Well, once again I tur to the blog after a time away. But this just seems like the time to post some of my thoughts.  As time goes on, I feel like the world I grew up in and we raised our children in has been slowly eroding away. Actually, lately, it seems to be eroding faster and faster each day. 

We elect people to go to Washington to represent us and to make responsible decisions on how to conduct the buiness of the country. Taking the country to war, even an undeclared war, in an pre emptive strike, seems a little extreme to me.  YES, Iran has made several strikes against the United States, starting with kidnapping U.S. citizens when Carter was President. Other actions on the part of Iran have happened over the years and during the tenure of most if not all of the presidents since then, so maybe this current action was warranted, but it just seems extreme to me with the results that are happening across the world. 

And now, the people that are paid to keep the lines moving at the airports are once again working without pay, while the politicians fight over semantics. They seem to be forgetting who they are working for. SO, NO MORE VACATIONS OR HOLIDAY BREAKS. Agree on a plan to fund the government departments, cut your wasteful spending and balance the federal budget and keep the people working. These over paid politicians are getting ready to leave washington for two weeks and no end in sight for the people who are loosing everything because they have no money coming in. Delta Airlines has susppended their priveleges for the duration and I hope other airlines will follow suit. The news reported this morning that there is a movement to close the two airports in Washington until this dispute is settled. I hope they do.  I hope the politicians are feeling the heat and I hopr it is getting hot for them.

LASTLY, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT EVERYONE REMEMBERS THIS ON ELECTION DAY. IF THEY WON'T PUT TERM LIMITS ON THEMSELVES, THEN LET US REMEMBER THEM AND DO IT FOR THEM BY VOTING THEM OUT OF OFFICE. DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICAN'S AND INDEPENDANTS ALIKE.  

THIS COULD APPLY TO CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ALSO.

And thats the view from the Ditch Bank 

 FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, which I chose not to go into, I haven't posted anything for several months.  However, there have been several things on my mind over the past, say, 6 months or so,, I decided today to see if I could post some of them.  I will not attempt to go back to 2023 when I last posted. I will just start now with a little background on what I am going to say. That background is this. I watch the news, a lot, and in spite of the talking heads on TV refusing to acknowledge the apparent mental decline of Joe Biden, I felt it was obvious and hoped that the Democratic party would put forth a viable candidate for President in 2024.  They didn't.  I am a Republican, but not so entrenched that I can't vote for someone of another party if I feel they are the better candidate. So, with that in mind, I reluctantly voted for Trump for president. Now, to the present.

I supported and currently support, the things President Trump wants to do. The government is highly bloated and definitely needs to be trimmed. I DO NOT support the method he is using to accomplish that. I definitely do not support Elon Musk and his chain saw antics. Tjhere seems to be little regard for the people that are being hurt along the way. A hiring freeze put in place and each department tasked with trimming their departments over the next 4 years, through natural attrition and letting those go that are not performing up to the par that is in place for them to do. ALSO, go back to work. You have an office to where you do your work . Go there. If you want to stay home and work in your pajamies, then find another job.  Get up. Get dressed.  And go to work. TO WORK!!

One last thought for this post.  All I know is what was reported on the news.  BUT, assuming that the report is somewhat accurate, the shouting match between Trump and Zalensky in the oval office and a truce agreement not being reached and signed was a slap to the people of Ukraine. I feel that Trump virtually signed the death warrent of a lot of people in the Ukraine and in Russia also. I'm sure Putin was rubbing his hands in glee. I just hope this can be resolved soon and lives saved.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

 TWO THINGS ON MY MIND TODAY

TRASH AND WEATHER

SO FIRST LETS TALK WEATHER. When I was growing up the weather morphed from season to season, winter gradually warmed up into spring and spring gradually moved into the hotter days of summer and summer had summer rains, ( not monsoons) and then the cooler days of fall gradually came in and the harvest was in full swing and the leaves turned color and drifted from the trees.  Then fall gradually turned cooler and then colder to turn the weather over to winter sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Only to repeat the process.  NOW, the weather just seems to go along with whatever season is in vogue and then when it decided to change, BOOM, one day it is winter, spring, summer or fall with hardly any change. Example, summer it is hot days and air conditioners. Then one day after using the air-conditioner, you need more covers on the bed at night and the heater on. Guess this is the new normal. Can we blame Al Gore and his climate change?

NOW LETS TALK TRASH. Or more specifically about trash. Does it seem that the world is getting more trashy. I'm not talking about the language on TV or in the Movies, although that may be a subject for a future post. I'm talking about trash. There is a lady in our area that is out picking up trash along a 3 or 4 mile stretch of highway every day. And I mean every day. AND she picks up garbage sack after garbage sack of trash and eventually the highway department or someone picks them up. And I have to ask, why is there so much trash along that stretch of highway? Why can't people just keep it in their vehicles until they get home or wherever they are going to put it in a trash receptacle to be properly taken care of. I don't know who this lady is, or why she picked this stretch of highway to keep the trash picked up, but I would think she would have other things to do. Maybe we the people should be more considerate, not just of her, but of our county and state as a whole and help keep the area clean.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

Well, it has been a while since I posted anything. However, there are a few things on my mind, so I decided to make a new post. 

1. Electric Cars; I have to wonder why the government is pushing so hard for electric cars. They are expensive and the bulk of the American people will not be able to afford them. AND, the grid will not support the charging of them. At least not now. Maybe sometime and millions of dollars later in the future.  And to change a battery on one of them costs thousands. And a final note, right now the pushing of electric vehicles may even be unconstitutional.

2. Lets talk about water. The EPA has been pushing for decades about clean water. And to accomplish that, they want to get rid of farmers and ranchers and anyone else that uses water that they don't approve of. So they came up with a rule that involved wetlands. The Obama administration expanded that rule to show that any land that was within a certain distance of a flowing water would be considered  wetlands. The Trump administration changed that so that wetlands are actually only wetlands. Now the Biden administration wants to change it back, and it looks like a court fight will ensue to get that done. With all the rules they want to impose on people, it may or may not happen.

IF,  you are not aware of all of this, check it out and put n your two cents worth to your congress people. Let them know that the new suggested rules will be a devastation to the people of the west.

I have more to say, but will end this for now.

That's the view from the Ditch Bank

What's on my Mind

 There has been a lot on my mind lately. Most of it concerns the state of the country. I suppose this post will provoke controversy, but it is my post and my opinion. If you disagree, go for it, but say why. So on that note, here goes.

1. Donald Trump was an unliked President by many. He spent the full four years of his presidency fighting those who wanted to take him down. And is still fighting them. WHY? Cause they are afraid of him and don't want him to run again. Again, WHY? Well, cause he don't fit their agenda. But when Biden took over, the economy was good, inflation low, gas and food prices were low, unemployment was low and the country was moving. Were there any problems? Sure there was. And Donald Trump could not solve them all. AND Donald Trump was not a really likable person. And in the vernacular of my children, when they were young enough to be in High School, He was and I guess is, rude, crude and socially unacceptable. But as a business man, he did know how to run this country, and he didn't back down from foreign powers. And in case we forget, it was Trump that put the Covid vaccine companies on the fast track to develop a vaccine to combat the Covid virus. Many probably think Biden did that, but he just reaped what had already been sown.

2. What has Biden done? Well, he shut down the Keystone XL pipeline. A pipeline that would have provided oil to the United States for generations to come, and put thousands out of work. He shut down the Border wall and invited those from other countries to enter at will and they did. This created a problem for the border States and put thousands out of work. He cancelled leases for oil drilling on government lands and put more out of work as oil producing companies had to cut back or shut down, thus causing the rise in gas prices. When fuel began to get short, he started buying from over seas and then he authorized the use of oil from the federal reserve. A reserve that is not supposed to be used except in case of dire emergence, such as a war. And then he wanted OPEC to produce more oil to cover for his mistakes, never admitting that he made a mistake. And a fuel prices rose, so did transportation and farming, since those trucks and equipment run on diesel.

3. Now he has finally admitted that this is what he wants. He is pushing his green agenda, and he wants every one to drive an electric car, cars to be charged with the charging stations he wants to line the freeways with, at a cost to the taxpayer of billions of dollars. And he wants to create a rail system and have people ride the railroad to and from wherever they are going and this will cost another billions of dollars. And he said by doing this we can remove millions of cars off of the highways. 

4. He may take us down the rabbit hole for a ways, but there is one thing he is not counting on, and that is the American People. He said the other day on the news that he was distracted and shattered by his low approval rating, a rating as low and Donald Trumps ever was, and he just don't understand why. He then said the problem is that his aides don't understand his straight talk and they mis quote him and so the people don't know what he is trying to do. Fortunately, the people know just exactly what he is trying to do, and they aren't going to stand for it.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FRO THE DITCH BANK

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

 THERE IS NO WAY I CAN KEEP UP ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH THE CONSTANT CHANGES of the local and national government mandates, the updates on the Covid changes, much less the various thoughts on the efficacy of the vaccines available to the public. So, on that note, I will offer a few things I have on my mind and you can ruminate on them if you so desire. 

First; I'll address the Covid pandemic. Is it real. Yes it is. We have family members that have been afflicted with this virus. For some it has been mild and others it has been devastating. We have had a few friends pass away with this virus. So, yes, it is real.  Does the vaccine work?  Some will say yes, some ae saying no, some are saying maybe, but it is my choice, not the governments.   Me, I'm saying that it probably does. I'm vaccinated. Vaccines have been on play for decades for a variety of things and they are effective for those things. Two issue's people have at this point, is that they feel this vaccine was rushed and that the government is mandating you to have it. I don't like the government interference either, but then most things that the vaccines that we are used to don't have a world wide pandemic striking people down either.

Next;  I guess I will mention the government. Of course I will. I don't like Biden. Never did. But he is the President, kinda, so I will live with it and do what puny little I can to blunt his efforts to sabotage us, the American people. No, I will not go to Washington and assault the government.

But I do have to wonder about one thing. Biden said recently that he would sell Atomic Submarines to Australia. OK by me. But France got their undies in a wad and cancelled some festivities of some kind because of that. I have to wonder why does it make a difference to France if Biden sell a sub to Australia. Seems like a good thing to me for the world peace. Including that of France. Guess I just don't understand. 

Last: Will the Covid virus go away. I don't know, but I'm thinking it is here to stay until the Millennium is ushered in. Just like the flu pandemic of a 100 years ago, it will be with us, and we will just get a Covid shot along with our flu shot every year. By the way. Have you got your flu shot this year?

So, I pay attention to the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints that I belong to and follow his advise. And his advise is good and since he is also a retired medical Doctor, I will trust him and follow his advise and look forward to a time when we can once again gather together sans masks and fear of infecting any one. Hugs and handshakes without immediately feeling the need to use a bottle of hand sanitizer. Being able to go to a public park and not wonder if someone left a virus on a hand rail or a water fountain handle or even a bench that I may want to sit on.  Those were better days for sure and I look forward to a time like that again.  At my age, and with the world like it is, I may not ever see it, but hopefully my descendants will.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

OK I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO

THOSE FEW OF YOU THAT ACTUALLY READ MY BLOG WILL HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVEN'T PUBLISHED LATELY.

Well, I am kinda fed up with the political scene, and not wanting to document my daily boring life, I just haven't blogged much lately.  However, there have been a few that actually read the blog that have commented on the lack of new posts. So, for what it may be worth, here is a new one.

Three points to start, then we will see if any thing else shows up.

First, Climate Change.  How is it working for you.  I saw a news article recently that those proclaiming climate change had recently erased past climate changes dating back longer than 1960 ish. The dust bowl of the 1930's is no longer listed with regard to climate change. Other times dating back farther than the 1960's are also being ignored by climate change advocates. That way they can point to what is happening now and say see, we told you so. BUT, we told you so doesn't work if you go back into ages past.

AOC is at it again.  She recently said that if the country would just stop building jails, and then stop putting people in jail, there would be less crime.  Eye roll and head shake here.

Dr. Fauci and the Biden administration are now saying that the Corona virus probably started in the Wuhan lab in China. In fact, they are getting quite insistent on that and are leaning toward holding China responsible. Aren't these the same people last year that was slamming President Trump for saying the same thing?  Seems to me it is. Of course the news talking heads won't say that.

One last post.  Our Governor recently announced that she was going to run for re election. Shudder that she actually does get reelected. There was a group of protesters at her rally/announcement and they were causing a stir among the crowd.  She said it was too bad she chose a place to make her announcement in the same place that the Qanon lizard people were having a rally. She don't seem to realize, or don't want to admit, that there will be protesters wherever she choses to appear, short of her office in the State building. 

WELL NUFF SAID FOR TODAY 

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

WELL, WHY NOT

 AS ANYONE WHO MAY ACTUALLY READ MY POSTS WILL HAVE NOTICED, I HAVEN'T POSTED ANYTHING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAD ACTUALLY TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF NOT POSTING ANY THING ANY MORE. THEN TODAY I DECIDED WELL, WHY NOT. So I will post from time to time.  But first, a little background.

When I first started this post all those years back, I did so at the encouragement of some of my children. I balked at starting a blog because 1. I figured my life was so boring that no one would be interested in reading about it and 2. Even if they wanted to I considered my life my business and not for public consumption. So when I finally decided to write a blog, I decided to write about my perceptions of the things going on around me in the world. And that mostly turned out to be on politics.  But now, the political world is in such a shambles that I just didn't feel like writing about it any more.  So, we will see what transpires with this post today and any future posts as we move along.

Say what you want and feel how ever you want to about Donald Trump, brash and crude as he may be, he did have the economy in a good shape, gas prices were down and the border "crisis" was being handled and North Korea had backed down from shooting missiles around the area and making threats of war. Then the pandemic hit and after a time he came up with some money to fund a lot of vaccine research and he supported various companies retooling to make ventilators etc. The economy tanked a bit because of that and he made some rash statements that upset some people and so he lost the election.

Joe Biden came into office and immediately through executive order began undoing every thing Trump had done. He cancelled the pipeline and shutdown oil production in a lot of areas, resulting in the rapid rise of gas prices. He stopped the building of the border wall resulting in a current crisis at the border. Children are coming in at an alarming rate.  Towns, including on not so far from where I live, are having a spike in the virus as a result of many of these children and youth coming in already being infected. Will the national news media tell you that?  No they won't. But the local news media does. 

I will comment on one more item that close for this post.  6 books written by Dr. Seuss have been banned because they were determined to be racist. Maybe they are. I don't really know. But I find it odd that those books can be banned, but the song that is being touted as a great song and the performance of some of the performers on the Grammys as being very disgusting. But that is considered "Art" or something, so that makes it OK.   Not to me.   

Nuff Said for now.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK 

THE FIRST ONE FOR 2021

 WELL, HERE WE ARE THREE WEEKSW INTO THE NEW YEAR OF 2021. SEEMS LIKE MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE I LAST POSTED.  Even though not a lot of time has gone by, a lot of events have happened, some of which I may comment on. Not really sure just what I will write today, except this.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.  You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help strong men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.---Abraham Lincoln said this many decades ago. It still holds true today. I could probably end this post right here and that would be nuff said, but I guess I won't.

On January 6, 2021, a group of people, a mob if you like, stormed the congress building and trashed a lot of it. I watched the events as reported by the talking heads on the news and had to wonder why they did it.  But, deep down, I know why. Or at least why some of them did it. The people are just really tired of the political process and the politicians that seem to want to rule the lives of the people of the United States. Donald Trump has been blamed for that event. What ever your opinion is, mine is that he did not incite it. At least not intentionally. Those who were there and took part in the destruction of the halls of congress did so intentionally. I know personally, one couple who was there and left when the violence started, as that is not what they, and hundreds of others went there for. It was to legally protest the election. Not to violently trash the place.

On January 20, Joe Biden took the oath of office as President of the United States. I didn't listen to his speech for a variety of reasons, but know that he promised that he would fix things that are wrong with the United States.  He said he would create jobs and stimulate the economy,  and then the first thing he did was sign executive orders that put thousands of people out of work. And anger our neighbor to the North, namely Canada. When the labor unions that supported him to get elected find themselves out of work, they may just turn against him.

Guess I'll stop here with this prediction. A prediction that I hope does not come to pass. I predict that the unemployment rate will rise higher than it has been for the past four years. I predict that more people will be laid off as employers of small businesses cannot stay in business and pay the minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. A wage that for now is geared at government jobs, but will soon spill over in to the private sector, in spite of protests against it. I predict that with the executive orders shutting down the pipeline, oil drilling and exploration and the other things that Biden is against, the price of gas will go up. And while the current pandemic may eventually go away, it will be because of the things that are currently in place, not because of any thing that Biden does, even though he will probably take credit for it. 

I could continue, but I will end this for now and if you actually made it this far, I will refer you back to the opening paragraph.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

GOODBYE 2020

 WELL, HERE WHERE I RESIDE, IT IS JUST A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE NEW YEAR IS USHERED IN. GOODBYE 2020, HELLO 2021.

Will there really be a noticeable difference between December 31,2020 and January 1, 2021. I rather doubt it.  When we retire on new years eve we will still be wearing masks in public and social distancing. When we arise new years day we will still be wearing masks in public and social distancing. The only difference will be the onset of the covid vaccine. A few hundred thousand people have received the vaccine so far and several thousand more are in line to get it as they become available.  More vaccine will be coming on line as time progresses, so perhaps by the time we say goodbye to 2021, this pandemic will be tamed.  And, time alone will tell. We can only pray that those working on these solutions are heeding the spiritual guidance that they are receiving, even though they may not be asking for that guidance. There are those of us that pray for that guidance in any case. 

Speaking of the vaccine.  If you are offered the chance to get a shot, will you take it?  I have heard many responses to that question from definitely not, to definitely will, to those who are undecided at this time.  For myself, I was on the fence of indecision, but have just recently decided that I probably will. For any one who may read this and don't know, I am on dialysis and the parent company of the dialysis clinic I attend has ordered vaccine shots for those on dialysis. So when ever these arrive, I will probably accept it. I get a flu shot at the clinic and have seen so many dialysis patients refuse a flu shot. And several of them have said definitely not to the covid shot.

Well, I digress.  As we say goodbye to 2020, we need to look back at the positive things that have happened during this year. If you are reading this, then you either haven't contracted covid or have survived it. We survived a presidential election the likes that most of us have never seen. Regardless of your opinion of the outcome, we survived. How is your health?  Good?  Then that is a good thing. Are you able to travel, even in a limited basis? Are you still able to contact family and friends, even if it is via zoom, phone or social media? Can you still go outside and take a walk? Can you take a camera and go find a picture to take? Even with the dine in restaurants closed for the most part, can you still go and get a take out at your favorite restaurant? There are many things that you can do that still gives you a certain amount of freedom until the covid is tamed.  The national economy didn't tank it had been predicted it would. Businesses found novel ways to stay afloat, and they will be there when things loosen up.

As we say hello to 2021, we can look forward to a better year. We can look forward to more and more vaccine shots becoming available to the general public, and then the loosening of the current restrictions by the various government agency's. Unemployment is high, but as governments loosen restrictions and people begin to return to work, the economy will rebound, depending on the rules of the incoming administration. That is something that people will be watching closely. I hope that any one who manages to read this far will have a positive outlook for the coming year of 2021 and will do their part to make it a part of unity, but watch for freedoms that may be lost and speak out against any injustices.   I hope you all have a great next year.

AND REMEMBER THAT NEXT YEAR HIND SIGHT WILL BE 2020.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

THE ELECTION IS OVER

THE ELECTION IS OVER, THE RESULTS ARE KNOWN, THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, IS CLEARLY SHOWN.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING LINES OF A POEM THAT I LEARNED WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER BACK IN THE 1950'S.

It seems like that line and the resulting lines would apply equally today. However, I have a few opinions on the election and the coming four years.

Joe Biden has been declared the winner by most states. While he is being referred to as the President Elect, one news cast I saw said that was actually a misnomer. He is not the President Elect until the electoral collage meets and actually declares him the President Elect. Splitting hairs, I guess, but found that news report interesting.

So a couple of items regarding Bidens comments.  1. He said he would not raise taxes on any one making less than $400,000 a year.  So, most of us say, OK, that won't affect me.  Wrong.  No matter how much or how little you make, it will affect you. For instance.  How much money does the grocery store where you shop make.  Over $400,000?  Then they will raise the price of groceries. Want a new car? Does the dealer make too much money. Price of the car goes up. Have a mortgage? Is it a fixed rate? If not, the finance institution makes over $400,000 their taxes go up and so does your mortgage. I could go on and on, but I think you will get the picture.

2. Any one that owns a gun will be in peril of losing it. Think not. Think you are protected by the second amendment?  Biden and Harris have been vocal for years against that amendment and they want to put in gun controls that will just get tighter and tighter until it will be nearly impossible to own a gun. For an purpose. Even if you are a Biden supporter, you should be concerned about this one.

3. Are you a religious person? States and eventually the government are cracking down on religious institutions already. Only a narrow defeat by the Supreme Court on a law suit in New York allows Religious institutions to stay open during this current pandemic.  religious institutions have been a target of many politicians for a while now.  OK   just a couple more comments.

4. Surprise! Barack Obama recently blasted OAC and the political people that are part of her group for fracturing the democratic party.  Getting bad when Mr. Obama can even see the destruction they are doing and speaks out against them.

5. This is in the speculation category. Many people are concerned about the mental capacity of Joe Biden. Many are speculating that with in a year he will be declared incompetent under the 25th amendment and Kamala Harris will be declared President.  Heaven forbid if that actually happens.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR, PART 2

 WELL, TODAY'S THE DAY. ELECTION DAY 2020. THIS IS A TIME THAT THE COUNTRY WOLL TURN RED OR BLUE. I have to wonder, where the heck did this red or BLUE designation come from.  Is there a GREEN party? Oh right, there is and I can kinda understand where that came from. But by this time tomorrow, or the next day or next week we will know who is leading this country for the next 4 years.  Well, on to other things.

Did you hear about the student that was suspended from school in Louisiana? For bringing a gun to school. You didn't. Well it was on the news. Kinda.  The thing is it was a B B gun and it was in his room. He was in virtual school or whatever they call it and someone saw this B B gun in his room as he was on the computer doing school work. A little extreme I think, even for anti gun people.

Another note on the green theme.  There is so much being said about going green and getting away from fossil fuel. AKA coal and oil.  Well, ain't gonna happen without a lot of pain. 1 case in point.  The city of Albuquerque made a deal with the Jicarilla Apache tribe to put a 500 acre solar farm on their reservation. This 500 acre's will provide enough electrical power to power half of Albuquerque's government buildings. NOT half of Albuquerque but half of their government buildings. Can you imagine the amount of acreage it will take to provide the power to supply the whole of the United States with this kind of technology? Not to mention all the wind mill farms that will continue to spring up. At least the land under these windmills can still be used for something else. Like cattle grazing.

To continue the above theme. I don't think those pushing this getting rid of fossil fuel and going with wind and solar have any idea of the amount of mining that will be needed to fuel these programs. Products need to be mined from the earth in order to get material to produce all the batteries for the electricity. Plus batteries for all those "clean" cars and copper for all the electric wires in said cars and to bring electricity from the solar and wind farms to the public and on and on. And when these batteries and windmills wear out, as they will, they can't be recycled, so they have to be buried in special landfills, of which there is only three in the United States at this time. Don't seem like a very Green solution to me.

And finally, Biden claims Trump ruined the economy. Really he didn't. The country had a strong economy until the covid hit. And Trump didn't shut down the economy. Governors of states did that. But Biden, who has never created a job in his life, claims he will shut down the country, make every one wear a mask on penalty of law and then claims that he will bring back a string economy. Well, no he won't. In over 40 years in government he hasn't done that and he wants us to believe he will do it now.  Not a chance. 

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR

 In response to the virus spreading around the world, officials ban public gatherings and implement quarantines. Schools close, ecclesiastical leaders cancel church meetings, and those who venture outside are required to wear face masks for protection. The year is 1919, and the raging influenza pandemic that began the year before will claim tens of millions of lives.

Since that time a vaccine has been developed and it changes or is updated every year since the flu mutates or changes every year also.  Now, with the current pandemic upon us, we are facing similar situations.  A vaccine will be developed, many lives will be saved but the Covid may be with us for years to come, in some form or another. And we have been ask to wear masks by medical offices for decades if we go to the Dr. and we feel bad.  Well, why else do we go to the Dr.?

I've been putting off writing this blog because of all the nastiness going around.  And no, I'm not talking about the Covid.  I'm talking about the political situation. Local, State and National. It almost, I say Almost, makes a person want to just go hibernate somewhere without a radio or TV. Or news paper, for that matter. That being said, I will make a few comments and then go do something else.

I heard on the news this morning that Trump and Biden are campaigning hard in THE seven battle ground states.  THE ELECTION WILL BE DECIDED BY HOW THOSE STATES VOTE. Hmmm, if that is the case, then those of us in the rest of the states need not even go to the polls and just let the people in those seven states go vote and decide for us.   UH! Nope, I guess not.

Amy Barrett was sustained to serve on the supreme court.  Good for her. I watched a little of the hearings. I felt that of the three people Trump has nominated for the court, she was the most qualified. She was calm and answered the questions in a very forth right manner. I did get a little irritated at Diane Feinstein and the questions she was asking. She kept pressing for an opinion on a question that Amy Barrett had not been presented with. Mrs. Barrett kept explaining how the supreme court works. Lawsuits have to be filed in lower courts and IF they make it to the supreme court, then a decision will be made.  I think Diane understands that, but she pressed on this cause she just has a hatred for the President. Now she has been sworn in and Schumer is in a snit and acting like a two year old who didn't get his favorite sucker. Nuff said.

I have been against the political process since the 1960's. I was hired to do a job by a county commissioner in the county where I lived at the time. I was ( and still am) a republican and the commissioner was a democrat. I did the job and was never late or absent. The job was kind of a plum job for the time and the county. And the democratic party got kinda upset with that commissioner for hiring a republican. Even though I held the job for over a year, he finally succumbed to the pressure and told me he had to let me go so he could hire a democrat. Fortunately for me, I knew the job was eventually coming to an end any way and had obtained some education for another job, which I got a few days after he terminated me. 

And things has went downhill ever since, regardless of the party in power.  And now those in Washington, of the D.C. do nothing but argue and quarrel worse than siblings and nothing gets done.

Part two in a few days.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BBANK

ON THINGS LIKE THEY USED TO BE

AND SOME LIKE THEY ARE NOW.

I have a multitude of thoughts running through my mind.  I try to write them down when I think of them, cause if I don't they run right out of my mind and I forget to post about them. So, I will post a couple of thoughts today of some things I remembered to write down.  I'll even number them.

1. BLM.  I was raised in a farming and ranching community.  When I see or hear these letters I automatically think  Bureau of Land Management.  And I always will..... that means period...

2. TV reporters.  I was around when TV reporters reported the news. Just the news.  If you wanted commentary, you went somewhere else. Reporters like Walter Cronkite on CBS, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley on NBC.  I liked them and viewed them regularly. I actually met David Brinkley once, back in the 1960's.  Even though our paths crossed, he was not there to interview me so it was a brief moment in time and then gone. I remember that now these many decades later. He probably forgot I even existed moments after the meeting was over.  Still, I liked his style, second to Walters.

3. Do you ever watch those shows on TV where they are remodeling houses.  It seems to me there are two styles.  Ultra modern, whatever that means, or southwest design.  And it seems to me that there is a lot of southwest design going around. Can't say that I blame them, I like southwest design also.  Course, I was born and raised and live here.  Lucky me.

4. I keep hearing the talking heads on TV now mention the A listers or the Elite.  Just how did these people become elite? They have a profession for the most part playing someone that may or may not exist. A good movie or play is essential for most of us to escape the rigors and cares of the world for a short time. And those that can entertain us in that manner and do so in a good manner are essential. Just like a Dr. or lawyer or someone of any other profession such as a welder or plumber or truck driver or school teacher. Just pick a profession. All should be A Listers or elite, not just some one that feels they are superior to the rest of us, just because they can play act like fake people.

5. And of course I have to end on a political note.  The news is full of stories of President Trump calling veterans losers. But the news also quotes an unnamed source. Just have to wonder who that would be.  There is miles of footage of the President saying things that are considered by many to be inappropriate.  I can almost, and I said almost, be sure that he did not say this since there is no one who filmed or recorded this. If it was recorded or filmed, then put it out there in front of the public for people to see, in full context.  It is well known his feelings about John McCain and some have made reference to this.  I know the President says a lot of things that he shouldn't say, I just have skeptical feelings about this one. And Michael Cowen. Is he to be believed. He admitted in an interview that he had lied about a lot of things, but he was not lying now. And why was he not lying?  he was ask.  Well, because they threatened his wife if he didn't tell the truth.  So, is he telling the truth, or is he lying to save his wife? Or a combination of both. Time will tell. We can always hope.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

DOES ANY ONE REALLY CARE

 THERE IS A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW.  NO, NOT AT MY HOUSE, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, BUT OUT IN THE WORLD. SO I AM GOING TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THINGS AND THEN HAVE TO WONDER OF ANY ONE REALLY CARES. 

1. This election coming up in a few weeks staring Trump vs. Biden and a few lesser players. If some of the lesser players could get the funds and the media attention that the two main opponents have, maybe neither one of them would win and the presidency and the results would be a shock heard around the world.  No one really cares about them, but one can dream, any way.

2.  I saw a TV spot that was a quote from I think Joe Biden. Correct me if I am wrong, but he was commenting on how the country would be if he won the presidency as opposed to Trump. He called it Joe Bidens world as opposed to Donald Trumps world.  My thought at the time and still is, is this is not either one of their worlds, but the people's world. Your world and mine and it is up to us to make it so, regardless of who is in Washington.

3. I'm really getting tired of police officers being called to something criminal going on and when they tell the perpetrator to stop and put up his hands or what ever they tell him and he refuses to obey but continues to do what ever he wanted to do and then he gets shot and then the people "protest" and make the police the victim and then they burn and loot and destroy the city and then they are heralded as heroes because they protested for racial justice. Did it never occur to any one that if the victim had just obeyed the police order they would not have been shot in the first place. Have the police been out of line?  Sure, on occasion. Are some of them racially motivated. Again, I am sure some of them are. But still, if you are not breaking the law, the police officers would not be called in the first place.  Think about that, a minute. 

4. Pro Sports.  The players in pro sports have cancelled some of their games in protest of a police shooting.  While I have my opinion about a cop shooting, I really don't care about the pro sports people protesting. If they feel that refusing to play a game because of that, then cut their pay for that game. And all subsequent games that they refuse to play.  Actually, they are like a lot of the politicians and the hollywood fake people, the populace of this country are just trying to get by, and really don't care how they feel. Most of them are so wealthy they have no clue about how the rest of us live any way. At least I don't care about them and their concerns. They don't affect me in any way.

5.I will end this rant with a quote I saw and liked.   There is not enough room in your mind for both worry and faith. You must decide which one gets to live there.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

SOME ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS

 I'M GETTING OLD, AND I'M OK WITH THAT.  BUT PART OF GETTING OLD, OR MAYBE PART OF ME GETTING OLD, IS THAT THINGS CHANGE AND I DON'T LIKE CHANGE SO MUCH.   Like this blog post. I went on blogger this afternoon to find the format has been "updated". I'm not in favor so much of the update. So, I was told I could change back to the old format, but that was going away on September 1, so why bother.  Just learn to use the new format, or quit blogging.  I assume that the few people who manage to read my drivel would just as soon that I do quit.  But then again, they don't have to read it so I guess I won't.  But I don't like change.

Well, except for one kind of change. You know the kind. The one that jingles in your pocket. And that seems to be going away.  Why? Well that was the initial purpose of this post, until I got on and found the format had changed.  A couple of things about money.  Other than there is never enough, whether you are on welfare or a millionaire. In a  car wash we like to use, in a city not so far away, a few weeks past wouldn't take our money. Nope, they had to have a credit card or a debit card. Cash was not acceptable. When ask why? they said, and I quote,  By order of the governor.  Nope, not true. Well it is true what they told us but not true that the governor made that order. So we had them open the gate and we drove out in a dirty vehicle.  Then a few weeks later ( notice how every thing is a few weeks, another sign of aging) we went to a gas station we use in a city a little closer than the car wash city and was met with a sign on the door, correct change only. When ask why, they said there is a coin shortage. We have since seen a similar sign on a local burger joint that we patronize from time to time.  We also have heard news items about a coin shortage and an abundance of reasons of why.  Some of those reasons;  The federal mint is not minting as many coins as they used to do; Banks are not giving them out because people are buying online and using plastic at local stores; the covid-19 crisis has created a shortage of hard cash flow; and people are hoarding them and they are not in circulation like they should be.  Well, OK, what ever the reason, I'll just save mine for a future time when they may be acceptable again.  Mean while, I'll continue to pay cash, or by on line or whatever is convenient at the time.  Maybe I'm part of the problem.

And finally, you know I can't post a blog without sniping at the tics a bit.  Sometimes I wish we had a good choice for president. And sometimes I wonder if we ever will again. I don't care for Biden. He's been in politics for 40 or 50 years and hasn't solved much yet, so why should we depend on him to do any thing good as president? And whoever he picks as a running mate, will not be good for the country, just good for Joe. Trump had a strong economy going before the covid hit, and he did do some good things for the country, but he has had to fight every day against those who oppose him.  If congress would work as hard for the country as they are to impeach Trump, and if Trump would keep his mouth and tweets shut, maybe we could get something accomplished.  BUT I SUPPOSE THAT IS TOO MUCH TO ASK.

AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT IS CHANGING SO FAST THAT IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP, SO I WON'T.  BUT FROM TIME TO TIME I WILL POST A FEW THINGS THAT I NOTICE IN MY UNEDUCATED MIND. 
1. First I will open a can of worms. One called DACA.  My remembrance of this is that while president, Obama instituted the DACA program. This was scheduled to end in 2018. Early on in his Presidency, Trump called an end to DACA and pro  posed a plan for the program that would give the Dreamers a path to citizen ship. The Democrats in the house rejected that plan and that gave way to protests and so forth.  Now, President Trump has again offered a plan for the dreamers with a path to citizen ship. Nancy Pelosi and her followers have once again rejected that. They chose to trash the president for not doing any thing. One has to wonder why.
2. I didn't vote for Hillary and now I won't vote for Biden.  I was not a Trump fan in the beginning and am not really one now, and just have to wins that there was a better choice in either party.  Still, Trump as brash as he is, has tried to do some good things and has been rejected every time he tries, it seems like.   And
3. Why is congress so interested in Trump's tax returns.  It's his money. I'm more interested in what the congress does with my money than I am about Trumps money. I, like a lot of people, have to wonder how someone can go to congress and become a multi millionaire on a salary they complain is not enough. 
4. During this pandemic we are being ask to wash our hands, use sanitizer, social distance and wear a mask.  Well, I have to wonder, didn't people wash their hands before this?  And I have been using sanitizer and social distancing since I had a kidney transplant in 2001. The only thing different then form now is the wearing of a mask. So, I wear a mask when required in public.  I am back on dialysis so I wear one 5 hours a day on the day I am there. What I don't understand is someone wearing a mask, in their private car, by themselves, while driving down the highway. That I refuse to do.  And to see two people, a married couple who sleeps together, ( I suppose) who wear a mask while in a car or walking down a sidewalk, social distancing from every one else, holding hands and wearing masks.  Don't compute for me.
STAY TUNED
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

MORE OPINIONS

I'M GLAD I DON'T TRY TO WRITE A DAILY BLOG. MY LIFE IS TOO DULL TO MENTION ON A DAILY BASIS AND THE POLITICAL WORLD CHANGES SO FAST THESE DAYS THAT IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP, EVEN ON A WEEKLY BASIS, MUCH LESS A DAILY BASIS.  HOWEVER, I WILL TRY TO SAY A FEW THINGS TODAY.
1. The rule with this pandemic virus going around is to wear a mask and stay 6 feet from any one. That is called social distancing.  Staying 6 feet from people may work for distance, but there can't be any thing social about it.
2. And speaking of masks.  I have to wear one to my medical appointments three days a week for about 5 hours. it comes off when I leave.  My wife and I will wear a mask when we enter a store, because it is demanded of us, but the State government, and I guess a little common sense.  But now our governor has mandated that people will be fined $100.00 if caught not wearing a mask in public.This is not a law, but a health order.  Not sure she can just impose that fine just because she wants too.  As money hungry as she is, I'm sure she would like to collect a lot of those fines.
3. On a similar note, I refuse to live in fear. I will go where I have to go, the emphasis on HAVE to go, and do what I need to do. I refuse to live trembling in my house in fear that if I go our I may catch the virus. I will take necessary precautions, but I will not huddle down in fear.
4. OK  a couple of things of a lighter note. You have seen those facebook postings that go "Could you live here with millions of dollars ( here usually being in the country ) but you could never watch football again? Just tell me where the house is and send me the millions and watch and see.  Foot note. I don't watch football any way, so it wouldn't even be a sacrifice on my part.
5. And finally, when I was younger I used to see these old men with bushy eyebrows, nose and ear hair and I would say   I will never be like that.  Well, I don't have the bushy eyebrows, but I really have to watch the other two things and keep them trimmed.  So, if any young person is reading this drivel, never look at us old timers and say, I will never be like that.  Cause you just may be like that.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS

I'VE HAD A LOT OF RANDOM THOUGHTS ON MY MIND LATELY: SP GUESS I'LL MENTION JUST A FEW. AND BELIEVE ME THEY ARE RANDOM, AND MAYBE EVEN SCATTERED.
1.  Hillary Clinton just was on the news saying she supports Joe Biden.  Elizabeth was on the news saying she supports someone else. I forget who.  My thought, who really cares who either one of these women supports. 
2. There has been two news stories of black men being killed by the police. Both were captured on video. The first, George Floyd was wanton murder by the police officer. In the video you could watch him and he was actually enjoying what he was doing. And he was wrong and needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.  The other one was a man who was drunk and passed out in his car in a drive through lane at a Wendy's. Police were called to check on  him and they had to wake him up and get him out of the car and then he failed a sobriety test. So they were in the process of arresting him when he became violent and grabbed a taser from one of the officers and proceeded to shoot it at the officer. The officer then shot him, killing him. These cases were totally different, but the results were the same. A dead man, killed by police. And riots and looting and burning of business, that had nothing to do with the event. The second event could have been handled differently, it's true, but if that individual hadn't of got drunk and passed out in the line of traffic, officers would not have been called. He does bear some modicum of responsibility. 
3. History is being erased.  History belongs to all of us. If Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben and Mrs. Butterworth, along with all other BLACK symbols of commerce are removed, only white advertising will be available. If any history or advertising symbol that people find "offensive" is removed, then there will be an uprising against the white people for not using people of other races. I just can't see an end to all this stupidity. And pulling down, defacing or otherwise destroying statues of historical figures because they represent something you disagree with, is wrong.  It is still history, Study it and learn from it and don;t return to the bad parts of it.
4. On a lighter note.  We occasionally get a gopher in our back yard. So far I have been able to catch all of them, over the years. We recently had the latest invasion of a gopher. I tried for a few days to catch this one. I finally did, after my wife saw it coming out if its hole and was able to mark the spot. I set the trap and it was in it the following morning.  Now, this little town we live in is inundated with gophers. Their mounds are every where all over the town. So, I will not be surprised to see in the news something like this;   Town falls into a large sink hole. Officials have determined that the town was undermined by gophers and this is what caused the sink hole.  It is undetermined if the town can be raised out of the hole or not, but considering the cost, it will probably just be covered over and left to the gophers."
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

A FOLLOW UP

WELL, I POSTED ABOUT THE COVID-19 ALREADY. SO THIS IS A FOLLOW UP POST.
A lot is going on around the world and a lot is going on around social media about the  
virus.  Some say it is real and we need to take strong precautions to prevent it's spread.
Some say it is a sham and we need to ignore the governing bodies edicts. 
Some business owners have protested the governors orders and some have even opened when not allowed too, saying a governors orders are not law and that it is only a suggestion.
One restaurant in our area even opened a couple of weeks in advance of the governor saying they could and put large banner type signs on the side of the restaurant building blasting the governor.  The banners are down now, for the most part, and the restaurant has been given a cease and desist order and the food service license has been suspended. 
Restaurants are allowed to open tomorrow, June 1 for in  house dining with restrictions. It will be interesting to see what happens with this restaurant. The town, for the most part, hopes the license is restored.  The owner has said that he expects he will have to pay some fines.He is prepared to do that. I just hope he is prepared well enough. 
AND MASKS.  There is a lot of controversy on the wearing of masks. Some say it helps. Some say it does not.  And helps or not, there are those that just can't wear a mask regardless of how much it helps. It is not that they don't want to, they just can't.   I went to town yesterday to fuel one of my vehicles.  I had a mask available since the governor has issued an order that ALL will wear a mask when out in public.  Here where I live, some do and some don't.  But at the gas station I pulled up to the third pump in line and at the middle pump there was three women fueling a car. One was fueling the car. One was washing the windshield. One was washing the rear window. One had on a mask. One did not. the one fueling the car had a mask. It was dangling from one ear. A study in contrast.  
As we go into grocery stores, all require a mask, but in some stores, even though the employees are wearing them, about 50 % of the customers are.  It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
AND FINALLY.  I hear that this virus is just a ploy to ruin President Trump.  Nothing else worked, so lets unleash this virus.  That is so ridiculous as to be laughable.  However, I will say this.  IF SUCH were the case, and it could be proven ( it's not and it can't) those who unleashed this virus on the world killing the economy of dozens of countries not to mention killing hundreds of thousands of people, jail time for those who did this would be too kind.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK