Category: Coronavirus COVID-19

COVID-19 Is Taking A Mental Toll

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COVID-19 Is Taking A Mental Toll,

But We Can Fight Back

By Wes and Anna Hessel

 Coronavirus Cuts Deep

As we move into summer, we leave Mental Health Awareness Month (May) behind. We are now looking forward to longer, warmer days, and the associated activities. But, the cold chill of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions are creating problems well beyond the physical illness.  Researchers are now documenting emotional and psychological issues related to the coronavirus. An article in psychologytoday.com looked at the mental and the physical effects of the illness. Studies in China found lingering physical symptoms such as myalgia and dizziness. On a self-rated health status questionnaire patients also noted significant mental disturbances related to the pandemic.  People described increased occurrence of anxiety, stress, and depression.  In a study group of over 1250 individuals exposed to the coronavirus, more than 33%  exhibited insomnia, 45% had anxiety, 50% reported depression, and almost 72% described distress.

Long Term Effects

The SARS-CoV epidemic in 2003 showed the emotional cost is unlikely to be a passing problem.  Researchers in Hong Kong looked at 90 survivors of that virus.  The study group was considered well-educated with a mean age of 41. Thirty percent of them were health care professionals. One in ten in that study had at least one family member die of SARS-CoV. Overall, close to 60% had some form of mental disorder – over 6% a type of agoraphobia, 13% had a panic issue, more than 44% suffered from major depression, and nearly 48% suffered from PTSD.  When re-examined 2½ years after recovery, 3% still suffered from agoraphobia, almost 8% still suffered from a panic disorder, 13% major depression, and 25% displayed PTSD.

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COVID-19 And Murder In Minneapolis

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Police form ranks to break up protests in Portland, Or

COVID & Murder In Minneapolis

By D. S. Mitchell

Grasping At Sanity

I hadn’t known, until I stayed home that the mailman stopped at my mailbox everyday at 11:30, like clockwork. Never before did I start planning dinner at breakfast time, but, I do now. I wash my hands at least twelve times a day, once for every hour I’m awake, unless I have to go out, or I get a delivery, then I hand wash compulsively every five minutes for at least an hour. Sometimes, I wonder how long I can hold onto my sanity.

Vacant Streets

The strange thing about the COVID-19 pandemic has been the quietness of the streets. The 24 hour buzz of the busy freeways is gone. The roads have been  almost vacant. Not in a post-apocalyptic sense, but certainly a sense of disturbing, quiet unfamiliarity. There is, however, an awareness of danger. A danger lurking on every surface and every person. The danger, although  invisible, has been scary enough to have people locked down in their homes, until Monday, May 25th.

Silent Killer

Someone called it, a “willing paralysis.” I’m not sure what to call it. Physical contact with another person could be a death sentence. The bullet, nothing more than a cough. As we have social distanced, we have heard new sounds. The sound of chirping birds. The sound of a singular child bouncing a ball against a wall. A neighbor, whom I’ve never met, playing his acoustic guitar, like a resurrected Michael Hedges. Not all killers are silent, or invisible. Some are intentionally visible and they kill with impunity for the camera. And now our country hears a new sound. A cry, a great and powerful cry.

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COVID-19 Has Given Us Time

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Physicians in black robes and bird beaked masks offered herbs and quarantine against the Black Plague

TIME ENOUGH AT LAST

By Trevor K. McNeil

Inspiration

“If only I had the time.” It really is funny how many times I have heard this sentiment in terms of creative projects in different versions. There was a dentist who thought he would “try writing” after he “retired.” I guess he knows something I don’t. A far more accurate encapsulation of the creative process is Jack London’s line about the way to get inspiration is to “light out after it with a club.” Most people are staying pretty close to home these days. That can be a benefit, particularly in terms of writing. Many great writers found lockdown the perfect time to write their major work.

A Way To Pass the Time

As genius humorist and infamous gadfly Hunter S. Thompson pointed out “many fine books have been written in prison.” In his case, he wrote under the influence most of the time, so that in itself is a separation from typical responsibilities. One of the very first instances of work produced under lockdown are the epistles (letters) of the Apostle Paul. His letters are some of the most powerful and memorable sections of the New Testament. While not in lockdown the Apostle John is believed to have penned the Book of Revelation-The Apocalypse, while exiled to the Greek island of Patmos.

Classics In the Clink

It does not stop there however, some of the most famous, and infamous, books of the Western Literary Canon were produced under lockdown of the most literal kind. These include titles such as the infamous Justine by the Marquis De Sade, who the king liked to put in prison on regular occasions causing him to spend at least 32 years of his life either in prison or asylums. The Cervantes epic, Don Quixote was drafted during a three month prison sentence. Even the pious John Bunyan penned Pilgrim’s Progress during a 12 year stint of sheltering in place because he refused to stop preaching in public, the rascal.

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Trump Turns Religion Political

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churches have been closed during coronavirus pandemic

Trump Turns Religion Political

God’s Word

Trevor K. McNeil

Rights, Right?

It takes the sense of a perceived attack to bring the issue of civil rights into focus.  The measures used by states to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives are now being challenged as unconstitutional. Those arguing against lockdown whining about their rights to do things that aren’t actually rights by any known criteria. Trump tacitly supporting all of them, as part of his half-cocked campaign to downplay the pandemic crisis in case it makes him look bad. While in fact, magnifying the fact that he is an incompetent boob who is not qualified to run a school bake sale, let alone a country.

God Save America

Most recently, Trump has hitched his rickety re-election wagon to the push to reopen churches. A notion on par with putting oil drums in front of the target on shooting ranges, in terms of terrible and deadly ideas. How many pastors and parishioners need to die before people get it though their heads that meeting in large groups in an enclosed space with an airborne disease killing tens of thousands is not the best of ideas? The right to religious freedom not at all withstanding.

Narrow Definition  

That isn’t to say that the right to religious freedom isn’t important and should be, or indeed has been, suspended. Trump has said, “we need more prayer, not less,” but I know lots of religious folks who know full well that this is a false dichotomy. One does not need to be in church to pray. And if there is anyone who is praying less because their holy house of choice happens to be closed at the moment, says more about them and their religious conviction. Trump’s statement is yet another example of the depths of his religious ignorance, including and especially the one he claims to practice in a cynical attempt to appeal to his evangelical Christian base. Going so far as to argue that church is an “essential service.” An absurd statement, not least in terms of the separation of church and state.

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Guilt By Association

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Guilt By Association

By Trevor K. McNeil

A Little Bit of History Repeating

History is more of a cycle than a straight line. Those who have looked at it closely recognize trends have a tendency to repeat. Themes and progress ebb and flow in the oceans of time. Sadly, there are some areas where the water is darker than others. One such dark spot in the ocean of time is the anti-Chinese sentiment in North America.

An Ill Wind

One of the more damaging aspects of coronavirus, aside from the death toll, is the misinformation being spread about it. One being the Anti-Chinese sentiment, fostered and fueled by President Trump and his surrogates. Attempting to redirect blame from his colossal mismanagement of the pandemic response Trump continues his attacks on China. Our boneheaded and close to illiterate president regularly promotes the idea that the virus “came from China.”

Historical Reference

Did it spread through China first? Yes. Do we know for a fact that it is where the virus originated? Hell no. In fact, the Chinese point an angry finger to the United States military. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is new and poorly understood. The prevailing theory is that the original carrier was a bat. I’m not sure if you’ve ever noticed, but bats fly. Over a fair bit of distance. As a historical reminder the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic did not originate in Spain, but rather Kansas and was spread by American soldiers.  Not that it matters anyway. The country of origin not nearly as important as how to stop the spread of SARS CoV-2 and cure the disease among those who contract it.

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Equal and Opposite Reaction

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OPINION:

Equal and Opposite Reaction

By Trevor K. McNeil

Together And Then We Are Not

We have all heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder. This may well be true in terms of human relationships, but the opposite seems to be the case in terms of international relations. The Republic of Ireland left the British Commonwealth at the first opportunity and hasn’t looked back. Boris Johnson will lead Britain out of the European Common Market sometime soon.  There is a strong, and ever growing, Republican sentiment in Australia. Basically the Aussies want what America already has. A secular, constitutional republic with no ties to Britain. Can it be any wonder then, considering that over two centuries of separation between the two great nations, that certain differences should arise in the way British and Americans do things? Few places is this clearer than in the response to COVID-19. Particularly the issue as to whether their countries should reopen or not.

Can’t Be Bad As All That

Britons know how to handle a crisis. Which only stands to reason considering how many they have been through. Near constant invasions, only William the Conquerer really being successful, and more foreign wars than Jupiter has moons. Which goes a long way to explain why when London was being blown to bits by the Luftwaffe during WWII, the general response was to Keep Calm and Carry On.

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Bad Guys With Guns

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Bad Guys With Guns

By Trevor K. McNeil

Gun Culture

America has a gun culture. More than any other country, Americans love their guns. The only other place in the democratic world that has as many guns in civilian hands is Northern Ireland. Most of those weapons, are imported from the United States. Intended for use by the Emerald Isle’s alphabet soup of republican and anti-republican paramilitaries. ‘Republican’ in this case meaning to join the Republic of Ireland. Not that having more guns than an urban war-zone puts most Americans off.

Rallying Anthem

America’s gun love is so strong it has led to a willful ignorance seen in few other cultures. John Lennon wrote a satirical song, directly mocking American gun culture titled Happiness Is A Warm Gun. Weirdly, that scoffing rebuke of the gun culture has been adopted by America’s horrifically powerful pro-gun lobby. An instance of sick irony rivaled only by the embracing of Tomorrow Belong’s To Me, a song from the famously anti-Nazi musical, Cabaret, by the American far-right as their rallying anthem.

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Don’t Write Off The Postal Service

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The post office is in big financial trouble.

The United States Postal Service is in big financial trouble partly related to coronavirus country wide stay home orders and other economic issues.

Don’t Write Off The Postal Service

By Wes Hessel

Laying Post Office

The United States Postal Service (USPS) roots are so deep, they predate the country itself.  Benjamin Franklin was appointed by the British Crown in 1737 as Postmaster of Philadelphia. In 1753 he was promoted to one of two Joint Postmasters General for the American colonies.  On July 26th, 1775, the Second Continental Congress confirmed Ben Franklin as the first Postmaster General of the United States. In 1792 the congress created the United States Post Office through the Postal Service Act.

Service Oriented

In 1970, postal workers went on strike. They became the first federal employees to engage in collective bargaining. In 1971, the Post Office was reorganized into an independent federal agency and was renamed the United States Postal Service. By 1983, USPS received no public service funding, except as noted by Wikipedia, “subsidies for costs associated with disabled and overseas voters”.

Times Change

with so many business closing, postal delivery has been reduced, along with income.

The closure of so many businesses and colleges has reduced post office income.

The United States Postal Service had surpluses in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.  However, first-class mail income peaked in 2001.  The agency faced intense competition from FedEx and UPS for parcel and express shipping.  Furthermore, email and social media, dramatically reduced Postal income.  One national crises followed by another also hurt the Postal Service income. First, 9/11, then the Great Recession and now the COVID-19 pandemic.

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OPINION: Rules For Thee, Not For Me

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OPINION:

RULES FOR THEE, NOT FOR ME

By Trevor K. McNeil

Power Of Perception

Perception can be powerful. As Mark Twain said, give someone a reputation as “an early riser” and he can stay in bed until noon. Though, as with most things powerful, such perceptions can also be exceedingly dangerous. Like the “honest man” who turns out to be a con man or thief. Or the “quiet guy” who turns out to be a serial killer. Perceptions, especially unverified ones, make it very easy to deceive, particularly ourselves. Such is the case with American Isolationism.

Divided We Stand

The idea of American independence goes back to the beginning. Not only in terms of the country but with the individual states. At the time of founding, the United in United States was more wishful thinking on the part of the founders than expectation. The reality was less a nation than a loose collection of essentially independent British colonies, each with it’s own local government, and usually a militia group, the British being absentee landlords at best.

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BASIC NEEDS: When Self-Isolating

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BASIC NEEDS:

When Self-Isolating

By Trevor K. McNeil

Priorities

I am self-isolating. I have to admit I am rethinking some old assumptions. Such as, what is important? What is not important? Since I was a kid, adults have told me to “sort out your priorities.” Something that is usually easier said than done. Not least because the reasons for my priorities tend to be individualized to me. What I want, and what my mother, or my neighbor, for that matter, are not the same. Certainly the individualization of priorities makes the notion of shared or “fundamental” values, as applies to the human race, something of an absurdity.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The closest thing to a ranking of needs or priorities, is Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”.  Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist, who wrote about human needs.  In 1943 he wrote, “Theory of Human Motivation”.   He admitted some of his work and writings were based on observation and some good old-fashioned guess work.  Maslow believed people are motivated to fulfill a certain set of basic needs. Maslow used a five tier pyramid to depict those needs.The base of the pyramid is physiological, the most basic of needs: air, food, water, excrement and sex.

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