This week's topics: order; this week's "Optimist" column; health care & tax reform; Blacks in Tudor England; Civil War history; back to the farm; false facts; Friday travel abroad; "what if;" the business of the NCAA; American tribalism; and "Her Paris" at the DAM;

Note on ordering in this blog. You may have noted that when it makes grammatical sense, my preferred format is alphabetical, e.g. he/she, conservative/liberal, Democrat/Republican. About the latter, my students always said, "But, Mr. Abell, you are a Democrat!" To which I responded, well you Republicans have lots of choices beginning with A, or B, or C.

The Optimist. Link here for the 26 Nov column. I especially enjoyed these stories: health care and America's African American piano maker. The latter says much regarding the possible beauty derived from craftsmanship and exactitude.

Health care and tax reform. The latter is, of course, very much a part of the former. One largely unnoticed reform would cut the tax benefits to selected drug developers, those doing the research and manufacture of drugs for so called "orphan" diseases. "The [tax] credit, first enacted in 1983, is intended to spur the development of treatments for rare, or “orphan,” diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people." Parents and care givers are justly concerned. 

     Health care for the "least among us." The Washington Post reports that, "Officials in nearly a dozen states are preparing to notify families that a crucial health insurance program for low-income children is running out of money for the first time since its creation two decades ago, putting coverage for many at risk by the end of the year....9 million children and 370,000 pregnant women could see the end to their health insurance, if lawmakers don't act. (Joyce Koh/The Washington Post)

Forgotten history. This article is from the London Review of Books. " 'Black Tudors' reveals a surprising and overlooked chapter of history. Hidden in the British archives and parish records are the identities of dozens of black people who lived in England during Tudor times....[Blacks] seem to not exist outside of a stage bound character named Othello. [They were, however] respected members of English society, not 'powerless, enslaved victims.' ”

Civil War history. The Thin Light of Freedom casts light on the geologic, political, and social aspects of Appalachia. "Small towns throughout the Great Appalachian Valley changed hands many times during war, and as complicated a military picture as that presents, it represents an even more complicated political and social picture." Many outsiders became aware of the region only when JFK's presidential campaign swept through the area.
     The area continues to be bedeviled by persistent poverty and now the opioid epidemic presents new problems. These areas voted overwhelmingly for Donald, but are strangely unknowing/unmoved by how his budget cuts will impact them; they seem not to see beyond his supposed "love" for coal, heedless of the ever decreasing coal demand

Young farmers. This article looks at a small, but growing, number of young people opting out of the life as "city slickers." Seems not everyone, women and men alike, is seeking that corner office with a view. "For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Census of Agriculture. Sixty-nine percent of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees — significantly higher than the general population." As the story notes, not all of these degrees are from land grant/ag schools.
     "The number of farmers age 25 to 34 grew 2.2 percent between 2007 and 2012, according to the 2014 USDA census, a period when other groups of farmers — save the oldest — shrunk by double digits. In some states, such as California, Nebraska and South Dakota, the number of beginning farmers has grown by 20 percent or more."

Facts? Remember TV detective Joe Friday's famous quip, "Just the facts, Madam, just the facts"? In his recent column, E.J. Dionne opines about the current concern for "false facts." He looks to the art world's requirements -- especially after the recent spectacular price paid for Leonardo da Vinci's, Salvator Mundi. Who would have dreamed it might be easier to divine the authenticity of a renaissance painting than from yesterday's statements/comments?

Friday, 24 November. The morning's mosque bombing (Arish, on Egypt's Sinai peninsula) left at least 235 dead. I would strongly recommend that you never, ever be in the vicinity of a mosque on Friday, especially around the traditional weekly noon prayer time.

What if... This is an interesting speculative article from the High Country News: "What to do if you had only one day left to live."

NCAA businesses. AKA basketball and football, only to lesser extent baseball. George Will's last Sunday column reviewed recent shady dealings.

Tribalism. This term made a past political science professor visibly wince; Dr. Charles Andrain was a respected expert in African affairs, especially those in western Africa.  He had done much research on the effects (good and bad) that tribalism had had on the fledgling democracies created as colonialism drew to a close. In developed nations (e.g. America, Canada, Australia), the term was, still is, mostly associated with native peoples. In less developed areas there remains a definite negative connotation.
     Our ignorance of, or unwillingness to accommodate tribalism has had a negative effect in our foreign policy, especially now in the Middle East, where historic tribal and clan ties hamper our peace efforts. We like to think America is above all that, but in this week's column, David Gerson writes that America, too, is "currently cursed, not only with tribal politics, but with tribal morality." Sadly, he has a point. The problem is played out, displayed daily in the media. Just choose your "favorite" conservative, liberal source, or watch David Colbert.

Women impressionist artists. We end this week in the more serene world of art. This excellent display of impressionist paintings by women (from many nations) is now at the Denver Art Museum. During this impressionist period, women were thought to be incapable of painting in these modern styles; indeed, they were actively discouraged from this school by the male-dominated art world. Many persevered, though, and their creative genius is vividly displayed.

Thank you for reading. Enjoy the upcoming first week of December.

This week's topics include: Christian charlatans; a day without a cell phone; tourism; sexual harassment.

Religious conservatism in America. There are charlatans of all stripes among us. In this recent column, David Von Drehle writes about those supporting Roy Moore in his AL senate race. He notes, "It’s a travesty that Moore and his sanctimonious ilk have been allowed to hijack 'conservative Christianity.' I imagine William F. Buckley Jr. — that grinning apostle of joy — spinning in his grave." Indeed, Flip Wilson's colorful Reverend LeRoy and the "Church of What's Happening Now" are alive and prospering.
      Van Drehle  also comments on another vital, but little noted domestic point: radical vs. moderate Islam. "Mainstream Muslims have been hearing for years that they must repudiate the hateful fringe perverting their religion; surely the same applies to us Christians." Sadly, alas and alack.

Garrison Keillor's recent column made for good reading. His comments about the "no nonsense" waitress at Grand Central Station's famed Oyster Bar brought back fond memories. Myself, I cannot remember the last time I was served by a wait-person who did not open with the royal, "Are we ready...." Followed later by "How's it tasting?" As Keillor opines, it is all downhill from there.

Puerto Vallarta. A week-long visit to this sea side resort illustrated the power of tourism on a portion of city and its economy. Nearly 100% of Vallarta's success is dependent on tourism. The Marina area is safe and thriving; every business has a vested interest in all tourists (Mexican and otherwise) feeling safe while strolling around, shopping, eating, and sightseeing. But, in truth, the same can be said for many municipalities, world-wide wherever tourism is important. 

Sexual harassment. The worm has surely turned. It's been not that long ago when a female accuser was always closely questioned, often with the suggestion that she was lying -- over exaggerating at best. In AL, enough women have lodged accusations against Senate candidate Roy Moore that the thought is that they cannot all be lying. But, well....  
     Now, two very lofty, well thought of liberals have been named. Charlie Rose, the much watched TV newsman and interviewer, has been accused by eight women and summarily fired by CBS and his interview program pulled by both PBS and Bloomberg. Al Franken, the Democratic senator from MN has been accused of improprieties by two women.  The media, especially conservative, will watch closely to see how his case will be handled by the Senate system.

Thank you for reading. I hope your Thanksgiving was pleasant.

This past two week's items: Washington Post "Optimist" links; non-fiction reading; infamous buildings; foreign policy; politicians; DPRK questions; NYC; the hurricane-torn Caribbean; planet Earth.

The Optimist section. For Oct 29, link here. For Nov 12, link here.

Israel, and Balfour, 100 years on.  As the opening sentence says, "Many British people will not know of Sir Arthur James Balfour, an early 20th century foreign secretary. For 12 million Palestinians, his name is all too familiar." Perhaps President Wilson and the other allied leaders at the end of WW I knew not what the infamous Balfour Declaration would bring to the Middle East. They probably could not have imagined that 100 years later it would be increasingly troublesome. Not an instrument of peace at all.

Reading, non-fiction. Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times, Nancy Koehn, 2017, Scribner. Much in the vein of JFK's Profiles in Courage, Ms. Koehn looks at the lives of five famous people and how they dealt their various crises: Earnest Shackleton, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rachel Carson. For many readers, Bonhoeffer may be the least "well known." He was a respected theologian, who left, then returned to Nazi Germany and worked diligently against Hitler's regime, and was executed for his efforts.
     Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom, Thomas E. Ricks, Penguin, 2017. Ricks is a long-time writer on defense issues. Churchill, the elder of the two, saw military service in South Africa (Boer War) and Afghanistan. Orwell, nee Eric Blair, fought in the trenches, one of the many multi-national volunteers who fought in the Spanish Civil War. Churchill wrote prolifically about the conduct of WW II. Orwell's major non-fiction works are The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia; he is most noted, though, for Animal Farm and 1984, both of which inveigh against authoritarianism and dictatorship.

Infamous buildings. Readers maybe familiar with Lubyanka, the feared headquarters over the years of succeeding Soviet, now Russian secret police organs. But few will have heard of Russia's "House of Shadows, the House on the Embankment." This gigantic, blocky complex, built in the blocky, utilitarian, Soviet-era, Stalinist style, was home of many of Moscow's communist elite, VIPs who often checked in and only checked out when they were arrested, inevitably to fade into the Gulag or one of Lubyanka's many execution basement chambers. These apartments are now scheduled for demolition, to be replaced by modern high rises, an unpopular move given the skyrocketing rents in Moscow.
    Lubyanka, though only four stories tall (above the feared basements), was jokingly called the tallest building in Moscow  —  because from its basement the prisoner could see all the way to Siberia. Built in 1898, it was originally the headquarters of the far more benign All-Russia Insurance company.

Trump's Department of State. Yes, there is one, Secretary Tillerson is in charge, but what are the nation's policies? David Ignatius writes, "Trump seems weirdly pleased at the many vacant policy positions — evidently not understanding that the vacancies prevent effective action. 'I’m generally not going to make a lot of the appointments that would normally be — because you don’t need them,' Trump boasted in an interview with Forbes published Tuesday.
     That, of course, is the truly scary "sticky wicket!"

Politicians. A quote from Stacey Abrams, the female, African American candidate for governor in GA: "Look, politicians are like 15-year-old girls. We respond to money, peer pressure and attention.” It's a good thing candidate Abrams in a woman! Imagine the storm of protests otherwise.

DACA. As this column says, there may be little/no empathy remaining in the president's DACA (dreamers) proposals. Trump's base does not seem to realize that he views himself as a "deal maker," where he must come out on top. Never mind what may serve the country better. And forget about your druthers!

As a New Yorker, Trump surely understands the economic boost that newcomers represent. His home is an economic and cultural dynamo in large part because New York City attracts bright and ambitious young people from across the nation and around the world....Healthy economies are magnets, not fortresses; their futures are bathed in the bright glow of headlights, not the red dim of taillights.

Says the head deal maker: "Want a DACA compromise? Then fund my wall!"

North Korea. From an article in Foreign Policy: Six straight forward questions. The answers, of course, are far more complicated. Even more critical, though: given President Trump's adversity to detail have these points been thoroughly considered by the president and his foreign policy advisors? The devil, as they say, is in the details!

1. Does the United States believe that Kim Jong Un can make rational judgments and decisions? 
2. What is the minimum change in behavior from North Korea that the United States requires to begin serious negotiations?  
3. What is the exact change in North Korea’s behavior that the United States seeks? 
4. What is the exact change in military capability that the United States seeks from North Korea?  
5. What are the minimum incentives that Kim Jong Un must receive to agree to do this?
6. What is the Trump administration’s approximate deadline for achieving its goals?

NYC. Once again, the Big Apple is much in the news. The horrible: the premeditated mass killing of pedestrians on a Manhattan bike path. The good: Shalane Flanagan's victory in last Sunday's NYC marathon. I have completed two marathons and was amazed by the margin of Flagan's victory. There is much to be said for the "home town" advantage. Ms. Flanagan's margin of victory, 1 minute, 1 second, is simply staggering, especially since the race included previous, proven, world-class winners. (It was not much noted that the women's third place finisher was also an American, Mamitu Daska, an Ethiopian now living in New Mexico.  In contrast, the wining margin in the men's race was more normal, a mere 3 seconds.

The Caribbean after the recent hurricanes. A recent cruise was re-routed to avoid three of the destinations that were too badly damaged to receive visitors. New building codes have made it more likely that there only roofs may be damaged. The cruise ended in Puerto Rick and the tremendous damage there seemed to bear this out. Inland from the modern downtown area, the older towns were devastated. The population outflow to the mainland is large and growing daily. Every flight out was filled and wheel chairs from the elderly were in short supply, both in San Juan and all mainland destinations.

Planet Earth.  Is it becoming too late so save our planet? In the Journal BioScience, on the 25th anniversary of the initial "warning to humanity," a second group of scientists have issued an updated  warning: “...many of our current practices put at serious risk the future that we wish for human society and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know.” Our livable habitat has a beginning and there is no reason to believe that with an every growing population and without competent stewardship the planet's livability will not end at some point. How distant a point is the question! 

Thank you for reading. Enjoy the week ahead. 

A traveler's recollections: the hurricane-stricken Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.

My latest Caribbean cruise occurred after the last two hurricanes had blown through. The itinerary was altered to bypass the most severely damaged islands we were to have visited.  The news from multiple sources -- before and during the trip -- reinforced uncomfortable facts, some of which would rather be avoided by sources, ours and theirs, so to speak.

1. The extent of damage to particular islands had been downplayed by some sources.
2. The entire Caribbean is very much dependent on tourism. 
3. Tourists will quickly seek other places to visit. (Our ship, with space for 940, sailed with about 450 passengers.)
4. Re-construction is very dependent on supplies from the US and Mexico.
5. Re-building will be very uneven. (Areas in Puerto Rico were still totally without power four weeks after the storm.)
6. Puerto Rico, all US citizens are continuing to come to the mainland and other Caribbean islanders with passports and visas are coming, too. (Our cruise ended in San Juan airport and all flights to the mainland were packed -- three weeks after the storm.)
7. The US may soon have a new large ghetto -- Puerto Rico. (Economic and financial uncertainty will weigh heavily in Washington, D.C. and San Juan.)
8. Near simultaneous storms in the US, Mexico, and Caribbean will increasingly stretch re-building efforts in all areas. 
9. Future revenue from tourism -- the area's lifeblood -- is not a given

That said, another largely unknown fact about the Caribbean is the number of colleges located there.  More than ten medical and one veterinary schools are scattered throughout the area. One college (on the island of Dominique) was so badly damaged that an aging Italian cruise ship in the harbor at Barbados was being used as a temporary/dormitory.

Another first. Our ship, the Viking Sea, stopped midway between St. Kitts and Puerto Rico when a small outboard powered fishing (?) boat was spotted adrift just off the island of Guadeloupe. As per international law, our captain made sure the two poor souls aboard were OK, sent them supplies, and radioed the local Coast Guard who said they would come out. Because of the winds and currents, we circled them for about 3 hours until rescue arrived. Very eerie: total darkness, the ship's spotlight on the small boat until they were in-tow. Our first rescue at sea.

Now back to reality. Thank you for reading. 


Thank you for reading.