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Experts, Politicians Need Strong Dose Of Humility

With COVID-19 inducing so much turmoil here and around the world, I again refer to one of the most profound concepts for understanding political and economic manipulations, as I have multiple times in the past, the pretense of knowledge. Even though it might leave a great deal unknown and unpredictable, true knowledge is better than having a “pretense of exact knowledge that is likely to be false.” We as a nation, as in the people, the organizations, and the government entities, frequently rely on experts and, as a general rule, that is a good thing. Experts often spend a great ...

Country Living Is A Good Thing

Next to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, I would rate Merle Haggard as one of the most gifted country/western singers of our generation. He sang from the heart. I was saddened when he died a few years back, but his music lives on. In his song “Big City,” he spins a tale of getting “tired of these dirty old sidewalks” and wanting to get back to country living. In words that resonate to the bottom of your boots, he implores the big city to “turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana!” I feel he is speaking for me though I am living on a lake in ...

Stage Is Set For Work On The Lake

By Vince Horrigan As the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance prepares to enter our sixth year prioritizing projects, securing funding, and allocating resources for our 26 member agencies, there is much to reflect upon and much to be excited about moving forward. Prioritizing Projects: This summer’s lake-wide program includes 15 member-led lake and watershed projects consisting of stormwater management, invasive species detection and removal, phosphorus monitoring (harmful algal bloom source detection), new Mobitrac and skimmer equipment to enhance near-shore weed ...

Bankruptcy For States Hurts, But May Help Workers

In a recent radio interview, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested that instead of federal bailouts to help fund states’ employee pensions — which are even more stressed than usual due to the economic damage wrought by COVID-19 — Congress should give states the option of declaring bankruptcy. It’s a hardline stance, and bankruptcy is not something to take lightly. Still, we shouldn’t dismiss the idea offhand as merely an alternative to bailouts, or as some kind of punishment for fiscal troublemakers. In some specific cases, it may open the door for reforms that ...

Stay-At-Homers Care So Much, It Hurts — Others

Almost by the minute, data and research are pouring in confirming that government — at the local, state, and federal levels — has disastrously overreacted to the coronavirus. Let us count the ways: ¯ A cavernous part of those infected with the virus do not experience any symptoms. ¯ Prevalence in the total population is likely dramatically wider than initially thought — and thus, the COVID-19 case fatality rate is much lower than originally advertised. ¯ Not a senior citizen? Slender — or at least, not obese? Enjoy solid respiratory health? Wash your hands often? Avoid ...

The Lighter Side Of Virus Lockdown

There is certainly nothing humorous about the coronavirus pandemic. We mourn the loss of life and livliehoods. We miss our families, our sports, our jobs, and the carefree days of just eight weeks ago. But life has gone on, albeit inside our homes, and the requisite problems of home life haven’t gone away. Some of the stories are just plain funny and others will have you feeling grateful you don’t share the same predicaments. There’s the family that was in the middle of having their only bathroom remodeled when the stay at home orders were called. They show a picture of their ...