Another architect's watercolors

When Dora and I roomed together at the University of Illinois we were both dating architectural students. Neither one was a painter, except what was required of them in their course work. Now they both are. Here's her husband's web page. Really wonderful stuff. Sometimes we're fortunate enough to get one on a Christmas card.

There's never a free lunch or gas card

I should know that by now, but it looked legit. Just answer a few questions, vote for your candidate, and we'll send you a gas card, depending on the availability for your zip code. By the time you do all that and get to the end, I found a $14.95 offer for a fax service I couldn't opt out of, so I didn't finish. But the election choice was interesting. There were two very nice photos of Obama and McCain, no one looking surly or decrepit or ugly or dark. Then these bios from encabulat.com:

Barack Obama: A Senator from Illinois; born in Honolulu, Hawaii, August 4, 1961; obtained early education in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Hawaii; continued education at Occidental College, Los Angeles, Calif.; received a B.A. in 1983 from Columbia University, New York City; worked as a community organizer in Chicago, Ill.; studied law at Harvard University, where he became the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review, and received J.D. in 1991; lecturer on constitutional law, University of Chicago; member, Illinois State senate 1997-2004; elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2004 for term beginning January 3, 2005.

John McCain: A Representative and a Senator from Arizona; born in Panama Canal Zone, August 29, 1936; attended schools in Alexandria, Va.; graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. 1958, and the National War College, Washington, D.C. 1973; pilot, United States Navy 1958-1981, prisoner of war in Vietnam 1967-1973; received numerous awards, including the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Flying Cross; elected as a Republican in 1982 to the Ninety-eighth Congress; reelected to the Ninety-ninth Congress in 1984 and served from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 1987; elected to the United States Senate in 1986; reelected in 1992, 1998 and in 2004 for the term ending January 3, 2011; chair, Committee on Indian Affairs (One Hundred Fourth Congress; One Hundred Ninth Congress), Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (One Hundred Fourth through One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001], One Hundred Eighth Congress); unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.

I thought it was odd that committees for McCain were listed, but not Obama, then I thought maybe only chairmanships were listed. Considering Obama's youth and few years in the Senate, that didn't seem quite fair, so I looked in FactCheck.org, found out that he IS THE CHAIR of a subcommittee on European Affairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is chaired by Joe Biden. By reading through that information, I see that's why there is a political ad from the McCain people on this. It seems he could have held hearings pertaining to the role of NATO in the war in Afghanistan, but he has not. In fact, the first year he was chair, he had no meetings at all. Now, I don't glue myself to the TV when these hearings are shown, but if this is how Joe Biden became an expert (he used to chair the subcommittee Obama heads now), shouldn't they be meeting--I mean, just to chat and get aquainted and give the staff researchers something to do?

Anyway, since McCain isn't currently the chair (that's for the party in power), I thought Obama's subchairmanship should have been listed. It's possible these bios predated that, however. While speaking to the press in the Israeli town of Sderot this summer, Obama mistakenly said he was on the U.S. Senate banking committee, but in a later clarification by staff, he says he meant to say "my bill."

This too is your money

I noticed this little blurb today

Ohio State signed a new $4 million, three-year contract to operate the USAID-funded PDP in the Ukraine, the world's longest-running, sustained effort to promote democracy. The program is credited with helping Ukraine's legislature pass significant reforms that have contributed to democratic and economic transitions in that country, said Charles Wise, director of the Glenn School and the project's chief executive since its inception in 1994

"Ukraine is a shining star in terms of a having a functioning legislature compared to any other country in the former Soviet Union. They have real contested elections and they make laws that matter," Wise said. "The federal government has called this a 'model' program that can be used as a template in other countries of the world."

The new contract runs from September 2008 through May 31, 2011. The Glenn School will act as a subcontractor for the project, which intends to . . .story here.

Is this $4 million before or after OSU skims its 50+% off the top for operating expenses? Anyone know? I used to be a USAID employee (agricultural credit in developing countries) through a contract at Ohio State, but didn't pay much attention to that stuff then. All I cared about was getting my paycheck. I do remember that with small credit loans to women in developing countries, 100% or more return on the investment (which was probably under $100 dollars) was considered wonderful. Good thing we weren't dealing with the oil companies who get about 8% on their investment.

A hymn for our elected officials

who when they aren't sitting on their hands, are using them to point fingers across the aisle.

Modern day, happy-clappy, contemporary Christian praise songs just don't work for me in a crunch, so this is based on "Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now" by unknown author, 1651. Based on Psalm 95. Tune: "Herr Jesu Christ, dich". To be sung "brightly."





Lord Jesus Christ, be present now,
Our hearts in true devotion bow,
Your Spirit send with grace divine,
And let your truth in lending shine.

Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To you, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise here and Washington DC!

I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar, Ben and Henry Blues

Woke up this morning ‘bout five fifteen,
Read my big ol Bible and a new magazine,
Jumped in the van, turning on the key
Let me tell you mama, there’s no stopping me.

Driving on to Main Street, stopping at the light
Heading for the coffee shop the other side of night,
Singing with the radio, changing stations now
Got the dog and pony show, candidates take a bow.

Mitigating factors, oozing out the wazoo,
Sell ‘em or hold ‘em, it’s all a rescue.
I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar
Ben and Henry blues.

Warm bakery bread and yeasty brown rolls
Congress still propping up the C-E-Os
Espresso coffee chai and tea
The government ya know--that’s just you and me.

NINJA loans for aliens, flipping for the rich,
From coastal homes, to buildings in the sticks,
McBama to Fannie to Goldman Sachs
They’re pointing fingers and covering tracks.

Mitigating factors, oozing out the wazoo,
Sell ‘em or hold ‘em, it’s all a rescue.
I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar
Ben and Henry blues.

Questioning King Henry.

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith

Luther was the most amazing writer. I wish I had a set of his works--as it is, I only have vols. 27 and 54, probably picked up at book sales, and his Small Catechism, plus a smattering of excerpts, like prayer books. Our church library set is now on the reference shelf; I used to be able to check out individual volumes, and of course, the local public library doesn't have them. Some of his works is available on-line, some in ascii and some in html (if you print for easier reading, the number of pages is about the same). However, if you want to understand modern western history, you really need to understand Luther.

In 1520 among the hundreds of other things he published were 4 titles which laid out reform of the medieval church as he understood it. I've printed out for the coffee shop today, "Concerning Christian Liberty," a quote from which heads the blog today (Sept. 24), although maybe not the day after tomorrow, since I change that often. In that document Luther writes that Christian freedom is genuine discipleship as the faithful way of following Christ. Essentially, in those 4 titles he called for the common priesthood of all believers, the rejection of the sacramental system, and removing ethics from a meritorious obligation to free love of neighbor in need--all points of which were clearly stated in Scripture, which is why he promoted translation into the vernacular (German, in his case). Here's his definition of faith:

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith:
An excerpt from
"An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans,"
Luther's German Bible of 1522
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith
from DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S VERMISCHTE DEUTSCHE SCHRIFTEN.
Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63
(Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. [EA 63:124-125]
August 1994
Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. "Faith is not enough," they say, "You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved." They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, "I believe." That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this "faith," either.

Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, his faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words.

Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.

_________________________________________

This text was translated for Project Wittenberg by Rev. Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary
E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
Phone: (260) 481-2123 Fax: (260) 481-2126

--------------------------------------------------
Note: It's nice to see this modern English translation by Rev. Smith. Much of what Luther wrote was in Latin, then translated into German, then into 19th or early 20th century English, so it gets a bit tough to slug through all that. It makes me conscious of all the parenthetical phrases and unnecessary asides I use in my writing. Also, it makes me appreciate the beauty of having the Bible in modern English, or any vernacular. After all, there are over 10 million Lutherans in Africa (more than North America), and many Lutheran missionaries have worked for years to carry Luther's dream of Scripture in the mother language to spread the gospel to the common man.**

In case you want to hop in and criticize me for not acknowledging Luther's flaws (he had many), or other denominational missionaries translating (there are thousands), you are free to write your own blog or web page. I can't do all of it!

-------------
** “Since Luther was a prolific writer it came about that he began to standardize the rather loose orthography and syntax within his Mittel Hoch Deutsch expression. Second, that product was not addressed solely to the nobility nor to a cloistered religious readership, but purposefully and directly to the common people. Inasmuch as the capacity of the printing presses at that time reached a broad public, the effect of Luther's standardization led eventually to a changed form of the German language which has been termed "ein frühes hoch Deutsch." “
Martin Luther’s German Writings

Show me the Chicago child

who benefited from Obama's management of the $100 million dollar Chicago Annenberg Challenge. Did they learn to be better readers, thinkers, writer, communicators? Did they go on to a community college or university and study math or science? Or did they just get more political and radical nonsense that won't help them with life skills. Obama had the benefit of a very good education--he learned his politics on the side. Couldn't other children? When asked in 2000 about his experience to run for Illinois Senate, he cited this experience. So, where are those children? I'd like to see the results.

Obama replied: "Well, I'm in my second term, but it's true that certainly both Senator Trotter and Congressman Rush have been in elected office longer than I have. I can't deny that.

"I would argue, though, that my experience previous to elected office equips me for the job. You know, I have a background as an attorney. I've represented affordable housing organizations to build affordable housing, something that is a major issue in the district. I've chaired major philanthropic efforts in the city, like the Chicago Annenberg Challenge that gave $50 million to prop school reform efforts throughout the city."

The economy and the current mess with government bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is big news today. How did he do with smaller amounts? Like $100 million? Obama and Ayers

In Just Four Years, Obama Has Received More Money From Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Than Any Other Member Of Congress In The Past Two Decades (Since 1989) Except Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Chris Dodd. (Lindsay Renick Mayer, "Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Invest In Lawmakers," Center For Responsive Politics' "Capital Eye" Blog, www.opensecrets.org, 9/11/08)

Top All Time Donors to Democrats and Republicans, 1989-2008
(only #92, Amway, gave solidly Republican (90%+). Twenty of the top 100 gave almost exclusively to Democrats.

Here's why we can't get tort reform: "American Assn for Justice, formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), this group of plaintiffs' attorneys and others in the legal profession now goes by the name of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and boasts 56,000 members worldwide. A lobbying heavyweight, the association has been battling any attempt at tort reform, including recent proposals to cap awards in medical malpractice lawsuits. AAJ also lobbies Congress on any legislation that may inhibit the ability of consumers to bring lawsuits, particularly against health care providers, asbestos companies or insurance companies processing claims related to terrorism. The association favors Democrats, who oppose most attempts to initiate tort reform. In 10 years they contributed $29,160,889, and 95% went to Democrats.

Want school choice? "The American Federation of Teachers represents 1 million teachers, school staff, higher education faculty and other public employees. The federation also has a health care division, which represents health professionals and nurses. As one of the leading education groups on Capitol Hill, the federation lobbied heavily on President Bush’s education plan, beating back attempts to attach pro-voucher amendments." 99% to Democrats.

And so forth.

Yes, Gloria, there is profound sexism

Mostly from leftist women.

"Feminist anger against Sarah has exposed the fact that feminism is not about women's success and achievement. If it were, feminists would have been bragging for years about self-made women who are truly remarkable achievers, such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, or former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, or Sen. Elizabeth Dole, or even Margaret Thatcher. Feminists never boast about these women because feminism's basic doctrine is victimology. Feminism preaches that women can never succeed because they are the sorry victims of an oppressive patriarchy. No matter how smart or accomplished a woman may be, she's told that success and happiness are beyond her grasp because institutional sexism and discrimination hold her down. . . Sarah Palin is an exemplar of a successful, can-do woman, and the feminists simply don't know how to deal with her. I hope she will usher in a new era where conventional wisdom recognizes that feminist negativism is ancient history and American women are so fortunate to live in the greatest country on Earth." SF Gate, Sept. 21

Advice for McBama

"This is not the Barack Obama who inspired millions. This is not the Barack Obama who is likely to persuade all those white working-class Hillary voters that he respects their values and will look out for their interests. In short, Mr. Obama needs to relearn the lesson that propelled him to a historic nomination: cheerful and optimistic generally trumps cranky.

Mr. McCain could take a lesson too. If Mr. Obama's impulse is to tax anything that prospers, Mr. McCain often gives the impression that his is to court-martial it. Indeed, after a postconvention Palin bounce in which he showed his happy warrior side, Mr. McCain appears to have reverted back to Paris Hilton's wrinkly white-haired dude -- especially with recent rhetoric that makes American business leaders sound like the Taliban."

How Sarah got McCain's Groove Back

Reference questions

Today when you go to the library, ask a question. Try to find a librarian, though. I don't think it gives the staff quite the same sense of "ah-ha, a live one" that a librarian (MLS from an accredited institution) experiences. "Where's the rest room?" or "Can you fix the printer?" don't count.

I love to read through the questions that bring people to my site. Because I write on so many topics, these robotic spiders scroll around a page and match up some strange words or sentences--like the first name of a mayor's wife with the Latin name of a plant. Not quite up to my road kill or black birds in a pie diseases that I used to get at the Vet Library, but interesting. Since about 9 p.m. last night these are some of the more interesting questions that brought people to my blog. I get anywhere from 120 to 180 hits a day, depending on what I'm writing about. If a big poo-bah blogger links to me, it might spike to 350 for a few days. Sometimes they just glance and move on, sometimes they stay for 30 minutes to an hour.

who administers zostavax in san antonio? [Let me get back to you on that]

how to do my thoughts [just stir gently and half bake]

lakeside "raccoon run" results [do you want 2008? I have photos but no results]

abercrombie and fitz "the christmas field guide" [Yes, I'm getting Christmas catalogs too]

24th mapping squadron [I'm 3rd from the top on this one]

dadsandsons near blogspot [is this a boolean question]

"catholic social doctrine" "joe biden" [bingo]

how come there are so many anti-obama books and no anti-mccain books [probably because no one thought he'd be the candidate--check Daily Kos--they hate him and Sarah over there]

orbiter can opener review [I have a great review on this topic--even a photo]

cnn report, in 2008, new peal medicine for cancer used in europe [this sounds fascinating but I'm not sure what "peal" is. Learn to type in just the key words

The Emmys

Primetime Emmy Awards “inexplicably attracted the franchise's smallest audience in its history. A mere 12.2 million viewers watched an . . . “orgy of trophy dispensing and politically charged speechifying.” (WaPo, Sept. 23)

Yes, ageism and sexism was in full flower--racism of course, has been entirely eliminated from their scripts. The entertainment industry mined that vein dry years ago. For that you have to read the recent polls of the Democratic party which show some ordinary working folk are tired of being called names and constantly insulted by the rich know-it-alls in their party. They're just not sure they want to pull the lever (punch the button, mark the ballot) for Obama.

It’s been years since I’ve seen an awards show. 12 million people with nothing to do--sounds like a lot of dumbed down couch potatoes to me. But I’ve seen snippets of this one. Oh, that prune political joke was almost as amusing as the SNL joke on incest, which is also going around and continues to insult women who make a difference and run for political office. Yes, the American entertainment industry deserves an award all right. You begin to understand better the view of the radical Muslims on the worth of pop culture. But hey, I share the blame. I have a TV in every room (except the dining room), and went to three or four movies this summer.

Stephen Colbert, eating from a bag of dried plums, told co-presenter Jon Stewart: "Right now, America needs a prune. It may not be a young, sexy plum. Granted, it is shriveled and at times hard to swallow. But this dried-up old fruit has the experience we need."

Generous Joe Biden lectures Americans on what Jesus would do

"Catholic social doctrine as I was taught it is, you take care of people who need the help the most." I wonder what percentage this is of his gross? Probably imperceptible.

Source. If you're not happy with this source, take it up with someone else.

Cooking the books

"Shocking exposé hit the Street last week about one of the best-loved, all-American companies: Fannie Mae, the mortgage and financial services giant. The report, written by the company's regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, offered a litany of accounting improprieties at the company. You might call it "In the Kitchen With Fannie: How to Cook the Books for Fun and Profit.""

That was the story four years ago, Sept. 26, 2004 in the NYT. But even with this report, Franklin D. Raines, the company's chief executive 4 years ago, and his predecessor, James Johnson, got their bonuses. (NYT Sept 26, 2008)

Then in April of this year, paying much less than the government ask for: "Raines, former Fannie chief financial officer Timothy Howard and former controller Leanne Spencer were accused in a civil lawsuit in December 2006 with manipulating earnings over a six-year period at the company, the largest U.S. financer and guarantor of home mortgages.

Raines, a Seattle native and prominent Washington figure who was President Clinton's budget director, is relinquishing company stock options, proceeds from stock sales and other benefits. His part of the settlement is worth $24.7 million. . ." He'd worked in two different Democratic administrations, made over $91 million from 1998-2004, and blamed the Bush Administration for his problems. [Does anyone in the government from the janitors to the President ever accept the blame for mistakes?] "Raines, the first black CEO of a Fortune 500 company, has been trying to restore his reputation and challenge shareholder suits. Raised in a Seattle family that relied on welfare checks, Raines broke through racial barriers to become an adviser to President Carter and head of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget from 1996 to 1998 under Clinton." (Seattle Times, April 18, 2008 [AP])

Breaking through racial barriers to be a first anything is not necessarily a guarantee of success. And just fining the perps more millions than the rest of us can imagine obviously doesn't solve the problem either.

So what did the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight report to the Congress [Chris Dodd, Chair of Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Barney Frank, Chair of Financial Services, both Democrats, now squawking and pointing fingers at Republicans] this year--four years later? Well, Fannie and Fred were rising to the challenge, the Director said.

"[Fannie and Fred] were able to fulfill their key mission of providing stability and liquidity to the conventional conforming loan market. Their support of the mortgage market grew by 15 percent in 2007 versus 8 percent growth in 2006, to a total of $5.0 trillion in guaranteed mortgage-backed securities outstanding and mortgage investments. Their market share of total mortgage originations grew from 37.4 percent in 2006 to 75.6 percent by the fourth quarter of 2007. There is increasing pressure for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to do even more to support the mortgage market, which is problematic in absence of GSE reform legislation to strengthen the regulatory process."

Do you feel stable yet? Did GSE reform legislation [that means Congress has to do something] happen? Did the Chris and Barney dog and pony show just toss the report into the circular file? And the press release explaining how they plan to get to root causes doesn't make me feel any better. Sort of sounds like the Secretary of the Treasury will be the most powerful man in the world. Don't remember electing him, do you?

I'm just reading my script

was her response to my interrupting her "just 4 quick" questions about what did I think about middle class families getting squeezed by American companies getting tax breaks to go overseas. Wow. How many times have we seen that ad on TV? It is Ohio, you know. Well, I threw it right back at her and asked where did she think these companies were supposed to go when our unions and environmentalists have driven them out of our major cities. I told her I was a pensioner, and where did she think my income was supposed to come from, yada yada. Poor thing. "I'm just reading my script" she whimpered. I hope she's getting minimum wage and not being paid under the table or working as a volunteer.

60,000 greet Palin at The Villages in Florida

The big question: Was Murray there or was he still in Mt. Morris playing golf?

The Villages, a vast, upscale planned community north of Orlando, has about 70,000 mostly adult residents -- many of them military retirees -- who vote reliably Republican in statewide races. Tens of thousands inched along roads into the picturesque town square of the complex, where they stood in sweltering heat for about four hours as local GOP officials and a country band revved up the crowd.

"Sa-Rah! Sa-Rah!" they chanted at every mention of her name, applauding loudly and waiving tiny American flags that were distributed -- along with free water bottles -- by local volunteers. The fire chief estimated the crowd at 60,000. Story here.

The first news story I found on this included so much editorializing, I had to skip it and find something more reliable. The "reporter" didn't even slip in quotes from other candidates to give his own point of view--just blabbed away. I don't mind opinions, but when I read a news story, I'd prefer something else--like reporting. Save opinions for blogs and the editorial page.

The Politics of Hollywood

Chris Matthews observed in an interview this morning that since the beginning of the Cold War in 1947, Hollywood hasn't made a single anti-Communist film. I had just turned on the radio, so I don't know the context. I suppose he meant Hollywood in the genre or form sense, not the place. I have no way of checking that information--even with Google that would be tough, because anymore, what is "Hollywood?" Someone would be sure to find something anti-Mao or anti-Stalin (although that's not anti-marxist, just the person) on film that got swept up. And they even make movies in Ohio--that's flyover country that liberals only visit during presidential campaigns. However, it does make some sense. There have been a lot of movies about WWII, Nazis, and blacklisting Hollywood communists. The Nazis killed far fewer people than the Communists did. Of course, the Communists have been in power longer, and killed millions upon millions of their own citizens (and it continues through starvation in North Korea), not just "others" like Jews, East Europeans, gypsies and the disabled.

But American liberals have out done even the Soviet, Chinese and North Korean Communists. We Americans killed probably well over 40,000,000 unborn babies since the early 70s, and untold millions of Africans by taking DDT off the market--our own Rachel Carson holocaust. Add to that record, our global warming hysteria and regulations which will bring death to people in undeveloped countries. Already our regulation-crazy Democrats have pushed the Iraqis to sell their oil to the Chinese rather than mess with our rules. And in case our warm and fuzzy liberals have forgotten, the Chinese are still Communists who need oil. So, who am I, or Chris Matthews who raised the issue, to criticize the blood money of rich Hollywood investors, producers, directors and actors?

Why the liberals want Obama

To assuage their guilt, which unless they have a history of owning slaves, carpet bagging, red lining, organizing to bus black children out of their neighborhood, guarding the school door with guns, or dissing their black co-workers, is most likely misplaced.

This is the final argument in a "Letter to the Dispatch editor," Sept. 2.

“Obama's election would tell this country and the world that America is better than it has seemed recently. Watching again Ken Burns' The Civil War epic on television is a grim reminder of where we were. Obama can be a telling statement of where we are now.”

JOHN W. VanDERVOORT
Columbus

This is the most pitiful reason I've ever heard to choose a president--because of what you've done wrong in the past and to please people in Europe and Asia (like they've never had an ethnic or racial problem!) rather than what he can bring to the office through his abilities and experience. What an impossible burden to put on Obama!

Wasn't this settled?

Eat less, move more, don't smoke. "Combined impact of lifestyle factors on mortality: prospective cohort study in US women," Rob M van Dam, BMJ 2008;337:a1440 Here.

I guess it needed more study. Alcohol consumption was also part of the study, but there are trade offs, depending on the amount. The danger is always that "light" will move on to "excessive," thus eliminating the health benefits.

Conclusions
Avoiding cigarette smoking is of pivotal importance for the prevention of premature death. In our study of middle aged women, adherence to lifestyle guidelines involving a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and weight management was also associated with markedly lower mortality. Of note, our results indicate that a healthy diet and regular physical activity have important health benefits independent of reducing adiposity. These findings underscore the importance of intensifying both efforts to eradicate cigarette smoking and those aimed at improving diet and physical activity.

The non-epidemic of AIDS

Just as people who aren't buying into the "we can control the world" pantheism theme of global warming are sneered at and vilified as deniers, so also were those who denied that AIDS was an epidemic EVERYONE needed to fear. You didn't even need much biology to figure out that it was gay men, bi-sexual men, intravenous drug users and sex workers who had the problem. But no, we were constantly bashed if we believed AIDS is a very specific problem that threatens some people with very specific behaviors. And even then, we knew intuitively that it was the extremely promiscuous gay men who were immune compromised from other venereal diseases who posed the most risk to other gays. The monogamous librarians raising some kids and a garden out back probably weren't the same threat as the swingers hitting the bath houses in San Francisco.

The problem is this; raising funds for a disease is a little gold mine--and once you're on a roll, no one wants to give that up. If cancer disappeared tomorrow, millions would be out of a job and a reason for living. It's incredibly political--think of the Bush-bashing if he doesn't pour enough money into AIDS; or how much love and warm fuzzies former presidents can get by funding a foundation to fight AIDS. In Africa, the money for AIDS is stealing from the general health of the population.

In his paper 'The myth of a general AIDS pandemic', Professor Chin argues that UNAIDS has been very successful in raising unprecedented global financial support for HIV/AIDS programmes, but has achieved this by 'grossly exaggerating the scope and trend' of the pandemic. While Professor Chin stops short of accusing the agency of deliberately lying, his implication is that UNAIDS has depended on inaccurate alarmism to ensure a continued flow of funds to the innumerable NGOs, government programmes and activist groups that constitute the AIDS industry.

While no-one is denying that AIDS remains an extremely serious problem in certain parts of sub-Saharan Africa, UNAIDS' distortions have had serious implications for global health. Because AIDS budgets in many African countries are now often bigger than the entire national health budget, this has led to distortions in the provision of overall primary care, with carers, clinicians and other scarce resources being diverted into AIDS, undermining funding for basic health services.

Story at Medical Progress

Maybe Chin won't call the UNAIDS a bunch of liars, but I will. Don't be manipulated by the disease mongers. Know where your own money and your tax money goes.