Florida Governor Ron Desantis

 

There is no other way to say this. Florida Governor Desantis is running for President and his primary platform is being build with the bodies of Florida citizens who have and will die of Covid-19. 

When schools open in Florida later this month, the bodies that pile up will begin to include more and more children.

This political behavior is criminal. However, as we learned during the Trump administration, such actions are not going to lead to justice, responsibility or retribution.

But aren't voters who stick with these criminals guilty of "after the fact" crimes.

We have heard every excuse, every flag-waving stupidity. But MAGA idolatry continues to warp the minds and souls of brain-washed followers.

Not a single reputable medical expert on the planet . . . oh, nevermind, you've heard it all before. Unfortunately, you are among those who don't need to hear and heed the truth. 

Remember, Jonestown.

Dystopia 2023

 

Today there are warning signs that literally no one in a position of authority is paying any attention to. Let's review today's news.

-The U.S. administration is prepared to require all federal workers to either be vaccinated or be subject to testing.

-The U.S. CDC has reversed policy on masking indoors and in schools.

-The U.S. vaccination rate has hit a wall of vaccine resistant ideology. 

-The Delta variant is now transmitting at levels not seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

                                                        ~

First, those 'facts' relate only to the richest country on the planet, a country with roughly a 50% vaccination coverage and an oversupply of available vaccine. But Covid is not a country by country disease. Medically, we are one planet.

Second, absolutely nothing that is being done today or has been done in the past is enough to prevent a worldwide disaster. The incremental policy reactions of individual national governments is an attempt to put out a raging fire with a dixie cup and a dripping faucet.

Here are my 'facts' and my predictions of what will transpire over the next two years.

First and foremost, Covid variants will accelerate because less than half of the world's population has received at least one dose of a vaccine. Each and every person who contracts Covid can be the host for a new variant. To this point the available vaccines have been mostly effective against variants. There is no reason to believe this will continue to be the case.

If we look continent by continent: Europe has administered 84 doses per 100 adults. Since many vaccines require two doses, this translates to less than 50% fully protected. North America is only slightly behind at 82 shots per 100 eligible adults. Africa, on the other hand, has a current vacc-rate of 4.6 per 100.

A mass Covid outbreak anywhere on the planet creates a human petri dish for new, more virulent variants. Variants get on planes and spread throughout the world. Plus variants spawn other variants, which will eventually outstrip the protection of the vaccines.

Governments are not doing enough. They can't. There is simply too much resistance both culturally and politically Just this morning, Speaker Nancy Pelosi reinstated the mask requirement for the floor of the U.S. Congress. Her republican counter part Kevin McCarthy claimed this has an attempt by "liberal officials who want us to live in a perpetual pandemic state." The Speaker then call McCarthy a moron. These are the people we expect to act sensibly regarding a deadly worldwide pandemic?

Okay, let's skip forward 24 months.

July 28, 2023

The U.S. Government today announced the completion of phase three of Operation Protect America. All U.S. military personnel have been successfully recalled from foreign bases. Those military members still in 60 day quarantine will be eligible for limited zone travel after their release. As of today, no travel will be allowed in or out of United States airports or ports. All international borders remain closed as well as the exclusion zones in the Southern continental U.S. 

Military aid to the conflicts in South America and Africa will remain suspended. Humanitarian aid by airdrop will continue from U.S. Naval ships stationed off the continental coast of those countries. Any U.S. citizens still in foreign countries will not be allowed to reenter the country after midnight tonight. All U.S. passports are suspended.

All medical facilities remain under federal authority per the December 2022 Federal Pandemic Act. Vaccinations for the Signa and Nova variants remain available to essential workers and those in classes A1 through A9. Boosters for all other vaccination groups are recommended and available to all citizens with vaccination security cards.

Marshall Law and curfews remain in effect on a county by county basis as mandated in the Travel and Movement Acts of April 2022.

In Praise of Sloth

 

They told me to stay home - I can do that.

They said to have others deliver my food - that works.

No more movie theaters or concerts, binge only - no please not Netflix and my sofa.

No large gatherings - I wasn't really that fond of all those people anyway.

Work from home - what and avoid all that freeway time?

Zoom it - wait, I only have to dress from the waist up? [and put important book titles on the shelf behind me]

You see, I take easily to sloth. All those societal niceties and formalities are on hold, here's hoping some of them never come back. 

Online food ordering has gotten better and better. 

Smart restaurant websites are tweaked for all kinds of consumer friendly reasons. 

No plastic utensils - make that a checkbox.

Give reasonable options for the tip - 10% 15% 20%. Though in these times 20% is the right choice.

Grocery pickup and/or delivery; this may forever change how we shop. By the way, a delivery fee is understandable, but a pickup fee is not. And, if you are offering a note-leaving option for my order - read the damn note!

That being said - I take easily to sloth. I do not understand cabin fever, after all there are multiple commercial entities begging to bring me a wide variety of food and all the chocolate I need.

Sloth in the Time of Covid-19

Race and Virus. Virus and Race. White Privilege. White Fragility.

I listen to all the personalized conversations around the Covid-19 Pandemic. First and foremost, people have died, are dying, will die. Families mourn. Medical personnel are overwhelmed. Pollution is down, domestic violence is up. Schools must reopen, children will die. Schools must remain closed, disadvantaged kids fall further behind.

In the midst of all of this, I am uncommonly privileged. So are many of my family and friends. We are older, which means we are more susceptible to the virus but also more easily able to isolate. We don't have to go out to work. Food and meals can be delivered or curb-sided.

I (we) have financial resources. I gave my $1200 Covid check to a local food bank. So did many of my friends. But the privilege remains. What to do?

First, do not go out and volunteer. We are prime candidates to bump up the already frightening statistics. Donate, yes. But we are already masking and distancing and quarantining. We can and I have made strong arguments to family, friends and friends of friends that those "smaller get-togethers" are just as likely to pass on the pandemic as those fools in bars and pool parties.

The one solid thing I am doing to shed the virus is not getting it, not carrying it, not passing it on. Other than that, the guilt is palpable at times. I am privileged but I also want to stay alive and I want you to do the same.

Be Safe. Be Sane.