THE WEIRD ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.

This is Day 33 of our cruise on the Norwegian Encore.  Before writing about this trip, first, one comment about Donald Trump's expected, yet medically irrational selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr as director of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Why?  From the New York Times this morning:

Trump picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has spread conspiracy theories and falsehoods about vaccines causing autism. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer with no training in medicine or public health, would oversee the F.D.A., C.D.C., Medicare and Medicaid. All these perplexing and historically outrageous selections by Trump  mean two things.  He has total  control over the U.S. Senate, and  similarly, will have a heavy hand  on what they do in office.

Day 32 on the Norwegian Encore.  Pre-dinner scotch at Mixx, then to Taste. Corn soup with jalapeno and Country Fried Chicken. Then to see the Beatles in their Sgt. Pepper performance in The Cavern Club. Adda Band in the Atrium. 2266 steps on Day 32. View of Zeebrugge from our veranda on Day 33. Lunch. Ice cream cone.

I will tomorrow report on the final stops of the Norwegian Encore. 

Oh, why is RFK Jr weird?  According to Forbes, it has to do with his fringe conspiracy theories.

• From 2006 promoted the theory that the preservative thimerosal, which has largely been phased out of modern vaccine formulas, is responsible for a rise in autism diagnosis.  Worse, the government knowlingly allowed the pharmaceutical industry to poison an entire generation of American children.

• 
  Claimed that Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates exaggerated the pandemic to promote vaccines.  Further, the government spent hundreds of millions of dollars to ethnically target people in Russia and China.
• Says that the FDA suppresses advancements in health.  
• Maybe this is where Trump got his notion, but Kennedy also promotes ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19.  And the CDC will now report to him.

• 
  Says wireless technology like WiFi, and particularly 5G cellular networks, can cause cancer. and other illnesses. Has been disproven.
• Believes that AIDS does not cause HIV.
• Will stop including fluoride in U.S. public water systems.  Fluoride, he says, causes, arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease.  The only medical reality is that fluoride in water should reduce dental decay.

• 
  Indicates that mass shootings are linked to prescription drugs like Prozac.  Not so, says science.
• Convinced that in 2004, President G.W. Bush used voter fraud to steal the victory from John Kerry.
• 
  Convinced that the CIA was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
  
• Has been married for a decade to Cheryl Hines, Curb star.  Well, actually, nothing so weird about that.

Typhoon Man-Yi is strengthening.  First formed as a tropical storm on November 9 to the east of the Philippines.  Reached typhoon strength yesterday, November 14, and has zoomed up to 115 MPH today.  Could reach 130 MPH tomorrow, which is a Category 4, making landfall later in the day over the middle of the country.

Two days ago, Typhoon Usagi was up to 150 MPH, brushed northern Philippines, headed for Taiwan, weakened to a bare typhoon today at 70 MPH, and will tomorrow become a tropical storm and make landfall south of Kaohsiung.

Tropical Storm Sara formed in the Caribbean Sea, brushed Honduras today at 50 MPH, and will make landfall over Belize tomorrow.  Not expected to strengthen.

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