Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo - Taco Tuesday - Coronavirus meme

Cinco de Mayo is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is more popular in the US than Mexico since May 5 has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. Cinco de Mayo celebrations began in California in 1863 and grew in popularity in the 1980s due primarily to advertising campaigns by beer and wine companies. In Mexico the commemoration is mostly ceremonial through military parades or battle reenactments. The city of Puebla marks the event with an arts festival, a celebration of local cuisine, and re-enactments of the battle. Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken for Mexico's Independence Day, the most important national holiday in Mexico, which actually is celebrated September 16.

Since Americans associate Cinco de Mayo with Mexican food and beverages, today’s post focuses on the impact of the pandemic on farming and food supplies. The pandemic has disrupted food supply chains around the world. In response, the US Coronavirus Food Assistance Program provides $16 billion in direct support to farmers and ranchers. It also authorizes the USDA to purchase and distribute $3 billion of agricultural products including fresh produce, dairy, and meat. Despite the well intentioned efforts of the program, unfortunately millions of pounds of food rotted due to the slow response time of the US Agriculture Department.

Before the pandemic, approximately 37 million Americans struggled with hunger according to Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. Demands on food banks have increased sharply in recent weeks amid economic fallout from rising unemployment.

Farms with institutional contracts to supply schools, restaurants and theme parks no longer have a market for their goods. Many of those growers have donated produce to food banks to help feed the hungry and food insecure, but storage is limited for perishable fruits and vegetables. Some farmers scrambled to sell to grocery stores but large grocery chains already had retail contracts with specific farms, many outside the US. Other farmers sell produce boxes directly to customers. Wholesalers in London, for example, have pivoted to home deliveries.

A spike in demand for produce at the beginning of the outbreak has since subsided. Meanwhile immigration policies and health safety issues have led to a shortage of workers available to harvest produce from fields or process meat in factories.

Coronavirus victory gardens are easy to start and becoming popular. However, some states including California and Michigan have restricted access to garden centers and nurseries.

All these factors combined have contributed to an unfortunate chain reaction domino effect. Below are several related news articles:

• Beer used for fertilizer and hand sanitizer; surplus brews dumped.
• Distilleries are making hand sanitizer instead of spirits.
• Farms hit hard; thousands of acres of fruits and vegetables plowed over or left to rot because farmers are unable to sell produce.
• Farmers markets are modifying operations and scaling down for safety during pandemic.
• Food waste is an unfortunate byproduct of pandemic due to logistics complications.
• Greensboro church hosted chicken sale to help local farm and customers.
• Grocery and pharmacy employees are vulnerable; need better protections.
• Meat industry supply chain impacted during pandemic despite Trump executive order.
• More than 5,000 grocery industry workers are out of work and at least 72 are dead due to coronavirus.
• Pandemic created simultaneous paradox of too much AND not enough food.
• Since supermarkets are essential businesses, unions want grocery employees classified as extended first responders or emergency personnel.
• Some restaurants now sell groceries to survive during pandemic; others sell meal kits like Chic-fil-A, Taco Bell, and Zito.
• Trump administration wants to reduce farm worker pay in order to help agriculture industry.

  

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

• Video of adorable hug between friends on a farm.
• Clara’s Kitchen explores depression era cooking with a Poorman’s Feast.
• Map of underground fungi network dubbed wood wide web.

  

Daily pandemic update:  

The UK recorded the highest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe, with more than 30,000 people dead. Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the most likely source of the novel coronavirus was a wildlife market in China. Also, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the best evidence shows the novel coronavirus was not made in a laboratory in China, contradicting President Trump's claims.  Aljazeera.com timeline

5 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
14:13 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	3,567,561	3,671,812	248,346	253,241	1,157,275	1,211,210
US	1,188,421	1,214,023	68,602	69,974	178,594	188,069
NY	323,883	327,374	24,648	24,944	52,791	53,345
CT	29,287	30,173	2,495	2556	65	65
NC	11,743	11,972	432	442	1,808	1,808

In the US, deaths dropped to 27% of all cases while recovered patients increased to 73%. World wide death rate is significantly lower, only 17% compared to 83% recovered globally. 

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/     https://www.coronainusa.com/  

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

In the news: 

• Amazon engineer Tim Bray resigned over concerns re: company firing protestors.
• CA beaches remain closed; legal battles pending. Modoc county in northern CA reopened early despite Gov Newsom’s stay at home order.
• Johns Hopkins projects 3,000 daily deaths in US by June; IHME projects only 890 daily deaths.   
• Congressional support among democrats is growing for Emergency Money for the People Act to provide $2,000 monthly checks to every American age 16 or older making less than $130,000 a year. 
• Europe entering new phase of reopening but not a return to normal.
• FDA issued emergency authorization to Gilead for remdesivir as potential COVID-19 treatment; US government will determine distribution locations and priorities.
• Intel shared among US allies indicates virus likely came from market, not Chinese lab.   
• MI security guard killed after asking shopper to wear face mask; 3 people charged.
• More than half the states plan to reopen this week though few are prepared for testing.
• National Nurses Week and Teacher Appreciation Week bring respect, discounts and freebies to front line workers. #NCLighthouseLeaders trended. 
• NC among states to allow remote online emergency video notarization during pandemic.
• NC ranked last among all 50 states for pandemic support.  
• Nearly 400 employees at MO pork plant tested positive; all were asymptomatic. 
• PPP small business loan program is deeply flawed yet still underfunded.
• Social distancing is optional inside the White House.  

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

• Customer left $1,300 tip to support TX restaurant the day it reopened.
• Donut delivery business in Woodbury VT is booming during pandemic.
• MA customer bought $3,000 worth of groceries for senior shoppers.
• OR mom auctioned off homemade giant cinnamon rolls to feed frontline medical workers and help food banks.
• Wise Man Brewery uses IPA to raise money for laid off workers.

In my personal life…

I haven’t mentioned much about food in the blog so I’ve decided to share menu info as part of our pandemic record keeping since Greg or I cook almost every day.

For Cinco de Mayo we are going to have a Mexican inspired dish. Reid learned the recipe (below) from a friend in high school. I’m going to enjoy a Corona beer or two with dinner. Greg doesn’t like beer so he will likely make himself a margarita or drink Sprite. We made the dish weeks ago and ate half, then froze the leftovers which are now thawed in the refrigerator ready to be warmed up. We’ve never tried freezing and thawing this particular recipe before so fingers crossed it will be ok. If not we have a few options as back-up meals.  

Last week we ate ribeye steak twice, served with roasted potatoes, broccoli and spinach salad. We had made a double batch of baked spaghetti last month and froze half so we thawed that and ate it for two meals, along with spinach salad and toasted bread. Greg also made fried rice with chicken, enough for two meals.

Once or twice a week we have a hearty breakfast like bacon and pancakes, sausage and eggs, or Scotch eggs. Some mornings we have cereal: Special K for me, Frosted Flakes or Fruit Loops for Greg. For convenience sometimes I drink a packet of Carnation breakfast essentials mixed with milk. I tried Huel last year and liked it but haven’t reordered yet.

We sometimes eat brunch or linner between lunch and dinner. Last night we had spinach salads topped with grilled chicken for linner followed by fresh strawberries with nutella for dessert. We typically alternate various options for variety to avoid eating the same meal twice in a row.

Sometimes we skip meals if we aren’t hungry. Greg skipped breakfast and lunch yesterday, ate a small dinner, and only snacked a little bit afterward. He takes Ozempic which causes him not to be hungry much of the time. Greg is not diabetic though his blood sugar is borderline so his doctor prescribed the medicine a few months ago. He also takes a pill for high blood pressure and Vitamin D supplements.

My favorite sandwich is turkey with havarti cheese, lettuce and mayo served with baby carrots and tzatziki plus a garlic dill pickle on the side. Greg prefers plain ham sandwiches with potato chips or Fritos. Cold weather and rainy day favorites include hearty Campbell’s Chunky soup or Marie Callender’s turkey pot pie for me and Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, chicken pot pie or frozen pizza for Greg.

I typically drink water most of the time. Sometimes I drink hot decaf coffee or tea during cold weather though I prefer cold brew when it is available. Greg drinks soda pop, fruit punch, chocolate milk, and homemade vanilla milk shakes. He doesn’t like most adult beverages though he will occasionally drink a sweet fruity cocktail or sip cinnamon flavored Fireball whiskey. I enjoy a wide variety of beer, wine, and spirits but only drink occasionally, usually socially. Lately Greg has been making virgin frozen margaritas in a blender and I’ve been drinking cranberry juice in a wine glass for fun.

Citrus fruits (oranges, clementines, halos, mandarins, or tangerines) are a favorite dessert or snack though Greg keeps enough candy and junk food in the house that we have plenty of options. He recently ordered some candies in bulk online: butterscotch, candy cigarettes, cinnamon, lemon drops, and pop rocks. He also ordered nuts and mint cookies malted milk balls (aka monkey balls) from Nuts.com. We discovered monkey balls during a trip to New York City when we stayed at the Hotel Elysee and ate dinner in the Monkey Bar.

Sunday we drove to Amazing Thailand in King to pick up shrimp pad Thai (shared), crab Rangoon for Greg and basil rolls for me; enough food for two meals each. Ping, the owner of the restaurant, is like family to us. Zito and May Way Dumplings in Winston Salem are other favorite local restaurants we’ll likely order take out from in the coming weeks.

Jones Strawberry Farm opened last week so I stopped by Sunday afternoon to purchase two baskets of berries: one for us plus one for Greg’s friend Rockey. Also bought a loaf of homemade sourdough bread. Levering Orchard will have cherries later this month. Green Mesa Blueberry Farm in Boonville likely will open in June. Our backyard blueberry bushes are young though they look promising this season. Green Mesa is my back-up plan in case birds eat more berries than we do.

In the garden we have spinach and lettuce for salads, and a few herbs for garnish and seasoning. Pulled the last of the kale last night; it’s a cool season crop so will plant more this fall. Yellow squash and tomato plants are growing nicely though no blossoms yet. Brussels sprouts, cucumbers and zucchini are growing more slowly. Backyard blackberries and blueberries will likely ripen by mid-summer, followed by raspberries a little later. Cantaloupe (musk melon) and watermelon plants look pitiful right now though hotter temps should help them grow soon. The almanac indicates Wednesday and Thursday are good days to apply fertilizer so I plan to top dress a few plants with compost and feed Miracle-Gro performance organics to the others.

  

We typically purchase groceries once a week though we are currently so well stocked that we’re going to skip a week. Will need more milk by May 11, and have started a short list of other items. Not sure if we will order online delivery or drive to the grocery store; decision will probably depend on Greg’s mood.

Here’s the recipe for Mexican taco dip casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In skillet on medium heat, brown 1 pound of ground beef, drain grease, crumble into small pieces, add taco seasoning and water per directions on taco seasoning packet. After cooking, turn off heat but leave meat in pan to keep warm until ready for that layer. 

While meat is browning, warm 1 can of refried beans in saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to low simmer until ready for that layer.  

In a glass dish, soften 1 package of cream cheese for 10 seconds in the microwave, just long enough to slightly soften it so you can spread it for base layer of dip. 

On top of the cream cheese layer, spoon refried beans for next layer. 

Next add seasoned ground meat. 

Next add one jar of salsa.  

Next add shredded blend of four Mexican cheeses. 

Bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes until top layer of cheese is melted. Ovens vary so cooking time is usually between 15 and 30 minutes.  

While dip is baking, get taco shells ready, or use Tostitos Scoops or blue corn chips instead. 

Take dip out of oven and spoon into shells, or use chips for nachos or dipping. Top with baby spinach or shredded lettuce or cabbage, fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, guacamole, pico de gallo, more shredded cheese, sour cream, or whatever else you might like. Sometimes we make homemade guac though Wholly Guacamole is pretty good too. 

photos of Mexican inspired dinner

Essential Pay & Protections for Essential Workers

Thank You Essential Workers 

Inspired by the words of Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor:

• Delivery drivers and truckers are ALWAYS essential.
• Farm workers are ALWAYS essential.
• First responders are ALWAYS essential.
• Grocery store workers are ALWAYS essential.
• Nurses, doctors and medical personnel are ALWAYS essential.
• Postal workers are ALWAYS essential.
• Billionaires are not.

Parents of school aged children would likely add teachers to list of essential workers, especially after weeks of home schooling.

Greg and I have always shown appreciation to workers in the service industry, always been good tippers and courteous customers. Now more than ever we appreciate each and every person along the supply chain bringing food and supplies to local grocery stores and restaurants.

Doctors, nurses, and all the medical staff working tirelessly to save lives are human super heroes, as are police, fire, and EMT crews. Special thanks also to postal workers and personnel at FedEx, UPS and other delivery businesses. Let’s not take for granted utility workers, garbage collectors and other unsung workers who make all our lives better.

In addition to better pay and safer working conditions, essential workers deserve respect. As essential employees, most of them don’t have a choice whether or not to work. Some have already contracted and recovered from COVID-19, and some have died. We owe them all, each and every one, our heartfelt gratitude for their dedication and sacrifices.

Essential workers have been in the news a lot since the economy slowed down. Top headlines include:

• Alicia Keys thanked front line essential workers with “Good Job” song.  
• Amazon told investors profits will be spent on safety measures for workers and customers. 
• Bezos called to testify before Congress over misleading businesses practices.  
• Careless customers are biggest threat to store employees.
• CNN investigated safety measures at grocery store cash registers.
• Daily Show host Trevor Noah pays salary of furloughed crew during shutdown.
• Economic shut down and forced unemployment: Is it a blessing or a curse?
• May day protestors want better safety protections, working conditions, and pay.
• NY Gov Cuomo responded to pro-reopen reporter, explained death is worse than economic suffering; encouraged unemployed to apply for essential jobs. 
• OH Senator Sherrod Brown supports pandemic premium pay and health protections for all front line workers.  
• Poor are getting poorer as creditors pursue debts during coronavirus crisis.
• Poor People’s Campaign calls for moral response to crisis; online march June 20.
• Senators introduced Paycheck Security Act to ensure workers maintain health insurance and keep getting paid until the pandemic subsides.
• Problems with online unemployment applications led to long lines for paper filers.
• Trash collectors overwhelmed by rising amount of household garbage.
• Veteran truck driver described chaos.
• Walmart gave over $500 million in bonuses to employees.

In a tale of two economies, Main Street is experiencing the pandemic very differently from Wall Street.

30 million Americans have filed for unemployment assistance within the past 6 weeks, erasing all job growth since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Analysts believe the true number of unemployed is actually higher. A survey conducted in mid-April by the Economic Policy Institute found that for every 10 people who successfully filed a claim for unemployment insurance, three to four tried to file but were unable to get through the system. In addition, two more didn't try to apply for UI at all because it was too difficult. 

Meanwhile Wall Street recently capped its best week since 1974 after the Federal Reserve announced emergency steps to release $2.3 trillion into the economy last month. Billionaires continue to get richer during the COVID-19 crisis while most people suffer. 

Now corporate lobbyists are pressuring republicans to shield companies from lawsuits as they reopen. Democrats, labor unions and trial attorneys oppose liability shields for businesses. Riddle me this: If it’s truly safe to reopen and for people to go back to work, then why would employers need immunity from litigation? That don’t make no sense.

Enough is enough. It’s time for significant reforms to protect workers, not just corporations. Thankfully November 2020 is only 6 months away.

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

• Jim Gaffigan shared distance learning lessons. 
• Parks and Rec cast reunited online to sing 5,000 Candles in the Wind.
• Trump and China: on again off again love story for the ages.

Daily pandemic update:  

Australia, India, and Malaysia are among countries in Asia that will begin to ease parts of their lock down. Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon have lifted partial lock downs but bans on public gatherings remain in place. Despite there being between 8 and 11 vaccine candidates in early stages of testing in China, the US, Britain and Germany, the global hunt for a vaccine will most likely take longer than expected, researchers said.  Aljazeera.com timeline

4 May 2020	Cases		Deaths		Recovered
7:24 GMT*	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today	Yesterday	Today
World	3,506,398	3,567,561	245,193	248,346	1,129,810	1,157,275
US	1,161,109	1,188,421	67,448	68,602	173,725	178,594
NY	319,213	323,883	24,368	24,648	50,567	52,791
CT	29,287	29,287	2,436	2,495	65	65
NC	11,579	11,743	430	432	1,808	1,808

*Documenting time of day because real time data updates continuously.
Tracking specific states:  NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC. 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/     https://www.coronainusa.com/  

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

In the news:  

• AP Fact Check: multiple examples of misinformation during Trump interview at Lincoln Memorial.  
• China-US rivalry was explained by Ian Bremmer, USA Today.
• CNN’s Don Lemon rhetorically asked Trump why he hates Obama.
• India saluted coronavirus heroes by air, land, and sea.
• Invasive murder hornet spotted in Washington state, first confirmed US sightings. 
• Larry Kudlow defended Feb 25 claim that coronavirus was contained; said administration is on pause while considering additional stimulus relief. 
• Lawyer dressed as grim reaper protested reopening of FL beaches. Thousands protested CA beach closures. 
• Man arrested for trying to quarantine on private Disney island.
• Nicolle Wallace, a republican, believes the right is orchestrating a smear campaign against Biden.
• OK city nixed face mask rule after threats from angry citizens.
• #PastorTodd, #RelationshipGoals, #RipUpYourList and #TransformationChurch trended.
• Tractor Supply is outperforming Amazon in the US heartland.
• Trump claimed China made mistake with coronavirus, then tried to cover it up.
• UPenn Wharton model: reopening states could cause 233,000 more deaths.  

NC legislature unanimously passed $1.6 billion COVID-19 recovery plan. Two bipartisan bills were approved to spend federal funds on the following priorities:

• $125 million to expand a low-cost small-business loan fund run by Golden LEAF Foundation,
• $85 million for five universities for COVID-19 research and treatment,
• $95 million to help rural and teaching hospitals,
• $50 million to purchase personal protective equipment,
• $35 million to purchase computers for students and staff in K-12 public schools,
• $75 million to sustain school nutrition programs,
• $44 million for online summer school for the University of North Carolina system,
• $150 million to local governments, and
• $25 million to expand testing and tracing after DHHS releases more coronavirus data. 

  

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

• Cincinnati OH shoe store uses release of new Nikes to raise money for homeless children.
• GM and Ford lay out plans to restart US factories.
• Mattel toy company is launching #ThankYouHeroes action figures honoring front line essential workers.
• N95 mask inventor Peter Tsai came out of retirement to help researchers develop ways to disinfect and reuse masks.
• WI retired fire chief received ladder truck visit with family during cancer battle.

In my personal life…

May the Fourth Meme

Today is May the Fourth so I feel obliged to include at least one Star Wars meme. This one was chosen specifically with sister-friend Tonya in mind because she loves movies, especially big blockbuster fantasy flicks. And here’s a link to more May the Fourth memes for bonus entertainment.

My personal favorite film franchise is Planet of the Apes. The original 1968 Charlton Heston film is a beloved classic though the 1971 Escape from Planet of the Apes is my all time favorite. It explored the love story between Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) and Zira (Kim Hunter) when they time travelled to 1970s America, including the birth of their son Caesar (originally named Milo, in homage to Sal Mineo’s lab partner character). The 2001 remake by Tim Burton starring Mark Wahlberg was interesting but not quite franchise worthy despite stand-out performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Giamatti and Tim Roth. I was initially skeptical of the 2011 reboot because of performance capture acting technology but Andy Serkis quickly won me over.

In the mid 1980s I won a Halloween costume contest dressed as an ape-human hybrid; wore a monkey mask, hands, and feet with human clothes. I am such a super fan of Planet of the Apes that I bought a painting by a local artist several years ago. Greg thinks it’s weird so it hangs behind our bedroom door; out of sight, out of mind. I have no regrets about it though. Just wish I could find the artist (Russell) to see what else he/she has painted.

Planet of the Apes fan art

In the garden I continue to pull weeds by hand and hoe. Greg, however, is tired of hoeing so he sprayed herbicide on the weeds in the driveway. Last year he used Roundup. This year he bought RM18 from Riverside Farm & Garden Supply here in Pfafftown. He left home in a hurry and forgot to take a mask; was the only person in the store without a mask, extra careful to keep a safe distance.

Son Austin was having intense stomach pains Sunday evening so he asked Greg to drive him to the hospital emergency room. He was diagnosed with pancreatitis. The ER doctor gave him fluids and medicine, along with a note to stay home from work for a few days.

After dropping Austin off at his apartment, Greg stopped at Taco Bell for a late night snack. He had been craving a Meximelt and attempted to hack an order since they are no longer on the regular menu. He also picked up two tacos and a burrito for me. #FavoriteHusband #CodependentFoodEnabler #YoQuieroTacoBell

We watched the season finale of Westworld together when he got home, right up until Spectrum Cable prematurely cut off the DVR. Grrrrrrrrr. I loathe Spectrum Cable, hate that company with a white hot passion much the same as John Oliver hates AT&T cellular phone service. We had AT&T U-verse at our Croydon home and it was soooooo much better than Spectrum. Unfortunately U-verse isn’t available where we live in Pfafftown. Anyway, I read about the Westworld season finale online so I would know what we missed in the second post credits scene. F.U. Spectrum. F.U. and the horse you rode in on.