MORE DUH! CDC Recommends Anti-AIDS Coctail For Non-Medics

What the heck has the CDC been thinking???

They apparently have an AIDS-fighting treatment that, if administered immediately after exposure to the virus, may prevent the person from becoming infected.

While ethical limitations prevent testing the effectiveness of the drug coctail on humans in any direct way, animal model results are extremely promising. (How about a 100% prevention rate in monkeys if given within the first twenty-four hours?)

Up to now they’ve been reserving the use of this treatment for medical personnel accidentally exposed to the virus and

IT’S ONLY NOW THAT THEY’RE RECOMMENDING IT BE USED FOR THE GENERAL POPULACE.

That’s OUTRAGEOUS.

Men Are Researchers, Women Are Analysts?

Though it is politically incorrect to say so, researchers have noted for some time that there are differences in the cognition of men and women. Specifically: Women on average have greater verbal ability than men and men on average have greater spatial ability than women. (These are statistical averages. In the concrete, many women have greater spatial aptitude than many men and many men have greater verbal aptitude than many women.)

Why is this?

Well . . .

THIS MAY BE WHY.

It appears that there are significant differences in the grey matter
and white matter of men’s and women’s brains as associated with
intelligence:

Researchers say white and gray matter are both necessary for general intelligence, but they perform different functions. Gray matter represents information processing centers in the brain, and white matter represents the network or connections between those processing centers.

In the study, researchers studied brain scans of men and women who
had identical IQ (intelligence quotient, a measure of intelligence)
scores.

Overall, the
results showed that men had approximately 6.5 times the amount of gray
matter in areas related to general intelligence than women. Meanwhile,
women had nearly 10 times the amount of white matter in areas related
to intelligence than men.

They
say the findings may help explain why men tend to excel at tasks that
require more local processing, such as mathematics, while women tend to
excel at integrating information, a skill used in language.

The
study also showed differences in brain regions between men and women
related to intelligence. In particular, 84 percent of gray matter
regions and 86 percent of white matter regions involved in women’s
intelligence were found in their frontal lobes or front portion of the
brain compared with 45 percent and 0 percent for men, respectively.
Instead, regions throughout the left side of the brain seems to drive
male intelligence.

This Week's Show (1/21/05)

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW.

Highlights:

  • Why did Jesus tell the guy not to bury his father and the other guy not to say goodbye to his parents?
  • Roman Catholics & Evangelicals: Agreements & Differences by Geisler & Mackenzie: Friend or foe?
  • Is there a conspiracy to silence Sr. Lucia?
  • To what extent is Catholic social teaching on economics binding on our conscience?
  • Why don’t Catholics talk about the Rapture?
  • Praying to the saints.
  • Did the Spanish bishops approve condoms for preventing AIDS and could a conference of bishops do that?
  • Are popes prevented from ever contradicting prior popes on any points, no matter how small?  Any examples of popes correcting prior popes?
  • How do dinosaurs fit in to Genesis?
  • Is it possible for a person without mortal sin to still go to hell? What does Jesus mean when he talks about spitting out the lukewarm?
  • What is fornication?
  • What does Paul mean when he tells Timothy not to lay hands too hastily on somebody?
  • Do ghosts exist?
  • Any extra-biblical evidence for the Temple veil splitting?
  • What are prayer intentions?

This Week’s Show (1/21/05)

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW.

Highlights:

  • Why did Jesus tell the guy not to bury his father and the other guy not to say goodbye to his parents?
  • Roman Catholics & Evangelicals: Agreements & Differences by Geisler & Mackenzie: Friend or foe?
  • Is there a conspiracy to silence Sr. Lucia?
  • To what extent is Catholic social teaching on economics binding on our conscience?
  • Why don’t Catholics talk about the Rapture?
  • Praying to the saints.
  • Did the Spanish bishops approve condoms for preventing AIDS and could a conference of bishops do that?
  • Are popes prevented from ever contradicting prior popes on any points, no matter how small?  Any examples of popes correcting prior popes?
  • How do dinosaurs fit in to Genesis?
  • Is it possible for a person without mortal sin to still go to hell? What does Jesus mean when he talks about spitting out the lukewarm?
  • What is fornication?
  • What does Paul mean when he tells Timothy not to lay hands too hastily on somebody?
  • Do ghosts exist?
  • Any extra-biblical evidence for the Temple veil splitting?
  • What are prayer intentions?

ATTENTION NON-FLU PEOPLE EVERYWHERE!!!

Y’all will recall (if you live here in the U.S.) all the hubbub about the flu vaccine shortage that happened late last year.

I heard that they eventually scrounged up enough vaccine that they eased some of the restrictions on who should get a flu shot (originally it was just the very elderly, the very young, and those in poor health). I didn’t realize, however, just how much they had now been eased.

Thursday night I was in a local health food store to get some nutritional supplements and, as I was checking out, I noticed a young lady manning a flu shot table. Surprised to see such a table in a health food store, as short as they said they had been on the vaccine, I approached her and asked what restrictions were now in place: Was it still heavily restricted or could just anybody get a flu shot now?

She said they could, unless they had a severe egg allergy (flu shots are cultured in eggs), had had a bad reaction to a previous flu shot, or were currently feverish.

So yesterday I got me a flu shot. Woo-hoo!

If you would like to get one, you might want to get one now.

They’re expecting flu season to really heat up in about five weeks, and it takes two to three weeks for the immunity to build up in your body after you get the shot.

Don’t forget your pneumonia shot if you haven’t had one in the last five years.

Steve Greydanus Can't Say His Own Name (Either Of Them)

Not in his introduction to the great novel Gadsby, anyway.

He writes:

What’s missing from this story?, a curiosity

Look at this quotation, from a starting paragraph of a 50,000-word story, Gadsby, found at this link (but don’t click now).

This

is a story with a highly unusual formal oddity — an oddity that I am

aping thoughout this post. Try to work out what this oddity is if you

can.

Branton Hills was a small town in a rich agricultural

district; and having many a possibility for growth. But, through a sort

of smug satisfaction with conditions of long ago, had no thought of

improving such important adjuncts as roads; putting up public

buildings, nor laying out parks; in fact a dormant, slowly dying

community. So satisfactory was its status that it had no form of

transportation to surrounding towns but by railroad, or “old Dobbin.”

Now, any town thus isolating its inhabitants, will invariably find this

big, busy world passing it by; glancing at it, curiously, as at an odd

animal at a circus; and, you will find, caring not a whit about its

condition. Naturally, a town should grow. You can look upon it as a

child; which, through natural conditions, should attain manhood; and

add to its surrounding thriving districts its products of farm, shop,

or factory. It should show a spirit of association with surrounding

towns; crawl out of its lair, and find how backward it is.

Any notion what I’m talking about? If you want to look at a long portion of this story without spoiling its oddity, try this link, which will bring you to its first part.

Writing

this way, as I am doing now, is actually uncommonly difficult. To turn

out such a long story as this following this approach is a

mind-boggling stunt — and a crazy thing to try. What is it that I’m

doing in this short post, and which is drawn out across fifty thousand

words in Gadsby?

That’s it. I quit. I’m done.

[ORIGIN.]

Steve Greydanus Can’t Say His Own Name (Either Of Them)

Not in his introduction to the great novel Gadsby, anyway.

He writes:

What’s missing from this story?, a curiosity

Look at this quotation, from a starting paragraph of a 50,000-word story, Gadsby, found at this link (but don’t click now).

This
is a story with a highly unusual formal oddity — an oddity that I am
aping thoughout this post. Try to work out what this oddity is if you
can.

Branton Hills was a small town in a rich agricultural
district; and having many a possibility for growth. But, through a sort
of smug satisfaction with conditions of long ago, had no thought of
improving such important adjuncts as roads; putting up public
buildings, nor laying out parks; in fact a dormant, slowly dying
community. So satisfactory was its status that it had no form of
transportation to surrounding towns but by railroad, or “old Dobbin.”
Now, any town thus isolating its inhabitants, will invariably find this
big, busy world passing it by; glancing at it, curiously, as at an odd
animal at a circus; and, you will find, caring not a whit about its
condition. Naturally, a town should grow. You can look upon it as a
child; which, through natural conditions, should attain manhood; and
add to its surrounding thriving districts its products of farm, shop,
or factory. It should show a spirit of association with surrounding
towns; crawl out of its lair, and find how backward it is.

Any notion what I’m talking about? If you want to look at a long portion of this story without spoiling its oddity, try this link, which will bring you to its first part.

Writing
this way, as I am doing now, is actually uncommonly difficult. To turn
out such a long story as this following this approach is a
mind-boggling stunt — and a crazy thing to try. What is it that I’m
doing in this short post, and which is drawn out across fifty thousand
words in Gadsby?

That’s it. I quit. I’m done.

[ORIGIN.]

A Recent E-Mail & Comment

I’m about to break my no-names-in-the-main-blog-area rule because a situation has come up down yonder and I want to head off potential confusion.

I’d like to share an e-mail I recently sent to Other Eric, who has told me that he does not have a problem with me blogging from our e-mail exchange. Here goes:

Eric,

I wanted to write and say, first of all, that I feel for the cross you

are carrying. We all carry crosses, and the struggle of same-sex

attraction is no different. It is a temptation to a different kind of

sin than most have, but all struggle with temptation. We all have fallen

natures, and God loves and cares for you as much as he does for me or

anyone else.

I also wanted to say that I appreciate your thoughtful comments on my

blog as you wrestle with this issue, and I understand how insensitive

the comments of some may be. I hope that my remarks are better in this

regard.

I agree that there comes an age in which the concerns I have expressed

on the blog lessen and eventually cease to apply. At some point in their

lives, children must come to become aware of the existence of

homosexuality and its moral status, because they will certainly run into

it as adults. Children cannot be shielded from the realities of life

forever. Their parents must prepare them to face not only the good

things in life but the bad and tragic things as well. The question is

when. This is a decision that I feel is best left up to individual

parents, as there is no obvious answer. Since multi-family schools must

make a common decision about it that is bound to be inappropriate for

some children, as they progress at different rates, I prefer

homeschooling situations where each family can make these decisions

based on the knowledge, temprament, and unique circumstances of their

own children.

I also agree that different individuals with homosexual temptations are

different. They are not all outspoken advocates of the gay lifestyle,

though many are. The same is true of the children they raise, and this

has to be taken into account in the decision to admit the children of

such couples into a school.

The situation of a child’s parents also have nothing to do with his

ability to receive the sacraments as long as he accepts the Catholic

faith (including its teaching on moral matters) and otherwise fulfills

the requirements for the sacraments.

I want to stress that I view you and all in similar situations as human

beings first above all. You may have same-sex attraction temptations,

but those are not determinitive of what you are. To tell the truth, I

don’t even like using "homosexual" as a noun. In a blog post, space

restrictions prevent me from using (repeatedly) the phrases that I

prefer–"*person* with homosexual temptations" and "*person* with

same-sex attraction"–but these phrases better reflect the reality of

the situations of individuals struggling with this condition, and I

would encourage you to think of yourself, not as a homosexual, but as a

*person* who happens to have same-sex temptations.

I’ve said such things in public before, and would be happy to blog to

this effect again, but didn’t want to use your e-mail as an occasion of

doing so in case you wanted it kept private.

I’m glad that you’re getting in touch with David Morrison, and I hope

he’s able to help you on your journey. Feel free to write me again, and

I hope you’ll keep reading the blog.

God bless, and take care!

Jimmy Akin

One of the other commenters down yonder noted that Other Eric’s e-mail address indicates his sexuality. I posted the following comment in response:

As his e-mail address indicates,

Other Eric is a person who has homosexual attractions and who openly

describes himself as gay.

He also has interacted respectfully with others on this blog, even

though of late we have been discussing issues that one would suppose

might pain him and that he might strongly disagree with.

In view of his respectful attitude and willingness to think through

these subjects, we owe him the same respect and willingness to think

through points he may make.

Just because someone practices the "gay lifestyle" does not mean

that he should not be treated with respect and engaged in dialog on

important issues, including the Church’s teachings regarding

homosexuality.

That’s what Christ, who died for Other Eric just as much for all of the rest of us, would have us do.

Thanks for understanding.

A Recent E-Mail & Comment

I’m about to break my no-names-in-the-main-blog-area rule because a situation has come up down yonder and I want to head off potential confusion.

I’d like to share an e-mail I recently sent to Other Eric, who has told me that he does not have a problem with me blogging from our e-mail exchange. Here goes:

Eric,

I wanted to write and say, first of all, that I feel for the cross you
are carrying. We all carry crosses, and the struggle of same-sex
attraction is no different. It is a temptation to a different kind of
sin than most have, but all struggle with temptation. We all have fallen
natures, and God loves and cares for you as much as he does for me or
anyone else.

I also wanted to say that I appreciate your thoughtful comments on my
blog as you wrestle with this issue, and I understand how insensitive
the comments of some may be. I hope that my remarks are better in this
regard.

I agree that there comes an age in which the concerns I have expressed
on the blog lessen and eventually cease to apply. At some point in their
lives, children must come to become aware of the existence of
homosexuality and its moral status, because they will certainly run into
it as adults. Children cannot be shielded from the realities of life
forever. Their parents must prepare them to face not only the good
things in life but the bad and tragic things as well. The question is
when. This is a decision that I feel is best left up to individual
parents, as there is no obvious answer. Since multi-family schools must
make a common decision about it that is bound to be inappropriate for
some children, as they progress at different rates, I prefer
homeschooling situations where each family can make these decisions
based on the knowledge, temprament, and unique circumstances of their
own children.

I also agree that different individuals with homosexual temptations are
different. They are not all outspoken advocates of the gay lifestyle,
though many are. The same is true of the children they raise, and this
has to be taken into account in the decision to admit the children of
such couples into a school.

The situation of a child’s parents also have nothing to do with his
ability to receive the sacraments as long as he accepts the Catholic
faith (including its teaching on moral matters) and otherwise fulfills
the requirements for the sacraments.

I want to stress that I view you and all in similar situations as human
beings first above all. You may have same-sex attraction temptations,
but those are not determinitive of what you are. To tell the truth, I
don’t even like using "homosexual" as a noun. In a blog post, space
restrictions prevent me from using (repeatedly) the phrases that I
prefer–"*person* with homosexual temptations" and "*person* with
same-sex attraction"–but these phrases better reflect the reality of
the situations of individuals struggling with this condition, and I
would encourage you to think of yourself, not as a homosexual, but as a
*person* who happens to have same-sex temptations.

I’ve said such things in public before, and would be happy to blog to
this effect again, but didn’t want to use your e-mail as an occasion of
doing so in case you wanted it kept private.

I’m glad that you’re getting in touch with David Morrison, and I hope
he’s able to help you on your journey. Feel free to write me again, and
I hope you’ll keep reading the blog.

God bless, and take care!

Jimmy Akin

One of the other commenters down yonder noted that Other Eric’s e-mail address indicates his sexuality. I posted the following comment in response:

As his e-mail address indicates,
Other Eric is a person who has homosexual attractions and who openly
describes himself as gay.

He also has interacted respectfully with others on this blog, even
though of late we have been discussing issues that one would suppose
might pain him and that he might strongly disagree with.

In view of his respectful attitude and willingness to think through
these subjects, we owe him the same respect and willingness to think
through points he may make.

Just because someone practices the "gay lifestyle" does not mean
that he should not be treated with respect and engaged in dialog on
important issues, including the Church’s teachings regarding
homosexuality.

That’s what Christ, who died for Other Eric just as much for all of the rest of us, would have us do.

Thanks for understanding.