tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89448272011-09-05T09:36:35.494-07:00Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.comBlogger811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1151545341893581322006-06-28T18:36:00.000-07:002006-06-28T18:44:12.796-07:00

From a Harvard School of Public Health press release: Public release date: 27-Jun-2006Harvard School of Public HealthSmoking and obesity may increase the risk of erectile dysfunction Physical activity associated with a lower risk of impairmentBoston, MA -- A prospective study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that obesity and smoking are strongly associated

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1149104230501422982006-05-31T12:16:00.000-07:002006-05-31T12:45:37.156-07:00

From Jurist:THIS DAY AT LAWWednesday, May 31, 2006Tulsa race riot began On May 31, 1921, the Tulsa race riot was touched off after a black elevator operator was alleged to have attacked a white woman in an elevator in downtown Tulsa. Armed whites attacked, burned and looted the local black business community of Greenwood in violence that killed more than 300 people and destroyed more than 1200

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1147892796604365782006-05-17T11:46:00.000-07:002006-05-17T12:07:27.243-07:00

Read the first article's extract, then the second.From the 1 April 2006 British Medical Journal [note: always check the date]:BMJ 2006;332:745 (1 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7544.745-aNewsScientists find new disease: motivational deficiency disorder Ray MoynihanSydneyExtreme laziness may have a medical basis, say a group of high profile Australian scientists, describing a new condition called

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1146186884316083972006-04-27T18:09:00.000-07:002006-04-27T18:15:28.396-07:00

Remember Dr. Janet Woodcock, deputy operations commissioner of the FDA, who was ordered to give a deposition on her objection to the emergency contraception, "Plan B"? Dr. Woodcock refused to approve over-the-counter access to Plan B because of her concerns that teenagers would become promiscuous and form sex-based cults?Who knew that the FDA has no standards for the safety of dyes used in body

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1146186537172784602006-04-27T17:53:00.000-07:002006-04-27T18:09:47.703-07:00

...is named after a dildo.FDA grilled about Plan BcontraceptiveBY KATHLEEN KERRNewsday Staff WriterApril 24, 2006Attorneys for a New York women's group plan to grill Food and Drug Administration officials this week about their failure to decide whether an emergency contraceptive pill called Plan B may be sold without a prescription.Former FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford, Dr. Janet Woodcock,

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1145599564945564542006-04-20T22:52:00.000-07:002006-04-20T23:08:31.066-07:00

A good friend sent me this article from The Sun:Send greetings to QueenBy CORINNE ABRAMS Sun OnlineTHE Queen turns 80 tomorrow and we are creating an online birthday card for her. You can send your birthday wishes for the royal and we will run the best online.Just email your message to yourviews@the-sun.co.uk with the subject heading 'Queen's birthday'. Some of the messages:Happy Birthday your

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1145598497178932642006-04-20T22:31:00.000-07:002006-04-20T22:50:12.316-07:00

President Bush, introducing President Hu of the People's Republic of China during a ceremony on the White House lawn:(From the White House transcript; emphasis added)PRESIDENT BUSH: As the relationship between our two nations grows and matures, we can be candid about our disagreements. I'll continue to discuss with President Hu the importance of respecting human rights and freedoms of the Chinese

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1145422453541921862006-04-18T21:48:00.000-07:002006-04-18T21:55:37.756-07:00

Perhaps one day these two will be star-crossed sorority sisters.Note: I wonder what happens to Scientologists' babies? Do they inherit their mothers' Thetans (do Thetans cross the placenta?), or do they get their own personal set? If the mother is "clear", will the baby be as well? If the mother is not clear, will the baby get both its own personal set of Thetans and another set inherited from

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1139202193135489832006-02-05T20:32:00.000-08:002006-02-05T21:07:27.160-08:00

Let's review the list of "Don'ts" for the State of the Union speech. That is, these are tips on what not to wear, to do, or to be if you do not wish to give rise to "reasonable belief" (since "probable cause" is soooo pre-9/11) that you are suspicious, dangerous, or anti-American:1. Do not wear anything that might make a political statement. Yellow ribbons and flag pins (which seem to have been

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1136514266570800372006-01-05T16:33:00.000-08:002006-01-05T18:25:09.346-08:00

I usually don't keep up with new television shows-- not because I'm a selective, intelligent person (I only wish!), but because I'm pretty busy most evenings and am rarely home when the shows air.Therefore, I must send along my thanks to Donald Wildmon and the American Family Association for bringing attention to the new NBC series, "The Book of Daniel."'BOOK OF DANIEL' UNDER FIRE FROM AMERICAN

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1134065420215980582005-12-08T09:55:00.000-08:002005-12-08T10:11:19.450-08:00

From now on, "box of rocks" will no longer serve as the standard for "dumb." Intelligence testing is available in the deli section of your supermarket.Here's a story from yesterday's Washington Post about a criminally stupid woman:Woman Allegedly Hires Hit Man for CheeseThe Associated PressTuesday, December 6, 2005; 7:01 PMMEMPHIS, Tenn. -- In an unusual case of mistaken identity, a woman who

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1131668455668237152005-11-10T16:09:00.000-08:002005-11-10T16:21:48.726-08:00

As Kos said, this Political Compass test is making the rounds. Here's how my little arc looks:The Political CompassEconomic Left/Right: -6.88Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.87The graph of these coordinates is here. The authors describe this point as "Voluntary Collectivism".That's a pretty fair assessment, actually.It's certainly more accurate than astrology.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1131556120228967452005-11-09T08:46:00.000-08:002005-11-09T09:11:24.710-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I looked at the Texas ballot, especially Proposition 2. What I saw was a poorly drafted constitutional amendment that facially failed to enact what it purportedly was intended to enact and inadvertently destroyed that which it was intended to support.Specifically, Proposition 2 was supposed to capture Texas's distate for legal protections for same-sex unions, and to

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1130271722603577532005-10-25T12:50:00.000-07:002005-10-25T13:23:23.470-07:00

Michael Bérubé reasonably proposes that we discard epithets and slurs that describe a person's capacity in favor of terms that describe performance. He's absolutely right. "Idiot," "moron," "imbecile," and other like words carry historical freight that has nothing to do with poor judgment or poor performance.On the other hand, Bérubé follows his suggestion by arguing in favor of using words

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1130217818095575202005-10-24T21:58:00.000-07:002005-10-24T22:27:38.406-07:00

Why Texas needs more (and better) lawyers in its state legislature:On 8 November 2005 Texans will have the opportunity to vote on a number of ballot initiatives. Proposition 2 relates to marriage. My guess is that the two chambers of the Texas Legislature wanted preemptively to invalidate any proposed statute that might legitimize same-sex partner civil unions, marriages, or other

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1124760689305823722005-08-22T17:39:00.000-07:002005-08-22T18:32:11.746-07:00

... on an AP article by David Kravets, just up on the Washington Post webpage:Justices Protect Children of Calif. Gays .Announcing decisions in three related cases, California's highest state court just extended the legal protections of custody and support to children of same-sex couples. Like the movement that finally eliminated "bastardy" laws (discriminating against children born outside

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1123710215164300822005-08-10T14:37:00.000-07:002005-08-10T14:44:09.366-07:00

Yes, I am still here. At least, I'm back, now that August's heat has sucked the oxygen from the air. July deserves more from me than this nominal post, and I will fill in details later.Really.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1120278310524657422005-07-01T21:22:00.000-07:002005-07-01T21:26:10.293-07:00

... and all the other young idealists who joined the military to bring peace, rather than to wage war:

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1120067527163003782005-06-29T08:49:00.000-07:002005-06-29T10:55:07.536-07:00

Did anyone else get a "three bears" feeling during the President's speech last night?Bush spun a fairy tale riddled with mobile straw men and Al Qaeda monsters. We'll be safe if we-- good children that we are-- follow the Prez without question.Without questioning statements like this:Today Iraq has more than 160,000 security forces trained and equipped for a variety of missions.Unless things have

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1119246467129637412005-06-19T20:10:00.000-07:002005-06-19T22:57:59.106-07:00

Our tax dollars, soldiering away in the War on Terrorism, support the Department of Justice website. Its page-top banner reads:"Preserving Life & Liberty" On 28 April 2005 United States Attorney Ken Wainstein, appearing on behalf of the DOJ, testified before House Committee on the Judiciary in hearings on reauthorizing PATRIOT Act provisions that are set to expire at the end of this year. One

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1118679108927552742005-06-13T08:40:00.000-07:002005-06-13T09:12:52.710-07:00

The Supremes knocked down another Texas death penalty prosecution this morning. In Miller-El v. Dretke, a case involving an African American defendant on trial for murder, the Supreme Court of the United States found that the prosecution had manipulated the jury pool to eliminate most other African Americans. Additionally, the Court found the prosecution's "neutral" arguments in support of its

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1118298901859530112005-06-08T22:15:00.000-07:002005-06-09T11:03:20.570-07:00

What a rapturous day for hypocrisy! Barely catching a breath after the controversial Priscilla Owen's confirmation to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and oath of office, the Senate granted lifelong tenure to a judge whose record identifies her as so far out of the mainstream that she can't even feel the current.Brown Approved For D.C. Circuit Senate Confirms California Justice, Sets Vote on

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1118258669419152172005-06-08T12:06:00.000-07:002005-06-08T12:25:26.736-07:00

More good news from the AP, via CBS associate KOTV :Waste Shipment Rolls Through OklahomaOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The first of what is to be 15 shipments a day of radioactive waste has been trucked across Oklahoma.We should all cheer! Good for business! McDonald's restaurants all along the highways!Two steel canisters of 20,000 pounds of a mixture of uranium combined with fly ash was carried from a

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117944293339689622005-06-04T20:04:00.000-07:002005-06-04T21:06:33.560-07:00

I came back to the office this evening around 9:30 to work on a little extra-curricular stuff. Specifically, I needed to put together some material in anticipation of a public hearing to be held Tuesday morning before the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board. This board has authority over the Tulsa Zoo, a pretty nice place for involuntarily captive animals. Better than Guantanamo, anyway. Back in

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117911557050970392005-06-04T11:14:00.000-07:002005-06-04T11:59:58.213-07:00

From this morning's Washington Post:Prosecution of Felt Called UnlikelyAssociated PressSaturday, June 4, 2005; Page A18NEW YORK, June 3 -- W. Mark Felt, the former FBI official who was "Deep Throat" during the Watergate scandal, probably will not be prosecuted for leaking information to reporters three decades ago, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said Friday.The Justice Department "has a lot

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117760622286574032005-06-02T17:36:00.000-07:002005-06-02T18:51:33.763-07:00

Via Ezra Klein , Matt Yglesias points to this article:Most Hybrid Vehicles Not as Cost-Effective as They Seem, Reports Edmunds.com The Edmunds article concludes:Consumers who own a hybrid car or SUV may purchase less gas and have lower maintenance expenses than if they owned the non-hybrid counterpart, and may qualify for a federal tax credit designated for hybrid vehicle owners. However, most

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117730165043989342005-06-02T08:36:00.000-07:002005-06-02T09:36:46.900-07:00

Seattle Times' David Postman has been live-blogging the gubernatorial election trial in Washington:POSTED 3:20 PM WednesdayDemocrats' expert witness says GOP analysis flawedChristopher Adolph, a University of Washington professor and expert witness for Democrats, is on the stand being questioned by Democratic party attorney David Burman.Adolph is an assistant professor of political science and on

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117421533598474902005-05-29T18:41:00.000-07:002005-05-29T19:52:53.700-07:00

Philocrites posted Saturday about the new Harvard humanist chaplain, Greg Epstein. Noting that the "language of reverence" is an issue for Harvard humanists, Philocrites captured this from the Boston Globe:Liberal and conservative believers bicker over the particulars of belief, and humanists are no different, frequently disagreeing over the meaning of humanism and even vocabulary. Take a simple

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1117219177630416442005-05-27T11:17:00.000-07:002005-05-27T11:40:24.286-07:00

Breaking headline story from the New York Times:F.D.A. Gets Reports of Blindness Tied to Male Impotence Drugs By JENNIFER BAYOT 1:35 PM ETThe F.D.A. said it had received reports of partial vision loss among 38 men taking Viagra and among four men taking Cialis.The story inside:Whether the popular drugs can actually cause blindness is unclear, but the Food and Drug Administration said it had

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1116533544986899732005-05-19T12:29:00.000-07:002005-05-19T13:13:08.660-07:00

At least I'm not a Sith, or Jar-Jar Binks, or...I just love the way these quizzes make me seem to be much, much nicer and more interesting than I really am. Younger, too. I really want to see Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith soon, but I am even more eager to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . With any luck, I'll see one or the other before they come out on DVD. I finally saw Star

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1116291428344597432005-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:002005-05-16T17:58:58.016-07:00

"Spectre," said Scrooge, "something informs me that our parting moment is at hand. I know it, but I know not how. Tell me what man that was whom we saw lying dead?"Just how prescient was Dickens, anyway? The spelling is different, but the sense is the same.Last Friday's New York Times shook the earth with this relevation:Republican Moderates in Senate Sense PressuresReporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1115504206970379562005-05-07T14:27:00.000-07:002005-05-18T10:46:15.450-07:00

.[UPDATE: See also blog.bioethics.net, the American Journal of Bioethics editors blog, for the story titled, "Living Wills Save Money? Dude, Did You Really Say That Out Loud?"] Last week Tom Burka at Opinions You Should Have posted this:Vaccine Shortage Solution To Social Security Problem, Says ThompsonSecretary of Health and Human Resources Tommy Thompson said today that the flu vaccine

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1115412871005654972005-05-06T13:49:00.000-07:002005-05-06T13:56:20.996-07:00

Good grief-- have we no decency?From CNN: Student suspended over call from mom in IraqCOLUMBUS, Georgia (AP) -- A high school student was suspended for 10 days for refusing to end a cell phone call with his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, school officials said.The 10-day suspension was issued because Kevin Francois was "defiant and disorderly" and was imposed in lieu of an arrest, Spencer High

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1114917530072302682005-04-30T19:36:00.000-07:002005-04-30T20:19:54.493-07:00

Eliot was right:April is the cruellest month, breedingLilacs out of the dead land, mixingMemory and desire, stirringDull roots with spring rain. We need to attend to our responsibility for the consequences of our actions on this planet, but we are tangled more than is usual in the banal actions that make up our days. In the meantime, someone slips us an opportunity to ease out of the imposed

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1114914902228096332005-04-30T19:25:00.000-07:002005-04-30T19:36:05.043-07:00

Here's another Wallace Stevens poem in recognition of Poetry Month. I think that it's much easier to read this one now that spring is fully upon us.The Snow ManOne must have a mind of winterTo regard the frost and the boughsOf the pine-trees crusted with snow;And have been cold a long timeTo behold the junipers shagged with ice,The spruces rough in the distant glitterOf the January sun; and not

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1114579972966198912005-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:002005-04-27T19:02:14.296-07:00

[UPDATE: I unwittingly omitted the links in the fifth paragraph that would lead you to Dan Froomkin's “White House Briefing” column (where I read about dissent within Calvin College) and to the Calvin College group website, Our Commencement Is Not Your Platform . I have corrected the omissions.] Washington Post's headline story for today's paper:GOP to Reverse Ethics Rule Blocking New DeLay

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1114567987959003302005-04-26T18:02:00.000-07:002005-04-26T19:15:37.516-07:00

Thank you again, Brad DeLong, for continuing to direct me to other great blogs. Via Professor DeLong, today I found Mark Thoma's tidy breakdown of more misdirecting statements from our Federal Reserve Chairman. Chairman Greenspan is always willing to accept the Oscar for Great Economic Performance, but wants us to believe that popcorn-crunching rendered us unable to understand his rôle when the

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1114044865169706872005-04-20T16:38:00.000-07:002005-04-20T17:55:32.993-07:00

I must admit that my religious heritage offers little incentive to explore the issue of papal infallibility. More precisely, I don't believe in it, have no reason to want to try to believe in it, and cannot imagine how thinking people support such a doctrine. Usually, "papal infallibiity" enters my thoughts only as the punchline to a joke (and no, I won't tell you the joke here. Maybe some

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1113418188920612022005-04-13T11:32:00.000-07:002005-04-13T11:50:47.320-07:00

In celebration of National Poetry Month, here is a short poem by one of my favorite poets. I thought that it was especially pertinent these days.The High-Toned Old Christian WomanWallace Stevens Poetry is the supreme fiction, madame.Take the moral law and make a nave of itAnd from the nave build haunted heaven. Thus,The conscience is converted into palms,Like windy citherns hankering for

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1113002498564094312005-04-08T15:58:00.000-07:002005-04-08T16:25:21.920-07:00

Philocrites invited me to play this game of self-disclosure, but I think that it is as much a game of self-editing. How to choose, how to choose…You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?The Compact Oxford English Dictionary II. I get to know the language and to wallow in its history. I love the OED for the evolution of ideas and words, for intercultural transactions,

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1112977883411263562005-04-08T08:56:00.000-07:002005-04-08T09:32:01.623-07:00

Without assistance from bloggers like Atrios, Attywood, and Crooks and Liars , I would not likely know just how upsetting the news business is for our friends Michelle Malkin and the fellows at Powerline. This week, for example, found Ms. Malkin and the Powerliners knicker-knotted over the Pulitzer Prizes awarded on Monday. Fortunately, the Pulitzer Committee has yet to designate a Prize for

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1112390357556412792005-04-01T12:56:00.000-08:002005-04-01T14:14:56.503-08:00

April Fool’s Day warrants special observances. In our home we take this day seriously, annually renewing our dedication to folly. I eagerly anticipated opening up Google this morning, hoping to see the marvelous decorations noting this day. After all, this is the seventh year that Google has created special holiday pages; since the beginning of this year, memorable Google homepages have marked

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111813654103695212005-03-25T18:59:00.000-08:002005-03-25T21:08:31.090-08:00

I love Atrios's "Wanker of the Day" feature at Eschaton. Today's Wanker is (*ta-da*) our own Oklahoma Senator, Dr. Tom Coburn! I disagree with Atrios's choice, however, for the sole reason that Dr. Tom is a professional wanker, and "Wanker for the Day" implies amateur status-- thereby giving Dr. Tom an unfair advantage over other competitors.To illustrate briefly why Dr. Tom stands overqualified

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111793656644751972005-03-25T14:40:00.000-08:002005-03-25T15:35:39.386-08:00

When my (now ex-) husband was in his residency, he moonlighted as an emergency room physician. I learned much about the way the medical world sees the rest of us by listening to medical jargon, some of which crystallizes clearly the medical experience. For example, what I had always called a "motorcycle" is often called a "donorcycle" by hospital and rehabilitation personnel. The term speaks

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111708789143012962005-03-24T15:08:00.000-08:002005-03-24T16:00:23.076-08:00

Some of the smartest people in the United States bear the surname "Froomkin".Michael Froomkin, a law professor at the University of Miami School of Law, finds time to post intriguing information and commentary on his blog, Discourse.net (subtitled "On the fringes of the public sphere"). I love to amble by his blog whenever I get the chance-- better than a trip to Crawford, Texas, to leave a

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111272209086410212005-03-19T14:14:00.000-08:002005-03-19T14:45:06.573-08:00

To Calder Hott Abbott, who turned 19 on 10 March 2005--Happiest of Birthdays! Somehow I got stuck too long at work on her birthday and did not post. Calder--who was celebrating with friends that evening-- had a deservedly great birthday. She will graduate from high school in May, and just received her acceptance from Americorps. Have you ever watched a teenager float? She may not land until

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111266625041190772005-03-19T12:50:00.000-08:002005-03-19T13:12:45.916-08:00

Crooks and Liars,one of my favorite pages to visit (and also my favorite shorthand reference to a growing number of power-wielders) generously hosts an alternative site called Mike's Blog Roundup.Mike publishes posts from small, overlooked blogs that he thinks deserve additional attention. I found some fresh perspectives and commentary on the Roundup.And... guess whose little dogie appears on

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111167887720781422005-03-18T07:55:00.000-08:002005-03-18T10:09:42.443-08:00

I have written before about Terry Schiavo, and have watched in horror as her tragedy has become weapon against individual liberty and autonomy. Lindsay Beyerstein of Majikthise posted a clear expostion of the lies promoted by her parents and their supporting "right to life" advocates. In this morning's Washington Post news, I found this unbelievable story:Senate Republicans Invite Schiavo to

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1111009547723661292005-03-16T11:42:00.000-08:002005-03-16T13:46:44.400-08:00

Senator Bill Nelson's (D-FL) proposed amendment to the appropriations resolution regarding Social Security failed to pass yesterday. The vote was divided 50 up/50 down, with Collins (R-ME),DeWine (R-OH), Graham (R-SC), Jeffords (I-VT), Snowe (R-ME), and Specter (R-PA) crossing over to the Dark Side, where the Democratic coven sat united in support of the amendment. The complete text of S.Amdt

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1110847536391806572005-03-14T15:04:00.000-08:002005-03-14T17:22:09.316-08:00

I was busy this weekend, and missed the Op/Ed event of the ...uh... Saturday. Every other blogger in the blogosphere was there--and has had something fun to say. The event was David Brooks's regular New York Times column, which set the standard for "insipid". In "Saturday Night Lite" Brooks revealed that (while visiting New Orleans) he consciously and delightedly indulged in a deadly sin, and

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1110832676813410082005-03-14T11:45:00.000-08:002005-03-14T12:48:58.983-08:00

Say this out loud:"There is no crisis." Repeat. "There is no crisis."President Bush continues to lose support for his plan to adulterate the Social Security safety net by carving out private investment accounts. More importantly, people become more opposed to his plans after he presents his case. The Washington Post published this item online today: Thirty-five percent of those surveyed said

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1110241315117939082005-03-07T15:17:00.000-08:002005-03-07T16:43:59.580-08:00

"I came down with menopause today and decided to have a party." A friend of mine said this on Saturday morning as we were having coffee. Actually, she had hailed a male neighbor of hers as he entered the café, calling across the crowded tables to catch his attention. When he got within hearing distance, my friend asked, "May I borrow your drill? I came down with menopause today and decided to

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1109295070570451032005-02-24T16:11:00.000-08:002005-02-24T17:32:27.910-08:00

From this evening's online Washington Post:Pope Undergoes Emergency Surgery By Daniel WilliamsWashington Post Foreign ServiceThursday, March 3, 2005; 5:21 PMROME, Feb. 24 -- Pope John Paul II underwent an emergency operation to ease his breathing Thursday night after he was rushed to a Rome hospital for treatment of ailments related to a relapse of influenza. WOW! Look at the time stamp below the

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1109277338004557122005-02-24T12:07:00.000-08:002005-02-24T12:36:23.430-08:00

A news release from Agape Press begins intriguingly:...The head of a Virginia pro-family group is angry that a lesbian was allowed to pray for "gay rights" in the House of Delegates, where the name of Jesus is not allowed to be spoken. Debra Peevey, an openly homosexual pastor, recently used her invitation to pray in the House to condemn lawmakers who opposed granting special privileges to

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1109210177790774802005-02-23T16:15:00.000-08:002005-02-23T18:01:35.170-08:00

Miami Herald online story: Judge extends stay keeping brain-damaged Terri Schiavo alive two more days.MITCH STACY Associated Press CLEARWATER, Fla. - A judge Wednesday extended a stay keeping brain-damaged Terri Schiavo's feeding tube in place, saying he needed time to decide whether her husband, who wants to let her die, is fit to be her guardian. Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1109121101122180872005-02-22T15:23:00.000-08:002005-02-22T17:13:05.223-08:00

The headline tells most of the story: "Japanese create toilet entertainment centre ". A Japanese company has invented an entertainment centre to make going to the toilet a more enjoyable experience.Toto Ltd's Z Series Neorest toilet, offers the worlds first auto fragrance release system and stereo music system, providing different scents and music depending on the season of the year.The Z

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1108941127753353792005-02-20T14:18:00.000-08:002005-02-21T08:38:46.026-08:00

I have no iPod, so I cannot participate in the tea-leaves-reading called "Friday iPod Scramble." However, I read lots of books, so when Pharyngula posted this I bit:We are all lemmings, we bloggersI obey the ProfGrrrrl:Grab the nearest book.Open the book to page 123.Find the fifth sentence.Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.Don’t search around and look for

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1108089372422924652005-02-10T18:01:00.000-08:002005-02-10T18:37:49.373-08:00

Virginia is on track to winning the looney state title away from Oklahoma. Here is the text of a bill that passed the Virginia House of Delegates by a 60-34 vote on Tuesday:HOUSE BILL NO. 1981AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE(Proposed by the House Committee for Courts of Justice on February 4, 2005)(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Howell, A.T.)A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1108071534790289522005-02-10T11:59:00.000-08:002005-02-10T16:20:18.290-08:00

"Name three musicians cleared to perform at the Abu Ghraib prison." [Thank you, Carnac the Magnificent.] In his Monday (7 September 2005) posting, Professor Juan Cole discussed the theocratic implications of the recent election in Iraq, and the influence of the major power players on constitution creation. He noted that the New York Times headline, "U.S. Officials Say a Theocratic Iraq Is

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107469015666704852005-02-03T12:38:00.000-08:002005-02-03T14:23:16.186-08:00

The story of Oklahoma State Senator Frank Shurden's campaign to reintroduce cockfighting into our state made the news last week, from New Zealand to NPR. Shurden wants to dress the fighting cocks up in little elecronic sensor-wired vests and put tiny boxing gloves on the cocks's spurs. The vests would record hits and help keep score. Cockfighting was outlawed in Oklahoma by State Question 687,

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107459836092248582005-02-03T11:33:00.000-08:002005-02-03T11:44:31.896-08:00

From this morning's Washington Post: Iran-Contra Figure to Lead Democracy Efforts Abroad Elliott Abrams, who pleaded guilty in 1991 to withholding information from Congress in the Iran-contra affair, was promoted to deputy national security adviser to President Bush. Abrams, who previously was in charge of Middle East affairs, will be responsible for pushing Bush's strategy for advancing

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107393248591920662005-02-02T16:51:00.000-08:002005-02-02T17:14:45.026-08:00

Groundhog Day is nearly over, and we have survived another unholiday. I like the foolishness of the observance, but I find the Punxatawney Phil celebrity bit wearying. The market has no shame. Rampant commercialization of superstition. The truly observant Groundhog Day celebrant can sing Groundhog Day hymns , although I cannot determine at which point in the liturgy they belong. Perhaps

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107309603692757252005-02-01T16:39:00.000-08:002005-02-01T18:01:10.136-08:00

If it weren't for the fact that some nice kids are going to suffer real consequences of pregnancy and/or sexually-transmitted diseases (and the subsequent consequences of both conditions), it would be fun to laugh at this headline: Texas Teens Increased Sex After Abstinence ProgramThe first paragraph is completely misleading: HOUSTON (Reuters) - Abstinence-only sex education programs, a major

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107285953646393222005-02-01T09:49:00.000-08:002005-02-01T12:03:14.236-08:00

Happy 23rd birthday to Channing Hott Abbott, a/k/a "Wonderdog", "Channerd", "Dr. Deedle", and other names designed to delight and to misdirect. When I last heard from him, he and the Cyclown Circus had left Italy for Turkey, traveling through Greece. I love him and miss him terribly-- and marvel at his life. See him with his accordion here, here, here (I especially like the picture of Channing

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1107220046618556092005-01-31T15:13:00.000-08:002005-02-01T09:48:58.933-08:00

My preference for discussing "intelligent design" ("ID"-- by the way, have the proponents of this theory run their acronym by any Freudians?) would simply state, "ID is NOT science; it is uncomposted crap." Recognizing that my way would be completely unsatisfactory to ID's apologists and to those who don't know what to think, I should be happier that Newsweek's article on the "controversy" is

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1106883448525904562005-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:11:58.516-08:00

Vice-President Cheney's Remarks at Reception for Survivors of Auschwitz, Galicia Jewish Museum, Krakow, Poland, 26 January 2005: I will remind them these great evils of history were perpetuated not in some remote uncivilized part of the world, but in the very heart of the civilized world. I wonder how this statement-- and the arch, ethnocentric, uninformed sentiment behind it-- plays in the "

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1106777883448668152005-01-26T11:07:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:14:09.840-08:00

Natan Sharansky should hire our President as his book agent. Bush promotes Sharansky's Case for Democracy to all around him. He finds themes for his speeches in the text, and tells people that the book represents "how I feel" . Sharansky, in turn, generously refers to Bush as "dissident", although it's difficult for me to conceive of how one could apply that term to someone who claims a

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1106260175982306492005-01-20T13:49:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:14:48.653-08:00

THERE IS NO SOCIAL SECURITY CRISIS! The system is not broken. It might need some tinkering to meet future needs, but even a new Ferrari has a schedule for maintenance and repair. If you have had difficulty finding a single, consolidated source of information regarding Social Security, CLICK NOW on this link: I confess that I have pin-ups of Max Sawicky, Brad DeLong, and Paul Krugman on my

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1106169271983211512005-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:15:22.340-08:00

Surprise! Front page headline from the New York Times online today: Rice Wins Backing of Panel for Confirmation by Senate . Not that anyone had any real doubts that the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations ("SCFR") would approve her nomination and forward her confirmation to the full Senate. The SCFR has eighteen members, ten of whom are Republican. Approval by committee requires a simple

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105742387538646822005-01-14T14:24:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:16:26.783-08:00

Happy 21st birthday to PFC Avery Hott Abbott, as kind and fine a human as I have ever met. [This is my Armstrong Williams moment] I have received no payments or other compensation to promote Mr. Abbott. In the interests of full disclosure, however, I happily acknowledge that I am his mother.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105556336450809492005-01-12T11:42:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:16:58.133-08:00

Harold Meyerson, a Washington Post columnist whose work I respect, hit one out of the park today. Under the title, "President of Fabricated Crises", Meyerson wrote: Some presidents make the history books by managing crises. Lincoln had Fort Sumter, Roosevelt had the Depression and Pearl Harbor, and Kennedy had the missiles in Cuba. George W. Bush, of course, had Sept. 11, and for a while

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105489554348038222005-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:17:36.083-08:00

The New York Times carried an article today titled "Oil Find Hints at a Less Dependent Cuba". President Fidel Castro [durational ratio of Cuban presidents to U.S. presidents: 1/10] announced on Christmas day that estimated reserves of 100 million barrels of oil had been found in Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Castro, in an announcement that raised eyebrows in the executive suites of energy companies

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105484968257847222005-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:18:05.553-08:00

John Aravosis at Americablog never fails to stay on top of breaking news. He has earned my gratitude today for providing a tidy follow-up to the story about the proposed Virginia statute that would criminalize women who did not report broadly-defined fetal deaths within 12 hours. The author of the bill (HB1677), John A. Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, claims that he only wanted to "add more teeth to

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105399142473533022005-01-10T15:13:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:18:35.076-08:00

Planning a vacation soon? Ever think of visiting... Kentucky? For its theme parks? "We want people to be confronted by the dinosaurs," said Mr Ham. "It's going to be a first class experience. Visitors are going to be hit by the professionalism of this place. It is not going to be done in an amateurish way. We are making a statement"... Mr Ham is particularly proud of a planned reconstruction

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105158597536727552005-01-07T20:18:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:18:59.286-08:00

My learning curve on this blog is still pretty flat (because I attend to it only fitfully). Today I finally got around to updating my profile (as in "View my complete profile" on the upper-left corner of the page). One entry space asked for my birthdate, but offered the option of not disclosing the year of birth. I thought about my need for privacy, and for avoiding age-related inquiries.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105157108701300512005-01-07T19:36:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:19:22.276-08:00

The city of LaMarque, Texas ("the hometown of United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison") is understandably proud of its school system: La Marque's Independent School District is the "Home of Champions" - students and athletes. La Marque High School has celebrated nine state championship titles in the past four years- three in track and field, three in football, one in powerlifting, one in

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105142312780885322005-01-07T15:58:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:29:57.826-08:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog. In spite of my age, I learn a new trick.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1105129741709070542005-01-07T12:25:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:22:28.403-08:00

Thank you, Atrios and Democracy for Virginia, for alerting us to the newest twist in the small-government mind. Virginia legislator John A. Cosgrove (R) of Chesapeake has introduced HB 1677, amending an existing vital records act to include this provision: When a fetal death occurs without medical attendance, it shall be the woman's responsibility to report the death to the law-enforcement

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1101924243246661792004-12-01T08:48:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:31:13.073-08:00

The Bull Moose posted yesterday under the title, "An Illiberal Decision", arguing against the Third Circuit Court of Appeal's decision in favor of universities who deny access to military recruiters on campus, based upon the universities' antidiscriminatory policies toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. Although I think that I understand his argument, I disagree on some important issues, and

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1101089604317110892004-11-21T17:15:00.000-08:002005-01-31T17:32:17.113-08:00

Or perhaps he wanted to give Congress the power to look into ataxia. I live in Oklahoma, where I have a nearly perfect voting record-- my selected candidates almost always lose. On the other hand, our state elects true losers, from Senator "Outraged by the outrage" Jim Inhofe to Representative-turned-Senator Dr. "Death penalty for abortion-providing physicians" Tom Coburn. Our Congressional

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8944827.post-1099183587690383652004-10-30T19:37:00.000-07:002005-01-31T17:32:42.810-08:00

Approximately 59 hours, 20 minutes before the polls officially open in my state. With any luck, this compulsion to consume news will abate for a while after the election.

Ereshkigalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06148510220238600636noreply@blogger.com1