“Not Trumpistan”

Déjà vu all over again: end of the month and end on the week without internet.

After full-throated moaning about being hours behind the latest news, one accepts the temporary absence and finds something else to do. A refreshing break….

 (c) Illustration by Victor Juhasz
for Rolling Stone
Click to enlarge

News blues…

Donald J Trump Tweets his idea of delaying the election: 

With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???

Masters of under-statement – and Trump allies - respond:

• Lindsey Graham, "I don't think that's a particularly good idea."
• Majority Whip Sen. John Thune: "I think that's probably a statement that gets some press attention, but I doubt it gets any serious traction.”
• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: "I think we've had elections every November since about 1788, and I expect that will be the case again this year," he said. 
• Republican Sen. Thom Tillis: "The election is going to happen in November period."
• Republican Sen. Ted Cruz:  "Election fraud is a serious problem we need to stop it and fight it, but no the election should not be delayed."
• GOP Sen. Marco Rubio: "I wish he hadn't said that, but it's not going to change: We are going to have an election in November and people should have confidence in it."
• Senate Finance Committee chairman Chuck Grassley: "All I can say is that, it doesn't matter what one individual in this country says. We still are a country based on the rule of law. And we must follow the law until either the Constitution is changed or until the law is changed."
• Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming: "No, we're not going to delay the election… We're going to have the election completed and voting completed by Election Day."
• GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota: "Moving Election Day would seriously jeopardize the legitimacy of the election. Federal, state and local officials need to continue to work hard to ensure that Americans can vote safely whether by voting early or on November 3." 

Trying to change direction when he’s under fire is Trump’s go to MO (modus operandi). It’s worked well for him in the past, but there are signs the public – including Republicans – are onto his strategy. 

• Now This: The Rock Slams Trump with Scathing Video Message  (8:00 mins)
• Trump's narcissism and lack of empathy have Dan reconsidering his party status after 60 years. (1:02 mins)
• Why This Longtime Republican Rejects Trump (4:00 mins)
• Lifelong Republican give a blistering critique of Trump and the GOP  (4:13 mins)
• Trump Vote A Monumental Mistake.  (2:20 mins)
• Trump Voter: "Every day he breaks my heart as an American in a new way" (4:12 mins) 
• Jim is a gun-owning USMC vet who voted Trump in 2016 but will be voting Joe in 2020  (4:45 mins)
• Linda, a lifelong Republican from a military family, won’t vote for Trump this fall. (3:25 mins)
• Marie (Connecticut)  (2:40 mins)

The Lincoln Project:

Steve Schmidt interview, “This is the United States of America, not Trumpistan.” Watch: ‘This Is An Autocratic Moment.”  (3:19)

Memories 2  (0:57 mins) 

Meidas Touch:

Nobody likes Trump  (0:37 mins)

Rolling Stone’s “The Plot Against America: The GOP’s Plan to Suppress the Vote and Sabotage the Election.” Blocking ballots, intimidating voters, spreading misinformation — undermining democracy is at the heart of Trump’s 2020 campaign :

Healthy futures anyone?

An effort to educate and support peoples' effort toward sustainable living.

Terms and definitions: The Sustainable Development Index (SDI)

… measures the ecological efficiency of human development, recognizing that development must be achieved within planetary boundaries. It was created to update the Human Development Index (HDI) for the ecological realities of the Anthropocene. 

The SDI starts with each nation’s human development score (life expectancy, education and income) and divides it by their ecological overshoot: the extent to which consumption-based CO2 emissions and material footprint exceed per-capita shares of planetary boundaries. Countries that achieve relatively high human development while remaining within or near planetary boundaries rise to the top. 

See SDI results for 2015, the most recent year of complete data. While some countries score reasonably well, none reach over 0.9. South Africa is 57 on a list of 164 countries while US is 160.

Sustainable development goals – SDGs – also known as the Global Goals, 

…adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

The 17 SDGs are integrated  — that is, recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability…. Everyone is needed to reach these ambitious targets. The creativity, knowhow, technology, and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context. 

Focus on Norway.  Norway ranks high on SDI in terms of global implementation of the SDGs. 

From the school curriculum to the initiatives for recycling and the cross-industry struggle to keep the air, the seas and nature as free from pollution as possible, every aspect of life is imbued with a need to go greener. 10 Ways Norway Is Contributing to an Environmentally Friendly Planet  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

South Africans talk of “the CCMA” as the bugaboo of South African employers, particularly employers with long-term employees. Since one of my mother’s two long-term domestic workers is spreading false rumors that I am “going to throw her out of her job and into the street”, I researched CCMA. 

The website was no help in unpacking the acronym, but Google defined it as, “Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). 

CCMA is “a dispute resolution body established in terms of the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 1995 ….” 

If a dispute exists (none exists here, far as I’m concerned) dispute resolution is a good thing. Isn’t it? 

Apparently, CCMA has the reputation for bias – toward employees and against employers. 

I believe in fairness and recognition of all parties to obtain justice. 

Should be interesting as the saga continues….

Another Thursday

No internet connection all day! 

On the one hand: Grrrr! No internet! 

On the other hand: Yay, no internet! No news on Trump craziness. No news on Covid-19 deaths and destruction. No news about our desperate planet and its desperate people. 

 Yet, the Covid news doesn’t end. Compare this week’s numbers with last week’s: 

July 30 – 17,096,000 worldwide: confirmed infections; 668,590 deaths 

     July 22 – 15,240,000 worldwide confirmed infections; 623,660 deaths 

July 30 - US: 4,451,000 confirmed infections; 151,270 deaths 

     July 22 - US: 3,971,000 confirmed infections; 143,200 deaths 

July 30 - SA: 471,125 confirmed infections; 7,498 deaths 

     July 22 - SA: 395,000 confirmed infections; 5,940 deaths

News blues…

With more than 3,000 Covid-19 infections each day since last weekend, KwaZulu-Natal is emerging as South Africa’s latest epicenter. 

Last Sunday, the number of cases in the province had risen to 60,532, with 3,405 new infections since the previous day. On Monday, the number of cases stood at 65,982, placing KwaZulu-Natal behind the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the Western Cape in totals, but giving it the highest rate of increase in infections in the country. 

Today, KZN has 71,240 cases. 

***

Iceland has virtually beaten Covid-19 infections. 

The latest statistics show 1,823 recoveries of 1,861 cases with 10 deaths. Iceland never imposed a lockdown. Only a few types of businesses - night clubs and hair salons - were ordered closed. Hardly anyone in Reykjavík wears a mask. And yet, by mid-May…the tracing team had almost no one left to track. During the previous week, in all of Iceland, only two new coronavirus cases had been confirmed. 

The country hadn’t just managed to flatten the curve; it had, it seemed, virtually eliminated it. 

(Consider: Katrín Jakobsdóttir is Iceland’s prime minister 

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, announced stringent lockdown and quarantine measures and that country fares very well. 

A similarly positive pattern occurred in Denmark, Norway and Finland, all ruled by women, as opposed to Sweden, ruled by a man, where economic considerations trumped health concerns, and ultimately resulted in the highest death toll per capita in Europe. 

Not sexism. Just facts. 

Read, “Countries with female leaders suffer six times fewer COVID-19 deaths.” 

***

Interactive map of infections in the United States 

Healthy futures anyone? 

Focus on Iceland. With low levels of air pollution, stunning green forests, excellent water quality, and effective environmental policies, Iceland is one of the most environmentally friendly countries on the planet. According to PR Newswire, 72 percent of the country’s total energy consumption comes from hydro and geothermal resources. Moreover, Iceland is still reaping the benefits of the Nature Conservation Act (1999), which protects the land from construction, deforestation, and other damage. 

When settled in the 9th century, Iceland had considerable forests which provided fuel for the population… and for the production of charcoal and, by extension, for iron working. Available] forests … almost disappeared in less than 400 years and, along with volcanic eruptions, climate changes, and wind erosion of grassland, caused serious desertification. Centuries of poverty followed when the population squeezed what we could out of peat and other low-grade combustibles. In other words, trees were harvested without foresight, not replaced, and the valuable forest asset was destroyed.

Around 1900, fossil fuels triggered a historical shift with the use of coal and oil in Iceland’s growing fishing fleet. This made possible trawler fishing and large-scale harvesting of productive fishing grounds. Fossil fuels also heated houses.

Fortunately, the country began harnessing hydropower resources to produce electricity to light streets. That worked until the 1970s, when oil prices dramatically climbed. The oil crisis forced Iceland to look at other energy sources. The success of a large project to produce electricity from geothermal steam has been followed by more technically advanced power plants.

Today, wind turbines, reclaimed forests, and hydropower and geothermal energy account for more than 99 per cent Iceland’s sustainable and clean electricity production.

On the other hand, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), predicts the world is on the brink of reaching temperatures the Paris agreement had hoped to avoid. 

The study predicts that the global temperature is likely to be at least 1°C above pre-industrial levels in each of the coming five years. There is also a 20 percent chance that the Earth’s temperature will exceed 1.5°C in at least a year’s time. 

As the United States under Trump is set to pull out of the Paris accord (see yesterday’s post ) South Africa’s government hopes to

…cushion the blow of the Covid-19 economic crisis [with] a three-month delay in first carbon tax payments. The implementation of the carbon tax, aimed at penalising large emitters of greenhouse gasses, has since been concluded. On March 27, the day the lockdown kicked in, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries … lowered minimum air pollution standards for sulphur dioxide to reduce emissions by 58 percent.

The move was a compromise, achieved after public consultation [and] took into account the financial situations of big polluters Eskom and Sasol, which were seen as unable to invest in infrastructure that would lower their emissions to standards called for by environmental organisations. Since the beginning of the pandemic, stimulus directed at South Africa’s fossil fuel producers exceeds stimulus directed at clean energy. 

***

 Daily Maverick webinar, “Dirty Tobacco: Spies, lies and mega-profits.” 

For decades, reputable tobacco companies have been complicit in cigarette smuggling. In a tell-all exposé, host Pauli van Wyk talks with Telita Snyckers, SARS insider [South African Revenue Service (US IRS)] about the illegal cigarette trade, why and how listed companies smuggle their own product, and other truths uncovered while writing her latest book, Dirty Tobacco. 

***

The Lincoln Project: Trump Stooge 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… 

What would I do without online libraries? 

I subscribe to and download e-books from both Berkeley Public Library and San Francisco Public Library. Downloads allow me to read on my cell phone anytime I have Internet access (a bit tricky here). My regular sleep pattern includes awakening at 3:00 a.m. I’ve no heavy physical book or flashlight/torch to hold as I lie in bed and me. Just me, snug in my bed with my cell phone – happy as the proverbial clam. 

After years of reading hard-topic non-fiction, I returned to fiction to escape reality. Well, almost: I read current non-fiction online, as it becomes available. Recently I downloaded, and n the process of reading, the second edition of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 35 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President, edited by Bandy Lee, M.D., M. Div. 

It’s a disturbing read. 

I pause frequently and read fiction to regenerate my mental constitution before diving back into The Dangerous Case… 

For lovers of books and reading, online libraries are heaven sent. I’m an online library evangelist. Recently, as I purchased my usual weekly seed, nut, and whole grain loaf at the local bakery, I chatted with the store owner. He mentioned he’d not slept well and read a book in bed. 

Did he read e-books, I asked. 

He’d never heard of e-books. 

I grabbed my moment to proselytize and explained how e-books work: one signs up for library membership, logs onto the library website, finds e-books, audio, and video (a filter system allows easy perusal of catalogs) and either downloads or “holds” items. 

Most users process and track downloads through an Amazon account although I suspect there are alternatives to Amazon, too. 

I suggested the bakery owner approach the local library and inquire about their e-book offerings. Prior to finding a local Internet Services Provider, I frequented the local bricks-and-mortar library and used one of three computers there. Like most libraries, a user signs up for a computer and, once online, has 30 minutes of use, including accessing Internet. Not much time, but better than nothing.

“Mendacious from start to finish”

Peter Kuper
(c) 2020 Cagle Cartoons
Click to enlarge.

Many articles about Covid-19 claim that it  “will change the world forever…”
It could, but not without a valiant and concerted effort by well-meaning people working together.

News blues…

Covid-related predictions:

• “…less global and less urban”
• “… change the workplace forever” 
• “…how the world will look after…” 
• “…may forever change the world’s cities…” 
• “…the future of development…” 

Then, reality raises its stubborn head. “Trump has warned of alien DNA, sex with demons…” and you realize that, in fact, anything could happen – including no future.
Think that’s an exaggeration?
See Trump’s response after being called on his warning about alien DNA  (4:48 mins)
If well-meaning people of the world do nothing to shift towards more equality, all people of the world and the world are sunk.
Doing nothing or waiting for “someone” to “do something” is the human default.
What and how to do something effectively are huge questions.
Remember, simply confronting your clueless friends’ whackjob views is doing something….
Need a stimulant for action?

The US will officially exit the Paris accord one day after the 2020 US election and architects of that deal say the stakes could not be higher.
… in 2017 …Donald Trump took to the lectern in the White House Rose Garden to announce the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, the only comprehensive global pact to tackle the spiraling crisis.
Todd Stern… the US’s chief negotiator when the deal was sealed in Paris in 2015… [said] “I found it sickening, it was mendacious from start to finish… I was furious … because here we have this really important thing and here’s this joker who doesn’t understand anything he’s talking about. It was a fraud.”
The terms of the accord mean no country can leave before November this year, so due to a quirk of timing, the US will officially exit the Paris deal on 4 November – [fewer than] 100 days from now and just one day after the 2020 presidential election.

In other words, there’s still time for you to get involved. If you’re in the US, find out who is you local, state, and federal representatives and share your concern.
If you’re not in the US, here are five ways to contact the White House and air your concerns. 
Don’t expect a reply….

Healthy futures anyone?

Costa Rica, a model for sustainability

Like many tropical countries, Costa Rica lost a significant portion of its forests to agriculture in the 20th century. The United States was responsible for most of this damage: they provided massive “aid” loans to cattle farmers in Costa Rica starting in the 1960s … to feed Americans’ growing appetite for meat.
It’s not easy to come back from losing 80 percent of your forests, but Costa Rica is making a valiant effort through its payment for ecosystem services (PES) program. Using revenue from a gas tax, the government is paying small landowners to help reforest the country, with special attention to water resources and areas of high poverty. Their goal is to have 60 percent of the country covered in forests, a significant feat for any country.
This ambition is paying off for Costa Rica’s tourism sector: it now surpasses agriculture as the country’s biggest industry. People all over the world are drawn to Costa Rica’s renowned national parks and plentiful ecolodges.

***

The Lincoln Project:
Memories : It truly is a choice: America? Or Trump?
Meidas Touch:
Trump kills Texas  (1:00 mins)
Now This:
Republican Voters Against Trump Ad Uses Reagan’s Words  (3:00 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Yesterday I started what looked like a long, potentially ineffectual effort to vote in the November 3 election. I’d contacted the US consulate and received guidance, but it relied on the SA Postal Service. Anyone in SA knows there is no functioning postal service in this country. (See yesterday’s post. )
Today, I’m happy to share that I received a personal call from the consulate agent working with absentee ballots. She outlined the process to follow to ensure my ballot is filled out correctly and will be counted. This includes paying a courier company to courier the paperwork to the consulate in Durban for transport to the US.
Perhaps I should send the bill for the courier service to Donald J Trump?
Nah, he’s known for seldom paying for services.
Along with information, the consulate agent mentioned she was in quarantine as 3 other agents had been diagnosed with Covid. Consequently, consulate operations in Durban are intermittent.
Moreover, both her 30-something son and her 90-year-old father are infected with Covid.
Happily, both appear on the road to recovery – yes, including her father!

***

The tone of today’s post shares my growing concern about the direction of our planet and people. But… I remind myself that seedlings continue to sprout and grow, weaver birds chatter as they seek safe sites for spring nests, and the sun shines warmly.
Yesterday, the sun shone so warmly as I painted rust-proof paint on metal garden fencing that I wore a sun hat and spread glops of sunscreen on my face, neck, and arms.
I’m beginning the long and arduous task of spiffing up this property and preparing it for sale.
This for as long as my mother holds on to her current agreement to live with my nephew and his family in Johannesburg.
I hold thumbs that this remains a plan we can successfully execute.

No news is good news

Usually actively engaged in following news around the world, I hesitate, now, to do so. Too much bad news. Too much bad Trump news….

News blues…

• Trump still pushing hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19. 
• Trump reportedly never was invited by the Yankees to pitch the first game of the season. He lied. Rather, his aim was to grab the limelight from Dr Anthony Fauci who was invited – and who pitched. 
• Trump finds Twitter’s trending “very unfair” and, he claims, “illegal, too. They look for anything they can find, make it as bad as possible, and blow it up, trying to make it trend,” the president laments. 
• On and on he goes…clowning his way through a pandemic, as the world’s people struggle along a path strewn with up to 10,000 children dying each month from hunger. Covid-19 side effects are pushing the world’s hungry communities over the edge. ... and Trump and his cronies have no coherent strategy against a pandemic. 

Trump grifts, you die! (1:00 min) Meidas Touch

Healthy futures anyone?

In this new segment, I find examples of areas of the world where and people are creating/living sustainably.
Today, Cuba.
The US embargo has kept Cuba frozen in time, its environment pristine, and its people independent and self-sufficient. A brief history:
On March 14, 1958, the United States imposed its first embargo on the sale of arms to Cuba, during the Fulgencio Batista regime.
On October 19, 1960 (almost two years after the Cuban Revolution had led to the deposition of the Batista regime) after Cuba nationalized American-owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation, the U.S. placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine.
On February 7, 1962 the embargo was extended to include almost all exports. The embargo did not prohibit the trade of food and humanitarian supplies.
On December 17, 2014 Presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro announced moves to reestablish diplomatic relations and to loosen travel and economic policies. Obama also announced a review of Cuba's status as a terrorist state and an intention to ask Congress to remove the embargo entirely.
On May 29, 2015, according to the U.S. State Department, "Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism was rescinded. Under the announced changes by the President, there will be an increased ability to transact with Cuban nationals and businesses, including Cuban financial institutions. Additionally, permitted U.S. banks would have been able to open accredited accounts in Cuban banks.
But, along came Donald Trump…
On November 8, 2017, barely a week after Trump was elected, he and his Administration enacted new rules to re-enforce the business and travel restrictions to go into effect on November 9, 2017.
(Read a Wikipedia version of US/Cuba relations and US embargo against Cuba .)
The last laugh? 

A new report published recently places Cuba at the top of developed countries in the world in terms of sustainability. The Sustainable Development Index measures each country’s CO2 emissions aligned with other parameters linked to human development like education and life expectancy. The most recent figures from 2015 reveal Cuba as the most sustainable country on the planet followed by Costa Rica and Sri Lanka.

While the tourist industry has hurt biodiversity in much of the Caribbean, Cuba's relative isolation has left its wildlife untouched. Now, Cuba is a safe haven for rare and intriguing indigenous animals, migrating birds and marine creatures. But as the prospect of the US trade embargo being lifted looms, a surge in tourism is predicted. What will happen to Cuba's ecological riches in the process?
Watch “Cuba: The Accidental Eden, The Jewel of the Caribbean” (PBS 53:02 mins)
Movie promo:

Cuba may have been restricted politically and economically for the past 50 years, but its borders have remained open to wildlife for which Cuba's undeveloped islands are an irresistible draw. While many islands in the Caribbean have poisoned or paved over their ecological riches on land and in the sea in pursuit of a growing tourist industry, Cuba's wild landscapes have remained virtually untouched, creating a safe haven for rare and intriguing indigenous animals, as well as for hundreds of species of migrating birds and marine creatures. Coral reefs have benefited, too. Independent research has shown that Cuba's corals are doing much better than others both in the Caribbean and around the world.

In real terms, Cuba, a sustainable ecosystem, is better off not having Americans traipsing all over the island, making American demands, and influencing that culture with American values. It better for Cuba’s natural environment, too.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

I applied for absentee voting ballot today. What struck me as odd for a US consulate doing business in South Africa was the assumption that I could “drop off [my] sealed ballot at our office for mailing to the US”.
The consulate office is in Durban. I reside in the Midlands. That’s a trip of at least 90 minutes one way by car - and not feasible during Lockdown.
At least they know enough about how things work in South Africa not to assume that I could mail my hardcopy forms or my hardcopy ballot through the SA Postal Service.
For all intents and purposes there is no functioning SA Postal Service in this area.
The local post office teetered for several years (“no ink to print receipts,” “no stamps,” etc.). It shut down altogether about two years ago although it’s hard to say when it actually closed.
Residents were not informed about the closure.
If I wasn’t here with a laptop, an email address, and an Internet connection (albeit, inconsistent), my mother would be sunk.
No longer able to drive, nor walk any distance, she’d have no way to pay her monthly bills. Indeed, she’d not even know her monthly bills were stacking up – until her utilities and services – rates/property tax, water, power, etc. – were turned off.

So, what’s the next step for absentee voting?
Who knows?
Who knows if there’ll even be an election?
We the People know that Trump and his allies are doing their best to prevent eligible Americans from voting.
All the more reason to insist upon my right to vote!

Thinking future

Time warp. Long seconds of disorientation this morning during which I lost track of whether it was morning or evening.
Four months of Lockdown will do that.

News blues…

On the day I emailed the US Consulate in KZN for directions on how to vote absentee, I discovered Michele Obama has launched a national voter registration effort.

Obama said, “We’ve only got 100 days left [before the election on November 3] and we’ve got to direct every ounce of energy we have into making sure everyone understands the importance of their voice and their vote.”
This election “could not be more important for the future of our country….” 

If you’re American living in America and not yet registered, register to vote now.

Healthy futures anyone?

Introducing a new segment on this blog: Healthy futures anyone reviews areas of the world where and people are creating sustainable lives and/or living sustainably.
Yes, many are out-of-the-way places, off the beaten track. But that doesn’t nullify their success.
First up, Nakhchivan, on the Transcaucasian plateau between Armenia, Iran and Turkey.

Nakhchivan has adopted a strict no-pesticide, all-organic food policy. This health-conscious land-to-table ethos ensures that the Balbas breed of sheep you’re eating come from Nakhchivani farms; the fish from Nakhchivani lakes; the wild dill, aniseed terragon and sweet basil from Nakhchivani foothills; the produce from Nakhchivani orchards and even the salt from underground Nakhchivani caves. 

Learn more about Nakhchivan.

Then there’s South Georgia. A far-flung British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Antarctica offering glaciated peaks, billowing tundra grasses, and millions of happy penguins.

The Lincoln Project
An interview with co-founder Ric Wilson on the huge walk away from GOP that Trump may not survive (10:00 mins)

Trump has been in office for exactly 1,282 days. During that time, he has:
• Ignored a pandemic while 140,000 Americans died from COVID-19. Then he said "we've done a great job"
• Fawned over Putin as Russia paid the Taliban cash for killing American soldiers in Afghanistan
• Utilized a mercenary secret police to go into U.S. cities and attack peaceful protestors
• Lied over 20,000 times — over 15 a day — and has played golf at least 280 times
• Begged at least three different countries to cheat in our elections
• Cozied up to ruthless dictators — saying Kim Jong Un is a friend — while isolating our friends
• Watched helplessly as our economy has gone into a depression that has left 40 million Americans out of work.

Ready to sign up for four more years – 1,460 days – of Donald J Trump and his ilk?
If not, register to vote now. .. and vote on November 3.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Covid-19 has traction among South Africans. KwaZulu Natal has 14.4 percent of the total – 64,061 cases – and creeping up on the Eastern Cape with 73,585 infections.
The good news in this household? I might have stumbled upon a plan for my mother’s ongoing safety, health, and welfare that will conclude with me returning to California, my family, and my houseboat - albeit only in several more months.
To celebrate the forward momentum, I’ve begun efforts toward prepping for the sale of this house.
Having a plan helps orient.
I’m prepared for the plan not to work out, but at least there is a plan….

Day of rest

The global coronavirus infection rate passes 16 million. The US rate passes 4 million. South Africa heads toward half a million.
Overwhelming.

News blues…

As he presented his adjusted budget to parliament on Friday, Police minister Bheki Cele said gender-based violence (GBV), political killings and farm murders were some of the most stubborn crimes plaguing [South Africa].

… “There are far too many women killed in South Africa, many by people known to them. The accelerating scourge of GBV is affecting everyone, both young and old. We should all agree this is a societal challenge that needs all of us to deal with it decisively. It cannot be police alone,” said Bheki Cele.
Speaking about the impact of Covid-19 on the police service, Cele said 10,077 officers had been infected with the virus, and more than 95 officers had died. "When the whole world pressed the reset button, policing continued. When world economies collapsed, policing continued. When businesses closed down, policing continued. When everyone was locked down in their homes, policing continued. When news of police officers who were arrested for wrongdoing made headlines, policing continued. When statistics of the Covid-19 infections skyrocketed to alarming figures, policing continued.

Not to dampen Police minister Bheki Cele’s support for his police force, but what sort of policing continued?
This is not a rhetorical question.
Last week, two clerks at the veterinary clinic recognized me as the author of an article in the local weekly, “Village Talk.” (Justice, South African Style )
Both clerks thanked me profusely for sharing my experience on local policing efforts. One said, “Many share similar experiences of police doing nothing, but few write about it. We expect little from the police and that’s what we get.”
I felt disoriented by the experience of 1) being recognized in a small town where I know few people, 2) supported in my point of view and, 3) pleased by both.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

I take heart in the wonderfully sunny winter days in the Midlands. Very different to cold, wet, dark winters in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Despite the morning frost and ice, gardening under these conditions is a pleasure.
Nevertheless, a welcome sign that spring is on its way:
Last month, June 26, the sun rose at 6:52 am and set at 5:08 pm
Today, July 26, the sun rose at 6:45 am and set at 5:23 pm.
Harbinger of spring.

Considerations…

Week 18 of Lockdown begins…. How much longer will this go on?
Predictions are not my forte, but circumstances are such that I predict I’ll still be posting daily blog entries at Week 28.
That is, unless “something” happens to me….

News blues…

During his recent public address, President Ramaphosa announced that all public schools would "take a break" for the next four weeks from 27 July until 24 August. Grade 12 pupils and teachers would only take a week-long break and return on 1 August, and Grade 7 pupils would take a two-week break and return on 10 August. The academic year would be extended beyond 2020 and the details would be communicated in due course….
South Africa-style democracy ensued: tails wagging the dog?
South Africa’s Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga welcomes 'school break'… and calls on communities not to vandalise schools

Motshekga said, "Once again we appeal to members of the public to protect schools during the break to prevent theft and damage that was caused when schools were closed to the Covid-19. It remains one of our biggest concerns when schools are targeted. The burglaries and theft of food supplies and other expensive items defeat our efforts to provide mainly for the poor and vulnerable learners who are always the hardest hit."

The Western Cape government was considering its legal options to oppose the closure of schools….
Premier Alan Winde, speaking during a Friday "digicon" on the province's special adjustments budget, said, "The Western Cape … opposed the closing of schools."

"In my own experience, being on the ground specifically in highly vulnerable, high density areas where our hotspots were showing the numbers, I am convinced it's safer at schools than not."
The national school nutrition programme would also continue operating during the break. Winde called this "interesting", saying schools would still "actually stay open" to run these programmes which is "critical, specifically right now… So many months into this pandemic, with the real slowdown in the economy, food security is a massive issue. It links directly with our ability to get food efficiently to hotspot areas where starvation is a big thing among our young people and scholars."

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says the decision by the government to close schools is “regrettable and unjustifiable”.

“The decision means that by August 24 2020 over 10 million South African children, depending on the grade they are in, will have lost over 50 percent or 100 scheduled school days as a result of Covid-19 school closures.”

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) said it was pleased that Ramaphosa had responded “partially positively” to calls for schools to close.
The union, however, said the announcement lacked logic or an attempt to convince society with scientific statements.

“The president does not cite the work of epidemiologists who understand when we are reaching the peak of the pandemic, and what that means for decisions to close public schools and not private schools. The president acknowledges that there are differences of opinions without taking the country into his confidence.” 

The Educators Union of SA (Eusa) said while it welcomed the decision to close schools, it said the plan on how schools would reopen lacked “scientific reasoning”.

“We maintain our call that all schools should close until it is safe to reopen. It is sad that we come to this victory [closure of schools] when teachers and learners have already died from the virus and thousands have got infected while at work,” the union said.
The union said the issue of private schools not closing exposed inequalities within the education system.

The Governing Body Foundation noted the announcement with “reservation”.

“We appreciate that the minister consulted widely with stakeholders … to assist her in preparing a report for the president and cabinet.”
“Pressure has been exerted by the teacher unions, supported by some civil society groupings, to close schools for the reasons they advanced, and they have prevailed.
“However, the Governing Body Foundation, along with other stakeholders such as the South African Council for Human Rights, education and economic researchers, and medical and scientific organisations, believed that children in South Africa would be better served if schools remained open, provided they could do so safely.”

Gauteng education department head Edward Mosuwe said at the Gauteng Provincial Command Council briefing "… while we take a break we are going to provide nutrition for learners who qualify for school nutrition programme. … since the re-phasing in of grades we started with 183 000 of the 600 000 that were qualifying for nutrition".
However, on average, the programme covers 1.1 million pupils daily.
The programme has been extended to cover all pupils not back at school yet, in line with a court order. "Learners who are not back yet at school have been asked to bring their own containers from home, own face mask and wear their school uniform to be easily recognisable".

In the US, the resurgence of infections and the faltering economy has ignited debate about how to proceed with the new school year. Republicans favor opening schools so that parents can return to work, stimulate the economy, and benefit Trump’s dwindling re-election prospects. As in all things Trump, chaos reigns:

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday that the state will delay in-person learning through at least Labor Day as cases break records in the state.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said his state will introduce a plan to reopen schools Tuesday. "Our kids need to be in school because kids not only academically are suffering, emotionally, mental health. ... working families need for their children to be in school so they can continue to work. There's a lot of reasons why schools can be and should be open. So long as we do that in a way that protects teachers and protects students at the same time we believe we can do," Lee said.

New guidance from the CDC is strongly in favor of sending students back to the classroom, saying that available evidence shows that coronavirus does not possess as great a risk to children. With the services and instruction offered in school, the CDC guidance said virtual learning can be a disadvantage to American students. "It can lead to severe learning loss, and the need for in-person instruction is particularly important for students with heightened behavioral needs," the CDC statement said.

***

The Lincoln Project: Maxwell  (0:55 mins)
Brief levity: rap-style song, Cognitively there (1:44

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Warmed by the winter sun, I find sitting in the garden and watching monkeys cavort allows moments of peace and serenity amid turmoil.
I’m experiencing increasing physical stress – aching jaw from clenching while asleep, tension aches in my neck, shoulders, and back muscles – brought on by security concerns: compromises with my own physical safety and breeches of security from internal actors that my mother refuses to acknowledge.
Staying busy is essential.
The comfort of ritual.
This being my first winter in the Midlands – 3,400 ft elevation – I’ve no experience with precipitous temperature drops overnight.
Since many plants, including indigenous, succumbed to the unexpectedly severe frost in June, I’ve protected young succulents by covering them every evening – and uncovering them every morning.
A handful of small succulents – and all vegetable seedlings - thrive on this treatment.
Larger plants must fend for themselves.
Indigenous plants tells a story.
Consider the aloe, how it freezes.

Aloe  garden - May 2020 - large aloe to the right
Click to enlarge 

Early July after overnight freezing
Click to enlarge

July 22, 2020
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\

“Cognitively there!”

(c) The Late Show
Click to enlarge. 

Five words that prove the president of the United States is “cognitively there”: person, woman, man, camera, TV.  (2:40 mins)

News blues...

President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the nation, shared facts and figures regarding economic costs of the pandemic on the country, and promised to tighten the consequences of corruption.

US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brilliantly addresses foul comments directed at her by Rep. Ted Yoho on the steps of the US Congress.
In 9:35 succinct minutes Ocasio-Cortez clearly speaks on behalf of all women who’ve been accosted by powerful men with attitudes of impunity.
Yoho ain’t gonna easily squirm out of this! 

News anchor/presenter Ari Melber on the history of Trump promotion of Law and Order as a political strategy – and echoes Richard Nixon’s strategy. (10:00 mins)

***

Coronavirus is decimating safari tourism – an industry worth almost $30 billion a year and employs almost four million people. This is also leading to an increase in poaching.

Experts and rangers on the ground say they are seeing a surge in poaching as thousands of unemployed people dependent on the industry turn to wild animals for food. They also fear an upsurge in more organised poaching of endangered species.

Overall, South Africa’s tourism sector may have already lost an estimated R54.2 billion in output in just three months as Covid-19 travel and leisure restrictions batter the industry.

Furthermore… the sector now faces a potential 75 percent revenue reduction in 2020, putting a further R149.7 billion in output, 438 000 jobs and R80.2 billion in foreign receipts at risk.

***

Going bats?
A global research consortium, including the Max Planck Institute, stated:

For the first time, the raw genetic material that codes for bats’ unique adaptations and superpowers such as the ability to fly, to use sound to move effortlessly in complete darkness, to survive and tolerate deadly diseases, to resist ageing and cancer has been fully revealed, and published.”
Read “Groundbreaking study adds insights into why bats are flying laboratories that advance medical understanding.” 

***

Let’s hear it for science, public health, and vaccines!

For most of human history billions of children died from infectious diseases. Recurring epidemics of influenza, measles, cholera, diphtheria, the bubonic plague, and smallpox killed large parts of the adult population, too. The Black Death killed half of Europe’s population in just a few years. Today, infectious diseases are the cause of fewer than 1-in-6 deaths.

Read “Our history is a battle against the microbes: we lost terribly before science, public health, and vaccines allowed us to protect ourselves.” 

***

Remember those five words that prove you're "cognitively there"?
Sarah Cooper: How to person woman man camera tv… (1:25 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Click to enlarge.

Dump fire!
Pietermaritzburg firefighters battled to contain the inferno at the New England Road landfill site as arsonists kept lighting new fires around the dump. …

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a fireman said their solution of dumping sand on the fire and then water was set aside by city officials who visited the site on Tuesday.
“We are the experts when it comes to fire-fighting. We had a quick solution of dumping the heaps of sand, already at the site, over the fire and then dousing it with water, but we were told they [city officials] would make decisions about how the fire would be put out because they are in charge and we must just do what they say,” said the disgruntled fireman.
The initial fire, they said, would have been contained within a few hours had their advice been taken. “Now it’s going to take us at least a week or more to put out. Putting it out with water is going to do nothing.
“We honestly feel that this landfill site and the fires are part of something bigger. Unfortunately we are the pawns in this game as we have to risk our lives going out there all the time,” said the fireman.
Another fireman said being at the site was like “being in hell”. 

A petition is circulation force the closure of the Msunduzi Municipality New England Road landfill site.

***

The power struggle at this house is about worsen.
I worked with the security team to thwart my mother’s domestic worker’s refusal to disclose the whereabouts of her son. (Background) The security team picked him up soon after his mother handed him his latest allotment of her cash.
He was served with the court order, officially explained how he can defend himself, and alerted about implications of further harassment. He signed the document.
However, both domestic workers have side-stepped complyig with filling out this household’s coronavirus tracing document. Everyone here, including me, agreed to document 1) all trips off the property and 2) all contacts with whom we interacted while in public.
So far, neither worker has recorded outside contacts.
I'll formally ask them - again - to comply.
The pressure ratchets up if neither mentions contact with the son.
My 87-year-old mother is my priority. Her fragile health will not withstand a Covid-19 infection.

Be careful out there!

July 22 – 15,240,000 worldwide confirmed infections; 623,660 deaths
     July 16 – 13,558,000 worldwide: confirmed infections; 585,000 deaths
July 22 - US: 3,971,000 confirmed infections; 143,200 deaths
     July 16 - US: 3,500.000 confirmed infections; 138,000 deaths
July 22 - SA: 395,000 confirmed infections; 5,940 deaths
     July 16 - SA: 311,050 confirmed infections; 4,460 deaths

Numbers from April 9, 2020.
Click to enlarge.

Numbers in pictures: April 9 compared to July 22
South African news reports 572 new COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours, 400 of which occurred in the Eastern Cape.

The bad news: the number of confirmed cases jumped by more than 13,000.
The better news: the recovery rate has improved 58 percent. This means almost 230,000 people have already recovered.

Numbers from July 22, 2020.
Click to enlarge.

Tracking coronavirus global spread 

California hit a single-day record for new COVID cases. San Francisco Bay Area counties are doing better than the rest of the state, especially compared to Southern California counties.

***

Now for a break from "the horror, the horror": 
The Lincoln Project: Failure  (2:13 mins)
A summary of Trump’s response to coronavirus over the past five months.
Trump sums it up: “That’s the way it is”.
Randy Rainbow is pro-Anthony Fauci (so am I!): GEE, ANTHONY FAUCI! - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody (3:53 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

© Photo: JOSH EDELSON/
AFP Via Getty Images
Click to enlarge.

Fire season!
A recent post described fire season in KZN and in California.
Today, the Hog Fire announces California fire season is roaring back.

A massive pyrocumulonimbus cloud, or fire cloud, formed over the Hog Fire in far northeastern California Monday, generating its own weather with a wild mix of thunderstorms, rain, and fire whirls….
Thunderstorms passing over the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range kicked up high winds that fanned flames in the late afternoon and spread the blaze in remote Lassen County. The intense heat in the vigorous updraft created a foreboding weather cloud of smoke and ash, reaching 30,000 to 35,000 feet (10,000 to 12,000 meters) in height.

***

Since police in this area are, well, hopeless, this post is in the spirit of spreading the word so that, in the horrible event that I’m attacked by my mother’s domestic worker’s drunk-of-a-ne’er-do-well son security personnel know where to look for a culprit. (Background)
And aother wrinkle in an ongoing saga.
The upper security gate has been used in the past by the domestic worker to allow her son onto the property after the alarm was armed for the night.
I’d discovered this two years ago after returning to SA for a visit.
I heard a buzz from the alarm panel located in my bedroom. At first, jet lagged, I paid little attention. After several nights hearing the same sound, I investigated.
I checked the security cam replay and found footage of the domestic worker responding to her son’s after-hours call through the intercom. In the footage, the domestic worker, dressed for bed, appears on the monitor, unlocks the padlock, opens the gate with the remote-control opener, ushers him inside, then re-arms the alarm and re-locks the padlock on the gate.

I showed my mother the footage.
Her first reaction was to flinch … then she shrugged.
The message she conveyed? So, what’s your point?
Six months before I’d arrived for that visit, my mother had caved when her domestic worker begged permission for her son had to live on the property. Despite his conviction and 5-year prison sentence served for rape, his lack of employment, his history of alcohol abuse, my mother had allowed the 40-year-old to move into his mother’s living space.

Back then, I copied the footage from the security cam and saved it on my laptop. I also changed the security on the gate so that the domestic worker could no longer open it.
Since she lies to my face, I said nothing directly to her: sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Fast forward to yesterday, July 22 – approximately two-and-a-half weeks after the incident wherein the ne’er do well – evicted – son threatened to kill, rape, etc., me.
While the domestic worker uses a leaf blower to clean my mother’s front verandah, I’ve never seen her use it to clean the area between the garage’s folding door and the upper security gate.
Suspicious, I checked the padlock on the upper security gate.
It was unlocked.
The key to that padlock is one on a set everyone in the household uses.
I removed the key from the set, switched padlocks, and held both keys to the new padlock.
Today, I reviewed yesterday’s security cam footage.
At 11:37 am, the domestic worker leaf blows in the vicinity of the gate and padlock – quickly unlocks the padlock, then finishes leaf blowing.
A copy of that footage now resides on a thumb drive and on my laptop.
Creepy.

My mother – a receptacle for denial of reality for much of her 87 years – refuses to believe the evidence of her own eyes.
Me? I don’t feel heard – or safe.

Oh, no!

Internet connection down for 24 hours. Again.
The toughest part of disconnection from that lifeline?
Ironically, lack of human connection.
One can catch up on the news – much of which focuses on coronavirus infection rates. But disconnected Internet makes me feel cut off from other humans.
Dr. Steven Gundry addresses this feeling in his video unfortunately titled
“TRUTH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS  (10:00 mins).”
Why unfortunately titled?
With truth under fire, and “truthiness” ascendant, the title sounds suspiciously like another conspiracy theory.
It’s not.
Dr. Gundry’s brief overview of coronavirus ends on a thought-provoking question: what will be the long-term effects of social distancing on highly social humans?

News blues…

The Donald’s plummeting poll numbers convinced him to resume press briefings. This,

… after discontinuing them in April and declaring them a waste of time. Trump is expected to hold the briefings a few times a week, but not on a daily basis like he was earlier this year.
There remains an internal split over whether it's wise for Trump to take the stage and discuss the virus in a high-profile setting like a White House news conference.
Some aides have reminded others how hard they fought to convince Trump to end the briefings in April when he suggested sunlight and ingesting disinfectants could help cure coronavirus.

Trump’s legendary inability to follow a simple script promises a wild ride.
Should We, the People, be scared stiff at the prospect of further Trump ramblings at the podium? Or should we bring out the popcorn and watch the show unfold?
Think I’m exaggerating? Watch this clip.
Are you ready to put your life and the lives of your family and friends in this guy’s hands?

***

After months of mask-denial, Trump is now a fan of masks, has always been a fan of masks, and, as he sees fit, will remove the mask he carries in his pocket and put it on – at least for a photo op! 

***

Prophylactic advice - reprise
According to a new study,  if people washed their hands regularly, wore masks, and kept their social distance from each other, [people] … could stop most all of the Covid-19 pandemic, even without a vaccine or additional treatments.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Blast from the past….
I’ve lived in California since I was a young adult which means I never run into someone I knew as a child or teenager. This lends poignancy, when I’m in South Africa, to running into people I knew in my “salad days”.
This week I heard from two people I’d known from our days as passengers on one of two yellow school buses that transported rural students to high schools in Pietermaritzburg, an hour-long trip of about 20 miles each way.
The “English bus” and the “Afrikaans bus” followed the same route but seldom crossed path. When they did, male passengers gleefully opened windows, gesticulated, jeered, and hurled derogatory names at one another.
It was – mostly – youthful boredom stimulating such behavior although a fraught history between these cultures added a certain je ne sais quoi. Drivers of both buses were, however, Afrikaans and our driver was offended by English boys’ antics.
One fateful day, boys on our bus dropped a stink bomb.
As passengers fought over access to windows, the irate driver cursed loudly – then parked the bus in front of the village police station. He demanded we close all windows, threated police arrest of anyone daring to open a window, then exited the bus.
Arms folded, exaggerating the luxury of breathing fresh air, he guarded the closed door and smirked as he watched us gag.
After the stink dissipated, he boarded the bus and continued the journey.
Decades later, the humorless side of my human nature that craves vengeance admires that bus driver’s quick-thinking.
The side of my nature that craves justice and compassion is appalled at how quickly adults can victimize children.

Uncharted territory

Internet access was down all day. The reason? Who knows? Something to do with Telkom, South Africa’s state-owned telephone company. I’ve had other not-so-confident-inspiring run ins with Telkom, so don’t get me started….

News blues…

South Africa is 5th on the list of countries hit with highest rates of Covid-19 infections.
In terms of numbers of people per 100,000 infected, South Africa is 3rd ,with 661/100,000.
US tops the list with 1,881 people/100,000
2nd is Brazil with 1,011/100,000
4th is India with 85/100,000
5th is Russia with 541/100,000
It’s bad out there.
We’re in uncharted territory: a novel (never encountered) coronavirus, mind-bogglingly bad – verging on criminal – leadership, foundering health services, failing economies, and increasing suffering among humans.
But as the old adage states, "the show must go on."

***

New rules around quarantine and self-isolation in South Africa
South African’s health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has revised the recommended isolation and quarantine period for South Africans who have tested positive for Covid-19.

***

US’s director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said New York has set an example for the rest of the country of how to successfully bring down cases of coronavirus.

[The US has] a problem. We need to admit it and own it. But we have got to do the things that are very clear that we need to do to turn this around, remembering we can do it… We know that, when [done] properly, you bring down those cases….We have done it in New York. New York got hit worse than any place in the world. And they did it correctly…."
As cases in other parts of the country continue to surge and hit new record highs, Fauci believes that the key to containing the virus is to get the tests in the right place at the right time…. [and] “in the right manner… get them to the right people who can do the proper identification, isolation and contact tracing, and even go beyond that - to be able to test more widely in a more surveillance way, so you can get a feel for the extent and the penetrance of this community spread."
Fauci said all he can do is plead with people to be consistent and take the advice of health professionals.

***

In a breakthrough that could help experts better treat COVID-19 patients, a group of scientists have realised the existence of six distinct types of coronavirus, all with their own symptoms.
A new study done by researchers from King’s College London, collated via a COVID Symptom Study app has revealed that different forms of the virus are directly affecting the severity of symptoms among patients.
These findings have huge implications for the management and treatment of COVID-19, as it could help doctors predict who is most at risk and likely to need professional care.…
The team managed to break the six forms down as follows:
1. (‘flu-like’ with no fever): Headache, loss of smell, muscle pains, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever.
2. (‘flu-like’ with fever): Headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite.
3. (gastrointestinal): Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sore throat, chest pain, no cough.
4. (severe level one, fatigue): Headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue.
5. (severe level two, confusion): Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain.
6. (severe level three, abdominal and respiratory): Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain.
… The pre-print, non-peer reviewed paper is available online: Carole H Sudre et al. Symptom clusters in Covid19: A potential clinical prediction tool from the COVID Symptom study app (2020)

***

Talking about shows going on….

• MAR-A-LAGO-VILLE | The Freedom Toast with Parody Project (4:30 mins) 
• DUMB DOWN | The Freedom Toast with Parody Project (2:54 mins) 
• Did you ever imagine the President could act like this? (:53 mins)

The Lincoln Project:

• Trumpfeld  (1:25 mins)
• This is how it starts (1:24 mins) 
• Trump can’t quit us (0:26 mins)
• Wake up  (1:29 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Early this morning, 2:45am SA time, a friend from California called to report an uncontained fire across the road from the marina where I dock my houseboat.
Evacuations from the marina had been ordered.
He emailed me a link to view live news coverage and, with 14,000 miles between us, we watched and commented on the action from the point-of-view of a news helicopter.

Good news for liveaboards and firefighters? Abundant water, courtesy of the San Joaquin River.
Fire consumed more than 75 acres of summer-dry vegetation and trees before it was contained. True, that’s relatively minor in terms of California wild fires and, even from a distance, I could see the marina was out of direct danger.
Nevertheless, small fires can devastate lives and livelihood as easily as conflagrations.

During California’s fire season last year, I and fellow liveaboards received a fire evacuation order issued after midnight via cell phone. Five of us congregated on the pier to discuss the pros and cons of evacuation. We agreed that, since the only road in the area routed through the fire zone, staying aboard was the right option.
An hour later, the evacuation order was lifted.

As California moves into late summer fire season and firefighting crews are on high alert, South Africa’s winter fire season is in full swing, too.
Over the last several days, a white smokey hazy accompanied by the aroma of burning grass and brush has enveloped this area.

The differences in attitude about fire between California and South Africa?
Some say that winter burning is traditional, that burning dry brush lowers the danger of extreme fire hazard – as occur in California – that it stimulates plant growth, and that life cycles of African indigenous plants require a fire phase.
To burn or not to burn? 

Some ecologists …maintain that burning is critical in herbivore management and is necessary for the ecological well-being of grassland and savannah ecosystems. [Others] counter this approach saying that burning is a key contributor to the decline and desertification of grasslands… that while fire can play a useful role in land management, it should be cautiously used with an understanding of soil and plant life … [and that] fire is used excessively by too many farmers; an approach that contributes to soil erosion.

South Africa's Air Quality Act of 2004, for the prevention of pollution and for national norms and standards for the regulation of air quality, appears to refer mainly to emissions from the country’s energy intensive economy and coal-intensive energy system. While South Africa’s emissions profile is high and differs substantially from that of other developing countries at a similar stage of development (as measured by the Human Development Index) air pollution from grass fires is, apparently, acceptable.

The matter with white matter

“Pathological liars have on average more white matter in … the area of the brain that is active during lying, and less grey matter than people who are not serial fibbers.”
                                           - Adrian Raine, psychologist

News blues…

Lies and white matter?

The brains of pathological liars have structural abnormalities that could make fibbing come naturally.
“Some people have an edge up on others in their ability to tell lies,” says Adrian Raine, a psychologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. “They are better wired for the complex computations involved in sophisticated lies.”
Raine says the combination of extra white matter and less grey matter could be giving people exactly the right mix of traits to make them into good liars. These are the first biological differences to be discovered between pathological liars and the general population.
Other researchers have used brain imaging to show that the prefrontal cortex is more active when ordinary people tell lies. …
But pathological liars are a distinct group who systematically manipulate others, lie or use aliases for financial gain or personal pleasure, such as to get sickness benefits or to skip work. “It’s almost like a livelihood,” says Raine.
Until now no one has looked at the structure of the brains of this particular group, says psychologist Maureen O’Sullivan of the University of San Francisco in California, who specialises in lying and truthfulness.

How fares The Donald’s white matter?

President Trump's lies over time
by topic.  (c) DAVID MARKOWITZ
Click to enlarge

Rates of interpersonal deception — the lies I tell you and you tell me — have been remarkably stable in deception research over time. But…something is unusual about President Trump. His rate of deception has increased since taking office.

President Trump's lies over time
by location.  (c) DAVID MARKOWITZ
Click to enlarge

As of early April, Trump has told 23.3 lies per day in 2020, a 0.5-lie increase since 2019. What’s more, Trump has averaged 23.8 lies per day since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the US — another 0.5-lie increase. Even during a pandemic, when the public needs to trust and rely on him the most, deception remains a core part of the president’s playbook.
What’s unusual about Trump is not just how often he lies, but what he lies about and where he communicates his lies most often.  Read “Trump Is Lying More Than Ever: Just Look At The Data”

***

Interview with Steve Schmidt, “We, the American people, are a worldwide laughing stock…”

***

Stand with your man  - a Parody | The Freedom Toast (2:24 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Pondering the pond produces a wonderful surprise. After many attempts to photograph the perennially shy malachite kingfisher – success!