Un-BEAR-able

The alternative National Park Service social media account recently shared advice for surviving coronavirus. The last recommendation in the info graphic above (bottom right corner) is my favorite. 😜

I can’t think about bears without thinking about Smokey Bear, the fire prevention icon. The history and evolution of the Smokey Bear marketing campaign is quite interesting. There’s a song about Smokey, cartoon videos, hot air balloon, postage stamps, and a variety of toys and promotional items along with numerous public service announcements. One of my favorites is a tv commercial featuring Smokey giving a bear hug to a camper after he put out a camp fire.

Smokey Bear

According to Wikipedia, the real life Smokey was an orphan cub rescued by park rangers in NM, later relocated to the National Zoo in Washington DC where he lived for 26 years. During that time he received millions of visitors and more than 13,000 letters a week. In 1964 the US Postal Service gave him his own ZIP code, 20252, which is still in use. He loved to eat peanut butter sandwiches to supplement his daily diet of bluefish and trout. In 1962 Smokey was paired with a female bear, Goldie, with the hope their descendants would take over the Smokey Bear title. In 1971, after the pair had not produced any cubs, the zoo introduced Little Smokey, another orphaned bear cub from the Lincoln Forest, announcing Smokey and Goldie had adopted him.

In the spirit of sharing softer news and/or silly vibes:

• 7 trails in NC Great Smoky Mountains belong on hiking bucket list. 
• 30 bear puns are un-bear-ably funny.  
• Brown bear in Italy tagged along behind boy on hiking trail. 
• Turtle smashed through woman’s windshield while she was driving on highway.

Daily pandemic update:  

India's coronavirus death toll overtook neighbouring China's, with 175 new deaths recorded in 24 hours taking the total to 4,706.  Aljazeera.com timeline

29 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
9:18 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	5,839,807	5,923,217	359,059	362,393	2,531,534	2,592,758
US	1,751,487	1,768,461	102,431	103,330	493,533	498,725
NY	374,672	376,309	29,553	29,653	65,206	65,689
CT	41,288	41,559	3,803	3,826	6,622	6,622
NC	25,412	25,720	856	867	14,954	14,954

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 and the first 100,000 in the US.

As of today 17% of closed cases in the US resulted in death; 83% recovered.

Globally 12% of closed cases resulted in death worldwide; 88% recovered.

Currently 2% of all active cases are considered serious or critical.

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter. Son Reid lives in CT. I live in NC. 
Worldometers     Coronainusa     Starsexpress2020     https://ncov2019.live/

In the news: 

• 7 people shot, 1 critical during Louisville KY protest demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.
• Airport dogs could sniff out coronavirus.
• Andrew Yang: after coronavirus we can build economy that works for all Americans.  
• Coal generator Uniper used investment treaty to fight Netherlands coal phase out.
• Chinese CDC said Wuhan market may have been site of super spreader event.
• Coronavirus postcard that featured Trump's name cost US Postal Service $28 million. 
• Denzel Washington helped a distressed homeless man in West Hollywood.
• Desert locusts have invaded India’s Rajasthan region, threatening summer crops.
• Eric Trump tweeted “GREAT DAY for the DOW” as US coronavirus death toll topped 100,000.
• GA was first state to start reopening a month ago; infection rate remains steady but no spike so far.
• Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman claimed there is other evidence beyond the video of George Floyd being killed by a Minneapolis police officer that does not support criminal charges against the arresting officer. Minneapolis police precinct was set on fire as protests raged on. MN National Guard activated 500 soldiers.  
• Japan urged citizens to avoid 3 C’s:  closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings.
• NC gym owners sue Gov Cooper, call state restrictions unconstitutional.
• NC released guidelines for high school and youth sports.
• NC Union County School Board voted to defy Gov Cooper’s order by hosting traditional graduation. 
• Outbreaks at NC meat processing plants forced farmers to euthanize 1.5 million chickens. 
• Rabbit populations in western US threatened by strain of rabbit hemorrhagic disease. 
• RNC sent letter to NC Gov Cooper re: convention protocols; no mention of crowd limits.
• Social media executive order sparked debate inside White House. Neil Cavuto reminded Fox News viewers why Twitter needs to fact check Trump.
• UConn anthropocene course explained climate change while reducing eco anxiety.  
• UNC and NC State announced plans to resume in-person classes August 10.
• World health leaders urge green recovery to reduce pollution and improve respiratory health.

Twitter attached disclaimer to Trump tweet for glorifying violence: 

Following Kenny Beck’s lead to share a few signs of hope:

• 53 year old tortoise was adopted after owner died of coronavirus.
• CT girl sent more than 1,500 art kits to kids in foster care, homeless shelters during pandemic. 
• G2 Performance Apparel used to make marching band uniforms; now they make masks.

In my personal life…

Yesterday we received news that Aunt Debbie’s PET scan revealed a kidney stone but no cancer. Kidney stones are painful so we are hoping for the best. Mostly we are celebrating she remains cancer free. Knock wood.

I’ve been a fan of Smokey Bear since childhood. Sometimes when Greg is in a playful mood he will insist that Smokey has nipples. Male humans have nipples so it makes sense that male bears have nipples too, though I contend the costumed and cartoon drawing versions of Smokey are not anatomically correct. I’ve never noticed nipples in any promotional materials, except for a parody by Funny or Die. It used to annoy me when Greg would try to initiate a debate about Smokey’s nipples. I’ve learned to just roll my eyes and ignore him. 

Yesterday Greg and I split a salmon bagel for brunch, ate a variety of snacks in the afternoon, then enjoyed grilled pork chops, potatoes, broccoli and rolls for dinner.

My daily action for racial justice today will be to calmly call Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman’s office, phone 612-348-5550, to ask what evidence might prevent criminal prosecution of arresting officer Derek Chauvin after he placed his knee on George Floyd’s throat for 8 minutes.   

Justice for George Floyd

#JusticeForGeorge: credit for image to shirien_creates on IG

NC is literally 1,000 miles away from MN yet my attention was focused on Minneapolis today. Following the needless death of George Floyd while in custody, peaceful protests turned violent. Looting and rioting became unfortunate consequences of racial tensions, expressions of rage following yet another senseless death of a black man by police.

I am sad that some demonstrators expressed their pent up frustrations by looting stores and setting fires to vehicles and businesses. However, I am angry that police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes, cutting off his air flow and causing him to die. Three other police officers stood by as Mr. Floyd called out for help, telling them he was having trouble breathing. George Floyd should not have died. That situation should not have happened.  

Below are a few related tweets that caught my attention: 

I am upset though my feelings surely pale in comparison to how people of color feel right now. I can imagine their pain and grief and anger but I don’t feel it as deeply as they do. I can’t because I’ve never faced the same discrimination and hostility black and brown people experience on a regular basis living in America. 

Some people may think that George Floyd shouldn’t have broken the law in the first place, that he is partially responsible for his own fate. To them I say his arrest may have been warranted, but his death was not. A convenience store clerk called police based on a suspicion that Mr. Floyd had tried to buy a pack of cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 dollar bill. Security video showed that Mr. Floyd was cooperative with police when they arrived. There is no evidence he attempted to resist arrest. There is no justification for the arresting officer to have pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck, especially after Mr. Floyd was on the ground in handcuffs.

photo of George Floyd pinned down by arresting officer Derek Chauvin

How many white criminals have been arrested with dignity while black and brown suspects were abused or murdered? Peter Manfredonia, a white UConn college student suspected of murdering 2 people was recently arrested without incident after a 6 day manhunt. Dylann Roof, a white supremacist  who was convicted of murdering 9 innocent victims during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC also was arrested without incident after a manhunt. George Floyd, Eric Garner and Philando Castile were black men killed by police over minor non-violent infractions. Notice a pattern? 

Armed white protestors in MI brought guns into the state capitol a few weeks ago. They were not stopped or arrested because their menacing actions were not a violation of MI state law. If a group of black men with guns like the Huey P. Newton Gun Club had done the same thing, I wonder if they would have received the same treatment. It's possible but I doubt it.   

In the US, data indicates African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white people. Researchers studying verified data on police killings predicted roughly 1-in-1,000 black boys and men are likely to be killed by police in their lifetime. For white boys and men, the rate dropped to 39 out of 100,000. Apples to apples that's 1,000 in 100,000 black deaths compared to 39 in 100,000 white deaths. In an analysis of national police ­shootings data, the probability of being black, unarmed and shot by police is about 3.5 times the probability for whites. A Harvard study concluded no racial differences in officer-involved shootings yet found evidence black civilians are more likely to experience other types of force including being handcuffed without arrest, ­pepper-sprayed or pushed to the ground by an officer.

I don’t want to demonize all law enforcement. Because I know police officers personally whom I respect and trust, I believe most officers have honorable intentions. I also believe there is value in exploring racial disparities in policing in order to develop better training and other evidence-based solutions to end discrimination. Despite continued concerns, the Center for Policing Equity reported progress in 2019. Their policy plan for better policing seems to be a step in the right direction, which gives me hope for the future.

  

In the spirit of sharing softer news and/or silly vibes:

• Joe Pera and his bassett hound discovered The Who.  
• Shuler King discussed his experience as a comedian and a licensed funeral director. 
• The Daily Show recapped Trump’s pandemic propaganda with this Mission Accomplished super cut. 

Daily pandemic update:  

South Korea reimposed a series of restrictions for two weeks after 79 new cases were reported in the largest daily rise since April 5.  The US became the first country to reach a six-figure death toll as the number of people killed from coronavirus surpassed 100,000 – a grim milestone.  Aljazeera.com timeline

28 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
16:02 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	5,719,560	5,839,807	353,079	359,059	2,456,574	2,531,534
US	1,730,100	1,751,487	100,765	102,431	480,321	493,533
NY	373,622	374,672	29,451	29,553	64,866	65,206
CT	41,303	41,288	3,769	3,803	6,622	6,622
NC	24,538	25,412	819	856	14,954	14,954

A moment of silence for those we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first 100 and the first 100,000 in the US. 

As the US death toll rises above 100,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in 4 months, my heart aches for all the families and friends mourning loved ones right now. Even more than sadness, I feel anger toward Trump and his cronies who insist the US federal government has done a good job managing the crisis. How on earth could anyone come to that conclusion? Because of bias, ignorance, egotism and politics – that’s my best guess.  

As of today 17% of closed cases in the US resulted in death; 83% recovered.

Globally 12% of closed cases resulted in death worldwide; 88% recovered.

Currently 2% of all active cases are considered serious or critical.

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter. Son Reid lives in CT. I live in NC. 
Worldometers     Coronainusa     Starsexpress2020     https://ncov2019.live/

In the news: 

• 1 in 4 American workers have filed for unemployment benefits during the pandemic.
• CA based NantKwest stock surged  after announcing its affiliate ImmunityBio had been selected to participate in Operation Warp Speed, a national program aimed at developing and providing a vaccine for Americans by January 2021. Dr. Michael Saag cautioned the timeline is optimistic.
• Ford piloted new heated sanitation software to help neutralize coronavirus in police vehicles. 
• House Ways & Means Committee is investigating the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, a racial pandemic within a viral pandemic.
• Industrial N95 masks with release valves allow germs to escape; not effective to combat coronavirus. 
• Looting and violence erupted again in second day of emotional protests in Minneapolis following death of George Floyd. A man was shot dead Wednesday night; suspect is in custody. National Guard support has been requested to combat ongoing riots. Floyd’s family and the mayor have called for peace and calm. Second video of Floyd’s arrest was released. Arresting officer Derek Chauvin has been the subject of multiple complaints that resulted in no disciplinary action. Investigations continue. 
• MI first gentleman Marc Mallory, husband of Gov Gretchen Whitmer, claimed to have been joking when he asked contractor about putting his boat on the water.  
• NC lawmakers voted to reopen bars despite orders from Gov Roy Cooper. 
• New Zealand discharged its last coronavirus patient from the hospital.
• Trump retweeted a video from a Cowboys for Trump supporter proclaiming “the only good democrat is a dead democrat.”
• Trump signed an executive order challenging social media liability protections, in retaliation for Twitter fact checking his tweets. 
• UConn student and murder suspect Peter Manfredonia was arrested in MD woods after 6 day manhunt. 

  

News update from Kenny Beck at WXII:

Some perspective on Forsyth County's spike in cases...

*This month, NC has averaged 532 new daily COVID-19 cases
*Forsyth County accounts for 3.6% of NC's population
*The Forsyth County Health Dept is reporting 97 new cases
*97 is more than 18% of 532

Both DHHS Sec Dr. Mandy Cohen and County Health Director Joshua Swift say part of the reason is increased testing. Both also say this should be concerning to everyone.

Swift says the majority of cases are in the Hispanic community and pointed to new and increased outreach there but he also said it's possible part of the spike could be attributed to more people interacting with each other now that we are six days into "phase two."

  

In my personal life…

Occasionally I have had conversations with other white people about racism. A few times I’ve discussed racism with black friends and with mixed groups of co-workers. Whether we discussed implicit bias or systemic institutional racism, those conversations were rarely easy to start. Still, these are important conversations to have.

Twice I broke up with boyfriends when they used the N word. In the late 1990s I attended a silent march (with Reid in a stroller) to honor victims of the Greensboro Massacre murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party. That’s been the extent of my racial justice activism so far. Those small gestures are not enough. I am determined to contribute in more meaningful ways.

More than a million people have signed a petition calling for Justice for George Floyd. Signing a petition won’t change the world overnight, but it’s a way to tell the world justice matters, that George Floyd’s life mattered. I signed the petition today because that’s the least I could do right now in this moment, the absolute least.

A friend of mine, Gail, invited me to join a private Facebook group for people interested in cultivating racial justice as a daily habit. I’m looking forward to joining this group, learning from members and having online conversations with them.

Lauren’s mom Carol posted an article from Medium: 75 things white people can do for racial justice. I’m going to read it tonight, and think about what things I will do next.

I'm not black, but I see you.
I'm not black, but I hear you.
I'm not black, but I'll stand with you.
I'm not black, but I mourn for you.
I'm not black, but I mourn with you. 

-- Lauren Beck

#BlackVoicesHeard 

#BlackLivesMatter