Book reviews. Childhood jabs. Ignoring doctors’ advice. Vertigo. War heroism

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I submitted my video review of Turtles All the Way Down to Amazon. They might reject it; I am quite sure that YouTube would. Though it draws almost entirely on pro-vaccine sources, it is not uniformly supportive of the vaccine agenda.

There is a new star in my Substack constellation.  A Midwestern Doctor writes extensively and knowledgeably about the entire industry, not just vaccines. In today's mail it is about childhood vaccines – the subject I am addressing in my Toastmasters speech this morning, the same video review I mention above.

In related news I am going against doctors advice. Last week I had an endoscopy which revealed Barrett's syndrome – erosion of the lower esophagus due to acid reflux. The problem had pretty much gone away after I stop drinking. In the couple of weeks since I stopped drinking coffee and tea I haven't noticed it whatsoever.

Nonetheless, the doctor prescribed two medicines that deal with acid reflux: a proton pump inhibitor and a gel that supposedly coats your stomach. I am sure that this is part of a standard protocol. She is a lovely woman but I rather expect that she is simply doing what she is told. Since I don't have acid reflux, I am simply ignoring her advice.

Another issue I've been dealing with is vertigo.  There are a series of manual manipulations you can use to deal with it. One of them, the Epley maneuver, hasn't worked. Vertigo is listed as the third most common side effect of taking ivermectin. I'm going to stop for a while. This is my reasoning:

• Covid 19 has become much less dangerous as it has mutated

• I have never gotten the flu frequently in any case

• I will still have ivermectin available to treat it in case I do get sick. I can put up with dizziness.

I am thankful not to have gotten sick so far, during the two years of maximum craziness about the disease. Even if I get sick I will have the option of treating it rationally.

Subscriber Larry sent me a link to a delightful Washington Post article about Ukrainian heroism and luck in the first days of the war. Bob Homans provided the same link in his most recent post. I would suggest reading it. Though it is written in the well-established style of war heroism, the fact is that it did take bravery, smarts, and quite a bit of luck to push the Russians away from Kyiv.

Sydney Freedberg, a fellow I have known since he was in high school, has made a career at Breaking Defense, a magazine about the American defense industry. He offered the best analysis I have seen of the catastrophes that are befalling the Russians in Crimea. He offers five potential explanations, and gives the reasons why each of them is unlikely. It will be interesting when we finally find out.

That’s the news from Lake WeBeGone, where the temperature hit 90 for the first time since June. The children are enjoying the company of their friends before they go back to school, and before Eddie has to get serious once again with his sixth grade studies. Zoriana and I can no longer bicycle to her music lessons because it is too dark when we return at 8:00 p.m. We took the bus, metro and streetcar yesterday.

Graham