{"id":39390,"date":"2020-03-27T15:24:37","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T22:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=39390"},"modified":"2020-03-28T12:34:23","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T19:34:23","slug":"friday-fun-war-against-the-zombies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2020\/03\/27\/friday-fun-war-against-the-zombies\/","title":{"rendered":"Friday Fun: War Against the Zombies!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We truly are at War \u2026 against two Zombies.<\/p>\n<p>One is an ugly, almost invisible microscopic Zombie that is currently wreaking havoc not only in the United States, but around the world \u2013 and about which we&#8217;ve heard a great deal:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/COVID-19_Virus_MAGA-Hats.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-39302\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/COVID-19_Virus_MAGA-Hats.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"331\" height=\"331\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The other is also an ugly, but way too visible fat Zombie that is also wreaking havoc not only in the United States, but around the world \u2013 and from whom we&#8217;ve heard <strong><em>WAY TOO MUCH:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Trump_Zombie-Eyes_Halloween.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-39391\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Trump_Zombie-Eyes_Halloween.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"445\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Trump_Zombie-Eyes_Halloween.jpg 445w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Trump_Zombie-Eyes_Halloween-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Trump_Zombie-Eyes_Halloween-150x90.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m bringing this up because there&#8217;s an excellent overview article in WaPo about how viruses function that&#8217;s aimed at laymen.\u00a0 And it&#8217;s <strong><em><u>FREE<\/u><\/em><\/strong> to be read and shared as part of WaPo&#8217;s effort (like <em>The New York Times<\/em> and <em>The Atlantic<\/em> magazine, and I&#8217;m sure other publications) to help educate the public about Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 (which is caused by <em>Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2<\/em>, or <em>SARS-CoV-2<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Viruses are a true conundrum for scientists, many of whom actually refer to them as &#8220;Zombies&#8221; \u2013 because they really do NOT fit the criteria of a living thing.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, viruses are problematic for biologists because they don\u2019t have cells, and therefore do not belong to the three main groups of life that all other organisms do: Bacteria, Archaea (a different form of microbe) and Eukaryota (plants, animals, fungi, etc. \u2013 organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed in a membrane).<\/p>\n<p>This diagram might be too technical, but it&#8217;s an overview of how a virus hijack&#8217;s a cellular host&#8217;s machinery:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/covid-19_Virus-Diagram-Cell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-39392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.7thstep.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/covid-19_Virus-Diagram-Cell.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"467\" height=\"435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/covid-19_Virus-Diagram-Cell.png 467w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/covid-19_Virus-Diagram-Cell-300x279.png 300w, https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/covid-19_Virus-Diagram-Cell-150x140.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Viruses are basically just rogue genetic material (either DNA or RNA) housed in a protein shell called a capsid. They are unable to reproduce on their own, and so they use their protein shell to invade the host cells in order to insert their DNA or RNA into the host&#8217;s cells, and commandeer the host&#8217;s &#8220;machinery&#8221; to produce more of their own DNA or RNA viruses.<\/p>\n<p>As noted in the WaPo article:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>There is a certain evil genius to how this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/02\/28\/what-you-need-know-about-coronavirus\/?tid=lk_inline_manual_7&amp;itid=lk_inline_manual_7\">coronavirus<\/a> pathogen works: It finds easy purchase in humans without them knowing. Before its first host even develops symptoms, it is already spreading its replicas everywhere, moving onto its next victim. It is powerfully deadly in some but mild enough in others to escape containment. And for now, we have no way of stopping it.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/\">https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>So paraphrasing from a Comment, we can see a striking similarity between the Coronavirus <span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; cursor: text; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">Zombie <\/span>as detailed above, and the Trump <span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; cursor: text; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">Zombie <\/span>detailed below:<\/p>\n<p><em>There is a certain evil genius to how this Trumpublican pathogen works: It finds easy purchase in humans who know nothing. Before its first host even develops symptoms, it is already spreading its lies and hatred everywhere through Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc. \u2013 before moving onto its next victim. It is powerfully deadly in some &#8220;hosts&#8221; causing them to run over protesters with their cars, but mild enough in others to make them merely vote for the GOP. And, for now, we have no way of stopping it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But come November 3<sup>rd<\/sup> we&#8217;ll be able to decapitate <span style=\"display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; cursor: text; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\">(it&#8217;s the only way to kill one) <\/span>that Trump Zombie\u00a0 with our votes \u2013 and DESTROY IT!<\/p>\n<p><em>(Have I hinted enough that I would truly encourage you to read the WaPo article to gain an overview to how a virus functions?)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/\">https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2020\/03\/23\/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>BUT I also want to share some absolutely wonderful ads that are being produced from a variety of sources to attack *Rump \u2013 with many using his own words as a petard on which to hoist him.<\/p>\n<p>I hope you&#8217;ll feel free to share them with like-minded friends, and those fence-sitters who are amenable to common sense.<\/p>\n<p>This one is from Mike Bloomberg:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Even though <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeBloomberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MikeBloomberg<\/a> is not the candidate I\u2019m currently backing, this is a FANTASTIC ad. It helps EVERY Democrat who\u2019s running!! Please watch it and share. \ud83d\udc40 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Tpbj1y4uVK\">pic.twitter.com\/Tpbj1y4uVK<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jon Cooper \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@joncoopertweets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joncoopertweets\/status\/1226650650240483328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 9, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Documenting how *Rump Failed to Act<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Failed to Act\" width=\"695\" height=\"391\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QuSVvzLPP34?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This is the <em><strong>Priorities USA<\/strong><\/em> one (again, using his <strong><em>OWN WORDS<\/em><\/strong>) that *Rump&#8217;s lawyers have sent a &#8220;Cease &amp; Desist&#8221; letter to try stop it from airing.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In fact George Conway (Kellyanne&#8217;s husband) is leading the charge in getting into as wide circulation as possible:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trump refused to take the threat of the coronavirus seriously, now he won\u2019t take responsibility as his administration has been totally unprepared for this crisis. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Jdh1GY9HHS\">pic.twitter.com\/Jdh1GY9HHS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Priorities USA (@prioritiesUSA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/prioritiesUSA\/status\/1242193904553865216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We know that all presidents at some point will face a true crisis &#8211; *Rump FAILED!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You are working very hard to destroy America. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HaHib0NLZf\">pic.twitter.com\/HaHib0NLZf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JeffreyGuterman\/status\/1242763594632237058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>A timeline calendar of Trump trying to minimize the Pandemic<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">As Trump pivots to coronavirus crisis mode, let\u2019s not forget the months of downplaying and denial. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gH1xZAHXm5\">pic.twitter.com\/gH1xZAHXm5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/therecount\/status\/1240043597434687489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 17, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>This is Biden&#8217;s most recent excellent ad put out just a couple of days ago:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">holy shit this <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JoeBiden<\/a> ad is good. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CAgIrt2Zua\">pic.twitter.com\/CAgIrt2Zua<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Florida Chris (@chrislongview) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chrislongview\/status\/1242969490721210368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Enough of this <em>Doom &amp; Gloom<\/em>. Let&#8217;s close with a smile!<\/p>\n<p>Since people are hunkered down, it&#8217;s amazing how inventive they&#8217;ve been in entertaining themselves. One theme I&#8217;ve seen repeated several times involves folks doing their own DJing. (Is that even a word?)<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>PSA Heads Up:<\/em><\/strong> If you have a cat, be careful what you employ in your bag of tricks:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DJ Cat Funny Quarantine [LIMO]\" width=\"695\" height=\"391\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D9SU3i-U8Jw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We truly are at War \u2026 against two Zombies. One is an ugly, almost invisible microscopic Zombie that is currently wreaking havoc not only in the United States, but around the world \u2013 and about which we&#8217;ve heard a great deal: The other is also an ugly, but way too visible fat Zombie that is <a href='https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2020\/03\/27\/friday-fun-war-against-the-zombies\/' class='excerpt-more'>[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[3916,3913,3935,3843,3933,3932,3934],"class_list":["post-39390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-dj","tag-dna","tag-rna","tag-virus","tag-wapo","category-5-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39390\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}