April 18th: I think it’s Saturday?
Headlines
Germany begins random antibody tests. Maybe the fact that their leader has a doctorate in quantum chemistry has helped their cause?
Huntington Beach protest. To quote a protester: “We’re here in defiance of Gavin Newsom and his socialist agenda to ruin our economy.”
CNN is at the end of their rope with Trump’s briefings. Can’t say I blame them.
At today’s briefing, Dr. Birx presented charts comparing the US mortality rate per 100,00 against other countries. We were #7 in the world after Belgium, Spain, Italy, France, UK, and the Netherlands.
Lady Gaga curated the line-up a for tonight’s televised concert ““One World: Together at Home Special to Celebrate Covid-19 Workers”). Thus far the effort has reportedly raised $35 million.
Chart of Coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people presented by Dr. Birx at the daily briefing. This photo shows one of the times Trump interrupted to point at the numbers for China and Iran saying “Does anybody believe this number?!?” That guy….always so helpful!
Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
I had a lovely Zoom hang-out with a dear local friend who I don’t get to see as much as I’d like. Her little girl rambled up several times and hung out with us while I smiled and waved at her enthusiastically at her like a nut. Not surprisingly with an (almost) 2-year old, the subject of bears came up. I told them happily that I was participating in the neighborhood “bear hunt” and showed them the bear taped to my window. Then I had to show little Mayna my prized possession - a very large bear pillow that I’ve had since I was about five. I recounted how I vaguely remembered seeing one at someone else’s house and annoyed my parents until they bought me one. Oh to be young…
A couple years ago I made some reference of the bear to my Dad, who said “Hold on, hold on. Wait. You still HAVE that??” I laughed and told him that it had lived with me at every home I’ve had since college. I think it may have skipped living in my freshman dorm, but it’s been everywhere else. I made a paranoid list of a few years ago of things I’d grab in case of a fire and the bear was on it. I may be a sentimental fool and I’m ok with that.
I watched the WH briefing, but honestly, I could barely tell you what was said. It’s so hard to watch that I can’t watch it too closely - I need to multitask while I half-watch to or I immediately feel my heart rate go up.
Dr. Birx had some good info, but then…there was Trump. As she showed the chart above listing Coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people, Trump interrupted a few times to point to the stats for China and Iran saying “Does anybody believe this number?” multiple times.
Later I took a meandering walk and popped by the local pizza place down the street. There was barely a line, so decided to treat myself to a slice and fountain pop. It was only the the second time I’ve had a restaurant meal in a month, so it was absolutely delightful. I started noticing the bears in my neighbors windows and counted 5. Not bad, Berkeley. Not bad!
After I got home I heard a couple of the neighbors chatting, so stepped out to join the party. Chatted with Nancy and Dean from a safe distance and we were eventually joined by Paul who offered up some homemade hand sanitizer (yes, please!). Then Andrew and his adorable Odin popped by.
Poor Odin is my buddy and strained on the leash towards us, but Andrew admitted he doesn’t want anyone petting him, and I repeated my “no petting” policy to the crew. Though the CDC says it doesn’t spread on fur, they also insisted for weeks we didn’t need to wear masks, so……. these things seem to evolve. It just seems better safe than sorry, you know? Though it makes me sad, it won’t kill me not to pet my 4-legged friends.
Winner of the Internet
There is a movement to name Dr. Fauci the “Sexiest Man Alive.” It may be ridiculous, but I think this is just the type of nonsense we need right now.
When asked during a Vanity Fair interview if he ever thought he’d be a candidate, the spry 79-year old answered “Well, no. Absolutely not. But as I often say, when they, when they show this to me at my age, I say, “Where were you when I was 30?” [laughs].”
Left to right: Signs at local stores, the best parking sign I’ve ever seen, the neighborhood bears, my bear gazes out the window and the infamous bear pillow.