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 'common sense'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:09:21 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883557&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FWkpgfn881yw%2F By Jim HarperThis weekend, New York Times op-ed columnist Ross Douthat wrote a piece full of common sense thinking about immigration control and the E-Verify federal background check system. “Common sense”—or “what most people think”—is an interesting thing: When generations of direct experience accumulate, common sense becomes one of the soundest guides to action. Think of common law, its source deep in history, molded in tiny increments over hundreds of years. Common law rules against fraud, theft, and violence strike a brilliant balance between harm avoidance and freedom. When most people lack first-hand knowledge of a topic, though, common sense can go quite wrong. Such is the case with ”common sense” in the immigration area, which is not a pro... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883557 Tue, 31 May 2011 17:28:25 +0100 4883557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696686&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F10%2Fvirginia-heffernan-on-internet-addiction%2F I’ve been saying it for as long as it’s been around — “Internet addiction” is an unhealthy focus and fascination on the technology, as though it caused people to enjoy spending time interacting with it. If people are using the Internet to socialize — on Facebook, Twitter, etc. — how can we turn around and characterize that as a bad thing? Would we engage in the same negative characterization if we were referring to someone who simply did this over the telephone? Or face-to-face? Of course not. And that’s the disconnect that happens when psychologists throw out these not-well-thought-out terms to describe something they are concerned about. They turn it into a dysfunction through inadequate and poorly theorized labels, that then get picked up ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696686 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:29:57 +0100 4696686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355773&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F16%2Fcommon-sense-psychology%2F Psychology is just common sense. Or, at least some prominent figures think so.  Popular radio talk show host Dennis Prager says, “Use your common sense.  Whenever you hear the words ‘studies show’ — outside of the natural sciences — and you find that these studies show the opposite of what common sense suggests, be very skeptical.  I do not recall ever coming across a valid study that contravened common sense” (Lilienfeld et al., 2010, p.5). It appears that Prager has not read many scientific studies. For centuries scientists, science writers and philosophers have encouraged us to trust our common sense (Lilienfeld et al., 2010; Furnham, 1996).  Common sense is a phrase that generally implies something everyone knows. One of the definitions of common sense given by ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355773 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 13:30:54 +0100 4355773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237870&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FR393-Dap7PM%2F By Jim HarperThis morning, a database of FY 2011 earmark requests was released by Taxpayers Against Earmarks, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and my own WashingtonWatch.com. With House Republicans generally eschewing earmarks this year, members of Congress and senators still sought over 39,000 earmarks, valued at over $130 billion dollars. Learn more on the relevant pages at Taxpayers for Common Sense, Taxpayers Against Earmarks, and WashingtonWatch.com. This is transparency. The production of organized, machine-readable data has allowed these differing groups—an advocacy organization, a spending analysis group, and a “Web 2.0″ transparency site—to expand the discussion about earmarks. The data is available to any group, to the press, and to political scientists and res... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237870 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:19:23 +0100 4237870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133670&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUvvg3G17Wzs%2F By Michael F. CannonListening to NPR on the way into work, I twice heard a reporter refer to Meredith McGehee, a champion of (ahem) campaign finance reform, as a “good-government lobbyist.” Got that?  If you disagree with McGehee’s lobbying agenda — if, say, you think campaign finance reform is an unconstitutional attempt by the Left to restrict political speech that they don’t like — then you are against making government better. But did you catch the more subtle form of bias?  I maintain there is no such thing as good government. (Call it Cannon’s First Law of Politics.)  And I’m not alone.  ”Government, even in its best state,” wrote Thomas Paine in Common Sense, “is but a necessary evil.”  Not good.  Less evil tha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133670 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:22:08 +0100 4133670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3969052&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F14%2Fintroducing-autism-aspergers-and-beyond%2F In this day and age, we seem to increasingly medicalize mental disorders and their treatment, even in very young children. I believe this has significant repercussions in a child’s development, when parents turn to a psychiatric drug as the sole remedy for their child’s concerns. While no parents wants to see their child suffer needlessly, medications have become the “go to” treatment despite the efficacy and greater safety of other treatments. I’m pleased to welcome you to Autism, Asperger’s and Beyond, a blog by Diane Yapko, MA. Diane is a speech-language pathologist who for the past 30 years has specialized in working with the pediatric population in the areas of autism spectrum disorders and other developmental and neurological disabilities. After listening to her speak on ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3969052 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:08:00 +0100 3969052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885331&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtVvBZIljiAY%2F Yesterday, FoxNews.com posted a story on what appears to be a growing problem for public school systems across the country: accommodating Muslim holidays. Unfortunately, the report didn’t contain the solution to the problem. It did, though, contain a very succinct discussion of the root of the problem; an example of the good intent that causes people to ignore the problem; and the kind of “solution” that is ultimately at odds with the most basic of American values. A quote from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg captured the essence of the problem: One of the problems you have with a diverse city is that if you close the schools for every single holiday, there won’t be any school. There you have the basic conundrum in a nutshell: Whenever you have a divers... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885331 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:03:02 +0100 3885331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603597&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-positive-power-of-compulsive-medicine%2F2010.05.26 Most experienced physicians expect uncertainty in caring for real people with average everyday problems. Yet those inexperienced or uninitiated in medicine tend to see the practice of medicine as exact or even absolute. I remember waiting in vain as a medical student and resident for my instructors to illuminate a path towards certitude. Instead, I was given something far more real and lasting: An acceptance of the indeterminate mixed with the drive to be compulsive on behalf of my patients. During my internal medicine internship, I remember a more-senior resident during our daily morning report bemoaning her uncertainty by saying, “But I just don’t know what’s wrong with my patient.” Although she was visibly upset, our program director’s reaction to her comment bordered on amus... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603597 Wed, 26 May 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3603597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526730&cid=t_108492_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoC3xsu_iCj4%2F By Michael F. CannonPresident Obama delivered a commencement speech at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Saturday. He called on all Americans “to maintain a basic level of civility in our public debate.”  Who could argue? Yet the president apparently believes that civility means protecting his policies from valid criticism. He instructed graduates that “the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship.”  Right again.  But the civics lesson rings hollow coming from a president who falsely claimed there was “no disagreement” over his massive “stimulus” bill, and that opponents of his health care takeover offered no proposals of their own. He explained, “what we should be asking is not whether... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526730 Mon, 03 May 2010 12:37:37 +0100 3526730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429229&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F31%2Fgoogle-and-facebook-therapists-and-clients%2F With more and more therapists embracing social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, the question arises — where do you draw the line in terms of boundaries with your patients? Where does a patient’s and therapist’s privacy end or begin on such sites? How do patients and therapists navigate this brave new world of connectedness and “friending”? Dana Scarton over at The Washington Post has the insightful article addressing this issue by talking to a number of therapists across the country. These therapists have had to deal with their own challenges with social networking sites and “researching” people online once it was brought into psychotherapy by a client or a client’s actions. Professional associations haven’t addressed this ki... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429229 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:45:52 +0100 3429229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824168&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F23%2Fthe-complexity-of-psychology-research%2F A lot of times, I write about the results of some new psychology research study or scientific analysis. I boil the results down to digestible findings and try and wrap the whole thing up in simple, common-sense terms. But sometimes what I don’t write about is often more fascinating than what I do. The science of psychological research is, in itself, a complex and regularly contested issue. For every new study published, another study will come out that will directly refute or at the very least, call into question, the findings of the study. One of the journals I subscribe to from the Association for Psychological Science is called Perspectives on Psychological Science. This journal publishes scholarly debates about the merits of certain aspects of the science of psychology. Every i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824168 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:45:44 +0100 2824168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637814&cid=t_108492_88_f&fid=35612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheknifeman.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fon-swine-flu.html I'm sure most of you will follow the flaming, chaotic bandwagon that is Pandemic Influenza with at least some degree of interest. It seems unfortunate that we are incapable of delaing with such medical stories with any degree of perspective.It's flu.I think one of the problems is that most people have never seen, or indeed had, flu. Most people think the common cold id the flu, and so when they get flu, think they're dying.Yes, there's more of it about, so there are more cases of the complications associated with flu.It's still flu. A relatively mild, probably quite infectious, viral illness.And now every bugger with a fever and a cough is being told they have the flu.I share the slightly anxious feeling some of my medical colleagues have toward the shotgun prescription of tamiflu. And the... The KnifeMan blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637814 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:35:00 +0100 2637814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190555&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F15%2Freeling-from-rejection%2F Can rejection cause havoc in your life? You bet it can, at least according to a new article appearing in Newsweek. While I don’t think rejection is going to have any long-term effect on your intelligence or your immune system (despite the article’s claims), I could see how it might temporarily increase your aggression toward others and increase your social isolation (at least in the short term): Twenge’s other research has found that rejected individuals also become less social, are more likely to interpret neutral words and behaviors as signs of rejection and score lower on intelligence tests—all from a simple 15-minute activity. And this pain was felt whether the rejection came from someone we want to like us, or someone we couldn’t care less about. “Ther... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190555 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:07:40 +0100 2190555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806414&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2FcXMyBO-9zaM%2F And a few other boring characters… From Mel’s article “Open-Meeting Bores” The challenge? AA … “is greatly imperiled by the great blanket of boredom that stifles many meetings from coast to coast.” Mel’s research and conclusion: “Having arrived at the conclusion that boring meetings and groups were caused by boring members, I began to look for some means of identifying just who these members really were. Surprisingly, they were the same fellows I have seen in my own bathroom shaving mirror from time to time.” The first in Mel’s cast of boring characters; “First there is Drink-by-Drink Dave! And I don’t care how new in AA you are, you have met him! Dave is a well-meaning soul, and I love him like a brother, as do ... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806414 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:40:38 +0100 1806414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1739371&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2FyF2EstB_6QU%2F Making use of the slogan “Live and Let Live” - from the book “Living Sober.” “An ancient sage said that none of us should criticize another until we have walked a mile in the other person’s boots. This wise advice can give us greater compassion for our fellow human beings. And putting it into practice makes us feel much better than being hung over. ‘Let Live’ - yes. But some of us find just as much value in the first part of the slogan: ‘Live!’ When we have worked out ways to enjoy our own living fully, then we are content to let other people live any way they want. If our own lives are interesting and productive, we really have no impulse or desire to find fault with others or worry about the way they act. Can you think right thi... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1739371 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:15:59 +0100 1739371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1714049&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2FZYJOghPNM4Q%2F After you’ve had the magnificent opportunity to have been a satisfied customer of Alcoholics Anonymous for some time you gather what is called “experience.” With that experience along with the Twelve Steps, there also comes a moment now and then when you “intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.” One such moment occurred in the last day or so when I “listened” to a fellow alcoholic share in a general way and use words that offer someone whose seen them before, some intuitive insight that this person wasn’t quite right emotionally. Not knowing definitively that she wasn’t right presented the requirement that a question be asked and it was. The reason the question was asked was stated. The question was asked in a ... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1714049 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:15:12 +0100 1714049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1714050&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2Fvy6ty1ldDnM%2F I was speaking with a female friend yesterday. A couple of months ago her daughter gave birth to her first grandchild. Not long after the baby was born the mother and, more specifically, the father, returned to their addictions. Mom could very well be a “social” experimenter but Dad is certainly one of “us.” He has come and gone a number of times in the last 9 years yet has not been able to remain clean or sober. Within a short time, the baby’s parent’s had resorted to calling in bogus prescriptions for xanax, again. The law enforcement community here knows the father to the extent that he has been banned from filling prescriptions in any pharmacy in the county, yet they tried. They were caught. Not exactly rocket science… Grandma was forced to bor... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1714050 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:15:10 +0100 1714050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700993&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2FN6h5zyTCTHA%2F To continue the “What A Concept” thoughts… We return to “Living Sober” and page 12; “We’ll meet some people in A.A. or elsewhere who won’t be exactly crazy about us, either. So all of us try to respect the rights of others to act as they choose (or must). We can then expect them to give us the same courtesy. In A.A., they generally do.” I’m not so sure I want to develop expectations along those lines. This goes on to say: “Usually, people who like each other - in a neighborhood, a company, a club, or A.A. - gravitate toward each other. When we spend time with people we like, we are less annoyed by those we don’t particularly care for.” The interesting concept then follows; “As time goes on, we find we are n... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700993 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:15:06 +0100 1700993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671671&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F351523195%2F So, you say you’ve been making your relationships better because you’re not drinking anymore. Your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend is acting nicely towards you today. Your children aren’t running around with computer eyes wondering when you’ll lose your cool. The neighbors say “good morning,” the boss says “good morning,” people smile at you as they pass by. The young lady at the coffee shop has a kind greeting for you. It seems as if you’re not raising your middle finger to other drivers nor they to you. You have extra time when you arrive at work. You have extra time when you arrive home. Your grades are better. You feel a part of life again. The birds’ chirping isn’t irritating today. The wind in the air doesn’t m... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671671 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:06:46 +0100 1671671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642767&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F342272297%2F Yes, I’m being a bit facetious… From “Living Sober” on page 11; “To begin to put the concept of ‘Live and Let Live’ into practice, we must face this fact: There are people in A.A., and everywhere else, who sometimes say things we disagree with, or do things we don’t like.” Ya’ think? “Learning to live with differences is essential to our comfort. It is exactly in those cases that we have found it extremely helpful to say to ourselves, ‘Oh, well, Live and Let Live.’” How often did you wind up with a resentment and drink at someone simply because you didn’t like what they had to say or they had a differing opinion and refused to see it your way? “We have learned it pays to make a very special effo... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642767 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:15:01 +0100 1642767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1494492&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F304881744%2F The First One! From “Living Sober” we’re told something profoundly simple on page 3; “We have found that for us recovery began with not drinking - with getting sober and staying completely free of alcohol in any amount, and in any form. We have also found that we have to stay away from other mind-changing drugs. We can move toward a full and satisfying life only when we stay sober. Sobriety is the launching pad for our recovery.” That ain’t middle-of-the-road psycho-babble, that is directly out of AA approved literature! This is for those who have questioned the presence of the word “abstinence” in our literature. If you’re not certain that completely free of alcohol in any amount, and in any form is abstinence I’d suggest looking... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1494492 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:25:12 +0100 1494492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1443064&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F290290129%2F Okay, I’ve heard it a thousand times… and, guess what? I think I did the same thing! A couple of days, weeks, months of not drinking. No sponsor. No Steps. No clue. But - you’re smart. Or, you really don’t want us to know your truth. So you wear a mask of “I’m sober today.” You wear a mask of “I’d like to thank my Higher Power whom I choose to call God that I’m sober today, I’ll pass…” When you’re asked what your sobriety date is you say “April, 2008.” If you’re asked what Step you’re on you tell us “well, in rehab they got us up to 9. So - 9.” The challenge you face is that you simply cannot - CANNOT - deceive those who made deception a life practice!!! That’s who ... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1443064 Wed, 14 May 2008 16:56:20 +0100 1443064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1373681&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F270922676%2F I’ll let you read through this and then I’ll tell you what principle could be destroyed… From page 298 in “The Language of the Heart” “At this point in our very early experience there remained, however, one missing link - an absolutely vital one. We still lacked a full comprehension of the terrific impact at great depth which one alcoholic talking to another could make. I had partly realized this when my alcoholic friend and sponsor, Ebby, told me about his own drinking, his release from it and of the Oxford Group principles which had made this possible. Still more realization came during my own spiritual experience which had included the vision of a chain reaction among alcoholics, one alcoholic talking to the next. But it was not until I met Dr. Bob th... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1373681 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:29:43 +0100 1373681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1372010&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F270274282%2F And I don’t understand why its changed… When I walked into my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous the folks who were already members didn’t adapt AA to me or for me. They went about their business as they had been doing all along before I arrived. They also didn’t tell me I was the most important person in the room because they knew we are all important persons! Equal! So why have we developed this “new version” of Alcoholics Anonymous today to the extent that we adapt AA each and every single time a newcomer arrives??? “Let’s have a first step meeting…” This past Saturday night I watched as the group’s chairperson brought up a topic at a meeting and it was immediately “suggested” that it would be more appropri... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1372010 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:11:28 +0100 1372010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1349721&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F263579975%2F Curious? Concerned? Have a need to find out whether you have a drinking problem that’s alcohol related? Well… its been my experience that “normal” drinkers usually don’t have the need to find out if they have a problem with booze soooo - you might take that in to consideration :) Here’s a place online to answer a few questions to make a determination for yourself privately. Alcohol Abuse Screening Quiz “This quiz was developed by the Office of Health Care Programs, Johns Hopkins University Hospital. If you consume alcoholic beverages this quiz can give you an idea how your drinking may fall into harmful patterns and indicate whether or not you have a drinking problem.” Of course, most folks who don’t have a drinking problem probably are... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1349721 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:37:31 +0100 1349721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1316754&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F255057468%2F Reading from today’s Daily Reflection “Love and Tolerance” I find the Things That Rot My Soul and - I know, today, that they certainly do just that. **************************************** “Love And Tolerance” **************************************** Fr. Tom taught us that the longest trip I’d have to take in sobriety was the one foot (twelve inches) from my head to my heart and this passage reaffirms that fact. “I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in my heart.” How often we hear someone say “I forgive” then follow immediately with “But I won’t forget.” That’s not forgiving! “I do this not for the other person’s sake, but for my own sake.” Does anyone remember ... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1316754 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:12:04 +0100 1316754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1315417&cid=t_108492_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F254546176%2F Returning to the beginnings of “Living Sober,” we find common sense… “Like almost any other ideas, the suggestions in this booklet can be misused.” Exactly like the suggestions in a meeting can be misused. And? The point? Won’t it all be what it will be according to someone else’s plan anyway? Looking at the slogan “Easy Does It” the book says; “Some of us have found that we could abuse this sensible notion, turning it into an excuse for tardiness, laziness, or rudeness. That is not, of course, what the slogan is intended for. Properly applied, it can be healing; misapplied, it can hinder our recovery. Some among us would add to it:” **************************************** “Easy Does It - But Do It!” ***********... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1315417 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:16:59 +0100 1315417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1188569&cid=t_108492_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F225994955%2F Ok, that was a slight exaggeration, adding a bit of sensationalism, but the above point may come true in the future.  The NMC are currently running a review of pre-registration nursing education. Questions include: should nurses be prepared to diploma or degree level? what proportion of a pre-registration programme should be spent learning in practice? should shared learning be a [...] (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1188569 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:48:52 +0100 1188569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1136856&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fwhere-are-all-autistic-children-of.html This article and commentary were discussed by Kristina Chew. Mark Blaxill, a leading proponent of the "autism=mercury poisoning" line of thought, backpeddles somewhat without totally conceding that the theory is dead. Brett of 29 Marbles asks what it would take for either side to change their mind.Although I ultimately look to science to inform my opinions on things such as causality, I am not above referring to common sense, which is not a bad place to start when considering what kind of studies should be done.One of the things that has made me doubt the whole autism=mercury poisoning thing from the start are dentists, and the amalgams they place. Specifically, where are all the autistic kids who had dentists and dental assistants as parents? More specifically, where is the large group of... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1136856 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:36:00 +0100 1136856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1122133&cid=t_108492_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F208554929%2F When I trained as a nurse, I recall the ongoing debate of the ‘theory/practice gap’. In the advent of the Health & Safety turbo-charged steamroller (recently convereted here to run on “Duty of Care” fuel), over the last 20 years or so, I would like to declare the “panic/common-sense gap” our new clear winner.I know [...] (Source: Mental Nurse) Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122133 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:33:46 +0100 1122133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1058402&cid=t_108492_88_f&fid=35612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheknifeman.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Friver-of-dreams.html In the middle of the night...Doing an extra night tonight for a colleague. Normally this would provoke a great deal of grumblage, but as it's because he's a new daddy, we don't mind. I sure as hell am getting old tho'. I used to be able to do a week of these and not feel it, but here I am after three, tired as a wet kitten, and irritable with it. Like a bulldog with a mouthful of wasp.Anyway...Further evidence, as if it were needed, that people throw off all sense of personal responsibility when they step through our door. Twice tonight I have had people gesticulating wildly at me, alerting me to the fact that they are bleeding.Not unreasonable, I hear you think. Well, no, not usually; but in these cases, the bleeding was from cannulation or venepuncture sites. Not from horrendous trauma, ... The KnifeMan blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1058402 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:44:00 +0100 1058402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=948818&cid=t_108492_111_f&fid=36538&url=http%3A%2F%2Fernursey.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fwhat-are-we-doing.html Customer service, thirty-minute guarantee, provider in triage, rapid medical screening, fast triage. All gimmicks to bring in customers. Gimmicks and deceptive advertising all designed to make the 'customer' think that they will be seen by a doctor right away for their 'emergent' condition. Smoke and mirrors. And what kind of customer are we attracting? The sick ones will always come, that is what we are here for. We are working on attracting just the kind of customer we don't need. The people who use the ER for a clinic, the one's who don't pay, the verbally abusive and enabled of America.For example, take a hospital that has a FNP or PA in triage, are you getting back to a room sooner? Chances are no, but by putting a mid-level practitioner in triage we can say you were 'seen' so that wh... ERnursey - An emergency room nurse blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=948818 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:15:00 +0100 948818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=889609&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fhow-much-accommodation-is-enough.html That was the question I asked myself when I read the story of Sophie Currier, an MD/PhD graduate of Harvard University who is asking for additional break time during testing for her medical license because she is breastfeeding.The test that Currier is taking is the USMLE Step 2, a nine hour test that is the second of three tests that are necessary to become a fully licensed physician. A physician must pass at least the first two steps prior to starting their residency training. This test is usually taken one year prior to completing one's medical school education. That way, if you are not successful the first time, you have another chance to take the exam the following year, prior to starting residency. Evidently Dr. Currier took the test when she was 8.5 months pregnant the first time, an... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=889609 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:31:00 +0100 889609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=865467&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fmostly-good.html Well, it's been about two and a half weeks since the kids have gone back to school. We keep waiting for phone calls, frantic notes, or disparaging comments, but haven't had them. We think things are going (mostly) OK. Buddy Boy starts this year in a self-contained "communications" classroom for about 2/3 of the day, with him going out to "specials" (art, music, computer, Spanish) with his gen-ed peers, accompanied by an aide. This is more time out of the self-contained class than he had last year, and we think this is a good thing. I don't think that inclusion is the end all and be all for everyone, and don't think that Buddy Boy would thrive if he was in the gen-ed class all day at this point. But we do feel that it's a good thing for him to get to know his NT peers (and them him), and to... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=865467 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:46:00 +0100 865467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=829964&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnonsense-and-sensibility.html This week, in a move that can only be described as "Out of this world", the lawyer for Lisa Nowak (the former astronaut who stalked and assaulted the girlfriend of a fellow astronaut) is laying the grounds for an insanity defense because she:...suffered from major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, insomnia and "brief psychotic disorder with marked stressors," defense attorney Donald Lykkebak wrote. ...In the court document, Lykkebak also indicates that Nowak may suffer from Asperger's Disorder. ...Of course this is not the first time that some form of autism has been linked with criminal behavior. The Virginia shootings a year ago were a classic example. One wonders when "autistic bashing" will fall out of favor, but I guess we should expect it when there is a vocal minority in fa... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=829964 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:54:00 +0100 829964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=818784&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fsensory-issues.html 3 days ago Ang dropped by my blog and commented on my vacation travelogue:Enjoyed reading about your vacation. We kicked around a Colorado road trip this summer as well, but were concerned about the sensory stuff associated with elevation changes. (Ended up going to St. Louis instead). I'd be interested in knowing if Buddy Boy had any problems? Or does he generally not have sensory issues anyway? I almost replied that "No, Buddy Boy doesn's have any sensory issues." Then after a bit I thought, well no, he doesn't really have any sensory issues, if you don't count things like when he orders grits and sausage (one of the few restaurant foods he'll eat) the grits have to be the right consistency. Or the fact that when he gets stressed a bit, he reverts to chewing on things (something that he ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=818784 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:12:02 +0100 818784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=734674&cid=t_108492_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F133623668%2Fis_neuroscience_simply_common.html When Stephanie West Allen reminded me today of a fascinating article in Business Week -- The Business Brain In Close-Up I revisited a “common sense” section that still intrigues me. When it comes to common sense research and evidence provides the best footnote. Right? Why then, do we often say ... we know all that already, before we do it? People often tell you brain based practices are common sense. That statement leads me to ask ...  do business leaders who pony up $3,500 to attended David Rock’s neuroscience of leadership sessions ... already apply his brain based teaching? If so, their employees are simply not seeing its change in the workplace.Check out the article at The Business Brain In Close-Up. "It's full of possibilities,"... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=734674 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:07:58 +0100 734674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=629090&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fthings-that-bug-me.html I've talked about how we had a pretty good IEP meeting with the school this year. But there are a few things that still bug me. As these things aren't what I consider the "most important" things, we haven't pushed real hard on them up to this point. But they're still important, so we are still formulating how to go about effecting change over the next year.The first thing is how Buddy Boy is treated at lunch. Sometimes he doesn't want to eat lunch. He takes an ADHD med to help him concentrate at school (it works reasonably well), but one of its side effects is that it decreases his appetite during the day. Sometimes he's hungry and wants to eat, sometimes he doesn't. We don't care, as Liz always gets a good breakfast in him, and he eats when he gets home (after his med has worn off).The sc... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=629090 Mon, 21 May 2007 16:18:00 +0100 629090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=511171&cid=t_108492_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fheights-we-go-to.html Photo credit-Bob ReckIn a story out of North Carolina that will sound familiar to all who have lived in suburban America, a local homeowner's association has forbidden an owner to put up a 6 foot fence (which is prohibited under their covenant).What's unusual (probably not to most reading this list, but in general) is that the reason the homeowners wanted to put up a higher than allowed fence was to keep their young autistic son from eloping from their yard.This is one of those common problems that we often have to face. In our family, we decided to put dead bolt locks on all of our outside doors (as well as our mudroom door) in order to keep Buddy Boy from eloping when he was younger. This is against our local building code, and if the city catches us, we'll likely be forced to remove the... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=511171 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:53:00 +0100 511171