Morning all, and are we ready for this New Year? 2021 was somewhat of a mess for many of us. With some purpose and perseverance I believe that 2022 can be much better.

The past week had the whole family together except for Marin who had to self-quarantine (due to a house-mate’s positive test). The week was glorious and fun; lots of laughter, chatting, and sharing (with a drink now and then). And, as a bonus, I even got to drive my “Duck” around the block.

Time does fly doesn’t it? – 2022 is now here and the ‘80s weren’t just 20-years ago, the time of Disco and long hair was 40 years back. People born in the year 2000 are now 21. There are millennials walking the street who at age 40 are parents and possibly soon to be grandparents.

In movies, the original epic movie, Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope written and directed by George Lucas is now ‘graying’ at 45 years of age. Even the, then, state of the art James Cameron movie, Avatar, has been around for 12 years.

First of all – I’ve declared the pandemic over. Sure a few cases here and there (mostly mild and with a 99.85% survival rate), but it’s over. The trick is to get the politicos and vast bureaucracies on board. That will be the trickiest part.

The constant focus by (mostly Democratic but also a number of Republicans) Governors, the main media, and our very own self-sacrificing Dr. Fauci on the infection rate has become meaningless malarkey. Focus on the low death rates. We really don’t need this “fear’ game to continue.

As you can see it was the ‘Nati’s own, Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Vicks brand’s NyQuil which has provided the much sought solution. This is a simple over the counter item. It’ll ensure that we’ll not have to get on our knees to beg for early symptom medicines such as Ivermectin or even Monoclonal antibody treatments.

Couple that with all the Etsy style ‘Ma-‘n-Pa’ businesses which came out with a vast array of their own answers and responses.

Phony Baloney – is the constant stream of anti-science nonsense pushed at us via ads and news. Me? I am going to sit back and watch the showdown between the hot debates raging with the dozen or so versions of Dr. Fauci (satire from The Bee). Really, these are a hoot.

While that debate rages on, Social Media promotes their flavor of the day drivel. This past week Twitter suspended the account of Dr. Robert W. Malone. Who is Dr. Malone, so easily canceled by some nerdy corporate geek? Dr. Robert W. Malone just happens to be the inventor of mRNA technology. Why cancelled? Twitter felt he was spreading “misinformation” about Covid19 vaccines. What exactly did he tweet? This is the piece:

Dirk’s advice – If you’re able and willing to stand for hours in winter weather just to get a Covid19 test to see if you’re sick and therefore are a proper ‘dues-paying’ member of our noble pandemic world, then you’re probably not sick; at least not with Covid19.

The U.N. in a steep dive – Today, Saturday January 1st, the 2022 U.N. Human Rights Council is starting with an array of member nations:
10. Pakistan
9. Mauritania
8. Qatar
7. Somalia
6. Russia
5. Libya
4. Cuba
3. Eritrea
2. Venezuela
1. China

I think I know which nation, and which nation only, will get hammered throughout 2022 by the ‘Council’ for supposed Civil and Human Rights abuses; Israel. Anyone placing bets?

108 Sun Salutations – Today Kirstin is participating with a large group of Yoga instructors to provide 108 Sun Salutations as an entry into the New Year. These are done 108 times to bring luck for special occasions such as New Year.

Why 108? In numerology, 108 equals 9, which symbolizes universal love, eternity and awakening. In Ayurveda, there are 108 sacred points on the body. In astronomy, the distance between the Sun and Earth is roughly 108 times the Sun’s diameter. Mala bead necklaces have 108 beads, which are used to count during meditation. Here is the sequence for each repetation:

Fini –
• As a final ‘kick in the pants’ by the ‘Old’ year, yesterday it was announced that at the wonderful age of 99, the ‘ageless’ and iconic Betty White passed. Did you know that during World War II she served in the American Women’s Voluntary Services?

• Capitalism has only been around a short while. Systems prior to the “Big C” had most folk stay in forced poverty while a few could amass fortunes through theft, family, looting, plundering, and enslavement or servitude. With Capitalism it’s possible to also gain wealth by serving our fellow man.

• I had been moving around and about through some historical sites and came across the Tollund Man. Found in a peat bog in Denmark, where he had lain for 2,500 years. So perfectly preserved that this Iron Age man’s fingerprints were still preserved and stubble on his chin totally visible. Based on what was found, the assumption is that he was sacrificed in a ritual, and honored after his death. The short video shows how he was transformed into what he looked like in life. Very informational:

• Tomorrow Marcia will be entering a new year as she celebrates her Birthday. Happy Birthday Marcia and as we ‘march’ on life’s path, no matter how old we get, always remember to stay young at heart and make every year count. Love you.

Have a wonderful week and stay positive. Make 2022 a great New Year

Best till next weekend.

Dirk – packer and storer of much Christmas decorations