Month: February 2021

Burke Lake and Lake Mercer after the storm – Romanticism and egotism – Glamor not a Presidential asset – Prognostics of dramatic future journal entries – Bad news from Myanmar – Evening statistics

It was still gray and overcast in the morning, even though the snow had stopped, but the sky cleared to some extent in the afternoon and the temperatures rose.  I have no doubt that the snow levels in higher elevations are considerably greater and in any case I did not wish to drive a great deal (although all of the roads are clear by now), so I went to my old standby, Burke Lake and Lake Mercer.  This hike doesn’t have much elevation gain, but it still is 11 miles.  I calculated – correctly, as it happened – that the trails would be much less crowded than usual on account of the recent weather.  Much of the trail was clear; some parts had remains of snow and ice.  Numerous waterfowl were on Burke Lake, particularly in the vicinity of Vesper Island, a wildlife sanctuary.  I saw a bluebird at surprisingly close range on the side of the lake that skirts around a large meadow.  They are very shy generally; it was a surprise to see one only a few feet away, even though it was well under a minute before the bird flew off. 

The news headlines today were not especially striking, but it is amusing to read some of the right-wing publications and seeing their bewilderment that a major catastrophe has not occurred during the first weeks of Biden’s administration:

“She was a widow and had only one daughter, who was then just seventeen – one of the best of ages; but alas! she was very plain and her name was Bridget.  Nothing therefore could be expected from her.  She could not be supposed to possess either exalted ideas, delicate feelings or refined sensibilities. She was nothing more than a mere good-tempered, civil and obliging young woman; as such we could scarcely dislike her – she was only an object of contempt.”  (Jane Austen, Love and Friendship, Letter the 13^th). 

The heroine in this youthful jeu d’esprit encapsulates the Romantic attitude in Austen’s riotous send-up of what C. S. Lewis calls the “great emotional wallow” ushered in by that movement.  It is fairly toxic in most of its manifestations, but especially in political ones.  Donald Trump, for instance, regards himself as the hero of his own story; and, just like Jane Austen’s Laura, he adheres to what sometimes is called a “protagonist-centered morality,” glossing over his own misdeeds and even crimes, while abusing anyone else who does not cater to the slightest of his whims.  And most of his acolytes do the same.

And just as the despised Bridget bears no resemblance to a romantic heroine, Biden is conspicuously lacking in the traits that endear his opponent to his faction.  He does not speak in glib slogans about making America great or assign memorably insulting labels to his opponents or make speeches with colorful emphasis.  But not even the most virulent of Trump’s supporters have been able to discover anything very heinous in Biden’s efforts to appoint Cabinet members and distribute vaccinations as expeditiously as possible.  In the past few weeks Biden has been nothing more than a mere earnest, painstaking, hard-working public official; and therefore the members of the Trump cult, without necessarily disliking him, find him only an object of contempt.

My journal entries have been somewhat less eventful and perhaps even rather duller over the past several days as a result of this change in administration.  There is hope, however, for livelier accounts in the near future.  As if acting for the express purpose of injecting dramatic tension into these annals, Donald Trump will be taking the center stage again next week – not altogether of his own free will, to be sure.  And it appears that there will even be a warm-up artist for the performance, in the person of Marjorie Taylor Greene.  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer negotiated with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to have her removed from two House committees, but to no avail. The House will therefore vote on the matter tomorrow, and the embarrassment to the Republican Party by such a vote that McCarthy half-heartedly tried to stave off will be blazoned in the headlines as a result.  The Republicans in recent weeks have shown themselves to be disoriented to the point of incoherence, so we need feel no surprise at their placing a woman who publicly stalked and mocked the survivor of a high school mass shooting into a Congressional committee for education. 

There is one situation that continues to look grave, although it was not much mentioned today.  Commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing is now the ruler of Myanmar – I cannot use any other word.  He is not the leader, since he has not been elected, and he has no official title such as “president” or “councilor” or anything of that kind.  The “state of emergency” that he declared is supposed to last one year, after which he promises to hold a “fair and free” election.  Suu Kyi and other officials are still under house arrest.  She has urged her supporters to “protest against the coup,” but there is little overt demonstration on behalf of her government.  People are evidently too intimidated to display any opposition to the new regime.  There were some gestures made in Yangon, the largest city:  many banged pots and pans and honked their car horns in protest.  Staff members at dozens of hospitals and medical centers have walked out, and many others are wearing ribbons showing they oppose the coup.  But there is nothing much more substantive going on. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide:  104,878,467; # of deaths worldwide: 2,276,331; # of cases U.S.: 27,142,830; # of deaths; U.S.: 461,608.

End of first winter snowstorm – Winter driving here and elsewhere – A less optimistic forecast for the end of the pandemic – Vaccinations in Virginia – Pace of vaccination nationwide – Evening statistics

The snowfall ended in mid-afternoon, having lasted for two days.  But the temperatures during these days were in the 30s, which meant that much of it melted directly after hitting the ground.  The total accumulation is therefore not very great:  I don’t think I stepped into any place today whose snow level was more than two inches deep.  Cities further to the north, such as New York, ended up with well over a foot of snow, so we certainly have gotten off very lightly here.  I was glad that I had removed the ice from the walkways and driveway yesterday.  The precipitation that fell overnight was genuine snow rather than the snow/ice/rain mixture we received during much of yesterday and clearing the ways today was easy.   Even the patches of ice sheet that were too firmly attached to the ground for removal yesterday came off readily today on account of the melted water that had mixed into them.

I was reminded of a remark that I heard, years ago, from an acquaintance of mine who lived in the Midwest for several years before moving to the DC metro area.  She said that driving during the winter months is more difficult here than in Chicago.  She was not referring to the erratic behavior of the drivers in this area, as one might expect, but to a different sort of danger.  In Chicago the snow levels tend to be higher and the temperatures during days of snowfall rarely rise above freezing, which means that the snow doesn’t melt on the ground and then freeze overnight, as it does here.  She said that driving over patches of ice that were covered with snow (a frequent experience during the winters here) was some of the most nerve-wracking she had ever done.

As a result of a much saner administration now being in charge, one can concentrate on the matter of the COVID virus itself more intently, without being distracted by side issues.  Dr. Clare Wenham, an assistant professor of global health policy at London School of Economics, has said that the return to life going on completely as normal will not occur until the appropriate vaccinations are globally distributed.   This, according to the data she’s compiled, will not occur until about two years from now.  The amount of travel that goes on among countries means that any country that has a high percentage of people vaccinated might still be risk if a variant of the COVID virus is brought in from another country that is less well-vaccinated. 

With regard to vaccinations, several days have elapsed since I filled out the online questionnaire confirming that I fell into Category 1B and was thus eligible to receive one.  So I contacted the county agency today to inquire about an approximate timeframe in which I might expect to be able to make an appointment to receive the first dose.  The representative’s reply was admirable for its brevity:  “Weeks or months.”  So it appears that my original estimate of getting it in March is, if anything, too optimistic. 

However, about a million doses of the vaccine nation-wide are going directly to pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, so it is just possible I might be able to get one through this alternate source.  Biden has pledged to distributing 100 million vaccine doses in the first 100 days of his administration. That pace, of 1 million doses a day, is already being surpassed, and White House officials say that this goal is “a floor, not a ceiling.”  So it will be seen this administration is being a great deal more responsive to the COVID threat than the previous one – but no more of that, it is so obvious that it is pointless to belabor the matter.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide:  104,374,337; # of deaths worldwide: 2,262,004; # of cases U.S.: 27,025,649; # of deaths; U.S.: 457,856. 

The snowfall continues – International reaction to the coup in Myanmar – Kim Jong-Un clings to his nuclear arsenal – What has become of Kim Jong-Un’s wife? – The Democrats begin to exert their power – Evening statistics

Although I was not out much today I cannot complain about lack of opportunities to exercise.  The mingled snow, ice, and rain coated my driveway and walkways with a thin sheet of ice.  Using a shovel alone was not very effective; I had to resort to a paint scraper to loosen the ice.  Since the blade of a paint scraper is about 3 inches, clearing the entirety of the driveway was rather a slow process.  There was a little water running underneath the surface of the ice, so it was not as if I were prying it off an inch or so at a time; but bending down to apply the scraper to an area, straightening up to use the shovel, shoveling aside the ice shards pried loose, and then beginning the process over all again, section by section, took up a good hour.  It was done at last, enabling me to drive in and out for various errands without hindrance.  I expect that I will have to do more of the same tomorrow.  The wintry mix continues to fall and it undoubtedly will freeze overnight.  It is not expected to end until late tomorrow.  Cities further north, such as New York, have been getting well over a foot of snow, but here the amount has been only about 2 inches so far.  We may get up to 5 inches total by the end of the snowfall tomorrow, but it is unlikely. 

Biden is now dealing with the first international crisis of his administration.  He has called for the military group that took over the government of Myanmar to restore it to Win Myint, the president, and to Suu Kyi.  Suu Kyi doesn’t have a quite unblemished reputation, having dragged her feet in condemning the oppressive treatment of Rohingya Muslims in the nation; but Myanmar was certainly moving in the direction of democracy under her guidance and she is undoubtedly much less authoritarian than the military clique that is now in control.  Biden has hinted that the U.S. may restore sanctions against Myanmar if the military fails to comply.  Many other countries are calling for the release of the retained leaders.  Reports from Myanmar are conflicting, but the conditions there appear chaotic.  Television signals have been cut across the country, as was phone and internet access in Naypyitaw, while passenger flights were grounded. Phone service in other parts of the country was also reported down, though people were still able to use the internet in many areas.  Many are hastening to remove the bright red flags of Suu Kyi’s party that adorned their homes and businesses until yesterday. Very long lines formed at ATMs as people waited to take out cash, efforts that were being complicated by internet disruptions.

Ryu Hyeon-woo, the high-placed diplomat who defected from North Korea, has stated that Kim Jong-Un  will never give up his nuclear arsenal, no matter how insistently the U.S. calls out for the country’s denuclearization.  The stability of his regime depends on them, in his view at least.  He may be willing to negotiate an arms reduction for relief from the international sanctions crippling Pyongyang’s economy, but that is the extent to which he will go. 

There are odd reports, or I should more precisely say, rumors, about him yet again.  Ri Sol-Ju, his wife, was last seen in public on January 25, 2020, more than a year ago.  There is probably less definite information about her than about any other living spouse of a national leader.  No one knows exactly when she and Kim married, nor who her relatives are, nor how many children they have, nor, most importantly, whether she has disappeared from the public view on account of the pandemic or simply because Kim has tired of her and put her aside.  It is even possible that she has been executed.  She would not be the first relative he has treated in that fashion if so.

The Democrats are starting to flex their muscles now that they have control of both Houses, and one of their first projects is to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House Budget Committee and the Education and Labor Committee.  Ms. Greene, a blandly venomous young woman, has questioned the reality of the Sandy Hook massacre, even to the extent of harassing the parents of some of the victims, has advocated violence against Nancy Pelosi, and has propagated the notion that wealthy Jewish Rothschild family started the worst of the California wildfires by firing a powerful laser at the state from outer space.  The Democrats have given the GOP an ultimatum:  either the GOP removes her from the committees, or the Democrats themselves will attend to the matter by setting up a vote in the chambers this coming Wednesday.  Neither alternative is very appealing to the GOP, of course.  Either they will have to admit that they blundered badly by placing her on the committees in the first place, or a member of their party will be removed from the committees in an even more public manner if they fail do so themselves.  Mitch McConnell’s “long game” does not appear to be playing out very well.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide:  103,912,620; # of deaths worldwide: 2,246,842; # of cases U.S.: 26,905,284; # of deaths; U.S.: 454,104.