Day 901

Day 901 Wednesday June 26, 2019

495 Days until the 2020 election and 573 days until the Inauguration

Of Solar Cells and Swimming Holes

Before my trip to Indonesia I bought a small square white light at REI. It could be charged off the solar cell on its back or via a USB connection. I wanted it to be able to take pictures in dark places and to position the light at an angle to generate shadows to highlight what I was photographing. This technique is called raking and hence I would use it as a raking light. Before leaving I charged it up, turned it on briefly, saw the white light and turned it off. Fortunately, I never needed it, because it didn’t work correctly. 

When I got back and turned on the light it went into what the directions described as “Party Mode.” Party mode runs through four different colored lights in sequence: white, orange, blue, and green. Then the light shut off. The directions said you got to party mode by pressing the on/off switch four times quickly in succession. Regular mode, ie the white light, press once. Flashing press twice. Something else press three times. It didn’t matter what I did it went to “Party Mode” ran through the four lights and shut off. 

I took it back to REI. The clerk suggested that I get another off the rack. Seemed like a good idea. The blister pack had a cutout around the on/off switch with a “Try It!” printed on it. Guess what? Party Mode and shut off, just like the one I bought. I tried the next one, and the next one, and all six or eight on the pegboard holder. They all did the same thing. I brought them to the clerk. Hum. What to do? He called the floor guy, who came over and pressed my unit multiple times, confirmed that it only went to party mode and took the others and put them back on the rack. He suggested another light. One that used three triple A batteries.

But wait! What about the lights that don’t work as advertised? 

Why put them back on the rack? Do you think there are folks out there that want a light that only goes into Party Mode for one cycle and then shuts off?

What happened to individual responsibility? I would have thought the clerk or the floor guy, or both together would have discussed this as a problem and sent it up the line. I mean there must be a lot of these lights throughout the stores nationwide. Wouldn’t it make sense to pull them all, not let your members be stuck with them and have to take them back to the store? 

It made me think of “The Great Generation” as the WWII folks are called. Or “Greatest”, okay? Why? They saw a threat, recognized it and dealt with it. Then when they got home the government passed the GI Bill so they could get a good education. ( I wonder was anyone screaming “socialism” about that government funding? ) There are tons of stories about those people, my parents’ generation, solving problems, pitching in, helping one another.

A few years ago I went back to Great Pond. The place where I learned to swim. Where I spent many hours. There were picnic table and stone fireplaces under the trees away from the beach sand. I remember having picnics there and grilling hotdogs and hamburgers. Dad would sit by the coals with a marshmallow on a stick slowly turning it until it was a huge golden tan. There was a float with a diving board on it. That float held 55 gallon drums and had a ladder that you climbed up. There was also a rock in the shallow water. It had a wooden platform on top of it and a lovely rock ledge step so that any kid could climb up onto it. I spent many an hour on that little wooden platform.

When I went back all that was gone. The big float was replaced with a low level float with no diving board. The rock? It was gone. No platform. There was a strip of snow fencing down the middle of the beach. To keep the Canadian Geese away. No one else was there. Apparently, everyone now has there own swimming pool. I owned a swimming pool – once. One trip to the pool store for chemicals was equivalent to a year membership in a community pool. With a community pool you didn’t have to keep it clean, worry about someone drowning in your pool, paying extra insurance, etc. etc. etc. And the great thing about a community pool is you meet your neighbors. In the old days there was a shed where aluminum patio chairs were kept. When you came to the pool you got a couple of chairs out, when you left you put them away. Now? The shed was gone.

What happened to our sense of community? To our sense of togetherness? Of helping one another?

When did we become so fearful? I don’t know what else to call it. We’ve lost our sense of helping our fellow person. We’re fearful to do anything. WTF?

Meanwhile those 350 migrant children were moved out of the facility that was reported to be unsanitary. Then they moved in 100 other kids. Soap? Toothpaste? Toothbrushes? They were all donated to the centers. The administration turned them away. They have all that stuff. Right. So why aren’t the kids getting that stuff? I haven’t heard an answer to that. Other than it’s the Dems fault because they won’t pass an appropriation bill that includes funding for the wall. 

Then there is the picture of a father and his daughter face down, dead. Both drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande. Why the illegal crossing? They were refused entrance at a regular crossing. There is chaos at our southern border. Immigration is at a 50 year high. ICE agents are frustrated and confused by Trump’s policies and lack of direction. Is this what winning looks like?

Meanwhile, our democracy is under attack. There are comparisons to 1984, the book, that was written as a warning about the rise of fascism. There are comparisons to Hitler’s rise to power, and Stalin’s. Meanwhile, the right wing fanatics are worried that Bernie is a socialist. Really? That’s what you’re worried about? We’ve got an international criminal enterprise running this country and you’re worried that someone might get free medical care? 

The best Facebook post I saw yesterday was a picture of a billboard in Kentucky. It had Mitch McConnell’s face on it. Printed in large capital letters were the words, “PUTIN’S MITCH.”

Yup. That’s where we are. Have nice day. Interesting that none of my right wing buddies have taken up the gauntlet to let me know specifically how Trump has improved their lives. Or Mitch.

495 Days until the 2020 election and 573 days until the Inauguration

PS What are you looking at?