Blogs

Post date:: Monday, August 13, 2007 - 6:27pm

Everyone smokes -- dawn till dusk -- around kids, while pregnant, even the gynecologist smokes while performing internals.

And, when the man of the house gets home late from drinking too many Manhattans in a dark-paneled steakhouse, the little woman chirps: There's a bacon and egg sandwich on the range.

Such period atmospherics are part and parcel of the 13-episode AMC TV series "Mad Men," named after the Madison Avenue ad executives, who treated ethics, health and women as doormats.

Rushing the FDA to the ER

Post date:: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 - 8:36am

This is about perfume, antifreeze and the Food and Drug Administration. It's about the perception of safety, who establishes that perception and, of course, reality.

I always thought that melamine was something used to make heat-resistant plates and nice countertops. But it's also a protein-additive/contaminant used by China to enhance pet food, resulting in untold numbers of animal deaths this year.

Why air guitar can save your life

Post date:: Monday, August 6, 2007 - 2:00pm

"It's not the responsibility of the federal government to provide womb-to-tomb health care for America. " -- Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, Aug. 5, 2007 debate in Des Moines.

Which reminded me of what an Irish tour guide told me when I asked why taxes there were so high (currently a 20% rate on the first roughly $47k earned by a single person, and 41% on anything earned above that).

When stupid becomes dangerous

Post date:: Friday, August 3, 2007 - 9:17am

You're an insider, friends tell me. If something needs doing in health care, you know the people who can get it done. You've got an edge. Wrong.

The following have occurred in recent months to me or my family at hospitals, doctors offices, care facilities and pharmacies around the Valley:

Wrong prescription medications delivered by local drugstore.

Prescription medications lost/misplaced/taken during transit from rehab facility.

Feast your eyes on this

Post date:: Friday, July 27, 2007 - 2:34pm

Been a tough week if you like to eat. Studies show diet sodas are as bad as regular ones, and that hefty people hang with other hefties. The World Health Organization says 1 billion adults around the world are overweight. But if you want the real down and dirty on chow, go to www.ifoce.com (Hint: it's the International Federation of Competitive Eating.) Enjoy your weekend b-b-Q.