We’re pretending to be Safe (Covid-19 Virus Thoughts)

~ Ron Walker ~ 15 Comments

We’re pretending to be safe. I have struggled to understand the thinking of those in charge, but the logic just isn’t there. Conspiracists, will tell you it’s not that real. I tend to step back and observe things from a strangers view, Michelle tells me I’m too analytical. Maybe if more people were analytical of things, we would have better politicians, doctors, and safer practices towards one another.

I’m not in the conspiracy crowd, but I do ask why and try to look at things from the outside. Too many people just blindly follow directions and trust that what we are hearing is the truth, and they have our best interest in mind. We’re dumb. No, I mean that in a literal sense. Not all of us maybe, but the vast majority blindly follow advice, and what others tell us. We give up safety in exchange for convenience. Those in business, tell us what they want us to hear, for convenience.

The virus is real, it kills. Yet we see no “real” attempts by local or national authorities to stop the spread or fatalities. We still can’t get an adequate vaccine supply in Alabama. Partial shutdowns, then cries of dying businesses, then reopening. We are governed, by a majority of those that value money over human life. We send billions to other countries, that could be used to shore up the US during a lock down. The conflicts/wars we are involved in cost the US an estimated $38 Million and an hour. So, one has to ask, are we being manipulated for votes and money? Or is this truly the real world.

Outside
Let’s look at how we are “protecting” ourselves. We wear a mask outside in many states and cities. Other places allow no mask outside, yet we pass within one or two feet of others on the street. Some of us give a wide berth as we pass. Yet no one thinks of the draft that follows a person as you pass them. What they exhale is pulled along with them for several feet and swirls outward from them in that light draft as well. Then mask less people walk right through the area where the virus could be lingering.

Inside Areas (Restaurants)
In Restaurants, most have signs that require you to wear a mask when entering. Once you are seated, you may remove your mask. They generally have an empty booth or table between diners to provide six feet social distancing. Look at this in a truly analytical view. Does the virus truly have a limited distance of the optimal 6 feet? As people walk by, are they not carrying a potential virus along in their wake, from table to table. Can the servers interacting with other tables not carry the virus in their wake, hands or clothes? I’ve joked that the virus has been told not to enter occupied table areas. Barring jokes aside, does the establishment utilize HEPA filters rated to stop microbes? I doubt it. We all breathe the same air. Which brings us to the next great thing most have bought into.

Inside Areas (Planes, Trains, and Automobiles) No, not the movie.
For some reason, airlines do commercials to assure us that a flight in a totally sealed can, sitting inches from one another is safe. “We filter our air”, they say. Imagine the expense, and modifications it would take to filter microbes on an airliner, by an industry already at the brink of failure, efficiently. The extra handling of the HEPA filters when they are changed, due to possible hazardous biological contamination would be another cost. I understand that some people have to work and travel. I believe the majority are not working people, but those trusting the commercials. Manybe we can believe a government agency. The Defense department went as far as to say,
What we’re told, and actual facts. 2020
Although there has been no evidence of plane flights causing many super-spreader events, there have been cases of transmission. In September, a man flying from Dubai to New Zealand tested negative for the virus, but was, in fact, infected and passed it on to other passengers. The flight had 86 passengers and seven of them tested positive for the virus when they arrived in New Zealand, despite having worn masks and gloves. The seven passengers had been sitting within four rows of each other and the virus’s genetic sequence in six of seven of the positive passengers was identical.
Me? I wouldn’t fly on a bet.

“overall exposure risk from aerosolized pathogens, like coronavirus, is very low” and concluded that a person would have to be sitting next to an infectious passenger for at least 54 hours to get an infectious dose of the virus through the air. But the “54-hour” number has since been removed from the report at the request of the authors, who worried it was being misinterpreted.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/travel/air-travel-safety-coronavirus.html

I know the virus is real. I think our family had it last year in the first outbreak. My mother-in-law passed away during the time we were all sick, she had prior lung problems. I have a forum member that is in the hospital now, with the Covid-19 virus. What do you think, are we being careful enough? Are we getting the support we need? Or is this crisis just being squeezed for all it’s worth.

How would you combat this crisis.
Comments always welcome.

No damn peace anywhere, anymore.

~ Ron Walker ~ 27 Comments

Blame it on the pandemic, blame the solar winds. Hell, blame it on the chem trails, or maybe Karma finally located my forwarding address. What ever it is, it just seems to follow me at times.

Our neighborhood is a quiet one. There is an area about a mile away that is a little, shall we say, different. Working class and retirees live here in our neighborhood. Our only difference, is we live on the corner leading into our neighborhood which is the corner of two well travelled roads. Therefore, if you break down, or you’re up to mischief, this is very convenient to you.

Last night, around 8pm, the dogs in the entryway went crazy barking. I was relaxing and watching TV. They were highly agitated, and I heard a light knocking on the door. I asked through the door who it was. A male voice said he needed some help. The dogs were crowded right behind me growling. Thinking anyone up to no good would have been wary of doing anything bad after hearing such large dogs, I opened the door a little. There is a super strong security/storm door with shatterproof glass next.

There stood a black male, about 5’7″ around 30-40 years of age. Stocky with a thick jacket on, and a beanie type cap. He said his woman had put him out on the road, and he needed a ride home. I couldn’t tell if he was crazy, drunk, high, or just slow in the head. He seemed out of sorts. I told him I couldn’t give him a ride anywhere. Then he asked if he could come in and use my phone. I told him I was sorry, but no he needed to leave, or I could call 911 and get him some help. He stepped out into the yard, and I closed the door.

He returned and knocked on the door again while I was standing there. I told him he needed to leave my property, that I was calling 911 to get him a ride. He then reached out and grabbed the handle to the security door, trying to open it. I told him to step back, or the dogs would eat him. I called 911 while standing there, and he reached in his left jacket pocket. Of course, I’m that guy… My hand went to the small of my back where I carry my weapon when I answer the door.

I gripped the handle just in case he pulled out a weapon. He pulls out a damn cell phone, that is when the hair on my neck stood up. He was just possibly trying to get entry to the house through the pretense of needing a phone. I think he was just mentally loose in the head or really high on something. No criminal would try to force their way into a home with three large dogs snarling ahead of them. Plus, a wary criminal would have noticed me reaching around behind my back.

While waiting for the Police to arrive, which only took about two minutes. He looked around the porch moving a shutter there that was leaning against the wall waiting to be painted, as if looking for something he might like. Upon the arrival of the Police, they informed me that they recognized him when they pulled up, they had dealt with him before. They left with him and that ended the night of excitement. Naturally, the security cam for the porch had died a week before and not been replaced yet. So we can’t share any video of that crazy moment.

It seems nowhere is free from trouble. I just want to relax. On the bright side, it may never happen again. But who knows. I will be getting another camera up on the porch, pronto.

Comments always welcome.

Can’t see the bedroom, for the tree.

~ Ron Walker ~ 24 Comments

A short post about the neighbor that lives behind us in a single wide mobile home.

Hurricane Sally, was one of two hurricanes that managed to still be strong enough to cause serious damage in central Alabama. Sally, came ashore in Mobile 16 years after the last major Hurricane to make landfall on Alabama.

Sally, came a little over a month before Zeta which was strong enough still, to wreck our home and force us to move. Remember, we are 210 miles inland.

The elderly gentleman said he has a morning routine he follows. On this particular morning, he awakened 45 mins early and went to the kitchen to start his coffee. The strom was really strong at that time. While in the kitchen, there was what sounded like an explosion and the trailer rocked. When everything stopped, he looked down the hall to see limbs and what looked like a tree in the hallway.

A large limb, the size of a tree itself, and broken off of a tree behind his residence, and fallen across his mobile home. The tree had sliced through the trailer right between two rafters, obliterating his bedroom. Had he not awakened 45 mins early on that morning, he would have been killed.

If you look closely, you can see the large spot where the limb broke from the tree. You may also be able to see how cleanly it sliced through the home.

I hope none of you, have had such a close call.

Almost the end of 2020. Will we make it?

~ Ron Walker ~ 15 Comments

I hope this post finds all of you on the recovery side of Christmas. It was a relatively quiet one for us, the kind I like where you’re not in a gathering of many people you don’t know or recognize. Too many time we celebrate Christmas, and the majority are friends of the kids, or cousins thrice removed that you only see once, when it’s time to feast.

This year, we didn’t have to follow that crowd since the mother-in-law passed (rest her soul). In the past, her side of the family who are involved in the drag-racing circuit, would host a Christmas feast, and we would have to take her. It was more of a redneck event. People getting too much Christmas spirit in a bottle. Ex-husbands bringing their new girlfriend, or whatever title everyone gave her. Who the HECK invites an ex to a family gathering, especially when they are not on good terms. Someone would feel sorry for Bubba Redneck, and invite him. One year, they had the bright idea of hosting the Christmas gathering at a local bar/lounge. We refused to go. Later we heard of the 70-year-old granny table dancing. Too much excitement for me.

Michelle and I sat and sipped hot chocolate, watched the fire in the fireplace. Earlier on Christmas Eve, we had gone to Steven’s home for some snacks. It was just 5 of us there, then two guests of Steven’s came by. Nice quiet gathering. No drunks, ex-whatevers, no cover charge!

We had the tradition of watching Lampoons “Christmas Vacation”. Everyone quoted lines along with Chevy Chase in the movie.

Here’s hoping, 2021 will be a smoother year. Bless you all, and happy blogging!