Extracted and published separately on 9 July 2020 from a blog filmed on 15 January 2016 and published on 27 January 2016
Location: Great Plains, including Brownfield, Texas
PHOTOS BY ALICE
Dear Ones,
Here are photos from the Great Plains. Many were taken in Brownfield, Texas …
PHOTOS BY ALICE
Image: “Great Plains 19,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 19,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 20,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 20,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 21,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 21,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 22: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 22: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 23: Birds at a Granary, Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 23: Birds at a Granary, Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 24: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 24: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 25: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 25: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 26: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 26: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 27: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 27: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 28: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 28: Brownfield, Texas,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Abstract Image: “Great Plains 29: Electronic Found Art,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Abstract Image: “Great Plains 29: Electronic Found Art,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
. . . . .
In love, light and joy,
I Am of the Stars
Some of these photos are in this video … Link: “Scenes from the Great Plains,” by Alice B. Clagett, filmed on 15 January 2016; published on 27 January 2016 … https://wp.me/p2Rkym-4QQ ..
POSSIBLE DECENTRALIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES INTO LOOSELY FEDERALLY RULED ECONOMIC REGIONS IN YEARS TO COME
Decentralization Stressors
COVID-19, AIDS, and Less Federal Revenues
The Price of Water and the Potential Need to Grow Crops
COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS VERSUS THE COMMON GOOD
Dear Ones,
FORMATION OF THE WESTERN STATES PACT
As you may know, a Western States Pact has been formed in response to the COVID-19 issue. To date, the states involved are Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, and Nevada …
This is a power block or united front asking for financial help from the federal government in response to the impact of COVID-19 on their states’ economies.
POSSIBLE DECENTRALIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES INTO LOOSELY FEDERALLY RULED ECONOMIC REGIONS IN YEARS TO COME
While this power block has a focused purpose, it does present a small step towards consolidating a Western economic region, in a way that is reminiscent of this possible timeline for relative decentralization of the United States into economic regions, with less control by a federal government as a possibility in years to come …
Link: “What If: Will the United States Become Less Centralized?” by Alice B. Clagett, written and published on 6 December 2019 … https://wp.me/p2Rkym-fnm ..
Decentralization Stressors
COVID-19, AIDS, and Less Federal Revenues. Among the stressors, in the current scenario, would be COVID-19 affecting the current economy of the large United States cities; AIDS (which prevents having viable offspring) affecting the Eastern Seaboard economic region (which is hard hit by AIDS) first, and other regions later; and in the short term, inability of the federal government to provide financial aid because of decreased tax payments next year because of unemployment caused by lockdowns this year.
The Price of Water and the Potential Need to Grow Crops. In addition, here in Los Angeles the price of water has made it untenable to raise crops; water prices may rise elsewhere in the United States as well. For those in the cities, I suggest a power block lobbying for reasonably priced water. For those who can move away from the cities, I suggest moving to regions of plentiful rainfall, so that a sustainable or survival-oriented lifestyle can be maintained if necessary.
COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS VERSUS THE COMMON GOOD
My feeling is that riots and curfews are happening in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere because people who have no savings have been prevented from making a living by lockdowns in the urban areas of the United States. My hope is that our mayors and governors will see the wisdom of balancing relatively few lives lost through COVID-19 against social unrest caused by inability to get work.
Italy, for instance, was very hard hit by the epidemic, yet their people are going back to work and reopening churches. In addition, Dallas, Texas is doing so. From available news, the resurgence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, which reopened for business a while ago, has been far less in numbers than the good caused by the ability of the people to feed and clothe themselves.
In other words, I feel that, in terms of lockdown or return to normalcy, we must weigh the common good against our fears regarding possible, but as yet unproven, negative outcomes. For all we know, the worst is over, and better days lie just beyond the horizon, nearly within our ken.
government, economics, social unrest, United States, California, Wild West, COVID-19, health, community health, politics, taxes, common good, economy, Cities of Earth, countries of Earth, Los Angeles, New York, fear, Italy, emotions, lockdown, Texas, employment, water, agriculture,
As can be seen from the above map, some of the most affected states are New York, New Jersey, California, Washington State, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Georgia. Colorado, and Texas.
Least affected as of 25 March 2020 were the uppermost two tiers of states that were not near the Pacific Ocean or the Great Lakes.
USE OF ALCOHOL AND OF PRESCRIPTION AND NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS MAY WEAKEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, INCREASING THE SEVERITY OF COVID-19 SYMPTOMS
I see by my research today that the use of alcohol or opioids (including heroin, cocaine, and prescription morphine) can weaken the immune system, increasing the severity of the effect of COVID-19 infection.
From the map, I see that most of the United States is involved in drug use, the least affected states being North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Texas.
Image: “Drug Overdose Deaths per 100,000 Population by State, US 2016,” by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64480913 … public domain … DESCRIPTION: Dark red represents the highest drug overdose death rate.
Image: “Drug Overdose Deaths per 100,000 Population by State, US 2016,” by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64480913 … public domain …
DESCRIPTION: Dark red represents the highest drug overdose death rate.
Importance of Strengthening the Immune System
I have read that the COVID-19 statistics from China show 81 percent of those who are infected are asymptomatic [which I feel may mean not that they are asymptomatic, but rather that they do not present with symptoms that indicate the need for intubation] …
I feel that lack of symptoms must have to do with the strength of the immune system; so whatever we can do to make our immune systems stronger, as the wave or waves of COVID-19 sweep through our particular state, would be very helpful.
For instance, I find that drinking filtered water with buffered vitamin C mixed into it every other day is very helpful in bolstering my immune system when I feel a cold coming on; this might be helpful for early symptoms of COVID-19 as well.
I also saw somewhere online that consumption of vitamin D might be helpful; and just in the general course of preventive health care, taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended by many Western medical doctors.
In the case of people whose lifestyle includes the use of recreational drugs, the good news is that withdrawing from use of these drugs prior to the onset of symptoms might improve the chances of having only a mild response to COVID-19 infection.
INFECTION WITH HIV / AIDS MAY WEAKEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, INCREASING THE SEVERITY OF COVID-19 SYMPTOMS
As well, I have read that autoimmune diseases such as HIV / AIDS can weaken the immune system, increasing the severity of the effect of COVID-19 infection.
You can see the low arc of the infection swinging round the southern edges of the United States, and also that New York State is involved in the epidemic.
Image: “Rates of HIV Diagnosis in the United States, 2017,” by United States Centers for Disease Control, 1 February 2019, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiv-us-map-2017.png … public domain … DESCRIPTION: Dark blue represents the highest HIV rate.
DESCRIPTION: Dark blue represents the highest HIV rate.
There is no cure for HIV infection, but symptoms of AIDS can be treated. The present moment may not be the right time for that though. If you are infected with HIV, then you might want to ask your doctor about whether you ought to wait on treatment until the COVID-19 infection builds up and then subsides in the state in which you live (much as I hope will be the case for New York State soon).
Los Angeles COVID-19 Peak Predicted for 9-12 Days From Now
Along those lines, I read that Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti predicts that Angelenos may see a great surge in COVID-19 infections (concomitant to the surge currently being experienced in New York) six to 12 days from now [that would be 31 March 2020 to 6 April 2020] …
I see on the smoothed graph that California deaths did indeed start rising sharply on 31 March 2020, as predicted by Mayor Garcetti. The numbers continued to increase until 23 April 2020.
As of that date, graph smoothing shows a double peak of deaths on 23 April 2020 and 27-28 April 2020. Since then there has been a very gradual decline in daily numbers of deaths.
POSSIBLE FACTORS: HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS, CANADIAN CITIES NEAR NORTHERN UNITED STATES BORDER, AND MERCHANT MARINE
On studying the drug death and the HIV / AIDS infection maps above, I found these to a reasonable degree correspond to the lower arc of the above U.S. map of COVID-19 infection.
Thoughts on High-Rises and the COVID-19 Infection in New York State
I have a few thoughts about how New York has taken the fore in terms of COVID-19 infections. I wonder if it might have to do with many people living in high-rise buildings that share common HVAC … so that infected air might be circulating throughout a building?
As you may know, I mentioned the HVAC in high-rises as a possible source of COVID-19 infection in an earlier blog …
Link: “COVID-19 and Central HVAC,” by Alice B. Clagett, written and published on 17 March 2020 … https://wp.me/p2Rkym-gZ4 ..
Thoughts on Possible Involvement of Canadian Cities Such as Toronto and Vancouver
As far as infection of Washington State and of the Great Lakes states is concerned, I wondered if trade with the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Toronto might have been a factor in their infection with COVID-19. I see no substantiation of this from the Canadian government, but it is possible there has not been as much testing for COVID-19 there, or that statistics have not yet been tabulated in that regard.
Thoughts on Possible Involvement of the Merchant Marine in Infection of United States International Ports
The involvement of the Great Lakes states in early COVID-19 infection surprised me; it made me wonder whether the merchant marine might be bringing COVID-19 from foreign ports into United States ports. The effect of the merchant marine might have had to do with the early COVID-19 infection of Washington State, California, and New York State as well.
. . . . .
Those are my thoughts for now on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blessings of perfect health and happiness to everyone! Stay well!
COVID-19, coronavirus, community health, health, United States, HIV, AIDS, drug use, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, morphine, New York, New Jersey, California, Washington State, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Georgia. Colorado, Texas, Canada, Toronto, Vancouver, merchant marine, coronavirus in Canada, vitamin C, vitamin D, multivitamins, highrises, HVAC, high-rises, countries of Earth, cities of Earth,
Filmed on 15 January 2016; published on 27 January 2016
VIDEO BY ALICE
SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO
Dear Ones,
Here are scenes from the Great Plains. The background music is “The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan” from the album “Undercover Vampire Policeman” by Chris Zabriskie, CC BY 4.0.
As the sound of the wind is distracting, I decided not to call this a musical collaboration. That is because the music is not featured as prominently as it is in most of my musical collaborations.
There is a Summary after the video …
VIDEO BY ALICE
SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO
Hello, Dear Ones. Here is the view in New Mexico …
Image: “Great Plains 1,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 1,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
It is a view of the sky; the most interesting part of the landscape … because it is wintertime … is the sky. Just the most beautiful clouds …
Image: “Great Plains 2,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 2,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
[shows video clip of oil rig]
Image: “Great Plains 3,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 3,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
[shows video clip of eyeglasses and feet, and then of sky]
Image: “Great Plains 4,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 4,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 5,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 5,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Because of the broken ground here, I can tell that there has been a snow here not too long ago, that has melted, and left the earth like this …
Image: “Great Plains 6,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 6,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
I do not know if you can tell the texture of the earth after a snow melts. When I step on it … see here? See the strange texture?
Image: “Great Plains 7,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 7,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0\
When I step on it, the ground sinks in. So the snow, when it forms the ice crystals around the Earth, and it sinks into the earth where the water melts, and then the water freezes at night, it creates this very interesting texture that, when all the snow is melted, as in the current thaw, it is as if it is aerating the soil, you know?
Image: “Great Plains 8,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 8,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 9,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 9,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
It is aerating it so that it fluffs up, and leaves the soil good for seeds to grow, and like that. It is pretty cool phenomenon. I am sure there is a name for it; I am just not sure what. [Shows Sun]
Image: “Great Plains 10,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 10,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 11,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 11,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
[Shows video clip of cotton plants] This is just the second time in my long life that I have seen cotton growing! I did not even know what I was looking at, until I saw these cotton bolls here …
Image: “Great Plains 12,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 12,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
And so this is a cotton field that has been picked … I guess that is what you say …
Image: “Great Plains 13,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 13,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
And over here, I think these are the tanks that hold the oil that is pumped out of the adjacent fields …
Image: “Great Plains 14,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 14,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
And beyond that, nothing but the beautiful blue sky, and the clouds slowly meandering across it. It is very beautiful plains scenery in … what would you say? … the Western, or Mid-Western United States.
[shows videoclip of strange long contraptions … maybe giant field sprinkler arms? … being hauled along a road] Check this out! …
Image: “Great Plains 15,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 15,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
And there is another one coming. Oops! See, here it is over here. Here it comes …
Image: “Great Plains 16,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 16,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where am I, anyway? Texas, I think. Look at that! Wow, gigantic! And traffic is stopped all along here …
Image: “Great Plains 17,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 17,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
[shows video clip of birds on telephone pole wires]
Image: “Great Plains 18,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
Image: “Great Plains 18,” by Alice B. Clagett, 15 January 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0
. . . . .
In love, light and joy,
I Am of the Stars
The photos from the video are among those here … Link: “Scenes from the Great Plains,” photos by Alice B. Clagett, separated out and published separately on 9 July 2020 from a blog filmed on 15 January 2016 and published on 27 January 2016 … https://wp.me/p2Rkym-j6b ..
ascension, Great Plains, prairies, nature, Chris Zabriskie, Texas, New Mexico, The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan, travels in the United States, electronic found art, abstracts by Alice,
