Perspectives of a Colorado Curmudgeon on topics ranging from Basketball to Music to Science & Religion to Travel to Memories, touching on a bit of everything.
Looks like we can thank our Mennonite brethren for this recent outbreak:
"The measles case count in Texas and New Mexico likely represents a
fraction of the true number of infections. Health officials suspect that
between 200 and 300 people are infected but untested. The cases in West
Texas appear to trace back to unvaccinated members of a Mennonite
community."
Mennos in general are not anti-vaxx but some of the more conservative communities are similar to the Amish in their attitudes toward anything recommended or mandated by the government. Thankfully my parents saw the need for my childhood vaccinations including smallpox and polio.
While I support many of your political actions, your
endorsement of RFK Jr. to head the nation’s health services is ethically and
scientifically reprehensible.Our chief
health officer is an antivaxxer, science-denier, and lying conspiracy advocate
who is yet another example of the emergent kakistocracy of school boards, state
houses, Congress, and the President and his sycophantic administration members.
Over 2000 years ago, the Chinese understood how to protect
their children from the ravages of smallpox.Over 200 years ago, Jenner described the fundamental efficacy of
immunization against the virus.Because
of immunization initiatives, this deadly disease has been eradicated
globally.Many other debilitating and
deadly diseases have also been controlled by immunization programs, but we now
have health care leaders who have actively promoted the false and dangerous
claims that vaccines are unsafe and worse than the diseases.These misguided actions by Kennedy and
like-minded, ill-informed charlatans are enabling the re-emergence of once
well-controlled infectious diseases and have made our response to new diseases
more difficult.
I invite you to walk with me through the small rural
graveyard in my home township to ponder the large number of headstones of young
people, many of whom died of now-preventable communicable diseases.Give some thought regarding how Salk and
Sabin altered the dangerous trajectory of the polio virus.Also please read about the devastation of
communities that were not immunized against such diseases, including the
Samoans who listened to Kennedy’s anti-MMR vaccine crusade, and subsequently
lost 83 members of their small population.
Unfortunately, you poured gasoline on the anti-vaxx fire, and
many will be consumed.
As a biologist who teaches immunology and authored a BSCS high school textbook chapter on immunology, I am beyond appalled by the incoming administrations' plans for directing the FDA to rescind the approval of the polio vaccine as well as several other important vaccines. The claim is that their safety and efficacy has not been shown in a double-blind clinical trial of vaccine versus placebo. Anyone who knows anything about clinical trials understands that such a study for polio and other childhood diseases would be unethical, immoral, and a health-care disaster.
The incoming Trump cult had claimed that they would not attack the well-established benefits of vaccines, but of course they lied. Not surprising given their troves of previous lies, from Supreme Court nominees to disclaiming Project 2025 to assuring the gullible that grocery prices would immediately drop to the thousands of verifiable untruths spewed during the last eight years.
RFK Jr. and his rabid anti-vaccine minions are more interested in self-promotion than in public welfare. The polio vaccine has proven to be safe and effective since the 1950's. In the late 1700's, Edward Jenner established the scientific basis for vaccines. And over 2000 years ago, Chinese folk medicine practiced variolation to greatly lessen the illness caused by smallpox. The anti-science ignorance of the Trump cult is astonishing, but more importantly, it poses a danger to millions of Americans. What will they attack next? Antibiotics? Appendectomies? Chemotherapy? ???
I have a simple proposal for the Trump anti-vaxxer crowd - there is no need for their proposed double-blind clinical trial - just let parents choose for their children whether or not to be vaccinated for polio, and then expose the two groups to the polio virus. Perhaps the debilitation, paralysis, and deaths in the unvaccinated group and their absence in the vaccinated group will change some minds in the no-vaccine crowd. PLEASE NOTE - this paragraph is written with extreme sarcasm. As a scientist and a grandfather, I would never condone a study that would surely cause great harm to the unvaccinated. Similarly, I do not support any parent who chooses not to have their child immunized against deadly diseases. These people are benefiting from the herd immunity provided by those who are vaccinated, and this will disappear if the Trump cult has its way.
Since Trump is making some "amazing" nominations for his administration, I started to think "Who would I have in my Administration?" Since Trump and I are the same age, I should have also run for President!!
So here is the foundation of my team - if you don't know them, Google is your friend.
Vice President - tough call, Michele Obama or Bernie Sanders or Cher - help me out on this!
Chief of Staff - Dwayne "Rock" Johnson - he will certainly be a great bouncer for the Oval Office!
White House Spokesperson - Jon Stewart
White House Senior Advisors - Pete Buttigieg and Michael Shermer
White House Science Advisor - Jerry Coyne
Chefs - Josefina Garcilazo and Hosea Rosenberg
Artist in Residence - Joy Harjo
Social Directors - Rachel Swartzendruber and Gayle King
State - John Oliver
Defense - Lynn Cheney
Interior - Deb Haaland
Education - Sam Harris
Health & Human Services - Francis Collins
Treasury - Jill Schlesinger
Justice - Jack Smith
Agriculture - Kasey Bamberger
Labor - Shawn Fain
HUD - Brandon Scott
Transportation - John Hickenlooper
VA - Tammy Duckworth
Homeland Security - Michelle Lujan Grisham
EPA - Angela Alsobrooks
UN - Triumph The Insult Comic Dog
In case you think that any of these are just a joke - you are wrong!!!
So, with the title of this post I presumably got your attention!! Unless you have been living under a rock, you are likely aware of the controversy in women's boxing at the Paris Olympic Games. A Facebook friend has linked a couple of articles that had some factual errors, but when I tried to make some comments for clarification, I was accused of spreading misinformation, and was basically told to buzz of and stop commenting. So I did. However, I felt the need to more clearly state my understanding of the classification and determination of sex in humans. This mini-essay is basically a portion of a lecture that I give in a university-level Human Genetics class that I have taught numerous time.
The definition of sex has three basic components - chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic [basically secondary sex characteristics]
CHROMOSOMAL SEX
Human chromosomes come in pairs, and there are two sex chromosomes, X and Y. Humans have 46 chromosomes, 23 pairs [22 non-sex chromosome pairs and 1 sex chromosome pair. For all 23 pairs, you received one from your mother and one from your father. Females have 2 X chromosomes and males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. The standard nomenclature for most people would be 46XX females and 46XY for males. Thus, the number of options for sex chromosomes is two, either X or Y, which makes the choice binary. There is no third sex chromosome, nor is there some sort of spectrum of sex chromosome choices. However, that being said, there can certainly be differences in the number and structure of the two sex chromosomes. There are individuals that have only one X chromosome [interestingly there are no individuals with only a Y chromosome]. and the 45XO individuals have Turners Syndrome with significant abnormalities. There are instances of 47XXX with no apparent abnormalities. These individuals develop as females because of the absence of the Y chromosome. Another example of abnormal numbers of sex chromosomes is Kleinfelter's Syndrome with47XXY or sometimes 48 XXXY. They develop as males, but with characteristic abnormalities. There are some males that are 47XYY but are apparently not significantly different the 46XY males. There also some uncommon sex chromosomal abnormalities such as the 46XX46XY chimeras. There are also examples of mutations on the Y chromosome that inactivates/deletes the gene most responsible for development as a male. Thus, it is possible to have a 46XY karyotype but develop as a female, albeit with abnormalities. To iterate, chromosomal sex is binary [just 2 choices] but in a small percentage of individuals, there are abnormalities of the sex chromosomes.
GONADAL SEX
Like chromosomal sex, gonadal sex is binary - there are two choices, ovaries or testes. There is no third gonad nor is there a spectrum of gonads. In over 99 percent of individuals, gonad development matches the chromosomal sex - XX embryos develop ovaries and the female reproductive structures, and XY develop testes and male reproductive structures. Once again, a very small percentage of individuals can develop ambiguous gonads, or as mentioned above, gonads that do not correlate to the chromosomal sex. To reiterate, gonadal sex is a binary choice.
PHENOTYPIC SEX
Here is where variability comes into play. Whereas chromosomal sex and gonadal sex are immutable, phenotypic sex [secondary sex characteristics] is not only variable, but it can be changed. If one examines the phenotypes of either males or females, it's obvious that there truly is a spectrum Indeed there are some phenotypes that do not fit as either male or female. Since hormones play a fundamental role in development of secondary characteristics, it makes sense that such characteristics can be manipulated by hormones, as well as by surgery, drugs, and also possibly nutrition and environment. For example, Caitlyn Jenner clearly has female secondary sex characteristics. However. her chromosomal sex remains the same and she will never develop ovaries. Similarly Elliot Page now has male secondary sex characteristics, but his sex chromosomes are unchanged, and he will never develop testes. Thus, phenotypic sex is definitely not binary. It could possibly considered bimodal with lots of variation around the mods and considerable overlap between the two distributions. For me, spectrum doesn't quite describe the variability, mainly because I either think of the light spectrum or some sort of continuum between two extremes.
Commentary - many people conflate gender with sex, when they usually mean phenotypic sex. Both are variable and can be changed or manipulated, and even abused. Another problem - some secondary sex characteristics continue to develop during adolescence and post-puberty. This is particularly relevant in sports because of the well-documented physical and physiological differences between males and females.
I am a regular reader of the Comics Section of the Denver Post - I don't follow all of the strips [some seem pretty lame to me], but I am a fan of Mutts, and all of its characters including Guard Dog.
From Patrick McDonnell, the creator of Mutts:
NEW YORK (AP) — Something is different on the comics pages this week. In the panels of “Mutts,” there’s the long-delayed sight of freedom.
Patrick McDonnell, the cartoonist who draws the popular strip, is freeing his character Guard Dog, liberating an animal who has become for decades a symbol of the cruelty of dog chaining.
“I think it just hit me that I can’t do it forever and that it has to happen,” McDonnell told The Associated Press ahead of the publication of Thursday’s panel showing Earl’s owner kneeling beside the dog and announcing: “We have to remove this chain.” On Friday’s strip, it will be gone.
“I had a vague idea what the story was going to be, but I finally took some time and said, ‘Well, what is that story?’ And I was happy with what I came up with. So I said, ‘Now’s the time to do it.’”
“Mutts” premiered in 1995 with two heroes — the small canine Earl and the feline Mooch, fond of saying “Yesh.” There’s also Woolfie, Sid the fish, Crabby, Sourpuss and Butchie, the ever-vigilant owner of the Fatty Snax Deli.
Guard Dog was added about a year after launch as McDonnell explored the idea of having an antagonist for his heroes.
“I started in my sketchbooks drawing a tough dog,” he says. “I drew a big gruff dog and I put a studded collar on him. And then I drew a chain. And when I did that, it changed everything. I realized that it wasn’t a villain. It was a tragic character.”
For years, Guard Dog sat in the unmowed grass of a neighborhood lawn or howled at the moon, alone and philosophical. In one strip he holds a piece of paper that reads “Guard Dog’s To Do List” with only one item: “Remind people of man’s inhumanities.”
Doozy, a neighborhood girl, regularly visits the mutt on her way to and from school, bringing something to brighten his day: an umbrella, treats, a hug, a kind word and a reminder that he isn’t alone. One frigid night, he was shivering and she brought a blanket and a kiss.
Fans of Guard Dog would regularly plead with McDonnell to free the mutt but the artist was also lobbied by animal welfare groups to keep the dog chained as a way to increase the spotlight on the issue.
“I always felt like, ’Geez, if I inspired even one family to bring the dog in the house, that it was worth doing. I know it was tough on the readers and it was tough on Guard Dog,” he said.
“You know, whenever I drew him in my sketchbooks or if I did a talk, I always drew Guard Dog free. So part of me felt like he was an actor playing a part.”
n the lead-up to Guard Dog’s freedom, McDonnell crafted a multi-comic seven-week storyline in which the owner of Guard Dog moves away, leaving the dog utterly alone. The other animals and kids rally to save him.
“Mom,” says Doozy in one new strip. “They kept him on a chain and then they left him alone to suffer. I hate people.” Her mother responds: “But what about those who devote their lives helping animals like Guard Dog?” Doozy, still in tears, reconsiders: “I love people.”
As of 2022, 23 states and the District of Columbia have laws on dog tethering or chaining, with variations on the length of time, the weather and what type of collar can be used, according to a study by the Michigan State University College of Law. In addition, many cities and counties have implemented their own laws that restrict or regulate tethering and chaining.
The landing page for “Mutts” has resources on adoption, on animal welfare groups and how to advance anti-chaining legislation. McDonnell was a member of the board of the Humane Society of the United States for 18 years and currently serves on the board of The Fund for Animals.
“I can’t wait to draw a happy Guard Dog,” he said. “He still has this great dog heart — loving life and loving the characters who visit him. It’ll be nice to see him in ‘Mutts’ without the chain.”
Not too long ago, Rhonda "discovered" the Goodwill Outlet Centers, fondly referred to as "The Bins." As you can see above, stuff is indeed loaded into blue bins on rollers. The bins are the last stop for items donated to Goodwill but did not sell in a regular Goodwill Store. Because Goodwill gets so many donations, I believe that some of the things that end up in the bins never go to a store but rather go directly to the bins. If you looked at the link above, you will note that whatever you find is sold by the pound. Most amazingly to me is that there are three Outlet Centers in Denver that are open 8 to 8 six days a week and 9 to 6 on Sunday - and - a new row of bins is rolled out every 15 to 30 minutes! There are two main sections of bins, one for clothes and the other for miscellaneous stuff, and I do mean miscellaneous!! After the bins are picked over, the next stop for all of the stuff is either a recycling center or a landfill.
The first point about the bins is that it is a very sad commentary on consumerism in our society. While some of the stuff is worthy of being pitched, there is so much stuff that clearly has utility. Indeed, we have seen many things that are brand new with their original labels and price tags. It would take way too long to list all of the various stuff that ends up at the bins, and sadly a lot of useful stuff gets rolled away.
The second point about the bins is that most of the "shoppers" are resellers who are there many hours per week. We have chatted with a few of these denizens of the bins, and they generally have specific things that they are looking for. Most resell on eBay or Poshmark, but some have flea market booths or consign with resale shops. For Rhonda and me, it is pretty much a scavenger hunt! And a good Mennonite one at that since it's $1.49 a pound!! Much of what we get is for family and friends, but we do find some nice resale items, such as Longaberger Baskets and high-end sports equipment. I keep my eye out for the latter because Play It Again Sports and the Boulder Sports Recycler are good places for sales. Here is a great tutorial for how to shop at the bins - and one point that I would add from our perspective, don't try to compete with the "pros" who make a beeline for specific items - the shoe grabbers are the worst!!! We generally wait for the initial madness of the dash to a new set of bins settles down, and then proceed to dig through - heaven knows that there is plenty to dig through! And there can be some interesting findings at the bottom of the bins - I once found a Walmart gift card that had $25 on it!
We have kept for ourselves, kids and grand-kids a variety of very nice shoes, boots, jackets, clothes, tools, kitchenware, and crafting materials, as well as bought some things for gifts and for resale. Examples of sports resale items - Flylow, Volcom, Spyder, Gorsuch, Northface, Columbia, Fossil and Obermeyer jackets, Eddie Bauer clothes, Smith sunglasses and goggles, Pearl Izumi jackets, Burton outerwear and snowboard bags, Merrill and Sorel shoes, Riedell Emerald skates, Orvis fishing gear, and so on. Bottom line is that we are keeping a few worthwhile items from being trashed, and come out a bit ahead with the resales!
With all the craziness going on in the country and world these days, this seemed appropriate.
Strange days have found us Strange days have tracked us down They're going to destroy Our casual joys We shall go on playing Or find a new town
Yeah!
Strange eyes fill strange rooms Voices will signal their tired end The hostess is grinning Her guests sleep from sinning Hear me talk of sin And you know this is it
Yeah!
Strange days have found us And through their strange hours We linger alone Bodies confused Memories misused As we run from the day To a strange night of stone
Page views at this humble blog have passed 200,000, so thanks to all who have visited and special thanks to those who have commented. A recent visitor stated that I "must be a musician" and since I have dabbled for decades, My Musical Journey will be the subject of my next post. Muchas gracias, amigos.
One of my many cousins recently commented on the longevity of the Plank/Aschliman clan, and it got me to think about how longevity data are presented. We generally hear about the "average" age of lifespan/death for males and females in the US, which is the mean. However, I was interested to find out the median, the age at which half of the folks are alive and half are dead, and the mode, the age at which most people die. I found such data at this website, some of which are below:
So with regard to lifespans:
Mean life expectancy would be the average age at death,
Median life expectancy would be the age which 50% of people will die prior to reaching, and which 50% of people will live past, and
Mode life expectancy would be the most common age at death.
Here is the frequency of male deaths by age
Thus, from this chart we can see the infant mortality is significant, that the average/mean age at death is 76, the median age is just past 80, and the mode is 86. As would be expected, if you reach a certain age, say 60, these number shift to the right a bit - if you make it to 60, the average/mean becomes 81.5, the median becomes 82.5 and the mode becomes 89. And the numbers for females are several years higher. Of course these shifts to older ages have a finite limit since everyone dies sooner or later!!!
