Alright! Hot weather, pool and lake time. Another summer.
How’s your garden looking? Keep it watered and weeded during these sunny times!
Controversy continues to boil. Voices from all sides are loud and passionate. Do we, or do we not, capitalize seemingly proper nouns that are part of food items, which are generally lowercase? Is it French fries or french fries? France is a country, a proper noun, but is a cut of potato, one served in thousands of different establishments, worthy of a capital letter?
What about bloody Mary / bloody mary? Who is this Mary, and does her legacy deserve an uppercase “M”?
Texas toast, Bourbon, Belgian waffle . . . don’t even get me started on Swiss, and of course, American, cheese. Thanks for bearing with us as we navigate this challenge and determine the best possible course of action. If the Pulse’s capitalization does not align with your personal preference or offends you in any way . . . Oh well.
For many lately, it has been one of those times: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.”
Sometimes we can’t always change the world’s circumstances, but whatever the circumstances I can choose to approach it with peace, reason and hope.
Perhaps the 2020 pandemic and closures have caused the general public to develop a healthy distrust of “science.”
Isn’t part of science exploring numerous hypotheses and possibilities?
It has certainly made some a little skeptical of “statistics.”
Even if all of the stats on coronavirus, or any topic, are accurate, one can make statistics say about whatever they want to say.
According to statista.com, Americans consumed 2.21 pounds of avocados per capita in 2000. This skyrocketed to 8.03 pounds of avocados per capita consumed in the U.S. in 2018.
You know what happened right after this reckless American guacamole fest? COVID-19.
The numbers don’t lie, people. Increased avocado consumption equals coronavirus pandemic. You can’t argue with science!
You know what country has reported zero COVID-19 deaths? Mongolia.
You know who developed a style of throat singing that sounds two notes at once? The Mongolians.
It’s hard to argue with these facts—the country that created overtone throat harmony (which also happens to border China, the epicenter of the coronavirus situation!) has reported zero deaths from the scary disease.
It’s science! Mongolian throat singing prevents the singer from contracting coronavirus. That’s not my opinion, that’s fact. Backed up with statistics.
Anyway, the point is that maybe it is a good idea to question some of the “science” and “statistics” before putting very much stock in them.
How very interesting that the response to the pandemic has been almost cleanly divided along party lines. Maybe it does serve as an illustration of competing social philosophies.
Some say “Yes, let’s give more authority and submission to a centralized government, to the system. All must fall in line.” Others say the individual is the highest authority in the land of the free—that the individual will look at the information, at the guidelines, at the stats, and make his or her own decisions.
But how quickly the narrative changes. The big mainstream story quickly shifted from the pandemic to the nationwide protests and riots sparked by the death of a Minneapolis man in police custody.
These protests, lootings and acts of terror—all evidently part of Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s phase 2 of reopening the Davidson County economy—have saddened many. But on the bright side, perhaps they indicate that the U.S. has moved on from the coronavirus.
I have composed a poem, in solidarity with the “peaceful protesters.”
The more bricks that you throw, the farther away racism will go.
Yes, the war against racism isn’t fought with guns or swords . . . but with bricks, and stealing stuff.
Remember, vandalism, looting, anger and violence probably won’t win over many converts to your ideology. In fact, it probably earns anger and hostility towards your cause.
Too many people want civil war. I don’t appreciate it.
I definitely do not appreciate any unnecessary violence committed on any human.
All lives matter, and all are essential.
Some are ready to end the recent lockdowns, quarantines, social distancing and whatever.
A rodeo and country music concert by Kolt Barber is planned for Shelbyville on June 13. We should see more gatherings and events soon.
The phenomenal Tennessee State Parks are here for you if you need somewhere to go to explore and burn some energy.
Even through pandemics and riots, the river won’t stop flowing.
A job well done to all involved in transporting two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station in late May. This mission, the first manned mission powered by a SpaceX rocket, saw that rocket return safely to the deck of a ship following its launching the vessel carrying the two explorers into low-earth orbit.
Now for the real news: Sarah and I expect our second son in September! Yes, another little Pulse man. What interests and abilities will this new little American have? We will see. Exciting!
Keep moving, keep playing music, shop local!
