Who knew that all it would take for the US to really get scared of the coronavirus was for China to approach things the same way we do. The Chinese government has chosen to relax their “Zero Covid” policy, ordering officials to cut back on mass testing and hair-trigger regional lockdowns, in a major shift from the previously-stringent pandemic rules.
The result is that Chinese hospitals are overwhelmed and the number of people suffering from the virus is unknown and unknowable. But whereas this kind of behavior is acceptable, even expected in the US, it’s cause for harsh criticism bordering on xenophobia of our East Asian neighbors.
In the years since the virus first spread, most Americans have chosen to prioritize returning to something resembling a normal life, with Covid killing more than 1.1 million Americans since 2020. Forget about testing, most Americans can’t be bothered to wear a mask anymore, much less cover their mouths when they’re hacking, coughing, and sneezing in public spaces.
Meanwhile, outlets like the New York Times are one step away from openly referring to Covid as “The China Virus” and advocating for a total closed border policy with China after moving away from “Zero Covid”. The removal of these harsh policies will certainly lead to an increase in hospital admissions and deaths, but at the very least it can’t be denied that the Chinese tried enacting something resembling protective public health measures.
“The rapid spread of Covid in any country is a concern to health officials around the world because unchecked outbreaks create more opportunities for the virus to mutate into a more contagious or deadlier variant. Those fears are particularly acute for China, a country of 1.4 billion people and the place where the virus originated.”
-Reporters at the NYT engaging in some good old-fashioned fear-mongering
Side Items
A Little Slice of Jerusalem for Joey B: the Biden administration is moving ahead with plans to build a permanent embassy compound in Jerusalem, moving from Tel Aviv and further signaling their apathy towards the Palestinian cause. The plans for a new embassy, which the administration has quietly advanced in recent weeks, would consolidate Trump’s sudden policy reversal and violate U.S. precedent both on the status of Jerusalem and on Israel’s ongoing illegal appropriation of Palestinian land. This new embassy would also make the U.S. government an even more active participant in that appropriation: The planned compound would be built on land illegally expropriated from Palestinians, whose descendants, including several U.S. citizens, still have a claim to. Nothing to see here, business as usual
Tesla’s Impending Margin Call: To preface, I won’t pretend to fully understand the big-brained implications of what the former richest man in the world is doing, but it’s starting to look like his volatile and trollish behavior is having unintended consequences on his other businesses. People are starting to come around to the idea that Musk isn’t some genius strategist businessman, but is more likely an impulsive, petulant, and overly-exploitative boss, providing no reason for investors to continue believing in him. The stock price of Tesla has tumbled over the past few weeks, as people struggle to believe the company will invent a product or service to transcend the competitive barriers of a car company
5 Best/Worst Sports Moments of 2022
Like any other publication/outlet, I’ll be listing some highs and lows of this past year. Today we’ll be looking at sports moments, but the few remaining days of this year will also explore this year’s film, literature, music, and TV offerings
Top Moment of 2022: Undoubtedly the World Cup Final. An instant classic that was exciting for fanatics, rare soccer observers and casuals alike, simultaneously allowing us to finally put to rest the GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo. We witnessed a torch-passing moment as Mbappe surged to life, giving France a bright hope for their future
Best: Sending Coach K Back to Hell: Speaking of instant classics, the final college basketball game of Coach K’s storied career will live on in my memory til the day I die. The first Final Four matchup between UNC and Duke was a tantalizing affair, with UNC coming out on top and the legend of Coach K making the permanent transition to Coach L, truly the stuff of fairy tales
Worst to Best: On February 17, Brittney Griner was detained after the Russian authorities accused her of carrying hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow. She spent nearly 10 months in Russian custody, but was eventually released in a one-for-one prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a weapons dealer
Worst: Brett Favre’s Welfare Thievery: The former Wrangler Jeans brand ambassador is under investigation in the largest corruption case in Mississippi state history, where he’s accused of misusing of Mississippi state welfare funds. Comic book villains don’t even do the things this man is accused of doing
Worst: Rise of LIV Golf: In arguably the greatest flip-flop in modern sports history, Phil Mickelson chose to join the offshoot Saudi-funded golf league after previously saying, “They (Saudi) are scary motherfuckers to get involved with. We know they killed [Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it?” For money Philliam, it was always gonna be for money