san diego: dialed in: CoViD-19: CDC Holiday Guidance | Science of Masks | Let Them Quit | Historian: Jan 6 Driven By Racism | Advisory Group Recommends J&J Boosters | Travel Restrictions To Lift Nov 8

(Not a Leatherback) Turtle at Sea World. (Taken 7.28.21)

Darren and I had so much fun in the speakeasy last night. I mentioned that I got a couple books by Douglas Coupland in the mail this week - Bit Rot and Binge. I also checked out the Bit Rot audiobook from the library, so we listened while we had cocktails and I'm glad that I still connect with his writing the same way I did since 1992 or so. He's the only author whose hardcovers I collect, though apparently there are a few more I don't have. I met him on June 8, 1995, which I only know because he signed my books with the date when he did a reading at the Price Center at UCSD.

I would comment that his writing is so prescient, but I guess someone who is such an astute observer of people and politics and culture would easily see the world as it is now long before it happened. The writing was on the wall, so to speak. Still it's so fascinating and I'm so glad I bought the books.

Today was a pretty chill day. I worked, talked to my dad for a little bit, and then Darren and I went to the San Diego Zoo again. It is super crowded for their HalGLOWeen promotion, but as I said last week, the families tend to cluster around the shows and performances. After doing our rounds, we caught the final set of the night of the San Diego Zoo Dia de Muertos Mariachi.

I suspect it will be a low key weekend around here. I would like to go to Safari Park on Sunday but will skip it if it stays this hot. Ideally we'll visit my dad. I still need a booster and a flu shot, but I'll probably wait until next week. Maybe I'll actually watch Squid Game.

Today's post might be a little longer than usual, because I'm maybe gonna take the weekend off. California and the CDC don't really offer good weekend reporting anyway. In fact, the CDC kinda blows, I don't understand how the County's vaccination numbers differ so drastically from the CDC. It doesn't make sense. I also included a must watch interview about American politics and the January 6th insurrection with a historian and a rant about these idiot cops and others who are crybabying about having to get vaccinated. So sick of it.

Anyway, have a nice weekend if you don't hear from me till Monday.

Did you know that -- without accounting for reinfections -- 10.1% of San DIegans have had COVID-19??? That is a crazy lot. The CDC issued holiday guidance the same and of course, I pretty much think Christmas is canceled, but they pretty much said what you'd expect if you've been paying attention. And why would you be reading this if you haven't?

Stay safe out there.

COVID-19:

Holiday Celebrations - CDC (Updated 10.15.21)

Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination such as young children by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated.
Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated.
Even those who are fully vaccinated should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission.
Outdoors is safer than indoors.
Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
If you are sick or have symptoms, don’t host or attend a gathering.
Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
The CDC emphasizes COVID vaccinations as a key to safe holiday gatherings - npr/kpbs (10.15.21)

Italy imposes mandatory COVID health pass for work amid protests - Reuters (10.15.21)
FDA Panel Endorses Booster for All J&J Recipients — Committee advises booster at least 2 months following initial Johnson & Johnson shot - MedPage Today (10.15.21)
U.S. to ease Covid travel entry rules, require vaccinations for foreign visitors on Nov. 8. Foreign nationals from 33 countries will be allowed to enter the U.S. if they are vaccinated. - NBC News (10.15.21)
Differential Kinetics of Immune Responses Elicited by Covid-19 Vaccines - NEJM (10.15.21)
COMMENTARY: What can masks do? Part 1: The science behind COVID-19 protection - CIDRAP (10.15.21)

K-12 schools without mask mandates in Michigan saw 62% more coronavirus spread - Detroit Free Press (10.15.21)

COMMENTARY: What can masks do? Part 2: What makes for a good mask study — and why most fail - CIDRAP (10.15.21)

Politics:

LET. THEM. QUIT. I'm so sick of people whose jobs are supposed to be about "public safety" fighting vaccination (and getting platformed on every news channel and now here.) Let them all quit. Same for all people everywhere, really. If you have a job that requires you to interface with the public in any way and you refuse to be vaccinated, you are not entitled to your job. As I've said before, the Venn diagram of MAGA cops and others with anti-mask and anti-vaxxers is pretty much a circle. We don't need these people serving in our military, working in law enforcement, working in our hospitals. If there are shortages, so be it. If holiday travel gets backed up, so be it. We'll adjust. Talk about fucking snowflakes.