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Covid Life Thoughts

Covid Life, is this the new normal?

When one of our T-shirt designers found out that I was refusing to follow the guidelines and lock myself in my house he created the EBCT T-shirt. At first I thought of it as a funny comment on how our society has changed in just a few short months.

Early Bum Covid Triathalon Shirt, part of the Covid Life
EBCT, Part of the new Covid Life?


A year ago walking into any major store wearing a mask would have gotten you arrested. Disneyland didn’t allow halloween face coverings for anyone over 12. Now they require it. Isn’t life strange?

The problem with the Covid Life is that people don’t understand what the real issue is. They don’t want to learn about it, they just want a simple answer. Worse yet they want an answer that everyone has to follow. Sheep, v sheep dog v shepherd.

The answers are very simple. If you have a temperature, stay home and stay away from other family members so you don’t spread it. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. But that is only necessary if you can’t stay at least 6 feet away from people. You can tell the least interested of the sheep because they are in their car alone with a mask on, gloves on, smoking a cigarette.

Common sense says that the “asymptomatic” people walking around with Covid (50-80% depending on the study you read) are less contagious than the petri dish with a 100 or higher fever. If you have a fever stay home. Wash your hands. I watch people still leave the restroom in public places without even looking at the sink.

Maybe Covid is here to eliminate the stupid?

I watched a man in Costco, drop his mask and cough and sneeze all over the printer cartridges. He didn’t bother to use his hand or elbow either. I looked at him and he said “I don’t want that in my mask”. I wanted to scream “That is what the mask is for you moron”. Maybe carry a handkerchief? Needless to say, I went to Staples for a printer cartridge that day.

Is Covid so scary our economy needed to be devastated? All that money that the government is printing to pay extra benefits and bail companies out will result in one of three things happening.

1. Very high inflation, like the late 70’s to early 80s when inflation was 18% and home loans peaked at almost 18%.

2. Major tax increases. Because the money was printed and spent up front, the bills are piling up. Earn first, spend second is the smart way to go. This isn’t smart.

3. Both high inflation and major tax increases.

Countries like Sweden that didn’t shut down haven’t had higher rates of Covid infections. So why did we do this? The Plague took out 1/3 of the population during it’s time. TB still far outpaces Covid world wide and we don’t shut down for it? So what gives. Will this be worth it? I don’t think so.

Let’s go back to normal with one major change. If you are sick, have a fever, stay home. Wash your hands and face, and cover your coughs and sneezes. If you want to protest, go back to work and live like you actually care instead of blindly following ignorant orders.

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Living In Fear Isn’t Living

One of Earls favorite sayings was “living in fear isn’t living”.

Earl Banes lived a very colorful life, one he hoped we all could live. It was clear that he never lived like it was the end of the world. Instead he lived like every day was a new opportunity and a chance to grow.

The Media hype leading to the Covid shutdown made his point. The whole country shut down and cowered in fear. The idea was to flatten the curve and prevent more people from dying. If you look at the number of reported daily deaths in the United States, the peak was April 17th for the World and April 21st for the United States.

A New Peak?

Recently there has been a major upswing in reported cases of Covid-19. States are panicking and letting the media run the show. For Bond fans, you can’t help but feel like you are stuck in an episode of Tomorrow Never Dies, and Elliot Carver is running the show.

Living in Fear - Shut Down The Beach
4th of July Fun Thanks to Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom backed off of re-opening California and school teachers fear working with kids in the fall. Is this really necessary? The media loves a good story. The riots after the senseless killing of George Floyd cause the media to back off of Covid-19. As reporters got caught in the crossfire the story ceased to be enticing, so back to Covid the media went.

The Return To Living In Fear

For the Fourth of July weekend, our nations biggest party, and one of the few holidays no one disputes, the Governor sent us back home. Fireworks shows were cancelled, outdoor dining shut down, and we were all back to living in fear.

Again, was this necessary, or was this media driven hype? The numbers don’t justify the second wave of shutdowns. The death rate has been on a steady decline world wide and in the US since the late April peaks. The “active cases” are up simply because there are more tests. The rate per 1000 tested is the same as it has been since the tests arrived.

Between .7 and 2% depending on the state and the version of the test has been a steady number since mid April. Why the difference. More densely populated states have a higher number, but this is true with any virus. Covid deaths have yet to surpass Cancer and Heart Disease and yet Fast Food places still serve french fries. How does this make sense?

The media knows that we react to negative headlines more than positive, and fear selling Covid has been a home run. In the end it will be a combination of herd immunity and potentially a vaccine like we have for the flu. Until then, maybe it is time to stop living in fear and go back to living. Earl would want it that way.

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Work From Home In Style

Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean you can’t have comfort and a little fun. The Early Bum line by Earl Banes is all about comfort while still having a little style and fun. If working home isn’t your thing, check out these tips from the Bourquin Group.

When you work from home now, it isn’t the same as villages in Europe. You don’t live above your shop and cobble shoes downstairs. The high speed of the internet has made it possible to meet face to face from anywhere though. Make sure at least the top half that is on camera is covered in Style with Earl Banes and our Early Bum line.

The legend is that Earl Banes would be up long before anyone else, sneak out of the house for nine holes of golf, a few waves or a ride on his motorcycle or the long forgotten red train. Back in the day you could ride the train from the North East Corner of Los Angeles, to Santa Monica Pier or even Huntington Beach.

Working from home wasn't why the Red Car started
Disney’s Last Red Car

The last remnants of the Private Red Car Line are a few unearthed tracks and a Red car sitting in a park in Seal Beach. Disney Built a version at Hollywood studios which is too defunct. At Disneys California Adventure there is a smaller version which isn’t quite what the Red Car line was, but it gives you a sense of how people got around in the 1940’s before cars took over.

If you want to go for an early walk and clear your mind, think like Earl. The comfortable and easy to wear sweatshirts from the Early Bum line are perfect for working from home and those needed breaks walking around outside, or sneaking off for an early donut. “To Go” of course.

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Show Your #beachmode

We know it is getting cold here in Southern California and across the north, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go #beachmode all year.

This week we launched the #beachmode series of T-shirts, Hoodies and Goodies at our online store. The casual side of Earl Banes exactly fits the #beachmode philosophy. If you are not working, you should be playing, like the Early Bum Catching the Waves.

#beachmode hood by Earl Banes - part of the Early Bum© line.

Earl spent a lot of time with his kids at the beach, at home working on cars (work to some play for him) and golfing. Maybe someday we’ll have a line of golf attire too. Who knows.

The old horse barn in Earls backyard was filled with toys and games to keep kids going until they passed out. If it was meant to be played with outside and it fit in the barn it was in there.

These days horse barns are pretty rare and sadly a lot of kids don’t go outside and play. You won’t see any video games here either. When the first video games appeared that you could connect to the TV, Earl made it clear they were forbidden in the house. “Go outside, enjoy the world, you will be inside enough at work.” he would say on many Saturday mornings as the grandchildren arrived.

For now as the winter chill sets in, grab a hoodie and if you aren’t at work go #beachmode.

There are more than just hoodies in the series. We have T-shirts, #RWTH approved re-usable travel mugs and more.

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New Early Bum Shirts

The Early Bum Shirts are now available through our CafePress Store.

If you would like to purchase one of our shirts, please visit our store at Cafepress.com/earlybum

Our first shirt series is “Catch The Waves”

Catch The Waves Design

The last ride that Earl took on the famed Pacific Electric aka the Red Line Train system in Los Angeles was to Huntington Beach. Some of the tracks are still visible through the sand after a big storm or kings high tide. Since The Earl Banes Company was resurrected in Huntington Beach California, it was only fitting that the first Early Bum shirt be one about living at the beach.

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The Legend Of Earl Banes

The Legend of Earl Banes starts right at his birth in Southern California at the middle of the depression. With tight money, and no forced education, Earl woke up very early every morning to be the first in line for whatever the day had to offer.

Burbank To Las Vegas Race (or Races?)

At one point in Earls life another engineer who also liked the act at the poker table challenged Earl to a race to Las Vegas after work on a Friday afternoon. They were supposed to run to vegas, play a hand of poker and race back before their wives would know. Earls wife never discussed the races. It turns out they did this more than once.

The legendary story is that Earl won every time because the lime green Dino Ferrari needed two fuel stops enroute and a top off in Las Vegas. The Opel GT only needed one stop each way and didn’t stop for fuel in Las Vegas. Even though the little Opel GT didn’t have the speed the Ferrari did, the distance of 272 miles each way appears the ideal distance to tip the scales.

At the friday night home poker parties the children claimed they heard the owner of the Ferrari saying he drove the race flat out. Earl would just say “That is not very efficient now is it.”

Earls Garage

In my grandfathers garage there was always a sign over the workbench that was hand painted and said “Earls Garage”. My aunt, one of the children of Earl Banes claimed that he was once the partner with another famous Earl in a place called Earls Garage. She says that her father Earl started the garage and didn’t like the quality of the other Earls work so they parted company.

To the grandchildren Earls Garage was a place of wonder. Grandpa Earl refused to buy new cars. He called them a waste of money. He would teach us that we could buy a model just a couple of years old for less than half the price. Every year or so he would find some fun car and bring it home, and then run the old one out to Devonshire Downs to sell it.

I spent many Saturday mornings with my grandfather learning about cars at Devonshire Downs. I think it made my Dad a bit jealous because I liked hanging out with him so much. It did not bother me because I am pretty sure that is why my dad bought me a 67 Mustang Convertible and taught me how to restore it too new. Sadly I don’t have that car anymore or the 68 GT Mustang he helped me with next.

Earls Philosophy

To his grandchildren Earl would say many times. “Remember life is an endurance race and there are many different variables to manage. Get just one wrong and you lose. Manage them all right and you will stay way ahead of the pack.”

To young children who just wanted to run around the yard and see fireworks or light the tree or see whatever family event they were gathered for, this comment made little sense. Today the Earl Banes Company embodies his philosophy of life.

“Life is a game of chess, most people are stuck on checkers” – Earl Banes