I opened email this very morning and discovered something quite wonderful from Andy Borowitz which deals with my favorite topic which is stupidity. “After being heard on a hot mike calling a Republican senator a moron, Dr. Anthony Fauci defended his decision by saying that he was “just following the science.”The esteemed virologist said that, in calling Senator Roger Marshall, of Kansas, a moron, “I didn’t mean to offend. I was just trying to be accurate from a scientific standpoint.”
Fauci continues to define the terms: “As a scientist, I believe it’s important to use the correct nomenclature,” Fauci said. “You need to call a virus a virus, and a bacterium a bacterium. In this same way, I am confident that I was correct in calling Senator Marshall a moron.”
Fauci said that he does not use the word “moron” capriciously, but only after extensive scientific experimentation proves that it applies. “Take Rand Paul, for example,” Fauci said. “I didn’t determine that he was a moron until after forty-five seconds of hearing him speak.”
But there is a darker side to this humor as reported by The National, the UAE online news.
Rand Paul’s rhetoric has led to death threats against Dr. Fauci. Top US infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci has accused Republican Senator Rand Paul of spreading misinformation that has led to threats of violence and death against him and his family.
The pair had a heated back-and-forth at a Senate health committee hearing, with Dr Fauci accusing Mr Paul, the long-time Republican politician from Kentucky and supporter of former President Donald Trump, of distracting the public from the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. He said Mr Paul was focused on misinformed attacks rather than oversight aimed at addressing the healthcare crisis that has so far killed more than 800,000 people in the US.https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2022/01/12/us-senator-rand-pauls-rhetoric-has-lead-to-death-threats-dr-fauci-says/
I fear that there is nothing funny about that – an atrocity in insane USA – an esteemed physician, trying to control disease, is threatened because Rand Paul wrongfully and stupidly attacks him. Atrocity has several non delightful synonyms: barbarism, brutality, savagery, inhumanity, cruelty, wickedness, badness, baseness, evil, iniquity, horror, heinousness, villainy, lawlessness, crime, transgression, wrong, wrongdoing, injustice, abuse; malfeasance. My three favorites are barbarism, transgression and a legal term: malfeasance. .
But back to stupidity, as I I have said before, stupid does not mean that one lacks intelligence but rather is the result of lazy, incomplete, inattentive thinking – that is the mode in which the operates. Does not get information or if does get some information, it is ‘gained’ through untested and unreliable sources, such as Rand Paul. But occasionally, what can happen is that information is not readily available and the individual cannot and should not be blamed.
That is what happened to me. I was walking on a cloud. “Walking on a cloud” is an expression that means feeling very happy. Happy, cheerful, in a good mood, glad that Abu Dhabi was perfectly 100% safe, free from the pesky virus. But then knowledge began to seep in, knowledge from a reliable source. First of all there was anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence is a factual claim relying only on personal observation, collected in a casual or non-systematic manner. A new Abu Dhabi acquaintance texted saying she could not meet on Saturday because she had tested positive. That could just be her, and not be a trend as the information was obtained in a nonsystematic manner. But alerted, I began to read, from reliable sources as to the frequency of cases. In doing so there was evidence that Dubai schools had not reopened after the break and online classes were taking place again because the virus was making another appearance in Dubai. Positive virus young woman and I discussed the situation:
Me: I thought we were super safe in Abu Dhabi I guess not.
She: Abu Dhabi is doing better than Dubai. But not super safe.
Me: Yes about Dubai. The border check between Dubai and Abu Dhabi tells it all. I went to Expo last week and on the return to Abu Dhabi there was a check point and if a visitor it was necessary to have a PCR taken at least four days before. It was weird but reassuring.
She: Weird how?
Me: Just that it is the UNITED Arab Emeritus and the border check had no been present before. So it was unusual but fine and actually reassuring.
She: Yeah normally there isn’t one. But this is an unusual situation.
Me: Indeed it is an unusual situation.
Then more disturbing news. Granddaughter (from Uganda) disappeared – no texting, no word from her. Then today this news.
She: Hello my Grandma. Hope you are fine. I was in quarantine for two weeks. Now I am back.
Me: Oh my poor girl!! You tested positive?
She: Yes. 😢
Me: Oh no! Did you get it from a guest, do you think? At least you finally got some rest. Look at the good side.
She: I think so. Yes I got some rest. I am feeling better now.
Granddaughter works for a Resort which shall be nameless, at this moment. They work their employees tirelessly – never giving them days off, working inhumane hours. I wrongly occasionally blamed the Government, not sufficiently understanding the situation. The UAE is increasingly putting controls on employers. Most recently an insistence that wages be paid on time – and ten days in arrears is considered late. I stand corrected: It is greed and capitalism that is causing inhumane working conditions in the UAE, and its Rulers are making attempts to rectify the situation.
I always attempt to stay on the sunny side of life and was able to put a spin on this situation Both of them are routinely and regularly pcr tested – for free. Therefore, the first young woman was able to know that she was communicable and cancelled her outing with me. (And others possibly). The second employee was quarantined so she did not spread it to other workers (she lives in communal housing) nor to other guests in the Resort. Constant testing is the only solution. Those with Emeritus ID’s are required to pcr test at least once every two weeks. The test is provided at no cost to the employees. A guest in a hotel I know that those around me are not communicable. Testing in the Premier Inn takes place twice a week and is free. The guests in this hotel are newly arrived at the airport , tested on arrival. Other guests are on long term stay but tests required by their employers. Tens of health workers reside in this hotel. I am not planning to go anywhere until this passes – and then will only go to countries that are as safe as Abu Dhabi. I am able to keep myself safe and I do.
The situation in the USA is entirely opposite. This text from NEFF – a Muslim woman from Marin whom I coincidentally and accidentally met at the St. Regis Hotel a couple of weeks ago.
She: I don’t know of another place like Abu Dhabi that accepts tourists and makes it safe in the public. Bit even in Dubai and Brazil with its intensity, glitz and non stop socializing is not nearly as careless as USA. Covid will continue to reign if a government does not set up ongoing testing standards like Abu Dhabi. America will surpass a million deaths this year because it refuses to create a public health ongoing testing standard like the UAE. With all the USA government funding to support the California economy in covid – the nonprofits, corporations like ‘meta’ – formerly Facebook, Apple, Google. Evil is institutionalized here. The lack of Federal and State mandates for making public areas safe has turned most people into actively negligent individuals who don’t care about reducing harm because they are clueless on how to even care. For example a privately owned gym that I go to for swimming had a Friday night singer without a mask in the lobby. One is constantly in a state of avoiding or dodging in public here. I now know to avoid Friday nights and weekend (because of unvaccinated kiddos) Such environments set up covid contraction in day to day life. No other state can surpass California in deaths and covid numbers. Even with the Republican culture, antiVaxers, health based vaccine hesitaters of loose mandates in Texas- they can’t surpass California
Me: I thank Allah for giving me your perspective and knowledge of so many things. You help me deal with the shortcomings here and see, in glaring contrast, the systematic evil in the US which is corrupting and soul searing to its people. In many ways Covid has exposed the truth of the fearlessness of the USA and other soulless nations. I do believe if the USA were to become a Muslim majority nation many of the ills would disappear.
She: The manipulation of care would be erased if America would be majority Muslim but under this current culture it is not the place to be a Muslim despite the efforts to expand the needs of the Muslim community.
Me: I am well aware that the USA is not the place to be a Muslim. You are preaching to the choir. Hahahaha
She: I remember you told me you dealt with Islamaphobia! I do not think there is such a word for Christianity – christianaphobia.
Me: You are right because it is the Christians who are doing the persecuting. I thought I told you in detail what happened to me in Marin but I guess I did not go into detail as I was trying to be positive. The persecution was a gift because it got me out of there and here.
I have been taking time off of writing. Spending much time at the Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi because of the many services that are found there. Of course, the Apple Store is my major source of joy, instruction and genuine camaraderie. To enter Yas Mall it is necessary to produce proof of vaccination and a current pcr test. PCR tests are done at the mall. I had one the other day – no lines, no appointments, the woman most adept. It cost the equivalent of $13.61. Testing at SFO costs at least $275.00, appointments are required, there are lines and waits and it is a total hassle.
Two inspiring photos will accompany this blog. One is a painting – there is an art exhibit at the Yas Mall. The painting is of the Grand Mosque. The other inspiring photo is my new iPhone with a 971 UAE prefix. I am eternally grateful and it was all thanks to the Apple Store. An instructor, Lloyd, informed me that a tourist card number can become your Emeritus number once one gets the Emeritus ID. The phone cover purchased in the Mall is rather endearring. It was posted on Instagram with the following caption.
A new identity at last. My new iPhone with a 971 prefix . It achieved with advice and help from the Apple store. Thought 971 impossible without an Emeritus ID. It is possible. Phone cover conveys loyalty to the Esteemed Ruler of the UAE and His Father the founder of the UAE and builder of the Grand Mosque.
