“Birds aren’t real”?

News blues

Well, the US is “numbah one” again, this time in its global daily record: more than 1 million diagnosed with Covid-19 on Monday.  This number was gleaned from “official” tests – excluding home tests whose data is not collected by official tracking entities. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, which relies on local governments,

the highly mutated variant, combined with delayed reporting by local governments over the holidays, led to a single-day record for new cases for any country in the world. Monday’s number is almost double the previous mark of about 590,000 set just four days ago in the U.S., which itself was a doubling from the prior week.

Indeed, the US has a ways to go to get through the Omicron surge. Meanwhile, what Omicron already is teaching us as this phase of the pandemic plays out >> 

Healthy planet, anyone?

Recently, I posted  about Germany powering down three of its nuke-energy power plants. Today, the backlash:

The European Commission is facing a furious backlash over plans to allow gas and nuclear to be labelled as “green” investments, as Germany’s economy minister led the charge against “greenwashing”.
The EU executive was accused of trying to bury the proposals by releasing long-delayed technical rules on its green investment guidebook to diplomats on New Year’s Eve, hours before a deadline expired.
The draft proposals seen by the Guardian would allow gas and nuclear to be included in the EU “taxonomy of environmentally sustainable economic activities”, subject to certain conditions.
…[a group of environmentalists] said the plans “water down the good label for sustainability” [and] it was “questionable whether this greenwashing will even find acceptance on the financial market”

Ah, yes, the ubiquitous “financial market”….

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

With more than 1 million newly confirmed Covid infections in one day, I wonder if the less rabid within the anti-vax crowd are having second thoughts about vaccinations? Are those who believed The Donald’s prediction that, based on politics, “Kung Flu” would “one day, disappear, like a miracle” , or those who watch/listen to many anti-vax public figures who have either died or suffered torment from Covid, now trickling into a vax line and accepting the jab?
Enquiring minds wanna know….

***

With a friend’s birthday coming us this week, I’d suggested we repeat a past birthday celebration: explore downtown Oakland and Chinatown and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. After the news of this enormous viral transmission rate, I’m pulling back on that suggestion. If either of us is to reach another birthday milestone, best we hunker down for the duration.

***

Apparently, the “Birds aren’t real” theory has been around for some time.
According to this theory, “all” the birds were killed – by airborne gas – during the Reagan years - and replaced by governmental drones.
Birds are not “real” and those one sees around – you know, flying, wading, nesting, chirping - “work for the bourgeoisie”  …. 

My gods! I had no idea that government, any government – including the Chinese government – and/or private industry were capable of such extraordinary design and execution technology to produce drones that emulate “real” birds.
Given government possesses such skill, how come government can’t figure out simple vaccine testing and treating programs?
If governments can produce drone birds that look so real – see pix below - why bother wasting such extraordinary skills and technology on dumbass humans and dumbass human activity? Why not conquer the universe?
Oh, yeah, I forgot. It’s the fault of evil, conniving George Soros, Bill Gates, and Dr Fauci.

Blue heron? "Birds aren't real" so don't believe your lying eyes!

Greater yellow legs? A drone?
Again, don't believe your lying eyes!

Bay Area, California:
Sunrise: 7:24am
Sunset: 5:03pm
Some rain…
Howick, South Africa:
Sunrise: 5:05am
Sunset: 7:03pm
Rain, rain, rain …