Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts

Sunday, August 02, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Cyclosporiasis scare due to lettuce was the health headline. The World Cup was the sports headline. I watched a few games.

Sat Jul 4. Family BBQ gathering at my uncle's house.

Sun Jul 5. Purchased egg rolls at King Egg Rolls.

Mon Jul 6. Watched USA vs. Belgium World Cup Round Of 16.

Tue Jul 7. Shopped at Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

Sat Jul 11. West Valley Library book sale.

Sun Jul 12. Ate lunch at Panda Express. Shopped at Nob Hill.

Mon Jul 13. Shopped at Nob Hill.

Wed Jul 15. Watched the second half of England vs. Argentina World Cup Semifinals.

Sun Jul 19. Watched the first half of Spain vs. Argentina World Cup Final. Shopped at Nob Hill.

Thur Jul 23. Used book shopping at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Picked up lunch at Panda Express. Errand at Bank Of America.

Fri Jul 24. Got gas at Chevron. Completed errands at Smart & Final, Safeway, Bank Of America, and Kohl's.

Sat Jul 25. Wastewater tests indicated COVID-19 levels were high in the Santa Clara and San Francisco counties in the last three weeks. The Peninsula and North Bay levels were medium. The State Of California positivity rate was below the 2025 summer surge.

18% of Santa Clara residents are up to date on their vaccinations. The State Of California residents up to date vaccination rate is 11% according to the state health department.

Hospital admissions, positive rates, and hospital in-patient care patient counts due to COVID-19 were low. Most people have protection due to vaccinations and/or previous infections. The recent variants have not increased positivity rates. The XFG variant is the recommended target for the 2026-2027 vaccine formula. The USA test positivity rate was 2.2% ending Jul 18. The percentage was up from 1.6% ending Jul 11. The emergency visit rate was 0.2%.

Mon Jul 27. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released Dr. Anthony Fauci's diary related to the COVID-19 pandemic between Dec 2019 and Dec 2022. Fauci wrote he estimated the death rate at 0.2%-0.3%. Fauci told the House Oversight Committee the death rate was 3% on Mar 11, 2020. The diary entries mentioned his rising influence and appearances in front of the news media.

Fauci wrote in Jan 2020 the Wuhan market was not the source of COVID-19. The animals amplified the virus from animals to humans. A conference call with infectious disease experts thought the virus might not originate in nature. Other entries included the news media accusing Fauci of changing stances such as the true origin of COVID-19, interactions with President Donald Trump, and interactions with Senator Paul.

Wed Jul 19. Fauci testified at the Senate Homeland Security And Government Affairs Committee. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment to decline answering questions 112 times. The questions were his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci was subpoenaed by Chairman Paul. Paul said Fauci should be criminally investigated being dishonest in previously congressional testimonies such as the coronavirus origins. President Joe Biden pardoned Fauci in 2025.

Friday, July 03, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog June 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. June might be the month I spent the most hours out of the house post-pandemic.

Tue Jun 2. I voted by submitting my mail-in ballot at the West Valley Library.

Wed Jun 3. Shopped at Costco and Costco Business Center. I got gas at Chevron.

Mon Jun 8. Shopped at Lucky first thing in the morning. The store was dead.

Sun Jun 14. Ate lunch at Chicken Meets Rice. Shopped at Costco.

Tue Jun 16. Shopped at Kohl's first thing in the morning.

Fri Jun 19. Shopped at Safeway.

Sat Jun 20. Ate lunch at The Olive Garden.

The Director Of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents on Dr. Anthony Fauci and COVID-19. The documents included declassified documents Fauci with a conflict of interest as an outside reviewer. Fauci downplayed or diverted the lab-leak theory of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. The lab was the location of the COVID-19 virus. Fauci funded research into coronavirus in Wuhan. And Fauci lied to Congress. Further, the document stated the CIA knew the Wuhan Institute Of Virology staff became ill in late 2019. Also, China cleaned the Huanan Seafood Market which destroyed clues how the pandemic began.

Sun Jun 21. Ate a quick lunch from Nijiya.

Wed Jun 24. Visited the dentist for routine cleaning. Errands at Safeway and Lucky. Walked inside the new Campbell Library.

The COVID-19 study blocked by the Center For Disease Control (CDC) was published by JAMA Network Open. The study analyzed the 2025-2026 vaccine effectiveness for adults aged 18 and over with good immune systems during fall and winter 2025. The risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 declined by 55%. The risk of emergency visits or urgent care visits declined by 50%. The CDC blocked the publication in Apr 2026.

Fri Jun 26. Shopped at Lucky first thing in the morning.

Sun Jun 28. Shopped at Nob Hill

Tue Jun 30. Shopped at Lucky.

The Department Of Health And Human Services announced terminating emergency use authorization declarations for certain drugs and medical devices used to treat COVID-19. The declaration for drugs ends Jun 29, 2027. The declaration for medical devices ends Dec 26, 2026. The declarations were issued in 2020 to accelerate access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tuesday, June 02, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog May 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. May was the fastest month of 2026. The COVID-19 headline was some people qualify for COVID-19 era IRS tax refunds which must be filed before Jul 10. Ebola outbreaks in the African countries Democratic Republic Of Congo and Uganda.

Tue May 5. Shopped at Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) blocked a publication supporting vaccine safety for COVID-19 and shingles. Scientists analyzed millions of patient records. The serious side effects were very rare. Vaccines saved millions of lives. The publication was blocked because the author's conclusions didn't support the data. The conclusions were flawed.

Thur May 7. Errands at Bank Of America, AAA, Microcenter, and Barnes & Noble.

The USA monitored US residents who traveled the MV Hondius cruise ship. Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia reported travelers aboard the ship. No symptoms shown. No cases documented.

Three people died, three suspected infections, and five other confirmed cases at the MV Hondius. The outbreak started at a birdwatching expedition from Argentina to Cape Verde.

Dutch Health Ministry officials said a flight attendant working with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was hospitalized and tested for Hantavirus. A Dutch woman died after contracting the Hantavirus being a passenger on the flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to Amsterdam.

The Hantavirus is a rodent-borne virus; in particular, the Andes virus strain can transmit human-to-human. The virus starts with flu-like symptoms including fever, fatigue, muscle aches, diarrhea, and vomiting. The virus can be severe. The virus can be a deadly respiratory infection. There is no vaccine. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) said the death rate is between 30% and 40%.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said risk to the general public is low. There is no global outbreak. The incubation period is up to six weeks.

Wed May 13. CIA whistleblower James Erdman III testified at the Senate Homeland Security Committee. He said Dr. Anthony Fauci influenced intelligence about the origins of COVID-19 at a laboratory in China. There was a cover up. The virus leaking from a lab was downplayed. The intelligence focused on animals being the origin.

Fri May 15. Shopped at Lucky first thing in the morning. All the people who wore masks were Asians.

Sun May 17. Shopped at Costco. Nobody wore masks. I continued wearing my two masks.

Thur May 21. I watched part of the Paul McCartney interview to the end of the last The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Sun May 24. Shopped at Nob Hill.

Wed May 27. Thunderstorms with pea sized hail.

Sat May 30. Ate lunch at The Olive Garden.

Monday, May 11, 2026

Remember These Lessons From These Pics

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

The boyfriends and husbands help their girlfriends and wives approximately every 28 days. A Hong Kong automatic Mahjong table can play multiple Mahjong styles. Consumers compare prices between hardware stores and general retail stores like Target and Wal-Mart; in particular, Target should sell more garden goods. Costco sale on chicken thighs a first for me. A Chinese restaurant is last restaurant standing. Taylor Swift's music prime continues. Outdoor exercise during an autumn evening is cool. Humanity needs constant reminders morals always change and laws always change. Three life biology lessons not taught in high school biology: competition, selection, and reproduction or breeding. A bonus fourth life biology lesson: Nature can restore balance with famine, pestilence, and war.

Monday, May 04, 2026

Sights Picture Camera Recorded

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

A permanent signal light is installed. 7-Eleven sells towels--dish towels. The Pokemon Table Card Game (TCG) should be a family household recognized game. Small business fabric stores exist. Cleaning the bathroom sink must include unclogging the sink. There must be a museum for school furniture. There must be reasons few restaurants install bathroom sanitary door handles. Costco sales can include produce items. Smarter people jog as a leisure activity.

Saturday, May 02, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog April 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. COVID-19 headlines disappeared; however, COVID-19 politics remained. A tiring Apr. Hope everyone gets extra rest in May.

Thur Apr 2. Earthquake at 1:41am. 4.6 magnitude centered at the Boulder Creek area in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Fri Apr 3. Shopped at Costco, Smart & Final, and Lucky.

Sun Apr 5. Shopped at Safeway in the morning.

Thur Apr 9. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) delayed publishing a report showing the COVID-19 vaccine decreased the chances of healthy people needing hospitalization for Winter 2025 by 50%. The reason for the delay was the methods to create the report.

Sun Apr 19. Shopped at Costco during the lunch hour.

Wed Apr 22. The CDC refused publishing a report showing the COVID-19 vaccine reduced the chances of hospitalizations. The vaccine reduced emergency visits by 50%. The CDC head and US National Institutes Of Health director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya stopped the publication in the CDC journal the Morbidity And Mortality Weekly Report. The editorial staff rejected the research methods. The research methods have been used for other seasonal respiratory viruses such as the flu and RSV.

Thur Apr 23. Ran errands at Staples, The Home Depot, Bank Of America, Sports Basement, post office, and Lucky.

Sat Apr 25. Got gas at Chevron.

Sun Apr 26. Shopped at Costco during the lunch hour.

Tue Apr 28. Former senior advisor at the National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases David Morens was indicted by a federal grand jury in early May 2026. Morens faced five counts charged with conspiracy, destruction of records in federal investigations, and concealment of records all related to the COVID-19 virus. Morens served as a senior advisor from 2006 to 2022 under Anthony Fauci. He and two co-conspirators were alleged to evade federal public laws.

Friday, April 03, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog March 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. COVID-19 headlines are back. Record high temperatures 90 degrees and greater like the summer season from Mon Mar 16 to Fri Mar 20.

Tue Mar 3. Morning errands shopping at Costco and filling up gas at Chevron. Anyone wearing masks the chances they're Asians. I still wear my mask.

Wed Mar 4. Moderna settled a lawsuit for the COVID-19 patent. Modern pays up to $2.25 billion to Genevant and Arbutus. $960 million pay on Jul 2026. An additional $1.3 billion on a separate legal appeal. Moderna doesn't owe royalties for future vaccines. The Pfizer and BioNTech lawsuit is ongoing.

Thur Mar 5. Ran errand at Bank Of America. Shopped for used books at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Ate lunch at Chipotle.

Sun Mar 8. Ate dinner at China Lounge.

Wed Mar 11. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) suspended not recommending the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine temporarily. The plan is politically motivated. The Republicans fear losing the 2026 midterm elections.

Sat Mar 14. Ate lunch at Sushi Arashi.

Mon Mar 16. Shopped at Costco and Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

Wed Mar 18. The Science Advances Journal published a study the US death toll during the beginning of the pandemic was undercounted. The research estimated 155,000 died from COVID-19 were uncounted in 2020 and 2021. The undiagnosed dead more likely Hispanic and people of color. Also, the undiagnosed dead more likely in the South states and Southwest states.

The CDC said 1.2 million died from COVID-19 in the USA. 67% occurred in 2020 and 2021.

Thur Mar 19. NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness. I watched Howard vs. Michigan and Saint Louis vs Georgia both games in part.

Fri Mar 20. Watched the overtime between Santa Clara and Kentucky.

Sat Mar 21. Watched TCU vs Duke in part.

Tue Mar 24. A new BA.3.2 variant was detected according to a Mar 19 CDC report. There is no sign the variant causes a surge. The variant is spreading across multiple continents. BA.3.2 was first detected in South Africa on Nov 2024. BA.3.2 has mutated extensively with a 70% to 75% genetic changes in the spike protein.

Wed Mar 25. 23 countries reported the BA.3.2 variant as of Feb 11, 2026 according to the CDC. The variant changes between 70 and 75 in the gene sequence of its spike protein which helps enter the human cells. 25 US states reported the variant from wastewater samples. BA.3.2 increased starting in Sep 2025. The first US confirmation happened in Jun 2025. BA.3.2 may partially evade existing immunity or prior COVID-19 infection.

BA.3.2 is nicknamed Cicada.

The World Health Organization (WHO) listed BA.3.2 as a variant to be monitored. The XFG variant is the current dominate strain affecting 53% of cases. LF.7 is 10.3%.

Fri Mar 27. Shopped at Costco, Smart & Final, and Lucky.

Sun Mar 29. Shopped at Costco and Lucky.

Wednesday, March 04, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog February 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. More measles news headlines. Less COVID-19 news headlines. 2026 Winter Olympics Milan Cortina, Epstein Files, and I.C.E. dominated the news headlines. Feb was the opposite of Jan. The month started fast which slowed down during the last two weeks. The Feb Shelter In-Place is the shortest blog.

Fri Feb 6. Shopped at Safeway, Smart & Final, and Lucky.

Sat Feb 7. Went to the West Valley Library book sale. Shopped at Costco.

Sun Feb 8. Super Bowl LX.

Tue Feb 10. Shopped at Lucky and Smart & Final.

Thur Feb 19. Ran errands at the post office, bank, and Safeway.

Bio N Tech filed a lawsuit suing Moderna for patent infringement. The lawsuit alleges Moderna's mNEXSPIKE COVID-19 vaccine violated Bio N Tech's messenger RNA vaccine design. There is a 2022 ongoing lawsuit Moderna sued Bio N Tech and Pfizer for patent infringement over Comirnaty.

Sat Feb 21. Shopped at Mitsuwa.

Sun Feb 22. Shopped at Smart & Final first thing in the morning.

Fri Feb 27. The United States attacked Iran.

Monday, February 02, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The year started slow which sped up during the last week. My intuition told me the first days of 2026 few people were happy.

Fri Jan 2. Take out dinner at Blue Sky Restaurant.

Sat Jan 3. Night time shopping at Safeway.

Mon Jan 5. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) released a new schedule recommending the flu and COVID-19 vaccines administered after consulting a health care provider. Also, all children receive vaccines for 11 diseases instead of 18 diseases. Parents can get their children for all 18 diseases. Insurance covers the costs for all the vaccines shots.

The 11 vaccines are the following: measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzal type B (Hib), HPV, and chicken pox. The flu and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended based on clinical decision making.

Thur Jan 8. Shopped at Costco Business Center in the morning. Shopped at the Great Mall and Lucky in the afternoon.

Sat Jan 17. Picked up my car at S&K Auto Services for repairs.

Tue Jan 20. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States six years ago today. A man returned from Wuhan, China to Washington state.

A quick errand at the post office.

Thur Jan 22. The US withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO). The US was part of the WHO for 78 years. The withdrawal weakens global responses to new outbreaks. The WHO is the United Nations' health agency. It's mandated to coordinate responses to global health threats, technical assistance to poorer countries, help distribute vaccines, and set health guidelines.

The US was the biggest donor with millions of dollars and specialized health staff. The US pays $111 million a year in member dues on average and $570 million in voluntary contributions on average.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from WHO because of the COVID-19 global pandemic mishandle, no reforms, and the inability to be independent from political influence. Also, no Americans served as the chief executive. The WHO was created in 1948. The US owes the WHO $133 million in financial obligations.

Public health experts said the withdrawal hurt global health initiatives and research to identify new viral threats.

Tue Jan 27. Shopped at Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

Wed Jan 28. The CDC reported people in the US lived longer because death rates returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Life expectancy continued to rise since 2022. The death rate dropped 4% between 2023 and 2024. Life expectancy increased six months to 79 years old.

The ten leading causes of death accounted for 70% of deaths in 2024. Heart disease and cancer were the top two totaling 600,000 people each. COVID-19 dropped out of the top ten. Regardless, tens of thousands die from COVID-19 yearly.

Sunday, January 11, 2026

I Didn't Get Sick On Thur Jan 8, 2026

I went shopping inside a mall to exchange a Christmas gift I didn't want. I exited the store I exchanged the gift. I walked inside the mall heading to the exit. A man walking towards me coughed multiple times without covering his mouth approximately three feet away. I detoured away from the man. I felt phlegm in my throat immediately. I swallowed multiple times. I wore two masks.

I felt mucus down my throat multiple times later in the day. I feared I got sick. I didn't panic. I drank a can of Coke for lunch and a can of Coke for dinner. I exercised at home with a limited workout due to a left tricep muscle injury. There was no point not doing any exercises. I was still healthy. I took advantage before I got sick.

Furthermore, the air was dry. The temperature range was the mid 60s and the upper 30s. My body is weak when my body adapts to a big temperature range.

I'm lucky. I woke up on Fri Jan 9 without a sore throat. No symptoms of a stomach flu. No symptoms of RSV. No symptoms of potential COVID-19. Maybe it was allergies. Maybe my body falsely overreacted. Maybe the COVID-19 vaccine prevented my sickness. I wear new masks as a precaution even though the masks I wore on Thur Jan 8 were in good condition.

Sunday, January 04, 2026

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog December 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. December was the slowest month of the year. Too many national headlines and world headlines. All respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 were overshadowed. The rain fell during the Christmas holiday.

Mon Dec 1. Shopped at Microcenter for Cyber Monday and Stevens Creek Toyota for Black Friday pickup.

Fri Dec 5. Shopped at Lowe's. Also shopped at Under Armour and ASICS for Black Friday pickups.

Sat Dec 6. Vice President Of Public Health Advocacy at Northwell Health Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the US to receive the COVID-19 vaccine five years ago.

Mon Dec 8. Picked up a Cyber Monday order at CVS.

Tue Dec 9. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) investigate deaths related to the COVID-19 vaccine for all age groups. An early analysis examined 96 children deaths. 10 of the 96 deaths were linked to the vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 700 million doses administered in the US. Serious side effects are rare. The FDA requires death after vaccination reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) regardless of low probability the vaccine was the cause of death.

Thur Dec 11. Shopped at Sports Basement and World Market.

Fri Dec 12. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) released a study COVID-19 vaccines protect healthy children from severe illness. The vaccines reduced emergency room and urgent care visits due to COVID-19 by 76% for ages 9 months to 4 years and 56% for ages 5-17. 98,000 children were the total count in the study from Aug 2024 to Sep 2025. Immunity levels varied from previous COVID-19 infections and vaccinations. The study concentrated on added protection.

Shopped at Sports Basement. More people shopped today compared to yesterday.

The FDA proposes "black box" warnings on COVID-19 vaccines. The text includes warnings about the risks of death or reactions causing disabilities. The proposal is not finalized.

Thur Dec 18. Dentist appointment in the morning. Shopped for used books at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Ate lunch at Chipotle.

Tue Dec 23. Ran errands at O'Reilly Auto Parts, Bank Of America, and Illusive Comics And Games.

Tue Dec 30. I voted. Ate lunch at Panda Express.

Monday, December 29, 2025

Black Friday 2025

The Black Friday 2025 shopping was a week event. I shopped offline and purchased online before and after the true Black Friday. No offline shopping on Black Friday. I made a Cyber Monday purchase offline. No splurges. Black Friday 2025 was good because these goods upgraded or replaced existing goods.

Mon Nov 24

14TB external hard drive from Western Digital. WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive.

Fri Nov 28

Covercraft UVS100 Custom Sunscreen for the 2000 Toyota Camry 2000 windshield. 25% off coupon. I previously purchased Covercraft sunscreens from Auto Accessories Garage.

Sat Nov 19

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 running shoes. 25% off coupon. Store pick up.

Mon Dec 1

Logitech G502 Hero Gaming Mouse at a Micro Center store. Cyber Monday deal.

Hoka Bondi 9 running shoes. Cyber Monday deal 20% off for most shoes. Delivered to a retail store for pick up.

Update On A Past Blog

The Thursday Night Football TNF game Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks on Dec 18, 2025 was tied at 30 entering overtime. The Rams scored the first overtime touchdown with a successful point after touchdown. Score 37-30 in favor of the Rams. The Seahawks responded with the second overtime touchdown. Score 37-36 in favor of the Rams. The Seahawks successfully attempted the two point conversion to win the game 38-37.

Pretend the Rams and Seahawks were in a postseason playoff game. The Rams should have attempted a two point conversion instead of a point after touchdown. If the Rams were successful, then the Rams couldn't lose the game. The worst was a tie when the Seahawks went on offense. The Rams and Seahawks TNF game reminded me of the blog The San Francisco 49ers Third Super Bowl Lost Hurts The Most written on Tue Feb 13, 2024. I wrote the overtime game plan is go on offense first, score a touchdown, and attempt the two-point conversion. Punting is not allowed in a playoff overtime game. Perhaps, punting is allowed in a regular season overtime game. A football fan may say there is no defense in playoff overtime games. Score eight points to win or lose the playoff game.

The Rams became the first time in NFL history to lose in overtime despite leading with a seven point touchdown.

Monday, December 01, 2025

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog November 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. November continued the slow down. I was a little more happier again. Slow news for the COVID-19 events.

Sat Nov 1. Take out donuts at Dunkin. Shopped at Costco.

Tue Nov 4. I voted. Shopped at Target and Costco. Ran errands at the bank. Visited Gamers Heaven Bay Area.

Sat Nov 8. Watched Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions from the 11:00 in the 4th quarter.

Mon Nov 10. Shopped at Costco and Lucky. More Costco employees wore masks.

Tue Nov 11. Smog checked my car. Errands at Costco, Chevron, and Books, Inc. Ate a quick lunch at Starbird.

Sat Nov 15. West Valley Library book sale.

Wed Nov 19. Ran errands at Target and AAA.

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Costco Oroweat Bread Is Not $7.49

My parents purchased a pack of Oroweat Country Style Buttermilk two loaves of bread at Costco to make stuffing for Thanksgiving Day. I ate a slice of bread. No jellies. No butter. No spreads. The slice tasted terrible compared to the past. Oroweat changed the recipe. Oroweat changed the baking process. Oroweat changed the packaging. No secondary plastic wrap. Either raise prices or lower costs. The answer is obvious. Lower costs. Keep retail prices as low as possible. Inferior ingredients. Inferior materials. Lower workmanship.

I share my experiences. Oreo cookies, spices, some fast food restaurants, fruits, Cheerios, and baked goods. Also, non-edible goods. Shaving gel, toothpaste, soap, clothes, batteries, medical services, and automobile parts.

Be suspicious of no price change since the COVID-19 global pandemic. Question why the price increase is lower than expected during the inflation. Some goods change for the worse. Some services change for the worse. Coke raise prices. The product is the same. People accept the higher Coke prices.

Oroweat made the business decision. Reduce quality to minimize retail price increase. Customers still buy the $7.49 bread at Costco.

There is inflation. There is shrinkflation. There is lower quality. There is lower quantity. There is a combination of any of these.

Monday, November 03, 2025

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog October 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The last two weeks of October slowed down. I was a little more happier.

Wed Oct 1. Shopped at Target and Costco.

Fri Oct 3. Shopped at Target and Stevens Creek Toyota.

Mon Oct 6. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) dropped the universal COVID-19 vaccine recommendation. Patients age 6 months and older are recommended to discuss the benefits and risks with their doctor before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC said people under age 65 with underlying conditions benefit the most. People under age 65 with no increased risk for COVID-19 benefit the least. Many insurers cover the cost in 2025 and 2026.

85% of the US adult population received the primary vaccine. 23% of the US adult population received the latest booster. Patients don't need a prescription.

Pfizer and Moderna updated their vaccine for the LP.8.1 strain. The strain dominated the US population in early 2025. Novavax updated their vaccine for the JN.1. LP.8.1 accounted for 3% of the cases as of Sep 27, 2025. The XFG strain is the dominate strain affecting 85% of new cases.

Thur Oct 9. Fastest week while doing little productivity. It was the fastest week of 2025.

Fri Oct 10. President Donald Trump received the COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine at Walter Reed Medical Center. Trump received another physical exam. He received a physical exam in Apr 2025.

Mon Oct 13. Got my COVID-19 booster. First day of rain.

Shopped at Target and O'Reilly Auto.

Wed Oct 15. All 13 Bay Area Public Health Departments recommend the flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines. People age 6 months and older are recommended to get the updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Infants, the elderly, and pregnant women should also get the RSV vaccine.

Sat Oct 18. Neighborhood dumpster day.

Tue Oct 21. Watched a 2025-2026 NBA season opener game. It was the Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers from the 8:00 in the third period to the end.

Thur Oct 23. The MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the University Of Florida published a preliminary research in Nature. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna can extend the lifespan for people with advanced lung or skin cancer while taking immunotherapy drugs. The vaccines improved the immune system to fight tumors.

Tue Oct 28. Shopped at Safeway.

Friday, October 31, 2025

Throwback Blog: Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2023

Throwback Blog: Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2023

Blogger's Note: Throwback blogs are blogs from my past. I start posting past blogs reflecting what I wrote. It's like my "A Second Look" blogs for which I give myself feedback.

Today's throwback blog is titled Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2023 written on Feb 1, 2023. Bay Area people remember the big rain storm in Jan 2023 causing widespread power outages. The tripledemic COVID-19, the flu, and the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was weak. California ended the public health emergency on Feb 28, 2023. President Joe Biden ended the COVID-19 national emergency on May 11, 2023. The ending emergencies seemed they happened a long time ago.

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The COVID-19 winter surge tripledemic COVID-19, the flu and the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was weaker than expected. Strong winter rains. Near freezing temperature lows. Jan started the year slowly.

Tue Jan 3. Went to the bank. Shopped at Smart & Final and Nike Outlet. More people wore masks and more people didn't wear masks.

The biggest rain storm in decades arrived in the Bay Area.

Wed Jan 4. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the omicron variant XBB.1.5 is the dominant and the most transmissible COVID-19 variant. There is no evidence XBB.1.5 made people sicker. The initial research concluded XBB.1.5 is more resistant to vaccines compared to XBB and XBB.1. Infection rates doubled every two weeks. XBB.1.5 was identified in 29 countries.

Thur Jan 5. 90% of people with long COVID-19 started with mild symptoms according to a study published in the American Medical Association. Long COVID-19 is defined as the continuation or development of symptoms three months after the initial infection. Fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive problems such as brain fog are common long COVID-19 symptoms. Women are twice as likely as men and four times as likely as children to develop long COVID-19. COVID-19 patients hospitalized increase their risk with long COVID-19 with longer lasting symptoms. Researchers don't know why some symptoms disappear, reappear, and new symptoms develop. Other symptoms include loss of smell, loss of taste, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, and headaches. The initial evidence shows lower risk of long COVID-19 from omicron. Most people in the research were infected with deadlier variants.

Mon Jan 9. 89% of the residences in the Henan province in China tested positive with COVID-19. The province is the third most populated. Total infection 88.5 million. A possible reason for the spike is ineffective China vaccines compared to the effective US vaccines.

Tue Jan 10. Power outage started at 2:30am. The household listened to the news with the emergency radio. It was the first time the household turned on the emergency radio due to the weather. The emergency radio was used two times overall. Power was restored at 4:30pm.

Secretary Of Defense Lloyd Austin officially rescinded the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for the military. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act required the mandate dismissal.

The Washington Post reported an international expert estimates 5,000 people die each day and 1,000,000 people die in China from COVID-19 for 2023. The Chinese government official stated 5,200 people died since the start of the pandemic.

Satellite images of certain China provinces showed cars and crowds at crematoriums and funeral homes.

Wed Jan 11. The US renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency to April 2023. The emergency protected public health insurance coverage for millions, provided hospitals with greater flexibility to respond to patient surges, and expanded telehealth. Hospitals lose flexibility deploying staff, adding beds, and caring patients during surges when the public health emergency ends. Millions are expected to lose health insurance under Medicaid.

President Joe Biden said the pandemic was over in Sep 2022.

Thur Jan 12. A hospital in Beijing in China reported half of its 2,000 staff tested positive for COVID-19. They all recovered taking traditional Chinese medicine. Pfizer's Paxlovid is in short supply. A local manufacturer is contracted to manufacture Paxlovid available in three to four months to the Chinese people.

Fri Jan 13. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) said a possible safety problem with Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Regardless, the CDC recommended people are updated with vaccines. It's possible people 65 and older increases their chances of a stroke.

Sat Jan 14. China reported 59,938 deaths from COVID-19 since Dec 2022. 5,503 deaths were due to respiratory failure and 54,435 deaths were due to COVID-19 plus other health ailments.

The CDC reported the tripledemic didn't happen. RSV and flu cases and hospitalizations declined in Dec 2022; although, some states experienced higher illnesses than other states. COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in Dec 2022. The RSV and flu mostly affected the children.

Mon Jan 16. Multiple celebrities tested positive for COVID-19 after the Golden Globes on Sun Jan 8, 2023. Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Jen Statsky were some of the celebrities. Experts said it was no surprise because many people gathered indoors and poor COVID-19 safety practices.

The CDC said weekly COVID-19 cases topped 400,000 for the last six weeks. Weekly deaths increased with 3,907 reported as of Jan 11, 2023. However, flu cases declined.

Wed Jan 18. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tested positive for COVID-19. Mild symptoms. Powell is fully vaccinated and boosted up to date.

Thur Jan 19. I shopped at Target to purchase Bar Keepers Friend to clean sinks. I shopped at Smart & Final. I purchased the last pack of chicken.

Fri Jan 20. Shopped at Costco and Sports Basement. The cell phones and service booth was closed. The booth was covered with Costco services displays. Costco was dead inside at the 10am hour. I exchanged a Christmas gift at Sports Basement.

Wastewater samples show COVID-19, flu, and RSV rates declined in the Santa Clara County. Hospitalizations declined 30% from one month ago. COVID-19 hospitalizations were less severe because more people have antibodies and more vaccinated people.

Sat Jan 21. Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China Center For Disease Control And Prevention said 80% of the people in China is infected with COVID-19. Infections increased during the Lunar New Year. The government reported 60,000 people died from COVID-19 as of Jan 12, 2023.

Sun Jan 22. Watched Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers football game.

Mon Jan 23. Shopped at Smart & Final. There were lots of customers at 9:45am.

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) assessed the COVID-19 vaccine administered as an annual one shot like the annual flu shot before the flu season. Two doses may be needed for the children, the elderly, or the immune compromised. The goal is improved vaccine coverage rates and simplify vaccine deployment. Currently, most people receive the original COVID-19 vaccine two times separated 3-4 weeks apart. A booster is administered three to four months later.

Wed Jan 25. The North Korea capital Pyongyang was locked down for five days due to an unspecified respiratory illness. Citizens measured their temperatures which are reported to a hospital by phone four times a day. North Korea declared the pandemic ended on Aug 2022.

Thur Jan 26. The FDA pulled AstraZeneca's Erusheld from the market because it's not effective against at least 90% of the COVID-19 subvariants in the US. Erusheld is ineffective against BQ.1, BQ.1.1, and the XBB subvariants.

The CDC said omicron XBB.1.5 accounts for 49% of new cases. XBB.1.5 is adaptable to evade antibodies which block infection. 93% of new cases are the BQ and XBB variants.

Sat Jan 28. Shopped at Costco. It was busy at 9:45am. I avoid parking in the area next to the gas station in the future. I was lucky I found an open space near the entrance.

Sun Jan 29. Watched the San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles football game. I also watched the Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs starting at the 2:00 in the second quarter football game.

Mon Jan 30. The WHO said COVID-19 remains a global health emergency. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world transitions out of the emergency phase of the pandemic in 2023. Reduce hospitalizations. Minimize deaths. The health system manages COVID-19 in a sustainable way. At least 90% of the world population has some immunity to COVID-19. Tracking has declined detecting new variants difficult. Regardless, COVID-19 continues to kill. Resources must continue to research COVID-19.

President Joe Biden ends the COVID-19 national emergencies on May 11, 2023. The federal government roles are reduced for the COVID-19 pandemic response. The medically insured pay some out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. The medically uninsured pay fully for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments.

Tue Jan 31. The following are anticipated changes for COVID-19 government policy when the US public health emergency ends on May 11, 2023:

*The FDA authorizes COVID-19 home testing kits, vaccines, boosters, and products for emergency use. However, insurers no longer are required to cover the costs for home testing kits. Vaccines and boosters are free because the government purchased them. Congress didn't fund future vaccine and booster purchases.
*Medicaid enrollment increase during the pandemic because states can't remove people during the public health emergency. States can remove ineligible people in Apr.
*Title 42 allows the federal government to deny people seeking asylum to prevent COVID-19 spreading inside the US borders. The end of the public health emergency may end Title 42.
*More patients use telehealth to communicate with their doctors on a smartphone or a computer. Patients under Medicare pay nothing because Medicare covers the service cost. Congress extends telehealth for Medicare to the end of 2024.
*State public health emergency varies state by state. California public health emergency ends Feb 28, 2023.
*Hospitals no longer receive an extra 20% financial compensation for treating COVID-19 patients on Medicare.

The House passed two bills to end the COVID-19 government public health emergency. The bills are the Pandemic Is Over Act and the Freedom For Health Care Workers Act. The freedom act ends the mandate federal health care workers must be vaccinated.

Thursday, October 02, 2025

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog September 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. There was no summer day 100 degrees or higher. Cooler summer. COVID-19 news was reported as non-top of the hour importance.

Mon Sep 1. President Donald Trump said, "Many people think they are a miracle that saved millions of lives. Others disagree! With [the Center Of Disease Control] (CDC) being ripped apart over this question, I want the answer, and I want it now." Trump was between the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 during his first term and the vaccine skepticism with the MAGA and Health And Human Secretary (HHS) Robert F Kennedy, Jr. Trump said Operation Warp Speed was a great achievement. Trump is supporting Kennedy's efforts to revamp vaccine policies.

Wed Sep 3. California, Oregon, and Washington announced an alliance to establish vaccine regulations for their states. The HHS said the three states' COVID-19 policies show distrust in public health agencies. HHS ensures policies are based on science and not on politics. Other states formulate their own policies and recommendations.

Sun Sep 7. 2,000 days ago since Tue Mar 17, 2020.

Mon Sep 8. Shopped at Safeway, Lowe's, and Costco. A few more customers and a few more employees wore masks.

A close family member tested positive for COVID-19 for the third time.

Tue Sep 9. The US death rate caused by COVID-19 was out of the top ten in 2024. The rate decreased from 750.5 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 722.0 per 100,000 people reported by the CDC and the National Center For Health Statistics. The three leading causes of death remained unchanged from 2023 to 2024. They were heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injury.

The CA Public Health Department reported hospitalizations increased, deaths doubled, and wastewater levels were very high in the last 30 days. The state blamed vaccine confusion. For instance, nobody under the age of 65 can receive a booster. If the person under the age of 65 is considered high risk, then the person can receive the booster.

Thur Sep 11. Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, New York, and Minnesota are some states to expand COVID-19 vaccines. These states break away from the federal government health agencies guidance on the COVID-19 restrictions. Anyone age six months or older can receive a vaccine.

Fri Sep 12. Shopped at Costco. Ate dinner at In-N-Out.

Wed Sep 17. California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii formed the West Coast Health Alliance. The alliance announced vaccine recommendations against the CDC recommendations. All residents older than six months can receive a flu shot. All babies receive the RSV vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is available for children from six months to 23 months old; adults age 65 and older; everyone younger than age 65 with risk factors or in contact with at-risk people, pregnant women, and anyone who wants the vaccine.

Massachusetts is leading a bipartisan eight Northeast states to discuss coordinating vaccine recommendations. New Mexico pharmacists administer the COVID-19 vaccine based on state health department guidelines.

Thur Sep 18. JAMA Network Open published a study from nine teams of researchers. A universal COVID-19 vaccine recommendation can save thousands of more lives compared to limiting the recommendation to high risk groups. High risk groups recommendation only reduce 90,000 hospitalizations and 7,000 deaths. All groups recommendation reduce 126,000 hospitalizations and 8,000 deaths.

Fri Sep 19. The CDC recommended the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone who wants the vaccine shot. Many major medical insurance companies cover the costs in 2025 and 2026. A doctor prescription is not required. States can disclose a list of at least six vaccine risks to patients.

Many CDC panelists are selected by Kennedy. The panelists question the vaccine's benefits. Regardless, the panelists allow people access to the vaccine. They should consult with their health care provider for which it's not a requirement.

Sat Sep 20. Ate lunch at Amakara. Shopped at Lowe's.

Thur Sep 25. Shopped at Costco.

Friday, September 26, 2025

The Green Steno Notebook 9

Blogger's note: There are three consecutive Green Steno Notebook blogs. Today is the first of three.

The picture above is the notebook I acquired on the first day of my new white collar job. I wrote notes during my job training. I wrote other notes, reminders, and knowledge thereafter. I share many of them. Here is the ninth blog.

*Jul 22, 2019. Use a paper towel to remove as much oil off the broil grill before washing. Minimize the chances of a clogged drain.

*Jul 23. Red plastic cups are a kitchen staple.

*Aug 11. Meals contained too much salt. Consumed too much caffeine. Too much adrenaline from today's activities. Combine all three blamed for falling asleep too slowly last night. Playing video games to fall asleep faster last night didn't work.

*Aug 12. adjudicate: to reach a judicial decision on something; to make an official decision.

*Aug 26. The air filter for the home A/C and furnace. The air flows down. The heater is the top. The A/C is the bottom.

Air compressor maintenance. Drain the moisture accumulated inside the tank. Place a towel below the moisture drainage. Recommend wear ear plugs. Turn the red handle below downwards. The towel captures the released moisture. The air compressor filters are black color. Wipe away surface dust. Check oil level at the oil plug near the air filters. Use motor oil. Top level is at the end of the threads or rivets. The copper colored oil can is inside the auto liquids and oil change tools cabinet.

*Aug 31. Left calf sore. I bend my left leg driving after a strenuous physical activity. I should straighten my left leg while driving.

*Sep 7. Sometimes the house is clean when I clean the house. Sometimes the house is dirty when I clean the house. I speculate the windows are open for longer hours. The outside dirt and dust enter the house from the opened windows.

*Sep 20. Forgot my wallet at the gym stationary cycle.

I retrieved my wallet on Sep 21 at 7:05am.

*Sep 23. Purchased a Coke at the supermarket next to the gym. The Coke saved my ass from getting sick.

*Sep 28. I read my personal bible. It was also Steve Jobs day. I read his biography's And One More Thing . . . section. I watched the 60 Minutes interview. I watched the D5 interview with Bill Gates.

*Oct 5. No more protein bars. I don't understand protein bars.

*Oct 6. For Sep 3. If by Bread. A song from the 1970s.

*Oct 10. Begin writing with pencils instead of pens for the Green Steno Notebook. Use both pencils and pens.

*Oct 10. For Oct 1. Air fluff the bathrooms carpets instead of vacuuming. More dust is removed by air.

*Oct 17. A car's battery warning light turned on. Causes can be low battery voltage or alternator stopped charging the battery. The car battery works when the voltage is between 13-14 volts while the engine runs. Replace the battery when the voltage reading is 12 volts or below.

*Oct 19. Use my desk fan to dry the mopped floors faster.

*Oct 21. A channel is missing on the television. Solution is rescan channels.

*Oct 28. I air compress or blast compressed air inside the PSU or Power Supply Unit from my desktop for the first time. Lots of dust removed.

*Nov 3. I felt weak after hiking yesterday. I may have dodged the sickness. Never skip meals. McDonalds is better than nothing.

*Nov 4. Add an empty cup to my daily life items. The daily life items include a can of WD-40, dice, a nickel, and duct tape.

The empty cup is a Bruce Lee wisdom reference. "Emptiness the starting point: In order to taste my cup of water you must first empty your cup. My friend, drop all your preconceived and fixed ideas and be neutral. Do you know why this cup is useful? Because it is empty."

*Nov 7. Use a chopping board to cut bell peppers. I almost cut my left index finger holding the bell paper to save time. I was lazy. I thought of SQL while cutting. Not worth saving time. Use a chopping board.

*Nov 10. My car has disc brakes. Each disk break has two brake pads.

*Nov 14. Create a text file .txt file for a short-term reminder. For example, type "get mail" when I hear the postal worker outside.

*Dec 2. For Nov 24. Warm Belvita tastes good. I toast two pieces of bread. I place Belvita on top of the toast. I read Harry Potter.

*Dec 15. No need to insert my entire hand washing vegetables in a pot full of water. Use my fingers and thumbs only.

*Dec 12. I saw two USPS trucks at Walgreens. I saw two UPS trucks going to the gym.

*Dec 27. Replace the brown color sandals because they hurt my feet with the blue sandals.

*Dec 28. It's the holidays. I play the Harry and Hermione card. I can't concentrate doing homework. I go to sleep. For me, it's take a break job training. Do other productive responsibilities.

*Dec 31. For Dec 29. Use yellow Post-It Notes as appreciation notes. Write "I owe you one beer."

*Jan 6, 2020. Parked in the new Monroe Parking Garage at Valley Fair mall for the first time.

Entered Macys to pay credit card bill. The returns line was long. I looked around. I saw another line for credit card payments. Nobody at the credit card payments line. Paid in seconds.

*Jan 11. West Valley Library Book Sale. More books specialty priced. Highest price was $5.

*Jan 27. No unsafe driving. Night driving on southbound 880 near the 29th Avenue exit. Sudden lane change from second lane to first lane. Don't do it again. Change lanes earlier to avoid sudden changes.

*Jan 29. Old desktop weigh 34.2 pounds. New desktop weigh 29.8 pounds. 4.4 pounds lighter.

Dell laptop 7 pounds and 3 ounces. HP Compaq laptop 6 pounds and 2 ounces. HP Spectre laptop 4 pounds and 11 ounces.

*Feb 2. I forgot to turn on the surround sound for Super Bowl LIV. Dad turned it on.

*Feb 4. A mouth with lots of saliva is a sign of good health, said my dentist.

*Feb 24. The car engine hoses are special made. Take the broken hose to an auto store. Tell the store the car make and model. The auto shop sells the replacement hose.

*Mar 6. Don't eat tomatoes on a physical workout day.

*Mar 23. There is a significant difference between one teaspoon and one tablespoon.

*Apr 8. Seinfeld episode titled The Old Man in Season 4. Foreplay suggestion: forbidden pleasure.

*Apr 10. My mom favors higher prices when she purchases New York steak on sale. The pieces are better cuts.

*Apr 22. My parents rescued a lost cockatiel.

*Apr 27. Bank checks are valid for six months.

*Apr 29. Classic radio station KDFC consecutively played the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Main Theme by John Williams and Four Seasons-Spring by Antonio Vivaldi. The E.T. song was my ringtone. The Four Seasons-Spring was my connecting receive phone call song.

*Apr 30. There is a difference between steelhead fish and salmon fish. Reminder. Always look at the label.

*May 8. Add panty hose to my survival backpack.

*May 10. Add nonlubricated condoms to my survival backpack. Bright colors are a plus.

*May 17. Stopped eating oatmeal.

*May 18. For May 16. Begin replacing cups to brush teeth weekly.

*May 29. A procedure to drain the hot water heater to prolong the lifespan. Lower the temperature. Connect the hose. Drain water inside a bucket to remove as much sentiment as possible. Use multiple buckets. Point the hose down. The hose is along the side of the bucket to minimize splash.

*Jun 1. Begin cleaning rice by leaving the water in the rice bowl for a minimum of 30 minutes. Minium 60 minutes is better.

*Jun 15. Local newspaper bill is $350.00 for six months. Four days of newspaper delivery. Household choose no renewing.

*Jun 19. Last day of newspaper is Jan 9, 2021.

*Jul 20. Add empty coffee can and matches to the wisdom items. Include two dice, teapot, nickel, dust tape, painter's tape, and WD-40. Reference entry dates Dec 15, 2018, Dec 16, 2018, and May 19, 2019.

*Jul 24. Went back to use shaving gel when I shave for the second twice against the grain.

*Jul 24. Solved a Grandmaster level in Microsoft Solitare.

*Aug 6. Add a rock hammer. Reference Instant Bullets blog Mar 15, 2020. WD-40, nickel, duct tape, blue painter's tape, teapot, coffee pot, matches, and dice.

*Aug 10. The car's parking brake is located at the rear wheels. Not both front wheels and rear wheels.

*Aug 14. Wash the three bathroom carpets. Quick wash setting. Spin cycle extra fast. Air dry in the backyard on top of buckets. Best on a hot day.

*Aug 14. High temperature 103 degrees.

*Aug 19. Searched for a movie on IMDb. The search criteria was IMDb Most Popular Water Storage Movies and TV Shows. Movie I found is Badlands 2005.

*Aug 24. Best must-have products under $100: some female products better than male products for men; some male products better than female products for women; Shop Vac; step ladder; king size blanket for a queen size bed; and safety razors.

Monday, September 15, 2025

Professional Knowledge Shared As Common Knowledge

Here are knowledge from professionals in their fields people should know. The information can be false. Some professionals may not do. The reader should do their due diligence to verify. Source: What's a "secret" from your profession that everyone should probably know? from Reddit.

1. Financial institutions use older versions of Excel.

2. Document everything.

3. Daycare teachers clean toys and equipment.

4. Gloves are not necessary to handle old books, rare books, and special collection books. Clean and dry hands are the best. Wearing gloves are more likely to rip a page because the person can't feel them well compared with bare hands. There are exceptions such as handling artifacts, moldy items, toxic books, and photographs.

5. Bibles are not rare. The Bible is the most printed book in the world.

6. You need two coats of paint.

7. Bacteria and microbes as a whole are small cells or capsules. They are bad at sticking to random solid objects by themselves. It's like hanging on a rocky hillside with your hands. Water from above hits you. You're going to be flushed down wherever the water goes. A simple water rinse can remove 99% of the bacteria.

8. There are corrupt employers who don't pay their workers, close the business, and reopen under a different name. They fraudulently transfer all their assets under another person's name.

9. Dog and cats need rabies vaccine because rabies is transmissible to humans. Also, pets can have fleas regardless of being indoor pets or outdoor pets. Fleas can be anywhere. And a local veterinarian likely doesn't see wildlife and reptiles.

10. Generally speaking, retail stores don't hide stuff in the back. We want to sell. If it's in the back, it doesn't sell. Everything we sell is out.

11. Fire sprinklers go off where the actual fire is. Not all fire sprinklers go off like in the movies. The water is gross and stinky. A properly maintained sprinkler system is flushed.

12. Most modern homes or residential construction are built with the cheapest ingredients. They may not last more than 30 years without exterior refurbishing. Further, never buy a new home for which the buyer picks a floor plan A, B, C, D, or . . . . 90% of these new homes are made from shitty materials. Buy an actual quality custom home.

13. Dental professionals can't always tell if you floss or not. However, if the dental profession flosses the patient and bleeding occurs, then he or she can tell.

14. If you have the feeling of a medical life threatening emergency, then go to the emergency room.

15. Abusive parents are more common than you think. They include the nicest neighbors and volunteers. Child Protective Services can't catch everyone. There are mental abuse, emotional abuse, and psychological abuse.

16. IT Googles all day. We're better at Googling than other people.

17. Architects say 50% of major home remodels the couple divorces.

18. Financial institutions software security is outdated.

19. Tugboat pilots are bored. They look at their phones 95% of the time.

20. College students should attend classes even if you don't pay attention. Students can accidentally learn. Also, attend class, read the chapters, do the homework, and show up at the office hours. Students are more likely to earn an A or a B.

21. You don't have to top off freon every year for the air conditioner.

22. Buy the cheapest cemetery vault. All vaults are not 100% waterproof.

23. Patients should ask for an itemized bill because it can lower the cost. Hospitals avoid adding unnecessary fees. There are programs to lower medical bills.

24. The majority of children sex crimes are family members. Neighbors, family friends, and pastors are included.

25. Family and relationship therapists' solution for 50% of their clients: just go get a divorce already.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Instant Bullets Blog Sep 10, 2025

*Potter's Field. Unknown, unclaimed, or indigent people are buried. Pauper's grave or common grave. These are slang words for an unmarked burial ground.

*A Low Secure Cryptography. Found black wallet. The black wallet owner enters the birthday on the owner's driver license to solve the equation for the contact phone number.

*Bar Security. Picture in the women's bathroom. The secret phrase for communicating problems to the bar staff. Also, the internet shared a common drink order called "angel shot" to communicate to the bar staff I need help.

*Pregnant women shouldn't garden because of the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis from contaminated soil. Toxoplasmosis causes birth defects, blindness, and learning disabilities. Likewise for common garden chemicals. Moreover, pregnant women should not change litter boxes. The source of toxoplasmosis is cat feces.

*The Elephant Question In A Job Interview. The question is a common brain teaser to test problem solving, creativity, and decision making. The question is the following: You've been given an elephant. A real life elephant. You can't sell it or give it away. What would you do with it?

My answer is the question is irrelevant to the job. You likely asked the question to make yourself look smart like a politician. Don't be a robot. Ask questions. What do you want to know about me? Let's have a conversation

*Buy it nice or buy it twice.

*Synonyms For "One Less Worry." One less concern, one fewer burden, and one less weight on your mind. Also, no need to worry, all taken care of, forget about it, no problem, and no worries.

Words: carefree, untroubled, unworried, calm, unconcerned, unbothered, unstressed, nonchalant, and lighthearted. Also, low pressure, without worry, easy going, happy-go-lucky, free of concern, free from worries, without worry, free from interference, without problems, free from interruption, and free from disturbance.

*The Best Way To Avoid An Argument. Start a conversation. Make an observation. Tell a joke. Say a riddle. Identify something stupid. The conversation buys time to calm the aggressor. Disarm the aggressor verbally to lower their adrenaline level and reduce their aggression.

*A Lesson Women Attracted To Men From The Movie Once Upon A Time In The West.

Jill: Hey, you're sort of a handsome man.
Cheyenne: But I'm not the right man. And neither is he.
Jill: Maybe not. But it doesn't matter.
Cheyenne: You don't understand, Jill. People like that have something inside. Something to do with death. If that fella lives, he'll come in through that door, pick up his gear and say adios.

*vacuum: a space entirely devoid of matter. Emptiness. A space with no gas or other matter in it. A space most air or gas removed. A volume empty of matter. Free space.

*vacuum: 1. A space empty of matter. Not achievable in practice on Earth. 2. A space all air or gas is extracted. 3. An emptiness caused by somebody or something's absence or removal.

*vacuum cleaner: an electrical appliance which cleans surfaces such as floors, upholstery, and window coverings by sucking dirt and other materials into a bag.

*A transistor radio is a small low-powered solid state electronic device consisting of a semiconductor and at least three electrodes used as an amplifier and rectifier and frequently incorporated into integrated circuit chips.

*A semiconductor is a solid material which has electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator.

*bulkhead: 1. A partition inside a ship, aircraft, or large vehicle. 2. A wall to hold back something.

*biome: a division of the world's vegetation that corresponds to a particular climate and is characterized by certain types of plants and animals.

*The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the neck of the human being and other vertebrate animals which secretes the hormones responsible for controlling metabolism and growth. Pic credits: Cleveland Clinic, Terese Winslow, LLC, and WebMD.

*The job market is not really competitive. There are not enough opportunities.

*This sentence is false.

New mission. Refuse this mission.

Does a set of all sets contain itself?

*A Quick Scientific Notation Review. Move the decimal point to the right from the number ten's positive exponent number. Add zeroes when needed while moving the decimal point to the right. For example, 3.8 X 10^16 moves the decimal point between the three and the eight sixteen times to the right. Add zeroes for each opening to the right of the eight. 38,000,000,000,000,000 is the correct answer.

*Cut The Stems Off Flowers. The short answer is to prolong the life expectancy. Cut the stem on the bottom 3/4th inch to 1 inch on a 45-degree angle to increase the surface area allowing flowers to absorb more water. The flower's roots lose access to water when the steam is cut because an air pocket or embolism forms preventing the absorption of water.

Flowers should be re-cut after they are purchased, picked, or delivered. Cut the stems every three days. The stem wound immediately begins to heal itself forming an air pocket or embolism. Clean the vase and change the water.

*Dr. Mehmet Oz on Apr 19, 2025: . . . we're going to reduce chronic disease. How do you do that? 70% of the health care expenditures of this country are driven by chronic disease. And it is your patriotic duty, I'll stay it again, the patriotic duty of all Americans to take care of themselves because it's important for serving in the military, but it's also important because healthy people don't consume healthcare resources. The best way to reduce drug spending is to use less drugs cause you don't need them cause you're healthy. And it feels a lot better as well.

*The pelvis is a bone structure inside the hips, buttocks, and pubic region. It supports the upper body weight when the person sits, stands, or walks. It connects the lower body legs. The pelvis is the body part between your abdomen and thighs sometimes called the pelvic region. The pelvic cavity is the space between the pelvis and abdomen, holds the urinary system, and holds the reproductive organs. The pelvis opening in the female serves as the birth canal. Pic credits: Anatomy Next, Inc., Cleveland Clinic, Terese Winslow, LLC, and Wikipedia.