COVID-19 Journal: ‘Expect Nothing. Do Something.’ Square. Jack. UBI. Food.
“We humans are a minority of giants stumbling around in a world of little things.” — Sue Hubbell
No. A small word, difficult to say. No. This isn't good enough. Lives are being lost for no reason other than failure to prepare, to listen and take action.
“Viruses are microscopic parasites, generally much smaller than bacteria. They lack the capacity to thrive and reproduce outside of a host body.” — Live Science (2016)
So let's ignore those who blame others and avoid responsibility and instead look to those finding — or creating — solutions to help others. Remember also to pay attention to census information, check your voter registration status, assist others to do the same. Feed someone, enlarge your gardens. Take a walk around your yard or home; vary the route. Dance in place, turn on the music. Each small action adds up and staying apart is making a difference.
At times tuning in to Twitter is akin to listening in on a universe of voices emitting from a Hieronymus Bosch-like landscape, but on a global scale. Strains of music, loud voices, laments, quiet statements, gemlike haiku. Sirens, screams, wishes, hopes, goals, plans. Dogs, cats, squirrels, horses, donkeys, mules. Pollywogs, frogs, newts. Birds.
So much beauty, information, conversations shared. Much to mute or block, voices that snarl up thinking and muddy the water, distract and divide. Stay focused. There's more, but first take a moment and just read this statement:
“After we disarm this pandemic, the focus will shift to girl’s health and education, and UBI. It will operate transparently, all flows tracked here…”
— Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Twitter; founder and CEO of Square Capital LLC (NYSE: SQ).
(link in quoted Tweet below)
I’m moving $1B of my Square equity (~28% of my wealth) to #startsmall LLC to fund global COVID-19 relief. After we disarm this pandemic, the focus will shift to girl’s health and education, and UBI. It will operate transparently, all flows tracked here: https://t.co/hVkUczDQmz
— jack (@jack) April 7, 2020
UBI is universal basic income (yes, had to look that up). Here is a link to a story by Melissa De Witte on Stanford University news site. (Pros and cons, but you'll have to apply your own thinking to reading it.)
That's on top of a statement that $1 billion dollars in equity to going to fund global COVID-19 relief. Now, let's shift to New Haven, Connecticut, one person making a difference; his medium, kindness and food, feeding people. But that's not all.
To the 7th graders: use what you learn to make the world a better place. 💚
— Chef Bun Lai (@cookn4peace) April 9, 2020
“To the 7th graders: use what you learn to make the world a better place. 💚” — Chef Bun Lai
So much more.
How about this? (If you've ever been hungry with not much food in the house except oatmeal and hard-boiled eggs, you will understand.
Not Impossible (@NotImpossible) “Changing the world through technology and story” — notimpossible.co/. “…we’re working to solve the next absurdity and make the impossible, not impossible.”#HelpOneHelpMany
Our partners at @salesforce have made our #HungerNotImpossible technology, well, possible. Thanks to them, the platform is feeding kids and families and deploying across the country to combat COVID-driven food insecurity while supporting restaurants. https://t.co/adovlMFlz2
— Not Impossible (@NotImpossible) April 9, 2020
Accounts that provide consistent excellent information:
Follow up #2: I missed linking to the latest "live" estimates. For the @MRC_Outbreak model you can find estimates at: https://t.co/BE5qPUuUV8 and for the @cmmid_lshtm model you can find estimates at: https://t.co/0Y6vvhUL3O. These live modeling estimates are an amazing resource. pic.twitter.com/BSkiqZZ0Uh
— Trevor Bedford (@trvrb) April 9, 2020
And one that inspires.
PongSat students are awesome. This student made a solar panel system that tracked the sun at the edge of space all inside two ping pong balls. From the Away 99 mission.#jpaerospace #pongsat #STEMeducation pic.twitter.com/I9LX7BZ4IW
— John M Powell (@JohnMPowell1) April 10, 2020
Note: “Blame Nobody. Expect Nothing. Do Something.” quote is from a clipping that depicts Vinny Testaverde (undated) and the words appear in a sign behind him; the clipping is directly in front of the keyboard. To the left is a photograph print of the late great Paul Newman at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut. “The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded in 1988 by Paul Newman with one simple premise in mind: to provide opportunities for children with serious illnesses to experience the transformational spirit and friendships that go hand-in-hand with camp.” Think of all the families his decision helped.
Ideas, observations about Twitter would fill pages and pages; have compiled and noted much and there's more to share another time. For small businesses, this is a time to see who acts and who makes good on promises. More about PPP, SBA, credit unions. PPE and innovating solutions. Forward.
To be continued.