Author: Jack
I retired in 2008 and so I have more time now to devote to several of my interests The blog here is mainly for my interests in some current events but may have the occasional rant on other subjects. I have also decided to keep my genealogy posts and book reviews here instead of 2 additional blogs (and so simplify my life a little).

Misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccines

Misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccines

Posted on by Jack

The other day I wrote a rather long piece on freedom and COVID-19 vaccines. I mentioned that there was lots of misinformation out there. But did not say much more on the subject of misinformation. I wanted to correct that.

The Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC) has a few paged that address various untruths about the COVID vaccines and general question.

If you want to do an internet search for more information, make sure you are looking at information from reputable sources such as the World Heath Organization, medical schools, schools of public heath, major medical centers, etc.

Your freedom ends where mine begins

Your freedom ends where mine begins

Posted on by Jack

Your freedom ends where mine begins. My freedom ends where yours begins. We have to get better at dealing with that tricky area where 2 or more of us have a valid freedom claim and they interfere with each other.

If each of us lived in total isolation, we would have something approaching absolute freedom. We could do what we want and not affect anyone else. But that is not the case. There are always others to consider. It could be family, friends, neighbors, or just people you pass on the street. The list is long. Like it or not, you can’t avoid it.
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A Republic, If You Can Keep It by Neil Gorsuch

A Republic, If You Can Keep It by Neil Gorsuch

Posted on by Jack

I am presently reading A Republic, If You Can Keep It by Neil Gorsuch. The title comes from Benjamin Franklin who was asked after the Constitutional Convention what type of government we would have. He replied “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Now that the republic has lasted several centuries the question is still whether we can keep that republic. This book is Justice Gorsuch’s answer.
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The Suspects by Jodie Lawrance

The Suspects by Jodie Lawrance

Posted on by Jack

I’ve enjoyed the Scotland mysteries I’ve read so I thought I would try a new series and I did like the first one. I just finished The Suspects by Jodie Lawrance. I enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley and Joffe books for the chance to read it before publication.

Detective Sergeant Helen Carter is the central character in this series. Like the earlier books in this series it is set in Edinburgh in the 1970s when it was unusual to see a woman in her role. Work is often difficult for her in this male dominated environment but in this third book in the series she is more accepted on her own merits.

The main story focuses on the return a major criminal and suspected cop-killer to Edinburgh, probably to collect some of the loot from a 1971 robbery. Of course there are a number of other crimes occurring shortly after his return which may or may not be related to his return. Like the other in this series I have read. this is a good detective story that is engaging and well written,

I believe each book can stand on its own but would suggest reading the first in the series before reading this one. It is not at all that following the mysteries in this book is dependent on prior books but reading the first will give you useful background on DS Helen Carter.

Freedom to Die

Freedom to Die

Posted on by Jack

There seem to be many people who believe a recommendation of COVID-19 vaccination by public health officials somehow interferes with their freedom. Well, it is just a recommendation. They do point out that not being vaccinated endangers the person not getting vaccinated as well as others but force is not involved and it is a recommendation.

You are free to get the vaccine or not.

I do not see why freedom is involved. If someone recommendations something you are free to accept that or not. Of course your choices can have consequences. in this case, the consequence may be your death and the death of family members, friends or others. And there could be lesser indirect consequences such as being denied admission to a place where you will endanger others.

Vaccinations save lives, maybe your life or someone you care about will be one of them. But you are free to do as you want.

Learn to use Free Google Drive & Docs

Learn to use Free Google Drive & Docs

Posted on by Jack

The full title is Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes: The unofficial guide to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides by Ian Lamont. I think this is an excellent introductory guide and reference book.

I’ve used Google Drive a little bit, especially Google Docs and I find 30 minutes to be overly optimistic. In 30 minutes you can enjoy the author’s overview which I found helpful and well done.

The explanations on using the various applications and how they fit together are also very helpful but I think being able to do a good job with any of them would require much more than 30 minutes He is very clear that these are free applications and someone may need a more polished product for presentations.

But there is much that can be done and done well with these free tools.

They may be more than adequate for many purposes. And why pay when free does the job. Many of us learn by trial and error and that takes time. Quite often a good reference is well worth the price.

January 6 Clearinghouse

January 6 Clearinghouse

Posted on by Jack

We need to know more about why and how the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol occurred. I’ve been trying to follow the news and sometimes write about this attack and the attempts to learn about it.

Today I ran across an interesting website that contains a number of articles about this including various timelines and original documents. The site is https://www.justsecurity.org/ and calls the area concerned with this attack on the Capitol the January 6 Clearinghouse.
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America’s constitutional conversation begins

America’s constitutional conversation begins

Posted on by Jack

A history that is important today as we try to understand the United States constitution. The full title is The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840 by Akhil Reed Amar.
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Thank you , Kevin

Thank you , Kevin

Posted on by Jack

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy deserves our thanks for his important role in the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Let me explain but first say “Thank you, Kevin“.

I thank you and so should the approximately two-thirds of Americans who support an investigation (1,2). Unfortunately there is a large political divide on that and Republicans have prevented the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex and tried to block the House Select Committee on the January 6 attack but failed.
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COVID-19 vaccines protect

COVID-19 vaccines protect

Posted on by Jack

It should be obvious to anyone following the news that COVID-19 vaccines protect. They are not 100% but pretty close.

They do protect against getting the disease but more importantly they prevent severe disease and death. Again not perfect but close. A recent article shows that of almost 9000 deaths in Texas in recent months 99.5% were in people not fully vaccinated.

Vaccination saves lives, maybe yours will be one of them.

Kevin McCarthy opts out

Kevin McCarthy opts out

Posted on by Jack

After Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol and Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected 2 of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy nominees for the House Select Committee (which was her right as Speaker under the terms of the bill establishing the committee), Kevin McCarthy pulled his other 3 members from the committee.

As of now, it looks like the committee will go forward with only the 1 Republican nominated by the Speaker. Kevin McCarthy says he will have his own investigation which is surprising since he and other members of his party seemed opposed to investigating this attack.

Since the Minority Leader will not participate and has threatened any who accept the Speaker’s invitation, perhaps the Speaker will fill those empty slots with reasonable Republicans. In any case I hope this investigation by the House Select Committee will help us better understand this attack on the United States Capitol.

Nancy Pelosi is right

Nancy Pelosi is right

Posted on by Jack

I have taken what I think is or should be a non-controversial position on the January 6 insurrection on the US Capitol. I favor a nonpartisan investigation into what happened when a pro-Trump mob attempted to storm the Capitol to prevent certification of the Presidential election and maybe in the process manage to hang the vice-president and kill a few members of Congress. In the process a number of police officers were killed or injured. Who would oppose such an investigation?
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Can we keep our republic ?

Can we keep our republic ?

Posted on by Jack

After the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin was asked what type of government we would have. He replied “A Republic, if you can keep it.” That is old news. Well over 200 years old.

Now the question to us is ‘ Can we keep our republic ? ’ I asked this several years ago in a different context.

But now the same issue arises again as Republican state legislators pass a host of bills to suppress the vote and even override vote.

Can we keep our republic ? I hope so. It seems now is the time to act to save the republic known as the United States of America