Can We Do Climate Strikes In Quarantine?
Updated: May 6, 2020
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020: Folks, I'm very sorry that I haven't posted in so long, considering that I committed to posting once a week over a year ago. I don't really have an excuse, aside from the fact that my daily routine has been disrupted by everything being under lockdown here in Washington state. Because of this (and because there's a credible argument to be made that I may have undiagnosed Asperger's), I haven't been able to work on this site from my preferred coffee shop, Macrina Cafe/Bakery, in at least six weeks.
It seems like much more time has passed by than that; but it was only just about six weeks ago that I was playing traditional Irish music on my fiddle in Fado Pub, in downtown Seattle, along with six or eight other musicians, and not a face mask or rubber glove to be seen. The very next day, all pubs, restaurants, and Starbucks stores slammed shut, except for takeout orders only. And somehow, lacking access to my favorite Wifi spots put a damper on my blogging for a while. BUT! I've since figured out how to turn my cellphone into a mobile Wifi source; hence, here I am, blogging, while connected to my own little cellphone-based Wifi thingy. Just hope it isn't raising the data charges on my shared plan too much; or my Mom will disinherit me.
So...besides blogging once again, I've got to do some major updating on this site's news widgets, which includes re-upgrading my account with the RSS generator site, and remembering the password to get into FeedGrabbr, the place where I get my widgets for the StrikeNews and StrikeGigs pages. I also have to update myself on what Climate Strikers are doing from inside their homes around the world. In much of the United States, the only people out protesting on the streets are a relatively small number of folks who are sick and tired of being out of work, and believe their state governors are acting like authoritarian tyrants. Now, it's true that a lot of folks are hurting for their paychecks, and signing up for unemployment benefits, unless they're being forced to work with wholly inadequate protective gear, and a complete lack of paid sick leave. Those issues, and a lot more besides, certainly need tending to. But the governors, most of them at least, are making decisions based on the best data they have on the spread of Coronavirus, which has behaved in a number of less-than-predictable manners (as I wrote someone recently, this virus didn't come with an instruction manual). Alas, our so-called President has more or less lost his marbles under the stress and pressure of the worldwide pandemic; and is curtailing his increasingly incoherent press briefings, at least since the fiasco where he muttered a bunch of insane shit about injecting sunlight and disinfectant into one's body to treat COVID-19. Hence, state governments are doing the best they can to escalate testing and provide economic relief without much help or guidance from the Feds. And I finally learned that someone I know has been through COVID-19. Fortunately, he had one of the mild cases, and has since recovered; but no doubt he felt like crap for two weeks or longer. Now his doctors are inviting him to participate in vaccine studies, when he feels strong enough to do so.
Anyway, I believe things are looking up here in Washington because we're looking out for each other, wearing face masks, social distancing, and not doing much traveling. Things are still under lockdown through the end of this month; but we seem to have passed the peak of the spread, flattened the curve, or whatever; and our charts are looking good. I took one of the diagnostic tests about a week ago, and haven't heard back; hopefully, that means I'm in the clear for now. I got my stimulus check electronically at about the same time (without Trump's name on it, thank heavens); so now, I can put part of it away into a CD, while also getting my new set of glasses. I haven't been in a position to invest money for quite some while; it's a good feeling. Now, if only I can sell some more teeshirts, upload more DIY music videos, and get this site/blog back up and running! It'll take time, but I'm on it once again...
P.S. By the way, folks, here is a video summary of how the youth of the world are organizing Climate Strikes during the pandemic, when many of them have been under lockdown, with their schools closed. Trust me (and them), climate strikes haven't gone away--they've just gone online.
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