As I sit here and think, I wonder if what we are doing is really the right thing. I say “we” as in a collective whole. It’s one of the many things that keep me up at night in bed. These thoughts lead me into thinking what I might or have to do should my family be put in a bad situation, worse than what we are all facing. Some people are overstepping their boundaries in one form or another, but overall, can we do better? If our grandchildren looked back to this time and determined that we aren’t already doing the best we can, could we blame them? What are we expected to do in this scenario? We could compare it to the previous and similar situation that got us with the Spanish Flu in mid-1918 to the early 1920’s (https://www.livescience.com/spanish-flu.html). That is the closest reaction to the virus pandemic with similarities of COVID-19. Very few are still alive today who went through the last pandemic. Some of them have claimed that the widespread panic that we see today has happened back during the Spanish Flu.  

 

    As we all head toward third month of stay-at-home shelter-in-place, executive order (even though some states are loosening up), people’s day-to-day lives are becoming paired with an increasingly strange and vivid dreams while there are others who are experiencing insomnia, an inability to fall asleep. Both seem to be symptoms of stress, part of the shared anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s insomnia, strange dreams, or even sleeping too much, sleep disturbances are part of our body’s response to trauma and anxiety. Everyone will react to these situations differently. People will react in some of the most outlandish ways, reacting to what they are experiencing on the inside, along with what is going on outside. Thus, creating sort of a “COVID-19 PTSD”, if you will (https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200507/ptsd-may-plague-many-covid-19-survivors#1). The prolonged and unique stresses imparted by the COVID-19 pandemic has many predicting a significant rise in mental health issues in the weeks, months, and years ahead (https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/930150).

 

       As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, more people are experiencing nightmares involving new laws of social distancing, other people coughing on them, crowding too close in elevators, and not wearing masks. Some compare these nocturnal visions to those suffered by people with post-traumatic stress disorder after the Gulf War or 9/11 (https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-covid-19-dreams/). In part, the similarities between pandemic dreams and anxiety dreams of the past are because the brain reacts to stress in characteristic ways. In stressful situations, people’s sleep may be more broken than usual, causing them to leave and enter REM sleep more frequently, can increase the likelihood that dreams are remembered the next day. Institutions around the world have been collecting examples of dreams since the outset of the pandemic, and some researchers found a 35% increase in dream recall since lockdown (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/coronavirus-pandemic-is-giving-people-vivid-unusual-dreams-here-is-why/#close).

 

    Medical experts and scientists say that it is understandable to feel anxious and worried about what may happen, especially when many aspects of life are being affected during COVID-19. They suggest that if you find that you are getting more stressed by watching or reading the news, you should reduce your intake, particularly prior to sleep. Realizing that while circumstances may be stressful and beyond your control, you can try to offset them with more positive calming activities. Something else you can do is to practice slow, steady breathing, and muscle relaxation, as well as any other actions that are calming for you such as yoga, exercise, music, keeping the mind occupied with hobbies (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/covid/COVID_managing_stress.asp). Doing these simple, little things can prevent you from experiencing a panic attack or injury that may result into something worse.

 

    Let’s talk about that news intake for a moment because that could be an factor as to way you may be experiencing the symptoms of stress, anxiety, sleeping difficulty, strange dreams, and maybe PTSD. The news, itself, seems to be more doom & gloom, especially where the Mainstream news is concerned with all the COVID-19 pandemic. If you notice, very rarely do they talk about the survivors, those people who come through and recover from this coronavirus. I, for one, have talked about several elderly people who are around the age of 100 who got diagnosed with COVID-19 and recovered from it on my show whenever I see a new story come up from a reliable source (https://fox4kc.com/news/im-a-warrior-not-a-worrier-local-world-war-ii-veteran-earns-new-medals-after-beating-covid-19/). Anytime I see a story that is positive, I want to share it on my show with my listeners. If we could focus more on the positive, I think we might be looking at this in a whole new light instead of what the media would prefer. 

 

    If you haven’t noticed, the Mainstream media acts like TV meteorologist. Being that I live and broadcast my show from within Tornado Alley (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climate-information/extreme-events/us-tornado-climatology/tornado-alley), I feel it is a valid comparison between the two, as they are also linked to each other in some ways. Now I love a good Severe Thunderstorm, I’ve chased them, reported from them, had my fair share of getting pelted by large hail, blown sideways, and drenched in rain. All that still excites me enough to want to go back out and do it all again. To be a storm chaser, it is part of the gig, it’s just too bad I didn’t get paid to do it all. Again it was something I love to do when I can. One thing I never believed in was the hype that a weatherman on TV would give a storm that was moving toward my direction. I had enough experience and knowledge (limited) to know that you can’t always rely on radar, satellite, and computers to show you how bad the storm really is. You have to be out there to see it first hand. So whenever a TV Meteorologist would come on and start doing a “scare-cast”  while showing all the pretty colors on the radar screen, pictures of the clouds, giver their opinions /diagnosis, and talking about the predicted possibilities of these storms using copy notes from the National Weather Service, I would listen for keywords to determine if it was a “Bravo-Sierra” update or not.

 

    The same technique can be done with the mainstream news reporting. The only big difference is that the news is more blatant about it. They use their fancy TV graphics, bring on experts (many of them questionable at best on some networks), they like using pretty labels when talking about certain people, and give you their opinion more than the news. They, too, will give you the hype of a “Major” story, too “Big” to miss. It’s very similar to how TV Weather Meteorologist do, but without the live video call in’s from actual credited storm spotters in the field giving you accurate descriptions and information about the storm as it pounces over their heads. However, the “hype” is to help build ratings. Some could argue that technique similar to a snake oil sales person. Just remember, Hype = Ratings = $$$. Personally, I don’t mind hyping up something if I know it’s the truth and it will be worth every penny. However, I don’t like twisting what people say, putting words in someone’s mouth, or falsifying facts to make someone pay attention to me. I always figured if I can’t be honest, then I’m doing something wrong. That’s why I could never be a sales person.

 

    Social Media is another beast that needs to be tamed from time to time. One problem is that there is so much “misinformation” (if I may use that word at the risk of sounding cliche). In my own facebook newsfeed (https://www.facebook.com/thebigjohnshow), I see so many fake or unbelievable addresses / links / sources that people share. I don’t know if it is facebook bots saying that the people are posting it or not. Some of the people I know would, without a doubt, believe it if they saw it. In my humble opinion, people don’t do enough of their own research beyond social media and mainstream news (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, MSNBC, CNN, Sesame Street, Late Night Talk Shows, The View, Poteau Daily News, ect). It’s too much work to find the truth, so they repost what sounds the closest to their belief. It’s lazy and doesn’t help the common people who just want to avoid the bias. It’s one of the reasons I stopped “following” so many people on facebook.

 

    Some of the biggest news stories continue to be from the states of California where the city of Los Angeles as of yesterday has decided to extend their “Safe-at-home” order (https://www.sfgate.com/coronavirus/article/Los-Angeles-stay-at-home-quarantine-Garcetti-COVID-15267561.php) for another two and a half months. I’m sure you can imagine this hasn’t set well with the folks in that area. Not forget to mention that Governor Gavin Newsom has an executive order that includes limiting the activities people can do on beaches (https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10961231-181/los-angeles-county-reopens-beaches). County beaches and many city-owned beaches along the 75 miles of coastline are open only for “active recreation” such as walking, swimming and surfing. Sunbathing, picnicking and group sports such as volleyball are still banned and strangers must stay well apart. Visitors also must wear masks when they’re out of the water.

 

    In the state of Oregon, several businesses are suing Governor Kate Brown and Oregon’s Public Health Director in a challenge against the state’s coronavirus-related shutdown orders (https://www.registerguard.com/news/20200513/several-oregon-businesses-sue-gov-brown-for-shutdown-orders). The plaintiffs argue the state seized their property by shuttering them, taking them for the “asserted public use of risk minimization,” the court documents state. The businesses reference Oregon Health Authority data showing a decline in cases or “flattening the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic, but say the numbers are not enough to prove the shutdown was necessary. 

   

    Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer went on “The View” yesterday (5/19) and announced that the frequent protests overwhelming the state’s capital against her stay-at-home order are undermining the effort to stem the spread of the deadly virus (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michigan-gov-whitmer-protests-undermine-states-response-covid/story?id=70645516). “These protests, they do undermine the effort, and it’s very clearly a political statement that is playing out where people are coming together from across the state, they are congregating, they’re not wearing masks, they are not staying six feet apart, and then they go back home into communities and the risk of perpetuating the spread of COVID-19 is real. While I respect people’s right to dissent, they need to do it in a way that is responsible and does not put others at risk,” she said. If you ask me, she is believing “the hype” a little too much. She also mentioned in an interview that she asked Vice President Pense to call off the protesters. I don’t think he really has anything to do with protesting at the moment as his hands are already full with his daily duties.

 

    North Carolina began Phase I of a three-step plan to re-open the state. Although they are seeing more protests from both sides of the COVID-19 line: Medical workers and business owners / employees. The group “Re-Open N.C.” has protested at the legislative building in Raleigh, North Carolina for five weeks in a row now. They’re demanding the state to re-open, not in phases, but immediately. A counter-protesting plane flew over the rally with a banner reading “fewer graves if we re-open in waves, hashtag science-saves” (https://kvoa.com/coronavirus-coverage/2020/05/12/re-open-nc-rally-attracts-counter-protest-at-state-capitol/). Others have counter-protested over the past few weeks, including healthcare workers who stood in silence, wearing masks and gowns, to make a statement. North Carolina’s phase one keeps restaurants closed except for take-out and delivery while spas, gyms, salons and larger venues like churches and movie theaters also remain closed until at least May 22nd.

 

    It is my belief that there’s no reason for the governments in these or any other states should be so hard on it’s citizens at the expense of their dignity. Unfortunately, the news is eating all these events up. Again, you hardly hear about the good things that people are doing or about the survivors who recovered from COVID-19. It’s the old saying, “if it bleeds, it leads” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/two-takes-depression/201106/if-it-bleeds-it-leads-understanding-fear-based-media). Traditionally, a journalists job was to just report the news, plain and simple. Now days, fear-based news stories prey on the anxieties we all have and then hold us hostage. Being glued to the television, reading the paper, or surfing the internet increases ratings and market shares, but it also raises the probability of depression relapse. Somewhere in all the mess, we lose the the narrative, or it gets twisted up for an agenda. Because of that, there are some things in the COVID-19 pandemic that don’t make sense to me. 

 

    No matter what side of the line you are on, it’s not fair to shame or ridicule the other for doing what they feel is best for them. No, you don’t have to wear a mask if you don’t want to. If you feel the need to wear a mask in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19, then do it. If you feel the need to stay home, then stay home. You don’t have to go to businesses that are open and in some cases, may be able to take advantage of delivery. It’s you doing your part to not get or spread the coronavirus with your family members. However, if you are alone in your car, I would strongly recommend not wearing a mask while driving. There was a case where a driver was wearing an N95 mask and passed out, resulting in a bad wreck involving a tree (https://www.facebook.com/LincolnParkPoliceDepartment/posts/1171691036506303).

 

    If you are feeling any angst or ill-will toward people right now, the only thing I can say is to step back a moment, take a deep breath, and go to your happy place in your mind. Cheezy, I know, but it works. It’s either that, or turn-around and go the other way. I could recommend taking a shot of hard whiskey if you are old enough as long as you don’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle or have health issues. My point is this, we are each, individually, dealing with this situation the best way we know how. If you want real suggestions, perhaps you should go ask some of the living survivors of the Spanish Flu. They are far and few between, but I would like to know what they did. However, I got a feeling I know the answer already and it is: just keep on living. Keep on doing what you gotta do and move on. It’s the secret to any bad situation. Just do what you got to do and drive on. It’s times like these that really make me wish my dad was still alive. Like Johnny Cash sang in the song “Drive On” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CtEvMIImOc), He, like all of the soldiers who got to come home alive from Viet Nam, are all walkin’-talkin’ miracles from Viet Nam. It may not have been the same, but it was a matter of life and death in the name of freedom. My dad might know what to do.

 

    I would have to argue if someone were to come up to me and say that we don’t live during interesting times. 2020 had become a very challenging, yet intriguing year, to say the least. I myself have personally experienced some very stressful times and damn new miraculous outcomes in the past few months. What started out for me with high hopes for landing a new radio gig or getting a new job at the beginning of the new year, hindsight proves we should have seen the signs of things yet to come. At the end of 2019, we had COVID-19 in the background while an impeachment process of an American President took the forefront. Yeah, it was a political circus, but it got carried over into the new year for political reasons. While those two things were going on, another interesting development was happening regarding our 2nd amendment: Anyone remember what happened in the state of Virginia (https://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-governor-declares-state-emergency-militia-threats-gun/story?id=68299433)? Democratic Virginia Governor Ralph Northam introduced a series of stunts that didn’t make anyone in the US who loves the 2nd Amendment happy. So he declared a state of emergency on the state’s capitol in fear of some sort of revolt. That was a powder keg that I am sure still has a short fuse on it, just waiting to be lit.

 

    Finally, there was the Senate impeachment acquittal of President Trump (https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/05/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-vote-acquittal/index.html). After all the talk, pony shows, and money blown on that ridiculous fiasko with the predictable outcome by the Democrats, there was no proof or evidence that US President Donald Trump did any wrong doing. Then we were able to focus more on the election process, primaries, caucasus, and voter turnouts. Still, somewhere in the background, COVID-19 is creeping over slower than molasses in the wintertime. Literally, it was winter, but it did finally catch up and get our attention, thanks to our little darlings in the media.

 

    This year has halted so many lives around the globe. Governments had to literally shut down many businesses causing major industries to almost a grinding stop. Some regional and local governments have taken what their people call “an overreach of power” in some cases (https://themichiganstar.com/2020/05/02/hundreds-of-protestors-gather-inside-michigan-capitol-building-thursday-against-continued-government-overreach/). Thus causing many people, groups, businesses, and organizations to stand up to what some describe as a tyrannical form of government. What is interesting to note is that there are medical workers also protesting, but not about the government. They are asking for more Personal Protection Equipment (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/01/workplace-coronavirus-related-deaths-under-investigation-osha/3056655001/). These are the people who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic and would think it makes sense to give them the face masks they need. 

 

    So far this year has brought on a LOT of doom and gloom. What may be scary to some is that we haven’t even made it to the halfway point yet. What is going to happen on or after June 1st? Aren’t you feeling a little curious to know what is behind that door? Can you smell what’s cooking on the other side of that door? Can you feel what lies on the other side of that wall? Is it more tension or anxiety because you don’t yet really understand what is going on right now? Or, are you letting it all roll out and letting the chips fall where they may? It is an election year and as you may remember, anything (and I do mean ANYTHING) can and most likely will happen. 

 

    I say that because I’m seeing and feeling there is something amiss going on in the political realm that doesn’t seem like it’s set in stone yet. Each Presidential election year, scandals, backlash, and mud slinging are what plagues the candidates running, fueled by the media. However, not so much as we are not even into the second half of the year yet. Somehow the political landscape seems to have narrowed down drastically (or conveniently) when it comes to the Democratic Party nominees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_candidates). I know that several candidates have fallen due to the lack of votes / points in the voting system. However, even with the late comer, former New York City Mayor, Mike Bloomberg, having dumped about $1,000,000,000 during his four month run (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mike-bloomberg-spent-billion-month-presidential-campaign-filing/story?id=70252435), he taught us all that no matter how much money you have, you still cannot buy a political race. He to also had his share of scandals. 

 

    What I can’t shake off my thought train is why (and how) did former US Vice President, Joe Biden, get to be the single player left in the Democratic Party 2020 Presidential race? Out of all the other players in the team, why is it that Joe, with all his gafs and chaotic stories, is the one who gets the spotlight centerstage? I don’t normally like to jump onto the conspiracy bandwagons and I also like to rule out coincidences, but the question remains: Why Joe Biden of all people? Could it be that he is part of a larger plan about to “unmask” sooner rather than later? I ask this because of the four (possibly more) state governors who are in the news more now than 2020 Presidential Candidate Joe Biden, who’s been more quite as of late, due to the whole COVID-19 pandemic going on. 

 

    This is something that I know I have been harping on for a short while now, but I see something unfolding and it’s either one of three things that will most definitely affect the United States of America going forward. If history told us anything, if we learned from the truth without agenda, this might be the start of another major turn in American history. We could be (not saying we are) in what historians would call a “Pre-Revolution”. It sounds radical, I know, but what if we are already in the midst of a major chain of events that could seem to look like a Civil War, but not as Northern aggression versus Southern patriotism. This could still be a war of idealism literally being fought inside the state house (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KNlYT8spqo), similar to what happened in Michigan recently. I’m telling you, that event was a shot fired across the bow of the Michigan Governor just before she fired back not only one, but THREE executive orders back across the state toward its citizens (https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90640-527721–,00.html). The states ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ order has not changed at this time and is set to expire on May 15th. However, since then, the madam Governor has fired off two more executive orders:

• Executive Order 2020-69 – Temporary restrictions on the use of places of public accommodation (https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-527830–,00.html). 
• Executive Order 2020-70 – Temporary requirement to suspend activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life (https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-527847–,00.html). 

FYI: a willful violation of this order is a misdemeanor. And as you can guess, the folks in Michigan are not happy with the states administration. What I find interesting to point out is that the Governor is a member of the Democratic Party. So keep that little tidbit in mind.

 

     Our next stop is over in the state of California where the Governor is facing backlash from the citizens for having the endour the similar activities as a result of COVID-19. Living in the sunshine state is supposed to be all peachy and grand, but as of late it is a crime to go to the beach, even with social distancing in tact (https://www.cfact.org/2020/05/02/california-governor-makes-beachgoers-criminals/). Although it is getting more interesting and intense as the local law enforcement in different parts of the state are starting to do their own decision making about what to do in their areas (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2020-05-02/remote-northern-california-county-defies-stay-at-home-order). Recently, the California Governor said in a press statement that his state is “many days, not weeks” away from starting to reopen (https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/01/california-is-many-days-not-weeks-away-from-starting-to-reopen-newsom-says/). However, many of the citizens are wanting to be like the other Americans in nearly a dozen states across the country (including Texas, Alabama and Colorado) who are beginning to resume some of their normal activities, such as returning to a gym, sitting down at a restaurant and getting a haircut. Meanwhile, people keep getting detained or arrested while this goes on because they protest the current situation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1o2lVFkZ_w). A lot of them just want to return to work and get their lives back in order. On the flip side, the Governor did sign an Executive Order on marriages via teleconferencing (https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4.30.20-EO-N-58-20-text.pdf). Under the executive order, adults will be able to obtain a marriage license, at the discretion of their local county clerk, through videoconferencing, as long as both adults are located within the State of California, are present, and can present identification during the video conference. The license can then be issued via email. Additionally, adults who wish to be married can conduct a ceremony to solemnize the marriage via videoconference, as long as both parties are present, and have at least one witness who can join the live video conference. Again, it’s all in the name of health and wellness. Can you imaging the honeymoon via teleconferencing? FINALLY you can stare at porn on a tv screen, on your desktop, or smartphone and not feel like you are doing something nasty or perverted, right? Yeah, I’m going to need a shower after this one.

 

    Moving on to our next state Governor making the news more than Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden, hails from the great state of North Carolina. Here’s a guy who has sent out his own Executive Order demanding that people stay home and orders them to not gather in mass (https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/EO135-Extensions.pdf). It’s got all the basics that the other states have, including social distancing and prohibits visitors in nursing homes. Which brings me to this interesting twist when it comes to the protester. There is an interesting mix of protesting going on, some with the re-opening of North Carolina and then the medical people who are not wanting to reopen the state (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbIfSkdvn1I). It is interesting to take note, even though it might be politically driven. If you can take the politics out of the whole protest, it is interesting to see the two sides show up without the police being involved because it is mostly civil on one side and civil on the other. A bit of shouting, horn honking, and megaphones, but it’s normal thing during peaceful protests. Some of it makes great photo collages along with video and audio montages too! 

 

    Now let’s take take a gander over into the great Northeast and ponder if the New York Governor is making any friends with his executive orders? That answer is a No. He has his fair share of protesters wanting their state reopened, but in the name of “health and safety”, it isn’t going to happen soon. If you were to make a checklist, it would have:

• Protesters wanting to reopen the state? Check!
• Medical personnel protesting for more PPE? Check!
• Protestesters to keep the state closed? Check!
• Protesters voicing out against the “Stay At Home” order? Check!
• Marriages via Teleconferencing? Check!

Something else that keeps me popping up on my radar is how the governor keeps making / “modifying” his Executive Order(s) on the upcoming elections in his state (https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20226-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification-laws-relating-disaster-emergency). There is a LOT of daily updates on this subject. I don’t know if it is the fact that the citizens of New York state have their own way of doing things or if it’s something that we should be paying attention to and these protesters are trying to get the word out. So please don’t take me as a leading expert on anything. I’m just saying there seems to be an interesting mix of ideologies going on in that part of the US. 

 

    Okay, now that all this is put together, how difficult would it be to prove me wrong that these governors have gotten a really large amount of time and attention from the media? Would you agree that these Governors have gotten more time than Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden? As it looks, one could say the media has been heavily focused and the only time they talk about Joe Biden is when someone endorses or has an update on the sexual scandal that he is involved with stemming back from the mid-1990’s (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/14/joe-biden-accused-of-sex-assault-amid-challenge-to-donald-trump.html). It’s almost daily on social media that you hear about one of his flubs that he says because keeps losing his train of thought. 

 

     However, as the the former mayor of Chicago and former Chief of Staff (2009 to 2010), Rahm EManuel, for former President Barack Obama (and former Vice President Joe Biden) once said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yeA_kHHLow). That is something that the mainstream news media has brought back up into circulation recently with all the COVID-19 situation. After all, nothing beats free press and advertising. So with that in mind and all these Governors who are putting the squeeze to the people of whom they represent, which by the way are resulting in protests. It seems to be a repeating pattern of back and forth, protesters vs Executive Orders. Wouldn’t it be possible that they are trying “condition” everyone, including the protesters who are standing up? In other words, who is the say that these folks are standing up because they actually see what is going on, but the media won’t show that (much)? If it is some sort of “Conditioning”, then you have to ask, what is next after the protesters have all gone home? If all these Governors are acting in a way that displeases their voters, I am concerned to as why they are pushing to change the voting criteria during this election. I’m sure that I’m not the only one to see there will be problems if they allow voters to elect a President via mail. 

 

    Now, I give you all that information to think about something really important and I know it’s a lot to process with all that’s going on. But what if, and I mean a big “IF” the Democratic National Committee decides at the last minute in August to not accept Presidential Candidate Joe Biden as their party’s nominee? Who would they have to choose to fill in that spot? As many of people may think, I do not believe it will be Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama. I really don’t nor do I feel it would be in their best interest while the world is in pandemic. They would need some fresh faces, with strong wills, deep roots in the Democratic machine, someone that they could help control the masses because they have “proven their leadership” under this pandemic. Pause and think who that could be for a moment.

 

    This time last year, if I were to say to you that we would see all the Democratic candidates go down pretty quick after the first of the year and then we could see four more rise up like a phoenix out of the ashes of a major global pandemic across the country, you would have scoffed at me and thought I was nuts, but now here we are a year later. Does it seem like I’m crazy to you? I almost wish I was with the way it seems to be setting up. All the Governors that I mentioned above are members of the Democratic party. They know it will be like hell going up against a sitting President with the very strong backing of the senate and about half of the US citizens. So why not use this global issue as a trial by fire and see who looks more presidential coming out of it? Why should the Democratic Party let this crisis go to waste? You know the Republican party is going to do it, but you don’t hear or see them doing what the Governors are doing? This would be a fantastic test of leadership should these Governors take it upon themselves along with the Democratic National Committee plays along. What about poor Joe, though? Right now, he’s got more than he can handle in the press between his gafs and sex scandal that he is going to end up fading away into the background. If that ain’t enough, let’s not forget his involvement with his son’s cushy job in the Ukraine either (https://nypost.com/2020/04/14/gop-senator-aims-to-release-hunter-biden-report-this-summer/). Ol’ Joe’s got enough going on to keep him busy until his dementia goes full blown.

 

    So here’s one of the three ways it’s going to go down in America after June 1st:

1. Let’s say that Joe Biden does get the Democratic party nomination and he does, somehow, make it to November unscathed by the sex scandal and his son’s fiasko in the Ukraine. He still has to beat current President Donald Trump, whom may or may not eat him alive, figuratively speaking. Not to be confused with Alex Jones (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfZcKCIcug8).
2. Joe Biden does beat President Donald Trump and becomes the next US President. What then? Does that mean our problems go away? Are we still going to be under the gun with COVID-19? Do we want to see what is happening with protesting in California, Michigan, North Carolina, and New York all across the country? Personally, I don’t know if that will happen or not, but I don’t want to risk it.
3. Joe Biden crashes and burns at the Democratic National Convention in August because the powers that be don’t want to have him as their candidate because he has too much going wrong with him in the public. So then we have these other four Governors waiting in the wings for their chance to shine and be chosen. By then, they’ve already been roasted by their voters and toasted by the media. So they have already shown their worthiness to face pressure head on, especially on a global scale. But if their actions now are any indication on how they will lead / rule after they are elected in November should they beat President Trump, who would want them to be there?

 

    Those are the three options I currently see as far as the political scene after June 1st. Am I making this a prediction? No, but I am telling you what I see being played out. Yeah, there are a few wild cards out there still yet to be played, but when they do, let’s see how far off I am before we say I am completely nuts for saying, much less thinking, all this. 

    

 

    When the thought of having no job fills me with anxiety and frustration, I dive into my daily routine. It’s the only thing I know to do and have done for almost as long as I’ve been alive. It gives me a sense of purpose and meaning. When people ask me what the meaning of life is, the only answer I give them is what suits me: it’s communicating, mostly in the form of radio. I do it because it’s in me. It’s who I am, what I do in my sleep. It’s my blessing and my curse. Some would say it’s the shovel that digs my grave.  The only catch is that it repeats everyday, but it results differently because I create new things, working with sounds, express new ideas in the form of entertainment while combining thoughts that make people think, or at least chuckle at what I say in front of the microphone or display on a screen. 

 

    I haven’t been on terrestrial radio for my full 18-year career. Similar to what I have been doing for the past seven months, there was a time when I was off AM/FM radio for about two and a half years. I had a desk job doing research and making videos for a drug testing company. At that time, if my wife wasn’t working at the same place, I would have been happy to open a vein and let my life pour out for the eight hours that I was there each day. On the bright side, outside of my loving family, I had TBJS Radio Network waiting for me when I got home. Even while I was at the soul-draining desk job, the wheels in my head were turning in overdrive and I couldn’t write down the ideas in detail fast enough. It’s like I was being pulled to into deeper thinking about what needed to be done, but I haven’t been able to get it all done yet. Still have ideas that have yet to be made physical (and digital in some cases). We all have a greater calling that keeps us going or pulls us toward a direction if it’s meant to be. A divine sign, if you will. How do we know if it’s meant to be, you ask? I can’t answer that because it’s different for each of us.

 

   What I do know is that if the routine is hard to break, you have to ask yourself: is it addiction or is it a sign? According to The American Psychiatric Association, “Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence” (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction/what-is-addiction).  Granted, when most people hear the word “addiction”, they immediately think of drug or alcohol abuse. Truth is, that is not always the case. Addictions, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. They come in different forms, such as desires, feeling out for cracks in our defenses, weak spots between our strong fronts, creeping in our most vulnerable moments when we are the most defenseless, unrealizing when our very own thoughts are being invaded by self doubt or overwhelming anxiety at the thought of not being a good provider to your family…. Almost to the point of depression….

 

    Let’s look at the possibility of a routine as being a divine sign. If you have a daily routine to just keep you busy, this may not necessarily apply to you, but if you feel the need to accomplish something each and every single day/night that you can’t shake the feeling you are wasting time when you just sit around, then you might be getting called to “prepare” for something. Preparing for what? Again, I can’t answer that for you because each of us are different. To put things into perspective, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America (PNAS) claim “Many social scientists have documented some evidence of temporal patterning in individuals’ everyday behavior. That different individuals tend to spend similar amounts of time doing certain things (e.g., paid work) is a dominant finding in the large body of research on time use or time allocation” ( https://www.pnas.org/content/115/24/6183 ).

 

    Now you might be thinking this could be just a “habit” or “crutch” that our body does that keeps us doing what we do whenever all else fails. Well, not a bad idea, but what is a habit? Psychology Today states a habit as “a pattern of behavior” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fixing-families/201712/how-break-bad-habits). But these patterns are also usually wrapped in larger ones, resulting in routines that run our lives, right? Well let’s feed that rabbit and follow it down the hole for a moment with this question: what feeds the urge for a habit? In other words, what feeds the need for repetitive actions to be done in a period of time? Repetitiveness feeds Repetitiveness. It’s a pattern, a set of skills, a train of thought, that has been instilled into our way of life to be repeated at a certain time when the need is triggered. 

 

    The same methodology can be compared to life in the US Military. There was an old saying when I was doing Basic Training in the Army, “if it ain’t raining, we’re training.” Well, that may not always been true because there are still some things that you can be taught while stuck indoors: there’s hand-to-hand combat, battlefield medicine / techniques, policing and squaring away personal property, weapons maintenance, and reading the soldiers manual (or the religious reference of your choice). Not a whole lot different methodology than what the larger cities in the country are going through now. Those of us in the rural areas of the country don’t have to worry too much about the strict rules placed by the “authorities”. I say that word “authorities” loosely because I feel that some of them have extended their reach a bit more than what they are legally allowed to, but if someone says “hey look, you ain’t got the right to do that”,  it escalates into getting arrested or shut down. And for what reason? It’s like you can get locked up for asking a simple question of on what authority.  

 

    Every day for the past almost three weeks there has been news stories about people peacefully protesting and getting arrested for a wide range of reason, including “not maintaining social distance”, “being in a group of more than 10 people”, “being in a public park”, and “being out past curfew” to name a few. Depending on what city you are in or which state you work in, people are feeling trapped by the multitude of rules or regulations that are being laid upon the land. It ain’t just the fact that some people are going to do bad things during this time, there are some really good people who are fighting back with peaceful means. Even when the town’s police department is saying that “peaceful protesting is non-essential” (https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/raleigh-pd-calls-protesting-non-essential-activity/19057352/), these people, like any other U.S. citizen, have a constitutional (some say God-given) right to peacefully express your concern or disapproval about something in the United States. 

 

    North Carolina is looking more like a powder keg with a very short fuse right now (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPOxgMW1Hns). However, they aren’t alone as more and more towns across the United States have people who are demonstrating their constitutional rights to peacefully protest their disapproval of the various forms lockdowns that we see. It’s getting so much that other countries are taking notice (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6C1cK5B1j4) when they aren’t fighting among themselves over the same issues (Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDLoqaET2Xg , Berlin, Germany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqgJFGn66pY, and in Hong Kong, China https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9c347l4X3c ). One of the things that connects these people from all over the world is the simple “desire” to go back to work. Be it the need to pay the bills, to get out of the house, to resume the lifestyle they use to have, or to get back their dignity and self-worth. It really doesn’t matter why the people want to return to the normal life they are accustomed to. So let’s go back to the question, is it addiction or is it a sign?

 

    I can’t help but feel that if all these people all over the world, who don’t know each other or have nothing else in common, are expressing the same frustration, there has to be a reason. I know this day and age with technology, it is easy to see what other people in another part of the globe are doing and that could be a case of “Monkey See, Monkey Do”, but I don’t feel this is that situation. It’s people’s nature to want to be free. Live as a free society, unbound by ruthless dictators nor shackled by double standards. It’s no secret that we’ve seen double standard situations play out before. Anyone remember the “#MeToo” movement or ANTIFA? Where are they at now? Where they only for political reasons?

 

      It’s not a secret that some of the biggest protests are being done in states that have Governors who are of the Democratic party (Illinois, Michigan, & Washington). Now to be fair, I do not know how many people in these peaceful protests are doing it for political gain, but from what I can tell, it’s not politically motivated. However, I’m willing to bet that it’s not simply because these protests are going on in countries all over the world. So if you want to look like a clown and yell out it’s all politically motivated, that is on you. I’m just point out the obvious facts that these states have something going on in their leadership that their people don’t like. For example, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is being sued over constitutional rights being violated (https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/5-businesses-sue-gov-gretchen-whitmer-over-constitutional-rights-from-shutdown). She’s not alone either, as the Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is being sued for “exceeded his authority in issuing the executive order and closing nonessential businesses across the state” (https://news.wttw.com/2020/04/29/second-lawsuit-filed-against-governor-pritzker-stay-home-order) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee just announced his Stay-at-Home Order will last beyond May 4, but didn’t announce the new end date (https://seattle.eater.com/2020/4/29/21242044/jay-inslee-announces-stay-at-home-order-to-last-longer-than-may-4). And just remember folks, it’s all in the name of “Public Health and Safety”…. I don’t believe that for a moment. How do you think that is going to make people feel now that President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the coronavirus guidelines will be “fading out” at the end of this month because of work that governors are doing in their states ( https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/federal-social-distancing-guidelines-expire/65-08c8753a-de86-4e92-96fc-ea2db1310a4b )?

 

    I am not saying these Governors are bad people who want to oppress the masses. I’m just saying they are underestimating their voters. There could be some political agenda, but I don’t like making things political. This may very well backfire on them in their next election, but only the people can decide that. Right now, most of the voters just want their lives back to normal, not the “New Normal”, but what they had before. Everytime I hear the someone say we need to adjust to the “new” normal, I want to smack them in the head until they realize that phrase means the cure will definitely be worse than the illness. You want the “New Normal”, I suggest moving to Wuhan, China or Chernobyl, Russia. Either way, it’s about the same level of adapting to survive in a new environment right now. Then again, what all this is actually a sign of something much bigger coming down the pipe? Would you want to know what is coming next? Would that feed your habit of curiosity?

 

  I’ll be the A-hole of the day by saying that:

– first of all, these elected officials (city and state) who want to close down local / mom & pop businesses during this COVID-19 should also stop getting their paycheck (no matter how big or small their pay is) until they reopen what they deem as “non-essential” businesses. Lead your people by example. That’s how you earn respect (and votes too). The longer you keep the business down, the more the natives are going to get restless. Quit saying it’s all because of social distancing is the reason why the COVID-19 hasn’t spread in our area. I think Walmart cancels that argument out. Plus you have people losing their jobs and business that won’t get the government loans. Seems fair to me that if they don’t get paid, you don’t either. No back-pay either. No balloon payments or gratuities. You’re people don’t get paid, you don’t get paid. For everyone running for office, you want to earn votes, or secure your positioni, take my advice.

– Second, all those Doctors who are too afraid to go face to face with their patients, but send their nurses (or below) to the patents car in the parking lot to take vitals and hold up an iPad to do their visit are NOT worth the money they charge per visit. In fact, your patients should be the ones getting paid if that is how you plan on “treating” your patients. How do you make a proper diagnosis / check up using skype or zoom? If you don’t have enough respect for the patient, then you should lose them to better doctors. Here’s a suggestion, instead of going to the office, maybe ask for the patients skype or Zoom ID and let the patient stay home so they don’t have to get out, especially if they are in pain already. Home health nurses are more that qualified to do the same thing for you. OR if you want to go that extra mile and show respect for the patient, schedule a Nurse-Practitioner to take the appointment. I’ve been helped by some really awesome Nurse-Practitioners in the area. I can recommend several. Yes, I know Doctors are human too, but if the nurses and other health professionals wear masks, so can the doctor. How do I know the doctor I’m talking to on skype or Zoom isn’t sitting on the toilet or staring at porn on the other window? Or being rebellious against social distancing with a Chinese hooker? If you want to your patients to trust you, you need to put forth the effort, even during this time.

– Third, Churches should start back up! Either in their cars listening on the radio (via LPFM or LPAM, I can consult on both), outdoors in the open area like Jesus used to, or in the church building. Hell, I’d sign up for a good old fashioned tent revival because I think we need one right now! I can’t speak for the owners, but a great place to do all three would be at the Tower Drive in theatre! I’m still waiting to see Passion of the Christ on that big screen. Have a sermon, and then a movie. Churches with people showing up, the people get an event that lets them get outside activities, and the theater wins with concessions / door charge ($10 car load? idk). Can’t do it at the drive in, how about Heavener Runestone park? Come on, ya’ll, I can’t be the only person around this area who has these ideas? What? Are you afraid you might offend somebody? What’s it going to take to get ya’ll fired up again? You’re people (God’s people) need you right now. I know there are some churches still doing small things to keep the “blood flowing in the body of Christ”, but if churches are supposed to be the motivators and mentors of their community, why are there other congregations in other states standing up while you sit on your duff? Do you not understand that depression is on the rise, drastically? Confusion and irrational actions is on the rise too. Want to make a difference and help the community? Start with toilet paper! Think I’m kidding? Here’s another idea, for every family that comes to church, hand them an 8-roll package as they are leaving the church at the end of the sermon instead of shaking their hand or patting them on the back. America produces about 90% of the country’s toilet paper. Find a manufacturer or distributor and make a deal with them.

    If any of this bruises an ego, p!$$e$ you off, or fires you up in any positive way, then good! Any more businesses and organizations need ideas or suggestions? I’m willing to work out trade or retain 10% of your monthly profits, whichever is more valuable.

    Call me an a-hole antagonist, but if a large open area venue (i.e. the Poteau drive-in theater, school football field, outdoor park on a hilltop, large outdoor parking lot, ect) would invite an area church to offer a sermon before showing the The Passion of the Christ within the next 36 hours, I would be inclined to promote the hell out of such an event of that magnitude. It’s outside, in the open, and more than enough room for people to keep their distance, even by Walmarts indoor standards (https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/04/03/changes-to-our-shopping-process-to-encourage-social-distancing). BTW, Walmart seems to be the only store that has them in place / enforce them in Poteau. I’m not complaining about the other stores, believe me, thank the good lord above for them because Walmart is a mess right now and I would rather shop anywhere else in town than there.

 

    Right now, more than anything, the people of our area need a little hope and faith during this time. We have been pretty lucky considering other parts of the world. However, with the fact that if we keep our physical distance, stay out in an open area, and use a little more common sense than what we’ve been seeing, some people might be able to get a little relief while having something inspirational to take their minds off their worries during this Easter weekend.

 

    The people are local business owners, employees living paycheck to paycheck, voters of elected officials, single parents with a house full of kids because their schools are shut down, and couples who are worried about paying their first mortgage. Remember, not everyone gets a salary paycheck (paid working or not), can work from home, has a retirement fund, or a cozy office gig that is labeled “Essential”. Believe me, you are only essential by what is in your heart, not by what your job title is. Now I know that Poteau has got their rules in place, (https://www.poteau-ok.com/news_detail_T28_R15.php):

“SECTION THREE: Organized gatherings of fifty (50) or more people, excepting political subdivisions and state entities over which the City of Poteau has no control are hereby prohibited until the expiration of this emergency declaration. In accordance with guidance from President Trump, residents are further urged to avoid all gatherings of ten (10) or more.”
 
“SECTION FOUR: All gyms, fitness facilities, entertainment venues, movie theaters, skating rinks, private clubs, bars and lounges, beauty salons, nail salons and tanning facilities located within the corporate limits of the City of Poteau shall be prohibited from operating or opening to the patrons until the expiration of this emergency declaration.”

 

The Governor of Oklahoma even said “Social gathering of 10 or more is prohibited. Businesses within a critical infrastructure sector, as more particularly described herein, shall take all reasonable steps necessary to comply with this order and protect their employees, workers, and patrons.”  (Section 23 at https://www.sos.ok.gov/documents/executive/1929.pdf) 

 

Even the CDC says people should use drive-through, pickup or delivery options instead of dining in, but it’s okay to go on picnics or eat outdoors? What if there are ten people sitting outside at a large table or on a blanket, but another ten people are 10 feet away doing the same thing? Has anyone read or seen a health official say they are too close? Really, what is the “acceptable” social (physical) distance a group of 10 people should keep away from another group of up to 10 people outdoors? In my research, not one mention about that. Instead, the main focus is on keeping six feet way in groups of no more than 10 people mostly describing indoor conditions. Infact, many health experts are recommending on going outside for fresh air and exercise. 

 

And here is something else that is contributing to the COVID-19 panic here in the states: “The federal government is classifying the deaths of patients infected with the coronavirus as COVID-19 deaths, regardless of any underlying health issues that could have contributed to the loss of someone’s life.” Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said the federal government is continuing to count the suspected COVID-19 deaths, despite other nations doing the opposite. “There are other countries that if you had a pre-existing condition, and let’s say the virus caused you to go to the ICU [intensive care unit] and then have a heart or kidney problem,” she said during a news briefing at the White House. “Some countries are recording that as a heart issue or a kidney issue and not a COVID-19 death. “The intent is … if someone dies with COVID-19 we are counting that,” she added. (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/birx-says-government-is-classifying-all-deaths-of-patients-with-coronavirus-as-covid-19-deaths-regardless-of-cause?fbclid=IwAR065Rk_rpMSmRq2IVNl9WW_f0e6e62cama0M_CMe7fvAlUGKJx_fgsSaVo)

 

The police in Louisville, Kentucky will actually fine you for gathering into a church this Easter weekend. They will go record your license plate and give it to the city’s health department. When the mayor was asked if citizens should fear being cited or charged if they attend a religious service, the mayor said officers will be handing out information to attendees. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced a similar new policy, saying that state police will also note the license plate numbers of those who attend any in-person mass gathering, church services included. (https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/04/10/louisville-coronavirus-lmpd-record-easter-churchgoers-license-plates/5133851002/)

 

However, there isn’t much talk when it comes to the questions I asked before: What is the acceptable distance between groups of 10 people? I think if we answered that question, we could still be outside in a larger area without risking being so close to each other. Maybe we should break it down logically by asking how many square feet is needed per person standing? Well it’s obviously suggested that six square feet per person is a good rule of thumb for a standing crowd. If you are planning for 100 people who will all be standing, you will multiply 100 by 6 to determine you need a venue with 600 square feet of available and workable space for the event. For a mixed seated and standing crowd, you should increase the per-person rule of thumb to eight square feet: Your 100-person event will now need 800 square feet of usable space. And for reception-style seating with a dance floor, estimate nine square feet per person. (https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-planning/capacity-party-space-calculator/)

 

So that brings me back to the idea of large open areas for possible events that are in my region. Let’s say for the benefit of those who are a bit germaphobe about things, who’s to say they can’t stay in their vehicle listening to the movie on their radio or streaming device? What if they are so lonely that the fact of just being around other people are giving them such immense joy that they forget about their phobia and live in the moment? Lord forbid they feel alive and not closed off, sarcastically speaking of course. Human beings are social creatures and you don’t feel a real connection online. We need to see and be seen in public for interaction and intellectual connection. No need to crucify us for regaining our God given right to feel alive. Here’s another question, why isn’t the President of the United States wearing a mask in public? How about the governor of New York when he does those press conferences? Have you seen your local mayor have a mask on when doing facebook live or working in their office with other people? You don’t even see a whole lot of press wearing any sort of mouth and nose covering when they are in the conferences either. So tell me, what are they trying to tell us?

 

Now that we’ve had this “discussion” about it, who’s ready for movie night? So, who wants to watch The Passion of the Christ with me, hmmmm?

 

    Thank you for your time,

          Big John