Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020
84, what a beautiful number two fours in an eight, all even numbers. Today very much feels like summer has arrived to stay. We reached 31C and even the morning was no longer fresh, just a bit cooler. Because all the windows are open there is a pleasant breeze in the house making the temperatures quite tolerable.
I have a dislike for ACs so will put turning that on off for as long as I can. It is something I have never understood about Americans, the minute it gets to 22C outside the ACs come on and are turned to near freezing temperatures forcing one to wear sweaters of jackets when inside the house. It’s like the ice habit, more ice than water or whatever the beverage of choice maybe.
Just in time for the onset of summer the swim wear I order last week arrived, at record speed when compared to the plants I ordered back in March, which may or may not be languishing on some truck somewhere between here and Illinois since the supposed shipment date on May 28th. Given pools are still closed I might don the new swim suite when next I take to the waters in a sailing boat. Hopefully that will be on Friday, weather permitting as thunderstorms are forecast and being out on a body of water in a thunderstorm is not a good idea. I am inclined to check if the lakes in the national parks are open for swimming, even if it means a one-hour drive to get there. The car might enjoy going for a spin and we can have the top down.
Yesterday the Aikidoka met as every Tuesday for an online class and some socializing on Jitsi afterwards. Class was good, but everyone’s mood at the beer waza seemed a little depressed. This is also due to the sad news from all over the country, where protests are ongoing. Police brutality continues, but to be fair compassionate police officers also exists and the current protests bring out some good people and sentiments also.
The Listserv has recovered from the neighborhood watch discussion and moved to a more constructive initiative of organizing a vigil for those who died. It is also meant to bring people closer together given that our few neighbors have correctly pointed out that we really ever only know the people in our immediate vicinity at best. As part of the organizers I have offered to sort out ordering lawn signs for those who would like some with “Black Lives Matter” and “Silence = Violence” on them. Let’s see what the response rate to that will be.
Even though the inequalities in this country now dominate the news, COVID-19 is still an issue. The world today has 6.39 million reported cases. Numbers in the US continue to increase by 24k every day and the death toll has reached 105k. Again, discussions about humidity and high temperatures possibly reducing the spread are making the rounds, combined with a warning that there are risks of people getting too complacent. I am uncertain what to make of this research as the virus is spreading in tropical countries like Singapore for instance. How to explain that? Or the fact that all of Germany reported 269 new cases yesterday and it is neither hot nor humid.
Also, there is an article suggesting a lot of the researched published on the virus is bogus as it is based on highly dubious underlying data. It is somewhat disconcerting that scientists do not seem to fact check their sources.
In the category insane, I read an article that even though there is not even a vaccine, there are plenty of people who say they will not get vaccinated. If everyone else will, this may be a form of positive natural selection as 60% vaccinated is unlikely enough to stop the virus entirely, so these 43% can have it all to themselves and enjoy.
And finally some good news on the curative front with Gilead trying to make Remsdivir easier to administer.