Monday, May 30, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Music as anesthetic
According to a new study, listening to music when you go under the surgical knife can significantly reduce your need for sedation. Anesthesiologists at the Yale School of Medicine ran a study that included 90 patients undergoing "urological procedures with spinal anesthesia and patient-controlled IV propofol sadation." From a press release about the paper, published in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia:
The subjects wore headphones and were randomly assigned to hear music they liked, white noise or to wear no headphones and be exposed to operating room noise. Dropping a surgical instrument into a bowl in the operating room can produce noise levels of up to 80 decibels, which is considered very loud to uncomfortably loud.Link and Link to scientific paper abstract
What they found is that blocking the sounds of the operating room with white noise did not decrease sedative requirements of listening to operating room sounds. Playing music did reduce the need for sedatives during surgery.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Soul Mates?
I’ve been thinking heavily about the question of "Is there something intrinsically different about some relationships on a teleological level?" The Readers Digest version: "Are there soul mates?" People who are just better together than another combination of two people; that function synergistically or something so that they seem to “fit” one another?
Second question would be something like “if there is an intrinsic difference, is that enough to base a marriage on?” I am asking if there IS something special about certain relationships, is that a quality that assists/facilitates/helps marriage (it could be God given). Could this be a way fro God to point out that you should marry and this is the person He’s set before you? Is there such a placement? It seems like it’s the Calvinist view; “Are you predestined to be with someone?” Maybe it’s more just has God made someone that is THE BEST compliment for your uniqueness. But still if such a sympathetic quality existed in a relationship... is that enough of a justification for making it a permanent relationship? Personally, I don't know about the first question, if it exists.
The second I don’t think its justification unless God purposefully intends for you to marry that person, which I would tend to say only He knows (though He may and does reveal it), but that is a line of questioning that will take a great deal more time to figure out.
Oh, the Hilarity of Subterfuge in the Blogsphere...
Wow, the unseen consequences of that action are going to come back and bite someone in the butt. But what are someones motives for doing something like sign someone else up for a whole bunch of e-mail lists. So its an annoyance, but isn't a very effective way of actually changing someone's mind on an issue. If anything it just galvanizes them against it. Yet another instance of irresponsible ignorance.
To the unimaginative troll By: krempasky · Section: Democrats
Specifically, the one taking so much time to sign RedState up for all the lefty mailing lists: you're not as smart as you think you are - and you're only going to hurt the ones you love.Here's why: we're not legitimately subscribing to all these lists. So, of course, we'll ask to be unsubscribed. The first organization or cause that fails to honor those subscriptions (and most of them don't do it very well) will offer the perfect opportunity to test out the CAN-SPAM act. Many thanks.
Monday, May 23, 2005
I'm a gimp...
So in a twist of dramatic irony, I have been humbled physically. “Why is this ironic?” one may ask? Because during spring break I spent the entire time in
The short version of the story is that I was getting out of Scott's pool and there was a tile that stuck out about 3/4 inch. As I swung my left leg up, it cut me about a 1.5 inch laceration about .5 in wide and .5 inch deep. Didn't hurt really, I just saw red stuff (you know, blood) in a pretty sizable hole and reacted with direct pressure (My medic sense was tingling you know!), threw some gauze on it, taped it up and headed for an Urgent Care/ER. Well all the after hours clinics I knew of were closed,
On an upside, this could give me preferential seating on the flight, though it may not which would really suck. It is going to put a damper on the first 5 days of
Anyway... I have the rest for the week to pack up my room, put it in storage and prep for
I will probably be switching personal posts over to another Blog, so that people who like my ideas can read this and people who want to know what’s going on with me personally can read "The Start of an Epic" though I am still working out the kinks out of the comments and such...
And that’s all I have to say about that.
So... Biola is frustrating...
Sunday, May 22, 2005
What happens when you cross a scape goat with a witch hunt?
AI Playground writes "Slyck News reports on the MPAA's press release (.doc) blaming the BitTorrent protocol for the leak of Episode III. MPAA President and CEO Dan Glickman: 'There is no better example of how theft dims the magic of the movies for everyone than this report today regarding BitTorrent providing users with illegal copies of Revenge of the Sith. The unfortunate fact is this type of theft happens on a regular basis on peer to peer networks all over the world.'"
I don't know if it is the direct reference of BitTorrent in a negative manner or the seeming lack of distinction between programs and users that disturbs me more. It's like the same old gun company-reponsible-fo- the-actions-of-an-individual-user debate, transcribed to another industry. When will people take responsibility or make others responsible for their actions instead of passing the buck to companies that make things or provide serivces that may be missused?
Curtis asked...
1034 Songs, 3 days, 3.54 Gb Totoal Volume
The last CD I bought?
Glenn Miller Orchestra Swing Time
Song playing right now?
Celebrate Mistakes by Number One Gun
Five songs I listen to a lot or mean a lot to me (in no particular order)?
I'm not a repeatitave listener... Though my "Party Shuffle" is all Christian of various genres.
Which five people are you passing this baton to, and why?
Emily- cause she reads this and cares about music right now.
The next four people who read my blog, which I don't really know because of the switch from Xanga to Blogger.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
The Situation as it stands...
99.9% chance I will not be at Biola next year. I am still in Torrey but with the tacit understanding that I will take a year off to "find my self" where it doesn't cost $26k a year! I have the option of dropping Torrey and continuing at Biola, but this doesnt appeal to me.
Option 1:
I will seek some form of employment, buy my own health insurance and pay off some student loans and make some purchases from my wish list (in no particular order) like this, this, this, this and this.
1A. Living at or near home would put me closer to Mom, Dad, and Amanda. Cost of living is substantially cheaper (Idea of Housing Cost,though this might work!). Downside: Leave community that I have established here at Biola. I would be able to make ends meet for about minimum wage. (Budget with round numbers)
1B. Stay here in La Mirada or the surrounding area. Cost of living higher (Idea of Housing Cost, This might work). Maintain participation and support the Biola Community. Would have to make nearly $11/hour to make ends meet.
Option 2:
Sign an active duty Army contract for three years. I would be able to get farther on the wish list(Active duty E-4 makes about $1695.60/mo with housing and rations) and get added benifits for college (Active duty GI Bill is nearly $25k)
Option 3
Volunteer for deployment with the Reserves. Money is the same as active duty. There is no gaurentee where I would go, but possibly Germany with the rest of the 328th CSH.
Any other Ideas are welcomed.
(Below is a tenative budget, feel free to comment if figures seem wrong)
| Nor Cal | ||
| Item | Per month | Cost |
| Rent | 425 | 5100 |
| Food | 200 | 2400 |
| Insurance | 85 | 1020 |
| Car Payment | 350 | 4200 |
| Utilities | 120 | 1440 |
| Total Gross income needed | 14160 | |
| Work year in Hours (50wks@40hrs/week) | $/hour needed to meed budget | |
| 2000 | 7.08 | |
| So Cal | ||
| Item | Per month | Cost |
| Rent | 795 | 9540 |
| Food | 250 | 3000 |
| Insurance | 85 | 1020 |
| Car Payment | 350 | 4200 |
| Utilities | 200 | 2400 |
| Total Gross income needed | 20160 | |
| Work year in Hours (50wks@40hrs/week) | $/hour needed to meed budget | |
| 2000 | 10.08 | |
Friday, May 20, 2005
Medics Fill Care Void in Iraq Towns
From Military.comRead it! It's a decent article about the medical mission in Iraq and how much we are actually helping there!
May 20, 2005
By Sandra Jontz
Stars and Stripes Mideast editionSKHARTIAT, Iraq — Wish as he might, Capt. Jon Christensen can't cure them all. But if nothing else, he can help alleviate their discomfort.
Time and again, the 36-year-old physician's assistant and his crew of medics from 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division visit impoverished towns and villages that pepper Ninevah Province to bring medical supplies and knowledge that, if even for a short time, dissolve the aches of arthritis, burden of birth defects, hurt of heart disease.
My new favorite web application
Bloglines.com!
Possibly the single greatest blog site I have ever seen! Using it in combination with a premade template from Blogger.Templates gives me a great look, awsome blog rolling as well as a free web-based aggregator! It is so flippin' Sweet!
If your still on Xanga... Shame on you! Come into the Light!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
What happened to the idea of an "All Volunteer Force?"
"The resolution states, in part, 'There are many reasons why Garfield parents, teachers and students might object to military recruiting on campus. Not all of us agree on every issue. Whether it is because of a desire to protect young students from the life-and-death decision that military service presents, objection to the current war in Iraq, fear that recruiters may not present a realistic picture of military life or disagreement with policies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, we do agree that public schools are not a place for military recruiters.'”This all should be prefaced with the understanding that
"Garfield’s PTSA voted to oppose an invasion of Iraq in the fall of 2002, under the belief that the war would be a threat both to the well-being of students who may be called to fight in it, as well as a threat to the funding security of public education."That being said I will address the 2002 resolution first. While I admire their tenacity, their pursuit of their mission to “To promote the welfare of children and youth in the schools" is overstepped by the opposition of other governmental decisions outside of the purview of education. If the members of the Garfield PTSA wish to lobby on a military issue, I would encourage them to do so, but do not disguise it as an issue with DIRECT implications on the children and youth of schools. The PTSA concern of the war being a "threat both to the well-being of students who may be called to fight in it" excedes their mission of "promoting the welfare of children and youth" as any students called to fight in a war would either be adults who had signed a contract voluntarily or a 17.5 year old who has volunteered with parental consent.
Opposition to the war on an economic basis (the other reason) is similarly misguided as it assumes that the legislative branch responsible for the designation of funds is incorrect, improper or excessive in appropriating money to the military rather than education. Such an assumption is incorrect as it must assume that those that oppose have either better information, a better comprehension of fiscal policy or a better budgetary understanding than the United States Congress. It also creates a dichotic argument that proves false, between the federal government responsible for decisions of war and the state government primarily responsible for funding education
Now that the first resolution's ideas have been dealt with I shall move on to the second resolution. Beginning with the first claim, that the "desire to protect young students from the life-and-death decision that military service presents," the PTSA continues its lack of appreciation of the voluntary decisions of those students. Just by stating that the students need to be protected from a decision shows a marked disdain for the development of individual responsibility among their students. Shouldn't those eligible for military service, that is 18 year old adults or 17.5 year olds with parental consent, who have legal responsibility for their actions, be encouraged and supported in making important and difficult decisions, rather than protected from such decisions? These students will have to make such decisions eventually and the PTSA will not be there for the rest of their adult lives, "protecting" them.
As far as the decision to join the military being a "life-and-death decision," getting into your car to drive to the supermarket would have to be considered a "life-and-death decision" as more people die in car accidents daily proportionally than U.S. troops in Iraq.
Secondly, objections to the war are a citizens right, but should not translate into a objections to the troops or an individuals opportunities to succeed as soldiers in the military. Further, the objections to the war of the members of the PTSA should not be projected onto the possibilities of an entire student body. The opportunity to voice said objections could take place through democratic processes, not through inflammatory actions that inappropriately affect students who do not share those objections.
Third, while it is unethical for military recruiters to present an inaccurate picture of military life, the idea that an "accurate" picture is possible to illustrate would be false. An attempt to relate anything but a recruiters own experience should be taken with a grain of salt. "Caveat emptor" and all. There is a reason that anyone with military experience would tell you to read EVERYTHING you sign. Not because any individual is trying to coerce or co-opt you, but because it is the responsible thing to do and "I didn't know" is not an acceptable answer.
Finally, the issue of equal opportunity and the military's policy on homosexuality is government policy. Such policy should not have adverse effects on other branches of government, any branch of government, education or otherwise. This is not a statement in support or against the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, but rather an understanding that certain peoples choices and lifestyles may adversely effect their employment options. For example, someone's choice to be a vegan would make the prospect of working for a butcher or a burger joint rather uncomfortable. This does not preclude vegans from working in those establishments and any harassment of an employee on basis of this status should not be allowed. But one does not punish a butcher for violating equal opportunity because the work environment would be uncomfortable. So while it would be uncomfortable for a homosexual to be in the military, because of the unacceptability of manifesting that behavior, the military should not be punished for violating equal opportunity employment practices.
That said, there should be a differentiation between the hiring practice of a civilian institution that discriminates on a philosophical basis and the military which maintains that inclusion of gays would be detrimental to moral and unit cohesion. The military is making no teleological distinction of gays, but simply is acknowledging what it perceives will be a behavior that is detrimental to the concept of being a soldier in a unit.
Finally, the PTSA has actual influence on the administration of school policy and thus has no real decision making capacity. It does not actually speak for the voice of any of the member groups in its entirety. However, this episode demonstrates an increasingly common view that are contrairy to an all voluntary force by either "protecting" individuals from making their own voluntary decisions, imposing views that are not representative on unwilling or unknowing groups of people, or removing an individuals responsibility for a decision by claiming the decision was un- or misinformed. It is unfortunate that it seems as people today cannot be allowed to make their own voluntary, self-informed and researched decisions and take full responsibility for the consequences for those decisions.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Biola Wiki
Another Star Wars Film... NOT EPISODE THREE!
Heads up you Star Wars and film geeks! Check out what independent not-for-profit film making can do! It’s a 45 min short Star Wars film that was made independently. Its not the greatest, the story is really weak (ABSOLUTELY HORRID for those of us that are expanded universe fans), the lighting and cinematography are like a bad soap opera, the saber battle looks like it ripped off "The Star Wars Kid"... But the animation is really good for an indie film (there’s a good Tie Fighter chase scene) and it is still impressive considering the work and cost of doing Sci-fi. And it’s all done without profit!
Found in the current issue of U.S. News and World Report
