Corona Virus - Blog Series - Week 3

*NOTE - This series isn’t about death tolls or specifics of the virus (because there will be many ways to search that information on the internet for all posterity. But it’s more about the personal side. What I was thinking and doing at the time and what other were also doing.

Poetic Impressions

• Awaken to the sounds of Woodpecker and semi-trucks

• The old don’t care

• Everyday is Halloween and April fools

• Reality setting in

• voices of “the virus sets the timetable” are waning

• True colors coming out under duress

• Fear dressed in casual dismissiveness or mania

• A good read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_Popular_Delusions_and_the_Madness_of_Crowds

Play-by-play

So this week, things continued to progress. The state continues to try to get a handle on things by tightening things like curfews, closures and availability of products and services.

Somehow, I’m still allowed to work. Somehow, “landscaping” (which at least one of my businesses falls under) is considered “essential”. The reasoning seems to be that many folks and businesses don’t have the manpower or resources available to cut their own grass, so if you stopped landscape contractors; grass would get 2’ high and pose a new health and safety concern. It’s more likely that Governor Wolf just doesn’t want to cut his grass…but I’ll take it.

The State stores in PA seems to have been the thing that really got resident’s attention. Now, they have tried to bring and online version of the state store system to life: but it’s been a disaster. The site is always down, and so far, I don’t know a single person who has had a successful transaction. People are starting to question if it’s even real: or simply an attempt by PA to keep residents from crossing borders into other states to by their booze there. Strange times, and folks love a conspiracy theory.

This week also saw the call for masks in social situations. Social distancing has been stressed since the beginning, but the “official word” has vacillated on masks. First they were a good idea. This caused people to go out and hoard them. Then, the official word was that, “they do little to prevent the spread of COVID-19”, and were therefore not useful. Now, the word seems to be that you can’t keep yourself from getting it, using the masks, but you can keep from spraying your germs all over creation, when you sneeze of cough using the masks. This seems to save face for the CDC and state, because now they don’t have to come right out and say they lied to prevent hoarding. Either way, it seems to be a good thing that now folks who want masks can either get them, or make them.

Death tolls rise

Yes, people are dying. Cities are especially hard hit. Travel ban discussions are all the rage. States want to close their borders so that “diseased folks” from the cities can not come here. Oddly, I can’t think of many states that don’t have cities…but I digress.

What a “non-libertarian” person might not realize is that those calls are also begging the government for the use of the national guard and “papers” being examined at “checkpoints”. Does that sound like America? As usual, I get what they are going for, but also as usual: I personally feel the best route is education. EDUCATE folks why they might now want to leave the cities, and why the destinations might not want to be “safe havens”. And if they need to be a “safe haven” how to best do so, without allowing the virus to spread to rural areas. In a word: make sure all folks that come from urban place have to QUARENTINE before they start to mingle with the rest of the population (like we did with Jake and Sarah). And speaking of Jake and Sarah…

Home front

Morgan continues to be diligent with trying to control the spread of COVID-19. She sanitizes everything. For me to get the mail requires sanitizing the mailbox and door knobs, and event he mail itself. She is doing all that is humanly possible I believe. Although, we both seem to agree that it’s just a matter of time for everyone. Everyone will eventually be exposed to this thing. The goal still remain to “flatten the curve”.

Jake & Sarah are at the house now. They finished their quarantine in Bloomsburg and moved to our home on Monday. I think once the initial shock of not being allowed directly into our home was seen for the precaution it was: Jake was understanding of my concerns. Since both he and Sarah had been sick, and coming from an area of high infection rate, it really would have been irresponsible and antiproductive to allow them into our home after working so long to keep that environment clean and “safe”. They understand, and I might even go as far as to say, “appreciate” that effort now. Side note: Sarah has gone to rejoin her family (and cat). She did so by way of Philly and Jake’s apartment. Disappointingly, Jake’s last paychecks were not there. We now are wondering if they will ever come, or has his company decided to “pack it in” and bail on the idea of reopening? Time will tell. Many will be in the same circumstances before too long. Maybe best that Jake is among the first, so he can use this time to figure out next steps.

Liz is doing great in school. That is her job and what we expect from her. She has actually brought her grades up in her very demanding major of Chemistry a full 10 points and a grade. She now has a solid “B” in a class that many struggle to pass. We are very proud of her. She video chats with her friends Anya and Maday as well as her sorority sisters from Bloomsburg. They all miss each other, and relay their challenges from their respective towns and homes. Tensions and stresses seem to be increasing as a rule.

Dave is still living at the workshop in Riverside. Not in the building (as that is against code) but camping outback (which isn’t against code). Using the shop for most of the day, but sleeping in the camper. Getting a lot of cleaning and organizing accomplished, as well as putting in full weeks to keep the money flowing. If we can just keep working, we should be able to weather this situation even it it lasts pretty long. Which is where I spend most of my “not work time”…planning for “LONG”.

1. If it does go “long”, we are going to need to be ready.

2. Chick are ordered, and they need a home. I need to get that together.

3. The seeds are purchased, and need to be planted.

4. I’m installing a Mowbot at the shop as both an example, and so I don’t have to spend time on that task. I’m also beta testing the solar charging unit, so that if/when this is over, we can get selling that invention. We will see how all that goes.

5. Getting firepower up to speed (in case thing get weird)

   • Bow is back. Got a target and bails of straw. Practicing

   • Received the extra magazines for the .380 I ordered. Now it is more useful.

   • Got permission from my neighbor to do some shooting. Will do so in bursts, as to not alert the local people and their officials.

   • Thinking of giving one of the 9mm pistols to Jake, but he needs training first.

   • sharpening knives, axes, hatchets…everything.

Much to do. When people say they are “bored”…I am laughing.

Corona Virus - Blog series - Week 2

Poetic Impressions

• sorting recycling made me laugh a little.

• Parking - not a problem.

• “Social distancing” was really only a formality.

• plan only by the hour.

• ”I’m bored” means “I’m clueless”.

• Scared folks ratchet up their standard level of politics, especially those who think that someone is coming to save them.

• “Pandemicing” with someone will be a life-long bond.

• Rain on fabric always is the soundtrack for adventure.

• Squirrels digging up nuts.

Play-by-play

So we had the following things to consider this week:

1. Jake in the city - not what we wanted. He has been layed off, and was sick and now is alone (with the exception of his girlfriend) in Philly. Big concern is crime and violence start to ramp up. And then if that happens, maybe martial law, and then travel restrictions to the point we can’t get him home. We have talked him into at least visiting.

2. Morgan and Liz - Morgan is pretty concerned about the virus. She has high blood pressure, and we are not in the “young” category anymore. She is worried. Liz is fine. Classes are cancelled, but her “job” will be to finish out online, keep good grades and make it out of this weird semester/year/situation. See what comes from there.

3. Work - Everyone can work from computers…but me. I have physical work that needs to be done at clients houses. I have been taking “pre-pay” money, and we don’t want to have to write checks to give all that money back. Plus, we have a job being done now that needs to be finished. However, the homeowner is adding to the job as we go. Not a problem, but timetable is a concern. To add to this, we got the word this week that my employee, will not be getting his drivers license back anytime soon. We were hoping he would get it in a few weeks. This new wrinkle is a game changer. Now I am swamped with work…and it’s just me.

4. Supplies - because we aren’t self sufficient, someone needs to go to the stores from time to time to get supplies. These supply runs are the most likely opportunity to come in contact with the virus, as long as social distancing is being maintained while everyone is at home. Since ticks die when they bite me: I’m the most qualified and the logical choice to be the “Runner”.

As a result of all this, the following decisions were made:

• Jake came to Bloomsburg - He is staying in Liz’s now abandoned college apartment. This decision was made while he was in transit. As a result: he was NOT happy to hear this news. He thought he was coming home to visit and “be with family”. Instead, we sent him to banishment in Bloomsburg. Luckily, Bloomsburg is a lovely town, and in the light of a new day, I think Jake and his girlfriend saw the value of added caution in regard to getting the other family members sick. Both Jake and his girlfriend were in Philly working in bars. Both were sick during that time. High concentration of sickness coming to low concentration, rural area…much care must be taken. We are good now, and Jake and girlfriend will be rejoining the family on Monday. This seems agreeable to all.

• Morgan and Liz remain at the house - Before I left, I gave them refresher courses on responsible and rapid weapon usage. Shotguns are the choice for the house. Wide spread and “Point and shoot” usability make them best. The ladies are burning wood in the fire, and ready for trouble should it decide to appear. Plus, I’m only a few minute cavalry ride in, should I get the alert. God help the person who triggers the alert.

• Work remains robust - So far, I can still work. Hopefully, the governor does not pull the plug. If he would, I might have to become “outlaw”. There is no way I can infect anyone, or be infected by working alone at an empty home, while a client works. There is NO REASON to deny me a living, when I am at no risk in either direction in regard to contagion. Now, if the rain would stop, that could be cool.

• I’m at my shop: Camping - Isolated and getting to the proper mindset. Listening to Rage Against the machine, NIN and every other band I know that will get my head where it needs to be.

  I’ve stripped it down bare.

  • I have no running water.

  • My bathroom is “Amish” at best.

  • I sleep outside (night air and outdoors has been proven good for pandemic in the past).

  • I’m building solar chargers and getting work ready in the time I have.

  • No “boredom” like I keep reading about online. That “boredom” is going to be funny (in a not funny way) later.

    So few understand how this might go.

    • I ordered chickens.

    • Got my bow working property.

    • Bought ammo.

    • Got the guns sighted in accurately.

    • Started seedlings.

So many things that at worst: we have fresh food. At best…we have some food. Only regret is not buying enough booze. Some at home that I can get, but I’m using it a good bit. Swallowing it and “inhaling it” in a way that special services guys do in tropic situations to fight infection. Also, the blood thinning and attitude enhancing qualities are also useful.

I’m starting to be of the opinion that in the long run, this pandemic could produce some good results for people. More gratitude and self sufficiency to name two. Unfortunately, I think the government is going to use this opportunity to “make over” money as we understand it. We will go to a “as needed” economy. You get what you “Need” as determined centrally. You do not get what you earn or contribute.

Let’s see if I’m right. I’ve been preparing for this for years, so I’ve already been “kinda right”. Let’s see how it goes. Hope for the best: prepare for the worst.

Corona Virus - Blog series - Week 1

Poetic Impressions:

• “Chicken and Waffles Wednesday” is now “Closed”

• A sheet of styrofoam casually blows out of a dumpster.

• Unpowered neon signs behind plate glass windows and locked doors.

• Smell of spring and uneasiness.

• Green grass fails hope.

• Evenly spaced parade of small groups of evening constitutional walkers.

• New joggers..

• The steel rolling door rattles closed it’s last at 4:00 p.m.

• Concerned blue collars. Jovial white collars. They think it’s a “vacation”.

• Homes being repaired and cleaned. Lovely for foreclosure.

• Sans communications is the happiest time of the day.

Play-by-play

We started the week still calling it the Corona virus. As the week went on it got different names. COVID-19 and Covid “novel” seemed to be the popular scientifically produced names. By the end of the week, Trump coined “Chinese Virus”, which got everyone crazy and xenophobia nonsense became the ugliness of the day.

At the beginning of the week, there were still lots of jokes and memes about the beer. Most of that was gone by the end of the week. By the end of the week, most joking seems to be grouped around being imprisoned with your family and loved ones. It’s good that people are still finding humor.

At the beginning of the week, things were weird, but most everything was still open. Midweek, the Governor Wolf called for the closing of all businesses by Thursday at end of business. Most complied, some did not, or did so more slowly than requested. This was a very sad conclusion to the week, as most blue collar folks I know had hoped to be able to keep their jobs. Many sad faces.

During the entire week, there seems to be a division between blue collar folks and white collar folks. The more educated seem to be playing this off as more of a “vacation” than anything. Many of them can make the jump to work from home on their computer. I think what they are miscalculating is that when all the “doers” are sitting at home, the work for the paper pushers will also grind to a halt. This will be true, but with rare exception (like my wife) who does online schooling, and who is more busy than ever as enrollment skyrocket.

Liz and Jake seem to be working their respective “programs”. Jake got laid off from work and is in Philly. He seems to be content for now to simply hunker down with his girlfriend (Sarah) and ride it out for a while. He’s looking forward to working on his music and maybe some unemployment checks. Liz is simply doing her online classes as she wraps up the semester at home, like all the rest of the student of America.

Driving down the road is depressing. My “poetic impressions” above kind of sum up my experiences. More to come.

Weeks like this week make me glad to be the oldest Decoteau. I don’t think I would want to have the added burden of taking care of the elderly family members as this progresses. Silver lining, I suppose.

As a dark, but necessary note: talks of having enough food and ammo are happening a lot in many of my circles. All hope it doesn’t get to that. Tribes are forming (or at least the logistics of tribe-forming). No one wants to think that this will become a necessity, but….

More later.

COVID-19: next step to M.M.P.

The lasting fallout from our last major national disaster (9/11) was the Patriot Act. We have all been less free since that day. That was the day our American 14th Amendment right to privacy died.

When the smoke from this virus clears, Davestrodomus predicts COVID19 is another big step away from freedom and towards modern monetary policy (MMP, basically, a world without real money).

Things like universal basic income and socialized healthcare conversations have helped set the stage. This virus will push it forward. Below is the rough progression:

“How could you not give the basic human right of healthcare to a person without money?”

“How could you not give a COVID19 test or treatment to a person without money?

“How can a civilized world allow people without money to starve?”

“UBI will pay for itself because it costs less than keeping folks in jail.”

“How can millions go bankrupt based on all the closings and their lack of income during this national emergency? Their bills must be forgiven by those greedy corporations, landlords and banks!”

All the questions above will be the “fairness” questions that will lead to MMP. The “feels” crowd leading the charge.

The world of money sure can seem unfair. But somehow, over time it has incrementally increased our length and quality of life globally over the span of years we have been using it.

So few of us really have taken the time to educate ourselves to the alternative. So few of us understand what money really is. And I’m going to give everyone a pass on that fact, because no one reading this has ever lived when money was real. What we have lived with is manipulated fiat.

Davestrodomus believes that when real A.I. arrives: we may have no choice in this money matter. But in the meantime the factors above might make abandoning money (as we understand it today) necessary/popular enough to start moving away (vs fixing what we have).

I worry.

It’s hard to wrap your head around the idea of a world with no money. Besides the obvious allocation of resources questions; i wonder If you have no measure to quantify the value you have created for others...do you have value? Is there a reason to try to add value? A reason to better yourself in any way?

Doubt I’ll get to see the full effects of MMP in my lifetime. We already see some of the effects of past manipulations in our present day stock market. Attempts to “control” money to add prosperity...it always ends the same. Money knows what money is worth. It’s an ecosystem that naturally corrects; if you let it. We have seen the foreshadowing; however, there is a good chance our kids will see the full effects.

And if it happens I wonder how the history books will remember those cruel barbarians who used money? Those backward primitive people who traded tit for tat. Who measured their time and traded it for goods and services. What fools they must have been. I wonder if money users will be reviled like slave owners? Like witch killers?

Statues of heathens like Edison, Ford and Carnegie will need to be removed from the public square; as those monsters used their intellect and sweat to make products on which they would selfishly make money.

Davestrodomus has spoken.