Maybe we’re doing all we can
Four major variants of SARS-CoV-2 were recently identified in the UK, South Africa, Brazil and the USA. These variants resulted from COVID-19 mutations which is what viruses usually do to survive. B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 are designated virus of concern (VOC) by the medical community due to their increased risk of transmissibility. Not much information about the Cal.20C variant is available except that it was first reported in California. All four variants have been reported in the USA as of January 2021.
Making A Variant
When coronaviruses copy themselves they sometimes make errors which result in a mutation and when mutations are shared by…
After months of social distancing, the behaviors we’ve adapted could stick around
As it gets closer to a post-pandemic period, there’s a faint sense of a post-apocalyptic, Punxsutawney Phil vibe every time I step outdoors. Maybe it’s just me. With social distancing and the shuttering of many social venues, once crowded streets, restaurants and malls have seen a steep decline in patronage. Some of us have acclimated to this new normal and some might’ve become strongly aware and protective of our social space — the six-feet suggested distance — when we venture out.
For nearly a year, many have hunkered in place and stayed primarily inside their homes forgoing the outgoing social…
Is it worth it to play it safe?
Despite any determination I may have had to press on through the disruptions brought on by a pandemic, plans were curtailed, abbreviated, delayed, postponed or outright cancelled. The positive vibes and mantras that habitually popped in my head after difficult ordeals tried to make an appearance to minimize any disappointment or failure. But after a while, faking fine no longer cut it. I had to get real, allow myself to feel the rollercoaster emotions without passing judgment or self-deprecation and take stock how I was living.
2020 has undoubtedly been a tough year for just about everyone but some saw…
Could relief from this financial burden benefit us all?
In this election cycle, many college-level students and recent graduates who are bogged down by student loan debt could potentially have this financial burden wiped away or considerably lessened if they act, with their vote.
The Brookings Institute estimated 42 million Americans, or 1 in 8 students, owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. About 6% of borrowers owe more than $100,000. But even for the poorest students within the 94% with one-tenth that loan amount, it’s a steep mountain to climb especially if the degree was not obtained.
Living true to its reputation — the USA is the land…
The future has never looked better
A wise man said, even with proof some will refuse to relinquish debunked beliefs and hold tight to falsehoods that suits their worldview. All my life I’ve seen how the haves lived. I’ve seen how the have-nots scraped by day after day and the staggering degrees of opportunity that separated them. Mindset separated them. Fear and resentment too.
I’ve always heard the haves say to the have-nots: why can’t you just control yourselves, act civilized, get an education, get a job, use birth control, obey the law. …
How not to be an Office-Karen
I met up with someone, a colleague, to discuss a developing situation and as we took our seats six-feet away from each other in a conference room he proceeded to remove his face mask. I was stunned.
Not only did I feel physically and emotionally threatened, I felt disrespected. We’re in a pandemic. I looked away embarrassed and speechless as he proceeded like it was no big deal. Maybe ask if it made me uncomfortable or if it was okay?
To me it’s in the same vein if one of us decided to pull out a cigarette or turn off…
I can’t stop
You can’t begin
We’ll always be two parallel lines
Never intersecting
Never speaking
Always distancing
We’ll die in blue jeans
from arthritis
and copious texting
You can’t stop
and I won’t begin
© 2020 Greenstone Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
Maybe Lady Justice needs a helping hand or two
I saw a cartoon this morning depicting two protesting black men, each with a picket sign. One had the acronym “BLM” and the other “ABF”. It made me wonder if we’ve finally arrived at a critical point in our history to willfully allow our government to conduct widespread dystopian-like surveillance on citizens.
Our behaviors in public would be admissible in our courts as evidence for or against us. With cameras and recording devices everywhere tracking our location up to the second, it could mean more chances for an expedited decision and reliable criminal justice system to bolster our defense and…
Making face coverings work as intended
Did you wear a protective face covering today? Did you make it yourself? Organizations like the CDC recommend cloth face coverings in the wake of COVID-19 since N-95 masks should be reserved for medical professionals. Face coverings they state can be made from household items. Some of us will get creative when designing our face coverings. It might seem logical to do everything possible to increase the protection a face covering might provide in order to block particulates or viruses from passing through. …
