Sunday, April 26, 2020

CONTROVERSY -- ENVIRONMENT -- SQUIRRELLY


CONTROVERSY
The Stanford study findings as reported in my previous post have created a lot of controversy.  Now a Los Angeles study supports the results of the Stanford study.  Neither of these studies have been published yet to receive peer reviews.   These reviews are vital critical steps in research to examine study elements replicability, credibility and reliability to determine if they are valid to also support the conclusions. 

These studies do indicate the virus is much more widespread than has been thought.  Additional information suggests the first U.S. West Coast cases occurred earlier than believed, possibly in California, not Washington. 

Questions are being raised about the reliability of the study tests used.  Another source of bias was the manner in which social media was used to obtain participants. 

This information is pertinent in determining what is best for each of us to consider in order to prevent our contracting or spreading the virus as discussed in this Modern Health Care Associated Press (AP) article.  Pertinent cautions are offered for individuals and government officials formulating policy including: 

"Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, said the tests are not well validated and they overestimate the number of people who have been infected. Some may conclude that if that many people have been infected without symptoms severe enough to seek a test or medical attention, it's not a major threat.
"The problem is they've given a false sense that this is not a bad virus after all," Topol said. "It's bad math, bad tests and bad outcomes for the confusion that it engenders."
Meanwhile, more people are gradually being tested but so many more should have been tested earlier and still need to be now. 

Most recently critics of the Stanford Study include Travis Gerke, an epidemiologist and visiting scientist at Harvard who discusses another of the study authors, John Ioannidis, also a highly regarded epidemiologist.  He “... has wondered if Ioannidis should consider rereading his own most famous paper, “Why Most Published Research Findings are False.”

“His current study fits most of the high-risk criteria for falsehood that he outlines, such as publishing in a really hot scientific field with few corroborating studies, using a small bias sample, [and] reporting provocative findings in a politically charged arena,” Gerke said.”

This all matters because decisions about how we best protect ourselves, whether or not we shelter-in-place or freely resume business as usual, moving somewhat safely about in our communities, are highly influenced by the results of these studies and more to come. 

Incidentally, the next time we read articles on any topic citing research studies we might be wise to consider if any high-risk criteria for falsehood might apply to their study conclusions.

ENVIRONMENT
One upside positive effect of this virus is on our environment here in So Cal.   Los Angeles now has some of the clearest air in the world since we have so few polluting autos on the road.  Air is cleaner elsewhere in the world too, including China and India cities.   More wildlife creatures are making their appearance on the streets in surrounding communities since fewer humans are infringing on what was once the animals’ habitat.  Mother Earth may be sending us a message, but will we listen?

A downside is that this virus is (just as are organized violence. riots, insurrection) a wanna-be autocratic leader’s dream, offering the opportunity to legally take more control of a country, all in the name of securing health, safety and security of the citizens.  Fostering confusion and chaos helps create an environment conducive to being able to take such action with the approval of many citizens.  Maybe even justifying declaring martial law. 

Controls will all seem quite justified and acceptable to the people as they relinquish their freedoms – but with that kind of leader they may never regain those freedoms in the future.   In fact, citizens may lose even more freedoms – truth will become obscured, the press will parrot only the government’s view, dissension will not be tolerated.  History tells us this has happened repeatedly in the past and in our lifetime even now. 

We might want to keep that in mind during our Cornonavirus in the weeks and months ahead.  Can we count on Congressional oversight and our Constitution to insure we would regain any freedoms if we have any taken from us expecting them to be returned?    


SQUIRRELLY
Anyone following this blog knows that as shelter-in-place due to the coronavirus was initiated, simultaneously I was without my internet connection and phone land line for almost a week before a repairman was able to come troubleshoot the problem (glad I also had a cell phone).  Fortunately, he didn’t need to come into the house which neither of us wanted.   Seems as I wrote then, he diagnosed, then repaired lines outside my house because some critter – likely a squirrel – had chewed my wiring, creating my communication life-line catastrophe.

My affection for these bushy-tailed squirrelly rodents has been gradually decreasing through the years due to their escalating misbehaviors increasingly outweighing, in my mind, the cuteness of their behaviors.   The past few weeks I’ve repeatedly had to retrieve from the patio cement, items that I had to return to the patio table where they belonged.  I couldn’t understand what was happening with these objects.   One afternoon I glanced out the glassed-in-door-window from my living room to see a switching fluffy-tailed squirrel in obvious deep  thought as he reclined on my lounge chair next to the patio table.  My detective-self pondered the evidence, then thought, aha!

While he/she squirrel was not actually caught in any malevolent acts, I am firmly convinced that squirrel is attempting to move in and take over my residence.  First, the attempts to sever my connection to the outside world.  Then comes the repeated mysterious disorienting relocations of my possessions on the patio table as he moves closer to accessing the interior of my house.  So, there he was, reclining in my lounge chair, plotting his next move.  I carefully moved to unlock my door to confront him but Squirrelly instantly departed upon hearing my lock’s click.  We will likely have a  day of reckoning in our future.   

As if I don’t have enough on my mind with this CORVID-19, though I can take comfort that isolating the past five weeks in my home isn’t getting to me.  I only talked to that web designer spider once, but now they say a possibly worse virus rebound in the fall accompanied by the flu is a possibility, then we may have a food shortage in another year.  My mind reels.

I wonder if I should start a raised garden in my backyard – but what about the squirrel – will he come with his pals and even invite the birds?  The raccoons, possums and skunks can't be far behind.  I’ve noticed the mockingbirds flitting about as they follow my every move when I go outdoors, I suspect calling reports to one another in ever-changing song language codes.   Meanwhile I haven’t lost my sanity – I’m only paranoid, or maybe that's a virus transmitted from our nation’s leader.  I’ll have to take each day as it comes.

19 comments:

  1. Till about twelve years ago we used to have squirrels coming into our garden to steal grain we used to keep for the birds. The first invaders were cats who came for the birds and the collateral sufferers were the squirrels. I am not thinking of restarting the birdseed feeding and it will be interesting to see if the squirrels too will return despite the presence of cats.

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    1. That sounds like an interesting dynamic for you to be observing. — squirrels and cats. Look forward to your reports on what happens with those creatures.

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  2. I have not really liked squirrels although they may have their place. Every living thing has its place. But squirrels have always been rats with bushy tales to me. They will eat almost everything.

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    1. The squirrels do seem to try to take over everything so can appreciate what you say.

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  3. We are all in a learning curve now, including the animals. I am posting Monday about unusual animal behavior I recently witnessed. Had to smile a bit about your squirrel lounging and plotting. It is in all likely hood he thought you had moved and was readying the plan to move in:)
    Seriously, they can do a lot of damage. Scaring him off was a good idea.

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    1. I just hope the squirrel doesn’t go after my internet and phone lines again. Look forward to your account on what you’ve observed with the animals.

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  4. Oh, don't underestimate those squirrels! They are a crafty and sly breed. Watching them assess distances and possible routes to my birdfeeder has convinced me that they are plotters and revenge-seekers.

    Stay on your guard!

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  5. It's an unknown time and where it comes to meat at least, I'd say don't count on it in your stores. When the virus impacts workers or demands businesses shut down, how did we figure we'd get our own food? Pandemics are new to the human condition other than in family stories (like my families) or what we read. I suspect we didn't expect it to happen again or thought we'd be better able to handle it-- turns out not so much and that's whether federal or state.

    One thing that has bothered me is the varying levels of this virus. So the West Coast got a different version than the East Coast coming from Europe. Does that mean we can all get the other version? Hard not to wake up concerned about it.

    The other thing is all the diverse information. I can turn on the TV or read articles and find whatever I want for an opinion. Not just one source that is 'truth'. Scary

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    1. Lots of confusion, I agree, but some truth is out there. I take precautions I think appropriate and don't fret the rest as most is beyond my control.

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  6. Does anyone recall what the squirrels said when humans moved into the neighborhood? They probably find us pretty pesky.

    As to mockingbirds: They utilize frequency agile encoding.

    Were the wires suspended? Underground? Gnawed between where they emerge from the ground and where they enter the building?

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    1. I think the squirrels may have said, “There goes the neighborhood!”

      Definitely the mockingbirds have their own communication system.

      I don’t know the specific locations of the wires since I didn’t go out to observe what the repairman was doing, but think from what he described the gnawing occurred at the point where the wires entered my house. Years past the power company man said they had problems with the electric lines being chewed where the line to the house emerged from the main pole causing outages. A couple dead squirrels have been found in my yard, having been electrocuted.

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    2. Yes, back when all electrical power was strung from poles, the squirrels found the most accessible place - at the house. Even underground cabling gets gnawed, at times, though.

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  7. It's hard to know if all the facts and figures given out by politicians are true or false. Certainly the official UK virus death toll is grossly understated, since it still doesn't include deaths in care homes, hospices and at home.

    For all their faults, I love squirrels. But if you have bird feeders, squirrels are endlessly ingenious at getting into them and raiding the contents. It drove my mother crazy!

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    1. That’s leaving out some significant numbers if they don't include the sites you mention. The squirrels are ingenious figuring out how to get to the bird seed.

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  8. I had a very on again, off again relationship with squirrels when we lived in Illinois. We had a chestnut tree in our yard which drove them into a frenzy every fall. I also had a bird feeder that they managed to destroy. On the other hand, they were so funny to watch.

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    1. Can appreciate having mixed feelings.

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  9. Somehow the stuff about squirrels seems to be the highlight of your long post. Recently a commentor on my blog told me about the use of pepper to ward off squirrels. Haven't tried it but I will soon.

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    1. Somehow with so much other going on in our world, focusing a bit on squirrel problems in my quirky way might be a relief for all of us to think about.
      I'm not sure how I would distribute the pepper on my patio though I could possibly put some on the phone/internet line. I was told hot red pepper sprinkled on the dirt would ward off a cat that decided to repeatedly use an area by my front door as it's litter box a few years ago. So I purchased a restaurant size bottle of the stuff but never got to use it because the cat abruptly stopped coming. I suspect the coyotes may have ended the cat's wanderings from wherever home was. Thanks for the info.

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