Dwain Northey (Gen X)

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/10/1162531885/arkansas-child-labor-law-under-16-years-old-sarah-huckabee-sanders

The link provided is about how Arkansas is rolling back child labor laws allowing 14 year old to work with any permitting.

With historic unemployment at 3.6% Sara Huckabee-Sanders has signed a bill that lifts the restriction on child labor.

I know I am conflating the unemployment with a ridiculous law in Arkansas but it is to prove a point. Why in the world would any state have to lower the working age if , as a nation, we are nearly at full employment. Is it so that large corporations can pay underaged workers less? I don’t know but it is a valid question. My other question is why would a 14 year old want to work unless they are from disadvantaged home life or in state run orphanages.

I titled this Welcome Back to 1900 because I am guessing that most of us didn’t know that in 1900 18% of the workforce was under the age of 16. Is this the dystopian hellscape that we want to go back to? The argument from the perpetrators of these laws are that they are over a 100 years old and then it was because the goal was to keep children in school. Well that make sense because the group that is pushing these laws also appears to want to roll back education as well. The goal, it appears, it that an uneducated or at least under educated populous won’t have the will or the wherewithal to fight back against corporate rule.

The overlords wish to have a disadvantaged class that are only suited for labor or military service, this definitely sound like throw back to the days of the Robber Barens.

MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN ILLEGALLY EMPLOYED IN HAZARDOUS JOBS, FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FINDS; FOOD SANITATION CONTRACTOR PAYS $1.5M IN PENALTIES

Packers Sanitation Services Inc. employed minors to use caustic chemicals to clean razor-sharp saws, other high-risk equipment at 13 meat processing facilities in 8 states.

These are headline from 2023… absolutely appalling.

Children worked during the Gilded Age because of the poverty of many families. In order to survive and afford basic necessities, families had no choice but to send their children to work. Business owners also preferred to hire child workers due to children being able to do the same job as adult workers for less pay (or in some cases no pay). This was the time between the Civil War 1860 and WWI 1914.

I thought as nation we had progressed past this world when families has to exploit their children in order to survive. I had a paper route when I was 12 but it wasn’t to help support my family in the 1970’s it was because I personally wanted fun money. I have read reports about teenagers falling asleep in class and being reprimanded for it but the reason they are falling asleep is because they are working in meat packing plants, cleaning equipment, at night.

I ask again, Is this the dystopian hellscape that we want to go back to?

I personally don’t want to go back to a time that we had Lords and Surfs… to a time of the Charles Dickens tails of extreme poverty juxtaposed with abhorrent wealth. I don’t know that any of us want that, that is unless you are already obnoxiously wealthy.

The world where corporations have unlimited power cannot come back. Capitalism is fine but when the COEs and Corporate Overlords put profit over people the Government that is of and by the people has to impose regulations. The first of these is to not allow, wanna be laboratory states of fascism, to roll back child labor laws.  

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

March 17^th and here we are its St. Patrick’s Day just another excuse to drink… on this hallowed day everyone is Irish so lets partake in the social stereotype that all the Irish do is drink and fight.

I am pretty sure that not many know a damn thing about Bonnie St. Patrick, so first let’s dispel some of the myths about the Saint and the Holiday that is celebrated in his name.

Among the legends associated with St. Patrick is that he stood atop an Irish hillside and banished snakes from Ireland, prompting all serpents to slither away into the sea. .…buzz… that is false. In fact, research suggests snakes never occupied the Emerald Isle in the first place. There are no signs of snakes in the country’s fossil record.

The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, has been linked with Ireland for centuries. It was historically called “seamroy” by the Celts and was considered a sacred plant that symbolized the arrival of spring. According to legend, St. Patrick used the plant as a visual guide when explaining the Holy Trinity. There is not historical evidence that this is factual but it’s fun to consider. Now a four-leaf clover is supposed to symbolize luck. (Not an Irish thing, just wanted to through it in.)

In Celtic folklore, leprechauns were cantankerous souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic mythology, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their legendary pots of gold. Leprechauns have their own holiday on May 13, but are also celebrated on St. Patrick’s, with many dressing up as the wily elves.

You’ll be invisible to leprechauns if you wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish countryside may be many shades of green, but knights in the Order of St. Patrick wore a color known as St. Patrick’s blue. So the tradition of wearing green I am assuming is an American bacterization, green beer, dying the river green were just fun things to do.

The meal that became a St. Patrick’s Day staple across the country—corned beef and cabbage—is an American innovation. While ham and cabbage were eaten in Ireland, corned beef offered a cheaper substitute for impoverished immigrants. Irish-Americans living in the slums of lower Manhattan in the late 19th century and early 20th, purchased leftover corned beef from ships returning from the tea trade in China. The Irish would boil the beef three times—the last time with cabbage—to remove some of the brine. The Americanized version with corned beef surely has more flavor than the historical boiled beef that would have been served in Ol’ Ireland.

So those are the fun, although not historically accurate storied, is there a real truth about the Drunkin’ Holiday?

Historians generally believe that St. Patrick was born in Britain, not Ireland, near the end of the 4th century. At age 16 he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold as a slave to a Celtic priest in Northern Ireland. After laboring for six years as a shepherd, he escaped back to Britain. He eventually returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. But for all of his prevalence in culture—namely the holiday held on the day of his death that bears his name—his life remains somewhat of a mystery.

Every saint has a lore about what they protect the faithful from St. Patrick protects, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of women and smiths (blacksmith/metal workers) and wizards, against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Wow it doesn’t seem like his protection is working. It is insane that a Saint that is the protector from idolatry (extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone), spells of women, and knowledge the corrupts the body and soul has been relegated to a drunkin’ carnival of a holiday. Now that I have soundly destroyed your version of the day, we all feel the need to wear GREEN…go have a pint of Ale and kiss the Blarney Stone find a redheaded lass and celebrate

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

   We have through the maximum stupidity of people to believe a disreputable individual, been saddled with the most f’d up supreme court we could possibly imagine. 

   Let’s look at the credentials of this group and I believe we will find not a single veteran among them. Most likely they have not had a member of their family serve in quite some time if ever. So then we have someone, a veteran, taking a case to them asking for a literal pie in the sky, and probably hoping for something more than crumbs on the plate, and what happens they, these ever so conservative unpatriotic individuals decide that a one year window is all you can have to make a claim after separation from active duty.

   The Pac Act was just brought to the table last year and it covers all the way back to the beginning of the VietNam conflict. People are still allowed to claim, are encouraged to claim that far back, but now the court says that those efforts will be denied because their sorry asses say so. Can we get that kind of limitation on any other issue?

   Lets see if the courts are willing to forget a charge if for some reason it has not made it into a courtroom within one year. Person was badly injured and could not appear. Or if a debt has not been repaid in a year can we forget those kinds of things. How about cancer, if it has had a year to mess up your life but hasn’t taken you yet can we get it to go away. Might be a bit far out on that one but the idea is a year is not necessarily a long enough period of time for an illness to appear after exposure. Sometimes it takes something else to make it happen.

   If you have had cancer and done chemo then you should know that you traded whatever type you had for leukemia as the treatment destroyed your immune system. Now chances are if you catch a cold it will kill you at least by the age of 70.

   One year should be the maximum time we allow a judge to be on the Supreme Court. After that year they must leave and go back to private practice without compensation for time served. Having a panel made up of pro religious individuals has a negative effect on the rest of us. How are they going to rule if someone other than a Christian comes before them and tries to use their religious belief to support their claim? 

   The business of prayer and public school has been resolved by saying if you choose to pray go ahead and do it on your own, so having a coach pray on a ball field in front of the stands full of people is now putting an entire community of people in an uncomfortable position. This happened and the school fired the coach and he took the matter to the supreme court and they found in his favor and now the school has to pay his legal fees.

   Personal rights should be protected but there are limitations to that expression of rights. It is illegal to burn the flag, it is illegal to piss in public, having sex where others can view is considered unacceptable so why is this disruptive behavior condoned? The reason is simple and that is because this court can not and will not separate the law from their faith which makes them unacceptable for the positions they hold.

   The more religion enters the political agenda of a nation the more rigid the laws become especially if there is a conflict between the scriptures and the law. The tendency is for the scripture to win and more rights being taken away. Being a biblical scholar is not my forte so the parts that I do recall seem to begin with “Thou Shall Not” and that is carried to the extreme by those that want to keep men in total control, keep women from having any rights and creating an atmosphere of distrust by encouraging neighbors to spy on and report on their neighbors. As an example look at the law enacted in Texas about abortion. No need to go much further than to say the state is not spying on you, they are rewarding others for doing for them, and once you are reported the state is more than happy to prosecute.

(back to the Gen X sarcasm rant)

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

I swear we have a national psychosis and it has infected all age groups and economic strata. As guy who drives people around 6-8 hours a day, I am privy to a lot of people with a variety of opinions on any number of topics and since I am a talker I engage them and sometime, I suppose, enrage them.

I tend to listen to political stuff in the car and primarily, ok always, the left side of the argument. I have tried to listen to the Reich (right) but it makes my head want to pop from frustration.

I have had passengers want to debate me about COVID19 by telling me any number of nonsensical imagined issues with the origin of the virus. Many actually believing that it is a bioweapon from China and/or that Dr. Fauci was involved in the creation of the strain.

I like Stephen King as much as anyone but I think these people have read “The Stand” to many times and have brought the plot to life.

Was also told that the vaccine is a plot to poison everyone in order to thin the population and that it also contains nanochips so that Big Tech can trace us.

Wow… these fools don’t seem to realize that they are carrying cell phone that are already tracking them. I have also pointed out the none of the vaccines currently being given were developed by “Stark Tech” because none of the nanotechnology exists except in the Avengers Movies.

Today I was told, by a fairly affluent rider that said he owned Day Care Centers, that he hoped that children came to his centers before they were brainwashed with CRT or were subjected to a Drag Queen Story time.

Ok, Day Care centers are for children usually from infants to pre-K and Critical Race Theory is a graduate level course taught at some Law schools. I am fairly certain these young minds aren’t being taught anything at that level, unless he thinks that just exposing children to all cultures and races is some sort of indoctrination process. As far as Drag Queen story time, the children’s parents choose to take them to these usually at libraries and I think exposing children to reading is a positive thing. Always want to ask the how many documented cases for child sexual assault have been recorded at Library story times.

What are people afraid of men have been cross dressing forever, in fact our founding fathers wore wigs. In Shakespeare’s time men had to play all the stage roles because women weren’t allowed to do such things. Dolly Patron made a comment that she dressed way more flamboyantly than any Drag Queen.

I wish that people would stop listening to the latest culture war outrage and just focus on reality. Honestly who cares about candy cartoons and what shoes they wear, Mr. Potato Head, or the fact that Dr. Suess stopped printing some of their titles. (Which is a free market corporate decision.)   Not one of these “issues” has any practical relevance. These same culture warriors decry everything is “WOKE” and I haven’t met one that can articulate what “WOKE” is.

I am sincerely asking, Please Stop Drinking the Kool Aid and think before you speak. As much as I enjoy making some people feel dumb it is tiring. I will end this with a quote from Mark Twain, “Never argue with a fool because a passer by may not be able to tell the difference.”

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

A brief history of Julius Caesar and what got him stabbed.

Caesar had served the Republic for eight years in the Gallic Wars, fully conquering the region of Gaul (roughly equivalent to modern-day France). After the Roman Senate demanded that Caesar disband his army and return home as a civilian, he refused, crossing the Rubicon with his army and plunging Rome into Caesar’s Civil War in 49 BC. After defeating the last of the opposition, Caesar was appointed dictator perpetuo, basically King of Rome, in early 44 BC. Roman historian Titus Livius describes three incidents that occurred from 45 to 44 BC as the final causes of Caesar’s assassination – the “three last straws” as far as some Romans were concerned.

The first incident took place in December 45 BC or possibly early 44 BC. According to Roman historian Cassius Dio, after the Senate had voted to grant a large group of honors upon Caesar, they decided to present them to him formally, and marched as a senatorial delegation to the Temple of Venus Genetrix. When they arrived, protocol called for Caesar to stand up to greet the senators, but he did not rise. He also joked about their news, saying that his honors needed to be cut back instead of increased. Roman historian Suetonius wrote that Caesar failed to rise in the temple, either because he was restrained by the consul Lucius Cornelius Balbus or that he was better than other and above the suggestion he should rise. Regardless of the reasoning, by practically rejecting a senatorial gift and not acknowledging the delegation’s presence with proper etiquette, Caesar gave the strong impression that he no longer cared about or excepted the Senate.

The second incident occurred in 44 BC. One day in January, Gaius Epidius Marullus and Lucius Caesetius Flavus discovered a wreath on the head of the statue of Caesar on the Rostra in the Roman Forum. According to Suetonius, the wreath was ordered to be removed because as it was a symbol of Jupiter and royalty. Nobody knew who had placed the wreath, but Caesar suspected that the senate had arranged for it to appear so that they could have the honor of removing it. Matters escalated shortly after on the 26th, when Caesar was riding on horseback to Rome on the Appian Way. A few members of the crowd greeted him as rex (“king”), to which Caesar replied, “I am not Rex, but Caesar”. This was wordplay; “Rex” was a family name as well as a Latin title. Marullus and Flavus, the aforementioned, were not amused, and ordered the man who first cried “rex” arrested. In a later senate meeting, Caesar accused them of attempting to create opposition to him and had them removed from office and membership in the Senate. The Roman lower class took their officials seriously as the representatives of the common people; Caesar’s actions against them put him on the wrong side of public opinion.

The third incident took place at the festival of the Lupercalia, on 15 February 44 BC. Mark Antony, who had been elected co-consul with Caesar, climbed onto the Rostra and placed a wreath on Caesar’s head, saying “The People give this to you through me.” While a few members of the crowd applauded, most responded with silence. Caesar removed the vine crown from his head; Antony again placed it on him, only to get the same response from the crowd. Finally, Caesar put it aside to use as a sacrifice to Jupiter Optimus Maximus. “Jupiter alone of the Romans is king”, Caesar said, which received an enthusiastic response from the crowd. At the time, many believed that Caesar’s rejection of the wreath was a way for him to see if there was enough support for him to become king and despised him for it.

According to Suetonius, Caesar’s assassination ultimately occurred primarily due to concerns that he wished to crown himself the king of Rome.

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I can’t help but read this and hear Dumb Donald talking to his minions and proclaiming himself as the most respected and also the most persecuted man in history.

 (In Donald’s voice)

“I was the Greatest President that this Nations as ever seen… even greater than the Late Great George Washington.

 I won my elections by a lot, more than anyone, they say I lost… FAKE NEWs.

 I alone, accomplished more that anyone ever has for this Great Country and still I am vilified. The Russia, Russia, Russia hoax… totally exonerated, along with the Ukraine hoax…it was a perfect phone call, so perfect.

I have been persecuted more than any leader in history, more than Lincoln, more than that Roman, Caesar, more than Mussolini, even more than the late great Jesus Christ, … all great men, not as great as me, they all did some good things but not as much as I did…” I could go on with this, but I think we all have the annoying voice in our heads now.

Beware the Ides of March Donald because our Senate and House have for more than 60 Senators that are against you.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

pi, in mathematics, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. The symbol π was devised by British mathematician William Jones in 1706 to represent the ratio and was later popularized by Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. Because pi is irrational (not equal to the ratio of any two whole numbers), its digits do not repeat, and an approximation such as 3.14 or 22/7 is often used for everyday calculations. To 39 decimal places, pi is 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197.

The Babylonians (c. 2000 BCE) used 3.125 to approximate pi, a value they obtained by calculating the perimeter of a hexagon inscribed within a circle and assuming that the ratio of the hexagon’s perimeter to the circle’s circumference was 24/25. The Rhind papyrus (c. 1650 BCE) indicates that ancient Egyptians used a value of 256/81 or about 3.16045. Archimedes (c. 250 BCE) took a major step forward by devising a method to obtain pi to any desired accuracy, given enough patience. By inscribing and circumscribing regular polygons about a circle to obtain upper and lower bounds, he obtained 223/71 < π < 22/7, or an average value of about 3.1418. Archimedes also proved that the ratio of the area of a circle to the square of its radius is the same constant.

Over the ensuing centuries, Chinese, Indian, and Arab mathematicians extended the number of decimal places known through tedious calculations, rather than improvements on Archimedes’ method. By the end of the 17th century, however, new methods of mathematical analysis in Europe provided improved ways of calculating pi involving infinite series. For example, Isaac Newton used his binomial theorem to calculate 16 decimal places quickly. Early in the 20th century the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan developed exceptionally efficient ways of calculating pi that were later incorporated into computer algorithms. In the early 21st century computers calculated pi to 62,831,853,071,796 decimal places, as well as its two-quadrillionth digit when expressed in binary (0).

Pi occurs in various mathematical problems involving the lengths of arcs or other curves, the areas of ellipses, sectors, and other curved surfaces, and the volumes of many solids. It is also used in various formulas of physics and engineering to describe such periodic phenomena as the motion of pendulums, the vibration of strings, and alternating electric currents.

This is straight out of the encyclopedia; I don’t want anyone to presume I had this information on the front of my cerebral cortex but this equation has got me in a science mindset. This has been known as Archimedes equation and that makes me wonder what prompted this higher level of thinking in 250 BCE.

Throughout our evolution that has triggered innovation has been from Curiosity, Convenience, Trauma, and/or Conflict. In 250 BCE the Punic War was going on, the forces of the Macedonian King Antigonus II and the Seleucid King Antiochus II win a naval victory at Cos against their common enemy, Ptolemy II. This victory secures Antigonus control over the Aegean Sea and the League of the Islanders. Was Archimedes revelation of this concept because of war? He was known to have developed ancient machines for war so there is a strong probability that the discovery of this mathematical constant was pivotal in the development of many war machines.

If we go back further in our evolution, we can assume that the discovery of FIRE was first curiosity that solved the trauma of cold then added to the invention of cooking raw meat. The leap forward from caves to structures were the result of convenience because food traveled and require man to follow then cultivate and harvest food.

Throughout history innovations have come out of war, stronger structures, more deadly weapons, metallurgy, and medical practices have grown out of our incessant need to kill each other. Many of our current daily amenities came out of war. The radio and other modern conveniences had their origins in conflict. Even space travel had its initial roots in war the Nazi’s developed rockets with the intention of mass genocide but the curiosity of space adopted the technology for less destructive means.

This blog and computer can be traced back to the convenience of calculating large number and also to war in deciphering code from our enemies.

I anyone reading this is wondering why the blog is named “Esoteric Meanderings” this is why because I never know what my brain will land on. So, if you are reading enjoy the ride.   

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

I know there are those out there that are opposed to governmental regulation on nearly everything, but those same people are the first to blame the government if thing go badly. Well at least if there are democrats in power if it is a republican’t it barely raises an eyebrow. I could reference the bank collapses of the past couple of days that are purely because of Trump era repeal of Dodd/Frank although the fact that the republicans disabled protections the rights (Reichs) talking heads are already placing the blame on President Biden.

Want I want to talk about is should there be a nation rent control? There was a covid provision that helped keep people in their rental homes in 2020 and 2021 and I am not proposing anything on the level. The fact of the matter is when that provision expired landlords gouged renters and many became homeless. I am currently a renter and from 2021 to 2022 my rent increased nearly 60% which for most is an unsustainable jump.

I understand that rental properties are a profit engine for large corporations as well as individuals that own rental properties but there has to be an equitable solution to keep that owners and renters happy. When inflation is 3% then raising rents by that much is not an unreasonable assumption even 5% if improvements have been made. Raising rents by 20/30/40% are excessive and unsustainable. Owners of apartment complexes protest that during covid they lost money, while neglecting to acknowledge that they were being subsidized by the federal government during that time that cover 75% of their lost revenue and that most residents paid their rent or a portion of it during the crisis. Home owner that have rental properties also received a bail out and 70-90% of those properties had renters that maintained their rent payments uninterrupted.

So why was it that as soon as the moratorium on evictions was lifted did these property owners gouge their tenants without remorse? The answer is easy because no one told them they couldn’t. These same people that may have lost 10-20% of their revenue in 2020-2021 made up 120% of that in rent increases in 2022 as well as evicting countless tenants. What did the evictions do to rent prices? It increased on those that could afford to stay in those properties.

Arizona Democrats are proposing a statewide rent cap on the percentage the a rent can be raised and already the Republicans are screaming foul. These same legislators pound their fists about the increase in the homeless population while turning a blind eye the what is causing it. SB1587 would cap rent increases yearly at 5% plus the cost of inflation or 10% whichever is lower. This is very similar to California’s law. Currently there are only 5 states that have a rent control provision in there law, 31 states preempt local governments from adopting rent regulation laws.

Housing is a basic human need in Maslow’s hierarchy of need the most basic is Physiological needs these are biological requirements for human survival, e.g., air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, and sleep. Why is it that we can study these need and understand them but when it come to providing or insuring the need it is ignored. Our constitution states that our intention is Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. The first of these being Life and if shelter is not available or sustainable not only is Life threatened but the other two will not happen.

So, I am asking the Democrats in the Federal Government to put forward a bill enshrining a national rent control. When the Republicans cry socialism and I guarantee they will, filibuster them by reading from the book that they proclaim to follow there are plenty of passages about housing the stranger.        

Dwain Northey

I had someone tell me that they are fed up with PC. To this I asked what is wrong with a Polite Culture and they corrected me by saying Politically Correct which I asked what’s the difference. By no surprise to me they were confused by my response. This person had no viable argument to the difference all they could reply was that there were thing that they just weren’t allowed to say.

I don’t get that some and I am just saying some have an internal issue not being allowed to spew vile B.S.. What happened to falling on the adage that all our Grandmothers told us, “If you don’t have anything nice to say just don’t say anything.” Today’s world of the self-entitled feel that they are allowed to vomit whatever depraved crap they want and should have no pushback from it. Free Speech is the usual retort from them except when it tables are turned and the barrage of insults is being thrown back at them then the crying starts about everyone is against them.

Case in point in 2016 when Trump won but lost the popular vote the RedHat minions told Hilary supporters that we lost and to get over it. Now in 2023 when dear leader the head of the RedHats lost in 2020 his minions are still crying that the election was rigged and that Biden is an illegitimate President . So what happened to you lost get over it? Sorry I forgot the new paradigm is if the Republicans win we should get over it and move on but if they lose then it was fixed, rigged and fraudulent.

Same goes for if you want to make a racial slur, its Free Speech, if I’m insulted I am a snowflake. I don’t remember reading in the Constitution that rights were only for a select few and anyone not in that group should be quiet. The 4^th estate is the Press which has a right to Free Speech but that does not mean that they can or should lie.

I believe in (P)olite (C)ulture . That you should not say thing incendiary just because you feel like its your right. Treat the way you say things like you would at your Grandmas house… if Grandma is uncomfortable with the F word you don’t use it. That is the polite thing to do. If you see someone in public that you are offended by, for whatever reason, it is not your right to tell them, even if you think it jokingly. Use the Grandma rule, if you wouldn’t say it to her don’t say it period.

So, let’s just change our understanding of PC to Polite Culture instead of Political Correctness and move forward and be kind to everyone.     

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

There are a lot of myths as to the origins of the ridiculous bi-annual clock touching that we do. Many will tell you that Benjamin Franklin and his Farmers Almanac was the origin for Spring Forward/Fall Back but that isn’t the truth, nor is it that farmers wanted and extra hour of daylight. Farmers and ranchers just work the time of day usually isn’t a factor, it is a get it done scenario. The truth is that it was first introduced in Germany in 1916 during World War I as an energy saving measure. The measure was repealed one year later.

Amazing how many of our modern customs were a direct result of war… sorry that could be a whole other topic for the future.

Daylight saving was reinstated in 1942 amid WWII. In the U.S. this was a shit show because some states adopted the time change and some did not. You can imagine what that did for commerce and travel. A Uniform act was passed in 1966 to switch from (ST) Standard Time to (DST) Daylight Saving Time in all states except Arizona and Hawaii that perpetually stay on ST.

I sort of understand the energy saving concern of the mid-20^th century but really don’t understand it now. There are many people that work night shift and the time change absolutely affects them. I worked in hospitals and during DST we lost and hour of pay because instead of being at work 12hours we were only there 11 but, in the switch, back we were only paid 12hours when we were actually there 13hours this was something that the powers that only worked days did not see as a problem.

That is not my only concern with the flip flop of clock touching. During the week after the shift to DST, research shows an associated rise in: Cardiovascular disease, with a 24% higher risk of heart attacks. Injuries, including a 6% spike in fatal car accidents. Stroke rate, which increases by 8%. These are actual documented concerns but still we continue with the tradition of changing clocks twice a year.

My solution is to pick one or the other and stay on it, no more clock touching. We already have defined time zone based on geography and to be honest some of those don’t make sense but to have to change an hour forward and back seem to be redundant in the present era.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Empathy, empatía, Empathie, 共情, сочувствие

This is a word that is know on every language but somehow, we lost the ability to understand it. I see Facebook and Instagram post about random acts of kindness, people leaving unusually large tips for wait staff at restaurants, police officers buying a child with a lemonade stand the shoes his trying to buy, but I feel that these are outliers.

Kindness has become, to many, a sign of weakness. I see it everyday in the most common places. Drivers won’t let other merge into traffic and if they let you they follow you and give you the one finger salute. People complain about another using coupons or having issues with their bank card in lines at grocery stores instead of being patient or offering assistance. All these little inconveniences have become giant problems, the “Karen’s” are the loudest complainers and almost always want to take their grievance to a manager even when to issue is an absolute nonissue.

I hate to give the previous guy any credit but his actions and disregard for anyone but himself gave the malicious masses the green light to be a hatful and bigoted. The very thought of being kind to someone because they were different, under the previous guy, was and current is considered WOKE… whatever the hell that means.

According to Websters Woke is the past tense of Wake.

Wake:  1.

emerge or cause to emerge from a state of sleep; stop sleeping.

“she woke up feeling better”

• become alert to or aware of.

“he needs to wake up to reality”

• cause (something) to stir or come to life.

“it wakes desire in others”

 I am still trying to figure out how this became a bad thing other than the ridiculous right have a completely different version of reality than everyone else.

I have Empathy so I suppose that makes me WOKE and I can live with that. I am still willing to help a stranger, buy a sandwich for someone that is hungry, in fact I paid for another’s groceries the other day because they didn’t have enough money on their card, the cart was filled with baby food and formula and I could let a baby go hungry. I was the woke guy in line that instead of complaining took action to help another. I can’t make others care and you can call me whatever you want but I hope that more people wake up and realize that we are all in the same boat and helping another is kindness, not weakness.