Death by Ignorance

I was trying to play Scrabble online tonight and got caught up browsing FB, then in a discussion about the “possibility” of lifting the bans on social interactions in the US and all people returning to work.  I made comments; I read more; I got upset; I did some quick research; here I am…

Nearly 500,000 military personnel died during the U.S. Civil War. That’s almost half of all Americans who have ever died during wartime, and more than a hundred times more than died during the American Revolution, according to the latest estimates from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.May 24, 2015

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/many-americans-died-u-s-wars

US deaths in wars

American Revolutionary War 50,000

War of 1812 20,000

Mexican-Anerican War 17,435

WW1 320,518

WW2 1,076,245

Korean War 128,650

Vietnam War 211,454

War in Afghanistan 22,266

Iraq War 36,710

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

same site

War in Afghanistan killed 0.001% of the US population at that time (2010).

___________________________________________________________________________________

The argument that was posed in this FB talk was that the actual Death rate (according to “early” studies and his observations and understandings of said studies was that the “real” death rate)

is around 0.05% or even 0.001% not 3% not 5%.

My quick research easily concluded that the years spent in the Afghan conflicts gave us  22, 266 deaths or 0.001% of that time’s US population.

COVID-19 in about 2 months has yielded 14,451 deaths in JUST New York City.  That is almost 2/3 of the entire Afghan deaths.  TWO MONTHS.  And, from my readings, we can add 4 things:

1.  We do not know if we have yet hit the high point of the virus here in the US.
2.  We do not Know if this virus is seasonal.
3.  We do not have a vaccine.
4.  All of us (most all) have elderly or immune-compromised loved ones around us.

I do not advocate panic; I do not advocate burying out heads in the sand; I do not advocate being paranoid to the point of never leaving your home.

I DO advocate some sense of an understanding of how serious this is.

I am very sorry that people are inconvenienced by the solid efforts to:

1. protect our loved ones, especially the high-risk ones.
2. not overload our hospitals with the sick so that the highly-ill ones can be taken care of.
3. keep food in a position to be spread out to all.
4. protect people in spite of themselves, at times.

I do have great sorrow for those who are not able to work right now and who are having difficulties making ends meet! 

But, in all seriousness, if you die, or if your spouse or child gets very ill and medications and hospitals are not available, you would wish you had followed the guidelines and stayed home.

I have tried to keep politics out of this, but I have to say that Congress and Upwards Should be even more responsive to the needs of the LIVES of the people. I know that our economy is suffering.  I know it is hard and difficult and all to not keep falling farther and farther behind, but we have a responsibility as adults and as members of this great nation to keep it together through this, not in spite of it.

Again, as always, I love you all.

Stay safe, be smart,

Scott

Revolt!

No, I have not gone renegade and am prompting for a war.  “Revolt” is a recently-release movie in the Netflix site under Science Fiction.

I don’t believe much in spoilers, so I will keep it brief.

You need to watch this if you are okay with violence, some bloody scenes, and enjoy a great story with pretty decent actors.

I give it a 4 of 5 stars.  It ranks up there pretty high for me.  I love B movies (Heck, I even like C movies), but this one is a cut above those.

It will have you sad and cheering and hoping and holding your breath.

It got better as the film progressed and had a dynamite ending.

Rated “R” for violence, it has my thumbs up.

Namaste,

Scott

What Pegman Saw – Fukushima, Japan

This photo prompt is part of the “What Pegman Saw“.  Visit if you are so inclined.

 

Shidey sat comfortably in the cushioned seat of his new, well kinda new, Schwinn two-wheeler.  He was doing that no-hands pedaling, just leaning back enjoying the view riding.  And, what a view it was!  Fukushima, Japan, 2041.  He had been here with his parents when the alarms sounded.  There were no real bunkers in this radioactive city.  They had done all they could, hiding in a building as full of metal as they could find.

The bombs had been aimed carefully, many had gotten through defenses.  The entire world was racked by the worst devastation man had dealt out.  Earth was a forgiving mistress, but, this time, she allowed Mankind to reach to about  1/2% before letting him live.

Shidey looked at the two-headed birds and the five-footed cat.  He found it both strange and wonderful that this already radioactive city was now one of the few refuges left on the planet.

 

Word Count:  150

Namaste,

Scott

Reckoning – Friday Fictioneers

Well, it’s time for Friday Fictioneers hosted by our fine Rochelle.  This week’s prompt is provided by Roger Bultot.  Here’s my take:

Reckoning – by Scott L Vannatter

Jason looked at the morning, picturesque landscape.  The area was lit up by the almost-darkness.  He viewed the distant mountains; the sun beginning to rise behind their majestic peaks.  He noticed, too, the slight movement at the very crests of the faraway beauties.

He began to chant, at first softly, building to a near-shout.  His hands raised, almost without his thought, pointing to a spot midway between the clouds and the peaks.  With a tremendous roar, lightening loosed from his fingertips and lit up the faraway range.

“That should get their attention,” he thought while his army gathered behind him.

 

Word count: 100   Namaste,  Scott

Friday Fictioneers – Picture of the Present – Apocalyptic Fiction – PG13

Rochelle – Friday Fictioneers – Mine below – rest > HERE < You get the idea…now, enjoy!

Source: PHOTO PROMPT Copyright- The Reclining Gentleman Click on pic for page

.

Picture of the Present

By Scott L Vannatter – 100 words

Perry stopped to look at the long table of pictures set up in front of the scene. The first showed the lake in all its glory spread to the winds, the picturesque nature all around. The scenes then progressed, showing the lake as a few homes went up, then a dock, pier, buildings, a small town, big town, now a city, on and on, until now.

Perry picked up his satchel, took out his brush and paints, and began. It was so difficult to paint the current scene, so much had happened since the last war, not enough brown paint…

____________________

Namaste,

Scott