This entry was posted on Saturday, June 6th, 2020 at 9:09 am and is filed under Family & Friends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Morning all. This morning’s curfew hasn’t lifted yet. And I am surprised. On the one hand the activity on the road is negligible. On the other hand, with a curfew in place, there is more traffic out and about than I would have thought. Maybe, as soon as the coffee is done, I’ll pour a mug and contemplate on the puzzle.
Whew! What a week. This is one for the memory books. As someone once said; “I feel like I’ve been thrashing in a Beaver pond while wearing trunks woven from Willow.”
“Even in those cities which seem to enjoy the blessings of peace, and where the arts flourish, the inhabitants are devoured by envy, cares and anxieties, which are greater plagues than any experienced in a town when it is under siege..” ~ Voltaire
With whiny DeWine – Almost daily at two o’clock we Ohioans gather around our TVs and radios. Soon Governor DeWine is introduced, we sit raptly and are regaled for fifteen or so minutes of blather and a bit of nostalgic insight into the state’s darling first lady, Fran (who has borne the couple eight children and who sews masks). Then the real reason we’re staying tuned emerges. Quickly, with approving nods of Health Director Amy Acton, a new listing of approved openings is announced.
The event reminds me of my College days as we student gathered in similar fashion. Only then it was as the Selective Service Lottery numbers were announced. Vietnam was along well enough into the struggle that it was quickly becoming ever more clear that those selected were being sent into the fray for a ‘saving-face’ closing out operation – “quickly now boys, the killing fields await.”
Both events had a plethora of miss-steps, power struggles, incompetence, and saving face media events. Utter nonsense with both.
This week, State big-wigs cheered on the “calm and peaceful” marches and turned a blind eye towards the ‘Social Spacing’ edicts and the wearing of the highly regarded (near) mandatory face mask by the assembled. Meanwhile, an outdoor Amusement Park is still closed. Grab a beer is OK, stand up with the same beer means the pub can get fined. And kids still see yellow caution tape blocking their playground entrances.
Originally (it was so long ago), but maybe you can still remember when it was a 15-day ‘Lockdown’ to ‘Flatten the Curve’? Next in line was the importance to ‘build immunity’ by mingling so that “Herd” immunity would take hold and save us. Instead, over long week after long week we’ve been beaten into submission with lockdown and scary fairytales – a new one breathlessly told every evening. We’ve been pushed into depression over an influenza-like virus that is almost on par with the regular flu – except this one seems to have a longing for the elderly. But in fact, the Seasonal Influenza has killed more children than the Covid virus.
Voltaire had it right.
Our town’s “Thin Blue Line” – Cincinnati went through a troubling time about twenty years ago. This resulted with input from the courts, the Feds and city management into a document labeled the “Collaborative Agreement”. The product that emerged is now rated as the best Police Force in the nation. Other cities turn to us for guidance and training. For twenty years no Police Officer has carried a baton. Similarly, a ‘knee on the neck” move has been outlawed for all since that time.
So, living in a town with excellent policing as a backdrop, I struggle with seeing the level of vitriol expressed to police. We too have had an occasional rogue cop – and this should be dealt with quickly. But, the resultant burning and looting seen across the country as a response to the murder in Minneapolis has little to nothing to do with honoring a murdered individual.
Even across the street from our place is a “Black Lives Matter” sign and this too is part of an agenda that is not meant to improve. If it were, go with “All Black Lives Matter” and be just as vehement about the 15-homicides (nearly all black) in Chicago last Sunday alone. Outrage should be there for a 77-year old retired police Chief David Dorn, Federal Protective Service Officer Dave Patrick Underwood, Police Officer Breann Leath. They were murdered this week – all three were black. And the list goes on. Where is the outrage, the kneelings, where are the marches for these people who served us, these servants who protected us? Instead it’s deadly quiet, barely a peep other than a ‘ton’ of hatred which keeps on being heaped. There is an agenda at play and these murdered servants don’t fit the dialogue. Shameful! All Black Lives Matter; change the chant and you my might see me climb aboard.
Heading Out – Marcia reached a point where something had to give. We took a drive and ended up heading to our eastern ‘burbs and a new Jungle Jims. The place has whatever it is you want as a foody. Asian fresh veggies? Sure, Indonesian, Russian, Korean, French or British, Serbian or Dutch? Yup, it’s all there, acre after acre.
Marcia did her thing. I found five wedges of different European cheeses (these had my name on them) – Marcia thinks that the more ‘green’ on them the better I like it. True!
At lunch I’ll have another piece of smoked herring; a bit salty but delightful.
Fini – This day in 1944 the western Allied forces from the United States, Britain, Canada, and Free French forces returned to the European continent in something code-named “Operation Neptune”. D-Day beachheads were secured in Normandy on five beaches—code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Signage on another side of Chaos & Mayhem:
Marcia woke up shortly after 4:00AM when the police scanner came to life. Police were asked to converge on our west end, near downtown. Two cars were chasing each other for several blocks until the lead car crashed with at least one fatality. For several blocks the roadway was strewn with empty casings and even an empty magazine. Along the way five parked vehicles were riddled with bullet holes. With nary a grumble our heroic police officers did exactly what we’ve asked them to do – proceed into the morning blackness and deal with the situation.
In the meantime, later today our City ‘Clowncil’ will be meeting to approve to NOT prosecute any of the several hundred curfew breakers picked up this week. To the Council, understand the word ‘cajones’? Well, grow a pair!
Our neighborhood pool club opened up this week and Marcia joined in with Adrianne, Vai, and Vili and got some sun. The event was a positive enough experience that Thursday Marcia was seen at Target looking for a bathing suit.
So, I sat and watched, first the launch of the SpaceX Dragon. Then, second the arrival at the International Space Station with it’s two passengers. I just love all of this. If offered I’d jump aboard in a heart beat.
A series of parts for Our Duck – our little Deux Chevaux arrived. Now my wait to head north has quickly become even more difficult.
Make it great week, keep the peace, stay safe, and be healthy!
Dirk
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