Challenges ahead

News blues…

Last Thursday, the United States saw more new coronavirus cases than ever as public health officials warned cases are spiking across the country; 77,640 new reported cases, top the previous record of 75,723 new cases set in July and 921 deaths related to the coronavirus. . Today,

For the second day in a row, the United States set a daily record for coronavirus cases when more than 79,000 infections. Friday's 779,303 cases, as tallied by NBC News, topped Thursday's 77,640. The previous high of 75,723 was set July 29.
The new benchmarks were hit as the pandemic has accelerated at a pace not seen since the summer and as many local governments reimpose restrictions to stop the spread of a virus. 

Meanwhile, according the Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the president of the United States has not been present at coronavirus task force meetings “for quite some time.”

“…several months ago,” Fauci told host Chuck Todd  after he was asked when the president had last attended a meeting.
“ ... We certainly interact with the vice president [Mike Pence] at the task force meetings. The vice president makes our feelings and what we talk about known to the president. But direct involvement with the president in the discussions, I have not done that in a while.” …the number of task force meetings had decreased over time, too.

Interview with Dr Fauci on saving lives: “we’re really facing a very challenging situation…”.  (9:35 mins)

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In South Africa, civil rights organisation Dear SA is challenging the extension of the national state of disaster, recently extended to end on November 15. It was introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 15 to allow the government to put together regulations to deal with the spread of Covid-19.

Dear SA has called on co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to give reasons for the extension or face litigation.
According to Dear SA, the decision to extend the national state of disaster was not rationally connected to the purpose for which it was declared. 

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The Lincoln Project:
Rats  (0:55 mins)
Remember El Paso (English)  (0:55 mins)
"Seinfeld's" Newman TRASHES Trump in new Democratic ad  (2:20 mins)
Meidas Touch:
Trump is pathetic Part 1: Trump 60 minutes fail  (0:55 mins)
Trump is pathetic Part 2: Trump 60 minutes fail  (0:50 mins)

Healthy futures, anyone?

Spring in KwaZulu Natal Midlands is spectacular. Soon after 4:00am, in this neighborhood, an array of birds begin celebrating the coming day. A bird expert would recognize each call and name the bird. I simply lie in the dark and enjoy the choir.

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Picture essays:
Antarctica: an ecosystem under threat 
2020 Luminar bug photos  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

South Africa’s daily rate of Covid-19 infection remains between 1,000 and 2,000 cases per day and is not decreasing. Street life, however, has returned to pre-lockdown levels. Stores continue to mandate wearing masks and, upon entering stores, each customer is spritzed with hand sanitizer. Unencumbered by overt politics or conspiracy theories, wearing masks in public appears consistent, too.

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With my mother’s verbal agreement, auctioneers carried off excess household furniture to be sold at next week’s “vintage” auction.