Reassurance For Those Afraid of Vaccines Based on Fears About Big Pharma ...

 

(*Edited - content added)

Now, first you need to know, if your fears about vaccines are based on Big Pharma, I get it - I don't automatically trust Big Pharma either.  I also don't automatically trust national-payer insurance companies.  Nor do I automatically trust politicians or government.

In fact, Mark and I waited and observed for a few months, when they first came out, to see what happened in the real world, just because what happens in clinical trials doesn't always happen in real life.

But it does appear to be working to curb the severity of the disease and transmission in areas where people are vaccinated - and here's what I do trust - the consensus of expert opinions, based on thoroughly reviewing the clinical trials.

I trust the majority opinion of expert clinicians in their fields, especially on independent advisory panels for new drugs - as a committee and consensus, mind you - NOT as individuals (who can be greedy, too, and may have their own motivations, such as shares in certain companies).

Plus I have just a tiny bit of extra insight into how our pharmaceutical system works ;)

I've mentioned what I do before, but for those who missed it, I transcribe interviews for an independent pharmaceutical marketing firm, between payers and clinicians, before new drugs launch, from various (and competing) Big Pharma manufacturers.

Not just for the U.S. - I transcribe international interviews as well, meaning government payers in Europe.

The interviews are "double-blind," meaning the person being interviewed is not identified to the pharmaceutical company, and the product and its manufacturer are not identified by name to the person being interviewed (although I will say, often they figure out what the drug is, and who the manufacturer is, because experts already know what's in the pipeline and have already read the clinical trials).

Let me tell you something - those clinician experts in their field - and the payers, who are clinicians and pharmacists themselves - know their sh*t.

They're very practiced at critically reviewing clinical trials - and if there's even the slightest weakness in trial design, efficacy, or safety, they're going to find it.

(That happened with Aduhelm for Alzheimer's disease - though the FDA approved it, virtually no one will pay for it or prescribe it.)

And think about this - especially the medical director or pharmacy director for insurance companies are going to ferret out and pounce on even the slightest flaw so they can leverage when it comes to price negotiation and rebates, believe me.

Though that doesn't apply to vaccines yet in America because the government is still paying for vaccines, though we have mostly private payers/insurance, remember healthcare in Europe is government funded in general  - and especially France and Germany would hop on even the smallest weakness to negotiate price - but they haven't.

Man, France and Germany don't play -  even laughing at manufacturers for trying to get things reimbursed based on BS.  

Because even though the EMA for the EU might even approve the drug, no country is required to adopt it and reimburse/pay for it - and those two countries in particular have exercised that right many times ;)

FYI, France and Germany especially don't like short trials and against placebo trials, especially if something is already on the market.  

They also don't like when a drug is a "me-too" drug that shows no additional benefit, trying to charge a premium price to the drug already on the market, instead of cheaper to lower the prices, as a free market is supposed to work, but nevertheless flies in America especially, due to varying contract rebates.

Also, one thing France and Germany will do that we don't is renegotiate the price after a year or two based on efficacy and safety and market uptake, regardless of when the actual contract ends - this is part of their agreement with the manufacturer - they can renegotiate the access and price at any time.

During these renegotiations, broader access may be granted - and though it's possible for a premium price to be given to a drug later for proven better efficacy and safety, that never happens, the price will go only down - because if a drug becomes a market leader, then they manufacturer is already benefiting from controlling the market share/more of their product is being prescribed/bought than before ;)

Commercial payers in the U.S. can do this only when their contract ends, in at least two years, sometimes as long as five years - based primarily on market share alone - and Medicare/Medicaid typically tends to renegotiate price more when a new product in the same class launches, or generics and biosimilars enter the market, rather than contract renewal time.

Regardless, I really wish we would do healthcare more like either France or Germany, but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon because of people's irrational fears about national healthcare being "socialism" (which is what the corporate fat-cats push so that they can continue to overcharge you for healthcare without sanction) :/

Anyway, though I did not transcribe any interviews for the vaccines (because they were government purchased), I have for some of the pending treatments - and let me tell you, if there's even the smallest weakness in any trial, they will hop on it - payers will tell them straight up that even if it's approved by the FDA, you're going to have to jump through 9 hoops to get it and the experts will tell you they won't prescribe it.

So no, I don't trust Big Pharma either, and I get it - but what I do trust is majority opinion of clinicians, pharmacists, and the Medical Directors/Pharmacy Directors for our insurance companies as a whole. 

Now ...

Of course, there are always a few outliers and stragglers who like to do things their own way, there are even a few quacks - or they have their own motivations for things (including being shareholders in certain pharmaceutical companies or they put their money/political motivations above their patients).  

Of course there's doctors who want the latest, shiniest new product.  

Of course there are payers - and especially the PBMs they use - who want big kickback rebates.

But the thing is, these three things together tend to balance each other out.

The insurance companies can get all the kickbacks they want, but if the doctors aren't prescribing it, well, too bad for them.

-AND - 

The doctors can want the latest, newest, shiniest thing, regardless of cost - but if it's in the same class and wants to charge a premium to the last one, too bad for them, too - they're not going to get it easily if it's the same efficacy and safety as the other ones, but too expensive.

So you see, I trust the checks-and-balances system  we have a whole to root out any problems with the drugs -  if not before launch, then typically within a year after.

*NOT when it comes to price, you understand -  just efficacy safety of a drug* ;)

Now, is the reviewing system perfect?

No - and I would add that I would trust France and Germany's pharmaceutical reviewers before ours lol.

But then again, no reviewing system is perfect and mistakes are made.

But if there was a problem, we'd hear about it by now, in the form of a large-scale, international, majority-consensus public outcry from our clinicians themselves, like we did with Aduhelm, only even bigger news - and yet we don't.

And the fact is, the majority opinion hasn't changed - in fact, there's greater respect for the vaccines, they have proven themselves even more efficacious than we thought in clinical trials - keeping in mind they never claimed to prevent infection, just lessen the severity and  spread of disease. 

Yes, there were a few more adverse events than in the clinical trials, but that always happens with new drugs in the real world - but frankly, not many more adverse events than expected based on the clinical trials - in fact,  adverse events have been pretty close to the same percentage found in the clinical trial, just in a larger population than in the clinical trial.

Yes, we also don't know the long-term effects, that's true - but that could happen with any drug we take - no drug is perfectly effective and/or perfectly safe.

Also, as I mentioned previously, there was some debate about Pfizer's booster's small Israel study at first, but when Moderna's study came out proving efficacy waned in all three vaccines and their larger study proved booster efficacy, that sealed the deal.

So what I'm saying is, you're right not to trust Big Pharma.  You're right not to trust insurance companies.  You're right not to trust politicians and government.  You're even right not to trust individual doctors who just want something fast and the latest, shiniest thing, despite it being no more efficacious/safe than the last thing, or they may hold shares in pharmaceutical companies ...

-- BUT -- 

 ... as a whole, these three groups together will balance each other out, in the end  as a majority consensus opinion.

And there would especially be a huge public outcry from clinicians themselves if there was huge a problem, regardless of the kickbacks to insurance companies - just like they did with Aduhelm - not just a few quack outliers.

Does that help? :)

Now -  if you're instead worried about the vaccines due to fear of nanochips or government monitoring or controlling your mind, then I can't help you - perhaps a psychiatrist can lol

Because you're giving medical science and technology too much credit - science simply isn't that advanced yet.

We don't even have actual cures for any virus (except hep C) based on genetic/mRNA technology yet -  not even the common cold.

We can't even make implanted insulin pumps that coordinate with implanted continuous blood-glucose monitors to accurately record blood sugar readings even close to 100% of the time for diabetics yet.

Heck, we can't even make wristband watches that monitor your heart rate and blood pressure as accurately as large, compressive upper armbands yet.

And yet you think anyone has the technology to alter your DNA to that degree, especially via a vaccine, or control and/or monitor what you think and do with a tiny nanochip?  lol.

Alrighty, good luck with that.  You have the right to believe that, but beliefs like that are  probably a lot more detrimental to your health than any vaccine ;)

(Prince) Andrew Stripped of All Royal Titles, Military Titles, and Charity Affiliations ...

 

Apparently, the business that is the royal family - with approval by the Queen herself - has approved stripping Andrew of all royal titles, including military titles - so that he can be tried as an ordinary citizen in the United States for sexual abuse/assault of a minor. 

Pay attention, those that say that current royal family covers up everything -  they're letting Andrew face the consequences without any royal or financial support on this one - he's on his own :)

They may still drag their feet on things and fail to address things directly  - and the business that is the royal family may use tricky, vague language - but they're not covering up this one, now, are they?  :)

Queen Elizabeth is not playing, clearly.

(Mummy's mad and mortified - and I don't blame her.)

Poor lady - I just hope she survives this latest round of heartache :(

Now - does anyone else find it odd that the only person that has been investigated and prosecuted in this Epstein sex-trafficking thing thus far has been a woman -  and the only man that Maxwell allegedly trafficked to that's being investigated/tried - is a British royal?  

Because you know dang well he wasn't the only one, and that wealthy, powerful, white American men were involved, too -  in fact, it was likely primarily rich, powerful, white American men involved.

Like Prince Andrew, Trump and Clinton were both friends with Epstein and frequently hung out with him/went to his parties - and both have been accused of sexual harassment and assault previously - so what's the problem with investigating them?

We're too afraid the white American men we've put in power, on both sides of the political spectrum, are actually power-abusing, creepy criminals?

Does this mean we care more about political power than we do crime?

It especially bothers me that Republicans  - who are supposed to be harder on crime than we are - turn the other way with millions of dollars in white-collar money crimes, and immediately cry "fake news" with sexual assault/rape/harassment situations -  when it's one of their own :/

We Democrats have totally been behind prosecuting Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Kevin Spacey, etc. -  and we're open to the possibility that Bill Clinton might've been involved. 

That is because we don't idolize our celebrities and politicians, like Trumpers do - we don't consider them the hands of God, or even "chosen" or "blessed" by God.

So what gives - can't you even consider the possibility that one of your own might've been involved in the Maxwell thing, or committed any crime?

Well, you may be re headed for a rude awakening, then, blindly believing that - because eventually, someone's going to come along and take advantage of your blind faith that no one in your party could be guilty of anything - and likely already have - and his name may be Trump ;)

Bob Saget - Super Shocking, Super Sad ...

 

Bob Saget, 65 - from Full House and the first host of America's Funniest Videos - known as the nicest comedian in Hollywood - was found dead in his hotel room in Orlando, just after returning to stand- up and after tweeting this  ... 

That is absolutely heartbreaking :(

(No signs of foul play or drug use -  medical examiner will determine the cause of death.)

You know someone was beloved in real life as well, when comedians on both sides of the political fence - Jon Stewart and Tim Allen - sing their praises and mourn their loss.

However, I think the most touching tribute came from Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, the twins who once played his daughter Michelle on Full House ... 

Rumor had it the twins almost returned to do the Netflix reboot solely because of Bob, but ultimately turned it down. 

Full of corny dad jokes on Full House and AFV (though his standup could get fairly raunchy), not as flashy as the others, Bob was nevertheless clearly the stable anchor of the Full House ensemble, both on the show and in real life - he was the glue that held them together, on the show and in real life - just like good dads do :)

Creepy, Crazy Charismatic-Evangelical Kids Songs I Once Knew ... and Kings Island :)

 

Okay, so those two things don't have much in common, but there's a tiny link - but mostly just in the dream I had ;)

Bear with the setup, it'll take a minute ;)

So I've mentioned that growing up, my mom gradually became an obsessed charismatic evangelical, right? 

No hobbies, no other interests, no secular books, movies, or music  - "Just Jesus!" - all the time, 24/7 - and not in a good way, like elevating your thoughts or stewardship for others - we're talking addiction-level Jesus, just for self-comfort, neglecting everything else in your life - just like a drug.

It's actually very sad - and you will note this is a common malady in many Christian women - single women and/or especially married women who feel trapped in awful marriages - they create a fantasy surrogate husband out of Jesus to fulfill their emotional needs - but that's another theory, another post, for another day ;)

Anyway, I began to notice, over time, that most of these churches talked about "the devil" and demons more than they talked about Jesus - in fact, in some churches, you would think it was the Church of Satan, they talk about "the devil" so much.

In fact, according to my mom and her churches, the devil and demons were in everything -  music, Halloween, clothes,  our sock drawer, our chimney, our vacuum cleaner - waiting to invade your mind, body, and soul, apparently without your free-will consent.

In fact, my mom once had a couple come into our house and go through all our cabinets, closets, and drawers, casting out demons - no joke!

Thus, I became agnostic by my mid-20s - mostly because the one place they forgot to look for "the devil" was within themselves/ the church itself  ;)

But then I studied comparative religion in college (along with social work), and returned to a revised version of Christianity, basing my faith on the words of Christ, and why he was such a revolutionary in the doctrine of his day, putting the rest of the bible in its historical and cultural context, and thus became officially Episcopal in 2007 (with adjunctive Buddhism philosophy).

Regardless, these were the songs taught to me when I was a kid and Sunday School and various Jesus Camps my mom sent me to - and no, I'm not kidding.

My dream reminded me of this old song I'd forgotten, because it was constantly playing at "The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera " at "Kings Island"  ...

The first one is titled happy enough, with a smiling sun and trees in the video - oh, but wait ...

"Open Up Your Heart/Let The Sunshine In"

 

My mommy told me something
a little kid should know ...
It's all about the devil
and I've learned to hate him so!

??? 

 

She said he causes trouble
when you let him in the room. 

He will never ever leave you
if your heart is filled with gloom.

So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose
and frowners never win.
So le the sun shine in
face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

When you are unhappy,
the devil wears a grin
But oh, he starts to running
when the light comes pouring in

 

I know he'll be unhappy
'Cause I'll never wear a frown
Maybe if we keep on smiling
He'll get tired of hanging 'round.

If I forget to say my prayers
the devil wears a grin.
But he feels so awful awful
when he sees me on my knees
So if you're full of trouble
and you never seem to win,
Just open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose
and frowners never win.
So le the sun shine in
face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

Despite the happy music and the little child's voice singing it - nope, still creepy!

(In fact, that song could be a metaphor for the entire wing of charismatic evangelicalism in general - it looks happy and normal at first - but once you scratch the surface, there's a whole bunch of creepy and crazy, under there.)

Fear, fear, fear, all the time.

What exactly is the lesson there - don't ever frown or feel sad or the devil will get you? lol

Feeling sad/depressed is a sin, so let light in your heart - except leave some room for hatred for the devil?

(I'm pretty sure hate and fear are darkness, and thus can't exist with happy and light, but okay :)

That instead of actual life skills, mothers should teach their kids to fear the devil in everything? 

That if you do something wrong, just say "The devil made me do it" instead of taking responsibility?

Yes, all of the above - that's evangelicalism for you:) 

And lest you forget, Cincinnati is pretty conservative, and the bible belt still runs very strongly there, especially in the Cincinnati suburbs -  everything was about putting on a perfect show/pretending,  white privilege, arrogance, and money.  

This is actually worse in Northern Kentucky, mind you - home of Nick Sandmann - though they have less reason to be arrogant and less money - but suburban Cincinnati runs a close second.  However, Northern Kentucky folks win 1st prize for being to the most unkind,  rude, merciless, compassionless, judgmental, gossipy, cruel, Nazi-esque people that I've ever met - and that includes famously supposedly rude people from NYC, New Jersey, and Los Angeles (whom I've actually found to be quite friendly).

Here's another one, even more fun!

 "1, 2, 3 - The Devil's After Me" ...

 

1,2,3 The Devil's after me,
4,5,6 he's always throwing bricks/sticks.
7,8,9 he misses every time.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen.

9,8,7 I'm on my way to Heaven
6,5,4 To live forever more.
3,2,1 With Christ His only son.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen.

What a happy, super fun counting song for kids! ;)

(Yeah, there's a reason why I preferred Sesame Street for that.)

Gee ... I wonder why I was afraid of everything?!? ;)

And I'm pretty sure "the devil" got Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker anyway, in the end - but of course, they claimed "the devil made me do it" and got a free pass, with Jim Bakker still preaching, asking for donations, and praising Trump ;)

Now, I have to tell you that my Catholic husband laughed himself silly, when I played this one.  

Let that sink in - my Catholic husband - whose denomination is famous for being laden with guilt, shame, and fear -  found this evangelical song "crazy, shame-laden, cult-level sh*t,  incredibly effed up." LOL

Catholics ain't got nuttin' on charismatic evangelicals when it comes to fear and shame ;)

Anyway, I had a dream that I went back to Kings Island, not having been since 2006.

For those of your unaware, Kings Island, in Mason, Ohio, is the third most-visited amusement park in the country, opening in 1972 as originally a German/Bavarian-themed amusement park (which used to sell beer, stopped selling it due to increased accidents, but now sell it again), as Cincinnati is very German in heritage  - home to such attractions as "The Beast" (at the time it was built, in 1980, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster) ...

Though it's been topped since, it's still a super fun coaster - so sayeth the girl that used to be terrified of roller coasters (I told you, I was afraid of everything as a child).  

I prefer roller coasters with loops, though -  I like that suspension-of-gravity, weightless feeling :) 

I never rode The Son of Beast, though, there was something about the angles on it I didn't like/got a bad feeling about - and for good reason - the ride was finally shut down in 2012 after multiple injuries and malfunctions.

In fact, true story - the last time I was there, July 8th-9th 2006 - I refused to ride it, I just had a bad feeling - and I begged the people with me not to ride it, and they finally relented - and as it turns out, on that very day, one of the trains abruptly stopped, dozens were injured/went to the hospital as a result. 

Thus, Son of Beast was taken down in 2012 due to multiple injuries and malfunctions, and now they have  "The Banshee"  (which I have yet to ride).

By the way, there is no island there - and there is no king lol.

It was named after the area where it stood at the time, Kings Mill (which, yes, was based on "King" as in the Lord), which has since become incorporated into Mason, Ohio (about 40 minutes from downtown Cincinnati).

The amusement park opened in 1972, by the now defunct Taft Broadcasting Company out of Cincinnati (yes, that Taft family, which also included the 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft) -  who also owned Hanna-Barbera cartoons.  

It was built in part of the "urban sprawl" movement towards the suburbs, trying to move Coney Island from the river shores of downtown to the suburbs.

As part of a promotion, Kings Island was featured in episodes of "The Brady Bunch ..."

... and "The Partridge Family" ...

Now - growing up, Kings Island was literally 20 minutes from my house - and my first visit was about 1976, when I was about 8 years old, and about four years after it opened

I had a season pass, as a teenager - don't ask me why, because I was terrified or roller coasters, back then?

No, not because evangelicals told me the devil was in them lol -  just because as I told you, I was afraid of everything (which likely evangelicals played a part in) - mostly people, but everything else too (except climbing things, rocks, trees, etc., and I don't know why).

I have since abandoned my fear of roller coasters and ride them today :)

(Well, actually not abandoned that fear, confronted it - I rode them until I wasn't afraid anymore - but still, when going up that first hill, I request that whomever I'm with not talk to me so that I can get a handle on the fear/panic first - then once over the hill, I'm all smiles and laughing :)

Unfortunately, as an adult, though I now do roller coasters - I now can't do any ride that has too many spins, coaster or not, which I could do as a kid  - but it's not a fear thing, it's an inner-ear thing, like sea sickness - I'd spend the rest of the day nauseous, which is never fun for anyone ;) 

I'm not talking corkscrew turns or even one or even 2 or 3 loops - it seems that more than 5 loops in a row does it, or even like the swinging pirate ship rides (I think because it repeats the same dipping motion over and over) - again, inner-ear thing, "seasick."

Yes, I understand a scopolamine patch might help, but I'm not going to buy a patch just for rides at Kings Island, only to ride a spinning ride and find out it still doesn't work for me and ruin everybody's day. If I ever take an ocean cruise, I'd get a patch - but that's highly unlikely unless it's like a day tour somewhere, rather than days on end, just because they aren't my thing -  I'd take a river cruise, if anything.

ANYWAY -  in the dream, I went back and the first song "Open Up Your Heart/Let The Sunshine In" was playing the whole dream - because it was constantly playing in Hanna-Barbera Land, because Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm sang it in The Flintstones a couple of times - with "the devil" lyrics intact (though the lyrics changed)!

That's right, folks, fun fact - Wilma Flintstone - that prehistoric, pearl-wearing, white-European-featured cavewoman - was apparently an evangelical Christian, who taught her children to fear the devil (and ever feeling sad?)  ;)

In case you forgot - once again, the Tafts were from Cincinnati, a very conservative, very religiously-infused community, especially in the suburbs - I'd estimate about 45% Catholic (particularly German-Catholic), 30% evangelical, 20% Jewish, and 5% other, in the suburbs.

I had completely forgotten about that song until that dream!

I went looking for videos of it at Kings Island, but alas, could not find it - but what I did find is the original song to the "Enchanted Voyage" ride, called "Friends in my TV."

Again, not kidding - let's confuse fantasy with reality and pretend everyone on our TV screen is real and our special friend - and we wonder why fantasy FB "friends" became so popular with our kids? lol

Worse, this was the end of the ride ... to exit, your boat rides into a giant clown's mouth - whose teeth come down to chomp!

In fact, it was every fourth boat - yes, we counted lol.

What the ???

So who's bright idea was that,  on a ride for children - John Wayne Gacy?

The good news is, they changed it in the late 70s/early 80s to clear plastic you just had to ride through, then even those out completely lol.

Again, gee, I wonder why I was afraid of everything - including clowns - as a child? lol

Also, in the late 70s, they added this happy snail at the front of the ride to make kids less scared - I still remember his message (even before I found this link, which is also YouTube, the video owner won't allow playback elsewhere ) 

"Welcome to the enCHANTed voyage.  I sure hope you enjoy the ride!  Have a Ha-Happy Day!"

We rode this boat for posterity sake, even as teenagers, always saying something back to the snail, usually something like, "Nice try at distracting us from the clown eating us, Mr. Snail, but we're not fooled!" 

LOL!

Regardless, Kings Island is still always a fun time - even though the EV ride is now Planet Snoopy :)

For any of you that ever went to Kings Island as a child, here's a trip down memory lane of what Kings Island was like when it first opened in 1972.

As mentioned, my first visit was around four years later, in 1976, but it looked exactly the same as in this video - just imagine bicentennial features added, because 1976 was America's bicentennial birthday :)

... versus today ... 

FYI, that still thumbnail image is the new Orion roller coaster, which again - like Son of Beast -  something seems off/unsafe in the angles of it, to me?  We shall see ... 

Though much has changed, some things remain the same :)

And never forget the sage, wise words of Mr. Snail and Pebbles and Bamm Bamm - "Have a Ha-Happy Day!" 

(Or apparently the devil will get you - in the form of a giant clown's mouth on an ancient children's ride at Kings Island circa 1972 to 1983 lol ;)

RIP, Sidney Poitier Dies at 94 ...

 

Amazing actor and world diplomat, he was first black male to win an Academy award, and one of the last golden-age Oscar winners who was still alive.

Also, in addition to the people I mentioned last week, dying within the course of one week, the last week of the year, director Peter Bogdanovich died yesterday, what the ???

All right, so now I'm mad - me and the angel of death need to have a little chat, because he/she is taking our best, all at once! 

Rest in peace, Sidney - and thank you :(

Horsey Snow Day :)

 

So the one in the middle, in the (MSU Spartan) green blanket is our horse - the one rolling on the ground, making horsey snow angels, and later trotting around in the snow, is a horse that Mark cares for, for someone else :) 

These were taken at 7 a.m. this morning -  the temperature now  having dropped to 8 degrees, mind you - but they don't care, in their warm blankets, kicking up their heels on a snow day :)

There are very few things in life more magnificent to witness than horses running in a field, even kicking up their heels, a little -  amen?  :)

Just a Little Snowstorm - With Brookie, The Snow Princess ...

 

This picture was taken a bit later, after about 6 inches had fallen (and just after her doggy snow angels - see video below ;)

(*Edited - added a second video of Brookie, the Snow Princess, trying to catch snowflakes, then rolling in it to make a doggy snow angel,  :)

Here's a video of Mark driving home from work, released early.  

My husband from Detroit is frustrated because this is no big deal to him, and people here literally drive about a mile an hour when it snows lol.

To be fair, though, this is the first snowfall of the year (late this year) and 3-4 inches is a lot of snow dumped in just the first hour, and they have done absolutely nothing to the streets yet, of course - no pre-emptive salt, no nuttin'

Well, the good news is, perhaps with the snow in DC yesterday, plus more on the way for them tonight, this will deter any Trump idiots with plans to storm the Capitol again, giving them time to literally cool down? ;)

I think it's very telling that the same Trumpers trying to blame Antifa for the capitol storming were/are themselves the only group angrily claiming a supposed "stolen election." 

Note Trumpers are also the only ones seemingly overly excited, almost gleeful, about the possibility of further violence and chaos today, rather than concerned ;)

Otherwise, I always love the first snowfall of the year, blanketing and quieting everything, I think it's pretty :)

Brookie loves snow, she's a snow princess.  It makes no sense, though, because she hates rain or rain puddles, she hates to get wet (we literally have to carry her over puddles), but she loves snow lol

Here she is, trying to catch the snowflakes, then making a doggy snow dog angel  :)

Too cute!

Be safe, though, y'all!