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The dilemma. A very autocratic and often brutal police state. Capable of suppressing the tiniest (Democracy Wall), and largest (Tienanmen) trace of popular dissent, and of bullying almost all neighboring states (Tibet and South China Sea). Yet capable, as a partial result of the above, of 30 years of near ten percent yearly GDP growth, and, after initial duplicity, of manhandling the C-19 virus. It may well be a cautionary tale of where national governments may be going, as the world is choked by mismatches between resources and population, all lubricated by nationalistic demagogue tinpot leaders. We hear and read these ideas from academics, but it really hasn't reached the level of the body politic world wide. The trade off. Increased surveillance, and decreased personal and civil rights freedoms, in exchange for material goods, and "stability". The latter for comfy higher members of the one Party. There's a story about a lady Wuhan bound train passenger, in December of last year, reading a medical journal, and on crossing over into city limits, spontaneously putting on her mask. She was alone in this on a train full of citizens who were clueless as to C-19. As a doctor, she knew, but couldn't let others know that this was different from the usual mask wearing custom. The academic discussions may soon extend to every day folks, who are less worried about the right to speak out against the government, than to forego a new toaster, or electric back scratcher.. Paraphrasing an American statesman, those who will easily trade freedom for security, will soon have neither.

Non-smokers who are bothered by smoke – you know how far away you need to be from someone smoking before it doesn’t bother you. Stay that far from others. And we all know how long the smell of smoke hangs in an enclosed space.

Non-garlic-eaters who are bothered by the smell of it on someone’s breath (or their garlicky lasting body-odour) ditto.

Shouting REALLY loads the air with particles. Stay away from protesters. Except from polite ones. First comment refers.

It hasn't dawned yet but everyone agrees things won't ever be quite the same

There are some things from our respective quarantines many would like to keep. For those who can, working from home, with perhaps one or two trips to the office a week, would be good to keep

More meetings online instead of dashing around on planes trains and automobiles, definitely worth keeping

Socially, not being expected to kiss-kiss or hug every stranger you meet, that works for me

The floor is open. If you were in charge of designing the New Normal, what would you aim for ...

When I think of money, that I singlehandedly work for:
All those long hours, exhausting, causing major migraines, that you suppress till your own private time.

Money, Is just a means to an end, else it will show on your bank account, of what use, you may ask, till you need it next time, earning interest. After all it is your money, to do with as you wish!

Money is there to spend, and save some for a rainy day too?

If you watch TV detective movies, you know that BOLO is a police acronym for 'Be on the lookout' and in this case I'm issuing a BOLO for a Pennsylvania blogger who goes by the alias of Palmfrond. Like a day trader, it's normal her her to close her profile and return a short time later, but the COVID-19 pandemic has her missing much longer.

Tough times, I know she's had more than a share and if someone has contact with her in real life, please pass a message that I wish her the best!

I shouldn't ask a question... do women still fall for men in uniform?
Yesterday, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and news articles and cleared my cookies & cache file. This morning, when I came to the CS main page, the images at the bottom were men and women where I only see local women after I've previously logged in.

Oh look... it's a man in an army uniform appearing on CS. He's using the name of McJames. We all know he's a scammer with a stolen photo of General James C. McConville.

Every week I see bogus profiles of guys in uniform and wonder if women are attracted to a military man or if it's something only perceived by scammers.

Today I am going to do the long overdue job of giving my bathroom (it's a bathroom without a bath) a good clean. I may be gone some time.

This has nothing to do with Trump and ultraviolet.



Yeah, I need a haircut...

Song from Red Dead 2 game...May I stand unshaken amidst the crash of worlds.
Best words ever. Anyone who is approaching or into old age has seen many worlds crash around them. Children have a view of how life is, should be and will be for them. And then they get B slapped. How seldom does life turn out the way expected.
I see life as a river you float down. Sometimes you rest on a lush island. Sometimes the flood carries you and maybe even over a falls. With luck you survive and float on again. Very few people get to live their life on a lush island and some end up dying going over a falls.
My dad was born in another era. All the changes he went through in life is mind boggling. He lived through the Spanish flu and never even talked about it!? Went from gas lights to electricity, horse era to autos. Radios to TVs.
When I think life is tough, I remember what he and mom lived through and say I have no comparison.
I feel sorry for the spoiled young of today. Sheltered from adversity, spoiled and told the world is awaiting them, they run head on into the real world and bury themselves in drugs or suicide. They grow up with no coping skills. Death is hidden except on video games where they can always reset. The first time they are told no, they flip out.
My parents had the means to spoil me. I know mom was an easier mark. But, they knew the rest of the world didn't care. And it was their job to say no more than yes. Make me think..do I really want that. Teach me that money takes work and spend and save wisely.
So many lessons we old folks were taught are gone. So many skills we learned are fading into obscurity.
I am surprised by the kindness shown in this time of plague. But, see already the greed factor kicking in, lead by corporations ticked off cause profits are falling. I hate the phrase..oh I love it. No, I don't love foods or cars or clothes. I only love special people. I may really like materials goods, but, reserve love for humans and animals and the earth.
We face a crash of worlds. What will next year prove we are?

In November 1999, five year old Elián Gonzalez was found in an inner tube floating at sea three miles off the coast of Florida's Fort Lauderdale. The fishermen who found the boy turned him over to the US Coast Guard. Elián's mother and twelve other escaped from Cuba headed to The United States. The motor of the boat broke down and started taking on water during a storm. Only three made it to safety, the others including Elián's perished at sea.
Elián was released temporarily to his great-uncle, Lázaro, who lived in the Little Havana section of Miami. His cousin Marisleysis acted as the guardian to Elián.

Elián's father In Cuba, was trying to get the boy returned to his country and the Miami family was trying to keep him in the United States. Negotiations went on for weeks and all options had run out

A Florida family court judge revoked Lázaro's temporary custody, clearing the way for González to be returned to his father's custody. Attorney General Janet Reno ordered the return of Elián González to his father and set a deadline of April 13, 2000

The house was surrounded by protesters as well as police. There was speculation that some of the protesters were armed and prepared to thwart any government action. The relatives insisted on guarantees that they could live with the child for several months and retain custody, yet the family defied the order to release custody of the boy. Negotiations carried on throughout the night, but Reno claimed that the relatives rejected all workable solutions and made the decision to remove González from the house and instructed agents of the Border Patrol's special BORTAC unit to raid the house in the pre-dawn hours of Easter Eve, April 22. They snatched the boy to safety and four hours later, reunited him with his father who was flown from Cuba to the Coast Guard Station in Opa Locka, Florida.

It's all over but the shouting... I remember hearing Elián's cousin Marisleysis crying to the media "We've always tried to nego-sha-gate..."

My ex-wife and I followed the story and it became an inside joke to mispronounce negotiate. Marisleysis... you go girl!

Currently, I'm nego-sha-gating some small details on the sale of my house.