Okay, so I realize that using the phrase ”moral courage” to describe the act of a person giving the finger to another does not at first blush seem to be a very clever or deep example of moral courage. I invite you to look again.
Am I right or am I right? From Punditkitchen.com
One of the many issues over which the Bush Administration was criticized heavily (and probably rightly so) for was suppressing information and opinions in the EPA whish disagreed with the administration’s policy. That’s okay in many management settings, but I hate to see it when what is being curtailed is not merely points of view in conflict with chosen policy, but scientific discussion and debate. In the case of the Bush Administration it seems clear that data which did not support the administration's skepticism of global warming and human-based causes of warming. Now it seems that the Obama Administration is doing the same thing, albeit the data being suppressed is in conflict with the administration’s view that earth is warming and human activity is driving it. At the EPA, a 38 year veteran researcher concluded that the earth is probably not warming and may actually be cooling. He also wrote that it is probably not necessary to regulate carbon dioxide emissions at this point. He actually sees signs that earth is cooling recently and may be back to mid-20th century levels. You can read more about the censoring of his report and the details of its’ content here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10274412-38.html
If it is bad for one administration to suppress research that opposes its’ policies, it is bad for all administrations to do so. Far better to consider and reply to such research than just to try and quash it – which seldom works anyway.
Jarrod Washburn has worked hard over the last offseason to perfect his changeup, and the results have been impressive. He is throwing it far more often (sometimes as much as 25% of his pitch-count), and with better location (down) and movement than ever before. His breaking ball is moving more and his fastball is a couple miles per hour faster than last year, and his control is much improved. This translates into a drop of over 1 run per nine innings in ERA, dramatically fewer walks and homeruns given up dropping in half over last season.
Washburn has always been a ‘hard-luck’ pitcher – a guy for which the team scores runs rarely. Numerous times in his career he has been a league leader in fewest runs scored by his team – last year he was near the bottom all year with the M’s scoring less than 3 runs on average. He also has routinely lead his team in save opportunities blown – that is to say, when he leaves the game with the lead his bullpen gives up the lead and the game more often for him than any other starter. In fact, he lead the league last year with 7 blown leads. He also has a very high number of 1-0 and 2-1 losses last season and this season. Last year Washburn had the lowest run support in the American League and tied for the highest number of blown saves (7) in the MLB.
Hard luck? The hardest. in every way that a guy can get poor support from his teammates, Washburn has been the unhappy recipient of such poor support. Poor hitting,scoring few runs, the bullpen blowing saves…Washburn has been snake bit in each way by his Mariners teammates.
So, it was nice today to see the M’s jump all over San Diego pitching for 9 runs, beginning right away with Ichiro’s solo shot to lead off the game, followed by Rob Johnson’s two-out, three-run double scoring Beltre, Sweeney and Gutierrez. Washburn often doesn’t see the team score 4 runs in a game he starts, let alone the first inning. And, it doesn’t hurt his feelings to be pitching so well in a contract season, nor does it hurt the M’s feelings to see his value increase as the trade season heats up.
I have to admit that it really frosts me when people are flippant about the possibility of pandemic flu. As I see it, either we are very fortunate and the concern raised by a new strain is not borne out and the disease does not become deadly, or hundreds of thousands – even millions die.
I hear people calling ‘hype’ and scoffing all around us. Why? Because people just don’t know the pattern that these pandemics follow. They don’t always become deadly, but there is no way to know in advance which ones will do so. There is a pattern that they follow, and very often when the strain emerges it is not deadly. But after the first season, when the virus mutates again, it can then become a killer. So, we hear people say “It's all hype”, until the secondary mutations happen and the new strain emerges in more virulent form and kill tens of millions. And then of course, if we don't have stockpiles and research in hand, we will immediately have people claiming that the government's lack of preparation and stockpiling was itself a conspiracy and/or pure negligence.
For at least the past 400 years, epidemics resembling influenza have been recorded. In the twentieth century alone, we have seen the 1918 “Spanish Flu” epidemic (20 million dead), the 1957 or 1968 influenza outbreaks 1 million dead each, and there have been others –not to mention major epidemics in 1580, 1781, 1831.
Simply put, we hear people scoff and laugh at what they see as hype, but it is only hype until that cycle where the disease happens to become virulent. Why do people experience fear? Why do the CDC, WHO, etc., raise awareness, and why does the media join in? Plainly put, if this new strain happens to be (or become over the summer) one that kills half the people who contract it, then it will be the biggest story, the biggest disaster, the most devastating economic blow...well, short of a nuclear event. The health authorities, the media, the planners cannot know immediately what the current form of the H1N1, or the next mutation will do, and simple common sense says 'take precautions until we have information'. President Ford has been scoffed at and called an idiot because he stockpiled, immunized and alerted the public about a strain that proved not to be deadly. Had it been as deadly as the 1918 flu Ford might have been called a hero for preparing as best he could. It is not intellectually honest to evaluate someone's actions only by how a factor they cannot know (is this one deadly?) later plays out.
This site is great for tracking the virus. I hope this latest new virus does not use the summer in animal reserve hosts to mutate yet again, and perhaps to become a deadly pandemic. If so, the least sad thing about it will be to look back at all the things written and said now about ‘hype’. The tables will be turned then, and the consequences terrible. But whether it is this virus, or another in the future, another deadly event is overdue, and very likely it will be greeted by many chanting ‘hype’.
reat seats for last night's game with Oakland. It was a sunny and warm evening, an outstanding game with three homeruns, some good defense and pitching and the game was decided with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Felix Hernandez threw the two boys a baseball each, and they had hot dogs, peanuts and a treat, too. This year the Mariners have been really fun to watch and not just because they're winning. They're also moving runners over, playing good defense, and the clubhouse seems to have an energy that's been missing for a few years. Last night I really had the feeling that they expected to win, even when they went down 6-1 early. Though he's started out slow, it is fun to have Ken Griffey Junior back - and he seems to be a big reason the dugout atmosphere has improved so much. There are few more pleasant ways to spend a warm spring evening than soaking in the atmosphere of Safeco Field.
“We like people for their beauty , but we love them for their flaws.”
--anon.
Talk amongst yourselves…
State Health Officials announced tonight that six cases believed to be the H1N1 Swine Flu have occurred in Washington. The cases include three in Seattle, two in Snohomish County and one in Spokane County. The patients are a boy who attends Madrona Elementary School, 33-year-old Seattle physician, and a man in his mid-twenties, all in Seattle; a six-year-old boy and a woman in her early forties have been found in Snohomish County. The case in Spokane was identified only as an adult male.
School Districts are monitoring the situation and will send announcements home if any school closures occur.
The best protective measures for people are to avoid contact with others who have the flu, and to practice good hygiene throughout the day – especially washing the hands often (sanitizers are also effective). Swine flu is much milder than the avian flu varieties that have produced such concern in recent years. Swine flu, however, is much easier to catch than avian flu. It can be spread through coughs, sneezes and even infected surfaces.
There are two drugs – both antiviral agents – that appear to be effective against swine flu. The drugs are Tamiflu and Relenza. King County currently has 190,000 doses of Tamiflu which can be used to treat people infected with or exposed to swine flu. The US Department of Health and Human Services is also sending another 260,000 courses of Tamiflu from the federal stockpile, released today.
Some links with good planning information and a more complete summary of tonight’s news conference by Washington State officials:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009148457_webflucases29.html
Planning for Your Family in a Pandemic
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405705_waswine30.html?source=rss
http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/pandemicflu.aspx
“GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.”
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE”
Some excerpts from today’s CDC swine flu briefing by Dr. Richard Besser of the CDC:
“There are 64 confirmed cases in the United States in five states. 45 in New York, one in Ohio, two in Kansas, six in Texas and ten in California. What we… have been seeing (in the U.S.)so far, has been milder, has been less severe than what has been reported out of Mexico. There have now been five hospitalized cases. The incubation period in the United States appears to be about two to seven days, which is typical for what you see with an influenza virus.”
An interesting show coming up on National Geographic follows a man and his bear friend Brutus on a year-long exploration of Yellowstone Country bears. Among the many interesting photos and comments on the website, I particularly enjoyed this one from the Q&A Section:
“What have you learned from Grizzly Bears?
Insight from Brutus: If it is physically possible, then it is done. If not, it isn't.
After weighing a boulder in at one ton, we used a tractor to lift it to place a piece of salmon under it. Soon after, Brutus caught the scent of the salmon and walked to the boulder. In one swift move, he pushed the boulder to the side and happily devoured the salmon. Then it dawned on me as I stood next to my friend. He doesn't worry much; he is not handicapped by his mind. If his body isn't capable of doing it, then that is his only limitation. He does not sit there and contemplate, or make excuses; he just does all he can. Then goes and takes a nap in the sunshine.
How great would it be if we could all live that way?”
The National Geo website is: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/expedition-grizzly-3909/Overview1#tab-photo-albums
People who know me know that I am pretty much a law and order guy. Those who have chosen to take from others, or have injured or killed others must be punished for placing themselves above their victims. Society cannot function unless the boundaries of acceptable behavior are somehow enforced, and the consequences of stepping outside the boundaries are harsh enough to give pause.
That being said, I have found myself becoming more troubled over recent years by both the appearance that personal wealth often exacts a different sort of justice than can be routinely attained by people of modest or no means. Equally troubling is the number of innocent persons who are convicted and imprisoned (or worse) and later exonerated. Of course, by definition, any human endeavor will entail some margin for error, but there is reason for the ordinary person to be concerned to a degree over the number of times people who did not commit a crime are found guilty. There have been so many stories – hundreds of them, over recent years – in which people who have served years in prison, suffered ruin to reputation and finances, lost time with family and friends, and worst of all, have been exposed to the prison environment and its’ horrors, despite being completely innocent of the crimes they’ve been convicted of committing.
Recently I read about a man who not only served years in prison for a crime he did not commit, but also died there. The story was heartbreaking and the more I read the worse it got.
According to a story in the Lubbock, Texas Avalanche-Journal, the judge presided over hearings on Timothy Cole’s wrongful conviction case in early February, entered an order exonerating Cole, and praising the Lubbock District Attorney of today for requesting DNA testing (though I should point out that the DA fought the request initially). In part, speaking to Cole’s family as well as to the woman a Lubbock County jury believed Cole raped more than 20 years ago Judge Charlie Baird said:
“I want to say this with absolute clarity, that I have reviewed everything possible to review in this case,” Baird said. “The evidence is crystal clear that timothy Cole died in prison an innocent man, and I find to a 100 percent moral, legal, and factual certainty that he did not commit the crime of which he was convicted.”
The story is heartbreaking enough – a woman raped, an innocent man convicted (the judge also chastised the police for an investigation that investigation that destroyed, “downplayed or deliberately ignored” evidence Cole did not abduct and rape the woman, once they’d decided he was the guilty party), the innocent man dies in prison and the guilty man is never convicted (though he is in prison for another rape). To me, it gets worse.
Before the trial, Tim Coles was offered a plea which would have given him probation only – no prison time. He refused, saying that he would not plead guilty to a crime he had not committed. Later, when he came up for parole he similarly refused to show remorse for the crime – again saying he was innocent. This meant that he not only served many years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, but he was there only because he refused to admit to the crime he didn’t commit. Though he was eligible for parole, his unwillingness to accept responsibility and show remorse caused his parole to be denied. He dies in prison of asthma.
The case illustrates something I think we should all demand of our prosecutors: TEST THE DNA. Far too many times people have languished in prison because the state refused to test DNA. If the person is NOT GUILTY the state should never seek to keep them in prison. Our society demands this in pursuit of actual justice, not just conviction records. Second, I think we should all think long and hard about this situation, where if this man had admitted to a crime had had not committed, he would not have gone to prison, and if he’d apologized for it he’d have been paroled. His principles ensured that an innocent man would receive a punishment much worse than a guilty man.
I believe that police do a vital and undervalued service in our society. I believe that they regularly do their best to serve the citizenry, and often under less than ideal circumstances. I thank them for their service and appreciate their sacrifices. I echo this sentiment for prosecutors. I do hope that as cases like this where testing DNA can be done that it will be done in the public interest.
Kevin Phillips, author of "Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism", has been quoted repeatedly as saying that the current misguided responses of the Federal government (both under President Bush and President Obama), combined with a commodities cycle that began early in the decade and is being masked by the recession will combine to return us to inflation levels last seen in the mid-seventies.
The above article is worth reading, and Mr. Phillips is refreshingly direct in his language.
In a study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (Prosocial Benefits of Belief in Free Will) researchers found that when people believe in free will we are much more likely to help others, and much less likely to behave aggressively.
Free Will is a concept that has been debated by philosophers, scientists and theologians for almost as long as we've had written works on these subjects. In basic terms, free will refers to the concept of rational beings and whether we exercise control over our decisions and actions, and if so, to what extent.
In religious terms, free will means that an omnipotent deity allows individual actions and decisions. In scientific terms, free will is debated: to what degree are our thoughts and actions a product of physical processes? In philosophy, free will involves the concept of determinism - are all events caused by physical and natural forces? Can some events be the result of these processes as well as free choices?
Most people believe in at least some free will - we make choices and decisions that affect our lives, while at the same time physical and natural laws and causes are also affecting us. This study shows that society benefits in several ways when people believe in free will. First, in this study researchers found that among subjects where a disbelief in free will was induced, these subjects were less willing to help others. Second, it showed that subjects with long-held disbelief in free will were also less willing to help others. Finally, the study showed that subjects with an induced disbelief in free will acted with a much higher level of aggression than subjects with a belief in free will.
In psychology the concept of cognitive therapy, or the Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy approach of Albert Ellis has been very effective over the years at helping people with anxiety, fear, social inhibition and other adjustment difficulties. This approach teaches people that their feelings are NOT caused by events, but rather by their expectations and beliefs. This is expressed usually as an A+B=C construct. A refers to an adverse action. B refers to a persons belief (or philosophy or expectation) about the action. C refers to the consequence. So, when an adverse event occurs, it is the event itself, plus the meaning or context that our beliefs give to the action that give us the consequence or outcome.
An example of this approach can be found in mild road rage. Many of us, when we encounter a reckless driver in traffic, become angry and upset. Say someone cuts you off in traffic. At first blush, we might say "That guy cut me off! That makes me SO angry!" But is it the fact that the other driver cut us off that causes us to be angry? REBT would say that we are not angry because we've been cut off, but because we believe we should never be put in danger or treated rudely. If we give it thought, though, most of us probably believe that a lot of drivers are reckless. So, when we are cut off in traffic if we call to memory this belief that other drivers are often reckless or inattentive, instead of becoming angry we will simply respond to the needs of driving.
Cognitive therapies have been developed since the 1950s, and have dramatically changed the landscape. The Albert Ellis Institute uses the phrase "Short-term therapy, long-term results", and it is a fitting summary of how this approach has changed therapy. In the past, patients with anxiety, fear, or other adjustment issues would face long-term therapy. Using this approach, therapists are able to help patients focus on their beliefs and expectations, and to develop an awareness and discipline to call those beliefs and expectations to mind when adverse events occur. This approach is just one of many psychological, theological, ethical and scientific approaches to resolving the simultaneous existence of both physical and natural causation and free will. And according to this study, it is in all of our interests for society to continue to believe in free will.
According to an article in Science Daily, a team from the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) at the University of Maryland (UMD) and the University of Michigan has succeeded in teleporting a quantum state directly from one atom to another over a meter apart.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090122141137.htm
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