A brief interval of sun – Closures and openings in Fairfax – Biden and Netanyahu – Tim Boyd, advocate of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle – Ominous portents in Myanmar – Evening statistics
It is the first clear day for over a week – colder than the day before, but feeling much warmer on account of the untrammeled sunlight. I had to enjoy it while I could, for the area is bracing for another winter storm starting early tomorrow. I made preparations so that it will not be necessary to go shopping for the next few days. In the process I have had some culinary success. I made a pot of butternut squash soup flavored with rosemary and grated ginger – it’s quite easy to make, virtually foolproof. And I did some more bread-making, this time following the advice of my fellow-hiker CC and baking the bread dough in a Dutch oven at 485 degrees. It turned out splendidly, with the best crust I’ve ever had from any of my attempts at bread-making in the past, and much better than crusts from the loaves that I buy in the stores. The soup and bread alone were enough to make a hearty dinner, along with steamed broccoli as a side dish and pineapple for dessert. It’s good to prepare a meal of this description on occasion; sometimes I simply am not in the mood for meat.
I confined myself to local walking today, partly because I had to wait at home in the morning for a plumber to unclog drains for the kitchen and for one of the bathroom sinks. Traffic is somewhat closer to the pre-COVID levels, but the area presents a curious mixture of enterprises forced to close on account of the economic situation imposed by the virus and of new enterprises being planned. On one block the lot for a restaurant that was supposed to open in the spring is now vacant and for sale, but in another an old building has been torn down to make way for a newer, more elaborate one that is slated to be sold to anyone who wishes to start a new restaurant. Running a restaurant is a chancy business at the best of times, and I have no doubt that the virus-related restrictions have forced many to close. My aunt in Manhattan tells me that several of the places she used to enjoy for dining out have closed for good.
Biden continues to frustrate his opponents’ predictions of dereliction in his responsibilities. On yesterday’s hike some of my fellow-hikers were deploring the fact that he had not met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that he would prove to be detrimental to Israel’s well-being. Just today he had a long conversation with Netanyahu, in which he pledge support of Israel’s security and of the normalization of Israel’s relations with its neighbors.
Texas has had a number of power outages during a deadly winter storm that has led to a series of cold, dark days and to roads covered with ice. In such times residents normally look to their political leaders to provide some sort of solution or at any rate of reassurance that efforts are being made to fix the issue. So it was a bit of a jolt to the inhabitants of Colorado City when Tim Boyd, its mayor, sent out the following consoling message: “The City and County, along with the power providers or any other services owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout! If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal without and think outside of the box to supply water to your family.” It is a novel approach, I must admit. When I obtain utility services such as water, heat, and lighting that I pay for, I have never regarded myself as being a recipient of “handouts.” And when authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary driving on the icy roads, that circumstance is a bit of disadvantage to anyone foraging for water and fuel. Needless to say, Boyd received intense backlash for this message (which eventually was hastily deleted from his Facebook page) and it is said that he has been forced to resign, although it is unclear whether he actually has done so. The official Colorado City webpage still lists him as mayor.
Biden, incidentally, has been in contact with the governors of the states most greatly affected by the storm, which include Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee. He has notified them that they have access to the Federal government’s emergency resources; and unlike a certain other President I could mention, he made no distinction between Republican and Democratic governors of the states in need.
The situation in Myanmar is worsening. Suu Kyi is still in detention and the military has filed charges against her, signaling its intentions to have a show trial reminiscent of the Stalinist era. The protest marchers have been gaining momentum, with thousands calling for Suu Kyi’s release and for power to be handed back to civilian control. Tom Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said he is “terrified” of the potential for violence if the planned mass protests and military troops converge. He reports that soldiers are being transported from outlying regions to Yangon, the city with the greatest number of protesters. A conflict between the troops and the protesters appears inevitable.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 110,417,513; # of deaths worldwide: 2,439,763; # of cases U.S.: 28,452,936; # of deaths; U.S.: 502,493.