Thursday, July 29, 2021

Turning tables

Worldwide (Map
July 29, 2021 – 196,414,175 confirmed infections; 4,194,100 deaths
September 17, 2020 – 29,902,200 confirmed infections; 941,400 deaths)

US (Map)
July 29, 2021 – 34,724,000 confirmed infections; 612,050 deaths 
September 17, 2020 – 6,630,100 confirmed infections; 196,831 deaths

SA (Coronavirus portal
July 29, 2021 – 2,422,155 confirmed infections; 71,431 deaths
September 17, 2020 – 653,445 confirmed infections; 15,705 deaths

News blues

There’s a new trend beginning: no more BS about “freedom” and “rights” to not get a vaccination… As idiotic Republican congress people continue to whine about masks  it looks like commonsense is resurging. Let’s hope so, anyway….
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The US is giving 5.66 million Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to South Africa, the US embassy in Pretoria has announced. Half of them will arrive by plane on Sunday and the other half on Tuesday.
The acting US ambassador to SA, Todd Haskell, explained this was part of President Joe Biden’s promise to give 500 million vaccines to the world by the end of 2022.
The vaccines will be channelled to South Africa through Covax, the international aid initiative to try to ensure that low- and middle-income countries are not left behind in the global effort to vaccinate against Covid-19.
Haskell said the 5.66 million vaccines for South Africa would be the largest donation of Covid-19 vaccines to a single country by the US. The second-largest would be four million to Nigeria.
Read >> 
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The Lincoln Project Heroes  (0:57 mins)
LP chief breaks down at cruelty… 
Rematch  (0:58 mins>

Healthy planet, anyone?

Photos: the week in wildlife >> 
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Three Americans create enough carbon emissions to kill one person, study finds 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

More heat. It’s been unrelenting heat since I returned to my houseboat in California. Sure, I take time to hunker down in friends’ air con homes, but no air con on my boat. My small fan doesn’t cut it as an effective cooler. And, no, I do not intend to buy a portable air con system. The reality for millions of us, in California and beyond, is that climate change is here to stay (at least for the remainder of my lifetime). Temperatures unhealthy-for-humans are now part of life.
I’ve been waiting out the heat – getting up early to work on the boat, siesta-ing during maximum heat, finding enjoyment as the day wanes and cooler temps prevail. But productive years of my life are flitting away. Can’t go on this way….
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So, Prez Biden suggests $100 to each vax-hesitator who overcomes his/her hesitation and accepts a jab
We shall see. 
California offered $50 to anyone getting the jab after April or May.
I had intended to be vaccinated asap after re-entry to US. The day after I returned, I did exactly that. At the local grocery store. Vaccinations are available almost everywhere.
Soon after my second dose and quarantine ended, I was sent a congratulatory text with a one time code that, supposedly, would allow me to claim my $50 within 65 days. I’ve tried several times and – no go. The online site will not accept my code. I followed directions and contacted the help line. I was shuffled from one human filter to the next, each passing me to someone who was promised to help. No dice. The final person – fourth person and 55 minutes later – said someone else would call me “within 3 days.” I’m still waiting. So, my advice to the $100 bribe-for-vax folks? Don’t hold your breath.
The irony? I didn’t get vaxed to get $50, but now I’m determined – well, sort of – to harass the system until it does what it promised.
Fifty more days to go.


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