Columnists

A few concessions ought to be given those afflicted with life-changing, mind altering diseases. Many of us don't have anything gratifying to anticipate--and it would be nice if we could get a few perks in our lives. Maybe this could take the form of a part time job, one that is within our ability to perform, without it being humiliating and bottom of the barrel. Maybe this could take the form of an annual extra three hundred dollars in our measly SSI checks. Or maybe this could take the form of a trip to a museum--this field trip was once common for mentally ill people in groups but has evaporated along with the other good things we used to get. -more-

Russia claims to have a coronavirus vaccine — Sputnik-V. The director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, where the vaccine is being developed, has yet to publish any results from large-scale human trials or published data from earlier trials, which typically involve three phases to check a drug’s safety, efficacy, and dosage. -more-

On August 8th, Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign reached a critical juncture in the struggle to stabilize the U.S. economy. Faced with an epic financial crisis, Trump had a leadership opportunity, a chance to bring Republicans and Democrats together to develop a realistic recovery plan. Instead Trump opted for a political stunt, signing four faux "executive orders." It was a "tipping point." In his 2000 book, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference," Malcolm Gladwell defines a "tipping point" as a moment when there's a critical change of social perspective because a key determinant has reached critical mass. For a long time, Trump's political strength has been his perceived handling of the economy. Now he's lost that. -more-

Knockin' on Heaven's Doors

I find myself missing the row of multicolored doors that used to stand alongside the Epworth United Methodist Church on Hopkins Street. A celebration of the LGBTQ movement, the artwork was accompanied by a message that read: "God's Doors Are Open to All."

The display has been gone for several months now. I remember crossing the street one day and discovering that the doors, in fact, could not be opened—none of them were equipped with doorknobs.

I guess, that's the way the Bible (and St. Peter) would have it. If you want to be admitted to Heaven, you have to knock first. -more-