Day 240 of Corona Virus Diaries...
Nov. 12th, 2020 06:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatWe're back to 240 again, but this time it's actual for me. 240 days ago - I went under lockdown in New York. I began working from home, and my small apartment, and the area immediately surrounding it became my bubble. That has not changed 240 days later.
1. I forgot to share this family tale..of amusement. We need amusement in our lives. Keep in mind, my family and I have an off-beat sense of humor.
Mother: So I've been reading your uncle's science fiction spy thriller to your father..it's been an interesting experience.
Me: Any good?
Mother: Well, it takes place in 2073, except the technology is the 1980s, with no explanation. It doesn't make much sense. They don't have cell phones, or computers or anything really.
Me: So basically he wrote a 1980s spy novel and put it in the future?
Mother: Exactly. And every once and a while we have to figure out what a word is due to the typewriter key not making a good impression - he wrote it on a typewriter.
Me: That's not so bad.
Mother: Also the plot while interesting is kind of jarring - I mean it's about stopping the nuclear codes from being given out to an enemy - but aren't they changed constantly?
ME: Well by 2073, we most likely won't have them, and yes, they are.
Mother: Also, they still have cassets and tapes, and recording devices. I mean its 2073...
Me: So, he should have just put it in the 1980s?
Mother: Pretty much.
2. Other bit of amusement making the rounds... Stacy Abrams who apparently is a Buffy fan made a pronouncement about who Buffy should currently be with at the moment and various cast members felt the need to chime in over Twitter
3. Gabe and I discussed entertainment choices over email at work today. She suggested Grand Army (no clue what that is), Queen's Gambit (which I've seen - hasn't everyone? And rec'd to my parents already), and The Lie (which is a movie). I've not heard of two of them.
I rec'd Helstrum and She-Rah, and House of Bly. Although she ignored the She-Rah rec. People? She-Rah is weirdly the better of the three.
But people have a stigma when it comes to animation and cartoons for some reason. That's okay, I feel the same way about video games. We all have our cultural line in the sand.
I need more recs...something to really hook me. Something to watch after Helstrum and She-Rah. (I've already tried Umbrella Academy, twice now, it did not take - I can't seem to get through the first two episodes without my attention wandering.)
4. The US Political Situation right now is in a word? Terrifying. We're looking at it play out through our fingers. It's like a Terrifying Monty Python Skit. The less said about it - the better.
I did enter into "civil" discussions with a guy on Texas Cousin's Facebook Page. We both veered away from naming any of trigger words.
Texas Republican to Cousin: honestly I disagree with a lot of what you state above. I had a long response prepared, but decided that if most people are like me, no one gives a shit about my political opinion.
I will say, I have said since the mid 90’s, the single biggest issue our country has, is that we allow there to be ‘career politicians’. Every elected position should be a maximum of 2 terms, every appointed position should be a maximum of 10 years. Elected politicians should earn a salary equal to the average of the salary of the constituents they represent. This would certainly motivate them to help those in their district become successful.
Texas Cousin: thank you for reading my post. We may not see eye to eye, nevertheless your opinion is just as important as mine.
Like you, I too support term limitations! I wish we had better choices for this election.
Most importantly, Happy Veterans Day! And thank you for your service!
ME - after sleeping on it:
- While I agree with term limits for the most part, governing is tricky. It requires skill and expertise in the law, policies, procedures, diplomacy. I don’t think that career politician is a problem so much as people running for office with no expertise in how governments work. It would be like someone like myself trying to coach football or leading people into an armed conflict. I’ve no knowledge of football or the military. The vetting for President should be what their actual experience is in the field. The government doesn’t run like a business. It has different priorities and different issues.
Texas Republican: this is completely based on my opinion, any stats are from the best sources online i could find.
I firmly believe that most people are inherently greedy. Many may not agree with me. That’s ok. You can show me how much was donated to charities, etc, not going to change my mind on this one.
I believe that the amount of corruption, bribes, etc that goes on in all government, is astounding, and most people do not want to believe it.
We should be looking at these politicians who have become millionaires (or near millionaires) making $174,000 a year. This salary would put them in the top 5-8% of earners. That salary would pay between $40k and $50k in federal taxes (depending on filing status), plus any additional state and/or local taxes. After tax they would take home between 90-110k depending on where they live. Sure it’s a lot (I believe the median gross income by Ethnicity in the US is between $37k and $61k) 90+ % of earners earn significantly less than that. These government positions do require expenses that many of us do not have: expectations for looking nice, wearing nice clothes, and accessories. They are also expected to maintain multiple residences, one in the 5th most expensive city in America (2 suburbs of DC are also in the top 15 most expensive in America). So it would ‘seem’ that they shouldn’t have enough to save to become a millionaire. 48% (48) Senators are millionaires, 39% (207) of the members of the house are millionaires. That number seems disproportionately high considering only 5.6% of all citizens are millionaires. Maybe some were millionaires when they ran? Maybe some had windfall inheritances.
What is it that they’re doing that we as citizens cannot do?
I think that we need to keep asking the question why. Not why once, five times. The 5 Why principle.
Why does somebody want to be a career politician?
Answer they want to help people.
Why do they want to help people?
They genuinely believe that they can influence their constituents economic / domestic / other situations.
Why...
Why...
Why...
In my opinion it will come down to people become career politicians because it makes them and their family rich.
I tend to believe that not everyone has everyone else’s best interest at heart.
There are some that may.
Perhaps this is why different people see the ruling class differently.
ME: For the most part, I agree with you. But, people don't really make that much in politics. The salary for the President of the US, last I checked was $250,000 if that. And it's a hard job. And you have no privacy. Also it takes money to run a campaign. Can you make money as a politician - yes, but not really "as a politician" - you make it in speaking engagements, lectures, book deals, board of trustees, etc. It is illegal to use campaign donations for personal use - whether that's been enforced is another discussion. A lot of people are under the illusion that politicians make a lot of money - they really don't. They are civil servants. Why would someone run?? Why do you decide to fight for your country? Why would someone take a lesser paying government job? There's a lot of reasons. Sometimes because you think you can make a difference. Sometimes power - or control. Sometimes plain old ego. It's worth keeping in mind that the majority of people who have run for President had millions of their own money. Politicians don't really make as much as you think. Also $174,000 to $250,000 isn't that much in places like DC and NY. It's not a millionaire's salary, it's middle income. And 48% isn't that high - most politicians make very little. The one's who are wealthy are one's who had the money already, they didn't make that money as a politician. That actually is the rude awakening many people get when they go into government and politics - they think - oh, huge salary. Uh, no, actually government jobs are the lowest paid. Paul Ryan is making much more money in private industry, for example, than he did as Speaker of the House.
I think the class divide in the US is in a sense spearheading a lot of this. And there is a severe class divide. And people don't agree on how to fix it.
I want to fix it - but to do it, I have to find common ground.
5. Crazy Company vs. The Corona Virus
Apparently people in the field aren't wearing masks or PPE like they should. Talked to project manager today, who informed me that people at the Railroad's support facility were barely wearing them at all. Not in break rooms, or out on the tracks where they worked in gangs. When the supervisor was asked why - he stated, well, we're family. We're together all week long. You wouldn't wear a mask if you were with your family right?
Human logic at its finest.
They've managed to justify it. Much like the idiots wandering about my neighborhood and in and out of my building. They see the signs and ignore them. It doesn't apply to them.
They don't see it as that big a deal. No wonder cases on the Railroad are doubling. Frigging Long Island. It's of course conservative - so half of it doesn't see the point of masks.
This folks is why we have 10.5 million cases, and 149,000 and climbing per day in the US. It's also why 242,000 people are dead.
Yes, this is officially the Big Mutant Zombie Apocalypse That Wasn't come to pass. Frigging hell.
Me: I'm taking Monday off.
Gabe: Oh cool! What are you doing, anything good?
Me: Well, no, I can't really do much of anything but binge watch television, and take a walk in the park. My life in COVID.
6. New York vs. The Corona Virus - yes, our continuing coverage of the Great State of New York attempting to fight the Corona Virus.
1. The statewide positivity rate is just below 3 percent. In the micro-cluster focus areas, the positivity rate was 4.86 percent. Excluding these areas, it was 2.53 percent. Of the 162,627 tests reported yesterday, 4,797, or 2.95 percent, were positive. Total hospitalizations were at 1,677. Sadly, we lost 29 New Yorkers to the virus. [Meanwhile Mayor De Blasio keeps telling us that the cases in the city are at 800 a day now. So most of the cases are in the City. Lovely. I have a doctor's appointment on the 25th. Also need to get a mammogram, which I'm putting off.]
2. New York continues to take action to address the micro-cluster across the state. Based on data metrics, Port Chester's yellow zone will transition to an orange warning zone. We also announced new yellow precautionary zones in Staten Island and Tioga County. The yellow precautionary zone in Steuben County has been removed. Maps of the existing cluster zones are available here. [The one in Brooklyn is now South of me, although I'm still in the yellow zone. And it's only twenty blocks south. I'm sticking to the North, which I'd do anyhow. I did take a walk one block south yesterday - but it was still in the safe region. Someone on FB posted an odd question about why people were dumping left over food by the trees in their yards, or along the walkway, and why someone was chopping the heads off pigeons and arranging their wings along the walkway. This comment made me think - note to self, stay in the North section of the borough, don't go south - the nutjobs live south of you. Also, after this is over - I might want to move upstate.]
3. In just one week, New York has conducted an additional one million tests. To date, New York has conducted over 16 million tests and we continue to lead the nation in testing. Find a testing site near you. [They've also started home test kits - where you can get a kit for your family if you tested positive. Plus goodies for quarantining. The home test kits are most likely increasing the number of tests.]
4. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade announced the performers for its virtual celebration. The celebration will be broadcast nationwide this year on Thanksgiving morning but due to the pandemic, there will be no audience. The parade will also forgo the annual procession to avoid large crowds but will feature performances from Dolly Parton, the Muppets, the cast of Hamilton and more. [Apparently they are turning it into more of a variety show than a parade - which to be honest works better for me anyhow. I only tuned in for the performances.]
1. I forgot to share this family tale..of amusement. We need amusement in our lives. Keep in mind, my family and I have an off-beat sense of humor.
Mother: So I've been reading your uncle's science fiction spy thriller to your father..it's been an interesting experience.
Me: Any good?
Mother: Well, it takes place in 2073, except the technology is the 1980s, with no explanation. It doesn't make much sense. They don't have cell phones, or computers or anything really.
Me: So basically he wrote a 1980s spy novel and put it in the future?
Mother: Exactly. And every once and a while we have to figure out what a word is due to the typewriter key not making a good impression - he wrote it on a typewriter.
Me: That's not so bad.
Mother: Also the plot while interesting is kind of jarring - I mean it's about stopping the nuclear codes from being given out to an enemy - but aren't they changed constantly?
ME: Well by 2073, we most likely won't have them, and yes, they are.
Mother: Also, they still have cassets and tapes, and recording devices. I mean its 2073...
Me: So, he should have just put it in the 1980s?
Mother: Pretty much.
2. Other bit of amusement making the rounds... Stacy Abrams who apparently is a Buffy fan made a pronouncement about who Buffy should currently be with at the moment and various cast members felt the need to chime in over Twitter
3. Gabe and I discussed entertainment choices over email at work today. She suggested Grand Army (no clue what that is), Queen's Gambit (which I've seen - hasn't everyone? And rec'd to my parents already), and The Lie (which is a movie). I've not heard of two of them.
I rec'd Helstrum and She-Rah, and House of Bly. Although she ignored the She-Rah rec. People? She-Rah is weirdly the better of the three.
But people have a stigma when it comes to animation and cartoons for some reason. That's okay, I feel the same way about video games. We all have our cultural line in the sand.
I need more recs...something to really hook me. Something to watch after Helstrum and She-Rah. (I've already tried Umbrella Academy, twice now, it did not take - I can't seem to get through the first two episodes without my attention wandering.)
4. The US Political Situation right now is in a word? Terrifying. We're looking at it play out through our fingers. It's like a Terrifying Monty Python Skit. The less said about it - the better.
I did enter into "civil" discussions with a guy on Texas Cousin's Facebook Page. We both veered away from naming any of trigger words.
Texas Republican to Cousin: honestly I disagree with a lot of what you state above. I had a long response prepared, but decided that if most people are like me, no one gives a shit about my political opinion.
I will say, I have said since the mid 90’s, the single biggest issue our country has, is that we allow there to be ‘career politicians’. Every elected position should be a maximum of 2 terms, every appointed position should be a maximum of 10 years. Elected politicians should earn a salary equal to the average of the salary of the constituents they represent. This would certainly motivate them to help those in their district become successful.
Texas Cousin: thank you for reading my post. We may not see eye to eye, nevertheless your opinion is just as important as mine.
Like you, I too support term limitations! I wish we had better choices for this election.
Most importantly, Happy Veterans Day! And thank you for your service!
ME - after sleeping on it:
- While I agree with term limits for the most part, governing is tricky. It requires skill and expertise in the law, policies, procedures, diplomacy. I don’t think that career politician is a problem so much as people running for office with no expertise in how governments work. It would be like someone like myself trying to coach football or leading people into an armed conflict. I’ve no knowledge of football or the military. The vetting for President should be what their actual experience is in the field. The government doesn’t run like a business. It has different priorities and different issues.
Texas Republican: this is completely based on my opinion, any stats are from the best sources online i could find.
I firmly believe that most people are inherently greedy. Many may not agree with me. That’s ok. You can show me how much was donated to charities, etc, not going to change my mind on this one.
I believe that the amount of corruption, bribes, etc that goes on in all government, is astounding, and most people do not want to believe it.
We should be looking at these politicians who have become millionaires (or near millionaires) making $174,000 a year. This salary would put them in the top 5-8% of earners. That salary would pay between $40k and $50k in federal taxes (depending on filing status), plus any additional state and/or local taxes. After tax they would take home between 90-110k depending on where they live. Sure it’s a lot (I believe the median gross income by Ethnicity in the US is between $37k and $61k) 90+ % of earners earn significantly less than that. These government positions do require expenses that many of us do not have: expectations for looking nice, wearing nice clothes, and accessories. They are also expected to maintain multiple residences, one in the 5th most expensive city in America (2 suburbs of DC are also in the top 15 most expensive in America). So it would ‘seem’ that they shouldn’t have enough to save to become a millionaire. 48% (48) Senators are millionaires, 39% (207) of the members of the house are millionaires. That number seems disproportionately high considering only 5.6% of all citizens are millionaires. Maybe some were millionaires when they ran? Maybe some had windfall inheritances.
What is it that they’re doing that we as citizens cannot do?
I think that we need to keep asking the question why. Not why once, five times. The 5 Why principle.
Why does somebody want to be a career politician?
Answer they want to help people.
Why do they want to help people?
They genuinely believe that they can influence their constituents economic / domestic / other situations.
Why...
Why...
Why...
In my opinion it will come down to people become career politicians because it makes them and their family rich.
I tend to believe that not everyone has everyone else’s best interest at heart.
There are some that may.
Perhaps this is why different people see the ruling class differently.
ME: For the most part, I agree with you. But, people don't really make that much in politics. The salary for the President of the US, last I checked was $250,000 if that. And it's a hard job. And you have no privacy. Also it takes money to run a campaign. Can you make money as a politician - yes, but not really "as a politician" - you make it in speaking engagements, lectures, book deals, board of trustees, etc. It is illegal to use campaign donations for personal use - whether that's been enforced is another discussion. A lot of people are under the illusion that politicians make a lot of money - they really don't. They are civil servants. Why would someone run?? Why do you decide to fight for your country? Why would someone take a lesser paying government job? There's a lot of reasons. Sometimes because you think you can make a difference. Sometimes power - or control. Sometimes plain old ego. It's worth keeping in mind that the majority of people who have run for President had millions of their own money. Politicians don't really make as much as you think. Also $174,000 to $250,000 isn't that much in places like DC and NY. It's not a millionaire's salary, it's middle income. And 48% isn't that high - most politicians make very little. The one's who are wealthy are one's who had the money already, they didn't make that money as a politician. That actually is the rude awakening many people get when they go into government and politics - they think - oh, huge salary. Uh, no, actually government jobs are the lowest paid. Paul Ryan is making much more money in private industry, for example, than he did as Speaker of the House.
I think the class divide in the US is in a sense spearheading a lot of this. And there is a severe class divide. And people don't agree on how to fix it.
I want to fix it - but to do it, I have to find common ground.
5. Crazy Company vs. The Corona Virus
Apparently people in the field aren't wearing masks or PPE like they should. Talked to project manager today, who informed me that people at the Railroad's support facility were barely wearing them at all. Not in break rooms, or out on the tracks where they worked in gangs. When the supervisor was asked why - he stated, well, we're family. We're together all week long. You wouldn't wear a mask if you were with your family right?
Human logic at its finest.
They've managed to justify it. Much like the idiots wandering about my neighborhood and in and out of my building. They see the signs and ignore them. It doesn't apply to them.
They don't see it as that big a deal. No wonder cases on the Railroad are doubling. Frigging Long Island. It's of course conservative - so half of it doesn't see the point of masks.
This folks is why we have 10.5 million cases, and 149,000 and climbing per day in the US. It's also why 242,000 people are dead.
Yes, this is officially the Big Mutant Zombie Apocalypse That Wasn't come to pass. Frigging hell.
Me: I'm taking Monday off.
Gabe: Oh cool! What are you doing, anything good?
Me: Well, no, I can't really do much of anything but binge watch television, and take a walk in the park. My life in COVID.
6. New York vs. The Corona Virus - yes, our continuing coverage of the Great State of New York attempting to fight the Corona Virus.
1. The statewide positivity rate is just below 3 percent. In the micro-cluster focus areas, the positivity rate was 4.86 percent. Excluding these areas, it was 2.53 percent. Of the 162,627 tests reported yesterday, 4,797, or 2.95 percent, were positive. Total hospitalizations were at 1,677. Sadly, we lost 29 New Yorkers to the virus. [Meanwhile Mayor De Blasio keeps telling us that the cases in the city are at 800 a day now. So most of the cases are in the City. Lovely. I have a doctor's appointment on the 25th. Also need to get a mammogram, which I'm putting off.]
2. New York continues to take action to address the micro-cluster across the state. Based on data metrics, Port Chester's yellow zone will transition to an orange warning zone. We also announced new yellow precautionary zones in Staten Island and Tioga County. The yellow precautionary zone in Steuben County has been removed. Maps of the existing cluster zones are available here. [The one in Brooklyn is now South of me, although I'm still in the yellow zone. And it's only twenty blocks south. I'm sticking to the North, which I'd do anyhow. I did take a walk one block south yesterday - but it was still in the safe region. Someone on FB posted an odd question about why people were dumping left over food by the trees in their yards, or along the walkway, and why someone was chopping the heads off pigeons and arranging their wings along the walkway. This comment made me think - note to self, stay in the North section of the borough, don't go south - the nutjobs live south of you. Also, after this is over - I might want to move upstate.]
3. In just one week, New York has conducted an additional one million tests. To date, New York has conducted over 16 million tests and we continue to lead the nation in testing. Find a testing site near you. [They've also started home test kits - where you can get a kit for your family if you tested positive. Plus goodies for quarantining. The home test kits are most likely increasing the number of tests.]
4. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade announced the performers for its virtual celebration. The celebration will be broadcast nationwide this year on Thanksgiving morning but due to the pandemic, there will be no audience. The parade will also forgo the annual procession to avoid large crowds but will feature performances from Dolly Parton, the Muppets, the cast of Hamilton and more. [Apparently they are turning it into more of a variety show than a parade - which to be honest works better for me anyhow. I only tuned in for the performances.]
no subject
Date: 2020-11-14 05:46 pm (UTC)I also notice it with others - the people who work in restaurants, bars, nail salons, hair stylists, construction workers..
They don't cover these somewhat mundane but very real and dangerous issues in pandemic movies.