4/22/2021

My Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            It’s my brother’s birthday. He’s been around the sun 62 times & brings a lot of sunshine of his own into the world. He’s one of the friendliest people I know & loves to meet new people & make them happy. That’s why he’s good at the restaurant business. His project for this year is to bike as much of the Empire State Trail as he can. He does it a few days at a time & tries to go fishing as part of his trip so he can write about his adventures in his American River Tours blog. Of course, he also comments on the restaurants he visits, with prose such as, “The coffee was strong and hot. A burnt caramel crusted sweet roll provided 2 or 3 twists of sugar laden starch…”

            As you know it’s also Earth Day. I just learned that this year’s theme is “Restore the Earth” & the Earthday.org website suggests we take action. I plan to “make my next meal plant based” by eating fava hummus made from beans I grew myself. I may also do some citizen science by identifying the bees who are visiting my Tower of Jewels flower stalk.

            I hope you are happy with all of the pledges that are being made at the virtual Climate Summit. I was surprised to see that Bolsonaro plans to end deforestation in Brazil. I hope he follows through on that!

            Has anyone mentioned family planning? That would go a long way in protecting the planet. If the population stops growing, we won’t need to build more coal plants. I know that’s a hard one for you, given your Catholic upbringing, but I think Jesus would be on board with the idea.

            As usual I want to express my concern for the people of Myanmar. Asiatimes suggests that you are engaged in complex calculus trying to figure out what to do there & missile strikes is one of the possibilities you are pondering. They note that doing so would “kill the chicken to scare the monkey” or in other words, would intimidate China. Nothing good will come of that so put that idea out of your mind.

            BYBS,