Bookworm says:

“It turns out that not all of us are news junkies. She [clerk in the grocery story who still has a job] didn’t know what was going on in California or Michigan or any other state that has placed people under lockdown in their own homes.

“How can they do that? That makes no sense. People have bills to pay. We have to work.”

Her words struck me strongly because I’ve been struggling to articulate the different emotional responses I’m seeing from the left and the right when it comes to responding to the Wuhan virus. The leftists are saying that the lockdown should continue for another year or two, and are accusing those who want normal life to return of being living embodiments of the Grim Reaper, determined to kill everyone through their greed, carelessness, and a refusal to recognize facts that can derive only from watching Fox News."

Bookworm (and although anonymous, I think the writer is a she) goes on to opine about liberals and how they feel about death.

"Consistently, lefties are driven by a raw emotional fear of death that the more sophisticated later dress up as sophisticated reasoning about controlling a pandemic. The sophistication is a veneer, though, because the fact that the models have all proven wrong is irrelevant. Their lizard brains are activated and won’t be calmed until the disease risk is reduced to zero."

". . . the leftist fear of death drives everything. It’s what allows their leaders to manipulate them about climate change (never mind that people ultimately do better in a warmer world), about guns (never mind that guns in America save more lives than they take), about organic v. non-organic food (never mind that if all farming were organic people would starve), socialized medicine (never mind that socialized medicine gives people access not care), about serving in the military (never mind that if we are undefended, many more can die in a sustained attack against America), and so on."

http://www.bookwormroom.com/2020/04/19/the-different-mindsets-political-parties-have-towards-the-wuhan-virus/

You can thank Pelosi for soup lines if it comes to that

Democrats want Americans in soup lines again, or jumping out of windows, just like the 1930s, when they were in control. Other countries pulled out of the Depression, but under FDR, we were stuck with the promises of more government programs until WWII came along and created a labor shortage. Now we have massive infusions from our taxes returning to "save" us, and Democrats don't want to give them up. Stay home; don't work; we'll take care of you. Attend a mindfulness Covid19 class or a concert at the Kennedy Center--whee--it's all to help with the pandemic.

Pelosi goes on TV and claims she supports the paycheck plan for workers, but she's lying. She's sitting on billions of loan money for the little guy while she flashes her $25,000 frig in front of her adoring fans. Ice Cream Nancy is killing the small businesses in your town and neighborhood--It's the Democrat Way.

Pelosi supports your business not expanding; she will stop you from keeping your employees, even churches' food pantries and non-profits; she supports ending your brother's business before it gets off the drawing board and makes a business plan. Eventually she can stop the supply lines to the grocery stores by destroying the small businesses that do that, and you won't just be missing toilet paper.

Facebook fact checkers are actually censors

"I dig into the prevailing media narratives about coronavirus, including “fact checks,” that have themselves been proven false. You’ll be amazed at who Facebook is letting help censor information about China’s controversial Wuhan lab. (Hint: she’s a scientist who works at the lab…)"

There are a few investigative reporters left in the country. Sharyl Attkisson is one of them.

https://sharylattkisson.com/2020/04/facebooks-fake-coronavirus-fact-check-podcast/

Other good sources to confirm the liberal lies from Kelly Kullberg:

Just the News, https://www.facebook.com/JustTheNewsReports/

Luke Rosiak at Daily Caller, Kevin Mooney at The Daily Signal

www.InfluenceWatch.org by Capital Research Center

Israeli researcher says . . .

". . . irrespective of whether the country quarantined like Israel, or went about business as usual like Sweden, coronavirus peaked and subsided in the exact same way. In the exact, same, way. His graphs show that all countries experienced seemingly identical coronavirus infection patterns, with the number of infected peaking in the sixth week and rapidly subsiding by the eighth week."

https://townhall.com/columnists/marinamedvin/2020/04/15/israeli-professor-shows-virus-follows-fixed-pattern-n2566915

What governors have done

COPIED--and please note--these were done by governors, not the president

WAKE UP & LISTEN, VIRGINIA and other US States!!

Gov. Northam could've said, "If you’ve been quarantined for 3 weeks and are symptom free, go to your camp or cabin. Buy groceries from the local small business grocery and liquor stores. Fish from the rivers...they have been waiting all season for your return. Just exercise social distancing."

He could've...but he didn’t say that.

Gov. Northam could have said, "Plant a garden! Virginian's need to get outside and work in their yards. Order supplies to be delivered from your local nursery, and spend some money there. They are stocked and ready for you!"

He could've...but he didn’t say that.

Gov. Northam could've said, "Take this time to work on a home project. Call your local hardware store and have them mix a gallon of paint. Pay over the phone, use social distance to pick it up."

Gov. Northam could've said that...but he didn’t.

He could've said, "Restaurant owners... reopen, but at just half capacity. You can only seat every other table, and wait staff must wear masks. We want you to survive, so let’s use common sense and appropriate social measures."

He could've said that...but he didn’t.

He could've said, "Landscapers who staved all winter for lack of snow...get to work! Book your jobs over the phone. Accept payment via cash apps. Work single crew jobs or small crews where you can keep your distance. Let’s work with local stores to have supplies delivered or waiting for you to pick up. We know you’re cash based, and aid hasn’t come yet. Be safe...but work!"

But he didn’t say that, either.

He could have said, "Go back to your place of worship! Sit one family per pew, and use every other pew. Practice social distancing, but go and celebrate Passover and Easter."

Oh, he could've...but he didn’t.

Sure...Walmart's still gonna Walmart, Costco's still gonna Costco and Target's still gonna Target...but Virginia's small business owners? They're drowning!! What did he do? He tossed them a cement block instead of a lifeline.

When will people in Virginia realize that he doesn’t want to help us?!?! He wants us so broke and so hungry and so desperate and so afraid that we turn in our own neighbors, we hide in fear, we stay glued to the fear-mongering news and we deplete anything we have saved! And when it’s all gone, and we are desperate and broken and depressed...who will we turn to? Why the government, of course! They're sure to save us!

Gov. Northam could have said and done a lot...but he didn’t. Do NOT ignore the message that man is sending us...because where he stands and what he’s about is loud and clear. You just need to wake up & listen.

Things our Governor has done:

Deemed abortion clinics "essential" health care,
Released convicted criminals from jail,
Restricted personal liberties,
Trampled our Constitutional Rights,
Implemented red flag laws that are proven to be ineffective, Raised gasoline tax,
Singed a law to limit firearm purchases to 1 every month,
Closed small businesses...

Does any of the above sound familiar? If it does, it's because it's been posted by other US citizens in other Democratic-run US states. I just changed the name of the governor. Apparently, this is going on across the country. WE ALL NEED TO WAKE UP AND LISTEN.

Copied on Facebook.

Minority set asides and Nancy Pelosi

Thousands of small businesses can't get loans to pay their millions of employees because Nancy Pelosi with the overstocked, latest model refrigerator (she showed it on TV) is sitting on the additional funding. She is blackmailing Republicans to have 1/2 to go to women and minority owned firms. So if you're a woman or Hispanic who works for a white owned business (the majority of the workers) you're screwed. Or if your boss is a minority and female (like my daughter's) you're also screwed because she won't release the money. Thanks Fancy Nancy with the Fulsome Fridge.

That's the old Democrat trick for getting votes--pay them to vote for you so you can keep them on the plantation to work on the cheap. Minority set asides don't advance or help the people intended. They've been around a long time. I remember having the veterinary library painted around 1990, I think. We were state of Ohio, so of course, had to have a minority owned firm get the bid. Here's how that worked. A minority owned firm would partner with a non-minority firm, which would get the job and do the work because the minority firm didn't have the staff or experience. Meanwhile, the black owned firm did not have to compete or try to grow. Or in the architectural business (my husband's field), there was one major black owned firm in Columbus, and he'd get everything that had minority set asides. That pretty much stopped the competition from smaller minority firms because he held the keys (was also a good firm).

Meanwhile, Pelosi is hurting the very people whose votes she is recruiting with her pay to play scheme.

Blessed are the poor in spirit

I haven't found the exact article on line I read today in the March 2020 Magnificat written by Kimberly Shankman about the meaning of her son's suffering, “The Richness of Poverty of Spirit.”  But this one about the last normal day she had with her son in 2014 https://www.thegregorian.org/2014/johns-last-normal-day  reminded me of the last "normal" day I had with mine before his diagnosis October 1, 2019. We had lunch together the last Saturday in September at the Chef o Nette Restaurant in Tremont shopping center in the neighborhood where we began our lives together, across the street from his elementary school, the swimming pool, the ball fields he played in and the library we visited every week. That day he was impatient and edgy, but nothing unusual. We both ordered "Hangover and fries," a specialty. No outward sign of the large tumor growing in his brain.

I'm not where Mrs. Shankman is yet on the meaning of suffering. She was reflecting on the Beatitudes in the article I read. She wrote that now she understands "poor in spirit" whereas before she didn't. "All the money in the world couldn't buy what I needed. What could save us--what did save us--was the recognition of my utter, total, abject poverty (of spirit). All I could do was beg God every day to show us his path on this rocky road. And he has responded with breathtaking generosity, showering blessings on us directly and through those he surrounds us with. The love of friends, support of neighbors and caring of strangers answer our prayers and bring us profound peace."

Flu, pneumonia and falls

From October 2018 through early May 2019, up to 61,200 people died due to flu complications, while up to 647,000 people were hospitalized, according to preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During the 2017-2018 flu season, approximately 900,000 people were hospitalized and 80,000 people died due to flu complications. (Prevention website)

Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. 50,000/year.  Those who are hospitalized often die of pneumonia.

So let's guestimate that about 150,000 older adults die each fall/winter season from just these 3 problems, and maybe a million are hospitalized plus thousands of younger people who are also susceptible at a lower rate because they may have preexisting conditions like heart, lung, kidney problems, or do silly things like climb ladders to clean gutters. Only the family and friends care when they die--they mourn their losses and pay the bills. We cry and share stories about grandma or the neighbor who used to help us out with maintenance or walking the dog. We spend hours settling estates and packing up or distributing the earthly wealth of those we loved. We give away watches from the retirement gala, the jewelry box, and old Bibles. We personally have the gold pocket watches of both Bob's father and grandfather, we have my grandmother's hymn book from her college days in the 1890s, and my grandfather's 11th, 12th and 13th editions of Encyclopedia Britannica. We know how they died and it wasn't a pandemic, but was from common problems of aging. But we didn't close up shop, we didn't deny medical care to others for different, less fatal causes, we didn't stop having Easter services, and we didn't destroy our pensions and equity in our homes because maybe 200,000 people died of illnesses that had been with us since the people made a golden calf to worship just in case Moses got it wrong.

https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a22813625/flu-symptoms-prevention/

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/pneumonia.htm

The spinmeisters, CNN—Jake Tapper

Dr. Fauci exposed CNN's spin on Trump and mitigation. “The first and only time that Dr. [Deborah] Birx and I went in and formally made a recommendation to the president to actually have a, quote, ‘shutdown’ in the sense of not really [a] shutdown, but to really have strong mitigation … the president listened and went to the mitigation. The second time that I went with Dr. Birx into the president and said 15 days are not enough, we need to go 30 days … at that time the president went with the health recommendations and we extended it another 30 days.”

If you listen to CNN's spin, you are a sucker. Freedom of the press doesn't mean you have to believe them.

https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/melanie-arter/dr-anthony-fauci-hypothetical-questions-can-get-you-some

Official guidelines for the Covid19 pandemic

Here are the official Coronavirus guidelines:

1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then you can.
2. Masks are useless, but maybe you have to wear one, it can save you, it is useless, but maybe it is mandatory as well.
3. Stores are closed, except those that are open.
4. You should not go to hospitals unless you have to go there. The same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provided you are not too sick.
5. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster.
6. Gloves won't help, but they can still help.
7. Everyone needs to stay HOME, but it's important to GO OUT.
8. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket, but there are many things missing when you go there in the evening, but not in the morning. Sometimes.
9. The virus has no effect on children except those it affects.
10. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there…
11. You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms. Oh, my..
12. In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise, but eat whatever you have on hand and it's better not to go out, well, but no…
13. It's better to get some fresh air, but you get looked at very wrong when you get some fresh air, and most importantly, you don't go to parks or walk. But don’t sit down, except that you can do that now if you are old, but not for too long or if you are pregnant (but not too old).
14. You can't go to retirement homes, but you have to take care of the elderly and bring food and medication.
15. If you are sick, you can't go out, but you can go to the pharmacy.
16. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn't wear masks or gloves. But you have to have your groceries decontaminated outside for 3 hours. Pizza too?
17. Every disturbing article or disturbing interview starts with " I don't want to trigger panic, but…"
18. You can't see your older mother or grandmother, but you can take a taxi and meet an older taxi driver.
19. You can walk around with a friend but not with your family if they don't live under the same roof.
20. You are safe if you maintain the appropriate social distance, but you can’t go out with friends or strangers at a safe social distance.
21. The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours, no, four, no, six, no, we didn't say hours, maybe days? But it takes a damp environment. Oh no, not necessarily.
22. The virus stays in the air - well no, or yes, maybe, especially in a closed room, in one hour a sick person can infect ten, so if it falls, all our children were already infected at school before it was closed. But remember, if you stay at the recommended social distance, however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance, which, studies show, the virus can travel further, maybe.
23. We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they will die of…
24. We have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications).
25. We should stay locked up until the virus disappears, but it will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity, so when it circulates… but we must no longer be locked up for that?

**Copied & Pasted**

Aerosol-generating procedures—the guidelines

I haven't seen the pre-Covid guidelines for aerosol-generating procedures, but maybe Trump haters could tell me why these guidelines weren't being written and followed BEFORE anyone had been hospitalized or died of Covid? Were they in the Bush and Obama pandemic/bioterrorism guidelines?

Why shouldn't a businessman/president know more than the doctors?

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/-/media/files/wexnermedical/features/covid-resources/clinical-guidance/inpatient-clinical-care/guidance-regarding-aerosol-generating-procedures-for-suspect-or-confirmed-covid-19-patients.pdf?

I saw these guidelines in an OSU e-mail and wondered why they were just now being issued, and why did I need to know?

So if it took 69 not 68 or 67 minutes (does someone have a stop watch?  Is there an alarm?) , I thought I should look up AGP, in case someone hasn't been following guidelines:

Endotracheal intubation and extubation
Tracheostomy suctioning and changing a trach
Bag mask ventilation (manual ventilation)
Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (BiPAP, CPAP)
Bronchoscopy/bedside NP scope
CPR unless the patient is invasively ventilated and connected to a ventilator

We need to re-open soon to save the country, guest blogger Glenn K. Beaton

"My generation had it easy compared to our parents and grandparents. After a lifetime of comfort, it’s not too much to ask me and my old friends to avoid crowds. To wash our hands frequently. To use hand sanitizer.

If against all odds, I still get the virus, I’ll deal with it. If against even greater odds, I die from it, I’ll deal with that too.

The one thing I cannot deal with is destroying the country I love, the world I cherish and the opportunity for the next generation to similarly love and cherish.

So re-open our country soon. Re-open your lives. Re-open the world. A hunkered down life is no life at all."  The Aspen Beat

There are many ways to die from Covid19—listen to the other experts

By listening only to the "experts" in certain fields of health, the President and Governors--like DeWine of Ohio--are not listening to experts in other fields that do count the health costs for those with early or obvious signs of other health problems that need attention and can't get care, the health costs to the mentally fragile and poor, the health costs of shortages, the health costs of careers interrupted that might have solved future problems, the health costs of shifting billions of tax dollars to every department in government itself rather than basic needs of workers. The big winner--big government. The big loser--the people.

A call for plasma

Today I read "that Ohio State researchers and clinicians have found a way to take plasma from someone who has recovered from COVID-19 and deliver it to patients who are currently battling the virus to aid in their treatment and recovery." Hey, that's great news. But in that e-mail people who'd had Covid19 and been symptom free for 28 days were urged to donate plasma. Huh? Don't we have a billion dollars worth of EMR in Ohio and the other 49 plus DC and territories so some researcher can data mine our health records even if our MD has to call for it? Doesn't Dr. Brix always say, "the data show?" If the first known death was Feb. 29 in the U.S. and it wasn't in Ohio and many had it and didn't know it, maybe even me or you, should everyone who's had a mysterious cold or cough since the fall be tested?

Ohio has had less than 8,000 confirmed cases and barely over 2,000 were hospitalized. Doctors' offices are swamped with calls from clients who can't even be tested without all the signs. Surely somewhere in all those computers there's a record of the people to contact.

And President Trump will probably be blamed for OSU not knowing where to look for donated plasma. After all, isn't it his fault he didn't close down the economy before anyone had died?

Government the big winner of CARES

Government, not businesses and workers, is the big winner in the stimulus package. Out of $2 Trillion I’m thinking about ¼ goes right back to government agencies—federal, state, local. I saw two very minor examples in the last 5 minutes just looking through my mail.

1) The Dean of the Library School at U of I (my school, and it has a different name now) Eunice Santos did a study published as a chapter in a technology proceedings in 2013 on the 2009 pandemic which originated in Mexico (and from her photo and name she is Hispanic), and it has been resurrected as some sort of modeling technique for this covid pandemic. https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/8711/1/Modeling-emergent-border-crossing-behaviors-during-pandemics/10.1117/12.2018201.short?SSO=1 What this has to do with libraries, I have no idea, but I do know there will now be more funding.

2) And here’s another: “April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Child abuse takes place in every part of the population and takes many forms.  Children suffer from neglect, endure physical and sexual abuse, are exploited by pornographers and sex traffickers, and become collateral victims of drug abuse and other types of maltreatment every single day in America.  Fortunately, Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the nation are providing critical services to these young victims and helping to safeguard their legal rights, especially during this national COVID-19 pandemic.”

Obviously, this tragedy of child abuse and sex trafficking takes place every day and night, but there will be more money to study the other studies because of Covid19. And Mexicans fleeing Mexico during the 2009 pandemic will somehow be considered relevant to a model of the Covid19 pandemic—although no one will ever read it—it will be funded as part of this package.

Please, Mr. President, stop the insanity and put people back to work and get them off the government dole before the government sops up all the aid.

https://www.ncsl.org/ncsl-in-dc/publications-and-resources/coronavirus-stimulus-bill-states.aspx

Covid19—when I realized we’d turned the corner

A week or so ago there was a sign covid19 was coming under control. What did I see? The task force noted it was time to start throwing more time and energy at racial disparities. So much of our medical research dollars have been spent the last 30-40 years looking at poverty, obesity, sexual promiscuity of gays, family dynamics, educational achievement, smoking, drugs, and now transgenderism, it's no wonder CDC and NIH don't get the viruses and bacteria under control.

Today I saw: "Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Columbus Public Health Director Dr. Mysheika Roberts have opened the Center for Public Health Innovation to address racism as a public health issue. The new center seeks to reduce health inequities to increase life expectancy and improve quality of life. The center will also address racial disparities related to COVID-19 in Columbus and around the country." This is regurgitating epidemiology, social sciences and public health research that has been going on since the 1960s, and some earlier pieces are classics, still true. Behavior affects health, whether white, Asian, Hispanic or black. More money to advance careers and enhance resumes.

We don't prevent or cure AIDS by studying how gay men think about the size of their penises, yet that research has been on going for years. You don't solve diabetes by measuring the girth of Filipino Americans compared to Swedish Americans. You can't end nicotine addiction by more funding of support groups on-line paid for by Medicare. And concluding that LaTisha and LaToya had too many "daddies" in their home growing up, isn't going to make them want to exercise when they are 50 and overweight. Bridget and Bonnie are also overweight and their parents were married and faithful.

There are thousands, maybe millions of these articles stuck deep in data bases now--we don't need more to tell us behavior matters in keeping us healthy and happy. If anyone, of any race or culture, eats too much, smokes and drinks too much, sleeps around, and only exercises long enough to change the channel, he or she is not going to be healthy based on statistical studies and grandma's advice.

There. I could have saved the tax payers billions, although no one will take my advice because it's too lucrative for academics and politicians.

On Pascha, sermon by St. Melito of Sardis (d. 180)

"One of the greatest sermons ever written is titled On Pascha (Easter), written by Melito of Sardis in just the second century. In the sermon Melito asks us to recognize that from the beginning God has been working through the failures of humanity to complete His plan for us in Christ. Here is a brief excerpt of this beautiful sermon. . ." from Pastor Thomas Cowell, St. John's Lutheran, Burt, Iowa, Newsletter March-April 2019. https://www.stjohnsburt.org/uploads/8/5/6/4/85643360/messenger_mar_apr_2019.pdf

69. This is the Pascha of our salvation:
this is the one who in many people endured many things.
This is the one who was murdered in Abel,
tied up in Isaac,
exiled in Jacob,
sold in Joseph,
exposed in Moses,
slaughtered in the lamb,
hunted down in David,
dishonored in the prophets.
70. This is the one made flesh in a virgin,
who was hanged on a tree,
who was buried in the earth,
who was raised from the dead,
who was exalted to the heights of heaven.
71. This is the lamb slain,
this is the speechless lamb,
this is the one born of Mary the fair ewe,
this is the one taken from the flock,
and led to slaughter.
Who was sacrificed in the evening,
and buried at night;
who was not broken on the tree,
who was not undone in the earth,
who rose from the dead and resurrected humankind from the grave below. […]

To read more of this glorious sermon, which continues, see the link above:

103. “So come all families of people,
adulterated with sin, and receive forgiveness of sins.
For I am your freedom.
I am the Passover of salvation,
I am the lamb slaughtered for you
I am your ransom,
I am your life,
I am your light,
I am your salvation,
I am your resurrection,
I am your King.
I shall raise you up by my right hand,
I will lead you to the heights of heaven,
there shall I show you the everlasting father.”

(Melito of Sardis, On Pascha, trans. Alistair Stewart-Sykes (Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001).

When did I realize something was very wrong? When Ohio began posting stats

April 12 COVID-19 snapshot for Ohio:
Data provided by ODH as of 2 p.m. April 12

Confirmed cases in Ohio: 6,518
Number hospitalized in Ohio: 1,948
Number of deaths in Ohio: 248
Number of cases in Franklin County: 943

My husband was in Riverside Hospital in Columbus (the largest) from Thursday evening  through Saturday noon—taken by squad after minor testing at our house (squad wouldn’t come in—he had to go outside). He got excellent care, and every test known for cardiac problems. He also said the hospital was virtually empty and staff had little to do. I’m sure they pounced on him as a paying customer. In some states hospitals are closing, medical staff are being fired or furloughed. So a problem created by the fear that some hospitals in major cities might be swamped has created another problem. A small medical practice close to our family will receive $183 in “government stimulus” thanks to the wrangling of the Democrats who are grabbing every imaginable piece of pork in sight, and also a rather strange regulation that if a doctor doesn’t take Medicaid patients, they don’t get the goodies. Small offices can’t afford Medicaid patients because the reimbursement is so paltry.

Look at those numbers. Ohio has many major cities all over the state (not confined to one like Illinois and Indiana). Cleveland, Youngstown, Akron, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, but only 248 deaths. We probably get that many shootings on a week-end, or falls by the elderly. Or opioid deaths (we were the epicenter of that a few years ago due to the pipeline from Mexico which covers several states using Ohio). Most of these 248 are elderly, with heart problems, diabetes, pulmonary, etc. conditions. By the time my husband got to Riverside to be tested his LV function was at 35, and over 55 is “normal.” Another day and it might have been over—and some media investigative reporter probably would have claimed Upper Arlington architect dies of Covid19.

We are cowering in our homes afraid to even talk to neighbors. “Essential” businesses like Home Depot and Wal-Mart are up and running in Ohio, but the churches were closed for Easter. It’s ridiculous.

$1200 and a subscription to Netflix

Note: Diane McDermott (originally from Mt. Morris and I bought my horse from her family in 1952)  posted this on Facebook and she  says she is among those unable to get medical treatment needed for a cardiac problem at the moment.

Read this chilling commentary from
MARK LEVIN:

"To be clear. President Trump hasn't shut down a single business. The Governors did."

We’re seeing the most draconian measures enforced at all levels of government that we've ever seen in our lifetimes, and yet rather than being alarmed by the things going on, so many of you applaud.

People are being arrested for spending too much time outside, and you applaud. Pastors are being arrested for daring to hold church services, and you applaud. A child's birthday party is raided by police, and you applaud. A young woman is ticketed for going on a leisurely drive alone because it's deemed "non-essential travel", and you applaud. A parade of school teachers and administrators who wanted to drive through neighborhoods and wave at children is busted up by cops because they were "nonessential," and you applaud. A lone paddleboarder in the ocean on a beach without any other people around is arrested because he's violating quarantine orders, and you applaud.

People are being denied life saving medical treatments because they're not a priority right now (not "essential" as deemed by the government) as the entirety of our medical system is focused on one thing, and you applaud.

Businesses are beings forcibly closed and padlocked and owners arrested for refusing to shut down, and you applaud. Dairy farmers (and soon, other farmers) are being incentivized to stop dairy farming and to sell their herds, and you don't seem to understand the implications.

You're being told to use hotlines and online forms provided by your local governments to report your neighbors who don't obey, and you comply. You scold people day after day for not obeying government edicts, and if any of us dare to question what's happening, you lecture about how we're a danger to society and and we just don't care about people dying.

You've somehow managed to convince yourselves that the people whose lives are affected by a virus are MUCH more important than the people whose lives are being destroyed (and in many cases, leading to death) by the effects of a worldwide economic shutdown and impending worldwide depression the likes of which no one has ever seen before.
At what point will you start QUESTIONING what's going on? How far does the government have to push before you're jolted awake from your slumber? How far are you willing to go with this?

If they told you to load your families onto train cars so that you could be taken to Virus Protection Facilities for your own safety, would you do it?

YES. Yes, you would.That much has become painfully obvious to me. And the whole time, you'd be shaking your finger and yelling at those of us who refused, accusing us of being "a danger to society" and "not caring if people die."

But they don't have to load you onto train cars and take you to Virus Protection Facilities, or force you to comply, because you do that voluntarily. They control your mind. They control you through fear. They control you by convincing you that the world is a scary dangerous place, but they're here to protect you, care for you, and keep you safe, just as long as you OBEY.

They know that as long as you're locked inside your comfortable home with Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a cell phone, while dangling a $1200 check in front of you like a carrot on a stick, you'll comply. No force is necessary for the majority of the herd.

YOU ARE IMPRISONED, willingly, and you're too blind to see it.

Sowing fear and distrust about hydroxychloroquine

While the media, including NPR, try to frighten people about "unproven" emergency use of Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine here's what CDC says about therapeutic options:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/therapeutic-options.html? which links to the authorization of its use while clinical trials are performed. It won't harm anyone, and could help many based on trials in other countries. The media hate Trump so much they will try anything:

"On February 4, 2020, pursuant to Section 564(b)(1)(C) of the Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined that there is a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad, and that involves the virus that causes COVID-19.3 ,4 Pursuant to Section 564 of the Act, and on the basis of such determination, the Secretary of HHS . . . Based upon limited in-vitro and anecdotal clinical data in case series, chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate are currently recommended for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in several countries, and a number of national guidelines report incorporating recommendations regarding use of chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine sulfate in the setting of COVID-19. FDA encourages the conduct and participation in randomized controlled clinical trials that may produce evidence concerning the effectiveness of these products in treating COVID-19. FDA is issuing this EUA to facilitate the availability of chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate during the COVID-19 pandemic to treat patients for whom a clinical trial is not available, or participation is not feasible. "

Also notice the date. Feb. 4. While Democrats and their media arms were calling Trump a racist for attempting to limit entry to our country by infected people.

Jesus has gone ahead of us—Reflections from Lakeside’s pastor

Read Mark 16:1-7 The Easter story is recorded in all four Gospels, but each tells the story differently. It’s like learning about the contemporary crisis via Fox News, CNN, NBC and ABC. Each tells the story with a slightly different bias. In Mark’s version, the women rise early on the first day of the week and take spices to anoint the (supposed) dead body of Jesus. On their way, they worry: who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb? Certainly, they’re not going to be able to do it. When they arrive, they find the stone, which is very large, has already been rolled away! The problem that they were worrying about has already been taken care of. God has been one step ahead of them! God has already provided a solution to their problem. How many times do we worry about things that God has already handled? How will we get through the current pandemic? Rest assured, my friends, God has a solution. God knows our need. God is able to deal with this, and every other crisis we face in life. When the women see the place where Jesus is supposed to be, and an angel sitting there instead, they become alarmed. Again, God is one step ahead of them! Instead of a dead body, they’re told that Jesus has been raised. He is not here. (Mark 16:6) The angel tells the women that the risen Christ will meet them in Galilee. Galilee is their home. In other words, when they go back home, to the place where they live and work, Jesus will be there with them. Not only will Jesus be with them, the angel says that the risen Christ will “go ahead” of them. (Mark 16:7) This verse underscores a central truth of the Christian faith: Jesus is always ahead of his faithful followers. His mind is quicker; his vision larger; his spirit more adventuresome; his convictions more sure; his courage more firm. Easter challenges us to move forward. We have the assurance of the Scriptures and the record of the faithful down through the centuries that Christ will be with us in the future, just as he has accompanied thousands upon thousands in the past. Wherever he calls us, we do not go alone. Not only is Christ with us, he goes ahead of us. The Risen Christ is on the scene before any of us arrives! We need not fear the future, even death, for the risen Christ has already gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. What’s our future as individuals and at Lakeside Chautauqua? What’s next for us amid this crisis as a nation, a world community? Whatever it is, Jesus is with us, and he will go ahead of us. Thanks be to God! --- Rev. Dr. Charles Yoost, Lakeside Chautauqua Director of Religious Life

An Easter poem

How the Virus Stole Easter

By Kristi Bothur With a nod to Dr. Seuss

Twas late in '19 when the virus began Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full, Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring, The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen. They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed. "There won't be an Easter," the world supposed.

"There won't be church services, and egg hunts are out. No reason for new dresses when we can't go about."

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest. The world was focused on masks and on tests.

"Easter can't happen this year," it proclaimed. "Online and at home, it just won't be the same."

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went. The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed. The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

"Pooh pooh to the saints," the world was grumbling. "They're finding out now that no Easter is coming.

"They're just waking up! We know just what they'll do! Their mouths will hang open a minute or two, And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

"That noise," said the world, "will be something to hear." So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies. It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn't depressed. Why, this sound was triumphant! It couldn't be so! But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes. Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small, Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn't stopped Easter from coming! It came! Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine Stood puzzling and puzzling. "Just how can it be?"

"It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies, It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money."

Then the world thought of something it hadn't before. "Maybe Easter," it thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more."

And what happened then? Well....the story's not done. What will YOU do? Will you share with that one Or two or more people needing hope in this night? Will you share the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb, And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer, As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God's people. May the world see the church is not a building or steeple. May the world find Faith in Jesus' death and resurrection, May the world find Joy in a time of dejection. May 2020 be known as the year of survival, But not only that - Let it start a revival.

Don’t wait for a vaccine

I've heard several politicians say we'll have to go very slow to reopen the economy until we have a vaccine. Hogwash.

There is no vaccine for AIDS; the vaccine for shingles only works for some; there are promising vaccines in the works for malaria which kills and cripples over a million a year, but nothing completely acceptable (and environmentalists removed the only safe protection, DDT, with no vaccine in sight); thousands of parents follow the advice they see on the internet and won't even accept measles, mumps and polio vaccines. Between the excruciatingly slow and thick government red tape and the outrage from various special interest groups about disparities and availability, it could be decades to get approval. The first black child who contracts covid19 after receiving a vaccine would have the 9th circuit throwing the whole thing out.

We don't have time, Governor DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, to wait for approval of a vaccine. Democrats would call it racist, sexist, and homophobic if Trump even got it close to the finish line--and you know it!

You can go to Wal-Mart, but not church. Guest blogger, Michael Smith

“In Kentucky, you can go to Walmart or Target anytime you want without sanction but if you go to church, you'll be sentenced to 14 days of home confinement.

This is nuts.

Our elected leaders are flexing their tyrant muscles.

The WHO widely praised (and continue to praise) the Chinese for their clampdown in Wuhan - but what they did was to ban domestic travel to prevent the spread of the virus to Beijing and Shanghai - but curiously, the continued to allow international flights to Vancouver, San Francisco, LA and New York City.

With tyrants, you need to watch what they do rather than just listen to what they say.

Same with the government and elected officials here in our country. One should really question why unlimited travel and congregating at a Walmart is allowed and yet church congregations are not.

If government requires me to wear a mask and gloves when I am in public, I can accept that - but when they start telling me where I can and can't go, especially if it is to church, or I have to have papers signifying I have the right antibodies, we are going to have a problem.”

https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-governor-recording-license-plates-of-easter-sunday-churchgoers-ordering-them-to-14-day-quarantine?

We’ve gone too far

My son is in a hospital bed in my home office with a brain tumor, and my husband is in a hospital bed at Riverside Hospital with an undiagnosed heart problem (2 days of testing so far), and neither condition is caused by the virus. The draconian measures by the President's and Governor's task forces has dramatically impacted the health of both men and reduced my financial ability to care for them. It has shut out the people who could be helping me. We've gone too far; your family may be next.

OPINION - We've Gone Too Far
Apr 04, 2020 at 11:20 AM / By Steve Hallstrom

“I've gotten to the point where I feel that we've gone too far in playing it safe against the Coronavirus. Don't get me wrong. Some caution and personal responsibility are a good thing. But we are creating millions of people who sit at home shivering in fear as they lose their jobs, fitness, socialization and savings. There is a tremendous societal cost to this with the resulting addiction, suicide, hopelessness and isolation. These are harder to quantify but calls to suicide lines are up 3x. Read up on plasma and hydroxychloroquine. Great early results, and Cuomo said this morning that 20% of the ventilators in NY are sitting idle not being used. Most of us won't get it and if we do we won't know. If we DO get it, likely we'll get better. Listen to me. I'm not saying this is nothing. Never have. But you "all or nothings" out there have to realize there is a balance point here. 25% of small business people tell US Chamber they're on the verge of closing for good.

I'm biased here cause I'm in ownership but even if you hate small business owners, how about those who got a call last week saying your job is gone?

Unemployment? Please. That's no model for the dignity of doing your job well and won't make you whole financially. If Walmart can be open today with spacing restrictions then so can Kohl's. Let gyms set up new schedules, max 10 people and close every hour to clean. Let restaurants open with space between tables. Let theaters sell half the tickets with chairs in between.
There are ways to do this responsibly. Losing lives is awful. But remember comorbidity. Many of those dying were dying from other things before this came along. Losing freedom, health, commerce, savings, and opportunity is awful too. In a societal context, we understand we are part of a system. If I'm susceptible to something, I have the freedom to say don't come to visit me I might catch something or I might give it to you. In a free society we let the people make these decisions, not the government. You also have the right to dig a hole in your backyard and jump in it where you have no risk. If you're scared to go out to eat then don't do it. When government limits your constitutional rights, you stand in a danger zone, and that's what is happening.

Not saying anyone has to agree with me. And there are good points on both sides. But we've swung the balance too far. New York Mills should not be run like New York City. We've set a new world record in playing it safe. We need to have something to come back to after this is over.”

HT Diane McDermott for the article.

Ejection fraction—what is measured and what does it mean?

Bob had an echocardiogram on Friday and the LV ejection fraction was below 50%.  What does that mean?  According to Mayo clinic web page, https://www.mayoclinic.org/ejection-fraction/expert-answers/faq-20058286

“Ejection fraction is a measurement of the percentage of blood leaving your heart each time it contracts.

The heart contracts and relaxes. When your heart contracts, it ejects blood from the two pumping chambers (ventricles). When your heart relaxes, the ventricles refill with blood. No matter how forceful the contraction, the heart can never pump all blood out of a ventricle. The term "ejection fraction" refers to the percentage of blood that's pumped out of a filled ventricle with each heartbeat.

The ejection fraction is usually measured only in the left ventricle (LV). The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber. It pumps oxygen-rich blood up into the upward (ascending) aorta to the rest of the body.

• An LV ejection fraction of 55 percent or higher is considered normal.
• An LV ejection fraction of 50 percent or lower is considered reduced.
• An LV ejection fraction between 50 and 55 percent is usually considered "borderline."

Ejection fraction is just one of many tests your doctor may use to determine how your heart works. But even with a normal ejection fraction, your overall heart function may not be normal. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your heart.

Some things that may cause a reduced ejection fraction are:

• Weakness of the heart muscle, such as cardiomyopathy
• Heart attack that damaged the heart muscle
• Heart valve problems
• Long-term, uncontrolled high blood pressure

Ejection fraction can be measured with imaging techniques, including:

• Echocardiogram. This is the most common test used to measure ejection fraction. During an echocardiogram, sound waves are used to produce images of your heart and the blood pumping through your heart.
• Cardiac catheterization. During cardiac catheterization, a thin, plastic tube (catheter) is inserted into an artery in your arm or leg and then gently guided to your heart. Images taken during catheterization can measure the ejection fraction of your heart.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses magnetic field and radio waves to create cross-sectional images of specific parts of your body. When an MRI is used to study the heart, it's known as a cardiovascular MRI.
• Computerized tomography (CT). During a CT scan, a special X-ray technique is used to create cross-sectional images of specific parts of your body. When a CT scan is used to study the heart, it's known as a cardiac CT.
• Nuclear medicine scan. During a nuclear scan, trace amounts of radioactive material are injected into your bloodstream. Special cameras then detect the radioactive material in your blood as it flows through your heart and lungs.”

More testing today, and we hope he’ll be home soon.

How is it treated? According to Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/ejection-fraction#treatment

“There are a variety of treatment options for abnormal EF, including:

• Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), or beta-blockers. These medications can reduce the amount of hormones that weaken your heart muscle. They can also slow the progression of heart disease.
• Diuretics. These drugs can help get rid of excess fluid that’s causing swelling and shortness of breath.
• Eplerenone or spironolactone. These agents help you eliminate excess fluid and can help decrease stiffening of your heart.
• Biventricular pacemaker. This pacemaker helps to synchronize the contractions of your left and right ventricles so they’re working to their highest capacity.
• Implantable cardiac defibrillator. This device can be directly implanted into your chest. It sends small electrical triggers to your heart to keep it beating regularly.
• Hydralazine-nitrate. These two drugs have been successful in lowering blood pressure in people who still have symptoms when taking ACE, ARBs, and beta-blockers.”

Why an echocardiogram?

Bob was taken to the ER last night after a week or two if discomfort, and in my non-medical opinion, his primary care physician dropping the ball.  If this were ordinary times he probably would have seen her as soon as he felt shortness of breath.  A call back after his EKG on Tuesday might have helped his anxiety.   It was determined he was in A-fib, and this morning he had an echo.  So I looked that up, and this is what Sanjay Gupta says about that, and why those with a-fib should have one.

“It is painless, harmless, readily available in most hospitals and can give a large amount of very useful information about the structure and function of the heart.

As atrial fibrillation can be caused by a structural problem with the heart such as heart valve disease or heart muscle weakness, the echo can help to elucidate the underlying cause of the AF.

Secondly, the echo can help assess the size of the atria. If the atria look very enlarged then it makes it more unlikely that the heart can be restored to a normal rhythm.

Thirdly, one important risk factor for strokes in patients with AF is the presence of heart failure. The echo can easily identify if the heart is weak and therefore help with risk assessment.

Fourthly, sometimes when the heart rate is excessively fast due to AF and not adequately controlled, the heart itself can start weakening. This is called a tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. The echo can identify a tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy and therefore guide appropriate treatment. The good news is that with appropriate rate control treatment, a tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy can easily be reversed.

Finally, some heart rhythm control medications such as Flecainide should not be used in patients with structural heart disease. A normal echocardiogram is reassuring with this regard and allows such medications to be used.”

https://drsanjayguptacardiologist.com/blog/why-everyone-with-afib-should-have-an-echocardiogram/

Tom Cotton on the Afghanistan War and draw down

“Nineteen and a half years after the War in Afghanistan began, President Trump is moving forward with a plan to draw down the number of American forces there. The longest U.S war in history began October 7, 2001 when the U.S. and allies drove the Taliban from power. The Islamic extremist group had allowed al-Qaeda to operate and plan the September 11 terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. I recently spoke with Senator Tom Cotton who is on the Armed Services Committee. He served in Afghanistan while in the Army in 2008.”

https://sharylattkisson.com/2020/04/watch-troop-drawdown-in-afghanistan/?

http://fullmeasure.news/news/terrorism-security/afghanistan-troop-drawdown

Something’s not right.

It's just not right. Today my husband drove a mile to a small hardware store to buy an additional recycled material container for trash day. With all the medical and nutritional plastic we're generating for Phil’s illness, our usual bin isn't enough. That's essential? A recycle bin? We can't sit in our cars in a church parking lot for Easter but we can park in a hardware store lot? The "cure" has become worse than the disease. And Trump will be blamed either way.

When data don’t tell the truth

There are vast differences of opinions about this, left and right and middle. But if a 95 year old breaks a hip playing tennis, dies of pneumonia in the hospital, and upon testing is found to have coronavirus (which had not kept him off the courts), I just don't see that as a coronavirus19 death, not matter how Dr. Brix and Dr. Amy Acton (Ohio Dept. of Health) dig through the data and advise the president and Ohio's governor.

Note from a friend on the current situation

“I thought toilet paper hoarding was bad.  Well freezers are worse.  I went to a small Sears store this am as I needed some parts.  The store manager was on the phone and he sold a freezer over the phone.  I asked him if selling a freezer over the phone was normal?  He said yes.  He said he sells many every day over the phone.  He said he has no freezer inventory, all the incoming order product is sold, and his future orders he was placing today are all sold.  He said the factories are running like crazy but they can not keep up.  As I was leaving a couple talked to him or more appropriately begged him to sell a floor model.  Unfortunately I would bet no freezers are made in the USA any more.  The last time I looked at a new refrigerator we bought a FEW MONTHS AGO IT SAID MADE IN MEXICO.”

Note: there are still appliances made in the U.S.A. http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/appliances.html

The hydroxychloroquine flap

It is so frustrating to see the Democrats in media still hoping this drug will fail.  PSA: Not all drugs work for all people. THC helps some and not others. Aspirin is a miracle drug for many but doesn't help everyone. Many cannot use Tylenol. Ever talk to someone trying to get just the right Parkinson's treatment--one size/treatment doesn't work. And statins? Oh my--cripples some with mysterious muscle problems and cures others. I use fish oil for bursitis, and even if it is a placebo, it works for me--maybe not for you. Peer review articles by researchers don't always agree. Politics seems to be the best disinfectant going these days--wiping the brain cells of Trump haters clean

Dr. Anna Meenan says they can get away with it for now, because it has a strange name that no one except the doctors and the president can pronounce, and it's normally used for unusual indications (malaria prevention, lupus). It is no more dangerous than penicillin (allergic reactions and rashes in some people) in short term use. If someone discovered that penicillin seemed to work on this virus, you can bet they would be clamoring for it. The data is looking better and better for hydroxychloroquine when used early in the course of the illness. I predict those MSM pundits will have to eat their words eventually. It's not a cure-all, but it will have a place in treatment.

Diane McDermott says India had banned the export of this drug. Trump called them and told them to end the ban, that we want that drug and that we need it. India 2 days later ends the export ban and supplies us with the drug.

Sam Sorbo has some ideas for homeschoolers

Texas Home School Coalition and Sam Sorbo, an accomplished actress, author, homeschool mom and advocate have partnered together to help provide families these immediate, easy-to-use resources in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

https://coronavirushomeschooling.com/

“Millions of families have suddenly and unexpectedly been stranded at home, potentially through September, without any game plan to educate their kids. This is unprecedented, and requires an unprecedented response. We mobilized our entire team and have worked around-the-clock to produce excellent daily lesson plans beginning with grades K through 5. Using our website, every parent has immediate access to this free resource, as well as support from our team of education professionals,” said Sam Sorbo, Spokesperson for Texas Home School Coalition. “We are rolling out new resources every week, for children of all ages, so that parents have the vibrant, comprehensive, necessary resources to teach at home. COVID-19 may
shut down our schools, but the learning shouldn’t have to stop, as we empower parents to take the reins and continue their childrens’ education at home in the coming months.” 

Pandemic planning

"Needs vs. Wants vs. Desires During the Coronavirus."

I saw this as a topic in an article on financial planning. Events or relationships that don't cost anything would be at the top for me.

Attending church.

Coffee with a friend.

Walking with neighbors.

Concert in a city park.

Browsing the public library shelves.

Emergency authorization for Covid-19

“The US Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization of Abbott’s newest coronavirus test, which can read out positive results within 5 minutes and negative results in 13 minutes. The portable ID NOW machine, which will run the SARS-CoV-2 test, can be used in doctor’s offices, expanding the availability of testing beyond hospital and laboratory settings, and the company aims to produce 50,000 tests daily starting next week.”  The Scientist

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/fda-gives-abbott-emergency-use-of-five-minute-coronavirus-test-67351?

If everyone does a little. . .

Regardless of what you hear, don't be greedy or stupid and hurt others. Pay your tithe; pay your rent; pay your mortgage; pay your utility bills; if you still have a local store that uses a tab, pay them. If you have discretionary money, buy local and leave a big tip. Exchange services if you can. If you don't like anything Biblical, just call it stone soup.

Optimism about Covid-19

Want some good (or at least better) news? If your liberal friends deny it, the author is probably on the right track.

"First, the rate of increase in deaths from COVID-19 is decreasing, in the United States and in most countries. That means there is a slowing of deaths, not just the calculated mortality rate, a different statistic that will keep decreasing as we unveil a larger number of people carrying the virus with mild or no symptoms. In the United States as well as in Italy, Spain and other countries most heavily impacted, there is a significant slowing in added deaths. This is evidence that isolation policies are working."

And second. . .

And third . . .

https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/490582-the-case-for-optimism?

The president, his critics, and coronavirus

The President took action on the coronavirus plague a month before the first death in a Washington nursing home. That isn't good enough for Democrats, who apparently always thought the federal government should control everything--as long as a Democrat was president.

I think we'll see more impeachment charges for Trump listening to advisers. Or not listening. Or giving an uninformed opinion like all of us on FB. Or trusting God. Or praying with conservative Christians. Or using the media too often. Or firing or replacing someone. Or not firing someone the left hates. Or appearing in public with no face mask. Or getting tested and alarming people. Or not getting tested and setting a bad example which then killed Great Aunt Tillie who was 95 with only one lung. And on, and on.

Michael Smith adds some perspective to death statistics

"I'm not trying to minimize the deaths from the Coronavirus pandemic but when I heard a report yesterday that now in New York, one person dies every 17 minutes due to the disease and that it could get to one person every 9 minutes.

So I checked to see if I could find comparable numbers anywhere on the CDC's website and here's what I found:

Mortality reason #1:
Number of deaths: 36,338
Deaths per 100,000 population: 11.2
Death rate - 1 person per every 15 minutes - comparable to the current mortality frequency of the pandemic in New York.

Mortality reason #2:
Number of deaths: 64,795
Deaths per 100,000 population: 19.9
Death rate: 1 person every 8 minutes - comparable to the predicted mortality frequency of the pandemic in New York.

Mortality reason #1 - unintentional falls.
Mortality reason #2 - unintentional poisonings.

One might think the moral panic is being stoked by the way this pandemic is being promoted in the media.

I don't know how to get people to look at this pandemic with any sense of proportionality - there's just too much fear out there that blocks any sense of rationality."

Thoughts on the current situation upon waking up at home today

I've been thinking . . .

1) One of the things that has been the most surprising to me in this latest crisis is the demand (and willingness) to cede all personal, local and state sovereignty to the federal government—by liberals, conservatives and even some libertarians and thousands of know-nothings who don't even vote.

2) What hasn’t been as surprising is It’s been exacerbated by the raging horror and hate for the president where everything he says, comments on or jokes about becomes front page news and taken out of context. I’ve briefly skimmed some of the federal guidelines established after the Swine flu epidemic of 2009-10 built on other disaster plans. I see no evidence that Clinton, Bush, Obama or Trump were expected to be knowledgeable about virology, epidemics, public health or supply and storage of medical products. They were expected to be managers of a disaster and appoint knowledgeable people.

3) Third, it is shocking to see that local communities and hospitals have not taken care of having their own people protected with proper equipment. Did they think everything bad happens only in LA or New York City? These are guidelines for states and local agencies to follow! Yes, there are some warehouses scattered around the country in case of bioterrorism, but those supplies (and extremely secret locations) are not necessarily suitable for a virus. The make-up of committees or task forces is not in concrete, nor are the budgets. The opportunity for political machinations and pork are spectacular, and the bidding process probably follows long established murky procedures and regulations developed the last 50 years for another war—the War on Poverty, many of which are being swept aside in the scramble to defeat this virus. There are minority set asides, exceptions for LGBTQ groups, demands for female appointments, environmental protection regulations, disability protections, climate change models, etc. all of which have protective, special interest groups which run to the media and claim they are being ignored or abused. That’s how abortion pork got into Pelosi’s wish list about Covid-19—she is politically supported by Planned Parenthood. If the CDC seems sluggish or bloated, it's because increasingly it's been expected to achieve social change goals, not medical.

4) 25 year old reporters who don’t even remember 9/11 are getting their opinions published and faces on the evening news; the rumor mill is grinding away; people are panicked by every suggestion, some as wild as Trump has killed someone who drank fish tank cleaner in hopes of obtaining a cure. 80 year old bloggers or Facebookers of my generation are making false assumptions based on their own immunity built up during their lifetimes, bringing with it their political gripes.

5) I’d rather have various companies within the supply chain—from McDonald’s to Microsoft to Meier’s-- doing their best to serve, keep their people employed and make a profit, than to listen to a party hack like Pelosi that is pushing for socialism so we’d all be on the same page and under the same umbrella leading us to failure and disaster. Let’s at least go down fighting that system.

Thoughts on bizarre behavior of the anti-Trumpers

The PA at Marc's was playing good (you can sing it) music this morning, and paused to apologize for shortages (although there were very few), and then reminded us: "We will get through this with everyone working together." Now, when the President says that, my Democrat friends call him a liar and idiot, then repeat smears about Fox News which continues to flash the light at the end of their dark tunnel. When a discount grocery clerk with a pleasant voice and an essential job says it, we all smile and nod. Even the Democrats. Funny what politics does to otherwise smart people.

Many drugs that were used for other viruses are being repurposed and researched for use with Covid19. If Trump mentioned them in one of the many TV briefings, then you'll see media reports denying their usefulness. Media would rather you die than support anything Trump says. Just so you know, check out the NIH/NLM LitCovid data base. Today's entries are from March 26. There you can hear the experts agree, disagree or confirm just about anything about Covid19 and various body parts, transmission, countries, opinions, etc.  But the governor of Michigan is forbidding doctors to prescribe the malaria off label drug for treating this virus while it’s being further tested.  She hates Trump that much—he’d spoken hopefully about it in a news conference.  Some people are so unhinged about the president it will cost someone their life~~

Members of the President's Covid19 task force who sound hopefully cautious are now being accused by the mob and its media of being Trumpsters. You know, there were a lot of Americans who didn't like FDR in 1941 for the take overs and failures of the 1930s. They believed, and it's been shown in many academic studies since, that there were Communists among his advisors (and also Eleanor's). But they sucked it up and supported the war effort.

The covid virus song—really cute.

https://www.facebook.com/chaya.parkoff/videos/10219750438745903/

My new office

 

After 3 weeks of one finger typing on my I-pad I decided I really needed my computer and a desk at Phil's. I was looking on-line and at local stores and then everything shut down. So I looked around our house and noticed a drop leaf table in Bob's office was only holding books, and my great-grandmother's dining room chair recaned by my mother was just a place holder at another desk, so I set them up and brought over my computer. Open for business.

The table's story isn't too interesting--I bought it at Target in 2002 so Bob would have a table in his office while talking to clients about their architectural needs. The chair, however, if I can believe family lore, travelled from Pennsylvania to northern Illinois after my great grandparents married in 1855. Grandfather David had left home in 1848 to search for gold in California with a friend. The friend died, and somehow David ended up in northern Illinois, worked in Rockford, saved his money, then bought farmland between Ashton and Franklin Grove for $1/acre. There were other settlers in that area who were also members of the Dunkers (Brethren), German Anabaptists, so it's possible he knew people who could help him. So needing a wife, he went back to Adams Co., PA, and married Susan. She probably brought along a number of family things. Many years later, probably the 1920s, it was fashionable to paint old furniture dark, so my grandfather slathered almost every piece of furniture in the house with a reddish, black varnish to "modernize" them. The chairs fell on hard times, and were probably either in the barn or attic when my mom rescued them, refinished and caned them in the 1970s. I have three of them, and a fourth I think is with cousin Dianne from her mother, my mother's sister. If there are more than four, I don't know where the rest of them are.
And now you know why I can't say all that with an I-pad.

We’ll be OK—we’ll come out stronger

Taken from a friend's post. . . and passed along by Diane Orr McDermott (grew up in Mt. Morris, and lives in New Orleans) “gotta love the American people no matter what self-serving politicians do in Washington:”

“The reports are that the truckers are getting supplies to the stores. People are stocking the shelves all night and letting old people shop first.

Carnival Cruise line told Trump “We got your back and can match those big Navy Hospital ships with some fully staffed cruise ships.”

GM said hold our cars and watch this; we can make those ventilators where we were making cars starting next week. Women and children are making homemade masks and handing out snacks to truckers.

Restaurants and schools said, We’ve got kitchens and staff; we can feed kids.” Churches are holding on-line services and taking care of their members and community.

NBA basketball players said, “Hold our basketballs while we write checks to pay the arena staff.” Construction companies said, “Here are some masks for the medical staff and doctors”.  Breweries are making sanitizer out of the left-over ingredients.

We thought we couldn’t live without Baseball, NASCAR, NBA or going to the beach, restaurants or a bar. Instead, we’re trying to keep those businesses open by ordering take-out.

What communist China didn't count on was America saying "Hey, hold my beer and watch this."

I think a Japanese Admiral in the middle of the Pacific said it best in 1941, "I think we have awakened a sleeping giant."

Give us a few more weeks (maybe months) and we will be doing much better! And stop listening to the hysterical media!!  Sharing this from another FB friend. We have a wonderful country and an amazing God.

I know we will be ok .”

Jibe and Gibe—what’s the difference?

These seem to be pronounced the same: jybe. Gibe was the MW world of the day for March 25.  Makes me think I’ve been occasionally misspelling, but not sure I ever heard the meaning of gibe.

“Confused about jibe and gibe? The distinction actually isn't as clear-cut as some commentators would like it to be. Jibe is used both for the verb meaning "to be in accord" or "agree" (as in "the results do not jibe with those from other studies") and for the nautical verb and noun referring to the act of shifting a sail from one side to the other ("jibe the mainsail," "a risky jibe in heavy seas"). Gibe is used as a verb and noun for derisive teasing or taunting. But jibe is also a recognized variant of gibe, so it too has teasing or taunting uses. Gibe has been used occasionally as a variant of jibe, but the use is not common enough to warrant dictionary entry, and is widely considered an error.”

While we’re all washing, don’t forget. . .fingernails

Let me add one more health measure I haven't seen mentioned. Your fingernails. Trim them shorter than usual. Fake nails are factories of bacteria and fungus. Painted natural nails are too in that you can't see the crude they accumulate and cracks harbor critters. Yes, this is a virus, but you don't want to add to the stew, especially if you are working in any health facility or food service. If you're in veterinary medicine, you don't want to share your work with your pet at home.

"A real threat to patients lurks at the very tips of health-care workers’ fingers. Even when properly washed and gloved, the risk of infection is still there. The threat is pathogens harbored beneath artificial fingernails. If clinicians forgo artificial fingernails, it could make a significant difference in infection control. Studies have shown that artificial nails, as well as chipped nail polish, possess a greater amount of gram negative bacteria and pathogens than natural nails. The grooves and rough areas create a prefect space for bacteria to thrive."

https://www.rdhmag.com/pathology/public-health/article/16407021/infection-control-right-at-your-fingertips?

The coronavirus death rate—Ross Rant, March 21

“. . . the death rate apples to confirmed cases, not the total population, so when they say 3% or 1% or whatever, it is a percent of a tiny number. Second they still have no good data to know the death rate. The data is very incomplete so far, and inaccurate from places like China. In South Korea, which seems to have good data, the death rate is around 1% of confirmed cases, not of the population. In the entire world there are only 11, 585 deaths as of Saturday morning (March 21). There are over 4 billion people in the world. The US deaths are only 300 so far, and only 19 a day when the virus is likely at its peak right now, out of 330 million population. Of those, there are a considerable number who were very old and dying anyway in a short time in nursing homes, or otherwise quite sick. The number of perfectly healthy people dying is barely measurable. Far more die from auto accidents, opioids or flu every day. You have to just wait for the data experts to give us real numbers, and ignore the disinformation on the internet. What we do know is that most people who do test positive just feel like they have a bad cold or mild flu and recuperate at home. Just because someone tests positive does not mean they need to be hospitalized at all.

Haters continue to bring down our country

The Lap dog media have been misquoting the president for over 3 years, and then their followers on FB, Twitter and blog land continue the stream of misinformation. He never said there were good people in the right wing hate groups or the left wing hate groups at a demonstration against destroying American history by tearing down statues, and he never said the coronavirus was a hoax. He never said Mexicans were bad people. But the haters still hate and the liars still lie. Even when it gets corrected at the source, or watchdog groups show the video was cut or filtered, the lies still circulate because they hate Trump and by extension, the 60 million who put him in office. Even now in a crisis that is hurting their own pension funds and investments, their neighbors and their families, they continue to lie, because they hate Trump more than they love Americans.

What is your reserve?

What amount of reserve do you need to meet a disaster? Like the current health crisis which has closed 100s of businesses. I  can remember when I was about 45-50 our reserve would cover new tires for the car or a fence if the old one collapsed.  Our savings was put and take. We’d save it and 2 months later an appliance would die. No 3 months, not even 1 month. When I finally went back to work full time in a tenure track job we just didn’t spend my salary, and 15% went to TDA.  It was a very late start for retirement.

When our son was diagnosed with a brain tumor that ended his employment on October 1 we discovered that disability assistance based on Social Security begins SIX months after diagnosis, and medical help 2 years after that (Medicare). If you are poor or an illegal alien there is help, otherwise you should have enough assets to row your own boat for 6 months. Hospitals and cancer clinics have special programs to help low income patients , some don’t pay a penny, but not those who earn over $25,000 and own a house and car. And that is most who read this post.  So . . . Do you have 6 months of liquid resources?

A statement from Pastor Steve Turnbull, UALC, Columbus, Ohio

Coronavirus is in the news, and the global spread of this new virus is a reality. I’d like to address this situation pastorally and share with you how we can respond as a church. We can be a church following Jesus with soft hearts, engaged minds, open (clean!) hands, and whole spirits.
In our responses, we will be guided by wisdom and love, not fear or panic. My social media feeds are populated by two extremes: those who dismiss and minimize the threat and those who are whipping others into a frenzy. These extremes are neither wise nor loving, nor helpful.
Here are some facts for engaged minds:

1. Public health officials now project that many or most people will be infected eventually and develop the disease called COVID-19.
2. The overwhelming majority of people will recover safely, as is also true for other similar viruses.
3. Some people are more vulnerable than others to serious health risks resulting from this virus, particularly older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Health officials are recommending “social distancing” for those with chronic health conditions and for adults over 70.
4. Slowing the spread of the disease to these more vulnerable groups is the wisest and most loving priority for us to embrace.

Please allow me to address this fourth idea and how we can prioritize loving our neighbors as our ourselves. Jesus has made us whole, and we are free to respond to one another in faith and love. As Christians we “look not to our own interests but to the interests of others.” Here’s what that means practically:

1. I ask that you please pray for one another, especially for those at higher risk.
2. I ask those of you in lower-risk groups to soften your hearts toward our higher-risk neighbors and take precautions to “bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” This means that you are not just washing your hands for yourself but for the person you’re about to meet. Or if you have symptoms, you may be able to power through your day and get a few things accomplished, but you might also be putting someone else at serious risk. Please love your neighbor and keep your germs to yourself.
3. Perhaps you could also take open-handed steps of love and sacrifice for those who are vulnerable. Some of you could offer to pick up groceries or medications for others who need to limit their public exposure. This is an opportunity to be creative and thoughtful with our intentional acts of kindness to one another.
4. Finally, I'd recommend engaging your mind with news from www.cdc.gov and more locally from www.coronavirus.ohio.gov. You might consider taking a break from Facebook and cable news for a while.

It's so important that we practice love and wisdom as a church community. As a result, we have made the decision to suspend activities in our building effective immediately. Although it breaks my heart to say so, this applies even to worship on Sunday mornings. Worship is central to the life of our Christian community, and it is only through prayer and with much counsel that we have come to this decision. I hope and pray that actions like these, together with many others, lead to outcomes that will make the precautions seem to have been unnecessary. God make it so. None of these decisions are reached in a spirit of panic but rather love for those at greatest risk. This is how we “bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” At present we intend for the suspension of activities, including worship, to be in effect for the remainder of the month of March. We all realize that this is a rapidly developing situation, and we will update you as new information becomes available. Please visit www.ualc.org/coronavirus for the most accurate communication.
During the time that we do not gather on Sunday mornings for worship, we will do our best to stay connected and support the faith and life of our community.

1. Our worship and technical teams are already working to develop the best mechanisms to help us connect in prayer, in worship, and in the sharing of the Gospel. I will send out further information in the coming days. This would be a great time for you to download the UALC mobile app. You can find it on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or get a link by texting “UALC App” to 77977.
2. You can still participate in giving your tithes and offerings at www.ualc.org/give. I have done my giving as a recurring transaction for many years now. It helps me remain faithful in my giving, provides for the church’s needs, and even brings a bit of worship to my otherwise less joyful bill paying and record keeping! Of course, you may also mail your gifts to the church office at 2300 Lytham Road, Columbus, Ohio 43220.
3. We are developing strategies to continue to care for one another during this season. Your small groups are a great community to stay in communication with. We are also providing additional support to our care department to check on and care for our members.
4. Please be intentional to reach out, communicate with, and care for one another during this season.

As Christians, we can walk by faith and live in love. We trust that Jesus is Lord, no matter what. And we follow His example in loving one another. Thank you for being the church of Jesus Christ and for sharing in His life for the world, especially now.

Following Jesus with you,
Pastor Steve

Now a pandemic

Six weeks after our President acted to limit travel from China to the U.S. to protect Americans, schools, assemblies, conferences, sports teams, nursing homes and whole towns have put stringent rules in place that limit person to person spread of the Coronavirus. Are those officials all racists and xenophobes? Have they been slow to act and irresponsible because the power of socialism would have done it faster and better? Of course not. That honor goes to the accusers of the President.

Update on Phil

When I noted on Facebook that Phil was at his own home after 6 days in the hospital with help from his family, a friend from church, a widow about my age, sent this message, one that warms a mother’s heart:

“Thanks so much for update on dear Phil, Norma. I continue to pray for him and your family. Please tell him I keep his note on my computer, and I think of him always; it says, "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Phil Bruce." It was attached to flowers he sent to me at work -- a long time ago. O how I have loved you, Phil, for many years, and I've always felt we have had a good connection, starting when you were in one of my Sunday school classes. I hope it feels good for you to be home now; I pray you can feel God's presence and love, Phil, and mine.”

This week-end we hired a care giver for the first time so we could get some rest.  However, with medication confusion and the need to be there for a plumber, we didn’t see much rest.  It’s like leaving your baby with a sitter for the first time. (I remember that, too.)  She’s very nice and we all liked her right away.  She’s from Sierra Leone and lost her own daughter during their terrible Civil War in the 1990s—and I’m guessing she would have been about Phil’s age.  She’s been in the U.S. about 30 years, is a Christian, and prayed with Phil (I found out later). https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/sierra-leone-civil-war-1991-2002/

Phil is on a number of prayer lists—my cousin Gayle, my siblings and the Indiana relatives have been particularly faithful about that, although there are many others. Phil’s church has a “Care and Share” group that brings him special meals and has provided me with suggestions. His pastors visit regularly.

Because of my vertigo I haven’t been driving to his home (about 25 minutes through a lot of traffic) and this week Keith, a friend of Phil’s from high school, was home (he’s a pilot) and provided me transportation three times, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.  On Thursday he also brought along a wonderful dinner of fish, rice and spinach which he had made the night before.  In addition to his friendship, he’s also a great chef. He was born in Goa, India and lived many years in Japan

Phil’s girlfriend Sara has been invaluable.  She’s a teacher with a busy schedule that includes volunteering, tutoring, and checking in on her own relatives, but still finds time to spend hours with Phil, bathing, changing sheets, running errands, doing laundry, and bringing him treats he likes.

Life is easier when the body of Christ works together.

Comrade Bernie is 50 years behind

“Europeans, then, having learned that socialism does not work, are trying to narrow our gap with the United States with various reforms—just as Bernie Sanders, 50 years too late, seeks to emulate Europe. Doesn’t Sanders know that his program has been applied in Europe, and failed? He must: and this would mean that his true ambition is not free health care or free college, but a deeper transformation of the United States. Perhaps he hates the free-market society and wants to replace it with a socialist, egalitarian one, overseen by the “tyranny of the benevolent,” which Tocqueville warned against.

Why would so many American voters find Sanders’s socialism attractive? For the same reasons that socialism was once popular in Europe: the love for equality over individual freedom; the illusion of a safe life, guaranteed by a benevolent state; the allure of transferring personal responsibility to a public nurse. Then as now, these offers exert a strong psychological appeal; the answer to them is reality. Socialism does not work—but perhaps one needs to live through it to be convinced.”

https://www.city-journal.org/bernie-sanders-socialist-vision

A Venezuelan speaks on freedom

https://youtu.be/j4c6oRxh4S8

Daniel DiMartino grew up amid violence, poverty, and corruption in socialist Venezuela. Luckily, he escaped those horrors and began a new life in the United States with a full tuition scholarship to a university in Indiana. “Waking up in America and waking up in Venezuela are two very different things. While in Venezuela I didn’t have the hope of ever having my own home, having a car, starting a family, in America I’m not only hopeful but I am sure that I will be able to do those things,” said DiMartino while sharing his story in a new Heritage video. DiMartino’s story is a prime example of what makes America truly exceptional.

The fake news virus

The coronavirus isn’t fake, and the hysteria about it isn’t fake, but the news media making it all about Trump, is definitely in the fake category.

“Trump was in a relaxed and cheerful mood [at CPAC] when he took the stage of the Potomac Ballroom at the Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor. Just before helicoptering over to CPAC on Marine One, the president had joined Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Dr. Anthony Fauci at a White House press conference on the coronavirus. As with everything else in the Trump Age, this turned into a confrontation with the “fake news” media. An NBC reporter asked about a New York Times article that claimed Dr. Fauci had been “muzzled” by the administration. Trump responded that the question was “dishonest,” then yielded the microphone to Dr. Fauci. “I have never been muzzled, and I’ve been doing this since the administration of Ronald Reagan,” Dr. Fauci said, explaining that what happened involved scheduled TV appearances and the appointment of Pence to head the administration’s response to the disease that spread from China. “I have not been muzzled at all. That was a real misrepresentation of what happened.”

I’m surprised anyone believes anything published in New York Times, or Washington Post.