11 January 2020–The instruction manual for blogging is quite slim–not sure I’m communicating with friends. In these first few months my tact is just adding new content to my original posting but now I’m thinking that maybe bloggers must start a new page with each idea.
This is a test.
In theory folks following me get a notice when I post but nothing seems to be going out. Here is the link to my page that I posted on today. https://maggiesmusings688820798.wordpress.com/
I’m following myself and will see if posting this new page causes a notice to go out.
Just in case this works, here’s today’s screed:
internationally as well as friends in North America!
11 January 2020–What a crazy 9 days since I blogged–brink of war, another airplane tragedy, horrible fires, impeachment—hard to know what to share that doesn’t seem trivial–watching a rerun of the Golden Globe awards, reading a couple of Swedish mysteries as well as the sequel to the Handmaid’s Tale, attending medical education meetings, angsting over the launch of a training program, watching a Facebook video of a son’s swearing in as the mayor of an Ohio village, etc., etc, etc.
Did you know that defense contractor and weapons maker stock prices rose when the Iranian general was killed? (https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/04/if-you-are-wondering-who-benefits-weapons-makers-see-stocks-surge-trump-moves-closer). Did u know oil prices rose at the same time? (https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/oil-prices-surge-stocks-slip-us-kills-iran-68050405). If this doesn’t bother you, I believe you should think harder about the consequences (other than profits if u invest in these things). If we think outside the box, maybe the companies that make weapons of mass destruction should return all profits to the US treasury to be used for peaceful infrastructure projects rather than enriching shareholders. But who would invest if there was no profit? Do we ever wonder if the endless wars we’ve been involved in are encouraged by those industries that profit? Even as a child, I wondered if companies would make weapons if it was nonprofit.
And while we are thinking outside the box, let’s bring back the draft for women as well as men this time. Why shouldn’t women have opportunities such as post-service education?
Would we fight endless wars if we thought our educated middle-class kids had to go? Currently it is a choice, but the multiple tours forced on many folks contribute to PTSD and catastrophic injuries and family problems from long separations and put a huge burden on the VA and other veteran services who often are not provided the financial support deserved that allows them to serve those who have sacrificed so much. Regardless of how one feels about war, we are obligated to do our best for those who serve, even if we must pay more taxes.
A tax cut that primarily benefits those who already are financially comfortable is wrong–morally repugnant and very unchristian from my perspective– if it means cutting back on services to the hungry, the young, the poorly educated, those medically unserved or underserved. And don’t you dare tell me that Canadians are unhappy with their health care system. I have both family and friends who think it is terrific–not perfect–but still to be envied by those in the US who have little or no coverage. Look up where the US falls in health indicators–if you think we are excellent by the world’s standards, you would be mistaken. We are No. 28 (https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(16)31467-2.pdf). Slovenia and Greece among others are higher than we are but we did beat out Estonia.
MAGGIE'S MUSINGS 