Weird Wednesday: There’s Something in the Air
The air quality in Canada and in the United States has been very poor this year due to the wildfires. Contrary to what some state senators say, we can’t be held responsible for smoke crossing the border. That’s the job of your border guards.
The smoke is the worst I have seen for a while and I am glad I still have a stash of N95 masks to use if I have to go out. How bad is it? Here’s a breakdown of the air quality index scale:
1 – 3: Low health risk
4 – 6: Moderate health risk
7 – 10: High health risk
So what was it yesterday? Eleven.
Yes. We are now in Spinal Tap amplifier volume knob territory.
All kidding aside, it was really gross out there yesterday. All the news and weather reports said to stay inside unless you absolutely have to and then wear a mask.
So I stayed inside. But wait. Where does the air in my apartment come from?
You guessed it. Outside. No forced air ventilation here, so I’m breathing the same stuff. Time for science to take over:
Science: Smoke is made of particles which will drop out or stick to surfaces as the air it is suspended in travels. Getting into your residence is not a straight line so the particles have plenty of opportunity to dissipate.
Thank you, science.
Bonus WeirdnessDid you know that the US government now accepts monetary gifts through PayPal and Venmo to go toward the national debt?
Yes, you (if you are an American citizen who has money left over from your trip to the grocery store) can give the government more money.
Full disclosure, this program called “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt,” is not a Trump era idea (sounded like it though, didn’t it?) and has been around since 1996. Its collected $67.5 million dollars which today equates to 20 minutes of debt. The maximum allowed donation is $999 999.99, which by the time you open Venmo and click send is already spent.
I’m sure crypto payments are soon come.
-Leon
Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words, and his latest sci-fi mystery, Euphrates Vanished.
My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/
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