When they tell you (and they will tell you) that it’s summer and that it’s normal for it to get hot in the summer, politely but firmly tell them, that it’s summer and that it’s normal for it to get hot in the summer, but not for it to get this hot.

So he told me that based on the news he worries the future will be hot, violent, and sick. So I told him that based on the news I worry the present currently is hot, violent, and sick. So he told me that based on the news he worries the future will be even worse.

The historian told me that in many eras people have feared that their world was coming to an end, so I sent her an article headlined “Europe sizzles under heat wave as records are smashed,” and the historian replied that in many eras those fears were warranted.

Contrary to what your coworkers and relatives say as this summer begins please remember: that no, it is not normal for so many people to be so sick in the summer; and that no, it is not normal for so many places to be so hot in the summer.

Protect yourself this week: stay well hydrated, wear sunscreen and sunglasses, stay inside or in the shade, use a fan or air conditioning, and should you go out wear a mask, as the extreme heat is not the only thing against which you need to protect yourself this week.

As we discussed the heatwave, I asked the old punk if she ever worries that it’s too late, that we’ve already lost, and after a quiet moment the old punk replied that what really worries her are the people who say that it’s too late to justify their complacency.

If you look you will find stories about the heatwave and about Ebola, about screwworm and about Covid, about data centers and about wars, about the trillionaire and about Prairieland, and if you look carefully you will find that these are all part of the same story.

Along with her mask the woman in the store wore a t-shirt which read “the horrors persist but so do I,” and as we passed she said “nice mask,” so I replied “the horrors persist but so do we.” * A compendium of the 328th week of plague poems… librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com/2026/06/26/p...

According to a headline “Buildings May Soon Have ‘Immune Systems’ That Fight Airborne Disease,” and while that would be a good thing (that would be a very good thing) until that “soon” arrives you should really keep wearing a mask.

Listen: when you hear it reported that this week Paris, France, has seen more days above 40°C than it had in the years from 1872 to 2019, it is vital to understand that this is not the end of the world, rather it is a sign that the world we knew has already ended.

My friend, the climatologist, says pay attention to the heat wave happening in Europe. My friend, the epidemiologist, says pay attention to the Covid wave that’s starting again. My friend, oh my friends, please pay attention it’s time to wave the world we knew goodbye.

As the flu outbreak at an Air Force base grows (after they had rescinded their flu shot requirement), the military services are now once again requiring flu shots, which is a reminder that though it is difficult to admit the error of your ways, it is not impossible.

A new initiative aims “to make respiratory infections, like the common cold and flu, a thing of the past,” but while you patiently wait for AI and tech companies to make such infections “a thing of the past” it would be wise to keep protecting yourself in the present.

When I asked, the epidemiologist told me the world is a disaster. When I asked, the climatologist told me the world is a disaster. When I asked, the seismologist told me the world is a disaster. So I asked the ethicist and she told me the world can be different.

According to the news the Ebola outbreak has now exceeded 1,000 cases in Congo, and on a related note according to a Lancet study the aid cuts (championed by the man who is why the number of trillionaires has exceeded zero) will result in 14 million deaths by 2030.

I keep hearing people say how worried they are about this outbreak now that France has reported its first Ebola case, and I only wish those same people had been equally worried about this outbreak when all the Ebola cases were still l in Congo.

The historian told me she knows there are more serious issuess (much more serious issues) than the dead ducks in the reflecting pool, but the historian told me she doesn’t know what better symbolizes this moment than the dead ducks in the reflecting pool.

When the man in the Gadsden Flag shirt approached, he pointed at me and growled “take off your stupid fucking mask,” and though I should have just walked away, instead I calmly replied: “hey, don’t tread on me,” and I could immediately tell he did not like that reply.

According to the wastewater monitoring the latests data suggests that Covid levels are rising once again, which is a reminder that as you make plans to catch some waves during this summer, that this is the sort of wave you do not want to catch.

Alongside a video of a man in a headstand pose, the WHO recommended doing yoga to stay grounded, and while I know it seems that the world has turned upside down, I regret to inform you, that turning yourself upside down does not turn the world right side up.

When you hear about how screwworm continues to spread among warm-blooded animals (now including a sheep), it is vital to remember how screwworm prevention funding was cut by cold-blooded humans.

As the seasons change 
remember to dress properly:
in the fall you should 
wear a sweater, in the winter you should 
wear a heavy coat,
in the spring you should wear a raincoat,
in the summer you should 
wear sunscreen,
and in plague seasons you should
wear a mask.

According to the news there is algae in the reflecting pool, and there is a heatwave in Europe, and there is Ebola in Congo, and there is screwworm in Texas, and there is, and there is, but based on the news what matters is that there is algae in the reflecting pool.

As the summer begins please, my friend, remember that regardless of what the last several years have led you to believe it is not normal (it really is not normal) for everyone you know to get sick in the summer.

When I checked on her the historian told me she is anxious, for she has articles to write, classes to prepare, a manuscript to finish, but she added that when she stops and looks at the news she is reminded there are bigger reasons much bigger reasons to be anxious.

I have a friend
whose goal for the summer is
to go to the beach. 
I have a friend
whose goal
for the summer is
to write a book. 
I have a friend
whose goal
for the summer is
to plan their wedding. 
I’ll admit, friends,
my goal
for the summer is
to not get sick.

With her 100th birthday drawing near, I asked my great aunt if she had any wisdom to share, and she told me: when you’re young you believe that the world is your oyster, and when you’re old you realize that the world is your oy. And then we both laughed.

It seems that this week everyone is talking about the failures (about the many failures) of this administration, and though far fewer people are talking about the worsening Ebola outbreak in Congo, that too should be discussed among the failures of this administration.

When you see the story about how the world has its first trillionaire and when you see the story about how laboratories in Congo have run out of supplies to test for Ebola it is important to understand that in many ways these are the same story * 327: librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com/2026/06/19/p...

It has been reported that a major flu outbreak at an Air Force base in Texas has sickened around 160 troops, but it’s probably just a coincidence that this happened after the Defense Secretary made the flu vaccine optional, yes, it’s probably just a strange coincidence.

Apologies to you, dear reader, for I recognize there are times when it may seem to you like I am just repeating myself. But with apologies to you, dear reader, these are times when the horrors of the world are repeating themselves too.

As for the Ebola outbreak, I’ve heard it said it could be the worst. And as for the trillionaire, I’ve heard it said that he is the first. (And as for the above lines you’ll see they rhyme in more ways than one).

A new study shows “Covid vaccine linked to a 40% lower risk of heart attacks and strokes,” which just goes to show that protecting yourself and others is good for our literal and for our figurative hearts and minds.

According to an opinion piece after they “looked at the data” they found that remote work was bad for mental health, but considering all the data on how contracting Covid damages the brain (and more), remote work still seems like the safer option.

As we passed each other by our cars, my neighbor said he was disappointed that despite the predictions we had not gotten a tornado yesterday, and though I wanted to tell him that it’s a good thing when the disaster doesn’t happen, instead I just said: have a good day.

When they ask you (and they will ask you) 
if you have heard about the dangerous parasite 
that feeds on the life 
of warm-blooded animals
which has recently been found in Texas, 
be sure to ask them 
if they are referring 
to the trillionaire or the screwworm.

As I typed the word “trillionaire” the program underlined it with a bright red line as if it refused to believe it was a real thing, and as I stared at that underlined word I sympathized, as I also wanted to refuse to believe it was a real thing.

A friend called to see if I had plans in case I lose power, so I told her I lost any power I had a long time ago and ever since I’ve been running on anger, fear, and hope, to which she responded she meant losing power in the storm, so I said: I also have a flashlight.

Along with her mask the woman in the store wore a t-shirt which read “the horrors persist but so do I,” and as we passed she said “nice mask,” so I replied “the horrors persist but so do we.”

And should they ask you why you are so concerned about the Ebola outbreak, respond by asking them: why it is that they think you should need a reason to be concerned about the suffering of others.

It has been reported that it will take around a billion dollars to contain the outbreak of New World screwworm, and while this may sound like quite a lot of money at least we saved fifteen million dollars thanks to previously cutting a screwworm monitoring program.

Should they ask you why you are so concerned about the Ebola outbreak, tell them you have heard an expert say that they are “really worried” about it, and when they ask you “who said that?” tell them that: yes, exactly, the director-general of the WHO said that.

Will history show
that the world 
got its first trillionaire
at the same time 
as an Ebola outbreak? Yes, history will show 
that the world 
got its first trillionaire
at the same time
as an Ebola outbreak. 
But by now you should know
that nobody 
learns from history.

In the last several days the number of people who have contracted Ebola has increased to more than eight hundred, and meanwhile, in related news, in the last several days the number of people who are trillionaires has increased to more than zero.

I sent my aunt, the doctor, an article in which the title asked: “Why are so many young people getting cancer?” and by way of reply my aunt, the doctor, sent me an article about the oncogenic potential of Covid-19.

When they tell you that Covid was six years ago, calmly but firmly tell them that they are right Covid was six years ago, but remind them it was also five years ago, and four years ago, and three years ago, and two years ago, and one year ago, and it is also right now.

If, my friend, as the week begins, you find yourself feeling 
saddened and furious 
disappointed and worried, 
please understand 
that as uncomfortable as these feelings may be all of them are perfectly reasonable responses to the state of the world.

The climatologist 
told me the problem 
is the climate. The programmer 
told me the problem 
is AI. The epidemiologist 
told me the problem
is viruses. The historian told me the problem is ignorance. This all tells me the problem is we don’t take care of each other.

New research finds “half or more of the gap in life outcomes between older and younger siblings can be attributed to pathogens inadvertently brought home by older siblings,” and while we didn’t really need more reasons to clean the air in schools, it’s one more reason.

When you hear it said that the screwworm poses a threat to cattle and to livestock and to other animals, please understand that “other animals” includes you. * A compendium of the 326th week of plague poems… librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com/2026/06/12/p...