Globally, 1 in 9 adults have diabetes, and by 2030 it will be the seventh leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization.
However, the Washington Post reported on November 23rd that, although sodas, like Coca Cola, are known to be bad your health because of the danger of diabetes, it is the sugar-heavy drinks that threaten over-weight and diabetes. The stuff without sugar does you little damage.
This blog was once criticised for being too party political. But what is happening out there in the world is distressing and scarcely conducive to a quiet and calm life. When UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who campaigned on behalf of Trump, describes US President Barack Obama as a “loathsome individual” and a “creature” who “couldn’t stand our country” one has to protest.
This is the fellow who wants to be a diplomat and Ambassador to the United States! No, Sir, Obama is a decent, civilised patriot, who has been stymied at every turn by opposition whose sole objective has been not to help govern the country but to get him out of power. Obama has been a good President, arguably not as active and scrappy as he might have been, but who nevertheless will be honoured among the best.
Mr. “Wreck-Everything-in- Sight” Farage will, however, be remembered for his efforts to render the United Kingdom a poor and pitied offshore island off the coast of Europe, barely bothered with by the rest of the world. This is an undisciplined man set on taking wild, unplanned and illogical leaps into the dark and incapable of thinking ahead. He is typical of some modern politicians for whom invective is policy.
We would have been stronger together than apart.
Walmart is one ne of the most profitable corporations in the world, current profitability $132 billion. It is privately owned by one of the richest families in the world. But if you need to miss a day of work owing to illness, even if you have a doctor’s note, you may find your Walmart supervisor disciplining you — an “occurrence” in corporate Walmart speak – and you could lose your job.
Walmart, the largest employer of African Americans and Latinos in the US, has always focused on maximizing profit for the Walton family off the backs of its massive workforce. Earlier this year, it “streamlined” its sick leave policy, treating it as vacation time.
Even doctors’ notes — which can be prohibitively expensive for workers on a Walmart salary — are too often ignored by Walmart supervisors. In 2014, a pregnant woman fell ill from the harsh chemicals she used cleaning. Her doctor ordered her to stop because repeated use of the chemicals “could harm her fetus and herself.” She was fired.
Last year customers were complaining about empty shelves, filthy washrooms and endless checkout lines. And then,because of endless pressure by worker-supported organizations, Walmart capitulated and raised wages. Suddenly, stores improved and sales went up. Imagine what could happen if Walmart had a sick leave policy that wasn’t a complete disgrace. ( Adapted from the Sumofus.org website)
Nobody deserves to lose their job because they get sick. Every worker deserves paid sick days. Walmart workers across North America are asking for six — just six! — paid sick days. If you treat your employees fairly and decently, they reciprocate, work better and harder and, lo and behold, profits grow. Whether that lesson is internalized is another matter.
You have a choice. You can choose between an array of superstitions, or you can believe in a set of teachings that are rational and common sense. Modern humanism is one alternative, but it is a little dry as a belief system, skirts round what happens after death, and is less forceful about friendship and ataraxia; there is nothing wrong with it – it depends upon your upbringing and personal predilictions.
Epicureanism, on the other hand, offers a rational alternative to beliefs that should have been consigned to oblivion long ago, but which are still very powerful. In some cases they are increasingly so, in response to recent attacks on religion ( self-defeating), to huge economic and social changes around the world, and to rapidly increasing inequality, corrupt government, and economic desperation. It seems that the more we know about the universe and the world around us the more strident and determined are the religionists, especially in some Moslem countries.
Human beings seem to desperately need belief in something bigger than themselves. Well, let them. Epicureanism is quiet, gentle and harmless, attacks no one, stays out of the way, does not get involved in politics (which in the US often means getting involved with religion), and doesn’t seek to take people’s money in return for telling them what to think. It is a refuge for those who are able to think for themselves, who want a quiet life with friends, and who do not want to take part in local tribal rituals. It stands for peace of mind, friendship, respect and consideration for others, for politeness and seeking how best to get along with others. It rejects bullying and crudeness, greed for money, indeed, greed for anything, and moderation in all things. Some people need this refuge from a violent world. We are all different. Epicureanism matters, but will never be more than a minority set of beliefs. Join the small minority!
My apologies for re- visiting the climate change issue again after three days, but this is important. Any hope of moderation from Mr. Trump seems to be hopeless. He knows what he knows. In a speech yesterday Trump omitted any mention of renewables and signalled a return to fossil fuels. “On energy, I will cancel job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy, including shale energy and clean coal, creating many millions of high-paying jobs.”
“Clean coal”? A contradiction in terms. There is no such thing, and pretending that the coal can be made “clean” economically, mining jobs be restored and coal be a profitable and socially acceptable option, is a whole lot of pandering nonsense. The industry is dying on its feet.
One has to feel deeply for those who often risk their lives to dig coal and who currently have no options as far as jobs are concerned. But the way to deal with the agonies of West Virginia, its unemployment, foul air and water and low standard of living, is a massive effort to re-train the workers and give big incentives for new industries to locate there, along with measures to clean up the environment and encourage retailers and strt- ups to open up there. For those who don’t know West Virginia I can assure the reader that no one in the US should be tolerating the poor living conditions there.
This Trump policy, however, affects the rest of us and threatens future generations, while being excessively cruel to West Virginians, who, without the help outlined above, will be sorely disappointed.
It is amazing that after all these years, all the statistics, reports and warnings, that anyone can still think that current climate change on this planet is a purely natural event and not caused by the activities of mankind.
