Headspace Announces New Efforts To Help Consumers, Healthcare Providers Curb Rising Stress And Anxiety – PRNewswire

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SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Headspace, a global leader in mindfulness and meditation, announced that it will be providing free Headspace Plus subscriptions to healthcare professionals working in public health settings in the US through 2020 to address rising levels of stress and burnout. Headspace will also be unlocking the free, specially-curated "Weathering the storm" collection of meditation and mindfulness content for consumers in English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

"Against the current public health and geopolitical backdrop with social distancing, travel restrictions, 24/7 news alerts, and financial stressors this shifting landscape is affecting everyone," said Rich Pierson, co-founder and CEO of Headspace. "To help people around the world deal with these unprecedented levels of stress, we are working hard to expand access to our meditation content to help folks manage anxious thoughts, build mental resilience and navigate through this uncertainty."

Beginning today, any US-based healthcare professional working in a public health setting can get a free subscription to Headspace Plus by visiting https://www.headspace.com/health-covid-19 and enroll using their National Provider Identifier (NPI). All subscribers will get free access to all 1200+ hours of meditation and mindfulness content through December 31, 2020. While currently only accessible to US-based healthcare providers, Headspace is actively working with global NGOs, health systems and government officials to quickly establish ways to uniquely identify healthcare providers in countries around the world.

"Healthcare providers are on the front lines of this public health crisis, making sure our communities receive necessary and critical care," said Dr. Megan Jones Bell, Chief Science Officer for Headspace. "That's why it's crucial for us to find ways to support their mental health and provide them with tools for managing the very real personal toll this crisis takes on them in particular."

Physician burnout has been identified as a public health crisis for its adverse impacts for both doctors and patients. Research shows mindfulness meditation can positively impact many of the factors related to burnout, including stress and depression. Headspace research specifically shows 14% reduction in burnout after only four sessions among health care professionals and 12% reduction in stress for medical students after 30 days.

In addition to its efforts to help healthcare workers, Headspace has also unlocked a free "Weathering the storm" collection in-app, a free selection of meditation, sleep and other experiences designed to support consumers around the world during the COVID-19 outbreak. The collection is available in the "Explore" tab starting today worldwide.

If you are a healthcare professional outside of the US and would like access to Headspace Plus, please reach out to [emailprotected]. For more information on Headspace, please visit http://www.headspace.com.

About Headspace Headspace was created with one mission in mind: to improve the health and happiness of the world. Reaching more than 62 million users in 190 countries, Headspace was one of the first meditation apps in the world and remains a leader in mindfulness and mental training. Headspace is committed to advancing the field of mindfulness through clinically-validated research, having one of the largest research pipelines of any digital health and wellness company. Headspace operates a B2B business (Headspace for Work) to offer its mindfulness products and services to more than 600 companies, such as Starbucks, Adobe, GE, Hyatt and Unilever, to help them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher performing organizations. Headspace partners with many of the world's most-recognizable brands, including Apple, Amazon and more. Headspace also partners with brands like Nike, NBA and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team to offer sport and movement content.In 2018, Headspace launched Headspace Health, a digital health subsidiary pioneering new ways to incorporate the Headspace mindfulness experience into digital medicine. Headspace has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies, Apple's Best of 2018, Samsung's Best of 2019 and one of CB Insights' top digital health companies, along with being selected for five Webby Awards in health and fitness between 2018 and 2019. For more information please visit us at http://www.headspace.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.

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Headspace Announces New Efforts To Help Consumers, Healthcare Providers Curb Rising Stress And Anxiety - PRNewswire

The Role Of Health Care In The 2020 Election – Kaiser Family Foundation

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KFF is tracking the role health care is playing in voters decisions throughout the 2020 primary and general elections. The latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds health care among the top issues for all voters as well as the crucial group of voters who have not yet made up their minds about who to vote for in 2020. Throughout the Democratic primary, KFF is also analyzing state-level data from AP VoteCast, a survey of primary voters and caucus-goers in the Democratic primary contests conducted for seven days, concluding as the polls closed in each state.

As of March 11, 2020, health care was either the top issue, or among the top issues, for Democratic primary voters and caucus-goers in 14 states that have held their primary contests where there is AP VoteCast data available. Using the interactive below, you can find out which candidate won the most delegates in each state, the share of voters who said health care is the most important issue facing the country, as well as the share of Democratic voters who favor a single-payer health plan, similar to the one being proposed by front-runner Sen. Sanders, or a proposal, similar to the one being proposed by former Vice President Biden, in which all Americans would have the option of having a government health insurance plan.

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Methodology of AP VoteCast

AP VoteCast is a survey of American voters conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. Interviews begin six days before the day of the primary election or caucus in each state, and are conducted until polls close in the state. Interviews are conducted both online and by telephone (landline and cell) in English and Spanish. All states include a probability-based sample of voters drawn from Catalist LLCs registered voter database and matched to a registered voter database maintained by L2, which provides additional phone numbers for voter records. For some states, the probability sample is supplemented with online interviews with self-identified registered voters selected from non-probability online panels managed by Lucid or Dynata

Weighting involved multiple stages and are done separately for the probability sample and the nonprobability sample (when applicable). First, the probability-base sample is weighted to adjust for disproportional nonresponse. Then these weights are adjusted to population totals of registered voters in each state using a combination of the 2018 CPS Voter Supplement, the 2018 Census Bureaus ACS, and the Catalist voter file. For the nonprobability sample, the respondents receive a calibration weight to ensure the nonprobability sample is similar to the probability-based sample on key demographic variables such as ideology. All respondents are then weighted to improve estimates for sub-state geographic regions using a small area model. Finally, the survey results are weighted to the actual vote count following the completion of the election.

Numbers of interviews in each state and margins of sampling error (adjusted for design effects) are shown in the table below. For subgroups, the margin of sampling is higher.

More details about the AP VoteCast methodology can be found here.

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The Role Of Health Care In The 2020 Election - Kaiser Family Foundation

What U.S. Health Care Workers Need to Fight Coronavirus – The New York Times

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As new coronavirus infections accumulate across America, hospitals want to make sure they have everything they need to keep staff safe.

In China, where the virus was first discovered, protecting health care workers was a serious challenge. More than 3,300 nurses, doctors and other hospital staff members across the country were infected, many because of insufficient protective equipment.

In the United States, some hospitals are already struggling with limited supplies, as health officials figure out the best way to protect workers. More than 1,000 cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, have been reported across America so far, with the largest outbreak in Washington State.

We need to think about what the right thing is for patients, but also for our caregivers to make sure theyre not exposed, said Amy Compton-Phillips, chief clinical officer at the Providence St. Joseph Health, a hospital network that has treated more than a dozen patients in Washington State.

That means making sure theres an adequate supply of protective equipment for staff members and enough space to isolate patients, while also navigating a flurry of regulations and recommendations that could change at any moment.

Current C.D.C. recommendations for health care workers

Eye protection

Goggles or face shield

Respirator or medical mask

N95 respirator, if available

Gown

Closed securely

at the back

Gloves

Pulled up over

gown sleeves

Current C.D.C. recommendations for health care workers

Eye protection

Goggles or face shield

Respirator or medical mask

N95 respirator, if available

Gloves

Pulled up over

gown sleeves

Gown

Closed securely

at the back

Current C.D.C. recommendations for health care workers

Eye protection

Goggles or face shield

Respirator or medical mask

N95 respirator, if available

Gloves

Pulled up over

gown sleeves

Gown

Closed securely

at the back

There is still some uncertainty about how the new coronavirus spreads, but experts agree it is most likely passed through close contact with people who are infected, and specifically the viral droplets they expel when they cough or sneeze.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised health care workers to treat potential and confirmed cases of Covid-19 with the level of precaution usually reserved for high-risk illnesses that spread easily through the air, like tuberculosis or measles.

Workers are required to wear gowns, gloves, goggles and special masks, like N95 respirators, that fit tightly over the nose and mouth to filter out virus particles before they are inhaled. (They can also wear devices known as PAPRs, or powered air-purifying respirators, which cover the entire head.)

With respirator masks in short supply across the country, the C.D.C. recently updated its recommendations for health care workers. If respirators are not available, the agency says standard medical masks can be used instead for most coronavirus patient care. These looser-fitting masks protect against droplet transmission from coughs and sneezes, but do not filter out airborne pathogens.

The change puts the C.D.C. in closer alignment with World Health Organization guidelines, which only require respirator masks during special procedures that may result in the spray of tiny viral particles. Health departments in two of the hardest hit states, Washington and Oregon, have already adopted standards in line with W.H.O.

As the coronavirus continues to spread across the country and more is learned about the disease, these safety guidelines could evolve.

Tight fit; must be specially fitted. Filters out 95% of small particles.

Loose fit around edges. Provides protection from large droplets.

Loose fit around edges. Provides protection from large droplets.

Tight fit; must be specially fitted. Filters out 95% of small particles.

Tight fit; must be specially fitted. Filters out 95% of small particles.

Loose fit around edges. Provides protection from large droplets.

Hospitals across the country are currently facing protective equipment shortages because of increased global demand, as well as supply chain disruptions.

At the moment, we have significant limitations on our high-level N95 masks, and even surgical masks are in short supply, said Dr. Compton-Phillips of Providence St. Joseph Health.

Experts say surgical masks and respirators are not effective for protecting the general public from Covid-19 but are crucial for health care workers who are in close contact with infected patients.

And because respirators and other medical supplies are single-use, hospitals need a large stock for doctors, nurses and other staff members. Representatives from hospitals across the country said they were taking steps to preserve the supply of protective equipment, including limiting the number of people who enter a patients room to essential personnel only.

Some larger hospitals and hospital networks maintain their own stockpiles of respirator masks and other equipment. The Department of Health and Human Services also maintains the Strategic National Stockpile of emergency preparedness supplies, which currently contains 13 million N95 respirator masks and 30 million surgical masks, according to a spokeswoman for the agency.

But Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services, told Congress that as many as 300 million N95 respirator masks could be needed by United States health care workers to fight the spread of the virus. The agency has said it will buy millions more masks over the coming months.

Under new protocols, the C.D.C. recommends coronavirus patients be isolated in single rooms, behind closed doors, away from other patients. But more severe cases may require the use of a special room with negative pressure, which allows air to move inward but not escape back into general circulation.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Area of lower air pressure

Negative pressure allows air to flow inwards, but not out of the room.

Note: This is one possible layout for a negative pressure isolation room; an anteroom is optional, and air flow systems may vary.

Negative pressure isolation rooms are recommended for special procedures that may result in the spray of tiny viral particles, like intubation for patients who need help breathing, or bronchoscopy, a procedure that allows doctors to examine a patients lungs. Respirator masks are required during these procedures, too.

But most coronavirus cases will quite likely not require hospitalization, said Dr. Compton-Phillips of Providence St. Joseph Health.

If you are healthy even if you have Covid but are not ill enough to be in a hospital we dont want to treat you in the hospital, she said. Instead, patients with mild coronavirus infections and no underlying medical conditions may be asked to quarantine at home.

According to the W.H.O., 80 percent of Covid-19 patients in China experienced a mild form of the illness, 14 percent had a severe form, and 5 percent became critically ill. Older people and those with prior health conditions were at the highest risk.

We dont know how big this epidemic will be, said Dr. Gabor D. Kelen, the director of the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response and the emergency medicine department. Hopefully most of the people who are sick can be cared for at home and only those with serious respiratory conditions and the elderly who need I.C.U. care are the ones who get admitted to a hospital.

The gear health care workers need to protect themselves and how they isolate patients depends largely on how an illness is transmitted.

Airborne spread up to 100 ft

Smaller, lighter aerosol droplets can linger in the air.

Influenza, whooping cough, and most likely Covid-19, per W.H.O.

Larger, heavier viral droplets fall to the ground after being expelled.

DROPLET SPREAD

Up to 6 feet

Influenza, whooping cough, and most likely Covid-19, per W.H.O.

Larger, heavier viral droplets fall to the ground after being expelled.

AIRBORNE SPREAD

Up to 100 feet

Smaller, lighter aerosol droplets can linger in the air.

Airborne spread up to 100 ft

Smaller, lighter aerosol droplets can linger in the air.

Influenza, whooping cough, and most likely Covid-19, per W.H.O.

Larger, heavier viral droplets fall to the ground after being expelled.

DROPLET SPREAD

Up to 6 feet

Influenza, whooping cough, and most likely Covid-19, per W.H.O.

Larger, heavier viral droplets fall to the ground after being expelled.

AIRBORNE SPREAD

Up to 100 feet

Smaller, lighter aerosol droplets can linger in the air.

Some illnesses, like measles and tuberculosis, can spread far and wide through the air. Their ability to linger in the air for hours and travel long distances after a sneeze or cough makes them highly contagious.

But experts think that other respiratory illnesses, like the flu, do not stay airborne for long. Instead, the viral droplets that leave a persons mouth or nose end up falling to the ground within six feet or less. Think of it more like a sprinkle of rain than a cloud of mist.

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What U.S. Health Care Workers Need to Fight Coronavirus - The New York Times

Retired health care workers answer the call for help amid COVID-19 pandemic – CTV News

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With the burden on medical workers rising amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, reinforcements have been strapping on uniforms they left behind weeks, months, or even years ago.

Across the country, retired nurses are answering the call to return to the front lines.

Wed had, in fact, multiple calls today from retired nurses, retired health care workers in various sectors, Mark Joffe, an infectious disease specialist in Alberta, told CTV News. Theyre calling in saying, What can we do, can we come in and help.

Nurse Della ONeill is among thousands putting up their hands to come out of retirement.

Its a sign of the times, ONeill said. I just think it is all hands on deck.

Although the work is hard and the hours are long, ONeill believes a nurse will never truly lose that calling, even if you retire or change professions.

If I can go back and help in some capacity, then that is great.

Workers coming out of retirement could be manning health phone lines in Ontario or helping out with hospital rounds in Nova Scotia -- help is needed all over the country.

This is what nurses do, said Claire Betker. They respond, go where they are needed to go.

In Quebec alone, around 10,000 retired health care workers responded to the call for aid. Its a gesture that had Premier Francois Legault saying he was proud to be Quebecois in a press conference Monday.

Some retired health care workers, like Corazon Abdon, who is nearly 70 years old, are unable to return to work because theyre part of a demographic that is vulnerable to COVID-19.

But she told CTV News that she hopes to find a way to help nonetheless.

My motive is to help people, she said. I love helping and taking care of people, that is my main purpose I have to help them.

Coincidentally, long before the virus had become a pandemic and the vital role of health care workers had been emphasized by the crisis, the World Health Organization had designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse.

In December of 2019, they warned that there could be a worldwide shortfall of nine million nurses and midwives by 2030, and said that the contributions of nurses needed to be acknowledged more.

In a press release published at that time, the International Council of Nurses Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton said WHOs vision of improved global health will only become a reality if there is a massive investment in nursing. The research evidence is clear: having more nurses leads to better health outcomes.

Its a message that rings even more strongly in the midst of an outbreak.

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Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Facility – CapeCod.com News

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Patient being tested at the Cape Cod Healthcare drive-thru facility at Cape Cod Community College

HYANNIS Cape Cod Healthcare, in partnership with Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, is now providing drive-through COVID-19 testing to patients with a doctors order at Cape Cod Community College.

The testing facility is set up in a parking lot section of the college campus.

Patients are asked to not leave their vehicle at any time during the testing. Upon arriving patients will be greeted by a security officer or police officer and a person in a hazmat suit.

Patients will then be asked for identification and appointment time.

Patients have to have a doctors order and an appointment to come here. If you do not have a doctors order and a scheduled appointment you will be turned away, no exceptions, said Cape Cod Health Care Senior Vice President of Communications and Business Development, Patrick Kane.

Once verified by officials, patients will move their vehicles to two testing lanes that will be represented by orange safety cones.

At the front of the line are two blue tents, described as those that one would see at a football tailgate. Nurses will be stationed under those tents ready to test incoming patients.

There is also a yellow tent set up that holds clinical supplies and an overhead that was provided by the college to provide shelter for medical professionals.

When a patient makes it to the front of the line, a nurse in a hazmat suit will approach the car and take a nose swab that will immediately be placed inside a hazmat bag.

That bag will then be re-bagged and put into a refrigerator where it will be frozen.

Once frozen the sample will be shipped out to a lab such as the one run by the Department of Public Health, or a private lab that has agreed to work with Cape Cod Healthcare.

As patients leave, they will be given a four page set of instructions that will tell them to self-quarantine for several days.

Once the test result comes back, patients will be notified if they tested positive or negative for Coronavirus.

If a patient tests positive they will also be informed if a follow up appointment with a doctor is needed.

On site the drive-thru testing facility also houses two command centers.

One command center is for police and security officers and facilities personnel from Cape Cod Healthcare.

The other command center is an operation center for clinical people like nurses and healthcare professionals.

Kane estimates that each test should take about five minutes.

He also added that the drive thru facility will only be limited by the availability of kits that they have.

He said that there is a supply shortage throughout the state and that Cape Cod Healthcare is addressing the situation the best they can.

If kits run out, the facility will continue to do swabs and try their best while they attempt to get more supplies.

It was also noted that those deemed to be at a greater risk to the virus by a physician will be tested first, such as people who have recently traveled and people with underlying medical conditions.

Kane continued to stress that no matter the situation, only those with a doctors order and a scheduled appointment will be allowed into the drive-thru facility.

The message here is no doctors order, no appointment, you wont be swabbed here, no exceptions, said Kane.

The facility will test eligible patients seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information regarding the Cape Cod Healthcare drive thru testing facility, visit Capecodhealthcare.org.

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As troubling images of party scenes spread across the internet, health-care leaders jump on the #StayAtHome trend – MarketWatch

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Revelers in downtown Nashville over the weekend became a symbol of exactly what were NOT supposed to be doing during this pandemic. Hours before the citys mayor closed bars throughout the county, tweets of Broadways legendary party scene were shared across social media.

This tweet pretty much summed it up:

It wasnt just Nashville either. Images and videos splashed across the internet captured large groups of people ignoring calls for social distancing.

Like this one from Disney DIS, -1.55% :

The #StayAtHome hashtag emerged as backlash, with Arnold Schwarzenegger chiming in:

On Sunday night, a group of health-care leaders, led by former acting administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavit and former Senate majority leader Dr. Bill Frist, joined the chorus with a letter urging everybody to cooperate.

STAY AT HOME as much as possible, they wrote. It may be in your community now or it may be soon. Until you hear otherwise from health care officials, even if you have no symptoms. That means avoiding play dates, sleepovers, bars, restaurants, parties or houses of worship. Avoid all crowds.

What are the alternatives? Take long walks outside, only shop for absolute essentials and enjoy your online community of friends. Just dont go out and put yourself and others at risk.

In other words, ignore Devin Nunes, who said over the weekend that its a great time to go out.

If youre going to spread anything, spread help, compassion and humor, the group wrote on USA Today. Above all, do not panic. Remember: Like all outbreaks, this too will eventually end.

Unfortunately, theres clearly panic in the stock market, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +5.19% down more than 1,600 points in early trading on Monday.

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As troubling images of party scenes spread across the internet, health-care leaders jump on the #StayAtHome trend - MarketWatch

South Minerva Reef SVWHISTLER

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We arrived at the South Minerva Reef on May 6th. North and South Minerva are atolls about 18 miles apart, set roughly 800 miles from New Zealand, 250NM from Tongatapu and 350NM from Suva, Fiji . The reefs are submerged at high tide but provide a spot to take refuge (and do boat repairs) on the passage north or south. Today, Tonga lays claim to the Minervas, though ownership has been hotly debated between Fiji and Tonga for many years. In the 1970s and 1980s, two groups of Americans tried to lay claim to the reefs but were forced off by Tongan troops.

Discovered in 1818, the reefs became known as Minerva Reefs when a ship called Minerva was wrecked in 1831 on the southern reef. It was not the last ship to be lost on the reef.

Belena, a German catamaran, was anchored as we arrived in the lagoon.

We anchored on the eastern edge of the reef for the best protection. Midnight Sun came in just behind us.

Midnight Sun, Kupere, Sea Spray and Pilgrim were company for several days in the lagoon.

We stayed on the boat for a few days as it was too rough and dangerous to try to lower the outboard onto the dinghy. It was also pretty sloppy at anchor especially at high tide when the waves came over the reef.

After watching other dinghies go ashore one morning, we decided it had calmed down enough to attempt to get the outboard mounted on the dinghy. It was time to explore the reef.

One morning, we were looking at the reef and noticed at large object had washed ashore, not far from the navigation light.

I reported the buoy to Gulf Harbour Radio who passed the message along to NZ MetService. I was asked to send photos when we got to Tongatapu, which I did. Apparently it has been reported to some international buoy organization to try to determine its origin. No plans are in the works to recover it. From recent cruiser reports, it is still on the reef at South Minerva. We hope it stays put as it would be quite a hazard at sea.

Monty, like all visiting cruisers, was on a mission to find some lobsters or crays as they are more commonly known here. The correct name is Pronghorn Spiny Lobster. John and Wendy from Midnight Sun thankfully gave Monty a few tips.

Unfortunately, I dared not eat these lobsters as I have had a stomach upset the last three times I did. I can eat East Coast Lobster but something in these South Pacific varieties doesnt agree with me. Didnt want to risk getting sick in such an isolated place!

On the calmest clearest day while at the reef, John and Wendy from Midnight Sun suggested a dinghy brigade to a snorkel spot. We dinghied a few miles across the lagoon to the western entrance and dropped anchors in a little nook in the reef.

Monty and I decided it was better to just go for a snorkel near the dinghy. We were not disappointed. Lots of colourful corals and fish.

Our snorkel adventure was cut short when we saw a black tip shark. I was wary after warnings we had had from other cruisers that even black tips can be aggressive in the Minervas, especially when they are in a pack. It was just one shark, but I thought it was better just to get back in the dinghy in any case. Monty was getting cold and joined me in the dinghy. We headed back to Whistler once Midnight Sun made it back to their dinghy. Didnt want to leave anyone behind.

We were awaiting good conditions for heading north-east to Tonga. Eight days later, the winds eased a bit and went to a slightly more favourable direction. Whistler and Midnight Sun headed out the channel together with Tongatapu as the destination.

We had mixed feelings about leaving South Minerva and wished we could have done more exploring in calmer conditions. There was so much more to see! And we never got to North Minerva Reef!

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Minerva Reefs : Map (The Full Wiki)

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TheMinerva Reefs are a group of reefs located in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji and Tonga. Thereefs were named after the whaleship Minerva, was wreckedon what became known as South Minerva after setting out from Sydneyin 1829. Many other ships would follow, for example theStrathcona, which was sailing north soon after completionin Auckland in 1914. In both cases most of the crew savedthemselves in whaleboats or rafts and reached the Lau group in Fiji. Ofsome other ships, however, no survivors are known.

TheTuaikaepau ('Slow But Sure'), a Tongan vessel on its wayto New Zealand, became famous when it struck the reefs on 7 July 1962. (This 15 mwooden vessel was built in 1902 at the same yard as theStrathcona). The crew and passengers survived by living inthe remains of a Japanese freighter. There they remained for 3months in miserable circumstances and several of them died. FinallyCaptain Tvita Fifita decided to get help. Without tools, he builta small boat from the wood left over from his ship. With this raft,named Malolelei ('Good Day'), he and a few of the strongercrew members sailed to Fiji in one week.

The reefsgained further notoriety in January 1972 in the Republic ofMinerva 'incident'. Subsequently, on 24February, Tonga laid claimto the Minerva Reefs and annexed them on 15June the same year. The move was recognised by the SouthPacific Forum in September. More recently Fiji has made it clearthat they do not recognize any maritime water claims by Tonga tothe Minerva Reefs under the UNCLOSagreements.

Both North and South Minerva Reefs are used as anchorages by yachtstraveling between New Zealand and Tonga or Fiji. While waiting forfavourable weather for the approximately 800-mile passage to NewZealand, excellent scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing and clammingcan be enjoyed. North Minerva offers the more protected anchorage,with a single, easily negotiated, west-facing pass that offersaccess to the large, calm lagoon with extensive sandy areas. SouthMinerva's shape is similar to an infinity symbol, with its eastern lobepartially open to the ocean on the northern side. Due to the lowerreef and large entrance, the anchorage at South Minerva can berough at high tide if a swell is running. The lagoon also containsnumerous coral heads that must be avoided. While presenting anattractive area to wait out harsh weather occurring farther south,the Minerva reefs are not a good place to be when the weather isbad locally. This does not occur often, but it is important tomaintain awareness of the situation and put to sea ifnecessary.

Scuba diving the outside wall drop-offs at the Minerva Reefs isspectacular due to the superb water clarity and extensive coral,fish and other marine life. There are few suspended particles andthe visibility is normally in excess of 100 feet due to there beingno dry land at high tide. Of particular note are the numerous fancoral formations near the pass at North Minerva and the sharkbowl area located by the narrow dinghy pass on the western lobe ofSouth Minerva. The inside of the lagoon at South Minerva is alsohome to numerous giant clams. Divers at Minerva must be entirelyself sufficient, with their own compressor, and should also beaware that the nearest assistance is a multiple-day boat ride awayin Tonga. Due to the vertical drop off and water clarity, diversmust watch their depth carefully.

The surf that indicates the reef can just be seen in thebackground

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Fiji, Tonga war over Minerva Reef | Stuff.co.nz

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The latest confrontation between Tonga and Fiji adds to the significance of an odd incident on an unpopulated reef 1500 kilometres north of New Zealand.

The Minerva Reefs have been part of Tonga for 40 years, but last year Fiji claimed them and sent its navy there to destroy navigation lights on the entrance to the lagoon.

Meanwhile, last week a Tonga navy vessel sailed into Fiji waters to take Fiji Lieutenant Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara to Nuku'alofa. Mara was facing charges of plotting to overthrow dictator Voreqe Bainimarama.

Mara is from the Lau Islands, part of Fiji, but culturally and historically part of Tonga. In the 1850s one of his Tongan forefathers, Ma'afu'otu'itonga, a Methodist, waged war on the Fijian Seru Cakobau who was based on the island of Bau, just off shore from Fiji's main island of Viti Levu.

Cakobau ultimately won and Lau became part of Fiji. Bainimarama comes from the Bau line.

However, the Lau Islands provided the leader crucial to modern Fiji: Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was Fiji's founding prime minister and later president. The runaway colonel is his youngest son.

The first broadside in the latest skirmish might well have occurred in 2009, when several yachts bound for New Zealand were chased out of Minerva Reefs' lagoon, a stopping point for those travelling here, by Fijian navy boats.

Minerva Reefs were claimed by Tonga in 1972 after the shadowy US Phoenix Foundation shipped in dirt and declared it a republic.

The late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV loaded a ferry with soldiers, a convict work detail and a four-piece brass band and sailed the 500 kilometres to personally haul down the "Republic of Minerva" flag.

As he raised his own banner, he declared it a Tongan island.

The reefs have taken on more significance as their possession gives rights to lucrative undersea minerals. South Korean, Chinese and Australian interests are seeking prospecting rights in the area.

Fiji's Foreign Affairs deputy permanent secretary Sila Balawa said last year it objected to Tonga building structures on Fiji territory.

In November 2009 the Fiji patrol boats arrived in the lagoon and chased yachts away.

Coincidentally, an RNZAF Orion was flying over the lagoon as the events were taking place.

Canadians Paul and Mary Major, of the yacht Bella Via, blogged on their arrival of the Orion over the reef: "It was very comforting to know that the plane was out there looking out for us."

Peter Sidler, on the Swiss-registered yacht Green Coral heading for the Bay of Islands, told of the Fijians challenging three yachts: "We were given 30 minutes to prepare for departure and leave. We left the Minerva Reefs angry and frustrated and continued our journey towards Opua."

Tonga's Ministry of Lands CEO Dr Sione Nailasikau Halatuituia said at the time that a dispute was taking place but they were surprised by Fiji's actions.

"The king claimed in it 1972. Since then we have been maintaining patrol and put up a lighthouse for the safety of seafarers," he said.

"We have developed a lot, and we are surprised at what is happening."

The Pacific Forum recognised Tonga's annexation of Minerva in 1972 but Fiji, which is now suspended from the 16-nation body, has not formally accepted it.

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Fiji, Tonga war over Minerva Reef | Stuff.co.nz

Patrick Peterson: Cardinals ‘all in’ this year and ‘not done’ – Cards Wire

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The Arizona Cardinals have made two big offseason moves so far. They have agreed to a trade for receiver DeAndre Hopkins and have agreed to a three-year deal with defensive lineman Jordan Phillips.

Those are two great beginning moves and it has cornerback Patrick Peterson excited.

Check out what he told former NFL cornerback Bryant McFadden, who now works as an analyst for CBS Sports.

Im going to meet you in Tampa, he said. And why? Thats where the Super is, right. He is excited about the upcoming season and believes the Cardinals might content.

Were all in and were not done.

Peterson apparently is excited about the direction the Cardinals are going in this offseason.

The Cardinals have been quiet since the trade and report of the deal for Phillips. If Peterson is to be believed, we should expect more offseason noise.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wires Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 261

Ep. 260

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Patrick Peterson: Cardinals 'all in' this year and 'not done' - Cards Wire

City of Florence announces modified operations to prevent the spread of coronavirus – SCNow

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FLORENCE, S.C. The Florence City Council passed an emergency ordinance Tuesday to deal with the coronavirus.

The ordinance passed on first reading, something that Jim Peterson said he had never seen done in his time as city attorney.

Peterson explained to the council that he has been working as city attorney since 1994 and Tuesday was the first time that the city has ever passed an ordinance with just one reading.

The South Carolina Code specifically allows for emergency ordinances on one reading where public health and other emergency situations require, Peterson said.

Also, because of its nature as an emergency ordinance, the city council needed to pass the ordinance by a super-majority, or two-thirds of its members.

The ordinance passed 6-0.

Florence City Councilwoman Octavia Williams-Blake did not attend Tuesdays special meeting.

Peterson said the city was not doing anything hugely dramatic with the ordinance.

He said the first page and a half of the ordinance describes the state of affairs related to coronavirus, including mentioning that Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency.

Peterson then added that the ordinance does three or four things.

First, the ordinance authorizes City Manager Drew Griffin to change the operating procedures of the city to respond to the situation.

Griffin outlined those changes to the council before Peterson spoke Tuesday afternoon.

The citys human resources department will be closed to the public. Most hiring will be suspended through June 30.

The citys utility finance department will remain open, but it is requested that residents strongly consider alternative methods of payment including by phone at 843-665-3155, by drop-box at the city center, by mail, automatic bank draft, or online.

All citizens police academy events, citizens advisory committees, and police Explorer scouting programs have been suspended.

The citys police department will suspend assistance of all special road events.

All fire stations will be closed to the public and fire inspections have been suspended. All fire department public education activities are suspended as well.

All city community centers are closed until further notice. Spring break camps are canceled, senior trips and activities are suspended, and all other special events until May 15 are canceled.

All athletic programs are suspended until April 12.

All sports events and tournaments are canceled until May 15.

Bus tours and community meetings related to the update of the citys comprehensive plan are postponed.

The planning, business license, and building departments will remain open, but access will be restricted to customers with business directly related to zoning compliance, business licenses, and building permits.

All downtown events from March 17 to May 15 are postponed. These include the Eastern South Carolina Mustang Club Regional Car Show, the Florence Wine and Food Festival, the first Florence After Five, Victors Music in the Courtyard, and the Habitat for Humanity Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Also, the citys employee wellness programs annual 5K has been postponed.

The ordinance authorizes Griffin to cancel city permits to prevent the gathering of over 50 people.

The city has also enacted rules to enforce a three- to six-foot barrier between employees and the public.

Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela also held a press conference Tuesday afternoon outlining some of the changes.

He also mentioned that the restrictions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and DHEC will take some getting used to for Southerners because of the handshaking and greeting that goes on in the South.

Second, the ordinance allows Griffin to waive the various deadlines contained in the city ordinances in recognition that a state of emergency exists.

This part of the ordinance specifically references how utility billing will be handled including authorizing Griffin to suspend the suspension of utility services for non-payment.

Drew has indicated that that would be what we would normally do, Peterson said. Thats not new. Weve done that during other situations like this like in response to hurricane situations.

Peterson added that he hoped the public would not take this to mean that they do not have to pay their utility bills. Those bills are still due, he said, but it recognizes that no one should lose utilities during the pandemic.

He also said Griffin would work with people who get abnormally large bills after the crisis ends to get those bills paid but not immediately.

Griffin added that penalty fees would also be suspended.

Third, he said, the ordinance acts to meet the requirements of the states Freedom of Information Act regarding open meetings in a situation where its recommended that no more than 10 or 50 people gather in any one place at one time.

The ordinance does this in two ways, Peterson continued. First, it allows the city council members, at their discretion, to participate in meetings electronically. Second, the ordinance authorizes the live streaming of the citys meetings in a way that allows anyone to access and participate in the meeting.

Peterson added that it was the hope of the council to operate as the council was operating Thursday with increased distances between chairs and people if possible.

Nothing will change as far as the citys duties to announce the meetings and provide agendas for the meetings to be held.

Also, the ordinance has a firm expiration date of 60 days because it was passed on one reading.

Peterson added that the ordinance contains a provision that allows for it to cease effect if Gov. Henry McMaster removes the state of emergency declaration before the 60-day time frame.

If the state of emergency remains longer than 60 days, the ordinance would expire at the end of the 60 days. However, the city could have two meetings enough time to approve first and second readings of an ordinance setting out restrictions by that time.

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City of Florence announces modified operations to prevent the spread of coronavirus - SCNow

Ron Rivera wants Adrian Peterson to set the tone for his Redskins – Redskins Wire

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Much has been said about how Ron Rivera and the Washington Redskins need a special leader like Greg Olsen.

But it glosses over Adrian Peterson.

Rivera and Co. made a point to keep the veteran back around despite plenty of opportunities to add younger guys in free agency or the draft.

For a reason.

I think its going to resonate with our younger players and theyre going to see that this is how you do it, Rivera said, according to Redskins.coms Zach Selby.

Heres vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith:

Every practice is a game for him. Its so important to him, hes made of the right stuff, and [hes] just a consummate pro every time he walks through that building. Having Adrian Peterson around makes the Redskins better.

There is always a chance Peterson, soon to be 35, will see a reduced role next year, especially if Derrius Guice can stay healthy.

But that wont matter much in the grand scheme the plan for Peterson set out by the most important planners in the organization goes far beyond his personal on-field contributions.

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Ron Rivera wants Adrian Peterson to set the tone for his Redskins - Redskins Wire

Inside the Treatment of Jordan Peterson – InsideHook

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What caused Jordan Peterson to go missing late last year?

Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons

In a 2018 article inThe New Yorker, Kelefa Sanneh wrote about the growing appeal of Canadian author and cultural commentator Jordan Peterson. Peterson, formerly an obscure professor, is now one of the most influential and polarizing public intellectuals in the English-speaking world, Sanneh wrote. Last year, the already-compex story of Petersons life took an unexpected turn, as his daughter Mikhaila Peterson informed the world that Peterson was seeking treatment for a dependency on clonazepam.

Following that, the Petersons traveled to Russia; Mikhaila posted a video stating that the elder Peterson had spent time in a medically-induced coma as part of his treatment. It was a shocking moment, regardless of your thoughts on Petersons work.AtThe New Republic, Lindsay Beyerstein delved into the mystery of Petersons treatment and explored why the narrative surrounding it has become so clouded.

Beyersteins article includes a blend of analysis and research, leading to a disquieting conclusion:

Based on interviews with medical professionals and a close reading of various statements that Mikhaila and Peterson himself have made on podcasts and social media, it is clear that Peterson ended up in Russia after an extended battle to wean himself off clonazepam. And it seems likely that Peterson, a self-proclaimed man of science, succumbed to the lure of a quack treatmentwith devastating consequences.

Beyerstein also notes the contradictory nature of these announcements: Dependency goes against the core tenets of Petersons philosophical brand, she writes. But theres plenty to take away from this about the challenges of addressing and treating both drug dependency and drug addiction all of which Petersons treatment brings into sharp relief.

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Read the full story at The New Republic

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Inside the Treatment of Jordan Peterson - InsideHook

The Critics of Social Justice, from Jonah Goldberg to Jordan Peterson – Merion West

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The conservative critiques of social justice are, therefore, wrong on two different fronts.

If one were to rely solely on center-right or conservative media and public intellectuals for social commentary, one could be forgiven for thinking that the greatest threat currently facing Western Civilization is social justice. At this point, it is almost a starting point for any kind of discussion between the Left and the Right to discuss that some on the Left (the mythical social justice warriors) have gone too far in many cases. This, however, has not kept conservatives and libertarians from repeating the problem ad nauseamand publications on the Right are full of examples of this topic. If this were just an issue of conservatives simply repeating a similar point, I do not think it would be relevant. But more than the repetition, I think the social justice discourse perfectly highlights the intellectual poverty of a lot of the criticism of the Left that has been coming from the Right in recent years.

Browsing conservative magazines, it is easy to find various expressions of this phenomenon. The following series of examples is not intended as a specific criticism of one particular outlet, and I think doing the same with any other publication would not be difficult. However, I think that the almost obsessive attention that only one magazine can devote to one issue is telling. A recent article in National Review argues that the future is all but doomed barring turning the tide on social justice in higher education. In the same conservative publication, Noah Rothman, author of the 2019 bookUnjust: Social Justice and the Unmaking of America, argues thatmuch like the title of the book suggestssocial justice is not about the redressing of historical injustices but is essentially a tool used by the Leftto engineer oppressive, redistributive policies. In a similar vein, Jonah Goldberganother National Review contributor (and now a founding editor at The Dispatch)explains in a video for PragerU that social justice is little more than a term that the Left uses to signify anything that it finds expedient to further a political agenda at any given moment. Finally, Michael Brendan Dougherty, in a significantly more thoughtful piece than the others, addresses another important trope in the conservative discourse around social justice, namely, victim mentality. Dougherty does acknowledge that the use of victimhood for political purposes is far from exclusive to the Left, and he gives several examples of conservatives using this tactic. However, he does argue that left-wing activists currently engaged in social justice discourse and identity politics have taken this to unprecedented levels. All of this, is predictably (and perhaps correctly in a few cases) traced back to Marxism and other ideologies.

It is difficult to blame conservatives for hammering the same point. As Jordan Peterson readily admitted in one of his interviews with Joe Rogan, he found a way to monetize social justice warriors. As if self-conscious about giving away the game, Peterson prefaces his confession with I shouldnt say this, but Im going to because its just so goddamn funny. Clearly, it is not just Peterson that has profited from talking about this issue, as the examples above show. However, as I said before, I do not think that repetition on its own necessarily warrants criticism, but the poor level of analysis that produces it does. Now, it might seem unfairand it probably isto criticize anything that is acceptable for PragerU, an outlet that barely rises above the level of propaganda. And, after all, figures on the Right have reminded us often that we ought to steelman our opponents positions before criticizing them. In the interest of fairness, then, I am going to do just that and not use any of the previously cited pieces as examples of the most cogent conservative discourse about social justice.

A much better example of a conservative critique of social justice is Thomas Patrick Burkes The Concept of Justice: Is Social Justice Just?To be clear, the more recent examples (Burkes monograph is from 2011) do share the structure of the books argument in many ways. While it is difficult to say whether any of the contemporary critics read Burke or were directly influenced by him, it is reasonable to assume that Burkes ideas slowly permeated from academia to the mainstream, and, in the process, many became little more than tropes. In both cases, we find the core idea that social justice is unjust. As part of the supporting argument, both Burke and his contemporary exponents, cite notions of victim-mentality, the abandonment of the concept of personal responsibility, and the emphasis on the collectivity over the individual. The fact that Burke gives a much more coherent defense of his argument only means that if he is wrong, the same is true for these more recent critics, andin this latter caseperhaps even more so.

Burkes central claim is ambitious. In his view, any framework that accepts the contemporary version of social justice as just is essentially throwing a few millennia of moral philosophy out the window. The classical notion of justicethe one that has been built over many centuries of Western philosophy since the Greeksis based upon the idea that acts are the basic source of justice and injustice. States of affairs as a whole cannot be inherently just or unjust. That does not mean that we cannot ever judge a state of affairs. It only means that to know if one is truly unjust, we must know what were the individual actions that brought it about. An implication of thisand one that might make the point cleareris that the same state of affairs could be judged either way depending on the circumstances that brought it about. This is a view of justice, says Burke, that allows us to criticize obviously unjust states of affairs such as slavery or exploitation, as long as we can point to specific individual agents responsible, thereby saving the all-important notion of personal responsibility. On the other hand, the paradigm of social justice goes against all established philosophical canons because it judges states of affairs in themselves and throws away any notion of individual agency. Under this paradigm, then, any unequal state of affairs is judged to be unjust, and individual actions are attributed to circumstances. So, for example, a criminal can no longer be held responsible because it is his social and economic circumstances that moved him or her to act in such a way.

But is this an accurate characterization of what advocates of social justice believe? Of course, if conservatives were given the benefit of exposition by an academic philosopher, the same should be done for the side of social justice. One obvious choice here is Nancy Fraser. Not only is she a strong advocate for social justice, she is also a critical theorist, a Marxist, and a feminist. In other words, she is exactly the kind of academic that conservatives and libertarians have been warning us about as the current greatest threat to Western Civilization. In Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics: Redistribution, Recognition, and Participation, Fraser explores the two basic paradigms of social justice, namely, redistribution and recognition. The first of these she traces back to the traditions of socialism and social democracyand particularly to philosophers such as John Rawls (something she shares with Burke). The latter, she identifies with identity politics. The point of this article is to show how redistribution and recognition, even though they are often posed as opposites, are not so. Each is meant to address different forms of injustice. Redistribution addresses the familiar cases of unjust distributions, for example, between the Global North and the Global Southor between owners and workers. Recognition, on the other hand, is needed in those cases in which economic inequality is not the source of injustice, such as those in which cultural norms affect groups of people not defined by economic status. This might include sexual minorities.

Nothing in Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics really contradicts Burkes arguments about social justice. But nothing confirms his arguments either. It is true that only states of affairs are described as unjust, which is exactly what Burke criticizes about the concept of social justice. But even Burke admits that we can say that a state of affairs is unjust, provided it came about through unjust means in which we can identify individual agency. Nothing that Fraser argues here suggests that that is not the case or that these states of affairs are unjust in themselves. In the article, different forms of injustice are described, and different ways to apply justice to them are discussed; however, nothing is said about the sources of either justice or injustice. Fortunately, we have an answer to these questions, which Fraser addresses in another article, entitled simply On Justice. Here, Fraser analyzes Kazuo Ishiguros dystopian science fiction novel Never Let Me Go. It depicts a world in which clones are created for the sole purpose of harvesting organs for the people from whom they were created. For Fraser, this is a clearly unjust state of affairs. Here, however, she does explain what makes it unjust: In short, it is exploitation. Now, exploitation is a specific action (or set of actions) that can be directly attributed to individual people. In the case of Never Let Me Go, Fraser says that those in charge of the clones are engaging in exploitation. So, to say that social justice cannot establish specific causes of injustice is at least misleading, if not downright wrong.

This omission is all the more glaring because a part of Burkes book is dedicated to tracing the origin and transformation of social justice. This section of Burkes book does an excellent job of describing how the concept transformed from being a traditionalist idea predicated on preserving the established order, originally conceived by Italian Jesuit priest Luigi Taparelli, into what it is today. Burke explains that, as soon as the concept lost its strict attachment to Catholic social teaching, distinct conceptions of social justice were adopted by different ideological groups. The result of this was that, for a long time, there existed a conservative, a liberal, and a socialist conception of social justice. This last one is the one that Burke identifies as the closest to what he views as the modern conception of social justice. However, he argues that even this one was still just ordinary justicemeaning, the kind that can be attributed to individual actionsbut applied to social issues. He attributes the socialist meaning of social justice to the English Christian socialists of the latter half of the 19th century, whose main concern was exploitation, defined by them as wages which they considered proportionally meager compared to the kind and amount of work that factory employees undertook. This, he says, is still simply justice applied to social issues, just like criminal justice is justice applied to violations of rights by other people. The reason is that it is still possible to specifically signal factory owners as the responsible party.

This is all very strange, of course because Fraser specifically mentions exploitation. So, in a way, it almost seems like a willing refusal to acknowledge what advocates of social justice, as defined today, say their own beliefs are. And it is not just a matter of taking them at their word. It is entirely possible that their beliefs could be inconsistent in a way that undermined the claim that exploitation is the source of injustice. However, in this instance, it is easy to see that that is clearly not the case. All one needs to do is look at some of the situations in which claims about social injustice are made. Two that Fraser mentions are the unjust distribution between owners and workers, and that between the Global North and the Global South. The first of these is essentially the same that the English socialists, whom Burke admits still had an appropriate definition of justice, were concerned about. The second one could seem closer to a state of affairs being judged as inherently wrong based on the fact that one set of nations has more economic resources than the others. But this argument falls apart with minimal scrutiny. There is a reason that the specific Global North-Global South division is made, even though there are large inequalities between countries that belong to the same group. The reason is thatin generalthere is a specific relationship between the two sets of countries based on the colonial past, which was largely carried out by countries in the North against countries in the South. Now, of course, the United States was a colony of Great Britain, as India was; however, in the former case, the bulk of those that constituted the new nation were the colonizing population whereas in the later, it was the colonized.

Evidently, colonialism was comprised of a set of actions carried that can be traced back to particular individuals acting on their will. To say, then, that social justice does not adhere to the traditional conception of justice, as Burke defines it, which necessitates assigning responsibility to people, is simply not true. Moreover, the failure to identify this seems like a glaring omission. Not only are these arguments about why certain states of affairs are unjust very straightforward, it is even possible to make the same argument from a right-libertarian point of view. In Anarchy, State, and Utopia, Robert Nozick makes a very similar argument. Nozick famously argues that inequality is not unjust, provided that an unequal distribution was achieved only through voluntary transactions between consenting parties. But consistent with this, he also states that the only legitimate case for state-backed redistribution is when the present distribution is the result of acquisition through violence, coercion, collusion, fraud, or other illegitimate means, all of which can be attributed to individual actors. It should be evident that the anti-colonialist argument is fundamentally the same. It should be, of course, possible to contest the specifics social justice claims. What is not a valid criticism, however, is to say that social justice somehow throws out all classical notions of justice.

There is one last issue that illustrates this contrast between Fraser and Burke. There is one other way in which we could interpret advocates of social justice as judging states of affairs in themselves, as opposed to doing so based upon how they came about. Burke argues that the modern conception of social justice is mainly owed to John Rawls and his conception of justice as fairness. Nancy Fraser actually agrees with this. While she does not agree with all of Rawlss conclusions, in On Justice, she accepts Rawlss to basic starting points: namely, that justice is the first virtue of social institutions and that the primary object of justice is the basic structure of society. It could be argued that this proves Burke correct, but this is still not the case. Let us go back to the case that Fraser analyzes in said article. Of course, as I laid out before, Fraser does argue that the people in charge of the clones act unjustly; so, if one wanted to limit the scope of justice to individual acts of will, this should be enough to lay any concerns to rest. However, she takes the argument further. In accordance with her Rawlsian framework, she says that, ultimately, the caretakers act like they do because society is structured in such a way that sets them up to do so.

Nothing in Frasers argument takes personal responsibility away from the caretakers, as the novel does show instances of the characters having internal conflicts. So, the notion that personal responsibility is ignored is completely false. But it is hard to see the denial of the role that the social structure has in such situation as anything more than willful ignorance. The society in which the clones live is entirely built around the system of clones as spare parts for the originals. So, while individuals can sometimes see that there is something wrong with the systemfor example, when they are able to recognize that the clones are individuals in their own right with their own subjective experienceseach individual, including the clones, is still acting according to their social duty. If social duties require us to act unjustly, it is even irresponsible not to judge the structure of society to be unjust. And if anyone remains so narrowly committed to the idea that justice is solely a quality of individual actions, it is, of course, always true that social structures never emerge spontaneously. They are always the result of aggregated individual acts of will.

Finally, I believe there is another reason to be skeptical of this conception of justice defended by Burke. By this, I do not mean that it is flawedbut only that it is incomplete. As I have explained, what Burke refers to as the modern concept of social justice can be described entirely within his own narrow concept of justice. But the claim that the Western tradition has never attributed justice to states of affair in themselves is at least suspect. A review of Aristotles Politics and Nicomachean Ethics(or of Ciceros writings) shows that judging states of affairs in themselves is perfectly within the bounds of the Western philosophical canonat least to the extent that Rawls and Fraser do it. Both Aristotle and Cicero dedicate much of their writing in Politics and De Republica,respectively, to comparing different forms of political organization as wholes. They both conclude that the best one is what Cicero calls republic and Aristotle, (politeia) or constitutional government. While the term just is never explicitly used to describe them, it is worth noting particularly what Aristotle says about and comparing it to what he says about justice and equality in his NicomacheanEthics. For him, is the best form of government because it is a fusion of democracy (in the classical sense) and oligarchy. Therefore, it represents moderation as a mean between the two extremes. Neither the rich nor the poor have control over the government. But this is analogous to the way Aristotle describes justice, equality, and fairness in the Nicomachean Ethics, as he even admits in his discussion of constitutions.

In the Ethics, in Book V, Aristotle describes two kinds of justice: that which is based on proportionality and that which is rectificatory. The latter of these can be identified with Burkes own concept of justice. Justice requires reversing an action that resulted, for example, in an illegitimate acquisition of property through violence or fraud. But the former kind, Aristotle describes as that which is manifested in distributions of honor or money or the other things that fall to be divided among those who have a share in the constitution. About this one, Aristotle says that there is a certain proportional distribution which is just, and deviations resulting in some having too much and others too little of what is good are unjust. This, of course, is very similar to the kind of concept of justice that Burke describes as a judgement of states of affairs in themselves that go against centuries of Western philosophy. Yet, it is exactly what one of the founding fathers of Western philosophy advocated. This does not mean that because Aristotle said it, it must be true. But we now have two different reasons to be skeptical of the argument that the classical concept of justice can never judge states of affairs.

The conservative critiques of social justice are, therefore, wrong on two different fronts. Puzzlingly, it is two that are fairly easy to identify: social justice, as advocated by its adherents, does not dispense with personal responsibility. Furthermore, its judgements about states of affairs are done in a way that can always be traced to acts of will, and that perfectly falls within the bounds of the Western philosophical tradition. Now, it is possible that all these conservative critiques of social justice might only be directed at the less sophisticated and more extreme of its proponents, such as the mythical campus social justice warrior. If that were the case, however, these critiques would not only be at least slightly intellectually dishonest, but, also, I would argue, fairly irrelevant. But if that is indeed what the Right aims to criticize, it might be time that the Left starts treating PragerU videos and Turning Point USA graphics as the ultimate expressions of conservative thought.

Nstor de Buen holds an M.A. in social sciences from The University of Chicago. He has previously written at Quillette.

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The Critics of Social Justice, from Jonah Goldberg to Jordan Peterson - Merion West

Letter to the Editor – Peterson has this Republican’s vote – Crookston Daily Times

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Curt Knutson, farmerRural Fisher, Minnesota

MondayMar16,2020at1:22PM

Ive seen the stories about how the GOP wants to replace U.S. Rep.CollinPeterson in Minnesotas Seventh District.

Im a Republican, but Im voting to keep Peterson, and heres why: Farming is important to our local economy in western Minnesota. You may not live on a farm, but you can bet that your neighbors and most likely the business you work in or own depends on farm money in some form or fashion.

Peterson is chair of the House Agriculture Committee. It is a gift to Minnesota industry and agriculture that he sits at the top of this powerful committee. The last farm bill did more than help farmers. It included language to help rural hospitals get out of debt. It included money to help stop the increase in farm and ranch suicides. The farm bill included support for rural water systems and money for building community centers.

Collin has been with President Trump on the Second Amendment. Hes been with Trump on the wall and tightening our borders against illegal immigration. Between that at the work hes done directly for our homes and our families, Im supporting Collin for re-election.

Curt Knutson, farmerRuralFisher, Minnesota

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Letter to the Editor - Peterson has this Republican's vote - Crookston Daily Times

Local psychologist offers tips on how to protect your mental health, talk to kids during coronavirus outbreak – ABC 57 News

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- As students stay home due the COVID-19 outbreak, they may have questions, or even fears, about it.

Closures for dozens of Michiana school districts because of the coronavirus go into effect this week.

On Monday, School City of Mishawaka is shutting down for two weeks. Michigans three week school closure starts Monday too. Meanwhile, South Bend Community School Corporation, Elkhart Community Schools, and Penn-Harris-Madison will shut their doors Tuesday.

Dr. John Peterson, a psychologist at Family Psychology of South Bend, says parents can play an important role in helping kids understand what they hear in a way that is truthful, accurate, and still reduces anxieties.

We want to position ourselves as a resource to children, said Peterson.

Peterson says children may feel stressed or worried while out of school for the next few weeks because its a change in their routine. However, he explains kids adapt well and as long as they feel like theyre in a supportive environment, the long term impacts should be minimal.

Being available for conversation is helpful, orienting towards safety, and you want to be a source of information but primarily emotional support, said Peterson. These are the things that will settle into them that we have a sense of subjective safety and place of fit in their world.

Preschool-aged children will likely be focused on concrete questions if they do know whats going on like, Is my teacher sick?

Peterson suggests those parents wait for the child to ask a question then simply answer it.

For elementary-aged, kids will likely understand what the coronavirus is and have concerns about the unknowns.

Peterson tells parents to answer their questions and explain what is known but dont linger on the unknown.

Lastly, for teenagers, Peterson says their concerns will be on the intricacies like What is our social responsibility? and the local, state, and national response to the outbreak.

To address them, Peterson recommends parents engage in their curiosity to show them theyre emotionally supported.

These conversations are also an opportunity for us to demonstrate that you [are] acknowldging concerns, said Peterson. Showing that weve been thoughtful and we have some decision making rules in place and again having a sensitive but confident leadership style is helpful to reduce anxiety and worry.

Peterson said adults may feel stressed during this time as well. He says coping with it in a healthy way will ultimately make yourself and the people around you stronger.

If you take care of physical health, also consider mental and emotional health, said Peterson.

The CDC says stress can include fear and worry of your own and loved ones health, changes in sleep or eating patterns, worsening of chronic health problem, and increased use of alcohol or tobacoo.

Peterson says to reduce it, people should establish a routine. He explains they offer a sense of predictability during a time of uncertainty.

He also recommends exercising, practicing relaxation, or doing anything that has helped people reduce their anxieties in a healthy way in the past. Peterson explains that the mind and body are one so its important to take care of your mental health in addition to your physical health.

It is our experience of well being and as much as it is, quite literally, youre quality of life, its worth getting equal attention to that, said Peterson.

More here:

Local psychologist offers tips on how to protect your mental health, talk to kids during coronavirus outbreak - ABC 57 News

Even Da Crusher is prepared for coronavirus. A South Milwaukee resident took photos of the statue with face mask and toilet paper. – Milwaukee Journal…

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Cory Peterson gave Da Crusher statue in South Milwaukee some coronavirus-related accessories on Friday, March 13.(Photo: Cory Peterson)

As news of coronavirus cases spread through the country, people were rushing out to buy hand sanitizer, toilet paper, face masks and another essentials.

South Milwaukee resident Cory Peterson thought famed wrestler Da Crusher could use some protective gear, too. He and his 4-year-old son Bentley biked to the statue honoring Reggie Da CrusherLisowski in South Milwaukee.

Peterson took photos of Da Crusher wearing a face mask and holding toilet paper, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes and posted it on social media. Peterson's posts were shared across the city.

LIVE UPDATES:The latest on coronavirus in Wisconsin

RELATED COVERAGE:What you need to know about coronavirus in Wisconsin

MORE COVERAGE:Coronavirus in the U.S and around the world

"It's just all the crazy stuff going on, and peopleare losing their minds buying all this stuff," Peterson said."I thought itd be prettyfunny to dress this guy up."

Peterson took the face mask and other accessories home with him once he took the photos.

Cory Peterson gave Da Crusher statue in South Milwaukee some coronavirus-related accessories on Friday, March 13.(Photo: Cory Peterson)

"I figured if I left it there the next person who would have seen would have grabbed it anyway, and it would have all been gone," he said.

Contact Lainey Seylerat (414) 224-2863 orlainey.seyler@jrn.com. Followheron Twitter at @lainey_seyler.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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Even Da Crusher is prepared for coronavirus. A South Milwaukee resident took photos of the statue with face mask and toilet paper. - Milwaukee Journal...

Former MTSU baseball coach Steve Peterson was a great coach, better man – Daily News Journal

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Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal Published 6:15 p.m. CT March 12, 2020 | Updated 6:26 p.m. CT March 12, 2020

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It was summer of 1991.

Still a young reporter for The Daily News Journal, I was relegated mostly to high school and middle school sports. I had dabbled in Middle Tennessee State sports mostly baseball in the past, but not a lot.

I didnt like writing about tragedy or death. Being young, naive and shy at the time, I was uncomfortable at the thought of having to interview someone about a loved one dying.

It was July 25, and I rolled into the office to begin my work day. Being the middle of summer, it probably didnt start out as a busy or eventful day.

That changed when I had to not only step into an MTSU storyin a pinch, but also do so for one involving tragedy.

A former Blue Raiders baseball star, Chris Whitehead, had died in an automobile accident in his hometown of Maryville. MTSU coach Steve Peterson was holding a summer youth camp that day and it was likely still going on. I had to rush tointerview him quickly for a story.

I got to MTSUs baseball field, and it looked deserted. Maybe I had avoided the dreadful assignment.

But then I saw him. One person, standing alone on Reese Smith Field. On the pitchers mound. It was Coach Pete, as he was always affectionately known.

I slithered out of the car and onto the field. Probably the slowest Ive ever moved.

I walked up toward the mound and Peterson was just standing there, head down. As I got near, he looked up and greeted me. My first (and only) response was, Hey, Coach. I guess you know why Im here.

Coach Pete shook his head and then, without a question needed, started talking about Chris, what he meant to the program and how tragic it was that such a promising baseball player, husband and father had been taken from the world in his early 20s.

I had everything I needed, and Coach Pete made it much easier for me than I could have imagined. Even in a time of heartbreak, he had the mind-set to make things easier on a young reporter.

Thats the kind of man Coach Pete was. Thats the kind of coach he was.

Peterson treated every player who donned a Blue Raiders jersey like they were his own son. He even treated me like that on week-long road trips I would take with the team. He would stay on me as hard as his own players. But I appreciated that.

Anyone taking the time to read this column knows what a great coach Peterson was. His 791 wins at MTSU (944 overall)are most in school history.

He was an even better man.

We lost that great man and coach Wednesday evening, as Peterson died at the age of 68.

Our talented MTSU writer, Joe Spears, was all over the story when it broke.

Im still uneasy about interviewing folks after tragedies or death.

But I would have gladly stepped up for this story. For Coach Pete.

Read more:

Former MTSU baseball coach Steve Peterson was a great coach, better man - Daily News Journal

Peterson: Dear IHSAA, what are we doing here? Limit or cancel the boys’ tournament – Des Moines Register

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USA TODAY answers a question you may be wondering: Is coronavirus worse than the flu? USA TODAY

[Editor's note: On Thursday afternoon, the Iowa High School Athletic Association announced it would be limiting attendance for Friday's finals. Read the details here.The initial column remains below in full.]

With conference basketball tournaments left and right shutting with record speed. With the NBA shutting down for a while. With hockey thinking about it. With the NCAA saying March Madness will continue without fans (and likely canceling too, just wait) ...

Spectators from throughout Iowa are still being allowed inside Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines to watch the Iowa boys' basketball state tournament.

Shame on you, Iowa High School Athletic Association.

I understand that it would break hearts to start limiting fans or canceling the rest of the tournament. But doing the right thing is not the easy thing. And it's clear by now what the right thing to do is.

More: The latest on coronavirus in Iowa

Randy Peterson(Photo: Special to the Register)

It's not just pro and college teams that are putting a large halt to their sports. Our state neighbors, Nebraska and Illinois, have put in place massive limitations to their high school tournaments.

Why are they doing this? It's not hysteria. It's so people don't get sick from the coronavirus that is terrorizing the world and has the potential to harm and kill many.

If you cant cancel altogether, then pull the plug on the fans. Its for the safety of the players youre supposed to protect. Its for the fans. Its for our restaurants and watering holes in downtown Des Moines popular between-session hangouts for fans in town for this annual event.

Youre supposed to be example-setters, and youve done a wonderful job of it through the years. I know. My first gig at The Des Moines Register back in the 1970s was covering high school sports. I know how much you care. Ive seen how well you protect the high school athletes as well you should.

Honor that history.

Also read:What you need to know about COVID-19 in Iowa

Ive seen it all in that respect, so its troubling that youre still allowing fans to watch the state tournament on Thursday and Friday, while the rest of the world tries to contain this damnable virus.

Illinois announced Thursday morning that its high school tournament would limit fans during the remainder of its event.No more than 60 spectators per school will be allowed inside the arena. Nebraska has limited fans, too.

But in Iowa?

Heads in sand.

Its wonderful that the Iowa association is staying in contact with the Department of Public Health. I cant believe that department, however, would be against limiting fans inside The Well.

More: What is closed, canceled or postponed in Iowa because of the coronavirus

The top healthcare experts in the country, for weeks, have been screaming for society to start shutting down large gatherings such as the state tournament. The reason is so we protect the most vulnerable among us.

Putting a stop to fans at gamesis not a cowardly act. It's a compassionate one.

The scenes that unfolded Wednesday night in Sports the NBA shutting down after player (and now) tested positive for coronavirus and Iowa's own Fred Hoiberg falling ill (thankfully it was just the flu) on the Nebraska bench was a wake-up call for the entire sports world.

Sports are important.

But there are more important things going on right now.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been writingfor the Des Moines Register for parts of sixdecades. Reach him atrpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at@RandyPete.

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Peterson: Dear IHSAA, what are we doing here? Limit or cancel the boys' tournament - Des Moines Register

Rebecca Peterson: The goal is to join the Olympics and keep climbing all the time – Tennis World USA

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Sweden's Rebecca Peterson is back on the tennis circuit after being ill for a few weeks post the Australian Open in Melbourne. Peterson played her first event since Melbourne at the WTA event in Monterrey, Mexico and reached the quarter-finals where she lost to World No.

70 Arantxa Rus, Speaking to the Tennis.se website, Peterson says she feels she is heading in the right direction but was also very upset to hear that the next few events have been canceled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"I think it is very positive to bring from Monterrey, especially to be back at competitions again and get three games. It was both nice and hard to be home. It was nice because I had time to meet friends and family a little more than usual, but at the same time very hard because I couldn't work out.

The first two weeks I could not take an active step because I was so sore in my back and worn out health. It was hard to constantly feel that I had to rest. But it is part of the sport and then it is just to make the best of the situation and accept and listen to the body.

(With Indian Wells) being canceled is sickeningly sad. I definitely feel that I'm heading in the right direction. I'm not where I want to be, but on the right track." Peterson says her goals for the season is to qualify for the Olympics.

"Right now, there has been a lot of focus on staying and staying healthy. If I'm not, I still can't play. The goal is to join the Olympics and keep climbing all the time." The Swede also spoke about her compatriot Johanna Larsson, who recently announced her retirement from tennis.

"So sad that Johanna quits, I have to admit that I got a little stomach ache. We have had so much fun at competitions and it has been nice to have her out here. I will miss her as a person, player and our intense training where there is always war.

I am very grateful for everything she has done for me over the years, she has meant so much. At the same time, I know she will have a fantastic next chapter in her life and I wish her nothing but the world's happiness. We have girls running in Swedish tennis, so I hope we can continue to push each other and be inspired by being even better."

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Rebecca Peterson: The goal is to join the Olympics and keep climbing all the time - Tennis World USA