Really No Contest

Irony, Thy Name is COVID!

New York Times Publishes Names of People Who Died of COVID-19 on Entire Front Page

Saved themselves the embarrassment of filling the front page with stories they'd have to retract in a day or two, I guess!

At the risk of being accused of "whataboutism", I don't recall the NYT filling the front page of their Sunday paper with the names of H1N1 victims? But it reminded me of something else, towards the end of the Bush Administration. The NYT published the names of all the soldiers who had died in Iraq...in Bush's war! It was a terrible thing, the media decried!~ All those soldiers' lives lost! Nightline did a special edition of nothing but Ted Koppel reading the names of those who had died in Iraq.

"Ted Koppel solemnly read aloud the names of 721 U.S. servicemen and women killed in the Iraq war during an unusual edition of "Nightline" Friday. Koppel's recitation - illustrated with corresponding photo, military branch, rank and age of each of the fallen since March 19, 2003 - occupied the expanded 40-minute program. There was no music, no graphic flourishes. Name followed name, photo followed photo..."

Doonesbury in the "funny papers", printed the list of soldiers killed in the Iraqi war. The "anti-war" movement was flourishing. Cindy Shehan camped outside of Bush's ranch in Texas. The media declared the ultimate right of a woman who had lost a son to combat to protest the war! These anti-war types were the genuine article! And really, really concerned about this...

...up until 2009. A new president...a Democrat president was inaugurated, and like the morning mists burned away by the blazing noonday sun...the anti-war liberals all disappeared! Well, Cindy Sheehan tried to extend her 15 minutes of fame by running for office in California, but no one wanted to interview her anymore, and her brief candidacy was swept away by a tsunami of apathy towards the plight of the U.S. soldier.

Obama ramped up activity in Afghanistan, yet saddled the military with near impossible Rules of Engagement, and the casualty count in Afghanistan started to rise precipitously. All with nary a peep from the anti-war Left. It was as if, liberals used the deaths of Americans to try to score points against their political opponents, but as a rule, just didn't give a damn otherwise!

It appears that the exact same thing is happening here. If somehow Trump can be associated with all these deaths, the liberals hope to score points in November. The "Paper of Record" never ran a front page of H1N1 deaths, or mounting casualties in Afghanistan or calling them "grim milestones" because a liberal was in office. Wouldn't want to embarrass him, don'tcha know?

But "Trump is Hitler", so all's fair!

Open Her Up!

Fredo's Little Helper

Masks, Anyone?

The State of California wants me to wear a mask when I go out, because just being 6'3", 260 pounds wasn't frightening enough small children, so here you go!

(I figured the hat would soften the blow!)

The Beatles Updated

In the town where I was born
Lived a man who liked to sneeze
And he told us of his life
In the land of quarantine!

So we sailed up to the sun
'Til we found a rubber boot
And we lived alone and raved
In our yellow biosuit

We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit
We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit

And our friends are all aboard
Many more of them live next door
And the band begins to play

We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit
We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit

As we live a life of ease
Everyone of us has all we need (except TP!)
Sky of blue (sky of blue) and sea of green (and sea of green)
In the land of quarantine (quarantine, ah ha)

We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit
We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit
We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit
We all live in a yellow biosuit
Yellow biosuit, yellow biosuit

(With apologies to Ringo Starr)

The Changing View From My Back Yard

Day whatever of the COVID-19 quarantine, er, social distancing! This was the view from my back yard yesterday at 9 AM.

This is today at 9 AM. If you notice the pool is a little less blue, that's a portion of the sawdust produced. My neighbor's pool looks at least as bad. I ran the filter for thirty minutes last night, the extra large capacity basket was already full of wet sawdust, packed in to break the basket.

Three pines, occasion home for hawks, squirrels and racoons are gone. The clean up will be a pain, short term, but long term, the source of the tiny pine cones that drop into the pool and clog the sweeper year round will be gone.

Oh, and the neighbors made sure the hawks were no longer there before serving the eviction notice!

You Don't Always Get What You Font

Coronavirus, Allergies or Flu?

As a public service announcement for all you hypochondriacs out there, a list of symptoms, compliments of USA Today

Allergies
Runny nose
Sneezing
Red, swollen eyes
Itchy eyes
Itchy nose
Tickle in the throat
Rarely a fever

Cold
Runny nose
Sneezing
Sore throat
Aches and pains
Mild dry cough
Rarely a fever

Strep
Sore throat
Painful swallowing
Fever

Flu
Fever is common
Dry cough
Quick onset
Headache
Sore throat
Fatigue
Sometimes a runny nose
Sometimes diarrhea

New coronavirus, COVID-19
Shortness of breath
Fever (above 100 degrees)
Dry cough
Gradual onset (two to 14 days after onset)
Sometimes headache
Sometimes aches and pains
Mild sneezing
Sometimes fatigue, but it’s not predominate like the flu
Diarrhea is rare

Now, go out there and...stay where you are!

Love in the Time of Covid 19

Be Careful What You Wish For