Posts by Bart Janssen
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Hi Russ and MsB
Yeah that was I guess the thinking by asking the question in the way I did. Cliche or not it is true that some of the most valuable members of the human race have been anything but "normal". Recognising that, accepting that and taking advantage of that is really important for society.
My gut feeling is that curing all autistim either genetically or with some form of drug (which given you are talking about interactions between nuerons will be difficult) is likely to be a bad thing.
Note I don't think anyone is suggesting the extreme of the spectrum should be ignored if they could be treated in some way I suspect that could only do good.
But for those folks who we are now recognising have a biological difference that means they percieve and interact with the world differently, the issue has to be not how you you make them "normal" (yuk) but rather how do you identify what they need to make the best of their abilities. Diagnostic assays are a key and I think that's where knowledge like the recent stuff coming out is so promising.
But as soon as you have that knowledge you create the opportunity for prenatal screening and elimination of those genes and therefore those different people from society. I think that idea worries a lot of people including me.
If we understood all the interactions that made up the autistic spectrum (and some day we will) where would you draw the line and say this child will just be different and that child will be genuinely handicapped?
It's the kind of question that is coming with many many genetic variants. It's a question many folks shy away from but realistically if our generation doesn't start discussing these issues and figuring out an acceptable path through these decisions then I think we are likely to see some pretty bad things happening.
cheers
Bart -
Just another version of the genetic linkage story in the Toronto Star and I thought I better correct the mutation in my previous post - it's TCAG not CTAG.
Hopefully we're seeing the beginning of the end of the mercury-in-vaccines canard and the various "cures" embraced by vulnerable parents.
ugh sadly I doubt it. There will always be those who tout "alternatives" to science and medicine. Sometimes well meaning sometimes not. I used to believe that solid science and fact would win people over but that isn't true.
However, we do seem to be begining to provide some really solid science for those who want it.
The really difficult thing with autism (from an outsiders perspective) is that some of the characteristics seem to be useful in that they aid in focussing of attention on a single task, in some cases aiding learning in some fields. It's almost as if there is a balance in the biology of the brain between social skills and the kind of focussed logic needed by programmers and mathmaticians and artists. So if you could eliminate (mild) autism from the genepool would you being doing good or harm? So much to learn:).
made possible because a lot of disparate studies finally shared data.
It does happen a lot in science, yes we have huge egos to massage but ultimately most of us want to do "good" and collaborating usually the best way. What makes it more difficult sometimes are the issues surrounding IP and the desire of parent institutions to avoid sharing IP.
cheers
Bart -
Hi
This just came over the wire and caught my attention because of the Russell's child
CombiMatrix Molecular Diagnostics to Develop Autism Dx With TCAG Markers
It's a biotech news item referring to the development of a genetic diagnostic test for Autism.
Which caught my eye because I hadn't realised they had chased down any genes linked to autism so I followed the path to CTAG The Centre for Applied Genetics which has apparantly done a large study and found a portion of the genome linked to autism and within that a specific gene.Of course none of this implies a "cure" whatever that might entail, but certainly diagnosis is very important in terms of identifying children who are going to need a different kind of education.
cheers
Bart -
Thanks for the links Che
Just sitting here crying.
cheers
Bart -
Man that wedding picture is powerful.
Another reminder that the death toll from this war (or any war) is only the begining of the horror. What so few people understand about the war in Iraq is that the tremendous advances in medicine and trauma care in particular disguise the fact that the allied troops are taking casualties at a huge rate ... the thing is the casualties just don't die as often as they used to.
As for comparing ourselves to the rest fo the world ...
If, as so regularly is the case in studies like these, countries like the Netherlands and Norway do really well and the USA does really badly
Why do so many politicians try and model our society on "what works so well the the US"?????cheers
Bart -
I think Rob was on the money that the venue at Auckland may have overawed us for the AK Great Blend.
I was a stunning venue, I particularly loved the curves and thought that had so obviously gone into the design of the place. The glass also created some amazing reflections of the LED dancers at the end of the event - very cool.
However, I think the tables and er "homelyness" of the original bowling club venue made it easier for people to participate, if not with the panel then with their table. There is probably a whole science dedicated to figuring out the best seating arrangement for stimulating discussion but I think the original idea of a coffee house style discussion stimulated by a panel lends itself more to a coffee house style seating. Or I could be wrong:).
Still I really enjoyed the evening and I'll be at the next one.
cheeers
Bart -
What a cool discussion.
But
When you folks discuss it you are trading ideas and theories and entertaining the concept of being wrong in part or in whole. You tolerate each others differences of opinion and contribute ideas.
But I don’t believe for a second that John Key has any such thought when he opines on the subject of a New Zealand identity. For him it is a tool to achieve power, to be manipulated and abused. Yes that is a cynical view but it is based on a reasonably good familiarity with the way politicians have used “national identity” as a tool in the past.
So by all means continue discussing the nature of what it means to be a human in this land. But don’t trust that any politician means any such thing when they use such phrases like “the kiwi way”.
As for my opinion on what it means to be here – now – and part of this culture… well for me the thing about living in NZ rather than living in Texas or California is that here I see many many different versions of human every day. In those other (strange) lands I saw monocultures. Different monocultures in different places. But each town lacked and in some sense rejected diversity. In Texas it was conservative that dominated, In Davis California it was “hippy” that dominated. But in both places there seemed less tolerance of diversity. So for me the thing I note (and like) about New Zealand is diversity and tolerance of diversity. But that's only my idea of what it means to be human in this land.
Cheers
BartPS If you think suburbia in NZ is not diverse you need to see suburbia in the US where every house is exactly the same, with even house colour dictated by the local monoculture.
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While Astle is in absolutely atrocious form at the moment, it is worth bearing in mind that he was the best ODI batsman in the world in the 2006 Calendar year (limited to those who had played 5 or more games). He averaged 58.60 with a strike rate of 81.16. Mike Hussey was second.
Does that count his performances versus Sri Lanka? I get his average as 40.09? Anyway I love Astle. He was one of our best batsmen. I have his 200 on tape and love watching it. But he can't see the ball anymore. I guess I don't know if he will get that back but to me at the moment he just isn't good enough. And while I hope I'm wrong (because I don't believe for a second he will be dropped) I don't really think we will ever again see the kind of form from Astle that made him great.
Oh well off to the cricket:).
cheers
Bart -
I too watched the cricket yesterday :(.
Setting aside aussie comentators, which have pretty much always been like that...
and setting aside lbw decisions that favour the home team - yes I thought White was out but that is cricket for you, it happens here too ...
and setting aside the cheating of Gilchrist - yes cheating because I'm sorry I don't believe he really thought he caught it - keepers do know the difference between straight into the gloves and on the bounce into the gloves...
What pissed me off was listening to our after match comments.
To listen to Fleming you'd have thought our bowlers handed the match to the Aussies and then to read Bracewell's comments you'd have thought the batsmen were fine and it was only because NZ were chasing 290 and not 250 that we lost.
Well Bollocks
Our bowlers did a great job restricting Aussie to under 300. In modern ODIs, even in Tasmania, 300 is an average score. Fleming knows that, and Bracewell knows that too. But both of them refuse to identify our real failure....
Which is of course our batsmen - only 3 of which could find the intestinal fortitude to get into double figures.
Frankly I'm over the bullshit. NZ does have good players out there playing state cricket, they just never get a chance to step up because Bracewell (and Fleming) can't bring themselve to dump the non-performers. IMO Astle must go, the Marshall twins should be playing state cricket for at least another season and preferably county cricket before they are allowed back in, McMillan has talent to burn but leaves his brain at the rope, MacCullum needs to be batting at 6 or 7 where keepers normally bat. Vettori et al are bowlers and should not be seen at the batting crease if Flemming et al do their job properly!
Who do you replace them with - why not some young players who have performed at state level and maybe could learn to step up. Some with good young eyes like Jesse Ryder and for gods sake why can't we have a real opener like Craig Cumming open the ODI innings. Or pick someone who has shown guts and brains to play the right cricket for the situation
Enough with picking players because they save 30 runs in the field when they have fundamental batting flaws eg H Marshall
And enough of Bracewell isn't four years enough to show that he isn't a good coach!
OK sorry just had to rant - my wife politely listens to me ranting about our cricket team but I just needed to get that off my chest:).
cheers
Bart
PS Ak play Otago at Eden Park #2 tomorrow - go and see them before it becomes a car park :). -
Hi
After 25 year my ideas have changed. Back in 1981 I was convinced a ban on sprots would never sway a government and hence sports and politics should not be mixed.
I was wrong
It is absolutely clear sporting bans have an effect, how large depends on the country and the sport. For Rugby Sevens and Fiji I believe the effect would be significant.
So of course New Zealand should deny the Fijian sevens team visas.
Personally I doubt the IRB would cancel the Wellington Tournament because:
it would be very very difficult to reschedule the tournament in the time available, note the difficulty the Netball folks are having with 7 months lead time and
the IRB would look like ****holes if the supported the coup and the IRB does understand bad mediaOf course the IRB could play nasty and remove Wellington from the sevens tour next year - but morals sometimes come with a cost.
I'd hope the Government realises most kiwis would prefer the moral standard rather than the short term cash.
Well I hope most kiwis would prefer to take the morally best position on this and yes I know that presupposes that banning the Fijian team is the moally best position.
cheers
Bart