Ever wonder why Americans have become so combative? We used to argue, but as I recall, the arguments were largely persuasive, not combative.
The above observation was triggered in my mind when I received an e-mail from a kindly reader from the Show-Me State. Here’s the text of the e-mail.
“If you can catch about 100 red fire ants that live in the southwestern desert and also about 100 of those large black carpenter ants that also live there, and then drop them all into the same jar, not much will happen. At least until the jar is shaken vigorously and all the ants dumped out on the ground.
“That’s when the red ants will attack the black ants and the black ants will fight the red ants. And, each group will fight until each group is devastated. Where they were once commingling peacefully, now each group identifies the other as the mortal enemy.
“But, neither ant group ever realizes that the real enemy is whoever shook the jar in the first place.”
I have no idea if the science in that e-mail is true. But, the moral of the story sure is plausible. Too often, we argue combatively in response to an outside influence that we don’t even recognize.
However, when I googled the story, it has a varied history. The most probable source was Kurt Vonnegut’s 1963 novel “Cat’s Cradle.” So, perhaps there is some basis of truth in the story.
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As readers know, I’m an “age retired” hunter. My heart and memory still takes me into the field to recall the thrill and excitement of staunch bird dogs and big bucks, but my legs and balance keep me rooted into a more sedentary mode.
However, I still try to keep up with outdoors hunting news … and I still enjoy reading outdoors books and magazines. Which reminded me that I recently read that almost 37-million American hunters went deer hunting in the most recent deer season.
And, they harvested tens of thousands of deer, and I’m sure a few dummies accidentally killed and injured a few of themselves.
But, I want to point out that with 37-million hunters afield with high powered rifles and shotguns, in all 50 states, not a single time did they commit a mass shooting. But, the news reports are filled daily with sad stories of dozens of persons killing each other intentionally in the urban centers … usually over gang-related drug disputes or domestic disturbances that go off the deep end.
I hope the above information helps readers put the gun-control discussion into a better perspective about who is responsible for what.
***
While I’m on the subject of outdoors activities, the outdoor activity I’m still able to enjoy is fishing. That’s why, my new fishing buddy, ol’ Kastin Flingitt, and I went fishing two days ago. The ice had melted off the ponds, the temperature was near 60, and the wind near 40. We went to a watershed lake and caught the number of fish we expected to — zero. Nada. Not even a bite. However, it was sure nice to get out of the house and breathe some air that ain’t been recirculated.
***
Well, I’m still poor. I wuzn’t any luckier in the second Mega Millions jackpot drawing for $1.35 billion than I wuz in the first. So, all the good folks that I planned to be charitable to are still poor like me, too.
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We got a nice rain this morning. We got seven-tenths of an inch and actually gave us some nice runoff into the pond. We need a lot more, but it was at least a start.
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The saga of selling my old pickup truck to ol’ P. Lowe deRhode up in Ainsworth, Neb., just keep going on — all thanks to my negligence. First, after the pickup wuz headed north, I remembered that I’d forgotten to take the garage door opener off the window visor. So, I e-mailed Lowe and he’s sending the opener back.
But, that’s not all — or the worst or dumbest. When I wuz fishing two days ago, I realized that I last fall I’d stashed my fly fishing rod and reel behind the rear seat of my old pickup. Of course, I forgot to take it out. So, I e-mailed Lowe once again … and he confirmed the fly rod and reel wuz in the truck.
I told him to keep it for awhile and fish with it to pay the rental and storage fee. Ol’ Nevah and I might use retrieval of my fly rod as an excuse to make an early trip into the Nebraska Sand Hills. If not, Lowe can ship it to me later.
***
My two college alma maters, Bea Wilder U I & II, both won big rivalry games this week. My thanks go out to the Basketball Gods.
***
Words of wisdom for the week: “A government that requires you to accurately account for the way you spend your money, but refuses to be accountable for the way it spends your money, should be highly suspect.”
Have a good ‘un.
Ants
“Not all that forgets is dementia”
Frequently, my patients will come to a visit and bring up a major concern: “Doc, I think I might have dementia; my memory seems to be slipping.” They might give examples of having difficulty finding words, forgetting people’s names, or just feeling like their thinking is slower. Many of them know a family member who had dementia, and they are worried.
My first response is to hear their concerns; of course, if a patient is showing early signs of dementia, we want to assess that and do our best to get to a diagnosis for them. What I have found, however, is that often when these concerns are raised, we find things that are not dementia to explain them.
As we age, some symptoms perceived as memory changes are probably within the spectrum of normal. The occasional forgetting or having a delay finding words is a great example of this. More difficulty recalling names is another. This can be normal at any age but tends to happen more frequently as our brains age.
Sometimes patients are noticing real and concerning issues, but through medical evaluation, we find non-dementia reasons for them. The most common reason would be – you guessed it – medications. While many medications can affect cognition especially in older patients, often we can blame drugs with anti-cholinergic properties (even over-the-counter diphenhydramine found in cold, allergy, and sleep medication) and benzodiazepines (usually prescribed for anxiety or sleep). Patients should review their medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, as an early step in evaluating these concerns.
Other common mimics of cognitive change in older patients are depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. These disorders can cause the brain to be unfocused and distracted which frequently manifests as forgetfulness. Treating the underlying condition effectively will usually improve one’s cognition, so we should look for signs of those when evaluating memory concerns.
Numerous other medical causes can also impair one’s cognition and memory. These include vitamin deficiencies, abnormal electrolytes, infections, or abnormalities in the brain like bleeding, tumors, or hydrocephalus. Further, there are numerous causes of dementia; Alzheimer’s disease being just one. A thorough history, exam, and sometimes labs or imaging might be warranted if true cognitive impairment is present.
To be clear, if you are experiencing symptoms of change in memory, don’t assume it is dementia. Talk with your medical provider; it may be normal or have any of a long list of other causes. Let’s figure it out together.
Kelly Evans-Hullinger, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc® team of physicians and currently practices internal medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show providing health information based on science, built on trust, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.
KU News: KU team partners with Indigenous community to bring positive sport environment to coaches, youths
From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu
Headlines
KU team partners with Indigenous community to bring positive sport environment to coaches, kids
LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers have published extensive studies on how evidence-based positive sport environments help athletes learn from mistakes, stay with sports and experience more positive development. Now, those researchers have collaborated with an Indigenous community sporting program to understand how the program can be effective with underrepresented youths.
KU School of Music to host Prairie Winds Festival
LAWRENCE — Nearly 100 high school music students from across the region will participate in the Prairie Winds Festival, hosted by the University of Kansas School of Music. The event Feb. 3-4 will feature several events, including master classes, ensemble rehearsals and concerts. Featured artist Mariam Adam, clarinet, will perform with KU musicians at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Lied Center of Kansas.
Origin and significance of English Reformation revealed in new book
LAWRENCE — What began as a political disagreement between Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII turned into a seismic cultural and theological shift known as the English Reformation. But how this term was eventually coined – and how the event’s true origins have been renovated — is explored in a new book written by a University of Kansas faculty member.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
KU team partners with Indigenous community to bring positive sport environment to coaches, kids
LAWRENCE — University of Kansas researchers have conducted and published extensive research studies on how evidence-based positive sport environments help athletes learn from mistakes, stay with sports and experience more positive development. Now, those researchers have collaborated with an Indigenous community sporting program to understand how the program can be effective with underrepresented youths.
Mary Fry, professor of educational psychology at KU, and Joseph Claunch, former director of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Program in New Mexico, previously collaborated on a study in which they found implementing a caring, task-involved climate in the football program at Haskell Indian Nations University led to higher athlete retention. Claunch approached Fry about implementing similar programs in the Pueblo of Zuni, a rural, Indigenous community. A KU Sport and Exercise Psychology Laboratory team secured grant funding from Olympian and KU alumnus Billy Mills’ Running Strong for American Indian Youth organization to fund a collaboration.
An article detailing the project was published in the Journal of Sport Psychology in Action. It was written by Fry; Candace Hogue of Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg; Claunch; and Susumu Iwasaki of Fort Lewis College. Hogue, Claunch and Iwasaki all have degrees in sport & exercise science from KU.
The grant enabled a research team to visit the Pueblo of Zuni three times for several days each visit. Before implementing any coaching techniques or sport activities, the team spent time learning about the community, its history, culture, governance, art and more to build trust and rapport.
“When collaborating with a group, we know how critical it is to spend time in the community, get to know the coaches, and in this case learn about the Zuni culture,” Fry said. “This helps us create a genuine collaboration where we are building relationships and breaking down stereotypes. Without this approach, our efforts are meaningless and unhelpful. Our relationship with Joe Claunch was key in this collaboration. We hold Joe in high regard as a difference-maker when it comes to working with youth.”
The researchers then began training with coaches working with the Zuni Youth Enrichment Program’s basketball teams. They shared the difference between the common ego-driven sports climate in which coaches often yell, punish mistakes, reward star athletes and castigate those who are not as talented, and the caring, task-involving climate in which coaches encourage athletes of all skill levels, focus on mistakes as part of learning and provide positive reinforcement. To that end, the researchers replicated a study the lab has conducted on teaching people how to juggle. One group learns in the ego-driven climate, while another uses a caring, task-involved climate. The approach regularly shows the caring approach helps all participants learn faster and have more positive experiences.
The coaches also took part in drills and exercises they could use to help players. The article documents passing, defensive and layup drills in which the most physically skilled athletes help encourage the less skilled, and all participants and coaches verbally encourage each other. They also took part in activities in which participants shared why they began coaching, describing family members or others in their lives who were influential in their decision to coach youth. Coaches also practiced pre-game and halftime speeches in which they focus on positives and encourage athletes to play hard while having fun, whether they are winning, losing or playing a more-skilled opponent that can be intimidating to young athletes.
In all, the activities were designed to demonstrate a caring, task-involving climate for coaches, give concrete examples of activities and approaches they can use with their athletes and experience first-hand the psychological benefits of the approach.
“One of the things we’ve learned is that doing as many hands-on activities as possible is a great way for coaches who may not have a background in coaching, sport science or sport psychology to get involved and see what this climate can look like,” Fry said. “These coaches have great hearts and want to make it the best experience it can be for the kids. They seemed to come away excited to help the kids, especially those who maybe hadn’t had many opportunities or may not be as skilled as others.”
In addition to the in-person visits, the research team had weekly check-ins with the Zuni Youth Enrichment Program staff to share new ideas, monitor progress, reinforce the features of a caring, task-involving climate and to help build a sustainable program.
“There is a truckload of research informing what youth sport coaches can do to help young athletes have a great youth sport experience. It was a joy for our team to partner with the Zuni committee and support these coaches as they were trying to implement these best practices and maximize their team’s experiences. We are so grateful for Billy Mills and his support of this project,” Fry said.
“Mary Fry’s research on creating a caring and task-involving climate in youth sport is renowned in the field of sport psychology,” Claunch said. “When I was one of her doctoral students, I saw firsthand how powerful and positive a caring and task-involving climate was for the coaches and the athletes that were experiencing them. That is why I was so honored and excited to have Dr. Fry, Dr. Hogue and Dr. Iwasaki, all people that I learned from at KU, come to our remote tribal community and provide a workshop for our youth coaches. I have participated and led many coaching workshops over the years, but this workshop was my absolute favorite. With the help of this workshop, all the coaches wanted to provide a more positive experience for the current generation of community youth participating in sport.”
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for additional news about the University of Kansas.
http://www.news.ku.edu
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Contact: Fally Afani, School of Music, [email protected], @MusicKU
KU School of Music to host Prairie Winds Festival
LAWRENCE — Nearly 100 music students from across the region will descend onto the University of Kansas Lawrence campus next month for the Prairie Winds Festival, hosted by the School of Music.
High school participants will join the School of Music’s world-class faculty for two days of music and learning. The event Feb. 3-4 will feature several events, including master classes, ensemble rehearsals and concerts.
The festival will also feature guest artist Mariam Adam, clarinet, a founding and former member of the twice-Grammy-nominated woodwind quintet Imani Winds. Adam has been invited for solo recital and chamber music concerts in several prestigious venues, as well as several festivals throughout the world. To learn more, visit Adam’s website.
On Feb. 4, the festival will host two concerts available to the public at the Lied Center of Kansas:
1. KU Jazz Ensemble I, noon
2. KU Wind Ensemble, Crossroads Wind Symphony and the Prairie Winds Honor Band with special guest Mariam Adam, 7:30 p.m.
To learn more about Prairie Winds Festival, please visit the event website.
Tickets for Adam’s performance are $25 for adults and $14 for students/youth, and they are available at the Lied Center Box Office or online. For more information, please visit lied.ku.edu or call 785-864-2787.
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Don’t miss new episodes of “When Experts Attack!,”
a KU News Service podcast hosted by Kansas Public Radio.
https://kansaspublicradio.org/when-experts-attack
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Contact: Jon Niccum, KU News Service, 785-864-7633, [email protected]
Origin and significance of English Reformation revealed in new book
LAWRENCE — What began as a political disagreement between Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII turned into a seismic cultural and theological shift known as the English Reformation. But how this term was eventually coined – and how the event’s true origins have been renovated — is explored in a new book.
“There is a lot of really vitriolic rhetoric at that time,” said Benjamin Guyer, a lecturer in the departments of Religious Studies and History at the University of Kansas. “And that often spills over into violence.”
His book “How the English Reformation was Named: The Politics of History, 1400-1700” (Oxford University Press) reveals that “reformation” originally denoted the intended aim of church councils, but it was subsequently redefined, first to denote violent revolt, then to “present a pristine vision of the English past.” This occurred while attempting to survive amidst political oppression, civil war and regicide.
“Today, people often assume those who perpetrated the English Reformation knew what they were doing. Henry VIII, Edward VI, Elizabeth I — I don’t think any of them had any sense of what they were really setting in motion,” Guyer said.
“When we think of revolutionaries – like a stereotypical Marxist revolutionary – we assume this is somebody with a manifesto. He’s got a plan. You don’t find many manifestos in the English Reformation. Those manifestos that come to more militant fruition in the 17th century are actually being done by Puritan revolutionaries; they are not being done by the English Crown.”
The Reformation took place in 16th century England when German priest Martin Luther radically revamped many tenets of Christianity. This was expedited by King Henry VIII’s decision to abolish papal authority and declare himself the head of the Church of England after being refused an annulment of his marriage.
Beyond the investigation into its naming, Guyer uncovered several other revelations about the English Reformation.
“There are two things over the course of researching this project in which my views fundamentally shifted,” he said.
“The standard narrative is that in 1517, Martin Luther nails up his 95 theses. Throughout the book I repeatedly look at, ‘What is the print history of Martin Luther’s writings?’ And you find that nobody prints the 95 theses. No doubt there are people reading them, there are books being imported, there are things in libraries. But at a popular level, this stuff just isn’t showing up in print.”
The second thing, the author said, is the assumption the Reformation’s main focus was on how Christians might achieve salvation. However, Guyer said Christians at the time were shaped more by Apocalypticism.
“While such arguments about salvation are present, there are a lot more fears and language about monstrosity: ‘The church is being deformed. It’s becoming a monster.’ The language is applied in this apocalyptic binary of reformation versus deformation,” he said.
Although Guyer said his book may “hit much closer to home in a British context,” he noted it does have consequence for those across the pond.
He said, “One of the lesser-known elements of the American Revolution is the fact that John Adams, our second president, did say we had to revolt against the British Crown because ‘they’re going to impose the Anglican Church upon us.’”
Guyer became interested in this topic when taking a master’s course about science and religion in 17th century England. One of the assigned readings was Thomas Hobbes’ “Leviathan.”
“It’s this big 500-page book about monarchy and political theory, and I’d never read anything like it. I thought it was just fascinating,” Guyer said.
Having earned his doctorate at KU with a focus on British history, Guyer returned last year to teach in two different departments at the university. His latest manuscript took him about 10 years to finish. (The last time he visited England was a decade ago when he went there on his honeymoon, and he admits he took off a few days from the merriment to do archival research.)
The English Reformation is now 500 years old, yet Guyer perceives it as an event with plenty of modern relevance.
“I write this book as an American, and the state of political polemic in this country today causes me genuine concern,” he said.
“When I look back at the 16th and 17th centuries, words don’t always lead to action, but there’s never any actions without words. I do fear we have lost sight and become enmeshed in these habits of vitriolic polemic against one another. The most applicable lesson is that we can become captive to our language. Language does become a kind of reality. We can talk ourselves into believing something, and that can be a very dangerous place to be.”
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu
Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]
Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs
KU News: KU Innovation Park hires David Sprenger as executive vice president of business development
From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu
Headlines
Contact: Trinity Krouse, KU Innovation Park, 785-832-2110, [email protected], @KuInnovation; Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, KU News Service, 785-864-8858, [email protected], @ebpkansas
KU Innovation Park hires David Sprenger as executive vice president of business development
LAWRENCE — KU Innovation Park has announced the addition of David Sprenger to staff as the executive vice president of business development. Sprenger, previously residing in Denver, started at the beginning of January.
Sprenger joins KU Innovation Park with over 20 years of experience at the executive level. Previously working 15 years with the University of Colorado system, Sprenger served in senior leadership roles that enlisted the support of industry and government partners in building innovative collaborations, including the National Cybersecurity Center.
“David is situated to lead the business development operations for the Park as we chart a path of measurable growth and increasing our national visibility,” said E. LaVerne Epp, executive chair of KU Innovation Park.
During his first several months, Sprenger will focus on strengthening the management team to increase company recruitment, startup activity and the establishment of regional and national partnerships for KU Innovation Park.
“I am honored to join the KU Innovation Park and am excited to help in telling the Park’s exceptional story around innovation, technology, community enrichment and job creation,” Sprenger said.
Sprenger holds a master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Regis University. In his free time, Sprenger and his wife, Katie, enjoy camping, hiking and fly fishing while they spend most of their time navigating parenthood with their 2-year-old daughter, Ella Joy.
About KU Innovation Park
KU Innovation Park, formerly the Bioscience & Technology Business Center, is an independent, not-for-profit economic development corporation located adjacent to KU’s West District. The Park represents the economic development interests of its four founding stakeholders: the city of Lawrence, Douglas County, the Lawrence Chamber and KU. Home to more than 60 companies representing nearly 600 employees and more than $35 million in annual payroll, the Park’s mission is to build a more modern, diverse and resilient regional economy through the support of innovative bioscience and tech companies, and through the development of strategic industry-clusters built around the strengths of KU research. Find out more about KU Innovation Park.
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu
Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]
Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs
Weather report
For our small patch of north Lindsborg, the rain gauge and the snow stick tell us that last year was dry. Annual rainfall since 2018 has averaged 34 inches; snowfall, 10 inches plus.
Last year, total rainfall was 18.9 inches, laced in the colder months with 11.8 inches of snow. We’re grateful even for that, but it’s roughly half of what was once normal.
January this year begins with promise ‒ 3/8 inch of rain on January 2, half an inch of wet snow on the 10th, and a ¾-inch rain on the 18th. We can use more but are grateful not to be walloped like California.
The figures are amateur readings from a gauge just north of our house and don’t pretend to reflect weather even in Salina or McPherson. On many a stormy night, Internet radar will show significant rain over the central state moving west to east, with splashes of heavy action running diagonally with the weather.
Over Lindsborg, nothing. A line of thunderstorms is often punctuated with a doughnut hole or horseshoe around Lindsborg ‒ more accurately, Coronado Heights. We call this the Coronado Heights Syndrome, a weather burp that seems to protect those near this historic outcrop north of town. Storms tend to avoid this mystic atmospheric roundabout, where clouds are directed this way and that, anywhere but here. It can rain an inch in Assaria, eight miles north, or an inch in Marquette eight miles west. But for our plot, a heavy mist if we’re lucky.
Lindsborg itself turns out the occasional mystery. We’ve seen the sky open up over downtown and pour rain in sheets at the Post Office while at home a half-mile north, nothing. It’s as though Coronado Heights had taken a nap, awakened suddenly with arms flailing, scattering storms this way and that, every way but our way. (Sometimes this is good.)
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Moisture is central to any talk of weather in Kansas. Last year the early months were stingy ‒ dry and windy, like the legislature. January began with a couple of early snows ‒ two inches on the 2nd and three on the 6th ‒ and a dusting on the 15th. In February, a couple of inches on the 2nd and a blast of bitter cold to end the month.
March last year picked up with nearly five inches of snow, four inches on the 6th and 0.8 inches on the 30th. In between, 1.2 inches of rain in four events ‒ a quarter inch on the17th and nearly an inch over a three-day string from the21st into the 23rd.
April threatened thirst: a couple of showers for a total 0.325 inches.
In May, relief. Rain came eight times for a total six inches, the showers well-spaced over 4½ weeks: 1.55 inches (three showers) in week one; nothing in week two; in week three, 0.85 inches in one shower (over night May 17-18); Overnight events May 23-25 brought 2.35 inches; another 1¼ inches overnight into May 31 ‒ more than enough for the wheat and enough for farmers to complain about muddy fields.
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In recent years May has been soggy ‒ in 2021, 6.27 inches (13 events); in 2020, 6.48 inches (9 events including more than four inches May 24-25); and in May 2019, nearly 11 inches of rain from ten events, plus a storm that pounded the area with 2½ inches of hail.
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Last year, May’s moisture continued into June. On the 4th, it rained 1.55 inches between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Next day, another 1.3 inches. Sprinkles and mild showers ‒ more than half an inch ‒ came in four more events. Total, 3.4 inches.
July and August brought heat and 3.7 inches of rain over six events, three in each month. September, less than an inch (0.975) from four showers. October brought only a quarter-inch of rain, overnight the 23rd.
November began moist with two overnight showers the 3rd and 4th for more than two inches, and 1/8-inch overnight into Nov. 27. Total, 2.15 inches, three events.
Last December, no real snow and not much rain: 0.8 inches on the 13th and 1/8 inch overnight into the 19th.
We ended the year with no snow on Christmas and (but for May) not much rain. It was dry but not drastic. And to those who might complain, have a look at California, where ceaseless torrents are measured in feet, not inches.
