March 22, 2003

SERENDIPITY

While coming up with a detailed response to the Judd Doctrine (my short response is vade satanas) I came across this web page listing and classifying all active duty military deaths by year from 1980 through 1999. I find the numbers fascinating.

Over those 20 years, active duty deaths from all causes plummeted, from 2391 (116.6 per 100,000) in 1980 to 761 (54.9 per 100,000) in 1999. Accidents (411, down from 1577) and illness (126 v. 401) fell particularly sharply. At this point, there are almost as many self-inflicted deaths (110 in 1999) as deaths from illness. I was also surprised to see that, during those 20 years, there were only four years without any deaths from hostile action. The Marine Corp is the most dangerous service (70.1 deaths per 100,000 in 1999), the Air Force the least dangerous (32.4 per 100,000). There is a lot of fascinating information here (the Air Force is also the least suicidal service) and if you're at all interested in this sort of thing, I highly recommend it.

Posted by David Cohen at March 22, 2003 10:51 AM
Comments

Admittedly, my Latin is rusty, but isn't vade satanas
"rush to Satan"? (And shouldn't it be satanem
?)



And assuming I've translated it correctly, I understand the implicit warning, but I don't think I agree. It's -- to say the least -- surprising to see OJ go out on this limb; but I'm leaning with him.

Posted by: Chris at March 22, 2003 2:30 PM

Mathew 4:10 tunc dicit ei Iesus vade Satanas scriptum est Dominum Deum tuum adorabis et illi soli servies



4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. -- King James Version



Often rendered "Get thee behind me, Satan." What I mean by it here is that the Judd Doctrine is a very tempting road to Hell.

Posted by: David Cohen at March 22, 2003 2:43 PM

(1) I feel very stupid for forgetting the vocative.



(2) I understood your import, even if I mistranslated the expression. And I see your point; and there's a little part of me that wants to agree.



But like I said, OJ has the better argument at this moment. Though how much of that is me being shocked that he said it, I cannot say...

Posted by: Chris at March 22, 2003 5:08 PM
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