A2
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Vicksburg Post
Blessing the astronauts
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Pope Benedict makes first call to space CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI had a direct line to the heavens Saturday, with NASA’s help. Speaking from the Vatican, the pontiff bestowed a historic blessing upon the 12 astronauts circling Earth during the first-ever papal call to space, wishing a swift recovery for the shuttle commander’s wounded congresswoman wife and condolences for a station astronaut mourning his mother’s death. The “extraordinary” conversation, as Benedict described it, occurred after the Endeavour astronauts inspected a small gash in the shuttle’s belly, to ensure their safe return to Earth after departing the International Space Station in just over a week. NASA later determined the damage posed no threat to the next-to-last flight in the 30-year shuttle program. Seated at a table before a television set tuned to NASA’s live broadcast from orbit, Benedict told the space travelers that “you are our representatives spearheading humanity’s exploration of new spaces and possibilities for our future.” He said he admired their courage, discipline and commitment. “It must be obvious to you how we all live together on one Earth and how absurd it is that we fight and kill each
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Pope Benedict XVI talks with astronauts 12 astronauts circling the Earth, the first-ever papal call to space. one,” the pontiff said, reading from prepared remarks. “I know that Mark Kelly’s wife was a victim of a serious attack, and I hope her health continues to improve.” Kelly, who is of Irish-Catholic descent, thanked the pope for his kind words. His wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, had surgery to repair her skull Wednesday, four months after being shot in the head at a political event in Tucson, Ariz. She was nearly killed, yet managed to attend her husband’s
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YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. (AP) — Some guy in his pajamas, home sick with bronchitis and complaining online about it, could soon be contributing to a digital collection of medical information designed to help speed diagnoses and treatments. A doctor who is helping to prepare IBM’s Watson computer system for work as a medical tool says such blog entries may be included in Watson’s database. Watson is best known for handily defeating the world’s best “Jeopardy!” players on TV earlier this year. IBM says Watson, with its ability to understand plain language, can digest questions about a person’s symptoms and medical history and quickly suggest diagnoses and treatments. The company is still perhaps two years from marketing a medical Watson, and it says
The associated press
“Jeopardy!” champions Ken Jennings, left, and Brad Rutter, right, look on as the IBM computer called “Watson” beats them to the buzzer to answer a question. no prices have been established. But it envisions several uses, including a doctor simply speaking into a handheld device to get answers at a patient’s bedside. At a recent demonstration for The Associated Press, Watson was gradually given information about a fictional patient with an eye problem. As more
BENEFITS Clothing Giveaway — Sunday following the service at 11 today; Family Life Center, St. Paul Church, Bovina. Shylock — One-man show featuring M. Brady McKellar; by Mark Leiren-Young; benefits Vicksburg Theatre Guild; 7:30 p.m. June 4 and 2 p.m. June 5; admission: $10 adults/ seniors, $5 students/children; Parkside Playhouse, 101 Iowa St. The Delta Mountain Boys — Progressive bluegrass concert/live DVD/CD recording, July 22; admission: $5 or more; benefits the Southern Cultural Heritage Center; 1302 Adams St.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS Senior Center — Monday: 9 a.m., Curtis bridge; 10, chair exercises; 11, walking; 1 p.m., card games; 5:30 line dance.
Vicksburg Farmers’ Market — 8-11 a.m. Saturdays; 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays; Jackson and Washington streets. Tuesday Vicksburg Al-Anon — Noon Tuesday; second floor, First Presbyterian Church, 1501 Cherry St.; 601-634-0152.
Serenity Overeaters Anonymous — 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Bowmar Baptist Church, Room 102C; 601-638-0011. Vicksburg Al-Anon — 8 p.m. Wednesday; family, friends of alcoholics and addicts; 502 Dabney Ave.; 601-636-1134. Crystal Springs Farmers’ Market — June 25; produce must be grown in Mississippi; for applications and complete information visit www2. msstate.edu/~ricks/cstomato/tomfest.html; application deadline is June 21.
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clues were unveiled — blurred vision, family history of arthritis, Connecticut residence — Watson’s suggested diagnoses evolved from uveitis to Behcet’s disease to Lyme disease. It gave the final diagnosis a 73 percent confidence rating. “You do get eye problems in Lyme disease but it’s not common,” Dr. Herbert Chase
said. “You can’t fool Watson.” For “Jeopardy!” Watson was fed encyclopedias, dictionaries, books, news, and movie scripts. For health care, it’s on a diet of medical textbooks and journals. It could also link to the electronic health records that the federal government wants hospitals to maintain. Medical students are peppering it with sample questions to help train it. Chase, a Columbia University medical school professor, says anecdotal information — such as personal blogs from medical websites — may also be included. “What people say about their treatment ... it’s not to be ignored just because it’s anecdotal,” Chase said. “We certainly listen when our patients talk to us, and that’s anecdotal.” Chase and other experts say cramming Watson with the
latest medical information will help with a major problem in modern health care: information overload. “For at least 30 years it’s been clear that it’s not possible for us to know everything,” he said. “Every day, doctors have questions they can’t find the answers to. Even if you sit down at a search engine, it’s so labor intensive and it takes so long to find answers.” Michael Yuan, chief scientist at Ringful Health, a medical consulting company in Austin, Texas, that has worked with IBM, cited a 1999 study of 103 doctors that found they fielded more than 1,100 questions a day, of which 64 percent were never answered. “That’s a huge potential for people to make mistakes,” he said. “Watson is the type of solution that can really reduce that.”
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astronauts’ most important message would be for young people when they return home. Space station astronaut Ronald Garan Jr. spoke of the paper-thin layer of atmosphere “that separates every living thing from the vacuum of space.” And shuttle crewman Mike Fincke described how he and his colleagues “can look down and see our beautiful planet Earth that God has made.” “However, if we look up, we
’Jeopardy!’-winning computer delving into medicine
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launch last Monday. Kelly told the pope that borders cannot be seen from space and noted that down on Earth, people usually fight for resources. At the space station, solar power provides unlimited energy, “and if those technologies could be adapted more on Earth, we could possibly reduce some of that violence,” he said. Benedict asked about the future of the planet and the environmental risks it faces, and wanted to know what the
can see the rest of the universe, and the rest of the universe is out there for us to explore,” Fincke said. “The International Space Station is just one symbol, one example, of what human beings can do when we work together constructively.” Near the end of the 18-minute conversation, Benedict expressed concern for astronaut Paolo Nespoli, whose 78-year-old mother died in northern Italy at the beginning of May while he was serving on the space station. “How have you been living through this time of pain on the International Space Station?” the pope asked. “Holy Father, I felt your prayers and everyone’s prayers arriving up here where outside the world ... we have a vantage point to look at the Earth and we feel everything around us,” Nespoli replied in Italian. Nespoli will end his fivemonth space station mission Monday, returning to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule. He will bring back with him a silver medal that shuttle astronaut Roberto Vittori took up with him on Endeavour, that was provided by the pope. It depicts Michelangelo’s “Creation of Man,” the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
E. Scott Verhine, Attorney Verhine & Verhine PLLC 1013 Adams Street Vicksburg, MS 39183
(601)636-0791 The Mississippi Bar advises that a decision on legal services should not be based solely on advertisement. Free background information available upon request.
a.m.-until Saturday; bring covered dish, soft drinks and lawn chairs; friends are invited; Bovina Pavilion. Fort Hill Reunion — 7:30 p.m. Monday; meeting and dues; Millie P. Caldwell, 601-636-0355; 916 Walnut St. Vicksburg Kiwanis — Noon Tuesday, Jacques’ Cafe; Brad
Young, Miss. Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Jackson Audubon Society — 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; meeting and potluck supper; Eudora Welty Library, 300 N. State St., Jackson. Lions — Noon Wednesday; Bill Lauderdale and Richard George, Warren County supervisors; Jacque’s Cafe.
We give God thanks for each of you ... The family of
Mrs. Gloria Jean Robinson Rankin
gratefully acknowledges every sympathetic expression from our family and friends, who showered us with their love and kindheartedness during our Mama's transition. We offer special thanks to Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home; Mr. Larry "LD" Prentiss and Staff; Pastors and Congregations of New Mt. Pilgrim, Greater Grove Street, Living Word Baptist Churches, Mt. Carmel Ministries, New Horizon International and Tinnin Road Church of Christ; AKA Sorority-Mu Xi Omega Chapter; USAERDC-Environmental Laboratory; MS Dept. of Health; Sandra Mims; and Benita Abraham. "We thank all of you for whatever you have done to lighten our heavy hearts.” Further, we ask you to continue praying for our strength as we ask God's richest blessings upon each of you. Children-- Debra, Sharon, Gloria, Jacqueline, Andrea, Robin, Gerald, Dawn, Robert, Lee, Kenya and Catrina; Grandchildren; and Great Grandchildren
Vicksburg Toastmasters Club No. 2052 — Noon Thursday; IT Lab, Porters Chapel Road; Jeff Hensley 601-634-4596.