New Zealand has dropped down its alert levels, though Auckland remains at 2 where the rest of the country is at 1. In Europe, cases are climbing but there’s resistance to any further hard lockdowns. And how are things looking for the Swedish experiment?
Human behaviour is puzzling. We avidly mine and invest in gold to store in vaults, we take flights to nowhere during COVID when we aren’t allowed to travel, we pretend to explore for resources when we are just trying to jack their value up, we can act swiftly in the face of a pandemic but, in the face of climate change, we seem powerless to act.
Reading fiction and reading election promises – they’re pretty much the same. Except fiction is generally based in reality. All the parties in the NZ election want to spend more but where is the more going to come from?
I learned the importance of gardening from my father and its now an integral part of home building for me. The positive change over the years is hugely satisfying, despite the constant battles waged against possums, hares, deer, hedghogs, rabbits…
Chris got sent a random pair of ‘Versace’ socks. He thought they might be a Fathers’ Day present from Sarah. I thought they must be related to a scam. Who was right?
Our government is spraying money around to prop up the economy. I suggest artisan bakeries would be a great place to direct some money given how good they are for community as well as for bread.
My earring turned up in the washing several weeks after I lost it. How, I don’t know, but I took it as a good omen. Was what followed good, or bad? It depends which point in the story you read to.
A book club discussion about acupuncture got a little out-of-hand this week. I reacted to people using their single personal experience of acupuncture working as proof of its efficacy. Along with the government funding acupuncture treatments being proof – since when has everything governments support been guaranteed to be efficacious?
The COVID-19 ride feels like a roller coaster. Up the Alert levels, down the alert levels… An up this week is the news of a saliva-based test for COVID-19 while a down was the first proven reinfection of a person.
There are over 200 vaccines for COVID-19 being worked on – up from 70 in April and 120 in June. Seven vaccines are already in Phase 3 clinical trials (the last step before release) and another three are planned for June. Many of these trials are taking place in countries with poor health care systems and little money. Should we be concerned?
