…is said to always be descending on America but landing in Europe … but in the instance of this Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic, a peculiar variant of it looks to be landing in Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia, seeing as those states have been blessed with governors breaking all land speed records in getting in touch with their inner authoritarian. One might be forgiven for suspecting that their motivation is not so much for keeping those vulnerable to the newly-improved Chinese respiratory crud in quarantine, but one might also be forgiven for a healthy sense of suspicion; that governors like … Gretchen “Karen the Governator” Whitmer are actually making a frantic display of authority, in a pathetic attempt to demonstrate that they can, actually, make wise use of such authority. Karen the Governator is additionally challenged by the prospect of being theoretically in the running to be nommed to the VP slot in Joe Biden’s hapless campaign for the office of president of these United and temporarily locked-down States. Sigh – the thing about authority, class, good taste, or being a lady – is that if you must make an overt demonstration of those qualities to the masses – then you don’t possess them at all. While it’s absolutely fine that a real-life Natasha Fatale has lost the Russian accent and taken on the onerous duties of being the elected governor of Michigan, going all overboard like the bossiest boss of the most nightmare HOA imaginable (I’m all about building a second career!) … is not a good look. Demanding that retail outlets which are already open and have customers withing – not sell garden seeds, flooring, and baby car seats on the grounds that such are non-essential is bloody insane. And illogical.

Governor Karen, sweetie – non-essential is in the eye of the beholder. Both the Daughter Unit and I work (OK, my work is part-time and desultory these days) from home, in the manner in which our current health experts advise. This week, the Daughter Unit’s computer keyboard went non-functional, and she desperately needed another one. To our good fortune, the nearest Big Lots (which does stock all kinds of odd stuff, in addition to a substantial grocery department – probably the sole reason that outlet is still open at all, in spite of Governor Abbot and our local mayor being at least somewhat sane about this health emergency!) was open. She popped down there and bought a cheap keyboard, which at least permitted her go on working. From Home. So – essential, or not? Home and garden improvement – essential or not? Here in Texas, fortunately – essential. There is nothing like sitting in your house for days and weeks, for noticing all those things which might improve the home castle, inside and out in the yard. Me, I’m planning to revamp the entire hallway and construct a couple of nice built-in bookcases, and if I were living in Michigan, I’d be stone out of luck – thanks, Governator Karen. Your fanatical dedication to your own career and comfort is noted. Enjoy the crowds of demonstrators outside the state house …

Look; it’s becoming more obvious every day that the bodies whose deaths are judged to be due to the Wuhan coronavirus, AKA the Chinese respiratory crud are not piling up twelve-deep in the morgues, no matter how convoluted the games are being played with the cause-of-death certifications. They’re just not. People with underlying health issues; obesity, cancer-survivor, over the age of 60-plus, health-care workers who have been repeatedly exposed have legitimate reason for concern and to isolate as much as possible. As for the rest of us, the whole Wuhan Coronavirus thing is not a total nothing burger, but so far it appears that it’s far from cutting a swath like the medieval Black Death or the 1918 flu epidemic. How much longer can the varying degrees of lock-down go on, aside from those definite disease hot spots like New York? End of this month, halfway through May? And how much more credibility will our political elites, scientific experts and national media be able to burn until then? Discuss as you wish.