Pandemic, Week 64 (Just Ducky)

This week, former lieutenant general and National Security Adviser who pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI before he was pardoned by Trump, Michael Flynn, appeared to voice support of overthrowing the U.S. government, at QAnon affiliated event in Texas. At the same time, reports surfaced that Trump expects to be "reinstated as President" in August.  Meanwhile, Facebook announced that its ban on Trump will continue through at least January 2023 due to his post being, "a serious risk to public safety." Trump also ended his blog after only 29 days of publication due to "measly readership," and is now looking for a new platform. Texas democrats blocked a vote on a proposed voter suppression law by leaving and denying republicans a quorum. The governor has responded by stating he'll add the bill to a special session on gerrymandering later this year. A ransomware attack is causing a shortage of beef in the U.S. Tennis star Naomi Osaka dropped out of the French Open after she was fined for refusing to participate in post-match press conferences. A new report by American intelligence officials finds no evidence that UFOs reported by Navy pilots are in fact alien spacecraft.

The world reached 173.7 million COVID cases and 3.7 million deaths this week. While the U.S. still has the highest total number of COVID cases and deaths at 34.2 million and 612,000 respectively, it was revealed that Peru actually has the highest COVID-related death rate in the world after their data was revised. Total vaccination rates in the U.S. hit 51 percent with 42 percent of the population having been fully vaccinated, including, as of Thursday, Owen. In order to boost vaccination rates, West Virginia announced a gun lottery as well as hunting and fishing licenses for life, for residents who's received at least one dose of the vaccine by Father's Day.

But for us, this week was all about pets. Sadly, Test Subject 1, Test Subject 2 and Rutabaga all went to that big aquarium in the sky this week (I'm not sure that's how that actually works), leaving us with just Godzilla and King Kong. Fortunately, we were not lacking in animal companionship for long as Katherine and Nora had previously plotted that we would cat-sit Ducky – the cat that Katherine and Nora either saved or kidnapped (it's still unclear) two years ago while vacationing in Duck, NC – while Katherine and Adrienne vacationed in Antigua. Sadly, Antigua had a spike in COVID cases forcing them to largely shut down and Katherine and Adrienne to reschedule their trip. One would think that this would render our cat-sitting unnecessary, but apparently you'd be wrong. And so Ducky is staying with us (specifically with Nora) for the week.

And despite Nora's aspirations to the contrary, just for the week.

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