Easter Sunday

Posted on by Thor

The United States has now become the country with the most cases reported of Covid-19 in the World. At a rally Trump said that “You are going to get sick and tired of winning.” With over 100,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in America, we are indeed winning.

Now Donald Trump had decided that he would love to have the country back up and running by Easter,which is 16 days from now, as of this writing. He thinks “It would be a beautiful time.” Of course this defies all logic and science. If people crowd together in churches across the country 16 days from now, the virus will spread like wild fire. The danger is that Trump’s fervent supporters may buy into his insanity and indeed try and gather on the day Christ was known to have risen from the dead, risking their own and other’s lives. Is saving the stock market more important than people’s lives?

Rather than help his former home state of New York get ventilators, he instead picked a fight with Governor Andrew Cuomo, blaming him for the plight because the governor had ventilators stock piled. Of course the ventilators are stockpiled as they are collected, they will be distributed where needed as the hospitals reach a critical mass. The Governor is anticipating a peak in demand in two weeks for patients needing help to
breathe. The state will need at least 30,000 ventilators, he said, and
it so far had obtained 7,000. Cuomo told a reporter, that “The president was ignorant and grossly uninformed.” The governor said that the spread of the virus was like a freight train coming across the country, but now, we are looking at a bullet train because the numbers are going up that quickly.

The president’s only concern seems to be the economy rather than the health and well being of the American people. He continues to compare Covid-19 to the common flu. He doesn’t seem to have any grasp of the huge tsunami that is facing the nation. He waved his hands saying the numbers would go down, not up, and tried to convince Americans that the virus would miraculously disappear when it got warmer. The danger is that some listen to his statements and believe them. There is a level of faith in believing his statements that defies any reason.

The surgeon general, Dr. Gerome Adams warned Americans, “This week it is going to get bad, we really need to come together as a nation” The director of the World Health Organization said that the US could become the next epicenter for the spread of the virus.

Dr. Emily Landon ,a Chicago Doctor warned, That doctors are facing a brand new virus with not enough personal protection and constantly changing protocols. There are barely enough masks for the nurses that they have, This virus is unforgiving. The beginning of the 1918 pandemic was the last time America faced such a challenge. Two cities in America made different choices as to how to proceed while only a few patients were affected. St. Louis shut itself down, and sheltered in place, but Philadelphia went ahead with a huge parade celebrating those going off to war. A week later Philadelphia hospitals were over run, and thousands were dead. Many more than in St. Louis. This is a cautionary tale for our time. Stay home. Stay safe. Don’t go to church Easter Sunday.

Beached: NO Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday 3/17/2020 that he will NOT be ordering the beaches in his state
to close, despite growing concerns over the international COVID-19
outbreak, NBC News reported.

DeSantis
said that beaches in the state must adhere to guidelines issued by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has advised the
public to practice social distancing and avoid gatherings with more than
10 people. “What we’re going to be doing for the statewide floor
for beaches, we’re going to be applying the CDC guidance of no group on a
beach more than 10 and you have to have distance apart if you’re going
to be out there. So that applies statewide,” DeSantis reportedly said at
a press conference.

The result during the height of spring break was that the beaches became insanely crowded, making them the perfect breeding ground for the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Local officials took it upon themselves to shut down their own beaches.

Beaches Closed:

Tampa and Naples, Brevard, Walton, Collier counties, Fort Meyers, Port Charlotte, Englewood and all Sarasota beaches.

Thursday 3/19/2020, all public beaches in Miami-Dade
County, and Lee County closed.

Friday 3/20/2020, Santa Rosa County closed Navarre Beach and the pier. Pinellas County and Duval County closed their beaches as did Florida State Park beaches due to overcrowding.

Saturday 3/21/2020, Fernandina Beach closed.

Sunday 3/22/2020, Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and Nassau County closed their beaches.

Monday 3/23/2020, Clearwater closed its beach. Flagler County closed its beaches, parks, community
centers, pavilions, camping areas, and associated facilities, like
parking lots and restrooms.

Beaches that ignored the pandemic:

Monday 3/16/2020 Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham said he does not expect the city
to close beaches to the public, and the situation is under control.

On Tuesday 3/17/2020 Pompano Beach was packed with Spring Break revelers. The cases of Covid-19 in Florida had surpasses 800 with 13 dead as of this writing. Collier County beaches also remained open.

Saturday 3/21/2020, although vehicles were not currently permitted on St. Johns County
beaches, all 42 miles of its beaches were open to pedestrians . Flagler County beaches also remained open.

College students and younger people in general have been criticized for
not taking the virus seriously and for seeming to disregard that they
could carry it to higher-risk people, like the elderly. “If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I’m not going to
let it stop me from partying,” spring break goer Brady Sluder told Reuters in Miami. Younger people can still face serious complications. People ages 20 to
44 accounted for about 20% of U.S. cases that resulted in known
hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s preliminary data on the health
outcomes of patients with COVID-19. The CDC said the data were limited
and did not account for underlying medical conditions.

In Germany young adults hold “corona parties” and cough toward older people. “Some consider they’re little heroes when they break the rules,” said
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. “Well, no. You’re an
imbecile, and especially a threat to yourself.”

After images of
rowdy spring break college crowds appeared on TV for days, Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis told Fox and Friends Thursday
3/19/2020 that the state’s beaches have either closed or if open, must abide by
the CDC guidelines on crowds and
distancing for the Covid-19 pandemic. So, he did not close the beaches himself, he passed the buck, expecting each beach township to decide for itself. He said, “The message I think for spring breakers is that the party is over in
Florida. You’re not going to be able to congregate on any beach in the
state. Many of the hot spots that people like to go to, whether it’s
Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Clearwater Beach, are closed entirely
for the time being.”

  

As of 3/22/2020, Florida had 830 cases of Covid-19 with 13 dead. In the US there were over 27,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Stay home, stay safe, self isolate. 

“Not Practical to Lock Down State”

Posted on by Thor

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference from his office in Tallahassee, Florida. New York State issued a shelter in place order, but he feels that a Shelter in Place order for Florida would not be advisable or practical. He claims it would be a very blunt instrument. He is afraid of hundreds of thousands of Floridians loosing their jobs. My feeling is that everyone should be more concerned about loosing their lives.

DeSantis seems to feel that this virus is not something that is affecting every part of the state. He outlined some counties that have low cases of Covid-19 but the fact is, that without testing, no one knows how many cases are out there. He feels that a massive shutdown of the entire state would not work. The issue of non-compliance is a concern. He sees instances of people in NYC and California being non-complaint and thus he seems to think Floridians are incapable of practicing self isolation. He sees it as impractical for a State Governor to enforce a shelter in place order.

Like President Trump, he seemed concerned more about people’s mental health and suicide rates if they have to isolate to stay safe and alive. As Donald Trump said on Twitter, “We can not make the cure worse than the problem”. Or restated, “The benefit of keeping people alive is not worth the cost to the economy.” The problem however is a viral death rate with unimaginable numbers if the problem is ignored. This can not be overlooked. The skewed thinking on this issue amazes me. There is no option to go back to life as normal after 14 days. The United Kingdom ordered a country wide lock down for 3 weeks, which seems like a more sane approach to try and stop the spread of the virus. However, here in America, the President seems intent on ignoring science and getting the economy back up at any cost. His medical advisor, Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was absent at a White House press briefing today. He has been the one voice of reason on how to stop the spread of the virus but his blunt comments are rumored to have rubbed the president the wrong way since science doesn’t line up with the president’s lies.

DeSantis seems to follow the president’s mantra.  DeSantis said he will work with all the metro areas, but decisions about public health have to come from Municipal and County Governance. So the president passed the buck to state governors, and this state governor passed the buck to city mayors. Any benefit of a lock down might be overwhelmed by people coming to Florida. On the day of his address there were 190 direct flights from the New York area to Florida. Those people may be fleeing a shelter in place order issued in that state. Given the situation in New York, it is very possible that there is someone on every flight who has the Covid-19 virus. The Federal Government is doing nothing to restrict domestic flights. DeSantis insisted that anyone coming from New York or a similar hot spot must do a mandatory self isolation.

The bottom line is that Ron DeSantis feels it is impractical to lock down a state with no end in sight.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Local county and city officials in Central Florida were waiting for Governor DeSantis to issue
some kind of shelter in place order, and when they realized it was not
coming, they decided to protect their citizens with their own orders
and proclamations. Orlando City Mayor Buddy Dyer along with County Mayor Jerry Demings and the leaders from the municipalities in Orange
County have instated a “Stay at Home” order for all residents, and
all non-essential businesses will be closed, which includes most
retail, recreation, and entertainment businesses, starting this Thursday
March 26, 2020, at 11 p.m., and
continuing for two weeks through April 9, 2020.

“This means you should stay at home, unless it is
absolutely needed – like shopping at the grocery store, going to a
doctor’s appointment, providing necessary care for a family member,
visiting a restaurant for a takeout order or going
outside to exercise, all while keeping six feet between you and
others.

You should not go to work unless you are providing essential services that are defined in

this order. Visits to family members or friends should be limited to
those who need medical or other essential assistance, such as ensuring
an adequate supply of food or medicine.

We know that this order will impact the
livelihood of residents, our local businesses and our region’s economy.
But the health of our community is our top priority and we must do
everything that we can to protect the lives of our family
members, friends and neighbors.

It is our goal that through aggressive action we
will help minimize how many people in our community are impacted by
this virus, and then how quickly residents and businesses can recover
emotionally and financially.”

This is a challenge unlike any we’ve seen before, but I know that Orlando is up to it.

Stay home, stay safe.

Make Amends with Your Friends

Posted on by Thor

This post discusses the shooting that took place at the Pulse
Nightclub on June 12, 2016. It contains difficult content, so please do
not read on if you feel you may be effected. 

This article and sketch have been posted with the express written
permission of the interviewee and is summarized from their own interview. Analog Artist Digital World takes the
privacy and wishes of individuals very seriously.  



Norman Casiano has always had the support and love of his parents. While he was still in the hospital he heard that some parents didn’t want to claim their children after the PULSE shooting. This is something he could not comprehend, his parents helped so much after everything happened.

His world changed completely on June 12, 2016. That evening was his send off, because he was about to start school as a make up artist. His parents dropped him off at the club, he got there early, about 11pm. No one was there, and he was going to leave, but then his friends started showing up. He had a falling out with Stanley Almodovar, but that night they made amends. Stanley said, “I’m glad we fixed things because you never know when your last day might be on earth.” Stanley was one of the 49 to die that night.

About 1:30 am Stanley gave Norman his credit card and said he was going to get his car and pull it up in front of the club. They were going to leave along with Marie, Stanley’s friend. Norman entered the middle room with all the mirrors and dancers. As he handed the card off to one of the bartenders, he and Marie heard the first two gun shots. He wasn’t immediately scared, it might be a fight between two people. He ducked under the bar and told Marie to stay. Then he heard the automatic assault weapon. Marie asked, “What is going on?” He did not know. This was not normal. The room they were in had two doors. As they tried to get up from under the bar there was a tsunami of people. He was trampled and stepped on. He fought his way to his feet, the adrenaline drove him forward. The whole time he heard people screaming and glass breaking. Chunks of cement flew through the air.

He needed to hide. The closest refuge was the bathrooms. He tried to make sense of the situation. He didn’t think the shooter would systematically try to kill everyone. Once in the bathroom stalls, it was packed. He was in the boy’s bathroom on the left hand side. There were only urinals and a private handicap stall. Maria ran into the stall and struggled to hide in the crowd. Norman froze, he didn’t want to hide under people. He didn’t want to survive thinking he had used someone else as a shield. He closed the stall door from inside. Everyone was trying to shush each other so as not to draw the shooters attention. A boy ran in and fell against the stall door blocking it closed from the outside. The boy had been shot in the middle of his back. He was screaming and trying to crawl under the stall door. “Please I don’t want to die!” he shouted. Norman reassured him as he tried to pull him inside.

The gun shots kept getting closer and closer. They stopped when the gunman entered their bathroom. It suddenly became clear that he was coldly and deliberately thinking about what he was doing. Norman went into a primal state of fear, he was just shaking but then went still. Even people who were hysterical grew still. The assault rifle jammed. People yelled, “Please don’t do this!” He tried to see the shooter but never got a view. The shooter wasn’t listening, instead he put more bullets in the weapon. Then the shooter laughed. He shot the boy on the floor. The ground shattered. Shrapnel punctured Normans shoe. He was wearing white from the waste down. His shoe turned red. He scooted back, less than an inch from the stall door. He knew what was coming. In a way he was ready. He thought of his mom, dad, and little brother.

As the gunman was getting ready to shoot, Norman called his parents. His mom shouted, “What is going on!” Norman was scared because the shooter was right there. He hung up once he heard the gun being cocked. Bullets punctured the stall door non stop. Norman was shot on his lower left hand side, near his hip. It felt like being branded. It felt hot. He called his parents again. He told his dad, “He shot me!” The phone died. The gunman was still in the bathroom getting ready to shoot again. He could not open the stall door, bodies blocked the door. He seemed to be frustrated. So he climbed up and shot down into the stall from above.  Norman looked up and saw the gun pointed directly at him. The first shot hit him on his lower back on his right side. Everything went black. When he woke, the shooter was no longer in the bathroom, having crossed to the bathroom across the hall. Norman stood straight up amazed that he was alive.

He started convincing others in the stall that they needed to get out. They yelled back, “If you want to die by yourself, you can die, we aren’t going out there!” He said, “If we don’t leave here, we are all going to die in here.” The gun kept firing. No one budged. Marie got shot 12 times. She could not get up. She said, “You have to go.” the stall door would not open. He climbed on the sink and pulled himself over the stall wall and dropped to the floor. Shots were fired into the bathroom again with cement hitting him. He realized he was shot from the waste down so his legs were not working. He tried to pull himself up. Even doctors now are not sure how he got himself out. In the corner of the bathroom was a plastic trash can which he hid behind, knowing it would not stop any bullets. He poked his head out and saw a first responder. That convinced him it was safe to come out. They shouted, “Victim or assailant?” He shouted back “Don’t shoot, I’m a victim.” “If you are a victim come out with your hands in the air.” He dropped to the floor and he crawled towards the emergency doors to the right. The door opened and he was dragged out.

He found himself behind a truck sweating, but that sweat was actually his blood and others blood. A woman survivor was with him, She asked him if he was hurt. Something didn’t feel right, his leg hurt. She lifted his shirt and gasped. She shouted out for an officer, “He ‘s hurt!” He suddenly felt an elephants worth of pain weigh on him. The woman and the officer lifted him up. He was one of the first shown on TV as he was carried towards Wendy’s. It felt like a war zone. Behind Wendy’s he sat with the woman. He noticed her phone. He asked her to call his mom. He apologized to his mom, thinking he was dying. She shouted back, “You are not saying good bye to me! Are you OK?” He didn’t want to tell her the truth. He lied, saying he was fine. The gunshots continued across the street. He said, “I love you.” and he passed the phone over to his guardian angel Rebekah. Rebekah was on vacation from Michigan and walked into this hell storm. His mom questioned Rebekah who started crying and she explained everything that was happening. She said simply that he was not OK. He could hear his mom yelling, “What is not OK? Tell me! Is he going to make it, where did he get hurt?” She told his mom about the lower back wound his mom lost it. A policeman came and told her to get off the phone.

Police put tags on those that were shot to see who needed to get put on an ambulance. Tag colors went from green to black. Green meant you were OK, while black meant you were dead. His color was red, which wasn’t good. He made peace with what was happening. He drifted off. Rebekah was looking down at him and saying, “Don’t go to sleep.” But it felt good to drift off. The ambulance arrived just in time. The bullet went straight through and now he was bleeding out. He flat lined. It was a soft feeling. He heard welcoming voices. He felt connected. Then he heard thunder and a loud NO! He gasped for air. The doctor was holding a defibrillator.

In the hospital, they cut off his brand new pants and started inspecting his wound. He was one of the first to arrive and they did not know if he was a victim or the assailant. A call came in that there was another shooter and that he made his way to the hospital. They were herded into a room and the doctors surrounded the patients and waited to find out if there was indeed another shooter in the hospital. An alarm went off. It felt like the end of the world. Victims were separated into different areas by curtains. As he waited they gave him morphine. He could hear the suffering of others. It didn’t seem real.

His parents had rushed to Pulse but they didn’t know he was alive. Police told them to go to the hospital. A chaplain was offering prayers and Norman begged him to let him call his parents. He pulled out a flip phone and called Norman’s mom. He looked guilty as he made the call. The chaplain introduced himself to her and she lost it, thinking it was THE call. Finally Norman got on and shouted to calm her down. He was sure he would die. With that much pain you turn into a 5 year old. A doctor gave him more medication and he drifted off.

At 11 am the next day he was reunited with his parents. They let him cope with his pain before they let him know about the bigger picture. At 3 am his parents were asleep and he turned on the TV to see the news for the first time. He wished he hadn’t. They were reading the list. Stanley’s name was on the list. He screamed, waking his parents. He did not understand. The numbers kept growing. Nothing made sense. FBI entered the room and separated him from his parents causing a fight. He was interviewed. He was in the hospital three nights and two days. FBI advised him not to talk to the media. At the door of ORMC there was a storm of cameras, media, and interviewers. Cameras followed their every move as they rushed out, he felt dizzy and tears welled up in his eyes. He was in a wheelchair, he could not get up and run. A reporter from Miami opened the door to his parents car and the first interview he did was from the back seat of the car.

In the months that followed, he got to meet president Barack Obama. He just remembered that the president was left handed and he cried on his shoulder. The interviews became unbearable. What he most remembers was the pain. Life would never be the same. Being thrown into the aftermath of Pulse he got to meet people who are caring. People donated clothes, food, and money. His positional hospital bed was donated to him because he could not sleep in a regular bed. His heart swelled and he wanted to become a voice of the survivors. The shooter did not win. Lives were lost and he lost friends but the silver lining is that the shooter did not do what he had planned, which was to instill hatred and fear. What happened was the complete opposite, there was compassion, love, and togetherness. The shooter’s hatred never left the club. What came out of it was that we stand stronger together. Make amends with your friends. You never know.

Leu Gardens Crowds: Business as Usual

Posted on by Thor

In 2017, Hurricane Irma blew through Central Florida blowing down a tree that damaged the roof of this historic Leu Garden Museum. The upper floors were water damaged. The historic museum has been closed for the past three years for restoration and repairs. At this time, there is no reopen date. The gardens however are open for business as usual.

While restaurants, bars, beaches, and Florida State Parks have been shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Orlando has for some reason left Harry P. Leu Gardens open. The city said it will close all city-owned and operated
playgrounds and the swan boats at Lake Eola Park at 5 p.m. Monday 3/23/2020 until
further notice, but Leu Gardens continues to draw big crowds. Last weekend 400 to 500 people crushed into the gardens each day to escape cabin fever. The gardens have replaced Orlando’s sports stadiums for people to crowd together.

Leu Gardens volunteers and staff are working hard to wipe down the surfaces in the gift shop and entry hall but it is hard to keep up. It seems extreme to expect Garden staff to risk their lives in the face of a pandemic for the City of Orlando. Things might not be so bad if people were practicing social distancing, but they are not. As one expert said, “If it were possible to wave a magic wand and make all Americans
freeze in place for 14 days while sitting six feet apart,
epidemiologists say, the whole epidemic would sputter to a halt.” It is human nature to want to hug and shake hands to greet friends, or to hold each other tight when grieving a loss.

“Our outdoor facilities, such as our city parks, Leu Gardens and
Dubsdread Golf Course are open to the public, but residents must follow
necessary social distancing measures while there,” said Karyn Barber, a
city spokeswoman. “We encourage residents to use these facilities
responsibly to get fresh air and exercise, which are important for
physical and mental health always, but especially during this uncertain
time.” I am left wondering, who enforces responsible social distancing? Does this responsibility fall on Leu Gardens staff?

Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis wants to avoid a state-wide lock down leaving local governments to decide what should close and what should remain open. DeSantis still believes targeting the counties hardest hit by the Covid-19 for the most extreme measures is the preferable path.

The Florida Department of Health said Monday 3/23/2020 that there are now 1,171 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Florida with 14 deaths. I put 14 caskets in my sketch in their honor. Stay home, Stay safe.

Pre-Pandemic: Inbetween Series, Bongus

Posted on by Thor

CityArts (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801) presented Bongus as part of the Inbetween Series. These monthly shows happen inbetween the art being hung in the galleries.

Bongus
is an improvisation collective based out of Orlando, Florida. Combining
elements of free jazz, electronic noise, and no wave styles, Bongus’s
music is high energy and textural. It’s core members include Thomas
Milovac (double bass) and Syoma Klochko (electric guitar). They are
joined by Jim Ivy on wind instruments. 

For some reason the drum set was covered in fabric as the audience filled in the space. Once the drummer stated performing, it was bundled up on the base drum. I had a blast letting the lines flow to the music. Of course the next Inbetween series has been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is now impossible for me to find such public performances to draw. I may have to start doing still lifes. 

Listen to the Tic Toc Hamster, Stay Home, Stay Safe.

Pre-Pandemic: Cruz N Car Show on Plant Street

Posted on by Thor

The Cruz and Car Show was in Downtown Winter Garden (300 West Plant Street Winter Garden, FL 34787).  The Orlando Urban Sketchers met at the Winter Garden City Hall and then branched off to eplore the car show with sketchbooks in hand. After cruising
the streets, all the artists fueled up and cooled off in the Plant Street Market and
the event was finished off with a Drink n Draw at the Crooked Can. This sketch
outing was free of charge, with all skills welcome.

 
The sketchbook
throw down was at  the patio of the Crooked Can (426
West Plant Street, Winter Garden FL). After sharing sketches, lingered for a
social hour with a drink and or meal from the many
fabulous options within Plant Street Market.

Toilet Paper Temple

Posted on by Thor

In Lopburi, Thailand hundreds of monkeys who are usually fed by tourists swarmed the streets fighting for scraps of food following the Covid-19 Pandemic, which kept tourists away. On a normal day in the city, hundreds of tourists would feed the monkeys but after the outbreak of the virus, tourists have stayed away leaving the monkeys to fend for themselves. The virus outbreak had sparked a 44% decrease in tourism in the country.

In America, people have been swarming the supermarkets to hoard toilet paper and also getting in fights. In Central Florida, we are familiar with the human desire to hoard supplies before a natural disaster like a hurricane. There seems to be a special angst among humans about not having enough toilet paper. Toilet paper has a primal and infantile association for people. Some research has shown that the virus has been present in stool samples. It is therefore prudent to always wash your hands when leaving the bathroom.

For the first few months of the outbreak, President Donald Trump assured people that Covid-19 would pass by like a miracle with very few cases. Many were reassured by this gas lighting, while ignoring the scientific community who had a very different outlook. Suddenly the news changed and people were told to stock up in supplies for an unknown period of time. Just like mixed messages resulted in a rush at the airports, the mixed messages resulted in a rush on supermarkets. Because the administration dragged its feet on a response to the pandemic, people have no faith that supplies will be restocked. With no leadership, people are left to fend for themselves, and fear the worst because they hear only lies from the president.

As anxiety rises, gun sales are also skyrocketing. In the past few days, the number of background checks in Florida has
gone through the roof. The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a run on gun
shops. Saturday’s (March 14, 2020) total of more than 6,200 checks was 74 percent higher than
the average Saturday, and the single busiest March day since 2012,
according to the data provided. Ammunition is also becoming harder to find. When people get scared, they just want to feel the warm comfort of a gun in their hands.

Business as Usual: NO Weekend Top 6 Picks

Posted on by Thor

There are NO Weekend Top 6 Picks for March 21 and 22, 2020 due to Covid-19 Virus Pandemic. Stay home. Stay Safe.

The president recommended that gatherings of 10 people or more in the US be canceled or postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The nation’s top infectious disease official said he would like to see a 14-day national shutdown imposed, but it does not seem that President Donald Trump will order that. We need to change our routines for a threat we can not see. If we wait, many will die needlessly. The United States has some 45,000 Intensive Care Unit beds, and even in a moderate outbreak scenario, some 200,000 Americans will need intensive care.

Here are some of the the Florida attractions that remained open after the pandemic announcement, despite the CDC recommendation to close. All the large Orlando theme parks closed (Disney Theme Parks, Universal, Sea World, Lego Land) but some smaller venues ignored public safety concerns and remained open.  

Fun Spot Orlando was business as usual. They added some hand sanitizing stations and did some housekeeping measures. Riding a roller coaster might be as fun as riding a subway car in NYC next to a coughing passenger by your side.

The Pirates Dinner Adventure remained open during regular hours. Attendance is lower because of virus concerns. They hope to maintain six to eight foot distances between guests in the dining area. Other changes include that the servers will be wearing gloves, food will arrive covered, and hand
sanitizers are available. The trouble with this venue is that guests have to wait like cattle in a crowded common room before being allowed into the main staging area. The second show (8 p.m.) for Friday, March 20, has been cancelled.

Icon Park on International Drive, with the Wheel, the Starflyer (the world’s tallest swing ride) and the
restaurants remained open. The seats, the handles, anything that people
can come into contact with were constantly being wiped down. A networking event is scheduled to happen on March 24, 2020, at Icon Park. I will not be going to sketch and rub shoulders.

These venues are insane to remain open, they are ignoring the numbers and science, not caring that they are risking guests’ health by remaining open for business. Two Florida mobile hospitals are ready to deploy when needed. Public beaches in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale are closed.

A 34 year old man flew to Orlando on March 2, 2020 for a conference and decided to stay several more days to visit Walt Disney World and Universal. Before flying home, he developed a cough and started coughing up blood. Back in Pasadena California, he was diagnosed with symptoms of  pneumonia. He tested positive for Covid-19 on March 13, 2020 and died on March 19, 2020 . It is not yet known if the man caught the virus in Orlando, but he was certainly contagious while he visited here and was in the theme parks. The virus survives on cardboard and copper surfaces for 24 hours, and for 72 hours on stainless steel and plastics. Now think of all the surfaces that were touched while waiting in a long line. It becomes clear that many others were likely infected in the parks and on the airplane.

Disney’s college internship program has shut down and students are being told they must leave by 11 am Wednesday March 18, 2020. Disney World has donated its excess food to Central Florida food banks like Second Harvest Food Bank. Volunteers are needed at Second Harvest since there has been a surge in need since the public school closures mean that many students will go hungry. Summer BreakSpot locations are being set up where children can find healthy nutritious meals.

The National Guard Medical Technicians are being deployed in Broward County, which is now the hot spot of outbreak of the virus in Florida. They will be setting up drive-through test sites. Miami Mayor Francis X Suerez has tested positive for the virus. Stay home. Stay safe.

Post Script:

Fun Spot America will close all locations until further notice beginning Monday 3/23/2020, the company announced Sunday evening.

onePULSE Design Presentation

Posted on by Thor

onePULSE Foundation held three public presentations to give a detailed look at and solicit feedback on preliminary designs for the National Pulse Memorial, the Museum and Education Center, and the Orlando Health Survivors Walk. The first of the meetings was held at the Orlando Repertory Theatre (1001 East Princeton Street Orlando FL).

Following the presentation, representatives from the design team and onePULSE Foundation will answer questions from the audience. Attendees were also invited to submit written feedback on comment cards available at the meeting.

In October 2019, onePULSE Foundation selected Coldefy and Associés with RDAI, Orlando-based HHCP Architects, Xavier Veilhan, dUCKS scéno, Agence TER, and Prof. Laila Farah to design the National Pulse Memorial and Museum. Since October, the design team has been working closely with the onePULSE Foundation to develop a project timeline and master plan that will ensure design and construction is coordinated with other public improvements already planned by the city.

The concept design from Coldefy with RDAI | HHCP features water, greenery, and a reflecting
pool encircling the Pulse building. In memory of the 49 victims, a palette of 49 colors
lines the basin and radiates towards a peaceful garden planted with 49
trees. The design also envisions a spiraling, open-air museum and
educational center with vertical gardens, public plazas, and a rooftop
promenade. The museum was designed with a flower like an Easter Lilly in mind but it tends to look like a nuclear power plant cooling tower with an undulating upper rim.

Thomas Coldefy stood at the podium as I sketched. He traded off with associates Julia Capp, Zoltan Neville, and Michael Chatham, as they each outlined various phases of the design,  The club itself will be transected by a walkway with granite walls allowing people who want to walk through the space, the option to do that. The removed section will become a part of the Pulse Museum and the club itself will remain empty for no but renovated and air conditioned with no views inside. Musical vibrations are to be present in the walk through when you tough the granite walls. The project is slated to cost almost $49 million dollars and construction could begin within a year.