Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Why has Pope Benedict chosen now to beatify Nazi-era pontiff? - Haaretz - Israel News


Why has Pope Benedict chosen now to beatify Nazi-era pontiff? - Haaretz - Israel News: "Last update - 13:40 28/12/2009
Why has Pope Benedict chosen now to beatify Nazi-era pontiff?
By Robert Wistrich


Exactly ten years ago, on a cold winter morning in New York City, the Catholic-Jewish Historical Commission, established to investigate Pope Pius XII's response to the Holocaust, met for the first time to discuss its future work. I was the only Israeli historian among the six scholars (3 Catholics and 3 Jews) designated by the Vatican and leading Jewish organizations to study this hotly contested issue.

A little under two years later, the project was abandoned as a result of the Holy See's unwillingness to release materials from its own archives that could help clarify issues that our team of scholars raised in our provisional report.
......
At issue was the silence of Pius XII during the Holocaust and his indirect complicity in the Nazi mass murder of Jews. These allegations, which first emerged around 1964, had prompted the Vatican to publish eleven volumes of its own documents (edited by four trusted Jesuit scholars), most of them appearing in the 1970s. It was these documents in Italian, German, French, Latin, and English that we were originally asked to review.

The million or so unpublished documents from the pontificate of Pius XII (1939?1958) according to the Vatican's most recent estimate, will only be available in about four year's time.

It is in this context that we need to see the recent decree onthe 'heroic virtues' of Pius XII, just signed by Pope Benedict XVI. Most Jews have interpreted this act as yet another signal that the Vatican is determined to beatify the controversial wartime pope - whom some even consider to have been anti-Semitic - regardless of what the historical evidence may indicate.
.....
My own provisional conclusion drawn from the study of thousands of documents is that the mass murder of Jews was fairly low on his list of priorities. Of course, much the same could be said of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, but they did not claim to be the 'Vicar of Christ' or to represent the Christian conscience.

Pius XII strikes me as a polished diplomat far more worried about the Allied bombing of Rome than about the thousand Roman Jews who were being deported by the Germans to their deaths in Auschwitz, virtually under the windows of the Holy See.

......
So why has Benedict XVI chosen to take this step now? Why risk unnecessary damage to Catholic-Jewish relations? My own inclination is to think that the present pope regards Pius XII as a soulmate - both theologically and politically.

He shares with the wartime pontiff an authoritarian centralist world-view and a deep distrust of liberalism, modernity, and the ravages of moral relativism. He was 31 years old when Pius XII died in 1958, and already then regarded him as a venerated role model.

Moreover, the German-born Joseph Ratzinger (today Benedict XVI) certainly knew that Pius XII (an artistocratic Roman) was also a passionate Germanophile, surrounded by German aides during and after the war, fluent in the German language, and a great admirer of the German Catholic Church.

Not only that, but Ratzinger probably knows that Pius XII personally intervened after 1945 to commute the sentences of convicted German war criminals. This solicitude for Nazi criminals contrasts sharply with Pius XII ignoring all entreaties to make a public statement against anti-Semitism even after the full horrors of the death camps had been revealed in 1945.

In this context it is profoundly unsettling to think that the ultraconservative Benedict XVI and his entourage can identify so completely with Pius XII as a man of 'heroic virtue.'.......
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Shin Bet: 2009 had lowest terror levels in Israel this decade - Haaretz - Israel News


Shin Bet: 2009 had lowest terror levels in Israel this decade - Haaretz - Israel News: "Shin Bet: 2009 had lowest terror levels in Israel this decade
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Shin Bet, Israel news

The past 12 months have seen the lowest number of terror attacks this decade, and the least number of Israeli casualties of terror, according to a report from the Shin Bet security services released Wednesday.

The Shin Bet credits the low number on the ability of Israeli security forces to thwart attacks, as well as efforts by Palestinian security organizations."
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » Even Unfriendlier Skies

HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » Even Unfriendlier Skies: "75. SJ spews:

HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » Even Unfriendlier Skies: "74. SJ spews:


Artfart


(cross posted to SJ)


We mostly agree on thge two sides of the situation in Palestine/Israel.


I think, however, that the analogy to South Africa fails … Jimmy Carter has recently apologized for making that error in his recent book.


In South Africa, Apartheid was based on race. No African, no matter what his culture, could become “white.” There is no issue of racial identity in Israel.


In South Africa, the white majority wanted to confine the kafirs to a unsustainable bantustans. Zionists have always wanted a Semitic brotherhood based ion equlaity of Arabs and Jews.


Moreover “Palestine” as a nation is analogous to White SA. There were no (arab) Palestinians prior to 1948. The term “Palestinian” meant Jew. The Arabs rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, occupied what we now called Palestine and annexed to Jordan and Egypt. The idea of an Arab Palestinian state originated with two Egyptians … Nasser and Arafat … as part of a war of attrition between ALL the Arabs and Israel.


History is .. the past. Arguing today about whether the Zionists of 1880 were right or whether the arabs of 48 were right is probably futile.


What Jimmy Carter, and you, have made very clear is that ALL of us need to see and try to end the suffering of the Palestinians.


My problem with “progressives” is that they foster more war by demonizing Israel … just as the evangelicals foster war by demonizing the Palestinians. I have yet to meet a self proclaimed progressive who is a member of Peace Now, the movement to create two peaceful states.


I believe peace will come. I see only one way that can happen. The Palestinians must reject Hamas and openly seek peace. To do this they also need to take over their own government. This can happen either under a dictator with broad support and good intentions or under a democracy.


The formula must give the Palestinians a viable state. YOU AND I AGREE THAT THE 67 BORDERS WILL NOT DO THAT. Palestine, however, is surrounded (on three sides) by affluent neighbors with more than enough land and resources to make a viable state. A viable state, moreover, nbeed not depend on its borders for its economy ..Israel certainly would not be viable without trade with Europe and the US! A viable economy including Jordan and the Northern Sinai is EASY to imagine … once we all agree that WAR-WAR is hard on Palestinian kids.


So, yeh, it is not hard to imagine an economic solutions to the mess in Palestine. An economic entity including Jordan and the Sinai has GREAT promise. This will NOT happen as long as the unholy coalition of progressives and irridentist Muslims insist on their view of justice."


75. SJ spews:

@73 Puddy’

yes BUT your fundie friends are doing nothing for peace when they demionize Hamas.

Here is a challenge …

are YOU a member of Peace Now? Are ANY fundamentalists who claim to love us Jews willing to work with us to make peace?

Or is the friendliness toward Israel onlky toward our far right believers in eternal war and Armageddon?"
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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Another Voice of Dr. Wise

HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » Understanding Eyman: "U.W. Bosses Reek of Corporate $$$

Apparently the $900,000 taxpayers pay U.W. president Mark Emmert isn’t enough; he gets another $220K for squatting on the board of Expeditors International.

EI has a contract with the U.W., worth $250,000 a year, to handle international shipping of goods used by the U.W.

And Emmert gets another $140,000 a year to squat on Weyerhauser’s board of directors. That’s a lot of money for “attend[ing] a meeting once every couple months,” which makes me think the Big W’s 140K buys influence, not time or skills.

And U.W. Provost Phyllis Wise has come under fire for accepting a $200,000-a-year gig with Nike to supplement her $650K university pay. Nike has business dealings with the U.W.: It licenses trademarks to sell merchandise with the U.W. logo, among other things. Nike also has a slimy public image from, among other things, allegedly exploiting workers in third world countries under what amounts to slave-labor conditions to make its products on the cheap, and it’s reasonable to assume the company benefits from having people like Wise on its board to project an aura of respectability that, in real life, it may, allegedly, in fact not have.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/12/possible_uw_sanction_against_n.php

SO WHERE IS GOVERNOR GREGOIRE?

I mean, isn’t the U.W. a state agency? Isn’t the U.W. funded, at least to some miniscule extent, by federal and state TAX DOLLARS? Is the governor asleep? Isn’t she supposed to be the boss of bosses, the person who supervises the bosses of state agencies and universities, the gal in charge of doing something about agency heads and top managements, who get paid big bucks to act in the public’s name for the public interest, who are on the take from private corporations in what clearly are conflicts of interest and/or socially undesireable activities? Isn’t Gov. Gregoire supposed to be the ultimate protector of the values we hold dear as citizens? Such as NOT USING OUR STATE’S PREMIERE UNIVERSITY TO FACILITATE THE ENSLAVING POOR GUATEMALAN WORKERS to enrich soulless tycoons like Phil Knight?

Hello? Gov. Christine? Is anyone alive out there?"
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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Death of a Great Man

uwnews.org | University of Washington’s Dr. Edwin G. Krebs, recipient of 1992 Nobel Prize for discovering biological switch in cells, dies at 91 | University of Washington News and Information: "University of Washington's Dr. Edwin G. Krebs, recipient of 1992 Nobel Prize for discovering biological switch in cells, dies at 91
Leila Gray leilag@u.washington.edu


UW
Dr. Edwin G. Krebs received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research conducted at the UW in the 1950s. He was UW professor emeritus of pharmacology and biochemistry at the time of his death Dec. 21, 2009, at the age of 91, in Seattle.


Dr. Edwin G. Krebs, who shared the 1992 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering a biological regulatory mechanism in cells, died Monday, Dec. 21, in Seattle. The cause was complications from progressive heart failure. He was 91.

Dr. Krebs joined the faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1948, two years after the school opened. He spent most of his career at the UW. For decades after his retirement as professor emeritus of pharmacology and biochemistry, he walked regularly from his home to his UW lab to conduct research and meet with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He was an impeccable gentleman with a ready smile who liked a good story.

In the early 1950s, Dr. Krebs and his UW colleague, Dr. Edmond Fisher, were working on another scientific problem when they made an unexpected finding. They noticed that an enzyme that helps liberate energy in muscle cells (called glycogen phosphorylase) was activated by chemical reaction with phosphate, and de-activated by its removal. Adding and removing the phosphate was like turning on and off the switch that controlled the enzyme's activity."
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Toyota to Launch New Hybrid - The Daily Beast

Toyota to Launch New Hybrid - The Daily Beast: "Toyota to Launch New Hybrid
CS - Prius
Koji Sasahara / AP Photo

With the Prius in high demand, Toyota is working on another hybrid to help secure its dominant position in the future. The new car will be smaller and cheaper than the Prius, which has a starting price of $22,400. The Prius accounts for more than 75 percent of Toyota's hybrid sales worldwide. Some analysts say the company might be committing itself too much to its hybrids, however, as all-electric cars may eventually become affordable and negate their appeal. 'Toyota is completely convinced about the potential for hybrids spreading to all segments,' one auto analyst told The Detroit News 'That has yet to be proven. There aren't many places in the world where hybrids have caught on.'"
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The Detroit News | banker's Son Terrorist?

The Detroit News | detnews.com | Saturday, December 26, 2009 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan: "Nigerian banker fears son is Detroit flight terror suspect

A prominent Nigerian banker says he's meeting with security officials because he fears his son may have been the man who allegedly tried to bomb a Detroit-bound flight. - 12/26/2009"

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Support SJ as Chair of Federal Commission on Death Panels

LINK to HA Whither Healthcare?

1. Reconciliation: tax base

This needs a LOT of progressive pressure. Important issues are seeing that the tax base includes the tax on families above 250k, This creates a critical precedent for health care being funded form the general fund rather than from a regressive kludge like SS. Support the House.


2. National Health Insurance Exchange.

Both bills have this and this DOES create a national health care system. Exchanges should be national, NOT state based as in the Senate bill. We already have such a program for Federal Employees so this is not a huge step. The major reason we need the house version is that the senate proposes state by state exchanges. Since a state may have as few as 2 or 3 companies, state exchanges do littler to create competition.

BTW John McCain campaigned FOR a nation exchange. Support McCain and the House.

3. Rationalize Medicare Cuts

Neither bill does this in an effective way. The underlying issue is cost shifting. Currently Medicare pays a part of the bill for the uninsured because those costs are shifted to all insured patients.

If National Health care works at all, the change in cost shifting should be used to offset costs of medicare. This ought to be explicit.

Unfortunately, both bills also include top down efforts to control costs by setting payment levels rather than negotiating them. This is not likely to work politically. Offsetting this with tax funds, perhaps using the House tax idea, would be great.

Support the House.


4. Cut the Pork

Of ALL bills this one ought to minimize pork. The obvious examples in Nebraska and Louisiana have been oversimplified. Louisiana especially DOES gave a unique problem because of Katrina and because the state is amongst the last to still have "charity" It would do us ALL well to replace this as pork with some national rules in re federal mandates that would address a wider set of state by state issues.

Support Obama's Technocrats

5. Death Panels

We NEED mechanisms to assess quality and quantity. Calling them death panels is a disgusting piece of unpatriotic propaganda.

Both bills already contain similar mechanisms for oversight. Strengthen ing these committees by assuring transparency and insulting them from interest group politics is critical to making the system work.

I have no idea who can help this happen but would really like to see BHO get VERY tough on this. One way to do this might be to keep insurance companies OFF of the commissions. Ideally the commissions would be comprised of objective scientists, perhaps under the NIH.
A structure like the FDA is worth considering, i.e. a structure that is seen as objective.

Support SJ as Chair of Federal Commission on Death Panels
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Al Jazeera English - Empire - What future for 'Greater Israel'?

Al Jazeera English - Empire - What future for 'Greater Israel'?: "What future for 'Greater Israel'?"
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Cheat Sheet - Breaking News, World, U.S. & Entertainment - The Daily Beast

Cheat Sheet - Breaking News, World, U.S. & Entertainment - The Daily Beast: "Palin Bans Four Bloggers from Book Event

Good thing Andrew Sullivan didn’t attempt to crash the party: Sarah Palin banned four local bloggers from attending her Going Rogue signing in Wasilla, according to one blogger who was apparently on the list. The Immoral Minority’s Gryphen and blogger-friend Dennis Zaki found themselves escorted off the premises of the Wasilla Sports Center by a police officer who informed them that they were on the “banned list.” Gryphen says that, in addition to him and Zaki, Alaska radio-host Shannon Moore and an unknown fourth person were also banned from the event. About 1,000 people turned up for the Wasilla event.
Read it at Gawker"

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Jimmy Carter to U.S. Jews: Forgive me for stigmatizing Israel - Haaretz - Israel News

Jimmy Carter to U.S. Jews: Forgive me for stigmatizing Israel - Haaretz - Israel News: "Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter has apologized to the American Jewish community for 'stigmatizing Israel' and asked for forgiveness for his actions, the JTA reported on Monday.

'We must recognize Israel's achievements under difficult circumstances, even as we strive in a positive way to help Israel continue to improve its relations with its Arab populations, but we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel,' Carter wrote in a letter to the JTA.

'As I would have noted at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but which is appropriate at any time of the year, I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so,' Carter wrote, referring to the prayer said on Yom Kippur in which Jews ask God for forgiveness for any sins.
Advertisement

Carter has angered American Jews in the past by likening Israeli policy in the West Bank to apartheid South Africa in his book 'Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid'."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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A View of Obama's House from The Repricans

Big Government » Blog Archive » EXCLUSIVE: Transvestites, Mao And Obama Ornaments Decorate White House Christmas Tree: "ma Ornaments Decorate White House Christmas Tree
by Capitol Confidential

Why let a holiday season come between the White House and making some political statements? The White House pegged controversial designer Simon Doonan to oversee the Christmas decorations for the White House. Mr. Doonan, who is creative director of Barney’s New York has often caused a stir with his design choices. Like his naughty yuletide window display of Margaret Thatcher as a dowdy dominatrix and Dan Quayle as a ventriloquist’s dummy. For this year’s White House, he didn’t disappoint.
White House 008White House 002

These photos of ornaments on the White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room were taken just days ago. Of course, Mao has his place in the White House.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without an ornament of legendary transvestite Hedda Lettuce.

And, so soon after collecting the Nobel Peace Prize, why wouldn’t the White House haveWhite House 005 an ornament super-imposing President Obama onto Mt. Rushmore:


All around, a very Barry Christmas!"
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Dawn Teo: McCain Senate Re-Election Race Already Getting Ugly

Dawn Teo: McCain Senate Re-Election Race Already Getting Ugly: "PHOENIX, AZ -- Talk-radio host, Tea Partier, and former House member J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) hasn't even filed to run against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in the Republican senate primary, but both sides have already gone on the offensive. Even while still in the hypothetical stage, this race has already escalated into push polls, name-calling, and legal complaint filings."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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More on Dr. Wise

HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » UW Provost Phyllis Wise finally complies with disclosure policy: "@2 rhp

The clue might be the fact that the Provost is from the U.W. Medical School. Members of the medical community who hold full-time academic positions make substantially less than they could in private practice. Some might see this as an opportunity to level the playing field with their peers.

No.

Dr. Wise is a PhD and a professor of physiology. The higher salaries you refer to are for MDs doing clinical work. One neurosurgeon colleague of mine a couple of years ago was given hell by the media because he was making about what she is now. In his case, however, at his clinical level, the going rate outside of a University was about $3 million a year. (He is a GREAT surgeon in a hard area).

Withall due respect, as Provost of the UW, she is already paid MORE than the Chancellor of UC Berkley. (take a look at today’s NYTimes).

The second difficult issue here is that she appears to have a conflict of interest. A Committee appointed by President Emmert has already found that Nike is in violation of their trademark contract wi UW because of labor problems in Guatemala. As the UW Executive Vice President and as Provost she has durect responsibility for exactly that sort of ethical concern. Her claim to be able to recuse herself makes no sense.

Remember, Dr. Wise claims NOT to be doing this in her capacity as a Prof. of Physiology. (Nike would not hire her for this much money in that capacity). Rather she is acting as a State employee. Imagine if Gregoire’s Head of the Prison System were to join the board of some firm selling for-profit prison services or if an aide to Perter Goldmark (Lands Commissioner) were to take money from Weyerhauser?

I respect Dr. Wise but I also believe she has made a bad mistake and is setting a bad precedent that undermines the credibility of the UW at a time when we badly need the support of citizens under great financial stress.

If I were her, I wold resign from Nike.

S.M. Schwartz, MD, PhD, MD (hon)

Professor of Pathology
University of Washington
Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering and Cardiology"
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Darcy in a Mountie Suit?

http://www.freewebs.com/jimmyjaz2/dudley_do_right.jpg

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/matthews-i-dont-think-joe-lieberman-credib?ref=http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/matthews-i-dont-think-joe-lieberman-credib#comments


 What a sad clip!


Darcy Burner is a bright, early retirement, Msofty who  ran for Congress in a local swing district as the favorite of our DL crew (me too).

She lost for many reasons, some of them dirty pool by her Reprican opponent.  BUT the key issue was her inability to sell herself as a political expert after a MS mid level management stint and very little public activity.  Perhaps the worst thing she did was putting together a respectable crew to author an anti Iraq war statement.  Going beyond a staement of opposition to Bush's war, Darcy claimed to offer a solution.  If only she had!


Now Darcy has taken a job as a lobbyist for a progressive group.  In that capacity she is waving the flag of the folks who feel Obamacare is too weak. Chris Mathews did give her a hard time but she flubbed it badly.  The worse thing may be her costume.  Does she think she is Dudley Do Right?
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HorsesAss.Org » Blog Archive » K-12 funding equity at stake in budget fight

Jason

You and I agree on the issue of the Repricans and money for schools. However, a major reason that the Rs get away with this is that we ALL have created a school system that is divided into two classes .. charity schools and affluent schools. Seattle parents with $$ can send their kids to private school or move to a District where there is more parental control.

The result?

Funds for public schools have sunk in priorioty to the level of funds for charities. Look at Goldy! His daughter goes to mercer Island schools. That fact obviously decreases the urgency of his interest in how the SPS work as well his credibility on that issue.

As I said before, it is impossible to disentangle school policy from the funding issues;. When the SPS announces it is going t divert funds to make Cleveland into an alternative school so as t attract white kids while NOT supporting successful programs at Garfield and Roosevelt, guess how many voters WANT to dish up money?

BTW, the UW is slowly headed won the same canyon as the SPS. WA state, along with California, is destroying its elite colleges because of a confluence of anti-elite libruls and anti-tax repricans.
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Monday, December 21, 2009

Swedenb Trumps China in Babies?

The Local - Sweden's news in English: "Sweden boasts record high population growth
Sweden boasts record high population growth

Sweden's population grew more in 2009 than it has in any year since 1946, according to new figure
Sweden boasts record high population growth

Sweden boasts record high population growth

Sweden's population grew more in 2009 than it has in any year since 1946, according to new figures from Statistics Sweden. READ (9 COMMENTS) »

s from Statistics Sweden. READ (9 COMMENTS) »"
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BBC News - In pictures: 'Stalin's' rude jottings


BBC News - In pictures: 'Stalin's' rude jottings: "In pictures: 'Stalin's' rude jottings
A drawing of a naked man with a scrawling in red
A scrawling with J. Stalin signature on a drawing

Another reads: 'Why are you so thin, Mikhail Ivanovich? Do some work. Onanism is not work. Try Marxism!' (Photo by yustas, a member of the Live_report community - a bbcrussian.com-livejournal project)."
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BBC News - Police in Poland find sign stolen from Auschwitz gate

Police in Poland find sign stolen from Auschwitz gate

Arbeit Macht Frei sign
Hundreds of thousands of people passed under the sign to their deaths

The "Arbeit macht frei" sign stolen from Auschwitz in southern Poland has been found in the north and five men have been arrested, police say.

They said the metal sign from the main gate, which symbolises for many the atrocities of Nazi Germany, had been cut into three pieces.

A major search was launched after the sign was stolen before dawn on Friday.

Its theft, the motive for which was not being reported, caused outrage in Israel and among Polish politicians.

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Sunday, December 20, 2009

Obama as a Pharisee

There is a lot wrong with Max Blumental ’s sermon on Obama as a Failed Messiah..

During a time of economic decline, persistent cultural strife, deepening American involvement in far-off military conflicts, and rapid environmental deterioration, is there any wonder that some have turned to apocalyptic salvation narratives promising both a transcendent, everlasting future and violent retribution against perceived evildoers?

First Max  seems to confuse Jesus of History and the messiahs promised by many religions.
The historic Jesus was a failure in his own time. Aside from the Pauline use of Jesus to create a new message and a new promise, for his contemporaries the outcome of this messiah was the crucifixion, continued Roman repression. and the destruction of Jerusalem as a Jewish city.

Perhaps this is the radical Christian AND the radical liberal common hope for Obama.

Second, there appears to be a myth that Obamism of 08 was a messianic campaign. 

When the Democratic primary began, some progressives seemed to ache for a secular messiah to descend from the political heavens, reverse Bush’s disastrous legacy and save the country from itself. In their quest for a savior, progressives discovered Barack Obama. “I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views,” Obama proclaimed in his book, The Audacity of Hope. As Obama’s primary battle against Hillary Clinton intensified, his rhetoric and the language of his supporters grew increasingly messianic. 
 The only messianism I heard was in the derision of the Fauxies ... something eerily like the Gospels story of Romans mocking Jesus as "the King of the Jews." The Hannity/Beck/Billo trinity still seem to see this as a useful barb.

There is a real issue of Jewish history here too. While the Gospels blame the Pharisees for the fate of their messiah, Max may appears not aware that the Pharisees, the party of passive resistance that gave rise to Jesus, were VERY practical people.  Unlike the later zealots and messianics, the Pharisees taught being true to one own morals while living with the reality od a Roman world.  ... this is exaclty how most of us saw Obam in 08.
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Monday, December 14, 2009

Happy Hanukkah – Open Thread

@93. Mr. Cynical spews:

Faith & Grace are the most amazing things.
Closed minds and closed hearts cannot & refuse to grasp the enormity of what the Chrsitians did.


1. murder those closest to to Jesus because the Aryan and nazarene heritages were heresy against Rome.

2. Kidnap children so they could be raised under the Christian religion.

3. enslave millions for their own good.

So who is blind?

WWJD?

Is your Jesus the Jesus of opposition to Roman tyranny? the preacher of passive resistance, the advocate of following the Torah while under the Roman yoke? Who was and is a better follower of YOUR Jesus, Charles Colson or Jimmy Carter? John XXIII or Sarah Palin? Cesar Chavez or Dick Chaney? Thomas Jefferson or George III?
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Tech Solves MJ Issues?

Popular Science | New Technology, Science News, The Future Now: "Inhalable Chocolate Paves the Way for a Safer TB Vaccine
By Jenny Everett Posted 12.

Inhalable Chocolate Paves the Way for a Safer TB Vaccine


In 2007, David Edwards, a biomedical engineer at Harvard University, gave his students a project: Develop a way to inhale food, rather than chewing and swallowing it. “They took a whiff of everything from pepper to carrots and coughed a lot,” Edwards says. Last fall, he introduced Le Whif, a lipstick-size inhaler that drops a delicious, one-calorie chocolate taste on your tongue.

In 2007, David Edwards, a biomedical engineer at Harvard University, gave his students a project: Develop a way to inhale food, rather than chewing and swallowing it. “They took a whiff of everything from pepper to carrots and coughed a lot,” Edwards says. Last fall, he introduced Le Whif, a lipstick-size inhaler that drops a delicious, one-calorie chocolate taste on your tongue."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Al-Ahram Weekly | Region | Building on extremism

Al-Ahram Weekly | Region | Building on extremism: "Building on extremism
While there is an ideological shift in Israeli society towards the right, it is not the only reason why Jewish settlements are quickly being inhabited. Saleh El-Naami investigates"

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Thou shalt not shop - The Local

Thou shalt not shop - The Local: "The topic of store opening hours might be banal, but the court ruling fundamentally changes the state’s relationship between religion and law. This happens to cut to the core of the endless debate about integration of Muslims in Europe.

Germany’s top justices have suddenly made the country’s constitution rather pious. But considering it’s not only Christian citizens that have a right to religious freedom, this should be the only time they are given preferential treatment."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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iPhone users are delusional, consultants say | Technically Incorrect - CNET News

iPhone users are delusional, consultants say | Technically Incorrect - CNET News: "Many people I know are frightfully attached to their iPhones. They treat them as if they were a peculiar and exotic lover, one they can hardly believe they have managed to seduce.

The finely calibrated minds at Strand Consult have taken this analysis to a particularly simple conclusion: iPhone users are, the consultants say, really quite nuts.

The Strand thinkers released an opinion entitled 'How will psychologists describe the iPhone syndrome in the future?.' It focuses on the sorts of people who buy into Apple's great success.

Here's a flavor of the somewhat-skeptical nature of Strand's feelings: 'Apple has launched a beautiful phone with a fantastic user interface that has had a number of technological shortcomings that many iPhone users have accepted and defended, despite those shortcomings resulting in limitations in iPhone users' daily lives.'

The consultants' likening of iPhone buyers to kidnapped hostages may raise more than the eyebrows of many an Apple fanboy (fanperson?). Indeed, it already has the Mac world aflutter."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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HA Seattle


After being to HempFest this year I rased concern that kids ought not to be there amidst the clouds of pot smoke. Several times, I asked Lee, our local pot fanatic,  if he planned to do anything to protect children by banning kids from the next Hempfest.

After ignoring my questions, he finally answered .....

"@42Lee

You keep bringing this up and I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. I was at Hempfest for over 4 hours this past summer. I walked from one end of the park to the other and I did not come in contact with any marijuana smoke at all, let alone enough that would constitute a health risk for a child."

I replied


"I think this says it all.

BTW, if you go to my post at SJ, there are a lot of pix of folks smoking pot. I must say people were also rather generous about passing joints around. If you had a problme scoring a joint, maybe they took you for a cop?"

So far, no answer from the self righteous one.
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Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Irony of Hannukah



About 2200 years ago my people were conquered by Alexander. A group of guerrillas, the Maccabees, led by members of the priesthood, overthrew the Greeks, tossed their gods out of our temple and reinstated the Jewish state.
The legend says that there was only enough oil for one night’s lighting of the Temples’s eternal light, the menorah. BUT, somehow the light lasted eight days. That Menorah, by the way, was stolen by the Romans and is featured today on the arch of Hadrian in Rome. Rome later a Christian State never returned the Menorah. It was last reported in Constantinople.
So Hanukkah is more like the 4th of July than it is like Christmas or Solstice.
There is, however, a sad connection to Christmas. When the Romans came, the descendants of the Maccabees were the Priesthood and these folks supported Roman rule in return for keeping their priestly power. The priests were opposed by a non violent movement of Jews .. the Pharisees people denigrated by the Christian bible. The Pharisees, probably the first teachers of non violent resistance, were brutally repressed by the Hasmoneans,
So who was Jesus? Jesus was not a Rabbi but was a lay leader of the Pharisees. We know this because he was crucified for preaching resistance to Rome and many of the words attributed to Jesus are from the teachings of the greatest Pharisee, Hillel.
So this is the sad irony of Hanukkah for the Christian church. As loyal Romans, the founders of the Church had to denigrate the teachings of their own messiah. Worse. the Christian Church went on to become the most intolerant religion of all, like the Romans and the Hasmoneans, imposing their God not only on the descendants of the Pharisees but on millions of other innocent people, all in the name of a minor Pharisaic teacher who himself taught non violent resistance.
Rather than being bitter, it seems to me that there is a lesson to be shared here. America was founded by people fleeing later versions of the Hasmoneans. In many ways the founding fathers and mothers were Pharisees, peacefully resisting there Christian State Religions by escaping to a new place. Their cause was later taken up not by Americas new churchly establishment but by Dr. King, Saul Alinsky, Bernie Whitebear, and others who were very much the heirs of the Pharisees.

The need to stand up to our oppressors and reject efforts to impose religion seems to me to be a great American tradition ... that somehow has roots in the long struggle of the Jews against the impositions of our Islamic and Christian conquerors.    These two religions, the heirs of the lands ruled by the Roman State and the Roman Church are unique in their use of the sword for conversion.  ,Jews, Buddhists, Egyptians, Aztecs, Buddhists, pretty much understood that the state was .. well, the state. Their gods might well choose sides and usually did, but the idea of giving one's power in the form of one's god to the folks uou conquered was a gift the Romans left to the world.

The lesson of Hanukkah, moving from the heropism of Maccabees to the collusion of the priests who the Macabees brought to power, seems to me to be that the principles of humanism, the principles taught by Jefferson, Alinsky, Obama, Hillel, Chavez, John Paul XXIII, the principles of freedom of belief transcend any religion.

Happy Hannukah, indeed.


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Thursday, December 10, 2009

It's official: Elliott Bay Book Co. is leaving Pioneer Square

It's official: Elliott Bay Book Co. is leaving Pioneer Square: "It's official: Elliott Bay Book Co. is leaving Pioneer Square

Elliott Book Book Co., the iconic Pioneer Square shop known by book lovers worldwide, will move to Capitol Hill early next year."

This is a sad example of terrible urban planning. Old towns thrive in most cities because they become centers for urban recreations like clubs, restaurants, and galleries.

When the stadia were built, many of us warned that an old town was not compatible with the parking, social culture, and especially the tidal waves of traffic engulfing Pioneer Square before and after game times.

Other opportunities to build an old town have been wasted by Seattle. The location of SAM downtown was one opportunity that could have been a key to creating a wonderful cultural district. Focus on housing in the rather sterile high rises of SLU and Belltown certanly did not take advantage of the existing street level galleries and clubs in Pioneer Square.

The same half hearted policies seem to me to be slowly killing Seattle Center.

Maybe "they" should" just level what is left of pioneer square and make more parking for the games?
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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

For 80,000 you can schmooze with Gorby!

World Leader Symposium: Russia and the Black Sea

World Leader Symposium

August 30, 2010 - September 15, 2010
17 Days / 16 Nights
Ship Size: 149 suites (Co-Sponsored)

Starting from $23,990


World Leader Symposium: Russia and the Black Sea; Global Challenges in a Post Perestroika World on Silver Wind
This year's symposium will take place August 30 – September 15, 2010, beginning in Moscow and ending in Istanbul, in turn visiting various sites in Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. During this unparalleled cruise symposium aboard the privately chartered Silver Wind, one of the highest-rated small luxury ships afloat, participants will have an opportunity to engage in dialogues, group sessions, and conversations with distinguished leaders whose decisions affected the course of history, and with prominent academics who provide insight and perspective.

Trip Highlights

  • Keynote Speakers include Mikhail Gorbachev, during the Moscow segment, and Condoleezza Rice from September 2-6, as well as William Perry
  • Lecture series by Harvard study leader Marvin Kalb, Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice, Emeritus, and Senior Fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press
  • Meet with prominent current and former leaders of government and business in Russia and the Black Sea region to hear their perspectives on recent changes and predictions on what the future may hold for these nations.
  • Enjoy a rich series of excursions, with a balance between traditional sightseeing and in-depth policy programs.

Destination Information

Russia

There is no more appropriate starting point for examining the global challenges of a post-perestroika world than Moscow. Experience a Moscow rarely seen by visitors during private visits to the Grand Kremlin Palace and Armory and to Russia’s military research and cosmonaut training facility, and at a gala dinner among the unique canvasses of Muscovite Vladimir Mochalov, an Andy Warhol-like artist whose portraits capture some of the world’s most famous and controversial citizens. Examine the Cold War from a different angle as you descend 18 stories underground into a secret communication bunker, shelter, and missile control center built in 1956 to withstand a nuclear attack from the United States, and hear personal accounts from a former KGB agent. Or enjoy Moscow’s world-renowned art collections at the State Tretyakov Gallery and Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, and travel aboard the Moscow Metro, which carries more than 9 million people daily and whose stations are impressive works of art. Later in the program, cruise the Black Sea to Sochi, the city that in 2014 will bring the Olympic Games back to Russia for the first time since the 1980 Moscow Games that were boycotted by the U.S.

Georgia

The current climate of peace is characteristic of Georgia’s history of encouraging people of different cultures, religions, and ethnicities to live side by side in relative harmony. However, as recently as 2008 the states of South Ossetia and Abkhazia were the scenes of a full-scale war between Georgia and Russia, which supported the breakaway provinces’ independence. As you admire the dramatic hilltop castles and ancient watchtowers dotting the Caucasus mountains, which have been described as “higher and wilder than the Alps,” and savor the country’s delicious and unique cuisine, learn more about this recent conflict and its repercussions in Georgia and throughout the region from historians, peacekeepers, and aid workers. Destinations From left: Kremlin, Moscow; Ukrainian woman; Ananauri, Georgia From Batumi, once the chief Russian oil port in the Black Sea, visit the Gelati Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Kutaisi that for a long time was one of the main cultural and intellectual centers in Georgia, or travel to Georgia’s charming capital, Tbilisi. As a terminal of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline that pushes crude oil from the Caspian Sea 1,099 miles to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, Tbilisi has recaptured its historically strategic importance along a major transportation route. From its diverse houses of worship (including mosques, synagogues, churches) and the Religious Treasury of the National Museum to the blue-tiled Orbeliani Baths, there is much to see here. Nearby is Gori, birthplace of Stalin and home of one of the few monuments to the former Soviet leader to survive Khrushchev’s de-Stalinization program; the castle complex of Ananauri, approached through mountainous scenery along the Georgian Military Highway; the walled city of Signaghi, reminiscent of an Italian hill town, where a local enologist will explain the ancient tradition of Georgian wine and winemaking; and UNESCO World Heritage site Mtskheta, the country’s most religious city.

Azerbaijan

Since the 8th century, oil has been extracted in Azerbaijan for limited local purposes; commercial exploitation began in the late 1800s and by the 20th century the oil fields of Baku, the capital, were the largest in the world. By the end of the 20th century drilling extended offshore in the Caspian Sea. After two major oil booms, Baku is enjoying a resurgence with the development of new oil and natural gas fields, the expansion of the Sangachal Terminal — an industrial complex with natural gas processing and oil production plants, and the completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in 2005. Visits to Baku’s Oil Boom Mansions, built for oil barons such as the Nobel brothers; British Petroleum’s Sangachal Terminal, the starting point of several pipelines; and the Caspian Energy Center, all underscore the geopolitical importance of the region, as do discussions about the Caspian’s other “black gold”—caviar. Baku is also rich in Azeri cultural and religious traditions. A private MuÄŸam jazz performance, a demonstration of the art of textile weaving, and a stroll through the walled old city’s 15th-century courtyards, mosques and mausoleums all help explain why this industrial city inspired the beautiful love tale that unfolds in Azerbaijan’s national novel, Ali and Nino.

Ukraine

The historically strained relationship between Ukraine and Russia continues to widen, as Ukraine leans more toward Europe and the EU and less toward Russia. Visits to Pervomaysk, Odessa, Yalta, and Sevastopol illuminate a number of current and historic issues in that relationship. After the breakup of the U.S.S.R., Ukraine inherited 2,000 nuclear warheads, the third-largest cache in the world. The transformation of one stockpile from a cluster of silos to a field of sunflowers is dramatically described during an optional visit to Pervomaysk with former Secretary of Defense William Perry, whose participation was vital to the process (see story on back cover). In Odessa, a major Black Sea port, climb the famous Potemkin Steps, which became the international icon of the 1905 Odessa workers’ uprising immortalized in the 1925 film The Battleship Potemkin. Observe the Italian baroquestyle Opera House, a beautiful venue for Ukraine’s strongly rooted theatrical culture, or descend into the catacombs that once sheltered World War II partisans during one of the most somber periods in the nation’s history. Yalta’s place in history was firmly established in 1945 as the site of the Yalta Conference. Enjoy a private champagne reception at Livadia Palace, built with white Crimean granite in the Neo-Renaissance style. Here, Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt met to determine the configuration and governance of Germany and the reorganization of Europe following World War II. From Once the home of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol is now a Ukrainian naval base mutually, if somewhat uneasily, shared by the Ukrainian and Russian navies. Here explore sites of the Crimean War, a pivotal event in the historic clash between East and West, and see where Russia destroyed its entire Black Sea fleet in order to prevent it from falling into Western hands. Or for a more recent look at the area’s international significance, enter Balaklava’s once-secret Soviet military base, which remained operational until 1993 and hid nuclear submarines throughout the Cold War.

Turkey

In the spring of 1992, the Turkish prime minister proposed that the oil pipeline now known as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline run through Turkey, thereby making the country an integral part of the East-West energy corridor and increasing its geopolitical importance. In addition to the lucrative transit fees that Turkey receives, construction of the pipeline has resulted in a reduction of oil tanker traffic on the Bosphorus and greater security in Istanbul. The pipeline itself, however, is in constant peril, as it skirts the volatile Kurdish region of Turkey that is the scene of an ongoing sectarian conflict between the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Turkish government. Learn of the increased strategic significance of Turkey and its new role in natural gas politics. Byzantium’s Constantinople, now Istanbul, has long been regarded as a crossroads at the intersection of East and West. It is the only metropolis in the world that straddles two continents — Europe and Asia — a characteristic that is immediately apparent in the architecture and culture of the city. Istanbul has a wealth of beautiful churches, synagogues, mosques, palaces, and museums to explore. They include the Hagia Sofia, Abrida Synagogue, and Blue Mosque; the Muslim Topkapi Palace; the Europeanstyle Dolmabahçe Palace and Yildiz Palace; the spectacular Çinili (Tiled) Mosque and Beylerbeyi Palace, a 19th-century Baroque summer residence; and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and the Great Palace Mosaics Museum.

Schedule by Day

  • DAY 1 Depart USA for Moscow
  • DAY 2 Moscow
  • DAY 3 Moscow
  • DAY 4 Moscow
  • DAY 5 Charter flight to Istanbul / Embark Silver Wind
  • DAY 6 At Sea / Lectures from Keynote Speakers and/or study leaders on board the Silver Wind
  • DAY 7 At Sea / Lectures from Keynote Speakers and/or study leaders on board the Silver Wind
  • DAY 8 Batumi or Tbilisi
  • DAY 9 At Sea / Lectures from Keynote Speakers and/or study leaders on board the Silver Wind
  • DAY 10 Sochi or Baku (by charter flight)
  • DAY 11 At Sea / Lectures from Keynote Speakers and/or study leaders on board the Silver Wind / Yalta
  • DAY 12 Sevastopol
  • DAY 13 Odessa or Pervomaysk
  • DAY 14 At Sea / Lectures from Keynote Speakers and/or study leaders on board the Silver Wind
  • DAY 15 Disembark Istanbul
  • DAY 16 Istanbul
  • DAY 17 Istanbul / Depart for USA

Pricing

(Per person, double occupancy)
  • Vista Suite $23,990 / $39,990 (single)
  • Veranda Suite $27,990 / $45,990 (single)
  • Midship Veranda $28,690
  • Medallion Suite $30,990
  • Silver Suite $32,990
  • Owner's Suite $37.990
  • Royal Suite $38,990
  • Grand Suite $39,990
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More on Phyllis Wise's decision .from the Weekly..





The UW Daily is reporting that  Nike has "failed to abide by the UW’s Code of Conduct, according to a unanimous vote made last Thursday by the UW’s Advisory Committee for Trademark and Licensing (ACTL), a committee appointed by President Mark Emmert and made up of UW faculty, students and staff."

The Daily also reports that "The UW will once again ask the state to redirect revenue coming from tourism taxes already levied on King County hotels, motels, car rentals and restaurants toward a remodel of Husky Stadium,

It is difficult to comprehend how Dr. Wise, effectively the chief executive officer of the UW, can not be in conflict as a board member of Nike

Read more:

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Phyllis Wise Story Continued .. is the UW "Animal Farm?"


 (continued from an earlier post)

Attorney Elledge's reply to Professor Clark seems to say that UW Administrators are exempt from the faculty code.

The idea that NIKE's activities are not relevant to her functions as a faculty member in the Medical school is hard to comprehend. If as a Professor of Physiology, Dr. Wise is able to exempt herself from SOM policy then I suggest that policy has no bearing on any UW faculty member. 

As a faculty member of the SOM, this action by Attorney Elledge reinforces my belief  that the policies of the SOM comprise illegal modifications to the faculty code. Those policies, while well intended, seem to me to amend the faculty code. However, as proven by the court case over UW pay policy, the UW Faculty Code is state kaw and can onloy be amended by the legislative process described in the Code, that is by actions fo the faculty Senate.  

If the SOM's polcies do take precedence over the Code, then Dr. Wise, as a faculty member of the SOm must be subject to those policies since the published School of Medicine policy does not distinguish between the capacities under which a faculty member is hired. A UW doctor who also works for Swedish would not be =allowed to accept gifts that vio9klatre the UW policy.  Under Attorney Elledge's reasoning, I could accept consulting fees as an officer  of a professional society and ignore the UW altogether. Similarly, this implies that the administrators of the Medical School are exempt from their own policy.

Attorney Elledge's reply, raises new concerns about the process pursued by Dr. Wise:

1. Did she get approval for this exemption from her Chair and from Dean Ramsey?
2. Did Attorney Elledge rule on this exemption before the inquiry by Professor Clark?
3. Has the Secretary of the Faculty already made a ruling that supports the exemption claimed by Provost Wise.
4. Does this exemption mean that administrators, at the discretion of the President, are exempt from the rules of the Faculty Code?

It seems to me that Dr. Wise should suspend her appointment to the Nike board until the Senate can take action on this matter.

Finally, I want to point out that under Washington State Law, Attorney Elledge is not allowed to interpret the faculty code other than to express her opinions.  Washington State law only allows the Attorney General or this delegates to function as attorne3ys on  as attorneys on campus. The only people authorized to interpret the Faculty Code are the Secretary of the Faculty and the Senate Executive Committee.  This is very disturbing, especially coming at the time of a crisis in governance brought about by the President's need to over ride the Faculty Code because of the budget problems.
- Hide quoted text -




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Karen Elledge <kelledge@u.washington.edu>
Date: Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Subject: RE: Steve Schwartz and 1460 questions
To: Edward Clark <Eclark@wanprc.org>
Cc: "stephenm.schwartz@gmail.com" <stephenm.schwartz@gmail.com>


Professor Clark,

Yes, Provost Wise completed a 1460 form.  That form was signed by her immediate supervisor, President Emmert.  My understanding is that the form is a public record and would be available upon request.

Provost Wise was not required to fill out the additional SoM Supplement.  Since Provost Wise serves as a member of the Nike board in her capacity as Provost rather than in her capacity as an SoM faculty member, the separate SoM process does not apply and the required approval process is through the President only.

Regards,

Karen Elledge
Director of Regulatory Guidance
School of Medicine

-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Clark [mailto:Eclark@wanprc.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 4:35 PM
To: Karen Elledge
Cc: stephenm.schwartz@gmail.com
Subject: Steve Schwartz and 1460 questions

Dear Dr. Elledge,

Michael Corn referred Steve Schwartz and me to you. Per Steve's points in the e mail copied to you by Michael, I would like to know if Provost Wise as a SOM faculty did fill out a 1460 form, and if so, if it is in fact available in the public domain? I am not personally interested in reviewing her 1460 form, but I would like to know if the same procedures apply for all SOM faculty.

Thanks for your assistance with this.

Best regards,

Ed Clark
Professor, Microbiology and Immunology

1. Has Dr. Wise filed this form?  Is it available in the public
> domain (NOTE: quoted from text below: "Faculty should also be aware
> that this information is considered in the public domain and could
> be requested by individuals or organizations outside of the
> University of Washington. "?
> As required by the UW Medicine Policy for Faculty on Potential
> Financial Conflicts of Interest with Commercial or Nonprofit
> Entities, if the outside work requiring prior approval includes
> compensation that has monetary value, that value should be disclosed
> on a supplement to the request for approval.
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Mary Jane Replaces the Marijuana Man


cross posted at HA

The greatest effect of legalization would be to free the forces of marketing.

Coffee sells in huge amounts for three reasons ... it is not regulated for its psychoactive effects and those effects are pleasant. Add to these the power of marketing and we have everything from Maxwell House to Starbucks. Imagine marijuana sales on that scale! Imagine Mad Ave pushing marijuana!

There is a huge marketing advantage of mj over coffee. People buy coffee for its taste. If "marijuana" were legal, there would be no reason to restrict the use of THC, the active ingredient in mj, to reefers. 

Now imagine M&Ms as M&M&Ms. Chocolate already contains low amounts of an mj like ingredient. Lace the M&M with THC and the marketers would go wild! Imagine Valentines Day! 

But wait, like one of those TV ads, "there is more." M&M&Ms could be made LOW calorie! The sweet taste of sugar in chocolates could be replaced with other sweeteners. The result ... a product with more effect than chocolate but with no weight gain!  Hell, unlike tobacco, marijuan products could be sold for their health advantages. 

The marketers would go wild. All that Benson and Hedges talent punished  by fears of cancer would now be free to fly!  As long as new marijuana based products did not involve inhaled smoke, the government would have no reason regulate this new market. If mj were a state monopoly, the government itself would have huge reasons to promote sales. Imagine, printing the state lottery number on individual M&M&Ms!

My favorite marketing tool for Marijuana, however, would be sex, Lets call her Mary Jane and imagine MJ, dressed in a seductive low cut gown in a bar or wearing a smartly feminine business suit at a conference table at Gates, Bogle, Harumph and Smits. The MJ lady, sips her marijuana laced sweet chocolate, the camera sweeps to a head shot, her mascara-enhanced eyes look out .. the men are high, very high.

Victoria's Secret models replacing the Marlboro Man! l
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Tuesday, December 08, 2009

So? Whos is an "American?"

International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten: "The German Forced to Become a Turk

Mohammad Eke was born and grew up in the German city of Essen. Until authorities found out that his parents had entered the country illegally, Germany was his home. Then Eke was deported to Turkey, even though he'd never visited the country and didn't speak the language. It's just another run-of-the-mill case of German immigration policy in action. By Jochen-Martin Gutsch more..."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Are Germans Allowed to Criticize Israel?

International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten: "A Great Debate
Are Germans Allowed to Criticize Israel?

Germany's relationship with Israel has never been easy. How much criticism from Germany is allowed? And at what point does it become anti-Semitic? SPIEGEL reporters Erich Follath and Henryk M. Broder conducted a heated debate on this thorny German issue in the following exchange of e-mails. more..."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Monday, December 07, 2009

-sweet mysteries of chocolate

MMMMM Good

Adam Drewnowski at the University of Michigan researched whether chocolate triggers the production of opioids. Opioids are chemicals, such as those found in opium, that produce a feeling of well-being (euphoria). Drewnowski found that eating chocolate causes the brain to produce natural opiates, which dulI pain and increase a feeling of well-being. If the receptors in the brain that signal the presence of opioids were blocked, chocolate bingeing decreased. It was not shown, however, if this was caused by the high fat or sugar content of chocolate candy.

Researchers at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, Emmanuelle diTomaso (she's now at Harvard University) and Daniele Piomelli (he's now at the University of California, Irvine) looked into the chemical components of chocolate. They found three substances in chocolate that 'could act as cannabinoid mimics either directly (by activating cannabinoid receptors) or indirectly (by increasing anandamide levels).' What do all these big words mean? A little background information may help make this more understandable.

A receptor is a structure on the surface of a cell that interacts with certain chemicals. Receptors have different shapes, and thus interact with specific molecules. diTomaso describes this interaction like this: 'the active compound will lock itself to the protein and that triggers a reaction inside the cell.' Cannabinoids are substances that act like cannabis, also known as marijuana. The active chemical in marijuana is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and there are receptors in the brain that bind THC. When THC binds to these receptors, the person feels 'high.' Anandamide is a lipid that is normally found in the brain; it can bind to the same receptors as THC and thus produce a similar effect to 'being high.'

Does chocolate affect the brain in the same way marijuana does? There are chemicals in chocolate that act like THC, resulting in production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. However, there is no THC in chocolate, so you aren't breaking the law by eating chocolate. One of the compounds in chocolate is anandamide, which is already produced in your brain. If anandamide is already in your brain, then why don't you feel happy all the time? Well, anandamide is broken down quickly, so it isn't around long in your brain to make you smile. But chocolate may extend the feelings of well being. Piomelli's research indicates that there are two chemicals in chocolate which inhibit the natural breakdown of anandamide. This may be a reason why we like to eat chocolate! And dark chocolate contains more of these compounds than milk chocolate.

Eating a bar of chocolate will not make you feel giddy or 'high.' This may be because anandamide and the two compounds that enhance its effect are short-lived and localized in the brain. THC activates many receptors throughout the brain, so it has a much larger effect. Chocolate's effect is limited because anandamide is not present all over the brain. Scientists doubt if anandamide and other chemicals in chocolate have much effect because they are present only in small amounts. Christian Felder at the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that a 130-pound person would have to eat 25 pounds of chocolate at one time to get any marijuana-like effect. Also, because these compounds are eaten, it's difficult to determine how much enters the bloodstream and actually reaches the brain.

There may also be other explanations for the feelings caused by chocolate and these may have nothing to do with cannabinoids, anandamide, or receptors. There are many other components in chocolate that may play a role in its popularity. Eating chocolate may be pleasurable because of a unique interaction among a few of its components.

Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a chemical related to amphetamines. Like amphetamines, this chemical causes blood pressure and blood-sugar levels to rise, resulting in a feeling of alertness and contentment. Phenylethylamine has been called the 'love-drug' because it quickens your pulse, as if you are in love. Caffeine in chocolate may also cause feelings of alertness and a pounding heart. Other stimulants in chocolate include theobromine and methylxanthines. These caffeine-relatives are weaker than caffeine-you'd have to eat more than 12 Hershey bars to get as much caffeine as there is in one cup of coffee. All of these stimulants increase the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.

Whatever the true reason for chocolate's popularity, scientists will continue to investigate the sweet mysteries of cacao. In the meantime, grab a bar for yourself and a box for your Valentine."

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Sunday, December 06, 2009

Picking on Rome

Sam Adams' fears of popery seem to have a persistent property among self designated American revolutionaries.

Over at HA, Lee is on another tirade. This time he seems to believe that there is a conspiracy of Catholic owned hospitals t keep moribund patients "{alive" until Jesus says otherwise or the Pope gets an inspiration.

Indubitably, Lee is correct. The current Pope is as unimpressive as most as his predecessors. The idea of a bunch of randy old men dressed in scarlet robes choosing a vicar of Jesus under the homoerotic paintings of Michelangelo is something so weird only a human could understand it. We Martians are lucky to have left such superstition behind.

Last time I looked The Baptists had announced that I was condemned to Hell, the Buddhists were teaching children that they would be reincarnated as goats, the atheists were ridiculing Santa, the Jews were insisting that a woman could not get a divorce unless her husband agreed, the capitalists had discovered an invisible hand, the protestants were running state churches in England and Sweden, the Muslims declared that all polytheists should be killed, Hindu women were being burned to death, the South Africans had discovered that AIDs was not due to a virus, the Mormons were converting my ancestors, the Republican Leader had endorsed killing witches, and the Aztecs were sacrificing virgins.

With all this … so what is so bad about deciding that an infallible leader has been selected by a bunch of celibate men chosen by a God who pinned his son to a cross?"

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Friday, December 04, 2009

Mysteries Surround Afghanistan’s Stealth Drone | Danger Room | Wired.com

 Earlier this year, blurry pictures were released by the French magazine Air & Cosmos of a previously unknown stealth drone taken at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The photos, snapped in 2007, prompted a wave of speculation about the classified aircraft. That speculation grew even more intense this week, when a blog belonging to the French newspaper Libération released an even better photograph. But while the new picture may answers some questions, it also creates a heap of new mysteries. Chief among them: Why use such a fancy, stealthy aircraft in Afghanistan? The Taliban have neither the radar to spot the plane, nor the weaponry to shoot it down."



Mysteries Surround Afghanistan’s Stealth Drone | Danger Room | Wired.com: "Mysteries Surround Afghanistan’s Stealth Drone

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.
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Thursday, December 03, 2009

Travelling to New Orleans

The Prince Conti Hotel is a wonderful find in New Orleans.  

One half block from Bourbon Street, the Conti is among the lease expensive hotels we could find anyplace in New Orleans.  The hotel is in a warren of old French Quarter buildings.  The ambience reminds me of a querky left bank pension in Paris, 

The best perk may bew the valet parking.  Being able to park our rental car one block from Bourbon Street was almost worth the price of the room!  Our Conti parking pass even got us through the New Orleans PD blockades on a big French Quarter night (Bayou Classic) when no traffic was allowed in the Quarter!

While amenities at the Conti are otherwise limited, the hotel is across the street from two very worthwhile restaurants .. Brussard's and a little Czech place called Cafe Jaeger. The American style breakfasts at the Jaeger wer great.  Brussard's was expectedly wonderful but surprisingly inexpensive (less than $50/person) for a full three course meal that was outstanding.

I did a lot of photography in the Quarter and will post that later.
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Phyllis Wise' Percent Effort


While Dr. Wise's appointment to the NIKE board may or may not pass the smell test of UW and State admin rules, my reading of the med school policies suggests she is in violation of those policies.  Even if she is not, then a number of issues, including her recompense, should be matters of public record.

I would also remind you that while she is entitled as a UW Prof. to one day a week of academically oriented consulting, she has other time commitments as Provost and as a Federal grant recipient that may complicate her distribution of effort.  Her current grants include:


Transforming Engineering Through PEERS: Building a Better Experience for Underrepresented Students.
Project Start Date: 2009-04-01
Project End Date: 2012-03-31


Neuroendocrine and neurochemical function during aging.
National Institutes of Health 2008,Jul,02; (Grant Number: 5R37AG002224-29)
Project Start Date: 1980-04-01
Project End Date: 2010-07-31

I do not know what the %effort commitment is for the NSF grant, but typically such grants require 10% of total professional effort. As PI on an NIH grant, she is expected to have at least 20% effort on that effort.  This means her effort commitment to the Provost job can not be more than 70%.   w

I worry that her decision, even if legal, is unseemly and may be in violation of effort reporting rules for the State.

Finally, I think there are serious issues of leadership here. Dr. Wise is a very well paid State employee and University Provost by  national standards and certainly by the standards of our State. She has made this decision at a time when many UW employees have lost their jobs and students are facing major financial challenges.

It seems to me that if the Provost has this amount of free time, then other priorities likely should come first.
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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Dr. Wise's NIKE appointment may violate ethical policies of the UW School of Medicine.


Phyllis Wise. UW Provost, has recently announced that she has accepted a position on the Board of NIKE.

Cross Posted to AAUP/UW list-serv.

Her decision to do this raises many concerns, especially in an era where teh UW is under great finaciakl challenge. Among these concerns, there are questions about how someone as busy as a University Provost can accept a board position at a major corporation, about the seemliness of her accepting the addition of about $200,000 to her nearly $600.000 salary, and about conflicts of interest arising because NIKE is a major vendor as well as supporter of the UW Athletics Department.



As a Professor in the Medical School, however, I see additional issues because Dr. Wise is also a Professor of Physiology in the same School of Medicine. Our SOM administration has recently enacted ethics rules in response to national concerns about the ethics of interactions of medical school faculty with industry. These rules governaing Dr. Wise and my self are far more stringent than the rules of the UW Faculty Code.

I have abstracted the policies from UWSoM websites and listed 14 questions arising from these policies that should be addressed to Dr. Wise.

Actions Required of SOM Faculty:

Subject to certain limited exceptions, all regular faculty and university employees within the School of Medicine who desire to engage in outside work for compensation are required to obtain prior written approval from the University using the Request for Approval of Outside Professional Work for Compensation form (formerly 1460), an interactive PDF document. Detailed instructions for completing the form are found on the first page of the file.

>>>1. Has Dr. Wise filed this form? Is it available in the public domain (NOTE: quoted from text below: 'Faculty should also be aware that this information is considered in the public domain and could be requested by individuals or organizations outside of the University of Washington. '?

As required by the UW Medicine Policy for Faculty on Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest with Commercial or Nonprofit Entities, if the outside work requiring prior approval includes compensation that has monetary value, that value should be disclosed on a supplement to the request for approval.

>>>2. This implies that her total recompense from NIKE must be disclosed publicly. Is that the case and has she made these numbers available prior to approval?

Both the request and the supplement are submitted first to the department chair. After review, the department forwards both forms to the Office of Regulatory Guidance in the Office of the Dean for approval by the School of Medicine. Review of the supplement ends in the dean’s office.

>>>3. Were these procedures followed? Did the Dean's office sign of on this agreement? (NOTE: as discussed below, the Dean is also supposed to review the level of pay to determine if it is fair market value.)
All faculty activities must also be reported annually using the online Annual Report of Outside Activities (formerly Form 1461). The report must be submitted for all activities, even those that do not require prior approval. It must also be submitted when there is no activity of any kind to report.
For ease of reporting, faculty members are encouraged to start a report online at the beginning of the year and then add activities as they occur. On June 30, when the year has ended, the faculty member then finalizes and submits the report. ....

All UW investigators participating in research involving UW facilities or resources or patients receiving care at the UW are subject to GIM 10, the UW's Significant Financial Interest Disclosure Policy. As part of GIM 10, if any investigator has a significant financial interest related to the research, it must be indicated on the eGC1 and the interest must be disclosed using the Significant Financial Interest Disclosure Form (Exhibit 1 to UW's GIM 10).
>>>4. Has NIKE agreed to the disclosures required by form 1461 and Policy GIM 10. Has NIKE agreed to public disclosure? 

Conflict of Interest Policies Underlying the SOM Required Actions, Excerpted
NOTE: I have underlined some text for relevance. Deletions from UWSoM textrs are marked by '...'

The definition of a significant financial interest is different for clinical trials, which has a zero threshold. In addition, the UW Human Subjects Review Committee Application has specific questions regarding investigator financial interests.
>>> 5.Dr. Wise's office has direct responsibilities for clinical trials, including human subjects approval. Does this mean she must exempt her office from all clinical trials relevant to NIKE's interests? Given the complexity of the UW oversight and compliance effort, what policies would make this possible?
I. Purpose

It is the policy of UW Medicine that School of Medicine (SoM) faculty avoid or disclose and address perceived or real conflicts of interest between their responsibilities as faculty of the SoM and their activities with outside commercial or non-profit entities. This policy will guide SoM faculty in their interaction with these entities so that they may continue to contribute to the mission of UW Medicine in a manner that ensures the faculty avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest. There are five core concepts upon which this policy is based: (1) disclosure; (2) a general prohibition on gifts; (3) the requirement that outside compensation be at fair market value; (4) the requirement for pre-approval of outside compensation; and (5) the avoidance of the appearance of conflict, as well as actual conflict.


>>>6. Again has Dr. Wise submitted her request to determine if it is at fair market value?

This policy applies to the following faculty of the School of Medicine: Acting, Regular, Research and Clinical faculty.... It applies to these individuals regardless of institutional affiliation or institutional site. This policy applies to activities whether they occur on the UW campus or elsewhere. We encourage all faculty not otherwise covered above to be aware of this policy and follow the intent and guidelines of the policy.
.......

.......

II. Prohibited or Allowable Compensation/Relationships with Commercial or Non-Profit Entities
A. Gifts
Washington State law and the University’s existing Conflict of Interest Policy impose significant limitations on the ability of UW SoM faculty members to accept or receive gifts. A gift is considered anything of economic value given to the faculty member for which the faculty member does not provide a service or other value in return. Gifts do not include such things as presents from family members of the faculty, gifts exchanged among co-workers, and certain other limited exceptions. (RCW 42.52.010)

For example, UW faculty may not receive, accept, take, seek, or solicit, directly or indirectly, anything of economic value as a gift, gratuity, or favor from a person if it could be reasonably expected that the gift, gratuity, or favor would influence the vote, action, or judgment of the officer or employee, or be considered as part of a reward for action or inaction. (RCW 42.52.140)

In addition, as a general rule no UW faculty may accept gifts in connection with their activities and responsibilities as faculty where the value of any gifts received from any one entity, individual or group of related individuals exceeds fifty dollars in any fiscal year. Faculty members who are involved in the acquisition of goods or services may not, with limited exceptions, accept any gifts regardless of dollar value from those who seek to provide the goods or services to the University. (RCW 42.52.150) Gifts received from patients can be accepted but these gifts are governed by the foregoing limitations and exclusions.

....


Even though Washington State law and University policy do not prohibit all gifts as described above, it is the policy of UW Medicine to prohibit SoM faculty from accepting any form of personal gift from commercial entities and non-profit entities created and supported by commercial entities, or their representatives, including promotional items such as pens or pads, pharmaceutical samples for personal and family use, entertainment or recreational opportunities, cash or cash equivalents, and business courtesies such as food and beverages.

B. Food and Beverages

.....In general, faculty may accept food or beverages that are incidentally provided at an event that is considered part of the job duties of the faculty member. Food and beverages may be accepted and consumed at events sponsored by civic, charitable, specialty or job-related professional organizations, governmental, or community organizations. In other situations, faculty members should refrain from accepting gifts of food and beverages from commercial or non-profit entities created and supported by commercial entities.

>>>7. It is common practice on boards to receive gifts from their business colleagues and participate in corporate retreats. Presumably these gifts would rarely be worth less than $50. Will Dr. Wise refuse gifts and absent herself from retreats at luxury resorts?

C. Consulting With Commercial or Non-Profit Entities

Consulting is appropriate where faculty provide real value and receive reasonable compensation. It is the policy of UW Medicine that a faculty member should accept only fair market compensation for specific, legitimate services provided by him or her to the commercial or non-profit entity in question. Payment should be commensurate with the amount of time and effort spent on these activities. The terms of the arrangements, services provided and compensation should be set forth in writing. If there are questions, faculty members are encouraged to consult with their immediate departmental supervisor (i.e. chair, division chief or service chief), department director or administrator, and/or hospital medical director.


>>>8. Did the School of Medicine determine the fair market value of Dr. Wise's services to NIKE? Who made this evaluation and what process was used?
>>>9. Were the terms of Dr. Wise's contract provided in writing and if so are they a matter of public record?
D. Speeches, Meetings, and Travel Funded by Commercial ... Entities

.....faculty are not permitted to accept honoraria in situations where the person, company, or organization offering the honoraria wants to sell goods or services to the University, and the SoM faculty member is in a position to influence the University’s decision to acquire that type of good or service. (University of Washington Handbook, Volume Four, Part V, Chapter 6, Section 7)

When compensation, including payment for travel and lodging, is offered to a faculty member by a commercial entity or a non-profit entity for a speech, appearance, article or similar activity that is not part of the faculty member’s University work, the compensation may still be accepted, provided the payment is commensurate with time and effort as described above under Section C. dealing with consultation and provided that advance permission for the work is obtained pursuant to the University Outside Professional Work Policy.
E. Accepting Positions on the Boards of Commercial or Non-Profit Entities

When faculty members consider accepting a position on the board of an outside commercial or non-profit entity, they should consult the relevant University Handbook policy found at: Volume Four, Part V, Chapter 6: Outside Professional Work Policy. Section 6 of this chapter, entitled “Involvement with Commercial Enterprise, Deeper than Consulting,” provides guidance for faculty on accepting board positions.


>>>10. Was Dr. Wise's contract reviewed as required above?

III. Disclosure of Compensation/Relationships with Commercial or Non-Profit Entities
A. Disclosure of Outside Compensation or Faculty Support

Which relationships require disclosure?
All faculty relationships with commercial and non-profit entities require disclosure in advance, or as part of an annual reporting obligation, or both. Disclosure is required by faculty members when they receive remuneration from a company for outside work or for inventions or discoveries made as a University employee (stock ownership, stock options, equity interests, stock warrants, royalties, consulting fees, loans from the sponsor, speaking arrangements), or hold office in or serve on the board of a company (board of directors, scientific advisory board, other office in the company) – see process for disclosure (below) for details on how to report. Faculty are encouraged to inform their division head and department chair if they are in a negotiation phase in order to receive guidance about the appropriateness of the relationship and compensation.

Annually, faculty will also need to disclose support from outside commercial and non-profit entities received by the institution for the use or benefit of the faculty. Examples include grants, endowments, equipment, materials, discretionary funds, support of office or research staff, sponsorship of trips, or other sponsorships – see process for disclosure (below) for details on how to report.
.......

Process for disclosure
Disclosure will be provided through the following mechanisms:

1) Request for Advance Approval. Under the University’s existing Outside Professional Work Policy, faculty must obtain advance approval to engage in outside activities for remuneration. Faculty do so by completing a Request for Approval of Outside Professional Work for Compensation Form. ...

a. It is the policy of UW Medicine that, if the outside work requiring prior approval includes compensation that has monetary value, the faculty must submit on a form to be developed by the Dean the estimated or proposed contracted monetary value of all compensation. The form will show the monetary value of payments, the organization providing the payment, and an indication of whether other compensation (travel, destination, lodging, etc.) was also provided. The value of these other items need not be reported.

b. The request for approval of outside professional work will be reviewed within the SoM, in accordance with the existing outside work approval process, for conformance with the fair market value requirement. The School will establish an appropriate internal review process for situations in which there is an initial determination that the fair market value standard is not met.

>>>11. Were the negotiations for this position reviewed with the Chair of Physiology? Again (as in 3), how was the fair market value determined?

2) Annual Reporting. Under the existing University Outside Work Policy, faculty must also submit a summary of all outside professional work, both for remuneration and for public and community service, for the previous academic year by November 15 of each year. Faculty do so by completing the Annual Report of Outside Activities.

a. It is the policy of UW Medicine that faculty will be required to provide on the Annual Report form, or on another form determined by the Dean, the monetary value of the payments actually received, and an indication of whether other compensation (travel, lodging, etc.) was also received although the value of these other items need not be reported.


>>> 12. As above (in 1-4 above) has NIKE agreed to these disclosures? If so, under Washington State Law, aren't these open for public inspection (see below 'Faculty should also be aware that this information is considered in the public domain and could be requested by individuals or organizations outside of the University of Washington. '?

How will disclosure information be distributed?
Information that normally flows to the Provost’s office will continue to do so.

>>>13. Since her office is required by law to review the financial terms, how is this review isolated from Dr. Wise?

Initially, the additional COI disclosure information (including compensation levels) will be distributed to relevant leadership in UW Medicine, including: the Dean of the SoM, department chairs, division heads, hospital medical directors, and hospital executive directors.

At such time as a UW Medicine website with appropriate information and links related to this topic is developed, it is anticipated that this additional disclosure information will be placed there. Access will require a UW Net ID. Faculty should also be aware that this information is considered in the public domain and could be requested by individuals or organizations outside of the University of Washington.

B. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts When Faculty are Involved in Teaching Activities

When involved in teaching activities (including lectures to medical students and residents, seminars, conferences, and community service activities with a teaching component), faculty must directly disclose to the audience relevant potential financial conflicts. .... Dissemination may be performed through written materials distributed prior to or at the presentations or classes, at the time of presentation through disclosure slides preceding the content of the presentation, or by a verbal statement at the beginning of the presentation.


>>>14. Will all relevant communications from Dr. Wise and appearances by her, including any involvement in UW athletics include such disclaimers?"
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