It’s been a hot while, but the Manx is meowing again. Yes, folks, the calico kitty is back, with some short news items for y’all. And this time, it’s all about the imminent end of the world. So strap in and get yourselves a drink…
…because you’ll be needing it. Ready? Here we go!
First off, it’s getting so bad in Thailand that even the local monkeys are running riot. Why? No tourists to feed them! Practically nobody wants to travel right now. And who can blame them, with whole countries (buongiorno, Italy) under lockdown? And with mass graves (hello, Iran) so large that they’re visible from space? And with whole cruise ships, banned from docking at their usual ports of call? Even Canada is considering closing its border with the US because COVID-19 cases there have been cropping up at a frightening pace.
Yes, that all sounds alarming. And it should spur us to act properly; as the SARS and MERS crises have shown, taking swift precautions against the spread of the virus is the best way to prevent mass hospitalizations (and mass deaths, too). But panic buying is not the way to deal with it, people. There’s enough toilet paper to go around. Picking the store shelves bare just because you might need to self-isolate for a couple of weeks is counterproductive, and trying to corner the market on antiseptic wipes and hand sanitizer, with an eye to reselling, will only lead to more sick people in the immediate future, and a huge backlash against the profiteers later. (Also, Ms. Manx would like you to remember that the stockmarkets are not the real economy, and that panic dumpers, like panic buyers and panic profiteers, can go fuck themselves.)
But if you think alarming news reports are bad, remember that denial ain’t no river in Egypt, Cleo. Two of FUX Snooze’s more idiotic “journalists” are off the air because they got too stupid even for Rupee Murdoch’s ultra-partisan crapaganda machine. Donnie Drumpf is still in denial, too, refusing to take responsibility, and claims to have tested negative for the virus; hard to believe, given that he interacted with an aide to his fellow fascist in Brazil, who has since come down with the disease. (Ms. Manx is glad to hear, however, that Sophie Trudeau is recovering well since being diagnosed herself.)
Canada is, believe it or not, at the forefront of this struggle, and the successes are mounting even if the climbing case numbers don’t seem to offer much encouragement right now. A team of scientists at Sunnybrook Hospital and U of T (Toronto) and McMaster University (Hamiliton) have isolated the virus. A Canadian doctor is the WHO’s go-to guy in Wuhan and elsewhere (and stow the Newfie jokes, please, says the Manx.) And you’ll never guess who’s already found an effective nature-derived remedy for SARS, Ebola, Zika and maybe, COVID-19. (Hint: He’s the brother of a former prime minister, and the anti-inflammatory agent he found to be remarkably helpful against other killer viruses is present in tea, many foods, and OTC medications and supplements, too.)
Meanwhile, in Italy, people are spreading hope and cheer (and not the virus) from their balconies with songs and encouraging slogans written on flags, and by using humor to help them get through their period of self-isolation. And others have been using their social-media reach to teach others the most effective way to kill the virus: namely, WASHING YOUR HANDS. Yes, that’s right, you don’t need to panic-buy and hoard TP, or Lysol wipes, or hand sanitizer, or anything else for that matter. Just use any hand soap you’re using already, and be thorough about it. Flattening the curve is something we can all do together.
Solidarity, not trillion-dollar bailouts and other predatory capitalist practices, will be what ultimately sees us through!
