I’m calling BS

To all my valued customers, I want to personally thank you for allowing us to be a part of your home and business maintenance and repair since 2005. This longer than normal newsletter is not about stone maintenance but about the pungent smell in the air.  It smells of corruption and lies producing chaos and major financial distress for so many of you, your friends, business associates, vendors and clients. It reaches every continent in the world in one way or another, making this almost as dire as..... 'global warming'.   

 

I’m calling... B.S.!

 

I've contemplated the risks of sending this to you because there are so many different opinions and emotions from so many wonderful people about this pandemic and like most, I'm not an expert in any of it. I’m only looking around and asking myself every day this simple question? Can a virus (even a fast acting one at that) really be the cause of all this mayhem? And do I have any power to help change it?  I will share some thoughts and data and then explain why I'm sending this letter to you.

 

Before I present my thoughts, I want to offer condolences to anyone who has lost a family member or friend due to this virus or any virus for that matter. This newsletter does not delegitimize the loss, or possibly anger one feels when someone is not with us anymore as I too had experienced this last year when our mother died.  Death does not feel good for the living,  yet it's a very real and inevitable part of our humanity.

 

People lie, numbers don’t

By Mark Ortiz, Male species/american/pissed

You and I have been witnessing the same scenarios. Businesses closing, banks open less hours, layoffs by the thousands, canceled projects and unemployment claims going out the roof! This is no small thing! As noted by Mr. Ramsey, a popular financial adviser recently said that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and many small businesses that shut down will never be able to start up again. I know this happens from time to time for I too had to start from scratch in 2005 after selling my portion of the business following a failed partnership. It was tough to start over; and then when the 2008 banking and political corruption occurred, though we survived it,  there was a lot of casualties I experienced along the way that took years to heal.  And this debacle triggers PTSD. 

 

Many good friends of mine think it's best to hunker down and let the "pandemic" pass while we wait for a cure and government intervention. So I see generally two sides to this story: One side has the ability to financially and socially weather the storm for a period of time and the other side doesn't. Should those who HAVE that ability disregard those who DON'T HAVE that ability?  If I hunker down, my business is sure to collapse and all the employees will lose their only income. I am determined to get up every day, thank God for His grace, open my office and work like a hungry rat searching for more cheese. I watched one famous individual trying to make "the best of it" by playing Monopoly with his kids. Monopoly...really? I know it's a great way to learn about money, but one guy buys up all the property and assets leaving the rest to dry up and weep. We might as well round up our happy kids and sing "Ring around the rosies..." (If you don't know what the lyrics are about, look it up.)

 

"But Mark, you are risking so many lives in order to work. What evidence do you have to make this 'selfish' decision?" 

 

I'm fully aware that any evidence or comments I put forward, there are a hundred others that can debunk it. Why? Not because I'm right but because the truth is always at war and the enemy is a Lie masquerading for its own gain. If you don't think that the most accurate information you hear in media are lies, then I have some stocks (in delusion) to sell you.  I admit to you that I could be wrong! But I still have to make decisions everyday that I think are best for my marriage, my family, my employees and then others....and in that order. 

 

I know this virus is real, moves fast and it will take lives. I am not denying it's impact. But...

 


The most glaring difficult question I have to ask is this, What amount of deaths are acceptable before we intentionally shut down a country economically? 100? 1000? 10,000? 100,000? a million? There is no right numeral answer to me.

 

Decisions are made politically whether we like it or not. You have to make up your mind and do what YOU think is best. The question above is not easy to ask and your answer no easier, but my answer is, "Never do we shut down America for a virus."

 

The last 50 years we have had Small pox, Yellow fever, Cholera, Scarlet fever, Typhoid Mary, Spanish flu, Diphtheria, Polio, Measles and HIV.  All of these epidemics  will do it's damage one way or another. Do your best to take measures into your own hands to survive and heal. 

 

So let's start with numbers of deaths verses the ones associated with the Corona Flu. No data is 100% accurate, but hopefully it's close. (Always do your own research).

 

The following frames are from the CDC and European ECDC.

 

 

This chart shows the total deaths in the United States between 2016-2017.  We don’t know what percentage of each cause of death resulted from a flu virus.

 

The next frame is the actual number of deaths around the whole world that may be due to Corona flu. Keep in mind we don’t know if the Corona virus or something else was the actual reason for death.

 

 

 

 COVID-19: U.S. at a Glance*†    Since January 2020

  • Total cases: 163,539  IN THE UNITED STATES
  • Total deaths: 2,860.     IN THE UNITED STATES
  • Jurisdictions reporting cases: 54 (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands)

THIS MEANS WHAT?

 

160,000 total people (all age groups) in the United States (in 1 year) died of ‘lower respiratory’ failure only. (Not by CV). And 55,600 died related to influenza.

(Total 201,600 +/-)

 

** Limited testing and challenges in the attribution of the cause of death means that the number of confirmed

deaths may not be an accurate count of the true number of deaths from COVID-19. (UCDC)

 

Approximately  42,000 total people (Mostly those over 60) in the whole world have apparently died of Corona virus so far.

 

Something doesn’t look right to me. Look at the numbers any way you want, come up with your own conclusions but I’m calling out "fraudulent messages to the world". People are panicking daily about every new case (not death) that is mentioned on cable news and social media. 


Maybe we ought to ask the "experts" out there. Ok, which ones? I'm an expert in stone restoration. So are several other guys I know. We have different conclusions, so who do you believe? (I know you pick me, but go with me here for a minute.) You will have to choose based on factors and reasoning that matter to you most. There is no person on this earth who knows all things and can predict all things, except Jesus and that's for another "historic" event.

 

Here's a 6 minute portion of an interview by Thomas Sowell that explains how the intellectuals of society are not qualified to make decisions outside their expertise. Our media coverage is littered with "intellectual experts" who are telling us what to do and think.  

 

Here's another so called expert...

 

A Stanford Nobel laureate who crunched the numbers predicts the outbreak will result in fewer deaths than many experts have predicted. Michael Levitt, a Nobel laureate and Stanford biophysicist, began analyzing the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide in January and correctly calculated that China would get through the worst of its corona virus outbreak long before many health experts had predicted. Now he foresees a similar outcome in the United States and the rest of the world. While many epidemiologists are warning of months, or even years, of massive social disruption and millions of deaths, Levitt says the data simply don't support such a dire scenario. (Joe Mozingo LA times March 22, 2020) 

 

And another...

 

In a letter he sent to President Trump Thursday, Newsom said California’s infection rates are doubling every four days in some areas and that 56 percent of the state’s population could contract the virus in the next eight weeks, which would be more than 22 million people. He later said the “overwhelming majority won’t have symptoms” but that up to 20,000 could be hospitalized. Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, with Stanford Medicine, is trying to figure out where the governor got those numbers.“That would be a worst-case scenario,” Dr. Maldonado said. “And if I was governor, trying to plan out what I would need, I would want to think about what the worst-case scenario would be...There are seven different kinds of coronavirus, four of them have been around a long time causing the common cold... You have a one-in-a-hundred chance of not surviving that infection. Now of course that risk is higher if you are in a high-risk group but do you really want to expose yourself to a one percent chance of dying from this virus?” As the governor said Thursday night, “the point of the stay-at-home order is to make those numbers moot... Dr. Maldonado says many of those infected will not show symptoms. That makes it important for all to self-isolate so they don’t unwittingly transmit the virus to others. (Andrea Nakano, Chanel 5 news, March 19, 2020)                 

 

Alrighty then...

 

These are less than a crumb of a crumb of information and medical updates.  I take the position of Sharyl Attkisson, an Emmy-winning investigative journalist, author of The New Your Time best-sellers "The Smear" and "Stonewalled," and host of Sinclair's Sunday TV program, concluded, "I just think you have to not take everything at face value, ask questions, be prudent, and unfortunately - get your own information and try to make up your own mind on this stuff."

 

 The truth is hidden behind an army of lies. Let no one claim they have all the right answer here. Make up your own mind and do what you need to do!

 

 

What do I hope for?  Courage, decisiveness, fight for your welfare, fight for others, say no to stupid political decisions, take a bullet of rejection or condemnation, be savvy, and resist with love.

 

I view America like a large sinking wooden vessel where the government threw out the ores to reduce the weight and said, "Just relax and it will be all right, trust us."

 

I call B.S.!  Because that makes absolutely no sense. When did it ever?

 

We need all the people that want the ship to turn around no matter how impossible it may seem, to get there hands wet and start to paddle on star-bird side? (that's the right side for us land animals).  "Sounds good Mark, but what does that look like?"

 

Let me wrap this up.

 

If you have hung in there so far and decided to not cuss me out, then I'm pretty satisfied,

but if you are still reading and think I am a complete idiot then I have a roll of toilet paper

to offer you as a gesture of my sincere apology.  I'm not kidding. I stashed quite a few rolls

away, because  'a happy wife is a happy life'.

 

Now I want to tell you why I wrote this and my hope for what I intend for it to do.

 

 


 

Here's my "Living  I Will”.   What is going to be yours?

 

1. I will respect peoples decisions to do what they think is best even if I think completely opposite.

 

2. I will trust my gut as it aligns with my perceptions of the evidence before me and make decisions based on that.

 

3. I will treat this Corona Flu Virus like any other flu virus I have been exposed to for the last 50 years,  by using basic common sense 'prevention and care'.

 

4. I will make myself available to my customers, my vendors, and my associates to service them in every way possible as I always have.

 

5. I will be open for business to support both my livelihood and the livelihood of my team.

 

6. I will work twice as hard and twice as long to ensure my loved ones are provided for.

 

7. I will stand vocally and confidently on my position without disrespecting opposition.

 

8. I will call my contractors, cleaning service, supplier etc. , supporting their business product or service so they can hang on for another day.

 

8. I will do unto others as Christ has done for me.

 

 


If your gut is telling you to help restore America then do this: 

 

Call someone and ask for their services or products. If you have 10 dollars or 1000 dollars... it will help them. What services do you need? 

 

painters, electricians, plumbers, delivery drivers, house keepers, trainers, instructors, counselors, take out food, bakers, electronic repair, security systems etc.. 

 

There are hundreds of services for you. If you have services that have to do with construction or maintenance and don't know who to call, let me know and I'll try and send someone your way who is ready to work and won't rip you off.

 

If you are one of my contractor friends or a customer who has a service or product, let me know and we will gladly refer you! 

 

LETS GET TO WORK CALIFORNIA AND NOT WAIT FOR A "SUAVE" ELECTED OFFICIAL TO GIVE US THE GREEN LIGHT!

 


 

Final Thoughts

 

When you stand for something, someone will be there to try and knock you down. You need to be courageous like never before. Many of you already have been taking on the fight. Personally I thank you, and to me, you are some of the the unseen heroes who will help restore our economy and bring back jobs.  

 

                                                                              Keep the fight and don't be afraid to "Call B.S."

 

P.S. I have some ideas how to send a message to the people. If you think you have abilities or resources to help spearhead this then give me a shout and we can get a team together.  Let’s help get back to the America we grew up in.

 

Depending on what happens next, the following newsletter may have to focus on saving our marriages!

 

May God bless you all.  

Mark

 

 

Pass this useful information to your staff and everyone associated with the stone industry. Let us know if you want to be added to our Monthly Education Newsletters.

 

Do you have a topic that the industry needs to know about? Email it to me: mark@perfectgranitesolutions.com

 

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Or call us at 714-999-2961

Comments: 5
  • #5

    Guy (Monday, 27 April 2020 10:17)

    158,000 more people have died since you wrote this.

  • #4

    Mark Ortiz (Friday, 24 April 2020 15:39)

    Hey there Guy. It would be good to know your full name for the readers.

    You are correct and of course we would expect deaths to go up. Every year hundreds of thousands of people die due the exposure to viruses.

    But is the death of 200,000 people enough to shut down a world economy and invite a slew of other major concerns such at suicide and other death related issues from this worldwide lock down? I think not. I hope you read my next newsletter coming Monday.

    Appreciate your comments....Guy.

  • #3

    Guy (Friday, 24 April 2020 13:56)

    152,000 more people have died since you wrote this.

  • #2

    Guy (Monday, 13 April 2020 14:11)

    67,000 more people have died since you wrote this.

  • #1

    Wow, you think like me. (Wednesday, 01 April 2020 20:03)

    Dear Mark,
    I don't know you but I have used your company services. My husband says I could lose friends over my beliefs... just keep quiet! It's very difficult. I think just like you. Yes, CV is a beast, travels fast, and can kill. But shut down a country? STUPIDITY!! Anybody that is high risk should self-quarantine and let the rest of us LIVE OUR LIVES. So far, this virus is killing <1% of known cases. Certainly there's a lot more cases out there than we know about at this point, which makes the death rate WAY LESS than 1%. Seemingly, less that influenza.
    Now, let's talk about Italy, Iran, China. They all are societies that smoke like chimneys. Those that die are "old" with underlying conditions and pretty crappy lungs. (Yes, of course there are outliers that are either young or no underlying conditions... there are always exceptions.)
    I have a unique circumstance that I worked for a U.N. organization for over three years. I probably won't be the first to tell you that there is nothing they love more than a pesky pandemic to fill their coffers. The U.N. has evolved into a completely dishonest, incestuous, horrible institution. Think of ebola, a short time ago. The world was coming to an end, all kinds of money was extorted to pay consultants, build hospitals, etc. Oops. It ended quickly BUT contracts were already paid with partially built structures that didn't get finished but the money was spent..... totally CORRUPT.
    Something bigger is going on and it is SCARY, but it ain't the CV-19 virus for the majority of us.
    I totally respect and honor you, Mark, for speaking out. You are a courageous man. God Bless You.