I began to have an idea
/I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievement to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know. -Joanna Field
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
The Secret to an Exceptional Life
/Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliners suggests context and hard work are more critical than raw talent when it comes to achievement.
Gladwell offers Christopher Langan as an example of how the range of opportunities presented to us can make a significant difference as to whether we gain traction in life.
Einstein's IQ was 150. Langan’s IQ was a blistering 195. But Langan spent his days working on a horse farm in rural Missouri. Why didn’t he rise to exceptional achievement? According to Gladwell, there was no one in Langan's life to encourage and help him develop his exceptional gifts. He grew up in a small town in Montana with an abusive stepfather in abject poverty.
Gladwell writes, "He had to make his way alone and no one--not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires, and not even geniuses--ever makes it alone."
You didn’t rise alone. Is there someone to whom you should show gratitude? Someone who poured themselves into making you who you are? Is there someone who you could cultivate, radically altering the kind of person they become?
Stephen Goforth
Articles of Interest about the virus, fakes, and higher ed - April 21
/***THE VIRUS
Health care workers took a stand against protestors opposing the coronavirus lockdown in Colorado
Why Did The World Shut Down For COVID-19 But Not Ebola, SARS Or Swine Flu?
COVID-19 is changing potential terror targets; grocery stores, even testing sites should be vigilant
Coronavirus and the Future of Telemedicine
A Doctor’s Warning From the Rural South
Wisconsin sheriff threatened to arrest girl over coronavirus photo, lawsuit says
***THE VIRUS & TREATMENTS
More deaths, no benefit from malaria drug (hydroxychloroquine) in VA virus study
Stanford coronavirus study triggers feud over methodology and motives
***LIFE AT HOME
Why You Feel So Tired While Working from Home
Pick up a new skill with these deals from Coursera, Udemy, Rosetta Stone and more
How to Help Your Relationship Survive a Lockdown
***HIGHER ED: CLASSES & CUTS
Cal State Fullerton to hold fall classes online. Will others follow?
U.S. Colleges Brace for a Devastating Summer and Fall
Universities begin considering the possibility of canceling in-person classes until 2021
For some colleges, missing the fall semester may be just the tip of the iceberg
College Librarians brace for budget cuts
Crisis to Hit Higher Education Without Stimulus Funding
University of Louisville to make more cuts to employee pay, benefits
***HIGHER ED
Editorial: Coronavirus outbreak gives colleges a chance to revive a system already breaking
This is the Navy’s plan for launching its new community college
Universities are making decisions that could alter higher education for years
***STUDENT LIFE: FALL CLASSES
Nearly 40% of graduating seniors may delay college due to COVID-19, survey says
First-Year College Students Worry What Fall Will Bring
A twenty-year professor on starting college this fall: Don’t.
A look at the challenges deaf and hard of hearing college students face with COVID-19
***STUDENTS & TUITION
College students rebel against full tuition
University of Minnesota to freeze tuition next academic year
***STUDENT LIFE: JOBS & INTERNSHIPS
Here’s what’s happening to all those summer newsroom internships
Coronavirus upends college students' future jobs
Students are pressing colleges to keep paying campus workers. Colleges are listening (for now)
***FAKES & FRAUDS
This Harvard Epidemiologist Is Very Popular on Twitter. But Does He Know What He’s Talking About?
Speed limits for Coronavirus testing
A Video Accusing Dr. Fauci Of Being Part Of The Deep State Has Been Viewed Over 6 Million Times
Study: Nearly a third of Americans believe a conspiracy theory about the origins of the coronavirus
Why smart people believe coronavirus myths
No, Bill Gates did not engineer the covid-19 pandemic — and other lessons on fake news
***TEACHING
Distance Learning Isn’t Working (opinion)
Watch: Netflix puts documentaries on YouTube to help teachers during Covid-19 lockdown
How Has Grading Changed Since Coronavirus Forced Classes Online? Often, It Depends on the Professor
A history professor gave students an unusual assignment. Here are the results.
For Students With Disabilities, Teachers Must Think Creatively
8 non-awkward ways to leave a Zoom hangout
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Private Christian university will open this fall in Chula Vista
New alliance unites seminaries, Christian colleges and schools
Manitoba's Christian colleges go online and lay off staff
A Major Seminary Just Shut Down Its Biblical Archaeology Program
Bob Jones University will begin furloughing staff as coronavirus pandemic continues
Valparaiso University furloughs 200 employees; president to take 30% pay cut in COVID-19 reductions
***LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Coronavirus Spreads Around Liberty University
Falwell’s Liberty University Pockets Fees After Pretending To Open Dorms, Suit Alleges
Two Liberty University employees test positive for coronavirus
Jerry Falwell Jr. Leaves Ominous Midnight Warning On Reporter's Voicemail
***RESEARCH
This YouTuber Made Up A Name For A Body Part. It Ended Up In A Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal
COVID-19 and the future of open access
Research integrity even more important for research during a pandemic
Michigan proposes changes to dismissal policies for tenured faculty
How many cares
/How many cares one loses when one decides not to be someTHING, but to be someONE. -Coco Chanel
Falling into old ditches
/Have you ever had someone bait you when your family gets together? “Come on. Join me, and let’s relive those old patterns you’ve tried to shed.” You try not to let the person get under your skin, but somehow, you end up behaving in a way you believed you had left behind long ago. You can't stop yourself. You stumble backward into old dysfunctional patterns.
“Why does the other person say these things?” you wonder. Perhaps they want to feel superior to you. Maybe that unhealthy relationship is in their comfort zone.
You could try being passive—that might allow you to avoid conflict, put off the problem, and set it aside for the sake of peace. But the goal should be a healthy relationship rather than the absence of conflict. On the other hand, you could make yourself vulnerable, rising and falling with the other’s approval and rejection. This will mean spending a lot of your life bouncing between working hard to prove you are worthy of respect and resenting the need to prove it.
Stephen Goforth
The Core of a Problem
/When God wants to give you something of great value, how does he go about it? Does he wrap it up in a glamorous and sophisticated package and hand it to you on a silver platter? No, more than likely he buries it at the heart of a great big tough problem and watches with anticipation to see whether you have what it takes to break the problem apart and find at its center what might be called the pearl of great price.
Stephen Goforth
time to mourn
/He that lacks time to mourn, lacks time to mend. -Shakespeare
Attributes of Life and of Death
/A newborn is soft and tender,
A crone, hard and stiff.
Plants and animals, in life, are supple and succulent;
In death, withered and dry.
So softness and tenderness are attributes of life,
And hardness and stiffness, attributes of death.
Laozi, Tao Te Ching
Advice for graduating students while sheltering in place
/Graduating college students are asking what they should be doing while sheltering in place.
Ask yourself: Am I keeping myself physically, psychologically, and spiritually healthy? If the answer is ‘no’ then stop looking for new ways to feel guilty and allow yourself breathe. Give time to self-care. Don’t pile more on top of yourself when you are already sliding backward. Secondly, are there members of your family in need of support? Make that your next priority.
If those areas are in good shape, below are some steps I would consider right now for the best career launch when the cloud lifts, and you can move forward. Take them with a grain of salt; Avoid comparing yourself to others and ask what is reasonable for you to do given your time and situation. Think of this as a “choose your adventure” exercise. Set attainable goals for a sense of control in a moment of change.
1. Update your resume: No mistakes, and it must be easy to scan. Have you included your social media? You know every employer will check your social media and Google you, right? You should do that. You’ll find more specific resume recommendations here.
2. Speaking of social: Give yourself a social media makeover. Look for inappropriate or unfocused tweets, posts, and Instagram stories, then reconsider your privacy settings, clearly define your audience, etc. I’ll send you a list of a dozen ways to give yourself a fresh look if you email me. Don’t forget LinkedIn (if your industry uses it).
3. Reverse engineer your career: Look up jobs that interest you and see what’s missing from your resume or needs shoring up. What can you do now, or when things open up again? Make a list. Perhaps get up to speed on a professional program like Excel, InDesign, or Premiere Pro.
4. Gather all your supporting materials now, so you aren’t scrambling when a prospective employee asks for various kinds of writing samples. Do you have recommendation letters, head shots, thank you notes, etc.? (You don’t send thank you notes? It’s an easy way to set yourself apart. Plus, it’s a nice thing to do).
5. Work on your elevator pitch—that is, create a compelling speech about your entire professional life that lasts no more than 15 seconds. Pick up some ideas about this personal branding exercise here. Try your pitch on others for feedback.
6. Create a list of job sites you will visit once a week. Start with Indeed and look for lists (often in social media) produced by groups dedicated to your industry. FYI: Your first job or two is not a lifelong commitment. Your path is likely to be circuitous. Aim at moving in the right general direction rather getting there in one big leap.
7. Create Google alerts to bring you articles from Google News related to your industry by using keywords. Stay on top of the trends and barriers it faces. Pro tip: Set a Google alert on your own name so you’ll know when someone has posted something about you online.
8. Try some mock interviews with whoever you are staying with—they’ve probably had a few interviews themselves, or else they can grab some typical questions off the internet to throw at you. Better yet Zoom it because your next job interview is likely to be a video conference.
9. Are there contests offered right now by professional organizations in your field for which you could submit entries?
10. Be ready to answer in a job interview, “What new skills did you acquire during self-quarantine?” Here are some great options: Coursera Makes Courses & Certificates Free During Coronavirus Quarantine
11. Develop more life skills. If you haven’t already done so, put effort into learning to cook, doing your own laundry, etc. Try Googling, “What college students should be able to do on their own.”
12. Educate yourself on your student loans. When are you supposed to start paying it off? Do You have deferral options?
13. Cut costs and budget. Where can you stop spending? If you don’t have a budget, make one—even if it is just a projected one. Know where your money is going. How much money can you spend on job hunting?
14. Work on a political campaign. There’s an election in November, and there is probably an issue(s) about which you care deeply. See if you can get hired using your college-trained skills or volunteer. You’ll feel like you are making a difference while adding a line to your resume.
15. Read a few of the dozens of articles about job hunting on my site Goforth Job Tips. Mine them for tips that apply to this unique situation. Start with the career advice articles and move on to those about resumes and interviews. Regularly search for recent articles on the subject.
16. You’ll find a list of hundreds of “tech tools” here. Learn a few digital tricks to set yourself apart. Play around. See what’s out there that can make your life easier. A place to start: Pick a platform (like Wix) to put up a website that will house projects you’ve completed showing what you can do.
17. While you are building a website, buy your own domain name. Mine is www.StephenGoforth.com. It’s easy to do at places like GoDaddy.
18. Pick up some books (online or physical) and listen to some podcasts that either distract you for a few moments and fire your imagination or else educate you about your chosen field. Pro tip: connect with someone who does some hiring in your industry and ask for reading/listening recommendations.
19. Contact professionals for advice on what you should be doing. Don’t ask for a job—ask them to have a cup of coffee with you (by video conference, of course) and then ask questions and listen. Ask your professors who they would recommend you seek out—then ask the same question each time you finish having coffee with a pro.
Finally, don’t try to take on everything at once. Focus on what you can do today; just that one step in front of you.
Doubt is our product
/Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the ‘body of fact’ that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy. -from a secret Tobacco Industry memo
culture vs strategy
/Culture eats strategy for breakfast. -Peter Drucker
Articles of Interest about Higher Ed - April 14
/***HIGHER ED & THE VIRUS
How a small university team built a COVID-19 data site that draws 1 billion clicks a day
A Japanese University used remote-controlled robots to hold a virtual graduation
US's digital divide 'is going to kill people' as Covid-19 exposes inequalities
The Case for Escape Hatches from Higher Education Accreditation (opinion)
***FALL CLASSES
About one in six prospective students are near the point of giving up on attending in the fall
Coronavirus could change where students go to college, if they go at all
We're on the edge of the precipice': How the pandemic could shatter college dreams
Colleges Experiment With Stay-at-Home ‘Study Abroad’ Programs
***HIGHER ED & FINANCE
Students File Class Action Seeking Tuition Reimbursement
Colleges announce furloughs and layoffs as financial challenges mount
Harvard University Taps Credit Market for Up to $1.1 Billion
Public colleges face looming financial blow from state budget cuts
Outbreak Hurts Higher Ed Worldwide for Next Year, Moody's Says
Schools Accepting COVID-19 Loans Must Be Aware Of Workplace Law Consequences
Univ of Oregon lays off 282, other universities also consider steep cuts
***UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS
UT-Austin President Greg Fenves leaving Texas flagship for Emory University, source says
Angelo State University President Brian May abruptly resigns without explanation
***TEACHING
Coursera Makes Courses & Certificates Free During Coronavirus Quarantine
Teaching lab sciences and the fine arts during COVID-19
Pandemic Forces Summer Classes to Move Online
Please, Professors: Stop Pretending the Dying Isn’t Happening
A veteran teacher realizes that less is more with online learning
Adjusting to Remote Instruction at Community Colleges
It's hard to teach writing online
How to Prevent ‘Zoombombing’ in a Few Easy Steps
***ACADEMIC LIFE
Non-tenure-track professors are used to uncertainty about contract renewals
Professor Pay Is Flat -- Again
Fired professor’s lawsuit doesn’t make the grade
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Liberty University student sues school for not refunding fees after campus 'effectively closed'
Supreme Court tackles whether teachers at religious schools are ‘ministers’
Wheaton College provides free apartments for police, firefighters under self-quarantine
Southwestern Seminary cuts programs and spending
Canceled prison debate teacher from Wheaton can proceed with free-speech suit
***RESEARCH
From honest mistakes to fake news – approaches to correcting the scientific literature
***STUDENT LIFE
Spring Breakers Viciously Defend Themselves Online After COVID-19 Outbreak
Students say online classes aren't what they paid for
How will pass/fail affect students' future?
Not All College Students Have Been Able To Go Home After Classes Shifted Online
Undergraduates at George Washington violated plagiarism rules more than graduate students in 2019
58 video tech tools for Tuesday
/Find more tools here
8mm Vintage Camera
Add retro colors, flickering, and light leaks for a vintage look to your movie. A variety of filters (like 1920, Noir) and a sound projector option. $2.99.
Adobe Connect
Video conferencing.
Adobe Spark Video*
A wide range of video-editing tools with flexibility. Soundtracks and themes. Free.
Amnesty International YouTube DataViewer*
Takes a URL for a video and provides background info.
Awesome Screenshot
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with no extra features that will save up to :30. Free
Camtasia
Screen-recording application that’s adequate for its intended purpose: eLearning videos. Easy to use for quick videos but limited. Can be used for podcasting. Mac & PC. $249.
Clips
This Apple app let's you add text, filters, emoji, music, and opaque transition cards to your photos or videos. Intended to be fun, though the menu layout is not entirely intuitive and it does take some time to create. Free.
CuePrompter
Turns your browser into a television telepromoter.
Cute Cut
Easy-to-use video editor. Free.
Disco Videos
A way to add cool effects like music and filters to your videos. $3.99.
DSCO
Pronounced ‘disco’, this app is for GIF creation. Animations up to 2.5 seconds long. Free. Video example.
Ecamm
App that records Skype and Facetime. It lets you convert your calls into MP3 files for podcasting or easily move the video to YouTube and Vimeo. Split the audio tracks after a call for easy editing. $39.95.
Final Cut Pro
Video editing program.
Filmic
High definition mobile cam for videography, photography. Lots of bells and whistles probably too much for avarege person or even for what a professional journaist would need. $14.99.
Filmmaker Pro - Video Editor*
Video editing program for filmmakers. 19 transition options and 30 filters. Many fonts and animation stickers. Sound effects and a robust number of tools. Free.
GoToMeeting
Video conferencing. 14-day free trial. $14-$39 a month subscription.
GorillaPod tripod*
Joby GripTight PRO. Flexible legs wrap around objects for unlimited angles. From .7 - 11 pounds. Rubber foot grips provide stability on any surface.
Hippo Video
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with some advanced features such as changing the resolution, aspect ratio, etc. Free.
HouseParty (formally Meerkat)
Group video chat app where users get a notice that friends are online. Snap Stories are integrated.
Hyperlapse
Instagram’s timelapse video. No audio option.
IBM Cloud Video* (formerly Ustream)
Desktop broadcasting of live video to the world from a computer or iPhone (or watch thousands of shows). 30 day free trial, then monthly plans from $99 to $999 for pros, top subscription $2k and up.
iMovie*
One of the best video-making apps, it offers two tracks of video and audio for editing on your phone or laptop. Filters and templates. Free.
InVID
A free Firefox plugin to debunk fake video news and verify videos and images.
Loom
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder with some advanced options. No limit on the number of videos you can make. Free.
LumaFusion*
A multi-track video editor with 3 video/audio tracks for photos, videos, titles, and graphics. $19.99.
Lumen5
An easy-to-use video creation platform that attempts to turn a limited number of photos and text into video for you. Free.
Meograph
3D animation of people from 2D video of people. Video explanation.
Movavi
Video editing for casual users. Easy-to-use interface. Limited effects. $39.95.
MoviePro*
Video recording app that lets you listen live to your sound, includes manual controls for exposure, focus, and white balance. Shoot stills while recording. Has a built-in single-track video editor. Includes a wide range of video resolutions and aspect ratios, adjustable video quality, $5.99.
Narrative
Wearable camera that takes a photo or video every minute and creates a video at the end of the day (without using the repetitive shots). No work for the wearer. $199.
Nimbus
This Chrome extension is a screen recorder which also allows users to shoot a video with a webcam or take screenshots. Free.
Quik*
Video editor by GoPro. Easy-to-use. Templated themes and useful filters. Add up to 200 photos and video clips. Free.
Quicktime
Use to record video from your webcam and Skype interviews.
Periscope
Live-streaming video app from Twitter. Stores video for 24 hours. Will tweet followers that you are living streaming.
PickPlayPost
Video editor that lets users create slideshows, split screens, video collages, etc. adding music, voice, gifs. Best for short videos. Free.
Powtoon
Animated infographics web tool for creating videos. User-friendly. The free version has company branding on it.
Premiere Pro*
An Adobe professional-level product that has become the industry standard. Easy-to-use interface. Support for 360 VR and other features, but some techniques require additional applications (such as After Effects). $19.99 a month.
Reduct
Edit the video by editing the text. For instance, you can upload a long interview and the site (using machine learning) will transcribe the speech and tag each word to a visual frame allowing you to quickly generate a highlight reel or other edited videos.
Reel Director
Creates movies and lets you edit on phone similar to iMovie. $2.99.
Rock Content (formally Scribble Live)
Live-streaming. Create, curate and publish content to provide real time coverage and storytelling. Fee.
Screenr
Chrome screen capture and annotation tool. Video explanation.
SMOVE smartphone Video Stabilizer
This smartphone stabilizer that doubles as a charger. Portable, fits in your pocket. $200.
Steadicam Smoothee*
The Smoothee gives you a steady, gliding shot by a balanced weight system that holds your phone on a frictionless ball joint. Simple to use, though the size could interfere with other attachments on you iPhone. $90.
Steller*
Create photo and video stories on an iPhone with an emphasis on mobile design. Create collections and share on social networks. Free. Sample.
TechSmith (formally Jing)
A free, easy-to-use screen capture application. Snap a screenshot or record a video, save and share. capture a presentation, lecture, or event.
TiltShift Video
Create the tilt-shift effect for photos and video. No in-app camera to shoot video and no sharing options. $3.99.
Transcriptive
Digital Anarchy’s plugin to create automated transcriptions of video in Premiere Pro. Free Trial. $299.
TubeMogul
Upload your video and TubeMogul will send it to many social media sites at one time-though you'll have to set up accounts with all the sites on your own. Tracks viewership. A part of Adobe's Marketing Cloud.
Video Scribe
Create animated videos, replicating the popular whiteboard-style tutorial. 7 day free trial. $16.50 a month.
Videolicious*
App for easy photo and video editing on your iPhone. Sort of a stripped-down version of iMovie to make videos with narration and music. Filters, too. Free.
Vimeo
Video hosting and editing.
VSCO*
Great start-to-finish photo/video app. Easy to use filters and helpful tutorials. Manual controls like focus lock, exposure lock, and white balance. Edit images and share them on social media. IOS. Free version. $19.99 a year for 170 presets.
Vyond (formally GoAnimate)
Make animated videos. Free 14-day trial. Subscription plans: $39 a month or $299 each year.
YouTube Creator Hub
Resources to help create better video content and bigger audiences. An online community for serious YouTube creators.
Webex
Cisco’s video conferencing software. Easy-to-use, nothing to download. Several pricing plans-but not cheap.
WeVideo
Collaborative online and mobile video editing.
Xtranormal
Create animated movies.
Zamzar
Video and audio file converter.
goal plan wish
/A goal without a plan is just a wish. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Looking Forward by Looking Back
/If the past isn’t the way you thought it was, then the present isn’t, either. Letting go of that present may make it easier to conceive of a new future. Things look different from the neutral zone, for one of the things you let of in the ending process is the need to see the past in a particular way, and in doing that you let go of the need to think of the future in the way you always have.
William Bridges, Transitions
A Franciscan Blessing
/May God bless you with a restless discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression,
and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for
justice, freedom, and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer
from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may
reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that
you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able,
with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.
And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator,
Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour,
and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you
and remain with you, this day and forevermore.
AMEN.
Articles of Interest about the virus & religion - April 11
/***THE VIRUS
Pandemic expert: Coronavirus will have 5 stages. We’re in stage 2
Every aspect of the coronavirus pandemic exposes America’s devastating inequalities
***THE VIRUS & RELIGION
Rich Christians in an Age of Coronavirus
Mormons Have Long Preached Preparedness — Which Is Coming In Handy Now
Pastor who decried 'hysteria' dies after attending Mardi Gras
Another Break From The Past: Government Will Help Churches Pay Pastor Salaries
***CHURCH MEETINGS
Where to attend Easter services online
Some defiant U.S. churches plan Easter services, ignoring public health guidelines
Churches turn to the internet to reach their flocks
A Few Churches Are Defying Bans on Large Gatherings—that Could Be Bad for Religious Liberty
***CHURCH MEETINGS IN SPECIFIC STATES
Florida megachurch pastor caves after defying coronavirus rules
Kansas’ top doctor blasts lawmakers’ override of limit on religious gathering size
***RELIGION
Faith & Family: Young People More Religious When Both Parents Are Devout
Ranking the best films about Jesus at Easter
Misspelled Acomb sign proclaims 'Chris is Risen'
***PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
The U.S. Suicide Rate Has Soared Since 1999
Financial Confusion May Signal Start Of Dementia, Study Finds
***RELIGION AND POLITICS
Trump's evangelical supporters want China to pay a price for coronavirus
***MEGACHURCHES
America's Oldest Mega-Church Just Hired Its New Pastor on Zoom
Megachurch Pastor Calls On Christians To Defy COVID-19 Guidelines Even If It Means Death
***DENOMINATIONS
Coronavirus hits headquarters of Ukraine church that opposed social distancing
Celebrating the life of former Nazarene General Superintendent Eugene Stowe
***CATHOLIC
The coronavirus forces Catholics to adapt last rites
Supreme Court won't hear Catholic Church challenge to ban on religious advertising
Fists pounding the hard earth in agony
/Looking through the shadowy foliage of Gethsemane, we don't see the classic portrait of Christ, rendered by the artist. We don't see Him in a snow-white robe kneeling beside a big rock, hands peacefully folded, with a look of serenity in His face as a spotlight from heaven illuminates His golden-brown hair. Instead, we see a man flat on his face, fists pounding the hard earth in agony. We see a fact stained with tears and dirt, hair matted with sweat, facial muscles contorted in pain like the gnarled, twisted olive trees looking on. God was never more human than at this hour. Have you been in the dark garden of Gethsemane? Betrayed by a friend? Deserted by those around you? Felt abandoned? Lonely? The next time you think no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane and see the man of sorrows. Because seeing God like this does wonders for your suffering.
Charles Swindoll, For Those Who Hurt
so that I may participate in it fully
/I do not serve God only in the brief moments during which I am taking part in a religious service, or reading the Bible, or saying my prayers, or talking about him in some book I am writing, or discussing the meaning of life with a patient or a friend.
I serve him quite as much when I am giving a patient an injection, or lancing an abscess, or writing a prescription, or giving a piece of good advice. Or again, I serve him quite as much when I am reading the newspaper, traveling, laughing at a joke, or soldering a joint in an electric wire. I serve him by taking an interest in everything, because he is interested in everything, because he has created everything and has put me in his creation so that I may participate in it fully.
“It is a great mistake,” wrote Archbishop William Temple, “to suppose that God is interested only, or even primarily in religion.”
Paul Tournier, The Adventure of Living
Articles of Interest about the virus, journalism, lit, writing, and more - Good Friday Edition
/***THE VIRUS
Hospital are laying off workers in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic
‘By December, we are going to go through this again’
The Asian Countries That Beat Covid-19 Have to Do It Again
Grandma whose misfired text to teen led to Thanksgiving invite loses husband to coronavirus
Coronavirus Will Shape the Future of Surveillance
MIT Will Post Free Plans Online for an Emergency Ventilator That Can Be Built for $100
***THE VIRUS AT HOME
Should Young Children Wear Masks?
Why You Shouldn’t Wash Produce With Soap During The Coronavirus Crisis
You’re not imagining it: We’re all having intense coronavirus dreams
***VIDEO CONFERENCING
How Microsoft Teams will use AI to filter out typing, barking, and other noise from video calls
Zoom vs. Google Hangouts: Video chat apps for working and keeping in touch compared
Google is rebranding Hangouts Chat as just Google Chat
The Zoom privacy and security issues you still need to worry about
Stolen Zoom passwords and meeting IDs are already being shared on the dark web
Racial Slurs And Swastikas Fuel Civil Rights Pressure On Zoom
***JOURNALISM: COVERING THE VIRUS
Jerry Falwell Jr. Apparently Thinks It’s Criminal to Report on Liberty University
How Journalists Can Address Mistrust in Pandemic Coverage and Help “Flatten the Curve”
An Oklahoma newspaper has apologized for a coronavirus April Fools' story after facing backlash
Covering biomedical research preprints amid the coronavirus: 6 things to know
What is HIPAA and how does it affect our understanding of the coronavirus?
***THE BUSINESS OF JOURNALISM
US newspapers face 'extinction-level' crisis
Pandemic Threatens Local Papers Even As Readers Devour Their Coverage
Media The newspaper industry was already faltering. Will coronavirus obliterate it?
Removing paywalls on coronavirus coverage is noble. It also makes no sense.
The Plain Dealer lays off 22 journalists, citing 'industry challenges'
400 Local Newsrooms Receive Grants to Support Coronavirus Work
***JOURNALISM
Reciting the First Amendment lines up with CDC hand washing guidelines
***STUDENT MEDIA
The news must go on: App State’s student-run media continue remotely
Can (and should) we publish the name of a student who tested positive for COVID-19?
Salve students rise to challenge of keeping school’s media running in face of coronavirus
***FAKES & FRAUDS
Nearly three-in-ten Americans believe COVID-19 was made in a lab
Coronavirus in US: FDA orders Texas church to stop selling fake coronavirus medicine
Misinformation, Distrust May Contribute To Black Americans' COVID-19 Deaths
What Role Should Newsrooms Play in Debunking COVID-19 Misinformation?
Decades of science denial related to climate change has led to denial of the coronavirus pandemic
Misinformation about an outbreak like Covid-19 is important public health data
Facebook's lack of moderators is hurting its fight against misinformation
***WRITING & READING
Female Writers Examine The Words That Undermine Women
Amazon’s Self-Publishing Arm Is a Haven for White Supremacists
How to read coronavirus news like a science writer
***LITERATURE
What Literature Can Teach Us About Epidemics
‘Weird tale’ by Secret Garden author Frances Hodgson Burnett discovered
The Nobel-Winning Economist who wants you to read more Fiction
***POETRY
Bruce Dawe's passing is a great loss but his remarkable, socially aware poetry will remain relevant
Joyelle McSweeney’s Poetry of Catastrophe
National Poetry Celebrations go online
***INTERNET