March 13, 14

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We had, and still have, light flurries. I don't think we will get much. I plan on a lazy day because I am still recovering from the time change. That gets worse every year.

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More light flurries over night. I guess winter is still here. Most of what we got yesterday melted quickly. Still a bit sluggish from the time change and we have some grocery shopping to do so we will see what I find interesting enough to spend my limited energy on comments.

The Silicon Valley Bank situation seems to be contained--for now. I had one observation that has not been mentioned except in passing by the media: The entire system is very dependent on TRUST--the trust of depositors and of shareholders that the money they have put into the banks are safe and will be available when needed (or wanted.) Big depositors and shareholders panicked when the bank announced they would be selling some of their bond holdings at a loss and demanded their money back. The scene the commentators keep playing from It's A Wonderful Life is right on point.

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Sunny but cold to start today. I have an appointment with an optometrist today--time, I think, for new glasses. It has been four years so I can't really complain. I used to go in every year but for a while now I schedule an appointment when I think one is needed. I do the same for medical appointments. If I have a problem that I need help with, I get an appointment.

Talking medicine, The NY Times had this article this morning. They are finding bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics more frequently. And the antibiotics are the most frequently used. That shouldn't be a surprise. We have been warned since the 1950s, when the first penicillin resistant bacteria appeared, that that would happen. With some bacterial infections doctors now have to rely on "last resort", more toxic antibiotics.

Spam has become a major irritation here, especially what comes in on our cell phones. Since Mom signed up for Medicare Advantage, she has received repeated calls from the "licensed insurance agents" trying to convince her to up her coverage. They don't know the meaning of "No." I am used to getting alerts in my e-mail telling me "your package has been shipped" and demanding I call or visit a website to confirm all my customer information. I am not a customer. I didn't order anything and therefore am not expecting a delivery. Yesterday I got the first such communication by phone. I hung up on the computer voice.

Ron De Santis came out with a totally idiotic statement. He thinks we shouldn't be involved in a "territorial dispute" way over there. I thought he was once a history teacher but that, given the area where the "dispute" is happening, indicates a total lack of historical awareness. About 90 years ago a similar "territorial dispute" a little ways west of Ukraine. One country wanted a portion of a neighboring country in which a large number of people spoke the same language. Amid the bluster and saber rattling a the prime minister of a third country negotiated an agreement which allowed the transfer of that territory. It wasn't very long before the troops of that first country marched in and took over the rest of the second country. In case you are as historically illiterate as De Santis seems to be the earlier cases involved Germany (under Hitler) demanding the transfer of the Sudetenland (with its German speakers) from Czechoslovakia to Germany. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (of the U.K.) negotiated thee agreement he hailed as securing "peace in our time." The peace didn't last very long. A more intelligent argument asks if we should be involved but even that is somewhat myopic politically. We live in a global political and economic world. We can't withdraw behind the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and feel secure. Too many countries have ballistic missiles (whether nuclear or not) which can reach our mainland within a very short time. And our economy can't function without international trade.