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 'george'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:24 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140183&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fpenns-genetically-modified-t-cells-create-antitumor-effect-in-mice-with-folate-positive-ovarian-cancer-clinical-trial-pending%2F In a recent issue of Cancer Research, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania showed for the first time that engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice. A clinical trial involving the modified T cells is expected to be announced within the next few months. In a recent issue of Cancer Research, Daniel [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140183 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:50:23 +0100 5140183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159028&cid=t_105643_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4704%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Duniversity-of-westminster-shuts-down-naturopathy-nutritional-therapy-but-keeps-acupuncture-and-herbal-medicine There’s been no official announcement, but four more of Westminster’s courses in junk medicine have quietly closed. For entry in 2011 they offer University of Westminster (W50) qualification Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture (B343) 3FT Hon BSc Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture with Foundation (B341) 4FT/5FT Hon BSc/MSci Complementary Medicine (B255) 3FT Hon BSc Complementary Medicine (B301) 4FT Hon MHSci Complementary Medicine: Naturopathy (B391) 3FT Hon BSc Herbal Medicine (B342) 3FT Hon BSc Herbal Medicine with Foundation Year (B340) 4FT/5FT Hon BSc/MSci Nutritional Therapy (B400) 3FT Hon BSc   But for entry in 2012 University of Westminster (W50) qualification Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture&... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159028 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:43:52 +0100 5159028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125718&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FHY2drzLh5ns%2F By Neal McCluskeyQuite simply, Pell Grants are not supposed to be for the middle class. As the U.S. Department of Education’s website makes clear, Pell is supposed to be for “low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students.” So why characterize Pell as a benefit for the middle class? Because lots of people consider themselves to be in that group — which federal politicians rarely define — and policymakers want their votes. Unfortunately, as Rep. George Miller (D-CA) recently demonstrated, saying Pell is intended for the middle class also makes it a valuable weapon in waging class warfare. “Pell is the reason they are able to go to college and get ahead,” Miller said in response to congressional Republicans purportedly looking to trim the program ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125718 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:06:44 +0100 5125718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086141&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXHhlVhgZfyk%2F By Neal McCluskeyWan to know a major reason Washington won’t make the cuts we need? Because winning elections is largely about getting “middle-class” votes, and just about any program can be spun as a savior for that big — but rarely defined by politicians — chunk of Americans. Case in point, an animosity-stoking assertion uttered last week by House education committee Ranking Member George Miller.  As reported by CNN, the subject was the possibility of a cut being made to the federal Pell Grant program: Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat, defended Pell Grant funding on Friday, calling it the “great equalizer” for millions of students. “Pell is the reason they are able to go to college and get ahead,” Miller sai... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086141 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:43:38 +0100 5086141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050524&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FkDOyFnvKS7k%2F On Tuesday, Cato held a forum on the big profits made by putatively “nonprofit” colleges, the subject of a new Cato Policy Analysis. Not surprisingly, Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, objected to the use of the term “profits” to categorize the excess money colleges take in through undergraduate students, but all the panelists seemed to agree that there is both significant waste in higher ed, and that the Capitol Hill obsession with unabashedly for-profit institutions misses big cracks all over the Ivory Tower. Unfortunately, of course, many of you couldn’t join us on Tuesday. Thankfully, you can now take in the entire bit of illuminating infotainment right here: On a related note, give George Leef&#821... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050524 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:30:18 +0100 5050524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050825&cid=t_105643_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ficd-10-implementation-how-anticipate-what-needs-change Hopefully I have persuaded you that the change from ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 codes is big. But it may surprise you to learn it may be less intimidating than you think. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050825 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:41:37 +0100 5050825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036277&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F16%2Fwhy-is-this-particular-part-of-happiness-so-hard%2F I love the novels of J.P. Marquand, and over the weekend, I re-read The Late George Apley. (I love to re-read.) I thought I remembered that it touched on the issue of happiness, and it does. The novel is terrific — funny, poignant, and very thought-provoking. The first, and most important, of my Twelve Personal Commandments is to Be Gretchen. Why is it so hard to know myself? and to act in accordance with my own nature, my interests, my values? It would seem that nothing would be easier and more obvious — and yet it’s very, very challenging. The novel describes the life of the late George Apley — a man who does not manage to “Be George,” and instead allows himself to be pushed by his parents and others away from the choices he wants to make, and who in ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036277 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:05:00 +0100 5036277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008131&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKZ0H0PYiFrE%2F By Neal McCluskeyYesterday, Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, introduced the first new legislation aimed at breaking down the prescriptiveness of the No Child Left Behind Act. It’s a small step in the right direction, but there are two serious problems with it: It doesn’t come nearly close enough to the reform we need. Democratic reaction to it illustrates why it is so hard for politicians to obey the Constitution. First the insufficiency of the bill. The State and Local Funding Flexibility Act would, essentially, allow states and districts to take federal funding that comes through numerous streams and apply it to different streams. For instance, if a state wanted to take dollars slated for the 21st Century Communi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008131 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:39:49 +0100 5008131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968823&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F23%2Fcan-a-diet-low-in-carbs-high-on-protein-help-in-the-fight-against-cancer%2F Eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may reduce the risk of cancer and slow the growth of tumors already present, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may reduce the risk of cancer and slow the growth of tumors already present, [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968823 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 05:21:02 +0100 4968823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960273&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F22%2Fampligen%25c2%25ae-to-be-tested-in-phase-iii-study-in-tandem-with-upenn-ovarian-cancer-vaccine%2F Hemispherx Biopharma’s Ampligen® is being tested in combination with an experimental ovarian cancer vaccine developed by the Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center. Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (“Hemispherx”) announced yesterday that it entered into a Material Transfer and Research Agreement with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine to provide Ampligen® [rintatolimod; poly(I)•poly(C12,U)], an experimental therapeutic, for [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960273 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:36:50 +0100 4960273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934104&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6MkY2e8QJ3k%2F By David BoazE.  J. Dionne Jr. has suddenly discovered the big-government George W. Bush, 12 years late, and he’s feeling nostalgic: Perhaps I should thank the current crop of Republican presidential candidates for providing me with an experience I never, ever expected: During this week’s debate in New Hampshire, I had a moment of nostalgia for George W. Bush…. Unlike this crowd of Republicans, Bush acknowledged that the federal government can ease injustices and get useful things done. Say what you will about his No Child Left Behind education-reform program. It accepted, correctly, that the federal government has to play an important part in reforming our public schools and held them accountable to a set of standards…. And while there are many problems with the way... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934104 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:13:09 +0100 4934104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893797&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35179&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscottsdiabetes.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fyou-can-do-this%2F Every so often a project comes along that gives me the chills.  Full of honesty and inspiration, empowerment and stubborn determination, the “You Can Do This” Project hit the streets this morning. YOU can do this. Add your voice. Check out the “You Can Do This” page for details. Thank you Kim, this is amazingly powerful. You Can Do This is a post from: Scott's Diabetes (Source: Scott's Diabetes Blog) Scott's Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893797 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:10:41 +0100 4893797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883560&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fab1C-zrG_-0%2F By David BoazIn Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, when Chancellor Palpatine transforms the republic into an empire, Senator Amidala remarks: So this is how liberty dies . . . with thunderous applause. But it can also happen in silent acquiescence. For decades now, successive Congresses have evaded their responsibility to make decisions about the deployment of U.S. armed forces abroad. I write about the latest instance of this, in Libya, in today’s Britannica column: Presidents have an obligation to obey the Constitution and the law. But one of the ways that separation of powers works is that each branch of government is supposed to jealously guard its prerogatives from usurpation by the other branches. Too often Congress ducks that responsibility, preferring to let presidents make ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883560 Tue, 31 May 2011 14:30:57 +0100 4883560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841887&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fasco-2011-maintenance-therapy-with-parp-inhibitors-could-play-important-role-in-treatment-of-recurrent-ovarian-cancer%2F A randomized phase II clinical trial showed that the oral PARP inhibitor drug olaparib (AZD2281), given after chemotherapy, improved progression-free survival in women with the most common type of recurrent ovarian cancer. ASCO Releases Studies From Upcoming Annual Meeting – Important Advances in Targeted Therapies, Screening, and Personalized Medicine The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841887 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:03:58 +0100 4841887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841888&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2F2011-asco-screening-with-ca-125-transvaginal-ultrasound-does-not-reduce-ovarian-cancer-death-rate-results-in-high-number-of-false-positives%2F Findings from a large, long-term study – the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Screening Trial – showed that using a CA-125 blood test and transvaginal ultrasound for early detection of ovarian cancer did not reduce the risk of dying from the disease, and resulted in a large number of false positives and related follow-up [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841888 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:56:18 +0100 4841888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841889&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F18%2F2011-asco-annual-meeting-abstracts-including-ovarian-cancer-made-publicly-available-today%2F More than 30,000 cancer specialists from around the world will gather at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to discuss the latest innovations in research, quality, practice and technology in cancer. More than 30,000 cancer specialists from around the world will gather at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841889 Wed, 18 May 2011 22:43:10 +0100 4841889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820823&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F80UGSK8Bg5Y%2F By Tad DeHavenGeorge Will makes a good point in his latest column: Democrats maintain a peculiar “conviction that whatever government programs exist should forever exist because they always have existed.” Will’s observation centers around the shameless Democratic attacks on Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposal to reform Medicare and Medicaid. According to Will, “Ryan’s plan would alter Medicare. But Medicare has existed in its current configuration for only 46 of the nation’s 235 years.” Actually, “current configuration” isn’t quite accurate. For example, Medicare’s prescription drug component added by Republicans, which Ryan voted for, went into effect only five years ago. Regardless, I agree with Will that so-called “progressives” have a “constricted notion ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820823 Thu, 12 May 2011 20:33:52 +0100 4820823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820828&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa9wBSHLbz0o%2F By David BoazThe long Hayek Week continues, a full two weeks after Cato’s all-star panel on The Constitution of Liberty. The Washington Post today features George Mason University professor Russell Roberts and his Hayek-Keynes rap videos. And by reading the actual print edition of the New York Times Book Review, I discovered that the same issue that included Francis Fukuyama’s review of the The Constitution of Liberty last Sunday also included a letter from one David Beffert of Washington, D.C., coincidentally responding to a review of Fukuyama’s own new book. Beffert wrote: I enjoyed Michael Lind’s April 17 review of Francis Fukuyama’s important new book, “The Origins of Political Order.” But even as someone who prefers John Maynard Keynes and Karl Polanyi to F. ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820828 Thu, 12 May 2011 14:15:36 +0100 4820828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775373&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIn343nt1Z4k%2F By George Scoville Habeas corpus applies to anyone, citizen or not, in custody under American law, no matter what President Bush and President Obama decree. House Republicans’ cuts to the Department of Education, which will spend over $70 billion next year, didn’t even amount to $1 billion. “Regardless of whether Pakistan gets its way, its impudence in pushing Afghanistan to abandon America exposes the real balance of power in the region.” “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to refer to a government whose intelligence service assists military efforts by al Qaeda and the Taliban against U.S. troops in Afghanistan as an ‘ally.’” Here are five ways to cut military spending today without changing our strategic focus: Monday Links is a post f... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775373 Mon, 02 May 2011 14:29:08 +0100 4775373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775620&cid=t_105643_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F02%2Finspiring-women-at-the-2011-aalu-annual-meeting-today%2F Today is going to be a great day! That’s because I get to do what I love best… talk! (LOL, seriously, I was voted “most talkative” in middle school and high school). No. What I love best is engaging people and helping them think differently about their health and wellness. I want people to see their daily choices about nutrition, exercise, and managing stress as self-care. Unfortunately, we don’t. Most women (97%) spend most days “bashing” the way they look. We don’t get any help from certain forms of media either. Take this month’s issue of Marie Claire. They published self-proclaimed “nutritionists” daily food journals. One woman starved herself all day and then binged on fruit, smoothies, and a box of macaroons once she f... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775620 Mon, 02 May 2011 12:52:59 +0100 4775620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762853&cid=t_105643_125_f&fid=37825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbibbynews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F28%2Fwhat-everyone-ought-to-know-about-eastman-dental%2F Bibby Library has preserved the history of Eastman Dental and dentistry in the Rochester New York area through its print and digital archive collections. The American Library Association has designated the week of April 24-30 as preservation week. Here are a few interesting facts about Eastman Dental: 1.  Eastman Dental has been providing oral health [...] (Source: Bibby Library News and Tips) Bibby Library News and Tips blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762853 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:51:57 +0100 4762853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4758742&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqriEL585sqM%2F By Steve H. HankeThe public has finally started to give President Obama’s economic policies a big “thumbs down”.  This shouldn’t surprise anyone who is familiar with the Misery Index. While President Obama sings the glories of big government, it is ironic that he has been marked by the curse of government failure.  One metric that measures how this curse will affect the President’s performance is the Misery Index (see the accompanying chart). The Index is calculated by adding the difference between the average inflation rate over a president’s term and the average inflation rate during the last year of the previous president’s term; the difference between the average unemployment rate over a president’s term and the unemployment rate during the last month... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4758742 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:14:55 +0100 4758742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753668&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F36gArqmjjoY%2F By David BoazThat’s what Michael Gerson, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, writes in the Washington Post. I take a different view in my new column at the Encyclopedia Britannica Blog: Libertarians want to live in what Adam Smith called the Great Society, the complex and productive society made possible by social interaction. We agree with George Soros that “cooperation is as much a part of the system as competition.” In fact, we consider cooperation so essential to human flourishing that we don’t just want to talk about it; we want to create social institutions that make it possible. That is what property rights, limited government, and the rule of law are all about…. The American, and libertarian, belief in freedom is not a “mania,” nor is it “sel... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753668 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:34:52 +0100 4753668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4744839&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F23%2Frecovery-from-addiction-and-depression-an-interview-with-vivian-eisenecher-2%2F Today I have the honor of interviewing Vivian Eisenecher, author of Recovering Me, Discovering Joy, and a sought after speaker, mentor and writer since 1996. Her other published works include articles for Chicken Soup for the Soul and Woman’s World. Her inspirational story has been enthusiastically received by churches, companies and corporations, national organizations and national associations. She is passionate about reducing the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse. She loves helping people meet their potential and discover joy in their lives! Question: I love the definition of authentic success that you give in your book. You spell out PROCESS as an acrostic and go through the seven components of process. Could you abbreviate them here for my readers? Vivian: Authentic s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4744839 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:59:18 +0100 4744839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723786&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNFg2b0upjHA%2F By Walter OlsonAs Iain Murray points out at National Review‘s “Corner,” there’s no date on the calendar each year that reminds us, the way income tax filing day does, of the huge share of our economic labors that the government commands in the name of regulation. In part this is because the costs of regulation are even better disguised than those of taxation: while paycheck withholding may lull us into complacency about our income tax burden, it is downright transparent compared with the costs of regulation, which the ordinary citizen may never recognize when passed along in the form of higher utility bills or sluggish performance by some sector of the economy. Iain notes the good work done by his colleagues at the Competitive Enterprise Institute: Regulations cost... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723786 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:19:45 +0100 4723786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709190&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fw_3gECG0FYA%2F By John SamplesOver the next few years, most arguments about campaign finance regulation will be about extending mandated disclosure to some of the independent spending freed up by the Citizens United decision. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, James L. Huffman offers a unique perspective on mandated disclosure: he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate last year. He argues that mandated disclosure means incumbents know who funded the campaigns of their challengers.  Incumbents do not have to actually threaten anyone; disclosure plus circumstances means a cautious businessperson will stay clear of electoral participation. Huffman also claims that some people who might have contributed to his campaign heard from associates of his opponent who said contributing to Huffman might be a bad idea... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709190 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:32:20 +0100 4709190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709192&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1d48imqwYoY%2F By George Scoville “Whatever your views on climate change, you ought to find it unsettling that, here and elsewhere, most of the actual ‘law’ in this country is crafted by unelected executive-branch bureaucrats.” “The Framers’ Constitution freed us, to make our own individual choices.” “The world’s dictators are fleeing for their lives, all because of Secretary Clinton’s efforts.” “Total spending jumped by almost $2 trillion during the Bush-Obama spending binge, so a $39 billion cut is almost too small to mention.” The Founders would agree with the idea that “it should be hard to get into wars and easy to leave them“: Wednesday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709192 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:48:36 +0100 4709192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693462&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FUdND7H2Of8s%2F I’ve had a definite style of playing – I’ve always had, But I was overshadowed. They call George the invisible singer. I’m the invisible guitarist. John Lennon Filed under: qotd Tagged: Beatles, George Harrison, John Lennon (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693462 Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:29:18 +0100 4693462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684264&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3V-WKxgXuaU%2F By David BoazPresident Obama's incomprehensible "kinetic military action" in Libya has driven George Will to distraction, and to mordant wit: At about this point in foreign policy misadventures, the usual question is: What is Plan B? Today’s question is: What was Plan A? Not to mention literary allusion: Perhaps the CIA operatives should have stayed home and talked to some senators who seem to know what’s what. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) refers to the Libyan rebels as part of a “pro-democracy movement.” Perhaps they are. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) must think so. Serving, as usual, as Sancho Panza to Sen. John McCain’s Don Quixote, Graham said last Sunday (on “Face the Nation”), “We should be taking the fight to Tripoli.” Read the whole thing. George Will on Libya is a po... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684264 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:48:57 +0100 4684264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670089&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fsmgbhm97Dmc%2F By Benjamin H. FriedmanMany presidential foreign policy doctrines ago, George Kennan figured out what was wrong with them. In my latest post for The Skeptics, I rely on his insight to try to stop pundits from inventing an Obama Doctrine. The national effort to discern an Obama Doctrine from our attack on Libya is likely to be futile. If it succeeds, it will be harmful. No one can make foreign policy without some theory or strategy. But as Kennan’s lament about the Truman Doctrine points out, doctrines tend to be post-hoc rationales of actions that confuse policy later. If taken seriously, they typically encourage foolish wars. Kennan attributed the American desire for doctrines to our love of law and rules. I see it more as a product of divided power, which heightens the need for sales. ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670089 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:33:19 +0100 4670089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159038&cid=t_105643_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4239%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Da-thoroughly-dangerous-charity-yestolife-promotes-nonsense-cancer-treatments Conclusion The information supplied by YesToLife is more likely to kill you than to cure you. The next time you see somebody collecting for a "cancer charity" be very careful before you give them money. Follow-up (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159038 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:42:45 +0100 5159038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636413&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1dImHb3owjo%2F By Gene HealyRecently, I've been blogging over at the Washington Examiner's lively "Beltway Confidential" site, mostly on the subject of congressional war powers and President Obama's Libyan adventure. Today's post, "Obama Makes 'Kinetic Military Action' on the English Language" has a little fun with the administration's wordgames and the legal rationales behind them. Other posts and a column on the subject are here, here, and here. Today also brings a pair of columns--in the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, respectively--from conservative luminaries defending the notion that Obama has the constitutional power to bomb Libya without congressional authorization. Yoo, the legal architect of George W. Bush's Terror Presidency, chides Tea Party Republicans like Jason Chaffetz of Uta... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636413 Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:31:45 +0100 4636413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636417&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRfPRr5HVj74%2F By George Scoville When is an entitlement not an entitlement, but a command? When a federal judge contradicts herself, of course. As the Arab League's influence over its own member states wanes, of course they support the creation of an international no-fly zone over Libya. Of course, there's really no such thing as a "Social Security trust fund." Should the United States and Saudi Arabia remain allies? Of course—but Washington should probably re-think the terms of the partnership. Of course, when George W. Bush was president, you couldn't go anywhere in Washington without seeing an anti-war protest. Where have they all gone? Friday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636417 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:04:37 +0100 4636417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4627019&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1kSKzmGLKQI%2F After a decade of wielding behind-the-scenes influence as chairman emeritus at Pfizer, Bill Steere is finally retiring from the board of directors as of the upcoming annual shareholders meeting next month, according to the proxy filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (see the footnote on page 11). His departure signals the end of an era, given the domineering role he sometimes played, notably a push for outsized acquisitions, according to sources familiar with Pfizer. This philosophy, in fact, eventually prompted disagreement with Jeff Kindler, the former Pfizer ceo who unexpectedly resigned last December and was quickly replaced by long-time Steere loyalist Ian Read (back story). The 73-year-old Steere, of course, has been around Pfizer a long time. He was ceo from 1991 to 2... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4627019 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:44:07 +0100 4627019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622228&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBYJDNP1o0dQ%2F By George Scoville America's involvement in the war in Libya can't be justified on either security or humanitarian grounds. Obamacare can't be fixed, and now is the time to dismantle it. The no-fly zone over Libya can't mean good things for American politics or policy. Bureaucrats can't allocate goods more efficiently than market actors. President Obama can't blame former President Bush for Guantanamo Bay anymore: Tuesday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622228 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:19:38 +0100 4622228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615080&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOdE0M9UYEOc%2F By Christopher PrebleThis morning at the Skeptics, I blogged about a series of questions raised by the ongoing military operations against Libya. But I left room for one big question: Is the Weinberger/Powell Doctrine dead? Actually, it isn't a question. It's a statement: the doctrine that sought to prevent the United States from engaging in risky and counterproductive missions that had nothing to do with protecting U.S. vital interests (e.g. Lebanon 1983; Somalia, 1991; and Kosovo, 1999) is dead. Shovel dirt on it. To review, the doctrine was first coined by Ronald Reagan's Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger, in a speech at the National Press Club in 1984. Weinberger was aided by a rising military officer, Colin Powell, who later adapted the concepts for his own purposes as National ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615080 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:00:55 +0100 4615080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615081&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMS8NpV5DC1U%2F By George Scoville "The New Health Care Law: What a Difference a Year Makes," featuring a keynote address from constitutional attorney and counsel in Florida v. HHS David Rivkin, and panels including economist and former CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Cato director of health policy Michael F. Cannon and vice president for legal affairs Roger Pilon, and many more, begins at 1pm Eastern today. Please join us as we stream the event at our new live events hub, or watch on Facebook. If you prefer television, the forum will be broadcast live on C-SPAN 2. "The next time gun-control advocates point to violence in Mexico and call for more restrictions on gun sales or a revived assault-weapons ban, they should consider that the problem may not be with the laws on the books, but with those who enf... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615081 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:46:35 +0100 4615081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592456&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F15%2Fhistory-of-psychology-americas-first-eharmony%2F It all started with the Marital Rating Scale. Physician and psychologist George W. Crane, MD, PhD (1901-95) created a questionnaire called the Marital Rating Scale in the 1930s to help couples assess their marriages. (Crane maintained a private practice and wrote the newspaper column “The Worry Clinic.”) According to an article in APA’s Monitor on Psychology, to create his scale, Crane asked 600 husbands about their wives’ positive and negative attributes. (Husbands were also questioned, so there’s a scale for them, too.) Then he listed the 50 qualities that came up most often. While Crane tried to make the process scientific, he “did admit to using a personal bias in weighting the items that he thought were most important in marriage.” How did the scale work? According to t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592456 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:04:22 +0100 4592456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565883&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlRuMFq38nnI%2F By Caleb O. BrownToday marks the 235th anniversary of Adam Smith's An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, otherwise known as The Wealth of Nations. I chatted with GMU economics professor Russ Roberts on the book and its enduring impact. This is the first of a two-part discussion: And you might as well subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or your RSS reader. A Happy Birthday to The Wealth of Nations is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565883 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:09:43 +0100 4565883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565887&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F18vOaTm2NKA%2F By Tim LynchThis week Obama announced that he intends to prosecute prisoners before military tribunals.  The administration is taking pains to point out that Obama is not embracing the Bush policy.  These will be Obama's tribunals, not Bush's.  But since Mr. Obama's executive order can be revised or withdrawn at any time, the new and improved procedures do not amount to much.   The tribunals were wrongheaded under Bush and the critique applies equally well to Obama's "new" policy. As others have noted, Obama has now embraced tribunals, Gitmo, and the Patriot Act.    Bad news, but at least Obama kept his promises to end the wars and get us on a sound financial footing. For additional Cato work related to military tribunals, go here and here. Obama’s Military Tribunals is a ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565887 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:03:12 +0100 4565887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560388&cid=t_105643_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FYrKGAWy5afw%2F The policy journal Health Affairs has just put out a media advisory noting that the March issue, which comes out tomorrow, will have at least three articles devoted to health IT. From the advisory (verbatim): Studies on EHR: Neil Fleming and colleagues shed light on the financial and nonfinancial resources a small practice needs to implement an EHR system. Using data from  a physician network in north Texas, the authors estimate that the average cost to implement EHRs is $46,659 per physician. Use of EHRs will be accelerated because more than four in five office-based doctors are eligible for federal “meaningful use” incentives, says Brian Bruen of George Washington University and colleagues. Their analysis also highlights gaps in eligibility that must be addressed to further incre... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560388 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:49:09 +0100 4560388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560245&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwork.edgeboss.net%2Fwmedia%2Fedwork%2Ffc%2Ffc021011.wvx By Andrew J. CoulsonLast month, I testified before the House Education & the Workforce Committee. The most startling part of that experience was the response to my testimony offered by ranking Democrat George Miller (who had chaired the committee in the previous Congress.) The archived web-cast is now available, and Rep. Miller's response begins at 42:29. To set things up: I reported that the federal government has spent $2 trillion dollars on k-12 schooling over the past two generations, and failed to achieve either of its avowed goals (raising overall achievement, and narrowing the gaps by family income and minority status). To this, Rep. Miller replied: I think when you look at student performance and you look at money and you want to say that somehow there should be some correlati... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560245 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:18:03 +0100 4560245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544943&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6jeuUQdVw-o%2F By Daniel GriswoldPresident Obama and Mexican President Calderon announced this afternoon that the U.S. government will finally allow qualified, safety certified Mexican truckers to deliver goods in the United States, fulfilling a commitment our government made more than 17 years ago in the North American Free Trade Agreement. It’s about time. America’s violation of the agreement had resulted in sanctions against $2.4 billion worth of U.S. exports to Mexico. According to one press report today, The plan, announced at a news conference by the two presidents, will allow for half of those tariffs to be lifted immediately. It will establish a reciprocal, phased-in pilot program that allows Mexican trucks to operate inside the U.S. provided they comply with a series of safety and driver-ski... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544943 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:59:44 +0100 4544943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536448&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ffv2Jsa06fpQ%2F Some of the biggest drugmakers do not have a good track record when it comes time for FDA inspectors to visit their plants. Overall, the FDA found violations at 54 percent of plants inspected last year, up 20 percent from a decade low in 2007, according to data obtained from the agency by Bloomberg News. And 80 drugmakers failed more than half of their inspections. Who led the pack? Pacira Pharmaceuticals, which makes painkillers sold in hospitals, was the worst offender among publicly traded drugmakers with an 82 percent failure rate during 11 inspections. Abbott Labs failed 59 percent of 111 inspections; Pfizer flunked 57 percent of 202 inspections; Merck bombed out on 52 percent of 134 visits and Johnson & Johnson failed 48 percent of 161 inspections. By contrast Mylan passed 79 pe... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536448 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:14:42 +0100 4536448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536052&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrAKm_FwW5es%2F By Malou InnocentIn 2008, the election of President Barack Obama was widely touted as a repudiation of President George W. Bush’s messianic vision that “Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity—men and women—to reach their full potential.” In the years following America’s failed democratic experiment in Iraq, many Americans began to spurn the Bush era’s presumptuous conviction that “We have the power to make the world we seek.” Liberals in particular roundly rejected the supposed “unyielding belief” that America is called to lead the cause of “rule of law” and “the equal administration of justice” around the world. Such pious declarations are in keeping with Bush’s neo-Wilsonian foreign policy.  Does it surprise you then, that all of ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536052 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:36:22 +0100 4536052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536064&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-the-king%25e2%2580%2599s-speech-teaches-us-about-stuttering%2F2011.03.01 The film “The King’s Speech” won the Academy Award for Best Picture [on Sunday night.] The movie has come in for some criticism for its depiction of the political machinations surrounding the abdication of Edward VIII  and Britain’s appeasement of Hitler. The British-born writer Christopher Hitchens, unsparing and deliciously eloquent as always, puts the politics of  George VI in a far less favorable light than the movie does.       But ”The King’s Speech” has won almost universal praise for its portrayal of the reluctant monarch’s stuttering, a speech pattern that includes involuntary repetition of sounds and syllables and “speech blocks” that cause prolonged pauses. Many young  children who stutter grow out of the problem, but p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536064 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:00:13 +0100 4536064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532188&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiiXZWf-DCoQ%2F By Benjamin H. FriedmanToday in the U.S. Senate, Johnny Isakson of Georgia read George Washington's Farewell Address. Some senator has done so annually since 1896. It's one of the crueler examples of our leaders celebrating political ideas that they ignore. We should not adopt positions just because George Washington did. But if the Senate insists on reading a speech mostly about the evils of permanent alliances while almost universally supporting several such alliances, some senator should at least explain the irony. We remember the address for arguing that confusing our interests with that of other nations would entangle us in foreign controversies, causing us to prepare for or fight wars remote from our interests and therefore to maintain an overgrown military establishment burdensome t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532188 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:35:53 +0100 4532188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527729&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRpPLh6yImcg%2F By Michael F. CannonThis weekend I opened The Washington Post to find the editors arguing that Congress should cut federal subsidies to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Institute of Peace, and the National Endowment of the Arts, and George F. Will arguing that Congress should preserve federal subsidies to Teach for America. Weird. One Step Forward, One Step Back is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527729 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:40:33 +0100 4527729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159041&cid=t_105643_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3956%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dgeorge-lewiths-private-practice-another-case-study Jump to follow-up Professor George Lewith is perhaps the most prominent advocate of alternative medicine within quackademia, at least in Russell Group University. He claims to be a member of “The Complementary and Integrated Medicine Research Unit is within the School of Medicine at the University of Southampton.”. From CCIM The URL for this unit is actually http://www.cam-research-group.co.uk/. Strangely, though, a search of Southampton University’s own web site for “Complementary and Integrated Medicine Research Unit” yields very little information about this unit. But Lewith does not spend all of his time on his academic duties. He also spends time in London at his private practice, at the Centre for Complementary and Integrated Medi... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159041 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:05:52 +0100 5159041 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489678&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-aspects-of-the-king%25e2%2580%2599s-speech%2F2011.02.16 Over the weekend I went to see “The King’s Speech.” So far the film, featuring Colin Firth as a soon-to-be-king-of-England with a speech impediment, and Geoffrey Rush as his ill-credentialed but trusted speech therapist, has earned top critics’ awards and 12 Oscar nominations. This is a movie that’s hard not to like for one reason or another, at least most of the way through. It uplifts, it draws on history, it depends on solid acting. What I liked best, though, is the work’s rare depiction of a complex relationship between two imperfect, brave, and dedicated men. At some level, this is a movie about guys who communicate without fixating on cars, football (either kind), or women’s physical features. Great! (Dear Hollywood moguls: Can we have more like this, please?) T... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489678 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:00:11 +0100 4489678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477695&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FK3uc-XQxohY%2F By Tad DeHavenThe George W. Bush administration ushered in a new era of big government. The Obama administration has built on Bush's profligacy, and the president's new fiscal 2012 budget proposal would further cement the trend. Spending as a percentage of GDP has increased dramatically since the surplus years of the late 1990s. As the chart shows, the president’s budget once again seeks a permanently high level of federal spending as a share of the economy: While the numbers drop from their stimulus- and recession-induced highs, it is not because the president has suddenly decided that he desires a less active government. Rather, optimistic economic assumptions largely account for the slight retrenchment. Tax increases and optimistic economic assumptions explain the projected rise in r... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477695 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:04:15 +0100 4477695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4436939&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FsCHNSKX3aBI%2F The ongoing shortage of a drug used for prison executions has now ensnared the FDA. Six inmates on death row in prisons in Arizona, California and Tennesse yesterday filed a lawsuit claiming the agency violated federal law by allowing the states to import thiopental sodium, even though there was no official review for safety and effectiveness. In other words, there are no approved suppliers. The shortage began when Hospira stopped making thiopental in 2009, prompting prisons to seek alternates. Last month, the FDA decided to permit imports, but declined to vouch for the meds, even though one recent execution may have involved an expired import (back story). “Reviewing substances imported or used for the purpose of state-authorized lethal injection clearly falls outside of FDA’s exp... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4436939 Fri, 04 Feb 2011 23:53:10 +0100 4436939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429019&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-dietary-guidelines-offer-little-new-guidance%2F2011.02.02 There isn’t much new in the latest iteration of the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” Three years in the making, the 2010 guidelines (released a tad late, on January 31, 2011) offer the usual advice about eating less of the bad stuff (salt; saturated fat, trans fats, and cholesterol; and refined grains) and more of the good stuff (fruits and vegetables; whole grains; seafood, beans, and other lean protein; and unsaturated fats). I’ve listed the 23 main recommendations below. You can also find them on the “Dietary Guidelines” website. The guidelines do break some new ground. They state loudly and clearly that overweight and obesity are a leading nutrition problem in the United States, and that a healthy diet can help people achieve a healthy weight. They also r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429019 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:00:27 +0100 4429019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411506&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F62l8IwsAU44%2F By David BoazKarl Rove, the architect of Republican victories in 2000 and 2004 and Democratic victories in 2006 and 2008, denounces President Obama’s “spending binge” and “liberal activism” as described in the State of the Union address. The Wall Street Journal‘s tagline on the column is, “On Tuesday, Republicans offered an alternative to the president’s big-government vision.” What Rove omits is that he and President Bush started the spending binge, delivered big government, and indeed came into office with a big-government vision, as Ed Crane pointed out in 1999. Just take a look at the analysis in Rove’s Wall Street Journal column: Most of his hour-long speech was a paean to liberal activism, as the president called for redoubl... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411506 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:17:38 +0100 4411506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399527&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdiscussing-immunization-the-injustice-of-interviewing-dr-wakefield%2F2011.01.25 When Dr. Andrew Wakefield was interviewed on ABC’s “Good Morning America” [recently], an injustice occurred. For children, I mean. And it occurred inadvertently, I suspect. But I believe this injustice happens all the time when it comes to children’s health and wellness. What the media covers really changes how we think and feel about protecting and parenting our children. The media’s effort to inform and educate — just like that of physicians and nurses, social workers and ancillary staff, researchers, and students — can get lost and misconstrued. ABC worked hard to inform us of the accusations against Dr. Wakefield with a two-minute introduction by Dr. Richard Besser, a pediatrician and medical editor/correspondent. Yet when the interview was over, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399527 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:00:46 +0100 4399527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382706&cid=t_105643_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F01%2Factor-george-clooney-recovering-malaria%2F Actor George Clooney is recovering from his second bout of malaria contracted while he was traveling in southern Sudan two weeks ago. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382706 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:44:24 +0100 4382706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349493&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMlxQa9OOemg%2F By Justin LoganStuart Reid’s Twitter points to this Condi Rice discussion with Katie Couric in which the following exchange takes place over the decision to invade Iraq: RICE: …I’m also, frankly, just very glad [Saddam Hussein is] out of power. Now, to be frank, we tried to take him out of power without going to war. We tried to take him out of power by — we got a report from an Arab state that shall remain nameless that he would take a billion dollars to lead — to leave. We said, deal. Right? (Laughter.) We tried to (find ?) him – COURIC: Has that — has that been made public before? RICE: Yeah, I — it may be in President Bush’s book. I’m not sure. I don’t remember. But we did. We said, if he’ll go, everybody’s happy. A ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349493 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:10:34 +0100 4349493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349545&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F23534070%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EThe-Price-of-Everything-by-Eduardo-Porter.htm Book Review – The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do by Eduardo Porter Looking for more novel pricing strategies for business, I picked up a copy of The Price of Everything by Eduardo Porter. Although I didn’t find much practical advice or directly applicable research in the book, [...] CommentsI agree, Daniel, I reviewed Ariely's book here: Predictably ... by Roger DooleySounds like an interesting read. “Predictably Irrational” ... by Daniel J. DeckerNice article. Why doesn't someone write an article summarizing ... by Michael MinorRelated StoriesBuild Loyalty like George BaileyRivalry MarketingThe BMW Logo That Wasn’t Really There (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349545 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:00:29 +0100 4349545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331061&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F23426593%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EBuild-Loyalty-like-George-Bailey.htm In the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, businessman George Bailey shifts from despair to intense motivation when an angel intervenes to show him how much worse off his town would have been without him. Most of us don’t have a guardian angel named Clarence to show us alternative histories, but it turns out that imagining [...] CommentsThis is especially interesting to me because it's commonly ... by Naomi Niles[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Timothy (Tim) ... by Tweets that mention Build Loyalty like George Bailey | Neuromarketing -- Topsy.comRelated StoriesRivalry MarketingThe BMW Logo That Wasn’t Really ThereThe BMW Logo That Wasn’t Really There (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331061 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:56:01 +0100 4331061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4326896&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGaNTH6JFSS0%2F By David BoazVirginia governor Bob McDonnell must be a Bush Republican. The Washington Post reports today: Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell plans a massive spending campaign that he said would unclog state roads, award thousands more college degrees and spur job creation, part of an aggressive legislative agenda he is expected to roll out this week. McDonnell (R) will press lawmakers to approve a series of statewide projects he said would be paid in part through Virginia’s $403 million budget surplus, $337 million in higher-than-expected tax revenue, and $192 million generated through cuts and savings…. He plans to borrow nearly $3 billion over the next three years. That doesn’t sound like the agenda of a Reagan Republican or a Tea Party Republican. It sounds a lot like ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4326896 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 21:56:50 +0100 4326896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318314&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6wmy9RSy5n8%2F By Christopher PrebleI hadn’t planned to comment on the matter of Captain Owen Honors, the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise relieved of command following the release of some off-color videos that he recorded as the Enterprise’s executive officer (XO) in 2006 and 2007. But then Chris Kennedy in our media department twisted my arm, and the next thing I knew I had written 900 words for CNN. Before I delivered the essay for publication, I solicited feedback from a number of former officers, and one still serving, including several of my classmates at the George Washington University NROTC unit. Not all agreed with my take — I faulted Honors for his poor judgment, and concluded that the punishment fit the offense — but all appreciated the even-handed approach th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318314 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:35:29 +0100 4318314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314076&cid=t_105643_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fmedical-profession-is-conspiracy.html I am a full-time practising doctor and yet sometimes I believe that the medical profession is not always completely honest with patients.Now, I am not talking about the rubbish which alternative medicine practitioners are selling about how the medical establishment is out to rip patients off with unnecessary surgery and exorbitantly priced drugs. And neither is it true that doctors will gang up on patients and refuse to testify against other doctors when a medical mishap occurs. I believe that most doctors are honest professionals who are doing their best to try to help their patients to get better.The truth is far worse. Sadly, most doctors do not realise the harm they often end up inflicting on their patients. They mean well, but because they become arrogant and brainwashed as they get o... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314076 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:03:00 +0100 4314076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4285184&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FP0YgTZ2LAps%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: Taxpayers received a rare, albeit small and temporary, victory when a pork-laden omnibus bill died in the Senate. We’re now about to find out how serious Republicans are about cutting spending. Chris Edwards looks at breastfeeding and argues that bigger isn’t better when it comes to subsidies. “The nearest earthly approach to immortality is a bureau of the federal government.” Former President George W. Bush defends his abysmal spending record in his book Decision Points. Upon further review, perhaps the book should be retitled Deception Points. A new Cato essay discusses the problems of the U.S. Postal Service and concludes that taxpayers, consumers, and the broader economy would st... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4285184 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:43:58 +0100 4285184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277820&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlzMi7K3F1hg%2F By Chris EdwardsFormer President George W. Bush’s book Decision Points is apparently selling quite well. The book includes a defense of the president’s fiscal record, and a table on page 447 compares Bush to prior presidents on spending and debt (you can see the table on Amazon’s search inside feature). One problem with the table is that Bush claims credit for the low spending and debt of President Clinton’s last year, fiscal 2001. The first budget Bush crafted was for fiscal 2002. Here are the data reported by Bush, and data recalculated to better reflect the budgets that each president had some control over. Figures are averages over the fiscal year periods, measured as a share of GDP: Decision Points Comparison: Clinton (1993-2000) 19.8%, Bush (2001-2008) 19.6%... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277820 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:03:18 +0100 4277820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266265&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fovce1alH0D8%2F File this under eminence grise. For all the chatter about the sudden departure of Jeff Kindler, a focal point of this boardroom drama might just be Bill Steere. How so? As chairman emeritus for nearly a decade, the 73-year-old Steere has wielded tangible influence over the drugmaker and its strategic direction, including the push for outsized acquisitions, according to sources. Steere, of course, has been around Pfizer a long time. He was ceo from 1991 to 2000, and chairman from 1992 until 2001. Near the end of his reign, he engineered the takeover of Warner-Lambert - in order to gain rights to the Lipitor cholesterol pill - and then the acquistion of Pharmacia. In other words, he was responsible for the bigger-is-better philosophy that transformed Pfizer into the world’s biggest dru... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266265 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:17:04 +0100 4266265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251090&cid=t_105643_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fdiplomat-richard-holbrooke-critical-condition-aorta-surgery%2F US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke had surgery this morning at George Washington University Hospital to treat what is being described somewhat imprecisely in news reports as a “tear in the aorta.” (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251090 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:38:50 +0100 4251090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251103&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fdu45EfTw_68%2F By David BoazPeople worry a lot about declining moral values in our modern world. Commenter Evan at econlog offers a different perspective on that, in a vigorous debate about Bryan Caplan’s claim that average people today have more material comforts than George Vanderbilt, the builder of Biltmore, had: One thing I haven’t heard anyone address yet is moral progress. The values of earlier time periods were sickeningly depraved. One reason I’d never want to have been born in the past, rather than today, even if my past status would have been higher, is that I enjoy being the kind of person who doesn’t burn witches, own slaves, participate in pogroms, or bash gays. I think if you asked most poor people if they’d rather be a wealthy slaveowner in the past, they&#8... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251103 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:21:47 +0100 4251103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237942&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F07%2Fjohn-lennon-psychodrama-of-a-gifted-child%2F When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon On Dec. 8th, 1980, I was in bed listening to the radio when suddenly, in a voice labored by heavy breathing and halting words, the disc jockey broke the news that John Lennon had been shot and killed in front of his New York City apartment building. The news ransacked my brain. The Beatles weren’t just a rock band; they gave us an identity. Their songs weren’t simply catchy tunes or stray memorable lyrics. The music told us who we were. It pointed us in a whole new direction. The simplicity and ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237942 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:43:08 +0100 4237942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233166&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa_QwBH92uOI%2F By Doug BandowThe U.S. and South Korean governments have agreed to changes in the free trade agreement negotiated by the Bush administration. The president rightly lauded the FTA as a good deal for Americans: “This agreement shows the U.S. is willing to lead and compete in the global economy,” the president told reporters at the White House, calling it a triumph for American workers in fields from farming to aerospace.” Approving the FTA has taken on added urgency after the European Union negotiated a similar accord with the South. Once that agreement takes effect, Europeans would have better access than Americans to the world’s 13th largest economy. Protectionism is always foolish, but especially so when one’s competitors are promoting open markets. The accord also offer... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233166 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:29:51 +0100 4233166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4200694&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FLo7VdWQxPEM%2Falso-guest-posting-at-dsma-today.php They swear they did not coordinate this, but my guest post for DSMA also went up today (the same day my guest post was published on George's blog).What is DSMA?  DSMA stands for Diabetes Social Media Advocacy.  There is a weekly "twitter chat", every Wednesday evening at 9PM EST, followed by a live radio show on Thursday evenings (again at 9PM EST).  Cherise, founder/creator of DSMA, is such a wonderful person, and does so much for the Diabetes Online Community.  I'm grateful to know her (hat tip to Dana M. Lewis, creator of the Healthcare Communications & Social Media (#hcsm) twitter chat, who set a great example for Cherise to follow, supported the inspiration, and was gracious with her time and advice). (Source: Diabetes Daily) Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200694 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:04:55 +0100 4200694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183301&cid=t_105643_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FxaXgcbsAZRw%2F Time to challenge that cerebral cortex and put on those 'mental' dancing shoes as we trip the light fantastic of medical trivia, and lift the latch on the cage of the tiger of tease...so watch out for baboons as you embark on the Funtabulously, Frivolous Friday Five... (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183301 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:54:29 +0100 4183301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179303&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYxlU1guvzQA%2F By Daniel IkensonThere seems to be a lot of confusion about the meaning of GM’s IPO today.  A common narrative in today’s media is that GM’s return to the stock market affirms the wisdom of the auto bailout.  Some tougher customers in the media insist on a higher threshold being met—that taxpayers get back the entirety of their $50 billion investment in GM—before declaring “mission accomplished.” And then there are the rabid partisans who—in their seething animosity toward the Obama administration—reach conclusions devoid of logic and rich only in conspiratorial-mindedness.  For example, yesterday I was contacted by a media outlet vetting this conclusion: “The IPO is evidence of the failure of the bailout because taxpayers were excluded from buyin... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179303 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:59:37 +0100 4179303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175702&cid=t_105643_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3695 Conclusion. Homeopathic consultations but not homeopathic remedies are associated with clinically relevant benefits for patients with active but relatively stable RA. So yet another case where the homeopathic pills turn out the same as placebos, Hardly surprising since the pills are the same as the placebos, but it’s always good to hear it from someone whose private practice sells homeopathy for money. The conclusion isn’t actually very novel, because Fisher & Scott (2001) had already found nine years ago that homeopathy was ineffective in reducing the symptoms if joint inflammation in RA. That is Peter Fisher, the Queens’ homeopathic physician, and Clinical Director of the Royal Hospital for Integrated Medicine (recently renamed to remove ‘homeopathy’ fr... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175702 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:58:30 +0100 4175702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172292&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FVX5rEvv91yQ%2F Image via Wikipedia And the Intertubes take a serious hit in productivity with Apple’s latest announcement of the availability of the entire Beatles catalog on iTunes. Wait, that sounded like I was sticking my nose up at it all. Heck no, I’m downloading the box set as we speak. Or as I type, to be more precise. Fab Four Frenzy: the entire Beatles catalog is now available in iTunes (intomobile.com) Apple announces the complete Beatles catalog is now available in iTunes [TNW Apple] (thenextweb.com) Apple iTunes to sell the Beatles catalog? (timeoutny.com) The Fab Four go digital; The Beatles’ catalog now available on iTunes (Andrew Munchbach/BGR) (techmeme.com) Best Guess For Tomorrow’s Announcement: Beatles on iTunes (cultofmac.com) Filed under: music Tagged: app... white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172292 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:17:33 +0100 4172292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175633&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F11%2Fhealth-reform-wont-fix-the-real-problem-unemployment.html By GEORGE PILLARI While the effects of persistently high unemployment have surfaced in the shape of reduced consumer spending, shrunken tax rolls and a host of social problems, there is yet another harsh reality lurking in the shadows. Hospitals, already... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175633 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4175633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118955&cid=t_105643_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3632 Jump to follow-up The Prince of Wales’ Foundation for Integrated Health shut down amidst scandal in April 2010. In July, we heard that a new “College of Medicine” was to arise from its ashes. It seemed clear from the people involved that the name “College of Medicine” would be deceptive. Now the College of Medicine has materialised, and it is clear that one’s worst fears were well justified. At first sight, it looks entirely plausible and well-meaning. Below the logo one reads “There is a new force in medicine. A force that brings patients, doctors, nurses and other health professionals together, instead of separating them into tribes.” "That force is the new College of Medicine. Uniquely, it brings doctors and other health professiona... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118955 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:41:37 +0100 4118955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118888&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcHnZXPfmm0o%2F By Tim LynchHere’s some recent commentary on California’s Prop. 19 ballot initiative: Today, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof makes the case against the war on cannabis.  Although there is no mention of Cato, Kristoff mentions the work of our senior fellow, Jeff Miron, and links to our report on the Budgetary Impact of Ending Drug Prohibition.  Kristoff also mentions Portugal’s drug decriminalization policies and links to a Time Magazine article that highlights the Cato report on that subject by Glenn Greenwald. Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch make the case that Prop. 19 is the most important item before the voters in this election cycle.  Even more important than whether Barbara Boxer can continue her work in the Senate?  Yes, read the whole thing.  Dan ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118888 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:10:41 +0100 4118888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098464&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIAF1KmZPK2w%2F Good morning, everyone. The end of the week is rapidly approaching and that usually means one thing - daydreaming about weekend plans. We expect to catch up on a few chores, but will spend most of our time entertaining the shortest of short people with a little bowling and ice cream, and a trip to the book store. What about you? A drive in the country to watch the leaves change? Toss a football? Pick a pumpkin? Walk your own official mascots? Whatever you do, have a good time and be safe. See you soon… EMA Revises Stance On Genzyme’s Fabrazyme (Reuters) Wyeth Must Disclose Earlier Effexor XR Patent Settlements (New Jersey Law Journal) Amgen Exec Retires And Gets $400K Consulting Deal (SEC filing) FDA Adds Heart Warning To HIV Drug Combo (Associated Press) Roche And Biogen End D... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098464 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:06:06 +0100 4098464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082270&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FPF3JkqqFO-Y%2Fninjabetic-weekend---saturday---the-celebration.php I've still got more to say about my time with George, his wonderful family, and all of the folks that came in from out of town for his celebration.  George's family worked together like a well rehearsed orchestra to help him put together a party to celebrate 20 years of living with diabetes.  Living with diabetes is hard, and we need to recognize all of that hard work.  Celebrate your day, as George did, and be proud of all you've done. In addition to bringing together more than 100 people for this party, George put together a really moving presentation.  He struck the perfect balance between serious and silly, talked about all of the support he found in the online community, and talked about how the abundant love and support that he found changed his life with... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082270 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100 4082270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065543&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2Fjg7Ne2Zw44M%2Fninjabetic-weekend---saturday---the-walk.php After a crazy California evening, and a few hours of sleep, the Simmons family and I were on the road headed to the Team Ninjabetic 2010 JDRF Walk for a Cure!  Team Ninjabetic was the largest family team, and even beat the corporate sponsor (Coca-Cola/Coke Zero) by over 20 walkers.  We represented big time.  We all had awesome Ninjabetic t-shirts, generously donated by Pelagic.  It was really something special to see so many Ninjabetic t-shirts overtaking the area.  The weather was hot, and the terrain was rough.  Almost desert-like in some areas.  There were at least two signs advertising a water station, but no water or volunteers to be found.  It didn't take long for me to get supremely sunburned.  I swear the sun shines brighter in Californi... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065543 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100 4065543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061019&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2Fr-Eq2lLZqTA%2Fninjabetic-weekend---friday.php It started with a phone call in April.  George had an idea.  His twenty year diabetes diagnosis anniversary was approaching, and he found a JDRF Walk For A Cure nearby on the same date.  He wanted to throw a big party and have a huge team for the walk.   I thought it was a great idea, and told him I would find a way to get there.  Fast forward six months, and I find myself at the airport in California waiting for George and his mom to pick me up.  I was excited to meet George's mom, and she was fabulous.  She is stubborn and MADE me sit in the front seat of the car on the way home.  She is funny, and it's easy to see where George's humor comes from.  It's Friday night.  The night before the walk and the party.  George is anxious a... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061019 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:00:00 +0100 4061019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045037&cid=t_105643_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F10%2Ffederal-court-rules-forcing-patients-buy-health-insurance-constitutional%2F Federal judge George Steeh has ruled that the individual mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) that requires all citizens to buy health insurance does not violate constitutional rights. The ruling was in a case brought by the Thomas More Law Center. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045037 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:10:04 +0100 4045037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040721&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FHRijdjeUHTg%2Fin-sand-up-to-my-ears.php Having spent the weekend with George and everyone that came to town for his celebration, I was an emotional basket-case.  I was riding a freaking tidal wave of emotions on the last day of my visit.To have those fragile emotions rattled around like dice in a cup, then tossed out, one by one, into a coffin with Paul Conroy, was just a little too much for me to handle.Confusion, terror, claustrophobia, panic, rage, humor, fear, logic, anger, sadness, dishonesty, love, hope, despair, surrender, honesty, survival, wit, limit, compassion, regret, surprise, encouragement.Those are some of the things I felt and thought as I watched 'Buried'.  I could not believe how intense the movie was, and how my emotions were pulled from one thing to another, all inside a tiny coffin buried under a f... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040721 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0100 4040721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036631&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0DmXBgK2qaY%2F By Daniel J. MitchellI dislike taxes as much as the next person (and probably a lot more), but other policies matter as well, so if I had the choice of replacing current government policies with the ones that existed at the end of the Clinton years, I would gladly make that trade. Yes, it would mean higher tax rates, but it also would mean slashing government spending from 24 percent of GDP down to 18 percent of GDP. It would mean no sleazy TARP bailout, no Sarbanes-Oxley red tape, no expansion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and no added power and authority for the federal government. This is the argument that I made in this interview on CNBC, though my opponent tried to do his version of the Brezhnev Doctrine (what’s mine is mine, what’s yours is negotiable), so I concluded th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036631 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:24:43 +0100 4036631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031307&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F04%2Fproof-positive-cant-buy-me-love-but-what-about-happiness%2F “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” – Will Smith “What’s a soup kitchen?” – Paris Hilton Daniel Gilbert, Harvard psychologist and author of the best-selling Stumbling on Happiness, gave the keynote address at the American Psychological Association convention earlier this year. He challenged the three things he said his mother told him would make him happy: marriage, money and children. I’ve discussed the first one in talking about how, or if, relationships can make us happy. But now it is time to ask to ask the $64,000 question. Which, as it turns out, is the $75,000 question. I’ll explain… Can money make you happy? Is it true that th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031307 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:29:32 +0100 4031307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018442&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FdBRLL1FCDV0%2F Yet another lawyer may have crossed a line while pressing lawsuits against Wyeth over the withdrawal of the fen-phen diet pills. This time, George Fleming, a well-known plantiff’s attorney, is being sued by former clients who claim he improperly fed his piggy bank by charging his clients for echocardiograms that were given to thousands of other people who he ultimately did not represent. The tests were needed to determine whether an individual was harmed by the pills. In their lawsuit, which has gone to trial, 10 of Fleming’s former clients allege they learned after their 2006 settlement that about 8,100 claimants he represented were charged for echocardiograms that were given to 35,000 people who were rejected as clients, The Houston Chronicle reports. They were rejected becau... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018442 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:10:48 +0100 4018442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013152&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtcY8-zHMO2w%2F By Michael F. CannonWith the addition of a poll by George Washington University and Politico — completed the day before ObamaCare started sending health insurance premiums higher, making coverage less accessible for children, and destroying health insurance innovations — Pollster.com shows that among likely voters, ObamaCare now suffers a 10-point popularity gap: (As I’ve noted before, Pollster.com’s local-regression trend estimate will head off in a direction different from public opinion if the latest poll is a fluke.  But these trajectories are consistent with Pollster.com’s trend estimates for polls surveying registered voters and all adults, which incorporate many more data points.) Also worth noting: ObamaCare has never enjoyed the support of a major... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013152 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:38:52 +0100 4013152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003238&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtcY8-zHMO2w%2F By Michael F. CannonWith the addition of a poll by George Washington University and Politico — completed the day before ObamaCare started sending health insurance premiums higher, making coverage less accessible for children, and destroying health insurance innovations — Pollster.com shows that among likely voters, ObamaCare now suffers a 10-point popularity gap: (As I’ve noted before, Pollster.com’s local-regression trend estimate will head off in a direction different from public opinion if the latest poll is a fluke.  But these trajectories are consistent with Pollster.com’s trend estimates for polls surveying registered voters and all adults, which incorporate many more data points.) Also worth noting: ObamaCare has never enjoyed the support of a major... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003238 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:38:52 +0100 4003238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3983544&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fcycles.html Mom stayed over at my house all day Saturday. Dad went to the Auburn ballgame after watching football all morning. Mom cycles. She is on one of her low ebbs at the moment and is sleeping a lot. How she can just lie in the bed for hours all day after sleeping all night is beyond me. I kind of cycled myself and slept a lot as well – not leaving me with much to write about. It was the sleep of ages for me – having got caught up on some much needed and missed sleep after a few weeks of getting adjusted to working nights. Work is very slow tonight. I’ve had one customer in hours and he was just a gawker, gawking at all our television display models. I hate to answer a hundred questions and not make a sale. It seems like such a waste of time, but maybe he will be back to buy a TV tomorrow ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3983544 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:55:00 +0100 3983544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982106&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fneither-borrower-or-lender-be-they-say.html “Can I borrow $20 bucks?” George asked me as he arrived at work this morning. “What for?” I asked warily, sounding like my father. “It’s for sodas and lunch,” George replied. “Momma is being chitzy with her money fearing I will drink on it. I can’t wait for payday.” I pulled out my wallet and gave George $20 bucks. He thanked me profusely and headed back out to get busy bringing in the carts. I think Mrs. Florene and I are both warily anticipating payday – fearing George will go back to his old ways. A pretty new liquor store opened up just a mile from Mrs. Florene’s house and it both worries us. George could easily walk down and get a drink. It would be a matter of days before his parole officer downloaded the data off his monitoring device and it would be a go bac... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982106 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 10:26:00 +0100 3982106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980988&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fneither-borrower-or-lender-be-they-say.html “Can I borrow $20 bucks?” George asked me as he arrived at work this morning. “What for?” I asked warily, sounding like my father. “It’s for sodas and lunch,” George replied. “Momma is being chitzy with her money fearing I will drink on it. I can’t wait for payday.” I pulled out my wallet and gave George $20 bucks. He thanked me profusely and headed back out to get busy bringing in the carts. I think Mrs. Florene and I are both warily anticipating payday – fearing George will go back to his old ways. A pretty new liquor store opened up just a mile from Mrs. Florene’s house and it both worries us. George could easily walk down and get a drink. It would be a matter of days before his parole officer downloaded the data off his monitoring device and it would be a go bac... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980988 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 10:26:00 +0100 3980988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980990&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fi-guess-its-over.html Stacey came storming into the house last night saying we needed to talk. I knew exactly what that meant when a woman says that. “This is just not going to work,” she told me with a furious look on her face. “I never get to see you and when I do, you are sleepy and tired.” “What can I do about it?” I asked, flummoxed. “I have to go to work! I have to support myself!” “I think we need some time to just think about where YOU want to take things!” “Fine,” I said complacently and she left after staying only a few moments. I had already cooked supper and set the table. I sat and ate alone last night. I guess it’s over. I haven’t heard from her since. I am thinking I jumped into a relationship too soon into my recovery anyway. I felt an odd sense of relief last night a... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980990 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:25:00 +0100 3980990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976648&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FNuVFU7BRTPw%2F Even though I can’t use it for its main purpose, my iPhone has gotten much use here in London for its picture-taking capabilities. [Aside -- it can also be used to play Angry Birds with on the Underground, but that wasn't me -- that was the guy sitting next to me. Honest!] We started off the morning walking to the house where not just one but two musical innovators lived, although not at the same time. George Frideric Handel moved here to London with a whole lot of other people when the Elector of Hanover became King George I, and rented the top floors of this house… Couldn’t resist getting a shot of an actual door handle that Handel might have used. I get carried away. I also got a picture of his bedroom, though the upholstery isn’t quite the original. At aroun... white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976648 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:05:17 +0100 3976648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973095&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ftaste-of-fall.html “It’s cold as a witches’ tit outside!” George was saying this morning as he walked into electronics. I was busy putting away boxes of new DVDs and Blu-Rays that just had arrived. I pulled out my Crackberry and browsed to my favorite weather source and the temperature said 58 degrees. “Ah fall,” I mused mainly to myself. George was entirely not dressed for this weather – having on a t-shirt under his smock and some light pants. I gave him the keys to my car and told him to go get the pullover I had put in the trunk the previous evening just for such occasions. He thanked me and left. It was slow night at work. I only had a handful of customers all night. I spent most of yesterday sleeping after working on the template for my blog for a few hours. I keep trying new templates ho... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973095 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:54:00 +0100 3973095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965665&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fman-of-my-own-heart.html “Can I help you?” I asked enthusiastically as a young man walked into my apartment around midnight. “I need help!” the young man said with a warm smile. “I want a small LCD television and want to hook up all my televisions and cable Internet in one room using the single cable line coming in from the floor.” “I can help you with that!” I replied, getting to work. We walked over to the aisle with all the cables. I got him a five way 2400 MHz cable splitter and plenty of RG-6 shielded cable line – perfect for keeping the integrity of his cable Internet signal. “What kind of TV are you looking for?” I then asked as we walked over to all the display models. “Something around 27 inches to 32 inches,” he said. “I don’t mind spending money. I want something nice with ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965665 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:51:00 +0100 3965665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961967&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fobsessive-auburn-fans.html “Your father has watched the Auburn game three times today over and over,” mom said as she walked in my house. “He is just obsessed!” “What are you doing?” I asked, smiling at mom’s exasperation and also surprised at mom’s unannounced visit. “I just couldn’t take it any more and came over here to be with you where it is quiet. Your father is going deaf and turns the TV up so loud it is maddening.” I went back to toodling with my computers as mom lay on the bed in the computer room talking about all her problems which she seemingly has many.  Caramel was sleeping on the couch and Maggie jumped up on the bed to be with mom. “I finally got my pain pills,” mom told me as she lay there on her side. “I was determined not to hurt anymore.” “Have they helped?�... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961967 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 22:52:00 +0100 3961967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3960064&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Freunion.html Mrs. Florene cooked George’s favorite meal last night. Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, Southern style sticky rice and gravy, green beans, and biscuits. She also cooked a chocolate pie which is also one of George’s favorite desserts. “You would think you were on death row and it was your last meal,” I told him laughing as I ate a piece of pie myself. Mrs. Florene smiled so proudly as she cleaned up the kitchen after supper and George and I talked as we sat at the table drinking glasses of delightfully sweet tea. “It is hard to describe,” George said. “This prison thing. I thought I would go crazy every day with nothing to do. I’ve been to county jail before, but state prison was a whole ‘nother world.” “You wrote to me a lot about prison gangs,” I replied. “Wa... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3960064 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:10:00 +0100 3960064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3958050&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Flazy-afternoon-in-south.html I was just standing in mom and dad’s kitchen as Helen cooked supper.  We finally had something fried this evening much to my elation.  Helen was cooking English peas with carrots, fried Swiss steak, baked potatoes, fruit salad, and biscuits.  Dad had just arrived home and changed clothes into his pajamas. “Mr. John?  Are you going to bed?” Helen asked as dad passed through the kitchen to survey Helen’s meal. Dad laughed. “I am going out on the porch to read for awhile until supper is ready. I am just getting ready to relax.” Dad and I don’t say much to each other these days. We just chose to disagree about the course I am taking with my life. Dad worries about my retirement and disability ending in May. I finally got him to go online to read all the guidel... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3958050 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:23:00 +0100 3958050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954463&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ffree-at-last-free-at-last.html Well, I got a call late last night before work. I was fixing my lunch and had just finished ironing my khaki pants.  It was Mrs. Florene.  They had just arrived home from Atmore.  It was a long day she said fraught with worry and anticipation – a nerve wracking process that I was somewhat relieved that I didn’t have to experience.  It was the first time she had seen George in months. “So, what’s the news?” I asked excitedly and with great trepidation.  I had been waiting all day.  I had trouble sleeping for worrying myself.  I am just exhausted tonight at work. “George got parole!” Mrs. Florene exclaimed, almost starting to cry. According to Mrs. Florene, George is to be transported to a county jail today to be fitted with an ankle alcohol m... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954463 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:12:00 +0100 3954463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954228&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_xVwx6kegIc%2F By Mark A. CalabriaLike President Bush before him, Obama has a knack for taking the worst ideas of his opponents and making them his own.  It is truly bipartisanship in the worst of ways (think Sarbanes-Oxley, the TARP or No Child Left Behind).  The newest example is the President’s proposed “infrastructure bank.”  A bill along those lines was introduced a few years ago by then Senator Hagel, although the idea is far from new. First, let’s get out of the way the myth that we have been “under-funding” intrastructure.  Take the largest, and usually most popular, piece:  transportation.  Over the last decade, transportation spending at all levels of government has increased over 70 percent.  One can debate if that money has been spent wisely, but the... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954228 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:03:26 +0100 3954228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946670&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fyou-get-what-you-pay-for.html I have a lot of misgivings about selling the eMachines computers at work.  And they are popular.  People think, “Hey! A $500 dollar computer! I am getting a bargain!”  You get what you pay for – a neutered machine that is only good for basically browsing the web.  I sold one tonight to a lady whose laptop had gone kaput. “What kind of things do you do with your computer?” I asked her. “Online banking, email, and FaceBook,” she told me. I guess an eMachines computer will work for her, but I strongly suggest you spend the money and buy a much nicer computer from Dell or Gateway. Tonight was a busier night with the video game cabinet keeping me busy.  We keep all our Wii, PS3 and XBox games locked behind a glass partition.  I have a key and have to ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946670 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:38:00 +0100 3946670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946671&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fthat-shifty-guy-in-aisle-three.html I learned long ago working in convenience stores and in a retail pet store that if a customer is spending a lot of time watching the clerk, then he or she is most likely up to something no good.  A man was in my department early this morning and every time I looked up from my laptop he was watching me to see if I was watching him.  Fortunately, almost all items in the electronics department have RFID (radio frequency identification devices) chips in them.  Anything he would steal would set off the alarms at the front doors as he walked out.  This didn’t stop him from eyeing me closely, though. “Do you need any help?” I finally asked him. “Oh, I am  just browsing,” he told me looking passingly at all the cellphones we had on display. I finally ignored him ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946671 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:51:00 +0100 3946671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942995&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fpiece-of-puzzle-falls-into-place.html “I called your best friend’s old supervisor at the distribution center in La Grange,” my former supervisor told me this morning as I was getting off. “He said he was one of his best workers until one night he just didn’t show up. He had never missed a night before.” “That’s when he got his DUI,” I replied. “He worked for almost two years without any lapses.” “I am going to go out on a limb hiring a convicted felon, but his old supervisor and you have swayed me,” my previous supervisor told me. “When do you think he will be able to start work?” “I am hoping next Monday if he gets parole,” I replied now grinning vigorously so excited. “You better not let me down,” she said giving me a big hug. “I don’t want another disaster like I often have trying t... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942995 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:06:00 +0100 3942995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938482&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fsecond-chance-for-george.html My old supervisor arrived about as I was getting ready to leave. She was dressed very prettily this morning before putting on her Wal-Mart smock. The first shift had taken over and I caught her in customer service. We walked outside in the cool dawn air to talk for a moment as I told her I had something I wanted to discuss. “How was your first night?” she asked me first very excitedly. “It went fine,” I told her in reply. “I didn’t have any problems. Things went smoothly.  I was just extremely sleepy and nervous, though, all night.” “You will adjust,” she said as she put her arm around me and gave me a strong hug – waves of her perfume wafting over me. “You were way too overqualified for the job you worked for me. It has been bananas trying to fill your position.... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938482 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:13:00 +0100 3938482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3934606&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ftoday-is-big-day.html Tonight, I start a new journey – a nightshift job with much better pay and actual benefits for a change.  I will be all alone all night in my department, though, and that makes me nervous.  What if I get a cantankerous customer? What if the register goes haywire?  lol  I will just hope for the best and do my best.  I think my worst anxiety attacks are in my past these days, even though I want to knock on wood with saying that.  I seem to never know what lurks around the corner for me anxiety-wise.  My greatest hopes last night were to stay up all night and sleep during the day today.  That didn’t work so well.  9:30pm rolled around, two hours after my normal bedtime, and I was so sleepy I could barely stay awake and I hadn’t taken a Ambien... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3934606 Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:42:00 +0100 3934606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3934607&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fdisconcerting-news-for-mrs-florene.html “I am not going to be able to make it to George’s parole hearing Thursday,” I told Mrs. Florene over the phone during my lunch break. “I just can’t get down there during the day and work at night, too.  I just can’t afford to take time off from work Thursday night with this new position.” “Oh, sweetheart,” Mrs. Florene replied. “He was so looking forward to seeing you.  I was hoping you would be the cornerstone of our hearing with you being a white man giving him a job.” I sighed very deeply.  It was one of the harder phone calls I have had to make in a very long time – much harder than the many squabbles my father and I would often have over my medications.  “Tell him he is in my mind and heart,” I told Florene. “I will be thinking of him.... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3934607 Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:46:00 +0100 3934607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920812&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgeorge-clooney-wins-bob-hope-humanitarian-award-daily-do-gooder%2F George Clooney got a standing ovation at the Emmy’s on Sunday night when he received the 2010 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his help with Hurricane Katrina and Darfur genocide victim relief. We like him even more for his modesty: “It’s embarrassing,” he said backstage. “You don’t want to be awarded for doing what you’re supposed to be doing.” Class act, that Clooney. Post from: BlissTree George Clooney Wins Bob Hope Humanitarian Award: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920812 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:30:40 +0100 3920812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913281&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Ftime-for-day-off.html Dad grilled steaks last night for him and mom.  He brought me by a plate around 7:00pm.  I had just called him warning him storms were on the way. “You were right,” dad said always so excited about the weather. “The heavens opened up just after you called.  I had just got the steaks off the grill.” It is hurricane week on The Weather Channel and it is hard to get current and local weather information.  Dad is still finding it hard to adjust to using the Internet as a weather resource like I do.  And our favorite local weather television station is broken again as usual.  Dad couldn’t keep up with the weather last night. “The Weather Channel is just going to die as far as weather fans go,” dad said with a sigh. We both have lots of misgivings abou... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913281 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:58:00 +0100 3913281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907587&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiC5M7-NXd2s%2F By David BoazE. J. Dionne writes in the Washington Post today that many Republicans think the George W. Bush administration was “too ready to run up the deficit.” But, he says, That the deficit increased primarily because of two tax cuts and two wars was not part of most conservatives’ calculation because acknowledging this was ideologically inconvenient. That’s one explanation. Of course, spending did rise by more than a trillion dollars during Bush’s eight years, and it wasn’t all military spending. And as Michael Tanner writes today, “The Deficit Is a Symptom, Spending Is the Disease.” Traditionally, federal spending has run around 21 percent of GDP. But George W. Bush and (even more dramatically) Barack Obama have now driven federal spend... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907587 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:21:00 +0100 3907587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885332&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyJGSdDLReOg%2F Several of today’s front pages feature iconic images of U.S. troops marching onto troop transports and into the sunset in Iraq. Today’s story by Ernesto Londoño in the Washington Post, features Lt. Col. Mark Bieger of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division,  “This is a historic mission!” Beiger bellows as his troops prepared to depart Baghdad for the last time, ”A truly historic end to seven years of war.” No disrespect to Col. Bieger and his troops, but the war isn’t over, and it won’t be so long as there are significant number of U.S. troops in Iraq at risk of being caught in the cross-fire of a sectarian civil war. The Iraqi government, more than five months after nationwide elections, remains in limbo. Talks over a power shari... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885332 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:40:04 +0100 3885332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880830&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZ6xHhY-KTWk%2F Participants in various current controversies would do well to settle into a comfortable chair and ponder these words of George Washington, sent to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, R.I., 220 years ago today: While I receive, with much satisfaction, your Address replete with expressions of affection and esteem; I rejoice in the opportunity of assuring you, that I shall always retain a grateful remembrance of the cordial welcome I experienced in my visit to Newport, from all classes of Citizens. The reflection on the days of difficulty and danger which are past is rendered the more sweet, from a consciousness that they are succeeded by days of uncommon prosperity and security. If we have wisdom to make the best use of the advantages with which we are now favored, we cannot fail, under th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880830 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:50:00 +0100 3880830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880845&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fs4kbUW4ySfU%2F Some leaders within the Republican Party seem to have fixed on a useful club with which to bludgeon the president and his fellow Democrats — Cordoba House, aka the “Ground Zero” Mosque. Over the weekend, Republican strategist Ed Rollins explained how the party would use the issue in the coming months: ROLLINS: Intellectually, the president may be right, but this is an emotional issue, and people who lost kids, brothers, sisters, fathers, what have you, do not want that mosque in New York, and it’s going to be a big, big issue for Democrats across this country. “Face the Nation” Host Bob SCHIEFFER: So you see it as an issue that’s going to continue? ROLLINS: Absolutely. No question about it. Every candidate — every candidate who’s in t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880845 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:51:51 +0100 3880845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845086&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgeorge-burns-on-running-the-country%2F Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair. – George Burns Post from: BlissTree George Burns on Running the Country (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845086 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:00:49 +0100 3845086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3833419&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgeorge-carlin-on-crazy-drivers%2F Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? – George Carlin Post from: BlissTree George Carlin on Crazy Drivers (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3833419 Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:00:34 +0100 3833419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3805821&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-heart-patients-should-order-their-pizza-delivered%2F2010.07.30 … because the pizza deliveryman might just save your life. From The Associated Press: LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Ordering a pizza may have saved George Linn’s life. Linn’s wife says he had just gone into cardiac arrest Friday when the pizza deliveryman knocked on the door of their Colorado home to bring their order. Kami Linn says she opened the door to “some burly-looking dude” and immediately asked for help. The deliveryman, Chris Wuebben, happened to be a paramedic recently returned from Iraq. Kami Linn says Wuebben performed CPR on her husband and revived him. Other paramedics who later arrived then took over. George Linn remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Kami Linn says her husband has a history of heart problems. -WesMusings of a cardiologist and ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3805821 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3805821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802554&cid=t_105643_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F07%2F29%2Fafghanistan-obama-and-the-man-in-the-mirror%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Afghanistan, Obama and the Man in the Mirror. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: afghanistan, comics, george w bush, obama, political cartoon, war (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802554 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:29:39 +0100 3802554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798744&cid=t_105643_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FS1gCTbVYlh4%2Fthanks-to-scott-strange-g-baumgartel.php Disclaimer #1: The fact that we even have to talk about this is another reminder of how crude our therapy is.  Don't get me wrong - I'm thankful for every bit of therapy we have (a century ago we'd all be dead), but it's still pretty damn barbaric.Jabbing a needle in fast (usually) hurts much less than inserting it slowly.  I have known this, logically, for as long as I can remember.  But that didn't help me and my fine motor skills actually jab the needle in quickly.  I had never been able to get past some subconscious fear that I would "hit" something important, which would hurt like hell and surely kill me.  Silly, I know, but ...?When George was here, Scott Strange & Chris Bishop drove up to experience some of George's magical personality.  At breakfas... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798744 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:23:54 +0100 3798744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3795040&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthermal-matters.html I left work at nine and drove directly to Auburn to buy some thermal compound for my processor.  I thought I had a full tube of Arctic Silver, but it was empty.  I couldn’t install my processor without it.   I reluctantly came back to the Valley to start the job at my Benefactor’s house.  I really wanted to come home and play, but work beckoned.  Installing my processor would have to wait.  As I  had expected, it was a hot and sweaty job requiring lots of physical exertion.  I earned every bit of the $50 dollars my Benefactor paid me. “You work hard and very fast,” my Benefactor told me at one point as he stood in the backyard nosily surveying my efforts. “I can’t wait to get home,” I told him. “I have a new toy to play with. Com... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3795040 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:12:00 +0100 3795040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772441&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fs-e-x.html I was sitting down in the park late last evening drinking my two sunset brews and talking to Kim on the phone.  We were talking about how long someone should wait before sleeping together for the first time after starting dating. “I slept with Rachel within days of us meeting,” I told her. “You know how that ended.  Divorce.  We moved way too fast.  Before I knew it I was married.” “I slept with Bill on our first date,” Kim told me of her ex-husband. “We seem to be moving at a much slower pace,” I replied, relieved.  I wasn’t quite sure I was ready for the big commitment yet. “The other night in your car was so hard, though,” she told me. “I wanted you to come inside and for us to make love.” “There will be plenty of time for that,” I ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772441 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:33:00 +0100 3772441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772185&cid=t_105643_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fstudies-show-adult-stem-cells-programmable-embyro-stem-cells%2F Stem cell harvest Studies led by Dr. George Daly of Children’s Hospital in Boston and Dr. Ihor Lemischka of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute in New York have found that adult stem cells are not as completely “reprogrammable” as embryo stem cells and still retain some memory of their original tissue type. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772185 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:18:15 +0100 3772185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767063&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKX0daQBjiM8%2F By Michael F. CannonThe individual mandate has been a tricky issue for Barack Obama, leading him to make some impressive self-reversals. When campaigning against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama came out hard against an individual mandate to purchase health insurance, alleging that Clinton would garnish workers’ wages and that Massachusetts’ individual mandate has left many residents “worse off”: He even dismissed an individual mandate by saying, “If a mandate was the solution, we could try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody buy a house”: Once president, of course, Obama endorsed and signed into law both an individual mandate and an employer mandate. During the debate over ObamaCare, Obama likewise mocked... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767063 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:48:48 +0100 3767063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767313&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPUVgYH4kPPo%2F Last year, a 7-year-old foster boy named Gabriel Myers committed suicide in Florida and, after reams of publicity and hand-wringing over the use of psychotropic medications in such children, a state task force recommended, among other things, that children never be allowed to participate in a clinical trial designed to evaluate new psychotropic meds or whether such drugs approved for adults should be given to children. The move was prompted, in part, because a Florida psychiatrist, Sohail Punjwani, who treated the boy before he committed suicide, received an FDA warning letter for failing “to protect the rights, safety and welfare” of children enrolled in clinical trials (back story). Before the suicide, the psychiatrist prescribed to kids several drugs, some of which weren’t approve... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767313 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:56:21 +0100 3767313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764280&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fbroken-sleep-and-day-off.html Strange dreams kept plaguing me last night.  I dreamt of Neil Young’s song Old Man over and over – trying to sing it and remember the words in my sleep.  I also dreamt I was still married and Rachel and I were fighting.  Some things never change. 7:30am found me at dad’s sitting in the den.  I watched as he handed me my handful of medications.  He yawned sleepily as he asked me how my night was. “I had my first passionate kiss in years last night and it was wonderful,” I replied. “Who?” dad asked shockingly surprised. “A woman I’ve met at work.” Dad didn’t know what to say.  He looked kind of confused.  For years, I wasn’t dateable and suddenly I am.  I don’t think dad knows how to handle it.  For years, I have been lik... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764280 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:17:00 +0100 3764280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3763045&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fmidnight-in-chattahoochee-valley.html I couldn’t sleep last night after sleeping for about four hours.  I was wide awake at midnight.  I had two Klonopin to take which usually make me sleepy as they are very sedating, but I knew to save them for the next afternoon – ever mindful of that anxiety that always hits the most late in the day.  I got online and applied for countless fast food jobs just for the hell of it – interested in if I would get some calls.  I also applied for a job opening as a grocery clerk at Kroger -- putting feelers out there.  The assessment tests on these online applications were interesting in what they would ask – only a moron would answer incorrectly the questions were so obvious in their solutions.  I wandered down to the convenience store well after midnight.&nb... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3763045 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:56:00 +0100 3763045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758081&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fits-something-to-think-about.html “There’s going to be an opening soon in electronics,” the androgynous Derrick told me this morning. “You would be perfect for the job with what you know.” I thanked Derrick for the insider info, but I think I will stay at pulling in shopping carts.  That way I don’t have to deal with the public much which will be easier on my anxiety.  Also, I would hate to cause my supervisor distress.  She has a hard time finding people to do my job at the rate it pays, the hours, and with the heat of summer.  She has been so nice and accommodating to me and my disability I would hate to let her down. Work was very slow again today.  I have come to realize this is the norm.  Those busy days when I first starting working were a fluke.  I am content to spend t... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758081 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:06:00 +0100 3758081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757850&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fg0Zva-ruO1Q%2F By Tad DeHavenA recent paper by Veronique de Rugy examines how policymakers use various budgeting gimmicks to increase spending and obscure liabilities. One particularly abusive mechanism is the designation of supplemental spending as an “emergency.” The emergency designation makes it easier for policymakers to skirt budgetary rules, particularly “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) requirements. The following chart from the paper shows how supplemental spending, most of which was designated as “emergency,” has taken off in the last decade: As the chart notes, much of the increase is attributable to supplemental appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush administration was rightly criticized by analysts across the ideological spectrum for funding the wars outside of the ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757850 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:59:40 +0100 3757850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754059&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fgreat-sodium-conundrum.html “Does Crystal Light have sodium?” a little elderly lady asked me as I was gathering carts in the parking lot early this morning. “I just can’t drink plain water anymore.  I am tired of it.” “I am not sure,” I replied with a friendly supervisor pleasing smile. “Let’s go inside and look.” I was feeling exceptionally helpful today for some reason – feeling so mentally well after a full eight hours of sleep and my morning two Klonopin.  Today was also payday and I was so excited to get to the bank and open an account.  I was in a very good mood.  It was my first real paycheck in a very, very long time.  I felt so accomplished.  I felt like a self supporting man for the first time in years.  A few weeks ago, I could barely leave the house... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754059 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:26:00 +0100 3754059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746964&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fregarding-sunset-brews-and-my.html This seems to be this biggest source of contention with my readers on the blog these days – my drinking of my nightly sunset brews.  I have received more well intentioned advice and concern on this subject than more than anything in years.  I am trying to emulate the homeless Albert Vanderburg's nightly routine on Waikiki beach of this same ritual.  If you’ve known me for long, then you know I love rituals and routines. I also tend to romanticize the homeless lifestyle, and this routine seems so masculine, worldly, and helplessly homelessly romantic to me.  George will love reading about it in the blog posts I am mailing him each day.  He will live vicariously through my words and I have him in mind many nights when I drink them.  We both lived a pseudo ho... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746964 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:25:00 +0100 3746964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743709&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fregarding-sunset-brews-and-my.html This seems to be this biggest source of contention with my readers on the blog these days – my drinking of my nightly sunset brews.  I have received more well intentioned advice and concern on this subject of more than anything in years.  I am trying to emulate the homeless Albert Vanderburg's nightly routine on Waikiki beach of this same ritual.  If you’ve known me for long, then you know I love rituals and routines. I also romanticize the homeless lifestyle, and this routine seems so masculine and helplessly homelessly romantic to me.  George will love reading about it in the blog posts I am mailing him each day.  He will live vicariously through my words and I have him in mind many nights when I drink them.  We both lived a pseudo homeless existence for... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743709 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:25:00 +0100 3743709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3742395&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fthink-before-you-smoke-dummy.html   “I hate to get on to you. You’ve done so well, but you don’t need to be smoking as you bring the carts in from the parking lot,” my supervisor told me this morning.  “Smoke off to the side of the store near the oil change area. You’re doing an awesome job, though.  That’s my only complaint with what you are doing.” “Sorry!” I replied, feeling like crap. I am so sensitive – really a perfectionist at heart. I can’t take much criticism.  “I just wasn’t thinking. It won’t happen again.” “It just looks bad,” my supervisor said. “Remember you are representing the store and you are usually the first Wal-Mart employee customers see besides the greeter.” Work was routine other than that. I trained the new guy – a big bustling black guy... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3742395 Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:07:00 +0100 3742395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737276&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Froutines.html I am excited about work this morning.  I feel so good and I slept so well last night.  I woke up at six feeling so refreshed.  I was in the bed by eleven. I’ve been sleeping on my couch and found I sleep more soundly there than I do on my big queen sized bed.  My couch is so soft and you just melt into it when you lie down.  I like to go to sleep to the soft drone of my television in the den.  You should see me and Maggie huddled on the couch, though.  Both of us just about can’t fit, and Maggie insists on sleeping with me.  We are such the pair! Routines are important to me again after year’s absence.  I found myself in the kitchen a moment ago cooking some eggs and toast and then quietly sitting at my kitchen table eating.  I then t... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737276 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:44:00 +0100 3737276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733275&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fpossible-parolee.html “George might be eligible for parole in October!” Florene told me over the phone very animatedly and excitedly tonight. “I talked to him on the phone late this afternoon.  He said he is going to have to wear an alcohol monitoring device for months, though.  Possibly a year.” “How did he feel about that?” I asked excited, but worried about my friends tendency to drink without thought.  The urge to drink can be all encompassing for an alcoholic at times.  “He said he was willing to do anything to get out of jail,” she told me. “He promised me.  He said he would gladly give up drinking for his freedom. Andrew, he sounds so miserable!” I can only hope my dear best friend gets home before Christmas.  October would be a boon. If George doesn’t ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733275 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:32:00 +0100 3733275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729878&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-cancer-journey-take-control-of-your-illness-and-treatment%2F2010.07.06 I love this – a website that could’ve ONLY been created by cancer patients. From ThinkAboutYourLife.org: Find empowerment: Anything you can do to feel like you are taking control of your illness and treatment will help you. Think About Your Life was developed by cancer survivors. We have used the tools on this website in our own experiences, and we hope to inspire you do the same. This website provides easy-to-use tools for each stage of the cancer journey to help you: Process your thoughts and feelings: Elizabeth shared the “Good Day, Bad Day” tool with her family to tell them how they could help her throughout treatment. Take control and make decisions: Amanda used her “One Page Profile” with her doctor to discuss the impact of treatment on her life... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729878 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3729878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3723339&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F03%2Fhow-your-past-can-help-guide-your-future%2F “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana I believe that we humans spend a lot of time repeating our past — the mistakes, the patterns of behavior, the way we communicate with others. We’re creatures of habit and habits are hard to break. We believe, “Hey, this has worked for me in the past, so why not keep doing it?” Except that sometimes, we’re deluding ourselves. We think something has worked for us in the past, when in fact, it hasn’t at all. We believe our style of communication is effective with our partner, when all the while our partner sits there and wonders what the hell it is we’re thinking. History can be a great teacher and source of wisdom. This is true of history in the traditiona... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3723339 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:10:21 +0100 3723339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721755&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUVtuLr3JLis%2F By David BoazAt Politico Arena, the question of the day is: A new Siena College poll ranks Barack Obama as the 15th best U.S. president (landing him below Bill Clinton, ahead of Ronald Reagan). Franklin Delano Roosevelt earned top honors, while Andrew Johnson was last. Pollsters say Obama is high on imagination, communication and intelligence, but weak on background. On your list of best presidents, where would President Obama land? Who was the best president, and who was the worst? I responded: Of course Obama ought to be given an incomplete. But he got a Nobel Peace Prize purely on spec. He does now have 18 months of presidential action, and he has already done many things that establishment political scientists like. Presidential scholars love presidents who expand the size, scope and p... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721755 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:03:23 +0100 3721755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718698&cid=t_105643_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fh68KkPeH3gU%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is on the way. This means, of course, that meetings and deadlines beckon. Never mind that a holiday weekend is just around the corner. To cope, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation, and enjoying an unexpectedly cool breeze. So please join us as we peruse the news of the world. Good luck today and catch you soon… AstraZeneca Loses Bid To Overturn Antitrust Fine (Dow Jones) Biogen Names Exelisis’ George Scangos As CEO (Bloomberg News) Recession Hurts Funding For AIDS Drug Program (New York Times) FDA Issues Latest List Of Drug With Possible Risks (Reuters) Quebec To Cut Generic Drug Prices (PharmaTimes) USPTO Denies Request To Re-Examine Plavix Patent (Dow Jones) Michigan Grows CROs (Xconomy) Calistoga Raises $40M To Fund Drug Tria... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718698 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:56:22 +0100 3718698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714420&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fpig.html The trains just weren’t running today.  I saw only two long freight trains and one short local in the two hours of sitting on my favored bench behind the bank. I sat reading my Model Railroaders and smoking.   I did get to see an old dilapidated GP-38-2 from the seventies pick up a string of pulpwood cars in the wood yard. That excited me as the GP-38-2 is my all time favorite diesel locomotive.  Disappointed, I finally walked up to the Piggly Wiggly which is just up the street.  I parked on a bench, ate some cheese and wheat crackers, and began people watching.  There was an interesting little altercation when the police were called when a man had been found to be stuffing steaks down his pants.  I couldn't help but laugh and feel sorry for the young H... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714420 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:08:00 +0100 3714420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714186&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faddicted-to-indoor-tanning%2F2010.06.30 According to the Archives of Dermatology, there are people who are addicted to indoor tanning. That journal reported on a study of 421 university students in the northeastern United States. Using self-reported questionnaires, they screened for alcoholism and substance use as well as anxiety and depression. They also had a questionnaire about addiction to indoor tanning. If you’re scratching your head (as I was), there’s a medically-accepted criteria known as CAGE (cut down, annoyed, guilty, eye-opener) that correlates with addiction, so they used this for “addiction” to indoor tanning also. They found that more of the kids who met the criteria for addiction to indoor tanning also had greater anxiety, greater use of alcohol, marijuana and other substances. (more&#82... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714186 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3714186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710768&cid=t_105643_140_f&fid=35433&url=http%3A%2F%2F4thavenueblues.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Ftracks-as-central-nexus.html The railroad tracks near my home run behind Kroger and several poor neighborhoods.  They are often used as a thoroughfare to between these neighborhoods and the grocery store.  A trail of sorts.  Often, I will see poor people walking the tracks carrying a twelve pack of beer from the grocery store on their way home including me as one of the poor souls this morning sans beer.  This morning was no different.  I sat on my bench around eight watching trains as one fellow walked down the side of the tracks.  I immediately put out my cigarette putting my pack in my pocket as they always ask for one and it is an awkward social moment for me. I am not exactly exuding cigarettes these days.   I was wrong today when the man reached into his pocket and pulled ... The 4th Avenue Blues blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710768 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:25:00 +0100 3710768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3701670&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgeorge-burns-on-family-quote-of-the-day%2F Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. — George Burns Post from: BlissTree George Burns on Family (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3701670 Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:00:52 +0100 3701670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695547&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FydiFcV9kdoc%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a move reminiscent of the George W. Bush administration, the Obama administration is cracking down on the Minerals Management Service…by changing the agency’s name. The MMS has fallen into disrepute because, well, as E&ENews PM put it, “employees accepted gifts from oil and gas companies, participated in ‘a culture of substance abuse and promiscuity,’ and considered themselves exempt from federal ethics rules.”  The “drug and sex abuse [occurred] both inside the program and ‘in consort with industry.’ “  The New York Times reports that MMS employees “viewed pornography at work and even considered themselves part of industry.”  Yet this government agency somehow failed to prevent the oil s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695547 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:53:06 +0100 3695547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3665958&cid=t_105643_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8ioEw_gRbHc%2F By Daniel GriswoldFormer Reagan speechwriter Peter Robinson tries to answer that very good question in an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal. It’s a question my conservative Republican friends should ask themselves as the party tries, once again, to turn public opposition to illegal immigration into political success at the polls. Robinson correctly observes that Reagan would have had nothing to do with the anger and inflamed rhetoric that so often marks the immigration debate today. “Ronald Reagan was no kind of nativist,” he concludes, noting that Reagan was always reaching out to voters beyond the traditional Republican base, including the fast-growing Hispanic population. It’s worth remembering that Reagan signed the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which ope... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3665958 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:32:07 +0100 3665958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714260&cid=t_105643_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F14630781%2F1jedup%2Fneuromarketing%7EUnconscious-Buying.htm In a fascinating study just published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have shown that we make buying decisions even when we aren’t paying attention to the products, and that fMRI observation of brain activity can predict these decisions. This new work builds on previous research by Stanford’s Knutson and CMU’s Loewenstein which showed [...] CommentsInteresting. I think the results of this study essentially ... by Evan Hunerberg (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714260 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:16:54 +0100 3714260