Hunkering in your home with a great book is a prescription for relief of cabin fever. Take this opportunity while we are social distancing to reacquaint yourself with the joy of reading. Books can transport us to places far from the Coronavirus and temporarily distract our minds from worry.
Selecting the right book is a personal exercise which depends on your reading genre and current mood. Sometimes we just need a dose of light reading that distracts us. At other times, we immerse ourselves in weighty tomes about cultures or history. Whatever you desire, there is a book for you.
In my spare time...let's face it, we have nothing but spare time...I have compiled a list of my Top Eight Books. I know you are thinking, "Why not Top Ten Books" like most lists. Exactly. Eight was my baseball uniform number in high school. Get over it. It's just a numeral.
Without droning on further, here are my top eight
1. For Those I Loved, by Martin Gray. Published in 1972, this is a true inspiring story of a teenaged boy and his family held captive in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1939. He becomes a clever smugger to help his family survive, against impossible odds. Once Nazis incinerate the ghetto, the Jewish youngster lands in the concentration camp at Treblinka. Despite the subject matter, an uplifting testimony to the human spirit. His first-hand account of Nazi evil will leave a lasting imprint on your soul.
2. The Firm, John Grisham. This is the only book I have read twice. The pacing, the suspense and the thrilling conclusion with keep you reading into the wee hours of the night. The story is about a young attorney, fresh out of law school, who joins a Memphis law firm. The partners lavish the new associate with a BMW, a home and furniture. Everything appears perfect until our protagonist discovers his firm is engaged in corrupt dealings with the mob. In my opinion, this is the best page turner ever written.
3. Lafayette by Harlow Giles Unger. If you love American history, this book will acquaint you with a Frenchmen who was so inspired by the colonies fight for freedom from the British that he sailed to join General Washington's army. This was no ordinary man. Gilbert de Mortier, the marquis de Lafayette, was a newly wed, wealthy landowner who left that behind because he was passionate about the cause of liberty. His sacrifice and leadership qualities proved instrumental to the Revolutionary Army's victory. He returned to his native country after the war only to be caught up in the French Revolution. He was imprisoned with his wife but survived to live out his years in France. He returned to America in later life and was feted with parades in big and small cities.
4. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. Give me a good spy novel or a tale of assassins and I am hooked. Master story-teller Robert Ludlum creates the ultimate fictional assassin and endows him with cunning, steely resolve, a photographic memory and survival skills that are unmatched in this genre. The story opens with the main character awakening with amnesia. He doesn't remember his past but people keep trying to kill him. Slowly, he regains his memory and then searches for the black ops hierarchy that make him a killing machine. Better than the movie with Matt Damon.
5. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer. The most authoritative and well researched book on Adolph Hitler's ascent to power and the eventual destruction of the Nazi war machine. Shirer documents how the German people abandoned democracy and embraced a dictator. He exposes the cardinal error of Germans who opposed Hitler but failed to unite against his reign of terror. Powerful narrative, packed with chilling detail of Germany's conquest of Europe. Instructive for future generations on what happens when people ignore anti-Semitism and embrace fascism.
6. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. For decades, I fantasied about scaling Mount Everest. That all changed after I read journalist and mountaineer Krakauer's spell binding personal account of a tragedy on the famed mountain. A murderous storm bore down on the mountain during Krakauer's climb, leaving five people dead. Your shoulders will shiver with a cold numbness as he describes the brutal bitter weather and blinding show. You will begin to feel you are on the mountain with the author. My love of adventure stories was fulfilled by this book, but tempered by the outcome.
7. The Charm School by Nelson DeMille. A spine-tingling tale about a covert Russian scheme to infiltrate the U.S. In the Russian woods of Borodino, a secret, sinister school is at the center of a plot to train young KGB agents to become model U.S. citizens. Captured American POW's are forced to act as tutors. The operation, run my Mrs. Ivanova, is known as The Charm School. An unsuspecting American tourist stumbles upon the camouflaged school, setting in motion a CIA probe that reveals the treachery of Moscow. Although he Cold War is over, the book remains a compelling saga.
8. The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn. Although I am a sports fanatic, I seldom read books on this topic because too many are frankly boring treatises. Kahn's book is about young men who learned to play baseball during the 1930's and 1940's then went on to stardom in the Major Leagues. Kahn, a sportswriter, captures the warmth, humor, courage and triumph of his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers. He traces the career of Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier, along with Carl Erskine, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and others who played during the glory years of the Dodgers. You don't have to be a Dodger fan to enjoy this read. For those of a certain age, it will remind you of a time when baseball was still America's national pastime.
Some of you may be thinking, "What no Shakespeare, Hemingway, Plato or Virginia Woolf?" Sorry, I prefer history, adventure, spy novels, thrillers with a few murder mysteries to spice up my reading.
Books I was forced to read in high school and college have gratefully faded from memory.
There are no recent best sellers on the list either. Sadly, I find most new books pedantic and formula driven. Too many authors feature a recurring character that appears in every new edition. The repetitiveness grows old after two or three books. Creativity has been sacrificed for profit.
Looking back on my list, I will always savor the time I have spent with great books. I hope you experience that same feeling when you read.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Monday, March 23, 2020
Covid 19: The Facts The Media Won't Report
Americans grappling with the Coronavirus need facts instead of half-baked worst case scenarios. The news media in collusion with politicians continue to sow seeds of fear, paralyzing the nation, promoting hoarding of food and condemning anyone voicing optimism instead of gloom.
The disinformation avalanche among dubious scientists, politically active doctors, past administration officials, uninformed journalists and the World Health Organization (WHO) has overwhelmed the public with a dizzying array of conflicting reports and dire projections.
In point of fact, the head of WHO has warned of a massive "infodemic", an overabundance of data and information, some accurate and most inaccurate, that makes it difficult for "people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when we need it." Amen.
Most worst case scenarios are based on models that assume minimal government intervention, hospital bed shortages, doctors too sick to treat patients, lack of a strict quarantine and no school closures. Using this model, a European journalist projected 100 million cases. This is not credible.
In point of fact, the head of WHO has warned of a massive "infodemic", an overabundance of data and information, some accurate and most inaccurate, that makes it difficult for "people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when we need it." Amen.
Most worst case scenarios are based on models that assume minimal government intervention, hospital bed shortages, doctors too sick to treat patients, lack of a strict quarantine and no school closures. Using this model, a European journalist projected 100 million cases. This is not credible.
The news media is the most unreliable source of unbiased, scientific information and data. My advice is tune it out. Turn to the experts in infectious diseases. Those include Johns Hopkins University, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Using the data from those three sources, here are facts the mainstream media, including Fox News, have not reported in their haste to dish up around-the-clock, audience boosting, Apocalyptic perspectives on COVID-19. Note: All data below is as of March 21 from CDC, Johns Hopkins and NIH.
- 83% of all the deaths reported have been in just four countries: China, Italy, Spain and Iran.
- 57% of all the cases worldwide have been reported in those same four countries.
- 94,176 individuals globally have recovered from the virus without complications.
- The fatality rate worldwide is 0.4%, one of the least lethal viruses in recent times.
- The worldwide death rate for those 80+ is 14.8%.
- Infected patients over age 65 account for 80% of U.S. deaths.
- The current fatality rate in the U.S. is .01%, identical to the seasonal flu deaths (.01%).
Those highest risk of infection are elderly, especially those with with preexisting conditions. Here are the death rates for those seniors, calculated by Worldometer a respected reference website. The stats are fatality rates for those infected with the virus with the following preexisting conditions:
Yet alarmists persist, in spite of the statistics, claiming this virus is more deadly than any we have faced. This is patently false. The SARS death rate was 9.6% and MERS was 34%. Even though COVID 19 rates are in flux, credible sources put the worldwide fatality rate at 0.4%.
- Cardiovascular Disease 13.2%
- Diabetes 9.2%
- Hypertension 8.4%
- Chronic Respiratory Disease 8.0%
- Cancer 7.6%
Yet alarmists persist, in spite of the statistics, claiming this virus is more deadly than any we have faced. This is patently false. The SARS death rate was 9.6% and MERS was 34%. Even though COVID 19 rates are in flux, credible sources put the worldwide fatality rate at 0.4%.
In an effort to make the current crisis appear likely to escalate, some health officials are warning this could be another 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that killed 50 million people worldwide and infected 500 million individuals. About 675,000 Americans died of complications from the Spanish Flu.
Certainly, those are frightening numbers. However, what the experts do not tell you is that comparing the health care in 1918 to today is akin to the comparing automobiles from that era to the present. To being with, there were no vaccines and no antibiotics to fight the infection in 1918.
Health care was limited to non-pharmaceutical intervention. In other words, people sheltered in place. That was the only available tool to fight the spread of the disease. The number of hospitals in the U.S. in 1918 is dwarfed by the modern facilities we have today in the country.
Any "expert" using the 1918 virus as a predictor of what will happen in America today is an irresponsible charlatan.
The view of many politically motivated journalists and those who have lobbied for a Draconian lockdown of America can be summarized in this opinion piece from Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan who penned the following:
"Is all this an overreaction? If it is, we'll recover. If we're too cautions we'll realize after a while and we'll all get angry at the economic cost of it and have big arguments and fights. But we'll be here to argue and fight."
This tortured logic, which has been repeated often by politicians, exhibits a callous disregard for the millions of Americans who will be laid off, unable to feed their families, suffer economic hardships, forfeit their life savings in the stock market, lose their homes or be forced on welfare.
These average Americans are viewed by the media as collateral damage. But isn't it interesting that every sports superstar or Hollywood celebrity who contracts the virus becomes "breaking news." These folks have fortunes to sustain them whatever the adversity. Others have no safety net.
While the media and critics continue to complain about the lack of a vaccine, here is a sobering observation from Johns Hopkins. "A new vaccines might be at least 12 to 18 months away though new drug treatments will likely come sooner," the School of Public Health reported on its website.
The good news is that Johns Hopkins is leading a pioneering effort using plasma recovered from survivors of the Coronavirus as a treatment for those infected as well as a prevention of infection. With cooperation from the FDA, the plasma treatment could be rolled out in three to four weeks.
This strategy is already being used in China, which has shipped plasma to Italy. Johns Hopkins experts say the plasma is very safe because it is screened for bloodborne pathogens. Blood transfusions are some of the most regulated industries in the U.S. and one of the safest.
Early results also show that a common drug used to treat malaria offers promise in arresting he Coronavirus. The drug has the advantage of already being approved by the FDA and supplies are readily available throughout the country. Testing and trails have begun in earnest.
Early results also show that a common drug used to treat malaria offers promise in arresting he Coronavirus. The drug has the advantage of already being approved by the FDA and supplies are readily available throughout the country. Testing and trails have begun in earnest.
These examples are evidence that America is not standing still waiting for some miracle to spare us from the Coronavirus. The entire scientific community, pharmaceutical companies and global healthcare institutions are actively racing to find a treatment and a vaccine.
Americans need to be informed that once this epidemic subsides that the risk of future pandemics is mushrooming every year with global business and pleasure travel, worldwide supply chains where medicines and health products and other goods are regularly transported across borders.
The incidence of infectious disease calamities has more than doubled from the 1940's to the 1960's, according to EcoHealth Alliance, a New York based nonprofit research group. The rates of such incidents surged in the 1980's with the advent of HIV and is escalating, the group reports.
This century alone the world has confronted a legion of viral scares, including SARS in 2002 and 2003, the swine flu (H1N1) in 2009, MERS in 2012, Ebola in 2014 to 2016, Zika in 2015 and Dengue fever in 2016. The United States survived these outbreaks without a nationwide lockdown.
America and the world needs a post mortem after the Coronavirus subsides to assess how we dealt with the pandemic without playing the blame game. What can we do next time to minimize economic and social disruption and still protect people? That should be the objective of any plan.
If there is a beacon of hope in this current panic, it has been the response of average Americans. Teachers are preparing lunches for school children who depend on this meal. One Texas school teacher is hosting a Facebook video to teach homebound kids to play chess.
Restaurants are offering take-out food to keep their businesses running and provide employment for their hourly wage workers. Students in a small Nebraska community are making get well cards for those with the virus. Pharmacies are open, dispensing critical medications to sick people.
The Food Bank and extraordinary volunteers are distributing groceries to shut-ins and the elderly. Churches are conducting online services. I have observed kindnesses of complete strangers who share their food, toilet paper and disinfectants. This should make everyone proud to be an American.
And let's not forget the real heroes--those doctors, nurses, medical assistants, hospital emergency room personnel and other healthcare workers who are on the frontlines in the battle against this virus. They have put their own health at risk to save others. There is no more noble sacrifice.
And let's not forget the real heroes--those doctors, nurses, medical assistants, hospital emergency room personnel and other healthcare workers who are on the frontlines in the battle against this virus. They have put their own health at risk to save others. There is no more noble sacrifice.
Our resilient nation will survive this emergency just as we always have. Put your faith in God and not in the government to end this trauma. He remains our eternal hope. This trial too shall pass. After it does, let a grateful nation bend its knees in praise of our Creator.
Monday, March 16, 2020
An Open Letter To My Fellow Americans
An Open Letter To My Fellow Americans:
Never in seven decades have I witnessed such panic, hysteria and anxiety. This assessment is from a person who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the attacks of 9/11, the swine flu, SARS and Ebola pandemics and the deadliest U.S. influenza season (2016-2017) in four decades.
The America I know has always risen above any crisis with unmistakable resilience to carry on with life whatever the peril. It is part of our DNA as Americans that in the darkest of hours we the people are a shining beacon of optimism. Our indomitable spirit is what makes us Americans.
But since late January America has morphed into pessimistic defeatists, paralyzed by dread and delirium. This in no way demeans the health threat of the COVID-19 virus. It is real, not some hoax. However, the reaction--far from measured- has been disproportionate to the facts on the ground.
The following statistics are from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center as of March 16:
There have been 3,707 cases of the virus reported in 46 states and D.C. There have been 69 fatalities. Most of the deaths (22) occurred in nursing homes in Washington state. King County in the state is the U.S. epicenter of the virus, where 35 deaths have been reported.
The scientific jury is still out on the death rate because many patients recover before they are even diagnosed with the virus. That has made it difficult to judge how lethal the pandemic may be. Therefore, speculation has replaced facts in raising alarm among the American public.
Perspective and context are needed most in the onslaught of incendiary news media reporting. The H1N1 Virus pandemic of 2009, commonly known as swine flu, resulted in the deaths of 12,469 Americans. Sixty-one million contracted swine flu and 273,304 were hospitalized.
At the start of the outbreak, President Obama announced it was a health emergency. However, he did not declare a national emergency until October 24, 2009, after at least 1,000 deaths had been reported in the U.S. Viruses are not political in nature. To treat disease as such is ghoulish.
To add further context, in 2009 CDC initially suggested districts to only shut their doors if a student contracted the disease but later reversed course and ordered schools closed. A swine flu vaccine did not even begin CDC trials until July 22, well after the virus had run its course.
No sporting leagues cancelled seasons. Broadway did not go dark. Conventions went on as planned. America did what it always does. People took precautions but refused to be cowed by the epidemic. In contrast, COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented shutdown of every aspect of American life.
How can this be justified? It can not based on the known risks and facts. But today's political climate is all about virtue signaling. Once one sports league capitulated, the others acted like lemmings so as not to appear insensitive to the health issue. It is a sign of today's cultural correctness.
Churches are scrubbing services. Schools are shuttering. St. Patrick's Day parades are erased. Restaurants and bars are closed. The list goes on and on. Each day brings another cancellation--not out of an "abundance of caution"--but borne out of a fear of lawsuits if opening triggers an outbreak.
Despite the lockdown of America, it has not quelled media speculation. The once respected New York Times ran a scare mongering headline on Friday about the "Worst Case Estimates of the U.S. Coronavirus Deaths." Other Chicken Littles are reporting the death count could soar to 150,000.
Despite the deliberately provocative reporting, the facts remain that most cases of the coronavirus are mild. Most people infected with the flu like disease recover. The majority of deaths have been in people 80+ years and older in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Yet millions of my fellow Americans are stockpiling toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, bottled water, hand sanitizers and respiratory masks. In trips to three local grocery outlets this week, I found rows and rows of empty shelves where these products once were stocked.
The same news media that has driven the panic buying now has taken to scoffing at those who are swarming stores in a frenzied search for supplies. What did they expect? If you treat a pandemic as the Apocalypse, naturally people will react as if he world is nearing its end.
Americans have watched in horror as the stock market plummeted on panic selling. Their companies have issued warnings of dire economic times ahead. Financial analysts are predicting an economic Armageddon that will fuel a nightmarish recession. Any wonder Americans are worried?
This man-made sabotage of the American economy will hurt the people who can least afford to do without a paycheck. Hourly wage earners are the most vulnerable, particular those in food and beverage service industries and small businesses. They may never recover economically.
In our global economy, we can expect foreign born viruses to become a regular fixture of our world. Will our current response to COVID-19 become the new normal? I pray not because it means constant disruption, chaos and economic cataclysm. Viruses will always be with us.
I have a suggestion: let's issue a declaration of sanity in dealing with this virus. Prudent steps should be taken. But Americans do not succumb to boogiemen. After September 11, we refused to be rattled by terrorists who killed 3,000 of our fellow citizens in a single day. Remember?
After a temporary pause, Major League Baseball, the National Football League and Broadway were open for business. The president encouraged Americans to demonstrate to those who would murder us that we would not be terrorized. We would live unafraid, unbowed and free from fear.
This is unscientific research but I went to a high school baseball game right after the major sports leagues dove off the cliff. The adults were joking about the pandemonium over the virus. No one wore a mask, or refused to sit next to a stranger but many carried hand sanitizers. Folks were calm.
I believe most Americans actually feel the same about this virus. They are the ones who don't spend all day in front of a television watching cable news. They don't wait for the government to tell them what to do in a crisis. They use common sense and are not consumed by an unhealthy state of anxiety.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address in 1933, reassured a deeply troubled nation in the throes of economic despair over the Great Depression, that the "only thing we had to fear was fear itself."
That was wise counsel 87 years ago. The president's words are even more appropriate today.
Respectfully,
Drew Roy
Never in seven decades have I witnessed such panic, hysteria and anxiety. This assessment is from a person who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the attacks of 9/11, the swine flu, SARS and Ebola pandemics and the deadliest U.S. influenza season (2016-2017) in four decades.
The America I know has always risen above any crisis with unmistakable resilience to carry on with life whatever the peril. It is part of our DNA as Americans that in the darkest of hours we the people are a shining beacon of optimism. Our indomitable spirit is what makes us Americans.
But since late January America has morphed into pessimistic defeatists, paralyzed by dread and delirium. This in no way demeans the health threat of the COVID-19 virus. It is real, not some hoax. However, the reaction--far from measured- has been disproportionate to the facts on the ground.
The following statistics are from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center as of March 16:
There have been 3,707 cases of the virus reported in 46 states and D.C. There have been 69 fatalities. Most of the deaths (22) occurred in nursing homes in Washington state. King County in the state is the U.S. epicenter of the virus, where 35 deaths have been reported.
The scientific jury is still out on the death rate because many patients recover before they are even diagnosed with the virus. That has made it difficult to judge how lethal the pandemic may be. Therefore, speculation has replaced facts in raising alarm among the American public.
Perspective and context are needed most in the onslaught of incendiary news media reporting. The H1N1 Virus pandemic of 2009, commonly known as swine flu, resulted in the deaths of 12,469 Americans. Sixty-one million contracted swine flu and 273,304 were hospitalized.
At the start of the outbreak, President Obama announced it was a health emergency. However, he did not declare a national emergency until October 24, 2009, after at least 1,000 deaths had been reported in the U.S. Viruses are not political in nature. To treat disease as such is ghoulish.
To add further context, in 2009 CDC initially suggested districts to only shut their doors if a student contracted the disease but later reversed course and ordered schools closed. A swine flu vaccine did not even begin CDC trials until July 22, well after the virus had run its course.
No sporting leagues cancelled seasons. Broadway did not go dark. Conventions went on as planned. America did what it always does. People took precautions but refused to be cowed by the epidemic. In contrast, COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented shutdown of every aspect of American life.
How can this be justified? It can not based on the known risks and facts. But today's political climate is all about virtue signaling. Once one sports league capitulated, the others acted like lemmings so as not to appear insensitive to the health issue. It is a sign of today's cultural correctness.
Churches are scrubbing services. Schools are shuttering. St. Patrick's Day parades are erased. Restaurants and bars are closed. The list goes on and on. Each day brings another cancellation--not out of an "abundance of caution"--but borne out of a fear of lawsuits if opening triggers an outbreak.
Despite the lockdown of America, it has not quelled media speculation. The once respected New York Times ran a scare mongering headline on Friday about the "Worst Case Estimates of the U.S. Coronavirus Deaths." Other Chicken Littles are reporting the death count could soar to 150,000.
Despite the deliberately provocative reporting, the facts remain that most cases of the coronavirus are mild. Most people infected with the flu like disease recover. The majority of deaths have been in people 80+ years and older in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Yet millions of my fellow Americans are stockpiling toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, bottled water, hand sanitizers and respiratory masks. In trips to three local grocery outlets this week, I found rows and rows of empty shelves where these products once were stocked.
The same news media that has driven the panic buying now has taken to scoffing at those who are swarming stores in a frenzied search for supplies. What did they expect? If you treat a pandemic as the Apocalypse, naturally people will react as if he world is nearing its end.
Americans have watched in horror as the stock market plummeted on panic selling. Their companies have issued warnings of dire economic times ahead. Financial analysts are predicting an economic Armageddon that will fuel a nightmarish recession. Any wonder Americans are worried?
This man-made sabotage of the American economy will hurt the people who can least afford to do without a paycheck. Hourly wage earners are the most vulnerable, particular those in food and beverage service industries and small businesses. They may never recover economically.
In our global economy, we can expect foreign born viruses to become a regular fixture of our world. Will our current response to COVID-19 become the new normal? I pray not because it means constant disruption, chaos and economic cataclysm. Viruses will always be with us.
I have a suggestion: let's issue a declaration of sanity in dealing with this virus. Prudent steps should be taken. But Americans do not succumb to boogiemen. After September 11, we refused to be rattled by terrorists who killed 3,000 of our fellow citizens in a single day. Remember?
After a temporary pause, Major League Baseball, the National Football League and Broadway were open for business. The president encouraged Americans to demonstrate to those who would murder us that we would not be terrorized. We would live unafraid, unbowed and free from fear.
This is unscientific research but I went to a high school baseball game right after the major sports leagues dove off the cliff. The adults were joking about the pandemonium over the virus. No one wore a mask, or refused to sit next to a stranger but many carried hand sanitizers. Folks were calm.
I believe most Americans actually feel the same about this virus. They are the ones who don't spend all day in front of a television watching cable news. They don't wait for the government to tell them what to do in a crisis. They use common sense and are not consumed by an unhealthy state of anxiety.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address in 1933, reassured a deeply troubled nation in the throes of economic despair over the Great Depression, that the "only thing we had to fear was fear itself."
That was wise counsel 87 years ago. The president's words are even more appropriate today.
Respectfully,
Drew Roy
Monday, March 9, 2020
COVID-19 Exposes America's Drug Outsourcing
To the shock of many Americans, the coronavirus has exposed a glaring weakness in the country's pharmaceutical supply chain. U.S., drug firms, in the name of efficiency and profits, have outsourced most of the manufacturing of medications to other countries, primarily China.
A Department of Commerce study found that an alarming 97% of all antibiotics sold here are imported from China. A stunning 80% of raw drug ingredients used in pharmaceutical manufacturing come from China and India. The development has been well known for decades by industry insiders.
Between 2003 and 2013, imports of Chinese pharmaceuticals skyrocketed 192%. At last count, there were 1,585 drug manufacturing plants in China, generating $138 billion in revenue. The industry employs more than 710,000 people. Some of those plants and jobs were once located in the U.S.
Most of the generic drugs sold at American pharmacies are imported from China. Key ingredients for blood pressure medicines, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy and depression are made in China. America has become frighteningly dependent on China's supply chain for key drugs.
Consumer Reports research discovered many brand-name drugs are also produced overseas, often in the same plants as the generic equivalents. With its vast pharmaceutical industry, China has an unhealthy monopoly on the production of drugs the world depends on to treat patients.
As one illustration, the base ingredient for the widely used penicillin drug is manufactured almost exclusively in China. Nearly half of the Communist country's output is shipped to India where it is repackaged into dosage form for export. The last penicillin plant in the U.S. closed down in 2004.
Most dietary supplements and vitamins sold in the U.S. are made overseas, the majority in China, according to ConsumerLab.com. It is nearly impossible for consumer to find out the country of origin of the ingredients. Often the U.S. distributor is listed on the label, a confusing practice.
The are two main reasons this outsourcing threatens Americans. The first is the rigorous U.S. government inspections are delegated to understaffed groups in China, putting drug safety at risk. The second is the utter dependence on a country whose leaders are bent on world domination.
Not long ago the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had an undermanned staff of 13 inspecting Chinese plants. In 2014, the FDA conducted a total of 46 inspections in China's sprawling drug industry. The FDA has since boosted its China staff to 29, but it is still woefully inadequate.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that FDA inspections of Chinese drug manufacturing plants were infrequent at best and some were never visited. All 217 U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers are inspected by the FDA every two years.
Relying on Chinese inspectors has proven grossly ineffective. In 2008, contamination of a raw ingredient imported from China and used to manufacturer the blood-thinning drug heparin was associated with at least 81 deaths in the U.S. And there have been scores of other safety issues.
During an 18 month period from 2018 to 2019, the FDA announced more than 50 recalls of blood pressure medications because the active ingredient valastran was found to be contaminated with trace amounts of jet fuel. The FDA reported it caused cancer in one of every 8,000 patients.
For American patients, it is unrealistic to take drugs only made in the U.S. Barbara Young, editor of a publication for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, made that clear when she wrote: "These days it is very hard for (consumers) to track where your drugs come from."
As she explained, often drugs are repackaged and rebranded along the production and manufacturing process. Pharmaceutical distributors often don't disclose the country of origin on the product's label. Even if queried, it is often impossible for retailers and wholesalers to obtain the information.
That issue has temporarily taken a backseat to concerns the coronavirus will create drug shortages as Chinese plants are shuttered. The FDA reported a shortage of one drug connected to the virus, but declined to disclose it. At least 20 other drugs that rely on ingredients from China are in short supply.
In addition, India announced that it is restricting the export of 26 drugs and ingredients to ensure its country has supplies of antibiotics. The action will further limit stockpiles of medications destined for the U.S. If the coronavirus expands, the situation could become critical for U.S. patients.
America is now in the uneasy position of being held hostage by what happens in China and to a lesser degree India. Should Americans care that China is the world's pharmacy leader? Yes, because if China slams the door on exports of medicines, U.S. hospitals and clinics could no longer function.
China's stated policy is to achieve world dominance economically and militarily to relegate America to also-ran status. The regime's "China First" directive is driving the huge buildup in the drug production industry. What if the Chinese decide to use drug supply as a weapon?
That question may sound hypothetical at this juncture, but it worries the Defense Health Agency, which provides health care and prescription drugs to the military. The acting director has pointedly stated "the national security risks cannot be overstated."
Those are sobering words that should awaken American policy makers, Congress and the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Continuing on the current outsourcing path puts every American's health in jeopardy. The nation needs to respond by repatriating its drug manufacturing to the U.S.
A Department of Commerce study found that an alarming 97% of all antibiotics sold here are imported from China. A stunning 80% of raw drug ingredients used in pharmaceutical manufacturing come from China and India. The development has been well known for decades by industry insiders.
Between 2003 and 2013, imports of Chinese pharmaceuticals skyrocketed 192%. At last count, there were 1,585 drug manufacturing plants in China, generating $138 billion in revenue. The industry employs more than 710,000 people. Some of those plants and jobs were once located in the U.S.
Most of the generic drugs sold at American pharmacies are imported from China. Key ingredients for blood pressure medicines, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy and depression are made in China. America has become frighteningly dependent on China's supply chain for key drugs.
Consumer Reports research discovered many brand-name drugs are also produced overseas, often in the same plants as the generic equivalents. With its vast pharmaceutical industry, China has an unhealthy monopoly on the production of drugs the world depends on to treat patients.
As one illustration, the base ingredient for the widely used penicillin drug is manufactured almost exclusively in China. Nearly half of the Communist country's output is shipped to India where it is repackaged into dosage form for export. The last penicillin plant in the U.S. closed down in 2004.
Most dietary supplements and vitamins sold in the U.S. are made overseas, the majority in China, according to ConsumerLab.com. It is nearly impossible for consumer to find out the country of origin of the ingredients. Often the U.S. distributor is listed on the label, a confusing practice.
The are two main reasons this outsourcing threatens Americans. The first is the rigorous U.S. government inspections are delegated to understaffed groups in China, putting drug safety at risk. The second is the utter dependence on a country whose leaders are bent on world domination.
Not long ago the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had an undermanned staff of 13 inspecting Chinese plants. In 2014, the FDA conducted a total of 46 inspections in China's sprawling drug industry. The FDA has since boosted its China staff to 29, but it is still woefully inadequate.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that FDA inspections of Chinese drug manufacturing plants were infrequent at best and some were never visited. All 217 U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers are inspected by the FDA every two years.
Relying on Chinese inspectors has proven grossly ineffective. In 2008, contamination of a raw ingredient imported from China and used to manufacturer the blood-thinning drug heparin was associated with at least 81 deaths in the U.S. And there have been scores of other safety issues.
During an 18 month period from 2018 to 2019, the FDA announced more than 50 recalls of blood pressure medications because the active ingredient valastran was found to be contaminated with trace amounts of jet fuel. The FDA reported it caused cancer in one of every 8,000 patients.
For American patients, it is unrealistic to take drugs only made in the U.S. Barbara Young, editor of a publication for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, made that clear when she wrote: "These days it is very hard for (consumers) to track where your drugs come from."
As she explained, often drugs are repackaged and rebranded along the production and manufacturing process. Pharmaceutical distributors often don't disclose the country of origin on the product's label. Even if queried, it is often impossible for retailers and wholesalers to obtain the information.
That issue has temporarily taken a backseat to concerns the coronavirus will create drug shortages as Chinese plants are shuttered. The FDA reported a shortage of one drug connected to the virus, but declined to disclose it. At least 20 other drugs that rely on ingredients from China are in short supply.
In addition, India announced that it is restricting the export of 26 drugs and ingredients to ensure its country has supplies of antibiotics. The action will further limit stockpiles of medications destined for the U.S. If the coronavirus expands, the situation could become critical for U.S. patients.
America is now in the uneasy position of being held hostage by what happens in China and to a lesser degree India. Should Americans care that China is the world's pharmacy leader? Yes, because if China slams the door on exports of medicines, U.S. hospitals and clinics could no longer function.
China's stated policy is to achieve world dominance economically and militarily to relegate America to also-ran status. The regime's "China First" directive is driving the huge buildup in the drug production industry. What if the Chinese decide to use drug supply as a weapon?
That question may sound hypothetical at this juncture, but it worries the Defense Health Agency, which provides health care and prescription drugs to the military. The acting director has pointedly stated "the national security risks cannot be overstated."
Those are sobering words that should awaken American policy makers, Congress and the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Continuing on the current outsourcing path puts every American's health in jeopardy. The nation needs to respond by repatriating its drug manufacturing to the U.S.
Monday, March 2, 2020
COVID-19: Shameless Media Fearmongers
Once the word "pandemic" was uttered the national news media's coverage of the coronavirus shifted into overdrive. Each new case of the virus is breathtakingly reported. Each flu-related death triggers a breaking news alert. The media treatment is actually scarier than the pandemic.
This inflammatory reporting incited a full fledged panic attack. Stock markets quaked in a selling frenzy, wiping out trillions in value. Businesses issued dire reports on future earnings amid supply chain disruptions. The havoc sent the economy teetering on the brink of a recession.
What was missing in the scorched earth news coverage was any sense of perspective. Without a frame of reference, people became alarmed by what was reported to be an out-of-control, foreign-born, dangerously lethal, previously unknown virus, dubbed COVID-19.
But was the incendiary coverage justified? Judge for yourself after a review of the facts.
Because the virus was birthed in China, home of the world's most secretive Communist regime, this heightened speculation about the number of cases, the cause of the virus and the death-rates. Instead of exercising restraint in its coverage, the media has operated irresponsibility.
As just one example, based on specious sources there was a flurry of rumors that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese biochemical warfare lab located in Wuhan. An analysis of the virus by 27 scientists and public health officials discredited the claim in the medical journal The Lancet.
In a crisis of this nature, facts really do matter. According to the latest World Health Organization data, there have been 89,527 cases reported and 3,056 deaths worldwide. However, all but 183 of those deaths have been in China, which has recorded the overwhelming majority of cases: 80,174.
The death rate in China's Habel Providence, the epicenter of the virus, now stands at 2.9% of the cases. Although experts agree, that the figure is likely inflated by China's inability to diagnose and count thousands of mild cases in the early stages. Outside Habel, the death rate is 0.3%.
The vast majority of those contaminated with the flu in China have only exhibited mild symptoms and most have recovered. Of the confirmed cases in China, more than 81% are rated mild, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have declined since February 12.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures show 43 cases out of a population of 320 million. Seventeen people have been hospitalised with the virus and two deaths recorded. Ten states have identified coronavirus cases.
The figures do not include Americans contaminated with the virus who were residing in Habel Providence or quarantined on cruise ships. Among those returning Americans, there were 48 confirmed cases of the virus. Most of the cases (45) were from cruise ship travelers.
As with most flu viruses, the elderly, very young and immune compromised are most at risk. The two U.S. deaths both occurred in elderly people. Healthy individuals are at a low risk. That is why CDC officials continue to report there is a low risk of infection.
COVID-19 officially became a pandemic because cases have been reported in 67 countries. That is the definition of a pandemic. The word does not imply the virus cannot be halted. Or that it is inevitable there will be an uncontainable outbreak. There is reason for caution, but not panic.
In its reporting, many news outlets referenced the SARS virus outbreak in 2003 in an attempt to raise the spectre of a rampant killer. But most neglected to mention the SARS pandemic infected 8,098 people globally causing 774 deaths. That death rate was 0.09%, less than common influenza.
The most recent and deadliest pandemic was the H1N1 swine flu virus that claimed 575,400 deaths worldwide in 2009, according to the CDC. The agency estimated 61 million people in the U.S. suffered from the virus that caused 12,469 deaths.
As these statistics and history show, over time most civilized countries have developed better science for detecting, treating and slowing down the spread of dangerous viruses. Information and real time health data travels faster than in the past. That aids health officials in their efforts to battle the virus.
While each new influenza-like virus grabs headlines, hardly any attention is paid to the garden variety virus that raises its ugly head every winter in the United States. During most influenza seasons, the average death rate is 0.1% of Americans infected with the contagion.
Annual influenza outbreaks seldom make the news. According to the CDC, from 2010 to 2016, annual flu-related deaths ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 during the period. In the 2016-2017 flu season, the virus surged throughout the U.S., killing nearly 80,000, the highest toll in four decades.
During that flu season, 959,000 cases required hospitalization the CDC estimated. One contributor may have been that only 59% of adults and 43% of children were inoculated with the flu vaccine. That means a majority of young people and four-in-ten adults were left unprotected.
Do you recall around-the-clock news coverage of this epidemic? Me neither. That's why the reporting of COVID-19 stands out as an indictment of today's journalism as well as politicians who attempt to use the pandemic as an excuse to attack the administration for its handling of the crisis.
Media pundits are actually suggesting the virus may create an opening for Democrats to exploit against President in the 2020 election. One reporter insisted on calling the contagion the Trump Virus. A health crisis should be met with bipartisanship, not political backbiting.
Democrat presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has charged Mr. Trump with making "reckless cuts" to the CDC budget. Associated Press (AP) fact-checkers called the allegation false. "Financing for the CDC was increased in the last budget," AP reported.
Another unsubstantiated claim that the administration was responsible for a steady erosion in CDC grants to state and local governments to deal with pandemics. Again AP disputed the allegation. The grant reductions were "set in motion by Congressional measures that predate Trump," AP explained.
Not satisfied, some reporters are demanding to know why a flu vaccine is not available to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "What's taking so long?" they bellow. The answer is months of research and human trials are required before vaccines are certified safe enough to use on the general population.
This is standard procedure. In nearly every case, by the time the new vaccines are ready for public use most pandemics have already subsided with the return of warm weather. Rather than hoping for a vaccine, there are many precautions a family can take to avoid the flu.
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Disinfect surfaces that other people touch. And avoid crowds, particularly on cruise ships, which are breeding grounds for all types of infections.
I know those precautions sound trite. But they are still the best protection from contracting the COVID-19 or any flu virus. That is what the news media should be doing: Educating the public instead of stirring up frenzied hysteria. Fearmongers, not a virus, are the biggest threat to America.
This inflammatory reporting incited a full fledged panic attack. Stock markets quaked in a selling frenzy, wiping out trillions in value. Businesses issued dire reports on future earnings amid supply chain disruptions. The havoc sent the economy teetering on the brink of a recession.
What was missing in the scorched earth news coverage was any sense of perspective. Without a frame of reference, people became alarmed by what was reported to be an out-of-control, foreign-born, dangerously lethal, previously unknown virus, dubbed COVID-19.
But was the incendiary coverage justified? Judge for yourself after a review of the facts.
Because the virus was birthed in China, home of the world's most secretive Communist regime, this heightened speculation about the number of cases, the cause of the virus and the death-rates. Instead of exercising restraint in its coverage, the media has operated irresponsibility.
As just one example, based on specious sources there was a flurry of rumors that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese biochemical warfare lab located in Wuhan. An analysis of the virus by 27 scientists and public health officials discredited the claim in the medical journal The Lancet.
In a crisis of this nature, facts really do matter. According to the latest World Health Organization data, there have been 89,527 cases reported and 3,056 deaths worldwide. However, all but 183 of those deaths have been in China, which has recorded the overwhelming majority of cases: 80,174.
The death rate in China's Habel Providence, the epicenter of the virus, now stands at 2.9% of the cases. Although experts agree, that the figure is likely inflated by China's inability to diagnose and count thousands of mild cases in the early stages. Outside Habel, the death rate is 0.3%.
The vast majority of those contaminated with the flu in China have only exhibited mild symptoms and most have recovered. Of the confirmed cases in China, more than 81% are rated mild, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have declined since February 12.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures show 43 cases out of a population of 320 million. Seventeen people have been hospitalised with the virus and two deaths recorded. Ten states have identified coronavirus cases.
The figures do not include Americans contaminated with the virus who were residing in Habel Providence or quarantined on cruise ships. Among those returning Americans, there were 48 confirmed cases of the virus. Most of the cases (45) were from cruise ship travelers.
As with most flu viruses, the elderly, very young and immune compromised are most at risk. The two U.S. deaths both occurred in elderly people. Healthy individuals are at a low risk. That is why CDC officials continue to report there is a low risk of infection.
COVID-19 officially became a pandemic because cases have been reported in 67 countries. That is the definition of a pandemic. The word does not imply the virus cannot be halted. Or that it is inevitable there will be an uncontainable outbreak. There is reason for caution, but not panic.
In its reporting, many news outlets referenced the SARS virus outbreak in 2003 in an attempt to raise the spectre of a rampant killer. But most neglected to mention the SARS pandemic infected 8,098 people globally causing 774 deaths. That death rate was 0.09%, less than common influenza.
The most recent and deadliest pandemic was the H1N1 swine flu virus that claimed 575,400 deaths worldwide in 2009, according to the CDC. The agency estimated 61 million people in the U.S. suffered from the virus that caused 12,469 deaths.
As these statistics and history show, over time most civilized countries have developed better science for detecting, treating and slowing down the spread of dangerous viruses. Information and real time health data travels faster than in the past. That aids health officials in their efforts to battle the virus.
While each new influenza-like virus grabs headlines, hardly any attention is paid to the garden variety virus that raises its ugly head every winter in the United States. During most influenza seasons, the average death rate is 0.1% of Americans infected with the contagion.
Annual influenza outbreaks seldom make the news. According to the CDC, from 2010 to 2016, annual flu-related deaths ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 during the period. In the 2016-2017 flu season, the virus surged throughout the U.S., killing nearly 80,000, the highest toll in four decades.
During that flu season, 959,000 cases required hospitalization the CDC estimated. One contributor may have been that only 59% of adults and 43% of children were inoculated with the flu vaccine. That means a majority of young people and four-in-ten adults were left unprotected.
Do you recall around-the-clock news coverage of this epidemic? Me neither. That's why the reporting of COVID-19 stands out as an indictment of today's journalism as well as politicians who attempt to use the pandemic as an excuse to attack the administration for its handling of the crisis.
Media pundits are actually suggesting the virus may create an opening for Democrats to exploit against President in the 2020 election. One reporter insisted on calling the contagion the Trump Virus. A health crisis should be met with bipartisanship, not political backbiting.
Democrat presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has charged Mr. Trump with making "reckless cuts" to the CDC budget. Associated Press (AP) fact-checkers called the allegation false. "Financing for the CDC was increased in the last budget," AP reported.
Another unsubstantiated claim that the administration was responsible for a steady erosion in CDC grants to state and local governments to deal with pandemics. Again AP disputed the allegation. The grant reductions were "set in motion by Congressional measures that predate Trump," AP explained.
Not satisfied, some reporters are demanding to know why a flu vaccine is not available to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "What's taking so long?" they bellow. The answer is months of research and human trials are required before vaccines are certified safe enough to use on the general population.
This is standard procedure. In nearly every case, by the time the new vaccines are ready for public use most pandemics have already subsided with the return of warm weather. Rather than hoping for a vaccine, there are many precautions a family can take to avoid the flu.
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Disinfect surfaces that other people touch. And avoid crowds, particularly on cruise ships, which are breeding grounds for all types of infections.
I know those precautions sound trite. But they are still the best protection from contracting the COVID-19 or any flu virus. That is what the news media should be doing: Educating the public instead of stirring up frenzied hysteria. Fearmongers, not a virus, are the biggest threat to America.
Monday, February 24, 2020
Planning a Vacation? Book A Trip to Space
A road trip to the Grand Canyon. A cruise to the Bahamas. A private jet to Africa for a safari. All sound mundane when compared to a boarding a beast of a rocket and roaring into space. However, it likely will set you back $52 million, a mere pittance for my many billionaire readers.
Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, the electric car mogul, unveiled plans this year to launch a new Starship rocket into space in 2021 carrying a "small number" of passengers. It will likely go to the edge of space, but not to the moon. But what did you expect for $52 million? Free peanuts?
Another billionaire, Richard Branson, has launched Virgin Galactic, a firm in New Mexico dedicated to making commercial space flights a reality in the not too distant future. Branson has been more judicious than Musk, eschewing a launch date. Estimated fares are a bargain: $250,000 per person.
A handful of private citizens have already experienced the thrill of a space junket. Space Adventures brokered flights from 2001 to 2009 for seven tourists aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that shuttled the passengers to the International Space Station, floating about 220 miles above Earth.
The published price for the voyage was between $200 and $250 million, although many paid less. Depending on your credit card limit, the price tag could easily be within your financial grasp. Think of posting a selfie on Instagram, your beaming face captured inside the space station. Priceless.
At this juncture, some of you are probably thinking: "Yeah, but I could fly Southwest Airlines to Witcha, Kansas, for a lot less." True. But when a friend asks where you vacationed, do you think a visit to Witcha will have the same cache as a space voyage? Don't think so. Think big.
Fancy you are at a neighborhood party. The smug nuclear scientist who lives next door drones on about new discoveries and nerdy things like subatomic particles. That's when you casually drop in the conversation: "I didn't see sub-whatever particles on my space trip." All eyes will shift to you.
You invite everyone over to your home. Every inch of wall space is festooned with photos of you in space. All those pictures of your smiling kids have been banished to the closet. Envious neighbors gawk at the photographs. You have displaced the nuclear scientist as the neighborhood celebrity.
I admit that I am entertaining the idea of taking out a fourth mortgage on my home to pay for a space vacation. My only concerns are that I am a nervous flyer and I am afraid of heights. But surely for $52 million stewardesses will hand out the anxiety drug Diazepam along with the pretzels.
The scariest moment will be when the rocket thunders off the launchpad, shuddering, trembling as it struggles to break the grasp of Earth's gravity. Passengers will experience a maximum of three times the force of gravity. Imagine being flattened against your seat, unable to move or sip Perrier.
Of course, I will need an aisle seat on the spacecraft for my frequent trips to the restroom. I refuse to use one of those gross devices inside a spacesuit. Yuck. For the price, there should be a nice facility onboard with scented towels and free combs. If I wanted to rough it, I could have gone camping.
Since it will be a long rocket ride, I am hoping there will be inflight entertainment. Movies such as "First Man," "Martian" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" designed to heighten our anticipation for the voyage. Surely Musk wouldn't dare show, "Apollo 13," a near space disaster for America.
No tiny little screens for the movies. This is costing a fortune so I am expecting a honking big screen 4K television at each seat. I would be like the old drive-in movies. A touch of the past on a vacation of the future. What could be better? I know. Popcorn. And Milk Duds.
Packing for the space vacation would be a snap. It is not like formal jackets will be required for dinner, like on those snooty ocean cruises. Wouldn't it be cool if Ralph Lauren designed the spacesuits? No tacky white paraphernalia. Fashion shouldn't have to be sacrificed in space.
And please, no ready-to-eat meals. Who eats canned food even on Earth? Hire a French chef to prepare gourmet dishes. I know a gas stove might be considered a fire hazard on a spacecraft. But a solar powered one would work just fine. Food allergies? Tough. It's space. You'll be fine.
At this point, I bet many of you are already daydreaming of contacting your travel agent. You are done with banal vacations. It will be worth it. And there is no coronavirus virus in space, so no worries about having to change your plans. Surely, that makes it worth $52 million.
Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, the electric car mogul, unveiled plans this year to launch a new Starship rocket into space in 2021 carrying a "small number" of passengers. It will likely go to the edge of space, but not to the moon. But what did you expect for $52 million? Free peanuts?
Another billionaire, Richard Branson, has launched Virgin Galactic, a firm in New Mexico dedicated to making commercial space flights a reality in the not too distant future. Branson has been more judicious than Musk, eschewing a launch date. Estimated fares are a bargain: $250,000 per person.
A handful of private citizens have already experienced the thrill of a space junket. Space Adventures brokered flights from 2001 to 2009 for seven tourists aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that shuttled the passengers to the International Space Station, floating about 220 miles above Earth.
The published price for the voyage was between $200 and $250 million, although many paid less. Depending on your credit card limit, the price tag could easily be within your financial grasp. Think of posting a selfie on Instagram, your beaming face captured inside the space station. Priceless.
At this juncture, some of you are probably thinking: "Yeah, but I could fly Southwest Airlines to Witcha, Kansas, for a lot less." True. But when a friend asks where you vacationed, do you think a visit to Witcha will have the same cache as a space voyage? Don't think so. Think big.
Fancy you are at a neighborhood party. The smug nuclear scientist who lives next door drones on about new discoveries and nerdy things like subatomic particles. That's when you casually drop in the conversation: "I didn't see sub-whatever particles on my space trip." All eyes will shift to you.
You invite everyone over to your home. Every inch of wall space is festooned with photos of you in space. All those pictures of your smiling kids have been banished to the closet. Envious neighbors gawk at the photographs. You have displaced the nuclear scientist as the neighborhood celebrity.
I admit that I am entertaining the idea of taking out a fourth mortgage on my home to pay for a space vacation. My only concerns are that I am a nervous flyer and I am afraid of heights. But surely for $52 million stewardesses will hand out the anxiety drug Diazepam along with the pretzels.
The scariest moment will be when the rocket thunders off the launchpad, shuddering, trembling as it struggles to break the grasp of Earth's gravity. Passengers will experience a maximum of three times the force of gravity. Imagine being flattened against your seat, unable to move or sip Perrier.
Of course, I will need an aisle seat on the spacecraft for my frequent trips to the restroom. I refuse to use one of those gross devices inside a spacesuit. Yuck. For the price, there should be a nice facility onboard with scented towels and free combs. If I wanted to rough it, I could have gone camping.
Since it will be a long rocket ride, I am hoping there will be inflight entertainment. Movies such as "First Man," "Martian" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" designed to heighten our anticipation for the voyage. Surely Musk wouldn't dare show, "Apollo 13," a near space disaster for America.
No tiny little screens for the movies. This is costing a fortune so I am expecting a honking big screen 4K television at each seat. I would be like the old drive-in movies. A touch of the past on a vacation of the future. What could be better? I know. Popcorn. And Milk Duds.
Packing for the space vacation would be a snap. It is not like formal jackets will be required for dinner, like on those snooty ocean cruises. Wouldn't it be cool if Ralph Lauren designed the spacesuits? No tacky white paraphernalia. Fashion shouldn't have to be sacrificed in space.
And please, no ready-to-eat meals. Who eats canned food even on Earth? Hire a French chef to prepare gourmet dishes. I know a gas stove might be considered a fire hazard on a spacecraft. But a solar powered one would work just fine. Food allergies? Tough. It's space. You'll be fine.
At this point, I bet many of you are already daydreaming of contacting your travel agent. You are done with banal vacations. It will be worth it. And there is no coronavirus virus in space, so no worries about having to change your plans. Surely, that makes it worth $52 million.
Monday, February 17, 2020
Analysis of Democrat Presidential Race
Democrats worst nightmares might be coming to fruition. With Super Tuesday looming on March 3, frontrunner Bernie Sanders frightens the Democrat establishment because of his full-throated socialist agenda. Now there is speculation that Democrats may be hurtling toward a brokered convention.
Neither scenario bodes well for the Democratic Party's chances to reclaim the White House. After a disastrous start to the primary season with the Iowa caucus debacle, Democrats had to be shaking their heads wondering what else could go wrong. The answer is Senator Sanders heading the ticket.
After winning the popular vote in both Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders vaulted into lead on the strength of a stellar ground game. Sanders has no trouble recruiting young volunteers to staff his statewide campaign offices. The 78-year old also draws the largest and most enthusiastic crowds.
Many Democrat voters are not spooked by Sanders' endorsement of socialism. A 2019 Pew Research Study found nearly two-thirds (65%) of Democrats have a somewhat positive or very positive view of socialism. Republicans and GOP leaning independents are diametrically opposed: 84% against.
Money is usually a strong indicator of the staying power of a primary candidate. Just released Federal Election Commission figures underscore Sanders' appeal. He raised $107.9 million in the latest reporting period, far outdistancing his primary rivals. Sanders is not going away.
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a virtual unknown a year ago, surprised pollsters by nipping at the heels of Sanders in the first two contests. The Buttigieg campaign has steamrolled more well known opponents and has attracted better educated, upper income voters.
However, national polls show that among African-American Democrats only one percent back his candidacy. If those polls are accurate, it spells trouble for Mayor Pete. He will face tough sledding in upcoming primaries in which African-Americans are a larger share of Democrat voters.
In a national presidential match, a Democrat cannot win the Oval Office without high African-American voter turnout and a sizable margin over Mr. Trump That leaves the Democrat establishment in a quandary because Buttigieg, like Obama in 2008, is a needed fresh face.
Buttigieg is polished, articulate and media friendly. All assets Obama enjoyed in 2008. Buttigieg also raised $75 million in the latest quarter. He is the darling of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Both have shoveled millions of dollars into the Buttigieg campaign.
Rising political star Sen. Amy Klobuchar's stock is soaring after her third place finish in New Hampshire. She represents the moderate lane in the party race. Her strategy of a laser focus on the first two contests paid off. But her campaign may be derailed by lack of funds.
Among the top tier candidates, she raised the lowest amount of money, $28.7 million in the recent quarter. That was less than Sanders, Buttigieg, Warren and Biden. She and Buttigieg are competing for the same big donors, who prefer a progressive without the socialist baggage.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren's campaign is cratering. Although she raised $81.7 million, she has underperformed in the opening round. After the woeful New Hampshire showing, he has turned more strident. If she drops out, the chief beneficiary will be Sanders, who shares common views.
Former Vice President Joe Biden needs to throw a Hail Mary pass. His campaign is flagging and donors are beginning to have doubts about his chances. Biden is pinning his hopes for a jumpstart in Nevada and South Carolina primaries. The states appear to be friendlier territory for Biden.
However, the latest Quinnipiac Poll finds Biden's support among African-Americans is eroding in South Carolina. That does not bode well for a comeback. Plus his campaign is haunted by disappointing defeats. Voters often are influenced by early results when they go to the polls.
Biden entered the race with a huge advantage in name recognition and his past association with the Obama presidency. Neither have proven enough to woo the majority of Democrat voters who are looking for a populist candidate who will shake up Washington. He represents the status quo.
Biden also suffered collateral damage in the impeachment trial. Democrats aimed at Mr. Trump but struck Biden, whose son Hunter's affiliation with a corrupt Ukraine gas firm received glaring attention during the trial. The mainstream media tried a blackout of news coverage to protect Biden.
It failed because social media was ablaze with juicy conspiracy theories and catty comments about the Bidens. Although no Democrat will ever admit it, Biden's reputation was sullied. Clever Buttigieg defended Biden in a debate, which only called more attention to the Biden imbroglio.
When the inevitable happens, a Morning Consult Poll shows Sanders is the top second choice for Biden supporters with 27% claiming they would vote for the senator. Fully 35% of Warren voters indicate they will switch to Sanders. Assuming both drop out, Sanders will solidify his lead.
When former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg leaped into the race, there was early chatter about him claiming the middle ground and uniting the party. Recent revelations about Bloomberg's views on minorities and crime have all but crippled his opportunity to ride his billions to the nomination.
That isn't Bloomberg's only achilles heel. He is a billionaire in a candidate field that preaches disdain for the wealthy. He is a solid but uninspiring campaigner. Bloomberg lacks charisma that even money can't buy. He is anathema to the socialist wing of the party. Can he overcome his shortfalls?
But make no mistake about it. Bloomberg is the Democrat establishment candidate. His campaign has just recently unleashed ads attacking Sanders' supporters, a dubious tactic that could backfire. For all the fawning over Bloomberg, he has yet to prove he can win a single primary.
Super Tuesday represents the last remaining test for Sanders. Fourteen states will hold primaries, including delegate-rich Texas and California. A total of 796 delegates will be at stake. If Sanders emerges with the most delegates, his challengers will face daunting odds.
That leaves Democrats staring at the likelihood that Sanders will have bagged the most delegates prior to the convention in Milwaukee in June. The question is: Will he have enough delegates to anoint him the presumptive nominee before then? The prospect of a brokered convention portends.
If there is a brokered convention, where the frontrunner is short of securing the nomination, history suggests the eventual winner will be too bloodied to win. The most recent brokered convention occurred in 1984 when Walter Mondale eventually won the nomination and then lost in a landslide.
Party purists are jittery about embracing Sanders, who runs for office in his home state of Maine as an Independent eschewing the Democrat label. Knots of Democrat House representatives and senators openly worried about the down ballot effect of Sanders in a recent New York Times article.
All that said, Democrats are wary of denying Sanders the nomination. In 2016 after Sanders lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton, his voters were dispirited by what they viewed as a rigged system against their candidate. As a result, most stayed home on election day.
Alienating Sanders and his base will create a chasm in the Democratic Party. If another candidate emerges as the nominee, there is a real threat his supporters will remain on the sidelines. This is Sanders' last shot at the presidency. A snub might compel him to run as a third party candidate.
The current Democratic Party dilemma may sound familiar to Republicans. Not so long ago in 2016 the GOP establishment was bonkers about the prospect of Trump at the top of the ticket. Although he drew the largest crowds, he wasn't conservative enough, a former Democrat and anti-establishment.
Grudgingly, old guard Republicans accepted the reality that he would be the nominee and abandoned efforts to sabotage his candidacy. The Democratic Party could learn a lesson from this. Denying Bernie Sanders the nomination through skulduggery will likely sink the Democrat ship.
Neither scenario bodes well for the Democratic Party's chances to reclaim the White House. After a disastrous start to the primary season with the Iowa caucus debacle, Democrats had to be shaking their heads wondering what else could go wrong. The answer is Senator Sanders heading the ticket.
After winning the popular vote in both Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders vaulted into lead on the strength of a stellar ground game. Sanders has no trouble recruiting young volunteers to staff his statewide campaign offices. The 78-year old also draws the largest and most enthusiastic crowds.
Many Democrat voters are not spooked by Sanders' endorsement of socialism. A 2019 Pew Research Study found nearly two-thirds (65%) of Democrats have a somewhat positive or very positive view of socialism. Republicans and GOP leaning independents are diametrically opposed: 84% against.
Money is usually a strong indicator of the staying power of a primary candidate. Just released Federal Election Commission figures underscore Sanders' appeal. He raised $107.9 million in the latest reporting period, far outdistancing his primary rivals. Sanders is not going away.
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a virtual unknown a year ago, surprised pollsters by nipping at the heels of Sanders in the first two contests. The Buttigieg campaign has steamrolled more well known opponents and has attracted better educated, upper income voters.
However, national polls show that among African-American Democrats only one percent back his candidacy. If those polls are accurate, it spells trouble for Mayor Pete. He will face tough sledding in upcoming primaries in which African-Americans are a larger share of Democrat voters.
In a national presidential match, a Democrat cannot win the Oval Office without high African-American voter turnout and a sizable margin over Mr. Trump That leaves the Democrat establishment in a quandary because Buttigieg, like Obama in 2008, is a needed fresh face.
Buttigieg is polished, articulate and media friendly. All assets Obama enjoyed in 2008. Buttigieg also raised $75 million in the latest quarter. He is the darling of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Both have shoveled millions of dollars into the Buttigieg campaign.
Rising political star Sen. Amy Klobuchar's stock is soaring after her third place finish in New Hampshire. She represents the moderate lane in the party race. Her strategy of a laser focus on the first two contests paid off. But her campaign may be derailed by lack of funds.
Among the top tier candidates, she raised the lowest amount of money, $28.7 million in the recent quarter. That was less than Sanders, Buttigieg, Warren and Biden. She and Buttigieg are competing for the same big donors, who prefer a progressive without the socialist baggage.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren's campaign is cratering. Although she raised $81.7 million, she has underperformed in the opening round. After the woeful New Hampshire showing, he has turned more strident. If she drops out, the chief beneficiary will be Sanders, who shares common views.
Former Vice President Joe Biden needs to throw a Hail Mary pass. His campaign is flagging and donors are beginning to have doubts about his chances. Biden is pinning his hopes for a jumpstart in Nevada and South Carolina primaries. The states appear to be friendlier territory for Biden.
However, the latest Quinnipiac Poll finds Biden's support among African-Americans is eroding in South Carolina. That does not bode well for a comeback. Plus his campaign is haunted by disappointing defeats. Voters often are influenced by early results when they go to the polls.
Biden entered the race with a huge advantage in name recognition and his past association with the Obama presidency. Neither have proven enough to woo the majority of Democrat voters who are looking for a populist candidate who will shake up Washington. He represents the status quo.
Biden also suffered collateral damage in the impeachment trial. Democrats aimed at Mr. Trump but struck Biden, whose son Hunter's affiliation with a corrupt Ukraine gas firm received glaring attention during the trial. The mainstream media tried a blackout of news coverage to protect Biden.
It failed because social media was ablaze with juicy conspiracy theories and catty comments about the Bidens. Although no Democrat will ever admit it, Biden's reputation was sullied. Clever Buttigieg defended Biden in a debate, which only called more attention to the Biden imbroglio.
When the inevitable happens, a Morning Consult Poll shows Sanders is the top second choice for Biden supporters with 27% claiming they would vote for the senator. Fully 35% of Warren voters indicate they will switch to Sanders. Assuming both drop out, Sanders will solidify his lead.
When former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg leaped into the race, there was early chatter about him claiming the middle ground and uniting the party. Recent revelations about Bloomberg's views on minorities and crime have all but crippled his opportunity to ride his billions to the nomination.
That isn't Bloomberg's only achilles heel. He is a billionaire in a candidate field that preaches disdain for the wealthy. He is a solid but uninspiring campaigner. Bloomberg lacks charisma that even money can't buy. He is anathema to the socialist wing of the party. Can he overcome his shortfalls?
But make no mistake about it. Bloomberg is the Democrat establishment candidate. His campaign has just recently unleashed ads attacking Sanders' supporters, a dubious tactic that could backfire. For all the fawning over Bloomberg, he has yet to prove he can win a single primary.
Super Tuesday represents the last remaining test for Sanders. Fourteen states will hold primaries, including delegate-rich Texas and California. A total of 796 delegates will be at stake. If Sanders emerges with the most delegates, his challengers will face daunting odds.
That leaves Democrats staring at the likelihood that Sanders will have bagged the most delegates prior to the convention in Milwaukee in June. The question is: Will he have enough delegates to anoint him the presumptive nominee before then? The prospect of a brokered convention portends.
If there is a brokered convention, where the frontrunner is short of securing the nomination, history suggests the eventual winner will be too bloodied to win. The most recent brokered convention occurred in 1984 when Walter Mondale eventually won the nomination and then lost in a landslide.
Party purists are jittery about embracing Sanders, who runs for office in his home state of Maine as an Independent eschewing the Democrat label. Knots of Democrat House representatives and senators openly worried about the down ballot effect of Sanders in a recent New York Times article.
All that said, Democrats are wary of denying Sanders the nomination. In 2016 after Sanders lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton, his voters were dispirited by what they viewed as a rigged system against their candidate. As a result, most stayed home on election day.
Alienating Sanders and his base will create a chasm in the Democratic Party. If another candidate emerges as the nominee, there is a real threat his supporters will remain on the sidelines. This is Sanders' last shot at the presidency. A snub might compel him to run as a third party candidate.
The current Democratic Party dilemma may sound familiar to Republicans. Not so long ago in 2016 the GOP establishment was bonkers about the prospect of Trump at the top of the ticket. Although he drew the largest crowds, he wasn't conservative enough, a former Democrat and anti-establishment.
Grudgingly, old guard Republicans accepted the reality that he would be the nominee and abandoned efforts to sabotage his candidacy. The Democratic Party could learn a lesson from this. Denying Bernie Sanders the nomination through skulduggery will likely sink the Democrat ship.
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