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Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm

David Mitchell

Thanks Mary Margaret

Your article presents a fairly accurate - though rather sanitized - overview of a concise history. But, like like most pro-Israelli history, it is remarkably free of any mention of the Jewish para-military groups of the '20s, '30s, and '40s, and their many (many!) missions to kill non-Jewish residents of Jerusalem. The article would have us believe that "Arabs" were their only target. Not so. They murdered many Christians (mosty Catholic in that part of the world) in their effort to control parts of the territory.

*And I would have brought up the complications resulting from the Balfour Declaration but my post was getting long. That document set off a flury of entanglements, and added greatly to the conflict.

(interestingly - from what I can discover, Chritisan and Arabs have lived somewhat peacefully in the region for much (not all) of the 2000 years since the time of Christ. There is a remarkable photo in a National Geographic article from - maybe 20 years ago - depicting Muslims and Catholics worhsipping side by side at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (whom both religions revere) in Damascus, Syria (prior to our invasion of Iraq). The caption indicated that this was a common occurance. 

But that last paragraph under the heading Israel Today is highly questionable according to a group of Messianic Jews who conducted a "Christian Cedar" servie at our church. The group I refer to conducts a Christian outreach mission in Jerusalem and their observation is that today's Israeli Jews are far more devided on the topic of Zionism than that paragraph suggests. They also were adament in pointing out that we in the West, get a very one-sided form of news coverage about internal politics in Israel.                        (duh, never heard of such a problem before!)

There is obvoiusly much to be argued by both sides here. The British blockage of the ship Exodus at the port of Haifa, the large interment camps on Cypress, etc. - but dumping hundreds of thousands of refugees on a  tiny country and it's residents - WHO WERE ALREADY LIVING THERE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS -  and our complete compicity regarding the Jewish terrorist gangs still registers with me as completely wrong.

But perhaps our utter silence on this part of the history is worse.

Regarding our totally one-sided loyalty to the state of Israel, I am not a fan.

A few off topic additions:

- In Jerusalem, Christian or Messianic Jews who live in, or enter certain parts of the city inhabbited by Orthodox Jew (who refuse to work, or fight in the Israeli Army - but rather, live on welfare) are treated with intense hostility and frequent confrontation. Messianic Jews in these sections live in fear of constant reprisals against themselves and their homes.  

- According to a Christian group known as "Exodus Cry",  Tel Aviv is now the world's leading city for Human Trafficing and Sex Trafficking.  (mostly flown in from Russia and Africa)

- Only this past January, did the male-dominated Knesset (after years of failed efforts from the few female members) pass a rather weak law agaisnt prostitution in Israel.

Daniel Cody

Dave:  Thanks for the concise and dare I say accurate summary of Zionist activity since the collapse of the Ottaman Empire would make the late OSU Professor Fisher proud. There are too many who equate criticism of Zionism or Israeli politics with anti semitism. Questioning actions by Israeli politics have been labeled as anti Judaism for far too long.

Kathleen Wintering (Nagy)

 Mary Margaret, Thanks for keeping  us all posted about how Toni is doing! Kathy W.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Update for Toni Cardi:

Toni underwent addtional surgery yesterday to have a stent placed and will require yet another surgery in 3 weeks to have a kidney stone removed.  She has to remain in the hospital until her Medicare insurance plan reviews her need to have rehab.  The nurse said that this could take several days.  I learned from her brother that Toni has not been out of bed for over a week and he has been trying to motivate her to try to get back on her feet, if only to go to the door of her room and back.  So any words of encouragement from the members of this forum would most certainly go a long way to providing that motivation.   

David Mitchell

Thanks Dan.

It's nice to hear that someone else is aware of this side of the story. 

I am still wondering if this was actually purged from my repsonse to Bonnie's post the other night. Some of it is actually forbidden content in some of our schools.

John Jackson

I have always thought that we in the U.S have gotten a very sanitized and one-sided picture of Israel and Dave has done a great job making that argument.  And I also agree with Dan that it is unfortunate that any balanced view of Israel is often (and mistakenly) ascribed to anti-Semitism.

One piece of bright news in this week of utterly predictable carnage in the middle East (see David Sanger’s NY Times piece “Trump Followed His Gut on Syria. Calamity Came Fast”), is that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who sticks his finger in the eye of the Palestinians every chance he gets, has been unable to form a coalition government.  As a result, his more moderate opponent in the recent election (whose party actually won one more seat than Netanyahu’s in parliament) will be given the chance to form a government. 

Netanyahu is struggling mightily to keep his job as prime minister because he will almost certainly be indicted on corruption charges if he loses the PM job.  Sound familiar?

Mark Schweickart

Toni

If you are reading this, I am assuming you are lying in bed. But here's the thing, we need you strong, girl, so get your sweet tush out of bed and let's see some marching around your bed, out the door, down the hall and back. I want to add, "drop and give me 50 push-ups," but that might be a little too much just now.

Drill Instructor, Mark

Kathleen Wintering (Nagy)

 October 24, 2019. HAPPY BIRTHDAY To Debbie Shaw! From  Kathy Wintering Nagy

Michael McLeod

You said a mouthful John.

I have a lot of international students in my classes, many from Iraq. I trust first hand information and one on one conversations over what I see from talking heads, especially in this regard. 

By the way: There have been times in class when I give them readings about Civil Rights and the struggles of African Americans. And some of the international students  are utterly unaware of the history and astonished at the racism in this country, past and present.

In Columbus at my sisters house near Walhalla. Just took a walk and saw a young four point buck in somebody's front yard. Sunny day. Getting my Columbus fix. Ready for the game. 

James Hamilton, M. D.

Hey, Mike, enjoy those Clintonville ravines! Cheer on those Bucks who wear helmets and watch out for those bucks who wear antlers as rutting season is on its way!

Jim 

Michael McLeod

Yes indeed Jim. Those antlers have pointy tips and that buck had his sweetie with him.

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Hey, Mike, got plans for tomorrow?  We could do a Flash Lunch at India-Oak for those with the time and availability!!  If you can't make it, we'll save it for the next '66 old timer who wanders into town!! . Let us know.
clare 

David Mitchell

Clare and Mike,

Wow - missing another fun "family" get-together. Feeling left out again. One of these days.....

Mike, promise me you'll go for some White Castles while you're there.

Been buying the frozen ones at the store, but they are just not the same. Remember, America's only "steam grilled" burgers. And the (5) holes are free!

Joseph D. McCarthy

Toni

To follow up on what Mark suggested I offer the following bit of knowledge.  

I complained for years about not winning anything in the lottery.  One day in particular I screamed at God.  Why in the Frank can't I win the lottery.  Then the Lord answered: "Meet me Half Way, BUY a Ticket"  The moral, you have to do a lot on your own, then you will get that other help.  So take that hike as Mark suggested.

And Dave.  I suppose you have never been to Iowa, home state of the Loose meat sandwich "Maid-Rite".  Or to the Maid-Rite location in Greenville, Ohio.  The hamburger meat is steamed.  I'm sure you can find it on the Internet.

James Hamilton, M. D.

History from the Medical Viewpoint: Quiz #3

History does, indeed, repeat itself. What we think of as ancient diseases may be on the verge of becoming common again.

Murine Typhus (not to be confused with Typhoid Fever, a totally different infection) is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi. It is one of those zoonotic diseases than can be transferred to humans from animals. In February, 2019 there was an epidemic of Murine Typhus which started in the homeless population of Las Angeles but also spread to others outside of that group. This, like some other infections, often occur in areas of dense population with unsanitary living conditions.

Tuberculosis, another bacterial disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, still has a presence in America but, in recent years, has experienced an increase in prevalence. Again, this is being seen in the homeless population as well as drug and AIDS individuals, many of which are also homeless.

Bubonic Plague - the "Black Death" - caused the death of about 25 percent of Europeans in the Middle Ages. The "plague" is endemic (always present in low numbers) among small animals in the West and Southwest. The causative agent is the bacterium Yersinia (formerly Pasturella) pestis. In the small animals which inhabit the forests and plains, it is known as Sylvatic Plague and several species can be affected including prairie dogs and ground squirrels ("chipmunks"). A "die-off" of a colony of prairie dogs is almost a sure sign that the colony was infected with Y. pestis. On my drives down to Fort Carson I pass several colonies of prairie dogs.The ground squirrels in Rocky Mountain National Park are notorious beggars for snacks and come right up to tourists who stop along the trails and sit on boulders to catch their breaths. Another term, Urban Plague, is the same disease but more common in city dwelling animals such as cats. Bubonic Plague in humans can take three forms: Bubonic Plague, Septicemic Plague and Pneumonic Plague. Every now and then a case of the Bubonic form is diagnosed and treated in Colorado or neighboring states before it reaches the Septicemic or Pneumonic stage.

In densely populated areas where Plague or Typhus is present the main reservoir animals are rats (thus the name "Murine" for that form of Typhus). Rats are very prevalent in some of the homeless camps.

With Typhus and TB on the rise could we be looking forward to a resugence of the Black death? It is a frightening, but possible, thought.

1.  I have mentioned several reservoirs of Bubonic Plague. What is the vector that can transmit it to humans?

     A. Mosquitos

     B. Fleas

     C. Cockroaches

     D. Ticks

     E. House Flies

2.  What are "buboes"?

     A. Spotty, red rashes on the palms and soles

     B. Edema (swelling) around the orbits of the eyes

     C. Deformities in the bone and cartilage of the nose

     D. Enlarged lymph nodes in the axilla and inguinal region

     E. Calcified nodules in the upper lungs

3.  What form of Bubonic Plague can be transmitted human to human? 

     A. Bubonic

     B. Septicemic

      C. Pneumonic

     D.  All of the above

     E.  None of the above

Enjoy a nice walk in the woods this weekend  but DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS!

Jim

Mark Schweickart

Jim – wow, I have to ask, do you actually know all of this stuff off the top of your head, as you make it sound, or do you go into a deep dive of research before coming up for air and letting loose with all of this information? Either way, it is amazing that you have this ability. 

As for taking your quiz, I assume we are not supposed to go goo- goo-googling in search of the answers, so here are my uninformed guesses:

Question 1: I seem to remember reading somewhere that fleas carried by rats were the culprit, so I will go with B: Fleas,

Question 2: I don't know why, but  always imagined plague victims to be deformed by weird swelling, so I will go with D. Enlarged lymph nodes in the axilla and inguinal region, although I have no idea what these regions are.

Question 3: If the plague wiped out 25% of Europe's population as you mentioned, then I would have to assume that it was more than just rat-fleas doing all of the heavy lifting in transmitting this nightmare, so my first thought would be that it would be D.  All of the above. However, you also say, "Every now and then a case of the Bubonic form is diagnosed and treated in Colorado or neighboring states before it reaches the Septicemic or Pneumonic stage." This makes it sound as if Septicemic and Pneumonic are just stages of Bubonic and therefore should not be listed as separate choices of something transmittable in themselves, so maybe my first impulse to think that fleas could not have done this all on their own was incorrect, so I will go with E.  None of the above, final answer.

Michael McLeod

Jim you are always a ray of sunshine and we so appreciate  your cheerful inquiry into the plague. 

Meanwhile, in other uplifitng news,  I am told that captive pigs are becoming uninterested in sex. We have been raising them via artificial insemination for so many generations the art of doing it piggie style has ebbed away. What is life without flirtation and romance? Pigs, apparently, are finding that out.

I apologize to the delicate Christian ladies who are surely out there fanning themselves and demurely blushing even as we speak.

Speaking of pigging out: yes Dave White Castles are on my agenda for the day.

Clare: call me 407 222 6543

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Interrupting Jim's quiz with some good news......Toni has been released from the hospital to return to Capri Gardens Rehabilitation and Nursing Center 6975 Graphic Way Lewis Center, Ohio 43235. 

John Jackson

Elijah Cummings, a son of sharecroppers, was buried today. Maybe this is just me, but I thought of him as the conscience of Congress and a great moral force for our nation.  Noted for his bipartisanship, he and his Congressional district (Baltimore) were attacked and ridiculed by Trump, but I think it’s telling that even Mark Meadows, head of the Freedom Caucus, choked up while eulogizing him yesterday in the Capitol rotunda.

He was eulogized again by the high and mighty in Baltimore this morning, but, as an antidote to all that’s happening in our country today (would a round of bubonic plague be preferable to our current national sickness?), you should read this tribute from those who worked for him: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/10/25/elijah-cummings-inspirational-legacy-passion-purpose-vision-column/4082900002/

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mark,

I really like zebras! Medical zebras, that is. There is an old saying among doctors "If you hear hoofsteps behind you, consider them to be horses, not zebras". That is to say that one should consider more common diseases when a patient presents with certain symptoms, than the more rare illnesses.

Health care personnel are barraged with lectures on the common and that is fine. But, now and then it is fun to talk about the uncommon. So, when I gave presentations at our hospital and other places, I chose to discuss interesting and less seen maladies such as envenomations from snakes, scorpions, spiders, Gila Monsters and intoxications and infections from eating certain fish and shellfish. Oh, yes, I occasionally resorted to more mundane topics also.

Although I am no longer in active practice, I keep up on all kinds of Internal Medicine problems and treatments from the medical literature and physician oriented web sites to which I subcribe. The news outlets often cover, or mis-cover, (not you Mike McL!)  medical issues but they usually prompt me to look into things a bit more.

Infectious outbreaks fascinate me and relate to things I have studied as an undergraduate in microbiology as well as seen, treated and studied in my medical career. Just like all of us, as we age we gain some insight into things we have seen in our lifetimes and can relate them to what is happening today. This also goes for historical events that happend long before we were born but of which we were made aware along our educational tracts.

By the way, in medical school, many of our written tests were "take home and open book" (but not our licensing or specialty board exams). This took into account that they wanted us to look not only at text books, but also the recent literature for the answers. As we used to say "the questions each year are the same, but the answers often change".

So if anyone wants to search the internet for answers to my "quizzes", feel free to do so!

John,

Having seen the devistation in individuals and families so often over so many years that has resulted from a myriad of diseases, infectious and otherwise, I really don't think that "a round of bubonic plague would be preferable to our current national sickness".

Jim

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Thanks, John. Wouldn't it be great if all bosses could inspire people to be the best version of themselves?  Rep. Cummings's staff certainly felt it was an honor to work for him. 

Dave:  Nothing materialized for our India-Oak lunch today so you didn't miss the fun. However, we're going to try breakfast on Sunday at 8:30 at the Wildflower Cafe next to the India Oak!!  (We don't want to stray far!!) If anyone is out and about and wants to share stories, coffee, a bite to eat, stop in. Mike said he'd be wearing a gray OSU hoodie!! See you then. 
Clare

John Jackson

Thanks, Jim.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I’ll defer to your expertise and forswear any naïve hope in the therapeutic effects of bubonic plague.

Michael McLeod

OK John being chastized by Jim for mixing two subjects - horrific infectious diseases and fatalistic political commentary - reminds me of a character who did something similar in this famous quote from one of Shakespeare's plays:

"A plague on both your houses." 

The speaker is not referring to democrats and republicans. Yet the bitter point he is making, which sums up the moral of the story,  is both profound and absolutely applicable to the contentious temper of our times.

For a sack of White Castles and a diet Coke to wash them down, as if they needed it, who can tell me without consulting the google: what is the play, who is the speaker, and what tragic event has him so pissed off?

David Mitchell

Mike,

I ljust love the researcher in you. My fascination meter just jumped off the chart when I read your "disinterested pigs" item. Don' ever stop digging for relevant truth, man.   

As that great romantic sage once sang,,,,,,,,,

(she also starred in the lost version of Lion King)