֎ As if there weren’t enough disruption to what reality is, the age of cryptocurrency is coming to our governments. Cities and states, as well as other nations, already are at the stage of experimenting with blockchain data storage. Let’s hope it at least eliminates standing in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles. In the recent past mariner has been refused his purchase with cash, requiring a credit card – now what, anyone have change for a bitcoin?

The purported asset in blockchain is that no one ‘owns’ the data or can secretly manipulate values – which is a common practice in dictatorships. Let’s hope blockchain storage can alleviate the fears of the republican states that want to outlaw open elections.

֎ The untold story today is the desperate condition of the low income financial class. More than 11.4 million renters are behind on rent, according to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Over 300,000 black female single parent families have been evicted; white female single parent families aren’t far behind.

Add to this a new press for charity food centers and low income housing opportunities (which don’t exist). Our own law abiding citizens are no better off than the homeless children in immigration facilities (another sin on US society). Sadly, mariner sees no sympathy from our disabled governments. The reader and mariner must make every effort to ease the undeserved pain in these unfortunate families.

֎ [Inflation Footnote] In an effort to turn a depressing, terrible national situation into something with personal value, mariner has made a game, if that’s the appropriate word, of trying to alter his financial overhead by the going rate of inflation. For example:

Mariner drinks a lot of coffee. He isn’t a connoisseur, he’s after the caffeine. Typically mariner will finish a pot plus some each day. Each morning he pours out a cup or two of yesterday’s coffee and makes a fresh pot. Recently, his online supplier advised him that each pound of coffee will cost $2.50 more because of a notably bad growing year for coffee in South America and because of inflation.

To modify his behavior to account for the increased cost, mariner preserves yesterday’s leftover coffee and drinks it before he makes a fresh pot. He feels successful in his adjustment which, when calculated, amounts to an increase of 8 percent in coffee cup availability, thus offsetting the increased cost – at least when compared to inflation.

This is a con on himself to allow him to feel successful in combating inflation but to tell the truth, it does not block the depression that comes from the terrible state of millions of desperate citizens. The governments aren’t up to the job – this is a citizen’s responsibility. Don’t storm the Capital; storm the charitable sources to help even in one’s own neighborhood. Find a residence for a family that doesn’t have one; send a check to any number of charitable organizations.

Ancient Mariner