China is in quarantine. As you know
the coronvirus shut down much of the travel for Lunar New Year that
millions of Chinese take part in every year. This mass migration of
people wasn't something I had really heard much about. Nor did I
ever really understand the ramifications of millions of people
migrating into the cities to work.
But in my YouTube wandering I came
across a story that brings home how this current viral outbreak may
be impacting millions of people. It is the sad story of the millions
of children left behind when their parents seek work in far away cities. These videos are a few years old now, but I suspect this situation has not eased.
Children are left in some cases to fend
for themselves. Or, perhaps just as bad, in the care of relatives
who don't really care. Although there are caring people who are attempting to help, the system isn't always supportive.
And another family's story.
I am not sure how I will feel wearing
something with the made in China label in the future.
Over the past week there has occurred
three things that for me seem to be turning points in some way shape
or form. I will touch on each in no particular order of importance.
As you are aware, or should be aware,
there has been an impeachment trial occurring in the United States
Senate. One might be forgiven if the word “trial” seems a little
overblown in this case. Because it seems there is already a foregone
conclusion. To that end it appears that some are quite willing to
dispense with something that is usually an integral part of a trial,
witnesses. And that to me is a slide away from the rule of law into
something else entirely. Listen to the statement made by one of our
Senators on why he reasons witnesses are not needed.
First off I don't think that admitting
the defendant's guilt is a good reason to deny further witnesses.
Secondly, if the articles of impeachment were written into the
Constitution then I am sure the writer's intent was for them to be a
recourse for removing a President who has shown his willingness to
abuse the powers of his office and undermine the rule of law.
The lack of will by the Republican led
Senate to rein in a President who abuses the office does not bode
well for the continuation of a democratic country.
Moving on we have what appears to be a
burgeoning global viral outbreak, which has sickened thousands,
killed hundreds, and left millions quarantined. China has been put
on lock down with many countries imposing flight bans in an effort to
contain the contagion. The effects are starting to ripple through
the global economy, tanking stock markets along the way, as many
businesses shutdown.
What we will see is whether or not the
global community can handle this in such a way as to minimize the
damage to people and their livelihoods. This should be a wake up
call for China to clean up the incubators of its markets and for
other countries to put in place plans to deal with a true global
pandemic before it happens.
And last, but certainly not least, we
have Brexit. The UK has now officially broken from the EU, leaving a
still divided populace. We may not see for a year what this has
wrought, but I suspect that it will slowly sink in. Good or bad?
The UK is an integral part of the world
community and this will touch not just them but us as well.
Is it any wonder we want to tune out?
A beach sounds good right about now.
I've been wanting to put up a new post
for some time now, but I've been swamped at work and with family
issues. But at the moment I am watching the snow blow around outside
my window contemplating clearing my driveway. Since I am not too
enthusiastic about doing that I thought now would be a good time to
write about something. I know there are many topics out there, the
fires in Australia, the killing of Soleimani, the downing of the
civilian aircraft by Iran and, of course, the impeachment of Donald
Trump. But a friend had suggested a topic a little while back that
maybe it is time we looked a little more closely at, population
decline.
Recently here in Minnesota we have
started talking about our declining population and what that will
mean to our future well being. I know there are those who worry
about population increase, but in reality we are actually looking at
just the opposite. Years ago in the 50's and 60's we had what
everyone called a “baby boom” leading to what was later called
the “Boomer generation”. Nowadays being designated a “Boomer”
has become somewhat of an insult in certain quarters. There seems to
be a growing rift between generations. But I digress.
I ran across this rather neat video
showing the changing population rates in various countries. They run
it over a large span of years showing what has happened and what they
believe will happen in the future. Some of the numbers in various
countries may surprise you.
In Minnesota we speculate on whether or
not we will lose a seat in the House because of population decline,
but perhaps that is a minor consequence compared to other things. I
remember a trip I took some years ago out to the western states of
the US. I visited a ghost town up in the mountains. Sometimes it is good to visit the past. It may be a foreshadowing of things
to come.
Others have dealt with their own
population declines in other ways. You may want to visit a town in
Japan that has tried a different approach. Well, one resident has,
anyway.
Yes, it's a little sad, I know. So I
will end this post with a little upbeat news. At least for one city
in Japan.
Now, my driveway awaits...and the sun has come out...
Yesterday was December 7. It was a day
that many older Americans remember and many younger ones should learn
about. Some may feel it was a more innocent time, where events were
black and white, where Americans could stand up as one people and
respond to an attack on their country with one voice.
In case many of you have missed it,
there is currently just as serious an attack on the future of our
democracy. It was one that was envisioned by those who created the
United States of America. This isn't about party affiliation, or
shouldn't be. This is about standing up as one people and doing what
is right. Even if it means standing against those in our country who
seek to tear it apart for their own agenda.
Yes, it's time for another book. I
will state up front that I have not read this book...yet. It just
came to my attention today. However, it's subject matter deserves
delving into. For it deals partly with an issue that has been
brought up in the comments section in the past, the effects of
population growth. As so many have assumed, me included, the
effects of a rise in population on our planetary resources could only
lead to their depletion. But as some have suggested there may be
technological, and other advances, that have just the opposite effect. This book sheds light on that argument. The book
is:
Without further introduction I will
let Andrew McAfee explain:
I think it important to emphasize the
last point that McAfee makes about the involvement of good
government. None of this would have occurred if it weren't for smart
policy decisions by past governments. And we are now in danger of
undoing some of that good,
