Snarky Tom's Rants, Raves and Ruminations

It's been two weeks since I last addressed this subject. And a lot has occurred. None of it all that good. Many states (48) and their beaches, parks, etc. have reopened in full swing (or semi swing) with nearly everyone not practicing social distancing or sporting their summer mask. This is not good. I'm not just saying that because it's true. I'm saying it because the stats are proving it. If you care to accept the statistics (that is), the numbers are creeping up again and those same open states are now urging self quarantining for two weeks again. Pensacola, FL Beach Memorial Day 2020 (Photo: John Blackie/jblackie@pnj.com) This was just one scene from many all over this country this past weekend. Are we really ready for summer or for this? This being a repeat of what we've been dealing with the last two months. We have surpassed 100,000 deaths in the USA. We have 28% of the world deaths attributed to COVID-19. We only have 4% of the world population. That's n...

This could be a Coronavirus post but it's not really, even though, it is. Sort of. Because we are quarantined, I've been binge watching TV shows that I've always meant to give a chance but have never made the time. Now that we have the time, I've been watching Superstore. It's quirky. It's funny. It's a little bit, well, maybe, more than a little bit obscene. There's swearing albeit bleeped out and pixelated, but I know what they're saying. The current episode I'm watching is Season 4 Episode Major Crimes. In this episode, the manager, Glenn, steps down and the District Manager has hired her son. In the end, Amy played by America Ferrera gets the job because she blackmails the DM who she caught snorting cocaine. But that's not the point I'm about to make. I was thinking a real megastore would not allow the DM to hire a family member for store manager. But then I got to thinking, of course, they could or would. Nepotism started in ret...

When it rains, it pours, but not today. Well, at least, weather-wise. The virus is still with us. But more interestingly, some of the rich one-percenters are not. No, they're not dead. They've fled. At least, in NYC. A NY Times article noted that the rich have fled the city. As all of you know, the virus has hit NYC worse than anywhere else in the U.S.  In some of New York’s wealthiest neighborhoods, more than 35 percent of the residents fled the city in March and April. The citywide average, by contrast, was 5 percent. [New York Times] You know what this means? It's time to go shopping. There are riches to be had. No one around to stop you. I'm sure their doormen have all left or died. I'm not saying for people to commit crimes, but I can understand if the poor, destitute and unprotected from the virus feel like it's their birthday. If you know what I mean. During the Black Plague, the same thing happened in many of the wealthier European cities. The rich wou...

I have stepped back from this nightmare for a week or so to work on another post that I'm now stepping back from it to catch-up on the Coronavirus pandemic. Sometimes you have to take a break, rethink things, and approach it possibly from another side or at least, with fresh eyes. Things we learned recently. Congress is reluctant to return to Washington, D.C. because it has become a hot spot for Coronavirus. In spite of that, Trump still wants to reopen the country. What's a few thousand more deaths to him? However, the funny haha moment is now there are staffers inside the WH that are Covid positive. Some key personnel, like Dr. Fauci, are self quarantining because of having contact with the infected staffers. And Trump still refuses to wear a mask. And his VP too. Who takes over the country if these two assclowns die from the Coronavirus? Something to think about. About 6 states are reopening or planning to reopen soon and about half the country is considering a partial r...

The Googled definition of diabolical is: characteristic of the Devil, or so evil as to be suggestive of the Devil. That's a fair assessment, but not necessarily involving any Devil. There are two sides of every human being. A good side and an evil side. We all choose to use one or the other at times. We may choose one to be our main life force, but no one is 100% good and no one is 100% evil. That's how a diabolical mind goes undetected for years. Most criminals are stupid. It's apparent with the number that are in prison. Yes. There are innocent people convicted and placed in prison by dishonest and/or overzealous police and prosecutors. But for the majority, they're in there because they did the crime and now they're doing the time. There are a few. A minority that escapes detection. These are the ones with the diabolical mind. That is, they know how to control a situation where they can commit crimes undetected for years. They hide in plain sight. They...