#if this is real did the fda really approve it???

[confusionmeisss]

they.. are soo.. unserious. i hate them. they're so annoying. i can't believe they really did it 😭

[autisticaradiamegido]

day 86

do any of yall ever have like. an Evil infodump? where instead of endlessly word vomiting about a thing you love and are very informed about, there is a thing you are equally well-informed about but hate with a passion that you cannot hold back in conversation?

i do :')

(I'll put it under the cut for the curious because I think it's important and i cannot be stopped but also i'm not kidding the facts are infuriating)

SO. "Homeopathic" is often interpreted as sort of a vague synonym for "natural," or "organic," but it's actually related to a system of alternative medicine that means something Very Specific.

There are two main principles behind the practice of Homeopathy.

"Like cures like." This is the idea that, for example, if you have a headache, taking a veeeery small amount of a substance that is known to CAUSE headaches will cure that symptom. I understand where people fall into this flawed idea, as it sounds very similar to the principles behind, say, vaccines, or antivenom. But it isn't universally applicable in this way. An herb isn't a virus. But even if it was, a Homeopathic preparation of that herb would not have any effect on the body because of the second principle.

"Water has memory." This is the idea that water is able to "remember" any substance that it has had contact with. This is also not true. Molecules don't really have any way to store information like that, and even if they did, well... What would that information do inside our bodies? Would our cells have any way to interpret and process that information? What would they do with it? It's all rather nebulous and it seems like more of a spiritual claim than a scientific one. Which is fine, but is not medicine.

So, with these principles in mind, the process of creating a "Homeopathic Preparation of [insert substance here]" goes a little something like this: You take a dropper and put one drop of your active substance in a container with a hundred drops of water. You then take a drop of that mixture, and put it in another container with another hundred drops of water. You continue this dilution process until there is, quite literally, a near-zero percent chance that your mixture contains even a single molecule of your original active substance (depending on the level of dilution believed to be best for the substance in question. Typically, a higher dilution is considered more potent.) So it is, by this point, literally just a vial of water.

This vial of water is what is then sold as a "Homeopathic preparation of [substance]." OR that water is used to compound a batch of sugar pills, or gel capsules, or tablets, whatever format is being offered. Regardless, the composition of the tincture is literally just water and ~*vibes*~.

And they sell these vials of expensive vibe water! At!!!

THE PHARMACY!!! WITH LIKE THE IBUPROFEN AND ALL THE OTHER REAL MEDICINES!!! AND NO BIG WARNING LABELS THAT SAY, "THIS CONTAINS NO ACTIVE INGREDIENTS AND IS BASED ON VIBES ALONE," OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT!!

In fact! In the US they are able to advertise that they have been FDA approved! (FDA approval of dietary supplements is not the same as FDA approval of actual medications. In the context of supplements, approval just means they've proved it won't just kill you straight up, and thus you're allowed to sell it.) And, well. It certainly won't kill you! In fact they often also advertise things like, "It's natural!" and "No harmful side effects!" and "No risk of overdose!" and it's all technically true! BECAUSE IT'S JUST WATER! LIKE I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW IT'S LITERALLY JUST WATER!!!

Anyway. Please keep this in mind the next time you are offered a homeopathic remedy, or see one advertised in the store, or hear your antivaxxer auntie bragging about the fact that her kids all got a "homeopathic" alternative to their MMR shots.

IT'S! JUST! VIBE WATER!!!!

[macgyvermedical]

Hi! For the pharmaceutical history: I'd like to know more about the history of loratadine. (If that one's boring, I'm sorry - I'm just really curious about allergy medicine history) Hope you're doing good!

Loratadine (Claritin, approved in 1988) was not the first nonsedating (second generation) antihistamine, but it wanted to be. Terfenadine (Seldane, from a competing manufacturer, approved in 1985) was the first. And because terfenadine got to the FDA just ahead of loratadine, loratadine was put on the FDA's backburner, delaying it's entrance to the market by over 3 years.

Loratadine made up for this by marketing the absolute sh*t out of their drug. If you were watching TV or reading magazines in the late 80s or early 90s, you probably remember. Loratadine was prescription only at the time. But direct-to-consumer advertising still had rules. By the early 1990's you couldn't have an ad that was selling a drug without a list of the side effects. And when you're trying to sell a non-drowsy antihistamine on the merit that it was non-drowsy, having to list the fact that the #1 side effect was still drowsiness didn't go over so well. This wasn't an issue in print so much- you could make the print about the side effects as small as you wanted, and who was going to read 3-pt font? But you couldn't do the same in a TV spot.

This was a problem for the company selling Claritin. So instead of making TV ads for the DRUG Claritin, they decided to sell the BRAND Claritin instead. So the ads just never said that Claritin was a drug, or what it did. They just said things like "Claritin is the non-drowsy brand" and "ask your doctor about Claritin" and the ever popular "live Claritin clear."

"But Ross," you might be asking yourself, "whatever did Claritin do to sell to the previously untapped market of children as drug consumers? I simply must know!" Well, you're in luck, because in 1998, and this is real, they released a 12-page Batman comic centered around Tim Drake having allergies that interfered with his crimefighting career. All other antihistamines made him too drowsy, so thank goodness he went to his doctor to get a prescription for Claritin!

You might also be wondering how insurance companies felt about having to pay for on-patent allergy medication (spoiler alert, they hated it, just like they hate paying for everything). Well, also in 1998, Anthem (the insurance company) petitioned the FDA to approve Claritin as an over-the-counter medication. If a medication was over the counter, they wouldn't have to pay for the medication, nor would they have to pay for the associated doctor's visits to get prescriptions for the medication. The FDA approved the petition, but it wasn't until 2002, when the patent had expired, that the company that made Claritin finally released an over the counter version. Even today, though, over the counter loratadine is so much more expensive than other second generation antihistamines. I couldn't figure out why this is, or why people keep buying brand name Claritin when there's like 5 other cheaper non-drowsy antihistamines to choose from.

Finally, I'll wrap up by telling you about the fate of terfenadine. See, turns out terfenadine is super cardiotoxic, especially when combined with certain antibiotics. It got taken off the market in 1997 after quite a few people died. It was replaced with fexofenadine, a metabolite of terfenadine without the cardiotoxic properties.

[mwolf0epsilon]

A Disgraced Trooper's Last Resort

Corrie moonshine has the kind of punch that can knock your teeth out. It's bootlegged with whatever they can find that won't outright kill them if it settles in their stomach, but definitely strong enough that it would sooner be considered outright gutrot than an actual FDA approved drink.

Not something your run of the mill liquor license or health insurance would cover.

Not that Fox really concerns himself with either of those things as he takes a swig from his lucky flask. To him a drink is a drink, especially when he feels like he needs it most. And he did need that extra push of liquid courage tonight more than he ever had before.

To put it simply, he was between a rock and a hard place. Relations between the GAR and the Guard were at an all time low. And, despite his Corries saying otherwise, it was all his fault.

He'd stumbled and made some terribly misguided mistakes. Grasped at tantalising straws that he'd hoped would be his and his men's salvation, only to fail time and time again. Burying himself and his troopers deeper and deeper in a grave that had been prepared for them since arrival. Eagerly applauded by the man who'd made them all his fools and jesters.

He'd botched Commander Tano's capture and then shot a brother dead. And not just any brother either. He'd shot one of Rex's boys. The only surviving one that he'd claimed from the defunct Rishi Moon outpost.

The heat was on high and everyone he loved and cared for was suffering terribly for it.

From his commanders to the shiniest of shinies. All because he couldn't win against Palpatine. He was in too deep and had no allies that could get him and his men back out of this deep dark pit. At least not any allies that had any real power.

Fox was playing a game that he simply couldn't win. But maybe he didn't have to...

Taking another swig of the flask, Fox contemplated the only logical conclusion he'd reached in the last couple of months, as he'd noticed just how much things had deteriorated. Contemplated this rather outlandish plan of his that was very much a last desperate call to set things right.

It all came back to flimsywork and the world of bureaucracy. Things he hated but was much too intimately familiar with. He'd submitted the performance report a month ago before settling for another round of the waiting game. Detailed what needed to be scrutinised, and omitted what most definitely didn't. His idea was a little out there but not unheard of, especially with the observations he'd dutifully jotted down to back up his decision.

And then there was the matter of tempting the Chancellor with something he couldn't quite resist, which he thought he'd done so beautifully. If he was good at anything besides suffering through logistics and political nonsense, it was nicely baiting a trap of his own.

As soon as Fox made his next move, a few things would change. Hopefully for the better. Not that his men would understand. At least not at first... But it had to be done. He'd made the assessments and he had certainly done his homework. As soon as the report was called in for review to pick his successor, they would very easily concede to his wishes.

Due to the current losses and supposed number of decomms, there were simply not enough skilled guardsmen for it to justify promoting their most veteran commanding officers. Thorn would be barred the position of marshal commander due to both his position as head of the prison force, and his constant requisitioning for escort missions. So would Stone, who was far too proficient in his senatorial guard duties to be pulled aside as a glorified secretary to the Chancellor. And Thire would need to take time off to train a replacement officer to guide the patrolsmen due to having the best knowledge of Coruscant's layout, making him the most effective patrol co-ordinator they had ever had.

And time was not something anyone could spare on Triple Zero.

And, with no one else nearly as experienced or simply far too important in their current positions, that left only one option should the position of marshal commander ever open up: Requisition a trooper just as skilled as Fox himself from another battalion.

Which is exactly what he'd done when he'd submitted the report. Should he be incapacitated or destroyed, command of the Guard would fall to the only person he trusted to be capable of leading them. Or, in Fox's true motivation, that had the actual power to put an end to Palpatine's sick little games.

And the best part? No one would call into question his choice on the matter. He'd waited more than enough after he'd submitted the report for it to register as valid on record, even after he did what he was about to do.

Which is why, as Fox finished emptying his flask as he stood on the very roof of the Senate building, he couldn't help but smile. Smile and wish Cody the best of luck. The bastard was going to need it, especially when Fox knew Palpatine would rejoice at taking something, anything, from General Kenobi who he seemed to so greatly despise.

The neon lights and smell of chemicals and pollution greeted the disgraced marshal commander as he stood at the very edge of the roof. Ready to make a spectacle of this. Ready to set his own twisted little game into motion. Palpatine had won the first few rounds, but he would not be able to best Cody. Not with the reputation he had, nor the esteem he'd earned. Which was exactly what Fox was counting on.

And, as he flung himself forward towards his inglorious demise, he hoped against all hope that Cody's fondness for his general was a mutual thing and not once-sided. If just so his little brothers in the Guard could finally have a chance.

He was, quite literally, taking a leap of faith.

[stevenbasic]

GITJ Post 309: Back to the Study Clinics, p1

That was one of the hardest things I’ve done in a while, just a few minutes ago, leave that beautiful, perfectly built woman alone, asleep in my apartment. There’s nothing I’d rather have done than snuck back under the sheets with Melissa and spend the rest of the morning - even after my pretty embarrassing loss of control against her as she slept. But, duty called and here I am - in the office. I had taken the chance to clean off what I could from Melissa’s remarkable behind, shower quick, and get dressed. Through the whole thing she basically slept, though she did give me a drowsy little kissy-face when I told her ‘bye, I’ve gotta go to work.’

“Yeah there are nights she barely sleeps at all,” Josie was explaining to me, as I readied myself in the hallway to go in to see our first study clinic patient for the morning, waiting in an exam room a few doors down. If you remember, our office had become an external study site for testing Evolution Pharmaceuticals new OTC dietary supplement for women as they looked for FDA approval. “And then there are times,” Josie finished, “where she’s, like, comatoast.”

“Comatose,” I corrected h-

“Yeah whatever,” she continued, pressing on. Josie, one of my new, poorly-trained medical assistants, had known Melissa a long time. Though younger than my new Office Manager by five years or so, I think, she understood her friend well and somehow in fact knew she was upstairs in my apartment sleeping off a night of vodka. That my staff knew my Office Manager had spent the night with me was a little embarrassing, a lot unprofessional, but just another small chip out of the armor of my professional dignity and male pride. “She can sometimes sleep for, like, two days straight,” Josie continued, readjusting her long, medium-brown hair in its ponytail, “especially if she gets really excited.” 

At that, I tried not to blush, or notice how - with her hands behind her head - Josie’s breasts seemed quite big today.

“Anything really exciting happen last night? This morning? Hm?” Josie then giggled, taking a second to adjust the strap of her bra through her thin blue scrubs. The ‘wink wink’ in her voice was plain to hear, and it brought flashes of memories, Melissa’s and my time together on the couch, and in bed. Josie seemed to know more than she should.

“Well, I think all you girls got a little excited at the bar last night, by the election results,” I began, loathe to start recounting the more lurid details of the evening to my young employee, “but, let’s get to work. Now, why are we doing this on a Wednesday, seeing study patients? Tell me again what that email said?”

“They said they’re fast-tracking everything, ‘cuz of the election results,” Josie explained, reaching out to readjust the two pens in the chest pocket of my new lab coat. The girls had ordered a few in smaller sizes for me. “Evolution needs us to see at least twenty a week now th-"

“Twenty? For real?” I remarked, the idea of it boggling my mind, which was already reeling after the election results, “that’s more than twice as many as we said would be doable when we started..!”

“Yeah I dunno…” Josie agreed, with a noncommittal shrug.

I huffed in my indignity, knowing I really had very little say in the matter at this point. Olivia, Sheryl, Gianna…they were the real decision makers with this thing; as much as I hated to admit it I was more a worker-bee at this point, a drone. The women who ran things at Evolution controlled the money, and - acutely aware of how my geriatric practice was suffering, how anemic it’d become under recent mismanagement - I knew we needed the cash.

“Anyway, who’s supposed to see this patient with me?” I began again, knowing that Josie was scheduled to assist my APRN Vida with Mr. Kowalski’s procedure down the hall, “And what’s this first patient’s name?”

“Her name’s Thalia, Thalia Bates. I don’t think you’ve seen her before. She started on treatment at Evolution. She’s the daughter of some politician guy, a senator from like Minnesota or Canada or something,”  Josie answered, handing me a chart, “and it’s Karen, the new nurse, who’ll be coming in with you. She’s worked with the patient before but I don’t think she’s here yet so-”

I opened the manila folder but just then both Josie and I turned our heads to see Angie, one of the girls from accounting, step out of one of the study exam rooms down the hall, the one where my patient awaited, and scoot quickly away in the opposite direction. She was shoving something into her purse. 

I saw Josie’s eyes narrow. She pulled out her phone, started a text.

“Anyway, I really have to get started so if you’ll excuse me…” I announced, snapping the patient’s chart closed and moving towards the room. I was a little confused why an accountant would be in a room with a patient but whatever. 

“Wait wait,” Josie stopped me, actually stepping towards me as I approached the room, “I didn’t think you were supposed to see these patients alone, by yourself? Karen’s not here yet?””

“It’s fine,” I replied, entering the room. With my first breath my vision began to swim. Spots, patterns appeared on the walls, straight lines and vines warped and everything in my world suddenly became focused on one thing…

“Hi doctor,” the hyper-developed teen seated in a chair across the small room from me chirped, “I’m Thalia…”

==========================================

More GITJ at my Patreon

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Royal watchers who labeled Meghan Markle "Ozempic Meg" were on to something.

NOprah's WeightWatchers purchased obesity drug semaglutide and is directing clients to their own telemedicine company for prescriptions.

One of the controversial things about this drug, though, is that a lot of people who are trying to get it don't necessarily medically qualify for it and they just want it so that they can get skinny. How is Weight Watchers going to deal with that?

Weight Watchers has recently moved into the obesity drugs market with the purchase of semaglutide, which works by helping the pancreas release insulin to move sugar from the blood into body tissues, slowing down movement of food through the stomach and curbing appetite. Ozempic and Wegovy are brand names for semaglutide.

Ozempic is approved to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults while Wegovy is approved for weight loss in two groups: those 12 and older with obesity and adults who are overweight and also have least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

for the longest time, its whole kind of reason for being is to help people control their eating and up their fitness, and now they are getting into a medical approach to it, and that is a big shift.

Ryan Knutson: Is it possible that these drugs could just be another fad?

Andrea Petersen: I haven't heard that from anybody I've talked to. I think people do believe that this is a significant scientific advance and that it marks a real shift in the treatment of obesity.

Ryan Knutson: Welcome to the Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Ryan Knutson. It's Tuesday, March 14th. Coming up on the show how a new class of drugs is revolutionizing the weight loss industry. For decades, Weight Watchers was one of the most popular ways for people to lose weight. And they did it by pushing lifestyle changes. The company has weigh-ins, branded food, and a famous point system.

Andrea Petersen: What they've done is they've assigned a point value to many, many, many foods. I mean most foods that you can think of. And you are given a certain number of points that you can use each day. And so you decide how you're going to spend those points. And the goal is to stay within that number of points to sort of achieve your weight loss goals.

Ryan Knutson: How has Weight Watchers' business been doing in recent years?

Andrea Petersen: They have been struggling. It's been a sort of turbulent time at the company. So in 2018, Weight Watchers actually really shifted away from this tight focus on weight loss. They actually changed their name to WW. And they largely stopped using the word diet and they tried to refocus their mission as being sort of more broadly about wellness. They also launched and scaled back a number of initiatives. They tried kind of personalized diet plans that many members found pretty confusing and also harder for members to talk to each other and about their experience because everyone was sort of on a different plan and so the kind of community support and sharing recipes and tips and tricks was really not working as well. And also their stock price has really struggled, and their membership has been down. They just reported their fourth quarter earnings, and the number of subscribers slid to 3.5 million from 4.2 million in the year ago quarter.

When I look around this room, I can't help but wonder, is Ozempic right for me?

Andrea Petersen: A lot of celebrities started saying that everyone they know is on it. One of my colleagues did a story about how it was really the talk of the Hamptons over last summer. So it seems to have just really entered the cultural conversation.

Ryan Knutson: Andrea says that some people have been using the drugs who don't meet the FDA's guidelines for it.

Andrea Petersen: These drugs are not for people who need to lose 10 pounds. I mean, these are really, the clinical indication, the FDA approval for Wegovy, which is the drug for obesity, indicates that the drug's for people with a BMI of 30 or more, or a BMI of 27 or more, plus at least one weight related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type two diabetes.

Ryan Knutson: The CDC says a healthy BMI is between 18 to 24. The company that makes both these drugs, Novo Nordisk, said it complies with the law and doesn't condone off-label use. And that, "We trust that healthcare providers are evaluating a patient's individual needs in determining which, if any, medicine is right for that particular patient." This drug sounds revolutionary, but are there potential downsides?

Andrea Petersen: Well, I mean, there's definitely side effects. The most common side effects are things like nausea and vomiting. The FDA approval does note a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer. And then anytime there's a new drug on the market, sometimes it takes a while for us to know what some of the longer term side effects are. That's an issue with any medication. Sometimes you just don't know until things are on the market for several years.

Ryan Knutson: Despite the unknowns, a bunch of businesses have popped up to connect people with doctors who can prescribe the drugs.

Andrea Petersen: So we've seen this sort of story before. I actually covered Pfizer's Viagra back in the late '90s. I'm dating myself. And I remember you had online companies selling it. You had people who were doctors who were advertising home delivery services.

Ryan Knutson: And the same thing is happening now with Ozempic and Wegovy.

Andrea Petersen: I think anytime there is a drug that is meeting a demand, you get this sort of gold rush mentality. There's going to be people that are trying to meet that demand.

Ryan Knutson: After the break, Weight Watchers gets in on the gold rush. Last year, Weight Watchers got a new CEO, Sima Sistani.

Ryan Knutson: Sequence says it doesn't prescribe the medications to anyone who doesn't meet the FDA's BMI guidelines. Weight Watchers says offering access to the medications is a, "natural next step," and that it's in line with the company's focus on providing science backed weight loss programs.

Andrea Petersen: Talking to Gary Foster, who's the Chief Scientific Officer of Weight Watchers, he was saying that they plan to actually create specific programs for people who are on these medications. So specific sort of Weight Watchers plans, because when you lose this amount of weight, you tend to lose really important muscle mass as well. And there are things that you can do to help counteract that. And so he told me about an emphasis on strength training will be really important for folks on these drugs as well as consuming high protein foods. I mean, these can all sort of help counteract that potential loss of muscle mass. So what they were telling me is that they really see what Sequence offers as an adjunct to their existing services.

Ryan Knutson: One of the controversial things about this drug, though, is that a lot of people who are trying to get it don't necessarily medically qualify for it and they just want it so that they can get skinny. How is Weight Watchers going to deal with that?

Andrea Petersen: I mean, I asked this question. I said, "This is a kind of minefield to walk into." And they told me that they are going to follow the science. They're going to really adhere to the letter of what the clinical indications are. They were very explicit in saying that they do not have plans to offer this drug to people who don't qualify for it. When I talked to Dr. Foster, he said to me, "This is not a drug, we're not going to be prescribing this for people who want to lose 10 pounds before their high school reunion."

Ryan Knutson: Part of me is kind of surprised that these drugs have become so popular because I feel like as a society we have started to really move away from pushing weight loss and moved more toward a culture of body positivity.

Andrea Petersen: Well, I mean, that's the interesting tension. This is an interesting cultural moment in our discussion of weight loss. I mean, this also coincides with, we've had several years of the body positivity movement, that really tried to push back against the kind of shaming around people's bodies and people's weight. But at the same time, there's this really growing understanding that excess weight does have real health implications. And so companies who are in this sort of weight loss business have had to speak to both of these realities, and that can be a tricky thing to navigate.

[ghooostbaby]

after watching a documentary (united in anger) about the activism of ACT UP during the AIDS crisis, i felt really inspired that there could be hope fighting against government/corporate inaction for climate change. there are so many ways these situations feel similar to me, although AIDS was able to work with capitalism to their benefit, since drug companies could make money from actually getting the drugs out to people... and what we need for climate change is a complete transformation of our economic system away from an unlimited growth and consumption mindset. but generally there’s this thing happening that governments and corporations are largely ignoring, it is killing people, destroying peoples lives, making people sick, starting with the people who have the least power, and so no one cares or has to care who has power. there’s this apathy and cruelty of other regular people that see themselves as superior in some way, or just unrelated, to the people who are affected. and you need to do the impossible task of changing enough of those peoples’ deeply held beliefs before you can get corporations and governments to change.

one of the ACT UP people were saying how they found if they could pinpoint a specific problem that had a particular solution (AIDS drugs not being approved fast enough by the FDA), if they could do an action that would catch the media’s attention and put the issue into the public, they could effect very fast change. The people organizing in ACT UP were very very small numbers compared to the amount of people who have marched for climate action protests, but they were able to force so much real, tangible change. after the record breaking heat wave at the start of july, i felt so hopeless. but i started reading and watching all this stuff about ACT UP, and thinking instead of taking this vague sense of impermeable doom of climate change, approaching all the climate stories and information with the mission of seeking one specific problem that you can pursue a solution for. it makes action seem so much more possible.

i’m sure at the first people coming together to form ACT UP in the midst of the AIDS crisis that was killing massive amounts of their friends and community and the mass population did not care and the government wasn’t doing anything to make the corporations change ... it would have seemed insurmountable, but they found one problem to take at a time, they used smart and creative performative demonstrations and images and slogans to change public opinion. and they did so much good, and changed how people thought of AIDS amd gay people and saved so many lives. i read something that the concept of public health in the U.S. (still a long way to go *sobs*) basically didn’t exist as we think of it today before ACT UP. i’m sure they didn’t imagine they could have done all that when they started.

anyway, i’ve been starting to just read and watch things with this curiosity for problems that i can identify, instead of this gnawing dread and feeling of powerlessness and anger that i can’t do anything about. i think approaching it as a creative project where you might start with an idea, and just pursue that and let it take you where it takes you, and the thing you might end up doing might be nothing like what you thought it would be. but the first initiation towards that is just absorbing ideas and information until you find that inspiration of the next step to take. “hope is action” as i’ve heard some people say...

right now i’m just watching the news, reading a book ‘it was vulgar and it was beautiful’ about how the art collective Gran Fury, a part of ACT UP, used art and slogans to create change in public opinion on sexuality and AIDS, daydreaming of coming up with a poster idea that eventually destroys capitalism XD

[metfell]

wow. u rlly do struggle more than jesus . i hope u feel better soon :((

I SUFFER MORE THAN JESUS FOR REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! luckily i finally have some cough medicine to stop the coughing thats the worst part i would be recovering so much better if i didnt cough and feel like it tore open the wound all over again. but yeah HOPEFULLY in a few days ill at least stop being sick.

dude im so mad tho my mom had to go tell our family that they probably have it too and that she did a covid test and my fucking aunt whos all q-anon'd up was like "ermmmm thats not FDA approved u kno ://///" like i am really gonna need you to shut the fuck up or im gonna crawl my way over to you and beat the fuck out of you woman

[wack-ashimself]

The closest I ever came to going vegan...

Okja (the super pig. Spoilers)

<Backstory: 'Poker Face' has an episode where a known BBQ guy goes vegan after watching Okja. So I had to see what it was about. Turns out, I like the director's work (All of it) and didn't realize he had such a wide variety of movies.>

Plot is after being paid to raise a super big GMO pig (sold as magic/miracle pig) for 10 years, it's supposed to go back to the company to be made into meat. Young girl doesn't want to give it up. Goes on an adventure to save it. And for a mostly light hearted romp, there is some graphic and violent scenes. Forced breeding, cops beating the FUCK out of people, and probably the most real to life walk thru of a meat processing plant in a movie I ever saw (non documentary).

In the end, at the processing plant, the evil CEO won't give up the pig cuz it's bad business. The girl gives up her solid golden pig statue (what her grandpa basically sold the pig for) in order to save it. And this is all after you saw, step by step, how they would go from killing to chopping up the meat*. So you already sat thru a lot...

but then, something I felt like you would see at a concentration camp. It rocked me...

As the girl is being escorted out with her pig, going by all the locked up and being systematically killed THOUSANDS of other pigs, some of the other pigs are curious and follow them. You don't understand why, until one starts to attack the electric fence, hurting itself. Then you see them push something thru...

THEIR FUCKING BABY!!!! They KNEW they were going to be killed, including their baby, so they took the only chance they had, and threw it to the people escaping. Okja hides the baby in her mouth. As they're walking away, all the other pigs (who have been raised separately) cry in unison as another gunshot to the head can be heard in the background....

GEEZ. I ....wow...you don't come out feeling great if you are a meat eater watching that movie. Cuz you know ALLLLLLL of that is true:

-rich people & businesses (and governments, since the FDA approved it in this movie) only care about the bottom line and will happily shove garbage, toxic garbage, down your throat. And lie every single time they can. <Also, marketing can make you believe anything if it's said loud and happy enough>

-our meat industry is SOULLESS. And we (honestly, self included) genuinely need to eat significantly less. For our health and the planet's health. I mean, do you really think making something live a terrible unhealthy caged life and then murdering it, that its' remains will be SUPER healthy for you? We are gross.

-Every living creature has a soul, can feel, can love, and can suffer.

-again, this is me reading into a foreign movie but FUCK traditions. This all happened cuz her grandpa hated her pet, and wanted her to get married? She was 14 in the movie; Let her live her fucking life.

<The thing that bugged me (little things annoy me): they lived on a mountain top/side. Their water pump was RIGHT at the edge of a cliff. Where the FUCK are you pumping water from? Is there small pockets of water in mountaintops? Do you have one LONG pipe? It just....it was so close to the edge of a MOUNTAINSIDE. Where was the water coming from?>

Either way, great movie (GREAT), but....I would genuinely say this borders on at least a HARD PG rating. If kids have never thought of or heard about this (rich corporations, the meat industry, marketing lies, etc), and find out what they see is MOSTLY true....it may fuck them up.

This is exactly why I like foreign movies too. There were so many times I went 'x happened, so now y happens' and I was pleasantly surprised. It still has some tropes, but nothing completely stolen.

Okja: Solid 8.2/10. My only complaint was tilda swtinon playing herself (AGAIN. How many times can she play 2 characters?), and the CGI kinda sucked. It wasn't horrible, but ain't winning fucking awards. And if it did...holy shit, low standards much?

ps-fav part? I have 2. The beginning, when Okja basically throws itself off a cliff to save the girl and the girl finds her just...farting around, fine, wanting attention. It was so like a pet. 2nd part? STEVEN YUEN! His WHOLE character arc. Also, him playing an asshat. Summary: he's part of a PETA like group, trying to free the super pig. But he lies to get the main girl to be forced to go along with them (and gets the SHIT beaten outta him for lying to the leader.) Then, in the end, he saves the main girl and the leader, outta no where, and shows that he got TATTOOED what his boss beat the shit out of him for doing on his arm. THAT is dedication. Get the shit beat out of you (your fault), kicked out of a group you gave your everything for, come back, AND get a tat to show your dedication? Geez...

*Meat. Why not dead animals? Name specific CUTS of meat instead of the body part... then go by animal. Beef, not dead cow. Pork, not dead pig. Poultry, not dead chicken.....we change the name so you feel less remorse for eating dead things we killed for our own ease (and we don't even do it. We pay others to do it, paying someone to take the guilt. How many if the only way we could eat meat was to kill the animal ourselves could do it ? WAY WAY less than you would think.)

[comrademango]

This is especially disgusting considering vaccine hesitancy in the country following the Dengvaxia controversy only a few years prior to the pandemic, as mentioned in the article, and especially when we faced outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles in 2019. Now, am I shocked at this US anti-vax effort like other healthcare professionals here? Nope. Anyway.

Not going to dispute the source of recent suspicion carried towards China mentioned above. The skirmishes in disputed territory more often than not involve huge ships on China's side and smaller fishing vessels on our side, like this one in 2019.

Sinovac was actually the second to receive emergency use authorization. AstraZeneca's vaccine got approved first but supplies were very limited and so prioritized category A1 (healthcare workers) vaccinees. Sinovac was approved next but our FDA was not exactly transparent about the process considering there weren't, at that time, widely available phase III trial data. Either way, it meant we have vaccines to give the A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (people with co-morbid illnesses). categories.

And we really did have a harder time getting more people vaccinated with Sinovac than with Janssen (understandable that people preferred this, however; this is the single dose vaccine) and the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). Not to say that Sinovac wasn't at all accepted. When it was only between AstraZeneca and Sinovac, a lot of people (and this is anecdotal evidence) preferred Sinovac considering vaccine mandates (Sinovac only needed 4 weeks between the doses vs AstraZeneca at that time advising 8-12 weeks in between, letting them return to work earlier) and word-of-mouth info about the side effect profile (less with Sinovac).

Still, even when there are already real-world data on Sinovac's effectiveness, once the western vaccines became available, people started preferring those. We still managed to utilize our Sinovac stock, but we ran out of Pfizer and Moderna much faster. Again, this is based only on my experience working on the ground in the Philippine public healthcare system.

This, added to the fact that rich western countries absolutely dragged their feet with the TRIPS waiver that would have allowed vaccines to become more widely available, is really just capitalism behaving like what it is.

All in all, what this looks like to me is just more of the US using the Philippines as its playground in the Pacific and taking advantage of our disputes with China regarding the territories in the West Philippine Sea maybe to even start a proxy war, and in the process making the pandemic harder to control for a country with an already underfunded/understaffed/underdeveloped healthcare system with its own controversies and problems. Actually, they probably made the pandemic worse for most of the world.

Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines, a nation hit especially hard by the deadly virus.

The clandestine operation has not been previously reported. It aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid that was being supplied by China, a Reuters investigation found. Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines – China’s Sinovac inoculation.

The United States is the biggest enemy of the world's people, including the people who live here. It's not even a contest.

[best-reviews-usa]

VigRX Plus Reviews (Watch This Now!) VigRX Plus– VigRX Plus Review - buy vigrx plus

#VigRXPlusReviews #VigRXPlus #VigRXPlusResults

Welcome to another video from the Beats Fusion channel! If you're here, it’s because you want to know more about VigRX Plus, the world’s leading male enhancement supplement. In this VigRX Plus review, we’ll explain everything you need to know:

How does VigRX Plus work?

What are the ingredients?

Where can you buy VigRX Plus?

Does it have side effects?

Stay tuned and get all the important information you need about VigRX Plus.

🤔 What Is VigRX Plus?

VigRX Plus is an all-natural male enhancement supplement designed to help men achieve harder erections, increase sexual desire, and enhance overall sexual performance. It’s the only clinically-proven formula on the market that boosts both physical and psychological aspects of sexual satisfaction without requiring a doctor’s visit.

✅ Does VigRX Plus Really Work?

Yes, VigRX Plus works effectively! Here are the results you can expect:

Increase in erection firmness by up to 58.97%†

Boost in sexual desire by up to 47%†

Raise in sexual satisfaction by up to 82.31%†

Maintain long-lasting erections by up to 62.82%†

My Experience: After using VigRX Plus, I noticed improved erection quality, increased stamina, and an overall boost in sexual performance. It's not just about getting an erection but also feeling ready and in the mood.

🌿 What Are the Ingredients in VigRX Plus?

VigRX Plus contains natural ingredients carefully selected to enhance male sexual health. Here’s what’s inside:

Asian Red Ginseng: Helps reduce stress and improve sexual desire.

Damiana: Increases sexual stamina and improves blood flow.

Muira Pauma Bark Extract: Enhances libido and reduces fatigue.

Ginkgo Biloba: Improves circulation and supports longer-lasting erections.

Saw Palmetto: Supports testosterone levels and helps maintain a healthy prostate.

Bioperine: Increases the absorption of other ingredients for maximum effect.

These ingredients work together to enhance your overall sexual health and performance.

🤔 How to Use VigRX Plus?

Using VigRX Plus is simple:

Take one capsule twice daily with water.

Consistency is key to experiencing the full benefits, so it’s important to take the supplement every day.

❤️ Where Can You Buy VigRX Plus?

You can buy VigRX Plus directly from the official manufacturer’s website.

✅ Does VigRX Plus Have Side Effects?

VigRX Plus is made with 100% natural ingredients and is manufactured in FDA-approved and GMP-certified facilities, ensuring safety and quality. I personally did not experience any side effects, and most users report similar positive experiences.

🤔 Does VigRX Plus Have a Warranty?

Yes, VigRX Plus comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. You have 67 days to try the product, and if you’re not satisfied, you can request a full refund. This risk-free guarantee made me confident in trying the product.

📣 VigRX Plus Reviews & Consumer Reports

To wrap up this VigRX Plus review, it’s clear that this supplement is a top choice for men looking to enhance their sexual health. The natural ingredients, clinical backing, and real results make it a reliable option for those seeking improved performance in the bedroom.

Important Topics:

00:01 - VigRX Plus Review Intro

00:10 - VigRX Plus Ingredients

00:25 - What is VigRX Plus?

00:45 - VigRX Plus Official Website

01:13 - Does VigRX Plus Really Work?

01:46 - VigRX Plus Benefits

02:02 - How To Take VigRX Plus?

02:25 - VigRX Plus Real Results

02:56 - VigRX Plus 100% Money-Back Guarantee

03:10 - Conclusion: VigRX Plus Reviews

This is the full review of VigRX Plus on the Beats Fusion channel.

I hope you enjoyed this review!

If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them as soon as possible.

The post VigRX Plus Reviews was first published on Beats Fusion Channel.

Social Media Links

Mix - VigRX Plus Review

Plurk - VigRX Plus Review

Pearltrees - VigRX Plus

Twitter - VigRX Plus

Pinterest - VigRX Plus

MySpace - VigRX Plus Review

Imgur - VigRX Plus Review

Flickr - VigRX Plus

Acadri - VigRX Plus Review

Facebook - VigRX Plus Review

Gab - VigRX Plus Review

Listly - VigRX Plus

Flipboard - VigRX Plus

Diigo - VigRX Plus Review

Instapaper - VigRX Plus Review

Reddit - VigRX Plus Discussion

View HTML - VigRX Plus Video

Youtube Redirect Links

Recreation.gov - VigRX Plus Video

PSU Lancaster - VigRX Plus Video

Pandora NLA - VigRX Plus Video

UF Health - VigRX Plus Video

PKU BBS - VigRX Plus Video

MoeGov.cn - VigRX Plus Video

Get Hearth - VigRX Plus Video

WEI - VigRX Plus Video

Southampton - VigRX Plus Video

[tips-from-john]

VigRX Plus Reviews (Watch This Now!) VigRX Plus– VigRX Plus Review - buy vigrx plus

#VigRXPlusReviews #VigRXPlus #VigRXPlusResults

Welcome to another video from the Beats Fusion channel! If you're here, it’s because you want to know more about VigRX Plus, the world’s leading male enhancement supplement. In this VigRX Plus review, we’ll explain everything you need to know:

How does VigRX Plus work?

What are the ingredients?

Where can you buy VigRX Plus?

Does it have side effects?

Stay tuned and get all the important information you need about VigRX Plus.

🤔 What Is VigRX Plus?

VigRX Plus is an all-natural male enhancement supplement designed to help men achieve harder erections, increase sexual desire, and enhance overall sexual performance. It’s the only clinically-proven formula on the market that boosts both physical and psychological aspects of sexual satisfaction without requiring a doctor’s visit.

✅ Does VigRX Plus Really Work?

Yes, VigRX Plus works effectively! Here are the results you can expect:

Increase in erection firmness by up to 58.97%†

Boost in sexual desire by up to 47%†

Raise in sexual satisfaction by up to 82.31%†

Maintain long-lasting erections by up to 62.82%†

My Experience: After using VigRX Plus, I noticed improved erection quality, increased stamina, and an overall boost in sexual performance. It's not just about getting an erection but also feeling ready and in the mood.

🌿 What Are the Ingredients in VigRX Plus?

VigRX Plus contains natural ingredients carefully selected to enhance male sexual health. Here’s what’s inside:

Asian Red Ginseng: Helps reduce stress and improve sexual desire.

Damiana: Increases sexual stamina and improves blood flow.

Muira Pauma Bark Extract: Enhances libido and reduces fatigue.

Ginkgo Biloba: Improves circulation and supports longer-lasting erections.

Saw Palmetto: Supports testosterone levels and helps maintain a healthy prostate.

Bioperine: Increases the absorption of other ingredients for maximum effect.

These ingredients work together to enhance your overall sexual health and performance.

🤔 How to Use VigRX Plus?

Using VigRX Plus is simple:

Take one capsule twice daily with water.

Consistency is key to experiencing the full benefits, so it’s important to take the supplement every day.

❤️ Where Can You Buy VigRX Plus?

You can buy VigRX Plus directly from the official manufacturer’s website.

✅ Does VigRX Plus Have Side Effects?

VigRX Plus is made with 100% natural ingredients and is manufactured in FDA-approved and GMP-certified facilities, ensuring safety and quality. I personally did not experience any side effects, and most users report similar positive experiences.

🤔 Does VigRX Plus Have a Warranty?

Yes, VigRX Plus comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. You have 67 days to try the product, and if you’re not satisfied, you can request a full refund. This risk-free guarantee made me confident in trying the product.

📣 VigRX Plus Reviews & Consumer Reports

To wrap up this VigRX Plus review, it’s clear that this supplement is a top choice for men looking to enhance their sexual health. The natural ingredients, clinical backing, and real results make it a reliable option for those seeking improved performance in the bedroom.

Important Topics:

00:01 - VigRX Plus Review Intro

00:10 - VigRX Plus Ingredients

00:25 - What is VigRX Plus?

00:45 - VigRX Plus Official Website

01:13 - Does VigRX Plus Really Work?

01:46 - VigRX Plus Benefits

02:02 - How To Take VigRX Plus?

02:25 - VigRX Plus Real Results

02:56 - VigRX Plus 100% Money-Back Guarantee

03:10 - Conclusion: VigRX Plus Reviews

This is the full review of VigRX Plus on the Beats Fusion channel.

I hope you enjoyed this review!

If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them as soon as possible.

The post VigRX Plus Reviews was first published on Beats Fusion Channel.

Social Media Links

Mix - VigRX Plus Review

Plurk - VigRX Plus Review

Pearltrees - VigRX Plus

Twitter - VigRX Plus

Pinterest - VigRX Plus

MySpace - VigRX Plus Review

Imgur - VigRX Plus Review

Flickr - VigRX Plus

Acadri - VigRX Plus Review

Facebook - VigRX Plus Review

Gab - VigRX Plus Review

Listly - VigRX Plus

Flipboard - VigRX Plus

Diigo - VigRX Plus Review

Instapaper - VigRX Plus Review

Reddit - VigRX Plus Discussion

View HTML - VigRX Plus Video

Youtube Redirect Links

Recreation.gov - VigRX Plus Video

PSU Lancaster - VigRX Plus Video

Pandora NLA - VigRX Plus Video

UF Health - VigRX Plus Video

PKU BBS - VigRX Plus Video

MoeGov.cn - VigRX Plus Video

Get Hearth - VigRX Plus Video

WEI - VigRX Plus Video

Southampton - VigRX Plus Video

[zona-da-saude]

Hello, everyone. My name is Jennifer, and I decided to record this video to tell the truth about AquaPeace. Does AquaPeace really work for everyone? Why did it bring results for some people but not for others? Wasn't AquaPeace supposed to work for everyone? After all, it's a market success and gaining popularity.

So, stick with me until the end of this video because I have some truths to share about AquaPeace.

First of all, I did some research and managed to find the official website of AquaPeace's manufacturer, and I've placed the link in the first comment or in the video's description, okay? But don't click now because it's crucial to hear what I have to say about this product.

You see, AquaPeace is a nutritional supplement that contains a blend of aquatic minerals to support hearing. By taking one AquaPeace capsule daily, anyone can support optimal hearing, promote mental calmness, defend against tinnitus, and maintain cardiovascular health, among other benefits.

Additionally, AquaPeace's formula uses a blend of deep-sea minerals to support optimal hearing, maintain cardiovascular health, and promote mental calmness.

Another interesting point about AquaPeace is that it's manufactured in the United States in an FDA-registered and GMP-certified facility, using 100% natural and non-GMO ingredients. This makes it 100% free of side effects or dependencies.

But why did AquaPeace work for some people and not for others? Wasn't it supposed to deliver good results for everyone?

The answer is simple, folks: counterfeit products circulating in the market. Due to AquaPeace's success, counterfeit products bearing the brand spread rapidly. This is one of the points you should be aware of, okay? So, don't risk acquiring AquaPeace from sites like Amazon, eBay, or Walmart, as you might receive a counterfeit product. Not only will you lose your money, but it may also put your health at risk, as the origin of these fake products is unknown. If you truly want to get rid of tinnitus, hearing loss, or simply maintain healthy hearing over time naturally with AquaPeace, you should only buy authentic products that not only yield great results but also won't harm your health, okay?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the video, to help you out, I managed to get the official website of the AquaPeace producer, and it's listed below in the description or the first pinned comment, okay? This is the genuine AquaPeace, a product that truly targets the reduction of redness, hearing problems, and inflammation in the ear naturally, without the need for medical or painful procedures.

And through some research, what gave me more confidence is the fact that AquaPeace is fully approved by the FDA for consumption and public safety. Besides, folks, AquaPeace has a side-effect-free formula because it's made from ingredients that don't cause any adverse reactions to hearing loss.

All these ingredients in the original AquaPeace aim to ensure support for ear infections and improve tinnitus and overall mental clarity, as AquaPeace targets the root cause of these issues.

AquaPeace comes in capsules that are taken once a day before lunch. It's very important, folks, to take AquaPeace with 1 glass of water, okay?

And if you want even more effective results, it's essential to take AquaPeace every day, strictly following the treatment recommended by experts. Remember that the recommended course is 3 to 5 bottles, strictly adhering to the guidelines, okay? These are some real testimonials from people who have used AquaPeace and shared their experiences with this marvelous product!

Another detail that got me excited, folks, is that it's evident the AquaPeace manufacturers truly have faith in the product, which is why they offer a full 60-day guarantee. So, you can test AquaPeace for this period, and if you don't like it for any reason, you can simply request a refund without any questions or hassles, and they'll give your money back. Your risk is zero! I believe that if AquaPeace weren't good, they would never do this.

So, here's a piece of advice: beware of counterfeits, folks. After all, you'll be ingesting this product, so only buy the original one, okay? Now you can visit the official website down below, take a look at the site, see the testimonials in addition to the ones I've shown you here, and I truly hope you achieve your goal with AquaPeace. Big hug, and take care!

[aloneandforsakenbyfateandbyman]

I’m not really into beauty treatments/skincare/spa stuff bc I’m super paranoid and confused abt wtf is in the products

Ex. I always avoided sunscreen bc I’m brown and now it’s come out that sunscreen is cancerous. I dislike fake nails and lashes bc they damage your nail bed and real eyelashes. I dislike facials bc they can scar your skin

I hate fillers bc they end up looking bloated and horrific like kyle jenner. I was considering cool sculpting for my fat face but linda evangelista claimed it made her deformed. And I wanted a keratin treatment to fix my busted hair but then I found

They literally put formaldehyde into keratin treatments lmaooo why did the FDA approve this when it’s an embalming chemical for corpses I can’t believe I almost put it onto my scalp ☠️ using modern beauty rituals is like starring in a horror movie

[objectcrazy]

Friendly Reminders about ozzy:

-When i say ozzy likes men, i really mean he ONLY likes men. He’s mlm and objectively not bisexual, there is no excuse for depicting him attracted to women.

-Ozzy is autistic, jokes about him being autistic are not appreciated unless they are respectful. Any joke implying a correlation between him being gay and him being mentally ill is offensive.

-Don’t joke about him being gay aren’t funny either. Jokes about minorities where the punchline is just what minority they are, are often a sign of bigotry towards that minority. It is not cool or trendy to be blatantly homophobic to a fictional man who did nothing wrong.

-“But its a vore character!” Is not an excuse to depict inappropriate material. Do not even Consider depicting ozzy in proships i will KILL YOU.

-When i say he approves of safety, he approves of safety even when theres controversy. Ozzy is pro choice, pro vax, pro gender affirming surgery, pro lgbt rights, etc. Hes a symbol of safety not bigotry he should not be refitted to anyone else’s morale standards.

-Just because he’s a vore character drawn in a somewhat low quality doesn’t mean you should cringe culture attack him. he’s a sweet boy regardless of what he does. cringe culture is literally bullying and people defend and justify and victim blame and so much more cringe needs to be removed from the dictionary good god.

-Don’t put him in cringe compilations without credit thats stealing and bullying. I know it would be uncredited because why the hell would i give permission for someone to do something that 80% of the time leads to some form of harassment?

-Just… don’t put Ozzy in any videos. he’s a tumblr character and i want him to stay like that. Attention on a vore character regardless of intent can lead to harassment. The lack of copyright and stuff doesn’t mean he’s free use permission is non optional no matter what. Admitting you didn’t make the thing doesn’t help me that doesn’t count. There are no official accounts with the character on any other social media. I have other social medias, but they aren’t vore accounts they are irrelevant.

-Ozzy is clearly and firmly a safe pred who physically can’t hurt people, please don’t make jokes about him eating people and killing them he doesn’t do that. especially god forsaken chewing vore. it makes me uncomfortable but its one of the least in character things for Ozzy to do. OZZY DOES NOT FUCKING BITE PEOPLE.

-Don’t joke about him being fatherless, it’s generally distasteful and in the context of his character can come of as homophobic and or ableist. Also he literally has a father, being a anthropomorphized version of the FDA named Felix. He has a father, mom’s still up for debate.

-Ozzy is a purely comfort character don’t shame me for intentions you assumed i had that where never real.

Thank you😊

[pixiedoodlein]

10 days until school and I’m no more decided than I was a week ago. I flip flop ten times day about what might be best. A is sick of hearing me talk about it. He doesn’t disagree with my risk assessment but he is sick of talking about it.

It caused an issue with his friend, a friend who is his best friend and is unvaccinated and works in a jail. Months ago we told friend he could only visit (this place is their boyhood dream) once he’s vaccinated. Friend typically believes in science and is very health conscious but his gf is a moron Trump lover and her family the same and that’s who he’s been spending all his time with since this all started. When I asked friend why he’s not vaccinated he said he’s young & healthy, didn’t trust the vaccines, would do it when they got full fda approval. Plenty of young healthy people are dead of this. Anyway then I asked ok so what if you give it to someone who isn’t and dies, people incarcerated in the jail he works in and don’t have the luxury of social distancing, and he was like eh whatever. So yes friend is an asshole, but his best friend for decades, friend has always been kind of an asshole but has many redeeming qualities too. So we said no visit. But then in July when there was no covid here and no covid where he lives and we were blissfully living our covid free lives we loosened up and said he could visit with two negative tests. But then covid got bad again and when asshole friend contacted A the other day to say he took time off in late Sept to visit, A said sorry, it’s fully fda approved now you have no excuses not to vaccinate, we’re worried about our unvaccinated kids, and as of now you can’t visit but hey maybe if you get vaccinated and the numbers look better we can reassess in a month and you can come. Friend was a total dick about it, didn’t understand our point of view at all, stressed A about it, who was in a bad mood about it for days afterward.

Then there’s the neighbors. I had a chat with the kids and a chat with the mom. I framed it as we love them so much and I know they’re careful but I think we should all be more careful while the numbers are so rising (aka only outdoor hangouts) and we are careful but I’ve heard terrifying stories from doctor friends about kids and babies getting very sick, and they have a baby who I don’t want us to make sick, and she said she agreed. The kids have been pretty good about making the adjustment from constant sleepovers to playing outside but M keeps asking me “the kids need to pee are they allowed to use the bathroom, the kids are hungry are they allowed to come inside even for one minute for a snack,” and I feel like the villain (I’ve been saying yes to pee, snacks I’ll bring out). Everyone’s been understanding but nobody is getting what I mean when I say only outdoor socializing. All the kids keep asking me when I’ll take them to town again for ice cream, “but it’s outside” (um yeah but the car’s not), asking their mom to ask me for sleepovers even though they know what the answer will be. The other day they were playing in our yard then it started raining and they were like “we can’t walk home in the rain”- I don’t want them to walk home in the rain, but again the car is indoors!- so I drove them home (but made M stay at our house). They’re not my kids so I can’t make them wear masks and it feels like now I am in the position of being the mean parent who’s psycho about covid, which in a way I am, but it would help me to stick to my guns and feel okay about sticking to them if the government policies matched the severity of the situation, ie mask mandates in public places (instead of stores posting polite recommendations), vaccine mandates, virtual learning options, etc.

Which brings me to school. After selling M hard on real school, then I sold her hard on home school. She already “did” 3rd grade last year (as much as me teaching her in my pajamas counts as doing), but this district has an earlier cut off than the city, so she’s in 3rd grade again here. Which is fine by me- her birthday is the same day as the very late nyc cut off (12/31) and I hated that she was the absolute youngest. I used to beg the school to hold her back and they’d say “but why she’s doing so well!” not understanding that I was thinking ahead to the teen years. But anyway, despite her haphazard pj’d professor, she seemed to learn a lot last year so homeschool this year could basically be unschool. She’d traipse around the forest identifying birds and trees with A and her brother, reading for pleasure, and I’d spend an hour here and there reviewing some worksheets with her so she’d be on track when she starts real school after she gets vaccinated. She was into the idea, until she found out she and one of the neighbor kids are in the same class. Now she absolutely wants to go to real school, AND ride the school bus. The school bus part makes me very nervous. While there is now a school mask mandate (but will it be enforced? what are their lunch procedures, what % of teachers are vaccinated, what % of the older kids in the same building as the little kids are vaccinated, did they actually really update their ventilation system?) and a bus mask rule, it’s a long rural route (15 min drive or 45 min bus) and I have no faith that bus windows will be open and all riders will be masked the whole time.

So just tell her she can go to school but has to be driven by a parent, right? Not so simple. I was offered a job at a (somewhat, commuting distance) nearby nonprofit- an easy low stress job in a bastion of liberalism with very very nice smart coworkers, excellent work life balance, a writing job that sounds made for me, like the job description is exactly what I would put together if I were putting together my dream job (except the pay, which is half what I was making at a fancy DC nonprofit, but high for this area, and our housing cost is half so it should be fine if A can get away from little guy long enough to bring in some money too). It’s mostly remote but approx one day a week in the office and some days there will be things I need to attend out in the community (not necessarily our community, they serve the whole region). It won’t always be the same day in the office and the office is an hour away- so on those days A would have no car to get her to and from school, since I’d need to leave before school starts and get home after it’s done. So I guess we need to buy a new car? Aside from this issue we really don’t need a second car now, were planning to get one eventually, but not until A’s business has enough projects to justify the cost.

Despite its many demands/challenges/ stressors, home school is sounding easier to me at this point (especially because she already did this grade), except she WANTS to go to school. Someone talk me out of putting some lipstick and a pantsuit on her and taking her to get vaccinated. I know, I know: the 5-11 dosage is 1/3 of the 12-adult dosage. The doctors I’ve spoken to are split on this hypothetical kamikaze mission. The doctors I’ve spoken to are also split on me and A going to a pharmacy now for booster. It’s been almost 6 months since our 2nd dose. We do not have compromised immune systems. This county has way more doses than demand and I would feel better sending M to school (bus or not) if we had our boosters and she had a first dose- moral and scientific quandaries aside- because there is A LOT of covid here now, a lot of covid everywhere now, and I feel like we are returning to regular life at the time when we should be most hunkered down.

Which brings me to the data. Per capita there are as many known cases here as in nyc, except nyc has a 50% higher vax rate, much more mask usage, better medical system. People are not getting enough tests here, there is a higher positivity rate, and so I think the actual number of cases is much higher than the reported number of cases. It seems like, friends here and in the city and in the suburbs (I just broke up with a friend in the suburbs because she professes to be a good democrat but is hosting a bonafide super spreader event and vacationing in a place with 39% positivity and a collapsed health care system), are thinking of covid as something you catch from strangers- they wear masks in stores- but aren’t careful at all around close friends and family (so many extended family gatherings, so many, cousins and grandparents and half-siblings and aunts and uncles and whoever), when this is a disease that kills via the people you love most, the ones who’d never intentionally hurt you.