August, 2020 archive
School Daze 0
Sportswriter extraordinaire Bob Molinaro reflects on the reopening in these viral times (emphasis in the original):
Barely afloat: Schools that initially invited students back to campus are quickly discovering what they should have known. When dealing with easily transmissible viruses, dorms are cruise ships without the water.
Aside:
I was in college a long time ago and certainly did my share of partying. Nevertheless, other than concerts, sports events, large lectures, and some demonstrations against America’s Great and Glorious War for a Lie in Vietnam, I don’t remember participating in the sorts of mob scenes being reported from some colleges.
The Privatization Scam, Chartering a Course for Disaster Dept. 0
At the Orlando Sentinel, Scott Maxwell explores a race for a seat on the Orange County, Florida, school board that you couldn’t make up.
You gotta read this one for yourself. Words are still failing me.
Traumatized 0
Much lauded researcher William Hazeltine explores the “moral trama” the United States if facing due to its incompetent and ineffective–nay, counter-effective–response to the coronavirus. Here’s a bit from his piece at Psychology Today Blogs (emphasis added); I commend the entire piece to your attention.
Our moral trauma is witnessing death, contagion and economic destruction around us, knowing full well it is unnecessary. Our country has been deeply morally traumatized – by the President through his denials, incompetence, and finger-pointing, and by his administration, his Republican enablers in Congress and compliant state governors.
The Island Flip 0
David’s comments at the end, starting about the four minute mark just before the ad at the 4:51 mark, are quite on point.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Once again, we are reminded that “responsible gun owner” is an oxymoron.
A 41-year-old man told authorities he had been cleaning his gun when it accidentally fired, according to police.
She did not make it.
The Reopening 0
At the Hartford Courant, a Connecticut teacher shares her plans for returning to school in these viral times. Here’s a bit; follow the link for the complete article:
When I return home this afternoon, however, I will no longer be able to set foot inside our home. My husband’s medical conditions put him at greater risk for grave health repercussions or death from COVID-19, so I will be sleeping in a tent in our backyard and isolating myself from my husband and young son. We live in a modest home, not configured for quarantine.
(Syntax error fixed.)
Collateral Damage 0
Anyone who has been paying attention has heard reports of persons whose health and livelihood are threatened by the Trump administration’s attempts to destroy the United States Post Office; reports that veterans are not receiving prescription refills from the VA in time have been the most common.
But did you also know that Trumpling the Post Office has also led to cruelty to animals?
Henderson, who owns and operates Pine Tree Poultry, a family farm and chicken meat processing facility that specializes in chicken pot pies, said all 800 chicks sent from a hatchery in Pennsylvania were dead.
Much more at the link.
Aside:
I remember my father, when I was very young and he was still farming, receiving shipments of chicks via railroad postal cars.
What Has Trump Done for Women? 0
Amber Ruffin enumerates.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
(snip)
The friend who was chatting with the boy noticed something was not right during the interaction. The friend and their father went to the home and found the boy deceased, Nichols said.
Words fail me.
Words Matter 0
At the Inky, the Angry Grammarian welcomes a trend towards accuracy, in particular, towards describing racist conduct as “racist,” rather than softening said conduct with mealy-mouth euphemisms. Follow the link for his reasoning.
