What Caught My Eye Today - Pandemics, Sainthood, Natural Disasters

Pandemics - A new SARS-like virus recently found in humans continues to spread, with the worldwide total now at 49 according to the World Health Organization. Yeah, yeah. I can hear the skepticism already. What's all the drama about? We're only talking about 49 people, right? Of the 49 known infections with the MERS-CoV virus, 27 have resulted in death. Point number one--this virus has a mortality rate of more than 55%. Coronaviruses cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, as well as a variety of animal diseases. It acts like a cold virus and attacks the respiratory system. Symptoms, which include fever and a cough, are severe and can lead to pneumonia and kidney failure.  There are currently no vaccines to protect against human coronavirus infection. Point number two--there is not treatment or cure for this thing that has killed more than half the people who have been diagnosed with it. Need I say more?

Sainthood - Pope Francis made Catholic history by canonizing more than 800 new saints in one day. Is it just me or does that sound like a lot of saints? I sure hope they don't plan on adding all 800 to the Litany of Saints. That bad boy is long enough already. The new saints were Italians from the port town of Otranto, which was overrun by the Ottoman Turkish army in 1480.  The townspeople barricaded themselves in the cathedral and refused to convert to Islam; males older than 15 were beheaded.  This is the sort of thing that happens when two parties cannot find any middle ground upon which to work out their differences. The decision to elevate the entire group to sainthood was made by Pope Benedict XVI on his last day in office and may strain relations between the Catholic Church and Muslims. I must confess when I started reading this article, it struck me as rather peculiar that Pope Francis would have instigated such a controversial gesture, but then when I saw that he was carrying out the final edicts of his predecessor, this made much more sense.

Natural Disasters - With summer just around the corner, you may be looking for suggestions for places to go on summer holiday.  For those of you who are keen to avoid international travel in favor of the safety of the United States, you might want to avoid some of these places that are rather prone to disasters. Some states find themselves in the cross-hairs of disaster far more than others. Presidents have declared nearly 2,000 major disasters in the 50 states and the District of Columbia over the past 60 years as of April 2013, but a mere 10 states have been responsible for a third of that total. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) these are the top states most at risk for a disaster declaration:

#10 Missouri: The Show-Me State has been shown disastrous weather in every month of the year: severe snow and ice storms in winter, tornadoes during the spring, summer and fall, and flooding at virtually any time. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 53
I get that Missouri is home to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the spectacle that is Branson, but seriously, what exactly is there to "show me" in Missouri?
#9 Arkansas: Arkansas has been walloped by heavy rain, snow, ice, tornadoes and flooding over the years and has even taken poundings from tropical storm systems, though it's not a coastal state. In 2008, storms and tornadoes associated with Hurricane Gustav littered streets with debris, damaged buildings, roads and bridges, and knocked out electric cooperatives. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 54
So not only does Arkansas get whacked by tropical storms, hurricanes and tornadoes, but it gets clobbered by most of its SEC rivals in college football. It almost makes you feel sorry for them...almost.
#8 Kentucky: The disaster roster in Kentucky has included landslides, mudslides and rock slides, along with flooding and tornadoes. The state was ripped up in 2008 by the remnants of Hurricane Ike. Another major disaster declaration involved a record snowfall in late 2004, and yet another stemmed from a 1981 series of chemical explosions in the Louisville sewers. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 56.
On the bright side, Kentucky has some great bourbon and has some pretty good college basketball programs.
#7 Alabama: This Gulf Coast state has been battered by hurricanes, including Isaac in 2012, Gustav in 2008, Katrina and Dennis in 2005, and Ivan in 2004. But tornadoes in April 2011 rivaled the hurricanes for destructive power, lashing the state with winds that exceeded 210 mph and leaving about 250 people dead and an estimated $1.5 billion in damage. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 57.
Is it just me or is the gulf coast pretty much a death trap?  Check out #6 and #5 on the countdown...
#6 Louisiana: It has taken Louisiana years to recover from Hurricane Katrina, the now-legendary 2005 storm that government officials say killed nearly 1,000 residents and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. The Gulf state has been visited by numerous hurricanes including 1969's Camille, a Category 5 storm that came ashore with 190 mph winds. By comparison, Katrina was "only" a Category 3 on the wind scale. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 60.
Yeah, but they have a wicked good time with that Mardi Gras deal, don't they?
#5 Florida: The Sunshine State has been pummeled by dozens of tropical storm systems since the 1950s -- none worse than Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The Category 5 hurricane with gusts of more than 200 mph held the title as the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history until Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Severe freezes have been disastrous for Florida farming on multiple occasions. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 65.
In fairness, the Hurricane State doesn't sound quite as inviting does it?
#4 New York: Across its empire that stretches from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast, New York has been lashed by everything from blizzards to tropical storms. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy killed nearly 50 in the state and caused more than $40 billion in damage. New York also received disaster declarations for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and an earlier bombing in the complex's garage. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 67.
Maybe that's why those of us who don't live in New York, think that New Yorkers can be kind of mean.  With all that they've gone through, I can sort of see why. Don't get me wrong, they're still mean, but I get it now.
#3 Oklahoma: The recent monster tornado that blasted through the Oklahoma City suburbs is only the latest devastating storm to hit a state that recorded an average of 55 twisters per year since 1950. The worst tornado in recent history struck near Oklahoma City in May 1999 with unprecedented winds in excess of 300 mph that killed 36 people. Oklahoma also has endured severe winter storms, wildfires, floods and the 1995 terrorist bombing that killed 168 people at the Oklahoma City federal building. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 73.
With all the stuff that has happen in Oklahoma, maybe it might be time to consider relocating to a more hospitable location.
#2 California: The nation's most populous state also is one of the most disaster-prone thanks to wildfires, landslides, flooding, winter storms, severe freeze and even tsunami waves. But earthquakes are the disaster perhaps most closely associated with California. The worst in recent years have included a magnitude-6.9 quake near San Francisco in 1989 that killed 63 and a magnitude-6.7 quake in Southern California in 1994 that killed 61. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 78.
Heck, I live here. Clearly I'm too dumb or ignorant to know better.
#1 Texas: Within Texas' nearly 267,000 square miles (second only to Alaska in size), at least one major disaster is declared nearly every calendar year. The Lone Star State has dealt with tornadoes, floods, wildfires and fairly frequent coastal hurricanes. One of the deadliest and costliest in recent decades was Hurricane Celia, which tore up Corpus Christi in 1970. The storm left 13 dead and destroyed millions of dollars' worth of property. Major disaster declarations since 1953: 86.
After the Gulf Coast, I'm thinking the Mid West is not particularly appealing either.