Thursday, August 27, 2020

Politics and Sugar


Someone has adorned the mural of John and Sugar on the High Street with a political message against Big Pharma. Of all the things Sugar could be thinking, "food," "ball," "sleep" or "treat" all seem much more likely.

Besides, it seems ill-timed. If we need anyone working for us at the moment, it's vaccine researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Right?

Thanks for educating me in yesterday's comments about Portmeirion china. I'd never heard of it before! You learn something new every day.

The library is slowly coming back together. I've got all the magazines cataloged and put away, and we've developed a system that should let people read them even during this period of viral caution. (Basically, we'll check them out like books, then quarantine them when they return before putting them back on the shelf.) I've got most of the books put away, too.

Today I need to send a reminder message to everyone about what they still have checked out. I also need to go through all our patrons and make sure the ones who have left the school are removed from the system and all their materials are turned in. That might be more challenging this year, since I suspect some people have returned to the states since we closed in March, perhaps rather unexpectedly.



Dave found this bottle of wine at the store a few days ago. We got a kick out of it because all his students call him "Mr. P." I told him he should display it in his classroom, but maybe that wouldn't be ideal, it being wine and all.

I'm not watching any of the Republican convention. I didn't watch the Democratic one either. I much prefer reading about the salient moments in the paper the next day. I think the last convention I watched was the 1988 Democratic convention, when Dukakis got the nomination and Ann Richards made her famous "silver foot" speech. I do remember having a sense that I was seeing history being made, and that was exciting, but I guess I can do without that now!

I read about the appearance of the McCloskeys, the St. Louis couple who brandished a couple of guns outside their house as protesters marched past. They sound like genuinely reprehensible people, litigious and cruel. Did you hear about the beehives they smashed up, belonging to the synagogue next door? And the fight they had with their neighborhood association to prevent unmarried (read: gay) couples from living in the neighborhood? All I can say is, WOW.

19 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I watched footage of the McCloskeys on "Democracy Now". Clearly they overreacted to the presence of peaceful protesters in their neighbourhood. The way they described what had happened was totally at odds with what really took place. I believe that they are what you Yanks would call "assholes" (English English: arseholes). Love the "Mr P Knows" bottle.

crafty cat corner said...

When I used to go to the car boots sales Portmeirion china was sought after. I think it is made in Wales.
Briony
x

Moving with Mitchell said...

Shame about the graffiti marring the beautiful art. Big pharma wouldn’t be bad if it weren’t permitted to gouge consumers, and that is especially in the USA. I’m with you re not watching the conventions. I did enjoy kimberly’s bit, ready made for SNL. Dare we hope?

Angelicastar said...

Steve, that orange thing like controversial bullshit everyday. Those thugs with the guns have no part in politics and the young man that was interfering with the Indian man was suppose to be there also. I doesn't know if they were because I refuse to watch all this mess that's going on. I am literally tired of it. People are dying and out of jobs, no money, fighting all kind of illness and all he have to do is keep up shit. in 2016 he had every odd ass female sitting in the audience that said they had an affair with Bill Clinton. Bill wasn't even running but he did that to distract Hilary. I blame the ones that's over the selection for Presidential candidate. When he wouldn't show his financial records, they should have eliminated him from running for President. I am so tired and wake up daily to something new this orange idiot is doing. God help us get rid of this orange thing in November. Life has to get better and the stress from all this mess has to end.

Edna B said...

What an unusual label. You have a nice day, hugs, Edna B.

Ms. Moon said...

I am sad about the graffiti on Sugar.
Your post reminded me that I had a dream wherein I called a woman "Karen." I can't remember what she was doing to prompt that response from me. But yes, that couple is the ultimate in the Karens of the world. Having them speak at the RNC was absolutely appropriate because those are the kind of people that support Donald Trump and represent his selfish, horrible, greedy, self-centered base.
Pass me that wine.

Michael said...

Love the bottle of wine! That is so cool! I don't watch the conventions either, and like you, I read about them the next day in the paper. That whole group of fools has just got to go. If they don't, I am so afraid of what will happen in this country for the next four years.

Fresca said...

Big Pharma does suck--it sucks money like a lamprey:
"On June 29th, 2020, the chairman and CEO of the pharmaceutical company Gilead [a company with a market capitalization of more than $90 billion] issued a much-anticipated announcement.
Gilead had generously decided to place the price for remdesivir at a measly $3,120 per patient."

"Says Dave Whitrap of ICER, “we figure a course of treatment is worth about $310.”

More in depth at "Big Pharma’s Covid-19 Profiteers"
www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/big-pharma-covid-19-profits-1041185/"

Fresca said...

P.S. Sorry--didn't include what the drug does:
"Per National Institutes of Health, Covid-19 patients taking remdesivir recovered after 11 days, compared with 15 days for placebo takers."

37paddington said...

I say Mr. P. should most definitely display that bottle in his classroom!

Red said...

Covid makes library work complicated and time consuming. It must be almost impossible to set up research packages for classes.

Sharon said...

How sad to see that mural defaced. Hopefully someone will paint over that spot.
I love that wine label. I watched all of the Democratic convention and up to last night, I watched the Republican one too. However last night I got tired of the lies and turned it off half way through. I wanted to feel like I had heard both sides but, I guess I reached my point of tolerance.

ellen abbott said...

I have not been watching the RNC (nor did I the DNC) either. and apparently a lot of people aren't watching it either. the ratings are poor, way below the DNC, and you know that has to gall Trump no end since he's all about ratings. anyway who needs all those lies and hate and ignorance. it would just make me angry and my blood pressure go up. yeah, that lawyer couple are really a nasty pair.

Anonymous said...

Haven't watched any of the Republican Convention. Ugh, it would a nightmare to subject one's psyche to that kind of BS racist rhetoric. I did watch the Democratic Convention and found it pretty enjoyable, uplifting and hopeful. Now that feels like a million years ago already.
Love that bottle. What a cool label for Mr. P.

Linda Sue said...

Mr. P. Knows! Is there any question?
No RNC allowed in this house.
Murals such as that one are up for grabs , at least it is a true message, doubt that a dog would have thoughts of Big PHarma unless there was a bone in the mix.
Glad to be back at work, I understand, Seems "normal".

Catalyst said...

I have not watched the GOP'ers either, though Judy submits to the torture each evening. I read about it the next day, including the fact checkers who are being kept very busy.

gz said...

Portmeirion was designed in Wales by Susan Williams Ellis, Sir Clough's daughter, but it is made in Stoke on Trent (hopefully still is)

Anonymous said...

The added touch with the wine label is the word 'knows'. A glance at the bottle label in front of misbehaving class members might sort them out.
Sometimes I can scarcely believe what comes out of the US.

Sally S said...

Drink the wine, then I think it's ok to take it to school. The Brits are a little calmer about young people drinking a bit anyway, aren't they? Or am I confusing them with the French or the Germans? Oh, and it's an American school. Check with the principal. (How did life get so complicated??)