Clearly, our kids are hurting during this pandemic. One of the most poignant reminders of the pain experienced by students locked out of their normal lives is a three-minute film, Numb – a short film, created by Liv McNeil. McNeil admits that, “I for sure haven’t been enjoying quarantine, but some have it worse. We have all been going through stuff right now, especially with Black Lives Matter, my struggles are in no way comparable to some things people are going though right now. This is my own experience, some are a whole lot worse than mine. I’m just showing what I know.”

This film, with music by the band M83, My Tears are Becoming a Sea, was a school project that expresses what McNeil’s experiences and feels.

With many schools starting the year with remote learning due to the pandemic, parents worry about the impact of screens, isolation, and virtual learning on the mental health of their children. My daughter, Alissa Levy Chung, a clinical and developmental psychologist who teaches at Northwestern University, shared some of her thoughts in response to McNeil’s film. She stresses the importance of balancing different risks. “Just keeping teens home all the time for a year is not going to work. They get depressed, anxious, act out and do unsafe things, or some combination of those.” In the absence of regular school, she suggests using empty school and community buildings and outdoor spaces to have small, in person activities and clubs that kids love.

Among her ideas:

• The sports seasons could be rearranged to do the ones that are safer now and move the others to the spring.
• Small musical ensembles and theatre and dance groups could perform outdoors.
• Older students could work in small groups with peers to do their academics (no tutors needed for most).
• Students who do need to be in school to learn or to be safe should be. Unemployed recent college grads could be trained remotely by teachers to implement the curriculum.

“It won’t be risk free, but left to their own devices, students will do riskier things.” We must get creative. We can’t just wait this out.

Two examples of creative programming that involve my local grandchildren are Dance Center Evanston (DCE) and The Cove School. Granted, both are private institutions and have more latitude than our public schools, but their creative approaches could be replicated elsewhere.

Recently, DCE has started holding outdoor classes for small groups of dancers. The beach ballet class pictured below enabled masked and socially distanced students to practice with their peers in a safe setting.

These teens had been practicing the best they could, following zoom lessons alone at home. What a difference being outside with peers made for their happiness and mental health. DCE has also run backyard classes for children ages 8-11, and has made improvements to their dance studio. They upgraded their HVAC to reduce the presence of viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Waiting spaces, dressing rooms, and water fountains have been closed. Face masks are required everywhere, including in classes. Studio rooms will be cleaned and sanitized between classes. Class sizes will be reduced to maintain social distancing (minimum of six feet apart). All students and staff will have their temperature checked upon entering, with hand sanitizer available at the entrance and in each studio.

In another example of creativity, when the spring high school musical, Shrek, was cancelled because The Cove School closed its doors in March, students in the production filmed their parts at home. Through the magic of technology, these individual performances were combined to create a movie version of the musical. Take my word for it – it was amazing. To make it even more fun for the students, Cove showed the production in drive-in movie form in their parking lot as well as live streamed via Zoom.

As a small, private school for students with significant learning disabilities, Cove understood the importance of in-person school for its population, and made many changes to accommodate those who wanted to attend school. In addition to the usual face masks, hand washing, hand sanitizing, social distancing, and wellness screenings/temperature checks, Cove implemented the following:

• Staggered arrivals and dismissals
• Using their outdoor space as much as possible
• Placing students in small pods for learning rather than changing rooms for different subjects
• Focusing on students’ social-emotional issues
• Eliminating after school activities for now
• Having lunch in the classroom with social distancing
• Purchasing new desks, at which students can sit or stand, which can be safely spaced in a classroom
• Upgrading bathrooms to touch-less systems
• Using plexiglass where appropriate
• Adding an air ionization system

A few days ago, I drove by the Evanston Rose Garden where I saw a small group of socially distanced and masked string players with a sign, “Enjoy our music from a safe distance.” The students looked so happy to be creating music together. People who happened to walk by were treated to something beautiful. Perhaps music teachers, either from public schools or private instructors, could help their students organize mini-ensembles.

When it gets too cold to be outside in our area, we will have to find ways to open doors and create opportunities for students wearing masks, in small groups, in decently large rooms with ventilation to have some in-person experiences. If we are still not using our school buildings and community centers, let’s at least open up some of the larger spaces for student activities.

Liv McNeil mentions a COVID-19 youth mental health resource hub for teens in Ontario, Canada who have been affected by isolation (https://jack.org/covid). If you know of similar local resources, please share them.

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I’ve been mulling over reasons why I had never heard the amazing jam session that is Alivemutherforya? I feel like I’ve seen the cover on several occasions, throughout my life, but not heard what’s hiding within the grooves of the record.

So how did I come to hear this masterpiece of jazz transfusion? My friend James, of course, a prolific record collector, music fan, and musician, who gave me a copy, though, never mentioning the genius of it. We trade records and CDs. He had given me a generous stack of vinyl, including Black Sabbath, Chick Correa, Guadalcanal Diary, Metal Church, and Miles Davis, amongst a bunch of rarities. Alivemutherforya was just another record mixed up in the stack of interesting presents he gave me. Months on, each one keeps giving back.

So, I threw it on one night, while drinking a barrel-aged porter, from Begyle Brewing, and was blown away. I went and grabbed the record cover, and it had a great write-up on the back. It’s really informative if you have time to read the liner notes.

Muther’s Little Helpers were Drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Steve Khan, electric bassist Alphonso Johnson, keyboardist Mark Soskin, and reedman Tom Scott, on tenor, soprano & lyricon. FUN FACT #1: Tom Scott played on The Grateful Dead’s “Estimated Prophet.”

The five-piece was assembled after the success of a similar band, albeit a much bigger group of all-star musicians, took the stage at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival, playing a number called “Montreux Summit,” that would close out the night. This amazing jam session, released by Columbia and aptly named Montreux Summit I and II, was the aspiration for putting together a much smaller band of gypsies, if you will, to tour behind Columbia Record’s Vol. 1 of that legendary set.

The tour didn’t make it very long before the plug was pulled. The band was to perform one last show, which would be recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studios, in New York City. But, to the band’s dismay, it would be in front of an ‘invited audience,’ or rather, a group handpicked listeners.

There is nothing worse than performing, let alone recording, in front of a room barely full of record executives. What is the sound of one hand clapping? -Steve Khan

FUN FACT #2: Steve Kahn’s Ovation guitar was just returned that night after being repaired and he had a hard time staying in tune, especially on Tom Scott’s, “Shadows.” They tried some tricks, like chorusing the guitar, to make it work in the mix, but to no avail. So, it was left off the album.

FUN FACT #3: The crowd applause was so low from all those one-handed record execs that, during mixing sessions for the album, they had to use crowd noise from Laura Nyro and Chicago, both Columbia artists. Too funny!

Thankfully, the performances captured on Alivemutherforya were from some of the best shows played along the way.

Enjoy!

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Top Ten Consumer complaints are out and topping the list once again are problems with car sales and repairs, home improvement and construction. Complaints reported to state and local consumer agencies across the country often remain the same. If your car breaks down or you’ve got a leak in your roof, says CFA, people often turn to their local consumer agency.

According to the CFA Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy Susan Grant, there are 31 agencies from 19 states who participated for 2019. The most common, fastest growing and worst complaints the agencies received in 2019 were sought, and because it was last year, the impact of COVID-19 wasn’t felt. Agencies were also asked about new consumer problems, new laws enacted in their jurisdictions to protect consumers, as well as their greatest achievements in resolving complaints, improving operations and providing information to the public.

The top ten complaints for 2019 most frequently cited as the top problems reported to state and local consumer agencies last year included the following:

1.Auto: Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, deceptive financing practices, defective vehicles, faulty repairs, car leasing and rentals, towing disputes.

2.Home Improvement/Construction: Shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job, failure to have required licensing or registration.

3.Retail Sales: False advertising and other deceptive practices, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, failure to deliver.

4.Landlord/Tenant: Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, illegal eviction tactics.

5.Credit/Debt: Billing and fee disputes, mortgage problems, credit repair and debt relief services, predatory lending, illegal or abusive debt collection tactics.

6.(Tie) Communications: Misleading offers, installation issues, service problems, billing disputes with telephone and internet services; Services: Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licensing or registration, nonperformance.

7.Health Products/Services: Misleading claims, unlicensed practitioners, failure to deliver, billing issues.

8.Utilities: Complaints about gas, electric, water and cable billing and service.

9.(Tie) Fraud: Bogus sweepstakes and lotteries, work-at-home schemes, grant offers, fake check scams, imposter scams and other common frauds; Household Goods: Misrepresentations, failure to deliver, repairs issues in connection with furniture and major appliances.

10.Internet Sales: Misrepresentations or other deceptive practices, failure to deliver online purchases.

The work of state and local consumer agencies has not stopped during the pandemic, but there have been several changes made, and many for the better. Agencies do have some personnel working remotely. They have had to set up call forwarding and secure connections to computer systems. Those still in the office include a limited number of staff and do so on a rotating basis. Walk-in assistance has not been available at agencies, but some services are provided by phone or online. Educational presentations are being conducted virtually. The pandemic has also spurred complaints about price-gouging and COVID-related scams.

Many agencies implemented new technology or upgraded their data systems before the pandemic struck. These changes have made complaint intake and case management easier. Much of the consumer information and complaints can now be completed online. Many agencies have also increased their use of social media for public outreach. These operational improvements are helping consumer agencies fulfill their public protection mission in this challenging time.

For more information and a look at real work complaints, got to https://consumerfed.org

John Kass

Unprofessional, amateurish, unfair and utter bullshit. I would add.

Media columnist Robert Feder explained the attack in, “Tribune colleagues blast John Kass column as ‘antithetical to our values’.”  Kass’ sin apparently was writing about how billionaire George Soros funds liberal causes and big-city candidates like Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx.

The nine members of the Chicago Tribune Guild executive board wrote a letter  accusing Kass of committing an “indefensible invocation of the Soros trope.”  Somehow (and ridiculously) the Nine’s letter said the Kass column supported  “The odious, anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that billionaire George Soros is a puppet master controlling America’s big cities does not deserve a mainstream voice, especially at a time when hate crimes are rising.” (The letter can be read at the end of Feder’s column, here. Feder followed up with another column, “Tribune moving John Kass column ‘to maintain credibility of news coverage'” pointing out how Kass is losing his honored place on the Tribune’s Page 2, formerly occupied by Mike Royko, at the Tribune, Sun-Times and Daily News.)

Please read the “offending” Kass column, ” Something grows in the big cities run by Democrats: An overwhelming sense of lawlessness.” You be the judge. How is it anti-Semitic to point out the fact that Soros is one of the biggest funder of progressive, liberal and Democratic candidates and causes in America? Does the very mention of that fact make one a Jew hater? How in the world is the citation of an undisputed fact “antithetical to [the Nine’s] values”?

The Nine are supposed to be journalists, but they resemble the close-minded, left-wing evangelists at the Washington Post who forced the resignation of James Bennet for the publication of an op-ed that dared disagree with the given anti-Trump truth. (Read the brilliant resignation letter of opinion editor Bari Weiss to savor the similarities of the herd mentality at the Tribune and Post.)

What’s so laughable about the Nine’s letter is this statement: “It undermines the efforts of our newsroom to provide fair and diligent reporting to readers who, we all know, don’t always grasp the distinction between ‘opinion’ and ‘news.’”  If anyone has lost the distinction between “opinion” and “news” it is the like-minded progressives in the media who think their job is implementing (their version of) social change instead of hone sting reporting the news.

I, of course, will be accused to taking Kass’ side because I agree with much of what he writes. Indeed, his and my name have appeared in comments from the left about how loathsome we are. But I dare say that I would be just as distressed if a right wing herd at the paper dumped a load of shit on a moderate or liberal columnist. I know first hand how this works; progressive efforts to silence a voice whose main sin is to support candidates and legitimate public policy issues they disagree with.

Except there are no right-wing herds at the Tribune, Washington Post, New York Times and the major network news rooms. For decades now, even back when my colleagues knew me as a liberal, newsrooms were dominated by liberals and Democrats. But decades ago, journalism ethics demanded objectivity, fairness and balance. And never, ever did a pack of newsroom workers ever demand that kind of retaliation against a colleague.

My blog, The Barbershop, is a part of ChicagoNow, an online community of bloggers owned by the Chicago Tribune Media Group. So, I suppose that I can be accused of a similar attack on my cousin writers. But, fair is fair. By the same token, I’m defending a colleague–John Kass–and any other staff member at the Tribune or other newspapers who feel cowed by the righteous left and who are afraid of similar retaliation. Let’s see how it goes from here.

P.S. The Nine’s letter worries that  “more than a handful” of readers have cited the Kass column for cancelling their subscriptions. I don’t know where readers stand on that, but you might get an idea by reading the comments under the two Feder columns that are filled with cancellation threats and promises about the treatment of Kass.