CoViD-19: Misinformation Continues | Obama Inspires with #GraduateTogether | Order FIDO Masks | More State Parks Open | Biden 2020

Yesterday was #EndangeredSpeciesDay, so here's a rhinoceros taken at SDZ Safari Park on 3.13.2020

I am having a much better day today, thanks to all who reached out in different ways. Losing a job sucks but the work I've chosen (or that's chosen me?) requires me to be more nimble and less emotional. I shouldn't be throwing a tantrum when I spend time to work on something and it gets scrapped to do something in a different direction, and I should be more grateful to have my main job. So yeah, I took the night off, watched the end of season 1 of survival show "Alone" on Amazon with the kid, then binge watched the Mindy Kaling produced "Never Have I Ever" on Netflix after she was in bed. I highly recommend both and I'll probably go back and watch "Never Have I Ever" again with Nova, I just needed to pre-screen for age appropriateness. It's warm and funny and emotional and is an accurate portrayal of high-school friendships and all of the awkwardness we felt at that time in our lives. And seriously, the male lead is hot af, and I don't feel funny saying that because he's 29 irl. And his actual name is Darren. Ha! Anyway, obviously no press briefings today, so I'm just gonna go watch the Obama (HS) commencement (HBCU) speeches online and cry silently. Some informative links after the jump.

• Your covidiot friends and family members have been making some pretty dumb arguments online lately. They hear the covidiot-in-chief say something or Fox news decides to say something and repeat it ad nauseum so their idiot minions can spread this information into the world far and wide, because the lowest information people are often the loudest and more passionately convinced of their whiteness rightness. So there are a few things that have kind of been bouncing around in my head and they all relate because they're all these dumb theories and talking points. Meanwhile, we keep telling people you can't get reinfected, yet here are 5 US Navy sailors, all reinfected. Do I know the answers? Of course not. But if you look around the world and see countries that have gotten control of this thing vs. those who have not, I might lean towards the science and methods they've been using. And the lower numbers in our region don't mean that strategies were too stringent, it means they worked and are still working. 
• Can herd immunity help stop the coronavirus? Experts warn it's not that easy. - NBC News (5.14.2020)
  Article Excerpt:
  "Humans are not herds," he said
  Herd immunity has emerged in recent weeks as a popular talking point among people who argue that coronavirus lockdowns have been too stringent.
  Herd immunity is a concept in epidemiology that describes how people can collectively stave off infections if some percentage of the population has immunity to a disease.
  But herd immunity in relation to the coronavirus is far from a reality, particularly without a vaccine. Ryan said the term "herd immunity" emerged from veterinary epidemiology, typically involving business decisions of whether to let animals die for the overall health of a herd.
• Sailors on Sidelined Carrier Get Virus for Second Time - NBC San Diego (5.15.2020)
• And I can't believe this is emerging as an anti-face mask argument, but here we are, officially living Idiocracy.
  If A Fart Can Make It Through Pants, How Can A Mask Protect You From A Virus? - Scary Mommy (5.13.2020)
• The San Diego Union Tribune addressed the white privilege of the protests to reopen.
  Commentary: Coverage of anti-lockdown protests in San Diego is ignoring one glaring fact UT (5.13.2020)
  "...consider that the active-and-out-and-about Encinitas enjoyed by some is the same Encinitas where black people are 716% more likely to get stopped by San Diego sheriff deputies when out and about than white people."
• From Johns Hopkins newsletter: "Analysis published in Health Affairs found that social distancing measures had significant effects in reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Based on analysis conducted at the county level in the United States, the researchers concluded that “shelter in place” orders (eg, “stay at home” or “safer at home” orders) that restricted community activity to essential services and the closure of restaurants, bars, gyms, and entertainment businesses were both associated with statistically significant reductions in community transmission after they were implemented."
  Strong Social Distancing Measures In The United States Reduced The COVID-19 Growth Rate - Health Affairs (5.14.2020)
• Filling in the Blanks: National Research Needs to Guide Decisions about Reopening Schools in the United States - John Hopkins Center for Health Security (5.15.2020)
• Still looking for masks? Fiesta Island Dog Owners (FIDO) is selling some branded ones at cost and they're super cute. They won't ship for a few weeks, but we're gonna need a rotating stock of these things for a long time, so you might as well order a couple. 
• More and more California State Parks are opening. The updated list of closures is here. But there are still guidelines (and you could still be fined for violations).
• Stay Local - Stay close to home. Parking is very limited or non-existent at park units across the state. Walk or bike to parks in your local neighborhood. Do not take road trips to parks and beaches or to neighboring states. 
• Leave it at Home - The use of coolers, umbrellas, shade tents, BBQs or chairs is not allowed in many park units. Plan ahead.
• Keep it Moving -  Passive recreation (lounging, picnics, sunbathing, etc.) is being restricted where physical distance is a challenge. In those areas, only active recreation (walking, running, biking, boating, kayaking, off-highway riding, etc.) will be allowed. Also, watch out for one-way trails. Plan ahead.
• Stay Safer at 6ft - No matter the recreational activity, maintain a physical distance of six feet or more. Visitors are being asked to leave if there are too many people to allow for the required physical distance. 
• Keep Clean - Be prepared. Not all restrooms are open to the public. Bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash.
• I don't love Biden as a candidate, but there is no comparison when it comes to the November election. If you're a "both parties are the same" kinda person, why are you even reading this website? And also, you're wrong. NPR did this important story this week, and I think it's worth a read. I understand (and the article points out) such problematic issues for #metoo and #believeallwomen, but it's still a good read. 
• What 74 former Biden staffers think about Tara Reade’s allegations - NPR (5.15.2020)
• This post took me a lot longer than I expected because we had a little afternoon tennis break, so of course the Obama speeches are online and being discussed. This is the link to Vox's transcript of the speech, with commentary up top. When I was listening this was the line that struck out to me:
  "It’s also pulled the curtain back on another hard truth, something that we all have to eventually accept once our childhood comes to an end. You know all those adults that you used to think were in charge and knew what they were doing? Turns out they don’t have all the answers. A lot of them aren’t even asking the right questions." Meanwhile, ignoramus in chief is sitting on his toilet with twitter thumbs typing out "obamagate" like the petty piece of shit asshole that he is.