Pandemic, Week 31 (GOTV)

This week the California Republican Party placed unofficial ballot drop boxes throughout the state. Trump, declaring that he was now immune from COVID, returned to the campaign trail this week and held rallies in Florida and Iowa, which locals advertised as a "Superspreader" event and where he offered to "kiss everyone in that audience."  After the President refused to agree to a remote debate following his positive COVID test, competing town halls were scheduled for the candidates. Biden's went on for two hours and was compared by republican operatives to an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood; the Trump town hall lasted only an hour an included the President refusing to denounce QAnon and stating that the only thing he knew about the online conspiracy movement, which the FBI has labeled a domestic terrorist threat, is that "they are very much against pedophilia." The Amy Comey Barrett Supreme Court confirmation hearings concluded with Barrett failing to list all five freedoms protected by the first amendment (she forgot "protest") and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein declaring it one of the best sets of hearing she'd participated in before giving chairman Lindsey Graham a hug.

The world hit a total number of 39.9 million cases of COVID-19 and 1.1 million deaths this week while the the U.S. reached 8.1 million cases and 224,000 deaths. Several European countries reintroduced restrictions due to a rise in the COVID infections: France and Germany imposing curfews and England considering a 2-week lockdown. The U.S. is now bracing for its third wave of the virus.

We returned home from the Chesapeake and to our regular lives. Nora was cast as Little Red Riding Hood and Puss-n-Boots in the latest Stuart-Hobson online play, Virtually Ever After (though she was hoping for Goldilocks). Owen found out that he would be recording the Star Spangled Banner with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for the Washington Football Team and then promptly missed a mandatory rehearsal (and instead got his flu shot). Hundreds of cyclist wearing costumes and adorned with disco lights biked past our house Wednesday night. Nora and I got haircuts (which was my first since March); Allen stopped by his EPA office (the first time since March) to pick up some paperwork. 

But most importantly, I voted (Allen mailed his ballot weeks ago). Please do so as well.

(To see all of this week's pictures click here.)