Augie Ray

Semi-retired consultant and advisor on #CustomerExperience (#CX) and Voice of the Customer (#VoC). Former Gartner and Forrester analyst. Politically active to foster a world that has more #equity, respects #diversity, and embraces #progressive causes. Promoting #COVID19 awareness and caution because people, businesses, and the economy will suffer consequences for our failures to limit infections. Milwaukee, WI, US (He/Him)

Twitter: http://twitter.com/augieray
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/augieray
Pixey/Pixelfed: https://pixey.org/i/web/profile/518734783908831602

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Last Notes

2026-05-18 02:24:42 UTC

I don't know about you, but I think it should concern us that the President of the United States is losing his mind. This is a real post from Truth Social.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/593/197/518/913/180/original/d70f48b97c1e40d7.png

2026-05-10 01:38:49 UTC

I don't recollect a US map like this since the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) has been reporting on #COVID19. Virtually every state is at very low viral activity. Just four are at low (LA, MS, TX, WV.) The only place COVID is presently moderate is Washington, D.C., probably due to all the anti-vax conservatives in the Trump administration.
We are almost 60% lower than this same week last year. No sign of a summer surge, but last year's didn't start until July.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/547/716/660/851/095/original/ccf85d3e78106890.png

2026-04-26 21:04:53 UTC

- reply

Republicans are asking why Democrats aren't shot--less than a year after Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated in her home.
Republicans don't care about truth. They care about scoring political points and dividing the nation.
2/2

2026-04-26 21:04:45 UTC

Republicans are complaining the latest Trump assassination attempt wasn't on the front page of the NY Times--which was printed and distributed before the event.
Republicans are saying this event shows the need for a White House ballroom--even though the White House Correspondents Dinner is a private event that would never be sponsored or held at the White House.
1/2

2026-04-24 23:36:04 UTC

I've probably posted this before, but I love this. Take Dolly Parton's "Jolene" 45 and play it at 33 rpm, and magic ensues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doz1QJ7LwjA

2026-04-19 16:58:45 UTC

Less than 13% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live for more than five years, making it one of the deadliest cancers. A phase 1 trial of an mRNA tumor vaccine shows that 7 of 8 patients with pancreatic cancer are still alive 6 years later.
This remarkable vaccine technology could save lives, but with an administration run by people accusing mRNA vaccines of killing people (with no evidence), it seems this progress could be withheld from Americans.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/pancreatic-cancer-mrna-vaccine-shows-lasting-results-early-trial-rcna331969

2026-04-15 00:45:38 UTC

Who are they talking about, I wonder?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/405/952/299/984/516/original/b99b718c2d58cf24.jpg

2026-04-09 23:47:38 UTC

Second flight. CO2 not much better during boarding and taxiing. The air is NOT fresh on planes at all times.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/377/415/698/775/362/original/7af9cfee3f72045a.jpg

2026-04-09 19:03:07 UTC

"Airplanes are safe because they have air filters."
CO2 during boarding:
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/376/296/505/322/825/original/dced648cbc2531dc.jpg

2026-04-07 14:15:43 UTC

"Why didn't the people of Germany do something about Hitler?" ask Americans who never write their representatives, attend a march, or raise their voices, and can't even be bothered to post on social media about the Trump administration horrors.

2026-04-05 13:25:13 UTC

The US elected a madman. On the day Jesus rose and asked for repentance and forgiveness, we get whatever this is...
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/352/318/741/907/294/original/d8188030c4d29cb7.png

2026-04-04 14:21:01 UTC

I trust when MAGA families are faced with a natural disaster (because Trump cut funds to protect them) or cancer (because Trump cut funds for research) or medical bills (because Trump cut the ACA), they'll be consoled by the fact they voted for stupid wars, tax cuts for the wealthy, and the Trump family making $4 billion in his first year in office.
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/30/nx-s1-5753765/fema-trump-extreme-weather-rural-pennsylvania

2026-04-02 22:31:45 UTC

Marco Rubio on Monday: “Imagine an Iran that, instead of spending their wealth, billions of dollars, supporting terrorists or weapons, had spent that money helping the people of Iran.”
Donald Trump on Wednesday: “It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things… We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country.”
Irony is dead.

2026-04-01 15:31:38 UTC

The Economist cover sure says a lot (none of it good for the U.S.)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/330/152/651/021/804/original/cff353acad2c2fd6.png

2026-03-29 15:59:48 UTC

Do you miss Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and the rest of the Stranger Things gang? They're back--sorta. A new animated series hits Netflix in April. This one is set between seasons two and three of the original series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajCUhg36R0

2026-03-29 14:50:13 UTC

I feel like I did in February and March 2020, only this time, it's about the war in Iran rather than a novel virus. Big things are coming, and too few care to acknowledge or believe it.
In February and March 2020, I was one of a few people warning what the “novel coronavirus” was about to do. People wouldn't (or couldn't) listen because no one could conceive of businesses closing, conferences canceled, or hospitals bursting.
1/x

2026-03-27 17:02:10 UTC

STUDY finds that your risk of Long COVID rises with each #COVID19 infection: 3x greater risk of Long COVID after more than three infections compared to one:
"Compared with patients with a single COVID-19 infection, those with two, three, and more than three infections had a significantly elevated risk of developing Long COVID, with the odds ratio (OR) of 2.01, 2.19, and 3.04, respectively."
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1760355/full

2026-03-24 18:25:28 UTC

I miss the days when diplomacy wasn't conducted by memes on social media. That said, this is a pretty funny response from Iran to Trump's suggestion that he and the Ayatollah could jointly control the Straits of Hormuz.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/285/546/394/806/972/original/dd1622bb83c83b2e.png

2026-03-22 17:43:23 UTC

I get that some of you absolutely won't visit X/Twitter for any reason, and I respect that. However, there is something worth reading on that platform. A profile I don't know (Gandalv / @Microinteracti1) wrote a profoundly moving and thoughtful essay about Donald Trump, Robert Mueller, and what the U.S. has become. It is worth five minutes of your time, I promise you.
https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/2035444431290093818

2026-03-21 12:42:44 UTC

It's tough to keep up on the flood of news, but don't lose sight of what Trump is doing to our economy and finances. Headlines from the last couple of days:
Trump promised his economic policies would erase the deficit. Instead, the national debt surpassed a record $39 trillion last week. It hit $38 trillion five months ago and $37 trillion two months before that.
https://apnews.com/article/us-national-deficit-hits-39-million-6ff73495bae701b5c009d3da5515ca3a
1/3

2026-03-18 21:16:48 UTC

Today's best woman-at-a-gas-pump interview: From a three-time Trump voter: “Apparently, I'm an idiot.”
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/252/252/723/438/465/original/bbcd0e3019adf248.mp4

2026-03-10 14:33:05 UTC

- reply

For years, our surges have gotten lower. Could COVID be on its way to finally become a more predicable and endemic virus? I'll stay cautious, given Long COVID risks, but it would be nice to see infection risks continue to drop, wouldn't it?
Signs point to continued lower levels of surges--until and unless our low vaccination rate OR a significant COVID mutation causes a greater surge. 2026 will be an interesting bellwether year for #COVID19, I think.

2026-03-10 14:32:46 UTC

We may be entering our true Spring #COVID19 lull in the US. The positive rate of testing is lower today than it's been since December.
The positive rate of testing didn't spike all that much over winter, rising from 1.9% to 2.9%. Now, we're down to 2.3%. That 1.9% rate is the lowest we've hit in a year, and I'm curious if we might not drop beneath that before April.
1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/205/356/580/200/611/original/0f6a761bb2022ba5.png

2026-03-08 23:25:16 UTC

In 2009, Obama attended a "dignified transfer" at Dover Air Force Base and held a salute for 45 minutes. He did not wear a baseball cap like he was attending a ballgame.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/196/132/909/765/631/original/51ccad9cea4052ee.png

2026-03-06 18:52:34 UTC

My latest update on #COVID19 in the US:
- Nationally, COVID dropped to low viral activity for the first time since December
- Viral activity remains moderate in the Midwest and Northeast. Seven state have high viral activity: AL, DE, IL, ME, MN, MI, NE.
- Signs point to a continued slow slide in COVID risks in the coming months.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covid-falls-to-low-viral-activity-in-the-u-s-update-for-march-6-2025-f77ec5966bac

2026-03-05 19:53:10 UTC

MAGA hates that liberals think they're dumb.
They wanted Epstein info released. Trump blocks it.
They wanted lower prices. Trump implemented tariffs.
They wanted no wars and cheaper gas. Trump launched a war in the Middle East.
They wanted better security. They elected someone who mishandled state secrets.
They wanted ethics. They elected a felon.
It's really hard to understand why some might find MAGA voters uninformed, at best, or low intelligence, at worst.

2026-03-01 16:00:19 UTC

I genuinely understand the frustration of people around the world at the voters of the United States.
That said, insulting the people who are fighting for the change you want Americans to make by saying all Americans are responsible or corrupt isn't a way to invite change.
Go find MAGA voters and harass them. Stop demeaning the people who care enough to fight to reverse what is happening in the US.

2026-02-28 15:10:42 UTC

Barack Obama reached a 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The deal required the most intrusive inspection regime ever negotiated, allowing 24/7 access to sites.
Trump ripped up that deal in 2018.
Today, we're at war with Iran to prevent it from getting nuclear weapons.
Trump voters did this to the United States--both in 2016 and 2024.

2026-02-27 14:10:47 UTC

Cover of the medical journal, The Lancet:
“The destruction that Kennedy has wrought in 1 year might take generations to repair, and there is little hope for US health and science while he remains at the helm.”
If you want to focus on politics and public health, stop whining about leftists not masking and start dedicating your efforts to getting people to vote for leftist candidates who will reverse what Trump and the GOP have done.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/142/981/848/886/939/original/5783419316797c2c.png

2026-02-25 18:01:30 UTC

"CoViD iS jUsT tHe FLu!"
STUDY: "In this large real-world study of working-age, commercially insured adults in the United States, #COVID19 infection is associated with a 2.3-fold risk of developing AKI (acute kidney injury), a 1.4-fold risk of CKD (chronic kidney disease), and a 4.7-fold risk of ESRD (end-stage renal disease) compared to influenza. "
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-026-01460-6

2026-02-24 23:41:46 UTC

Trump's SOTU speech is said to be at least two hours long, possibly three. Don't watch. He won't say anything you can't read about in five minutes tomorrow, and you know he cares A LOT about ratings.
Do yourself a favor and watch something else. TCM is running the 1944 movie "Gaslight" tonight—it's where the term "gaslighting" comes from. I'm sure that's just a coincidence.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/128/248/529/458/046/original/ee79c78672f3888d.png

2026-02-24 18:19:41 UTC

My easiest blocks are the people who want to argue there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats.
If it isn't obvious a year into Trump's second term the striking difference between the parties, you are beyond hope.
It's fair to be disappointed in Dems. It is NOT fair to suggest they're the same as Republicans. That is a level of idiocy I cannot stomach or debate.

2026-02-23 03:55:11 UTC

I welcome Trump voters changing, but I am getting really tired of hearing, "I didn't vote for this."
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/117/916/876/642/434/original/3cb1165c1171761c.jpg

2026-02-21 23:53:04 UTC

Crazy. You might've heard and enjoyed Sienna Rose, who Spotify seems to be pushing. However, it seems she's not a human but AI. It's not been absolutely verified, but all signs point to her being AI and Spotify not being terribly aboveboard about it.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sienna-rose-ai-artist-real-1235499068/
https://youtu.be/izrUfSWD4lA?si=5_st3GGDX_wYX_wL

2026-02-21 18:53:51 UTC

STUDY from Spain finds that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) kill 3x more people than do auto accidents, and 50% of them are avoidable.
The study does not discuss mitigations, but why do healthcare facilities—which already knew the dangers of nosocomial infections before the pandemic—continue to be so indifferent about protecting patients with #COVID19 continuing to surge multiple times a year?
https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.7.2500139

2026-02-21 14:04:32 UTC

Today: “My doctor doesn't mask, so that must mean I don't have to mask.”
1960s: “My doctor smokes, so that must mean I can smoke.”
19th Century: “My doctor doesn't wash his hands between patients, so that must mean washing hands isn't necessary.”
I respect doctors, but the history of medicine is full of examples when doctors were slow to accept science and change.
COVID remains a risk worth protecting yourself from, regardless of what your doctor does.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article314482316.html

2026-02-20 15:37:19 UTC

“Women are made to be fucked. Literally… They are made to be bred. They are made to have kids with. Okay? They exist for sex. Women exist for sex… Women are either mothers, whores, or nuns. No other options. There are no female philosophers. There are no female inventors. There are no female generals or billionaires. They are mothers, whores, nuns. End of list. That's what you can be.”
- Right-wing podcaster and friend of Donald Trump, Nick Fuentes
1/2
https://youtu.be/I57T89pskEc

2026-02-19 16:57:26 UTC

I laughed out loud at this response.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/098/345/713/361/110/original/02184e612c9247f8.png

2026-02-16 17:21:18 UTC

A German biathlete says if she could give her younger self one piece of advice, it would be: "Always take a mask with you."
"FFP2 masks have become standard equipment for winter sports athletes – because they protect not only against coronavirus, but also against other infections."
"For us athletes, health is the most important thing of all, and anyone who doesn't protect themselves would simply be stupid."
You're not stupid, are you?
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/olympische-winterspiele/deutsches-team/olympia-2026-warum-die-deutschen-biathleten-maske-tragen-accg-110835355.html

2026-02-12 18:56:47 UTC

Elon Musk's net worth is at least $670 billion.
If we implemented a 1% wealth tax, the US would collect $6.7 billion from this one man alone. Elon would still be the wealthiest person in the world.
To put that into perspective, the bottom 50% of wage earners in the US pay $63 billion in federal taxes.
A 1% wealth tax on this one individual would support the US government as much as the taxes collected from 8 million modest earners.

2026-02-09 20:35:00 UTC

Sigh. Only person masked at a doctor's office. COVID is high and rising in my city currently. #StillMasking
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/042/579/774/603/937/original/937f3defc042546b.jpg

2026-02-06 19:30:11 UTC

Smart people don't ignore the risks of #COVID19 and other viruses before important events. These are the members of the U.S. women’s Olympic cross-country ski team posing for a photo Thursday, Feb. 5 in Italy. Not only are they wearing masks to make sure they can compete healthy, they are living outside the Olympic village in an off-site hotel during the entirety of the Games — a substantial financial investment intended to protect “health and wellness.”
https://fasterskier.com/2026/02/in-italy-four-years-after-the-covid-games-olympic-teams-are-still-isolating/
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/025/339/673/963/980/original/a10294b4d19e85c1.png

2026-02-04 15:18:01 UTC

Blame the poor for needing support?
Blame immigrants for taking jobs?
Blame old people for your economic woes?
Stop blaming your neighbor for the struggles we all face! There are three groups, and only three groups, responsible:
- The wealthy, who have amassed more money and power
- Elected officials, who cut taxes for the rich, education for kids, regulation to protect workers, and support for poor.
- Voters who buy into the race and class warfare BS and elect those politicians.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/012/999/107/253/174/original/3c0d1ed9b8faeba8.png

2026-02-02 22:18:08 UTC

Imagine if the world never saw the photo of the little girl working in a factory or a Viet Cong prisoner being executed because they were hidden behind content warnings. Images and words can change the world, but not if they're masked by CWs. If we obscure images of Alex Pretti's murder, we do him a disservice. His murder can't stand for anything or change the world if we're afraid to share or see it. https://www.historyhit.com/photos-that-changed-the-world/

2026-02-02 03:08:06 UTC

😆Be sure to read to the end...
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/998/826/606/437/405/original/6bc4c74ac6fe60cf.png

2026-02-01 18:00:01 UTC

STUDY: "Reinfection increases long COVID risk; however, the absolute increase after reinfection is smaller than that observed after a primary infection. Vaccination offers substantial protection against long COVID."
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00013-X/fulltext

2026-02-01 15:04:39 UTC

The reason so many are so worried about Trump and the GOP disrupting the midterms: Last night in Texas, Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a machinist and Air Force veteran, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss to fill the vacant state Senate District 9.
Wambsganss spent 20x more on the race. Trump won this district by a 17-point margin. And the Democrat won last night by a huge 14-point margin! A 31-point swing to the left in Texas from a Democrat outspent 20-to-1!
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5716988-democrats-score-upset-texas/

2026-01-31 20:55:45 UTC

Nothing says professional, legal policing like an anonymous, masked kidnapper telling someone, ""I'm not getting into the legality of everything."
A small-town police chief intervened and secured the release of a US resident arrested by ICE agents.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/30/st-peter-police-chief-intervenes-prevents-federal-agents-from-arresting-resident

2026-01-31 17:16:31 UTC

“Integrity, to me, it’s the most important thing to maintain, because if you lose a job, you can get another job. But if you lose your integrity, it is very hard to get it back.”
Wise, difficult words from Kathleen Walters, former IRS Chief Privacy Officer, who quit just 23 days shy of qualifying for early retirement rather than “acquiesce to a Trump-administration request that she break the law and compromise millions of people’s privacy.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/01/rise-of-the-trump-loyalist/685378/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK3ygA_-n_gx3A_mdpeCyOuF0&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

2026-01-31 03:33:20 UTC

The two weeks before a launch, it is SOP for NASA astronauts to wear respirators and avoid crowds so that they don't jeopardize the mission with an illness. What do you do before your big events? Do you take care to protect yourself and others? Or do you just wing it and hope you don't get yourself or others sick at the event?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/987/599/704/706/196/original/9bbbf27938eeeccf.png

2026-01-30 00:19:25 UTC

I hear undocumented immigrants are hiding in Melania theaters because they know no one is in there! 😂

2026-01-30 00:10:52 UTC

MAGA can be so dumb. There are claims that Alex Pretti kicked and spit at an ICE vehicle 11 days earlier. MAGA thinks that vindicates ICE.
1: Even if he had done that the day he was shot, it still isn't grounds to shoot him.
2: The men who shot Pretti couldn't have known about this, so it's irrelevant.
3 (this one's the kicker): If ICE agents were aware of the prior infraction and killed him as a result, then his death is not just 2nd-degree murder but 1st-degree PREMEDITATED murder!

2026-01-29 16:36:17 UTC

Trump administration people should be smart enough to know how "I was just following orders" worked out for Nazis after WWII.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/979/354/597/362/014/original/e4314f34a7cb579c.png

2026-01-29 15:37:01 UTC

- reply

But, those born between 1957 and 1989 may have received only one dose of measles vaccine. A single dose was recommended from 1963, when the vaccine was introduced, until 1989, when it changed to two doses. People in this group may benefit from a second dose depending on their age; risk factors; occupational exposures, such as working in health care; and travel plans.
2/2
https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2026/01/measles-in-america--five-things-to-know-from-a-stanford-medicine.html

2026-01-29 15:36:51 UTC

If you are 37 to 69 years old, you may need a measles vaccine. The US is likely to lose its status as having eliminated Measles. Measles is accelerating due to low vaccination rates. (MAHAMA: Make America Healthy Again My Ass!)
If you were born before 1957, we assume you are immune because the infection was so prevalent before the vaccine became available.
People born after 1989 probably have vaccinated on the current schedule of two doses, which was recommended starting in 1989.
1/2

2026-01-29 13:09:04 UTC

Waiting for Trump to start hitting countries with new tariffs because of low ticket sales for "Melania." https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/melania-trumps-film-struggles-sell-234538656.html?guccounter=1

2026-01-28 23:40:19 UTC

I attended a protest at the Milwaukee ICE office. It was an impressive crowd for a 12-degree evening.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/975/363/692/797/199/original/5629eb50463e1647.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/975/363/828/834/282/original/981c85008f85958d.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/975/363/943/125/615/original/587043dd04799b7f.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/975/364/077/225/974/original/2b20f86b8e1c0403.jpg

2026-01-28 19:33:50 UTC

Bruce #Springsteen sings what real Americans feel:
Trump’s federal thugs beat up on
His face and his chest
Then we heard the gunshots
And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead
Their claim was self defense, sir
Just don’t believe your eyes
It’s our blood and bones
And these whistles and phones
Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Crying through the bloody mist
We’ll remember the names of those who died
On the streets of Minneapolis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWKSoxG1K7w

2026-01-28 17:51:01 UTC

- reply

Pretti didn't thump his chest and yell he was an "alpha male"--he just quietly showed up and acted to protect another human being.
Pretti cared for veterans. MAGA loves to claim they love the military (until Trump insults them or asks them violate the law) or back the blue (until insurrectionists beat officers.) Pretti was a VA nurse. He showed up every day to care for those who served.
Pretti is everything MAGA say men should be while they cosplay cartoonish toxic masculinity.
3/3

2026-01-28 17:50:44 UTC

- reply

He cared for a woman. MAGA loves to claim they'll protect women from ridiculous "threats" like a transgender person using a restroom, but they undermine women, bully them, coddle rapists, and hurt women's rights. Pretti risked his life (whether or not he knew it) simply to help a woman and ensure she was okay.
He was brave. While MAGA loves to crow about their courage, they run around behind masks and bully people from the safety of anonymous X accounts.
2/3

2026-01-28 17:50:20 UTC

MAGA hates Alex Pretti because he's everything they claim to be but are not.
He was a good guy with a gun. He didn't parade around with assault weapons at the grocery store to be manly. He didn't even use the weapon he had. And after years of "It's not the gun, it's the person," MAGA blames Pretti for his murder simply because he had a weapon.
1/3

2026-01-26 21:56:45 UTC

I'm not saying the Trump administration is turning the US into a dystopian hellscape, but when the local newspaper needs to help you identify what toxic gas Federal agents are unleashing on citizens, I think it speaks for itself.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/963/627/337/620/672/original/263d1fbca44e0795.png

2026-01-25 18:00:35 UTC

A couple of people wanted to nitpick something with my long post this morning urging Americans to stand up and be counted. Instead of finding a MAGAt to criticize, they wanted to argue with me about how many protesters it takes to incite change. Both are now blocked.
For the love of God, look at what's happening. Pick fights with the people trying to destroy democracy rather than argue with people trying to make a difference!
Aim your fire appropriately.

2026-01-25 15:48:34 UTC

Kyle Rittenhouse walked up to police carrying an assault weapon during protests in Kenosha, then killed people, and Conservatives called him a hero.
Alex Pretti filmed officers during a protest, kept his handgun holstered, was wrestled to the ground, had his weapon taken away, and then was shot dead, and Conservatives are calling him a terrorist.
1/8

2026-01-25 03:39:21 UTC

"Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man."
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/953/645/907/816/276/original/96e46311c2fe6cf6.jpg

2026-01-23 13:51:42 UTC

Peter de Wit won the Dutch 2025 Inkspot Prize for this cartoon. I was reminded of this after seeing Jared Kushner's presentation of the future of Gaza at Davos with high-rise condos and coastal tourism.
Since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, over 73,600 people have been reported killed, including 2,109 Israelis and over 72,400 Palestinians (most of whom were civilians).
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/944/732/246/256/300/original/d8a178d4dc8d437a.png

2026-01-22 22:13:29 UTC

I expected COVID to decline after the holidays but flu to rebound. Instead, both are falling. This is based on the WastewaterSCAN data (see charts). Tomorrow, the CDC will release more complete data on viral activity in the US's wastewater.
I also predicted this winter's surge would be the lowest in years. It was-- around 2/3 lower than winter 2023/24, half of summer 24, 33% below winter 24/25, and 25% below summer 2025. Not sure that trend will continue in 2026 with BA.3.2 descendants growing.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/941/011/687/362/431/original/2f60cd01854c0281.png

2026-01-22 02:25:58 UTC

A relative is in a stage production this weekend and sent a message inviting us to attend. What I wanted to respond is that gathering people together when flu and COVID are this high in the Midwest is like handing out cigarettes to unbuckled people while driving drunk. Instead, I simply ignored the message.
Too many people are going to learn the hard way. We need to learn to plan events around viral threats, not simply ignore them.

2026-01-20 00:28:32 UTC

Donald Trump, August 2025: "The United States will not let men steal trophies from women."
Donald Trump, January 2026:
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/924/587/325/923/441/original/8ed1fd75a64eef03.png

2026-01-19 21:47:19 UTC

Wow, the northern lights over Greenland are incredible. 😆
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/923/955/542/577/468/original/0f2090ad7e581827.jpg

2026-01-19 18:41:17 UTC

Might be a great night for northern lights. There is an S4 (Severe) Solar Radiation Storm on its way to us. People who track this say it's been over two decades since we've seen a solar storm of this magnitude. Some predict northern lights could be seen throughout the US, although the NOAA suggests a good chance only in the northern US. (An S4 storm could impact satellites, cause navigation errors, and expose crew in high-flying aircraft at high latitudes to radiation risk.)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/923/225/292/152/138/original/66d0bfc83d9efc55.png

2026-01-19 15:28:39 UTC

We didn't really need a study, but I guess it's good to see the numbers: “Foreign exporters absorb only about 4% of the tariff burden—the remaining 96% is passed through to US buyers.”
The study concludes, “The claim that foreign countries 'pay' these tariffs is a myth. The tariffs are, in the most literal sense, an own goal. Americans are footing the bill.”
https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/news/americas-own-goal-americans-pay-almost-entirely-for-trumps-tariffs/

2026-01-17 17:46:37 UTC

The fact that other viruses, like RSV, cause chronic issues, as does #COVID19, is not a reason to take COVID lightly. It's a reason to take all viral infections and threats more seriously.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2844146

2026-01-17 03:06:45 UTC

And now, something that made me smile...
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/908/225/883/365/917/original/1857d358e5444d75.png

2026-01-14 15:53:22 UTC

There's a new MAGA trend in social media: Eating raw chicken. I'd point out the obvious risks of doing so, but you know what, I love that for them. We'll add that to avoiding vaccines, doubting doctors and experts, owning guns, and having COVID and measles parties. If the right wishes to hasten their own demise, who am I to stand in the way?
For the rest of you, however. Avoid COVID, get vaccinated, eat properly cooked chicken, listen to your doctor, and be safer and healthier!

2026-01-14 14:39:43 UTC

- reply

That was the end of my note, but here is the article that motivated me to write my Senator. Have you done the same? If we don't use our voices to encourage action, then we're no different than the weak Democratic leaders who won't act.
5/5
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/senate-democrats-appear-ready-to-duck-ice-dhs-government-funding-deadline

2026-01-14 14:38:36 UTC

- reply

There must be some brave, progressive, committed Americans who can better represent Wisconsin at this time of crisis.
How you can see what is happening in Minneapolis and elsewhere, observe Americans fighting tooth and nail for this nation's values, and then punt on a DHS funding battle this month is beyond me.
DO SOMETHING! Honor your promises, represent your voters, and act before it's too late. 4/5

2026-01-14 14:38:23 UTC

- reply

Democracy is at stake, and you are pretending it's business as usual in Washington. The United States desperately needs a true resistance to the fascist, undemocratic, unconstitutional actions of Donald Trump and Republicans, and at a time when leadership is vital, you, Schumer and Jeffries are failing the nation. If you're that unwilling to fight for America and Americans, then maybe it's time you consider a different career. 3/5

2026-01-14 14:37:51 UTC

- reply

I am a lifelong Democrat but no longer consider myself a Democrat because our Democratic leaders have abandoned us. Every day, I engage in battles with people who say both parties are alike, which seems especially ridiculous in 2025 and 2026 given what's happening. But then I read how you aren't willing to use the government funding opportunity to combat the abuse of Americans by ICE, and I wonder if I'm wrong. Are you just a Republican hiding behind a blue banner? 2/5

2026-01-14 14:37:11 UTC

I wrote to Tammy Baldwin, my Wisconsin Senator, today:
I am almost shaking with rage after reading an article about how our Democratic leaders in Washington are unwilling to wage a budget battle over DHS funding. Let me clear: Democrats (voters) are putting their LIVES and SAFETY at risk to protest what is happening with ICE, and you are unwilling to even pursue the legislative options available to you to reduce ICE funding and alter its ability to abuse Americans!? 1/5

2026-01-14 03:11:58 UTC

Democrats need to find a backbone and get better leaders who recognize what's happening in the nation and what's needed from them.
"Despite the fast-spreading outrage over the actions of DHS, many Senate Democrats aren’t eager to wage a fight over the department’s budget as part of this month’s funding fight."
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/senate-democrats-appear-ready-to-duck-ice-dhs-government-funding-deadline

2026-01-12 17:39:25 UTC

Getting cancer treatments? Get vaccinated!
STUDY: "In this cohort including multiple cancer types, #COVID19 mRNA vaccination within 100 days before ICI (Immune checkpoint inhibitors) initiation was independently associated with superior long-term overall survival."
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6024843

2026-01-11 17:27:58 UTC

The lie of "safe" air on airplanes:
STUDY finds that airborne transmission of #COVID19 dominated, accounting for a median of 92.2%, whereas contact (7.8%) and direct deposition (droplets, 0.0%) played minimal roles.
Passengers seated within two rows of the index case had a 4.41-fold higher attack rate compared with those farther away, but 45% of observed infections occurred beyond this proximity.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132326000296

2026-01-11 14:20:43 UTC

“Are you a communist?”
“No, I am an anti-fascist”
“For a long time?”
“Since I have understood fascism.”
– Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls

2026-01-09 15:41:54 UTC

My post on LinkedIn about the newly updated Federal Reserve data on disabilities in the US. Since 2021, disabilities have risen considerably, and they keep rising in 2023, 2024, and 2025. I wonder what could cause this. #COVID19
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/augieray_covid19-covid19-activity-7415416870163603456-6z0m?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAARAO4BAPx0-DzizrQdFWXScUx1J1Sa0xc
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/865/895/258/790/975/original/9b25264702c68a70.png

2026-01-09 14:24:28 UTC

A wealthy white person who cheats the government is a smart businessperson.
A poor black person who cheats the government is a freeloader.
A conservative who refuses to follow Capitol Police orders is a patriot.
A liberal who refuses to follow ICE orders is a terrorist.
Billions for Americans swamped with student debt is unfair.
Billions for farmers swamped with debt is fair.
“Whoever controls the narrative, controls the people.” – Abhijit Naskar, neuroscientist

2026-01-08 20:08:28 UTC

I went for a walk yesterday and was almost hit by a car. The driver waved an apology at me. I waved back. Neither of shot each other. Just sayin'.

2026-01-08 13:51:57 UTC

Funny how quick "I need guns to resist a fascist government" turns into "She'd be alive if she'd followed cops' orders."

2026-01-08 04:21:22 UTC

Wow, the Financial Times is not playing around. "Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter."
https://www.ft.com/content/ad94db4c-95a0-4c65-bd8d-3b43e1251091

2026-01-06 16:06:17 UTC

I said back in November that this was going to be a very bad year for influenza, due to Subclade K, low vax rates, and a vaccine that was a weak match for this year's flu. I also often point out that #COVID19 degrades immune systems, and repeated infections will only encourage other viral illness, such as the flu. And today...
The percent of outpatient visits for respiratory illnesses are at the highest rate on record, surpassing any levels seen since data is available.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/flu-activity-continues-climb-us-11-million-cases/story

2026-01-04 21:37:43 UTC

Another good reason to wear a mask while shopping:
NYC Wegmans is storing biometric data on shoppers' eyes, voices and faces
https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-wegmans-is-storing-biometric-data-on-shoppers-eyes-voices-and-faces

2026-01-04 14:12:00 UTC

Pediatric healthcare workers: "We can't wear masks because it's so, so, so important babies see our faces, even if it exposes them to dangerous viruses."
STUDY: "Findings suggest that masked and unmasked static faces equally attract newborns' attention and that surgical masks do not disrupt their face configuration processing."
Medical professionals need to start admitting they're just being selfish, not altruistic, by not masking around at-risk patients.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/infa.70064

2026-01-03 17:22:36 UTC

If you are having surgery, avoid a #COVID19 infection. This is one of several studies I've seen suggesting perioperative risks if surgery occurs in the weeks following an infection. An infection can delay your surgery.
STUDY: "Breast cancer surgery after SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with excess perioperative risk only when performed within the first two weeks. Delaying surgery to approximately six weeks minimises complications."
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/1/341

2026-01-03 14:54:30 UTC

Saw someone claim that illness today is mostly #COVID19, not #Flu. They are mistaken. I'm no COVID minimizer, but data tells us COVID is moderate and Influenza A is very high.
Here is the BIOFIRE chart of the positive rate of COVID and Flu A over time.
In winter 2023/24, we had a 2-4x higher positive rate for COVID than for the flu.
In 2024/25, the positive rate was 2-3x higher for flu than for COVID.
Now, flu positive rate is 6x higher. Why is this happening, and what's next?
1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/831/701/105/091/836/original/a5c457f49a9ef432.png

2026-01-01 13:30:20 UTC

I don't normally ask for this, but if you are concerned about #COVID19, please share my latest post with others. I'd like it to reach folks who AREN'T already COVID-aware.
I’ve Read 3,000 Studies About COVID: Here’s What You’re Ignoring That Could (Still) Harm You or a Loved One
I share some simple conclusions, along with over 100 links to research. My goal is to urge more awareness and commonsense caution.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/ive-read-3-000-studies-about-covid-here-s-what-you-re-ignoring-that-could-still-harm-you-or-a-accafe0f7c66

2026-01-01 04:55:30 UTC

I'm feeling Dorothy Parker, who sent this telegram to her friend after a difficult year:
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/818/052/616/658/930/original/d70002fb2aac2587.png

2026-01-01 04:51:58 UTC

Sad and true:
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/818/042/869/888/197/original/7ed0b2a38901403d.png

2025-12-31 15:26:49 UTC

A former writer for South Park foresaw Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center and had the foresight to register the domain names trumpkennedycenter dot org and dot com back in August. JFK's niece thanked him for doing so. Of course, the Trump-controlled board now wants their domain name and threatened legal action. His response is brilliant.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/814/876/016/436/285/original/42c649c041575ce6.png

2025-12-27 17:45:31 UTC

This post is from an American Reformed Christian theologian and pastor. It's hard to tell if it is more ignorant, hateful, or racist.
Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday that celebrates family, community, and heritage. The celebration is not a substitute for Christmas. Founded in 1966, Kwanzaa was created in the aftermath of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles as a way to unite and empower the Black community.
The only demons are the people pushing racism and intolerance.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/792/766/352/589/034/original/624698712d19998e.png

2025-12-27 15:44:11 UTC

“The reason poverty exists is not because we can’t feed the poor, it’s because we can’t satisfy the rich. That’s exactly what we’re seeing with Elon Musk becoming the first trillionaire. This is a spiritual sickness. What leads a person to accumulate more money than they could possibly spend in a hundred lifetimes when we have people starving in this one?”
- James Talarico, Presbyterian seminarian and Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives