Here’s How to Get Ready for Your COVID Vaccine

You’re finally eligible and got one of those elusive appointments! Or maybe you’ve been on the fence, and have finally decided to join your vaccinated friends. Congratulations. Here are some tips for how to have the best vaccine experience.

The Kale Controversy!

No less a magazine than Mother Jones recently published an account of an alternative medicine researcher claiming the truly horrifying: kale might be bad for you. His patients, otherwise healthy, started presenting with digestive problems, fatigue, and skin and hair problems. He found that a lot of them had elevated thallium levels — and that a lot of them ate significant amounts of brassicas, the plant family that includes kale and cabbage. When he had some patients remove these foods from their diet, their thallium levels dropped and their symptoms improved.

Who said chocolate is a guilty pleasure?

The world seemed to rejoice when dark chocolate was pronounced a “healthy” food. Finally, after decades of every edible pleasure being slapped with a “DO NOT EAT” sign, we have something that’s delicious, luxurious, has a little caffeine and might prevent heart attacks.

Should businesses be required to post COVID-19 case counts?

In January 2021, the Los Angeles Times reported alarming numbers of positive COVID-19 tests from popular businesses including Home Depot, Target, and Costco, with hundreds of staff members infected. Seven Costcos in the area had at least 15 infected staff, according to the Times.

The infected workplaces highlight a troubling fact: Despite social distancing messages outside and long lines to get in, simply going to get a bag of dog food or a new faucet could be a deadly exercise in Los Angeles.

Opera Review: Roberto Devereaux

Roberto Devereux is a lesser-known Donizetti confection, and erstwhile Artistic Director Plácido Domingo was set to hot-ticket this tale of Queen Elizabeth and her lover Essex that likely hasn’t been an opera question on Jeopardy! See my review here.

Vaccine shirt? People are busting out this trendy top to go get vaccinated for COVID

Earlier this month, Parton posted a video of herself getting a COVID-19 vaccine to social media, with the caption “Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine.”

Many commenters lauded the country music superstar for her efforts to help fund the Moderna vaccine. Others pointed out something else, entirely: her shirt.

Idaho Statesman features my Tweet about the shirt Dolly Parton and I both wore to get the COVID-19 vaccine, here.