Pandemic Diary Day 42: Everyone Has Advise for What To Do During These Dark Times

Dear Diary,

A plethora of sages and fools alike have been giving the public advise on how to cope with the pandemic.

Most of the "advise" coming from the Coronavirus Task Farce is toxic... and ill-informed; with the exception of a couple of healthcare experts who are challenged daily by Trump if they tell the truth about what's really happening around the country.

Then there's the celebrities and wealthy who are experiencing a different coronavirus reality than the majority of the country where citizens are struggling to survive the devastating effects of being jobless, and unable to properly keep a safe distance from one another due to crowded conditions.

Unsurprisingly, those elites in our society are giving advise on how to raise children at home. In their strata of society, the elite children get the very best online tutors and have access to resources the poor can only dream about.

It's strange to see billionaires talking about how "we are all in this together" and giving advise to the legions of the unemployed about how to pass their time in quarantine.

By now, the majority of the country knows Trump's advise is absolutely worthless, and dangerous. Governors are giving advise that is sometimes heeded, and at other times blatantly ignored.

It's difficult to take advise from anyone these days because it's filtered with politics and then served up piecemeal by less than trusty messengers. Advise from medical/healthcare professionals is like gold during these dark times.

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

**The Oregon Health Authority reported 58 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday bringing the total known cases to 2,311. Officials also reported four new deaths attributed to the virus in the state, bringing the number of deaths to 91.

**I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop when we start testing more (and accurately), and the numbers of cases skyrocket. It's going to happen. Hopefully, we'll get through these dark times and develop a cure for COVID-19 in the near future.

Quote for the day; "But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Pandemic Diary Day 41: A Funny Look at Last Week's Bigly Briefing

Dear Diary,

I'm still laughing after Trump's (now infamous) Lysol cure briefing. 

It was a comedy classic in the style of Commedia dell arte, with Trump as Pantelone.

 A performance worthy of the Theatre of the Absurd shocking medical experts and whoever else witnessed the one-act play. 

The Accolades roll in daily

"A clowning achievement." -Rand Paul  

"Move over Bozo! Trump's in town!" - Matt Gaetz

"Our president's finest moment." - Kellyanne Conway

"Being a stable genius, Trump could be a doctor if he wanted to." Kevin McCarthy

The latest reports about the supposed leader of the Coronavirus Task Farce, Mike Pence, have been about Pence losing his voice during the briefings.

Insiders know it's not permanent because Pence can't go a day without praising Trump.

Quote for the day; "I love mankind...it'd people I can't stand!!" - Charles M. Schulz

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

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

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

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...

Pandemic Diary Day 34: A Dizzy Day - Still Fatiqued

 Dear Diary,

I'm weak, but a little wiser on why I've been so damn dizzy it's hard to walk the last couple of days.

Shirley hooked me up with a teleconference with a local doctor (amazing technology) yesterday. He doesn't think I have the COVID-19 virus. That's the good news.

The bad news is the doctor thinks I had a small stroke two days ago when I got out of bed and my whole left leg was numb, and I kept falling trying to get to the bathroom.

The doctor suggested I go to the ER and get an MRI, or whatever. I didn't go for a couple of reasons. 

One, with my luck I would be sitting in a waiting room of undiagnosed COVID-19 carriers for hours. And two, the effect of my little incident hasn't been that bad.

As a matter of fact, my hearing (which has been terrible for decades) suddenly improved! No kidding. It's been weird. I can't remember when I could hear so well in my one good ear. I've been deaf in the other ear after six surgeries since the Nam. That's a story for another day.

Imagine my surprise, and Shirley's surprise. It turns out that one of the effects of small strokes is something called auditory overload (or something like that). I certainly don't understand the biology of my brain. I just count myself lucky to have one. And now, a better ear.

I hope it's not a temporary effect. When my head quits spinning every time I stand up, and I don't feel like I just got off a 20-mile forced march, I'll have to research the subject.

Writing this is exhausting me. Time to lay down and catch a few winks. Tomorrow is a new day.

Quote of the day: "Come tomorrow, I'll wake new." - Chad Sugg

Pandemic Diary Day 33: It's Happening... Politics Over Pandemic is Costing Lives

Dear Diary,

It was inevitable with the Trump regime.

Partisan politics are once again pulling the country apart when we should be uniting under a common cause, to defeat the deadly coronavirus ravaging America.

I couldn't believe my eyes yesterday when I saw Trumpies (on TV) - carrying AR-15s - blockading streets in Michigan's state's capitol, and cavorting on the courthouse steps like they were in a Trump rally. Trump signs popped up like poisonous mushrooms.

Why? A couple of conservative organizations in Michigan decided there doesn't need to be a state-wide lockdown to fight the coronavirus … despite the fact that Michigan is tied for third in the nation with the most cases and deaths to date!

What was accomplished? Absolutely nothing! Unless you look at the very real possibility that those morons who were clustered together without masks cause another outbreak!

More stupidity in Kentucky.
About 100 batshit crazy protestors (photo left) disrupted the Democratic governor's televised pandemic briefing update by chanting, blowing horns, and shouting in a megaphone outside the window of the briefing room, nearly drowning out his comments to Kentuckians.

About 100 protesters in Ohio gathered outside the statehouse sporting Trump hats. In Utah 100s of residents marched around protesting the states closures. About 100 protestors (without masks) gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, in violation of the state's stay- at- home orders. One red-capped moron was arrested.

Yesterday a coalition of right-wing idiots gathered in Virginia's Capitol Square. "Re-Open Virginia;" "End the Lockdown in VA;" and "Virginians Against Excessive Quarantine." 

And yes, they are all right wing groups who would rather see people go back to work, even if it means countless more cases of the deadly coronavirus.

Trump is encouraging his cult members by talking about opening the country up on May 1st; a totally unrealistic proposition. He's calculating on putting the blame of the pandemic onto state governors, thus absolving him of accountability.

It's a sick tactic. But classic Trump. Divert. Cause chaos. Divert some more.
                                               ---

On the Homefront - Medford Oregin

**Oregon coronavirus layoffs approaching 300,000. Frankly I'm waiting for Oregon's alt-right nuts to start protesting the state's stay-at-home-orders. They're probably organizing as I write this!

**I'm feeling weak and dizzy again today, but it isn't quit as bad as yesterday. I noted that I didn't have any COVID-19 symptoms in yesterday's entry. 

Upon further reading today, it's possible that I may have some neurological aspects of COVID-19. My lethargy, fatigue, and dizziness have been reported as subtle signs of the virus.

But because there hasn't been any studies on the neurological aspects of COVID-19, it's a reach to suggest that I have it.

I just know I feel like crap, and this post is the last thing I'm going to do today. I'm tired. Going take a nap. Tomorrow is a new day.

Quote for the day: "You were sick, but now well, and there's work to do." - Kurt Vonnegut

Pademic Diary Day 32: The Heart of Darkness - Coronavirus Peaking

Dear Diary,

I'm having trouble trying to document what's happening daily because there's SO MUCH going on.

National and global pandemic stories of desperation seem to get worse daily. Here's a smattering:

** There's a zoo in Germany that's going to have to start feeding some of it's animals to the other animals because no funds are coming in! Hoping for a government bailout!  

**Farmers are dumping milk - up to 20,000 gallons a day - In Wisconsin because of a precipitous drop on demand from schools, restaurants and food service providers.

**New York now has over 10,000 deaths, and counting. Nearly 30,000 Americans nationwide have died from COVID-19, and counting.

**A group of ignorant Trumpies gathered on the steps of the Michigan capitol building with their beloved guns, to protest because they didn't like the safety orders the governor enacted to protect the people of the state. 

The group was organized by a Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund, a DeVos (as in Education Secretary DeVos) family-linked conservative group.

**Trump's trying to stop US payments to the World Health Organization because he's decided they're going to take the blame for what he didn't do - shut down the government when warned by his own healthcare experts.

But the orange ape is in for a fight with Congress, who rightly assert he can't change funding which has already been granted by Congress.
                                              ---

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

**The death toll from COVID-19 has increased to 58. 1,663 cases of known virus across the state. Still only 47 cases in Jackson Country where Shirley and I live. No known deaths in the county either.

**Gov. Kate Brown announced a framework, but no dates, for loosening coronavirus restrictions. 

**I was a bit under the weather yesterday, a problem with my balance and feeling dizzy and weak. No warning signs of COVID-19 however. Shirley is watching me like a hawk today. I am feeling somewhat better though.

Quote for the day: "Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend." Lao Tzu

Pandemic Diary Day 31: Coronavirus Coloring Book Could Be a Big Hit With Bored Public

Dear Diary,

It just came to me one day.

There's millions of Americans sitting around in their homes bored beyond belief when they could be enjoying the Zen of coloring.

Forget about the traditional coloring book themes however. Instead, consider some of the following suggestions to spice up your coronavirus coloring book experience:

The Pandumic Task Farce Follies 

Color Trump Orange and his minions yellow. 

Explore page after page of the Task Farce doing dumb shit like standing shoulder-to-shoulder when talking about social-distancing. 

Color in each member with shades of gray as they try to keep their reputation and not piss off Trump at the same time. Want an even more dramatic Trump? Use neon orange. 

The Adventures of Donnie and Mike 

Check your color inventory of orange crayons because Donnie is on every page! He shares some pages with his boob-in-waiting Mike (color him brown nose with tints of yellow) who is seldom seen standing. 

Most of Mike's appearances are on his knees. Ready to please. The dweeb duo are shown walking down a beach together... Mike several feet behind Trump in a dramatic montage of pages that you'll want to color immediately after vomiting!

Trump's Book of Magic

Make sure you have a full set of crayons with every imaginable color because Trump is like a chameleon, changing colors to con people daily.

Orange and Red Trump at WH Task Farce Briefs. Blue Trump sitting around the Oval office wishing he could hold campaign rallies. 

A jealous of Dr, Fauci Green Trump. Yellow Trump afraid to admit when he's wrong. Purple Trump straining to take a crap on his throne.

Have fun!

                                                  ---

On the Homefront - Medford, Oregon

**Three's company - Bob the Cat, Mollie, and Butters sharing scraps (bits of egg) from my breakfast plate yesterday morning.

Not sure if Bob thinks he's a dog, or if the dog's think they're cats? Who cares? There's no species shaming around this house.

**State stats - 1,633 known cases of COVID-19 - 55 deaths attributed to pandemic.

**Testing, testing...Oregon has been testing about 1,300 people a day. The state epidemiologist, Dean Sidelinger, said the state needs to have to capacity to test 15,000 a week before we can even think about lifting stay-at-home protocol.

**Making progress outside - Shirley and I have been staying busy with outdoor projects during this stretch of mild weather which has been perfect to garden in. 

I suppose when the gardening is all done, I'll just have to lay around on a lounge chair in the yard and drink beer every day while keeping a sharp eye out for new weeds! Things could be worse...

Quote for the day: "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." - Aristotle