Someday, we'll look for a hermit. Plus: Nice to be coddled by media. And, playing hooky, 2021 style

By Gary Abernathy

Someday, we’ll be knocking on a hermit’s door

I try to lean away from alarmist-style rhetoric, but what’s clear to me is that someday our dependence on electricity and our move toward being a completely digital society is going to backfire on us in a big way – thanks to the sun.

A story appearing in, ironically The Sun, notes that major solar storms have terrified people over the centuries, and we’re likely due for another one sometime this century.

One back in 1582 and another in 1859 were frightening to witnesses who watched the sky appear to catch fire. Today, the ramifications would be worse.

The story notes, “A similar event today, however, would have far more costly consequences. In a 2019 study, scientists warned that our planet is due a major solar storm within the next century… A single superflare could take out all technology on Earth, potentially causing trillions in damage and sending the planet into chaos.”

Just something happy to think about today.

We often make fun of “survivalists” and others who are seen as extreme for wanting to live “off the grid” and build compounds and cabins in remote places disconnected from most of society. But that’s where everyone else will line up and beg for help if such a catastrophe takes down everything operating on electricity. And it undoubtedly will happen, someday.

As Hunter Biden knows, it’s nice when media coddles you

USA Today has a review of a new book by Hunter Biden, son of the president. The lengths to which it goes to present a positive picture of the younger Biden is astounding, compared to what you know they would do to a memoir by one of former president Donald Trump’s kids.

Biden’s book apparently puts positive spins on all sorts of admitted less-than-admirable behavior, including, of course, drug abuse. Fine. Who knows. I am sympathetic to addicts. But the USA Today reviewer is there to help every step of the way, painting every revelation as a reflection of the journey of a wonderful human being. And “…don't let all the tabloid fodder fool you,” the reviewer says, reminding us not to look at Hunter negatively. “Biden has found love again with new wife Melissa, whom he credits for getting him back on the winding path to sobriety.”

Most Republicans will never realize the joy and comfort of knowing that the mainstream media always has your back.

Read it here and draw your own conclusions.

Students never tire of finding ways to skip school

Finally, here’s a good one to end with on April Fool’s Day. A teacher posted a screenshot of his or her laptop from a remote learning session with students, and explained, “Today one of my 4th grade students renamed himself ‘reconecting…’ on our Zoom call and pretended that he was having internet issues to avoid participating in our lesson.” Beautiful.

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