Things of common wonder

Recipes for potluck this weekend

2011-06-08T15:12:00.001-07:00

Vegetarian chili

Italian romaine salad

Lemonade tea
--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free

Divine Irony

2010-11-10T15:59:00.001-08:00

I think there's a profound irony that the first atheistic state (Albania) gave birth to an icon of Christianity: Mother Teresa.

Bureaucracy is the New Shrine

2010-09-09T07:50:00.001-07:00

Bureaucracy is the new shrine. If we like something, we'll devote an agency to it.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chancellor Robert A. Easter <chancellor@illinois.edu>
Date: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 1:33 AM
Subject: MASSMAIL - Reaffirmation of Equal Employment Opportunity
To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff & All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@illinois.edu>

Date: September 9, 2010

To: Members of the Campus Community

From: Robert A. Easter
Chancellor and Provost (Interim)

Re: Reaffirmation of Equal Employment Opportunity

At the start of each academic year, I have the privilege of reaffirming
the University of Illinois' commitment to equal opportunity, consistent
with University policy and federal and state regulations.

The University, as reflected by Inclusive Illinois, is committed to
creating and maintaining a community that recognizes and values the
inherent worth and dignity of every person, while fostering an environment
of mutual respect among its members. The University takes seriously our
responsibility to provide leadership in ensuring that equal employment
opportunity is our standard practice rather than an aspiration. As such,
University policy prohibits discrimination or harassment of any member of
the campus community in any employment practice, including recruitment,
selection, promotion, transfer, merit increases, salary, training and
development, demotion, and separation on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status,
genetic information, marital status, disability, sexual orientation
including gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military or
status as a protected veteran. The policy is available online at
http://oeoa.illinois.edu/campusconduct.html.

Additionally, the University remains committed to the principles of
affirmative action and equal access for women, minorities, persons with
disabilities, and protected veterans. The Campus Affirmative Action Plan
describes the policies and procedures that must be followed in furtherance
of these principles. All employees are responsible for promoting equal
employment opportunity and for making good faith efforts to achieve the
university's affirmative action goals.

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access is a resource for the campus in
matters of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and nondiscrimination in
employment. OEOA is available to address any campus concerns involving
these matters. As always, your commitment to a respectful living,
learning, and working community at Illinois is acknowledged and
appreciated.

This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor

--
This Message sent via MASSMAIL. < http://www.cites.illinois.edu/services/massmail/ >

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Hard Evidence that Transformers Exist

2010-08-10T20:22:00.001-07:00

It's true! Transformers are real!!!

(No word on which Decepticons were involved).

On Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 8:24 PM, Derek Fultz <dfultz@uiuc.edu> wrote:

Dear ______:

Roger Adams Laboratory South has been given the "All Clear" following a transformer fire in the penthouse as of 8:00 pm.

The damaged transformer has been isolated, and all power has been restored through a secondary transformer.

Laboratory occupants can reenter the building and resume activities as normal. Please be advised that a minor residual odor of the fire remains in the building.

Chemical philosophy

2010-08-09T15:12:00.001-07:00

Pearls melt in vinegar.

WOW!!!

2010-08-07T11:24:00.001-07:00

WOWWWW!!!!!!

This is Isaac Hayes, who, in his first-ever run for office, is taking on Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. in Illinois' 2nd district:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVvzw_ZvwGo&feature=player_embedded#!

Does that take guts, or what??? He says that we need more "citizen legislators." You can check out his website at http://www.isaac4honesty.com/index.asp

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

When Truth is Stranger than Fiction

2010-08-01T12:36:00.001-07:00

Catch 22: "Catch-22 states that agents enforcing Catch-22 need not prove that Catch-22 actually contains whatever provision the accused violator is accused of violating." This is the one fictitious provision I'm including here. But it shows the heart of all of the laws or guidelines that follow: rex lex, instead of lex rex.

Article 58: "A counter-revolutionary action is any action aimed at overthrowing, undermining or weakening of the power of workers' and peasants' Soviets... and governments of the USSR and Soviet and autonomous republics, or at the undermining or weakening of the external security of the USSR and main economical, political and national achievements of the proletarial revolution." (Note: this article came to mean everything and nothing. Under it, children were imprisoned for picking up wheat falling onto a road from a leaking government vehicle and Solzhenitsyn was imprisoned for writing about Stalin as, among other things, the "one with mustachios." No one ever accused of violating this article was ever cleared of the charge, and many received 10 or even 25 years in the Gulag when they were found guilty.

Inclusivity: "In addition, to enhance the working, living, and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students, the University will encourage a standard of conduct and behavior that is consistent with the values of inclusivity. In an environment of inclusivity, there is no place for acts of hatred, intolerance, insensitivity, bigotry, threats of violence, harassment or discrimination." The local newspaper reported the following: "Ann Mester, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, wrote that she believes 'the e-mails sent by Dr. Howell violate university standards of inclusivity, which would then entitle us to have him discontinue his teaching arrangement with us.'" Sounds similar to the "hate" speech violations Mark Steyn was called up on in 2008. By the way, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunals who handled his case have a 100% conviction rate.

Avatar Tanks

2010-07-20T20:38:00.001-07:00

No spectacle, however breathtaking, can make up for bad writing. If you strip away all the visual trappings, Avatar is, at best, a B movie. And that's being generous. It proves, nonetheless, that the matriarchal-led-noble-savage-village-adopts-and-converts-wayfaring-stranger-who-brings-tragedy-but-is-oh-so-cute-and-steals-heart-of-conveniently-influential-female spans not only from Japanese culture (Nathan Algren/Brad Pitt in The Last Samurai) to the local Indian tribe (John Smith in Pocahontas) to outer space (Jake Sully/Sam Worthington in Avatar). The planet Pandora, to be exact. It's there that "our hero" gets into action as a paraplegic Marine witnessing the clash between a native (Na'vi) culture and a domineering alien (American Marine) culture.

Ostensibly, it's all about unobtanium -- a mineral that could revitalize Earth by replacing its flailing energy stores. The Na'vi have it, and the Marines don't. It was when the name of the element was muttered that I thought for the first (but not last) time that it would have been nice if the screenwriter and producer had decided at some point in the project (preferably the beginning) whether this was supposed to be an epic or a 2D piece. I mean, the villains were all 2D: the corporal, when not pumping iron, is showing off his battle scars and looking to satiate his blood lust. And the weanie company functionary has something that resembles a conscience, but he's often more interested in his golf than in balanced, humanitarian strategy. And "unobtanium"? Really now.

The Marines are portrayed -- Jake and one renegade Tomb-Raider-like pilot excepting -- as ripped idiots who only know how to carry big guns and shoot them. The Na'vi, on the other hand, have everything figured out. Not only do they live in a land where everything looks like one big Lite Brite scene, they've got stable families and their warriors call the animals they kill "brother" before stabbing them in the heart. (No, I didn't make that up!) They live in a happy commune up in a tree and have a weirdo mix of el naturale with electronic overtones. Yeah, you heard that right. I mean, in the olden days, when you wanted to ride a horse, you just walked up to the palfrey and hopped on. In Na'viland, you have to plug the fiber optic cables conveniently running through your long, braided queue into the fiber optics sprouting from your beast-of-burden's antennae. Yeah, I told you it was weird. For a movie that's supposed to be in touch with the spiritual side of things, there sure were a lot of gimmicky physical things -- the hair-to-antenna connection looked a whole lot like a misplaced umbilical cord, and never ceased to remind me of the clip the "safety conscious" try to make you wear when you run on a tread machine. And if the pink-fiber-optic-tree-god was so great, why does cutting down a few trees do her in? Really, now. Anyway, at one point, head scientist Grace Augustine (who's trying so hard to be a big, bad leading woman that she even unconvincingly strikes up a smoke several times!) tries to translate her findings into lingo her technologically-savvy but heartless Marine listeners might understand. She tells them the Na'vi can "upload and download things -- like their ancestors' memories."

That comes in handy for Jake once Grace kicks the bucket (in her last words she smiles as she realizes she is god). (Yeah, it's another one of those movies where they think it'll up the drama factor if they start killing off as many peripheral characters as possible. Life expectancy of peripherals is low, way low.) Fortunately, the tree god's fiber optics and compatible with his. He has what's supposed to be an emotional moment as he stands beneath the pink fiber optic tree, lets his queue's optics intertwine with the tree's and stars whispering psychobabble, "I come from a place where there's nothing green... We've killed our mother... and now we want to kill you..." He asks the fiber optic god to download Grace's memories. Hope their operating systems are compatible.

His Na'vi wife Neytiri hears his "prayer," but sorrowfully tells him Ma Earth might not intervene during their desparate time: she only keeps the balance of life. Yeah -- sounds like the kind of mom I'd want!

The "super serious" scenes made me laugh, and the scenes where I was supposed to be cheering disgusted me.

On the light side, I think the group phosphorescent sessions when they try to transfer a spirit from one body to another could be put to good use in teaching about cult tactics, and/or group think. There were also some not-so-well-thought-out scenes. The Na'vi are considerably larger than humans: probably twice their height and with arms proportionally longer. At one point, Neytiri cradles Jake (still in human form) as he approaches death. It was supposed to be tender, but somehow the juxtaposition of a huge blue thing hugging a human guy looked kind of like we were at Disney Land and somebody in a Na'vi suit was working the crowd. Speaking of Neytiri, the noises they had her make at points of emotional distress certainly weren't the most flattering. When her poor Pop buys the farm (another peripheral character who bites the dust), she makes a noise that sounded so much like laughing that one of the guys watching the movie actually did start laughing. Oops. Ruined that scene. (Oh well -- the dad was an expendable character; it's the mom who's a shaman of the tribe).
My favorite miscalculation beside the natural electronic fascination was a rather embarrassing side effect of having an Avatar: the inconvenient narcolepsy. I mean, narcolepsy is always inconvenient, but in this movie it was profoundly so. At one point Jake's gearing up for a bone-raising speech when -- whoops -- there he goes! He's over! He's down! He's snoring like there's no tomorrow! So his speech gets chilled and the tree comes tumbling down. At another point, Sigourney/Grace konks over, and the next time we see her she's being drug in a makeshift litter behind a 6-footed horse. I don't know why, but that also cracked me up. I think the movie, kind of like the new Star Wars movies, just took itself way too seriously. Take a hint from Shakespeare: no matter how serious the contents are supposed to be, you've got to have some comic relief. None of the characters were supposed to be funny! There's no "funny guy," not even a cute little animal who befriends Jake and tracks along beside him.

On to the most disturbing part of the film. It's clear from the opening, who we're supposed to root for. Not the American Marines (yep, you heard that right: there's not even a pretense that these forces are international, collectively trying to save their dying planet. Americans are the problem), oh no. The Na'vi. I guess the screenwriter thought we might be too dense to self-identify with the bad guys unless they used live action, American-sounding, Marine-looking guys and gals. Yep, we're the bad guys. And who are the good guys? The Na'vi. Their feathers and body paint are most reminiscent of American Indians, but I suppose they could stand for any victim of American imperialism anywhere. What's wrong with this picture? Plenty. First off, it's a false dichotomy: you're with us our you're agin' us. Actually, why do I have to choose either side? If you look at how the deck has been stacked in this film, with only negative stereotypes of Marines shown, and every good aspect of the Na'vi played up, I think you'll ask yourself that question. Don't get sucked into thinking you have to choose a side for this one.

If the moviemakers' point was supposed to be that Marines are heartless bloodletters, they're absolutely wrong. I am disgusted that any moviemaker at any time would show their brutal beliefs about the military, portraying our military in such a way with not even a fig leaf to disguise who they were character assassinating. But it's even worse when it's done during a time of war. Anyone who actually thinks of our Armed Forces in this way should get to know a soldier and see their theories wither. I hope that no one in the military thinks that this way of presenting the military is what average men and women in this country believe. This film is reprehensibly irresponsible in its portrayal of the brave men and women who are currently serving in the military and risking their lives so we can live.

Do you know how messed up it is to see animated-like characters murdering American Marines with the music swelling, telling us we're supposed to like this part? Jake has qualms about murdering fellow Marines. They don't even throw in a questioning scene where he has to wrestle with his conscience. Killing a Na'vi is unpardonable, but killing a Marine is something to celebrate. What happened to respecting all life?

Incidentally, since this film is in some ways supposed to make us think about our conquest of Indian tribes, let me say this: history didn't have to turn out the way it did. Some European settlers and some Indian tribes were able to coexist in peace. It is possible!!! And it's historical revisionism if we lay all the blame for what happened on one side or the other. Yes, there was unjustifiable treatment of Indians by Europeans. There was also unjustifiable treatment of Europeans by Indians. I'll also mention that the "noble savage" idea presented in this film cannot be applied to the majority of the Indian tribes who lived in the U.S. when the Europeans began settling. For one thing, moral decadence was rampant in many tribes. So yes, European diseases definitely weaked some Indian tribes' ability to fight Europeans as they settled, but it definitely was not the only factor. Another thing to consider was that many Indians did not unite to fight the settlers because many settlers formed alliances with them. Also, there were not broad alliances between various tribes, as is shown in this film. I am in nowise trying to justify what happened in the past: I am disgusted by slaughtering people who lived trustfully near you, regardless of the skin color of the perpetrator or victim. I just think that before we take this film's advice and go on a white guilt spree, we ought to consider our actual history.

Really, this film could have had a much more positive message than "Pick a side, and pay blind loyalty to it no matter what." It could have been a vehicle to show reconciliation between very different nations. Since this is my blog, I'll have my way and present my version of what Avatar could have been:

Jake finds an untenable situtation mounting between the blue guys and the Marines. He gets to know the blue guys (and that particularly nice blue girl) and realizes what a pot of gold they're sitting on. So, he has a one-on-one with the golf-maniacal corporate guy. If he doesn't listen, he takes his message to the common man. He convinces them it's not unobtanium they need, it's tourism. They get Colonel "I AM TRANSFORMER" transferred to do boot camp in the States, and work out a system where people back on Earth take virtual tourism treks via screens the Na'vi carry with them as they do their aerial gymnastics. They start plans to launch into the calendar photo business, and start an entreprenurial society among the Na'vi youngfolk. On the side, the Na'vi start financing a "Drill, Baby, Drill" PR campaign back on earth, and fiber optic pink trees really start to catch on in gift shops all over Earth. Sigourney's given an ashtray, and they all live happily ever after.

A Tale of Two Professors

2010-07-20T10:18:00.001-07:00

OK -- this is just bizarre.

It's the story of two professors in Israel. The first guy taught at Ben Gurion University, and expressed non-PC ideas about homosexuality (like UIUC's Dr. Howell did). The second taught at Hebrew University, sexually exploited many of his female grad students, and disseminated crackpot ideas about Israeli soldiers' morality. Guess which one got fired, and which one got backed up their administration...

http://frontpagemag.com/2010/07/19/a-tale-of-two-professors/

Please demonstrate inclusivity by reinstating Dr. Ken Howell

2010-07-19T12:49:00.001-07:00

Dr. Hogan:

As the president of a prestigious public institution, many people on and off campus see you as a figurehead of this university. Also, anyone who has any knowledge of the University of Illinois knows that we emphasize the term "inclusivity." As the embodiment of our university, please demonstrate our school's commitment to inclusivity by reinstating Dr. Ken Howell.

To be inclusive is to see value in others' beliefs -- even the ones we disagree with. I am not Catholic, and I do not agree with all that would be taught in a course in Catholicism. But I still see value in giving professors the freedom to accurately describe a system of thought, and in giving students the freedom to learn about that system of thought from someone who knows it intimately. Dr. Howell gave students that chance in his classes, and during his time here his teaching very highly rated.

Please reinstate him, and demonstrate inclusivity to us students by example.

Sincerely,
__________

Intellectualizing Drug Use

2010-07-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

I recently came across an article where a former researcher described how his attitude toward controlled substances had changed:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/303/19/1894?ijkey=kO1MRoQiLez4M&keytype=ref&siteid=amajnls

What do you think?

(Originally written 5/24/10)

Outstanding

2010-07-15T09:21:00.001-07:00

Sometimes things are left outstanding because they're anything but outstanding.

(Originally written 3/8/10)

A follower

2010-07-15T09:20:00.001-07:00

I once heard a speaker say, "If you think you have the gift of leadership, look behind you. If nobody's following, you're not a leader." Well, nobody's following, so I'm sure not a leader! The only thing I know is that "I have decided to follow Jesus." (And "though none go with me, I still will follow...")

(Originally written 2/18/10)

It's All Inside

2010-07-15T09:18:00.001-07:00

I think it's downright hilarious. I'm supposed to see a woman as a role model more rapidly than a man -- just because it's a woman instead of a man. *Chortle.* If that's not sexist, honey, (oh sorry), I don't know what is. If this side-splitting theory was correct, then I'd be more likely to relate to the Sonia Sotomayor (the self-described "wise Latina" sitting on the Supreme Court) than John Roberts, chief justice. I'd be more likely to identify with Hillary than Thomas Sowell. I'd feel a closer kinship with Paris Hilton than Charlton Heston. Not on your life, sister!
     Have we gotten so wrapped up in our consumer culture that we can't see past the packaging? When I'm looking for a hero, the trappings can be an added bonus, but they're never at the crux of my decision. It's the ideas inside that I'm looking at. Sure, Katie Couric's hair may be a bit better styled than Buckley's often was. But when I say that Buckley's my hero and Katie ain't, well, it's all about worldview.
     It's segregation all over again, the assumption that only those look like one another can get along with another.
     In case you're wondering what I think about diversity, let me just say that the kind of diversity my current university trumpets is skin-deep at best. Is there a good assortment of skin colors in the admissions picture? Okay, good. We're diverse. But what about worldview diversity? The room goes silent. I've just uttered the deplorable word.

(Originally written 1/12/10)

Somewhere between 2 and 20

2010-07-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

Isn't "No" one of the first words a child learns to say? How is it then, that somewhere between 2 and 20 I've forgotten How to say no? I want my yesses and my noes to be firm and decisive, but often they all noodle around in the grey zone of maybe. Uggh! Help! The article I link to above has some really neat strategies. For one, if you know you can't make it to a party, say so as soon as you get the invitation. Also, if someone asks for your help and you decide to help, but have limited time, state exactly how much time you have to devote to their project. I think that's a fine idea. Now to try it...!
One of my biggest issues is the guilt attached to saying "No." It makes me think of the servant who was forgiven a gazillion dollars of debt, but then turns around and starts strangling an under-servant because of a quarter. I don't want to be that servant.
I want to be a kind, thoughtful person. But I've found that this involves a certain level of sanity. If I'm not sane, believe you me, you won't want my help. I've started seeing distinct differences in how people ask for help: some are about making the best use of my time, and some are about making the best use of their time. So person-needing-help-with-grad-school-applications-who-likes-to-give-me-your-issues, it's your application process. I am willing to give you some pointers, but it's your baby. Whew!!! I feel better already!

(Originally written 1/7/10)

Money, Money, Money

2010-07-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

When I'm not thinking about activity assays, I'm thinking about ways to make money. Once I leave grad school, of course. We're not allowed to moonlight another job while we're here. Here's two ideas:

CiteDing -- Want real-time feedback on your scientific prowess without worrying about SciFinder logouts? CiteDing is for you. For a low monthly fee of $39.95, we'll alert you every time someone cites your work. There's never been an easier way to pad your ego!

GasMan -- Concrete goose dresses, enter the 21st century. Does your lab have a rusty, dark brown gas tank you'd like to hide? Try our GasMan exclusive 30-day-trial! Inspired by man-sized pottery at a functional art show, our decorations will enhace your lab experience and increase networking opportunities as word spreads and people file in to see what all the buzz is about! Try our "EinsteinMan," "Mr. Clean Man," or send us a picture of your PI and we'll design a custom version!

(Originally written 12/22/09)

Speech Codes

2010-07-15T09:09:00.001-07:00

I just saw an article about Defying the Constitution: The Rise, Persistence, and Prevlance of Campus Speech Codes.

The Office of the Dean of Students claims that "[B]ecause of increased diversity, hate crimes and bias-motivated activity are occurring with greater frequency on college campuses." They give an example of situations between students of different backgrounds where conflict could arise. Here's some of what I find interesting: 1) The word "white" is capitalized. What's that all about? 1) Christianity, the major religion in this country, is not even listed. 2) Students are classed not by worldview, but by nation of origin, "race" (what is that, anyway?), or sexual orientation. The assumption is that members of certain classes think and behave the same, that their class identity trumps their individual identity. Is this classism, or is this classism? 4) Students' worldviews are completely ignored. They are classed only by externals.

I see two other fallacies in the short amount of information provdied here:
1) that diversity has only just started on universities, and
2) that diversity itself is the cause of unrest.

On point 1, I know this is false because my parents attended school with folks from many different backgrounds when they were in grad school.
On point 2, let me point you to Orchard Downs, where an incredibly diverse group of people live together in harmony. It's not diversity of culture that's to blame.

What's lacking in the mumbo jumbo of this university's ethics program is the answer to the question "Why."

How is a "hate crime" currently defined?

(Originally written 11/23/09)

Saturday Night. Do You Know Where Your Senator Is?

2010-07-15T09:08:00.001-07:00

(I was going to send this to 100,000 of my closest friends -- OK, more like 18 -- but in the end, I refrained).

Wikipedia has this to say about the U.S. Senate: "The Senate is a more deliberative body than the House of Representatives because the Senate is smaller and its members serve longer terms, allowing for a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere that is somewhat more insulated from public opinion than the House."

If only, if only. The reality is that with the healthcare bill, the Senate is following the same destructive path that the House did a few short weeks ago.

You and I may be thinking of Thanksgiving, but on this Saturday, our friends in the Senate are getting ready to vote on a closure measure that would strangle any meaningful debate on the ObamaCare legislation. A vote for closure would not only severely limit debate, it would also prevent a pro-life amendment from being advanced, since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's 2,074-page draft guarantees federal funding of abortion.

Here's the latest from National Review:
"The debate on Reid's bill is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with the cloture vote to come around 8 p.m. If it passes, then the Senate will likely take a week off for Thanksgiving and come back to begin the floor debate on Monday, November 30..."
...
Sen. Mike Johanns (R., Neb.): "Saturday's vote is an abortion vote," he says. "We often use arcane procedures in the Senate that just lose people. Things can get complicated on the process side here, so let me be clear: This cloture vote is a make-or-break vote on the pro-life issue. Reid's bill has language that includes a mechanism for public funding and a significant extension of abortion coverage. If this bill moves to the floor with 60 votes this weekend, the only way to change it is to get 60 votes again. That will be very tough to achieve once the bill goes to the floor. A vote to proceed is thus a vote for extending abortion coverage."

If you'd like to contact your U.S. Senator, take a look at this website.

God be with you,
________

P.S.
I had never heard of closure, so here's some details from wikipedia:

After cloture has been invoked, the following restrictions apply:

No more than thirty hours of debate may occur.^[8]
No Senator may speak for more than one hour.
No amendments may be moved unless they were filed on the day in between the presentation of the petition and the actual cloture vote.
All amendments must be relevant to the debate.
Certain procedural motions are not permissible.
The presiding officer gains additional power in controlling debate.
No other matters may be considered until the question upon which cloture was invoked is disposed of.

(Originally written 11/21/09)

"See James"

2010-07-15T09:06:00.001-07:00

A dictionary that refers to Scripture? Unheard of, absurd!
And yet, Webster's did!

(Originally written 11/21/09)

Yet Another Honor Murder

2010-07-15T09:05:00.001-07:00

Noor Almaleki is dead. Her father Faleh ran her down in his car as an "honor murder" because she was becoming too Westernized, and rejecting his Muslim "values."

I firmly believe that instead of referring to such acts as "honor killings," we should refer to them as "honor murders." The contradiction in terms is much more apparent, and the cruelty of the act is much more emphasized. This is not an isolated event, folks! As Mark Steyn points out, we in the West have not begun to understand the worldview guiding people like Faleh. We throw out terms like "radical Muslim" or "radical extremist." We try to convince ourselves that only a certain subpopulation of Muslims would actually engage in, or condone acts of brutality. But such smokescreens can't protect us from reality. At its heart, Islam is not about love. It's about submission. Those who cross Allah must pay the penalty.

Where's the emphasis on free will?

Sorry -- you're looking in the wrong religion for that.

What's curious to me is that while Islam has existed for millenia, those of us in the West are just becoming acquainted with its predictable-but-no-less terrifying atrocities.

Looking through Western literature, there are many glimpses of Muslim violence. Take, for instance, the Song of Roland. Or even Mark Twain's story of a group of tourists attacked by Muslims and violently told to convert to Islam. Or take this poem by Victor Hugo:

The Fallen Veil

THE SISTER

What has happened, my brothers? Your spirit to-day
    Some secret sorrow damps:
There's a cloud on your brow. What has happened? Oh, say,
For your eyeballs glare out with a sinister ray
    Like the light of funeral lamps.
And the blades of your poinards are half unsheathed
    In your belt -- and ye frown on me!
There's a woe untold, there's a pang unbreathed
    In your bosom, my brothers three!

ELDEST BROTHER

Gulnara, make answer! Hast thou, since the dawn,
To the eye of a stranger thy veil withdrawn?

THE SISTER

As I came, oh, my brother! at noon--from the bath--
    As I came--it was noon, my lords--
    And your sister had then, as she constantly hath,
Drawn her veil close around her, aware that the path
    Is beset by these foreign hordes.
But the weight of the noonday's sultry hour
    Near the mosque was so oppressive
That--forgetting a moment the eye of the Giaour--
    I yielded to th' heat excessive.

SECOND BROTHER

Gulnara, make answer! Whom, then, hath thou seen,
In a turban of white and a caftan of green?

THE SISTER

Nay, he might have been there; but I muffled me so,
    He could scarcely have seen my figure.--
But why to your sister thus dark do you grow?
What words to yourselves do you mutter thus low,
    Of "blood" and "an intriguer"?
Oh! ye cannot of murder bring down the red guilt
    On your souls, my brothers, surely!
Though I fear--from the hands that are chafing the hilt,
    And the hints you give obscurely.

THIRD BROTHER

Gulnara, this evening when sank the red sun,
Didst thou mark how like blood in descending it shone?

THE SISTER

Mercy! Allah! have pity! oh, spare!
    See! I cling to your knees repenting!
Kind brothers, forgive me! for mercy, forbear!
Be appeased at the cry of a sister's despair,
    For our mother's sake relenting.
O God! must I die? They are deaf to my cries!
    Their sister's life-blood shedding;
They have stabbed me each one--I faint--o'er my eyes
A veil of Death is spreading!

THE BROTHERS

Gulnara farewell! take that veil; 'tis the gift
Of thy brothers--a veil thou wilt never lift!

This is very first piece in the 1928 collection of "The Works of Victor Hugo." The publishers, Blacks Readers Services Company, must not have anticipated the political correctness that would be so in vogue seventy-one years later. I wonder how many collections of Hugo's work include this piece today?

In Noor's case, her father, not her brother, was her murderer. What does her brother Peter-Ali have to say about her death? "Different cultures, different values. One thing to one culture does not make sense to another culture." That's relativism for you. No condemnation of his father's actions. He is understandably upset about his sister's injuries, but he still tries to cover for his dad! He reports that his sister was increasingly disrespectful to their father, and this is the ultimate insult that can be paid to a traditional Muslim man. Further, it's the people his sister was living with that triggered his father's anger. Evidently the real victim, in Peter-Ali's estimation, wasn't Noor, but Faleh -- the father.

A religion that requires "moderate" brothers and fathers to murder their sisters and daughters is a religion I want nothing to do with. This is not an isolated event, folks! The one glimmer of hope I saw in this story was that the mother was not complicit with the father, as sometimes Muslim mothers are. We're not told the mother's name, but when Faleh called her while he was on the run, she yelled at him and hung up. I was so, so glad to know that she did not support her husband in his decision.

What about the Muslim community at large? Do they condemn Faleh's actions, or are they filled compassion for women like Noor, deciding to change their attitude toward women who distance themselves from Islam? I searched the CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations -- anyone wonder why American and Islamic must be hyphenated? Is this a tacit admission that the two are mutually exclusive?) website for any mention about Noor's story. Incidentally, just below the search box is the phrase "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful." Evidently Allah's compassion and mercy is only abundant to certain people in the world. The search function seemed to be disabled, but I could readily see that the CAIR home page and press release page carried no mention of Noor or her family. No, the mission of CAIR seems to be to protect Muslims from outsiders (dare I say "infidels"?), not to protect Muslims from other Muslims.

There's been numerous discussions about CAIR's silence. One apologist on the Talk Islam site said, "[T]he business about Muslim organizations having to sprint to the microphone to get at the head of the line for denunciations of honor killings is bosh, a bit piece of what is becoming a modern-day blood libel against Muslims about 'honor killings.' The targeting of CAIR – as opposed to any other American Muslim organization that hasn't yet denounced or commented on the Noor Almaleki case, is arbitrary and selective." "What's more, if one Muslim organization does denounce, then the Islamophobes go around to all the other orgs to bully them with it and hype the negativity." Evidently, the truth is far too uncomplimentary, so it should be buried as soon as possible. We don't want the facts to cloud the narrative.

Below this discussion was an ad for "The Muslim Matrimonials Site" -- Muslima.com. The ad was complete with a picture of a stylish, smiling Muslim woman, and a button for "Browse photos now!" Anybody else creeped out?

(Originally written 11/7/09)

Making Sense Might Be the Point

2010-07-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

CMDA devotionals are typically a highlight for me. But this one missed the mark!

I think it's a pretty bad sign when one has to resort to Jesus Christ Superstar for theology. Jesus never said anything like "You're awfully good at what and where but not so good at why" on the way to the cross.

The "why" of Jesus' sacrifice is explained repeatedly in the Scriptures, from the OT ("But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." -- Isaiah 53:5. See also Isaiah 61.) to the NT ("He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him." -- Thessalonians 5:10).

In the case of suffering, Hebrews 11 and Job give us incredible accounts of Christians who endured suffering. I put a bit more stock in their description than what any uninspired man writes.

This week I saw a sign that said "God is movement, not explanation." -- Elie Wiesel. I don't believe this.

(Originally written 10/27/09)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CMDA <communications@cmda.org>
Date: Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 7:30 AM
Subject: CMDA Weekly Devotion - Making Sense Is Not the Point

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:5-6

This week one of my friends called to tell me that the child of one of my Christian colleagues committed suicide.

About every other year I receive news that one of my colleagues across the country has lost a child they love to suicide. More often than that, I hear of Christian doctors who lose their children or see their children broken by tragic accidents, or drugs, or disease, or alcohol or war. These are Christian doctors who raise their children the best they can during busy lives of service; and one day, they turn around -- and their dear child, for whom they would have given their lives, for whom they had dreamed a future, around whom they had wrapped a chief purpose of their lives--the child they loved is shattered or gone, and all those dreams and all that purpose is gone as well.

This doesn't make sense; not with a God who loves us and Whom we love, not with the effort that many of these parents have put forth in our lives to serve Him. Certainly, great students of the Bible can develop rational thought processes around our unworthiness and God's purpose and free will that provide logic within Christian theology for such losses; but, when it is our child who is broken or gone, it just doesn't make sense. Our brains may check the theologic-logic off as sound but our hearts remain crushed and ignorant. So, what do we do with such unsensical and unbearable tragedy?

Perhaps making sense is not the point. In the rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, the character of Jesus is headed for a nonsensical cross and cries out to God, "You're awfully good at what and where but not so good at why." Just so, I suspect that God doesn't want us to dwell very long on the "why?"s linked to suffering in this life, except for those that move us toward corrective action. There are just some things in life that we will never be able to wrap our limited minds around.

The more I learn of God and His work with us, the more I am drawn away from logic into relationship. There is little logic that matters in the chronic suffering of a child or the loss of a child in a world where God loves us and we, as followers of Christ, as servant doctors, do our best for Him. Within the immensity of such loss, the most important path to wholeness and healing leads not toward reason, but into the arms of the God we do not understand. And though we may resist those arms within our pain, until we feel them hold us close we cannot be made whole again. Making sense is a shallow and superficial satisfaction, and far less true to life than the pressure of those loving arms.

Someday, it will all make sense. Some day, we will have all the grand data and see clearly how the many colored pieces of life fit together. Someday, we will see that even our greatest tragedies have been redeemed and that all of our nonsensical pain has turned into joy for us and those we love. But, till that day comes, making sense is not the point.

Dear Father,
Let me ask "why?" briefly, in case You need to correct my steps. But then let me put the question down and run into Your arms. Amen.

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--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Deliver us!

2010-07-15T09:02:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'll make this short and sweet. Well, no guarantees on sweet.

I have a problem with a university that ups its parking tickets by $5 if you don't pay within 72 hrs., but does not even send an explanation when I don't get paid for two months plus a week.

I also have a problem with a university that charges me a late fee on a bill I don't owe, but says nothing about paying me interest on late wages.

Okay, that felt better. Kinda.

Hats off to a conscientious gal in the chemistry office who sleuthed her way through the bureaucracy. She is a shining light in a gloomy, benighted system.

I got paid half the amount I should be paid today. But when I called accounting to ask them to remove a late payment fee on my account, she told me shortly that she could only do that once I'd paid my bills. I chuckled and told her I'd be more than happy to pay the university once the university pays me. A notice at the beginning of the month told me they're about to hand my case over to a collection agency.

It's not that I'm unwilling to pay. It's just that I can't pay you until you pay me.

The steps to stability:
1) Pray -- hard.
2) Laugh -- hard.
3) Find a lesson -- hard.

Here's the lesson I'm drawing from this.
Keep power structures/pay structures as personal as possible. If you're not going to pay someone, you should have to tell them in person and see what their face looks like.
A cell can only grow so big before needing to divide. The same is true of a business or government.
For anyone in a love affair with big government, I hope this serves as a warning. Minimize the probability of committing sin.

"Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin." (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

(Originally written 10/23/09 at 2:52PM)

Free Market Cure

2010-07-15T09:00:00.001-07:00

(In answer to a columnist writing about the free market cure for healthcare).

I couldn't agree more.

With the healthcare debate, I've seen that there's a difference between recognizing symptoms and offering the correct diagnosis.

Could our healthcare system use some help? You betcha. ERs are often misused by bored people insulated from copays; abortion is a degrading, preying, and lucrative industry within the system; frivolous litigation drives up physician's medical insurance, and private insurance plans can be atrociously expensive as a result. But if I ever needed surgery while I was in Canada, as they put me on the wait list, I'd click my heels together and holler "There's No Place Like Home!"

Flaws are necessary, but not sufficient, for a crisis. Is our healthcare system on the brink of collapse? No. Then why are we being told that it is? As M. Stanton Evans points out in Clear and Present Dangers, social engineers love crises. After all, if we become convinced our case is terminal, won't we be more willing to accept an experimental treatment?

But if we don't have the proper diagnosis for what ails us, then we can spend a fortune and only end up in counseling for a government-dependency. (Or should I say "On a wait list.")

I firmly believe that the crisis in our healthcare system today is excess government regulation. In short, our main problem is too much government -- not too little! If our federal government misdiagnoses our primary condition, they will prescribe exactly what was poisoning us in the first place.

As you point out, the free market is a great antidote.

(Originally written 9/18/09)

Mad Model

2010-07-15T08:59:00.001-07:00

Whenever I think about medicine run on the Government Post Office model, I shudder. It's the whole idea of "I've seen what you do, and I don't want to see any more."

(And now, from the makers of "Going Postal," "Mediscare," and "Teddycation," it's "Obummer Care"!)

I think the reason why we put up with the Post Office is because we have so many other routes of communication, it's okay if that one's subpar.

But what if the Post Office was a monopoly? What if it was against the law for any other company to send a first-class letter?

I mean, if the federal government legitimately knew something about competition and cost-cutting, why haven't they been applying their wisdom to the programs they already operate?

Oh, sorry about that. I keep lapsing into rationality. Gotta work on that.

(Originally written 9/18/09)

Double Standard

2010-07-15T08:55:00.001-07:00

What happens when the Daily Illini publishes...

...a stereotypical cartoon about Muslims that is drawn by a Danish cartoonist: the Opinions editor and Editor-in-Chief are suspended. The Opinions editor is invited back, but declines, while the Editor-in-Chief is fired.

...a stereotypical cartoon about Jews that is drawn by a Daily Illini regular:

...a stereotypical description of Christians that is written by a Daily Illini regular: nothing.

So, class, you can see the abiding lesson for today. Only antagonize those who will not fight back.

(Originally written 8/25/09)

ibarf

2010-07-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

Oh no. Oh noooooooo.
My worst nightmare has been realized.
The med school has bought into the latest teaching scam: clickers whose response factor into your grade.

http://www.med.illinois.edu/students/m1/iclicker/

Yeah. I'm excited.

(Originally written 8/20/09)

An Incomplete Pearl Is a Saliva-Coated Piece of Junk

2010-07-15T08:52:00.003-07:00

So here's some of my incomplete pearls, some rocks that haven't bounced around in the rock box long enough, some suckers that still have the Tootsie roll buried way down deep inside. Basically, they're just some thoughts that have been flatfooting around my head for a while.

On the importance of shoes
Shoes matter. In flights of fancy I sometimes think about going barefoot, getting back to nature. Yeah. Then I see the signs posted about lab safety.
About a month ago I decided it was time to get a new pair of shoes. I got a comfortable but thin pair of shoes that were sleek, tan, and lightweight. The only problem was, with no support, I was soon finding every excuse I could to grab the one stool in lab to sit on. (Or, even worse, just sitting at my desk all the time!). I now realize why supportive shoes were invented! When I went back to the store and shelled out the cash for the standard tennis shoes, my feet rose up and called me blessed. Well, almost.

Diagnosis
When something's going wrong, find out what's making it go wrong. Without this crucial step, all the heeing and hawing in the world will do no good. Case in point: our printer is a little weird. About one month into working with the little guy, I just decided he was eccentric and stopped listening to his error messages. I mean, when eight of nine times he tells you his drum's bad when he's really got a paper jam, you start patting him on the tray and rolling your eyes a little. At least I do. Anyway. When he started telling me -- in his wheezy little way -- that his toner was low, I figured it was just another delusion. For the two weeks (time periods may be exaggerated due to sporadic recordkeeping) leading up to his new self- diagnosis, he refused to print anything unless I pressed the "Go" button for each page. I joked that he felt attention-deprived. When the toner light came on, I figured it was more of the same eccentric behavior. Until he collasped in a spasm. So a guy in lab figured out what was wrong. It was the toner. What I've learned from this is 1) you've got to know what the proper diagnosis is so you can take the proper action, 2) even when a patient sometimes mis-self-diagnoses, it's doesn't mean he'll always mis-self-diagnose, and 3) the guys in my lab are better at printer troubleshooting than the girls are.

On dating
It's kind of curious. I always saw it as a positive thing if somebody didn't date much before they got married. It's been kind of a shock to find out that's not how a lot of people see it. If you haven't dated much (or at all!), it's almost as if questions like "what's wrong" or "are you lezzie" seem justified.

When guys are better than girls
That last point is so amusing, and so neglected in today's society that I'm going to take it up as its own section. Did you know that, on average, guys are better at some things than girls are? Shocking, I know, but true. If I was studying this phenomenon scientifically, I'd have several groups of volunteers -- say, three guys in one group, and three girls in another group -- enclosed in a room with a slightly outdated computer, a stack of slightly rumpled paper, a busted but fixable printer, and a deadline of fifteen minutes to print a 10-page document of my choice. And I'd see what they'd do. If my experience with the printer in my lab, the two guys and two girls I worked with, and my own bent are any indication, the guys would approach the problem much more confidently than the girls. The girls would probably check the printer timidly, more with a "well, I sure hope something I do will help this printer," while the guys' actions would probably speak more of "Hey! Awesome -- watch me fix this!" I'm not saying that the average guy will always know more about fixing a printer than a girl will. I'm just saying that I think a guy often approaches a problem with a Bob-the-Builder mentality. And that's cool.

While we're on the topic of confidence, I've got to say that many guys are just more naturally gifted in this area than girls. So girls, learn from the guys. At a recent Bible study, we were asked to share our spiritual gifts. There was some silence, but then the two guys present shared what their gifts were. Several minutes later, the girls were still gulping and trying to disappear by a mere act of the will. I was one of those girls, but looking back at it I'm ashamed of how I wasted time. It really isn't any more spiritual to delay like that. In the future, I want to be more like those guys were. As one of them pointed out, they're spiritual gifts aren't about them anyway. They're about God.

One of my favorite stories about CAP (Civil Air Patrol) is one my brother told me. They were drilling when their officer (I don't really know if that's the correct terminology!) shouted out "Who's the best?" Most of the cadets (I'm really making up names now!) trumpeted back "I am!" The rest of the cadets looked bewildered. The ones who were convinced they were the best got to rest, but those who weren't yet convinced were told to continue. And it "just so happened" that all the guys yelled "I am" while all the girls stood by bewildered. I love that story. I think it shows a lot about how girls and guys think differently, and I can totally picture myself turning sheepish when "Who's the best?" came ringing out. I'd probably start thinking about whose name would be most unobstrusive to yell. Right about then I'd heard the guys yelling "I am," and then get even more sheepish because I'd recognize that as the right answer. As much as I like this story, I've found that I have to be very careful who I share it with. Back in undergrad a friend of a friend mentioned she'd been in CAP. I related the story, thinking she'd laugh like I did when I heard it. But no. She got visibly angry and demanded to know the names of the people involved. I fortunately had no idea, and wouldn't have told her if I had known people's names! I decided then and there that this person and I understood things very differently, and I'd have to watch my cards very carefully around her.

Not that I ever saw her again, anyway! It just gets me when people think it's something heinous to point out the differences in how girls and guys think. As if you needed another example, I'll belabor the point with another -- in my opinion -- funny story. I was helping pass out food, and I was stationed next to two brothers. The older brother was 11, and the younger brother was 8. The 11-year-old's job was to put a shrink-wrapped package with three green peppers and an onion into each person's basket. The 8-year-old was originally given the foolproof job of putting a bag of tortillas into each person's basket. He soon tired of that, however, and edged himself into my post: the quart of milk and dozen eggs section. I didn't mind. The older lady at the next station scowled, though. Boy, she looked mad! So anyway, we had about 1.5 hours to work. I didn't have a chance to get bored, because the brothers sang me a song the older one had written about a fish named Bob. This fish had a ballcap on his head, not a beard but a 'stache, a mole on his cheek, a cat named Sue, and enough other distinguishing characteristics that if you ever fished him out of the Nile, you'd know who you had. During this time the 11-year-old also declared himself "The Pepper Man," and signified his status by placing a shrink-wrapped package of peppers on his hat. I might have worried about them falling off and getting bruised if he hadn't kept them balanced for the duration. Then, suddenly inspired, he started relating the way in which every vegetable in the sun could be morphed into a lethal weapon. It was high entertainment, and only a boy could of thought of it. By the time the 1.5 hours was done, he'd hatched ideas of mashed-potato quicksand, launching tomatoes, and a spiky booby-trap made out of sharpened carrots (okay, so I might have helped with that one a little bit). It all started when
And at the end of it, the older lady who'd stood by getting a heart palpitation every time the 8-year-old put the eggs or milk into someone's case, jetted

Potential titles of future, thought-provoking articles
Colonialism, Imperialism, and the Enduring Popularity of the British Accent
Inertia and the Research Schedule (Or "She Who is Efficient Will Become More Efficient, While She Who is Not Efficient Will Become Less Efficient")

(Originally written 8/14/09)

Demilitarization Starts Abroad

2010-07-15T08:52:00.001-07:00

We spend too much on the military, yada yada yada. We Americans are aggressors, and our overt attempts at world domination excuse other countries' retaliation, yada yada yada. If we had less of a military presence, we could use the money spent on defense on more important programs like education, social security, and healthcare, yada yada yada.

Okay, whatever. Let's look at some numbers. Which country would you say had the most troops? That's right, Vietnam (at 9.564 million). Who comes in second? Yeah, China (at 7.024 million). Who comes in third? Yep, us (at 3.3854 million).

Just thought a little perspective might be in order. Who's outraged by the stockpiling of troops from these countries, or their inactivity in the "War on Terror." Hmm... why do these countries need a military, incidentally? What wars are they fighting? Hmmmm...

(And as a side note, it might be worthwhile to rank countries in order of troops per 1,000 people. Some smaller countries make military funding a priority, and we wouldn't want to forget them!)

(As a side note, want to know what the percentage of Mulsims in the U.S. is? 0.8%. Wow, what a Muslim country! Take a look at that link to see the ranking in other countries, however. And consider the impact of this tiny population (2.7-3.3%) in the UK).

(Originally written 8/5/09)

Manchurian Candidate...

2010-07-15T08:50:00.001-07:00

...showing in the White House, January 2008-January 2012.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=79411

(Originally written 7/29/09)

Hellish

2010-07-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

Hell will be the first place that some will get their deepest wish met. It'll be the first time they'll be able to completely flee from the one they've been running from their whole lives: God.

Tonight at Bible study we were talking about the verse where Jesus says "apart from me, you can do nothing." What does this mean? Someone asked. One person mentioned that a lot of people in the world do amazing things, but if they never choose to do anything for Christ, what is all the rest of the stuff worth? Another person explained that everything good on earth comes from God, so whatever good thing the Christian or non-Christian enjoys here, they're able to enjoy because of Christ. And this is true whether or not they give Him credit, for "the earth is the Lord's, and all that's in it"!

On earth, I've tried fleeing from God. This running from Him can happen in a lot of ways. Sometimes it's when I overindulge on some pleasure (like eating cashews), and try to shut everything else out, even thankfulness to God. Sometimes it's when I've selfishly wanted something, and even when praying, told God I wanted it (Mr. Price to win the gubanatorial race) even if it wasn't in His will. Other times it's avoiding even looking at my Bible. I know that I should read it, but I try, try, try to forget it! Or there's the times when I know disctinctly that I should be giving someone a hug, or starting a conversation, or sending an email. And I intentionally do not.

In those moments, I think that I'm savoring the stuff of life: tasty food, victory, personal time, and person space. But in reality, I inevitably come to realize that I'm blocking out what God wanted me to live: food within limits, trusting Him, living with His sense of time, and surrendering everything to Him.

I'm person who sometimes thinks that premarital sex with worldly ideas is freeing, when in God's truth, it's marriage to Him that's freeing!

Thank you for Your Hope, Jesus!!!!

(Originally written 7/13/09)

Pork Rind Healthy

2010-07-15T08:47:00.001-07:00

If they can make pork rinds sound healthy, they can make James Carville sound innocuous. "Political icon"? My foot!

http://www.washingtonspeakers.com/speakers/speaker.cfm?SpeakerId=912

(Originally written 5/19/09)

Big Brother

2010-07-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

LIFE WITH BIG BROTHER
'Electronic Police State' report cites U.S.
Ultimate Big Brother 'basics are in place'

Posted: May 10, 2009
9:05 pm Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

In what may be the first assessment of its kind, a private company that offers a range of privacy products for computers and other technology is ranking the United States No. 6 in the world for having the most aggressive procedures for monitoring residents electronically.

The report, called The Electronic Police State, assesses the status of governmental surveillance in 52 nations around the globe for 2008.

The document was released Cryptohippie, Inc., which was set up in 2007 through the acquisition of several little-known but highly regarded providers of privacy technologies.

Not surprisingly, China and North Korea ranked No. 1 and No. 2, with Belarus and Russia following up. But the United Kingdom ranked fifth followed by the United States.

(Story continues below)

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"Most of us are aware that our governments monitor nearly every form of electronic communication. We are also aware of private companies doing the same. This strikes most of us as slightly troubling, but very few of us say or do much about it. There are two primary reasons for this," the report said.

"We really don't see how it is going to hurt us. Mass surveillance is certainly a new, odd, and perhaps an ominous thing, but we just don't see a complete picture or a smoking gun," the report continued. Also, "We are constantly surrounded with messages that say, 'Only crazy people complain about the government.'"

The report mapped the world, showing the most advanced electronic police states in red, orange reflecting strongly developing electronic police states and yellow showing nations that are developing, but lagging:

Red nations have the most advanced electronic police state capabilites

Company spokesman Paul Rosenberg told WND the biggest obstacle, however, is that the image of a "police state" dredges up visions of Nazi Germany's thugs breaking down doors in the middle of the night and hauling people off to blacked-out trains or Stalin's USSR rounding up "offenders" for imprisonment.

"That's how things worked during your grandfather's war – that is not how things work now," the report said. "An electronic police state is quiet, even unseen. All of its legal actions are supported by abundant evidence. It looks pristine," the report said.

To create the rankings, which also included Singapore, Israel, France and Germany in the top 10, his organization searched its worldwide sources for information, checked against a number of other published reports, and assigned a value of 1 to 5 to 17 different factors:

Daily documents: How much is required day-to-day for residents to present state-issued identity documents or registration.
Border issues: What is demanded for a border entry.
Financial tracking: The state's ability to search and record financial transactions.
Gag orders: The penalties for revealing to someone else the state is searching their records.
Anti-crypto laws: Bans on cryptography.
Constitutional protections: Either a lack of protections or someone overriding them.
Data storage: The state's ability to record and keep what it uncovers.
Data search: The processes to search through data.
ISP data retention: The demand for ISPs to save customers' records.
Telephone data retention: States' requirements for communications companies to record and save records.
Cell phone records: The saving and using of cell phone users' records.
Medical records: Demands from states that medical records retain information.
Enforcement: The state's ability to use force (SWAT teams) to seize someone.
Habeus corpus: Either an absence of such rights or someone overriding them.
Police-Intel barrier: the absence of a barrier between police and intelligence organizations.
Covert hacking: State operatives meddling in data on private computers covertly.
Loose warrants: Warrants that are being issued without careful review of police claims by a truly independent judge.

The listings of China, North Korea, Belarus and Russia, all known for their repression of freedom, weren't surprising. Nor was the listing of the United Kingdom with its recent programs to copy and store virtually every telephone call, e-mail and text message within its borders.

But Rosenberg said there's more going on in the United States than many believe want to believe.

The nation's "basic system of gathering evidence and sorting it later is really dangerous," he said. "It's permanent. It's not going to go away."

It goes so far that a person's alcohol consumption actually could be tracked by government agents, if they chose, through credit card documentation, he told WND.

"In an Electronic Police State, every surveillance camera recording, every e-mail you send, every Internet site you surf, every post you make, every check you write, every credit card swipe, every cell phone ping… are all criminal evidence, and they are held in searchable databases, for a long, long time," the report said.

"Whoever holds this evidence can make you look very, very bad whenever they care enough to do so. You can be prosecuted whenever they feel like it – the evidence is already in their database," the report continued. "Perhaps you trust that your ruler will only use his evidence archives to hurt bad people. Will you also trust his successor? Do you also trust all of his subordinates, every government worker and every policeman?

"If some leader behaves badly, will you really stand up to oppose him or her? Would you still do it if he had all the e-mails you sent when you were depressed? Or if she has records of every porn site you've ever surfed? Or if he knows every phone call you've ever made? Or if she knows everyone you've ever sent money to?" the report asks.

"This system hasn't yet reached its full shape, but all of the basics are in place and it is not far from complete in some places," the report said.

Rosenberg told WND the organization also sought input on the status of electronic surveillance around the world from organizations including the the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Reporters Without Borders, Freedom House, the Ludwig von Mises Institute and The Heritage Foundation.

Following the top 10 were: 11. Malaysia, 12. Ireland, 13. United Kingdom, Scotland, 14. Netherlands, 15. South Korea, 16. Ukraine, 17. Belgium, 18. Australia, 19. Japan, 20. New Zealand, 21. Austria, 22. Norway, 23. India, 24. Italy, 25. Taiwan, 26. Denmark, 27. Hungary, 28. Greece, 29. Canada, 30. Switzerland, 31. Slovenia, 32. Poland, 33. Finland, 34. Sweden, 35. Latvia, 36. Lithuania, 37. Cyprus, 38. Malta, 39. Estonia, 40. Czech Republic, 41. Iceland, 42. South Africa, 43. Spain, 44. Portugal, 45. Luxembourg, 46. Argentina, 47. Romania, 48. Thailand, 49. Bulgaria, 50. Brazil, 51. Mexico, 52. Philippines.

Get "The Audacity of Deceit," and learn about the looming hostile attack on Judeo-Christian values and freedoms Americans hold dear

Look who's seething over anti-Nazi warning! Comparisons between Nazi leader, Obama draws strong reaction

Whistleblower magazine's "THE SECRET LIFE OF BARACK OBAMA"

"Who Killed the Constitution?"

"Legalize the Constitution!" magnetic bumper sticker

"Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the Government Breaks Its Own Laws"

"The Patriot's Handbook: A Citizenship Primer for a New Generation of Americans"

Previous stories:

Census GPS-tagging your home's front door

White House grabs 2010 census power

Lawmakers in 20 states move to reclaim sovereignty

Legislators tell feds to back off

Hail King Obama: President for life

Hillary to head State: Is it constitutional?

Oklahoma to feds: Don't tread on me

Constitution Party candidate says U.S. sovereignty at risk

Bob Unruh is a news editor for WorldNetDaily.com.

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Today's WND
News Highlights

What do 'American Idol' finalists have in common?

Rush mum on call for his death

Tea party 'extremists' rock and reload July 4

War ignited on homosexual 'bonanza'

Gun protections on agenda in Utah

Today's WND
Commentary Highlights

Long live Rush – and free speech
- By Joseph Farah

Lukewarm leaders
- By Mychal Massie

The left's twisted 'moral equivalence'
- By Thomas Sowell

Obama's Gibbs revokes Hispanic reporter's press pass
- By Les Kinsolving

Fearing our government
- By David Limbaugh

Turn on the light, get out the salt
- By Dave Welch

(Originally found 5/12/09)

Runes

2010-07-15T08:45:00.001-07:00

Whaddya know. The individual runes have meanings...

(Originally written 5/11/09)

Misinformed Consent

2010-07-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

Before any major medical procedure, a physician is required to to explain the risks/benefits of the surgery s/he is recommending, and possible alternatives to the procedure. In this way, the patient learns the anticipated outcome of the procedure, and can weigh this against the severity of their symptoms and the potential side effects of the treatment. Only when the patient understands these things can s/he make an informed choice.

The irony is that a woman may be more informed about a proposed gall bladder surgery than about the removal of her child from her womb. While gall bladders are presumably called gall bladders even when being discussed in a medical setting, the object being removed from a pregnant woman is intentionally obscured. As the local Women's Health Practice website demonstrates, the terms "child" or "baby" are often deliberately avoided in favor of the neutral terms "tissue" and "pregnancy." Since an abortion clinic counselor has a vested interested in persuading a patient to abort, will they provide information about alternative to abortion? The Women's Health Practice website includes no such information.

(Originally written 4/30/09)

The Maestro

2010-07-15T08:38:00.001-07:00

(I'm sitting on an enormous stage filled with performers. I'm surrounded by beautiful music. From what I can see, the musicians are all in a state of intense anticipation. When they're not playing, they're all looking in the same direction: toward the conductor. I can't quite make His face out, but He seems to really be getting into it. I've never seen anyone stroke the beats quite so energetically! There's so much to take in. When I look back at the performers, I'm shocked to see what they're wearing. Some of the men and women are dressed formally, as I would expect from the ornate hall that we're sitting in. But the vast majority of people are wearing regular street clothes. There's little kids in shorts, moms with babies strapped to their backs

God orchestrates. You might not always be able to see Him in coattails, white buttoned gloves, and a stovepipe hat, but He's still orchestrating. He wrote the symphony, but the symphony is alive. We're all sitting in our chairs looking at our notes, but the notes are written on electronic paper that changes as God improvises. He can dynamically modulate the melody so that throughout time the motif of His church is always being played. It's theme and variations, but more complex than anything Beethoven dreamed of.
     So what part do we play? Well, you might be three thousand, two hundred and forty second violin. I might be nine hundred sixty five million, eight hundred and eleven thousand, seven hundred and fifty third clarinet. But we've all got a part to play.
     Given the Maestro's experience -- the continuous music He's been directing for over 6,000 years now, His seamless introduction of new members in the middle of a movement, and His flawless understanding of music theory and performance -- it'd be easy to think that we could just sit back and relax. But we've got to have our instrument in tune and be poised at attention: you never know when He's going to cue you and you're going to get your three notes in!
      Are all of us soloists? Oh no: though there have been some amazing soloists. You see that man out there in the audience -- left side, portly, eyes closed, tears streaming? That's Herr Martin: you should have heard him play! And see that woman over there with her arms stretching up and her face just gleaming? That's Corrie, another incredible soloist. We've had some pretty incredible trios over the years, too. See those three guys in the balcony on the right? Yeah -- they had a pretty incredible act. Names are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They could play even when their lives depended on it.
     Anyway, I think what I'm driving at is that God wants us to be part of His symphony. He knows the parts you like to play, and He sometimes indulges your fancy for Celtic dance music, or bluegrass. But other times, you've got to play intricate arpeggios on the spur of a moment. Just watch your notes and be prepared. There's practice rooms in the back, so make sure you keep your fingers limber. And don't be surprised if you mostly play harmony: there's no shame in that. This isn't about advancing yourself, y'know. It's all about God. I mean, look at Him get into this music!

"Well, isn't God in control?"
"Sure He is! But don't use that as an excuse! You're here to play a part, so be ready to play it!"

"But if I miss a cue or rebel?

"Can't He just take my music 'just as I am' and make it into something better?

"Doesn't He play every instrument here?
"Sure does. But He wants you to pick one up and play it for Him. He could be a one-man band if He wanted to. I'm sure He could even breathe into each instrument, gush wind over each stringed instrument, and play this symphony by himself. But He doesn't want to! He gets a kick out of doing it with us."

(Originally written 4/29/09)

Tax Hikes and Suspenders

2010-07-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

A gal I know posted this as their gchat status: "Really? A 3% tax hike, and Obama gets put on the same plane as Hitler? Really?!" It all goes back to tax hikes and suspenders. At some point Uncle Sam needs to stop buying bigger clothes and start losing weight. Increases in consumption are only going to make the problem worse.

(Originally written 4/17/09)

Alive!

2010-07-15T08:35:00.001-07:00

Bone-stirring man,
bring life to me.
Open my tomb;
set my soul free.

(Originally written 4/11/09. I have no idea if I wrote it, or if it's a quote from someone else!)

Message in a bottle

2010-07-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

Hey --
you know how it is, writing a message in a bottle. You pour your deepest thoughts into it, you put it in something you think might carry it to someone, but you never know whether anyone will read it or care. Yeah, that's pretty much what this is.

I really miss you, Eli. I feel like you and I have been disconnected for years. I don't know if you care about that, but I really do. Growing up, we had a lot of fun together. Why does that have to stop just because we're older now?

Let me know if there's anything I can help with.
Hannah

(I originally wrote this on 3/30/09. I'm so glad I didn't send it! It sounds like a letter a pathetic heroine would send!)

Not all will agree...

2010-07-15T08:30:00.001-07:00

Ha! Not everyone agrees with my assessment:

"In a questionable casting move, James Caviezel stars as Six, while the more appropriate Sir Ian McKellen plays the nefarious role of Two."
(From The New York Observer, January 7, 2009).

What's also funny-sad is the general misunderstanding of the original series. For example:
"The original series, co-created by Patrick McGoohan, was influenced by Cold War politics. The new version, produced by Trevor Hopkins ('Dracula'), reflects 21st Century issues, such as liberty, security and surveillance, while keeping the original's paranoid, tense tone."
(From the Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2009).
(To say that the original series "was influenced by Cold War politics" and leave it at that sounds like a write-off. You need to explain what that means. And hold it: you don't think the original series touched on liberty, security, or surveillance? Did you even watch the original series?

(Originally written 3/29/09)

Quotes on Narcissim

2010-07-15T08:26:00.001-07:00

Sam Vatkin's book has some food for thought:

"Narcissism (n. sing.)
A pattern of traits and behaviours which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition." (p. 12)

"The Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) has been recognised as a separate mental health disorder in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSM) in 1980. Its diagnostic criteria and their interpretation have undergone a major revision in the DSM-III-R [1987] and were substantially revamped in the DSM-IV-TR in 2000. The European ICD-10 basically contains identical language.

An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behaviour), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts. Five (or more) of the following criteria must be met:
_ Feels grandiose and self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognised as superior without commensurate achievements);
_ Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion;
_ Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions);
_ Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (Narcissistic Supply);
_ Feels entitled. Expects unreasonable or special and favourable priority treatment. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her expectations;
_ Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends;
_ Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others;
_ Constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her;
_ Arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted.Chapter VI 13." (pp. 12-13)

"The narcissist is forced to use other people in order to feel that he exists. It is trough [sic] their eyes and through their behaviour that he obtains proof of his uniqueness and grandeur. He is a habitual "people-junkie". With time, he comes to regard those around him as mere instruments for his satisfaction, as two-dimensional cartoon figures with negligible lines in the script of his magnificent life. He becomes unscrupulous and suppresses all the discomfort that he might have felt in the past concerning his conduct. He seems never to be bothered by the constant use he makes of his milieu. He seems not to mind the consequences of his acts: the damage and the pain that he inflicts on others and even the social condemnation and sanctions that he often has to endure." (p. 18)

"A personality whose very existence is a derivative of its reflection in other people's minds - is perilously dependent on these people's perceptions." (p. 18)

"The narcissist lives in a world of all or nothing, of a constant "to be or not be". Every discussion that he holds, every glance of every passer-by reaffirms his existence or casts doubt upon it. This is why the reactions of the narcissist seem so disproportionate: he reacts to what he perceives to be threats to the very cohesion of his self." (p. 18)

"First I build you up because that's what you need. Your skies are blue. Then, out of the blue, I start tearing you down. You let me do it because that's what you are used to and you are dumfounded. I was wrong to take pity on you. You really are incompetent, disrespectful, untrustworthy, immoral, ignorant, inept, egotistical, constrained, disgusting. You are a social embarrassment, an unappreciative partner, an inadequate parent, a disappointment, a sexual flop, a financial liability. I tell you this to your face. I must. It is my right, because it is. I behave, at home and away, any way I want to, with total disregard for conventions, mores, or the feelings of others. It is my right, because it is. I lie to your face, without a twitch or a twitter, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. In fact, my lies are not lies at all. They are the truth, my truth. And you believe them, because you do, because they do not sound or feel like lies, because to do otherwise would make you question your own sanity, which you have a tendency to do anyway, because from the very beginning of our relationship you placed your trust and hopes in me, derived your energy from me, gave me power over you. Run to our friends. Go. See what that will get you. Ridicule. I am to them what I originally was to you. They believe what they see and that's what they see, and they also see the very mixed up person that you obviously have become." (p. 8)

"The more outrageous your account of what happened, the more convinced they will be that the crazy one is you." (p. 8)

"I use people who are dependent on me to keep my illusions alive. In actuality it is I who am dependent on them. Even the rage, that orgasmic release of pain and anger, doesn't work without an audience." (p. 9)

"How many others like me are there? More than you might think, and our numbers are increasing." (p. 9)

"It is simply not possible for so much visible positive to contain so much concealed negative. It is simply not possible." (p. 9)

"He feeds off other people, who hurl back at him an image that he projects to them. This is their sole function in his world: to reflect, to admire, to applaud, to detest - in a word, to assure him that he exists. Otherwise, they have no right to tax his time, energy, or emotions - so he feels." (p. 11)

""Malignant Self-Love - Narcissism Revisited" was written under extreme conditions of duress. It was composed in jail as I was trying to understand what had hit me. My nine years old marriage dissolved, my finances were in a shocking condition, my family estranged, my reputation ruined, my personal freedom severely curtailed. Slowly, the realisation that it was all my fault, that I was sick and needed help penetrated the decades old defences that I erected around me. This book is the documentation of a road of self-discovery. It was a painful process, which led to nowhere. I am no different - and no healthier - today than I was when I wrote this book. My disorder is here to stay, the prognosis is poor and alarming." (p. 11)

"This book is heavy reading. It is not intended to please or to entertain. NPD is a pernicious, vile and tortuous disease, which affects not only the narcissist. It infects and forever changes people who are in daily contact with the narcissist. In other words: it is contagious. It is my contention that narcissism is the mental epidemic of the twentieth century, a plague to be fought by all means." (p. 12)

"Most narcissists (75%) are men." (p. 13)
"NPD is new [1980] mental health category in the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSM)." (p. 13)
"It is estimated that 0.7-1% of the general population suffer from NPD." (p. 13)
"Pathological narcissism was first described in detail by Freud. Other major contributors are: Klein, Horney, Kohut, Kernberg, Millon, Roningstam, Gunderson, Hare." (p. 14)

"Narcissists are punished by echoes and reflections of their problematic personalities
up to this very day." (p. 16)

"They are said to be in love with themselves. But this is a fallacy. Narcissus is not in love with HIMSELF. He is in love with his REFLECTION. There is a major difference between True Self and reflected-self. Loving your True Self is a healthy, adaptive and functional quality.
Loving a reflection has two major drawbacks. One is the dependence on the very existence and availability of a reflection to produce the emotion of self-love. The other is the absence of a "compass", an "objective and realistic yardstick", by which to judge the authenticity of the reflection and to measure its isomorphic attributes. In other words, it is impossible to tell whether the reflection is true to reality - and, if so, to what extent." (p. 16)

" If he cannot love himself - he has to love his reflection. But to love his reflection - it must be loveable. Thus, driven by the insatiable urge to love (which we all possess), the narcissist is grossly preoccupied with projecting a loveable image of himself unto others." (p. 17)

"The narcissist has to condition his human environment to refrain from expressing criticism and disapproval of him or of his actions and decisions. He has to teach people around him that these will provoke him into frightful fits of temper and rage attacks and turn him into a constantly cantankerous and irascible person. The disproportion of his reactions constitutes a punishment for their lack of consideration and their ignorance of his true psychological state. In a curious reversal of roles - the narcissist blames others for his behaviour, accuses them of provoking him and believes firmly that "they" should be penalised accordingly. There is no way to dissuade the narcissist once he has embarked on one of his temper tantrums. Apologies - unless accompanied by verbal or other humiliation - are not enough. The fuel of his rage is spent mainly on vitriolic verbal send-offs directed at the (often imaginary) perpetrator of the (oft imaginary) offence." (p. 18-19)

"These rapid alterations between absolute overvaluation to complete devaluation of others make the maintenance of long-term interpersonal relationships all but impossible." (p. 19)

"Displays supercilious imperturbability (except when the narcissistic confidence is shaken), nonchalant, unimpressed and cold-blooded;" (p. 19)

"This choice - to concentrate on the self - is the result of an unconscious decision to give up an unrewarding effort to love others and to trust them. The child learns that the only one he can trust to always and reliably be available - is he. Therefore, the only one he can love without being abandoned or hurt - is again he. Meaningful others were inconsistent in their acceptance of the child and the only times they paid attention to him were when they wished to satisfy their
needs. They tended to ignore him when these needs were no longer pressing or existent. So, the child learned to side-step deeper relationships in order to avoid this approach-avoidance pendulum. Protecting himself from hurt and from abandonment, he would rather not have anything to do with people around him. He digs in - rather than spring out." (p. 20)

"The family is the mainspring of support of every kind. It mobilises psychological resources and alleviates emotional burdens. It allows for the sharing of tasks, provides material supplies coupled with cognitive training. It is the prime socialisation agent and encourages the absorption of information, most of it useful and adaptive." (p. 21)

"The role of the mother (the Primary Object) has been often discussed and dissected. The father's part is mostly neglected, even in professional literature. However, recent research demonstrates his importance to the orderly and healthy development of the child." (p. 21)

"It is commonly agreed that a loss (real or perceived) at a critical junction in the psychological development of the child - forces him to refer to himself for nurturing and for gratification. The child ceases to trust others and his ability to develop object love or to idealise is hampered. He is constantly shadowed by the feeling that only he can satisfy his emotional needs." (p. 23)

"The narcissist is aloof and distanced, demonstrates his superiority in a myriad of ways, resents what he perceives to be an intrusion on his innermost sanctum. He is offended by any hint regarding defects or dysfunctions in his personality or in his behaviour. A narcissist is a narcissist is a narcissist - even when he asks for help with his world and worldview shattered." (pp. 23-24)

"Pathological narcissism involves an impaired, dysfunctional, immature (True) Self coupled with a compensatory fiction (the False Self). The sick narcissist's sense of self-worth and self-esteem derive entirely from audience feedback. The narcissist has no self-esteem or self-worth of his own (no such Ego functions). In the absence of observers, the narcissist shrivels to non-existence and feels dead. Hence the narcissist's preying habits in his constant pursuit of Narcissistic Supply. Pathological narcissism is an addictive behaviour." (p. 24)

"In time, the narcissist learns how to leverage his pathology, how to use it to his advantage, how to deploy it in order to maximize benefits and utilities - in other words, how to transform his curse into a blessing. Narcissists are obsessed by delusions of fantastic grandeur and superiority. As a result they are very competitive. They are strongly compelled - where others are merely motivated. They are driven, relentless, tireless, and ruthless. They often make it to the top. But even when they do not - they strive and fight and learn and climb and create and think and devise and design and conspire. Faced with a challenge - they are likely to do better than non-narcissists. Yet, we often find that narcissists abandon their efforts in mid-stream, give up, vanish, lose interest, devalue former pursuits, or slump. Why is that? A challenge, or even a guaranteed eventual triumph - are meaningless in the absence of onlookers. The narcissist needs an audience to applaud, affirm, recoil, approve, admire, adore, fear, or even detest him. He craves the attention and depends on the Narcissistic Supply only others can provide. The narcissist derives sustenance only from the outside - his emotional innards are hollow and moribund." (pp. 24-25)

"These psychotic episodes may be closely allied to another feature of narcissism: magical thinking. Narcissists are like children in this sense. Many, for instance, fully believe in two things: that whatever happens - they will prevail and that good things will always happen to them. It is more than a belief, really. Narcissists just KNOW it, the same way one knows gravity - directly, immediately and surely. The narcissist believes that, no matter what he does, he will always be forgiven, always prevail and triumph, always come on top. The narcissist is, therefore, fearless in a manner perceived by others to be both admirable and insane. He attributes to himself divine and cosmic immunity - he cloaks myself in it, it renders him invisible to his enemies and to the powers of "evil". It is a childish phantasmagoria - but to the narcissist it is very real." (p. 26)

"instability is so ubiquitous, so all-pervasive, and so prevalent and dominant - that it might well be described as the ONLY stable feature of the narcissist's personality." (p. 30)

(Originally written February 28, 2009)

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Grad student? Depressed?

2010-07-15T08:24:00.001-07:00

Then read this article.

(From a draft saved February 23, 2009).

Race has nothing to do with nationality...

2010-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

...because nationality is spiritual.
(Idea from Chesterton)

(From a draft going back to January 9, 2009)

Problem Is...

2010-07-15T08:19:00.001-07:00

(I found this in my draft box. It was originally from January 3, 2009)

Male and female. James Dobson (and others) have raised the question, "Who is more complex: a male, or a female?" If one is more complex than the other (say, with respect to the reproductive organs), how can a male and female of the same species evolve concurrently?

Evolution Dialogue

2010-07-15T08:17:00.001-07:00

(I found this in my inbox. The draft was originally saved in October, 2008!)

(Person 1) So let me see if I've got this right. Mutations are a good thing.

(Person 2) You're being too simple-minded. Mutations can't be assigned a simple label like "good" or "bad."

(1) But mutations are at the heart of evolutionary progression, are they not?

(2) Of course.

(1) And "survival of the fittest" through natural selection is the Holy Grail of evolution, right?

(2) Aside from the religious overtones, yes.

(1) But what if the vehicle of evolution (mutations) are inherently disease-causing?

(2) What do you mean?

(1) What if two of the basic components of evolution are at odds with one another? What if the "cure" is worse than the disease?

(2) Meaning...

(1) Well, typically evolution is explained as the process by which organisms gain new "gadgets" so useful that the "haves" live longer than the "have nots."

(2) Right... just make sure you don't trivialize Nature's workings.

(1) But what else is in evolution's cornucopia? What, besides "new gadgets" does the mechanism of evolution -- mutations -- bestow?

A recent article in the journal Nature is entitled "A Bigger Picture: Beneath cancer's daunting complexity lies a simplicity that gives grounds for hope." (Nature 2008, 455, 138). It describes a picture that is emerging from intensive studies to profile the mutations involved in pancreatic cancer or glioblastoma multiforme. What they're finding is that the DNA of cancerous cells often have multiple mutations. For example, pancreatic tumor cells showed an average of 63 mutations each.

(2) What does this have to do with evolution?

(1) I'm getting there! Since mutations can cause cancer, should cancer be thought of as a byproduct/side effect of evolution?

(2) Hmmm...

(1) I'm curious: what's the average ratio of favorable to neutral to deleterious mutations? If neutral mutations predominate, then it will be most important to know what the ratio of favorable to deleterious mutations is.

If deleterious mutations predominate, then an organism would probably survive longer if it remained in an unmutated state.

But how much prettier is the picture if the ratio leans toward the favorable side? A single mutation could be enough to cause cancer in an organism, and hasten its death. So even if the ratio leans toward the favorable side, as an organism's DNA undergoes mutations, it will have increased rates of cancer. Doesn't this seem like a pretty poor lottery to buy a ticket for?

(2) I haven't seen any hard and fast numbers on that. Besides, some of the favorable mutations could halt cancer.

(1) I haven't seen the hard numbers either. I'm just thinking about the link between mutations and cancer, and pointing out that the very "mechanism" of evolution has a high likelihood of causing disease. As you point out, there's every reason to believe that some favorable mutations can halt cancer. But since mutations are happening randomly, how can anyone expect the specific, protective mutations to take place just in time to nip the cancerous mutation in the bud?

Bear in mind that an organism can have a host of favorable mutations that does it a lot of good, but it only takes one deleterious mutation for the whole organism to cycle into cancer.

(2) You sound like an alarmist.

(1) I was just struck by the strangeness of it all. Or maybe I should say absurdity. The first time I felt like this was when a guest speaker talked about his work on amyloid. He proposed that amyloid could have been the first biomolecule: the first molecule of living organisms. I don't know much about amyloid, but evidently it can self-assemble into some pretty complex structures. If that's all we knew about amyloid, it'd sound pretty sweet. Step aside DNA, RNA, and protein! Amyloid was really the first biomolecule! Problem is, that isn't all we know about amyloid. Amyloid plaques form in Alzheimer patients' brains. Even though the entire cause/effect of amyloid/Alzheimer's isn't known, if there's any likelihood that amyloid is inherently disease-causing, isn't it ironic or even absurd to claim that it was the first biomolecule?

Sometimes I feel like my brain is a sensor for absurd statements/claims. I think that might be why I keep on spontaneously thinking of reasons why I have rejected evolution.

(2) Does your brain have trouble with the virgin birth? Or the so-called "resurrection"?

(1) Those do sound absurd, don't they? And they would be absurd, except that I'm not claiming that they happened by random chance. I know that they happened by the direct intervention of an intelligent Being called God.

(2) There you go again. As soon something happens that you can't explain, you revert to God.

(1) Well, when it comes to the virgin birth and the resurrection, be clear on what you're criticizing me on. What do you believe about these events, and where do we differ? There's three choices: A) the events never happened, so there's no need to explain how they happened, B) the events happened, but there's no explanation, or C) the events happened, and there is an explanation. In what you just said, you seem to be implying that you believe choice (B).

(2) Okay, okay. I don't think they happened, but you do, and you think God did them. But those are "spiritual" things. The things that God has (in His supposed wisdom) put outside the reach of science. What about just material things, like the development of one organism from another?

(1) Neither of those events is purely spiritual. When a virgin conceived a child, or when a dead man came back to life, the spiritual and the material dimensions were altered. God demonstrated His mastery over both those arenas.
What point of the miracle is most troubling to you? Is it the claim that it happened at all, or the fact that God didn't give us the mechanism by which He did it?
Even though He didn't tell us the mechanism He used, the result of these miracles is not outside the realm of science. The child that the virgin bore could be seen, felt, smelled, etc. When the man that child became was crucified years later, he was measurably dead. Those gathered at the cross heard Him breathe His last breath, and saw His body sag against the nails on the cross. But impartial observers could give even more definite accounts of His death. A man had to be certifiably dead before he could be removed from a cross, and which Roman soldier would be willing to risk his skin to let a live man descend from a cross? If there was any doubt that Christ was dead, it was put to rest when a soldier plunged a spear into his side, and blood and water from Jesus' heart and pericardium ran out.

So if Jesus really died, did He really ever live again? Physical and spiritual change, with physical evidence to back up the existence of hte piriual change

(1) [1 mounts soap box] What drives chemical evolution forward? I mean, what drives the evolution of non-living matter? They don't really care about surviving, because they're not even alive!

Timing: at one of the crucial points in evolutionary history, millions of years had no bearing. That point was when life came from non-life. There's no magical substance that had to be there, to initiate the process. It would need to occur countless times, and continue happening today. There's no reason to belive that life developed spontaneously only once. I do "evolutionary selections" in my research, and it's pretty common for a selection to result in nothing. I'm looking for a DNAzyme that cleaves an RNA bond under certain conditions. From talking to other folks in my lab who have done this longer than me, it's fairly common to need to do "reselections." That makes sense: if the conditions in which you set up a reaction are too stringent, even if you're sampling a pretty sizable slice of sequence-space, there's always the chance that none of the DNA you're sampling has the activity you're looking for. Maybe the concentration of Cd(II) you've included is too low, or maybe the time period you're allowing the reaction to proceed for is too ambitious. Anyhow, you run your DNA pool on a gel and see that only uncleaved DNA is present.

To translate that to biological evolution, who's to say that the first round of selection is going to work? Maybe the first organism that evolved died an hour after it evolved. Then what? Well, you simply run another non-life to life reaction! So this reaction needs to be ongoing.

It's like building a fire: the first one might go out, so you need a steady source of matches to make sure you can light another one.

Of course, since supposedly nature isn't directed, life wouldn't be forming spontaneously from nonliving matter only when the previous batch of living organisms had died out. It would be progressing whenever the required reagents and catalysts were assembled, and pressure and gaseous conditions were right.

The reaction would then take off instanteously.

So I'm wondering, when did nature's spontaneous generation lab close, and why?

Is our only hope to simulate the conditions that gave rise to life in the past, since nature somehow inexplicably gave up on it herself?

Given our ready access to Sigma-Aldrich, our incredible ability to introduce reagents and catalysts, and adjust pressure and gaseous conditions, why haven't we simulated this yet? And, more importantly, why haven't we observed life arising from non-life in nature?

Since no one has observed life arising from non-life, either in nature or in the lab, it cannot be the bedrock of any scientific theory.

(2) You're too dogmatic.

Fwd: The S Word?

2010-07-12T12:26:00.001-07:00

Interesting!
I didn't know there was a word for that!!!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brian Burch - CatholicVoteAction.org <brianburch@catholicvoteaction.org>
Date: Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Subject: The S Word?
To: Hannah Ihms <hihms2@illinois.edu>

If you're having problems viewing this message, please view it online by clicking here

Dear CatholicVoteAction.org Member,

The stage has been set.

On Monday, the Senate will begin debate on their version of health care "reform."

The Bishops Conference have called the Senate bill an "enormous disappointment" and "completely unacceptable," and have urged every Catholic and conscientious citizen to speak out.

Call your Senator at 202-224-3121. Send them on Thanksgiving break with a message: "NO taxpayer funding for abortion!"

Second, consider chipping in $20 to help us with our campaign.
https://www.catholicvoteaction.org/donations.php

Here is what we are facing…

The Senate legislation provides federal funding (taxpayer dollars!) for insurance plans that cover abortion. The plan also includes a mandatory "abortion surcharge" that would force pro-life people like you and me to pay for other people's abortions.

Moreover, if the current legislation is approved, the Catholic Church and other religious institutions could be forced to provide contraceptives and cover other morally unacceptable treatments for its employees.

The bill also does not provide any protections for the elderly and those with special needs.

Abortion, euthanasia, rationing, threats to conscience and privacy… what are we to do?

Behind the long list of moral problems with the current Senate legislation, a fundamental question remains -- is a massive government takeover of health care the right solution to begin with?

Our view is that an entirely new approach is needed. And one that involves the 'S word' – subsidiarity.

Subsidi – say what?

Subsidiarity. Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Finn explained it best in their joint pastoral letter:

"Subsidiarity is that principle by which we respect the inherent dignity and freedom of the individual by never doing for others what they can do for themselves and thus enabling individuals to have the most possible discretion in the affairs of their lives."

Practically speaking, this means that any health care solution should not begin by asking how government (the largest and most centralized organization) can be the big solution provider.

Why not focus instead on solutions that respect the freedom and dignity of people, encourage competition, and enable consumers to help drive down costs? These are achievable goals. But they require a people-first mentality rather than a government-first mindset.

This is why we are now mobilizing the entire CatholicVoteAction network (nearly 500,000 people!) to stop this legislation.

There will be four weeks of intense debate on the Senate legislation with a possible final showdown right before Christmas.

The Time to Act

The issue of abortion funding, the 'public option' or the government insurance plan, rights of conscience, and other important issues will be debated. It is CRITICAL that every person who receives this email do something.

Call your Senator, write them a letter, pen an editorial, or visit their local office. Be respectful and courteous, but firmly tell them that you are opposed to any government funding of abortion, no compromises, period.

Second, urge them to rethink this plan altogether. Tell them there are better ways to truly reform health care. And in case they haven't noticed the recent polls, a majority of Americans agree with us!

Finally, make sure to get your friends and family involved in this important fight. When you see them over Thanksgiving, ask them if they've ever heard of 'subsidiarity.' And tell them to call their Senator to oppose any government funding of abortion and any takeover of the healthcare industry.

Let's work together to urge Congress to seek real reforms that will truly heal our health care ills.

Sincerely,

Brian Burch, President
CatholicVoteAction.org

P.S. While we may be in the throws of this health care debate, we have not forgotten about the great American holiday this Thursday. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. But thanks to whom?

After recounting the many blessings of the previous year, President Lincoln petitioned his countrymen: "I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

Thanks be to God for his many, many blessings. And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.

NOTE: This message was paid for by CatholicVoteAction.org. As a lobbying organization, contributions to CatholicVoteAction.org are NOT tax-deductible. Contributions to CatholicVote.org remain tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Follow CatholicVoteAction on:

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CatholicVoteAction.org, P.O. Box 2709, Chicago, IL 60690
Call us at 312-201-6559
Support CatholicVoteAction by visiting https://www.catholicvoteaction.org/donations.php

Save Sakineh

2010-07-10T08:20:00.001-07:00

Wow! For once, I agree with Avaaz!! Phenomenal!

I'll have to subdue my enthusiasm a little bit, though, because they don't explain that this is what Islamic Sharia law calls for. In other words, this is what Mohammed commanded. They act as if this is an unusual event, but sadly in Islamic countries under Shariah, it's not! Go the whole way, Avaaz, and denounce the system that systematically brutalizes women! How is it that only one man was caught, but twelve women were? Were the women that much slower, or were you just that less interested in stoning men? (Or is lesbianism on the increase in Iran? Somehow, I doubt it.)

By the way, Britain's declaring this "medieval" shows they don't understand their own history. This wasn't something that happened even in the medieval days in Bonny England. But it is happening now under Shariah.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Alice Jay - Avaaz.org <avaaz@avaaz.org>
Date: Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Subject: Save Sakineh

Dear Friends,

Yesterday an Iranian woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, was saved by global protests from being stoned to death.

But she may still be hanged -- and, meanwhile, execution by stoning continues. Right now fifteen more people are on death row awaiting stoning in which victims are buried up to their necks in the ground and then large rocks are thrown at their heads.

The partial reprieve of Sakineh, triggered by the call from her children for international pressure to save her life, has shown that if enough of us come together and voice our horror, we may be able to save her life, and stop stoning once and for all. Sign the urgent petition now and send it onto everyone you know -- let's end this cruel slaughter NOW!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?vl

Sakineh was convicted of adultery, like all the other 12 women and one of the men awaiting stoning. But her children and lawyer say she is innocent and that she did not get a fair trial -- they state her confession was forced from her and, speaking only Azerbaijani, she did not understand what was being asked of her in court.

Despite Iran's signing of a UN convention that requires the death penalty only be used for the "most serious crimes" and despite the Iranian Parliament passing a law banning stoning last year, stoning for adultery continues.

Sakineh's lawyer says the Iranian government "is afraid of Iranian public reaction and international attention" to the stoning cases. And after Turkey and Britain's Foreign Ministers spoke out against Sakineh's sentence, it was suspended.

Sakineh's brave children are leading the international campaign to save their mother and stop stoning. Massive international condemnation now could finally stop this sickening punishment. Let's join together today across the world to end this brutality. Sign the petition to save Sakineh and end stoning here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?vl

In hope and determination,

Alice, David, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

SOURCES:

Iranians still facing death by stoning despite 'reprieve', The Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/08/iran-death-stoning-adultery

Britain condemns planned Iran stoning as 'medieval', AFP:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hjVdkvkzicGeInqw2R10rCKrqs3A

Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here.

Chortles

2010-07-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

I just found an email that cracks me up. I'd forgotten all about it!

from Chancellor Richard Herman <chancellor@illinois.edu>
reply-to chancellor@illinois.edu
to All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff & All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@uiuc.edu>
subject Regarding Greek life on campus

Dear Students,

Many of you may be aware of an event known as Rush. It is my objective to
warn you of the potential downsides of Greek organizations. I advise you to
not succumb to the aggressive recruitment tactics used by these
organizations. It has been my concern over the years, that the Greek culture
of alcoholism and lack of respect for the community degrades campus life.
These organizations present themselves as prestigious, yet are
discriminatory, serve to perpetuate social inequality, especially with
respect to the opposite gender, and promote a lack of diversity. Many
students have expressed concerns with regards to safety on campus,
particularly due to Greek culture and behavior. It is my hope that a
student's experience on campus strengthens one's individuality, but the Greek
system emphasizes the group above all, without cause or reason. This is
detrimental to the purpose of universities.

I hope that you will consider wisely.

GDI Chancellor Richard Herman

___________________________________

from Robin Kaler <publicaffairs@illinois.edu>
reply-to publicaffairs@illinois.edu
to All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff & All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@uiuc.edu>
subject Regarding Greek life on campus
date Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 10:10PM
subject MASSMAIL - email hoax
mailed-by uiuc.edu

Dear members of the campus community:

You may have received an email titled: Regarding Greek life on campus.
This message was a hoax and was NOT sent by Chancellor Richard Herman and
was NOT authorized by the campus administration.

Robin Kaler
Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs

This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor

--
This Message sent via MASSMAIL. < http://www.cites.uiuc.edu/services/massmail/ >

MASSMAIL - Rock the Vote!

2010-07-09T12:49:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chancellor Richard Herman <chancellor@uiuc.edu>
Date: Mon, Feb 4, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Subject: MASSMAIL - Rock the Vote!
To: All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@uiuc.edu>

Dear Friends:
It has often been said that silence is permission. In the United States,
that silence too often takes the form of disinterest, cynicism, and apathy
among voters. Yet, democracy can only function with active participation by
its citizens.

Super Tuesday is an opportunity to participate in one of democracy's most
hallowed rights. That it why I am urging all of you in the university
community to make your voice heard loud and clear, to Rock the Vote right
here at the University of Illinois.

Reasons to vote are as varied as the many critical issues we face as a
nation, a state, and as a land grant university. President Lyndon Johnson
said, "The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for
breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison
men because they are different from other men." Want your voice heard on
global warming, poverty, campaign financing, heath care, or Darfur? Give
voice to those issues by voting for the candidate that comes closest to
your point of view.

Most importantly, with your single vote you reject the all too easy path of
apathy and cynicism. You are saying that you believe in the power of people
to effect change and that you will not be silent.

Here at Illinois we are one campus with many voices. Tomorrow, let yours be
heard.

Richard Herman
Chancellor

This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor

--
This Message sent via MASSMAIL. < http://www.cites.uiuc.edu/services/massmail/ >

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

The Field Medic

2010-07-09T08:37:00.001-07:00

Do science while doing wilderness medicine:

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100630/full/466022a.html

Batman on Terrorism

2010-06-18T22:15:00.001-07:00

I'll be the first to admit it: I really, really like the new Batman films. One of the things that struck me in The Dark Knight was how the screenwriter decided to portray the Joker as a terrorist. I don't know how that idea made it into the script, but it was extremely effective. Tonight I was reading four psychologists' assessment of "Genocide Girl" -- the young Muslim woman who verbally accosted David Horowitz recently.
These psychologists offered their thoughts on what Islamic culture reinforces in its adherents, and what psychological trends in suicide (really homicide) bombers are. Here's one point:

"Also, Western totalitarian movements, like Islamofascism, have been particularly attractive to the psychologically compromised, those whose personal Psychopathology has led them to be particularly drawn to absolutist ideologies with defined objects of hatred. And, again like Islamofascism, Western totalitarianisms have widely made use of the psychologically damaged in their searching out of agents for their murderous agendas." (Read the rest here).

This reminded me again of the Joker, and his skill at recruiting the psychologically compromised to his side. It just goes to show: the Devil just isn't original.

Show

2010-06-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

"90 percent of life is just showing up." -- Woody Allen

Unique

2010-06-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

I was just flipping through the CRC handbook when the opening pages caught my eye. It's a list of the collaborators and contributors for this edition. What struck me as I skimmed the list was the locations of those who made this edition possible: the U.S., Canada, England, and Israel. The orderly framework of Judeo-Christianity has done wonders for science. May the unique relationships between Western nations (especially American-Israeli relationships) continue, and strengthen.

Phar Lap

2010-06-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hey!
I just came across an interesting bit of news.
Do you remember that movie about the Aussie racehorse Phar Lap?
As I watched it, I thought that since Phar Lap lived through the attempted shooting, he was going to live a nice, long life and end up cropping grass in a pasture. When he died abruptly from unknown causes, I was horror-stricken.

Of course, a lot of people at the time were, too! No one knew for sure what killed him. There were lots of ideas, but everything was unclear. Some people suspected colic, and others thought it might have been poisoning. The autopsy was inclusive, and by the time they got around to testing for arsenic poisoning, Phar Lap's remains had already been preserved -- using a process that involved arsenic.

Eighty years after Phar Lap died, there's some light shining into this mystery. A group in Australia (appropriately enough!) studied samples of Phar Lap's hair with a method that could distinguish between arsenic that was applied to his coat and arsenic he would have eaten. They found that Phar Lab was poisoned with arsenic.

Boy, is it sad, but at least we know part of what happened! Of course, what's still not known for certain is who actually poisoned him.

Here's the findings from the paper:

Determination of Arsenic Poisoning and Metabolism in Hair by Synchrotron Radiation: The Case of Phar Lap

Kempson, I.; Henry, Dermot. Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, 2010, 49, 4237-4240.

Fresh physical evidence about the demise of the racehorse Phar Lap... has been gathered from the study of mane hair samples by synchrotron radiation analysis with high resolution X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analyses. The results are indicative of arsenic ingestion and metabolism, and show that the racing champion died from arsenic poisoning."

(I checked the Wikipedia article about Phar Lap, and while this paper was just published this year, evidently this research group first released these results in 2008. I hadn't heard about it until I saw this paper, though, so I thought I'd pass it along!)

Our 1960's

2010-06-02T09:42:00.001-07:00

Today it's uncontroversial to denounce the racism of anti-African-American statements. Yet two generations ago, discrimination and violence against Africans-Americans were common. The easiest response was to ignore what was seen as a hopeless or uninteresting situation. Yet some -- including many who were not personally being oppressed -- stood up to injustice. These were labeled "radical," and were told their efforts were fruitless. Yet, they prevailed -- in the face of atavistic, well-funded, outspoken, and sometimes brutal opposition.

Today another group of people are fighting stereotypes and intolerance. Only this time around, the discrimination isn't based on skin color -- it's based on Judaism. Even as their cultural heritage and very existence are demeaned and attacked, Jews face the double challenge that many in the public do not recognize the racism of anti-Semitism. Here's one way to remind ourselves: if Ms. Albahri had expressed her vehement hate against any other group of people (for example, African-Americans), could her words have been viewed so passively? One we see the racism we must decide what our response will be. The short-term "easy" choice is to shrug it off as "not my problem."

But this nation can only justly be called the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" if we stand up for all who [are] oppressed -- whether or not we personally are affected. UCSD can take a pivotal role in educating the public and helping Jews fight for a voice and a haven. It's time to hold Jumanah accountable for her words, investigate the anti-Semitism of the UCSD MSA, and take a lead in the struggle of our time. Many of us were not alive during the 1960s, but today we have our own chance to fight racism. Our opposition is more widespread, bank-rolled, violent, and well-established than even MLK's was, but we can do it!

It's time for all of us, Jews and non-Jews, to recognize and denounce the racism of anti-Semitism and defend those struggling for equality today.

Substance

2010-05-28T00:45:00.001-07:00

"There is no short cut to achievement. Life requires thorough preparation - veneer isn't worth anything."
George Washington Carver

Apple Tree

2010-05-28T00:20:00.001-07:00

Interesting: "In Latin, malus means both evil and apple tree." This explains the compound malate's origins, and it might just stem from a certain episode in the Bible! (This is a from a Top-Ten list at www.Merriam-Webster.com).

The End of an Era

2010-05-25T13:37:00.001-07:00

*Sigh*

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, May 25, 2010 at 2:44 PM
Subject: Removal of VCRs and DVD/VCR combo units from ITS Classrooms
To: Classtech <classtech@ad.uiuc.edu>

Dear Instructors,

As previously announced, VCRs and DVD/VCR combo units are being removed from classrooms beginning on May 26, 2010. The project will be completed by the beginning of Summer Session 2 on June 14, 2010. VCRs and DVD/VCR combos will be replaced with stand alone DVD players.

All of the major manufacturers have ended production of stand-alone VCRs. Soon manufacturers will end production of VCR/DVD combo units as well. As the devices fail, repairs and replacement will not be possible.

We realize that many instructors still have important instructional video content on VHS tape. Several colleges and departments offer conversion services, often for free, so please check with your particular support unit. If you have content that is under copyright, you can contact the Information Processing & Management unit of the Library (http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ipm/). They can assist faculty and instructors in researching and acquiring content that is currently available in new formats. CITES Digital Media Group also offers a video tape to DVD transfer service for video that you have permission to copy. Please contact the CITES Help Desk 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu for more information.

Please note that all ITS classrooms have audio/video inputs that allow users to connect their own VCRs into the system. If you would like to sign up to have one of the removed VCRs transferred to your inventory or need assistance connecting your own VCR to the system, please contact us. If you have any questions, please call our office at 333-8165 or contact us by e-mail at classtech@illinois.edu.

Cordially,

________

Kvetching

2010-05-25T10:18:00.001-07:00

A kvetch in time saves nine.

A Great Purifying Fire

2010-05-23T19:40:00.001-07:00

Rich Lowry over at National Review has a great article on Rand Paul. He notes that: "A great purifying fire is sweeping the land. It's taking out the aged and long-serving (67, 76, and 80 are the ages of Senate and House incumbents who lost primaries during the past two weeks), the unprincipled (Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, and perhaps Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas), the ethically challenged (Rep. Alan Mollohan), and the inoffensive but blandly conventional (Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah and Grayson)." (Read the full article here).

Pools and Paper

2010-05-22T15:08:00.001-07:00

Need:
(today) -- 2 column pools
(later) -- 1 gel-based selection pool

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

A Threat?

2010-05-17T14:21:00.001-07:00

#1) I found this response to the OBO-sponsored conservative "coming-out" day in 2005. I think it's hilarious that the event was seen as a threat -- and to women?! This would definitely be something to do again this fall.

#2) I think it'd also be fun to ask the administration to consider a cultural house for blondes. After all, we're underrepresented at the university, and have sustained a long history of merciless stereotypes. (Yes, I jest).

Feedback to the University

2010-05-11T12:43:00.001-07:00

(I submitted this through the University's survey website)

I recommend that the University reconsider its application guidelines for the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) (www.grad.uiuc.edu/srop). I love the fact that our University is reaching out to underrepresented minorities, but I think that programs such as this one should invite all students to apply. When students are profiled based on race -- whether for positive or negative reasons -- it limits our ability as a campus to get beyond racism. I share Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that one day skin color will no longer play a part in how any of us are perceived or treated. Thank you very much for considering my feedback.

file

2010-05-10T06:50:00.001-07:00

--
Hannah Ihms
Graduate Student, Chemistry
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
hihms2@illinois.edu
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

God Upholds Israel

2010-05-03T19:43:00.001-07:00

"But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. "See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
"The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it... (Isaiah 41:8-20)

Then they came for me

2010-05-03T18:43:00.001-07:00

THEY CAME FIRST for the SUV-drivers,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't an SUV-driver.

THEN THEY CAME for the smokers,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a smoker.

THEN THEY CAME for the McD-eaters,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a McD-eater.

THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

T-shirt

2010-04-24T21:07:00.001-07:00

"A friend in the highest of places..."
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n7RltmTdk-g/Sw1psLBxOUI/AAAAAAAANes/gAxHadb2eGo/s1600/T-Shirt+seen+in+Israel.bmp

Rockets into Roses

2010-04-24T19:58:00.001-07:00

Check it out! www.rocketsintoroses.com
Their ad on another site quoted Isaiah 2:4: "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares."

Praying for reformation and revival in Zambia!

2010-04-11T23:16:00.001-07:00

http://www.frontline.org.za/articles/Reformation%20in%20Zambia.htm

Uni Veritas

2010-04-11T23:12:00.000-07:00

"The very name of universities testifies to its Christian origin: Uni Veritas. One Truth. Atheists and evolutionists may establish aversities, diversities and poliversities, but universities belong to Christ." -- Peter Hammond, founder of Frontline Fellowship

Culture of debt followup #2

2010-04-10T11:35:00.001-07:00

If I have my information correct, there are ways that school loans can be waived by serving in the Peace Corps. Interesting, isn't it? Kind of like blackmail. First, you hook a person. You find out something about them that only you can clear, and you hold that over them until they do what they wish. At the point where the government gives special ways of waiving school debt, and students are convinced they must have higher degrees, we'll have an interesting situation, now won't we? On the face it won't be compulsory, but if the only realistic way to pay off gargantuan student debt is to serve in a government-mandated capacity (military or Peace Corps), it is compulsory.

Culture of debt follow-up

2010-04-10T11:32:00.001-07:00

And it's easy for people to trade off debtors. We're used to owing private banks our school loans. Does it make that much difference that pretty soon we'll be owing school loans to the federal government, because of the last-minute add-on to the healthcare bill? Oh yeah, baby, yes.

Culture of debt = Culture of indemnitude

2010-04-10T11:29:00.001-07:00

Quick question: isn't the massive debt accrued by attending college that many learn to shrug off putting us in a culture of indemnitude? Med school is $125/year. We're told it doesn't matter, we'll pay it off eventually. But why do we have to face this kind of debt in the first place? It seems to put us into a slave mentality at worst, or condition us to treat massive, unbridled national debt with little more than a shrug. Ahh -- it'll get paid off eventually. And even if it doesn't, well, it hasn't exactly hurt us yet anyway. Right?

Re: Papers for Monday's GM

2010-04-09T10:04:00.001-07:00

Thanks a lot, Zidong.
Everybody else -- you don't have to claim more of these papers that don't already have your name next to it. I just wanted to remind you of what papers we'd all claimed or assigned to us that still needed to be presented.

Hannah

On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 11:33 AM, Zidong Wang <zwang39@illinois.edu> wrote:

Hi, Hannah:

I will take following two:

Directed evolution of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for noninvasive imaging of dopamine

Fluorescence fluctuations of quantum-dot sensors capture intracellular protein interaction dynamics

Thanks,

Zidong

On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 11:26 AM, Hannah Ihms <hihms2@illinois.edu> wrote:

Hey, guys!
We are some of the ones who have papers left over to present in GM. (You can see which papers are leftover at the link below.)

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmgJLdPRLX4-dFFVb3hRQjVyRkpFVHp0aU5NQjBCVUE&hl=en

Please let me know which ones you will present at the Monday GM and I'll remove them from the list.
Many thanks!
Hannah

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

--
******************************************************************
Zidong Wang
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
#1714 Beckman Institute
405 North Mathews
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone:217-244-5023
_______________________________________________

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Re: Papers for Monday's GM

2010-04-09T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hi, Hannah:

I will take following two:

Directed evolution of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for noninvasive imaging of dopamine

Fluorescence fluctuations of quantum-dot sensors capture intracellular protein interaction dynamics

Thanks,

Zidong

On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 11:26 AM, Hannah Ihms <hihms2@illinois.edu> wrote:

Hey, guys!
We are some of the ones who have papers left over to present in GM. (You can see which papers are leftover at the link below.)

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmgJLdPRLX4-dFFVb3hRQjVyRkpFVHp0aU5NQjBCVUE&hl=en

Please let me know which ones you will present at the Monday GM and I'll remove them from the list.
Many thanks!
Hannah

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

--
******************************************************************
Zidong Wang
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
#1714 Beckman Institute
405 North Mathews
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone:217-244-5023
_______________________________________________

Papers for Monday's GM

2010-04-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, guys!
We are some of the ones who have papers left over to present in GM. (You can see which papers are leftover at the link below.)

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmgJLdPRLX4-dFFVb3hRQjVyRkpFVHp0aU5NQjBCVUE&hl=en

Please let me know which ones you will present at the Monday GM and I'll remove them from the list.
Many thanks!
Hannah

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Resurrection (Easter) Sunday

2010-04-08T07:55:00.001-07:00

SYN "The Big Sleep is Over"

I went with Grandma, Grandpa, and my aunt and uncle to their Lutheran church for a sunrise service last Sunday. We had a grand song service. There were some songs I knew really well, and others that I kind of bumbled along with! The preacher was racing from the back to the front of the church through the service. He would lead the responses at the front, then jet to the back to play the trumpet or sing a solo! Though, I didn't know 'til later that he was doing all three things! Fortunately, he left the organ playing to someone else!

His sermon started with the Battle of Waterloo. After the battle was over, the English sent a message back home that said "Wellington defeated." The homies starting mourning the loss. What they didn't know was that the weather had interrupted the full message, which was "Wellington defeated Napoleon." Once the weather cleared up and full message came through, everybody (okay, so not the French) starting celebrating. He compared that story to Jesus' story. If you tuned in on Friday night, it'd be easy to get the message "Jesus defeated." But come Sunday morning, the real story, "Jesus defeated Satan" comes through loud and clear!

Aphid Talk

2010-04-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

Aphid #1: How does growing in segments help grapefruits survive evolutionarily?
Aphid #2: Long, long, ago the Grapefruit Fathers foretold a day when things called people walk the earth, and these people would want to eat their fruit in segments.
Aphid #1: So grow in segments so you can get eaten faster -- but cultivated beforehand. That was forward thinking, my friend.
Aphid #2: Verily.

Why Academia?

2010-04-01T18:38:00.001-07:00

It's a niggling question. Why do people go into academia? Here's one humanity prof's answer to that question.

Greek Celebrities

2010-04-01T17:09:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed that the "high-brow" study of Greek deities is strikingly like the modern obsession with Hollywood celebrities?

Sea Secret

2010-03-29T07:56:00.001-07:00

I found a link to modest swimwear from the Israel News website. Take a look! A rabbi oversaw the production. This company, Sea Secret, also has a list of separated beaches in Israel. Cool!

If abortion is healthcare, then slavery is team-building

2010-03-22T22:08:00.001-07:00

The director of the Reproductive Rights Project claims that opponents are lying about the actual contents of HR 6205, "The Reproductive Health and Access Act." For an idea of what this director is taking exception to, take a look at what a representative from Americans United for Life said in opposition to the bill. Of course, the question finally comes down -- what's the bill actually say?

Section 15. Prohibition of interference.
10     (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any
11 other law to the contrary, the State of Illinois, any
12 municipality, county, township, school district, or other
13 political subdivision of the State, or any agency, department,
14 or division of any governmental entity shall not:
15         (1) deny or interfere with an individual's right to use
16     or refuse contraception; ..
17         (2) deny or interfere with a pregnant woman's right to
18     bear a child;
19         (3) deny or interfere with a pregnant woman's right to
20     terminate a pregnancy: (i) prior to the viability of the
21     fetus or (ii) when the abortion is necessary to protect the
22     life or health of the pregnant woman; or
23         (4) require any woman to terminate pregnancy without
24     her consent.

Good night! I wish some of these pro-aborts would get excited about something that actually improved people's health -- like toothpaste! We'd see NOW converted into a group of toothbrush-wielding women saying "No one's gonna stand between me and my rights!" Yeah, that'd be the day. Instead, they've jumped onto the band-wagon of not only making up a fake right to abortion, but trying to force others to pay for these abortions, penalizing doctors who don't, and protecting quacks who perform abortions from even the thought of a malpractice suit. Oh yeah, but it's all about women's health. I keep forgetting.

BTW -- I think it's time to invest in some t-shirts that say "abortion isn't healthcare." 'Cause if abortion is healthcare, then slavery is team-building.

Hope in Nope

2010-03-22T22:00:00.001-07:00

If you're one of those out there today NOT celebrating the "Dependence Day" created by the passage of Obamacare, here's a quote to keep in mind: "The cool and deliberate sense of the community ought, in all governments, and actually will, in all free governments, ultimately prevail over the views of its rulers." -- James Madison.
The battle's lost, but the war has just begun.

Interviews with WWII Aviators

2010-03-22T21:21:00.001-07:00

Hey!
I found an old radio show where they interviewed aviators during WWII. It's called "Your Army Air Forces" and it's at http://www.otr.net/?p=yaaf. These aren't interviews with guys six decades after the war. And they're not mock interviews with actors in the role of bomber pilots. You hear from men on-the-job, on-location, July through November, 1945. It's not odd to hear phrases like "We've been speaking to you from a B-29 on a return mission from the Japanese homeland..." Boy, wouldn't it be cool if we heard interviews like this now, with people fighting today! It really brings it home when you hear these men speak (and sing)!

Good night and God bless.
Hannah

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

[Chemists4Christ] No study this week - but next week back at it!

2010-03-22T09:42:00.001-07:00

Hey, everyone!
No study this week: I'm doing some on-site testing for my boss's company, so I will be out of town.
We'll meet again next week!

God bless,
Hannah

P.S. Here's some advice to "Never read a Bible verse. Instead, read a paragraph, at least. Always check the context. Observe the flow of thought. Then focus on the verse." ... "Only when you are properly informed by God's Word the way it is written in its context can you be transformed by it. Every piece becomes powerful when it's working together with the whole."

--
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Yeshua

2010-03-20T15:25:00.001-07:00

Yeshua to me: "I call you chaverah."

Careful What You Ask For

2010-03-20T10:48:00.001-07:00

"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views." -- William F. Buckley

Jujube

2010-03-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

This was from an article in National Review... enjoy :)

Johnson writes on his first page, "It is a joy to write his life, and to read about it." So very, very true. I don't know about you, but I never tire of reading about Churchill — of seeing film clips of him, of hearing stories about him. I feel the same way about Lincoln (no film clips, alas). Those lives are inexhaustible, inexhaustibly interesting, and enjoyable, and edifying...

Johnson, in his bio, taught me a new word: "jujube." Actually, the word is not defined in his book: I asked him about it. A jujube — am I the last to know? — is kind of a gummy candy or lozenge. Jelly bean-ish, maybe.

Churchill attended a session of the House of Commons in 1950 — and here's Johnson:

When Hugh Gaitskell, then the new chancellor of the exchequer, a "prissy Wykehamist" in Churchill's view, who stood on his dignity a little too often, was making a solemn economic statement, Churchill began to search his pockets for something. First his trousers. Then his jacket. Then his top pocket. Then all his waistcoat pockets. This extensive search gradually attracted the attention of the House. Eventually Gaitskell, aware he had lost his audience, snapped at Churchill in irritation, "Can I help you?" Churchill replied sweetly, "I am only looking for a jujube."

The House collapsed in laughter.

Letters

2010-03-19T19:56:00.001-07:00

Hi, Congressman Wilson
I urge you to reverse your decision and vote NO on the health care bill. In the final analysis, this bill is about control, and who has control over health decisions. Having seen members of my family struggling with terminal illness, I know that health care is a serious issue. A decision is complicated enough when it's between a patient and their doctor. It's unnecessarily politicized when an impersonal committee is calling the shots. Along with many other Americans, I prefer to make my own health decisions. That's why I'm urging you to vote NO on this bill, and uphold personal freedom and responsibility.

Sincerely,
__________

Hi, Congressman Driehaus!
Please vote NO on the current health care legislation. I'm studying to be a doctor, and I want the field of medicine to continue improving. I'm convinced that the best way this can happen is by giving patients real choices in their health care. Health care isn't one-size-fits all, and the more options a person has, the better they can choose the option that best fits them. Thank you for your commitment to allowing people to choose the health care options that best fit their needs. Just as the field of technology has thrived in a competitive, customer-driven environment, I anticipate that healthcare can thrive just as much, if people are allowed the freedom to choose.

Sincerely,
__________

Hi, Congresswoman Giffords!
I urge you to vote NO on the healthcare bill currently before the congress. A person's health is one of the most private aspects of their lives. I'm currently studying to be a doctor, and I've been carefully instructed to follow HIPAA guidelines so that I won't compromise a patient's privacy. The more I come to understand about this bill, I believe that, if enacted, it will compromise a patient's privacy. A patient won't be free to make a decision about his/her health with the aid of a doctor; an impersonal board will enter into the intimate details, and have the final authority in the matter. Why should such a committee intrude on the individual decision of a patient in conversation with his/her doctor? If this area of a person's life is not private, then nothing is.

Sincerely,
_________

Hi, Congressman Barrow!
Thank you very much for taking a stand against the current healthcare legislation. I'm studying to be a doctor, and when I graduate, I want to give my patients personalized treatment. I want them to have true-blue decision making ability in their healthcare, because I can't think of an area in life that's less "one-size-fits all." Thank you again for your commitment to retool healthcare without endorsing a blanket government plan.

Sincerely,
_________

Hi, Congressman Adler
Thanks so much for standing firmly against the current healthcare legislation. I'm currently in medical school, and I've very interested in the outcome of this bill. One of the hallmarks of the nurses and doctors I know is that they care about people. That's their bottom line. I'm so thankful for your work in this critical hour to preserve their ability to help their patients without the intrusion of other agencies. The decision-making process in the hospital room is complicated enough without adding committee decisions to the mix! I'm looking forward to practicing medicine in a land where the freedom of patients and doctors is valued.

Thank you again,
______

Hi, Congressman Boccieri!
I urge you to vote NO on the healthcare bill before the congress. Much of the criticism of the current healthcare system focuses on the money-driven decision process of private insurance companies. But will the money-driven decision processes of a public agency be any more compassionate? The solution is to transfer the decision-making authority back into the hands of the patient, freeing them from third-party payers. The technology revolution happened because consumers were free to spend their money on the product that best fit their needs. A healthcare revolution can happen in the same way. Please consider this third option, and vote NO on this healthcare bill.

Sincerely,
_____________

Hi, Congressman Baird!
Thank you for holding strong against the current healthcare legislation! You are an example to all of us, showing us there's no substitute for freedom of conscience. I'm currently in medical school, and I've been watching this bill with interest for several months. I am very thankful for your commitment to finding the best option for Americans. I'm convinced that a healthcare revolution can happen in the same way that the technological revolution happened: that it will be driven forward as people freely spend their money on those options that best fit their needs. Health is one of the most private aspects of each one of our lives, and I look forward to practicing medicine in a country that upholds the freedom of each person to make personalized decisions about their own care, secure from the intrusion of any impersonal committee.

Sincerely,
____________

Letter

2010-03-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

I urge you to vote NO on the health care bill. I'm currently studying medicine here at the University of Illinois, and I am very concerned about the impact this bill would have as law. There's definitely the money angle, but what I'm most concerned about is the impact on the individual patient. When it comes to decisions about medical care, I think these decisions should be made by patients who will be directly impacted, and the physicians who are familiar with their condition. Currently, insurance companies have undue influence in the decision-making process. But I believe the solution is to be found by transferring decision-making power from the insurance company to the patient -- not from the insurance company to the government agency. I suspect that you and I have chosen our various professions for a similar reason: to improve the lives of those around us. Because I am convinced that the best way to improve people's health care is by increasing their ability to make personal decisions about it, I urge you to vote NO on this bill.

Sincerely, _________

Letter to Mr. Allen Boyd

2010-03-19T16:54:00.001-07:00

Hi, Mr. Boyd
I urge you to rescind your decision, and vote NO on the health care bill. You and I have been born and raised in a country that values freedom. I'm sure that both of us want future generations to enjoy the kind of freedom we've enjoyed, too. While it may seem that the best way to protect health is to let the government handle health care, let's look at the example in the world of technology. A computer was once the size of a house and cost $100,000. Now one costs less than $10 and you and I have one in our cell phones! The freedom and competition that drove down the cost of computers while increasing their features can improve health care today. The answer is not in taking decisions away from everyday people like you and me, but by increasing our ability to make decisions about things that affect us, especially in issues as personal as health. Please vote for freedom. Please vote NO on the health care bill.

Sincerely,
_________, medical student

Letter to Ms. Melissa Bean

2010-03-19T16:45:00.001-07:00

Hi, Ms. Bean!
I urge you to vote NO on the health care bill. I'm currently studying medicine here at the University of Illinois. Once I'm a licensed practitioner, I want to have the freedom to make decisions about my patients without having to consult a committee whose number one priority is money, and whose decisions can trump the decisions of patients and physicians. I'm going into medicine to celebrate and preserve life, not to deny care in the interest of a committee, or to end a life because it's the convenient thing to do. Please vote to uphold the freedom of patients and physicians. Please vote NO on the health care bill.

__________

Letter to Mr. Donnelly

2010-03-19T16:23:00.001-07:00

Hi, Mr. Donnelly!
I urge you to vote NO on Obamacare. I'm studying to be a doctor, and what I want is the freedom to provide medical care to my patients. This bill would insert the government between the patient and his/her physician, complicating decision-making processes and making costs the ultimate concern. Not only that, but there's an incredible amount of pressure to expand the funding of abortions in this bill. The children who would be affected cannot ask that you speak up for them, but I ask you to. The bottom line in this shouldn't be politics or money -- it's got to be human life. That's why I'm asking you to vote NO on this bill, and stand up for freedom and life.

Thanks for taking the time to read this,
__________

Letter to Brad Ellsworth

2010-03-19T16:16:00.001-07:00

Hi, Mr. Ellsworth.
I urge you to vote NO on Obamacare. I'm currently in medical school, and I have no interest practicing medicine in an environment where my every decision is decided by a third party. This bill is fiscally irresponsible, and many, many of us everyday citizens want no part of it. Yes, healthcare can be reformed, but not in this way. Please do not vote to support abortions and subject the physician-patient relationship to the whims of an impersonal committee. Please vote NO. Thanks, ___________

Political Academia

2010-03-19T15:48:00.001-07:00

I just came across an article describing the political imbalance in academia:

http://www.campusreform.org/activism-resources/deep-blue-campuses

What I'm curious to know is, why do liberals tend to flock to higher education while conservatives don't? And also, where was the tipping point when liberals first predominated on campuses?

Racial Profiling

2010-03-19T09:06:00.001-07:00

Racial profiling is alive and well on university campuses. Take, for example, the survey below. If I don't fill it out the first time I encounter it (which of course I won't), it will continue popping up until I do. Is this racial profiling or what? And if the method to collect this isn't unavoidable, it certainly is annoying! (Note: the selections shown below were the ones the page auto-filled with).

Update Ethnicity and Race

Recently the U.S. Department of Education revised its definitions of racial and ethnic classifications and modified the standards for reporting. Please complete the short verification form below. The information displayed was converted from the old definitions to the new standards.

Instructions: First, identify whether or not your ethnicity is Hispanic or Latino. Then select one or more races by checking the appropriate boxes.

Note: If you do not submit a response in your current session, this form will be presented to you EVERY time you log into Web Self-Service until September 3, 2010. Once you have submitted a response this form will no longer display.

If you are both a student and faculty or staff member:

Primarily a student with a part-time position on campus - Use Student Self-Service
Full-time employee who is taking a few courses - Use NESSIE (beginning April 19)

Information about the new regulations and the compliance approach for the University of Illinois can be found at http://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/RaceEthnicity/index.cfm.

If you need assistance please contact the:
Office of the Registrar
901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-0210
registration@illinois.edu

What is your ethnicity?

Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Latino

Select one or more races to indicate what you consider yourself to be.

American Indian or Alaska Native	Asian	Black or African American	Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	White
American Indian or Alaska Native	Asian	Black or African American	Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	White

Med School Discrimination

2010-03-13T10:44:00.001-08:00

From appearances, it seemed to me as if med schools were practicing "affirmative action" (i.e. discrimination), and Mona Charen confirms this in her latest article at National Review:

"Of course, medical and dental schools have been practicing affirmative action for decades, but they've had trouble recruiting large numbers of minorities. Part of the problem is that African-Americans do not tend to gravitate to math and science (the solution to which is to be found in families and schools). Still, for the past few decades, less qualified minorities have been offered spots in medical schools, with the result that: 1) those minority professionals who would have qualified without affirmative action bear a stigma, and 2) less qualified minority graduates fail licensing exams at much higher rates than their classmates. Is it a service to the African-American or Hispanic communities to provide them with physicians and dentists who are less capable than others? Will it improve health outcomes for them to be treated by less qualified professionals?"

Like Mom and Dad were telling me last night, this quotas thing is going to be engrained in law if the healthcare bill passes. Triple UGH!

Conservative at UIUC

2010-03-10T18:00:00.001-08:00

For those of currently working on a conservative newspaper here at UIUC, this info sure is encouraging: "Robert D. Novak (1931-2009) was born Feb. 26, 1931, in Joliet, Ill. Robert Novak's first newspaper jobs were as a reporter for the Joliet (Ill.) Herald-News and the Champaign-Urbana (Ill.) Courier, where Robert Novak worked while attending the University of Illinois (1948-1952)." (From http://townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak).

Tres in Diem

2010-03-09T16:59:00.001-08:00

It keeps happening: I feed it, three times a day I feed it. Next day comes, and it's demanding more. What's goin' on? :)

Church, Be the Church!

2010-03-09T11:24:00.001-08:00

Browsing Fox News, I found these quote to be extremely disturbing. I expect the world to be worldly, but I expect those who say they support Scripture to support Scripture. You're killin' me!!!!

A Policy Change on Abortion, But How Radical?

(March 9, 2010) "Abortion opponent Rev. Derrick Harkins, pastor of the Nineteenth St. Baptist Church in Washington, said he believes it ultimately could hurt the anti-abortion cause if the health care bill collapses because of the divisive issue.
"'You can't be blanket pro-life and not address those things that encourage women to make the choice of having an abortion,' said Harkins, a board member of World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. 'If you are really looking to reduce the number of abortions in America, one of the things that will make that happen is to have comprehensive health care coverage.'"

That's so sick. Mr. Harkins, since when did you sell out to socialized medicine? Evangelicalism is not enough. You've got to realize that the church has got to be the church. This is a divisive issue because there's issues of right and wrong at stake. Satan hates it when we take a stand, and that's why he's working on us so we'll give in. Get a backbone!

How firmly are you against abortion if the slightest opposition makes you step down?

Same-Sex Couples Begin Saying "I Do" in Washington

(March 9, 2010) "The Bible supported polygamy. A man could have many wives," Rabbi Arthur Blecher of Temple Beth Chai said. "Religious institutions have changed the concept of marriage over time, and the biblical precedent does not apply. Nobody in America is supporting polygamy."

If the Biblical precedent doesn't apply here, it doesn't apply anywhere. C'mon -- how can you say that the Bible support polygamy? I remember a Christian on campus telling me that once. Biblical marriage -- the kind of marriage God describes -- is the uniting of one man to one woman. End of story.

Folks, read Romans 1. We're trying to erradicate the presence and the knowledge of God. C'mon, church, be the church!!! It's time that we wake up before it's too late!! Don't be afraid. God is the one we're uniting with!! He knows the truth, and His Son Jesus -- not us -- is the champion!!!! We're not fighting this battle alone!!! God is fighting it, and we're just joining Him!!!!!

Movies to Watch For

2010-03-08T16:58:00.001-08:00

Movies to watch for:

Robin Hood (starring Russell Crowe & Cate Blanchett, to be released May 14th, 2010)
Toy Story 3 (to be released June 18th, 2010)
Tron Legacy (to be released Dec. 17th, 2010)

WOW! I had no idea three good films were coming our way!

Though, I've got to ask. Is anyone else out there tired of redos of books/movies that just fail to get it right? Case in point: I saw Tim Burton's disturbing adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Boy, let me tell you: Best Option -- stick to the books; Next Best Option -- stick to the original Disney cartoon. I knew something was off when Alice's tumble down the hole was no longer a peaceful sip of tea, a glance at a clock, or a resigned decrescendo. It became a painful, crazy crash-a-thon that she was lucky to get out of alive. From there on out, I quickly learned that this was not a journey I'd ever care to take again.
    Virtually every review will tell you the visuals are stunning. They are. But what's wrong here? There's no heart, little plot, and way too much redundancy. Okay, I've got to correct myself. There's plenty of hearts, just no heart. Thanks to the Red Queen, hearts are everywhere. Since the plot was nothing engaging, I started looking for all the clever ways that hearts were included in the film. The one part in the movie (the one part!) was when Tweedledum and Tweedledee show up with hearts hastily spraypainted on their foreheads. Whoever did it was in a hurry, and we can clearly see the outline of the stencil square. As far as their being no heart, there's no connection between most of the characters, save one of the monsters and Alice. And between us and the characters? They're not endearing. They're creepy! Depp gives the Hatter character, but I can't get over my desire to run away.
   Even though I wasn't the one running around Underland, I quickly grew weary. What little plot there is stems from Carroll's poem "The Jabberwocky," a poem I enjoy, but a poem that just doesn't make sense to build a movie upon. (Especially given Carroll's rich material in Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass). As happens each time I watch a loser film, I go into it with high expectations, and gradually lower them until by the end I'm just thankful the writer put in an ending.
   Redundancy? Sure, many films have recurring phrases, words that take on new significance to a character through the course of the film. Problem was, without enough substance, the recurring phrases became incredibly distracting. How many times did the Hatter ask Alice about a raven and a writing desk? And yes, we realize that the best people are a little crazy. But when there's no substance between the repetitions of these significant phrases, we get tired of fluff. Really, Tim Burton. If you'd just opened Lewis Caroll's books for 10 minutes you could have found riveting (if nonsensical) conversations to draw on. Meat!
   And not dead meat. What sickened me most were the macabre props. We have the supposed "good guy" -- the White Queen -- mixing potions out of literal "buttered fingers." Sure, it may have started out with Alice eating cakes and drinking drink me juice, but by the end of it, she's drinking dead Jabberwock blood straight. Gross me out! It seems that the White Queen is almost as creepy as her sister, the Red Queen. Not only is she way overdoing the face powder thing, but she makes a study of dead things and has no problem serving up human juices in her fare. As for the Red Queen, the cry that the original Disney cartoon rightly dismissed as an empty threat uttered by a acromegalic megalomaniac -- "Off with her head!" -- now becomes a death sentence. C'mon -- did anyone in the original Disney cartoon lose their head? Of course not. In this version, though, there's more decapitated heads around the Red Queen's court than intact ones. They're not even properly buried, but floating in the moat around the palace. And neither Alice nor we are spared the gory details. At one point, Alice, shrunken to the size of a mouse, has to cross the palace moat by stepping in or over the decapitated heads.
    In Burton's hands, this story's innocence has been replaced by downright creepiness. With no good Queen, plenty of ghoul, but no heart, I'm giving this an emphatic two thumbs down.