The Pharos

2011-07-14T17:55:00.002-05:00

Increase the debt limit or this guy gets it!

2009-12-07T21:06:00.003-05:00

Painting The Mice

I had a chance to discuss "climategate" or "stolen-email-gate" as Barbara Boxer prefers to call it with a colleague today at lunch. He didn't think it was too big a deal, and expressed a belief that the behaviors described in the emails were not exceptional, nor evidence of any misconduct. I challenged him on that point, and reminded him of the case of William Summerlin, in the 1970's. Summerlin was a researcher at the Sloan-Kettering Institute who claimed to have solved the allograft rejection problem, which, if true, would have likely won him a Nobel Prize in Medicine. Unfortunately, others were not able to replicate his results. When his boss asked him to show his data, Summerlin apparently painted black patches on white mice. He was caught by a whistleblower. Since that time, "painting the mice" has been a term to describe deliberately fudging scientific data.

Scientific misconduct is not common, and generally takes the form of plagiarism. Actually manipulating data to produce a fraudulent result is probably much less common. Because even the suspicion that something like that has occurred would be disastrous to a scientist's career and reputation, no reputable scientist would ever refuse to show his original data and the methods used to refine the data. No real scientist would destroy his original data, especially after questions arose. The destruction of the original data calls the entire output of the CRU into question. There have always been questions about the alarmism over this issue. The discrediting of the "hockey stick", for example. The extreme claims of Al Gore, and some of the proposals of our current government and the extreme environmentalists can now be seen to have no sound scientific basis, and will inevitably end up as the Piltdown man of this century.

2009-11-23T10:22:00.002-05:00

Free market economy vs. government control

In 1986 I visited Cuba as a guest of the Cuban government. On one occasion, I was asked by the Minister of Tourism how they could hope to attract American tourists if the embargo were ever lifted. I gave him an honest answer, that they would have to radically improve the services available, as Americans hate to stand in line. An example I used was the ice cream stand in the park across from my hotel. It was open for about three hours each afternoon. There were three long lines of people in front of the stand. When a customer got to the front of the first line, he paid for his ice cream, and received a ticket. He then waited in the second line. When he got to the front, he turned in his ticket. He then got to stand in the line for ice cream.

I explained that in America, all three lines would be much shorter, and each employee would be scooping up ice cream and taking money. "We don't have that much ice cream" was his response. In effect, the long lines were the means of rationing a scarce commodity. I suggested to him that ice cream is profitable, and that it would be in their best interest to produce more and sell more. That is how it works in a free economy, and is exactly how it doesn't work in a socialist system. There is a lesson here for those who want government health care.

2008-11-08T21:15:00.007-05:00

Thank you President Bush

I have many reasons to thank you for your years of service to our country. First, and most important to me, is the fact that thanks to you there have been no terrorist attacks on our soil since 9/11/01. You have shown the countries that have sponsored terrorism against the USA that they do so at their peril, and they haven't done so for seven years and two months. Now that you are leaving office, they may be emboldened to try it again. I hope not, and I pray that your successor will have the fortitude to respond appropriately.

Secondly, I thank you for the prosperity we have enjoyed under your leadership. The recent economic disaster will be blamed on you, but is clearly the result of the Democratic leadership's blocking reforms of FM/FM, and the financial ties of Dodd, Frank and Obama to those corrupt entities.

Finally, thank you for your strength, your commitment to our country, your humanity, and your decency. And thanks to Laura, also, and her support for Letters About Literature and other programs.

Update, Dec. 22, 2008

No thanks for the bailout! Still your friend,

Buck

2008-11-08T21:03:00.002-05:00

Time to visit the Hardware Store?

Just thinking that the old toolchest might need a few more slots filled in. Never can tell when a shortage might develop. A few nails to go with the hammer isn't a bad idea. See you at the store.

2008-10-25T13:08:00.010-05:00

Joe the doctor

I am Joe. Like Joe the Plumber, I have major differences with the Democrat candidate for President of the United States. Also, like Joe, I have things in my past that I would not necessarily want to see reported on television. That would be one of the reasons I am not running for office. The fact that that is an issue is one of the things that most concerns me about this election. The major networks are so in the bag for Obama, that he gets a total pass on everything in his past, but a citizen who asks a fair question gets "vetted" and everything embarrassing is out there in public.

Where are the questions for Obama? I'll suggest a few. Why are you hiding your actual birth certificate, your college and law school records, your thesis, and your connections with the unrepentant radicals? Here I am referring to Pelosi, Dodd, Reid and Frank, but you might answer about Ayers, Dohrn, Wright, Alinsky, Al Mansour, Klonsky, Khalidi, and Davis, as well. What is your past and current relationship with ACORN? After you give us those answers, I will have a few followup questions. While I wait, let me toss you a few softballs. What is your most significant accomplishment up until today that shows how you are qualified to serve as President? What person close to you has had the most influence on your philosophy of life? What foreign leader, present or past, do you most admire? Which foreign government has done the best job of providing health care for its citizens?

I have been providing care to injured patients without regard to race, creed, color, national origin or ability to pay, for about 43 years. I will continue to do so as long as I am able. I would not be willing or able to do so under a compulsory system of socialized medicine. Look at our current government programs, Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. Although covering less than half of our population, they cost over half of our annual health care budget, and will have cost overruns in the trillions of dollars even if not expanded as Obama proposes to do. I believe that we need, and deserve, better than that. That is one reason why I am for McCain-Palin.

The most important reason why I am against Obama is his position on our national defense. As a patriot who volunteered to serve our country in two wars, I cannot support a candidate who has said he will ‘cut investments in unproven missile defense systems’; he will ‘not weaponize space’; he will ‘slow our development of future combat systems’; and he will also ‘not develop nuclear weapons,’ pledging to seek ‘deep cuts’ in America’s arsenal, thus unilaterally disabling its nuclear deterrent as Russia and China engage in massive military buildups, and NoKo and Iran are working on nuclear weapons. Yes, I believe that Obama would be tested within six months of his election, and that he would fail the test, to our severe loss. Think before you vote, please.

2008-07-22T15:08:00.004-05:00

Armed Self Defense

There is a significant increase in interest in armed self defense in recent years, and now a majority of states permit it. Even after the recent Supreme Court decision, there exist a few jurisdictions that still deny citizens this right. I am still one of the bitter clingers, but you may hope that I will change. There isn't much chance of that, as I just took the course to get my concealed handgun permit. I had one a few years ago, but allowed it to expire, after moving away from the state that issued it. It is a good idea to take a refresher course every few years, as laws change from time to time, and range practice is always a good idea. Here is a link to a great introduction to the subject. I am fortunate to live in a state that permits open carry to all citizens who may lawfully possess a firearm. Only concealed carry requires a permit. I prefer to be discreet, most of the time, so I am getting the permit. When should one carry? Always, with the exception of in places where it is illegal. And most of the time you should avoid those places, because they aren't safe.

2008-06-24T09:02:00.003-05:00

~~Sports Bra~~ Bare Boobs Saves Hiker Stranded in Alps

This story tells how to motivate potential rescuers, in this case lumberjacks. The expectation of bare boobs will do it. I am going to add a bra to my emergency kit, and use it to signal for help if I am ever in a bad jam. I don't think any other article of clothing would have the same effect.

2008-06-11T13:32:00.005-05:00

Hemispatial Neglect

Hemispatial neglect is generally left sided, and is common in people who have injuries to the right cerebral cortex. It also is seen in MS, tumors, stroke victims, and sometimes in post-encephalitic patients. My eighteen year old son and I have each been involved in motor vehicle incidents in the past week, in which drivers failed to see oncoming vehicles on the left side, and entered the intersection right in front of the oncoming car (ours, in each case). I wonder how often this condition is a factor in accidents. I know that the individuals who have this condition are usually completely unaware of it. We once did an experiment involving motorists at intersections with oncoming motorcycles. Overall, about 80% failed to recognize the collision risk when the motorcycle had its lights off, and about 25% when the lights were on. We didn't separate left and right approaches, but I believe that the risk would be statistically higher in approaches from the left. You can buy this watch here.

2008-06-03T08:34:00.003-05:00

Walter Williams for President

In a recent column, Dr. Williams dealt with the doomsday predictions of various environmental extremists over the years. After reading it, I reviewed his other recent columns, then looked up his biography, and then read all of his available writings. I have concluded that he is the best candidate for the Presidency of the United States, and would have the best chance of succesfully addressing the major problems facing our country. I urge you to review his writings. If nothing else, they will give you a very valuable education in economics. You might feel that he is biased in favor of free market economics, but then, on the other hand, that is what works. Click here for his archives.

2008-05-24T11:29:00.002-05:00

Global Climate Change

As the above picture clearly demonstrates, Jupiter is experiencing severe global climate change, doubtlessly a result of Al Gore's bloviation producing clouds of greenhouse gases, especially methane. Please send me all your money so that I can send them some carbon credits. Thank you.

2008-04-03T08:07:00.009-05:00

Breastblogging

In a shameless effort to increase my blog's popularity, I have decided to focus on breasts. Catblogging is not my thing. Feel free to comment and bring your own favorite pictures and breast stories. I am also interested in obtaining corporate sponsorships for this blog and for my medical practice.

2008-04-02T08:11:00.002-05:00

How Much Do I Owe You?

A German woman who wanted to smooth some wrinkles on her chest was aghast when she woke up with bigger breasts instead, the New York Post reports. Ingrid Bruelling, 33, wanted doctors to give her breasts firmer skin after she lost 200 pounds on a crash diet. But when she woke up after the operation, she found that doctors had put in silicone implants, increasing her cup size from a C to a D. The Web site Ananova.com reports that Bruelling is suing doctors over the procedure.

2008-02-20T08:59:00.003-05:00

You say you want a revolution!

Presidential candidate Barack Obama is an articulate speaker and has star quality that has appeal to all classes of voters. He appears likely to be the Democrat nominee for President of the United States. I have a few concerns, and one of them is what he really believes in. What is in his heart, his core? Is he, in fact, sort of a Manchurian Candidate?

2007-06-19T08:32:00.000-05:00

There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy

There is a wonderful site that I have recently been led to, where you can see and download images from space. The link takes you to this image, but you should also visit the archives.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070606.html

2007-01-06T14:24:00.003-05:00

Monuments of steel and stone, presidents of flesh and bone, they all fade, fade, fade....

Recent reports indicate that Cuban President Fidel Castro is starting to seriously fade. While he is still around to enjoy it, I thought I would post a memory or two. In the Spring of 1985, a potential benefactor of my research program asked me to travel to Cuba and teach the Cuban doctors how to do joint replacement surgery. He was very happy with his new knees, and thought that his friend, Mr. Castro, would be needing the surgery soon. I agreed to do it, if he could make the arrangements. He got back to me in a few weeks, and said that the Cubans wanted me to attend a meeting there in June, as a guest of the government. I sent my passport to Rene Mujica, First Secretary of the Cuban Interests Section of the Czechoslovakian Embassy in Washington, DC, and got it back in a few weeks with a Cuban visa and airline tickets on Cubana, out of Montreal to Havana. I also received a program for the First International Congress on Orthopedic Surgery, Traumatology and External Fixation, with my name entered incorrectly as a presenter. Apparently the Cubans don't use the "W" in their alphabet, so I was listed as V. V. Jackson.

Reading through the program, I saw that several other American Orthopedic Surgeons were listed, including two of my close acquaintances. That relieved some of my anxiety about attending, as the United States Department of State strongly recommended against travel to Cuba. Figuring that there is safety in numbers, I went ahead and made my plans. I flew in to Havana in the early afternoon on a Sunday. I was met at the airport by an escort from the Ministry of the Interior, passed right through customs, and taken directly to the Havana Libre Hotel, the former Hilton. I was shown to my room, the minibar was unlocked, and I was given a government credit card for all my purchases in Cuba. There was an evening reception, with an orientation for the honored guests, and minimal appetizers and cocktails. After the reception, I returned to my room, unpacked, and started to review my slides and papers for my presentations. At about 8PM a uniformed security guard knocked on my door, and asked to see my government card. He told me that there had been a mistake, and that I would get the correct card at registration in the morning. He took the card, and locked the minibar. I couldn't get breakfast without the card, because I had been advised that I could not spend any money in Cuba due to the embargo. I went directly to the conference center early Monday morning to register. There were registration desks for every country in the world, except the United States. After searching carefully, and asking directions of everyone who could understand me, I finally was directed to the lady in charge, a striking lady with a white streak through her black hair like a skunk. She gave me a room number where I was to go to register.

That room was the security office, and I was asked to have a seat in a small room with a table, three chairs, and a mirrored wall of one way glass. I spent about eight hours there, with no food and no water, and was questioned by three different people, including a lady who introduced herself as Lydia Hernandez, passport control officer. I was later told that she was the number three or four person in the Cuban Communist Party. She was particularly interested in how I had obtained my visa and my airline tickets, as she controls every seat on planes departing Cuba and hadn't authorized my reservation. She took my ticket and my passport. When I mentioned that I would be needing those back, she didn't seem amused.

About 3:00 PM, she returned, without my passport or ticket, and told me that I was going to be permitted to attend the opening ceremony, at which Castro was to speak. I may post about the ceremony later. It was impressive. I didn't get any solid food that day, or the next day until evening. Two wonderful Bulgarian hand surgeons, Ivan Matev and Elena Paneva-Holevich took me to dinner. On Wednesday morning, while I was standing in a crowd of about 1200 delegate physicians, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned, and a man in plain clothes handed me my passport and airline ticket, with no explanation. I never got a complete explanation, but found out that the organizer of the meeting had forgotten he invited me. Rene Mujica was on vacation, and couldn't be reached. My story couldn't be verified, and my correct name didn't appear in the program. Once First Secretary (Ambassador) Mujica was consulted, everything fell into place. I never got the government credit card back, but they fed me, and very well, indeed. My last night in Havana I went to Government Palace, with 41 other honored guests, and spent over four hours with President Castro. They had two roasted pigs, and spiny lobsters so big they were carving steaks off of them. The other invited persons from the U.S. and Canada didn't attend the conference, and I later found out that the FBI had warned them not to go. I guess the fact that my name was not in the program correctly kept them from warning me. There were more than 1200 orthopedic surgeons from 130 countries in attendance.

When the above picture was taken, he had had his picture taken with about fifteen of the most prominent delegates, each standing on his left side. When I was coming up to join him, he motioned me around to his right side, and announced to the crowd: "If the North American doctor stood to the left of Fidel Castro, they would never let him back in his country." I was laughing so hard I sloshed some of his excellent brandy on my shirt and tie. No one would have imagined that 21 years later we would have elected officials to the left of Fidel Castro. He and I were both looking (and feeling) a lot better 21 years ago.

2006-11-11T10:26:00.000-05:00

Can science and religion coexist?

This is a question that is asked and answered every day, but there are a lot of mutually inconsistent answers to the question. I know a lot of scientists who are deeply religious, and see no paradox in searching for an understanding of the rules under which the universe operates and a belief in God, the Creator of the universe. That is my position on it, also. As a sort of scientist (114 peer reviewed articles in the literature) I try and take an objective look at the evidence before drawing conclusions, and begin with the null hypothesis.

When I lie on the ground, up in the mountains, away from city lights and smog, and above a fair amount of our atmosphere, I can see a lot of stars. What I see is but a tiny fraction of what is there. Science tells me that all of them are moving away from me, as a result of the "Big Bang". I have no problem in believing that the evidence supports that theory of the origin of the universe. I still have a few small problems with the theory, when I consider the size of our expanding universe. I have trouble understanding where that big bang happened, and how and why it happened. If it was just a random event, it seems to have led to an amazing amount of matter, and a huge volume of space, organized in beautiful and logical order, and obeying laws and principles that we are beginning to understand and appreciate. To assume that these laws and principles are absolute, and that a random event occurring nowhere at all would have to obey them seems illogical to me. Nothingness or chaos implies a lack of order and rules. Matter and energy are interchangeable, but incalculable amounts of matter and energy appeared, with no input of energy, as a random event. Where did it happen? I can easily imagine the random and spontaneous formation of a hydrogen atom and its antimatter opposite, as occurring in the vastness of existing space, and requiring no volition or input of energy. I have more difficulty with the same thing happening on such a huge scale, where there is nothing, not even empty space. And where is all the antimatter, necessary to keep the equation balanced, and energy neutral. One theory has it that slightly more matter was created in the big bang than antimatter, and, as a result of collisions, almost all of the antimatter and an equal amount of matter were destroyed, leaving behind only the surplus of matter. There are a few problems in that, as collisions between matter and antimatter release energy, in the form of gamma rays and other particles. If their destruction releases energy, how were they formed without an input of energy? How can more matter than antimatter have been created, without an input of matter or energy?

Setting some of the questions aside, it would seem that all the space, matter, order and rules in the universe began from nothing, nowhere, and sprang from a single, random event that happened for no reason, and required no input of energy. Accepting that theory requires a much greater faith in the power of nothingness, than the faith in God required to accept an alternative explanation. And that would be the biggest sucker bet of all imaginable sucker bets. For thousands of years, scientists have looked at the same evidence, and drawn similar conclusions. Galen of Pergamum, who lived from 126 AD to about 216 AD, was a physician and scientist whose work, observations and writings were the basis for most of medicine for about 1400 years. His writings indicate that he believed pretty much as I do. Some of his medical beliefs were erroneous, but most of his principles are sound. Not a Christian, so far as is known, he became the surgeon for the gladiators, and developed great skill as a trauma surgeon. He wrote that the followers of Jesus had less fear of death and its consequences than others he dealt with, and were more obedient to the laws of God.

Every physician and surgeon sees dying patients and their families, and my observations are similar, although not identical, to Galen's. I think that people who have faith in God have more grace and dignity when faced with the certainty of death than those who lack any faith.