The precious First Amendment

Yes, Google is a private firm, and it can censor anything it wants--it is not the government. But it has more power over you than the government and it is a public utility whether or not it has that title. No, we can't assemble and we can't petition--because petitioning the government is useless so it might as well not exist. And where would we assemble if the government has closed everything? Freedom to worship on-line is not the same as freedom of religion. Anyone who speaks against the current myths developed by the left or the intersectionality promoted by academe risks her career and sometimes life. Where is the government in protecting these rights defending us from those who would swarm on social media or on the lawn in front of our homes?

Ten Years ago in Lakeside, Ohio

Bob and Phil on a bike ride in Lakeside, July 31, 2010.

Watch the Front Line Doctors

Watch in small batches. This is three hours. https://youtu.be/Mk3mu0S-1Ak  

These front line doctors are the ones seeing patients; they are being stalked by Big Tech and their employers. The woman chairing the group, Dr. Gold, and introducing speakers has been fired for going against the Biden Party Line.  The way the pandemic is being handled is insane, according to the first speaker. If you have cancer, you're not told to go home and live in isolation until you get worse.

What we're hearing from CDC/Dr. Fauci is advice from one or two specialties--epidemiology and virology. There are hundreds of other specialties and experts not being heard. The child psychiatrist's presentation (about 1 hour in) is very moving. Even here in idyllic Lakeside, safe and secure Lakeside, I see the terror in the small children who are wearing masks. They see my white hair and think I'll drop over any minute from a terrible disease. Then I see the teens doing what they've always done, ignoring all precautions.

Listen to Dr. Teryn Clark—she’s a neurologist and advocate for her patients. The elderly and frail. The lockdown has really hurt them, many of whom have Alzheimer's, or are memory impaired. Closed day care, closed classes that keep them out of institutions, parks closed, no physical exercise or socializing. We did the opposite of what we know about protecting the elderly.

More positive tests does not mean more sick people. Emotional needs are not being met. Life style is critical for seniors--out side, fresh air, exercise, socializing, reengage with society. This helps the immune system. Vit. D, Vit. C, zinc, Melatonin are good adjuvant treatment.

Front line doctors all over the nation are seeing mild cases who recover quickly, but their patients are avoiding treatment for other more serious problems. People die not from Covid19, but from fear. The media stress "cases," but 98% of those are mild, and that's not what the public hears. This pandemic is the first where healthy people have been quarantined. "Ready for bear and a squirrel shows up."
The academic models were false--more fear. What is the science and data for social distancing and masks? Crickets. For that the economy was destroyed. Flattening the curve sounded good at first--it was to protect hospitals, not people. Now hospitals are dying. Medical staff laid off. Lockdown was successful in increasing physical abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse, delayed medical care, and suicide calls up 600%. Reporting to public health officials is onerous and requires additional staff, but other staff is afraid to come to work. Fear. It's closing our nation.

Sweden had a different approach. Kept the kids in school. No lockdown. But it  didn't protect the elderly in nursing homes. Even so the model was sustainable, and the U.S. model is not. There will still be corona and flu next year. Our method is not sustainable. Covid19 in Sweden is less than its  flu statistics  for 1993. Lockdown didn't flatten the curve or lower the death rate from flu rates. Plus it's killing the hospitals and our people are not building immunity. The president needs to hear from real world doctors, not just government and academic "experts."

Memories of Phil Bruce for Memorial and Interment of Ashes at Lakeside, August 2, 2020

This past week at Lakeside the Preacher of the Week was Father Michael Renninger , pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia. His theme was “Dining in the Kingdom of God,” which contained many wonderful stories, both spiritual and practical, about food. On Wednesday he asked the audience in the open air of the park what memories they had about food that helped them remember a person or an event of the past. As I listened to my fellow Lakesiders, all in masks, tell of delicious memories, I thought about sharing stories of my mother’s wonderful pies, or even her overcooked beef roasts for Sunday dinner that simmered the hours we were in church.

However, maybe Phil’s wonderful salsa is a better memory. When Phil was married in the 1990s, his wife Holly introduced him to the joys of the outdoors—gardening, growing flowers, camping, and even preserving the fruits of their labor. When he bought a home in 2004 in Canal Winchester after their divorce he transferred some of those skills and put a nice size garden in his back yard, which overlooked a pond. We heard stories, much to our disbelief, about enriching the soil, buying fertilizer, a rototiller, the problem with rabbits and birds, and buying flats of tomato plants. With an abundant crop of tomatoes and peppers, he turned to canning, and soon had developed a nice little distribution system for pints of his salsa. The kitchen pantry was filled with glass canning jars, large blue stockpots like my Mom had, and bags of sugar and spices. He would perfect his recipe from year to year, and we’d often talk about it. Sometimes he gave a pint to a special friend or two, or he’d take them to work to give to fellow employees, and I think some were even shipped to friends and relatives. And it was HOT!

With the good memories that Father Mike helped me recall, there are also sad ones. I think of losing Holly and her daughter in the divorce, I think of the shopping we did together for just the right house, I remember how much he loved his home and that we sold it in June after he died, I remember the annual parties he had there inviting friends from the past, neighbors and others just passing through his life. I remember he had a stroke in 2017 which blinded him in one eye, and after a frustrating year of relearning how to see, to drive and to function with distorted vision, he gave up gardening.

There are many references in the Bible and Christian theology about a heavenly banquet. At communion we say, “until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.” Phil now has a taste of that wonderful feast to come.

  

I don't know how long the July 29 talk will be available, but it's up today.

https://boxcast.tv/view/faith-for-living-hour---july-29-2020-y04ydb6aqeszxdgrcocb?fbclid=IwAR2k-w-N2DVOzkN_4b0BZmR57e0fyvczgzRgo6HKLc5S7n23YvqOZD4Lt-4

AG Barr’s interrogation July 28

I was watching the hearings this morning, but all I heard was lies from the Democrats and "gotcha" yes or no questions, so I turned off the TV. Barr was measured, calm, insightful and prepared with facts. Democrat inquisition team wanted none of that. Please, someone give Nadler a one way ticket to Portland so he can observe what's going on.

Nadler and the Democrats on his team only wanted to have Barr interrogated so they could blame Trump for all the violence and chaos in Democrat cities.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2020/07/28/barr-opening-statement-to-house-n2573248?

Women manning the barricades of the race riots

During the radical student movement of the 60s (grandparents of the rioters of today), there was a quote heard around the world, in fact it may have launched the feminists into their own Marxist orbit. When asked what was the role of women in the counterculture of those years and that movement, a radical black male leader chauvinist pig (as we called men then) replied, "Prone."

For show (I think), women are in the forefront in the 2020 race and hate riots; the male leaders won't make that mistake again. Women aren't making coffee, although they may be writing the twitter appeals for more willing bodies to show up. And they're making fire bombs and using bats.

There are supposedly three women who thought up Black Lives Matter, the organization, all radical black feminists. Of course, Pew Research took a look at the streets and found an overwhelming number of young, college educated, well-heeled whites, "manning" the barricades of war. I suspect the three women have lost control--at least they didn't raise the billions needed to launch this in multiple cities at once.

What virus?

The rioters bring the virus back home, but suffer no consequences. How doesn't this work? Who is paying them? Who is feeding them? Who transports them from city to city? Who is housing them? Who stock piles the frozen water bottles and bats in convenient places? Two months tearing Portland apart?  That costs money.  BLM, the organization, which is international, has collected billions, not just from global Marxists like Soros, but from the wealthy corporations they are blackmailing. And you, Democrats, Independents and Libertarians, if you're donating to the "cause" are helping.

These looters and anarchists (mostly white according to Pew Research) actually have jobs to go to and you don't. They are on the street--they are not social distancing. They are being "schooled" and your children aren't. They have a religion, a cult they where they are allowed to kneel to and worship, but you can't go to church. They cover their faces to hid from police, but you have to cover up to show you are obedient and respectful of others.

https://legalinsurrection.com/2020/07/blm-march-planned-for-august-in-dc-with-100000-people-expected/?

We bought my birthday present today

I returned some books to the library today and decided to stroll through the new Historical Society store in Lakeside which always has interesting memorabilia and antiques.  I looked through the back room where they store some paintings and prints, and noticed this watercolor.  I continued on and then went back and took a second look.  It wasn't very bright in there so I got down on my knees and could see the OWS after the artist's name.  Ohio Watercolor Society.  Bob has shown in their show but isn't a member--it's really tough to get in. So I took down her name, Cathy Welner, and went home to look her up on the internet.  She's from Akron, is 87, and is still painting.  She has done workshops and videos, so I encouraged Bob to go back with me and look at it.  It's not the style we usually buy, but will look nice in our cottage that has a lot of pink in it.  So he agreed--it was a really nice painting.

  

Sonja Ness’ predictions

In these last 3 1/2+ years of Trump, we have seen the Left water the seeds of Obama’s division to perfection, it is frightening and anyone with a knowledge of History can see that it has been repeating itself, and is about to repeat itself in a very, very ugly way.

I predict, the day after Election Day, is when it will kick off, imho, unless there is some great awakening with the super duper woke folks who keep believing that:

“Orange Man is Bad”;

protests are peaceful;

BLM is legitimate;

there is no deep state;

Epstein did kill himself;

CNN is a legitimate source of news;

there was Russian Collusion;

the Chinese Government is our friend;

Socialism is great, it just hasn’t been done right;

history makes it all go away;

all police are bad;

systemic racism exists everywhere;

white people are bad;

reparations are owed;

God doesn’t belong anywhere

the Corona virus isn’t being used as a political weapon;

the MSM reports truth;

Trump wasn’t spied on by Obama;

Soros isn’t a bad guy and isn’t bankrolling traitorous organizations

America is bad. . .

Good golly I could go on for days, the super duper woke folks need to quit saying they are woke, and really wake up, before it is too late.

A Message For Christians About Donald Trump

Here's a famous joke about God and how he talks to us.
"A deeply faithful Christian man is stuck on roof at home with massive flooding up to the 2nd floor. Rowboat comes. He says "No, I'm waiting for God. I prayed and I know he's coming."  2nd Rowboat. "No, I'm waiting for God." 3rd Rowboat. "No, I'm waiting for God."
Water rises. The man drowns. Now he's meeting God in heaven. The religious man says, "Where were you God? I prayed. I was faithful. I asked you to save me. Why would you abandon me?"

God says, "Hey, I sent you 3 rowboats."

Did you ever consider Trump is our rowboat?

Maybe God is trying to tell us something important--that now is not the time for a "nice Christian guy" or a "gentleman" or a typical Republican powder puff. Maybe now is the time for a natural born killer, a ruthless fighter, a warrior. Because right about now we need a miracle, or America is finished. Maybe the rules of gentlemen don't apply here. Maybe a gentleman and "all-around nice Christian" would lead us to slaughter.

Or do you want another Mitt Romney, Bob Dole, John McCain, Gerald Ford or Paul Ryan? Did any of them win? Did they lead the GOP to "the promised land?" Did they change the direction of America ? No, because if you don't win, you have no say.
Paul Ryan couldn't even deliver his own state, Wisconsin!     Nice, but obedient. I mean Paul Ryan. . .not my dog. My dog is actually a pretty good defender and loyal.

Maybe God is knocking on your door loudly, but you're not listening. Maybe God understands we need a "war leader" at this moment in time. Maybe God understands if we don't win this election, America is dead. It's over. The greatest nation in world history will be gone. Finished. Kaput. Adios.

And with one last breath, maybe what we need to save us at the last second, is someone different. Someone you haven't ever experienced before-- because you weren't raised in rough and tumble New York where nothing good gets accomplished unless you're combative, aggressive, outrageous, on offense at all times, and maybe just a tad arrogant too.

Someone with a personality you've never seen on stage at your church. Maybe, just maybe, being a nice gentlemanly Christian would not beat Biden and his billion dollars, and his best friends in the media who will unleash the dogs of hell upon the GOP nominee.

I guess you think God is only nice and gentlemanly. Really? Then you've missed the whole point of the Bible. When necessary, God is pretty tough. When necessary, God strikes with pain, death and destruction. When necessary, God inflicts vengeance.

Maybe you think God couldn't possibly be associated with someone like Trump. Trump is too vicious, rude and crude.

When we won WWII, was God "nice?" Were we gentlemanly when defeating Hitler? Were we gentlemanly when firebombing Germany? Were we gentlemanly when dropping atomic bombs on Japan ? Is God ever "nice" on the battlefield? Or does he send us vicious SOB's like General George S. Patton so the good guys can defeat evil?
It's pretty clear to me God sends unique people to be "war leaders." That's a different role than a pastor or church leader. God understands that.

And maybe it's time to re-define "nice." Maybe Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan aren't nice at all--because they led us to defeat. And losing again would mean the end of America . And God can't allow that. Maybe Romney and Ryan mean well, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Or maybe they're just jealous they had their chance and blew it. Maybe they'd rather help elect Biden than allow a Trump victory that would make them look weak, feckless and incompetent.

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isiah 40:30-31)
God is about miracles. We don't need a "nice guy" or a "gentleman" right now. It's the 4th quarter and we're losing 14-0. We need a miracle.

So let me repeat my message to Christians: "YOU'RE MISSING THE BOAT."I believe Trump is our miracle. I believe Trump is our rowboat. Except he's more like a battleship!

No one is saying Trump is perfect. No one is saying Trump is a perfect conservative. But he is a patriot. He is a warrior. He is a capitalist. He is the right man, at the right time.  Yes, he's a bit rude and crude and offensive. But that may make him the perfect warrior to save America , American exceptionalism, capitalism and Judeo-Christian values. The choice should be easy for Christians.
It's Trump...or it's the end of the American dream.

I can’t be positive of the origin, but I think it’s Wayne Allyn Root. https://townhall.com/columnists/wayneallynroot/2016/06/24/a-message-for-christians-about-donald-trump-n2182796

The battle of the masks.

I do wear a mask--although there's no evidence that a bandana folded on an angle and tied behind my head then pulled up over my nose (2 layers of cloth) will protect me from anything except the flying bugs I meet on my morning walks. I passed 3 men running on the lakefront path this morning, splattering as they went. I read the research. What I see is that medical quality/grade masks worn properly, fitting tightly by medical staff are somewhat effective in blocking viruses, but those made for the general public offer very little protection, plus they cause us to touch our faces more. Nor have I read of any effort to make medical masks for the general public available even though all the experts agree those for the general public are next to useless.

Here's the statement on the box of my most recent purchase of washable, reusable 100% cotton masks, breathable, with adjustable nosepiece. "Not recommended for use in a surgical setting or where significant exposure to liquid, bodily or other hazardous fluids may be expected." "Shall not be used in a clinical setting where the infection risk level through inhalation exposure is high." Then in teeny-tiny print there is something about Covid. First, it has, "not been FDA cleared or approved." Then on the next line, "This product has been authorized by FDA under an EUA (emergency use authorization) for use by HCP as PPE to help prevent the spread of infection of illness in healthcare setting and by the general public to help slow the spread of the virus during the Covid19 pandemic." And then it cites section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 360bbb-3(b)(1) unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.

Meanwhile it has been a very useful method to keep Americans fighting amongst each other, even here in peaceful idyllic Lakeside, instead of taking back their country, churches, and freedoms.

Also, you can do your own research.  Don’t take my word for it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

A world from Bill

We went to high school “together,” although I don’t think we ever spoke.

“The Republican party still has not learned they did not win.  Trump won.  With out Trump they would just be the looser party who spends all their time bitching at the Dems in office.  That is all the Republican party did after Reagan left office. Republicans just talk and get nothing done.  That is why Trump has been so refreshing.  He gets things done in a big way. A big example, talker and no action guy is Lindsey Graham.  The entire press including Fox news is on the war path to rid of Trump.  I have said for years if you want to see the USA  in 20 or 30 years, just look at France.  If Biden wins you will see France immediately as Biden has been forced to support the far left as that is all the Dems have left.  And make no mistake the American voter is not very well informed as they will not spend the effort to understand..  I was always amazed at the European voters.  They seemed to really understand all the issues.  I just could not agree with them on their goals. It is very possible that Biden wins.  If you want to see chaos it will be a real eye opener.  You will not recognize the country in less than four years, “

Dark money for Biden

“A staggering $5.7 million—96 percent—of the $5.9 million bankrolling Victory 2020, a new pro-Biden super PAC, came from a single leftist “dark money” donor: the Sixteen Thirty Fund. The Sixteen Thirty Fund is the lobbying wing of the $635 million empire run by Arabella Advisors, according to its FEC filings.

It’s a startling revelation for a group used to operating in nearly total anonymity, but for anyone familiar with the Sixteen Thirty Fund it’s par for the course for the Left’s best-kept secret.

Last year we broke the story on the secretive, half-billion-dollar nonprofit network run by Arabella Advisors, a little-known consulting firm in DC run by Clinton administration alum Eric Kessler. Our report The Shadow Over America went even deeper—exposing the now $635 million behemoth’s roots in the infamous ACORN and its vast reach in American politics.

Sixteen Thirty is the tip of the spear in the Left’s anti-Trump “resistance.” It spent hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and has poured rivers of money into left-wing activist groups—with almost no reporting by the media until our exposé revealed the nearly 15-year-old scheme.”

https://capitalresearch.org/article/arabella-advisors-dark-money-backs-biden-expect-even-more/? Capital Research Center

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/09/17/unmasked-secretive-arabella-advisors-really-behind-grassroots-protest-movement-opposing-trumps-judicial-nominees/ Breitbart

https://www.influencewatch.org/for-profit/arabella-advisors/

“Several election-focused PACs received large sums from Sixteen Thirty, according to FEC filings. The pro-Biden Unite the Country PAC, liberal operative David Brock's American Bridge PAC, and a joint fundraising venture between the two groups hauled in a combined $11.4 million from the fund last month. Priorities USA Action, the largest Democratic super PAC, received $3.5 million. The Black PAC, a progressive group focused on black voter turnout, received $2.25 million from the dark money entity—nearly all of the $2.5 million the committee raised in June.”

https://freebeacon.com/2020-election/dark-money-network-conceals-20-million-in-liberal-election-spending/ Free Beacon

Evidence for cloth masks? Not much

I’m still looking for peer-reviewed research that recommends universal face mask use by the general public using non-medical grade masks.  Doesn’t seem to be any.  Only suggestions for more research.

Covid-19: What is the evidence for cloth masks?

BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1422 (Published 07 April 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1422 

https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1422

“A preprint of a rapid systematic review has assessed the current evidence on respiratory illnesses and the use of face masks (mainly surgical paper masks) in community settings.4 The paper, yet to be peer reviewed, included 31 studies, of which 12 were randomised controlled trials. The researchers reported that “wearing facemasks can be very slightly protective against primary infection from casual community contact, and modestly protective against household infections when both infected and uninfected members wear facemasks.” However, they said that many of the studies “suffered from poor compliance and controls.”

They concluded, “The evidence is not sufficiently strong to support widespread use of facemasks as a protective measure against covid-19. However, there is enough evidence to support the use of facemasks for short periods of time by particularly vulnerable individuals when in transient higher risk situations.”

Commenting on these findings, Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said, “There is only very limited evidence of the benefits of wearing face masks by the general public, no evidence that wearing them in crowded places helps at all, and no evidence at all yet related to covid-19 . . . The authors also acknowledge that mass face mask wearing by the public would likely cause shortages among people who genuinely need protective equipment—healthcare workers on the front line in our hospitals.” “  Another researcher in virology says if the aerosal droplet hits the weave instead of a hole, there is some protection.

Washington Post lied and was sued

A huge victory for equal justice under the law. "Hate" hoaxes, Fake News and false narratives must stop. After marching for life on a winter day, Catholic teenagers were intentionally framed by Leftist group(s) and media using decontextualized video. It was immediately promoted by Washington Post, Sojourners and many repeaters. Nick's lawyers filed a defamation suit for $250 million. It is one of six suits against media. Final settlements are undetermined. No more lying. Justice matters. Every human life matters to God.”   (Kelly Monroe Kullberg)

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-washington-post-to-pay-covington-student-nick-sandmann-after-250-million-lawsuit?

It is the fear that endangers us

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91:5-6)

“We have been through tough flu seasons before without shutting down the country. I remember in 1968 — a terrible year for many reasons — the Hong Kong Flu was raging; 100,000 Americans died from the flu that year. My grandfather was a doctor and warned us about it, but neither the country nor the world shut down. The sick were isolated; the vulnerable were given heightened protection. I remember seeing “Quarantine” signs on the doors of some of the houses in my neighborhood. If someone had the flu, the entire household was ordered to stay inside for two weeks, and that very visible sign was placed on the front door. Meanwhile, the healthy went about their work, and life continued. Yes, the death toll was high, but everyone understood that life had to go on. Years ago, there were so many dangerous illnesses to be afraid of — cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio. It takes courage to live, and people of the time had that courage.

In the current pandemic, which is admittedly severe, we have quarantined the healthy along with the sick, the resilient along with the vulnerable. Crippling fear has seized so many people, and at some point, fear begins to feed on itself. We have shut down our economy, depriving many of their livelihoods and of the dignity that comes from working, from using their talents and from providing for their families.” https://m.ncregister.com/blog/msgr-pope/be-not-afraid?

And I remember the polio seasons of the 1940s and 1950s. I remember the Asian Flu of 1957.  The healthy were not crippled and locked inside. Why did people in a less safe time react more bravely?

Bill DeBlasio is an open Communist

NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio claims it's OK to quote Karl Marx, and says the business community doesn't matter so much, that he's concerned about the "working" people. Who do those people work for, other than the government? Restaurant owners--working people. Theater owners--working people. Hotel owners--working people. Tour companies--working people. Sports teams--working people.

In the early days of the Soviet Union, Lenin killed the Kulaks--if you even owned a cow, you were part of the bourgeoisie capitalist crowd. When Russia ran out of food, he blamed the lazy Kulaks. That's what DeBlasio is doing to the formerly great NYC.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/24/de-blasio-quotes-communist-karl-marx-in-nyc-radio-interview/

“Kathy Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, said that de Blasio “suggests that the business community somehow does not represent working people, which is an ideological position and not an accurate representation of our city’s highly diverse private sector.”

“This crisis is a moment to bring the people of New York together, not to divide them,” said Wylde, whose organization represents businesses that collectively employ 1.5 million New Yorkers.

Jay Martin of the Community Housing Improvement Program, which represents 4,000 building owners, accused de Blasio of having “done nothing to improve the living conditions of tens of thousands of [public-housing] residents.”

“He talks about a Marxist utopia and demonizes the very businesses that fund his progressive pet projects, while many of his constituents live without hot water because of his incompetence,” Martin said.”

Remembering our “golden” past of the 1950s

It’s interesting that even liberals who see everything in the 21^st century as dark, racist and the fault of the GOP, can think of the 50s-60s in Mt Morris, Illinois (or Oregon, or Polo, or Columbus, Ohio) as a time of a golden era. I read a lot of blogs, and that misty, foggy view is common among 70-80 year olds. My husband whose high school was larger in acres and people than Mt. Morris, thinks the same thing. Of course, it’s not true; go through your high school annuals and you’ll see people who were white, but were marginalized because they were fat, or ugly, or low intelligence or unathletic or who never got the help they needed or who dropped out of school after 7^th or 8^th grade at age 16 or 17.

(I think this is 1954, confirmation class Trinity Lutheran for 1957 graduates) 

The U.S. in 2020 is so much less racist, less unfair, with more opportunity and ladders to success for the poor than we enlightened folk of the 50s could have ever imagined. We had devoted, but poorly paid teachers, and today the average hourly wage for a public school teacher is over $67/hour—far more than accountants, architects, librarians, farmers, and muffler repairmen. And statistically, there are far fewer poor and marginalized all over the world. Unfortunately, there’s something about being human – enough is never enough. We’re greedy and ungrateful to God for all he supplies. Slavery is also a bigger trade in the 21^st century than it was in the 18^th yet, U.S. and Europe are expected to take the blame for what happened 300 years ago. Life will never be fair. Some things at the micro-level are better, but the macro tells a more ominous story. And people still use the specter of slavery to grab power as well as to build your smart phone.

The U.S. federal social statistics are difficult to read because they always move the goal, but in 1959, families in poverty in the U.S. were 20.8%, and families headed by women were 49.4% (that was a much smaller numerical figure then). In 2018, the last year for compiled stats, poverty for families was 9.7% and for families head by women 26.8%. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html The federal government aid has done a lot to dismantle the economic model of the family, but a lot of economic aid is poured into that mistake, and the female headed households are not the victims they used to be, despite the gap. And as I’ve noted before, I still remember the first time I saw a black man in a TV series (Bill Cosby, I Spy) and the first time I saw a black man as a retail clerk in a major chain (Penney’s, Champaign, IL, early 1960s).

So let’s keep some perspective. And watch for the power grabs of today, much of it happening very quickly in the fog of the pandemic.

Conspiracy, plan or coincidence—the results are the same

This piece in quotes below is circulating the internet, or being reported in a variety of ways. I didn't write it--not sure if there is an author or just an editor/compiler. Is it a plan, or just a perfect storm? We’ve seen what the “stand down” orders have done to down town Columbus, Ohio. We know someone on the CPD and get the inside story. Those businesses will probably never return. We’ve seen the recent uptick in national unemployment and the drop in all the good signs and indicators as people were ready to reopen. You probably don’t believe in conspiracies, but does it matter if this was planned or just a freak accident of history? Does it really matter if Big Tech and Big Entertainment are being controlled by a Master Puppeteer and have gone completely WOKE? By only listening to ONE narrow field in medicine (public health) our government leaders from top to bottom from Republican to Democrat to Libertarian have played into the hands of the totalitarians, whoever they are. Yesterday we cancelled the reception planned for after the memorial/interment of ashes for our son Phil here at Lakeside, a summer Chautauqua community. The service was open air, but the reception was to be inside a large hall adequate for social distancing. Yet, most of our friends and neighbors, in the 70-80s age group, many with health challenges, are still too intimidated by the scare stories to even leave their cottages.

"The US Population is 330,000,000 and in 5 months the number of deaths [from Covid19] was 130,000. The number of deaths as a percent of the population is 0.03939 %, compared to the number of cancer cases diagnosed in 2019 (1,762.450) and 607,000 deaths.

This doesn’t seem far fetched because it is happening before our eyes.

A very well-orchestrated plan, or an unimaginable set of events that just fell into place ... with the United States front and center. You tell me!!

Scare people with a virus, force them to wear masks and place them in quarantine.

Count the number of deaths every second of every day, in every News Headline. By the way, ninety-nine and eight-tenths of the people who get the virus, recover. About one to two-tenths of one percent who get the virus, die. Most of them have other medical problems. Did you catch that ? Less than 1/2 of a percent die.

Close businesses = 35,000,000+ instantly unemployed.

Remove entertainment and prohibit Recreation; Closing parks, gyms, bars, restaurants, sports.

No dating. No touching. Isolate people. Dehumanize them.

Close Temples and Churches, prohibit worship. Create a vacuum and let depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and desperation set in.

Then... ignite hatred and civil unrest, creating Civil War.

Empty the prisons because of the virus and fill the streets with criminals.

Send in Antifa to vandalize property, as if they are freedom fighters. Undermine the law, Riot, Loot and Attack all Law Enforcement, but tell the government to order a stand-down.

Then... Defund Law Enforcement and abolish Police. We are all being played by those who want to destroy America! This is how you destroy a Nation from within and in a very short order. Will it work, I guess that depends on you and me."

To mask or not to mask

I keep looking for research on the safety and efficacy of the masks used by the general public. This isn't it, but it's the best we've got. This is observational, not clinical, and it is for health care workers, not you and me. The article even says, "in the absence of data" [for the masks worn by the public] this will have to do. It also is one of the few articles (it's an editorial, not research) that says there are 2 purposes--one is it protects the wearer. Which is why I wear a mask. Why is no one putting together a study on the masks the general public uses? It couldn't be that difficult. There are all sorts of fabrics, thickness, filters, countries of origin (including China!). So far, it is observational, anecdotal, and opinion. Many states are making policy on this issue, and people are having fights. Let's do the research!,

In Ohio, the governor has now mandated masks outside our residences.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2768532?