Sunday, September 27, 2009
Away From City Lights
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Combining Two Failed HIV Vaccines Makes a New Failed Vaccine
The BBC has this article whose headline reads "HIV vaccine 'reduces infection'". Fifty-one people out of 8,197 people vaccinated contracted HIV, while 74 people out of 8,198 people who were not vaccinated and used as controls contracted HIV. The difference is not statistically significant. In biology, two = one for most biological results because biological systems are so complex, and there were a lot more variables than could be controlled for in this vaccine trial. Look at it this way, 0.622 per cent contracted HIV from the treated group versus 0.902 in the untreated group. Both results can be rounded up to 1 per cent. I'd like to see a similar vaccine trial on gays or IV drug users. Those are high risk groups for HIV infection and if the vaccine offered any protection, the data would likely show it. My guess is that the combinatorial vaccine would fail that test.
Labels: another failed HIV vaccine
The Key to Living
The key to Living Life is understanding what is important. Letting go of what is not important happens gradually for most, swiftly to a few, leaving that which is important. It is paradoxical, yet simple, in nature, like discovering who you are not in order to discover who you truly are. Life shows you your essence if you allow it to do so.
Labels: the essence of Life
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Things Seem to be Muddling Through
I'd write about something if there was something to write about. The U.S. seems to be hobbling along as the American people try to survive the economic downturn. Our leaders don't seem to be leading much. Witness the lack of reform in financial regulation, the lack of consensus, and possibly political will, to reform American healthcare. The people sense that something is grossly out of alignment with society, that fairness has been thrown out the window. Meanwhile, the government gives money to corporations and banks, and hopes that it will trickle down to the taxpayer. Tickle-down economics is dead as a practical economic theory, but people still cling to its comforting illusion. It seems that our government has been completely captured by business interests. Both the government and corporations will be looted of their assets. Those in power will reap the rewards, then move on. Jobs will be sent overseas never to return, and the Middle Class will decline as will the nation; unless, the People wake up and cause the government to shake off its parasites. If Australian economist Steve Keen is correct, than U. S. government economic policy is critically flawed. Not that people can't see the obvious, that the Fed is creating a new bubble to offset this last bubble.
I'm not sure why people aren't giving Max Keiser more credit for the Keen interview. Mr. Keiser is a bit over the top and outspoken, but perhaps one has to be that way to get people out of their complacency. Check out www.maxkeiser.com. It's at least entertaining while also being informative. Most mainstream American media isn't really informative any more. It's mostly just entertainment disguised as information.
I'm not sure why people aren't giving Max Keiser more credit for the Keen interview. Mr. Keiser is a bit over the top and outspoken, but perhaps one has to be that way to get people out of their complacency. Check out www.maxkeiser.com. It's at least entertaining while also being informative. Most mainstream American media isn't really informative any more. It's mostly just entertainment disguised as information.
Labels: plodding along
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Quantitative Easing
Honoring Dedication
Bob Greene writes about Bill Sauer, a man whose passion changed a town for the better.
Labels: touching lives just by living
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Brief Talk on Perception
A Krishnamurti SDSU Talk from 1970
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
A Krishnamurti Video
This is a talk by Jiddu Krishnamurti with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The talk is about meditation, personal experience, gurus, and such. He cuts to the essence of the issue which is being the still observer.
Labels: Krishnamurti
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Waiting to be Dead
Most people are waiting to be dead. I know that for most of the last 4.5 years except for a few fleeting moments and at least a few weeks last December, I've felt like I was waiting to die. I was not really living, lost in the past or future, avoiding the present. The living dead are all around us. Be in the present. Die to the past and future and become Alive!
Labels: the living dead vs. the Awakened Living
Friday, September 04, 2009
What Matters
I visited West Texas this past weekend. These videos and images were taken at my Father's house outside of Ft. Davis, TX, on August 30, 2009. It was a relaxing and peaceful visit. The hummingbirds are migrating south for the winter.
This looks like a Rufous and a female Black-chinned hummingbirds feeding.
Rufous and Black-chinned hummingbirds feeding at western feeder (snapshot from the above video)
Female hummingbird in oak tree
Rufous Hummingbird feeding at southern feeder.
This looks like a Rufous and a female Black-chinned hummingbirds feeding.
Rufous and Black-chinned hummingbirds feeding at western feeder (snapshot from the above video)
Female hummingbird in oak tree
Rufous Hummingbird feeding at southern feeder.
Labels: Hummingbirds