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IT’S A DAY of rest, and you may be in the mood for a quiet corner and a comfy chair.
We’ve hand-picked some of the week’s best reads for you to savour.
A religious sect which believed that if you didn’t sin, you would live forever took over a small town in Illinois. Former members alleged physical abuse, isolation and worshipping its pastor as a deity. What happened next? Guthrie Scrimgeour takes a deep dive into ‘The Perfect Church’.
(Rolling Stone, approx 26 mins reading time)
A wealthy woman, she loaned money generously — several in the room were in debt to her. Others looked to a self-published book of Rose’s teachings for spiritual guidance. She had served as the officiant at many of their weddings, and had even arranged the marriages of several couples in the audience. Some congregants had completely cut off communication with their own parents or grandparents because their families wouldn’t match their devotion to Rose and the church. Although Rose had been more than 80 years old, her death was completely unexpected. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Because Rose could not die. It had been explained to Morris and the other children in the church over and over again. This was essential to their beliefs, separating them from the other Pentecostal churches in surrounding rural Illinois — if you were without sin, you would live forever. Rose was, of course, without sin. It was understood that at some point during the service Rose was supposed to rise from the dead. So they waited.
A powerful investigation into the horrific exploitation, abuse and in some cases, murder, of East African women working as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, and the people who profit off them.
(The New York Times, approx 14 mins reading time)
While the departure terminal hums with anticipation, the arrivals area is where hope meets grim reality. Hollow-cheeked women return, often ground down by unpaid wages, beatings, starvation and sexual assault. Some are broke. Others are in coffins. At least 274 Kenyan workers, mostly women, have died in Saudi Arabia in the past five years — an extraordinary figure for a young work force doing jobs that, in most countries, are considered extremely safe. At least 55 Kenyan workers died last year, twice as many as the previous year. Autopsy reports are vague and contradictory. They describe women with evidence of trauma, including burns and electric shocks, all labeled natural deaths. One woman’s cause of death was simply “brain dead.” An untold number of Ugandans have died, too, but their government releases no data.
We all have a cry every now and then, but some people cry more than others. As a self-confessed constant weeper, Lynn Enright set out to find out why that is.
(Elle, approx 5 mins reading time)
OK, so I must take some responsibility for my daughter’s proneness to tears… But why do I cry? Why do any of us cry? Humans are unique in shedding emotional tears: other animals yowl and yelp but those wet sobs, that’s only us. ‘The reason why humans cry is that we feel a strong need for support or comfort from others,’ says Dr Vingerhoets. ‘That’s also how it starts, of course: as infants, we cry when we feel a strong need for food or for physical contact or warmth. But as we grow older, it’s also true that we cry because we feel a strong need for comfort – in essence, the reason we cry is not different: we want to make contact with others. When people see others in tears, that has an impact on their feelings of empathy and their willingness to provide support.’
The four-part Netflix series starring Stephen Graham is being hailed by critics as some of the best television in decades. Michael Hogan writes about why it is so powerful.
(The Guardian, approx 8 mins reading time)
Each episode of Adolescence is shot in the same seamless style, without a single edit. It’s not only a stunning technical accomplishment – exactly how does it flow from overhead crane shot to in-your-face closeup, from corridor to car interior to play park, without us seeing the joins? – but it lends an immersive, unflinching immediacy to proceedings. The camera never leaves the action. Neither can we. It’s no flashy gimmick but a way of ratcheting up the thrumming real-time tension. Rarely has a state secondary school been so vividly portrayed as in episode two. It’s Grange Hill with smartphones and security lanyards. When Bascombe and his sidekick DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) complain about the stink, noise and claustrophobic chaos, the audience feel it too.
Gossip might actually be good for us. You didn’t hear that from me – but from Kelsey McKinney, a US journalist and podcast host who explores our fascination with other people’s lives and sets out to change how we view gossipping in her new book.
(The New Yorker, approx 17 mins reading time)
Gossip is amusing, even salacious, yes, but she wants to show that it is serious, too. Alongside discussions of TMZ, “Mean Girls,” and the “Real Housewives” franchise, we get sprinklings of science: citations of philosophers, anthropologists, neuroscientists, ethicists, and one senior lecturer in “the propagation of narratives and cognitive bias” at the University of Winchester. Studies are described, the neocortex invoked. McKinney’s big point is that gossip is a fundamentally human behavior, and she does not tire of making it. “While other species can communicate with one another, none can weave tales the way we can,” she tells us, lest we credit dolphins as nature’s true raconteurs. That distinction may not last long. McKinney reports that she asked ChatGPT to dish dirt, only to be turned down. “I understand your curiosity, but I must reiterate that I’m here to provide respectful and informative assistance,” the program primly informed her. When I recently tried the same trick, ChatGPT was over its qualms. “I love a little bit of gossip!” it announced. Artificial intelligence is gaining on us. At least we’ll go down talking shit.
Canadian actress and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney was held by US immigration officials for two weeks in multiple detention centres which are privately run for profit. She tells the story of what she experienced, and the stories of other women she met while detained.
(The Guardian, approx 17 mins reading time)
I restarted the visa process and returned to the same immigration office at the San Diego border, since they had processed my visa before and I was familiar with it. Hours passed, with many confused opinions about my case. The officer I spoke to was kind but told me that, due to my previous issues, I needed to apply for my visa through the consulate. I told her I hadn’t been aware I needed to apply that way, but had no problem doing it. Then she said something strange: “You didn’t do anything wrong. You are not in trouble, you are not a criminal.” I remember thinking: Why would she say that? Of course I’m not a criminal! She then told me they had to send me back to Canada. That didn’t concern me; I assumed I would simply book a flight home.
But as I sat searching for flights, a man approached me. “Come with me,” he said. There was no explanation, no warning. He led me to a room, took my belongings from my hands and ordered me to put my hands against the wall. A woman immediately began patting me down. The commands came rapid-fire, one after another, too fast to process. They took my shoes and pulled out my shoelaces. “What are you doing? What is happening?” I asked. “You are being detained.” “I don’t understand. What does that mean? For how long?” “I don’t know.” That would be the response to nearly every question I would ask over the next two weeks: “I don’t know.”
Is it possible to love a robot dog as much as a real one? Meghan O’Gieblyn writes about consciousness and emotions.
(The Guardian, approx 19 mins reading time)
The dog was heavier than it looked. I lifted it out of the pod, placed it on the floor, and found the tiny power button on the back of its neck. The limbs came to life first. It stood, stretched, and yawned. Its eyes blinked open – pixelated, blue – and looked into mine. He shook his head, as though sloughing off a long sleep, then crouched, shoving his hindquarters in the air, and barked. I tentatively scratched his forehead. His ears lifted, his pupils dilated, and he cocked his head, leaning into my hand. When I stopped, he nuzzled my palm, urging me to go on. I had not expected him to be so lifelike. The videos I’d watched online had not accounted for this responsiveness, an eagerness for touch that I had only ever witnessed in living things. When I petted him across the long sensor strip of his back, I could feel a gentle mechanical purr beneath the surface.
Note: The Journal generally selects stories that are not paywalled, but some might not be accessible if you have exceeded your free article limit on the site in question.
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Can’t say I was ever blown away by him, but Simon Harris has been very impressive in the past few weeks. I was definitely one of the people who doubted his credentials when he got the job but I think he has been convincing when talking to the public and this is a very good move for the country and I can’t imagine it was easily done. Fair play.
@ihcalaM: If they got rid of the two tier healthcare system I’d vote FG
@SC: Sadly I suspect that one this is all over we’ll be back to business as usual…
@ihcalaM: the fact that so many countries are doing this shows that the profiteering middlemen and health insurance companies don’t do anything valuable…
@ihcalaM: Talks a good game. Reality is it is still a shambles. 250 intensive care beds available before the couple of dozen private came into force.
Healthcare workers contracting Covid 19 because of lack of essential equipment or guidance.
2000 a day capacity for testing knowing full well this was coming for 2 months and a 40,000 back log already. People waiting a week+(unless you are a pplitician who gets tested and results within 48 hours) including my My partner who is a health worker.
@Jack Inman: you knew this was coming 2 months ago? Good man.
@John fitzpatrick: Anyone with half a brain cell could see this coming. If you didn’t then fair play.
@SC: exactly !!!
@Jack Inman: exactly the same as places like France that everyone looks up to in terms of healthcare!
@Jack Inman: would you mind sending any social media link from before Jan 24th where you predicted this? Btw, this was the day that “The first confirmed incidence of human-to-human transmission outside of China was documented by the WHO”.
@Jack Inman: Nobody “knew full well this was coming for 2 months”, that’s just an absolute falsehood, sorry. Two months ago we were just getting news of early confirmed transmissions coming out of China. Check your dates. We’ve had about a month or so of widespread international concern, and in that time serious preparation has been underway.
@ihcalaM: Don’t fool yourself
Things will never be the same again
Politics as we know it is coming to an end
The Gombeen Man is dying
@ihcalaM: no fear he is helping/testing/treating patients. He is a face for all those putting themselves at risk who will no doubt be long forgotten about when this is all over.
@SC: Of course they do something valuable. They allow people who can to pay for medical treatment, so those who can’t don’t have to.
@Jack Inman: But China’s solving that problem, right?
Fantastic, fair play for sorting this out lads.
@Lisa Saputo: Sorted this out ? He didn’t walk in all guns blazing and take over the private hospitals. We are basically renting their capacity and their staff. Negotiations over money have been going on for about 2 weeks. Sure, we need the capacity, but don’t kid yourself that Harris is some kind of hero. We, you and me, are paying through the nose for this.
Very good move, in fairness. Glad to see this
@JusticeForJoe: add an emergency tax on all citizens worth over 5 million to assist the healthcare system
Tax credits returned over 10 years for those affected by the taxation
@Quentin Moriarty: you must have loads of money to put away like that ha, think we are being taxed enough like the levies on our health insurance premiums the tax at source and all the other indirect taxes we pay so you want us all to just get out the KY.
@JusticeForJoe: are you glad to see it for the medics who now have to work the front line? Easy for you all to talk about it but its us who have to expose ourselves to the virus
@El Poblo Escobar: net worth over 5 million for emergency tax.
Not Joe Bloggs
@Louise Lennon: we all have families to go home to
Simon’s sacrificing his youthful appearance for political gains by the looks of that photo. Doubted him before but I’m delighted with this outcome. Slow and steady interventions at the right times with the people obliging is hopefully going to pay dividends here and flatten the curve.
@Ciarán Ó Fallúin: That must mean the health insurance companies will be handing back the premiums. Happy days indeed
Private hospitals are private companies solely funded by private sources such as health insurance and self payers. The government doesn’t and never has paid for any of their running costs, staffing ect- the patients that use their services pay for it- I really don’t understand why people continue to bash the concept. Private hospitals are entirely separate to the hse. They’re rightly and thoughtfully providing their services during this crisis to the best of their ability- the age old debate of the one tier health system doesn’t have a place today.
@Siobhan McCarthy: not exactly true most consultants are getting paid for working in the hse hospitals while having suites in private hospitals & many procedures are being paid for public patients in private hospitals
@Siobhan McCarthy: so you are ok with the idea of the richer having a better health service than the poorer?
@matthew o reilly: exactly- they’re private companies! The HSE outsource their waiting lists to private hospitals through the national treatment purchase fund at an agreed cost that covers the resources and services used by the patients. Consultant wise- there is a reducing amount still with public and private privileges- this has changed since 2015 but again instead of these consultants being paid by the hse they’re being paid by the patient themselves. Consultants are in themselves a registered company- they effectively rent out operating theatres and clinic space at a cost.
@Eoin Scanlon: completely irrelevant. This is solely about private hospitals providing their services and resources to the public sector during this crisis. It’s nothing to do with the clear inefficiencies of the public system. Even in countries where a more expansive single tier exists such as the nhs in the uk- there is still a private healthcare model.
@Siobhan McCarthy: I want to say I really want the best for my community, honestly, but I pay for 4 people to be covered by private insurance (one of whom I see high risk in this situation) and I am now being denied the benefit I pay for year after year when I actually want it the most. If this is the reality of having private cover in an emergency then what is the point? will the government refund all the BIK as they are removing the Benefit? Am I due some kind d of refund from Laya? People who pay for cover did not design the system but we are all being penalized here. I suppose that is not a popular sentiment here but makes it no less true.
@Siobhan McCarthy:
Well aren’t you a great patriot, glad to see you care about the really important things like private healthcare profits and the right to better healthcare than the filthy poors, instead of silly things like saving lives during a pandemic
@Karl Alldritt: well said. It’s not popular but is a reality and makes you wonder what is the point of paying such high premiums
@Siobhan McCarthy: Sure it works just great in the US where those who can’t afford private health insurance are denied help. Access to quality healthcare is a basic human right and from that position profiting from it is an immoral act. Private healthcare effectively creates a deep inequality between the haves and have-nots. Those private doctors received a public education, didn’t they? Ironically one of the best healthcare systems in the world is Cuba, a socialist state whose top-class doctors were met with a warm reception in Italy where they’re volunteering.
@Eoin Scanlon: I am. You get what you pay for. There will always be a multi-tiered health system. Why do you think people pay for it. Ridiculous
@Siobhan McCarthy: Thoughtfully, eh ? So why the 2 week negotiations over money ? Couldn’t they have “thoughtfully” said “It’s for the public good Simon. Take what you need and just pay cost of staff. We don’t want to profit from a public health emergency” ?
@Karl Alldritt: what I figure will happen is that private hospitals will be taking acute patients from public hospitals in order to alleviate bed pressures and continuing on their treatment plans. This has happened before during extreme bed shortages in particular the flu season. The patients are treated for their acute issue and discharged. I’ll be scrutinised and shot down regardless of what I say here anyway but regarding health insurance- this opening up of private hospitals would be for the treatment of an acute overflow only. It won’t allow your gp to refer you to a private hospital consultant for example. Your health insurance would still work in the same way. I don’t have all the answers nor am I an anti public person!
@Karl Alldritt: I have private health insurance too but I think you’re out of order here. You’re making it sound like this a normal recurring occurance, this is once in a lifetime (hopefully) stuff. I think it’s absolutely appropriate the government take over the private hospitals. I also think we should not be charged for our private health insurance coverage over this period as we won’t be getting a service in this period. I’m actually going tk email vhi and say as much to them now.
That is impressive..
Fair play and well done to all involved. Hats off..
Yet I am still expected to continue to pay for private health insurance even if the benefit does not exist anymore.
@Yggr of Asgard: my thoughts exactly
@Yggr of Asgard: Take it up with your insurer. Private hospitals are open to everyone at all times, you don’t have to have insurance. You can pay them directly if you have the money.
@Yggr of Asgard: Is that what your insurance company said?
Great.
Some good news
Socialism working where capitalism can’t.
@Johnny 5: Luckily our capitalist system has given us the resources and technology to be able to tackle this crisis. Before the industrial revolution it was a given that masses of people would die from infectious disease, malnutrition and famine etc.
@Johnny 5: how do you work that out from this simple measure that hasn’t even been implemented?
We have a public system and a private system, so this is a failure of the public system to cope and “capitalism” is stepping in to help. This hospital wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the private demand.
Or do I have it wrong?
@Damon16: Yep. According to classical Marxism, socialism comes after capitalism. They take the good stuff from the capitalist era and leave the rest behind. I’d like a socialist economic system with traditional Irish values- not Soviet or Chinese values.
@Johnny 5: Thats because you’re in a socialist democracy as opposed to a socialist state . If you were in a socialist state the Irish government wouldn’t be able to borrow money .
@milton friedman:
The private hospitals turned corona patients away, referred them to public hospitals. The public sector “fails” because the private sector only takes the nice juicy bits
@milton friedman: No need for private if public services were properly funded and governed.
Seize the means comrade
How much compo to Dinny I wonder? Correct move though.
so will nurses in larry Goodman’s hospitals who are on less wages than the hse be put on hse wage.I dont think so
@matthew o reilly: Larry Goodmans hospital, please explain, thanks
@Michael Byrne: hermitage,clinic,galway clinic & blackrock clinic over 50% charge holder
@matthew o reilly: share holder
@matthew o reilly:
They’re paid the same as public hospital nurses. Check your facts.
@Doug: there not hermitage clinic took 7% off nurses during the recession never returned it fact.
@Doug: we’re not actually, work in a private hospital that has recently balloted (Pre COVID) for industrial action in order to receive the pay restoration being paid to HSE nurses and not in said private hospital even though we allegedly follow the HSE scales of pay
Are VHI going to adjust their fees now they cant supply a service
@DeWitt:
Not a chance. And funny uou should bring it up, private hospitals were turning corona patients away. VHI, laya, Irish life, all were useless if you had them.
Headline should read ‘FFG Neo-Liberal Mantra reverses as reality bites’
Its a given in most countries
@MickN: Such as?
@Damon16:A quick google will show you, il give you 2 to get you started, France and Spain… Like I said done and dusted in other countries yet we should all give praise to our great leader lord Harris for catching on late
Credit where credit is due, never thought I’d see the day when a blueshirt did something like this. Should have been sooner but better late than never.
Can we keep it this way after that? Please? Pretty please!?
People need to think about the cost of this. The private hospitals won’t be turning over their facilities for free.
It’s great, but not something we could afford on an long term basis.
We need private hospitals where those who can afford to pay can go, then keep the public hospitals free of private patients and stop consultants in public hospitals seeing private patients there.
Excellent care for all ppl of Ireland. But what about existing staff working in the private hospitals. Will they be put out of work??
Private Hospital’s are going to love this
More money and services taken from taxpayer and handed to the people who give nothing. Should just go on the dole, medical card, hasp etc….this country would sicken your hole
@Almight Joe: only about a third of our revenue is income tax and most income tax comes from the very wealthy. Also our state barely balances the books. So unless you are extremely well off, you get far more from the state in services than you pay in income tax.
@SC: Most income tax comes from the €40-€70k mark, they represent the overwhelming majority of taxpayers. Our state barely balances the books because there are too many incentives to not work and too many people on handouts like I mention above
I am waiting to hear some good news, like all the useless members of the royal oireachtas have gone on a one way trip to a hot place.
He means that the same government that was never able to manage public hospitals are going to manage public AND private hospitals for the benefit of everyone? Sounds like a plan.
Did any one hear the guy on Ivor Gates radio programme mannn he went ballistic on this .
@Angela Godfrey Maher: No. Details please.
Does that mean they will also be working through the long waiting list for things like the HSE pediatric pain and ENT consultants’ lists? No letter should ever have to be sent asking if your child still requires an appointment with a pediatric pain consultant after a year of waiting on a list. I’m still waiting a year and a half after being referred to see a consultant for something that may now be irreversible. If you are paying into a service, there is an expectation of actually getting a service. Starting to feel like ”you get what you pay for” is the phrase that fits. (DISCLAIMER: This is in no way an attack on individual medical professionals. It is an attack on the system those people are professionals in.)
Great news. Showing some balls against big business for once
Health minister did i hear the mob chanting his name again and again, barabas, barabas, barabas.
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