Shelter-in-place. Lock down. Martial law. In a famous Shakespeare drama, it is said “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Do you agree?
Regardless of our individual views, the fact remains that the world, as we know it, has ceased to exist.
Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes
And Lenny Bruce is not afraid
World serves its own needs
Don’t mis-serve your own needs
Speed it up a notch, speed, grunt, no, strength
The ladder starts to clatter
With a fear of height, down, height
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games
And a government for hire and a combat site
Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry
With the Furies breathing down your neck
Look at that low plane, fine, then
Uh oh, overflow, population, common group
But it’ll do, save yourself, serve yourself
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed
Tell me with the Rapture and the reverent in the right, right
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn
Lock him in uniform, book burning, bloodletting
Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate
Light a candle, light a motive, step down, step down
Watch your heel crush, crush, uh oh
This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline
It’s the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
I feel fine (I feel fine)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein
Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs
Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam but neck, right, right
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
So what’s going on here? Is what we’re seeing really happening at all?
The catchy tune by R.E.M. has been around since 1987. Let that sink in for a minute… Thirty-three years ago, Michael Stipe sang “That’s great, it starts with an earthquake…”
I was 28 years old, and while we weren’t saying “Cosmic, man” anymore, it was pretty cosmic, man. Did anyone even listen to the lyrics back then?
Lenny Bruce (1925-1966) paved the way for freedom of speech. His unwavering commitment to free speech led to numerous obscenity charges and arrests. Lenny fought for freedom of speech all the way to the Supreme Court.
Earthquakes, hurricanes, angry women (the Furies) and overpopulation are just a few of the references alluded to that are a snug fit in our current time and circumstances.
The Furies fought for law and order and punished criminals, hounding many to their death. I’d say they were a tad past angry. So what is going on?
Bill Gates has been inordinately concerned with the world’s population for many years and expounds and projects in 2017.
Fully 2 years ago, Bill Gates warned of a flu epidemic that would kill 33 million worldwide in a 6 month period.
In February 2020, he has the ideal solution- a miracle vaccine for all of the children of the world. Methinks there is something rotten in the state of Denmark.
As of April 24, 2020, the US had nearly 960,000 confirmed cases with a death rate of 5.5%. While the world death rate is 7%, Florida is 3%, so there is wide fluctuation by location.
And what about chemtrails? (Line 15 references a low plane.) Who hasn’t had their day ruined in a couple of hours by these nefarious interlopers of late?
Speaking of ruined days, what about the last three weeks? This “crime scene” is Palm Beach, Florida, known for its long, sandy Palm Beach Municipal Beach.
Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach. I can feel it in the air, the summer’s out of reach…
When I heard 5G technology may be linked to this new COVID-19 pandemic, and that Palm Beach County was exempt, I headed south to investigate.
It was surreal to witness the barrenness of this beautiful place. On such a bright and sunny day the beaches would normally have been packed.
In the five days I spent there, traveling up and down A1A and the intracoastal waterway, these were the only people I saw on the beach.
This is the house across the street that I assume is theirs. I wondered if they could be ousted from their own beach?
As I leave Palm Beach and head inland, there is minimal water traffic on the intracoastal waterway.
With the exception of a handful of pedestrians, downtown West Palm Beach is also deserted.
Meanwhile, back in the parking lot, my Jeep is cleverly attempting to disguise itself as a palm tree.
Later that day, I found myself back in Palm Beach again, close to the clock tower.
While taking pictures and talking to bystanders, this enchanting chihuahua in a dress meandered by, apparently alone.
Osita was her name and she stole my heart. This little lady had been trained to walk without a leash, and her owner soon appeared, as I snapped pictures of her tiny charge.
Brygida was a fascinating woman who had lived and worked here for many years. She graciously offered to show me around, and I accepted gratefully.
Directly across from the iconic clock tower, the entrance to Worth Avenue, the “Rodeo Drive of Palm Beach” is flanked by its recognizable twin pillars.
The setting sun cast long shadows on the empty street lined with glitzy upscale boutiques, galleries and restaurants, all closed, thanks to COVID-19.
Some displayed merchandise in their storefronts, as if they expected to open in the morning.
Others were dimly lit and partially emptied. Every establishment posted a unique notice for their closed and locked storefronts.
I love the reflection of the palm trees on the glass front windows of this studio with the crying clown.
Many had closed for good, unable to afford the steep overhead cost with no revenue to support it.
This is a rare photograph of the House of Chanel’s top models circa 1950. Coco, a fascinating woman, is pictured in her trademark wool suit.
I’m not one for designer clothing, but the galleries were creative and thoroughly enjoyable, even from the street.
Quaint arched passages led to magical, charming courtyards, illuminated against the approaching dusk.
We love our pets, don’t we? Palm Beach was no exception.
When Brygida stopped to speak with a woman she knew, I bent down to pet her pooch. She scolded me away, saying she didn’t want her dog to catch my germs. That stung…
I could hear the muffled conversation of residents who lived over the shops covered with bougainvillea, which is native to South America.
This trompe l’oeil was so lifelike it startled me, as I came around the corner.
Colorful foliage, creative sculpture and charming alleys leading to more shops kept me busy taking pictures.
Backlit by the glow from this linen store, these white orchids were magnificent.
Dorothy, we’re not in Lowe’s lighting department anymore…
I would have enjoyed browsing in this quaint stationers.
Love these prints! The Lion of the Tribe of Judah…
As I partook of this veritable feast of opulence and wealth, I couldn’t help but think that God was smashing idols and reclaiming His throne.
I’m quite certain that had it not been for the coronavirus, I would never have been here. Yet, tonight I had a front row seat… I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were beginning to unravel somehow.
The colors and textures of individual live plants create this lovely screen in front of the Esplanade at 150 Worth.
It’s nearly 9:00 PM and Brygida and I hurry to our cars. We need to get off the island before the coming curfew.
The timing of my arrival in Palm Beach County coordinated perfectly with Florida’s shelter-in-place mandate, effective the next day (April 2) at midnight.
While not unexpected, I had paid in advance for this lovely Airbnb in Lake Worth, and saw no reason not to shelter in place there.
The roomy apartment was comfortable and more than adequate, providing a plethora of thoughtful touches.
In light of the toilet paper crisis, I found these two “eyes” quite comical. Maybe you had to be there, but I thought I’d share anyway.
It was ironic to find this tacked carelessly behind the bedroom door, as I am fond of saying that I need a man like a fish needs a bicycle…
Having never been to Palm Beach County, I spent a lot of time driving around taking pictures, always maintaining my “social distance”.
Just a few miles away, downtown Lake Worth was not as pretentious as Palm Beach, and was quite lovely. (The purple dot is my airbnb.)
This could have been my new friend Brygida’s dog, Osita, who is actually a doggie model and has won many awards.
I continued my exploration, speaking with people “on the street”. We discussed 5G and their thoughts on this new way of life. Many felt it to be biblical, and I tend to agree.
Though I normally favor boots and jeans, I took to wearing sweat pants and running shoes.
If I saw the police approaching, I would just begin to jog, albeit slowly. Personal exercise was still allowed at that time.
Trying to keep a low profile, I wandered down this pier to take some pictures of the local beauty.
At the far end, I startled two young men having their lunch. Salud and Alan were both eighteen, but wise beyond their years. Have a listen…
I continued along the water, turning around for another picture. Look closely to see the bicycle cop careening up the dock where the boys were.
Still not sure of the law here, I headed back towards my car. I met the boys again as they also headed to the parking lot. They were told to keep moving by the cop. So strange…
Once again, the internet helps me find where I’ve been, after the fact. I had a street sign which pinpointed this marina I had stumbled across.
This is Boynton Beach Blvd at Marina Way. Skyscraping condos, a marina and protected wetlands all within a few hundred square yards. It was surreal.
Ten miles south of Lake Worth, Bobby and Will were pulling flying fish out of the intracoastal using shrimp for bait. They were kind enough to share their thoughts with me…
And everywhere I went, there were new construction projects. My mind could not reconcile what was appropriate for social distancing, there was such disparity.
In Palm Beach the day before, I actually had a long conversation with John, when he came out of his job trailer to see why I was parking on his site.
He admitted he was invested in 5G technology, but knew little about it. As a Christian, he believed that God had a hand in the current situation.
Important! Do your own research about potential health hazards.
I always felt relieved when these large birds flew over. If they were still up, I assumed I was safe.
This man told me where the nearest gas station was, informing me I would pay double on the island. Palm Beach was definitely too exclusive for my taste.
Leaving Bobby and Will in Boynton Beach, I drove south on A1A. It was easy and fun to jump back and forth from the mainland and the coastal road via the drawbridges.
The landscape changed to piney woods with glimpses of ocean on one side and private golf courses on the other.
The map shows the wooded “scrub” area I apparently passed through on the way to Delray Beach.
The serene beauty of this “old Florida” environment was unexpected, and I jumped out for a quick picture or two, always on the lookout for police.
After 5 days in lockdown here, I began to miss my own house and ‘hood. I decided to head back to Lakeland, where if I had to run from the cops, at least I knew the back roads.
This question is being asked by many. Separated from our friends and loved ones for what feels like an eternity, we are ready to resume some semblance of normalcy. If you feel this way, I’d say you’re not alone. However, that would not be true…
Check out empty cities around the world via EarthCam below.
The successful “reopening” would require data-driven, methodical calculations and measurements.
My question is, if we cannot test every person displaying symptoms, how can we assess death rate percentages? If the denominator is unknown, we cannot have accuracy, but the percentages should improve with testing, right?
Using Polk County, FL for example:
ACTUAL (as of 4/25/2020)
381 Confirmed cases (By accurate test, recovered)
18 Deaths
18/381= 4.7% death rate
HYPOTHETICAL
700 cases (Not all tested, recovered)
18 Deaths
18/700= 2.5% death rate
Not All Who Launder Are Washed went live just under one year ago and is being read in 46 countries. Each reader averages 3 views per day, so I know you are engaged and enjoying it. I implore you to comment on this subject and subscribe. Hearing from you encourages me greatly, and I will continue to strive for excellence in my reporting and photography.
Shalom and may God bless us all! MH
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