Antisemitism: The Original Coronavirus

While the world deals with the coronavirus and the toll it takes, the Jewish community is dealing with another disease: antisemitism.

Pastor Rick Wiles blamed the coronavirus not on the virus itself, but on the idea Jews have not accepted the Christian G-d as their holy parent and creator.

“Stay out of those things, there’s a plague in them. God’s dealing with false religions,” he said on Wednesday night on TruNews, which he founded. “God’s dealing with people who oppose his son, Jesus Christ. He’s dealing with the forces of Antichrist. And there’s a plague moving upon the earth right now, and the people that are going into the synagogues are coming out of the synagogues with the virus.”

Given what we are going through at this point in time, the last thing that is wanted or need is division. Especially division that is based on something as surface level as religion. The fact is that the coronavirus does not care about the religious faith (or lack thereof) of the person it makes sick. Everyone is an equal opportunity home for this disease.

This is not the first, or the last time that the Jewish community has been blamed for a natural phenomenon. I just wish that in 2020, we would be using our brains instead of half baked lies.

But I guess some things never change.

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What You Can Control: A Guide to Dealing With Mental Health in the Age of the Coronavirus

There is a lot in life that we can’t control. We can’t control the traffic on the way to work or school. We can’t control how long we will be waiting at our next doctors appointment.

But there are things that we can control.

In the age of the coronavirus, it feels like everything is out of control. Schools and work places are mostly closed and employees (if they are lucky) are able to work from home and still earn a paycheck. The number of sick, dead and dying rises every day. There is a spike in unemployment claims that has not been seen in decades, if not lifetimes.

But there are things that we can control . That is what I want to talk about today.

Over the past few weeks, I have found that knowing what I can and cannot control gives me peace of mind.

I cannot control the virus. But there are things that I can control.

I can control the fact that I still have a job (for which I thank G-d for every day) and I continue to work as hard as if I was in the office. I can control the number of hours that I am sleeping. I can control what I am eating. I can take advantage of the technology that allows me to keep in touch with family and friends. I can still write. I can still go out for fresh air, exercise and minimal errands. I can listen to the advice from the professionals and stay home.

Though I live with depression (as many of my regular readers know), it is ironic that it takes a pandemic to take a step in the right direction when it comes to my mental health.

To everyone out there, stay home, stay healthy (hopefully) and take it day by day. We will get through this.

Happy Sunday.

While People Are Dying, You Know Who Makes it About Himself

Is it me or is you know who’s reaction to the coronvirus changing from the every day incredulous to downright scary?

As I write this post, the number of cases in the United States, there are over 100,000 Americans who are suffering from the virus. We now lead the world in the number of cases. Given what we are going through, a wise and prudent President would not be fudging the numbers or demanding that state Governors (especially Democratic Governors) kiss his a** to receive the badly needed aid.

But you know who is neither wise or prudent. According to an article in the Daily Beast, he advised Vice President Mike Pence that if the Governors who are coming to the Federal government for aid are not nice to him, Vice President Pence can ignore their calls.

In the article, you know who is quoted as stating the following:

“He calls all the governors,” Trump said. “I tell him, I mean, I’m a different type of person. I say Mike, don’t call the governor of Washington, you’re wasting your time with him. Don’t call the woman in Michigan.” 

“If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call,” Trump said. 

What this moron ignores is that the virus does not care what political party one is affiliated with or who one voted for. It is indiscriminate in who it infects. He also ignores the fact that it is not HIS money that he is refusing to distribute. It is the money of every hardworking American taxpayer. We pay taxes so that if a catastrophic event (such as a pandemic) should occur, our government has the ability to take care of this country.

I don’t know if he saw the cover story of the New York Post, but if he hasn’t, he should.

What is happening in this video was preventable. I say was because had he acted appropriately back in January or early February, this video would not need to exist. But it does and it screams out what needs to be done.

That is, if he is willing and able to listen. But I doubt he will.

Flashback Friday- Tiny House Hunters (2014-Present)

It has been said that bigger is not always better.

Tiny House Hunters has aired on HGTV since 2014.

The premise of the show is as follows: a home owner looking to downsize to a much smaller home, known as tiny homes. The subject(s) of the episode are shown three potential options. At the end of the episode, one home is chosen.

What I like about this show is that it proves that one does not need a huge home to be happy. Sometimes a smaller home is best.

I recommend it.

Grantchester Character Review: Geordie Keating

*For the foreseeable future, some Character Review posts may not be published every Thursday as they have in the past.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television series Grantchester. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show.

There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

In this series of weekly blog posts, I will examine character using the characters from Grantchester to explore how writers can create fully dimensional, human characters that audiences and readers can relate to.

In the world of TV detectives, there is a certain perception of the character. He or she is hard bitten by life, excels at their jobs, but personal issues sometimes get in the way. Detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) has seen it all. A veteran of World War II, he has seen the darker side of humanity from his time during the war and his job as a police detective. Married to Cathy (Kacey Ainsworth), they have four children and a very busy life.

The ying to Sidney Chamber’s (James Norton) yang, Geordie understands the criminal mind and is sometimes willing to break the rules to bring them to justice. This naturally creates tension with Sidney who is more intuitive in his methodologies than his partner. But, they balance each out in a way that bring out the best in both men.

On the home front, Geordie has another set of challenges. He had a mistress for a while, which obviously did not make for a happy marriage. After he broke it off and finally returned to the arms of his wife, Geordie had to face up to the fact that his eldest daughter, Esme (Skye Lucia Degruttola) was growing into a young woman. Ask any father and they will tell you that it’s not easy to admit that your little girl is growing up.

To sum it up: The character of the hard boiled police detective is one that has been seen many over the years. It is therefore, the job of the writer(s) to ensure that their version of the character is not only flesh and blood, but stands out from the pack.

Geordie Keating stands out because even though he is a hard boiled TV detective, he is so much more than that. He is thoroughly human, with flaws and mistakes. But he also knows when to make amends and tell those who he loves exactly how he feels.

That is why Geordie Keating is a memorable character.

An Ounce of Coronavirus Prevention is Worth a 100 Pounds of Coronavirus Cure

A wise person once said the following: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

In terms of the coronavirus, I would like to amend that statement: an ounce of prevention is worth 100 pounds of cure.

According to a new report just released by Politico, the administration received a report in 2016 detailing a step by step process as how they should deal with what then a hypothetical virus. It should surprise no one that this report was ignored.

In my hometown of New York City, the 281 people have died so far. Over 20,000 people have been tested positive for coronavirus.

What bothers me to no end is that they knew about this disease is that we all knew about it months ago. Given what we know now, being over prepared and being accused of being over prepared is a hec of a lot better than what we are dealing with now.

What is worse is that you know who wants everything to return to normal by Easter. If (and this is huge if) the numbers were consistently falling, I would say re-opening the country in two to three weeks is a reasonable goal. But given the fact that our medical professionals and facilities are overwhelmed and severely lacking supplies, and that the number of those sick, dying and dead are rising, Easter is not even close to a viable date.

We need a President. We need a leader who steps up to the plate, listens to the professionals and cares more about this country than their personal needs.

Instead, we have you know who. G-d save us and get us to November.

Throwback Thursday-Meet the Barkers (2005-2006)

Part of being a celebrity is constantly being in the spotlight. There is no better way to stay in the spotlight than a reality show.

Meet the Barkers aired on MTV from 2005-2006. Starring Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and his then-wife Shanna Moakler, the show took viewers into the private lives of the program’s subjects.

The problem with the sub-genre of the private lives of celebrities within the umbrella of “reality shows” is that they have been done to death. If a program wanted to last, it needed to stand out in some way. Meet the Barkers did not, which is why it only lasted two seasons.

Do I recommend it? Not really.

Thank You, Governor Cuomo

It has been said that when the sh*t hits the fan, one’s inability or ability to lead (especially in the corridors of power) is revealed.

While you know who and the Federal government have been wishy-washy in their response, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been the opposite.

Governor Cuomo is the political leader that we need right now, especially given the exploding number of cases in New York State and New York City. He is not looking out for himself (unlike you know who) and knows exactly what needs to be done. His ability to advocate for the residents of this state is refreshing and to be honest, absolutely f*cking necessary.

Given the severity of the need for PPEs and other life-saving equipment, you know who should not be expecting any Governor to kiss up to him. He and his administration should automatically be working hand in glove with the state and local governments.

But, given the child-like maturity of the man we call President, I don’t expect anything less.

To everyone out there, stay safe, stay home (if you can) and please wash your hands.

Madonna Needs a Dose of Reality

If the coronavirus has done one thing, it has accentuated the differences between the 1% and the rest of us.

Over the weekend, Madonna posted a video to her Instagram and Twitter pages, claiming that the disease is the “great equalizer”.

To say that she got called out for her b*llsh*t is an understatement.

The clip starts at 4:15

While other members of the 1% in Hollywood are doing their part, Madonna sits in a bathtub as roses float by and does nothing.

I have nothing but respect for her as musician and a woman who paved the way for multiple generations of female musicians. However, instead of using her name and influence for good, she is only thinking about herself.

In short, she needs a dose of reality.

New Randy Rainbow Video-SOCIAL DISTANCE – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody

If there is one word to define 2020 so far, it is social distancing. As annoying as it is, its the only way to stop the coronavirus.

Randy Rainbow released his newest video this morning, entitled SOCIAL DISTANCE – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody. It is based on the song Go The Distance from the 1997 Disney movie Hercules (1997).

As much as we all know how important social distancing is, it is frustrating. Human beings by nature are social creatures. Staying indoors all day with only limited periods of going outside for only the basics can become emotionally and physically frustrating. We need fresh air, we need exercise and we need to see other people in person, not just on the various screens that we have.

To everyone reading this post, I hope that you are healthy, staying home and keeping busy. We will get through this, but to do so, we need patience and understanding.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.