Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Monday, December 30, 2019
We pay more for health care
The International Federation of Health Plans compares the cost of health plans around the world every couple of years. It's latest survey is for 2017. We pay the most, in many cases double or more. For example, drug prices for most countries were less than half the US price for most of the administered and prescription drugs included in the study.
Some other comparisons:
For a typical angioplasty, a procedure that opens a blocked blood vessel to the heart, the average U.S. price is $32,200, compared with $6,400 in the Netherlands, or $7,400 in Switzerland. A typical M.R.I. scan costs $1,420 in the United States, but around $450 in Britain. An injection of Herceptin, an important breast cancer treatment, costs $211 in the United States, compared with $44 in South Africa.
Some other comparisons:
For a typical angioplasty, a procedure that opens a blocked blood vessel to the heart, the average U.S. price is $32,200, compared with $6,400 in the Netherlands, or $7,400 in Switzerland. A typical M.R.I. scan costs $1,420 in the United States, but around $450 in Britain. An injection of Herceptin, an important breast cancer treatment, costs $211 in the United States, compared with $44 in South Africa.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Our World
Some – mainly physical - things are getting better. See the recent posting from The Spectator. Nicholas Kristof has a similar article in Sunday’s NY Times. He touts that 2019 was “the year in which children were least likely to die, adults were least likely to be illiterate and people were least likely to suffer excruciating and disfiguring diseases.”
It’s true, but it’s also true that mass killings have exploded; we’re not doing much, other than talking, about climate change; racism is still a major driver here; the quality of our leadership in the Senate and Congress has diminished; inequality has gotten worse; our government is driven by our own form of oligarchs; the weather is the strangest I have lived through; our government’s debt is the highest it’s ever been; we believe that our military is the greatest in the world; and, of course, we are living under the worst and wierdest president we have ever had.
It’s true, but it’s also true that mass killings have exploded; we’re not doing much, other than talking, about climate change; racism is still a major driver here; the quality of our leadership in the Senate and Congress has diminished; inequality has gotten worse; our government is driven by our own form of oligarchs; the weather is the strangest I have lived through; our government’s debt is the highest it’s ever been; we believe that our military is the greatest in the world; and, of course, we are living under the worst and wierdest president we have ever had.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Losing trees in the Amazon
It's decreased almost 20% since 1985. What does this mean?
The millions who live there are having a harder time.
The The world's water supply is diminishing as one-fifth of the world’s fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
More carbon is released.
Friday, December 27, 2019
Things are better
So claims The Spectator:
"We are living through the greatest improvement in human living standards in history. Extreme poverty has fallen below 10 per cent of the world’s population for the first time. It was 60 per cent when I was born. Global inequality has been plunging as Africa and Asia experience faster economic growth than Europe and North America; child mortality has fallen to record low levels; famine virtually went extinct; malaria, polio and heart disease are all in decline."
"We are living through the greatest improvement in human living standards in history. Extreme poverty has fallen below 10 per cent of the world’s population for the first time. It was 60 per cent when I was born. Global inequality has been plunging as Africa and Asia experience faster economic growth than Europe and North America; child mortality has fallen to record low levels; famine virtually went extinct; malaria, polio and heart disease are all in decline."
Stay in a potato
Airbnb gives you that opportunity
It's only $247 a night. The potato has a queen bed perfect for two guests and comes with a fireplace and air-conditioning. It measures 28 feet long and 12 feet wide.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent
It's only $247 a night. The potato has a queen bed perfect for two guests and comes with a fireplace and air-conditioning. It measures 28 feet long and 12 feet wide.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Monday, December 23, 2019
Water, water everywhere?
According to the World Economic Forum, "the global water crisis is the the fourth major threat of our civilization". You remember the problems with tap water in Flint, Michigan. But, Flint is not alone; there are at least 30 cities with tap water problems. Then, we have 49 states The Water Research Institute rates New Mexico as the worst U.S. state; it is on par with the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East and Eritrea in Africa.
Why worry? There should be plenty of groundwater. Not really, as groundwater is facing depletion, with industries and people digging ever deeper for water that used to come easy. And, then we have a growing population facing less rainfall and significant evaporation caused by global warming. Forty-nine states have confirmed cases of contamination by highly toxic fluorinated compounds.
Why worry? There should be plenty of groundwater. Not really, as groundwater is facing depletion, with industries and people digging ever deeper for water that used to come easy. And, then we have a growing population facing less rainfall and significant evaporation caused by global warming. Forty-nine states have confirmed cases of contamination by highly toxic fluorinated compounds.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Saturday, December 21, 2019
I guess he likes lobster
Around midnight on Tuesday a crew for a wholesale dealer in lobsters was loading a truck to deliver to its customers. The motor was running. Suddenly, someone jumped out of the shadows and drove the truck , which, at that point, was holding $10,000 worth of lobster, away. The crew was startled, but immediately began a chase with another lobster truck. After a half-mile, they caught up with the thief, who smashed his truck into theirs. Then, the cops came and arrested him.
From our Florida correspondent
From our Florida correspondent
Friday, December 20, 2019
375 years old
1645 was the opening day for Roxbury Latin School, a school in Boston for boys in grades 7 to 12. It was the first to be chartered in this country and is “the oldest school in continuous existence in North America.” The mission of the school, since its founding in 1645, has been to prepare boys to “lead and serve.”
It is and has been one of the finest schools in the country. And I don't say this because two of my sons went there. It is well-endowed so that the tuition is much less than other private schools. But children of all economic backgrounds have graduated from the school; it has a very strong scholarship program. And has graduated many who have helped change the country and the world.
It is and has been one of the finest schools in the country. And I don't say this because two of my sons went there. It is well-endowed so that the tuition is much less than other private schools. But children of all economic backgrounds have graduated from the school; it has a very strong scholarship program. And has graduated many who have helped change the country and the world.
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Is this the best use of their money?
Could they have paid their employees more? Could they have invested more in their companies and the economy?
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Why is the Fed making a ton of short-term loans?
For the past couple of months the Fed has been loaning money to major Wall Street dealers. They did this
with a repo (repurchase agreement) loan program when the rate on these loans really jumped from 2 to 10 percent. Last week it announced a more formal program by which it would provide $2.93 trillion.
You may remember that in 2008 the Fed created a very similar lending program. It called it the Single Tranche Open Market Operation (ST OMO) and attempted to pass it off as part of its routine open market operations. But you know what happened.
You may remember that in 2008 the Fed created a very similar lending program. It called it the Single Tranche Open Market Operation (ST OMO) and attempted to pass it off as part of its routine open market operations. But you know what happened.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Vote or lose the right to vote
Georgia and Wisconsin have winnowed their list of voters by removing those who have not voted in recent elections. Georgia removed 120,561; Wisconsin removed 234,000.
Monday, December 16, 2019
What's wrong with the Gages Lake School in Illinois?
Like other schools in Illinois Gages Lake tends to put students into a timeout area for relatively minor offenses. Illinois law does allow timeouts but only if the children are in danger of hurting themselves or others. Gages Lake used timeout for students who were not in danger and, in essence, put them in danger by grabbing children by the wrists, shoving them into walls and throwing them to the ground in a cluster of four seclusion spaces — some with lockable doors, others open — that the school calls “the office.” At least one of the school aides treated the kids in such a way that he has been charged by prosecutors that he used excessive force on students.
It looks as though this behavior has come to light only in the last year as reported timeouts have gone from 270 to 1,708 in that period.
It looks as though this behavior has come to light only in the last year as reported timeouts have gone from 270 to 1,708 in that period.
The count is now 15,413
That's the number of false or misleading claims Mr. Trump has made since becoming our president. So says the Washington Post. That's about 15 a day.
What is wrong with him? He repeats many of the claims hundreds of times.
What is wrong with him? He repeats many of the claims hundreds of times.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Voting Rights
Kentucky has increased its voting roles by 140,000 in one fell swoop. This represents 9% of its population. It so happens that these 140,000 voters have served time in the state's jails. Those who committed violent crimes still may not vote
Friday, December 13, 2019
Another warning about livestock
If we don't curb livestock production soon, we'll be in deep environmental trouble, according to some scientists. If we don't, it will generate about half of our negative emissions. This is what the scientists say we should do now:
First, declare a timeframe for peak livestock—i.e., livestock production from each species would not continue to increase from this point forward.
Second, within the livestock sector, identify the largest emissions sources or the largest land occupiers, or both, and set appropriate reduction targets for production. This process would be repeated sequentially, to set reduction targets for the next largest emitter or land occupier.
Third, within a reconfiguration of the agriculture sector, apply a best available food strategy to diversify food production by replacing livestock with foods that simultaneously minimize environmental burdens and maximize public health benefits—mainly pulses (including beans, peas, and lentils), grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Fourth, when grazing land is not required or is unsuitable for horticulture or arable production, adopt a natural climate solutions approach where possible, to repurpose land as a carbon sink by restoring native vegetation cover to its maximum carbon sequestration potential with additional benefits to biodiversity.
First, declare a timeframe for peak livestock—i.e., livestock production from each species would not continue to increase from this point forward.
Second, within the livestock sector, identify the largest emissions sources or the largest land occupiers, or both, and set appropriate reduction targets for production. This process would be repeated sequentially, to set reduction targets for the next largest emitter or land occupier.
Third, within a reconfiguration of the agriculture sector, apply a best available food strategy to diversify food production by replacing livestock with foods that simultaneously minimize environmental burdens and maximize public health benefits—mainly pulses (including beans, peas, and lentils), grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Fourth, when grazing land is not required or is unsuitable for horticulture or arable production, adopt a natural climate solutions approach where possible, to repurpose land as a carbon sink by restoring native vegetation cover to its maximum carbon sequestration potential with additional benefits to biodiversity.
Why does Trump fear her?
“So ridiculous,” Mr. Trump tweeted. “Greta must work on her anger management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!”
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Here are a few interesting excerpts you won't see in the media
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs – delivered the following opening statement at the hearing ‘Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’ on December 10, 2019:
"Over the past few years, in this Committee, we have seen the Trump Administration dismantle many of the protections we put in place after the last financial crisis, putting our financial system and hardworking families around the country at risk.
The SEC has flown under the radar, but often the agenda has been the same – taking Wall Street’s side over and over, instead of standing with investors saving for retirement or college or a down payment."...
"While I appreciate the Enforcement Division’s initiatives, including those to protect teachers and military service members from fraud and misconduct in financial advice, you’ve done so much damage by adopting what you call “Regulation Best Interest”. Under that rule, brokerage firms can merely disclose, but don’t have to eliminate, firm-level conflicts.
It should be simple – investment firms need to work for the people they serve. Americans need to have confidence the professionals that they’re trusting with their hard earned money are working for them, not scamming them to line the firm’s own pockets. You could have simply followed Congress’s guidance in the Dodd-Frank Act to create a uniform fiduciary standard for brokers and advisors, which would be the best way to give investors confidence that their interests come first. But you didn’t.
And that’s not the only part of Dodd-Frank you are working to undermine. Look at the SEC’s proposal to amend the whistleblower program, which is one of the most successful programs created under Dodd-Frank. We need brave workers to stand up to corruption and abuse when they see financial companies scamming people or engaging in other illegal behavior."
"Over the past few years, in this Committee, we have seen the Trump Administration dismantle many of the protections we put in place after the last financial crisis, putting our financial system and hardworking families around the country at risk.
The SEC has flown under the radar, but often the agenda has been the same – taking Wall Street’s side over and over, instead of standing with investors saving for retirement or college or a down payment."...
"While I appreciate the Enforcement Division’s initiatives, including those to protect teachers and military service members from fraud and misconduct in financial advice, you’ve done so much damage by adopting what you call “Regulation Best Interest”. Under that rule, brokerage firms can merely disclose, but don’t have to eliminate, firm-level conflicts.
It should be simple – investment firms need to work for the people they serve. Americans need to have confidence the professionals that they’re trusting with their hard earned money are working for them, not scamming them to line the firm’s own pockets. You could have simply followed Congress’s guidance in the Dodd-Frank Act to create a uniform fiduciary standard for brokers and advisors, which would be the best way to give investors confidence that their interests come first. But you didn’t.
And that’s not the only part of Dodd-Frank you are working to undermine. Look at the SEC’s proposal to amend the whistleblower program, which is one of the most successful programs created under Dodd-Frank. We need brave workers to stand up to corruption and abuse when they see financial companies scamming people or engaging in other illegal behavior."
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Monday, December 09, 2019
A 21st century view of the Nativity
Claremont United Methodist Church in California displayed this as their view of Christ's birth.
Does it remind you of immigration in the 21st century?
Does it remind you of immigration in the 21st century?
Talk about a bad investment
Our investment in Afghanistan has cost us more than $2 trillion. Here's a breakdown:
$1.5 trillion waging war yet the Taliban control or contest much of the country.
$10 billion on counternarcotics but Afghanistan supplies 80 percent of the world’s heroin.
$87 billion to train Afghan military and police forces but Afghan forces still can’t support themselves.
$24 billion on economic development and still most Afghans live in poverty.
$30 billion on other reconstruction programs but much of that money was lost to corruption and failed projects.
$500 billion on interest on borrowed money to fund the war.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest sources of refugees and migrants. More than 2,400 American soldiers and more than 38,000 Afghan civilians have died.
$1.5 trillion waging war yet the Taliban control or contest much of the country.
$10 billion on counternarcotics but Afghanistan supplies 80 percent of the world’s heroin.
$87 billion to train Afghan military and police forces but Afghan forces still can’t support themselves.
$24 billion on economic development and still most Afghans live in poverty.
$30 billion on other reconstruction programs but much of that money was lost to corruption and failed projects.
$500 billion on interest on borrowed money to fund the war.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest sources of refugees and migrants. More than 2,400 American soldiers and more than 38,000 Afghan civilians have died.
Buy your pork from Denmark
The use of more antibiotics can result in dangerous germs having more opportunities to evolve and outsmart drugs designed to kill them. Drug-resistant infections now claim 700,000 lives a year around the world, including 35,000 in the United States. Without bold action, the United Nations has estimated drug-resistant pathogens could claim 10 million lives globally by 2050.
Denmark, which is a major producer of pork, has cut way back on the use of antibiotics on
pigs. Here, they use antibiotics at a rate seven times higher than that of Danish farmers. In Denmark one quarter or more of some swine arrive at the abattoir without ever having received any antimicrobial drugs.
Denmark, which is a major producer of pork, has cut way back on the use of antibiotics on
A different approach to climate change
The Nature Conservancy has made a deal with the government of the Seychelles Island to attack the problems of the ocean due to climate change. The Conservancy has given the Seychelles $21,000,000 and assumed 5% of the country's debt. The agreement calls for the government to protect 30% of its national waters. One way they are doing this is by controlling fishing. In many areas the people can fish in the local bay for only six months of the year. In other areas, tourism, as well as fishing, is restricted. The country's military and police forces are monitoring the situation.
Saturday, December 07, 2019
Friday, December 06, 2019
Thursday, December 05, 2019
Faster than a speeding bullet
A new record has been set for the Cannonball Run, a drive from Manhattan to Redondo Beach, California. Three men drove their specially equipped Mercedes-Benz across the country in 27 hours and 25 minutes, beating the previous record of 28 hours and 50 minutes.
Their average speed was 103 miles per hour, and the highest was 193. The car could produce more than 800 horsepower.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent
Their average speed was 103 miles per hour, and the highest was 193. The car could produce more than 800 horsepower.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
Should I be frightened?
I just finished a review of "Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers" by Andy Greenberg in the NY Review of Books. Frankly, I am frightened. The book recounts a number of successful cyberattacks, many of which I had not heard about. Many of the attacks were on industrial control systems, such as those used for health care, transportation, agriculture, defense, infrastructure.
Did you know that from 2011 to 2013 Iranian hackers broke into the servers of banks and financial firms, including JPMorgan Chase, American Express, and Wells Fargo, and besieged them for 144 days? Or in 2017 Russian hackers found their way into the systems of one hundred American nuclear and other power plants. Another hacking group disabled the safety controls at a Saudi Arabian oil refinery.
Russian hackers have gone after ex-Russian territories. In 2007 Estonia hit with a cyberattack that shuttered media, banking, and government services over twenty-two days. Georgia was hit with a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack that took down media outlets and military command centers. In 2015, it was a Kiev-based television company plus the airport and railroads, the power grid so that there was no heat, no transportation, no way to get money or use a credit card, little food.
Did you know that from 2011 to 2013 Iranian hackers broke into the servers of banks and financial firms, including JPMorgan Chase, American Express, and Wells Fargo, and besieged them for 144 days? Or in 2017 Russian hackers found their way into the systems of one hundred American nuclear and other power plants. Another hacking group disabled the safety controls at a Saudi Arabian oil refinery.
Russian hackers have gone after ex-Russian territories. In 2007 Estonia hit with a cyberattack that shuttered media, banking, and government services over twenty-two days. Georgia was hit with a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack that took down media outlets and military command centers. In 2015, it was a Kiev-based television company plus the airport and railroads, the power grid so that there was no heat, no transportation, no way to get money or use a credit card, little food.
Music can last a long time
Last night I attended a concert here at Duncaster. The performers were "Entwyned+, a trio that focuses on music from 1600 - 1750. And, they play the music on instruments reproduced from that time. Their first song got me. It was "Greensleeves". Did you know that it was played in 1580, over 400 years ago? I didn't recognize anything else but the music was beautiful.
They played a number of instruments: lutes (like guitars), viola da gamba, traversos (flutes) and harps.
Listen to "Greensleeves
They played a number of instruments: lutes (like guitars), viola da gamba, traversos (flutes) and harps.
Listen to "Greensleeves
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Monday, December 02, 2019
Sunday, December 01, 2019
"Fantastic Grandmothers"
That's what a group of seven grandmothers who do research on the greater sea snake are called. Almost every morning they snorkel in Baie des Citrons, a bay in New Caledonia. The sea snake is nearly five feet in length and is more than capable of killing a human with a single bite. But that doesn't bother them as they are providing a bounty of data and information for scientists studying the aquatic snakes.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Life Expectancy
From a recent JAMA study:
Between 1959 and 2016, US life expectancy increased from 69.9 years to 78.9 years but declined for 3 consecutive years after 2014.
The recent decrease in US life expectancy culminated a period of increasing cause-specific mortality among adults aged 25 to 64 years that began in the 1990s, ultimately producing an increase in all-cause mortality that began in 2010.
During 2010-2017, midlife all-cause mortality rates increased from 328.5 deaths/100 000 to 348.2 deaths/100 000.
By 2014, midlife mortality was increasing across all racial groups, caused by drug overdoses, alcohol abuse, suicides, and a diverse list of organ system diseases.
The largest relative increases in midlife mortality rates occurred in New England (New Hampshire, 23.3%; Maine, 20.7%; Vermont, 19.9%) and the Ohio Valley (West Virginia, 23.0%; Ohio, 21.6%; Indiana, 14.8%; Kentucky, 14.7%). The increase in midlife mortality during 2010-2017 was associated with an estimated 33 307 excess US deaths, 32.8% of which occurred in 4 Ohio Valley states.
Between 1959 and 2016, US life expectancy increased from 69.9 years to 78.9 years but declined for 3 consecutive years after 2014.
The recent decrease in US life expectancy culminated a period of increasing cause-specific mortality among adults aged 25 to 64 years that began in the 1990s, ultimately producing an increase in all-cause mortality that began in 2010.
During 2010-2017, midlife all-cause mortality rates increased from 328.5 deaths/100 000 to 348.2 deaths/100 000.
By 2014, midlife mortality was increasing across all racial groups, caused by drug overdoses, alcohol abuse, suicides, and a diverse list of organ system diseases.
The largest relative increases in midlife mortality rates occurred in New England (New Hampshire, 23.3%; Maine, 20.7%; Vermont, 19.9%) and the Ohio Valley (West Virginia, 23.0%; Ohio, 21.6%; Indiana, 14.8%; Kentucky, 14.7%). The increase in midlife mortality during 2010-2017 was associated with an estimated 33 307 excess US deaths, 32.8% of which occurred in 4 Ohio Valley states.
Friday, November 29, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Contract for the Web
Tim Berners-Lee is still active for the web. Over the past year he has worked with activists, academics, companies, governments and citizens from across the world to make sure our online world is safe, empowering and genuinely for everyone.
They have developed the Contract for the Web, which is based on nine principles:
Government
Ensure everyone can connect to the internet
Keep all of the internet available, all of the time
Respect and protect people’s fundamental online privacy and data rights
Companies
Make the internet affordable and accessible to everyone
Respect and protect people’s privacy and personal data to build online trust
Develop technologies that support the best in humanity and challenge the worst
Citizens
Be creators and collaborators on the Web
Build strong communities that respect civil discourse and human dignity
Fight for the Web
They have developed the Contract for the Web, which is based on nine principles:
Government
Ensure everyone can connect to the internet
Keep all of the internet available, all of the time
Respect and protect people’s fundamental online privacy and data rights
Companies
Make the internet affordable and accessible to everyone
Respect and protect people’s privacy and personal data to build online trust
Develop technologies that support the best in humanity and challenge the worst
Citizens
Be creators and collaborators on the Web
Build strong communities that respect civil discourse and human dignity
Fight for the Web
Do you want to be a judge?
Move to South Carolina and become friendly with a politician. You don't have to be a lawyer or even have a law degree to preside at a magistrate court. Magistrates include construction workers, insurance agents, pharmacists — even an underwear distributor. You will have to take a training course, but the course is shorter than those for barbers, masseuses and nail salon technicians. You'll rule on cases involving petty thefts, drunken driving, domestic violence, assaults and disorderly conduct. You'll issue arrest warrants, set bail, preside over trials and conduct preliminary hearings to assess if there is sufficient probable cause to support felony charges such as murder, rape and robbery.
Here's what ProPublica discovered about these courts:
Nearly three-quarters of the state’s magistrates lack a legal degree and couldn’t represent someone in a court of law.
A loophole in state law has allowed a quarter of South Carolina’s magistrates to remain on the bench after their terms expired, letting them escape the scrutiny of a reappointment process. One controversial magistrate continues to hold court two decades after her four-year term ended.
In 12 of the state’s 46 counties, magistrate appointments are decided by a single senator who can stock the courts with hand-picked candidates.
More than a dozen sitting magistrates have been disciplined for misconduct by the state’s judicial watchdog, but they aren’t required to disclose their offenses when seeking a new term. Even the governor, who is supposed to act as a check on nominees, is kept in the dark before signing off on their reappointments.
Here's what ProPublica discovered about these courts:
Nearly three-quarters of the state’s magistrates lack a legal degree and couldn’t represent someone in a court of law.
A loophole in state law has allowed a quarter of South Carolina’s magistrates to remain on the bench after their terms expired, letting them escape the scrutiny of a reappointment process. One controversial magistrate continues to hold court two decades after her four-year term ended.
In 12 of the state’s 46 counties, magistrate appointments are decided by a single senator who can stock the courts with hand-picked candidates.
More than a dozen sitting magistrates have been disciplined for misconduct by the state’s judicial watchdog, but they aren’t required to disclose their offenses when seeking a new term. Even the governor, who is supposed to act as a check on nominees, is kept in the dark before signing off on their reappointments.
We have to really move now
Let's talk less about Trump and act re climate change.
A quote from the annual Emissions Gap report from the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP):
“It is evident that incremental changes will not be enough and there is a need for rapid and transformational action. By necessity, this will see profound change in how energy, food, and other material-intensive services are demanded and provided by governments, businesses, and markets.”
We have to act now as the report states that greenhouse gas emissions must begin falling 7.6 percent annually by 2020 to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C by 2030. This report backs up a recent report from the U.N.’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2018.
A quote from the annual Emissions Gap report from the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP):
“It is evident that incremental changes will not be enough and there is a need for rapid and transformational action. By necessity, this will see profound change in how energy, food, and other material-intensive services are demanded and provided by governments, businesses, and markets.”
We have to act now as the report states that greenhouse gas emissions must begin falling 7.6 percent annually by 2020 to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C by 2030. This report backs up a recent report from the U.N.’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2018.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Saturday, November 23, 2019
What Susan Rice Has Learned From The Hearings
Her conclusions as reported in the NY Times:
1. Trump withheld an important Oval Office meeting and nearly $400 million in urgently needed military assistance from Ukraine to compel Mr. Zelensky to open, or at least announce, two investigations.
2. The hearings have amply demonstrated the extraordinary caliber and character of our nonpartisan career Foreign Service officers, civil servants and uniformed military personnel.
3. It is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest.
4. The primary beneficiary of our domestic dysfunction and divisions is President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
1. Trump withheld an important Oval Office meeting and nearly $400 million in urgently needed military assistance from Ukraine to compel Mr. Zelensky to open, or at least announce, two investigations.
2. The hearings have amply demonstrated the extraordinary caliber and character of our nonpartisan career Foreign Service officers, civil servants and uniformed military personnel.
3. It is now abundantly apparent that most Republicans in Congress have abandoned all semblance of serving the national interest.
4. The primary beneficiary of our domestic dysfunction and divisions is President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
What kind of plant is this?
It's not a plant. It's a thin sheet of ice crystals on the windshield of a car in Maine.
Courtesy of a Duncaster resident
Courtesy of a Duncaster resident
Friday, November 22, 2019
Another leader indicted
This time it's Israel. They've had a tough year politically - two elections and three attempts at forming a government since April. Now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a set of long-running corruption cases. Supposedly, he gave or offered lucrative official favors to several media tycoons in exchange for favorable news coverage or gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Mosquitos and history
I had never given any thought to the mosquito in a historical sense. But that was before I read a review of "The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator" by Timothy Winegard.
Malaria may have changed history in many ways:
Alexander the Great died from it as he was on his way to conquer Arabia and North Africa.
Alaric conquered Rome and then died before moving on Italy.
Otto II, a Holy Roman Emperor, died before consolidating Germanic tribes
Oliver Cromwell, Dante, Lord Byron died from it.
The book also argues that mosquitos affected the Hellenistic world, the Roman Empire’s rise and fall, the Crusades, the Mongol conquests of Genghis Khan, the European colonization of the Americas, the enslavement of Africans, the coalescence of Great Britain, the American Revolution, the formative collision between the United States and Mexico in the 1840s, the American Civil War.
Malaria may have changed history in many ways:
Alexander the Great died from it as he was on his way to conquer Arabia and North Africa.
Alaric conquered Rome and then died before moving on Italy.
Otto II, a Holy Roman Emperor, died before consolidating Germanic tribes
Oliver Cromwell, Dante, Lord Byron died from it.
The book also argues that mosquitos affected the Hellenistic world, the Roman Empire’s rise and fall, the Crusades, the Mongol conquests of Genghis Khan, the European colonization of the Americas, the enslavement of Africans, the coalescence of Great Britain, the American Revolution, the formative collision between the United States and Mexico in the 1840s, the American Civil War.
Monday, November 18, 2019
A few days, a few murders
Last week, a shooter at a high school in California killed two people and injured three others. Over the weekend, a shooter at a party in Fresno, California, killed four and wounded six more. Today, a shooting outside a Walmart in Duncan, Oklahoma, reportedly killed three people.
There have been more than 370 mass shootings in the US so far in 2019. What are we doing about it?
Some comparisons:
There have been more than 370 mass shootings in the US so far in 2019. What are we doing about it?
Some comparisons:
Reelection is most important...
.. to most holders of political office, some of whom, including our president, would do almost anything to be reelected. Vaping by teenagers has become a major health problem in this country. The CDC has said that nearly 2,000 people have been affected by the epidemic and 40 people have died. A federal survey showed that nearly 1 in 4 high school student had vaped within the past 30 days.
Because of the rising teen vaping rates and a nationwide epidemic of vaping-related lung injuries, in September, President Trump announced that he planned to roll out a federal ban of most flavored e-cigarette products. But the vaping industry got busy and have convinced him to do nothing as a ban would effect his reelection.
I really don't like writing about Trump, but this is outrageous and will result in unnecessary deaths.
Because of the rising teen vaping rates and a nationwide epidemic of vaping-related lung injuries, in September, President Trump announced that he planned to roll out a federal ban of most flavored e-cigarette products. But the vaping industry got busy and have convinced him to do nothing as a ban would effect his reelection.
I really don't like writing about Trump, but this is outrageous and will result in unnecessary deaths.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Freight is declining
Freight shipment volume in the US by truck, rail, air, and barge fell 5.9% in October 2019, compared to October last year, according to the Cass Freight Index for Shipments. It was the 11th month in a row of year-over-year declines, and the third month out of those 11 when year-over-year declines were around 6%.
Friday, November 15, 2019
He really is a kid - a very nasty kid
I'm talking about our president. Here is his Twitter comment made while Yovanovitch was testifying re impeachment:
Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad. She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.
Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad. She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.
Therapy Llamas
The title of this post is not a typo. Llamas are being used for therapy for old people and young people. The llamas are in assisted living facilities, nursing and veterans’ homes, rehabilitation centers and walk-a-thons. There is even a reasonably large company, Pet Partners, in Texas that provides llamas for therapy after they have passed a qualifying exam necessary to become registered therapy llamas. The test involves being touched by strangers and remaining impassive when people nearby start arguing.
The llamas are supplied by people who keep llamas on their property. When they register their animals with Pet Partners, they are covered by insurance for the duration of their therapy visits. They must abide by strict rules about health, grooming and working conditions. No animal may work more than two hours a day, and handlers must be aware of any signs of fatigue or annoyance.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent.
The llamas are supplied by people who keep llamas on their property. When they register their animals with Pet Partners, they are covered by insurance for the duration of their therapy visits. They must abide by strict rules about health, grooming and working conditions. No animal may work more than two hours a day, and handlers must be aware of any signs of fatigue or annoyance.
Courtesy of our Florida correspondent.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Is California falling apart?
Tons of fires. Major drought. Homeless population the highest in the country. High air pollution. Expensive homes. Highest rent.
Details at Business Insider.
Details at Business Insider.
The Cost of the Wars on Terror since 9/11
This is a summary of the costs of post 9/11 wars as compiled at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs:
Over 480,000 have died due to direct war violence, and several times as many indirectly.
Over 244,000 civilians have been killed as a result of the fighting.
21 million — the number of war refugees and displaced persons.
The US federal price tag for the post-9/11 wars is over $5.9 trillion dollars.
The US government is conducting counterterror activities in 80 countries The wars have been accompanied by violations of human rights and civil liberties, in the US and abroad.
Over 480,000 have died due to direct war violence, and several times as many indirectly.
Over 244,000 civilians have been killed as a result of the fighting.
21 million — the number of war refugees and displaced persons.
The US federal price tag for the post-9/11 wars is over $5.9 trillion dollars.
The US government is conducting counterterror activities in 80 countries The wars have been accompanied by violations of human rights and civil liberties, in the US and abroad.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Smelling Parkinson's?
Joy Milne from Scotland has a very unusual sense of smell. She has had it since she was a child. When Milne closes her eyes, she smells in color. If she puts a flower up to her nose, a "kaleidoscope," as she puts it, begins spinning in her head. The medical term for this overlapping of sensory perception is synesthesia, and the color of the scent rarely has anything to do with the color of the object in question. Coffee smells "swirly gray" to her, while the smell of the North Sea is emerald green.
For several years, she, a former nurse, has worked with a number of scientists because she is also able to smell diseases. People with Alzheimer's smell to her like rye bread, diabetes like nail polish, cancer like mushrooms and tuberculosis like damp cardboard. She has worked most closely with those studying Parkinson's disease, the cause of her husband's death. These scientists are looking for a way to detect the disease before its clear symptoms becomes noticeable. She felt that when her husband was close he smelled differently from most people; he smelled like musk.
For several years, she, a former nurse, has worked with a number of scientists because she is also able to smell diseases. People with Alzheimer's smell to her like rye bread, diabetes like nail polish, cancer like mushrooms and tuberculosis like damp cardboard. She has worked most closely with those studying Parkinson's disease, the cause of her husband's death. These scientists are looking for a way to detect the disease before its clear symptoms becomes noticeable. She felt that when her husband was close he smelled differently from most people; he smelled like musk.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Monday, November 11, 2019
Don't wear eyeglasses to work in Japan
Apparently women are forbidden to wear eyeglasses to work in many companies. The reason? Glasses can give a “cold impression,” or cover up one’s makeup, or just aren’t liked by the boss, said many women. But men can.
Japanese women also face the 'rule' that they wear high heels to work.
Japanese women also face the 'rule' that they wear high heels to work.
My feelings re Veterans Day
This is the third year I have posted this.
When I was a kid in the 1940s, it was pretty obvious that this nation was at war. Everyone was involved in some activity to help the war effort. I and my friends collected aluminum foil. My sisters knitted. We went to the market with ration book in hand. Every so often we prepared for an air raid. My brothers served in the Battle of the Bulge and other combat. All of my male cousins and most of the men I knew were drafted. I learned to read via the headlines and the lead stories of the war that the newspapers carried every day. I practiced my writing by writing letters to my brothers. All of the men in East Cambridge were drafted. It was pretty obvious why we should celebrate their efforts. Hardly anyone was against the GI Bill. I can fully understand why in the '50s and '60s Armistice Day was a big deal. And, I can readily understand why Eisenhower renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954.
However, I find it very hard to understand the brouhaha that is now made of Veterans Day. When Nixon abolished the draft in 1973, people now had a choice as to whether they wanted to join the military or not, as they always had a choice whether they should join the police, become a teacher, practice medicine, fight fires, etc. There are many professions where the goal is not making a dollar. Soldiers are not the only ones risking their lives. Police and firefighters also risk their lives. The military is not the only important profession that keeps this country whole. Where would we be without teachers or policemen? Why don't we have a teacher's day or a policemen's day?
The fact of a volunteer army makes us more susceptible to go to war, especially because we know so few of the volunteers. As I said above, many of the people I knew in the '40s were drafted and risked their lives defending this country. Some of my relatives served in Korea. Friends served in Vietnam or moved to Canada. Coffins landed in the military base in Bedford, MA almost every night. We were all involved in these wars and realized their cost. The President didn't tell us to avoid the fact that we were at war, we were all helping the war effort. That was our duty as citizens, no matter our age or circumstances.
It is interesting that most of the politicians that will be speaking on Veterans Day have not served in any capacity in the military. I'll end with a comment from Aaron O'Connell, a professor at Annapolis, "Uncritical support of all things martial is quickly becoming the new normal for our youth. Hardly any of my students at the Naval Academy remember a time when their nation wasn’t at war."
When I was a kid in the 1940s, it was pretty obvious that this nation was at war. Everyone was involved in some activity to help the war effort. I and my friends collected aluminum foil. My sisters knitted. We went to the market with ration book in hand. Every so often we prepared for an air raid. My brothers served in the Battle of the Bulge and other combat. All of my male cousins and most of the men I knew were drafted. I learned to read via the headlines and the lead stories of the war that the newspapers carried every day. I practiced my writing by writing letters to my brothers. All of the men in East Cambridge were drafted. It was pretty obvious why we should celebrate their efforts. Hardly anyone was against the GI Bill. I can fully understand why in the '50s and '60s Armistice Day was a big deal. And, I can readily understand why Eisenhower renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954.
However, I find it very hard to understand the brouhaha that is now made of Veterans Day. When Nixon abolished the draft in 1973, people now had a choice as to whether they wanted to join the military or not, as they always had a choice whether they should join the police, become a teacher, practice medicine, fight fires, etc. There are many professions where the goal is not making a dollar. Soldiers are not the only ones risking their lives. Police and firefighters also risk their lives. The military is not the only important profession that keeps this country whole. Where would we be without teachers or policemen? Why don't we have a teacher's day or a policemen's day?
The fact of a volunteer army makes us more susceptible to go to war, especially because we know so few of the volunteers. As I said above, many of the people I knew in the '40s were drafted and risked their lives defending this country. Some of my relatives served in Korea. Friends served in Vietnam or moved to Canada. Coffins landed in the military base in Bedford, MA almost every night. We were all involved in these wars and realized their cost. The President didn't tell us to avoid the fact that we were at war, we were all helping the war effort. That was our duty as citizens, no matter our age or circumstances.
It is interesting that most of the politicians that will be speaking on Veterans Day have not served in any capacity in the military. I'll end with a comment from Aaron O'Connell, a professor at Annapolis, "Uncritical support of all things martial is quickly becoming the new normal for our youth. Hardly any of my students at the Naval Academy remember a time when their nation wasn’t at war."
Thursday, November 07, 2019
Can 11,258 scientists be wrong?
It is possible, but I don't think likely in that they are talking about climate change. A new report by the American Institute of Biological Sciences has the signatures of 11,258 scientists in 153 countries from a broad range of disciplines who warn that the planet “clearly and unequivocally faces a climate emergency,” and provides six broad policy goals that must be met to address it.
What do you think? Fact or fiction?
What do you think? Fact or fiction?
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
A deer in the ocean
In Maine yesterday some lobstermen saw a deer in the ocean about 5 miles off the coast. They were able to haul the deer onto the lobster boat after a few tries. Once the deer was on board, they weren’t sure how he would like being on the boat and wondered if he would get spooked or try to run away. But the deer remained remarkably calm during the boat ride.
Monday, November 04, 2019
McDonald's vs. JPMorgan
They treat their CEOs differently. Steve Easterbrook, the CEO of McDonald’s, was fired by his Board for engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee, in violation of company policy. Whereas it seems that no matter what Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, does, he can't lose his job or be punished.
Here's some of what JP has done under Dimon's leadership:
$6.2 billion in losses from derivatives in London in 2012.
The Bernie Madoff deal resulted in two criminal felony counts from the U.S. Department of Justice, to which JP pleaded guilty.
In 2015, JP pleaded guilty to one more criminal felony charge for its role in rigging foreign currency trading.
In September of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice, for the first time that anyone can remember, named the precious metals trading desk of the bank a criminal enterprise and charged three of its traders, including the head of the desk, with racketeering under the RICO statute.
Here's some of what JP has done under Dimon's leadership:
$6.2 billion in losses from derivatives in London in 2012.
The Bernie Madoff deal resulted in two criminal felony counts from the U.S. Department of Justice, to which JP pleaded guilty.
In 2015, JP pleaded guilty to one more criminal felony charge for its role in rigging foreign currency trading.
In September of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice, for the first time that anyone can remember, named the precious metals trading desk of the bank a criminal enterprise and charged three of its traders, including the head of the desk, with racketeering under the RICO statute.
Saturday, November 02, 2019
Use of debt in corporate America
Interest rates have been low for a while. That's one reason why American companies are currently sitting on a record US$15.5 trillion in debt. However, this debt was not primarily used to finance expansion and growth but more commonly to jack up stock prices through dividends, stock buybacks and acquisitions.
And then we have what sounds like a repeat of the Great Recession. $660 billion of companies’ so-called leveraged debt is held in collateralized loan obligations that have been sold to a variety of investors and financial institutions. The IMF estimates that half of corporate debt – excluding small businesses – is high risk, or junk rated, which has a much higher chance of default than investment grade debt.
And then we have what sounds like a repeat of the Great Recession. $660 billion of companies’ so-called leveraged debt is held in collateralized loan obligations that have been sold to a variety of investors and financial institutions. The IMF estimates that half of corporate debt – excluding small businesses – is high risk, or junk rated, which has a much higher chance of default than investment grade debt.
Who petitions the UN?
I thought it was only other countries residents that did so. Well, in October, human rights activists in New York City; Washington, D.C.; London; and Kingston, Jamaica presented the UN with a petition from incarcerated organizers requesting humanitarian intervention. These activists were referring to the South Carolina prison system. The petition called for adequate food and water, time outdoors, access to vocational training and the removal of steel plates blocking sunlight inside Level 3 prisons.
It seems that prisoners held in the state’s high-security prisons spend 20 to 24 hours a day in 9 by 11 cells with small windows that have been covered with steel plates. They have no access to rehabilitative services or educational programs and are not allowed any freedom of movement outside their cells.
The prisoners, themselves, say guards have committed serious abuses, such as withholding water from prisoners and arbitrarily subjecting prisoners to solitary confinement. Plus, they also list mold problems, rotting food, contaminated drinking water and a lack of access to showers.
It seems that prisoners held in the state’s high-security prisons spend 20 to 24 hours a day in 9 by 11 cells with small windows that have been covered with steel plates. They have no access to rehabilitative services or educational programs and are not allowed any freedom of movement outside their cells.
The prisoners, themselves, say guards have committed serious abuses, such as withholding water from prisoners and arbitrarily subjecting prisoners to solitary confinement. Plus, they also list mold problems, rotting food, contaminated drinking water and a lack of access to showers.
College is a business
One more example is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. It has had its logo on hamburger buns, coffee and wine for a few years. Now, it has moved on to beer; it offers Ragin’ Cajuns Genuine Louisiana Ale and Ragin’ Cajuns Genuine Louisiana Lager.
Lafayette is not the only college with their own beer label, more than 20 universities marketing their own brand of beer. For example, Boiler Black (Purdue), Old Tuffy (North Carolina State), El Lobo Rojo (New Mexico) and Stampede (Colorado).
Friday, November 01, 2019
She liked snakes
And some of her Indiana neighbors did also. They housed 140 snakes in a house reserved for the snakes. Unfortunately, Laura Hurst, one of the snake keepers (she had 20), got too close to an 8 feet reticulated python on one of her semi-weekly visits to the house. The snake wrapped around her neck. This happens to be the longest snake in the world, capable of reaching over 32 feet in length.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Old Age or Poor Management
The fires in California resulted in a two-day power shut-off to shut down the wildfires. One group affected by this shutdown was a group of seniors who resided in a senior center in Northern California. They lived in a low-income apartment complex and were trapped with their wheelchairs and walkers. Although they were old, sick or cognitively impaired to care for themselves during an extended outage, they were without guidance from their property management company or the utility behind the blackout as they faced pitch-black stairwells and hallways and elevators that shut down.
Monday, October 28, 2019
$75 billion has increased to $120 billion
That's the amount of money the New York Fed is giving each day day in cheap overnight loans to Wall Street securities trading firms. Also, it is increasing its 14-day term loans to Wall Street, a program which began in September, to $45 billion. Why?
No Wall Street crisis has been announced to the public to explain these massive loans and Treasury buybacks.
Not one hearing has been held by Congress on the matter.
Not one official elected by the American people has authorized these loans.
The loans are not being made to commercial banks (which could re-loan the money to stimulate the U.S. economy). The loans are going to the New York Fed’s primary dealers, which are stock and bond trading houses on Wall Street who count hedge funds among their largest borrowers.
No Wall Street crisis has been announced to the public to explain these massive loans and Treasury buybacks.
Not one hearing has been held by Congress on the matter.
Not one official elected by the American people has authorized these loans.
The loans are not being made to commercial banks (which could re-loan the money to stimulate the U.S. economy). The loans are going to the New York Fed’s primary dealers, which are stock and bond trading houses on Wall Street who count hedge funds among their largest borrowers.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Another casualty of climate change
The Pentagon has just issued a report that climate change could decimate the military. The two most prominent scenarios in the report focus on the risk of a collapse of the power grid within “the next 20 years,” and the danger of disease epidemics. The report sees climate change resulting in
global starvation, war, disease, drought, and a fragile power grid.
The deer got even
A hunter in Arkansas shot a deer and watched it collapse. Assuming the animal was dead, the hunter went to check on the body - at which point the deer stood back up, attacked and killed him.
Finally a bold proposal
Chuck Schumer wants to get rid of gas-powered cars; he wants all drivers to drive electric cars. And, he wants it done in 20 years. He is not alone, as the following groups support him: the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the League of Conservation Voters, the United Automobile Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Ford and General Motors.
How would this happen? First, there would be a large discount on an American-made electric vehicle when you trade in a gas-powered car. There would be grants given to states and cities to build charging stations all over the country. There would also be grants to retool existing manufacturing plants in the United States and build new ones in this country that specialize in those technologies.
Of course, it's not cheap; Schumer estimates it would cost $454 billion over 10 years.But, it would also create tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs in this country and should re-establish the United States as the world leader in auto manufacturing.
What are the odds of this happening with a do-nothing Congress?
How would this happen? First, there would be a large discount on an American-made electric vehicle when you trade in a gas-powered car. There would be grants given to states and cities to build charging stations all over the country. There would also be grants to retool existing manufacturing plants in the United States and build new ones in this country that specialize in those technologies.
Of course, it's not cheap; Schumer estimates it would cost $454 billion over 10 years.But, it would also create tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs in this country and should re-establish the United States as the world leader in auto manufacturing.
What are the odds of this happening with a do-nothing Congress?
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