I am laying in bed beginning to write my blog of the day when my phone rang and it was someone on Squad who said that he a member of the Royal Family of Kuwait. Who knows? Then someone else joined in and asked me all kinds of questions about my sex life. I hung up – my goodness I might have hung up on Royalty. I do communicate with Royalty on on Squad but I have met them and know who they are – met them in London in December 2019. They are most sweet and attentive. Unusual to say the very least. The young lads on Squads remarked on my age, not believing I was 77. This happened at the grocery store the other day. He: I cannot believe you are 77. You look like you are 50. Me: 40. I look like I am 40. This led to generalized laughter from everyone that heard the exchange. I do cheer people up and that is rather essential in these troubled times. So writing a blog from bed on self isolation is a bit strange but then you throw in someone who says they are from the Royal Family of Kuwait – it definitely pushes the envelope. The young man who said he was from Kuwait said that I was most popular with many in the Middle East. – it could well be as I am well regarded mostly because I am real and do not fawn over rich Royalty, treating them like regular people, like they are my grandchildren – they do call me Granny Alexis (with my permission of course). The families are huge – one has 36 brothers and sisters. It does sound unbelievable but it is true as the father has several wives. A wonderful young man tentatively asked a question. He: Granny, Are you crazy. Me: (laughing) No I am not and could provide you with a letter from a psychiatrist saying that I am perfectly same. I think the reason you think I am crazy is just that I am unlike anyone you have ever met. He: You are. right, you are different that anyone I have ever met. I was not insulted by his question and was most pleased with his responsiveness to my explanation.
The phrase yellow journalism came to mind – so I googled it and was amazed at what I found on Wikipedia. It gives the entire history and is most fascinating. . “Joseph Campbell describes yellow press newspapers as having daily multi-column front-page headlines covering a variety of topics, such as sports and scandal, using bold layouts (with large illustrations and perhaps color), heavy reliance on unnamed sources, and unabashed self-promotion. The term was extensively used to describe certain major New York City newspapers around 1900 as they battled for circulation.[4]Frank Luther Mott identifies yellow journalism based on five characteristics:[5]
scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudoscience, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
dramatic sympathy with the “underdog”
SF Gate practices yellow journalism. A headline screamed that the coronavirus would be with us for ten years. Now that is ridiculous – this concussion came from unnamed ‘public health officials. Clearly SF Gate is hoping to improve its readership. A recent title announced that Contra Costa County was levying a fine of one thousand dollars for not wearing a face mask. But a reading of the article revealed that it was a progressive fine and that it would be utterly rare for a fine of that magnitude be levied. The only remedy is not reading the daily offerings from SF Gate – so that calmness and order and rationality can prevail in these times when these are needed.
But even responsible journalists report the news in negative, rather than positive terms Los Angeles Times announced: “The tiny neighboring Middle Eastern sheikdoms of Bahrain and Qatar have the world’s highest per-capita rates of coronavirus infections, fueled initially by the virus sweeping undetected through camps housing healthy young migrant workers, studies show. But both countries’ COVID-19 fatality rates remain strikingly low.
Qatar, with a population of 2.8 million people, has reported more than 107,000 cases of the coronavirus and 163 deaths. Bahrain, with a population of 1.6 million, has reported more than 37,000 cases and 130 deaths. Strikingly, the fatality rate in the two countries remains low, with Qatar at 0.15% and Bahrain at 0.34%. The U.S. rate is around 3.6%”.Reading the article brought good news – most of the individuals were asymptotic with that and the extremely low fatality rate – it is no big deal. There is very little to be concerned about – actually it is good news not bad news. I know of a household in Qatar that was struck with the auto-virus – the family and all of the workers tested positive for the virus. Fortunately all recovered – the family and the workers and were most cheerful and happy. As they had the disease they would have developed antibodies – so it would be safe to be around them even without six foot social distancing. A visit would be possible, my goodness even a hug or two. I do laugh.
Life will alter in the upcoming weeks. This self isolation can turn a person quite crazy and the end does not appear to be in sight. Personal Driver shall collect me about two times a week and we will drive in his car throughout the City. I shall photograph Victorian buildings – many in this neighbourhood. and shall be a new outlet for my creativity. I was once a talented photographer My PCP said: Alexis, you are so creative. Me: Thank you. I owe a great deal of thanks to you. I do work at my creativity but you have so helped me over the years.
I removed the Squado App from my phone. It was intrusive and served no real purpose in my life. I do not really care that I am a popular person in the Middle East – it is hot there and I do not particularly like sand. Hahaha
