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What to do in case of drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1-4. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 drowning deaths occur per day in the U.S. In addition to fatalities, thousands of children are hospitalized each year, with many suffering brain or lung injuries. Most of those drownings occur in home swimming pools. This local story from Alicia C. is about what you can do to help in a drowning situation.

I was at Dania Beach with my husband, young daughter, and a group of families. One minute I am mingling with my child’s friends and their parents, enjoying an effortless day with my toes in the sand…

The next minute, we witness a father pulling his lifeless child out of the shallow water. The young boy’s face is red and his father is in disbelief, trying to shake the life back into him. The boy is 4, but petite, and is wearing a puddle-jumper swim vest, fully connected. He had been in very shallow water. The inlet is low tide. His father was almost within arm’s reach of him and interacting with him moments before.

Our friends, Kandice and Jen O., are first responders and jump in to give this frantic family assistance. A crowd envelops the boy and the two firefighters, which shields the graphic nature of this situation from our children. The boy is in serious trouble.

The family is agonizing over the reality of what is happening, helpless to do anything but worry and to scream in fear. It is crushing my soul to bear witness to. Their cries of devastation will haunt me. Then an ER nurse, Abigail B. from Massachusetts, jumps off a parked boat to assist.

The boy begins to turn blue, and the three of them start CPR. At this point, we have to redirect our children’s attention. We try for a minute to put on this act for our children, and we downplay what is occurring, but time keeps moving on, and eventually, I feel that we need divine intervention. So, my child, my husband, and I pray on our knees for this little one.

Suddenly, we see our firefighter friends carrying this child and sprinting (barefoot) all the way down the long, long path to the parking lot. They are trying to get this child to the ambulance because the ambulance can’t drive out to where we are.

I have never seen something so heroic in my whole life. This child lived. This child made a full recovery — through the miracle performed by these three strangers (on their day off, with no equipment, no warning, no gear, nothing, just their strength and willingness to do whatever it takes).

We are putting in a swimming pool this month, and I always had a fear of the hazardous risks they pose to children my child’s age. There may not always be a first responder around, so I am committed to getting recertified in CPR, and anyone else who lives in Florida should too

Kandice and Jen recommend the following precautions for everyone, not just parents of children:

  • Take swimming lessons (even for adults who may have to save themselves or a child). Flotation devices should never be substitutes for attentive adults.
  • Designating a “water watcher” is a necessity if more than one person is watching kids. Accidents often happen with large gatherings because it’s easy for each adult to assume someone else is watching for danger.
  • Learn CPR/first aid, so that you can save a life if the time comes.

“Anybody who knew CPR could’ve contributed to that happy ending,” says Kandice. “And the fact that the parents weren’t actually very complicit should be a lesson to us all.”

For more information on National Drowning Prevention Awareness Month (which was in May), visit the National Drowning Prevention Alliance at ndpa.org. Also, check out the Parklander’s® May 2021 article on pool safety fences.

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Technology’s threat to our security and democracy

Make no mistake about it: Our advanced technology is posing a serious threat to national security as well as to the foundation of our democracy. No one said it more clearly than the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking: “The creation of artificial intelligence may be the worst event in the history of civilization.” He’s not alone. SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who knows something about technology, says, “Artificial intelligence could start World War III.”

The application of artificial intelligence to military operations is so great that nations have formed units of cyber warriors. In other words, they are skillful hackers. In effect, we are in an arms race of a different kind. Because so much of what we do is computerized now, it’s all vulnerable. A system is secure only until it’s breached. You’ll remember that last year we saw the worst-ever cyber attack on the U.S. when our Department of Energy was hacked. A cyber expert reported that at least 50 organizations were hacked. Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, said he was impressed by the sophistication and scope of the attack.

In their book “Cyber War,” Richard Clarke, a security expert, and Robert Knake explain what cyber warriors can do. For instance, they hacked into Syria’s defense system to reprogram radar to show empty skies at a certain time
so that Israeli fighter planes could attack a manufacturing plant. Hackers can also cripple a nation in various ways. For example, Russia shut down Ukraine’s banking system for a week. Think of the consequences of that in the U.S. We already know that our electric grid is fragile and vulnerable.

The danger of ‘deepfake video’

Add to these threats the developing technology that allows the creation of video that’s so real and convincing, you cannot tell it is fake. They’re now called “deepfakes.” Before long, with the advancing technology, a kid in his basement could produce one and put it on social media.

Two law professors with expertise in technology are waving red flags of danger. Writing in Foreign Affairs magazine, Robert Chesney of the University of Texas and Danielle Citron of the University of Virginia describe scenarios that could launch a war. Imagine the consequences of a video showing a nation’s leader announcing that missiles have been fired at another country, or of an ISIS leader announcing a chemical attack — videos that could cover the world in minutes and that cannot be determined to be fake.

Clarke and Knake warn about another aspect of this that’s especially frightening. Skillful hackers can sneak into a computer system without being detected. Once they can bypass a system’s security, they can go in at any future time and adjust programs to do great damage. Some systems in the U.S. may already have been breached without us knowing.

The threat to our elections

Besides the aspects of war, the available technology poses a threat to the functioning of democracy in various ways. As you know, U.S. intelligence agencies are sure that Russia interfered in our presidential elections, spreading false information and targeting individuals to receive specific information on social media. The truth may never catch up to the inflammatory falsehoods that spread like wildfire through social media because they’re more interesting and colorful. People are more likely to spread false information if it reflects their bias.

Cyber warriors in a hostile nation can sow confusion about our elections, discontent based on false information, and scurrilous lies about a candidate or officeholder, which can affect the outcome of an election. In their article about deepfake videos, Chesney and Citron say “the prospect is chilling” that the technology can disrupt our democratic elections, which are

the foundation of our democracy. “There is no silver bullet for countering ‘deepfakes,’” they say. Will we have a functioning democracy if we cannot agree on what’s true and lose public faith in the legitimacy of our elections? A believable fake video could destroy the career of a public official.

The world’s leaders are not ignoring these threats, but what can they do? The Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity is meeting without fanfare to deal with the integrity of elections. The commission is led by Michael Chertoff, who was secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was NATO secretary- general and a prime minister of Denmark. Deepfake videos are one of their concerns. They’re trying to push nations into a cooperative effort to deal with the threat to elections because no nation can do it alone. As they put it, “The future of democracy is at stake.” Can a warning be stronger than that?

In any event, the technological genie is out of the bottle. Algorithms, artificial intelligence, and the rest cannot be put back in. Those who are now waving the red flags of danger may be the Paul Reveres of our time. Are we listening? What will we do? What can we do?

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(Please) Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

“It was a quiet morning, the town covered over with darkness and at ease in bed. Summer gathered in the weather, the wind had the proper touch, the breathing of the world was long and warm and slow. You had only to rise, lean from our window, and know that this indeed was the first real time of freedom and living, this was the first morning of summer.”   ⎯Ray Bradbury, “Dandelion Wine”

Many of us have cherished childhood memories of the specialness of summer. We measured it, of course, by the last day of school. My sister and I made paper chains weeks before that last day and excitedly took off one link each night before we went to bed.

But summer, perhaps just another solstice to the science-minded, was magic. It was the best.

“Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.  ⎯Harper Lee, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Ray Bradbury’s story of 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding’s idyllic summer might not have garnered as much literary attention had it begun with a more technical definition of summer.

“From an astronomical view, the equinoxes and solstices would be the middle of the respective seasons, but sometimes astronomical summer is defined as starting at the solstice . . . often identified with the 21st day of June in the northern hemisphere. . . . The meteorological convention is to define summer as comprising the months of June, July, and August.”  ⎯Sir Robert Ball, “Elements of Astronomy”

Makes you want to rush down to the old swimmin’ hole, doesn’t it? Whichever path you choose, summer 2021 presents a unique, pandemic-coated pastiche of optimism and trepidation.

Way back in February, James Hamblin of The Atlantic magazine waxed hopeful under the headline “A Quite Possibly Wonderful Summer”:

“Families will gather. Restaurants will reopen. People will travel. The pandemic may feel like it’s behind us — even if it’s not.”

That’s the clincher, isn’t it? “Even if it’s not.” The CDC advised against travel in late March but by April said it was fine. Meanwhile, Disney Cruise Line canceled more of its Florida-based sailings as well as its normal plans for European sailings this summer.

MSNBC reported in mid-April that more than a quarter of those eligible for vaccination in the United States had received both injections.

They’re safe, right? Right? We’re safe? Everybody’s safe. Or is it like Nazi dentist Laurence Olivier looming over Dustin Hoffman in “Marathon Man”? Is it safe?

My iPhone sounds its Sherwood Forest horn alert with the “Sun-Sentinel” headline “COVID-19 in Florida: 5,520 new cases and 7 more dead.” An “Orlando Sentinel” alert immediately answers back: “Weekly infections up, but residents’ deaths down.”

My wife and I have been following all the rules to avoid the virus. We’ve been very careful. We’re in our 70s and I have a respiratory condition that goes back to having pneumonia in the sixth grade.

By the end of March, we had received both vaccinations. We had to drive from Boynton Beach to Pembroke Pines to receive them, but it was worth it. We feel safer somehow. It was like a cleansing.

My publisher was quick to point out, aptly I reluctantly admit, the biblical connection here, both to the cleansing and to the season.

The Feast of Saint John closely coincides with the summer solstice. That’s John the Baptist, mind you, the guy who specialized in cleansing people of their sins in the Jordan River. He dunked Jews and gentiles alike, which would have been perfect for my wife and me because we have one of each.

We’re as excited about flying to Seattle in May to see our grandsons, daughter, and son-in-law as my sister and I were taking paper links off our “countdown-to-summer” chain more than a half-century ago.

There always seems to be a “but” in every new positive report that’s issued. We still have concerns. We remain on guard. But, yes, I said it ⎯ things are looking up.

I upgraded our tickets to guarantee an open seat between us. The Cleveland Clinic says airplane ventilation systems may actually temper the spread of the virus. Research at Harvard University suggests air travel is safer than grocery shopping.

Yeah, give me more of that kind of stuff.

Just please, please, don’t let me hear Jared Kushner tell us, as he did last spring, that the United States will be “really rocking again” by July. Someone stuff a sock in him.

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Technology’s threat to our security and democracy

Make no mistake about it: Our advanced technology is posing a serious threat to national security as well as to the foundation of our democracy. No one said it more clearly than the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking: “The creation of artificial intelligence may be the worst event in the history of civilization.” He’s not alone. SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who knows something about technology, says, “Artificial intelligence could start World War III.”

The application of artificial intelligence to military operations
is so great that nations have formed units of cyber warriors.
In other words, they are skillful hackers. In effect, we are in an arms race of a different kind. Because so much of what we
do is computerized now, it’s all vulnerable. A system is secure only until it’s breached. You’ll remember that last year we saw the worst-ever cyber attack on the U.S. when our Department of Energy was hacked. A cyber expert reported that at least 50 organizations were hacked. Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, said he was impressed by the sophistication and scope of the attack.

In their book “Cyber War,” Richard Clarke, a security
expert, and Robert Knake explain what cyber warriors can do. For instance, they hacked into Syria’s defense system
to reprogram radar to show empty skies at a certain time
so that Israeli fighter planes could attack a manufacturing plant. Hackers can also cripple a nation in various ways. For example, Russia shut down Ukraine’s banking system for
a week. Think of the consequences of that in the U.S. We already know that our electric grid is fragile and vulnerable.

The danger of ‘deepfake video’

Add to these threats the developing technology that allows the creation of video that’s so real and convincing, you cannot tell it is fake. They’re now called “deepfakes.” Before long, with the advancing technology, a kid in his basement could produce one and put it on social media.

Two law professors with expertise in technology are waving red flags of danger. Writing in Foreign Affairs magazine, Robert Chesney of the University of Texas and Danielle Citron of the University of Virginia describe scenarios that could launch a war. Imagine the consequences of a video showing a nation’s leader announcing that missiles have been fired at another country, or of an ISIS leader announcing a chemical attack — videos that could cover the world in minutes and that cannot be determined to be fake.

Clarke and Knake warn about another aspect of this that’s especially frightening. Skillful hackers can sneak into a computer system without being detected. Once they can bypass a system’s security, they can go in at any future time and adjust programs to do great damage. Some systems in the U.S. may already have been breached without us knowing.

The threat to our elections

Besides the aspects of war, the available technology poses a threat to the functioning of democracy in various ways. As you know, U.S. intelligence agencies are sure that Russia interfered in our presidential elections, spreading false information and targeting individuals to receive specific information on social media. The truth may never catch up to the inflammatory falsehoods that spread like wildfire through social media because they’re more interesting and colorful. People are more likely to spread false information if it reflects their bias.

Cyber warriors in a hostile nation can sow confusion about our elections, discontent based on false information, and scurrilous lies about a candidate or officeholder, which can affect the outcome of an election. In their article about deepfake videos, Chesney and Citron say “the prospect is chilling” that the technology can disrupt our democratic elections, which are

the foundation of our democracy. “There is no silver bullet for countering ‘deepfakes,’” they say. Will we have a functioning democracy if we cannot agree on what’s true and lose public faith in the legitimacy of our elections? A believable fake video could destroy the career of a public official.

The world’s leaders are not ignoring these threats, but what can they do? The Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity is meeting without fanfare to deal with the integrity
of elections. The commission is led by Michael Chertoff, who was secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was NATO secretary- general and a prime minister of Denmark. Deepfake videos are one of their concerns. They’re trying to push nations into a cooperative effort to deal with the threat to elections because no nation can do it alone. As they put it, “The future of democracy is at stake.” Can a warning be stronger than that?

In any event, the technological genie is out of the bottle. Algorithms, artificial intelligence, and the rest cannot be put back in. Those who are now waving the red flags of danger may be the Paul Reveres of our time. Are we listening? What will we do? What can we do?

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Dietitian’s View – What’s Healthy Now?

There has been a lot of conversation lately about the word “healthy,” and I must admit it made me take a minute and ask myself, “So what do people think is healthy?”  In working with clients over the years, I’ve learned the interpretation of healthy can mean a myriad of things. These differences in opinion on “healthy” can be a challenge to staying on point in the well-being lifestyle, so I hope today’s post will help clear things up.

I found several definitions, but the one most suitable is the definition from the Collins Concise English Dictionary — ”Healthy is the state of being bodily and mentally vigorous and free from disease.”  The definition penned by the World Health Organization (WHO) is “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”   Next, when going to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for guidance, you may really be in a pickle. They currently allow the use of the term “healthy” on product packaging only when products meet specific nutritional guidelines, which now focus on limited levels of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Even with today’s more conscientious culture of natural health and improved nutrition, several very important food items are left out of the current FDA guide.

Almonds, avocados, and salmon miss the mark, according to the FDA. Here is an overview of what these foods bring to the health table:

Almonds are a powerhouse of nutrients. Of all the tree nuts, ounce for ounce, almonds are the most nutrient-dense. They contain protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin.

A one-ounce serving has 13 grams of “good” unsaturated fats and only 1 gram of saturated fat. They are cholesterol- and gluten-free. Almonds are also rich in magnesium, which aids in heart health and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, several research studies have shown that these nuts can be effective in reducing bad cholesterol and preserving healthy cholesterol.

Avocados (which are fruits) contain almost 20 vitamins and minerals in each serving. Nutrient content of this produce item includes potassium, which can aid in controlling blood pressure, and folate, which is a key in cell repair and helpful during pregnancy.  Avocados are high in fat and calories, so it is important to adhere to the recommended serving size (1/5 or 1 ounce of a medium avocado). Two to three thin slices or 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado will give the correct amount. Avocados are also high in antioxidants, which contribute to cell health.

Salmon is a higher-fat fish, and it’s the fat that contains Omega-3 fatty acids, making this seafood a good choice. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, or good fats, include a lower risk of arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. These fats have positive effects on memory, performance, and behavior.  Research has also shown promising results from omega-3 fatty acids in studies of depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  The American Heart Association recommends eating 3.5-ounce portions of fish, such as salmon, at least twice a week.

These foods may not have a seat at today’s FDA table of healthy foods. However, after taking a look at their nutrient makeup and the perspective on health and wellness in the 21st century, it looks like the regulatory agency may be persuaded to revisit the topic of what’s healthy. As for me, I’ll leave each of those delicious foods on my list of good and healthy things to eat.

Takeaway: To ensure you are making wise and varied meal choices, it is crucial to learn all the facts about the nutritional content of the food items you bring to your table.

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World Oceans Day: Tips for a healthy future

The United Nations’ World Oceans Day is June 8. The oceans cover over 70% of the planet. They are our life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on Earth.

Below are some tips and resources so that every member of the family can take part in a healthy future for what many people call the “blue heart” of our planet:

Protect your local watershed. Regardless of how far away you are from the ocean, your local watershed is connected to it. By taking steps to understand and protect the rivers, creeks, streams, and other bodies of water that flow into our communities, we can help ourselves and the ocean. EarthEcho’s annual Water Challenge runs from March 22 through December 31 and is a great way to join millions of people worldwide who are doing just that! Visit www.monitorwater.com to learn more.

Use soaps and detergents that are phosphate-free. Think of it this way: Whatever goes down the drain can end up in local waterways and, ultimately, the ocean!

Reduce your overall water usage and conserve vital groundwater by switching to low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets.

Opt for landscaping that uses native plants and minimizes your impervious surface. Plant vegetable gardens and native pollinator patches instead of high-maintenance lawns to avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This benefits both your health and the ocean’s health, as these avoid toxic runoff that is causing coastal “dead zones”around the world.

Practice food with thought. Whenever possible, look for sources of food that are local or regional in origin. Farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture can provide an abundance of affordable and healthy seasonal foods that contribute to the economic health of community farms and other businesses. When you buy local, you are also helping reduce emissions that contribute to climate change, a significant factor in ocean health.

Make sure your seafood purchases are sustainable. Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org/home) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (www.asc-aqua.org) labels, as well as local sustainable seafood guides, can help. For making good choices when eating seafood at or from restaurants, we like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch app (www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/our-app).

Use mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen. Or where possible, opt for barrier covers like lightweight clothing or long-sleeved rash-guard swimwear (www.ewg.org/sunscreen).

Make repairing and reusing priorities in your home. Invest in high-quality pieces and consider consignment options to give your clothing longer wear. Repair or refurbish furnishings and small appliances. While these may not seem like the most obvious actions to take for ocean health, manufacturing and transport create significant amounts of carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to climate change. The ocean traps a quarter of those emissions and 90% of the excess heat they cause.

Ditch the plastic habit. Plastic pollution is now found in every part of the ocean and poses one of the biggest threatsto ocean sustainability, marine life, and critical seafood resources.

  • Take the reusable water bottle habit to the next level by investing in metal or silicon straws, reusable grocery bags, reusable food storage like jars and silicon bags, and personal-care products like toothpaste tablets and shampoo bars to reduce plastic waste.
  • Get a filter for your drain or a microfiber-catching laundry bag to reduce the microplastic fibers in your wash water/greywater.

For more information and resources, please go to www.earthecho.org.

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Trolling for kingfish with Capt. Lemieux

Capt. Chris Lemieux had been fishing for about a minute when a kingfish grabbed one of the two bonito strips that he was trolling behind his boat.

That was followed by another kingfish and, as soon as Lemieux put out the next bait, another one.

That’s how good trolling for kingfish can be off South Florida during the month of June.

“Generally, we get the spring run right now and catch a lot of kingfish,” Lemieux said. “June and July are good, then it’ll kind of slow down and pick back up in August or September.”

Fishing on a sunny afternoon in 90 to 110 feet of greenish water just south of Boynton Beach Inlet, Lemieux saw the first kingfish get off and then so did the second one, but the next king, about an 8-pounder, made it into the boat. That was followed by a kingfish double-header of a 10-pounder and a 13-pounder for Lemieux’s customers.

His anglers also caught four bonitos, which are members of the tuna family that don’t taste anywhere near as good as their relatives. The hard-fighting fish are a challenge to land, and as one angler labored to reel in his third bonito, Lemieux joked, “Are you trying to let that fish get bigger?”

Lemieux kept those bonitos to fashion future strips, which consist of a thin layer of meat on the fish’s shiny skin cut into the streamlined shape of a baitfish. Fished in combination with a flashy, feathery lure known as a Sea Witch, bonito strips are especially effective this time of year.

He fished the strips behind planers on heavy, two-speed conventional outfits spooled with an 80-pound braided line that were trolled from rod-holders on each side of the stern.

“You catch them this time of year on the planer, the smaller ones,” said Lemieux, a Boynton Beach firefighter who, on his days off, runs trips on his Conch 27 center console for everything from snapper, tuna, and dolphin to sailfish, sharks, and swordfish (www.lemieuxfishingcharters.com). “I’ve caught kingfish on planers everywhere.”

Lemieux rigs a bonito strip on an 8/0 long-shank J hook. He slides a Sea Witch down the leader so it rests atop the strip, giving it the appearance of a flying fish or other baitfish. This day, he used a blue-and-white Sea Witch and a pink one. Both colors were effective.

He trolls with planers to get the strips well below the surface. Essentially a weighted, rectangular piece of metal, a planer dives to a range of depths, depending on how much line is let out. Lemieux fished a No. 4 planer on the long line, which he let out for 40 seconds, and a larger No. 6 planer on the short line, which he let out for 20 seconds, so both strips were down 30 to 40 feet. Staggering the strips prevents tangles.

One end of a planer is attached to the mainline and the other is attached to the leader. Lemieux used 80 feet of a 60-pound fluorocarbon leader, which he pulled in by hand after the planers were reeled to the rod tip.

“Some guys use a lighter leader, some guys use heavier, it just depends on your preference,” he said. “When the fish are biting good, I try to get a little heavier on them. When it’s a real slow, picky bite, you can go down to even a 40-pound leader if you want to.”

Another proven kingfish tactic is to fish live baits from a fishing kite. The kite flies behind the boat and baited lines are attached to clips on the line attached to the kite. That gets the baits away from the boat and allows them to splash on the surface to attract attention from kingfish as well as sailfish and tunas.

Lemieux put up a fishing kite with three lines baited with live goggle-eyes on Fin-Nor Marquesa Pelagic 40 conventional reels with a 20-pound monofilament mainline, a 40-pound leader, and a three-foot piece of wire leader attached to a 6/0 hook. Lemieux also put out three flat-line live baits on spinning outfits.

Things got interesting when the kite bait closest to the boat got whacked by what turned out to be a 43-pound kingfish. Moments later, a huge bonito took off with a flat-line bait. Fortunately, the two fish did not tangle the lines.

The big king dumped a bunch of line, but Lemieux chased it down, gaffed it, and lifted it into the boat. After that kingfish, and the bonito, his exhausted anglers called it quits.

“There’s always a few smaller kingfish around like we caught trolling, and there’s always a few big spawners around,” Lemieux said. “If you have access to live bait, you’re going to catch bigger fish on the live bait.”

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Honor with Action Coalition seeks community support on school safety

The Alyssa’s Legacy Youth in Schools Safety Alert Act, commonly called the “ALYSSA Act,” is legislation on school safety created in memory of 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, one of 17 victims who perished during a mass shooting at Parkland’s Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. The quiet city has now been added to a growing list of other memorable mass shooting sites that include Columbine, Sandy Hook, Blacksburg, Pittsburgh, Tucson, Aurora, Las Vegas, San Bernardino, Orlando, and El Paso.

Mass shootings, homicides, suicides, and accidental shootings accounted for 43,542 gun-related deaths in 2020, but gun sales remain at an all-time high. Every day, nearly 119 people die from gun violence in this country, according to Heather Chapman, a co-founder of the grassroots organization Honor with Action Coalition. The coalition was started when a group of Moms Demand Action volunteers branched off to start their own organization. “As Moms volunteers, we were limited to the legislation we could pursue, so we started Honor with Action and now have the dual focus of school safety and gun violence prevention,” said Chapman.

The group works with local organizations and also connects with leaders from larger ones to provide opportunities and resources. The coalition also connects volunteers with local and national groups and shares educational opportunities, updates, calls to action, training, and events.

The ALYSSA Act is a two-part legislative initiative that involves the installation of silent alarm systems in elementary and secondary schools and funding for school resource officers. The panic alert system can notify emergency services, staff, and students, and it provides two-way communications about specific information in a life-threatening emergency.

“Seconds save lives, and the ALYSSA Act does just that,” said Angela Weber, Honor with Action Coalition co-founder.

Alyssa’s Law was designated HB23/SB70 and passed in the 2020 legislative session. It was sponsored by Rep. Michael Gottlieb, Rep. Dan Daley, and Sen. Lauren Book. This bill is only for the state of Florida and requires mobile panic alert systems in public and charter schools. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, school staff are required to activate the mobile panic alert system (Alyssa’s Alert) in the event of an emergency. Alyssa’s Law was signed into law in February 2019, and similar legislation is being debated in New York, Nebraska, and Arizona.

The Honor with Action Coalition was formed less than a year ago, yet it’s made excellent progress. State-level priorities for the coalition include a notification of a “threats in schools” bill, HB951/SB1284, proposed by Rep. Daley and Sen. Shevrin Jones, which provides requirements for reporting specified threats and incidents in schools. Another piece of legislature, HB7035 by Rep. Christine Hunschofsky and Rep. Chip LaMarca, is moving through the legislative session. Additional bills include SB836/HB455 by Sen. Jones and Rep. Omari Hardy to establish an urban core crime and violence task force, while HB167/SB428 sponsored by Rep. Hunschofsky and Sen. Tina Polsky focuses on safe gun storage. On the federal level, the coalition is working to help pass the ALYSSA Act for school safety alerts, Ethan’s Law for safe firearm storage, and HR8/HR1466 requiring background checks on all gun sales and a ban on assault weapons.

Chapman had a poignant message to lawmakers: “Our country has seen staggering numbers in death tolls due to a pandemic, yet I would like to remind Congress that we have an epidemic that is uniquely American — gun violence. After the attack on the Capitol in January, I would hope lawmakers now understand the fear our children face in schools across the country,” she said. “The problems of school safety and gun violence can be significantly reduced if they would pass federal legislation to turn the corner on the intolerable numbers of dead, injured, and traumatized citizens.”

U.S. Rep. Joshua Gottheimer of New Jersey will reintroduce the ALYSSA Act to a new Congress, with the co-sponsorship of Rep. Fred Upton, Rep. Elise Stefanik, and Rep. Carlos Jimenez. According to Chapman, New Jersey elected to install a hard-wired alert system but Florida decided that a mobile phone app alert system was more practical and cost-effective.

“The app is a good solution because if a student is in between classes, on a playground, or on a soccer field, he or she has access to both receiving and sending information,” said Chapman. “School districts have the option of choosing the system that works best for them and how it will be utilized.”

Formed less than a year ago, the Honor with Action Coalition has made excellent progress. Its steering committee meets regularly, and a campaign of public education and information on contacting representatives is ready to launch, but it remains on hold until the bill is formally reintroduced. “It takes a while for the process to unfold; we’re being patient but we are moving forward,” Weber emphasized. “We’ve made corrections to the text of the bill and know the committees it will be sent to. When it’s officially filed, we’ll be ready to go.”

The local coalition continues to seek the support of lawmakers in Washington, D.C., but communicating is difficult because many legislators work remotely. Where it was once possible to speak with a legislative aide or legislative director, messages are now forwarded to a voice mailbox. “This political limbo stalls the process, but it doesn’t stall our efforts,” Weber said. “Locally, the pandemic has limited the number of events we attend, but our Facebook page is updated frequently, making it easy for people to engage in our efforts and provide opportunities for calls to action.”

The Honor with Action Coalition has united with local and national groups to promote gun safety and school safety bills at both the state and federal levels. “The goal is a focus on legislative policies that promote safe firearm ownership, school safety, and support for victims of gun violence,” said Weber.

Follow the Honor with Action Coalition on Facebook and sign up for updates and calls to action at honorwithaction.com.

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Self-esteem: Part of the basics, not just a byproduct

By Dr. Simone Alicia, D.D, h.c

Take a shower, brush your teeth, mind your manners, and nurture your self-esteem. Those are the basics for our kids, right? Along with eating healthy, studying, and going to bed on time, most of us would agree that these are foundations of proper physical and emotional health.

Yet, there’s something strange on that list. Something that is always expected from our kids, but usually left off of the list of basic life lessons: It’s self-esteem.

Some say it’s just a byproduct that comes from doing other things, like sports, dance, or theater. But is that enough? Or do we need to teach self-esteem more directly?

As a self-esteem coach, one of the first things my young clients learn from me is that self-esteem is “the way we think and feel about ourselves.” I love that definition because it empowers kids to take charge of what they are thinking about anytime that they want. And they quickly learn that their thoughts affect their attitude, beliefs, and behavior!

Now, picture it, your kids just finished watching a drama-filled series online, then they played a few hours of a violent video game; they also realized that they got a bad grade, and a former friend was mean to them on social media. All of these experiences become images swirling around in your child’s mind. Each image has a negative feeling attached to it.

Now here’s the key: Your child has no clue what to do about these thoughts and feelings. So, now it affects their behavior, and they have a negative attitude toward you all day.

Is the self-esteem “byproduct” from their extracurricular activities enough to help them through this? No. They need real, direct tools, like affirmations, journaling, and reframing skills, which I’ll detail for you below:

  • This involves reciting positive things about yourself starting with “I am.” Singing them to the beat of a familiar tune helps younger kids through difficult times.
  • Step 1: “Release,” which is writing out all negative emotions in a journal and really imagining that they are being released out of you. Step 2 (most important): Turn to a new page and “refill” yourself, being a best friend to yourself and coaching yourself through whatever you just released, so you are left in a positive place. For example, “Even though that happened, I am strong, and I know it’ll be OK.”
  • This is a method by which you try to see your situation in a different way, perhaps with humor or by finding the good thing hidden in your situation. The sentence may start with “Well, at least…” ⎯ for example, if children get a low score at school, they could say, “Well, at least it’s not the last grade for the year.”

The most important thing for parents to know is that tools are out there to help their kids with building self-esteem, and they should have those tools before they need them. Preparation is power. After all, it’s far easier to put the life vest on before you fall into the water. Am I right?

With the current times that we live in and the unlimited access to technology, social media, controversial influencers, and more, we can no longer treat self-esteem building like a mere byproduct that kids will pick up somewhere. Instead, it’s time to recognize self-esteem building as a basic, fundamental life skill that our kids need to learn directly in order to live mentally healthy lives.

 

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Lupus: a cruel, mysterious disease

Lupus is one of the cruelest, most mysterious diseases on earth, an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body.

It is more pervasive and more severe than people think. Most people with lupus don’t look sick. Victims can appear normal while suffering intense pain in different parts of their bodies. It impacts nearly all aspects of a person’s life: relationships, daily responsibilities, finances, and basic enjoyment of life.

May is Lupus Awareness Month. Readers can help by showing support for those, mostly women, who suffer from this brutal affliction. Lupus can strike anyone, but 90% of the people living with lupus are females. Men, children, and teenagers develop lupus too.

No two cases of lupus are alike. Common symptoms include joint pain, skin rashes, overwhelming fatigue, and fevers that last for days or weeks.

Lupus can affect any organ or tissue, from the skin or joints to the heart or kidneys. Two leading causes of serious illness and death from lupus are kidney disease and heart disease. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. At this point, the disease has no cure and can be fatal.

The disease is not contagious, but recent studies show that 41% of people are not comfortable shaking hands or sharing food with someone with lupus.

While the causes of lupus are unknown, scientists believe hormones, genetics (heredity), and environmental factors are involved. More research is needed to better understand the role of these factors. People of all races and ethnicities can develop lupus, but it occurs two to three times more frequently among African Americans, Asians, Hispanics/Latinos, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans than among Caucasians.

Lupus usually develops between ages 15 and 44 and lasts a lifetime. It can be expensive to live with and to treat. The average annual direct and indirect costs incurred can exceed $21,000, higher than for those living with heart disease, bipolar disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.

There is no single blood test to diagnose lupus, and its symptoms mimic those of other diseases, vary in intensity, and can come and go over time. More than half of those afflicted with lupus suffered at least four years and saw three or more doctors before obtaining a correct diagnosis of lupus.

To donate, contact the Lupus Foundation of America at 2121 K Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037-1830; (202) 349-1155; or www.lupus.org.

(Source: Lupus Foundation of America)

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Another busy storm season predicted

By Aaron Krause

Hunker down for yet another hectic hurricane season this year, say AccuWeather forecasters. However, in 2021, the period of intense storm activity from June 1 to Nov. 30 won’t quite match 2020’s record-breaking season of practically nonstop action.

AccuWeather’s team of tropical weather experts, led by veteran meteorologist Dan Kottlowski, predict that this year, 16 to 20 named storms will form, including seven to 10 hurricanes. Of the storms expected to reach hurricane strength, weather experts believe three to five will become major hurricanes. Such storms are Category 3 or higher that carry maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.

Experts consider a normal season to be one carrying 14 storms ⎯ with seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Last year’s season produced 30 storms, including 13 hurricanes. Six of those reached the major hurricane threshold.

It was a record year with 12 named storms making landfall in the U.S., overtaking the previous record of nine direct strikes in 1916.

In fact, forecasters had to turn to the rarely used Greek alphabet for just the second time to name the storms. Forecasters use Greek letters as names when they have exhausted the list of a year’s assigned proper names.

But the weather service will no longer use Greek letters, instead developing an alternate overflow name list. Journalists and the public were asking more questions about the names than the storms themselves.

Also, say goodbye to Dexter, Dorian, Leah, and Laura. Officials have permanently retired these names, following the tradition of not reusing the names of particularly destructive storms.

Forecasters this year will step up to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System weather model, which should improve predictions on tracking, intensity, and landfall locations.

According to a statement from the National Hurricane Center, the start of the 2021 hurricane season remains June 1. Weather experts had been considering changing the start to May 15, due to an increase in tropical activity in the Atlantic basin over the past decade.

Since 2011, 10 named storms have formed in the Atlantic before June 1. Eight of those happened since 2015. The years 2012, 2016, and 2020 featured seasons that not only saw storms before June but experienced more than one storm before the official season start.

While the 2021 hurricane season’s official start date will remain the same, there has been at least one change. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center started issuing tropical weather outlooks on May 15, two weeks earlier than normal.

To determine how active a hurricane season will be, weather experts consider factors such as the strength or weakness of systems like El Niño and La Niña, short-term climate fluctuations caused by the warming or cooling of waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. When the water in the equatorial Pacific is warmer than average, forecasters typically declare it an “El Niño.” When the reverse is true, weather experts call it a “La Niña.”

Locally, ongoing work by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will help speed electricity restoration following major storms for Coral Springs residents.

“Florida Power & Light Company customers in Coral Springs continue to benefit from the company’s ongoing work to strengthen the energy grid and improve service reliability,” company officials wrote in a press release.

“FPL investments, which include strengthening power lines and poles, trimming trees near power lines, installing smart grid technology, and undergrounding power lines in select areas, help make the grid more reliable day-to-day and speed restoration following major storms,” according to FPL.

“For more than 15 years, FPL has been improving the energy grid, making it stronger, smarter, and more storm-resilient to keep the lights on for customers in good weather and bad,” said Eric Silagy, FPL’s president, and CEO.

Improvements in place last season, for example, prevented some 150,000 potential outages, Silagy said.

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Hogfish, grouper season upon us

By Steve Waters

April is a very special month for many anglers and divers in South Florida. The first of April marks the opening of hogfish and grouper season, and it has been a long wait for this enthusiastic bunch. Hogfish season closed last fall on November 1 in local waters, and grouper season has been closed since January 1 of this year in Atlantic waters.

April is a disappointing month for scuba divers who fish for fresh lobster, as the lobster season closes on April 1 of every year. Seasoned divers like Jim “Chiefy” Mathie, a retired Deerfield Beach fire chief, focuses on spearfishing for lionfish with his buddies, meanwhile taking note of where hogfish and grouper tend to congregate.

The good news, said Mathie, is that he’s been seeing plenty of fish. However, it’s important for divers and anglers to know that grouper and hogfish hauls have restrictions on bag and size. Black and gag grouper must measure at least 24 inches long and red grouper must be 20 inches long. Anglers and divers can keep a total of three grouper per day, but only one can be a black or a gag. The other two, or all three, can be red grouper.

The limit on hogfish is one per person per day with a minimum size of 16 inches long from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail. In previous years, hogfish season was open all year, the daily bag limit was five, and the size limit was 12 inches. Mathie has seen an improvement in the hogfish population since the regulations took effect in 2017. “We definitely are seeing a lot of big males,” Mathie said, explaining that male hogfish big enough to spear have a long snoot with a dark stripe down the forehead.

Mathie is the author of “Catching the Spear-it! The ABCs of Spearfishing,” which is sold retail by most area dive shops as well as through online sources such as www.chiefy.net and others. The author shares many excellent tips in his book, but the sportsperson must always keep in mind the 3 R’s–recognition, regulation, and

range. In other words, be able to identify the fish, know the size limit, and be close enough to shoot it with your speargun. Spear fishermen must check off the 3 R’s relatively quickly with black and gag grouper. Unlike hogfish and red grouper, which often try to hide behind a sea fan when a diver approaches, blacks and gags don’t usually stick around.

In May, Mathie and his dive buddies concentrate on hunting the west-facing side of the third reef. The top of the reef is about 50 feet below the surface and the bottom is 60-65 feet. The reef holds large numbers of fish, including keeper-sized grouper and hogfish. Wrecks in 65 feet also are good spots to shoot big grouper and hogfish. Some years, Mathie and his friends hunted those spots for the entire month of May. Then they moved on to wrecks in 110-120 feet.

Capt. Skip Dana of the Fish City Pride drift boat in Pompano Beach fishes for grouper in wrecks from 75-240 feet. He notes that wrecks in 75-120 feet are good for gag grouper. Blacks are on the same wrecks as well as deeper ones. Reds can be as shallow at 30-40 feet around rockpiles, ledges and grass patches, and on wrecks.

The GPS coordinates for Florida’s artificial reefs are available at: myfwc.com/media/19397/artificialreefdeploymentlocations.pdf

Once a keeper grouper is hooked, there’s a good chance it may get away. The fish typically swim right back into the wreck or reef where they were hanging out.

Capt. Bouncer Smith of Bouncer’s Dusky 33 Miami, FL Fishing Charters, and author of “The Bouncer Smith Chronicles: A Lifetime of Fishing,” says having the proper tackle is essential for getting a grouper away from its home and up to the boat. Although braided line is popular with offshore anglers, Smith prefers using monofilament for his main line.

 

“If you’re truly targeting big groupers, you’re better off with real heavy monofilament and the craziest, tightest drag you can imagine fishing,” he says. “Braid doesn’t give to the pressure. Braid either holds or it breaks.

If you’re using 100-pound monofilament line or 80-pound monofilament line and a 120-pound leader, you can fish a lot more drag because when you’re turning your head and ducking, waiting for that line to break, it’s going to stretch instead of break. Therefore, you can put a lot more heat on that grouper with heavy mono than you can with braid.”

 

As Smith explains, monofilament line is like a palm tree in a storm. It will bend and sway, but it won’t break. Braided line is like an oak tree, which might be uprooted or snap in a strong wind. “The nice thing about braid is it makes it easier to get to the bottom and hold the bottom, but when it comes to stopping a fish, monofilament is far superior,” Smith says. “If you set the drag at 30 pounds with braid, when you reach 30 pounds then the line’s going to break. When you set the drag at 30 pounds with mono, instead of the mono breaking, it stretches. So, you’ve got a lot more give.”

As for tackle, Smith says the ideal grouper outfit is a dual-speed lever drag Penn International reel with a 7-foot, solid fiberglass rod because, similar to the palm tree, “They bend but they never break. However, these days most people use a 5½- to 6-foot stand-up rod.”

 

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