DAILY MINUTIAE -- PODCASTS -- JAN. 6th HEARING

 U.S. Select House Committee on January 6th HEARING

"The eighth Jan. 6 committee hearing on its finding is scheduled for prime time July 21 [Thursday] and will walk through the events of Jan. 6, 2021 "minute by minute," Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Tuesday.  The hearing will focus in on the 187 minutes between Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally on the Ellipse and his tweet urging his supporters to go home," USA Today reports HERE.  (check schedule where you live for date, time confirmation, where to view)

"Thank You for Your Servitude" by Mark Leibovich is a book worth reading about some in Congress who have been cynical and hypocritical "about-face" enablers now making excuses for our ex-President, shifting his accountability for words and actions by blaming others.  Fear has been a factor which is a hallmark of authoritarianism.  The author is interviewed on Amanour and Company-PBS with segments you can view on the site HERE, also on this video: 

PBS NewsHour 

 

Earlier today, Sat., July 16th as I write this, I received my Covid 2nd booster vaccination.  Originally, I planned to wait for the next vaccine expected in October or November.  Currently, scientific/medical reports convince me given the rapidly increasingly high level of Covid infections here in Los Angeles County that having stronger protection now would be wise.  Outdoor exposure, especially in groups, may even be a more real possibility I also read.

This BA.5 omicron variant has evolved "...to be more contagious and evade the immune protection that people had from infection, vaccination or both" Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, is quoted saying in the "Mayo Clinic News Network" report HERE.

"A new study published in Nature found the variant was four times more resistant to messenger RNA vaccines than earlier strains of omicron.  The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are messenger RNA vaccines."  

Currently there is no evidence of a higher death rate from BA.5 but "...you have very little protection against BA.5 in terms of getting infected or having mild to moderate infection.  You have good protection against dying, being hospitalized or ending up on a ventilator."

"...among the unvaccinated with this variant, they're about fivefold more likely to get infected than people who have been vaccinated and boosted, about 7 1/2 times more likely to be hospitalized, and about 14 to 15 times more likely to die if they get infected," says Dr. Poland.

I keep wearing my "N95 masks or a KN-94 mask when indoors and in crowded areas outdoors" as Dr. Poland recommends.   What new variants may be in the offing, I wonder?

            <.                                                   ^                                                      >

Environmentally, the SoCal drought with hot temperatures rolls on, water usage restrictions continue -- so what's new?

               <                                                    ^                                                     >

I've been trying to locate some lab sites that are easily accessible for parking, require minimal walking to the store and once I'm inside since I've been having some mobility issues.  Most of the large chain drugstores place their pharmacies, clinics, labs where they can draw blood clear at the back of their stores.  It sure would be nice if they provided riding carts as some grocery stores do but that seems not to be the case.  

                <                                                    ^                                                    >

Podcasts seem to be popular with many people though I haven't devoted time listening to any of them.  They could be enjoyed I realize while engaged in other necessary activities about the house.  Maybe some podcasts could be an entertaining source of humor.  There seem to be an abundance of podcasts described as humorous including for seniors, older people, boomers, other age groups, various interest areas.  Perhaps some of you have favored podcasts.  We do need lots of humor.  

Laughing is contagious but living alone can limit that shared stimulation.  I recall when I was in undergraduate college some of us operating our campus radio station gathered in the control room one day.  We decided to record ourselves laughing which started with artificial laughs.  The next thing we knew we were laughing genuinely at the ridiculousness of what we were doing.  Our laughing kept getting more hilarious to each of us until we all were laughing so hard our stomachs hurt, tears were coming from our eyes -- we were quite out of control. 

I wonder if there would be a health care market for such a potentially therapeutic recording releasing all those healing endorphins -- a simple plain recording of laughter, nothing else, with which to laugh along?

BOOK BANNING -- POTPOURRI -- RIGHT-SIZING

My life did become a bit busy as I predicted previously.  I had scheduled posts in advance but did read your comments as I moderated them, found them stimulating, though I did not take time to add my own views as I usually do when I publish them.  

I appreciated concentrating more of my time on the activities with which I became involved.  Some issues I was experiencing were resolved which I welcomed -- some major, some merely pesky little ones needing intervention, and some unanticipated new ones to hassle, all together reaching close to overwhelming proportions it felt like.   Even now more have arisen.

My son was able to visit  to assist me, also in initiating some long overdue "right-sizing" in my house.  We filled a special trash/recycle bin for starters.  I continue the process since his departure as I had been gradually doing on my own in recent years with just the usual smaller weekly bins.   

Of course, there are sorting items for shredding, donation, other special dispositions.   As usual, there are always more issues requiring my attention along with some that seem to unexpectedly emerge, but they can be more readily integrated into my daily activities now.  These efforts seem like so much more because I'm slower than in years past, I think.

*  *. *

I'm pondering the pros and cons of getting this second Covid booster shot though I've tended to think I would wait until Fall.   I'll monitor what science information is forthcoming about the efficacy of taking this new booster sooner since I don't really experience a lot of situations  and other people that might expose me to the virus whatever the variant. 

Still, reportedly, this latest variation is much more contagious even if the illness is not more serious for those who have been vaccinated plus had the first booster shot as I have.  More viral variations can always surface sooner or later as they seem to be doing.   

Why don't people just use common sense, critical thinking, and judgment weighing science reports and health officials recommendations?   Instead they complain of being confused, tend to blame officials for not telling them specifically what to do in this evolving ever-changing situation the virus dictates.   This virus situation often seems like a "kill the messenger" reaction by some people.

It really is a tragic circumstance for all of us trying to protect one another to think that if more people had cooperated for preventative measures with vaccines, masking, etc., our nation could have had a higher percentage of more virus-resistant people but most significantly less deaths -- even today.  

Possibly we could well have circumvented this virus continuing to be such a threat in our country on a permanent yearly basis.  Perhaps even more tragic are all those countries that still don't even have some of the basic vaccines and medications in quantities available here and in a few other nations.

*. *. *. 

California is destined to another drought year weather authorities tell us as our so-called wet season, which has been quite dry, ends.  Our water shortage is such that we likely are going to incur having mandatory usage limits since voluntary cutbacks have been insufficient.  

*  *. *

Putin's Russian army unable to overwhelm Ukrainian's forces in the manner they expected have withdrawn in some areas, leaving behind boobytraps and bombs to kill the innocent.  Wherever possible they also seem to be increasing slaughter of the helpless citizens, women, children, old people and their homes.   That once proud Russian nation fought against Hitler's Nazis and now emulates them in too many ways while their leader lies to the citizens.

*. *. *

Have you read any good banned books lately? 

PBS Newshour -- Book Banning 

Seems to be a lot of book banning going on in parts of our country -- along with efforts to suppress voting under the guise of false claims alleging election fraud.  Amazing the number of people who continue to believe these sensoring extremists, lie mongers and conspiracists.

*. *. *

Maybe you have some thoughts on your mind to share here?