Dave's Journal, Mar2020
When you have 3 cats, one of them is always on your "worry list". Currently, it's Abby (aka "abby-normal"), who is down to 4 1/2 pounds and is walking around with creaky old bones and is deaf and lives in her own little world. Our other cats weigh about 11# each, I think Zach weighed 14# in his prime. The vet is working on a diagnosis (other than "old age")
Things are slow going around here. I am feeling much much better and eating properly again.
Watched the movie "Nebraska" last night, and saw Bruce Dern (Laura's dad) put in a stunning performance. World class acting and directing.
Still on a roll buying used DVDs. Can't even keep track of what I own, so I nearly came to buy doubles a few times. But for $3 - $7 how bad can you get burned?
Abby (the cat) is going to the vet every day for fluid injections and tube feeding. "Pancriatitis" is what they are calling it. Hope she pulls out of it soon. (That's not Abby there, it's Blue napping. Click him for a larger version, as I need the HTML pop-up window practice.)
Dave went out and bought hisself sneakers !! Put them on and actually went out for a 30 minute walk (beautiful day). He is all smiles now. Feeling very well.
Went grocery shopping and walked by the soap aisle and sure enough - all the hand sanitizer was sold out!
I didn't check our store, but I now hear that toilet paper is the next hot panic item. Seriously.
My personal coronavirus avoidance plan is to follow a strict diet of good foods and vitamins / minerals and keep my immune system as healthy as I can. And stay out of crowded places.
Yesterday, the cats and I went nuts for the scratching sounds in the dining room wall. In the basement I caught a glimpse of a critter, set a trap last night. Trap didn't work (I guess squirrels don't like peanut butter). So, what the heck I just opened a little window, hoping it would leave .... and it did !!
Current best estimates are that, over time, 60%-70% of the world's population will get the Coronavirus and around 50million people could possibly die from it before it's all over. Countries are forcing lockdowns, hoping to stall the spread of the disease while scientists search for a vaccine.
President Trump visited the CDC to meet with researchers. During that visit, here is what he had to say ....
"I like this stuff, I really get it," Mr. Trump said at the C.D.C. "People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, 'How do you know so much about this?' Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president."
[Source: NY Times, March.11.2020]
I have been slowly creating MP4 copies of my DVD's. No particular order, just grabbing one at the moment. Using a program called Handbrake, set to "720p' output files - these are typically 1.5Gb each. Here is the list so far. (Takes 45 - 60 minutes per movie.)
ADELE_leBLANC.mp4 A_LITTLE_ROMANCE.mp4 AMELIE.mp4 A_MONSTER_IN_PARIS.mp4 ANNIE_HALL.mp4 BEST_EXOTIC_MARIGOLD_HOTEL.mp4 BLUE_IS_THE_WARMEST_COLOR.mp4 BREAD_AND_TULIPS.mp4 FlyingDaggers.mp4 FOUND_MEMORIES.mp4 Gloria1.mp4 KING_OF_JAZZ.mp4 MIDNIGHT_IN_PARIS.mp4 MONTY.mp4 Orbison1.mp4 Searchers.mp4 SHANE.mp4 STRAIGHT_STORY.mp4 THE_ENDLESS_SUMMER.mp4 THE_MAJESTIC.mp4 TMBSTONE.mp4 ATTACK_50FT_WOMAN.mp4 BEAST_20000_FATHOMS.mp4 BEYOND_THE_SEA.mp4 BLACK_LAGOON.mp4 BLUE_PLANET.mp4 CITIZEN_KANE.mp4 Coney_Island.mp4 EasyRider.mp4 Godzilla2000.mp4 GODZILLA_VS_BIOLLANTE.mp4 GOJIRA.mp4 Gollum.mp4 GREAT_GATSBY_MiraS.mp4 KING_KONG_1933.mp4 LA_VIE_EN_ROSE.mp4 NEBRASKA.mp4 OFHUMANBONDAGE.mp4 OVER_AMERICA.mp4 REAL_SANCTUARY.mp4 ROMEOANDJULIET.mp4 SUNSETBLVD.mp4 THE_BFG.mp4 THE_MALTESE_FALCON.mp4 THE_WAY_HOME.mp4 TOM_AND_JERRYS_GREATEST_CHASES.mp4 TORATORA.mp4 5thElement.mp4 FindingForrester.mp4 FORBIDDEN_PLANET.mp4 METROPOLIS.mp4 PULP_FICTION.mp4 THE_LAST_STARFIGHTER.mp4 TIME_MACHINE.mp4 WAR_OF_THE_WORLDS.mp4 A_NEW_HOPE.mp4 EMPIRE_STRIKES_BACK.mp4 PHANTOM_MENACE.mp4 RETURN_OF_THE_JEDI.mp4
In the U.S., there are now 5,702 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 94 have died, according to the most recent data from the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering's Centers for Systems Science and Engineering............ The public health agency said 25,162 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the U.S., as of March 16. ............... The CDC, which has not conducted a test since March 12, has been criticized by the low rates of testing, especially when compared with testing rates in other countries, like South Korea, which has tested more than 260,000 people, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(1) 5702 / 25162 = 23% of the people tested in the US were positive for the Coronavirus.
(2) US tests = 25,162 / S. Korea tests = 260,000
(3) Don't compare the absolute # of positive cases from each country. Compare the [# tested positive / total tested].
Source: Marketwatch, March.17.2020
Had to bring Abby (our cat) to the vet for pancreatitus injection. Vet doors are locked. Call from your parking space, they come out and take the cat (or dog) inside. No people traffic in the building.
Good idea.
This is interesting. It shows how the gravity of Jupiter kind of vacuums up asteroids in our solar system, preventing them from impacting the inner planets.
(Experiment making small mp4's.)
"In February 1979, Marta Minujin wrote to the McDonald's Corporation to request sponsorship for a project: 'I write to you because I have an idea to be made with hamburgers.'
Minujin planned to build an iron replica of the Statue of Liberty and install it lying down in New York's Battery Park, a dormant icon awaiting revival. Visitors would be able to enter the sculpture and traverse walkways inside it. On the tenth day of the presentation, the artist proposed to stage a huge free lunch for the public, during which McDonald's employees would ascend fire truck ladders and plaster the statue with hamburger patties, which would then be grilled by flamethrowers."
(I don't know whatever became of this idea.)
We have been under informal "lockdown" now for the last 2 weeks, due to the coronavirus outbreak. Reading, watching movies, listening to jazz - Luka watching over me.
When this all blows over, I'm getting this little Honda scooter. $4000 and a screaming 9Hp !!! How can I go wrong ??
The Avalon Jazz Band and Tatiana Eva-Marie are a favorite Youtube channel of mine. This is cute - they are doing a version of "Don't get around much anymore" for these COVID-19 weeks of isolation.
