Friday Fun Day

The weather is just about perfect here so instead of working on the blog, I’m going to have some fun outside relaxing in my hammock with some 80s music on Pandora and perhaps a little pleasure reading or podcast listening. #FridayFeeling 

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

• BBC Earth teaches us how to re-grow vegetables and herbs.
• Golden retriever plays fetch indoors.
• MA man transformed 1970s VW Beetle into unique drivable phone car.
• Ocracoke Island, NC has abnormal amount of paranormal activity. 
• Outpost film about heroes who served at Combat Outpost Keating opens July 3. 
• Tony Hawk’s longtime record was broken by 11 year old skating prodigy. 
• Yosemite Valley: sounds of running water at Mirror Lake and Tenaya Creek. 

Daily pandemic update:  

Officials have confirmed the first coronavirus infection of a Rohingya refugee in the sprawling camps in southern Bangladesh. In the US, nearly three million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total since coronavirus shutdowns began two months ago to at least 36 million. The Chinese city of Wuhan has tested three million people so far since April, nearly a third of its 11-million population.  Aljazeera.com timeline

15 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
12:53 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	4,455,187	4,555,803	298,875	304,201	1,676,369	1,722,232
US	1,430,408	1,458,243	85,216	86,942	310,259	318, 027
NY	350,848	353,096	27,290	27,426	59,217	60,115
CT	34,855	35,464	3,125	3,219	2,929	6,264
NC	16,351	16,996	625	641	9,115	9,115

*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/

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

In the news: 

• 3 million more Americans filed for unemployment benefits; 36.5 million total which is 22% of March labor force.
• 6.4 earthquake in Nevada was felt hundreds of miles away in California.
• CDC issued tools to guide reopening of businesses, schools and transit.
• Dr. Rick Bright criticized Trump administration’s pandemic response.
• Food Industry Assoc anticipates shortages of toilet paper and disinfectants to improve mid summer.
• International vaccine race involves pharmaceutical industry, politics, and military.
• Las Vegas airport now has PPE vending machines dispensing gloves, masks, wipes and hand sanitizer.
• Mar-a-Lago will reopen Saturday.
• McConnell admitted he was wrong about Obama's 2016 NSC pandemic playbook.
• McDonald’s plans to end public soda fountain access due to pandemic.
• MI closed state Capitol as protestors gathered outside. Defiant MI barber had license suspended.
• NASCAR announced revised race schedule. NBA announced player pay cuts.
• NC Senator Richard Burr announced he has temporarily stepped down as intelligence committee chair while the FBI investigates his controversial stock trades.
• NC Senator Thom Tillis was criticized in new Lincoln Project ad. 
• NC meat and poultry processing plants announced new outbreaks.
• Nursing home inspections during pandemic uncover infection control problems. 
• Retail sales dropped 16.4%, worse than anticipated.
• Scooter sharing industry faces consolidation and market shake up. 
• Slovenia called an end to its coronavirus epidemic and relaxed some border controls.
• Tech industry is tracking layoffs and job openings.
• Tech sector and health officials race to develop contact tracing apps.
• Trump administration issued Global Maritime Advisory guidelines regarding sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Syria. 
• Trump considering cutting ties to China and Xi. China response: willing to meet US half way.
• Trump faces renewed emoluments case over DC hotel after court reversal.
• Trump said: “If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.” He also said “health care warriors are running into death just like soldiers run into bullets ... it’s a beautiful thing to see.” Meanwhile White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed the Trump administration produced a 2018 Pandemic Preparedness Report which was much better than Obama’s 2016 NSC pandemic playbook. 
• Trump toured PA mask distribution center without wearing a mask.
• US Senate approved extension of FISA government surveillance tools. 
• Video of black light experiment showed how fast virus can spread in a restaurant.
• Walmart announced bonuses for workers. Amazon and Kroger announced end to hero hazard pay.
• White resident harassed black delivery driver in OK gated neighborhood.
• WI is like wild west with bars and restaurants reopening after court ruling.
• Wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin responded to fan who criticized him for wearing mask.
• Wuhan flare up prompts mass testing campaign.

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

• 11-year-old hangs a puzzle in her window every day for the neighborhood to solve.
• 108-year-old NM man may be the oldest survivor of COVID-19. 
• Clemson students created UVC device to help kill germs at grocery store.

In my personal life…

Yesterday I ate leftover brownies for breakfast. Judge if you must; I have no regrets. For lunch I finished a leftover grilled chicken Caesar salad. For dinner we had homemade air fryer chicken tenders with potatoes and salad. Greg had met with two friends for lunch, seated a safe distance apart but still close enough to chat, and he brought home cannoli which we enjoyed for dessert.

After dinner we had a nice Zoom chat with sister-friend Tonya. Even Minerva excitedly joined in.

Ended the day listening to New Abnormal podcast with Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson. Slept peacefully knowing the Resistance to 45 has a plan.  

#TrumpHasNoPlan is trending in the #1 spot on Twitter today. Just sayin'.