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 'carolina'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:52:48 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181789&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FmU1-nyCeM44%2F By Rozalynn Goodwin. Everyone seems to be quoting and tweeting the tender line of Miss Aibileen in “The Help”, “You is kiiiind. You is smaaaart. You is important.” But there was another line in the blockbuster movie that moved me even more. I heard it and the heavens seemed to open. The light bulb came on. Hilly Holbrook’s new maid is $75 short on one of the college tuitions for her twin sons and asks Hilly and her husband for a loan so she doesn’t have to choose which son should go to college. Doing the ‘Christian thing,’ Hilly refuses, “God does not give charity to those who are well and able.” Twelve simple words from a fictional 1960’s character summed up our nation’s current political will regarding the poor. And allow me to condense this into just one ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181789 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:43:53 +0100 5181789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118999&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXfrSl4-LlPM%2F WE ARE REPEATING THIS ITEM FROM LAST NIGHT WHEN IT FIRST BROKE…As Johnson & Johnson attempts to resolve a raft of litigation and government investigations related to Risperdal marketing, attorney generals from approximately 40 states are deciding whether to pile on as they pursue a coordinated civil investigation into potential consumer fraud violations, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In order to make their case, the states and J&J reached a so-called tolling agreement, which essentially delays the expiration of a statute of limitation for filing a lawsuit. The disclosure was made in a J&J filing with the US Securites and Exchange Commission (see page 32). The move is the latest indication J&J is working toward a global settleme... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118999 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:57:24 +0100 5118999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103379&cid=t_104285_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fdepressions-other-symptoms%2F The hallmark symptoms of clinical depression are no doubt sadness and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed. Many people also are familiar with appetite and sleep changes. But there’s a whole set of other physical symptoms that are less known but just as debilitating. In fact, depression can literally hurt. According to a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, up to about 76 percent of people who report the typical emotional symptoms also report physical signs, such as stomach problems, headaches, backaches and chest pain. Depression also is a chameleon. It can look like various other illnesses and conditions, even, for instance, the flu. Which, not surprisingly, makes diagnosing depression tricky, and thereby finding the right treatment... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103379 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:31:02 +0100 5103379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086555&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F5c_0SbNM9XU%2F Yet another state has filed a lawsuit alleging that Johnson & Johnson illegally marketed its Risperdal antipsychotic to the detriment of its citizens. This time, Massachusetts alleges J&J promoted the drug to treat elderly dementia and various unapproved uses in children and adolescents. The state also claims J&J failed to disclose serious risks such as the possibility of excessive weight gain, diabetes and, for elderly dementia patients, an increased risk of death. “Manufacturers should not promote uses of their pharmaceutical products that have not been established to be safe and effective,” Massachusetts Attorney General Coakley says in a statement. “Janssen put profits ahead of patient safety by promoting Risperdal for uses that had not been approved and by failing... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086555 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:40:47 +0100 5086555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992996&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIKpuqSGxcXI%2F Good morning, everyone. And how are you today? Another beautiful morning is rising over the Pharmalot corporate campus. However, we will be rolling in the sidewalks early as we prepare for a long weekend on this side of the pond. Our modest agenda includes a dip in the pool, hanging with the short people, catching up on some research (with thanks to our sources) and one of our favorite sports - hunting for mice. What about you? Anything special planned? Maybe a ride in the country, a barbecue in the backyard or how about a day at the beach? This will be Independence Day, after all, so perhaps this is a good time to think of suggestions for trimming the national debt. The symbolism is heavy, yes? Whatever you do, have a great time and be safe. See you soon… Glaxo Kicks Off Sale Of OTC... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992996 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:50:16 +0100 4992996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902695&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FufcencyVRaY%2F The decision late last week by a South Carolina judge that Johnson & Johnson must pay $327 million for deceptive marketing of its Risperdal antipsychotic will likely hasten a global settlement the health care giant has been pursuing to resolve a raft of litigation and investigations. You may recall that, two months ago, J&J set aside an unspecified amount of money to be used to settle some of the litigation. The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Office of Personnel Management, the US Department of Justice, the US Attorney in Philadelphia and Attorneys General of multiple states have been probing off-label Risperdal marketing for years (back story). Now, the tab is mounting. The case is the third of about 10 state lawsuits over Risperdal marketing. J&J sco... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902695 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:24:07 +0100 4902695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893920&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMG9vBA2MoWk%2F North Carolina lawmakers yesterday passed a bill that would protect drugmakers and those selling medications from liability in lawsuits. Although the latest version that passed the House was softened, critics say the bill would still make it harder for North Carolina consumers to recover damages from any harm than citizens in any other state in the US, except Michigan. At issue is preemption, which is the notion that FDA approval of a drug supercedes state law claims challenging safety, efficacy, or labeling. Drugmakers and the FDA unsuccessfully argued two years ago before the US Supreme Court that preemption exists by maintaining the agency’s actions are the final word on safety and effectiveness. Michigan is the only state that has a preemption law. Originally, the Tort Reform for Cit... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893920 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:41:56 +0100 4893920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841469&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FdfmEiCMqXOw%2F The rise of the Tea Party has come with increased concern over the federal deficit and strained state budgets, and cries for less government spending. The Medicaid program has a bright red bull’s eye target on its back, mainly because several erroneous stereotypes exist about its recipients who often don’t have the means to speak and fight for themselves. The situation is no different in my state of South Carolina. Last week, one of our state senators referred to South Carolina’s Medicaid program as a “Mercedes health plan.”  Our Department of Health and Human Services responded by saying, “It’s a little bit of a stretch to call it a Mercedes.” This morning, that same senator posted a guest editorial on FITSNews, “A Hand Up, Not a Hand-Out.”  In this piece, the indepe... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841469 Thu, 19 May 2011 19:58:11 +0100 4841469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829301&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlA5ZtOLK-m0%2F Good morning, everyone. A spot of rain is falling on the Pharmalot corporate campus this morning, but our spirits remain sunny. After all, as the Morning Mayor used to say: Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. So while you tug on the ribbon, please join us for a cup of stimulation and take a moment to scan the news of the world. Hope your day goes well and you remain dry… Merck To Close Inspire HQ And Lay Off Workers (Raleigh News-Observer) Gingrich Says Alzheimer’s Research Will Save US Money (Associated Press) Pfizer Lung Cancer Drug To Get FDA Priority Review (Reuters) Mylan Must Pay $24M To Ipsen Over Pill Marketing (Bloomberg News) Actos Diabetes Drug Linked To Bladder Cancer (Reuters) Alexion To Expand Plant And Add Jobs In Rhode Island (WPRI) Gla... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829301 Tue, 17 May 2011 11:52:04 +0100 4829301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813615&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2011%2F05%2F10%2Fscientific-study-links-flammable-drinking-water-to-fracking%2F This study provides eye-opening scientific evidence about methane contamination and the risks that irresponsible natural gas drilling poses for drinking water supplies,” said Congressman Maurice Hinchey, D-NY. “It provides yet another reason why more study of the environmental and health risks associated with hydraulic fracturing is needed.” Hinchey is one of several Democratic members of Congress who recently re-introduced the FRAC Act [12], which calls for public disclosure of the chemicals used underground. The bill, which is currently languishing in the House, would remove an exemption in federal law that prohibits the EPA from regulating hydraulic fracturing. May 9: This story has been updated to include information from John Conrad that was received after publication. Follo... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813615 Tue, 10 May 2011 15:57:28 +0100 4813615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4720081&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F8slTq-1Lkzc%2F North Carolina lawmakers moved a step closer yesterday to passing a bill that would protect drugmakers and and those selling medications from liability in lawsuits, so long as the med was approved by the FDA. The House Select Committee on Tort Reform voted to send the legislation to the full House for a vote, which may be held next week (read the bill). Opponents say the provisions are among the most restrictive in the nation and would, effectively, prevent state citizens from recovering damages from any harm. The only exceptions refer to drugmakers that continue to sell a med after a government agency ordered a withdrawal or altered the med in a way that would have avoided an alleged injury, intentionally withheld or misrepresented info that led to approval by a government agency, or bri... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4720081 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:33:17 +0100 4720081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658362&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FysKHRESogNA%2F By Adam SchaefferI recently gave testimony on the merits of an education tax credit bill that's being considered in South Carolina. Molly Spearman, executive director of the S.C. Association of School Administrators, a public school lobbying group, denounces both the bill and my testimony today in The State newspaper. Ms. Spearman's comments reveal either a complete disregard for the basic facts and research findings, or an ignorance of those facts, resulting in errors big and small. On the small side, she refers to me as a "paid consultant from the Virginia-based Cato Institute" when in reality I'm a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, which is based in Washington D.C. And while I am, unsurprisingly, paid a salary by my employer, I received no compensation of any kind in return for my t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658362 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:13:46 +0100 4658362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4631647&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuCyov5GWRe4%2F A draft version of a bill that was discussed yesterday in the North Carolina General Assembly would protect drugmakers and and those selling medications from liability in lawsuits so long as the med was approved by any state or federal government agency. Opponents of the bill, which is expected to be introduced formally this week, maintain the provisions are among the most restrictive in the nation and would, effectively, prevent state citizens from recovering damages from any harm. The only exceptions contained in the proposed legislation refer to those who continue to sell a med after a government agency ordered a withdrawal or alter the med in a way that would have avoided an alleged injury, intentionally withheld or misrepresented info that led to approval by a government agency, or br... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4631647 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:50:17 +0100 4631647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4627022&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fzsc31rHAVPw%2F A South Carolina state court jury decided late yesterday that a Johnson & Johnson unit violated consumer protection laws by sending doctors a misleading letter in 2003 about the safety and effectiveness of the Risperdal antipsychotic. The jurors also found warning label info was deceptive. And so a judge will now decide whether $360 million in penalties will be paid, Bloomberg News writes. South Carolina argued J&J’s Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit engaged in “unfair and deceptive acts” by claiming Risperdal was better than competing drugs in the letter, which was sent to some 700,000 doctors nationwide, including 7,200 in the state. The FDA issued J&J a warning letter about false and misleading claims that minimized risks, such as diabetes, and o... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4627022 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:05:21 +0100 4627022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606049&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCjndVwqn8V0%2F Last week, AstraZeneca agreed to pay $68.5 million to 36 states and the District of Columbia to resolve litigation charging the drugmaker with illegally marketing its Seroquel antipsychotic, failing to sufficiently disclose potential side effects and withholding negative safety and effectivness info (back story). But seven states were not among them, including South Carolina, which has a pending lawsuit against the drugmaker. Now, though, AstraZeneca has filed a counterclaim. The drugmaker alleges Attorney General Alan Wilson is violating its constitutional due process rights by prosecuting a “law enforcement action akin to a criminal proceeding” dressed up as a civil suit, The National Law Journal writes. And AstraZeneca accuses him of reaching an “unlawful” agreem... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606049 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:32:07 +0100 4606049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605811&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCaR3KL4Cuhc%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonThe New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, which estimates the budgetary impact of proposed laws, has just released its analysis of a private school choice bill called the "Opportunity Scholarship Act." The most remarkable thing about its report is the amount of money it assumes that districts would save for each student they no longer have to teach: $0. On that assumption, if every student were to leave for the private sector tomorrow, districts would keep right on spending exactly the same amount they spend today. Inefficient though it is, not even state-run monopoly schooling is that bad. The OLS report does not explain why it assumes that the per pupil savings for students leaving public schools (the "marginal cost") would be $0. It states that this figure is "i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605811 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:16:25 +0100 4605811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570529&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fcnzw0qxG7QQ%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonLast night's vote by the Wisconsin-based portion of the Wisconsin Senate has received enormous attention. The scope of collective bargaining by school district and other government employees has been narrowed, and the state will no longer automatically garnish workers' wages to pay union dues. This was the right thing to do. But how much of a difference will these changes actually make to the state's bottom line? As I've noted, the presence or absence of collective bargaining is not strongly correlated with school district spending. Instead, unions have won their massively (42%) above- market compensation through well-funded political action; which brings us to the question of automatic paycheck deduction of union dues. Without automatic dues withdrawals, will public sc... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570529 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:14:14 +0100 4570529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489638&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fzjqy-rOPM90%2F By David RittgersThe Baltimore police must have solved the city’s violent crime problem. They’ve shifted resources to illegal gambling: Baltimore County police arrested five men after an undercover detective infiltrated an illegal high-stakes poker game in Edgemere, records show. Police say "Texas Hold 'Em" games were held regularly at the Lynch Point Social Club in the 3100 block of Roger Road, where organizers were making as much as $1,500 in profit a night, according to charging documents. After receiving a tip, officers conducted surveillance at the club and later sent an undercover detective inside, who participated in a game with a $65 buy-in. The detective played for hours — leaving after he lost all his chips, records show. A tactical unit conducted a raid on the club Feb. 11... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489638 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:33:49 +0100 4489638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489977&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FTtqj3J1HvPI%2F Hello and nice to see you again. Having successfully deposited one of the short people at the local schoolhouse, we are celebrating with yet another cup of stimulation. Please join us or grab a bottle of water, if you prefer, and get ready for another day of meetings and deadlines and who-knows-what-else. Meanwhile, here are some fresh tidbits. Have a good one and stay in touch… China To Help Domestic Drugmakers Expand Overseas (Global Times) AstraZeneca Pays $150M To Settle More Seroquel Lawsuits (Bloomberg News) Amgen Haunted By Medicare Worries (Forbes) Glaxo Cuts Neuroscience Jobs In North Carolina (MedCity News) UK’s NICE Endorses Celgene Blood Cancer Med (Reuters) Allergan Wins Wider Use For Lap-Band Device (Wall Street Journal) EU Parliament Approves Tougher Counterfeit ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489977 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:03:30 +0100 4489977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382742&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEOkWNJmpQOQ%2F By Andrew J. Coulson…the folks in South Carolina would be top contenders for the gold. Here’s the thing: all the evidence shows that educators are human beings like the rest of us and that education benefits from the same market freedoms and incentives that have driven progress in every other field. So how do you unleash those market forces so that our kids have the best shot at fulfilling their potentials? For a start: You minimize regulation on what and how teachers teach. You make it easy for families to choose whichever schools (or homeschooling) they deem best for their kids. You encourage people to pay directly for their own children’s education to the greatest extent possible, reserving third-party payment (which is inherently problematic) to an as-needed basis ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382742 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:35:43 +0100 4382742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241707&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRUzEnHdekPU%2F By Ilya ShapiroAs I wrote almost exactly a year ago, my friend Mark Sigmon filed a case on behalf of the ACLU seeking to prohibit a town in North Carolina from enforcing its sign ordinance against a man who painted “Screwed by the Town of Cary” on the side of his house.  Well, yesterday, the federal district court granted the plaintiff David Bowden summary judgment and entered a permanent injunction against the town.  The court concluded that the sign ordinance was content-based under the First Amendment because it required more than a perfunctory inquiry into the content of signs in order to determine whether the ordinance would apply.  For example, the ordinance required the town to determine whether something was a “work of art,” a “holiday message,&... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241707 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:50:31 +0100 4241707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237873&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FU3uOfiXo-54%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonHe did it on the campaign trail in 2008, he did it in his first year in office, and how he’s done it again: speaking at the Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina yesterday, President Obama praised post-Sputnik federal education initiatives aimed at improving achievement in math and science. The trouble is, those investments—the National Defense Education Act—failed. Having already demonstrated the decline in achievement that followed the passage of the NDEA two years ago, I won’t re-hash it here. I’m left to wonder though, what the next two years are going to be like. If the president is still recycling campaign speeches about programs that never worked in the first place, is this what we can expect for the next two years? P... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237873 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:24:38 +0100 4237873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230199&cid=t_104285_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fmedical-errors-discuss-them-or-switch.html Patients won’t confront doctors if they think there’s been a mistake. They’ll just find a new doctor, even if there’d been no medical error. Researchers looked at adult visits to seven primary care practices in North Carolina during 2008. They asked patients about their perceptions of medical mistakes and how did it influence the choice to switch doctors. Of 1,697 patients, 265 (15.6 percent) reported a mistake had been made, 227 (13.4 percent) reported a wrong diagnosis, 212 (12.5 percent) reported a wrong treatment, and 239 (14.1 percent) reported changing doctors as a result. Results appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine. But anecdotes cited by patients as mistakes were often normal diagnostic or therapeutic challenges. A typical scenario might be the patient reported sy... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230199 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:44:00 +0100 4230199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159161&cid=t_104285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F11%2Forthopedic-surgeon-dr-darrin-eakins-charged-breaking-entering-offense%2F North Carolina orthopedic surgeon Dr. Darrin F. Eakins has been charged with unlawfully entering a neighbor’s premises and has surrendered his license to the North Carolina Medical Board. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159161 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:03:22 +0100 4159161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036628&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FER3SAYAz_MI%2F By Michael F. CannonIn this morning’s Charlotte Observer, I explain how ObamaCare is destroying consumer protections.  Exhibit A is Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina’s decision to refund $156 million to its policyholders: BCBSNC’s refunds show that ObamaCare is leaving seriously ill patients with less protection, not more. Health insurance was hardly perfect before ObamaCare, but BCBSNC’s policyholders had insurance that had pre-funded many of their future medical bills. Now, ObamaCare has effectively transferred those reserves from the sick to the healthy. Seriously ill policyholders now have less protection against BCBSNC reneging on its commitments to them. Competition used to discourage skimping; ObamaCare rewards it. Due to space considerations, the edi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036628 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:22:23 +0100 4036628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003438&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVIyzP8yQEzA%2F Welcome back, everyone. We hope your weekend was restful and rejuvenating. Now, of course, the routine has returned. Meetings and deadlines, as usual, beckon. What better way to prepare than with a cup of stimulation? So please join us as we indulge. Meanwhile, here are a few items to help you get started. Hope your day goes well and stay in touch… AstraZeneca Prostate Cancer Drug Fails Phase III (TheStreet) Pfizer Plans More Partnerships In Asia (OutsourcingPharma) Sanofi Keeps Genzyme Bid Steady, For Now (Reuters) Merck To Hire 300 At No. Carolina Vaccine Plant (The Herald Sun) Wyeth’s Genetically Modified Baby Formula Causes Protest (Sydney Morning Herald) European Rx Sales To Slow Due To Cost-Cutting (PharmaTimes) Actelion Drug For Brain Hemorrhage Fails In Study (Bloomberg... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003438 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:51:00 +0100 4003438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993886&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3TlU4KCMCaY%2F By Michael F. CannonUSA Today and Politico Pulse report that ObamaCare has prompted BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina to rebate $156 million to its customers in the individual market.  This may seem like good news.  It’s actually bad news, particularly for BCBS’s sickest customers. Pre-ObamaCare, BCBS’s customers – whether healthy or sick – had coverage with an insurer that had already pre-funded their future medical needs. Competition protected them from BCBS skimping on care: if BCBS got a reputation for skimping, it would have a hard time enrolling new customers. Post-ObamaCare, BCBS no longer needs that pile of cash, so they’re returning it to their customers. That hurts sick enrollees because BCBS is doling it out to all enrollees – not just the sick e... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993886 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:35:30 +0100 3993886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993913&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmental-health-too-many-pills-too-little-truth%2F2010.09.21 This is my column in [the September 17th] Greenville News. It’s a follow-up to a recent column I wrote on the mental health “crisis” in America, as seen in our emergency rooms. My last column addressed the unfortunate truth of the overwhelmed mental health system in South Carolina, and indeed in much of the U.S. While I lament the fiscal condition of our mental health system, and while I feel for those who truly need the help we are often powerless to supply, I would be a poor observer if I didn’t report the truth. And the second truth we must face is that much of what we call mental illness is neither truly “mental,” nor even “illness.” Let me first state the obvious: The brain is an organ. It is incalculably complex and truly a wonder of design... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993913 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00:41 +0100 3993913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920820&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FssgqanltPAg%2F By Adam SchaefferNikki Haley promises to be a star governor if–most likely when–she’s elected this fall by South Carolina voters. Word is she’s a committed fiscal conservative, and her background is steeped in a successful family business, not large corporations, so she should have an intuitive grasp of what makes our economy grow. And Haley has a long, solid record of supporting school choice through education tax credits in South Carolina. As recently as August 19th, Haley was reported as saying, “like Sanford, she would veto a bill to expand public education options unless it included help with private tuition. She agreed with Sanford that it must be all or nothing, saying otherwise the Legislature won’t return to the debate.” Now that’s the stuff. But Haley ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920820 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:42:53 +0100 3920820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798496&cid=t_104285_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fsurgeon-dr-karl-ehrens-wanted-stalking%2F Former South Carolina surgeon Dr. Karl Ehrens is wanted on charges of harassment for allegedly stalking an 18 year old woman in Charleston, South Carolina. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798496 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:38:53 +0100 3798496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750053&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FXMYZ5MjPBt8%2F By Rozalynn Goodwin. Yes, I said “cooties.”  You remember that childhood imaginary disease believed to spread through contact with those infected or worse, those of the opposite sex.  The cooties epidemic has spread to Washington, DC, and has politicians frightened to work across the aisles for the greater good.  I heard that the lesson: “They Have the Cooties” takes up most of the first day of orientation for newly elected congressmen and senators.  This class perfects neophytes’ skills in murdering any attempts for bipartisanship. Cooties can be deadly for a politician.  Just look at SC’s latest casualty, outgoing Congressman Bob Inglis.  His independent thinking and willingness to sometimes side with the other party were clear symptoms that he had been infected, an... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750053 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:18:18 +0100 3750053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733183&cid=t_104285_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthe-mercury-climbs-hows-your-ms-today%2F While summer is finally making an appearance in my adopted city, I know that much of the rest of the country is absolutely melting!  I was in North Carolina all last week and was happy that my client had a well air-conditioned kitchen! Yes; I had to rally and make the trip even though I’ve been dealing with a new slip in my condition.  I planned much rest and no evening events, but still…with a 3-hour time change, full days of pretty intense testing, the heat back there and the kind of summer cold virus that we all hate; it’s been a rough few days (thus the lack of a post on Friday). So, that’s my MS this month; how’s yours? We do this every month to check in with each other and with ourselves. I know that it’s not steamy hot all over the country (and I’m sure once our frie... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733183 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:32:42 +0100 3733183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3730112&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2Fm7Cs-eAFJFE%2F3d_google_earth_tour_of_nc_map.php Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3730112 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:11:17 +0100 3730112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718710&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F7jVMR68-1gU%2Fbeauty_and_science_merge_in_il.php From the NCSU Libraries News: The best in the world of science illustration will be hosted in a beautiful display featured in the D. H. Hill Library Special Collections Exhibit Gallery at North Carolina State University from June 14 through the first week in August. The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI), founded at the Smithsonian Institution in 1968, is working with the NCSU Libraries to present "The Art in Science: Annual Exhibit of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators." Ranging from pen and ink drawings to the latest digital animations, the juried exhibit is a great chance to see some of the most exciting work being done by today's science illustrators. "We are delighted and honored to host this event," explains Susan Nutter, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries. "NC... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718710 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:00:23 +0100 3718710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672065&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F3E3Zbxo2TzM%2Ftriangle_pechakucha_3_-_regist.php 3rd PechaKucha Night event June 17th! May 24, 2010--Raleigh, NC - Triangle PechaKucha is pleased to announce their third PechaKucha Night sponsored by Lonerider Beer, Relevance and Yelp!. The event will take place in Durham, NC, on June 17th, 2010, at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:30). The event is free, but to attend you must register. Space is limited. Go here to register. What is it? PechaKucha Nights are local idea-sharing events in the 20 x 20 format: speakers present 20 slides for 20 seconds per slide. Slides advance automatically to keep things moving forward at a rapid pace. Anyone can present, but meaningful PechaKucha presentations are the ones that uncover the unexpected -- unexpected talent, unexpected ideas. The key to a great presentation is to present something you feel passion... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672065 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:54:39 +0100 3672065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603825&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Fsmells-great-around-here%2F These are two gardenias I got about 11 years ago.  They’ve gotten huge! I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to get the pool clean. It’s been slow going though.  I’m having a bit of a problem with algae, but I think it’s finally been conquered.  After I walk the dog tonight, I’m going to jump in! (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603825 Thu, 27 May 2010 00:42:46 +0100 3603825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599686&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F05%2F25%2Fsouthern-pines-sunset%2F It’s been raining off and on for a few days, which is good. We needed it. I think we might continue to have showers over the next few days, but I usually don’t pay much attention to weather forecasts.  I just wait and see what happens.  I’ve known people whose every movement hinged on the weather forecast and that never made any sense to me.  It wasn’t like they were farmers or anything. Anyway, it was a great night for a walk, so Buddy and I went out. I took this picture with my trusty iPhone. (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599686 Wed, 26 May 2010 03:22:02 +0100 3599686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592421&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FmCNPg1OoFYc%2Ftriangle_pechakucha_3_-_regist.php 3rd PechaKucha Night event June 17th! May 24, 2010--Raleigh, NC - Triangle PechaKucha is pleased to announce their third PechaKucha Night sponsored by Lonerider Beer, Relevance and Yelp!. The event will take place in Durham, NC, on June 17th, 2010, at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:30). The event is free, but to attend you must register. Space is limited. Go here to register. What is it? PechaKucha Nights are local idea-sharing events in the 20 x 20 format: speakers present 20 slides for 20 seconds per slide. Slides advance automatically to keep things moving forward at a rapid pace. Anyone can present, but meaningful PechaKucha presentations are the ones that uncover the unexpected -- unexpected talent, unexpected ideas. The key to a great presentation is to present something you feel passion... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592421 Mon, 24 May 2010 14:14:39 +0100 3592421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494256&cid=t_104285_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F21%2Fagainst-their-will-special-series-on-the-history-of-forced-sterilization-in-north-carolina%2F Via FWD/Forward, I learned about this series from the Winston-Salem Journal on forced sterilization in North Carolina. A snippet: The Winston-Salem Journal obtained and examined thousands of these documents. It found that: More than 2,000 people ages 18 and younger were sterilized in many questionable cases, including a 10-year-old who was castrated. Children were sterilized over the objections of their parents, and the consent process was often a sham. The program had been racially balanced in the early years, but by the late 1960s more than 60 percent of those sterilized were black, and 99 percent were female. Doctors performed sterilizations without authorization and the eugenics board backdated approval. Forsyth County engaged in an illegal sterilization campaign beyond the state prog... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494256 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:59:10 +0100 3494256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487056&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.josiahmacyfoundation.org%2Fdocuments%2Fjmf_ChairSumConf_Jan2010.pdf By Pamela Cipriano. Access to care from Nurse Practitioners got two boosts in recent weeks.  The health insurance reform legislation (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148) contains important provisions that will address payment and recognition of NP services in medical homes and nurse managed health centers. (Refer to Lisa Korin’s blog 4/16 on “The Patient Centered Medical Home Model:  A Way to CostiEffectively Improve Quality of Care”) Original plans for medical home models had been stalled, and included payment only for physicians; the new law recognizes nurse practitioners as leaders of primary care practices and makes them eligible for reimbursement.  Nurse practitioners are also key providers and leaders of Nurse Managed Health Centers (NMHC).  Refo... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487056 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:57:49 +0100 3487056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3479863&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F04%2F17%2Fequine-horse-fencing-southern-pines%2F I’ve been working with a new customer, Brad Charles, to construct a web site.  I have to say that I don’t think I’ve met such a nice person in a long, long time.  I want to give hm a little plug here!  If you’re in the Southern Pines area and need equine (horse) fencing, please give him a call! Equine Fencing, Southern Pines, NC 910-692-8276 910-690-7000 Possibly Related Posts: Spring is definitely here! It feels like winter’s over Modern dentistry H1N1 flu that’s resistant to Tamiflu Three Harpsichords (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3479863 Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:51:37 +0100 3479863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3441010&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F04%2F05%2Fspring-is-definitely-here%2F According to the Ohio State University Extension fact sheet on wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), it’s a member of the pea family!  I think wisteria is a beautiful plant, but many here in NC think it’s a monster, because it devours its host.  Around here, you see it everywhere, growing on any tree or structure it can find.  I found this vine on some trees behind our office. Another sure sign of spring (aside from the haze of yellow pine pollen currently engulfing us), are the blossoming of azaleas.  These are in front of my house. Possibly Related Posts: It feels like winter’s over Modern dentistry H1N1 flu that’s resistant to Tamiflu Three Harpsichords Pilot Mountain astronomy observation Saturday Night (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3441010 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:05:51 +0100 3441010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3386870&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Ftodays-random-poll-cheater%2F John Edwards, philanderer (photo: WENN.com) Following up on our Quote of the Day (thank you, Tiger!), Blisstree wants to know what you think about the issue of extramarital affairs. Would you stay with a John Edwards or a Mark Sanford? Take our anonymous poll. #MicroPollDiv_241884 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3386870 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:33:37 +0100 3386870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335578&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FnSbN_wOo4FA%2Famerican_scientist_pizza_lunch.php From the American Scientist: Our American Scientist pizza lunch talk falls later than usual this month to accommodate our magazine's May-June issue deadline. Keep open the noon hour on March 30 and come hear Geoff Ginsburg, director of the Center for Genomic Medicine at Duke University, discuss genomic and personalized medicine. To keep you on your toes, we'll convene at a different spot: the easy-to-get-to headquarters of the NC Biotechnology Center here in RTP. Actually, as many of you know, there would be no pizza lunch this year without the support of the Biotech Center. In addition to their financial help, center staff kindly offered to host one of our gatherings this year. American Scientist Pizza Lunch is free and open to science journalists and science communicators of all strip... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335578 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:13:38 +0100 3335578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3239768&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2010%2F02%2F03%2Fmodern-dentistry%2F I had an appointment with my dentist this morning and this is what greeted me outside the entrance. They must have had a difficult patient today. Possibly Related Posts: H1N1 flu that’s resistant to Tamiflu Three Harpsichords Pilot Mountain astronomy observation Saturday Night North Carolina spider identification Academic excellent! (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3239768 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:09:49 +0100 3239768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3139249&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFpXidqDwKq0%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. For those of you who took some time off, we hope you had a pleasant break. Regardless of how you spent the past week or so, we also hope the new year got off to a good start. Now, of course, the routine returns. And that means gearing up for deadlines, projects and meetings. So as you reach for a cup of stimulation and dig in, here are some nuggets. Good luck… Novartis To Buy The Rest Of Alcon (Bloomberg News) Cipla In Talk To Supply Generics To Glaxo, Teva (Reuters) Quintiles Delays Taking Job Creation Grant (The News & Observer) Roche And Evolva Agree On Cancer Deal (Reuters) Coffee thanks to chichcacha Flickr Common Creative (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3139249 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:45:44 +0100 3139249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015437&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fh1n1-flu-thats-resistant-to-tamiflu%2F I just read about a strain of H1N1 flu that’s resistant to Tamiflu. Four of these cases have been reported at Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.  I wondered if it has possibly infected people in the transplant clinic? A friend had her SCT at Duke one year when the flu was rampant in the transplant clinic.  She said that a few of the patients became quite ill.  She had the flu herself. She recovered and had a second stem cell transplant. “All four of the North Carolina patients were hospitalized and were very ill with underlying severely compromised immune systems and multiple other complex medical conditions, according to researchers from the Duke University Medical Center. Three of the four died. No details have been released about how the patients caught the re... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015437 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:52:45 +0100 3015437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995990&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F11%2F15%2Fthree-harpsichords%2F We went to a concert Friday night in Chapel Hill that featured three harpsichords!  The program included music by Bach and a local composer named Edwin McLean.  I really enjoyed McLean’s music, and will be looking for a CD. One of the performers, Elaine Funaro, played her new harpsichord (Opus 333). The instrument was built by Richard Kingston. The harpsichord was painted by Durham artist Lisa Creed. Possibly Related Posts: Pilot Mountain astronomy observation Saturday Night North Carolina spider identification Academic excellent! Duke Lemur Center / Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic today Lyrica (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995990 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:38:06 +0100 2995990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981058&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqX9P6h_jem8%2F Import competition can throw Americans out of work. Even advocates of free trade like me will readily acknowledge that fact. And nobody needs to remind the people of Hickory, North Carolina. On the front page of the Washington Post this morning, under the headline, “In N.C., damage not easily mended: Globalization drives unemployment to 15% in one corner of state,” the paper reports in detail how the people of that community are struggling to adjust to a more open U.S. economy: The region has lost more of its jobs to international competition than just about anywhere else in the nation, according to federal trade-assistance statistics, as textile mills have closed, furniture factories have dwindled and even the fiber-optic plants have undergone mass layoffs. The unemployment rate is on... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981058 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:35:09 +0100 2981058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963345&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FmefzRVeZ5gk%2Fcohen.php Last night we went to see Leonard Cohen at the DPAC in Durham. What to say? He's the Legend. Still, at this age, full of energy and spunk. And everything was done to perfection - the set, the lighting and the slow dance of the backup singers had, together, a hypnotic effect. Three hours passed like nothing - I could have stayed another three (and that would still not exhaust all of his greatest hits). I was too far away to take good pictures with my iPhone, but I took these two, just to show the light changes. There were some quite magical light effects as some moments including those making Leonard look green like a leprechaun. I grew up with his music and it seems strange that some of his big hits, now 20 or 30 years old were once new - I knew them when they were new, buying his la... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963345 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:10:51 +0100 2963345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2959032&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F11%2F03%2Ftelescope-viewing-stargazing-pilot-mountain%2F Forsyth Astronomical Society public observation at Pilot Mountain This just in! Telescope Viewing Saturday Night Message: Hi, Just wanted to let you know there will be an astronomy observation Saturday night Nov 7 on top of Pilot Mt. hope you can make it. Check status at http://fas37.org Chip I have been to one of these, and it was awesome!  I hope to be able to make it this time, too, although only if I recover enough from this cold.  Get there if you can. There’s nothing like seeing the moon and various planets “up close” from Pilot Mountain. Possibly Related Posts: Miracle of survival North Carolina spider identification Academic excellent! Trader Joe’s is worth the trip It looks like an ant, but it’s a wasp (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2959032 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:41:08 +0100 2959032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927567&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyBYlwzkePNw%2F Welcome to the working week. How was the weekend, everyone? Ours was busier than usual, since one of the short people had a birthday party. As a result, today gives us a chance to collect our thoughts and, of course, look for interesting items. Here are a few to help you get started. Hope the days goes well… Johnson & Johnson Wants More Risk-Sharing Deals (FT) Prempro Trial Goes To Jury In Philadelphia (Bloomberg) Lilly Pays $45M To Settle Zyprexa Suit With So. Carolina (Associated Press) Pfizer Threatens Phillipine Pharmacies Over Generic Lipitor (Phillipine Daily Inquirer) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927567 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:19:39 +0100 2927567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899213&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F0rl8lBIeMnM%2Fjoint_departments_of_biomedica.php NCSU AND UNC-CHAPEL HILL PROFESSOR TROY NAGLE TO DISCUSS THE JOINT DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING AT OCTOBER RESEARCH DIRECTORS MEETING The Research Triangle Park, N.C. - The Triangle Area Research Directors Council (TARDC) has announced that Dr. Troy Nagle, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at NCSU and UNC-Chapel Hill, will be the keynote speaker at next week's TARDC event, to be held at The Research Triangle Park's Headquarters building. Dr. Nagle will speak on the joint departments of biomedical engineering at NCSU and UNC-Chapel Hill and bridging academic and research cultures. Dr. Nagle is Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UNC & NCSU, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NCSU. He was the Founding Chair of the UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical ... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899213 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:32:56 +0100 2899213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2879839&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FDpCDzJXAWXQ%2Fnew_jobs_in_north_carolina_at.php Yesterday, North Carolinians woke up to some very unpleasant news that Dell decided to close its computer manufacturing plant in Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co, NC by the end of this year and lay off its entire workforce of 905 employees. While I may not like it, I can understand the economics of shutting down a textile mill or a furniture plant. It's a new world we are living in. But Dell? Computers?! If the leading computer manufacturer is suffering during the recession, what can anyone else hope for? Is there any industry that can still compete and grow? And it seems that the answer may, perhaps, be Yes - the green industry. Ginny Skalski, a good friend and local uber-social-networking-maven recently got a job with CREE as their social media person. And she invited me and Ashley Sue Allen... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2879839 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:52:11 +0100 2879839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859162&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2Foe9AZSad47U%2Fbreakfast_science_cafe_raleigh.php Bats in Peril? October 28, 2009 8:30 -10:00 am with discussion beginning at 9, followed by Q&A Location: The Acro Cafe - 4th Floor of the Museum of Natural Sciences Have you ever seen a bat flying around your house on a summer evening? Did you know that there are 17 different species of bats that live in North Carolina? Come to our breakfast café and learn about these amazing creatures and their biggest threat -- white-nose syndrome, a deadly white fungus that grows around the noses of hibernating bats. Since its discovery in 2007, hundreds of thousands of bats (perhaps a million) have died from the disease, making it one of the worst wildlife disasters ever ... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859162 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:13:37 +0100 2859162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857587&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FQoWuv4fmyls%2Fscience_cafe_raleigh_biomedica.php Crossing the Line? Biomedical Technology in Sports Tuesday, October 20, 2009 6:30-8:30 pm with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A Location: Tir Na Nog 218 South Blount Street, Raleigh, 833-7795 In the end, it was a split second rather than an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruling that kept double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius from competing in the Beijing Summer Olympics. He didn't hit the 400-meter qualifying time of 45.55 seconds, despite running a personal best 46.25 on his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs at a track meet in Lucerne, Switzerland. In this talk, National Humanities Center digital media specialist Phillip Barron explores ways that advances in biomedical science and technology are challenging our traditional notions of acceptable spor... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857587 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:12:25 +0100 2857587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832413&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FrOAUruPmEu4%2Ftechie_tuesday.php On Tuesday night I went to the RTP headquarters for Techie Tuesday, an occasional event when people who work in various companies in the Park come over, after work, and have some good food, a beer, and get to relax and chat and meet new people. It is quite a lot of fun. Pictures under the fold (better quality on Twitpic): Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832413 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:22:07 +0100 2832413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923426&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F09%2F23%2Fnorth-carolina-spider-identification%2F Does anyone recognize this spider?  It was on my back yard fence last weekend. Sept. 29, 2009:  I found out that this is a Silver-backed Argiope. Is it even a spider?  In the photo (from my phone), I can’t distinguish 8 legs. One spider I found in my front yard is a black widow, I’m pretty sure.  I didn’t handle it. I captured it in a jar and then let it go in some woods. Cell phone cameras are really handy, but the image quality isn’t so great. Southern Pines North Carolina spiders Possibly Related Posts: Miracle of survival Academic excellent! Trader Joe’s is worth the trip Southern Pines Fire Department It looks like an ant, but it’s a wasp (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923426 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:18:37 +0100 2923426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923428&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2Facademic-excellent%2F I’ve started master’s degree programs three times in the last 18 years, and have quit each time.  I’ve wanted to finish for forever, but something always gets in the way.  I filled out an interest form at one of the UNC web sites, and immediately received an autoreply.  I think the same person who writes a lot of the menus for Chinese restaurants wrote this. Possibly Related Posts: North Carolina spider identification (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923428 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:38:57 +0100 2923428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923429&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2Ftrader-joes-is-worth-the-trip%2F Trader Joe’s is sort of new to North Carolina, so it might not be a name you’re familiar with. TJ is a unique grocery store chain. Trader Joe's Cary Location Each store stocks a variety of organic produce and other items, including meats and dairy. If you’re looking for high quality without the high prices, you can find it at Trader Joe’s. After hearing my California friends brag about what a great store this was, I was glad to finally get to experience it myself. I visited the Cary Trader Joe’s near Cary Parkway. Trader Joe’s Cary 1393 Kildaire Farm Road Cary, NC 27511 Phone Number: 919-465-5984 Trading Hours: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Trader Joe’s Chapel Hill 1800 E Franklin St Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Phone Number: 919-918-7871 Trading Hours: 9:0... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923429 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:49:14 +0100 2923429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793364&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FJbP5nayGyYs%2F This week we’re highlighting images that illustrate the concept of spectrum with puzzle pieces. I like the idea of the puzzle piece, but not that computer-generated clip art that is often used as a shorthand to say “autism.” Today’s image, from a photographer named Jared on flickr.com, seems even more appropriate to the spectrum because the pieces are from a sky-patterned puzzle, and I often view the sky, with its sense of the unfathomable and limitlessness, as an image that feels so right to describe autism. Photo courtesy of jared (flickr.com) •     •     • It seems like a pretty clear-cut case. Sixteen-year-old high school student, female, diagnosed with autism (though able to communicate verbally), pressed into sexual relationship with her basketball ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793364 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:15:45 +0100 2793364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923431&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fsouthern-pines-fire-department%2F The Southern Pines (North Carolina) Fire Department raised a flag in memory of those who lost their lives in the attacks on 9/11/2001.  I pulled over to take a picture.  The flag hangs on the end of a ladder, which is extended out over Pennsylvania Avenue, near US 1. Southern Pines NC Fire Department Possibly Related Posts: North Carolina spider identification It looks like an ant, but it’s a wasp Piles of stuff to do Butet call Kittenocity (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923431 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:33:08 +0100 2923431 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778699&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F5z4RrYG0bCs%2Fscience_cafe_raleigh_-_brain_m.php Tuesday, September 22, 2009 6:30-8:30 pm with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A Location: The Irregardless Café, 901 W. Morgan Street, Raleigh 833-8898 Memory problems have become increasingly common as our population ages. The fear of developing dementia is one of the greatest fears of most Americans. There can be memory changes as one grows older, but what determines if these changes are benign versus the beginning of a dementia process like Alzheimer's disease? We will discuss types of memory, the neurobiological basis of memory, and ways to tell normal aging from the beginnings of significant memory loss. We will also discuss symptoms and treatment for people who have been diagnosed with dementia. About the speaker: Sandeep Vaishnavi, M.D., PhD serves as Medical Direct... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778699 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:54:09 +0100 2778699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774928&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FA3qo6DuKqZY%2Ftatjana_in_nytimes.php If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know Tatjana Jovanovic-Grove. Or you can remind yourself by checking this, this, this, this and this. If you came to ScienceOnline09 (or followed virtually) you will remember that she co-moderated two sessions there: Open Access in the networked world: experience of developing and transition countries and How to paint your own blog images . Well, today, Tatjana is in New York Times! I hear from those who get the papers in hardcopy, that the article starts on the front page, but the part with the interview with Tatjana and her husband Doug is on the third page of the online version of the article. I wish the theme of the piece was happier....but who knows, perhaps appearance in the Old Media (especially if the link is spread virally via New Me... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774928 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:41:34 +0100 2774928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768838&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FS_eWvUckFWk%2Fcohen_in_durham.php Oh, did I tell you that Leonard Cohen will be in Durham in November? Yes, that Leonard Cohen whose music I grew up with? Yes, I bought the tickets as soon as it was possible and will go to DPAC on November 3rd to hear him live. Finally!!! I heard that his concert in Belgrade was magical and amazing. I hope it will be the same in Durham. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768838 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:23:03 +0100 2768838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2923433&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2009%2F08%2F21%2Fit-looks-like-an-ant-but-its-a-wasp%2F This is a Red Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla magnifica) that was wandering around in the yard.  They’re actually not ants though.  They’re wasps! When I got back in the house, I googled “read and black wingless ant” to find out what she was. What I found out is that they have a painful sting and are pretty tough creatures.  They’re also known as “Cow Killers.”  They’re not actually capable of killing cows though, so no need for dairy farmers to be hyper-vigilant. Possibly Related Posts: North Carolina spider identification Southern Pines Fire Department Piles of stuff to do Butet call Kittenocity (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2923433 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:45:57 +0100 2923433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645517&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2009%2F07%2F27%2Fplanning-for-your-petsanimals-in-a-disaster%2F On Saturday, August 22nd , beginning at 2pm, at the Owens Auditorium at the Sandhills Community College, the County Animal Response Team (CART) will be hosting an invaluable event for those owning or caring for pets and/or domesticated animals in Moore County. A free showing of the award-winning documentary, “Katrina Tails,” will be followed by a presentation and discussion about Moore County’s newly-revised Animal Response Plan to be executed during disasters. Call 910-947-2858 for more details. More information: GROUNDBREAKING DISASTER PLAN FOR MOORE COUNTY’S ANIMALS On August 22nd, the County Animal Response Team (CART) will be hosting an invaluable event for those owning or caring for pets and domesticated animals in Moore County. A free showing of the 2008 Acco... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645517 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:37:21 +0100 2645517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630412&cid=t_104285_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FTsKLcTkGyi0%2Ftubal-ligation-reversal-and-age-patricia-46.html Patricia is a 46 year old mother, inventor, and creator of the Yackle ball who traveled to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center for her tubal ligation reversal surgery. In a three part series she shares her history and reasons for having her tubal ligation reversed. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630412 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:37:08 +0100 2630412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512725&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F24%2Fyou-say-appalachia-i-say-argentina%2F Mark Sanford, it turns out, did not get his hiking boots dusty along the Appalachian Trail – as his staff had been telling the media while he was AWOL. He was doing the dirty down in South America. Hiking? Yes, hiking a skirt. The Republicans and their ‘family values’ have another poster boy [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512725 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:22:21 +0100 2512725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2477536&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwkdFwqjWytU%2F This weekend I furnished an anti-national standards piece in a point-counterpoint of sorts in South Carolina’s Spartanburg Herald-Journal. You can check out what the paper published here, but for my complete argument you’ll have to go here. Unfortunately, the Herald-Journal ’s  editors  removed a few crucial paragraphs on the powerful evidence that school choice works better than any top-down government standards. This was done largely, I was told, because the paper had had a very energizing exchange on choice just a month or so ago.  C’est la vie… My reason for writing today is not to complain about the excision of my choice paragraphs, but to take issue with a few things that South Carolina Superintendent of Education Jim Rex — my op-ed &#8... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2477536 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:45:44 +0100 2477536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2458045&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUdOe8CcANOo%2F My colleague Chris Edwards made a good point yesterday in his post on the injustice of federal subsidies.  The wrangling between the states to haul in the federal largesse is wasteful, and getting worse.  But the underlying issue in the article Chris cites — a state using taxpayer money to lure a company away from another state — is another wasteful activity that is all too common. Instead of competing with other states to attract industry by lowering taxes and reducing regulations, it seems most state governors prefer a politically opportunistic method I call “press release economics.”  Here’s how it works: A state “economic development” agency offers an out-of-state company (or even an out-of-country company) tax breaks and/or direct subsidies to loc... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2458045 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:36:27 +0100 2458045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452390&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMGP6ZqHzAvU%2F Over the past few days, it seems like every major state newspaper ran a story on the state’s governor signing onto the Common Core State Standards Initiative, an effort to establish national standards in mathematics and reading curricula. The only holdouts are Alaska, Texas, Missouri, and South Carolina. I should probably be more worried, because national standards are a terrible idea. First, there is nothing inherently better about having a single standard agreed to by numerous states than having individual states set standards for themselves. Either way, politicians – people inherently most responsive to mobilized, highly motivated public school employees who want as little meaningful accountability as possible – will be setting the standards, and the standards will therefore eithe... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452390 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:22:09 +0100 2452390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424025&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FHixRbfIt_qA%2F I’ve been reading the debate between our own Andrew Coulson and Rev. Joseph Darby with interest, not least because it is an extreme rarity to find an opponent of school choice with the courage and good faith to engage in such a public debate on the topic. That said, something Rev. Darby wrote in his response caught my attention because of its parallels with the modern fight over school choice: The first schools established for African-Americans following the Civil War were private schools. They sometimes, however, exclusively accepted the children of the black upper and middle economic classes while excluding the children of former slaves who struggled economically to survive. Public schools for African-Americans were decidedly and intentionally inferior, and the irony is that the oppone... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424025 Tue, 19 May 2009 20:13:57 +0100 2424025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415798&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2F4bEfGp76f10%2Ftexting-to-provide-answers.html (Source: ePharma Summit) ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415798 Mon, 18 May 2009 16:40:00 +0100 2415798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2416838&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fshould-medical-associations-be-allowed.html I have long marveled at the adamant efforts of many bioethicists and physician leaders to prevent doctors from participating in executions--while, ironically some of these same advocates promote the propriety of doctors engaging in assisted suicide--which is no more a legitimate medical act than execution. In North Carolina, the state medical association went so far in trying to prevent doctor involvement in executions that it threatened to make it a subject of professional discipline--a policy now overturned by the state supreme court. From the story:The North Carolina Medical Board exceeded its authority under state law when it adopted policy threatening disciplinary action against physicians who take an active role in executions, the Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled in early May. T... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2416838 Mon, 18 May 2009 16:00:00 +0100 2416838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415722&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2009%2F05%2F17%2Fmore-backyard-wildlife%2F I found this spider clinging to the side of the pool today, so I got the net and fished it out.   I tapped it out onto the lawn.  At the time, I didn’t realize her bumpy back looked that way because she was carrying baby spiders. I’ve been told this is a wolf spider.  I only had my iPhone with me instead of a proper camera, so the image is a little bit fuzzy. Mother spider with baby spiders on her back Southern Pines, NC back yard wild life! (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415722 Sun, 17 May 2009 20:58:24 +0100 2415722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390443&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FYM3lEpe8Gug%2Ftriangle_tweetup.php You know I went to the #TriangleTweetup last week at @Bronto, an Email Service Provider in Durham, NC, with an inflatable brontosaurus as its mascot: Apart from searching Twitter for TriangleTweetup, you could also follow @triangletweetup for updates. At one point during the event, the hashtag was 'trending' but I don't know how high it got. There were about 250 people there, mostly programers, web developers and PR folks. Reminds me of the old bloggercons. Will tweetups also evolve over the years to attract more people who are using it and less people who are designing it? A first Science Tweetup a few years after the first Science Blogging Conference? Who knows? I tried to talk to as many people as physically possible, but 2 hours are not enough to even shake hands with 250 pe... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390443 Tue, 05 May 2009 05:49:44 +0100 2390443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2380722&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4uuPIMrVebA%2F There were many compelling speakers in South Carolina last week making the case for school choice. This man, Colonel Nathaniel Green, was one of the best. In about two 1/2 minutes, he explains better than I ever could why a top-down system doesn’t work for many children. I liked it so much, I’ve also transcribed most of it below. “Failing schools” are not failing schools, they’re failing students. Failing students is failing America. I started out working in the system. The system is broken. I was frustrated. I started a program . . . The young men that are standing behind me, they represent kids that the system kicked out who are now achieving. The gentleman in the black shirt, he came from Brentwood Middle School. His parents couldn’t afford [our school]. Contrary to pop... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2380722 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:25:29 +0100 2380722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375855&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fq2yHBfeBUgk%2F I just wanted to follow up on a question Andrew Coulson raised last week about a poll showing a plurality of South Carolina African Americans in support of school choice. Andrew notes: A new poll released today reveals that 43 percent of African Americans in South Carolina support private school choice while only 40 percent oppose it. What’s even more interesting, however, is that 53 percent said that “giving parents a tax credit or scholarship to choose the best school for their children — public or private — would improve the state’s dismal high school graduation rate.” So an additional 10 percent of respondents think the program will work but don’t currently support it. Why? Perhaps because many black religious and political leaders in South Carolina have criticized the co... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375855 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:41:06 +0100 2375855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375869&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQTKFjBrrGi8%2F State Senator Robert Ford is an African-American, Democratic champion of education tax credits to fund school choice and sponsor of the bill under consideration at this hearing. He has a tendency for quotable lines, and delivered one of my favorite last week. “For 37 years I lied to myself [about education reform],” Sen. Ford admitted. He’s now determined to shine a light on all of those lies that he swallowed . . . that the public schools are the only way to help the poor, that we just need one more public school reform and all will be right and good. Sen. Ford has the courage to admit that he was wrong and face the vicious attacks of his one-time allies for choosing children over public school special interests. And he’s not the type to let go on a matter of justice. I look forwa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375869 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:09:54 +0100 2375869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364915&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPyJ99_aPjrg%2F I was in South Carolina yesterday testifying before a state committee in support of a great piece of education tax credit legislation. The turnout and energy down there was impressive. The fight for educational freedom has dragged on for years in SC, but the movement seems to have grown in strength considerably over that period. Parents are now more organized, homeschoolers and private school groups are more integrated and active, and the votes are a lot closer. More than 200 supporters showed up to support the bill and testify, and their stories were compelling and sometimes heart-rending. Our public education system just doesn’t work for everyone. And when I say “doesn’t work,” I mean that a child with severe learning disabilities ends up unable to function in society or a child... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364915 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:03:58 +0100 2364915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364930&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPGubr1k8ky8%2F A new poll released today reveals that 43 percent of African Americans in South Carolina support private school choice while only 40 percent oppose it. What’s even more interesting, however, is that 53 percent said that “giving parents a tax credit or scholarship to choose the best school for their children — public or private — would improve the state’s dismal high school graduation rate.” So an additional 10 percent of respondents think the program will work but don’t currently support it. Why? Perhaps because many black religious and political leaders in South Carolina have criticized the concept for years. Take, for instance, the Rev. Joe Darby, a Charleston Minister I had the pleasure of communicating with a few years ago. Very pleasant guy. Absolutely ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364930 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:48:10 +0100 2364930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306753&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fy19lB5CMxjI%2F Here’s something rich from U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan: According to The New York Times, yesterday Duncan smeared South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford as a reform obstructionist because Sanford wants to turn down education stimulus money. “For South Carolina to stand on the sidelines and say that the status quo is O.K., that defies logic,” said Duncan. That’s right, Duncan had the gall to frame as a protector of the status quo the same governor who for years has been crystal clear that schooling in his state is dismal and that school choice – which takes power away from politically ferocious, government-schooling special interests and gives it to parents – is the key to real change. It’s also the same desperately sought after reform, by the way, that Pr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306753 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:42:12 +0100 2306753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249434&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FNSAVnRHEtu4%2Fyikes_-_we_just_got_rid_of_the.php And now I have to travel from this: to this: I'll go to the airport in a t-shirt, get dressed on the airplane, and disembark in full Arctic gear! Then reverse the process on the way back. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249434 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 23:51:50 +0100 2249434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227550&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2FksmJzgo7nAA%2Fsnow_1.php Taken from my porch a few minutes ago: Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227550 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:09:58 +0100 2227550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2061072&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F299Ecf6H2dw%2F On today’s Good Morning America, a story of giving and compassion—-something we could use more of, and not just at this time of year: When layoffs were announced at the Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, S.C., Ralph Hanahan—a state employee for 20 years—voluntarily asked to “take the hit,” so his fellow worker, Mike Camp, could keep his job. Camp has four children aged 6 to 10, the youngest of whom has “severe autism”: The Camps already have dealt with the great stress brought on by the treatment and therapy for Aaron’s condition and, at times, their medicals bill are too much to bear. “Ralph [Hanahan] definitely had a soft spot in his heart for Aaron,” Lorrie Camp said. Her husband said, &#822... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2061072 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:39:04 +0100 2061072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035857&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FJ9vZGdd_fzg%2F As in, school closures and budget cuts to programs for autistic children. In Brooklyn, a nationally recognized program for speech and language delayed children, The Little Room, will either be moved from its location in the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School or closed, according to the December 13th New York Times. The Little Room, which has been in operation since 1970, is “one of the most popular and best regarded [preschools for special education students], not just for those enrolled but for dozens of other families who receive evaluations and support services at the school.” Among the factors being cited as reasons for moving or closing The Little Room are the costs incurred from maintaining a small class size (The Little Room’s classes are capped at nine students) a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035857 Sun, 14 Dec 2008 07:45:18 +0100 2035857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513521&cid=t_104285_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2Fd5bcnpwaxxI%2Ftubal-ligation-reversal-at-46-patricias-story-part-3.html Patricia, a 46 year old tubal reversal patient of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, has her tubal reversal surgery a day after her television appearance on the QVC Channel. Patricia did extremely well with her television appearance and her reversal surgery. Her tubes were very healthy and her ovaries yielded an unexpected but pleasant surprise! (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513521 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:01:10 +0100 2513521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2018350&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2008%2F12%2F06%2Fits-cold%2F The temperature is dropping for us here. It was nice enough to be out without a jacket today, but the thermostat has been turned up tonight. 28 degrees is too cold (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2018350 Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:04:47 +0100 2018350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513523&cid=t_104285_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FmTgncFm8RFQ%2Fage-46-patricias-story.html Patricia is a 46 year-old entrepreneurial mother of three who traveled to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center for her tubal ligation reversal. Patricia describes her reasons for tubal ligation, her remarriage, and her desire to have more children after tubal ligation. She explains the hesitancy she felt about becoming an 'older' parent and her decision to have reversal surgery. She also inspires readers by having had an original idea to improve the lives of others, resulting in the development and marketing of a new sports product called the Yackle Ball. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513523 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:28:17 +0100 2513523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011194&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F7N4v9CZX5V4%2F An audit of the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs has reported numerous oversights including failures to follow up on up on safety violations and insufficient efforts to keep abusers off facility payrolls, yesterday’s Associated Press (via the Courier Post) reports. The audit recommends Disabilities and Special Needs require fingerprinting and FBI national background checks for caregivers, not just a check through the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division. The agency said it would consider the feasibility of fingerprint checks. Meanwhile, the agency isn’t doing enough to check references. It “does not have an adequate system to ensure that direct caregivers who are dismissed for consumer safety-related disciplinary infractions are not reh... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011194 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:29 +0100 2011194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1996755&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F466319172%2F North Carolina’s biotechs are pressing Governor-elect Bev Perdue to commit millions of taxpayer dollars to buoy their cash-starved companies, w hich they say face the prospect of bankruptcy without financing, the Associated Press reports. After a roundtable discussion with industry execs, Perdue tells the AP she is not ready to commit any aid, noting that a looming budget deficit is already forcing her to search for areas to make cuts. But the Democrat did say she believed the sector is highly valuable to the future of the state economy, and vowed to spend most of her time in coming months trying to build jobs despite economic turmoil. “We don’t get through it by shutting down any of our hope for the future,” Perdue tells the AP. “This is basic investment in b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1996755 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:05:11 +0100 1996755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990896&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fwuq4zEk56yc%2F For all the concern and criticism about the use of restraints in public schools on disabled students, sometimes it seems there’s no end to hearing about yet another school district that has improperly restrained a child. Yesterday’s McDowell News reports that a 14-year-old autistic student was restrained using a “belt-like device”—-a belt used to help students using wheelchairs in and our of their chairs. Jeremiah’s mother, Ann Watson, said that the school did not inform her about restraining her son and in this way. She further said the system has purged documents that reflect poorly on the school system’s handling of special needs students. Last month she began noticing that Jeremiah was nervous, unable to sleep at night, and unusually upset. He ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990896 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:39:45 +0100 1990896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1981294&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F462472981%2Fcarrboro_creative_coworking_op.php This is where I was last night.... it was great fun, lots of people, lots of enthusiasm. Congratulations to Brian for pulling it off! Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1981294 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:58:49 +0100 1981294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1955560&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FRxnIxtDSI24%2F First a swimming pool change room in Ontario, now a Wal-Mart dressing room in South Carolina…. Business owners need to recognize that there are laws that prevent them from asking nursing mothers to move to a changing room to breastfeed! In this latest incident, nursing mother Heather Silvis said she had just sat down on a bench in the store and had not even begun to nurse her daughter when a supervisor and four Wal-Mart employees began yelling at her that she couldn’t breastfeed there. Local news WISTV quotes Ms. Silvis: Then one of them stood up and pushed my shopping cart with my 21-month-old baby in it and my purse around the corner and I was told, ‘If you want to breast feed, you’re going to have to go in there.’ So I followed my child who was in my shoppi... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1955560 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:06:42 +0100 1955560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1943506&cid=t_104285_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FcUX460qmhuE%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(320,215,244583,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() It always amazes me when I find out the kind of research that scientists do in the quest to find a cure for diabetes. For example, the latest one I’ve heard is from a study out of UC Irvine and the University of South Carolina. In the study, they looked at mice and found that “male mice who were in a calmer, more monogamous species had a higher level of stress hormones and a superior ability to regulate blood sugar compared with mice in another species that is not as calm or monogamous.” That isn’t to say, of course that monogamy has anything to do with getting diabetes! But it is interesting to note the stress factor. ~sour... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1943506 Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:54:30 +0100 1943506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924901&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2008%2F11%2F01%2Ffred-baron-dies-soon-after-receiving-approval-to-use-tysabri%2F Dallas attorney, Fred Baron, lost his battle with multiple myeloma on Thursday. He was 61 years old. Mr. Baron made the news when he tried to get the Biogen drug Tsyabri to treat the myeloma that was taking his life. There aren’t any reports about whether or not Mr. Baron actually was treated with the drug. I had never heard of Mr. Baron before a few weeks ago even though he was a supporter of and fundraiser for John Edwards. Edwards was a democratic candidate for president this year and vice president in 2004. He was a North Carolina senator whose affair with a woman who produced videos for his campaign probably ruined his future in politics. According to the Dallas News, Mr. Baron was the friend who got Mr. Edwards’s mistress out of Dodge when it was feared knowledge of the a... beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924901 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:55:31 +0100 1924901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924720&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F437157908%2Fsome_north_carolina_politics.php On the Road: Charlotte, North Carolina: An observation we've heard repeated in Obama offices across America, Crandall emphasized how beneficial the contested primary had been for building the foundation for record turnout. "We had real hints of it in the primary," Crandall said. The first-time voters the campaign energized for the May 6 vote foreshadowed what North Carolina is seeing today. Crandall remembers thinking "these are NOT your typical primary voters." Pathetic yard sign captured in Raleigh - and Q of the Day: By far I see more Obama stickers and signs in my town, including a hilarious "Tina Fey in 2008" sign next to an Obama sign on one yard in Durham. What have you seen in your area? Take a stab at the proportion of Obama to McCain signs and stickers. On the Road: Raleigh,... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924720 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:39:50 +0100 1924720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911522&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F434289792%2Fobama_in_raleigh.php Just got this e-mail earlier today: This Wednesday, October 29th, please join Barack Obama in Raleigh, where he will talk about his vision for creating the kind of change we need. Early Vote for Change Rally with Barack Obama Halifax Mall Government Complex 300 North Salisbury Street Raleigh, NC 27603 Wednesday, October 29th Doors Open: 10:00 a.m. Pre-program Begins: 11:15 a.m. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however, an RSVP is strongly encouraged. For security reasons, do not bring bags or umbrellas. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed. He is finally coming close enough for me to consider going to see him live (ah, the beauty of living in a battleground state - who would have thunk NC would be one!). I am thinking about bri... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911522 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:31:44 +0100 1911522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908839&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FF4LnNs7Flz0%2F Autism is mentioned in responses from candidates for the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education, North Carolina. What’s your Board of Ed’s position on autism, services, programs, funding—–do they have one? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, battery, board of education, disabilities blog, disability, Education, Health, north carolina, police, taserShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908839 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:06:56 +0100 1908839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907966&cid=t_104285_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyelomablog.com%2F2008%2F10%2F25%2Fnorth-carolina-voters-be-sure-to-vote-for-president%2F In North Carolina, be sure to complete your ballot. Even if you vote the straight party ticket, you still need to vote for President and the non-partisan races separately. This may be the case in other states as well.  Please vote early! In North Carolina, look here for your voting site. (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907966 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:00:07 +0100 1907966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1888468&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F424763785%2Fprecinct_walking_with_a_congre.php Scoble goes for a walk through Rep.Brad MIller's precinct, canvassing the neighborhood and talking about politics: Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1888468 Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:12:22 +0100 1888468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1873110&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FFa7fpI5aBJc%2F One of these days I mean to plant some seeds—from a sunflower, a zucchini, a Chinese melon—with Charlie and follow the routines of watering and watching the skies and sun and looking for growth. In Lake Elsinore, North Carolina, a vegetable garden is growing on the grounds of Canyon Lake Middle School. Adina Ross, who teaches special needs students, asked Home Depot for a few supplies–chicken wire and stakes—and the result was that a team of some 100 volunteers from nine Home Depot stores came to build sensory, vegetable, and butterfly gardens, as well as a playground, picnic tables, and a sandbox. As noted in yesterday’s North County Times, Home Depot chose to make the school a site for a project with Kaboom, a “national organization whose vision is to ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1873110 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:30:39 +0100 1873110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1845083&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F408267071%2Fmac_mccorkle_political_consult.php Chapel Hill, NC - September 24, 2008 - Mac McCorkle, Political Consultant for Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue and 2008 Democratic Nominee for Governor, will be speaking on behalf of the Lt. Governor on October 6, 2008 at Town Hall Grill in Chapel Hill as part of the Village Voice political forum. Town Hall Grill, located in Southern Village in Chapel Hill, N.C., launched the bipartisan community issues forum, "The Village Voice," in June and has featured political candidates William (BJ) Lawson, Republican candidate for U.S. House District 4 and Ellie Kinnaird, six-term NC State Senator, District 23. Mac McCorkle will be speaking at 5:30pm on October 6th at Town Hall Grill on the covered patio. Individuals interested in attending are encouraged to reserve a seat using the online reservatio... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1845083 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:51:10 +0100 1845083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1834814&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F404880073%2Ftoday_in_greensboro_nc.php I should have gone. Greensboro is barely an hour from here. If I did, I would have heard this: Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1834814 Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:17:05 +0100 1834814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815383&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FF7UWIEZgCIE%2F 13-year-old Austin Large, who is autistic, is missing, according to the September 22nd New Durham Region. Austin and his father, Elias Large, were to return from a fishing trip on Monday. When they did not, Austin’s mother contacted police. Police say they could be traveling in a white 1999 GMC Sierra extended truck with a large green tool box. The licence plate number is NE7 917. Austin is described as white, 5′5″ tall, and weighing 160 pounds. He has a heavy build, brush cut, light brown hair and blue eyes. The boy and his father were supposed to have spent the weekend fishing on Lake Nipissing but when they did not return home Monday as planned, Austin’s mother called police. “They did not go to the lake,” said Hamilton Police Detective Sergeant Chris Kiriakopoul... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815383 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:53:29 +0100 1815383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806353&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F2IJ08HQLgKg%2F From an ABC News report today about autistic children being handcuffed in a public school in North Carolina: According to the complaint, one parent of a child attending the school reported that her son had allegedly been handcuffed around his ankles to prevent him from kicking during a temper tantrum, said John Rittelmeyer, a lawyer who represents the DRNC, and another parent claimed his son had bruised arms from teachers grabbing him. One parent said the school had a “WWF room” — a reference to the former World Wrestling Federation — in which students were encouraged to wrestle with one another, according to the claim. “Specifically, these allegations include claims that the wrestling was done with the classroom teacher’s knowledge and that the classroo... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806353 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:35:37 +0100 1806353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798229&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FTVSYBOlAPYw%2F Handcuffs? The “WWF room”—a vacant classroom, “used to encourage students to wrestle with one another and teaching assistants to release aggression”? As reported in WRAL today, these were methods used to improperly restrain autistic children in the Wake County School District in North Carolina. This morning, Disability Rights North Carolina, a disability rights groups, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Wake County Board of Education. Here’s more about restraints and about timeout rooms. And handcuffs. Small wonder that parents and school districts become adversaries. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798229 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:52:22 +0100 1798229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1779692&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F387722196%2Fnorth_carolina_gubernatorial_d.php Tune in tonight at 7pm for another live televised debate between Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory. You can watch the debate in the Charlotte area on WMYT, in the Triangle on WRAL, and in the Triad on WFMY. In addition, you can listen live on WUNC or watch online at WRAL.com. The debate will also be replayed numerous times across the state. Check the schedule here. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1779692 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:24:20 +0100 1779692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1769147&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F384641125%2Fhanna.php ...is coming this way. It's been drizzling a little bit all day, but we expect a lot more rain tonight and over the weekend. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1769147 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:39:35 +0100 1769147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730775&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F373843170%2Fcarrboro_creative_coworking_th.php You know I am excited about Carrboro Creative Coworking. Looking at the pricing list which was released today, I think there will be a place for me there I can afford.... Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730775 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:09:36 +0100 1730775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723667&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F371131608%2Fcarrboro_creative_coworking_is.php Carrboro Creative Coworking, a brilliant local project spearheaded by Brian Russell, is now a reality. The lease has been signed! Carrboro Creative Coworking now has a lease for office space at 205 Lloyd Street, Suite 101 in downtown Carrboro! It's 3,049 square feet and has nine small offices, two conference rooms, a kitchen, and public work space. The TARGET opening date for CCC is Wednesday, October 1, 2008. Stay tuned for exact dates and grand opening party info. :) To launch this business I need your help now. Its essential that I pre-sell as many services as I can. This will fulfill a requirement for receiving my loan from the Town of Carrboro. Plus it'll give us a personal boost. My wife and I are taking a LARGE financial risk. I believe its worth it. Early next week I'll have a p... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723667 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:44:15 +0100 1723667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1720317&cid=t_104285_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F20%2Fanother-psychiatric-patient-dies-in-a-hospital-due-to-staff-neglect%2F Six weeks ago, we reported on how Kings County Hospital let a patient die while staffers stood and watched. The patient had psychiatric concerns. We have no idea what happened to the humanity of those staffers (who are hopefully long since gone from the hospital and are having trouble finding gainful employment at a new hospital). We also thought such tragedies would be a wakeup call to all hospitals to re-evaluate their procedures and ensure patient care and monitoring is a top priority. Sadly, I guess the news didn’t make it down to North Carolina: A mental patient died after workers at a North Carolina hospital left him in a chair for 22 hours without feeding him or helping him use the bathroom, said federal officials who have threatened to cut off the facility’s funding.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1720317 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:35:14 +0100 1720317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1717582&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F369156878%2Fnc_gubernatorial_debate_tonigh.php Support Beverly Purdue: Bev and Pat McCrory will face each other tonight in the second televised debate of the general election. The debate will be broadcast live at 8pm on WTVD in the Triangle area and streamed live on ABC11.com. Tune in tonight as Bev continues to prove why she's the best candidate to move North Carolina forward. New ad, including Charlotte Click here to see Bev's new ad, which is also airing in the Charlotte media market -- the first ad by either side to air in Charlotte. It focuses on Bev's extraordinary record of accomplishment and her plans for North Carolina's future - a higher minimum wage, property tax relief for seniors, and creating the jobs of the future. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1717582 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:04:08 +0100 1717582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709726&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F366514197%2Fa_college_student_gets_to_rede.php Downtown Revival: The decline of downtown Gastonia, N.C., began long before Jennifer Harper was born, exacerbated by the collapse of the state's textiles manufacturing industry and the exodus of retailers to suburban shopping malls. But the young Gastonia native is lending her design skills to help restore the town center to its prime - and its roots. Harper, who graduates in August with a master's degree in industrial design from North Carolina State University, walked into city hall a few months ago when she heard that city officials were planning a new convention center for the downtown area. --------------------- This time it was city officials who were surprised - at the quality of the design work coming from a college student. "They were really interested in the historical aspec... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709726 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:09:12 +0100 1709726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1677381&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F353979411%2Fokapi_in_nc.php This may take a couple of years, but I'll be patient. And as soon as the okapi arrives, I'll be off to the Zoo! I've only seen okapi once in my life, in the early 80s in London. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1677381 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:32:58 +0100 1677381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1675154&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F352662092%2Fnew_principal_hired_at_carrbor.php Ruby reports: Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools just released a statement saying that the School Board selected a new principal for Carrboro High list night. Parents at the brand new school have been feeling shafted as their students have less advanced courses available, and their last principal was let go rather swiftly and unceremoniously. I wonder if people will be more satisfied after this new principal gets settled in. Fortunately, both of our kids avoided having to go to the new Carrboro High School, so we have been watching this saga from the sidelines. It is, nonetheless, the local school where a lot of our neighbors' kids go, and I hope that the new principal, Kelly Batten, will be able to get the school back on track as well as to fix the perception that there might be something wro... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1675154 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:14:16 +0100 1675154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671586&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F352015989%2F Earlier today I wrote about the need for services for autistic adults as the big concern on my mind. This story about a home-care worker caught on video slamming a plastic ball and plastic hammer into the head of an autistic man says why. Tags: abuse, asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, disabilities blog, disability, Family, family blog, florida, Health, home care, Parenting, pdd-nos, south carolinaShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671586 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:02:35 +0100 1671586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655668&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F346159144%2F The drugmaker is laying off 90 workers, or 10 percent of its headcount, at its manufacturing plant in Zebulon, North Carolina, The Triangle Business Journal reports. The move brings employment at the plant to between 850 and 900, down from 1,350 a year ago. The most recent major layoffs before the current round took place were in February, when 70 jobs were eliminated. Glaxo has been steadily cutting its workforce in the region since October 2007, when the drugmaker announced a cost-cutting program to save $1.4 billion across the globe by 2010. Workers from sales reps to mid-level managers to R&D staffers have been cut from Research Triangle Park, where employment has fallen to an estimated 4,500 workers from 5,000 a year earlier. The Zebulon plant mostly makes the Advair DISKUS, an... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655668 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:41:26 +0100 1655668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1618160&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F334784319%2Fget_politically_engaged_at_tow.php You know I love and often eat at Town Hall Grill in Southern Village. This is where we had our Friday Night Dinner during the last Science Blogging Conference (photographic evidence here, here, here and here) and more recently a little local meetup (see also Lenore's review of the evening, and note she was nearby recently again). Anyway, Town Hall Grill now has a new website (with a new URL), and the chef, Chris Burgess recently completely redesigned the menu: my old favourites (lamb kebab, chopped salad, chicken-under-the-brick, filet mignon and NY strip) are still on the menu, but there are new excellent additions: the salmon arugula salad and pork scallopini, to mention just a couple. And for a weekend lunch with beer, the marinated chicken sandwich, the cheeseburger, and the roast bee... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1618160 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:35:01 +0100 1618160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1518962&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F312036671%2Fnc_symphony_on_the_green.php Last night, my daughter and I went to hear the NC Symphony at the Green here in Southern Village. The entire square was packed (a couple of thousand people?). It was very enjoyable and an interesting choice of pieces. What was more interesting, and I am not sure I liked it, is the chosen ORDER of the pieces. The first half was filled with classics, the second half with pop stuff, including some not-well-known pieces. I am not sure that worked very well.... The concert started with Johann Strauss Sr.'s Radetzky March - a very powerful piece of music. But there is a reason why that is traditionally the very last piece to be played at the annual New Year's concert in Vienna - it takes some time to build up, through the duration of the concert, one's emotional response to music. The early par... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1518962 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:03:13 +0100 1518962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516799&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F310806662%2Fsmoke.php There is a huge forest fire raging in Eastern North Carolina, unfortunately affecting the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. The smoke has now moved more than 100 miles to the west, which means right here. It's been stinking of smoke all day, getting worse and worse as time went on. And it appears it will not get any better soon. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516799 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:13:23 +0100 1516799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1488713&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F303364061%2Fhave_you.php ....registered for ConvergeSouth yet? Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488713 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:39:45 +0100 1488713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1382622&cid=t_104285_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F272793373%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs being announced each month. Despite downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? Metabolex hired Donald Hill as cfo; AVOS Life Sciences hired Michael Goodman as vp; Eisai hired Bob Laverty as vp of communications; Introgen Therapeutics added Robert Pearson to its board; Roche Carolina named Hans Groeger site manager of its Florence facility; Adventrx Pharma named Jose Hechavarria vp of manufacturing; Secure Symbology named Adam Fe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1382622 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:24:21 +0100 1382622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1298791&cid=t_104285_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fif-he-had-been-on-his-medication.html 33 year-old Lakane Murphy was sentenced to life in prison today for killing Malachi Lofton. Murphy's attorney said he had struggled with bipolar disorder."The sad thing is had he been on his medication ... Mr. (Malachi) Lofton would be here," Pope said.The Treatment Advocacy Center (www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org) is a national nonprofit dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illnesses. TAC promotes laws, policies, and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supports the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. (Source: Treatment Advocacy Center) Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1298791 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:07:00 +0100 1298791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1289153&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F248115254%2Fcoworking_in_carrboro.php Carrboro's Creative Coworking in the works: Freelance web designer Brian Russell's vision to create a shared workplace for freelancers and other creative types is moving toward a concrete Carrboro reality. The idea to open what he called a shared office space with a coffee shop atmosphere was first mentioned publicly nearly a year ago. Russell said James Harris, director of economic and community development in Carrboro, encouraged him to make it happen. The concept lies somewhere between a wireless-equipped coffee shop and the generic, cubicle-clad office. Russell said the need for this type of space is generated by people who have been driven away from the typical office environment but who are unhappy working alone at home. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1289153 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:30:49 +0100 1289153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207490&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F229719918%2F On January 27, 10-year-old Brandon Parrish Johnson wandered away from his residential facility, Howell Care Centers, in Carrabus County, North Carolina; he was found in a nearby creek. State medical examiners have determined that “the cause of death was accidental drowning and said Brandon’s autism was a contributing factor,” according to WCNC (details can also be read here). State officials also stated that the facility violated federal rules governing intermediate-care facilities for people with mental retardation and have given the center a $12,000 fine, a Type “A” penalty, the most serious that can be accessed. Brandon was not the only child who had wandered away from the facility: RHA Howell officials were unavailable for comment. Center officials met... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207490 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:28:23 +0100 1207490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1181821&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F224219150%2F A 10-year old autistic child “walked away” from his residential facility, Howell Care Centers, in Carrabus County, North Carolina, and was found “in a small branch feeding into a pond on property adjacent to the center.” He was administered CPR and died in the Intensive Care Unit of CMC-University, according to News 14. According to the president of Howell Care Centers, Sam Hedrick: “’An internal review is underway, and we are making all the required notifications of this tragic event……..Our efforts are also focused on supporting this individual’s family, and the staff at the center who have become his second family.’” How was the child able just to “walk away”? Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, c... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1181821 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:12:32 +0100 1181821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146766&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F215795686%2Flife_sciences_in_north_carolin.php OK, this may not be very new, but for all of you taking a look at science in North Carolina next week due to the focus on the Science Blogging Conference, The Scientist has published a number of essays looking at every aspect of Life Science in the state - check it out: The State of Life Sciences. For the latest news on life science in North Carolina, visit the Bioscience Clearinghouse, a very useful website hosted by The North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146766 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:51:57 +0100 1146766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1052575&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F191041854%2Fmeet_congressman_brad_miller.php I'll be there, of course: Join Congressman Brad Miller for a discussion hosted by Ruby Sinreich of OrangePolitics.org and Brian Russell of Yesh.com about the impact of blogging on today's political environment. When: Thursday, November 29, 5:30pm - 7:30pm Where: Mill Town Restaurant, 307 E Main St, Carrboro Suggested Donation: $10 Cash Bar Congressman Brad Miller (www.bradmiller.org) is currently serving his third term representing North Carolina's 13th Congressional District. He has often blogged on many progressive sites, including the DailyKos and Blue NC. Congressman Miller serves on the House Financial Services Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and Science and Technology Committee where he chairs the subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. RSVP by calling 919-834-2343 o... A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1052575 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:40:59 +0100 1052575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1022537&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F184132567%2Fovittore_for_congress_campaign.php My friend, Greensboro blogger Jay Ovittore is running for Congress. He started the campaign blog and the website will be up soon. He is trying to unseat Howard Coble. The Press Conference will be on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:00pm - 12:30pm on the Governmental Plaza/Phill G. MacDonald Plaza in Greensboro, NC, so if you can, please come to support the start of his campaign. Jay's run was first scooped by the Greensboro News & Record back on November 6th. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1022537 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:20:35 +0100 1022537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=986003&cid=t_104285_154_f&fid=36427&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FABlogAroundTheClock%2F%7E3%2F176293040%2Fgo_greene.php Local elections are next week. This is my official endorsement for Sally Greene for Chapel Hill Town Council. And not just because she is a blogger. Or because she was endorsed by The Independent. But because of what Brian said. Read the comments on this post... (Source: A Blog Around The Clock) A Blog Around The Clock blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=986003 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:42:35 +0100 986003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=821368&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fjourneying-toward-awareness.html I have been asked to write about spirituality for a couple of publications and have found that I am struggling to do so. I realize that part of the issue for me is that I am in a bit of a funk—I won’t call it a depression, because I know that I am fortunate and enjoy many things in my life, most especially my relationship with my partner. However, the ongoing heat wave we have experienced, the drought that is drying up my shrubbery (I live in the North Carolina), the sense that this bad weather is a clear sign of the state of global ecological health, the socio-political climate where it seems that the Bush administration can and will do whatever the hell it wants without any oversight, my ongoing struggle with HIV/AIDS, niggling little infections that occur from week to week and that ... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=821368 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:04:00 +0100 821368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=808662&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fsunday-morning-hummingbirds.html These are a few shots of a mature female hummingbird feeding at my home on 19 August 2007. In the last shot, a younger, immature bird appears. It is difficult to say whether the youngster is male or female as it is too young yet for the bright red plummage of a male's neck to grow in.Click any image to enlarge it. Categories: hummingbird photography North+Carolina (Source: 2sides2ron) 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=808662 Sun, 19 Aug 2007 15:03:00 +0100 808662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=785906&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fblog-post.html Over the weekend, Roger and I visited my mom in Wilmington and took some time to stop by the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Here are some photos of the plants and animals that are on display.This is a Venus Flytrap, a carnivorous plant that only grows within a small radius of Wilmington, NC.Click on any image to enlarge it.Two examples of one of my worst nightmares: rattlesnakes. I can not recall if these were Eastern Diamondback or not, but I think they are.Tree frogs cling to the inside of their glass enclosure.Yes, we do have large alligators in eastern North Carolina.This cuttlefish is seen head-on as his colors oscillate.Pink coral.Blue Coral.A clownfish among the tentacles of an anemone.Jellyfish, gracefully potential pain.Translucent, the jellyfish displays the floral patte... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=785906 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:36:00 +0100 785906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=775403&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnc-gay-and-lesbian-film-festival-2007.html I received the following press release from the Triangle Business and Professional Guild mailing list. Please support the NCGLFF this year by attending your choice of films/events.The North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, one of Durham's Signature Events, features 76 films, with two world premieres and 54 North Carolina premieres this year! The four-day festival begins Thursday, August 23 and continues through Sunday, August 26 at the historic Carolina Theatre of Durham. Please visit the NCGLFF website for more details. In 2003, The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau named the NCGLFF a "Signature Event" for Durham, the highest honor bestowed on a cultural event or attraction by the organization. Produced by the non-profit Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc., the NCGLFF, which began i... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=775403 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:20:00 +0100 775403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=773364&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnc-senate-waters-down-school-bullying.html I just received this note from Equality NC. The NC Senate has removed the list of protected categories from the School Bullying Prevention Act. This is a critical part of the Bill to ensure protection for the most vulnerable students in primary and secondary schools in North Carolina. We need your quick action to help preserve the inclusive nature of the bill as passed in the NC House.RonFirst the good news. The School Violence Prevention Act is finally moving through the Senate!Now, the reason I need your help. The Senate's version of the bill removes the list of categories of students most impacted by bullying and harassment, including sexual orientation and gender identity. We need the House to vote NOT TO CONCUR with the Senate version, so a conference committee can work out the differ... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=773364 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:27:00 +0100 773364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=756724&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fcrape-myrtle-festival-and-names-project.html The following is a Press Release from the Alliance Of AIDS Services--Carolina.Crape Myrtle Festival This WeekendJoin our good friends at The Crape Myrtle Festival this weekend. In the summer of 1981, a small group of friends gathered in a backyard for a little party. In that same period, the Center for Disease Control first recognized an epidemic that would - and has - changed the world. All these years later, the Crape Myrlte Festival (CMF) has grown from that backyard party into a celebrated AIDS-related fundraiser. We hope you will join us in supporting CMF - especially since CMF has long supported AASC. The Crape Myrtle FestivalSaturday, July 28th 2007Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh7PM - 12AM Starring American Idol finalist and chart topping CURB recording artist Kimberly Locke ______________... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=756724 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:01:00 +0100 756724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=735517&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F15%2Fdeveloper-donates-house-profits-to-diabetes-research%2F Filed under: Type 1, Daily News, FundraisersThe News-Record of Greensboro, North Carolina, reports on a local entrepreneur who's come up with a novel way to raise money for a good cause. Land developer Roy Carroll plans to donate the profits from one of his new houses to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Carroll, whose sixteen-year-old daughter has Type 1 diabetes, will make the donation just as soon as the house is sold. All the material and labor for the house will be donated. Carroll expects the house to be finished in November and estimates it will sell for around $168,000.Generous? Yes. Not to mention something of a tradition, this being the third house Carroll has built as a fundraiser for the JDRF, an organization that Carroll hopes will eventually be successful in i... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=735517 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 735517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=714753&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fblog-post_04.html I hope we all had a great day of remembering our separation from the government of King George III. Our forefathers made this weighty decision because the King was seen as one who didn't have the best interest of the American Colonies in mind and for not listening to his subjects. May we have equal success with our current King George and one day we will be able to celebrate our freedom from tyranny yet again. These photos depict a few firework bursts from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium as seen from Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Chapel Hill, NC. Categories: politics July+4th fireworks Chapel+Hill North+Carolina photography (Source: 2sides2ron) 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=714753 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:51:00 +0100 714753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=638452&cid=t_104285_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fconfidentialitys-unintended.html Albert Gibson was worried. His son Stephen, who had been hallucinating and seeing ghosts in their home, had been issued a pistol purchase permit. Under North Carolina law, once such a permit is issued, the sheriff’s office has few options for revoking it. John Aldridge, special deputy attorney general and a leading expert on North Carolina gun laws, explained that sheriffs must either ask the person to voluntarily relinquish their permit, or seek a court order to have it revoked. And so Albert began working with the sheriff’s office to prove that his son was ill. Sheriff Donnie Harrison wanted to help, but needed documentation. And that’s where the system broke down. When Albert Gibson sought to obtain information regarding his son’s care, he was told that because his son was an a... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=638452 Fri, 25 May 2007 17:46:00 +0100 638452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=623530&cid=t_104285_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fron-paul-wins-s-carolina-debate-pat.html I doubt there's anyone who'd seriously question Pat's Conservative credentials. Indeed, he's a proud paleoconservative - and he's pointing out that he's right more often than neocons based on his version of "Right."But what's interesting is that fox vewiers got there first, giving Sen. Ron Paul (Libertarian-republican and anti-war from the beginning) a clear win. Granted, this was probably not Fox's usual demographic, but still...PJB: But Who Was Right – Rudy or Ron? ::: Patrick J. Buchanan - Official Website: "Ron Paul says Osama bin Laden is delighted we invaded Iraq.Does the man not have a point? The United States is now tied down in a bloody guerrilla war in the Middle East and increasingly hated in Arab and Islamic countries where we were once hugely admired as the first and greates... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=623530 Sat, 19 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 623530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612232&cid=t_104285_135_f&fid=35263&url=http%3A%2F%2Fronhudson.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Ffrom-equality-north-carolina-urgent.html The following press release is from Equality North Carolina. A bill to combat school bullying has been proposed that would enumerate all of the groups that would be protected from bullying. The conservative right is opposed to including language that would protect those who are perceived as or are gay, lesbian, or transsexual and other groups. Please visit the ENC Action Page to read about this controversy and to take action.RonThe far right is so mired in their own bigotry that they're willing to stand up and oppose a bill that protects our public school students from bullying and harassment simply because it makes clear that it covers anti-LGBT bullying. They're so wedded to their ideology that they're willing to stand by and ignore the fact that gay kids are being bullied, harassed and ... 2sides2ron blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612232 Wed, 16 May 2007 14:59:00 +0100 612232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=601869&cid=t_104285_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F10%2Ftammy-faye-leaves-cancer-fate-to-higher-power%2F Filed under: Lung Cancer, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Blogs, Television, Daily news, Celebrity newsFormer televangelist Tammy Faye Messner -- formerly Tammy Faye Bakker -- posted Tuesday on her website (service is currently unavailable) a message about her health.Messner, 65, reports that doctors have stopped treating her cancer -- she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996 and announced in 2004 the disease had spread to her lungs. "I am down weight-wise to 65 pounds, and look like a scarecrow," the Charlotte resident shared on her site. "I need God's miracle to swallow. I look at young people and wish with all my heart for just one day of 'feeling great.'"Messner, whose daughter and daughter's friends are taking care of her while her husband, Roe Messner, is off building churches, went on t... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=601869 Thu, 10 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 601869