Saturday, April 25, 2020

Red Scarfs, Helmets and Rowing in Circles

To move forward...
We need to stop rowing in circles.

I Timothy 2:1-3 A Call to Prayer 

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

It is unfortunate that Trump's reassurance strategies in handling the Covid-19 response started so badly.

Today we know that he was working with very inaccurate information. But at that time many accused him of ignoring the alarms to manufacture his own message. They say he shirked his true responsibilities to create campaign opportunities. They discounted and condemned his attempts to alleviate fears and provide reassurance and presented him as a blundering fool repeatedly accentuating his guffaws and misstatements.

There is a problem solving term, called brainstorming, that encourages open unfiltered thinking to foster creativity that is often used in business. Perhaps use of this tactic is good a part of what has created this leader that we so often criticize.

But his frequency makes it easy to agree with those who indignantly judge criticize and dismiss his efforts. It is easy just to conclude that he is a very selfish, self centered person. Doesn't his vociferousness and outspoken personality prove this? Don't his action and words continually invite criticism. What about his support base. How can they tolerate this un-biblical behavior? Doesn't the Bible say...

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2

Wouldn't he be wise to say less? 


But consider? How would you do in his situation? Are there reasons for his steps to be off at times? Could his abilities be intermittently compromised by distraction? And if so, how?

Again, how would you do in his circumstance? Is there a safe place where he can talk freely in the presence of peers and opponents? Can he freely, "Brainstorm," without public ridicule?  Can he radically explore options, opinions and outcomes. If you view the mask disinfectant video clip you will see him looking to his peers as though waiting for a response that didn't come. As is so common, in 
these days of, "maintain the narrative," reporting, there is a portions of the story that the press has ignored. 

For a person with such a tough exterior, Trump seems to be genuinely hurt by these attacks. Especially when they betray his privacy, whether through gossip or intentional leaking. His pattern of firing and replacing his team seems to show a deep sense of mistrust, apprehension of eminent betrayal.

More than any of his predecessors Trump's statements are either defensive of his goals, which appear to guide his perceptions, or accusatory of his opponents, who freely harass, demean or accuse him. But not only him, it extends to all he personally cares about, even those who merely associate with him.

More than any of his predecessors Trump has been very self protective when wrong, and very self congratulatory when successful. What do you think created a person so uniquely defensive?

I don't know if you have ever experienced rejection. But seeing the results of the accumulative mass rejection and attacks that we have heaped on this man and his family for the last three and a half years, I am surprised he is doing as well as he is.

Recently I started a new job in a hospital system that emphasized formality over function, after only four months of being singled out and ridiculed, I GOT OUT through early retirement. It was a very difficult time for me. And yet, I was only experiencing hardship at my place of employment. No one harassed my friends or family.

Frankly! I am grateful for Trump's persistence and resilience, even as I was Obama's. I am saddened by his faux pas and the frequent fumbling delays he displays before his BETTER or BEST RESPONSE comes forth. (which is usually quite good). In general, his ability to adjust and self correct has been extraordinary. (Especially considering his novice status.)

There are certain to be volumes and volumes and volumes of Trump misspeaking as he continues to learn on the job in the caustic hostile environment he chose to live in.

So then should Trump get a pass? Should we compassionately accept his flaws and leave him unaccountable for his words and actions?

NO! He is our elected official and has important responsibilities that only he can accomplish. 
But he also deserves the respect that the weight of his job warrants. 

The problem realities of this current epidemic did not originate with Trump. His decisions did not create our culture of shallow, short sighted, metrics driven healthcare. But he is blamed as though he did.

Since the moment of Trump's election opposition leadership has called on their "majority," to disrupt and obstruct our governmental processes. There were even riots and a shooting in the streets of Portland. Years have past since the election and yet this ferocity hasn't let up. 
If you believe in mob rule by a simple majority then the obstruct, resist narrative may sound good to you. But this is not how we should act in a crisis. 

I am grateful to have came from a time where acts of reciprocal cooperation to achieve mutual benefit were considered normal. Not obstructionism, hatred and punishment.



I was in Nursing School during the last pandemic, but political correctness didn't allow it to be called a pandemic, (still doesn't). Anyone that expressed fear or concern was called a homophobe and accused of bigotry. At that time, like today, the cumbersome legalities of State's Rights and the immense array of Food and Drug Administration restrictions hindered quick and comprehensive medical solutions.

With AIDS, the consistent narrative in the press, was shaped by staged activists events where powerful Republicans were accused of passively 
accepting AIDS, to use as a tool to punish the gay community. The following documentary portrays the sentiments of the time very well. 




United in Anger: A History of ACT UP 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrAzU79PBVM 


But it was Republican President George Bush Jr. that comprehensively addressed the problem on a global scale along with the help of Churches across the globe to bring the crisis stage of the AIDS pandemic under a degree of control.


Bono & Amy; President Bush, 
World Aids Day, Today Show Interview 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6yomxZL_nY 

And not surprisingly, our current Republican President is continuing the legacy by pushing for the acceptance and funding for what could be the most effective HIV deterrent to date.



Trump wants to eliminate HIV epidemic 
| Here's how Feb 6, 2019 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DHJ2AtiSbo 

Currently Trump is also pushing for quick action in this Covid 19 crisis. He is pushing in the same way that the ACT UP activists did. He has gone rogue compared to past politicians in his effort to mobilize our national response and facilitate testing but in real time, progress seems slow. Perhaps there will be a great ending to a very bad start. I certainly hope so.





Coronavirus: 10 Public Safety Regulations 
Set Aside in the Name of Public Safety

And while considering... We should put our vulnerabilities into perspective. What if the availability of antiviral meds went the route of (PPE), personal protective equipment like gloves, gowns, and filtering face masks due to short sighted, public health officials and hospital administrators? What if outsourced providers refused or were unable to deliver? Is the AIDS pandemic gone? How does it compare to the Coronavirus?

Is the HIV global pandemic shrinking? Has the "social distancing model," described as Safe Sex been adhered to?  Has our new morality reduced promiscuity and transmission in the general population? Are HIV infections on the decline? 

Sadly, the answer is no to all of the above.

The site below reports that there are currently 40,000,000 people (source https://ourworldindata.org/hiv-aids) in the world positive for HIV. Could geopolitical instability cause the retro viral supply chains to fail. Would this population be forced to experience a crisis like this current pandemic? Considering these possibilities, Trump's plan to stop HIV infection is a tremendous goal!

It will be some time before our current global count for Covid-19, of 2,826,573 Cases, and 196,966 Deaths as of April 24th approaches the 40 million number of HIV infections. (source https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/). Through it's course Covid-19 cases will certainly mushroom with extreme estimates expecting to up 160,000,000 global fatalities. As more data becomes available however, these estimates are being drastically reduced. 

In perspective, I think Trump is on track in many ways. I think he will follow in the steps of his predecessor G.W. in finding very effective and creative solutions even if they are only temporary, and I pray for God's grace to guide him and his family daily just as I did for President Obama.

If you want to criticize and blame, blame our hospital system leaders and the educational institutions that created them. Together they have failed us in preparing for this inevitable event.



 The Coronavirus and Public Policy


Through my 25 years I wrote letter after letter as an employee to my hospital's administrators. Years ago I consistently got cordial and sometimes amazingly effective responses. But in the last years of my career I got no response at all and eventually was singled out for sustained and humiliating corrective action for looking beyond the daily priorities and questioning the routine. This is exactly what needs to happen if we are going to be prepared for these type of, beyond the routine, pandemics.

Never the less, better than blaming, continue to do what you know is right and continue to encourage those around you to do the same! 

As Americans we need to stop the destructive blaming and obstruction and get back to the business of DOING what is MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL because there is no getting off this boat for any of us.

And finally. We should seek medical advice from medical sources and political advice from politicians.

The physicians below discuss how unreasonable it is to quarantine  healthy individuals for extended periods of time and present the benefits of ending sheltering in place as soon as testing becomes more wide spread.

See full interview with Doctors Dan Erickson and Artin Massihi co-owners of Accelerated Urgent Care in Bakersfield CA.


 You will have to wait through the10 second advertisement and it will start automatically

Click link below (not photo) 
to see full interview

California Dr. Erickson April 22nd 

COVID-19 Briefing 

23 ABC News | KERO News



Rebuttal from CA State Authorities

Why aiming for herd immunity to deal with the coronavirus is still a bad idea | DW News

Until the benefits of broader mass testing are available...

Each of us can USE OUR POWER to extend a greater degree of temporary protection to the MEDICALLY COMPROMISED. Through SHELTER IN PLACE and the practices of SYSTEMATIC HYGEINE and SOCIAL DISTANCING. 

Through our thoughtful and considerate actions YOU and I CAN help to PROTECT the medically compromised. 

Perhaps we should even create an Identification Marker like a RED SCARF to allow the healthy to know who to protect through more effective FOCUSED SOCIAL DISTANCING in the future.




A Success Story from the Past 

Several years ago when I was volunteering as Camp Nurse for our church youth group, I had a very challenging experience. It was during the NOROVIRUS outbreak, an outbreak that was so contagious that it completely shut down the mental health unit at my hospital, all of the staff and all of the patients became violently ill. The unit was shut down for weeks of deep cleaning.

A few weeks later we left for our Kidz Kamp offered to grade school aged children with high school and Jr high school aged counselors and helpers. On our departure from the church we had 120 people on two buses going to the camp facility at the beach.

When we arrived, before leaving the buses, I asked the riders if any of them had been around anyone who was sick in the last week. Three girls responded and one said she was feeling, "kinda icky", but also said," I get car sick a lot." Fortunately these three all sat together on the bus and all were assigned to the same cabin at the camp. I talked with their counselors and asked them to keep an eye on the girls and let me know if any thing got worse.

Within an hour one of the counselors was at my door with a girl who had just thrown-up on her mattress. Immediately, I went to the cabin and had all of the Kidz go to wash their hands before closing and locking the door. I asked them to sit together and talk as I went to the local supermarket to get a spray bottle, some Chlorox, 3 pair of kitchen rubber gloves and 3 pair of cheap, small garden gloves.




I mixed a spray bottle of 10% bleach water and had everyone in that cabin hold their hands out to have them sprayed and we sang a washing song. Then I had them go back into the restroom and wash the bleach water off their hands.

I taught the counselors how to clean up the mess wearing the kitchen gloves with bleach water. I taught them how to clean the whole area, "at least twice as big as the mess." and then to do the spray and rewash their hands when done.

I had the sick girl wear the garden gloves with the instruction to always take them off to touch her mouth or face in any way and when she ate or went to the bathroom. After taking them off she was to wash with the spray and then soapy water before putting them back on. I also told her counselors to do the spray, wash, song ritual every time after they touched one of the three girls.

Even though they followed the rules, through the week each of these girls got sick, and eventually their parents came to take them home. Their two counselors and one of the male counselors that helped them also got sick and went home. One counselor became so ill that, I had to take her to the emergency room after she fainted while vomiting. Her mother took her home. The last, the male, rode home with me in my car clutching and retching into a plastic bag as we drove. So of the 120 on the bus, 6 became ill, and only 3 were infected at camp.

I and the others were most fortunate, as at an earlier camp everyone that attended became violently ill!


The key to success?
clear and simple...




I believe that the garden gloves made it much easier for the sick children to remember to follow the rules of systematic hygiene. 

The gloves also made it much easier for those who were not sick to know who they should be more careful with for appropriate social distancing

We could do the same with a red scarf 
or even better

Air Filtering Pressure helmets! 
to protect our vulnerable neighbors 
from exposure.


I believe the gesture of stopping to evaluate risk and safety through  this mitigation process has been a great thing. 

As a teaching tool, it has forced us to see the risks we impose on those around us. We are now in a good position to continue as we eventually modify our strategies to provide even more effective protection to our at risk groups. 

In addition to wearing masks and washing our hands we could provide this at risk populations with a marker to signify to others that they are isolating and desire more personal space (perhaps 20 feet outdoors). (red scarf or similar marker could be used)

We could also provide pressure filtration helmets for their use to protect them when they are required to be in closer contact like public areas. The electronic health record could be used to identify high risk individuals and trained health care workers could provide teach-back education of the specific best practices to avoid exposure to infection. 

In time the rest of us will eventually return to business as usual, even as our most vulnerable may be forced to wait anxiously for a safe and effective vaccine to be created.  

The costs of providing the (PAPR), Powered air purifying respirator helmet, above would be hundreds of times less costly than our current shutdown and a fraction of the cost of treating the Covid-19 illness in the ICU for just one day. Currently the average hospital stay is 6-days at a cost of $73,000 according to CNBC.

These helmets could be returned after the pandemic and refurbished for future use by hospital staff or the public preparing us for the next pandemic which is sure to come.


Saturday, March 21, 2020

WILL ATLAS BE FORCED TO SHRUG?




WILL ATLAS BE FORCED TO SHRUG?

My photo depicts a competition for the reserve currency status in the world today. The U.S. dollar has provided the world with a sustained stable benchmark for many decades. This has been a win for most countries to this point. This status has also guaranteed our currency a relatively stable value in comparison to others. But with the frequent recent shut downs of the market and the competitive forces of China with her Belt and Road policy combined with her 5G technology, the Yuan, or perhaps even an electronic non paper currency based on the Yuan could supplant the Dollar as the word's reserve system.

As our capitalistic economies stagger to a halt in response to this Covid 19 pestilence. Our very way of doing business could unravel. This shake up could be so extreme that returning to the old system may be impossible. The change could be a very dramatic change, just as the 911 event completely changed travel.

Accepting the Dragon's Embrace 
through Belt and Road Subsidies

(click video below to hear story)
What does China's Belt and Road Initiative 
mean for Europe? | DW News


What does China own in the U.S.? 
| CNBC Explains

Are the Chinese Beating the 
Western Capitalist's at their own Game?

For decades China has advanced a kinder and gentler revolution, through extensions of capitalistic debt and exercising their global right of capitalistic ownership. With the arrival of President Trump in the White House, China's incursion into the U.S. has decreased abruptly. But China continues to be persistent shifting her focus to effectively ensnare and even seize control of many areas in the world, especially targeting weaker and more impoverished nations in strategic military locations.

(click video below to hear story)

Why is China on the move in the South Pacific?

On the day to day, these debts may seem manageable, but with the instability of this present crisis we could see a push for change. We could even see a push for the Yuan to be accepted as the world reserve currency. Perhaps the Chinese Government will offer major or complete debt relief to countries that accept this currency change offer. This would lessen the debt load for most countries, including our US of A. But if our current reserve status was supplanted, the expansion of dollars created for the domestic bailout could cause our currency to go down the same road as Argentina's or Venezuela's.

Recently China has extended astounding amounts of international debt in their massive push by building railroads and highways and ports as well as hospitals and schools... to create both human and financial capital through their strategic investments across the globe.

(click video below to hear story)
Who wins and who loses? China's Belt and Road Initiative

Consider how widespread China's interests are. Even the Biden family is set to reap great financial gain with China's financial success. 

These are excerpts. The initial tittle and summation of the article seem misleading. I suggest you (click the link above) to read the full article.

Currently the Saudi led OPEC oil trade has been the anchor that cements the U.S. Dollar's into the World Reserve Currency Status. But with the current resistance to oil trade and oil consumption in response to global warming and the disruptions in the Saudi Kingdom with the Saudi family's recent near death illness and in-family assassination attempts, there is significant instability. Will the Kingdom be able to maintain their control? Or could we soon morph into a completely new economic system?



The Dragon's Breath,... 
An accidental  Pandemic

This link is to an interesting article by Steven Mosher, President of the Population Research Institute, author and writer in the New York Post writes about activities that occurred at the epicenter of this current pandemic.

Wuhan Institute of Virology National Bio-safety Lab

You can hear Mr Mosher speak about his concerns on this topic. 
Start at minute 14:30 
and extending to minute 19:22
of the video below.


(Posted March 6, 2020)
Coronavirus May Have Leaked From A Lab



(Institute Response April 17, 2020)

Wuhan Institute of Virology: 

Man-made coronavirus beyond human intelligence 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=aswAvwZeVoI&feature=emb_logo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lq3_rsBJ9w&feature=emb_logo
Virologist Dr. Li-Meng Yan Claims Coronavirus Lab 'Cover-Up'
Made Her Flee China ( September, 11 2020)



Below is a screen shot, of the page and the video that was not directly accessible through Blogger. 
Note disclaimer from University of Hong Kong on last line of text. Post published Sept 16, 2020 Tucker Carlson show see link below to see video interview. 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/chinese-virologist-government-intentionally-coronavirus?




China's Censorship Helped Start a Pandemic




How China Corrupted the 
World Health Organization's 
Response to COVID-19



and more recently...


Saagar Enjeti: Lab-Leak Hypothesis Could Reveal EPIC Screwup Of US, Fauci AND China

570,451 views
Apr 8, 2021


Only the future will hold the answer to these questions. Currently my statements on changes in the world's Reserve Currency are merely presumption. To my knowledge, no official statements about Reserve Currency have been made. But in this very competitive and ever changing world, vigilantly looking ahead with an awareness of  Bible prophesy in mind, is important. Reserve Currency may change, or a parallel series of events could bring the imposition of a similar intensely controlled global economic system that includes the removal of freedom to worship as is described in the book of Revelation. 




Life Inside China's Total Surveillance State



China closing Christian churches 
in Easter crackdown


As Christian man, watching for the signs of Christ's return, I find these events worthy of attention. As many of you may know, I have been following events that appear to correlate with Bible prophecies for some time. A list of them related to past global scares and climate change events can be found in the videos and commentary in the link below.


click link below (not picture) to see a correlation of  video listings and commentary on global events predicted in Bible Prophesy. 

If you find any of this troubling, or would like further explanation, I suggest that you seek out and talk to a person of the Christian faith in your sphere of friends. This writing is not meant to cause alarm. It is meant to awaken those that have been comfortably sleeping in this land of plenty. 

Apr 22, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRI1wAdMmRQ
The U.S.-China battle to control 
COVID-19 narrative -- and blame


As this pandemic continues 
a self appointed savior emerges 
from the crisis and literally 
displaces worship across the globe. 




See full article at 

Most of the world’s major religions have either cancelled or drastically curtailed their festivals involving large gatherings of people. And there are many!

The Hindu festival Rama Navami, is on April 2nd,

Sikh festival of Vaisakhi is a April 5th,

The Jewish Passover begins on April 8th,

Easter for Western Christianity is April 12th, 

Easter in Eastern Orthodox churches on April 17,

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan
 begins around 23 April.

The Basilica in Rome was closed off and 
public masses and funerals were cancelled.

Most churches across the world have already
 advised congregants to stay home due to 
official bans on services of worship and most 
people are deciding simply to stay at home.

The Greek Orthodox church, however, has
 refused to suspend the ritual of worship.

Ramadan for the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims 
Friday prayers have already been suspended 
across the Middle East as a result of the virus. 

Saudi Arabia has banned overseas pilgrims 
from performing umrah to the holy sites 
of Mecca and Medina and to the hajj in July. 

The Muslim Council of Britain are considering 
the suspension of congregational prayers and events,

Jews and Christians wishing to visit Israel for
 the Passover and Easter holidays are effectively
 barred from visiting the historical sites. 

US synagogues are cancelling all communal events. 

The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, 
an outspoken Hindu, announced he would
 not take part in public celebrations and has advised
 India's people to also avoid large gatherings.



USA vs China: The new cold war on the horizon | DW Analysis


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Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Eating the Large End First and Political Leadership

In Johnathan Swift's 1726 Novel "Gulliver's Travels." The Irish writer and clergyman highlighted an international war that sprung from a dispute over egg eating.



It seems that today we are not so different as we cling to poorly thought out allegiances and hurl insult and punishment toward those that stray from our preferred models of honor, focus and style. 

In pondering, I consider. What could the these egg eaters represent? 

Could he be describing personality styles in leadership? Are we emotionally captivated by our leaders? Perhaps you prefer a collaborative, even comforting leader that models perseverance and patience. A kind of patience that truly enjoys small end of the egg eating? A minimalist that ponders and savors. Could this leader exemplify those that  aspire to idealistic social reforms? Leaders of poise and tactful argument. Seeming intellectual visionaries that often feign certainty with great social prowess. Activists leaders who remodel the cultural landscape to fit their fancy.


Or in contrast, you could prefer the seemingly simple but forceful style of those that eat the large end first. These forceful eaters get right to the point of the matter, which often chides with the aspirations of their idealistic opponents. They replace theoretical goals with tangible self serving strategies to achieve more predictable results. These leaders may lazily circumvent or even discard formalities in both policy and protocol as they re-institutionalize the practical benefits of common effort and the everyday joys of mundane reality.


And so as the conflicts rage and the fires roar,






And we obediently take our places on the battle lines. Which will it be? 





But consider, the ongoing resistance leading to the Impeachment, and today's resurrection of seemingly arbitrary court conflicts? 

What is your opinion? 

With this leader? Are his goals too practical for today's elite? Are they too practical for you? 

In your eyes, was his strategy wrong, or was he right to resist the Impeachment and other attacks on his leadership? Was he too devious or too effective when he exercised all available rights to self protection and privacy by law?



Should he have displayed humility and sought quick reconciliation? Would you have preferred tactful explanation and gestures of reassuring self disclosure? How do think he should have dissuade his accusers. How should he reassure the undecided?







this video below describes why less with the law may be more.. 

titled, Don't Talk to the Police

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE


And finally, Why such intense animosity for this  particular leader?

Below historian Dr. Victor Davis Hanson describes how,  valued, the "Useful Maverick," can be in the seemingly critical moment. He also reflects on the harsh correction and rejection they often receive as they fail to fit in according to expectation. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpKboaGPVo4

 Trump: Tragic Hero ... or Just Tragic?


What do you think?