Hallowe'en During a Pandemic (No, not this one)

What did Hallowe'en look like during the 1918 influenza outbreak? Hint: Jollification was frowned upon. Read more about it here.

Reading During Quarantine

Even a pandemic can't stop Eastchester Eagles from grabbing a good book! Look at us go!

Are you comfortable yet?

The New York Times recently polled several hundred epidemiologists to see when these experts in disease transmission would be comfortable resuming everyday activities like getting haircuts, flying somewhere, or going to a concert. Their answers may surprise you. 

Information or Misinformation?

In times of crisis, finding reliable and accurate information is crucial. But as Brian X. Chen of The New York Times reports, misinformation on the web comes in many forms. This makes finding accurate information about the pandemic extra challenging.

Social media sites are a major contributor to the spread of misinformation, because anyone can post something that looks like a legitimate news article but is actually from a bogus source.

Many fake news articles, fortunately, can be easy to spot. Here are some telltale signs:

A shady URL: Fake news sites sometimes use legitimate brand names, but their domain names may end with “.com.co,” “.ma” or “.co.” ABCNews.com.co, now a defunct site, was a famous example.

Grammatical errors: Fake news writers aren't exactly wordsmiths, so one big giveaway is the number of typos and grammatical errors that make it into their stories.

Unverifiable information: If an article’s information were legitimately outrageous, plenty of other news outlets would have written about it, too. When in doubt, do a Google search to check if trustworthy publications have reported the same information. For more information about the spread of disinformation, read this article.  https://teach.kqed.org/misinformation-course-collection/

Words, Words, and More (Dutch) Words

The Dutch are letting their creativity shine in the lexicography of the pandemic. CNN reports that 700 new words have been added to the Coronawoordenboek, including gems like huidhonger (skin hunger: a longing for human contact while in isolation, druppelcontact (spray-contact: the exchange of little droplets when coughing or sneezing), and toogviroloog (blather virologist: one who spreads false or unsubstantiated information about the virus). 

Pandemics Through History

Authors and historians from the Library of Congress discuss pandemics from the smallpox outbreak in the New World to the current efforts to combat COVID-19. The video runs about a half hour, and there is a transcript attached. 

Answer to yesterday's puzzle: The boy in the picture is a teenage Frank Sinatra! 

Lunchtime Flyover

In a salute to frontline COVID responders, the Blue Angels and  Thunderbirds will be doing a flyover of our region today between noon and 12:40 pm. According to the photo below, you should start looking to the skies at around 12:20. Please remember to stay at home and socially distance when you look up. Stay fly, Eagles!

Earth Deserves Another Day, So...

I know Earth Day was yesterday. But I have some really interesting things to share, and I didn't want to wait a whole year. 

First of all, this podcast episode talks about the environmental impact of COVID-19. Spoiler alert: It may not be bad news!

Also, this article discusses how lessons learned from COVID can help inform our approach to climate change. 

And finally, enjoy this video of animals rediscovering empty cities.

Attention All Map Aficionados

Every map tells a story, and these maps help to tell the story of contagion in 19th century. They illustrate where diseases occurred, and how they traveled. What will the maps of COVID-19 show?

Map of malaria deaths in the US in 1870. (Library of Congress)

How To Get A Public Library Card When The Libraries Are Closed

With a public library card, you have access to free ebooks and audio books. Normally, you would have to go to the library to get a card, but while the libraries are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, you do have other options.

According to Tracy Wright, the director of the Eastchester Public Library, once you fill out the online application (select your home library from the drop down menu, and please use a parental e-mail if you are under 18), you will receive an email with your new library card number. If your email is blocked, you will receive a call. Please note that since the library is closed, the call will be coming from Johnson Chaco, not the library itself. 

Also, the New York Public Library is offering library cards to all New York State residents through the Simply E app. 

Any library card will grant you access to Hoopla or Libby, and with those apps you can "check out" ebooks or audio books. Keep reading, and stay fly, Eagles!

Newspaper Ads From the 1918 Flu Pandemic

Historians and scientists are looking back to the flu pandemic of 1918, which claimed millions of lives worldwide. Although that flu and today's coronavirus are different diseases, and there have been obvious medical advances in the past 100 years, these ads from newspapers at the time show, in some respects, how little has really changed.

You can see more ads, and read more about them, in this Time magazine article.

Stay Fly, Eagles!

Homemade Face Masks (No Sewing Required)!

Now that the CDC has recommended that everyone wear a facemask when out in public, here's a helpful video to show you how to make them.

Difficulty Concentrating? You're Not Alone!

These are tricky times, indeed. I thought I would have finished at least three books by now, since we've been closed for three weeks, but I actually abandoned one book and am only halfway through another. But I discovered this is not unique, even for people who make their living in the literary world. Everybody seems to be having more difficulty concentrating. This week, BookRiot published this helpful guide if you need some alternative ways to occupy your mind. 

Stay fly, Eagles!