Calculations were off
Letter-writer Bill Wyer (Sunday) asked to be corrected if he was wrong. He stated that with about 2.2 million cases of coronavirus worldwide and a world population of 7.8 billion, the incidence of the virus was 0.00028 percent. Oh, that pesky decimal. It's actually 0.028 percent, about 1 in 3,500.
In the United States, with 690,714 cases reported on Saturday and a population of about 330 million, the incidence is about 0.21 percent, about 1 in 500.
While those incidence figures look small, the absolute numbers are substantial, and we will never know for certain what the numbers might have been without the mitigation efforts that have occurred. And widespread testing might also have boosted the incidence rates.
MIKE WATTS
Little Rock
Editor's note: Mr. Watts is correct. We regret the error.
Has never been dull
I'm Vertis, Richard Mason's wife and, as Richard says, his "partner." I thought, with the Earth Day letters, I would give you a little insight into my husband, the columnist. First, he really does care about our wonderful state and its people, and every day with him is a lesson in caring for our environment and respecting the people around us. From his columns, I think you certainly get the idea that our life has been interesting and sometimes off-the-edge interesting and downright dangerous.
Richard grew up respecting hard work, and he is constantly working on something. He is the most productive person I've ever met. Yes, he is also stubborn and opinionated, and not always right, but when he knows he's right, he will prevail no matter how long it takes. Life with Richard hasn't always been all roses, but it has never been dull.
VERTIS MASON
El Dorado
Listening to experts
Michael Toppen wrote a letter titled "About those 'experts" wherein he blasted the opinions of the "experts" and extolled the opinions of the "local and regional authorities" when it comes to what actions should be taken to deal with the horror of covid-19. I would wager my front-row seat that Mr. Toppen has, many times, called on the expertise of mechanics, doctors, lawyers, financial advisers, plumbers, electricians, and spiritual advisers.
I would hope your readers understand that, like me, Mr. Toppen has nothing more to offer than, and in his example, a very hypocritical opinion of what is truth concerning covid-19, how to deal with it, and the effects it will or will not have on our condition.
We should leave the prognosis of this miserable scourge, and the handling of it, to the "experts" and put the "opinion" of the "local and regional authorities" where the sun don't shine.
AUSTIN STEWART
Judsonia
Need your support
Please think about the service people who make your life easier. The grocery worker, the sanitation worker and your barber. Of these three, your barber’s income is dependent on you. Maybe you gift them at Christmas with a tip larger than your usual, but today think about their loss of income. Reach out to them and give them more. They really need your support.
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
The first Earth Day
The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. I was in my fourth year of teaching chemistry at Ouachita University. Like a lot of people in the Arkansas environmental movement, I was influenced by Harold Alexander, who taught the importance of stream preservation, natural area protection, and scientific wildlife management. Harold approached me and suggested that we organize an Earth Day celebration at Ouachita. One component of the plan was to ask that no vehicles be allowed on campus on that day. Harold was well known in the “conservation community,” both locally and at the national level. He easily persuaded a couple of very important environmental scientists to be a part of our program. First was Dr. Clarence Cottam from the Welder Wildlife Foundation in Texas, who had been one of Rachel Carson’s science advisers for Silent Spring. Next came Dr. Frank Craighead of Moose, Wyo. Frank and his brother John were some of the first scientists to use radio tracking of wildlife as a research tool. The day was a wonderful success. It is hard to describe the effect of removing cars from campus. The operation of the university continued as usual but with no cars in sight. Everyone cooperated. As time came for the program to begin, students, faculty and guests from across Arkansas filled Verser Auditorium. It quickly became an overflow crowd with people sitting on the floor and on the stage and stairs. A group of biology graduate students from UA-Fayetteville showed up, anxious to hear Dr. Craighead and Dr. Cottam. I had invited Craighead to stay at my house that evening. The grad students also ended up at my house, which took on the characteristics of a dormitory. Among the students was Steve Wilson, who later served as director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. It is hard to believe that this happened 50 years ago. The world has changed since then. I hope we have learned to be kind to this planet on which we live.
JOE NIX
Arkadelphia
Editorial on 04/22/2020