The first person in the US to be diagnosed with COVID-19 who had NOT travelled outside the United States was diagnosed on FEBRUARY 25, the DAY Mardi Gra took place.
Seriously? Ya'll want to blame Trump for letting you go to Mardi Gra? HOW IRRATIONAL!
How would it have sounded if he had got on live TV on FEB 24 and said, "There is a virus ravaging China right now. I closed the Borders to China in January because of it. There is a TRAVEL BAN in place. Therefore, it is not advisable for anyone to go to Mardi Gra!"
EVERYONE, including ME would have thought he'd lost his mind. I almost did when he finally DID.
Not any more.
So, to put this in perspective:
The FIRST person to contract the virus who was not travelling to or from the US was on February 25. The day Mardi Gra STARTED.
The first person to be diagnosed in NY was on March 2.
Let that sink in. There are over 175,000 in the US today, 3351 REPORTED in TX right now.
At the rate it is going, even with quarantine, there will be over 50 Million who have COVID 19 in 6 months. There were only 54 Million who had ALL the other flus combined during the last 6 months.
Trump is doing, and HAS BEEN doing the right thing....buying us time. Just think what the numbers would be WITHOUT the quarantine measures.
The measures put into place by counties across Texas have slowed the numbers significantly. Texas dropped to number 12 from number 11 in the number of cases each state has.
There have been 36 deaths so far.
Roughly 54 Million people got the Flu this flu season with roughly 62,000 deaths. That is 6 months worth of data.
COVID-19 is new. In the beginning of this month alone, there were less than 100 cases in Texas. Without social distancing measures, the number of cases would have been 10X larger than they are, or more. Times 10 for each month of a regular flu season. You are looking at it encompassing ALL of Texas and then some. NO ONE would have been untouched by the COVID-19 virus.
So yes, Trump made the right call, and so has our local governments who are enacting stay at home measures.
If you want to see how bad it could get, just look at New York, who already has over 60,000 cases and is begging for help. Their hospitals are so over-run that organizations are pitching in to help provide more space for the sick. Trump just sent a Naval Hospital via ship to help out.
Most who get the virus, as with any other flu, will recover. But, about half of them will need help. This isn't about the numbers of people who will get it, this is about not overwhelming our hospitals and health centers during the progression.
If our hospitals are over capacitated, they will be FORCED to decide who and who not to treat. MORE people will die. Including those who have not been touched by the virus. For instance, a young mother of two comes in. She WAS healthy, strong, had a great long life ahead of her, but got the virus. Now the hospital is overstaffed. There is a terminally ill patient in a room that could save this girl. The hospital would probably have to chose to save her and let the terminally ill person die before his or her time. And THAT would be just the beginning. Soon, it would be older people who got the virus versus younger people who have more life ahead of them.
As it stands, yes, abortions outnumber the deaths. But if this happens, DEATH will be chosen by those who are not dying. So, because we choose LIFE, social distancing and stay at home measures are a MUST.
BTW, until a vaccine is made, be prepared to catch the virus. It isn't a matter of IF, but when. When you do, don't you want the BEST care the medical community has to offer? Or, is it worth living knowing someone else may have had to die for you to do so?
If there were a chapter in the Bible written about Trump it would tell how he came to know Christ. Then it would tell how he led a nation back to God in the face of daily, hourly persecution by everyone in it.
Then it would tell how God sent a great plague to that Nation, and how everyone who persecuted him and hated him looked to him for guidance.
The cities in that nation that persecuted him the most and drove him out to live in a city far away was the most hard hit by this plague.
And Trump, being the man of God, the good Christian (albeit not a perfect man oh, just like all the other heroes of the Bible) did what Jesus would do. He did what Jesus said to do.
"If your enemy falls in a ditch, help him.
Pray for those who persecute you and despitefully use you. It will be like coals of fire raining down on them."
Donald Trump did everything in his power to help out the ones that persecuted him the most, in spite of their hatred.
The end has not been written yet. But you can bet God has a copy of the book already!
I keep hearing people say, "When God wants to take me out of this world, I'm ready. When God says it's my time to go I'll go."
This is true. However, God also gave you the opportunity to live for a reason. So don't tempt fate.
Your job on this Earth is to glorify God. Your mission is to tell others about Jesus. If you refuse to look after your health and well-being you cut your life short. How many people did you miss out on telling about Jesus because you died too young?
I am not saying to worry about anything. I am just saying be wise about everything. It takes as little effort to take a vitamin c tablet every day as it does to read the Word.
Faith without works is dead, though. JS. (Yeah, I know, context, but I use it in every sense of the way)
For instance, I can sit here and say, "If God wants me to be successful, He CAN have my dream job call and offer me a job" OR I can pray, then take ACTION and go out and try to GET that job.
I can believe in God for my health, but if I am eating the wrong things and never exercising, I'm going to get fat and have high blood pressure.
I'm just saying, God gave us a brain to use for a reason.
It's been crazy. People are hoarding everything at Walmart. Walmart is closing early now to keep stupid people at bay. The government is asking us to maintain "social distancing", EO's are preventing business as normal to help force people in this cause, the stock market is plummeting, and a virus is taking over the world!
I've purchased over $190 worth of stocks that are only worth $140 right now, but I'm determined that it can only get better!
I haven't had a day off in nearly two weeks at work, so the owner has given me two days off after I work tonight.
I can't sell Avon in person until all this craziness is over, so I'm depending on internet sales -- which isn't happening.
And, I don't even know if my job is going to be able to stay open until this crisis passes.
But, my "opportunist gene" is in full force right now. I'm looking for ways to benefit from all this. And, I'm praying that on the other side of this, I will be just fine.
My trainee has been out sick, so it's just been me cooking at the Pitt Grill this week. I hope he's back by Monday!
Monday and Tuesday is supposed to be my days off. If I am allowed to keep those days off, I may be having Pizza and a movie with a friend.
I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I'll come home, sleep for 3 hours, then I have to get up to use the bathroom and let the dogs out. Then I can't sleep, so I stay up. Then I try to take a nap before work...
I've been getting about 4-5 hours sleep a day and it is starting to wear me down. Yesterday, I only got three.
So, this morning, after I got off work, I went to the store and bought me some Advil PM. It helped. I got up once to use the restroom, then went back to bed to finish sleeping. I got a full 8 hours! I needed it!
I made sure to take my vitamins today, too.
This Coronavirus scare has gotten out of hand. There is no toilet paper on the shelves. Why? What does toilet paper have to do with the Coronavirus? Seems to me that people should be buying bleach, not toilet paper!
And, the Stock Market has gone lower than it has EVER been due to this Coronavirus scare. Not sure what the Stock Market has to do with it, unless people are selling their stock thinking they are gonna die. Me, personally -- I'm looking at it as an opportunity. The stocks are going to go back up eventually. It's not going to crash because too many people aren't taking the scare seriously (as they shouldn't -- I mean, c'mon! It's just another virus. It only effects people who have low immune systems. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER VIRUS!) So, I'm buying all the stocks I can at the lowest price possible!
Today, one of my stocks went up from .55c/share to .88c/share. I own 10 shares of it. It was over a $3 gain.
I don't have much to invest, but I am investing SOMETHING every payday. I figure, by the time I retire, I should have a sizable nest egg if I do it right.
If anything, it should cushion me if I lose my job again. LOL
You would think, though, with people being so scared of this virus, they would stay home more. We've been REALLY busy at the Pitt Grill! But, don't worry, we wash our hands a LOT, and Luanne does a great job of bleaching all the booths and door handles every day. I even mop with bleach! And, all of our dishes are getting bleached!
Ya'll make sure you watch your babies! ESPECIALLY online! When they are online, they do not need privacy, they need GUIDANCE! There are a lot of monsters out there who use the internet to prowl on children -- and you don't know who they might be! It is heartbreaking to the victims and their families!
The election is getting interesting. The Democrats have no viable candidates, and it is doubtful the ones they have are worthy of beating Trump! JMO. But, if there is any doubt as to whether or not the Democrat mindset is socialist, just look at who is winning: Bernie is OPENLY socialist!
This election is not about corruption. It's about turning this country away from a free enterprise system. It's about taking the guts out of the Constitution. It's about turning it from a Republic to a Communist government.
Listening, catching up on the Podcast "Verdict" with Ted Cruz. I am on episode 12, where he is talking about the State of the Union Address.
He mentions Rush Limbaugh and praises his accomplishment.
My thoughts wander back to the years between 1995 and 2001. We had Waco, Ruby Ridge and the OKC Bombing. The American People had awakened to realize and notice how the mainstream news media were leaving out a lot of information that didn't answer their questions. They wanted truth. They wanted the whole story. They wanted to know WHY -- perhaps for the first time -- and they weren't settling for less than TRUTH.
The internet was just beginning to open up opportunities that we never had before. Information was just beginning to flow at a more rapid pace. We begin to be able to network with people that we had never had a chance to network with before for information from across the country.
People begin to collect information from different sources, and put the pieces together. They realized that the story that they were putting together didn't match the stories they were being told my the mainstream media of the day. They begin to notice outright lies that we were being told.
Rallies for transparency and Constitutional protections were being held. In order to fight the lies of the mainstream media, they began to build powerful email lists to update people on what was actually happening. A few conservative organizations, who were demonized daily by the mainstream media, accused of being "non-credible conspiracy theorists of the lunatic right" on a consistent level, got together and decided to carry that a step further.
I was involved in one such gathering in Austin Texas. It was called "Texas Best Seminars" and it was headed by a man named Wes Curtis. He was awesome in delegating responsibility to people who didn't even know how "involved" they wanted to be. He recognized talent, and called on us to use them.
We created America's Media Alliance. We got conservative radio, newspapers, newsletters, and short-wave radio personalities together. Anyone who had the potential to get information out. It was time to compete with the mainstream propaganda distributors. It was time WE THE PEOPLE had TRUTH.
We called on the unorganized militia to help us gather information, preaching that "the pen is mightier than the sword". And, while they continued to prepare for the worst, they began to open up and help us to secure our place in mainstream thought.
Soon, we began to see more personalities appear on mainstream radio networks. Rush Limbaugh was among the very first of those. He was a pioneer in conservative action.
But, he was NOT the only one.
I had my Friends of Liberty website that I used to promote the Alliance and all of it's members. I was elected to be the President of the Alliance because of my ability and knowledge on how to work a press release. I had the largest network of press release recipients all over the U.S. I became a powerful ambassador to the cause of freedom by using it. My site had half a million hits every month.
Then, the Sierra Times came along. J.J. Johnson was the owner. He was another one of those leaders who knew how to delegate well. He appointed me to be the site's Advertising and Promotional Executive. It was hard work. It was long hours. And, all of it was without pay. I made approximately $400 a month in affiliate commissions. I don't know how much Sierra Times made...but it wasn't enough to pay a salary to anyone that worked there. We didn't have the donors or sponsorships needed to do more than keep the information flowing. We were determined that it didn't matter. The information was too important not to share. It was our fight. It was our civic duty. We had enlisted in a growing army of Americans who wanted to tell the TRUTH. I helped see the site build itself to over a million hits a month.
We saw to the building of a conservative army like none that had ever been built before. World Net Daily was created. Mike Savage came along. All of them started at the bottom, in the American Alliance of email list networks and Friends of Liberty network of websites, and the Sierra Times News outlets. And, when I finally left the scene in 2002 due to personal problems and lack of enough funding to survive and give my all, after I had lost everything in the fight, they stayed around to continue the fight and carry it on to higher levels.
When I came back to the internet 10 years later, Facebook had taken over. Google, YouTube and Twitter had made their marks. It was no longer us conservatives the government hated. And, it was no longer just ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN that the Conservatives were fighting.
And Rush Limbaugh was still on the front lines, fighting, among a few others from the past that I remembered. I had a sense of pride.
FOX News had been born. (and, I while I am worried that it is not strong enough to fight take-over attempts and offers, I am still proud that it made the effort and is still making a difference!)
I HAVE a sense of pride. No one remembers me or my contribution. No one believes all I had experienced during that time. No one will ever know the sacrifices I made to launch those who were still here fighting the good fight for TRUTH, JUSTICE and LIBERTY FOR ALL. But, I know. And, I will stand proud and applaud that the fight is now bigger than ever. And when Rush Limbaugh received his Medal of Freedom at Trump's Speech, I was working at the Pitt Grill, listening to the speech, and I applauded with tears of joy in that silent restaurant in the middle of the night, having moved on to a new life.
I don't believe he is the greatest, but I believe that he has stood fighting in the greatest cause with more fierceness than most, as evidenced by the fact that he is still fighting to the death.
I've been training a new guy at work. I suspect my hours at work are going to be changed up some because of his need to get used to the job. But, I guess I could use the experience elsewhere.
It isn't like I have to "disrupt" my life to accept the challenge, though.
Today, I mailed off the last of my personal loan repayments. All my bills are caught up. I have money in my savings account, and money in my investment account (which I need to check, btw...)
I sold $110 worth of Avon during the last few days out of my bucket. I still have a delivery to make, but I have to wait until she is back in town next week to make it. And, I already have over $150 worth of orders for next campaign to make.
Today, I finally got my much needed oil change done. I was over 5,000 miles overdue for it. I also got my fluid levels checked. My car is still in top shape -- except for being dirty and badly needing a detail clean, which I think I'm going to have done after I quit smoking in April.
My housemate, Gary, made a big pot of AWESOME Spaghetti. I'm the only person I know who can do it better, though. But, since I am too lazy to cook after cooking all week at work (last thing I want to do when I get home is work...) I am enjoying it immensely!
Milo was woofing at me yesterday morning. I was busy sitting at my desk, scrolling through Facebook and "picking up techno-cans" (a term I use for surfing the internet and making pennies a day doing it). I impatiently told him "No, you just went outside."
He "woofed" at me again.
I picked him up and put him in my lap.
He was okay, but wouldn't be still. I put him down. He woofed at me again, this time scratching my leg with his paws. I told him, "Go lay down and go night night! You've already had a treat!"
He woofed again.
I impatiently got up and said, "Fine. I gotta fix a glass of tea anyway. C'mon. You can go outside." I turned around to see Ginger, the cat, on Milo's bed, licking her paws.
Sigh. I don't let the cats in my room AT ALL. She must have snuck in. Milo was just tattling on her. He wanted his bed back.
I apologized to Milo, gave him a treat, ran her out of my room, fixed me a glass of tea, and didn't have any more problems out of Milo after that.
Guess I need to quit assuming when it comes to Milo trying to communicate with me. LOL
My tax lady just called and said I would not be reimbursed for the fines I paid for the individual mandate because it is still in the process of deliberation by the Supreme Courts.
Special Notice to my Avon Customers:
I will be selling out of my bucket primarily from now on. You can still order from me, but you will have to come pick it up, as I am not making special trips anymore. And, I can't afford the cost of delivering the Avon catalogs either, so if you don't order, you won't get one.
I have a job that occupies too much of my time, and I need to rest on what days off I get. Plus, I have other projects in need of my attention.
HOWEVER, you can ALSO order online and have the Avon delivered directly TO YOU, no matter where you live! As long as you use the link I provide (click HERE to see the brochure online and to order) I will still get credit! So PLEASE order online if at all possible!
I love my job at the Pitt Grill, but I was hoping to find something that paid more, so I applied to the job of my choice. They still haven't called me. So, I'm going to be happy where I am for now.
ALL of my loans are now paid off (WooHOO! -- I'll be mailing the last one out on Monday, as they are finding it difficult to get it in person)
Now I am focusing on my medical bills.
I finally saved up enough money to get a much needed oil change for my car.
And, I'm almost a month ahead in paying all my bills for the first time in a LONG time! WooHOO!
I've looked into investing in the stock market. Truthfully, I don't see how anyone makes any money with stocks, after the IRS gets involved. It seems pointless. I mean, you have to have a god-awful amount of stocks to really make anything! JS.
I think I'll stick with mutual funds and CDs, and my savings account.
I'm still looking forward to the Midget Wrestling event coming up in April. We have decided to attend the one at the VFW on April 9th at 8 PM. Sure would welcome you if you want to join us!
Ya'll have a blessed day! (And, come see me at the Pitt Grill tonight, I'm working graveyard shift!)
God Bless Texas.
The Land I love.
The People I endear.
The work I do.
The State I was born in.
The Place I plan to die in.
The Children I raised here.
The lessons I learned here.
The God I serve here.
His eyes are watching over her.
His blessings abound in her.
God Bless Texas,
My Home Sweet Home.
--Shonda Ponder
You may have noticed I've missed a day or so of posting. I've decided to take a break from being on the computer as much for awhile. I will still be here surfing, occasionally, and I am always reachable by messenger, but I need to shift my focus on other things that are more beneficial for awhile.
I have started exploring the stock market again. I know that the Coronavirus has effected the stocks in a negative way, but while the stocks are low, it just seems like a good time to take advantage of some sales.
Luanne, my co-worker, and I have decided to quit smoking in April. This will be my second go-round. I am more concerned about gaining more weight than I am doing without a cigarette. But, I think I have a plan to put into action now that I didn't have then...not to mention that my body may react differently since my surgery. Ya'll pray for us!
A friend from Hooks has been trying to help me with my tub faucet. He got it all fixed yesterday, and when we went to turn the water on, it refused to come on. All of the other water in the house worked, so he suspects a valve problem, which he is going to attempt to fix on Monday.
God is so good!
I'm sitting here after a busy night at work eating Reese's Minis. Yeah, I'm splurging.
