It’s Saturday.
On Wednesday as I was writing Biden Bits I stumbled upon a tweet and now, I’m tossing out my thoughts on Wednesday morning as I sip coffee.
I get the situation in Afghanistan is bad. I really do. President Biden really fucked up the withdrawal plan. My problem?
This…
On Tuesday it was reported that Florida has either isolated or quarantined more than 8,000 students and hundreds of employees who either tested positive for the coronavirus or had been exposed to the coronavirus.
The Washington Post explains; Hillsborough County Public Schools, which includes Tampa, has 8,400 students and 307 staff members either in isolation because of a positive test or in quarantine after coming into close contact with someone who tested positive, district spokesperson Tanya Arja told The Washington Post on Tuesday. The number of students who are either in isolation or quarantine jumped by nearly 3,000 from the total given by the school district on Monday.
News from the future…
The Florida State Board of Education has sent an order to Broward and Alachua counties’ school board officials stating that they have 48 hours to comply with the state’s wishes to allow an opt-out option for masks or the state will begin withholding funds, according to copies of the orders shown to CNN.
If the school districts do not comply and continue to keep their mask mandates in place, the districts will start facing financial penalties. The state is requesting a list of the annual salaries of all board members, and the State Board of Education will then begin withholding 1/12th of that amount each month from the district’s funds, according to the document.
The orders say this measure will be “an initial step” and that “monthly withholding must continue” until the districts are in compliance with the state request or the orders are rescinded.
CNN. 08/20/2021.
More news from the future regarding Florida…
The video I shared this morning is 8 minutes long. OUC according to the written article that accompanies the video provides water to about 140,000 customers.
The reason they are being asked to conserve water? Because OUC cleans their water supply with liquid oxygen, but given the rise in COVID-19 cases requiring hospitalizations in Florida, liquid oxygen is in short supply.
OUC said it receives 10 tanks of liquid oxygen a week for its seven treatment plants, but deliveries slowed significantly a few weeks ago.
OUC said its liquid oxygen supply comes from one local vendor, and the utility has already tapped into its reserves, and they’re down to about 50% of what’s normally used.
The utility company said it has a lower than normal supply of liquid oxygen because it is also being used to help treat COVID-19 patients at local hospitals.
WFTV.com. 08/20/2021.
For those curious as I was, the local news report says; When OUC retrieves its water from about 30 wells through the Floridan aquifer more than 1,000 feet underground, it’s sent to seven water treatment plants. Ozone generators then use liquid oxygen to pull out hydrogen sulfide gas, which if not removed, gives the water a brown color and strong rotten egg smell. After that it’s further purified and sent to homes and businesses.
This is just more reason to A) avoid trips to Florida. B) get vaccinated. C) mask the fuck up, seriously, let it sink in that Orlando is now being asked please use less water so folks in the ICU can have liquid oxygen. D) don’t be DeMoron.
Back to Tuesday, Texas Republican “no mandates ever,” Governor Greg Abbott tested positive for the coronavirus.
August 16th, 2021, Abbott held a campaign event…
There are two noticeable, to me at least, things that stand out in the statement. Well, it’s more like 2 and a half…
“Governor Abbott is receiving Regneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment…” While he is “experiencing no symptoms.”
“Everyone that the Governor has been in close contact with today [Tuesday] has been notified.”
NBC News reported on Tuesday that Abbott has told people he received a third vaccine dose that’s according to two sources. Texas Tribune quotes Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze as saying she is “not aware of any booster.” Abbott’s office did not respond to NBC News request for comment on the whether or not he got the third unapproved at that time booster shot.
So, he’s getting an expensive treatment and it’s possible he got a booster before the policy of booster shots was announced. Plus they say they’ve only contacted folks he was within contact with the day he tested positive.
Now, because I’m me, I read the replies under Katie’s tweet…Don’t do it, it’s not worth it, but I already did, so, I’m stuck with my depression, but their comments that give me little faith in humanity, led to my other thought, something that I’ve been kicking around for days even before the fuck-up in Afghanistan.
All of these people, all of them, myself sometimes included, have no plans or suggestions on how they’d do it differently. Not about the coronavirus pandemic, not about Afghanistan, all they have is “Biden sucks,” or “Impeach now,” or the very delusional “has any president other than Biden had a worst first year in office.”
We have turned into a nation of people that have run out of ideas, instead we are children finger pointing that “well, he/she/they/them did it first!”
I’ve spent most of 2020, all of 2021, doing everything I can do to keep myself, my family, my friends, and by and large the community I live in safe from a virus that is deadly, worse than the flu, and airborne.
When instead my focus should have been on how to pop everyone’s bubbles. Nobody is perfect. I don’t want perfection, I just want a politician and pundit to tell me, how their plan would have been better.
Problem is, they don’t have any plans.
Hi, from Friday, to be clear most of this article was written on Wednesday
I’d also like to add on this not so fucking hot Friday morning my time, that another point that should not be lost. A President, or just a human adult person; usually has to deal with more than one thing at a time. So, while I am aware the Afghanistan situation is very important and I would try hard never to downplay the mess it is. I’m also aware that the coronavirus pandemic is still real, and needs attention too. As adults I’m pretty sure most of us can focus our attention on more than just one thing at a time.
Hi, from Saturday, the White House issued the following schedule for President Biden for Saturday August 21st, 2021.
This is an Open Thread.
Happy Saturday!!!!
