The Sargassum Belt: A Perfect Pathogen Storm

An Age of Innocence

It was twenty years ago that I wrote the article, A Druid Nation:

“The well-known reality is that 102 Puritans from England landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts on December 21, 1620.

But instead of Puritans, imagine the same number of Buddhist monks had arrived. Or, perhaps a boatload of Druids came ashore on that cold, miserable day in December. Envision the last remaining members of that mysterious priesthood, first mentioned in Julius Caesar’s diaries in 55 B.C., standing on the beaches of North America.

Would the original inhabitants of North America have been treated better? Would there have been slavery? Would the United States have become, for lack of a better word, a more eco-friendly country from the very beginning?

Alas, the arrival of Europeans, or for that matter benign Buddhist monks, probably meant the civilizations of North and South America were fated from the start, almost from the moment the conquistadors clanked ashore in their suits of armor in the fifteenth century. But it was not because of guns, or horses, or organization, or corruption of the locals—or Christianity. The unstoppable enemy was disease, unwittingly brought (at least initially) by Europeans, of which “Native-Americans” had no immunity.

Because of Jared Diamond and others, we know that geography matters—and matters a lot. Unlike the early inhabitants in the Western Hemisphere, Europeans had domesticated animals such as oxen, cows, and pigs that did not exist in North and South America. Humans contracted diseases that jumped from animals to humans and over time built up a degree of resistance to them.

Columbus, Ponce de Leon, Cortez, Pizarro and other Europeans traveled with the ultimate weapon—not gunpowder—but hideous viruses like smallpox, typhus, influenza, diphtheria, and measles. It turned out to be an unimaginable “ethnic cleansing” of entire civilizations. It may have been the greatest pandemic in human history.

A number of Christian fundamentalists in the United States, in their feverish fantasy of turning the country into some nonsensical theocracy, claim that the U.S. is a Christian nation: Christian only among the deluded perhaps.

What we know now, because of science and a readiness to consider other possibilities, is that North America (along with Central and South America) was not an immaculate, virgin forest, inhabited by a handful of primitive savages—”noble” or otherwise.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the continent was teeming with civilization, and religion, and diverse groups of people and yes, even wisdom, the kind that may still have environmental relevance in our present day.

Grasslands had been burned for thousands of years to prevent the encroachment of forests; farming was common; villages and towns existed throughout the continent; trade and commerce had been flourishing for hundreds of years. (For anyone interested in some fascinating, and oftentimes controversial, theories about the Americas, a worthwhile read is 1491 by Charles C. Mann.)

The what if struck me again and again as I read Mann’s book. And, while the winners may write history, we humans collectively enjoy our “soothing” songs, stories and myths. More to the point, we don’t like them questioned or challenged.

About a week ago one of the leading science advisory groups in the United States said the U.S. “could soon lose” its competitive edge in science. But, if even half the numerous polls and surveys are correct, nearly three-quarters of Americans believe in and are guided by magic. What if?”

{NOTE: Puritans vs. Pilgrims. The Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Church of England, and the Puritans wanted to reform from within. It was the Pilgrims that landed on December 21.}

My Condolences Citizen

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THIS DANGEROUS PATHOGEN?

It struck me as a timely metaphor of sorts when I first read about the Atlantic Sargassum Belt.

It’s toxic Florida seaweed and now found in the Gulf and the Caribbean. Scientists call it a “vertical mixing,” in which shifting winds churn up the ocean and nutrients that are in deep water are brought to the surface. It has been pretty much a seasonal thing. All of this of course can create problems for local authorities and businesses that rely on tourism; however, on one level it is a normal occurrence in nature that many of us that have lived near the ocean have seen.

But since 2023 scientists and marine biologists have started referring to it as a perfect pathogen storm. With warming oceans and rapidly increasing plastic debris in the sea, we are apparently beginning to create much more than smelly seaweed, inconveniencing tourists and affecting business profits.

Ever increasing rotting Sargassum gives off large quantities of hydrogen sulfide that fills the air with the odor of rotting eggs. It can also give rise to asthma and other respiratory issues. But that “perfect” pathogen storm is that plastic debris in the ocean mixed with Sargassum that creates a flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio bacteria. It hides within decomposing vegetation. Of course this may be harmful to both human and marine life.

It is a good thing that we have experienced scientists investigating this phenomenon and our government is providing funding for needed research. Agencies like EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) are trying to reduce the use of plastics and we’re cooperating with various international groups to confront environmental destruction, and corporate America is working hard to lower its own carbon footprint and environmental degradation. Fortunately the American public in general understands how officials should go about reducing fraud and waste in government, with a scalpel and not a club. Ultimately the U.S. Congress is monitoring all of this in the service of the public good.

Oh … but this is exactly what is not happening anymore. This is America’s recent past. To learn about Sargassum SEE, Scientists identify tipping point that caused toxic

Florida seaweed

SEE, The creeping threat of Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt

The Care of Health In America

My unscientific advice for 2025 is don’t get sick in the United States and most definitely do not grow old. I know, it’s as stupid as it sounds. Yes, per capita, Americans now spend more on health care than any other developed nation, and the resulting health of Americans is mediocre at best.

Obviously, health care is extremely important to all of us and any government, certainly in a developed nation, has a huge responsibility to all its citizens and, if smart, to all its residents. A government that can’t or won’t provide basic, affordable care is a government not worth supporting.

Sifting through the enormous misinformation, deliberate lies and quite intentional half truths about health care in the United States that comes from the Trump-Musk administration will not be easy. But it is, however, in your existential interest to learn what is true and what is not true.

Do you know what you might see very soon? Have you stocked up with a supply of good health? SEE, Hard to imagine a more sweeping agenda to make America less healthy

Gutting U.S. health agency will allow for private sector takeover

It’s about confusing people. SEE, The goal is to disassemble public health

The cult of Robert Kennedy Jr knows what’s best for you. SEE, Top U.S. vaccine official resigns

Here we go, the never ending vaccine skeptic and autism. SEE, Kennedy turns to discredited vaccine skeptic

Yes you need to know about MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement. Good nutrition and getting rid of the overuse of red dye #40 are being advocated, but so isn’t ivermectin, developed to combat “river blindness.” SEE, RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement

Sending an email, a true grift in a thug state. SEE, EPA offers a way to avoid clean air rules

“He’s a water boy for the president and Elon Musk,” says Christine Todd Whitman, former administrator of the EPA under George W. Bush, referring to current administrator Lee Zeldin, the person now responsible for gutting the EPA. And Trump and Musk plan to gut.

Some of you may be old enough to remember acid rain, something we thought we had gotten rid of a long time ago. We really don’t want it back. SEE, U.S. could see a return of acid rain due to Trump's rollbacks

Those monster diseases won’t remain in the poor countries my fellow Americans. SEE, End of vaccines for poor countries

A Mere Pause In the Moment

For me one of the more egregious executive orders from the character occupying the White House at the present time is his demand that the Smithsonian Institution, one of the premier institutions in the world, stop their “divisive, race-centered ideology.” He wants the Smithsonian to be the “symbol of inspiration and American greatness.” Uh, huh.

It seems more like a white supremacy, fantastical wet dream and a keen desire to return to some dark past, where our “greatness” only pertained to one particular segment of society and a truly distorted one at that.

While I don’t expect anything different from this repulsive, narcissistic man-child, the fact that he has inserted himself in one of our truly great American institutions is infuriating. Make your views known, as well as saying “no” to the gutting of public television and public radio.

On a more positive note, Kansas City’s “March For Democracy” yesterday brought out probably close to 2,000 people, that ended up at the National World War I Museum and Memorial. We have to keep these sorts of events on the front page and make them grow in strength each week.

Hundreds of “Tesla Takedowns” are taking place in the U.S., Canada and Europe this weekend. Yesterday more than 200 demonstrations took place in the U.S. including Kansas City.

Stop worrying about the “legacy” press not making its presence known. There are many, many ways to inform people and let them know what’s going on across the country, including “new” media.

I certainly remember the Civil Rights movement, the anti-war movement and the environmental movement more than 50 years ago, and there was no damn social media, internet or the ubiquitous cell phone. For that matter little attention was given to any sweet promises of AI.

It is not the comfortable nor the privileged that will bring actual change. If anything they are irritating obstacles to be overcome and pushed aside. Actual change has always had to start from the very beginning. Make it happen.

Pete Hegseth storms off Stephen Colbert

APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE. WE ARE NOW IN PRECARIOUS TIMES WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE. TURN IT UP.