Feb. 28, 2021 At home, freezing solid in Texas and watching Covid milestones and developments, Perseverance landing on Mars, Ted Cruz being even more odious than usual, and Lakeway Council, plus deer photos, baby panda updates, and more.

The Coronavirus

America passed 500,000 Covid deaths on Feb. 22.  There are just no words….  But, for me anyway, this graphic of simple dots, one per death, captures the year-long progression of the pandemic and conveys the death rate in the US.  It started out ominous, quickly reached over-whelming, and then became devastating. On the Front Page, a Wall of Grief 2/21/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/21/insider/covid-500k-front-page.html

NY Times

The Biden administration acknowledged the tragedy with a simple candle-light vigil at the White House.

AP press pool

That horrible milestone aside, there is a lot of good news on Covid.  The number of new cases has dropped significantly since the January peak of America’s third surge.  Hospitalizations have dropped, as well.  Nursing home deaths are sharply down, seemingly due to aggressive vaccination in that demographic.

Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity

Vaccinations in much of the US stalled last week due to the winter storm.  Shipments were delayed, sites shut down, and an uncertain number of doses spoiled.  (Texas has admitted to losing over 900 doses due to the storm.)  Still, we celebrated a nice milestone on Feb. 25—50 million doses administered since the Jan. 20 inauguration.  This puts the Biden administration well ahead of pace to reach its goal of 100 million doses in its first 100 days.  Now administering around 1.5 million shots per day, they are aiming for 3 million shots per day, and the vaccine supply should be able to accommodate that soon.  For one thing, the weekly vaccine supply to states of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will increase by one million doses, to 14.5 million.  Plus, the FDA has approved storage of Pfizer’s vaccine in standard freezers for up to 2 weeks, easing logistics.

In addition, on Feb. 27 the FDA granted emergency approval of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  This means we will soon have a 1-dose option in the vaccine arsenal, as well as millions more doses on the way.  Some people are worried that the J&J vaccine allowed more asymptomatic and mild infections in its trial than the 2 existing vaccines did; experts point out that the comparison is flawed, since J&J’s trial was during a period when aggressive variants were present—something the first 2 vaccines did not encounter in their trials months earlier.  Importantly, the J&J vaccine eliminated both hospitalization and death in its clinical trial.  Which vaccine should you take?  The one you can get FIRST.  Here is a great article on this topic–Which Vaccine Should You Get?  2/26/21  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/opinion/us-covid-vaccines.html

In the US, about 6% of the population has been fully vaccinated.  A slightly larger group has gotten just 1 shot.

In Texas, about 1.5 million people have been fully vaccinated, with another 1.5 million getting the first shot.  (Texas has a population of nearly 30 million.)

In Travis County, about 60,000 people are fully vaccinated (5% of the population), with another 70,000 having gotten the first shot.   Also, a mass vax site will open soon at Circuit of the Americas.

In the US, polls now show 55% of people want to get vaccinated.  That number has steadily increased each month since December.  I suspect more and more people will opt for a shot as soon as they are eligible, as time passes and everyone sees that the vaccines are safe and in fact protect us from serious illness and death.

4th wave coming

Experts warn that a fourth wave of infection may be on the way

Yes, new cases are down, but they have leveled off at a very high mark.  This is the case in America and worldwide.  Expert suggest it is due to the more contagious variants.

The variants are increasing, with a brand new one (B.1.52) identified and spreading rapidly in New York City.  That variant now represents about 30% of all cases there.

If Covid still has us on a yo-yo of recurring surges, we must stay vigilant to avoid spiraling up on another high arc of infection, hospitalization and death. The vaccines will help, but they are not enough—not yet.  So, we need to keep masking, distancing and taking all the other precautions.  Now is NOT the time to drop our guard—like certain states (likely including Texas as soon as next week, with our feeble governor frantic to bolster his re-election chances) are doing by revoking mask mandates and removing other Covid restrictions.  For more, check out this article–The Coronavirus Is Plotting a Comeback. Here’s Our Chance to Stop It for Good https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/health/coronavirus-united-states.html

After just one year, Covid is completely enmeshed in our lives.  The vaccines and the ongoing vaccination process in America are center-stage.  Proof of that is something that took awhile to jump out to me as odd.  I’m talking about all the media accounts of the winter storm that brought Texas to its knees.  They all discussed how the power went out, water pipes froze and often burst, roads were closed, countless people suffered, and many died.  And, then, something like this was mentioned—“Vaccine distribution was halted.”  A year ago, even just 3 months ago, that simple sentence did not exist.  Nor did all the hope standing behind that sentence, that we are finally on the way to defeating Covid and reclaiming a version of normalcy. 

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. (in addition to the 3 above)

Death, Through a Nurse’s Eyes  2/24/21 This 15-minute film offers a firsthand perspective of the brutality of the pandemic inside a Covid-19 I.C.U.  (Be sure to send this to anyone you know who still minimizes Covid, thinks vaccines are unimportant, or refuses to mask.) https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000007578176/covid-icu-nurses-arizona.html

What Dr. Fauci is, and is not doing, now that he’s fully vaccinated for Covid  2/23/21 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/23/what-dr-fauci-can-do-now-that-he-is-fully-vaccinated-against-covid.html

Dr. Fauci on 500,000 American deaths and much more 2/21/21 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/21/fauci-500-000-covid-deaths-terrible-470556

Children and Covid—When will kids get vaccinated? 25-minute podcast with transcript 2/19/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/19/podcasts/the-daily/coronavirus-pandemic-children-vaccinations.html?rref=vanity

How to Buy a Real N95 Mask Online  2/17/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/technology/personaltech/buy-real-n95-mask.html

Plan Your Vaccine  Everything you need to know about getting a Covid-19 vaccination as the rollout extends across the U.S.  2/17/21 www.planyourvaccine.com

Covid-Linked Syndrome in Children Is Growing and Cases Are More Severe  2/16/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/health/covid-children-inflammatory-syndrome.html

7 Myths About the Coronavirus Vaccine  2/13/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/opinion/covid-vaccine-safe.html

On the national stage

Dare mighty things

On Feb. 18, NASA landed a sophisticated rover on Mars.  It was flawless!  Perseverance is the size of a car, and it brought along a mini-helicopter, Ingenuity

Eleanor Lutz for NASA

Go here for a 3-minute video of the landing–https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210223.html

Keep in mind a hidden message that NASA engineers put onto the descent parachute of the Perseverance rover. The colors on the chute panels were a binary code that translates into “Dare mighty things.”

Texas froze solid

Sure, we can land a robot on Mars, but we cannot keep the lights on in Texas–the energy-production capitol of the world.

Just like happened in 1989 and again in 2011, when a severe winter storm hit earlier this month, the state’s power grid failed, and millions of Texans were without power—not for just a few hours or a day but for as long as 4 days and 4 nights.  This happened while temperatures plunged as low as 6 degrees and remained well under freezing for a week.  So, pipes froze, and often burst, creating additional pain, damage and peril.  Also, water treatment plants went offline due to power loss, rendering water unsafe to drink; many Texans had to boil water or rely on donated bottled water for up to a week.  The death toll is still uncertain, but it is likely around 100 people, more than died in Hurricane Harvey.

Even worse than what happened is what ALMOST happened.  ERCOT (the ironically named Energy Reliability Council of Texas) insists that if it had not implemented the pervasive and long-term blackouts, the entire state grid would have collapsed.  That would have resulted in severe systems damage state-wide that would have taken weeks to months to repair, before power was restored.  That horror show was narrowly averted, with just 3-4 minutes leeway, if ERCOT is to be believed.

This all happened because Texas manages a privately operated power grid, isolated from any other state.  As a result, there is no way to import additional power when needed.  No other state in the country goes it alone.  Texas likes it that way, because it allows avoidance of pesky federal regulation that comes with an interstate power grid. 

Crucially, ERCOT is controlled by Texas officials.  Despite the lessons of 2 recent catastrophic winter storms, these officials failed to demand a power reserve.  They failed to require the system to be hardened to withstand frigid temperatures.  They failed to stop energy providers from price-gouging consumers with variable-rate plans.  Instead, Texas officials continue to allow Texas to be at risk for catastrophic power grid collapse.

For more, check out this article–Texas Is a Rich State in a Rich Country, and Look What Happened  2/25/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/opinion/texas-climate-change.html

Texans froze, Ted fled

Ted Cruz is the most hated man in the Senate, and that goes back YEARS.  In a typical move for him, Cruz opposed federal relief for Hurricane Sandy, arguing the east coast should take care of itself.  (Of course, he flip-flopped when Hurricane Harvey decimated Texas.)  Just recently, he managed to outdo his blatant support of Trump’s deadly insurrection by abandoning his suffering constituents (and his dog, Snowflake, left behind inside the “freezing” Cruz home in Houston) during the winter storm, jetting off to sunny Cancun.

Cruz epitomizes the worst in politics and human nature.  He doesn’t speak, he shouts insults.  He doesn’t legislate, he grifts.  He doesn’t help organize relief for constituents, he skips town.  (And, when he was shamed into returning early from Mexico, Cruz failed to quarantine for 7-10 days as required by the CDC after international travel.  Instead, he immediately showed up and posed for photos at a water give-away that others had organized.) 

His nicknames are “Lucifer in the flesh” and “Satan’s spawn.”  Frequent comments about him:

–“There are 2 kinds of people: People who hate Ted Cruz.  And Ted Cruz.” 

–“So, why is it that people take such an instant dislike to this guy?  Because it saves time.” 

— “If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you.”  (That one is from his fellow Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham.)

Newsweek

So, two things. 1) Why does this foul excuse for a human being represent Texas in the US Senate?  There are better choices than this strutting sneer.  Time to VOTE HIM OUT!  Right now, his approval rate is 25%.  He is up for re-election in 2024, but we need to get started.  2) Not only do people hate Ted Cruz on a major scale, but his foul public behavior and slimy rhetoric make people far and wide HATE TEXAS.  We really don’t need that.  Decent officials not only improve life for their constituents on a day-to-day basis, but they represent us well on the national level.  Again—VOTE TED CRUZ OUT.  Preferably with a Democrat, but at this point I’d take pretty much anyone with a moral compass.

In Lakeway

To follow up on local issues from last time….

Regarding the May 1 local election, we will elect a new mayor.  Candidates are Tom Kilgore and Alain Babin.  Also, we will elect 3 Council members.  Seven people originally filed to run, but 2 dropped out.  Candidates are: incumbent Sanjeev Kumar, incumbent Gretchen Vance, former member Keith Trecker, Kelly Brynteson, and Steven Clark.  Need full info on all Lakeway election matters?  Go here—https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information

Council meets on Monday, March 1, 6:30pm.  This is an ONLINE meeting.  The Agenda is NOT a re-do of the Feb. 16 meeting that was cancelled due to the storm.  (Look for the Cherry Knoll re-zoning issue to pop back up later in March.)  Instead, items are largely house-keeping matters.  At least, nothing pings my radar….   Go here for the Agenda and Meeting Packet— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

To send comments to Council beforehand and/or request to speak in person at the meeting (there is a 3pm deadline on the meeting date) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form–https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx

Go here to watch this Council meeting online (live or after the fact)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Back to me….

I was SO lucky with the storm—never lost power, no frozen pipes, no tree damage, and even my internet was up and running.  Truly, the cats and I were blessed!  But, it was amazing what iced over and stayed that way; my garbage bins froze shut, and the metal gate to my backyard was frozen in place for a few days.  I patrolled my yard twice daily, filling the birdfeeders and knocking snow and ice off everything I could reach with my trusty broom.  (Gotta buy a shovel….) 

Just another unprecedented event, I guess.  After 2020 and the early part of 2021, I am REALLY sick of living through all that word entails. 

2021 snow storm in Lakeway, TX

Our deer made it through the storm!  After being stuck at home, I really enjoyed my morning walks recently, and the deer seemed happy to be out and about, as well.

Whitetail deer in Lakeway, TX

Panda cub update:

Xiao (AKA Biscuit) turned 6 months old last week.  Apparently, that’s when baby pandas get to go play outside.  As the first 2 short videos below show, Biscuit really loves that!

–Xiao Qi Ji’s Wonderful Morning Outside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odAWfS6c52A

–Adventure Awaits! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLoyN4gUkq4

–First Taste of Applesauce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btsx9CuinxQ

So, March….  Wonder what “unprecedented” insanity this month will bring?

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