Monday, March 16, 2020

Covid-19 Reportage and Cactus

There is not a lot of good news to report.  The virus continues to spread, people continue to die.  It is still not possible to buy toilet paper.  There is one thing that is good.

Since the president declared a national emergency, Fox has changed its reporting.

On Fox News, suddenly a very different tune about the coronavirus  


Hannity said the following on his show.
“Tonight, we are witnessing what will be a massive paradigm shift in the future of disease control and prevention,” he said. “A bold, new precedent is being set, the world will once again benefit greatly from America’s leadership. . . . The federal government, state governments, private businesses, top hospitals all coming together, under the president’s leadership, to stem the tide of the coronavirus.”
The entire article is on WAPO.

This statement from Hannity as regards to the world looking to the president for leadership is just nuts.  The reality is that China already saved themselves. Europe is the current epicenter, and we're next.  In two weeks we're going to be Italy.  Other countries are way ahead of us in regards to testing and logistics.

It's good that Fox has quit the talking points about it's a hoax, another attempt to impeach, blah de blah de blah.  So much of the Fox audience is older, they need to be convinced to stay home, stay away from people, take it seriously.  So that was good.

Italy's rate of new cases appears to be moving off the exponential curve it was on.  Their lock down is working. 

We took our lives in our hands today and went to Costco, where we bought nothing because it's all gone, and to Safeway where we bought canned stuff, more dried beans and dairy products.  We did not get cereal or sweet potatoes which just irritates the living snot out of me.  We're so used to just going to the store for three or four things, but those days are over.  The CDC modelling is suggesting there are 70,000 cases in Tucson.  I was so taking comfort in the much lower number generated by actual testing.

The cactus are starting to bloom.  This is in our neighborhood, I took it yesterday, we should go back and see if there are more open.  It's a red fish hook barrel cactus.  Those spines are amazingly wicked.


This round formation is in the western sky.  Could be a contrail, or it could be a message from an alien.


Hang in there darlings, wash your hands and don't touch your face.

10 comments:

  1. Paula went to Costco today so I asked her to get puppy pee pads for me. Skitz has forgotten how to tell us she needs to pee so we could take her out. But shes good about using the pads. Anyhow, there was no shortage of pads so she bought us 3 big boxes. If we get desperate I figure Jim and I can use them. 🤣🤣
    My hands have never been washed so often.

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  2. It's rather amazing the differences in reporting. The Arizona Department of Health Services says there are only four confirmed cases in Pima County. Why do you think there is such a vast discrepancy?? It also says only 18 cases in all of Arizona. Just wondering .... maybe that's the number that MIGHT happen if no one did anything like wash their hands or take precautions. The stores up here are out of everything too, but they have ice cream!!! I've discovered it's very hard not to scratch your nose when it itches!! I'll be washing my hands even more.

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    1. The reason the numbers are so low is because AZ is not testing aggressively. First you have to be sick as a dog. The you have to test negative for flu, then they might test. DHS has no idea how many people have it. The problem is the young can get it, not know they have it, but be contagious for 14 days and pass it through the community. Any number provided about cases is low, they just do not know what's circulating in the community.

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  3. Currently harboring in place in Utah's lovely Klondike Hills. Thank goodness for boondocks...

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  4. That formation in the sky is fascinating. I bet its a sign. Yesterday I went to Fox News just to see what they were saying, I do this sometimes, and it was the first time ever in the history of Fox News that it did not feel as if they were living is a different universe from I was. I guess the message is finally getting through. We're all in this together, aren't we. This is the most intense object lesson on how connected we all are. Be well, dear friend. Love to you and yours.

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  5. I wonder if that is some kind of lenticular cloud? Very odd!

    Love the cactus too.

    It's funny you wrote about Fox News. I looked at their site today (as I occasionally do, just to keep tabs on the "other side") and I was surprised how even-handed their approach was to the coronavirus. I didn't realize it was a change of tone. I got the impression that it's usually Trump taking his cues from Fox, and not the other way around! Still, I'm glad they're taking it seriously.

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  6. I vote for "alien" message and I can only imagine what it's trying to say!

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  7. And the latest I read this afternoon is that Drumpf is now saying that he thought this would be a pandemic way before it was announced and that he hasn't changed his tune at all recently. Can the man utter even one truth!?! Or does he truly not remember what he said just a week or two or three ago? The mind boggles. I like that cloud. I hope its shape is a symbol of unity for all of us. This virus does remind us that we as a people and a planet are all interconnected. Stay well!

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  8. Those are the sort of cactus blooms we find on the little round cactus we can buy back here. Love the message in the sky.

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  9. I saw a couple of cactus blooms this last weekend so the blooming is starting to show up.
    I think someone (who knows who) finally got the pres. to listen to advice to get serious and of course Fox news will follow whatever lead he sets. There is certainly NO foreign leader who looking to us for leadership.

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