FiveThirtyEight examines coronavirus and the economy

One of the main themes of yesterday's More closer looks at the pandemic response from Seth Meyers was the effect of staying at home, staying safe, and saving lives during the coronavirus pandemic and the desires of President Trump and others to get people back to work sooner than advisable in order to keep the economy going.  That was a darkly comic take on the situation of the type I call "ha, ha, only serious."  For a truly serious take on the issue of the coronavirus response and the economy, I turn to three videos from FiveThirtyEight on the topic.

I begin with the briefest and most recent, Could Staying Home Protect The Economy And Also Save Lives?

We know our economy is struggling due to coronavirus. But just how much would it cost us to stop quarantine and risk many Americans dying?

For more, my readers should click on What Should The Government Spend To Save A Life?  The answer is the same as cited in the video.

The VSL, instead of trying to sum up the value of a life, approaches the question from the other direction — how much are we willing to spend to reduce the odds of dying?

Economists draw the numbers from multiple sources, including surveys and assumptions about our own choices, like how much additional money people earn for especially dangerous jobs, or how much a premium they’ll pay for a safer car. The estimates do vary, but they fall in the same basic range — the EPA’s valuation falls around $9.4 million, while Viscusi’s latest calculation is $10 million. To put it another way, Viscusi’s estimate means that if a group of 10,000 people is facing a 1-in-10,000 risk of death, they’re willing to pay $1,000 per person to reduce the odds that any given member of the community will die.

These numbers show why spending trillions of dollars to combat a threat like the coronavirus pandemic can be a good investment, despite the high cost. “Let’s say one of our worst-case scenarios comes to pass, and 2 million people die,” said James Hammitt, an economist at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis. “Multiply that by $9 million or $10 million and we’re talking about up to $20 trillion as the value of preventing those deaths. That suggests it’s worth expending a fair amount of our resources to mitigate this.”

That's a great quote, one that indicates the $2 trillion in the coronavirus stimulus bill only covers 200,000 people, which is the median number of deaths expected in the U.S. from this pandemic.  If it looks like more people are likely to die, then more money should be spent to prevent it.

Follow over the jump for the other two videos from FiveThirtyEight on the pandemic's effect on the economy.

More closer looks at the pandemic response from Seth Meyers

'The Daily Show' and others review movies and series to watch while staying at home during a pandemic left me wanting more comedy to deal with the tragedy of the coronavirus pandemic, so I'm updating Seth Meyers takes closer looks at Trump's response to the pandemic with two new closer looks.  I begin with the more recent, Trump Fights with Governors, Reporters Over Coronavirus Response: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at an unhinged President Trump wanting to ignore the coronavirus crisis and return to normal as soon as possible.

I agree with one viewer, who wrote "When Trump eventually leaves office, all historians will need to do is collect together all of Seth's 'A Closer Look' segments."  The only thing missing was Trump skirmishing with Gretchen Whitmer and Jay Inslee in addition to Andrew Cuomo.  Not that I'm knocking Cuomo; my wife and I enjoy his press briefings as "America's Governor."  we find his candor reassuring even as he is delivering bad news.*  As for Seth's aside about the difficulties of working from home, I can relate.  At least all our children are grown and out of the house.

I conclude with Trump Wants to Reopen America as Coronavirus Pandemic Accelerates: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak and the president and some [of] his allies saying we should care more about the stock market than saving lives.

Another viewer left a comment that mirrors what I wrote about both Seth and John Oliver:  "You know, without the audience laughing, these truthful monologues are frightening as hell.  We have a clown for president and sometimes clowns are scary."  Yes, they are.

At least one of the premises of both videos no longer applies, as Trump seems to have given up on opening the country back up for business by Easter.  That wasn't going to happen, regardless of his wishes.  Instead, he seems to be shooting for the end of April.  That's more realistic.

*On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about Cuomo's postponing New York's presidential primary from April to June.  It's probably a good thing from a public health perspective — the pandemic is likely to be subsiding by June — but it may not be great for democracy.  In particular, the date set is after the deadline set by the DNC, so New York may get penalized by having fewer delegates accredited.  On the gripping hand, if the epidemic has not subsided by July, holding the national convention may be a bad idea as well.  Heh, sometimes my conceit of being a Motie pays off.

'The Daily Show' and others review movies and series to watch while staying at home during a pandemic

For this week's Sunday entertainment feature, I'm looking at movies to watch while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic.  I begin with a video that confronts the crisis directly from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Roy Wood Jr. Reviews Pandemic Movies.

Contagion. Outbreak. 28 Days Later. Roy Wood, Jr. reviews the top pandemic movies of our time.

Roy Wood, Jr., is right about "Contagion."  It hits way too close to home, as it accurately predicted what has happened so far.  That's a point Grace Randolph made in Beyond The Trailer's Apple to Buy Disney? What to Watch on Netflix, Disney Plus, calling it "scarily accurate."

What to Watch today! Beyond The Trailer host Grace Randolph's reaction and breakdown of the top ten on Apple TV aka iTunes, Disney Plus and Netflix! Plus could Apple really buy Disney? Plus what new streaming movies & tv shows are coming up, from Birds of Prey to Bloodshot to Ozark Season 3! Share your own reaction and be sure to make Beyond The Trailer your first stop for movie and entertainment news here on YouTube today!

Grace stopped her comments about Netflix's top ten last week with "2012," which I have the same opinion of as "San Andreas," "bad science in the service of action and special effects."  Too bad, as I recommend number 8 in the top ten, the documentary series "Pandemic," which focuses on influenza, measles, and ebola as it was shot before the COVID-19 pandemic began.  I found the science both credible and scary.

By the way, the true-crime series "Tiger King" seems to be finding its audience because of people staying home during the pandemic.  I've seen tweet after tweet praising it for its entertainment value.  So far, I've resisted, as I tweeted "I think my wife would have a problem with the animal cruelty. Instead, we're watching McMillion$ on HBO for our true-crime fix."

Finally, Infidel753 recommended Movies to Social Isolate With so you don't watch trash (Best of 2019) from Amanda The Jedi.


That's an interesting list that includes some of the movies I plan on including in this year's edition of the Golden Coffee Cups for movies, including "1917," "Jojo Rabbit," and "The Report" for the best movies about politics and government from 2019.  That reminds me that it's time to start working on compiling the eligible movie list — after I work on my remote learning lessons for my classes.  Priorities.  As I also tweeted last week, "working from home is still work."

Celebrate Earth Hour online during the pandemic

I so like my opening to #Connect2Earth for #EarthHour 2019 that I'm going to reuse it.

"Happy Earth Hour, when people all over the planet shut their lights off for an hour after dark."  That's me being a good environmentalist and recycling a greeting for the first special event I celebrated on this blog back on March 26, 2011, one I've observed every year, although sometimes a bit late.  That's not happening this year, as I celebrating it on time.

Like everything else, Earth Hour is being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.  The Independent (UK) explains.

This year, considering the number of people across the globe in self-isolation and under lockdown, Earth Hour is being celebrated in a slightly different way.

“We recognise the exceptional challenge that the world is facing and we thank you for your support as we try to realign our Earth Hour work appropriately,” it states on the Earth Hour website.

“In light of the latest developments the Earth Hour global organising team is recommending all individuals to take part in Earth Hour digitally this year.”

For those who would like to take part in Earth Hour, the event’s organisers are asking them to switch off their lights at home for the hour.

There are also several online events that will be live-streamed throughout the event, in addition to a “Voice for the Planet” petition you can sign “to let world leaders know that you care about nature and that you demand urgent political action to protect our planet”.

Al Jazeera English reported on the observance so far, concentrating on videos from Gibraltar, in Earth Hour marked during coronavirus pandemic.

The lights on major landmarks around the world are being switched off for Earth Hour.
The initiative, organised by the World Wildlife Fund,  invites people to think about how their lives and activities are affecting the planet.
And, as Al Jazeera's Andrew Chappelle reports, this year the coronavirus pandemic is making the event particularly significant.

I conclude with the Earth Hour 2020 Official Video - ft. "Rock the World" by The Script.

Nature is one of our greatest allies against climate change and is vital for our survival, but it is under threat. This #EarthHour, join millions around the world for the biggest environmental movement of 2020, and switch off on 28 March at 8:30pm your local time. Let’s come together this Earth Hour 2020 to #Connect2Earth and raise our voice for a healthy natural world we can all rely on. Take the first step at: https://www.earthhour.org/voice

Music Credit:
“Rock the World” performed by The Script
Used by kind permission of Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment

Stay safe at home, everyone, and, once again, Happy Earth Hour!

Michigan to mail ballots and $400 million for elections in coronavirus stimulus bill update the election news and views for the ninth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News

Happy Flashback Friday!  I told my readers to stay tuned yesterday for a retrospective about the second most read entry posted during the ninth year of this blog and others on the same topic today.  According to the default counter, that entry was Joe Walsh walks away from the Republican primary and says he'll support the Democratic nominee, which earned ~1,640 default and 1,719 raw page views between being posted on February 7, 2020 and March 20, 2020.  Since it was about the 2020 election, I'm using it as the theme of today's retrospective.  Since the big story right now is the coronavirus pandemic, I begin by looking at the pandemic's effect on elections and voting.

Since this is a Michigan-based blog, the first story I am featuring comes from the Great Lakes State.  13 On Your Side in Grand Rapids reports Secretary of State offices to close, May ballots to be mailed out amid stay at home order.

As part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay at home executive order, all Secretary of State branches will close through April 13. The SOS will also be mailing all May ballots.

That Michigan will be voting by mail in the May election is good news.  Let's hope that, if the pandemic persists, the same will happen for the August and November elections as well.

On the national level, MSNBC covered the topic of voting during the pandemic during last night's All In with Chris Hayes.  Here's the segment: Stacey Abrams On How Coronavirus Stimulus Package Shortchanges Election Funding.

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams tells Chris Hayes that the $400 million Congress set aside for election funding is a start. But not enough. Aired on 3/26/20.

I agree with Abrams.  $400 million is a good start and better than the $140 million Republicans originally proposed.  However, it almost certainly isn't enough.  FiveThirtyEight reported that "Democrats were initially demanding $4 billion to expand voting access; the Brennan Center estimated it would cost about $2 billion to implement voting reforms."  I'll take the Brennan Center figure, which makes $400 million a mere down payment on what's required to make voting work during a public health crisis.

Follow over the jump for how the second most read entry according to the default counter got its page views along with the other top posts about Election 2020 from the ninth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Washington Post on whistleblowing and WHAS11 on Rand Paul testing positive for coronavirus update the top post from the ninth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News

Happy Throwback Thursday!  For today's look back at the most popular posts from the ninth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News, I begin with the program note I used to conclude Vox and FiveThirtyEight explain social distancing.

I might take a break from the pandemic tomorrow, as I plan on posting a retrospective of the blogging year just ended, which I mentioned in the conclusion of The Washington Post and Full Frontal explain FOIA for Freedom of Information Day.

One of the episodes is "Whistleblowing 101," which I plan on using to update Rand Paul calling for publication of whistleblower's name illustrates how America fails its whistleblowers, the most read entry posted during the current blogging year.  Watch for that on January 26, the first Throwback Thursday of the tenth year of this blog — that is, if I'm not critically ill or dead from coronavirus by then.  I hope not.

So far, I'm fine.  I still plan on using the video I mentioned, but it turns out that Paul has tested positive for the virus.  That's definitely a pandemic angle, so I might use it, too.  Stay tuned.

Yes, the most read entry posted during the ninth year of this blog according to the default counter was Rand Paul calling for publication of whistleblower's name illustrates how America fails its whistleblowers, which earned ~1,990 default views and 2,023 raw views between being posted on January 31, 2020 and March 20, 2020.*  I'll explain how the entry got its views over the jump, but first I am updating both the topic of whistleblowing and the subject of Senator Paul.  I begin with The Washington Post's video Whistleblowing 101 | How to be a journalist.

Daniel Ellsberg risked his career and his safety to expose the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret study of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The Washington Post’s Libby Casey explains what it means to be a whistleblower, what legal protections are and are not available, and what someone risks by speaking up.

I've written about both examples of whistleblowers on this blog.  The conflict over publishing the Pentagon Papers was the central conflict in "The Post," which won Best Drama or Comedy about Politics or Government of 2017 (Best Political Scripted Movie for short).  The "60 Minutes" segment, "The Whistleblower," won Outstanding Investigative report in a Newsmagazine at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards.  Not only were these important moments in whistleblowing and journalism, they made for award-winning media.

That's the update for whistleblowing.  For the update on Senator Rand Paul, I am sharing WHAS11 of Kentucky's report Sen. Rand Paul defends lack of quarantine.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is defending himself after coming under criticism for not quarantining himself after he was tested for the coronavirus.

Michele Travis had the following to say in a comment to the video on YouTube: "Bad thing, is he knew, he might have the Coronavirus, but he still interacted, with other members of congress and the house.  He should have put himself in Isolation, instead of interacting with others" (sic).  I agree.  He should have been a good example by practicing social distancing.  Instead, he was a bad example, not only on this issue, but others related to the pandemic.

Follow over the jump for the story on how this entry and others about impeachment earned their page views.

Vox and FiveThirtyEight explain social distancing

"I'm sure I'll have more on the pandemic tomorrow.  Stay tuned."  That was my closing to Seth Meyers takes closer looks at Trump's response to the pandemic, so I'm following through with it by sharing a sequel to Vox explains how its viewers and readers can fight the coronavirus.  This time, it's the Vox video Social distancing during coronavirus, explained by an expert.

To fight coronavirus, we need to change how we live.
...
“Social distancing,” also called physical distancing, is the best way to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives in your community. It means leaving home as little as possible, keeping six feet away from others in public, and generally just limiting in-person social contact. But the rules of social distancing can be sort of blurry and confusing. Can you have close friends over for dinner? Can you visit relatives? Can you get on a plane if you’re wearing a face mask? What is life even supposed to look like without social contact?

We spoke with University of Pennsylvania social epidemiologist Carolyn Cannuscio about how we should think about social distancing, and what measures we should each be taking to do our part in slowing down the pandemic. Practicing social distancing properly isn’t easy, she says. But it’s also the best thing that each of us can do right now in the service of public health.

As the caption of the first video from Vox I embedded in the previous post said, "The best way to slow down the spread is for everyone — healthy, sick, young, old — to limit social contact as much as possible, immediately. This is called social distancing, and it only works if enough of us do it. But if we do, it could mean the difference between the life and death of someone you know."  I also wrote in that entry, "To read more of Vox's coverage of the pandemic, click here.  I hope following the advice there helps keep my readers and me safe and healthy through this crisis."

FiveThirtyEight also uploaded a video about social/physical distancing, How Should You Social Distance?

Everyone has a lot of questions about what "social distancing" means. Can I go to work? The gym? A coffee shop? Here's what our Senior Science Writer, Maggie Koerth, is doing after speaking with a number of experts in public health.

I hope my readers found this video helpful, too, both for their own health and for flattening the curve.

I might take a break from the pandemic tomorrow, as I plan on posting a retrospective of the blogging year just ended, which I mentioned in the conclusion of The Washington Post and Full Frontal explain FOIA for Freedom of Information Day.

One of the episodes is "Whistleblowing 101," which I plan on using to update Rand Paul calling for publication of whistleblower's name illustrates how America fails its whistleblowers, the most read entry posted during the current blogging year.  Watch for that on January 26, the first Throwback Thursday of the tenth year of this blog — that is, if I'm not critically ill or dead from coronavirus by then.  I hope not.

So far, I'm fine.  I still plan on using the video I mentioned, but it turns out that Paul has tested positive for the virus.  That's definitely a pandemic angle, so I might use it, too.  Stay tuned.

Seth Meyers takes closer looks at Trump's response to the pandemic

While Michigan is now under a "stay at home" order that expands upon the state of emergency, the effects are already scaring the people in charge.  The best way I've found to examine it is through comedy.  So, in the vein of Closer looks at the coronavirus outbreak from Meyers, Noah, and Colbert, I present Trump Lashes Out as Americans Remain Under Lockdown: A Closer Look, which Seth recorded from home.

Seth takes a closer look at the COVID-19 pandemic triggering a public health crisis, economic crisis and leadership crisis.

Just as I wrote for More John Oliver on coronavirus, "the lack of a studio audience make this a much more serious episode, even though the writing is pretty much the same with barbed comments.  Without a live audience, the jokes fall a little flat."  If anything, Seth managed to maintain the humor better than John Oliver.

For a contrast and comparison, I'm also sharing the last closer look Seth recorded in front of a live studio audience, Trump Contradicts Experts as Coronavirus Is Declared a Pandemic: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at President Trump contradicting public health officials about the severity of the global coronavirus pandemic.

That was only two weeks ago.  It shows a glimpse of the world we are in now, but that's different from the reality.  For one thing, the jokes are funnier in front of a live audience.  Just the same, I'm grateful that Seth has returned, if only to record closer looks from home.  Even the professionals are now YouTubers.  Welcome to comedy in a time of plague.

I'm sure I'll have more on the pandemic tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Statistics for the ninth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News

As I promised in Happy 9th birthday to the blog and Nowruz Mubarak (Happy Persian New Year) to my readers, it's time to review the statistics for the ninth year of this blog.

As of 11:59 PM EDT March 20, 2020, this blog had a lifetime total of 2,484,920 page views, 4274 posts, and 3211 comments.  Minus the lifetime total of 2,168,149 page views and 3853 posts at 11:59 PM EDT March 20, 2019, 366 days earlier, the ninth year of the blog saw 316,771 page views on 421 posts during the ninth year of my writing it.  In addition, both the blog and I counted 464 comments during the past year.  While those are fewer page views on more posts than the 537,636 page views and 361 comments on 388 entries during 365 days for the eighth year of the blog, I set a monthly page view goal of 25,000, which means 300,000 total page views for the ninth year of the blog.  I surpassed my monthly page view goal by 1397.6 and my annual page view goal by 16,771, so I consider the past year a success in terms of readership.  Yay for realistic goals!

Follow over the jump for my analysis of the past year.

TED-Ed and BBC News ask 'are we running out of clean water' and answer with solutions for World Water Day

Happy World Water Day!  For today's celebration, I'm looking at the global picture through two videos about the developing global water crisis and how to solve it.  The first comes from TED-ED, which asks Are we running out of clean water?

Despite water covering 71% of the planet’s surface, more than half the world’s population endures extreme water scarcity for at least one month a year. Current estimates predict that by 2040, up to 20 more countries could be experiencing water shortages. These statistics raise a startling question: is the Earth running out of clean water? Balsher Singh Sidhu takes a closer look at water consumption.

TED-Ed and Sidhu examine the solution through the lens of decreasing consumption, the same lens I examine environmental issues on Earth Overshoot Day.  It's also an important part of the message I try to impart to my students.  That written, another lesson I teach my students is that decreasing consumption is not the same as increasing supply.*  BBC News concentrated on that issue when it asked Are we heading towards a water crisis?

By 2025, nearly two billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity according to the United Nations.

Many countries now face decisions over how to provide water to their citizens.

Reality Check takes a look at five potential solutions.

Both of these are such good videos that I plan on showing them to my students, that is, when I get to meet future classes in person.  The college where I teach suspended face-to-face classes for all of last week and half of the week before; classes will resume online tomorrow for the rest of the semester.  I still plan on sharing the links in the online versions of my classes.  I hope that improves my students' learning.  Speaking of which, I hope my readers learned something, too.  I did, which makes today a good day.  As I last wrote on Friday the 13th, "It's a good day when I learn something new."

*One of the test questions I ask students is to list three ways to increase water supply and describe their advantages and disadvantages.  Every semester, at least one of them responds by describing water conservation measures.  That means they didn't learn that lesson.  Sigh.

Ta-ta, Tulsi, as Gabbard gives up

I had another plan for the second post of the tenth year of the blog, but COVID-19 intervened, causing the cancellation of Marche du Nain Rouge.  Looks like the Nain won this year.  Instead, I'm reporting on another fallen tribute in The Hungry for Power Games, Tulsi Gabbard.  The Hill reposted the video Gabbard uploaded on Thursday, Tulsi Gabbard makes 2020 endorsement, drops out of 2020 race.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) dropped out of the 2020 presidential contest Thursday, endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden in what is now officially a two-man primary with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Now that Gabbard has suspended her campaign, there are no more women running for a major party nomination for president.  That's disappointing, given the record number of women running for U.S. President I reported for International Women's Day last year.  At least Joe Biden's pledge to select a woman as his running mate partially makes up for it.

As I have for all the other candidates who have dropped out, follow over the jump for the drink suggestions and memes I am retiring now that Gabbard is gone from the race.

Happy 9th birthday to the blog and Nowruz Mubarak (Happy Persian New Year) to my readers

Happy Birthday to the blog and Nowruz Mubarak (Happy Persian New Year)!  Once again, it's time to celebrate the end of one year of blogging and the beginning of another.  I'm going to be good environmentalist and recycle Birthday by The Beatles from An early happy 9th birthday to Coffee Party USA and Happy Irish Coffee Day!


Happy Ninth Birthday to the blog!

I'll be back later today with a special election report to replace the post I had planned about the now-cancelled Marche du Nain Rouge, then tomorrow with World Water Day followed by statistics on Monday.  I have my blogging work cut out for me.

More John Oliver on coronavirus

At the end of Science of the Vernal Equinox, I told my readers to "Stay tuned for the last entry of the ninth year of this blog, which I plan to be an update of John Oliver on coronavirus.  Yes, the pandemic is moving that fast."  Here it is, Coronavirus II: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).

As the spread of coronavirus worsens in the US, John Oliver discusses how the government is handling the outbreak, how they’re not, and what we can do to help.

Both the blank set and the lack of a studio audience make this a much more serious episode, even though the writing is pretty much the same with barbed comments.  Without a live audience, the jokes fall a little flat.  Also, John Oliver is a little more serious in his delivery.  Finally, this is the entire episode.  There is no "And now, this" transition into or out of the main segment.  It's very unusual.  Welcome to comedy in a time of plague.

Stay tuned for a double celebration of Nowruz (Persian New Year) and this blog's ninth birthday.  The latter, at least, will be a happy occasion.  I'm not as sure about the first.

Science of the Vernal Equinox

Happy arrival of astronomical Spring!  For this year's celebration, I'm going back to my tradition of explaning the science behind the event, beginning with Lowell Observatory's When is the Spring Equinox (2020)?

The spring equinox in 2020 occurs on Thursday, March 19 at 8:49 pm Pacific (11:49 pm Eastern). Equinoxes and solstices are all about the tilt of the Earth's rotation axis relative to its orbit around the Sun. On both equinoxes, the sun rises due east, and it sets due west, no matter where you are on the earth.

In this video, we'll go to the Giovale Open Deck Observatory at Lowell Observatory (https://lowell.edu/godo) to see how the spring equinox looks from the ground. This observing plaza is bordered by six markers that are aligned to the points on the horizon where the Sun rises and sets on the summer solstice, the winter solstice and the two equinoxes. (It’s like a modern-day Stonehenge.)

That's informative, but a bit dry.  For something snappier, I recommend 13News Now's SCIENCE BEHIND: The Spring Equinox 2020.

The Spring Equinox 2020 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 11:49 p.m. on Thursday, March 19.

That's a good science segment, especially for a local TV newscast.  Maybe I will check out others in this series.

Stay tuned for the last entry of the ninth year of this blog, which I plan to be an update of John Oliver on coronavirus.  Yes, the pandemic is moving that fast.

Vox explains how its viewers and readers can fight the coronavirus

I wrote "I'll probably return to coronavirus coverage tomorrow" near the end of Marching music and a drink for the St. Patrick's Day primaries with resignation, which is why I punctuated the thought with "Sigh."  However, when I looked at my notes for today and saw that I had penciled in National Biodiesel Day as the topic for today, I decided that I'd rather write about the pandemic.  To that end, I'm sharing two videos from Vox about how my readers can do their part to slow the spread of the virus, beginning with Why fighting the coronavirus depends on you, which is still #19 on YouTube's trending list two days after being uploaded.

Why fighting the coronavirus depends on you.
...
In March 2020, the World Health Organization officially classified Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, as a pandemic. That means the disease no longer constitutes just an outbreak or even an epidemic; the coronavirus has now spread around the world, and will continue to reach into other countries and communities.

That’s in part because of how contagious the virus is. When you’re infected with the flu, it takes about two days before you start to show symptoms. But coronavirus symptoms take an average of five to six days to appear, so it’s easy to spread well before you notice that you’re feeling sick. Many people are spreading it while going about their daily lives as usual.

The risk is that once coronavirus starts to spread in a community, about 20% of cases are severe and may require hospitalization. As those cases multiply, hospitals can fill up quickly. And people with severe cases of COVID-19 who can’t receive proper medical attention are at a much higher risk of dying.

Ideally, we would be able to stop the virus from spreading entirely. We can’t do that right now. What we can do is slow it down, so that the severe cases get spread out over a longer period of time, and hospitals are less likely to be overwhelmed on any given day. And that’s where each one of us comes in. The best way to slow down the spread is for everyone — healthy, sick, young, old — to limit social contact as much as possible, immediately. This is called social distancing, and it only works if enough of us do it. But if we do, it could mean the difference between the life and death of someone you know.

While social distancing is the major strategy in reducing the spread of the disease, so is washing hands.  Vox uploaded a video today explaining How soap kills the coronavirus on that subject.

Plain old soap and water absolutely annihilate coronavirus.
...
You've been told a thousand times: wash your hands to stop the spread of COVID-19. But why does this work so well? It has to do with the way the soap molecules are able to absolutely demolish viruses, like the coronavirus.

That's the best explanation of how soap kills pathogens I've ever seen.

To read more of Vox's coverage of the pandemic, click here.  I hope following the advice there helps keep my readers and me safe and healthy through this crisis.

Marching music and a drink for the St. Patrick's Day primaries

Stay tuned for another edition of marching music for a primary election, this time an update of A Drum Corps Ides of March for an election year on St. Patrick's Day.  The holidays March on!

That was my program note at the end of The Washington Post and Full Frontal explain FOIA for Freedom of Information Day.  As for what's on the agenda, I wrote that in a response to a comment two weeks ago.

AZGeoScience: As an Arizonan, I recommend for our primary in a couple of weeks, the 2012 University of Arizona Radiohead 2.0 show. Great show. BTW, loving these posts. My son and I are huge DCI fans.

Me: Glad you're enjoying this series. Also, that's a great suggestion, probably the best show the Wildcats have done. I'll add it to roster of The Academy, [The] Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, Bluecoats, Columbus Saints, Cincinnati Tradition, and Heat Wave that I already have planned for that date.

At the last minute, Ohio postponed its primary because of the coronavirus pandemic, so I'm postponing posting its corps until the vote is held, possibly on June 2.  To compensate, I'm adding the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching Band to the list.  I hope that's enough marching music for my readers to watch and listen to while they are waiting for the results from the three states voting today.

To make up for not adding an Illinois marching band along with ones from Arizona and Florida, I begin with an Illinois corps, The Cavaliers playing their 2016 show, Propaganda.

Rosemont, IL - 5th Place 94.025
...
"Music For The Funeral Of Queen Mary" Written by Henry Purcell; As Arranged By Michael Martin Published by MICHAEL MARTIN MUSIC; "Symphony For Band" Written by Morton Gould Published by G. SCHIRMER, INC.; "Elegy For Dunkirk" Written by Marianelli Dario Published by UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP OBO UNIVERSAL PICTURES MUSIC; "Lollapalooza" Written by John Adams Published by HENDON MUSIC, INC.

Given the political theme, I thought this was the best choice of show.

Next, the corps I featured four years ago, Phantom Regiment performing their 2018 program, This New World.

Rockford, IL | 11th | 86.950
...
“Finale (from ‘Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium’)”
Written by Aaron Zigman, Alexandre Desplat
...
“Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26”
Written by Sergei Prokofiev
...
“A Child’s Garden of Dreams”
Written by David Maslanka
...
“Picture Studies”
Written by Adam Schoenberg
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“Symphony No. 9”
Written by Antonin Dvorak, Arr. by William Pitts

I'm saving the 2019 show for a Bastille Day post, as it has a French theme — sort of.  I'm an environmentalist, I conserve my resources.

Follow over the jump for videos of drum corps and marching bands from Arizona and Florida plus a bonus drink for the holiday.

The Washington Post and Full Frontal explain FOIA for Freedom of Information Day

Happy National Freedom of Information Day to my readers!

March 16th recognizes National Freedom of Information Day annually during Sunshine Week. It also commemorates the birthday of President James Madison. 

Madison earned the name the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government. Additionally, he is hailed as being instrumental in the drafting of the United States Constitution and as the key champion and author of the United States Bill of Rights. Madison held individual rights and freedom of information in high importance.

National Day Calendar suggests "learn[ing] more about the Freedom of Information Act and how it impacts your rights" as a way to celebrate today.  To that end, I'm going to do one of my serious and silly takes on a subject.  For the serious, I'm sharing Everything you need to know about FOIA | How to be a journalist from The Washington Post.

The second episode of “How to be a journalist” looks at the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. Libby Casey talks to investigative reporter Kimbriell Kelly and database editor Steven Rich about how they use open records laws to get information from the government.

I'm glad I discovered this series.  Not only is it informative, it will be useful for my blogging.  One of the episodes is "Whistleblowing 101," which I plan on using to update Rand Paul calling for publication of whistleblower's name illustrates how America fails its whistleblowers, the most read entry posted during the current blogging year.  Watch for that on January 26, the first Throwback Thursday of the tenth year of this blog — that is, if I'm not critically ill or dead from coronavirus by then.  I hope not.

For the silly, I'm sharing Ashley’s Totally Basic FOIA Tutorial from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Ladies, petitioning your government is in season! Let’s get this look trending!

Ha, ha, only serious!

With that, I've used up the best resources for this topic.  Bad environmentalist!  Here's to hoping more become available in the next year.  If not, today is National Panda Day.  That would also fit one of the themes of this blog.  Lucky me.

Stay tuned for another edition of marching music for a primary election, this time an update of A Drum Corps Ides of March for an election year on St. Patrick's Day.  The holidays March on!

Italian military providing inspiration during coronavirus lockdown for The Ides of March

Beware The Ides of March!  To mark today, I was going to combine my usual theme of dread in the Med(iterranean) with my traditional Sunday entertainment feature by showing Italians singing to cheer themselves during their country's lockdown, but Paul W. at You Might Notice A Tread beat me to it.  No need for me to do that now when I can just refer my readers to his blog.

Instead, I will show something else inspiring, the Italian military putting on displays to bolster the morale of Italy's citizens.  I begin with VOA News showing Italian Paratrooper Supports Italy's COVID-19 Fight With Skydive.

An Italian army paratrooper dropped into Rome trailing a giant Italian flag, Friday, March 13, to express solidarity with the country as it is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Next, Mark 1333 uploaded a clip from BBC News showing Coronavirus (Covid-19) Italian air force display for Italy's people.

The Italian air force put on this display for Italy's people in unity and solidarity, as the country is in lock down.

I'd prefer to embed an official clip from BBC News, but there doesn't seem to be one.  Darn.  I hope this clip survives.  Even more important, I hope Italy gets out of lockdown soon and that the rest of the world, including the U.S., takes the example of Italy as a cautionary tale.

Math, pie, and hygiene on Pi Day

Happy Pi Day!  This year, I'm combining the math and science of last year's Neil DeGrasse Tyson celebrates Pi Day and Einstein's birthday with the pie theme of the previous three years.  Two traditions in one!

I begin with NBC News' Pi Day: Celebrate The Magic And Mystery Of Math's Most Famous Number.

Pi, the famous constant in mathematics and physics, is not only a principle found throughout the natural world but has for centuries served as a powerful composition tool and design principle.

The next video takes the concluding sentiment of "and maybe, enjoy a slice of pie" a step further.  Watch Inside Edition's Celebrate Pi Day and Calm Your Anxieties by Baking a Pie.

March 14 is Pi Day! And that means lots of delicious baked goods for the mathematically inclined. The day gets its name from three, one and four, the first three digits of the mathematical constant known as pi. Among other things, pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Any way you slice it, pi is kind of a big deal. And as people around the world hunker down for extended periods indoors, we may see renewed interest in baking.

After using videos from Inside Edition for Hanukkah and Lunar New Year, I finally decided to subscribe to the show's YouTube channel.  Third time's a charm!

While Inside Edition's video indirectly addressed the effects of the responses to coronavirus, Vihart's Pi Day Rant 2020 confronts it head on.

They were thinking of canceling Pi Day due to the new Coronavirus?? NOPE WE GOT THIS.

Stay home, Pi!

This year we're doing Pi Day as a purely online event. Please feel empowered to eat a pie by yourself. We're not saying you won't get coronavirus or give it to someone else, but how often do you get the opportunity to save lives by procrastinating and delaying the inevitable? Slow the spread, wash your hands, and have opinions about mathematical constants.

Have a happy Pi Day at home, everyone, and remember to wash your hands!  Oh, and Beware The Ides of March!

For Friday the 13th, TED-Ed answers 'Where do superstitions come from?'

Happy Friday the 13th!  On this day when I could write more about the responses to coronavirus and frame them as bad luck, I'm instead recycling the idea behind Brain Stuff explains why Friday the 13th is considered unlucky and The Infographics Show asks why are we afraid of Friday the 13th and the number 13?  I think it's time to spread some knowledge instead of fear, as justified as the latter might be given the current circumstances.  To that end, watch and listen as Stuart Vyse narrates TED-Ed's Where do superstitions come from?

Are you afraid of black cats? Would you open an umbrella indoors? How do you feel about the number 13? Whether or not you believe in them, you’re probably familiar with a few of these superstitions. But where did they come from? Stuart Vyse shares the weird and specific origins of some of our favorite superstitions.

Great video, but it never did get around to explaining the superstition around black cats, although it did a great job with the fears around 13, 17, 4, and 14.  Just the same, I'm continuing to be a good environmentalist and recycling what I wrote the Friday the 13th before last: "It's a good day when I learn something new, even if it is Friday the 13th."

Enough about superstitions.  Stay tuned for a string of holiday posts, as tomorrow is Pi Day and Einstein's birthday, Sunday is the Ides of March, Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day, Thursday is the Vernal Equinox, Saturday is Nowruz (Persian New Year), which I celebrate on that day because it's the blog's birthday, and Sunday is World Water Day and Marche du Nain Rouge.  Other than the Ides of March, World Water Day, and maybe Nowruz, there probably isn't much opportunity for DOOM next week.  That's probably a good thing.

Michigan colleges and universities suspend in-person classes after state of emergency declared over coronavirus

I expressed my concern at the end of Fukushima nine years later.

I'm sure I'll be writing about the recovery from the triple disaster, particularly the nuclear plant meltdown, for years to come, especially next year, the 10th anniversary.  That is, if coronavirus doesn't get me first.  Given my age and diabetes, that's a small but real possibility, especially since the first cases in Michigan were announced yesterday.  One of them is in the county where I live.  Yikes!

It didn't take long for the discovery of coronavirus in Michigan to affect me and my students and colleagues, as the college where I teach suspended face-to-face classes for the rest of this week and all of next week, after which classes will resume online for the rest of the semester.  That was after other public colleges and universities announced similar measures earlier in the day.  Watch WOOD-TV report Michigan universities call off classes, go online over coronavirus fears.

A slew of colleges, including Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University, are going online.

As I am typing this, Michigan still only has two confirmed cases, although more than 20 tests await results, so the number could rise later today.

The first Michigan public university to announce suspension of classes was Michigan State University, which WXYZ reported in Michigan State University switching to virtual instruction amid coronavirus outbreak.

Michigan State University is moving to online-only classes effective at noon on March 11.

As I've observed before, WOOD-TV excels in analysis, producing thoughtful and informative pieces, while WXYZ has livelier coverage that features better interviews with people on the street.  These two clips show that distinction in coverage, although not as well as other pairs of videos I've embedded here.  That's why I like to use both television stations; I think both kinds of coverage help viewers understand different aspects of a story.

Enough media criticism.  The result for me is that I'm now working from home, which I'm not relishing, as it will involve extra work to convert my courses into an online format.  On the other hand, the announcement came as a relief.  I could sleep in this morning and not have to worry about either my students or me catching the disease in class and bringing it home.  I can now concentrate on minimizing my direct contact with the outside while performing the minimum number of errands.

That written, I'm going to wash my hands before I leave the house for one of those errands.  I hope my readers follow my example.

Fukushima nine years later

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster.  I thought I might be done writing about it here after I wrote Seeker/DNews tells its viewers to chill about Fukushima two years ago, which is why I ignored last year, posting Charlotte Russe liquidating, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse on this date instead.  I was wrong, as there are still stories to tell about Fukushima.

National Geographic told one of them in Returning to Fukushima | Explorer, which I could have used last year if I hadn't been concentrating on the Retail Apocalypse instead.

The Dai-ichi Nuclear Plant in Fukushima suffered a meltdown in 2011. Now, Japan has a plan for residents to return to the area.
...
The Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant spewed radiation across dozens of towns, triggering a 12-mile evacuation zone. What are your thoughts on Japan encouraging people to move back?

That story, as grim as it is, offers some hope for the situation.  It also mentioned other topics more recent videos explored.  One is that tourists visit the evacuation zone, a subject The Telegraph examined in A holiday in Fukushima? "Dark tourism" in the nuclear disaster zone | Japan welcomes the world.

On 11 March 2011 a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan, prompting the second biggest nuclear meltdown of all time at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

Fukushima joins Chernobyl and Australia's nuclear test site as destinations for dark nuclear tourism.

Finally, both the continued cleanup effort and the Olympic torch relay beginning in Fukushima appear in The Today Show's nside The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Site, 9 Years Later.

When Japan hosts the Olympics this year, the torch relay will begin at Fukushima, site of one of the world's worst nuclear disasters only nine years ago. TODAY senior international correspondent Keir Simmons got rare access to the nuclear plant, and found surprising conditions.

Now that I've watched these videos, I'm sure I'll be writing about the recovery from the triple disaster, particularly the nuclear plant meltdown, for years to come, especially next year, the 10th anniversary.  That is, if coronavirus doesn't get me first.  Given my age and diabetes, that's a small but real possibility, especially since the first cases in Michigan were announced yesterday.  One of them is in the county where I live.  Yikes!

Marching music for the Michigan, Washington, Mississippi, and Democrats Abroad primaries

Once again, it's time to share some marching music for my readers to watch and listen while they are waiting for the results from six states, Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho, and North Dakota, plus Democrats Abroad.  Two of these states, Michigan and Washington, have competitive drum corps.  In addition, Democrats Abroad allows me to feature a corps outside of the United States other than the Canadian corps I feature for Canada Day.  Finally, one of my favorite HBCU bands is from Mississippi, Jackson State University.  May my readers enjoy all of them as much as they did the corps I included in A drum corps Super Tuesday 2020, which is one of the 20 most popular entries of the ninth year of this blog.

I begin with the corps from my adopted home state of Michigan, which happens to be both the most populous state having an election today and the first one to vote, Legends from Kalamazoo.  It's also the highest placing of the two corps, coming in 21st last year.  Without any further ado, watch Legends playing their 2019 program, Siren, at Semifinals.


Normally, I'd embed the most recent show clip from Drum Corps International's YouTube channel, but that is from 2014.  Not only is it not as good a competitive performance as last year's show, but it was a French-themed show, which I'd rather save for Bastille Day.  After all, I'm an environmentalist.  Not only do I recycle, I conserve my resources.

Next, two clips of Washington state's top corps, the Seattle Cascades.  First, the most recent official show excerpt from DCI's channel, 2019 Seattle Cascades | Off the Grid.



Seattle, WA | 25th Place | 73.275
Now, the most recent full show upload from the Seattle Cascades' official channel, Seattle Cascades - Set Free (Full Show), the corps' 2017 program.

Repertoire
• One Thousand Airplanes on the Roof by Philip Glass
• Labyrinth by Philip Glass
• Scenes of Memory by Philip Glass
• Fly to Paradise by Eric Whitacre
• Symphony #10, movement 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich
• Bird Set Free by Sia

Set Free opens with "1000 Airplanes on the Roof".  As does the poem, we begin with the free bird having power and “naming the sky his own” while acting on inborn impulses to fly and float on the sky.

The show continues forward, as does Angelou’s work, with a more ominous tone in "Labrynth", as the caged bird experiences darkness, pain, and fear. Reduced to an unnatural and lesser version of itself than the free bird, the caged bird cannot fly yet retains the desire to be free and to find self-expression. Here various performers are trapped by the caged and “open their throats to sing.”

The program takes an adventurous turn with "Scenes of Memory" as we return to the escapades of the free bird. Ultimately the thoughts of freedom are oppressed and eventually trapped at the end of the production.

As the program continues with "Fly to Paradise", we again experience the idea of longing for freedom.  The final production is a juxtaposition of two oppositional pieces of music ("Symphony 10, mvt. II" by Shostakovich and "Bird Set Free" by Sia) that each have a message of their own; one being that of oppression and the other of freedom. The show ultimately concludes with one idea winning out over the other.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the videos.

Holi and Purim on the first full supermoon of 2020

Last year, I wrote "both Holi and Purim will be on the same days next year, March 9 and 10.  Another double celebration!"  It's also the first supermoon of 2020 as NJ.com reports.

The first supermoon of 2020 will light up the sky on Monday, March 9.  Will you be watching the sky?

Ooh, a full blue moon on Halloween!  I hope I remember that!

Now for Holi.  I begin with a video from "Planet Earth II" that I looked at last year but decided that National Geographic's clip was more informative, BBC Earth Holi Festival Of Colour | Planet Earth II | Cities Behind The Scenes.

The Planet Earth II team find themselves filming during Holi, the most colourful festival in the world.

While it doesn't explain much, it certainly captures the spirit of the holiday.

Holi isn't celebrated only in India or by Hindus.  FOX 13 News Utah shows an Americanized celebration in Go Inside Holi, The 'Festival of Colors' - Uniquely Utah.

In this edition of Uniquely Utah, Todd Tanner gives us an inside look at the Festival of Color, and he talks to Caru Das, the man who started the Utah festival, about the meaning behind it.

A Hare Krishna temple in Utah.  As someone whose father went to what was then he only Catholic high school in the Beehive State, I shouldn't be surprised.

Now for an American celebration of Purim.  Watch CBS New York report Children Enjoy Special Celebration Of Purim.

CBS2's Scott Rapoport has the latest on the celebration of the Jewish holiday Purim.

As I first wrote five years ago, "I don't celebrate Purim anywhere else but on this blog, but I'm all in favor of fun holidays and this one certainly qualifies.  Happy Purim!"  Also, Happy Holi!

To tie all of this together, that both Holi and Purim fall on a full moon is not a coincidence.  Both holidays occur on the full moon.  This year and last, it was the same full moon.  Next year, it won't be, as the Jewish and Hindu calendars will fall out of synch, with Purim on February 25-26 and Holi on March 29.*  However, both holidays will be on consecutive days in 2022 and coincide again in 2023.

Enough fun holidays.  Stay tuned for a version of A drum corps Super Tuesday 2020 for the Michigan, Mississippi, Washington, and Democrats Abroad primaries.

*Maybe I'll redo My three favorite Israeli actresses for Purim and write another post for my favorite Indian or Indian-American actresses as well on Holi.  I have a year to think about it.

The United Nations, Politico, Apple, and NATO celebrate International Women's Day 2020 in videos

Happy International Women's Day!  For this year's observance, I'm presenting a video extravaganza by organizations who made their own videos celebrating the day.  I begin with the United Nations International Women's Day - UN Chief (8 March 2020).

Video message by H.E. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General on International Women's Day.

Gender equality is fundamentally a question of power.

Transforming the balance of power is essential, not only as a question of human rights, personal development, health and well-being.

It is critical to solving some of the most damaging and intractable problems of our age.

From the ridiculing of women as hysterical or hormonal, to the routine judgement of women based on their looks; from the myths and taboos that surround women’s natural bodily functions, to mansplaining and victim-blaming – misogyny is everywhere.

Involving women leaders and decision-makers in mediation and peace processes leads to more lasting and sustainable peace.

Gender equality, including men stepping up and taking responsibility, is essential if we are to beat the climate emergency.

Women’s equal economic rights and opportunities are a global imperative if we are to build a fair globalization that works for all.

Unless women play an equal role in designing digital technologies, progress on women’s rights could be reversed.

It is simple math.

Women’s participation improves institutions.

The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality.

Let us all play our part in making it so.

Follow over the jump as I work backwards through the five issues, more or less, with videos from three other organizations.

The Daily Show asks 'Daylight Saving Time: Why?'

As the meme I used for Many states considering bills ending or keeping Daylight Saving Time permanently read, "Happy Daylight Saving Time Day!...said no one ever."  That's why Daylight Saving Time (sucks) was the theme for some of the most read entries during this blog's seventh year.  It's also why a majority of Americans want to stop changing their clocks twice a year.  I'm part of that majority.  I'm with "Last Week Tonight" asking "how is this still a thing?"  Maybe it shouldn't be.

In that vein, I'm marking the occasion by sharing United Swing States of America - Arizona’s Daylight Saving Time Opt-Out from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

Desi Lydic heads to Arizona to discover how the residents of this swing state feel about not participating in daylight saving time and attempts to figure out why DST even exists.

Lock The Clock — now, that's a catchy name for a movement to stop changing our clocks twice a year!  Until it succeeds, my readers and I will still have to spring ahead for Daylight Saving Time even if we hate it.

That's it for Daylight Saving Time until November, when we fall back for the end of Daylight Saving Time even though it affects health and increases traffic accidents.  I don't think the Block The Clock movement will succeed by then.  In the meantime, stay tuned for a post about International Women's Day.

Colbert says farewell to Warren after she drops out

I told my readers to "stay tuned for another installment of The Hungry for Power Games, as Elizabeth Warren just dropped out" at the end of John Oliver on coronavirus.  That makes for five candidates ending their campaigns in one week, beginning with Tom Steyer and followed by Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bloomberg, and now Warren.  It's enough to make my head spin.

It's also enough to make me cry, as it's no secret I'm a Warren supporter.  As I told Infidel753 in a comment yesterday:

I'm disappointed. I have my absentee ballot in front of me waiting to be filled out. I was hoping to vote for her, but now it would be even more of a wasted vote than before. Now I have to pick either Sanders or Biden (no way in Hell am I voting for Gabbard; anyone who's been paying attention to my blog knows I don't care for her) and I'm not looking forward to it. Sigh.

Since I don't want to cry, I'm going to laugh instead.  Watch Late Show's Alter Egos: Elizabeth Warren Edition, the cold open for last night's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

As she exits the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, we bid a fond farewell to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and the many alter egos bestowed upon her by our host Stephen Colbert.

Continuing with the comedy because I'm trying to avoid feeling tragic, here's Stephen's monlogue, Elizabeth Warren Bows Out Gracefully, While Trump Spreads Dangerous Coronavirus Misinformation.

While Sen. Elizabeth Warren was demonstrating grace and eloquence in comments to reporters after dropping out of the Democratic primary race, the man she hoped to replace in the White House was demonstrating his inability to tell the truth in an interview with Fox News about the Coronavirus.

Colbert forgot about Gabbard, but that's O.K.  I'd rather forget about her, too.

Follow over the jump for the drink suggestions and memes I'm retiring now that Warren has ended her campaign.

Art Van Furniture going out of business, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Pier 1 Imports filing for bankruptcy was last month's story about a home furnishings chain being hit by the Retail Apocalypse.  This month, it's regional furniture chain Art Van, which announced yesterday that it is going out of business.  WXYZ had the overall story in Art Van Furniture closing all stores, liquidation sales start Friday.

Art Van Furniture is closing all of its locations and beginning liquidation sales.

I'd forgotten about Art Van's role in supporting Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade, even though I wrote about it five years ago.  That wasn't the only Thanksgiving parade in Michigan Art Van sponsored.  Art Van also supported Grand Rapids' Thanksgiving parade, which WOOD-TV included in Art Van Furniture going out of business.

Art Van Furniture, the Michigan-based chain known for rambunctious advertisements promising low prices, is going out of business.

Both of those reports focused on the effect of Art Van closing on the community.  WDIV focused on the employees in Art Van closures to leave thousands of employees without work.

An announcement that Art Van is closing all of its stores will affect thousands of employees nationwide.

WDIV promised an explanation of how Art Van go into this situation.  Here it is: Art Van Furniture to close all stores: How did we get here?

Warren-based furniture chain Art Van Furniture is planning to close all stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio.

The purchase of Art Van by a private equity firm makes this look a like the death of Toys R Us and KB Toys and the near death of Sears and Kmart.  Private equity firms deserve as much or more of the blame than Amazon and other online retailers for the decline of brick and mortar retail.  In my opinion, they're not getting it.

Enough of the Retail Apocalypse for now.  Stay tuned for an entry about Elizabeth Warren dropping out.