Thursday, May 21, 2020

Day 3801

Another uneventful day. I set up a few more accounts for online payments this morning. Hope I don't regret this later. I've been a fan of paper for a long time, but I guess it's finally time to move into the future. I just need to convince my Luddite sister to use e-mail and then I won't have to use the post office at all.

Restaurants in the neighborhood are opening again, but I think I'll just stay home and make an omelette tomorrow instead. I have a feeling that my tradition of going out for breakfast on Friday morning might be gone for good. It's not a fear of the virus that keeps me at home. People have just become more irritating.

It was a little warmer this morning and I could tell that Dawn didn't have quite as much energy. The temperature wasn't bad, but it was quite humid. I didn't have as much energy myself. We're going to have to make an effort to get out earlier. I still tend to stay up quite late and it's hard to get up early in the morning. I don't know how Janet does it. By the time we take our walk with Dawn, she has already been out and run three miles.

I think we're headed for some dark days ahead. When did mask shaming become a thing? Some of our leaders have become petty tyrants. People aren't happy. A recent poll showed a dramatic increase in the number of people in almost every state who would prefer to secede from the union if given the choice. We are talking about building an army of contact tracers to follow your every move. Isn't this what we have criticized China for doing for years? Where is the ACLU when you really need them? A lot of what is going on right now violates the constitution in so many ways and all people have to say is "Well, it's an emergency." The latest version of Apple IOS already has the contact tracing backbone built into the system. All that is waiting is the official government app that we will be implored to download "for our own good." I can almost guarantee that this won't end well.

I think we could end this whole virus mess in a hurry by just banning partying. No more bar hopping, rock concerts, or football stadiums. No more big weddings, cruise ships, or family reunions. Sound extreme? It wouldn't change my life much. I'd actually prefer a ban on large gatherings to an army of contact tracers snooping on everyone. I don't think I'll be installing that Apple tracking app either. Personally, I think individual liberty is still more important that some vaguely defined concept of "the greater good." Unless we can all agree what this greater good actually is, it means nothing.

Just quit the mask shaming you guys. You can look right on the CDC website and see where it says that most masks are completely worthless against a virus. A virus is almost microscopic. When was the last time you saw a picture of a biolab technician wearing a bandana? This is all getting ridiculous. Masks have become nothing more than a symbolic gesture. They're like wearing a team jersey. That's why they are so important to some people. I wear a mask when I am out in public so I'll blend in and not call attention to myself. If the rule was to wear a plastic purple hat, I'd probably do that too. When people are in the mood for witch trials, you definitely don't want to be the witch.

I still think a lot about the David Mountains. Maybe if I lived somewhere very remote and far away from all this nonsense, the world would start to feel normal again.

Casey is today's Dalmatian of the Day
Watch of the Day