“Talk to the hand.”

So we did the science. We tested one new, and one old t-shirt; and a serious-looking mask, off the rack at a village drugstore, with an insert; and a mask “borrowed” from an ambulance tech.

The borrowed mask did the best, preventing most of the heat, and almost all the air movement in breath. But I still only rate it a 5 out of 10 because it was difficult to get into the proper position, very difficult to confirm that it was in the proper position, and required frequent (especially with amateurs) readjusting.

The “off-the-rack” model did the worst: you could feel your breath right through it, and almost all the heat; and it could not be made to fit securely. It required constant readjusting.

The t-shirts were closer to the professional PPE, (shockingly closer) than you would think, with the new one a little better (but that is likely due to intentional or accidental worsting, and the virus stays in the cloth).

What’s the common denominator? They all, even the professional PPE, require a lot of touching and readjusting.

I love to inform anecdotally, I think that it can at times be the most effective way to communicate: “My doctor at the E.R. and everyone else there, especially including the phlebotomist, touched their face and mask while examining me – many times.”

(But, you know; check this out. The physicians and there were several, were deft at adjusting their masks, with a little re-engineering by way of a neat little knot. That’s impressive, but I wonder if those physicians recognize how big a problem it is that the masks vary so much in quality and that they require physical abilities that many of us no longer have. And, we do touch our faces. That’s obvious. It is a problem – even my doctors proved that.) Even if everyone wore masks, exactly how MUCH would be accomplished?

THE REAL PROBLEM

You know, we really need to examine knee-jerk Liberalism. Louis Gohmert is an idiot, and in my opinion a “Dick,” but he was right. And: give the dude a little credit!

It serves no purpose when hundreds of reporters pounce on him for stating the obvious. There are almost always problems when so-called “experts” try to turn complex problems into childishly simple ones. Talking about “masks,” “masks,” “masks” is childish oversimplification!

Of course, everyone needs to wear a mask, but one that works, not just one with a certain graphic design on it. But, that should be part of a comprehensive plan! But, mask-wearing alone, though essential, will not stop the pandemic. It has to be part of a comprehensive plan, and it has to be proven in the laboratory as effective. But, even in a detail as obvious as this, there is no plan. Anyone can make and sell a mask.

PROTECTION, ISOLATION, QUARANTINE!

There is a way home safely. And it will save, sooner or later – the Ones who are left.

Protection: Yes, masks, of course; but it’s possibly more important (based on confirmed deaths) to just not go out when you are sick. You don’t just “get” infected, someone infects you, usually avoidably. A big complicating factor is that you may be pre-symptomatic. But, even if you wear a mask, there are a lot of issues, so we have to do all the things: mask up and wear gloves, wash and clean, place yourself in self-isolation quickly – like a patriot! Wash it down!! Use cleaners, disinfecting solutions, and chlorine bleach; and “wash it down:” from floor to ceiling. The playroom, the workroom, the clothes washing room; the reception area, the coffee service, and the bathroom: WASH IT DOWN!

And if a hotspot rears its ugly head in a community, shut it down. “Tighter than a tick.” Instantly. (Imagine a community of 2000 or more has reported 3 fatalities in 24 hours. You wake up to seeing your town, or county, or burb shut completely down. Surrounded by emergency vehicles. Nobody in, nobody out! That’s how it’s done. It’s the only way it’s done.)

But, and it’s a big one: We all have to do it; and we have to do it for three weeks. Everyone.

We will. That’s a given. It’s just a matter of when.

“Ask not for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.”

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Air Force brat. My dad was shepherd to a bunch of B-52's; the GI's called that place "20 Minutes From Armageddon;" because a missile launched in East Germany would pop over our heads twenty minutes later. That put me in some of the best schools anywhere. I wrote in the Press Office of a powerful, charismatic Midwestern Governor. I dabble in graphic arts. My 50+ entertainment sites get a few million visits, and I have stopped counting the fans, likes, and shares, per year. I've rambled the world, hitched around the continent (counter-clockwise). Climbed a couple of teeners, been to a couple of thousand rock, blues, and jazz concerts. I was at a free concert on Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA with about 350,000 freaks and hippies; and other festivals. I won a writing contest when I was six. It was a Poe-like horror story taken from an account of a mining disaster. I had already been reading Edgar Allan Poe (which may explain a lot). I could read before I could talk. I implemented some of the first client/server, TCP-IP networks (the Internet) at many of the world's largest corporations. I know a half-dozen programming languages, and have implemented and administered many network operating systems. Right now I build ebikes, and lithium batteries from scratch. I was taught that race and ethnicity don't set us apart. I think that the best thing that could happen in this country would be if a woman were to be elected President of the United States. I admire President Obama more than any man in history, save one.

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