Bits n' pieces from east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling:

•A Goldman Sachs analyst indicates in The Genome Revolution that there is a financial downside to curing people, CNBC reports. The Genome Revolution cites the over 90 percent cure rate with new drugs for Hepatitis C, which saw peak sales of $12.5 billion in 2015. But sales dropped to under $4 billion this year, since “curing existing patients also decreases the number of carriers able to transmit the virus to new patients.” But cancer patients offer less risk to the “financial stability of a franchise.”

•Coal ash, released into the local environment with flooding from Hurricane Florence, includes toxins such as arsenic, lead, mercury, aluminum, and chloride. The toxic ash is linked to cancer, learning disabilities, neurological disorders, birth defects, heart damage, lung disease, respiratory distress, kidney disease, and GI illnesses. According to Physicians for Social Responsibility, 38 percent of coal ash is used in agricultural and engineering applications, and 5 percent is dumped as fill into abandoned mines.

•A fifth of cat owners don’t know cats are carnivorous and must have meat, says a U.K. survey.

•About 6.1 million people in the U.S. do not vote due to past felony convictions; 25 percent of those people live in Florida, says the Sentencing Project. A Federal District Judge in Florida claims that voter disenfranchisement of felons who served their time is a violation of the First and 1th Amendments, according to The Washington Spectator.

•Can one be too smart? According to a study of 379 leaders from 30 countries, printed in Journal of Applied Psychology, those with IQs over 120 appear to be less effective as leaders. The leaders, from businesses like banking, retail and technology, were rated by an average of eight co-workers. A study author suggests ways for smart leaders to be more effective: speak in a charismatic way and concoct creative metaphors that “inspire and persuade.”

•At this time 68.5 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes, and half are children according to the International Rescue Committee. The average displacement now spans 20 years. Education for those children is often overlooked, but can significantly enhance their opportunities. So the MacArthur Foundation has provided support for a Sesame Workshop for early childhood intervention. IRC says it is the “largest early childhood intervention ever in such a setting.”

•Breastfed babies typically have a more diverse microbiome, and are less inclined to become obese, as compared to infant formula-fed babies, according to a study in Journal of Pediatrics.

•In 2017 the U.S. added over 15,000 restaurants. But, The New York Times says, there’s been a worker shortage due to inadequate wages and deportation threats. Now restaurant owners are increasingly turning to older workers, former prisoners and people with learning disorders for help. Some are also adding incentives, such as help with college tuition or college debt.

•Vehicle fuel efficiency is not just a plus for the environment, according to a study from the University of Tennessee. Fuel efficiency also provides significant savings for low- and middle-income drivers, especially those in rural areas with longer drives.

•Between 2004 and 2012 sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions declined by 68 percent and 55 percent, respectively. A Clean Air Task Force study said that resulted in a 77 percent drop in asthma attacks and a 69 percent drop in heart attacks.

•Less than one month after the Stop BEZOS Act was introduced to Congress, Jeff Bezos, the planet’s wealthiest man, established a $15 minimum wage for his employees. The proposed bill called for government benefits for low-paid employees, such as food and other necessities, to be reimbursed to the government by large corporations with poorly-paid employees.

Changes in climate, especially in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America are expected to displace as many as 143 million people by 2050, according to the World Bank. Many will be forced to move into crowded slums.

•Highest rate since 1962: in April 19 percent of Americans 65 and over were still working, many because they can’t afford not to. Of those 55 or older, a third see themselves working either until age 70 or never retiring at all, says a report from the World Economic Forum.

•Blast from the past: After WWII the U.S. became a leader in efforts to establish international refugee laws and standards. The Geneva Refugee Convention recognized that, when fleeing persecution, refugees are not well positioned to follow regular migration channels; international law also protects people from government actions that are arbitrary. The International Refugee Committee regards forced separation of refugee children from their parents as arbitrary, and explains that the separation creates toxic stress: brain development can be disrupted, with long-term consequences. But the IRC says toxic stress can be reduced once protective and nurturing caregivers are provided.

Lorraine H. Marie is a writer based in Colville, Washington.