Hiking in Cunningham State Park – The cynicism of Richard Burr – China’s heartfelt concerns about foreign foodstuffs – The tribulations of Russia – Muted Halloween – Evening statistics
I went with the Wanderbirds to hike in Cunningham State Park, going via the Catoctin Trail to the Cat Rock Trail, clambering over the rock formation at Cat Rock, then descending to the Old Misery Trail (much more inviting than its name would suggest), walking along the road to return to the Catoctin Trail, and going from there to the manor parking area. The day varied between intervals of sunlight and overcast skies with brief sprinkles. It was a curious experience climbing up Bob Hill. It has been years since I have last completed it, and at that time I remembered it as being quite strenuous. Now it did not seem to me especially difficult, for during the interval I have gone up far more challenging ascents. It was a long climb, to be sure (about 1½ miles in distance) and it ascends about 1000 feet, but much of the grade is moderate and some areas are nearly flat. For much of the distance from the parking area to the top of Bob’s Hill I scarcely slowed down at all.
Virginia has had its issues with the pandemic, but those confronting its neighbor to the south are somewhat more acute. Richard Burr, a senator from North Carolina, is currently under a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation concerning himself and his brother-in-law engaging in insider stock trading. This particular instance of insider trading was not dubious merely in a financial sense. Publicly, Burr was co-authoring op-eds reassuring the public that the United States was prepared to confront the virus in early 2020. Privately he was dumping stocks in anticipation of the virus expanding to pandemic levels, which of course it did. He never shared the warnings he and other Congress members were receiving from U.S. intelligence agencies, apparently for purely financial reasons. This willingness to sacrifice the health and safety of his constituents for the sake of his investments marks a degree of turpitude unusual even for a United States Senator.
Chinese state media has been promoting the theory that the spread of the coronavirus is caused by various foodstuffs, such as lobster from the U.S, beef from Brazil, and shrimp from Saudi Arabia. By an amazing coincidence, China is engaged in trade wars with all three nations. It probably is not a surprise to anyone that no study outside of the country confirms such claims. Nonetheless, China is restricting exports on the basis of this study, as well as using it to counter growing international concerns about Wuhan as the epicenter of the virus.
While virus infections are declining in the U.S and much of continental Europe, they are increasing in Russia. The nation has sustained nearly 41,000 new infections yesterday, the largest recorded since the virus began to be monitored in 2020. There is reason to believe, also, that both cases and deaths are severely under-reported. Vladimir Putin has ordered a non-working period from Oct. 30 to Nov. 7, during which most state agencies and private businesses will suspend operations. Moscow introduced the measure beginning Thursday, shutting down kindergartens, schools, gyms, entertainment venues, and most stores. Restaurants are restricted to takeout or delivery. Food stores, pharmacies and companies operating key infrastructure remain open. Unvaccinated people older than 60 have been ordered to stay at their homes. Only about one-third of all Russians are fully vaccinated.
Tonight is Halloween. It always is a gamble trying to gauge how much candy to purchase for the trick-or-treaters. The turnout in my neighborhood has traditionally been on the low side; the parents prefer to organize private events restricted to families of other children that are friends of their own. Tonight probably has seen the lowest turnout I can remember. Only a few children were walking on the streets in costume and hardly any knocked at my door. I don’t know whether this is a consequence of the pandemic or whether parents are simply becoming more reluctant to allow their children to go trick-or-treating, even with supervision. Probably a bit of both.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 247,445,338; # of deaths worldwide: 5,014,737; # of cases U.S.: 46,823,785; # of deaths; U.S.: 766,297.