A mounting love of show and luxury. A widening gap between the very rich and the very poor. An obsession with sex. Freakishness in the arts, masquerading as originality and enthusiasms pretending to be creativity. And an increased desire to live off the state. These are quotes from Edward Gibbon in the ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ circa 1780.

Sound familiar? The totalitarian ruling class is flexing it’s muscle just a little bit to test out the waters. ‘Shut down your business’ ‘Stay away from everyone, far enough away to isolate them from you’ ‘Wear a mask over your face everywhere to show everyone else you care—mostly about yourself’

Government officials have just been putting on a little show to see how much power they really can grab. A few steps further and we will have to get some sort of ‘papers’ to go anywhere, especially intrastate travel. Proof that we have taken ‘the shot’ showing our obedience to an experiential solution to a virus that came from China. Papers that allow us to travel. You have had the Wuhan flu? Prove it.

We have all seen the scenes “Papers please! Where have you been? Why are you taking this flight? Etc…We give a little and the truth is not in any of it. U tube videos abound with this expert or that one telling us it’s OK. Remember that old song “Don’t worry, be Happy”? That’s the key! As long as we have our personal peace and the prosperity to go with it, we will do anything necessary to keep that going. Keep your passport handy and stamped with the vaccine symbol, Isn’t that the truth of the matter? The old hippie maxim, ‘Go with the flow’ It works for dead fish too.

What is truth? Who cares as long as our personal life-styles are not threatened. Politicians are not concerned about truth either. Just supply the populace with a frosting of personal peace and affluence. We have come a long road in thousands of years and we find ourselves right back in Rome.

All we need is a warm place with a good TV so we can watch the Green Water Gators battle it out live! An ample supply of friends with some alcohol, purchased with that super stimulus check.A nice warm house with ample comfy chairs to watch the ‘big game’ and a fairly new Power Dredge with the most popular paint job (white nowadays) You got it made! What more could you want?

“Knock knock knock” Hey Eddie, could ya see who’s at the door?

Eddie: “It’s the police from N.I.C.E…. (Neighborhood Intelligence Control Emergencies) They are just checking to see if we have all had our shots and are celebrating with masks on”

Home owner: “Ok, I’ll deal with it. Hey guys, what can I do for ya?”

Officer: “Please inform us of any Neighbors that are a threat to the country please!”

Home owner: “Sure! That self righteous pastor right down on the corner, the blue house. They talk all the time about the government in a critical way. They say we don’t have to follow your silly rules!”

Officer:” Thanks, we’ll take care of it. Enjoy your game citizens.”

Good old Winston Smith dodges the state one more time. This home owner is a member of the underground and is very wary of the NICE guys so he sells out the pastor that is not part of his resistance cell. Nice guy.

Next day: Stop at the Wuhan national bank and negotiate the new mortgage that wound up there as a derivative from the bank, the only other bank in the country, the UN Bank. Cash in the last of that stimulus check. Then Drop by the market and use the toilet paper coupon and get some more chips (If they have them) so the gang can watch the re-runs of the game.

He then thinks positive thoughts to satisfy the cameras and the behavior police. ‘I Hope our great governor can help keep power on tonight. It’s been used for keeping the Governor’s management system working which is more important than a silly game. My Life is good! I’ve got a photo of our Governor on my wall! He says he can take good care of me! I thank him every day when I see that Photo. He’s like my big brother! Feels pretty good.” Jack Gator