I am not posting this on facebook...

It seems that ... NO, we have community spread of the new coronavirus in Iksan. I suspected as much. I just hoped that it was not the case. In the past, I have seen colds, or the flu pass right through the staff at places where I have worked. Somethings are just inevitable. People even here have become way too lax. People holding parties with people from different regions, or cities. Others who have gone back to traveling, camping, dining out have led to this. Humans love being around other humans.

I was on my way to work powerwalking my way there. I actually like my job. I enjoy where I work. Now, after some time I feel that we have a special synergy at our school. We are working more in synch as time. So, when I got the news that we are shutting down just for today ... hopefully just for today. My inner microbiologist and immunologist tells me it might be for a longer period of time.

I am angry at certain members of our community here in Iksan. I feel that they should have taken this more seriously. They have been socializing in large groups for weeks. When we decided to lift our own lockdown, we met them. They told us that they missed us and wondered where we were. WHAT??? My boss and I have basically been doing the same thing. Him more than me. My boss shut his school down for THREE WEEKS. He obviously lost business, even some students (actually some of them came back). Other school owners cared more about money and shut down for only 1 week. During that time back in late February and mid-March many foreigners treated it like a holiday! Traveling to resorts, going to bars, arranging parties.

Ok, I am going to play some Archeage. I need to calm down. The stupid questions people asked us. Now there are 4 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Iksan in one area.

I will likely be posting daily as we get through this. DO NOT TRUST the numbers on the internet. They are delayed in Korea, not in real-time. Those 4 cases will be added tomorrow.

/tata

Middle of the week...

Hump days always fly by for me. At the moment we are in the first rainy season of the year. When it ends true summer will start. It looks like this year will be like last summer a real scorcher. We will be putting in a screen door so we can have cross ventilation in our apartment. It is a good thing we have a dog because a screen door means any curious person can walk right in. Well drunks are always an issue stumbling into the wrong apartment.

So we MIGHT get a second air conditioner if it gets too bad. I guess we will know around the second week of July.

In other news this summer vacation we wanted to look into submitting Jeyo's papers for his OCI card. But it is time for George to get his GED. This pandemic meant we had to stay away from Seoul where the test centers are. Perhaps this summer vacation we can split the jobs. Get Jeyo's OCI first, then return to schedule a GED test for George. Even if we can not get the test done the OCI is more important if we have to leave Korea due to an outbreak that closes schools. We need to be ready for anything. One thing is sure the world order is changing. People do not fully understand microbiology how things can mutate. This shows just how the world even with advanced technology we can not stop pandemics. People just don't listen, or they lie and pass blame.

Ok time to get this hump day started!

/tata

Candian cops in the news.

You know sometimes things are labeled as racism just because of the current popular narrative. In Canada a woman whose family was worried about her (I think they felt she was depressed, just my two cents). This woman who happened to be black lived in an apartment that was on the 24th floor.

The news reported this: Black woman falls from 24th floor apartment after police show up at her place. Then the article goes on to vilify the cops. I showed it to my brown wife since color matters. She said … "she jumped, sounds like she committed suicide".

Another case a mentally ill man who was also of African descent died after police felt they had to use a fire arm, after using a taser and plastic bullets to subdue him. However, if you read more you can figure out that the cops did not listen to his family members. They told the cops that the man is afraid of people in uniform. They suggested that they should go with the police and talk him down together.

The cops didn't listen so this resulted. Racism, or not listening … you be the judge.

Like I have said before police violence in Black communities in America is real. Very real. However, the cops who are doing the beating are not ONLY white. This issue in America is complex. America started on racism (the reasons are another story but not unique to human history). Due to this we have to realize what we see today has been with America since the beginning.

Ok I have to go!

/TATA

A new spike, and Corona virus says "I don't care what the weather is".

So here in South Korea one of the most under mentioned nations in the world who knows how to deal with this pandemic, is experiencing a outbreak. It is occurring in small pockets spread out across the nation. It appears summer like weather does not slow this thing down.

This means more outbreaks that can cause massive increases in the number of infections. Soon we will all need to be tested just to keep our visa status. This means that if I fail a test, I will be in limbo. Until I am no longer sick. This sucks this will be the norm. It seems people are getting stubborn they do not want to lock down again. The lost in money is just too much for people and governments to bare.

I was always worried if this virus was resistant to higher atmospheric temperatures. Now it seems that it is. So we will be living with this for another 2 or even 3 years. Unless we find a vaccine. At this time there are over 9 million who have tested positive, while 470,000 have died. People are still ignoring social distancing rules. My family will go into a modified locked down for 3 weeks. This means we stay in our neighborhood, no social events. Right now there is a birthday party on Wednesday night. So we can't attend due to work. However, other meetings will likely be planned and we will decline. Better safe than sorry. I hate it, but it is needed.

I actually like Monday but with 3 new cases locally that likely exposed dozens of others, this Monday is a somber one. My mask isn't coming off, and I use a secondary filter under the mask. Also I was my hands more than 10 times a day! Mostly at work!

Stay safe! This thing is deadlier than is being reported. 9 million have been TESTED. positive. There are millions of others who have not. Especially in China, America, Brazil, major European countries also Latin America, and Africa we can not really know the real numbers of those who are infected.

Ok time to go!

/tata

Black lives matter...

You know this issue that is facing us today, has come up in the past. I have mentioned this before but the black community has been under attack since slavery. Most white Americans who are middle class or higher will not understand this. Poor white communities will. They are getting shot and beaten by cops as well.

The American police force has a culture of violence. They shout at the top of their lungs instead of discussing issues. They should NOT be cursing, shouting, drawing weapons as a first recourse. Americans we need to do the same as citizens. We also raise our voices and act like fools instead of calming and respectfully talking about issues. Our society is sick and in a very sad state. Black lives matter is relevant but it DOES ignore other communities who suffer due to our mostly violent police force. There was a video on Facebook of a black officer beating an older white man, then using a taser on him Other white officers arrived and helped him. Seriously we like to be divided in a world that hates us...for good reason but that is another story.

Ok class time.

/tata

Wearing a mask since late February

Since the last week of February we have been wearing masks outside, and at work. I have noticed something. Usually, as the season changes, I normally get a sore throat. Normally, it is mild flu-like symptoms. I get this without fail every year. I usually get it from my students, it is seasonal. Since wearing a mask...I have not gotten sick at the usual times. In fact, normally I catch a cold too. However, since I started wearing a mask...I have not gotten sick. No colds, no mild seasonal flu..NOTHING. I also have not irritation due to the micro dust that China, and South Korea produces. (Koreans claim it is only from China, yet when the waste plants burn plastic in Korea, the air quality becomes terrible.)

Ok Alan, and Lydia are at my desk. So I have to go.

/Tata!

400.000 deaths.....

We, humans, are fascinated with numbers. Yet years lets say 100 years ago it was harder to come by the numbers killed and affected by the Spanish Influenza (another coronavirus). I should not that it did not originate in Spain. Ok back on the numbers. At that time it was very hard to get real-time numbers. Actually, many countries lied, or covered up the fact that many thousands were dying in their jurisdictions.

By today's estimates, around 20 million died worldwide 100 years ago. Today we are better at counting and tabulating figures. However, we are also subject to the same issues as 100 years ago. Governments are counting deaths that are related to this infection as a COVID-19 related death. Then there are many people who were not counted simply due to the lack of information at that time. Also, the numbers are based on tested individuals. I am so sure that we have thousands more in Korea who were infected with coronavirus but they showed very mild symptoms. We have likely lost a lot more than 400,000 souls. Likely it is millions. China lied about its numbers. I am sure some American states are doing the same thing. Everyone is concerned about reopening to keep economies running so that people are making money.

So I do not believe the numbers. I feel that they are a rough estimate that we can use as a guide. We know that the United States, Europe, and Brazil are badly affected.  Ok, I gotta go class time!

/tata

The heat has begun.

My wife and I had a nice weekend. It was actually a very cool Friday night last. Saturday, it started to warm up. Today it is a scorcher. We will be getting a new ac. One unit will not be enough to cool our place. Although even with one we were able to get through last summer nicely. This week likely the AC will be running.

On the weekend we met some friends. This was after about 3 months of strict social distancing on our part. I really did not want to go due to some common reasons. One: due to the pandemic everyone who gathers in groups will get extra scrutiny. Also, it just isn't a safe thing to do. Yogita, and I have been staying very close to home for about 3 months. The number of new cases in South Korea has dropped so significantly that we felt safe to venture out. We had a nice time taking a train to Daejeon. We did a bit of shopping and promptly returned home. Yogita took a short nap on the train.

We had been invited and we were on the fence about going. Finally, we decided to go. It was ridiculous. Too many people, too loud and rowdy. We left early. It was the last time. I mean the location was in a very densely populated area. It would have been better to have at the most 8 people. I would not mind if we were not in that number. It is just better. Noise is kept at a minimum. I felt odd due to it being the birthday of a friend. However, the game that was played was really suited for people they are VERY close to.

We will likely only meet friends in very small numbers. The maximum for us is 4 o5 5. Actually, 4 is best.

Ok I need to make some photo copies time to go!

/tata

Moles out of Anthills...

You know somethings always surprises me/ In the workplace there is a certain decorum that is needed. You need to show a measure of respect (or just be polite) to others.