This is the kind of post title that arises when one can’t think of a post title.
A bunch of links to Why Evolution Is True:
The continuing secularization of America
In my very strongly held opinion, someone born unambiguously male and who goes through puberty should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Do you think Steph Curry should be allowed to play in the WNBA? A related link:
Holocaust deniers, besides being incomprehensibly hateful and ignorant anti-Semites, seem to forget that the Nazis kept meticulous records of what happened in concentration camps and elsewhere. There were 8.5 million Jews in Europe in 1930, but barely two million in 1950. They all didn’t move to the South Pacific.
How useful are guns in civilian hands for defending against “active shooters?”
Meritum Supra Omnes! First earn, then receive.
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In this post I wrote about my purchase of this book:
In a somewhat related vein, this piece reports that Ground Zero for the Black Death has, supposedly, been found. Perhaps the source of this article should be taken with a grain of salt, perhaps not, but the bubonic plague (AKA The Black Death) that lasted from 1346 to 1353 killed between 75 and 200 million people in Europe, Asia and North Africa.
According to medieval historian Philip Daileader, it is likely that over four years, 45–50% of the European population died of plague. Norwegian historian Ole Benedictow suggests it could have been as much as 60% of the European population. It is the experience with bubonic plague that is the core of my belief that the end of Homo Sapiens will be at the hands of a pathogen. Yes, I know bubonic plague is caused by a bacteria and not by a virus. I also know that this disease spread around the world despite its emergence hundreds of years before travel by jet aircraft.
I am reluctant to write this, but I have actually seen the Black Death used as justification for not getting vaccinated against the damn virus. “Well, the Black Death ended and no one got vaccinated.” Uh, it killed its targets and that’s why it “ended.” Of course, bubonic plague became endemic and returned time and again through the 1850s. The damn virus will be with us for the lifetimes of most of us on this planet. In addition, as my long-time friend David Banner (not his real name but a real physician) has often said to me, “This is just the dress rehearsal for the next virus.”
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Feeling cheery, yet? Changing the tone, I received several comments that expressed approval of the concept of a series of posts about a Hall of Very Good cars. The first “official” one will be written soon. I want you to start thinking about such automobiles as well.
I don’t have any specific number of these cars in mind. In all honesty, one of the reasons these posts appeal to me is that I can always write one when I can’t think of anything else to write. Once again, a picture of the “first” member of my Hall of Very Good cars, the 1958 Chevrolet Impala. Yes, it will be the subject of the first “official” post on this topic.
Maybe the diversity of topics in this blog is a major reason why it doesn’t receive more views. I mean, where else are you going to read about transgender women, the Black Death and the 1958 Chevrolet Impala? I think many people have an acute case of tunnel vision. They can’t comprehend a blog, or a person for that matter, as being more than just A or B. They don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, something that encompasses much more of the alphabet.
#HereAndThere
#TunnelVision
#somanyCARSjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
An additional and possibly bigger threat are the chronic illnesses like T2DM that are the global threats. With an estimated 400 million people worldwide with diabetes and probably 1/10 of those able to access the life saving therapies available, and with various factors increasing the pool, the chronically ill will be the strain on the system.
Here’s a fun fact. The lifesaving drug class of SGLT2is, which can improve heart failure and chronic kidney disease, only generate about $6 billion/year as a class, servicing only about 16% of the people who could benefit. If the manufacturers would cut their price from $400-500/month to $50-100/month, they could probably make as much as not more, while saving 2-3X the number of lives. And decreasing the spending on heart disease, kidney disease, fatty liver disease, and possibly Alzheimer’s and certain cancers.
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Thanks, Doc. (See, I told all of you he is a real doctor.)
Do you think that any other factors, besides poor diet and lack of exercise, explain the prevalence of diabetes?
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Yes, the ubiquitous use of high fructose corn syrup and chemicals to whiten/bleach food ingredients. I was freaked out to learn the same chemical is used to create diabetic mice for research.
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Thanks for the info.
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“any other factors, besides poor diet and lack of exercise”
I would add economics into the equation. When 2 cheeseburgers cost less than 1 grilled chicken sandwich, or a salad, at a fast food joint, folks on a budget will go for the burgers. Even at the grocery store, healthy choices tend to cost more and many folks just don’t have the money.
And a lack of knowledge about the different things that cause diabetes. I knew about the sugar, but the carbs never crossed my mind. And the different carbs, simple or complex. It has taken me some time to adapt, reading labels and passing on some things that I really like.
Do I cheat? Yes. About once every week or two I’ll have a couple chili dogs, or some fries maybe even pinto beans and cornbread. No matter how well I try to live, I’m not going to live forever. So a little “treat” here and there is ok in my view..
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I think David Banner (not his real name, but a real physician) would agree that it’s OK to treat yourself every now and then. Sometimes in a phone call or a text I will complain about craving M&Ms because I haven’t eaten them in months. He’ll tell me to go have a small bag. Everything in moderation, including moderation. Of course, I am now on the treadmill 2 1/2 to 3 hours a week so I have a little more leeway in my diet.
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I believe part of the problem is that too many people do not know how to cook real food in that room in your house with all of the appliances, called the kitchen. That and they are too impatient when hungry. My lovely wife spent part of today making a home made vegetable beef soup from scratch that is loaded with fresh veggies, low in salt. Some people, for health reasons, need to eat out so they are not included in the above rant. The internet is loaded with recipes which are healthy and will meet your individual health requirements. I have a friend on the book of face, a professional chef, who says the most important question of the day is: What’s for dinner? Many a dinner in our house has been fish baked in the oven for 10 minutes with a dish of steamed fresh vegetables nuked in the microwave oven. It is NOT hard to eat healthy, it just takes a little planning and patience. For years, I have ranted that REAL men know how to plan a meal, shop at the store for the ingredients, cook the meal, serve it to their family and then clean up afterwards so no one knows you were in the kitchen. And if the opportunity arises, they can teach someone the process along the way.
All of the above comments, I agree with wholeheartedly. DDM thou are spot on.
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