More Current Events--Week of February 8, 2021

This is a lot of stuff that is all unrelated, but I'm writing it anyway, to support the impression that I am a real person, and not a robot.

What many people are preoccupied with---including a few of my readers, I'm sure---is the trial of Mr. Trump in the Senate.  I'm not anxious for it to turn out one way or the other; if he is convicted, with support from the GOP senators, it would mean that, as a party, they do not condone his conduct, and the disapproval comes entirely from the Democrats, and is all political, and not just outrage that goes beyond mere anger against the Republican party.  The fact is that there are dozens of categories of people who have supported Trump despite his actions, because he acted and spoke for a lot of them, in some ways that go beyond the proper way to speak and act.  But these are the objectives that the GOP and the other conservatives wanted; they told themselves that they would address the legality of the actions and the words when it becomes absolutely necessary.  But now, many of them are thinking: if we disregard the irregularity and the dishonesty, we might get a Republican president in 2024!  By then, the pandemic would have been fought vigorously by the Democrats, (and the anger of any young fellows and gals who hate to wear masks will be all directed towards Biden, not Trump, which is fine, right?) and the Dems will drag the economy back, using methods that are risky, and which the Republicans do not have the guts to do, and if there is bad inflation, it will be the Democrats' fault.  The GOP does not want to be blamed for anything; their coalition of quite unrelated philosophies is very fragile, and only anger against the Democrats holds them together; at least that what it looks like to my eyes!

It looks as though I will only get my vaccination by June, unless the stocks of vaccination doses pile up, and Biden and his team get impatient with the restrictions about who gets the virus first, and say: after 75% of the doses get administered on any day, anybody waiting behind the barriers, suitably distanced, and wearing masks, can get a vaccine, up to as many as are available.  The main thing is that (1) the elderly in nursing homes, (2) service workers, e.g. police, firefighters, cafeteria workers, even teachers, (3) medical personnel,  must get vaccinated first.  After that, it pretty much does not matter in what order they get their shots.  There will be plenty of those who do not want vaccinations; what are we to do when they get sick?

Tax returns are due now.  I mean, we have until April, but we've got to work on them.  Some years I get them done in a single day; other years, it takes weeks.

I did not watch the Superbowl; I never do.  I don't mind football; I would watch it if my school was playing, and it was live.  The game is really made for non-experts to watch.  But watching on TV is sort of depraved, I think.  I don't know what to think of this girl reciting poetry at the game!  I think she's wonderful, but . . .

Also, the Australian Open began yesterday, I think (?), and I had forgotten!  I used to play, but I'm terrible!!  We have to pray that it will not be a virus-spreading event.  (It probably will be.)

I wear my mask everywhere.  I think I look actually a little better in a mask, in contrast to most people who probably think masks make them look terrible.  Dear friends: if my request makes a difference to you, please wear a mask, and keep your distance from everyone who doesn't live with you.

Kay