Ugsome Cur (Joe Trebing): The Himalayas Are Melting

8 Feb 2019

Good morning. The weekend is just about here!

The Army newsletter arrived early yesterday, signaling to me that it probably was bursting with bad news. I wasn't wrong. Even skipping the many stories about Africa's miseries, there's a huge freak show going on out there.

"If 10 people without immunity walk into a room with someone with measles, 9 would get infected." Washington state has declared a public health emergency as "exquisitely contagious" measles spread to 35 cases (mostly children). In Oregon, 7.5% of kindergarteners in 2018 did not have vaccinations. Atlanta has 3 cases, Texas has 1 -- even Finland has a case.
the temperature is rising in the Himalayas. Glaciers there provide water to 1/4th of the world's population, but they are melting whether or not one believes in global warming. By 2100, between 1/3 to 2/3 of the glaciers will be gone. People that rely on glacier melt for water will go elsewhere, creating chaotic global displacement. Most experts believe that the collective "we" have already waited too long to slow, halt or reverse the process -- no significant change is now possible. Global temperature will rise almost 3 degrees Fahrenheit by 2040.
Stroke is the #1 cause of long-term adult disability and the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn to spot it in yourself andothers: numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and severe headache with no known cause
The Prez says he's taking on prescription drug prices...welcome news to all Americans (except those who work for pharmaceutical companies). We heard this morning that Johnson & Johnson was going to voluntarily start listing the prices of drugs on TV commercials, to include common out-of-pocket costs depending on your insurer.
You're working in the yard when you take a tumble and feel something snap in your ankle. You can't get back up, but your shoes send out a distress call to 911. You're vacuuming the house and feel a sharp chest pain. Your shoes call 911 before you can sit down. Yes, smart shoes are a "thing" and may be coming soon.
Deer suffering from a deadly brain disease (Chronic Wasting Disease) have found their way to Tennessee. CWD is cousin to mad cow disease, scraple in sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob in humans. All of these turn the host's brains into holey sponges -- and they are always fatal...always. No evidence yet that CWD can infect humans, but we may find out soon enough since it's now found in 25 states.
What's In Your Food This Week:
Listeria in NY raw milk -- who the hell still drinks unpasteurized milk, anyway?
Q's "American Best" fish is recalled -- wasn't inspected on its way into the USA from Vietnam
Arsenic and lead in your fruit juices (thanks to our Pulaski reporter)