Bangor Packet

"Give her a hoot on the horn, Bert!"

UnUnited States

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-29/real-u-s-map-a-country-of-regions-part-1-commentary-by-colin-woodard.html

Informative article about the regional attitudes of Americans.

Theocracy

I fear the election of one of the present candidates for the Republican nomination for president will bring us a presidental advisory cabal composed of evangelicals who will direct a Republican president and congress to impose their radical morality on the American public. Think Taliban, or Supreme Council of Ayatollahs. Choose, the Bill of Rights vs. a Theocracy.

Christmas Message

Perhaps being a Unitarian enables me to find occasional optomism in the face of the dire news which the media thinks is fit to print. As a semi-religious humanist and philosophy history buff, I learned that the world and its population have always been put upon by the vicious and self-centered part of the population. Migration and warfare are the traits genetically engineered into homo sapiens (who isn't so sapient). Intelligent Design? Hah! I have hopes that the next multimillenial eon will see the evolution of Home Sapiens Mark II, perhaps because the selfish and belligerent part of the population will have killed itself off. Maybe the next top of the food chain will be of another genus!


We find joy in the world with the family which considers us the center, the friends we prize, the community to which we give and from which we receive, and with the occasional political victory of disciples of John Locke , Jesus of Nazareth and Gautama Buddha.



At this season of the year, we sing: "Peace on Earth and Mercy Mild, God and Skinners Reconciled!" Cheers!

Walloping Window Blind

Paying for Placebo part 2

Carl Marci, assistant professor of psychiatry at MGH, is reported to have studied the placebo effect since his days as a medical student. “During a course on alternative therapies, he was struck by the amount of time these practitioners of homeopathy, Reiki and acupuncture spent with their patients. Data showed that, with the exception of intense psychotherapy, people were spending far more time with alternative practitioners than they were with other health practitioners.” The article states: ”He began to suspect that the success of these providers had less to do with their therapeutic approach than it did with the time they invested in their patients.”

Marci is currently studying empathy, “the ability of the brain to accurately mirror the emotions it perceives in another.” He has applied his studies to the critique of clinical trials of pharmaceuticals in which the study providers’ interaction with patients adds a placebo effect which may skew the apparent benefit. In a busy practice a hurried physician may, however, have little time to empathize, and his treatment with any modality will be less effective. From Harvard medicine, summer, 2011

I’m reminded of reports of Medicaid patients who sought a new doctor, gave a history, had examinations and procedures, were treated, returned for followups and in time, found the doctor less interested and started the process anew, not reported their earlier consultations. Medicaid records identified these patients as over-users. If fact, they were lonely people bereft of family or friends and knew they would enjoy a social event with each new doctor. What they really needed was a social network.

In an internship, while in a crowded ER, a young physician had a patient in pain who was hard of hearing. He told the patient he would administer an injection to relieve his pain. “O. K., Doc,” replied the oldster. “O. K., Doc,” came a voice from an intoxicated patient in the next bed, behind a curtain. A few minutes later, the intern returned and asked: “Feeling better?” Yes, said the patient, thanks.” “Yes,” said the drunk, “I feel fine now.”

Physicians graduate burdened by debt and have deferred income during their years of training. The current economics of health care require them to be “productive” which means hurrying the patient through the interview. There’s little time for empathy. No wonder patients seek alternative and complementary practitioners and are willing to pay.

Eschew Bigotry

I ain't afraid of your Yahweh
I ain't afraid of your Allah
I ain't afraid of your Jesus
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
I ain't afraid of your churches
I ain't afraid of your temples
I ain't afraid of your praying
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God

Rise up to your higher power
Free up from fear, it will devour you
Watch out for the ego of the hour
The ones who say they know it
Are the ones who will impose it on you
Rise up, and see a higher story
Free up from the gods of war and glory
Watch out for the threats of purgatory
The spirit of the wind won't make
A killing off of sin and satan

I ain't afraid of your Yahweh
I ain't afraid of your Allah
I ain't afraid of your Jesus
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
I ain't afraid of your churches
I ain't afraid of your temples
I ain't afraid of your praying
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God