Criminal Negligence

A second case of Ebola is reported. One of the healthcare workers, reported to be in protective gear when dealing with the criminal that lied to get in the United States, tested positive for a virus that kills 60% of those infected.

Protocol for a dangerous pathogen is isolation of those infected. It's one of the only defenses available; and it's necessary. Diseases, especially viruses, can survive in the tiny droplets produced by a sneeze, and stay in the air for hours, which is one of the greatest reasons for isolation.

There never should have been any discussion about screening, travel restrictions and the immediate response of both, when it was obvious Ebola was becoming a serious problem in Africa. Commerce and diplomatic relations became insignificant when compared to the possibility of a pandemic. The failure of the current administration, political figures with selfish interests, and the fawning media to address this problem immediately is criminal negligence. People will die, they're responsible, and their punishment should fit the crime..

Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond 1990 Live Video

A very good live version for your enjoyment.

Maybe Never Complete

I've had a song kicking around in my head for years. It started after my father died in 1989. The lyrics never gelled, and maybe never will, but the chorus came to me almost immediately. Writing it makes me sad, which might be the reason I never finished. Watching someone slowly fade away is worse than a sudden, tragic death.

So, since it may never be finished, I'll write down the chorus; maybe someday it won't be just another unfinished task

As we sit and think of days gone by
And the time that slipped away
He used to stand so straight and tall
It seems like yesterday

And he lays there now, so small and frail
And sleeps most every day
He can't get up; he can't go on
We never thought it would be that way

So, sail away, sail away
The lord is waiting for you across this storm tossed bay
He has built a house of memories
He'll take away your pain
Sail away, sail away, sail away.

Outflow Boundary

We have an outflow boundary approaching. What's that? It's where rain cooled air from a large cluster of thunderstorms pushes under warmer, moister air and causes it to rise. The result is a line of thunderstorms, or showers that is usually pretty impressive on the radar. They look like a cold front on radar; and they are, in a way, but instead of a cool, high pressure dome to clear away the system, the unstable air can remain until a real front arrives and pushes the entire mess away.

How About That Electricity?

According to this article, the estimated loss of electrical generating capacity, due to arbitrary regulations, will be 700% higher than that predicted by the Environmental Protection Agency.  The loss of reliable electricity is anticipated to affect 44.7 million homes; and the cost will go up, also.

Coal is bad, according to bureaucrats, and some politicians. They base this opinion on unproven theories, which gave Al Gore the opportunity to make a lot of money from stupidity. Meanwhile, millions will find costly, unreliable energy in their near future and the damage of closed coal generating plants can't be changed like turning on a light switch. Huge coal fired boilers require constant attention and take months - if not years - to bring back on line, when they're shut down for any period of time.

In a perfect world, only those responsible for this debacle would be affected. Since this isn't the situation, it's up to us to remind those folks every time we see them in the grocery store. After all, the government isn't some faceless being; it's your neighbors and they'll keep making your life miserable if you don't let them know how much you wish they'd go away...to someplace dark and cold. We don't want them down here where it's usually warm. We have a bunch of Mexicans we have to figure out how to make go home.