This is not a man with a blog.

Poor COVID-19 testing hampering treatment research

By Shabbir | March 26, 2020 | Comments Off on Poor COVID-19 testing hampering treatment research

There’s no doubt that poor rollout of tests by the Trump Administration has made the pandemic worse, but it turns out it’s also retarding our ability to develop treatments. Researchers are trying to use blood plasma from patients who have had the coronavirus and recovered to treat currently infected patients who are still at a…

Infectious disease expert: “The risk is low” to get infected from shopping and delivery packages.

By Shabbir | March 26, 2020 | Comments Off on Infectious disease expert: “The risk is low” to get infected from shopping and delivery packages.

In an op-ed to the Washington Post, a literal professor of infectious disease exposure says that you’re unlikely to be infected through groceries or packages, and if you’re worried, even a few of the steps people are adopting should help reduce the threat of infection enormously. Yes, the virus can be detected on some surfaces for up…

Extremely cautious advice for buying and sanitizing groceries

By Shabbir | March 25, 2020 | Comments Off on Extremely cautious advice for buying and sanitizing groceries

Jeffrey VanWingen, a family physician in Grand Rapids, MI, does a video about applying sterile Operating Room procedures to your groceries and take out. He’s pretty up front about doing it with current and somewhat incomplete knowledge about how the virus lives on surfaces and in the air. It’s very thorough, and if you were…

21 days later

By Shabbir | March 25, 2020 | Comments Off on 21 days later

This graph really shows the broad spread of the virus in just 21 days. Modern life, with all its interconnectedness, certainly made us primed for a pandemic. I always thought it would be ebola, or maybe Spanish Influenza. I guess that last one was pretty close.

Empty SF hotels being leased for pandemic and homeless needs

By Shabbir | March 25, 2020 | Comments Off on Empty SF hotels being leased for pandemic and homeless needs

SF is leasing hotel rooms from empty hotels.

The Three Body Problem

By Shabbir | September 16, 2019 | Comments Off on The Three Body Problem

Review haiku In the blackest night The smallest glowing campfire Invites predators. —- Do not call for help Not everyone who hears you Wants to offer it. — A perfectly good civilization, screwed by One disgruntled staff. — Like wizard’s true names If I know where you live I can control you.

A reading list for those suffering from fatalism

By Shabbir | July 10, 2019 | Comments Off on A reading list for those suffering from fatalism

Why the reading list? The bibliography Why the reading list? My whole life, but especially since the election of Trump I have found myself periodically gripped by despair when it appears impossible to visualize much needed change in the world. Here are some examples: Twenty six and seven year old children were murdered at their…

The bar mitzvah drash of Moishe Ben Imber Safdar

By Shabbir | August 29, 2018 | Comments Off on The bar mitzvah drash of Moishe Ben Imber Safdar

At the bar mitzvah of a youth in Judaism, they are expected to give a short speech (a “drash”) about the Torah portion appropriate to that week.  This is the one my son delivered at his bar mitzvah on June 23, 2018. In my Torah portion Chukat, the Israelites are demanding water to survive in…

Martin Freeman, Thoomi, and his daughter on a plain.

“Cargo”, starring Martin Freeman

By Shabbir | July 25, 2018 | Comments Off on “Cargo”, starring Martin Freeman

  Why is it always That indigenous people Must save your white ass?   So, so much walking Never see him drink  water Immune to heatstroke.

“How it ends” starring Forrest Whittaker

By Shabbir | July 24, 2018 | Comments Off on “How it ends” starring Forrest Whittaker

Society falls And everyone stops the car. NEVER stop the car. My friend Mary saw my review and concurred: I watched that Sunday. Shabbir’s Haiku is spot on Stop the car and die