Scenes from a mass COVID vaccination site (volunteer's perspective)

Most vaccinations are happening at convention centers in my state, so several of the largest healthcare providers have banded together to figure out the scheduling and logistics at mass vaccination sites. It's an "all hands on deck" situation. Think about what's needed besides injectors when you have thousands of people to vaccinate every day: There are screeners, greeters, mobility assistants, interpreters, logistical help...you name it, we're there doing it. I took a few days from my regular job to help. Here's what I experienced:

Most people were absolutely thrilled to be getting their vaccinations. Many were afraid, anxious, and/or overwhelmed to suddenly go from not seeing anyone for a whole year, to being around literally hundreds of people (something I could also relate to). A few took their frustration and fear out on the very people who were there to help them. We tried to put ourselves in their shoes, and helped move them through as quickly and cheerfully as we could. I could see how scared many of them were, their hands shaking as they handed their appointment information over. Many people thanked us kindly for being there and helping them.

Everyone wore masks (as is the law in Oregon). A few wore scarves or otherwise inappropriate masks, but they all complied when we gave them a proper mask to wear. Many wore double masks and/or face shields.

The worst person I saw was an RN(!) who refused to answer the three health screening questions, and barked "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!" at me in a snotty tone when I tried again. I told her that I really wanted her father to get his vaccination, so we needed to follow the process to keep things moving. She wouldn't back down, and eventually she was asked by other staff to leave. There were about a hundred people in line by then, and only 10 screeners. We shook it off and kept things moving.

I was amazed and honored to see hundreds of other health plan volunteers, some staying an extra shift when a snowstorm kept other volunteers home that day, all going out of their way to get our fellow Oregonians the vaccines they need (even though some of us hadn't gotten our own vaccines yet).

My favorite experience was a woman wearing a "proud grandma" mask. She told me her granddaughter would turn a year old the next day. Then she started to cry, and it dawned on me that she'd probably never been able to visit the child, or hold her. "You're almost there! You're doing the right thing!", I said cheerfully and helped her to get to where she needed to go.

My takeaway is that things are ramping up fast, and we're getting much better at this mass vaccination thing. I would also ask that when you get your vaccination, please be kind to the people who are there to help you.

Rachel's wife has COVID, was in grave danger, according to Rachel

Just watched Rachel give an impassioned speech to others to "move heaven and earth to avoid getting Covid". "It may not be you who gets it; it may be the person you love most in the world". And "if you get sick, there's no hospital that can take you"

Apparently there was a point that they thought Rachel's SO (Susan) wouldn't survive. Sounds like she's now recovering, but they've been separated during Rachel's absence from her show while in quarantine. It's heartbreaking how much this has clearly affected her.

Powerful message.

Warms my heart that three women regularly anchor the MSNBC elections

Not only do we have an all-woman lineup of talented professionals, but they're diverse and representative of American women as well:
...a former republican
...an LGBT
...a woman of color

Plus their personalities shine through. This lineup just makes my heart sing! A wonderful thing to see!

Another young Black man killed by police (Vancouver, WA)

You have to read down 1/2 way through the article through the article to find out that he was Black, apparently unarmed, and that “roughly 25 officers wielding guns and/or riot shields” murdered him. He was the boyfriend of a close friend's daughter (she's 20 years old).

"...there was a Black man in the parking lot, “just hopping around, looking worried.” Officers pulled up and exited their cars with guns drawn and quickly fired.

“And all of a sudden we just start hearing ‘pop pop pop pop,’” he said. “We didn’t understand how fast it happened.”

The man who was shot “looked really scared” as police arrived. The man appeared to have his hands in his pockets, and the shooting felt nearly “instantaneous."


I don't have any details on what may have caused so many police to show up in riot gear, but a lone man in a parking lot being met by 25 police in riot gear seems cause for scrutiny, and not just an internal police investigation.

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/10/clark-county-officers-shoot-person-near-vancouver.html

Cornyn says he broke with Trump on deficit, border wall, but kept opposition private

Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

..the senior Republican senator from Texas, who is being challenged by Democrat MJ Hegar, said he chose to work on those disagreements with the president’s staff in private discussions, rather than by publicly voicing his opposition.

Although polls show Cornyn with a small lead over Hegar, both candidates are vying for undecided voters during an extraordinary election season in which many once-solid Republican public office seats are now in reach for Democrats.

Cornyn initially described his relationship with Trump as “maybe like a lot of women who get married and think they’re going to change their spouse, and that doesn’t usually work out very well.”

“But when I have had differences of opinion, which I have, (I) do that privately,” Cornyn said. “I have found that has allowed me to be much more effective, I believe, than to satisfy those who say I ought to call him out or get into a public fight with him.”

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/article246503045.html

Glenn Kirschner on Lawrence tonight talking about how many years tRump is facing in PRISON

He said he's had many defendants "that reminded me of Donald Trump", who'd committed literally dozens of crimes. Often they were facing so many years in prison, that Kirschner had to just focus on the big time crimes, because after all, "you can only imprison a man for but one lifetime".

Based on his 25+years as a prosecutor, he summarized what tRump is probably facing:

-Federal tax evasion: 5 years PER occurrence, which could be sentenced consecutively
-NY State tax fraud/evasion could be a misdemeanor, or could bring up to 25 years in prison
-Obstructing congressional inquiries
-Witness tampering, including Marie Yovanovitch
-Zelensky
-Tens of thousands of involuntary manslaughter or negligent homicide applications based on willfully exposing people to and misleading them about coronavirus

Maybe "the fly" was actually a transmitter giving Pence answers????

Debate thread #4

Well Pence is officially Gollum...there's a fly on his head who apparently smells the shit coming from his mouth

Debate thread #3

I wish the moderator would stop him from taking up 30 extra seconds after every turn.

****Debate thread #4 starting, link below***
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214242627

Debate thread #2

Q-tip taking up more than his share of time, interrupting and not answering questions

Harris being her amazing and beautiful, eloquent self

*****Debate thread #3 started*****

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214241856