The number of pigs being slaughtered but not used for food during the pandemic is staggering. The National Pork Producers Association estimates up to 10 million hogs could be euthanized between April and September. In Iowa, the nation’s largest pork-producing state, officials expect the backlog to reach 600,00 hogs over the next six weeks. In Minnesoata, 90,000 pigs have been killed on farms since the meat plants began closing. One Minnesoata farmer sealed the cracks in his barn and piped in carbon dioxide through the ventilation system. Another shot his pigs in the head with a gun. It took him all day. Disposing of the carcasses has been near to impossible. Local residents fear the large amount of buried decomposing bodies will contaminate the water supply. Another reason to greatly reduce the amount of meat you eat. Better yet, don’t eat any at all.
Pandemic
As the weather warms and people go outside, we need to continue our social distance vigilance to keep each other safe.
The New Normal
Pandemic
What kind of future are we leaving for the next generations?
NYC
Full moon over New York City. Manhattan has changed a lot since Covid19.
Baseball
During my shelter at home, I’ve been watching Ken Burn’s, History of Baseball. A must see.
Plastic Pollution
up in landfills and the oceans. So basically there is no recycling of plastic. But why do we all do it so fastidiously? That’s because the suppliers of it want us to believe its being turned into bicycles, benches and sandals. Who are the suppliers you say? BP, Mobil, Exxon, Chevron and on and on. Platic is a petroleum based product so the oil producers make a fortune off the stuff. Decades ago there began a big push against single use plastic. So the oil companies themselves came up with the idea of recycling plastic. They just wanted consumers to believe it was all being recycled and unfortunately they succeeded with the help of politicians. They figured out that technically a lot of the plastic can be recycled but it is so costly to do it that it makes no sense for anyone to ever attempt it. But because of that technicality, they can put recycle logos and save the earth symbols all over their crap and packaging. They run TV commercials with platic bottles rolling down the street turning into park benches. You would think they were the Sierra Club. It’s all BS. I will raise my hand and say I am the biggest idiot of all because I am only now understanding this. I’m a dope and easily duped. I need to rethink some of my behavior.
Gale Robbins 1941
This is a drawing of Gale Robbins, an actress and singer from the 1940s. I love her hairstyle.
Pig Virus
The third largest pork factory in the United States has shut down because over 600 workers at the Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota have contacted coronavirus. Raw for and coronavirus doesn’t sound like a good picture. This will put a big dent in the supply chain of pork products. Seems that people don’t cook so much pork at home. They mostly order it at cafeterias and restaurants which are closed. The processors have an overabundance of bacon and nowhere to sell it. So you know what happens as a result. Don’t make me spell it out. Now that folks aren’t eating as much unhealthy, cancer causing, heart attack giving poison, maybe people will just continue to consume a lot less of it after this pandemic alters the way people live.
Coronavirus
“Humans have had to shelter in place for a few weeks now. We animals having been sheltering in place for many many decades, except we do it in dirty, disgusting cages, cramped stalls, and unsanitary, windowless factories. Then we get murdered after a few weeks for a little extra added bonus. Plus, we don’t have Netflix, HBO, or smartphones. Maybe we get to see a Disney flick every so often but does that really count. Now you all get a taste of what it’s like to be separated from loved ones and held against your will. So maybe think twice about having a hamburger or fried chicken when you sit in front of your flat screen to watch “Top Chef” while social distancing. Don’t even think of asking us to social distance from one another, that would be impossible.”
