Nursing Base Hourly Pay
February 18, 2022


Nursing pay transparency can be found from transparentnursing.com - a website reporting and recording nursing salaries state by state.

The third field below is the hourly base pay of nurses.

AK,ANMC Anchorage,36.00,Covid shots,paid student loan,6yrs PCT/EMT
AL,,49.30,3.75 nights,4.00 weekend,RN ER,ED,5yrs
AL,ATC Healthcare,23.00,1:1 school nurse special needs,no benefits
AL,CMC north,26.50,3.00 nights,RN ER
AL,Huntsville Hospital,22.00,6.00 nights,10.00 weekend,4.00 ICU,$2000 bonus,new grad
AL,Huntsville hospital,22.00,level 1 trauma ED,5yrs
AL,Huntsville Main,15.00,LPN,PCU,new grad
AL,Madison Hospital,22.00,6.00 nights,10.00 weekend,20% PRN,RN,new grad
AR,northwest,24.26,L&D PP Gyn,2yrs
AR,St. Bernard's,26.51,RN,BSN,bedside nursing,4yrs
AR,UAMS - Little Rock,26.90,10% retirement,RN - Telemetry,2yrs
AZ,Banner Gateway Gilbert,41.00,18% nights,3.00 weekend,2x on call OT,inpatient PACU,5yrs
AZ,Banner Health Outpatient Phoenix,33.00,6yrs
AZ,Banner Health,31.00,18% nights,3.00 weekend,float medsurg,new grad
AZ,Banner UMC Tucson,38.96,18% night,3.00 weekend,ICU,1yr
AZ,Bannerhealth,27.00,3.00 nights,RN,new grad 2017
AZ,Canyon Vista - Sierra Vista,30.00,2.00 nights,2.00 weekend,ER,1yr
AZ,MIHS Phoenix,28.00,RN OR,2yrs 2018
AZ,St Marys Tucson,44.00,PRN tier 4
CA,Adventist Health,50.98,RN,5yrs
CA,California Pacific Medical Center San Francisco,106.60,stroke ICU,ADN,28yrs
CA,Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles,72.00,RN ER,17yrs
CA,east bay county,94.00,17.00 diff, Psych RN
CA,Hoag Memorial Irvine,44.71,tele stepdown,10yrs
CA,Kaiser Permanente Northern California,77.00,11.00 nights,RN - Telemetry
CA,Kaiser Permanente Northern California,87.00,11.00 nights,RN - Telemetry,per diem
CA,Kaiser Permanente San Diego,65.00,4.00 nights,RN - Telemetry
CA,Los Angeles,56.00,outpatient psych,5yrs
CA,Mercy San Juan - Carmichael,63.37,77.21 per diem
CA,Methodist Hospital Arcadia,43.26,Med surg,3yrs
CA,NorCal Kaiser,87.39,7.93 nights,14yrs
CA,San Diego,58.00,4.00 nights,postpartum NICU,11yrs
CA,Santa Barbara County,48.34,4.00 nights,RN,medsurg,4yrs
CA,Southern California Cimmunity,51.00,L&D per diem,RN,1.5yrs
CA,southern,48.39,6.00 nights,RN,ICU,2.5yrs
CA,Stanford Hospital,100.00,18.00 nights,18yrs
CA,Stanford Hospital,83.00,Oncology,BSN,new grad + 18yrs military
CA,Stanford,92.00,10% evenings,18% nights,7% charge,3.00 precepting,cerification 1500 yearly,RN,ICU,7yrs
CA,Sutter Health Roseville,72.00,RN,ICU,Trauma/Neuro,4yrs
CA,Sutter HSC - North San Diego,60.00, RN OR,14yrs
CA,Sutter North Bay,62.00,up to 70.00 plus diff,max ratio 4:1
CA,Sutter Roseville,68.07,3yrs
CA,UCHealth Memorial Central,38.50,5.00 night2.00 weekend,ER,2yrs
CA,UCSF,81.76,16% nights,5% weekend,NICU
CO,Denver Health,110.00,local contract,RN BSN
CO,Denver Health,27.50,new grads
CO,Denver Health,37.17,14% critical care,ED,5yrs
CO,SCL Health - Denver,41.00,7.00 float,RN BSN
CO,SNF Colorado Springs,35.00,LPN
CO,UCHealth,42.00,BSN,ICU,PACU,12yrs
CT,Yale New Haven Hospital,34.00,5.25 nights,10.96 weekend nights,RN,ICU,new grad
DC,GWUH UHS,36.50,RN ICUCVICU Covid ICU,3yrs 2020
DC,GWUH UHS,40.00,Transplant Coordinator RN,4yrs 2021
DC,Washington Hospital Center,32.25,new grad
DE,Christiana Wilmington,45.50,RN,PACU,13yrs
DE,Nemours,39.00,RN Pediatrics,1yr
DE,Nemours,49.89,10% nights,20% weekend,30% wekend nights,RN,8yrs
FL,,38.00,BSN-IR,CCL-IR,Cath lab,9yrs
FL,AdventHealth Orlando,30.00,RN,ICU,2yrs
FL,AdventHealth Orlando,31.00,5.00 on call,OR,new grad
FL,Baycare,37.40,9yrs
FL,central,38.00,RN,BSN,CCL/IR,9yrs
FL,Don Mopkins Childrens Hospital Tampa Bay,15.00,3.25 nights,1.25 weekend,PCA
FL,HealthTrust HCA Tampa Bay area,45.00,per diem
FL,Lee Memorial Health - Fort Myers,60.00,RN ICU,staff resource,$5k bonus 6mos
FL,Mayo Clinic,31.61,RN,BSN,Med surg,3yrs
FL,notheast,36.00,BSN,ICU,9yrs
FL,Sarasota Memorial,29.74,1.50 CEN,RN,ER,ASN,2yrs
FL,Tampa,35.42,4.25 nights,BMT board certified,7yrs
FL,Tenet,27.72,RN,PCU,32.80 per diem,2yrs
GA,Atlanta,28.00,5.65 nights,4.00 weekend,6.00 market,RN,ICU,new grad
GA,University hospital Augusta,40.95,2.00 critical care,BSN,Med surg,PACU,top scale,10yrs
IA,central,34.42,2.50 shift,7yrs
ID,,12.00,LPN
IL,,36.00,4.00 night
IL,,37.00,4.00 evenings,acute inpatient rehab,5yrs
IL,Amita Chicago Suburbs,34.00,3.00 evenings,RN ICU,step-down
IL,Dupage County,31.75,Med surg,2yrs
IL,home health,28.00,RN,BSN
IL,MercyHealth,33.00,RN ICU,clincal ladder added
IL,University of Chicago,38.00,paramedic ER techs
KY,,27.58,Cardiac medsurg,1yr
KY,St Joseph East Lexington,28.03,1.5yrs
KY,UKMC,38.41,1.50 evenings,3.50 nights,4.50 weekend nights,MICU,12yrs
LA,LCMC New Orleans,32.50,4.00 on call,1.5x time if called,RN OR,3.5yrs
LA,Ochsner - New Orleans,28.80,3.00 nights,2.00 weekend
LA,Ochsner LSU,37.00,4.00 nights,2.00 weekend,PRN,PICU,1yr
MA,Boston Medical,45.95,4.45 nights,5.00 weekend,RN OB/GYN,perinatal float - L&D maternity,4yrs
MA,St Lukes Southcoast - New Bedford,34.65,2.80 evenings,4.00 nights,RN,Med surg,3yrs
MD,Annapolis,32.00,RN,ADN,Med surg
MD,Baltimore Washington Medical Center,30.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,Baltimore,33.00,RN,ICU
MD,Baltimore,34.00,4.00 nights,new grad
MD,Bayview Medical Center,32.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,Doctors Community Hospital,33.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,GBMC Towson,31.00,RN,ED,new grad
MD,Howard County General,31.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,Johns Hopkins Baltimore,36.24,outpatient psych
MD,Johns Hopkins Baltimore,38.95,RN OR,5yrs
MD,Johns Hopkins HCGH,28.00,10.00 nights,Adult ED,new grad
MD,Johns Hopkins,31.00,3.00 nights,2.00 weekend,BSN,new grad
MD,Northwest Hospital,32.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,Sisters of Bon Secours,31.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,St. Agnes,32.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,U. Maryland Community Medical,30.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MD,U. Maryland Midtown,29.00,medsurg tele,4yrs
MI,Ascension,32.80,2.50 nights,RN,BSN,2yrs
MI,Henry Ford Hospital Detroit,32.00,7% nights,2.00 weekend,RN,ICU,MICU,2yrs
MI,Michigan Medicine Ann Arbor,33.58,3.40 nights,5.50 weekend nights,medsurg,new grad
MI,Michigan Medicine Ann Arbor,42.00,3.40 night,5.15 weekend,2:1 retire match,RN,ICU,9yrs
MI,Saginaw,45.75,55.75 covid pay,14yrs
MI,Spectrum Health St. Joseph,32.00,2.00 evenings,2.50 nights,5.00 weekend nights,RN,BSN,cardiac telemetry,0.75yr
MN,,40.00,started 36.00,RN,NICU
MN,northern,31.00,new grad
MN,southern,43.00,3.00 nights,medsurg,7yrs
MO,Central Missouri,22.00,LPN,7yrs
MO,CoxHealth Springfield,29.00,RN,9yrs
MO,SSM,27.50,2yrs
MS,north,29.42,2.75 evenings,4.00 nights,RN,CCU
MT,SCL Health St. Vincent Billings,32.80,4.00 nights,2.00 team leader,5.00 orientation,RN,CC float,6yrs
NC,Durham,31.45,Cardio thoracic stepdown,6yrs
NC,HCA Mission Hospital Asheville,25.70,3.00 2nd shift,6.00 3rd shift,3.50 weekend,MSICU,3yrs
NC,Novant Health Presbyterian - Charlotte,38.00,3.00 nights,4.00 weekend,1.00 critical care,7yrs
NC,Pediatric Home Health,27.50,2.50 nights,LPN
NC,UNC - Chapel Hill,45.00,4.00 evenings,10.00 nights,5.00 weekend,float pool,no benefits
NC,UNC,40.85,5.00 nights,10.00 weekend,MICU team leader,8.5yrs
NC,Wakemed Raleigh,29.50,BSN,4.00 evenings,14.00 weekend,2yrs
ND,Fargo Oncology Clinic,31.75,RN,4yrs
ND,Sanford Health Fargo,16.33,med surg PCT
NJ,northern,40.00,4.00 nights,ADN,2yrs
NJ,northern,40.29,OR,5yrs
NM,Albuquerque,47.00,2.00 BSN,RN,BSN,18yrs
NM,Lovelace-Ardent Albuquerque,39.00,10yrs
NM,Presbyterian New Mexico,37.25,RN ICU,2.00 clinical practice leader,diff for BSN, precepting, charge nurse, average about $43/hr
NM,UNMH Albuquerque,34.50,2.00 weekend, RN ER,BSN,2yrs
NV,HCA Las Vegas,35.83,2.00 weekend,BSN,0.5yrs
NV,HCA,61.47,2.00 nights,1.50 weekend,40yrs
NV,Las Vegas,35.00,Med surg,1.5yrs
NV,Las Vegas,35.79,2.10 nights,1.50 weekend,RN,BSN,Med surg,0.5yrs
NV,Las Vegas,39.41,2.00 night,1.50 weekend,RN ER
NV,PCU,41.00,2.00 nights,2.00 weekend,new grad
NV,Reno,32.00,3.20 nights,Cardiac ICU,401k match to 4%,$200/mo taxfree to student loans,new grad
NY,Bellevue hopital NYC,100.00,$185.00 overtime shift,travel contract
NY,Glen Falls Hopital,39.07,1.5x over 40hrs,RN CCU,30yrs 2018
NY,Long Island,48.00,5.00 night,critical care float,new grad
NY,Rochester hospital,30.00,RN,Cath lab
NY,Samaritan Hospital Troy,35.00,14.00 call rate,1.5x if called,Cardiac Cath lab nurse
NY,Stony Brook University - Long Island,34.00,Oncology ICR,2.5yrs
NY,Syracuse,26.50,5.00 nights,LPN,Med surg,15yrs
NY,URMC Rochester,25.00,1.00 nights,new grad
NY,URMC Rochester,32.15,5.50 nights,3.00 weekend,RN,BSN,ICU ER,CCRN,5yrs
NY,URMC Rochester,42.00,Acute hemodialysis,10yrs
NY,Westchester Medical Center Valhalla,47.00,night diff,ed diff,cert diff,NYSLRS pension
OH,Cincinnati,29.67,5.00 evenings,2.00 weekend,ER,new grad
OH,Cleveland Clinic,29.00,5.00 night,SICU,new grad
OH,Cleveland Clinic,30.00,5.00 nights,2.00 weekend,RN Telemetry,new grad
OH,Cleveland Clinic,34.50,RN, PACU Telemtry,6yrs
OH,Columbus,31.50,Med surg,4yrs
OH,Columbus,31.62,LPN,Inpatient psych,9yrs
OH,Columbus,45.00,5.00 nights,3.00 weekend,float pool casual,2yrs
OH,Dayton,27.50,15% nights,10% weekend,2.00 high acuity,$10,000 1yr bonus
OH,Doctors Hospital Columbus,27.00,5.00 nights,2yrs
OH,Mercy Health,33.00,RN,ICU
OH,Ohio State Wexner Columbus,26.27,5.00 nights,5.00 weekend,RN,BSN,med surg,new grad
OH,Trinity Health,34.00,ED ICU,11yrs
OK,CCMH Lawton,30.50,3.50 nights,3.00 weekend,6.50 holiday,0.50 charge,RN,5yrs
OK,Tribal Health Outpatient,21.50,LPN
OR,Kaiser Sunnyside Portland,62.10,1.5x call backs,2x extra shifts,RN,Cath lab,25yrs
OR,PH,39.99,7.00 nights,2.00 weekend, new grad residency
OR,Portland,39.77,6.00 nights,2.00 weekend,new grad
OR,Portland,54.00,Cardiac IMC,5yrs
OR,Portland,56.10,5.75 nights,medsurg,10yrs
OR,Prestige Care Portland,50.00,float pool,RN,LTC/Rehab,1.5yrs
PA,Amedisys HH&H,75,000 salaried,0.45 per mile,$50 per routine,$75 per death,$150 per admission,2% max salary increase,RN - Hospice
PA,CHOP,38.00,new grad
PA,Crozer - Delco,33.60,RN,BSN,new grad
PA,Harris County Hospital District,36.50,PACU,5yrs
PA,Lehigh Valley,32.00,RN,ICU,1yr
PA,Penn Medicine,48.50,2.00 weekend,5.00 shift diff iirc,5yrs
PA,Penn State,31.00,new grad
PA,Philadelphia - Jefferson,45.00,new grad
PA,Philadelphia - Mainline,38.00,new grad
PA,Philadelphia - Upenn,39.00,new grad
PA,Philadelphia suburbs,43.00,Home health nurse,20yrs
PA,St Luke’s Allentown,32.00,RN,ICU,1yr
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,27.00,6yrs CVICU
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,27.00,new grad
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,30.09,1.00 shift,1.00 charge,med-surg/step-down
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,30.09,med-surg/step-down,2.5yrs
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,33.50,7yrs
PA,UPMC Pittsburgh,35.00,pediatrics,8yrs
PA,Wellspan,34.44,10% noc,RN,float nurse,new grad
RI,Fatima Hospital,42.26,1.25 evenings,2.75 nights,2.00 charge,3.75 weekend,RN Psych,9yrs
Sc,Piedmont Medical Center near Charlotte,23.00,RN,ICU,stopped 401k match,2020
SC,Spartanburg,28.50,3.50 nights,5.50 weekend,new grad
SD,Monument Health Rapid City,30.00,1.30 nights,RN,critical care,0.5yrs
TN,Ascension St Thomas Murfreesboro,35.50
TN,Centennial Children’s Nashville,28.17,RN,NICU,2yrs
TN,Erlanger Chattanooga,13.00,nurse tech
TN,HCA Springfield,20.00,LPN
TN,HCA Springfield,25.00,RN
TN,HCA Summit Nashville,25.00
TN,home health,24.00,LPN,19yrs
TN,Knoxville,23.00,4.00 nights,3.00 weekend,BSN,3yrs
TN,Maury Regional Columbia,27.00
TN,Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Memphis,24.10,5.00 nights,CVICU,new grad 2019
TX,Austin 6 campuses,53.00,RN,acute float pool,12yrs
TX,Baptist Health System San Antonio,36.00,8.25 weekend,2.00 relief charging,RN,BSN,ICU,14yrs
TX,CVICU,22.50,2.00 nights,MSM CRNA,new grad
TX,CVICU-Houston,35.00,4.00 nights1.00 charge,8% geolocation,MSM CRNA
TX,Hendrick Medical Center Abilene,13.50,Specialty lab technician,2000-2011
TX,HMG Healthcare,37.00,RN,Wound care/LTC ADON,3yrs
TX,Houston - HCA,29.50,neuro trauma ICU,RN,new grad
TX,Houston - Memorial Hermann,33.00,IMU Step Down,RN,new grad
TX,Houston medical center,42.00,3.00 nights,8% geographic,inpatient lactation,10yrs
TX,Houston,32.67,4.00 nights,ADN,Med surg tele,new grad
TX,Houston,35.67,4.00 spanish,ICU or ER
TX,Methodist Health System San Antonio,25.00,burn unit,new grad
VA,Carilion Clinic Roanoke,29.10,psych nurse,1yr
VA,SRMC Petersburg,25.00,RN OR,new grad 2016
VA,UVA Charlottsville,36.00,11yrs
WA,eastern tier 3 med center,40.00,1.25 BSN,1.00 CCRN,4yrs
WA,Providence St Peter - Olympia,41.06,4.75 nights,3.25 weekend,1.00 cert,RN Cardiac Step-down,4.5yrs
WA,Providence,55.70,Cardiac RN,1.00 BSN,1.00 certification,16yrs
WA,southwest float pool,46.77,6.00 nights,15.00 weekend,3.50 float,1.00 bsn,72.27 total
WA,Swedish hospital Seattle,36.50,RN,outpatient cardiology,1yr
WA,Swedish MC Seattle,42.84,3.75 nights,4.00 weekend,5.00 float,2.25 Charge RN,RN,BSN,Neuro-Tele,5yrs
WA,University of Washington,68.50,stipend,RN,cardiac outpt,5yrs
WI,Aspirus,28.00,RN,PCU,2yrs
WI,Aurora St Luke’s Hospital - Milwaukee,25.00,med tele,new grad,2014
WI,Madison,45.58,3.50 nights,3.00 boarding, ER,CEN,12yrs
WV,CAMC,28.00,1.25 nights,new grad
WV,Charleston,28.00,3.00-4.50 nights,CVICU
WY,Amedisys Cheyenne,36.00,mileage + 1.5 OT,RN,BSN

compiled from Reddit Nursing

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Music Association: Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes












The Prophets Of Capitalism
The True Labor Shortage
February 11, 2022

Child asks:	Parent answers:
Does slavery still exist in America?	No.
So you can quit your job at any time?	No.
So you are forced to work to eat, have a home, or have health care?	Yes.
Does health care have to be tied to employment?	Uh.
Other countries tie health care to citizenship not employment.	Oh.

In 2021, 47.4 million U.S. workers quit their jobs, upgrading their lives. Inflation amplified the inequities of worker pay, the pandemic amplified difficult working conditions, and low unemployment offered opportunities. Even though a record number of people quit their jobs last year, the U.S. recorded a net gain of 6.4 million jobs. And yet at the end of the year, there were 10.9 million job openings.

Inflation is when prices rise, and prices rise mostly with corporate greed. Starbucks is increasing prices and reported a 31% increase in profits during the final three months of 2021 for a total profit of $20 billion. The compensation of Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson soared by 39% to $20.4 million in 2021. Starbucks said it would keep raising prices, and that a series of price increases on menu items in recent months had not had “any meaningful impact to customer demand.”

Gas prices are at a 7 year high. Corporate profits of BP are at an 8 year high. Exxon, Chevron, and Shell profits are at a 7 year high. Exxon profited $23 billion in 2021 and is using $10 billion to buy back some of its stock.

The Federal Reserve of St. Louis charted corporate profits from 1950 through 2020 in billions of dollars.



Inflation now at a 30 year high, straining the real value of wages. Factoring for inflation, pay has remained stagnant. This Bureau of Labor Statistics chart shows private sector hourly wages from January 2008 through November 2021, using 1982 dollars.


The lowest paid individuals made more money on average in the U.S. 1946-1980, while the wealthiest made less money. From 1980 to 2014, the net income of the wealthiest shot up like a billionaire's rocket, while the net income of the lower and middle classes dropped and burned up like a meteor.



March 24 is Equal Pay Day, a symbolic day that represents the number of extra days women, on average, must work to earn what men, on average, earned the year before. To earn what white, non-Hispanic men earned in 2020, Asian American and Pacific Islander women had to work until March 9. Mothers won’t catch up until June 4 (compared with fathers, on average). For Black women it is not until August 3. For Native American women it is not until September 8. Lastly, for Latinas, Equal Pay Day is more than 9 months into the year on Oct. 21. [Department of Labor]



Inflation is averaging at about six or seven percent. If you have seen your heating bill, you know the price of energy is higher than inflation's average.




As an employee, you have the right to act with co-workers to address work-related issues in many ways. Examples include:

• talking with one or more co-workers about your wages and benefits or other working conditions,
• circulating a petition asking for better hours,
• participating in a concerted refusal to work in unsafe conditions,
• openly talking about your pay and benefits, and
• joining with co-workers to talk directly to your employer, to a government agency, or to the media about problems in your workplace.

Your employer cannot discharge, discipline, or threaten you for, or coercively question you about, this “protected concerted” activity. A single employee may also engage in protected concerted activity if he or she is acting on the authority of other employees, bringing group complaints to the employer's attention, trying to induce group action, or seeking to prepare for group action. However, you can lose protection by saying or doing something egregiously offensive or knowingly and maliciously false, or by publicly disparaging your employer's products or services without relating your complaints to any labor controversy. The National Labor Relations Board has a poster of employee rights in English and Spanish.

A job should, at the very least, provide a living wage, safe working conditions, sick leave, and health and disability insurance, said Jay Spence, psychologist and chief product officer at Uprise Health in Irvine, Calif. “The pandemic has unfortunately exposed how many jobs don’t even meet workers’ most basic biological and safety needs,” Spence said. Although this is particularly true for those in minimum-wage jobs, skilled and knowledge-based workers also have faced inadequate Covid-mitigation procedures at work, and insufficient sick leave and health insurance. [Washington Post - Should I Quit My Job?]

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Music Associations: Todd Rundgren - I Don't Want To Work
                               & Men At Work - Overkill










Appreciation $hortage
The True Nursing Shortage
January 24, 2022


Healthcare has money. It only cares about money.

HCA Healthcare, the largest public for-profit (for shareholders) healthcare company, runs 186 hospitals and about 1,800 other clinics and surgery centers in 21 states. HCA has posted $3.8 billion in profits but can't afford to pay nurses better or provide a healthy work environment or hire nurses to a reasonable nurse to patient ratio. Just like class size for teachers -- the number of students a teacher is expected to teach -- the nurse to patient ratio is the number of patients assigned to a nurse.

HCA became a publicly traded company in 2011 when it sold 126 million shares for $3.79 billion. HCA was ranked 67th in the 2019 list of Fortune 500 corporations by total revenue. Again, in 2011, shareholders valued HCA at $3.79 billion, and ten years later in 2020, HCA had profits of $3.8 billion. From October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, HCA profit was $6.568 billion, a 93% increase over the preceding year.

Tenet, the second largest for-profit healthcare company, runs 65 hospitals, more than 450 clinics and other facilities. Tenet has multiple multimillion dollar settlements related to defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and patients. Encompass (formerly HealthSouth), the third largest for-profit healthcare company, was accused of falsely reporting company earnings to meet stockholder expectations, under CEO Scrushy.

In 2018, the valuation of private equity deals in the U.S. health care sector surpassed $100 billion, a twentyfold increase from 2000 (when it was less than $5 billion).

U.S. healthcare is centered on greed. The nurses are not paid enough and not provided a healthy, sustainable work environment. Twelve-hour shifts of life, death, punches, and berating are not a healthy, sustainable work environment.

The New York Times ran an opinion video last week by a group of nurses explaining what it is like being a nurse and how horrible the work environment is.


The American Hospital Association (AHA) is the hospital industry trade group, which lobbies against Medicare for All proposals, against free care to low-income people lacking medical insurance, and against hospitals making prices public. AHA posted a rebuttal to the Healthcare Greed video without addressing the (highest) number of licensed nurses in the U.S. or the workplace violence, threats, and harassment. AHA seems most threatened by possible government-imposed staffing requirements.

There is not a nursing shortage.

There is a shortage of hospitals willing to:

•    pay a living wage
•    have reasonable shifts (8 hrs or less)
•    not abuse the nurses
•    provide health coverage for health workers
  

(For more information, read https://www.reddit.com/r/nursing/ .)

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Music Association: AHA - I Wish I Cared













Test? I Didn't Study!
Free Covid-19 Test Kits
January 19, 2022


Today is the official launch day of the Covid-19 Test Kit website (or call 1-800-232-0233). Sign up to receive 4 free Covid-19 test kits per U.S. household mailed by the U.S. Postal System.

Give your name and U.S. residential address. That's it. Covid-19 tests will start shipping in late January (mailed within 7-12 days). USPS will send 4 free at-home Covid-19 test kits to U.S. residential addresses.

The rapid antigen tests can be taken anywhere, with results in 30 minutes.

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Music Association: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird









Going Ornamental
Vaccine Decor*
December 30, 2021


After last year's Covid-19 ornaments (see previous post), it only made sense to give the gift of vaccines this year.

• small pointy bottles
• clear jumbo-sized push pins
• a black plastic takeout bowl
• a black Sharpie or acrylic pen
• clear packing tape

I pushed some giant-sized push pins into oval pieces of a black plastic takeout bowl. Then I muscled one push pin into the bottom of each bottle.



I was told that an acrylic pen would write on plastic. It's true. It does. But it also smears, even after waiting 20 minutes for the ink/paint pen to dry. So I had to cover the writing with clear packing tape.

I put the vaccines in re-purposed clear packaging.



Have a happy new year.

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Music Association: David Bowie - Golden Year
* Small parts warning: Not for households with children under 7.









Going Ornamental
Spreading Covid-19*
December 19, 2021



Last year I painted some styrofoam balls with gray paint.



I stuck the painted styrofoam balls with red push pins. The paint helped to hold the push pins in.



Then I re-purposed some gold elastic, tied as a loop around one of the push pins.

Then I used some washed plastic packaging as containers and gave Covid-19 ornaments.



That's the only way it's okay to spread Covid-19.

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Music Association: Elvis - Blue Christmas
* Small parts warning: Not for households with children under 7.











“We're heartbroken. We're overwhelmed.”
Minnesota Healthcare Pleads For Public Help
To End The Pandemic
December 13, 2021


A full-page ad was put in many newspapers across Minnesota yesterday, pleading with the public to take action to stop Covid-19.

The ad asked the public to get vaccinated and get the booster, wear a mask, socially distance, if sick - get tested, and spread the word. The ad said:


Hospital CEOs from North Memorial, CentraCare, Allina, Mayo Clinic, Hennepin Healthcare, Essentia, Fairview Health Service, Children's Minnesota, and HealthPartners all signed off on the message.



This morning's report from the Minnesota Department of Health shows 3,655 new cases of Covid-19 and 46 new deaths.

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Music Association: Five For Fighting - Dying








Bang On The Drum All Day
Repercussions Of The Pandemic
September 22, 2021


Percussion instruments can be as simple as a pan, a barrel, or a table. They aren't instruments until they meet up with hands.

I will lend you a hand.

(This is me on the drums.)

If you think you shouldn't have a Covid-19 vaccine, you are thinking too much. If you aren't vaccinated, get vaccinated.

As of the end of August, four and a half million people worldwide have died directly from Covid-19 (4,518,351). Covid-19 has directly killed 634,415 in the United States. The availability of Covid-19 vaccinations has meant that those dying alone of Covid-19 are anti-vaxers (Covidiots). Many other people are dying from serious but treatable illnesses due to either fear of going into hospitals or the health resources not being available during the pandemic. The decline of health and dental maintenance will have consequences.

Every American president alive today has been vaccinated, from President Carter to President Biden.

This is the Afghanistan War (2001-2021) of pandemics. It will not end quickly. Slowly, the Covidiots will suffer long, painful solitary* deaths while those vaccinated will get periodic booster shots and live on.

I drove past a funeral yesterday, with few people seeing the casket into a hearse. They all seemed to be looking at me like I should stop and do something or say something. Maybe they just wanted more people and less traffic.

So many people are not properly mourning -- having stalled or complicated grief responses -- not getting closure.

Anecdotal evidence indicates a rise in domestic and child abuse, a rise in drug and alcohol addiction and relapse, a rise in depression and isolation, and accentuated political and social divisions.

Covid-fog will be a long-term problem for many adults.

Economically, Covid-19 is killing the hospitality industry, the wider service industry, and global manufacturing. Supply chain shortages will kill Just-In-Time delivery, increasing inventory overhead, and increasing prices.

(I'm still drumming my table.)

---

Music Association: Dire Straits - Industrial Disease
* Death is usually solitary.











Nuanced
May 16, 2021


The problem with the lifting of mask mandates is in the details.

Most of the headlines and announcements say the masks can come off after the second shot of a Covid19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna). However, the second shot isn't fully effective until two weeks after it was administered.

If someone is coughing up a storm, I'm not going to go up to them maskless and talk about the stormy weather.

The mask mandates had to be lifted not for individuals and not to follow sensible science. The mask mandates had to be lifted in a bigger, societal picture. The vaccines will only protect people for so long. How long? It is more than eight months. It might be a year. The CEO of Pfizer said there will be Covid19 booster shots next year.

While over half of Americans have been vaccinated, the masks come off to encourage the other half of the country and to put them at risk to supposedly cause them to get vaccinated.

It's like a traffic light in the middle of the night.

It's not that it helps the one lone car on the road stuck at a red light while everyone else sleeps. Whether vaccinated or not, mask removing will not help the individual. It might help their business or their ability to get teachers to babysit their kids. And removing masks helps the villains who insidiously want to breathe their Covid19 breath on others.

If people had everyone's best interests in mind and at heart, mask mandates wouldn't be necessary. People would be wearing masks. It's a pandemic.

Half of the reason I wear a mask is for me and half is for you.

---

Music Association: The Spaniels - Stormy Weather








Star Wars Day
Who Got Shot First?
May the Fourth be 2021


I'm not much of a Star Wars fan or a Star Trek fan or a Star Tribune fan. But since today isn't Star Trek day or Star Tribune day, I'll give two three four reasons that I'm not a Star Wars fan.


If those reasons aren't enough, there are plenty more reasons in the Star Wars universe, including the who-shot-whom-first nonsense.

I once knew an elderly wife who would remind her elderly husband to shoot himself. (He had daily medications.) “Have you shot yourself?” she would ask.

I've been vaccinated.

The United States has more vaccines than it has people wanting to be vaccinated. According to some polls, not enough Americans want to get their shots, and the United States may not have enough immunized people to reach herd immunity. That means there will be third doses of the vaccines next year. The masks will stay on. And the health, entertainment, and hospitality industries will continue to suffer.

The pandemic will continue until the covidiots are ready for it to end.

---

Music Association: Erich Korngold - King’s Row & Gustav Holst - The Planets - Mars, the Bringer of War
see link for details of the Star Wars music cues


   











Reality TV
Trump's Golf
May 24, 2020


The United States had its 100,000th Covid-19 death this weekend. The cover of today's New York Times listed a thousand people killed by Covid-19, their names, ages, city, and sometimes something about them.

President Trump puttered around a golf course yesterday. A combination of Trump golfing and the Times list of the dead appeared on the web.

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Music Association: Friends Of Distinction - Grazing In The Grass
That's me on the bongos.
 










Covid-19 Check-In
How Are You?
May 6, 2020


The world is sick of Covid-19 and from Covid-19. The world has adapted to the virus, and the virus has adapted to the world, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory's report, “Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2” (pdf).

What Los Alamos says is the Covid-19 virus spikes mutated in Europe to be spikier* than the original Wuhan, China virus. Spikier spikes increase the transmission, the contagiousness of the disease, and its severity. It strains me to tell you but this spikier strain (D614G) has dominated the United States. Comparing the pandemic in the United States to the one in China is an apples-to-watermelons comparison. Put another way, China has yet to experience the “new and improved Covid-19, now with spikier spikes!”


Say It, Don't Spray It

When you talk, tiny droplets of saliva spray into the air. When you cough or sneeze, more saliva and germs spray farther out into the air, about three feet. And when you cough and sneeze forcefully, your rain can hit me from six feet away.

This is you, but it falls on me.

You may not even have the symptoms of Covid-19 and thankfully sneezing isn't one of them, but you could be spraying your newfound virus all over everyone around you. The spray that floats in the air is called an aerosol. How long does your aerosol float around?


Shut The Trap, Shut It!

Virologists have assumed that Covid-19 particles cannot linger in the air for hours after somebody coughs. That assumption could be wrong. A Wuhan University study published in the journal Nature Research used aerosol traps within two hospitals in Wuhan, China. Researchers found bits of the Covid-19 virus’s genetic material floating around indoor toilets, as well as a room in the hospital where medical staff removed their masks, gowns, and gloves.


Could You Do That Outside?!?

The stay-at-home order in Minnesota has given the state time to gather resources and information but has been economically tough. Yesterday's interim state budget report figures a $2.4 billion deficit for this biennium instead of the $1.5 billion surplus Minnesota had. Nearly 594,000 Minnesota workers filed for unemployment by the end of April.

Dave Orrick of the Pioneer Press assessed of the accomplishments of 37 days of the March 25th stay-at-home order in Minnesota.

  ☆  Minnesotans heeded the stay-at-home order more closely than other Americans and more than many forecasters expected. We flattened the curve, creating a slower spread of the pandemic than most states.

  ☆  Prior to the stay-at-home order, Minnesota had about 1,200 intensive care beds. ICU beds, and ventilators to aid in breathing, are crucial to reduce the death toll of the virus, which usually kills by causing the lungs to fail. The state still has 1,244 ICU beds, but within 24 hours the number of beds can jump to 2,044. (Don't jump on the beds! When will this pandemic end?!?) Within three days, it can jump up to 2,588. Hundreds of beds are available for non-Covid-19 patients. The state now has 2,844 ventilators.

  ☆  Medical personal protective equipment (PPE) was in short supply a month ago. Minnesota now has 345,000 N95 respirators, 2 million surgical masks, 7.3 million gloves, 49,000 gowns, and 152,000 face shields, plus significant supplies our hospitals have obtained.

  ☆  Covid-19 swab tests averaged 1,720 per day in Minnesota in late March. Last week, the average had jumped to 3,006 with plans for 5,000 tests per day soon. The increase is good but not yet at a capacity that wouldenable testing everyone with disease symptoms.

  ☆  What we didn't get was immunity. People seem to be able to get sick and sick again. We didn't get a vaccine [ until we did. ]

The New Normal

Other changes that didn't make the Orrick list can be seen and not seen all around. Tape marks on store floors remind shoppers of social distancing. Plexiglass shields have become the new Cone Of Silence. Eyes have become more expressive. Masks have become commonplace, not for the sake of the wearer but for everyone else. Office furniture companies have become virus distancing advisers. Planes usually in the air have been parked in Dallas, Houston, Pinal, and Tucson. Homes have become more heaven because of togetherness.

And for some people, due to Covid-19 illnesses or domestic abuse or just not in a loving place, it's hell.

How are you?

---

Music Association: Kansas - Dust In The Wind
* New word of the day: Spikier







Covid-19 Curve
Sacrificial Lambs
April 29, 2020





The United States has over a million cases of Covid-19 with reported cases currently doubling every three weeks.* The argument out there is to push people to make wrong decisions for profit, either political or economic. Some people's money is more important than some other people's lives.

---

Music Association: The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
* And more Covid-19 deaths than deaths from the Vietnam War.










Covid-19 Heroes
April Distance
Brings May Existence
April 23, 2020












At one of the White House pandemic press conferences, Trump said he hasn't traveled in months. Yeah, right Pinocchio.

In January, he started from Florida, then D.C., then Toledo, then D.C., then Milwaukee, then D.C., then Florida again, then D.C., then Switzerland, then D.C., then New Jersey, then D.C., then Iowa, then Michigan, then D.C., and back to Florida.

In February, he started from Florida, then D.C., then North Carolina, then D.C., then New Hampshire, then D.C., then Florida again, then D.C., then Arizona, then Colorado, then Nevada, then D.C., then India, then D.C., then Maryland, then D.C.

In March it was back to North Carolina, then D.C., then back to Florida again, and then back to D.C.

That's at least 34 flights.

For the details on all Trump's campaign rallies and Florida golf trips (so far in 2020), see the Trump Timeline 2020 and Trump Timeline 2015-2020 (also available in PDF).

Instead of dismissing Covid-19 in tweets and rallies, instead of being an absent president, he could have been a leader. The kind of leader any other modern United States president would have been. He could have prepared the country and its hospitals and industry for the crisis. Trump failed.

---

Music Association: Jefferson Airplane - Jet Airliner













Covid-19 Heroes
Heroes Should Be Paid More
April 15, 2020


All the nurses and doctors taking care of Covid-19 patients are my heroes. They are putting themselves in harms way and learning about what works and may save lives while waiting for a vaccine. Recent news hints that maybe putting patients on their stomachs increases the oxygen to their lungs (proning, anecdotal evidence). My heroes include all the Covid-19 health professionals in New York who have made videos to show what battling Covid-19 looks like and what they need (masks and other PPEs, and ironically enough health coverage for themselves). Covid-19 health professionals aren't being paid enough and should have Covid-19 workers compensation.

The original Covid-19 hero was ophthalmologist Li Wenliang. In December 2019 he posted on the Chinese messaging app WeChat that seven patients from a local seafood market had been diagnosed with a SARS-like illness and were quarantined in his hospital in Wuhan. He was detained by Wuhan police and accused of rumor-mongering. Li was hospitalized on January 12, tested positive for Covid-19 on February 1st, and died on February 7th.

Captain Brett Crozier is a Covid-19 hero for defending the lives of his crew and was relieved of command on April 2nd after urging the Navy to address the Covid-19 outbreak on his ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. He would make a better Secretary of the Navy than Modly was.

The grocery store clerks are also heroes for keeping supplies stocked. The congressional and legislative assistants are also my heroes for listening to the stories of hardships and figuring what the government can do to make things better. Dr. Anthony Fauci is a hero for maintaining his professional ethics in a difficult situation. And then there's Paula Reid (CBS) and Kaitlan Collins (CNN), who popped a toddler's balloon on Monday at the Covid-19 press conference.*

Here is part of Trump's exchange with CBS White House correspondent Paula Reid:


Here is part of an exchange with CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins:



This Covid-19 press conference started with a campaign video. The lights in the briefing room dimmed for the three minute montage of officials offering laudatory comments about the president and of Trump discussing his steps to contain the virus.

To answer Paula Reid's question about what Trump did in February, Trump actively downplayed the threat of Covid-19, falsely said the virus was under control, minimized how long a vaccine would take, contradicted his health professionals, and sent 18 tons of U.S. medical supplies to China (which they might have sold back to the states). Trump did even more.

Trump played golf on February 1, 2, and 15. He held MAGA campaign rallies on February 10 (Manchester, NH), February 19 (Phoenix, AZ), February 20 (Colorado Springs, CO), February 21 (Las Vegas, NV), February 24-26 (India), February 28 (North Charleston, SC), and February 29 (Oxon Hill, MD). And most importantly to his self-aggrandizement was his riding in his limo around the Daytona 500 track as the grand marshal on February 16th.

Covid-19 traveled more than Trump. At the start of February, the world had 11,953 cases and 7 cases in the U.S. At the end of February, the world had 85,403 cases of Covid-19 and 62 cases in the U.S. As of today, there have been 1,914,916 cases worldwide and 123,010 deaths. There have been 578,268 cases in the United States and 23,476 deaths. There have been 1,809 cases in Minnesota and 87 deaths.

---

Music Association: REO Speedwagon - Back On The Road Again
T-shirt Slogan Association: Elect A Clown - Expect A Circus
* During Watergate, Connie Chung once came across President Nixon on the White House lawn. She asked him some questions. Then he asked her, “How much do you make?” She told him, and he said, “You should make more money.”








Trump Schedule
Trump Didn't Order Covid-19 Supplies Until Mid-March
April 6, 2020


President Trump waited until March 12th to order ventilators and N95 masks. The order requests delivery at the end of April. No rush apparently.

---

Music Association: Styx - Too Much Time On His Hands


 




Covid-19 News
Too Much Information
April 2, 2020


If you're keeping count, reported Covid-19 cases worldwide topped one million people (1,011,490) today, according to John Hopkins University, having doubled in one week. Covid-19 deaths worldwide have passed 50,000. Spain had 950 deaths in 24 hours, with a total of 10,000 Covid-19 deaths.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday said Los Angeles residents should cover their faces when they are out in public as part of an effort to combat Covid-19. Today the White House is pre-announcing an announcement to have Americans wear cloth masks or face coverings in public to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

California governor Gavin Newsom asked, “What are you waiting for?” to the twenty state governors who haven't yet issued stay-at-home orders for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Captain Brett Crozier was relieved of command today, after he urged the Navy to address the Covid-19 outbreak on his ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. Social distancing is not possible on the 1092' aircraft carrier or any ship, and the ship had 93 cases of Covid-19.

Over 10 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in March with two-thirds of them just last week.

The Strategic National Stockpile has sent out the last shipments in its inventory, depleting the bulk of its protective gear. They sent 300,000 of the wrong masks to Illinois, sending simple surgical masks instead of N95 protective masks.

Instructions for making your own masks are found at the New York Times (pdf). A group of scientists and engineers have set up a website offering the best options for reusing N95 masks. The best way to sanitize surfaces at home is available through the Washington Post.

And tomorrow at 5pm, many Twin Cities radio stations will play Purple Rain by Prince in honor of the 50th anniversary of First Avenue, the old bus station that was turned into the music club in 1970. Listen across the dial at 5pm to 89.3 the Current, KQRS 92.5, 93X, Go 96.3, Cities 97, KDWB 101.3, Love 105, KOOL-108, and talk stations KFAN and MyTalk.

---

Music Association: Prince - Purple Rain










April 1, 2020

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Music Association: John Williams - Imperial March









Covid-19 State-by-State
Cases and Stay-Home Map
March 30, 2020


The New York Times has a map of which state governors have issued Stay-At-Home orders, and a map where the Covid-19 cases are. Here are those two maps stacked together.


Combination of two New York Times maps showing Covid-19 cases (red dots) & states with Stay-At-Home orders (orange).


The map shows the states with Stay-At-Home orders in orange. These are states that are trying to save lives and flatten the curve, to delay the Covid-19 pandemic long enough for a vaccine to be created, tested, manufactured, and distributed. The striped states have Stay-At-Home orders only in some places. The states in white (Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, North & South Dakota) are trying to figure out the difference between ignorance and indifference.*

As of today, the United States has 140,904 Covid-19 cases (more reported cases than any other country) and 2,405 deaths. Worldwide there are 697,244 Covid-19 cases and 33,257 deaths.

The starting pistol has just been fired.

This will get far worse before it's done.

---

Music Associations: Chicago - Only The Beginning & The Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun
* Joke Association: What's the difference between ignorance and indifference?
Don't know and don't care.









Covid-19 is a Nutshell
General Virus Information
March 29, 2020


Courtesy of Ken Goddard: Director, National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory.

• a virus is not a living organism, but only a molecule of protein (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipids (fats), that upon being absorbed by ocular, nasal, and mouth mucosa cells changes the genetic code of the cells and converts them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

• Since the virus is not a living organism but rather a molecule of protein, it doesn’t die but rather disintegrates on its own. The length of time it takes to disintegrate depends on temperature, humidity and the type of material where it sits.

• The virus is very fragile, the only thing that protects it is a thin external layer of fat. That’s why any soap or detergent is the best remedy because suds break down grease/fats (that’s why you have to suds up for 20 seconds or more in order to make a lot of suds). Once the layer of fat is dissolved, the molecule of protein falls apart and disintegrates on its own.

• Heat melts grease, that is why it is best to use water that is at least 25 degrees centigrade (you can do your math here or just use pretty warm water) to wash your hands, clothes, etc. Besides, hot water makes more suds and that is good.

• Alcohol or any mixture of alcohol at more than 65% will dissolve any grease/fats, especially the outer fat layer of the virus.

• Any mixture of 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolve the protein, which kills it from the inside.

• Oxidized water (peroxide) can be used besides soap, alcohol, and bleach because peroxide dissolves the protein of the virus, but you have to use it alone and it damages the skin.

• No Bactericide Works. You can't kill anything that is not alive with antibiotics. Since the virus is not a living organism, you can’t kill it, except to disintegrate its structure with everything mentioned above.

• Never shake clothes you have worn (or not worn) nor sheets or anything made of cloth. As long as it is stuck to a porous surface, it is inert and will disintegrate in 3 hours (cloth and porous surfaces), 4 hours (copper which is naturally antiseptic and wood because it pulls away all of the humidity and it stays stuck and disintegrates), 24 hours (cardboard), 42 hours (metal) and 72 hours (plastic). Don’t dust or use a duster as the molecules of the virus will float in the air for up to 3 hours and can lodge in the nose.

• The molecules of a virus are very stable in outdoor cold and air conditioning in houses and cars. It needs humidity to be stable and also darkness. Environments that are dehumidified, dry, and with a lot of light will disintegrate it more rapidly.

• The more confined space the virus is in, the more concentrated it becomes. Open air and natural ventilation are the best.

• Ultraviolet Light on any object where it can land will disintegrate the protein of the virus. For example, it is perfect to disinfect and be able to reuse a mask. Be careful, as it also disintegrates the protein in the skin (collagen) and can cause big wrinkles and skin cancer.

• No virus can go through healthy skin.

• Vinegar does not work because it doesn’t dissolve the protective layer of grease.

• Vodka doesn't work. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol and you need at least 65%.

• Listerine does work! It is 65% alcohol.

• It is imperative to wash your hands before and after touching mucous areas, food, knobs, light switches, remote controls, cell phones, watches, computers, desks, TVs etc. And when after using the toilet.

• You need to use lotion on your dry hands, because the molecules can hide in tiny cracks. The thicker the cream, the better. Also keep your fingernails short, so the virus can’t hide in there either.

---

Music Association: Hilary Duff - Come Clean









Covid-19 Help Wanted
America Needs Leadership
March 28, 2020


The United States needs ventilators.

Maybe you don't know the first thing about making ventilators but don't let that stop you.

Ventilator instructions are available and free to use. The choices are either the Canadian style ventilator or the Floridian style ventilator.

Pick one and start building ventilators.

If you don't have the wherewithal to build ventilators from the instructions, the United States also needs leadership.

The U.S. leads the world in reported Covid-19 cases with over 112,000 and just passed a bill that doesn't provide paid sick leave for 54% of the U.S. workforce, people who work for employers with over 500 employees.

So those employees may be able to stay home during the Covid-19 pandemic, or they may not have paid sick leave and might have to take their chances. If these people had guaranteed paid sick leave, it would help slow the exponential growth of Covid-19. It would help to flatten the curve.

Here is the growth of Covid-19 cases in Minnesota:


Try to stay home.

---

Music Association: Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance Take It











Today In Covid-19 News
USA Gets The Bronze!
March 23, 2020


The United States pulled ahead of all other countries except China and Italy, to place third in reported* Covid-19 cases.

Canada, Norway, Germany, and several other countries have pressured the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Tokyo Olympics due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

---

Music Association: Jewel - Foolish Games
* Russia and India may not be reporting all Covid-19 cases.










Picture It
Covid's Top 19 Images
March 19, 2020

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Music Association: Paul Hardcastle - 19












The Score
Covid:      19
USA:      100 
March 17, 2020


The novel coronavirus Covid-19 killed its 100th person today in the United States and found its way to its 50th state. West Virginia had the distiction of being the most pandemically distant state of the United States. Let that be a lesson to you the next time you are trying to get away from infectious disease. West Virginia is the place to get away from it all.

Minnesota has 60 cases today. Minnesota's first case was March 6th. There were 14 cases on Friday the 13th. The next day had 21. Then it was 35. Yesterday it was 54 cases.

The United States has over 4,226 cases.



The New York Times had this United States map of Covid-19 cases today. Doesn't it look kind of sickly and infectious? The country is covered with bubbling red spots. Having red spots on top of red spots really looks sore and hints at underlying mucus. This is a gross map worthy of an infectious disease book. Makes you wonder what the world looks like.

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Music Association: Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven  “the stores are all closed”




 








Music To Soothe A Coronavirus Isolation 
Quarantunes 
March 15, 2020


The lovely and talented Rita Wilson, in Covid-19 quarantine with her husband Mr. Tom Hanks (THanks), has a playlist of songs on Spotify called “Quarantunes.”


It's a sick list. One of my recent music associated songs was The Fray with “How To Save Your Life” and maybe Rita could add that song to Quarantunes II (the sequel). Another appropriate song would be Dire Straits with “Industrial Disease.”

When the character Tom Hanks was playing in the movie Castaway was alone on an island with a volleyball named Wilson, that wasn't Wilson the sports equipment company, that was a stand-in of Rita.

---

Music Association: The Beatles - Lovely Rita









Flatten The Curve
Close Everything - Stay Home* 
March 12, 2020


The United States Capitol is closed to visitors because of the Covid-19 virus. The NBA and NHL have ended their seasons. New York's Metropolitan Museum, Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the New York Philharmonic, and Broadway theaters are closed. Live Nation tours are canceled. Disneyland and Disney World are closed.

Due to Covid-19, a State of Emergency has been declared by the following states: California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.

The University of Minnesota has has suspended in-person instruction across all system campuses. Also closing in-person instruction are:  Arizona State, Boston College, Columbia University, Harvard University, Maryland, M.I.T., Ohio State, Ohio University, Penn State, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Yale, and many others. All NCAA tournaments are canceled. Atlanta schools have turned to online learning. Many Colorado schools and Philadelphia schools will be closed for the near future.

Ireland has closed its schools and colleges. Italy is in a lock down. Italy and Iran canceled sporting events. Professional soccer games will be played in Spain and Portugal without spectators. Today, the Olympic torch will be lit without spectators in Olympia, Greece. Ireland and Boston Saint Patrick's Day parades are canceled.

President Trump has restricted travel to the U.S. from Europe, with the exception of the United Kingdom.

ABC’s “The View” is being taped without a studio audience. “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on NBC will be taped without studio audiences starting Monday. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have Covid-19.

Handshakes and hugs are canceled.


By the numbers, the United States currently (3-12-2020) has 1,215 cases of Covid-19 and 36 deaths. If you divide 36 by 1215, you get ~2.96%. Covid-19 has 125,288 cases worldwide and 4,614 deaths or ~3.68%. Plus or minus.

The fatality rate of the flu is .1% .

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, Covid-19 has a conservative fatality rate of either 2% or 1.4%, which assumes more cases of Covid-19 than are reported.

On average, each person infected with Covid-19 infects 2.2 other people. That sounds like doubling at the outset but quickly moves exponentially.

The time is now for individuals and organizations to restrict social activity, when possible, to flatten the curve of Covid-19 cases. Flattening the curve can avoid overwhelming health services, keep the impact on the economy to within manageable levels, and effectively buy more time to develop and manufacture effective vaccines, treatments, and anti-viral drug therapies.

---

Music Association: Semisonic - Closing Time
* If possible.










I'm No Doctor, But...
Covid-19 Isn't The Flu! 
March 10, 2020


Influenza has a long history and multiple vaccines. Covid-19 is new, has no vaccine, and nobody has built up immunities.

Covid-19 isn't the flu.

The flu has a death rate of .01%. The Covid-19 death rate is at least 10 times greater at 1%.

Months from now more will be known about Covid-19, like how to kill it. Vaccines may take a year or longer to invent and produce.

The best thing to do is to survive and help slow the spread of Covid-19. Here's how:

• stay at home if possible
• stay home if you are sick and seek medical attention (call ahead)
• wash your hands for 20 seconds (with soap or a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer)
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
  
• greet people with a nod, a wave, or a bow (not shaking hands)
• cover your coughs and sneezes
• maintain social distancing (6 feet)
• avoid crowds
• avoid unnecessary travel
• and don't panic

I'm no doctor, but unlike the President, I listen to the experts.

For the best, latest information on Covid-19, visit the websites of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

For the latest number of Covid-19 cases:

• WHO world map of cases
• WHO situation reports
• CDC cases in the United States

---

Music Associations: Fray - How To Save A Life & Gloria Gaynor - Survive












The Disaster That Had To Happen
Chronic Contagion 
March 9, 2020

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Music Association: The Knack - My Corona









Abortion




Russia - Ukraine War








end Israeli apartheid




China in 1989



George Floyd





Covid-19




Trump Timeline (PDF)




Voter Suppression




Music Videos

Landmine Hopscotch


Superman


Impact Investing



Holiday Gifs of Cats and Kittens Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5  




Southdale Hennepin Library  Edina Library  


Wonder Woman


Food Fraud