Canadians Getting Vaccinated but Americans Aren’t

CNN: “Sitting in her hospital room in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aimee Matzen struggled to breathe as she described how exhausting it is to have Covid-19.

“The fact that I am here now, I am furious with myself,” she told CNN between deep, deliberate breaths. “Because I was not vaccinated.”Matzen, 44, finds herself in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. She is receiving oxygen treatments and hopes she stays well enough to avoid getting hooked up to a ventilator.”

Let’s understand what is happening in the United States. Half of all adult Americans believe that they have the right to go unvaccinated and spread COVID-19. I think a good comparison to this is drinking and driving. You have the right to drink at home but you don’t have the right to drink and drive.

Why are Canadians more responsible than Americans? Maybe some Canadians will answer the question.

Enforcing the Trump Return to the Presidency

Who is tracking the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys, and QAnon groups?  Nothing is in the news and maybe that is a good thing.  Those groups were the prominent participants in the January 6 insurrection.

As has been discussed on cable news shows there is a group of QAnon and other right wing groups that are prompted by My Pillow owner Mike Lindell and right wing lawyer Sidney Powell that believe Donald Trump will be restored to the presidency between August 5 and August 13.

If that does not happen will they attempt an insurrection in early August?

We should be concerned about people like Jake Angeli, also known as the “QAnon Shaman”, “Q Shaman”, and “Yellowstone Wolf”, is an American conspiracy theorist, author, and activist who participated in the 2021 United States Capitol attack.  He is not a stupid man. He attended Arizona’s Glendale Community College, where he completed some coursework in psychology, religion, philosophy, and ceramics.

If you are not concerned about the American democracy you should be. 

Dwindling Water in Western United States

As of Sunday, Lake Powell had fallen to roughly 3,554 feet in elevation — just 33% of capacity — according to the US Bureau of Reclamation, below the previous all-time low set in 2005.

Lake Powell and nearby Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, have drained at an alarming rate this year. The two reservoirs fed by the Colorado River watershed provide a critical supply of drinking water and irrigation for many across the region, including rural farms, ranches and native communities.

Much like Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, Lake Powell’s plunging water level threatens Glen Canyon Dam’s capacity to produce hydropower for many states including Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Nebraska.

At this time there are no solutions that have been reported.

Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir on the Colorado River, hit the lowest water level since it was filled in 1963.

Vista Theater in East Hollywood

Vista Theatre is a historic single-screen movie theater in Los Angeles, California, located in East Hollywood on the border with Los Feliz. The neighborhood is not a tourist destination. It is mostly an area for working class residents.

Despite that fact Quentin Tarantino, the film director, has purchased the property. The building is closed. He told the news media he plans to reopen the theater by the end of this year. With a reported capacity of 400 seats the theater it is not likely to be divided into a complex.

Tarantino told a local TV channel he was planning to open the theater by around Christmas. He already owns the New Beverly in the Fairfax district that has an extremely dedicated fanbase partly because of Tarantino’s involvement in programming the movies shown at the revival house, which only shows movies on film, not with digital projection. Of the Vista, Tarantino said, “And again, only film.”

This location is adjoining the eastern end of Hollywood Boulevard where it intersects with Sunset Boulevard. A new luxury apartment house is under construction abut the only benefit would be its easy drive to other parts of central Los Angeles from downtown to Hollywood. A five minute walk to the many hospitals near Sunset Blvd and Vermont Avenue. Just a mile from Griffith Park.

That is a supermarket, pharmacy and used clothing across the street from the theater

Does Anyone Really Care?

Cosmopolitan magazine reports Windsor Castle Staff Have “Stripped” Meghan and Harry’s Remaining Belongings from Frogmore Cottage.

Looks like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially done living at Frogmore Cottage. Though, that’s been apparent for quite a while now considering they live full-time in California!

According to The Sun, Windsor Castle staff “stripped” Harry and Meghan’s remaining belongings (including framed photos) from the home after his trip to the U.K. for Princess Diana’s statue unveiling—though it’s not clear who organized the removal.

“Staff from Windsor Castle were in Frogmore just days after Harry flew back to California after the statue unveiling. They cleared out his personal possessions such as framed pictures he had left behind in his and Meghan’s old bedroom,” a source told the outlet. “Harry had been staying in one end of the cottage, separated from Eugenie and her family. He stayed in his and Meghan’s old bedroom which was left largely untouched since he was last there.” Apparently the sources are expected to be shipped to Harry and Meghan’s home in Montecito.

Considering that Princess Eugenie currently lives in Frogmore Cottage with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their new son, August, it makes a lot of sense that Harry would move out his remaining belongs! Meanwhile, The Sun speculates that the royal couple could “hand the luxury cottage back” this coming April, meaning they’ll likely find a new place to stay for future trips to England.

Harry is expected to return to the U.K. for the Queen’s Jubilee, though there are also reports that he could head home sooner for a larger celebration honoring Princess Diana.

It looks like more stories to be added to The Crown on Netflix.

Baskin Robbins – 31 Flavors

Did you know that Irvine ‘Irv’ Robbins (1917-2008), co-founder of Baskin-Robbins, opened his first ice cream store using money he saved from his #BarMitzvah! Born in Winnipeg to Eastern European Jewish immigrants, Robbins grew up working in his father’s ice cream parlor in Tacoma, Washington. He always finished the day happy and loved making others happy. After serving as an army sergeant in World War II, Robbins opened the Snowbird Ice Cream parlor in 1945 in Glendale, CA. In 1948, he joined forces with his brother-in-law Burt Baskin and the legendary Baskin-Robbins was born! Contributor: Jill GoltzerPhoto: Baskin-Robbins.

I post this because my parents were born in Winnipeg the children of Eastern Jewish immigrants who came to Canada between 1900 and 1905.