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March 23, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – A year ago, in March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.  All of our lives changed as a result of COVID-19, which has killed over a half million Americans, caused shutdowns of schools and businesses, and forced residents to quarantine at home.
We asked our readers and followers on social media to reflect on what they learned from these historic times. What was the hardest part of the past year?  Were there any silver linings? What changes in your life do you think will be permanent?
“The hardest part was not being able to see my family, especially my grandchildren who live in another state,” says Patti La Bouff in Santee. “But the absolute worst part was watching half a million Americans die while a sizeable minority thought this was an acceptable trade-off because wearing a mask was inconvenient.”
As for lessons learned, La Bouff says,“I learned to buy good quality comfort clothing. I will continue to wear a mask in public for my personal health. I learned it’s ok to use delivery services for everything and to tip drivers well. I learned that some people think their opinion becomes a fact because they believe it. I learned that `essential’ workers saved us, yet they are underpaid and disrespected.”
Julian resident Ted Berryman wrote poignantly of loss. “Many of us lost a loved one during this time, many being left alone in a house that was once a home of two. Dining with the figure of oblivion would not be hyperbole, but emotional reality. The sight of a comforting stranger would from time to time have been a relief. He adds, “And how many of us? Millions.”
Altogether, however,” he reflects we have become “a healthier nation, more grounded in reality.”
Many learned new skills in their time at home. Others took refuge outdoors, or online.
Patty Mooney in San Diego reflects, “Since we had time to ride (no work to be had), we rode a couple of times a week and have become better mountain bikers.”
Raul Sandelin founded an “El Cajon-La Mesa Writers Group” on the  Nextdoor online forum.
Patrick Williams, an Alpine resident, observes, “I did conservation work, much of it outdoors, many days each month. Huge blessing.”  On the anniversary of the pandemic, he reflects, “Getting near the `end of the pandemic’ seems to unbottle stuff that was contained for self-preservation.”
“I learned how to grow vegetables in the garden and vastly expanded my skills in the kitchen,” says San Diegan Tim Felten.
Former La Mesa Councilmember Kristine Alessio found both good and bad during a year spent largely in isolation.  “I learned that people are really nasty to each other when forced into online life vs. real life. Saying things that are simply mean, threatening to expose their neighbors, maybe even family members or friends for any violations of quarantine related rules. It’s really brought out a lot of nutballs in the online world.”
But the silver lining for Alessio has been honing her culinary skills.  “I invested in really nice cookware and bakeware early on and have rediscovered that yes, I can still cook and do it well. It’s spoiled me, though;  I rarely eat something out that is better than I can make at home. I am still going out to support local restaurants, who took the brunt of the quarantine, but cooking at home 90% of the time is here to stay. I look forward to the day when this is over and I plan to host a big party and cook!”
Lemon Grove Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza reflects on the social impacts. “The hardest part was not having personal connections with family and friends. No parties to hold or go to. Scaled down holidays. Virtual club and business meetings only. No art museum, symphony or theater volunteer work. I really look forward to getting back to all of that in person.”
As for lessons learned, she says, “We need to stop being huggers and shaking hands with everyone. This is the first year I didn’t get the flu. From now on, I am only hugging family and close friends.”  Mendoza adds, “I picked up some good habits, which I hope to continue. Walking more and journaling.
Claudia Millerbragg of Lake Morena says, “The hardest part was not being able to get together with family and friends. Also listening to people call it a `hoax, a scam.’ “ She voices concern over “The division in our country over it. Being at a grocery store and watching a woman scream her rights were being taken away from her when she was asked to put on a mask.” Millerbragg also cited trouble getting veterinary appointments and having to wait outside while her pet was treated, as well as “no more free samples at Barron’s” market as additional negatives during the pandemic.
But she notes, “A positive effect of it was learning to be patient and letting go of fear. Reading up on the virus and learning about herbs that boosted my immunity.”
Bruce Seaman in San Diego posted this terse summation of 2020. “It’s a year I’d rather forget! The only good thing to happen was the election of Biden.”
Henri LeBlanc, a Spring Valley resident, writes, “I didn’t realize how much of an introvert I really was at heart.” But he adds, “My 19-year-old daughter and I have really taken advantage of this time together and spent a lot of time reading together and talking. Really blessed time.”
He hopes that some employers will require workers to keep wearing masks after the pandemic is over, including cooks and food servers. “Hard to believe we ever let them breathe, sneeze, cough, sniffle all over our food before,” he writes. “Having a background in public health and having worked in Asia after the SARS epidemic about 15 years ago, when they were all wearing masks LONG before we were, I told my children that I’ll probably keep my mask with me forever.”
Elizabeth Groff in San Diego wrote, “I learned that people think they know more than scientists at the CDC...The cult of ignorance is scary.”
Roger Coppock in San DIego offered an apocalyptic prediction. “Yes, I see a `silver lining’ in the COVID-19 pandemic.  In the past year, we have all practiced for the coming climate change catastrophe, an ongoing disaster that will last decades and centuries, not just years. During the pandemic, we ran short of toilet paper. We all laughed about that.” But he adds, “Climate change will cause food shortages…Food crops will not grow in the new high temperature climate. There will be no vaccines or other quick fixes to make climate change go away, though snake oil salesmen will offer some.”
For San Diegan Deborah Gostin, the hardest part has been “not seeing people, not being able to go to movies, restaurants, etc. Not socializing in person, not hugging, not participating in group activities.” Another negative has been working a part-time job “where I’ve been considered an essential employee yet exposed to non-mask wearers or ill-fitting ask wearers, customers and employees alike, and some who’ve tested positive for COVID. I feel I’m at a high risk whenever I go to work.”
But she adds that the worst aspect of the pandemic has been “watching the number of people who’ve vanished or become gravely ill, and not being able to help, other than doing my best not to help spread any germs (double masking or wearing a face shield over my mask(s).) And knowing the toll it’s taking on the nurses and doctors makes me want to hug them all.”
Gostin says she’s also spent “a full year watching more news than normal while life-altering events have transpired, experiencing the pros and cons of living through a pandemic and feeling like I’ve aged 5-10 years in a single year.” For the future, she hopes to try and be “less reactionary to the negatives that have brought me down this past year, and begin again to appreciate more of what I do have and what I do love.”
In the past week, she’s begun getting out again to enjoy her photography hobby and is excited to now be eligible for the vaccine. She concludes, “So the future is looking up.”
Miriam Raftery, editor and founder of East County Magazine, has over 35 years of journalism experience. She has won more than 350 journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club, and the American Society of Journalists & Authors. Her honors include the Sol Price Award for responsible journalism and three James Julian awards for public interest reporting from SPJ’s San Diego chapter. She has received top honors for investigative journalism, multicultural reporting, coverage of immigrant and refugee issues, politics, breaking news and more. Thousands of her articles have appeared in national and regional publications.
East County Magazine gratefully acknowledges the Facebook Journalism Project for its COVID-19 Relief Fund grant to support our local news reporting including impacts on vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more: #FacebookJournalismProject and https://www.facebook.com/fbjournalismproject/.
You can donate to support our local journalism efforts during the pandemic at https://www.EastCountyMedia.org/donate.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
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Submitted by Dr. Joel A. Harrison on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 13:36
You brought up statistics comparing Florida vs California on COVID deaths and economic comparisons, so I posted a number of papers on each, even a paper that was critical of economic claims regarding both states, so, what did you do, call me arrogant. I guess anyone is arrogant who actually tries to delve into an issue rather than just ranting and cherry-picking. And you attack my "marital status" as if it has anything to do with the validity of what I write. I also did search on some of the papers/authors you referred to and found them to have little credibility. In any case, though it was a waste of time, I have NO problem discussing my family life. However, typical of someone like you who is incapable of formulating a position, or entering into a civil dialogue, who even doesn't understand "critical thinking". Yep, you call them as you see them, well, delustional mental patients also call them as they see them, no depth, no reality testing.
However, since you want Gene to discuss his personal life and give his real name, why don't you do the same. Of course, not because you are a dishonest hypocrite. Sometimes I think you are just a miserable failed person who posts idiotic positions just to irritate others, your only form of entertainmnent.
In any case, when i respond to you, it actually isn't to you; but using you as an example of too many Americans who defend or take positions without any real thought and, hopefully, others monitoring East County Magazine who read what you write and what I write will learn something.
And, I believe you questioned why Miriam posts my Reader's OpEds. Maybe because they deal with various topics of interest, are well-written and well-referenced. Doesn't mean people have to agree with them; but the present well-developed positions. I doubt you even understand what I just wrote.
And addressing me as Dr Racist just confirms what a despicable excuse for a human being you are, basing it on me finding one bloggist, who I had never heard of and was unaware of his race, of being a racist. I guess in your mind if anyone criticizes a journalist or bloggist, clearly explaining their reason for the criticism, it doesn't matter, if the journalist or bloggist belongs to any minority, race, ethnic group, religion, then that makes them a racist. But, journalist or bloggist represent the range of public discourse, some just plain wrong; but others, both conservative and liberal making some valid and some less valid points. The world is quite complex and no one perspective takes in all aspects. Something else you don't understand.
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Submitted by Dr. Joel A. Harrison on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 07:31
Yes, I agree we are the result of our life-experiences, except what is meant by life-experiences? I've known Holocaust survivors who started new lives, loving, community-oriented, and known those who remained withdrawn and bitter. Given they were young children during the Holocaust, the same experience affected them differently. How does one categorize one person who questions, questions, questions, and another who defends, defends, defends?
As an example, during the 1950s I grew up with new narrative myth I loved, the American. Then came the Civil Rights Movement and I started to read up on racism, slavery, etc. Then how we treated Native Americans. Television and movies mainly depicted them as savages; but turns out, for instance, scalping was invented by White Americans. During Colonial Times, bounties were placed on Indian heads, so much for a man, less for a woman, and less for a child. In any case, carryting back heads was clumsy, so scalping. During the 50s we were taught couldn't trust communist because they never kept their word. Then I learned we have broken every treaty ever made with Native Americans. And on and on it goes. So, how does my life-experience differ from someone like 8East. I question and if the answers are painful, so be it; but he defends, regardless of overwhelming evidence. So, why do I question and he doesn't? I've had friends with young children who question everything. And they encourage it. I also have known families that children are taught to just trust their elders and obey. Life-experiences. And I fortunately had teachers who accepted questioning. I wrote an essay in high school, got an A; but teacher took me aside after class and said he didn't agree; but it was well-written. I know of other teachers who would have given me an F.
However, though often debatable, one has to believe in free will. I've known people who were abused as children, struggled, and became successful adults, never completely losing the trauma; but overcoming it and others that failed.
8East is someone who doesn't even attempt to formulate a reasoned argument, nor respond openly to counterarguments, he just defends whatever position he takes by repeating it. HIs attacks on my marital status just an example of his inability to respond to points being made. I could ask if he is alcoholic; but even an alcoholic can still respond to what someone writes and my marital status doesn't change whethere my arguments are valid or not.
So, what is life-experience? Why do some kids question to begin with? We all have genetic predispositions which life-experiences build on and modify. Oh well, I think I will end here.
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Submitted by genecarp on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 06:41
Thank you for sharing with us about yourself and your life experiences. It would be great if 8East could do something similar to help us better understand his life experiences that have helped mold him and help us all better understand where he is coming from. Do you agree, Dr. Harrison, that to a great extent, we are the sum total of our life experiences?
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Submitted by 8East on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 12:51
Hey stranger, long time no talk! You must have finally recovered from the "Russian Collusion" disappointment? Anyhow, appreciate you interjecting yourself here into the conversation, and knowing the standup guy you are, I'm sure you're anxious to share your life story and personal experiences with all of us! I can't wait to hear your story, please start with your real name and go from there. Looking forward to it!
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@ 8East Despicable Anti-Semite
Submitted by Dr. Joel A. Harrison on Sat, 03/27/2021 - 21:22
You keep calling me a racist because I criticized one blogger who I had never heard about and knew nothing about. So, I dislike Marc Thiessen and Hugh Hewitt, two opinion writers for Washington Post who strongly support Trump, both Jews, so I must be an antisemite, except I am Jewish and even lived in Israel for six months; but I now understand why you attack me, not because of what I write because I doubt you read it all; but because I am Jewish and your are a despicable Jew hater. Now it all makes sense.
So nice you dare not use your real name. As for "you call them as you see them", yep, you think cops should be judge, jury, and executioners, at least with regards to black people and then call me a racist when I'm the one who finds it terribly wrong to kill anyone who is not actively armed and attacking. As for Natalie White, I can see how you identify with her, two people incapable of critical thinking, two people who don't bother actually carefully reading and thinking about what others write and two people totally ignorant of virology, infectious diseases, epidemiology; but think you know what you are talking about. At least Natalie uses her real name; but like you when I linked to papers, she didn't read them, when I with logic and science refuted what she wrote, she ignored.
As for marrying. I had several offers, one by an MD, others by professional women; but they smoked and promised if I married them they would quit. No way. They had to want to quit on their own. When we were together they didn't smoke and chewed on mints. But also I lived in five different countries and traveled a lot around the world, so not really interested in being tied down. However, I did live with a great woman for two years in Gothenburg, Sweden and intended to spend my life there with her; but then my grandfather was butchered by for-profit medicine (their regular surgeon was unavailable and they used a surgeon who had already lost privileges at two other hospitals) and I knew I had to return to U.S. for my parents and grandmother, to a nation I disliked, a brutal nation with people like you who have contempt for human life and dignity, 4% of world's population and 25% of prisoners, a credible estimate that 100,000 completely innocent; but a criminal justice system that does everything to not admit mistakes so innocence projects often take 10, 15 years of intense effort to free just one. And a nation that has killed since WWII over 20 million people in Third World nations who were NEVER a threat to us; but lived in nations with raw resources, e.g., oil or minerals desired by American companies or benefited our weapons industry. So, I ended it with girlfriend in Sweden. She came to states several times trying to persuade me to get back together. My parents and grandmother loved her; but living in a nation I didn't want to live in, I would NOT have been good company and coming from Europe she didn't understand just how dangerous it is. One night at 11 pm she started to go outside for a walk. My mother blocked the door. In Sweden when I lived there a woman could walk across town at 2 in the morning safely. In any case, I will be calling her on her birthday next month. She now lives in Canada. We are still friends. In fact, I'm still friends with most of women I dated. So, one of the reasons I loved Sweden was a quality health care system designed for people, not for profits, and returned to the U.S. for one of the reasons I dislike this nation, a health care system financed by taxpayers, then turned over to for-profit companies, rated in almost all measures low, e.g., infant mortality, chronic disease care, life-expectancy, and the most expensive in world, only nation with bankruptcies because of health care. And I left the workforce to take care of my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was very important to me. And now as I near the end of my life it is too late to return to Sweden. Because I traveled a lot I have limited funds but own my home outright and have left it to Doctors Without Borders. The least I can do to help people in the Third World who have been victimized by this nation. I have NOW outlived all of my childhood friends from San Diego. Never smoking, never drinking, never using any drug except caffeine, being a vegetarian starting late teens, resulted in outliving almost everyone. A few left in Sweden who I keep in touch with by e-mail; but even most of my Swedish friends our gone now. All of my Canadian friends of over 50 years gone as well. Old age sucks and seeing the polarization of the U.S. and people like you and Natalie White just makes leaving this world evermore attractive. I am currently editing next edition of undergraduate microbiology book for a colleague and donating plasma every four weeks, basically all that gives my life meaning.
And you keep attacking me without really knowing much about me, except that I do my homework, I study issues in depth and, yet, you tell nothing about yourself.
I realize you are incapable of actually studying any issue; but all the same, the following is a list of papers, etc. that overwhelmingly show U.S. not the moral leader of the world; but a nation guilty of horrendous war crimes and crimes against humanity.
U.S. Military - Our Government Lies Used for Defense when, in reality, used to further Corporate Interests
William Blum (2003). Killing Hope: US Military & CIA Interventions since World War II. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/13/130AEF1531746AAD6AC03... [also for purchase on amazon.com
Major General Smedley Butler   War Is A Racket. Available at: https://ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.pdf  [Butler is the most decorated marine in American history]
Mason Gaffney (March 2018). Corporate Power and Expansive U.S. Military Policy. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 77, No. 2. Pages 331 - 417. Available at: https://www.globalresearch.ca/corporate-power-and-expansive-u-s-military...
Stephen Kinzer (2017). The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire. Henry Holt. Available amazon.com. Also available San Diego Public Library
Stephen C. Schlesinger (1983). Bitter Fruit: The Untold Story of the American Coup in Guatemala. Inexpensive copies available on Amazon.com  Also available San Diego Public Library
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@ 8East Dum and Dummer
Submitted by Dr. Joel A. Harrison on Sat, 03/27/2021 - 17:59
I guess you didn't notice that the 60 Minutes interview with Dr Fauci was Monday, May 11, 2020. So, yep, in the early part of the pandemic what actions were best was still developing; but at the same time other nations, e.g., South Korea, Taiwan, and New Zealand were reporting low rates of hospitalizations and death based on their physical distancing, face masks, etc. And extensive research since that interview has confirmed that face masks do reduce transmission of COVID virus.
Did you even try to read the article I linked to??? I doubt it.
You just get stupider and stupider, citing old info. If you ever get sick I suggest you ask your Dr to bleed you, give you emetics and purgatives, etc. Why resort to modern medicine when there exist tried and true "remedies."
And you keep proving what a despicable excuse for a human being your are by referrring to me as Dr Racist. Projecting your own racism on others. As in previous exchanges, you cite websites without even trying to find other information that may contradict them. Anything that disagrees with you is "liberal" in your sick warped mind.
So, keep on making a fool of yourself, citing old info, citing websites, accusing others of racism. You are truly one sick individual.
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I call 'em like I see 'em, Doc! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Submitted by 8East on Sat, 03/27/2021 - 19:21
And not only have you shown yourself to be a racist, you're also well known as a misogynist! I bet you've never been married, am I right? No woman could put up with an ego that big and the Napoleonic name calling that inevitably ensues in every dialogue you have. Your name litters the Internet with countless arguments where you instantly start the name calling with anyone who dare disagrees with you! Here's a great example, Joel A. Harrison VS. Natalie White Look how you berated this poor woman and mistreated her in these comments, what did she do to deserve being called a"DESPICABLE MORON" or, "Stupid" or "full of s..t ! ! !" these are the tactics of a little man, one like yourself, who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his way, or someone argues with him. The website above is only one example of many, and its always the same, you feel the need to make everyone aware of your education and life accomplishments, even though nobody ever asked! Overcompensation is a common problem for the narcissistic egomaniacs like yourself. I'm always amazed that ECM even allows you to write Op-Eds for the site, knowing your caustic behavior and verbally abusive tactics. Have a great night!
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@ 8East As Usual, Don't Know What You Are Talking About
Submitted by Dr. Joel A. Harrison on Sat, 03/27/2021 - 08:01
You write: "One only has to look at Florida to see the proof. The lock downs didn't save anybody, and neither did your two masks, face shield and rubber gloves, all you accomplished was putting a lot of hard working people of of work and increasing the national debt.”
There are several problems in comparing States:
1) Incomplete statistics (note this applies more to earlier statistics than current, Deaths fairly accurate, hospitalizations not quite as good; but number infected?)
2) Whether enforced or not. I'm sure you are aware that El Cajon mayor said he wouldn't enforce, several police chiefs and sheriffs said the same. Some churches ignored, Proud Boys, etc. demonstrated without masks and physical distancing, and using a State's average is misleading because some areas could have high rates and others low. But, of course, as usual you just jump at anything that confirms your ignorance and bias. Maybe some communities in Florida differed in responses to COVID, e.g., required masks, etc.
3) We don't know relative mask use in either Florida or California. Could be that many in  Florida decided to be cautious and wore masks, etc. And Florida, during Winter, has warmer weather, so more events, socializing, take place out-of-doors with less risk than indoors.
4) However, as opposed to you and others, I am more interested in getting at the truth, so, one possibility that accounts for higher deaths in Florida is they have a higher percentage of seniors than California; however, seniors aren’t the only ones vulnerable and California has a high number of people with pre-existing conditions. One article a while back in SD Union-Tribune said 60% of adults in San Diego had some condition making them more vulnerable to COVID.
So, let's look closer:
I'm sure one can find websites giving misleading data (please give complete reference to where you get you data, including URL). Aa of March 26, per 100,000, death rate for California 148, Florida 153 (Bean, 2021 Mar 26). Another article from LA TImes: "Out of 50 states, Florida’s and California’s cumulative COVID-19 death rates rank 25th and 29th, respectively, with Florida’s 11% higher . . .For every million residents of California, 1,385 Californians have died of COVID-19. But for every million residents of Florida, 1,538 Floridians have died of COVID-19" (Li, 2021 Mar 9).  And even earlier, a comparison of California and Florida on deaths and hospitalizations, Florida loses (Jacobson, 2020 Dec 2). And from a Florida newspaper: “Score one for the Sunshine State. But wait! Isn’t California much bigger than Florida? Indeed. California has nearly 40 million residents; Florida, about 22 million. Control for the difference and the picture changes. Florida has more cases per 100,000 residents. More deaths, too. What about just the last 90 days (ending Thursday)? California has recorded more cases, but fewer deaths than Florida. Adjust for population and California comes out better on both measures.”
And “California and Florida had comparable death rates during the spring wave.
The governors of both states issued stay-at-home orders. But when the summer surge hit, California again implemented business closures rules, shutting down indoor dining at restaurants and indoor gyms across wide swaths of the state. Florida did not. While California staved off its worst surge until the winter, Florida was hit especially hard in the summer compared to other states, and deaths skyrocketed. (Lin, 2021 Mar 9)
Note above the governors in both states issued stay at home orders and death rates during the period were the same!
How about the economy? “California’s unemployment level in December was 9.3%, while Florida’s was 5.1%. Florida economy — such as theme parks and tourism — have reopened even as California’s has faltered, given mandatory closures that were in place for many months. But California’s state budget outlook is surprisingly robust. While unemployment rose sharply through much of 2020, millions of middle-class and high-wage workers were able to keep their jobs and work from home.Tax collections also rose after a strong stock market boosted capital gains earned by the state’s wealthiest taxpayers. While California is forecasting a state budget windfall, Florida is grappling with a state budget shortfall.” (Lin, 2021 Mar 9).
And an article that finds claims for either state regarding economics misleading at best (Thompson, 2021 Mar 23). As opposed to you, I obtain and read articles that sometimes contradict my overall position.
How about masks? I realize that you have NO basic knowledge of epidemiology, immunology, virology, etc; but you do realize that surgeons have been wearing masks for ages or don’t you? Why do you think they do so? I have currently in a folder on my desktop 84 papers, mainly from peer-reviewed medical journals, e.g., actual comparisons between infection rates where masks used and not used and lab studies how masks prevent spread of both droplets and aerosols. You do know the difference??? However, I will refer to just one article on the blog Science-Based Medicine because it explains how masks work, summarizes the research (literally linking to it). Rather than cutting and pasting large sections, just go to: Steven Novella (2021 Jan 13). One More Time - Masks Work. Available at: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/one-more-time-masks-work/
Note that Steven Linder is an MD neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine.
So, continue to make a fool of yourself, making claims that, at best, you can support with a few cherry picked articles, without yourself having the ability or even trying to understand the basics and looking to see if, perhaps, other papers find different results.
One last point. Besides having studied and worked as epidemiologist, during current pandemic, starting in January, I have downloaded and either read carefully or skimmed over 1,000 papers on COVID-19 and even reviewed several virology texts I own on coronaviruses. What have you done? And I'm currently proof-reading and editing next edition of undergraduate microbiology book.
Bean M (2021 Mar 26). COVID-19 death rates by state: March 26. Becker's Hospital Review. Available at: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/us-coronavirus-death...
Louis Jacobson and Amy Sherman (2020 Dec 2). Is Florida doing better on COVID-19 than “locked down” states? PolitiFact. Available at: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/02/ron-desantis/florida-d...
Rong-Gong Lin II (2021 Mar 9). California and Florida took vastly different approaches to COVID-19. Here’s how it turned out. Los Angeles Times. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-09/covid-19-florida-cal...
Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board (2020 Dec 12). Is Florida better than California at containing the coronavirus? | Analysis: A comparison of COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations. Tampa Bay Times. Available at: https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2020/12/12/is-florida-better-than-calif...
Derek Thompson (2021 Mar 23). The Curious Case of Florida’s Pandemic Response: Liberals predicted that Florida would get destroyed by its laissez-faire approach to COVID-19. Conservatives said the state was the future of the economy. What if they were both wrong? The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/the-curious-case-of-fl...
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Submitted by 8East on Sat, 03/27/2021 - 16:15
You've been busy I see! You could have save yourself some time, numbnuts, if you'd bother to read my previous post Here which includes sources and URLs on the subjects. Here's another quick one for you of your own Dr. Fauci clearly stating masks don't do what people think they do. Fauci definitively says, “There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask.” If what he says is true, then what's the point? If untrue, how can we trust anything else he tells us? I would like to take a moment though and acknowledge the fact that you just wrote a couple paragraphs and never once used the word "soundbite"! So congrats, that's real progress. As for "what have I done" well, lots quite frankly, although very little I'd bother to share with you.
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Submitted by 8East on Wed, 03/24/2021 - 17:22
Pretty diverse group of opinions you selected here for reflections, sounds like the same person from the Liberal Hive wrote all of it. At least half of the East County residents you claim to represent would tell you that masks don't do squat and there's never been any scientific evidence to prove otherwise. They'd also mention that CA and it's Democratically controlled government absolutely blew it in relation to COVID. One only has to look at Florida to see the proof. The lock downs didn't save anybody, and neither did your two masks, face shield and rubber gloves, all you accomplished was putting a lot of hard working people of of work and increasing the national debt. But hey, we got rid of the guy with orange hair who said mean Tweets. Congrats.
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Note to all: please respect site rules for civil discourse.
Submitted by miriamg on Tue, 03/30/2021 - 17:59
Refrain form name-calling or lose your posting privileges. 8EAST, you have numerous posts here that are in violation and some others are also over the line.
I took a couple of days off due to a family emergency and did not catch these in time to delete or ask authors to rephrase before lots of replies were posted.  So I'm letting the comments so far stand, but will be deleting any further comments in this thread that break the rules of civil, respectful discourse and reserve the right to ban repeat offenders.
We can disagree without attacking people's character.
As for the claim that we only quoted liberals, it's false.  We even included a conservative elected official.  I posted on Facebook to ask followers in all parties to share their views on this, and posted every response received.  Doesn't get anymore fair-handed than that.
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Submitted by 8East on Tue, 03/30/2021 - 21:41
"8EAST.....and some others" - Thanks for helping to make my point, Miriam.
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Submitted by santeecitizen on Wed, 03/24/2021 - 18:46
your side lost by millions give it a rest you lost. take your racist crap elsewhere.
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Submitted by 8East on Wed, 03/24/2021 - 21:04
Do you even know what that word means? I mean ffs, it’s your only retort. Are you always this ignorant, or are you making a special effort today? Go have another Hot Pocket and get back to trolling Darrell Issa. By the way, you are aware that Darrell Issa is an Arab American, right? Yeah, didn’t think so.
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Submitted by santeecitizen on Sun, 03/28/2021 - 17:53
can be a arab american and still be a racist to others not like you. issa is a known criminal and should be in jail. you have proven you suck at trumps butt. it is ok we all know you are a racist and white privilege.