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Rolla Peace News March 17, 2020 |
Dear Friends:Webperson's note: If you are having trouble reading this, it is posted atIn this newsletter is: 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 2. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) Coronavirus Blowback i) William Shakespeare on Hand-Washing ii) Sanctions: an Attack on Public Health iii) Kudos for China iv) Disease of the Wealthy Countries v) What's Next? 1. NOON VIGIL FOR PEACE: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 We vigil for peace in front of the Rolla Post Office, THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 19, FROM NOON TO 1:00 PM (and most subsequent Thursdays until Peace is established). Please join us again this Thursday in saying NO WAR AGAINST IRAN or any other country. The temperature is predicted to be in the 60s. If you do not feel comfortable standing with us in front of the Post Office, please consider driving by and showing your support for our message by honking your horn and flashing a peace sign. 2. THE MISFIT MATHEMATICIAN (Tom's column, http://tomsager.org) Coronavirus Blowback i) William Shakespeare on Hand-Washing ii) Sanctions: an Attack on Public Health iii) Kudos for China iv) Disease of the Wealthy Countries v) What's Next? Corona Blowback William Shakespeare on Hand-Washing Gentlewoman In truth, I am tired of writing about the COVID-19 coronavirus; yet, here I go again.Sanctions: an Attack on Public Health Here are three articles on Iran, Venezuela and Cuba and how US sanctions have degraded Public Health in these countries. I suspect Iran, Venezuela and Cuba will continue to do the best they can under the circumstances to inhibit the spread of the Coronavirus. Perhaps, in the long run, better than many far wealthier countries. Iraq is another case. Sanctions of Iraq, 1990-2003, probably killed well over a million, mostly children, of preventable disease. It was known in the halls of government that this was happening, yet it continued for 13 years. China appears to have the COVID-19 coronavirus under control. Over the last 10 days, China has averaged 20 new confirmed cases per day.Kudos for China China claims that if the rest of the world takes appropriate measures, as China has, the pandemic will be over by June. China has objected to the use of the name Wuhan Coronavirus, pointing out that the virus may not have originated in China. I agree. And I apologize for having used that name in the past. And I think the Chinese and some others know exactly how it originated; and I suspect at some point they will go public. If I had anything to do with starting this pandemic, I'd be quaking in my boots right now. Taking a look at the 20 countries with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases. They are, in order:Disease of the Wealthy Countries China, Italy, Iran, Spain, Germany, South Korea, France, United States, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Portugal. Except Iran and Malaysia, they are all relatively wealthy countries in North America, Europe, Australia and East Asia. One can ascribe various reasons for this, but I can't help thinking: “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” —Matthew 19:30 (KJV) This is what really scares me. As I've stated before, I think the world is primed for a really serious epidemic, one which will make COVID-19 look like the common cold. Think, for example, of a respiratory infection like COVID-19, but with all the characteristics of HIV/AIDS. That's scary.What's Next? The world better learn to put aside its differences and learn to work together. Rolla Peace News is distributed by email once a week on Tuesday evenings (except on rare occasions) and is posted on the web at http://tomsager.org (click on Grassroots Rolla: at the top of rightmost column). If you don't wish to get notices of peace events in the Rolla area, let me know and I'll take you off this list. If you want to be added to this list, let me know. Wage peace, Helen helenm (at) fidnet.com |