Remnants of COVID in Our Lives

Echoes Will Remain – and We are Changed by Them

First, A Caveat

Much of today’s blog is about how COVID has affected us, perhaps in unanticipated ways. But this is NOT to feed any illusions that the pandemic is over. Unless, of course, you live in Texas or Florida, where the governors have decided to ignore all the facts and declared themselves over it all.

We finally have a competent national government helping to inoculate almost 3 million Americans a day. This may help minimize the stupidity of declaring victory 10 yards from the finish line,

How About Some Really Good Reading?

I Have Been Reading Some Great Stuff. Allow Me to Share.

 

The State of Writing in America

I am pleased to report that, at least from my perspective, there is some really fine writing going on in this country. I have a short list of recent work that I have been thoroughly enjoying.

Note I said enjoying, present tense. I find that I tend to slow up when I find exemplary writing. I like to kind of roll around in the luxury of stories well told or facts well analyzed.

Admit It! We All Like It When a Big Guy Takes a Shot from the Little Guy

Things are Seldom Black and White, But These Felt Kind of Good

David and Goliath

There is something in us all that likes it when an improbable match comes out with the Little Guy winning. As noted in the title, always some complications and areas of gray in evidence, but here are a few examples of recent weeks that please us to hear. A couple of them are true David vs Goliath, a couple are not quite so, but at least have that mic drop flavor to them.

GameStop Anyone?

If you have even the slightest interest in market dynamics,

Helping Hands or Talking Heads? Trolling or Governance?

Two Unrelated Events Share an Interesting Connection

 

Event 1: The Insurrection in DC

One of the still evolving consequences of the January 6 insurrection was the dismissal of QAnon follower Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from any Congressional committee assignments. When asked what she would now do with her time, she said this freed her up to do what she wanted to do – make more speeches, fundraising, etc.

Right after she spoke, newly elected embarrassment to his district NC Rep Madison Cawthorn indicated he understood Greene’s point. He said he had built his own staff around “communication”.

Of Golden Halos and Feet of Clay

This is a Good Time in National Life to Reflect on Human Nature

 

The Problems with Hero Worship

 The nation continues a vigorous conversation about whose statue remains up and for whom the local high school is named. This is often a contentious and difficult thing, but overall, it strikes me as a good and necessary thing. Much of the history most of us know is woefully incomplete and inaccurate. This is one step in getting this right.

But it can indeed be painful for some of us. We are finding that pretty well everyone who admire from history (and currently) may well have done great things,

A Friday Round Up – What’s Going On?

Short Notes About Different, Interesting Things Recently Catching Our Attention

A Friday Tradition

We lived for several years in the Washington, DC area. This meant that WAMU was our PBS radio station. WAMU had a flagship program called The Friday Round Up, hosted by the legendary Diane Rehm. It featured a recap of things from the last week or so that merited highlighting. It was a favorite program of ours for many years.

With a tip of the hat to Diane and her successors, today introduces the Agents of Reason version of The Friday Round Up.

Valentine’s Day Is Different This Year

After 2020, Celebration of the One You Love Goes Deeper

 

What’s the Deal With Valentine’s Day, Anyway?

Let’s be honest. Valentine’s Day as we know it is a creation for the most part by greeting card, candy, and flower vendors. It actually has a long and interesting history. It was originally a Roman holiday, dedicated to the coming of Spring and celebrating fertility. Young women and men were paired up around the holiday.

In the 5th Century, the pope followed what had become a frequent Christian policy of appropriating pagan holidays.

Water – Essence of Life, Destroyer of Life

Nothing is So Pervasive, So Important to Life, and So Challenging as Water

A Change of Pace

We have focused on political issues for the last six months. As well we should have. We will continue that path often in the months ahead, for obvious reasons. But this blog was always meant to be about more. We have spent time together reflecting on science, the arts, comedy, and more. Time to do a bit of that now.

We have earned a bit of a break from politics, starting today. Let us reflect a bit on something all around us and in us.

It’s Shoot Out at the OK Corral Time for Would-Be Republicans

Republicans are Now in Three Camps. Time to Make Some Choices and Settle Up

 How Many Types of Republicans are There? Let’s Count Them

At this point, one wonders why anyone would claim to be a Republican, but that is another conversation. Deciding who might carry such a mantle forward is important for all of us, as will be discussed shortly. Time for the principles to face off and settle matters. By my math, there are three groups that claim at least sometimes the title of “Republican.”

Group I is what we used to call Rockefeller Republicans.

The Country is On a Hopeful New Path, But…

But Serious Danger Runs Deep and Wide – This Will Not Go Away on Its Own

 

A Country Divided? It’s Worse Than We Feared

 For a long time, many of us felt that the country was not as divided as many said. The problem was so-called leaders who thrived on conflict; beyond them, people agreed on more than was apparent. I count myself among that chorus. It appears we were wrong.

If this past election taught us anything, it is that not only is the divide real, it is based in alternate realities.