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shadowkatSome people are consistent regarding subject headings, I clearly am not. Also I can't count.
Today I received lovely flowers from my father via mother. (He can't do it himself, so he asked that she do it for him. But he's better and pretty much back to where he was physically and mentally speaking - prior to the hospitalization and rehab facility. So that was my first of the three miracles I got this November. I'm more than thankful for this gift. Your prayers, and warm thoughts helped. Thank you so much for them.)
I have them on the side table next to the coffee table.
Crazy Company
For reasons that defy sense, crazy organization decided to go ahead and merge all the separate procurement departments from about seven different agencies into one group, while keeping some people separated out in the other ones. Confused? So is everyone else.
They had a town hall meeting on it. At the end of it, the head guy (who is an immigrant from India, with a thick accent - crazy agency is at least diverse, I'll give it that and supports my values (so yay)) asked for questions. He spoke for about thirty minutes if that. It took a while for people to formulate them - well that and people were either confused or scared to ask anything.
The questions?
* Do I have to reapply for my current position? (Not at this time, and represented who have been lifted over don't, but represented who haven't might. That question was asked more than once - because people were confused. Note - represented means union, and the agencies have about 77 different unions.)
* Will I lose my benefits? (No, and if you are represented, no, because collective bargaining agreement governs. If you aren't represented...it is up in the air, but no not at this time.)
* Will I lose my job? (They don't know - it depends on whether we get bailed out, most likely not...since they culled a lot of jobs this year, but who knows really.)
* When will I get the vaccine? (Most likely not until late summer early fall for folks in our jobs. And yes, expect to work remotely for the most of next year...the status quo will most likely continue.)
After the town meeting - I started looking at desktop computers on Amazon. I don't want one - but I may not have a choice going forward. I'm currently living off a 13 inch lap-top Mac computer. It's great, I'm thankful for it. But I'm also concerned about my eyesight.
Also, as you can see from the above questions? Everyone is scared. Honestly, whoever (the Governor) thought a pandemic was the best time to merge an agency's procurement departments ....
Oh well, good news? I don't have to worry about returning to the office any time soon. My guess is our telecommute from home arrangement will be extended.
Oh, the place I got a massage in March is open and sending me emails. They apparently have state of the art Covid procedures in place (they did then too) and can see people and massage has been classified as essential medical care by the Governor now. Tempting. But I'm fine and don't need it. But it's nice to know it's there - if I do. I've used massage in the past to eliminated pain or to reduce it.
Also, the NY Times Corona Virus briefing isn't quite as depressing as it has been for the last 8-9 months, partly due to Biden and the vaccines. Biden apparently is being wholeheartedly embraced by the National Health Agencies, who Trump kept criticizing and contradicting. It's nice to have a sane person as President and not aterrorist crazy reality star.
Biden trumps Trump. Hee.
Mr. Biden’s pandemic response plan had been held up by the Trump administration’s refusal to authorize the transition of presidential power. But that changed yesterday when the federal government finally signed off on the start of the transition, unlocking funds, equipment and government data to the incoming president.
So what happens now?
One of the first things that Mr. Biden will do to confront the pandemic is dispatch what are known as “landing teams” to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration. The teams will be given enormous briefing books that detail nearly everything the agencies have been working on for the past four years. (And they can expect a friendly reception at the agencies, particularly among scientists whom Mr. Trump has criticized for years, write my colleagues Sheila Kaplan and Ron DePasquale.)
At the F.D.A., the landing team will need to get up to speed on a planned vaccine rollout, as well as promising vaccine candidates and therapeutics on the horizon.
When the landing teams arrive at the C.D.C., one of the most pressing issues will be taking over a public education campaign, now in development, to persuade the public to trust — and to take — the vaccine once it becomes widely available.
Also expected today are meetings between Mr. Biden’s coronavirus advisory group and government health officials, and that cooperation is expected to intensify over the next several days.
Transition officials are especially eager to start coordinating with officials at the National Institutes of Health and members of the Warp Speed project, which is responsible for vaccine distribution, writes Michael D. Shear, who covers the White House for The Times. They have also said they want to begin receiving official government data about the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.
Mr. Biden will also need to respond to the struggling pandemic economy, and that task will fall to Janet Yellen, his pick for Treasury secretary. Ms. Yellen has a record of supporting stimulus measures, and she is expected to focus on a new relief bill, which would include negotiating a deal with the Republican-controlled Senate.
Biden also contacted New Zealand to see what they did and if the US can incorporate their approach. I'm happy with Biden/Harris - they are stable, and moderate. Which is what the US needs right now - stability. The far left and the far right need to take a time out.
Nothing new here - but more evidence has been gathered that a mutation in the virus made the pandemic and made it worse.
Eh, we already knew that. Found it out sometime in May, I think. The virus mutated when it hit Europe, and we got the mutated version in NY, which infected everyone else - and caused it.
There is no evidence that the mutation causes more severe symptoms, or kills more people, or complicates the development of vaccines. And although some politicians have blamed the fast-spreading variant for outbreaks, researchers disagree, saying improper containment measures are to blame. Places that locked down quickly, even when the variant was spreading locally, fared far better than those that did not, scientists say.
Basically the NY Times disagrees with the NY State Governor and NY State Department of Health on this issue. God knows whose right.
California reported 17,694 new cases on Monday, well more than it or any other state had ever done before, according to a New York Times database. Over the past week, it has averaged 12,712 new cases a day — more than Maine’s total for the whole pandemic. And the trajectory in California has lately been almost straight up.
With infections and hospitalizations each rising at an alarming rate in the state, officials announced a curfew late last week for counties in the state’s purple reopening tier — in other words, the counties where almost all of the state’s nearly 40 million residents live.
Officials have implored Californians to take precautions and to reconsider traveling, even within the state. And some local officials have gone further, including closing down outdoor dining in Los Angeles “to reduce the possibility for crowding and the potential for exposure” — an order that takes effect on Wednesday and has drawn pushback.
California is far from the only state where new case reports are shattering records. Oregon hit a new daily high on Sunday, Wyoming did so on Monday, and three states — Rhode Island, Connecticut and Kansas — that do not report separate daily figures over weekends set records for three-day periods ending Monday.
As of Monday night, 11 states — Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky, Minnesota, Idaho, Tennessee, Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana and South Dakota — had added more deaths in the last week than in any other week since the pandemic began.
Go HERE.
Meanwhile Pennsylvania has banned the sale of booze on Wednesday night in an attempt to head off pre-Thanksgiving celebrations - go to the above link to see that article.
Hmmm...
1. According to a survey done at the request of The Times, around 27 percent of Americans plan to dine with people outside their household on Thanksgiving. Travel for the holiday is also down this year. [So maybe the uptick won't be THAT bad post Thanksgiving?]
2. The makers of a leading Russian vaccine candidate, Sputnik V, said that the drug showed an efficacy rate of 95 percent, based on an unspecified small group of volunteers and incomplete results. [So they don't know how accurate it is - or aren't giving the press the data...]
3. The United Kingdom will loosen virus restrictions for a brief period next month to allow people to come together and celebrate Christmas. [Watch the virus take off in the UK like gangbusters over the holiday season.]
4. Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, is planning to make coronavirus vaccines — when they become available — compulsory for passengers who want to fly internationally. [Well that's one way to make people take the vaccines. There's a lot of worry about no one taking the vaccine. People are like me - they've watched too many horror films.]
5. Thirteen African countries will take part in a clinical trial aimed at identifying treatments that could prevent moderate coronavirus cases from becoming more severe. [Go Africa! That's actually sensible.]
6. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been preaching a message of sacrifice during the holidays, so New Yorkers took notice when he said he invited his 89-year-old mother over for Thanksgiving. [Eh, this has been debunked in about three live news briefings - where he stated that no, it wasn't happening. He's working on Thanksgiving and will be having it with well the reporters in the news briefing.
Reporters: We could do the briefing by Zoom.
Cuomo: No, no, no Zoom. I like these face to face chats that we have.
The reporters weren't thrilled with this news. I was rather amused. Apparently the Governor has decided to go back and do the news briefings daily. Today he did more than one.
Reporter: How do you want to respond to the contradiction - that you told people to stay away from family gatherings and you are having one with your mother and family?
Governor: Well, I'm not. I already told you that I had to explain to my mother that we can't do it this year.
Reporters: What changed?
Governor: Well, I'm working - I'm not having it with anyone. I was going to have it with my mother and two daughters, one is in Chicago and can't come - that is four people. I'm not telling you to sit in your home alone. I'm telling you to be careful and not have a large gathering.
Reporters: Well, yes, you said to stay home.
Governor: I said the CDC, Biden and Trump all told you to stay home and be safe. I'm suggesting the same. I'm working - I'll be having Thanksgiving with you guys.
Reporters: Uh, wait a minute - what?
Governor: I will be doing a live briefing that day.
Reporters: No, wait...what about doing it by Zoon?
Governor: No, no, no Zoom. I don't like Zoom.
See? This is what you get when you misquote the Governor. You get to spend Thanksgiving traveling to and from a frigging live press briefing. [I was amused. I have a love/hate relationship with the Governor, and the New York Times.]
7.The organizers of a gigantic Brooklyn wedding will be fined $15,000 for violating pandemic rules. - [This is the Hassidic Jewish Wedding with 7500 -10,000 in attendance. I think they were rather lenient, I'd have fined them at least $20,000 to $30,000 - New York needs the money. Oh it was south of me - so maybe $50,000. Those bozos put my area and south of me in an orange to red zone. But - yay for the fine! I was worried they wouldn't do anything - they haven't to date, which is why people keep having the big weddings.]
8. A shortage of coins and the rise of digital currency are making the trade in bits of metal a distant memory for many. - [interesting, I've mixed feelings about this.]
Some good news...I am no longer in a hot spot, at least I'm not according to the NY Hotspot Lookup. They've gotten sophisticated enough now that they can tell you where the virus is - and if you are currently in a hotspot.
Not that my behavior is going to change any. Oh, I also scored Lysol Disinfecting Wipes at the pharmacy. I haven't seen these buggers in months. I missed them - I used them pre-pandemic to clean and wipe things. I loved using them for cleaning pre-pandemic, and was annoyed that I'd run out and couldn't find them any longer. So, I was able to score two - yay. I know have enough with the Clorox wipes that I scored at the grocery store, and hardware store, and work, to last six months or less since I use them to clean. I'm stocked up on so many things - which are secreted among my cabinets and closet.
Today I received lovely flowers from my father via mother. (He can't do it himself, so he asked that she do it for him. But he's better and pretty much back to where he was physically and mentally speaking - prior to the hospitalization and rehab facility. So that was my first of the three miracles I got this November. I'm more than thankful for this gift. Your prayers, and warm thoughts helped. Thank you so much for them.)
I have them on the side table next to the coffee table.
Crazy Company
For reasons that defy sense, crazy organization decided to go ahead and merge all the separate procurement departments from about seven different agencies into one group, while keeping some people separated out in the other ones. Confused? So is everyone else.
They had a town hall meeting on it. At the end of it, the head guy (who is an immigrant from India, with a thick accent - crazy agency is at least diverse, I'll give it that and supports my values (so yay)) asked for questions. He spoke for about thirty minutes if that. It took a while for people to formulate them - well that and people were either confused or scared to ask anything.
The questions?
* Do I have to reapply for my current position? (Not at this time, and represented who have been lifted over don't, but represented who haven't might. That question was asked more than once - because people were confused. Note - represented means union, and the agencies have about 77 different unions.)
* Will I lose my benefits? (No, and if you are represented, no, because collective bargaining agreement governs. If you aren't represented...it is up in the air, but no not at this time.)
* Will I lose my job? (They don't know - it depends on whether we get bailed out, most likely not...since they culled a lot of jobs this year, but who knows really.)
* When will I get the vaccine? (Most likely not until late summer early fall for folks in our jobs. And yes, expect to work remotely for the most of next year...the status quo will most likely continue.)
After the town meeting - I started looking at desktop computers on Amazon. I don't want one - but I may not have a choice going forward. I'm currently living off a 13 inch lap-top Mac computer. It's great, I'm thankful for it. But I'm also concerned about my eyesight.
Also, as you can see from the above questions? Everyone is scared. Honestly, whoever (the Governor) thought a pandemic was the best time to merge an agency's procurement departments ....
Oh well, good news? I don't have to worry about returning to the office any time soon. My guess is our telecommute from home arrangement will be extended.
Oh, the place I got a massage in March is open and sending me emails. They apparently have state of the art Covid procedures in place (they did then too) and can see people and massage has been classified as essential medical care by the Governor now. Tempting. But I'm fine and don't need it. But it's nice to know it's there - if I do. I've used massage in the past to eliminated pain or to reduce it.
Also, the NY Times Corona Virus briefing isn't quite as depressing as it has been for the last 8-9 months, partly due to Biden and the vaccines. Biden apparently is being wholeheartedly embraced by the National Health Agencies, who Trump kept criticizing and contradicting. It's nice to have a sane person as President and not a
Biden trumps Trump. Hee.
Mr. Biden’s pandemic response plan had been held up by the Trump administration’s refusal to authorize the transition of presidential power. But that changed yesterday when the federal government finally signed off on the start of the transition, unlocking funds, equipment and government data to the incoming president.
So what happens now?
One of the first things that Mr. Biden will do to confront the pandemic is dispatch what are known as “landing teams” to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration. The teams will be given enormous briefing books that detail nearly everything the agencies have been working on for the past four years. (And they can expect a friendly reception at the agencies, particularly among scientists whom Mr. Trump has criticized for years, write my colleagues Sheila Kaplan and Ron DePasquale.)
At the F.D.A., the landing team will need to get up to speed on a planned vaccine rollout, as well as promising vaccine candidates and therapeutics on the horizon.
When the landing teams arrive at the C.D.C., one of the most pressing issues will be taking over a public education campaign, now in development, to persuade the public to trust — and to take — the vaccine once it becomes widely available.
Also expected today are meetings between Mr. Biden’s coronavirus advisory group and government health officials, and that cooperation is expected to intensify over the next several days.
Transition officials are especially eager to start coordinating with officials at the National Institutes of Health and members of the Warp Speed project, which is responsible for vaccine distribution, writes Michael D. Shear, who covers the White House for The Times. They have also said they want to begin receiving official government data about the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.
Mr. Biden will also need to respond to the struggling pandemic economy, and that task will fall to Janet Yellen, his pick for Treasury secretary. Ms. Yellen has a record of supporting stimulus measures, and she is expected to focus on a new relief bill, which would include negotiating a deal with the Republican-controlled Senate.
Biden also contacted New Zealand to see what they did and if the US can incorporate their approach. I'm happy with Biden/Harris - they are stable, and moderate. Which is what the US needs right now - stability. The far left and the far right need to take a time out.
Nothing new here - but more evidence has been gathered that a mutation in the virus made the pandemic and made it worse.
Eh, we already knew that. Found it out sometime in May, I think. The virus mutated when it hit Europe, and we got the mutated version in NY, which infected everyone else - and caused it.
There is no evidence that the mutation causes more severe symptoms, or kills more people, or complicates the development of vaccines. And although some politicians have blamed the fast-spreading variant for outbreaks, researchers disagree, saying improper containment measures are to blame. Places that locked down quickly, even when the variant was spreading locally, fared far better than those that did not, scientists say.
Basically the NY Times disagrees with the NY State Governor and NY State Department of Health on this issue. God knows whose right.
California reported 17,694 new cases on Monday, well more than it or any other state had ever done before, according to a New York Times database. Over the past week, it has averaged 12,712 new cases a day — more than Maine’s total for the whole pandemic. And the trajectory in California has lately been almost straight up.
With infections and hospitalizations each rising at an alarming rate in the state, officials announced a curfew late last week for counties in the state’s purple reopening tier — in other words, the counties where almost all of the state’s nearly 40 million residents live.
Officials have implored Californians to take precautions and to reconsider traveling, even within the state. And some local officials have gone further, including closing down outdoor dining in Los Angeles “to reduce the possibility for crowding and the potential for exposure” — an order that takes effect on Wednesday and has drawn pushback.
California is far from the only state where new case reports are shattering records. Oregon hit a new daily high on Sunday, Wyoming did so on Monday, and three states — Rhode Island, Connecticut and Kansas — that do not report separate daily figures over weekends set records for three-day periods ending Monday.
As of Monday night, 11 states — Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky, Minnesota, Idaho, Tennessee, Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana and South Dakota — had added more deaths in the last week than in any other week since the pandemic began.
Go HERE.
Meanwhile Pennsylvania has banned the sale of booze on Wednesday night in an attempt to head off pre-Thanksgiving celebrations - go to the above link to see that article.
Hmmm...
1. According to a survey done at the request of The Times, around 27 percent of Americans plan to dine with people outside their household on Thanksgiving. Travel for the holiday is also down this year. [So maybe the uptick won't be THAT bad post Thanksgiving?]
2. The makers of a leading Russian vaccine candidate, Sputnik V, said that the drug showed an efficacy rate of 95 percent, based on an unspecified small group of volunteers and incomplete results. [So they don't know how accurate it is - or aren't giving the press the data...]
3. The United Kingdom will loosen virus restrictions for a brief period next month to allow people to come together and celebrate Christmas. [Watch the virus take off in the UK like gangbusters over the holiday season.]
4. Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, is planning to make coronavirus vaccines — when they become available — compulsory for passengers who want to fly internationally. [Well that's one way to make people take the vaccines. There's a lot of worry about no one taking the vaccine. People are like me - they've watched too many horror films.]
5. Thirteen African countries will take part in a clinical trial aimed at identifying treatments that could prevent moderate coronavirus cases from becoming more severe. [Go Africa! That's actually sensible.]
6. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been preaching a message of sacrifice during the holidays, so New Yorkers took notice when he said he invited his 89-year-old mother over for Thanksgiving. [Eh, this has been debunked in about three live news briefings - where he stated that no, it wasn't happening. He's working on Thanksgiving and will be having it with well the reporters in the news briefing.
Reporters: We could do the briefing by Zoom.
Cuomo: No, no, no Zoom. I like these face to face chats that we have.
The reporters weren't thrilled with this news. I was rather amused. Apparently the Governor has decided to go back and do the news briefings daily. Today he did more than one.
Reporter: How do you want to respond to the contradiction - that you told people to stay away from family gatherings and you are having one with your mother and family?
Governor: Well, I'm not. I already told you that I had to explain to my mother that we can't do it this year.
Reporters: What changed?
Governor: Well, I'm working - I'm not having it with anyone. I was going to have it with my mother and two daughters, one is in Chicago and can't come - that is four people. I'm not telling you to sit in your home alone. I'm telling you to be careful and not have a large gathering.
Reporters: Well, yes, you said to stay home.
Governor: I said the CDC, Biden and Trump all told you to stay home and be safe. I'm suggesting the same. I'm working - I'll be having Thanksgiving with you guys.
Reporters: Uh, wait a minute - what?
Governor: I will be doing a live briefing that day.
Reporters: No, wait...what about doing it by Zoon?
Governor: No, no, no Zoom. I don't like Zoom.
See? This is what you get when you misquote the Governor. You get to spend Thanksgiving traveling to and from a frigging live press briefing. [I was amused. I have a love/hate relationship with the Governor, and the New York Times.]
7.The organizers of a gigantic Brooklyn wedding will be fined $15,000 for violating pandemic rules. - [This is the Hassidic Jewish Wedding with 7500 -10,000 in attendance. I think they were rather lenient, I'd have fined them at least $20,000 to $30,000 - New York needs the money. Oh it was south of me - so maybe $50,000. Those bozos put my area and south of me in an orange to red zone. But - yay for the fine! I was worried they wouldn't do anything - they haven't to date, which is why people keep having the big weddings.]
8. A shortage of coins and the rise of digital currency are making the trade in bits of metal a distant memory for many. - [interesting, I've mixed feelings about this.]
Some good news...I am no longer in a hot spot, at least I'm not according to the NY Hotspot Lookup. They've gotten sophisticated enough now that they can tell you where the virus is - and if you are currently in a hotspot.
Not that my behavior is going to change any. Oh, I also scored Lysol Disinfecting Wipes at the pharmacy. I haven't seen these buggers in months. I missed them - I used them pre-pandemic to clean and wipe things. I loved using them for cleaning pre-pandemic, and was annoyed that I'd run out and couldn't find them any longer. So, I was able to score two - yay. I know have enough with the Clorox wipes that I scored at the grocery store, and hardware store, and work, to last six months or less since I use them to clean. I'm stocked up on so many things - which are secreted among my cabinets and closet.
no subject
Date: 2020-11-25 02:48 am (UTC)Great news about your father, that's such a win.
I hope that people get the chance to choose among vaccines, then maybe if they are scared of mRNA or whatever they could still get the Oxford one or the Novavax one or some other that also works.
no subject
Date: 2020-11-25 04:15 am (UTC)The Moderna and Pfizer/Biontech ones look like the best bets right now - they don't have side-effects and are about 95% effective.
But again, it will be a while. Distribution is not going to be easy.
No, I hadn't heard that the Governor won an international Emmy. He did mention winning an Emmy - but I had no idea what he was talking about - I didn't know international Emmy's existed. Sigh. That man's ego does not need any more stroking - it's big enough as it is. He kind of flaunted the Emmy win at the reporters today, and I thought, what emmy? You got an emmy? Seriously? Don't get me wrong - I loved his briefings. But our society really needs to stop awarding folks for doing their job well.