December 2020 – Sommer Season all year

Strange things have been happening this month, and I am not referring to the craziness in the world. I’m referring to me (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors). Here is what I mean.

Every year starting in November, my wife starts recording Hallmark Christmas movies, and she watches them endlessly. Every year I ask: “Why do you watch those stupid movies when they are all the same and they are so predictable?” Every year she responds with: “They’re light and make me feel good.” I typically get annoyed with her because she records so many movies that they interfere with the programs I want to record, usually from the History Channel.

Now if you are unacquainted with Hallmark Christmas movies, here is the basic premise of all Hallmark Christmas movies. They often involve a fast-paced, big city type who meets a small-town type who teaches him/her what Christmas or life is really about. The setting is always in a small town with an unusual name like Fertile. Everyone drinks hot chocolate or cider, and these towns have Christmas tree lighting ceremonies or some type of traditional event. These movies always have lesser known, attractive actors and actresses. Perhaps that is the real reason my wife watches these movies as she enjoys nice-looking male actors. Okay, I’ll be honest. I like watching good-looking female actresses too. Often, in Hallmark movies, someone is brought together with an old flame, and involves a going-to-buy-a-tree scene where the couple literally bump into each other and fall in love in a short time. These movies almost always involve some sort of Christmas magic.

Usually when I go to exercise on the treadmill or rower, I watch a movie. Now here is the weird thing. This year, in 2020, I’ve been watching Hallmark Christmas movies. I typically prefer to watch the typical guy movies; action packed Marvel super hero type movies, but not this year. This is a first for me. My wife likes it as I watch some of them with her. But the thing is, my wife is right; these movies do help a person capture the Christmas spirit.

Every year when it comes to decorating for Christmas, I complain. My wife and children call me the Grinch. In fact, for many of the Christmases past, my wife poured me an alcoholic drink so the decorating experience was tolerable for me. I’ll be honest, I hate decorating for Christmas, but this year was different. This year I volunteered to set up the tree and put the lights on it before having a hot tub. Anyone who knows me will tell you the hot tub is my “happy place,” so to decorate before hot tubbing is odd for me. I never complained once; I think my wife would confirm that.

Maybe subconsciously, I had a selfish motive. You see, I love coloured lights on the Christmas tree and my wife loves white lights, so we alternate years. This year is a coloured lights year, so maybe subconsciously I wanted to make sure the coloured lights were put on in case my wife put on the white lights and then claimed she forgot it was a coloured light year. But I don’t think that is it.

I believe the strangeness I am experiencing is answered in the song ‘The World Needs Christmas’ by Emily And Mike. The song says:

It’s been a long and trying year
Full of anxiety and fear
But now it’s finally December
It’s the time when we remember
The world needs Christmas
More than ever this year
Put all the distant, the conflict, the stress, and the trauma behind usThe world needs Christmas
We need laughter and cheer…

If you never listened to the song, here it is

I think I can explain my atypical behaviour. This year, more than any other year, my heart craves love, hope, peace and joy. I need to feel the spirit of Christmas. Some unknown said:

“Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display–so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn’t the holly, it isn’t the snow. It isn’t the tree not the firelight’s glow. It’s the warmth that comes to the hearts of men [and women] when the Christmas spirit returns again.”

American essayist and lecturer, Hamilton Wright Mabie once said: “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” American novelist, Edna Ferber, says: “Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” Or “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,” an unknown author wrote. Yes, I am longing for that Christmas feeling or spirit. Right now, our world needs peace after a trying 2020, the year of bullying (#bullying #antibullying). As American writer of religious and inspirational poetry, Helen Steiner Rice says: “Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.”

Christmas—I speak of Christmas only because I was raised Christian—has always meant something more to me than the commercial aspect of gift giving. It’s a feeling, and I remember well that feeling as a kid. I remember feeling love when we gathered with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Perhaps American children’s author Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, says it best with:

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

One of my favourite movies is the 1951 version of Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol. I grew up watching this movie every Christmas, usually with my dad, when it was on television Christmas eve. It’s the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly businessman who largely views Christmas as a waste of time. But that all changes on Christmas Eve when he is visited by the spirits, or ghosts, of Christmas past, present and future who show him the errors of his ways. My favourite part of the movie is when Scrooge, played by Edinburgh born actor, the late Alastair Sim, wakes up Christmas morning. Here is what I am talking about. Be sure to watch the entire clip.

Mr. Scrooge definitely caught the Christmas spirit. He is filled with hope, love, and joy. What Mr. Scrooge felt is what I need to feel more than anything this year. I suspect that is true for everyone on this planet.

Christmas time is an important month for other world religions, since Islam, Judaism and Buddhism all celebrate major festivals around Christmas. The Jewish festival of lights, Chanukah, is one such festival. The Muslim festival, Ashura, is celebrated by both Sunni and Shia Islam. The Buddhist celebration of Bodhi Day, celebrated December 8^th, is a celebration when Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment while sitting under a tree. These festivals are all celebrated around the Christian Christmas festival.

The word ‘festival’ stems from the root word ‘fest’ which is a gathering, event, or show having a specified focus. A festival is about relationship as it can mean a day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration. Whenever there is feasting and celebration, there is peace, joy. hope, and love. It is time to bring on the festivals, in whatever form you envision this month, and capture the feeling of Christmas, or Chanukah, or Ashura, or Bodhi day, or whatever festival you celebrate. Author Max Abraham says, “Without relationships, life is useless, empty, boring and lonely.” The world needs that feeling, especially this year.

I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) taught science for 35 years, so I always taught my students to ask questions. French anthropologist, Claude Levi-Strauss said: “The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he’s one who asks the right questions.” I ask questions to make sense of things like what is happening on our planet.

Physicist Albert Einstein once said; “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” That is how I’m feeling these days. Actually, more accurately, the more I learn, the more confused I become. The world once made sense to me, but not anymore. Now I have more questions than answers.

Is the Mainstream Media (MM) telling us the truth? In my last post, The World Needs Christmas! I listed some questions to ask yourself about the MM, so I asked myself those questions. My answers are underlined.

Is the MM making me fearful? Yes, that is why I stopped watching the news. Why? It makes me fearful of COVID because that is all that’s talked about. Is there one narrative that all the MM is feeding us or are there multiple narratives? One, the COVID narrative which has continued for 10 months. If they are only giving us one narrative, don’t we have the right to hear all the different narratives or truths? Absolutely! Is the MM objective or subjective? Does it have an agenda or are there multiple opinions being given to us? Subjective, as it’s based on feelings, rather than on facts. The MM appears to have an agenda.

Canada’s Rebel News—yes, I know it is not MM—maintains they tell the other side of the story, as their website states:

We follow the facts wherever they may lead — even if that conflicts with the official narrative of the establishment.

They have a story titled: CBC says this Manitoba hospital is OVERWHELMED by COVID – is it really? (see CBC story) After sending a reporter to Manitoba, Rebel News reports “there were just five COVID patients per hospital in the province.” Either the MM media is spreading misinformation or Rebel News is. I’ve seen several videos like this one.

Is the MM is scripted? It would explain why all MM has the same narrative. According to the article; The 6 Companies That Own (Almost) All Media, that is, six billionaires, so it makes sense MM would be scripted. The article shows what companies own what media outlets. That is why I trust independent news outlets more than MM. It makes sense to me.

Are our governments being dishonest? A Global News Poll in May says half of Canadians feel governments are hiding something about COVID-19. Red State has a September headline: Emails Reveal Nashville City Government Hid COVID-19 Info From Public to Keep City in Lockdown. Governments lie all the time. Huffpost even did an article on it, called Why Politicians lie.

Why are our politicians implementing strict COVID measures when they themselves tend to ignore the rules? Canada’s Health minister flew home eight times while telling Canadians not to visit family, according to True North, a member of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. This was also reported in the Toronto Sun. The NY Post’s article: Photos show California Gov. Newsom at maskless party, reports a US governor breaking his own rules. I guess it’s as the idiom says: Do as I say, not as I do. This reminds me of a quote from George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, a novel I studied in high school: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

Are our health officials spreading misinformation? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, under Comorbidities, says:

For 6% of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned. For deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death.

To consider all deaths WITH COVID as deaths OF COVID is deceptive. Principia Scientific International (PSI), an independent science body legally incorporated to champion the traditional scientific method has an article: Even CDC Now Admits… which states:

Damning CDC document confirms…there has NEVER been any successful laboratory test to isolate and confirm the existence of the SARS-COV2 virus, alleged to have caused the COVID19 pandemic.

The common cold is a coronavirus. Does that mean a positive test for COVID means a persons has the common cold? How can health officials say a person has COVID-19 with a PCR test if they haven’t isolated the actual virus? One study reports that the majority of COVID-19-positive patients were asymptomatic (81%). Could that mean the PCR test is flawed giving mostly false positives? Even Premier Kenney agrees the tests are flawed. (see Interview). What happened to the flu season? Did flu viruses disappear or is everything classed as COVID? None of it makes sense to me.

Adolf Hitler once made these bold claims:

By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell – and hell heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed.

The greater the crime perpetrated by the leadership, the less likely it is that the people will ever believe their leaders to be capable of perpetrating such an event.

Are governments, health officials, and the MM be lying to us? If they are, we are being bullied (#bullying #antibullying) in a mammoth way.

Why are small businesses forced to close doors while corporate stores (Walmart, Costco, Target, Macy’s, Home Depot) have always remained open? Adamson Barbecue located in Etobicoke, Ontario, was shut down with numerous police surrounding the building. Its owner Adam Skelly defied Toronto’s restrictions on indoor dining and was arrested, yet a nearby Costco was allowed to remain open with thousands of shoppers inside (see Toronto BBQ). Does that mean the virus is only spread through small businesses? None of this makes any sense. Why is it dangerous for people to gather in churches but not in the corporate stores? Rebel News’ article, B.C. church FINED $2,300 for in-person services, police CAN’T EXPLAIN which order was violated, discusses how churches are being bullied. It’s unfair and makes no sense.

Why are small businesses and churches forced to close, and Christmas gatherings restricted, when the death rates are so low? Why are governments implementing Draconian restrictions when survival rates are over 99% for all except those over age 70? The word Draconian stems from the Athenian statesman Draco who implemented severe laws. Rebel News’ story: COVID pandemic restrictions are like Martial Law, is about a Pakistanian Canadian who compares her experience of martial law to living in Canada now. These measures make no sense.

According to the CDC recently updated estimated infection fatality rates for COVID (table 1) the survival rates by age group are: 0-19: 99.997%, 20-49: 99.98%, 50-69: 99.5%, and 70+: 94.6%. Do these survival rates warrant lockdowns? Does an almost 100% survival rate warrant closing schools? Even MM admits as in this ABC News’ article, Predictions of more suicides, overdoses and domestic abuse during COVID are coming true, that isolation, economic pressure and family conflict affect mental health. The CDC confessed that there have been far more deaths from suicides and drug overdoses than from COVID-19 (see CDC). To continue to damage people’s mental health when death rates are so low makes no sense to me.

What is the point of a vaccine if social distancing and masking will continue? That is what US head Dr. Fauci says. (See masks, social distancing will still be needed after a COVID-19 vaccine…) Canada’s head doctor, Dr. Tam, agrees. (see Physical distancing, mask-wearing could be in place for 2-3 years even with vaccine..) How is it possible to develop a vaccine if they haven’t isolated the COVID-19 virus? Yet, there is much talk of mandatory vaccines. The World Economic Forum says normally vaccines take 10 years to be approved for use, that is, to be deemed safe. Why is a vaccine for COVID being rushed? That same article says the experimental COVID vaccine will be ready this month. Does that mean the vaccine will be ineffective or unsafe? It makes no sense. I recently saw a meme that said:

Imagine a vaccine so safe you have to be threatened to take for a disease so deadly you have to be tested to know you have it.

Why are mandatory masks being forced upon us? Calgary and Edmonton have both had mandatory mask policies since the summer, yet COVID rates are purportedly rising. Does that mean masks don’t stop COVID infections from spreading? Why are people who were given medical exemptions being denied entrance to places? See Police, public health have NO ANSWERS for why mask exemptions aren’t ACCEPTED. It makes no sense.

Is discrimination for having a certain point view allowed? The Vancouver Canucks have fired their anthem singer for planning to perform “O Canada” at an anti-mask rally (see Canucks fire anthem singer for anti-mask support). Is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms no longer valid? Why is the freedom to protest being taken away? Isn’t freedom of speech guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? Our national anthem has the phrase: The True North strong and free! Is Canada no longer a free country?

As you can see, I have a lot of questions with no clear answers, so I must draw my own conclusions. The only logical conclusion is we are being bullied. There is much talk of the “Great Reset” which is about governments grabbing power by limiting our freedoms. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney admits The Great Reset is not conspiracy and is about “less freedom and more government.” Here is his discussion.

There is a quote in George Orwell’s book, 1984, that says: “We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.” That is a troubling thought. One of the founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” He also said: “He that’s secure is not safe.” The third president of the US, Thomas Jefferson, once said: “He who gives his freedom for safety gets none of them.” Maybe the late George Carlin says it best in this video.