March 7

Well, here we are--on the eve of the time shift--my least favorite day of the year. Thankfully, I don't have to be anywhere so it doesn't affect me the way it once did and I recover more easily. The cats are another matter. It upsets their routine and they really don't like anything messing with that. One of these years the powers that be might get reasonable and simply choose how they want to set the goddam clocks and be done with it.

I got the first four seed varieties planted right on time. That doesn't happen often. I have to get six more pots ready for the next batch two weeks from now.

We had snow Thursday and Friday but today they expect sun (which is nice and bright right now) and springlike temps. Tomorrow should be even warmer.  I am ready for that.

March 8

Several pundits have wondered why Americans seem more concerned (even panicked) over the COVID-19 outbreak. They usually note the very different reactions to ebola, swine flue, bird flu, and SARS. I can think of several differences that most haven't mentioned. Interesting fact, SARS and its Middle Eastern cousin (MERS), and swine flu are also corona virus infections. This article is interesting. First, we didn't have very many (if any) cases within the U.S. Second, we didn't have a psychopathic narcissist in charge. Third, we didn't have a compulsive liar at the head of government who is more concerned with his image than the health and welfare of people (beyond his own narrow class). Fourth, we didn't see whole Chinese provinces and cities under quarantine. Fifth, we didn't see whole regions and cities of Italy under quarantine. Sixth, we didn't have two of the most populous states declaring a statewide emergency.

Found this Atlantic article that makes a couple of interesting points. First point the author makes is many of us live in quarantine for the most part now. We may work from home and hardly every leave. A statistic I heard on one of the talking-heads programs this morning is that some 29% of workers today work from home/online. I noticed the number because it surprised me. I don't remember if they cited their source. Many of us who are retired spend most of our time at home, though no one has mentioned that. And I notice that nursing homes and senior living arrangement have had clusters of both confirmed cases and deaths. Second, though a large number of us work from home and can have food delivered by Door Dash or Grub Hub, the workers who make the deliveries have no choice about staying home. This point has been increasingly mentioned by the pundits. One story I saw earlier quoted one respondent "I am afraid I'll lose my job and I'm afraid I'll die." A larger proportion of our work force has the unenviable choice: keep working and possibly contract the corona virus or stay home and not have a home after they can't make the rent. Or go hungry if they don't have enough money to buy food. A number of pundits have noted that a majority of Americans couldn't meet a $400 emergency.