Contagion

As public libraries reopen under pandemic conditions, they will have to ensure that the disease is not spread through circulated library materials.

In the United States, in the first phase of a project to disseminate and develop science-based information about how materials can be handled to mitigate exposure to staff and visitors, scientists have found that the virus is not detectable on five common library materials after three days.

The findings are part of the REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Project designed to generate scientific information to support the handling of core museum, library, and archival materials as these institutions begin to resume operations and reopen to the public. The first phase of the research is focusing on commonly found and frequently handled materials.

Over the past few weeks, scientists tested the virus on a variety of surfaces, in environments with standard temperature and relative humidity conditions typically found in air-conditioned office space. Materials tested in phase one included the cover of hardcover books (buckram cloth), the cover of softback books, plain paper pages inside a closed book, mylar protective book cover jackets, and plastic DVD cases. Battelle tests found the virus undetectable after one day on the covers of hardback and softback books as well as the DVD case. The virus was undetectable on the paper inside of a book and mylar book jackets after three days.

https://www.imls.gov/news/research-shows-virus-undetectable-five-highly-circulated-library-materials-after-three-days?fbclid=IwAR10rpre7UXsGgcnetA84IO2WGycQ1ITV5YbQcY7vkF1OBUGPFCwmpTANlo

Pack it in and go home

This is a short open letter to my Christian friends who persist in promoting Coronavirus conspiracy theories. Although we do not have all the facts at hand, sober minded analysis consistently shows that the most likely cause of the pandemic is the corruption and incompetence of the Chinese government. I take issue with these theories because in effect, those who promote them are giving one of the world's most oppressive regimes a free pass. 

Let's look at the facts. China is one of the most repressive countries in the world. This has been thoroughly documented by human rights monitors, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, to name but two. Its government is completely unaccountable to its people. On every measure, China has one of the worst human rights records in the Asian region. If a government can do what it wants, in such an environment then it is little wonder that this would eventually backfire. 

Let's not forget its persecution of Christians. Of all people, Christians should be particularly concerned about the plight of China's Christian community. Christians are severely persecuted in China. It is one of the world's worst persecutors of Christians. Let's not also forget the estimated 1 million Muslim Uighurs who have been incarcerated in reeducation camps, or the longsuffering people of Tibet, under Chinese occupation since 1950. 

The point of writing this is to say that promoting Coronavirus conspiracy theories makes Christians look ridiculous to the world at large, but also lacking in compassion for persecuted Christians, and other religious minority groups. In the words of Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, or American actor and comedian, Bob Newhart, "Stop it."

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/china/report-china/

https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/christian-china-persecution-2020-watchlist

Give it a rest

This week some of my social media acquaintances have been circulating the Plandemic documentary, which claims that the Coronavirus pandemic is a conspiracy. I choose to avoid conspiracy theories because of the latent anti-Semitism behind some of them.

Because it's too offensive to overtly mention Jewish people in these conspiracy theories, those who promote them will sometimes use euphemisms such as "international bankers" or "global elites." No Christian should be anti-Semitic, or spread anti-Semitic ideas, especially considering the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and the Bible itself. Christianity has been tainted by anti-Semitism for millennia, as an honest examination of its history clearly shows. It is tragic that this persists to the present day.

Also, in God's economy, those who defy His purposes for His creation are destroyed, as both the Old and New Testaments consistently affirm. He is sovereign over evil. He will deal with it. Do Christians who believe in conspiracy theories need to ask themselves, do they truly trust Him do fulfill His clear promise to destroy evil? In the meantime, isn't our core business as Christians to know God and make Him known? Obsessing over conspiracy theories undermines our witness to the outside the church, and is also a distraction from living an effective Christian life.

In response to these conspiracist Christians, blogger Joe Forrest has issued a passionate and timely plea to them to stop their activities. I didn't find much to disagree with here. They would be better off helping their families, friends, and communities in this difficult time for the entire world.

https://instrumentofmercy.com/2020/05/07/why-your-christian-friends-and-family-members-are-so-easily-fooled-by-conspiracy-theories/?fbclid=IwAR3IzwPzzmgwUFN-5C-YNyOwshkZ84hZxiOBGOzoYiYLeEIFhkka_ZLGYWg

https://global.ajc.org/files/ajc/upload/AJC_Glossary.pdf

Tact and sensitivity

It is with heavy heart that I see due to the Corona virus pandemic, the Marxism 2020 conference, a fixture of the radical left's calendar, has been indefinitely postponed. In this statement on the conference website, the organisers speak of the importance of continuing to fight against the evils of capitalism. Never mind that the Corona virus originated in a Communist dictatorship, and is arguably a direct consequence of it, as the American Enterprise Institute has observed. Without being able to contact the organisers to give them a right of reply, why are they so obstinate that they cannot see this?

This ideology has devastated the lives of millions of people. As the world grapples with the economic and social disruption of the Corona virus, it beggars belief that there is a small core of people who want to perpetuate the political system that created it. 

Sickening

One of the more unfortunate aspects of the coronavirus pandemic is the proliferation of anti-semitic conspiracy theories seeking to blame Jews and the nation of Israel for it. This is nothing new. In the 14th century, Jews were blamed for the Black Death plague. Now, these theories claim that "Zionists" created the virus to destroy the world's economies and further their plans for world domination.

This is complete nonsense, especially at a time when peoples' lives and livelihoods are at stake, and communities need to pull together and support each other, and not exacerbate fear by peddling conspiracy theories.

https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-jews/

By Unknown author - European chronicle, scanned and cropped from A History of the Jewish People by H.H. Ben-Sasson, ed. (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1976) p.564-565 ISBN 0-674-39730-4, Public Domain, Link

Blind spots

Disclaimer: I am not a reader of Green Left Weekly. From a cursory reading of its headlines, one can deduce that it is a leftie rag, full of angry screeds produced by the perpetually aggrieved. If I still had a pet budgerigar, I'd use it to line its birdcage, or to wipe down my windows at home after I've cleaned them so that they don't have streak marks.

This article seeks to capitalise (no pun intended) on the Corona virus crisis to dismantle the free market system, and promote socialist ideology. The author conveniently overlooks the fact that the virus originated in China, which is a socialist country. They should not be let off the hook for ideological reasons, or perhaps from the author's desire to avoid offending people by appearing racist.

It is already well documented that the corruption, incompetence, and amorality of China's rulers has only made the situation worse, from President Xi Jinping down. As Paul D. Miller, professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Georgetown University writes:

"his government’s missteps are directly responsible for its global transmission and uncontrolled spread, with all its terrible consequences to populations and economies around the world."

When the crisis has abated, and the international community can thoroughly investigate the origins of the virus, and  the world can only hope that they are held accountable for the devastation they have brought upon the world. China must submit to such an investigation.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/02/coronavirus-and-blindness-authoritarianism/606922/

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/25/blame-china-and-xi-jinping-for-coronavirus-pandemic/

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/china-rewriting-coronavirus-history-and-nobody-will-stop-it

https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/03/the-other-chinese-virus/

https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/china-cover-up-coronavirus-12-missing-days-wuhan-60-minutes/d8426648-f9b3-4439-9089-b733b8e4a6c5

Commonsense on the corona virus

At last, a mainstream media journalist, namely Joe Hildebrand, cuts through the sensationalism and mass panic, as evidenced by the panic buying of toilet paper and non perishable foods from supermarkets. Cool heads must prevail.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/the-truth-behind-the-coronavirus-spreading/news-story/0eeec118f5a06278e24e77e5000e8fd3