The Apocalypse may finally be upon us — or not
If you unwisely pay attention to the daily drumbeat of depressing news, particularly of the hysterical electronic variety, you might be tempted to hunker down inside your dwelling unit and never come back out. It’s grim.
Where do we start? Let’s see. How about that nasty, new flu that began in China and now has migrated throughout much of the world? Even the pope reportedly has been under the weather; whether the fresh virus is the culprit was unclear.
By the way, have you tried to purchase a protective mask or a supply of hand sanitizer lately? Good luck. There’s panic buying out there.
The stock market responded to the virus threat with a historic meltdown last week. Poof, there went a significant portion of your retirement stash. The current political climate is about as much fun as a root canal.
Then there’s fresh evidence that California seems to be heading into another drought. Prepare for brown front lawn. Again. We won’t even mention what that all means for the potential for more wildfires.
And what about sea level rise? The Peninsula’s many low-lying communities are said to be at risk. Just ask the good citizens of Foster City who are going to shell out millions of dollars so that their old levee system can be upgraded.
Oh, and do we need to remind everyone about that important dam south of San Jose that needs to be drained due to fears about its structural integrity in the event of a major earthquake in that vulnerable area?
At least we don’t have a plague of locusts like some other parts of the world. Not yet.
Nonetheless, it’s beginning to look a lot like the Apocalypse is finally heading our way. There is even growing support for something called a meatless hamburger, a culinary oxymoron if ever there was one.
On top of all that, next season reportedly will be Judge Judy’s last. Oh, the humanity.
If it’s not the dreaded biblical End of Days, it sure feels like something akin to it. Prescient doomsday preppers must be nodding their savvy heads. Paranoia is rampant.
I, for one, am heading to my personal bunker to get away from this stuff. If North Korea decides to test-fire more missiles, duck-and-cover drills under my desk will be the order of the day.
Online shopping
The perceptive Jennifer Pfaff, president of the Burlingame Hillsborough Historical Society, has a wise take on the steady rise of the convenience provided by online shopping.
In the organization’s winter bulletin, she writes that this handy practice takes on special relevance now in these increasingly cramped parts.
She notes that, “This (online shopping) has become pervasive as our cities continue to become snarled in traffic and ‘going shopping’ in the traditional ‘brick and mortar’ sense of the word may seem more of an effort than it’s worth, particularly if it means having to park the car.”
Truer words were never written. Thank you, Jennifer.
A novel theft
Shoplifting suspects apparently have eclectic tastes along the Peninsula. A recent police report from Redwood City would tend to confirm that thesis.
To wit: According to the diligent gendarmes in that community, a man carrying a Chihuahua entered a store and made off with an electric toothbrush.
It wasn’t at all clear if the device was intended to be used for the benefit of the canine or the criminal, or both.