Face masks, symbolism, and Covid-19

Someone said that Trump Derangement Syndrome would be exemplified if Trump came up with a cure for SARS-CoV2. People with it wouldn't take the cure because "Trump".

Likewise, people laughed at Trump's suggestion that they wear a scarf for protection against the coronavirus. The same people now wear scarves, or face masks.



OK, masks really aren't that effective at protecting you from SARS-Cov2. The virus is small enough it can travel through the pores of pretty much anything except something like an N95 mask. Toss in that it needs to be worn properly to offer any protection: cover the face, not touched, and cleaned every day.

Most of the masks being sold come with disclaimers that they are not medical-grade. Sellers can't make medical or health claim that the masks offer protection unless they are medical grade.

Lots of debate about the utility of wearing masks among the science crowd. And watch the video before making fun of people who aren't wearing masks. WHO said that they aren't helpful. CDC "recommends" them. It reminds me of this interaction from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

BARMAN: You really think the world's going to end?
(Ford nods yes) Shouldn't we lie down or put a bag over our heads or something?
FORD: If you want.
BARMAN: Will it help?
FORD: Not really.

The reality is that there isn't a vaccine, and there probably won't be one out there anytime soon. There has been research on a coronavirus vaccine since the 2002-04 SARS outbreak. The optimistic timeframe is that there will be a vaccine available in another 12-18 months. There is also talk about "Social Distancing" lasting until the end of 2022.

And a cure. Just say "hydroxychloroquine", the medicine Trump has a fixation on. But it's a good example of the search for a "cure". It is indeed a drug that has gotten a lot of scrutiny in the medical world. Like the other cures out there, there is a lot of disagreement about its efficacy for treating SARS-CoV2. In other words, there also isn't a cure out there either.

The upshot of all this is that unless you are indoors, the masks are superfluous. Indoors, the masks are helpful, but don't kid yourself about getting protection from one. The symbolism is that you are doing something. I feel the same way Ford does about all this. But I don't have a Sub-Etha Sens-O-Matic to hitch a ride with.

So, I go with the flow since I have the luxury to do so. But I understand the frustrations of those who don't. You have my sympathy.

"Creepy Joe" Biden's basement campaign

I didn't think the Democrats could come up with a worse candidate than Hillary Clinton.

And then they made Joe Biden the "presumptive nominee".

Hillary needed to be roped off to keep her away from the public. Joe Biden needs to be stuck in a basement to keep him from the public.

Biden's campaign knows this is a good strategy. Their basic campaign strategy is to have Biden "stay alive" and hope Trump Derangement Syndrome delivers him the presidency. That's because even Biden will tell you to examine his record and if you don't like what you see, then you should vote for the other guy!

Biden does best as Max Headroom, the virtual candidate who spouts nonsense. He has to do interviews with friendly media. Even Rachel Maddow was pleading for Biden to show himself a while back. Covid-19 provides the perfect reason for being in the basement. Or so it would seem.

There are better reasons why Joe Biden is Hidin' Biden, and Covid-19 isn't one of them. The record of misconduct with women which is a reverse Brett Kavanaugh (Blasey Ford was the first women to complain about Kavanaugh. Tara Reade is one of many women who have complained about Biden.). The Dems will try and sweep this under the carpet, but it only makes the #metoo a hollow slogan if they run Biden.

Biden being the "presumptive nominee" stinks given that his record is out there for examination. Nathan J. Robinson's Democrats, You Do NOT Want To Nominate Joe Biden is out there in more than enough forms to not be ignored.



There is more than enough material out there on why making Biden the nominee was a mistake. The basement campaign may seem like the answer, but running something that has been stuck away in an attic or basement really isn't the answer.

Anyway, don't blame anybody or anything other than the Democratic establishment if the result is another four years of Donald Trump.

Why Tara Reade's allegations against Joe Biden matter: even if you want to wish them away.

Joe Biden should not be the "presumptive" nominee, let alone the actual nominee. He has run at least two previous campaigns which he lost (1988 and 2008). His campaign was considered dead until Barack Obama made a few phone calls which resulted in the opposition pulling out. Sanders ended up putting his campaign in limbo, although some die hards plan on voting for him if they can in upcoming primaries.

But Biden's ascendency has made it even more obvious that the primary process is a sham. An otherwise dead candidacy has become the "presumptive nominee" while someone who ran a couple of the most popular campaigns ever is shut out of the process. Not that this should come as a surprise for anyone who is a true progressive since the Democratic Party has long held a disdain for anyone who is truly progressive.

Saying that Biden is like FDR is a total joke since the candidate politically most like FDR, Sanders, was shut out of the race. FDR had to fight to get what little of his New Deal agenda he could past the establishment Democrats of the 1930s and 1940s. But all that is not as salient as to WHY Biden should not be the nominee.

There are loads of reasons Biden should not be the nominee, and Tara Reade is only one of many examples of Biden's issues with "unwanted attention" to women. It is not nothing anyone familiar with Biden didn't know: as this clip from John Stewart's Daily Show from 24 February 2015 shows.

It's one thing to try and write off Tara Reade, but Reade is in no way the first unlike Christine Blasey Ford, Brett Kavanaugh's accuser. These accusations against Biden are nothing new. If anything, they are so prevalent that wilful ignorance by Biden supporters makes their #metoo hypocrisy nauseating.

Although, one can accept Biden's being as bad, if not worse than Trump, yet also be willing to vote for Biden by showing their Trump Derangment Syndrome. The simple explanation is that "Trump is bad" works for them.

Not that there aren't alternatives. Sticking by Biden is where the hypocrisy is most annoying given his history with this issue.

I Demexited in 2016. Although, I registered Democrat again to vote for Sanders in the hope that might make a difference (so much for your argument for "Closed Primaries"). True, registering as a Democrat was a waste. I will again vote Green this year since it gets harder and harder to vote for a duopoly candidate.

But don't blame those of us who are willing to vote Third Party if your candidate loses. The writing is on the wall for Joe Biden. It has been since the failed effort at impeachment made it clear that Biden was as corrupt as Trump (still crickets from Burisma in regard to my job application). Biden is a loser. Biden is even more of a loser in light of the current situation with Covid 19 (I felt a need to be more specific since Biden is a loser in general).

And don't blame anybody but yourselves when Trump is reelected.

Joe Headroom Biden

People can be really nasty, only the other day I heard someone say: "he's nothing but a robot, covered in makeup, talks a lot of nonsense..What a way to talk about the future president of America!"



Seriously, hidin' Joe Biden is doing a virtual campaign in a manner that reminds me of Max Headroom. Headroom was a fictional artificial intelligence (AI) character, known for his wit and stuttering, electronically altered voice. Loads of nonsequiturs thrown in for good measure.

Jeezus! That does sound like Biden!

I have to wonder why the Democrats are bothering to run a campaign because it seems that we are being steered toward another four years of Donald Trump.

Vote Biden, Get Kinnock.

I could give so much material to the Trump Campaign (still haven't heard back from Burisma despite my qualifications). On the other hand, Joe's use of Neil Kinnock deserves this picture from Spitting Image.

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