Feb 25, 2022“Downfall:” A Flawed Documentary About The 737 MAXThe new Netflix documentary “Downfall: the Case Against Boeing” was released on Feb. 17. Its theme is that Boeing was once a trusted engineer-based organization, but became so profit-driven that it cut corners and compromised safety when developing the 737-MAX. The loss of a loved one is a horrifying experience…7376 min read7376 min read
Jan 19, 2022The Airlines Versus The Cellular Service ProvidersSome U.S. airlines have warned of “catastrophic disruptions” if Verizon and AT&T provide 5G service near airports. The 5G cell phone frequencies are separate from the frequencies used by an airliner’s radar altimeter. But the frequencies are said to be close enough to possibly interfere with the operation of older…Airline2 min readAirline2 min read
May 14, 2021Air France and Airbus Face Involuntary Manslaughter For CrashA French appeals court has ruled Air France and Airbus must face involuntary manslaughter charges for the crash twelve years ago of an Air France Airbus en route from Rio to Paris. Air France is charged with insufficient training of its pilots. Airbus is charged with underestimating the seriousness of…Fear Of Flying3 min readFear Of Flying3 min read
Nov 19, 2020The 737 MAX Is Back. Now What?It’s back. The 737 Max is now, once again, legal to fly. It reminds me of those stories about a person accused of a crime they didn’t commit. The cops frame him. A zealous prosecutor offers a plea deal of a few years to avoid a trial that might mean…Fear4 min readFear4 min read
Sep 24, 2020Denial Can Endanger Your HealthEveryone has psychological defenses. The defenses a mentally healthy uses again anxiety are not a problem. When stress hormones are released, we feel alarm. But our parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and down-regulates alarm to interest. But a person who lacks the programming needed to down-regulate alarm uses psychological defenses…Fear5 min readFear5 min read
Jul 20, 2020The Psychological Discovery That Can Keep You Calm During This CrisisOne of the most important dynamics in psychology was discovered by neurological researcher and professor of psychiatry Stephen Porges. He recently published an article based on his discovery in the journal Clinical Neuropsychiatry. It is titled, “The COVID-19 Pandemic is a Paradoxical Challenge to Our Nervous System: A Polyvagal Perspective.”…Covid-196 min readCovid-196 min read
Jul 18, 2020Doc Says Mask Reduces COVID By 65%. What’s Wrong With 100%?Respirators are available that provide protection that approaches 100%. Why are we not being told? In a Medscape article, Dean Blumberg, MD of UIC Davis is quoted as saying a “standard rectangular surgical mask … will decrease the risk of infection to the person wearing the mask by about 65%…4 min read4 min read
Jul 6, 2020The MAX Wasn’t Broken, But Clickbait Media Forced Boeing To “Fix” It AnywayFlight re-testing of the 737 MAX is complete. The re-testing was aimed at proving the safety and reliability of the redesigned MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System). The redesign was not needed. Not needed, that is, where the plane is properly maintained and flown by well-trained pilots. Maintenance Standards. There were…737max6 min read737max6 min read
Jun 22, 20208 Things Your Psychologist Doesn't Know That You Can Use To Stop PanicOnce a panic attack has started, you can’t help yourself. All those tips about stopping a panic attack are useless. What you are about to learn will stop panic before it can start. You can keep panic from happening again. The first step is to understand the processes involved. 1…Panic6 min readPanic6 min read
May 21, 2020Why Do Some Of Us Get Upset Easily And Others Not?We all have a calming system. It is called the parasympathetic nervous system. It opposes the sympathetic nervous system, the system that revs us up when we are stressed. …Anxiety2 min readAnxiety2 min read
