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Monday Miscellany, 8/26/24

Monday Miscellany, 8/26/24

Last updated on: August 26, 2024 at 6:00 am by Gene Veith

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Monday Miscellany, 8/26/24 2024-08-23T16:32:09-04:00 Gene Veith

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Putin offers conservatives sanctuary in Russia; consciousness detected in 25% of the comatose; and watch mor chikin.

Putin Offers Conservatives Sanctuary in Russia

Donald Trump’s schtick worked well in 2016 and 2020, but it doesn’t seem to be going over so well in 2024, and Democrats are giddy over Kamala Harris with her surge in the polls. This has some conservatives worried, though things might change if both candidates start focusing on issues.

In this climate, Russian president Vladimir Putin is reaching out to disillusioned conservatives, offering them sanctuary in Mother Russia. He has signed a decree offering three-month visas without requiring knowledge of Russian language, culture, and laws (the usual immigration requirements) to anyone rejecting their home countries for “imposing destructive neoliberal ideals on people, which run counter to traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

Some Americans are excited at the prospect. In an article on the subject, Newsweek quotes a tweet from far-right talk show host Alex Jones, who has 2.7 million followers:

“BREAKING: PUTIN JUST DROPPED A BOMBSHELL DECREE—INVITING PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE WHO ARE FED UP WITH THE GLOBALIST, NEOLIBERAL NIGHTMARE TO SEEK SANCTUARY IN TRADITIONAL RUSSIA! This new decree blows the lid off the establishment’s agenda, letting freedom-loving folks bypass the usual bureaucratic nonsense like language tests or history exams.

“If you’re ready to reject the insane policies of your home countries that push these destructive, anti-human, neoliberal agendas, Russia is rolling out the red carpet! The Russian government is about to compile a list of countries poisoning minds with these twisted ideals, and the Foreign Ministry is gearing up to issue visas to true patriots as soon as September! It’s time to stand up for spiritual and moral values!”

“True patriots” abandoning their country for Russia? “Freedom-loving folks” seeking freedom in authoritarian Russia? Immigration requirements like knowing the language and the history of a place are “bureaucratic nonsense”? Is Alex going soft on immigration now?

At any rate, those who take Putin up on his offer might, upon arrival, find themselves rounded up and sent to Ukraine to be cannon fodder in their new country’s spiritual and moral crusade.

Consciousness Detected in 25% of the Comatose

Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, no less, has found evidence of consciousness in one out of four patients in a “vegetative state.”

David Nield has written an article on the subject for Science Alert, entitled Hidden Consciousness Detected in 25% of Unresponsive Patients Tested. The assumption has been that patients who lack the ability to move also lack the ability to think, but new technology is showing that this is not the case. Nield explains:

This state of ‘hidden consciousness‘ is now officially known as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), where cognitive (or thinking) abilities aren’t connected to motor (or movement) abilities. Researchers have been looking into CMD for several years.

In the new study, signs of consciousness were found through fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and EEG (electroencephalography) brain scans in 60 out of 241 patients tested, after being given instructions such as “imagine opening and closing your hand”.

“Some patients with severe brain injury do not appear to be processing their external world,” says neurologist Yelena Bodien from Massachusetts General Hospital.

“However, when they are assessed with advanced techniques such as task-based fMRI and EEG, we can detect brain activity that suggests otherwise.

“These results bring up critical ethical, clinical, and scientific questions – such as how can we harness that unseen cognitive capacity to establish a system of communication and promote further recovery?”

Researchers found that an additional 112 patients who were able to respond visibly to commands did not display the expected MRI and EEG readings, suggesting that those devices do not capture all cognitive function. Thus, they suspect that “hidden consciousness” may be even more prevalent than the 25% they have so-far confirmed.

This research has important implications for the push for euthanasia, as well as opening new possibilities for treatment. Says Nield,

This discovery could potentially make huge differences to how care should be managed for those classified as being in a coma, a vegetative state, or a minimally conscious state. These terms may not tell the full story, according to the international team behind the new study. . . .

Knowing a patient is listening and responding – even if it isn’t visible on the surface – can transform the approach of carers and families, when it comes to talking, playing music, and looking for signs of a response.

Previous research suggests that life support systems may be switched off too early in some cases, and we have seen various examples of people waking up from a minimally conscious state long after hope had been lost.

Watch Mor Chikin

Chick Fil-A has been named America’s fastest fast food restaurant for eight years in a row, popular not only for its chicken sandwiches but for its high level of service from super polite, eager-to-please workers who respond to a thank you with “my pleasure.” Christians especially appreciate the chain for its faith-based identity manifested in policies such as not being open on Sundays.

Now, as reported by Deadline, Chick Fil-A is about to launch to add a streaming TV service! The company is working with some major Hollywood studios to produce family-friendly programming. Though the offerings will include some animated series and scripted projects, the emphasis will be on unscripted TV. That is to say, game shows and reality TV.

My question is, “but why?” You turn out a good product with your chicken sandwiches. You have added to your menu–for example, your salads are excellent–and kept up your quality. Stay with food. That’s your calling. Why get into a completely different business? I know, you have a trusted “brand” that you can monetize further. But how do game shows fit into your mission statement? You have a commitment to serve people, I realize, and that’s a very Christian motivation. You are presently serving them by giving them food, satisfying a primal need. But do we have a primal need for more TV?

If your goal is to spread a Christian influence, is reality TV the best way to accomplish that? Then again, maybe reality is exactly what we need today. Maybe Chick Fil-A TV can help bring reality back to our culture.

The streaming service is expected to launch later this year.

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