Health and Sanity category archive
Going Viral in These Viral Times 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Professor Colleen Sinclair explores why misinformation spreads so readily in times of stress. Here’s one of the five factors she identifies; follow the link for the others (emphasis in the original).
“American Exceptionalism” 0
At AL.com, Kyle Whitmire suggests that “American exceptionalism” has morphed into something he calls “American acceptin’-ism.” A snippet:
But what’s more remarkable is how many folks seem OK with these facts or are willing to pretend they aren’t real.
And before anyone starts with the “love it or leave it” nonsense again, keep in mind, most countries have travel bans in place and won’t let us in. We can’t escape the country any easier than we can escape the truth.
Trumpling the Disinformation Super Highway 0
Afterthought:
There is a very real difference between spin, which may offer different interpretations of the facts twist the facts, and lies, which ignore the facts.
“The Constitution Is Not a Suicide Pact” 0
Sam and his crew dissect the ludicrous arguments offered by Libertarians against common sense safety measures in these viral times. (Warning: Some language.)
Proceeding along the Path to Pariah 0
The AP reports on the rest of the world’s view of the failure of the United States to deal with these viral times. An excerpt (emphasis added):
But after a strict nationwide 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.
“Don’t they care about their health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions … They need a real lockdown.”
Much of the incredulity in Europe stems from the fact that America had the benefit of time, European experience and medical know-how to treat the virus that the continent itself didn’t have when the first COVID-19 patients started filling intensive care units. Yet, more than four months into a sustained outbreak, the U.S. is about to hit an astonishing milestone of 5 million confirmed infections, easily the highest in the world. Health officials believe the actual number is closer to 50 million, given testing limitations and the fact that as many as 40% of all cases are asymptomatic.
“We Italians always saw America as a model,” said Massimo Franco, columnist with daily Corriere della Sera. “But with this virus we’ve discovered a country that is very fragile, with bad infrastructure and a public health system that is nonexistent.”
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
Sara Gorman and Jack Gorman explore why misinformation and outright falsehoods spread so widely and rapidly. After naming several common factors, they go on to suggests that some persons are willfully gullible:
The entire piece is worth the five minutes it will take for you to read it.
Self-Pity Party 0
“American Exceptionalism” 0
The United States has most recently demonstrated its exceptionalism by its abject failure to contain COVID-19.
I can’t summarize or excerpt his piece and do it justice. Just go read it for yourself.
School Daze, Reprise 0
Georgia school system suspends student for not keeping the proper social distance–from “social” bleeping media.
Words fail me.
School Daze 0
Sam and his caller discuss back to school plans in these viral times.
The GOP Spinning Wheel 0
Job’s Anger.
Pandemic Politics, He Went to Jared Dept. 0
Sam speaks with Heather Digby Parton, of Hullabaloo and Salon, primarily about Donald Trump’s reaction inaction to COVID-19. It’s about half an hour, but well worth your while in these viral times.
Aside:
At about the 25-minute mark, Sam advances an interesting theory as to why Republican office holders are opposing Trump’s trial balloon about staging a coup postponing the election.
Going Viral 0
At AZCentral, E. J. Montini is raising Cain concerning communicating coronavirus in crowds.