MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'animals'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:47:11 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169711&cid=t_91918_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FnEONkj1S2e8%2F A confusing controversy has broken out in the UK today over an unusual situation in which the Seroquel antipsychotic pill has been found in some packages of the Nurofen Plus painkiller sold by Reckitt Benckiser. And speculation has entered the media that the Nurofen packages, which are available only behind pharmacy counters, may have been sabotaged by animal-rights activists. So far, there is no evidence to suggest this is the cause, which was reported by The Daily Mail. The paper wrote that Reckitt uses animals to test some drugs, although not Nurofen Plus, and that an investigation is under way to determine whether a group or individual activist was behind the switch. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has asked pharmacists, meanwhile, to check their packages (read ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169711 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:20:30 +0100 5169711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057723&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Favoiding-wild-animal-attacks%2F2011.07.23 By now, most everyone is familiar with the tragic circumstances in which a visitor on a trail in Yellowstone National Park on July 6, 2011 surprised a brown (grizzly) bear with cubs, provoking a fatal attack. Fortunately, events like this are rare. At the same time, they are also predictable by virtue of our understanding of bear behavior, particularly in the wildland-urban interface. It was not the victim’s fault, and our hearts go out to his family and friends. For the benefit of others who will backpack and explore in bear country here is an excerpt about avoidance of hazardous animals, in particular bears, adapted from the book Medicine for the Outdoors: Avoidance of Hazardous Animals Most wild animal encounters can be avoided with caution and a little common sense. Follow these rule... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057723 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5057723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968496&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=39261&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvactruth.com%2F2011%2F06%2F24%2Fantibiotics-in-vaccines%2F Antibiotics are in your vaccines. On June 2, 2011, The New York Times posted an online editorial that caught my eye, “The High Cost of Cheap Meat,” in which small doses of antibiotics in animal feed were discussed as the probable cause of the growing concern over an ineffectiveness in eliminating bacterial ‘super bugs’ that are overwhelming our immune systems and the practice of medicine. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/opinion/03fri3.html However, this ‘gem’ really sums up the issue: Last week, the Natural Resources Defense Council, joined by other advocacy groups, sued the Food and Drug Administration to compel it to end the nontherapeutic use of penicillin and tetracycline in farm animals. I must admit that was music to my ears. I’ve been promoting that ever since I lear... vactruth.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968496 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:41:33 +0100 4968496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893554&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F03%2F6-tips-for-battling-loneliness%2F The more I’ve learned about happiness, the more I’ve come to believe that loneliness is a terrible, common, and important obstacle to consider. A while back, after reading John Cacioppo’s fascinating book Loneliness, I posted Some counter-intuitive facts about loneliness, and several people responded by asking, “Okay, but what do I do about it? What steps can I take to feel less lonely?” I recently finished another fascinating book, Lonely — a memoir by Emily White, about her own experiences and research into loneliness. White doesn’t attempt to give specific advice about how to combat loneliness, but from her book, I gleaned these strategies… 1. Remember that although the distinction can be difficult to draw, loneliness and solitude are dif... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893554 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:22:22 +0100 4893554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768045&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F30%2Ftaming-our-brains-amygdala%2F In The Emotional Brain, Joseph LeDoux, a professor of neuroscience at New York University, explains the “fear system” in laboratory animals — such as monkeys — and humans. The almond-shaped clump of tissue called the amygdala can be a real troublemaker. Whenever you sense potential danger (26 voice-mails on your cell phone coming to life like the Nutcracker), the amygdala triggers an “oh, crap!” reaction, pumping adrenaline and other (not so great) hormones into your bloodstream. A fraction of a second later, the higher, more educated, evolved, sophisticated (Harvard professor type) region of the brain gets the signal and takes on the case, digging for the truth, sometimes accusing the amygdala of being an over-reactive alarmist. Unfortunately we experi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768045 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:48:34 +0100 4768045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747885&cid=t_91918_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-f7KG02PNKo%2F Battles between animal-rights groups and drugmakers is nothing new, but the latest spat between the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, and Merck has a couple of interesting twists. To be specific, PETA late last week filed a lawsuit against Merck for refusing to include a shareholder proposal that would require the drugmaker to disclose its use of animal testing in all research. Merck, however, refused to include the proposal in its proxy, prompting PETA to sue. This marks the first time that the animal-rights group has actually gone to court because a company denied a request to include a shareholder resolution in a proxy. But why exactly did Merck deny the proposal? The drugmaker contends PETA failed to prove shareholder status, even though PETA has owned Merck stock ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747885 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:09:46 +0100 4747885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592361&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSmX0x1VerIA%2F By Walter OlsonAs I note in a New York Post opinion piece published on Sunday, today marks an unusual milestone: the executive branch of the U.S. government is actually rolling back a significant burden imposed on business owners and others under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Because the subject matter is an unusually colorful one -- the widespread misclassification of household pets, including such exotic species as iguanas, goats, and boa constrictors, as "service animals" under the ADA -- you'd think there'd be major press coverage. And yet with scattered exceptions here and there, public attention has been muted. And there's a story in that too. In the early years of the law (as I observe in the Post piece) the ADA's mandate that businesses admit service animals caused lit... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592361 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:20:31 +0100 4592361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470451&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F12%2Fare-we-rational-animals-part-2%2F This is the second in a two-part discussion about human rationality. Click to read Part 1, Are We Rational Animals?. Intelligence as a predictor of rationality Some may be surprised to learn that high levels of intelligence do not necessarily indicate high levels of rationality.  In fact, some people may rank high in intelligence while low in rationality.  There is more to sound thinking than intelligence. Below is a list of rational thinking tasks and their association with cognitive ability/intelligence from Stanovich (2010, p.221). Tasks that fail to show associations with cognitive ability Noncausal base-rate usage (Stanovich & West, 1998c, 1999, 2008) Conjunction fallacy between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Framing between subjects (Stanovich & West, 2008) Anchori... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470451 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:44:23 +0100 4470451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225256&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffood-safety-meat-and-dairy-from-cloned-cows%2F2010.12.02 The controversy over the human consumption of meat and dairy products from cloned cows continues. The UK Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, after reviewing the evidence, concluded that there was no substantial difference between meat and dairy from cloned cows compared to conventional cows. However, food products from cloned animals and their offspring remain banned in Europe. Use of offspring of cloned cows, sheep and pigs are legal in the U.S., South America, and Asia. Australia is likely to follow suit in a year or two. The European Union (EU) has an effective ban at the moment, but the policy is under review. The UK is also negotiating with the EU regarding the use of clones. There is not much of a theoretical reason to suspect that cloned animals would present a health r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225256 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:00:56 +0100 4225256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122076&cid=t_91918_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fstiffness-of-mind.html [Originally posted Sept. 4 2010 on hellowellness.in]If the brain is like a muscle, then the onset of addiction is like rheumatism -- a growing stiffness and pain with movement.  That, at least, is the finding of a group of international researchers based in France, and published in a recent issue of Science.  The scientists studied what happens in the brains of rats when exposed to various addictive substances.  Rats and scores of other species from the great apes down to tiny worms and fruit flies, can be turned into addicts by infusing their bloodstreams with the addictive substance.  Researchers either hook up the animals to intravenous tubes that inject the drug, or they confine the animals in a vapor chamber where the air is infused with the substance.  I... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122076 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:53:00 +0100 4122076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013103&cid=t_91918_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F29%2Fa-filter-for-finding-all-studies-on-animal-experimentation-in-pubmed%2F For  an introduction to search filters you can first read this post. Most people searching PubMed try to get rid of publications about animals. But basic scientists and lab animal technicians just want to find those animal studies. PubMed has built-in filters for that: the limits. There is a limit  for “humans” and a limit for “animals”. [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013103 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:38:42 +0100 4013103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003435&cid=t_91918_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMjISEd_Kj20%2F In its latest bid to change practices in the pharmaceutical industry, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has written GlaxoSmithKline to complain about the alleged treatment of monkeys at a company from which the drugmaker has purchased animals for use in clinical trials. A few weeks ago, photos from inside Primate Products were leaked to the media, including the NBC affiliate in Miami, where Primate Products has a ‘live animal’ facility and protesters subsequently gathered (see this). “The primates in the leaked photographs were literally ripped apart. They suffered from large, open head and neck wounds that had been crudely sutured together. They were also missing large patches of hair and had gaping bloody holes in their scalps and limbs. These serious inju... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003435 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:55:15 +0100 4003435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3934470&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fbear-in-the-woods-photo-of-the-day%2F We have to wonder: Was carving this bear really worth killing a tree? Photo by Flickr user Beau B Post from: BlissTree Bear In the Woods: Photo of the Day (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3934470 Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:00:43 +0100 3934470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907574&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fjohn-cleese-makes-climate-change-funny-tortoise-makes-it-cute%2F Sick of all the depressing photos of the effects of climate change? Then you’ll be glad to watch this adorable video courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium (and John Cleese). Personally, we don’t think a dose of cutesiness will kick most people into high gear as far as taking better care of the planet – but even we can’t resist that little tortoise.via The Huffington PostPost from: BlissTreeJohn Cleese Makes Climate Change Funny, Tortoise Makes It Cute (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907574 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:00:42 +0100 3907574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3872518&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpelicans-rescued-from-the-bp-oil-spill-the-road-to-recovery%2F Ever wonder what happened to all of the birds that were rescued from the BP oil spill? One group of pelicans was brought to the Chicago Zoological Society after they were cleaned. There, they had medical examinations, and were monitored during their recovery. The pelicans will be a part of the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Check out the full slide show here. photo via The Daily Green via The Daily Green Post from: BlissTree Pelicans Rescued from the BP Oil Spill: The Road to Recovery (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3872518 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:59:18 +0100 3872518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858125&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcow-whisperer-tries-to-take-cruelty-out-of-cattle-raising%2F photo via The Huffington Post Curt Pate, a cowboy who was consulted during the filming of The Horse Whisperer, has been traveling the country for the last five years teaching ranchers traditional livestock handling methods that were used 100 years ago. He’s trying to eliminate violence towards cattle by instilling low-stress ways of dealing with cows. Pate is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff Program, among other beef industry partners, who are hoping to improve the image of the beef industry after a widely-circulated video of a rancher beating cows and prodding them with pitchforks surfaced on the internet. Pate says that if you think like a cow, the cattle will understand you. And then you won’t need to prod them with pitchforks. Some people would argue that farming cattle in ge... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858125 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:44:30 +0100 3858125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831328&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fyou-know-youre-unwell-if-youre-a-monkey-mom-who-raises-monkids%2F Do your kids wear clothes, eat junk food, brush their teeth, and use the toilet? Of course they do. How about scream, bite, scratch, pull hair, draw blood, and send you to the hospital? What a coincidence! So do “monkids,” poor little capuchin monkeys that don’t live in the wilds of the Central American jungle. Instead, 15,000 of them reside in U.S. suburbs and are raised by insane “Monkey Moms” (and dads) who think it’s a terrific idea to keep these wild animals as captured pets. But Monkey Moms don’t like the term “pet.” They prefer “companion for life.” So, we can’t really blame these pissed off little monkids for attacking their owners (out of love!) and sending them to the emergency room. We’d do the same th... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831328 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:46:49 +0100 3831328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831329&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fangela-kinsey-saves-feral-cats-daily-do-gooder%2F Angela Kinsey (of NBC’s The Office) recently became the face of a new PSA for Alley Cat Allies. She hopes to direct attention to all those who have helped or fed stray cats. Apparently I’ve done it, you’ve done it, and your neighbor has done it (40% of us have, to be exact). These alley cat allies also want to spread the idea of Trap-Neuter-Return – a program that helps control feral cat populations and improve kitty-cat health. We applaud these efforts, because cats are cool. But we’ll never love them as much as Angela on The Office does. photo: Nikki Nelson/WENN.com Post from: BlissTree Angela Kinsey Saves Feral Cats: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831329 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:30:40 +0100 3831329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822883&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpamela-anderson-adopts-pets-from-gulf-region-so-we-have-to-like-her-a-little%2F photo via The Huffington Post Remember those heartbreakingly adorable Gulf region pets that had to be given to shelters because their owners couldn’t afford to keep them? Well, Pamela Anderson is doing her part to raise awareness about the poochies and kitties still in need by traveling to the Gulf and adopting two pets of her own. PETA is working to organize adopt-a-thons to find good homes for the pets made homeless by the BP oil spill. Dammit, now we have to like Pam Anderson. But just because we think she went overboard with the cosmetic surgeries doesn’t mean we think she’s a bad person. Same goes for all the celebs over 40 we’re going to try our best not to look like. Except for Mel Gibson. He actually is a bad person. via The Huffington Post Post from: Bliss... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822883 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:20:18 +0100 3822883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3812945&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fliteral-piggy-banks-why-of-the-day%2F photo via The Daily What No, the image above hasn’t been photo-shopped to put coin slots on live pigs. The pigs are dead, and the coin slots are real. These are literal piggy banks, made from taxidermal piglets. You can actually buy one of these — though you’d have to be both completely effed-up and rich to get one. But we fear that combination is more common than you’d expect. If you’ve got an extra $4,000 and the patience to wait a year, you may have your shrine of freakish and horrible things. The company that makes these bring-home-the-bacon moneyholders claims that the piglets die of natural causes. (While waiting in line at the bank?) Is this the most disgusting thing ever, or are we overreacting? via The Daily What Post from: BlissTree Literal Piggy Banks:... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3812945 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:10:26 +0100 3812945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813204&cid=t_91918_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FP3cHqKbWaWQ%2F There was a 13 percent drop in the number of animals used for toxicology testing last year in the UK - to slightly more than 672,000 - although overall usage is up since the beginning of the decade, according to OutsourcingPharma. For instance, about 549,000 animals were used in experiments in 2000 and the number rose steadily to roughly 769,000 in 2008 before declining. Over the past 10 years, more than 3 million mice were chosen for testing safety, quality control, efficacy and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination/excretion), making them far and away the most popular creatures, followed by rats at 1.83 million; 266,000-plus rabbits; 400,000 or so fish; 150,000 fowl; 97,000 beagles; 53,000 monkeys; roughly 27,000 pigs and about 22,000 cattle. Last year, however, the... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813204 Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:51:31 +0100 3813204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784222&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F190454%2F New York State Goes on Goose Killing Spree: Citing overpopulation and health and safety reasons (remember Sully Sullenberger, people?), New York City Parks and Recreation officials plan to gas or euthanize 170,000 Canadian geese to reach a more manageable number of 85,000. Can we blame Canada for this one? (via The New York Times City Room Blog) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784222 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:23:10 +0100 3784222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767049&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcharo-wants-to-end-bullfighting-daily-do-gooder%2F Charo is now the spokesperson for PETA’s anti-bullfighting campaign. She has been against the cruel sport for years — she even has an anti-bullfighting song. Bulls are either starved or drugged before a fight, and sometimes they even have their horns sawed off. Charo is encouraging advocates to write a letter to José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain’s Prime Minister. photo: WENN.com Post from: BlissTree Charo Wants to End Bullfighting: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767049 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:30:58 +0100 3767049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764131&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwild-bear-vs-house-cat-video-of-the-day%2F Always stand up to bullies, even if they happen to be wild bears. Actually, scratch that, but this video is still a good lesson in kitty-cat courage. Post from: BlissTree Wild Bear vs. House Cat: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764131 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:00:29 +0100 3764131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3762897&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fasses-wearing-sunglasses-photo-of-the-day%2F These kick-ass donkeys are part of a 30-piece photography collection called Pencil vs. Camera. They’re amazing. They’re funny. They’re provocative. (And did you know donkeys keep all the other farm animals calm?) Check out Ben Heine’s entire series here. Photo from Flickr user Ben Heine Post from: BlissTree Asses Wearing Sunglasses: Photo of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3762897 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:00:09 +0100 3762897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761399&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fif-you-have-a-dumb-idea-for-book-go-for-it%2F With all the many crappy books being published that are based on blogs and Twitter accounts, it seems like any subject – however moronic – is fair game. And after we saw this clip about Glamourpuss: The Enchanting World of Kitty Wigs, we knew it was time to think of a dumb idea for a book and make it happen. This photographer seems to get that the book is ridiculous, but she seems suspiciously into the feline photo shoots. So: Convenience Stores of West Virginia? Bathroom toothbrush vs. travel toothbrush? Pitch us your stupidest coffee table book idea in the comments section, below. View more news videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com/video. via The Frisky Post from: BlissTree If You Have a Dumb Idea for Book, Go for It (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761399 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:47:34 +0100 3761399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746711&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbp-ify-your-computer-screen-instant-oil-spill%2F If you need something to occupy yourself today while BP is trying to put a new cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf, we’ve got just the thing. It’s called Instant Oil Spill, and it’s an interactive site that brings the murky toxins of the oil spill right to your computer screen. The site is brought to you by A Cleaner Future, a nonprofit that focuses on creating awareness about alternative and cleaner energy sources. We thought that adding a little oil spill to the BP website would be cathartic, and, while it was sort of fun in an ironic way to see the black goop fill their homepage, it just wasn’t all that satisfying. via The Huffington Post Post from: BlissTree BP-ify Your Computer Screen: Instant Oil Spill (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746711 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:19:31 +0100 3746711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746713&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhipster-nutrition-zooey-deschanel-gives-up-vegetarian-and-vegan-diet%2F photo: WENN.com Attention, all you vegan and vegetarian hipster chicks out there, you just lost one of your own. Zooey Deschanel, queen of the indie screen and, lately, indie airwaves (She & Him), has given up on her vegan/vegetarian diet. Apparently, Deschanel found out that she couldn’t eat soy or wheat, and made the decision to incorporate meat and dairy back into her diet. We can’t exactly blame her. If we didn’t eat soy, dairy, meat or wheat, we’re not sure exactly what we’d eat besides straight up fruits and vegetables. And, as Deschanel says, “…sometimes you just need a little something, a little meat.” via Contact Music Post from: BlissTree Hipster Nutrition: Zooey Deschanel Gives Up Vegetarian and Vegan Diet (Source: Breastfeedin... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746713 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:07:54 +0100 3746713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737018&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbp-oil-spill-is-killing-fish-we-didnt-even-know-existed%2F image via Treehugger Hey, everyone — good news! Scientists have discovered three new species of fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Oh, wait — that Gulf of Mexico. Turns out, not only is the BP oil spill killing underwater species we already knew about, but it’s also eradicating species we didn’t even know existed. Another giant win for BP. Next, perhaps scientists will discover a tribe (school?) of mermaids, who will declare war on us for decimating their watery home. Mermaids can breathe underwater – we’d definitely lose. via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree BP Oil Spill Is Killing Fish We Didn't Even Know Existed (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737018 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:33:40 +0100 3737018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733049&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Feco-friendly-pets-could-puppies-really-be-bad-for-the-environment%2F photo: Thinkstock Your dog doesn’t drive a car, use electronics in an office building, or drink bottled water (he doesn’t, does he?), which sounds pretty eco-friendly to us. But according to Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, dogs are worse for the earth than SUVs. We’ll have to read the book to find out exactly why, but we’re guessing it has to do with unsustainable pet food and plastic toys. Eco Salon suggests that if you aren’t already a dog-owner, you may want to try a more eco-friendly pet like a hamster, canary, fish, or cat. But…but…but…We love dogs. We think that as long as you try to make your pet’s life as green as you can, you should adopt that puppy you’ve been visiting in the shelter. After all, who el... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733049 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:08:24 +0100 3733049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729910&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=35026&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheTreeOfLife%2F%7E3%2Fvs73I0mI2Rw%2Fevolution-diet-for-pets-why-not-for.html Yup, that is right.  There are evolution based diets for pets.  Do you think people will use them if they don't believe in evolution?  Do pets believe in evolution? Is an evolution based diet better than other diets? Actually, for the last question, it seems plausible that evolution informed diets could be of some use, but still seems funny to see it in pet food.  Why isn't there an evolution diet for people yet? Oh wait, there is.  And there is all sorts of stuff out there about evolution and diet includingThe Evolution Diet Evolution, Diet and Health The New Evolution Diet | Hunter-Gatherer Just goes to show you, with google you can find that just about everything you can think of already exists.  -------- This is from the "Tree of Life Blog" of Jonathan Ei... The Tree of Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729910 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:40:00 +0100 3729910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710535&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fanimal-buddies-cute-photo-of-the-day%2F Look at how cute this photo is. We want to blow it up, print it out, and stare at it whenever we feel blue. Check out more adorable images of real life animal BFFs and the stories behind them on Treehugger. photo via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Animal Buddies: Ridiculously Cute Photo of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710535 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:31:36 +0100 3710535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678520&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fsomeones-got-allergies-video-of-the-day%2F Here you go. Your cute quota is now filled for the weekend. via Huffington Post Post from: BlissTree Someone's Got Allergies: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678520 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:00:49 +0100 3678520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676639&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fafrican-penguins-cute-picture-sad-story%2F Bird Island, a small island off the coast of South Africa, is home to the breeding grounds of the African Penguin, a species recently classified as endangered. The population of African Penguins has dwindled from 150,000 mating pairs to 26,000 mating pairs, and 600 baby chicks just died due to harsh weather off of the coast of South Africa. Check out this site to find out how you can help these adorable African Penguins. photo via Treehugger via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree African Penguins: Cute Picture, Sad Story (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676639 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:05:26 +0100 3676639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671649&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fanimal-weight-loss-elephants-on-diets%2F photo: Thinkstock When you think of naturally, ahem, big-boned animals, we bet elephants leap to mind first. Have you ever seen a skinny elephant? No, because they don’t exist. But zookeepers in Fresno, California put two elephants on a strict diet to help them lose weight and live longer. And together, these Biggest Loser bruisers have lost 2,175 pounds. (News that would no doubt bring Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels to tears.) The zookeepers didn’t know that the elephants were overweight until they had enough money to buy a scale. Now, these formerly pudgy pachyderms eat healthy foods including fruits and vegetables, and keep to an exercise routine. While we wouldn’t call the tusked behemoths shapely (that’s just weird, Seattle Times), these guys most likely have ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671649 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:12:16 +0100 3671649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671584&cid=t_91918_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fmarine-life-flees-contaminated-water-bp-oil-spill%2F In a ominous sign of the unimaginable environmental and health disaster to come in the gulf oil spill, marine creatures from crabs to sharks are crowding into water close to the shore in an attempt to escape the devastating contamination of the bp oil spill. Roger Helm of the Fish and Wildlife Services contaminant division thinks that BP will try to contest the animal kill totals of the spill. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671584 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:47:52 +0100 3671584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655577&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbp-oil-spill-remix-auto-tuned-news%2F We’re not sure what we like more: Matt Lauer’s backing vocals or Obama’s slick rhymes. What could be better? If the oil spill had never happened. via The Daily What Post from: BlissTree BP Oil-Spill Remix: Auto-Tuned News (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655577 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:40:50 +0100 3655577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3640987&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fturtle-in-the-spill-photo-of-the-day%2F Sorry to start your day out with such a sad photo, but we can’t ignore the effects of the oil spill on the animals of the Gulf Coast. AP Photo via Huffington Post Post from: BlissTree Turtle In the Spill: Photo of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3640987 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:30:20 +0100 3640987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633441&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fkid-n-play-video-of-the-day%2F It’s Saturday. Relax – and watch this video of a baby goat chasing a toddler. Post from: BlissTree Kids at Play: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633441 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:00:14 +0100 3633441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625462&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Frobot-fish-could-a-new-invention-save-marine-life%2F photo via Inhabitat It sounds like an aquatic sci-fi flick: Heroic robot fish lead distressed regular fish to safety. But this scenario could actually happen, thanks to Maurizio Porfiri, a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. He hopes that his remote control fish could lead helpless fish stuck in murky, oil-filled waters to safety (which would’ve come in handy in the Gulf of Mexico thanks to the BP oil spill). Apparently, schools of fish will “trust” and follow an impostor, as long as it’s silent and moves like a fish. Porfiri’s robots aren’t ready for action yet, but it’s a cool idea that could have many successful implementations in the future. Aside from an oil spill situation, robots could be used to guide birds to s... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625462 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:06:33 +0100 3625462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621705&cid=t_91918_90_f&fid=34474&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCasesBlog%2F%7E5%2Fq14My-279Ek%2FGKMpUyddFyo%26amp%3Bhl%3Den_US%26amp%3Bfs%3D1%26amp%3B May 10, 2010 — Health Benefits of Pets.People will do a lot for their pets - see below:- Somebody found a solution: Smokers are motivated to quit to protect their pets from secondhand smoke http://is.gd/iZ58- "Do it for Fido: smokers may quit smoking because of their pet" http://is.gd/iZtQ Posted at Clinical Cases and Images. Stay updated and subscribe, follow us on Twitter and connect on Facebook. (Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog) Clinical Cases and Images - Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621705 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:32:00 +0100 3621705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3612042&cid=t_91918_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fweekends-are-for-mothering.html We have a lot of babies at our house right now - just not the human kind!This one, recently renamed "Tiger", seems to be trying tolive up to her name - she always has her claws out!This little cat loves babies and snuggling almost as much as a human mama!As if four kittens weren't enough, we adopted a chick for the week.My dad - a.k.a "the Chicken Whisperer" - is on vacation, and has onetiny little chick that needs constant attention. This little one is sonoisy, Aaron has already threatened early butchering! (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3612042 Sat, 29 May 2010 16:48:00 +0100 3612042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487282&cid=t_91918_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F2CgFXEQvBNs%2F This photo of a chimpanzee at the zoo in Guangzhou, China, is one of a series called “Animals’ Eyes in China” by Chinese photographer Fu Yongiun. It won silver prizes in the Nature & Environment News Stories (NENS) at the 4th annual China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP) held in Shanghai last month. Photo: Fu Yongiun/WENN.com Post from: BlissTree Earth Week Photo of the Day: Animal Eyes by Fu Yongiun (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487282 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:41:57 +0100 3487282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471971&cid=t_91918_131_f&fid=34995&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.discovermagazine.com%2Fgnxp%2F2010%2F04%2Fthere-are-still-mysterious-lands%2F I’m still a sucker for stories like this, Only Known Living Population of Rare Dwarf Lemur Discovered: Researchers have discovered the world’s only known living population of Sibree’s Dwarf Lemur, a rare lemur known only in eastern Madagascar. The discovery of approximately a thousand of these lemurs was made by Mitchell Irwin, a Research Associate at McGill University, and colleagues from the German Primate Centre in Göttingen Germany; the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar; and the University of Massachusetts. The species was first discovered in Madagascar in 1896, but this tiny, nocturnal dwarf lemur was never studied throughout the 20th century. Following the destruction of its only known rainforest habitat, scientists had no idea whether the species still exis... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471971 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:08:14 +0100 3471971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463604&cid=t_91918_90_f&fid=34474&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCasesBlog%2F%7E5%2FVouYorGBrCk%2FyuHw4Sq4Zcw%26amp%3Bhl%3Den%26amp%3Bfs%3D1 From BBC:"An Australian grandmother has survived a shark attack by repeatedly punching and kicking the animal after it "ripped off" part of her body.Surgeon Mark Flanagan said: "We can estimate that she lost about 40 per cent of her blood volume from the degree of shock that she had when she came in, and the fact that we required to give her several units of blood."Mrs Trumbull said she was happy to be alive."Shark Tunnel and Aquarium at Omaha Zoo, Nebraska. Posted at Clinical Cases and Images. Stay updated and subscribe, follow on Twitter and Buzz, and connect on Facebook. (Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog) Clinical Cases and Images - Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463604 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:28:00 +0100 3463604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3436206&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fcanine-narcolepsy-dogs-help-advance.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3436206 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:33:00 +0100 3436206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3434923&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fanimals-sleep-clockless-reindeer-and.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3434923 Sat, 03 Apr 2010 10:47:00 +0100 3434923 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429153&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fa-device-that-will-parent-for-you%2F Moms: Despite all his wealth, success, and fame, Steve Jobs hasn’t forgotten you. With tons of handy apps being marketed to moms, the iPhone has realized its full potential as The Mom Assistant. Somebody give that man an apple. Image: Apple Evernote Even supermoms need help remembering everything. Evernote to the rescue! This iPhone app is like a second brain – with a photographic memory.  Take a picture with your iPhone of a plane ticket, receipt, or anything really, and Evernote stores it for you. And it logs and organizes all types of media – notes, photos, videos, and audio – so you don’t have to. (free, or $45 per year for a premium account) aSleep Kids Edition A child who can’t (or won’t) fall asleep will soon have you hating life. Thankfully, a remedy ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429153 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:55:37 +0100 3429153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3385379&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fpsychiatry-is-for-birds-or-prozac-for.html Don't ask me how I stumbled across this story, but I thought it was fun enough to put up on the blog. It's a study done by a parrot rescue organization in Minnesota that describes a kind of trauma recovery program for birds, using human development models. See the full article: "Avian Affective Dysregulation: Psychiatric Models and Treatment for Parrots in Captivity". The group has a clinical psychologist and trained volunteer caregiver "therapists" while the parrots are known as "clients" (not "patients"). The five cockatoos described in this study are even given pseudonyms to protect their anonymity. The team develops individualized treatment plans for each bird that are supposed to help them recover from traumatic rearing through gradual exposure and de-sensitization. In this paper the ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3385379 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100 3385379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283656&cid=t_91918_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fwhat-precautions-do-i-need-to-take.html Image via WikipediaMost patients are very excited when they reach the stage of embryo transfer. This is a major milestone in their IVF treatment, and the fact that they have made embryos provides them with a lot of hope that their chances of having a baby are high. After all, this proves that their sperm and eggs work properly and that the doctor is doing a good job ! Now all the embryo has to do is to stick - and shouldn't that be automatic ? After all, it is a natural process which happens all the time ! Unfortunately, the sad truth is that not every embryo become a baby. Human reproduction is not an efficient enterprise - whether it is in vivo or in vitro !Many patients are petrified that they will do something wrong which will cause their embryo to "fall out " ! They worry about what p... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283656 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:40:00 +0100 3283656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153403&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2010%2F01%2F08%2Fanother-yuck-factor-coming-up%2F I seem to have acquired a strange interest in therapies involving animals. Especially if they trigger ‘the yuck factor‘. Leeches and maggots have been used for centuries and are also used in biomedicine today. Whereas these tiny crawling creatures are used externally (fixed on or in the skin), parasitic worms are used internally — the patient drinks a cocktail of worm eggs. Why? Well, most people have heard of MS (see here), but how many have heard of this particular experimental treatment: Once the eggs are inside the body, they will hatch into worms that live in the gut. It is hoped they will then stimulate the release of a certain type of immune system cell that will allow the body to heal the damage done by MS  Interesting but also … yuck! (Source: Biomed... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153403 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:51:49 +0100 3153403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3101081&cid=t_91918_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fanimal-caregivers-rescued-animals.html Every day I am grateful for my rescued animals, who have returned the favor with their love and affection. They are "animal caregivers" who have special powers like "Super Heroes." They connect intuitively by using their senses in ways that people cannot. Pet therapy can be one of the best prescriptions you ever filled.Rescued animals can provide just the right therapy blend of companionship, affection, comic antics, and playfulness. With their special powers to sense things that humans miss, the animals often really "get it" when no one else does. Active seniors with rescued pets know the animals are like super heroes, connecting in a psychic way. Whether you have a "Wonder Cat," a "Disney Dog," or another type of "Animal Angel", you know the caring and giving you receive is right on targ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3101081 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:25:00 +0100 3101081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3082241&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fbook-of-sleep-for-children.html Born in South Korea and educated in London, illustrator Il Sung Na makes his American debut with A Book of Sleep.“It's the rare picture book that, upon arrival, feels as though it has been around for years already,” noted Publisher’s Weekly.The opening line sets the stage for the story: When the sky grows dark and the moon glows bright, everyone goes to sleep . . .except for the watchful owl!This wide-eyed owl proceeds on a moonlit journey to see how the other animals sleep the night away.“One of the sweetest and most original of the new nighttime picture books,” author Liz Rosenberg wrote in The Boston Globe. “Both children and adults will welcome its…archetypical beauty.”The book contrasts sparse text with rich, textured illustrations of a starry night.“So thoroughly do... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3082241 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:28:00 +0100 3082241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3029515&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Ftalking-turkey-sleep.html A lot of turkeys will be sleeping well today. They can finally get some rest now that the Thanksgiving season is ending.So how do turkeys sleep? Researchers in Mexico studied wild turkeys - Meleagris gallopavo - to find out.The study shows that the turkeys had a “polyphasic” sleep pattern. They slept multiple times in a 24-hour period. But these sleep periods tended to concentrate between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.Overall, the sleep period of turkeys occupied about 46 percent of the day-night cycle. Almost all of the sleep period involved slow wave sleep.The turkeys had very short episodes of rapid eye movement sleep – or REM sleep. The average duration of the REM sleep phase lasted about 7.7 seconds.But the frequency of REM sleep periods was high. Turkeys had an average of 268 phases of REM ... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3029515 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:20:00 +0100 3029515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2992523&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fsleep-is-for-birds.html You may have never come across a sleeping bird. And that’s the way that birds like it.Nature writer and bird surveyor Val Cunningham recently wrote about the life of sleeping birds for the Star Tribune.Most birds keep their sleeping spots well hidden. They’re fearful of becoming a predator’s late-night snack. So they may roost in the same kind of secluded areas that they would use for a nesting site.But there is great variety in where they choose to sleep. They may lock their feet onto a branch in a dense shrub. Other birds make their bed in a hole inside a tree.They may doze alone in a tall chimney. Or they may sleep in a group at the top of a tree.Cunningham also describes some intriguing sleep habits of birds.Some birds can sleep with one eye open and half of their brain awake. Th... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2992523 Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:18:00 +0100 2992523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886251&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Finto-deep-exploring-science-of-sleep.html The Oct. 24 issue of the magazine ScienceNews features four articles that focus on the science of sleep.“The Why of Sleep” takes a look at current theories that attempt to explain the purpose of sleep. Saving energy. Promoting learning and memory. Regulating emotions. Boosting the immune system.Sleep must provide some benefits that are preferable to waking activities. But the primary function of sleep - if there is one - remains a mystery.One certainty is that sleep is necessary. “Dying to Sleep” examines the many health risks associated with sleep loss.Animals need sleep too. But “All Kinds of Tired” shows that animals have a diversity of sleep styles.And “Sleep Gone Awry” explores how sleep research is leading to a better understanding of sleep disorders. These studies ma... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886251 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:01:00 +0100 2886251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858740&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fj4C1fBhG-6Y%2F For the first time since we had a chaotically late driver a few years ago, we’ve run into a snag with Alex’s school busing common to the autistic. The driver says Alex is constantly getting up while the bus is in motion and refuses to behave during transport. One part of us finds this hard to believe: Though Alex is certainly capable of disruptive behavior (our family holiday dinners being People’s Exhibit A), he is and always has been a model traveller. Never a whisper of a complaint from any bus company (never a whisper of a compaint from the airline whose planes he once travelled on, either). One part of me, however, believes he’s getting older and more willful, and I can well believe he might be getting up, which is of course unacceptable. “You have to sit... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858740 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:22:05 +0100 2858740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2790379&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FOibbLGZSZaA%2F An autistic 18-year-old has been judged not competent to stand trial in the fatal beating of his mother in Ravena, Ohio. The judge said he probably would rule next week on whether the young man will stand trial and, if not, whether to send him to a treatment facility; less than two weeks after the mental evaluations were completed in March, the man was moved from jail to a state-run center in Toledo. The defense had argued that Walker cannot carry on a conversation and would be unable to assist in his defense. He was disruptive at his first court appearance and was kept in a restraint chair and had a mask to keep him from spitting at deputies. Prior to the attack at the center of the case, the man’s 60-year-old mother had mentioned increased aggression from her son. Photo courtesy o... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2790379 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:13:05 +0100 2790379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772222&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fsleep-is-for-dogs.html It’s Labor Day, so it’s a good time to catch up on some sleep. Maybe you can find an unoccupied room where you can sneak away for a nap.If you need inspiration, you can check out the photos of these dogs. Visitors to LATimes.com caught their dogs napping everywhere from the shower stall to the flower pot.Does your dog have a serious case of daytime sleepiness? If so, maybe it’s because of your sleep apnea.A recent post on the Sleep Better Blog by AASM spokesperson Dr. Lisa Shives tells of a patient with severe obstructive sleep apnea. Often his dog would paw at him and wake him up during the night.But now he is using CPAP therapy to treat his sleep apnea. The result? He and his wife – and even their dog – are all sleeping better.Of course, there is one dog that may not be sleepin... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772222 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:15:00 +0100 2772222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2770215&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F1IsEGScRvTA%2F Bow Wow oh Wow: Thieves broke into a home late last week in Prospect, N.Y. The homeowners said the crooks didn’t take jewelry or electronics, but only the five-month-old golden retriever puppy trained as a service dog for children with autism. Image: Bob1217 at flickr.com Both young boys in the home have autism, and the mom says finding the right dog for her boys took two years, and paid quick dividends: the dog recently broke his chain to get to one boy who headed for the road. The dog cost $800, so you can’t really blame the crooks: Look how many canes, wheelchairs, and walkers they’d have to swipe to make $800. Seriously, Hell has no fire hot enough for these guys, but it does sound like they knew just what they were after. Are autism service dogs a hot new target? * * * ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2770215 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:41:09 +0100 2770215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2685094&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fwe-sleep-to-be-awake.html In April the Sleep Education Blog examined the question of why we sleep. Research has been exploring complex answers to this simple question.But a definitive explanation continues to be elusive; the question remains an “unsolved mystery.”Now an editorial by UCLA’s Jerome Siegel suggests that sleep may not fulfill a universal function across all species. Instead sleep appears to be adaptive; its role may be based on “ecological variables” that differ from one species to another.This would explain why the sleep habits of animals are so diverse, reports the Origins Blog. For example a brown bat sleeps more than 20 hours per day; but a giraffe only sleeps for about four hours.Siegel views sleep as “a variant of dormant states” seen in both the plant and animal kingdoms. He propos... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2685094 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:52:00 +0100 2685094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2662614&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FqQHD1kLgY2A%2F It wasn’t that bad. Plans dissolved from the Aquarium and/or Coney Island down to a coffee shop lunch and the Central Park Zoo penguin house and FAO Schwartz. Those plans in turn dissolved into a coffee shop lunch and Borders and Home Depot. Photo courtesy of BotheredByBees (flickr.com) “Penguin?” Alex kept asking even before we left the house. I’d made the tactical error of mentioning the Zoo before I even had his sunscreen on, and mentioning that maybe he should bring the $4 little plastic penguin I bought him on a special trip to Schwartz a week ago. Except we couldn’t find the penguin, which I think might be deep under his bed. “Penguin?” “Alex we’ll get you a penguin after we’re done looking at real penguins,” I said ev... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2662614 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:51:43 +0100 2662614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2641462&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FXloNn672pCE%2F We had just dropped Ned off for his bus to two weeks of sleepaway camp when we headed over to the nearest Urban Outfitters. There we hoped to get Alex over his mushrooming loneliness of having his one sibling gone by buying him another big metal letter. Image: cdn.overstock.com The biggest and brightest of these things cost $15 each and come in bright colors and stand about nine inches tall, and, if anyone’s interested, make a godawful clatter when dropped on the table in the coffee shop. Alex has the A, the B, the C, and the D. With his peerless sense of direction he hopped and tugged us toward Urban Outfitters three blocks away, with every bounce of his feet leaving more and more of any sadness over Ned’s departure further behind. “Letters?” he said. “Lette... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2641462 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:27:41 +0100 2641462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2620788&cid=t_91918_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fdo-all-animals-sleep.html Over the weekend a New York Times editorial longingly observed how “effortlessly” farm animals seem to sleep. In contrast, people seem to work at sleeping – or at avoiding sleep as much as possible.“What a lot of shut-eye all the other species get, and how sleep-deprived humans seem in comparison!” the editorial lamented. “To grasp the force of human culture, all you have to do is consider how hard we try to organize our sleeping.”One way researchers try to unlock the mysteries of human sleep is by studying sleep in other species. Results show a diversity of sleep habits.A 2008 study involved brown-throated, three-toed sloths. The results emphasized the importance of studying animals in their natural environment.In captivity sloths sleep for more than 16 hours per day, BBC Ne... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2620788 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:37:00 +0100 2620788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2611132&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FvbQGR7tY5HM%2F Photo courtesy of BotheredByBees (flickr.com) Alex does in fact like penguins because he saw them at the zoo. I’m sure of it. He stood at the glass of the penguin pool of the Central Park Zoo for perhaps 20 solid minutes. The birds obliged, shaking their heads, shooting their cuffs, and plopping into the water to glide past just inches from Alex’s nose. One or two penguins seemed to wave. One or two looked Alex in the eye. Every now and then all children at all zoos are captured by the charm of animals — I thought for Alex it would be the tiger at the Bronx Zoo who sneered at the flies around her head, or perhaps the gorilla in the Congo exhibit who sat with his broad back about a foot from the glass and picked at a hangnail — but for Alex it was the birds in t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2611132 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:49:40 +0100 2611132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2594476&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F12%2Fswearing-reduces-pain%2F Back in March, I reported on a study by Timothy Jay describing how and why humans swear. As a researcher studying swearing for 35 years, Jay had some interesting insights. Now add one more reason to the list — we swear not merely as a reaction to pain, but because it can actually reduce our sense of pain. The new finding comes from research that tested the hypothesis with a bunch (67) of college students and some ice cold water. Students were given a choice when they plunged their warm hands into the freezing water — chant a neutral word, or repeat a swear word instead. Those students who chose to swear reported less subjective pain than the neutral word chanters, and could endure the icy cold water with their hands for about 40 seconds longer on average. Some researcher spec... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2594476 Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:51:54 +0100 2594476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584342&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FMdX7hJG_BLU%2F There’s a bully living in our house, and its name is autism. Photo courtesy of littledan77 (flickr.com) Autism’s the reason the TV is so often on. Toys scattered all over the floor? Autism likes it that way. Freezer well-stocked (OK, stuffed) with packages of Hebrew National franks bought on sale? Autism loves those. Doesn’t like to try new foods. A lot of hardcover books get separated from their dust jackets. Why? Only autism can tell you the answer. Every day (or almost every day) if I’m in the apartment alone, I do the following: pick up the toys. Sweep up the crumbs. (Autism loves pretzels.) Sort the toys back into whatever categories — giant letters, jungle animals, toy cars — they belong to. Think to myself, when the living room is tidy again, Why ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584342 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:07:26 +0100 2584342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571077&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlO-MkWNCIYI%2F This morning, Alex and I were preparing for a day at the Bronx Zoo. “Alex,” I said, “bring your animals. Bring all of them.” Into the backpack tumbled the detailed plastic zebra, gorilla, giraffe, lions (male and female), and tiger. These hard plastic figures about four or five inches long or tall (except the giraffe), with detailed painted faces and molded texture. Alex has all the animals mentioned above, plus a butterfly, a couple of chickens, assorted less-detailed barnyard critters from cheaper sets, and elephants in three sizes (and three different moods, judging from the open roaring mouths and raging tusks). Sometimes the makers of these toys will sell the same animal in several poses; you can, for instance, buy a cougar merely walking or a cougar with one ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571077 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:14:19 +0100 2571077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527803&cid=t_91918_90_f&fid=34474&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCasesBlog%2F%7E3%2FBTqCv-TUtqY%2Fvisual-notes-burmese-pythons-consuming.html By Jonny Goldstein, used under a Creative Commons license:"The Burmese Python is native to Southeast Asia. Now it is thriving in Florida, due to pet owners who set them free. They have found the climate very agreeable and are now battling it out with alligators at the top of the food chain." (Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog) Clinical Cases and Images - Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527803 Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:29:01 +0100 2527803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2515200&cid=t_91918_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fbfwct4Ydmfw%2F Rabies, a virus that we often don’t think of any more unless we’re getting a pet vaccinated, is still very much a concern. Although deaths have dropped dramatically in the developed countries, there still is a risk. And, people in developing countries are still vulnerable. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , 95% of more than 55,000 rabies deaths each year, occur in Asian and African countries. Rabies is a virus that affects the neurologic system, the nerves. If a human is bitten by a rabid animal, the rabies virus travels to the brain and after reproducing, it travels throughout the body. If the infection is found right away, it can be treated, but once symptoms begin to show, rabies is fatal. How can rabies be treated? It used to be a long and painful process to... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2515200 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:37:28 +0100 2515200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452422&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2FshqnAvbp11M%2Fk27DfgKGVp8%26amp%3Bhl%3Den%26amp%3Bfs%3D1%26amp%3Brel%3D0 We blogged about Clyven, the chimerical transgenic mouse with human intelligence, before; but now researchers have 'kicked it up a notch', by creating mice with the human version of a gene involved in language, called FOXP2. As the article in Discover magazine notes, "hile the mice didn’t exactly sit up and start reciting poetry about cheese, they did show some intriguing differences in both their vocal patterns and brain structure."The region of the brain that was affected was the basal ganglia; the humanized mice grew nerve cells that had a more complex structure. Baby mice utter ultrasonic whistles when removed from their mothers; the researchers' findings that the baby hu-mice, when isolated, made whistles that had a slightly lower pitch, among other differences. Here the video wit... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452422 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:53:29 +0100 2452422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2448008&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FZ3MtAX0wEcw%2F 1. Elmo (sadly) remains a favorite. Maybe it’s just a comforting habit now; he doesn’t seem riveted the way he did when he was younger. Photo by Kitten Fleming 2. Chocolate chip cookies. (Never-fail recipe secret here!) Equally enthusiastic about homemade and freshly baked or dusty old Chips Ahoy. 3. Prefers homemade brownies. The first time he had them, on Christmas Eve about four years ago, he followed me around for about an hour saying, “Brownie? Brownie? Brownie?” (Note: After several different recipes, I’ve settled on the sublime Katharine Hepburn brownies with an added half-teaspoon of almond extract.) 4. The part of “Arthur’s Pet Business” where Arthur’s baby sister Kate wails. Loudly. He loves to rewind to this part. Sometime... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2448008 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:57:42 +0100 2448008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399003&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2009%2F05%2F10%2Flinks-for-2009-05-10%2F Obama to Propose More Taxes From Estates, Firms to Fund Health Care Reform (tags: barack_obama) Huckabee warns GOP could become ‘irrelevant’ (tags: gop mike_huckabee) Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On? | Vaccines | DISCOVER Magazine (tags: autism medicine) Bookmark/Search this post with: (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399003 Sun, 10 May 2009 08:04:00 +0100 2399003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382226&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Ffor-love-of-dog.html PaniniFreak's dog can't make it a whole night without going outside to pee. PaniniFreak is very accepting of this but sometimes doesn't hear the cues and wakes up to a puddle by the door.This is a relatively new problem, so we all hoped the vet could help. Bladder cancer was on the differential and preliminary tests suggested this, so PaniniFreak went forward with even more tests.One month and $600 later, she learned the dog does not have cancer and received important advice...Don't give the dog so much water. PaniniFreak is relieved that her dog doesn't have cancer. But on a teacher's salary, $600 is a huge burden. I convinced her she shouldn't sell her sofa to cover the cost. Instead, she'll be accepting $2 donations from 300 of her closest friends to defray the cost of this workup. (Sou... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382226 Sat, 02 May 2009 01:33:00 +0100 2382226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365166&cid=t_91918_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F5UKCQF1d-pU%2F Recently we held a giveaway for Sweeney’s Deer Repellent, and the winner of that giveaway is…. (drum roll please)… Margaret. Margaret, like so many of you that entered, said you could really use a good product to kindly rid deer from your yard. I was reading an article recently that gave a few tips on getting rid of deer, and one of them was to “try planting shrubs and evergreens that are not palatable to deer, such as peonies, irises, and tiger lilies.” Since I’m first learning how to garden, whenever I see a deer right now it’s a lovely thing. And they are wonderful creatures. But if they are eating your plants and shrubs, then they can become a nuisance. So many of us are planting vegetables to help with grocery bills, and you don’t want ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365166 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:41:28 +0100 2365166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2358444&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F4SPUAlgh2co%2F By human standards, our cat Toast is autistic. Consider: - She’s unable to understand directions. Fails consistently to respond to such clear commands as “Get off the table!”, or “Don’t go in the bedroom!” condition seems to be beyond willfulness, and a genuine lack of comprehension. - Sometimes unusually difficult to toilet-train (see “live independently”) - Doesn’t clearly articulate needs and desires. Seems to want to be petted, then scurries away. Rubs against the base of the kitchen counters before mealtimes in an obvious stimming activity rather than just come out and ask for dinner. Frustrating: If only the language would emerge, our whole concept of Toast would change. - Loves being brushed.  Again, stimming? Rubs her lips against the comb in obvious oral fixatio... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2358444 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:56:34 +0100 2358444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349372&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FGgtJO8ljVvI%2F Our cat, Toast, has an uneasy place in our household. She’s not that nice. She’s somewhat aloof (except at mealtime) - but she needed a home, and we needed a cat, and she found us, so that’s that. We all have different opinions. Jeff and I aren’t that enthusiastic about Toast mostly because of some incidents where she’s peed on our bed. Ned really likes her and carries her around and brushes her and gives her treats. Alex ignores her most of the time. Now and then when we first got her (if you can call allowing a cat who walked through your front door to stay “got her”) he’d reach out and push her. This was possibly, according to one of his therapists, a way of amusing himself by making her move. “He can make her go, almost like a toy,... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349372 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:02:22 +0100 2349372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306948&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fpeta-admits-it-kills-adoptable-cats-and.html The more I observe PETA, the more bizarre it seems to me. It claims to love animals, and yet it euthanizes more than 90% of the animals it takes in. Why does PETA have to do this? Animal shelters are able to euthanize animals too sick, injured, or aggressive to be found good homes. Moreover, it does not have a formal adoption program, it has admitted to the Telegraph, and it kills adoptable animals. From the story:Peta insists that homes could not be found for the dogs and cats, usually because they were in such poor health or because they were "unsocialised" and aggressive, usually because of bad treatment by their owners.But the organisation, which does not run its own animal adoption programme and does not accept animals into its care elsewhere, admitted to The Sunday Telegraph that som... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306948 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0100 2306948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306949&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fterminal-nonjudgmentalism-alert-forbes.html This makes me gnash my teeth: Would any respectable magazine ask the racist David Duke to be part of a benign feature story, say, "What are Your Five Favorite Animals?"Of course not. But Forbes--a money magazine--decided to to give Peter Singer that very forum. Peter Singer believes it is acceptable to murder babies if they don't suit the interests of the family. (As far as I know, the odious Duke never advocated that anybody be killed.) Singer usually uses babies with Down syndrome or other disabilities as examples of the killable--although it is the purported non personhood of the baby that makes him or her disposable without moral qualm. Thus, in this view, a girl who gives birth and stuffs the baby in the toilet did nothing wrong so long as she painlessly killed the child beforehand, a... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306949 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:37:00 +0100 2306949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2305312&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmy-girl-crush-on-bonnie-hunt.html Bonnie Hunt had this gorgeous veterinarian on her show today. At first I thought, "Oh yeah, she turned to veterinary medicine when her modeling days were over." I prepared to dismiss her as just another pretty face. But then she started talking and she freaked me out."Six macadamia nuts can kill your dog." Who knew? And grapes can cause a pet to go into renal failure. Wowsa. When I was a kid and we were stranded with a broken car at a farmer's fruit stand, we amused ourselves by feeding our little mutt "Fred-Fred" about three pounds of grapes. She thought she was in heaven. Had we known we were putting her life in danger, we'd have found another source of entertainment...like taking turns running across the highway to look for help in the days before mobile phones. OK, I can hold back on ... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2305312 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:41:00 +0100 2305312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306915&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fbeware-the-four-legged-tripwire%2F image from sxc.hu If you’ve have the misfortune of tripping over the cat or dog lately, you are not alone. Seems that these ‘four-legged tripwires’ are the cause of over 86,000 visits to the emergency room each year.  That’s 240 people a day being treated for pet-related injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that while cats are involved in some of the fall, the main culprit is man’s best friend, the dog. Seems that nearly 88% of all injuries were dog-related and females sustained injuries twice as often as males. No mention, though, of how the pets fared in each of these accidents… (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306915 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:44:52 +0100 2306915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232542&cid=t_91918_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F04%2Fcould-a-dog-benefit-your-mental-health%2F Midweek Mental Greening Last summer, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Bruce Goldstein’s Puppy Chow Is Better Than Prozac: The True Story Of A Man And The Dog Who Saved His Life to review. Puppy Chow is the candid and raw tale of how Ozzy, a gorgeous black Labrador, played a key role in saving a man’s sanity – and quite possibly his life. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. I’ve been a dog owner for nearly three years now, so I fully understand the joys and miseries that accompany the role. (Yes – miseries. My dog has made me cry. Actually, during the first few weeks I had her, I seriously thought I was experiencing some kind of canine postpartum depression.) Since the day I rescued her from the animal shelter, my own adorable mutt (Chopper, pictured... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232542 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:50:26 +0100 2232542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2194956&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F542011276%2Fvan%2520IJzendoorn%2520Bard%2520Bakermans-Kranenburg%2520Ivan%25202008%2520Dev%2520Psychobio%2520chimps_tcm17-79176.pdf A quick and driveby post as a follow-up to some of our previous posts about our interconnectedness and as the Sioux proverb goes, "With all beings and all things we shall be as relatives", this headline from the Discover magazine blogs caught my attention:All It Takes Is Love: Baby Chimps Given Extra TLC Score Higher Than Human Infants on IQ TestsWe kid you not: Orphaned baby chimpanzees cared for by humans in a loving, attentive manner have been found to be more cognitively advanced than some human infants. Authors of a new study in Developmental Psychobiology compared nine-month-old human babies to nine-month-old chimps who had received daily “mom sessions.” For 20 hours a week, humans would play with 17 of the orphaned infant chimps, helping them to develop motor skills and to “me... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2194956 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:10:04 +0100 2194956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2084077&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F504971567%2Fno-monkeys-allowed-limitations-on.html Those of you familiar with my writings know that interconnectedness of us and all other creatures with which we share the planet is one of my major themes. So, I was delighted to read Rebecca Skloot's story, Creature Comforts, in the NY Times about all types of service animals and how they help people with disabilities. And you can imagine how dismayed I was to read on Rebecca's blog, Culture Dish, that the Department of Justice is trying to limit the types of animals that can be used for service animals, so I am partially reposting her entry in the hopes of bringing attention to this matter and stimulating action:"NEWSFLASH: In this weekend's New York Times Magazine, I reported that the Department of Justice had proposed a ban on guide miniature horses, service monkeys, and other non-cani... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2084077 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:51:00 +0100 2084077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2078750&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005847.html A blind guy with the name Wilbur should obviously get a guide horse named Mr. Ed. (and if you are too young to get the reference you are unknowingly suffering... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2078750 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2078750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046919&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FwtRsfmIuHCw%2F A St. Paul family is suing after the school district decided to bar Newman, their son’s service dog, from his public school, Como Park Elementary. Newman, a Golden Retriever, is connected to 8-year-old Wally LaBerge throughout the day via a harness, yesterday’s WCCO notes. While service dogs have been more and more widely used to assist autistic children, there’s been more than a little disagreement about their presence in public places, from schools to airplanes to apartments. It’s noted that the dogs are calming and help to allay anxieties: Until it’s widely understood how much a service dog can help an autistic child, they’ll be more of these sorts of disputes, and more anxiety, and antagonism. And not enough learning on either side. Tags: Animals, as... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046919 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:07:51 +0100 2046919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2028341&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fdioxins-before-swine.html Dioxins Before Swine - Irish pork is off the menu, according to the BBC. The UK’s Food Standards Agency is monitoring pork products in the Irish Republic because of fears of contamination with dioxins. “Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit.” Interestingly, dioxin levels in soil have been declining in recent years, according to another BBC report from 2007. The alert over dioxins followed an alert after PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were reported to have been found in Irish pork on 1st December after samples were taken 19th November. There is some hint that machine lubricating oils contaminated with PCBs (stable polychlorinated biphenyls) may have degraded to release dioxins which somehow found their wa... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2028341 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:48:51 +0100 2028341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021400&cid=t_91918_122_f&fid=34733&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FhOmF%2F%7E3%2F478609499%2Fthe_worlds_smartest_mouse.php Seriously... I'm totally amazed. I've seen pigeons play ping pong (well more like real life pong). But this is amazing. Check it out: Read the comments on this post... (Source: Omni Brain) Omni Brain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021400 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:31:45 +0100 2021400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021672&cid=t_91918_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FwtPCXRlmbF0%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,628,329028,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() It’s something we don’t talk about often here, but our pets can get diabetes just like us. As someone that gives myself multiple shots a day, I can’t imagine having to do that with my dog as well. But it does happen. As this article states, many pet owners are diabetics themselves and understand about the disease when it comes to treating their pet. I think I would probably have much more sympathy for a dog that has diabetes now that I’m diabetic too, wouldn’t you? The same article says, “If left untreated (diabetes) can cause our four-legged friends to lose weight, vomit, become weak and lethargic, or even go b... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021672 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:18:54 +0100 2021672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2022130&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fdioxins-before-swine.html Irish pork is off the menu, according to the BBC. The UK’s Food Standards Agency is monitoring pork products in the Irish Republic because of fears of contamination with dioxins. “Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit.” Interestingly, dioxin levels in soil have been declining in recent years, according to another BBC report from 2007. So, what are dioxins and should we be worried about them? Dioxins are organic compounds formed when a huge range of materials, particularly chlorinated polymers (PVC plastics) burn and in some industrial processes. They are ubiquitous in the environment and became the focus of environmental activism because of their reputation for being among the most toxic compounds known. Co... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2022130 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 13:43:49 +0100 2022130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2005914&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F1MnuGrUsq-o%2F Some “treatments for autism” that have recently made the news: Magnets, in a method called transcranial magnetic stimulation; a study is be published this month in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders by neuroscientist Manuel Casanova. Horseback therapy that is to “restart the development of the left side of the brain,” at Spirit Horse Therapy in Corinth, Texas. At the risk of sounding like an über-cynic—and not to deny that results can be seen from the above—have to say I’m wondering what remains to be tried. Tags: asperger, autism, autism blog, disabilities blog, disability, education blog, horses, magnets Health, parenthood, spirit horse, transcranial magnetic stimulationShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2005914 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:44:10 +0100 2005914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990720&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F11%2F25%2Fsaying-goodbye-to-a-friend%2F ever have to make a decision that tore your heart apart? i did yesterday when i said goodbye to Maddie, our family cat who has always been there for me in good and bad. but she got too sick to carry on and had to be laid to rest. Goodbye old friend… Share This (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990720 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:27:23 +0100 1990720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1984961&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FIoNmg44k5ks%2F Rainbow is a parrot: Last week he was stolen from his owner, Mitchell Chareunsouk, of Sacramento. Mitchell and his family are asking for the safe of Rainbow. From KERO 23: “Every time (Mitchell) sees the picture, he cries, and he doesn’t want to eat,” Toune Chareunsouk said. Mitchell got Rainbow three years ago and would like to see his best friend again. “It’s not fair. What if someone stole your best friend?” Mitchell said. Bev at Asperger Square 8 is offering a reward for the return of Rainbow: If you live in the Sacramento area and know anything about this, please contact me. Asperger Square 8 is offering a reward for the safe return of Rainbow to the Chareunsouk family. To the person who took the parrot: Please reconsider. Parrots bond very strongly... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1984961 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:39:19 +0100 1984961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1963926&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F11%2F15%2Ffinding-a-hypoallergenic-dog-might-just-be-barack-obamas-mission-impossible%2F President-elect Obama made many promises during the election campaign, but to his daughters, the biggest was probably that if he’s elected they would get a dog. A tough call, given that his eldest daughter, Malia, apparently has a ‘dog allergy’. In his first press conference, Obama seemed to think that all would be okay if they found a ‘hypoallergenic dog’. Sounds like a great plan. But according to medical experts, it’s not all that feasible. In fact, soon after the press conference, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology  (AAAAI) issued a statement saying “There is no truly ‘hypoallergenic’ dog.” According to the Academy, there are many misconceptions regarding dog allergies, chief among them being ‘that people are allergic to a dog’s hair, a... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1963926 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:42:58 +0100 1963926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939165&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=35041&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fdigitalbio%2F%7E3%2F444438265%2Fjapanese_scientists_clone_dead.php What kind of dead animals are in your freezer? I used to be skeptical about the whole notion of cloning wooly mammoths. But this recent article in PNAS (1), makes the whole idea seem less far fetched. Wakayamaa et. al. describe an amazing technical advance where scientists in Japan were able to derive clones from mice that had been frozen for 16 years at -20°C. I'm guessing that this wasn't one of the freezers with an automatic defrost cycle. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Discovering Biology in a Digital World) Discovering Biology in a Digital World blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939165 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:00:00 +0100 1939165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930300&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FEJk9rkRiVTw%2F The West Side News reports on the benefits of hipportherapy for disabled children; a friend’s daughter started this sport some months ago and has been enjoying it: ….[hipportherapy’s] techniques involve more than just putting a child in saddle and walking him around a riding ring. Participants ride forward, backwards, and sideways in an effort to strengthen different muscle groups and experience the horse’s movements differently. Something tells me you can horseback ride on a Wii, or not? Tags: anxiety, asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, baseball, disabilities blog, disability, Education, hippotherapy, horse, horseback, indiana, Sports, Technology, wiiShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930300 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:06:37 +0100 1930300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1928008&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fmelamine-open-secret.html In September, news emerged from China that thousands of babies had taken ill having drunk formula milk to which the organic compound melamine had been added. The melamine was being added by unscrupulous operatives somewhere in the milk supply chain, to artificially boost the nitrogen content of the product, and so spoof higher protein levels than are actually present. Subsequently, lists of contaminated products appeared in the media and on the web and as the melamine scandal widened, the Chinese government issued an apology and promised to crack down on the problem. However, with news this week that batches of eggs imported into Hong Kong from China have tested positive for melamine, which is suspected of causing kidney problems, it now appears that the compound is being added routinely t... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1928008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:03:54 +0100 1928008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1918051&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F435001777%2F4UPw_bFqwng Meow. (Source: Women's Bioethics Blog) Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918051 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:31:14 +0100 1918051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908838&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FZgMXwYL-iAY%2F I’ve been teaching some of my Latin students how to scan Latin poetry—-how to figure out the meter by identifying long and short syllables, elisions of vowels, when there’s a pause for a breath (caesura). One student commented that he likes scanning more than translating and it is a different sort of way of dealing with a language, looking at the sounds and syllables of words and not so much their meanings. I talk about scanning as attending to the music of the poetry, to its sounds, more than to its sense. I’ve often noted that Charlie’s always had an affinity for music. That’s the impetus behind efforts to teach him to play the piano and the cello. While Charlie’s long struggled to learn to read words, he figured out how to read notes and the bas... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908838 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:06:14 +0100 1908838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1905950&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=35041&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fdigitalbio%2F%7E3%2F429762348%2Fmr_green_genes_glows_on_video.php This video from WDSU shows Mr. Green Genes, the transgenic kitty, in the dark and in the light. There's also an interview with Dr. Betsy Dresser, who very briefly talks about the work at the Audubon Center for Research on Endangered Species. Other than clips of the cat, and Dr. Dresser, the video mostly shows people taking frozen samples out of liquid nitrogen, but there's an interesting bit towards the end where they show a pipette transferring material into the nucleus of an egg cell. Mr. Green Genes is certainly a cute cat. You can see more pictures from the Times Picayune: here and here. Thanks go to David Ricks for sending links to the photos and video. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Discovering Biology in a Digital World) Discovering Biology in a Digital World blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1905950 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:47:45 +0100 1905950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901581&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=35041&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fdigitalbio%2F%7E3%2F428679325%2Fanother_cat_that_glows_in_the.php I've heard that all cats are grey in the dark, but I guess that's no longer true in New Orleans. Scientists at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species have made a cloned kitty that glows lime green. Some of you already know my fascination with glowing fish, fluorescent cats, and cloned puppies. This New Orleans cat is interesting too, partly, because it's the first transgenic cat made in this country, and partly because of the work that ACRE has been doing to try and rescue endangered species. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Discovering Biology in a Digital World) Discovering Biology in a Digital World blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901581 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:50:55 +0100 1901581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879931&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F421077803%2Fmore-monkey-business-chimp-business-to.html In a follow-up post to our post earlier today about primates, Brandon Keim of Wired Science asks, "Chimps: Not Human, But Are They People?":"As a population of West African chimpanzees dwindles to critically endangered levels, scientists are calling for a definition of personhood that includes our close evolutionary cousins. Just two decades ago, the Ivory Coast boasted a 10,000-strong chimpanzee population, accounting for half of the world's population. According to a new survey, that number has fallen to just a few thousand. News of such a decline, published today in Current Biology, would be saddening in any species. But should we feel more concern for the chimpanzees than for another animal — as much concern, perhaps, as we might feel for other people? 'They are a people. Non-huma... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879931 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:25:31 +0100 1879931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1879934&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F420728282%2FO1DBuFgt_Ug%26amp%3Bhl%3Den%26amp%3Bfs%3D1 Friend and colleague Chris MacDonald of the Business Ethics Blog, is not monkeying around (alright, enough with puns, but I couldn't resist) -- he has provoked a firestorm of discussion about animal rights in his recent postings about a story on monkey waiters in Japan. The video and news story indicates that the 'monkeys are only allowed to work two hours a day, which is not bad, even if they are only being paid peanuts.'Fodder for discussion in your bioethics class! (Source: Women's Bioethics Blog) Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879934 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:11:57 +0100 1879934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862832&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FSGTq2rioIQo%2F Disney characters and penguins are 15-year-old Pamela Williamson’s favorite subjects to draw, and Microsoft’s Paint software is her preferred medium. According to today’s Saanich News, Williamson was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5: While normally Pamela draws from her photographic memory, today she references a picture of herself at Disneyland to guide her drawing. The face, hair, arms, neck and torso take shape and colour in minutes - but she exercises her artistic licence by replacing the mouth with that of a robot’s. “Pamela is a silly goose!” announces the 15 year old. With a few clicks and drags of the mouse, she is transformed into Princess Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin. Pam is crazy about Disney. Her family takes her several times a y... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862832 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:27:42 +0100 1862832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829046&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fsmart-puppy.html Our hospital has therapy dogs visit twice weekly. I think they comfort the staff more than the patients, and that is okay. We all need comforting sometimes, and there is nothing better than a cold wet nose nuzzling my hand to make my day.Today a woman brought a new dog to see us. "Rosie" is a little cocker mutt. Most of the therapy dogs are purebred golden or labrador retrievers. They are loving and obedient, but they can't read.First, Rosie demonstrated some tricks for us. Shake, wave, roll over, crawl. We all oooohed and aaaaahed and she ate it up. This puppy has a hungry ego and we were feeding it the emotional equivalent of steak.Then her human companion whipped out the flash cards. Sit. Beg. Shake. Wave. Roll. Crawl.One of the women watching in awe wondered if she had memorized the or... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829046 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:18:00 +0100 1829046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825831&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FUg-wgE4Wthw%2F I signed Charlie up for a special needs kids bowling league every Wednesday. It’s at the same bowling alley we’ve been going to all summer and with many of the same kids. Yesterday Charlie bowled a few, poked a finger in some ketchup on a plate of French fries, and sat with his head against his elbows. “No bowling,” he told me, and let that be known in a louder way. He sat, I bowled a round (why not), and after I’d told him he only had to bowl two more times and we’d head for the car, Charlie stood up, picked up a neon orange ball, and rolled it with such force that nine pins came down. He barely pushed the ball the second time so the spare remained, and, as promised, it was to the car. I’d sensed something edgy in the set of Charlie’s featur... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825831 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:10:15 +0100 1825831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815386&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F0X63Wy908Kw%2F In recognition of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, b5media bloggers on the Health and Wellness Channel are blogging about the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. (For a list of the 12 posts on the 12 steps, check out Healthbolt.) This is Step 10: Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it I don’t know a lot about the 12 steps; the call to self-scrutiny and to reexamination of oneself stated in Step 10 have been important for me to apply in figuring how to help Charlie. Parents today frequently note how overwhelmed they feel by the sheer range of treatment—educational, biomedical, and otherwise—options that they hear about for autism. Should one try the special diet? Try brushing or a therapy dog or mu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815386 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:00:19 +0100 1815386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1811257&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F09%2Fconfusion-fda-to-treat-genetically.html The FDA has decided to regulate genetic engineering of animals. And it looks to be confusing. From the story:The agency has premised the rules on an unusual reading of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, saying that the inserted DNA used to modify an animal can be regulated as a "new animal drug" under the 1938 law from which the agency draws much of its regulatory clout. Under this interpretation, the same gene inserted into two different animals of the same species on separate occasions creates two different entities to regulate, because DNA integrates itself into the genome pretty much at random. However, the offspring of genetically modified animals will be, in regulatory terms, the same thing as their parents... The new regulations are unlikely to have an impact on most bench sci... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1811257 Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:21:00 +0100 1811257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806237&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F09%2F17%2Fhealthbolt-how-to-avoid-being-dinner-for-a-bear%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(234,232,108753,"http://pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() If you’re heading out into the wilderness for some nature-like fun (not my bag, but hey, to each his own), you may come across a bear at some point. You are in their habitat, after all. And while this is scarier than the release of Gigli, there are certain steps you can take to protect yourself and your family, since most black bears are not interested in people and can usually be scared away. Take a look: 1. Stand up as tall as you can 2. Hold out your arms to appear bigger (if you’re wearing a jacket and have the time, open it up) 3. Speak in a loud, deep voice (what you choose to say is up to you, though I imagine explicatives might be par... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806237 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:37:58 +0100 1806237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794472&cid=t_91918_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2F392862166%2F imply that your fair blogger is currently in at a hotel near Atlanta, hoping to get home soon to our animals which need constant care and love and assurance. Please send cat and dog prayers for Sophie and Newton and Satchel for us! We come as fast as Delta says that we can. Copyright © 2008 white pebble. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.white-pebble.net so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794472 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:59:00 +0100 1794472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1785874&cid=t_91918_122_f&fid=34733&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2FhOmF%2F%7E3%2F390246986%2Fthe_dog_is_licking_my_toes_and.php "I guess a lot of you already know that "liberel" isn't a real word. But it sure was news to me! And now my face is as red as a mooseburger cooked up rare and painted in lipstick!" haha.... Read the comments on this post... (Source: Omni Brain) Omni Brain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1785874 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:20:58 +0100 1785874 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739260&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F2AjGSSXiYjM%2F BTBR mice are an inbred mouse strain that provide a “mouse model of autism.” BTBR mice are transgenic (their DNA contains an extra human gene thought to be involved in autism) and display “social abnormalities and repetitive behaviors” that correspond to the first and second diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders. A recent study in PLOS One by Maria Luisa Scatton et al. investigates ultrasonic vocalizations in BTBR mice, in order to look at the second diagnostic criterion for ASDs, communication deficits. Scientists separately baby mice of different strains from their mothers and hypothesized that ultrasonic vocalizations might be a measure of social communication in the mice. As The New Scientist notes: The pups, which had not yet opened their eyes, made... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739260 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:03:09 +0100 1739260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734068&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FbwkCNGcw3EQ%2F Autism and Dolphins, Is There a Connection?—-I’m not inclined to speculate too much, aside from noting that a dolphin is the best metaphor I can find to describe Charlie swimming in the ocean. (As for taking better photos of him swimming—I’d need a camera like this, and hope it can withstand sand, surf, and salt water!) Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, camera, disabilities blog, disability, dolphin, Family, family blog, Health, ocean, Parenting, pdd-nos, photos, swimming, WaterShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734068 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:28:25 +0100 1734068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1971045&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=38161&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fdentalheroes%2F%7E3%2F370648673%2F Time for a Product Review It has been a little while since my last product review, so I figure I’m about due. Like most of my past product reviews, I was contacted by a company rep interested in having their product reviewed. On this particular occasion, I was contacted by a rep at Paragon International, which is a company that develops and distributes oral health training products. Since I haven’t reviewed any teaching aids in the past, I figured this would be a great item to share with you - so the rep was nice enough to ship the product to me. They Sent Me a Dog To my amazement, the rep ended up shipping me a dog! Ok, so it was only 10″ tall and of the plush variety, but I got you’re attention, right? Anyway, the dog, Lil Ollie Z Mutt, is part of a troupe of... Dental Heroes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1971045 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:54:10 +0100 1971045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1713859&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F08%2F18%2Fobama-ready-to-announce-vice-president%2F +++++Update+++++Don’t wait up tonight for the e-mail or text as to who Obama’s VP will be. But, the New York Times says Obama has been focusing on Joe Biden Tim Kaine Evan Byah Looks like the announcement will be forthcoming though. Flap bets it will leak late tomorrow afternoon. Bill Kristol has a different three: Joe Biden Tim Kaine Kathy Sebelius Now, will McCain REALLY wait until a week from Friday to name his Vice President? The formal announcement yes. But if McCain has made the decision he will trump Obama on Wednesday or Thursday and not let him have this weekend uncontested. Matt Drudge is the first up with the poop: The NYT newsroom was buzzing late Monday afternoon after Obama-beat reporter Jeff Zeleny learned how the Dem hopeful has now finalized his choic... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1713859 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:58:39 +0100 1713859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1711781&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FxlV3giMYRcE%2F We’re on the beach and I look up and see a small airplane pulling a banner that advertises a certain movie whose words have been under discussion here. Kind of sums up much of the past two weeks. A “Feral Child” Found in Florida? In 2005, a girl named Danielle was found amid the most literal squalor and neglect; she was diagnosed with “environmental autism.” The Parent ActivistOnce the parent of an autistic child, always the activist (and I don’t mean about mercury). Amanda Peet Says Something Sensible“My main message to parents is that they should not be taking medical advice from me or any other celebrity. They should look to their pediatrician, the AAP and other experts.” Autism, Representation, and the Case of Hannah Poling The words one uses to descri... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1711781 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:29:33 +0100 1711781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1696241&cid=t_91918_107_f&fid=35041&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fdigitalbio%2F%7E3%2F361335017%2Fand_what_do_the_little_boogers.php It justs gets weirder and weirder. moar funny pictures You can find more of the story and more puppy pictures here. H/T to Jennifer - one of erv's commeters. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Discovering Biology in a Digital World) Discovering Biology in a Digital World blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1696241 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:42:54 +0100 1696241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692212&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F6-Zvc5bEfdU%2F There’s been lots of reports of autistic children benefiting from therapy dogs and of the dogs even attending school as “four-footed aides.” But there’s also been at least one account of a specially trained therapy dog being excluded from a school setting. And, this past July, Karen Shirk, the director of 4 Paws for Ability, and three trained autism assistance dogs were blocked from boarding a Qantas flight at the Los Angeles Airport, en route to traveling to Waikato in New Zealand. Three families there had spent two years fund-raising for the dogs and now have an additional $33,000 to pay for the transport of the dogs and the 4 Paws staff. Shirk had booked American Airlines tickets online and confirmed that service dogs were allowed in the cabin with passengers, bu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692212 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:50:08 +0100 1692212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1683494&cid=t_91918_151_f&fid=35793&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejunkyswife.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fgeese.html I had another evening of sitting by the lake tonight, and I found myself surrounded by geese. Apparently, my break time is also dinner time for geese. They came all around me, and they were making these quiet, gurgling noises.I'd always been a little afraid of geese. An ex of mine was afraid of them because of a bad experience as a child. He'd been chased and bitten. All my previous interactions with geese left me anxious. Some of them hiss. Their beaks are black and strong.Tonight, though, I insisted that my fear be quiet. I sat still, and the geese came all around, rumbling in their throats. They ate grass, and they looked at me. I liked their black feet. One of them kept stretching out his leg and his wing at the same time, balancing on one foot. It made me giggle. None of them hissed.I... Heroin Addiction Codependence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1683494 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:24:00 +0100 1683494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679336&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F08%2F04%2Fpedicures-are-starting-to-get-a-little-fishy%2F Bored with the traditional pedicure? Then hop on over to a Washington DC-area salon where teeny carp are used eat away the dead skin on your feet, leaving them smooth as a baby’s bum. Sound creepy? It may be a little, but it’s becoming all the rage. So far, over 5,000 customers have indulged in this treatment that feels like your foot fell asleep - just a tickling and tingling. The fish at-the-ready, known as doctor fish, thrive in hot water where plants and other food sources are not readily available. Consequently, the fish have learned to feed on whatever they can find, including dead, flaking skin. As for your live skin? The fish don’t bother it at all since they do not have teeth and can’t bite in. While some salon-goers would view this as a scary alternative t... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679336 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:29:31 +0100 1679336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1648917&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F07%2Fchicken-slaughter-in-school.html My "vegan is murder" piece stimulated a lot of interest. One correspondent alerted me to a controversy in Canandaigua, N.Y. Apparently, the Canandaigua Academy's “chicken project” has, in the past, had a class of students each year raising chickens and then slaughtering them for a meal, the idea being to see where food comes from. Needless to say, PETA went ballistic and pressured the academy to cancel the project. From the story: Lindsay Rajt, manager of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said Friday that Erdle sent an e-mail to the organization saying that school officials "recognize the concern" and had discontinued the project, which had been part of a high school ecology class for the past three years. "In no way were we trying to create a controversy," wrote Erdle in th... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1648917 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:13:00 +0100 1648917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1646374&cid=t_91918_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F342636699%2F The FDA commish is being berated this week in full-page ads in The Washington Post by animal activists, who are frustrated and impatient that the agency has failed to respond to their entreaties to eliminate animal testing used to determine toxicity in drugs. And so PETA, the People for the Ethical Treament of Animals, have placed a cute little beagle alongside von Eschenbach’s hound dog mug in hopes of stirring widespread passion among the public. The ad reads: “Because the FDA guidelines are antiquated, dogs are still forced to ingest, inhale, or be injected with drugs. Those who don’t die outright can suffer for months or even years while their organs fail and they become riddled with cancer and other diseases. Thanks to the FDA, dogs are also purposely infected with disea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1646374 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:21:02 +0100 1646374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1639008&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F07%2F20%2Flinks-for-2008-07-20%2F Political Punch The White House this afternoon accidentally sent to its extensive distribution list a Reuters story headlined “Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan - magazine.” (tags: barack_obama iraqwar iraq georgewbush) ‘As Soon as Possible’: Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama’s Withdrawal Plans - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Barack Obama’s 16 timeframe for a withdrawal from Iraq is the right one. (tags: 2008 mccain barack_obama iraq iraqwar al-Maliki) Hot Air » Blog Archive » Maliki: Obama’s 16-month timetable sounds good; Update: Spiegel changes quote Why was the quote changed? (tags: barack_obama iraqwar iraq al-maliki) Obama, Democrats, and the Surge (tags: ... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1639008 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:31:17 +0100 1639008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622065&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F07%2F14%2Fpresidential-race-all-tied-up%2F Senators and presumptive Presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama Flap knows it is early in the Presidential race but John McCain is showing surprising strength in national polling - particularly in a down GOP year. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows Barack Obama attracting 44% of the vote while John McCain earns 42%. The candidates had been tied at 43% for the past two days. When “leaners” are included, it’s Obama 47% and McCain 46%. For most of the past month-and-a-half, Obama has led McCain by approximately five percentage points (see recent daily results). Tracking Polls are released at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time each day (see recent demographic highlights). McCain’s improvement in the polls comes as more Americans believe it is possible... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622065 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:25:39 +0100 1622065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1616177&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F333136176%2F I first heard about training dogs specially for autistic children years ago through a friend of a friend; since then, there have been frequent reports about “four-footed therapists.” An organization called 4 Paws for Ability has placed more than 200 service dogs with autistic children, today’s Star-Ledger (NJ). The parents of 7-year-old Will Polak are trying to raise $11,000 for a service dog; so far they’ve raised $3500 through fundraising letters and a garage sale. Dogs need to receive some 500 hours of training from inmates at a local correctional facility first, then from professional trainers and then the family. A recent article in Scientific America asked about the long-term efficacy of therapy animals in particular, and whether they might only provide &#8220... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1616177 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:22:51 +0100 1616177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563827&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F07%2F02%2Fthe-case-of-dr-roy-s-shelburne-7-of-10-counts-thrown-out-of-court-part-three%2F Dr. Roy S. Shelburne of Virginia Flap yesterday reported that the money laundering convictions of Virginia dentist, Dr. Roy S. Shelburne, involving Medicaid fraud had been set aside by a federal judge. Now, Flap has the link to the opinion and order of federal district judge, James P. Jones. Some key graphs: The government also called four local dentists, who characterized Dr. Shelburne’s work as subpar. At trial, both the government and the defendant relied on retained dental experts who had extensively reviewed Dr. Shelburne’s records, as well as personally examining and evaluating some of his patients. Both experts were well-qualified but their opinions were dramatically different. Dr. Marquetta Poynter, the government’s expert, found that Dr. Shelburne had performed unnecessar... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563827 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:08:54 +0100 1563827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563973&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F325027421%2F Can you imagine having this said to you? “One family I met took their child to the doctor and the doctor said: ‘If he was a dog you would put him down.’” As quoted in the February 7 Campbelltown-McArthur Advertiser (Australia). Tags: Animals, asd, asperger, australia, autism, autism blog, disabilities blog, disability, doctors, dogs, Family, family blog, Parenting, pdd-nos, Stereotypes, sydneyShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563973 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:46:38 +0100 1563973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1551317&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F06%2F27%2Fgoing-buggy-go-green%2F Ah, summer. Tis the season for grilled dinners al fresco, lazy days in the hammock, and…mosquitoes! Image details: Mosquito served by picapp.com Sure, you could grab your can of OFF! or even some hard core DEET, but if you’re looking to go a little more natural (and green) consider one of these alternatives. Unconventional? Yes. Effective? You bet. 1. Lemon Eucalyptus - This scent is yummy for humans, purely disgusting for bloodsuckers. Even better, it is claimed to be one of the most effective repellents available. Find it at Drugstore.com. 2. Soybean Oil - Probably not a great idea to slick cooking oil all over yourself, but you can find this zapper in Bite Blocker, which is available at Amazon.com. And the wackiest of all? 3. Catnip Oil - Turns out Fluffy’s “fix&... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1551317 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:55:00 +0100 1551317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1538034&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F318214336%2F Is animal assisted therapy really the cat’s meow? asks the June 2008 Scientific American and takes a hard look at the use of dolphins, dogs (whose benefits as therapy animals for autistic children have been more and more noted), and other animals (a topic also under discussion with the US Department of Justice): To show that AATs [animal assisted therapy] work, however, researchers must demonstrate that animals produce enduring effects on people’s psychological health, not merely short-term changes in mood, such as pleasure, relaxation or excitement. So if school districts can just approve therapy/service animals being allowed in the classroom with autistic students for long enough, maybe it’ll be possible to demonstrate and document such “enduring effects”…... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1538034 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:32:22 +0100 1538034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526331&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F314330677%2F Very late on Monday, Charlie and I took a red eye flight back to New Jersey from San Francisco. He set his mouth, clutched my dad’s blue jacket to his chest and handed it back just as we got into the line for the security check. No crying or painful encounters with airport security personnel. Charlie grabbed a plastic bin as I told him and took off his shoes and put them and his backpack in it (I slowed us up, with a bag, a backpack, and a laptop). The plane was slightly delayed—storms on the East Coast—-and I decided that, though Charlie was years beyond the 4-year-old age limit for pre-boarding, that we would get on early, so he’d know, we’re going home, just like I said we would, just believe me….. After a last-minute request for a drink of water, Ch... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526331 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:35:27 +0100 1526331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526333&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F314153441%2F In the past year, there have been more and more reports about the benefits of therapy dogs for autistic children at home and at school. There’s also been at least one instance in which a therapy dog was excluded from the schoolbus and a preschool, as happened to 4-year-old Jayden Qualis in Manteca, California. Currently, Congress is considering the ADA Restoration Act (HR 3195 and S 1881), which defines disabilities more broadly than some other recent court decisions, and therefore has higher education officials concerned. HR 3195 amends ……the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to: (1) redefine “disability” as a physical or mental impairment, a record of a such impairment, or being regarded as having a such impairment; and (2) define additional terms, inc... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526333 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:02:14 +0100 1526333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1518666&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F06%2F14%2Fsexbolt-saturday-please-sir-step-away-from-the-toad%2F Image details: Frog served by picapp.com Okay, this is one of those stories that sounds funny at first, but when you dig into the meat of it, it is soooo not funny. At all. If you’re in the New York City area and you’re feeling a little frisky, please do not try your hand at ingesting toad venom - a supposed aphrodisiac. This kind of sexual adventure actually killed a 35-year-old man recently, and as I see it, death is not at all worth a few moments in the sack. Agreed? This toad venom, sold illegally under the names Piedra, Love Stone, Jamaican Stone, Black Stone and Chinese Rock is being sold at sex shops and neighborhood stores. And oh, by the way, it is totally banned by the Food and Drug Administration. Good plan. True, the fella mentioned above ingested the venom, rather ... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1518666 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:30:06 +0100 1518666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1508105&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fbob.html Today I wrote an order I want someone to write should my death be imminent..."Patient's dog may visit him in his room anytime."He is supposed to go home with hospice tomorrow if he lives that long. He's awake and semi-alert and has said goodbye to his wife and adult children. He asked to see his goldendoodle named "Bob."I dare any administrator to call me on the carpet for this. Double dare 'em. (Source: Fat Doctor) Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1508105 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:45:00 +0100 1508105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1501281&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F06%2F08%2Fthe-sunday-sidebar-14%2F It’s all about animals this week… Prothestics are not just for humans. Seems that even the animal kingdom needs a little help every so often. Here’s a fascinating collection of animals that have benefited from science. There’s a dolphin with a rubber tail, an American Bald Eagle with a nylon-composite beak, a Belgian Shepard with a carbon paw, and a kangaroo, a parrot, a kiwi, and an elephant with a prosthetic leg. What’s on your cat’s mind? If you don’t know and are worried about their behavoir help is at hand in the form of animal communicators, aka ‘Pet Whisperers’. They even have their own magazine “Species Link: The Journal of Interspecies Telepathic Communication”. Why rabbits love liquorice (and elephants can’... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1501281 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:04:58 +0100 1501281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480623&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F05%2F30%2Fron-paul-watch-speaking-at-minnesota-gop-convention%2F Alvin Holter of Crystal, Minn., adjusts a Ron Paul for President campaign sign a short distance from where Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas was speaking, Friday, May 30, 2008, outside the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn Flap says let Ron Paul speak without preconditions. Ron Carey, chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, said the only way Ron Paul can address the state convention is if he ends his candidacy and endorses John McCain. “Rep. Paul waged a very credible battle here, but the battle is over and it’s time to coalesce around Sen. McCain and enhance our chances of prevailing in November,” Carey said. “There’s no benefit for Republicans to continue on with a battle after the battle has been fought and a victor has been d... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480623 Fri, 30 May 2008 17:42:55 +0100 1480623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1475094&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F2008%2F05%2F28%2Fbarack-obama-now-considering-trip-to-iraq%2F Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talks with the media aboard his plane en route to Chicago, Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Senator Barack Obama the presumptive Democrat nominee for President NOW says he is planning a trip to Iraq this summer. Senator Barack Obama said today that he is considering visiting American troops and commanders in Iraq this summer. He declined an invitation from Senator John McCain to take a joint trip to Iraq, saying: “I just don’t want to be involved in a political stunt.” In a brief interview here, Mr. Obama said his campaign was considering taking a foreign trip after he secures the Democratic presidential nomination. No details have been set, he said, but added: “Iraq would obviously be at the top of the list of stops.” Mr. Obam... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1475094 Thu, 29 May 2008 02:00:51 +0100 1475094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1467899&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F297983482%2F My Goldfish Ate My Cat offers a “turn the tables” story about a fish that yearns to “season and devour a feline.” That’s quite a conceit in and of itself—-further, the book’s author is 11 year old. As noted in C-Health, Alexandre Lynch has Asperger’s Syndrome. The book has already sold some 80 copies. My son is 11, too, and I’m not sure if he’ll ever write out a story—he’s not a book kid, but a music-and-motion guy—-though he’s certainly makes each day a good story. I’ve been working on my book about Charlie full-heartedly: Here’s two more new books about raising an autistic child that have recently been published: The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from my Silent Son by Annie Lehmann of West... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467899 Sun, 25 May 2008 22:33:37 +0100 1467899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1463695&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D7035 Day By Day by Chris Muir Team McCain’s reward program for becoming a “SOCK PUPPET” is not very encouraging for a GOP that needs a leader post George Bush. While Barack Obama is enjoying rock star status with massive turnouts with rock concerts preceding his speeches, the sad McCain folks want bloggers to comment at the Daily Kos. Something is NOT RIGHT.Previous: The Day By Day Archive (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1463695 Fri, 23 May 2008 13:29:18 +0100 1463695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458411&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Ftasty.html Big Dog ate 6 baby bunnies in our backyard (per Husband). Now, I love Big Dog and I know he is doing what God created him to do, but I just can't stomach it. First of all, there's the kill part. Ugh. Then there's the raw meat part. Ugh. Finally there is the obvious risk of contacting disease. Ugh. Do you think dogs can get tularemia? (Source: Fat Doctor) Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458411 Wed, 21 May 2008 12:28:00 +0100 1458411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458602&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F294840733%2F Exclusion of autistic individuals from public places has been under heavy discussion in the wake of a Minnesota priest filing a restraining order against the parents of an autistic 13-year-old, Adam Race. In a short essay at the start of the guide Autism and Faith: A Journey Into Community entitled “Open the Door,” Linda Walder Fiddle writes: In 1993, when my son, Danny, was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) (that I later learned meant he was autistic), my first thought was not to run to my local synagogue for support……….. When I reflect back now I realize that the reason I did not look to my faith community for support was that I just couldn’t deal with the possibility of rejection. Quite frankly it was challenging enough to navigate... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458602 Wed, 21 May 2008 07:03:06 +0100 1458602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1451779&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F05%2F18%2Fthe-sunday-sidebar-12%2F Finally, sleeping after no sleep for three years - most new parents expect that their sleep will be disturbed, at least during the first few months after having a baby. But imagine ‘no sleep for three years’. That’s the case for the Lamb family of St.Petersburg, Florida.  Their son Rhett suffers from chiari malformation , a structural defect that puts pressure on the brain stem which controls vital functions such as sleep, speech, circulation, and breathing. But thanks to experimental surgery designed to relieve this pressure, Rhett (and his parents) are now sleeping… Unable to Forget - although most of us would love to have better recall of past events, no one wants to remember every single life event. After all, there are somethings in life that you just don&#821... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1451779 Sun, 18 May 2008 22:03:37 +0100 1451779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450215&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D6981 Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450215 Sat, 17 May 2008 22:14:06 +0100 1450215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449242&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fquack-medicine.html (I took this photo at the park today.) Brother: Maybe you shouldn't let him feed all of that seven grain bread to the ducks. They might get bloated.Me: It'll be OK.Brother: Oh, so you're a duck doctor, too? (Source: Fat Doctor) Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449242 Sat, 17 May 2008 02:04:00 +0100 1449242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1449388&cid=t_91918_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F291972878%2F Bathe your pet in flea shampoo while you’re pregnant and you are twice as likely to have an autistic child, according to new research to be presented today at the International Meeting For Autism Research in London (scroll down on this link, past the report on how baby bottle chemicals can sentence a child to a life of obesity). No pets in our house (Charlie is much more easy-going around dogs these days, but still wary). But what about the therapy dogs? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, bottles, disabilities blog, dogs, Family, family blog, fleas, obesity, Parenting, pdd-nos, shampooShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449388 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:59:57 +0100 1449388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1442682&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fquirky.html Inspired by Sterkworks, I stole her meme.Do you read Sterkworks, the ex-mormon lesbian blogger? If not, you should. She's very raw with her feelings. Her responses to this meme absolutely cracked me up.So, even though I wasn't tagged, I stole it.Six Quirky Things About FDI lay out "fire clothes and shoes" by my bed and then sleep naked.I compulsively pick Big Dog's eye boogers and will dig out his ears with my fingers if I can't find a cotton swab.Whenever I see a police car on the road, I turn onto a side street and my pulse speeds up while I check my rearview mirror to see if it is following me. I'm afraid of live fish and will steer clear of fish tanks. I like to eat dead ones.When I cough up those tonsil chunky things from time to time, I like to dissect them before throwing them away.... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1442682 Thu, 15 May 2008 07:53:00 +0100 1442682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1439437&cid=t_91918_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fthanks-to-hi-kooky.html ....I'm disgusted. She directed me by email to a post by Mighty Girl, a blog she's been trying to sell me on. This definitely didn't do it, but the blog does look quite interesting. (Source: Fat Doctor) Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1439437 Tue, 13 May 2008 20:39:00 +0100 1439437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423148&cid=t_91918_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F05%2F05%2Flitter-box-healthy-heart-who-knew%2F Image details: Thinkstock Single Image Set served by picapp.com Great news for kitty lovers: Turns out your feline friends do more than keep your toes warm at night - they help keep your heart healthy, too. A recent study from the University of Minnesota found that owning a cat can slash your risk of dying from a heart attack by up to 40 percent. Evidently, having kitty around can help soothe away the harmful effects of stress and anxiety. Suddenly, dealing with the litter box doesn’t seem quite so vexing, now does it? Of course, it’s best to keep exercising and eating right, but if it’s been one of “those days”, spend some extra time with your furry pal and make your heart (and your pet) happy. Tags: Animals, Cats, Cats and Heart Health, Cats and Stress, Heal... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423148 Tue, 06 May 2008 03:26:29 +0100 1423148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1411735&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D6891 Obama backer predicts victory in Hill war - Amie Parnes and Josephine Hearn - Politico.com Obama will be the nominee of the Democrat Party unless Hillary can win Indiana on May 6th (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Hillary_Clinton) Indiana voting law and Tuesday’s primary. - By Richard L. Hasen - Slate Magazine (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Hillary_Clinton) cbs2chicago.com - Pastor vs The Pol: Did Wright Mean To Hurt Obama? (tags: Barack_Obama Jeremiah_Wright) Marsy’s Law: Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008 Campaign Announcement: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance (tags: Marsy’s_Law Crime_Victims) Voters say Wright has hurt Obama — but question how much - Yahoo! News (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Jeremiah_Wright) (Source: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog) FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1411735 Thu, 01 May 2008 08:37:21 +0100 1411735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1405315&cid=t_91918_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflapsblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D6866 Obama Tackles Bread-and-Butter Issues in Indiana - WSJ.com (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Hillary_Clinton) Eyes on Blue-Collar Voters, Obama Shifts Style - New York Times (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama) Dean: Clinton or Obama Must Leave Race After June Primaries - America’s Election HQ (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Hillary_Clinton) The Wright Target - Political Diary - WSJ.com (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Jeremiah_Wright) Is the Stage Being Set For the All-Time Sister Souljah Moment? - The Campaign Spot on National Review Online Is the Stage Being Set For the All-Time Sister Souljah Moment? It better be or put a fork in Obama - He’s Done! (tags: 2008 Barack_Obama Jeremiah_Wright) The Reverend Wright - Swampland - TIME the guy is going to be a go-to mainstream media source for racial extremist... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1405315 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:35:07 +0100 1405315