Saturday, April 01, 2006
Friday, March 31, 2006
Power of Prayer Study Results
From todays Seattle Times:
Praying for a sick heart patient may feel right to people of faith, but it doesn't appear to improve the patient's health, according to a new study that is the largest ever done on the healing powers of prayer.
Indeed, researchers at the Harvard Medical School and five other U.S. medical centers found, to their bewilderment, that coronary-bypass patients who knew strangers were praying for them fared significantly worse than people who got no prayers. The team speculated that telling patients about the prayers may have caused "performance anxiety," or perhaps a fear that doctors expected the worst.
The prayers were Roman Catholic monks or believers of other Christian denomination. The prayers were given the prayee's first names and last initials.
The prayees were over 1800 heart patients dividend into three groups:
Group 1: prayed for but not told
Group 2: not prayed for and not told they were not prayed for
Group 3: prayed for and told they were being prayed for (My G_d! Am I so ill that I have to be prayed for?)
This was a really useless scientific study that cost 2.4 million dollars (paid for by the John Templeton Foundation) and took 10 years to complete. You have to ask yourself a few questions. First, can religion be studied scientifically? Is G_d our instrument to try and influence by prayer? G_d works in mysterious ways...maybe the study was successful and the proper outcomes were not measured. Maybe there was a group on evil persons praying that the patients would not be affected by prayer. Maybe they should have had non-Christian groups praying as well. Where was the negative control. Shouldn't there have been a group that was told people were rooting against their recovery? Stupid waste of money.
UPDATE: Good analysis of this work here.
Praying for a sick heart patient may feel right to people of faith, but it doesn't appear to improve the patient's health, according to a new study that is the largest ever done on the healing powers of prayer.
Indeed, researchers at the Harvard Medical School and five other U.S. medical centers found, to their bewilderment, that coronary-bypass patients who knew strangers were praying for them fared significantly worse than people who got no prayers. The team speculated that telling patients about the prayers may have caused "performance anxiety," or perhaps a fear that doctors expected the worst.
The prayers were Roman Catholic monks or believers of other Christian denomination. The prayers were given the prayee's first names and last initials.
The prayees were over 1800 heart patients dividend into three groups:
Group 1: prayed for but not told
Group 2: not prayed for and not told they were not prayed for
Group 3: prayed for and told they were being prayed for (My G_d! Am I so ill that I have to be prayed for?)
This was a really useless scientific study that cost 2.4 million dollars (paid for by the John Templeton Foundation) and took 10 years to complete. You have to ask yourself a few questions. First, can religion be studied scientifically? Is G_d our instrument to try and influence by prayer? G_d works in mysterious ways...maybe the study was successful and the proper outcomes were not measured. Maybe there was a group on evil persons praying that the patients would not be affected by prayer. Maybe they should have had non-Christian groups praying as well. Where was the negative control. Shouldn't there have been a group that was told people were rooting against their recovery? Stupid waste of money.
UPDATE: Good analysis of this work here.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Vaffanculo!
UPDATE: The photographer that took this picture and then gave it to the Boston Herald has been fired by the Archdiocese of Boston.
Vaffanculo! Pilot Editor Antonio Enrique.
Really Cool Video - Live Worms in Colon
Go here and click on 'view video'. You will see the pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis) writhing around in a human colon.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
New York 'Minutemen' Protecting Our Borders
We have a NY chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp to protect the NY homeland. The 'Minutemen' are a 'hyper-patriotic' group made up of good law abiding citizens that want the law to be enforced. GW Bush did request that we all keep our eyes and hears open! My gut feeling is that they are also made up of bigots and racists with a vigilante mentality.
They really hate Hillary Clinton, after all she is the source of all U.S. troubles:
NY STATE HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY A SENATOR WHO NEVER EVEN LIVED HERE. SHE RODE HER HUSBAND'S COATTAILS TO GET HERE AND NOW SHE IS SELLING OUT NOT ONLY THE STATE BUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY. IF THIS DOESN'T PUT YOU ON THE BORDER TO PROTEST NOTHING WILL. THE NY MINUTEMEN NEED THE HELP OF FELLOW PATRIOTS FROM AROUND THIS GREAT NATION TO STAND WITH US AT THE BORDER. WITH ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION WE WILL BE GETTING WE WILL NEED A STRONG PRESENCE TO SHOW THAT HILLARY HAS NO CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS. HELP US SAVE NY STATE, HELP US SAVE THE NORTHEAST.
Starting April 1st you can join (BYOB) Minutemen like these at the NY-Canada border:
The New York Minutemen are announcing their Northern Border Operation starting Saturday, April 1st. In October we had participants from 3 northern states. Lets break that number! Both the Border Patrol and the NY State Police have confirmed to the NY Minutemen that the situation at the northern border is worse then what is being reported. We need the help of some dedicated Minutemen from across the country. Length of this operation will be determined by participation.
The Minuteman National blog can be found here. Be to visit and read some of the comments these good, patriotic Americans have written about our government.
A sample of comments:
REID AND CLINTON WERE BOTH PARTIAL BIRTH VICTIMS, HAD THEIR BRAINS SUCKED OUT, BUT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SURVIVE. IDIOTS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!
one more captins mast of swiftboatvets, These immigrants want all of the privileges of American life, but don’t want to do anything for this country. If they want of come here, they should have to put their lives on the line just as our ancestors did.
Its time for an end to multiculturalism in this country , Its time for people to either be American or get the hell out , we don't need mex Americans or African Americans , just American , If you want to be something else , get the hell out
I hate them. They have sold us out to Mexico. The history books will write about the dishinest senate in the year of 2006.They will write later about how the Minutemen came back from the ashes of history and stomped their lying asses out!
The Whores in Washington will do nothing.
The illegal marches in big cities is nothing more than anarchy, and a massive illegal foreign invasion, along with the useful idiot enabler school kids supporting them. The lead is going to start flying before long and we are going to be in a civil war to protect what's rightfully ours!
Dear Congress and Senate, Get the no good lazy people sitting on their ass's and colecting "welfare" off their buts and to work each day like the rest of us.... dumb ass liars and crooks and claim to have sworn on a bible to serve and protect,,, how in the hell they stand the mirror each day is a unknown to me.
UPDATE: See the kinds of people these types of movements attract here.
They really hate Hillary Clinton, after all she is the source of all U.S. troubles:
NY STATE HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY A SENATOR WHO NEVER EVEN LIVED HERE. SHE RODE HER HUSBAND'S COATTAILS TO GET HERE AND NOW SHE IS SELLING OUT NOT ONLY THE STATE BUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY. IF THIS DOESN'T PUT YOU ON THE BORDER TO PROTEST NOTHING WILL. THE NY MINUTEMEN NEED THE HELP OF FELLOW PATRIOTS FROM AROUND THIS GREAT NATION TO STAND WITH US AT THE BORDER. WITH ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION WE WILL BE GETTING WE WILL NEED A STRONG PRESENCE TO SHOW THAT HILLARY HAS NO CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS. HELP US SAVE NY STATE, HELP US SAVE THE NORTHEAST.
Starting April 1st you can join (BYOB) Minutemen like these at the NY-Canada border:
The New York Minutemen are announcing their Northern Border Operation starting Saturday, April 1st. In October we had participants from 3 northern states. Lets break that number! Both the Border Patrol and the NY State Police have confirmed to the NY Minutemen that the situation at the northern border is worse then what is being reported. We need the help of some dedicated Minutemen from across the country. Length of this operation will be determined by participation.
The Minuteman National blog can be found here. Be to visit and read some of the comments these good, patriotic Americans have written about our government.
A sample of comments:
REID AND CLINTON WERE BOTH PARTIAL BIRTH VICTIMS, HAD THEIR BRAINS SUCKED OUT, BUT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SURVIVE. IDIOTS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!
one more captins mast of swiftboatvets, These immigrants want all of the privileges of American life, but don’t want to do anything for this country. If they want of come here, they should have to put their lives on the line just as our ancestors did.
Its time for an end to multiculturalism in this country , Its time for people to either be American or get the hell out , we don't need mex Americans or African Americans , just American , If you want to be something else , get the hell out
I hate them. They have sold us out to Mexico. The history books will write about the dishinest senate in the year of 2006.They will write later about how the Minutemen came back from the ashes of history and stomped their lying asses out!
The Whores in Washington will do nothing.
The illegal marches in big cities is nothing more than anarchy, and a massive illegal foreign invasion, along with the useful idiot enabler school kids supporting them. The lead is going to start flying before long and we are going to be in a civil war to protect what's rightfully ours!
Dear Congress and Senate, Get the no good lazy people sitting on their ass's and colecting "welfare" off their buts and to work each day like the rest of us.... dumb ass liars and crooks and claim to have sworn on a bible to serve and protect,,, how in the hell they stand the mirror each day is a unknown to me.
UPDATE: See the kinds of people these types of movements attract here.
Direct to Consumer Drug Advertising
Those drug advertisements on tv and in magazines have always bothered me for a couple of reasons. First of all, the drug companies actually spend more money advertising their new drugs than they do on drug research and development. Second, the commercials give an impression that drugs are the first line of defense in fighting disease rather than a healthy lifestyle. Now there is an article in PLoS Medicine questioning how wise it was of our government to allow 'Direct to consumer drug advertising. Did you know that only the USA and New Zealand allow DTCA? And, that New Zealand is considering resinding the law?
From PLoS Medicine:
DTCA is limited to drugs that are profitable to advertise: mostly expensive, new drugs for long-term use for common indications. Such advertising increases premature rapid uptake and overuse of new drugs before flaws, including safety problems, have been discovered and communicated to health professionals [21,23,24]. Many new drugs are inferior to older treatments, and over two-thirds are no better but are often more expensive [25]. Increased use of new drugs stimulated by DTCA can lead to adverse events directly (for example, cardiovascular events associated with COX-2 selective inhibitors, which were heavily advertised to the US public) [23,26,27] or indirectly, by diverting resources from more cost-effective interventions.
Read more about DTCA here.
From PLoS Medicine:
DTCA is limited to drugs that are profitable to advertise: mostly expensive, new drugs for long-term use for common indications. Such advertising increases premature rapid uptake and overuse of new drugs before flaws, including safety problems, have been discovered and communicated to health professionals [21,23,24]. Many new drugs are inferior to older treatments, and over two-thirds are no better but are often more expensive [25]. Increased use of new drugs stimulated by DTCA can lead to adverse events directly (for example, cardiovascular events associated with COX-2 selective inhibitors, which were heavily advertised to the US public) [23,26,27] or indirectly, by diverting resources from more cost-effective interventions.
Read more about DTCA here.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise Website
Check out the new ADE website, they've gone from nothing to everything. I don't really see how they could improve it. A really great job!
Monday, March 27, 2006
Tom Delay - Unarmed
Tom Delay's license to carry a concealed handgun has been suspended. I never realized that Tom Delay's middle name was Dale.
Reminds me of another 'Dale' who lives in Texas and is a bug exterminator.
Picture from http://www.wvah.com/programs/kingofthehill/dalegribble.jpg
Bible Quiz
Go here, click on bible quiz on the left side and take the Old Testament or New Testament quiz. I'm pretty sure you won't do so well on these tests, but you will end up wondering if the authors of the Hebrew and Christian bibles were on acid or something.
Adirondack On Track Partnership Formed
This is very good news. A lobbying group has quickly been formed whose purpose is to raise $20 million for renovation of the train line that runs between Utica and Lake Placid. Parts of the line are already successfully operated by Adirondack Scenic Railroad. Operating a tourist train over the entire 141 miles would open a world of possibilities. Wouldn't it be great to have a recreation trail built along the entire 141 miles as well? Links to photos, history and other websites concerning this stretch of rail can be found here.
If you are a real Adirondack railroad 'buff' visit this website.
If you are a real Adirondack railroad 'buff' visit this website.
Who is a Liar?
I saw this picture at americablog and alot more sort of like it can be found at BushSpeaks.com. I think it's a good general use picture for many situations.
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