REVIEW POTPOURRI: Paragraphs from E.B. White

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E. B.White

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Paragraphs from E. B. White

I offer two paragraphs from E.B.White’s One Man’s Wheat in which he writes about the movies from the sweet peace of his Brooklin, Maine, farm in May 1939:

“There is no movie house in this town so I don’t get to many pictures; but I keep in touch with Olympus by reading Motion Picture magazine and the daily papers. On the whole, this is a higher type of entertainment than seeing the films-although I miss Tarzan and Lamour, and I am not getting ahead very fast with my study of trees in the movies, a work I have been engaged in for some years.

“The newspapers, of course, keep one informed of the marriages, births, deaths, separations, divorces, and salaries of the stars. If Gable weds Lombard, I know about it. When Tone and Crawford reach the end of the road, I am informed. Separations and divorces are scented with the same delicate orange blossoms as marriages and elopements, the same romantic good fellowship. One of the most interesting accomplishments of the film community, it seems to me, is that it has made real for America the exquisite beauty of incompatibility. Divorce among the gods possesses the sweet, holy sadness which has long been associated with marriage among the mortals. There is something infinitely tender about the inability of an actor to get along with an actress.”

A footnote to the above-mentioned actor Franchot Tone (1905-1968). He is one of the most underrated actors I have ever seen in films and his roles as Roger Byam in 1935’s Mutiny on the Bounty and the President of the United States in Otto Preminger’s 1962 Advise and Consent conveyed his talent at sucking the air out of a room.

Vivid moments from two recent concerts:

I traveled to Portland for the last concert of the Symphony’s 2018-19 season on May 13 at downtown’s Merrill Auditorium. It featured guest conductor Jeffrey Kahane who had already directed two previous concerts this season. Kahane lives with his wife in Santa Rosa, California, and they have another home in Denver, Colorado. He resigned in 2017 as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra after 20 years.

The Maestro led the Beethoven 1st Piano Concerto by memory from the keyboard. He then conducted a powerful Rachmaninoff The Bells for choir, orchestra and soprano, tenor, and baritone soloists and finished with Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful showpiece, Capriccio Espagnol. The Orchestra has achieved considerable growth in the more than 45 years since I last attended a concert under one of their former conductors, Paul Vermel, who did do very good performances with it. I remember a Berlioz Romeo and Juliet, Charles Ives 2nd Symphony, Brahms Violin Concerto with Itzhak Perlman and a nicely-staged Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte.

Last Saturday’s Detroit Symphony live link featured the 26 year old Italian-born pianist, Beatrice Rana, in the Sergei Prokofiev 3rd Piano Concerto with the Orchestra under guest conductor, Kent Nagano. The Concerto, completed in 1921, was premiered by the Chicago Symphony in 1922 with the composer as soloist. Its technical demands are ferocious, its rhythms very compelling but it has the most exquisite delicacy and lyricism. Ms. Rana brought a wonderful balance of these musical qualities to her playing .

The accompanying Bruckner 3rd Symphony has the gripping power, serenity and eloquence of that composer, along with long stretches of development that need the right pacing or the symphony could become quite dull. As with long-gone conductors Eugen Jochum, Herbert von Karajan, and George Szell and the still living Ivor Bolton and Daniel Barenboim, Nagano met these challenges.

The concert can still be watched for a while through the DSO link.

My favorite Mamas and Papas pop song has always been the 1966 hit record, Go Where You Wanna Go; for those who no longer have that record, it can be heard through YouTube.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Fighting the opioid epidemic

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(NAPSI)—According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care professionals could save more than 130 lives lost to the opioid epidemic each day.

How? With a deeper understanding of pain, pain medication and addiction, especially related to opioids. Communities rural and urban are witnessing a growing and deadly phenomenon, while health care providers feel caught between prescribing guidelines and patients’ needs.

To address this issue, doctors, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, pharmacists and other clinicians can take courses from CME

Outfitters and USF Health, supported by an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson, that provide strategies for how and when to prescribe opioids, better understand the biologic underpinnings of pain and addiction, and look at targeted, effective and safe treatment alternatives.

Fighting the opioid epidemic in our communities goes beyond educating the health care professionals who prescribe opioids to educating patients as well. If you are prescribed an opioid:

  • Make sure you understand your treatment and what to expect
  • Learn how to safely dispose of unused medication
  • Understand how to help loved ones struggling with addiction
  • Know what lifesaving measures you can take in case of an overdose.

Learn more at www.cmeoutfitters.com/rx4pain.

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: An open letter to Gov. Janet Mills regarding the NECEC project

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by Bob OConnor
Citizen Town of China
Founding board member of China Lake Association

Dear Governor Janet T. Mills,

This is my Open Letter to you to consider revising your stance on the NECEC project (CMP-Quebec Hydro). Please require that NECEC put the new power lines underground.

Recently the federal “Environmental Protection Agency says Central Maine Power’s permit application now being reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its controversial New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line project is incomplete and needs a ‘detailed analysis’ of alternatives.”

I want to speak to these alternatives and suggest that the NECEC Change their plan and REQUIRE that the HVDC line be fully put underground.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

Underground lines are Safer from Environment Extreme Climate events, Wind and Ice Storms. Transmission towers like the proposed came down in a heap during the 1998 Ice storm in Quebec. (Pictured above)

There was even more ice damage in Quebec than in Maine.

Severe windstorms can also take down these towers. See Google for more examples of the vulnerability of these towers and find many recent examples of failure of these towers due to storms. The trend going forward is for more frequent and more severe storms.

Putting the HVDC lines underground will almost totally eliminate Storm damage.

2. SABOTAGE / TERRORISM

Underground lines are much safer from Sabotage from some misguided person or group.

See the current Canes Film Festival winner from Iceland Woman at War to see how easy it is to sabotage power lines using a bow and arrow. (Shown in Waterville Maine).

This movie shows the necessity of police patrols with helicopters, drones and heat sensitive cameras. The new isolated rural 43-mile line is likely to require regular patrols that will further upset the wildlife and people.

Putting the cables underground would significantly reduce the possibility of sabotage.

3. NO HERBICIDES NECESSARY

With the current plan, CMP will be using herbicides that will adversely affect the Maine woods, wetlands, streams and ponds. Putting the wires underground would eliminate the need for herbicides.

4. GO UNDERGROUND

This picture to the right shows the comparison of land disturbance of above ground HVDC towers with underground HVDC lines.

This image from Page 17 of the EuropaCable document attached shows how much less intrusive underground HVDC is. It shows in the first example, 100m (328 ft.) wide path tower path (1) and the 12m (40 ft.) underground path (4). This is an 88 percent reduction in path width.

There is very little electromagnetic radiation from HVDC underground lines (versus AC lines) and light farming can even be done over the underground cables.

Also note that the two alternate route RFP’s from Vermont and New Hampshire proposed using HVDC underground lines to Quebec Hydro.

See attached document that gets into the details of HVDC underground Europacable ‘Introduction_to_HVDC_Underground_Cables_October_2011‘.

Governor, please consider modifying your stance on the NECEC project and STIPULATE THAT THE CABLES BE PUT UNDERGROUND.

Thanks.

VETERANS CORNER: Questioning the reasoning behind location of temporary housing at VA

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Fisher House, under construction, located near wetlands. (photo by Gary Kennedy)

Gary Kennedyby Gary Kennedy

Hello my fellow vets. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve communicated via media. Most of what we have talked about via blog and phone had political overtones so I haven’t been able to address those issues in the paper. Most of what veterans are going through at this time have deep political overtones. So, I will just try to address other issues that affect we veterans by using a different venue.

One issue that seems to be bothering some of you is the new congestion at the Togus VA facility due to the advent of the construction of a new building in front of building #200. Building #200 houses most medical specialties such as ENT, Orthopedics, Cardiology, Spinal Cord, Physical Therapy, Gastro and much more as well as the Emergency Department. All this being said, this is a critical and very busy area.

Handicapped veterans are dropped off here and ambulances arrive here. Of all the buildings housed on the VA facility this is by far the busiest. Veterans have made complaints about what they consider an already congested area. This has turned out to become an even more serious problem with Regional Director Ryan Lilly’s decision to allow the building of the Fisher House directly across the street from this main entrance.

As I understand it, the Fisher House will accommodate families of inpatient veterans, on a temporary basis. I have been told that the Fisher House is being built through some sort of grant/trust fund. The problem here is where the new regional director, Ryan Lilly, decided to place this very big unit. Grants are wonderful but should not have stipulations of placement. VA has 500 acres and supplied transportation, if needed; location shouldn’t make a difference regarding placement.

The two most important issues regarding the placement of this massive undertaking is putting it in an already congested area and also allowing the building to be built in an area always considered to be protected by the Wetland Mandates. Within a few feet of where this building is being placed is a pond teaming with shiners (small fish), reeds containing frogs and cricket; who have always permeated the evening air with their well known and very soothing songs. Also, it has always been a sanctuary for ducks and geese. It has been a safe haven and feeding source for the migrating ducks and Canada geese for as long as I can remember. I have been going there for nearly 50 years.

Perhaps federally-controlled land falls under different rules and regulations than does domestic lands. I will have to research that more. If you have knowledge or feelings about this issue please let me know. I have contacted the department of wetlands but haven’t had a return call as of yet.

As you might recall, the previous VA Director, Ryan Lilly, initiated the Veteran Homeless Housing issue which met with some resistance as the housing was placed on federal land which has always been reserved for the VA medical facility and its future growth. At that time Mr. Lilly stated he might even consider expanding that housing idea. My question would be, does he have that kind of authority? The idea is good but the location is very poorly thought out. Our homeless vets need shelter but not next door to the hospital. There have been problems with other homeless facilities but that information wasn’t shared with our state officials. I and others feel that more oversight should be given in the future to avoid invidious overtones, of which there seems to be some. Since Mr. Lilly has been promoted to regional director it seems that the local directorship has been given to someone sharing a nepotic or at least close relationship with Mr. Lilly, Ms. Tracye Davis. The Peter Principle, which stated something regarding being promoted to the height of incompetence, might apply here. The Epiphany here should be obvious; VA problems most likely remain the same, under the same leadership principle. Ms. Davis will oversee 43,000 Maine veterans using a budget of $370 million. We will just have to watch.

God bless.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Support For People With Disabilities On The Journey To Work

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(NAPSI)—About 40.7 million Americans have some kind of disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. If you or someone you care about has a disability, you may wonder what it means for employment. You may be encouraged to know that there are supports and services available that can help you or your loved ones pursue work and reach your goals through Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program.

Ticket To Work Program

The Ticket program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits and want to work. This program is free and voluntary. Program participants select a service provider to help them prepare for, and find, a job. The provider may be a State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency or an Employment Network (EN)—a public or private organization that has an agreement with Social Security—to offer:

  • Career planning
  • Job placement assistance
  • Ongoing employment support.

These career development services and supports are unique to each individual. Participants work with their service providers to develop a customized plan and identify the supports they need to reach their work goals.

Finding A Path To Financial Independence

The road to financial independence looks different for everyone. Whether joining the workforce for the first time or returning after a difficult diagnosis, there are challenges that each person must navigate. Working with a Benefits Counselor and Ticket to Work service provider can help you remove some of the obstacles and learn more about the resources available to you.

This could include Social Security Work Incentives, which are designed to help you transition to the workplace. A Benefits Counselor can help you learn more about Work Incentives, including which ones you qualify for, and discuss how working will affect your benefits.

If you connect with an EN, the EN can help you find answers to questions, whether they’re about reporting your wages to Social Security, requesting job accommodations, or even how you can advance your career to earn even more money.

With the knowledge, support and services of a Ticket to Work service provider, you may find yourself on the path to success and financial independence through work.

Learn More

For more information about the Ticket program, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday.

SOLON & BEYOND: News from beyond, yarn trail, and a letter from a 13-year-old

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be Happy!

More news from beyond: The New Portland Community Library is holding its annual Chinese Auction at the Happy Horseshow Campground, in Lexington, on May 25. Tickets are $1 per ticket or 5 for $5; bidding opens at 10 a.m. and winning tickets will be announced starting at 11 a.m. This is a fun way to get something you’ve always wanted for a small price and to benefit the library at the fundraiser. On Saturday, June 1, the library is holding its annual plant, bake and book sale from 9 a.m. to noon at the library. Get some great munchies for your table, plants to spruce up your gardening spot, and books to read on a lazy summer day.

Now for more beyond news: “More yarn fun is to be had by joining the Maine Yarn Cruise. Twenty-one yarn shops from across Maine are hosting a summer-long shop-hop beginning on Friday, May 24, and running all the way until Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2019.

“Please join other fiber enthusiasts from across Maine (and beyond) for the Maine Yarn Cruise, a 20-plus yarn hop spanning the state of Maine. You’ll have all summer to “cruise” around, visiting as amany or as few shops as you like. Each shop will be awarding prizes every month to a lucky participant.

“To get started, pick up your passport (plus a tote bag and some other goodies) here at Happyknits, then have your passport stamped at each shop along the way.” This e-mail was sent by owners, Sarah, Karla and Mart Lou.

As you all know by now, I was born in Flagstaff, Maine, and lived there until we were all flooded out by Central Maine Power …. and so I probably feel stronger about their proposed CMP Corridor than some of you. ……….I thank all of you who have written letters to the editor against this project. The one that touched my heart the strongest was published in the Irregular weekly paper, of Kingfield, by a 13-year-old boy! These are the words of one of our youths: “No to the CMP corridor. I think CMP shouldn’t be able to cut down trees to make more power lines. The only way it would be okay is if this money were going to a fund to save the Earth and replace the trees.

“CMP will make millions of dollars off of this operation, and maybe more if they sell the trees. If they can do that, I would be angry because they would be taking jobs from smaller logging companies. CMP already makes a lot of money. They don’t need to take away jobs from other people.

“They already have a lot of power lines. If they need more, they should be able to do it in an area where they don’t need to cut so many trees.

“In looking at their history, like what they did in Flagstaff, it may be a lot of work and no gain.”

To think that a young boy would take the time to write a letter like that about our Maine wilderness, that means so much to him. But…..those last words in his letter really choked me up!

Sorry, I have not left enough room for Percy’s memoir, but I’m sure he forgives me.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Odds and ends, for the fun!

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by Debbie Walker

I have so many pages of magazines that I have ripped out and saved for “someday.” So, you may think this is Thursday, but guess again, it is Someday!

“Someday” is finally here! Guess what. You know how the clothes dryer tends to steal socks? I know you must have noticed. We are always left with that one sock. You don’t have to throw that lonely sock away. It still has a purpose in life:

It will make a great skillet potholder. Just slip the sock up onto the handle, ta-da the sock has a life!

You can use the now famous sock to protect holiday decorations or…

Fill that single sock with rice, stitch it closed and put a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil in it. You heat it in microwave for one minute. What you now have is a homemade heating pad that will also aid in your falling asleep. You can also put this sock in the freezer for a cold pack.

More Rice (the rice is always uncooked). Would you believe rice can be a room deodorizer? Measure a half cup of rice and 10-20 drops of your favorite Essential Oil. Place in a pretty dish out of the way of children and pets.

Do you have a dog? Take a sock, insert an empty plastic water bottle and close it off. Your dog will have hours of fun chewing and crackling the bottle.

Did you know you can use hair conditioner for a moisturizing body cream, use it when you shave your legs, use to remove make-up? Use your imagination for more uses.

Did you know you can basically un-shrink wool sweaters? Fill a sink with warm water, dissolve one tablespoon of conditioner. Soak for 30 minutes. Allow it to dry on a rack and let me know how it worked out for you.

Have a wart? Cut a small piece of a banana peel and tape it over the wart. Replace it every night for two weeks. Then check and repeat if necessary.

Now this one I have been doing for years. Crayola Chalk – I am not sure what kind of chalk I used but… Put your silverware, silver jewelry, etc. in an enclosed container (I used baggy for my silver jewelry) and add several pieces of chalk. My jewelry has not tarnished, it’s been years!

How about some kitchen remedies for what ails you? You don’t take my word for it. (You might want to check out if these are safe for you with your doctor or pharmacist.)

Backache – Tabasco Pepper Sauce: Massage the hot sauce into your back and sore muscles. There is capsaicin in the sauce. If you feel any burning apply some Colgate (white) toothpaste over the dried tobasco sauce. Do not use this in an open wound.

Feet – Cool Whip: Put a coating of Cool Whip on your feet to soothe. Wait 15 minutes, then rinse clean. The oils moisturize and soften skin. (My mom would have used this in a much different manner! She loved any form of whipped cream!)

Okay, that is enough for now. We’ll do more kitchen remedies at another time. I’m just curious if you found anything you want to try. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with any questions or comments. Thanks for reading.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Tchaikovsky

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Tchaikovsky

Piano Concerto No. 1
Ida Czernecka, pianist, with Laurence Siegel conducting; Nutcracker and Swan Lake ballet excerpts; Alberto Lizzio cond.; Orbis CCC 001, CD, recording date unknown.

Ida Czernecka

Ida Czernecka was born in 1949 in Bratislava, Slovakia, and has lived there since.

She is well-known there as a pianist and teacher but much below the radar elsewhere. This CD is my introduction to her uniquely exquisite and powerful artistry.

Her Tchaikovsky 1st is one of a distinguished catalog and very compelling. I have played it several times in the last two weeks. Along with many other Eastern European CDs, it too has circulated on numerous, mostly inexpensive labels such as the above Orbis.

Laurence Siegel

Maestro Laurence Siegel is an actual conductor whose name I have seen listed on other recordings but not heard any of them. His collaboration with the pianist is also superb.

Alberto Lizzio

Alberto Lizzio is one of several pseudonyms used by the conductor, record producer and con man, Alfred Scholz (1926-1999). The google pieces on him are quite interesting; the performances of Nutcracker and Swan Lake chunks hold their own.

Czernecka’s Tchaikovsky’s 1st and her recordings of Chopin, Mendelssohn and other composers can be heard on YouTube. She is one well worth the listening by those who cherish exceptional pianists.

Tchaikovsky quote: “Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.”

 

 

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: “The way I see it” from a 60-year firefighter and former chief

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China Village Volunteer Fire Department. (Internet photo)

by Sheldon Goodine
54-year member of the SCVFD, Inc., and retired chief

Two years ago the selectboard discussed a stipend for the firefighters. They did this without any input from the three fire chiefs or department members. When it was brought to our attention the members of the South China Volunteer Fire Department said we don’t need it and don’t want it. But, it was put on the town warrant at town meeting and the voters approved the expenditure unanimously. Turns out this just became a carrot on a stick for the selectboard. It was just one little way for the selectboard to gain some control over the volunteer fire departments.

Next they wanted us to open our books so they could see how much money we earned from fundraisers, and wanted to deduct this amount from our annual budget request. Let’s see how that might work out. If our budget request was for $20,000 and our annual auction netted $4,000, the selectboard wants to only give us $16,000. But, if we did not raise $4,000 from a fundraiser, our budget request would be $24,000. Duh!

Budget request for this year – The selectboard wanted to cut the amount requested, but the budget committee voted for the total amount presented to the town. At the town meeting the voters upped the requested amount by $7,000 and it was approved unanimously. This brought the amount appropriated up to the amount requested by the fire departments. This turned out to be a stinging blow to the selectboard, and they are now trying everything they can do to try to gain control of the volunteer fire departments. In June, I’ll start my 60th year as a volunteer firefighter, and during that time I have only received two stipend checks. I will continue to receive the yearly stipend check, but will turn it over to the department to use as needed. I joined as a volunteer and will continue to do so.

Time spent work as a firefighter – Both the chief and deputy chief of the SCVFD, Inc., will put in more hours individually in a month’s time than the entire selectboard members will put in collectively in a full year. When an alarm comes in and a chief officer arrives on the scene to take command, he has to make life or death decisions at any moment. He has the authority to shut down power lines, close roads, and use any available equipment that is located near the scene as needed. None of the selectboard members has that authority.

Money management – For 70 years of our 72-year history, the SCVFD, Inc., has built a new station and bought several trucks over the years. When we backed our four trucks into the new station, we owed nothing on the building and everything in it. We look for and apply for grants as they become available. Our newest truck was awarded to us from a grant for which we applied. We had in our equipment savings account enough money for our share of this equipment. This truck was around $202,000 and the cost to the town of China was $0. However, nothing is for free so as a federal taxpayer, you may have spent a fraction of a penny on the new truck. How is that for money management?

Emergency Services Building – The selectboard wants to have a town-owned fire station at the north end of town. Let’s look at this idea. A new fire station for five or six trucks would cost $3 – 4 million. Five or six trucks would cost about half a million dollars each. The town of China is unique in that we have four villages in the town and have fire chiefs located in three of these villages. The fourth depends on help from Palermo just across the town line. Travel time spent going to the north end of town before a response can even begin has the potential of causing more loss of life and property damage. Many of the newer buildings are using new building materials that burn faster and with higher heat. Maybe in years to come this will happen but then firefighters will need to be in the building 24/7. What will happen to property insurance for folks not living near a fire department: their insurance premiums will skyrocket.

The three departments combined have available 65 firefighters and 14 trucks. The reports in the town report show that South China responded to 88 calls; China Village 82 calls; and Weeks Mills 56 calls, for a total of 226 calls. This is not a true total as on a lot of these calls all departments showed up as mutual aid. China Rescue responded to 263 calls.

Operating budget – Try operating a company of 24 people and five trucks on a budget of $24,000 annually – it is impossible! But not for volunteers. That’s what we do now. Compare this to the rates and costs of operating a municipal fire department.

The way I see it, it’s not the money or how it is spent that is the problem for the selectboard. The selectboard just wants to have total power and control.

I want to thank the taxpayers of the town of China for their past support of the volunteer fire departments and pray that it will continue. However, the actions of the selectboard may have opened a can of worms that will discourage the will to volunteer and has the potential of costing the town millions of dollars.

See these related articles:

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: China selectmen explain their position on the fire department stipend controversy

Selectmen, fire chiefs engage in heated debate over town funding

China selectmen respond to fire chiefs’ letter

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: An open letter to China residents from the town’s fire chiefs

2019 China town meeting: Selectmen, firemen get approval on stipend increases

SCORES & OUTDOORS: A ferret could save your life some day, seriously

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

In a published report by Matthew R. Bailey, president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research, up to 41.3 million Americans contracted the flu this season, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 500,000 people have been hospitalized because of the virus. Thousands of people have already died of the disease.

But an end to flu seasons altogether may not be far off. Several research teams are working on the first “universal vaccine,” capable of fighting multiple strains of the virus. Such a treatment could effectively wipe out the disease.

These researchers’ chief obstacle isn’t science but politics. Some radical activists are pushing lawmakers to ban the use of animals in medical research — like studies for a universal flu vaccine. Curbing animal research will consign countless people to preventable suffering and death.

Flu season tends to elicit little more than a shrug from most people. But it’s surprisingly deadly. Each year, the influenza virus kills as many as 650,000 people worldwide. Last flu season, more than 900,000 Americans were hospitalized and 80,000 died — the most in 40 years.

The death toll would be far worse if not for medical advances made possible by animal research. Tamiflu, the first oral antiviral of its kind, was developed thanks to research in mice, dogs, rats, and ferrets. Scientists created the flu vaccine via research in chickens.

The vaccines and treatments currently on the market don’t provide total protection against influenza. There are many different strains of the virus, so it’s tough to predict which strains will be most prevalent in any given year.

That’s problematic, because vaccines are manufactured months before flu season starts. If those vaccines don’t match the virus strain that’s circulating in a given year, people can fall ill despite having received their shots.

Patients desperately need new and better treatment options. And thankfully, research in animals is yielding insights that could lead to universal flu vaccines.

Consider the work of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. They are developing a universal vaccine. When they inoculated mice, rabbits, and ferrets with the experimental therapy, the animals’ antibody responses lasted for over 30 weeks — long enough to be effective throughout flu season. The team intends to advance to human trials in the next two years.

And then there’s the research in llamas. Just a few months ago, a paper published in the journal Science posited that a nasal spray containing antibodies from llamas could be the key to universal flu prevention.

Despite the promise of this research, many activists remain committed to ending animal trials.

They believe that computer models and cell cultures are complete alternatives to animal research. But even the most powerful computers are insufficient to simulate all the chemical and biological processes at work in a living organism fighting a pathogen like the flu. Cell cultures can’t capture all the other action going on inside a living body — some of which may have an unforeseen impact on its effort to fight an invader like the influenza virus.

Ferret models have yielded especially informative insights for researchers, since two of the most common flu strains in humans also naturally infect these animals.

Within a decade, scientists could feasibly wipe out the all-too-common influenza virus, which kills hundreds of thousands of people each year – as long as activists don’t deprive them of the essential research.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher?

Answer can be found here.