Don’t worry about what people think. They don’t do it very often. – Unknown

Welcome to “Caught My Eye” (CME)!

NOTICE: CME is coming to you, STILL, I repeat STILL, coronavirus free, from deep inside an underground bunker in Montana. The bunker also serves as the worldwide headquarters for The Western Word blog!

CME is the once a week column that is posted here every Friday morning. This is when I take a look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week. There may be some sarcasm and pointed independent commentary so be warned!

Here are the topics that “Caught My Eye” this week:

• Dr. Trump’s Virus Treatments
• Montana Gubernatorial Debates
• Great Falls School Election
• One More Thing

“DR.” TRUMP’S VIRUS TREATMENTS:

It was a tough day on Thursday for President Trump. He was angered by two reporters who were just doing their jobs. “Dr.” Trump also prescribed the outdoors to combat the pandemic. Normally, that and a couple stupid one-liners would be the headline, but Trump pondered and spoke about virus treatments that sent Twitter wild.

The Daily Beast reported that after a presentation from an official from Homeland Security where the official talked about the effects bleach, isopropyl alcohol, and ultraviolet light have on the virus that is on counters, doorknobs, etc., Trump said:

“So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light and I think you said that hasn’t been checked but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way,” Trump said, adding it “sounds interesting.”

It gets even better:

He ad-libbed about what disinfectants could do inside the human body.

“And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks [the virus] out [from a surface] in a minute, one minute, and is there a way we can do something like that [by] injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets on the lungs and it does a tremendous number,” Trump pondered.

There were a lot of jokes about drinking bleach or rubbing alcohol and inserting an ultraviolet into the body to kill the virus.

Please don’t swallow bleach or rubbing alcohol to kill the virus. Please don’t stick an ultraviolet light down your throat or up your rectum, either.

You can see the video from Now This Politics HERE.

Full Disclosure: I am not a doctor and I don’t even play one on television.

MONTANA GUBERNATORIAL DEBATES:

The Associated Press is reporting that four out of the five candidates for Governor of Montana will participate in a virtual debate on Saturday:

Missoula businesswoman Whitney Williams and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney will debate for the Democrats while Attorney General Tim Fox and state Sen. Al Olszewski of Kalispell will participate in the Republican debate. Republican U.S. Rep Greg Gianforte declined to participate, citing scheduling conflicts.

Gianforte must feel he has the Republican nomination sewn up. Back in 2019, Gianforte missed another debate. Gianforte has also dodged his constituents since he has been a U.S. Representative by not holding in-person town hall meetings.

I’m not sure Republicans want someone who can’t face them and answer questions. I’m not sure Montanans want a governor who is trying to buy the seat without putting in the work.

Nonetheless, the AP says the debates will be taped Saturday afternoon and aired at 7 p.m. on SWX channels. They will be re-aired Sunday at 4:30 p.m. on FOX channels with the exception of Billings, which will have a re-air on NBC at 10 a.m.

GREAT FALLS SCHOOL ELECTION:

The Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) election is May 5. I received my ballot this week. There are basically four things to vote on in this election – the levy and electing three trustees.

I will be voting for the levy.

First, there’s the Elementary General Fund Budget Levy at $1,750,000. GFPS has passed an operational levy only twice since 2008. That means GFPS has had to cut back on programs and teachers and cut $10 million from the budget.

For an assessed property of $100,000, supporting the levy will only cost you about $16.27 per year. Supporting the levy will also show that you support Great Falls and the children.

Second, four people are running for three school trustee positions.

There is a group in Great Falls that is against the public schools, teachers, and administrators. From what I have read, all the arguments put forth by this group have been countered by the school supporters.

Check out the Levy Fact Sheet HERE. The group, Kids Education Yes, has a Frequently Asked Question section HERE.

Don’t forget to vote!

ONE MORE THING:

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading The Western Word! 

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