Day: 03/22/2020

CHAOS, THY NAME IS TRUMP – REBLOG – SHINBONE STAR

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 14 Comments

CHAOS, THY NAME IS TRUMP

WRITTEN BY MACINELLI,

Throughout his life in business and politics, Donald J. Trump has created chaos. It’s his trademark management style. That it has served him well in his quest to become the richest and most powerful person on the planet will be hotly debated by historians for decades if not centuries to come.

Unfortunately, chaos is the last type of management style needed when dealing with a deadly health crisis such as COVID-19. Trump’s chaotic handling of the onset of the disease in our country has resulted in some 350 deaths, with some 27,000 of our fellow citizens testing positive for the virus.

At least some of the victims might have had a chance of fighting off the fatal bug had Trump managed the situation in a calm, efficient, effective manner, by allowing the medical and scientific community to shape a rapid and all-inclusive response rather than playing politics and trying to keep the number of reported cases artificially low in order to prevent the economy from tanking and threatening his chances of staying in the White House for four more years.

Chaos now threatens the lives of anyone suffering from Coronavirus. Test kits are still absent from many hot spots. Respirators that can help those already gravely sick with the virus are in short supply across the country, even though the government has thousands of them in storage. Yes, manufacturers are retooling plants in order to produce more of these valuable machines but it will be months before they are available.

That it took nearly two months for Trump to turn to corporate America for help illustrates his chaotic approach to management.

Chaos threatens our hope of battling the disease. Trump promises the quick release of a drug, chloroquine, that he says will cure the afflicted and stop the spread of coronavirus. His administration’s leading medical and science experts say this information is not true. It could be months (as much as 18 months) before there is an effective treatment for coronavirus.

What do we get?

Chaos, not facts. Chaos, not truth.

Throughout his life in business and politics, Donald J. Trump has created chaos. It’s his trademark management style. That it has served him well in his quest to become the richest and most powerful person on the planet will be hotly debated by historians for decades if not centuries to come.

Unfortunately, chaos is the last type of management style needed when dealing with a deadly health crisis such as COVID-19. Trump’s chaotic handling of the onset of the disease in our country has resulted in some 350 deaths, with some 27,000 of our fellow citizens testing positive for the virus.

At least some of the victims might have had a chance of fighting off the fatal bug had Trump managed the situation in a calm, efficient, effective manner, by allowing the medical and scientific community to shape a rapid and all-inclusive response rather than playing politics and trying to keep the number of reported cases artificially low in order to prevent the economy from tanking and threatening his chances of staying in the White House for four more years.

Chaos now threatens the lives of anyone suffering from coronavirus. Test kits are still absent from many hot spots. Respirators that can help those already gravely sick with the virus are in short supply across the country, even though the government has thousands of them in storage. Yes, manufacturers are retooling plants in order to produce more of these valuable machines but it will be months before they are available.

That it took nearly two months for Trump to turn to corporate America for help illustrates his chaotic approach to management.

Chaos threatens our hope of battling the disease. Trump promises the quick release of a drug, chloroquine, that he says will cure the afflicted and stop the spread of coronavirus. His administration’s leading medical and science experts say this is not true. It could be months before an effective treatment for coronavirus becomes publicly available.

Chaos, not facts. Chaos, not truth. Chaos, has been Trump’s management style throughout his life and especially during the past three years. Chaos is not what victims of COVID-19 need!

THE INDOOR GARDEN – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 11 Comments

THE INDOOR GARDEN IS GROWING EVER LARGER – March 22, 2020

Owen added four more hefty plants to my indoor garden. The table is fully loaded. He also bought a bale of high-quality potting soil, so I finally got to repotting my Christmas Cacti, putting them into one larger pot. I repotted my Jade plant which was so heavy, it just kept falling over. They have no roots, but very heavy branches.

Green, green, it’s green they say

I put fresh fertilizer in the orchids, realized I have new shoots on the other orchids and had to find a new home for my cameras. If the plantings get any bigger, I’ll have to open another part of the table … but those sections are not as sturdy as the main section.

Foliage

For the first time, this morning I wondered if we are going to survive this plague. I really never thought about it. Of course, I knew it was possible, but considering they have no idea when it will be over, it bears some pondering. I thought it odd that I never thought about it before.

Sideways orchids

Now, I’m back to just getting through the day. Trying to figure out how I’m going to make a 6 am shopping time.

Red cactus

So many people are wondering how they will manage to keep their home since they have no work nor any idea when or if they will work again. The animal shelters are desperate for donations, not knowing how they will manage to feed the animals they protect.

Full open orchids

And I can’t help. It bothers me that I am unable to help. The longer this goes on, the more my inability to help bothers me.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG – RICH PASCHALL

/ Rich Paschall / 18 Comments

Let The Sunshine In, Rich Paschall

Now that Spring has officially arrived, we are thinking more about enjoying the sun.  You may have told someone that “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” or that you wanted to share the “Sunshine Of Your Love,” but you may be looking at this differently than we are.  Of course, “There Ain’t No Sunshine When You’re Gone,” but “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying.”

If it remains cloudy where you are, don’t believe “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore.” Just keep telling yourself, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” and you will soon have your “Seasons In The Sun.”  Just be sure to stay away from the “House Of The Rising Sun” and you will be fine.

So let me be your “Sunshine Superman” and offer my top 10 Sunshine Songs to brighten up the beginning of Spring:

10. You Are My Sunshine, The Pine Ridge Boys.  This 1939 “standard” has been covered by so many artists it is hard to say where I heard it first.  Originally performed as a country song, it has received a lot of musical treatments.

9.  California Sun, The Rivieras.  The 1961 song by Joe Jones became a big hit when The Rivieras covered it in 1964.  The 1977 Ramones version also became a hit and showed up on various albums.

8.  Walking On Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves.  The 1985 hit was a consistent seller for the record company and pure gold for the artists who retained the publishing rights and songwriter royalties.

7.  Soak Up The Sun, Sheryl Crow. It’s her only number one hit and you can probably sing along with the chorus.  The 2002 release was written by Crow and Jeff Trott.

6.  I’ll Follow The Sun, The Beatles.  The Paul McCartney, John Lennon composition was written as early as 1960 but the Beatles hit was released in 1964 with lead vocals by McCartney.

5.  We’ll Sing In The Sunshine, Gale Garnett.  This happy pop tune was released in 1964 and won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Recording in 1965.  Yes, it was the era for Folk Rock.

4.  Good Day Sunshine, The Beatles  There was no plan to add multiple Beatles songs.  I made up a list and then gave them a ranking.  This 1966 Lennon, McCartney composition also has McCartney on lead vocals.  Paul played piano on the track and later overdubbed his bass part.  I could not find a Beatles performance, but Sir Paul can still bring it.

3.  Let The Sun Shine In, The 5th Dimension.  The recording by the 60’s pop group is actually a medley of two songs from the musical, Hair.  It was at the top of the charts for 6 weeks in 1969.  Opening with “Aquarius,” the sound was sometimes called “Psychedelic Pop.”

2.  Sunshine On My Shoulders, John Denver.  Co-written and recorded by Denver for his 1971 album Poems, Prayers & Promises, it was released as a single in 1973.  By early 1974 it reached number 1.  When the album came out, I recall singing this song over and over with a friend.  I think our performance may have been fueled by adult beverages.  It will always hold great memories from a youth well spent.

1. Here Comes The Sun, The Beatles  This time it is a George Harrison composition that brings The Beatles back to the list.  Recorded in 1969 for the Abbey Road album, it was never released as a single.  Nevertheless, the track received critical acclaim and has been played and downloaded often.

Click on any title to go to the You Tune video, or let all of these songs shine down on you from playlist here.

BRUTALLY HONEST – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 4 Comments

Medical terminology is designed to take the sting — and sometimes the responsibility — out of troubling problems. PTSD – Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is the latest entry in trying to find a way around admitting war is bad for soldiers and other living things.

A little history

The first army in history to determine that mental collapse was a direct consequence of the stress of war and to regard it as a legitimate medical condition was the Russian Army of 1905 …The Russians’ major contribution was their recognition of the principle of proximity, or forward treatment. … In actuality, less than 20 percent were able to return to the front.

The brutalities of WWI produced large numbers of the psychologically wounded. … This time, they began by attributing the high psychiatric casualties to the new weapons of war; specifically, the large-caliber artillery.

It was believed the impact of the shells produced a concussion that disrupted the physiology of the brain; thus the term “shell shock” came into fashion.

Another diagnosis … was neurasthenia: “The mental troubles are many and marked; on the emotional side, there is sadness, weariness, and pessimism; repugnance to effort, abnormal irritability; defective control of temper, tendency to weep on slight provocation; timidity. On the intellectual side, lessened power of attention, defective memory and will power….” 

At least the early descriptors name the cause — war or battle. Artillery. But those who make war and send others to fight it don’t like taking the blame. Since they are not going to end the war, they try to make its repercussions seem less threatening.

They do this by removing the word “war” from the illnesses it causes. Which of course makes everyone feel better. Not.

By the end of World War I, the United States had hundreds of psychiatrists overseas who were beginning to realize that psychiatric casualties were not suffering from “shell shock.” … Unfortunately, they continued to believe this collapse came about primarily in men who were weak in character.

During WWI, almost 2,000,000 men were sent overseas to fight in Europe. Deaths were put at 116,516, while 204,000 were wounded. During the same period, 159,000 soldiers were out of action for psychiatric problems, with … 70,000 … permanently discharged. 

Then came World War II. Everyone knows the story of General Patton slapping the soldier in the hospital and treating him as a coward. Generals cannot afford to believe that war is bad for soldiers, that it isn’t just a matter of mind over matter. Although Patton is certainly most famous for expressing his feelings on the matter, I doubt he was unique in his opinions. He was just more outspoken than most of the war leaders.

It became clear it was not just the “weak” in character who were breaking down. This is reflected in the subtle change in terminology that took place near the end of World War II when “combat neurosis” began to give way to the term “combat exhaustion.” Author Paul Fussell says that term as well as the term “battle fatigue” suggest “a little rest would be enough to restore to useful duty a soldier who would be more honestly designated as insane.”

Gabriel writes in No More Heroes, a study of madness and psychiatry in war, that contrary to what is in the movies, television, and the military, it is not only the weak and cowardly who break down in battle. In reality, everyone is subject to breaking down in combat. … ” When all is said and done, all normal men are at risk in war.

Vietnam and subsequent wars have kept troops permanently under siege while the medical community has sanitized symptoms. PTSD lacks any obvious link to war and battle. It doesn’t change the problem and has not resulted in better treatment in VA hospitals. Today’s ploy is to not even acknowledge the problem, but instead, ascribe soldiers’ symptoms to “something else.” Anything else to avoid the military accepting responsibility for the care of its victims.

The cost of war exceeds our ability to cope with its fallout. Apparently, no one considers not sending more soldiers into combat might be the best solution. Funny about that.