Sports Betting

I am old enough to remember when sports betting was relegated to bookies and casinos.  Now, thanks to an ever increasing number of online betting companies, it is an intrinsic part of most sporting events.

Bringing in revenue for governments, broadcasting companies, investors and sports leagues, it is widely available and actively encouraged.  More than betting on the outcome of a game or match, one can bet on what will happen on the next play or on the game stats for any given player; in other words, fans can bet on every aspect of their favorite sports.  Furthermore, newcomers are enticed with free money in their account to get them started (i.e. hooked).

While many fans might be able to participate without consequence, I suspect a significant percentage become addicted to the thrill of an occasional win and end up losing money that should go to more important obligations in their life; of course, betting company ads always include a number to call for those who succumb to such unfortunate tendencies.  Meanwhile, those who invest in the gambling services profit handsomely.

Florida ends School Vaccine Mandate

Today, Florida's lunatic Surgeon General announced that vaccine mandates will be eliminated in the State's public schools.  In his words, parents and their God will make that decision.

Once again, mysticism Trumps science (pun intended).  Following the histrionics of RFK Jr., Governor Ron DeSantis has unleashed the risk of deadly, preventable disease on the children of his realm, no doubt looking to please his Dear Leader in Washington (as he did with the fiasco of Alligator Alcatraz).

A slew of lawsuits from professional medical organizations is certain to follow but the word is out for those who favor religion over science:  "Send your kids to school; no vaccination records necessary." Will responsible Republican lawmakers come to the rescue?  Don't hold your breath. 

Fueling Obesity

As the scourge of obesity continues to grip America and while many seek access to modern weight loss drugs, the fast food industry appears to be undermining efforts to address the problem.  TV ads depict giant, multilayered sandwiches, usually served with an equal amount of calories in the form of French fries, onion rings or other side courses.  Similar ads entice customers to fried chicken outlets, all-you-can-eat-buffets and "fast casual restaurants."

Unfortunately, fast food is utilized most heavily by low income citizens, the same group that is most prone to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

While there is little chance that such advertising will be outlawed someday, one would hope that the fast food industry might shift their emphasis toward more appropriate portions of reasonably healthy food.  But the fact that they are currently proclaiming "More calories per dollar!" seems to suggest that such a change is not likely to occur. 

Non-Scientific Healthcare

The recommendations of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the CDC, the FDA and other federal healthcare agencies have always been based on scientific evidence, whether related to lifestyle choices or the latest cancer therapies.  Now, thanks to King Trump and RFK Jr., they are the product of personal beliefs, politics and cost-saving efforts.

The current crisis at the CDC is just the latest threat to the health of Americans, altering science-based recommendations regarding the availability and prescription of vaccines, an area in which RFK Jr. has long spread false information.  Of course, poor and uneducated citizens are most vulnerable to rumors and conspiracy theories; meanwhile, Kennedy has pocketed millions based on his anti-vaccine campaign.

The Republicans who confirmed RFK Jr. as the Secretary of HHS, despite that campaign and his complete lack of qualifications, are responsible for the current crisis.  Senator Cassidy of Louisiana, the chair of that committee and himself a pediatrician, is primarily accountable for this crime against America.  Kennedy must be removed from his post before many unnecessary deaths occur and trust in the recommendations of our healthcare agencies further erodes. 

The Nature of Penance

Raised in the Catholic Church, I learned that penance was a litany of prayers assigned by a priest to atone for "sins" that were confessed, whether you were age 6 or 60.  But I later discovered that engaging in penance is a rather common human behavior, triggered by guilt.

Indeed, penance is an act of self-punishment for real or perceived wrongdoing.  This may be due to failed relationships (usually with a family member, lover or close friend), hidden affairs, mistreatment of colleagues or other similar behavior.  Penance may come in the form of excessive exercise, compulsive good deeds, a decision to forego rewarding and pleasurable activities or the choice to withdrawal from established social circles.

Unfortunately, the self-imposed penance rarely erases the underlying guilt and counseling is likely to be far more effective for penitents.  Convincing oneself of that fact, however, is difficult at best.

See also:  Guilt 

Ignoring Anti-Science Policies

Having devoted decades to scientific research in the development of their products and services, it seems unlikely that American corporations will derail their agenda in response to the anti-science policies of the Trump Administration.  Expensive, long-term commitments to medical research, environmental science, technologic advancement, pollution control and, most recently, climate science, cannot be derailed by relatively brief swings in the political environment.

While this is reassuring, the anti-science rhetoric of Trump's stooges will certainly have an effect on the uneducated public, resulting in unnecessary health complications, a reduced commitment to protecting our natural environment and to excessive personal consumption.

Of course, while corporations can ignore anti-science policies, none of us can or should ignore the Administration's attacks on our Democracy, on our personal freedoms and on social justice.  Our response to those threats may require a revolution.

 

Life's Descent

At some point, we humans must admit that we are on the downhill side of life; the slide might be long and gradual or steep and short.  Of course, due to disease, accidents or violence, some enter the slide much earlier than most; in all cases, we are forced to acknowledge that our future is much shorter than our past.

While a healthy lifestyle might delay the process, we all eventually recognize the symptoms: weaker muscles, less energy and a diminished appetite among many others.  Some turn to a wide variety of supplements to slow aging but they are of dubious value; genetics and luck (good or bad) are the primary determinants.

Those of us who enter our seventies, eighties or beyond in decent health and still independent are very fortunate indeed.  Then again, Mother Nature has the final say and she often arrives unannounced. 

A Culture of Cruelty

King Trump, his cronies and his loyal Administration members are imposing a culture of cruelty across this country.  The incarceration of hard-working immigrants under inhumane conditions is the most egregious but their lack of concern for impoverished and disadvantaged American citizens is evident in almost all of their policies.

The withdrawal of Medicaid coverage, the defunding of child welfare programs and significant cuts in foreign aid all impose major hardships (with, in many cases, deadly results) on those who are most vulnerable.  White men in expensive suits appear on TV to justify this behavior but we all know that racism lies at the heart of their arguments.

Ironically, Republicans are more likely to wear their faith on their sleeves, touting their church affiliation while treating fellow human beings like disposable, lazy, criminal trash.  How Christian of them.  

Playing with Fire

Since our Columbia home is on the edge of campus, we can hear football practice from our backyard.  This afternoon, I heard coaches yelling, whistles blowing and fake crowd noise wafting toward our house.  By the way, the temperature was 92 degrees F and the humidity was stifling.

Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S. and is often due to strenuous activity on hot summer days, children being left in locked cars or, in the case of the elderly and poor, to lack of air conditioning.  One thus wonders why a college football team, possessing an indoor practice facility, needs to be outdoors on such an afternoon.

I suppose it fits with the macho image of football, giving up one's body for the glory of the school.  Though I suspect some precautions were taken, why not practice in the early am or evening?; perhaps even under the lights if necessary?  After all, toughness does not protect one from nature's wrath and at least a few heat-related, football practice deaths are reported in this country each year. 

Trump Blackmails America

Granted total immunity by the Supreme Court, King Trump has focused on his ability to acquire power and money.  Blackmailing corporations, law firms, universities, broadcasters and foreign countries has proved to be disturbingly successful.

Afraid to speak up and risk the wrath of their Supreme Leader, Republican Senators and Congressmen have remained silent, even as Trump illegally fires a host of government officials who report facts or results that reflect poorly on his Administration.  Meanwhile, his loyal Cabinet reverses policies that were in place to protect our health and environment.

Playing roulette with his ever-changing tariffs, the King keeps our economy off-balance, ensuring reliance on his personal whims.  While his Big Beautiful Bill withdraws Medicaid from millions of Americans, Trump has announced that he will spend 200 million dollars on a new banquet hall at the White House.  Wake up America!  Three more years of his self-centered reign will surely kill our Democracy. 

RFK Jr. Nixes Preventive Health Panel

Among all of King Trump's horrific appointments, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services, is, in my opinion, the most inappropriate and dangerous.  His confirmation by Republican Senators was a crime against American society.

Having already dismissed a wide range of health experts, RFK Jr. has now dismantled the Preventive Health Panel, previously charged with making recommendations to prevent (or detect an an early stage) serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

What could possibly be the reason for his move?  A deranged mind, an anti-science fervor and a thirst for attention seem to be the most likely explanations.  The Senators who confirmed his nomination need to revoke his title before many American lives are unnecessarily lost. 

EPA Chief ridicules Climate Change

King Trump's EPA Chief, Lee Zeldin, plans to "put a dagger through the heart of the climate change myth."  This disturbing admission is not surprising since he has already rolled back most environmental protection programs during his first six months of service.

In line with most of the King's Court, Zeldin is not interested in science.  He joins those who have cut back funding for medical research, weather forecasting, education, space exploration and other vital programs.  These incompetent stooges care only about serving our King and carrying out his wishes.

One wonders if Secretary Zeldin has grandchildren.  Does he not care about their future welfare or will it be enough to leave them a handsome inheritance?  Their home planet be damned.

  

The King's Bonfire

Having dramatically cut back funding to USAID, King Trump faced a dilemma.  Tons of food, intended for starving populations across the globe, were building up at the ports and rotting in the sun.  His Administration's solution, according to The Atlantic, was to burn 500 tons of the food.

For a man who doesn't appear to skip any meals, that was an especially egregious move by Our Dear Leader.  The food, donated by American taxpayers, had cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and it is estimated that it would have been enough to prevent 3 million deaths from malnutrition over the next year.

No doubt, since the food would have gone to persons of color, the decision was much easier for our King and his loyal servants. 

Stoking Violence

Of the many public servants who have been killed, attacked or threatened over the past decade, almost all have been Democrats.  There is a clear reason for this imbalance.

Donald Trump, feeling aggrieved and disrespected, has repeatedly criticized his political opponents and has suggested to his MAGA base that his enemies need to be "removed from office."  Combined with his violent rhetoric on other matters, this encourages zealous or unstable believers to act on his behalf.  The recent murders of a Minnesota Senator and her husband were especially egregious but the hints of fostering violent confrontations continue.  The Speaker of the House recently suggested that a California Senator should be tarred and feathered for trying to ask questions at a news conference.  Trump himself has indicated that he might consider pardoning those who attempted to kidnap Governor Whitmer of Michigan.

Meanwhile, Republican Senators and Congresspersons offer little, if any, vocal resistance; they only speak up to condemn acts of violence when they occur.  Unfortunately, I believe Trump's downfall will come only after his rhetoric is directly linked to the killing of a judge or prominent political figure.  That individual's death will be on those who have long condoned Trump's behavior.  

Smoke Signals

Smoke from the Canadian wildfires, having drifted south through the Midwest over the past few days, has now reached the Southeastern States.  More than reducing visibility, the smoke has produced poor air quality which is of special concern to those who work outdoors or who have chronic lung disease.

While there is nothing positive about this invasion of smoke from a health point of view, it does call attention to the distant devastation in Canada, an environmental catastrophe that might otherwise go unnoticed in the U.S.  Furthermore, it is a clear signal that ecosystems across the globe, including man-made habitats, are interconnected.  We cannot ignore the health of any environment (marine or terrestrial) without suffering the consequences.

Those who deny climate change need to personally experience its effects, whether it be via floods, hurricanes, drought or wildfires to give them pause.  Hopefully, this invasion of smoke will send a clear message and serve to change their misguided attitude. 

The Fulcrum of Sorrow

I suspect most humans have endured a significant episode of sorrow in their lives: the early death of a family member or close friend, the failure of a relationship, the loss of a cherished job, among others.  While we try to compartmentalize that event, it stays with us, surfacing consciously or unconsciously throughout our life.

At times, the sorrow might be disabling, robbing us of happiness and masking whatever success we have achieved.  Whether we blame ourselves, others or simple "fate" for the event, it influences our beliefs and our behavior.  Counseling may or may not become necessary but, in either case, the sorrow cannot be completely expunged.

Most of us learn to live learn to live with its effects, buoyed by the many positive experiences of our life, but some succumb to the sadness, turning to substance abuse or worse.  Knowing that sorrow is a common element of the human condition may offer some peace of mind. 

Dependent Husbands

Throughout my medical career and now as a patient myself, I have seen them hundreds of times: husbands unable to speak for themselves.  Of course, I am not referring to those who are demented or severely handicapped; rather, I speak of husbands who stand by as they are registered by their wife and, later, as she provides his history.

Many might blame the domineering wife, allowing her husband to speak only when given clearance to do so.  But I blame the husbands, having become totally dependent on their wives for what is surely most aspects of their marriage.  One rarely encounters the opposite scenario; in my experience, women are far less likely to give up control.

As a physician, I would often have to intervene, explaining the importance of hearing directly from the individual with the symptoms.  Now, I can only shake my head in quiet disgust, knowing what will soon unfold in the exam room. 

Environmental Injustice

Today, King Trump's EPA Director announced that the Division of Environmental Justice and its many grants will be cancelled.  Established during the Clinton Administration, in the 1990s, this Division worked to ensure that low income communities are not exposed to toxic pollution from nearby industrial plants.

Explaining their decision to eliminate the Division, the Director offered more than the standard cost reduction argument.  He also suggested that the Division has engaged in reverse discrimination, funneling protection to lower income citizens (i.e. persons of color) at the expense of others (white folk).  Once again, the King's agenda is driven by racism and wealth accumulation.

One suspects this is just one of many steps that Trump and his Court will take to dismantle the EPA.  After all, they can't abide tree-hugging liberals, wringing our hands about pollution, habitat loss and climate change. 

Donate Blood!

As we go through life, most of us feel the urge to contribute to society as a whole.  Some enter the military or other public service, some become teachers or coaches, some engage in a variety of volunteer services and some focus on donating to charitable organizations.

One choice, open to all who are not too old or ill to participate, is to donate blood.  At some point in our lives, we, or those we care about, may need transfusions due to injuries, the need for surgery or a variety of maladies that impair bone marrow function.

This charitable act can be repeated several times per year at your local Red Cross center.  Your gift will be priceless and the beneficiary, whom you will likely never meet, will be extremely grateful.

What will it Take?

One wonders what King Trump will need to do or say in order to be impeached for a third time.  Openly declaring his support for a Communist dictator while demeaning a Democratic ally would seem to be sufficient but the current Republican Senators seem unfazed.

With every breach of our Constitution and of democratic norms, our King certainly feels more empowered to dismantle American Democracy and move toward autocratic rule.  Unless Republicans develop a moral backbone over the next few years, there may be no Presidential election in 2028.

What if our King openly calls for the arrest or assassination of his political enemies?  What if he sends American troops abroad to expand his kingdom.  What if he keeps cutting funds for medical research, healthcare and vital social services?  Will they act then?  Will our King be impeached and removed from his throne?  One doubts they have the courage.