This is a first for me. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few "firsts" that we have Observed over the course of the past several months. It's the first time we've shutdown our education system along with state and federal offices. The first time we have allowed our government to shut down businesses they deemed non-essential. The first time we have instituted federal unemployment along with other state funded welfare for those intentionally put out of work. The first time we have quarantined healthy people... ever.... and even though it is of minor importance, it is the first time I have felt it necessary to compose a third article on the same subject. For those who know me personally, most of that insignificant number would tell you that I abhor redundancy. I have always been of a mind to move on once my point has been made, but in this particular case I believe that it is pertinent. Not only because we are dealing with ever changing legislative rules and regulations along with media, celebrity, medical and corporate disinformation that would fill the equivalent of a currently vacant sports stadium, but more to the point that many of us are sick and tired of suffering the insistence of a slowly shrinking fearful majority mostly fueled by political agendas and self serving opinion.
I use the term "sick and tired" in a loose, literary phrasing as because, in reality, the general population of our planet is not sick. The latest MSN Coronavirus Tracker™ (again... a real thing) has our current number of verified infections, at this writing, at just over 86,000,000 cases worldwide. With a world population nearing 8 billion that puts Covid-19 cases at just a little over one percent of that tally if you round up. In actual numbers that's 1.0875% of our current global inhabitants that are human. A little higher if you count the tiger at the Bronx Zoo who tested positive. If that figure doesn't speak volumes to our collective common sense, let's take a look at the mortality rate instead, shall we? That number stands at just over 1,875,000, but again, let's round up. Again, compared to or current global population that number accounts for only .002375% of us. That's just a little over two one hundredths of one percent ladies and gentleman .... two....one hundredths. Statistically, each and every one of us that survives will stand a better chance of winning the lottery.
We also have to take into consideration that we are starting to come to conflicting conclusions about this virus in the scientific community. According to a recent article in The Washington Post.... (yeah, I know... but I verified the facts of the research)... a large number of medical researchers are uncovering evidence that this virus is following an endemic pattern and feel that it is probable it will eventually evolve into another variety of the common cold. As four other coronaviruses are documented in this manner, this theory is highly plausible and is not being overly criticized in the medical field. So maybe letting this virus run its course isn't such a crazy idea after all. Maybe there is absolutely no escaping it and outside of certain precautions for some, we've been doing the wrong thing by cutting off our runny noses to spite our mask wearing faces. Especially if we will never be truly rid of it. Couple that with literally hundreds of doctors and medical personnel reporting as to being pressured to document Covid-19 deaths even when testing has been inconclusive or simply not done due to shortages and Covid-19 was only the possible cause, it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to realize that most of all the gloom and doom distributed to us about this crisis has been manufactured at the podium. With all this to consider, we must be entirely out of our minds to want things to start opening back up. Just what the hell are we thinking?... Point in fact... we are tired, not sick, just tired and rightly so.
Tired of these useless quarantines and restrictions. I would really like to know how much longer we are going to continue this charade that these measures are actually working. On May 6th it was reported that over 66% of all new hospitalizations in New York had been verified.... not suggested... verified as people who had been "sheltering at home". Governor Cuomo, who I hope that most will scrutinize with a certain amount of skepticism as to his ability of being a credible medical information source (along with Bill & Melinda) was quoted as saying that this situation was "shocking" and "this is a surprise" because "these people were literally at home" ...as opposed to figuratively, mind you. Apparently the governor is only listening to Anthony Fauci and hasn't even considered reading any of the thousands of articles and medical publications on the subject that hinted months ago that these actions were more than likely ineffective as it is extremely difficult to combat a pathogen in any manner. Even Fauci stated that the wearing of masks was more of a "feel good" measure rather than an effective way to protect ourselves in a March interview on 60 Minutes. He even went as far as borderline ridiculing countries that enforce the practice. Exactly what made him and the CDC do an about face on the subject this past April is anybody's guess, but abandoning a decades old medical viewpoint in order to cater to the socially correct status quo should raise a couple of eyebrows no matter who flushes your toilet. I can't speak for everyone but I find it hard to be "shocked" or "surprised" when procedures being implemented and ordered are questioned from the onset.... but what do I know? I won't spend a lot of time on this one point as there is so much disagreement, not only on personal but medical levels as well. I can only state that within my Observations it seems to makes little difference as to what side of the "Mask" vs "No Mask" debate anyone chooses to be on considering that either way each of us will eventually have to acknowledge a simple, common sense fact. The CDC, WHO along with 99% of the medical profession, worldwide, practicing and in the research field have agreed almost unanimously on the top two Do's and Don'ts when it comes to preventing the contraction and spread of Covid-19.
Do Wash your hands frequently.
Don't Touch your face.
Practically every study done on the subject has shown that a person will touch their face up to 5-7 times more often if they are wearing a mask. Personally, I know I feel so much safer now.... Don't you?
Please don't misunderstand me. I realize that these precautions were executed out of desperation because of uncertainty, but to continue with some of these efforts after they have been proven to be pointless is ridiculous to say the least. Another thing that will demoralize us even further is that the numbers coming out of New York will more than likely be reflected in my state of Connecticut and again in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts and every other state belonging to this cockamamie coalition that these dullards in gubernatorial garb have started. Although some may enjoy being called "stupid" because they want to go outside and get some fresh air or eat at a restaurant for a minor change of pace, I don't count myself among that group. Furthermore, if the majority of us that are protesting this lock down are indeed that imbecilic, why is it that our supposed leaders are blatantly backpedaling when asked pointed questions about reopening our states worse than a five year old child who has been caught in a lie? Seriously.... I'm getting more intelligent answers from most of my dogs than these dimwits.
And therein lies the problem. As we have been studying this virus for the better part of eleven months, dealing with nonsensical, daily changing rules, unsubstantiated restrictions, cancellations and confinements for over nine months, we should be getting some type of answers by now instead of just being told, ad nauseam, to stay home, wear a mask, walk one way and stay six feet away from every living thing that exists on the planet indefinitely while we wait for some kind of "all clear" to be sounded. I myself have been giving a much wider berth to box turtles lately, but that may just be a personal problem..... I'm honestly not sure anymore.... The trouble is, we're not and the public is getting more and more agitated from either the lack of information we deserve or being overwhelmed with useless, argumentative rhetoric being handed out like lollipops at a pediatric office. Until we receive something.... anything... that will reflect to us even the slightest glimpse of light at the end of this incongruous tunnel our leaders have us drudging through shackled to a mindless train of never ending farcical excuses we will continue to see protests against these repressions such as the ones in Kentucky and California this past summer domestically and in Spain, Brazil, Germany and Hong Kong abroad. We will also keep seeing social gatherings in direct violation of state mandates as what took place in Missouri on Memorial Day. These incidents will grow exponentially in occurrence due to these government orders continuing without explanation. Especially when some studies are consistently reporting that most states have had no significant rise or fall in Covid cases since partially or fully reopening according to Johns Hopkins University, to name one. The only problem with that conclusion is that, yet again, we are receiving conflicting information, as that particular university, along with the CDC and WHO have also released study results that show collectively our country is on an upswing. So again, what can we believe outside of actual statistical numbers? A further point to ponder within the conflict of information that is running rampant is that the CDC, in their May 2020 monthly report, stated that the Covid infection and mortality rate was comparable to our latest severe flu outbreak. And all this time I believed them when they told me I shouldn't be comparing Covid to the flu.... silly me!
Another coronavirus byproduct that I believe an appreciable number of us are tired of are all these pathosis driven sycophants who have recently come down with a sudden case of self-righteousness in regards to policing the bulk of the world population on exactly what we should or should not be doing according to their personal opinion while citing the all great and powerful CDC hiding behind a somewhat transparent curtain of obscurity within the depths of Emerald City. I certainly can't and wouldn't ascertain anyone's thoughts, but I do not believe that it is within anybody's rights to admonish any person who chooses not to wear a mask in a venue where social distancing will suffice as well as anyone who happens to walk into a local WaWa wearing scrubs. Quite the power trip, wouldn't you say? And quite the responsibility, isn't it? To undertake saving all of mankind from this particular disease by publicly chastising Mr. & Mrs. NoMask along with all their little sans-maskettes must be daunting to say the least. My mother would call that gall. Seemingly these self-appointed public guardians may have had a toe or two in a vain attempt to stand on if they had been around a little sooner than a few of months ago. I mean, where were these social distancing saviors hiding during the last four pandemics? I don't seem to have any recollection of them floating around the supermarkets like social health security guards during the Ebola scare or SARS crisis.... do you? They certainly were nowhere to be found when AIDS hit. Where was the their call to public health safety arms on that one?.... Anyone? Please elaborate... if you can. Of course, that just may have had something to do with who that disease was initially affecting. After all, the first name used to identify the affliction was Gay Related Immune Deficiency, so why bother... right? Seriously... who cares if the queers are dying? Serves them right! We have more important things to spend our time and money on than trying to save a bunch of pansies! Typical of these types of homo-sapiens to only champion what falls within the purview of their moral compasses pointing in the direction of true pharisaic north. But even when women and children starting contracting AIDS, as well as succumbing to it and our medical professionals were even more confused than they are now as to how that disease was spread, nobody was instructed to wear a mask, keep their distance or gave a second thought to someone coughing or sneezing along side of them while they were shopping down two way aisles for hemorrhoid cream at the local CVS. What we did do was refrain from any effort to combat it. As a matter of history, I recall quite a number of people and organizations being outraged if not protesting rallies and fund raisers for research when applied for and being scheduled in their towns. Soooo.... where was all this "not about the individual" mentality back then when we really needed it? Exactly where it is now. Nowhere.... It doesn't exist. It just sounds sincere. An empty battle cry to get behind, create a hashtag for or to be used as justification for a hand out. A feelgood bandwagon to jump on that travels down the road to self-importance along with truly selfish attempts to effort that there will be enough hospital beds and ventilators for the ones that are screaming the loudest in the event that they need one. Just to put things in perspective, for those who still believe that this current virus is so deadly, of the 75.7 million people worldwide that have been documented being infected with AIDS, 42.2 million have died from the affliction. That is a mortality rate of 55.75% as compared to the Covid-19 percentage currently at 2.18%. Oh well... not to worry.... what do statistics prove anyway?...
Unfortunately what a lot of the aforementioned pinheads don't seem to understand or worse yet, choose not to believe is that most of the current practices we are suffering to endure came far too late. Even though we have been told countless times that this virus miraculously appeared, as if out of a chapter in the King James Bible, no earlier than December 2019, now some experts are conceding that we could have been exposed to it several months earlier.... Gee!... Wadda you know?... Another "surprise!". This "shocking" revelation leads us to the reality that all this finger pointing we are engaging in is just as irrelevant as cashiers under glass. Hearings... Questions about when did this one know or how that one told the other one who didn't act fast enough when another party advised them to and why they didn't.... Please!... Spare us... and stop wasting precious limited resources on who is to blame. The truth is that there is no one person to fault and to pursue that failing Flying Dutchman of a cause is asinine to say the least. Nobody could have done anything to prevent this and we have to learn to accept that. Even if the president did know, what exactly could have been done? Why are so many holding him personally accountable? I've been against most of the restrictions that have been instituted and I don't care who knows it. Am I and others who share the same viewpoint culpable as well? Most of my fellow Observers who have read my previous articles know that I have never been a Trump-ette. On the contrary. I have been an avid critic of his administration since his election to office. However, I by no means hold him responsible for this crisis due to a couple of undeniable facts. First, there was no way to stop it. You might as well try to hold back the wind. Second, he wasn't the only one who knew that could have acted sooner. Why didn't the governors respond more quickly? They all rallied around each other fast enough claiming that Trump was asleep at the switch, didn't they? Why then did they wait over two months before doing anything if this situation was so dire? And why did his political rivals criticize him for prohibiting travel from China at the beginning of February? Shouldn't they have supported that measure? Their present decisions certainly reflect that sort of undertaking.
Unfortunately what a lot of the aforementioned pinheads don't seem to understand or worse yet, choose not to believe is that most of the current practices we are suffering to endure came far too late. Even though we have been told countless times that this virus miraculously appeared, as if out of a chapter in the King James Bible, no earlier than December 2019, now some experts are conceding that we could have been exposed to it several months earlier.... Gee!... Wadda you know?... Another "surprise!". This "shocking" revelation leads us to the reality that all this finger pointing we are engaging in is just as irrelevant as cashiers under glass. Hearings... Questions about when did this one know or how that one told the other one who didn't act fast enough when another party advised them to and why they didn't.... Please!... Spare us... and stop wasting precious limited resources on who is to blame. The truth is that there is no one person to fault and to pursue that failing Flying Dutchman of a cause is asinine to say the least. Nobody could have done anything to prevent this and we have to learn to accept that. Even if the president did know, what exactly could have been done? Why are so many holding him personally accountable? I've been against most of the restrictions that have been instituted and I don't care who knows it. Am I and others who share the same viewpoint culpable as well? Most of my fellow Observers who have read my previous articles know that I have never been a Trump-ette. On the contrary. I have been an avid critic of his administration since his election to office. However, I by no means hold him responsible for this crisis due to a couple of undeniable facts. First, there was no way to stop it. You might as well try to hold back the wind. Second, he wasn't the only one who knew that could have acted sooner. Why didn't the governors respond more quickly? They all rallied around each other fast enough claiming that Trump was asleep at the switch, didn't they? Why then did they wait over two months before doing anything if this situation was so dire? And why did his political rivals criticize him for prohibiting travel from China at the beginning of February? Shouldn't they have supported that measure? Their present decisions certainly reflect that sort of undertaking.
Furthermore, most of the public had some type of knowledge of this virus last January. My daughter's chorus and bell choir group organizers along with her instructors had discussions with parents and members about the possibility of it affecting practices and concert schedules because legislators at the town level were addressing the issue. Town level... as in selectmen.... What about our senators? Our congressmen? Not only at the state but federal level... Shouldn't they have acted? Weren't they on the forefront of information about this virus, empowered with the ability to initiate some kind of response? Short answer, my loyal reader. They could have, but chose not to. Which leads us to the why. Why didn't they? But again, what difference would it had made if they did? Personally I could care less who is in charge of a burning building if I'm in it. The only thing I care to know is where the nearest exit is. That is the extent of my concern. In the end it doesn't really matter who knew, who didn't, who woulda, coulda, shoulda done something about a situation that was beyond anyone's control. Far be it for me to point out that even with the knowledge that we possess now, along with our ever evolving counter-virus restrictions that are changing more often than most of the populations underwear, our cases are still supposedly rising despite our efforts. Placing blame on an individual is simply a way to displace futility as well as a ineffectual endeavor to save face because the general populace had the irritating audacity to not drop like flies in defiance of their grim predictions. What nerve!
And it's not just the politicians. A large portion of the medical field are hawking the "Don't relax just yet, America!" fallacy hand in hand with the bureaucratic demagogues adding more fuel to the fever fire by linking this virus to almost every known malady afflicting humankind. This has to be the most versatile, adaptive, vexing, unpredictable, unrelenting virus to ever come down the germ ridden valley pike since the dawn of time. It started out as a respiratory illness that put the elderly and people with certain existing health conditions at higher risk, children being in the least danger. Now, not only are they telling us that it can attack our lungs, it can also cause blood clots, strokes, kidney failure, heart inflammation, immune complications, memory loss, loss of taste, loss of smell, loss of speech, loss of movement, conjunctivitis, joint pain, scalp pain, dandruff, anemia, herpes like symptoms, GERD, hormonal imbalances, UTI, low blood pressure, goiters, chapped lips, low body temperature, phantom smells, mouth sores, dry skin, eye floaters, muscle spasms, abdominal cramps, it's been found in sperm so it can be transmitted sexually, is being possibly linked to Multi-symptom Inflammatory Syndrome that can lead to Kawasaki disease in children, it can even "trick" our immune systems into not building effective antibodies against reinfection and worst of all.... Covid Toes!!!! Holy, pesky pathogen Wonder Fauci.... It's Super Virus!!! It's almost as bad as some of the side effects from the latest FDA approved drugs and that's just this week's laundry list. I'm "surprised" and "shocked" that this thing hasn't figured out a way to grow wings and fly up all our unsuspecting, under sanitized asses. It's amazing that any of us are still alive according to these research "scientists". This over inflated symptomatology, along with our insatiable desire to know who has the virus is simple cause and effect to our current rise in Covid cases across the country and the panic it is causing.
And it's not just the politicians. A large portion of the medical field are hawking the "Don't relax just yet, America!" fallacy hand in hand with the bureaucratic demagogues adding more fuel to the fever fire by linking this virus to almost every known malady afflicting humankind. This has to be the most versatile, adaptive, vexing, unpredictable, unrelenting virus to ever come down the germ ridden valley pike since the dawn of time. It started out as a respiratory illness that put the elderly and people with certain existing health conditions at higher risk, children being in the least danger. Now, not only are they telling us that it can attack our lungs, it can also cause blood clots, strokes, kidney failure, heart inflammation, immune complications, memory loss, loss of taste, loss of smell, loss of speech, loss of movement, conjunctivitis, joint pain, scalp pain, dandruff, anemia, herpes like symptoms, GERD, hormonal imbalances, UTI, low blood pressure, goiters, chapped lips, low body temperature, phantom smells, mouth sores, dry skin, eye floaters, muscle spasms, abdominal cramps, it's been found in sperm so it can be transmitted sexually, is being possibly linked to Multi-symptom Inflammatory Syndrome that can lead to Kawasaki disease in children, it can even "trick" our immune systems into not building effective antibodies against reinfection and worst of all.... Covid Toes!!!! Holy, pesky pathogen Wonder Fauci.... It's Super Virus!!! It's almost as bad as some of the side effects from the latest FDA approved drugs and that's just this week's laundry list. I'm "surprised" and "shocked" that this thing hasn't figured out a way to grow wings and fly up all our unsuspecting, under sanitized asses. It's amazing that any of us are still alive according to these research "scientists". This over inflated symptomatology, along with our insatiable desire to know who has the virus is simple cause and effect to our current rise in Covid cases across the country and the panic it is causing.
And if the politicians and our medical providers bamboozling us wasn't enough, let's not forget all the celebrities chiding out their "expert" opinions on the subject whether we want them to or not. I think I may actually get physically sick if I have to suffer through listening to Oprah telling me to stay at home one more time while she is sheltering in place at a 30 room mansion, where she hardly ever has to run into Steadman, being served by mask wearing chandelier cleaners, surveying all from atop a pile of Weight Watcher money that would rival the Chrysler Building, handing out health safety tips like they were cars. Seriously... what does she have to worry about if her job is deemed "not essential"? She can still pay her bills and doesn't have to worry about being evicted. But you know something?... thanks to our current legislature, a lot of us more common folk eating Covid cake don't need to either. They have graciously handed some of us a golden ticket far better than Wonka could have ever imagined to act irresponsibly and not be held accountable by lieu of stimulus checks, deferred payments, delayed evictions, federal unemployment, suspended late fees, foreclosures and repossessions all by executive order. Even though it may seem that we may all benefit from these mandates, in reality some of us are gaining more than others and most of us will end up on the short side of the subsidies stick when it comes to the debt these actions are creating.
Which leads me to another problem I'm having. I know that most will probably take this the wrong way, but I have to admit that I have serious mixed feelings about all these red hearts covering people lawns. Being considered an "essential" worker in my paying job, I do appreciate the sentiment, but I don't feel the need to be thanked by anyone at anytime for simply going to work every day. It's my job...its what I get paid for. It's how I provide for my family. I don't consider myself to be risking my life and it's arrogant conjecture to expect to be thanked for anything based on that assumption. I would also like to point out that even though I personally don't feel they are intentionally so, these hearts are a slap in the face to some. Let me explain as succinctly as I can. I know a woman who has a brother. She was considered an essential worker, he was not. She works full time, he worked part time. She has an apartment of her own, he lives with their parents. She's working overtime due to increased demand, he's playing video games. She is earning exactly the same and received no other financial help other than her stimulus check, he is raking in almost four times as much on unemployment than he was when he was working and got the same stimulus check. Talk about a sure fire way to get people to go along with the plan. Want people to give up some of their freedoms?... pay them off and keep them afraid. Either will work every time, so why not use both to be sure that the general population will comply? Trouble is there has to be some of us that have to at least try to keep the economy going which will inevitably lead to animosity among our divided working force. Looking at the situation in that perspective should make us realize that these essential workers deserve a lot more than a bunch of red hearts being scattered around houses and businesses as well as understanding their frustration when they have to drive by them every day on their way to work, knowing their taxes are paying those who don't have to and even worse... don't want to because they would make less money if they did. Be that as it may, when I and others suggest we should consider getting more of our able workforce back to "working" and only allowing those who can't, for legitimate reasons, receive benefits that would not exceed their actual salary in order to remove some of the burden being carried on the backs of millions of essential workers, we are being socially branded as selfish along with being handed the newly popular, inner-directed, false maxim "It's not about you!". I suppose our current attitudes reflect that the pot is not about the kettle either. Maybe I'm just nit-picking.... I don't know...
Which leads me to another problem I'm having. I know that most will probably take this the wrong way, but I have to admit that I have serious mixed feelings about all these red hearts covering people lawns. Being considered an "essential" worker in my paying job, I do appreciate the sentiment, but I don't feel the need to be thanked by anyone at anytime for simply going to work every day. It's my job...its what I get paid for. It's how I provide for my family. I don't consider myself to be risking my life and it's arrogant conjecture to expect to be thanked for anything based on that assumption. I would also like to point out that even though I personally don't feel they are intentionally so, these hearts are a slap in the face to some. Let me explain as succinctly as I can. I know a woman who has a brother. She was considered an essential worker, he was not. She works full time, he worked part time. She has an apartment of her own, he lives with their parents. She's working overtime due to increased demand, he's playing video games. She is earning exactly the same and received no other financial help other than her stimulus check, he is raking in almost four times as much on unemployment than he was when he was working and got the same stimulus check. Talk about a sure fire way to get people to go along with the plan. Want people to give up some of their freedoms?... pay them off and keep them afraid. Either will work every time, so why not use both to be sure that the general population will comply? Trouble is there has to be some of us that have to at least try to keep the economy going which will inevitably lead to animosity among our divided working force. Looking at the situation in that perspective should make us realize that these essential workers deserve a lot more than a bunch of red hearts being scattered around houses and businesses as well as understanding their frustration when they have to drive by them every day on their way to work, knowing their taxes are paying those who don't have to and even worse... don't want to because they would make less money if they did. Be that as it may, when I and others suggest we should consider getting more of our able workforce back to "working" and only allowing those who can't, for legitimate reasons, receive benefits that would not exceed their actual salary in order to remove some of the burden being carried on the backs of millions of essential workers, we are being socially branded as selfish along with being handed the newly popular, inner-directed, false maxim "It's not about you!". I suppose our current attitudes reflect that the pot is not about the kettle either. Maybe I'm just nit-picking.... I don't know...
That takes us to a couple of other factors we should be questioning, but for some apathetic path of reasoning, most are not. I do though, ...as I find myself with time to think while waiting in traffic behind a woman in a Honda, by herself, wearing gloves and a mask, attempting to keep six feet away from the car in front of her just before I get cut off by some Masshole in a new Beamer spitting out his driver window in the general direction of an elderly pedestrian... but I digress... The first lies within the question of why do we seem to be having such a difficult time dealing with this. Other countries seem to have recovered, have found a way to combat the issue or have literally not been affected at all. Even though our media has been reporting rises in cases overseas, those countries appear to have a better grasp on the situation than we do. Again, how is this so despite all the restrictions that have been placed upon us along with the precautions we are given no choice to take? China, Italy, Spain, Germany all reported to be epicenters of disaster with people dying by the thousands on a daily basis, which was then used by our media as a precautionary tale that if we chose to follow their misguided path of mishandling this crisis we would all be in serious Dutch.... Sorry, wrong vernacular... as Holland conveys the impression of doing just fine and dandy... must be the shoes... Moreover, the aforementioned countries, along with several others, are literally back up and running, including their schools, going as far back as last February in Taiwan, not to put too fine a point on the subject. Sweden did nothing... nothing in terms of prevention or precautions and the last time I checked they were still cranking out smorgasbord and meatballs. Why aren't we getting headline news and special reports about them? I haven't heard a thing... have you?... hmmm... strange... but I could be jumping to conclusions. So why is it we are only being informed on a minutely basis of our domestic trouble when it is supposedly a worldwide crisis? These other countries were all over the TV and newspapers a few months ago, but lately not so much... Unless their Covid numbers were on the rise, that is. What exactly are they doing that we either can't or won't? What do they know that we don't and why are they unwilling to share it with us? Have they offered their help and suggestions only to have them ignored and withheld from common knowledge in an effort to keep us afraid? And even if any of the past stated are true, why is it, even when we have mimicked their protocols we are still in such Covid dire straits? It simply makes no logical sense, but all the while we are inundated daily with portentous numbers of newly confirmed cases.
I have never believed in or subscribed to conspiracy theories, but I do have to admit that some of the actions that have been taken and suggested are a little too convenient for my taste and we deserve more of an explanation for the employment of these encumbrances than we've been getting. Being repeatedly lectured that all of this is for the greater good only goes so far. And just how are we creating a greater good, exactly? Economic degradation, mail in ballot extensions, virtual classrooms, big pharmaceutical research grants, political fallout, societal hand in hand with racial separation and unrest, anxiety, depression, suicides, all of this and more seem to have been appropriated by our leaders and corporate America as a perfect opportunity to serve their individual agendas and Covid-19 is at the very root of their self serving, fruitless tree. Maybe that's the difference, my loyal reader. Maybe these other countries value their citizens more than just using them as puppets to achieve an advantage in a power struggle and ultimately financial gain. Maybe not.... I could be mistaken. My wife tells me I am quite often, after all.
Which leads to the second thing on this topic that is stuck firmly in my Corona craw as it is becoming painfully clear that most of the alarmists, who are crying ersatz wolf over our rising cases in order to reaffirm the caricatural restrictions they are trying to justify, don't seem to understand exactly how logistics work as they apply to our recent increase in testing. This simple form of cataloging statistics appears to be an utter mystery to most of them. Unfortunately I cannot find a solid number in my research as to the exact elevated percentage, however, within the several articles and reports I have read from the New York Times to the Chicago Tribune and the CDC to the WHO, I did my own arithmetic and came up with a statistical average of at least a 37% increase in domestic testing over the past 3 months. In laymen's terms that means we are testing 67 people out of a hundred when a little over 4 months ago that number stood at around 30. With that little nuisance of a fact in mind, it makes complete logical sense that the number of people testing positive would rise, but for some abstruse reason, when our president, other officials, medical professionals, the guy at the local pool hall along with yours truly points that out, they have been labeled ignorant and oblivious. I suppose that I should just be content in my bliss as the existence of those pesky verities can be so overwhelming.
There has been an Observable amount of muddled thinking during all this. Most importantly this en masse accepted opinion that erring on the side of caution is doing no harm. Actually, it's causing quite a bit of damage, we just don't seem to want to admit it. What this course of action has done to our children is a prime example. The prerequisites we have asked them to sacrifice due to our cautious laden magniloquence is appalling. They have been denied physical, interacting learning which has been inadequately substituted with a computer running a Zoom or some other virtual meeting program as they are being handed down an endless list of assignments that never get done due to the difficulty in obtaining assistance when they are unclear about what has been asked of them while their retentive education falls into obscurity. I don't even want to imagine what the results of our next round of Mastery exams will be on the whole. I suppose we should all be happy that their classes were partially replaced, albeit insufficient to their needs. Other things weren't and can never be. Graduation ceremonies, proms, grad nights, Sadie Hawkins dances, yearbook signings, moving up ceremonies, special activities for certain grades that the children look forward to for years... All once in a lifetime events that these children will never experience or recover. They are gone forever and the hard, seemingly uncaring truth is that we allowed this to be done. Not out of necessity, but from fear and we are showing little regret for it. I personally have heard from the mouths of some of these Covid troglodytes "I'm sorry people don't like it, but too bad, they'll get over it.". How callous. We should be ashamed of our consternation and disinterest. If not for our children, then at the very least for the inexcusable disservice to those who have been battling chronic health issues for years without the benefit of any assistance in comparison to the unprecedented amount for Covid-19. Cancer, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, AIDS, Parkinson's, just to name a few.... where is their help? Why haven't these people received any compensation? I haven't seem any medical resources redirected towards their plight or a worldwide effort to come up with a vaccine for them. Yet all the while deemed warranted for Covid by the average non-pre-existing condition public who claim their vindication by citing our leaders answered a public call to action. I don't remember dialing.... do you? Even if these two examples aren't worthy of a second consideration by the population at large that we are taking actions too excessively, what about the economy, our immune systems, social interaction, mental health, loneliness, personal choice?... Don't any of those matter? Do we really believe that we are doing no harm? But fear no more, my fellow Observers because the vaccine will make everything right as rain again.
In regards to our miracle vaccine, I feel I would be remiss not to make mention of some of the concerns that have surfaced in my Observations since the announcement of it's success and approved use. Not about it's availability, safety or effectiveness (although I seem to recall the WHO cautioning us a little while ago by stating that antibodies created from having the virus may not prevent reinfection. And here I thought that was how vaccines worked.... fool that I am!) but rather the need of it. Please don't misunderstand that statement. I wholeheartedly believe there are those that truly need this vaccine, just as there are those that need a flu vaccine annually. No, my problem lies within the realistic question of whether or not we all need it or has the need been created because of fear and force fed propaganda. There has already been talk of requiring children to have it in order to attend school. As none of the vaccines available are approved for children under the age of 16, how is this supposed to work? It also begs the question as to how many parents would choose to offer up their children to be used as guinea pigs to conduct trials on the vaccine due to their fear of their child not having it. I would like to think that that number would be low, but I fear the true answer to that a hundred fold over the virus itself. A high percentage of companies have already mandated that their employees would need it to return to work along with medical facilities, our federal and most of our state governments are requiring it and it has also been suggested that statewide mandatory vaccinations could more than likely be implemented in high positivity percentage areas. So again, actual need or manufactured to serve an agenda that would quell any questions that remain about the true lethality if this virus. Once more, I concede that there is a need for this vaccine for some, as with the flu vaccine it will no doubt save lives, however, it seems to me that, unlike the flu shot, we very well may be strong armed into not having a choice if we want to regain normalcy whether we want it, need it or not. Speaking of the flu... has anybody else Observed that it doesn't seem to be around this year? Here we are at the height of flu season and for some odd and dare I say, convenient reason we haven't heard anything about it in the media, from health care professionals or even the guy at the local pool hall. Hmmm... I suppose Covid killed it as well... that would explain it...
All that aside, my biggest gripe about this vaccine is all the self serving dogma being spewed like verbal defecation out of the media's pie hole along with the scientists credited to the vaccine regarding having achieved something that has never been done before. Give us a break. I apologize if my indignance is showing, but seriously... has everyone stopped paying attention? In a recent 60 Minutes interview the researchers from Pfizer and BioNtech boasted the autocratic statement that they started "from scratch" on this vaccine. Really?... "Scratch"? Hardly... Started with the vaccine creation equivalent of a Betty Crocker muffin mix would be a more suitable analogy. You know... just add water? It seems that these saviors in white lab coats and safety glasses would like us all to forget that we were informed months ago that this strain of Coronavirus shares at least 80% of it's genetic makeup with SARS which was identified in 2002. Not only was it isolated, we have been studying it ever since. That scrutiny included vaccine research by nearly every pharmaceutical company on the planet. Not to mention that SARS is actually designated SARS CoV-1 and Covid-19 is designated SARS CoV-2 by all virologists. I don't mean to be too critical of their achievement, but putting the finishing touches on a foundation whose cornerstone was put in place nearly two decades ago is by no means starting "from scratch"... but I could be reading into it too much...
Although some of us might feel like the rear end of a horse costume getting ready for a Halloween party without the comfort of the lucky front operative having used Gain detergent before climbing in with their backside counterpart, we shouldn't. We were presented with a public health crisis and we listened to those in charge. I'd like to think that we complied so easily because we weren't entirely sure as to the severity of the virus, but at the same time kept a certain amount of acumen in doing so. Unfortunately I would probably be lying to myself if I tried. The reality that I Observed is that the vast majority either bought the entire bill of goods or looked upon those who did as fools easily parted from their personal rights for doing so. What we failed in doing, was that along with abiding our leaders, was question... and we should have questioned intently to certain mandates before we fell into a nursemaid society that quickly became consumed by fear. Regrettably it is far too late for those inquiries and we have to manage the present actuality of our own making.
I believe the most important question remaining that we need to address is, Where do we go from here? We have constructed ourselves a very long and difficult road that we will have to traverse to get back home. We have taken actions against and said things to each other that have been inexcusable. How do we start to repair the damage we have done? And even if we can begin to forgive each other, there are other hurdles of significant height along our path to recovery. How do we convince people who are still afraid that they can have their lives back or at least try to? How do we persuade those most susceptible to fall victim to the lethality of this virus to get the vaccine when they are apprehensive to do so? How do we incline those who have been chomping at the bit to regain their lives before this to have patience with those who are still unsure? How do we even begin to bridge the distances we've created between ourselves by not listening to each other? And above all else, how do we face each other without the luxury of hiding our contempt behind the masks we have been made to wear for so long? I leave that up to you, my loyal reader, because eventually we will all have to take them off. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I have to go buy a Powerball ticket.
