TriGirl

I'll be heading to Hawaii in a couple months as well, but for work. Darn glad Papua New Guinea instituted an on-site PCR test on the day of your travel! It went from "book your test within 3 days before your flight and pay extra for the quick results," to "get a rapid test at the airport in addition, before boarding your flight;" to now "tests at the international terminal will be PCRs and are required for all passengers -- results provided on site." That's awesome. Although, I'll finally get a COVID test. I made it back to PNG before testing was a thing, and haven't left in more than a year. I'm all vaxxed with Pfizer, but have never been tested. At least when I come back, I should only have to quarantine for 7 days instead of 14.

That's the similar logic that says anti-perspirants cause lymphatic cancer. Or for the vet tech who refused to use lidocaine on my cat's skin five minutes before doing a fluid infusion for fear some of the cream would get under his skin once the needle was inserted. Some injections sting because the vaccine being injected is not compatible with raw muscle tissue. Just like other injections hurt because the viscosity is very high and their injection increases the pressure in the tissue (gamma globulin, anyone?). The alcohol dries before the needle is inserted. That trace amount that might get pushed in by a 25- or 23-gauge needle is insignificant and won't cause a stinging sensation. [/end rant] (sorry, those kinds of myths get under my skin. All pun intended)

So, how is asking someone to show concern for their fellow citizens by doing their part to stop the spread of a deadly pandemic any different? (masks, distancing, handwashing, and vaccinations all included)

If only it were that simple, though. The unvaccinated spur the variants, which could end up affecting us all. This supports the suggestion that we'll all be getting annual vaccines along with our shots for influenza (or at a minimum, boosters for COVID every couple of years).

Yeah, this is good. I wonder about those incentive programs -- how are we rewarding the citizens who respect science and their community and got vaccinated early? Giving the same chances of winning to those folks seems fair to me. Aside -- as of today, I'm considered fully vaccinated! Two weeks ago was Dose 2 of Pfizer. Definitely a huge weight off my mind as I live in a hotbed of transmission where apathy abounds and government communication is ineffective. I had to give my housekeeper a brochure we had delivered to the embassy that explains what the vaccine does, its safety, and where to go online to search for vaccination locations. She didn't know what I was talking about when I asked her if she had taken her first dose of vaccine against COVID. Maybe I'll offer her some stubbies for providing a vaccination card!

Getting prepared for my move back to the U.S. later this year, I have been considering what kind of car to buy. I like the Subaru Crosstrek, but also had the Hundai Kona recently turn my head. I just learned today that the Kona is available in EV, in three levels of trim, for what I think is a reasonable price range. Add the tax incentive, and I'm pretty sure that's the car I'm going to purchase. I may have to go to Maryland to pick it up, but that's easy. I can just put it on the auto train for the transport down to Florida.

Yeah -- this time when my license expired (last month), Florida informed me that because I need a Real ID to board a plane, I have to come in person to get my new license. I guess my military ID and my diplomatic passport -- both of which will get me on a plane back to the States -- don't count. It's going to be tougher to rent a car, particularly in New Zealand during my leave enroute, with the former (but here's hoping the passport will do, albeit without an international drivers license). Good thing I'll have family to pick me up at the airport once I get home. I won't be able to rent a car there until I get the new license, either. Florida has been one of the best places in the country for active duty military personnel to claim residency. They'll even send you a new DL with your current mailing address, wherever that is, for as long as you're in the service. Neither this nor the new voting laws are friendly to military personnel registered in Florida. No one who doesn't still have a bill sent to a Florida address will be able to get the new DL. I guess not a Biden criticism, since all this happened well before he was even running for the nomination.

Here in Papua New Guinea, the government closed down all the "bottle shops" (liquor stores) on weekends due to people acting irresponsibly while under the influence. Alcohol could still be purchased in a restaurant, as long as the patron ordered it with food. In the face of the current massive violent surge they closed them all entirely (except the aforementioned restaurant-with-meal exemption). Couple lack of the local beer with a downturn in the economy, it was suggested by an Australian colleague that the National Department of Health should offer 100 kina (approx $30 USD) and a "case of stubbies" (local short-bottle beer). They'd have no problem getting people tested and vaccinated under those conditions!

Former President Trump doesn't drink.

It is actually because of this very event for Gulf War I that military members are no longer allowed to be test subjects (should have happened after WWII, but sometimes we're a bit slow).

These vaccines are approved only for emergency use, therefore all service members are permitted to choose not to take them (only fully approved vaccines are non-negotiable). There is no punishment for not getting vaccinated, but that doesn't mean there are not consequences. For example, PNG is experiencing a violent surge of COVID cases. We pulled out all the visiting forces and sent them home (some were already departing, so the non-vaccinated, longer-term visitors were sent out on the same a/c that came to pick up the departing group). PNG is now listed by State Dept. as Category 4, which means we have a "do not visit" recommendation. The process for getting foreigners permission to visit PNG is arduous; however, I am willing to facilitate military units still trying to come in to conduct civ-mil construction projects and other support activities. One requirement is that each parent command must have their own plan in place for exfil if necessary (not to rely on the embassy). The other is that only vaccinated personnel will be considered for entry. One such group has one member who isn't vaccinated. They pushed back on my refusal at first, but their higher echelon agreed with my assessment and that member will remain behind. Being pulled from that team may not be a punishment, but it is still a consequence.

Sustained.

Plus those cruise ships pay port fees, which are taxed. And he's trying to appeal to the port workers as well, showing that he's fighting to get them "back to work." I agree with his desire to get people earning money again (get back to work, parts of the economy moving), but disagree with how he thinks this should happen ("everyone go on a cruise!").

In Japan people take picnic lunches out to the family tombs to commune with their ancestors at times of the year the veil is thought to be thinnest -- similar thought process as with Samhain, but observed very differently.

Lewis Rothschild : Can I just state very clearly I can't be part of anything illegal. A.J. : Good for you, Lewis. Lewis Rothschild : Say what you want. It's always the guy in my job that ends up doing 18 months in Danbury minimum security prison.

Well, I sort of agree. The name day is one thing, but the description of Patrick as having "chased all the snakes out of Ireland" is a sanitized version of his (reported) exploits of forcibly converting Pagans -- Inquisition-style. I will celebrate/appreciate Ireland. I will not celebrate that.

Nigel, In response to the original question, I have one word: Halloween (note: I had a coworker decades ago who unapologetically replied, when asked what his kids were wearing as costumes that year, that his family doesn't celebrate Halloween traditions. He was what we would now consider evangelical Christian, and had done his homework)

Hi, Wendy, I have advocated in the past for a "maximum wage" for corporate officers. No owner, contractor, officer (or whatever) may receive in wages, incentives, bonuses or other compensation an annual amount to exceed (10x? 15x?) the annual gross income, incentives and bonuses of the (lowest-paid? median? average?) employee (direct hire or contractor) of the corporation. Okay, there are ways of wording that so that you don't count the medical and dental (for either group), and close loopholes. If a corporate officer is getting stock options, then the employees should be getting the same options (lower scale). That way, when the officer makes a windfall when the stock soars, he/she doesn't go above the limit because all the employees have the same gains. The intent is that the company/corporation pays its workers commensurate to what the income is. If the company is doing well, give the employees a bonus so the base calculation goes up (and the officers then get their bigger bonuses). Structure the base pay scale to accommodate for leaner years. Allow a minimum number of employees (to include maintenance and seasonal workers) to be above a certain number before this rule kicks in, to protect small businesses.

And for prices to allow for the pay from those manufacturing jobs to garner a living wage. glass milk bottles -- delivered each morning and the bottles reused/recycled -- would put us back on a good track with the environment, too. I do remember having a milk box on the front porch, and the milk truck driving by early in the morning with the deliveries.

At work. At a public charger. At the store. Via an extension cord out their window. A dozen ways - if they want to. If not? They can buy a gas car and pay for the gas. Freedom! Or take the trains/street cars that are developed to enhance a cleaner public transportation option in the urban areas.

That's what freezers are for!

I’m another who thinks this way. Now we have to ask the question, what office is willing to file charges? If it’s DOJ, it will be regarded by his supporters as political retribution (not that this should be a reason not to do the right thing). Maybe a district court? DC perhaps, since the last “rally” happened there? Same court could bring similar charges against Giuliani, both Trump sons, and others who whipped up the frenzy that day. But the additional charges at least should be levied against the former POTUS, as his tweets and other public — OFFICIAL — statements have been cited by the rioters for bringing them to DC for that very purpose.

I would suggest that you mention during your wife’s appointment that your appointment is six hours later, and describe why. I give it an even chance that they may just take you at the same time. Good luck, and let us know what happens!

Remember in 2017 (and into 2018) his supporters kept saying, “Hillary lost. The election was legitimate. Removing Trump (or proving Russian interference) will not make Hillary the president!” of course, no one was arguing that Trump won the electoral votes, or that the election was legitimate. No one tried to replace him with HRC. Seems they’re still off in their own alternate universe where they think these things can just be overturned by the opposition party wanting it so. We need a serious overhaul of our education system if such a large percentage of the population believes this.

I recall I said this very thing at the beginning of his term: that DOJ lawyers would have a lot of job security, as DOJ would have plenty of violations to investigate. Of course, there were way too many violations TO investigate (and they were prohibited from doing their jobs), but we're still seeing that uptick in legal work thanks to him.