Coronavirus

I must say that I find it fascinating that an economist I read about one week ago predicted we will, at times in the future, have big cities with hardly anybody traversing them. And that is now what is happening. It's almost like something you would see on the TV show, The Twilight Zone.

Until the coronavirus came on the scene I could not readily envision something radically slowing down the U.S. economy. If it's one thing our country shines at it's keeping busy. And come hell or high water, as is said, nothing would be able to slow down the workings of that vast enterprise, which is the high and holy U.S. free market economy.

Yet, the unstoppable entity met up with something that will not budge. So far, the latter is winning.

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A Break From the Coronavirus--Some Words

For a while I'll just post some words I like:

--Trumped-up adj. (trumpt-up) Faked or fradulent.

--Palladium n. (puh-LAY-dee-uhm) Something that gives protection; a safeguard.

--Argy-bargy n. A lively or combative discussion.

--Kleptocracy n. (klep-TOK-ruh-see) A government of the corrupt who use their positions for personal gain.

--Stormy petrel n. (STOR-mee PE-truhl) One who brings trouble or whose appearance is a sign of trouble.

--Dionysian adj. (dy-uh-NIS-ee-uhn) Uninhibited; spontaneous; wild.

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Coronavirus, Part II

Just in the last week the hysteria around the coronavirus has mounted. The changes that have been made appear necessary, but it has happened quicker than nearly anyone could have imagined.

Schools have closed, parades have been cancelled, and the speed with which society usually moves has been dialed down three notches. To say I'm stunned would be an understatement.

As it relates to President Trump, the coronavirus has been bad news. It seems to be a foe that his anger and his tweets are no match.

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Coronavirus

Nowadays, the Coronavirus is dramatically in the news. Seemingly out of nowhere it's now taken center stage; and to continue the figure of speech, is pouring off the stage into the panicked audience. I have a feeling climate change will be seen to play a big part of the virus's maintenance.

Nevertheless, the issue that has been barely touched upon in the media (mainly because it is so early in the process of understanding the virus) is how will our society fare with a president who seems to be allergic to the truth? We will see. But it doesn't bode well.

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Working in New Orleans

I have been working on some opinion pieces dealing with the poverty I see on a daily basis in New Orleans. The more I see the more surprised I am. I'm surprised there are not more programs to stand in the gap and at least help some of these people get started on the road to a better life. The thing that always comes to mind is that there are little to no services for middle-aged people who have a physical and/or mental disorder. I could imagine going to an average small town of 50,000 people and looking for resources to help this group and finding more than New Orleans offers.

No doubt I don't know of some places that are available, but if these places are available they seem to be flying under the radar. I keep thinking that the city brings in a lot of money from our hotel and motel tax--a lot of money--and, to my knowledge, little of it goes to the city's social programs. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

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