Altogether now

Worldwide (Map) 
July 28, 2022 - 573,772,850 confirmed infections; 6,393,400 deaths
July 29, 2021 – 196,414,175 confirmed infections; 4,194,100 deaths
July 30, 2020 – 17,096,000 worldwide: confirmed infections; 668,590 deaths

US (Map) 
July 28, 2022 - 90,973,500 confirmed infections; 1,028,850 deaths
July 29, 2021 – 34,724,000 confirmed infections; 612,050 deaths
July 29, 2020 - 4,451,000 confirmed infections; 151,270 deaths

SA (Coronavirus portal) 
July 28, 2022 - 3,998,000 confirmed infections; 101,880 deaths
July 29, 2021 – 2,422,155 confirmed infections; 71,431 deaths
July 30, 2020 - 471,125 confirmed infections; 7,498 deaths

Post from:
July 29, 2021, “Turning tables” 
July 30, 2020, “Another Thursday”  

News blues

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold – further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab.
The research… shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate times.

Read more >> 

***

The Lincoln Project:
Really, Lindsey?  (0:48 mins)
Danger zone  (0:36 mins)
Matt Gaetz’s Secret  (0:55 Mins)
This woman votes  (1:46 mins)
The many sounds of Don Jr  (1:10 mins)
Courage  (1:40 mins)
Josh Hawley is a bi*ch  (1:14 mins)
Last week in the Republican Party - July 26, 2022  (2:09 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

A friend is driving from Anchorage, Alaska, to Portland, Oregon – a 45-hour journey of close to 2,500 miles/3,916 kms. He’s doing it alone. His last transit through Canada required a delay of more than a day as the results of his Covid test had not reached the Canadians. (A cursory review of Covid test/vaccination requirements for transit through Canada is confusing. Travelers must be vaccinated but it’s not clear if recent test results or lack thereof would or would not delay one'sjourney.)
Yesterday, this same friend was riding his bicycle along a narrow path outside Anchorage. As usual, when rounding a corner, he rang his bike bell to alert anyone on the path of his approach. Instead of another cyclist or hiker on the path, he alerted a female brown or black bear and her two cubs. 
My friend quickly halted, turned his bike around, and skedaddled back the way he’d come. Luckily, mama bear and cubs were as surprised seeing him as he was seeing them. She responded slower than he did and, by the time she was ready to charge, he’d disappeared.
Anchorage’s bears are, however, taking it on the nose – just for being bears.
Anchorage’s city officials decided recently to move their homeless population from shelters in town into tents outside of town and in local parks.

[Recently, Anchorage] … closed its pandemic mass shelter, which had housed hundreds of homeless people throughout the last two years.
When the shelter closed, some people who are homeless moved to Centennial Park, grabbing the 84 available spots after the campground stopped taking reservations from the public.
Alaska wildlife officials have killed four black bears in a campground recently reserved for people in Anchorage who are homeless.
Employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game killed a sow and her two cubs and another adult bear… reportedly stealing food from inside tents at Centennial Park.

Read more >> 
I’m speechless. Incomprehensible that not a single city council person remembered that bears live in and around local parks.
The lack of foresight. The lack of care – for animals and people. The lack of humanity…. 

Frightful.

***

Meso Mary is back home and, as she says, “Glad to have some semblance of control over my life again. Now, with my hand on the bottle of oxycondone, I can figure out the pain relief dosage that works for me. I’d prefer not to use too much oxy – or too little. Being able to put aside the pharmacist’s directive (“1 every 6 hours as needed for pain”) for a dosage based upon my actual felt need is liberating. Turns out I’m taking less than prescribed yet managing my pain levels with aplomb.”
That Mary. Always a step ahead of the game.
Gotta love her….

***

Today, during our foray outside to ensure Mary both exercises and exposes her skin to sunshine, we discovered a local resident feeding the ground squirrels. Yes, indeed, many posted notices around the park request no one feed the wildlife. Yes, indeed, this local resident ignored the request and fed the wildlife.
Squirrels, crows, and pigeons enjoyed the handouts.