Mike C Sees

Let us go from this place and listen for angels and look for a star; to see in every humble face a shepherd, and in every act of kindness, the gift of kings. We have made our pilgrimage, if not to Bethlehem of old, then to the Bethlehem of the heart, and welcomed the Holy One....

We go as a Christmas people, for to such God has called us.

[Traditional Christmas Eve blessing, Woodlawn United Church, Dartmouth NS Canada] 

The big if is IF you're going to invade a country. After that, this kind of pysops is absolutely to be expected. Who's surprised?

I didn't count on ever seeing this every happen:

Isn't it remarkable that the man who created so much beauty through music was so unhealthy every day of his life. [All Things Considered]

I think we all wonder from time to time about "switching careers" to really make the world a better place.

I'm reading The Lexus and the Olive Tree and reflecting on globalization. It would be easy to feel a bit sorry for myself ;-) ... here I had this nice thing going as a software consultant in North America, and now smart folks in India, China, Malaysia and Bosnia are competing with me. Here I worked all these years to understand software, middleware and networking, and those very technologies have opened up the world to be my competition. My standard of living is coming down, I'm working harder, and the quality of life for those smart folks is rising rapidly.

All along I've been a bit challenged by how I'm serving big business, but not my local community or those most in need in the the world. Perhaps it will turn out that advancing the use of these technologies is indeed what levels the playing field for those most in need, and goes the furthest to reducing hunger and poverty globally.

NPR : This I Believe is a series of short essays on life values, from people you've heard of (John McCain, Bill Gates, Colin Powell) and ordinary people. Boiling down a core value to 3 minutes is a good exercise in remembering what's important.

US Airways to End Several Pension Plans - - CFO.com: "the US Airways deal underscores the fact that as more and more shaky companies terminate their pension plans, the PBGC's ability to guarantee future payments is growing more tenuous. This deal alone will cost the PBGC $2.3 billion, reported The Wall Street Journal, and if the agency had taken over the pension plan of UAL's pilots, the agency would have been liable for an additional $1.4 billion.
According to the Journal, the Bush Administration will likely require all companies with defined-benefit plans to pay higher premiums to the PBGC. One proposal calls for economically shaky companies to pay higher premiums than companies that can demonstrate they are in good financial shape and probably won't need to be bailed out."

The war in Iraq: civilian casualties, political responsibilities "With the admitted benefit of hindsight and from a purely public health perspective, it is clear that whatever planning did take place was grievously in error."

Mortality before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq: cluster sample survey: "Making conservative assumptions, we think that about 100000 excess deaths, or more have happened since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Violence accounted for most of the excess deaths and air strikes from coalition forces accounted for most violent deaths. We have shown that collection of public-health information is possible even during periods of extreme violence. Our results need further verification and should lead to changes to reduce non-combatant deaths from air strikes. " [Center for International Emergency Disaster and Refugee Studies, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA]

New on my reading list - Institute for Public Accuracy - IPA: "The Institute for Public Accuracy seeks to broaden public discourse. With systematic outreach to media professionals, the Institute provides news releases that offer well-documented analysis of current events and underlying issues.

Serving as a consortium for an abundance of diverse expertise, the Institute for Public Accuracy makes frequent communication possible between independent policy analysts and working journalists. IPA promotes the inclusion of perspectives that widen the bounds of media discussion and enhance democratic debate. "

Liberty Mutual - About Careers: "Money Magazine ranked us as the 28th Best Company to Work For and take advantage of what a solid, diversified insurance company like us has to offer"

How can you help prevent the spread of the flu? Preventive measures include staying at home when you are sick, and staying away from other individuals who may be sick. In addition, practicing good health habits such as washing your hands often and keeping your hands away from your face can also help prevent the spread of the flu.

Loreena McKennitt - Canadian new-age musician and Shakespearean actress living in Stratford Ontario - largest selling Canadian label.

Eclipse Web Tools Platform Project Development IBM has open-sourced the basic web site editing capabilities of WebSphere Studio Site Developer, for use with Eclipse Release 3.0 SDK, EMF 2.0.0 SDK, GEF 3.0.0 SDK, JEM SDK Jave Edit Model SDK (shared with VE), XSD 2.0.0 SDK, 1.4.2 JRE.

How long will it be safe to book tickets on US Airways?
Analyst Ray Neidl of Calyon Securities says that the carrier has to get new labor agreements with its workers within three to six months or it will not be able to emerge from bankruptcy protection. At that point, the company would likely liquidate, which would affect service.

Liquidation threat means tickets should be bought with credit cards and miles should be protected: Those US Air customers with large balances of miles in their frequent flyer accounts might want to take steps to protect themselves long term, said Randy Petersen, editor and president of Insider Flyer, an independent publication for members of frequent flyer clubs. Petersen said it's possible to transfer US Air miles to some of its partners' frequent flyer clubs. But there is a significant penalty for doing so, and he said it's probably too soon to make such a drastic move.

Instead, he suggests that people with large balances book a trip nine to 11 months out on a US Air partner carrier such as United, Lufthansa, Air Canada or other members of the Star Alliance. "If US Airways survives, as that date gets closer, you can pay your $40 and put the miles back in your US Airways account," said Petersen. "If they don't make it, you've got something you can use that far out. It might be better than having nothing at all."

Quiz bowls - finding questions and equipment. We're getting ready for the Granite State Challenge here in New Hampshire, USA.

Google Directory - Society > Organizations > Student > Academic > Competitions > Quiz Bowl > Vendors

Google Search: buzzer lockout system

Triple Q Questions: "This 8 player Sho-Me Smart Light is great for schools and other customers for use during practice sessions, in-school & tournament competitions, even as a backup for other competitive events. This book contains 225 rounds of 11 questions each on all subject areas. The 'lightning' rounds are helpful in practice even if not used in competition in your area. This book contains 6,000 different questions from Varsity Colossal Book #1. Grades 10 - 12. "

Low cost game show buzzer solution: "On ebay, you can often find the Quizzard game and the very similar game Sale of the Century, which appears to have the same buzzer system in it. (We just did a quick search at ebay and found 9 Quizzard units up for auction as of this writing.) For testing, we bought a used Quizzard for $17 (shipping included), which puts this low-cost buzzer system within almost any teacher or school budget."

Game Show / Quiz Buzzer Circuit: "Game Show / Quiz Buzzer Circuit" $15 to start a make-it-yourself.

PatricksPress: "A lockout system with combined switches, cables, and lights for only $395.00! Designed for 2 teams of 4, this sturdy system allows students to press or slap an elevated buzzer attached to the light. The COMBO QUIK PRO has the same internal circuitry and warranty as the DELUXE QUIK PRO and can be set up in less than 60 seconds. The COMBO model includes console, timer, combo cables, and carrying case."

BuzzerSystems.com - Premium Quiz Bowl Buzzer Lockout Systems: "$399 for 2 teams of 5 players"

Game Show Buzzer Lockout Systems Ideas and Resources

JEM Designs: Buzzer Set Sales Page Looks like these are made to order, with a lead time of several weeks.

Resources for Academic Coaches*

UNO - Up North Orienteers: "Sat/Sun Sept 11-12, 2004 Pawtuckaway Camping Weekend, Nottingham, NH" String, White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Red, Blue and the famous Saturday night “Vampire-O”; plus Canoe-O and The 8th Annual Couple’s Cup challenge.

Big employers move to help some uninsured workers: via an insurance pool for healthcare for part-timers and contractors. "Today, families spend an average 16 percent of their collective income on health insurance -- twice the percentage they spent in 1987," said Len Nichols, at the Center for Studying Health System Change. Aetna, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group are among those bidding to insure the pool.

BCM: Maine Bicycle Trails and Tours List: Greater Portland & Casco Bay bikemaine.org -- what a great idea!

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport, Maine - looks like a nice hike along the water

Freeport Maine USA - Freeport Village: " Points of interest include oceanfront grandeur of Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, Winslow Park with a beach on Casco Bay, and Mast Landing Sanctuary open daily for nature walks and guided tours; and we can't forget Maine's natural phenomenon - the Desert Dunes of Maine. Charming South Freeport Village offers a panoramic view of a working harbor"

Elvish :: Elvish to English Dictionary ::: My daughter has really been taken with Legolas, Aragorn, and Eowyn. This site helps me understand what she's talking about.

RENT-A-HUSBAND TAKES CARE OF IT ALL 'For those jobs that never get done'-that's the motto of Rent-A-Husband, one of the latest new businesses to join the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce. Each Rent-A-Husband franchise sends skilled craftsmen to manage and complete entire projects that encompass everything from hanging pictures and installing ceiling fans to cleaning out garages and building decks. Recently local Rent-A-Husband General Manager Brandon Merkley was one of several 'husbands' to appear on the CBS Early Morning Show's 'Week of Wishes' segment. The segment featured the story of how Merkley and the other volunteers gave their time and talents to renovate the ground floor of a home belonging to a needy family. For more information or to make an appointment, call Rent-A-Husband at 1-877-99-HUBBY or visit www.rentahusband.com."

Google Search: portland maine walking trails looks like a good place to start planning a day in South Portland, Me. Directions: From the south on I-95 take Exit 6 onto 295, then Exit 1 to Broadway East.

Deborah Fowles in South Portland Maine: Maine's Most Undiscovered City highlights "the historic harbor, ... Bug Light, Spring Point Ledge Light, Willard Beach, [and] the Greenbelt Walkway."

• Spring Point Ledge Light ... sticks up at the mouth of the harbor like a giant spark plug. The lighthouse and the ruins of Fort Preble are reachable from the waterfront campus of Southern Maine Technical College on Fort Road.
  
• Walkers will want to find the "Greenbelt Walkway, a three-mile, paved path that follows the shore for much of the way and connects to the Spring Point Shoreway, a mile-long walking trail that goes to Bug Light Park, home of what may be the world's most elegant lighthouse, Portland Harbor Light, or Bug Light. Here's a map from Portland Trails
  .
  
• In addition to remarkable views, the lighthouse, and the walking paths, Bug Light Park offers salt water fishing and boat ramps.
  
• Willard Beach is S along Casco Bay from Bug Light
  
• Fort Williams Park, home to Portland Head Light, is another mile or two S along Cottage Rd / Shore Rd just across the line into Cape Elizabeth (Directions)
  
• More Portland walks and links.

Down further to Cape Elizabeth is Crescent Beach State Park and Two Lights State Park.

Change in prostate cancer testing urged: [USAToday via Yahoo!] "A national network of cancer centers is recommending a much more aggressive approach to prostate cancer screening, including the possibility of testing all men as early as age 40. The change could affect nearly 50 million people.

Some doctors note that many men already have unnecessary biopsies today. Two out of three with a suspicious score on a PSA test - which looks for the presence of a protein called prostate-specific antigen protein - do not have cancer. Prostate cancer treatment carries risks, experts say; it can leave up to 50% of men impotent and 10% to 20% with urinary problems or incontinence.

Other doctors predict that they will find cancers earlier, when they are more curable, by screening younger men. The network advises doctors to offer a baseline PSA to men beginning at age 40. The cancer network also suggests that doctors consider biopsies - taking tissue samples to check for cancerous cells - for men with PSA readings above 2.5 nanograms per milliliter. Today, doctors typically consider a biopsy when a man's PSA test is above 4.0. Research shows that more than 20% of men with scores between 2.5 and 4.0 have cancer.

Deaths from prostate cancer have fallen about 20% among whites and about 16% among blacks since the mid-1990s after use of the PSA test became widespread, said William Catalona, a surgeon who is a member of the cancer network committee that drafted the guidelines.

Some doubt that PSA testing should get the credit. They note that improved treatments may help more men survive. And clinical trials have not shown that PSA tests actually save lives, says Paul Frame, a doctor and professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. 'We really need data to know whether we are saving lives or just putting people through a lot of misery,' says Frame, a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. That panel of experts has found there is not yet enough evidence either to recommend, or advise against, routine prostate cancer screening. 'Having cancer cells in the prostate is incredibly common,' Frame says. 'The vast majority of these cancers don't progress and don't hurt anybody and don't lead to death.'"

Yahoo! News - Supreme Court takes up 'under God': "The phrase 'under God' was added to the Pledge by Congress in 1954, and the Supreme Court has not ruled on its constitutionality. Representing the U.S. government, Solicitor General Theodore Olson avoided the notion that 'under God' had a current religious meaning. Olson argued that the phrase is viewed as an 'acknowledgement' of religion's role in the lives of America's founders. Under a 1985 court opinion, such acknowledgements amount to a 'patriotic exercise' and not an 'endorsement,' Olson said."

"[Justice Breyer said] Congress also could have a right to insert the phrase "under God" into the Pledge because 'it serves the purpose of unification.' The phrase, the justice said, could be 'meant to include everybody' in a statement of common purpose. "

Planet Watching Forecast: This video from Accuweather has a nice shot of the five planet alignment thing that's going on overhead this week :-)

Anatomy Lessons, a Vanishing Rite for Young Doctors: "Through the mid-20th century, medical students typically spent hundreds of hours dissecting. Working in small groups with scalpels and scissors, they would tease out every major structure in the body, including tendons, arteries and nerves, memorizing dozens of tortuous pathways and hundreds of Latin names in the process. But as the focus of medical science has shifted from whole organs to cells and molecules, more and more teaching hours are consumed by molecular biology and genetics."

Newly Released Documents Shed Light on Microsoft Tactics: "The plaintiffs contend the new documents show that Microsoft violated nondisclosure agreements with Go, and then used that information to build PenWindows, a competitor to Go's PenPoint operating system. The documents included Microsoft's internal e-mail messages showing that it had detailed knowledge of Go's product plans. "

Regulators Want Antidepressants to List [Suicide] Warning: "'We think this is good advice whether the drugs did it or not,' said Dr. Robert Temple, associate director of medical policy at the agency. 'If someone commits suicide, it doesn't really matter whether it's the drug or the underlying disease. In either case, you need to pay attention.'"

"The drugs in the warning are: Prozac; Zoloft; Paxil; Wellbutrin; Luvox, from Solvay; Celexa and Lexapro, from Forest Laboratories Inc.; Effexor, from Wyeth; Serzone, from Bristol-Myers Squibb; and Remeron, from Akzo Nobel."