Turn Bad to Good

Starting with the good news...The Imperial College of London reports that "The lack of human activity during lockdown caused human-linked vibrations in the Earth to drop by an average of 50 percent between March and May 2020. This quiet period, likely caused by the total global effect of social distancing measures, closure of services and industry, and drops in tourism and travel, is the longest and most pronounced quiet period of seismic noise in recorded history."

It seems like the earth is trying to tell us something. Although the global Covid-19 pandemic is painful individually, collectively we are living lighter on our planet.

For the past 25 years, some of the brightest people in Silicon Valley have been telling me they want to help find solutions to our most serious problems.

Well, here is their chance. There is no problem more serious than global climate change. What are your ideas?

We need to turn this short term evil into a longer term good.

The political will is there. According to LinkTV: "More than 40 mayors of major cities from Montreal to Medellin pledged on Wednesday to push for a 'green and just' economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The mayors, part of a global network of cities fighting climate change, said they are committed to investing in green jobs and low-carbon transport as part of efforts to stimulate economies flattened by virus shutdowns. A green recovery would be good for business, as well as for cutting planet-heating emissions, said the members of the C40 network of cities."

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Those of us who have paid close attention to the pandemic's dangers and how it is affecting our daily lives  have been puzzled by President Trump's apparent lack of awareness or concern, no matter how bad the public health news gets.

This week, however, he has changed. Now he advocates wearing masks and calls that a patriotic thing to do. Yesterday, he abruptly cancelled plans for an in-person convention in Jacksonville, Florida next month.

"I looked at my team and I said the timing for this event is not right. It's just not right," Trump said. "To have a big convention, it's not the right time.There's nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe," 

I've been quick to criticize the President many times during this crisis but today I applaud him. By taking these steps he will save lives.

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Thursday and Friday are the only two back-to-back family birthdays all year. Yesterday one grandson turned 12; today another turns 11. These kids, like children everywhere, are getting used to virtual parties, and almost always staying at home as they grow up in the time of Covid-19.

Baseball season's Opening Day was yesterday. There were cardboard cutouts of fan's faces in the stands and piped-in crowd noise in lieu of the real thing.

Everything is so bizarre. Spitting is no longer allowed in baseball. It must be a bad time for the bubble gum, sunflower seed and chewing tobacco companies. The old-timers in the Hall of Fame wouldn't recognize the game today.

In the Giants-Dodgers game last night, a lone deflated balloon drifted onto the field. Where did that come from?

We're all a bit like that balloon by this point, unmoored and directionless, as we go wherever the  wind takes us.

Loving you
Isn't the right thing to do
How can I ever change things
That I feel

If I could
Maybe I'd give you my world
How can I
When you won't take it from me

You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day

--Fleetwood Mac

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