After heading to bed early last night, I found myself in the horrible position of waking up at 3:30 this morning, briefly napping again and finally giving up on the idea of sleep after some tossing and turning to become fully awake and letting the stresses of business ownership and many other things begin hanging heavily on my head.
Even though my brain was alive with activity, I didn’t waste the time and used it to fix a few problems on the site that needed to be fixed, most importantly a few leftover items on the front page (which it turns out based on how I see it on my end, isn’t completely done after all. I’ll stick a pin in it and come back to it tomorrow night, when not so many people are noticing the ongoing construction. If things look good on your end, please report so in a comment below. It would be helpful.)
With this site update – what I’m calling Beta 2.5 for the moment until I can afford the additional software that will allow me to do even more with the page – I’m glad to be moving away from a design language I was familiar with in my previous position, and also a bit nervous about how it is going to go in the near future. We’ll see. Again, feel free to drop a comment to let me know how it is working out. The feedback would be useful to me as I move forward.
In other Myrick Multimedia news, you’ll be happy to note that Polktoday.com is now purchased and forwards to the site, so when you tell people to check out that new site Kevin is doing, you can just say “go to Polktoday.com.” I think that will make everyone’s life easier in the near future. Also, starting in the very near future (this week) I’ll also be providing content to readers via Instagram and Reddit. I’ll be adding social media platforms as I come up with ways I think will provide good use cases.
Additionally, I have added a panel on the front that will include the latest video (updated when they become available) to help facilitate people being able to enjoy the content I’m producing, still free of charge.
Tune in later this week for additional site news as I get ready to launch holiday advertising rates. This will be a one-time offer like the football ads, and will only last through early November.
Meanwhile…
If you’ve been hiding under a rock, even you must have gotten the news about President Trump’s diagnosis for COVID-19 (we also forget that Melania has it too, but the complete focus is on The Donald. Which I mean, of course that is how national news goes with it…) We have since learned that alongside the President and First Lady, a growing number of people in his inner circle and the White House have been infected with the virus as well.
Which of course, the national media is also running with like jackrabbits on the loose in a vegetable garden. Again, no real surprise that happened either, and national news is acting as if this isn’t what was going to happen all along. A $9.99 a minute psychic could have seen that coming without having to coach the caller into divulging personal information first.
After spending the weekend at Walter Reed, President Trump wanted to go home. So he did. Again, why is anyone surprised?
What I think did surprise a lot of people is that he’s super pumped off the steroids (he did tweet something about feeling better than he did 20 years ago…) and told the American People to stop being so afraid of COVID.
That’s all good and well for the President, who has the best of the best surrounding him constantly. It’s a different story here on Main Street, where two weeks out sick or in quarantine from exposure could mean a death sentence to a small business. Out here in America, we’re all hustling to keep the wheels on the wagon, and up in Washington it’s as if politicians think of the people as poker chips to toss around loosely on the table. (That’s just bad etiquette, you stack the chips folks. Always stack the chips – and group by denomination. Easier to tally up the pot and betting in poker…)
President Trump is right that we shouldn’t let the fear of the virus control our lives, but that doesn’t mean we can go out without any care or concern for others. The full scope of the situation is that yes, locally the numbers of new cases are trending downward overall. Yet that doesn’t mean it has stopped being present in our lives. It doesn’t mean you get to stop wearing a mask or washing your hands just because President Trump decided he wasn’t going to stay in the hospital anymore because he doesn’t like the image of the media vigil outside of Walter Reed and the questions Doctors are getting from the media.
Which also: I understand the health and safety of the President has huge implications across a variety of systems of society that you and I can’t begin to fathom completely. But does anyone in that position get any bit of privacy anymore in their lives? People knew FDR had Polio, and no one thought much about how he got around as President until his fourth term and he openly talked about his use of wheelchairs.
It’s no secret that Kennedy was on all kinds of pills during his presidency for an injury suffered during combat in WWII, but the press didn’t call him out for being hopped up on pain medication for a good portion of his time in office. (At least, I don’t recall seeing that during a long-ago project involving days spent in front of a microfilm reader with decades old editions of the New York Times going by as I moved them from a metal to a plastic reel… So incredibly long ago…)
So put yourself in President Trump’s shoes for a second when it comes to privacy around his health. How do you act when you’re sick? Do you want the world to know it, or hide in bed from everyone?
In the News
I was reminded by one of my previous professors that this week is National Newspaper Week. I’m obviously not a print publication (and have no plans for it at all) but I felt that it is important to recognize the vital role the news does play in our lives, and remind you that supporting free local news means that I’m able to tell stories that you want to know about, and sometimes items you might not even think about.
And of course, always featuring the kids.
Speaking of kids, Show Team members were in Fort Payne for a competition over the weekend, and one came back with a ribbon.
Despite having photos and tags on Facebook, I couldn’t immediately find the young man’s name who took a fifth place in the Class 2 round (shared from Glenn Robinson) but I wanted to at least say congrats to the young man either way. These kids have a hard job.
If you happen to know who this young man is, please shoot me an email at kevin@polk.today so I can properly provide him congratulations and update this item.
Speaking of agriculture, be on the lookout today for more on the latest Polk County Agriculture Center (renamed in this latest proposal before the county) that is estimated to cost $650,000 initially just for the plans and the land being sought in Fish Creek. Additional details about the facility in a few hours. I’ve got typing to do on that from the County Commission Work Session last night.
Along with a number of other items that you’ll find of interest as the day goes on.
One more thing…
Just because downtown Trick-or-Treating events aren’t going on this year doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and also do something nice for members of the community that need your help. From the Polk Family Connection Facebook page:
Have a safe Halloween and support a child in foster care in Polk County!!Get Pump’d for Kids!! How does it work??Purchase a Pumpkin Pal and stick a ‘pump’-kin sign in a friend’s yard. Fill a candy treat bag and leave it on the door with your ‘pump’-kin tag attached. Knock on the door or ring the doorbell, run away and watch the enjoyment as they come outside to find their ‘pump’-kin and candy treats! Now it’s their turn to purchase a Pumpkin Pal and pass on the Halloween excitement while supporting a local child in foster care.
Signs are $25 and can be purchased https://events.harbinclinic.com/#buy-a-pal
We are proud to partner with Harbin Clinic to provide a safe and fun Halloween for children in foster care–and the entire community! Polk County has nearly 100 children in foster care, so help us sell (at least) 100 yard signs and give a treat bag to a child.
All proceeds will be used to support foster families in Polk County and share the message to reduce child abuse and neglect in our community.
Today’s forecast
Not a single thing to complain about. Today is expected to have a high of 79, and a low of 54 with clear skies all the way through the day. More or less the same for Wednesday, with the main difference being the temperature is up to 83, and down to 55 instead. Potential for rain returns on Thursday evening.
Something to watch this morning
Something to read this morning
After all I’ve typed so far, you’ve made it this far? A glutton for punishment, or not enough to do… Ok then. Here’s a few items I think you’ll find of interest:
NY Times: Don’t be afraid comments outrage public health experts.
When was the last time you heard about Britney Spears? (The Atlantic)
No wonder the printer was always out of ink in that library.
CDC updates guidelines on airborne transmission of COVID-19. Again? (No, seriously. I can’t remember where they stand on it at this point I’ve read so much conflicting information.)
Suing for $10 million because you got the Taser used on you for jaywalking, 18 months after it happened? Ehhhh, what took you so long?
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