Cannabis: A Safe Exit From Addiction

By Darlene Mitchell January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022 Anxiety, Depression, Disability, Drug Addiction, Marijuana Policy, Medical, Medications, Opinion, Panic Attacks, PTSD, Public Health, Self Improvement, Social Issues

OPINION:

Cannabis: A Safe Exit From Addiction

OPINION:

Cannabis: A Safe Exit From Addiction

Editor: Cannabis and its usage by humans dates back at least 8,000 years. For millennia, the plant has been valued as fiber and rope, as food and medicine, and also for its psychoactive properties for religious and recreational use. Some have gone so far to declare it a ‘miracle’ plant.

By D. S. Mitchell

The Controlled Substance Act

In 1969, Richard Nixon, announced that Attorney General, John Mitchell was preparing a comprehensive new measure to more effectively meet the narcotic and dangerous drug problems challenging the country. At the federal level, Mitchell devised the Controlled Substance Act. The Act combined all existing federal laws and expanded their scope into a single new statute. More importantly, the CSA changed the nature of federal drug law policies and expanded federal law enforcement authority over controlled substances.

Fear Of Success

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, established the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. Raymond Shafer, one of the bill’s sponsor’s fearing it’s restrictive nature, made this statement to Congress, “The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior.”

The Dangers of Permafrost Thaw

By Darlene Mitchell January 15, 2022 January 17, 2022 Climate Change, Disease, Ecology, Methane, Permafrost Thaw, Solutions

The Dangers Of Permafrost Thaw

The Dangers of Permafrost Thaw

By Anne Rose Muiruri

What Is Permafrost?

Permafrost is any sort of frozen ground, ranging from soil to sediment to rock, that has remained frozen for at least two years and as long as hundreds of thousands of years. It can range in depth from a few feet to more than a mile beneath the earth’s surface, covering huge regions like the Arctic tundra or a single, isolated point like an alpine permafrost mountaintop.

Microbial Breakdown

Microbes that breakdown the carcasses of plants and animals release carbon dioxide, methane, and other global warming gases into the air. A deep freeze successfully halts that process, preserving organisms as well as the gases they would otherwise release underground in the permafrost. The microbial decomposition of those organic materials—and the emission of greenhouse gases—restarts when frozen soil thaws.

Looking At Elder Care

By Darlene Mitchell January 3, 2022 January 4, 2022 Disability, Disability, Disease, Health Care, Housing/Homelessness, Medical, Medications, Mental Illness, Public Health, Relationships, Senior & Elderly Issues, Social Issues, Social Security

Looking At Elder Care

The Build Back Better legislation stuck in the Senate would provide relief for many American family members struggling to keep a family member living at home vs being placed in a nursing home.

By D. S. Mitchell

Caregiver Risks

Most of the people called on to help an ill or disabled family member have no training in being a caregiver. Not only that, but many spouses, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters have their own health problems and physical limitations. The risks of being a family caregiver is premature aging, sickness, death, depression, anger, resentment and potential financial loss. Aside from that, it can be rewarding and more worthwhile than anything you will ever do.

Financial Resources Make the Difference

Receiving affordable or free home care may be what makes the difference between a family member being able to stay in their home or being moved into an assisted living or nursing home. One in five Americans provide unpaid care to family members so they can continue to live in their home, according to a recent AARP report.

5 Finger Death Punch “Wrong Side of Heaven”

By Darlene Mitchell December 29, 2021 December 31, 2021 Anxiety, Arts & Entertainment, Bi-Polar, Dementia, Depression, Jukebox Choice, Mental Illness, Music, Panic Attacks, Psychology, PTSD, Public Health, Suicide, Videos, War and Conflict

5 Finger Death Punch

“Wrong Side of Heaven”

5 Finger Death Punch

“Wrong Side of Heaven”

As we end 2021, we are for the first time in decades not in a declared war, anywhere in the world. In 2013, while we were still embedded in Afghanistan, Five Finger Death Punch released this incredible single, off of their fourth album. Veterans then as now, are facing homelessness, drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, and mental illness. Awareness leads to solutions. With that thought in mind, here is the Calamity Politics Jukebox Choice of the Day. Sing along, lyrics below:

OPINION: Sorting Out Generational Differences

By Darlene Mitchell December 29, 2021 December 29, 2021 Culture, Family Reunions, Hanlon's Razor, Holidays, Home, Modern Life, Opinion, Psychology, Relationships, Senior & Elderly Issues, Social Issues

OPINION: Sorting Out Generational Differences

Minding the Gap

OPINION: Sorting Out Generational Differences

The pain of family dysfunction is frequently on display over the holidays

By Megan Wallin

Farewell Patience

Despite the cries of “holiday cheer,” the truth is holidays can drain you of every ounce of patience and good humor you possess. The dark underbelly of family gatherings is that they often culminate in contentious counter viewpoints. These instances can be quite grating for all parties, especially where generational gaps are involved. While it’s easy to dismiss such disagreements as being a result of an ageist culture, one that neither admires nor protects its most experienced members, I sense there’s more to it than that.

Times Change

Often, the mindset that genuinely worked for one time in history does not work when applied to another. During times of war, hardship and economic depression, children grew up fast. They often skipped the phase that allowed them to develop as individuals and instead adopted a more collectivist perspective, with an absolute respect for authority. Case in point: The idea that children are to obey all adults—absolutely and without question—is a concept that has actually led to insanely corrupt and egregious cover ups of child predators.

A Shift in Parenting Priorities

Now, armed with this knowledge, parents no longer tell their children to trust all adults or do as they’re told without a prior relationship established. Perhaps as a result, we have more self-aware young people and more challenging behaviors at times as today’s kids test boundaries with their parents, teachers, and older family members. Gone are the days of “Because I told you so,” as we usher in the new era of, “I understand that you’re upset, but you cannot do that because . . . .” We are demanding accountability from parents as well as children, and while it may be an exhausting way to parent, it’s by far the preferred method for newer generations.

Clutching My Teddy Bear

By Darlene Mitchell December 28, 2021 December 29, 2021 Anxiety, Depression, Mental Illness, Panic Attacks, PTSD, Suicide

Clutching My Teddy Bear

By Dani Davis

2021 has been a tough year for me. Thankfully, it is almost over.

Let There Be Light

My 2021 experience probably isn’t any worse than anyone else out there, but I have a place to talk about it; so I’m talking to you. First, let me tell you up front, the time between Thanksgiving and New Years is traditionally a bad time for me. I can’t really call it Seasonal Depression *(SAD) although it does occur at the same time every year. I do use light therapy and journaling, to help me get through. Maybe . . . it is undiagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder. Denial is not new to me. For about a decade I would drink my way through that 35 day period. Thankfully, I put a stop to all that nonsense many years ago; totally unproductive behavior, and certainly hard on relationships.

Online Shopping

I was on the internet shopping for a couple of winter solstice gifts when an ad for GUND teddy bears popped up. For some inexplicable reason I knew I needed to buy one. As it turned out, I bought four! One for a friend in an Alzheimer’s Memory Care unit, one for a friend with chronic depression, one for another friend suffering from severe anxiety, and one for myself. Each of the bears were significantly different. I didn’t want to worry about us mixing up our teddies.

Anxiously Awaiting Delivery

Just the thought of holding a teddy bear was reassuring. I wondered why I couldn’t remember when I had last seen my childhood teddy, with his missing eye and torn ear. We had shared so much, I wonder when I abandoned him, for other friends? Mostly, I remember how soft and crushable he was. The ad described the GUND bears as ‘plush’ ‘cuddly’ and ‘huggable’. Perfect. I could hardly wait for the box to show up at my doorstep. In fact, I went back several times to the Amazon site to look at the pictures, trying to decide which bear would go to which recipient.

Safe Medication Disposal: Do It Right

By Darlene Mitchell December 25, 2021 January 5, 2022 Household Hints, Medications, Modern Life

Safe Medication Disposal: Do It Right

D. S. Mitchell

Read the Dates

I was getting packed for my third move in two years. I know, too many, too often, but it was a strange set of circumstances and not worth talking about here. Usually I just go into the bathroom and dump the drawers into a box and then sweep the contents of the cabinet shelves into another box, and voila, the bathroom is packed. But, I picked up the first bottle, a bottle of Aspirin and glanced at the expiration date. Holy Moly, it had expired three years ago. That knowledge shook me up a bit. I’m a retired R.N. for Pete’s sake. The next bottle, a prescription for Flexeril, was outdated by 10 months. I was two for two. Not good. Next, was a bottle of cough syrup, expired the previous year. I was batting 100%.

I Have Information

If your medicine chest is full of outdated medications or medications you no longer need and you are wondering how to dispose of them I have some information for you. The best option is to use community-based drug disposal programs. Go to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) website, dea.gov and use their search tool to find an authorized drug disposal collector in your area.

Local Police Departments

If you don’t find a program in your area don’t give up, call your local police department or county sheriff. Often these law enforcement centers have disposal programs. As a last resort you may be forced to dispose of them yourself. Please do not flush medications down the toilet, or the sink. These toxins are dangerous to animals, fish and water systems. Throwing them in the trash, makes them available to folks who may try to use them, no matter what they are.

The Shift From Pet To Family Member

By Darlene Mitchell December 20, 2021 December 20, 2021 Animal Rights, Coronavirus COVID-19, Modern Life, Pet ownership, Positive Vibes, Psychology

The Shift From Pet To Family Member

The Shift From Pet to Family Member

The Changing Landscape of Pet Ownership in the United States

By Megan Wallin

Holiday Photos

Everyone knows that couple whose dog or cat is their “baby,” and to suggest otherwise might get you kicked to the curb—literally or figuratively. It used to be rare, or even laughable, to meet people like that, but now the family pet is just that: a true member of the family. We include them in our family photos, holiday cards, wedding celebrations, birth announcements and more. American pet owners spend an average of $1,480 per year on their dogs and a little over $900 on their cats, according to an article from Fortunly.com. To put that in perspective, some American parents—namely those who can forgo daycare and babysitters—actually spend less on their human children.

The Shift from Pet to Family Member

Perhaps it’s a demonstration of our shift from utilitarian view of pets to a relationship view. We now have behavioral specialists and animal psychologists for dogs. Professionals specially trained to seek out what could be causing Spot’s sudden loss of interest in his favorite toy or his penchant for nipping ankles whenever guests wear funny socks. (Well, maybe that’s not the exact purpose, but you get the idea.) The point is that we’ve expanded our view; from seeing animals as useful contributors to a system, such as the family guard dog or cat who functions as the barnyard mouser, to a loving, sharing, participant in family life. One look at most people’s social media accounts will tell you that pets are now bonified family members. We carefully interview potential pet sitters. We celebrate pet birthdays, and “gotcha” (adoption) days. There seems no awareness that some of our sentimentality might be displaced, because it doesn’t feel at all unnatural.

OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

By Darlene Mitchell December 19, 2021 December 19, 2021 Asian Issues, Black and Brown Issues, Caucuses, Democrats, Disability, Domestic Policy, Energy Saving Ideas, Entitlements, Health Care, Human Rights, Joe Manchin, Lies and Corruption, Lobbyists, Native American Peoples, Opinion, Political Parties, Progressivism, Republicans, Senior & Elderly Issues, Social Issues, Social Security, Solutions, Tax Policy, Taxes

OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

OPINION: Joe Manchin Show His Political Ass

I think it is time to remove the obstructionists from the Democratic Party

D. S. Mitchell

Joe’s Talking on Fox

12/19/2021. Joe Manchin (D.W.V.) is on FoxNews (sic) telling Bret Baier he “cannot vote” for the Build Back Better bill. Finally after months of dancing about, throwing up one road block after another Manchin, playing with the press and his colleagues has finally come clean and said it out loud. He, the lone Democrat, was now going to squash the bill, that would have given assistance to 70% of his constituents.

Out of Touch

I am dumbfounded. How could this rich, fat, white, yacht sunning, coal mine owning, entitled man be so cruel, and corrupt? How can he shut his eyes to the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in his state? West Virginia is one of the poorest states in this country, it seems Joe wants to keep it that way. By standing against the BBB act Manchin is not only denying West Virginians food on the table, affordable prescriptions for life saving medicines, and dentures in their mouths, but every other person in the country. Without remorse, apparently. Enraged, I switched to CNN where Jake Tapper was interviewing Bernie Sanders (I.Vt).

Unrestrained Passion

Bernie Sanders went after the failed senator from West Virginia with unrestrained passion. Bernie called Manchin a “coward” for not standing up to the lobbyists and special interest groups (which Manchin is part of). Bernie, is also a wealthy man, just like Joe Manchin. But, Bernie seems to have a deep well of human empathy, decency, and compassion, which apparently, Manchin cannot understand or emulate. Is Manchin capable of embarrassment? Being the only Democratic senator that is willing to let kids go hungry, not only in West Virginia, but across the nation, should make him red faced with shame and embarrassment.

Purge the Party

It is time to purge the Democratic party of obstructionists, like Manchin, that are willing to stop a president and his policies by their single vote. Joe Manchin you were not elected president of the United States. Get in line and support President Biden and the Democratic platform. Support voting rights. If you are a Republican, Mr. Manchin, run as one, don’t pretend to be a Democrat. Be brave. Be courageous. As I see it Mr. Manchin, is intent on his legacy being nothing more than the dark smear left by a wet fart.

Quotes on Courage

Here’s a brief collection of some pretty smart comments by some pretty smart people on the topic of courage in life and politics.

1.) “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” Winston Churchill

3.) “Courage conquers all things,” Ovid

4.) “The strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues is courage,” Michel De Montaigne

Conclusion

It is time to fight the obstructionists in the Democratic party. Joe Manchin cannot be allowed to stand in the way of progress much longer. He has ‘shown his ass.’ as they say in Texas, and a few other places; time for Mr. Manchin to vote with his party or leave the party.