Willie Mays, golf protests, Dr. Fauci, SDGs, climate funding, US growth, prescription prices, long Covid, white buffalo, shark attach tech
June 24, 2024 - The Nett Report
Every other week, the award-winning Nett Report provides readers with thoughtful perspectives helpful to navigating life in a changing world. Past issues.
Political Divide
“Play to win, but appreciate your opposition.” – the late, great Willie Mays. Words our political leaders should take to heart.
Are protests appropriate when they damage property?
Sunday’s PGA Travelers Championship was disrupted on the final hole when five protesters stormed the 18th green carrying smoke bombs that left red and white residues on the green, according to a story on NBC Sports on June 23, 2024. The protesters were from Extinction Rebellion, a group that believes life on Earth is in crisis with demands to tell the truth, act now, and go beyond politics. They wore t-shirts that read, “No golf on a dead planet.” It was unclear if they were protesting golf or just using the event to gain publicity. Protests were effective in stopping the Vietnam War. Are protests appropriate now to save the earth when they damage property? Please take the short anonymous survey below.
Dr. Fauci behind the scenes during the pandemic
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the recently retired director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, came under tremendous scrutiny and criticism for his work during the Covid pandemic. He and his family had their lives threatened by people who did not like the restrictions required to recover from Covid. In the July 2024 issue of The Atlantic, Dr. Fauci tells the story of “What I [he] saw inside the government’s response to COVID-19.” A short and compelling article by this admired scientist who has dedicated his life to protecting human health.
Future of Work / The Economy
“Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance.” - Singer Ingrid Michaelson, from the song “You and I.” Simple words encouraging prosperity, charity, and joy.
U.S. dollar to remain strong
Goldman Sachs Research, in a June 8, 2024 report says U.S growth wil likely continue to support the dollar through the next 12 months for the following reasons:
The US economy: Despite high interest rates, economic data keeps coming up strong.
A patient Federal Reserve: The US central bank wants to make sure inflation has been tamed before cutting rates, and the dollar could move even higher if the Fed's global counterparts cut first.
The upcoming US election: Apart from which party wins, it's probably as important for the dollar whether there's a divided or unified government. A clean sweep in Washington may make big fiscal expansionary measures more likely, resulting in a stronger US currency.
According to Investopedia, “A strong dollar allows U.S. consumers to purchase goods and services from overseas for less than if the dollar was weaker. It also helps compensate for rising inflation by keeping purchasing power from dropping too much.”
Oil production to peak in 2030 as demand declines
According to a June 12, 2024, report and press release by the International Energy Agency (IEA), “Global oil demand, including biofuels, averaged just over 102 million barrels per day in 2023, will level off near 106 million barrels per day towards the end of this decade.” At the same time, “Total supply capacity is forecast to rise to nearly 114 million barrels a day by 2030 – a staggering 8 million barrels per day above projected global demand. This would result in levels of spare capacity never seen before other than at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020.” The U.S. and other producers in the Americas are behind the surge in global oil production capacity.
Is it a lack of time or not a priority?
Strategic leadership consultant Judy Hissong recently posted a thoughtful article in a recent Nesso Strategies blog post. She wonders if we are becoming Blockheads about our leadership. She says telling someone you don’t have time to respond to their request is “a stress response — which leads you to react instead of respond. Additionally, ‘no time’ seeds doubts of trust.” She suggests using different words. “Hmmm, I’m not sure where that fits into my priorities this week, month, year, day, etc.” opens a conversation, a relationship, and an opportunity. It also removes any Blockheads from showing up!”
Health
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill
Pharmacy benefit managers jack up prescription prices
A June 21, 2024, article in the New York Times The Morning newsletter investigates how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) jack up the prices of prescriptions. In one example, a cancer drug that was wholesaled for $160 cost Blue Shield $3,000 when purchased through CVS Caremark. P.B.M.s “might steer you toward pricier drugs or charge your employer much more for your medicine than the wholesale cost. Added up across more than 200 million Americans, that means big profits for the largest P.B.M.s and higher costs for the system.” Regulators have largely ignored the issue, but now, “The Federal Trade Commission, lawmakers, and state attorneys general have suggested that the P.B.M.s. may be abusing their power.”
National Academies report sheds light on Long Covid
A new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine “presents conclusions about Long Covid diagnosis, symptoms, and impact on daily function.” A June 5, 2024, press release summarized the findings, including these:
Long Covid can cause more than 200 symptoms and affects each person differently.
The risk increases with the severity of the illness.
There is no curative treatment.
Recovery varies among individuals.
Socioeconomic status, geographic location, health literacy, and race and ethnicity all affect access to health care — and have contributed to disparities in access to testing, vaccination, and therapeutics, including treatments for acute infection and specialized rehabilitation clinics.
Although the majority of children, including adolescents, recover fully, some develop Long Covid and experience persistent or intermittent symptoms that can reduce their quality of life.
The Nett Light-Side
Rare white buffalo born in Yellowstone portends better times
A rare white buffalo born in Yellowstone National Park portends better times ahead according to a Lakota prophecy. A June 13, 2024, Associated Press story reports that the prophecy is “also a signal that more must be done to protect the earth and its animals.”
Best bird photos of 2024 from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library archive. has more than 50 million images of birds. They have showcased the best photos from last year in five different themes:
The high-speed action of Thrill of the Chase.
A look at our avian neighbors with Birds in Built Environments.
A sampler platter of food types with Feeding Time.
Spectacular poses in Birds Never Cease to Amaze.
A peek at some of the world’s rarest birds with Rare Glimpses.
Australia deploying technology to prevent shark attacks
Increases in shark attacks and fatal sharks in Australia have prompted a range of technologies to provide warnings when sharks are in the area. Last year there were 10 fatal attacks in the world and four of them were in Australia. According to a June 13, 2024, story in The Washington Post, “Australia now has the world’s largest coastal drone-surveillance operation and is installing nonlethal traps, or drumlines, that alert authorities when a shark takes their bait. These are enabling authorities to monitor sharks like never before — and have turned Australia into a laboratory for ways to prevent shark attacks.” Officials are also testing long-distance drones and ways to incorporate artificial intelligence.
About Carl Nettleton
Carl Nettleton is an award-winning writer, speaker, thought partner, facilitator, and subject-matter expert regarding water, climate, sustainability, the ocean, and binational U.S.-Mexico border affairs. Nettleton Strategies, the consultancy he founded in 2007, is a trusted source of analysis and advice on issues at the forefront of public policy, business, and the environment. He helps people and organizations to think strategically about their options for change. He is also the founder of OpenOceans Global, a nonprofit addressing ocean plastic in a new way.