Day 37: California Under Martial Law Lite (Instutionalized)

Yesterday was the first day that Humboldt was under the order to wear a mask or be hit with a fine, imprisonment, or both! We also got to witness a courthouse protest with signs calling the shelter in place order "oppression." And when our Health Officer and others whose voices are supposed to be the voice of authority in this pandemic talk about the outbreaks lasting into December you can almost hear the glee in their voices as they think of how long they'll be in the public eye.

Anyone paying attention throughout all of this has to have come to the same conclusion as I and others: those in "control" don't know what they fuck they are doing. That simple. They can use computer projections (as has been done in Humboldt). They can look at past pandemics. They can use the science of bleach. Whatever. But at this point I think they sanest, smartest, most prudent and common sense thing to do is wash your hands, wear a mask (unlike what they first said), limit being in groups, and open everything back up slowly. Either that or have a total shut down (no cops, not hospital workers, no grocery stores open) until the virus either dies out or there is a vaccine, which can't be made because we have a total shut down. As long as the half ass measures are in place, we drag this out to infinity. Of course, dragging it out keeps the media's eye on people like our Health Officer and others as they become the focal point, the wise Yoda-like people who can guide us to safety.

It's all such bullshit. Open back up slowly. Those who want to stay at home can. Take precautions, like you would during flu season only ramped up a bit. Stop letting fear dictate. You'll be better off for it.

Day 34: California Under Martial Law Lite (Destruction Is Progress)

Over the past few days Humboldt has witnessed some interesting turn of events. While our positive cases remains under 55 with no deaths and something like 50 recovering, it turns out one of the infected works at Target.

You can imagine the shit show on social media that followed.

Expect more. Get Covid.

People were chiming in, freaking out over a Target employee, who worked the late shift for the store's renovation, testing positive. Many were sure they were going to get infected now. The article that Lost Coast Outpost ran initially said Target was working with the employees to keep the workplace safe. The comments that followed said otherwise, however. One person said her sister worked at Target and was displaying symptoms of Covid-19. The employee had been staying home, but according to her sister, Target was calling her and hassling her to come back to work, telling her she didn't have the virus. I could not resist but commenting that if her sister was willing to talk to the media, she should contact the Lost Coast Outpost and tell the journalists there what was happening.

So she did.

The next day two interesting things happened: Lost Coast Outpost ran a story that put Target under the spotlight when it came to employee's safety and Humboldt Health Officer Frankovich issued a mandatory mask order to take place Friday, as our Sheriff Honsal called for the economy to reopen.

That tells you all you need to know right there.

Let's tackle the mask issue first. When this all started the edict on masks was: they don't help, they aren't recommended. We were to leave them for the medical professionals. Then things changed a bit. They became recommended. Now in Humboldt, as in many other places, they are "mandatory" to be worn if you are in any place other than your residence or wherever physical distancing (they have started to use the term, too, finally) can't be practiced. In all of this, however, I did not read what would happen if you refused to wear one. Would you be sent home without your groceries? Would you be fined? If it were so serious I would expect a hefty fine for violating such an order from an esteemed member of the government. Or, if it is really so serious, why can't you be jailed or shot? No word on the penalty, but that is secondary as to what the mask order means.

The mask order means only one of two things. The first choice is the one people come to naturally. That is, the numbers Humboldt has been pumping out on its infected and dead are lies and it is far worse than what we are being told. That would mean the shelter in place and physical distancing orders aren't working and the dead are piling up. This just isn't happening. I've delved into it. I've talked to medical professionals. I can find no proof that this is going on, which means the other option is what is happening, and it could result in the number of infected and dead increasing.

Government officials and capitalism's apologists have been crying for the economy to open back up. There is some valid points to their concerns, but all those points should be taking a back seat to people's health. Dead people tend not to spend money. Regardless, they are clamoring for stores to reopen and business to get back to normal, and it looks like in California that is going to happen probably sooner than it should, and having us wear masks is them saying, "Get ready. Get used to this. This is our last measure of protection for you before we open the hobby shops and library." They want to reduce the dead, and this is the way they want to do it. They know more people will be infected, but hope it will be less than projected, and they know the economy will reopen, but hope it will do better than projected. So what can you do?

At this point it is obvious that the government is trying to appease both sides while doing nothing substantial about either. When it comes down to it, it will err on the side of the economy because people can always pump out more kids, but a recession is difficult to recover from and can take years. So you have to protect yourself. They may reopen the economy, but I would advise that if you care about your health and safety, don't participate in it as much as you did before. Only go out when you need to until all this dies down. You are not responsible for businesses succeeding. Listen to the medical professionals and not government officials. They are the last people you should be listening to in this case. They don't have your best interest in mind, and see you as nothing but a number. Hey, remember when they thought $1,200 was not only enough to buy your compliance, but also thought it would get you through the shutdown? Yeah, that's how out of touch those people are with reality.

So while our Sheriff Lobo and Dr. Moe Howard butt heads over the health of the economy and the health of the populace, they'll continue to make declarations that are possibly quite dangerous and issue orders with no teeth. The medical professionals, meanwhile, are telling the public what is going on, and it looks bad. 

Oh, and stop falling for those Russia planted quarantine protests. Be smarter than that. If you aren't going to believe your government (which you shouldn't), you also don't want to believe and fall for the Russian government's pitiful attempts at sabotaging the country. If you do, don't expect me to be on the other side of the hospital window as you gasp for breath as you die. Well, maybe I will show up, but just to applaud . . .

Day 31: Under Martial Law Lite (Tubthumping)

Humboldt has been under a shelter in place order for over a month now. 31 days. California just one day shorter. What has Humboldt learned?

"I'm smiling, but the 'rona is going to kill you."

Or Health Officer, Dr. Frankovich, who is very new to the job, seems to think this is going to get worse than the dire predictions she has always had. Most people think she doesn't know what she is doing. I would tend to say she's covering her ass and is an alarmist. I'm sure you'd be the same way.

We learned our sheriff, William Honsal, who is a nice guy and a TV star, doesn't like prisoners being released, would rather see people educated about the shelter in place order over being fined, and may also be in over his head. Lots of people tend to think he should be arresting anyone out on the street . . . except them.

We learned that if you howl at eight p.m., you are somehow bonding with others and will defeat Covid-19 with a little noise.

Masks don't work. Wait!  Masks do work.Wait!  Masks are optional  . . . for now.

Bookstores aren't essential (they provide knowledge and entertainment - verboten). Pot stores are totally essential.

There is an awkwardly large number of Humboldt residents who believe the coronavirus is either a hoax, or is an experiment in social control by nearly all the governments in America. There is an almost equal number of people who believe that merely stepping outside during the pandemic will be an instant death sentence. None of these people can be swayed by logic, and it is foolish to try.

Humboldt has also learned that our restaurant owners are some of the most grateful people in the county. I've gone to several of their establishments during this shelter in place order (ain't dead yet), and every single one of the workers there has been so thankful.

What has struck me the most is that I've had my thoughts on government and those in positions of authority confirmed. Government will exploit any crisis it can as a way to enforce its mandates. There are plenty of people who want to help in government, but they are often in over their heads. And those in charge usually shouldn't be in charge because they aren't up to the job. I've learned that while I'm an introvert, I don't like having isolation forced upon me. I've learned I won't howl at eight, and I won't pray. I've learned that I'm not the only one of my friends who feels like he is losing his mind. I've learned some truly disappointing things about my job. I'm learning a hell of a lot about Amazon (I'm reading a book on it). But what I've mostly learned is that people don't have a fight in them. Instead of demanding accountability from the government, they demand to be able to go to church. Instead of calling for the president's head, they demand that their governors let them congregate in groups so they can die.

I'm ready to fight back. Fight back against it all. In any way I can. In every way I can. Against the government. Against the fools who think it's all a hoax. Against those who think it's an instant death sentence. At some point, logic, common sense, freedom, and decency has to win the day. If not, it won't be a virus that kills us. It will be stupidity and cowardice. That's suicide.

What have you learned? What will you do?

Day 30: California Under Martial Law Lite (Falling To Pieces)

If it wasn't obvious to you before, it should be by now. The people running the show have no real idea what they are doing. Shelter in place versus "herd immunity." Masks versus no masks. Governors decide their own fate versus liberate your state. It's not just King Idiot Trump who doesn't have a clue. It's our governor, Newsom. It's our Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Frankovich. The messages are conflicting (we go several days with no new cases here in Humboldt, and we've had no deaths, but Frankovich says we're just at the beginning of the pandemic and some other health "expert" says he expects Humboldt to have 40 deaths by June - yet we only have 3 people hospitalized).

If I'm being honest, though, I think this is the best they can do, and that is awfully scary. I've taken to talking to people in the front lines like nurses and people working in emergency centers who are coordinating efforts and it is very clear by talking to them that the powers that be in Humboldt, California, and the rest of the nation have no idea what they are dealing with . . . and the media keeps stoking fears like incredibly high death rates, shelter in place orders until 2022, alcoholism spiking, and so on. The mental health issues everyone is fearing won't come from sheltering in place. It will come from listening to the media and our dolts in positions of authority.

The citizens of Humboldt are all over the place about it, too. They are the hoax people, the people who think their freedom is being taken away, those who just want everyone to stay home all the time, and the ones who think knowing what towns most of the cases are in will somehow save their lives. There are those who feel a need to howl at eight at night. There are those who are so scared they've cut off communication. It's across the board and it is obvious that everything is falling to pieces, and the solution is not going to be pretty no matter what happens.

Let your mind be your weapon.

Here we remain, just as polarized as before. Political views haven't changed, either. And what's worse, we were divided before, but now we are literally divided. If we don't start making some personal connections soon, you can bet things will get worse no matter how much you howl.

What do you want to see changed, and how do you want to do it? Do you think this is a hoax? Why? Let's hear it. It's okay if we don't agree, but we ahve got to be civil, and we have to have a solid argument. If not, it's just like Trump, Newsom, and Dr. Frankovich. It's just like spinning your intellectual wheels with no goal in mind and little gas left in the tank. The more rational are seeing this happen more and more, and we don't like where it's going.

So let it fly. What are your thoughts? Let's connect here and hash them out. I'm waiting.

Day 21: California Under Martial Law Lite (Fuck Armageddon, This Is Hell)

By the end of day 19, Humboldt county hit the half century mark of people testing positive for Covid-19, the little virus that could. 50. That's anniversary material. Unfortunately, not many are wanting to celebrate this milestone. An odd proclamation from Humboldt's Health Officer, Dr. Frankovich, came on the heels of the number reveal party. She stated we were just at the beginning of the pandemic. Obviously, this caused some questions.

We were at day 19 of the shelter in place order. The virus' incubation period is 14 days. I understand that not everyone follows the order to the letter, but . . . Humboldt's been pretty much like a ghost town since it went into effect because people have, for the most part, taken it very seriously. I'm not expecting the number of infected to go away, but logic dictates that there should not be any massive spikes or even a drastic increase over time. If anything, it should be pretty steady sailing from here on out, though the numbers will most likely increase before they decrease . . . unless the shelter in place order did not really mean much at all.

Some have surmised that Frankovich knew a shelter in place order would not make any difference at all, and that it was a power play, an end run around Constitutional rights. I believe, however, that it does matter and she just wants people to remain vigilant. She wants people to continue taking precautions. After all, she just got her position at the end of January 2020, and probably fears losing it if she makes a bad decision and instead of 50 cases we have 5,000. Saying we are just at the start of it, however, makes one wonder just how bad she thinks it will get.

California says, "You get to go out when I say so."

Humboldt enacted its shelter in place order right before the state enacted its order. Humboldt is usually pretty proactive in these things. It wasn't much before the state, though. Not that it matters either way because California acted early. While other states' leaders were busy jerking off the public, California decided to play the dominatrix who would not grant you sexual release. It was time to get serious. Time to act responsible. Time to hoard toilet paper. We acted early, and it is, by all counts, saving lives.

Some have said that Dr. Frankovich is power hungry. I've never met her, so I can't say. She does wield some power, and she has plenty to lose. If people violate the shelter in place and get sick, she still gets blamed. She is in one of those no-win situations. Damned if she does. Damned if she doesn't. Saying we are just at the beginning of the pandemic, though, causes the more rational among us to question her motives and her numbers. Obviously not all information is being released to the public, but is the behind-the-scenes action so bad that her proclamation will seem prophetic in the weeks to come? Is she positioning herself to take more control away from the people? These are the questions being asked, but the most obvious answer is that she is being cautious, and that is probably correct. But . . . this is also about control and an experiment in how easy it is to pull off.

With all that in mind, guess what happened on day 20, where Humboldt was just at the "beginning" of the pandemic. Nothing. No new cases. Still only three unfortunate souls hospitalized. An amended order about essential businesses did come out earlier in the day, however. Bookstores can't be open, but pot shops can. What does that tell you about the natural order of things? It tells me everything I need to know.

An educated public is dangerous. A stoned public is easily controlled. Actions speak louder than words.