More to Come?

Sometimes, when something good or bad happens, we ask ourselves: Is there more to come?

For example, Friday's Stock Market drop: In the greater scheme of things, it really wasn't much. And week on week, the total price drop was rather meager. But given the elevated level of the Stock Market these days, we naturally ask: Is there more to come?

While the state of the stock market impacts our wealth, what's going on in South Africa recently has been a matter of life and death. The rioting in the streets has been frightening to behold. Police have been unable - in some cases unwilling - to contain it. Communities have had to band together to defend their homes an property with the use of firearms. The accompanying looting has been so severe that there are not food shortages. Some reports say some people are now starving All reports say no one was prepared for this. 

Strangely, we've seen hardly any reporting about this. You would think it would have been the lead story this past week, but you really had to look for the story to find it. Why? Some folks think there's a racial element to the lack of reporting. Since the violence is being generated by black people - on not only white people, but other black people - it doesn't fit the current race-based theories that now dominate our national "dialogue." Maybe. Whatever the reason or reasons, it remains puzzling.

And, lets we forget, one has to wonder whether the rioting that tore apart huge swaths of our cities a year ago will remain quelled. What that a kind of "one off" event? Or will more be coming soon? 

One way to consider this is the clearly growing divide between large portions of our country. We've had the growing political divide ofRed vs. Blue, the economic divide of the richest vs. the rest of us, the exacerbation by many of a racial divide that includes not only black vs. white, but a rash of anti-Asian violence. Add to this now the division of "Vaccinated vs. Un-vaccinated."

In case you haven't noticed, the ante has been upped for the latter. Starting with strident calls for us all to take the free and "safe" jab, we've progressed to now a steady drumbeat calling for those who've "resisted" the jab to get with the plan. In this week's latest iteration of hysterical headlines, CNN identifies the latest "surge' in COVID "cases" as being a "pandemic of the un-vaccinated." 

Without prejudicing arguments for taking or not taking the shot, a few comments:

First of all, if you're not already familiar with the confusion and controversy accompanying the accuracy of the testing that's done to determine if you have the virus, you should get up to speed. Once you do, you'll wonder how it is determined that cases are on the rise. I'm not saying they're not. But if the rise - and the extent of it - is based on testing that says "x" numbers of people have COVID, then it really is questionable that there's a serious problem.

On the other hand, if reporting included folks with symptoms - vs. simply being told they have COVID based on a test - well that's something to consider. 

What about hospitalizations? Has there been a clear and credible connection established between those tested as positive and those needing hospitalization? Same for severe symptoms and death. 

What does it matter if lots of folks are identified as having the virus, but not having any symptoms?

In the case of this vaccinated vs. un-vaccinated, I suspect there's more to come.

On a personal note, we've been getting a wicked stretch of hot, humid weather in our neck of the woods. Accompanying this has been a rather large dose of rain. It's come not only in the usual form of afternoon thunderstorms on humid days, but has included whole days - or more - of rain. Mosquitos are loving it.

It's gotten to the point where I've got to ask: Is there more to come?

The answer, of course, is "Yes." But summer thunderstorms are one thing. Days of clouds and rain, though, aren't the usual fair - or haven't been in the past. Climate change?

Speaking of which, we'll finish up with that. Whether you think it's man-made, or simply part of the natural change in climate that has marked all of this planet's history, climate change seems to be having its way. We might also add that government interference with the weather (another subject, and one you may want to bone up on) has added to nature's natural cycles. However you look at it, we've got to ask: More to come?