Monday Mood: Summertime Blues

Daily pandemic update:  

• Australia closed border between Victoria and New South Wales to slow spread of coronavirus.
• Brazil passed 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases as cities reopened bars, restaurants and gyms sparking fears infections will keep rising.
• India overtook Russia with world's third-highest number of coronavirus cases at nearly 700,000.
• Spain's Catalonia region placed restrictions on 200,000 people amid surge in new coronavirus cases.
• People in England will be allowed to visit pubs, restaurants or get a haircut for the first time in more than three months as restrictions ease.
• United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia infections rose after curfews were fully lifted last month.
• WHO discontinued trials of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 after medications failed to reduce mortality. 

Aljazeera.com timeline

6 July 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
11:07 GMT*	Thu 7/2	Mon 7/6	Thu 7/2	Mon 7/6	Thu 7/2	Mon 7/6
World	10,834,202	11,586,780	519,582	537,372	6,054,005	6,553,127
US	2,780,152	2,983,155	130,798	132,571	1,164,794	1,289,687
NY	418,605	422,268	32,143	32,248	90,478	115,168
CT	46,572	46,717	4,324	4,335	11,439	12,760
NC	66,653	72,983	1,394	1,425	45,538	45,538

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 9% of closed cases in the US resulted in death; 91% recovered.

Globally 8% of closed cases resulted in death worldwide; 92% recovered.

Currently 1% 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: 

• Airborne transmission of coronavirus is growing concern among experts in 32 countries.
• #AllCountriesMatter trended on July 4 holiday to mock All Lives Matter.
• Amnesty International activists were imprisoned on terrorism charges in Turkey.
• Aurora CO police fired officers involved in Elijah McClain death and photo scandal.
• Armed black protestors marched through confederate memorial park in Stone Mountain GA.
• Biden campaign released videos highlighting Joe’s strengths, middle class values and Independence Day ideals. After Trump warned about putting wrong person in office, Biden campaign flipped message with scathing video. Lincoln Project videos critical of Trump focused on historic job losses, Mount Rushmore, Gettysburg, Putin and history. Meidas Touch released 3 videos: #IndependenceFromTrump, #TrumpHasNoCredibility and #HeWentToJared. Eleven Films released video featuring Dangerous Ones song by Kasey Anderson. #BenedictDonald and #TRE45SON trended along with Vote Vets video calling Trump a traitor. Republican Voters Against Trump (RVAT) also released a July 4 themed video rebuking Trump.
• Coronavirus infections in US spread to more than 50,000 per day over multiple days. Dr. Fauci warned daily case count could rise to 100,000 if Americans don’t follow public health guidelines. Meanwhile G4 EA H1N1 swine flu strain was identified in China, along with a confirmed case of bubonic plague in Mongolia.
• Dominion Energy and Duke Energy canceled Atlantic Coast Pipeline project that would have stretched across WV, VA, and NC. Judge ordered Dakota Access pipeline to shut down pending additional environmental review.
• Formula 1 race car drivers took a knee to support Black Lives Matter before race in Austria. NASCAR’s Corey LaJoie crashed his Trump 2020 car 16 laps into Brickyard 400. After a critical Trump tweet, Bubba Wallace responded with love over hate. Driver Tyler Reddick and others responded to affirm support for Wallace.  
• Fort Hood TX soldier Vanessa Guillen was murdered April 22 and her remains were found June 30. Suspect Aaron David Robinson committed suicide when confronted by police.
• Frederick Douglass descendants read historic "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" speech. Colin Kaepernick shared video of actor James Earl Jones reciting the Douglass speech. Douglass statue was vandalized in NY. Image of Thomas Jefferson next to Black descendant was published in Smithsonian magazine.
• Gallup poll: American pride and patriotism is at record low. NPR explored patriotism among Black Americans.  
• GOP senators James Lankford (OK) and Ron Johnson (WI) proposed replacing Columbus Day holiday with Juneteenth.
• JPMorgan analysis of Chase credit and debit card spending revealed correlation between coronavirus spread and restaurant dine-in activity.
• Los Angeles CA skies lit up with illegal fireworks.
• MA detective allegedly was fired after posting support on social media for Black Lives Matter.
• Mexico closed US border in Arizona to slow spread of coronavirus.
• More hand sanitizer products containing toxic methanol were identified.
• Newport Beach CA streets flooded during high tide; high surf advisory issued.
• OR state police cleared trooper accused of using OK white power hand gesture. Also, 7 white men were arrested for harassing black family on OR beach.
• Phoenix AZ residents waited in line for hours to be tested for COVID-19; hundreds turned away.
• Robert E. Lee descendant Reverend Robert Wright Lee IV said removing confederate monuments makes way for new cause: justice.
• Seattle WA protestors were struck by car on closed I5. Summer Taylor died. Suspect Dawit Kelete was arrested.
• Secret Service members who helped organize Pence trip to AZ tested positive for COVID-19. Herman Cain tested positive and was hospitalized. Kimberly Guilfoyle, girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr, also tested positive.
• Supreme Court ruled unanimously that states may punish Electoral College electors who disregard popular vote. Several more important cases remain pending.  
• Taipei Taiwan airport hosted tour events allowing participants to go through security screening and board a plane without traveling to a destination.
• Treasury Dept and Small Business Administration disclosed names of businesses receiving more than $150,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans. Recipients included businesses owned by Jared Kushner's family, Kanye West, Elaine Chao's family (wife of Mitch McConnell), Ayn Rand Institute, Grover Norquist Group, a winery partially owned by congressman Devin Nunes, and other political elites including Obama aides. 87% of all PPP loans were less than $150,000. 
• Trump’s Mount Rushmore speech stoked divisive culture war between political left and right. Venue seats were reportedly zip tied together to maximize seating capacity without physical distancing. Approximately 3,700 people attended event promoted to accommodate 7,500. Prior to event, Oglala Sioux tribal council voted to ban Trump and SD Gov Kristi Noem from tribal lands. Treaty defenders disabled vans to block road in protest. Musician Neil Young opposed use of his songs during event.
• Trump executive order seeks to establish national garden of statues honoring John Adams, Susan B Anthony, Clara Barton, Daniel Boone, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Henry Clay, Davy Crockett, Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, Billy Graham, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr, Abraham Lincoln, Douglas MacArthur, Dolley Madison, James Madison, Christa McAuliffe, Audie Murphy, George S Patton Jr, Ronald Reagan, Jackie Robinson, Betsy Ross, Antonin Scalia, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Booker T Washington, George Washington, Orville and Wilbur Wright.
• US Navy is sending 2 aircraft carriers and accompanying warships to South China Sea to participate in military exercise.
• VP Pence continued to repeat false yet optimistic talking points. Pro Publica confirmed virus is spreading and refuted Trump’s misleading testing claims.
• Washington Redskins name change is under consideration due to pressure from investors and others.

  

NC News

• Gov Cooper vetoed multiple reopen bills.
• Winston Salem demonstrators organized a Ride Against Racism protest Thursday.

In my personal life…

Next door neighbor Daryl texted late Saturday night to ask if our dog Minerva was bothered by fireworks. Although she sometimes needs extra cuddles during severe storms, sounds of fireworks and sirens typically don’t disturb her. It was kind and thoughtful of him to check before lighting his personal stash. Minerva slept peacefully throughout the celebration; no worries.

This morning bird man Jack noticed a rabbit sitting about 3 feet away from Minerva as she squatted to tinkle. With a puzzled look on his face he pointed to the bunny and called out to make sure we saw it. I waved and thanked him as he shook his head in disbelief that a beagle could be that close to a rabbit without chasing after it. Jack pointed to another nearby bunny as he continued his walk through the neighborhood, scowling as he looked back at the dog. Minerva eventually noticed the bunny and lunged toward it but it hopped away. I held onto her leash tightly while we walked along the bunny trail in our back yard. She sniffed and whimpered a bit in frustration before finally giving up and walking back toward the house.

Last week Greg and I drove to Cana VA to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, country ham, and more Amish style rolled butter. On the way home we stopped by Green Mesa Blueberry Farm since our backyard bushes aren’t yielding enough for recipes. There were a few people out picking, a bucket of pre-picked available for sale, but no attendant on site so we placed $20 in their honesty container to pay for our berries. After ordering groceries online from Food Lion delivered by Oscar we ordered hard to find and out of stock items from Publix delivered by Nikki.

It’s been hot and humid here so I’ve been checking the garden early in the morning and later in the evening to avoid the heat mid day. I’ve diligently pulled weeds, watered plants between rain showers, and sowed lettuce seeds in succession for fresh salads. Greg routinely picks blueberries while I pick raspberries and blackberries. I felt fortunate to finally find 2 super sweet blackberries recently; earlier picks had been a bit tart. Our squash plants are winding down as the zucchini plants gear up for peak production. Cucumber plants are less productive than last year, only yielding a few small cukes. We have an abundance of green tomatoes and a few vine ripened ready to be eaten. Cantaloupe and watermelon plants have been a disappointment; slow to spread and now animals are nibbling blossoms so probably won’t yield any fruit. Fortunately most of the melons we’ve purchased from the Cana market have been delicious.

June bugs (beetles) are annoyingly fond of our berry brambles and fruit trees. We should have put traps out in late May but it slipped my mind. Wood boring carpenter bees are another pest problem Greg is trying to combat. Parsley worms and squash bugs were a nuisance last year but haven’t been this season, not yet, knock wood. Caterpillars munched on our Brussels sprout leaves early in the growing season but the plants survived and are slowly recovering from the attack. Here in NC there is supposed to be a huge monarch butterfly migration but I haven’t noticed any in Pfafftown. We’ve spotted a few lightening bugs during evening walks with Minerva but she hasn’t seemed to notice them.

After dinner one evening we watched the movie Carriers which is about a viral pandemic. It was filmed in 2006 and released in 2009 following Chris Pine’s appearance in Star Trek. The plot unfolded almost like a COVID documentary which bothered me. I didn’t sleep well that night. Luckily I woke up in a better mood the next morning though I told Greg I don’t want to watch any more late night horror movies.  

  

We skipped breakfast this morning after having everything bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon and red onion two days in a row. Our eggs were getting old so yesterday I made deviled eggs and Greg made crème brulee. For dinner I made pasta with alfredo sauce, grilled chicken and steamed broccoli served with garlic bread. It’s one of Reid’s favorite meals so I texted him a photo and told him we were thinking about him.

My daily actions for racial justice continue to be listening, reading, watching and thinking. Protest information is no longer readily available in daily news feeds so I intentionally search for protest updates online. Having trouble connecting with local protestors to support their efforts.