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Peggy Southworth (Townley)

Dave B. - I just read your son's article from China.  I forwarded it to my daughter also.   Very well written and encouraged, indeed.   Thank you for posting it. 

David Barbour

Tom McKeon!!!!  Whoa, I'm blown away!  John graduated with an engiineering degree

and failed to get a job right away so took his couple semesters of Chinese and set out

to improve his language skills.  He taught english for about 5 years and then found a sales

job with a manufacturer of heavy machine parts and hydraulic equipment.  He is the only

native english speaker in the office.  He has worked steadily to improve his language and is

still working on written text.  Thanks for the interest, everyone.

DB

Michael McLeod

And yet we're all so surprised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Af6b_wyiwI&feature=youtu.be
 

Michael McLeod

Idiots.

Five University of Tampa students who had traveled together and with other UT students during spring break have tested positive for the coronavirus, the university announced on social media Saturday.

The announcement comes as experts fear that Florida spring breakers could become spreaders of coronavirus in their campuses and hometowns.

Pictures and videos of young people drinking, partying and going to the beach over the last few weeks, even as Gov. Ron DeSantis was warning not to congregate in groups larger than ten and restaurants and bars were closed, has sparked outrage on social media.

Gregg Gonsalves, a professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, told Politico Saturday, “What is happening in Florida with spring break partying-on by students oblivious to the epidemiological implications of their actions is nothing short of tragic."

Michael McLeod

Dave: I sent your story to my girlfriend's daughter who has been home from Beijing for a month now.

I think it will help her to contend with her PTSD to know the scene that she left behind is so different now. She was traumatized by the ghost town/zombie apocalypse the country had become, all the blockades and policing and fear. Now she can visualize the better things in her memory about what is actually a beautiful and fascinating country, for all its troubles and differences. Oh, on the PTSD: she is obsessive about putting food in the pantry, getting medical supplies, etc. I know we are all a little freaked out about it but I can see an irrational level of panic in her -- it has begun ebbing away -- that stems from what she went through in the last two weeks she was basically living a captive and extremely oppressive existence in Beijing.

Janie Albright (Blank)

I wanted to tell those of you who don't follow me on Facebook that I returned from Puerto Vallarta on Saturday almost 3 weeks early. My son in law who is a pilot for United urged me strongly to get home. Now I'm in quarantine. But luckily I can go out on my balcony and look down on my grandchildren and have little chats.  

I want to congratulate Jeanine and Jack and pray the day that they can hold these precious babies comes soon! 

I am thoroughly enjoying every post. Keep it up! David's son's article is amazing. I've also forwarded that. Fred, I love Neil! I've seen him in concert at least 4 times. I know he stopped touring b/c of Parkinson's but although his voice is great I'd wouldn't recognize him. I will be sending that around too. 
 

Prayers going out to all of you that you survive your isolation and that none of us are stricken. Love you all! 
 

Here is a photo from Friday evening of my last sunset in Mexico for 2020. 
 

David Barbour

Mike,

These are photos from Dec. 1 in Hong Kong.  During the riots.  John and friend did a weekend for 

his birthday.  Its all location, location, location!  Remeber the riots?  That was THE subject before the 

virus.  Best anxiety medicine is stop watching the news!!!

DB

David Mitchell

Oh by the way Dave,

per you son's article,,,loved his photo.

OMG, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree!

Joseph D. McCarthy

Since the Stay In Place took effect my wife and I are not going out.  So after a week of 24/7 I decided to do something I THOUGHT would be romantic.  I asked my wife to join me at the new type of Drive-in.  No not the Airport Drive-in, fifth avenue Drive-in, or the Southern Drive-in.  I meant something that would bring back memories like Jerry's or Grren Gables; only following todays standards.   So I suggested we try that fancy French place - La Wendy's.  We could utilize the drive-thru and then find a spot in the parking lot to eat our sandwiches.  Were having soup and sandwiches at home.

David Mitchell

Gosh Joe, 

You are such a romantic!  And here all this time I thought Wendy's was Irish. Their Headquaters is in Dublin.

Fun story about my youngest daughter. She and her Watterson classmates were all out of school for a funeral up near Dublin. They were coming back and had stopped for a late lunch at that Wendy's at the bottom of the hill on 161 and Rt 33. Just blocks down the hill from Wendys Headquarters. And in walks Dave Thomas and two other guys. He sees these couple dozen high schoool kids all dressed up in dresses and coats and ties on a weekday, and at an odd time of day to be out. So he goes over to ask why they are not in school and they explained. And he says, "I see you have already had lunch, so I'll just buy you all a desert.

Lawrence Foster

Dave Barbour - that was a great article by your son.  Thanks for posting the link.

Below are two more recent art projects I finished.  The first of each image is it just sketched out and wood burned and then is the image after I did the wood stain on it.

This sail boat is an image I copied that was done by Alan Beechel back in the 1950s or 60s.

David Mitchell

Oh, but my friend Joe, I have found an even more exciting way to spend this idle time. 

The following are the simple steps one would take to achieve more fun than we are legally allowed to have here in Beaufort County.

First; Have the old drain line that goes from your washer to the outside of the house back up. This wiil achieve maximum floors covered in water in no time at all.

Don't you just love a movie that starts off fast? And we are indeed, just gettin' started. 

Second: Wait several days before the landlord can get a plumber out to your house. We most certainly don't want to rush into things now - do we?

(The correct answer here is, "NO, this is the South. And we don't "scurry" down here.)

Third; When the Plumber finally does arrive, he cuts the line and runs a device into it to clear it, then discovers that it drains to a smaller seperate septic tank that nobody even knew was there - and it's clogged - of course!   (wouldn't want to get off that easy).

Fourth; So the plumber has to call a Septic Company to handle this part of the problem

(You probably already knew that didn't you? Damn! I just hate when your friends withold valuable information!)

And of course, that call takes a few more days. 

Fifth; The septic Company comes out, locates the tank, digs up the back yard, clears the backup, and covers it up and then goes home. The very idea that the Septic Copany would finish their task but not even call the landord back, or let the original plumber know that he's "been here done that" - so they might know to come back and re-connect the downspout line - never even occurred to me. What the hell do I know?

Six-a; (Now I know what you're thinking. Your thinking this is some sort of "12-Step" program to achive utter domestic bliss. Well, it may be full of burgers but it' snot that.)

Six-b; At my advanced age I have already forgotten #6, so lets's just write that one off to "senior moments" and mosie on down to step #7.

Seven; So by now we are finally all on the same page on the phone (Landlord, Plumber, Septic Company, and me. NOTE: I play the part of the dashing, jovial, debonaire tennant in this high stakes, fast moving drama). So the plumber calls (last Friday) and says "Kin we get back "atcha" next Tchuuesdee".  "Sure" I say, releived. 

Eight; Now before I let you think this is gonn'a end before it's really over, you just hold on there. Midway through this frivolity, my refrigerator decides to join the fun. I get up late one night (we older guys do that a lot these days) and after my short 2:00 am visit to that little room off the hallway, I walk into the kitchen to grab my favorite snack - a little mini pecan roll-up, and a sip of milk.  But whoa! Something very wet on the dark floor sends me hurtling through space at an alarming rate of speed. After a skillful recovery, I turn on the ceiiling light to see a veritable small river making it's way from the bottom of the refrigerator, across the floor to a puddle near the sink area. Oh joy!

NIne; But for such a new challenge, I am well prepared. (one doesn't spend 3 whole weeks in the Our Lady of Peace Boy Scouts and learn nothing at all). I keep a large treasure trove of old towells and rags, knowing that days like this are yet to be enjoyed. After wiping up and then strategically applying rags and towells across the floor here and there, I return to my pillow.  zzzzzzzz!                  (for those of you falling asleep at this narrative that can be your cue)

Ten; Next morning it is of course, worse. I call the landlord and ask who does appliance repair and we both agree that the one and only appliance repair place in town has gone out of business. So I call the plumber and ask if they can look at this problem when they come out next "Tchuuuesdee". "Well, sir, we'll have a look at her. But I can't guarantee anything." 

Eleven; (BTW, the lobby is still open with Coke and Popcron and "Dots" if you're hungry). After about 5 days of running my "towell wipe-up and block the flow" game (day and night), I got a call from the plumber - "Sir, it's gonna be more like Friday bufore we kin git to ya. Is that gonna be alright?"  "Oh, but of course." 

 (and did I already mention this is the "South"?)

XII  (that's 12, right?) So we are just a few days away from the end of this excitement. And all I want to say is - -

Whoops, time to get back and change dry rags for wet ones in the dryer.

Top that, you hopeless romantic!

John Jackson

Dave B, let me say that I also really enjoyed your son’s article. We need encouragement – I was skeptical at first about the virus but I think now it’s going to be really bad here.  Good to know that China, for now at least, is coming out of it.

Dave M, it IS really bad at your place…

And, Janie, are those frigate birds?  I’ve seen them in Mexico and they are amazing. From Wikipedia:

 Having the largest wing-area-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, frigate birds are essentially aerial.  This allows them to soar continuously and only rarely flap their wings. One great frigatebird, being tracked by satellite in the Indian Ocean, stayed aloft for two months. 

David Mitchell

Or is it Mosey?

Nina!  Mark!

Either of you out there? 

Mark Schweickart

Dave M.,

Sounds to me like "Mosey" is an appropriate description for response-time down in your parts. And even though it is slow, it is better than the response my wife used to get when asking for directions when she lived in Baton Rouge for awhile. She never got used to hearing the response, "Ya cain't get there from here."

As for your leaky refrigerator, I am no appliance repair man, but I would check two things, since water is not essential to the running of the refrigerator itself. If you have an automatic ice-maker, and/or a water dispenser on the front of the unit, obviously there must be a water line going into the back of the refrigerator. Since this is not an essential part of the unit, you should be able to turn off or disconnect this water input. Another source of water may be coming from the freezer automatically defrosting itself. This defrosted water drains down to an evaporating pan at the bottom, just above the floor. There may be a blockage in this drain tube, or the fan that helps with the evaporating may not be working, and you may need to empty the pan manually. There is advice on how to troubleshoot these kind of things on line. Just Goggle "refridgerator leaking water."

John Jackson

Gosh, in early January I was feeling pretty good about myself – I had my interview with the local Death Panel (you, know, the ones set up by Obamacare) and they gave me thumbs up for another two years.  That really put a spring in my step!

But now that I’ve dodged that bullet I read that Trump is going to open up all the closed businesses to fire up the economy and get it, in his words, “raring to go”.   Makes sense to me – I’m ready to take one for the team.  After all, what’s the point of worrying about a bunch of geezers who are only going to live a few years longer anyway?  And everybody knows that Right To Life only applies to the unborn.

Of course nobody under 70 is really spooked by the virus - they know it’s all a hoax and I’m sure all those in their 50’s and 60’s, even the medically compromised ones, will gladly head back to their cubicles at work.  And, after work, they’ll pack themselves into bars and restaurants to party hearty with the 20-somethings until the Dow hits 30,000!

And I can’t tell you how relieved I was that Trump banished Anthony Fauci from his daily briefings – what a Debbie Downer!  Of course the sultan of suck-up, Mike Pence, is on board, but that weak and vacillating Lindsey Graham needs to get with the program.  Is he really serious when he says:

"Try running an economy with major hospitals overflowing, doctors and nurses forced to stop treating some because they can't help all, and every moment of gut-wrenching medical chaos being played out in our living rooms, on TV, on social media, and shown all around the world," Graham went on. "There is no functioning economy unless we control the virus." 

https://www.businessinsider.com/lindsey-graham-listening-to-fauci-and-experts-not-pundits-coronavirus-2020-3

If you ask me, Lindsey is getting all worked up over nothing – doesn’t he realize this will all blow over by Easter?  Dave M., curb your senator!

Timothy Lavelle

John,

We've been through this before. It seems to me you are being satirical but I want to be completely sure.

My arguement: Just because THE BEST PRESIDENT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN mentions, lauds, more than once some off the wall treatment for a different illness, is it his fault that two 60+ people,  man and wife, decided to try it out. Yes, yes...he is dead and she is critical but what blame attaches to the president?

If I tout drinking toilet water to prevent Covid, is my fault if someone is actually stupid enough to try that?

Oh, it is? 

Isn't it OK for POTUS to say anything he would like anytime with no forethought?

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

https://www.conservativereview.com/news/horowitz-coronavirus-begin-us-matters/?

James Hamilton, M. D.

Tim,

Hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, is hardly an "off the wall treatment" for COVID-19, but has shown considerable promise in the treatment of this disease. Stupidity of those who would consume fish tank chemicals cannot change that fact. To blame President Trump for their death and illness is absurd. Good leaders should not only proclaim the dangers of a situation but also the successes that have been made or are on the horizon. Giving people hope - not false hope - is a good thing. Is not everyone being told that "we WILL get through this" by many of those in the know?  Do you not believe that is true? 

There is much research and testing occurring at a much accelerated rate on therapies and vaccines for this virus. Hydroxychloroquine is, to date, the most promising of the therapies. I think it will be a help and I trust there will be others (possibly redesivir). 

I realize some have hate for Trump which is more rampant than is this virus. We are in a pandemic that has threatened our way of life in the USA and the world. Economic features must also be considered by our leaders. I have stated in previous posts on this Forum that a part of me wonders if we have gone overboard with our reponse to this crisis, even though my medical side still believes in some kind of "quarantine". I would hate to be in the position of having to balance all of the issues that are involved. It was hard enough for me when I had to make decisions on individual patients regarding their serious diseases. I can only imagine the pressures on all of those individials who serve on these teams dealing with this pandemic.

Jim 

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

FYI:  The Conservative Review in the link above is a website owned and operated by Blaze Media created by, a merger of Conservative Review online network and wait for it . . . Glenn Beck's TheBlaze. The article itself is written by Daniel Horowitz, an attorney and media legal commentator (think Scott Peterson trial). A talk show host, Steve Deace, is cited in the article to support the premise.

I'm going with the professionals in the health and science fields. Most of you probably haven't heard of our Dr. Amy Acton (Governor DeWine's health director) but she and our governor are rock stars in this fight. Wash your hands, all.  As Donna would say, (virtual) Hugs!! ❤️  

Clare

John Jackson

MM, echoing Mary Clare, I read your article but don’t know what to make of it because it’s not my field and I don’t remotely have the knowledge or expertise to judge it.  Before I place any stock in an article written by the editor of a conservative website with no background in the field, I’d like to hear it critiqued by a trained epidemiologist who I suspect would find the arguments naïve and simplistic.

I was skeptical about this virus at first (how can it possibly get that bad?), but as far as I can see we’ve hit every scary milestone the vast majority of epidemiologists have predicted, and then some.  

Timothy Lavelle

Jim,

Yes, please, place my name on the "hates the President of the United States, Donald Trump" list. I've always thought I made that clear.

Jim, you are a doctor. A very responsible position. Were you a doctor for only smart people? I wonder if ever in your professional life you had to stop yourself and think, "What I say to this patient is very important. I need to take care of my words." 

Is Trump the president of just smart people? Of people who know how to read nuance into his normal less than perfectly clear speech or outright fabrications? Maybe we have a guy who thinks "Wow, I am "papa" to all these citizens. I need to really think and be a little careful what I say cause words have meaning and not all of my children understand me?"

Are we simply not allowed to hold this man to account for his elevated position and his lack of so many characteristics we have honored in the likes of Reagan, Bush Sr., and others? 

I believe we have a guy who doesn't give a tiny squat for you, your conservative friends and certainly not me. He just wants to be boss. 

You became a doctor...John Jackson a business magnate and you both write clearly and well. As do some others. All I can say for myself is that I've been reading history for 50 years since I was in VN. I've lived all over the world and met people who judged America by how Americans acted and spoke. My writing is emotional.

So, with that...Throughout history, there have been terrible men who other people, well meaning and intelligent people, have supported with all their considerable strength because they believed in him. This, while the rest of the world looked on and wondered how people could think that way. A total conundrum. That is what is happening now and yes, I very much despise a man or woman who would treat our people with such little care. With a complete lack of professionalism.

Is he president of just the smart people Jim? Or is he supposed to be smart enough to help all our people? 

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

The article I posted simply was posing an apolitical question as to whether it was wise to intensify an indefinite shutdown of the social and economic life of a nation before we fully understand all the data and the reliability of the projections.  It seemed reasonable to me to question what is the context for the alarming curve graphs that show current massive spikes in American coronavirus cases.  We don't know for certain when the virus arrived....there isn't a patient zero.  Consider that the earliest documented case of the virus was November 17th.  China did not notify the WHO for almost two more months. There are almost 370,000 Chinese citizens attending college in the U.S., not counting all of the visas we issue from China.  Is it not reasonable to ask if those students who may have gone home for Christmas break as well as the thousands of others who travel back and forth from China for business etc., may have unknowingly brought the virus back with them and therefore exposed Americans to the virus way back in January?   How many Americans had what they thought was the flu back then but tested negative for both flu types A and B? Some of those persons ended up with pneumonia.  How do we know that they were not ill with the coronavirus?  Is it not slightly possible that the spike of new cases we are currently seeing in the curve has something to do with the fact that March is when the testing began?  And so, how can we know precisely when we are "flattening the curve" when we don't have a true beginning timeline for the presence of the virus?  This all goes to the articles main question, "Where is the evidence, given that the virus has probably been in the country for months, that further lockdown will save more lives and that the (potential) economic depression won't cost more lives?"
 

I fail to see that because the article is from a source of a differing political persuasion than anothers, or because someone who shares concerns is not a professional, the merit of the questions posed must be dismissed out of hand.  I read the article and shared it because the author expressed, with greater detail, some of my own questions and concerns about the "cure being worse than the disease".  

David Mitchell

What I wanna know is; 

Does this here virus infect Liberals, or Conservatives? I really wanna know 'cause I wanna be on the right side - er, I mean the correct side. No, I mean the "Winning" Side. 

------------------------

And Mark,

The last thing I needed was some practical minded playwrite (with better mechanical skills than me) to come along and throw actual real knowledge on my narrative. Instead I thought you could maybe help me work this into a live stage performance. I was thinking we could go together on a public radio segment - maybe Fresh Air, or This American Life.  

James Hamilton, M. D.

Tim,

In talking with patients I had the advantage of dealing with an individual or an individual and a few people accompanying that patient. When I teach or lecture I talk to groups, sometimes all medical workers, sometimes lay people. All public figures, certainly the President, speak to a nation, even the world.

As for medications, hydroxychloraquine, in the treatment of COVID-19, has been in the non-medical written, electronic and broadcast news even before President Trump mentioned it. Do you expect him not to discuss such an important finding in the fight against this pandemic? I can only imagine what the press would say if he failed to talk about such a finding.

I have always tried to direct my statements to the level of my patients or audience. How can a national/international figure do that? Do you use words that even those at the age of seven understand? Do you have to add "don't consume fish tank chemicals"? Please, Tim, give the vast majority of Americans credit for a reasonable amount of common sense if not intelligence.

​​​​This pandemic has sickened many, killed a relatively small percentage of those - and I don't mean to minimize the deadly potential of this infection, especially for certain high risk persons - and frightened millions. Yes, in something this major and widespread mistakes have been made and will be made. I do think some very good decisions have been made to HELP limit the spread of this virus. This is a constantly evolving battle against an enemy that we can't see with the naked eye, that was previously unknown to the medical and scientific community and knows no boundaries. What we have accomplished in such a short period of time is simply amazing, at least to me. 

​​Jim