Quarantine for the Pandemic

Quarantine!
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Quarantine for the Pandemic

Worldwide we find ourselves living in a brave new world. In the USA the reality distortion field of politics is been made physical by the pandemic. It is as though science fiction and newspeak have combined. The astounding incompetence of our leaders has been laid bare at the great expense of those whom they govern. Well, in this country at least you get what you pay for.

If you are over sixty you are strongly advised to self-quarantine and hope for the best. Wash your hands and don’t open the door to anyone. Millions of older people should isolate themselves from close family contact and potentially endure sickness or worse alone. I despair for those in their eighties and nineties who must survive with less help than they may need. Healthcare and social services are not a right in this country.

Maybe the people with the hardest choices are working class parents with families. Many if not most of them are without adequate health insurance or paid sick leave. Do they quarantine themselves at home and risk destitution or lie about being ill and continue working? What is the responsible choice when employers and government see them simply as units of labor?

As always when a crisis arises, life will be difficult for a few months then we will forget about the whole thing. In the meantime don’t forget to … Quarantine for the Pandemic.

A Certain Irritability

Formerly Productive Citizen
What Planet is This?

I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that we are living in a pretty strong reality distortion field these days. Turn on a television and you are likely to see someone trying hard to convince you that night is day or some equally absurd nonsense. It’s the interesting times we live in as the ancient and probably bogus proverb says.

My Tale of Woe

I find myself living through some interesting personal times at the moment. As I write this post I have a foot long incision in my chest, bruises all over my body, several new plumbing modifications and a certain shortness of breath.

Here’s how the thing went down. Heart attack on Monday, quad bypass on Tuesday, by Wednesday it took all my energy just to brush my teeth. A couple of days in the ICU followed by a few more in the cardiovascular unit and then a ride home. It was your basic whirlwind tour of modern medicine.

The Distortion Field Strikes

After a week of what I can only think of as pain induced blurred vision it turns out I’m really just a crazed drug fiend after all. The litany of physical issues I described are not the cause of my certain irritability. Rather it’s the pain killers I’m taking that are making me dangerous to all mankind. That seems a little far fetched to me but of course I’m on drugs and not to be counted as one of the currently productive members of society. Well I guess we all get to pay our money and choose the distortion field that feels most comfortable.

Please accept my apologies for not doing an audio post. I did mention  I’m not breathing very well at the moment and looking at my chest reflected in the blank monitor is down right scary.

Independence Day

Interesting Times

Much has changed in America since I was a kid in the mid twentieth century. My life as a free-range child felt absolutely carefree. The 4th of July was about patriotism, parades and picnics. Now I know the world is a more complicated place where consequences intrude on childhood. Still those early memories shape the core of my understanding of who we are as a nation.

A century ago my family came to the new world in the aftermath of war in Europe. They made a choice to give up lives in the old world not knowing what may come. That decision gave me my place as an American. Thank You.

Happy Birthday USA