In May, Connecticut's COVID-19 protocols for masks and face coverings were relaxed to coincide with newly-modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, and the new, less stringent, rules then became effective statewide. Masks are not required for anyone outdoors, and the “vaccinated” are not required to wear masks indoors. Conversely, the … [Read more...] about Op-Ed: Connecticut May Have ‘Reopened,’ Be ‘Returning to Normal’– But Don’t Criticize the ‘Still-Masked’
A View from My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 3 — The Rock and Roll War
Editor's Note: This is the third column by Tom Gotowka under the heading, 'Epic Poems of Folk and Rock.' Find Part I at this link and Part II at this one. I continue the “epic poems” theme in this essay, but shift to the epic works of conflict; focusing on the rock and roll genre, as influenced by the Vietnam War. In review, Part 1 presented several works of folk music … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 3 — The Rock and Roll War
A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 2
In my previous essay, I discussed a few contemporary works of folk music, that, in my opinion, are natural successors to the epic poems of antiquity. I continue the “epic poems” theme in this essay, but shift to the epic works of conflict; focusing on the rock and roll genre, as influenced by the Vietnam War, which remains in my memory as a chaotic and tragic period of American … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 2
A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock, Part I
In this essay, I posit that many works of contemporary folk and rock music are the natural successors of the epic poems of antiquity. In support of that hypothesis, I begin with a brief review of the epic genre; and then, discuss a few contemporary works that I feel meet the epic standard. The Epic Poem: An epic is a long, narrative poem that chronicles the extraordinary … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock, Part I
A View from My Porch: Is it Time for Americans to Acknowledge Climate Change?
Last April, LymeLine.com published a “Primer on Global Warming and Climate Change” Since that time, there has been a change in Presidential leadership; and, in January, the United States transitioned from a science-averse, to a science-centric Executive Branch, which may have an impact on how the Country views climate change. This essay is a “refresh” of the April essay, … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Is it Time for Americans to Acknowledge Climate Change?
A View from My Porch: The Marquis, Groucho, Sam … and Me
There are several events in American history for which I will always recall where I was, and what I was doing, on those dates. I just added the Jan. 6, 2021 violent attack on the Capitol by domestic terrorists, provoked by a defeated president at the end of his term, to my personal list of infamous events. Given the above, I decided to reconfirm my values; and so I am … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The Marquis, Groucho, Sam … and Me
A View from My Porch: Thoughts on the Occasion of the Inauguration
At noon on this past Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, President-elect Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated in a ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol. This was the culminating event in what has been a hostile transfer of power from former President Donald Trump to President Biden. The Environment: The then President Trump had claimed, repeatedly and without evidence, that the … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Thoughts on the Occasion of the Inauguration
Letter to the Editor: Less Than Two Weeks for This President, But Now New Concerns
To the Editor: The least of our worries is not whether the outgoing president pardons unrepentant criminals, or to whom he awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rather, consider the following: in the final days of Nixon’s presidency, Defense Secretary James Schlesinger had issued a set of orders that, if the president gave any military strike orders, or, God forbid, a … [Read more...] about Letter to the Editor: Less Than Two Weeks for This President, But Now New Concerns
A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines, Part 2.5: Where Are We With Vaccines? CT’s Distribution Plan, Immunity Questions & More
Editor’s Note: This is a previously unplanned third of three parts of a highly topical essay titled, “A Primer on Vaccines,” by Thomas D. Gotowka. Part 2.5 reviews Connecticut’s readiness to distribute the vaccine, identifies some of the side effects that may be experienced, and considers the acquisition of individual immunity. Read the previous parts of the essay at these … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines, Part 2.5: Where Are We With Vaccines? CT’s Distribution Plan, Immunity Questions & More
A View from My Porch — A Primer on Vaccines: Part 2; “Approaching Daylight”
Editor's Note: This is the second of two parts of a highly topical essay titled, "A Primer on Vaccines," by Thomas D. Gotowka. Part 2 considers the complexities of reaching vaccine distribution. The author's goal is that the reader obtains a fundamental understanding of the vaccine approval process, and recognizes that Americans will be provided a vaccine that is safe and … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch — A Primer on Vaccines: Part 2; “Approaching Daylight”
A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines: Part 1; “Still Running to Daylight”
This essay begins an examination of the development and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Part 1 reviews the key terminology that one may encounter in the media; and the intense evaluation and approval process that is required for these vaccines before they can be used on Americans. I also identify the important developers and discuss their … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines: Part 1; “Still Running to Daylight”
A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts
The recent announcement that the Connecticut Audubon Society had reached an agreement to purchase the Bee & Thistle Inn, and plans to renovate it as the future headquarters for the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, piqued my curiosity regarding the Inn’s history. This essay briefly reviews the life of an individual who was fairly instrumental in its founding, the … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts
Letter to the Editor: A Thanksgiving COVID Retrospective — Running to Daylight
To the Editor: Paraphrasing Thomas Paine, “These were the times that tried our souls.” Looking back, the first COVID-19 case in the United States was diagnosed in Washington State, just seven weeks after last Thanksgiving [2019]; the patient had recently returned home from Wuhan, China. Yesterday [Nov. 25], that state’s total cases exceeded 158,000, confirmed; with over … [Read more...] about Letter to the Editor: A Thanksgiving COVID Retrospective — Running to Daylight
A View from My Porch: A Letter to President-Elect Biden
An Open Letter to President-Elect Biden: Why do you even want this job? To the best of my knowledge, you don’t play golf or enjoy tooling around in a golf cart. I feel that, if you did play, you would probably walk the course, anyways. I doubt that you even anticipate weekends and evenings off. When you communicate with us, please use the spoken word, which appears … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Letter to President-Elect Biden
A View From My Porch: Make America Safe Again, A Primer on Herd Immunity
A lot of people recently started saying, “Herd immunity.” So, to get up to speed, I reviewed some of my old textbooks and learned (again) that “herd immunity” occurs when a substantial portion of the population (i.e., the “herd”) has, at least in our contemporary medical era, been vaccinated (e.g., MMR.) This eventually provides protection for vulnerable individuals … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Make America Safe Again, A Primer on Herd Immunity