Month: January 2020

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Coronavirus may be a problem.

Governors use citizens as lab rats.

Coronavirus may be a problem.  If you are following the news you have undoubtedly heard of the Coronavirus that started out in China.  This virus is similar to SARS and MERS in that it was transmitted from live animals to humans in an illegal live food market in China.  The market sold live predatory animals as food including the Civet Cat.  The Civet Cat is thought to be the animal that transmitted SARS to humans.  There is a reason predatory generally do not eat other predators.  That reason is disease.  Most predators and omnivores,  including humans, eat herbivores.

Now that the virus is loose is it a problem for people living in the U.S.?  Most likely not at this time.  So far the Chinese government has not stated there is a known case of human to human transmission as happen with a cold or flu.  If that were the case then it would be a serious issue.  The Trump administration has stated that they may ban all flights from China to the U.S.  If the U.S. bans all inbound Chinese flights, European and other countries will follow.

So far the Chinese government has been less than forth coming about the number of infected individuals and the number of deaths.   Chinese government has finally granted permission for the World Health Organization to send doctors and scientists into China.  This is the first signs of hope that the Chinese government is willing to work with the U.S. and others to fight this pathogen. There are also many researchers working on sequencing the coronavirus DNA to develop a vaccine before in becomes airborne.

Hopefully China works in best interest of the world and their own economy.  Nothing will cause the Chinese government to sit up and take notice when their economy is at stake.

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Pets are good for you

Pets are good for you. 

Pets are good for you.  Who doesn’t like puppy kisses and soft kitten purrs.  Your pet dog and cat seem to be always happy to see you.  If you had a stressful day at work your pet just wants to be near you.  Unconditional love is something we all need.

As a dog person I was never exposed to cats until I married my wife.  She grew up on a farm with barn cats and a dog.  The dog was her fathers pet.  The cats were there to keep the barn free of mice and other vermin.  She and her sisters were given the task of finding all of the female cats who had given birth to kittens.  They did this to acclimate the kittens to humans.  Other wise the kittens would become feral.

I began to understand cats once we adopted our first two kittens.  One was a male orange cat she named Garfield. The other was a female calico I named Furgey.   Having a kitten curl up in my lap and purr until she fell asleep was an emotional experience.  Since that moment we have always had at least two cats in the house.

It is a myth that only women like cats and men only like dogs.  When we lived back east I had a dog and my wife had three cats all living together.  The one of our male cats would antagonize the dog.   The dog would chase the until the cat would jump through the cat door I had installed in the basement door. The cat door was too small for the dog to fit through.  The cat would sit on the other side of the door while the dog barked at him knowing the dog could not got to him.  All I could do was laugh at the situation thinking cats are much smarter than humans give them credit.

This past year our female “mommy” cat passed away.  She raised all of the kittens we brought into the house.  To keep the make cats from fighting we found a new female kitten that looks to be part bengal.  She has bonded with our part Bengal male.  He seems happier to have another cat who can keep up with him.  The balance to the universe has been restores at least in my home. Pets are good for you

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A Difference of Opinion

A Difference of Opinion

A Difference of Opinion. Last week my brother and I were talking about different Netflix shows we were watching.  We agreed that the series Another Life is aimed directly at millennial’s.  From the idea that there are no uniforms to not having a chain of command and the incessant whining that seems to define this generation.  The kicker is that the twenty-somethings who man the ship should not be there.  They have no real world experiences a person needs to operate in a confined environment.

Our difference of opinion centered around the reboot of Lost in Space.  My brother likes it.  He tells me that as long as he in entertained he will watch.  I find the premise of how the antagonist in the show stole the real Dr Smith’s ID and boarded the colony ship with no questions asked ridiculous.   After the episode where Dr. Smith somehow was able to deactivate the defensive grid with no password or other security codes I gave up watching.  No one had the idea to question how the defensive grid was disabled.  Lazy writing at its worst.  After talking with my brother I gave Lost in Space on more chance.  I watched the last episode of season one.  I remember from the last episode I watched that Dr. Smith reprogrammed the alien robot only to follow her commands.   Dr. Smith is a sociopath.  She only does what she thinks is best for herself with no regard for others even if that means others die.  She uses the robot to threaten the mother and the family as sociopaths do when they think they have leverage.  Of course the mother saves her family by tricking Dr. Smith into an area of the ship where she is confined with the robot.

Dr. Smith does realize she has pushed too far and helps to rescue the father who is stranded in space with their co-pilot.  The question I come back to is this. Would you keep a person who is looking for any opportunity to take control of any situation they are in to further their own cause without concern for wellbeing of anyone else?  There is no reason to keep Dr. Smith as part of the crew.  The family should have left her stranded on a planet or jettisoned her out of the airlock to end any threat she poses.  This is where a Difference of Opinion with my brother lies.

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Being a Joker is depressing

Being a Joker is depressing. 

Being a Joker is depressing.  Okay, I read all the reviews of the movie Joker. I watched the movie this weekend.  I was not entertained.  The movie is a study of main character’s descent into madness. This type of movie has been done many times over the years.  While I agree Joaquin Phoenix gave a marvelous performance it does not save the movie.

I explained to my wife who watched the movie with me this is not a movie about the beginnings of the Joker in the Batman universe.  The movie shows us the beginning of the Batman universe.  The Joker, not the character in this movie, is a symptom of the underlying anger the average person has toward the wealthy elite of Gotham.

Did we need a movie to explain the circumstances that gave rise to Batman and the Joker?  In my opinion, NO. I did not enjoy the movie on any level. The main character is unsympathetic and not likable.  Without a sympathetic main character or any sympathetic character in the movie I could not find one thing I could relate to on a personal level. The movie is dull and lifeless that I immediately forgot it as soon as it ended.

I have watched many bad movies over the years.  Joker is not as bad as Plan 9 from Outer Space or The Toxic Avenger, however Joker will be disappear from the public consciousness quickly.  Unlike the Marvel movies, Wonder Woman or even the Transformers, Joker has nothing to root for or against.  If Joker has any lasting meaning it is a warning about wealth disparity and how it will affect civilization.  Yes,Being a Joker is depressing.

 

 

 

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Holiday Traffic Reprieve is Over

Holiday Traffic Reprieve is Over.

Holiday Traffic Reprieve is Over.  My business partner and I commute to work together everyday.  He was not aware of the extent that schools and colleges add to the daily traffic congestion on the highways and surface streets.  As an experiment I asked him to pay attention to what happens as the school and colleges are not in session.

We began our informal traffic study December 23rd.  Traffic was a little lighter than normal. Our commute lasted the usual 40 minutes. December 24th the changes to traffic was noticeable.  Chandler Blvd is usually busy at 6:20 am every morning.  As we pulled out on to Chandler we were the only car on the road until the intersection at 48th street. As drove our usual route through the pointe,  we were one of the few cars on the road. The lack of cars on the road reminded me of several Twilight Zone episodes.  I almost expect a creature from another planet or dimension to jump out in front of the car.

The lack of cars on the road was also due to people taking off the entire week due to the holiday falling on a Wednesday. It appears that many businesses also closed or were on reduce schedule during the holiday. From the 26th to today traffic remained light.  There were a few more cars on the highway this morning so people are returning to work. The normal congested traffic patterns that make Phoenix so frustrating to drive comes back on Monday. Holiday Traffic Reprieve is Over.  Bring a couple of cups of patience with you on Monday morning.

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  Another year has ended and a new one has begun.  My wife keeps telling me that the new year has come by so fast.  I keep telling her that it happens the same time every year.  My thought on why humans perceive time as going more quickly is when every experience is new time appears to move slower.  As we grow up the number of new experiences become fewer and fewer. As adults we have a job and our life settles into a routine.  It is the routine that creates the illusion that time is moving faster.

Happy New Year!  Here is to a year where we find news things to experience.