The world cannot seem to shake more than one-thousand years of Anti-Semitism. Despite determined efforts to stamp out all hate crimes, persecution of Jews continues unabated. Even in America, Jews are being targeted in larger numbers than ever for their religious beliefs.
Recently, many Americans recoiled in horror after a gunman mowed down 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. They were marked for assassination by their executioner for practicing their Jewish faith. The victims were innocent people whose "crime" was their Jewishness.
Coincidentally, within days of the slaughter, the FBI released data showing Jewish people and institutions were most frequently targeted, accounting for 58.1 percent of all religious based hate crime. Muslims ranked a distant second at 18.6 percent. The FBI data is for the year 2017.
The mainstream media as expected needed a scapegoat for the increase in violence against Jews. To no one's surprise they blamed the rhetoric of President Trump for the murderous rampage. That may be the most nonsensical, unsubstantiated charge ever leveled against this president.
The president's son-in-law Jared Kushner is Jewish. Mr. Trump's daughter Ivanka, who is married to Kushner, converted to Judaism. The couple's children are being raised in the Jewish faith. Mr. Trump has been the most pro-Israel president in history.
Name just one anti-Jewish statement uttered by Mr. Trump. Or a Anti-Semitic tweet. You can't do it because none exist. The media and politicians know that too but they are never, ever going to expose the No. 1 Jew Hater in America.
The truth is that the mainstream media, politicians and black leaders are afraid to point the finger at the prime source of Anti-Semitism in this country. His name is Minister Louis Farrakhan, an 84-year-old African-American who bills himself as the leader of the Nation of Islam.
Despite his decades-long openly Anti-Semitic crusade, no one dares condemn him. He has the ear of powerful politicians. He has been photographed with everyone from Barrack Obama to Democratic senators and representatives Their silence is tacit endorsement for his poisonous hatred.
When he is not denigrating Jews, this pseudo minister rallies his followers to support his favored politicians. In 1988, he exhorted his disciples to back Jesse Jackson's bid for the Democratic Party nomination. He was back in the news in 1995, helping organize the 'Million Man March,"
These activities give him a certain cache among politicians, especially Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus. But make no mistake about his putrid ideology. This man is a Jew hating psychopath who at times has all but called for genocide against Jews.
In his latest rant, Farrakhan compared Jews to "termites," borrowing the same description the German Nazis used during their bloodthirsty campaign to exterminate the Jewish race. Not a single African-American senator or representative had the guts to castigate this vile man. Not one.
The Anti-Defamation League, a pro-Jewish group, cited a recent report that social media harassment of Jewish Americans increased during the latest election. While social media platforms regularly censor conservative views, Farrakhan is treated with kid gloves. He is The Untouchable.
Imagine if anyone was preaching this same kind of hatred against Muslims. The national uproar would be deafening. Why does this nation and others tolerate blatantly anti-Jewish hate speech? There is only one conclusion to draw. Anti-Semitism exists because we allow it.
A few Swastikas spray painted on synagogues is treated as a prank. A smashed widow at a Jewish shop is just a petty crime. Even the horrific Pittsburgh murders did not generate the same level of inflamed news coverage as school shootings or the most recent carnage at a California bar and grill.
As long as the Louis Farrakhan's of the world are freely allowed to spew venom about Jews without any retribution, the level of violence against Jews will only increase. If our politicians won't stand up against this wretched evil man, then the American people must take matters in their own hands.
A nation that condones anti-Semitism is destined to follow the road that leads to Nazism. That may sound like hyperbole to some of you, but remember the German people refused to raise their voices while Hitler's goon squads rounded up Jews and sent millions to their deaths. Silence is consent.
Raise your voices. We are Americans. We don't condone hatred of any religious group. Those who embrace hatred do not deserve a public platform despite our First Amendment guarantee of Free Speech. It is time to muffle Farrakhan and banish this religious bigot from the American stage.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Grateful For A Strong Texas Lady
Don't let Dorothy Anderson's grizzled age and lingering gait fool you. The 91-year-old is stronger than she appears This spunky lady has survived a near fatal car crash, cancer, a heart attack, two knee surgeries and three floods. The mother of five has even endured an irksome son-in-law. Me.
Dorothy announced her arrival in the world on April 29, 1927, in Belmont, Texas, a tiny community about 20 miles east of Seguin. Like many in that era, her schooling was in a cramped one-room wooden building. She married John W. Anderson on November 26, 1944. She was 17 years old.
The couple settled in Seguin and moved in with John's mother for a brief spell. Both would end up working at Southwestern Bell and Hexcel manufacturing. Children followed in rapid succession. Even with a job, she cooked meals, washed clothes and cared for her kids with passionate energy.
She protected her children with the heart of a lioness. Once her daughter Dianna injured her finger in PE volleyball. The school nurse ignored Dianna's complaints of piercing pain. When Dianna arrived home, Dorothy whisked her to the doctor. The diagnosis: Dianna's finger was broken.
The next day the school principal and nurse got an earful from Dorothy. Every child yearns for a stand-up Mom. One who will back her kids no matter the consequences. That describes my mother-in-law.
Eventually, Dorothy and John settled on the family farm outside Seguin. They built a home on land dotted with pecan trees. Growing, harvesting, shelling and selling pecans became their passion after the children were grown. Most folks thought it was man's work, but Dorothy ignored convention.
She worked along side her husband in the pecan groves. She hefted irrigation pipe to water the trees, shelled pecans by hand, drove a tractor and sold pecans to locals and folks just passing through. She built an successful retailing operation, selling from a store on a local highway.
Three devastating floods interrupted their tranquil lives. In 1972, 1978 and 1998 torrential rains triggered rising waters that spilled over the banks of Mill Creek near their country home. The last flood swamped their two-story house, sweeping away treasured photos and mementos.
Their house in ruins, they built a raised home on higher ground nearby. During that time, they bunked in a small room in the pecan store. Dorothy managed to make it a home in the midst of a retail building crammed with sales displays and shelling equipment. She was resilient and unbending.
After they moved into their new home on the farm, another tragedy struck far greater than any she had faced. Her husband John was diagnosed with crippling Alzheimer disease. Despite being in her late 70's, Dorothy became a full time caregiver for John. It sapped every ounce of her strength.
She endured until her husband's disease worsened, reluctantly agreeing to place him in a nursing home. Every day without fail, she drove to the facility each morning and evening to sit patiently and hold John's hand. She shed many tears as her world shrunk to the size of a nursing home room.
When John passed away in 2012 at age 85, the family naturally worried about how she would hold up. She had been married 68 years and no one could imagine her life without John. Somehow, this strong Texas lady carried on after her loss. She found a church home and renewed faith.
Always an independent woman, Dorothy drove herself to shopping, her weekly hair appointment and the local book store even into her 90's. She became a voracious reader, tended her flower garden and fussed over her pecan trees. Her life finally had a serenity she had not experienced in years.
Then one day recently she fell and suffered cracked ribs and bruised vertebrae. After so many setbacks, this one seemed particularly cruel. But she went through rehabilitation determined to resume her life on the farm. However, doctors decreed she needed round-the-clock care.
That meant living in a nursing home, raising the ugly memories of John's days in a similar facility located nearby. Yet she refused to mope and hold a pity party. Dorothy rose again to the challenge and has adapted to her new season in life. She finds joy where some see only the infirm and weak.
I have many fond memories of her. Each summer my two sons Dean and Derek would spend a week or more with John and her. They learned about raising cattle, chickens and pecans. They fed bales of hay to the cows and feasted on their favorite meals lovingly prepared by their grandmother.
For me, this final thought sums up Dorothy Anderson. I was fishing once in the creek when I hooked a catfish. (I refer to my fishing skills as gentlemanly. Translation: I don't bait my hook, take the fish off the line or eat aquatic animals.) I was desperate for help. Then I spotted Dorothy.
She came to my rescue, fetching the hook out of the catfish's mouth while holding the monster in one hand. I watched squeamishly. When she was done, I shook my head in amazement. There is nothing this woman can not do. I am thankful for that moment and many others shared with her.
Dorothy will blush reading this. She's not the boastful type. She doesn't view herself as a victim or courageous, despite the hardships she has overcome. She is a survivor who relishes seeing her grown children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Even today, she considers herself blessed.
Her life lesson is simple: be grateful for the goodness in life but do not retreat from the bad times, no matter the duration or the pain. That is wisdom we could all live by. Thank you Dorothy not only for being the best mother-in-law, but teaching us grit and tenacity by your life's example.
Dorothy announced her arrival in the world on April 29, 1927, in Belmont, Texas, a tiny community about 20 miles east of Seguin. Like many in that era, her schooling was in a cramped one-room wooden building. She married John W. Anderson on November 26, 1944. She was 17 years old.
The couple settled in Seguin and moved in with John's mother for a brief spell. Both would end up working at Southwestern Bell and Hexcel manufacturing. Children followed in rapid succession. Even with a job, she cooked meals, washed clothes and cared for her kids with passionate energy.
She protected her children with the heart of a lioness. Once her daughter Dianna injured her finger in PE volleyball. The school nurse ignored Dianna's complaints of piercing pain. When Dianna arrived home, Dorothy whisked her to the doctor. The diagnosis: Dianna's finger was broken.
The next day the school principal and nurse got an earful from Dorothy. Every child yearns for a stand-up Mom. One who will back her kids no matter the consequences. That describes my mother-in-law.
Eventually, Dorothy and John settled on the family farm outside Seguin. They built a home on land dotted with pecan trees. Growing, harvesting, shelling and selling pecans became their passion after the children were grown. Most folks thought it was man's work, but Dorothy ignored convention.
She worked along side her husband in the pecan groves. She hefted irrigation pipe to water the trees, shelled pecans by hand, drove a tractor and sold pecans to locals and folks just passing through. She built an successful retailing operation, selling from a store on a local highway.
Three devastating floods interrupted their tranquil lives. In 1972, 1978 and 1998 torrential rains triggered rising waters that spilled over the banks of Mill Creek near their country home. The last flood swamped their two-story house, sweeping away treasured photos and mementos.
Their house in ruins, they built a raised home on higher ground nearby. During that time, they bunked in a small room in the pecan store. Dorothy managed to make it a home in the midst of a retail building crammed with sales displays and shelling equipment. She was resilient and unbending.
After they moved into their new home on the farm, another tragedy struck far greater than any she had faced. Her husband John was diagnosed with crippling Alzheimer disease. Despite being in her late 70's, Dorothy became a full time caregiver for John. It sapped every ounce of her strength.
She endured until her husband's disease worsened, reluctantly agreeing to place him in a nursing home. Every day without fail, she drove to the facility each morning and evening to sit patiently and hold John's hand. She shed many tears as her world shrunk to the size of a nursing home room.
When John passed away in 2012 at age 85, the family naturally worried about how she would hold up. She had been married 68 years and no one could imagine her life without John. Somehow, this strong Texas lady carried on after her loss. She found a church home and renewed faith.
Always an independent woman, Dorothy drove herself to shopping, her weekly hair appointment and the local book store even into her 90's. She became a voracious reader, tended her flower garden and fussed over her pecan trees. Her life finally had a serenity she had not experienced in years.
Then one day recently she fell and suffered cracked ribs and bruised vertebrae. After so many setbacks, this one seemed particularly cruel. But she went through rehabilitation determined to resume her life on the farm. However, doctors decreed she needed round-the-clock care.
That meant living in a nursing home, raising the ugly memories of John's days in a similar facility located nearby. Yet she refused to mope and hold a pity party. Dorothy rose again to the challenge and has adapted to her new season in life. She finds joy where some see only the infirm and weak.
I have many fond memories of her. Each summer my two sons Dean and Derek would spend a week or more with John and her. They learned about raising cattle, chickens and pecans. They fed bales of hay to the cows and feasted on their favorite meals lovingly prepared by their grandmother.
For me, this final thought sums up Dorothy Anderson. I was fishing once in the creek when I hooked a catfish. (I refer to my fishing skills as gentlemanly. Translation: I don't bait my hook, take the fish off the line or eat aquatic animals.) I was desperate for help. Then I spotted Dorothy.
She came to my rescue, fetching the hook out of the catfish's mouth while holding the monster in one hand. I watched squeamishly. When she was done, I shook my head in amazement. There is nothing this woman can not do. I am thankful for that moment and many others shared with her.
Dorothy will blush reading this. She's not the boastful type. She doesn't view herself as a victim or courageous, despite the hardships she has overcome. She is a survivor who relishes seeing her grown children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Even today, she considers herself blessed.
Her life lesson is simple: be grateful for the goodness in life but do not retreat from the bad times, no matter the duration or the pain. That is wisdom we could all live by. Thank you Dorothy not only for being the best mother-in-law, but teaching us grit and tenacity by your life's example.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Midterm Elections: The Important Numbers
In the rush to analyze the midterm elections, most media and political pundits have stuck to a partisan script. They have zeroed in on party control of Congress, the Trump factor and the impact on the 2020 presidential election. Their interpretations missed some eyeopening numbers.
Voter turnout was the biggest surprise of this midterm. Despite declining voter turnout in previous midterms, there was a sharp reversal of form. According to the U.S. Election Project, an estimated 113 million voters cast ballots, making it the first midterm to exceed 100 million votes.
If those projections are verified, it means nearly 48 percent of eligible voters exercised their right in these midterms. In the most recent midterm in 2014, the turnout was a paltry 36.4 percent. The last time voter turnout reached 49 percent was in the 1966 midterm elections, more than 50 years ago.
Political forecasters were stunned by the size of the early balloting results in many states.
Political forecasters were stunned by the size of the early balloting results in many states.
For instance, by November 1 the number of Texans who cast an early ballot had exceeded the state's entire turnout for the 2014 midterm. Another 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, recorded higher early voter turnout than the entire total for the last midterm.
In previous years, early voting had no influence on total turnout. This midterm was clearly an exception to that rule. One difference from previous midterms is that more than 3.3 million voters aged 18 to 29 voted via early ballot, a whopping 188 percent increase from 2014.
However, seniors were the largest demographic to vote early. By some estimates, seniors aged 65 and up comprised more than half of those who cast ballots before November 6. Voting early is a trend that is likely to mushroom as people decide to skip the dreaded lines on election day.
However, seniors were the largest demographic to vote early. By some estimates, seniors aged 65 and up comprised more than half of those who cast ballots before November 6. Voting early is a trend that is likely to mushroom as people decide to skip the dreaded lines on election day.
Turnout for this midterm hopefully signals a renewed desire for people to become engaged in democracy. America, forget the political parties, wins when people vote. America needs citizen participation for democracy to succeed as the founding fathers intended.
More women were elected to Congress and state legislatures than ever before. There were 3,379 females running in midterm races nationwide, according to a report from Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. That represents a 25 percent increase from the last midterm.
As a result of these midterms, more women will serve in Congress than at any point in our nation's history. There will be at least 118 females in the House and Senate. The total includes 31 first-time House members, seven more than the previous high established in 1992.
The majority of the women in the House are aligned with the Democratic Party--84 of the 96 females that will represent state districts. And 30 of the 31 female newcomers in the House are Democrats. But the first Korean-American ever elected to Congress is a Republican from California.
The House and Senate will be the most diverse in history. That bodes well for a country that embraces diversity. These midterms ushered in a new era for women in politics. And it portends a day when a woman soon will occupy the White House.
The 2018 midterms were the most expensive in history. The Center for Responsive Politics estimates that the two political parties raised a record-breaking $5.2 billion. That smashed the previous mark of $3.7 billion in fundraising in the 2014 midterms.
Democrats benefited from the numbers of retiring Republicans. The media tried to pin the blame on President Trump for Democrats flipping the House. However, Republicans had the largest number of congressional retirements since the Brookings Institute began tracking the statistic 88 years ago.
There was an exodus of 39 before the midterms. Most of them were House members. Many, but certainly not all, represented suburban districts where the demographics have changed in favor of traditional Democratic voters. GOP newcomers faced steep odds to hold these districts.
Incumbency is a sizable advantage in any election. As a result, Republicans lost 31 seats in the midterms against well funded Democrats. Historically, the party of the sitting president loses the House and Senate in midterms, however, the GOP survived a catastrophic defeat.
In 1994, President Clinton lost 54 House seats in the first midterm after his election. President Obama suffered an even worst fate as his party surrendered 63 seats in 2010. Measured against those midterms, Mr. Trump's party fared better than previous first-term presidents.
Although Democrats will control the House and Republicans will be the majority in the Senate, there are 14 Congressional races that remain unsettled a week after the polls closed. This may be the most contests hanging in the balance in election history.
As of this writing, Democrats will have a 227 to 198 majority. There are still 11 House races that are awaiting final tabulation of votes. Despite all the advances in technology, counting votes remains a labor intensive process that often leaves neither political party satisfied. This must be addressed.
In the Senate, there are three races undecided, all likely headed for recounts. For now the Republicans hold a 51-46 majority. The Democrats had more seats to defend in battleground states that President Trump carried in 2016, giving the GOP the upper hand.
By now your head is spinning with numbers, so here is an antidote for data overdose. In Nevada, a dead man won a seat in the state assembly. Republican Dennis Hof, owner of a brothel, passed away a month before the midterms. Officials ruled it was too late to scratch his name. It didn't matter.
Voters overwhelming elected Hof. Apparently, having a pulse is not a requirement for election to the state assembly in Nevada. Truly a sad state of affairs. But nothing should surprise anyone after the tumultuous midterm elections of 2018.
As a result of these midterms, more women will serve in Congress than at any point in our nation's history. There will be at least 118 females in the House and Senate. The total includes 31 first-time House members, seven more than the previous high established in 1992.
The majority of the women in the House are aligned with the Democratic Party--84 of the 96 females that will represent state districts. And 30 of the 31 female newcomers in the House are Democrats. But the first Korean-American ever elected to Congress is a Republican from California.
The House and Senate will be the most diverse in history. That bodes well for a country that embraces diversity. These midterms ushered in a new era for women in politics. And it portends a day when a woman soon will occupy the White House.
The 2018 midterms were the most expensive in history. The Center for Responsive Politics estimates that the two political parties raised a record-breaking $5.2 billion. That smashed the previous mark of $3.7 billion in fundraising in the 2014 midterms.
Democrats benefited from the numbers of retiring Republicans. The media tried to pin the blame on President Trump for Democrats flipping the House. However, Republicans had the largest number of congressional retirements since the Brookings Institute began tracking the statistic 88 years ago.
There was an exodus of 39 before the midterms. Most of them were House members. Many, but certainly not all, represented suburban districts where the demographics have changed in favor of traditional Democratic voters. GOP newcomers faced steep odds to hold these districts.
Incumbency is a sizable advantage in any election. As a result, Republicans lost 31 seats in the midterms against well funded Democrats. Historically, the party of the sitting president loses the House and Senate in midterms, however, the GOP survived a catastrophic defeat.
In 1994, President Clinton lost 54 House seats in the first midterm after his election. President Obama suffered an even worst fate as his party surrendered 63 seats in 2010. Measured against those midterms, Mr. Trump's party fared better than previous first-term presidents.
Although Democrats will control the House and Republicans will be the majority in the Senate, there are 14 Congressional races that remain unsettled a week after the polls closed. This may be the most contests hanging in the balance in election history.
As of this writing, Democrats will have a 227 to 198 majority. There are still 11 House races that are awaiting final tabulation of votes. Despite all the advances in technology, counting votes remains a labor intensive process that often leaves neither political party satisfied. This must be addressed.
In the Senate, there are three races undecided, all likely headed for recounts. For now the Republicans hold a 51-46 majority. The Democrats had more seats to defend in battleground states that President Trump carried in 2016, giving the GOP the upper hand.
By now your head is spinning with numbers, so here is an antidote for data overdose. In Nevada, a dead man won a seat in the state assembly. Republican Dennis Hof, owner of a brothel, passed away a month before the midterms. Officials ruled it was too late to scratch his name. It didn't matter.
Voters overwhelming elected Hof. Apparently, having a pulse is not a requirement for election to the state assembly in Nevada. Truly a sad state of affairs. But nothing should surprise anyone after the tumultuous midterm elections of 2018.
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Trump: More Than Tweets, Bathrobes And Soda
The New York Times, The Washington Post and establishment media have conjured the image of President Trump spending his days tweeting, guzzling Diet Cokes and stumbling through the White House in his bathrobe. This burlesque portrayal is a deliberate attempt to demean his presidency.
In particular, the Times and the Post have used anonymous sources for the most scandalous, outrageous stories lampooning Mr. Trump. To be clear: this is not a blanket endorsement of everything Mr. Trump has uttered or tweeted, but the media has painted a one-sided picture.
Consumers of exclusively mainstream news have become so biased by this reporting, many refuse to believe the president has any redeeming qualities. Viewed through their prejudiced lens, Mr. Trump's achievements include dividing America, throttling minorities, suppressing females and immigrants.
However, facts have a stubborn way of interfering with this deceptive narrative. The president has spurred economic growth, created record numbers of jobs, boosted median income, slashed red-tape regulations, improved security at the border and raised America's foreign policy prestige.
For the skeptics, here is a list of accomplishments in just 20 months for the Trump Administration supported by facts and figures, most of which were gleaned from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Internal Revenue Service, Council of Economic Advisers and Commerce Department:
The Economy
Four million new jobs have been created since the presidential election. More Americans are now employed than ever before in our history. Unemployment claims are at a 50 year low. African-American and Hispanic unemployment rates have reached historic troughs. Female unemployment has plunged to its lowest level since 1953. Median household income has risen to $61,372, a post-recession high water mark. American workers enjoyed the biggest leap in pay since 2009 as the average hourly earnings for private workers advanced 3.1 percent this quarter, compared to 2017. Nearly four million Americans dropped off the food stamps rolls. In the latest quarter ended in September, the American economy grew a robust 3.5 percent, exceeding analysts projections. Most economists credit the Trump tax cuts for the boom.
Business
Investment is flooding into the U.S. after Congress lowered tax rates for businesses. America's corporate tax rate was the highest in the developed world. More than $450 billion has pored into the country from overseas businesses owned by American companies. Manufacturing has bounced back after decades of decline, reaching its highest level in 14 years. More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been added since the election. Retail sales have surged 6.4 percent since July of 2017, reflecting rising consumer confidence and increased disposable income. Last year job satisfaction among American workers hit its peak since 2005. Real wage compensation paid by businesses has risen 1.4 percent over the past year after eight years of stagnation.
Health Care
This ranks as the most under reported area of improvement for Americans. Mr. Trump enacted changes to the Medicare program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs this year. The Federal Drug Administration, under prodding from the president, set a record for generic drug approvals, saving consumers an estimated $9 billion. The administration enabled small businesses to join together to offer affordable health insurance to their employees by removing restrictions to form Association Health Plans. Legislation signed by the president repealed the infamous "death panels" created by Obamacare. The Department of Agriculture funded more than $1 billion in initiatives to improve access to health care in rural areas for 2.5 million people.
Border Security
Stopping drugs, human trafficking and violent gang members from flowing into the country has been a priority of the administration. Statistics document the success: Arrests of 796 members of the Central American gang MS-13 in 2017, an 83 percent increase from 2016. ICE rescued or identified more than 500 human trafficking victims in 2017 and more than 900 child exploitation victims. ICE agents seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin. In a related area, the administration secured $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic, arrested 28 medical professionals and revoked 147 registrations for physicians over prescribing opioids.
Foreign Policy
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed tough sanctions on the rogue regime. In the wake of sanctions, Iran's currency has plummeted, international companies have pulled out of the country and the Treasury Department has levied sanctions against key regime individuals. The president opened negotiations with North Korea in an effort to denuclearize the totalitarian nation. Despite the media influenced image of Russian coddling, the administration has expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers, sanctioned oligarchs and their companies and enhanced support for Ukraine's Armed Forces to defend against Russian aggression. In addition, Mr. Trump demanded European countries increase financial support for NATO, the military alliance between Europe and North America. The result was a hike in 2017 of 4.8 percent in defense spending by member states, amounting to $42 billion. Of course, the piece de resistance was the renegotiation of the flawed NAFTA agreement.
Mr. Trump is constantly savaged because he doesn't stick to the script of past presidents. The media and Democrats are aghast at his nonconformity. Many elitists believe a president should be measured on style not substance. Being "presidential" matters more than getting things done for Americans.
The U.S. had eight years of presidential style. The country was hungry for change. The media has never gotten over the fact American voters chose an outsider over its favored career politician. Irregardless, the media has an ethical obligation to report good news along with the bad.
In particular, the Times and the Post have used anonymous sources for the most scandalous, outrageous stories lampooning Mr. Trump. To be clear: this is not a blanket endorsement of everything Mr. Trump has uttered or tweeted, but the media has painted a one-sided picture.
Consumers of exclusively mainstream news have become so biased by this reporting, many refuse to believe the president has any redeeming qualities. Viewed through their prejudiced lens, Mr. Trump's achievements include dividing America, throttling minorities, suppressing females and immigrants.
However, facts have a stubborn way of interfering with this deceptive narrative. The president has spurred economic growth, created record numbers of jobs, boosted median income, slashed red-tape regulations, improved security at the border and raised America's foreign policy prestige.
For the skeptics, here is a list of accomplishments in just 20 months for the Trump Administration supported by facts and figures, most of which were gleaned from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Internal Revenue Service, Council of Economic Advisers and Commerce Department:
The Economy
Four million new jobs have been created since the presidential election. More Americans are now employed than ever before in our history. Unemployment claims are at a 50 year low. African-American and Hispanic unemployment rates have reached historic troughs. Female unemployment has plunged to its lowest level since 1953. Median household income has risen to $61,372, a post-recession high water mark. American workers enjoyed the biggest leap in pay since 2009 as the average hourly earnings for private workers advanced 3.1 percent this quarter, compared to 2017. Nearly four million Americans dropped off the food stamps rolls. In the latest quarter ended in September, the American economy grew a robust 3.5 percent, exceeding analysts projections. Most economists credit the Trump tax cuts for the boom.
Business
Investment is flooding into the U.S. after Congress lowered tax rates for businesses. America's corporate tax rate was the highest in the developed world. More than $450 billion has pored into the country from overseas businesses owned by American companies. Manufacturing has bounced back after decades of decline, reaching its highest level in 14 years. More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been added since the election. Retail sales have surged 6.4 percent since July of 2017, reflecting rising consumer confidence and increased disposable income. Last year job satisfaction among American workers hit its peak since 2005. Real wage compensation paid by businesses has risen 1.4 percent over the past year after eight years of stagnation.
Health Care
This ranks as the most under reported area of improvement for Americans. Mr. Trump enacted changes to the Medicare program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs this year. The Federal Drug Administration, under prodding from the president, set a record for generic drug approvals, saving consumers an estimated $9 billion. The administration enabled small businesses to join together to offer affordable health insurance to their employees by removing restrictions to form Association Health Plans. Legislation signed by the president repealed the infamous "death panels" created by Obamacare. The Department of Agriculture funded more than $1 billion in initiatives to improve access to health care in rural areas for 2.5 million people.
Border Security
Stopping drugs, human trafficking and violent gang members from flowing into the country has been a priority of the administration. Statistics document the success: Arrests of 796 members of the Central American gang MS-13 in 2017, an 83 percent increase from 2016. ICE rescued or identified more than 500 human trafficking victims in 2017 and more than 900 child exploitation victims. ICE agents seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin. In a related area, the administration secured $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic, arrested 28 medical professionals and revoked 147 registrations for physicians over prescribing opioids.
Foreign Policy
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed tough sanctions on the rogue regime. In the wake of sanctions, Iran's currency has plummeted, international companies have pulled out of the country and the Treasury Department has levied sanctions against key regime individuals. The president opened negotiations with North Korea in an effort to denuclearize the totalitarian nation. Despite the media influenced image of Russian coddling, the administration has expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers, sanctioned oligarchs and their companies and enhanced support for Ukraine's Armed Forces to defend against Russian aggression. In addition, Mr. Trump demanded European countries increase financial support for NATO, the military alliance between Europe and North America. The result was a hike in 2017 of 4.8 percent in defense spending by member states, amounting to $42 billion. Of course, the piece de resistance was the renegotiation of the flawed NAFTA agreement.
Mr. Trump is constantly savaged because he doesn't stick to the script of past presidents. The media and Democrats are aghast at his nonconformity. Many elitists believe a president should be measured on style not substance. Being "presidential" matters more than getting things done for Americans.
The U.S. had eight years of presidential style. The country was hungry for change. The media has never gotten over the fact American voters chose an outsider over its favored career politician. Irregardless, the media has an ethical obligation to report good news along with the bad.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Sizing Up the Midterm Election
Leading up to the November midterm election, the most hackneyed headline is: "Democrat Voter Enthusiasm Surging." Virtually every mainstream media propaganda machine has churned out stories predicting a Blue Wave sweeping Democrats into power. Forecasters are ignoring the past.
In the last midterm election in 2014, the country recorded the lowest voter turnout in history. Even by midterm standards, turnout was a clunker. An anemic 36.4 percent of eligible voters bothered to go to the polls. That was five percent less than 2012, another disappointing year for turnout.
Going back to 1916, midterm voter turnout has been significantly less than presidential election years. Since 1970, midterm election turnout has been sinking. In every single one of those years, both political parties claimed voter enthusiasm was soaring off the charts. Reality always bites.
Midterms since 1970 have generated turnout in the 40-percent range. By comparison, presidential election years historically attract higher turnouts, mostly in the 60-percent range. The highest voter turnout in the midterms in recent history was the 1962 election with 47.7 percent.
The 2014 midterm is a likely predictor for the upcoming election. That year was the most expensive midterm in United States history with an estimated $3.7 billion lavished on election campaigns. Even gobs of cash failed to nudge the enthusiasm needle. Turnout was the worst in 72 years.
Experts have analyzed midterm elections and written weighty tomes about why voters stay home. Voters lack interest. Midterms don't have the sizzle of a presidential campaign. There are fewer candidates on the ballot. There are more excuses than votes cast. (That's hyperbole by the way.)
So why will this midterm be different? Because the media tells us so? New polling data indicates that despite all the media hype, this midterm may see an uptick in turnout, but mostly in Blue states. The rest of the country may follow the midterm norm. Expect frosty voter interest.
Already the two parties are hyperventilating about the long lines of early voters foreshadowing a record turnout. However, analytics have shown there is no correlation. In fact, a Pew Research analysis of past elections concluded that heavy early voting indicates a reduction in total turnout.
Early voting is billowing because growing numbers of people prefer to skip the long lines on election day. In the 1996 election, Pew found an estimated 10.5% of voters cast early ballots. By the 2012 election, the number had zoomed to 36.6%. In some states, more than 50% of people vote early.
There is no scientific evidence that early voting signals an inflated turnout, regardless of media claims to the contrary. None. Nada. Perhaps this election will prove to be an outlier. But claims that swollen early ballots is a precursor to heavy turnout should be taken with a heavy dose of skepticism.
Millennials may be a better barometer of turnout. A poll released by the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic found that only 28 percent of young people aged 18-29 say they will "certainly vote." That compares with 74 percent of seniors. Midterms are a snooze for Millennials.
Latinos, another reliable Democrat voting bloc, normally sit out the midterms. A Pew Research analysis found a record 29 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year. However, Latino turnout in the midterms has declined every year since 2006, tumbling to a historic low 27 percent in 2014.
Despite all the hubbub over the influence of the Latino vote, no one mentions that 71 percent of Hispanics who are eligible to vote live in six states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Arizona and Illinois. At least three of those states are traditionally Blue Dog Democrat strongholds.
In recent elections, the media point to the power of suburban professional women voters. Democrats traditionally do well with this group. But even with this geographic solidly in the Blue corner, Democrats have to energize young and Latino voters to gain a clear advantage.
History may turn out to be the Democrats' best friend. The president's party has lost seats in Congress in 40 of the 43 midterm elections held in the United States. It's almost impossible to buck the trend. The exceptions to the rule occurred in 1934, 1998 and 2002. Will 2018 follow the script?
One unknown factor is the rising voter approval for President Trump. In the most recent national poll his approval scaled a peak of 47 percent. Going into the 2014 midterms, former President Obama's approval stood at 43 percent. Will that three-point gap made a difference? No one knows.
Pundits are making predictions based on outdated forecast models. Put no faith in them because their sophisticated tools have been proven wrong too often. (See 2016 Presidential Election.) Tell me which voters will turnout and I will be able to forecast the winning party with 100 percent accuracy.
Ignore the polling, excessive campaign spending, targeted voter appeals and the media hype and party evangelism. This midterm will hinge on how many people actually go to the polls. It's that simple. The rest is just mind-numbing political mumbo jumbo.
In the last midterm election in 2014, the country recorded the lowest voter turnout in history. Even by midterm standards, turnout was a clunker. An anemic 36.4 percent of eligible voters bothered to go to the polls. That was five percent less than 2012, another disappointing year for turnout.
Going back to 1916, midterm voter turnout has been significantly less than presidential election years. Since 1970, midterm election turnout has been sinking. In every single one of those years, both political parties claimed voter enthusiasm was soaring off the charts. Reality always bites.
Midterms since 1970 have generated turnout in the 40-percent range. By comparison, presidential election years historically attract higher turnouts, mostly in the 60-percent range. The highest voter turnout in the midterms in recent history was the 1962 election with 47.7 percent.
The 2014 midterm is a likely predictor for the upcoming election. That year was the most expensive midterm in United States history with an estimated $3.7 billion lavished on election campaigns. Even gobs of cash failed to nudge the enthusiasm needle. Turnout was the worst in 72 years.
Experts have analyzed midterm elections and written weighty tomes about why voters stay home. Voters lack interest. Midterms don't have the sizzle of a presidential campaign. There are fewer candidates on the ballot. There are more excuses than votes cast. (That's hyperbole by the way.)
So why will this midterm be different? Because the media tells us so? New polling data indicates that despite all the media hype, this midterm may see an uptick in turnout, but mostly in Blue states. The rest of the country may follow the midterm norm. Expect frosty voter interest.
Already the two parties are hyperventilating about the long lines of early voters foreshadowing a record turnout. However, analytics have shown there is no correlation. In fact, a Pew Research analysis of past elections concluded that heavy early voting indicates a reduction in total turnout.
Early voting is billowing because growing numbers of people prefer to skip the long lines on election day. In the 1996 election, Pew found an estimated 10.5% of voters cast early ballots. By the 2012 election, the number had zoomed to 36.6%. In some states, more than 50% of people vote early.
There is no scientific evidence that early voting signals an inflated turnout, regardless of media claims to the contrary. None. Nada. Perhaps this election will prove to be an outlier. But claims that swollen early ballots is a precursor to heavy turnout should be taken with a heavy dose of skepticism.
Millennials may be a better barometer of turnout. A poll released by the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic found that only 28 percent of young people aged 18-29 say they will "certainly vote." That compares with 74 percent of seniors. Midterms are a snooze for Millennials.
Latinos, another reliable Democrat voting bloc, normally sit out the midterms. A Pew Research analysis found a record 29 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year. However, Latino turnout in the midterms has declined every year since 2006, tumbling to a historic low 27 percent in 2014.
Despite all the hubbub over the influence of the Latino vote, no one mentions that 71 percent of Hispanics who are eligible to vote live in six states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Arizona and Illinois. At least three of those states are traditionally Blue Dog Democrat strongholds.
In recent elections, the media point to the power of suburban professional women voters. Democrats traditionally do well with this group. But even with this geographic solidly in the Blue corner, Democrats have to energize young and Latino voters to gain a clear advantage.
History may turn out to be the Democrats' best friend. The president's party has lost seats in Congress in 40 of the 43 midterm elections held in the United States. It's almost impossible to buck the trend. The exceptions to the rule occurred in 1934, 1998 and 2002. Will 2018 follow the script?
One unknown factor is the rising voter approval for President Trump. In the most recent national poll his approval scaled a peak of 47 percent. Going into the 2014 midterms, former President Obama's approval stood at 43 percent. Will that three-point gap made a difference? No one knows.
Pundits are making predictions based on outdated forecast models. Put no faith in them because their sophisticated tools have been proven wrong too often. (See 2016 Presidential Election.) Tell me which voters will turnout and I will be able to forecast the winning party with 100 percent accuracy.
Ignore the polling, excessive campaign spending, targeted voter appeals and the media hype and party evangelism. This midterm will hinge on how many people actually go to the polls. It's that simple. The rest is just mind-numbing political mumbo jumbo.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Tribute to The Passing of an Old Friend
It is with melancholy that I mark the passing of an old friend. This companion was in my home when my children were born. The friend clothed my family, delivered Christmas presents and even mowed my lawn. That's why I despaired when the news broke about the demise of iconic retailer Sears.
Our relationship began when I was a child. The arrival of the Sears Christmas Catalog in our home was met with shrieks of joy. My siblings and I pored over the toy section, dreaming of Santa Claus and Christmas morning. By Christmas day, the catalog was dog-eared and tattered from use.
After Princess Dianna and I were married, one of our initial purchases was a Kenmore washer and dryer. It survived two babies in the era before disposable diapers, chugging almost nonstop to clean cloth diapers. Those sturdy machines, like many Sears appliances, lasted 15 years.
I acquired my first lawn mower from Sears after buying my first home. The first set of tires I purchased came from Sears. When the battery died in my car, I made a trip to Sears for a DieHard. The first tool box and tools I owned were Sears' Craftsman. (I never did learn how to operate them.)
Sears products were the gold standard for reliability. If an appliance ever stopped working, there was a local store with a repair person to fix it. Even small towns had a Sears outlet. At the height of its retailing empire, there were nearly 1,000 Sears stores stretching from coast to coast.
The retail Goliath was born more than a century ago when a former railway station agent (Richard Sears) and a watchmaker (Alvah Roebuck) partnered together to become Sears, Roebuck and Company. They launched a catalog of watches and jewelry in 1888 and incorporated in 1893.
From those humble beginnings, Sears branched out from watches into a full blown retail company, offering clothes, appliances and products for cars. Its beloved catalog ballooned to 532 pages, serving as a consumer Bible. Not to mention that it was used as toilet paper in the era of outhouses.
The firm sold stock in 1906 in the first initial public offering for an American retail firm. The same year it opened a 40-acre logistics center in Chicago, then called the Seventh Wonder of the World by admiring business leaders. Sears became a symbol of America's burgeoning economic strength.
As consumers tastes changed, Sears altered its business model launching its first retail stores in the 1920's. By 1931, Sears stores surpassed the cherished catalog in sales and revenue. Sears introduced its own brands, including Craftsman, DieHard and Kenmore and began selling Allstate insurance.
These were the glory days when Sears topped $1 billion in sales in 1945, which equates to $14 billion in today's dollars. The company even debuted a mail-order automobile in 1952 manufactured by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation. It was named the Allstate. A year later lagging sales caused its death.
By 1969, Sears claimed the title as the largest retailer in the world. To crown its achievement, the innovative company began construction on the world's tallest skyscraper, the 110-story Sears Tower, in Chicago. It was completed four years later, dominating the Windy City's skyline.
Like the soaring corporate building, Sears was rocketing into the retailing stratosphere. However, its meteoric rise in the world of retail became a giant bullseye for a teeming gaggle of competitors eager to enter the lucrative sector. Sears' leaders ignored the threat and embarked on a buying binge.
In the 1980's, Sears expanded into everything from stocks, real estate, credit cards to a pre-Web portal known as Prodigy. During this stage, the company lost focus on its core retailing business as an upstart competitor Walmart began to syphon customers with lower prices.
The downward spiral was officially recognized in 1991 when Walmart supplanted Sears as the nation's top selling retailer. The final chapter was written on October 15 when Sears Holdings Corporation filed for bankruptcy. The firm listed $6.9 billion in assets and $11.3 billion in liabilities.
Sears downfall is a cautionary tale for today's Herculean companies. No business is too big to fail. Sears reacted too slowly to competition, lost touch with its loyal customer base, expanded into businesses far afield from its core strength and failed to invest in its retail stores and product lines.
I admit, like many former Sears customers, I haven't peeked in one of its retail stores in decades. However, I still mourn its passing. Sears was part of my childhood and adulthood. Now that its gone, all that remains are cherished memories of trusted products that made our family's life better.
Rest in peace old friend.
Our relationship began when I was a child. The arrival of the Sears Christmas Catalog in our home was met with shrieks of joy. My siblings and I pored over the toy section, dreaming of Santa Claus and Christmas morning. By Christmas day, the catalog was dog-eared and tattered from use.
After Princess Dianna and I were married, one of our initial purchases was a Kenmore washer and dryer. It survived two babies in the era before disposable diapers, chugging almost nonstop to clean cloth diapers. Those sturdy machines, like many Sears appliances, lasted 15 years.
I acquired my first lawn mower from Sears after buying my first home. The first set of tires I purchased came from Sears. When the battery died in my car, I made a trip to Sears for a DieHard. The first tool box and tools I owned were Sears' Craftsman. (I never did learn how to operate them.)
Sears products were the gold standard for reliability. If an appliance ever stopped working, there was a local store with a repair person to fix it. Even small towns had a Sears outlet. At the height of its retailing empire, there were nearly 1,000 Sears stores stretching from coast to coast.
The retail Goliath was born more than a century ago when a former railway station agent (Richard Sears) and a watchmaker (Alvah Roebuck) partnered together to become Sears, Roebuck and Company. They launched a catalog of watches and jewelry in 1888 and incorporated in 1893.
From those humble beginnings, Sears branched out from watches into a full blown retail company, offering clothes, appliances and products for cars. Its beloved catalog ballooned to 532 pages, serving as a consumer Bible. Not to mention that it was used as toilet paper in the era of outhouses.
The firm sold stock in 1906 in the first initial public offering for an American retail firm. The same year it opened a 40-acre logistics center in Chicago, then called the Seventh Wonder of the World by admiring business leaders. Sears became a symbol of America's burgeoning economic strength.
As consumers tastes changed, Sears altered its business model launching its first retail stores in the 1920's. By 1931, Sears stores surpassed the cherished catalog in sales and revenue. Sears introduced its own brands, including Craftsman, DieHard and Kenmore and began selling Allstate insurance.
These were the glory days when Sears topped $1 billion in sales in 1945, which equates to $14 billion in today's dollars. The company even debuted a mail-order automobile in 1952 manufactured by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation. It was named the Allstate. A year later lagging sales caused its death.
By 1969, Sears claimed the title as the largest retailer in the world. To crown its achievement, the innovative company began construction on the world's tallest skyscraper, the 110-story Sears Tower, in Chicago. It was completed four years later, dominating the Windy City's skyline.
Like the soaring corporate building, Sears was rocketing into the retailing stratosphere. However, its meteoric rise in the world of retail became a giant bullseye for a teeming gaggle of competitors eager to enter the lucrative sector. Sears' leaders ignored the threat and embarked on a buying binge.
In the 1980's, Sears expanded into everything from stocks, real estate, credit cards to a pre-Web portal known as Prodigy. During this stage, the company lost focus on its core retailing business as an upstart competitor Walmart began to syphon customers with lower prices.
The downward spiral was officially recognized in 1991 when Walmart supplanted Sears as the nation's top selling retailer. The final chapter was written on October 15 when Sears Holdings Corporation filed for bankruptcy. The firm listed $6.9 billion in assets and $11.3 billion in liabilities.
Sears downfall is a cautionary tale for today's Herculean companies. No business is too big to fail. Sears reacted too slowly to competition, lost touch with its loyal customer base, expanded into businesses far afield from its core strength and failed to invest in its retail stores and product lines.
I admit, like many former Sears customers, I haven't peeked in one of its retail stores in decades. However, I still mourn its passing. Sears was part of my childhood and adulthood. Now that its gone, all that remains are cherished memories of trusted products that made our family's life better.
Rest in peace old friend.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Dogs Have A Nose For Detecting Cancer
Cancer researchers are finally going to the dogs. After decades of anecdotal evidence, studies now confirm that canines' keen sense of smell can detect cancer in humans. The challenge for scientists is to figure out how to harness dogs' ability to sniff out cancer to detect the disease in its earliest stages.
Over decades, many stories emerged about dogs discovering cancer in their owners. Scientists mostly dismissed the accounts because there was no research to validate the episodes. However, a growing number of studies have verified that trained dogs can indeed spot many types of cancer.
That finding doesn't surprise dog owners with first-hand experience with the phenomenon. For instance, a San Antonio woman noticed her golden retriever began drooping his head in her lap. He repeated this every day. The women went for a check up and was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
A Rochester, Minnesota, woman was studying for a university test when her golden retriever-St. Bernard mix-breed began nosing at her left side. The dog became agitated. When the woman wiped away the dog's slobber, she felt a lump. She was later diagnosed with breast cancer.
A Hollywood actress reported a similar experience with her German Shepherd. She discovered that she had breast cancer too. So what enables a dog to be able to sense the disease? The answer is dog gone simple. Canines have a nose for it.
Dogs have about 300 million odor receptors, compared to about six million for humans. They also are equipped with a second smelling apparatus, the vomeronasal organ. It has sensors near the back of the nasal cavity that detect certain chemical substances. But dogs have another advantage.
The section of the dog's brain devoted to analyzing smells is 40 times larger than a human's brain capacity. By some estimates, scientists claim that the dog's sense of smell may by 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than we lowly human beings.
Law enforcement officers may have been the first to employ dogs to sniff out illegal paraphernalia. They trained canines to find hidden drugs and contraband using their sense of smell. Dogs have been deployed by security and the military from airports to war zones to detect concealed bombs.
A few years ago scientists began investigating another application: using dogs to detect cancer in humans. Oncologists generally agree that cancer tumors emit unique odors, which cannot be recognized by humans or even the latest detection technology. Could dogs smell cancer?
That question triggered a series of studies in the United States and abroad. Among the most exciting was an Italian study which showed that two German Shepherds analyzing urine samples from nearly 900 patients correctly identified cancerous specimens with almost 100 percent accuracy.
The findings generated headlines but also skepticism among some scientists, who can be stubbornly resistant to new ideas. They needed more convincing. Veterinarians came to the rescue. The Penn Vet Working Dog Center the University of Pennsylvania demonstrated the power of dog's nose.
Dogs at the center were trained using what they refer to as a "scent wheel"--a round table hung with bread-loaf sized, perforated steel boxes around the perimeter. The boxes are stuffed with odor samples. A few boxes include cancerous urine, tissue and blood samples.
If the dog smells cancer, it sits in front of the box. As part of the training, researchers put decoy boxes with blood samples that are noncancerous. After intensive training, the dogs learn to spot cancer with surprising accuracy. The demonstration convinced even some skeptics.
Other trials have quantified that dogs can be trained to sniff urine, blood and even biological samples to detect a range of cancers, including bladder, breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin. Dogs can't identify the particular cancer, but do smell the presence of the disease.
Scientists are warming to the idea of training dogs to sniff cancer screening samples. However, the humans in the white lab coats consider it a logistical nightmare to train thousands of dogs. But what if a machine that could mimic a dog's sense of smell? There must be an app for that, right?
The Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit that collaborates with the University of Pennsylvania, has begun to tackle the issue of designing a computer chip with enough capacity to match the canine's olfactory ability. Scientists admit it it may be an impossible feat.
However, there are devices (i.e. electronic noses) that are already used in breath tests administered by law enforcement officers. Other devices have been engineered to detect one particular smell. But to be effective, the new technology must be able to distinguish hundreds of different smells.
In the future dogs, perhaps will work along side instrument-based cancer detectors. This approach may yield earlier detection for some cancers. If it does, dogs will no longer be just a human's best friend. Canines could be a humanity's best chance for surviving cancer.
Over decades, many stories emerged about dogs discovering cancer in their owners. Scientists mostly dismissed the accounts because there was no research to validate the episodes. However, a growing number of studies have verified that trained dogs can indeed spot many types of cancer.
That finding doesn't surprise dog owners with first-hand experience with the phenomenon. For instance, a San Antonio woman noticed her golden retriever began drooping his head in her lap. He repeated this every day. The women went for a check up and was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
A Rochester, Minnesota, woman was studying for a university test when her golden retriever-St. Bernard mix-breed began nosing at her left side. The dog became agitated. When the woman wiped away the dog's slobber, she felt a lump. She was later diagnosed with breast cancer.
A Hollywood actress reported a similar experience with her German Shepherd. She discovered that she had breast cancer too. So what enables a dog to be able to sense the disease? The answer is dog gone simple. Canines have a nose for it.
Dogs have about 300 million odor receptors, compared to about six million for humans. They also are equipped with a second smelling apparatus, the vomeronasal organ. It has sensors near the back of the nasal cavity that detect certain chemical substances. But dogs have another advantage.
The section of the dog's brain devoted to analyzing smells is 40 times larger than a human's brain capacity. By some estimates, scientists claim that the dog's sense of smell may by 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than we lowly human beings.
Law enforcement officers may have been the first to employ dogs to sniff out illegal paraphernalia. They trained canines to find hidden drugs and contraband using their sense of smell. Dogs have been deployed by security and the military from airports to war zones to detect concealed bombs.
A few years ago scientists began investigating another application: using dogs to detect cancer in humans. Oncologists generally agree that cancer tumors emit unique odors, which cannot be recognized by humans or even the latest detection technology. Could dogs smell cancer?
That question triggered a series of studies in the United States and abroad. Among the most exciting was an Italian study which showed that two German Shepherds analyzing urine samples from nearly 900 patients correctly identified cancerous specimens with almost 100 percent accuracy.
The findings generated headlines but also skepticism among some scientists, who can be stubbornly resistant to new ideas. They needed more convincing. Veterinarians came to the rescue. The Penn Vet Working Dog Center the University of Pennsylvania demonstrated the power of dog's nose.
Dogs at the center were trained using what they refer to as a "scent wheel"--a round table hung with bread-loaf sized, perforated steel boxes around the perimeter. The boxes are stuffed with odor samples. A few boxes include cancerous urine, tissue and blood samples.
If the dog smells cancer, it sits in front of the box. As part of the training, researchers put decoy boxes with blood samples that are noncancerous. After intensive training, the dogs learn to spot cancer with surprising accuracy. The demonstration convinced even some skeptics.
Other trials have quantified that dogs can be trained to sniff urine, blood and even biological samples to detect a range of cancers, including bladder, breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin. Dogs can't identify the particular cancer, but do smell the presence of the disease.
Scientists are warming to the idea of training dogs to sniff cancer screening samples. However, the humans in the white lab coats consider it a logistical nightmare to train thousands of dogs. But what if a machine that could mimic a dog's sense of smell? There must be an app for that, right?
The Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit that collaborates with the University of Pennsylvania, has begun to tackle the issue of designing a computer chip with enough capacity to match the canine's olfactory ability. Scientists admit it it may be an impossible feat.
However, there are devices (i.e. electronic noses) that are already used in breath tests administered by law enforcement officers. Other devices have been engineered to detect one particular smell. But to be effective, the new technology must be able to distinguish hundreds of different smells.
In the future dogs, perhaps will work along side instrument-based cancer detectors. This approach may yield earlier detection for some cancers. If it does, dogs will no longer be just a human's best friend. Canines could be a humanity's best chance for surviving cancer.
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