Exercise Your Mind - 11/08/06

Election 2006

• You have your marching orders…. — Nicole Belle @ Crooks and Liars reminds us of the Republican’s “Contract with America” when they took control of Congress in 1994.
  

  This year’s election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.

  Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act “with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.” To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.
  

  Let’s hope that the Democrats learn from the Republicans’ mistakes.

• A Remedy for Negative Political Ads — Paul Silver @ Donklephant has a remedy for all of those negative, deceitful ads since there’s not likely to be any law regulating truth in political advertising anytime soon.
  

  Perhaps the solution lies in changing the geometry of the question. Instead of trying to regulate the content of ads, we use public funds (or funds from the Parties) to run a frequent public service message that corrects the inaccuracies of any recent ads - perhaps produced by the Factcheck.org folks. Since a candidate would not want to have the airwaves filled with objective criticism they would be inclined to stay as reasonable and civil as possible.

• A Remedy for Election Tampering– Paul Silver @ Donklephant also thinks there should be a reward for information leading to a conviction in crimes related to election tampering.

More

Tags: 2006 election, Republicans, Contract with America, Contress, ethics, scandal, Democrats, negative political ads, election tampering, politics, factcheck.org, DHS, TSA, passports, Hasan Elahi, FBI, mental illness, anxiety, depression

Demythtifying Mental Illness & The 100 Comment Challenge

I found the below on demythtifying mental illness at Brony’s blog, Parenting with a Mental Illness .  She closed out Mental Health Awareness Week by posting her 100th post on a blog she started “in part to create awareness of what it is like to have a mental illness.”  With this 100th post, she wants to meet 100 new people and generate 100 comments.  So please head over and comment on her 100th post and add your name to the 100 new people.  While you’re there, you might check out her other 99 posts too and become a little more aware about what it’s like to be a parent with a mental illness.
Oh, and here’s a teaser:

In Honour of Demthytifying Mental Illness, here are some common myths:

• People who have a mental illness are just “crazy
• Depression and other illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, do not affect children or adolescents.
• People with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are usually dangerous and violent.
• Addiction is a lifestyle choice and shows a lack of willpower. People with a substance abuse problem are morally weak or “bad”.
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as “shock treatment,” is painful and barbaric.
• People with mental illness are poor and/or less intelligent.
• Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness.
• Mental illness is a single, rare disorder.
• Mental illness only happens to people with a family history.
• Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
• People with a mental illness are unable to function well.
• Depression and anxiety disorders are part of growing up.
• Mentally ill employees tend to be second-rate workers.
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) happens only after you fight in a war. That’s why it’s called shell shock.
• Depression is all in your head.
• Mental illness is the result of bad parenting.
• Schizophrenia means “split personality,” and there is no way to control it.
• Mental illness does not strike the “average person.”
• Mental illness is not a serious health problem today.
• Most people with a mental illness are receiving treatment.
• Mental illness is not like other “Physical” diseases.
• Most people who are mentally ill live in mental hospitals or on the streets.

Fact: Don’t be too quick to judge. Someone you knows suffers from a mental illness.

Tags: mental illness, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, Mental Health Awareness Week