has to get his golf time in.

During a devastating surge of COVID-19 cases in the last week which has surpassed infection records set in April and May, Trump was seen waddling around in his little golfing outfit (white polo shirt and red MAGA hat)) on Saturday...the day after he said he would stay in Washington DC to "make sure law and order is enforced" amid ongoing anti-racism protests.

I can't help remembering when Trump campaigned on how much Obama golfed during his two terms. I looked it up and discovered President Barack Obama golfed 333 rounds during his entire presidency.

Trump has golfed 271 days in three-and-a-half years, or once every 5 days. Twice as much as Obama. Once again reality has a way of overtaking Trump's lying ass and slapping him in his orange mug.

The day of the visit to his private golf course came as the number of new coronavirus cases per day hit an all-time high of 40,000!

The only place Trump is comfortable is on the golf course - one of his of course - where he can totally control his environment. He cheats shamelessly, knowing most people won't call him on it. It's a magical piece of real estate where he makes hole-in-ones all the time. 

Which reminds me of a story about North Korea's dictator Kim who apparently also likes to golf. His state-controlled media once told a tale where Kim aced a perfect round! Nothing, but holes-in-ones! 

I'm not sure who is more corrupt, or a bigger liar; Trump, or Kim? It's a toss up.

                   On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

The number of coronavirus cases in Oregon hit their second highest daily mark since the COVID-19 pandemic began months ago: 250 infections.

The biggest outbreaks have been coming from churches. There was a church in Northeast Oregon's Union County last week that accounted for 278 confirmed coronavirus cases.

There's been 7,818 total confirmed coronavirus cases and the death count is up to 202. The most troubling news is the healthcare experts forecast showing "alarming" growth in future infections. "Exponential growth" is predicted by mid July.

It's a scary model that suggests Oregon could see anywhere from 910 new daily infections to an astounding 5,030 a day by July 16th, depending upon the level of spread.

Quote for the Day, "A storyteller makes up things to help other people; a liar makes up things to help himself." -Daniel Wallace

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

Pandemic Diary Day 102: I'm All In! Let's 'Stop Hate for Profit!'

Dear Diary,

I'm delighted to see that someone is holding that punk Zuckerberg to account!

Despite pleas from numerous civil rights groups over the years to take hate posts off of his platform, Zuckerberg has remained defiant. Yeah, he pays lip service to the groups, but no substantial changes have been made.

That might change now.

Corporate advertisers are pulling ads from Facebook for the month of July, joining the STOP HATE FOR PROFIT boycott organized by the Anti-Defamation league, the NAACP, Color of Change, and other civil rights groups.

If there's one thing Zucker boy believes in, it's making a profit at the expense of civil discourse. All of his excuses over the year come down to this...

someone has to threaten his profit margin to get his attention.

The list of companies is growing daily. Here's some of the participants; The North Face, Patagonia, Arc'teyx, outdoor retailer REI, Ben & Jerry's, Eileen Fischer, Eddie Bauer, Magnolia Pictures, Upwork, HigherRing, Dashlane and Talkspace.

I personally got off Facebook after the 2016 Election. I was stunned by how much the platform helped the Russians send out disinformation during the president election. Trolls are one thing. Foreign agents trying to subvert our Democracy by using a willing platform like Facebook, is another.

It's been clear to me for years that Zucker boy was more than just guilty of negligent practices. He's been complacent about the spread of misinformation since he launched the platform.

It's time he quit profiting off of hate. I'm hoping corporate America buys into that philosophy and in doing so becomes a champion against racism, disinformation, and pure hate!

                 On the Homefront - Medford Oregon

Therapy Time!

My doggies (Molly with mouth open and Butters) keep me centered with their devotion and love.

It's so amazing how they can bring your heart beat down. What a great super power.

Relaxing and loving on these two good babies is one of many daily activities designed to be therapeutic.

**Ugly in Oregon - A white woman has been charged with menacing (using a Swiss Army knife) and a bias crime (repeated racial slurs) against a black man in a bar.

Police said an argument had broken out over social distancing. Well, it looks like KAREN (slang for white woman afraid of blacks) is getting more menacing all the time. Another sign of the times.

Quote for the Day; "Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet." -Maya Angelou

Pandemic Diary Day 101: Trump's Life and Death Campaign is Getting Critical

Cartoon by Adam Zyglis Copyright 2020 Cagle Cartoons

Dear Diary,

Here's something to think about...

The United States just recorded it's third-highest total of new COVID-19 cases, and the highest single-day total since April, and the third-highest total of any day of the pandemic.

I'm going to pause here.

Despite the above facts we have a president who is pretending the deadly virus is going away. That it's no longer a threat and there's no need to wear face masks (he refuses to and his minions follow) and social-distance in public.

Trump is hoping to convince people only he can save the economy. His plan to reopen states too soon involved sending people back to work with employers that don't take the proper safety measures. Food processing plants for example.

Trump intends to win one way, or another.

The "another" is sacrificing people on the altar of his desperation. No one is safe, friend or foe. He expects undying loyalty, but isn't loyal to anyone but himself.

Reality has been bitch-slapping Trump since January when he ignored the warnings sign of an impending pandemic. 

His overt attempts of denial of the danger that the virus poses was seen when he held his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then another mini-rally for young Republicans at a megachurch in Phoenix, Arizona. Both no face mask events with thousands of people in attendance.

I'm concerned that Trump's dismal polls are motivating him to take even more draconian measures to ensure a win. That he plans on interfering with the election (perhaps with foreign help) is no secret. He's also doing his best to discredit the election by claiming mail-in votes are a Democratic plot to defeat him at the polls.

Red lights are lighting up in Trump's tiny brain as he realizes the pandemic cannot be bullied.
                     On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

**The Oregon Health Authority 

reported three new deaths and 171 cases of confirmed coronavirus. 

The death toll is now 200. There's a total of 7,444 cases this far. That number is climbing.

(Photo - Police officers from multiple agencies helped Portland police respond to protests that have been occurring nightly - 29 nights in a row. Photo by Beth Nakamura)

Quote for the Day; "And the worst part is before it gets any better we're heading for a cliff. And in the free fall I will realize I'm better off when I hit the bottom." -Hayley Williams

Pandemic Diary Day 100: What New Hell is Next?

Dear Diary,

It's tiresome waking up to chaos every day.  

The problem is the world is changing rapidly because of the coronavirus. 

Economies worldwide have been hit with economic devastation unlike anything since the Great Depression in the 30s.

Americans are trying to survive Trump's lack of leadership during the pandemic that affects us all. We're still in the throes of the original wave of COVID-19 and Trump has thrown open the country in an attempt to ignore the spreading virus and further his claims of a great economic comeback.

I watched half of this mornings House Justice Department Oversight hearing. It was Deju vu back to the impeachment hearings when the Republicans did everything they could to disrupt the hearing by attacking witnesses and giving an alternate reality that Trump was as innocent as a lamb.

It was a sad example of partisan politics. Just one story from this hearing (there's plenty, more but this will do):

(R) Louie Gohmert didn't like what he was hearing so he loudly repeatedly tapped on his desk, like a petulant 3rd grader, while a witness was trying to speak. He was warned by the chair to stop his tantrum several times before he finally shut his mouth. It was a real Romper Room moment for the Republicans.

Okay one more...the GYM JORDON show was pathetic. As usual. At one point he put up signs behind him (he knows his one-man show requires graphics because Trump's focus is narrow.

Meanwhile...

The pandemic is getting worse every day.

Protests are turning into riots.

Trump is attacking everyone.

What new hell is next?

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

World Naked Bike Ride Portland June 29, 2020-Photo by Mark Graves/Oregonian

**Every year Portland hosts the World Naked Bike Ride and this year it's happening despite the pandemic. The ride starts at Laurelhurst Park in southeast Portland.

Photos from last year's ride here.

**COVID States - 191 new cases were reported yesterday, including a new outbreak at a food processor plant in Umatilla County. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases is 7,274. There's 192 confirmed deaths from COVID-19.

Quote for the Day; "If you're going through hell, keep going." -Winston Churchill

Pandemic Diary Day 99: Trump's Days of Whine and Rallies

Dear Diary,

Sitting on the patio drinking coffee and watching the sun come up on a warm summer day, it occurred to me that Trump's days are numbered. 

I think he knows it too. It's more than national polls showing him behind Biden on nearly every category possible that has the orange meathead worried. His big comeback rally was a supreme debacle. It was also a wake-up call.

Trump's support is shrinking. When that arena was not filled with rabid fans just fainting at the sight of him it sent a shiver down his contorted spine.

I've heard the ridiculous claims by Trump's minions that it was a "perfect" rally and there were 12,000 attendees instead of what the local Fire Marshal said; 6,200 attendees. About a third of the BOK arena.

Future rallies are on shaky ground as Trump's now disgraced campaign manager Brad Pascal tries to hold onto his job. A rally/political moment is set for Phoenix, Arizona today at a megachurch supporting young Republicans. It will be another super spreader event just days after Tulsa.

The volume and quality of Trump's daily whining beats anything previously during his administration. He wakes up at all hours tweeting grievances and cryptic messages.

The moment his piggish eyes open in the morning he reaches for his cell phone and starts tweeting and retweeting conspiracy theories. Each more vile than the last.

In all fairness, Trump has a lot to be concerned about. Despite using and abusing the AG's office with an enabler, and the Department of Justice along with 11 intelligence agencies, his three-and-a-half years of corruption are being exposed with every new revelation in 2020.

John Bolton's new book, "The Room Where it Happened" is available today. I can just imagine what Trump's tweeting this morning.

The thing that strikes me most is how out-of-touch Trump is with the country and reality. The con man is slipping. The White House staff struggles daily to translate what Trump "really means" when he says outrageous things.

During the rally he ranted on how he told "his people" (I imagine evil red Smurfs when he says that) to slow down testing in the country. 

Immediately after the rally, and still this morning, the press has been asking Trump minions if he was serious about slowing down the testing process?

I'm still cracking up at Peter Narvarro's response when asked that question:

"Oh, come on!" He laughed and grinned stupidly. "Can't you tell a joke? He was kidding!" 

The only problem with that claim was Trump contradicted him the next day when a reporter asked him if he was slowing down testing in the country?

As usual, the Moron-in-Charge played coy, and whined that too much testing was making the country look bad. Translated; making him look bad. Trump has ways of saying yes, without using the word. It's an old mafia trick he learned from his New York underworld buddies back in the day.

The way I see, it Trump's Days of Whine and Rallies are coming to an end in 136 days.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

A Happy Father's Day!
My three sons came over for Father's Day, making my day! 

They're all fathers too. 

Front row, left to right; Richard, Nathan, and Eli. I'm the galoot in the back row. Very proud of my boys.

**COVID Stats - The state reported 146 new cases of the coronavirus, and two new deaths yesterday. That brings the total to 7,083 confirmed cases, and 192 deaths in Oregon.

More than a third of the state's cases have been reported since June 7. A report released Friday showed the jump in numbers isn't due to more testing. They say the virus is spreading more. 

I do worry about the fact that most people around here in Medford don't wear masks - indoors, or outdoors. Shirley and I are continuing to stay at home as much as possible. When we do go out, we practice social-distancing. Restaurants are still out of the question.

Quote for the Day; "Pressure will squeeze whining out of losers and winning out of achievers." -Orrin Woodward 

Pandemic Diary Day 98: Looking Forward to this Week

Dear Diary,

I woke up smiling this morning.

I don't know if it was because I was dreaming about Team Trump's humiliating shit show that was billed as his Great Reopening campaign rally on Saturday, or what.

It was another crowd size moment when millions of adoring fans were said to have signed up for the rally, and only 6,200 showed up, dutifully not wearing face masks or practicing social-distancing... despite all the extra room there was in the arena.

After a proper wake and bake and coffee, I thought of something else that makes me smile today.

Love him or hate him, John Bolton's tell-all book on Trump - The Room Where It Happened - will be available tomorrow. I've already seen selected segments on the news, and its another glaring embarrassment for Trump (as if his disastrous rally wasn't bad enough).

I predict nothing will affect Republicans stance on backing Trump in this book. The only thing that may happen is Bolton's bucks (reportedly $2 million) for penning the tome will end up in the U.S. Treasury thanks to a lawsuit from Trump minions.

I won't shed any tears for Bolton. He's come up on the wrong side of history by not testifying before Congress. This vengeance-fueled tell-all will be another needle in Trump's fat ass.

Now for a "Bigly" reason to be happy this week:

The one thing that really strikes fear in Trump's black heart is his taxes and fraudulent finances being exposed. He's fought successfully for three-and-a-half years by appointing minions in the right places to protect his vile secrets.

Remember the Supreme Court that Trump claimed doesn't like him recently because of a couple of decisions that didn't go his way? Pretty bad timing to be whining. 

As soon as this week, the Supreme Court will have a decision on whether Trump's accountants must turn over his financial records and tax returns over to House Democrats and New York prosecutors investigating hush money payments.

Yeah. The bigly one.

The corrupt Department of Justice under AG Barr's direction, has been making the case there should be a different standard for the President than for everyone else.

It's hard to stress the importance of this case which is a key legal test of Trump's attempt to wrap himself in a bubble of total immunity while in office.

I'm keeping in mind that Trump's lawyers have lost in every court they went to (six courts with appeals over three years) and it's going to be a reach to go against all of those judges and their judgments.

I know anything could happen. The Supremes may kick it back hoping it'll go away in an endless loop of litigation. But for today, I'm going to bask in the glow of imagining that orange wretch in the Oval Office finally being exposed for the crook he's always been.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

Oregon lawmakers will be considering 13 new bills Wednesday during a special session.

The Democratically controlled Legislature will be focusing on passing police accountability laws and measures to respond to the coronavirus.

COVID Stats - The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state has reached 6,937. 190 people have died from the virus.

Quote for the Day; "Smile more. Smiling can make you happy and others happy." -Roy T. Bennett 

Pandemic Diary Day 97: About the Team Trump Debacle in Tulsa

Dear Diary,

I confess that the Trump team had me believing there were at least 100,000 people who signed up to attend his rally. 

Some enthusiastic Trumpies even touted that there were actually a million calls to attend his CoronaFest. The propaganda prior to Trump's super spreader show must have been pretty effective. It had me wondering just how rabid his supporters really were.

When I watched the events leading up to Trump's COVID-Fest yesterday, it was hard to tell how many followers where there. The first hint that Team Trump's claims of a massive turnout where pure bullshit!

When the outdoor area that was supposed to be for the overflowing crowd was shut down an hour before Trump was set to speak I suspected the GOP party wasn't attracting boisterous crowds of fans.

When the media cameras started showing a nearly empty upper deck as Trump waddled out onto the stage, reality bitch-slapped Team Trump. 

After listening to statistics this morning, the number of attendees was about 7,000. That's still a lot of people willing to die to hear and see their beloved leader live. It's also no where near filling the arena which holds up to 19,000 people, let alone a huge overflow.

No matter how hard Team Trump tries to spin their Great Come Back rally, it showed me one thing; enthusiasm among those voters in 2016 who elected him isn't there now. I managed to listen to an hour of alternate reality before I had to turn the TV off and go wash my hands!

Apparently the orange clown ranted for two hours. That's a lot of toxic air mingling with the coronavirus that was already directly related to the rally. Six Trump Team workers tested positive, but that didn't matter. The show went on.

This morning as I enjoy my coffee, I feel more confident than ever that Trump will lose in November. Just thinking about it is a good enough Father's Day gift for me.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

Eye popping report -
My concerns about the coronavirus spreading here were confirmed after reading a report the Oregon health Authority released Friday.

The weekly share of Oregonians testing positive has more than doubled since May 15th, when the state started reopening. Right now the positive test results are at 4.1% for the week ending Friday.

Like many other parts of the country it now appears we reopened too soon. 

With summer officially here today there's no way to get people to go back indoors, so we must live with the results of one long endemic...where it just goes on and on like an evil Energizer Bunny!

Quote for the Day; "The thing about embracing our own chaos is that it never becomes clear when you need to stop." -Trista Mateer

Pandemic Diary Day 96: Trump's Super Spreader Show is a Denial of Science

Dear Diary,

Healthcare officials in Oklahoma have been pleading with the Trump campaign not to hold a rally of 19,000 people inside an arena...
in vain.

Didn't matter. 

The show had to go on. Trump will have his way and people will die because he needed a massive ego boost.

Trump's super-spreader vanity show is a complete denial of science. The world is watching, aghast that an American president is so stupid that he ignores the expert advise of the top healthcare officials in America. 

I'm reminded of lemmings walking off a cliff - except they're people signing their lives away with disclaimers that they won't sue Trump and his minions if they get COVID-19 or someone they love does from their exposure.

Trump is truly unhinged now. He no longer cares about anything other than his beloved rallies where's he's transported into an alternative universe full of people who love him no matter what an asshole he is.

The reality is the rally could have been held outside. 

At least it would have been safer than being inside a giant petri dish with screaming sociopaths standing shoulder-to-shoulder in shows of unity with Trump's stupidity.

Trump minions try to use a false equivalent by claiming it was okay for Black Lives Matters protestors to turn out in the thousands, but when Trump holds a rally for thousands it's wrong.

No one "gave" the protestors permission to gather. Many wore masks, and they all took place outside. Comparing a large event with thousands inside a building with face masks optional, is just stupid and disingenuous. 

But it's all his minions have. Trump's show is here today, along with the most deadly virus on the planet. 

The results of his ego-building reality show is going to be more outbreaks of COVID-19. Not just in Oklahoma, but in the states where Trump fans traveled from to see him.

What makes me sad is the innocent people who are going to come into contact with Trump attendees who'll be potentially spreading the deadly disease.

Future indoor gatherings should no longer be called rallies by the Trump team. A much more appropriate term would be Pandemic Parties! 

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

The Bomber restaurant 
has called it quits after 73 years.
(This 1960s photo of the "Lacey Lady" B-17 Bomber. Oregonian file photo)
A piece of history is gone as the B-17 Bomber, a former gas station and restaurant closed up for good.
_______________

**And so it goes -
Oregon has seen 8 consecutive days of 100 cases or more (a 148 yesterday), and four new deaths (183 total).

**Where to go this summer -
The Peak Northwest podcast offered up some suggestions for outdoor activities this summer. Here's an updated list of what outdoor spaces have reopened.

**Back to Masks - Oregonians must wear a mask in public starting June 24th. That should be interesting. I see no way to enforce it. When Shirley and I go out we seldom see people walking around outside wearing masks, let alone inside. 

Quote for the Day; "How 'bout a shot of truth in that denial cocktail?" - Jennifer Salaiz

Pandemic Diary Day 95: Who Are These People Attacking Healthcare Officials?

(Photo by Jeff Gritchen/Orange County Register- Dr. Nichole Quick unexpectedly resigned from her position as a health officer for Orange County after receiving threats in public.)
Dear Diary,

California healthcare officials are quitting their jobs at an alarming rate. That's real bad news for the general public in the middle of a pandemic.

What would make a professional with years of service suddenly quit their job? The answer is embarrassingly clear; crazed protestors who don't believe in wearing face masks or using vaccines to control viral outbreaks. 

During Trump's presidency he's managed to lure people away from science and reason, and converting them into believers of his outrageous conspiracies'. 

Some recent examples

**Orange County's chief health officer resigned after she received death threats for issuing a requirement that residents wear face masks in public. (Photo above)

So what did the county do afterward?

A few days later, after the resignation of the chief health officer the district supervisor said masks would be "strongly recommended" instead of required.

**A Contra Costa County public official was terrified by protestors who demonstrated outside her home and drew chalk arrows leading to her house. They wrote slogans in colored chalk like, "My Body, My Choice, Tyranny is Not the Answer, and "Your neighbor thinks he has the power." 

Police ended up posting a security detail outside the official's house after live stream protests got even more ugly.

**Santa Clara County reported that Public Health Officer Sara Cody, had been threatened. The local sheriff said he's investigating the case.

Being a public health official is no easy task anytime, but the kind of organized domestic terrorism being used to stop them from warning the public to be safe and wear face masks, is unprecedented. 

This is the kind of hate and ignorance the Trump regime has spawned.

There's no mystery on whose attacking science, facts, and common sense... they wear little red caps that say MAGA on them.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

Speaking of Face Masks

Gov. Kate Brown shared details about her plans to require most Oregonians to wear face coverings yesterday.

The requirement begins June 24th.

She also gave her reason for allowing the state's largest county to reopen even as coronavirus cases surge. Apparently her rational was Multnomah County didn't have rising hospitalizations for COVID-19 and so it was safe.

The problem with that excuse is Oregon Health Director Pat Allen admitted that wasn't true!

It doesn't sound like people will get arrested for not wearing masks, so I imagine most people will ignore the governor's "request." 

Businesses can refuse entry to people not wearing face coverings, according to Oregon Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger.

I foresee problems enforcing that. I just read about a Trumpie getting kicked off a plane for refusing to wear a face mask despite the airline's requirement.

Quote for the Day; "The man of science has learned to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification." - Thomas H. Huxley