Another week

Worldwide (Map) 
August 11, 2022 - 588,032,550 confirmed infections; 6,429,100 deaths
August 12, 2021 – 204,965,350 confirmed infections; 4,328,770 deaths
August 13, 2020 – 20,621,000 confirmed infections; 749,400 deaths

US (Map) 
August 11, 2022 - 92,608,650 confirmed infections; 1,035,780 deaths
August 12, 2021 – 36,198,200 confirmed infections; 618,520 deaths
August 13, 2020 - 5,198,000 confirmed infections; 166,050 deaths

SA (Coronavirus portal) 
August 11, 2022 - 4,004,555 confirmed infections; 101,985 deaths
August 12, 2021 – 2,554,300 confirmed infections; 75,775 deaths
August 13, 2020 – 569,000 confirmed infections 11,010 deaths

Posts from:
August 12, 2021, “Next phase” 
August 13, 2020, “Slogging” 

News blues

Caring for oneself and one’s loved ones during this pandemic is more challenging by the day. Accurate stats and data is harder to find – due to the lapse in collection efforts. We hear that Covid-19 cases are rising again, but not to worry as redesigned vaccines are on the horizon.
Both Mary and I are as vaccinated as possible yet, given her diagnosis, should we get another COVID-19 vaccine booster now or should we wait for the new shots? 

Read more >> 

CNN’s take on boosters:

…with colder months just around the corner in the northern hemisphere, public health authorities across the world are getting ready for a potential spike in coronavirus cases.
Getting people at risk of severe disease boosted is a big part of the plan. But guidance on who, when and how depends largely on who you ask.
Let’s start with the basics: All adults should have had their first booster by now. The data shows clearly that an extra shot of an mRNA vaccine increases protection, including against severe disease.

Read more >> 

And ABC’s take on booster and Covid:

After several weeks of steady increases in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, there are encouraging signs that the latest viral resurgence may be abating in the United States.
The rate of new infections appears to be dropping, with the U.S. now reporting 107,000 new cases each day — an average that has fallen by 12% in the last week, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Read more >> 

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On war and culture war

The dark amid the light … or do I mean the light amid the dark?
Overall, it’s good news – at least for an obsessive like me. Yes, I’m an annoying stickler for saving energy when possible. “When possible” includes switching off lights in one’s home that don’t need to be on. Switching off lights is an anomaly in the US where it’s common to leave lights on when exiting a room, departing a living space, etc. Drives me nuts as it’s so unnecessary. Taking just one more second to switch off a light, done by thousands – millions? - of people across country could positively impact the power grids, bring down costs, and burn less coal (and other fossil fuels) to create electricity. Why not train oneself – and one’s kids – to do this small action? Given this obsession, imagine my optimism when I read “Pushed by a looming energy crisis, cities across Europe are switching off the lights.”

While Spain has made such measures mandatory, ordering shops to turn their lights off at night, in other places local authorities are voluntarily hitting the switch, arguing it's a good time to trial light-saving measures.
Berlin is switching off the spotlights illuminating 200 of its historic buildings and monuments, and a number of towns and cities in Austria, Germany and Italy have reduced street lighting or turned off commercial signs.
In France, 14 communes in the Val d'Oise department north of Paris are trialing measures to fully switch off public lighting at night. Local authorities estimate shutting off street lights for three-and-a-half hours every night will help curb energy consumption by about a quarter.

Altogether now: C’mon, people, switch off that darned light! If Europeans can do it, so can you!
Read more >> 

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The Lincoln Project:
Nowhere to hide  (0:44 mins)
Getting sh*t done  (0:55 mins)
Biden Kentucky  (1:07 mins)

Healthy planet, anyone?

Photo essay: Europe’s worst drought ever >> 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Meso Mary is in the back-and-forth stage of post-surgery recovery. One day she feels as if she can cut down on her meds – specifically, oxycodone - she’s afraid of becoming addicted - next day she feels she’s already addicted as she’s unable to cut back. The docs tell her to relax, take the drugs, after all it’s only 3 weeks since her invasive surgery, no need to cut back so soon. She listens, takes their advice, still tries to cut back, and explains, “I’m cutting back just a little bit, an hour here and there, not much.” Except an hour is much when one is discomforted by pain.
Isn’t it?
It’s easy to have an opinion. Much harder to maintain that opinion after one has been through the wringer of diagnosis, surgery, pain, recovery, pain, slow healing, pain….
Mary’s anxiety about addiction indicates the power of the media playing up the unprecedented numbers of Americans addicted to oxy. Yes, opioids are addictive  No, Mary is not a candidate for addiction. For one thing, addiction is unlikely if the drug is taken to address “real” pain. Apparently, it is after pain abates and the patient continues taking the pain killer that addiction arises.
Other than that, Mary appears to be recovering well. She and I walk several times per day, eat well, take naps as needed.

Yesterday, we visited the beach again. A perfect day. 

  

She’s on a trajectory to heal.
Thank the gods.

***

My friend, Linda, an avid gardener has a problem with local residents stealing her succulents. Such theft has been an ongoing epidemec in our town for years. One plants a succulent one day, next day all that remains is a hole indicating the theft. As a fellow gardener, I cannot grasp the notion of stealing plants yet, like stealing catalytic converters, succulent theft happens.
Linda's response is to gently request residents desist.
I hope this works.