Periodichiskii Kommentari

a EIGHTEEN percent decrease in infant mortality??

2008-01-19T00:29:00.001-04:00

A recent large, double blind trial published in the Lancet shows that multiple micronutrient supplements may decrease infant mortality by 18% over iron/folate vitamin supplements. This would be huge for public health if it turns out to be accurate.

clipped from www.modernmedicine.com

Anuraj Shankar, M.D., of the University of Mataram in Indonesia, and colleagues from the Supplementation with Multiple
Micronutrients Intervention Trial (SUMMIT) Study Group randomly assigned 262 Indonesian midwives to distribute either iron
and folic acid supplements or multiple micronutrient supplements to 31,290 pregnant women through government prenatal care
services with instructions that the supplements be taken daily through 90 days post partum.

Compared to iron and folic acid supplementation, the researchers found that multiple micronutrient supplementation was
associated with an overall reduction of 18 percent in early infant mortality, and even higher reductions among women who were
either undernourished or anemic at baseline (25 percent and 38 percent, respectively).

"The data from our study suggest that maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation could reduce infant death and potentially
be an important complement to overall strengthening of prenatal-care programs."

Older adults can hold their liquer just as well as their kids.

2007-12-01T03:24:00.001-04:00

Despite US recommendations that elderly people curb their drinking more than young people, an article in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society from January of this year reports that elderly people actually have no more difficulty managing activities of daily living or on cognitive tests when drinking than their younger counterparts.

clipped from www.aafp.org

Older age is associated with increased sensitivity to alcohol. Because of this,
some nations (e.g., the United States) have lower recommendations for safe
alcohol limits in persons 65 years or older.

A
pooled analysis using data from HRS and ELSA included 5,759 men and 7,574
women; a longitudinal analysis using HRS data included 2,338 men and 3,698
women; and a longitudinal analysis using ELSA data included 1,152 men and 1,471
women. Over a four-year period, there were no statistically significant
differences in any outcome measures related to a rise in drinking level

There did not appear to be any statistically significant health or mortality
risk increase in older persons consuming greater than one to two drinks of
alcohol per day. The benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on disability and
mortality probably occur through cardiovascular risk reduction.

guidelines for older adults need not be overly restrictive
relative to recommendations for younger adults.

Child safety seats more effective than shoulder belts.

2007-12-01T00:44:00.001-04:00

Although common practice, and for many of us common sense, the use of child safety seats had been recently called into question for children 2 to 6 years of age. A recent article in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine reviewed this topic. They found (big surprise) that safety seats do indeed save lives.

clipped from www.aafp.org

Studies have shown that safety seats are more
effective than lap-shoulder seat belts in reducing the risk of injuries and
death in children. However, one study by researchers at the National Bureau of
Economic Research found that lap-shoulder seat belts were as protective as
child safety seats in children two to six years of age, and that they were
significantly less expensive.

Data were collected from the Crashworthiness Data
System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from January 1,
1998, to December 31, 2004.

A total of 463 children were included in the
analysis, with 409 children being restrained by child safety seat and 54 by
lap-shoulder seat belts.

Unadjusted injury
probability for children in severe crashes was 46 percent lower in the safety
seat group compared with the lap-shoulder seat belt group.

Child safety seats appear to be more effective
than lap-shoulder seat belts in reducing the risk of nonfatal injuries in
chil-dren two to three years of age.

Invasive treatment not better than medical management for non-ST MI.

2007-11-30T18:53:00.001-04:00

A randomized controlled trial published in the Lancet showed no benefit from early invasive treatment for non-ST elevation MI. Although it's true that they experienced fewer symptoms of angina, they did experience more MI's than their piers. This study seems to indicate that early invasive treatment in these cases is not indicated.

clipped from www.aafp.org

Initial data indicated that routine invasive therapy was more effective than selective invasive treatment in reducing subsequent major cardiovascular events. More recently, large trials with up to five years' follow-up have had contrasting results.

The researchers enrolled 1,200 patients 18 to 80 years of age between 2001 and
2003.

Patients were randomly assigned to receive early invasive therapy or initial medical management with intervention only if clinically indicated...cumulative three-year results for the primary composite end point (death, recurrent myocardial infarction, or hospitalization) were 30 percent in the early invasive group and 26 percent in the selective intervention group (P = .09).

The authors conclude that early invasive treatment did not provide better outcomes over four years than the selective strategy in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome and elevated cardiac troponin.

2007-11-26T15:07:00.001-04:00

Free clinics may help fill the gap

2007-11-11T01:42:00.001-04:00

While the medical system has come under fire recently, thousands of free clinics around the country have been working to fill the holes. Seen as an acute stop-gap for something that is essentially a chronic problem, the cost of these clinics to their providers is generally a tiny fraction of the true value of care received by patients.

No potential medical system can successfully deliver universal coverage while at the same time controlling costs if it does not stimulate the delivery of low cost and free basic services to those most in need.

clipped from www.tcsdaily.com

The Free Clinic movement is living embodiment of many conservative principles: the principles of subsidiarity and voluntarism, the spirit of enterprise and of community self-reliance. As health care becomes more and more of a national concern, if people are truly concerned about the less fortunate, there should be a population explosion in the number of free clinics around the country.

All the good intentions in the world would not make a free clinic possible in our litigious society. But that problem has been solved in Virginia, whose example could easily be followed.

With
the help of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, the state recently established the "VaRISK2" liability risk management program. Operating under the Division of Risk Management of the Department of the Treasury, of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the program indemnifies Directors, Officers, employees, and volunteers in a Free Clinic.

The wrong direction for healthcare?

2007-09-12T23:55:00.001-04:00

With the presidential campaigns pushing universal health care back into the forefront of our collective consciousness, the industry itself has gotten into the debate. Unfortunately, it seems to have come in on the wrong side. An article from the New York Post, which appeared on the Cato Institute web page, reports that The American Cancer Society is devoting it's entire advertising budget to the promotion of government-run health care.

Unfortunately for their patients, getting their way will undoubtedly mean worse outcomes. Although free markets often create greater variation in outcomes than bureaucratically managed systems, they are also the only way to guarantee consistent quality care to the majority of customers.

The article, quoted below, elaborates.

clipped from www.cato.org

The American Cancer Society announced recently that it will spend its entire advertising budget next year

on campaigning for a government takeover of the U.S. health-care system. This is perverse: It's hard to imagine anything worse for cancer patients than government-run health care.

Cancer patients understand this. The overall five-year survival rate for all types of cancer for men in America is 66.3 percent, and 62.9 percent for women, the best outcome in the world.

free-market U.S. medicine provides the incentives that lead to innovative breakthroughs in new drugs and other medical technologies. U.S. companies have developed half of all the major new medicines introduced worldwide over the last 20 years.

Take prostate cancer, for example.

we are less likely to die from the disease. Fewer than 20 percent of American men with prostate cancer will die from it, against 57 percent of British men and nearly half of French and German men.

Job's tries to keep his winning streak alive.

2007-06-12T02:06:00.001-04:00

Apple's trend of "can do no wrong" will likely get another dose of adrenaline this week, as Jobs makes more pronouncements to wow the faithfull, and catch the attention of some of the rest of us...

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

Chief executive Steve Jobs said Apple "dream big" and wanted to expand the 4.9% market share Safari enjoys.

He said Safari was "the fastest browser on Windows", saying it was twice as fast as Internet Explorer.

Mr Jobs used the conference to lift the lid on new features of its forthcoming operating system (OS) for Macs, called Leopard.

He said the OS has 300 new features and demoed 10, including a new organisational system for the desktop called Stacks and a new folder system which lets users browse files and applications visually, just as music lovers can browse album covers in iTunes.

Mr Jobs also gave the greenlight to third-party development of new applications for its forthcoming iPhone mobile phone.

Instead of having to test each and every new application themselves, Apple will allow developers to build web applications for the phone which run inside the device's web browser Safari and which were built on existing web standards.

I can't believe Scotland's that bad...

2007-06-12T02:01:00.001-04:00

This article reflects the inherent shortcoming of our western society's propensity for quantifying all things. The assertion that Scotland is the worst small western European country rests primarily upon it's shorter life expectancy. This relatively minor, 2 year difference takes in to account none of the things which make a life qualitatively better... like enjoying a fine glass of single malt scotch rather than some snooty French wine...

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

The Federation of Small Businesses' annual Index of Wealth compared 10 countries on economic performance, employment rates, health and education.

Scotland's life expectancy rate was a major factor in it coming bottom.

The FSB Scotland index examined countries with fewer than nine million people, including Norway, Iceland and the Republic of Ireland.

"The reason why Scotland is stuck at the bottom of the pile is largely due to our poor health and our low life expectancy," he said.

The figures were 74.2 for men and 79.3 for women, compared to the UK average of 76.6 and 81 years.

However, Mr McLaren added that even if health was taken out of the equation Scotland would still be "fairly low" on the table, in about fifth or sixth place.

New 1st line tx. for hepatocellular ca.

2007-06-12T00:16:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.medscape.com

orafenib (Nexavar) is the first effective systemic treatment for advanced liver cancer.

researchers showed that the targeted multikinase inhibitor extends survival by 44%.

There is currently no widely accepted standard of care for advanced liver cancer. Doxorubicin is reportedly the most widely used agent, despite the fact that only 1 randomized controlled trial of 60 patients has supported its use and the drug is said to have a 25% rate of fatal complications. Mitoxantrone is licensed for hepatocellular carcinoma but is not considered a gold standard

double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, investigators studied 602 patients. The trial, known as the Sorafenib Hepatocellular Carcinoma Assessment Randomized Protocol (SHARP), looked at the primary end points of overall survival and time to symptomatic progression. Patients received oral sorafenib 400 mg twice daily or placebo for 6 months, but the trial was stopped early because the findings were so positive

Blind Faith: a review of Stephen Prothero's "Religious Literacy"

2007-05-28T00:38:00.001-04:00

For those of us who have at some time lamented the our peers' inability or unwillingness to engage in serious religious discussion, a new book is out which appears to quantify the problem. By creating a culture which is hostile to religious discourse, what we have actually suppressed is our own critical thinking. As social animals, humans require consistent, positive reinforcement in order to develop a skill or interest. Americans (and likely most other cultures) have pushed religion back to the nether-regions of our sunday-school services.

What it boils down to is this: Americans aren't doing their homework when it comes to religion. This new book appears to catalogue that phenomenon. A clip from a Washington Post review is below:

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com

The United States is the most religious nation in the developed world

Americans are also the most religiously ignorant people in the Western world. Fewer than half of us can identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible, and only one third know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

Prothero sees America's religious illiteracy as even more dangerous than general cultural illiteracy "because religion is the most volatile constituent of culture

the author combines a lively history of the rise and fall of American religious literacy with a set of proposed remedies based on his hope that "the Fall into religious ignorance is reversible."

The condition Prothero describes in Religious Literacy is unquestionably one manifestation of a more general decline in the public's cultural and civic knowledge.

How can citizens know what creationism means, or make an informed decision about whether it belongs in classrooms, if fewer than half can identify Genesis?

Debating the use of Guiafenesin in Fibromyalgia.

2007-05-24T00:50:00.001-04:00

clipped from stuff.mit.edu

Dr. Robert Bennett, a recognized expert in the fibromyalgia field, agreed to do a study on guaifenesin, with Dr. St. Amand

The results of this long term study showed that guaifenesin had no effect on fibromyalgia.

much of Dr. St. Amand's success with guaifenesin, could be attributed to the placebo effect.

Additionally, any worsening of fibromyalgia symptoms during the treatment, is also a good sign, since these symptoms are attributed to guaifenesin's reversal process, that rids the body of "metabolic debris".

Not to mention, that guaifenesin often causes a change of smell or color in the urine. Many people attribute these changes to toxins being released from the body, when in all likelihood, this is simply due to the fact that the guaifenesin is metabolized by the liver, resulting in a form of lactic acid, that is then excreted in the urine.

guaifenesin has a skeletal muscle relaxant property,

It likely also has an analgesic, or pain relieving capability

Amongst the many "alternative" treatments in existence today, is the use of guiafenesin, a common over-the-counter mucolytic, in the treatment of fibromyalgia. The most influential proponent of this treatment, one Dr. St. Armond, has written a book on the topic entitled, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia : The Revolutionary Treatment That Can Reverse The Disease."

Reading the book, as a new physician, several aspects of Dr. St. Armond's case raised immediate red flags in my mind. First, Dr. St, Armond has (admittedly) failed to show any clinical evidence that the treatment works, relying instead on extensive anecdotal evidence. Second, the proposed mechanism of action in the treatment of the fibromyalgia simplifies for the laymen to the all-to-common "ridding the body of metabolic toxins." Third, fibromyalgia itself, and this treatment regimen in particular, lends itself to significant percentages of placebo affected patients. And finally, his line follows the all-to-common theme of the underdog treatment, conspired against by the likes of Big Medical and Big Pharm.

A wonderful response to this theory has been written by Mark London (presumably) at MIT. His response addresses all of the aforementioned points, but most extensively covers the dubious mechanism of action. Some of the basic points in his article are quoted below.

A rare textual blog of the scriptures

2007-04-21T13:44:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.slate.com

Like many lax but well-educated Jews (and Christians), I have long assumed I knew what was in the Bible—more or less.

I absorbed other bits of Bible everywhere—from stories I heard in churches and synagogues, movies and TV shows, tidbits my parents and teachers told me. All this left me with a general sense that I knew the Good Book well enough, and that it was a font of crackling stories, Jewish heroes, and moral lessons.

o, the tale of Dinah unsettled me, to say the least. If this story was strutting cheerfully through the back half of Genesis, what else had I forgotten or never learned? I decided I would, for the first time as an adult, read the Bible. And I would blog about it as I went along.

My goal is pretty simple. I want to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based.

David Katz, a writer for Slate magazine, has undertaken a surprisingly rare task in the blogosphere. He has decided to actually read the bible and engage his readers in a discussion of the text. As a believer in the pursuit of truth and wisdom, as well as a believer in the scriptures as a source of truth, I had assumed that this type of blog would be easy to come by. Alas, I was mistaken. The longer one searches the blogosphere, and for that matter, the internet at large, the more obvious it becomes what many of us had suspected all along. Almost nobody actually reads that thing. For all the preachers waving their bibles around in church, and all the thousands of people listening intently every week, no one's actually doing their homework.

So leave it to the newly invigorated liberal media to get some religion and fill the gap. The fellows over at Slate may fill volumes with their mockery of the religious right, but in this column they're also one-uping them by studying what the other side claims to own. Keep up this honest search for truth, and the liberals might win over some converts. One thing though, they've certainly captured a reader.

Daily Show IQ?

2007-04-18T00:29:00.001-04:00

clipped from thezeroboss.com

A study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found that viewers of Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert are among the most politically savvy news watchers. Shit, we even beat out those robo-geeks who watch Jim Lehrer on PBS! The average Fox News viewer, by contrast, bombed the political pop quiz, placing that audience just slightly above the early morning talk show crowd.

it seems safe to conclude that my so-called “slacker” generation takes more of an explicit interest in politics than our ancestors. The other thing to note about this segment of the population is that it skews decidedly liberal.

I think it’s quite simple. My generation (*cough*) grew very wary at an early age with propagandist style lies about everything from the War on Drugs to sex education; with racism, homophobia, immigrant paranoia; and with blind faith in both God and country.

Interesting post. I disagree with his analysis of the data though. Our (*cough*) generation is likely left-leaning just because they're twenty-something, not because we've been alienated by the right. That feeling of alienation we might feel from the right may be predominantly because we're not their target audience. Young people typically seem to be more liberal, and as they age, swing more toward the right. I don't have sources to sight on that, it just seems self-evident.

I would speculate that this age gap also explains why the Daily Show viewers did better on the quiz. My father, for example, used to watch McNeal-Lehr religiously, and as a Mayo clinic physician and information junkie, I suspect he was pretty well informed on things. Now, in his 60's, he leaves the TV on FoxNews "because PBS just got too damn-liberal nowadays."

Greenspan needs to shut up.

2007-04-16T00:25:00.001-04:00

Ever known someone who knew everything, but didn't know when to keep quiet about it? Alan Greenspan was that guy this month. It's true when he says that increased competition in any industry invariably leads to innovation and progress. It's true that competition leads to lower costs, and a healthier economy. But as an aspiring doctor with 10's of thousands of dollars of debt, I'm not too happy about him pointing out the inflated salaries of my medical colleagues.

As members of a civilized society however, we cannot draw lines when it affects us personally. We cannot condemn the moral incongruity of other protectionists while at the same time defending our own turf. Still, it would be nice if some truths took a little longer to come to light.

Perhaps while he's on the subject of perceived income inequality, he might suggest some international competition for the Christmas bonuses of friends at Goldman's Sachs. Or better yet, stop by Cato and check how much incomes are really diverging. Or best, next time he has an epiphany like this one, keep it to himself...

clipped from www.usnews.com

Greenspan's solution to America's wage disparity is thus: "Our skilled wages are higher than anywhere in the world. If we open up a significant window for skilled workers, that would suppress the skilled-wage level and end the concentration of income."

After all, less-skilled and less-educated workers, primarily in the manufacturing industry, have been subjected to direct competition with lower-paid workers overseas. In return, the United States has received less-expensive goods at big box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco.

In 1997, Congress tightened the licensing rules for foreign doctors entering the country because of concerns by the American Medical Association and other doctors' organizations that the inflow of foreign doctors was driving down their salaries. As a result, the number of foreign medical residents allowed to enter the country each year was cut in half.

Multiple options available for treatment of MRSA

2007-03-23T11:59:00.000-04:00

Management of Staphylococcus aureus Infections - December 15, 2005 -- American Family Physician

More than half of all patients who develop S. aureus infections while in the hospital are found to have MRSA (methicillin resistant Staph. aureus). Vancomycin is the drug of choice in the treatment of MRSA. With the development of vancomycin resistant strains, it is important for physicians and patients to be aware of alternatives to vancomycin. Luckily, there are several alternatives available.

A fairly recent review article from American Family Physician (AFP), summarizes these alternatives. Linezolid (Zyvox) can be used for all types of MRSA infections, but is especially useful in treating hospital acquired MRSA pneumonia. One article found that it was actually superior to Vancomycin in this setting. Daptomycin (Cubicin) can be used for all complicated MRSA infections EXCEPT pneumonia.

Patients who develop simple MRSA skin infections outside of the hospital can usually be treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), doxycycline, or possibly a fluoroquinolone such as gati- or levofloxicin.

In patients found to have methacillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), the treatment should be easier. Oral dicloxacillin or IV nafcillin or oxacillin (known as semi-synthetic penicillins) are preferred. Oral cephalexin (Keflex) or IV cefazolin (Ancef) (known as 1st generation cephalosporins) are a good alternative. In this setting, Vancomycin should be reserved for patients who are allergic to penicillins.

The article goes on to describe aspects of treatment specific to the various body systems that may be infected by S. aureus. ...very good reading.

Multifactorial approach effective for treatment of IBS

2007-03-02T04:21:00.000-04:00

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome - December 15, 2005 -- American Family Physician

Using an algorithm adapted from a New England Journal of Medicine article, a recent review in AFP promotes a multi factorial approach to the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In addition to relaxation, stress reduction, education, and exercise, patients with mild IBS usually respond to dicyclomine (an antispasmodic) and peppermint. Patients with constipation do especially well with the addition of guar gum, fiber, exercise, and/or laxatives. Those who suffer from diarrhea or pain usually respond to the addition of immodium and TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants). Other treatments, including, 5-HT3 antagonists (Alosetron), 5-HT4 agonists (Tegaserod, or Zelnorm), Cisapride, probiotics, or cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be tried if other therapies fail.

Peppermint is especially interesting because it works well in several ways. It is an antispasmodic, anesthetic, and relieves nausea. As an herbal, it can be given over the counter or as a tea. Importantly, it may be acceptable to many patients who are hesitant to start a new 'medication'.

For those with constipation, guar gum is interesting for much the same reason as pepperment. It too can be given over the counter, and, importantly, patients tend to actually like it better than fiber.

Patients with diarrhea have two very good choices. We all know immodium, but it is important to know that it does suprisingly well in the treatment of IBS. In addition, TCAs such as desipramine (my favorate), amitryptyline, and clomipramine, work very well in low doses. Patients should know that the mechanism of action for TCA's is likely seperate from that which is involved in the antidepressant quality of the drugs (and thus you are NOT saying that they are crazy when prescribing the medication).

In short, patients with IBS have no reason to go untreated. There exist multiple good therapies, and good understanding and treatment of the illness is achievable.

Dipstick sufficient, no imaging necessary for uncomplicated childhood UTI's

2007-03-01T03:27:00.000-04:00

Urinary Tract Infection in Children - December 15, 2005 -- American Family Physician

A review article in American Family Physician reports that children with uncomplicated UTI's show no benefit from imaging work-ups. While it may be true that imaging may reveal relatively common vesicourethral reflux or, less commonly, subsequent renal scarring leading to potential adult hypertension, effective treatments for these conditions are wonting, and clinical efficacy for the tests has not been shown. Older children with classic symptoms of UTI were best served by initial urine cultures and empiric antibiotics, while infants with unexplained fever and older children with nonclassic symptoms did best with initial dipstick testing.

A negative dipstick result can effectively rule out UTI. Physicians are free to treat positive cultures for as long as they want, as long as it lasts more than one day. Cranberry juice has not been shown to be effective in preventing UTI's. Although circumcision has been shown to reduce the incidence of UTI's, the benefit (from this aspect alone) is clearly insufficient to warrant the procedure.

Washington's addiction to money

2007-02-20T12:52:00.000-04:00

The "Beltway Cut"

A good article from Cato org. breaks down Bush's latest budget proposal. The short of it is that Washington still stubbornly refuses to actually reduce spending, choosing instead to rely on empty statistical manipulation. What is clear from this is that, this administration at least, is still incapable of cutting the cord with pet projects and special interest groups. Their analysis has clearly lead them to the belief that by continually increasing the cost of programs, they gain tighter control of the nation's purse strings and, thus, more influence on the levers of power. And though this equation that is almost ubiquitous amongst world leaders, it is clearly unhealthy for a nation and economy.

Digital Memories

2007-02-18T04:47:00.000-04:00

Science & Technology at Scientific American.com: A Digital Life -- [ INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ] -- New systems may allow people to record everything they see and hear--and even things they c

The sign of a truly great idea is often it's uncanny ability to make the rest of us think, "I already thought of that!" Thus, the MyLifeBits project, which records the activities and experiences of an ordinary person and makes them searchable, strikes many of us as something we all have been striving for. And what an idea! In this manner, we may all achieve immortality! We can organize and review our life in a way never before seen, and link it up to share with others long after we have gone. Wow.

How Wal-mart may save us all

2007-02-11T03:48:00.000-04:00

Coverage & Access | Wal-Mart, SEIU Outline Themes To Meet Health Coverage Goal by 2012 - Kaisernetwork.org

One of the more intriguing unusual developments in the evolving health care reform debate is Walmart's push to extend care to all workers. Of course no one is under the illusion that Wal-mart has suddenly developed a heart. The company is clearly still feeling the sting of continued assaults by various labor and left-wing critics. But in case anyone felt that Wal-mart had finally become too big to come up with new and creative solutions to it's problems, they have once again placed themselves in a leading role.

The above article, cited on NPR, PBS, and FoxNews today says that Wal-mart has teamed up with a leading union organization to develop a plan of universal health care reform. At any other time, and by any other author, such a report would likely deserve no attention at all. But Wal-mart, by virtue of it's shear size, can reshape the field of play with such moves. One can look at the effect of Walmarts policy shifts on various other industries for perspective (Wal-mart's decision, for instance, to install solar panels on their stores is reportedly expected to place the solar industry on several year's back order).

In addition, the timing, coming on the heals of moves by several states' (Massachusetts and California most notably) decision to extend health care to all citizens, may just be the push congress needs to finally get off their ass. Our nation's uninsured, the working/nonworking poor, and most of all, those debt laden 20-somethings among us, can only dream...

Louisiana charity health care stays ahead of the curve

2007-02-10T11:32:00.000-04:00

FOXNews.com - Louisiana Offers Cervical Cancer Vaccination Order to Protect Girls From HPV - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

Louisiana is providing free vaccinations to girls in it's charity healthcare system. The system, which replaces the county hospital system of many other states, is an odd mixture of aging infrastructure and underinvestment, combined with well thought out public health initiatives. This latest campaign, vaccinating girls against HPV infections will ensure that, at least on this matter, being poor in a poor state doesn't mean you get substandard healthcare. More importantly, it will save lives.

Setting up a google reader feed in your blogger... and getting the 2 to work together peacefully

2007-02-10T04:29:00.000-04:00

How to Kill Your Blogroll with Google Reader’s Clips - from The Zero Boss by Jay Andrew Allen

For those of us just getting started in the blogging world, this is a great article explaining how to connect your blogger and google reader so that you can keep a continuous scroll of feeds on your site. I know it helped me a lot.

...and the rest of this guy's posts are pretty crazy too...

A tome on bloggers of personal finance, one of USNews' better articles

2007-02-10T03:34:00.000-04:00

USNews.com: Laying Bare Their Money Secrets, Bloggers Trade Strategies for Retirement. Many Are Young. A Few Even Make a Buck; All Money Talk, All the Time

I was excited to find this recent article in USNews. It's a great starting point for those looking for an interactive discussion of personal finances on the web. They list the following links as a reference:

AllFinancialMatters.com. A financial planner discusses 401(k)'s, IRAs, asset allocation, and portfolio management.

ConsumerismCommentary.com. To hold himself accountable for spending money, a man keeps a public record of his net worth.

FreeMoneyFinance.com. This blogger dispenses practical advice on maximizing income, curbing expenses, and amassing wealth.

2MillionBlog.com. Pledging to save $2 million by age 45, a 30-year-old chronicles his journey toward financial freedom.

MoneyBlogNetwork.com. Six popular personal finance bloggers join forces in trying to improve their bottom lines.

MyMoneyBlog.com. This 20-something strives to make more money, spend less, and manage his finances.

TiredButHappy.blogspot.com. A librarian muses about money matters within relationships and families.

seniorcare-dc.blogspot.com. Child rearing, elder care, and retirement planning have Tuna on Rye's author "sandwiched."

YourWayAhead.com/blog. A baby boomer discusses ideas and plans for a financially sound retirement.

dobroe utro planeta!

2006-12-15T01:16:00.000-04:00


14 dekabrya 2006 goda s utra (14 december 2006 in the morning)

Fwd: Elizaveta

2006-07-21T13:11:00.004-04:00

Fwd: Elizaveta
Originally uploaded by merrittsse.

An open letter from Anechka...

Good Morning Everybody,

Today we celebrate Lisa's 7 months birthday.

No cake and candels yet... but pretty dress and pictures- of course!!!

She' is only 7 months and look at her...such a princess!!!! Watch out boys!

:) By the way she already got one fall in love with her. He's our 6years old

neighbour, who keeps asking me when they can finally get married! ;)

You all have a good day!

Anya, Lisa.

kak mi sideli

2006-07-13T14:22:00.000-04:00


prosto segodnya utrom my favorate new video! just that tiny little smile at the beginning was enough to make me grin... I can't wait till they're home. -scott

Bubliki

2006-07-12T14:22:00.000-04:00


My little girl is the cutest in the world! My face hurts from smiling when I see these videos. kak mi eli bubiki v Odesse

Zhitomer, Ukraine - On towards Kiev!

2006-06-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

Zhitomer, Ukraine - On towards Kiev!

This is a wonderful story from Victor Kubik, a Ukrainian born sabbath keeper, about his encounter with a Messianic group in Zhitomir Ukraine. In my quest to find believers around the world, this is an interesting find. I'll especially enjoy telling my wife Anya, as she has family in Dubno, not far away.

This TravelPod website is interesting too. I'll make a note of it and consider logging my own travels there. Sounds fun I think! I've written a comment on his site too.

Scott's journal - layout of the scriptures

2006-06-24T22:29:00.000-04:00

Scott's journal - layout of the scriptures

10:22 pm: layout of the scriptures
The Scriptures are rightly divided into 49 books. The Bible that you see in front of you today (with 66 books) has been rearranged to suit the whims of various compilationists. By rearranging the order and cutting books in parts, publishers have done people a disservice. The overlying structure and form of our scriptures is no longer readily apparant to the lay person (and lets face it, we're ALL lay people).

The historical scriptural format looks more like this:
the Torah:
Gen Ex Lev Num Deut

the prophets:
Josh-judges (1 book), book of the Kings (1&2 kings)
Isa Jer Ezekiel
the 12 minor prophets: Hosea Joel Amos... etc.

the writings:
psalms prov job
song ruth lamentations
eccles
esther
daniel ezra-nehamiah (1 book) chronicles
...so that, at the end of the "OT" we have 22 books, the number of letters in the hebrew alphabet...

the gospels & Acts:
Matt mark luke john
Acts

the general epistles (placed 1st):
Jacob(James) 1Pete 2Pete 1John 2John 3John Juda

the epistles of Paul:
Rom 1Cor 2Cor Gal
Eph Phil Col
1Thes 2Thes
Hebrews
1Tim 2Tim Titus Phil

Revelation

thus, there are 49 books. 22 "old", 5 gospels+Acts, and 22 "new".

religion need not be so personal...

2006-04-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

"I would never ask you such questions! What a man believes is his own business, and no one should have to answer such things in front of everybody."

Thus my good friend Mustafa came to my defense following a barrage of questions by a collegue in our family practice clinic. And I appreciated his sympathy and his concern. But, to tell the truth, I didn't feel the same way about the exchange. In fact, my other friend's questions (lets call him... Tom) left me wanting more. I hoped that he would ask me what basis I had for doing the things I do. I hoped that he would try to explain to me why it wasn't correct. I hoped he would give me a chance to state my case, proding me on with objections from his own personal point of view.

But alas, these types of discussion are few and far between these days. In fact, I don't remember the last time I've been involved in a good one. People seem more and more to shy away from these things. Perhaps its the polarization of our society; perhaps events in the middle east have made us more leary of strange new ideas; perhaps we've been so barraged by conflicting perspectives that we've given up on sorting them out; or perhaps we've always been this way.

Still, a person can hope. I still stick by my position that if someone can show me convincingly that what they believe is true and what I believe is false, I'll gladly accept their position. Now if I can only find a willing partner...

a year in the bayou

2006-04-24T22:05:00.000-04:00

Life can change so fast. A little over a year ago, I had just returned to the country, and was making arrangements for a wedding with a bride still outside the country, while trying to get a little studying in on the side. Today, we have a beautiful 4 month old girl, an apartment full of furniture that we have to move, and a completely different perspective on life.
There are days when it can be so frustrating, but they pale in comparison to the weeks and months and soon to be years of looking at an sharing with my 2 beautiful girls. My life is at once more complicated and at the same time more fulfilling than it ever was before.
And look at them! How could it not be? :)

2005-12-30T03:53:00.000-04:00

Dec 21, 2005! Elizaveta Tanya LaMarr Merritt 5 lbs 9 oz
Our little girl was a surprise, coming 5 weeks early in an emergency c-section. Maya Anechka saved her life when she told me to call the doctor in the morning, she hadn't felt our baby kick the day before and knew that it wasn't right.
Dr. Morrison from Ocshner in Louisiana saved her life too by telling us to get to the hospital ASAP.
She's such a beautiful little girl...

2005-12-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

waiting for Mama Tanya at the Tampa airport,
April 2005

The wonderful world of dictation

2005-08-26T20:10:00.000-04:00

My new favorate activity? ...dictating discharge summaries.

Nurse Practitioner F. took us down to the dictating room on the second floor and tought us how to use the system. There's a small study-like room with 3 cubicles, each with a telephone. Over the phone, we dictate a summary of the patients latest stay into an answering machine, which is later transcribed and entered into the chart. The wonderful thing about it for me is that I can spend 30 minutes with the phone and the chart and review all the important information we learned about a patient. Information that I likely missed (or forgot) in the week or so that the patient was in the hospital.

Like all new toys, I know that my enthusiasm for the activity will probably fade; I've never met a doctor who sounds excited about his dictations. But for now I'm going to let my mind wrap itself around the wonderful world of dictating. What's more, Nurse F has a whole shelf of patients she hasn't gotten around to dictating. If I go through them all and catch her up, I think it just might be helpful when it comes time to asking for letters of recommendation... ;)

Lessons from a renal patient

2005-08-25T20:01:00.000-04:00

"I twy to sh--, ba aw I do iss fah fah fah" said Mr. P when I asked him about his bowel movements while in the hospital. His medications, his urine toxicity, and having his dentures out, all make his speech almost incomprehensible, but he still tries as hard as he can.

We all feel for him, he came in with a complaint of 2+ months of difficulty urinating, probably expecting to get an antibiotic and go home. When the ER doc suspected a stone, he did an ultrasound. It showed a large mass in the bladder, encompassing the ureters, which is what had been causing his symptoms. He has lost 30+ lbs in the last couple months, and his urine output is now reduced and red with blood and transitional cells. We haven't done a biopsy yet, but all indications point to bladder cancer.

We attempted percutanious nephrostomies twice, trying to restore flow past the obstruction, with no success. With his renal function getting worse every day, we've decided to transfer him to New Orleans, where they have a much larger caseload of this type. While we're waiting for a bed, we'll give him dialysis to "polish him up."

Despite his condition, Mr. P has been quite pleasant to work with. I've learned a lot from him. Following the case has given me a window from which to learn renal disorders, but, more importantly, has affected me on a personal level. His prognosis may be poor, but treating him and giving him the best care we can is making life better not just for him, but for us as well.

that nagging feeling

2005-08-10T17:34:00.000-04:00

One of the signs that we're growing up is when we start to see the other side of an argument. It develops as that nagging feeling, the feeling that our competetor's view, the one against which we were moments ago so determinedly opposed, might contain a grain of truth.

In my youth, this realization was largely absent. The childhood I remember was largely black and white. I seem to have felt as if, by special gift of providence, I was fated to be born into circumstances which endowed me with an enlightened perspective. Friends at school who went head-to-head against me and the values of my family had simply missed the boat; parents, when they confonted me on the values of my youth, just didn't get it; and brothers and sisters can be just plain wrong.

But then, gradually, almost imperceptably, they all started to gain ground on me. They began to haunt me as I laid in bed at night, replaying the days events in my head. I certainly didn't wake up one morning and admit that, in a given set of arguments, I was wrong. Early on, the arguments bothered me more than they used to. Boisterous youthful exchanges turned more painful and labored. Soon (as behaviorally conditioned creatures always do), I found myself avoiding the painful stimulus altogether.

Perhaps we never really stop arguing our point, but for me it's become less frequent, and more muted. That didn't do me much good today though, as the ugly head of confrontation reared it's ugly head. But perhaps I can take consolation in a trend away from that nagging feeling of adolescence.

Anya and I and the boys at our wedding

2005-07-30T03:15:00.000-04:00

...a picture of my recent wedding in Tampa Florida, April 17, 2005. From left: my brothers Dr. Bryan Merritt and Ellis Merritt, my dad Dr. John L. Merritt, my wonderful, beautiful wife Anya Merritt, me (the one with the big proud grin :) ), and my oldest brother Dr. John Lawrence Merritt II.

to lead a fulfilled life...

2005-07-25T23:52:00.000-04:00

PBS's "guns germs and steel" miniseries, based on the book of that name, closes with a quote from a Zambian health care worker in which she says, "The control of malaria will mean an improvement in the welfare of the people, and an improvement in the welfare of the people will mean increased productivity, and increased productivity will mean that we will be a wealthy nation, because that will mean that then people will have sufficient, not only food but sufficient time to do things that make a human being complete and whole and able to lead a fulfilled life."

...To lead a fulfilled life. These are big words. There is so much behind the idea of leading a fulfilled life; and the factors that lead one person to live such a life, when another does not, seem almost beyond comprehension. I too, in my greatest estimation of myself, am dedicated to seeing that people around me are able to lead a fulfilled life. Most of us are, it seems.

And this is why it is so difficult for many of us... for me... when those around us fall short. We, I, wish to impose my will upon them, to give them the gift of fulfillment. But fulfillment can only come from within. We can create the environment for fulfillment, increase the chances that if one desires to attain fulfillment, they have that oppertunity. But we cannot give it to them. We cannot wrap it up in a box and leave it at their door. They must themselves, not only reach out and grab it, but strive for it every day... by themselves.

And waiting for them is the hardest part. Who is to say that they will finally get there? How do we know that they are determined to stay on the path? Must we have faith that all will work out in the end? How many have lived before us, only to have this same faith misplaced and unrewarded?

Sojourners magazine, the Sabbath, and Jim Wallis

2005-04-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

I'm encouraged by the title of Jim Wallis' book God's Politics : Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, his magazine "Sojourners", and this article I read about the Sabbath in his magazine. His selling point, as the Amazon editorial puts it, is that "the true mission of Christianity--righting social ills, working for peace--is in tune with the values of liberals who so often run screaming from the idea of religion."

I often wonder at the audacity of television personalities and political parties. I wonder, how conservatives so devorce themselves from the causes that they hear espoused every week in their churches, namely protecting G-d's creation, feeding the poor, and equal rights for all people? And how, equally mystifying, can liberals not see the that the ethics of religion provide a moral basis for the causes that they themselves demand? Finally, and most frighteningly, what forces are at work to diminish the voices of reason in mitigating this conflict. Why is it that only the screaming heads are allowed to speak?

Seperately, as a Sabbath-observer, I found the article about the Sabbath in his magazine quite refreshing as well. The idea is that observing a day of rest (not just any day, but the 7th day, the day G-d commanded) never was just a rule observed by a people by rote. This day, for it's observants, provides psychological rejouvination, and a reminder every week that there are things, ethical things, that we as a people maintain, from which we will not shy away. Every week, we have a physical reminder that we separate our inner selves to G-d.

There's so much more to say. I'm not going to say it all here.

Life in the armpits??!!!!!

2005-04-29T08:49:00.000-04:00

Metaphors are often more graphic than we realize. The latest edition of the Economist has an article entitled "Life in the armpits of palestine." The article describes some of the day-to-day hardships of living in regions of the West Bank of Israel which will be surrounded by the new security fence.

The reason the title cought my eye was that I've recently discussed this same metaphor to my new wife, who moved here from Odessa Ukraine. We're moving next week to the bayou in Louisiana and a couple of my relatives before the wedding described the region as "the armpit of America." As english-speakers, the words just roll off the tongue; kind of a cutsey way to say that it can be hot (and humid) there. But to someone who hasen't heard the metaphor it sounds horrific. Who in their right mind would ever want to live there!??? Have we made a profound mistake by moving there??

I spent a lot of conversation time prophilacticly trying to steer the conversation away from such allusions. I demonized similar comments publicly so as to make clear that I wanted to put a better light on the subject. For the most part, it seems to have worked. The more tactful of my family quickly cought on and made sure to mention some of the more interesting things about the region ("you can always find something to do in New Orleans").

But the thing about it all that strikes me is the power that can be behind such a silly little phrase (armpits are gross!!!). A funnier one I always remember explaining is "love-handles." People talk about them all the time, but try explaining the allusion to someone unfamiliar with the term and it gets a whole lot more interesting...

We can be on the lookout for more of these. They're everywhere, I know. Perhaps we should be more careful with them; perhaps we can enjoy language more by thinking about what we're saying more often. Something to think about...

Yanukovich's response to protests

2004-12-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

In case the world was wondering... THIS is how Yanukovich's government deals with protesters when noone is watching...

HotLine - everything about elections in Ukraine

HotLine - everything about elections in Ukraine: "On December 7th at 14.00 the city court of Kyiv district in Kharkiv will review the issue on relocating the three tent camps at Independence Square in Kharkiv.

From November 23rd supporters of Viktor Yushenko and Viktor Yanukovych have been living at the Square. And on November 28th "greens" joined them.

The court should review the complaint of the city executive committee. The authorities motivate it with the desire to settle a Christmas tree at the main square of the city. "

The Truth About Julia Tymoshenko

2004-12-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

Finally, an article that gets her story right! The leading headlines have, on the whole, consigned themselves to repeating various "allegations" regarding Yulia Tymoshenko. This article interviews her, and recites what ACTUALLY happened during her political life. Yes Ukraine, there are "normal" people working for you in your country. This is one...

from the article:
"In the past seven years, Julia Tymoshenko has endured imprisonment, the jailing of her husband and several assassination attempts. But, even considering the drama that has accompanied her life, she could never have imagined the events that saw her emerge as a leading actor in one of the most unexpected political upheavals of recent history.

Since 21 November, Tymoshenko has been the force behind the protests that have kept up to half a million people camped outside the parliament in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. And as the country gears up for one last push towards true democracy, the pressure grows on her - a glamorous radical, and deputy to the opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko - to keep up the momentum for reform.

Yet no fanfare, and no visual frisks from men carrying Glock firearms, greet my arrival at her dacha outside Kiev. I simply push open the back door, and there she is: a tiny, pretty woman with a mass of honey-blonde hair, wearing pink jeans and a black polo-neck, smiling that amazing smile."

more: News

Libertarian Party: Issues and Positions

2004-09-30T19:14:00.000-04:00

A great quote I read from the Libertarian presidential candidate, Michael Badnarik,

''If you were in prison and you had a 50 percent chance of lethal injection, a 45 percent chance of going to the electric chair, and only a 5 percent chance of escape, are you likely to vote for lethal injection because that is your most likely outcome?" Libertarian nominee Badnarik asked a crowd at his party's convention. ''If you continue to vote for the Democrats or the Republicans you are committing political suicide,"

What do you do when it's clear that "neither" party has any integrety anymore? Try looking beyond the system for once...

The link below is a wonderful source about the Libertarian political platform.

Libertarian Party: Issues and Positions

Waiting to hear Kerry's plan

2004-09-30T18:25:00.000-04:00

Great article that really sums up the state of the presidential debate. Unfortunately it, like every other mass media outlet involved in our collective psychoses, fails to grasp the natural conclusion to be reached when you "two party" system fails to offer anything resembling a coherant choice. Can anybody say "3rd party"??? And no, Ralph Nader is not the only other presidential candidate. This year, in at least 48 states, there voters will be offered the chance to vote for a Libertarian candidate. ....and.... in all of those states, without even having considered the option, voters will NOT chose that option. Some people just don't get it....

Waiting to hear Kerry's plan

looking outside.

2004-09-10T17:36:00.000-04:00

Today is the day when I mark my shift to the outside world. True, navel gazing is fun, and there is always more to discover about your navel; and true, we should write what we know, and I certainly know my navel better than most things. But just as I only began to understand my world by travelling out into it, I can only add intelligent discourse about the world by, ... well, writting about.

Want to listen to some interesting internet news radio or TV sites? http://www.europetvnews.com/ has lots. The network of news sites that they've developed is amazing too. If only they'd start collaborating with The Economist...

BrothersJudd Blog

2004-07-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

BrothersJudd Blog

This is Blog (short for Weblog, I've recently discovered) is both an example of good writting, and of how to successfully use Blogger as a form of online conversation. This, along with my recent online discoveries about good writting, should have an immediate impact on the quality of work I am producing.

A special thanks to the Economist, for it's demeaning article about Blog writters, characterizing them as the "musings of teenagers." (more accurate citation later) The article angered me into re-assessing the nature of my endevor.

in a funk...

2004-06-23T21:58:00.000-04:00

What a crappy few days. It seems that I've been spinning my wheels the last few days trying to get anything done. Everything seems disorganized, and the more I try to organize it, the worse it gets. It seems Anya's visa to come visit could be in doubt (after I've already bought the tickets!) and the only solution seems to be to send a bunch of money to her so that she can show that she can pay for the trip herself. Which seems to be just raising the stakes on an already difficult situation. My HHT research seems to be at a standstill. I have to figure out how to send the blood and who will take it and if they're honest and if the candidates even have the stupid disease! Studying seems to be at a standstill, I haven't been running very much, I'm not happy with the 'friends' around me, nor my ones from Nevis who I couldn't contact to meet me in St. Maartan after they had made such a big deal about meeting me there this semester... THAT MEANS YOU VIJAY AND JESSICA AND EVEN YOU RRRRRRRAHUL!!! I HOPE YOU SEARCH FOR YOUR NAMES ON GOOGLE AND SEE THIS YOU BBBBBBBBBBASTARDS hehe... just kidding, sort of... :)
The three day weekend was a bust, just went out on Saturday night and got too drunk and stupid for comfort (I still need to pick up my backpack and liquor bottles from Robert's house). The internet connection doesn't seem to be working with Anya, so that trying to talk on internet phone is frustrating at best. The marriage visa is on hold for now, as are the wedding plans. Oh yeah, and my sleep schedule is all f***ed up. ...good thing I don't have a dog; it'd probably die...

What else. Oh yeah. Friggen Google doesn't seem to want to list my website so all the work that I've done on it seems to be just for my own shits and giggles. And that’s ok I guess, since the content parts of it are all haphazard and f***ed up still anyway. I checked yesterday; yep, I'm still the only one who’s ever seen the thing.

I do like this venting on the web thing, just wish I had something creative to say on it.
...which reminds me, I should take my St. John's wort now.
I wonder, if I died, how long it would take my family to get around to calling and find out. 2 weeks? a month? Assuming that the medical school for some reason didn't call them and let them know, like if I was hiking around the island or something and nobody knew what happened, I think they would probably email a couple of times after a couple weeks to ask where I am. ...no, it would take longer than that, I've been out of touch for a month or so before I ever remember getting an email. I'd bet 2 months would be the limit before they'd check on me. Although now, Anya would probably find out pretty quick and... no; it'd probably take her a couple of weeks to figure out that something was really wrong too. And she might have a hard time getting a hold of anyone anyway. Funny, I set them all up with internet phones that I made sure worked and showed them all how to work them when I was at home. interesting.

I'm really developing a loathing for the way a lot of people work. No, not my family and Anya, new subject. That is, politics and news about the world around us really gets me mad these days. How is it that we aren't helping the more than a million people in Darfur that are being burned out of their villages? Kofi Annan (that f***ing bastard) said that he's "not prepared to call it genocide yet." F*** HIM. He knows that the term genocide is a legal term necessary to give the UN the authority to go in and stop the thing. He knows that even if we go in today we won't be able to save everyone. He knows that the Sudanese government is working with the militias to burn the villages, rape the women, and poison the wells. He knows that... anyway.

I don't see how people aren't disgusted by every person in power. There is no good man who has stood up and said "we will not allow this to happen, we will commit the full resources of our government to stopping this from happening!" The US is spending 100 billion dollars (give or take) to make war in Iraq against a "brutal dictator" and yet we haven't committed anything worth while to Darfur! FUCKING BASTARDS. Where’s the moral accountability, where's the justice? But of course Kofi Annan is not really the problem in this case. He's just a symptom like all the rest of them. The world was looking for something to give them an excuse not to act. Had he not provided fodder, they would have found it elsewhere. The leaders of the world have no intention of going charging in to Darfur with tons of food and medicine and military strength to guarantee that it gets to the people who need it. They'll deliberate and debate and make comparisons to Rwanda in 1994 and look for a "political solution." Colon Powell himself set the precedent years ago when he called for an "even handed" approach to the "conflict" in Sudan. WHAT "even hand?" There's no even hand to be had in this situation! One side is, and has been driving the other out of its houses and villages.

Eventually, far too late (it already is) they'll send a small UN "peacekeeping" mission to the region to allow themselves to continue taking the high road when they debate ethical issues in public. They needn't bother. They've lost it already. They lost it in 1994 when they let a million die in Rwanda, they lost it in Yugoslavia when they let thousands be 'cleansed' from their country, they lost it in Liberia when America refused to stop the fighting when BOTH SIDES were asking them to help. They lost it in Iraq when they left Sadam in power in 1991 and when they sanctioned the economy of the country for a decade instead, they compounded it when they showed the world that they could spend 100 billion dollars on war without batting an eye, yet couldn't devote a fraction of that amount to building anything. France and Russia are showing it when they negotiate to make the new government pay back most of Sadam's debt. India and Pakistan show it when they build nuclear arsenals to aim at the other rather than giving the people of Kashmir the freedom to choose their future. The Arab world shows it when they continually feed their people scenes of horror regarding the west and Israel while refusing to acknowledge the evil of their own brutally (what kind of bastard saws a man's head off!!!!). The democrats even showed it when they selected Kerry, a man born of the same breed of politicians as Bush. Didn't they know that he supports the war in Iraq? If the war in Iraq is wrong, why would they support a man who refuses to oppose it; just because it was (somewhat) popular at the time? Are the democrats too willing to sell their soul for what they think will bring them votes!?? Of course they are. As a group we've shown that we all are. As a group we support each other's psychoses. We give each other the impression that there is meaning and structure and validity to the irrational behavior that we all have created.

"...those who write out evil writs and compose iniquitous documents, to subvert the cause of the poor, to rob the rights of the needy of my people, that widows may be their spoil, and fatherless children their booty: what will you do on the day of punishment, when the calamity comes from afar?"

I don't see it. My mother always told me, if it looks like a rat and smells like a rat...

I am not an idealist; this is life, this is TRUE. There is nothing we can say which can make the words actions of the governments of the world right. Go ahead! Vote Bush out of office. See if Kerry gives you peace of mind. When Kerry is president, will he devote thousands of troops and billions of dollars to the millions dieing in Sudan?

This is what I wrote this morning:

(Using numbers off the top of my head) The world has a maximum of 10% of the population who have the resources available to take care of those who are suffering from within the other 90%. The US, for instance, has 250 million people. Of those, maybe 150 million have sufficient resources to contribute significantly to those around. Assuming the rest of the world has, at maximum, 450 million people with the same capability; our world has 600 million people with significant extra resources available to help the others.
Not all of the rest of the world is poor. A large percentage have enough to get by, without having much extra. Still, we are left with perhaps a third of the population, 2 billion people, with fewer resources than they require. This means that for every 1 person with substantially more than they need, there are 3 or 4 with less.
Most of the "adopt a child" programs that I've seen advertised estimate that it costs $1/day to support a child in sub-Saharan Africa, the poorest population as a whole, in the world. This comes to $30/month. So, assuming that it's the moral responsibility of those with extra to assist those with not enough, the person with extra resources must give, at very minimum, around $100/month to those less fortunate.
This number assumes that every person with extra money does his/her part. This is not the case. Most people, whether they realize it or not, are bastards. So to say that it is our responsibility to cough up $120/month, and no more, is inadequate. Just to make up for the jerk next door, a person must double the amount. It also assumes that costs for sub-Saharan Africa are standard. They are not. $1/day goes a long way towards food and medicine in Africa, but that number can only be a small fraction of what it costs to root poverty out of the world at large. That said, it goes without saying that even $500/month would not too much to ask of our wealthy brothers and sisters. That’s like asking them to make a car payment to the rest of the world. Not all that much...

I'm not a communist, and I'm not a socialist either. I'm not even a liberal. In fact, it seems that the very foundations of conservative ethics are what require us to make these sacrifices. At what point did "if you will be perfect, go see what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me" become "buy an SUV and follow me to church"? It doesn't make sense to me, and it shouldn't make sense to anyone else either.

2004-06-22T17:07:00.000-04:00

2004-06-22T16:52:00.000-04:00

Just finished path...

2004-06-15T09:56:00.000-04:00

I just finished my pathology block 2 (of 5) exam. ...wow... I think I studied as hard or harder for that exam than I have for any exam I remember, and I still didn't know enough. Who'd have thought that this medical school thing would be so difficult! In the end though, I feel like I really understand something about cardiac and respiratory pathology; I opened up a review journal to an article on acute coronary syndromes and it seemed to be all making a little sense. Anyway, I'm happy it's done... More later, I think...

more about Isaiah

2004-06-13T19:08:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 1 is properly made up of 7 parts, the last being 12 statements. The topic is seems to be the judgement of Judah and Jerusalem. Being the beginning of the book, it carries an introduction which lists the author and time in which he wrote. This is significant for 2 reasons: 1st, it means we are able to clearly define when the author claims these statements were made, leaving no doubt as to the author's claim of when the book was written. Thus, if we are to debate the time of authorship, we must first acknowledge that we do not believe the word of the author. 2nd, because it shows that the author considered this information to be important. Most other books do not seem to find this valuable, implying that either: A) Isaiah was written after the other books, in a period in which placing the historical timeframe was already considered important; B) The author (Isaiah) considered that the author and time were necessary in order to estabolish the validity of what is said (i.e. -he knew that prophecies being fulfilled years later must be dated so as to avoid confusion); or C) both.
It does not logically follow that any books not introduced by an author and date must be written before Isaiah. It could be that they were written afterwards, but did not consider these author and date to be of consequence. But it does follow that Isaiah itself was written with an understanding of the weight of his words, and that the book would be read at a time years later, when time and author were not so obvious to the reader.
It could also be that the introduction was added later for clarity; a point made stronger by the fact that the introduction is not written in the 1st-person. This does not negate the authenticity of the text however; telling your audience what they're reading seems to be a natural thing when passing down a text. The question would then become, however, "how much later was the introduction written, and how much knowledge does the author of the introduction have about the actual author and date?" Still, assuming that the introduction was written either by Isaiah, or shortly afterwards, the above points still hold.
Isaiah 1 is also separated by the rest of Isaiah by a further (and shorter) introduction at the beginning of chapter 2. This is significant to us because it allows us to cleanly divide the chapter as a stand-alone text. That is to say, chapter 1 is a prophecy, and chapter 2 and the rest of the text are further prophecies. We can thus deal with chapter 1 as it's own unit.

Again, I see chapter 1 being made up of 7 parts, the 7th consisting of 12 statements. Whether or not I've divided the first [6] parts properly, the last is clearly it's own unit, being preceded by the statement, "Assuredly, this is the declaration of the Soverign, the L-rd of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:"
At the risk of oversimplifying, here is an outline of the 7 divisions:
1. The L-rd has spoken: rebellous children don't know their master, they've forsaken the L-rd.
2. You're injured & seek further beatings; your land is waste and daughter Zion is destroyed except for a few survivors.
3. the L-rd says: I hate your sacrifices & sabbaths. When you pray, I won't listen.
4. Wash yourselves.
5. Your sins can be cleaned; if you agree, you will do well, if not you'll be destroyed.
6. the L-rd says: Jerusalem is a harlot.
7. the Declaration of the L-rd (12 statements): I will destroy my enemies, purify you, restore justice, & you will be called faithfull city. Zion will be saved in the judgement, but sinners crushed because of their desires. The 2 (sinners and their desires) will be destroyed together. The last statement, about sinners & their desires, is made up of 6 statements, comparing sinfull desires to a terebinth (tree) and the sinner to a spark, which will burn up together with the tree.

These divisions are not all clear-cut. The 2nd division, about seeking further beatings, seems to be somewhat a development of the 1st idea, about rebellious children. And the 4th and 5th parts, about washing yourselves and the bargain about what will happen if you do, are clearly developments of the idea preceding. However, supporting their separateness, the 2nd part changes pronouns with the 1st. The 1st part talks to "them," while the 2nd turns it into "you." -an interesting switch, requiring that the reader own the sinfulness themselves (or rather, ourselves); this pronoun switch is repeated again in verses 8 and 9, and in 21 and 22, both cases talking about Jerusalem. The 4th part divides itself by virtue of the fact that it is 7 clear instructions for the believer. And the 5th part divides itself by virtue of the fact that it is preceded by a "says the L-rd" statement.

Alternatively, breaking the text down into more pieces, we could divide it thus:
1. The L-rd has spoken: rebellous children don't know their master, they've forsaken the L-rd.
2. You're injured & seek further beatings
3. Your land is waste and daughter Zion is destroyed except for a few survivors.
4. The L-rd says: I hate your sacrifices & sabbaths.
5. When you pray, I won't listen.
6. Wash yourselves.
7. Your sins can be cleaned; if you agree, you will do well, if not you'll be destroyed.
8. The L-rd says: Jerusalem is a harlot.
9. The Declaration of the L-rd: I will destroy my enemies, purify you, restore just counselors, & you will be called faithfull city. Zion will be saved in the judgement, but sinners crushed. They will be tricked because of their desires, and will wilt like a plant without water. They, and their desires, will be destroyed together.

Perhaps even, the text could be divided up thus:
1. The L-rd has spoken: rebellous children don't know their master, they've forsaken the L-rd. You're injured & seek further beatings; you continue to offend.
2. Your land is waste and daughter Zion is destroyed except for a few survivors.
3. The L-rd says: I hate your sacrifices & sabbaths.
4. When you pray, I won't listen, because your hands are dirty. Therefore, wash yourselves, your sins can be cleaned; if you agree, you will do well, if not you'll be destroyed.
6. The L-rd says: Jerusalem is a harlot.
7. The Declaration of the L-rd (12 statements, 6 stand alone, 6 devolop 1 idea in 3 parts): 1. I will destroy my enemies, 2. purify you, 3. restore just counselors, 4. & you will be called faithfull city. 5. Zion will be saved in the judgement, 6. but sinners crushed. 7. Part 1. They will be tricked because of their desires; Part 2. and will wilt like a plant without water; Part 3. They, and their desires, will be destroyed together.

This last way of dividing the text, I think, is most coherant.
I'm dividing up the text this way for a couple of reasons. First, I think the format of the text demands it. Isaiah, like much of the rest of the Tanakh, is written predominantly in poetic verse. This verse, at least as far as I know, uses very little of the repetition of sound and rhyme that we're used to. Instead, it uses the repetition of idea and structure. Picking almost any portion at random, we can see this repetition in verses 18 through 20.

It's written:
-Come, let us reach an understanding, says the L-rd
-Be your sins like crimson
they can turn snow-white
-Be they red as dyed wool
they can become like fleece
-If then, you agree and give heed,
you will eath the good things of the earth
-But if you refuse and disobey
you will be fed the sword
-For it was the L-rd who spoke.

Here, the idea of the L-rd speaking, found in the 1st statement, is repeated in the last. The 2nd and 3rd statements repeat themselves, but say it the 2nd time in a more poetic way. The 4th and 5th statements, rather than repeating themselves, state the opposite alternatives of each other. Thus, the verses reflect on themselves in a coherant and self-contained manner. Expounding upon this, the statements about sins being a stain which must be washed clean, reflect back to verses 15-17 where the L-rd does not listen to the people's prayers because their hands are stained, and then describes the process of purifying oneself. Verse 15 itself refers back to the idea, found in verses 10-14 of the L-rd turning his back on people because of their sin. And verse 10 uses an analogy between Sodom and Gomorrah which was started in verse 9. These references go on and on, creating capsules of information which, though self contained, lead us to other points surrounding and distant.

So the information is there, and written clearly; it is only our eyes which are shut. It is written:

"Surely, this Torah which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nore is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, 'who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?' No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it." -Deut 30:11-14

"-Wisdom cries aloud in the streets,
raises her voice in the squares.
-At the head of the busy streets she calls,
at the entrance of the gates, in the city she speaks out" -Prov. 20-23

"-It is wisdom calling,
understanding raising her voice.
-She takes her stand at the topmost heights,
by the wayside, at the crossroads,
-near the gates at the city entrance,
at the entryways she shouts." -Prov 8:1-3

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, his eternal power and G-dhead, so that they are without excuse." -Rom. 1:20

On the other hand, it is said:
"-Hear, indeed, but do not understand,
see, indeed, but do not grasp.
-dull that people's mind,
stop its ears
and seal its eyes
-lest seeing with its eyes
and hearing with its ears
it also grasp with its mind
-and repent and save itself." -Isa 6:9-10

"Yeshua answered and said to him, "Amen, Amen (true, true), I say to you; except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of G-d." -John 3:3

This is not to say that, by analyzing dividing up the text in the manner above, we are "born again." Nor am I saying that G-d has necessarily opened my eyes and ears; this would be an internally illogical assertation. -But in this manner, in this text, we are at least looking. This seems to be, at the very minimum, a prerequisite.

On Isaiah...

2004-06-08T21:22:00.000-04:00

The last entry, was an unfinished letter written december 26. This one is an unfinished entry written just a week ago. I've only gotten through an introduction and an outline; even the outline isn't finished. But, I have to bite off little bits, otherwise I'll never finish the whole thing anyway. I hope to get to the contents of Isaiah this weekend; that's really the amazing part...

Here's what I have so far:

Isaiah:
I've started a study of the book of Isaiah, to try to decipher what meaning I may find; and my early readings seem to have borne some fruit. I see extensive meaning within the structure of the book, starting with the basic divisions, down to the patterns of individual phrases amongst each other. These patterns seem to be found so readily, even predictably, that I have little doubt that I will continue to see them as I work through the rest of the book. That is to say, each time I have presented the text with the question, "I wonder if there's any pattern to...?" I have been confronted with a decisive "yes," without having manipulated the text to find it. This manner of inquiry is not an objective way of gathering information; I believe it's known as expectancy bias; however, it does not make the information invalid. The existence of such a bias simply means that I cannot prove, based on my study, that the text does in fact have some sort of overarching meaning.
On this point, it’s important that I am careful what type of overarching meaning I am looking for in the first place. Often, it seems, these discoveries are placed within the context of proof of divine origin. This, it seems, is a quantom-logical leap. At this very moment, to be sure, authors all over the globe are lacing their respective works with sublime passages and 2ndary and tertiary meanings, without any pretense of divine origin. What difference does it make to our proof that these profound meanings happen to be in the Tanakh? In addition, there is always the comparative religionist, ready to point out that there exist innumerable religious texts with similar claims of higher meaning. However, if nothing else, if the layers of meaning are constant, it can be shown that the author at least intended for them to be there. For this to be true, the patterns must be consistant. Clear deviation from the norm must be counted as evidence against the text.
Again, on this point we have to draw a fine line. Believers often (rightfully) assume that deviations from the expected norm represent a shortcoming in their own understanding. This is a problem unique to the analysis of religious texts. The reader is presented with an enormous task. They must, in reading, either determine that the weight of evidence points to divine origin, or that it doesn't. By answering "yes, it is of divine origin" they place huge burden of proof on any contrary evidence. "Is this point important enough to jeapordize my entire belief structure?" -they ask. And so, the fine details of a schema are often brushed aside.
In this context, one must ask themselves, “how many points am I willing to concede before I change my paradigm?” To this question, religion has 2 things going for it. 1) People seldom (i.e. never) keep track of exactly how many points they have conceded in the course of their studies. That is to say, the pursuit of the mind of G-d is littered with suspension of disbelief. 2) Most people (wrongly) believe that faith somehow requires this suspension of disbelief, so that, even if contrary evidence builds past the point of plausibility, there always exists the refrain, “just believe.”
But I digress. This is not to say that an in-depth analysis of the Tanakh and Novoi Zavyet is meaningless. Only that it can be read within the context that we will not, in the end, prove anything (although proof may be there to be found). What I’m looking for is empirical evidence. In other words, in this case I can only say that I observe, upon early analysis, that a pattern exists. My task now is to root it out as far as it readily goes, to see where it goes. I keep open the possibility that it may lead nowhere...

"If you only have money for one newspaper, buy the opposition's."

5/28/2004

I.
a. The denunciation of Judah, 1:1-12:6
i. Judahs condemnation 1:1-5:30
1. The address
2. The indictment from God
3. A promise of restoration after judgment from God
4. Glory in the future kingdom
5. A purging
6. A millennial kingdom
7. The vineyard parable
ii. Isaiahs commission
iii. The Messiahs coming, 7:1-12:6
1. Immanuels sign
2. Maher-shalal-hash-baz
3. Messiahs sign
4. Samarias judgment
5. The retribution on Assyria and the return of Israel
6. The Branch of Jesse and its rule
7. A song of praise

b. The denunciations against the other nations, 13:1-23:18
i. Against Babylon
ii. Against Assyria
iii. Against Philistia
iv. Against Moab
v. Against Damascus
vi. ***Against Israel
vii. Against Ethiopia
viii. Against Egypt
ix. Against Babylon
x. Against Edom
xi. Against Arabia
xii. Against Jerusalem
xiii. Against Tyre

c. The Day of the L-rd, 24:1-27:13
i. Judgments of the Tribulation Period
ii. Triumphs of the Kingdom
iii. Praise in the Kingdom
iv. Israel in the Kingdom

d. The denunciation of Israel and Judah, 28:1-35:10
i. Samarias woe
ii. ***Judahs woe, 29:1-31:9
1. The hypocrisy
2. The alliance with Egypt
iii. The kingdom of Messiah
iv. The destruction of Assyria
v. The judgments of Armageddon
vi. The blessings of the kingdom

II. Sennacheribs denunciation, 36:1-39:8
a. The Taunt from Assyria
b. The Truth from God
c. The Threat from Assyria
d. The Triumph over Assyria
e. The Sickness of Hezekiah
f. The Stupidity of Hezekiah

III.
a. The Greatness of God, 40:1-48:22
i. In releasing Judah
ii. In relation to creation
iii. In reference to idols
iv. In provision of His servant
v. In restoring Israel
vi. In Using Cyrus
vii. In the judging & release of Judah from Babylon

b. The Servant-Messiah and Salvation, 49:1:57:21
i. The servant is commissioned
ii. The servant is contrasted with disobedient Israel
iii. The remnant is encouraged and exhorted
iv. The suffering and the triumph of the servant
v. Salvation song
vi. Salvations invitation: Blessings given to the gentiles
vii. The rebuke to those who refuse salvation

c. Israel’s future: Program for Peace, 58:1-66:24
i. The Contrast between Right and Wrong Worship
ii. The Dealing with Sin 59:1-21
1. Israels sins described
2. Israels sins confessed
3. Israels sins blotted out
iii. The Glory of Israel
iv. Messiah's Ministry of Peace during the Advents
v. Israels restoration, future of Jerusalem
vi. Vengance of G-d
1. What is needed for blessings
2. Gods enemies judged
3. Gods people make confession
4. The repentance of sins
vii. Climax to history
1. Kingdom characteristics
2. Hypocrisy rebuked
3. Israels rebirth The Rebirth of Israel
4. Great rejoicing in the Future

The outline is more important than it may look, I think. Where each topic lies in relation to the other topics is significant. The number of ideas represented in each section is important too. Notice that most portions are broken into either 7 or 12 parts, and notics that the middle section, written to the King and not in prophetic language, seems to fall into 6 sections. Whether these divisions are inherant and intended, or a remnant of the analysis is open to debate of course...

Letter to Prishant:

2004-06-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

This is the start of a letter I wrote replying to a classmate at MUA named Prishant. I never actually finished it, nor did I send it, but I did spend a lot of time on it, so I figured it was worth including. Here it is:

Outline:
“Other Scripture” vs. the Bible

Reply 1
clarity
Why we believe

Nazerene & the Branch

Reply 2
Nazerene vs. Nazerite
Branchtown

Zacharias

Reply 3
Son of Aaron
1 Chronicles 24
misc. OT references

-That John was Elijah
-That Yeshua was born on Succot

References to John vs. Elijah

Reply 4
2 principles of biblical writing
Who was Elijah?

Response to Prishant
Hey P.J. J This is Scott.
Thanks for the reply about our conversation. I appreciate that you spent time thinking about it. My biggest problem as far as “religion” is concerned tends to be quality control. There are so few people interested in discussing and debating anything concrete about G-d or the Bible, etc. that I never have a chance to see how my ideas stand up to criticism; so I appreciate you considering it.

Since you spent time with my ideas, I’ll do the same.

So, last things first. Your final paragraph said, “One can argue that the “Torah” or “Other scripture” might say things differently, but as Christians, we believe the Bible is the divine & inspired word of G-d regardless who wrote it. Thus if there are discrepancies between the Bible & other scripture I would stick with the Bible.”

Reply 1: Absolutely. This principle is undoubtedly central for any believer. There are 2 points I would like to make though.

The 1st may have been due to my lack of clarity. It is to say that the Torah and “other scripture” is the Bible. The word “Torah” refers to the first 5 books: Genesis, Ex, Lev, Num, Deut. At the time of Yeshua (Jesus), these were considered the “gold standard” of the Hebrew faith which He came to fulfill. I use the words “other scriptures” to refer to the rest of the Old Testament (OT). OT can be broken down several ways, often it’s called the Law (Torah) & the Prophets (rest), other times its broken down to the Law, the Writings or Books of Wisdom (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, & song of Solomon), and the Prophets, and often the Prophets themselves are broken down into major and minor. I was being brief by saying “other scripture” but perhaps I was also being unclear.

The 2nd point is that, though we acknowledge the Bible as the basis for our belief, we must be careful not to over-simplify. I do not accept that my belief in the Bible stands unchecked by other evidence. Questions must be asked like, “Why do I believe in the Bible and not in another text?” and, “How does the Bible prove that it is the divine & inspired word of G-d?” Both of us have heard it professed that this is somehow a matter of individual faith and that, to these questions we cannot know an absolute answer. That may well be, but its clear to me that the Bible itself provides guidelines from which we can answer these questions. In my opinion, the New Testament (NT) clearly and frequently refers to the Old Testament (OT) for authority, and, within the OT, the Books of Wisdom & the Prophets refer to the Torah for authority. That is to say that we believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the messiah because the books of the Prophets demanded him to be, and the books of the Prophets expanded upon the principles of the Torah, which also pave the way.

It seems clear to me that you would agree with this, at least in principle. Your reference to Zach 6:12 (the Branch) is perhaps one of the best examples of evidence from the OT, and there are many others. Isa 53, for example, is amazing in its clarity; Psalm 110 talks about him in poetic terms; Daniel 9, especially starting in verse 24, gives a concrete timeline; and Isaiah 7:14 talks about him being born of a virgin.

Related to this is a second interesting point. You wrote “Matt 2:23- Jesus is a Nazarene fulfilling prophetic scripture, I Samuel 1:11, Numb 6:2, and Zach. 6:12- talks about Jesus the “BRANCH.”

Reply 2: Your statements are absolutely true. However, grouping Matt 2:23 together with I Sam 1:11 & Numbers 6:2 reflects a common misunderstanding. It’s significant too, because anti-missionaries often site this as evidence that either the authors of the NT were trying to stretch the truth, or over-zealous Christians try to make an association where there is none.

In I Sam 1:11, Samuel’s mother is promising to dedicate her 1st-born son to the priesthood if the L-rd would give her one. She promises that he will take a nazirite vow. You correctly connected this vow with the one spoken of in Numb 6:2.

There are actually several vows of this type. The most drastic is the one she promised for her son, its a lifetime vow in which the person could never in their life cut their hair, drink anything alcoholic, or consume anything made from the vine (including wine, grape juice, etc.). They also chose to adhere strictly to the laws of cleanliness that were prescribed in the Torah. The priest Samson (the guy caught messing around with Delilah) is another good example of someone taking this vow; I’m pretty sure John the Baptist also took it. There were similar vows that people took which didn’t last as long. A person could take the same vow for the period of a year or some concrete period of time, after which they would go to the temple, make some sacrifices, & cut their hair. Paul most likely took this same vow in Acts 18:18, and definitely took it, along with several of his colleagues in Acts 21:17-26. The later scripture is significant in its own right because it refutes those who think that Paul taught differently than the OT. He showed that, in fact, they followed every letter of it, including the laws of purity.

But I digress. The point is actually that this is different than the prophecy about a Nazarene. It’s an easy mistake because the 2 words sound the same, but Yeshua was a Nazarene, from the city of Nazareth; Samuel, Samson, & John took the nazirite vow.

So what’s the deal with the Nazarene? Anti-missionaries love to point out that this prophecy isn’t actually in the OT, but they’re stretching the truth. The city of Nazareth comes from the word “netzer” in Hebrew. Netzer means “branch.” So your last scripture is actually the key. Yeshua coming from the city called “Branchtown” is pretty significant, I think.

A cool thing about the Bible is that everything points to something else, so even if 1 point eludes us, another sends us in the same direction. Samuel wasn’t a symbol for Yeshua, he was a symbol for John. Both of them took the lifelong nazirite vow, both were born when their mother prayed about it in the Temple in their old age, and just as Samuel prepared the way for king David, John prepared the way for Yeshua, the “son of David.” Pretty cool I think.

I, personally, find this interesting because I don’t call myself a “Christian.” In my opinion, Christian is a loaded word. Yeshua and his students didn’t call themselves Christians, and the Christianity of today actually bears little resemblance to the faith that they followed. The NT does call them a sect of Jews called the “Nazarenes” though, meaning that they were followers of the one from Nazareth. I tend to call myself a Nazarene Jew too.

Regarding Zacharias serving in the temple, you site 3 very relevant scriptures, Luke 1:8-10, Ex 30:7-8, and Lev 16:17.

Reply 3: Luke was reportedly the most well-versed of the writers of the gospels, so we can imagine that he began his book with what he felt to be the most relevant information. Luke 1:1-4 are clearly introduction, so verse 5 is the first new information that we get; undoubtedly important. It says, “In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.” So here we have both John’s dad’s name, as well as his family name. Incidentally, it’s not insignificant that Elizabeth was “from the daughters of Aaron.” In ancient Israel there were 12 tribes (1 with 2 divisions, essentially making 13). The tribe of Levi was appointed as priests. In addition, the “sons“ of Aaron were appointed high priests. These were called the “Kohenin.” A person was considered to be Israelite if their mother was Israelite (the Jews, descendents of the tribe of Judah, still follow this principle). However, the High Priests were “sons of Aaron,” so their genealogy was transmitted paternally (thus the common Jewish name “Cohen” today). So to say that Zacharias was of the family of Abijah (one of the families of Aaron) and that his wife was also one of the daughters made him absolutely eligible for service in the temple (priests were required to marry within the Israelite community).

What makes me think Abijah was one of the families of Aaron you ask? Good question. As a background, Ex 28 and 29 explain that the Aaron and his sons should serve in the temple. A few highlights:

Ex 28:1- “You will bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.”

29: 4-8- “Lead Aaron and his sons up to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water…take the anointing oil and pour it on his heard and anoint him…gird both Aaron and his sons with sashes; and so they will have priesthood as their right for all time.”

29:43-46- “For there I will meet with you, and there I will speak with you, and there I will meet with the Israelites, and it will be sanctified by My Presence. I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests, I will abide among the Israelites, and I will be their G-d, and they will know that I the L-rd am their G-d who brought them out from the land of Egypt that I might abide with them, I the L-rd their G-d.”

But the answer is found very clearly in 1 Chronicles.

1 Chronicles 22-29- describes King David’s preparations for his son Solomon to build the Temple in Jerusalem. Chapter 23 talks about the “sons of Levi,” including a description of the Aaronites, and 24 lists the “divisions of the Aaronites.” Verses 1-6 of 24 give a good background, and verses 7 through 19 actually show the family names and their order. You’ll notice that Abijah was 8th out of 24. Verse 19 sums it up by saying, “According to this allocation of offices by tasks, they were to enter the House of the L-rd as was laid down for them by Aaron their father, as the L-rd G-d of Israel had commanded him.”

The Jewish calendar year is lunar-solar; it’s about 51 weeks long (every few years another month is added to keep it concurrent with the solar year, the Muslim calendar is purely lunar, so it slowly recedes with reference to our calendar (meaning Ramadan will come a little earlier next year, etc.)). There are two, eight day festival periods when everyone would have served, and three more 1 day festivals. That leaves 48 weeks for the individual families to have served, each of the 24 getting 2 weeks. In addition, the Jewish calendar has 2 New Years; 1 secular, and 1 religious. The secular falls on the day of Rosh Hoshanah in the fall. The religious falls exactly 6 months later, on the 1st day of the month of Abib in the spring (this is nice because all the festivals but 1 fall in these months, so they occur both at the beginning of the year, picturing renewal, and in the 7th month, picturing the fullness of the year). It would have been from the beginning of the religious calendar, or Abib, that they would have started counting. Abib basically coincides with the month of April. Last year it started, and this year it should start, near the beginning of April. On the 14th of Abib is Passover, followed by the 7 day Festival of Unleavened Bread. So the 1st family (Jehoiarib) would have served the 1st 14 days, followed by a break of 8 days when everyone served, and then the other families would have started. If you count 7 more families, each serving 2 weeks, from late April, it puts you at about the beginning of July; the time when Zacharias was serving in the Temple.

So you see, it makes it clear what family he was in, in Luke 1. Chronicles is clear about when that family served, and to those familiar with the Jewish calendar, its clear what time of year that would have been. In fact, the readers of Luke at the time would almost certainly have known all this. Life in Israel revolved around that calendar just as ours revolves around the Gregorian calendar.

So getting back to your 2 scriptures, you were “right on” about Ex 30:7-8. This was in fact part of the daily ceremony that was done by the sons of Aaron. There were many other responsibilities as well. Much of Leviticus, and especially chapters 1-7 describe them in detail.

You also say that Lev 16:17 “talks about the process of atonement that Zacharias was doing in Luke 1:8-10.” I see how the association was made, however, this is not technically accurate. Probably, you were reading Ex 30:7-8 about the alter of the incense, then read on to verse 10 where it said, “once a year Aaron will perform purification upon its horns with the blood of the sin offering of purification…” I have a feeling the margin directed you to Lev 16 which describes this purification ceremony. Specifically, verse 18 says, “he will go out to the altar that is before the L-rd and purge it: he will take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and apply it to each of the horns of the altar.” The association is correct. Lev 16:18 does describe the purification spoken of in Ex 30:10, but the daily incense and the purification of Lev 16:18 are 2 different things.

Lev 16 is explaining the activities that the High Priest must do on the day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Yom Kippur is the day when G-d’s people were to “make atonement for…all their sins once a year.” The symbolism of this day is important for believers, and, incidentally, a mistranslation in this chapter gives us the term “scapegoat.” However, the atonement done on this day, especially the sacrifices done within the “Holy of Holies” or “shrine behind the curtain” was not to be done by the “sons of Aaron,” they were to be done only by Aaron (16:3). This means that at the time of Yeshua and Zacharias, whereas there were whole families assigned to the Temple duties the rest of the year, only the High Priest was allowed to do these things, and then only once a year.

So, referring back to the discussion of Christmas, if we count from early July, the time when we said Zacharias was in the Temple, and count 9 months from there, we end up back in early April; Passover.

I see this as leaving the final 2 tasks. The 1st you discussed in your letter, the 2nd you eluded to; it builds upon the first premise.

1. That John was Elijah, likely born on Passover; and
2. That Yeshua was born near or on the festival of Succot.

Referring to the first, you site several good scriptures with good points. First, you quote Malachi 4:5 as saying “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord…” Then, Joel 2:31 “The sun shall be turned into darkness & the moon into blood, before the great & the terrible day of the Lord come.” You follow with “Thus, Elijah comes NOT necessarily before Christ born but at Christ’s 2nd coming.”

At the end of your letter, you add John 1:23-25 “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the L-rd, as said the prophet Esaias (Isaiah)… [they said] why baptized thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias (Elijah), neither that prophet?” You comment, “Thus John has the power of Elias & in the same spirit of Elias foretells Jesus’ ministry but not Elias.”

Reply 4: Yes, yes, yes, and no. J J J The first 2 scriptures are important and they’re clearly talking about the same day, but lets save that for last. I think we have 2 steps to make first.

1. We should recognize some general principles about biblical prophecy and symbolism.
Prophecies have several levels of fulfillment in time.
Beyond the aspect of time, biblical texts have at least 4 layers of meaning. Jewish commentators typically assign titles to these layers. They are:

Peshat- literal meaning
Remez- allegorical meaning in which there is cross-reference to other texts. This is the rational or philosophical level
Derash- moral meaning
Sod- mystical meaning

2. We need to establish who this Elijah guy was as well as his relationship to John (and I hope to finish it by midnightJ ).

1. Biblical prophecies generally had at least 3 layers of fulfillment. Basically, prophecies describe past, present, and future events in parallel. I say at least, because they often do this for different peoples at different times, leading to multiple present and past fulfillments. In fact, at just about any point in the Bible, we find that those described are in some way fulfilling prophecies written of before, so that they begin to form an intricate web of ideas that radiate from each other (kind of like studying medicine, I think. Studying neuro may, for example describing meningitis, which leads us to understand ideas in micro, which have pharmacological applications, and on and on for frickin’ ever!). This is part, I think, of the Remez meaning, or philosophical understanding, when it was written in Eccles. 1:9 “Only that will happen which has happened, only that occur which has occurred; there is nothing new under the sun.” That is to say, all things present direct us back to an event in the past, while at the same time prophesying about some thing to come.

One example comes immediately to mind, that is the association of the High Priest Melchizedek with the Aaron and the Levitical priesthood, with Yeshua, who we expect to see sitting on the throne with his people as priests in the future.

Melchizedek is mentioned only twice in the OT, first in Gen 14:18, and again, poetically, in Psalms 110:4. Still, we find a long, complex discussion of him and his prophetic role in Heb 5-7. Hebrews begins a long discussion of the priesthood, basically in chapter 3. Then, in chapter 5:1-10, the author Paul makes an interesting connection between this Melchizedek character and Aaron, and finally, Christ himself. In case we were confused about the association before, Paul adds to it with an even more detailed analysis starting in chapter 6:13 and going well through chapter 8. It’s clearly more than we want to get into, but the crux of the association is made clear in vs. 14-17, “For its is evident that our L-rd was descended from Judah…and this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek…for it is witnessed ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” And again in chapter 8:1, “Now the main point in what has been said: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, not man…[the priests] serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.”

This all culminates throughout the book of Revelation. A few examples:

Rev 1:5-6- “and from Yeshua the Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and released us from our sins by his blood, and he has made us a kingdom of priests to his G-d and father…”

Rev 7:13-17- “And one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?’ And I said to him, ‘My lord, you know.’ And he said to my, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of G-d; and they serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They will hunger no more…for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and G-d will wipe every tear from their eyes.’”

This theme goes on throughout the book. What I’m trying to show here is an example of how 1 event points to the next, and that to the next. Just looking through Revelation to find these scriptures, I saw several other examples; the woman being the congregation of believers is a striking one, found in dozens of places throughout the Bible. Even within the verses sites, we find the image of a lamb. This refers back to the lambs sacrificed at the time of Yeshua’s death, to the fact that King David was himself a shepard, to the lambs of the Passover before the Exodus from Egypt, and even to the lamb sacrificed by Abel in Genesis.

None of these symbols necessarily mean that the person is that thing which is referred to, but that he/she/it is the current reflection of the thing which came before.

Which leads me to point #2. Every event in the Bible reflects several layers of meaning within itself. In Judaism, for example, they define it concretely according to a fourfold method of textual interpretation [hermeneutics]. The four levels of interpretation are:

Peshat- literal meaning
Remez- allegorical meaning in which there is cross-reference to other texts. This is the rational or philosophical level
Derash- moral meaning
Sod- mystical meaning

Often within the Bible, we find an author writing predominatly in one level or another. Usually, however, the text gives hints of other meanings. Yeshua’s parables, for example, were filled with these types of understanding. They often told a real-life story (Peshat), with a clear moral lesson (Derash). Once we compare them with other passages in the Bible, or even with other authors of his time, we find even more meaning (Remez); and the mystical meaning (Sod) can be deciphered by whomever is given the understanding.

Christian interpreters don’t generally use such specific definitions in their interpretation, but the same general understanding is there. In fact, the fact that Christian theology is not often specific about the different layers of meaning in Biblical writing leads to many misinterpretations and oversimplifications of the meanings found within the Bible. In any case, whether one choses to accept defined levels of meaning or not, is not important, what is important is the realization that oftentimes more than one interpretation and level of meaning is present. That is to say, often, some would say always, a passage in the Bible has multiple interpretations. These interpretations were either intended by the author, or placed there divinely by G-d.

I’ll go into it in a couple of paragraphs, but the point of all this is to say that, when we read passages about something as complex as the role of Elijah the prophet and his relationship with John, we should be careful not to oversimplify. We must keep our eyes open for 2nd and 3rd levels of meaning in time, as well as within the text itself.

So who was Elijah, and what was his relationship to John? Here are the most relevant scriptures (I’ve excluded the parallel references to the same stories in the Gospels):

I Kings 17-21 & II Kings 1-2:18- Here we find the story of Elijah. It’s actually quite interesting.

Malachi 3:1-end- This section is a prophecy about the messenger who will prepare the way for the L-rd. It’s important to note that it is written about him that he will ”purify the descendants of Levi… so that they will present offerings in righteousness.” It seems clear that this hasn’t happened yet.

Matt 11:7-19- Yeshua specifically calls John Elijah, “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’…for all the prophets and the law (Torah) prophesied until John. And if you care to accept, he himself is Elijah, who was to come.”

Matt 17:1-13- Moses and Elijah appear with and hold a conversation with Yeshua. Afterward, it’s written, “Yeshua commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’ And his disciples asked him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ And he answered and said, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.”

Mark 1:1-8- Mark shows that John was the one sent to prepare the way for Yeshua.

Mark 6:14-29- This is the story of Herod having John’s head cut off and put on a plate. Here too people say, “[He is] Elijah.”

Luke 1:13-17- Here is the end of the story of John’s birth. It’s written, “And it is he who will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the L-rd.”

John 1:19-28- In this passage, priests and Levites ask John directly if he is Elijah. He says no, but then responds that he is the “voice of one crying in the wilderness.”

What seems interesting to me is that this scripture list seems incomplete; it has no real beginning or end. The story of Elijah in 1 & 2 Kings is interesting, but it offers little to foreshadow his prophetic role. Only his death (or rather, lack thereof) points to something more than “just” a prophet. In addition, if John was Elijah, as Yeshua said he was, then why didn’t he fulfill the rest of the things ascribed to Elijah?

It’s also clear that everyone at the time associated John with Elijah. Why didn't he say as much himself? The answer seems to be that he was only one manifestation of Elijah. He was not the same man that had been written about in the OT, and he was not the same man that is expected to come "in the last day." This refers back to the idea aove, that each event in the Bible has several manifestations in time.

So why should we have expected Elijah to come at the time of john? That is, why is it logical to conclude that John could be Elijah even though he didn't actually do the things expected of Elijah?...

maybe I'll finish this someday...

eto dla tebya!

2004-06-02T08:26:00.000-04:00

Просто мысли...
Вот уже утро, еще один день без тебя. Солнце застенчево заглядывает в мое окно. Что ты сейчас делаешь? Еще спишь, а может ты только что открыл глаза и улыбнулся новому дню. Солнце сегодня не постоянно, но тепло еще будет, его будет достаточно много. Но как бы много его небыло, мне все равно холодно и грустно без тебя. Мне очень одиноко и неуютно. На улице весна и мне так хочется найти или встретить тебя, того кому скажу: люблю тебя! Ведь сейчас весна, 3 весна нашей любви. И кому мне подарить это все? Весенний город, уютный, умиротворенный, это море бесстрашно борющееся за лето, но прикрасно понимающее что нужно ждать.. ведь у нас все еще в переди! И кто-то когда-то сказал: если ты потерял деньги, ты не потерял ничего, если ты потерял друга, ты потерял полжизни, если ты потерял надежду, ты потерял все! Нет. Надежда на нашу встречу живет и будет жить во мне до тех пор, пока живу я. Но почему ты не рядом? Где ты сейчас? О чем ты думаешь? Мне грустно, я никому не могу подарить все это. Как мне хотелось бы любить тебя, того кто любит меня! А если меня никто не любит? Я хотела бы любить тебя все равно, чтобы заслужить твою любовь. Чтобы радостью стало ожидание встречи со мной и счастьем меня обретение.......................

kisya, I'm so happy that you are alive!

2004-05-24T15:34:00.000-04:00

tem bolee you've got some theories comming into your head, so that means you're doing well. i've got an idea about what you were saying pro questions kotorie prihodyat with an information. smotri, ya vspomnila an example from phylosophy course: . eto point, tochka, eto kakie-to personal knowledges, takoy mind celoveka kotoriy nicego ne znaet ili znaet no malo, kotoriy ne hocet nicego znat to be exact. znacit to, cto on znaet i to, s cem eti znaniya prihodat come into contact, enough for him to answer all his questions and to solve all his problems.
tak, a teper smotri what's going on with us, u nas eti znaniya about O (eto ne zero!!)this big, da ili daze bigger, tak cto the circumference comes into contact with more reality and general knowledges, and as a consequence, it seemes like we don't understand whats going on around, and we're having a hard time answering our questions which are come into our mind ili ponimaem, no malo....
tak, tak, i guess, my theory is more complicated to comprehence then your, sama kazetsa zaputalas, tak cto ne bud surprised esli nicego ne poymesh zdes! a ya dumayu poymesh, ili pocustvuesh.
u menya segodnya bil big day, ya sdelala cto-to, cto dolzna bila sdelat long time ago, kazetsa. rasskazu tebe potom!

Last day before exam(s)...

2004-05-24T09:47:00.000-04:00

Whats the difference between "light" reading and studying anyway? It seems all psychological. I can sit for hours, enthralled by The Economist, but hardly last an hour reading Robbin's Pathology. I can lose a whole night browsing through internet news sites, but my head seems to spin after a short time infront of Pathology powerpoints.
So taking the anxiety out of the experience should be the solution right? But when I start with the "just browsing through my lectures" mindset, I end up falling asleep and/or not retaining any of the information... so what to do.
I think it must be a positive cycle. The answer is to spend more and more anxiety-free time in front of the subject -just like I spend hours in front of the Economist. The more my mind is filled with information about medicine, the more questions it will ask; I'll have a larger mental database of information to relate back to.
Thats the theory anyway. Back to the books, I'll tell you if it works in 20 years or so...

getting close to test time.

2004-05-21T15:06:00.000-04:00

Today I'm starting to bear down for exams coming up this tuesday. I only have Path to study for, but I still have a long way to go before I'm ready. In my HHT research project, I saw the little boy's mother about his case again today. She reported to me that he had an episode of food induced vomitting which was followed by another episode of vomitting with bile and dried blood. This was followed again by bloody diarrhea. They attributed the event to trauma related to the first vomitous, which seems to me to be a likely explaination anyway. I tend to disagree though.
Tonight I'm going to have a nice dinner and a glass of wine. I'll read some more in Isaiah and hope to add a "blog" with my review. I'm encouraged by what I'm finding. Tomorrow morning I call Anya early and then I'll probably go to the SDA church and then try to find "Buck" about getting a banjo from him.
...more to come:)

HHT screening etc...

2004-05-20T23:24:00.000-04:00

Today I saw a little boy's mother about him having HHT. The boy is from Holland, but I don't know where their extended family is from, and anyway, it doesn't exclude them from my research anyway. I think he has it and it seems that the family has seen a doctor about it before in Holland and they are also under the impression that it's hereditary. Tomorrow I'm going to see the mother again at 12:00 and get more information out of her. Including the boy, I count 7 candidates for HHT in 3 families. I've informed a mother and daughter that I want to get blood tests, I hope to inform the others after I see the mother tomorrow. Tonight I'm calling my brother about sending blood samples to his genetics lab. I talked to my dad tonight and he says he's also going to see if there are any labs in the area that do that kind of test. I still should go to the Lion's Club and screen the older men for the disease; I'm encouraged that HHT is on the island and I would be very suprised if I've already found all the likely candidates. I'll talk to some people in Windwardside about that maybe this evening.
I talked to Dr. Schnabel about starting a Melatonin research project too. I don't know, maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew, but it seems that it's a good and relatively simple project to do too. As long as I do well in my classes, I don't see why it wouldn't be worth doing too. And, as long as I'm in the research mind-set, why not?
I want to go see "Buck" or whatever his name is about getting one of those little banjos that he makes and taking lessons from him. That's the other thing that I think is well worth the time it'll take to do. The banjos that he makes are so small and unique, that it'll make the perfect interesting little portable instrument. It'll also reinvigourate that part of me that still wants to create.

friday night just sitting around...

2004-05-08T01:20:00.000-04:00

There's a party going on down the street; I can hear the music from my window; but I have no intention of going. For some reason, I really have no desire to see the hoards of people, drunk and dancing and talking excitedly to a mass of friends they spent the whole week with. I suppose the drinking would be fun; but the hangovers are so much worse these days. Just now, outside the window, I heard, "Scott, what are you doing; come swing-dance." I don't know that girl too well, and I doubt they're playing swing music :)
Anyway, I'm supposed to call Anya in an hour & 1/2. I'll find something to do to stay up until then. :)

just a quick note b4 the weekend...

2004-05-07T17:21:00.000-04:00

I'm going running with Josylin in a few minutes, then I'm going to dinner with Trusha and some girls, and then I'm going to the back 2 school party at Scott, Hari, and Chad's place just up the street. I had a relatively productive week, especially the last couple of days, and I'm not behind in my classes. I enjoy listening in these classes, and find it a pleasant challenge to find ways to keep myself engaged. It feels like my understanding of the basic sciences is about to come together. I should go; I need to get changed and put on my contacts. Things are going well...

Thursday: Grocery day

2004-05-06T16:22:00.000-04:00

Today the ship came in with our supplies of fruits and veges for the week. I got my usual rations of tomatos, and green peppers. I forgot the cucumbers though and got potatoes instead. I'm making a concerted effort to get back to the library and study this evening; the last 2 days have been a disaster as far as studying after school is concerned. I'm really starting to get into a groove as far as listening in these classes is concerned though. I should go; I'm due to call Anya back and I want to go running before I go to the library.

My house on the Saba cliff and the airport

just wanted to try adding a couple of things...

2004-05-05T18:33:00.000-04:00

I wanted to try adding a picture of Anya:

... and a link to my web page:
www.geocities.com/merrittsse/braincharts77.htm

1st day of 4th semester

2004-05-05T18:11:00.000-04:00

Today I started Path 1, and sat in on Path 2 and Kaplan review. I'm excited about the prospects for this semester but a little indecisive about how to organize my time for the semester. If I just go to Path 1, I can be done with classes in the morning and have the rest of the day in the library to study; if I go to both other classes and listen in, I'll have an excellent preview of next semester's material. I suppose the latter is the thing to do, considering that i can still skip the last 2 classes the week before the exam and I'll still only have 1 class to study for. I expect to do very well this semester!!!

I think I was in love with Anya before I went to Germany these last 2 weeks, but if I wasn't before, I DEFINATELY am now. She's better than me, yet I feel like there's still so much I can offer her. We seem to be drawing closer to understanding and (perhaps even more importantly) agreeing with each other's opinions and perspectives. I still have to work harder on expressing value for her feelings and opinions. Now that I think about it, I know that I made light of her pet likes on a couple of occasions while we were together. She didn't really do that to me; I ought not do it to her.

2004-05-04T17:28:00.000-04:00

Today I arrived back in Saba from my trip to see Anya. I arrived a little too late to go to Path 1 in the morning, and the other class i'm just sitting in on, so I decided to sit out the day and go tomorrow. I talked to Anya a few minutes ago, and was about to go running when it started raining. I hope it'll stop soon and dry up a little so I can go anyway. Tomorrow I hope to get everything back in full gear; I'm really hopefull about this next coming semester and beyond.