With the cancellation of nearly every event, now until May, it seems as though live musical performances maybe a thing of the past. This comes at a time of uncertainty; fear of how COVID-19 may really impact the way we live.

Who’s making sure to still give their audience a show of a lifetime, even if it’s virtual? It’s an American hardcore punk band from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Code Orange.

On March 14, the band was to perform live in their hometown, but with the recent outbreak of COVID-19 their concert was cancelled, like many other events across the nation.

What did the band decide to do? Code Orange would partner with a video team to present their full performance over Twitch, a popular live-streaming platform, for free (Encore).

Performing live to a virtually empty house, where more than 13,000 fans listened in and watched from home. Encore said that figure is far higher than the capacity of the venue and much larger than the attendance at any traditional Code Orange show (Encore). 

Now this was no ordinary digital live performance. Code Orange created something brand new, an ambience of light, movement and special effects encased around very hardcore punk metal. Video overlays showcased the animation that was created exclusively for the Underneath release, their newest album.

Code Orange – Last Ones Left: In Fear of the End

For anyone who isn’t use to listening to hardcore, and I can’t emphasize this enough, I mean hardcore, click the link above and move the playhead to 11:35 instead of starting at the beginning.

If you think you can handle it, I highly suggest watching this live concert as this is a milestone of what is to come. No band has done something like what they did here.

Because this was a live performance, you’re probably thinking; okay, so they’re just performing in front of a couple cameras. Maybe to an extent, but they are also incorporating video transformations between each song.

Going from a live performance into another world at times. High-quality broadcasts like the experience made by Code Orange could make another income stream for any artist or gathering ready to stream an event.

There is another advantage to live streaming events, and that is the capacity to make new fans and sell extra tickets. Numerous individuals likely watched Code Orange just because it was free on Twitch, that’s exactly why we watched it on a Saturday night we may have normally been at a live concert.

Code Orange’s speedy transition to impact their fans makes them confidence in the band’s enduring intrigue pushing forward.

The week before spring break:

Concert in Lincoln, NE at the Bourbon Theatre CANCELLED

Performing:

Bad Omens, Oh Sleeper, Thousand Below, Bloodline

This was definitely a bummer as we had no plans for spring break. I’ve never been anywhere for spring break, as I am always working. But, this was going to be a great release of energy and bad habits. I.E. an excuse to drink more than usual and have bands screaming in my face as I jump around having the time of my life.

But, the concert was canceled a couple days before.

Week of spring break:

Toilet paper, cleaning supplies and most nonperishable items were off the shelves at Walmart, Hy-Vee and Family Fresh. This week I worked from home for the first time, but went into the office Wednesday.

It seems as though my office is taking this pandemic serious and I appreciate that. We’re doing what we can as a nonprofit to help those in our area. Check out my recent work here:

https://www.kearneyfoundation.org/partner-resources

https://www.kearneyfoundation.org/employee-emergency-relief-fund

Week after spring break:

Still working from home, but won’t be in the office at all this week. They say those in their 20s are the most unsystematic, which is troublesome. If we don’t believe we have the virus, we’re going to go out in public. That is why it is important to get testing kits to everyone as soon as possible.

Obviously, I think it is important to test those who are sure they are sick and don’t feel well. I can wait for those, but I still need to get groceries. Therefore, I have to go out. No I don’t have symptoms but that’s exactly it. We don’t know if we have it or not, is that our fault?

I use to pick-up my groceries from Hy-Vee all the time! Before, it was popular. Now I can’t find a time slot until a week after the day I’m ordering. Which doesn’t help me any, therefore I have to risk going out and picking things up.

I try my best to social distance from those in the general area as me. But what more can be done?

Graduation cancelled, after party at Platte Valley Brewery possibly cancelled, graduation invites sent out also possibly cancelled.

We get it, things are cancelled. Now let’s do what we can as individuals and a community to help one another get back to normal.

As of now I am still working this week Thursday and Friday. I was also informed that no matter if there is work to be done or not, I will be getting paid for 19.5 hours of work weekly.

Next week I believe the Kearney Area Community Foundation, where I work, will transition to work from home.

I just spent the last weekend moving into a larger apartment which allowed me to acquire a nice office setting. This will come in very handy as I transition to working from home.

I cannot complain. I am lucky enough to be an 23 year-old adult, who is capable of taking care of herself. Not saying others aren’t, but I do feel for those freshman who have been ripped from their college dorms and taken back home.

Unlike them, I am able to maintain my college education as we transition online as well as receive a paycheck. This relieves much added stress that others are facing right now.

I know too many friends who are in college, having to move back home, find other work or have been completely laid off due to this pandemic.

I am fine as this pandemic continues to unfold. We have food, clean water and just enough toilet paper. Hopefully toilet paper is restocked soon, because those of us who didn’t stock up really just need to buy it ordinarily.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the month unfolds as we continue to develop more information on COVID-19.

Yesterday, 3,600 polling locations in Columbus, Ohio were shut down due to a public health order. This is because of the novel coronavirus that has swept through our nation creating a frenzy (Dayton Daily News).

Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose declared Monday evening that they believed the virus would put voters ages 65+ as well as those with medical problems in danger.

“While the polls will be closed tomorrow, Secretary of State Frank LaRose will seek a remedy through the courts to extend voting options so that every voter who wants to vote will be granted that opportunity,” DeWine said in a written statement (Dayton Daily News). 

DeWine and LaRose said they suggested delaying the presidential election dependent on another proposal from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that no more than 50 individuals assemble at once.

So what is being done to battle this on going fight on how the people will vote in this years election?

Well, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) plan to extend the bill by both in-person early voting and no-excuse absentee vote by mail. This bill would also require states to set up alternative plans in case this coronavirus shapes our lives more than we ever imagined.

A vote-via mail framework has taken on another desperation. Now more than ever have the people needed the United States Postal Service to keep our democracy grounded and established.

pic.twitter.com/tORhDrLnQO

— Brad Anderson (@BradAnderson_WX) March 18, 2020

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, we must do what we can to lessen the spread but continue to work and develop our democracy. In order to do that, working from home and voting by mail will maintain that order we’ve come to know.

Every state that hasn't adopted universal voting-by-mail should do so ASAP to ensure the #coronavirus doesn't disrupt elections. Congress could mandate it if states don’t. This map shows which states use VBM & which ones require an excuse to vote absentee https://t.co/xrae3jk1P5 pic.twitter.com/MClCe54Zot

— Stephen Wolf (@PoliticsWolf) March 16, 2020

Examining both maps above, you can see where the transition is being made to vote via mail. Thankfully Washington and Oregon are universal vote-by-mail as they are also at high risk for multiple cases of COVID-19.

But as for Louisiana, they aren’t transitioning to vote via mail although their number of virus cases are increasingly high and continues to develop.

This will risk the ability for those in Louisiana to vote in the primary. Nevertheless that isn’t until June but, we don’t know how long this “shut down” will occur.

As long as there is no vaccine there are no answers on how long this will last. That is why it is important to take into consideration long term options. It is necessary to come together towards a common goal, such as allowing all states to vote via mail to eliminate the risk of contamination.

We cannot let this virus suppress a democracy which has succeeded for over 200 years. We cannot let what happen in 1918 rule us again.

November 5, the political race was down—from 50.4% in the past midterm of 1914 to 39.9% in 1918. Why is that?

Over a hundred years ago, a new influenza virus appeared and swept across the globe, killing between 50 and 100 million people. This was known as the “Mother of All Pandemics.”

Is the coronavirus the new 1918 pandemic? And will it affect the voting turn out of the 2020 presidential election?

The death toll continues to rise, cancellations of events, and closures of facilities such as the shut down of hundreds of college campus’s is an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.

But, we must not let it take charge of our voting rights.

Our attention must move towards whether the voting process itself might be threatened in the mist of this recent pandemic.

‘Vice’ Review: Dick Cheney and the Negative Great Man Theory of History is a movie review by A.O. Scott with The New York Times. Scott does a great job of depicting an essence of Vice the movie in his opening paragraph.

For instance, a prevalent beginning of the movie is when Dick Cheney’s fiancée, Lynne Vincent, told her “wayward beau” that they were finished unless he pulled himself together. If it weren’t for Vincent herself, Cheney would have never become a vice president.

In that significant minute, Dick (Christian Bale) looks Lynne (Amy Adams) in the eye and swears he’ll never disappoint her again. The proposal of this movie, composed and coordinated by Adam McKay, is that Dick stayed faithful to his commitment (NYT).

One of the biggest questions in the movie is how could Cheney pull it all off? When you watch this groundbreaking movie, you will understand what I am talking about.

The appropriate response director McKay supplies is that Cheney was shrewd and all of us were excessively naive and to diverted to even consider stopping him. This maybe true, but how could we know what was really know what was going on during the years of the Bush and Cheney administration?

To give you an idea about the movie, reading a wikipedia search on Cheney can give you a little taste about his history, which is primarily the premise of the movie. Except the movie does a way better job than that so just keep reading.

Richard Bruce Cheney fast facts:

• Born in Lincoln, Nebraska
• Cheney oversaw the 1991 Operation Desert Storm
• he played a leading behind-the-scenes role in the George W. Bush administration‘s response to the September 11 attacks and coordination of the Global War on Terrorism and much more.. here.

Without ruining it, I hope you take interest in viewing the movie is some of our more recent free time considering an overload of cancelations due to the recent COVID-19 virus.

Circling back to the critique Scott is very intricate in his verbiage as he uses many phrases that don’t ruin the movie but, instead help the reader develop a mental understanding of what is in store.

This is a great way to express the movie Vice and how little we truly know about what happens in the role of vice president and what it takes to get there.

With that, let’s discuss another movie review by Peter Travers writer for the Rolling Stones. Did you know Adam McKay also directed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy? I didn’t tell I was doing my research over Vice.

Let’s just say in my opinion Travers has a bold outlook on the movie. In his critique he says, Anchorman “plays like loosely strung-together SNL skits that no one gave the slightest thought to developing. Scenes just end abruptly or dribble away.”

I have to disagree with this claim as I believe there is a relatively strong and historical story line to Anchorman. It’s comedy but it also reminds us of the oppositions women had to overcome in the spotlight.

On the other hand, I do appreciate the way he gives credit to the supporting actors saying, “Ferrell is lucky to be surrounded by some of the best improve actors in the business.“

Although that maybe a backwards compliment, I’ll take it. Overall Scott is bold, but it’s Rolling Stones so I guess that’s what you get.

Roasted.

Either way, both movies are good and the reviewed critiques give a different take. For example, one is a more serious movie with an overview critique, while the other movie is a comedy and is very much criticized and furthermore burned.

Vice/Anchorman critique reviews

Joe Biden wins the Arkansas Democratic primary, a column by Ian Millhiser with Vox says before Super Tuesday, Biden’s campaign placed a heavy emphasis on South Carolina, where the candidate hoped he could ride strong support from black voters to victory. That strategy paid off on Saturday, when Biden prevailed in South Carolina with nearly 50 percent of the vote (Vox).

I find this interesting considering everything I see, personally, is not good in regards to Bidens reputation. I mean tweeter literally has a video trending of Biden getting uncomfortably close to young girls. The video below only shows one of the odd occurrences.

Millhiser follows up with while Biden’s victory meaning that he will take home a good chunk of Arkansas’s 31 delegates to the Democratic National Convention, it says very little about the general election. In any scenario where a Democratic presidential candidate is competitive in the state’s general election, that candidate is already cruising toward a historic landslide victory over Trump (Vox).

It’s not like Millhiser is really taking sides, he’s just giving us the information he believes we need concerning Biden. It’s unfortunate how these types of videos are only pinpointed to those against Biden instead of those willing to vote for him.

Moving on, another column which I analyzed was The U.S. president offers a glimpse of what four more years would look provided by Michael Hirsh of FP.

He does a very nice job of making his writing personable, and understandable. We relate to what he is saying as an audience because he makes it simple. He is literally quoting President Trump on which he says, “It’s all bullshit.”

This was due to Sen. Mitt Romney thought that the Utah Republican bravely became the lone U.S. senator in history to vote to remove a president of his own party (FP). Which Trump responded with “we’re gonna win a lot of seats.”

“It is very scary to contemplate Trump unbound,” Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio told Foreign Policy. “Trump in a second term could weaponize the Department of Justice against his critics and opponents. … He might also look for ways to defy the Constitution, perhaps by refusing to leave office because of some ‘emergency (FP).’”

I agree with D’Antonio and Hirsh tenfold with their comments to four more years of Trump. But, what can we do when the right is right and the left is left. There is very little compromise within the multiple parties, let alone within the actual parties.

Something I was completely clueless about until I read Royko’s column Even a U.S. Senator Can Botch a Recipe for Success. Whatever you do, do not order a hot dog with ketchup when you’re visiting Chicago.

Quite frankly, you might as well order your dog with nothing on it. Because, if you even think about ketchup during that moment of time the “hotdog expert” is perfecting your Chicago dog they might as well spit on it.

Why do I say this? Because Royko’s column expresses the unholy satire of ordering ketchup with your dog.

For example:

“The flaws are so obvious that by now those with civilized, discriminating Chicago taste buds
are snorting and sneering and flinging this shameful recipe to the floor and spitting on it.”

Mike Royko

My point exactly. If you are a true Chicagoan, then the “Chicago hot dog: Vienna beef hot dog, poppy seed bun, dill pickle, jalapeños, relish, mustard, ketchup. Place dog in bun. Cover with jalapeños, relish, mustard, and ketchup. Serve with dill pickle” is an abomination.

Royko does a great job of slamming Chicagos Senator, specifically because she claims to be a true Chicagoan. Although, anyone in their right mind would never dress a dog like pictured above.

A perfect conclusion to the column includes this:

“I’m sure Senator Moseley-Braun has the usual excuse: Someone on her staff did it.”

Mike Royko

But Chicagoans don’t care about that. They care that they have a United States senator,
“allegedly representing Chicago and the rest of Illinois—even the Downstate yokels—and she
shames herself and the rest of us by displaying her ignorance of what makes a hot dog a true
Chicago hot dog.”

Royko simply informs his readers that he would not be voting for Senator Moseley-Braun again due to her insensitivity towards the classical Chicago dog. Something a true Chicagoan should be fully aware of, no matter who wrote it for her.

Let’s rewind to the year 2005 when the eruption of Guitar Hero crashed through the homes of families and youth. This created a breakout of competitions around the world.

Now if you remember Guitar Hero World Tour, which was released in 2008, you know System Of A Down – B.Y.O.B. is the last song needed to complete the game. Which is insanely hard if you didn’t know; listen to the song above.

Guitar Hero became the outlet we needed. Not only in our home lives, but in other activities, such as after school programs. I mean c’mon this revolutionized babysitting, as we know it, worldwide.

We all remember playing so much our eyes burned, our fingers cramped and we were ridiculously dehydrated. Something we didn’t understand as young rapscallions.

Thanks to Guitar Hero, we were all under the impression we had learned how to play the guitar and that local agencies would be scouting us at our mid-level competitions. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and most of still have no idea how to play an actual guitar.

As we matured, most of us grew out of the video game stage and started applying our minds to other hobbies. But if Guitar Hero taught us anything, it was to appreciate the classics.

We understand the hair band, grunge and metal eras which led us to some of today’s better music. Prepare to be introduced to a modern day band, with strong hair band references.

I give you, Greta Van Fleet. Now, if you are familiar than you have heard the song above, but if not LISTEN TO IT NOW.

Produced in 2017, this young boy band, if you will, skyrocketed modern day rock. With notes that reflect that of Led Zeppelin, a style over 30 years old now has once again come full circle, much like most trends.

Now, if it weren’t for Guitar Hero, who helped us understand hair bands, grunge and metal, we wouldn’t have the ability to hear these innuendos in today’s music.

The overall rock trend fell after the death of Kurt Cobain, but if you search hard enough you can find traces of those we loved, even in modern music today.

For instance:

Motionless in White resembles not only physically but lyrically to Marilyn Manson

The band Operator sounds almost identical to the one the only Chris Cornell

The band Deaf Pedestrians sounds an awful like the Toadies

And that is why this blog is called Still, You Feed us Lies From the Tablecloth.

The list could go on… and I would love for it too!

Comment on some bands below of who you think sound similar.

If Nebraska wants to be the world leader in medical advancements, continuing research on cannabidiol (CBD) is in our best interest to fully understand the underlying benefits.

CBD is commonly used to manage anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. UNMC conducted a four-year study of CBDs potential for treating epileptic seizures which was concluded in late 2019.

With that research concluded, Nebraskans want to know the logistics, benefits and overall legality of CBD.

Our Nebraska legislature needs to set clear policies on the legality of CBD in the state. A matter such as this should not be left to the individual communities or local officials.

The only guidance Nebraskans have is this; CBD oil that is legal must come from the hemp plant and have less than 0.3% THC, thanks to the legislative bill 657.

So, where do Nebraskans receive their answers on the matter?

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson told reporters the same thing he told law enforcement agencies across the state: “CBD oil remains illegal under state law.”

This statement leaves prosecutors, law enforcement, farmers and residences unanswered questions they deserve.

In controversy to Peterson, our own Gov. Pete Ricketts says, “If you’ve got over 0.3% THC content then that would qualify as being illegal because it would have too much of that drug that is illegal here in our state.“

Okay, so we understand the 0.3% law, but why does Peterson clearly state all CBD is illegal in NE?

Nebraskans deserve to know.

Ricketts says it’s up to our local officials to decide what’s appropriate. Obviously, that’s going to be dependent on where you live. Therefore, CBD laws could vary in different parts of Nebraska.

Since, CBD is harvested from hemp plants and hemp has been federally removed from the controlled substance list, it’s time for our Nebraska legislature to set clear policies on the legality of CBD in the state.

It is understood that growing hemp for the use of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel are okay in the eyes of Nebraska legislature.

But, it is also understood that growing hemp for the use of medicine is not okay in the eyes of our legislature.

Nebraska must see the immense value in researching the underlying benefits of CBD. If they don’t, we will be leaving these possibilities in the hands of CBD dealers across the country.

If Nebraska is willing to spearhead their medical advancements, instead of suppressing the possibilities of CBD, take this task and expand on the potential of cannabidiol rather than be frightened.

Policy Claim:

Our local politicians have left Nebraskans without guidance to properly sell, purchase or consume CBD. The people just want to know what is legal. Ariel Roblin a reporter with KETV out of Omaha, explains the struggle of miscommunication among Nebraska legislature. Roblin states in her editorial that, “prosecutors, law enforcement, farmers and residences deserve these answers.“

Continually, Roblin ends the editorial with another statement of accusing our state representatives of “being unaware of the nuances of hemp, which is dangerous and a disservice.” And I couldn’t agree more.

According to the U.S. Supreme Court in Connally v. General Construction Co. (1926), a law is unconstitutionally vague when people “of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning.” Whether or not the law regulates free speech, if it is unduly vague it raises serious problems under the due process guarantee, which violates the Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments (MTSU).

“No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” and is applied to all states by the 14th Amendment. Don’t you think depriving us these simple answers are in return depriving Nebraskans life, liberty and without due processing?

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said, you could be jeopardizing your business, your employees and those who patronize your business if you sell these particular products (KETV). Yet, LB 657 removed hemp and its products from the list of controlled substances in the state to conform with federal laws.

Argumentative Claim:

Those federal laws were the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which has legalized hemp in the United States. As long as there is no more than 0.3% THC, hemp producers are eligible for the federal crop insurance program and certain USDA research grants (Congress).

So what is the difference between hemp of no more than 0.3% THC and CBD of no more than 0.3% in Nebraska? We’ll I’m not sure.

We must turn to CBD (cannabidiol) in particular, discuss CBD’s legal status under the CSA; the FDA’s role in regulating and approving CBD products for medical purposes; and the steps required to take an investigational CBD product through that approval process (NCBI). 

While cannabis has had a long and twisting history, and although cannabis-derived products face daunting obstacles to achieving FDA approval as well as rescheduling under both federal and state law, the recent success of LB 657 is moving Nebraska forward.

For instance, one product Epidiolex^® should inspire other manufacturers to develop additional cannabis-derived products through the FDA process. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex^® [CBD] oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older (FDA). 

If Nebraska is really willing to spearhead their medical advancements, instead of suppressing the possibilities of CBD, I suggest taking this task and expanding on the potential of CBD rather than be frighten.