Early in 2020, just as the pandemic was starting to seep into our consciousness, my doctor prescribed a large daily dose of Vitamin D, saying it might boost my immune response to the coronavirus. As I was recovering from a series of illnesses at the time she reasoned my immune system might be compromised.
Over a year later, whether that strategy was effective remains unverified in the medical literature; the studies to date are inconclusive. But I, for one, am pretty glad that she put me on that regimen.
There does seem to be a correlation with Vitamin D deficiency and many serious illnesses, possibly including Covid-19. It is estimated that 40 percent of the U.S. population doesn't get enough Vitamin D, which in natural form comes from sunlight.
But correlation is not causation, so more studies will be necessary before we'll know anything for sure. I'm only a sample of one, and last time I checked, I'm still here.
***
In an interview with The Guardian, the longtime editor of The New Yorker, David Remnick says "there is no vaccine for climate change." It's a catchy phrase, something I might have said myself on occasion, given the hundreds of thousands of words I churn out annually, but I'm happy to defer to him on this one.
He's right about that, of course, but in a more hopeful mood, there have been indications from time to time that the planet may have the innate ability to heal itself from some of the inputs our species has inflicted upon it.
In his wonderful book, "The World Without Us" (2007), Alan Weisman imagined what would happen should a sudden event, perhaps a virus, wipe out all of us humans but leave the rest of the planet's life forms intact.
As I recall, many of our domesticated pets wouldn't fare too well, but ferel house cats would be one exception. They'd do just fine. Vegetation would relatively quickly claim all of our cities and monuments. Traces of us would remain, of course, not the least of which would be the layer of topsoil we inevitably end up as in the best of times.
But it is more than a useful intellectual exercise to imagine the Earth with no people on it if only to remind us that for now, we are here and we still have a chance to save both our species and the planet. In that context, there is hopeful news today -- that despite rising military and diplomatic tensions the U.S. and China seem to be cooperating on climate change.
Now that's a fortune cookie I'm happy to share...
***
The headlines:
* Former President George W. Bush on Sunday called on Congress to tone down the "harsh rhetoric" on immigration, adding that he hopes that doing so will "set a tone that is more respectful" of immigrants and lead to more reform. (CNN)
* A Year In, Here's What We Know About Vitamin D For Preventing COVID (NPR)
* Half of U.S. adults have received at least one COVID-19 shot (AP)
* The pandemic changed the workday, but will transit riders return? (WaPo)
* Clubhouse closes new round of funding that would value app at $4 billion -source (Reuters)
* A woman driving by a vigil for a shooting victim was fatally shot in the head Saturday evening, and five others were wounded, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Ohio. (CNN)
* Throughout Trial Over George Floyd’s Death, Killings by Police Mount (NYT)
* Authorities are searching for a former sheriff's detective after an Austin, Texas shooting left 3 dead (CNN)
* Suspect apprehended in fatal shooting at Wisconsin tavern (AP)
* FedEx Gunman Bought 2 Rifles After Police Seized His Shotgun, Chief Says (NYT)
* Despite diplomatic clashes, U.S. and China vow to work together on climate change (WaPo)
* Putin Critic Alexei Navalny 'Could Die At Any Moment,' Doctor Says (NPR)
* Protests planned across Russia to 'save Navalny's life' as West warns Putin (Reuters)
* Debating Exit From Afghanistan, Biden Rejected Generals’ Views (NYT)
* Union’s defeat at Amazon is shaking up the labor movement and exposing a rift between organizers (WaPo)
* Some Jan. 6 defendants try to use journalism as riot defense (AP)
* 100 Days Without Trump on Twitter: A Nation Scrolls More Calmly -- Democrats are breathing easier. Republicans are crying censorship. For all of the country’s news consumers, a strange quiet has descended after a four-year bombardment of presidential verbiage. (NYT)
* The 10 Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Trump after his supporters stormed the Capitol raised significantly more money during the first quarter of 2021 than they did two years earlier. (WSJ)
* Humans solve problems by adding complexity, even when it’s against our best interests (WaPo)
* David Remnick: There is no Vaccine for Climate Change (The Guardian)
* The Incredible Shrinking And Growing Brains Of Indian Jumping Ants (NPR)
* Hester Ford, the oldest living American, has died. She was either 115 or 116. (CNN)
* New Sympathetic Alarm Clock Just Lets You Sleep (The Onion)
***
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
Songwriters: Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie
-30-
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