Coronavirus: Year End Recap

It is the start of 2022 and the Coronavirus epidemic is still with us. The biggest news is we have yet another variant - Omicron. This variant is supposed to be extremely contigious but most people who are infected with it only have mild symptons.

Testing kits are now available to purchase in stores over the counter which was not possible a year ago - although they are hard to find right now.

Cruise ships are sailing. People are flying. Domestic travel especially to National Parks is up as some countries are still restricting travel. I am hoping to travel to Spain this year after having to cancel our plans two years ago.

People are still wearing masks - and are required to do so indoors in California, but that is not necessarily a rule across the country.

Many people are still working from home or in hybrid situations splitting time between home and office.

Few shortages are hitting the news these days, primarily microchips for cars and delays on international shipping. Still, retailers announced strong sales during the recent Christmas season and Tesla delivered over 300k cars in the last quarter.

The government has cut or is rolling back most economic stimulus packages directed at shoring up the economy and people's psyche during covid showing confidence in the country's recovery.

Final covid numbers as of today according to the New York Times: Total U.S. deaths due to covid 826,000; in the world 5,450,000.

62% of population in the U.S. is fully vaccinated: 73% have at least one shot; 20% are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot.

In history books, 2020 will be the year of the covid outbreak and 2021 will be the year of recovery not just for the U.S., but the world. I think if things continue taking the current course, getting better - vaccines are available, effective anti-viral drugs and pills are available to combat infection, and the current strain has mild symptoms - covid will become a footnote to everything great and hopefully not too terrible that 2022 will bring.

Take care and have an awesome 2022!

Coronavirus Birth Control?

When coronavirus first started making waves, people debated how the epidemic would affect birth rates. One argument was that there would be more babies because there was nothing else for people to do but stay home and make whoopie. The other argument was fewer babies because fewer people were getting married, fewer people were dating so there was less chance of unexpected pregnancies, and during tough economic times people historically have had fewer babies.

The verdict: the birth rate in the United States is the lowest that it has been in 42 years according to the CDC. It appears that the second argument won.

Which begs the question, what happened in 1979 that caused such a low birth rate? PRB said it was due to the oil shock, economic recession, and double-digit inflation in the 1970s. These scenarios created a situation where for the first time since WWII, being able to support a family on one income became impossible for most Americans. With two parents working, having babies translated into increased childcare expenses, the term latchkey kids became a thing, and the birthrate declined.

But not all is doom and gloom for humanity's future, at least in regard to depopulation. When economies rebound and people feel better about their prospects for the future, birthrates tend to rebound. Declining cases of covid, increased vaccination rates, and an opening economy are examples of better prospects. Yahoo stated that condom sales increased by 23% from March to mid-April this year according to market research firm IRI. While condoms are used to prevent pregnancies, that statistics indicate that people are becoming more sexually active. My wife and I walking through the park the last couple of days have seen many young couples in their late teens on obvious dates. My wedding photographer friends said they are getting lots of bookings now after a brutal year and a half.

Our coronavirus winter is ending and humanity is emerging from their dens. Let Spring begin.

Take care and be safe.

Posts weekly.

Coronavirus A Step Backwards

Since my post a week ago, there has been little positive news on the coronavirus front. The US had one day of 85,000 new cases and another of 80,000.  Worse than these rising statistics is an article by CNBC stating that a study found coronavirus antibodies declining quickly after someone has recovered from the virus raising questions about herd immunity. 

Regarding vaccine news one poll reported that less than 50% of Americans would get vaccinated for the virus if a vaccine became available. In Russia, their much trumpeted vaccine released in August is being rolled out at a much slower place than originally claimed. Cases are rising in Russia.

I mentioned last week how the death rate had been rising at a much slower rate than the infection rate, but Wisconsin and Florida each had a day of over 60 coronavirus-related deaths in a single day.

European rates - infections, deaths, hospitalizations, are all spiking, but so is the anger against new rounds of safety restrictions. Protests are breaking out in Northern Italy and Spain.

Then two days ago, Walmart's CEO said customers are starting to stock up again. Please no more toilet paper shortages.

Taking my daily walk yesterday, I remarked to my wife how cold it was. It was 59 degrees at 9 am. That is winter weather in Los Angeles. My wife said she is going to break out the thermals and gloves tomorrow.  My boys have asked me to unbox the space heaters.

How does the cold relate to covid?

In Los Angeles, you can only eat outside at restaurants and workout outside (inside gyms are still closed). As it gets colder, people will not want to eat outdoors. People will huddle together indoors or more restaurants will close.

To give an example of how easily the virus can spread check out what happened on a recent set:

Each person had to take a rapid covid test before they left their car and joined the crew. A crew member asked where the woman went that was in the car next to mine.

His partner said, "She had to go to the restroom."

The crew member rolled his eyes, "Her test came back inconclusive."

Once she returned, they tested her again, and then sanitized the restroom while they waited for the results. Fortunately, the second test came back negative.

Should she have been forced to stay in her car until her results came back? Probably. But when you have to go, you have to go. Tricky situation.

If she had been covid positive and someone had followed her into the restroom before it was cleaned…14 day quarantines for everyone?

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesdays

Coronavirus President Trump Infected

President Trump tested positive for Covid-19 last Thursday. By Friday he was in the hospital. And by Monday he was back at the White House.

Leaders around the world have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to the former President of India Pranab Mukherjee.

These cases that even though many of us have coronavirus fatigue, we have to remain vigilant in wearing our masks and social distancing. 

The aspect of Trump's infection that I found most interesting was the care that he received. First, he received supplemental oxygen within 24 hours of showing symptoms. This is a treatment most people would not receive until they felt sick enough to go to the hospital which could be days after the initial onset of symptoms. How many times have you decided to try and wait out a cold or flu before going to a hospital? I have many times. And many times I have gotten better. Even when I didn't, when I call my doctor, the usual response is, Don't come in, we will send you a prescription to your local pharmacy. Come in if the symptoms get worse." I am thinking, I wouldn't be calling you if the symptoms have not been worsening.

Second, even with the quick provision of supplemental oxygen, President Trump still went to the hospital where, according to the New York Times, he took an experimental cocktail of drugs, the drug remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone, and other drugs to aggressively fight the virus.

Thank goodness our President survived catching covid-19.

With none of the major world leaders dying from coronavirus, it goes to show that early detection and aggressive treatment are keys to keeping people alive. My concern is that these leaders who have recovered may be left with an impression that the virus is not something to be as feared as it should be. They hopefully realize that the treatments and the rapidity in which medical care was provided to them are not luxuries available to the vast majority of people. 

I think that if the leader of your country catches the virus, it should be a wake up call that the virus should be even more feared as it proves no one is immune. Everyday I am seeing more people on the street without masks. I don't understand. Who wants to be sick?

Wear your mask and keep your distance.

Take care and be safe.

New posts Tuesdays

Coronavirus - The New Movie Watching Experience

Mulan on my TV at home. Drive-in theater on the top of the Glendale Galleria parking lot. Quibi - yet another new streaming service. 

Welcome to the new world of movie watching.

According to Timeout.com there are over 40 movies from the last 4 decades being shown at drive-ins across Los Angeles County. Some of these are the brick and mortar drive-ins like the Vineland in San Gabriel Valley that has been showing movies since 1952. Then there are the old brick and mortars that have not shown films in years and are primarily used as swamp meets by day. Rodium in the South Bay is a prime example. These drive-ins show classics as well as the latest movies like Unhinged and Bill and Ted Face The Music.

The majority of drive-ins now are inflatable pop-ups at hotels, outdoor malls, or in parks. Examples of these include Moana being shown at Magic Johnson Park, Jaws at Mel's Drive-In in West Hollywood, and Edwards Scissorhands and Pet Sematary.

However, the most popular form of movie watching has to be through one of a score of streaming apps. Off the top of my head I can name Netflix, Apple TV, HBO Max, Peacock, Quibi, Amazon, Vudu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, CBS All Access, Hulu and Showtime. I am sure that there are dozens more. Movies like Mulan, Hamilton, and Tom Hank's Greyhound were all released straight to streaming services instead of going through their planned movie theater releases. 

I read a crazy statistic on What's On Netflix.com. It said that Netflix has 2.2 million minutes of content currently available. If you sat down in front of you tv today for a long binge watching session, we would not see you for four years!  And this does not include watching content on other apps during the four year period including The Mandalorian on Disney or The Expanse on Amazon Prime Video, two of my favorite shows. 

And the best thing about streamers, you can watch them in a park, on a beach, in the mountains, in your bed, the options are endless.

The point is there are still many outlets and ways to watch new movies even with theaters in Los Angeles still closed.. 

So sit back on your couch or settle into your car seat and enjoy the show.

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesdays

https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/how-long-would-it-take-to-watch-all-of-netflix/

 

Coronavirus On Set - You're Putting That Q-Tip Where?

The nurse practitioner pulled a ruler-length Q-Tip out of my nose. As she had warned, I would feel some discomfort. Done, I thought blinking away the tears. Then she said now for the other side.  I swallowed and tilted my head back. The show must go on, I thought.

Welcome to the new world of working on set. While the last commercial I shot was during the coronavirus, this one was the first since the official the entertainment unions, studios, and the Governor had come to agreement on shoot procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

 The previous shoot had hand sanitizer, everyone wore a mask (that they brought from home), someone prepared and handed out food to us, and we kept our distance as best we could.

 

This time, before we could even step on the new set we had to have the lovely nasal-swab covid test. Then we had to read a 10-page document about the new covid-prevention measures; watch four videos on how to put on a mask, gloves, face shield, and how to wash your hands; and sign our lives away. Once we made it to set, they took everyone's temperature and asked us a half dozen questions about how we felt. They also provided us with N-95 masks and a brown paper bag. The bag was to place our mask inside when we were asked to remove them during filming. Then everyone participated in a safety meeting with an emphasis on covid-prevention measures.  A covid monitor routinely walked around the set to make sure everything looked good,  asked if everyone was OK, and offered hand sanitizer.

 

For crafty - i.e. water and snacks - a specific crew member stood there all day handing out whatever people asked for. In the past, people just took what they wanted.

 

For lunch, we were given bagged lunches that were actually pretty good.

 

Needless to say, I felt very safe on set. The crew respected all the restrictions and everyone seemed happy to be there.  

 

I look forward to working on my next set, although this one will require two separate days of covid testing - sorry, nose.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus - Blanket Ban Lifted on International Travel

I came across a crazy story last week that the U.S. State Department lifted its blanket international travel ban for Americans to travel abroad. (see below)

I thought that was really odd as I am hearing about rising coronavirus numbers in India and Brazil and new outbreaks in European countries. New Zealand just reported its first coronavirus case in over 4 months.

 

So I read deeper and learned that the ban that was lifted was the level 4 warning that the State Department applied to all countries back in March. A level 4 warning prevents Americans from recreational travel to the specified country or in this case all countries. Now the State Department has set the warning level based each country's specific situation. This is the way it was before the coronavirus pandemic. For example, now Mexico and Brazil are still ranked at level 4, but most European countries have a level 3 ban and some Asian countries are ranked level 1.

 

The positive is that people can begin to dream of international travel again. Having dreams and hopes has been proven to be an endorphin booster - make a person feel good.

 

However, just because our rankings have changed, that doesn't mean foreign countries will allow Americans in yet. Spain has not lifted its restrictions on prohibiting recreational travelers from the U.S. even though the State Department gives them a level 3 ranking.

 

The negative is that for Americans who want to travel abroad the situation has become more complicated.

 

When we were told we couldn't go anywhere, we removed the idea of international travel from our mind and started planning the great American road trips.

 

When a situation is unclear, we spend countless hours and time researching or worrying about whether or not we can really book that international trip.

 

Still, the State Department decision shows that the world is trying to return to normal. Hopefully, we can all return to normal sooner rather than later.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/08/07/state-dept-lifted-its-blanket-international-travel-advisory-what-does-that-mean-americans/

Coronavirus A 4-Hour DMV Visit?

A 4 hour wait!

I had to renew my driver's license today and apply for a Real ID. This meant that I had to physically go into the DMV. Anyone who has been to the DMV knows what an arduous process this usually can be. With the coronavirus raging, I imagine it would even be worse.

 My son went for his drivers permit a month ago and his story is an example of what I feared. He arrived at the DMV at 2 pm and the security guard told him it would take at least 2 hours. The line wrapped around the building. It was 90 degrees outside and no shade. The guard told him that people start lining up at 6 am to enter the building at 9 am. Looking at the sun, my son decided to try the next morning.

He arrived the next morning at 5:15 am with his camping chair and powered up cell phone and there was one person ahead of him. In other words, three hours and 45 minutes before the DMV opened people were already in line. When he left at 9:45 am, the line was around the building again.

At my tender age of 49, my main concern was bathroom access. Waiting 4 hours wasn't a realistic possibility.

Still I needed to get the Real ID before October 1st if I hoped to fly within the U.S. and my renewal was coming up for my license. Yes, you can still use a passport, but it is a bit more cumbersome and it feels weird for me to travel within the US using a passport.

The DMV website does tell you how long the current wait times are at each office. I figured I would monitor the site once I had all the paperwork done and when I saw a wait under two hours somewhere, I would head down.

So I started the process of renewing online as my notification said I needed to do. The online process takes a long time as you need to scan and upload four documents to the DMV website for the Real ID. I pray I have no file capturing viruses on my computer or I just made it super easy for someone to assume my identity. However, after spending 30 minutes going through the process where I even had a choose which DMV I would go to, I was rewarded with a confirmation number that said it was as good as having an open appointment to show up at any time at the office I selected and join the appointment line.

I read a review online that said they had an appointment and were done in an hour. Someone else said it was better to go later that earlier.

I arrived at 4:15 pm the next day - 45 minutes before closing - and crossed my fingers. Sure enough, there was a separate line for appointments - no one was in it. The walk-in line which had already been capped for the day had 10 people. So if you are walking in, make sure you go before 4 pm.

The attendant after finishing with his current client, called me forward, reviewed my documents, and then sent me inside. Wait outside - 5 minutes. Inside, the waiting area were 18 chairs all spaced at least 6 feet apart. Behind the counter there was a masked clerk at every other station. My number was called 10 minutes later. The employee asked me to put my documents on the table and then step back to the circle in front of her window - six feet away. She then scooted forward, did her work, and then scooted back. I came forward, reviewed my documents, signed, and then paid for the renewal. She then directed me to the camera room. After 10 minutes here, I was done.

In and out in 30 minutes. Very organized and efficient. Of course, I had the benefit of an appointment. If I had to wait in the sun for three hours, I might have a slightly different tune. So if you need a Real ID; complete the online paperwork; upload the documents; and save yourself a ton of time.

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

A Coronavirus Vaccine By Mid-August?

Russia just announced it will have a vaccine ready by mid-August, according to CNN.(1)  That news totally stunned me. I go on vacation and come back and Russia has a vaccine?

Creative Commons Images

Last I heard, no vaccines would be ready until the end of the year, if we were lucky. But Russia will have one available in two weeks.

Reading deeper, it turns out that Russia is not following all of the same safety measures that are being applied to the companies in the U.S. and England. For example, for most vaccines, there is a three phase process and various approvals needed before releasing them to the public. This is not only to test a vaccine's effectiveness, but to monitor for dangerous side effects. For example, it may prevent you from catching coronavirus, but what if it makes you sterile. Wait, I think I saw that movie.

Russia's vaccine will complete phase 2 of its testing on August 3. Soon after, August 10, they will start phase 3 at the same time they start vaccinating its front-line workers. CNN said there are rumors that some leading Russian politicians have already received it.

I, like most of the world, am very intrigued and hope it works. To have a vaccine so soon would be great. Even if it is not available to everyone until the end of the year, at least there is hope.

So where are some of the leading world pharmaceutical companies in their testing?  Moderna has started its phase 3 testing Monday injecting 30,000 volunteers with its vaccine. It hopes to have its vaccine ready by the end of the year.  University of Oxford and AstraZeneca's vaccine could have emergency doses in October if all goes well. Pfizer with Biontech and Fosunpharma have also launched phase 3 human trials of 30,000 volunteers in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, and Germany and hope to have its vaccine ready by December. (2)

Still with all this progress, Science Magazine said polls show only 50% of Americans will get the vaccine if and when it is available. (3) I am surprised. I know there is controversy over how deadly coronavirus is, or even if it is real, but why take the risk of getting sick? I had the flu 5 years ago and it was really scary. I never want to get it again.

Once a vaccine is proven safe I will get it. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.

Be safe and take care.

1. https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/europe/russia-coronavirus-vaccine-approval-intl/index.html
2. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
3. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/just-50-americans-plan-get-covid-19-vaccine-here-s-how-win-over-rest

Coronavirus Soaring In Sports

Three UFC fighters had to cancel their fights July 11 after they or their camp members tested positive for coronavirus. The blame on the sudden increase in fighters testing positive can't be blamed on the UFC starting up again. They have had 8 events, with a dozen to two dozen fighters on each card and in all this time they have only had two fighters back out for testing positive.

 

Yet, all sports are getting hammered now with the re-surging first round of coronavirus cases in the United States.

For baseball fans, the AP reported that 31 players and 7 staff members tested positive as baseball begins testing players prior to opening day on July 23. Something interesting in baseball are players being placed on injured reserve with no description of the injuries suggesting the numbers of infected could be higher.

For soccer fans, the first game of the men's season scheduled on July 15 has been postponed because 6 members of one team, FC Dallas, have tested positive according to Soccer Today.  The women's league has been playing since last weekend with no reports of players testing positive.

For basketball fans, NPR reported that 25 NBA players have tested positive - 9 in the round of testing from June 24-25. The NBA is "tentatively" scheduled to resume on July 30.

For NFL fans, there is no word on when systematic testing will begin for NFL players. However, the NFL Players' Association wants all preseason games cancelled.  Training camp is supposed to start July 28. 

Is the surge in cases due to reopening, some people becoming complacent and no longer wearing masks, the protests, coronavirus parties among some young adults, or a more contagious form of the diseases as Fauci suggested last week? It is hard to say. Probably a combination of all factors.

I will say that during my walks with my wife last week, more people are wearing masks than we have seen since the end of June. That gives me hope that life will return to normal sooner rather than later.

Still, sports are a long way from beginning again, let alone having fans in attendance. Except the UFC with its fight island. Yes, Fight Island is real. It is in the Middle East in the country of Qatar as long as no more fighters are infected. 

I hope no one else is infected whether it is a fighter, athlete, or my neighbor.

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus Baby Boom or Bust?

Many jokes were made early on that the stay-at-home rules were going cause a huge spike in births 9 months from now.  I mean couples, wed and unwed, would be together constantly and there would be little in the way to prevent them from finding time for love. 

I mean, eventually you have to put down your phone if nothing more than to give your eyes a rest.

Freeimages.com

Now there are reports that the birth rate may actually decline significantly. The Brookings Institute said we could see "300,000 to 500,000 fewer births next year." (link to full report at end of post)

Why?

They based their numbers on birth rates during the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and the Spanish Flu of 1918. During the Great Recession, the birth rate fell from 69.1 births per 1000 women age 15 to 44 in 2007 to 63 in 2012. They said that is a decrease of 400,000 births.

During times of economic uncertainty in the U.S., people tend to put off having children due to financial worries. Seeing large credit card bills  or having a spouse laid off or hours cut tends to put a damper on the romantic mood.

Whereas during robust economic times, the opposite is true. Getting that bonus or new job may lead to a sense of elation and desire to share it with someone. Also, financial security helps a person rest at night.

I think about my neighbors with their new child who have not been able to hire a babysitter since the coronavirus because of contagion fears. One parent has to be with the child at all times. And what about all of the parents who had kids in school or day care? Once those institutions and businesses closed, parents either had to leave their kids home alone or work from home. If you are a couple who has just been wed, you might be scared off having kids right away.

That's even if you are able to get married. With the stay-at-home orders, many weddings have been put on hold. We are going on over three months in most states where weddings, let alone big weddings, have not been held. I was recently on a zoom meeting and a participant related that after two months of delay, she finally got married. They had a zoom meeting with the city clerk's office to be officially married. Sometime in the future they will have the church wedding.  But what about all the others who are just waiting?

Also with fewer people dating, there is a significant decrease in unplanned pregnancies. 

How does this affect everyone else?

Fewer babies mean fewer future workers which means less taxes which means less funding for government programs like social security, medicare, infrastructure, department of defense, etc. 

It is no wonder governments want to ensure they ease the economic pain as much as possible whether through trillion dollar stimulus packages or propping up the stock market or telling everyone everything is okay.

Still, I agree with the Brookings report on a forthcoming baby bust versus a boom. The government can only do so much to create the right mood.

Click here for the >> Brookings Report

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesday and Wednesday

Coronavirus Cases Soaring

At the beginning of June I felt optimism that the worst of the coronavirus was over. Businesses were opening across the U.S. and around the world, the stock market was rebounding, and infection rates were dropping. I mean even Disneyland announced that they were reopening July 15.

Then on May 28, Korea started closing down after a new outbreak. On June 16, China announced Beijing was instituting a soft lock down after another outbreak, halting flights and closing some businesses. Then states in the U.S. that had instituted strict stay-at-home policies, like California, started to noticed an uptick alongside those that had less restrictive policies like Arizona, Texas, and Florida. By mid-June, California was so bad that last week everyday broke a new record of new infections: 3,000 Monday, 5,000 Tuesday, 7,000 Wednesday, then back to 5,000 Thursday.

Yes, a large part of the increase is due to increased testing, but by no means all.

ICUs are starting to fill up again, a definite sign more testing is not the only cause of the spike.

And here is the kicker, the people that are heading to the ICU and make up the majority of the new cases are young adults. According to The Wall Street Journal, 60% of new cases in California are under the age of 49. In Arizona, 60% of new cases are those under 45. When I take my daily walks most people are wearing masks. At least 9 out of 10 people who aren't wearing masks fit that under age 45 category.

Just like a maskless 20-something strutting down the street past a masked elderly couple. I guess he was proud he wasn't wearing a mask to show how "invincible" he was. 

If the spouse of the elderly couple catches coronavirus from him and later dies, can the young man be charged with negligence. According to Wikipedia, the four elements to a negligence case are: duty, breach, proximate causation, and injury. Holy moly, are we going to see a slew of lawsuits against individuals who aren't wearing masks and spread the coronavirus?

My neighbor has not had a babysitter since the coronavirus hit and has been working from home.  But, walking through my local park yesterday, I saw two nannies sitting together on a large blanket with 5 kids. There was maybe a four-foot gap between the two ladies, but none between the kids. Hmm. 

The Wall Street Journal said Texas and Arizona are attributing the rise in cases to the recent reopening of bars and restaurants. The Texas Tribune said the Governor shut down the bars in the state on Friday as intensive care units are being flooded and they are contemplating plans to treat patients at convention centers and stadiums.

A month ago, most people saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Now it looks like we are going back inside.

 

Financially what does this mean? Disneyland has delayed reopening, Apple is shutting down stores, the stock market is dropping, and states are barring other states' residents from visiting them like New York and New Jersey. So, more layoffs, more people on unemployment, and the bonus of less traffic. 

Will the entertainment industry postpone their reopening? I am seeing fewer gigs on the industry job boards. Even fewer than last month. And here I am only talking about non-union gigs as union gigs have been non-existant.

As I mentioned during the last post, Dr. Fauci complained that people keep talking about the 2nd round when we are still solidly in the first round.

I spoke to a young cop on the street a month ago while I waited for my take out. His partner wore a mask but he didn't. He said it was a personal choice.

Hopefully, everyone makes the right choice so we can get rid of this virus once and for all.

Posts Saturday and Tuesday

Travel During the Great Coronavirus Reopening

Cities, states, and even countries are reopening to tourists. Not all, but many. 

On June 15, most European countries opened their borders to residents of its member countries. Spain waited until June 21. And on July 1, the Europeans will tentatively open their borders to international tourist for the first time in four months.

There are stipulations like a country's infection rates have to be held in check before they allow tourists from that country. Unfortuantely, the U.S. does not meet that criteria. Similarly, in the U.S. there are certain states and areas that are blocking residents of other states from visiting. Key West authorities arrested a woman and sent her back to mainland Florida for trying to visit. New Mexico said they love tourist, just not right now.

And cruise lines? Oh, the poor cruise lines. Spain has said no cruise ships can dock in any Spanish port for the foreseeable future. Norwegian cruise lines said all cruises are suspended at least through September. That is the entire summer season. Although they are making exceptions for the Pacific Northwest. And a week ago, the first Danube-Rhine river cruise made it without mishap.

https://www.cruisetradenews.com/first-european-river-cruise-resumes-sailings-post-coronavirus-recovery/

However, Greece welcomed one of its first international flights a couple of weeks ago from Qatar and 12 people on board tested positive for Coronavirus.

We are not out of the woods yet.

Last week, I cancelled my family's 3-week Spain trip that was to depart July 8. I poured over news reports daily grasping for an inkling of hope regarding Europe's reopening. But with a potential quarantine for travelers, U.S. infection rates increasing, the need for reciprocal travel arrangements (the U.S. is still blocking travel from Europe), and constant flight changes to a point where I would have to literally time travel backwards three hours to make a connection, I figured it was time to call it.

Fortunately, I was able to cancel everything and get full refunds except one hostel in Spain. Somehow I overlooked that property's no cancellation policy. If that is all it costs me, I am ok with that. 

Now to make new plans. Isn't that half the fun?

Take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus The World of Masks

Masks - the new "must have" in fashion. Almost everyone wears one now and almost every store and designer sells them. 

Whether it is Kim Kardashian at $8 a mask under her Skims line to the person down the street selling them on Etsy for $4 each to Supreme with their $120 mask.

People are hungry for masks. I remember a friend suggested that I buy a sewing machine and start selling masks online when the coronavirus hit. I laughed it off. I am not laughing now.

I bought a pair from Vons, my sister from the Disney store, and my mom a mask from Australia. People are even giving masks as presents. On Mother's Day, my wife was given a mask from the chic retailer Johnny Was. 

Some masks have adjustable straps, some have wires over the nose, some are cotton, some neoprene, some have coffee filters, the variations seem endless.

Then I heard about a trikini - a mask that matches your bikini. Serious check it out (photo from article):

https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/the-scene/meet-the-trikini-a-bikini-with-a-matching-face-mask/2374743/

Tiziana Scamuzzo/Elexia Beachwear

Most state and local governments require you to wear them, like California, and probably your boss too. Dr. Fauci told the Wall Street Journal the other day, "People keep talking about a second wave, we're still in the first wave."

In Hollywood, everyone on set will have to wear a mask until cameras are rolling at which point only those on screen can remove their masks. 

It seems like masks will be a high demand fashion accessory for quite awhile. And it appears suppliers big and small are meeting the demand.

Now if only the paper towel manufactures could do the same.

Which brings me to the next question. How many masks should a person have? I have four, plus two bandanas and another face covering. My wife has 1, plus two face coverings. My mom 7.

If only I had purchased that sewing machine…

I remember my boys years ago pointing out a woman who walked around our neighborhood wearing  a face shield and mask. How strange, I thought. Now I know she was just ahead of her time.

I hope that everyone is doing well and is enjoying their stylish masks.

Take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus Lights, Camera, Action!

I worked on my first commercial yesterday since the coronavirus shutdown on Friday, May 13th.

California and L.A. County approved TV and Film production to resume on June 12.

Along with the approval came a host of new safety guidelines. According to the Hollywood Reporter this includes regular testing, symptom monitoring, staggered meal times, hand sanitizer, masks, and other measures.

On set yesterday, the crew and cast size were small. Three crew and one cast member (me), in one location and the same crew and three cast members in the second location. Everyone wore masks. The cast only removed their masks right before filming. Hand sanitizer was readily available and food was served on individual plates handed out by the cook wearing gloves and mask. It was very exciting as we were all ready to take that first step into production in the current coronavirus era.

An fellow actor asked if I had to sign a coronavirus waiver as a rumor had been circling that cast and crew would have to sign one in order to work. The UFC made all of its fighters and anyone who has worked their events over the last month sign one. I did not have to.

New essential acting tools.

While I was very happy to work Friday, I have read a number of reports that crew and cast sizes will be reduced for the foreseeable future. Stands filled with spectators like in Ford vs. Ferrari, mob scenes like in Penny Dreadful, concerts, high school pep rallies, protests, speeches, all of these types of scenes will not be filmed for a while or if they are, very differently. There is discussion about using CGI to create people in the background, more tiling, and reusing people for the same shot just using different camera angles or changing wardrobe.

Changes are a part of life. Being prepared is the key.

I am thankful that I was fortunate enough to work on the first day TV and film productions resumed. I hope that it is a sign of good things to come.

I hope that things are looking up wherever you may be.

Take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus Hair For Hollywood

For the first time in 3 months, I got a hair cut. Yes, barbershops have reopened in Los Angeles.

The official date was May 26, but I held out until yesterday when work necessitated a clean up.

I needed to film a self-tape to apply for a commercial and knew that "The Old Man and the Sea" look had

Hair 3 weeks ago. Even longer before yesterday's cut.

to go.

Also, my calling service texted me that Governor Newsom and the entertainment industry came to an agreement on opening that will take effect June 12.

It was time to get serious.

I walked into my local barbershop to set an appointment for later in the day, but they were filled until the following evening. It seemed like a lot of people were itching to get rid of their shaggy, coronavirus looks. Seeing my crestfallen face (or my desperate need), they said that they could squeeze me in since their first appointment of the day had yet to show up.

Oh, the pressure. I really wanted to shower first, since I had just finished painting my bathroom the previous day (a long overdue coronavirus project), meaning that I hadn't showered in two days. But the barber didn't seem to mind and sometimes you just have to take the opportunity when it presents itself.

So I got my first hair cut wearing a face mask.

I showed her my Instagram picture of "my look" before the stay-at-home order and asked her to replicate it. She seemed undeterred and began shaping the wild hair.

It was such a pleasant experience, not just the haircut, but also the conversation with someone other than my immediate family members.

Once I got home, I debated shaving off the beard, trimming the beard, or going for a goatee. My wife and mother wanted me to keep the beard, but they were overridden. As I looked in the bathroom mirror, I received a call from a casting director. He wanted to book me on a commercial this week. Talk about timing. His answer regarding the beard, you don't have one in the photos we have in your profile. Enough said. Off went the beard

Quite a change if you ask me. What do you think?

Take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

Coronavirus, Protest, Graduation, Economy - What A Week!

If there was a single week that would make Coronavirus an after thought it was last week. Why? Momentous life events happened!

For a large group of Americans, the most important issue last week were the protests against racism across the country brought about by George Floyd and other black Americans who have recently been killed.

Whether you were you someone who could identify with the protestors, or were a business owner who saw their livelihood go up in flames, or were a protestor, this significant event has shaken the whole of America. On the fishing boat last week, a younger fisherman asked an older fisherman, is this like the Rodney King riots. The older man reiterated what I had told my sons the day before, "No. These protests are much more widespread. They are occurring across cities and towns throughout the United States. The King protests occurred in only a handful of big cities and looting occurred in even fewer." One side effect of the protest, is that more people are outside and mingling with others. For coronavirus numbers this is bad, but it shows the humanity of people, in that people of all colors are willing to face personal health risk to protest against an injustice.

For many students it was a week of finishing school. Seniors in high school and college graduated - remotely. Other students technically finished - although many were done when the coronavirus shut their schools down in March. Students missed Spring Break, Proms, Grad Nights, and all of the other fun end-of-year activities. Schools scrambled to try to make the end of the school special for their seniors whether it was a drive through celebration or zoom interactions. For non-seniors, like mine, it ended with a whimper. The principal emailed a congratulations to the students and staff for overcoming the challenges of the coronavirus these past three months and she looked forward to the Fall school year whatever it may look like.

Investor's Business Daily

Finally, for investors the big issue wasn't just the ongoing incredible "V" rebound in the stock market, but the drop in unemployment from 19% to 13% in May. On this news Friday, the stock market zoomed up 800 points. That brings the market to almost pre-coronavirus levels. Still, protests are raging across the U.S., there is no cure for the coronavirus, and new cases of coronavirus infection are soaring so I find the rapid rebound quite surprising. People with 401ks are definitely breathing a mighty sigh of relief.

Did you think less about the coronavirus last week?

Take care everyone.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

(Painting the bathroom took longer that expected yesterday, so I am a day late.)

Coronavirus Fishing, Protests, and Curfews

"Curfew in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.," my cell phone buzzed with the message. Time 5:15 p.m., Sunday night.

A long way to reach this prize.

My fishing trip would leave from Ventura at 6 am Monday morning, meaning I would need to leave at 4 am - during the curfew.

Let the adventure begin.

After my Cabo San Lucas fishing trip was cancelled due to the travel ban between Mexico and the U.S., I was happy to see last week that California sportfishing was reopening June 1st.

Even better, my two teenage sons had agreed to join me.

I booked 3 tickets last week for the first day of fishing , understanding that all passengers would need to wear masks, the boat would be booked at half capacity, and social distancing would be enforced.

Then things got more interesting - protests and rioting began.

I was not too concerned about making our trip as we would be driving two blocks from my house on to the freeway at 4 a.m. to Ventura and figured there was little risk of getting caught in a confrontation with police or protestors.

Then the curfew message hit my phone. 

I tried to cancel with the sportfishing company, but they said, "There are no refunds because we are in Ventura County and there is no curfew here."

What to do? Lose the money? Lose the opportunity to get my teenage vampires out of the house and see the sun for the first time in weeks?

I told the boys if I can find a hotel in Ventura County, be ready to leave within 45 minutes. The boys were more amped up over something other than a video game in quite awhile. 

I found a Marriott in Oxnard (Ventura County) that was taking reservations and was able to use my points for the reservation. (I love mileage programs.)

The race to beat the curfew was on.

At 6:05 pm we were in the car and on the freeway, clothes, fishing poles, tackleboxes, and snacks packed.

Then we hit the protest.

Waze alerted me that the freeway was at a standstill  in Thousand Oaks. As we got closer to the little red line, symbols of police cars dotted the Waze map. I looked to see what businesses were just off the 101 Freeway on Moorpark - The Oaks shopping center. Crap. We found a protest. Not only that, Waze rerouted us off the freeway.

Oh my goodness, how many times has something gone wrong in a movie because travelers were rerouted off the freeway.  Sure enough, Waze us drive the city streets right past the mall, protestors, and police officers. Fortunately, it was a peaceful protest.  Cars honked in support and we were soon past and 20 minutes later arrived at our hotel.

In the 6-story hotel, only a half dozen lights were on in the windows. It appeared there were very few occupants. At check in, there was a barrier at the front desk to enforce social distancing. The front desk asked me to put my drivers license and credit car on the desk and step back. She stepped forward, checked us in, put our room key on the desk and stepped back. We stepped forward took the key and went to our room.  The new normal for checking in?

Of course in an empty hotel, a couple was placed in a room right next to ours.  To make matters worse our rooms shared an interior door for when large groups share rooms. I was not concerned about the coronavirus seeping through the cracks of the door, but I could hear every word the couple spoke. When my son asked if they were watching a porno next door I'd had enough, smiled, and said no. The front desk accommodated my request to change rooms.

Talk about an educational trip for my sons.

On the boat, a deckhand started off the trip with a speech that everyone needed to wear a face covering, keep their distance, and you could only be in the galley if you were eating. They would be strict because they did not want officials to suspend fishing again.

People abided by the rules for the majority of the trip. At the end of the long day (11 hours), most people kept their masks on, but people did sit next to each other on the way back due to the limited seating and really high seas rocking the boat. It was like, sit down or flip over the side of the boat.

Better have a seat - big waves!

More excitement for the boys.

When we got into my car, I read a text from my mom saying the curfew started at 5 pm. It was 5:30 pm. I figured that unless law enforcement locked down all of the freeways into Los Angeles, I would be able to make it home.

There was no traffic and we made it home in record time.

An amazing adventure.  Thank goodness I didn't take that Miami road trip last week. Who knows which state I would be stranded in today.

Things happen for a reason.

Be safe and take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday