Walking down P Street in the direction of Fresno City Hall before Wednesdays Freedom Rally, I wasnt sure what to expect.

Would it be a bunch of right-wing wackos being manipulated by well-paid organizers and publicity seeking politicians? Or would it be everyday people, most of them local, expressing sincere frustrations and legitimate concerns over city and state policy designed to slow the spread of coronavirus?

The answer turned out to be a little of both.

To be sure, there were plenty in the first group. People carrying N.W.O. and QAnon signs and one reading W.H.O. is Poo that made me chuckle in a second-grade sort of way. Not to mention the female speaker who angrily proclaimed Do we live in America? We live in China without a hint of irony or self-awareness. (If we were in China, you wouldnt be allowed to protest in front of City Hall. Google Tiananmen Square sometime.)

But there were also folks like Rico Saldivar, who carried an American flag and wore a face mask.

Saldivar is a local business owner. He owns a tattoo parlor, a barber shop, a hair salon and a print store. All four businesses are located in Fresno, and each has been shut down since the city ordered the closures of those it deemed non-essential.

Saldivar has no income coming in, no way to keep his 15 employees on the payroll, but the bills keep piling up. As proof, he holds up his cell phone and shows me an invoice from his landlord totaling $10,450 owed in back rent.

And theyre quick to remind me every couple days, Saldivar said.

Saldivars tattoo parlor, barber shop and hair salon arent among low-risk businesses allowed to reopen Monday even though he insists he can operate them safely and is willing to comply with all social-distancing protocols.

This is totally unfair, he said.

Another person I met was Tricia Messer, co-owner of an off-road vehicle supply company based in Fresno that reduced operations but hasnt completely shut down. She carried one sign that read, Keep Our City Great. Open Our City and another that read, Open Our Churches.

I asked Messer if she was worried about being in the same place of worship as 100 or more others and not knowing where theyve been and what they may have been exposed to.

No, she replied.

Was she worried about getting sick and passing along the virus to others?

No, she replied again.

How come?

Because if that happens, its all part of Gods plan, Messer said.

That line of thinking may sound batty to an agnostic such as myself Id rather reduce my exposure than accept some supernatural fate but to Messer it makes perfect sense. And whos to argue with her? We have freedom of beliefs in this country, last I checked.

Unlike previous rallies in Sacramento and Huntington Beach, the 300 or so protesters were well-behaved and respectful of law enforcement. No arrests were made, and most of the disruptions came in the form of passing cars and trucks honking in support.

I do wish, though, that a semi-truck wouldve sat idling behind the stage when it was Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefelds turn to speak. My ears have never been more in need of a nonsense filter.

Since it was a political rally, I wont get on Bredefelds case too harshly for playing fast and loose with facts and data. Which he did with aplomb.

But when the elected representative of northeast Fresno downplayed the severity of COVID-19 by stating the virus only has a mortality rate between 1 and 2%, thats when things got troubling.

The reality is, said Bredefeld, clearly enjoying his moment, 98 to 99% of the people affected by this disease recover.

For the sake of argument, lets say Bredefelds figures are accurate. (They might be or might not. No one can say for certain.) But even a 1% mortality rate is 10 times higher than the seasonal flu.

Fresno County has a population of 1 million. Which means between 10,000 and 20,000 county residents will die if they catch the virus. For perspective, thats like taking a town the size of Parlier (population 15,000) and wiping it off the map.

Wish I could be so cavalier with the lives of so many people.

Also making guest appearances were Fresno County Supervisors Nathan Magsig and Steve Brandau. Both spoke ever so briefly in support of businesses reopening.

Speaking of cavalier, it was interesting to see self-proclaimed patriots be so disrespectful of our nations symbols.

During the national anthem, I only saw one MAGA-hat wearing protester actually remove her cap. The rest, at least a few dozen of them, kept their red hats firmly atop their heads.

And then there was Libertarian candidate Nickolas Wildstar, who gave a speech while holding the American flag upside down and letting the flag drag on the ground as soon as he got off the stage.

According to Title 4 Section 8 (a) of the U.S. Flag Code, The flag should never be displayed with union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. Section 8 (b) reads: The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

My old Scoutmaster wouldve been mighty displeased.

2020 The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)

Visit The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.) at http://www.fresnobee.com

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Marek Warszawski: Fresno rally had protest signs, MAGA hats and shutdown anger -- but protesters were peaceful - msnNOW

Dame Robin White in her Masterton studio. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Lisa Urbani

For Dame Robin White, being an artist is not what you do, its who you are.

Her long and illustrious career has been an evolving quest, a discovery made in stages, leading her to find her own identity as an artist.

When youre young, your urge to create compels you towards a self-awareness that is fostered by the encouragement of people around you.

With a sketchbook always at hand, her attentive and supportive parents encouraged her and ensured that she received a good education.

Their belief in the education of women as being of the utmost importance, was due to their embrace of the Bahai Faith.

Under the watchful eye of her art teacher at Epsom Girls Grammar School, Robin was propelled to her next step and her time at Aucklands Elam School of Fine Art where she was awakened to her full consciousness, that this was for me.

She never considered it as a job and had no thought for the financial implications of being an artist.

She relied on her parents advice to aim high.

Having been on a student scholarship, she was required to teach art as part of her bond, and this gave her the opportunity during her years as an art teacher in Wellington, to work and exhibit until she could be independent.

The 1960s were a time of creative freedom, of openness of thought, and the beginnings of a life-long friendship with the poet Sam Hunt, whose portrait she painted.

In her growth as an artist, shes learnt that from being at work you get the ideas for making more work its a constant process of creating and learning.

At present, Robin is preparing for an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

Called Matisse alive, it will showcase the artistic responses of four separate artists Nina Chanel Abney (USA), Sally Smart (Australia), Angela Tiatia (Samoa/New Zealand/Australia) and Robin White (New Zealand) to the great 20th century artist, Henri Matisse.

Each artist will present an original and different form of art, ranging from a mural, to a cut-out assemblage installation, and an immersive video.

Dame Robins offering will be a set of large works on bark cloth made in collaboration with her friends from Tonga and Fiji.

Drawing on her background in painting and printmaking, she is working within a Pacific art tradition of richly patterned tapa cloth.

It is a process that augments the skills gained during her 17 years of glorious learning, as she described it, in the Pacific Republic of Kiribati, living on the atoll of Tarawa.

When a fire destroyed her house and studio in 1996, she adapted to the lack of her usual art supplies by learning to work with the women, combining her design skill with their love of weaving.

She considers herself a student when collaborating with others, learning as we go about each other and the processes were engaged in.

In these uncertain times of covid-19, her Bahai faith stands her in good stead.

At the core of its teaching is the belief in unity, the oneness of mankind, and now more than ever, she says, we all need to educate ourselves to work collectively for the good of society.

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Quest to find identity evolving - Times Age - Wairarapa Times Age

Matt Berninger is calling from lockdown in his home in California. After a long to-and-fro about how the coronavirus crisis is taking its toll on the physical, mental and societal health of America, he admits that the necessary quarantine has given him the opportunity to process, slow down and chew on everything in a different way instead of chasing this one upward trajectory.

It seems that The National frontman is in the perfect mood to take stock and look back over the last decade for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the bands breakthrough album High Violet. (Though as he sagely notes with that familiar social-distancing-induced Groundhog Day confusion: Does time even matter any more?.)

10 years ago, The National enjoyed something of an Indian summer. 2010s High Violet was a landmark record for the band, elevating them from cult curiosity to chart-bothering festival headliners. The introverts opened up and brightened the corners of their black post-punk sound. In the words of the NME review at the time, High Violet was a sign of the band finally becoming fully grown-up, coloured in and going overground.

If they werent separated and trapped in their homes right now, The National would be prepping to celebrate High Violet by playing it in full at a run of shows peppering the schedule for the final lap of their tour for their acclaimed eighth album, 2019s I Am Easy To Find. There was an indiegasm across the internet when the anniversary gigs were announced along with the deluxe vinyl reissue. It was the kind of reaction reserved for one of those very special records. High Violet spoke loudly to the latest generation of kids who were never picked for the football team, who saw their own story in The Nationals tale of geeks longing to be heard.

Why did High Violet strike such a chord? All the songs Ive ever loved are fluid enough for me to sink into them and be the character, Berninger replies. You empathise and get inside their soul a little bit. Whatevers wrong in your heart or in your life, the record absorbs it like a sponge. Later, you play it again and all of that emotion comes out again. All the things we needed were always there in good songs.

The National formed in 1999 in Berningers native Cincinnati, Ohio before they moved to New York. The band endured a prolonged period of obscurity from their 2001 self-titled debut album and 2003s underrated follow-up Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers; while The Strokes were scoring touchdowns for NYCs garage rock revival scene, The National were stuck on the bench.

2005s Alligator, their third album, first perfected the combination of dark, raw-nerved realism and heart-bursting indie anthemics that make up the DNA of the band we know today. 2007s stately and opulent Boxer was showered with acclaim, but the indie darlings were still far from the arena-filling heights of many of their peers. Heading into their fifth album, The National had to figure out who they were, and who they wanted to be.

Wed just come off tour with R.E.M., remembers Berninger. Seeing a band that good continue to exist and evolve for that long made us realise that we had to go for that. Michael Stipe teased us saying, Why dont you guys just write a pop song? Why dont you write a radio hit? We were like, Weve been trying since day one! We dont know how! He told us, If youre going to be in a band that lasts a long time, you either have to write a lot of hits or none at all. At that point we were like, Oh shit, maybe were safer going down the none at all route

But, he continues, I didnt want that. I dont think any of us did. We wanted to be a big band. We wanted to reach everybody. Ive had manifest delusion since I was a kid. I wanted to be a rock star. I couldnt play piano, but I wanted to be Tom Waits, I wanted to be Leonard Cohen, I wanted to be Nick Cave. You just pose, you absorb and you try. You get out there and do your best.

Matt Berninger of The National perform onstage during Bonnaroo 2010 (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Fully aware of their status as a grower band (though Berninger laughs that that always felt like an underhanded compliment), they set about writing some songs that would connect straight away and on a huge scale. But first they had to iron out some of the creases in their creative process. Any band featuring two sets of brothers (twin guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner and drummer and bassist Bryan and Scott Devendorf) is going to have to deal with more tension than most.

We always fought, and we fought so much while making Boxer to the point where it had gotten unhealthy, admits Berninger. Wed been a band for 10 years and were exhausted through all the conflict personal conflict, creative conflict, touring life, living on a bus together for so long. Youve got all that shit going on but then you get into the studio and the record is how you connect it all back together again.

Another thing that Michael Stipe told us was: Remember you were friends first. That pops up in our heads all the time. High Violet was us following all of Michaels advice.

Michael Stipe teased us saying, Why dont you guys just write a pop song?

Feeling happy but depleted and desperate for this record to be good, they started work, then swiftly halted. Already exhausted from recently becoming a father, Berninger was struck down by a nasty bout of flu and then his grandmother died. On the plane back to the funeral, his eardrum burst under the cabin pressure, leaving him unable to hear in his right ear for a while. Sometimes something forces you to shut down for a while, says Berninger of his run of bad luck, and you come back and its an opportunity to remember why youre doing this.

United in their vision and ambition, The National would finish what might still be their most cohesive and complete album to date. High Violet, with a title inspired by overhearing talk of the threat levels in New York after 9/11 (high orange being the most severe), was the crystallisation of all that theyd previously sought to master but with a more accessible sheen.

You can feel this shift from first notes of opener Terrible Love: its there in the Dessners genius sonic textures, which are as rich as ever, but this time with a little more warmth, lift and release. The record may feature guest spots from indie glitterati such as Sufjan Stevens, Bon Ivers Justin Vernon, and Arcade Fires Richard Reed Parry, but they never distract from the record itself. Perfectly measured and never overblown, High Violet is the victorious sound of a band reaching ever upwards.

Lyrically, Berninger reels through his usual themes of trying to figure out who you are and if home is a place. With a number songs written with wife, longtime collaborator and former fiction editor at The New YorkerCarin Besser, the issues of family, time, movement, and the impact of fatherhood weigh heavy on his mind throughout the record. On Afraid Of Everyone he sings: With my kid on my shoulders I try not to hurt anybody I like but I dont have the drugs to sort it out. On England he addresses a missed loved one (You must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life in the rain) and on Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks he makes the startling observation that all the very best of us string ourselves up for love.

I have so many songs about trying to find out who I am. I think thats a thread I always walk along

I have so many songs about trying to find out who I am, Berninger says. I think thats a thread I always walk along. I had been in New York for over 10 years [when we wrote High Violet], and I definitely felt I wasnt in Ohio any more. I was married, I had a baby and I was an entirely different person. The searching for who I was going to be and trying to figure out who I used to be was all part of that process. I was also wondering if Id make art and music for the rest of my life. I really wanted to so bad.

The album reached Number Five in the UK and Number Three on the US Billboard 100. The venues got bigger, the cult grew stronger and the music press lapped up the nearly-men done good narrative. They headlined the second stage at Latitude Festival 2010, with momentum swelling to such an extent that they returned to headline the main stage the following year. It was a whirlwind period, wonderfully captured in the documentary Mistaken For Strangers, starring and directed by Berningers brother Tom.

In typical National fashion, they couldnt simply savour the taste of success. We loved the record when it was done, says Berninger, but whole career was just a series of moments of going, Weve made it! Oh, no we havent! Never count your fucking chickens. Never. The second you do, its over.

We knew that we hadnt fucked up and we knew we werent finished. Did we feel like wed arrived? I dont think we ever feel like that. We never feel like we achieved what we wanted to do.

Berninger admits that touring was really hard until about five or six years ago, adding he used to battle within himself on stage, but is now far more comfortable in his own skin and less emotionally wrought. His vices of weed and wine are now more an aid to help him slip into the songs, rather than a crutch for anxiety and self-awareness. Even from this distance, though, he finds it hard to tell if he really enjoyed the original High Violet shows as much as you might expect.

Either way, the bands real pinch me moment arrived in September 2010, when they were invited to perform to 25,000 people before a speech from Barack Obama at a rally in Wisconsin. Meeting Obama seemed more important than being on any big stage, says Berninger. Now Im playing in front of these big crowds and realise how much more significant they are than having a few photos with Obama. But at the time [it was] hard to have any perspective on it.

Meeting Obama seemed more important than being on any big stage

In the Obama years, he says, the US exuded a sense of enlightenment, optimism and possibility. He adds: Obama winning was just like, Everything is going to happen now. America is finally going to stand up and be what its claimed and promised for so long but hasnt been. At the same time, there was so much division. Government had got so brutal and disgusting with Bush and even Clinton.

Looking back now, the beginning of an eight-year Obama presidency compared to what weve been living through now with four years of a fascist I mean wow, talk about perspective.

10 years later and whats going on in the White House now seems more backward and gross than ever imaginable. And guess what? The National still dont have a hit to their name. Stipe was right. Theyre still playing the long game and winning, with family and friendship at their core. The National now rub shoulders with Arcade Fire and The Strokes as a bonafide indie institution.

Berninger has just inked a record deal for his debut solo album Serpentine Prison (literally he signed the contract when NME reminded him on the phone). As well as writing songs constantly, hes also working on a sitcom TV adaptation of Mistaken For Strangers with his brother and Besser, as well as a sequel to the original film. Matt Berninger is now the polymath rock star he would pose as back when he was a kid.

While its tempting to trace that thread throughout his life, though, he insists: Im entirely different to the man I was when I made High Violet. We shed our skins, we change, we evolve. We all have the capacity to become whatever we want.

The National release the 10th anniversary expanded edition of High Violet on June 19. The band are raising money for their touring crew during lockdown here.

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The Nationals Matt Berninger on 10 years of High Violet: We wanted to reach everybody - NME.com

Further Education, Professional and Occupational Pedagogy

This series of articles is taken from the research monograph, Further Education, Professional and Occupational Pedagogy: Knowledge and Experiences (Loo, 2019).

The first article centred on FE teachers professional identities, the second article on their emotional ecology, and the third, on reconceptualising teacher education as part of a strategic approach to widening participation.The findings are based on empirical data using a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews of eight participants (all with vocational/occupational experiences) were carried out.

Schutz et al. (2006) define emotions as ways of being that are socially constructed judgements, which emerge consciously or unconsciously regarding perceived aims, maintain standards or beliefs. Hastings (2004) studied the positive and negative emotions of Australian teachers. Trigwell (2012) developed this previous notion by relating teachers emotions to their teaching approaches. OConnor (2008) expanded on past studies by finding that teachers roles were emotionally engaging and personally demanding in complex contexts. In the US study by Cross and Hong (2012), they use a relational and social construction where the teachers emotions and educational activities are related and socially enacted. Zembylas (2007) goes further than Cross and Hong to suggest that a teachers emotional ecology includes a teachers personal history, understanding of learners and subject matter.

Thus his study provides a framework for studying FE teachers emotional knowledge via pedagogic, life and occupational know-how. Furthermore, the three planes of emotional ecology as delineated by Zembylas are used as a way of structuring the discussion of the data in later sections. First is individual (such as emotional connections with the subject matter, beliefs about teaching and learning, and self- awareness). Second is relational (such as emotional connections with learners, their emotional experiences and knowledge of learners emotions). Third is socio-political (such as emotional knowledge of institutional, cultural contexts, curricula, subject matter and pedagogies) (Zembylas, 2007. This typology of emotional ecology offers a useful theoretical framework to critique and evaluate the broader professional knowledge of FE teachers.

This section draws from the eight participants empirical data and uses Zembylass three types of emotional planes of individual, relational and socio-political. These planes are used to foreground the participants wider professional experiences of pedagogy, life and occupation.

Ann is a female in her 40s. She was teaching at an FE college on a full-time basis on radio production and journalism for four years. Her family background was not privileged, and she went to a state school, but she did her first degree at the University of Oxford. Her mother died when Ann was in her teens. She worked in Japan in the hotel industry before returning to the UK.

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Ann had negative experiences when she started teaching. She felt a fraud teaching journalism because she felt that she was not experienced enough in her occupational practice. This was different from Hastings (2004) findings of the teachers disappointments, frustrations and anxieties. Her feelings were inter-related. They relate to her teaching of journalism where she felt her lack of experiences was preventing her from being a good teacher on the one side, and her lack of occupational experiences, which she might not be able to draw from on the other side. Unlike Trigwells (2012) findings of university teachers with negative experiences of teacher-centred approaches, Ann used student-centred approaches such as role-plays. Her empathy with her disadvantaged learners gave her a different pedagogic approach, unlike Trigwells teachers. She also believed that teachers needed to be aware of their intrapersonal and interpersonal weaknesses and suggested therapy for those before teaching. This philosophy resonated with Schutzs (2006) findings. Anns life experiences of therapeutic help when, as a teenage, she lost her mother, gave her a greater awareness of herself and those around her. She used this negative life emotional know-how to provide a positive educational approach to her disadvantaged charges.

Lou, a female in her 30s, taught dance and Feldenkrais movement in adult and community settings. She worked five hours per week for five years. Trained as a dancer in the UK and Switzerland, Lou then toured the Continent with a dance company before turning to teach.

Lous relational, emotional plane covers pedagogic, life and occupational know-how. She referred to her negative learning experience of lactic acid poisoning in her dance programme as her dance teacher was not aware of this phenomenon. This phenomenon included forgetting dance movements, feeling fatigued and body pains. This negative learning experience is different from Hastings (2004) findings. She used her learning experiences to positively engage with her learners by adopting physical exercises as strategies to prevent her learners from experiencing lactic acid poisoning (pedagogic know-how). She learnt this phenomenon from her friend in physical education (life experience). She applied her know-how when touring with a European contemporary dance group (occupational experience) (Cross and Hong, 2012).

Cori, a female teacher in her 50s, teaches dental hygiene in a higher education institution half of her time, and practices as a dental hygienist in the other half of her time.

Cori features a socio-political emotional plane from the three forms of emotional knowledge: pedagogic, life and occupation. She sees her teaching in dental hygiene as of a higher status than her occupational role as a dental hygienist. At the institution level (Zembylas, 2007), she is teaching at a university on the first-degree course of dental hygiene with an affiliation to a professional body she views this as of higher social standing than being a dental hygienist. Culturally (Zembylas, 2007), the difference in the status of the two activities enabled her to 'become' the lecturer. But, there are pedagogic constraints. These constraints included the wider coverage of the course curriculum as well as that of the professional body's regulations. These constraints prevented her from offering more holistic learning experiences to her learners.

Regarding her life experiences, she mentioned the time she, as a parent, waited at the school gates to collect her child while conversing with other parents. She felt that her role as a parent was different from that of a lecturer and a dental hygienist. As a parent, she provided emotional care and support to her offspring while attending school and other extra-curricular activities. Being a university lecturer, she was viewed as an expert in her field, which was science-related. As a dental hygienist, she was seen as of lower professional status to a dentist. However, slightly of a higher standing to a person at the front desk. Nevertheless, Cori's different socially constructed ways of being offered a broader dimension to those by Schutz et al. (2006) and Cross and Hong (2012).

Turning to Cori's occupational emotional know-how, tension exists between her teaching obligation to cover the professional requirements on the one hand, and offering her learners a more extensive curriculum and learning experience than that prescribed in the professional standards on the other.

O'Connor (2008) classifies this emotional tension as performative, professional and philosophical. In Cori's case, one pressure is inter-related. Her educational activities, as a lecturer, are symbiotically linked to her occupational practices, as a dental hygienist. The other tension is a philosophical one: that of a holistic pedagogical approach on the one hand and the demands and constraints of covering the course curriculum and professional accreditation requirements on the other side. These two tensions are not featured in O'Connor's findings.

The above delineations, using Zembylass (2007) three planes of emotional ecology, provided new narratives using a teachers pedagogic, life and occupational experiences.

Dr Sai Loo, UCL Institute of Education, University College London

Sai Loo (PhD, MA, BSc, FHEA, ACA, FETC) has taught in FE and worked in industry as a Chartered Accountant. Sai has published over 120 articles, conference papers and keynotes (84 per cent are single-authored) including six research monographs with Routledge. His research area is occupational education across teaching, learning and work settings from pre-university to professional education.

In the final article, I will focus on teacher education/training as an approach to widen participation in the FE sector.

References

Cross, D. I., Hong, J. Y. 2012 An ecological examination of teachers emotions in the school context. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28: 957967.

Hastings, W. 2004 Emotions and the practicum: the cooperating teachers perspective.

Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 10(2): 135148.

Loo, S. 2019 Further Education, Professional and Occupational Pedagogy: Knowledge and Experiences. Abingdon: Routledge.

OConnor, K. E. 2008 You choose to care: teachers, emotions and professional identity. Teaching and Teachers Education, 24(1): 117-126.

Schutz, P. A., Hong, J. Y., Cross, D. L., Osbon, J. N. 2006 Reflections on investigating emotion in educational activity settings. Educational Psychology Review, 18(4): 343360.

Trigwell, K. 2012 Relations between teachers emotions in teaching and their approaches to teaching in higher education. Instructional Science, 40: 607621.

Zembylas, M. 2007 Emotional ecology: the intersection of emotional knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23: 355367.

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If the world had been as it should be and not this horrifying mess in which we find ourselves,Arkansas,the directorial debut fromHot Tub Time Machine star Clark Duke, would have made its debut in March at South by Southwest. No doubt its amiable mix of shuffle-footed philosophizing and chicken-fried crime shenanigans would have found an welcome home among the badge-wearing hipsters and the brisket.

Instead, it is available to be beamed into our stressed-out and cluttered living spaces as of May 5, and it arrives as a strange hybrid. At once, the film is a drive-in feature unspooling the tale of a couple of unambitious low-level dealers (Liam Hemsworth and Duke) stumbling ass backwards into a war with their unseen (by them) boss man, Frog (Vince Vaughn) and also a multigenerational, anthropological study of the inner workings of the drug trade in the Deep South, almost like a truncated AMC show.

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Early on, the prospect of taking the film seriously is almost done in by a wink-wink, nudge-nudge self-awareness thats poured over the dialogue like icing on a Cinnabon, calling attention to the artifice of the endeavor for no particular purpose other than why not. Theres John Malkovich at his most preening and mannered (the bar is high) playing a middleman who fronts as a park ranger tasked with overseeing the bumbling pair. The line is, May you dream of offered tits,' he says as a way of bidding the fellows goodnight, all the while practically jamming his elbow into your ribcage.

But as the film moves beyond its choppy first segment (like an extra large TV dinner, Arkansas is helpfully portioned into five chapters), it shakes off some of its early air quotes and discovers its own laconic rhythm.

The story slowly reveals itself as something of a corrective to the typical presentations of organized crime as run by ruthless Machiavellian masterminds. As it does, the characters emerge as more complicated and engaging than the initial setup would suggest they were capable. It is further aided by classic turns from star Hemsworth and, most pleasingly, Vaughn as his opposite number; the two handle the films dramatic heavy lifting and curious tone shifts with a deadly serious sense of purpose that is leavened with just the right dusting of irony.

ARKANSAS 1/2 (2.5/4 stars) Directed by: Clark Duke Written by: Clark Duke and Andrew Boonkrong (screenplay); John Brandon (novel) Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Clark Duke, Vince Vaughn, Eden Brolin, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Kenneth Williams, Chandler Duke and John Malkovich Running time: 115 mins.

From the get gowith its Elmore Leonardstyled setup and Kyles Linklater-esque voiceover through which he ruminates about his philosophy of lifeArkansas has the feel of an indie movie from one generation earlier. Its flashes of extreme violence, including a scene in which Malkovich is tortured by a Louisiana hayseed (played by Clarks younger brother Chandler Duke), call to mind that eras endless rush of dime store Tarantino knock-offs. Adding to this patina of 90s nostalgia are the Flaming Lips, who provide songs for the soundtrack and make an appearance in the film as a bar band.

But there turns out to be something much more gentle and nuanced in the way Duke develops these characters and teases out their surprisingly rich and complex relationships. In fact, he pulls this trick off twice: once with the no-nonsense Kyle and the chain-smoking jokester Swin, and again in flashbacks that show how Frog went from knickknack salesman to drug lord right under the nose of his mentor Almond, played byThe Wires Michael Kenneth Williams, who lends the proceedings much-needed gravitas.

The first-time director also shows a knack for building tension within a scene, including one on a houseboat withKill Bill mamba Vivica A. Fox. (Her characters name in Arkansas is Her.) Eden Brolin also gives a lovely, layered performance as Johnna, a nurse who serves as a love interest for Dukes character.

Overall, it is the performers that give the story life and allowArkansas to rise above some of its shallower instincts, which include a garish costume design that seems to posit the idea that people from the South dress like rodeo clowns. Hemsworth in particular brings a truth and measured heartbreak to his portrayal of someone who has been forced to glimpse how the world works and deeply wished he hadnt.

No matter the size of the screen or the corniness of dialogue,Arkansasproves that strong acting from game performers can make even the most harebrained of endeavors brim with vitality and necessity.

Arkansas is available to stream at Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube.

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Arkansas Is a Chicken-Fried Southern Crime Throwback to the 90s - Observer

2020 Chicago Blackhawks Draft Profile: Jacob Perreault by Jimmy Lynch

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

As of the start of the 2019-20 NHL season, Corey Crawford had been with the Chicago Blackhawks organization for 13 years and counting. Although many fans knew of him even in the early years, his spotlight began to shine a lot brighter as he took over the crease for the 2010-11 season. He played 57 games that year and racked up 33 wins, along with a .917 save percentage, 2.30 goals-against average, and four shutouts.

In his first six of his first seven seasons with the Blackhawks as a starter, he played in at least 55 games, taking full control as the teams number one netminder. In that span, Crawford won two Stanley Cups, made it to the three All-Star games, and was awarded two William M. Jennings trophies as part of the goalie tandem with the fewest goals scored against.

Things were progressing nicely for Crawfords career and his stats in a Blackhawks uniform, but that would begin to be challenged a few months into the 2017-18 season.

Crawford started to battle a variety of injuries, opening up the door and opportunity for other goalies to steal the crease that he once called his home. The team has since seen eight other goalies start games for them between the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons, includingScott Darling, Jeff Glass, Anton Forsberg, Jean-Francois Berube, Cam Ward, Collin Delia,Robin Lehner, and Malcolm Subban.

The acquisition of Lehner this past offseason seemed to be a self-awareness statement from the Blackhawks, signaling that a more permanent change in net was about to become their reality. Even as the team struggled to fight for a wild card spot, Lehner was racking up decent numbers with a 16-10-5 record. But then came the trade deadline and he was dealt with the Vegas Golden Knights for Subban.

The Blackhawks were left with Crawford and Subban to ride out the rest of the season. It seemed unlikely that they would be making it into the playoffs, but the team continued to battle onward.

Crawfords calmness and resiliency have always been a noticeably respectable part of his game. His ability to bounce back after a bad goal, forgettable night, or tough injury is commendable. Hes had unparalleled success for the team and brought them to places they may not have reached if not for his work and accomplishments.

As this team moves forward in hopes to regain some of the success that became all too familiar in years past, major changes should be considered if the current equation isnt calculating as they want it to.

The Blackhawks may need someone younger, more agile, and with greater endurance between the pipes. But its questionable if Subban is that goalie. Outside of a solid run in the goaltending mix with the Golden Knights, specifically, as he was thrust into starting more games asMarc Andre Fleury was plagued with injuries of his own, Subban has struggled to find consistency in his game. He has already played for three NHL teams in his only five seasons in the league thus far. Although he is shaping up to be a good choice at number two, he doesnt seem ready to take over the crease as his own just yet.

Crawford is 35 with a $6,000,000 AAV and will become a UFA for the 2020-21 season. The Blackhawks do have modest depth in the goaltending position. Most notably, and outside of the acquisition of a proven veteran who can skate right into the starters crease, the focus should be on Delia. At 25 years old, and with a number of starts (and wins) already accumulated on his Blackhawks resume, he would be a solid choice to kickstart next season and see where he might be able to steer this squad.

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Corey Crawford has earned his wins, awards, and respect. He will forever hold his rightful place in Chicago Blackhawks history. And we may never know how this roster would have ended the year, but one question still remains: Who will be in net at the start, and the end, of their next successful season?

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Are Corey Crawfords best days with the Blackhawks behind him? - Blackhawk Up

ALLEN PARK -- Millions of words have been spilled evaluating this years NFL draft class. Some are good, others are, well, you know.

But nobody knows these guys quite like the beat writers who have watched their games every week, talked to them in locker rooms, in some cases even seen them as high-schoolers.

With that in mind, weve brought together college beat writers who covered each of Detroits draft picks in college to get a more intimate feel for what exactly the Lions are getting in their 2020 class -- a class that is expected to play an immediate and pivotal role in Detroits chances of getting this thing together under Matt Patricia.

Without further ado ...

JEFF OKUDAH

Position: Cornerback

School: Ohio State

Hometown: Grand Prairie, Texas

Size: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds

Pick: First round (third overall)

Analysis from Ari Wasserman of The Athletic: "Maybe you dont believe in recruiting stars, but Jeff Okudah is the type of player who proves their worth. A physical cornerback with length, Okudah looked like a future first-round draft pack when he was a five-star prospect in high school in the Dallas area because he has the prototypical body. But at Ohio State, he exceeded expectations in every other realm of being a football player, most notably with his desire to achieve the greatness his recruiting profile promised.

"Okudahs hunger to be the next great Ohio State defensive back turned into a dominant season with stats that seem made up. Okudah allowed only six receptions the entire 2019 season of more than 15 yards (all of which happened while he was playing off-coverage) and he was flagged only once the entire season (for a late hit in the Michigan game). That means no pass interference calls. With his long arms, fluid hips and next-level footwork, there was no chance he was going to come off the board after No. 3 overall, even if there were some rumors that Detroit was considering trading down. At a place like Ohio State, which has had eight cornerbacks selected in the past seven drafts, including six in the first round, Okudah may be the best of all of them from attitude to reliability to, of course, production.

A week after Okudah arrived at Ohio State, he lost his mother, Marie, to lymphoma. Though he told me he never wanted to be defined by the loss of his mother -- or any tragedy -- he used the discussions he had with his mother as a child and through his recruitment to fuel his vision. Okudah is one of the more down-to-earth stars youll find in college football, and when it comes to character, there is nobody you can put ahead of him. Obviously there have been plenty of NFL Draft busts in the past, but when you talk about the total package, Okudah is the perfect type of player and person on which you want to stake the future of your franchise.

Ari Wasserman covers Ohio State football and recruiting for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here, his work here, and his deep-dive on Jeff Okudah here.

Related: The Lions may have missed an opportunity, but gained a star in Jeff Okudah

DANDRE SWIFT

Position: Running back

School: Georgia

Hometown: Philadelphia

Size: 5-foot-8, 212 pounds

Pick: Second round (35th overall)

Analysis from Seth Emerson of The Athletic: "DAndre Swift came to Georgia with the odds stacked against him seeing the field much as a freshman with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel back for their senior seasons. And yet by the end of that season, the one in which Georgia would come out of nowhere to nearly win the national championship, it wasnt just a two-headed monster in the backfield. Swift had willed himself into making it a three-tailback attack.

"Thats the kind of talent that Swift brings to the Lions. When healthy, he is dynamic, explosive and a difference-maker. And one who perhaps doesnt get his due at Georgia, simply because of the illustrious tailbacks that preceded him. Yet it is he who now holds the program record for most average yards per carry (6.56). Swift finished his career seventh on Georgias all-time rushing yards list, despite sharing time with Chubb and Michel as a freshman, Elijah Holyfield (a fellow 1,000-yard rusher) as a sophomore, and being occasionally nicked up as a junior, including one injury that limited him to just three carries in Georgias final two games. He still finished the season with 1,218 rushing yards, fourth-most by a junior in Georgia history.

"And its not just running the ball. Swift caught 73 passes for 666 yards and five touchdowns over his three college seasons. And it probably shouldve been more, but for whatever reason he wasnt as involved as he could have been in the passing game. His frame -- 5-foot-9 but strong (215 pounds) and fast -- made him seemingly ideal for getting the ball in space.

But when called upon, Swift could also bang the ball straight ahead for yards too. He was the home-run threat who ended up succeeding more on singles and doubles. There was an under-appreciated consistency to Swift, who didnt rack up huge games -- his career high was 186 yards -- but never rushed for fewer than 70 yards in any game where he had at least 15 rushes. (He was 12-for-12 in that category.)

Seth Emerson covers Georgia football and athletics for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here, more of his DAndre Swift analysis here and more of his overall work here.

Related: Why we liked the Lions draft so much

JULIAN OKWARA

Position: EDGE

School: Notre Dame

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.

Size: 6-foot-4 252 pounds

Pick: Third round (67th overall)

Analysis from Pete Sampson of The Athletic: "On his own, Julian Okwara is a typical third-round draft pick with more assets (length, natural strength) than deficiencies (senior year production). What makes him interesting in the context of the Detroit Lions is how different he is from his older brother, Romeo.

"Both were developmental prospects when they came to Notre Dame, but Romeo was a broad-shouldered athlete and completely raw as a pass rusher. He was introspective and thoughtful, a mature personality when he showed up. Julian is more of a slender build and able to beat offensive tackles one-on-one regularly. Hes also more a free spirit whose maturity was so much in question early that Brian Kelly joked that the idea of him being a senior captain was laughable.

"But the Julian Okwara heading to Detroit has grown up through both success and failure. He was a terror as a junior and one of the few Notre Dame players who looked the part against Clemson in the College Football Playoff. But he never quite launched from there, missing on personal goals of All-American status and double-digit sacks. Even before his broken leg suffered against Duke in early November, Okwaras senior season felt disappointing. He finished with just four sacks, one against Bowling Green and the other three against Virginia. He failed to impact Notre Dames bigger games against Georgia, USC and Michigan.

Okwara comes to Detroit aware that last fall created questions about his game. But that self-awareness should serve him well in the NFL. For whatever he wasnt last fall, theres a reason why so many saw him as a potential first-round pick after his junior year.

Pete Sampson covers Notre Dame football and athletics for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

Related: Julian Okwara blown away by opportunity to play with brother in Detroit

JONAH JACKSON

Position: Guard

School: Ohio State

Hometown: Media, Pa

Size: 6-foot-3, 306 pounds

Pick: Third round (75th overall)

Analysis from Ari Wasserman of The Athletic: "Jonah Jackson spent the majority of his college football career on a team that couldnt compete with its counterparts in the Big Ten, which made his move from Rutgers to Ohio State so dramatic. He went from being a captain at one of the worst programs in America to the new guy at one of the best.

"But Jackson blended into Ohio States culture immediately and more than filled his role as a plug-and-play guy. Not only was Jackson a serviceable starter, which was Ryan Days intention for him, he became one of the best interior linemen in college football.

If you want to know why the Lions traded up for Jackson, its because of his long arms, large hands and his strong, powerful build, and his versatility to play both guard spots or even center. He is NFL-ready after playing five years of college football and should be ready to compete for a starting spot in the interior offensive line in Detroit.

Ari Wasserman covers Ohio State football and recruiting for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

Related: The Lions traded up to go get Jonan Jackson in the third round

LOGAN STENBERG

Position: Guard

School: Kentucky

Hometown: Madison, Ala.

Size: 6-foot-6, 317 pounds

Pick: Fourth round (121st overall)

Analysis from Jon Hale of the Courier-Journal: "No one around Kentucky's program talks about Logan Stenberg without first mentioning his passion and intensity. Even before he developed into an All-SEC lineman, Stenberg was singled out by teammates as one of the fiercest competitors on the team.

'It makes me laugh because hes a big dude with a pony tail, so its hard to take him serious,' linebacker Denzil Ware once said of Stenberg. "but when he puts his hand down and comes off the ball, its like a big train coming to get you. You got to be careful what you say to him, because he might end your life.'

"As Kentucky redefined its offense around a smash-mouth run game that saw running back Benny Snell (Steelers) become the programs all-time leading rusher and Lynn Bowden (Raiders) lead the SEC in rushing last season, Stenberg became the key cog in the offensive line that paved the way. Interior linemen might not generally be a priority in the draft, but UK coaches have been convinced for some time Stenberg will have a long NFL career.

Stenbergs main area of improvement is clear too. That emotion and intensity too often resulted in personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during his senior season. He likely would have played almost every important snap if he had not been removed from games a few times out of fear of a penalty stalling a drive. How well he can harness his natural intensity in a positive way will say much about his NFL success.

Jon Hale covers Kentucky football and athletics for the Courier-Journal. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

Related: Lions get bigger, whole lot nastier with first back-to-back guard picks since 1978

QUINTEZ CEPHUS

Position: Receiver

School: Wisconsin

Hometown: Macon, Ga.

Size: 6-foot-1, 202 pounds

Pick: Fifth round (166th overall)

Analysis from Jesse Temple of The Athletic: "When Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst was asked last season about the impact receiver Quintez Cephus had on the team, he generally cited Cephus infectious personality rather than on-field stats. Cephus was called a connector because of his natural ability to bring people together from different backgrounds, and that kind of positivity likely will be noticed in an NFL locker room. Of course, a big reason the Lions drafted Cephus is because of how he can help the team between the lines. What Cephus brings is a physical presence and a willingness to do the dirty work that helps the team.

"Cephus was Wisconsins go-to pass-catching threat last season, and it wasnt even close. He was targeted a team-high 94 times, 50 more than any other player on the team. He also was targeted 62 times on snaps in which he lined up out wide, according to Sports Info Solutions, one more than all the other Badgers wide receivers combined. He was at his best in the biggest moments late last season, which included catching seven passes for 122 yards against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. That performance prompted Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, now Cephus teammate as the Lions No. 3 pick in the NFL draft, to declare at the NFL combine that Cephus was the best wide receiver he faced in college.

Cephus completely changed the dynamic for Wisconsins offense because he was a consistent downfield presence. But he also was a willing blocker and could be seen out in front on several occasions springing teammates down the sideline on jet sweeps to the edge. His 4.73-second 40-yard dash at the combine raised questions about his speed, but he did drop that number to 4.56 seconds at his pro day. The former high school basketball star (who almost went to Furman on a college basketball scholarship) can make up for any shortcomings with top-end speed with his body positioning, strength and ability to grab the ball at its apex in traffic. He can make tough catches, does not go down easily and should be an asset for the Lions.

Jesse Temple covers Wisconsin football for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

JASON HUNTLEY

Position: Running back/returner

School: New Mexico State

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Size: 5-foot-8, 182 pounds

Pick: Fifth round (172nd overall)

Analysis from Jason Groves of the Las Cruces Sun News: "As far as Jason Huntley off the field, he was always a quiet guy who went about his business on the football team and as a student. At the same time, he was very confident of his ability and always a student of the game.

"For example, he predicted over 200 yards and three touchdowns prior to a home game against rival UTEP this year, then he went out and did it. He also knew exactly where he stood in terms of school records and really wanted the NCAA kickoff return record last year.

"His speed is why I believe he was picked up where he was, and that should translate to an NFL field. He has told me he has been working on punt return since he left school, which is something he did not do in college. Most of his receptions were swing passes out of the backfield. When he lined up in the slot, he mostly ran drags, outs and vertical routes, so Im not sure how that would translate at the NFL level.

One of the things that stood out to me the most was durability. Hes a smaller player, but I dont think he was ever injured or even missed a practice, despite his usage greatly increasing the past two years.

Jason Groves covers New Mexico State football and athletics for the Las Cruces Sun News. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

Related: Early pro day performance helps Jason Huntley land in Detroit

JOHN PENISINI

Position: Defensive tackle

School: Utah

Hometown: West Jordan, Utah

Size: 6-foot-1, 313 pounds

Pick: Sixth round (197th overall)

Analysis from Chris Kamrani of The Athletic: "John Penisini is a hard man to move. Hes also a very big man. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 330 pounds during his days at Utah, Penisini thrived as one of the Utes run-stopping defensive tackles. Against the run, he was one of the best nose tackles in the Pac-12, routinely plugging gaps and taking the pressure off his fellow defensive linemen. Thats why he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

"He will help the Lions win the line of scrimmage, which is obviously a priority for a defensive-minded head coach in Matt Patricia. NFL scouts loved Penisinis motor and were routinely impressed by his unrelenting approach to the game. His coaches always said: John Penisini does not stop. And when you have a defensive tackle on the inside who does not give up on plays, that means hell allow someone else to flourish.

He needs to improve on his pass-rushing skills and develop moves beyond relying on his pure brute strength up the middle. But if he stays healthy, theres no reason he cant be a rotational inside presence for Detroit. He is as laid back as they come, too, a friendly and cordial defensive tackle who should have no issue assimilating in an NFL locker room.

Chris Kamrani covers Utah football and athletics for The Athletic. You can find him on Twitter here and more of his work here.

JASHON CORNELL

Position: Defensive tackle

School: Ohio State

Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.

Size: 6-foot-3, 287 pounds

Pick: Seventh round (235th overall)

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Beat writer roundtable: Breaking down every Lions draft pick with those who know them best - MLive.com

As states start reopening their economies, and building reactivates, construction firms are giving more serious thought to how they can provide a safer environment for their employees and subs.

Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction, in collaboration with trade unions, industry peer groups, and other firms, has rolled out a COVID-19 safety plan for its project sites across the country.

The coronavirus has very quickly required a drastic change to the world, and specifically, to our construction industry, says Les Hiscoe, Shawmuts CEO. Through technology partnerships, pilot programs, and grassroots innovation by our project team members in the field, we have created efficient, enhanced safety guidelines. Protecting our employees and everyone on our jobsites is our top priority, so we are engaging in real-time, adapting to our new environments requirements almost instantly, and never missing a beat.

The plan includes safety protocols, new jobsite innovation, and COVID-19 risk assessment and response. Shawmut has developed a new custom technology platform thats designed to check for COVID-19 symptoms and to manage contact tracing.

Called Shawmut Vitals, the platform allows employees and subs to self-certify daily health screenings by scanning a job-specific QR code, and then filling out a health survey. Employees who are symptomatic or have been exposed to someone whos infected or at-risk will be flagged for further care or action.

Team members can access information on their mobile devices.

Also See: Nonresidential construction spending declines in March as pandemic halts projects

Shawmut has also mobilized platforms and technologies like SmartVid.io and Feevr to monitor safety compliance, enforce social distancing, and screen personnel for fevers.

The firms plan outlines stringent guidelines for self-awareness and reporting. A dedicated COVID-19 officer will be on site 100% of the time to enforce protocols, which include limiting any worker gatherings to no more than five people. Crews might be minimized and work shifts staggered.

Health screening guidelines, self-reporting, and all best practices will be reviewed regularly and reinforced with on-site signage, written in English and Spanish and located in high-traffic areas. Shawmut will ensure that an adequate amount of hand-washing stations will be available throughout all sites, with each unit at least six feet apart. For tasks that require more than one person for completion, additional PPE will be required.

Following infection-control guidelines has been central to the safety and health of flooring installation professionals. Image: International Standards and Training Alliance

John T. McGrath, Jr., Executive Director of the International Standards and Training Alliance (INSTALL), an industry-endorsed floorcovering installation training and certification program, points out in a recent essay that floorcovering professionals have long understood the importance of health and safety on the jobsite, as spelled out in Infection Construction Risk Assessment (ICRA) standards and protocols, which are now being applied to battle the spread of COVID-19.

Compliance with ICRA standards and protocols helps safeguard patients from potential contaminants during renovation or construction of healthcare projects.

McGrath points out that the United Brotherhood of Carpenters ICRA course teaches techniques for containing pathogens, controlling airflow, protecting patients, and for completing work without disrupting adjacent operations.

As COVID-19 began to spread in North America, the union worked with ICRA to expedite an online short course for contractors in the field. INSTALL (which is the unions floorcovering arm) works with contractors to employ ICRA so construction teams can classify work areas to minimize risk, adhere to protocols, and communicate to the facilitys team.

Different states had different criteria for allowing construction to proceed during the pandemic. In markets where construction was deemed essential, ICRA certification has played a major role in helping healthcare systems find and specify trained contractors in [their] region,says DeAnn Richards, Infection Preventionist and ICRA Consultant, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

Also See: Apartment Firms Reactivation Plans Begin to Take Shape

Jayson Karas, that Councils ICRA Facilitator, notes that major contractors with ICRA training and experience have stepped up to create a roundtable and discussion forum within the six-state region. They were prepared ahead of time for this crisis by working with hospital networks to take stock of PPE and necessary equipment like HEPA filters, Karas states.

Rick Okraszewski, Industry Outreach/ICRA (retired) for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, says that his Council has provided training for more than a dozen years. The new curriculum adds nuance surrounding COVID-19, he says.

Aside from ICRA compliance, McGrath says there are some simple procedures that construction professionals can follow to curtail the spread of disease on jobsites. The first step, he says, is to develop a COVID-19 response team with representations from all levels of the organization. Contractors should also create a company specific COVID-19 response plan, and ensure that each jobsite has a safety committee.

Prohibit gatherings of more than 10 people, and provide necessary hygienic supplies including handwashing stations, cleaning/disinfectant solutions, portable toilets, and barrier-free trash receptacles.

McGrath adds that one of the most important things that foremen and project managers can do right now is to monitor employee health and send ill workers home. They should also ensure that common areas and items are cleaned and disinfected regularly.

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Making jobsites safer in the COVID-19 world - Building Design + Construction

OTTAWA, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - A Nanos Research poll, conducted on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), has found that many people in Canada have seen their stress levels double since the onset of COVID-19.

The survey of 1,049 Canadian residents conducted between April 25 and 27 sheds new light on the way people are describing their mental health during COVID-19, as well as what they are doing to improve it.

The number of participants who reported feeling stressed regularly or all the time has more than doubled since the onset of COVID-19, with fears over physical well-being and personal finances cited as the primary reasons. They are also aware of a decline in their mental health, with nearly 40 per cent reporting that their mental health is worse or somewhat worse than before the outbreak. But, despite their self-awareness, more than three in four people report that, over the last month, they have almost never or never sought mental health information online.

"The 'I'm fine' theme of this year's Mental Health Week captures the key message of this poll," said Louise Bradley, president and CEO of the MHCC.

"When we say we are 'fine,' we may not always mean it. I hope this survey reminds everyone that it's normal to feel stressed, anxious, or preoccupied during this outbreak. There is no shame in admitting as much, and there is certainly no shame in taking advantage of all the resources at your disposal to help you feel better."

Fortunately, more online mental health resources than ever are available right now, and the list is growing. The MHCC's own COVID-19 Resource Hubincludes curated tips, guides, and other tools to help improve mental health during the outbreak. The federal government has also recently launched its Wellness Together Canadaportal to provide mental health resources and connect people with the support they need.

"We must not only fight the virus. We've also got to fight the stigma that is likely preventing people from feeling comfortable seeking help and support," said Bradley. "The more we invest in our wellness now, the better off we will be on the other side of COVID-19."

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New Nanos poll reveals people in Canada are more stressed in the era of COVID-19 - Canada NewsWire

MEADVILLE, Pa. (PRWEB) May 06, 2020

I Am: a heartwarming collection of Bible passages for girls that teaches them lessons on compassion, self-esteem, and faith that nurture their souls. I Am is the creation of published author A. Nicole, a family nurse practitioner and cofounder of With Open Arms Ministry.

A. Nicole shares, As a child of God, it is important for you to know exactly who you are in Christ. In a world filled with upsets, disappointments, and challenges, it is easy to believe the negative situations. Be of good cheer, The Great I AM has conquered all of those challenges and has created you to overcome each one. This book is a small reminder of the bigger present He has designed in you, the perfect image of Him. You are whom He says you are, nothing more and nothing less. Each page should be a reminder to each girl and young lady reading this that His love is greater than what the world says you are!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, A. Nicoles new book is a potent teaching tool that parents and educators can use to inspire children the significance of having God in their hearts to lead them toward grace and blessing.

This book is dedicated to the youth to instill in them to embark on a journey of self-awareness in the light of Gods Word and the knowledge of His love in their lives.

View the synopsis of I Am on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase I Am at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about I Am, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.

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A. Nicole's newly released I Am is a resounding book for girls of all ages that imparts inspiring scriptures on identity and self-worth - PR Web