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With COVID Deaths Soaring, Brazil’s President Says He’s The Victim

Former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro

President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil (photo: Flickr/Isac Nóbrega – CC license)
The coronavirus pandemic continues to savage the country of Brazil as more than 45,000 died from COVID in the last month. But President Jair Bolsonaro is casting himself as the victim. From CNN:

In the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro, intensive care units are 95% full. Fifteen other state capitals are similarly verging on collapse, with ICU occupancy over 90% — a deluge of hospitalizations that has accompanied a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in the country.

While Covid-19 cases are beginning to plateau or decline in many countries, Brazil is reporting record daily numbers. Just on Wednesday the country saw its largest daily jump in cases since the start of the pandemic — 90,303 new cases.

“Here it became a war against the President. It seems that people only die of Covid,” Bolsonaro, who wasn’t wearing a mask, told supporters outside the presidential palace on Thursday.

“The hospitals are 90% occupied. But we need to find out how many are from Covid and how many are from other illnesses,” he said.

Perhaps Bolsonaro should consult Brazil’s health ministry which reported 2,724 more people had died from the virus that very day bringing the total to 287,499. The South American nation is the second worst-affected nation in the world in regard to total number of cases and deaths due to coronavirus, after the U.S.

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43 Million Americans Are Fully Vaccinated For COVID

Getting my second dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine

Getting my second dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine
Getting my 2nd Pfizer shot today
About one in six adults in the U.S. have now been fully vaccinated for the coronavirus (including me!) according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From The Hill:

The CDC’s vaccine tracker, which was updated Saturday afternoon, shows that 16.7 percent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated. More than 40 percent of adults aged 65 years and older are also fully vaccinated.

More than 121 million doses in total have been administered, and nearly 43 million adults are fully inoculated.

More than 21 million of the fully vaccinated adults received the Pfizer shot, followed by 19.8 million who received the Moderna vaccine and 2.15 million who got the Johnson & Johnson shot, which was just recently released.

To reach ‘herd immunity’ scientists tell us we need to reach between 70-85 percent. p.s. After getting on a “leftover list” here in Las Vegas, I received my second Pfizer vaccine shot today #GetVaccinated

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My Favorite Thing Today: ‘My Turn’

Young man on the phone

Young man on the phone
(stock image via Depositphotos)
I recently came upon a Twitter thread from 2019 that literally made me stop and catch my breath. On March 4, 2019, one Twitter user asked the question: “What is the kindest thing a stranger has done or said to you?” Several stories were posted, but this one, from Joe in Chicago, stood out for obvious reasons. A phone call to an LGBTQ book store from a confused young man results in a tribal instinct to protect by taking ‘that call.’

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News Round-Up: March 19, 2021

U.S. flag and Pride flag

Some news items you might have missed: • Human Rights Campaign: New polling conducted by HRC and Hart Research Associates shows an overwhelming 70% of voters support the Equality Act. That support spans across all ages, races, religions, and political parties. And yet, Senate Republicans strenuously oppose the bill. • BosGuy: It’s Furry Friday over at the Boston-based blog – squeee! Click over to see which fur ball is featured this week. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications including Florida’s Hotspots Magazine (below) featuring their 2021 Sex Survey. The cover of Hotspots Magazine • Pink News: The newly crowned Miss Silver State USA, Kataluna Enriquez, will be the first trans woman of color to compete in the Miss Nevada USA pageant – and if she wins, could go on to Miss USA. • Instinct Magazine: A Russian man pulled off a rather inexplicable stunt while bungee jumping in Russia – with the cord attached to the piercings on his bum. • AP News: Former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach club has been partially closed because of a COVID outbreak. A receptionist at the Mar-a-Lago club confirmed the news, saying it was closed until further notice, but declined to comment further.

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New Music: NIKO Wants To Be Your ‘Idol’

NIKO photographed by Billie Black
NIKO (photo: Billie Black)
Check out the latest from LA-based Euro-pop artist NIKO – ‘Idol’ – blending acoustic elements with textured electronic leads & thumping dance beats. “’Idol’ is a song about wanting to be seen and heard,” explains NIKO. “It is also an exploration of the concept of fame, but it mostly can be interpreted as the need for love – the desire to be somebody’s somebody.” Influenced by 90’s dance and house music, ‘Idol’ brings to mind hints of Robyn, Years & Years and Danny L Harle.

A guaranteed floor-filler, the track is pure, unapologetic pop. And NIKO’s confident, well-honed vocals drive the song like a boss. Due to the COVID pandemic lockdown, the track is a truly international collaboration. Working with his producer Joakim Buddee completely remotely, the dynamic duo confabbed via Zoom sessions and email. When ‘go time’ came, NIKO recorded the vocals in a studio on Sunset Boulevard, Joakim mixed the song in his studio in Stockholm, and then whole enchilada was sent to Germany for mastering. Born in Italy, NIKO grew up in a household where the radio was always on and his love for music was informed by icons such as Madonna, Britney Spears and George Michael. Fueled by his passion, NIKO formed a band and started performing in local venues in Milan. But it wasn’t until he experienced nightlife that he discovered a love for dance music. A new door opened, and he started working with DJs as a vocalist. After moving to the U.S., NIKO launched his career as an indie artist releasing his first EP RMNC 21 in 2019, a collection of songs inspired by love and lust. He now resides in Los Angeles where he’s working on his upcoming releases, crafting an uplifting soundscape inspired by European pop, immersed in the California sunshine. You can find my previous coverage of NIKO and his music here. Stream ‘Idol’ on Spotify here and on Apple Music here.

Singer/songwriter NIKO (via official website)

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Twitter Shades Graham Over Threat To Block Equality Act

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Earlier this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced he would talk until he “fell over to make sure the Equality Act doesn’t become law.” The remark, which occurred during an interview on Fox News with talking head Sean Hannity, was in response to President Biden’s suggestion that Senate Democrats consider bringing back the “talking filibuster” rule which existed when Biden joined the Senate in the 1970s.

Currently, the rules require 60 votes to close debate on legislation to move to the actual vote on a bill. Essentially, that means it takes a three-fifths majority to get to a vote. And with a 50-50 split in the Senate, Democrats will need 10 Republicans to vote with them to get to a vote on the bill. With a “talking filibuster,” anyone who wanted to block closing debate would have to continuously speak from the floor of  the Senate without pause. No bathroom breaks, no snacks, no nothing. Senate Democrats have been considering some change to the filibuster to not only help pass the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to protected classes of existing federal civil rights laws, but also HR1 – legislation that would expand voting access. But Graham, of all people, attacking a federal LGBTQ rights bill didn’t sit well with many in the Twitterverse. Primarily because Graham has long faced rumors about being a gay closet case while voting against LGBTQ issues. Now, we’re not saying Graham is gay. We’re just reporting that the insinuation has followed the never-married bachelor for years. AND – he votes against LGBTQ interests.

Just last summer, gay adult entertainment performer Sean Harding tweeted about “a homophobic republican senator” who “keeps passing legislation that is damaging to the lgbt and minority communities.” Harding added, “Every sex worker I know has been hired by this man. Wondering if enough of us spoke out if that could get him out of office?” At the time, #LadyG and #LadyGraham began trending as some alleged that was the nickname for Graham used by sex workers. So it’s no wonder that this week, following Graham’s comments about the Equality Act, the Twitterverse clapped back at the senator.

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Biden Reaches 100 Million Vaccine Shot Promise In 58 Days

President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden campaigned on a promise to get 100 million vaccine shots in arms before his the end of his first 100 days in office. That goal was reached today – 42 days early. Speaking to reporters at the White House today, Biden said he’ll set a new goal by next week, teasing the possibility of hitting 200 million vaccinations by Day 100. In related news, Biden’s coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients announced today that the U.S. would “loan” Mexico 2.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 1.5 million doses to Canada. Zients said because the AstraZeneca shot is not yet authorized in the U.S., “This loan will not reduce the supply of vaccine to Americans.” Meanwhile, folks took to social media to celebrate the 100 million mark.

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Diner Posts ‘Surcharge’ For Having To Explain Face Mask Rule

Legends Diner in Denton, Texas, says it will charge customers $50 if they don't wear a face mask

Legends Diner in Denton, Texas, says it will charge customers $50 if they don't wear a face mask From the Dallas Morning News:

Customers at Legends Diner in Denton are met with a new pink sign on the door when they visit the breakfast spot: “Our new surcharge,” the sign says: “$50 if I have to explain why masks are mandatory” and “$75 if I have to hear why you disagree…”

Co-owners Wayne and Kat LaCombe are asking their customers and employees to continue to wear masks even though the mask mandate lifted in Texas on March 10.

“I just can’t afford to get the virus. We’d have to shut our business down,” said Wayne LaCombe, a 41-year resident of Denton. His wife, Kat, is a retired nurse. She is now the chef and co-owner of Legends, and she makes what her husband says is “the best patty melt in town.”

Lacombe says the sign is meant to be humorous, but adds the bulk of his customers are over 60-years-old and the restaurant wants “to stay safe for them.”

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News Round-Up: March 18, 2021

Screen capture from the acclaimed film, Poppy Field

Screen capture from the acclaimed film, Poppy Field
(screen capture from the acclaimed film Poppy Field)
Some news items you might have missed: • The Advocate: South Carolina Democratic Rep. Cezar McKnight is facing ire from his fellow party members for introducing a new anti-trans bill that would make it a felony for doctors to prescribe life-saving hormone therapy for transgender youth. McKnight is joined in supporting the bill by 23 fellow lawmakers, all Republicans. • JoeMyGod: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says he “would talk ’til I fell over to make sure that the Equality Act doesn’t become law.” Methinks the lady doth protest too much. • Stonewall Gazette: The film Poppy Field (top image) follows the struggle of a young Romanian police officer, Cristi (Conrad Mericoffer), who tries to find balance between being a working man in a macho hierarchical environment and that of being a closeted gay person trying to keep his personal life a secret.

• NBC News: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Asian American community leaders during a scheduled visit to Georgia on Friday in the wake of the spa shootings in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of whom were women of Asian descent. • KATC: A federal grand jury in Lafayette returned a six-count indictment charging Chance J. Seneca, 19, of Lafayette, with hate crime, kidnapping, firearm, and obstruction charges based on his attempted murder of a gay man and his overarching scheme to kidnap and murder gay men whom he met online. • CNN: Xavier Becerra was confirmed by the Senate as the first Latino Health and Human Services secretary on Thursday. The vote was 50 to 49. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was the only Republican to vote yes – Democrat Mazie Hirono was absent.

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FL Republican Arrested For Paying Straw Candidate $50K In Campaign Fraud

Frank Artiles

Frank Artiles
Former state senator Frank Artiles arrested for campaign finance fraud
Wow, it looks like we found one of those “manipulated” elections! And no surprise! It’s a Republican doing the manipulating. Former Florida state Senator Frank Artiles (R) reportedly paid a man $50,000 to run in November’s District 37 state senate election as a third party candidate. The man, Alex Rodriguez, had the same last name as the incumbent Democrat, Jose Javier Rodriguez. In the end, without any campaigning or actual political aspirations, Alex Rodriguez received over 6,000 votes. The Republican challenger, Ileana Garcia, won the contest over the Democrat by only 32 votes. Artiles, along with Alex Rodriguez, was booked and arrested on third-degree charges of making or receiving campaign contributions over or in excess of limits, conspiracy to make or receive two or more campaign contributions over or in excess of limits, and false swearing in connection with voting or elections.