First of all, Happy New Year!
I took off two weeks. I can’t tell you what a difference a long break can make. I got some real sleep, too. So, I guess that’s what rest feels like.
Now, I’m back at it; reading the news. Not a lot has changed.
Coronavirus
Let’s start with the Covid Pandemic. There is great concern about a surge in cases post-holiday. I fear we are about to see some scary numbers—scarier than they have been.
With that said, there is great news and hope on the vaccine front.
Despite criticism of a slow rollout, more people are getting the shots. There is a new one in the arsenal, too. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is now being given in Britain. The BBC reporting an 82-year-old dialysis patient was the first to receive it. What makes the Oxford vaccine different from its predecessors is that it doesn’t have to be stored in such cold temperatures.
Politics
To politics. It’s the election season that will not end. Where to start?
Okay, several Republicans are planning to protest the Electoral College certification on Wednesday. It’s not expected to make a difference, but should be quite a show.
President Trump is getting a lot of flack about this leaked phone call to the Georgia Secretary of State. The Washington Post reports the President asked him to “find” enough votes to allow him to win the state. The Post has the audio of the call.
Speaking of Georgia, the Senate runoff race happens there Tuesday. It results will decide which party controls the US Senate. It’s a big deal with a lot of money being spent. Some of the worst political ads I have ever seen in this race, too.
It’s turned very, very ugly.
I just don’t know where this is going to end. Inauguration Day, January 20? We are as divided as we have ever been in this country. No idea how to fix it either.
That’s where I start the week. Covid and politics. Seems like old times. Happy New Year.
Happy New Year Russell!
Loved the blog, and as I have noted to you, I am a StageIV Cancer Patient and I need the Vaccine rollout so that others will be inoculated and this COVID can start to go away. I don’t understand the complaining on the speed of the rollouts, because be just darned happy as clams we have a rollout at all. Give the companies a break, let them have the time to see what is working, what isn’t etc., at least there is a darned Vaccine, be happy for that. I have been in my home for almost 10 months now, so me more than anyone understands the need for the vaccine, but give these companies, counties, states a huge break. Oh and the Presidents phone call was,well nothing less than Election Tampering. I was in Elementary school when another President was brought down by some tapes, he agreed to Resign in exchange of no Prosecutions, I do not think a President the People “Fired” by more than 7 million votes will get that same deal. I never ever once thought you would see another sitting President do the same thing as trying to commit election Fraud. They spent a lot of the call having to try and tell folks there was Fraud, and those on the other end nicely explain that this was untrue, and have a sitting President say “well the RUMOR is”, uhm, you had a lawyer on that call, and they should have explained the difference between Facts and Rumors. The Washington Post also said that he has made calls like this to both the Pennsylvania and Michigan folks. This is so crazy! Thank you so very much for your blog. I hope you also had a great Vacation last week, I can say you were most definitely missed by viewers like myself who just love watching your smiling face each weekday morning/