Notices by Augie Ray (augieray@mastodon.social)

I've been warning you that a summer surge of #COVID19 is imminent. Saying that doesn't require ESP or analysis--we've had summer surges of COVID infections for years, and last year's summer surge was worse than our winter.

But, we're beginning to get some idea of the new COVID variants that may cause this surge. A lot of media attention has fixated on NB.1.8.1 (nicknamed "Nimbus" in the COVID-aware community). (1/4)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/05/27/nb181-covid-variant-vaccine-test-booster/83876443007/

It's likely a long way from hitting the market--assuming it would even be approved in the US--but a French company has successfully tested a nasal vaccine that blocks transmission of #COVID19. It involves two nasal immunizations delivered three weeks apart

https://www.inrae.fr/en/news/french-nasal-vaccine-project-against-covid-19-blocks-all-transmission-virus-another-step-taken

Seems fair.

Police pepper-sprayed, tased, and hit a 93-year-old disabled man in a wheelchair. He ended up in the hospital where he contracted #COVID19 and died.

How many people could've prevented this chain of events from occurring?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/19/police-pepper-sprayed-and-tasered-93-year-old-disabled-man-court-hears-east-sussex

This is the way.

A high school freshman track athlete took second place behind a trans athlete, and a Republican leader used the situation to push hateful propaganda. The girl responds:

"I don't feel like first place was taken from me. Instead, I feel like a happy day was turned ugly by a bully who is using children to make political points... No one was harmed by Soren’s participation in the girls’ track meet, but we are all harmed by the hateful rhetoric of bullies, like Rep. Libby."

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't think I've ever seen a politician go from being an interesting Democratic presidential candidate to one completely unworthy. Every single thing Newsom does these days seems to push him further from the Democratic faithful. He's turning into the west-coast Fetterman, and I can't tell if that's a misguided strategy, a desire to run as an independent, a strategy to shift parties, or some sort of brain damage.

https://abc7.com/post/california-governor-newsom-proposes-pausing-expansion-health-care-low-income-immigrants/16413283/

Love this.

1,000 US cases and three deaths from Measles, and it's in all the headlines.

2.7 million US #COVID19 cases in 2025 causing 13,415 deaths, and it's complete silence from the media.

Make it make sense.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/09/measles-hits-1000-cases-for-the-second-time-in-30-years-00337905

https://x.com/BNOFeed/status/1919179417856676072

A sign of a great song is when other artists do great cover versions of it.

Here is Aha's Take On Me done by The Dreggs. It features banjo, cello and great vocal harmonies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11aaY0kY7lM

A couple of months ago I shared another great cover of Take On Me by a punk band from Argentina, Pacifica.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw2uwo6CPKs

The good stock market in 2024 was his doing. The bad stock market 100 days into his term, after his tariff chaos, is someone else's fault. The buck stops somewhere else.

This is who we are now. ICE deported three children who are US citizens and denied their families access to attorneys. One of the children has a rare form of cancer and was deported without their medication or access to their doctor.

If you object and say, "this isn't who I am," let me ask if you are marching, speaking up, or reaching out to your elected officials? If not, then yes, this is who you are--government of the people, by the people, for the people perishes when we remain silent.

I didn't mind if leopards ate other people's faces, but I never thought they'd eat mine!

"Abandon Twitter and go to Bluesky," they said. "It's a better version of Twitter."

News: Bluesky restricts access to 72 accounts in Turkey amid government pressure

Bluesky is just another VC-funded, profit-seeking social platform. The fediverse is inherently better.

https://stockholmcf.org/bluesky-restricts-access-to-72-accounts-in-turkey-amid-government-pressure/

Maybe this explains some people's very strange attitudes about COVID, measles, and other viral infections, but 1 out of every 11 Americans has a FAVORABLE attitude about the Black Plague.

Some 50 million people perished, including perhaps 50% of Europe's population... and some people are like "Hell yeah!" 🙄

https://today.yougov.com/entertainment/articles/51889-violent-dark-dirty-americans-middle-ages

I laughed out loud.

Some act as if they are impervious to #COVID19 infection because they got the latest vaccine. While getting jabbed can be helpful, it is far from a guarantee.

The CDC found that vaccine effectiveness (VE) of last fall's vaccine was just 33% against COVID-19–associated emergency department or urgent care visits and 45%–46% against hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm

Truth!

“I lost my Federal job!”
𝕎𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕧𝕠𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣?

“My business will suffer due to tariffs!”
🆆🅷🅾 🅳🅸🅳 🆈🅾🆄 🆅🅾🆃🅴 🅵🅾🆁?

“My child's special ed program was cut!”
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫?

“I can't get FEMA aid!”
𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖉𝖎𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖛𝖔𝖙𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗?

“My daughter's health is at risk due to ectopic pregnancy!”
𝓦𝓱𝓸 𝓭𝓲𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓿𝓸𝓽𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻?

“My Medicaid is being cut!”
ᴡʜᴏ ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ ꜰᴏʀ?

“My 401k is crashing!”
🅆🄷🄾 🄳🄸🄳 🅈🄾🅄 🅅🄾🅃🄴 🄵🄾🅁?

“I'm worried about my Social Security and Medicare!”
ᗯᕼO ᗪIᗪ YOᑌ ᐯOTE ᖴOᖇ?

Oh, FFS, what the hell is wrong with the media that it must find the most negative possible framing of every news story?

Crime is down. Does the media celebrate this? No, "Auto Glass merchants are suffering!"

"Why I Keep Masking" by Nicholas Russell is a very thoughtful reflection on #COVID19 risks, how the lockdown and masks stigmatized people, and the reasons to keep masking.

"Make no mistake, it would be more convenient if I never had to (mask) again. I don’t cling to my boxes of N95s and often dread wearing them for long periods of time. But, in the grand scheme, it’s a small thing, and worth doing."

https://defector.com/why-i-keep-masking