Who are the Foxhole People?

From the first time I met him, I knew Farmer Bob was a foxhole guy.  In fact, he comes from a multi-generation family of foxhole people–men and women who shine most when the chips are down.  They know when it’s time to woman- or man-up, to make the right decision and take action regardless of personal consequence.  Maybe not always the best company at the office Christmas party or your niece’s wedding shower, but definitely the people you want in your foxhole.  Sisters of Anarchy Ice Cream is doing fine, and will weather the storm!

Extraordinary Circumstances

As the USA winds its way through the current extraordinary circumstances, foxhole people are emerging all over.  Big and small businesses keeping their team on the payroll, medical staff treating patients without necessary masks or other protective gear, the transport industry continuing to roll despite the risks, grocery clerks showing up for work, and, of course, farmers still farming.  Parents are doing their level best to keep life normal for antsy kids, hiding growing anxiety while the virus really takes hold across the country.  Dr. Fauci continues to serve as the moral compass and teller of truth.

Businesses Adjust

Some of the best and brightest in the private sector are kicking their day-to-day business aside to tackle one or more of the many medical, technical, and logistical challenges arising. Right here in Vermont, distillers are producing hand sanitizer and farms are teaming up to provide home deliveries of fresh produce.  Healthcare innovation company, ThinkMD, has developed and is providing free-of-charge globally a Covid-19 personal triage and education tool. (Full disclosure, the Mother of All Anarchy has been part of the ThinkMD team from the beginning).   About to be released by Vodaphone and Airtel to populations in Africa and Asia, the tool provides key information to the individual and will also help identify where COVID-19 is emerging, vital in geographies that lack sufficient testing, including the US.  You can use the tool here:

https://thinkmd.org/covid-19/

Less than Ideal…

So, bad situation, but a lot of good coming to the surface, as well as clarity on who and what is really laudable, and who, not so much.  Falling squarely in the “not so much” category, the professional political class in DC not letting a good crisis go to waste and focused more on what political advantage they can wring out rather than how best to relieve some of the pressure on average citizens and their employers (insert your favorite vulgar group descriptor here: _________________).  And let’s not forget Harvard University–richest university in the WORLD and non-profit to boot—and their $40 billion endowment.  I won’t bore you with all the details, you can read it for yourself at:

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/3/24/coronavirus-lack-comparable-pay/

Suffice it to say, Harvard management (see above, “vulgar descriptor”) is laying off a significant portion of their most vulnerable subcontracted employees; I’m sure their tenured professors are shaking in their boots.  Rounding out the top three, all of the selfish Spring Break dimwits in Florida and the Florida state government for tolerating them.

So here’s to the foxhole people in your life: may you and they come out of this in good shape – physically, emotionally, financially – and live long, productive lives filled with family and ice cream.