America is a global leader in harvesting wind to generate renewable energy, a fact overlooked by the media. About 57,000 wind turbines are operating in 41 states, producing more than 100 gigawatts, enough to power 32 million homes. And wind is blowing away the other green competition.
The United States ranks second in the world behind only China. Six of the largest ten onshore wind farms are based in America. The biggest is the Alta Wind Energy Centre in California, near Los Angeles in the Tehachapi Pass, which ranks second worldwide with a capacity of 1,548 megawatts.
The state of Texas, however, produces the most wind energy, accounting for 25% of all U.S. wind power. Texas generates more than 25 other states combined. Latest figures from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) estimate wind energy provides 18.9% of state's electricity production.
The largest wind facility is the Roscoe Wind Farm, situated 45 miles southwest of Abilene in West Texas, which churns out 781.5 megawatts from its 627 wind turbines. Further south the newer Los Vientos Wind Farm in the Rio Grande Valley soon will be capable of generating 910 megawatts.
The economic impact in Texas is significant. Direct wind industry jobs in 2018 reached 26,000. Capital investment in wind projects soared to $46.5 billion. Annual state of local tax payments by wind projects rose to $237 million, according to AWEA research.
Despite the glowing progress, wind energy is not without critics. Environmentalists complain the turbines are a threat to wildlife, noisy and create visual pollution. The Audubon Society estimates from 140,000 to 328,000 birds are killed annually in North America by wind turbine blades.
I guess no one informed these groups that every type of renewable energy has downsides. Producing solar cells, for example, produces greenhouse gas emissions. There are trade offs with every energy source, even those sanctified as green.
So how is electricity transported from wind turbines to communities? Electricity produced by wind is dispatched to the consumer via a series of transmission and distribution networks. Each component of the network alters the voltage of the electricity as it is zips along the power grid.
At the center of this system are wind turbines soaring as high as 345-feet and costing $3-to-$5 million. The machines are mechanically simple, using rotor blades, a gearbox and an electrical generator. Blades are made of fiberglass and balsa wood, often strengthened with carbon fiber.
New technologies have enabled the industry to improve productivity by 35% since 1988. These advancements have sparked steep cost declines for the propagation of wind energy. These innovations have also improved reliability and increased capacity of the turbines.
One of the major improvements is employing 3-D printing to create a full size representation of the blade design, speeding up the manufacturing process. Typically, the blades are 116-feet in length, but in an effort to generate more energy there is a push to supersize the rotors and blades.
General Electric, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the U.S., is developing onshore turbine towers that stretch to 499 feet, longer than a football field. The blades in production would be a mammoth 351-feet, the largest onshore blade available. That will drive up the capacity factor 63%.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that wind energy costs have nosedived from 55-cents per kilowatt hour (kwh) in 1980 to less than three cents per kwh today. That makes wind energy four times cheaper than solar and only hydroelectric power can be produced more efficiently.
Today wind power accounts for about eight percent of the electricity in America. Solar is nearly 2 percent. U.S. Energy Information Association statistics show natural gas generates 35.2%, followed by coal (27.5%) and nuclear (19.4%). Hydroelectric yields 7%, but its share is declining.
Of these forms of energy, wind is by far the fastest growing source. An estimated 200 new large projects are underway in the nation. The AWEA projects that harnessing the wind will allow the nascent industry to account for 20% of all electricity generation in America by 2030.
However, the nation cannot rely totally on wind for its electricity. The AWEA calculated that the country would need 1.26 million wind turbines to power every home and business. That means other forms of renewable energy will be needed to totally reduce carbon emissions.
The vision for the electric grid of the future includes harnessing fusion, a nuclear reaction that powers the sun and the stars. Advances in computing and materials have spawned promising experiments that may allow the tapping of this limitless energy. But much work remains.
Another futuristic dream of scientists is employing a modular spacecraft to collect sunlight, convert it to electric power and then wirelessly transmit it to a steerable beam. Japan and China are both leading the global effort to build a solar power station positioned in the Earth's orbit.
These plans may sound far fetched to skeptics, but it wasn't too many years ago that critics believed that wind power was a pipe dream. The energy in the scientific and business communities is laser focused on the issue of renewable power. A revolution is coming faster than most imagine.
Meanwhile, as the U.S. continues to wean itself from natural gas and coal, the country cannot turn its back on those resources to power communities, businesses and the economy. Progress is being made on renewable energy, however, that is no reason to pull the plug today on other energy sources.
Monday, May 18, 2020
Monday, May 11, 2020
Height Disorder: Growing Up Short in America
This is a not so tall tale about being short. From birth, I was an undersized preemie. Short enough to snuggle in a shoe box. I weighed four pounds according to my Mom. But you won't find my height or weight recorded on my birth certificate, because in the Covered Wagon Era no one cared.
My height, or lack thereof, has been a constant source of jest for normal folks over five-foot-seven inches. That includes most American males under the age of 100. If old age brings shrinkage, I will soon be auditioning for a role in the circus. I'm talking shrinking stature guys, by the way.
My earliest memories of my height complex were entering first grade. Most of the girls towered over me let alone the boys. I was the target of bullies, who once chased me around the schoolyard until I leaped into a trash barrel eluding their grasps. I emerged smelling of sour milk and spoiled Spam.
The cruelest blow to my ego was administered by my oldest sister Charlene, who is 11 months younger than me. By third grade, she was a foot taller than me. (It was actually less, but it seemed that way.) I called her the Big Dunker. It was humiliating to introduce her as my little sister.
The only advantage of being short in school was no teacher ever called on me. I hunkered in a desk at the back of the class. Teachers couldn't see me for goodness sakes. Most thought that small lump was a jacket left on the desk by another child. Honestly, I can't think of any other advantages.
In the fourth grade, I lucked out with one classmate shorter than me. It may have been the highlight of my growing up days. His name was Billy Bellnoski. I can still remember his name because it has a life-altering experience. Soon, however, I began to dislike Billy as much as spinach.
Billy liked a fourth grader named Marilyn Raddigan, my secret girlfriend. She was blonde, blue-eyed and the mere sight of her hiked my jeans three inches. I was insanely jealous that Marilyn seemed to be sweet on Billy. So one day I challenged him to a fight on the school yard. Bold for a midget.
Billy whined, "You're bigger than me!" No one had ever said that before to me. I was giddy with excitement. But I was still bent on revenge. So next day, I recruited my brother, Bob, a first grader at the same school. I told him I wanted him to teach Billy a lesson. He unhesitatingly volunteered.
When recess came, I cornered Billy. "You won't fight me, so this is my brother Bob. He is shorter than you." What transpired next is a memory I cherish even to this day. Bob waylaid poor Billy. I never saw Marilyn again until the day I moved from that city. We waved goodbye. Sweet parting.
In high school, I shot up to about five-feet-two inches my freshman year. Pretty lame, right? I played football, basketball and baseball. I discovered sports was the great height equalizer if you were tough and smart. However, I also learned that bigger boys had physical advantages coaches favored.
You can spot me in every high school team sport picture. I am the guy kneeling on the front row, which was reserved for the runts. I never got to stand in the back. Never. My ego still suffers today. It could have been worse. I could have been coaxed to stand on a box like Mike Bloomberg.
Even in what should have been a shining moment, a public address announcer delivered a height slander. I had returned from the football locker room to join teammates for a halftime ceremony honoring our state baseball championship. Most of the players received flattering introductions.
Mine went like this: "And now, accepting his letter jacket, the smallest player on any team at Clarksdale, Drew Roy." You heard it right. If I knew the PA announcers name, I would fly a drone over his home right now and bomb his front yard with rolls of COVID toilet paper. Mean SOB.
My senior year, I finally made it to my current height. I also gained nearly 20 pounds from my junior year. Suddenly, I was nearly, almost, but not quite normal. Although, truthfully, no teacher of mine would ever think of me as normal. I was a little short in the "caring about school" category.
Today, I am all grown up and over my height fixation. Except I beg my child bride not to order shrimp at a restaurant. The waiter always chuckles and says, "Mam, you already have a shrimp sitting next to you." Okay, I made that part up. But it doesn't mean waiters aren't thinking that.
Schools today probably have counselors just to work with boys like me with a height disorder. They are called "special needs kids." These boys are provided shoes with taller heels and desks with thick cushions. I imagine schools today are forced to accommodate short boys with separate restrooms.
Throughout my life, some well meaning friends and acquaintances point out all the famous people who were short in stature. Issac Newton, Ludwig van Beethoven, Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Voltaire and Danny DeVito. As if, other people's modest height makes me feel taller.
Of course, today boys and girls are getting taller. All those vitamins, hormones and unhealthy eating habits are producing larger and taller folks. My only hope is that an asteroid will smash into Earth and make everyone over five-foot-seven-inches extinct. It could happen. Just ask the dinosaurs.
My height, or lack thereof, has been a constant source of jest for normal folks over five-foot-seven inches. That includes most American males under the age of 100. If old age brings shrinkage, I will soon be auditioning for a role in the circus. I'm talking shrinking stature guys, by the way.
My earliest memories of my height complex were entering first grade. Most of the girls towered over me let alone the boys. I was the target of bullies, who once chased me around the schoolyard until I leaped into a trash barrel eluding their grasps. I emerged smelling of sour milk and spoiled Spam.
The cruelest blow to my ego was administered by my oldest sister Charlene, who is 11 months younger than me. By third grade, she was a foot taller than me. (It was actually less, but it seemed that way.) I called her the Big Dunker. It was humiliating to introduce her as my little sister.
The only advantage of being short in school was no teacher ever called on me. I hunkered in a desk at the back of the class. Teachers couldn't see me for goodness sakes. Most thought that small lump was a jacket left on the desk by another child. Honestly, I can't think of any other advantages.
In the fourth grade, I lucked out with one classmate shorter than me. It may have been the highlight of my growing up days. His name was Billy Bellnoski. I can still remember his name because it has a life-altering experience. Soon, however, I began to dislike Billy as much as spinach.
Billy liked a fourth grader named Marilyn Raddigan, my secret girlfriend. She was blonde, blue-eyed and the mere sight of her hiked my jeans three inches. I was insanely jealous that Marilyn seemed to be sweet on Billy. So one day I challenged him to a fight on the school yard. Bold for a midget.
Billy whined, "You're bigger than me!" No one had ever said that before to me. I was giddy with excitement. But I was still bent on revenge. So next day, I recruited my brother, Bob, a first grader at the same school. I told him I wanted him to teach Billy a lesson. He unhesitatingly volunteered.
When recess came, I cornered Billy. "You won't fight me, so this is my brother Bob. He is shorter than you." What transpired next is a memory I cherish even to this day. Bob waylaid poor Billy. I never saw Marilyn again until the day I moved from that city. We waved goodbye. Sweet parting.
In high school, I shot up to about five-feet-two inches my freshman year. Pretty lame, right? I played football, basketball and baseball. I discovered sports was the great height equalizer if you were tough and smart. However, I also learned that bigger boys had physical advantages coaches favored.
You can spot me in every high school team sport picture. I am the guy kneeling on the front row, which was reserved for the runts. I never got to stand in the back. Never. My ego still suffers today. It could have been worse. I could have been coaxed to stand on a box like Mike Bloomberg.
Even in what should have been a shining moment, a public address announcer delivered a height slander. I had returned from the football locker room to join teammates for a halftime ceremony honoring our state baseball championship. Most of the players received flattering introductions.
Mine went like this: "And now, accepting his letter jacket, the smallest player on any team at Clarksdale, Drew Roy." You heard it right. If I knew the PA announcers name, I would fly a drone over his home right now and bomb his front yard with rolls of COVID toilet paper. Mean SOB.
My senior year, I finally made it to my current height. I also gained nearly 20 pounds from my junior year. Suddenly, I was nearly, almost, but not quite normal. Although, truthfully, no teacher of mine would ever think of me as normal. I was a little short in the "caring about school" category.
Today, I am all grown up and over my height fixation. Except I beg my child bride not to order shrimp at a restaurant. The waiter always chuckles and says, "Mam, you already have a shrimp sitting next to you." Okay, I made that part up. But it doesn't mean waiters aren't thinking that.
Schools today probably have counselors just to work with boys like me with a height disorder. They are called "special needs kids." These boys are provided shoes with taller heels and desks with thick cushions. I imagine schools today are forced to accommodate short boys with separate restrooms.
Throughout my life, some well meaning friends and acquaintances point out all the famous people who were short in stature. Issac Newton, Ludwig van Beethoven, Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Voltaire and Danny DeVito. As if, other people's modest height makes me feel taller.
Of course, today boys and girls are getting taller. All those vitamins, hormones and unhealthy eating habits are producing larger and taller folks. My only hope is that an asteroid will smash into Earth and make everyone over five-foot-seven-inches extinct. It could happen. Just ask the dinosaurs.
Monday, May 4, 2020
How New York Officials Botched Covid Response
New York City and state officials, including those in the Health Department, are to blame for the devastating impact of COVID-19 that galloped across the burroughs, swamped city hospitals and killed thousands of its citizens. Their actions are incomprehensible and indefensible.
The result of their negligence is born out in the terrifying numbers from New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. New York City has accounted for 30.7% of all the fatalities and 29% of confirmed cases in the country, yet represents just 2.5% of the nation's population.
The latest data from The New York Times paints a grim picture. There have been 321,833 people infected in the city and 24,576 deaths as of today. To put this in perspective, New York City has more fatalities than entire countries, such as Germany, Russia and Poland.
New York apologists claim the density of the city and its sprawling transportation are the reason for the excessive number of deaths and cases. No doubt, density and transportation are unique environmental circumstances to New York City, but also to many major cities around the world.
Officials in New York cannot escape responsibility by citing their surroundings. Their actions and inactions have left an indelible mark on the crisis. Both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill DeBlasio have a lot of explaining to do to their citizens.
Months after President Trump restricted travel to China, the mayor and his top health official were telling citizens to take the subway and attend parades. Both public figures were openly advising city dwellers that the virus was not as widespread as people thought.
Unfortunately, for them video tape and news archives provide damning evidence. On February 2, New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot urged citizens to "take the subway" go out to their favorite restaurants, ride the bus and attend the Chinatown parade. The mayor agreed.
On February 7, Barbot suggested the risks of the virus were minimal for New Yorkers. Her words: "We're telling New Yorkers, go about your lives, take the subway, go out, enjoy life." She downplayed the spread of the virus, suggesting the risks were minimal.
Not to be outdone, DeBlasio three days later appeared on MSNBC and urged New Yorkers under 50 years old they were safe from the virus. "If you're under 50 and healthy, which is most New Yorkers, there is very little threat here." He likened the virus to the "common cold or flu."
On March 3, when it was clear a pandemic was coming, DeBlasio took to social media to promote going to movie theaters and "encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives and get out on the town despite Coronavirus." Many New Yorkers followed the mayor's lead.
As if his incompetence wasn't enough, the mayor offended millions of New Yorkers by scapegoating Jews during the virus outbreak. His words:
"My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons on even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period."
His warning came after a single Orthodox Jewish funeral was held. Jeff Ballabon, a lawyer and former CBS executive, and Mark Goldfeder, a law professor, scolded the governor, saying "Jews across the spectrum overwhelmingly adhered to the guidelines."
The mayor also was uneven in application of justice, allowing funerals in some areas to proceed while targeting Orthodox Jews. "Stereotyping a group based on the actions of a few people is never appropriate...and blaming Jews is by definition anti-Semitic, " Balabon and Goldfeder wrote.
Meanwhile, the city's subways kept shuttling 5 million people daily. It was a prescription for a disaster that would unfold in March and throughout April. On April 24, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) released a study documenting the subways seeded the massive outbreak.
"New York City's multi-pronged subway system was a major disseminator--if not the principal transmission vehicle--of Coronavirus infection during the initial takeoff of the massive epidemic that became evident throughout the city during March," the 19-page report concluded.
The report's author wrote: "A crowded subway train is thus an ideal incubator for Coronavirus transmission." The virus continued to spread along subway lines through at least the third week of March. At the height of the outbreak, the Metropolitan Transit Authority made a fatal decision.
The agency opted to reduce train service to reflect declining ridership, which packed more passengers in fewer subway cars. The cars were not being disinfected each time the subway emptied out, the report revealed. The agency's decision "enhanced the risk of the contagion," the data confirmed.
Governor Cuomo, who has been universally praised for his handling of the contagion by the media, made the call to keep the subways running. Under New York law, the governor controls the subways. The MTA in the midst of a surging virus has continued to operate on a reduced schedule.
But that isn't Cuomo's only error in judgment. He made a worst decision that has led to thousands of deaths. After consulting with his health officials, Cuomo ordered nursing and rehabilitation centers to take in COVID-19 patients.
His logic was that it would relieve the burden on hospitals and thus save lives by allowing more people to be treated. It backfired with disastrous results. Placing infected patients with the most vulnerable in society, the elderly and sick, was beyond the pale of comprehension.
The state now concedes that 3,448 residents of nursing homes and adult care facilities died of the virus. That is nearly 25% of the deaths in the city. However, the reports have been sketchy leading many officials to acknowledge that the real numbers might be even higher.
Cuomo's move also has to be viewed through the context that the first full scale outbreak of the virus in the U.S. took place in a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, where at least 24 patients have died. How could the governor and his state health officials ignore the danger to elderly people?
Cuomo's decision was conceived the same exact week that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease, made this public statement carried by nearly every media outlet:
"It's so clear that the overwhelming weight of serious disease and mortality is on those who are elderly and those with a serious comorbidity, heat disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, respiratory difficulties." His pronouncement was made at the American Medical Association.
There are other indictments of city officials. For instance, a funeral home overwhelmed by hospitals transporting COVID fatalities to their establishment, began storing dozens of bodies in unrefrigerated rented U-Haul trucks outside the facility.
The practice only came to light when neighbors complained about the smell outside the funeral home. Police were summoned to investigate. They found 50 corpses in trucks and sprawled on the funeral home's floor. No criminal charges were filed. It is unconscionable act of cruelty.
For their parts, not surprisingly both DeBlasio and Cuomo have refused to accept any responsibility for the New York City debacle. They prevaricate, blame the current administration and accuse others of malfeasance. The may get away with it because most media outlets have covered up for the pair.
At a news conference, the governor was asked directly about his nursing home order that sentenced thousands of seniors to death. His answer was stunning. "That's a good question. I don't know." He turned to the state health commissioner Howard Zucker for a further explanation.
"If you are positive, you should be admitted back to a nursing home," Zucker told reporters. "The necessary precautions will be taken to protect the other residents there." Obviously, the number of nursing home deaths are proof the "necessary precautions" were not taken.
On a personal note, I recognize many reading are invested in holding President Trump solely responsible for bungling the COVID response. They will not be moved by the facts about the negligence of the New York City mayor and the state's governor. Sadly, the truth no longer matters.
The result of their negligence is born out in the terrifying numbers from New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. New York City has accounted for 30.7% of all the fatalities and 29% of confirmed cases in the country, yet represents just 2.5% of the nation's population.
The latest data from The New York Times paints a grim picture. There have been 321,833 people infected in the city and 24,576 deaths as of today. To put this in perspective, New York City has more fatalities than entire countries, such as Germany, Russia and Poland.
New York apologists claim the density of the city and its sprawling transportation are the reason for the excessive number of deaths and cases. No doubt, density and transportation are unique environmental circumstances to New York City, but also to many major cities around the world.
Officials in New York cannot escape responsibility by citing their surroundings. Their actions and inactions have left an indelible mark on the crisis. Both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill DeBlasio have a lot of explaining to do to their citizens.
Months after President Trump restricted travel to China, the mayor and his top health official were telling citizens to take the subway and attend parades. Both public figures were openly advising city dwellers that the virus was not as widespread as people thought.
Unfortunately, for them video tape and news archives provide damning evidence. On February 2, New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot urged citizens to "take the subway" go out to their favorite restaurants, ride the bus and attend the Chinatown parade. The mayor agreed.
On February 7, Barbot suggested the risks of the virus were minimal for New Yorkers. Her words: "We're telling New Yorkers, go about your lives, take the subway, go out, enjoy life." She downplayed the spread of the virus, suggesting the risks were minimal.
Not to be outdone, DeBlasio three days later appeared on MSNBC and urged New Yorkers under 50 years old they were safe from the virus. "If you're under 50 and healthy, which is most New Yorkers, there is very little threat here." He likened the virus to the "common cold or flu."
On March 3, when it was clear a pandemic was coming, DeBlasio took to social media to promote going to movie theaters and "encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives and get out on the town despite Coronavirus." Many New Yorkers followed the mayor's lead.
As if his incompetence wasn't enough, the mayor offended millions of New Yorkers by scapegoating Jews during the virus outbreak. His words:
"My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons on even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period."
His warning came after a single Orthodox Jewish funeral was held. Jeff Ballabon, a lawyer and former CBS executive, and Mark Goldfeder, a law professor, scolded the governor, saying "Jews across the spectrum overwhelmingly adhered to the guidelines."
The mayor also was uneven in application of justice, allowing funerals in some areas to proceed while targeting Orthodox Jews. "Stereotyping a group based on the actions of a few people is never appropriate...and blaming Jews is by definition anti-Semitic, " Balabon and Goldfeder wrote.
Meanwhile, the city's subways kept shuttling 5 million people daily. It was a prescription for a disaster that would unfold in March and throughout April. On April 24, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) released a study documenting the subways seeded the massive outbreak.
"New York City's multi-pronged subway system was a major disseminator--if not the principal transmission vehicle--of Coronavirus infection during the initial takeoff of the massive epidemic that became evident throughout the city during March," the 19-page report concluded.
The report's author wrote: "A crowded subway train is thus an ideal incubator for Coronavirus transmission." The virus continued to spread along subway lines through at least the third week of March. At the height of the outbreak, the Metropolitan Transit Authority made a fatal decision.
The agency opted to reduce train service to reflect declining ridership, which packed more passengers in fewer subway cars. The cars were not being disinfected each time the subway emptied out, the report revealed. The agency's decision "enhanced the risk of the contagion," the data confirmed.
Governor Cuomo, who has been universally praised for his handling of the contagion by the media, made the call to keep the subways running. Under New York law, the governor controls the subways. The MTA in the midst of a surging virus has continued to operate on a reduced schedule.
But that isn't Cuomo's only error in judgment. He made a worst decision that has led to thousands of deaths. After consulting with his health officials, Cuomo ordered nursing and rehabilitation centers to take in COVID-19 patients.
His logic was that it would relieve the burden on hospitals and thus save lives by allowing more people to be treated. It backfired with disastrous results. Placing infected patients with the most vulnerable in society, the elderly and sick, was beyond the pale of comprehension.
The state now concedes that 3,448 residents of nursing homes and adult care facilities died of the virus. That is nearly 25% of the deaths in the city. However, the reports have been sketchy leading many officials to acknowledge that the real numbers might be even higher.
Cuomo's move also has to be viewed through the context that the first full scale outbreak of the virus in the U.S. took place in a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, where at least 24 patients have died. How could the governor and his state health officials ignore the danger to elderly people?
Cuomo's decision was conceived the same exact week that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease, made this public statement carried by nearly every media outlet:
"It's so clear that the overwhelming weight of serious disease and mortality is on those who are elderly and those with a serious comorbidity, heat disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, respiratory difficulties." His pronouncement was made at the American Medical Association.
There are other indictments of city officials. For instance, a funeral home overwhelmed by hospitals transporting COVID fatalities to their establishment, began storing dozens of bodies in unrefrigerated rented U-Haul trucks outside the facility.
The practice only came to light when neighbors complained about the smell outside the funeral home. Police were summoned to investigate. They found 50 corpses in trucks and sprawled on the funeral home's floor. No criminal charges were filed. It is unconscionable act of cruelty.
For their parts, not surprisingly both DeBlasio and Cuomo have refused to accept any responsibility for the New York City debacle. They prevaricate, blame the current administration and accuse others of malfeasance. The may get away with it because most media outlets have covered up for the pair.
At a news conference, the governor was asked directly about his nursing home order that sentenced thousands of seniors to death. His answer was stunning. "That's a good question. I don't know." He turned to the state health commissioner Howard Zucker for a further explanation.
"If you are positive, you should be admitted back to a nursing home," Zucker told reporters. "The necessary precautions will be taken to protect the other residents there." Obviously, the number of nursing home deaths are proof the "necessary precautions" were not taken.
On a personal note, I recognize many reading are invested in holding President Trump solely responsible for bungling the COVID response. They will not be moved by the facts about the negligence of the New York City mayor and the state's governor. Sadly, the truth no longer matters.
Monday, April 27, 2020
Why Data Is Critical To Arresting Coronavirus
An increasing number of scientific studies shedding new light on the Coronavirus are raising doubts about previous assertions the pandemic is far deadlier than seasonal flu. While it is still too early to make a definitive call, the evidence should trigger a reassessment of how data is compiled.
The studies, conducted by two universities and New York, reveal far more people may have contracted the virus than official reports of confirmed cases. In Los Angeles County, for example, a sample discovered an infection rate 40 times more than the cases reporting from testing results.
For some, the research will not sway their opinions about the steps taken by the government to deal with COVID-19. But data matters when a nation is dealing with an infectious respiratory virus. Without credible data, how can hospitals and states act responsibility to take precautionary measures?
An analogy would be investing in the stock market with limited or contradictory data about listed firms. Inevitably it would lead to poor decisions, the kind that empty your bank account. In much the same way, data is the most important tool for effectively dealing with a pandemic.
Let's start with the three recently released studies. A study from the Stanford University School of Medicine as of April 1 found that infection rates for northern California were 55 times higher than the official confirmed cases count. The study was based on 3,000 blood samples taken from volunteers.
The samples were tested for antibodies to COVID-19 using a test made by Euroimmun. Based on the data and modeling estimates, the researchers estimated that the infection fatality rate was between 0.1% and 0.2%. The death rate for seasonal influenza in the U.S. is 0.1%.
Another study released by University of Southern California (USC) unearthed similar results. Using parallel methodology to the Stanford study, researchers estimated the number of infected people in Los Angeles County may have been 28 to 55 times higher than the reported confirmed cases.
On the heels of these findings, New York Gov. Anthony Cuomo announced the state's first survey shows that 13.9% of those tested had Coronavirus antibodies in their system, meaning they had contracted the virus and recovered. That suggests 2.7 million people statewide had been infected.
That number is far higher than 134,824 cases that had been reported at the time the governor made the results public. What this study and the two from California suggest is that virus is not as lethal as has been previously reported by health officials but is far more infectious than scientists suspected.
Another factor raises suspicions about current data. Some states are counting COVID-19 deaths differently than others. For instance, the Pennsylvania State Health Secretary reduced the fatality toll by 200 in a single day. The official reason was to reduce "confusion" around the death count.
A California scientist believes some states are diagnosing patients with the virus AFTER they have entered the hospital for another disease. If the patient succumbs, the cause of death may be the virus or the underlying disease. It is a judgment call based on no universal standards.
For perspective, in the 2017-2018 flu season, 79,400 people died. There were 48.8 million people infected, requiring 959,000 to be hospitalized. Those numbers are higher than today's COVID-19 figures. No one should take comfort, however, because COVID-19 continues to spread.
Now that research is piling up the scientific models produced by experts are quietly disappearing from the Internet. The one estimate that sparked the panic predicted 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. This same model projected 500,000 fatalities in the United Kingdom.
It was done by a respected authority, Professor Neil Ferguson, director of the MRC Centre for Global Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a lockdown of the country based on this data. This is why credible data matters. It drives decision making.
As data evolves, we are seeing a familiar influenza pattern. Exactly 80% of the deaths have been people 65+ years. The highest percentage are those 85+. Those 65 and older are 22 times more likely to die of the virus than those 55 and under, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Deaths in nursing homes and long-term care facilities for the elderly haven't generally been tracked by the CDC or other health organizations, which is odd considering the first outbreak occurred in a nursing home outside Seattle. The Wall Street Journal investigated and uncovered startling details.
At least 4,800 nursing home facilities in the country have been hit by the virus, the Journal reported. The number of people infected, including residents and staff, totals more than 56,000.
The number of deaths at nursing homes and long-term care facilities have topped 10,000.
In some states, the nursing home deaths account for most fatalities. In Minnesota the Journal reported a state health care spokesperson acknowledged that 131 of its 179 total deaths were linked to long-term care facilities. In Massachusetts, 55% of COVID-19 victims were nursing home residents.
The Journal's numbers were developed by contacting state officials across the country. Many states did not have the data. It begs the question: "How can you stop a pandemic when there is no data to document where urgent testing needs to be concentrated?" There is no excuse for the lapse.
There are other statistics that have not appeared in any media that offer perspective. These may surprise some of you because it illuminates a different way to view this virus and its impact:
Percentage of Americans of who have died from the virus: 0.0001352602033%
Percentage of Americans with confirmed cases of the virus: 0.00243353907%
That means 99.9% of Americans have escaped infection and death. The news media would infer your writer takes the current pandemic too lightly. Facts do not represent an opinion. If facts offend people, then the country is lost. Today's journalists fight facts with anecdotal evidence.
There are breaking news alerts each time pandemic fatalities cross another milestone number. Someone should be asking: "Is this more deaths than previous pandemics?" It is akin to reporting traffic deaths monthly without any comparison to previous years. Context is essential.
And finally: Percentage of all U. S. confirmed cases in just three states: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut: 45.3% By demanding tests in every state, precious testing kits were dispatched elsewhere when the most pressing needs were in three states. Facts matter in allocating resources.
In times of crisis, the country needs more data, facts and analysis. If these outbreak teaches the country nothing else, it should be that we need accurate, standardized data collection and improved modeling. These are essential for policy makers to conceive informed decisions.
The studies, conducted by two universities and New York, reveal far more people may have contracted the virus than official reports of confirmed cases. In Los Angeles County, for example, a sample discovered an infection rate 40 times more than the cases reporting from testing results.
For some, the research will not sway their opinions about the steps taken by the government to deal with COVID-19. But data matters when a nation is dealing with an infectious respiratory virus. Without credible data, how can hospitals and states act responsibility to take precautionary measures?
An analogy would be investing in the stock market with limited or contradictory data about listed firms. Inevitably it would lead to poor decisions, the kind that empty your bank account. In much the same way, data is the most important tool for effectively dealing with a pandemic.
Let's start with the three recently released studies. A study from the Stanford University School of Medicine as of April 1 found that infection rates for northern California were 55 times higher than the official confirmed cases count. The study was based on 3,000 blood samples taken from volunteers.
The samples were tested for antibodies to COVID-19 using a test made by Euroimmun. Based on the data and modeling estimates, the researchers estimated that the infection fatality rate was between 0.1% and 0.2%. The death rate for seasonal influenza in the U.S. is 0.1%.
Another study released by University of Southern California (USC) unearthed similar results. Using parallel methodology to the Stanford study, researchers estimated the number of infected people in Los Angeles County may have been 28 to 55 times higher than the reported confirmed cases.
On the heels of these findings, New York Gov. Anthony Cuomo announced the state's first survey shows that 13.9% of those tested had Coronavirus antibodies in their system, meaning they had contracted the virus and recovered. That suggests 2.7 million people statewide had been infected.
That number is far higher than 134,824 cases that had been reported at the time the governor made the results public. What this study and the two from California suggest is that virus is not as lethal as has been previously reported by health officials but is far more infectious than scientists suspected.
Another factor raises suspicions about current data. Some states are counting COVID-19 deaths differently than others. For instance, the Pennsylvania State Health Secretary reduced the fatality toll by 200 in a single day. The official reason was to reduce "confusion" around the death count.
A California scientist believes some states are diagnosing patients with the virus AFTER they have entered the hospital for another disease. If the patient succumbs, the cause of death may be the virus or the underlying disease. It is a judgment call based on no universal standards.
For perspective, in the 2017-2018 flu season, 79,400 people died. There were 48.8 million people infected, requiring 959,000 to be hospitalized. Those numbers are higher than today's COVID-19 figures. No one should take comfort, however, because COVID-19 continues to spread.
Now that research is piling up the scientific models produced by experts are quietly disappearing from the Internet. The one estimate that sparked the panic predicted 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. This same model projected 500,000 fatalities in the United Kingdom.
It was done by a respected authority, Professor Neil Ferguson, director of the MRC Centre for Global Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a lockdown of the country based on this data. This is why credible data matters. It drives decision making.
As data evolves, we are seeing a familiar influenza pattern. Exactly 80% of the deaths have been people 65+ years. The highest percentage are those 85+. Those 65 and older are 22 times more likely to die of the virus than those 55 and under, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Deaths in nursing homes and long-term care facilities for the elderly haven't generally been tracked by the CDC or other health organizations, which is odd considering the first outbreak occurred in a nursing home outside Seattle. The Wall Street Journal investigated and uncovered startling details.
At least 4,800 nursing home facilities in the country have been hit by the virus, the Journal reported. The number of people infected, including residents and staff, totals more than 56,000.
The number of deaths at nursing homes and long-term care facilities have topped 10,000.
In some states, the nursing home deaths account for most fatalities. In Minnesota the Journal reported a state health care spokesperson acknowledged that 131 of its 179 total deaths were linked to long-term care facilities. In Massachusetts, 55% of COVID-19 victims were nursing home residents.
The Journal's numbers were developed by contacting state officials across the country. Many states did not have the data. It begs the question: "How can you stop a pandemic when there is no data to document where urgent testing needs to be concentrated?" There is no excuse for the lapse.
There are other statistics that have not appeared in any media that offer perspective. These may surprise some of you because it illuminates a different way to view this virus and its impact:
Percentage of Americans of who have died from the virus: 0.0001352602033%
Percentage of Americans with confirmed cases of the virus: 0.00243353907%
That means 99.9% of Americans have escaped infection and death. The news media would infer your writer takes the current pandemic too lightly. Facts do not represent an opinion. If facts offend people, then the country is lost. Today's journalists fight facts with anecdotal evidence.
There are breaking news alerts each time pandemic fatalities cross another milestone number. Someone should be asking: "Is this more deaths than previous pandemics?" It is akin to reporting traffic deaths monthly without any comparison to previous years. Context is essential.
And finally: Percentage of all U. S. confirmed cases in just three states: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut: 45.3% By demanding tests in every state, precious testing kits were dispatched elsewhere when the most pressing needs were in three states. Facts matter in allocating resources.
In times of crisis, the country needs more data, facts and analysis. If these outbreak teaches the country nothing else, it should be that we need accurate, standardized data collection and improved modeling. These are essential for policy makers to conceive informed decisions.
Monday, April 20, 2020
Reopen Economy To Save American Lives
Now's the time for the American economy to be unplugged from the ventilator. Without decisive action, the U.S. will plunge into the abyss of an economic depression that will ruin far more lives than Covid-19. The longer the lockdown continues the country risks plummeting into financial ruin.
There are growing signs that Americans are fed up with the quarantine. Protests are popping up in many cities. For example, in Michigan thousand gathered to protest sweeping restrictions imposed by the governor. Americans yearn to return to their jobs. Politicians are starting to take notice.
A growing number of governors are contemplating reopening for business. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced a gradual plan to allow workers to return by Friday. If it happens, there will be domino effect across the country. States that remain shutdown will face criticism from voters.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has raised impossible hurdles to any lifting of the lockdown. She and other Democrats are demanding a "guarantee of a safe world" before returning to normalcy. No doctor, scientist or politician can make such a guarantee. The world, by nature, is not a safe place.
Governors understand better than Pelosi the inherent risks. They are staring at data that suggests an economic Armageddon will bankrupt their states. Even states whose economy was booming before the outbreak are not immune from an epic disaster for their workers.
At the current pace, COVID-19 will trigger the worst economic collapse in U.S. history. Whole industries are on life support: Travel, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, oil, hotels, tourist operators, cruise lines, conventions, food and beverage service and virtually every small business in America.
Small businesses under 500 workers, which employ half of the American workforce, are particularly vulnerable. Most operate on a razor's edge between profitability and insolvency. The new Small Business Administration loan program will help cover some expenses but only about 50%.
Loans will not cover payments due suppliers, maintenance and loan repayments from previous borrowing. By some estimates, these small businesses generate 44% of the country's Gross Domestic Product, a measurement of economic output. Many are in danger of permanent closure.
Corporate furloughs are at historic levels. Macy's has furloughed most of its 125,000 workers. Boeing plans "voluntary" layoffs to slice its 160,000 workforce. Walt Disney has furloughed 43,000 employees. J.C. Penny is cleaving most of its 85,000 workforce. Furloughs will soon turn to layoffs.
The Department of Labor calculated a record-shattering 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment in the last four weeks. For perspective, at the worst of the Great Depression there were 15 million unemployed. In the 2008 financial meltdown, unemployment peaked at 9 million.
The current situation is unprecedented in American history. A stunning 13.25% of the workforce has disappeared from the rolls of the employed. The country is losing 33,000 jobs every hour of every day right now. Based on unofficial figures, experts estimate the current unemployment rate is 16%.
Unemployment is the tip of the iceberg. Credit card companies and banks are holding their collective breaths in the face of a expected wave of defaults. These institutions are extending credit for now, but at some point, borrowers will be required to repay. Economic freefall will make it impossible.
At this juncture, household and business debt are already at historic highs. Delinquency on student and auto loans is skyrocketing. The spectre of a financial pandemic is real. If you thought the last $700 billion government bailout in 2008 was unfathomable, just wait a few more months.
Economists are predicting the Gross Domestic Product will shrink by 25%-to-50% in the second quarter. Any rebound depends on consumer spending, which represents about 68%-72% of the economy. Bloated unemployment data offers little hope for an uptick in consumer spending.
That's causing hand wringing among states because economic decline equals less tax revenue. An economic collapse will force steep government budget cuts. An even larger issue is state worker pension funds, estimated at $1.2 trillion in obligations. Most state plans are underfunded now.
The American financial system is precariously nearing the precipice. Even the U.S. government cannot print enough money to paper over the looming disaster that will all but render a recovery a moot point. These are dire times but most Americans are unaware of the scale of the consequences.
All the focus in the media has been on the toll of the virus and rightly so. But workers have been forgotten in the stampede to staunch the virus. No one appears concerned about what will happen to everyday, ordinary Americans. This has been deliberate, especially by the mainstream media.
The nation is in uncharted territory. The U.S. has never, repeat never, voluntarily shuttered business activity, even in world wars or during past pandemics. Those experts predicting a sudden, rapid economic recovery are fool hearted. A long, painful road awaits the economy and its workers.
No one, certainly not this journalist, is underestimating the risks of opening up America. Precautions need to be in place: testing kits, thermometers, masks, appropriate distancing. The timing should be dictated by scientific and economic experts, not by politically motivated guidelines in newspapers.
In states where the virus is scarcely present, people should be allowed to go back to work, open up shops and congregate in churches. Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota come to mind. On the other hand, New York and California may need months before normalcy returns.
Some will read this and assume your writer has no empathy for the sick and dying. Believe as you wish. The real concern here is that by continuing a lockdown America will be forcing millions more than this virus affected to suffer lost of jobs, homes, cars, life savings, credit access and more.
Yet some politicians are huffing the country needs to remain in quarantine until a vaccine is readily available. That could be months or even more than a year away based on the record of vaccine development for previous coronavirus contagions. In a year, there will be no American economy.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden famously said this: "We need to accelerate the development and treatment (sic) of a vaccine. Science takes time." The nation does not have time to wait on the FDA and scientists to plod along using endless trials before approving any new drug or vaccine.
No one can deny there are risks to resuming commerce. A second wave of virus cases. A spike in hospitalizations. Fatalities may continue. There simply is no way to erase every risk no matter what criteria the nation uses for business resumption. Even a zillion tests will not eliminate every risk.
This isn't a choice between commerce and saving lives as some would construct it. This is a choice about the best way to spare lives and prevent unparalleled economic agony. It is not an either or proposition as politicians suggest. Why can't we have both? We have done it before.
Of course, when the initial state resumes business the media will pounce on the first virus death that occurs. The cry will be the governor has "blood on her (or his) hands." This hyper partisan nation knows no shame. Ignore the politicians and media invested in promoting economic bondage.
When this virus recedes into history, the prediction here is a day of reckoning is coming when American anger turns on politicians, especially governors and mayors who dictated arbitrary restrictions that defied common sense. The uproar will be thunderous and will have repercussions.
There are growing signs that Americans are fed up with the quarantine. Protests are popping up in many cities. For example, in Michigan thousand gathered to protest sweeping restrictions imposed by the governor. Americans yearn to return to their jobs. Politicians are starting to take notice.
A growing number of governors are contemplating reopening for business. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced a gradual plan to allow workers to return by Friday. If it happens, there will be domino effect across the country. States that remain shutdown will face criticism from voters.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has raised impossible hurdles to any lifting of the lockdown. She and other Democrats are demanding a "guarantee of a safe world" before returning to normalcy. No doctor, scientist or politician can make such a guarantee. The world, by nature, is not a safe place.
Governors understand better than Pelosi the inherent risks. They are staring at data that suggests an economic Armageddon will bankrupt their states. Even states whose economy was booming before the outbreak are not immune from an epic disaster for their workers.
At the current pace, COVID-19 will trigger the worst economic collapse in U.S. history. Whole industries are on life support: Travel, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, oil, hotels, tourist operators, cruise lines, conventions, food and beverage service and virtually every small business in America.
Small businesses under 500 workers, which employ half of the American workforce, are particularly vulnerable. Most operate on a razor's edge between profitability and insolvency. The new Small Business Administration loan program will help cover some expenses but only about 50%.
Loans will not cover payments due suppliers, maintenance and loan repayments from previous borrowing. By some estimates, these small businesses generate 44% of the country's Gross Domestic Product, a measurement of economic output. Many are in danger of permanent closure.
Corporate furloughs are at historic levels. Macy's has furloughed most of its 125,000 workers. Boeing plans "voluntary" layoffs to slice its 160,000 workforce. Walt Disney has furloughed 43,000 employees. J.C. Penny is cleaving most of its 85,000 workforce. Furloughs will soon turn to layoffs.
The Department of Labor calculated a record-shattering 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment in the last four weeks. For perspective, at the worst of the Great Depression there were 15 million unemployed. In the 2008 financial meltdown, unemployment peaked at 9 million.
The current situation is unprecedented in American history. A stunning 13.25% of the workforce has disappeared from the rolls of the employed. The country is losing 33,000 jobs every hour of every day right now. Based on unofficial figures, experts estimate the current unemployment rate is 16%.
Unemployment is the tip of the iceberg. Credit card companies and banks are holding their collective breaths in the face of a expected wave of defaults. These institutions are extending credit for now, but at some point, borrowers will be required to repay. Economic freefall will make it impossible.
At this juncture, household and business debt are already at historic highs. Delinquency on student and auto loans is skyrocketing. The spectre of a financial pandemic is real. If you thought the last $700 billion government bailout in 2008 was unfathomable, just wait a few more months.
Economists are predicting the Gross Domestic Product will shrink by 25%-to-50% in the second quarter. Any rebound depends on consumer spending, which represents about 68%-72% of the economy. Bloated unemployment data offers little hope for an uptick in consumer spending.
That's causing hand wringing among states because economic decline equals less tax revenue. An economic collapse will force steep government budget cuts. An even larger issue is state worker pension funds, estimated at $1.2 trillion in obligations. Most state plans are underfunded now.
The American financial system is precariously nearing the precipice. Even the U.S. government cannot print enough money to paper over the looming disaster that will all but render a recovery a moot point. These are dire times but most Americans are unaware of the scale of the consequences.
All the focus in the media has been on the toll of the virus and rightly so. But workers have been forgotten in the stampede to staunch the virus. No one appears concerned about what will happen to everyday, ordinary Americans. This has been deliberate, especially by the mainstream media.
The nation is in uncharted territory. The U.S. has never, repeat never, voluntarily shuttered business activity, even in world wars or during past pandemics. Those experts predicting a sudden, rapid economic recovery are fool hearted. A long, painful road awaits the economy and its workers.
No one, certainly not this journalist, is underestimating the risks of opening up America. Precautions need to be in place: testing kits, thermometers, masks, appropriate distancing. The timing should be dictated by scientific and economic experts, not by politically motivated guidelines in newspapers.
In states where the virus is scarcely present, people should be allowed to go back to work, open up shops and congregate in churches. Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota come to mind. On the other hand, New York and California may need months before normalcy returns.
Some will read this and assume your writer has no empathy for the sick and dying. Believe as you wish. The real concern here is that by continuing a lockdown America will be forcing millions more than this virus affected to suffer lost of jobs, homes, cars, life savings, credit access and more.
Yet some politicians are huffing the country needs to remain in quarantine until a vaccine is readily available. That could be months or even more than a year away based on the record of vaccine development for previous coronavirus contagions. In a year, there will be no American economy.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden famously said this: "We need to accelerate the development and treatment (sic) of a vaccine. Science takes time." The nation does not have time to wait on the FDA and scientists to plod along using endless trials before approving any new drug or vaccine.
No one can deny there are risks to resuming commerce. A second wave of virus cases. A spike in hospitalizations. Fatalities may continue. There simply is no way to erase every risk no matter what criteria the nation uses for business resumption. Even a zillion tests will not eliminate every risk.
This isn't a choice between commerce and saving lives as some would construct it. This is a choice about the best way to spare lives and prevent unparalleled economic agony. It is not an either or proposition as politicians suggest. Why can't we have both? We have done it before.
Of course, when the initial state resumes business the media will pounce on the first virus death that occurs. The cry will be the governor has "blood on her (or his) hands." This hyper partisan nation knows no shame. Ignore the politicians and media invested in promoting economic bondage.
When this virus recedes into history, the prediction here is a day of reckoning is coming when American anger turns on politicians, especially governors and mayors who dictated arbitrary restrictions that defied common sense. The uproar will be thunderous and will have repercussions.
Monday, April 13, 2020
Will the Pandemic Spark a Spiritual Reawakening?
December 8 the world awoke to the news of the first reported case of Covid-19 in Wuhan, China. Few experts at that time could have forecast a cataclysmic pandemic that would kill thousands, swamp hospitals, exhaust medical supplies and pulverize world economies.
Let's stipulate at this point regular worship attendance does not make someone a "good" person. That is judgmental. But there are other signs, besides worship attendance, that signal a glacial shift in America's once sacred tradition of honoring God in private and public places.
The Ten Commandments are forbidden in courthouses. Crosses have been removed as offensive. Prayer in public schools is taboo. Courts have decreed rules passed by Congress trump religious rights. Bans on public Nativity scenes. Subpoenas for pastors who oppose homosexuality.
For decades, there has been a secular campaign to strip America of any vestige or symbol of the Creator. There have been a few courageous religious organizations that have battled the tide. But truthfully there has been mostly benign acceptance. A shrug. A silent resignation.
Will Americans, shaken by the reality of our risky universe, stand up for religious liberty? Will they will again flock to houses of worship? Will they become kinder, more compassionate, less selfish and lift their voices in praise of God?
If not now, when?
We have endured the agony of being separated from loved ones drawing their last breath. Funerals are cancelled by social distancing, aggravating inconsolable grief. Human lives have been reduced to government statistics. Numbing isolation threatens our collective mental health.
During the outbreak, Americans have placed their faith in scientists and the government. The common plea is for a miracle vaccine that will chase the virus into oblivion. God is nowhere in the public discussion. We should first and foremost focus our faith in God, the ultimate miracle worker.
If anything good can emerge from these virus, a revival of faith would be a welcome outcome. This abhorrent virus won't be he last microbe to scourge the world. Future ones might be worse. Let's not wait for the next global affliction or terrorist strike to turn toward our Creator in faithful worship.
Facts dribbled out of the Communist regime like water from a melting glacier. A month passed before scientists, immunologists, health organizations and political leaders understood the demon that had been unleashed. Each new detail fueled public panic, stark fear, uncertainty and hopelessness.
In the wake of past calamitous disasters, Americans usually have rediscovered God. Chastened by the horrors of World War II, church attendance skyrocketed. A Gallup survey reported three-out-of-four Americans were members of a house of worship. People rediscovered peace in God.
Even after the memory of the war began to fade, nationwide attendance at worship services spiked at a faster rate than the population during the 1950's. Membership in churches and synagogues doubled. It was no coincidence the words "under God" were added to the Pledge of Allegiance then.
Even after the memory of the war began to fade, nationwide attendance at worship services spiked at a faster rate than the population during the 1950's. Membership in churches and synagogues doubled. It was no coincidence the words "under God" were added to the Pledge of Allegiance then.
After the horrendous attacks of 9/11, houses of worship were jammed that evening as Americans cued up to grieve and pray. Citizens organized their own candlelight and prayer vigils. There was a somber fog that cloaked the country, compelling many of us to reexamine our own lives
However, after a few weeks, attendance at worship services lapsed into normalcy. We retreated to our former ways, comforted by new security measures that made us feel safe again. God was no longer needed.
However, after a few weeks, attendance at worship services lapsed into normalcy. We retreated to our former ways, comforted by new security measures that made us feel safe again. God was no longer needed.
In troubled times, we confront the fragility of life. The certainty that we too will die. The illusion that we control our circumstances is shattered. We come to grips with how trivial some of our concerns have been in light of the precarious nature of life itself.
These dark days beg for a beacon. A lamp to guide us through the valley of death and despair. In the best of times, we find solace in life's pleasures. We are distracted by what our eyes see rather than the whispered yearning in our hearts for the Creator. Perhaps, this devastating virus will alter that.
Many Americans are ripe for a reawakening. Weekly attendance at houses of worship is plunging. Pew research found 37% of us attend a synagogue or church weekly. Nearly one-in-three people seldom or never take part in worship services. Those numbers are rising annually.
Diving deeper into the research, even people with religious affiliations find reasons to avoid worship services. The majority (37%) cite personal issues with the church, including disagreements with religious beliefs or with church leadership. Around 16% say they are just too busy.
Others mention personal priorities prevent them from attending. They specify work conflicts, health problems or transportation difficulties. This is no judgment about why people choose not to attend. Obviously, they are valid justifications that make worship attendance impossible.
Let's stipulate at this point regular worship attendance does not make someone a "good" person. That is judgmental. But there are other signs, besides worship attendance, that signal a glacial shift in America's once sacred tradition of honoring God in private and public places.
The Ten Commandments are forbidden in courthouses. Crosses have been removed as offensive. Prayer in public schools is taboo. Courts have decreed rules passed by Congress trump religious rights. Bans on public Nativity scenes. Subpoenas for pastors who oppose homosexuality.
For decades, there has been a secular campaign to strip America of any vestige or symbol of the Creator. There have been a few courageous religious organizations that have battled the tide. But truthfully there has been mostly benign acceptance. A shrug. A silent resignation.
Will Americans, shaken by the reality of our risky universe, stand up for religious liberty? Will they will again flock to houses of worship? Will they become kinder, more compassionate, less selfish and lift their voices in praise of God?
If not now, when?
We have endured the agony of being separated from loved ones drawing their last breath. Funerals are cancelled by social distancing, aggravating inconsolable grief. Human lives have been reduced to government statistics. Numbing isolation threatens our collective mental health.
During the outbreak, Americans have placed their faith in scientists and the government. The common plea is for a miracle vaccine that will chase the virus into oblivion. God is nowhere in the public discussion. We should first and foremost focus our faith in God, the ultimate miracle worker.
If anything good can emerge from these virus, a revival of faith would be a welcome outcome. This abhorrent virus won't be he last microbe to scourge the world. Future ones might be worse. Let's not wait for the next global affliction or terrorist strike to turn toward our Creator in faithful worship.
Monday, April 6, 2020
Surgeons: Medical Profession's Gunslingers
Eight days before my long-overdue hip replacement operation the surgeon scrubbed the procedure. The C-word virus was blamed for the hasty decision. It was unexpected since my operation was to be performed at a surgical hospital with no other patients. That's the new reality we live in.
The way the news was communicated to me is typical of surgeons. An underling called to deliver the devastating revelation. Having dealt with three surgeons in the last three years, I have discovered these brilliant medical specialists are a peculiar breed like none other in the profession.
I compare them to gunslingers in the old Western movies I grew up watching. They are brusque, closed-mouthed, unsociable but darn good at what they do best. They ride to the rescue wielding scalpels when duty calls. But you wouldn't want your daughter to ride a horse with one.
For one thing, surgeons are never on time. If you schedule an office visit with a surgeon, the time you were given is just a guess on when he or she might show up. Like a dope, I arrived early for appointments only to wait an hour or more. Do these people not own watches?
Surgeons always have an excuse for their tardiness. "Hey, sorry about the delay, but I was just finishing sewing up a patient in OR," they will plead. What are you supposed to say? "Hey doc, sounds like a job for an intern?" Too insensitive. You just politely nod and grit your teeth.
Even the day of surgery you can expect a delay. I was summoned to arrive 5 a.m. for my neck fusion. The surgery was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. I twiddled my thumbs and drank vodka tonics until almost 11 a.m. before being wheeled into the operating room. At least I didn't need anesthesia.
Unlike primary care doctors, surgeons have the bedside manner of a butcher at your local grocer meat department. They whisk into the exam room during your first appointment seemingly in a big rush. They rattle off scant details about the surgery. Then sprint to the adjoining exam room.
You are left dumbfounded staring at the diagrams of anatomical views of hips on their exam room walls. Any questions you have are left for a medical assistant or some temp at the front desk. I scoured the web for most answers, where I found a trove of information that was helpful.
And if you ever have a second appointment before the surgery, don't expect the surgeon to remember your name or case particulars. They can only identify you by an X-Ray. If you have a chance meeting with your surgeon at a party, carry an X-Ray with you just in case.
My least favorite tactic of surgeons is when they ask about your pain level. Some have charts on their exam room walls with Smiley Faces ranging from Happy to Teary Grimace. I never know how to translate my pain into a Smiley Face. What a ridiculous, sophomoric tool.
If surgeons are going to insist on some visual aid, then I have a suggestion. Use photos of animals. For example, a lion would be a symbol you feel like a king. A skunk would infer you are feeling stinky. For pain that is at neither end of that spectrum, how about a goat? Preferably an old one.
And, while I am on a rant, can we just all agree that surgeon's offices should no longer use an automated answering system? The first option always is: "If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and call 9-1-1." This is demeaning because it suggests you are too stupid to know that.
If I am laying in a heap on the floor a home, I darn sure am not calling a surgeon's office where I will have to listen to 42-voice prompts before I get dumped into a recording. Give me a break. I would be shaking hands with St. Peter by then. Loose the 9-1-1 message and hire a real human.
Let's face it. Surgeons view patients as just another lumpy body that allows they to do what they enjoy best. Cutting open people with sharp objects and probing their innards. Who likes a job that involves blood? I grew faint dissecting fetal pigs in college biology. Humans? No way.
My suggestion is that if you are forced to see a surgeon do fact finding in advance. Does he have a personality? Has she ever spoken in complete sentences? Does his photo online feature a prominent furrowed brow? Who cares if she is board certified? Give me a surgeon who smiles occasionally.
In hindsight, I guess being somber is a good quality for a surgeon. After all, you don't want your surgeon putting a whoopee cushion underneath your bottom just before drawing a scalpel from the holster on his hip. The anesthesiologist might unleash a belly laugh and forget to put you under.
The way the news was communicated to me is typical of surgeons. An underling called to deliver the devastating revelation. Having dealt with three surgeons in the last three years, I have discovered these brilliant medical specialists are a peculiar breed like none other in the profession.
I compare them to gunslingers in the old Western movies I grew up watching. They are brusque, closed-mouthed, unsociable but darn good at what they do best. They ride to the rescue wielding scalpels when duty calls. But you wouldn't want your daughter to ride a horse with one.
For one thing, surgeons are never on time. If you schedule an office visit with a surgeon, the time you were given is just a guess on when he or she might show up. Like a dope, I arrived early for appointments only to wait an hour or more. Do these people not own watches?
Surgeons always have an excuse for their tardiness. "Hey, sorry about the delay, but I was just finishing sewing up a patient in OR," they will plead. What are you supposed to say? "Hey doc, sounds like a job for an intern?" Too insensitive. You just politely nod and grit your teeth.
Even the day of surgery you can expect a delay. I was summoned to arrive 5 a.m. for my neck fusion. The surgery was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. I twiddled my thumbs and drank vodka tonics until almost 11 a.m. before being wheeled into the operating room. At least I didn't need anesthesia.
Unlike primary care doctors, surgeons have the bedside manner of a butcher at your local grocer meat department. They whisk into the exam room during your first appointment seemingly in a big rush. They rattle off scant details about the surgery. Then sprint to the adjoining exam room.
You are left dumbfounded staring at the diagrams of anatomical views of hips on their exam room walls. Any questions you have are left for a medical assistant or some temp at the front desk. I scoured the web for most answers, where I found a trove of information that was helpful.
And if you ever have a second appointment before the surgery, don't expect the surgeon to remember your name or case particulars. They can only identify you by an X-Ray. If you have a chance meeting with your surgeon at a party, carry an X-Ray with you just in case.
My least favorite tactic of surgeons is when they ask about your pain level. Some have charts on their exam room walls with Smiley Faces ranging from Happy to Teary Grimace. I never know how to translate my pain into a Smiley Face. What a ridiculous, sophomoric tool.
If surgeons are going to insist on some visual aid, then I have a suggestion. Use photos of animals. For example, a lion would be a symbol you feel like a king. A skunk would infer you are feeling stinky. For pain that is at neither end of that spectrum, how about a goat? Preferably an old one.
And, while I am on a rant, can we just all agree that surgeon's offices should no longer use an automated answering system? The first option always is: "If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and call 9-1-1." This is demeaning because it suggests you are too stupid to know that.
If I am laying in a heap on the floor a home, I darn sure am not calling a surgeon's office where I will have to listen to 42-voice prompts before I get dumped into a recording. Give me a break. I would be shaking hands with St. Peter by then. Loose the 9-1-1 message and hire a real human.
Let's face it. Surgeons view patients as just another lumpy body that allows they to do what they enjoy best. Cutting open people with sharp objects and probing their innards. Who likes a job that involves blood? I grew faint dissecting fetal pigs in college biology. Humans? No way.
My suggestion is that if you are forced to see a surgeon do fact finding in advance. Does he have a personality? Has she ever spoken in complete sentences? Does his photo online feature a prominent furrowed brow? Who cares if she is board certified? Give me a surgeon who smiles occasionally.
In hindsight, I guess being somber is a good quality for a surgeon. After all, you don't want your surgeon putting a whoopee cushion underneath your bottom just before drawing a scalpel from the holster on his hip. The anesthesiologist might unleash a belly laugh and forget to put you under.
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