Archives for August 2004

In recent weeks I have received another 15 copies of an email circulating through cyberspace in which Dubya’s “credentials” are reviewed. I am not a huge supporter of Bush, but I am someone who believes that one of the challenges we face is living in a society in which critical reasoning and logical thought are often neglected and or meaning.

This email contains about 25 points that are all designed to try and make Bush look bad. And if you turn off your brain and read them without any consideration for context, validity or significance then it just might work.

I hate this list because to me it is demonstrative of just how limited so many people are in their ability to really understand what is happening. The list does not provide any factual support for the allegations it makes. The information may be accurate, but they leave it to the reader to verify the veracity of the charges. And on top of that there are the issues of context and significance.

* I appointed cabinet members that are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My “poorest millionaire,” Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker

named after her.



Let’s assume that this is a true and valid statement. Why is this important? Is it bad to be rich? Does this mean that rich people are stupid/mean/corrupt? Should rich people be punished for being rich?

None of this discusses the qualifications of any of the cabinet member versus the requirements of the position. For that matter the case can be made that if you did not inherit your money but earned through your own blood, sweat and tears you are smart, innovative, industrious and someone with a good work ethic. Or maybe you are just lucky. In any case the point is made, unless you can illustrate significance none of these comments are meaningful.

This resume discusses Bush’s DUI. Clearly that is not something to be proud of, but again we need to ask a few questions. Can a person change, can they be rehabilitated. If you are a recovering alcoholic or drug user are you forever forbidden from holding office. I might be concerned about your ability to run a bar/pharmacy, but even then I couldn’t say that you automatically do not have the right to hold a certain position.

And for that matter let’s spend a moment discussing intelligence. The reality is that a person who is considered to be a genius is not automatically going to be a better candidate for public office over someone who is of lesser intelligence. It is not how smart you are, but what you do with the intelligence you have that matters.

I could easily spend more time ranting about this, but why. So let us sum it up. When you read these types of notes I ask that you consider the source, validity and significance of what is being said. Are the comments accurate and if so, are they meaningful. I can’t sing worth a damn, but my job really doesn’t require me to do so. So who gives a damn about whether I can hit High C or Vitamin D. My apologies to Groucho Marx whose line I just mangled.

As I mentioned when the Democrats held their self-congratulatory party I find these conventions to be staged and dull. They make good photo ops. The candidate stands before a crowd that offers thundering praise and support for his every belch, burp and remark about anything and everything.

The problem is that because of the Media impact we do not hear real ideas/thoughts/plans about how the candidate is going to implement change and legislation to improve our lives and positions. It is a problem for all parties. I find it to be irritating.

If you say that you are going to improve the economy/security/build jobs or provide healthcare tell me how you intend to do it. Why should I believe you? If I ask my son to clean his room he’ll provide me with a list of excuses why he can’t and a timeline of when he will get it started. If I press him he will even tell me when it will be completed.

Why can’t you Mr. President and Mr. Candidate to replace the POTUS.

https://www.thejackb.com/2004/08/30/291/

I came across this website and really enjoyed many of the shots of the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon as well. Just beautiful.

A Yale economist has developed a model to predict the outcome of elections. I am not real impressed with the gentlemen who explained this in the article I linked to. I found his explanation to be kind of boring. But I am interested in learning more about models such as this to see if there is any value in it.

I have to agree with the commentator that the model doesn’t take into account a number of social factors that can easily impact the way the election swings. Not a very profound explanation on my part, but it is what I have to give right now.

Diabetes Going Undetected in Many Heart Patients

MUNICH (Reuters) – Diabetes is an undetected and silent threat for many people who end up with heart disease, according to new research published on Monday.

Professor John McMurray, of the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, Scotland, said the problem was more widespread than previously realized, highlighting the need for more routine diabetes testing.

Of 43,500 people screened for inclusion into a major heart drug trial — of whom only 20 percent already had cardiovascular disease — approximately 1 in 5 had previously undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, McMurray told the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

And more than 1 in 4 additional subjects had impaired glucose tolerance, a pre-diabetic condition which frequently progresses to full-blown diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the illness, results from the body’s inability to respond to the action of insulin produced by the pancreas. It is strongly linked to being overweight or obese.

McMurray said the rate of hidden diabetes was alarming and showed that doctors needed to do much more to identify and treat the disease.

Diabetes is linked not only to eye, kidney and nerve damage but also with much worse outcomes from heart problems and clogged arteries.

McMurray’s findings were based on screening of patients, with an average age of 63 years, for the Navigator study, which is backed by Novartis. It is investigating whether two Novartis drugs, Diovan and Starlix, can reduce heart attacks and stroke and prevent the onset of full diabetes in people with impaired glucose tolerance.

Results from the clinical trial, which aims to enroll a total of more than 9,000 patients, are expected in 2008.