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The Four Marks
The marks by which
men will know His Church are four: one, holy, catholic,
and apostolic
Who cares?- April 2010 Thyroid medication disappears; patients panic
–March 2010 By Edmund Sheridan Staff Writer, The Four Marks Michelle
Obama: "When we took our trip to
Africa and visited his home country in Kenya...." In a world
where the masses are fooled by a usurper ‘sitting’ upon the Throne of St.
Peter, it would be neither a surprise, nor out of place, to have a usurper in
the White House. On the contrary, it
would be fitting during a time when more of us love to be deceived than to
know the truth. Even before the 2008
election, some said Barack Obama was not eligible to be president, although
such claims were summarily brushed aside as ‘crazy’, ‘nonsense’, etc. Well, more evidence regularly comes to
light that such claims may not be so crazy after all… CA $500B short on pensions… Many have
known for a while that California faces an economic mess. The budget deficit is out of hand, the unemployment
rate is frightening, and those who can leave are doing so as fast as humanly
possible. Now, a study from graduate
students at Stanford claims there is another, truly enormous issue – a 500
billion dollar issue. The state
pensions are facing a deficit of $500 billion – yes, half a trillion, with a
‘t’ – over the next few years. This is
more than eight times as large as had been reported just two years ago. There are some who claim the real figure is
closer to three trillion dollars, which, for the sake of clarity, would mean
the numbers from the report of two years ago were 48 times too small. Even if the Stanford students’ figures are
close to accurate, this is a staggering problem for a state that already
faces myriad, serious issues. What to
do? Well, many have decided the answer
is to move, but most cannot do so. For
those who remain, they will likely continue struggling to deal with a
monstrous, spendthrift government that does not want to scale back
sufficiently to enable survival. California
is not alone. As a nation, we have
been avoiding reality, financial and otherwise, for quite some time. Reality does not care if something feels
good or bad, if it leads to prosperity or adversity – it is what it is. We get what we pay for; choices involve
consequences. If reality is embraced,
eyes wide open and willingly, wonderful things can happen – if we jettison
the entitlement mentality and are determined to roll up our sleeves, manfully
accepting the hardships that are part of returning to the right path. There is no such thing as a free lunch, but
California may be among the first to learn that delusions come with a heavy
price. When the persecutor plays victim Benedict XVI
and the Vatican have taken yet another page out the handbook of psychological
warfare, hoping to manipulate the masses in order to save face. In response to the intense scrutiny about
the Conciliar Church’s cover-up of sexual abuse, the foxes in charge of the
henhouse are seeking to turn the tables.
To the shock of all decent men, Vienna’s Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn
said the following: “I admit that I often feel a sense of injustice these
days. Why is the church being excoriated? Isn't there also abuse
elsewhere?” Yes, there is, but that is
irrelevant and does not serve as an excuse for their failure to do their
jobs. Cardinal Schoenborn, like others
caught in the middle of this increasingly-intense storm, is trying to paint
the abusers and their enablers as the victims of a prejudiced media. Should those who failed to show compassion
for the children be pitied, just because their cover-up has been
exposed? Several articles have drawn a
rather fitting parallel between the Vatican’s tactics and those of Richard
Nixon during Watergate. This matter is
intensifying at such a rate that we have deemed it wiser to provide this
short comment and a handful of pertinent links. Although it is likely that the timing of
these revelations is intentional, and the powers that be are using this as a
distraction from economic woes, plans for war in Iran, etc., there is still
much to the story that is worth our attention – even if only to further grasp
how utterly debased our once-Christian society has become. May the Risen Jesus bring joy, consolation,
and strength to your hearts in these increasingly-dark days. Sources: Thyroid medication
disappears; patients panic By Edmund Sheridan Staff Writer, The Four Marks The sole producer
of Armour Thyroid, one of the leading drugs for regulating hypothyroidism,
ceased production in the autumn of 2009 without advanced notice or explanation. Several months on, neither Forest
Pharmaceuticals nor the FDA has responded to inquiries from doctors or
patients. What is more, the drugs to
which many doctors and patients have turned in order to fill the gap, Nature
Thyroid and Westhroid, are also in very short supply. Exacerbating problems, some of the drugs
that serve as acceptable alternatives cost up to three times as much. In an era of fixed incomes and tight
finances, such an increase in spending can have noteworthy ripple effects. Thus, the inexplicable and sudden stoppage
of production of Armour Thyroid, developed in the early 1900s, has resulted
in a kind of panic. Problems of one
kind or another with the thyroid, which regulates metabolism, are quite
common. The widespread nature of
obesity in the US is evidence enough that there is something amiss with the
metabolism of many people. Some women
actually have the vital gland removed, leaving them entirely dependent upon
the assistance of drugs like Armour Thyroid.
For such women, finding a satisfactory alternative, and in short
order, is an absolute necessity. While
short-term solutions exist, the complete uncertainty about the shape of
things to come has many women worried.
What is more, while there are synthetic substitutes produced by the
larger pharmaceutical companies, many women do not find them to be nearly as
effective. “I called every pharmacy in
town, and I found enough (Armour) to get me through the year,” said Kathy Bick,
who has been using Armour Thyroid for 10 years. “I’m hoping that within a
year we’ll know something.” She is not
the only one. Armour Thyroid
was reformulated in the spring of 2009, leaving many less-than-impressed with
the effectiveness of the new version of the popular drug. Then, in the fall of 2009, the company
halted production without telling anyone.
While the present demand has been more or less met, what will happen
when the present supply has been consumed?
No one seems to know and Forest Pharmaceutical is not providing any
information at this time. Considering our
heavy reliance upon drugs of various kinds, it is reasonable to ask: What
other drugs might soon become less available, if not completely
unavailable? Will the manufacturers
and/or the FDA learn from this episode, making sure to provide advance
warning to doctors and patients if there is a notable change in the
production of certain drugs? As
awe-inspiring as certain aspects of modern life can appear, it is also more
fragile than it seems. The
just-in-time delivery of goods produced in faraway places has run so much
like clockwork for so long that it is far too easy to take it all for
granted. What will be the next item
that becomes unavailable without warning?
Will it be one upon which we, or someone we love, is heavily
dependent? Sources: Billings Gazette, February 8, 2010
The Four Marks appreciates your prayers for its growth and continued success. For more from our excellent writers, and outstanding news commentary:
Or send to: The Four Marks, Box 58, Ballantine, MT 59006 Thank you! With
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Articles by our other writers: AIRPORTS
TO IMPLEMENT FULL BODY SCANNERS By Ana Maggio The
Impossible Crisis By John S. Daly First published
in The Four Marks as a series beginning in April 2009. “The
Impossible Crisis” was first presented as a talk by John Daly at a seminar in
Rome, New York in 2002.
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