Letter from Andrew (A.J.) Hamill Encouragement, Advocacy Matter “Be the best person you can possibly be. For example: If you want to be a ditch-digger, then be the best ditch-digger you can be.” This inspirational quote was from my grandmother. I can honestly say, this is the sort of advice that our local educators—whether they are teachers, principals, superintendents, guidance counselors, etc.—need to start encouraging students with, as well as students encouraging their fellow students. We need more advocacy plus…
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Opinion - Page 89
Weekly Medical Briefs October 13, 2022 Weighted Blankets Promote SleepA weighted blanket of approximately 12 percent body weight used at bedtime prompted the release of higher concentrations of melatonin, as measured in the saliva, compared with a lighter blanket of only about 2.4% of body weight. This suggests that weighted blankets may help promote sleep in patients suffering from insomnia, according to the results from the small, in-laboratory crossover study. Sore Throat Common in COVIDHaving a sore throat is becoming…
News from the Noteworthy Celebrate Fall in Many Ways The beauty of fall—as it ushers us from the heat and activity of summer to the chill and serenity of winter—is celebratory and full of hope. Fall does not meekly transition; it sings out with color as it triumphantly faces winter. With our magnificent landscape’s celebration on full display, I have recently thought about how much our community has to celebrate. On Friday, October 14, Dr. Alberto J.F. Cardelle will be…
Column by Richard Sternberg Correlation Doesn’t Imply Causation I read a news report of a scientific article recently that was originally published in a reputable scientific journal that said something to the effect that multivitamins were good for the brain. I shared this with my daughters via text, one of whom is a real biomedical scientist. She retorted back almost immediately, “Dad, did you look at the original paper?” I hadn’t. She did. “Not only is the study flawed but…
Editorial Goodbye Columbus? On October 8, 2021, President Joe Biden proclaimed October 11 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. At the same time, he acknowledged Columbus Day as a federal holiday that would continue to recognize the contributions of Italian-Americans. This exercise was, in part, designed to placate a growing constituency in a widening “cancel culture” that opposes a celebration for a man who was nothing short of beastly to the indigenous populations that he and his Spanish patrons conquered and enslaved.…
News from the Noteworthy County Offers Host of Services for Seniors Otsego County Office for the Aging serves approximately 2,500 individuals per year on a variety of levels. Some of the major programs offered by Office for the Aging include: In-Home Services: Services are provided to assist older adults who want to remain at home, yet need assistance with daily activities such as dressing, bathing, personal care, light housekeeping or meal preparation. Personal Emergency Response System units are also available…
Letter from Gerry Welch Hurricane Proof Mobile Homes Ian’s devastating toll on mobile homes suggests that mobile home building codes need to be upgraded to be hurricane-resistant. It would be easier to manufacture mobile homes more safely than conventionally-built homes. Reinforced framing with impact-resistant siding and windows should be code. To counter storm surge or rising water, design the chassis to attach to four steel poles, ground secured, with hydraulic lifts to raise and lower the home. Safe haven in…
Column by Richard Sternberg COVID’S Silver Lining Sometimes, out of the worst experiences something good happens. At the end of my column on MASH last week, I mentioned that I have learned about creating family where you found it. Amazingly, because of COVID, I found my family that I wasn’t even aware of for the past 45 years. At the very beginning of the COVID epidemic in March 2020, a friend of mine from college who lived on the same…
Otsego 2000 Energy Statement September 2022 We at Otsego 2000 applaud the progress that has been made at local, state, and federal levels with regard to clean, renewable, and carbon-free energy production and we hope that this is only the beginning for serious, thoughtful, and timely policies to protect our environment. At the local level, leaders in Cooperstown have contracted with solar power producers in the North Country region to offset 100 percent of the electrical demand for municipal buildings…
Life Sketches by Terry Berkson Puffball hunting Yesterday morning I looked out the window and saw that a puffball was emerging from the ground at the edge of a hedgerow bordering our back lawn. It reminded me of an incident that occurred many years ago. I had taken my son and his friend, Junior, puffball hunting on a farm just outside of Warren off of Route 20. What’s different about a puffball from others in the mushroom family is that…
