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FROM LIBYA TO SYRIA: "WAR IS A RACKET. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN" By James Corbett |
Global Research, April 14, 2012 |
International Forecaster |
URL of this article: www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=30295 |
"War is a racket. It always has been." These words are as true now as they were when Major General Smedley Butler first delivered them in a series of speeches in the 1930s. And he should have known. As one of the most decorated and celebrated marines in the history of the Corps, Butler drew on his own experiences around the globe to rail against the business interests that use the U.S. military as muscle men to protect their racket from perceived threats. From National City Bank interests in Haiti to United Fruit plantations in Honduras, from Standard Oil access to China to Brown Brothers operations in Nicaragua, Butler pointed out how intervention after intervention served the business interests of the well-connected even as American taxpayer money went to foot the bill for these adventures. The names and places may have changed, but the old adage holds: the more things change, the more they stay the same. The National Transitional Council that is nominally in charge of what is left of Libya announced this week that they're beginning a probe of foreign oil contracts brokered during Gaddafi's reign by his son, Saif al-Islam. Libya is sitting on the largest oil reserves in Africa, and it is no coincidence that within weeks of the start of the NATO campaign last year the rebels had already secured the country's oil ports and refineries on the Gulf of Sidra and established their own national oil company for negotiating contracts with the invading forces. Although the oil contract probes are supposedly meant to show the transparency of the new "government" and their willingness to root out the graft and kickbacks inherent in the old regime, it's quietly acknowledged that the process will be used to reward the nations that most visibly supported last year's invasions and punish those who were more reticent. Surprising, then, that the first companies on the block are Italy's Eni and France's Total. Both countries fostered close ties with the NTC last year and France was the first country to officially recognize them as the government of Libya. But now Libya's general prosecutor is reviewing documents related to these companies for possible financial irregularities. The SEC is getting in on the act, too, requesting documents relating to both companies' Libyan operations to check for suspected violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The potential blow to the European giants' share in the Libyan market is especially painful in light of the upcoming Iranian oil embargo that threatens to squeeze the crude imports of Greece, Italy and Spain. Now, as Libya ramps up oil production to pre-war levels the obvious potential winners in the probe are the American and British majors, who could end up eating up some of Eni and Total's share in Libya's oil production should the investigation lead to charges. China may also have reason to be wary of their standing with the new government. Chinese-Libyan ties were increasingly close in the years leading up to Gaddafi's ouster, with trade volume having reached $6.6 billion in 2010. In 2007, as the US was beginning to put AFRICOM together and the competitive scramble for African resources was heating up, Gaddafi delivered an address to the students of Oxford University where he praised China's hands-off approach to investment in Africa. At the time, Gaddafi suggested that Beijing was winning the hearts and minds of Africans with its reluctance to interfere in local politics, while Washington was alienating the population with their heavy-handed interventions. In the wake of the NATO bombing the would-be government of Libya is singing a different tune and relations with China have cooled down. Last August a senior NTC official suggested that China would be punished when it came time to award reconstruction contracts in Libya because of their initial reluctance to support the rebels. Although the statement was downplayed, it was revealed earlier this month that Chinese companies are still waiting to begin negotiations on losses to frozen and outstanding contracts worth $18.8 billion. Relations are still cordial, though, and the Libyan government is assuring China that the contracting companies will be in a better position to resume negotiations after national elections in June. These latest moves from Tripoli may be as much about projecting the idea that the NTC is actually functioning as a government than anything else, though. Armed militias are still waging violent turf wars throughout the country, with 26 people dying in fighting between rivals in the western town of Zwara earlier this month and 150 dying in skirmishes last month in the southern city of Sabha. One militia stormed a hotel in Tripoli and opened fire, then beat and kidnapped the manager after he told a militia member to pay an outstanding room bill. Last week hundreds marched in Benghazi to call for an end to the violence between the armed gangs. The country is deeply divided along tribal lines and armed militias still occupy government buildings and openly flaunt the pronouncements of the erstwhile government. The idea that the NTC is actually functioning as a government is a pipe dream at this point, but as long as they keep the oil pumping and the victors of last year's humanitarian love bombing get their spoils, there's hardly a peep out of Washington, Paris, or London. Smedley Butler wouldn't be surprised. Meanwhile in Syria, the racketeers' plans for a Libyan repeat are proceeding apace. Last week we reported on the so-called "Friends of Syria" and their agreement to begin openly funding the rebels to the tune of millions of dollars. This week we have been watching the inevitable, pre-scripted "break down" in Annan's UN-brokered ceasefire. Exactly on cue, unverified reports from unnamed activists have begun rolling in to the usual media mouthpieces via foreign-based NGOs proclaiming so many people have died in continued fighting. The unacknowledged elephant in the room, however, is that, exactly as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been attempting to point out all month, it's impossible to expect a cessation in fighting when you are openly arming, training and funding an insurgent proxy army that is hell-bent on toppling the government. However, Lavrov is banging his head against a brick wall. The ceasefire was never meant to be a ceasefire and it's all political theater at this point anyway. Any and every unverified rumor of fighting or violence in the country will now be taken as a sign that Assad has broken the agreement and the pressure to get Beijing and Moscow to acquiesce to the toppling of the Syrian government will intensify. In the end, this will not be a carbon copy of Libya. There will be no NATO-led bombardment or large-scale military intervention, because Russia couldn't allow that to happen. Besides, Syria has Russian supplied surface-to-air missiles and no compunction about using them. Instead, political pressure will increase for Assad to step down and the funds and arms to the rent-a-rebel force will continue increasing until the government is toppled. The dangerous factor in this equation is that neither the west nor China/Russia have blinked yet and there is a significant amount of face to lose for one side or the other in this proxy struggle. The one with the most to lose is clearly Iran, which all things being equal would be a dominant power player in regional politics. All things, however, are not equal. With their oil increasingly embargoed, the sanctions getting progressively tighter, and one of their key allies in the region threatening to topple in favor of a hostile Sunni insurgency, Iran has to know that when and if the Syrian domino falls, it falls on them. At the same time, attention is turning once again to another of the war racketeers' key interests: Pakistan. There has been newfound congressional interest in the so-called "Free Baluchistan" movement seeking independence for Pakistan's Baluchi nationals. Citing human rights violations, Rep. Rohrbacher (R-California) has introduced a resolution calling on Pakistan to recognize Balochi self-determination. He has even written an op-ed in the Washington Post where he begins his argument with recourse to human rights and switches seamlessly in the fourth paragraph into noting with evident glee the region's natural gas, gold, uranium, and copper reserves.Interestingly, Russia agreed last week to pony up $1.5 billion in financing and technical assistance for a proposed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. The projected course of the pipeline? It would start in Iran's southern Assalouyeh Energy Zone and enter Pakistan from the west, crossing straight through Baluchistan. Coincidence, surely. The IP pipeline has had a tumultuous history, complete with plans to run the pipeline all the way to India (an idea from which India has distanced itself but never completely abandoned) and the potential involvement of China, which has flirted with the idea of incorporating the pipeline into a planned logistical network running from the port of Gwadar in Pakistan's southwest all the way to Xinjiang province. Now, with a proposal for Russian funding on the table the pipeline looks closer than ever to becoming a reality. From the outset, the US has used every bit of leverage it has to get the parties involved to scrap the idea. Diplomatic pressure has been brought to bear on China, Pakistan, and India, with Beijing and New Delhi both appearing to buckle under the pressure and pull out of the project. The US has backed its own alternative pipeline, a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India route, but that idea is looking less feasible by the day. Iran has nearly completed its share of the proposed IP pipeline, but Pakistan has been hesitant. Now along come the racketeers to fund yet another rebel movement in another geostrategically vital corridor, and before you know it "Free Baluchistan" might derail the project altogether. Look for US pressure on the Pakistani government regarding Baluchistan to increase as the pipeline comes closer to completion. Butler was right. War is a racket, after all. These days the muscle men are rent-a-mobs and insurgents more so than the U.S. military, but the idea is the same: fund, arm and train the fighters to secure the resources and control the strategic areas. In Libya the NATO-backed rebels wrested the oil spigot from the unpredictable Gaddafi. In Syria the "Friends of Syria" are overthrowing a key Iranian ally and taking over an important square on the geopolitical chessboard. In Pakistan, American-backed rebels may succeed in driving a wedge through a key Iran-Pakistan pipeline. And the racket continues. One would do well to remember the grand finale of Butler's speech: "To hell with war!"In order to access the Corbett Report: http://www.corbettreport.com |
Please support Global Research Global Research relies on the financial support of its readers. |


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Tacoma Narrows Bridge history - Community connections - Tolling history
Washington's History with toll collections
What's here?
The collection of tolls to fund transportation projects is not a new idea in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, "pay-as-you-go" financing is a practice that dates back to the Lewis and Clark Expedition: Traveling westward toward the Pacific Ocean, the Jefferson scouts often paid Native American tribes, in-kind, for their daily transportation needs.
Here in Washington, toll collection to financially support public transportation projects is not new, or unique to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge(s). When the 1940 Narrows Bridge opened the traveling public paid an 83-cent toll on average (50 cents a car, and 10 cents per passenger). Again, in 1950, motorists paid a toll – 50 cents – to cross the bridge. In fact, 14 bridges built by the state had been financed by bonds, with toll collection imposed to reimburse the cost, fully or in part.
In The Beginning
Before February 1933, Washington was among a handful of states that had never sold bonds to finance highway or bridge construction. With no debt, Washington had financed highways and bridges strictly on a pay-as-you-go basis. It had become difficult to accumulate enough money through gas tax revenue to finance all of the state's highway and bridge projects to support a rapidly growing population and economy. To meet the state's transportation needs, the 1933 Legislature authorized the sale of bonds to finance highway construction work. But bond sales still did not keep up with the demand for new roadways.
In Pierce County , officials began to consider the construction of a bridge to cross the Narrows. Replacing the inadequate ferry service between the Peninsula and Tacoma had become a necessity. Efforts to secure private funding to build a bridge never came to pass. In 1937, increasing public pressure compelled the Legislature to recognize the need for a Narrows bridge and other bridges. Lawmakers passed a law creating the Washington Toll Bridge Authority and gave it full power to finance, construct, and operate toll bridges.
This promise of a steady and reliable revenue stream, backed by the bonding authority of the State of Washington, resulted in the approval and financing of two very necessary bridges: the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940), and the Lacey V. Morrow Memorial Bridge (I-90) across Lake Washington.
As compared to the average 83-cent toll charged to cars and trucks crossing the Narrows Bridge, the toll collected on the Lake Washington Bridge was $.50 in 1940. The bridge toll between Pierce County and the Peninsula was cheaper than taking the ferry. When the first Narrows Bridge opened, the ferries charged vehicles 89 cents on average.
Galloping Gertie
When it opened, Galloping Gertie did indeed peak the curiosity of thousands: Revenue collected on the first day of operations totaled an astounding $11,541. The Narrows crossing held that daily record for 14 years until August 1964.
What The Future Holds
Future toll payers may be interested in knowing that the state collected tolls on the first two bridges in each direction. (That won't be the case when the 2007 bridge opens. It's a roundtrip toll paid on Peninsula side only.) Thus, a vehicle making a round trip would pay $1.66 in 1940, and $1.00 in 1950. If we equated those tolls in today's dollars, and adjust for inflation, that 83-cent toll in 1940 is equivalent to $11.23 in 2005. What is more, the $1.00 round trip toll collected in 1950 has the same purchasing power as $6.02 today.
The Washington Toll Bridge Authority maintained full authority to set the toll rates from their inception until it disbanded. As for the 1940 and 1950 bridges, it's not clear how much say the general public had in setting toll policy. As for the new parallel bridge opening in 2007, lawmakers have ensured that the public – through a citizen's advisory committee – will be heard as the state's Transportation Commission sets out to create toll policies for the 21 st century.

subset: commoncrawl


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Laser Hair Removal Campaign Goes S & M
Distancing itself from the more barbaric forms of hair removal, Priciderm, with help from its Quebec ad agency Carte Blance, has launched an S & M themed campaign to promote its seemingly less painful laser hair removal process.Two of the ads use the queasiness of S&M to illustrate hair removal doesn't have to be a painful ordeal. A third execution, gets right to the point with blood in the sink. See the others two ads here and here.


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First I did a pencil drawing to outline the main forms. The initial painting step on this one was to lay a fairly bright yellow wash across everything but the white lilies, and then bring the yellow down with a layer or two of varied green leaf colors. I then established the blue-gray background color with a large flat brush. That blue-gray color needed the opacity of white gouache mixed in to knock out the yellow underpainting color. After that dried, I painted the dark leaves and stems in shadow. Total elapsed time was a little over two hours.
I have rationalized these steps after the fact to try to give you the impression that I knew what I was doing, but my mind state was rather scrambled and chaotic as I did the painting. I agree with John Sargent's description of the watercolor painting experience as "making the best of an emergency"—and that's what I love about the medium.
I'll tell you more about my fellow Plein Air convention faculty in tomorrow's post.


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The younger you are, the less likely you are to realize you are infected with HIV or receive treatment for it, a new study finds.
Early diagnosis, prompt and continued care, and antiretroviral drug therapy are key to lowering the risk of illness and death among patients, and reducing transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
However, this study of 2009 data from the National HIV Surveillance System found that people under the age of 45 who are infected with the virus are much less likely than their older peers to know they are infected or to be getting proper care.
The study also revealed that more than 200,000 of the more than 1.1 million Americans who are infected are unaware they carry the virus. The investigators also found that only about 37 percent of infected people received regular care, only one-third were prescribed HIV-suppressing medicines, and 25 percent had achieved a "suppressed viral load," meaning HIV was being kept to very low levels.
These results varied widely by age. For example, among HIV-infected people aged 13 to 24, only about 40 percent had received a diagnosis of HIV infection and only 30 percent had been referred for care.
Lower percentages of people aged 25 to 44 received regular care, were prescribed drug therapy and had a suppressed viral load, compared with those aged 55 to 64, the study found. For example, 28 percent of young adults with HIV were receiving treatment, compared with 46 percent of those aged 55 to 64.
The study was published online June 17 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Overall, more than 850,000 Americans with HIV had not achieved the treatment goal of viral suppression. This included 75 percent of men with HIV, 79 percent of blacks, 74 percent of Hispanics, and 70 percent of whites.
"Individuals, health care providers, health departments and government agencies must all work together to increase the numbers of people living with HIV who are aware of their status, linked to and retained in care, receiving treatment and adherent to treatment," concluded researchers led by H. Irene Hall of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"In 2011, the HIV field was shocked to learn that only about a quarter of individuals living with HIV were successfully receiving HIV treatment," Drs. Katerina Christopoulos and Diane Havlir, of the University of California, San Francisco, wrote in an accompanying commentary.
"The sobering numbers of those missing out on effective treatment because they did not know they were infected and those who knew their status but did not seek care spurred collaboration between the HIV treatment and prevention movements, two areas with different funding streams that often operated independently of one another," they noted.
"Already the HIV community has mobilized to further develop and study interventions that address bottlenecks in the cascade. Achieving an AIDS-free generation will be within reach if, and only if, these efforts succeed," Christopoulos and Havlir concluded.


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As detailed in my 3-minute video The Best Detox, there's lots of talk these days about detoxing, but talk is cheap—our liver is actually doing it, all day, every day. If we want to detoxify our bodies, the best thing we can do is to boost our liver's own detoxifying enzymes, and one of the most potent such inducer is a phytonutrient called sulforaphane. So where do we find this stuff? Broccoli, which produces more than any other known plant (with the silver going to kohlrabi and bronze to cauliflower; broccoli raab, on the other hand, produces about 500 times less than broccoli).
Broccoli is an exceptional source of sulforaphane, but the surprising thing is that there's none actually in the vegetable—until you bite it. You know those chemical flares, or glow sticks, where you snap them and chemicals in two different compartments mix and set off a reaction? Broccoli does the same thing. In one part of the cell it keeps the enzyme myrosinase, and in another part it keeps something called glucoraphanin. There is no sulforaphane, which is what we want, anywhere in broccoli—not until some herbivore starts chewing on it. At that point, plant cells get crushed, the enzyme mixes with the glucoraphanin and sulforaphane is born. And the herbivore is like, "Ew, this tastes like broccoli!" and runs away. The plant uses this as a defense against nibblers and noshers. Little did broccoli count on a little lemon juice and some garlic—maybe a little tahini dressing? It's our counterattack.
A similar enzymatic "glow stick" reaction happens in garlic. Both the enzymes in both these cases are inactivated by cooking, so there's a secret to preserving the benefits. See Sometimes the Enzyme Myth Is True for my "hack & hold" strategy (or maybe I should call it whack & wait?)
Broccoli sprouts are even healthier, and can be a cost-effective way to eat on the cheap if you make your own. That's the subject of my 2-minute video Biggest Nutrition Bang for Your Buck, in which broccoli sprouts beat out purple cabbage for the most one could get nutritionally for one's money.
Can you overdo it? Yes, four cups of broccoli sprouts a day may exceed the safe dose of sulforaphane, for example. See Liver Toxicity Due to Broccoli Juice? and How Much Broccoli Is Too Much? We can also drink too much tea (see Overdosing on Tea), too much of the seaweed kelp (see Too Much Iodine Can Be As Bad As Too Little), and overdo coffee when pregnant (see Caffeine During Pregnancy). And in a nod to my Care2 post Stomach Staples or Healthy Kitchen Staples, I relate a cautionary tale of gastric bypass surgery in The Dangers of Broccoli?
-Michael Greger, M.D.


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I looked it up on google but I didn't find anything helpful.
Anyway, I was playing Crysis 2 (with PlayOnLinux) and the game crashed, but I could't kill the process, I tried Ctrl+Alt+T but nothing but the game appeared on the screen, I had to Ctrl+Alt+Del and finish the session, also losing all my work.
On Windows there's the Windows Key (which opens the Unity Panel), but I can't do anything. And there's Ctrl+Alt+Del which opens all the processes (on Windows) but the terminal doesn't show up on me (Ctrl+Alt+T), I can't kill any process.
Any help?


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I've just begun sampling my first batch, and I noticed that my carbonation level can vary from bottle to bottle. Most are just about perfect, but a few have certainly been over-carbonated, practically like soda.
What could cause this? I didn't stir in my dissolved priming sugar, but I gave it nearly an hour's rest to fully homogenize before bottling.
Also, should I transfer the remaining bottles to the fridge to cease further carbonation?


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RFMD's RFHA1003 GaN Power IC (PIC) is a wideband power amplifier designed for continuous wave and pulsed applications such as military communications, electronic warfare, wireless infrastructure, radar, two-way radios and general purpose amplification.
Using an advanced high power density Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor process, this high performance amplifier achieves high efficiency, flat gain and power over a large instantaneous bandwidth in a single amplifier design. This GaN discrete amplifier are 50Ω input-matchedpackaged in a small form factor 5 x 6 mm SOIC-8 outline air cavity ceramic package that provides excellent thermal stability through the use of advanced heat sink and power dissipation technologies.
Ease of integration is accomplished through the incorporation of optimized input matching network within the package that provides wideband gain and power performance in a single amplifier. An external output match offers the flexibility of further optimizing power and efficiency for any sub-band within the overall bandwidth.
Features include:
• Advanced GaN HEMT and Heat Sink Technology
• Input Internally Matched to 50 Ω
• 28 V Operation, Output Power of 9 W
• 30 to 512 MHz Instantaneous Bandwidth
• Gain: 19 dB
• Power Added Efficiency: 70 percent
• Large-Signal Models Available
• EAR99 export control
• Milcom, Public Mobile Radio
• Electronic Warfare
• Power Amplifier Stage for Commercial Wireless Infrastructure
• Civilian and Military Radar
•General Purpose Tx Amplification


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Some selected excerpts:
At Google, relevance is a religion. The Golden Triangle is sacred. Nothing can appear here if it's not, in Google's judgment, absolutely relevant to the user.I think the history of MSN and Yahoo as portals may be part of the explanation here.
Both Yahoo and Microsoft said similar things, but in each case, the importance of relevance was always counterbalanced with other factors. At Google, relevance is the only thing that mattered.
The urge to monetize is winning the battle at Yahoo. Yahoo was by far the most aggressive both in terms of how often top sponsored ads were shown, and how much [space] was devoted to them ... Relevance, at least in terms of the user's expectation, was pushed down the page.
The religion that is relevance at Google is not found to the same extent at Microsoft ... Relevance does not define the core purpose of Microsoft ... Microsoft approaches the user experience as one of a number of best practices ... It's not that relevance isn't important at Microsoft. It's just that it's treated more as a business objective than a sacred cow.
I believe its Google's obsession with relevance that makes the difference. Relevance drives a better user experience, which drives market share, which drives monetization. Google seems to have the best understanding of this basic cause-and-effect relationship in the search marketing ecosystem.
Google has never had a portal. Google has always focused on getting people the information they need quickly and then sending them off to other sites to do whatever they need to get done.
Microsoft, AOL, and Yahoo have large websites with a lot of content. They traditionally have wanted to capture people on their properties and keep them there. Because of this history, I suspect Microsoft and Yahoo may still be conflicted about whether their goal in search is helping people get what they need quickly or capturing audiences for their sites.
Gord's thoughts on where Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft may be going with search are also interesting:
Google is heading the push towards greater personalization of search results. It's an essential next step to reach the ultimate objective, which is to give their user exactly what they're looking for at any given time.Google is focused on using better algorithms, big data, and personalization to improve relevance. Yahoo is focused on social search, which is poorly defined but seems to mean building tools to help humans help humans find what they need. Microsoft is scattered, but probably will stumble toward personalization at some point. All sounds about right.
Expect Yahoo to start exploring ways to thread ... individual user experiences together with search as the common element. They'll look for ways in which Yahoo's community can help enhance the search experience and provide social context to it. How this will be accomplished as a little cloudy at this point.
Microsoft's approach to the future of search seems to be the most fragmented of all the three major players .... [but] I would expect Microsoft to start using the vast amount of data that's available to them in the form of click stream behavior across all their properties, and begin to use this not only as an advertising targeting opportunity, but also to help improve the relevance of search results. From this, further personalization is the logical next step.
For more on these topics, see also some of my earlier posts, "Google dominates, MSN Search sinks", "Google expands personalization" and "Social software is too much work".
Update: There is a fun debate on search personalization going on in the comments for this post. Don't miss it.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Vista kernel fix 'worse than useless'
MS irks security researcher (part 411)
Microsoft has modified Windows Vista to prevent a high-profile exploit demonstrated at security conferences this summer but the fix creates as many problems as it solves, according to the security researcher who identified the original problem.
The bug, demonstrated by Joanna Rutkowska of security firm Coseinc, created a possible mechanism for hackers to bypass security protection built into 64-bit versions of Vista in order to inject potentially hostile code into the kernel of prototype versions of Windows. This so-called "pagefile attack" defeated a feature called Vista kernel protection.
Windows Vista Release Candidate 2 frustrates this attack by blocking write-access to raw disk sectors for user mode applications, even if they are executed with elevated administrative rights. Rutkowska writes that Microsoft's fix is fraught with difficulties because it prevents legitimate applications, such as disk editors and recovery tools, from functioning without their own signed kernel-level driver. Hackers might be able to hijack such legitimate drivers so all Microsoft has done has created extra work for developers in displacing - but not resolving - the problem.
During a presentation at the Black Hat conference in August, Rutkowska explained two other approaches Microsoft might take in defeating the page-file attack as well as highlighting the problems with simply blocking write-access to raw disk sectors for user mode applications. "Microsoft actually decided to ignore those suggestions and implemented the easiest solution, ignoring the fact that it really doesn't solve the problem," she writes. ®


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49. How to Hate Your Wife (Luke 14:25-35)
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 "Suppose251 one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
33 In the same way,252 any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. 34 "Salt is good,253 but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Some years ago, a special program was commenced in one of the youth groups at the church we attended. The program was called "the company of the committed." The idea was to identify those core, elite, young people who really were committed to following Christ, and having a special program just (and only) for them. I had a good sound, at first. But I sensed that there was something wrong with it. As I was studying our text in Luke chapter 14 I realized that this passage helps us to see why such a program is suspect.
The problem which arose in that youth group, years ago, is one that is frequently repeated. There are some church and parachurch groups which cater to the "committed" and think that they are doing a commendable work. As we come to our text, it seems on the surface to teach that discipleship is restricted only to the committed, those who are willing to hate father and mother and other family members, those who are willing to give up all of their earthly possessions. Discipleship seems to be something like the Marines—a select group of highly committed people, a few good men and women. I think that the text teaches us something a little different.
As we approach this passage, I want to acknowledge that it is one of the most difficult passages in Luke to put together. It is not easy to see how the various parts of this passage fit together.254 I am now convinced that our Lord deliberately spoke in a way that would not be immediately or easily comprehended. The final words of the passage, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," are words found elsewhere, which always seem to indicate that a difficult teaching is being given, and that only those who really wish to understand will be able to, after much thought.
The Tension of This Text
Perhaps the most crucial tension of the text is this: Jesus here requires every disciple to hate those whom He elsewhere commands us to love. We are told that to be His disciple one must "hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters" (v. 26). Elsewhere, however, we are not even given the luxury of hating our enemy, let alone those nearest and dearest to us. How, then, can Jesus command us to hate those whom we love, and those whom we are elsewhere commanded to love?
Jesus' words are even more perplexing in the light of the very last words of the prophet Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, as we have it. In speaking of the coming of John the Baptist, of the Messiah, and of the Kingdom of God, the prophet concludes his prophecy with these words:
"And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse" (Malachi 4:6, NASB).
If the coming of the Christ was to reunite parents and children, how can Jesus tell His disciples they must hate parents and children?
The key to resolving this tension is to be found in an accurate definition of the term "hate" as it is used here. That we shall do in a moment. We will then consider the remainder of this text and its implications for 20th century disciples. Let us listen well to these difficult, but important, words of our Lord.
The Structure of the Text
The structure of our text can be summarized in this way:
(1) Verse 25—The Setting
(2) Verses 26-27—The Demands of Discipleship
(3) Verses 28-32—The Decision of Discipleship
(4) Verses 33-35—The Distinctive Nature of Disciples
In verse 25, the setting is described—a large crowd of people are following Jesus. Jesus turned around (v. 25b) and spoke (vv. 26ff.) to them of the demands (vv. 26-27), decisions (vv. 28-32), and distinctives (vv. 33-35) of discipleship.
The Setting
We do not know exactly where Jesus was, but we assume that He was continuing to press on toward Jerusalem (cf. 9:51; 13:22). The Pharisees, who were in focus around the dinner table in the previous section (14:1-24), are now left behind, and the focus is on a large crowd of people, following our Lord as He traveled. Some think that these folks knew who Jesus was, but did not understand the rigors of discipleship. I am inclined to think of these people as merely curious, caught up by Jesus, His miracles, and His teaching. They hardly realized, in my opinion, that they were following Him.
I can envision Jesus walking along the way from one town to another, encircled by His closest followers, and then, trailing along for a great distance, an animist endless stream of curious people. Jesus literally turned around to address this great multitude. He stopped them in their tracks with His words. Few, I suspect, grasped what He meant by what He said. I am inclined to see the crowd as vaporizing after Jesus finished, perhaps discussing among themselves on their way back home what He meant.
The Demands of Discipleship
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:25-28).
The words of Jesus are stunning. I can almost see the crowd reel in shock at the demands which Jesus placed on His disciples. The clear inference of Jesus' words is that one can "go along with Jesus" without even being a true believer (cf. John 6:66). I think it is also implied that one can "come to Jesus" in saving faith, without becoming a disciple, a committed follower (cf. John 2:23-25). These people were, as yet, only followers, on-lookers.
If there is any one term that is crucial to our understanding of Jesus' words here it is the term "hate." What does Jesus mean when He says that one cannot be His disciple without hating? Fortunately, the Bible gives us a very clear definition of this term, beginning in the Old Testament.
In Genesis chapter 29 we find the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. We know that Leah was Jacob's first wife, not due to his decision, but to Laban's deception. Jacob really loved Rachel. In verse 30 we are told that Jacob "loved Rachel more than Leah. " In verse 31, "the Lord saw that Leah was unloved." In verse 33, Leah named her second son Simeon, because, she said, "the Lord has heard that I am unloved." This last term, "unloved" literally is "hated," as the marginal note in the NASB indicates. Rachel was loved more than Leah; Leah was unloved; Leah was hated. To be hated, here is to be loved less than another.
In Exodus the same sense of "hate" is found. In chapter 20, God is giving Israel the Law. He begins by commanding Israel to have "not other gods" before Him (Exodus 20:3). In verse 5, however, God said,
"You shall not worship them or serve them [other gods]; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me."
To have other gods, is to love them above God. To have other gods is to hate God.
In Romans 9:13, we read Paul's citation of Malachi 1:2: "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
We know that God chose Jacob above Esau, that He gave Jacob the preeminence and blessings that normally came to the oldest son. But God did not hate Esau in the way we think of hate. We see God's compassion on Esau and on his descendants. God hated Esau in the sense that He loved Jacob more.
If we are not yet convinced, then let us listen to the Lord's words in the parallel gospel account:
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:34-39, NASB).
Here, Matthew's wording does not speak of "hating" father and mother and other loved ones, but of loving them more than our Lord. Thus, to "hate" in our text means "to love less than." Jesus is saying that in order to be His disciple men and women must love Christ more than their parents, more than their mate, more than their children, more than their sisters and brothers.
We now know what Jesus meant by the word "hate." But whom does He command His disciples to hate?
- They are all people.
- They are all people whom we would normally, naturally, love.
- They are all relatives—family.
There does seem to be a deliberate, descending order. Parents are listed first, mate and children second, with siblings last. Initially, I was inclined to think that this was the order of our sense of obligation or duty. I now look at this differently, based upon Jesus' words in verse 33:
"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
Jesus is coming to the conclusion of His instruction here. I believe that this verse sums up, in slightly different words, the demands of discipleship detailed in verses 26-28. In verse 27 Jesus was talking about one's family, but in verse 33 (a supposed parallel) He speaks of one's possessions. Do these two sayings really speak of the same thing? I believe they do. I believe that Jesus is here speaking of one's family as a part of one's possessions which he or she must "give up."
Allow me to explain. Family is often thought of in terms of duty. Family can make many demands on a person, demands that can distract (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:29-35), demands that can interfere with discipleship. I believe that Jesus dealt with the matter of duty to family in chapter 9 (vv. 57-62). Here, I think that Jesus is speaking of one's family in terms of his dependence, not his duty.
When I speak of our duty to our family, we speak of the demands which our family makes on us, so that we meet its needs. When I speak of dependence, I refer to the needs which we have, which our family provides for us. Family is thus a two-way street: it demands certain things from us and promises to provide us with certain things we feel we need. Few people would persist at meeting the demands of his family without the promise of having certain of his needs being met in the process.
When Jesus speaks of one's family as a possession, it, like all other possessions, does something for us. What is it that family is believed to provide, about which Jesus warns? Think for a moment about all those things which a Jewish family provided for a Jew.
(1) The Jewish family provided status. To be a child of Abraham was to be a cut above all others—at least a cut, but probably more. Being a Jew made one vastly superior to a Gentile. Thus, family gave the Jews status.
(2) The Jewish family was also mistakenly supposed to give one salvation. To the Jew, being a "descendant of Abraham" assured him of having a place in the kingdom of God. This is one of the false conceptions about which John the Baptist warned the Israelites (Luke 3:8). Paul, too, strongly insisted that not all physical descendants of Israel were true Israelites (Romans 9:6). If one's family could get one to heaven, one would surely have a great sense of dependence upon his family. When an Israelite repented, he was also baptized, indicating a decisive break with all of this mistaken dependence upon his identity as a Jew. Paul, too, shows how his salvation turned his "gold-plated" family pride to "dung." There were certain elements of Judaism which Paul retained, but there was no dependence upon Judaism for his standing with God, his salvation (cf. Philippians 3:1-11).
(3) The Jewish family also offered one security. An Israelite of Jesus' day did not measure his future security in terms of his insurance policies, or his Social Security, or even his bank account; he measured it in terms of his family (cf. Psalm 127:3-5).
I believe that when our Lord demands that His disciples must "hate" their family He means that they must give up their dependence upon family, and must depend totally upon Him. To be His disciple is not only to love Him more than anyone or anything else, it is to depend upon Him. Independence of God is at the core of sin, and dependence on Him is at the core of discipleship.
There is another element demand of discipleship, which is found in verses 26 and 27: hating one's own life and taking up his own cross. I think that these two expressions speak of one reality. When one decides to follow Christ as His disciple, one must surrender any other source of "life" than Him, and one must relinquish all self-seeking. Becoming a disciple of our Lord means to give up our goals and to pursue His goals. Just as in marriage the woman should find joy in giving up her goals and becoming a helper to her husband in reaching his goal (a not-so-popular idea today), so the disciple sets aside all his aspirations for those of the Master. And just as the Master takes up His own cross, so we, too, must take up that cross which God has ordained for us.
Please note that "hating one's life" is not the same as "hating one's self." Self-love is surely suspect, in spite of pop psychology, but so is self-hate. The logical outcome of self-hate is suicide; the logical outcome of hating one's life is taking up the cross which Christ has for us.
Discipleship as a Decision
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."
Unlike many preachers of our day, Jesus did not desire a large following. He would rather have men count the cost of discipleship and opt to stay out than to merely go along with Him ignorantly. Jesus' words here state that discipleship comes at a very high cost, but also imply that the price of discipleship often is collected later. Jesus informs these followers of what that cost will be, lest they commit themselves to a course they will not complete.
Our Lord cites two illustrations of those who commenced a project without counting the cost and determining if they had the needed resources. The first is that of a man who purposes to build a tower, but did not calculate the total cost, and so the tower was never finished. This "unfinished tower" became a monument to this man's folly. What the man thought would bring him fame, brought him shame.
The second illustration is that of a king, who goes to war against another king, but without calculating whether or not he had the manpower to win. Because he was outnumbered two-to-one, he had to humble himself and surrender to his enemy, entirely at his mercy. Again, he was put to shame because he commenced without counting the cost.
In thinking about both of these illustrations, I believe that what they have in common is the key to understanding what our Lord meant to teach us by using them:
(1) Both the builder and the king committed themselves to a course of action without having counted the cost.
(2) Both the builder and the king discovered, after they committed themselves to a course of action, that they did not have the resources to complete what they had started.
(3) Both the builder and the king failed to finish, and ended in humiliation and shame.
(4) In both instances, the builder and the king should have sat down and reflected, rather than acting quickly.
Noting these common characteristics, let us now consider what Jesus meant for His listeners to learn. What was Jesus trying to say, especially to these crowds, who were following along after Him?
First, I believe that Jesus wanted all men to know, in advance, that the price of discipleship was high. Yes, they were all enthusiastic and eager now, but Jerusalem was coming, as was the cross. Jesus did not want men and women following Him without knowing that there was a "cross" for them as well. Jesus wanted men to calculate the cost of following Him as His disciple.
Second, Jesus wanted men to choose to be His disciple purposefully, rather than to unthinkingly follow after Him. If Jesus was not after a large following of uncommitted followers, neither was He pressing them for a quick decision. The very difficulty of His words caused the people to have to go away and ponder what He meant. Furthermore, in His two illustrations, Jesus said that each man should have sat down and considered what he purposed to do. Sitting down implied that some time and much thought should have been devoted to this matter of discipleship. Quick decisions are only for those who want unthinking commitment; slow, deliberate decisions are for those who want long-term commitments.
Third, Jesus not looking for those who had the resources to follow Him, but for those who, after thinking about it, knew they did not. For me, this is one of the most important conclusions I have reached from my study of this text. At first, I thought that Jesus was, like the Marines, "looking for a few good men," those few who would count the cost, and who found in themselves sufficient commitment and resources to follow-through in their commitment to the end.
But then I realized that none of the disciples of our Lord followed through. When the "going got tough," so to speak, the disciples "got lost." They all forsook Jesus, even Peter, who assured Jesus that he was committed, that he would never forsake Him (cf. Luke 22:31-34). If Peter, James, and John, the three closest followers of Christ, could not follow through, why would we dare to think that we would?
It also occurred to me that in both of the illustrations which our Lord used, both of the men failed to follow through. Neither had the means to finish what they had started. Do we think that we have the means to be His disciples? Do we think that our level of commitment is sufficient to sustain us when family and friends forsake us, as the Bible says they will?
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:34-39, NASB).
I maintain that no one has the resources in and of himself to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, any more than he or she has the resources to earn God's favor and eternal life. This is precisely why Jesus began by teaching that in order to be His disciple one would have to "hate" his family, to renounce his dependence upon family, so as to depend fully upon Christ alone. Our Lord is not trying to get these followers to muster up enough commitment to become His disciples, but to reckon with the reality that no one has the resources to follow Him, apart from His enablement. Discipleship, then, is not following Christ with sufficient means to do what He commands, but with utter dependence upon Him to enable us to do His will. Both the willing and the doing come from Him, and not from us. The whole concept of the "company of the committed" collapses, simply because no one is that capable or that committed. The key element of discipleship is not obedience, for we are incapable of that in and of ourselves, but dependence, for without Him, we can do nothing.
Christ's Conclusion
"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Verse 33 really makes sense, when approached in the light of this view of discipleship, which we have just outlined. Discipleship is not a matter of how much we have to offer, but of renouncing all that we think we have to offer. The cults all seek disciples, but they usually do not encourage their "disciples" to "give up" all their possessions, but to "give them away," namely, to give their possessions to the leader. In this way, the disciples of a cult sustain their leader. The cult leader does not sustain them. Jesus wants it the other way. To be His disciple you do not bring anything to Him, to prove your commitment and worthiness, you leave all behind, trusting only on Him and on His faithful provision of all that we need to do what He calls us to do. This is true discipleship. Discipleship, like salvation, begins by recognizing the high price required, and that we are unable to meet it, and thus coming to Christ empty-handed, looking to Him to do what we cannot.
Verses 34 and 35 conclude this passage. They explain for us why Jesus discouraged a large following. The key to the impact of His disciples is not their large number, but their distinctiveness. Very little salt is required to season a large quantity of food because salt has a very distinct flavor. When salt loses its distinctness, it loses its value. Great quantities of salt do not make up for its loss of saltiness.
So, too, great numbers of disciples do not guarantee great impact. It is not the sheer number of disciples that matters, but it is their distinctness, their utter differentness from the world. The world will take little note of a large group of people who think, feel, and act like them. The world will take note of a very few "disciples" who are Christ-like, whose lives are distinctive.
This is, I believe, our Lord's view of discipleship, but I fear that it is not the thinking of many Christians, or even of Christian leaders. I fear that the reason is due to the fact that we view discipleship through the "political model," rather than the "prophetic model." The political model holds that given enough votes, anyone can be elected and any law can be passed. The political model finds its power at the polls, and thus numbers are the major consideration. In the prophetic model, it matters not that only one prophet speaks. What matters is that this one prophet is right, and that he speaks for God. The Joseph's, the Daniel's, the Nathan's were not effective because they were great in number (Prophets were a lonely bunch —no wonder Elijah thought he alone was left!), but because God empowered them and spoke through them.
When we recognize that power and impact does not come through the number of disciples, but through their dependence upon God and their distinctive lifestyles, then we understand why Jesus did not seek a large following.
The final verse, "Let him who has ears, …" is one that is found several times in the gospels. It always is used in a context where our Lord's words are not going to be understood by the majority, and where Jesus encouraged His listeners to ponder His words carefully to learn their meaning. Let these last words have their full impact on us as well, then, for not all will grasp what Jesus is saying, especially apart from serious meditation on this text.
251 The NIV does not do a good job of literally rendering the text here, as also in verses 33 and 34 (see below). The word "suppose," found in verse 28, is not the best choice, in my opinion, for the first word in the original text is the term usually rendered "for," indicating that an explanation follows.
252 "In the same way" is likewise not a literal rendering of the text. The first words should be "So therefore," as found in the NASB, indicating that a conclusion is now being given.
253 "Therefore" is once again omitted in the NIV (but not, you will note, in the NASB).
254 Some of the commentaries view the passage as teaching four somewhat parallel requirements of discipleship. Plummer, for example, writes, "The section has been called 'The Conditions of Discipleship.' These are four. 1. The Cross to be borne (25-27); Mt. x. 37, 38). 2. The cost to be counted (28-32). 3. All Possessions to be renounced (33). 4. The Spirit of Sacrifice to be maintained (34, 35; Mt. v. 13; Mk. ix. 49)." Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to S. Luke, The International Critical Commentary Series, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1969), p. 363.
The problem with this approach is that it ignores the structure of the passage. Verse 25 introduces the passage by giving us the setting. Verses 26-27 contain the requirements of discipleship. Verses 28-32 are an explanation of Jesus' words, beginning with the key word, "For." Verses 33-35 are the conclusion, with "therefore" being found at the beginning of both verses 33 and 34. The four parallel requirements of Plummer virtually ignores the structure of the text.
Related Topics: Christian Home, Discipleship


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The Miami Heat, which won a second championship this year but has yet to pay Miami-Dade a dime in profits after 12 years at its bayfront arena, wants to extend its 30-year agreement with the county for another decade.
The existing agreement doesn't expire until 18 years from now, in 2030. But, as permitted in the contract, Eric Woolworth, the team's president of business operations, sent Mayor Carlos Gimenez a letter last week asking the county to begin negotiations on two five-year extensions.
The team wants to plan for its future at the county-owned AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami, said Sammy Schulman, chief financial officer for the Heat Group, the team's parent company.
"We're here. We're a long-term partner. We're not going anywhere," Schulman told The Miami Herald on Monday.
The Heat's request comes on the heels of a title-winning season that generated about $62 million in revenue — bringing it closer than ever to the threshold that would require the team's arena-operating arm to fork over some of the money to the county. A separate entity handles Heat-related finances such as player salaries.
As part the county's 1997 accord with the Heat, the team owned by Micky Arison financed construction on county land of the $213 million arena, which the team says ended up costing $239 million, after it bonded out a state sales-tax rebate. Miami-Dade agreed to let the arena keep profits up to $14 million a year, with the county set to receive 40 percent of any additional profits. The team has yet to reach that number since it debuted at the arena 12 years ago, essentially remaining at the facility rent-free.
Most of the Heat's revenues have gone toward reimbursing the team for the money it borrowed to build the arena and to pay off past operating losses, with interest, as stipulated in the contract with the county. The arena ran a deficit through 2010; its finances improved with the arrival of LeBron James, the reigning league most valuable player.


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Cleocin Pediatric (Oral)
Generic name: clindamycin [ klin-da-MYE-sin ]
Brand names: Cleocin HCl, Cleocin Pediatric
Drug class: Lincomycin derivatives
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 5, 2023.
Pseudomembranous colitis has been reported with nearly all antibacterial agents, including clindamycin, and may range in severity from mild to life-threatening. Therefore, it is important to consider this diagnosis in patients who present with diarrhea subsequent to the administration of antibacterial agents. Because clindamycin therapy has been associated with severe colitis which may end fatally, it should be reserved for serious infections where less toxic antimicrobial agents are inappropriate. Diarrhea, colitis, and pseudomembranous colitis have been observed to begin up to several weeks following cessation of therapy with clindamycin .
Oral route(Capsule)Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with nearly all antibacterial agents, including clindamycin, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to life-threatening colitis and has been observed to begin over 2 months after the administration of antibacterial agents. It is important to consider this diagnosis in patients who present with diarrhea subsequent to the administration of antibacterial agents. If CDAD is confirmed or suspected, antibiotic therapy not directed against Clostridium difficile may need to be discontinued. Because clindamycin therapy has been associated with severe colitis which may end fatally, it should be reserved for serious infections where less toxic antimicrobial agents are inappropriate .
Uses for Cleocin Pediatric
Clindamycin is used to treat bacterial infections. This medicine may be given to patients who have had an allergic reaction to penicillin. Clindamycin will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Before using Cleocin Pediatric
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of clindamycin in children.
Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of clindamycin have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date. However, elderly patients are more likely to have colitis, which may require caution in patients receiving clindamycin.
Breast Feeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Interactions with Medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Daridorexant
- Erythromycin
- Fedratinib
- Mavacamten
- Methotrexate
- Omaveloxolone
- Phenobarbital
- Primidone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Atracurium
- Cyclosporine
- Metocurine
- Semaglutide
- Tubocurarine
Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Atopic syndrome or
- Diarrhea or
- Liver disease, severe or
- Stomach or bowel problems, history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Meningitis—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
Proper use of Cleocin Pediatric
Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.
Take the capsule with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. This is to prevent irritation of the esophagus (tube between the throat and stomach).
Measure the oral liquid correctly using the marked measuring spoon that comes with the package. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid.
To help clear up your infection completely, keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you have a "strep'' infection, you should keep using this medicine for at least 10 days. This is especially important in "strep" infections. Serious heart problems could develop later if your infection is not cleared up completely. Also, if you stop taking this medicine too soon, your symptoms may return.
This medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses. Also, it is best to take each dose at evenly spaced times day and night. If you need help in planning the best times to take your medicine, check with your doctor.
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage forms (capsules and solution):
- For treatment of bacterial infections:
- Adults—150 to 300 milligrams (mg) every 6 hours. For more severe infections, 300 to 450 mg every 6 hours.
- Children weighing 10 kilograms (kg) or more—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose is usually 8 to 16 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day, divided into 3 or 4 equal doses. For more severe infections, the dose is usually 16 to 25 mg per kg of body weight per day, divided into 3 or 4 equal doses.
- Children weighing 10 kg or less—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose is usually 37.5 milligrams (mg) or 1/2 teaspoonful 3 times a day.
- For treatment of bacterial infections:
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Precautions while using Cleocin Pediatric
It is important that your doctor check your or your child's progress after treatment. This is to make sure that the infection is cleared up completely, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
If your or your child's symptoms do not improve, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
This medicine may cause diarrhea, and in some cases it can be severe. It may occur 2 months or more after you stop using this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. If you have any questions or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.
Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you or your child are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you or your child are using this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Side Effects of Cleocin Pediatric
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
- Cracks in the skin
- loss of heat from the body
- red, swollen skin scaly skin
Incidence not known
- Abdominal or stomach cramps, pain, or tenderness
- black, tarry stools
- bleeding gums
- blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
- bloating
- blood in the urine or stools
- blurred vision
- chest pain
- chills
- clay-colored stools
- cloudy urine
- confusion
- cough or hoarseness
- dark urine
- decrease in the amount of urine
- diarrhea
- diarrhea, watery and severe, which may also be bloody
- difficulty with swallowing
- dizziness
- dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- dry mouth
- fast heartbeat
- fever with or without chills
- general feeling of tiredness or weakness
- headache
- heartburn
- heart stops
- hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
- increased thirst
- itching of the vagina or genital area
- joint or muscle pain
- loss of appetite
- lower back or side pain
- nausea or vomiting
- no breathing
- no pulse or blood pressure
- pain during sexual intercourse
- pain in the lower back or side
- painful or difficult urination
- pinpoint red spots on the skin
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin
- red skin lesions, often with a purple center
- red, irritated eyes
- redness of the skin
- sore throat
- sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
- swollen glands
- thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor
- thirst
- tightness in the chest
- trouble breathing
- unconscious
- unpleasant breath odor
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- unusual weight loss
- vomiting of blood
- yellow eyes or skin
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Commonly used brand name(s)
In the U.S.
- Cleocin HCl
- Cleocin Pediatric
In Canada
- Dalacin C Palmitate
Available Dosage Forms:
- Powder for Solution
- Capsule
Therapeutic Class: Antibiotic
Chemical Class: Lincosamide
Frequently asked questions
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More about Cleocin Pediatric (clindamycin)
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
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- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Drug class: lincomycin derivatives
- Breastfeeding
- En español
Patient resources
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Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.


text: Who knew that reading the footer could be such a hilarious adventure? As we navigate websites, books, and documents, we often stumble upon the unassuming space at the bottom, only to discover a treasure trove of amusement. In this side-splitting compilation, we present 100 jokes that celebrate the unsung hero of content – the footer. Get ready to chuckle, giggle, and maybe even snort as we dive into the world of footnotes, disclaimers, and hidden comedic gems. Brace yourself for a wild ride through the footer!


text:
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I like Erik Spoelstra, not just for the fact that he is dating a former Heat cheerleader allegedly (see pics above), but considering the situation he was put in, to get within 2 games of a NBA Championship in my mind should be considered as a success.
I do think he deserves another chance to try to lead the Heat to a title, I don't like the fact he will be going into next year as a lame duck coach (last year of his contract), but he will just have to deal with that.
Pat Riley tried to put to rest some of the rumors that Spoelstra would be fired and he would be the next head coach.
Riley quickly ended any speculation that he would entertain a return to the bench to coach the Heat in the future.
Erik Spoelstra will return for his fourth season as coach, which is believed to be the final year on his contract. But Riley said there has been no discussions about a long-term extension for Spoelstra.
Riley, who recently has worked under a "year to year" agreement with owner Micky Arison, said he would continue to guide the Heat's basketball operations under a similar arrangement.
Asked specifically if he felt an urge to coach again, Riley shot down the notion.
"No, I'm not going to," Riley said of coaching. "It doesn't mean that I don't have the fire. But we've got a great young coach here, and I want to support him. And hopefully, he can grow like I did. We'll bring Erik back, definitely."
There will be a ton of pressure on Spoelstra and the South Beach NWO next year. They will be considered the clear favorites to win the title and if they don't Spoelstra will be made the scapegoat.