WE'VE COME UP WITH A STRATEGY FOR THE SHOW And I'm talking on multiple fronts here. Technologically, I am broadcasting from home, where I'm looping in Dave via Skype and then feeding the whole thing back to the station via what's called an ISDN line, which is a super fancy telephone line. Angie is the Chosen One who is back at the station taking the feed and making the whole thing work.. There is nearly no one else, save our news people and other single DJs or board operators in each station making things go, in our building. I think this whole thing might work but be patient with any technical issues, k? I had that work dream nightmare last night where I couldn't find the studio and they let a bunch of people in the studio to keep doing my show. But I think that's just nerves.
Part Two of the strategy is this. We are NOT going to try to scare the crap out of anyone. We will air any pertinent press conferences live, as we have been doing, so you get all the real time information with no spin. If I see or read some expert coverage on the virus or anything else scientifically based, I will share it here or on the show or both, so check the blog daily for good info. We are going to try to help you get through this with levity, brightness, and dare I say, some laughter. We want to know how you and your family and your workplace or business is managing. We want to know how you're holding it together. About acts of kindness, neighborhood social distancing happy hours or other ways your keeping your humanity and your health up. How about games your family plays or creative ways your kids have found to entertain themselves. We're all in this together. 100%. So here we go.
THIS IS WHY WE TRUST DR. ANTHONY FAUCI MORE THAN ANYONE Because he is the level headed voice of infectious disease. The New York Times tried to sow some discontent but ended up doing this great article about why he has the authority we need to pay attention to in this situation. From the article, which is paywalled:
As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, Dr. Fauci has lasted through six presidents, and has declined multiple requests to lead his agency’s parent organization, the National Institutes of Health. He has led federal efforts to combat diseases caused by emerging viruses, including H.I.V., SARS, the 2009 swine pandemic, MERS, Ebola and now the new coronavirus.
He was an architect of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, started in 2003 by President George W. Bush, to fight H.I.V. globally.
In 2001, after anthrax was mailed to Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Bush administration tried initially to minimize the threat, butDr. Fauci was characteristically blunt.
“This is material that is quite formidable, that is infecting people with inhalation anthrax, infecting them in the absence of direct contact,” he said. “You can call it whatever you want to call it with regard to grade and size or weaponized or not weaponized. The fact is, it is acting like a highly efficient bioterrorist agent.”
Previous disease outbreaks have kept him on the lookout for new pathogens, and in January, reports of unexplained pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, set off alarms in his head.
So when you see Dr. Fauci speak or read an interview, listen.
HERE IS THE ARTICLE REFERENCED IN THE ARTICLE ABOVE And it's typical Dr. Fauci. Frank and honest. Read it here.
WHY SINGAPORE IS HANDLING CORONAVIRUS LIKE A BOSS And some of this stuff just wouldn't translate to a country as large and varied and free as ours, but for Singapore with it's population of just over 5 and half million, it works. Read about it here.
YOU SHOULD WATCH THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE FROM YESTERDAY Although I could have done without the pissiness about politics I think Governor Jared Polis is doing the best job he can do to stem the spread of Coronavirus BEFORE significant restrictions are forced down our throats. I would not want to be in this position, but I commend him for being aggressive and trying to make sure that Colorado weathers this storm well. I will have some words about the politics of all this when we are safely on the other side, there will be plenty of time for that then.
IF YOU HAD A WEDDING OR PARTY PLANNED, I'M SO SORRY Our own Pat Woodard had to celebrate with his family for this weekend (Happy Birthday, Pat!) but know this, you are not alone. Here is a story about how weddings being rescheduled and how the wedding industry itself is reeling.
I AM SO SORRY IF YOUR SPECIAL MOMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THIS and in this case we're talking about those Once-In-A-Lifetime moments like graduations and the births of babies and whatnot. This article might make you feel better by just letting you know you are not alone.
RAND PAUL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TRAILBLAZER And now he's the first US Senator to test positive for Coronavirus. He is asymptomatic and is isolating at home for the next two weeks.
WHAT YOU DOING TO NOT END UP AS BIG AS A HOUSE WHEN THIS IS OVER? If you haven't seen this meme, you may identify.
It has a point though. What are you doing to not end up as big as a house when this is over? As one who has eaten her way through multiple post-hurricane recovery periods with little to do, this danger is REAL.
HOW DO YOU TREAT A MILD CASE OF CORONAVIRUS? TRY CHICKEN SOUP. And I'm not being facetious, treat it like you would treat a regular flu. Lots of sleep, tylenol or ibuprofen (which is not as much of a problem as you may have read earlier) and isolation.
IF YOU NEED SOME HOPE TO LOOK TO, THIS IS IT And it comes in the form of a short Op-Ed in the WaPo Ross Kaminsky brought to my attention. Read it here. Here is an excerpt if you need it:
We have the greatest scientists in the world working to create a vaccine. Health-care workers are pulling double shifts to care for the sick. Republicans and Democrats have come together to find solutions. State and local officials are taking decisive steps to flatten the curve of infection. Our economy is strong enough to survive even in these challenging times. The United States has an unmatched ability to mobilize when called to action. More importantly, as we always have in times of crisis, Americans are rallying together, caring for one another, showing the compassion and concern that have always characterized this nation of good people.
NO, YOU CAN'T HOARD MOUNTAIN DEW And one Kentucky couple acted like total aholes to the clerk who had to tell these miserable excuses they couldn't get 552 cans of this noxious potion.
I WOULDN'T CALL THIS SHOCKING BUT IT IS KIND OF COOL And would be great to show kids to help them understand what happens when they cough and how it spreads germs. Some adults could learn too. It's what happens when we breath and then when we cough various ways. Watch it.
SOMETIMES STUFF LIKE THIS BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE, THIS BOY IS ONE OF THOSE He spend all his savings creating care packages for the elderly. It's so sweet. Watch it here.
THIS LANDLORD SLASHED THE RENT OF HIS TENANTS TO 100 BUCKS And I think if you own property and can afford to do this for your tenants it's a lovely thing to do. I'd much prefer to see this than the government suspension of rents because sometimes those landlords have mortgages they still have to pay.
COULD WE BE BACK UP AND RUNNING, ALBEIT WITH LIMITATIONS, IN TWO WEEKS? Thomas Friedman makes the interesting case in this column, where he talks with a doctor who wrote this Op-Ed last week. This doc says we can use more strategic isolation for vulnerable groups smartly rather than shut down the economy trying to protect the country. It's an interesting, and hopeful, possible solution. But if we're looking at a total shutdown of the country.