THE CORONA VIRUS SEEMS TO HAVE WRECKED HAVOC ON THE COUNTRY.
So I would like to offer a few thoughts on what is going on.
People are being ask to stay home and that seems to be driving some of them bonkers. Actually, we were told that one young family was in shock. Why? well cause they are home with their children. My wife, who was always home with our children, wondered why this is so much of a problem. My suggestion. Most fathers and mothers go to work at jobs out of the home and the kids go to school and day care. But she said, kids are out of school in the summer. Yes, but they still go to work and the kids still go to day care. They are home with them in the evening for a while and then put them to bed and then in the morning send them to day care for the day etc.
Now, they are not working and the kids are not going to day care and they are clueless on what to do and they are going bonkers. Or in shock.
While I am not in favor of the covid-19 virus going around, I have to chuckle at the eye opening that has come down the pike for so many. Maybe they will be more responsible going forward, or will they soon forget and go back to their same old ways and ignore their families. We will see.
On a more personal note, which I don't usually post here, life for my wife and I hasn't changed all that much. I am on dialysis and so I leave the house every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning to go to the dialysis center for treatment. If we have any shopping to do we do it on those days. Not so different that what we was already doing.
Oh we did occasional make a run into town that we now don't do, like to go out to eat or run to the store for an item that we now do without until we go on a shopping trip on a necessary day out any way.
And I do have an opinion on the businesses that are closed.
1. Walmart and Tractor Supply and Ace Hardware store are allowed to stay open in our area, as well as other big box stores in other areas. So many stores closed down.
So here is the opinion. Any item that can be purchased in a Walmart or any other store that is allowed to remain open, that is also sold in a small business owned store that is required to be closed, that small store should be allowed to remain open with the same distancing requirements that apply to the larger stores. Why enrich the bigger stores and devastate the small business owner when they can practice the same principles of just 20% occupancy and 6 foot distancing that the bigger stores can.
While I believe the virus pandemic is real, I feel that so much that is going on is power plays by the governors of some states, and the one I live in is one of the worst ones for that.'
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Thursday, April 9, 2020
A FEW MORE THOUGHTS
I DON'T INTEND THIS TO BE A CONTINUATION OF THE PREVIOUS POST, BUT IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE JUST THAT. SO, LET'S CONTINUE AND SEE IF THAT IS THE WAY IT TURNS OUT.
1. With the continuation of the covid-19 virus and all that is going on I have a few thoughts about what is going on.
2. Businesses and people are finally getting the message and starting to take this serious. So many didn't for so long.
3. It caught stores kinda by surprise. As things progressed though, they began to manage their stores in a more manageable manner. Using limits on how many shoppers could be in a store at a time; making time in the early morning hours for senior shoppers and those with handicaps etc. Marking social distance lines.
4. People began wearing masks in public, social distancing and no more hugs or shaking hands. People being more conscious of their personal hygiene.
5. While I don't intend this post to get into government things, the governments of the U.S. and most States are aware of what is going on and are doing what they can to alleviate the situation for businesses and individual's and families.
6. Wrap up. When this is over what will be different than it was before. A few thoughts. People will be more aware of others for a while then slip back into old methods. There will be fewer hugs and handshakes for some, more for others. There will be some businesses that will be forever lost and others that will gradually come back. In any case, the business scene sill be forever changed.
People will flock to their church of choice for a while and then as things settle back to a more normal state, they will once again begin to fall away from church and seek out the forest or lakes.
WHILE THIS IS ONLY AN OPINION IT IS THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
1. With the continuation of the covid-19 virus and all that is going on I have a few thoughts about what is going on.
2. Businesses and people are finally getting the message and starting to take this serious. So many didn't for so long.
3. It caught stores kinda by surprise. As things progressed though, they began to manage their stores in a more manageable manner. Using limits on how many shoppers could be in a store at a time; making time in the early morning hours for senior shoppers and those with handicaps etc. Marking social distance lines.
4. People began wearing masks in public, social distancing and no more hugs or shaking hands. People being more conscious of their personal hygiene.
5. While I don't intend this post to get into government things, the governments of the U.S. and most States are aware of what is going on and are doing what they can to alleviate the situation for businesses and individual's and families.
6. Wrap up. When this is over what will be different than it was before. A few thoughts. People will be more aware of others for a while then slip back into old methods. There will be fewer hugs and handshakes for some, more for others. There will be some businesses that will be forever lost and others that will gradually come back. In any case, the business scene sill be forever changed.
People will flock to their church of choice for a while and then as things settle back to a more normal state, they will once again begin to fall away from church and seek out the forest or lakes.
WHILE THIS IS ONLY AN OPINION IT IS THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
AMID ALL THE CHAOS
AMID ALL THE CHAOS CAN WE FIND PEACE?
Well, before I get to the answer for that, I want to comment a bit on what is going on around the world, literally. Some time a few months ago, a virus got it's foothold on someone in China and they then passed one of the feet to someone else and so on and so until eventually the whole world was infected to some degree or another. Panic buying set in and people pushed and shoved to get hold of ( of all things) toilet paper. That resulted in empty shelves and then more panic buying. Eventually the markets got a handle on the chaos and brought a little calm into the storm. Now, shelves are getting a little more stocked. Not much and only with certain items, but still some calm. And so the government got involved. And finally passed a stimulus package to assist the poor and the rich. As always they found a way to get their sticky hands on some tax payer money and then give some of it back to said taxpayers. So, here is what I have determined from my little knowledge of what it taking place. Each individual that makes less than $75,000.00 a year will get $1200.00 and families with children will get an additional $500 per child. This is a one time payment. In addition to that, it is tax free. Also, small businesses will be compensated for having to cut back or close down and large businesses will also be compensated to some degree. Landlords can't evict someone for non payment of rent and financial institutions can't foreclose because of nonpayment of mortgage payments and utility companies can't cut off your utilities and late payments will be waived. OK. That's all well and good, but also included in that stimulus package was something for the pig pen, also known as PORK. And here is what the news has reported. I'll list it with out a lot of the commentary that was in the news article. This package that started out as a 250 page article wound up to be 883 pages. Nancy Pelosi and her team ramped this up to 1,404 pages and 2.5 Trillion dollars. That was eventually cut back to 2.2 Trillion dollars. So, in addition to the stimulus to the people the Senate bill gave $25 million to the John F. Kennedy for the performing arts. The house version upped that to $35 million. The Senate bill gave $75 million to the Corporation for public broadcasting. The house bill upped that to $300 million. $1.2 billion of the house bill requires airlines to purchase expensive "renewable" jet fuel. The Senate bill eliminated this item. The house bill allocated $1.1 billion to the Institute of Museum and Library services. The Senate bill awarded them $200 million. The senate bill gave $400 million to the federal Election Assistance Commission to assist States with "election security grants" This is down from the $4 billion the house bill provided.
This is just a sampling of many of the things that is included in the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill.
During the past three years Republicans and Democrats have helped drain the U.S. Treasury from Left and Right. Our national debt increased from $10 Trillion in 2008 (end of Bush Presidency) to $19.6 Trillion in 2016 ( end of Obama Presidency) to $23.6 Trillion in 2020. The current virus and the aforementioned package plus the loss of tax revenue will drive it even higher. This is just a sampling of the article that came out. There was more.
Now, for the calm in the storm. The Lord is in charge and always has been. He knows what is going on and will take care of this in his own way. We, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have been admonished for decades to be prepared. Get out of debt. Stay out of debt. Have a years supply of the necessities where possible. If we have been following that admonition we have no need to fear, but can like the man in the old story, rest well at night, because we were prepared for the storm. President Nelson, President of the LDS Church, recently ask that members of the world join this past Sunday for a world wide fast to end this virus. We must have faith in the fast and that the Lord will honor that fast if we as a people will turn to Him as He has ask us too.
And so that is the reason I can feel a measure of peace and calm during this current storm and chaos.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
Well, before I get to the answer for that, I want to comment a bit on what is going on around the world, literally. Some time a few months ago, a virus got it's foothold on someone in China and they then passed one of the feet to someone else and so on and so until eventually the whole world was infected to some degree or another. Panic buying set in and people pushed and shoved to get hold of ( of all things) toilet paper. That resulted in empty shelves and then more panic buying. Eventually the markets got a handle on the chaos and brought a little calm into the storm. Now, shelves are getting a little more stocked. Not much and only with certain items, but still some calm. And so the government got involved. And finally passed a stimulus package to assist the poor and the rich. As always they found a way to get their sticky hands on some tax payer money and then give some of it back to said taxpayers. So, here is what I have determined from my little knowledge of what it taking place. Each individual that makes less than $75,000.00 a year will get $1200.00 and families with children will get an additional $500 per child. This is a one time payment. In addition to that, it is tax free. Also, small businesses will be compensated for having to cut back or close down and large businesses will also be compensated to some degree. Landlords can't evict someone for non payment of rent and financial institutions can't foreclose because of nonpayment of mortgage payments and utility companies can't cut off your utilities and late payments will be waived. OK. That's all well and good, but also included in that stimulus package was something for the pig pen, also known as PORK. And here is what the news has reported. I'll list it with out a lot of the commentary that was in the news article. This package that started out as a 250 page article wound up to be 883 pages. Nancy Pelosi and her team ramped this up to 1,404 pages and 2.5 Trillion dollars. That was eventually cut back to 2.2 Trillion dollars. So, in addition to the stimulus to the people the Senate bill gave $25 million to the John F. Kennedy for the performing arts. The house version upped that to $35 million. The Senate bill gave $75 million to the Corporation for public broadcasting. The house bill upped that to $300 million. $1.2 billion of the house bill requires airlines to purchase expensive "renewable" jet fuel. The Senate bill eliminated this item. The house bill allocated $1.1 billion to the Institute of Museum and Library services. The Senate bill awarded them $200 million. The senate bill gave $400 million to the federal Election Assistance Commission to assist States with "election security grants" This is down from the $4 billion the house bill provided.
This is just a sampling of many of the things that is included in the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill.
During the past three years Republicans and Democrats have helped drain the U.S. Treasury from Left and Right. Our national debt increased from $10 Trillion in 2008 (end of Bush Presidency) to $19.6 Trillion in 2016 ( end of Obama Presidency) to $23.6 Trillion in 2020. The current virus and the aforementioned package plus the loss of tax revenue will drive it even higher. This is just a sampling of the article that came out. There was more.
Now, for the calm in the storm. The Lord is in charge and always has been. He knows what is going on and will take care of this in his own way. We, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have been admonished for decades to be prepared. Get out of debt. Stay out of debt. Have a years supply of the necessities where possible. If we have been following that admonition we have no need to fear, but can like the man in the old story, rest well at night, because we were prepared for the storm. President Nelson, President of the LDS Church, recently ask that members of the world join this past Sunday for a world wide fast to end this virus. We must have faith in the fast and that the Lord will honor that fast if we as a people will turn to Him as He has ask us too.
And so that is the reason I can feel a measure of peace and calm during this current storm and chaos.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK
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