Key West: The Strand

Posted on by Thor

My friend wanted to entertain her niece so we took a trip down to Key West. Ironically I spent much of the time teaching virtual classes from the Air B&B we rented while they explored the island. I have been to key West before so I know many of the typical sites. I did get out in the evenings and they wanted to hit up a posh restaurant on Duval Street which thankfully had outdoor seating.

The main drag of shops were constantly crowded. It was like navigating busy Manhattan sidewalks. My friend and her niece have both had COVID and they are over it. They dropped all basic mitigations. At first I tried regulating my breathing but then I put on my N-95 mask and forgot about it. I might be the only person on the island in a mask, but that is fine with me.

The Strand Theater is gorgeous, but unfortunately it has been turned into a Walgreens. Entertainment venues might come and go, but people always need drugs.

Next to the Strand is a bar with tons of dollar bills hanging from the ceiling. Stickers covered every other surface. I didn’t try and sketch all that detail.

We ate at La Tratoria, a posh Italian Restaurant. They have flavored martinis, zuppa, antipasti, insalate, and of course lotsa pasta.

After diner, we walked to the west site of the island to watch the sunset with the rest of the crowd. Once the sun set, a bell was rung.

Return to Normal

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The pandemic is not over. We need to stop buying into the denial that we are “back to normal.” The Aztec culture of human sacrifice used to be considered brutal and horrific. However it does not compare to the over 500 deaths a day as officials placate the public to help them feel that it is fine to go back to everyday life with no face masks, social distancing or any improved ventilation of indoor spaces. The elite keep themselves safe and convince the lower classes to return to normal, and infect one another. 

COVID kills ten times more people than the flu. COVID kills more people than car accidents, strokes, respiratory disease, diabetes, pneumonia and Alzheimer’s. Nine  months ago when the public was told that Covid-19 patients retain elevated risk of infection for at least nine months after being infected, now that risk assessment was extended to 18 months. Getting infected does not build up you immune system, it destroys it.

In 2022 there was a 30% increase in heart attacks among 25-44 year olds. Excess deaths have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic and many of these are likely due to prior COVID infections. This number will keep rising with repeat COVID infections. Each month, more than a million people have called out sick for the past three years. About 7% of Americans currently have long Covid, which can affect productivity and ability to work, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

White House COVID Czar, “Ashish Jha almost gleefully explained that vaccines, tests, and treatments for Covid are heading to the private sector, “My hope is that in 2023, you’re going to see the commercialization of almost all of these products.” Cha-ching! Big money to be made on palatine remedies that do not stop the spread of the virus. Soon drug store shelves will be jam packed. But pharmacists at CVS and Walgreens are dropping off like flies, so pharmacy hours are being cut back. Testing centers are a thing of the past as people test at home. All those at home tests go unrecorded so who knows how much virus is actually out there.

Monetizing COVID Aid

Posted on by Thor

Republicans the filibuster to block a $10 COVID Aid bill which would have helped the Department of Health and Human Services to buy more therapeutics, vaccines and testing supplies. The federally funded free at home testing program came to s screeching halt. If you need a COVID test you have to hope your insurance will help cover the cost. Free testing is a thing of the past, now be prepared to possible pay hundreds for a nose swab.

Omicron specific vaccine boosters are becoming available for this fall. The new shots from Pfizer and Moderna are bivalent, meaning that they target both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant. To be eligible, you’ll need to have completed your primary vaccination series — and be at least two months out from your last dose of any Covid vaccine, according to the CDC.

The new shots are free of charge to receive, for now. Here’s where you can get them if you’re eligible:

  • Walgreens began offering both Pfizer and Moderna’s new boosters on Friday. The shots haven’t reached all of the chain’s locations yet, but new appointments are being added daily. You can view and schedule appointments on the Walgreens website, on the pharmacy’s app or by calling 1-800-WALGREENS.
  • CVS also began offering both updated boosters on Friday. Its online system allows you to schedule multiple patients at once, which could make it easier for your family to get vaccinated together. You can schedule those appointments on the CVS website or on the pharmacy’s app.

“The consequences of not getting COVID funding are really serious—scary, almost,” Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The rest of the world is racing to buy up the supply of these treatments and these therapeutics, and if the U.S. falls behind because of a lack of funding, vulnerable Americans, and our whole country, will pay the price.”

America has seen more deaths from COID-19 than any other county in the world with over 1 million 400,000 dead. More than 400 Americans are sill dying every day but that has become business as usual. When politician have a chance to make a difference, they choose instead to run around with their hair on fire. Your tax dollars will no longer help protect you from the next COVID wave this fall.

Bosphorus

Posted on by Thor

A friend of Pam’s came to Orlando for a nursing conference at the convention center. She was staying on International drive so we picked her up and took her to Bosphorus down by Dr Phillips. Bosphorus (7600 Dr Phillips Blvd Suite 108 Orlando, FL 32819) is well known for its large puffy Lavas or hollow bread. While Pam and her friend were catching back up I started to sketch before the food arrived. We ordered an appetizer sampler with A combination of humus, babaganoush, sauteed eggplant, tabbouleh, esme, tarama, haydari, and stuffed grape leaves. There was a pile of pita wedges to dip and try a bit of each.

After we ate, we decided to go to a bowling alley on International Drive. Pam and her friend needed socks so they went shopping at Walgreen’s. No one would ever want to put on bowling alley shoes without socks. Who knows where those shoes have been or what they have seen. While they were inside I remembered I had socks in my bag that I save as back up paint rags. I ran inside to let them know I had an extra pair of socks. I often take my Crealde students to a bowling alley in Winter Park, so I have grown accustomed to sketching the gestures of different bowlers when they release the ball. The Winter Park alley hosts leagues so I get to see some really talented bowlers. However I have not bowled for probably 20 of so years. The bowling alley on international drive seemed smaller than the lanes I have grown accustomed to sketching. At the end of each alley are TV screens plying advertisements and lights project the American flag onto the lane itself. Anyway I account my low score to these visual distractions. Actually each of us won one game that night. so no one went home feeling like a looser.

Though we avoid International Drive like the plague, I have to admit it was a fun night out.