Declarations

“When taken together, these data suggest that the dangers of equestrian activities have been severely under-appreciated. … When controlled for hours of activity, horseback riding resulted in a higher proportion of hospital admission than other higher risk activities like skiing.”

— A study published in the online journal Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open found that risk of an injury is higher for horse riding than for other potentially risky sporting activities. Researchers found the hospital admission risk from horseback riding is higher than for football, auto and motorcycle racing, and skiing. Protective horse-riding gear such as helmets can save lives, but the equipment is not always worn, researchers noted.

“A little more chlorine, and this child would be here today.”

— Said Stephen Stewart, an attorney for the parents of 3-year-old Bakari Williams, who died Sept. 11 after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba that was found at a city splash pad he’d visited in Arlington, Texas. Bakari Williams’ parents are suing the city; Bakari died after being hospitalized with primary amebic meningoencephalitis, typically fatal infection caused by the naegleria fowleri amoeba.

“It is an absolute sea of red ink across the industry. This is not one or two companies that are having problems in the marketplace. This is virtually every single company experiencing negative net income – and a direct hit to surplus.”

— Barry Gilway, CEO of Citizens Property Insurance Co., Florida’s state-backed property insurer of last resort. He was speaking to an Oct. 19 meeting of the state Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, explaining why so many insurers are pulling out of Florida, cancelling policies and raising premiums – all of which has sent thousands more homeowners into the arms of Citizens.

“Right clicking does not count as criminal hacking.”

— Peter Swire, a cyber law expert and professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said regarding Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s condemnation of a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report for exposing a flaw in a state database that allowed public access to thousands of teachers’ Social Security numbers. The Post-Dispatch estimated that more than 100,000 Social Security numbers were vulnerable, based on pay records and other data. Alerted to the problem, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education removed the pages from its website and called the reporter who discovered the vulnerability a “hacker.”

“They keep on coming. They keep on coming in the door.”

— Dr. Michael Crane, director of the World Trade Center health clinic at Mount Sinai, said regarding the patients still reporting dust-related illnesses two decades after the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings in New York City. To date, the U.S. has spent $11.7 billion on care and compensation for those exposed to the toxic dust and fires that burned at ground zero for weeks after the attacks. More than 40,000 people have gotten payments from a government fund for people with illnesses potentially linked to the attacks, the Associated Press reported.

“Relying so heavily on just one industry for residents’ livelihoods and tax base for schools, health care and public service is a risky proposition. And the risks are mounting due to economic downturns, worsening wildfires, and changing weather patterns.”

— A new report shows the COVID-19 pandemic helped expose the growing vulnerability of Lake Tahoe’s increasingly tourism-dependent economy as housing costs balloon, year-round residency declines and more workers commute from afar or seek jobs elsewhere.