Republican National Convention

Posted on May 28, 2020June 3, 2020 by Thor

Donald Trump has one thing on his mind and that is getting re-elected. He hasn’t been holding his political rallies, which stoke his ego, for months. As the death toll from Covid-19 neared 100,000 he threatened the governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ahead of the 2020 Republican National Convention, that he might not hold the Republican National Convention in his state because the governor was “unable to guarantee” that the arena can be filled to capacity. The convention is expected to be held August 24 to 27, 2020.

Trump Tweeted, “Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood and unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space.” The President’s calls for a “guarantee” overlooks the uncertainty surrounding the summertime levels of Covid-19 and the challenges of hosting a political convention in the middle of an ongoing public health crisis.

It is hard to imagine a more convenient super spreading event for the virus that a crowded convention. This politicization of the rush to re-open reminded me that the virus doesn’t care about red or blue. It just wanted to find people to infect. Over Memorial Day weekend pictures showed crowds of people practicing no social distancing as they crowded to beaches pools and parties. A huge stadium of adoring fans is precisely the thing that Trump must miss the most since the start of the pandemic. A nice round of golf is fine but a stadium of cheering fans is Trump’s wet dream.

Immediately Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he supports moving the Republican National Convention to Florida. He said, The political convention would be great for Florida’s coronavirus-damaged economy as President Donald Trump has suggested moving the planned Republican convention out of North Carolina. Since he is lock step with Trump in the rush to re-open it makes see that he would not mind a huge Convention in the midst of a pandemic. DeSantis said numerous areas in Florida, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville, could quickly organize a multi-day showcase. But he wouldn’t promote one area over another. I can not imagine a scenario in which a fully attended Republican National Convention could be done safely. There is no GOP safety plan in place. In response to Trumps threats, North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen requested a written COVID-19 safety plan from the CEO of the Republican National Convention Monday. Before the pandemic, the RNC was expected to draw 50,000 or about half the number of people who have died from the virus.

Haircut Hotspot

Posted on May 27, 2020June 3, 2020 by Thor

A hairstylist in Missouri may have exposed 91 clients to Covid-19. After the Missouri governor opened the state including salons to open on May 4, 2020. The worker at a Great Clips in Springfield worked on on eight different days while experiencing symptoms from Covid-19. The worker then tested positive for Covid-19. Since he and his costumers both wore face coverings it is hoped that there will be no new cases. Anyone who had their hair cut by this technician should get tested. The infections began one week after the state opened. The infectious hair stylist also went to Walmart and a Dairy Queen and made three visits to a local gym.

A second hair stylist in the same Great Clips shop also became infected and may have infected 56 other clients. The two cases came just days after city officials announced plans to relax even more distancing requirements and about a week after the health department started seeing an influx of new travel-related infections. The salon has been closed for sanitizing.

The push by Donald Trump and some state governors to reopen most businesses with some public health modifications, such as social distancing and masks, comes as public health officials warn that relaxing restrictions will certainly lead to new outbreaks. Even if you wear a mask it is not a great idea to let a stranger run his fingers through our hair.

In debates over how quickly to reopen different businesses across the country, barbershops and hair salons have become a political flashpoint among conservative Americans, with some owners reopening in defiance of public health measures. In Michigan, a barber who refused to close his shop despite shelter-at-home orders staged a hair-cutting protest at the state capitol which was dubbed “Operation Haircut”, the Lansing State Journal reported.

A New York State barber also defied stay-at-home orders and continued to “illicitly” cut hair. He has also tested positive for Covid-19, county officials said in a public health notice. Ulster County officials are now recommending anyone who received a haircut from the barber in the past three weeks should seek a Covid-19 test.

“We are taking extraordinary measures to try and minimize the spread of this dangerous disease,” Dr. Carol Smith said. “Learning that a barbershop has been operating illicitly for weeks with a COVID-19 positive employee is extraordinarily disheartening.” “As much as we would all like to go out and get a professional haircut, this kind of direct contact has the potential to dramatically spread this virus throughout our community and beyond,” she continued. This barber is believed to have infected over a dozen people. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “You know, that is a occupation of close proximity, right? You can’t really socially distance and do a haircut … that is by definition an up-close-and-personal occupation.”

In Texas, a hair salon owner, Shelley Luther, violated a stay-at-home order by keeping her Dallas-area salon open, was sentenced to jail time. A few days later, Texas Governor Greg Abbott modified his COVID-19 executive orders, effectively setting Luther free. She then refused to apologize in court for what she had done, has been championed by Republican leaders.

The Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force asked Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings to fight to get salons and barbershops back open. He wrote State governor Ron DeSantis and two days later DeSantis came to Central Florida where he met with hair stylists in OhSoooJazzy Hair Salon in Orange County. Hair Salons had been closes as part of his first phase of opening the Florida Economy. In a surprise move on Monday May 11, 2020, the governor allowed hair salons to open across the state. That excludes the two big southeast counties — Broward and Miami-Dade. DeSantis said, “I mean I haven’t had a haircut in two months, not that that’s the important thing, I am coming on a mullet almost because of how much my hair has grown.”

For my part, I plan to continue to buzz cut my own hair during the pandemic. Learn from the mistakes of others.

100,000 Shoes

Posted on May 26, 2020June 3, 2020 by Thor

I am writing this on Memorial Day. The death toll for Covid-19 is about to surpass 100,000 and Donald Trump was seen golfing on Saturday May 23, and Sunday May 24, at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia in the midst of the pandemic. According to CNN, Trump visited Trump-owned golf courses 92 times between becoming president in January 2017 and January 3, 2018. Trump’s last golf outing was on March 8, 2020 when he visited the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He wouldn’t dare golf there now, since Palm Beach has been a hot spot for the Covid-19 virus. As of Memorial day there were 16,522 cases of the virus in Miami Dade County with 614 death. By comparison Laudon County Virginia has 1195 cases of Covid-19 and 30 deaths, which is a far safer bet for the president who refuses to wear a face mask.

I began to wonder, how do you visualize 100000 lives lost? 100,000 people with dreams and aspirations. The New York Times listed 1000 obits of people lost to the virus on it’s front page. It is a sobering reminder of loss that the president would rather we did not remember as he rushes to get the economy back up and running at any cost.

If one shoe were added to a pile on a golf course for every American lost, how big would that mountain of shoes become? I remembered seeing a mountain of shoes of victims of the holocaust at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. In the Holocaust about 11 million lives were lost to man’s inhumanity to man. Today lives are being lost to indifference and incompetence. Besides golfing, Trump also fired off angry and hateful tweets. I have stopped paying attention to those rants.

Researchers at Columbia University this week estimated about 36,000 lives in the United States could have been saved from the Covid-19 had social distancing and other restrictions been put in place earlier in March. The researchers determined that if the measures had begun two weeks earlier, then 82.7% of deaths and 84% of infections — or about 53,990 deaths and 960,937 cases, could have been prevented nationwide. The study has not yet undergone the typical scientific peer review process, and all models are merely estimates, subject to change with new information.

The former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Rick Bright said, “If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities …Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history.”

According to CNN, a leading infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm at the University of Minnesota estimates that there could be as many as 800,000 Covid-19 deaths in the United States over the next 18 months. To date only about 3% of the population has been tested for the virus. Meaning the economy is being opened up blindly. Anyone you meet could be asymptomatic and spread the disease.

It amazes me that so many seem to be rushing out to gather in large groups this holiday weekend because Trump said the worst is behind us. As an artist I can not keep up with so many cases of absolute stupidity.

Pre-Pandemic: Pirate’s Dinner Theater

Posted on May 25, 2020June 4, 2020 by Thor

Pam’s parents were in Orlando with her niece and nephew. They wanted to see pirates so we headed to International Drive. Before being let in the theater, guest have to wait in a crowded waiting area. A fringe performer had injured himself at one of these shows since he does some of the more daring acrobatics. I can see how that might happen ad pirates swung down on to the stage for upper platforms. I couldn’t see the food that was served. The story line was built around the premise that a princess was kidnapped. It was definitely set up for the kids entertainment.

The World Health Organization announced the Covid-19 Pandemic on March 12, 2020. I was shocked that Pirates stayed open until March 20, 2020. This is definately not the place I would want to eat dinner during a pandemic.

The Pirates website says, “At Pirates Dinner Adventure we care deeply about the health and well-being of our team members and our guests. Like many of you we are closely monitoring the impact of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and are committed to keeping you and our team safe.

Our shows have temporarily been suspended in Orlando, FL, in accordance with local official advisements.

Covid-19 Refunds

As a standard industry policy due to Covid-19; the reservations that booked a showtime while we are closed from March 20, 2020 – May 31, 2020 we’re offering two (2) options:

Reschedule for a future date to be used within a year
Issue a gift card at the same value of the original booking to be used for tickets at Teatro Martini or Pirates Dinner Adventure Orlando, FL, within a year.

Being that our sales policy is “all sales are final” and “no refunds” we wanted offer options during this difficult time. We have not addressed any reservations beyond May 31, 2020. Should we continue to stay closed we will update this page with the options we will offer.

Please continue to check back here for dinner show information and updates that may take place.”

Pre-Pandemic: Love Fest

Posted on May 24, 2020June 19, 2020 by Thor

Love Fest was an outdoor festival held on Sunday March 8, 2020 outside the Quantum Leap Winery (1312 Wilfred Drive Orlando, FL 32803). There is a magnificent grassy knoll at this spot filled with Live Oak trees whose branches cut up the sky in a pattern of light and dark.

What is Love Fest?
The word says it all. A festival all about love.
Love for each other.
Love for the universe.
Love for food, music and art.
So come feel the love!

Love of self – Fitness instructors, yoga, self-awareness, body products, clothes, jewelry, etc.
Love of others – Jewelry, flowers, gifts, couples massages, oils, wedding planners, Dating websites, hotels, travel companies, etc.
Love of Community – Non-profits, organic gardening, Mills 50, volunteering, etc.
Love of Music – Local Bands – All genres
Love of Art – Local Artists – All types
Love of Food – Food trucks, vendors – Chocolates, pastries, anything goes
Love of Beer – Great craft beers
Love of Spirits – Lots of spirits
Love of the World – Recycling, pedestrian-ism, bike enthusiasts.

Pam Schwartz and I sat on the curb and I sketched the collection of tents under the gnarly branches. Pam got us both drinks and I sipped as I sketched. Actually, I forgot about the drink and glugged it down when the sketch was done. A little girl checked back on me multiple times as I worked on the sketch. She is an artist and wanted to see the progress. On tree I drew had a strange growth pattern. One branch shot off to the right and another looped down and off to the left. The little girl pointed out that it looks a bit like an elephant. A bull dog had the longest tongue I have ever seen and he panted in the heat.

On March 8, 2020, the day this sketch was done, the CDC recommended avoiding travel on cruise ships worldwide for those with underlying health conditions and for persons over 65 years old. From February to March 2020, Covid-19 outbreaks associated with three cruise ship voyages had caused more than 800 laboratory-confirmed cases among passengers and crew, including 10 deaths. Transmission occurred across multiple voyages of several ships. On March 8, 2020 there were 219 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the United States.

Love Speaks

Posted on May 18, 2020June 19, 2020 by Thor

An exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center marked 3 years since the Pulse Massacre which took 49 lives. Three years after the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016, this remembrance exhibition shared artwork from across the nation created in the wake of this senseless act of violence. These diverse works – from paintings to basketry to graphic novels – both pay tribute to those who were taken and also inspire a better tomorrow for those who remain.

Since we are all isolated at home, there is a 3D virtual walk through of the exhibit online should you like to experience it for yourself. Orlando responded to this horrific event with love and compassion while the nation elected Donald Trump who lead the country towards hate and divisiveness.

As of May 9, 2020 Orange County has tested 1% of its population for Covid-19. There are 1339 confirmed cases and 30 dead. Since at least April 20, the Florida Department of Health has blocked the Medical Examiners Commission from releasing their own detailed spreadsheet of the COVID-19 deaths. On Wednesday, the state released the medical examiners’ spreadsheet but redacted the narratives and cause of death entries making the spreadsheets useless.

Before the DOH clamped down, Florida Todayobtained an unredacted version of the spreadsheet from April 15, which recorded the first 601 Florida deaths attributed to COVID-19.

Of the 601 deaths reported on April 15, 62 happened in Central Florida:

5 deaths in Brevard County
1 death in Flagler County
8 deaths in Lake County
4 deaths in Marion County
23 deaths in Orange County
6 deaths in Osceola County
6 deaths in Polk County
1 death in Seminole County
1 death in Sumter County
7 deaths in Volusia County

Though not fully standardized, the data provides grim insight into the early failures of state officials and the medical system to contain and respond to the virus. It tells a story of patients denied testing until their second or third hospital visit, and reveals deadly clusters of infection at nursing homes and cruise ships.

The detective work in the medical examiner reports expose the missteps of the haphazard response to the Covid-19 pandemic well over a month into the crisis. This is what the State of Florida doesn’t want you to see. Moving forward we only see the rosy facts that state government officials want us to see as they open up the state. With government clamping down on the facts it is hard to believe the numbers reported moving forward.

Pre-Pandemic: Steve’s Murder Mystery

Posted on May 17, 2020June 19, 2020 by Thor

Steve’s Murder Mystery was performed at The Mezz (100 S Eola Dr #200, Orlando, FL) back in 2019. This musical read through was free to the public as part of the Orlando Monthly New Works Series. Steve’s Murder Mystery was by Alex Mrazek and Justin Scarlat.

The show offers the audience options to choose their own adventure musical. The show follows Steve and his best friend Blue as they navigate the underworld of Anyville to catch the “Bloody Hand-print Killer.”

There was a talk back after the reading. With plenty of constructive notes from the audience. The music was fun and there were plenty of solid voices among the cast. At the end the audience had to vote on who the killer might be. Because I was sketching my attention was fractured and I had no idea. Hercule Poirot I am not. Pam also guessed wrong. I miss these kind of pop up cultural events.

Pre-Pandemic: Hotto Potto

Posted on May 15, 2020February 7, 2022 by Thor

Hotto Potto (3090 Aloma Ave. Winter Park, FL 407-951-8028) is a Chinese eatery and dim sum spot specializing in hot pots served table side with house made sauces. You get a soup stock base and add any ingredients you want to your soup and then you cook it at your table. On top of that a cart is rolled up to the table offering jars and jars of delicious sauces to add to the dim sum, Pam and I tried everything. Yummm.

Stock Base

per person: choose from:

Meat Stock

$3.50

mild, med or numb Spice

Vegetarian

$3.50

mild, med or numb Spicy

Tom Yum, Miso Soup, or Tofo Tomato Soup

$4.50

$3.50

Marble Pork

Market Price

Lamb Slices

Market Price

Wagyu

Market Price

$12.90

Blue Crab

Market Price

Fresh Oyster

Market Price

Fresh Clams

Market Price

Razor Clams

Market Price

Abalone

Market Price

Sea Cucumber

Market Price

Live Shrimp

Market Price

Live Lobster

Market Price

Noodles & Such

Fried Gluten

$2.95

Now during the pandemic Hotto Potto only offers take out.

Deflagration

Posted on May 14, 2020June 19, 2020 by Thor

Many are letting their guard down now that Donald Trump wants to open up the economy leaving governors the challenge of figuring out how to do that safely. Yet the virus is not slowing down. The number of people dying every day is in the thousands. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, warned senators Tuesday May 12, 2020 that states and cities face serious consequences if they open up too quickly, urging states not to reopen until they know they have the capabilities to handle an inevitable uptick in cases once they relax stay-at-home orders.

I am going to share some musings of Dr. Erin Bromage and link to his article should you want to read more. He is a PhD in Microbiology and makes no claims at being an expert in Covid-19, medicine, or preparedness. Though we may soon be reaching the peak of the curve of death that I check every night before I go to sleep, the downward slope of that curve is predicted to be gradual with deaths persisting for months. Assuming that states stayed in lock down, we would lose another 70,000 people over the next 6 weeks as we come off that peak. As states reopen fuel is added to the virus for it to spread.

In many cases people become infected in the home. One person leaves the home and then returns and the sustained contact with family spreads the infection. Some experts estimate that as few as 1000 SARS-CoV2 infectious viral particles needed to cause an infection.

Sine many will be returning to work the goal is to try to guide you away from situations of high risk. Grocery stores, bike rides, and inconsiderate runners who are not wearing masks are not necessarily areas of primary concern. The reason is that if there are viral particles, you are exposed for a brief period of time. A grocery store worker however could have sustained exposure over time.

Bathrooms are high risk exposure areas with a lot of high touch surfaces, door handles, faucets, stall doors. Of course a cough is high risk. A single cough releases about 3,000 droplets and droplets travels at 50 miles per hour. A single sneeze releases about 30,000 droplets, with droplets traveling at up to 200 miles per hour. Most droplets are small and travel great distances (easily across a room).
A single breath releases 50 – 5000 droplets. Though research has not been done a breath might release about 33 viral particles.

To become infected you need to be exposed to the virus over time. Some of the biggest outbreaks of the virus have been at meat packing plants, weddings, funerals, and business networking. A study of an asymptomatic person seated with 9 friends in a restaurant showed that 50% of the people at the table became infected along with 75% of the people at a downwind table. A single air conditioning unit recirculated the air in the room. Even 2 people upwind of the asymptomatic person became infected.

A case study of a workplace, had one infected employee come into a crowded call center with 216 employees. Over the period of a week, 94 of those people became infected. Primarily the people on one side off the office became infected while only a few were infected on the other side off the office. Working in an enclosed space, sharing the same air for a prolonged period increases your chances of exposure and infection.

A choir rehearsal in Washington state had 60 people in attendance. Members avoided handshakes and hugs and had their own sheet music. A single asymptomatic carrier infected most of the people in attendance. They sang for 2 1/2 hours, inside an enclosed rehearsal hall which was roughly the size of a volleyball court. Singing aerosolizes respiratory droplets extraordinarily well. I have been watching National Theater productions broadcast for free during the pandemic and the close ups on actors singing shows this spray of particles particularly well in the stage spotlighting. Over a period of 4 days, 45 of the 60 choir members developed symptoms, 2 died.

All these infection events were indoors, with people closely-spaced, with lots of talking, singing, or yelling. The main sources for infection are home, workplace, public transport, social gatherings, and restaurants. This accounts for 90% of all transmission events. Of the countries performing contact tracing properly, only a single outbreak has been reported from an outdoor environment. That means the painting I just posted is more fantasy than fact, but hey, its art. I’m just trying to wake up the complacent.

Know the risks, wash your hands, wear a mask to protect yourself and others and stay safe out there.

It Takes One

Posted on May 13, 2020June 19, 2020 by Thor

Covid-19 has made the world a smaller place. If a butterfly flaps its wings in China it could have global effects. Three months ago we were concerned about the threat of the virus spreading from China. While we had our eye on that threat, three million passengers traveled to New York City airports from Europe before the travel ban. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “We had people in the airports stopping people from China, testing people from China, the federal government did a lot of testing, a lot of screening, people getting off planes, from China,but meanwhile the people from Europe were walking right past them,.” Trump eventually banned travelers from Europe on March 16, 2020 but the measure was too late, citing how 3 million Europeans came through New York’s airports from December to March.

Anyone can mingle in a crowd or get in a plane and bring the virus to any state or any county in the world. Since the world is so interconnected, a threat of the virus anywhere is a threat everywhere. A second wave of the virus has just broken out in Wuhan China where it began. Back on April 7, 2020 Wuhan had re-opened after being locked down for 76 days. The outbreak appeared to be largely under control, with no new cases or deaths reported. However the new strain of the virus is more virulent than ever. The city is mobilizing to conduct 10 million tests for all its citizens in the next 10 days to help control the outbreak.

Meanwhile here in American you essentially need to be on your deathbed before you can get tested. White house staff on the other hand get tested daily and anyone who gets close to the POTUS is tested. The consequences for states and communities that don’t follow reopening guidelines “could be really serious,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday.

Florida will reopened certain businesses through much of the state on May 4, 2020 except in the counties of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, according to Governor Ron DeSantis. The governor was concerned that flights from New York City could spread the virus in the Sunshine State. Starting May 4, restaurants may offer outdoor seating with six-foot space between tables and indoor seating at 25% capacity. Retail can operate at 25% of indoor capacity, and bars, gyms and personal services such as hairdressers will remain closed. Churches remain on “voluntary social distancing,” and movie theaters remain closed. The state’s stay-at-home order ended on April 30, 2020. Orange County Florida lifted it night time curfew.DeSantis defended the decision made by local leaders to reopen the beaches as he awaits recommendations from Reopen Task Force. The reopening of the beaches in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, generated criticism and also generated the Twitter hashtag #FloridaMorons. Naples beach re-opened but then had to immediately be shut down because of overcrowding. One official noted that cars parked by the beach had many love bugs splattered on their bumpers meaning that people were not local but had driven from far away, perhaps Miami. The speed limit near the beach is 10 miles per hour. Councilman Gary Price said. “It was packed. People were parking everywhere, blocks away.” The councilman said he took photos to show the crowds, mostly packed close together and not social distancing as required. Naples plans to re-open the beach with new restrictions after the abrupt closure. The Florida Keys will not reopen to visitors until at least June.

The City of Winter Park blocked off Park Avenue to car traffic while offering outdoor seating for Mothers day, May 10, 2020. It was marketed as a “weekend opportunity.” Twenty two of more than 400 eligible businesses within city limits offered seating and merchandise indoors and on sidewalks and the street. A reader sent me photos of people not social distancing. Although visitors are merely encouraged to bring and wear masks, workers were required to wear masks when within six feet of anyone. No one in the photos I was shown wore face masks. I did not paint this event but instead the Sidewalk At Festival that happened pre-pandemic.

Covid-19 has shut down the U.S. for two months, but the pandemic is just getting started, says Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Osterholm said only an effective vaccine can slow the virus before a large enough segment of the population becomes infected and develops some level of immunity. A CDC covid-19 Chicago case study showed that 1 person spread the virus to 15 other people in February, 2020 Three of those infected died.

As of yesterday May 12, 2020, 1,385,834 people in America have been infected by Covid-19 with 81,795 dead. One single spark can create a flash fire that spreads fast.