WTF Moments

I am still connected via media

Despite the government order to stay at home, I am still connected to the world via newspaper, wi-fi, streaming TV, Facebook, Twitter and cell phone.

WTF Moments

D. S. Mitchell

Staying Connected

Despite being on “stay home, stay safe” orders; I am still attached to the world via newspaper, cable television, Twitter, wi-fi and cell phone. Things are coming at me too fast and too furious for my liking. I am bobbing and weaving, when I should be writing, researching, petitioning and organizing.

Task Force

I watched the Trumpster conduct another overly long and contentious Coronavirus Task Force press briefing this afternoon. Trump, was arguing and fighting with the reporters. Insulting their race, their intent, and their talent. At one point, Trump pushed Dr. Fauci aside, telling a reporter to stop asking “the same question.”  “He’s answered that question, fifteen times.”

The Question

I read some place when you hire a clown, expect a circus..

A clever person once said, “elect a clown, expect a circus.”

The question reporters and the public keep asking is why is Trump touting the  unapproved anti-malarial medication, hydroxycloroquine for coronavirus treatment?  If these briefings were ever informative they have dissolved into what one reporter described as a “three-ring circus with Trump as the deranged ringmaster”. This is what happens when a narcissist takes over the government of a country.

Trump Circus

Watching the now daily Trump “circus” via television is like so many of those other WTF moments I’ve experienced during my life. I’ve thought how things, common things, deliver a “doesn’t that figure moment.” So, I decided that maybe, just for laughs, I should point out some of the those WTF moments. Here are a few that I came up with. I’m sure everyone has a list of their own.

Here’s Those WTF Moments:

  1. Having a bathroom so close to the living room that anybody sitting on my couch can hear my urine splashing in the toilet bowl.
  2. Knowing that I was doing 85 in a 70 mile per hour zone with no plausible or believable explanation.
  3. People whose only contribution to the political conversation is, “Lock her up.”
  4. Accidentally setting my alarm for 3 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
  5. When the only thing in the fridge is a bottle of Perrier and two empty ice trays.
  6. Not finding toilet paper on three visits to the grocery store.
  7. Realizing that I am center brained.
  8. When some old lady yells at me from across the street, “Why don’t you get a job?”
  9. Finding out my significant other hid my birthday gift in the pocket of the old coat I packed up yesterday and sent to the Goodwill.
  10. A dog that only comes when it wants to.
  11. Having a strong physical attraction to John Heilemann and Steve Schmidt.
  12. Knowing that bullies are often financially successful, or sentenced to life plus 30 years.
  13. Trying to stop thinking about every word I said in that nasty argument.
  14. Realizing that I was in all black the last time I saw him, and all black again, today.
  15. When I start thinking about what I’ll have for lunch at 7 a.m.
  16. The last day of my vacation, getting grounded in Iceland and can’t return to the U.S. because the country has suspended flights from the UK.
  17. Knowing that “I don’t know,” is not an acceptable answer.
  18. Suddenly realizing who I am talking to on the phone, isn’t who I thought I was talking to.
  19. Saving 100’s of old decorating magazines, because I may decide to redecorate.
  20. Keeping a secret, only to find out that everybody else already knows the secret.
  21. Going to a movie made from a great book and after the showing wondering why someone wasted so much money to ruin something beautiful.
  22. Aware that serial murder guarantees instant fame.
  23. When Tonya Harding is the most famous person I’ve ever met.
  24. When my cell phone reception is so bad I have to hang out the dining room window to talk to my son fifteen miles away.
  25. Knowing that $20.00 won’t cover a 4 oz bottle of hand sanitizer.

Trump Crazy

My list of WTF moments are really just daily irritations and small injustices. Most are funny and a bit annoying, but not life threatening.  I wish I could say the same about what I am hearing come out of the mouth of Donald Trump. I am convinced more every day, that he is the most dangerous president we have ever had.

RESIST, it is more important today that ever before.

Taking A Trivia Break

Taking A Trivia Break

This rusty bucket can be put to good use.

There are times that I want to put a bucket over Donald Trump’s head just to shut out the noise.

Taking A Trivia Break 

D. S. Mitchell

COVID-19 Briefings

I have watched Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force briefings for the last three weeks or four weeks. I think the first one I watched was on March 10th. For some reason they just keep getting longer and more ridiculous. Over the last week I have gotten in the habit of turning off the volume when I see that Trump is about to start talking. Truthfully, every time he opens his mouth I can’t shut off the volume fast enough.

Find A Bucket

Yesterday, I watched the briefing without turning off the volume. I have no idea what I was thinking. While the CDC is now recommending that citizens wear face coverings, to protect others, Trump says he will not be wearing one. As usual, Trump has totally missed the point of the face covering. He went on a rant about the ‘resolute desk’ and then said he “couldn’t see himself wearing a mask”, while he was meeting, “kings, queens, and dictators”. I don’t know how those world leaders feel, but I know I would like to see him shut up and put a bucket over his head.

YouTube Training

Trump obviously thinks more of a photo-op than the safety and well-being of those he is coming in contact with. He however continued, that those who want to wear a face mask are free to do so. Leadership at its worst, and most dangerous. I will be wearing a facial covering, because I want to protect people I may come in contact with. Many of those people are relatives and friends that I love and want to safeguard.

A Chinese Suggestion

This  week I have been on YouTube learning how to make masks out of men’s handkerchiefs. I have practiced how to make those face coverings, and although I’m a bit clumsy, I think I’ve got it. Some suggest placing  a section of paper towel in between the layers of your homemade masks. I will do that also. It is such an easy extra step. Whatever the experts tell me to do, I will do. I was an RN for nearly 40 years. I take the advice of  medical professionals seriously. RT’s (respiratory therapists), doctors and other nurses’ advice is usually pretty damn good.

A Blogger’s Life

The focus of my blog is the American political system. The blogger’s life is a good life, most of the time. There are times however, when U.S. politics and political rhetoric saps a person’s patience and energy. Currently, I am outraged that Donald Trump is using the Coronavirus Task Force briefings to promote his own political interest. Political spin is not appropriate at this moment. I hope that television outlets begin to give Democratic front-runner Joe Biden more TV time.

Even Today

Today, I am taking a break from politics to think about something else for a few minutes. I know that Trump will soon hijack the airwaves, with another   briefing.  I’m just going to take a deep breath, and try to keep a positive frame of mind. As a distraction for myself this morning, I began compiling a few interesting trivia facts about America. Enjoy. Continue reading

OPINION: COVID-19 Threatens Populism

OPINION:

COVID-19 Threatens Populism

By Sonnet Gomes

Capitalist vs Communist

After the end of the Second World War, the world experienced a new political polarization. New alliances were established. Capitalist and Communist propaganda divided the entire world into two camps. This polarization also influenced the global economy. Over the last decade the world has watched as a large number of populist political leaders have ascended to power, changing dynamics in a new way.

Two Powerhouses

Despite the existence of a few non-alliance movements, the US and USSR have been the dominating military powerhouses for six decades. Economically, Russia is a third world country and has never challenged the United States in that realm. In the 1980’s through the 1990’s it was the U.S. facing off against ally Japan for economic dominance.

Challenging The U.S.

Over the last two decades it has been China that has challenged the U.S. for world economic dominance.  The world has seen a lot over the last couple years, as power shifts, both militarily and economically.  A devastating trade war between the US and China has shaken up the accepted.  With Brexit, the economic difficulties in Greece and Italy the European Union is showing signs of unraveling. There has been an ongoing shadow war among the Middle Eastern states, resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Yemen, Syria and Iran. Additionally, economic polarization is rearing its ugly head among Latin American nations.

Change On The Way

It can be easily imagined that the post-coronavirus era will be even more complicated. In fact, all the fundamental existing alliances and collaborations are likely to fade away. Eventually, a new world with modified political beliefs and economic strategies are predicted to evolve.

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The Dangers Of Sugar

The Dangers Of Sugar

The dangers of sugar are not obvious. The danger comes with the amount and daily intake

The dangers of sugar are compounded by repeated use. Sugar works slowly, its devastating results often taking years to manifest themselves in measurable ways, such as diabetes.

The Dangers Of Sugar

By D. S. Mitchell

When I started writing this article, my intention was to write a quick easy read, nothing in-depth, certainly nothing scientific. Something along the lines of, “Ten Reasons To Kick The Sugar Habit”. That plan was quickly dashed as I read one scary article after another explaining the dangers of sugar consumption. If you are suffering from any of the diseases highlighted in this article, remember, you are not alone. If you want a better, longer life, it is time to take a look at your relationship with sugar in all of its malevolent forms. 

THE DANGERS OF SUGAR: PART ONE

Sixty-Five Pounds Annually

The average American consumes 65 pounds of sugar annually without even being aware of it. That information alone should be a heart stopper. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams) of added sugar per day and women no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams). On average each of us ingests 19.5 teaspoons or 78 grams a day. Research on the dangers of sugar on health are ongoing, and new information is being constantly being uncovered.

Dangerous And Addictive

If there was ever any doubt about the dangers of sugar they are being put to rest by a series of scientific studies. Research is proving sugar is both dangerous and extremely addictive. A person who drinks one 20 oz sugary beverage every day will cut their life expectancy by nearly five years. That is,  comparable to being a regular smoker. If that fact doesn’t get your attention, read on, it gets worse, a whole lot worse.

Just As Bad

Sugar does a lot of damage to our bodies.  With all the negative news about sugar is there an alternative?  Some people say, “just use a sugar replacement.” Whoa.  Evidence is mounting that sucralose, saccharin and aspartame are just as dangerous as sugar.  Research shows that sugar replacements injure and destroy the essential microbiome in the gut.  Microbiome are the millions of microorganisms inside our bodies that help us stay alive.  These microbes protect us against germs, they also break down food to release energy, and produce vitamins.

Find A Garbage Can

To make it clear, sugar substitutes are just as bad as the real thing.  In addition to the physical damage products like sucralose do, they are also associated with weight gain and glucose intolerence-the very things people use them to prevent.  Those folks trying to cut down on sugar may be drawn to advertised benefits such as “maple syrup’s antioxidant benefits” or “honey’s healing power”.  Forget such misinformation.  Sugar is sugar, no matter what form it takes. I suggest that no one consume them.  Keep them out of the house.  If you have any of these sugar substitutes in your cupboard toss them in the closest garbage can.

Highs And Lows

The body’s reaction to sugar is like taking a roller coaster ride; an unending ride to extreme highs, followed by extreme lows, sending the body into a spiral of endless cravings. People report being “hungry all the time”. Descriptions include “being obsessed with food”, and literally feeling “addicted” to food. It makes perfect sense, because everything they eat and drink is loaded with sugar.

Addictive Cycle

High sugar intake sends the body into a crazy, roller coaster ride of ups and downs.

The danger of sugar is easy to describe, it is addictive, sharing all the highs and lows of  any other addictive drug.

The danger of sugar is easy to describe.  As the addictive cycle begins, say after you eat a piece of cake, a predictable pattern begins.  Blood glucose begins to rise.  Then, Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers is released, messaging that everything is “great”.  Meanwhile, if you are not a diabetic, your pancreas is busy releasing insulin into your blood stream to help lower the threat of rising blood sugar.  High insulin levels signal the body to store fat throughout the body, including the liver.  With the release of insulin, blood glucose drops.

Another Piece Of Cake

As the sugar high subsides, your brain begins sending signals that you are ‘hungry’.  The ‘false hunger’ signals kick cravings into high gear, demanding another piece of cake. Predictably, as you consume that second piece or cake, or cookie, the sugar driven roller coaster takes the body on another crazy, dizzying ride.

Mood Swings

The ups and downs of unstable blood sugar will cause a person to experience mood swings, fatigue, and headaches.  As described in the “addictive cycle” unstable blood glucose contributes to cravings, which begins the cycle of “false hunger”.  When the body is under stress, it immediately kicks into fight-or-flight mode, releasing large amounts of stimulating hormones.  Interestingly, the body has the same chemical response when it detects low blood sugar, created by the insulin response.  After eating a sweet snack, stress hormones begin to compensate for the crash, by raising your blood sugar.  Unexplained anxiousness, irritability, and even tremors often result.  By contrast, those who avoid sugar have fewer cravings, and feel emotionally balanced and energized.

Sleeplessness

Can’t sleep?  Thirty percent of Americans complain of insomnia, or interrupted sleep.  Sugar may be keeping you up at night.  Researchers have found that eating more sugar, along with less fiber and more saturated fat, is associated with lighter, more disrupted and less restorative sleep.  Insomnia has been connected to diabetes, obesity and heart disease.  This deadly trio of health conditions, is now being directly tied to sugar consumption.

Sugar And Mental Health

Consuming high-sugar products like cookies, candy and sugary drinks, are associated with a higher risk of depression.  Researchers believe that blood sugar swings, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and inflammation may all be reasons for sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health.  Sugar in fact, could be making you sad and depressed.  Capping off a bad day with a comforting sugar laden snack may make you feel worse in the long run.

Increased Depression

A recent Columbia University study found that post-menopausal women whose diets were high in added sugar and refined grains were at a high risk for depression. Study participants, that ate more dietary fiber, whole grains, vegetables, and unprocessed fruits had a decreased risk of depression. In another study, men who consumed 67 grams or more of sugar per day were 23% more likely to develop depression than men who ate less than 40 grams per day.

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Spring Has Sprung

Spring Has Sprung

Spring Has Sprung

By Anna Hessel

Spring’s The Thing

Spring is officially here. We have all heard April showers bring May flowers – with the budding of those flowers comes the promise of summer abundance.  Spring means many things to many people. Some spring rituals include spring cleaning, spring planting and ‘spring break’. Spring is truly the season of renewal and regrowth.  Religious holidays such as Easter and Passover can revitalize our spirits. ‘Spring break’ for college students, can be a carefree and joyous time.

Cleaning Up Our Acts

Spring cleaning readies our homes in much the same way the spirituality of spring renews our souls.  Many of us find major house cleaning to be therapeutic. Washing down walls, scouring the oven, shampooing carpeting and furniture, beating the rugs, flipping the mattresses, vacuuming draperies, polishing the silver, making light fixtures sparkle, and washing windows to let the sun shine in. By the way, vinegar works wonders cleaning glass. The physical labor of a good house cleaning can be invigorating and uplifting.

A Rebirth

Spring is the sign of longer days and plenty of sunshine on the way. When we hose down the porch furniture we know family picnics, fun at the water park, or the beach are as predictable as ants at a picnic. In the same way we open our homes, welcoming daylight and fresh air, after a long winter’s cold confinement, we open our hearts and souls to the hope of new life once again.  As we escape winter’s doldrums, our spirits soar with the promise of spring and sunshine.  Such exhilarating rebirth does our hearts good.

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Isolated And Loving It

ISOLATED AND LOVING IT

By Trevor K. McNeil 

As Bad As It Seems?

Humans are social animals. So we are repeatedly told. As with most sweeping generalizations, however, the earlier statement isn’t really true. Do humans show a tendency toward preferring social groups? Certainly. There is also a sizable minority, known by many, usually derisive names; that do not easily fit into the standard “social” description.  It is these people who are likely to fare best in the current situation, in which self-isolation and social distancing have become the order of the day. They have been social distancing and in a state of self-isolation for years.

Just A Little Bit Different

People who purposefully isolate, or at the very least don’t mind if they are isolated, include many of the estimated 700,000 individuals on the Autism spectrum. While every case is different one of the main features of most forms of Autism is a degree of social awkwardness. This usually stems from a difficulty reading social cues, even if such cues are understood. Which can easily lead to social gaffs when interacting with others. As such, many on the spectrum avoid social contact. There are also people who self-isolate because they are introverts, and prefer to keep their own company. These folks, when given a choice, would rather stay home and read, or go on-line, than go to a party on Friday night.

Digital Connection

There is nothing wrong with willful self-isolation, particularly in terms of the on-line world.  A high percentage of modern internet technology was specifically designed to connect people. As the first half of the term “social media” indicates. It is easy to forget, with all the wi-bang hype and spectacle, but the internet was, originally, an extension of the telephone. The connection was made through a land line in something called “dial-up.” People were once skeptical of the telephone, certain that people would stop talking face-to-face. Just as with other predictions regarding new technology this forecast turned out to be dead wrong.

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Insomnia Examined

Getting to sleep is often more difficult than it should be.

Thirty per cent of the population complain of insomnia.

Insomnia Examined

By D. S. Mitchell

PJ’s And A Pillow

Are you having problems sleeping? Well you are not alone. Thirty per cent of the general population complains of regular sleep disruption. Insomnia saps energy and affects mood. Sleeplessness can put your health and work performance at risk. Common symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night, waking up too early, daytime tiredness, difficulty focusing, irritability, depression and anxiety. Sleep, seems like such a normal thing. You put on your PJ’s, hop in bed, and off to na-na land you go. However, for many people, sleep is as elusive as a hole-in-one. Poor or inadequate sleep is the cause of a long list of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Simple adjustment in lifestyle and routine can often be helpful.

Caffeine Consumption

Stop drinking coffee in the afternoon

Stop drinking coffee in the afternoon.

Obviously a cup of coffee as a late afternoon pick-up may cause insomnia later that night. Everyone metabolizes caffeine at a different rate, so the cut off time for caffeine ingestion is different for each person. Often it isn’t a cup of coffee, but other caffeine laden products we don’t even think about when we eat or drink them. Examples; iced tea, chocolate, hot cocoa, yogurt, headache remedies, ice cream and breakfast cereals.  If you are having trouble sleeping, cut out coffee after lunch. But, don’t stop there; read labels and eliminate those items that contain caffeine.

Schedule It

Seniors often experience increased insomnia. After retirement schedules often go out the window. Often seniors feel schedules are a thing they left behind when they took that gold watch. It may seem as if bed time or wake up time is no longer important, since there is no job to go to.  But in fact, schedules are important whether you are old or young. It is important to promote as regular a schedule as possible, even on weekends. These times affect the release of melatonin.  Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep–wake cycle. Typically, melatonin levels start to rise in the mid-to-late evening, after the sun has set. They stay elevated for most of the night while you’re in the dark. Then, they drop in the early morning as the sun rises, causing you to wake up.

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Sustainable Seafood Choices

Making sustainable seafood choices is important

Sustainable Seafood Choices

By D. S. Mitchell

Introduction

While I am confined to my home, due to the coronavirus threat, I have worked, every day on my blog. For the last several weeks many articles I have posted are related, in one fashion of another, to the pandemic. But, today I want to temporarily shift gears. I want to share some information on how to support sustainable U.S. seafood.

James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation is an organization at the center of the nation’s culinary culture. The Beard Foundation has been, for over 30 years, on a mission to promote, through education, a food culture that encourages delicious, diverse, and sustainable. The Trump administration is working to roll back conservation provisions that had helped rebuild depleted fish stocks and cut over-fishing. The Beard Foundation is encouraging the chefs of America to become the voice of sustainability in their communities.  ‘Smart Catch’  is a Beard Foundation project created to help chefs serve seafood, fished or farmed, in environmentally responsible ways.

Fish on Friday

When I was a kid, we had fish for dinner on Friday. We were not Catholic, but we followed what seemed a national tradition, or at least a neighborhood tradition. From childhood, eating seafood has been part of my culinary experience. Today, 80% of the seafood consumed by Americans is imported. Forty-five per cent of that total comes from traditional options, such as shrimp, salmon, and tuna. Expanding your seafood palate is a good strategy for eating healthier, saving money and helping protect the oceans.  By small changes in your eating habits you can reduce over-fishing and contribute to ocean resiliency.

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OPINION: Trump’s Viral Circus

I read some place when you hire a clown, expect a circus..

An unidentified, but very clever person declared, “when you hire a clown, expect a circus.”

OPINION: Trump’s Viral Circus

By Trevor K. McNeil

A Question of Leadership.

Many American presidents have faced great obstacles. To their credit, most have risen to the occasion with some degree of grace and intelligence befitting the office. Most of the catastrophes have been military-and at times self-inflicted, such as Teddy Roosevelt’s half-cocked 1898 invasion of Spanish controlled Cuba. “Remember the Maine!” More recently, terrorism has been the challenge. After 9/11, somehow overnight, George W. Bush became a military genius. That genius led us into an unending conflict in the Middle East. Though, to his credit, he did better than most would have expected. Ulysses S. Grant, not widely known for his intelligence, statesmanship, or sobriety did attempt to rebuild the nation after the terror of the Civil War, and as expected, failed abysmally.

Guns and Ammo

Woodrow Wilson was fighting two wars, one against the Germans and one against the Spanish Flu.

Woodrow Wilson faced two enemies during WWI; the Germans and the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Sadly, Woodrow Wilson, simultaneously facing World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic resorted to lies and misinformation to tamper down public fears. God forbid anyone stop the production of guns and ammunition.  The 1918 experience of a rapidly spreading virus, and a government unprepared for the challenge, should be an eye opener. The COVID-19 outbreak has been compared to the Spanish Flu pandemic. If that proves correct we could be on the brink of total disaster. In fact, Wilson’s public response to Spanish Flu may prove sterling in comparison to Trump’s Coronavirus press briefings.

Wishful Thinking

In the case of president Trump, the lies come so fast and furious it is often hard to separate intent from stupidity. In an instance of whimsical optimism unseen outside of a Peter Pan production, Trump publicly suggested people should just “go to work”, and it will all miraculously “just go away.” Reporting indicates Trump was warned in early December 2019 that COVID-19 was as serious as it gets, and was headed like an armed missile directly at us.

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