Climate data lacking in Zika stories
The AJC has published a number of stories about the outbreak of Zika in South Florida. What has been lacking is the detailed climate data that directly links the increasing number of “mosquito days” in Atlanta to the changes in our global climate.
A “mosquito day” is a day when the temperatures are between 50 and 95 degrees F and relative humidity is greater than 42 percent. This is the perfect environment for the Asian Tiger Mosquito which is one of the known carriers of the Zika virus.
The average number of mosquito days in Atlanta has risen from 140 days per year during the period from 1980 to 1989, to 157 mosquito days per year in the period since 2006. This is based on data from the National Institutes of Health.
Rising temperatures mean rising mosquito populations, mean higher risk of Zika in Georgia. This is the type of information Georgia voters need to make up their minds about the need to counteract global warming.
TERRY SCHIFF, ALPHARETTA
Obama’s ‘transparent’ claim laughable
Regarding the latest revelation about the secret $400 million cash payment to Iran, I’m reminded of President Obama’s statement in February 2013, “This is the most transparent administration in history.”
Obamacare, Benghazi, the IRS Tea Party scandal, Hillary’s email transgressions and now this.
If we’re going to use light transmission qualities such as transparent, opaque and reflective to describe the actions of this administration, I don’t think “transparent” is particularly appropriate.
Given that bad behavior often cannot be seen in the mirror, “reflective” would seem the better pick.
DOUGLAS M. LOCKER, DECATUR
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