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 'cultural'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:54:23 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130651&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fthrough-the-looking-glass%2F Title: Through the looking glass Scan or click to download 'Through the looking glass' The Skinny: Report from the thinktank Demos suggesting that key priorities tackling child poverty and youth unemployment; supporting parents at key transition points in their children’s development; and encouraging positive relationships with peers short form the basis of government strategy to deal with youth issues, particularly those to do with girls. The report identifies that British teenage girls experience worse rates of binge drinking, worse levels of physical inactivity and more frequent incidences of teen pregnancy than their European counterparts andevidence that twice as many teenage girls as teenage boys suffer from ‘teen angst’. Publisher: Demos Published: April 2011 Size: 1... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130651 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:53:14 +0100 5130651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069480&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-stories-in-medicine-that-need-to-be-told%2F2011.07.26 I can’t help but think that as time passes we’ll forget about how much medicine has changed with the introduction of the Internet.  We’re witnessing a transition that hasn’t been seen in generations.  We live with the end result but the memory of how we got here is fading quickly.  Like any kind of cultural shift, once we’ve arrived it’s hard to remember what it was like along the way. How did patients think before the information revolution?  And how did it go down when patients began to search?  How specifically did information clash with the old model of doctor and patient and how did we deal with it?  There are stories here that need to be told.  I think the real stories are in the small details of what went down between doctors and patients. But as early adopters, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069480 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:00:15 +0100 5069480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050744&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fthe-situation-of-the-climate-change-debate%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan, Maggie Wittlin, Ellen Peters, Situationist Contributor Paul Slovic, Lisa Ouellette, Donald Braman, and Gregory Mandel, recently posted their paper, “The Tragedy of the Risk-Perception Commons: Culture Conflict, Rationality Conflict, and Climate Change” on SSRN. Here’s the abstract. The conventional explanation for controversy over climate change emphasizes impediments to public understanding: Limited popular knowledge of science, the inability of ordinary citizens to assess technical information, and the resulting widespread use of unreliable cognitive heuristics to assess risk. A large survey of U.S. adults (N = 1540) found little support for this account. On the whole, the most scientifically literate and numerate subjects were slight... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050744 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:31:20 +0100 5050744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872142&cid=t_108263_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FIGUc_b-0Joc%2Fplastic-surgery-in-ethnic-groups.html Earlier this week @hrana twitted this: News: Plastic surgery boom as Asians seek 'western' look http://bit.ly/ifQFBs - Don't get me started on this topic. #health The link is to the CNN article by Kyung Lah:  Plastic surgery boom as Asians seek 'western' look The article is an interview of a 12 yo Korean girl, her mother, and Dr Kim Byung-gun (head of Seoul, South Korea's biggest plastic surgery clinic, BK DongYang). The young girl doesn’t like her eyes and wants to have a double fold created in her eyelids to give her a more western look.     Is it wrong to want to look like another ethnic group rather than your own?  Are you slighting your heritage or family if you chose to change your eyes, your nose, etc? I was taught, as a surgeon, the neoclassical canons of... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872142 Thu, 26 May 2011 11:14:00 +0100 4872142 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734209&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F19%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-april-19-2011%2F Have you ever read A Parable by author Barbara Stanny? It’s a story about a farmer who was terribly afraid of an ugly, horrifying monster that lived in the forest near his home so he spent his life building a fence to keep it out. But all that time he devoted to building walls to protect himself prevented him from spending time with his friends and family. When he was finally fed up with being afraid, a fairy godmother appeared and told him how to make the monster disappear. For that to happen he needed to find the monster and embrace it. The farmer was frightened and paralyzed with fear and thought the godmother nutty for suggesting it and himself crazy for thinking of doing it. But, “his pain had gotten worse than his fear.” And he so he faced it by finding the monster,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734209 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:05:36 +0100 4734209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664170&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jointcommission.org%2Fassets%2F1%2F6%2FARoadmapforHospitalsfinalversion727.pdf Lee Kirksey Interview by Disruptive Woman Glenna Crooks. Meet vascular surgeon Lee Kirksey, MD, MBA. He is assistant professor at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, with a surgical practice based in Philadelphia. His concerns transcend those of his own surgical expertise, his own patients and this region, however.  He is an ardent, engaged, articulate spokesman for cultural competence in health care. I think about cultural competence sometimes, but I really ‘got it’ talking with him; for the first time seeing how cultural incompetence impacted my family. Here’s the story: a number of years ago as my Father lay in a coma, the physician in charge of his care refused to speak with my Mother. It required an attorney and intervention of hospital administrators to learn a... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664170 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:30:25 +0100 4664170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615188&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F20%2Fwhy-is-religion-important-to-mental-health%2F As a member of NAMI FaithNet, which “supports faith communities in mental illness outreach, education, and advocacy,” I receive their newsletters. A recent issue featured an interview by Gale Bataille and Bill Berkowitz with Jay Mahler, activist and founder of a grassroots movement which became The California Mental Health and Spirituality Initiative, and Rev. Laura Mancuso, Director of the initiative on the relationship between spirituality and mental health, religion and psychology. Below are some excerpts. Historically, religion and mental health issues have had an uneasy relationship–and it goes both ways: people with mental illness have long faced stigma in religious communities, and mental health professionals have, for the most part, been suspicious of religion. M... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615188 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:11:42 +0100 4615188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527733&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fweight-loss-counseling-is-race-a-factor%2F2011.02.27 Most people know that the U.S. is struggling to contain a surging epidemic of obesity, and that the problem is most acute among African-Americans. Whereas about 27 percent of all adult Americans are obese (defined as having a body mass index of 30 or more), fully 37 percent of African-American adults are obese, and that number jumps to an appalling 42 percent among African-American women. Over the years, public health officials have provided evidence that socioeconomic and cultural factors drive this racial disparity. Now, a new study suggests there is another reason as well: Obese African-Americans receive less obesity-related counseling than their white counterparts, and it matters not whether the physicians they see are African-American or white. To reach these conclusions, Sara Ble... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527733 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:00:02 +0100 4527733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525057&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F27%2Flegal-socialization-and-the-news%2F Over at the new Law & Mind Blog, several Harvard Law students have been blogging about a chapter (forthcoming inIdeology, Psychology, and Law, edited by Situationist Contributor Jon Hanson) by Mitchell Callan and Situationist Contributor Aaron Kay. In the second post on the topic (copied below), LLM candidate David Simon discusses legal socialization. * * * Imagine you and your neighbor share a fence along a common border, part of which demarcates the boundary between both properties and “the wilderness.” The fence benefits both of you because it keeps out the livestock-killing coyotes. One day, a shared and critical part of the fence collapses onto your property, leaving your yard open to coyotes, who may eat your livestock. Without legal recourse, how might you resolve... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525057 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 04:20:50 +0100 4525057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4313962&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F05%2Fdiversity-and-health-care-2010-vol-7-no-4%2F Diversity and Health Care 2010 Vol. 7 No. 4 Contents Page Fade Fave: A comparative study of traditional postpartum practices and rituals in the UK and Taiwan Fade Skinny: This paper discusses a study comparing postpartum practices and rituals in women in the UK and Taiwan, with 3 months of delivering. Ritual practices followed in both countries consist of those associated with choosing and predicting the gender of the baby, food fads, taboos and the use of herbs during the postnatal period. The most helpful person reported during the postnatal period is the mothers’ husband or partner. An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online, alternatively contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Athens Password, Current Awareness, E-Journals, Journals, Oo... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4313962 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:02:49 +0100 4313962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265742&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fintegrative-medicine-as-the-butt-of-a-hoax%2F2010.12.16 In 1996, Alan Sokal got a bogus paper published in the journal Social Text. It was a parody full of meaningless statements in the jargon of postmodern philosophy and cultural studies. The editors couldn’t tell the difference between Sokal’s nonsense and the usual articles they publish. Now a British professor of medical education, Dr. John McLachlan, has perpetrated a similar hoax on supporters of so-called “integrative” medicine. He reports his prank in an article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). After receiving an invitation to submit papers to an International Conference on Integrative Medicine, he invented a ridiculous story about a new form of reflexology and acupuncture with points represented by a homunculus map on the buttocks. He claimed to have done studies showing ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265742 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:20 +0100 4265742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265602&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F16%2Feducation-of-primary-care-2010-vol-21-no-6%2F This article summarises the findings of a literature review exploring consultations in primary care where language barriers affect the consultation. Findings suggest that there are limitations to current consultation models and educational interventions to improve consultations across language barriers and suggests future solutions to those problems. An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online, alternatively contact the Library for a copy of this article. Filed under: Athens Password, E-Journals, Journals, Primary Care Tagged: Consultation, Interpreting, Language Barriers, Primary Care, Socio-cultural Linguistics (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265602 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:29:49 +0100 4265602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214488&cid=t_108263_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fa9wDDRQ7was%2F Getting people to take their meds is always tricky business, but drugmakers should pay more attention to the colors of their over-the-counter salves, because color is a memory tag for compliance and can, not surprisingly, also be easily translated into brand loyalty, according to a paper in the International Journal of Biotechnology. After questioning 600 people who use OTC drugs, 75 percent cited color as an important way to remember specific meds, depending upon such variables as age, gender and religion (read the abstract). But “surprisingly little attention is paid to the sensory attributes of a vast majority of dosage forms in the pharmaceutical industry,” write the researchers from the University of Bombay, according to In-Pharma Technologist. “Unfortunately, a drug produc... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214488 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:46:34 +0100 4214488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077339&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F17%2Fdan-kahan-at-harvard-law-school%2F On Monday, October 18th, the HLS Student Association for Law and Mind Sciences (SALMS) and the American Constitution Society (ACS) are hosting a talk by Yale professor Dan Kahan entitled “The Laws of Cultural Cognition, and the Cultural Cognition of Law. Professor Kahan is the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law at Yale Law School.  A graduate of Harvard Law School, Professor Kahan clerked for both for Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Harry T. Edwards of the District of Columbia Circuit United States Court of Appeals. Professor Kahan is well-known for his work in the area of cultural cognition, or the study of how people assess the degree of risk in a given situation based on their culturally engrained concepts of good behavior.  He leads the Cultural Cognition Project, which ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077339 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 23:15:11 +0100 4077339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880863&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmanaging-bias-in-healthcare%2F2010.08.18 This article was written more for family medicine physicians, but all of us can benefit from self-assessment of potential biases that might affect our judgment. It was also written with the potential bias towards the obese patient in mind, but the article could have been written with any “fill in the blank” bias as the topic. The article points out that bias among physicians tends to “be implicit rather than explicit because of social pressure for healthcare providers to show tolerance and cultural sensitivity.” (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880863 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3880863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845160&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F09%2Frenata-saleci-on-the-paradox-of-choice%2F A common theme of The Situationist and of the scholarship of Situationist Contributors is the “choice myth” in western culture.   Here is a video of Professor Renata Saleci, who employs sociology, psychoanalysis, and philosophy, to offer a slightly different version of that familiar theme. For a sample of related Situationist posts, go to “Sheena Iyengar on the Situation of Choosing,” and the  links in that post.   To review the hundreds of Situationist posts discussing the “Choice Myth” click here., (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845160 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:01:02 +0100 3845160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822954&cid=t_108263_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Frmh_rXaUjd4%2Fcultural-practices-affecting-skin.html I learned of this article (full reference below) via a tweet from @MDLinx last week Cultural practices affecting the skin of children: Current Opinion in Pediatrics http://bit.ly/dbKdNJ #GM #mdlinx Thanks to friends I was able to obtain a pdf copy of the article which I would recommend to anyone who see children (pediatricians, family doctors, ER doctors, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, nurses, etc).  The article reviews cultural practices that present with dermatologic manifestations in the pediatric population.  Most of us have had minimal exposure to these cultural practices.  This can lead to misunderstandings, misdiagnosis, and (unfounded) child abuse accusations.  The article points out that the 2000 Census counted approximately 28 million first-generation ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822954 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:01:00 +0100 3822954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3813049&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F03%2Fsheena-iyengar-on-the-situation-of-choosing%2F From Ted Talks: “[Situationist friend] Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices — and how we feel about the choices we make. At TEDGlobal, she talks about both trivial choices (Coke v. Pepsi) and profound ones, and shares her groundbreaking research that has uncovered some surprising attitudes about our decisions.” * * * * * * For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Sheena Iyengar on the Situation of Choice,” “Sheena Iyengar’s Situation and the Situation of Choosing,” “Sheena Iyengar on ‘The Multiple Choice Problem,’” “Can’t Get No Satisfaction!: The Law Student’s Job Hunt – Part II,” “Dan Gilbert on the Situation of Our Decisions,”and “Just Choose It! “  To review all of the Situationist posts that discu... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3813049 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:01:26 +0100 3813049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802458&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F30%2Fattributional-divide-top-10%2F This article, the first of a multipart series, argues that a major rift runs across many of our major policy debates based on our attributional tendencies: the less accurate dispositionist approach, which explains outcomes and behavior with reference to people’s dispositions (i.e., personalities, preferences, and the like), and the more accurate situationist approach, which bases attributions of causation and responsibility on unseen influences within us and around us. Given that situationism offers a truer picture of our world than the alternative, and given that attributional tendencies are largely the result of elements in our situations, identifying the relevant elements should be a major priority of legal scholars. With such information, legal academics could predict which indiv... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802458 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:01:43 +0100 3802458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753760&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F14%2Fnursing-times-2010-vol-106-no-27%2F This article is the first in a two-part unit on bereavement and last offices and discusses relatives’ grief reactions and caring for deceased patients, taking into account spiritual and cultural differences. Contact the Library for a copy of this article Filed under: Current Awareness, Journals, Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Bereavement, Cultural Differences, Culture, Death, Death & Dying (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753760 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:39:39 +0100 3753760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750117&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F14%2Fsituationist-political-science-and-the-situation-of-voters%2F Joe Keohane wrote an outstanding article, “How Facts Backfire: Researchers discover a surprising threat to democracy: our brains,” for the Boston Globe last week.  Here are some excerpts. * * * It’s one of the great assumptions underlying modern democracy that an informed citizenry is preferable to an uninformed one. “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1789. . . . Mankind may be crooked timber, as Kant put it, uniquely susceptible to ignorance and misinformation, but it’s an article of faith that knowledge is the best remedy. If people are furnished with the facts, they will be clearer thinkers and better citizens. If they are ignorant, facts will enlighten them. If they are mistaken, facts w... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750117 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:16:26 +0100 3750117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710735&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fpetraeus-throws-obama-into-briar-patch.html I've never thought Barack Obama was an idealist. Nor did I ever think that his "lack of experience" as a legislator was a critical factor. It's the "community organizer" aspect that caught my attention. You see, in Chicago, that means you learn to deal with a lot of various sorts of people, and this very much includes fronting up to stone killers and squeezing a donation or some leverage out of them.I think he's a man who is very much a realist, and very familiar with dealing with things as they are and the people on the ground that are there, and rather less affected by the various idealistic and doctrinal slants that people on the "left" and the "right" try to assign to him.I consider him to be the very sort of person that you would want piloting an crippled airplane toward a distant air... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710735 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:18:00 +0100 3710735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702997&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F28%2Fthe-situation-of-presidential-death-threats%2F Gregory Scott Parks, and Danielle Heard recently posted their fascinating paper, titled “‘Assassinate the Nigger Ape’: Obama, Implicit Imagery, and the Dire Consequences of Racist Jokes,” on SSRN.  Here is the abstract. * * * In 1994, Congress passed legislation stating that Presidents elected to office after January 1, 1997, would no longer receive lifetime Secret Service protection. Such legislation was unremarkable until the first Black President – Barack Obama – was elected. From the outset of his campaign until today, and likely beyond, President Obama has received unprecedented death threats. These threats, we argue, are at least in part tied to critics and commentators’ use of symbols, pictures, and words to characterize the Obama as a primate... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702997 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:01:39 +0100 3702997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683693&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F22%2Fthe-situation-of-subjects%2F Joe Henrich, Stephen Heine,  and Ara Norenzayan recently posted their paper, “The Weirdest People in the World?” on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Behavioral scientists routinely publish broad claims about human psychology and behavior in the world’s top journals based on samples drawn entirely from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD) societies. Researchers – often implicitly – assume that either there is little variation across human populations, or that these “standard subjects” are as representative of the species as any other population. Are these assumptions justified? Here, our review of the comparative database from across the behavioral sciences suggests both that there is substantial variability in experimental re... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683693 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:01:57 +0100 3683693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672043&cid=t_108263_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FAfjobfsd9VI%2F The American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has announced a ‘Five Year Strategic Plan’ titled ‘Alcohol Across the Lifespan’   The Lifespan Perspective Investigators traditionally have pursued solutions to the wide range of alcohol-related issues through studies of alcohol’s effects on biological systems, the genetic factors underlying these biological effects, and the environmental and cultural factors that influence alcohol use. This Plan applies a new organizing principle – the lifespan perspective – to these diverse areas of alcohol research. Scientists now recognize that human biology and behavior continues to change throughout life and changes occurring throughout the lifespan affect individuals’ drinking pa... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672043 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:29:25 +0100 3672043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607814&cid=t_108263_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FEr0E-HGqV_8%2F The Free Trade Agreements being negotiated between the US and other nations has come in for some criticism by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), which is a group body of independent experts that is charged with monitoring implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by participating nations. And in a new report, the CECSR notes that the intellectual property obligations included in the Free Trade Agreement between the US and Colombia may hurt access to medicines and recommends a revision of the IP provisions. “The Committee is concerned that bilateral and multilateral trade agreements signed by (Colombia) may affect the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, in particular of disadvantaged and marginali... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607814 Fri, 28 May 2010 12:30:24 +0100 3607814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581854&cid=t_108263_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FztNM9J6bsSk%2F The concept of spirituality in relation to addiction recovery and general psychiatry. This chapter is directed at defining the nature of spirituality and its relationship to empirical research and clinical practice. A preliminary understanding of the spiritual experience can be achieved on the basis of diverse theoretical and empirically grounded sources, which will be delineated: namely, physiology, psychology, and cross-cultural sources. Furthermore, the impact of spirituality on mental health and addiction in different cultural and clinical settings is explicated regarding both beneficial and compromising outcomes. Illustrations of its application in addiction and general psychiatry are given: in meditative practices, Alcoholics Anonymous, and treatment programs for addiction singly and... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581854 Wed, 19 May 2010 09:39:33 +0100 3581854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3425048&cid=t_108263_131_f&fid=34995&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgnxp%2F%7E3%2Fm2yJmPJXg4k%2F Fascinating post by Bayes, Phylogenetics, cultural evolution and horizontal transmission: For some time now, evolutionary biologists have used phylogenetics. It is a well-established, powerful set of tools that allow us to test evolutionary hypotheses. More recently, however, these methods are being imported to analyse linguistic and cultural phenomena. For instance, the use of phylogenetics has led to observations that languages evolve in punctuational bursts, explored the role of population movements, and investigated the descent of Acheulean handaxes. I’ve followed the developments in linguistics with particular interest; after all, tracing the ephemeral nature of language is a daunting task. The first obvious road block is that prior to the invention of writing, the uptake of which i... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3425048 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:17:23 +0100 3425048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383094&cid=t_108263_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FFepiWldxlAA%2F Second Edition For nearly a decade, The Addictive Personality has helped people understand the process of addiction. Now, through this second edition, author Craig Nakken brings new depth and dimension to our understanding of how an individual becomes an addict. Going beyond the definition that limits dependency to the realm of alcohol and other drugs, Nakken uncovers the common denominator of all addiction and describes how the process is progressive. Through research and practical experience, Nakken sheds new light on: Genetic factors tied to addiction Cultural influences on addictive behaviors The progressive nature of the disease Steps to a successful recovery The author examines how addictions start, how society pushes people toward addiction, and what happens inside those who beco... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383094 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:25:39 +0100 3383094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346486&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FU6TKE0B7n-c%2Frandom_observations_about_life.php tags: cultural observation, expat life, Life in Germany, Apotheken, Drogerien Expats, immigrants, and people who travel internationally often are impressed with differences between their home country and the country they are visiting or living in. I thought I'd write about some of the daily features of my life in Germany that are different from my former life in Seattle and in NYC; sometimes amusing, other times annoying. If you also have similar experiences, I'd sure like to read about your experiences and observations in the comments thread. Because I only recently found a "drug store," I'll start by comparing drug stores -- Drogerien -- and pharmacies -- Apotheken. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Inte... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346486 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:17:41 +0100 3346486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3342612&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F07%2Fsunday-news-round-up-sunny-day-edition%2F It’s 57 degrees in Nashville, and somehow I managed to sleep until noon. Hmph. I’m playing around with Formspring, so, uh, ask me anything? This freely available perspective piece from the New England Journal of Medicine ties in nicely to what Dr. Abraham Verghese said last week about engaging at the patient bedside – Ministry of Touch — Reflections on Disaster Work after the Haitian Earthquake. It includes this line about the approach to women in labor: “We develop a system whereby one of us sits behind the woman and holds her, another rubs her back, and I sit or kneel near her, touching her belly and legs, whispering words of encouragement. I pray, and I watch the woman’s face for clues as the labor progresses.” There is some discussion here in TN a... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3342612 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:25:59 +0100 3342612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311763&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F26%2Fvalue-affirmation-and-the-situation-of-climate-change-beliefs%2F On NPR’s All Things Considered, Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan and Donald Braman were interviewed this week by Christopher Joyce regarding their important work on cultural cognition.  Here is an excerpt. * * * Over the past few months, polls show that fewer Americans say they believe humans are making the planet dangerously warmer, and that is despite a raft of scientific reports that say otherwise. And that puzzles many climate scientists, but not social scientists. As NPR’s Christopher Joyce reports, some of their research suggests that when people encounter new information, facts may not be as important as beliefs. CHRISTOPHER JOYCE: The divide between climate believers and disbelievers can be as wide as a West Virginia valley, and that’s where two of them square... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311763 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:01:47 +0100 3311763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3294630&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F1BAqPYvQq-I%2Fupdate_i_despise_t-mobile.php Since I have been without wireless for one week now, I thought I'd take this opportunity to provide you with an update so you don't think I've either died, lost interest in writing or been kidnapped by space aliens. None of these things is true. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3294630 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:55:44 +0100 3294630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3280007&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FJDCLKg9Ws04%2Finternet_connectivity_problems.php I've not been publishing much recently because I've been unexpectedly blown off the air. Tuesday at 2 minutes after midnight local time (Monday afternoon in NYC), when I was trying to publish Scientia Pro Publica, my internet connection crashed and I nearly lost the entire document (!), apparently due to a router malfunction. Rebooting multiple times did nothing to correct the situation, so it is assumed that the router is "dead." Never mind that it is brand-new (two months old?). Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3280007 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:24:25 +0100 3280007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3272966&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F15%2Fthe-situation-of-scientific-consensus%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan, Hank Jenkins-Smith, and Donald Braman, have just posted another fascinating paper, “Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus” on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Why do members of the public disagree – sharply and persistently – about facts on which expert scientists largely agree? We designed a study to test a distinctive explanation: the cultural cognition of scientific consensus. The “cultural cognition of risk” refers to the tendency of individuals to form risk perceptions that are congenial to their values. The study presents both correlational and experimental evidence confirming that cultural cognition shapes individuals’ beliefs about the existence of scientific consensus, and the process by which they for... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3272966 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:01:09 +0100 3272966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3267005&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F12%2Fthe-broader-situation-a-case-study-of-cop-car-cameras%2F As part of my new commitment to posting more of my work on SSRN, I’ve just put up another forthcoming article that may be of interest to some readers.  It offers a law and mind sciences (situationist / critical realist) perspective on Yale Law School’s Cultural Cognition Project (CCP) using a great recent article by CCP scholars Dan M. Kahan, David A. Hoffman, and Donald Braman as a case study.  That article has been referenced in two recent New York Times pieces (including one that listed it as among the most important ideas of 2009). If your interest is not yet piqued, I should also mention that the new SSRN post also has police chases and scandalous pictures of Angelina Jolie . . . or, well, at least one of those things. The link is here; the abstract is found below. * * * The C... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3267005 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:01:51 +0100 3267005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262838&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D2145 Scientists say [they've] crack[ed] HIV/AIDS puzzle for drugs By Kate Kelland January 31, 2010 Study solves puzzle that eluded scientists for 20 years * Finding should help development of new HIV/AIDS medicines * Allows scientists to see how Merck and Gilead drugs work LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Scientists say they have solved a crucial puzzle about the AIDS virus after 20 years of research and that their findings could lead to better treatments for HIV. British and U.S. researchers said they had grown a crystal that enabled them to see the structure of an enzyme called integrase, which is found in retroviruses like HIV and is a target for some of the newest HIV medicines. “Despite initially painstakingly slow progress and very many failed attempts, we did not give up and our effort w... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262838 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:10:53 +0100 3262838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212393&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Fdan-kahan-on-the-situation-of-risk-perceptions%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan was recently interviewed for the National Science Foundation website.  In the interview, which you can watch the on the video below, Kahan discusses how people’s values shape perceptions of the HPV vaccine.  Here’s the abstract. * * * The “cultural cognition thesis” argues that individuals form risk perceptions based on often-contested personal views about what makes a good society. Now, Yale University Law professor Dr. Dan Kahan and his colleagues reveals how people’s values shape their perceptions of one of the most hotly debated health care proposals in recent years: vaccinating elementary-school girls, ages 11-12, against human papillomavirus (HPV), a widespread sexually transmitted disease. * * * * * * For a sam... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212393 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:01:46 +0100 3212393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208466&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fthe-situation-of-mental-illness%2F From Wikipedia: The Rosenhan experiment was a famous experiment into the validity of psychiatric diagnosis conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan in 1973.  It was published in the journal Science under the title “On being sane in insane places.” The study is considered an important and influential criticism of psychiatric diagnosis. Rosenhan’s study consisted of two parts. The first part involved the use of healthy associates or “pseudopatients” who briefly simulated auditory hallucinations in an attempt to gain admission to 12 different psychiatric hospitals in five different states in various locations in the United States. All were admitted and diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. After admission, the pseudopatients acted normally and told staff that th... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208466 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:01:03 +0100 3208466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3157629&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fchurchillian-fortitude.html   Sir Winston Churchill by webcarveView more Sir winston churchill Photo Sculptures  Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.Sir Winston Churchill, Speech in November 1942 William Rivers Pitt is having trouble finding a sense of measurable accomplishment after ten years of hard work in the front lines. I empathize and concur, to a degree. He starts out thus:t r u t h o u t | Go: "I've been writing about unbelievably bad news for more than a decade now, so when the New Year came around this time, I made up my mind to try and come up with something to write about that was optimistic, positive, more upbeat, or something."But in the end he finally comes to this conclusion:The Left has done some truly amazing thin... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3157629 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:01:00 +0100 3157629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3100873&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F18%2Fcultural-cognition-as-a-conception-of-the-cultural-theory-of-risk%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan posted his recent paper, “Cultural Cognition as a Conception of the Cultural Theory of Risk,” on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Cultural cognition refers to the tendency of individuals to form beliefs about societal dangers that reflect and reinforce their commitments to particular visions of the ideal society. Cultural cognition is one of a variety of approaches designed to empirically test the cultural theory of risk associated with Mary Douglas and Aaron Wildavsky. This commentary discusses the distinctive features of cultural cognition as a conception of cultural theory, including its cultural worldview measures; its emphasis on social psychological mechanisms that connect individuals’ risk perceptions to their cultural out... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3100873 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:43:37 +0100 3100873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3079371&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FytAXIARcNxY%2Fwhat_were_they_thinking.php tags: Hickory, North Carolina, street map, city planning, comedy, humor, f.ing hilarious Image: Google Maps [larger view]. This is the Google street map for Hickory, North Carolina. Take a close look at this map and then tell me that the city planner wasn't high on some seriously mind-altering drugs. I'll bet this city requires a PhD for its pizza delivery people and postal workers, and no formal education at all from its city planners. Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3079371 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:59:00 +0100 3079371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3044824&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F01%2Fthe-situation-of-negotiation%2F This study demonstrates that social neuroscience may provide a new way of understanding micro-processes in cross-cultural negotiations and conflict resolution. * * * You can download the paper for free here.  For a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Social Neuroscience and the Study of Racial Biases,” “Law & the Brain,” “The Situation of Risk Perceptions – Abstract,”and to review previous Situationist posts on cultural cognition, click here. (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3044824 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:01:23 +0100 3044824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3037065&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D2055 Discussion Top We suggest four factors that could explain the diminishing proportion of HIV/AIDS borne by the populations moving through CFs; these four factors could contribute either alone or in combination. First, with increased life expectancy for persons with HIV with the advent of better therapeutics, infected persons are aging out of the crime-prone years, generally considered to be between the ages of 15 and 24. Second, while a person may have been infected in his or her crime-prone years, with HAART, prison AIDS mortality has fallen [20], and that person is more likely to survive incarceration, be released, and stay out. Third, the past decade has seen a decline in the number and proportion of HIV/AIDS cases among injection drug users [21], [22], probably due to interventions ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3037065 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:48:32 +0100 3037065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999760&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D2032 Mid-City Gets Into the Great Los Angeles Walk Spirit November 12, 2009 GREAT NEWS from the Mid-City Neighborhood Council! They’ll be sponsoring a water and supply station for this year’s Great LA Walk! Here are the details, from Bruce Durbin of the Mid City Neighborhood Council: The Mid City Neighborhood Council is going to sponsor a “Water & Supply Station” for the Great LA Walk. We will be setting up a table outside the Atomic Cafe, located at 5001 W. Washington Blvd. (on Washington, a block west of La Brea). We will have free bottled water, snacks, sunscreen/band-aids, and also a limited number of token items to show our appreciation for this year’s walk participants. The Water & Supply Station will be set up between 10:30 and 2:30 - that should be ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999760 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:18:35 +0100 2999760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2972059&cid=t_108263_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Faa-and-spirituality%2F The concept of spirituality in relation to addiction recovery and general psychiatry. This chapter is directed at defining the nature of spirituality and its relationship to empirical research and clinical practice. A preliminary understanding of the spiritual experience can be achieved on the basis of diverse theoretical and empirically grounded sources, which will be delineated: namely, physiology, psychology, and cross-cultural sources. Furthermore, the impact of spirituality on mental health and addiction in different cultural and clinical settings is explicated regarding both beneficial and compromising outcomes. Illustrations of its application in addiction and general psychiatry are given: in meditative practices, Alcoholics Anonymous, and treatment programs for addiction singly and... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2972059 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:06:10 +0100 2972059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2958820&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F5KNuU1KCKMk%2F Nien Cheng, author of best-seller Life and Death in Shanghai and one of the greatest Chinese voices of humanity to have opposed communism, passed away in Washington yesterday. To read her account of the cruelty and madness of the Cultural Revolution, during which she was imprisoned for six-and-a-half years and her daughter killed, is to come away inspired by Nien Cheng’s sheer strength of character and the dignity and power of the individual even in the face of totalitarianism. Her refusal to accept dogmas, her deep understanding and love of Chinese culture and history, her capacity for self-reflection, the way in which she used her learning and sharp wit to confront her oppressors and expose their incoherent views, and her ability to survive persecution—all was truly a triumph of the ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2958820 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:37:57 +0100 2958820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904947&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F19%2Fdan-gilbert-on-the-situation-of-our-decisions%2F Situationist friend Dan Gilbert, who will be speaking today at Harvard Law School (details here), recently completed another fascinating TedTalk. Here is their summary:   “Dan Gilbert presents research and data from his exploration of happiness — sharing some surprising tests and experiments that you can also try on yourself. Watch through to the end for a sparkling Q&A with some familiar TED faces.”  Here’s the video. * * * * * * For a sample of previous Situationist posts by or about Dan Gilbert and his work, see “The Situational Consequences of Uncertainty,” “Dan Gilbert on the Situation of Psychology,” “Something to Smile About,” “The Situation of Climate Change,” “The Heat is On,” “Don’t ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904947 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:15:02 +0100 2904947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2894577&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F15%2Fthe-categorical-situation-of-money%2F At the Third Annual Law and Mind Sciences Conference at Harvard Law School, titled “The Free Market Mindset: History, Psychology, and Consequences,” (March 7, 2009) Christine Desan’s presentation was titled “Legal Categories of Thought.”  Desan is a  Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where she has taught since 1992. Her areas of interest include American constitutional history, legal and political thought, civil procedure, and statutory interpretation. In her presentation, Professor Desan describess the rich variety of ways that the law categorizes different kinds of liquidity — including coin, banknotes, bonds, dollars, and securities, and explores some of the ways that legal doctrine has disciplined our thought, including our assumptions about ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2894577 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:01:28 +0100 2894577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890715&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F14%2Fbarbara-ehrenreich-a-situationist%2F Barbara Ehrenreich’s terrific, highly situationist, new book is now on the shelves, Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking has Undermined America. From a related Time Magazine article here’s a brief sample of her writing on the topic of optimism. * * * If you’re craving a quick hit of optimism, reading a news magazine is probably not the best way to go about finding it. As the life coaches and motivational speakers have been trying to tell us for more than a decade now, a healthy, positive mental outlook requires strict abstinence from current events in all forms. Instead, you should patronize sites like Happynews.com, where the top international stories of the week include “Jobless Man Finds Buried Treasure” and “Adorable &#821... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890715 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:01:59 +0100 2890715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834432&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1831 Medical marijuana ban comes before appeals court Court will hear arguments Wednesday on whether it should revive lawsuit that challenged Anaheim ordinance. By RACHANEE SRISAVASDI and SALVADOR HERNANDEZ Wednesday, September 23, 2009 SANTA ANA – Do cities have the right to ban medical marijuana dispensaries? The answer may hinge on a lawsuit being heard today before California’s 4th District Court of Appeal. A group of medical marijuana patients – called the Qualified Patients Association – are appealing an Orange County Superior Court judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit that challenged an Anaheim ordinance that forbids such outlets and makes operators subject to criminal prosecution. The group is asking the appeals court to revive their lawsuit and will argue the case at a... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834432 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:19:03 +0100 2834432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834436&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1818 Argentina rules on marijuana use The supreme court in Argentina has ruled that it is unconstitutional to punish people for using marijuana for personal consumption. The decision follows a case of five young men who were arrested with a few marijuana cigarettes in their pockets. But the court said use must not harm others and made it clear it did not advocate a complete decriminalisation. Correspondents say there is a growing momentum in Latin America towards decriminalising drugs for personal use. The Argentine court ruled that: “Each adult is free to make lifestyle decisions without the intervention of the state.” Supreme Court President Ricardo Lorenzetti said private behaviour was legal, “as long as it doesn’t constitute clear danger”. “The state c... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834436 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:18:14 +0100 2834436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804169&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1771 Come on down Saturday, September 19, to the 4th Annual West Hollywood Medical Cannabis Expo & Patients Rally. Doors open at 11:00 AM and the fun goes all day! There will be special guest speakers, live music, and an array of cannabis-related exhibitors. Organizers ask for a $5 donation at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. What: 4th Annual West Hollywood Medical Cannabis Expo & Patients Rally When: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM - Saturday, September 19 Where: West Hollywood Park Auditorium, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. (Santa Monica Blvd & San Vicente), West Hollywood 90069 (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804169 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:53:29 +0100 2804169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804149&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F09%2Flittle-reminder-on-tactical-and.html A little reminder on the tactical and strategic value of maintaining the moral high ground.t r u t h o u t | The Moral Character of Our Country: "What the revisionists fail to understand is that morality is not a tool of advantage for the strong and/or the privileged to be used and appealed to when it is in their interest to do so, and when it is not, to be modified, ignored, or manipulated. Nor is morality a prop, a façade through which we may proclaim our superiority and/or condemn others. If morality is to have any meaning at all, it must recognize as a fundamental principle the dignity and the rights - the lives and well-being - of ALL human beings. If we do not value persons, all persons, not just members of our particular community, religious group, ethnic group, gender etc., and re... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804149 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:12:00 +0100 2804149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2785989&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F11%2Fthe-situation-of-burritos%2F Majorie Florestal recently posted her intriguing article, “Is a Burrito a Sandwich? Exploring Race, Class and Culture in Contracts” (14 Michigan Journal of Race and Law (2008)) on SSRN. * * * A superior court in Worcester, Massachusetts, recently determined that a burrito is not a sandwich. Surprisingly, the decision sparked a firestorm of media attention. Worcester, Massachusetts, is hardly the pinnacle of the culinary arts – so why all the interest in the musings of one lone judge on the nature of burritos and sandwiches? Closer inspection revealed the allure of this otherwise peculiar case: Potentially thousands of dollars turned on the interpretation of a single word in a single clause of a commercial contract. Judge Locke based his decision on ‘common sense&#82... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2785989 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:01:13 +0100 2785989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772544&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F25MlB_zKJNM%2Fwhat_are_you_doing_today.php Today is Labor Day in the United States. This holiday is designed to honor those of us who are lucky enough to have employment -- you know, a job that actually pays a living wage. Today, we honor work by ... not working. Most people in America view Labor Day weekend as the last weekend of summer, so those of us who can afford it usually indulge in a mini-vacation intended for rest, relaxation and partying. To help us along in this endeavor are many clothing store discount sales, new movie releases, college football games (often the first official game of the season), parades and fireworks shows, and adding to our sense of finality, tomorrow is typically the first day of school in many school districts throughout the country. In view of this plethora of events, activities and entertainmen... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772544 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:07:28 +0100 2772544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772675&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fdear-morans-what-would-edmund-burke-do.html Robert Creamer writes in Huffpo about a political backlash against the Republicans for the "Death Panels" lie intended to make people fearful of health care reform.His last two paragraphs sum up the debt they incur by this starkly, and I'm sure he's correct about the political dimension.In their attempt to enflame the powerful emotions surrounding the deaths of loved ones by spreading intentional lies, the Republicans have stooped to a new low. The Terry Schiavo case should have taught the Republicans that some emotions are too precious to be exploited for partisan political advantage. Apparently it did not. But when Americans begin to discover just how far the Republicans have been willing to go to stop health insurance reform, they may receive a new lesson. Republicans will learn that c... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772675 Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:12:00 +0100 2772675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766265&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F2009%2F08%2F31%2Fseptember-18-marks-2nd-annual-national-hivaids-and-aging-awareness-day-nhaaad-1168%2F%25%26%28%7B%24%7Beval%28base64_decode%28%24_SERVER%5BHTTP_REFERER%5D%29%29%7D%7D%7C.%2B%29%26%25%2F National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day: September 18, 2009 Washington, DC – September 18, 2009 marks the 2nd annual national awareness initiative of The AIDS Institute titled National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). This national campaign highlights the complex issues related to HIV prevention, care and treatment for aging populations in the United States. It is the goal of the campaign to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS. There are important groups that will be highlighted in this work: (1) the growing number of people living with HIV and AIDS who are aging with the disease or are already over 50 at the time of diagnosis; (2) the increasing percentage of our popu... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766265 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:14:33 +0100 2766265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734085&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F26%2Fconstruing-acquaintance-rape%2F Situationist Contributor Dan Kahan recently posted his fascinating paper, “Culture, Cognition, and Consent: Who Perceives What, and Why, in ‘Acquaintance Rape’ Cases.”  Here’s the abstract. * * * This paper uses the theory of cultural cognition to examine the debate over rape-law reform. Cultural cognition refers to the tendency of individuals to conform their perceptions of legally consequential facts to their defining group commitments. Results of an original experimental study (N = 1,500) confirmed the impact of cultural cognition on perceptions of fact in a controversial acquaintance-rape case. The major finding was that a hierarchical worldview, as opposed to an egalitarian one, inclined individuals to perceive that the defendant reasonably understood t... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734085 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:01:05 +0100 2734085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695412&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FZUhAMScItzs%2Fromantic_songs.php Arikia, who was our witness at City Hall yesterday, sent us this song on blip.fm. I've never heard this song before, but the lyrics are almost as though it was written for my guy and I: Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695412 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:59:18 +0100 2695412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2685221&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FQOQQFf2x-iw%2Foh_noes.php The Gardian The Grauniad published a piece that has me seriously worried! The Brits have apparently seized the gold medal from the Americans in sheer, unadulterated laziness; Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2685221 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:05:06 +0100 2685221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678672&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F07%2Fthe-cultural-situation-of-tort-law%2F David Engel and Michael McCann, have posted on SSRN their introduction to their forthcoming edited volume Tort Law as Cultural Practice.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Most scholars would agree that tort law is a cultural phenomenon and that its norms, institutions, and procedures both reflect and shape the broader culture of which it is a part. Yet relatively few studies have attempted to analyze tort law as a form of cultural practice or to address basic challenges regarding the methods or subject matter that are appropriate to such analyses. This essay introduces and summarizes a new volume of interdisciplinary, comparative, and historical studies of tort law in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, India, Thailand, and elsewhere (the volume is entitled F... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678672 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:42:11 +0100 2678672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606168&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Frhinotillexomania-nose-picking.html I am busy picking my nose in a precious moment of privacy, when he bursts into the bathroom to use the facilities, “ooo what you are do?”I put down the tweezers to explain myself, “well I’m pulling off all the dead sunburnt skin from the tip of my nose.”“Rudolph!”“Yes……thank you. It’s very sore actually.”“Why it burn?”“The sun……when we were in England.”“It is being polite?”“Polite?”“Er…….English style nose pickin.”“!”If you like what you read, send it to someone in 'need.' (Source: Whitterer on Autism) Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606168 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:43:00 +0100 2606168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2588253&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FZ7f4QxMp7_I%2Fof_ghost_birds_mass_hysteria_a.php tags: Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis, grail bird, bird watching, conservation, documentary, streaming video No, I do not believe that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker lives, but this trailer makes the documentary film look interesting anyway, mostly because it focuses on the people; the residents of the town nearest the "rediscovery site", the scientists, the politics and the media frenzy surrounding this "Grail Bird" [3:29] Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2588253 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:59:12 +0100 2588253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2572909&cid=t_108263_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F05%2Fsunday-news-round-up%2F Renee of Womanist Musings, has a great post, “The Convenience of ‘Super Crip,’” in which she describes how people treat her like she’s helpless and touch her without invitation when she’s out in her scooter. She also has her weekly links round-up, Drop it Like it’s Hot. Yet another reason why I don’t trust police. Police raided a gay bar in Fort Worth. On the Stonewall anniversary. Somebody left with head injuries, which the cops explain as “fell down, hit head.” They also tried to blame it on those dirty gays and their unwelcome touching (sarcasm, naturally). Dan Savage explains the improbability of the police explanation and vileness of what went down. Via Cara at the Curvature, allegations from female inmates “accusing ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2572909 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:00:14 +0100 2572909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570573&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F05%2Fbiased-i-know-you-are-but-what-am-i%2F Randy Dotinga, writing for the North County Times, quotes Situationist Contributor Peter Ditto on the bias of our media choices. * * * If you’re a conservative, you’re more likely to listen to Rush Limbaugh than turn to National Public Radio. And if you’re liberal, you’re probably don’t spend your time tuned to Roger Hedgecock, Sean Hannity and Rick Roberts. Pretty obvious, right? Yes, but now researchers have gone and confirmed what we think we know: People like to hear opinions that back up what they already think. In a study published this week in a journal called Psychological Bulletin, researchers say we do indeed turn to sources of information that confirm our biases, especially when it comes to things like politics and religion. * * * Peter Ditto, a pro... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570573 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:01:22 +0100 2570573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510452&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fcultural-differences.html We have four female partners. They are all part time.One was on maternity leave. One was on holiday. One was not on that afteroon. The other had finished her early afternoon sugery and was off doing the school run. So, as occasionally happens, there were only male doctors available. I was "duty doctor". A female patient phoned to say that she had been in an RTA that morning. A car had driven into the side of her car. Not hurt. A bit shaken up. She was 29 weeks into her second pregnancy. No pain. No bleeding. She felt that the baby was "more active than usual".Does not sound too serious, but you have to be sure. I offered her an appointment within the hour. She asked if I would want to examine her abdomen. I said I would. She said she was not prepared to be examined by a male doctor and tha... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510452 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:05:00 +0100 2510452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447668&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F31%2Fbrooks-on-the-situation-of-judging%2F New York Times columnnist David Brooks had a nice op-ed, “The Empathy Issue,” picking up some of the themes in the recent op-ed by Situationist Contributors Adam Benforado and Jon Hanson.  Here are some excerpts. * * * The American legal system is based on a useful falsehood. It’s based on the falsehood that this is a nation of laws, not men; that in rendering decisions, disembodied, objective judges are able to put aside emotion and unruly passion and issue opinions on the basis of pure reason. * * * Supreme Court justices, like all of us, are emotional intuitionists. They begin their decision-making processes with certain models in their heads. These are models of how the world works and should work, which have been idiosyncratically ingrained by genes, culture, education... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447668 Sun, 31 May 2009 04:01:46 +0100 2447668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405309&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2Fnry3I5kxDaM%2Ffight_to_protect_our_public_li.php tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries Today, I spoke with several people who work at and administer their local library branches in NYC about the economic situation they are faced with. Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth richest person in America, is proposing a 22% funding cut to all three New York City public library systems (NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens). These cuts would eliminate 943 employees, end all weekend service, and the materials budget will be cut by at least 30%. The City Council must approve this budget by June 30. "At the Brooklyn Public Library, the materials budget would be cut by 30% and service at most branches limited to five hours (1-6 pm) on weekdays, in order to serve students after school," reports the Library Journal. "New York P... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405309 Thu, 14 May 2009 20:37:05 +0100 2405309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2380868&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F29%2Fthe-situation-of-smiling%2F In response to our recent post, “Smile If You Love Your Future Relationships,” Situationist reader, Rafael Narvaez, wrote the following thoughtful comment, which we thought worthy of sharing on the main page. * * * Though everyone smiles, people from different cultures, different social locations, different historical periods ascribe different meanings to smiling (and the actual smile, the muscular event that we call smiling, varies with time and place as well). Middle Americans smile more often, and sustain their (characteristically American, and even middle class) smiles for a longer period of time than, say, Icelanders. And Icelanders often consider excessive smiling as inappropriate, perhaps ridiculous, and, in general, undesirable. Hence, McDonald’s trouble to train th... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2380868 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:01:06 +0100 2380868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349321&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fbitter-low-hanging-fruit-begins-to-fall.html Pennsylavnia cop killer obsessed with conspiracy theories: "Richard Andrew Poplawski was a young man convinced the nation was secretly controlled by a cabal that would eradicate freedom of speech, take away his guns and use the military to enslave the citizenry.His online profile suggests someone at once lonely and seething. He wrote of burning the backs of both of his hands, the first time with a cigarette, the second time for symmetry. He subscribed to conspiracy theories and, by January 2007, was posting photographs of his tattoos on white supremacist Web site Stormfront. Among his ambitions: 'to accumulate enough 'I punched that [expletive] so hard' stories to match my old man.'"It seems like I've been writing about this sort of thing from various angles for years now. Bad ethics, poor... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349321 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:35:00 +0100 2349321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349322&cid=t_108263_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fcafferty-says-war-on-drugs-is-insane.html Lincoln on Prohibition by webcarve Commentary by Jack Cafferty on CNN: War on drugs is insane: "How many prison cells are filled with drug offenders? And how many corrections officers does it take to guard them? How much food do these convicts consume?And when they get out, how many parole and probation officers does it take to supervise their release? And how many ex-offenders turn right around and do it again?So how's this war on drugs going?Someone described insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. That's a perfect description of the war on drugs."Cafferty is right on this. The more you look at the "conventional wisdom" of drug policy, the less sense it makes, the less savory the motives, the more side effects and the less social benefit... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349322 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:18:00 +0100 2349322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2271666&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2FvbG-9QAS4P4%2Fgoodbye_seattle_p-i_1.php My original hometown of Seattle,Washington, is experiencing a profound loss, a loss that has been or will soon be experienced by other cities throughout the country. Seattle is losing their morning newspaper, the Seattle P-I. Today, the last print version of "the P-I" will be published, although the paper will maintain a presence on the internet as an electronic-only newspaper -- the largest newspaper to do so -- so far. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2271666 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:42:37 +0100 2271666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2200655&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1513 chers— west side of the street, between santa monica & fountain, on the way to the grocery store. namaste —rk (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2200655 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:12:47 +0100 2200655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2152961&cid=t_108263_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2Fx29-3NJSLdQ%2Fthats_doctor_biden_to_you.php Have you read the latest piece of anti-intellectualism to come out of the LATimes? Apparently, their so-called journalists are showing their ignorance by stating that Jill Biden, who earned her PhD in Education -- and who also happens to be the wife of Senator Vice President Joe Biden -- cannot be referred to as "Doctor Biden". What have they been smoking?? Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2152961 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:45:56 +0100 2152961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2132616&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F26%2Fsocial-tuning-and-ideology-part-2%2F Curtis Hardin is one of the authors of Shared Reality, System Justification, and the Relational Basis of Ideological Beliefs, an article that examines the relationship between affiliative motives and ideology.  I recently spoke with Professor Hardin about that work.  (For additional background on this research and shared reality theory, see Part 1.) * * * Al Sahlstrom: Could you please briefly discuss the background of this research - 
what is social tuning and in what contexts have psychologists 
previously studied it? Curtis Hardin: The observation that people can and do tune their attitudes toward the ostensible attitudes of others is an old and persistent one—dating at least to the dialogues of Plato (including The Republic and others). It is there at the inception of empirical... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2132616 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:01:19 +0100 2132616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2131664&cid=t_108263_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F25%2Fsocial-tuning-and-ideology-part-i%2F The dominant view of ideology is that it is something that individuals consciously, rationally form.  In this mold, ideology is something pure that exists for its own reasons.  It is not a means to an end, unless that end is implementation of policy that reflects the most accurate evaluation of the world around us.  It does not, or at least should not, change based on different situations.  Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that unconscious, automatic processes and social psychological factors are connected to ideology. One theoretical perspective that sheds light on this connection is shared reality theory.  Shared reality theory proposes the idea that particular cognitions are founded on and regulated by particular interpersonal relationships, and that par... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2131664 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:43:20 +0100 2131664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107796&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1469 Gay Man is Cover Artist for Obama’s Spider-Man Debut President-elect Barack Obama is to be featured in five pages of a special inauguration issue of Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man, USA Today reports: “The White House transition team did not respond to a question about the extent of Obama’s comic-book geekiness, but Obama did mention Spider-Man during the campaign, primarily at children-oriented events. And during an Entertainment Weekly pop culture survey, Obama said Batman and Spider-Man were his top superheroes because of their ‘inner turmoil.’” Towleroad hears that the cover art was done by gay artist and NYC resident Phil Jimenez. (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107796 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:11:42 +0100 2107796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107797&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1467 Obama-Spidey #583 Update Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #583 will has President-Elect Obama joining forces with the Wallcrawler in the issue’s Spidey Meets the President bonus story. To meet expected demand for this momentous issue, Marvel has now announced it’s heading back to press to offer the Amazing Spider-Man #583 Obama Second Printing Variant, featuring a re-colored version of the original Obama variant cover drawn by Phil Jimenez. The 2nd Printing will be on sale NEXT WEEK, January 21 for $3.99 The previously mentioned Spidey Meets the President story is written by Zeb Wells and drawn by Todd Nauck & Frank D’Armata and takes place in Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day, as one of Spider-Man’s oldest foes attempts to thwart the swearing in ceremony of the 44th Pr... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107797 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:56:05 +0100 2107797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074375&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1458 Christine Maggiore, vocal skeptic of AIDS research, dies at 52 Woman and her husband sued Los Angeles County for finding that daughter died of AIDS-related pneumonia. By Anna Gorman and Alexandra Zavis December 30, 2008 Until the end, Christine Maggiore remained defiant. On national television and in a blistering book, she denounced research showing that HIV causes AIDS. She refused to take medications to treat her own virus. She gave birth to two children and breast-fed them, denying any risk to their health. And when her 3-year-old child, Eliza Jane, died of what the coroner determined to be AIDS-related pneumonia, she protested the findings and sued the county. On Saturday, Maggiore died at her Van Nuys home, leaving a husband, a son and many unanswered questions. She was 52. Accordin... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074375 Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:30:51 +0100 2074375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074376&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1456 from the recent amfar study Few Americans believe that HIV+ women should have children [percentage below indicates number of respondents in support of women with specific chronic medical conditions who want to bear and raise children ---rk]. • HIV+ 14% • Cancer 59% • Depression 47% • Multiple sclerosis 37% • Hepatitis C 20% • Down’s syndrome 19% • Schizophrenia 17% If an HIV+ woman made the decision to have a child, one-third of Americans would not support her decision at all • support her decision fully 23% • support her decision somewhat 46% • support her decision not at all 32% from “christine maggiore” entry at wikipedia Christine Maggiore (1957 – December 27, 2008) was an HIV-positive activist who denied that HIV causes AIDS.[1][2] She was the found... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074376 Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:07:04 +0100 2074376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074379&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1443 chers— eartha kitt died christmas day at the age of 81. this is albert rodriguez’ article about her published in the windy city times two years ago. namasté —rk Getting Catty with Eartha Kitt by Albert Rodriguez 2005-04-06 At the age of 78, Eartha Kitt isn’t interested in joining a women’s bridge club or staying home and knitting throw blankets. The legendary entertainer, who boasts Emmy, Grammy and Tony award nominations on her lengthy resume, is as active in her career today as when she purred to worldwide fame playing “Catwoman” in the Batman TV series. In fact, when I rang the land line at her Western Connecticut home recently, she had just returned from the recording studio and was a week away from getting on a plane and heading to the West Coast for a six-nigh... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074379 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:42:30 +0100 2074379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074381&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1437 U.S. Declines to Join Resolution for Global Gay Decriminalization by Kilian Melloy EDGE Contributor Friday Dec 26, 2008 Anti-gay conservatives have delineated their opposition to the international conversation on the human rights of gays and lesbians by framing the issue as one of homosexuality in and of itself being a right. A CNS article posted on Dec. 24 referred to homosexuality as being sought as a “human right” of its own accord (rather than addressing the human rights of homosexual people) and slammed France as being the nation that has “fired the opening salvo” in what the religious-right site termed a “battle at the United Nations” over the question of an international accord regarding the treatment of gays globally. As previously reported, the ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074381 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:51:42 +0100 2074381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074382&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1434 NGO fights 6 evils of HIV-Aids BY THERESA KASAWALA [malawi] 10:47:27 - 26 December 2008 A grouping of religious leaders in the country has taken a milestone in the fight against HIV/Aids by fighting six evils of the epidemic. The evils are • stigma, • silence, • shame, • discrimination, • denial, • inaction and • mis-action. [my bulleting –- i count 7, but maybe the last two are supposed to be a single item (in-action and mis-action). curious list ---rk] National Coordinator of Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living or Personally Affected by HIV/Aids (Manerella) Mc Donald Sembereka said in an interview that there was also need to target people living or affected by the epidemic. He noted that religious leaders who are living or affected by HIV/Aids have a role to play ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074382 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:23:48 +0100 2074382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2067695&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1410 Eartha Kitt with Friends Santa Baby A video of Eartha Kitt doing Santa baby with three friends helping her out :o)) Eartha Kitt, Sultry ‘Santa Baby’ Singer, Dies Staff and Wire Reports December 26, 2008 Eartha Kitt, a sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has died, a family spokesman said. She was 81. Andrew Freedman said Kitt, who was recently treated at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, died in Connecticut of colon cancer. She lived in Weston in recent years but it was uncertain if that was where she died. Kitt, a self-proclaimed “sex kitten” famous for her catlike purr, was one of America’s most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and n... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2067695 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:36:05 +0100 2067695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056155&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1374 L.A. council tightens gun, ammunition laws The move is intended to help reduce the city’s gun and gang violence, but an NRA lawyer says a lawsuit is likely. By Maeve Reston December 18, 2008 The Los Angeles City Council approved a package of gun control laws Wednesday, placing new requirements on ammunition sellers and banning the sale of military-style ammunition in the hopes of further reducing the city’s gun and gang violence. The measures ban the sale of .50-caliber ammunition, capable of penetrating a car’s engine, and would require the city’s ammunition vendors to be licensed, to sell ammunition face-to-face instead of over the Internet and require gun dealers to report a full accounting of their inventory twice a year to the Police Department. The council pa... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056155 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:16:08 +0100 2056155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2052876&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1368 Governor rejects Democratic budget plan By Dan Smith dssmith@sacbee.com Published: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he will not sign a package of bills Democrats sent him today to increase taxes and make program cuts, an $18 billion effort passed without Republican votes. The governor said the package did not include provisions to stimulate the economy by loosening environmental standards, making more use of contractors on public projects and give him flexibility to furlough state workers without union intervention. Republicans claimed the Democratic package was illegal because it raised $9.3 billion in taxes without a two-thirds vote. But Schwarzenegger did not criticize that approach. The state Senate and Assembly made their way through the package of bills requi... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2052876 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:42:57 +0100 2052876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046949&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1352 Rep. Stark: No health reform vote in early ’09 By Jeffrey Young Posted: 12/17/08 03:05 PM [ET] Votes on legislation to enact comprehensive national health reform might have to wait until early 2010, the Democratic chairman of a powerful House subcommittee said Wednesday. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), who chairs the Ways and Means Committee’s health subcommittee, said Congress is likely to take a slower approach on healthcare reform. He said lawmakers have too many pressing priorities on the economy and other smaller-scale healthcare issues to move quickly on a large healthcare bill next year, as reform activists have advocated. “I don’t think we’ll do it in the first 100 days,” Stark said during a conference call with reporters, which was hosted by the Institute for America’s ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046949 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:28:48 +0100 2046949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046951&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1347 12 things to throw at Bush A shoe? Not bad. But surely we can do better By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Monday to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush, as Arabs across many parts of the Middle East hailed the journalist as a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president. - Associated Press A shoe is an honest choice. Civilized. Convenient. Sends a simple “you’re an artless jackass, and everyone knows it” kind of message. What’s more, a hurled shoe is a timeless bit of wisecrackery, sort of like a pie in the face or standing up and hurling your drink at your two-faced lover in a restaurant. Classic. But this is Dubya w... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046951 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:38:00 +0100 2046951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046952&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1345 Anti-discrimination act is no guarantee for Europe’s gay couples Published: 16 December 2008 16:02 | Changed: 16 December 2008 17:15 Gay people fall under a new EU anti-discrimination directive but the advocates of gay rights see potential setbacks as well as improvements. By Mark Beunderman “I thought it was a joke,” said Frédéric Minvielle. Minvielle (37), a Frenchman living in Amsterdam, when out of the blue he received an email from the principal private secretary of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. Through his highest-ranking secretary, Sarkozy stated that he would personally see to it that Minvielle could keep his French nationality. A few months ago, it seemed certain that Minvielle, born and raised in Brittany, would no longer... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046952 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:11:37 +0100 2046952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040148&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1343 GOP budget plan ripped by gov, Democrats by anthony york december 15, 2008 Almost as soon as Republicans unveiled their $22 billion budget proposal – with more than $15.6 billion in budget cuts, and about $6.5 billion in new revenues – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders blasted its details. “It was not a solution. It was simply a rehash of all of the cuts that have been on the table for months,” said Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear. The Republican plan –- unveiled Monday in a press conference that included both Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill, R-Fresno, and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, R-Clovis, — relies on more than $10.5 billion in cuts to education over the next 18 months. The plan would also suspend cost of living increases for we... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040148 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:20:53 +0100 2040148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040149&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1341 What cuts the Republicans proposed December 15, 2008 Legislative Republicans proposed a total of $22 billion in cuts and revenues to help close California’s estimated $41.8 billion budget deficit on Monday. Of that $15.6 billion were in cuts to existing programs. Education, the state’s biggest expenditure, takes the biggest hit, with more than $10.6 billion of the cuts allocated to K-12 schools and community colleges. That would bring school funding to just about the minimum required by state law. The GOP lawmakers also proposed to eliminate funding for state transit agencies and an across-the-board 10 percent cut to the University of California and California State University systems. Deep cuts in welfare and Medi-Cal programs also were proposed. The plan also would change eli... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040149 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:26:46 +0100 2040149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040150&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1339 chers— the art of maps. namaste —rk Number of People With HIV/AIDS (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040150 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:51:39 +0100 2040150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027246&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1321 Our Mutual Joy Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side. by Lisa Miller NEWSWEEK cover story From the magazine issue dated Dec 15, 2008 Let’s try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—e... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027246 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:05:28 +0100 2027246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027251&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1307 thanks for the heads-up to john james, aids treatment news daily alerts Our Unique Mission: To provide the practical, financial and legal information you need to thrive in the “new normal” that exists after a life-changing diagnosis. Our information is modified when appropriate to specific conditions such as Cancer or HIV/AIDS, and can be tailored for your life and situation through an Individual Action Plan. Choose the help you need: Get the practical information you need for all parts of your life impacted by your diagnosis in whatever depth you want - including downloadable forms. Personalize information to your disease, stage, social and economic situation with a free, one-of-a-kind Individual Action Plan. Your plan is computer-generated. It changes as your health, econ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027251 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:09:07 +0100 2027251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021606&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1302 California health agency ignored law helping impoverished HIV patients, judge rules The department is ordered to carry out the program that helps provide Medi-Cal coverage for HIV patients. The department says the plan won’t work. By Jordan Rau December 5, 2008 Reporting from Sacramento — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration flouted a six-year-old state law by failing to enact a program intended to provide medical care to impoverished Californians with HIV, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled in a decision made public Thursday. Writing that the state “has not fulfilled its statutory obligation,” Judge James C. Chalfant ordered the state Department of Health Care Services to carry out the program, which is supposed to help people with HIV &#... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021606 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:43:35 +0100 2021606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021608&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1295 Older HIV-positive gay men as likely to have risky sex as younger gay men with HIV Michael Carter, Thursday, November 27, 2008 A significant number of people living with HIV in London are aged over 50, researchers report in the December edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections. The study was conducted amongst patients attends NHS HIV clinics in north-east London. Overall, 10% of patients were aged over 50, and this increased to one-in-seven gay men, the primary focus of the research. Another finding of the study was that the proportion of gay men aged 50-plus reporting unprotected sex with men who were HIV-negative or whose HIV status they did not know, was similar to that reported by younger gay men. The number of people living with HIV in the UK has doubled since effective HIV treatm... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021608 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:08:56 +0100 2021608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2017861&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1290 Judge: Calif. must pay for prison health care By DON THOMPSON Associated Press Writer Posted: 10/06/2008 01:04:30 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO—A federal judge scolded California officials on Monday for failing to provide the billions of dollars a court-appointed receiver says is needed to upgrade the state’s prison health care system. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson made it clear he expects California to pay $8 billion for seven new inmate medical facilities. But he stopped short of immediately holding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Controller John Chiang in contempt for failing to turn over the money. The judge says he is likely to order the state to pay $250 million as a first installment to demonstrate good faith. J. Clark Kelso, the receiver, said he needs that amount to s... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2017861 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:13:19 +0100 2017861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2017862&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1288 Jeff Prang and spouse Raymundo Viszcarra - Photo by Ryan Gierach. Message from the Mayor December 4, 2008 Dear Neighbors: The last weeks have left me feeling full of frustration and hope. While we have cause to celebrate the election of President Obama and a new Congress, the passage of Proposition 8 is extremely disappointing. However, we must not allow this disappointment to linger and support the fight to repeal Proposition 8 already which is already underway. The City of West Hollywood has joined the amicus brief filed in the California Supreme Court charging that Proposition 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone by eliminating a fundamental right from just one group – le... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2017862 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:59:39 +0100 2017862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2013685&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1250 chers— what msnbc doesn’t mention in the article below is that this “bizarre” case now proceeds to a civil trial in which the 14 victims will try to recover monetary damages from the two now-criminally-guilty perpetrators. coverage of that phase of the case will probably slip under the radar of international coverage, too. remember, all the original media articles are in dutch, not english, so it eludes googling. there was also a recent trial in canada in which a man was found criminally responsible for knowingly infecting others with the virus. can’t find my notes on it. no civil damages though, as i recall. see the text of edwin cameron’s mexico city address above, but it’s not the latest. namasté —rk 2 Dutch men guilty of injecting 14 with HIV A... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2013685 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:50:23 +0100 2013685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011217&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1245 Odetta sings God’s Gonna Cut You Down (acapella) odetta - Water Boy Odetta - Hit Or Miss Odetta Live in concert 2005, “House of the Rising Sun” You Don’t Know My Mind / Odetta photo by Nancy Siesel/The New York Times: Odetta at Radio City Music Hall in New York for a “Salute to the Blues” benefit concert in 2003. Odetta, Voice of Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 77 By Tim Weiner Published: December 3, 2008 Odetta, the singer whose deep voice wove together the strongest songs of American folk music and the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. She was 77. [check out the link ---rk] The cause was heart disease, said her manager, Doug Yeager. He added that she had been hoping to sing at Barack Obama’s inaugurat... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011217 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:42:28 +0100 2011217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2005528&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F12%2Fcourt-did-not-authorize-euthanasia-in.html One of the great difficulties we have in debating important cultural and ethical issues is the lack of a common frame of reference. Or to put it another way, when language is used very sloppily--whether negligently or intentionally--it becomes almost impossible to adhere to precise definitions and understand crucial distinctions that are prerequisites to informed and rational debate.Sometimes this is an advocacy tactic. Thus, proponents for unfettered embryonic stem cell and cloning research intentionally changed the language of the debate in order to win public support--aided and abetted by a completely in the tank media. Thus language describing embryonic stem cell research and therapeutic cloning issues was intentionally devolved into mere "stem cell research." As a consequence, adult s... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2005528 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:34:00 +0100 2005528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985003&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1217 Patient Voices Speaking Out for a Group Once Unheard-Of: Aging With AIDS By KAREN BARROW Published: November 10, 2008 In the early 1990s, a diagnosis of AIDS was both a likely death sentence and a stigma. There were few treatment options, and many Americans were terrified of people infected with H.I.V. Today, because of antiretroviral therapy and an array of drugs to treat both symptoms and side effects, AIDS has become a chronic condition to be managed, at least in the developed world. No longer is the face of AIDS emaciated and covered with lesions; Americans with the disease are stronger and healthier, their concerns fading from public view. Myron Gold, 67, is one of them. In 1993, Mr. Gold was walking in Manhattan around Christmastime when he collapsed and was rushed to the emergenc... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985003 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:44:02 +0100 1985003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980924&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1205 Red Ribbon Warriors From: nativelou Added: December 01, 2006 Get the facts about HIV/AIDS, fight stigma, and get tested. from comments: I want to applaude the wonderful people gay and straight that have come together to make this video. And to all my native gay brothers and sisters out there: HOLD ON AND FIGHT! If you’re going through AIDS yourself or someone you know just keep the faith and hold on! LOVE YA (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980924 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:00:52 +0100 1980924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1968995&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1192 chers— a large part of my day-to-day experience in los angeles includes local street art. it’s been a while since i’ve been able to publish graphics with any regularity, so i’ve collected several groups of photos i hope to start posting regularly. namasté —rk (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1968995 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:40:33 +0100 1968995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947013&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fassisted-suicide-wind-in-their-sails.html After Washington voters passed I-1000 legalizing Oregon-style assisted suicide, First Things asked me to weigh in with some analysis. I look at the matter from two angles. The first is political. I noted that the assisted suicide movement had been essentially moribund since the passage of Oregon's Measure 16 in 1994, and that advocates had adopted an "Oregon plus one" strategy to restore their momentum, which finally succeeded last Tuesday. From my column: And with that success, the sails of the ghost ship Euthanasia rippled with the briskly rising breeze, and once again began to plow through the waves toward other shores, far and near. Soon, legislation will be introduced to legalize assisted suicide in state throughout the country--California, Vermont, Arizona, Wisconsin, Hawaii, perhaps... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947013 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:15:00 +0100 1947013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947014&cid=t_108263_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F11%2Fcan-human-culture-influences-be-causing.html Put this post in the Total Conjecture File. A story about the decline in male fertility and increasing birth defects among male babies got me to wondering: Is it possible that human biological evolution can be impacted by the changes in perception caused by radically evolving cultural trends? From the story:Are males becoming an endangered species? That's the question scientists and researchers have been pondering since alarming trends in male fertility rates, birth defects and disorders began emerging around the world.More and more boys are being born with genital defects and are suffering from learning disabilities, autism and Tourette's syndrome, among other disorders. Male infertility rates are on the rise and the quality of an average man's sperm is declining, according to some studie... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947014 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:25:00 +0100 1947014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930318&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1156 The Mormons are Coming John Aravosis (DC) • 11/02/2008 two comments #1 I’ve been griping to the No on 8 people that they needed to kick the Mormons in the balls with a TV ad because if there’s something evangelicals hate and fear more than gays, it’s Mormons. They should have been using this fear all along. Is it nice? Hell no. But neither is what the Mormons are trying to do. They already have a state built in their own image. It’s nice to see someone finally kick them in the balls. #2 Actually I think it’s time to create a new word: Mormonized. Meaning: To lie like a Mormon. Usage: “Man, my wife totally mormonized me when she told me she was a virgin.” “Don’t mormonize me, tell me the truth” “When I went to Utah, the... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930318 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:49:29 +0100 1930318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1926569&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1134 While same-sex marriage is not expected to play a major role in this election, passions remain high for voters on both sides. photo by Darryl Bush/Associated Press If Elected . . . Hopefuls Differ as They Reject Gay Marriage By PATRICK HEALY Published: October 31, 2008 Several gay friends and wealthy gay donors to Senator Barack Obama have asked him over the years why, as a matter of logic and fairness, he opposes same-sex marriage even though he has condemned old miscegenation laws that would have barred his black father from marrying his white mother. The difference, Mr. Obama has told them, is religion. As a Christian — he is a member of the United Church of Christ [my bolding --- see below ---rk] — Mr. Obama believes that marriage is a sacred union, a blessing from God, and one t... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1926569 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:29:39 +0100 1926569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1926570&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1132 sacbee mast Draft report: Prison medical care costs $2.3 billion higher By Andy Furillo afurillo@sacbee.com Published: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 The prison medical care czar’s $8 billion plan to build 10,000 long-term care beds and other health facilities for inmates will cost taxpayers an additional $2.3 billion a year in operation costs, according to a draft internal state corrections department report obtained by The Bee. Most of the $230,000 cost per inmate will result from a staffing ratio of 1.4 employees per prisoner - including art therapists, music therapists, beauticians and barbers, the report said. It “will far exceed any per inmate cost” of any correctional agency in the country, according to the report. It currently costs an average of $43,000 a year to house a... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1926570 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:50:43 +0100 1926570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1926571&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1130 thanks to the university of oklahoma police notebook—time change When we change our clocks… Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March. Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time. Twice a year, when Daylight Savings Time begins or ends, make it a habit to not only change your clocks, but do a few other semi-annual tasks that will improve safety in your home… Do these things every 6 months when you reset your clocks: Check and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Replace any smoke alarms older than ten years. Replace any CO alarms older than five years. Prepare a disaster supply kit for your ho... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1926571 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:12:01 +0100 1926571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924556&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1113 Court loosens Ottawa’s grip on access to medical marijuana The Canadian Press October 27, 2008 at 7:11 PM EDT TORONTO — A Federal Court of Appeal decision on Monday that upholds a lower-court ruling loosening Ottawa’s tight grip on access to medical marijuana is being reviewed, the federal government says. A three-judge panel dismissed an appeal from government lawyers who argued Ottawa’s monopoly on medical pot was the only way to provide a safe and reliable supply. The panel strenuously challenged arguments made by Justice Department lawyer Sean Gaudet that there was a lack of hard evidence to back up a Jan. 10 decision by Federal Court Justice Barry Strayer. “We’re not persuaded (Judge Strayer) committed any error,” Justice John Evans said in the ruling tha... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924556 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:39:04 +0100 1924556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924557&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1111 Care homes could face closure By Nicholas Timmins and John O’Doherty Published: October 30 2008 02:10 The credit crunch could force care homes [in great britain] to close unless local authorities can pay bigger fees or the government helps the sector find capital, a leading healthcare practitioner warned on Wednesday. Chai Patel, a former health adviser to the government and former chief executive of the Priory Group and Westminster Health Care, said the string of highly leveraged care home deals in recent years were likely to come unstuck as companies struggled to refinance them. “There is a chance of the social care sector actually tipping over” into a wave of closures, he said. With demand for places rising, that would have big effects on the NHS, which relies on the private sect... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924557 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:21:51 +0100 1924557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921047&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1093 CALIFORNIA PROPOSITIONS….This is a special post for California readers. The rest of you may safely go about your Sunday business normally. This year we have 12 initiatives on the California ballot. As longtime readers know, my default position is to very strongly oppose all initiatives. My reasons are here, but the nickel version is that (a) most initiatives these days are funded by corporate interests, not the grassroots, and corporate interests don’t really need yet another avenue to work their will on the public, (b) generally speaking, laws should be laws, not constitutional amendments or initiative statutes, where they’re essentially etched in stone forever, and (c) ballot box budgeting is a curse. At the request of my wife, I’ll add one other thing: I’ve... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921047 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:52:54 +0100 1921047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921048&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1089 chers— looking around mojo after the special kevin drum california post, i noticed this and the links below. am entertained by the photo. it says tons, laughing & weeping. namasté —rk Obama’s Play for Indian Country By Nick Baumann October 27, 2008 Barack Obama has vowed to expand the electoral map for the Dems. Turning out the politically neglected Native American vote may be the key to doing so. Washington Dispatch: Barack Obama has vowed to expand the electoral map for the Dems. Turning out the politically neglected Native American vote may be the key to doing so. If Barack Obama wins New Mexico on November 4, he may want to thank Wizipan Garriott, the vote director of what the Obama campaign calls its “First Americans” voter outreach program. The eff... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921048 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:38:24 +0100 1921048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921049&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1087 annenberg radio mast chers— linked with the mojo article, this is on the annenberg radio site. five videos of navajo opinion. take a look. namaste —rk Voices of Navajo Nation Rebecca M. Ford Navajos express their viewpoints on the upcoming presidential election, and their hopes for the future of the reservation. Rebecca M. Ford Rebecca M. Ford was born in the sunny city of Santa Monica, but moved up to the San Francisco area at the age of six. She was an avid ice skater through high school. She attended UC Santa Barbara, and received a B.A. in visual communication from Hawaii Pacific University in 2006. She received her M.A. in print journalism from the USC Annenberg School of Journalism on May 16, 2008. Before News 21, Rebecca has lived and worked in Santa Barbara, Hawaii and... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921049 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:21:17 +0100 1921049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911401&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1085 A Mormon’s Lament: Church Is On the Wrong Side of History Again With Proposition 8 joe vogel, huffington post posted October 27, 2008 In late 2002, as President George W. Bush began building his case for preemptive war in Iraq, a remarkable thing happened. In contrast to the general timidity of American churches in response to the conflict in Vietnam, leaders of faith were speaking out. Observed the Reverend Jim Wallis at the time: Opposition to war with Iraq has come from a wide spectrum of the churches - Roman Catholic, Protestant denominations, Evangelical, Pentecostal, black churches, Orthodox. All of the statements, letters, and resolutions from church leaders and bodies take the threat posed by Saddam Hussein seriously, but they refuse war as the best response. Importantly, the... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911401 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:14:10 +0100 1911401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911402&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1083 Special session set on $10 billion state budget shortfall By Jim Sanders jsanders@sacbee.com Monday, Oct. 27, 2008 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he will call a special legislative session Nov. 5 to wrestle with a projected shortfall that is “much worse” than the $3 billion previously projected. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata later said the budget gap has stretched to $10 billion. Schwarzenegger disclosed plans for next month’s special session after an hourlong meeting with legislative leaders, who stood beside him as he made the announcement. The session will cover numerous topics, including bridging the budget gap, economic stimulation, job creation, easing the mortgage crisis and bolstering the state’s unemployment insurance fund. Though Sc... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911402 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:45:08 +0100 1911402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911403&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1081 Maria Shriver opposes Proposition 8 By Aurelio Rojas arojas@sacbee.com Published: Monday, Oct. 27, 2008 California First Lady, Maria Shriver at the State of the State Address in January California’s First Lady Maria Shriver said she will vote against a ballot measure on the Nov. 4 ballot that would end same-sex marriage in the state. “I’m voting NO on Prop 8,” Shriver said in an interview broadcast Sunday on Los Angeles television station KNBC’s “Channel 4 News Conference,” a public service program. “I believe in a people’s right to choose a partner that they love.” Her husband, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has been largely silent on the proposed constitutional amendment since he announced in April that “I will always be th... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911403 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:21:43 +0100 1911403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911404&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1079 www.healthycare.in chers— this is an article about the state of AIDS in China, where activist hu jia has been imprisoned. in response to the EU’s awarding him a humanitarian prize, the chinese government has angrily responded by saying that hu jia is a “criminal.” HIV/AIDS Awareness Remains Low In China October 26, 2008 Knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS and its transmission remain low in China, and considerable stigma surrounding the disease still exists in the country, according to a survey released on Friday by Beijing’s Renmin University, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. For the study, Renmin researchers, supported by UNAIDS, interviewed 6,000 people in six Chinese cities. The survey found that less than one-fifth of respondents said they would use a condom if they had a sex ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911404 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:09:47 +0100 1911404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911407&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1072 Kennedy secretly crafts health care plan Turns ’cause of his life’ into ‘09 bipartisan bill Jeffrey H. Birnbaum Friday, October 24, 2008 EXCLUSIVE: From his sickbed, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has secretly been orchestrating meetings with lobbyists and lawmakers from both parties to craft legislation that would greet the new president with a plan to provide affordable medical coverage to all Americans, a measure he has called “the cause of my life.” Mr. Kennedy has been sidelined for months with a dangerous form of brain cancer. But despite his disheartening medical prognosis - or maybe because of it - aides and activists say, the Massachusetts Democrat’s decades-long quest for health care reform may now be closer to success than ever. “There is a se... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911407 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:24:03 +0100 1911407 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911408&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1070 Two prominent national AIDS activists praised Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s plans to combat HIV/AIDS. (Photo by Alex Brandon/AP) Activists favor Obama over McCain on HIV/AIDS issues Candidates’ national strategies so far short on details, experts claim by Chris Johnson Friday, October 24, 2008 Some AIDS activists are rallying behind Democratic nominee Barack Obama as the best presidential candidate to address the growing number of HIV infections nationwide. Obama and Republican presidential nominee John McCain have each proposed implementing a national AIDS strategy to confront the epidemic, but two prominent activists said this week that Obama has a more reliable record on HIV/AIDS issues. Carl Schmid, director of federal affairs for the AIDS Institute and a Republic... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911408 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:51:40 +0100 1911408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1911409&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1066 West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval Events - Street Closures - Parking Locations Friday, October 31st Santa Monica Boulevard from Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard One of the world’s largest Halloween celebrations, Carnaval will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more event information, please visit here. PLEASE DO NOT BRING DOGS OR SMALL CHILDREN TO THIS EVENT!! Street Closures Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive 1 p.m. Friday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Saturday, November 1, 2008. Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard from 1 p.m., Friday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Saturday, November 1, 2008. San Vicente Boulevard between Cynthia and Melrose Avenue from 2 p.m., Friday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Saturday, Nov... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1911409 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:28:01 +0100 1911409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908856&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1064 Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: What are the Options? Download PDF Racial and ethnic disparities in health care – whether in insurance coverage, access, or quality of care – are one of many factors producing inequalities in health status in the United States.1 Eliminating these disparities is politically sensitive and challenging in part because their causes are intertwined with a contentious history of race relations in America. Nonetheless, assuring greater equity and accountability of the health care system is important to a growing constituency base, including health plan purchasers, payers, and providers of care. To the extent that inequities in the health care system result in lost productivity or use of services at a later stage of illness, there are healt... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908856 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:09:22 +0100 1908856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908857&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1062 Vonnegut’s Blues For America By Kurt Vonnegut 2-6-6 No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful. If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD WAS MUSIC Now, during our catastrophically idiotic war in Vietnam, the music kept getting better and better and better. We lost that war, by the way. Order couldn’t be restored in Indochina until the people kicked us out. That war only made billionaires out of millionaires. Today’s war is making trillionaires out of billionaires. Now I call that progress. And how come the people in countries we invade can’t fight like ladies and ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908857 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:45:57 +0100 1908857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908858&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1059 chers— here is some background information about AIDS activists Hu Jia, Wan Yanhai, as well as links to earlier aids-write posts about the chinese government’s treatment of AIDS activists. it is very important to keep internet and traditional media coverage about chinese activists high profile, because it keeps presure on the chinese government to treat them more reasonably, and above all, not execute them. please note that hu jia was made an honorary citizen of france on april 21, 2008, the same day as to the 14th dali lama. also, please note from the wikipedia article below that hu jia is a tibetian buddhist. you know about the dali lama already. and the olympics. while you are calling and writing and talking with your senators and congressmen and presidential candidates, be ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908858 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:03:13 +0100 1908858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1907719&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1047 Call for release of Hu Jia as he receives European Parliament Sakharov prize 24 oktober 2008 The awarding of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is a significant acknowledgement of the work of Hu Jia, said Amnesty International as the prize was announced today by the European Parliament. The organization, which has worked with Hu Jia and his family in campaigning for human rights in in China, repeated its call on the Chinese authorities to release him from prison immediately and stop the harassment of his wife Zeng Jinyan and the couple’s 11 month old daughter. The award highlights the work of all activists in China who stand up against human rights abuses. Background Hu Jia is one of China’s best-known environment and human rights activists. He was one of the founders of the B... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1907719 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:16:25 +0100 1907719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901649&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1034 chers— if i embedded these all on the same post, they’d all go off at the same time, doing a video impression of the leaning tower of babel. and that would be the last time i ate lunch in this town. i like eating lunch in this town. so here is a suite of 8 video posts supporting “no on 8” that you can share with your friends and acquaintances, and jump back and forth between. if you open everything on separate tabs on your browser, you’ll get the babel thing. but then maybe you like the babel thing. be an activist. vote. namasté—rk eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” &#... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901649 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:49:50 +0100 1901649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901650&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1032 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQPtvySVuWM eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901650 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:24:36 +0100 1901650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901651&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1030 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiuMo6RihHw eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901651 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:20:56 +0100 1901651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901652&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1028 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9U296ql9aY eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901652 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:15:54 +0100 1901652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901653&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1026 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Fxs4XJqOE eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901653 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:12:45 +0100 1901653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901654&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1024 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHeTVAE4ZkY eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901654 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:09:19 +0100 1901654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901655&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1022 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9T7ux8M4Go eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901655 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:05:56 +0100 1901655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901656&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1020 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU4udzEbcdQ eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901656 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:01:51 +0100 1901656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901657&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1018 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-pSye9W7FY eight on “no on 8” — master page (1013) eight on “no on 8” — Ellen: Vote No On Prop 8 (1014) eight on “no on 8” — “Did We Vote On YOUR Marriage?” - Vote NO On Prop 8 (1015) eight on “no on 8” — Who’s Behind Prop 8? (1016) eight on “no on 8” — Margaret Cho & Selene Luna: Vote No on Prop 8 (1017) eight on “no on 8” — CA, Prop 8, No – Unfair, unnecessary & wrong 30-sec ad (1018) eight on “no on 8” — Hello, I’m No On Prop 8 . . . (1019) eight on “no on 8” — . . . And She’s the California Constitution (1020) eight on “no on 8” — Five Little Lies (1021) (Source: aids-write.org) aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901657 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:58:08 +0100 1901657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901658&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D1014 October 21, 2008 Dear Neighbors: Halloween is nearly upon us and we must all make our preparations to vote in the incredibly important election this November 4th. Absentee Ballots will be sent to you if you are a PAV (Permanent Absentee Voter) or if you submitt an application prior to October 28th. The ballot must be received by the LA County election office by November 4th at 5 pm. Applications for an Absentee Ballots can be found here. Recent polls show that if the election were held today, Proposition 8 would pass by a 6-point margin, despite being down in the polls just weeks ago. This dramatic swing is credited to a barrage of horrific “Yes on 8″ commercials using lies and fear tactics to manipulate public opinion on the issue. The “Yes on 8” campaign has out raised us... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901658 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:17:03 +0100 1901658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895069&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D996 The Republic of T. Black. Gay. Father. Vegetarian. Buddhist. Liberal. bob barr backs gay marriage . . . One size [marriage] does fit all for heterosexuals. Full faith and credit assures that they’re just as married in Massachusetts as they are in Mississippi. Just let one state, any state, try and refuse to recognized a heterosexual marriage legally entered into in another state and see what happens. I guarantee that heterosexual couples would not have to put up with losing their legal rights, losing custody of their children, and losing their health benefits just by moving to another state. Trust me. Lawsuits would be filed. Legislation would be passed. Mountains would move. Why should it be different for us? Why should we lose our legal rights — our legal relationships to each other ... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895069 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:22:08 +0100 1895069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895070&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D994 The Republic of T. Black. Gay. Father. Vegetarian. Buddhist. Liberal. Here are some of the people writing about some of the stuff I wish I had time to write about, for October 20th through October 21st: • Progressive Voter Guide to Media and Technology | Media and Technology | AlterNet - This election, voters have a clear choice from the two major presidential candidates on whether the Internet should remain free and available to all, whether huge corporations should be allowed to own even greater concentrations of outlets, the extent to which you have a right to privacy online, and whether government will use technological developments readily available to make government more open. • Progressive Voter Guide to Sex and Relationship Issues | Sex and Relationships | AlterNet - Sexuality... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895070 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:02:14 +0100 1895070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895071&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D991 chers— for “lower productivity” read “higher profit.” namasté —rk The Truth about Spiraling Health Care Prices in the U.S.: Medical Technology, Low Productivity and Paying More for Everything (Part I of 2 Parts) The conventional wisdom about skyrocketing healthcare costs tends to blame someone: patients who demand too much care; doctors who practice defensive medicine because they fear being sued; aging boomers, and finally, everyone’s favorite, “the insurance companies.” In fact, none of the above is the driving force behind the nation’s spiraling health care bill, according to a brand new report from the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) titled “High and Rising Health Care Costs: Demystifying Health Care Spending.” (Many thanks to Robert Lasz... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895071 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:30:50 +0100 1895071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895072&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D989 An eroding model for health insurance Working Americans once could rely on employer-based benefits. But more people are being forced into the individual market, where coverage is costly, bare-bones and precarious. By Lisa Girion and Michael A. Hiltzik October 21, 2008 First of three parts Jennifer and Greg Danylyshyn of Pasadena are conscientious parents. They keep proper car seats in their used BMW, organic vegetables in the family diet and the pediatrician’s number by the phone. They don’t have access to the group medical insurance offered by many employers. She’s a stay-at-home mom. He’s a self-employed music supervisor in the TV and film industry. So they buy individual policies for each family member. As careful consumers, they shopped for the best deals, weig... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895072 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:01:51 +0100 1895072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895073&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D987 Final Election 2008 Tracking Poll Finds More People Reporting Problems with Health Care Bills GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICANS REPORT PROBLEMS PAYING MEDICAL BILLS AND DELAYING AND SKIPPING CARE DUE TO COSTS Almost One in Five Have Medical Bills of $1,000 or More Menlo Park, CA — With two weeks remaining until Election Day, more people are reporting problems with health care bills, and paying for health care retains a solid hold on the public’s list of their top economic concerns, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s final election 2008 tracking poll. About one in three Americans now report their family has had problems paying medical bills in the past year, up from about a quarter saying the same two years ago. Almost one in five (18%) of Americans report household problems wi... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895073 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:49:55 +0100 1895073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895074&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D984 HEALTH POLITICS: Truthful—and Helpful—Moments in Presidential Debate Len Nichols - October 8, 2008 - 11:20am The debate last night touched on health care reform a fair bit, and there were two really great moments, in my view. One was when John McCain said loud and clear that our economic hard times do not mean that people who are hurting should have to wait for help to buy health insurance. That should help silence opponents of reform who are so quick to say we can’t afford health reform any more so let’s stop talking about it so much. This economic malaise argument is the ultimate attempt to change the subject and divert attention from a real problem. Both presidential campaigns recognize health reform must be addressed early in the next administration. We will not stop ta... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895074 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:37:20 +0100 1895074 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895075&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D982 Health Care: Right or Responsibility? merrill goozner October 08, 2008 It’s unlikely last night’s debate will change many minds. Both John McCain and Barack Obama spent most of the evening reciting well rehearsed campaign themes. But there was one exchange that elucidated a fundamental difference between the two men over core values, triggered by Tom Brokaw’s intriguing question: “Is health care a right or a privilege?” The Republican nominee hesitated briefly before changing the terms of the question. McCain called health care an individual responsibility. This fits well with his plan to tax benefits and offer tax credits that would send tens of millions of people into the individual insurance market. It also embraces the philosophy behind what Jared Bernstei... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895075 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:19:30 +0100 1895075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1892060&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D977 embed 39 soulqualities this is is richard kearns at AIDS-write.org. i am a 57-year-old gay man alive with AIDS for more than 20 years reporting to you from the border of los angeles and west hollywood. today is monday, october 20th, 2008; this post marks the 1000th post at AIDS-write.org and is the first original video post we have ever broadcast, with any luck. this is a poem called 39 HIVer soul qualities, parts 1 & 2 (xxx) i shoulda died longtime ago so everything troublwise i conjur is pure gravy AIDSwise in dog years (mad in the noonday) thats alotta sauce even for me virus & self? am i infected respected protected rejected inspected detected defected elected expected short-texted reduced numbered dropped tracked dated sated rated hated inflated conflated deflated re-stated me... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1892060 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:22:51 +0100 1892060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1892061&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D975 Obama Campaign Unveils Plan to Fix Underfunded HIV/AIDS Programs By Kerry Eleveld [Eleveld is the political editor for The Advocate.] An Advocate.com exclusive posted October 17, 2008 Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign held a conference call Thursday intended to highlight his policy prescriptions for combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic — including increased funding for research, care, and prevention as well as developing a national HIV/AIDS strategy within the first year of his administration. Surrogates for the campaign tried to pound home distinctions between an Obama-Biden administration’s approach to the disease and a McCain-Palin administration’s. “One of the most important differences is going to be leadership on public health issues that are facing America, in partic... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1892061 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:53:34 +0100 1892061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876145&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D973 Three men have gone on trial in the Netherlands accused of deliberately infecting at least 14 other men with HIV. Please click on this sentence to view bbc video clip. Juliet Gilkes reports. Dutchmen on trial for spreading HIV Agence France-Presse First Posted 20:19:00 10/13/2008 THE HAGUE—Three men went on trial in the Netherlands Monday charged with drugging gay men at sex orgies, raping them, and injecting them with blood contaminated with the HIV virus that causes AIDS. The three HIV-positive suspects, including a nurse, appeared at a court in the northern city of Groningen accused of intentionally spreading the deadly virus at sex parties they promoted on the Internet. They face charges of aggravated assault, rape, and the illegal possession of drugs. The suspects, aged 35, 48 and... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876145 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:38:33 +0100 1876145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876146&cid=t_108263_135_f&fid=35246&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids-write.org%2F%3Fp%3D967 ESPN: Radio station ‘regrets’ Magic Johnson AIDS remarks, promises PSA “The fact that they would make jokes about my status is unbelievable,” Magic Johnson said in a statement about a Minneapolis talk radio show’s comments. MINNEAPOLIS — Magic Johnson criticized a pair of talk show hosts Friday for accusing him of faking AIDS but said he didn’t want them to be fired. Chris Baker and Langdon Perry of KTLK in Minneapolis made the remarks during Baker’s conservative radio show on Wednesday. After Johnson condemned the statements, the station said it regretted “some offhand remarks” by the pair. “We can’t have people out here making false statements and putting out bad information, because this battle is too big when it c... aids-write.org blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876146 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:33:16 +0100 1876146