Monthly Archives: March 2020

Now is the Times that Try Mens Souls

Medical, ,
Plague Doctor

Just under 244 years ago, in 1776, Thomas Paine started his epic pamphlet to urge all Americans to come to the aid of their country in it’s time of need. An while it was written at the start of a war with an infinitely more powerful foe I still think the spirit of “The American Crisis” is appropriate for today.

The Covid-19 pandemic is on the way to being the greatest crisis to actually strike the Americans in their homes since the American Civil War. An yes, I’m including the “Spanish Flu” pandemic of 1918/19. Unlike the “Spanish Flu” this crisis is not just medical, but also economic and quite possibly political. An it will not end with ending the “Stay at Home” order, be it four more weeks or eight or twelve more weeks.

The economy is going to change a great deal in the next few years. People are learning that work can be done at home. That it is not really necessary to have everyone crowded into a office. People will learn that they don’t need to go to the local Mall to do most of their shopping. I have no idea what is going to happen to the restaurant business but it too will be changing. What I can say is that I’m looking for a change in how America does business that will be as large and earth shaking as the changes I’ve seen in my life time. Only it won’t happen over 50 years but more like 5.

So now is the time for every American to get ready to step forth and do their best to make the changes as good as possible. Now is when we stop with blaming and start helping. Now is to fix a problem or potential problem when we discover it. As Pain said 244 years ago the “Sunshine Patriot” will shirk his duty then they will shirk it now. Now is when we must be ever vigilant for those who will seek to take advantage of the crisis for their own person gain, and stop them. We need to stop them where ever they spring up, and they will spring up, every time they spring up. An not just for the duration of medical crisis, but during the rebuilding over the next few years.

You don’t need to do anything big or showy, in fact the small and un-noticed will do more good when we all do it together.

In closing: “Take care of each other and be safe.”

A small Policy Update

General
Death Dealer

It has been suggested to me that I explain an action I, and chief cook and bottle washer of this blog just what has been going on here the last few weeks. I was reading up on both spam and other hacking activities in preparation for the coming election when I read about some ‘bots’ using blog pages like mine to post to carry out some of their nefarious activities. In checking out all of the “people” who had become users I noticed that other than two people I know are actual people (I’ve seen them in the flesh) no a one had actually posted anything. Not a comment one. So after installing some new anti spam Plugins and tools I did some checking.

Everyone was either a known Spammer site, Hacker site, or quite questionable. So I deleted them all. To anyone else who wants to add comments to my posting, and I’d love to have them. I’m now asking you to post a comment on this ore some other posting so I know you are not a Bot. Otherwise, if you just want to ‘lurk’ you still can, but you may get yourself deleted. Sorry but it is all part of my effort to fight Russian et al interference.

Super Tuesday in California

Politics, ,
I want you to Vote
I want you to vote

For all of you who do not live in California I wish to explain just why this years Primary Election is such a big deal (at lest to me). I’ve been voting since 1974 and following elections since 1968 and this is the first time, ever, that the California Primary has ever really meant something.

For as long as I remember the parties candidate for President was always a forgone conclusion by the time California had it’s primary election. This was for a very simple reason, the California Primary was always the first Tuesday in June. Long after most of the other states had held theirs. This was true for both the Democrats and the Republicans. For any political party no mater how big or small, California just did not mater. Except for fund raising California was totally ignored. But not this year!

Well, almost.

California does matter, and we have been talked about in the National media, a little bit. Not as much as Texas but I have heard the word California a time or two on the news. I even saw one of the news shows have have their star actually be. In Santa Monica yesterday. Most of the reasoning given is that in the Democratic Primary most of the “experts” are saying that Senator Sanders will pick up the lion’s share of our 415 delegates. I say wait and see. California is not nearly as monolithic as the rest of the country seems to think. We like to go our own way.

So to all of y fellow Californians I say “Get Out And Vote!” Lets show all the ‘so called experts’ that we really do matter. That we are not just a place to come to raise money and celebrity endorsements. That they need our vote if they expect to win.

An to all of you other folks in Super Tuesday states, get out and Vote. You mater too.