I haven't posted in two days because my computer wasn't working. I have other devices but typing on them is just too challenging compared to this standard keyboard. The truth is typing is a challenge for me . I'm still at the hunt and peck level. I prefer to call it the sight method. I type the letter or character when I see it. I hadn't given it any thought but the last time I didn't post two days in a row was two years ago. Two years ago I had a heart attack and was in the hospital. This time it was the computer. I was heartened to hear that some people asked about my whereabouts and missed reading my posting. I get it, habits good and bad are easily developed. I did miss writing and posting as it has become a habit. But, I have my old trusty keyboard and computer up and running again. Now I'm finding it difficult to start again.
All the news is of course centered around this Chinese virus. Now I've noticed that it has been shortened to just Covid. I'm beginning to hear that frequently. It is something I've noticed over the last few years, this changing of nomenclature to fit various scenarios and sensibilities. This started out as Chinese virus, became the Corona virus, shifted to Covid-19 and now just Covid. To me the same concept as changing abortions to women's health care and semi-automatic rifles to assault weapons. Just depends on how you want to present the topic. The discussion has shifted somewhat from a bail out, to a stimulus package. Same action but stimulus sounds much better. Either way it will increase the national debt substantially. Not saying it isn't necessary, just pointing out a fact. Anxiety over the practical matters of living are increasing, no doubt about that. I also offer no solution to that. I hear the claims for unemployment are almost overwhelming the system. That isn't any surprise to me. When you close all but essential businesses that's to be expected. I listened as they talked about the numbers being so much greater than they were in 1930 during the great depression. I thought, well duh, no kidding. The population is higher now and there are many more women in the workforce. In 1930 not many women would qualify for unemployment so I'd say the numbers today would certainly be higher. In 1930 one person could work and support a family, that ain't happening much today. Not with all the stuff we consider essential today. Takes at least two people , working full time, to fill those needs. You know in 1930 you didn't have a cable bill, a phone bill, car insurance, credit card payments, internet costs, and a slew of other " essential " things we have today. Simple things like having a closet full of clothes and four or five pair of shoes weren't very common. Eating out? Maybe once every few months if you were doing well. Drive up windows for fast food? These are the things we all expect to have today. Essential? Well that all depends doesn't it?
We will get through this and things will return to normal after a while. I hear much talk already of lessons learned. Thing is we tend to forget those lessons when times are good again. Consider 9/11, you know, we will never forget. Well you don't have to look far to realize we have indeed forgotten, forgotten a lot. Why have we forgotten? Well it's been 19 years. We have a whole generation that has only read about that in the history books. And today we record history a bit differently than we did in the past. I grew up with the knowledge that it was the Japanese that attacked Pearl Harbor, on a Sunday morning, and bombed the place killing thousands. Ask kids today about the 9/11 attacks. most will say some airplane crashed into the world trade center. Most won't know about the pentagon or the one in Pennsylvania. Many won't be able to tell you who was piloting those planes, who was responsible. We don't teach that part. All we hear is, we will never forget about 9/11. A great number can't even tell you the year that took place. And that's because we don't teach history anymore, we try to teach lessons. Those lessons are the ideal situation but we shouldn't teach who was responsible for those injustices of the past. Well only when that proves of benefit to us currently. If we can obtain some monetary gain or increased entitlements, benefits or social standing. In those situations it is alright to point the finger of blame, in all other cases, it's just being racist and prejudicial
So what lesson have we learned from this pandemic so far? That we didn't have a sufficient stockpile of ventilators or N-95 masks? That we should practice social distancing when we have an infectious virus? Is it that we should wash our hands, for at least twenty seconds, and not touch our face? Just what are the lessons? Or is it simply that we should stock up om toilet paper before a pandemic, you know, be prepared. No this will pass, so will social distancing, self quarantining and all this hand sanitizing. It'll be business as usual fairly soon. The thing that will change is the response to anything similar to this in the future. We will enter into the " response " mode earlier. I wanted to say panic because that's what came to mind, but it won't be panic, it'll be called the standard response procedures. Shelter in place, wash your hands, wear your N-95 mask and practice social distancing. Yeah I practiced hiding under my school desk in case of a nuclear attack from those pesky Russians. I had a neighbor building a bomb shelter, strangely he didn't have a stockpile of toilet paper, just canned goods and water. Guess we have learned one thing, in case of bombs or pandemics, we need toilet paper. Oh, and liquor stores, are essential businesses.
All the news is of course centered around this Chinese virus. Now I've noticed that it has been shortened to just Covid. I'm beginning to hear that frequently. It is something I've noticed over the last few years, this changing of nomenclature to fit various scenarios and sensibilities. This started out as Chinese virus, became the Corona virus, shifted to Covid-19 and now just Covid. To me the same concept as changing abortions to women's health care and semi-automatic rifles to assault weapons. Just depends on how you want to present the topic. The discussion has shifted somewhat from a bail out, to a stimulus package. Same action but stimulus sounds much better. Either way it will increase the national debt substantially. Not saying it isn't necessary, just pointing out a fact. Anxiety over the practical matters of living are increasing, no doubt about that. I also offer no solution to that. I hear the claims for unemployment are almost overwhelming the system. That isn't any surprise to me. When you close all but essential businesses that's to be expected. I listened as they talked about the numbers being so much greater than they were in 1930 during the great depression. I thought, well duh, no kidding. The population is higher now and there are many more women in the workforce. In 1930 not many women would qualify for unemployment so I'd say the numbers today would certainly be higher. In 1930 one person could work and support a family, that ain't happening much today. Not with all the stuff we consider essential today. Takes at least two people , working full time, to fill those needs. You know in 1930 you didn't have a cable bill, a phone bill, car insurance, credit card payments, internet costs, and a slew of other " essential " things we have today. Simple things like having a closet full of clothes and four or five pair of shoes weren't very common. Eating out? Maybe once every few months if you were doing well. Drive up windows for fast food? These are the things we all expect to have today. Essential? Well that all depends doesn't it?
We will get through this and things will return to normal after a while. I hear much talk already of lessons learned. Thing is we tend to forget those lessons when times are good again. Consider 9/11, you know, we will never forget. Well you don't have to look far to realize we have indeed forgotten, forgotten a lot. Why have we forgotten? Well it's been 19 years. We have a whole generation that has only read about that in the history books. And today we record history a bit differently than we did in the past. I grew up with the knowledge that it was the Japanese that attacked Pearl Harbor, on a Sunday morning, and bombed the place killing thousands. Ask kids today about the 9/11 attacks. most will say some airplane crashed into the world trade center. Most won't know about the pentagon or the one in Pennsylvania. Many won't be able to tell you who was piloting those planes, who was responsible. We don't teach that part. All we hear is, we will never forget about 9/11. A great number can't even tell you the year that took place. And that's because we don't teach history anymore, we try to teach lessons. Those lessons are the ideal situation but we shouldn't teach who was responsible for those injustices of the past. Well only when that proves of benefit to us currently. If we can obtain some monetary gain or increased entitlements, benefits or social standing. In those situations it is alright to point the finger of blame, in all other cases, it's just being racist and prejudicial
So what lesson have we learned from this pandemic so far? That we didn't have a sufficient stockpile of ventilators or N-95 masks? That we should practice social distancing when we have an infectious virus? Is it that we should wash our hands, for at least twenty seconds, and not touch our face? Just what are the lessons? Or is it simply that we should stock up om toilet paper before a pandemic, you know, be prepared. No this will pass, so will social distancing, self quarantining and all this hand sanitizing. It'll be business as usual fairly soon. The thing that will change is the response to anything similar to this in the future. We will enter into the " response " mode earlier. I wanted to say panic because that's what came to mind, but it won't be panic, it'll be called the standard response procedures. Shelter in place, wash your hands, wear your N-95 mask and practice social distancing. Yeah I practiced hiding under my school desk in case of a nuclear attack from those pesky Russians. I had a neighbor building a bomb shelter, strangely he didn't have a stockpile of toilet paper, just canned goods and water. Guess we have learned one thing, in case of bombs or pandemics, we need toilet paper. Oh, and liquor stores, are essential businesses.
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