Both Ends of the Spectrum

In times of tragedy and crisis, you tend to see both the best and worst in humanity. So of course, we are seeing this play out now.

Last week, the IRS sent out a release about new scams trying to target people during this time by tapping into people’s hopes and needs for an economic impact payment or regular tax refund. Instead of going deep into the tactics here, just let it be known that the IRS is scrambling as a rule to do its duties (as we all are really) and getting people’s information so that those taxpayers can get money is not one of them.

As a rule, most scams involving fraudsters posing as IRS employees play on people’s fears. Fear of an audit is bad enough, never mind the universal fears we are all currently trying to traverse. And as it turns out, it’s not only tax scams that are out there trying to take advantage of those fears. This link will lead to more on that if you want to read it, but if you don’t need more bad news simply ignore it and let’s move on from here.

Now let’s move into the good, for there are lots of those stories amid the awful ones. Those little lights of hope (or even distraction) can feel huge, as well, so I wanted to try to provide some of those here.

So if you are stuck inside with your family and it is difficult to find something that everyone wants to watch on TV, Cirque du Soleil has released an hour-long collection onto YouTube that will hopefully work in most households.

John Krasinski has embraced the need for this type of feeling with his “Some Good News” YouTube channel. And he deserves extra credit for getting the original Hamilton cast together to overwhelm a young fan via Zoom. I am sorry if this requires some tissues, for yes, I am aware that paper products can be of high value during this time.

Finally, if instead you need a little fun escape after the kids go to bed, let’s go across the Atlantic. There we find Jimmy Carr, the host of various forms of England’s Big Fat Quiz, who has begun The Little Tiny Quiz of the Lockdown on YouTube, which has different videos for both the questions and answers allowing for some friendly competition as everyone prepares their answers. (And nothing here is visually explicit, just some language and jokes that may be better if the kids are in bed.)

But overall, wherever you find it, may you be uncovering some of your own happy gems.

Warmly,

Josh Bousquet
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