Among the most people most in jeopardy from the COVID-19 outbreak are prisoners serving sentences in our nation’s crowded jails. Harvey Weinstein, newly incarcerated, tested positive, likely due to a large number of cases at Rikers Island, where he was initially interred. And while Joseph Maldonado-Passage — aka Joe Exotic, star of the break-out Netflix doc-series Tiger King, and another famous inmate — hasn’t tested positive, his husband did reveal that he’s currently in coronavirus isolation.
The news was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter, who caught that Dillon Passage, Maldonado-Passage’s husband, broke the news to Andy Cohen on his SiriusXM show Radio Andy. Again, Joe Exotic is not known to have caught the virus — which continues to rampage across the globe, with the United States now the site of the world’s highest cases — but did recently transfer from a prison that reported multiple cases. They’re simply being safe.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year sentence for his role in a murder-for-hire plot detailed in Tiger King, whose wild, twisty tale has captivated viewers who are perhaps looking for distraction from the relentlessly grim news, as well as some entertainment while quarantining. There’s already a limited series adaptation in the works, spearheaded by Kate McKinnon, so it doesn’t look like we’ll be rid of the zookeeper-turned-con any time soon. Be well.
Bill Gates may not be a doctor but he has increasingly become an expert on world health issues over the past several decades as his public footprint has transitioned from Microsoft co-founder to one of the greatest philanthropists alive today.
Now, Gates is using his public platform to be a voice of reason as America, and the world, grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. Though Gates isn’t shy about pointing out that America absolutely failed in our federal government’s initial response to the virus, he says there is still a clear window of hope and opportunity — but only if our leaders act now. Here are the three main strategic moves Gates says must happen in order to curb the spread of disease and to get our economy back in gear as soon as possible.
In a new Washington Post column, Gates outlines a simple but vital strategy in three clear steps.
“First, we need a consistent nationwide approach to shutting down. Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely,” Gates writes. “In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals.”
Gates doesn’t mince words: failing to socially distance shut down all non-essential businesses will cost lives and lead to exponential more economic pain.
“This is a recipe for disaster,” he writes. “Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax the shutdown.”
San Francisco was cited as a prime example of how a city that was hit hard by the virus is starting to see positive results by flattening the curve with an aggressive lockdown strategy. If it can work in a dense urban population like the Bay Area, it can work anywhere.
The Trump Administration claims that the federal and state governments have conducted more coronavirus tests than anywhere in the world. Even if that’s true, America still woefully lags behind a number of nations in terms of per capita testing. And let’s be real, this isn’t about being “number 1” compared to other nations. The only thing that really matters is conducting enough tests to meet America’s needs. And on that front, we are still far, far behind where we need to be.
“We should also aggregate the results so we can quickly identify potential volunteers for clinical trials and know with confidence when it’s time to return to normal,” Gates writes. “There are good examples to follow: New York state recently expanded its capacity to up to more than 20,000 tests per day. There’s also been some progress on more efficient testing methods, such as the self-swab developed by the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, which allows patients to take a sample themselves without possibly exposing a health worker. I hope this and other innovations in testing are scaled up across the country soon.”
Gates also took aim at how available testing has so far greatly favored the rich and famous. Entire NBA teams are tested, using up a significant portion of a state’s available resources. It’s not just because these people have money and are paying private clinics. They are being prioritized because of economic and political privilege, denying access to those who need it most. As Gates writes:
“First on the list should be people in essential roles such as health-care workers and first responders, followed by highly symptomatic people who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill and those who are likely to have been exposed.”
No, a vaccine won’t happen overnight. And it’s not likely to happen before the end of the year. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be a national priority get develop one as soon as possible. Each day we save by accelerating the development and deployment of a vaccine will literally save lives and reduce the time it takes for America to get back to business. After all, a vaccine will not only provide physical support but would be a massive psychological boost to Americans and people around the world living under the cloud of this disease.
“We should stick with the process that works: Run rapid trials involving various candidates and inform the public when the results are in. Once we have a safe and effective treatment, we’ll need to ensure that the first doses go to the people who need them most,” Gates writes. “To bring the disease to an end, we’ll need a safe and effective vaccine. If we do everything right, we could have one in less than 18 months — about the fastest a vaccine has ever been developed.”
Taken together, Gates’ recommendations are simple, straightforward and absolutely essential. We’re living through an era where basic competence is the new cutting edge. And we’re in desperate need of that, with a healthy side serving of common sense. Bill Gates has wowed us many times over the years with his incredible innovations. Today, he’s reminding us that taking care of the basics and giving them the seriousness they deserve can and will make all the difference.
The last half of March was not great for any of us. Myself included. I had the misfortune to accidentally answer my editor’s request that I write an explainer about “what to expect if you get the coronavirus” by, well, getting the coronavirus. And though I knew that the actual effects of COVID-19 vary wildly — from asymptomatic to mild cold-like symptoms to severe flu to possible pneumonia and death — that didn’t exactly make it less scary. Especially when the illness really took hold.
A few weeks down the line, there are still a lot of unknowns. I’m under house arrest by doctor’s orders for at least another two weeks so that I don’t a) spread the virus, and b) don’t get it again (which we’re learning might be a possibility) or get something else, considering that my immune system has basically been wrecked by all this. Still, with numbers climbing dramatically in the U.S., it seemed like the right time for me to reflect on my experience with COVID-19, up to this point.
Before we dive in, some context. Before I got sick, I was running outdoor 10Ks every day. I was fasting for 18 hours per day. I was only drinking alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays. I don’t smoke (or vape). My diet was basically proteins and greens for lunch and dinner with an orange and a banana as a post-run snack. I was also taking a multi-vitamin every day since late-January (I usually don’t take vitamins). I hadn’t traveled since early January. For the most part, I was healthy — albeit a little overweight. I occasionally suffer from allergy-onset asthma but it’s super rare. Otherwise, I have no underlying health conditions. Generally, I go years without getting the flu or even a cold.
Secondly, I live in Germany. Germany has a good healthcare system that’s trying to stay afloat with the virus tearing across the country. I was not allowed to go to my doctor or a hospital during this ordeal unless my breathing nearly stopped or my fever peaked dramatically. Basically, the Germans are containing the virus by keeping ill people off the streets and out of the hospitals at all costs, unless it’s an actual health emergency. My doctor checked in on me daily during this time and gave me an over-the-phone diagnosis and treatments.
Lastly, I just want to reiterate that COVID-19 symptoms vary wildly. This is what I went through as a fairly healthy 40-year-old.
Yeah, so as I mentioned, I used to run a 10K every day. That became my first red flag. Some days it’s hard to get after it, but once you’re out there it’s all good. On March 16th, I was just tired all morning. I remember putting on my running shoes and thinking, “Hum, this shouldn’t be wearing me out.” I foolishly went for my run anyway.
I barely made it through. Generally, I can run a 10K in around an hour plus five to eight minutes. It took me ten more minutes that Monday. By the time I got home and showered, I had a tickle in the back of my throat and a slight headache.
My muscles ached very differently than every other day. Usually, the ache after a run is more like a rubber band that’s been stretched but is working its way back to its natural shape. The pain fades out fairly quickly. This was different. My legs and hips hurt from deep within. It was more of dull throb.
I got through the rest of the day and went to bed around my normal time (11 pm-ish). The next morning, I woke up thanks to a cough that seemed like it was deep in my lungs. It was dry and hacking. My head was heavy and pounding. My ears felt clogged — in the sense that I heard the ocean instead of regular noises. My deep muscle pain had deepened further still. It was a bone-ache now. Luckily, I didn’t have a fever.
I called my doctor and she isolated me in my bedroom. She had me do a few breathing tests and check my temperature, then she quizzed me about my symptoms. From there, she told me to monitor my breathing and take my temperature every two hours. She asked that I please not come to the office or the hospital unless my breathing became severely labored or my temperature rose dramatically.
That was it. I was ordered to ride it out at home.
The First Week
Kamil S, Unsplash
Looking back, the first week was hell but, weirdly, not as bad as the second — though the overall symptoms were more severe. Let me explain: I was full, knocked out sick the first week. I’d wake up in the mornings fairly lucid and get some stuff done. By noon-ish, I’d be out of it. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The coughing would increase until it was nearly constant. I would get very short of breath and need an inhaler. My headaches entered “splitting” territory. My body felt like it was melting. I was so out of it, I couldn’t even watch TV. I’d just pass out until the coughing woke me up for a short spell and then pass out again.
On Wednesday, I had a slight fever but nothing too severe. It peaked at 100F. I never had a fever again. I did have pretty harsh breathing issues every night. Some nights they were severe enough to keep me awake but I never felt like they were severe enough to call an ambulance. Basically, my inhaler was in my hand as I slept, instead of sitting on my nightstand.
Thursday was more of the same but then diarrhea started. I kind of attribute that to my change in physical activity and diet. I was mainlining ramen spiked with chilis, gochujang, sambal olek, and ginger. I was drinking YETIs full of green tea, fresh ginger, and honey. Every time I woke up, I made sure to drink a glass of water. I was only really having one meal a day as I was not getting out of bed for a meal in the evening — I was too exhausted and in too much pain by that point.
By Friday, the symptoms ebbed a little. I was feeling like I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. I still had a severe cough and headache but my muscle aches had subsided.
On Saturday, I was feeling better still. The headache was half of what it had been the day before but the cough remained. I could think straight again and hold an actual conversation.
Then everything shifted.
The Second Week
Rex Pickar, Unsplash
By Monday, I was coughing so much that capillaries in my lungs were starting to burst. My snot was speckled with deep red blood. I was coughing up thick and almost hard chunks of phlegm with speckles of blood in them. On top of that, my body started to ache in more pinpointed ways. My neck was almost stone — to the point that I had to turn my whole body to look around. My lower back was also a mess. I couldn’t even lie down. The kicker was that I completely lost my voice.
At this point, the doctor ran some more lung tests on me over the phone and started checking in multiple times daily. The main concern was this: My lungs were shredded, my immune system was likely obliterated from fighting through the previous week, and now I was in real danger of getting pneumonia — a big reason that people are dying from this virus. My doctor also attributed the pinpointed muscle pain in my back and neck to not running anymore and being bedridden for a week. My doctor decided to put me on a very high dose of azithromycin for three days to stave off pneumonia. The drug is also being looked at as possible defense against COVID-19.
I was now experiencing pain in my chest/lungs, but my breathing, while not ideal, wasn’t terrible. The headaches would come back as I got more tired. I would have hard coughing fits when I woke up and when I’d get tired again. Like, full-on, ten-minute long coughing sessions that’d usually end with a little blood.
I carried on with my diet of ramen, spicy soup, and ginger and green tea. I drank as much water as I could. My soup consistently got spicier throughout the week as my sense of taste and smell basically disappeared. By Thursday, I was putting a full tablespoon of each gochujang and sambal olek along with an entire red chili into my soups, plus a full thumb of diced ginger, and still not thinking there was enough spice. I added some Ben and Jerry’s into the mix to soothe my throat from all the coughing.
I also started taking 400mg of Aspirin cut with vitamin C every four to six hours. I just couldn’t deal with the constant pain anymore. I was starting to get mentally frustrated. Aspirin at least took the edge off and let me sleep until coughing woke me back up.
This basically carried on until Friday morning.
Recovery
Dominik Martin, Unsplash
Last Friday morning, March 27th, was basically the first morning since March 17th that I didn’t wake up to a coughing fit. My cough was gone. My headache was basically nil. My back and neck were still stiff but getting better. I wasn’t tired by 9 am. My voice was still shot but it was improving.
By Saturday, my voice had finally returned along with a sense of smell and taste. My body aches had almost gone entirely save for my lower back and neck.
But it’s not over. Things have changed.
One, my lungs are obviously damaged. I’m out of breath at least six times a day. I’m not allowed out of the house under any circumstances. So, I’m trying to do a little exercise, but my lungs can’t support it yet. I can get about ten push-ups out in one set before my lungs say, “stop, asshole!” and I need a hit off an inhaler.
My tastebuds and nose have changed. Cilantro — which I love and use constantly — tastes like soap right now. Red meat and especially venison (I eat a lot of wild game) taste far more metallic. I’ve been eating high-probiotic cheeses to rebuild my gut biome, and the ones with the most mold (brie, gorgonzola, etc.) cause my mouth to numb and my lips to tingle. The laundry detergent we use suddenly has an unbearable smell, to the point where I have to go on the balcony for fresh air to avoid it. I’m craving sweets and chocolate desperately right now. I also need way more salt on food at the moment. If it’s a salty snack, I could kill it. I had to stop myself from eating a whole bag of chips just yesterday. I don’t know. I am hoping all of these things are just my body readjusting post-illness. We’ll see, I guess.
The hardest part now is not knowing. Can I get it again? I don’t know. Am I safe from getting a secondary virus or disease? I don’t know. How long will these changes in my body, palate, and senses last? I don’t know.
Then there’s the psychological aspect. As I started fully recovering in earnest, my social media feeds started filling up with death notices directly related to COVID-19. I know I’m lucky but that sense of luck and elation at having recovered comes with a real sense of survivor’s guilt.
As for where I got it, well, there are two options there. One, both of my sons go to a school that had two teachers get the virus in early March. It’s very possible they carried it home to me (though they have shown zero symptoms). Two, I was the one going out to grocery stores and stocking up since February. It’s very possible I got it at a grocery store. It wasn’t until very recently that strict protections arrived regarding gloves, masks, and social distancing. In fact, most of that arrived in Berlin the day I actually got sick.
And… that just about covers it. With so much news out there, I think one thing that kind of gets lost is what this virus does to you if you do get it. Even if you have a mild case, like I did. It’s far more miserable than any flu I can remember.
Of course, there’s no real advice to be found here. Nothing you can do better or worse once you have the virus. Oh, except the advice we all know but our natural human impatience might be leading us to double back on at this point in the quarantine: Stay home as much as possible.
With a confirmed case count that grows distressingly higher by the day, the coronavirus pandemic will dictate our lives for months to come. There’s a reason movies that were supposed to come out in June have already been pushed back months, if not until 2021. But San Diego Comic-Con organizers remain optimistic (possibly irresponsibly so, in the same way that it took Disneyland too long to close) that pop culture fanatics will descend upon the San Diego Convention Center from July 23-26.
“To our amazing Comic-Con and WonderCon fans: We understand how difficult the current climate has been for all of us and appreciate your continued support through these trying times. No one is as hopeful as we are that we will be able to celebrate #SDCC2020 together come July,” the official SDCC account tweeted. “As we continue to monitor the situation with local authorities, we will post updates on our social channels! Until then, remember: ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.’ — Christopher Reeve.”
To our amazing Comic-Con and WonderCon fans: We understand how difficult the current climate has been for all of us and appreciate your continued support through these trying times. No one is as hopeful as we are that we will be able to celebrate #SDCC2020 together come July. 1/2
As we continue to monitor the situation with local authorities, we will post updates on our social channels! Until then, remember: “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve 2/2
San Diego Comic-Con was attended by 135,000 people in 2019. I’ve been to Hall H. It’s already a cramped nightmare before worrying about the deadly virus. As fun as the full-cast panels can be, the smart (and potentially life-saving) option would be to push SDCC to later in the year. Who knows? Maybe by then, The New Mutantswill be out.
Back in March, Swedish trio Peter Bjorn And John celebrated two decades of being a band with their ninth studio album, Endless Dream. It’s a record that’s billed as a return to form for the veteran band, a result of the trio getting together in the same room for the first time in several years to flesh out the songs together, instead of via digital channels.
Endless Dream is comprised of ten uplifting, danceable indie-pop tracks with infectious melodies that remind us what made Peter Bjorn And John such a great band in the first place. To celebrate the new album, John Eriksson sat down to talk Frank Zappa, Mission Impossible, and a Swedish Elvis impersonator in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Sprawling. Spectral. Twisted. Indie.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
Like Mona Lisa’s smile.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Definitely not Manchester!!!
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
I asked the other two guys and Peter said: Macca (a.k.a. Paul McCartney from The Beatles) and Bjorn said Elvis Costello. That made me think. In the beginning, back in 2000 when the band was formed, Peter and Bjorn went on and on about Elvis Costello. It was all: “Costello said this” and “Costello would have done this” and they played me Costello-records all the time and I hated it. Or, it was not really hate, but I could not understand what was so fantastic about Costello’s music. My hidden agenda during the first five years was actually to faze out all the Costello-ness from our music. I fought for fever chords, dumber lyrics, and more pauses. I wanted us to sound more like the early Beatles, or, even better: Pavement!!!
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Outside.
What album do you know every word to?
Unfortunately a lot of old Frank Zappa albums… I was into his music when I was a kid and as a Swedish little boy, I did not really understand how terrible his lyrics were.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Monks Casino with Alexander von Schlippenbach and his brilliant super-group at the Fashing Jazz Club in Stockholm. Totally unpredictable concert.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
You should always go on stage wearing a jacket, because you should always try to be better dressed than the audience. If that is impossible, you should wear more clothes than the audience.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Hmm… I prefer following random people in the street, but, if Aki Kaurismäki (the Finnish movie maker) would be on Instagram or Twitter, I would follow him like a shadow. The tone in some of his movies are almost transcendental and the way he combines heart-breaking tragedy with quirky comedy is exactly the feeling I aim for when making music. The best films are Drifting Clouds, Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana, and Lights In The Dusk.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
“In Kommer Gösta” by Philemon Arthur and the Dung. That song creates such a wonderful vibe.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
The English translation of the Swedish word “skrubbsår” (grazed knee).
What album makes for the perfect gift?
I’m sorry, but I’ll have to say, definitely our new album Endless Dream on vinyl. You’ll get 10 fizzy songs and a board game. Beat that if you can, Robyn!
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
In a tour bus.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
Peter hasn’t got one, neither does Bjorn. I was really close, though. It was supposed to be a giant, scary snake on my right arm and the tattoo-event was supposed to happen on a day off in some random, American small town in the middle of nowhere. But no matter how much I drank, I never dared to do it. Today, I am so grateful I didn’t.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Eilert Pilarm. A Swedish Elvis impersonator. He is much better than the original and I mean that.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
My seven-year-old son comforted me the other day when I sucked at Mario Kart.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Maybe something like this: – Hello John. It is me, John. Do not try to think about this, but I come from the future. Eh…I was going to tell you that you shouldn’t change anything, but now that you have had this strange encounter, I guess you will end up in a mental institution….well…my advice to you is to forget about this…I’m off.
What’s the last show you went to?
I went to a comedy show with a Swedish comedian who pretends he is a Danish psychic medium.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Mission Impossible 4. Love it!
What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?
Something with ginger. When we played together with Kanye on a Swedish festival back in 2007, his dressing room was filled with ginger, so I guess he eats that.
The sports world is on hold right now aside from a few exceptions, mostly involving the expansion of eSports into the mainstream sports landscape. With many states invoking shelter-in-place policies and some cities extending cancellations of public events well into May and even June, the return of live sports as we are accustomed to likely won’t happen anytime soon.
The various sports leagues are exploring all of their various options, with the NBA looking into the possibility of a quarantine league with every team in a centralized location. In the world of golf, they’ve cancelled or postponed a number of events, with majors like the Masters hopeful to be played later this fall. In the meantime, two of the sports titans, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, are working out a way to put on a rematch of their one-on-one match play contest from 2018 that Phil won on the 22nd hole in Las Vegas.
Hearing Tiger v Phil II might indeed be happening as a PPV event but that the caveat is that each will have a partner. Two names being mentioned? Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
NFL icons Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will join superstars Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in a golf match organized by AT&T’s WarnerMedia and the PGA Tour, a person familiar with the negotiations confirmed to CNBC.
The match pitting Mickelson-Brady against Woods-Manning would be a rare sporting event in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has spurred game cancellations and suspensions across professional sports.
Young indicates the match would benefit charity and provide relief in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the match would not be on PPV but would be broadcast on TNT or one of WarnerMedia’s other TV properties — the first edition was on PPV via B/R Live. The match would not have fans present and those broadcasting the match would participate in appropriate social distancing, with Charles Barkley possibly involved on commentary from a remote location.
The biggest current holdup on an announcement of the event is PGA Tour approval, as ESPN’s Bob Harig notes they have to get the blessing of the Tour to move forward on any such event and, as of now, that has not come through. The Tour did confirm discussions are and have been ongoing, but as of now nothing is official. Where they can do it — given that we do not know where the coronavirus outbreak will be peaking and falling in May at this time — and other logistics also must be figured out, but it seems there’s some determination to make this happen and bring in a pair of legendary quarterbacks to spice things up further, this time to benefit charity.
It’s been nearly 24 years since the death of iconic West Coast rapper Tupac. While his memory lives on through his music, and several conspiracy theories surrounding his death, memorabilia belonging to the late rapper can often be found floating around the internet. Those who wish to purchase an item formerly owned by the rapper are in for good news: two bandanas and other memorabilia from the rapper are being sold in an online auction.
Thirteen items belonging to Tupac are being auctioned off by Gotta Have Rock and Roll. One red and one blue bandana are being sold starting at $1,000. Other articles for up for auction include one of his diamond nose studs, a handwritten letter to his girlfriend from prison in 1995, a signed and inscribed polaroid, an original press release from Death Row Records, a hotel bill, two handwritten lyric pages, and much more.
Ahead of the auction, another item formerly belonging to the iconic rapper was sold for a record-breaking amount. Tupac’s old prison ID card sold for a hefty $30,000 to an unidentified collector who wishes to remain anonymous. Garry Shrum, Director of Music Memorabilia at Heritage Auctions explained the reason for the large price tag: “Tupac and his music are just as relevant today as they were more than 20 years ago. Fans haven’t forgotten his impact on hip-hop. They will go to any lengths to own a piece of Shakur’s life and times.”
Find more information on Tupac’s items being sold here.
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