HAPPY NEW YEAR! It pretty much HAS to be an improvement over 2020, right?
Recent articles I recommend….
Turns out that a Covid test can tell more than that you are infected; it can tell how sick you are likely to get and whether you might die. From the article: Dozens of research papers published over the past few months found that people whose bodies were teeming with the coronavirus more often became seriously ill and more likely to die, compared with those who carried much less virus and were more likely to emerge relatively unscathed. The results suggest that knowing the so-called viral load — the amount of virus in the body — could help doctors predict a patient’s course, distinguishing those who may need an oxygen check just once a day, for example, from those who need to be monitored more closely, said Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease physician at Columbia University in New York. Little effort has been made to track viral loads in Covid-19 patients. This month, however, the Food and Drug Administration said clinical labs might report not just whether a person was infected with the coronavirus, but an estimate of how much virus was carried in their body. “This is a very important move by the F.D.A.,” said Dr. Michael Mina, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “I think it’s a step in the right direction to making the most use of one of the only pieces of data we have for many positive individuals.” You’re Infected With the Coronavirus. But How Infected? 12/29/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/29/health/coronavirus-viral-load.html
The vaccines are here, but only for a few of us–for now. Here are some good articles on relevant issues.
–What the Vaccine Side Effects Feel Like, According to Those Who’ve Gotten It 12/28/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/us/vaccine-first-patients-covid.html
—How will you be told when it’s your turn for a COVID-19 vaccine? It’s complicated. 12/24/20 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/12/24/covid-vaccine-eligibility-how-when-americans-notified/4008128001/
—Here’s what you need to know about who is eligible and how to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas 12/23/20 https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/23/coronavirus-vaccine-texas/
—Hang in There, Help Is on the Way 12/18/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/18/well/live/getting-through-covid-guide.html
The Election
Biden-Harris STILL won the election, and they will STILL be sworn into office on Jan. 20. BUT, Trump’s attempted coup continues, 2 months after he lost the election. On January 6, lame duck V-P Pence and the US Senate are threatening to stage a truly asinine spectacle. Instead of the Constitutionally-mandated statement of electoral votes previously certified by electors from all the states (306 for Biden, 232 for Trump), we are promised crazy objections, heated discussions, wild allegations, outlandish alternatives, and other nauseating displays of slavish devotion to a deranged puppet master. And THEN there will be the Constitutionally-mandated statement of electoral votes previously certified by electors from all the states (306 for Biden, 232 for Trump). Obviously, Republicans have no business to handle more important than their own warped self-interest and nothing but contempt for the American people and our democracy. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/02/ted-cruz-electoral-college-challenge-453430
Yet another deeply stupid lawsuit originating in Texas and promoting Trump’s coup attempt has been shot down in court (by judges who are all Republican appointees). https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/01/louie-gohmert-lawsuit-pence-453387
The great state of Georgia elects 2 US Senators on Jan. 5. Fingers crossed that the Democrats win both races, so that Republicans lose their stranglehold on the Senate and the incoming administration can get crucial things done.
The Coronavirus
The vaccines are miraculous. THANK YOU, to all our titans of science! But, vaccines are not an immediate fix. America has over 330 million people; so far, we have struggled to get 4 million vaccinated. Do the math….
Early estimates are that about 25,000 American lives will be saved by vaccines by March. Great! BUT, widespread mask wearing would save 50,000 lives by March. So, wear a mask! For more, read this article–This Is the Test of Our Lifetimes 12/11/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-vaccine-united-states.html
Speaking of vaccines, the Trump administration has logged yet another pandemic failure as the dolts stumble out the door. (I’m sure the Biden administration is keeping a list.) Operation Warp Speed promised 20 million vaccinations before 2020 ended, but only 4 million Americans have gotten the vaccine. Many mistakes were made, but this seems to be the central issue: “We’ve taken the people with the least amount of resources and capacity and asked them to do the hardest part of the vaccination — which is actually getting the vaccines administered into people’s arms,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health.Federal and state officials have denied they are to blame for the slow rollout. Officials behind Operation Warp Speed, the federal effort to fast-track vaccines, have said that their job was to ensure that vaccines are made available and get shipped out to the states. President Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that it was “up to the States to distribute the vaccines once brought to the designated areas by the Federal Government.” “Ultimately, the buck seems to stop with no one,” Dr. Jha said. For more, go here–Here’s Why Distribution of the Vaccine Is Taking Longer Than Expected 12/31/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/health/vaccine-distribution-delays.html
Another good article on the delays–We Came All This Way to Let Vaccines Go Bad in the Freezer? 12/31/20 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/opinion/coronavirus-vaccines-expiring.html
Having trouble processing the death toll numbers? I am. Over 360,000 dead in the US, millions dead worldwide…. Remember when we grappled with 100,000 dead Americans in late May? 200,000 dead in mid-September? 300,000 dead as of Dec. 10? As the numbers soar, my mind shuts down. I found out why in a recent article which in part says this—In the face of one of the biggest mass casualty events in American history, we are growing increasingly numb to death, experts say — numb to the crisis and tragedy it represents and to the action it requires in response. Something happens in the brain when fatalities reach such high numbers, say psychologists who have studied genocides and mass disasters. The casualties become like a mountain of corpses that has grown so large it becomes difficult to focus on the individual bodies. “In fact, the more who die, sometimes the less we care,” Psychologist Paul Slovic said in an interview. In greater numbers, death becomes impersonal, and people feel increasingly hopeless that their actions can have any effect. “Statistics are human beings with tears dried off,” Slovic said. “And that’s dangerous because we need tears to motivate us.”
“Think about the disasters that have captured our national attention … A hurricane like Katrina hits. News crews show the devastation, and people open their wallets,” said Lori Peek, who directs the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder. “But this pandemic isn’t a camera-ready event like that.” Instead of a single discrete event — like the twin towers collapsing on Sept. 11, 2001 — the pandemic has unfolded as an invisible, slow-creeping, chronic hazard. Over time, our brains gradually tune out the danger. Go here to read the entire article–Why Americans are numb to the staggering coronavirus death toll 12/21/20 https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/why-americans-are-numb-to-the-staggering-coronavirus-death-toll/?amp=1
The Covid stats now reported on official sites are soaring, breaking awful records set during the spring and summer surges. America has over 20 million cases, with 360,000 dead; daily death counts are 3,000-4,000 now. 125,000 are hospitalized. Across the country in states as disparate as North Carolina and California, hospitals are out of ICU beds, personnel, oxygen, medication and supplies; many facilities can ONLY care for those patients most likely to survive. Mortuaries cannot keep up.
Texas has over 1.5 million confirmed cases, with 28,000 dead and 12,000 now hospitalized. Nearly every hospital region is over the Covid patient threshold set by Gov. Abbott, yet he does nothing. Worse, he and his felonious Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Austin officials for trying to protect public safety by limiting gatherings over the New Year’s holiday. Abbott and Paxton care more about looking good to Republicans in Washington than about saving lives in Texas. Remember that when they come up for re-election.
This surge is largely due to Thanksgiving traveling and gathering. So, a month from now, we will experience the results of even more reckless behavior during Christmas and New Years. With relief from vaccines several months away, the worst is yet to come.
In Lakeway
Council’s Dec. 21 meeting included the first review of the proposed restatement of the Rough Hollow Development Agreement. The existing RH PUD dates from 1997, with 8 amendments through the decades. The stated purpose of the restatement is to simplify, clarify and update the provisions needed as the project is finally completed in the next 4 years. Rather comically, the discussion derailed early on, with multiple public comments attacking developer Legend Communities, for recently announcing plans to build on certain empty lots previously deemed unfit for development; adjacent owners relied on those inferior lots staying greenbelt and now fear both crowding and loss of property value due to low area comps. At least 1 Council member happily hopped down that rabbit hole, much to the ire of others who want this new agreement accepted and not drawn off-course for a “tangential” issue. Actual discussion of the agreement’s provisions was surprisingly limited. For instance, the previously touted requirement that Legends follow CURRENT ordinances, as opposed to 1997 ordinances as is now allowed, was not mentioned; even earlier, it was clear it would NOT be a blanket update to current law, with several variances still benefiting Legends. The parks issue was also skirted; the original agreement required the developer to provide a shore access park and a sports field park, which are missing as of now. Finally, there WAS public comment against the proposed storage facility that Legends wants to build near the roundabout at the Hwy. 71 end of the development. Legends SpokesBot Bill Hayes insisted this would be an asset for the community, being tailored for luxury cars and wine storage; he agreed to provide an architectural rendering of the storage facility to facilitate discussion. It was stated that the public can read the agreement now. The draft IS in the online Meeting Packet for this meeting, but most of the exhibits are missing or incomplete and many cross-references don’t match up. No action was taken. Discussion on this topic will continue at future meetings.
The only other critical issue discussed at the meeting was a rehash of forcing Stratus to construct the middle Main Street segment 2021-2023. This was decided at the November meeting but a mistake on public notice require a re-do. This time, an attorney representing Stratus spoke. Unfortunately, he was not moved by public comment on behalf of Santa noting that Stratus has been on the Naughty List for 7 years now for failing to build this road. Instead, he made it clear that Stratus’ position is that building the road prior to development of the tract was NOT what was agreed and is not feasible. Yep—this is going to court.
Go here to watch this Council meeting online—https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events
Council’s next meeting will be on Tuesday (due to MLK Day that Monday), Jan. 19. That is the only meeting currently scheduled for the month. Hopefully, there will be disclosure of the results of the 2020 deer count, performed in October. Likely, the Rough Hollow agreement will be discussed in detail; it may come to a vote. It seems to me that officials who accepted campaign contributions from Legends owner Haythem Dawlett and CEO Bill Hayes should recuse themselves from any vote, but that hasn’t happened so far….
Back to me….
Christmas and New Years were both quiet but lovely. The cats and I are blessed.
The deer are always less visible this time of year. I took long walks through The Hills recently, and spotted some of their deer.
Panda cub update: Little Xiao goes rock climbing—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9D-isZ7QdY
More animals! Check out this Oregon zoo video. It looks like an amazing facility, and the video is just TOO cute with lots of happy animal antics. Otters and ice cubes, perfect combo! Top Moments Of Cuteness And Rascality At The Oregon Zoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6kNKbLG28c