We wonder what is the purpose of the British Monarch? A gilded bubble, of an elite class. A relic from the Imperial Age of a fallen Empire. Queen Elizabeth’s speech last night put that to rest. When an American wants to hug a Union Jack, the emotional level was high. Inspiring. From Windsor Castle, the Royal head gave a speech drawn off her personal experience from the Blitz. Taking the phrase by Vera Lynn “We will overcome this” showed her mettle. A type of maternal assurance one gets the night before a test.
During her 5thnational address her majesty praised front line NHS workers battling Coronavirus. “Selfless” individuals appreciated and needed by the country. With 48.000 infected cases, 4.935 dead, the UK continues to reel from the pandemic. There will be hard times ahead. Daily life upended. Disruptions as the UK faces it biggest challenge since World War 2. Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted to the hospital with complications to Covid-19. But seeing the head of state in her 67thyear on the throne giving a composed address will be material for for leadership classes. Perhaps a certain US President should enroll now.
None are alone in this fight. A phrase from the address; “better days will return”. Indeed they will.
Our contributing West Coast Editor Editor, Elena produces masks from her home in Los Angeles. It is an inspiring sight. If you need to order contact her directly via Instagram or reach out to us.
The Coronavirus exposed the raw underbelly of modern society, an existence teetering on a cliff. This event has forced everyone to look in the mirror.
The online click culture is based on a labor exploitation, not the public relations releases preaching to us about new business models developed by brilliant guys.
Leading institutions have gone into a default “Batten down the hatches” position. Leaders will not take responsibility for this Global Disaster. Although they knew about the deadly outbreak in December.
The drive for market access clouded judgement. Thus, resulting in decisions risking entire populations, bringing whole economies to a crashing halt.
The big question, duration of the lockdowns. Where they effective? What type of society will emerge from these health hazard semi police states? One thing is certain, Spain and Italy will be scarred. The jury is out on the US and UK.
What will society give up in exchange for safety? Does Democracy have resilience?
How should the world view China’s Leaders? By process of elimination, the word ‘trust” is out.
Why do celebrities carry high value? Many appear desperate for attention while the world is on fire.
The Coronavirus continues to up end the world in ways we could not imagine a few months ago. Everyday the news reads like a bestselling thriller. Take a deep breath before turning on the screen.
While going around taking images of Berlin in stand still I remembered the 1959 film “The World, The Flesh, and The Devil”. A 1959 starring Harry Belafonte roaming an empty post apocalyptic New York City landscape. While the German Capital is not quite in that setting the urban atmosphere has an eerie feel. As if waiting for something to happen or not to happen. How long can this last? The “New Normal” is unreal.
The Coronavirus outbreak has knocked the world into a new uncertainty. An event that has become a universal reference point. Make no mistake, reality will be a different place once this over. The things we consider important. Values have shifted. The “All About Me Culture” suddenly feels petty. Who cares about a daily selfie? Curated threads laced with freebies, in the scheme of things, not relevant.
Attention!
Narcism got old fast. Get over yourself!
Even Kim Kardashian could not believe she was not the center of the world with her antics. No one bothered to tell her the human race is hurdling towards the brink of ending. The world is shutting down. Suddenly her reality show family gets knocked off the top headlines. How sad a person could not put aside their fame driven ego to perhaps focus on a greater issue.
Medical teams are on the front lines. Grocer stockers making sure shelves are full to keep society functioning. These people matter. A Kardashian leaking a tape from years ago reeks of “I need attention”. A tacky publicity stunt. The shocking part, it got coverage in media outlets and trended on Twitter. HUH! Calling photographers, alerting them to where and when you will enter and exit is so 2019. I am not event going to go into Madonna’s bathtub video. Just some advice: Seek Help!
What? It’s Not About ME!
The other phenomenas: Crying about an unfair world. Rules do not apply to me. Tell that to Corvid 19. “Corna Parties” became fashionable for a few days during the crisis. There were a few in my area park. Raising the middle finger to a pandemic. Because the virus is for old people. Anyone under 35 is exempt from the plague. “It doesn’t affect the young”. All about ME! ME! ME! Mother Nature has no favourites. She has forced us to reconsider everything we hold dear. Cuddling, coddling thin skinned handling has mercifully ended. For Gen Z’s and Millennials, mommy cannot kiss it to make it better. No amount of being plugged in social media whining will take society back to before Covid-19. Just Deal With! Planet Earth is a scary place that can devour all of us.
Black and Paper covers travel features. We were saddened by the cancellation the ITB a few weeks ago. The tourism industry affected by the Coronavirus outbreak.The impact lasting for many seasons to come.
The airline industry will not be the same. Today IATA announced airlines will lose a combined $252 billion this year, revised from an earlier estimate of $115 billion. As carriers ground fleets indefinitely, many will go bankrupt.
Parked
Berlin’s BER
Moth Balled
I wanted to see the damage for myself. Travelling to the BER Airport I photographed Moth Balled planes on the tarmac from EasyJet, Ryanair, and Lufthansa. The jobs lost, an industry crashing to the ground. I felt despair.
Grounded
However, I think this should be a time of reflection for airlines. Many treat customers as a necessary inconvenience. Customer service and the travel experience have the feel of a cattle drive. Round Them Up! Let’s have optimism out of this crisis some positive changes occur in the future.
While the Coronavirus is a frightening I am not uncertain about the tactics being used. The media has a great story right out of the bestselling. A deadly virus that could wipe out the world. Panic filled shoppers stripping stores. It gets clicks. Ratings are up on all the New Channels.
Verified
My question is why are Western Governments so keen to adapt China Communist Party Methods for combating the virus. Beijing “supposedly” had great success fighting the Corvid 19. Who verifies this success? Not exactly the most transparent organization on the planet. And please consider this group mishandled the original outbreak. The World Health Organization? Not too assured by their “Kiss The Ring Dealings” with the CCP. Information concerning the virus was slap shot.
On our Global leaders. Trump is silly with an oversized self serving ego. His response to the Pandemic could be viewed comical if the consequences could not become tragic. Equally, the EU missed the curve, drove into the ditch. As Berlin prepares for lockdown, I think, How did it come to this? European State leader had a heads up in December. China ended the year suffering from another heath crisis that had the potential to break out. Macron, Merkel, and Johnson, sat on their hands. My German friends praise “Mother”. Had “Mother” closed the borders, or at least taken precautions in January we would not be preparing to go in Full Lockdown. Her cherished Schengen Freedom of Movement has brought Europe to a crippling halt.
I have Seen This Before
For me, this is the second outbreak, having lived through the early years of HIV coming over the LGTB Community. I witnessed lives lost in the madness. A lot of misinformation on transmissions. Who go it? Disappearances. Gay men quarantined in hospitals. Life was under sieged. This is worse, because it’s a bigger scale not because of the health hazard. AIDS was a death sentence in the 80”s and 90’s. Institutions marginalized gays. Whispering behind the back, common place discrimination. If a person looked too thin, he was thought to be positive. Life was not a Donna Summer song.
As governments continue to tie down whole societies, I begin to wonder how far this will go. Separate and divide is the key to defeating the new enemy. Keep in mind this strategy comes from the group who allowed the Coronavirus to gain a foothold. Don’t be fooled, politics, as it did in the 80’s, is playing a decisive role in health policy.
Memories
As the new virus has taken hold I remind those who think this will go away soon. Life will return to normal. My response, “HIV has been around for a generation.” Paranoia is the new normal, “Distancing”. The present state is the same, even copying movements and gestures. Walk on the side walk, interact with fellow walkers, in the current environment, people avoid eye contact. Everyone assumes Guilt first. I witnessed entire neighborhoods decimated by the so called “Gay Virus”. The new “Super Spreader” term comes from the AIDS Epidemic. In my college town there were rumors of spreaders in the gay scene who unknowingly infected their sexual partners Many young people died. These days bring back memories.
What will unfold in the future? Hope also came out of Pandora’s Box.
At the time I wrote this Angela Merkel had a Corvid 19 Test. Thankfully, it returned negative.
Ineptness. Greed. Political Correctness. Self-Preservation. Denial. As the Coronavirus marches across the globe containment is the strategy. Slowing down an enemy that is dangerous, deadly, with no moral conscience. The world has its work cut out. Entering a crisis tunnel on one end, not sure how or when we will exit. Further, what happens when we get out of the tunnel. One thing for certain, the landscape will be different.
Fingers Crossed
Remembering Naomi Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine. I wondered what Draconian legislation would pass. As whole countries are in lockdown,afraid, and distracted. It would be easy. Yet, as each national government member seems to be hiding under a desk hoping the virus does not affect them. Some come out before the cameras with Deer in the Headlight Facial expressions trying to calm the masses with martial laws and curfews. Will this work? The “Keep the Fingers Crossed Strategy” is all they have left.
Clearly, the possible end of modern society triggers reflection. How did we get to this situation? Wuhan, a beaming metropolis representing the best of modern China had a problem in a market. Corvid 19 was born. A virus jumped from one species to another.
A Chernobyl Repeat
This is not the first hazard from the Middle Kingdom, the 2002 SARS crisis. Nothing learned since then. At the start of November 2019 during the first cases, the party threatened, then arrested Medical Whistleblowers. The second phase involved a massive cover up, denial. Communist officials Another viral epicenter emerged from the most populouscountry. By January the secret was out. The CCP’s “Chernobyl PR Strategy” fell apart.
The World Health Organization lavished praised China’s leaders. The UN body became willing propaganda tools. Adhanom’s gushing over Jinping’s handling of the crisis at times came across as abused partner acceptance. A combined health and political institution started sending pandering messages to the world with an all over the place narrative. Praise the leaders who allowed the raging fire to gain a foothold. Then allowed the fire to jump across to other houses. WHO heads went out the way not naming the virus after a region or a specific group. Admirable, but the press conference omitting a fact. Global Chinese Travelers became unknowing carriers, Patient Zeros, of a virus that eventually radiated to shutdown the world.
Profits First
How do you keep commercial access to world’s second largest economy, with a massive consumer market? Do not anger their masters. Prioritise profits and investments over the salvation of the human race. The reason airlines and countries did not cut off travel from China was simple. Cash! Leaders did not want to anger the CCP. Greed has a place at the table while responsibility looks through a cold window. Large investments need guarantees. A slight to thin skinned ranking officials would cause financial problems.. Country heads continually dismissed the growing health outbreak. Any chance to mitigate the situation got lost.
As the global lockdown continues, I wonder who will take the blame for this catastrophe. Populations are stunned, but once this wears off, many will demand answers, many uncomfortable. Changes will come whether the leaders want them or not.
Finally, the curious part of the live ongoing sci-fi drama. The rewriting of history has began. The CCP is hailing itself as a “saviors”. The party “overcame” the adversity it wrought by sheer power of its strength. A bit premature considering the history of pandemics. This is the same as an arsonist setting the barns on ablaze then hailing himself a hero for calling the fire department.
As the daily headlines continue to take surreal turns, we can only ponder the question. How did we get here in only 4 months?
Are we a little confused about “Social Distancing”? How does one interact with “new fun friends” in the grip of Coronavirus Pandemic? I have a suggestion or two.
Let’s face it. We are all a bit paranoid. Everyday the headlines read like a science fiction film. If your fun partner has a cough, should you hesitate? If in the back of your head you are having thoughts of hesitation, YES! Or have plastic wrap ready.
This new virus makes Grindr, Tinder, and all the quick hook up sites a bit risky. A person may require a one week health screening record before getting to 2ndbase. In China there is now a mandatory health rating app for citizens. I get the feeling this will soon come to dating sites.
WELL,, but the old fashion ways are still around. Being hyper connected to a mobile phone means digital fun at your fingertips. Portable, able to move from room to room. For those of us like long sessions, the drawback with mobile phones is the battery life. Second, only able to use one hand.
Skype never left, it just got regulated to the second tier technology level. Back in the day, this platform was considered a safe encounter space with a camera for visuals and good sound quality. The full picture is available, handsfree. Just get in a comfortable place with your laptop or tablet, relax, then cyber fun take you away.
