Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Election Day 2020

 Or, more accurately, the last day of election season. 

 

I recall seeing other Presidents get nostalgic with their audiences as they run for re-election. “This is my last campaign” said Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama. You didn’t see that from Donald Trump. He’s not getting whimsical about the end of his political campaign career. He’s completely focused on winning this race. And, despite recovering from the potentially lethal coronavirus just four weeks prior, he’s tarring through four, five, even six huge rallies a day. Without showing the voice strains that both Clinton’s showed in their campaigns. The sound of desperation that Romney also showed.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Let Us Use The Empty School Buildings!

The teachers don’t want to go to school.
Okay, that means the school buildings are sitting unused. Give them to the parents. Let us use the building to teach our kids. We own the buildings.
Or better yet, give them to a private school so they can utilize these unused public facilities to educate the children.
Or is it really better to have a kid online?
Let’s do it again, say the public schools of much of America.

It’s never been about the kids, has it?
 

College Rules This Fall

A local college’s rules on conduct during corona. May as well stay home and go to a junior college/ aka community college. No fun allowed. And no football games. But they’ll take your parents’ money!

https://maestro.listserv.umd.edu/list/h1i3cs08/200810H/aconqw.vib?id=0t52vh1i3cs086l
“We want to be sure that students understand what is required of them. The Code of Student Conduct applies to all students, whether on or off campus.
In order for all of us to have the safest possible fall semester, it is imperative that everyone practice and enforce healthy behaviors. In addition to the specific policies outlined by the Code of Student Conduct, all students are expected to comply with the directives outlined in the 4 Maryland commitment.
All members of our campus community will be required to follow these measures:
Wear a face covering at all times indoors and outdoors when in the presence of others;
Wash hands frequently and practice good personal hygiene;
Practice physical distancing by staying at least 6 feet apart from others;
Stay home if you feel sick, and report symptoms to the University Health Center and your personal doctor;
Monitor your symptoms on a daily basis and submit them into the online reporting system located here.
The First 14 Days
As stated in President Pines' recent letter, the first 14 days of the semester will be a critical time for health and safety. For all students living both on and off campus, we ask that you stay in your residences as a precautionary measure as much as possible through September 14. This will help us reduce interactions during this critical assessment phase of our reopening plan.
Parties/Large Gatherings
A large number of students live off campus in the neighboring communities. Whether you are residing in an off-campus house, apartment building/complex, townhome, or fraternity/sorority chapter house, all students are expected to adhere to University, local, state, and federal guidelines as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Be advised that all gatherings - including those that take place in a private home, such as house parties - are still restricted by Prince George's County Executive Order to one person or family unit per 200 square feet. An average 2000 square foot single-family home should host no more than 10 people including the residents of the home. Individuals should still wear masks and physically distance.
Individuals hosting or attending large parties or gatherings in the greater College Park community in violation of the Executive Order will face a $5,000 fine and may also be sentenced to up to a year in jail in addition to or instead of the fine. This is enforceable by the County, and will be in addition to University disciplinary action.
The University is also working with the businesses in the City of College Park to ensure that safety measures are implemented in local restaurants, and bars as well. We expect your full cooperation and compliance with these measures.
Sanctions
The University will not tolerate any actions on the part of students which jeopardize the health and safety of the community. Students must adhere to required health and safety practices and expectations at all times. Students who do not comply with these expectations will face appropriate disciplinary action which may include disciplinary charges for failure to comply, and sanctions as appropriate under the Residence Hall Rules and/or the Code of Student Conduct. Sanctions for non-compliance include but are not limited to; loss of privileges to attend campus events, housing dismissal, removal from all on-campus activities including in-person classes, and dismissal from the University. We are serious about enforcing the Code of Student Conduct because your behavior can mean the difference between life and death.
The University of Maryland and Division of Student Affairs staff regularly update protocols to comply with state and local guidelines. Updates may be provided through email, UMD Alerts, updates to websites, or other methods such as social media. For more information, resources for mental health, safety, financial and other forms of assistance please visit umd.edu/4Maryland.
We want you to have a successful semester and we want you to remain healthy and keep your friends and families healthy as well. We need everyone to do their part 4 Maryland!
Sincerely,
Andrea J Goodwin
Director of Student Conduct
University of Maryland”

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Friday, August 7, 2020

Colleges Bailing when it's too late to help students

Nice work, Johns Hopkins! Not!

Everything is going to be online, as announced yesterday.

Sixteen days before “First Year students will move into their residence halls on August 22, 2020.”

Three weeks before classes start.

Oh, here’s the price: “Johns Hopkins University/Undergraduate tuition and fees 55,350 USD”

They had a comprehensive plan in place. Tossed aside. Maryland COVID-19 tests that came back positive Wednesday were only 3.83%.

Take a gap year, kids ! Leave of absence! Transfer. Save your parents’ money or yourself from huge loan debts.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Biden the racist?

Is Biden right? Yes. He understands that black Americans vote for Democrats at a 90% rate or better. He is right to take their vote for granted. Very honest. He said that exact thing in a recent radio interview. “You ain’t Black” if you don’t vote for Biden. He has been this way his whole career. Stereotypes people by race.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/06/joe-biden-latino-african-american-remark-392354

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Are students the enemy?

I’ve been thinking about the reopening schools debate from a parent perspective. As I’m reading news stories I’m reminded of the teacher and staff perspective. A staff member or  a teacher dorsn’t look at one year as being especially important. Rather, it is one of perhaps 30 to 40 years that they will be spending at that school or some other school. So, for them taking a year off  is not an especially big deal. Whereas for a student essentially taking fourth grade off or ninth grade off by “learning virtually” in an inferior manner is devastating. As the teachers look at the classroom, do they look at those kids as potential infectors who could kill them if they bring the coronavirus into the classroom, where the teacher may catch the disease and even die? Most people do recover but there is a risk and that is something that is no doubt uppermost in their minds.  But, as a parent, I can’t worry so much about the teachers. Sorry. I need to worry about my kid and I’m sorry if it’s a bit of a risk. Let’s do things to keep the risk down for them.

I came up with an idea: bring in the National Guard to act as emergency teachers in school districts where teachers will not show up for work because of their fears of coronavirus. We have an Army, Navy and Air Force,  Marines and Coast Guard - men and women who risk their lives every day to serve this country.

What better service than to educate our children?

Friday, July 10, 2020

Public Schools

Step one in the eventual all online semester has been completed. The county board has moved the start of the school year to the day after Labor Day. Ironic, in that the schools were so upset when the governor mandated a post Labor Day start a few years ago, that they enlisted their Democrat allies in the state legislature to overturn the Governor's action.

After the disaster that was school in March, April, May, and June, I was actually supportive of an early school start. Three months worth of learning was wiped out and it made sense to use the extra time to catch the kids up as much as possible. What possible reason is there to delay school by two weeks? Not to clean the schools, which ought to have been done four months ago. No, it is to train the teachers in better online teaching. Do I know this for a fact? No, I surmise it. Buying 6,500 Chromebooks is a BIG CLUE, don't you think?  And once they start online, why will they ever go in person? They won't, as long as the mandate for social distancing exists.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Safety of Outdoor Air for Coronavirus Is Now Obvious

Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Safety of Outdoor Air for Coronavirus Is Now O...: There is now powerful observational evidence that outdoor air is extraordinary safe regarding COVID-19, and the recent protests have helped ...

Return to Dance

After nearly four months away from the studio, my daughter's dance studio finally opened up for classes this week. New procedures meant a number of changes, including separate entrances and exits and a prohibition on non-students being allowed inside the studio's waiting area. Dancers were required to wear masks the entire time. The dancers were to leave immediately after class without changing clothes in a dressing room. After four months of "virtual" classes, we all were grateful to give our children real classes again, even with the new restrictions. The parents waited outside.

Five of us waiting parents have known one another through dance for at least three years and have had our daughters attend here for five years.  But there we all were, waiting outside, and all of the other four parents had masks on. All were standing more than six feet away from one another. There was hardly any conversations, even after four months away from one another. I was carrying my facemask, but did not see the need to don it, as I was more than six feet from anyone plus we were outside, where coronavirus transmission is rare. Then, I had a question for another parent, so I put on my mask and walked over to her. She quickly moved away, seemingly in fear,  as I approached. She's right, of course, that the mask isn't really that great of a safety measure. Unfortunately, it was physically impossible to carry on a conversation and be six feet apart, which is why I put on the mask and got nearer.

Anyway, it was weird seeing these friends acting with such fear. I'm pretty sure that one of the parents (me) is probably being exposed to different "propaganda" than the others are seeing and hearing. We each are convinced that what we see and hear is the truth. I'm not feeling the fear. They are. Not that it's not a deadly disease, but I'm also not one who flees from McDonald's in favor of vegan cuisine, either. Life has risks. I actually took a Metro train last Saturday!!!

Suffice it to say, the next day, I just stood far away and walked swiftly with my daughter to our car. It's a strange new world.

A masked face shares no smiles. . .

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Re-Opening Maryland and School Decisions Still Looming

Beginning a return to normalcy, our 14 year-old's dance studio finally re-opened for classes this week. One measure that is being implemented is a mask mandate for the dancers, even during class. I know that the studio is operating under government restrictions and have no criticism for their efforts. But, in addition to the masks, the classes are, supposedly, being conducted with the students engaged in social distancing. Which seems to me, at least, to make dance a little less beautiful. What's next? Football with social distancing? And isn't it overkill to have both masks and require social distancing?

The next question is what will happen with the local public schools? It is July and the schools here fought the governor to get the right to open before Labor Day, so they have less than seven weeks to go.

President Trump is leading the charge to return our children back to school and was at today's "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's Schools."- https://youtu.be/CQG835FyulE. I fear that this will only intensify the Democratic media propaganda to keep schools closed. I'm sorry to say that I do believe that the teachers unions and school boards would gladly sacrifice another year of learning for these children if doing so will result in a Democrat’s victory in November.

Despite scientific evidence to the contrary that closed schools create long term damage to students:
“The Amer­i­can Acad­emy of Pe­diatrics has urged pol­icy mak­ers to pri­or­i­tize re­open­ing schools, cit­ing the de­vel­op­men­tal and health ben­e­fits to chil­dren of at­tend­ing class in-per­son and re­ceiv­ing reg­u­lar school meals. Pre­lim­i­nary re­search sug­gests that low-in­come and mi­nor­ity chil­dren with less ac­cess to tech­nol­ogy will have greater learn­ing loss than other chil­dren un­der re­mote learn­ing.” WSJ 7/7/20


Monday, July 6, 2020

Teachers Unions

CDC Today:  "For children (0-17 years), cumulative COVID-19 hospitalization rates are much lower than cumulative influenza hospitalization rates at comparable time points* during recent influenza seasons."

With the debate over the coronavirus risk to young people pretty much over, we are now faced with the obstacle of teachers and their unions fighting against allowing children back into schools. The unions are insisting that the risk to the older people, the teachers, is too great. That is what is happening with Fairfax, Virginia. The union will not even support hybrid class instruction.  Wow!

Teachers -- The purpose of the schools is not to give you an income. It is to educate the children of the taxpaying and non-taxpaying residents of society. If you aren't willing to teach, we will find others who will do that job for us!

The colleges across the nation, especially the private ones, have been forced by student and parent demand to have on site education. Almost all students agreed that the last two to three months of the academic year was a poor substitute for a college education. The fact that parents are paying a lot of money means that they will choose to have their children step away for a while rather than pay for a poor college experience. However, the nation's public schools have no such incentive. They will get funded whether the kids show up or not. Plus, the teachers seem to enjoy working from home.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/survey-of-teachers-in-fairfax-county-find-70-want-to-continue-distance-learning-in-the-fall

Sunday, July 5, 2020

Fireworks!!






Another mask side effect

Conjunctivitis.

https://wellness-trends.com/masks-incorrect-use-can-cause-conjunctivitis/health/

Why mention this? Because mask fascists refuse to acknowledge health downsides to the use of masks. Side effects for any medical intervention must always be explicitly given to the patient.

Rand Paul

Sentar Rand Paul (R-KY) (also a medical doctor) has himself suffered with the novel coronavirus. And this was after he had been viciously attacked in 2018 by a leftist neighbor which left Senator Paul with sever lung damage. His life was at risk from COVID-19.

Here, he takes on Dr. Anthony Fauci as one of the experts that has been turned to for too many final decisions without appropriate oversight and consulation.

.https://www.facebook.com/101043269988443/posts/3298373830255355/?vh=e&d=n

Saturday, July 4, 2020

FOURTH OF JULY!

There is a fireworks show tonight in Washington, DC. It's usually a major commitment to attend as it is always hot and getting to DC is difficult.  This year is no different. The mere act of a fireworks display this year is at odds with the conventional wisdom. After a month of protests taken over by rioters and arsonists and vandals, how are we to take any city official's concern seriously when the city stood by and allowed or encouraged mass demonstrations?

This year, is the act of attending an Independence Day celebration more an act of counter-protest than a celebration? Flying a flag in one’s front yard, as well? Perhaps.


But the signers in 1776, risked their very lives. “By signing the document, the 56 men risked high treason against the King of England. In essence, they signed their death warrants because that was the penalty.

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Democrats and Public School Failures

From the county schools' CEO came Prince George’s County’s unscientific survey of parents for one of the two worst performing school districts in the state. 

And the results tell you why it is the worst. Parents who do not prioritize the value of education. Sorry.

Learning at home has been a proven national failure.

But PG parents don't care:

“More than 80 percent of family and community members preferred to continue the distance learning model or shift to a hybrid with elements of learning at home and in-school instruction: 

46% prefer to continue learning at home full-time;
42% want a hybrid form to combine distance learning with in-school instruction;

12% prefer returning to school full-time.”



Sell all of it!

 It’s getting crazy!!!

I have a solution for the controversial statues that many people want removed from public display. Because we cannot know what future attitudes will be towards the people or images that we represent now in public, therefore what we ought to do is sell all currently existing public statues and artwork to private entities, be they individual corporations or other organizations. They then shall have the freedom to display or not display the artwork, statues and the like in their private facilities.

Similarly no public funds shall be allocated for the purchase or commission of any future artwork or statue.
Should public entities separate themselves from art as they do from religion? Shall we sell all our paintings, other art, busts, and statues and allow private individuals and corporations to decide their fate? 

Yes, we should have a wall between arts and state.

Sell all of it. Close public art museums!

The portraits below are from a visit to a publicly funded museum a while ago.





Oral Polio Vaccine for COVID?

I don’t know, but this seems crazier than that anti-malarial drug touted in March in a French study. Using the Sabin Oral Polio Vaccine to “stimulate native emergency immune response to Covid.”

But they’re the virology scientists, so it’s worth investigating.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-old-vaccine-may-help-against-coronavirus-11593557168

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Lies which I won't let them forget

“More than 41,000 new coro­n­avirus cases were recorded na­tion­wide Mon­day, ac­cord­ing to data from Johns Hop­kins Uni­ver­sity. That was an in­crease from Sun­day, but lower than Fri­day’s record of 45,255. World-wide, con­firmed Covid-19 in­fec­tions ex­ceeded 10.3 mil­lion, with more than 505,000 deaths. The U.S. ac­counts for about a quar­ter of each fig­ure.”

FLASHBACK: 3/13/20. “California predicts 25,500,000 cases by 5/7/20.”

Masks "interfere with many physiological and psychological aspects of task performance"

University of Maryland, Dept. of Bioengineering, Dr. Arthur Johnson

Impact of masks on human physiology.

ABSTRACT
“Respiratory protective masks are used whenever it is too costly or impractical to remove airborne contamination from the atmosphere. Respirators are used in a wide range of occupations, form the military to medicine. Respirators have been found to interfere with many physiological and psychological aspects of task performance at levels from resting to maximum exertion. Many of these limitations have been investigated in order to determine quantitatively how much performance decrement can be expected from different levels of respirator properties. The entire system, including respirator and wearer interactions, must be considered when evaluating wearer performances. This information can help respirator designers to determine trade-offs or managers to plan to compensate for reduced productivity of wearers. “Source

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Mask risks "delivers less oxygen"

Akshita Nagpal
Dec 04, 2017 · 08:04 pm
A person wearing any kind of mask faces breathing resistance as air filters through the device, making the wearer work harder to inhale than he would without the mask. This can have several adverse physiological effects when the mask is worn for long periods of time. Moreover, carbon dioxide that is exhaled can get trapped in the chamber of the mask the re-enter the body each time the mask user inhales. This delivers less oxygen into the body than when the person is not wearing a mask.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Mask: No Good Choices

I wear a mask where required but am sensitive to anyone who is uncomfortable with their long term use. Please read on: 

Jesse Jackson, a pro-life Democrat (in 1977)

Jesse Jackson, 1977:

Life is public and universal

"There are those who argue that the right to privacy is of higher order than the right to life. I do not share that view. I believe that life is not private, but rather it is public and universal. If one accepts the position that life is private, and therefore you have the right to do with it as you please, one must also accept the conclusion of that logic. That was the premise of slavery. You could not protest the existence or treatment of slaves on the plantation because that was private and therefore outside of your right to concerned."

"Politicians argue for abortion largely because they do not want to spend the necessary money to feed, clothe and educate more people. Here arguments for in-convenience and economic savings take precedence over arguments for human value and human life. I read recently where a politician from New York was justifying abortion because they had prevented 10,000 welfare babies from being born and saved the state $15 million. In my mind serious moral questions arise when politicians are willing to pay welfare mothers between $300 to $1000 to have an abortion, but will not pay $30 for a hot school lunch program to the already born children of these same mothers."

http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/rauch/nvp/consistent/jackson.html

Friday, June 26, 2020

Vaccine?

If we live long enough, we all will face two choices.

Choice One: Get COVID-19 and stay truly quarantined for 14 days or until given medical clearance.

Choice Two: Receive a coronavirus vaccine as soon one is approved.

Am I wrong?

YOUNG

Pub­lic health of­fi­cials look at a va­ri­ety of met­rics, in­clud­ing new cases, per­cent pos­i­tive test re­sults, hos­pi­tal­iza­tions and deaths to gauge the level of spread in an area. Covid-19 deaths haven’t yet seen the same in­creases as cases, pos­i­tive test re­sults and hos­pi­tal­iza­tions, in part be­cause the U.S. is now iden­ti­fy­ing more mild and mod­er­ate cases as test­ing ex­pands and those cases are now skew­ing younger.

Thursday, June 25, 2020


Saw this on an episode of M*A*S*H from 1976  tonight. 

“People like Pierce are a menace to the American way of life, as I see it. Unless we each conform, unless we obey orders, unless we follow our leaders blindly, there’s no possible way we can remain free.” —Maj. Frank Burns

Wear your mask. Stay home. etc., etc., etc.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

? LIVES MATTER?

John B. Ramsey's photo.
John B. Ramsey's photo.





•This week, 15 FBI agents were sent to a stock car track to investigate a potential noose incident which turned out to be a garage door pull rope.

•Dozens if not hundreds of police forces are burdened with securing monuments and properties from out of control anti-American agitators.

•And while we were in quarantine, a 16 year old boy shot nine people, killing four.

Monday, June 22, 2020

MASK RANTERS

The mask debate. You’re mad that more people aren’t wearing masks. You vent your disgust online. Sorry, the rants aren’t going to change behavior. Take charge and find a real mask that you learn how to use properly to protect YOU.

READ HERE:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/where-buy-masks-online-them-131048318.html?

Sunday, June 21, 2020

How will the coronavirus outbreak end?

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-outbreak-end.html

Fact: The pandemic will not end. Not until the virus doesn’t have enough susceptible people to infect.

There are those who accept this basic scientific fact.

“Pandemics end when the virus doesn't have enough susceptible people to infect.

“The catastrophic 1918 Spanish flu pandemic is thought to have infected 500 million people worldwide, many of them soldiers living in close quarters fighting in World War I. Once the war ended and people dispersed, the spread slowed ...”

“But the flu was ultimately halted in part because those who survived it had immunity and the virus didn't hop as easily as it did at the beginning. “

“What happens typically is that enough people get the bug that there just aren't enough susceptible people to keep the chain going."

Saturday, June 20, 2020

LESSONS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

My high school yearbook had great editors, writers, and photographers. I recently noticed the opening paragraphs to the section on our Senior Class. Very wise. Still incredibly pertinent if not doubly so today in the world.

It began by listing some labels that students tossed around about others at school.

"Labels which reveal our own acceptance of others, behavior, goals or habits. Labels may change from year to year; the act of stereotyping remains neither original, clever nor unique."

And then concluded on a hopeful note:

"We will need to search for the real worth in one another which will finally give us the courage to say, 'I am your friend,' and that will be their label."

Try to increase your acceptance of others. Of their behavior. Their goals. Their habits. Acceptance. Maybe you'll make a friend.

DIFFERENCES

Covid-19: important potential side effects of wearing face masks that we should bear in mind
bmj.com

 "It is necessary to quantify the complex interactions that may well be operating between positive and negative effects of wearing surgical masks at population level. It is not time to act without evidence."

A poem.

Some like masks. Some don’t.
Some like Democrats. Some like Republicans.
Some like baseball. Some like football.
Some like girls. Some like boys.
Some like running. Some like biking.
Some like meat. Some like vegetables.
Some like cities. Some like suburbs.
Some like country. Some like K-pop.
Some like beer. Some like tea.
Some like home school. Some like public school.

It’s okay to let others like different things.

https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1435/rr-40

Here’s what No One likes:

Being lectured to about how you had better like what the lecturer likes.

“not a sermon. just a thought.”

THREE KILLED/POLICE CHIEF FIRED (not in that order)


John B. Ramsey's photo.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Anti-Italian Racism returns

'Essential businesses now include the statue removal contractors. Few people understand that the Columbus Day holiday was begun as a response to anti-Italian bigotry in America. Surprising, huh? Didn’t teach that in school!

“These anti-Italian sentiments occasionally led to brutal violence. One of the largest mass lynchings in the United States occurred in New Orleans in 1891, when 11 Sicilian immigrants were lynched after the city's police commissioner was killed and suspicion had been placed on the Italian community. (The 11 men had been found not guilty before the lynching. A New York Times editorial had this reaction: "Yet while every good citizen will readily assent to the proposition that this affair is to be deplored, it would be difficult to find any one individual who would confess that privately he deplores it very much.")

“The first official commemoration of Columbus' journey occurred in 1892, just a year after the New Orleans lynchings. That's when President Benjamin Harrison became the first president to call for a national observance of Columbus Day, in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival. “

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/10/14/232120128/how-columbus-sailed-into-u-s-history-thanks-to-italians'

Essential businesses now include the statue removal contractors. Few people understand that the Columbus Day holiday was begun as a response to anti-Italian bigotry in America. Surprising, huh? Didn’t teach that in school!

“These anti-Italian sentiments occasionally led to brutal violence. One of the largest mass lynchings in the United States occurred in New Orleans in 1891, when 11 Sicilian immigrants were lynched after the city's police commissioner was killed and suspicion had been placed on the Italian community. (The 11 men had been found not guilty before the lynching. A New York Times editorial had this reaction: "Yet while every good citizen will readily assent to the proposition that this affair is to be deplored, it would be difficult to find any one individual who would confess that privately he deplores it very much.")

“The first official commemoration of Columbus' journey occurred in 1892, just a year after the New Orleans lynchings. That's when President Benjamin Harrison became the first president to call for a national observance of Columbus Day, in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival. “

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/10/14/232120128/how-columbus-sailed-into-u-s-history-thanks-to-italians

Thursday, June 11, 2020

This is disappointing. Starbucks drinks are overpriced and so is their food. But I tolerate it because they used to provide a nice atmosphere to sit down, read the paper, and talk with friends.

Then they got embarrassed because their store manager actually enforced rules about having to be a customer to sit at their tables. In response, Starbucks allowed its in-store experience to deteriorate and available tables for its paying customers got harder to find.

So, now, none of the customers at these refashioned takeout only stores can use their restrooms or sit at tables. And Starbucks saves money!

Monday, June 8, 2020



  • We really enjoyed the first six months of the school year as our kids attended a public school for the first time for 8th and 4th grade. Great teachers, great kids, great staff.

    But I just don’t get the efforts to “distance learn.”

    I wrote this to the Superintendent yesterday about 4th grade:

    “Let's stop kidding ourselves! The math teacher checks with the kids once a week for 30 minutes. Same with the regular classroom teacher. Yet, if our kids had been permitted to attend the facility after March 13, they would have been at school for 32 plus hours a week. How does that square with the one hour that the teachers spend online with the kids?”

    “How is that one hour of teacher interaction online equates with dozens of hours of in person time? It makes no sense.”

Saturday, June 6, 2020

'Beautiful California! My home state!

Why is that state not open?

The screaming headline intends to scare: 125,000 cases!!!!

Where’s the perspective? The state’s governor predicted 25,500,000 cases by May 8. One month ago.

The state has 1/2 of one percent of his March 20 expert prediction. (WSJ, 3/20/20)

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/06/coronavirus-california-passes-125000-cases-over-15000-in-bay-area/'

Beautiful California! My home state!

Why is that state not open?

The screaming headline intends to scare: 125,000 cases!!!!

Where’s the perspective? The state’s governor predicted 25,500,000 cases by May 8. One month ago.

The state has 1/2 of one percent of his March 20 expert prediction. (WSJ, 3/20/20)

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/06/coronavirus-california-passes-125000-cases-over-15000-in-bay-area/

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Those that believe that one incident defines a race, you are wrong.
It’s the last day of May. Ready for some personal examination?

After twelve weeks, what has become clearer to you? For example, your church or other religious institution hasn’t been open for services. Have the members been clamoring to get back to see one another? Have you? If not, what does that say about you? Your church?

Or it might be your workplace. You’ve been working from home. Has the office missed your physical presence? Have you missed your compatriots?

Or your school or artistic or athletic activities. Do your teammates or fellow performers or students and teachers and coaches miss you? Do you miss them?

Finally, your extended family and friends — the ones you would have seen in person if not for our 2020 coronavirus problem. Who missed you? Who did you miss?

Think about what’s important in your life. You might be ready for big changes.

Or maybe you just need a manicure or a haircut!

Churches still closed

Churches are still not open, so I’m adding an extra run today and twice as many miles (8) than is my usual. Running with a couple of fast local mayors and friends on a perfect Sunday morning.

Why aren’t churches open yet?

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Schools: "Main Priority"

John B. Ramsey's photo.
John B. Ramsey's photo.
John B. Ramsey's photo.


John B. Ramsey's photo.





LA County schools plan unveiled. https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2020/05/27/under-los-angeles-public-school-reopening-plan-students-must-wear-masks-all-day/amp/

Highlights:
• "Our main priority is health and safety,” Debra Duardo, the county, superintendent.
•classrooms that are too small to allow students to be spaced six feet apart, there should only be 12 students present at one time.
•Students may get only a single ball to play with, by themselves.

My take: The main priority of a school is EDUCATING CHILDREN. Yes, with health and safety. But never forget the main mission.

It's an absurd plan that sets the LA schools on the path to another year of off site education. Best for a parent in a two parent household to quit a job and find a homeschool curriculum that meets his/her family's own needs. Makeshift, ad hoc distant learning is not something public schools are trained for. But few families can make it on just one income and this leaves single parents stuck.

I'm sorry, but to move forward we must abandon the social distancing ideal and rely on the masks to protect one another, which especially makes sense with the population that is least affected by this virus. The regular flu was 8.5 times deadlier for children ages 0-14 than the novel coronavirus this year. (See first three comments) Lots of “sciency” facts about the kids and corona are ignored. See the facts in these images.