Her gentle generosity Levels a see of petty lacks Her abundant kindness Overwhelms any insecurity Her abiding faith Shrinks fear two size Her steadfast patience Outlasts wistful worries Her joy Outshines any mourn Her bounding gratitude Is a magnet For awe good things Her’s is a perfect storm Flooding my body and soul with love Leaving no hope, nor desire, for escape As I am Only to be Perpetually satisfied With the her And now
Since today is Valentine’s Day, please enjoy this love poem that I wrote for the love of my life. This one is for public consumption; however, most of the poetry that I write for her is for her eyes only…
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POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo Just for the Health of It is my weekly half-hour public health show on WAKT, 106.1 FM Toledo. You can listen at 9:00 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays (after Democracy NOW) on-air or on-line ToledoRadio.org. To listen anytime you want online, […]...
POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo
Just for the Health of It is my weekly half-hour public health show on WAKT, 106.1 FM Toledo. You can listen at 9:00 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays (after Democracy NOW) on-air or on-line ToledoRadio.org. To listen anytime you want online, below are links to the latest shows.
You can follow the program and shows on facebook here.
Just for the Health of It brings you fresh perspectives on the science of health for all; plus local, state, national, and global health news, as well as local guests for home-grown perspectives and connections to local resources. Just for the Health brings you the best of both social justice and personal health.
Just for the Health focuses on putting the JUST in Just for the Health of It.
My aim is to equip you to live healthily in a healthy community on a just planet.
For you of those folks who are perhaps too busy to catch a whole show, or just want to sample my sense of humor, here are a few of my parody PSAs:
Parody PSA: Cory the Coronavirus
Parody PSA: Pla-ce-bo Pharmaceuticals’ Elimin-all
Parody PSA: PR Medica and Merciless Health Systems
Featuring: Biden’s bet on rapid COVID-19 home testing starts with $239 million deal with Australian company (2:39); “inspired choice” — Biden appoints sociologist Alondra Nelson to top science post (5:14); debates on school reopening continues as Biden administration looks to reopening by April (8:32); experts say it’s time to double up or upgrade masks as virus variants emerge (13:43); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:15); as cases drop nationally, more dangerous coronavirus variants are coming and poised to complicate vaccines’ ability to crush pandemic in U.S. this year (26:55); communities of color getting left behind in vaccine rollout (48:23); $44 million vaccine software system from CDC gets few takers among states (54:40); if poor countries go unvaccinated, study says that rich ones will incur most of the economic losses (56:50).
Week of January 25, 2021:
Featuring: U.S. COVID-19 numbers drop, but race against new strains heats up (2:32); more contagious COVID-19 variant cases identified at at University of Michigan (4:50); Fauci says “we have to assume now” that British virus strain can “cause more damage” (6:28); coronavirus variant in Brazil raging in already extremely highly infected region (9:23); emerging evidence suggests new coronavirus variant could be problematic for vaccines (11:36); Europe’s growing mask ask — ditch the cloth ones for medical-grade coverings (12:31); staying safe in the time of coronavirus — pay attention to “the guy you know” (15:13); people most likely to follow COVID rules when friends and family do (16:34); the risk of a middle-age person dying of COVID-19 is about 100 times greater than dying from an automobile crash (18:10); Lucas County COVID-19 update (18:43); disjointed vaccine distribution poses early test for Biden (30:14); Biden inherits a vaccine supply unlikely to grow before April (32:22); de-prioritizing those who have already been infected (have antibodies) will speed vaccination’s path to protection (37:00); experts tap into behavioral research to promote COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S. (39:58); the best evidence for how to overcome COVID-19 vaccine fears (43:55); another record decline in U.S. cancer death rate, largely due to declines in cigarette use (1:00:16); the recent large increases in e-cigarette use will lead to more regular cigarette users, reversing the decline in smoking among U.S. young adults (1:01:36).
Week of January 18, 2021:
Featuring: new, more infectious coronavirus variant(s) could become dominant in March, and could make things much worse (2:49); Lucas County COVID-19 update (18:38); darkest days for L.A. doctors, nurses, EMTs –“The way most people leave is by dying” (26:28); no additional vaccine doses coming, despite Trump admin promises (33:57); COVID-19 reduced U.S. life expectancy, especially among Black and Latino populations (37:37); Black men have the shortest lifespan of any Americans, due to “John Henryism” (42:42); Biden’s appointment of a health disparities advisor historic — but will the White House empower her? (46:24); communities recognizing racism as a public health crisis — declarations grow (53:29); Affordable Care Act’s coverage gains decreased income inequality (56:15); get ready for a lot of Biden executive orders on health care — here’s a list of what to look for (57:23).
Week of January 11, 2021:
Featuring: in wake of violent insurrection, violence as a public health issue — violence interrupters using tested methods to save lives in peace model replicated globally (1:57); (2:03); Gov. DeWine outlines new COVID-19 vaccination steps and eligible groups (9:45); Lucas County COVID-19 update (12:23); as virus surges, new studies suggest warning for school reopening (20:33); Deborah Birx overreaches in coronavirus task force assertion in less than transparent report (30:16); U.S. blind to contagious new virus variant, scientist warn (31:50); along with vaccine rollouts, the U.S. needs a national hi-fi mask initiative [N95 masks for all] (41:52); why COVID-19 has left so many hospitals running low on oxygen (48:39); new COVID vaccines need absurd amounts of material and labor (51:28); COVID-19 outcomes for patients on immunosuppressive drug on par with non-immunosuppressed patients, study finds (58:11); study finds time spent outdoors during pandemic is associated with higher levels of happiness (58:52).
Week of January 4, 2021:
Featuring: COVID-19 status update — what can we expect in 2021? (2:03); Lucas County COVID-19 update (10:43); New Year’s resolution territory — updated national dietary guidelines released [see DietaryGuidelines.gov] (15:30) and more than 100 reasons to quit tobacco [Ohioans can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW] (26:34); police involvement a major racial justice issue in psychiatry (42:42); suicide rates did not decrease when antidepressant drugs were introduced (47:21); giving poor people money is more effective for mental health than brief therapy (48:05); as a physician and a patient, I’ve seen the damage caused by the stigma of addiction — it must end (53:06).
SHOWS from 2020:
Week of December 28, 2020:
Featuring: the looming questions scientists need to answer about the new variant of the coronavirus (2:05); a “duty to warn” — an ER doctor, shaped by war and hardship, chronicles the searing realities of COVID-19 (16:43); Lucas County COVID-19 update (25:41); beware the danger of “vaccine euphoria” (31:56); COVID-19 vaccines are safe — but let’s be clear about what “safe” means (38:04); employers can require workers to get COVID-19 vaccine, says U.S. (44:56); a temp worker died on the job after FedEx didn’t fix a known hazard — the fine: $7,000 (49:56); “Every day is an emergency” — the pandemic is worsening psychiatric bed shortages nationwide (54:52); implementing policies and strategies to eliminate racial disparities could improve outcomes for both COVID-19 AND cancer (58:12).
Week of December 21, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 vaccine rollout update (1:56); BIG STORY — a new, more contagious COVID-19 strain has been reported in the U.K. — is it headed for the U.S.? (3:24); problems in rural America — she collapsed in her kitchen from COVID-19 and the next day she was nearly 300 miles from home (6:33); 78% of those infected with coronavirus refuse to help with contact tracing in N.J. (10:54); political division is dangerously defining our COVID-19 conversation — we need new ways to speak to one another (13:48); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:30); despite years of effort to combat infant mortality in Ohio, racial disparity increases (26:46); emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines could hinder global access to them (31:11); one-quarter of the world may not get COVID-19 vaccine until 2022, experts warn (37:09); hospitals boost security as seek to stop vaccine “line-jumping” (43:51); the wealthy scramble for COVID-19 vaccines — “If I donate $25,000…would that help me?” 48:04); to get the COVID-19 vaccine right, we must close the confidence gap and stop pathologizing communities of color (49:55); FDA authorizes the first fully at-home, over the counter COVID-19 test (57:11); how hope can make you happier with your lot in life (1:00:35).
Week of December 14, 2020:
Featuring: follow-up to big story last episode — by FDA eliminating addictive nicotine from tobacco products, the single largest preventable cause of death, more lives could be saved than by even Medicare for all (1:55); U.S. enters brutal stretch of pandemic. even with approaching vaccines (5:26); Lucas County COVID-19 update (12:50); Operation Warp Speed head says 40 million doses of vaccine will be distributed by end of month, but need 75-80% of Americans immunized to achieve herd immunity (20:37); supply is limited and distribution uncertain as COVID-19 vaccine rolls out (21:56); here’s why vaccinated people still need to wear masks (24:33); what motivates COVID rule breakers? (30:52); research provides tools for achieving the “how” of mental well-being in daily life (35:16); Big Picture in three stories — food marketing and nutrition — kids gain weight when new conveniences stores open nearby (39:34); facing two pandemics — how big food undermined public health in the era of COVID-19 (40:57); hospitals profit on junk food (50:01).
Week of December 7, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — Ohio and nation in big trouble, but science alone can’t save us from ourselves (1:46); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:16); Trump’s Operation Warp Speed promised a flood of COVID-19 vaccines — instead, states are expecting a trickle (26:00); state and local officials plead for vaccine distribution funds already overdue (33:50); replace the “cold steel” of hospital-bed shackles with the warmth of compassion (37:23); the easy way for Joe Biden to save lives: eliminate addictive nicotine from tobacco products, the single largest preventable cause of death (43:40); can local food feed big cities? yes, if we cut down on meat (50:28); concentration in the food business — to high, too risky (54:53).
Week of November 30, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — is the U.S. COVID-19 epidemic the “worst of both worlds? — both a public health AND economic failure (1:56); COVID worsens bus driver shortages nationwide and in many Ohio schools (6:27); major glove factories close after thousands of workers test positive for COVID-19, threatening global supply (11:14); recent COVID-19 surge forces Franklin County to cut back on contact tracing efforts (12:20); beyond burnout — for health care workers, this surge of COVID-19 is bring burnover (14:58); Lucas County COVID-19 update (23:47); Lucas County Health Board orders schools to go virtual — what’s the deal? (28:23); COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes hit record high (36:01); winning trust for vaccines means confronting medical racism (42:03); children in U.S. may miss 9 million vaccine doses in 2020, report warns of falling below thresholds for herd immunity (53:33); science supports new dietary guidelines limiting alcohol consumption, especially for reducing cancer in men (55:27).
Week of November 23, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — with where we are at, are we doomed to “too little, too late”? (2:40); Lucas County COVID-19 update (22:27); “It’s not enough” — health experts say Iowa governor’s new COVID-19 order is “weak” (30:07); business group calls for national mask mandate and COVID-19 relief (36:22); “People are going to die” — hospitals in half the states are facing massive staffing shortages as COVID-19 surges (39:02); hospitals know what’s coming — even the best cannot prepare for a tsunami of cases (47:17); World Health Organization advises doctors not to use Remdesivir for COVID-19 (54:32); GOOD NEWS –“They have been following the science” — how the Cherokee Nation has curtailed the COVID-19 pandemic, as a nation within a nation — what a real tribe looks like (56:29).
Week of November 16, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — where are with we with the layers of protection: mask wearing, physical distancing, community restrictions, testing, contact tracing, and hospital capacity? (1:55); Lucas County COVID-19 update (42:11); health experts want to prioritize people of color for COVID-19 vaccine, but how should it be done? (49:36); proportion of pediatric emergency room visits for mental health increased sharply amid pandemic (57:22); suicide rates increase after hurricanes, tornadoes and other disasters (57:58).
Week of November 9, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S continue to smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (1:54); counties with worst virus surges voted overwhelmingly for Trump (14:59); United Nation votes to hold summit in December to push action on COVID-19 pandemic — U.S. abstains (18:46); face masks don’t hinder breathing during exercise, study shows (21:16); pregnant women with COVID-19 are at increased risk for serious outcomes (23:53); the hidden public health hazard of rapid COVID-19 tests — worsening data collection (25:12); how your brain tricks you into taking risks during the pandemic — the difficulty of incorporating accurate risk decision-making into our daily lives (29:15); Medicare fines half of hospitals for readmitting too many patients, a sign of poorer quality health care (42:35); more U.S. patients to have easy, free access to doctor’s notes (46:17); updated colon cancer screening guidelines recommend beginning at age 45, down from 50 — especially for blacks (48:53); one-third of people with disabilities experience frequent mental distress (50:08); make America healthy again by paying more attention to nutrition, the #1 factor in health (53:22).
Week of November 2, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S continue to smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (1:56); winter COVID-19 wave poses threat to nation’s hospitals (16:22); sewage testing shows a country flush with coronavirus cases (21:27); study finds faster, wider spread of COVID-19 within U.S. households (28:51); Yale study shows child care can be relatively safe with mitigation efforts and lower rates of community spread (31:15); winter is coming for bars and restaurants — here’s how to save them…and us (35:20); why isn’t routine COVID-19 testing happening in prisons and immigration detention centers? (40:51); latest COVID-19 polling shows most know someone who’s had the virus, a third have had someone in their household tested in the last month, and this doesn’t differ much by age, race, income, or party affiliation (47:23); states say they lack federal funds to distribute COVID-19 vaccine as CDC tells them to be ready Nov. 15 (51:08); as COVID-19 intensifies, shortages of staple drugs may grow worse (56:10).
Week of October 26, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (2:02); persons infectious with COVID-19 up to 10 days if only mild symptoms, or up to 20 days if severely ill (16:47); CDC expands definition of close contact after spread from “multiple brief encounters” (17:32); COVID-19’s wintry mix — as we move indoors, dry air will help coronavirus spread (19:24); “at a breaking point” — new surge of COVID-19 cases has states and hospitals scrambling, yet again (25:48); amid pandemic, U.S. has seen 300,000 “excess deaths,” with greatest disparities for people of color and persons age 25-44 (34:19); FDA show signs of cold feet over emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines (37:52); remdesivir’s hefty price tag ignores NIH investment in its creation (45:17); Trump’s antibody “cure” will be in short supply (49:31).
Week of October 19, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update, as nation’s cases surge (2:01); surge in COVID-19 cases mean fewer Minnesota schools meet in-person rules, while exposing hostility to public health efforts (11:48); “overwhelmed” — hospitals across America engulfed by rebounding virus (13;48); hepatitis is still a silent killer in Africa and elsewhere b(18:32); how the CDC and others are failing black women during childbirth (21:48); black maternal death rates and the implicit biases — how we can address them (31:20); what no one tells black women about breastfeeding (35:25); new research shows many children with mental health conditions don’t get follow-up care (41:15); how drugs damage the environment (44:07).
Week of October 12, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update, as Midwest hit hard (2:00); Midwest keeps reopening as states reel from new virus cases (7:26); COVID-19 surges in North Dakota, filling hospitals and testing attitudes (14:17); Mississippi’s governor revokes statewide mask mandate (19:16); Trump is “single largest driver” of COVID-19 misinformation, Cornell study finds (22:42); the confidentiality of Trump’s medical information has limits (23:29); the lesson from Trump catching COVID-19 — with this virus, there’s no magic bullets (25:27); “COVID is all about privilege” — Trump’s treatment underscores vast inequalities in access to care (31:12); inequality “surrounds you” — a black doctor returns to heard-hit Louisiana after treating and contracting COVID-19 in New York (39:35); battered, flooded and submerged — many Superfund sites are dangerously threatened by climate change (51:43); doctors offer guide for teaching the health effects of climate change in medical residency (55:50).
Week of October 5, 2020:
Featuring: “Donald Trump Memorial Studio” and the public health principle of nonjudgment (1:58); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (4:56); states loosening COVID-19 restrictions amid ongoing pandemic and expected fall surge (10:55); these coronavirus vaccine trials don’t answer the one question we need to know — will it protect against the most serious disease? (16:56); why it will take more than one vaccines to beat COVID-19 (21:37); keeping coronavirus vaccines at subzero temperatures during distribution will be hard, but likely key to ending pandemic (26;34); lessons from STDs on how to fight COVID-129 (33:27); why misinformation about COVID-19 keeps going viral (45:18); global rates of unplanned pregnancies still too high (48:06); the FDA approved the abortion pill 20 years ago — it’s time to make it available via telehealth (51:28).
Week of September 28, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:06); three experts reflecting on the U.S. reaching 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths (5:20); new wave of COVID-19 cases builds in U.S. (8;43); four U.S. states report record one-day increases in COVID-19 cases (11:01); Florida to life all COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and bars (11:55); Des Moines says no to governor’s demand for classroom return (12:42); government watchdog finds supply shortages are still harming U.S. coronavirus response (17:02); battle rages inside hospitals over how COVID-19 strikes and kills (17:38); massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving more infectious amid rapid U.S. spread (20:45); California’s deadliest spring in 20 years suggests COVID-19 undercount and massive disparities among racial/ethnic minorities (24:07); Africa has defied the COVID-19 nightmare scenarios — we shouldn’t be surprised (28:40); COVID-19 could reverse decades of progress toward elimination preventable child deaths (32:42); potent drug supply drop, not domestic drug policies, likely behind 2018 overdose death downturn — and underlying epidemic trend continues (38:37); a reversal in blood pressure control for Americans (42:37); more than 3 billion people protected from harmful trans fat in their food (45:22); “front of package” nutrition labels improve nutrition quality (48:59).
Week of September 21, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:08); CDC reports that dining out increases risk of contracting coronavirus more than other activities (6:02); CDC director says masks more guaranteed to work than a vaccine (8:57); as controversies swirl, CDC director is seen as allowing agency to buckle to political influence (10:07); top health official echoes Trump’s COVID-19 views, drawing accusations of politicizing U.S. mental health agency (19:33); polls show eroding trust in scientific and political institutions (29:46); America is trapped in a pandemic spiral, characterized by 9 conceptual errors — 1) a serial monogamy of solutions, 2) false dichotomies, 3) the comfort of theatricality, 4) personal blame over systemic fixes, 5) the normality trap, 6) magical thinking, 7) the complacency of inexperience, 8) a reactive rut, and 9) the habituation of horror (35:01).
Week of September 14, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:07); University of Toledo COVID-19 update (2:37); college football is coming and COVID-19 is already there (6:22); pandemic blind spot — it’s not easy to get coronavirus testing for children (14:21); COVID-19 hits men harder due to their weaker immune systems than women (17:58); obesity raises risk of death from COVID-19 among men (21:46); housing disparities and health disparities are closely connected (26:22); medical education needs rethinking to link medicine with public health (29:06); awareness of our biases is essential to good science (37:30); overcoming psychological biases is the best treatment against COVID-19 yet (44:08); the fires may be in California, but the smoke and its health effects, travel across the country (51:52); Des Moines river “essential unusable” for drinking water due to algae toxins (55:32).
Week of September 7, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:05); COVID-19 is leading cause of death among law enforcement officers, killing more than shootings (5;24); COVID-19 update for colleges and universities (7:34); new rapid COVID-19 test begins distribution to states this month (16:34); COVID-19 vaccine updates and issues (18:21); meatpacking companies dismissed years of warnings but now say nobody could have prepared for COVID-19 (30:02); thousands allowed to bypass environmental rules in pandemic (37:51); low-wage workers face retaliation for demanding COVID-19 safety measures at work (42:13); COVID-19 has likely tripled depression rate (46:46); COVID-19 sparks 12-fold increase in remote delivery of psychological care across the U.S. (50:14); LGBTQ youth say cost, parental permission pose major barriers to mental health care (54:15).
Week of August 31, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:06); first confirmed COVID-19 re-infections — what does this mean for us? (3:50); updates on university and school re-openings (9:53); Trump’s continued political attacks on scientific integrity and fragmented COVID-19 response (19:52); strain on health care system, even when not at capacity, kills more with COVID-19 (40:21); The U.S. Postal Service is a vital part of our health care system (44:47); more challenges, and some wins, in fight against racism in health care (47:04); Africa eliminates polio in historic health win (56:32).
Week of August 24, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County COVID-19 update (2:08); some people listen to health experts, others ignore them — what it means for America’s future with COVID-19 (3:32); how miscommunication and selfishness hampered America’s COVID-19 response (11:39); cloth masks do protest the wearer — breathing in less coronavirus means you get less sick (19:02); your cloth mask won’t protect you from wildfire smoke (23:58); Trump regime moves to exempt teachers from quarantine requirements (26:33); not-so-remote learning — college students return to campus even as classes move online (27:38); coronavirus is spreading in schools, but the federal government isn’t keeping track (28:58); cellphone data shows how Las Vegas is “gambling with lives” across the country (36:39): nursing home cases up nearly 80% in COVID-19 rebound (52:45); Amazon gold mining drives malaria surges among indigenous peoples (54:02); new Ebola outbreak in Congo raises alarm (57:43).
Week of August 17, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County COVID-19 update (2:07); seven months into pandemic, COVID-19 testing still falling short in Ohio (2:58); Ohio back-to-school plans amid COVID vary widely between metro, rural areas — statewide, over 1/3 returning to classroom (6:37); Ohio State steps up COVID-19 measures, including mandatory testing (7:57); when should schools use only remote learning? Massachusetts issues new metrics to help districts decide using COVID-19 infection rates (11:07); coronavirus testing plummets in Texas as school prepare to reopen (13:58); UNICEF finds 2 in 5 schools worldwide lacked handwashing facilities prior to COVID-19 pandemic (18:13); Florida sheriff bans masks as state COVID-19 death toll breaks new daily record (19:15); despite rise in COVID-19 cases, dozens of Tennessee Republican lawmakers continue to refuse to wear masks as required in special session (21:26); 26 states will soon face shortages of ICU doctors, and other shortages are growing in nurses, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists (23:51); winter is coming — why America’s window of opportunity to beat back COVID-19 is closing (25:49); CDC reports large increases in in mental health issues, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic (35:48); vaping linked to large COVID-19 risk in teens and young adults (38:11); black and other nonwhite NFL athletes report more pain, physical impairment, mood disorders and cognitive problems that white peers (40:54); globally, only half of women get treatment for preventable killer of newborns (45:59); Researchers say misleading whole grain labeling provides legal evidence to improve labeling regulations (49:43).
Week of August 10, 2020:
Featuring: COVID-19 and prisons (2:30) local and state COVID-19 update (4:52); local and national updates on school reopenings (17:50); ventilation should be part of the conversation on school reopening — why isn’t it? (33:25); poll — 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine (41:03); U.S. obesity epidemic could undermine effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine (43:30); health care workers of color nearly twice as likely as whites to get COVID-19 (47:32); telemedicine is booming — but many people still face huge barriers to virtual care (50:03); experts urge evaluation of diet at routine check-ups (53:21).
Week of August 3, 2020:
Featuring: worldwide whirlwind of COVID-19 (1:44); local COVID-19 update (6:44); states with stricter COVID-19 restrictions watch lax neighbors warily, knowing the virus does not respect borders (10:08); 79% say they support national face mask mandate (16:59); in Texas, more people are losing their health insurance as COVID-19 cases climb (18:03); about 20% of New Jersey prisoners could be freed to avoid virus (20:12); young kids could spread COVID-19 as much as older children and adults (22:08); contact tracing is failing in many states — here’s why (23:16); how effective does COVID-19 vaccine need to be to stop the pandemic? (30:07); those coronavirus vaccines leading the race? don’t ditch the masks quite yet (36:06); liberal group warns that U.S. is unprepared to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine (43:06); COVID-19 vaccines may cause mild side effects, experts say, stressing need for education, not alarm (45:15); poorer communities face double burden during pandemic as they stay home less (50:48); one in three children worldwide have unacceptably high lead levels (52:37).
Week of July 27, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and national COVID-19 update (1:55); new poll — 3 in 4 Americans back requiring masks, and other pandemic response support growing (9:26); COVID-19 will end up as a leading cause of death in 2020, CDC says (12:13); U.S. COVID-19 deaths back up over 1,000 per day (15:14); scientists publish findings from first statewide COVID-19 random sample study in U.S. (16:01); as long waits for results render COVID-19 tests “useless,” states seek workarounds (18:32); COVID-19 tests much easier to get in wealthier and whiter neighborhoods (26:03); U.S. prison population down 8% amid coronavirus outbreaks, mostly due to criminal justice system slowdown (30:07); what scientists know about how children spread COVID-19 (31:47); back to school? most major schools are heading to online class as COVID-19 cases spike (40:20); cost of preventing next pandemic equal to just 2% of COVID-19 economic damage (47:44); We are the first to applaud you regarding your efforts in COVID-19 — a message from the African diaspora to our brothers and sisters of Africa (50:14); after surgery, black children are more likely to die than white children (53:11).
Week of July 20, 2020:
Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and national COVID-19 update (2:18); “epicenter of the epicenter” — young people partying in Miami Beach despite COVID-19 threat (9:19); over 1,000 inmates at Texas federal prison test positive for COVID-19 (15:02); Texas nursing home COVID-19 cases jump 60% since July 1 (15:42); masks win political momentum despite GOP holdouts (16:53); Americans want evidence and data to drive COVID decisions — and they don’t believe that’s happening (19:46); public health groups denounce new Trump move sidelining CDC (23:17); testing is on the brink of paralysis — and that’s very bad news (27:48); world treating symptoms, not cause of pandemics, says UN (31:52); why are we so late responding to COVID-19? blame it on our culture and brains (36:02); the coronavirus-climate-air conditioning nexus (41:26); scientists’ warning on affluence (46:15); half of world’s population exposed to increasing air pollution (47;33); in shadow of pandemic, U.S. drug overdose deaths resurge to record (48:37); years-long push to remove racist bias from kidney testing gains new ground (50:06).
Week of July 13, 2020:
Featuring: lobbying brewing over access to COVID-19 vaccine (2:27); as U.S. buys up remdesivir, “vaccine nationalism” threatens access to COVID-19 treatments (5:51); COVID-19 vaccine research must involve Black and Latinx participants — here are 4 ways to make that happen (8:31); WHO, partners unveil ambitious plan to deliver 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to high-risk populations (14:21); U.S. withdrawal from WHO threatens to leave it “flying blind on flu vaccines (17:42); rebroadcast of May 2019 episode on immunization history and benefits (25:15).
Week of July 6, 2020:
Featuring: national COVID-19 update (1:45); Lucas County and Ohio update (8:04); hollowed-out public health system faces more cuts amid virus (11:33); women in science are battling both COVID-19 and the patriarchy (21:20); structural racism is why I’m leaving organized psychiatry (29:31); expecting students to play it safe if colleges reopen is a fantasy (40:23); as COVID-19 tears through Navajo Nation, young people step up to protect their elders (47:18).
Week of June 29, 2020:
Featuring: local, state, and national COVID-19 update (1:53); “normal” is the problem (13:32); the emerging long-term complications of COVID-19, explained (24:14); “vaccine sovereignty” versus “a people’s vaccine” (39:12); lack of water fuels COVID-19 for 2 billion people around world and in the Navajo Nation within the U.S. (44:09); what “less lethal” weapons actually do (50:27).
Week of June 22, 2020:
Featuring: local, state, and national COVID-19 update (1:53); burgeoning activism (12:32) in journalism (13:08), among scientists (17:13), health care professionals (25:13), in scientific publishing (37:28), and connecting racism with environmental justice (42:32).
Week of June 15, 2020:
Featuring: local COVID-19 update (2;03); Ohio immigration detention facility has 100% COVID-19 positive detainees (9:07); COVID-19 spikes, but most governors signal they’re staying the course (13:39); Americans divided on return to regular routines (17:09); pandemic lockdowns saved millions of lives (19:03); face masks may reduce COVID-19 spread by 85% (22:48); black U.S. adults follow many COVID-19 news topics more closely, discuss the outbreak more frequently (28:12); researchers face hurdles in studying COVID-19 racial disparities (29:12); for a day. scientists pause science to confront racism (34;33); racism, not genetics, explains why black Americans are dying of COVID-19 (37:12); omission of air pollution from report on COVID-19 and race “astonishing” (46:10); George Floyd’s autopsy and the structural gaslighting of America (47:58).
Week of June 8, 2020:
A Double Special Edition on Racism and the dual epidemics of COVID-19 and police violence, featuring: Ohio Legislative Black Caucus declares racism a public health crisis (2:33); Physicians for a National Health program declare police violence and racism as public health emergencies (7:11); over 1,000 health professionals sigh letter saying, don’t shut down protests using coronavirus as an excuse (10:01); protest in top 25 hot spots ignite fears of contagion (11:23); protests draw shoulder-to-shoulder crowds after months of virus isolation (16:24); racism is the contagion in health care we need to eradicate (23:46); my nightmare — COVID-19 meets racism meets the killing of a Black person by police (27;41); the everyday health harms of racism (33:39); which death do they choose? — many Black men fear wearing a mask more than the coronavirus (42:17); tear gas is way more dangerous than police let on — especially during the coronavirus pandemic (48:58).
Week of June 1, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #12: Racism as a public health issue (2:08); amid COVID-19, U.S. should embrace the right to food (9:31); Bill Barr promised to release prisoners threatened by coronavirus — even as the feds secretly made it harder for them to get out (13:06); model testing blitz in San Francisco shows COVID-19 struck mostly low-wage workers (20:45); One-fourth of U.S. doctors are immigrants who, if they die of coronavirus, could have their families deported (27:27); COVID-19 cases shift to younger people (29:14); the latest on testing (33:17); the local situation (41:11); biopharma companies are spreading misinformation — and taking advantage of it (44:34); masks sold by former white house official to Navajo hospitals don’t meet FDA standards (50:45); status of Latin American epidemic (52:47); is defunding the World Health Organization really just a backdoor attack on sexual and reproductive health? (55:46)
Week of May 25, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #11: national situation (2:18); latest local news from Lucas County and Ohio (36:16); other news, including how bad is COVID-19 misinformation (48:06).
Week of May 18, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #10: national situation (2:48); what’s our status in re-opening and what does this mean? (11:11); latest local news (35:44).
Week of May 11, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #9: national picture (2:38); Toledo, Lucas County, and Ohio status and re-opening considerations (11:22); Americas has no plan for worst-case scenario of COVID-19 (26;34); coronavirus pandemic exposing long-term inequalities experienced by communities of color and in public health system (32:24); survey shows record high trust in government and widespread suspicion of businesses in COVID-19 responses.
Week of May 4, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #8: Donald Trump assures nation will continue to be full of baloney (2:07); status at prisons in Ohio and Lucas County (6:47); latest local update (13:08); national “non-plan” for testing (16:34); piecing together info on local situation (23:29); high-tech and low-tech COVID-19 treatment (28:29); what Jonas Salk would have said about COVID-19 — evolve socially (35:15).
Week of April 27, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #7: National and state roundup (1:43); jails could add 99,000 deaths to epidemic (14:42); physical distancing — how are we doing in U.S., Ohio and Lucas County (19:14); what it will take to get the U.S. open for business (29:08); what about antibody testing and immunity? (34:24); the latest on local testing and contact tracing (57:18).
Week of April 20, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #6: National roundup (2:05); local round up including county social distancing score from cell phone data, county COVID-19 response preparedness score, and nursing homes impact (9:57); thinking big and responding big (21:52); where are we with testing and what needs to be done? (32:50); where are we with contact tracing and what needs to be done? (46:42); more news on challenges facing (51:02); health inequities and racial disparities (55:18).
Week of April 13, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #5: Featuring: How does our local epidemic compare to the rest of Ohio and the rest of the country? (2:09); latest news and commentary (4:37); battle of the latest projections – a deep dive into the numbers racket (23:56); quick roundup of completely predictable bad news (57:13).
Week of April 6, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #4: Featuring my prediction – COVID-19 deaths will approach the leading cause of death this next year (1:45); good news – Ohio leadership (3:55); bad news – national lack of leadership (5;42); grade card on key interventions required to reverse epidemic (16:31); where is all of this leading? a look at the south going south (27:53); some lighter news (35:55); testing update – don’t expect anytime soon (37:52); drug treatments? “closed for cleaning”? should people wear masks? (50:01); pandemic will ravage lower-income countries (54:05).
Week of March 30, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #3: Featuring leadership bringing us to number 1 in the world (1:43); Ohio Sen. Rob Portman refuses call to advocate for a coordinated nationwide shelter-in-place strategy (4:31); my prediction two weeks ago that the U.S. will look like Italy in two weeks is panning out (7:10); local testing started — what does this mean? (9:14); a third of coronavirus cases may be “silent carriers” (18:45); playing the “hot spot” game is too little too late (18:45); the economy versus our public health is a false dichotomy and dangerous distraction (25:43); rationing and supply-line shortages will only worsen (34:32); multiple waves of epidemics from health care workers and other workers, institutionalized populations like prisoners, nursing home residents and active military, as well as homeless and displaced people worldwide (44:28); what would winning look like? (52:43).
Week of March 23, 2020:
COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #2: Featuring quick leadership assessment (2:16); the coronavirus paradox — our lowest point and finest hour (3:10); a terrified nation needs a leader during this crisis, not a salesman (8:03); World Health Organization expert explains why China’s cases of COVID-19 have declined and what we must learn from this (14:02); situation analysis of where we are right now and likely heading in the next few weeks (28:11); Lucas County local report on where we are at with testing, contact tracing and hospital preparedness, based on my interview with Eric Zgodzinski, Health Director, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (33:01).
Week of March 16, 2020:
Featuring COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION: good news/bad news (1:43); majority of Americans have at least one underlying condition that puts them at greater risk (3:19); the biggest thing to worry with coronavirus is the overwhelming of our health care system (5:57); chronically deteriorating funding of public health has crippled our ability to respond effectively to this epidemic (13:56); aggressive social distancing is seriously important even if you feel well (23:30); absence of a truly coordinated national response leaves those potentially exposed or sick confused about what to do (25:12); White House classifies coronavirus deliberations as secret which hampers response (41:19); Science magazine editorial — disrespecting science and the laws of nature confounds response (45:51); FTC and FDA cites 7 firms falsely claiming products treat COVID-19 (50:05).
Week of March 9, 2020:
Featuring as coronavirus spreads, the bill for our public health failures is due (1:53); coronavirus testing could cost some patients extra and impede response to epidemic (7:07); America is botching coronavirus testing (10:26); prisons and jails are vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks (12:17); Ohio ranks at bottom in new national drug trend report (20:46); air pollution is one of the world’s most dangerous health risks (21:25); climate change leads to more violence against women and girls (23:29); every country on Earth failing to provide world fit for children (30:35).
Week of March 2, 2020:
Featuring my coronavirus pandemic prediction (1:44); if coronavirus sweeps America, blame our brutal work and healthcare culture (3:08); how you can prepare for the coronavirus epidemic in America (14;35); Bayer CEO quits over Roundup lawsuits (26:53); here’s the Medicare-for-all study that Bernie Sanders keeps bringing up (27;43); Obamacare favorability hits record high (31:02); survival of the friendliest — how close friendships help us thrive (32:19).
Week of February 24, 2020:
Featuring a public health case study on coronavirus epidemic — where are we headed and what lessons can be learned? (1:50); no clear rationale for 45% of Medicaid antibiotic prescriptions (21:39); changing clocks is bad for your health, but which time to choose? (24:45); largest publicly-traded health insurers profits grew by 66% in 2019 (28:39); 1 in 4 rural hospitals is vulnerable to closure, driven by states refusing Medicaid expansion (29:07).
Week of February 17, 2020:
Featuring Ohio gun safety laws get “D” on annual scorecard (2:19); puberty starts a year earlier for girls now than in the 1970’s (5:35); as out-of-pocket health costs rise, insured adults are seeking less primary care (7:02); Trump’s budget a non-starter for Great Lakes restoration (10:21); in agricultural giant Brazil, a new a growing hazard of illegal trade in pesticides (12:38); “Like sending bees to war” — the deadly truth behind almond growing (19:12); most Americans consider climate change the most important issue facing society today, with many struggling with eco-anxiety and changing their own behaviors (25:07); why sequencing the human genome hasn’t cured many diseases (27:46); Pittsburgh unveils master plan to significantly expand bike lanes (33:00).
Week of February 10, 2020:
Featuring Trump kept controversial pesticide on market and now its biggest manufacturer is ending production (2:18); spike in loneliness with two-thirds of adults feeling lonely (4:42); a sampling of interesting facts about what, when, and where America eats (10:07); consumers trust food and beverage corporations much less than other corporations (14:00); public health experts warn China travel ban will hinder coronavirus response (14:30); jail officials profit from selling e-cigarettes to inmates (19:43); the disturbing link between environmental racism and criminalization (23:20); female genital mutilation hurts women and economies (31:40).
Week of February 3, 2020:
Featuring Dicamba pesticide on trial (2:22); Trump regime forgets to renew its own opioid emergency declaration (4:13); putting the Wuhan coronavirus in relative perspective with the flu (5:14); containing new coronavirus may not be feasible, as experts warn of possible sustained global spread (10:27); FDA sunscreen report raises concerns over common sunscreen chemicals (14:54); hormone-altering chemicals threaten our health, finances and future (19:55); analysis of data gives insights into complementary health recommendations from U.S. physicians (34:55).
Week of January 27, 2020:
Featuring in opioid racketeering trial, pharmaceutical executive John Kapoor sentenced to 5.5 years (2:19); report finds most states lack crucial highway safety laws, with Ohio in bottom tier (5:17); the USDA never gives up on favoring corporate interests over kids’ health, in rolling back school food rules (8:38); new study debunks argument for weakening health school lunch rules (12:16); sepsis associated with 1 in 5 deaths globally, double previous estimate (14:34); Physicians for a National Health Program public letter on Medicare for All (16;49); The American College of Physicians’ endorsement of single-payer reform is a sea change for the medical profession (18:55); how non-compete clauses shackle physicians and hurt patients (22:01); the false promise of natural gas, aka, methane (25:21); world consumption of natural materials hits record 13 tons per earthling per year (35:02).
Week of January 20, 2020:
Featuring why drinking diet soda makes you crave sugar (1:44); slow carbs over low carbs – fiber matters (5:00); FDA and NIH let clinical trial sponsors keep results secret against regulations (9:02); putting air filters in classrooms could give student performance a serious boost (12:42); between 2005 and 2016, the shift away from coal saved an estimated 26,610 lives and 570 million bushels of crops (14:07); why Black doctors like me are leaving faculty positions in academic medical centers (16:42); McDonald’s in Black America (23:18); millions of “outdated” tests being performed on healthy females 15-20 years old (26:00); Kansas leaders announce breakthrough bipartisan deal to expand Medicaid (26:58); the most expensive health care option of all — do nothing (27:36); more Americans dying at home rather than in hospitals (33:17); helping patients prep mind and body for surgery pays off (34:35).
Week of January 13, 2020:
Featuring alcohol-related deaths have doubled since 1999, here’s why (2:18); 40% of gun owners reported not locking all guns, even around kids (6:25); Coca-Cola internal documents reveal efforts to sell to teens, despite obesity crisis (8:52); half of America will be obese within 10 years, unless we work together (10:48); more than one in three low- and middle-income countries face both extremes of malnutrition (13:48); Medicaid expansion linked to 6% decline in opioid overdose deaths (18:10); U.S. health care bureaucracy costs unnecessary $600 billion yearly (19:02); every American family basically pays a yearly $8,000 “poll tax” under U.S. health system (20:25); nurses get under 7 hours of sleep before a work shift — 83 minutes fewer than days off (25;40); health care providers are unrecognized victims of mass killings, and we are doing little to support them (28:26); U.S. cancer rate drops by largest annual margin ever (30:58); ecopsychology — how immersion in nature benefits your health (33:12).
Week of January 6, 2020:
Featuring Trump abandons sweeping vape ban with weak new rules (2:21); 7 women’s health topics we need to talk about in 2020 (5:48); advocates hopeful gun violence research funding will lead to prevention (12:16); long work hours linked to both regular and hidden high blood pressure (15:28); processed meat recalls rise dramatically as consumers bite down in metal, plastic and glass (16:48); animal agriculture cost more in health damage than it contributes to the economy (20:08); “completely unsustainable” — how streaming and other data demands take a toll on the environment (21:38); The IRS sent a letter to 3.9 million people and it saved some of their lives (22:32); “Medicare for All” ignores a bigger problem of community-level factors impacting health (25:22); Toledo needs to fix access to drug treatment centers (29:32); your DNA is not your destiny — or a good predictor of your health (33:04); huge drop in cholera cases worldwide as key endemic countries achieve gains in cholera control (35:10).
Week of December 30, 2019:
Featuring a special episode on conflicts of interest in health science research with: why scientists defend dangerous industries (2:32); scientists’ failure to disclose hundreds of millions by of dollars in conflicts of interest in federally funded health research (9:12); and how even public universities do a poor job of reporting their professors’ conflicts of interest (20:46).
Week of December 23, 2019:
Featuring context and broader perspective on Toledo’s reported ranking as #2 in mental health among American midsize cities, with wide look at Toledo health indicators compared to the U.S. as a whole (1:45), and how Ohio ranks compared to other states within another set of health indicators(10:00); and for Toledoans to feel relatively better, an in-depth report on the extraordinary danger of being pregnant and uninsured in Texas (15:44).
Week of December 16, 2019:
Featuring the latest Romaine lettuce outbreak — Just say NO (2:18); labeling foods with the amount and type of exercise needed to burn off the calories may encourage people to make healthier dietary choices (5:46); dramatic health benefits following air pollution reductions (8:03); climate change impact of hot temperatures shortening pregnancies (12:17); mental health and addiction care are poorly covered by insurance networks, even with parity law (13:42); half of homeless people may have experienced a head injury in their lifetime (17:04); large pharma companies don’t really provide drug development innovation (18:38); another generic drug company admits to price-fixing (23:31); how “Indian relocation” created a public health crisis (25:23); scientists take action to prevent sexual harassment and bias in STEM workplace (24:34).
Week of December 9, 2019:
Featuring no need for extra protein unless losing weight or gaining muscle (2:21); access to online grocery shopping can vastly reduce “food deserts” (3:47); Trump administration plays perfect Grinch with its new food stamp rules (5:31); red states expanding Medicaid points to its widespread political popularity (10:18); tobacco use among kids jumps from 3.6 million to 6.2 million in one year (14:48); the e-cigarette ingredient to really fear is nicotine (17:07); Ohio to test state drinking water supplies for “forever chemical” contamination (20:15); 1.9 million Michigan residents drink some PFAS as evidence mounts about its dangers (21:58); breast cancer linked to permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners, especially among black women (27:32); police killings of unarmed black Americans may effect health of black infants (29:39); how racism ripples through rural California pipes (35:08).
Week of December 2, 2019:
Featuring short-term air pollution linked to growing list of health problems (2:14); Americans’ drinking, drug use, despair wiping life expectancy gains (5:05); health care, mass shootings, 2020 election causing Americans significant stress (9:09); hospital alarms prove a noisy misery for patients (12:24); the $11 million Medicare tool that gives seniors the wrong insurance information (16:50); Mississippi forfeits a million dollars daily in Medicaid funds, severely affecting mentally ill (20:49); mental health studies limp transgender teens under one umbrella, missing clues to help them in the process (25:23); shooting victims have increased risk of mental harm long after physical injuries have healed (30:24); feeling loved in everyday life linked with improved well-being (32:24).
Week of November 25:
Featuring holiday commentary on eating for quality of life, and tips on mindful eating (1:43); public health case study — why the FDA was unable to prevent a crisis of vaping among youth (10:53); large health coverage expansions do not increase overall health care utilization (26:40); employees spending greater share of income on health insurance (28:58); Georgia waivers more costly and cover far fewer people than Medicaid expansion (31:10); Ohio Medicaid still hemorrhaging money to pharmacy middlemen (33:28); with half of brain removed, it still works pretty well (36:52).
Week of November 18:
Featuring new data-driven definitions of unhealthy yet persuasive ‘hyper-palatable’ foods (2:16); adult cigarette smoking rates hit all-time low in U.S. (5;37); e-cigarettes take serious toll on heart health, not safer than traditional cigarettes (7:18); High proportion of youth report using prescription opioids (8:51); vaping and prescription opioids — limbic capitalism in action (10:49); childhood trauma as a public health issue (18:47); getting a handle on self-harm (23:07); 35,000 Americans die of antibiotic-resistant infection each year (30:16); groundbreaking HIV vaccine design strategy shows promise in proof-of-principle tests (31:47); in a notoriously polluted area of the country, massive new chemical plants are still moving in (34:16); Delhi is engulfed by toxic pollution — why isn’t anyone wearing masks? (34:55)
Week of November 11:
Featuring how in health care so-called market competition and the “public option” is a poison pill (1:43); number of uninsured children rises for second year, topping 4 million (22:50); widely used algorithm for follow-up care in hospitals is racially biased (25:26); women scientists author fewer invited commentaries in medical journals than men (28:15); dementia impacts women more and new approaches are needed (29:03); tap water at Trump National Golf Course contaminated with toxic “forever chemical” (31:57); restoring native vegetation could cut air pollution and costs (34:22).
Week of November 4:
Featuring thousands of doctors paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by drug and medical device companies (2:20); pharma money paid to doctors is the cancer growing in cancer medicine (6:06); massive marketing muscle pushes more expensive 3D mammograms despite no evidence they save more lives (19:11); proposed opioid settlement could cost drugmaker only pennies on the dollar (14;12); Trump has already hired 4 times the former lobbyists than Obama had six years into office (15:13); wasted health care spending in U.S. tops annual defense budget (15:48); to treat chronic ailments, fix diet first (17;36); nutritious foods have lower environmental impact than unhealthy foods (20:42); study finds focusing on patient value and goals instead of problems yields better outcomes (23:02); in longer run, drugs and talk therapy offer similar value for people with depression (27:42); mentally ill die many years earlier than others (30:46); sleeps connection to gut microbiome reinforces overall good health (31:42); racial inequities in hospital admissions for heart failure (34:29).
Week of October 28:
Featuring the connection between pipelines and sexual violence (2:21); taking the cops out of mental health-related 911 rescues (5:42); when medical debt collectors decide who get arrested (7;22); children’s risk of dying before age 5 varies more than 40-fold (11:23); 7 million people receive record level of lifesaving TB treatment but 3 million still miss out (14:27); 2 out of 3 wild poliovirus strains eradicated (16;44); fear of falling — how hospitals do even more harm by keeping patients in bed (18:30); exercise can reduce artery stiffness even in those with heart failure (20:41); largest study finds greater reduction in cardiovascular disease and death from taking high blood pressure medication at bedtime rather than in morning (21;21); doctors argue for term limits to diversify medical school leadership (23:58); U.S. air quality was improving but is no getting worse (28:26); replacement flame retardants pose serious risks (31:07).
Week of October 21:
Featuring a call to eliminate all flavored cigarettes, not just the electric kind (2:18); JUUL announcement on certain flavored e-cigarettes is way too little way to late (6:32); Doctors are more likely to prescribe opioids later in the day, or if appointments run late (7:23); every hospital needs recovery coaches for patients with substance use problems (9:46); cultivating joy through mindfulness — an antidote to opioid misuse, the disease of despair (15:13); INVESTIGATIVE REPORT – inside the drug industry’s plan to defeat the DEA (19:03).
Week of October 14:
Featuring: lead scientist of controversial meat guidelines didn’t report ties to food industry front group (1:43); noise pollution as an emerging public health crisis (7:37); update on vaping recommendations (12:41); upcoming flu season may be fairly severe (14:33); STD rates hit record high in U.S. (16:22); global report on vision impairment (18:38); NIH funding disparity between black and white scientists (19:29); sheriffs avoid paying their hospital bills by foisting “medical bond” on sick inmates (21:33); unjustified drug price hikes cost Americans billions (25:31); antibiotic resistance in food animals nearly tripled since 1000 (27:20); EPA about-face lets emissions soar at some coal plants (28:24); PFAS levels rise in Michigan drinking water from Lake Erie (30:30); environmental and health harms are downshifting America’s obsession with the lawn (31:33).
Week of October 7:
Featuring the recent confusion around meat consumption research — a case study on nutritional science research (1:43); lack of sleep has detrimental effects on hunger and fat metabolism (19:00); smartphone dependency predicts depressive symptoms and loneliness (20:07); handgun purchasers with a prior DUI have a greater risk for serious violence (21:50); FDA refuses to classify ‘forever chemical” PFAS as hazardous substance (23:15); safe drinking water violations are higher for communities of color (27:50); role of racial stereotypes in assumptions that African-Americans are more violent (28:58); special series of articles in the American Journal of Public Health documenting role of slavery and racism in health inequalities that persist today (31:06).
Week of September 30:
Featuring American Heart Association statement condemning JUUL’s executive leadership change to long-time tobacco exec (1:45); how active shooter drills in schools are traumatizing our children (4:33); the Surgeon General’s deafening silence on gun violence (10:42); investigative journalist reveals startling flaws in generic drug industry, with FDA missing in action (14:20); World Health Organization calls for urgent action to reduce patient harm in healthcare (18:03); stressed out — Americans making themselves sick over politics (23:19); heart-healthy forager-farmers in lowland Bolivia are changing diets and gaining weight (25:35); many schools are putting brakes on making meals healthier for kids (27:52); some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup (31:02); in continuing trend, S.C. Johnson joins Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in ditching ties to Plastics Industry Association (34:34).
Week of September 23:
Featuring Ohio initiatives to fight youth vaping (2:18); sexual trauma as a global public health issue (5:57); Defense Department as single biggest polluter on planet (12:00); 15 governors lobby for provisions in defense bill to limit toxic chemicals (17:10); deforestation is getting worse, five years after countries and companies vowed to stop it (19:12); Man vs. mosquito – at the front lines of a public health war (20:57); the connection between residential segregation and health (23:48); national support for “red-flag: gun laws could prevent many suicides (25;47); obesity epidemic grows and disparities persist (28:39); despite growing burden of diet-related diseases, medical education does not equip students to provide quality nutritional care to patients (29:52); House panel investigating private equity firms’ role in surprise medical billing (32:16); more women and children survive today than ever before — U.N. report (33:29).
Week of September 16:
Featuring suicide prevention awareness month info (1:43); lifestyle, not genetics, explain most premature heart disease, and multiple risk factors raise risk exponentially (7:23); flu vaccination linked to lower risk of early death in people with high blood pressure (8:43); it matters that Detroit broke federal law when it razed asbestos-laden building (11:25); Juul illegally marketed e-cigarettes (13:26); if Ohio can’t pass the simplest health care price transparency laws, how will Congress curb surprise bills (15:59); Physicians for a National Health Program diagnose politicians and pundits with Corporate Talking-Pointitis (23:06); only a fraction of costs of excessive drinking are paid for by alcohol taxes (30:12); STAT wins long legal fight clearing way for release of Purdue OxyContin files (32:50).
Week of September 9:
Featuring a case study in nutritional fads — vitamin D — with a study of high doses of vitamin D resulting in decreased bone density (1:43); emails show Monsanto orchestrated GOP effort to intimidate cancer researchers (8:24); how Ohio’s Chamber of Commerce killed the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (11:14); EPA to roll back regulations on methane, a potent greenhouse gas (12:41); sexism in health care — in men, it’s Parkinson’s, in women, it’s hysteria (14:53); overeating wastes far more food then we throw away (18:33); big pharma sinks to bottom of U.S. industry rankings (21:14); advocates sound alarm as uninsured rates rise under Trump (22:02); Obamacare health insurance exchange prices to drop in Ohio for first time (23:46); opioid treatment is used vastly more in states that expanded Medicaid (26:23); plant-based fire retardants may offer less toxic way to tame flames (27:43); water treatment cuts parasitic roundworm infections affection 800 million people (28:26); a quarter of the world’s population at risk of developing tuberculosis (29:45); FDA approves TB pill that cures more hard-to-treat patients (30:15); for the first time, clinical trial results show Ebola drugs improve survival rates (32:01).
Week of September 2:
Featuring an in-depth investigative report into industry influence of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines development process (1:47); and Ohio drug deaths plunge in Ohio, but up in Lucas County (29:50).
Week of August 26:
Featuring the two largest health factors in your personal health: smoking and diet (1:44); nearly 200,000 trans people have been exposed to conversion therapy (16:02); toxic furniture flame retardants may not stifle deadliest home fires (18:35); Health panel tells doctors to screen all adults for illicit drug use (20:31); spending on illicit drugs nears $150 billion annually, similar to alcohol (21:17); American Medical Association leaves coalition opposing single-payer Medicare for All (22:50); and programs work from within to prevent black maternal deaths: workers targeting root cause — racism (24:56).
Week of August 19:
Featuring Brazil’s Bolsonaro administration approving 290 new pesticide products for use (2:20); in echo of Flint lead crisis, Newark offers bottled water (4:31); summer in the city is hot, but some neighborhoods suffer more (5:32); up to half of patients withhold life-threatening issues from doctors (9:18); how #MeToo is changing sex ed policies – even in red states (10:04); 140,000 women could lose clinical abortion access in 1st year if Roe v. Wade were overturned (14:55); 250,000 fewer Ohioans on Medicaid, but even the experts don’t know why (15:38); Half-a-million years of Ohioans’ life expectancy lost to gun deaths (19:13); review of 33 years worth of medical studies reveals key areas for new research to explore concerning gun deaths (23:13); the dangers of the mental health narrative when it comes to gun violence (25:17); racist words and acts, like El Paso shooting, harm children’s health (29:46).
Week of August 12:
Featuring lower weight bias among physicians who regard obesity as a disease; BPA substitutes linked to obesity; call for radical reform to address 3.5 billion people worldwide with poor dental health; Coca-Cola pushing to get FDA let it add vitamins to drinks; amid teen vaping epidemic, Juul taps addiction expert as medical director; high radiation levels found near U.S. nuclear dump from weapons testing in Marshall Islands; moral injury and burnout in medicine requires collective action; and how judges added to the grim toll of opioids.
Week of August 5:
Featuring growing PCB claims adding to Bayer’s legal woes for Roundup; floods and fires stir up toxic stew posing long-term dangers; new tool for Michigan officials to use to remedy environmental injustice; Florida sugarcane burning could switch to green harvesting saving lives and boosting economy; U.S. could have averted 15,600 deaths if every state expanded Medicaid; Trump proposal to push 3 million Americans off food assistance; one-third of food grown never makes it out of fields; relatively low-dose radiation from CT scans and x-rays favor cancer growth; fitbits and other wearables may not accurately track heart rates in people of color; and seeing greenery linked to less intense and frequent cravings.
Week of July 29:
Featuring the corrupting influence of conflicts of interest in medical research; UT exhibit on protest and social change includes “Condoms STOP AIDS” poster developed by your humble host; widespread aspirin use despite few benefits, high risks; child drowning rates dropping two-thirds driven by better building codes concerning pools; vaccinating dogs for rabies worldwide could save the lives 59,000 people yearly; nations with strong women’s rights have better population health and faster economic growth; Medicare for All unlikely to raise hospitalization rates much, if at all; climate shocks, conflict and economic slumps drive rising world hunger; taps run dry for half of Zimbabwe’s capital city affecting millions.
Week of July 22:
Featuring keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains; capping medical residency training hours does not hamper doctor quality; primary care needs to be encouraged; patients provide input for first time in mental health definitions; how to deal with anxiety about climate change; and protecting forests and watersheds to treat water cost-effectively and sustainably.
Week of July 15:
Featuring why there is so much commercial corruption in nutrition; fiber and health and fiber as a good marker for intake of whole foods; indoor carbon dioxide levels could be a health hazard; most kids on public coverage have parents who work for big companies; international drug development processes are irresponsible and must be reformed; the burgeoning benzo crisis; psychiatric diagnosis “scientifically meaningless”; and environmental activists declare victory after Detroit incinerator closes.
Week of July 8:
Featuring alcohol and cancer; bullying and weight bias; the Veterans Crisis Line; austerity and inequality fueling mental illness; EPA moves to phase out animal experiments which could mean end to toxics regulations; mini-biographies help clinicians connect with patients; new guidelines aim to enlist primary care physicians in transgender care; poll: most Americans favor Medicare for All if they can keep their doctors; and children’s cardiac care dangerous when mixed with corporatized health care.
Week of July 1:
Featuring the continuing public healthcase study that is the obesity epidemic, with a call to move beyond individual behavior and focus on social determinants driving obesity such as fat shaming and bias, and access to culturally-competent health services; plus, medical groups declare climate change as greatest public health challenge of the 21st century; Agriculture Department buries studies showing dangers of climate change; dangerous DDT levels 50 years after banning; and how banning dangerous chemicals could save the U.S. billions.
Week of June 24:
Featuring the question: Is public health in America so bad among the young, supposedly healthier people, that the U.S. may eventually not be able to defend itself militarily? Plus, the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s busiest year; childhood adversity’s link to mental illness, sexually transmitted infections continue unabated; world’s rivers awash with dangerous levels of antibiotics, the U.S. continuing to use pesticides banned in other countries; and Ohio River moves to voluntary pollution standards in face of massive petrochemical plant build-out.
Week of June 17:
Featuring the importance of happiness and purpose in driving health and well-being, and the epidemic of meaninglessness in work life; the role of sleep in health; the celebration of Men’s Health Month through using male privilege to help bring about gender justice and defeat patriarchy; the secret to Latino longevity; and how skyrocketing out-of-pocket health expenses, particularly among employer-based and private health insurance is costing health and lives.
Week of June 10:
Featuring a public health case study offering several perspectives on the many factors which form the perfect storm of the obesity epidemic — with a few tips for weathering the storm; and a series of articles regarding racism and racial disparities in health — with some good news.
Week of June 3:
Featuring continued coverage of the health effects of processed foods, including two new major studies; concerns about the potential risks of the exponential growth of nanoparticles in food processing; toxic chemicals used in food packaging and how to avoid them; and why cutting down on salt is health promoting,even if your blood pressure is fine.
Week of May 27:
Featuring continuing Mental Health Awareness Month coverage including suicide, supposed mental health parity, and appealing health coverage denials, and another in a series of mental health poems by local poet, Justin Samson, with this week’s poem on PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome; Media Watch segment on MercyHealth claiming that nurses mean the world ironically while their nurses strike; landmark study on processed foods and overeating, and a series of stories on air pollution as a public health emergency.
Week of May 20:
Featuring Mental Health Awareness Month coverage including the debut in a series of mental health poems by local poet, Justin Samson, with this week’s poem on major depression; public health news and research roundup coverage of dementia prevention recommendations, childhood cancer prevention, and basic sanitation as a critical public health issue in the U.S. and globally.
Week of May 13:
Featuring Mental Health Awareness Month coverage, public health news and research roundup coverage of the ongoing Monsanto Roundup™ saga plus other herbicide/pesticide/plastics toxins, prescription drug prices, and the debut of another parody PSA.
Week of May 6:
A whole show about vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. SPOILER ALERT: immunizations profoundly improve the public health of our planet!
Week of April 29:
Featuring tips on cutting back on salt and sugar, and getting more whole grains into your diet. This episode debuts two new segments, Media Watch, looking at how public health is portrayed in the media, and Health Observances, April as minority health month, examining racism as the driving force in the so-called mystery of stubbornly high black infant mortality. The Public Health News and Research Roundup includes the health effects of fracking, and the effect of food waste on climate change.
Week of April 22:
Featuring “The three most dangerous food additives,” and good news in the Public Health News and Research Roundup. And look out for that parody PSA!
Week of April 15:
Featuring Public Health News and Research Roundup and a noncommercial break highlighting blood donation.
Week of April 8:
Featuring environmental health news and the question: Can you be a serious environmentalist without cutting down drastically on animal-foods, that is, cutting way down on meat, eggs, and dairy?
Week of April 1:
Featuring a far-reaching riff on epidemiology, the science of the distribution of health, disease and their determinants in populations; in laypersons’ terms, what are the most important things to consider in our community’s health. Regarding personal health, the show closes with a quick summary of evidence-based eating for health.
Week of May 25:
Featuring Public Health News and Research Roundup [not affiliated with Roundup™, the infamous human carcinogen].
Week of May 18:
Featuring Medicare for all testimony and Toledo Democracy Day coverage, plus conferring the award for the MOST CONSTIPATED View of DEMOCRACY.
PILOT Show from December 2015:
This is the original pilot show that started it all! This full hour show features an interview with local guest, Johnathon Ross, M.D., M.P.H., a local public health physician and former president of Physicians for a National Health Program.
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) is well practiced at not speaking in truly public forums about his public policies and rationale. This lack of public accountability as an elected public official is a symptom of an ailing and dysfunctional democracy. This free poster, another addition to my “Parity or Parody” series of posters, speaks to the pathetically low bar of not speaking at all in order to avoid the web of lies that entangles one’s so-called public policy. Sen Rob Portman likes to portray himself as independent and he has tried to put political space between him and President Donald Trump; nevertheless, when it come to enacting legislation, he shows up as a highly reliable Trump Republican, a committed partisan. The current Republican tax bills seem to be no exception for Sen. Portman.
Sen. Portman seems to be relishing rather than merely stomaching the regressive taxation scheme, borrowing money from future generations to enrich the already rich, and standing predictably silent on the inevitable growing pressure to cut government programs, even major and popular entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, that benefit a broad swathe of Americans often referred to as the middle class and on much rarer occasion the poor. In public discourse, the poor are largely unmentioned, leaving us with the middle class and the rich, or as I might say, “the meddle class.”
Please enjoy and share freely this free political poster: Sen. Rob Portman cannot tell a lie, so he will not be talking about unfunded tax cuts for the rich.
If you are more of a policy wonk and want a concise yet detailed analysis of why ignoring deficit-financed tax cuts and ignoring future potential spending cuts, then take a look at The real cost of the Republican tax cuts, with excerpts here:
The primary stated goals of the tax plan are to raise economic growth and increase the after-tax incomes of middle-class households. But taking financing into account appropriately would show how unlikely it is that the plan will achieve those goals…
…But even if one believes the plan will increase the overall size of the economy, spending cuts or tax increases will almost certainly still be required to pay for it. Analyses that do not account for those spending cuts or tax increases, whether they occur in the near term or in the longer term, obscure who will ultimately be hurt by them. Indeed, the very opportunity to obscure who will ultimately pay for the tax cuts likely explains why Congress pursues deficit-financed tax cuts more often than revenue-neutral tax reform or tax cuts accompanied by spending cuts.
A complete analysis of the tax plan including financing would most likely show that it would have a negative impact on many, and perhaps most, Americans…
…The primary purpose of the tax system is to raise revenues. Therefore, evaluating changes in tax policy while ignoring the impact of the policy’s reduction in revenues makes no sense. It ignores the very reason taxes exist. Indeed, absent consideration of financing, simplistic arguments that a 20 percent corporate rate is better than a 35 percent rate — the Republicans’ current proposal — would also imply that a zero percent rate is better than a 20 percent rate.
And a negative 20 percent rate would be still better! Once you consider the need for financing, such simplistic arguments fall apart.
Whether and how tax cuts are financed makes all the difference in the world. Consider two alternatives. One kind of well-designed tax reform can maintain the same level of revenues and boost living standards. Such a reform would inevitably increase taxes on certain activities and decrease them on others.
This type of reform could generate a modest boost in the level of economic output in the long run and, if so, would temporarily increase the growth rate. It could also increase living standards (even with no change in output) by eliminating wasteful tax incentives that encourage people to overconsume certain goods or services to maximize their tax benefits. Revenue-neutral reforms along these lines would almost certainly make some families better off and other families worse off. Who was hurt or helped would depend on the taxes that are changed.
Policymakers could also enact a tax cut financed by a reduction in spending. Just as a well-designed tax reform proposal could improve living standards by changing either consumption patterns or the growth rate, a tax cut financed by a reduction in spending could do the same — if the spending cuts are chosen wisely. As with revenue-neutral reform, some families would be made better off and others worse off after counting both the tax changes and the impact of the spending changes. (Former beneficiaries of the spending that is reduced would obviously pay a price.)
But the situation now is that House Republicans appear likely to release a bill that will cut taxes on net with no indication of how the resulting deficits will be paid for. As a result, we’re left in the dark about the legislation’s ultimate impact.
Conventional distribution tables for tax cuts show most of the gross benefits of tax cuts but not the impact of paying for them. When the proposal increases deficits and does not specify how those deficits will be addressed, the possibilities range from cuts to programs to low-income households to increases in taxes for high-income households.
We give a rough estimate, here, of the impact that three different approaches to financing a large tax cut would have on families across the income distribution. This example is not intended to show the actual distribution of the forthcoming House bill, but is broadly illustrative of the trade-offs involved in financing a tax cut that offers larger benefits for higher-income families than for lower-income families, as it seems likely the bill from House Republicans will do.
Specifically, we use the Tax Policy Center’s analysis of the principles for tax reform released by the Trump administration in April. This analysis found that families in every income group would see lower taxes on average from the plan as proposed, albeit with much larger increases in after-tax incomes for higher-income households.
But if the plan were financed by spending cuts or tax increases enacted at the same time, the distributional effects of the plan would change significantly.
The analysis considers three scenarios for financing. In each scenario, families pay more in tax or receive less in benefits to offset the cost of the tax costs…
…Families in the bottom 90 percent of the income distribution would be worse off on average under each of the three scenarios.
If anything, this…understates just how regressive the total ultimate impact of the Republican plan could be. While an equal payment per family would be regressive, the reductions in Medicaid spending that House Republicans passed earlier this year — which would have a significant impact on lower-income households and very little on the highest-income households — would be even more so.
The analysis…assumes that financing is enacted at the same time as the tax cut. In practice, policymakers can delay the enactment of financing for either a short or extended period. In such a scenario, even larger spending cuts or tax increases in the future would replace the required cuts today. Such an approach would introduce disparities across time as well as income.
Assuming Congress does not reverse course and enact progressive tax increases to offset the cost of the current tax cuts, older, higher-income Americans would likely see the largest increase in incomes, and younger, lower-income Americans would likely lose the most.
Enacting deficit-financed tax cuts allows policymakers to avoid the need to specify spending cuts or tax increases to pay for them and thus obscures the costs of the proposal. In addition, deferring the financing can itself reduce growth and reduce incomes even before the required financing policies are enacted. Those costs magnify the direct costs of any tax cuts.
Preliminary analyses by the Tax Policy Center of the Republicans framework (plus additional assumptions about unspecified elements of the plan from TPC) show the potential long-term consequences of deferring financing. In the short run, the TPC finds that the proposals would boost output. But over the longer run, the effects of mounting deficits and debt would turn the growth impact negative.
At the end of the first decade, the Tax Policy Center estimates that GDP will be 0.1 percent lower than it otherwise would have been, and at the end of two decades, it would be 0.4 percent lower. As a result, wages would likely fall over time, not rise (as recently claimed by the White House).
These results do not show the complete picture, however. The extent to which increased debt and deficits reduce GDP is moderated by an increase in domestic investment financed by foreigners. But this increase in foreign investment in the United States means an increased fraction of future GDP will need to be devoted to paying the return on that investment to those foreign investors. In other words, the gap between incomes generated by economic activity in the United States and incomes accruing to US nationals will grow.
Thus, gross national product (GNP), a concept that subtracts payments we make to foreigners on their US assets and adds payments we receive from foreigners — will decrease by more than GDP, falling by 0.2 percent after 10 years and 0.6 percent after two decades:
In circumstances like these, economists broadly agree that GNP is a better indicator of living standards for American households.
While the above analysis considers only the effects of additional debt, the spending cuts and tax increases ultimately enacted can themselves have negative effects on the economy. Indeed, classic economic arguments suggest that even when government spending is uncertain and varies over time, the most efficient tax system is one that attempts to maintain relatively constant tax rates.
Ignoring tax-cut financing is like doing only one side of cost-benefit analysis
Simplistic arguments in favor of a $1.5 trillion tax cut suggest that a $5 trillion tax cut would necessarily be even better. Clearly such arguments are missing something critical: balancing the costs against the benefits.
The prevalence of such arguments is part of a larger issue with the way tax debates are often conducted, focusing on GDP and downplaying or ignoring the impact of financing.
In recent years, analysts have increasingly assumed, in their models, that deficits resulting from tax cuts are ultimately paid for by tax increases or spending cuts several decades in the future. Thus, they recognize that deficits will be produced (by, say, large tax cuts) but basically assume the deficits will be remedied somehow, without showing the direct effect of those remedies on American households either now or in the future.
This approach can be useful in the context of official analysis of proposed policies, but it obscures the true economic tradeoffs. The promised gains from tax cuts in such cases — even when not eliminated as a result of years of increased borrowing — can amount to little more than borrowing heavily from future generations.
If we recognize the need for financing, a deficit-financed tax cut along the lines of the one House Republicans appear to be prepared to unveil is likely to be bad for the economy in the long run. It is likely to be particularly bad for working- and middle-class families.
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POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
He threw himself into his work Like a wrench More than just A gag In a wrenching machine
Here is a Monday poem dedicated to all anti-work workers, those less-than-willing cogs in dehumanizing machines. I am so grateful for being my own boss and running my own business, where I can escape many of the heart-wrenching accommodations faced by wage slaves. I heartily recommend simplifying your material needs to help minimize any need of selling yourself to dubious employers. This also doubles as an anti-consumer, low-resource consumption lifestyle. May we all find meaningful vocations untethered to capitalist exploitation.
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POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
What due You Know choice candidates Fenced by kleptocrats And undebatable Republicrats Their exclusive promise A system fixed Throwing political parties Incorporations wee trust In-firm ideologies The body politic Under the whether Or worse yet Riddled with ballots Everlustingly powered by fossil fools In a match we cannot win Insurmountably ante In that roil flush Heil to the chief A fight un-till the deaf Trumped and trumpeted Victor and Victoria Dubiously herald and maudlin Never to be Over looking Assuaged by aristocrat videos On line with your own Thinking In auditorium pact And in undrivable streets Razing hell Is the key too city hall Lo expectations Unmanageable hopes And unbridled promise Be dammed! Wholly our own What will we elect Too due Bought and souled Buy the damned and the elect Won and the same Decidedly over turn Your choice
The end is coming…to the Republican national convention. The Democratic national convention is coming next week. Well, I guess we are more like in the middle of the end. The careening authoritarianism of Donald Trump will be supervened by the triangulating trajectory of Hillary Clinton. These daze long political ads prestidigitate the non-binding platform in the raze to see who can commandeer the Commander-in-chief helm, sans the funny looking hat of other scary clowns.
This poem exposes the juxtaposers, who adorn false choices in efface of chronically neglected issues and give rare acclaim to the canon fodder of their revered platforms. Awe that is sacred will be parsed into bite-sized pieces in keeping with easy consumption. We are the promised people, wee are tolled. Bootstraps for awe. The souls will have no wholes. Sow the aristocrat’s state, agin and agin.
The time is ripe to stop following these crumb bums. In the revolution, you will turn around and see your neighbor, not these professional posers. Humanity needs human faces, not friendish facades. If our future wrests soully with electoral politics, that literal ballot to ahead bids us quite miraculously to walk away, a cross bridges yet unbuilt, over walls however deliriously high, to a fresh future steeped in ancient wisdom and teeming with expectant vitality. The choice is ours, ever worth more than can ever be printed on paper, or boxes checked out.
POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
Buy politicians We have been tolled Ferry tales From bank to bank Holding no water Liquidating assets Left and right Sow gully able As they desperately wanton US to believe The chosen few, the elect As top down Driving in convertible submarines Celling down the river As whatever Thou dust Having already Drunk The KoolAid™ In effacing endless boos As given the owed college try And in curable desperation Quipped to say Bottom up As no need to take any ship From any won Upright Nor bail For yawl
Here is an election day themed poem for Ohio’s presidential primary elections today. While it’s easy to be cynical about politics, the adage, follow the money, is a powerful tool for understanding politics and power. The political class, overpopulated by the aristocracy, has well developed strategies and tactics to appeal to the notion that they are on your side. Inevitably, moneyed folks have a way of perpetuating their economic interests over less economically endowed folks. These strategies and tactics are built into our everyday life — appealing to crass celebrity as distraction and chasing money (and its attendant addictive cycles of debt and over-consumption) as the unquestioned path to the good life — but during campaign season the high rhetoric typically pushes the limits of hypocrisy. Unfortunately, the United States electorate is the most uniformed electorate among so-called advanced industrial democracies. Plus, with brazen gerrymandering, corrupt party politics, lack of universal voter registration, and a whole host of practices degrading voter participation rather than enhancing it, our democracy has been bought and sold. Our so-called democracy would be more aptly described as an oligarchy, plutocracy, or even kleptocracy. Voter turnout in the U.S. is the lowest among so-called developed countries. While increased voter turnout could offer modestly better results, a poorly informed electorate does not have the essential immunization against propaganda and manipulation that would make for a functioning democracy. I strongly suspect the the bulk of effort needed to revitalize our democracy must occur outside of electoral politics, with social movements that force changes in our political system alongside cultivating positive changes toward a more just culture that respects human rights and dignity for all. Voting matters, but if we rely primarily on voting, whatever is left of our democracy will matter little. Vote with your feet and hit the streets; organize; and be the change you want to see in the world.
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POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
Weighter Truth be tolled Whoever’s pain the bill I’d like a reseat At the table
This poem addresses the truism that life is not fair. I have spent most of my life and part of most days working to address social injustices. Recently, with the advent of the Black Lives Matter movement, I have redoubled my efforts to examine my own privileges and disenfranchisements. In sum, I am a very privileged individual. I am fascinated by how our own sets of privileges and disenfranchisements play out in society, particularly social justice movements. Perhaps the most prevalent divide, present even within most households, is male and female. Patriarchy is nearly omnipresent. As in any privileged group, men must exert effort to not by default weaponize privilege against those disenfranchised, in this case, about half of the world’s population! I have seen how people of color and trans folks have worked hard to claim their rightful roles and places within the LGBT equality movement. In addition, socioeconomic class issues cut across virtually all social movements. As a U.S. citizen working predominantly alongside other U.S. citizens, the privilege of First-Worldism profoundly impacts our relevance and importance as planetary citizens, where the poorest majority of humanity bears the brunt of the rest of the world’s over-consumption of resources, abuses of power, and assorted and sundry cultural dominations.
As for me, solidarity is a primary guiding principle for my social justice activism. Literally standing with people who are disenfranchised in one way or another strikes me as one of the most direct ways to step toward social justice. This is related to “putting skin in the game,” which serves as my primary measure for authentic commitment to other human beings and the creation we share. As Alice Walker so elegantly stated, “Activism is my rent for living on this planet.” This planet, so teeming with life, deserves our respect, appreciation, and honest efforts to make it the best home possible for millions of miles around. As I like to say: Life isn’t fair, it’s excellent!
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POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
POEM: Breath of Fresh Heir Each mourning Brings that which is light Though wanting to rest As the whirled spins under my feet I am Still Razed Too my feat Standing on Perhaps a singular word Mysteriously helled Together In God-ordained gravity Until that thirst Breath of fresh heir As awe is knew This poem is about coming out of […]...
The economy was Humming Having change Their tune Given The overabundance Of hot water And cell a-steam Showering down Hour earthly reign In the scheme of things In a call amity Of biblical portions They had everything Save the earth And after Having one Wore on the environment Mother earth’s Pursed lips At the outpouring cache A river bed Tried to the bone Of no use Pointing fingers As more than Putting up With money where mouth is Re: tardily sane As never too be Ever food agin Mouthing a mint In perpetual bad taste Sow un-full Filling a void That wee only have Won planet Wont of reign
Yet another poem mourning the way we treat our beloved Mother Earth. As global warning wrings out more lost species, extinct forever in the wake of our mindless consumption and heartless capitalism, I am reminded wince again of the Cree Indian prophecy: “Only when the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned and the last fish caught, man will know, that he cannot eat money.” Can you help but ask weather when we put our money where our mouth is if it will be too late. If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy. If mankind can’t let go of the crappy job he’s doing, mama will get unrule he Let us not temp our mother.
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POEM: Innocence — An Owed In A Sense Her innocence Was immune to their dis ease As be wilder And a tempt However tempered Only to be Dis missed As just A guile His innocence Deified awe bravery In the face Of accusations summoned As subdude As never a cur to them Posing the quest in Guise will Be guise Her bosom leaped […]...
Bee The change That you wish In the whirled Too see O Mother Earth Undertaking Men o’ pause In-fertility rite As nature fecund wanes A roil buzzkill Soon with death teeming Wear is thy sting Extincting that human race Soully certifiable reproductions Unfit as a specious Forerunners to know end Yet today, this solitary caged bird sings Like a canary In a cold mine With its deadly presents Colorless and odious executioner The lynch pin of anonymous hoods Haunting all That which is called “natural” Sow fumes miasma Till hour last breath
This poem is another mournful environmental poem, with the steady decline of bees as the proverbial canary in the coal mine for the deathly threat to the ecology of the earth. Of course, the stoic denial and fatalism of human-induced climate change through fossil fuel consumption reaps a Mother Earth whose only defense may be to open a Pandora’s box capable of “naturally” selecting the human race from an internal combustion race to a mere foot race, where humans are no longer large enough scale to crash the entire planet’s ecological system. If we don’t change course and evolve into an ecologically-sustainable species, we will be devolved into a much less dominant species. Whether this would represent an evolution or devolution would have to be reflected upon by many fewer homo sapiens.
While we as a species are still living high on the fumes of burning fossil fuels, the buzzkill of bee genocide may lead the way to the end of agriculture as we know it, and the end of human culture as we know it. Our unchecked industrialism, fueled by the burning of carbon-based energy forms, may very well lead to our checking out as the predominant species on earth. Could this bee the end of the world? as so aptly asked in an article of the same title (with a now extinct link!):
Albert Einstein once said: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.”
Einstein wasn’t an insect expert but he had a point. The humble honeybee is an integral part of the global ecosystem. Honey is just one aspect of what this entomological wonder does. As a pollinator it ensures crops reproduce, so although a world without honey would be a poorer place, man would survive. But without plants, we’d become extinct.
…On a global scale, it is estimated a third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees…
…The introduction to the 2010 UNEP [United Nations Environment Programme] report into global bee colony disorders puts the insects’ plight in context. It states, “Current evidence demonstrates that a sixth major extinction of biological diversity event is under way. The Earth is losing between 1 and 10 per cent of biodiversity per decade, mostly due to habitat loss, pest invasion, pollution, over-harvesting and disease.” It asked, “Has a ‘pollinator crisis’ really been occurring during recent decades, or are these concerns just another sign of global biodiversity decline?”
Unchecked domination is not the nature of nature. Either homo sapiens will learn to live in harmony with nature as a whole, or our ability to dominate will be cut down to scale. As throughout countless generations, we are faced with choosing harmony or destruction. Nature has patiently endured our penchant for destruction. Nature cannot be violated forever. Nature’s feedback is gentle and generous. Only fools destroy the hand that feeds them. Will we be fools in the largesse weigh?
Charlie’s life was full Every available space laden to wrest His productivity well suited To his interests Taxidermy and robotics
This short poem offers a challenge to what it means to have a full life in modern Western civilization, where increasing speed and productivity are worshiped as the means to a good life. I am a big fan of rest and empty spaces as an essential way to fully round out one’s life. Our culture’s addiction to productivity, fitting in (“well suited”), and a focus on narrow interests has most of us bamboozled. In this poem, the inane and the productive meet in the metaphor of taxidermy and robotics, representing the deadening and dehumanizing effects of an overfull life. This metaphor also juxtaposes vocation and avocation, where it is unclear what is a job and what is a hobby. While this may be confusing, it hints at the underlying connection that a capitalistic culture makes. Capitalism works best when we devote ourselves to both work/productivity AND inane consumerism. Capitalism wants to own both vocation and avocation. Of course, an endless array of inane avocations are offered, as long as they support the consumption of some product or service, hopefully in the service of distracting you from the emptiness of your “full” life and the avaricious nature of endless “growth.”
Emptiness can be revolutionary. This is why capitalism works best when it crams every available space with inane crap. Capitalism’s very life depends on it. Surely, capitalism must provide abundant avenues to distract us from our emptiness. However, emptiness is not empty! If we sit with our emptiness, in the sense of lack of fulfillment, this will foment unrest poorly suited for capitalism. Even further, in experiencing empty spaces and silence, we expand our perspective, the framework upon which we see things, allowing us to truly grow. Buddhists and Taoists are particularly adept at exploring such realities. Deists might frame this as silence being the language of God, that small, still voice.
After experiencing a period of relaxation, have you ever then experienced increased anxiety or dread when “going back to work” appears on the horizon? In a life abundant in balance and wisdom, while work requires effort, it does not require dread. Dread is a sign of imbalance. Chronic dread signifies a shortage of wisdom. Dread speaks to us. One of the central concepts (the first of the Four Noble Truths) of Buddhism is often stated in English as “Life is suffering.” I have heard this elaborated upon as realizing that life requires effort (work). Work is not the enemy. Work is an integral part of life — as is rest . The issue becomes how to achieve balance and minimize suffering. I like the image of breathing in and out as a metaphor for balance. Questioning whether breathing in or out is better misses the point — as is often the case in Western convergent thinking. If you do ask which is better, the only sensible response is “what did you do last?” If work causes anxiety, then rest. If rest causes anxiety, then work. If everything causes you anxiety, then look to emptiness. Of course, emptiness often looks like rest, but there is good work to be done there…
From oasis to oasis Straw men Hiring suckers Living under Dissembled bridges Until it’s over Troubled waters What’s the hold-up Living for weak ends And long vocations Until Down Under One foot in front of the other One foot in front of the other One foot in front of the other One foot in front of the other One foot in front of the other One foot in front of the other A hexing feat A plod Bought and paid for Buy decisions made years a go Putting off family For eternal wrest Friends only gathering in your wake A bout time Spent Pourly Until Can’t take it With them Passing on An assuming manor And a partiality For a stylized life And conspicuous consumption Wear cleanliness is next to gaudiness Awe made passable By a peacocky overcompensation Surpassing one’s station In life A haven untaxed In death A surety As won might Have guest it A regretful time share As when the first homme isn’t enough Always returning Too more earnest dwellings Harping on The good old daze Not even For a second Helping But for the hole shebang In unremitting a morality A temporary re-treat From the fire down below Feeling the heat Strokes of genius Clever ruses billed On foundations of sand Offering slim hope For the porous As liquid assets evaporating In a desert temp An oasis scarcely better Then a mirage For those sitting on the parch A weigh station To check their baggage Perhaps pick up some more Souvenirs For the trip Over their own feat Plunging an unquenchable thirst Skewering with spit Sweating bullets In humid climbs Yet like fish out of water No matter how hard They dry Flailing to inspire In any such reckoning And knot on your life Will they settle For sum thing less And weather they come Ergo For the wrest of US Their goes The neighborhood
This poem is an ode to so-called living from oasis to oasis rather than living sustainably in one oasis. I find that the so-called “carrot” of getting to the next oasis is actually more of a “stick” to nature and our humanity. Americans have suffered from a frontier mentality for centuries, ratcheting up suffering in increasingly exponential ways. Instead of doing the work of learning about and living within natural limits, humans race toward extinction, with a lengthy prologue and rate of over a hundred species a day. Living in harmony, sustainably within our natural environment, may very well be the most important lesson humans need to learn within the next few generations. There is little reason why we shouldn’t be able to learn this lesson, but whether we will avail ourselves of the benefits of learning this lesson is unclear. There is a classic, somewhat cynical exposition from the character Agent Smith in the movie, The Matrix, which gives one perspective on the human race and human nature:
“I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet.”
I find this description accurate. However, this history leaves unanswered how we will respond in the future. The relevant conundrum that I see in human nature is that the unprecedented capability humans have in making choices undetermined by nature is a serious double-edged sword. This very capability to stretch nature, even human nature, can lead to large, unsustainable ventures which bound over natural limits in which other living entities would be much more “naturally” restrained or contained. Perhaps paradoxically, this very same capability leaves open the potential to adapt quickly and recover a sustainable balance. I find hope in our ability to adapt. Still, humans have a long history of only doing the right thing after exhausting most every other possibility. The stakes are high, and realizing the high stakes may be the necessary impetus for humans to make necessary adjustments. Hopefully, we can restore a level of sanity and balance in time to avoid a catastrophic collapse of civilization and/or the environment. Either way, living in harmony with nature is a better choice. We can vote with our lives and lifestyles. May we embrace our evolution, even revolution, to avoid devolution or extinction.
Starring on the big screen Used to dominate young dreams Super-sizing them for mass consumption Today, celluloid immortality miniaturizes So five minutes ago Small screens test us As we flail miserably In a feudal limbo ‘Tween Puffed up images Flickering about And atrophied soles Going nowhere fast No longer facing A true converse Of penetrating I’s Present minds And supple lips Flush of heart Given to a musing gesture Deflating kings And giving commoners rise Surpassing hands shaking And awe that follows Neither settling For collapsing our highest hopes Nor minute fits As souls meet the street And welcoming nature Banishing the might he Of lesser woulds And inspiring fresh heirs To real feat Baring our soles Grounded in realty for all A shared fete A fare commune Wear each mourning Met lightly With a celebration of the hearts No longer idle worship of images Every won an original Not merely deference Bland tolerance Or thumbs down devolution But powered by appreciation You can bank on A currency turning led into goaled A redeeming alchemy The most handsome ransom For our ugly whirled A watery swell so grave Or a cowering inferno Mything the point With such hocus pocus And uncounted allusions To awe that would suitor A befitting size That matters And keeping it Reel Never having too obsess What’s the catch
This poem is a call to more real and human-scale relationships. Social media technology, celebrity, and widespread shallow images of ourselves projected to others is robbing us of better ways of being. We can easily be overwhelmed by images of celebrity, status, and wealth, tempting vainglorious dreams. We can easily feel inadequate and too small by a juggernaut of Photoshopped images and word processed personalities. Humans are best suited to face-to-face relationships. As such real-time, real-world relationships are edged out by other more nominal relationships our humanity and satisfaction suffers. Nobody wants to be multi-tasked, no matter the purported claims of efficiency. Long-term, face-to-face, human relationships better reflect the awesome depth, complexity, and eccentricity of humans. It is by far the best place for healthy intimate relationships to thrive. Such relationships also keep us humble, rooted in reality. I see humility as being right-sized, not too big or too small. Perhaps the greatest threat to humility is technology and institutions which depersonalize human interactions. Powering up through technology and institutions is a powerful temptation to become too big, overpowering human scales with impersonal agency and concentration of power among elites. This is dehumanizing. This creates persistent structural temptations to value things and concepts/ideologies over actual people. The seductive drive of scaling up power disconnects us from our own humanity and the humanity of others. I suspect that Western civilization is far-flung from any balance between being rooted in healthy, human-scaled relationships and powering up to “get things done.” Further, I suspect that there may be a nearly proportional relationship between getting things done and getting humans done. May we keep things real and not finish off humans. I kind of like them!
Rowan was a model citizen One-eighth scale Painstakingly posed With animating make up Almost lifelike
This short poem, “Model Citizen,” is a reflection on the life-like which should only be mistaken for life at one’s own peril — or, in this poem’s case, at one’s community’s own peril. The status quo and the powers that be provide a straightforward framework, including incentives and disincentives, to behave in a certain way. This is a large part of what we call culture. Busy-ness and business are dominant aspects of modern Western civilization. Unfortunately, being busy, or just seeming busy, isn’t necessarily linked with human betterment or progress. Like Gandhi said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” Surely, the capitalist business and consumer culture feeds the need for speed, ever-increasing “industriousness” to grow the economy and standard of living. Perhaps the best example of why this path is perilous is the reality that a “successful” growth of worldwide standard of material living requires an increasingly unsustainable exploitation and consumption of natural resources, and concomitant waste. If such growth is not to be a fatal planetary cancer, there needs to be wholesale changes in the way we do business, and busy-ness, as relates to the urgency of the situation. We cannot settle for life-light or lifelike. Such citizen posers may be the death of us all.
This poem points to the role of good citizenship in creating, maintaining, and sustaining healthy communities and a healthy planet. In good citizenship, democracy is the process and the common good is the goal. Neither democracy nor the common good can reasonably be entrusted to elites, whether these elites are political, business, technocratic, or religious. It is precisely these elites which have an interest in selling us something other than the common good. The proprietary nature of modern existence, driven by the profit motive, has brought us to this place. The common good is anathema to profit as king. The unjust advantage held by elites is what keeps us on this perilous trajectory. Nominal democracy is a common tool used to fool average citizens into accepting something less than the common good. There is a great divide between elites, who are generally viewed as portraits of “success” — a mere fantasy for many — and the masses who would be greatly advantaged by securing the common good. Of course, in affluent societies, the “middle class” comprise most of the so-called “model citizens.” Their advantage in the larger scheme of things is sufficient to buy into the status quo, if not the powers that be. The amorphous common good of some possible life is bypassed for the reasonable access to the concrete benefits of living in a materially affluent society. Most simply put: if I’ve got mine, then risking that for something less certain seems like a bad bet. So we settle. In terms of democracy, made nominal, this appears as that oft-too-common choice of the lesser of two evils, choosing between two elites who have no real interest in the common good, other than to pacify the masses and maintain stability and predictability. Just note the language used with the utmost importance regarding financial interests and “markets” needing “certainty.” Predictability has many nice facets to it, but in this case, the greatest certainty is that the rich will grow richer and the poor will grow poorer. When this almost-cliche formula receives little complaint or resistance, it is a sure diagnostic that you are richer than poorer, or at least a committed wannabe richer. In the end, this poem is a call to the poorer masses to throw off the illusions brought by nominal democracy (in a plutocracy) and the modest temporary incentives to play it safe as a “model citizen” only one-eighth scale. Then, we can join together in a much truer democracy able to secure the common good for all — yes, even the richer.
One day I had a dream God came to me and said Meet me tomorrow at 4:32 pm On the bench In the small park At the corner of Ashland and Collingwood Near your home You have something I want My first reaction was Doesn’t God consider all of the riches of the world As but a penny?! Doesn’t God consider a thousand years As but a second?! What could God possibly Want from me?! My second reaction was Isn’t that time and place Awefully specific? I closed shop a little early that next day And I sat there In the park Lots of traffic But not a soul It seemed somewhat foolish Know one there Accept the neighborhood homeless guy And, of course, me So with perpetually bad timing The homeless man blurts out Yes, all of the riches of the world are as but a penny! Yes, a thousand years is as but a second! So be aware! Now A well dressed passerby Shakes his head Without breaking his gait I was stunned Buy the time I could Muster a thought He was walking away So I Blurted out So, if all of the riches of the world are as but a penny And a thousand years is as but a second Can you spare a dime!? Without turning He lightly raised his hand Giving a somewhat dismissive gesture Just Saying Sure In a sec
This short poem is an elaboration of a joke I once heard. I liked the juxtaposition of the sense of wealth and time from a divine and a human perspective. The “better off” human(s) in this poem find themselves ironically betwixt the divine and “worse off” humans. The joke exposes the gap between God and humans, as well as the gap between “better off” and “worse off” humans. To someone with an immediate need, like the homeless, putting them off temporarily is essentially putting their need off essentially forever. If not now, when? The sad rationale that “better off” persons use regularly is that “the poor will always be with us” (to bastardize Jesus’ words), so we can help them occasionally when it is convenient for us — thanks homeless people for presenting that ongoing opportunity! Unfortunately, this typically falls far short of meeting the need of many persons at any given time.
It is no accident that I wrote and published this poem during the Christmas season. Jesus was a homeless man without worldly riches. If we were to look to Jesus as a model manifestation of humanity and divinity, then celebrating Christmas would look little like modern Christmas, with its commercialization and focus on getting and consumption. For at least centuries, humans have had the resources to meet every basic human need. Yet, a painfully huge proportion of “present day” humans go without basic needs. This fact of abundance stands as an indictment on the scarce and barren worldview that carries the day for most of us much of the time. This is a worthy reality to reflect upon this “present day.”
Well come To this ad dulled state What will it take To see the light Tell a vision Divining every yen Razing the whys Jacking up All that meters Taxi’ing every quarter our Static being drug Swallowing minute libations To our own Dram nation Pros astute Shop lifting thirsts and seconds Feigning coy Eat us Interruptus Lusting an instant To be A loan Stop the word and let me get off Yet in the end A foreign language oui read LITTLE PRINTS Exposing Astor risks Like a John going down on the Titanic Can that Be conceivably kosher Such an untold clip That diabolic scroll In nothing flat Can we circumspect nothing else So ordained A diction Razing High couture That calling NOW To see double Speak easy operators Reaching the hype Of pop culture Soda whatever happens The dream of auto pilots Every wear Fashioning model consumers In compassing all the rage Insuring all lost A luxurious cell With the laidest technology Everyone fast Food again Con fronting counter fits With an app petite To be ravenous nevermore Conquering SOBs hankering Whatever man You fractured To undemanding specks Whatever you craven
The near omnipresence of advertisements in so-called advanced civilization can lead to an addled state of mind. Capitalism cannot resist, and even lifts to a virtue, monetizing everything possible. And where does this road lead? To one big commercial, occasionally interrupted by life. The need to convince people about all of the needs that they didn’t even know they had takes unrelenting programs of repetition assaulting our senses in increasingly novel and clever ways. Our brains can find little refuge from such assaults. Weather coy interruptions or sensory overload, the lowest common denominators of sensuality, status, and power tempt and train our baser instincts to buy products basking in their glow. Unfortunately, the glow of big-screen televisions, neon lights, and fancy packaging rarely deliver even a fraction of their alleged benefits. The truth evaporates like ethereal promises scrolling by as incomprehensible fine print. We are expected to rest upon verbal promises not even worth the paper they aren’t even printed on. Such means produce similar ends. The consumer is consumed. Elusive wants grow larger the closer we get. In our dreams, we Chase Freedom™ like a fairy tail. Our simplest needs are crushed under the weight of gadgets, accessories, and the inevitable infestation of bugs in Life v.16.2.01. What we need is life unplugged. A blackout might reveal what is truly electric. Even in the darkest of ages, those who are be-wild-er-ed will find a road less travelled. The best things in life cannot be manufactured. The best things in life are free — that is, if you can pay the cost…
I am finally uploaded a new batch of Occupy Wall Street designs. This batch of 125 political designs is mostly Occupy Wall Street designs, but there are also a large series of “stop socialism” designs, a large series of Fox news parodies, and a new line of designs: vegetarian. I still have hundreds of other designs made that I still need to upload, so stay tuned.
The designs below are linked to button products, but each of these designs is available in all of Top Pun’s products such as T-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs, magnets, key chains, sticker sheets, posters, and caps.
If you like what you see, you can check out all of my political designs, which also include more Occupy Wall Street related designs.
Gandhi Quote: First Ignore, Then Laugh, Fight, Win – POLITICAL BUTTON
Yesterday, April 1st, April Fool’s Day, was the one and only performance of Occupy Toledo‘s Mock Funeral — in life (and death) there are no rehearsals, this is it! If you missed it, I truly hope that you were doing something else as fun and inspiring! Thanks to all the players, readers, eulogizers, ushers, HOMElessLAND SECURITY, providers of food, and all who helped make Occupy Toledo’s RE-BIRTHDAY possible. We rose like a phoenix from the ashes!! Occupy Toledo will re-start the physical re-occupation of Toledo on May1, May Day, the day of a worldwide general strike! Join us May 1 in Levi’s Square, downtown Toledo, St. Clair at Madison. In the meantime you can come help plan the occupation of Toledo at our General Assembly meeting every Wednesday at 6:30 pm at Third Space.
Below is a picture of our own Rev. Ed Heilman serving as mock preacher (note the dollar sign on his bishop’s hat and the dollar sign cross on the altar)
Here is Occupy Toledo’s Obituary from the Mock Funeral:
“Occupy Toledo was born October 10, 2011, to it’s parents, the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street. Born of hope, Occupy Toledo burst onto the scene in its own charmingly childish way. However, from the birth of Occupy Toledo, few people could understand what it wanted. Onlookers mumbled again and again: “What do they want?” “I don’t get it.” Occupy Toledo flailed around for about 6 months until it realized that it was too small to succeed. After scrutinizing corporate behavior, Occupy Toledo in due course discovered that the nobility of American corporations was unparalleled. The dearly departed realized that in these great United States of America, injustices are so few and far between, that it could no longer even occupy itself. Unavoidably, Occupy Toledo came to its senses, recognized its irrelevancy, and accepted that resistance to corporate rule is futile. Fortunately, in the end, Occupy Toledo had gained at least the good sense to crawl into a coroner’s office and die. Occupy Toledo died on April 1, 2012, due to apathy. Protesters were the Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2011. Gracefully, protesters like Occupy Toledo are stepping aside to make room for the inevitable Time Magazine Person of the Year for 2012: the Corporate Person, born of Citizens United, the true will of human persons across America. Occupy Toledo is survived by countless cousins around the country, many of whom have not achieved enlightenment, so they have not yet abandoned their vain struggles against corporate America, which is obviously too big too fail. The bad news is that Occupy Toledo is dead. The good news is that its condition is stable.”
Below is a picture of our own local activist doctor, Johnathon Ross, M.D., reading Occupy Toledo’s Death Certificate and pronouncing its death.
Here is Occupy Toledo’s Death Certificate from yesterday’s Mock Funeral:
“I hereby certify that Occupy Toledo, born October 10, 2011, has died on this day, April 1, 2012. The immediate cause of death was apathy. The underlying causes of death included: 1) an atrophied brain due to an overexposure to TV news and infotainment, talk radio, and so-called “reality” TV; 2) learned helplessness, due to an enlarged gullibility, making it susceptible to corporate propaganda and so-called political pundits; 3) a weakened constitution due to lack of exercising freedoms and widespread metastases of planetary consumption; and lastly, 4) pure exhaustion from running on the treadmills of trying to earn enough to maintain a decent household and fend off crushing debt.”
Of course, after the 1% overstepped their hand with their crass compulsions (by bidding on the Phoenix egg for their breakfast), the Phoenix’s prophecy was fulfilled:
“Hear this prophecy: The crass compulsion of the few to buy anything and everything is complete. The few dare to literally buy and consume the HOPE of the many. Because of this abomination of the few, the Phoenix’s prophecy is complete. The many, the 99%, Occupy Toledo, will be re-born one month from today in this same place. HAPPY RE-BIRTHDAY OCCUPY TOLEDO. Join us on May 1, May Day, a world-wide general strike, for the re-occupation of Toledo. Thus speaks the Phoenix, ‘You, the many, the 99%, shall arise again and be free. Join together with the peoples of this land and from around the world, and the few, the 1%, will be vanquished.’ “
Below pictured is yours truly, Dan Rutt, alias “Top Pun” (it’s just, my pun name), with the HAPPY RE-BIRTHDAY card placed over the tombstone announcing the re-occupation of Toledo.
If you’d like to read the Occupy Toledo Mock Funeral script, you can re-live the event, or get a greater taste of the drama of the day. Here is a printer-friendly PDF version of the Mock Funeral of Occupy Toledo.
Dead Presidents, live Presidents — it’s all about the cash, money, moola, dinero, you know the drill. I guess that it’s part of the job description of presiding over the largest and most powerful imperial superpower in human history. Enjoy your Monday, and most importantly, don’t buy everything you see, hear, or read!
Cut flowers: That bouquet you may be planning to gift today was most likely not grown in the United States. The floriculture industry taps out at $32.8 billion, and about $14 billion of that comes from the sale of fresh flowers. Around 63 percent of those blooms are imports from Colombia, and another 23 percent from Ecuador.
The labor rights facts of this industry are truly depressing. In 2005, the International Labor Rights Forum found that 55 percent of women working in the Ecuadorian flower production trade (they constitute half the flower workforce) had been victim to sexual harassment in the workplace. Nineteen percent were forced to have sex with a supervisor or coworker. Compulsory pregnancy testing is also a serious industry issue. In Colombia, where women make up about 65 percent of flower workers, a survey conducted by the nation’s flower industry union, Untraflores, found that about 80 percent of companies required women to take a pregnancy test as part of their job application process—presumably because they’d like to avoid providing paid maternity leave (required in Colombia). Another problem: In 2000, upwards of 48,000 children were found working in Ecuador’s flower industry. Colombia wasn’t much better. There have since been a number of hefty efforts at reform, and while Colombia’s been improving, the US Department of Labor still confirms extensive child labor use in Ecuador.
So, is the $17.6 billion that we will spend in the United States this year on Valentine’s Day a boon for love? Ms. Lentinova goes on to outline other issues related to environmental impacts and other labor issues related to flowers, chocolate, and greeting cards. I doubt that there is a conspiracy to make Valentines day an anti-love venture. Unfortunately, this is a particularly ironic example of how our economy is deeply intertwined with poor environmental stewardship and poor treatment of labor. I would suggest that the first line of defense would be to consume no more than needed, to live simply. The next line of defense, a close second, would be to educate oneself about how what we buy affects the rest of the world; then, to act responsibly based on that information.
We interrupt this commercial Now that wasn’t so hard Or was it?
How many times a day is our consciousness breached by some form of commercial interruption? Way too many times! I consider this commercial assault a major form of violence in our culture. This short poem is geared to get the reader to think about taking back these interruptions and reclaiming our consciousness. Rather than the commercial interrupting us, we interrupt this commercial. Initially, this may not be difficult. A momentary victory is not difficult to achieve. However, the assault of commercial interruptions is so pervasive and penetrating that keeping them out of our consciousness requires constant discipline. In the long run, avoiding those settings where commercial interruptions are prevalent is probably the best strategy. Like any kind of mindfulness or meditation practice, maintaining complete control over where the mind goes is probably impossible. Nevertheless, we can train our minds to let go the commercial interruptions and build associations in our mental state that eventually rate these commercial interruptions as not worth paying attention to. Another suggestion on the social front would be not to buy any of the crap that’s advertised. This is not really that difficult since most of the crap that’s advertised is crap. Questioning consumption and consumerism, as well as living a simple life, are long-term strategies to interrupt the violent assaults of commercials. Also, given the sloganeering and design work that I do, I like to parody and satirize the vanity and absurdity of many commercial endeavors. I find this method of fighting back both cathartic and joy producing. May the farce be with you as well!
Top Pun's mission is to maximize prophets. Top Pun creates serious, funny, and seriously funny peace and justice designs which are available on your choice of
products such as buttons, T-shirts, and bumper stickers. Top Pun blogs to highlight additional facets of his word artistry such as pun-filled poetry and funny political satire, free posters, as well as political actions of local and global importance -- and don't forget the noncommercial, public health radio show available online, Just for the Health of It . Top Pun's serious playfulness ever reminds us that justice is no yoke, and the pun is mightier than the sword!
Just for the Health of It is my weekly half-hour public health show on WAKT, 106.1 FM Toledo. You can listen at 9:00 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays (after Democracy NOW) on-air or on-line 
![Simplicity Trumps Affluence [Royal Flush] SPIRITUAL BUTTON](http://toppun.com/Religious-Spiritual/Simplicity-Trumps-Affluence-Royal-Flush.gif)
