Irate Irony

All week we've watched militarized police brutalizing people protesting police violence. What a failed strategy. Krystal asked Joe Rogan this week why the police were not protecting businesses from looters rather than terrorizing protesters. I suspect some of the looters were agent provocateurs from the police and their mercenaries. Jimmy has a clip which sure indicates that. Additionally we have the irony of absolute economic collapse as the stock market continues to rise, propped up by the Fed pouring money into junk. A debt we're heaping upon the young. Oddly enough as we've reduced the release of CO2 during the pandemic, atmospheric levels are at an all time high. On a personal level, we've got excess garden produce we've been giving away as food banks are running out of food. So swirling ironies abound amid the pandemic. The protest themselves provide an interesting experiment. If there is a second wave of COVID in a couple of weeks we'll know this will be with us until there's a vaccine. Some virologists are suggesting the coronavirus is losing its mojo. The irony here is we have not even done the most basic of research. There is not a single reliable study to determine the number of asymptotics John Campbell explains (21 min video with notes under the fold)

Ebb and Flow

Life's patterns continue. It's been a time of harvest and processing this week. As summer heat encroaches spring greens will turn bitter. So it's been harvest, wash, blanche, and freeze while they are the tastiest. We had a few nice cabbages too which are fermenting to kraut. Crops come and crops go. So do empires. Not all is ideal. After 33 years we had to pump our septic system which involved digging up the flowerbed on top of it to pull the lid and clean it out. What a mess, but I've reseeded and mulched the bed and it too will flow (grow) back. Managed to put in a new gas tank on the tractor last week, but am still awaiting a reordered fan blade. One step forward, one step back. It's the nature of things.

COVID Conundrums

This new corona virus, known for only a few months, has thrown the world into disarray. Here in the States, we have been particularly inept... with massive disparity between states and class in both the economic and health response to this challenge. Ever the optimist, I wonder if this doesn't present us with opportunity amidst the tragedy of death and disease. If we can create unlimited amounts of currency to prop up the market, failed fracking industry, and banks bad loans, we can pay for M4A, free college, a debt jubilee, mass green transit, and almost anything else we can dream. The excuse of "we don't have the money" is gone. Additionally, I'm feeling more hopeful about the falling disease progression and simple ways to control it by wearing masks and distancing. There's clever new study on the effectiveness of masks.

Fed Up?

I began this with the intention of writing about the oligarchs dream come true...the Federal Reserve. And that will be one focus, but I realized I'm fed up about lots more...like: US imperialism, self serving corrupt corporate controlled congress critters, imprisoning and torturing journalists who report about war crimes, propaganda paraded as the press, the charade of our elections, the failure of the US to adequately deal with COVID, and on and on. Perhaps I'm grumpy because I haven't been to play music with friends, nor visit, nor hug, shake hands, and give a pat on the back ... all those things that kinda define our humanity and appreciation of one another. Another layer is my increasing understanding of our situation which suggests we are just at the beginning of this mess.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Winston Churchill

At least the garden is doing well. This time of year it is the salad bar special.

Many mysteries remain about the nature and origin of the virus and the best ways to combat it. Somehow things that are known are not widely said, the benefit of Vitamin D, selenium, zinc, and the promise of hydroxychloroquine among them...all pretty inexpensive preventatives. There's the effect (benefit or harm) of diet. Another inexpensive treatment, intravenous Vitamin C is rarely mentioned. Blood thinners are also being used as blood clots are problematic. Doctors have developed a COVID protocol which is updated regularly. It is as though the pandemic is being managed to maximize profit for big pharma. Everyone is in a race for an effective vaccine. Additionally, COVID certainly has provided cover for a massive transfer of US treasuries to the elite.

Alternatives?

Have you watched the new film "Planet of the Humans"? It takes on corporate large scale alternative energy, and presents it in a negative light. Many prominent environmentalist are responding in a hair on fire manner. The film makers discussed the criticism on The Rising this week. I think the film makes important points like chipping up forests for electrical production is NOT 'green' energy, several large scale expensive alternate faculties are in disrepair or totally off line, and that we must deal with the root cause of environmental destruction, over population and over consumption. However, the film never visits small, local, home scale alternate energy systems. So I thought it might be fun to do so in today's column.

The "Fake" Economy

Oil, War, and the Petrodollar

The corona virus has upset the global economy, now the old normal. It has provided a distraction that has allowed for the transfer of trillions of tax dollars to the largest most corrupt corporations. The Fed has cranked up the presses and is pumping out dollars at an unprecedented rate. Now many people say the US dollar (USD) isn't based on anything and is just paper. However, it is based on something, oil. Ever since we cut the deal with the Saudis in the early '70's all countries must buy their oil (and many other commodities) in USD. Last week oil went negative because there is such a glut and lack of storage. So in comes the Fed propping up oil prices with our tax dollars, also boosted by Trump's threat to shoot down Iranian gunboats. How do we get out of this mess? How about a war or two?

Corona Curiosities

It seems there's more that we don't know than we do know about the SARS-CoV-2 and the expression of COVID-19. There's several conspiracy theories floating around driven in part by the quarantine of healthy people and the huge role of the Fed in buying corporate debt and foreign central bank debt and artificial inflation of the stock market, all while throwing working people under the bus. It is suspicious. Let's look at some of the things we do know and speculate about the rest.

Under the Cover of COVID-19

Never let a good crisis go to waste. TPTB are using the pandemic to fulfill their dreams of ever more power. Primary among the scams is the union of the Fed and Treasury to buy all the corporate debt and bail out the world's central banks. But so much more is at play. War ships are sailing to Venezuela's coasts, Sabres are rattling in Iraq aimed at Iran. Fracking on public lands is being ramped up, and financed by bail out funds. Wildlife refuges are to be opened to fishing and hunting. Not to mention the staggering number of judicial appointments, and the imprisonment of journalists who tell the truth about US war crimes. It didn't have to be this way. Just think about the relationship of arms trade and the corona virus. (4 min)

To Our Good Health

We are likely to get COVID-19 (I've heard estimates of 70 to 80% of us). Fortunately, most people have mild to no symptoms. The severity of the disease is primarily dependent on the strength of our immune system and the initial viral load at infection. About 70% of the severe cases are in people with some level of obesity. We can influence these factors folks. Wearing a mask, even a homemade one, will reduce the initial infection load. Obesity is a result of poor (misinformed) dietary choices and is really pretty easy to correct. The truth is that we blame people for being overweight and sick, but it’s not their fault. Our taste buds, hormones, and brain chemistry have been hijacked by the food industry. Stress is also a complicating factor, as is poor sleep and lack of rest. The concurrent economic collapse coupled with worry about family and friends add to our susceptibility. Perhaps some of us will manage to avoid infection until there is a vaccine. That appears to be a year to 18 months away. That's a long time to be isolated using good antiseptic measures. So this week I thought we should focus on maximizing our own healthy immune system and reviewing protective techniques to minimize infection. Let's try to do more than just survive, but to thrive... and come out of this seismic event better, more thoughtful, and kinder people.