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A physician takes his flu vaccine under protest

November 29, 2012 by

Good, well written rant-

A physician takes his flu vaccine under protest

by Doug McGuff, MD on November 27th, 2012in Physician

To hospital administration,

I am writing this letter to inform you that when I take my mandated influenza vaccine I will be doing so under protest and with the understanding that failure to do so could result in loss of my ability to earn income for myself and my family. Unfortunately, I do not qualify for any of the exemptions allowed by our facility. Since I am not religious, I have no religious objections, I am not allergic, and I have never had Guillane-Barre as a result of a flu vaccine. My objection to the vaccine is based on rational evidence and moral indignation.

via A physician takes his flu vaccine under protest.


Filed Under: Amusements, Policy

Dr Seuss Does Malaria « Contagions

November 24, 2012 by

Terrific!

This Malaria map was illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, during World War II to educate young GIs. According to the Naval Department Library, this map was printed on the back of a Newsmap (two sided poster) that showed the five war fronts in 1943: Russia, Italy, “air offensive”, southwest Pacific and Burma.

via Dr Seuss Does Malaria « Contagions.

Excellent primer on Malaria (and Ann!).

via @doctorgrumpy @docgrumpy on Twitter


Filed Under: Amusements, Humorous, Medical

UT-Austin Med School, and why they’re just getting one now

November 23, 2012 by

UT Austin is finally going to get a teaching hospital (built by Seton):

The medical school facility, which will include academic and medical research space, will be financed by UT-Austin.According to the university administration’s internal estimates, the cost of the entire endeavor is approximately $4.1 billion over 12 years. Central Health will cover about 10 percent, and Seton is expected to cover nearly half, including the clinical faculty and residency slots for graduate medical education.The rest will largely come from UT-Austin.

Good, I suppose. We’re going to be short doctors soon anyway, and more training slots are welcome. (Insert dichotomy between what society needs and what they’re willing to pay for and its distortion of the residency training market).

And now, Story Time with GruntDoc:

“I think people will look back and say, ‘How did this community work without having a major medical center here?’” Powers said.

via UT-Austin Med School Plans Proceed After Election — Higher education | The Texas Tribune.

A good question, now let me tell you they ‘why’ as it has been told to me*.

In the early ’70s, the Texas Legislature set aside the authorization and funding for a new medical school in Texas. All understood it would be a UT Austin school, right there in the backyard of the Texas Capitol.

For those unaware, the Texas Legislature is in session for 90 days every two years, and the last minute flurry of bill passage and amending is said to be quite remarkable. And, this is how a powerful legislator stuck a rider onto a somewhat unrelated bill that said ‘all the money from that other bill is for Lubbock’, and it was passed.

The UT Austin medical school was hijacked, and landed squarely in Lubbock. Reportedly powerful people were ticked but couldn’t do much about it, and Lubbock has supported the Med School well (I myself attended several generations past). Shenanigans in legislatures? Who’d have though.

Now, Austin will get a Medical School. Better late than never. Congrats!

 

*This was told to me as a tale when I was quite young, so I suspect the details aren’t spot-on, but it makes sense given how the Texas Lege works and how little Texas Tech would have been expected to get a Medical School over UT in the early ’70s. Let’s not use this for a Wikipedia entry, okay?


Filed Under: Medicine

Terrible: Midland, TX Parade float with Soldiers and families aboard hit by train

November 15, 2012 by

Prayers.

This is early reporting, more surely to come. All from @OACrime (alerted by @OACourts)

MPD wouldn't allow us near the scene at industrial and garfield. we've come to the other side of the train
November 15, 2012 5:52 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul
mpd chief: 4 fatalities 16 injured
November 15, 2012 6:00 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul
16 critically injured out of 18 transported... 2 dead on scene, 2 @ hospital
November 15, 2012 6:05 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul
Tina jauz w/ city said the last two floats of the heroes parade were crossing southbound. 1st one made it. 2nd didn't
November 15, 2012 6:06 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul
jauz said soldiers and their wives were on these floats
November 15, 2012 6:06 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul
"there were some that were able to make it off the flatbed before the train struck. others weren't so fortunate"
November 15, 2012 6:07 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite
@OAcrime
Corey Paul

 

Update: Best of luck to the injured, and to Midland Memorial Hospital (Where I once worked).

 

From KOSA:

MIDLAND – CBS 7 has just learned that a train has slammed into the “Hunt for Heroes” parade procession. Reports from the scene tell us that at least nine people have been seriously hurt in the wreck that happened at the train tracks near the intersection of Garfield and Highway 80.

and

UPDATE 6:00 PM ***
Police Chief Price Robinson tells CBS 7 four confirmed dead 16 injured.

 


Filed Under: Other

Oklahoma Doctors vs. Obamacare – YouTube

November 15, 2012 by

The title is theirs, and it’s unnecessarily inflammatory, really it should be “Price Transparency in Medicine vs the Traditional Model”.

Three years ago, Dr. Keith Smith, co-founder and managing partner of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, took an initiative that would only be considered radical in the health care industry: He posted online a list of prices for 112 common surgical procedures.

via Oklahoma Doctors vs. Obamacare – YouTube.

More of this, please, much more.


Filed Under: Policy

Argo – a bad movie review

November 14, 2012 by

Tonight I took a beautiful woman to dinner and a movie, and I chose (with assent) Argo based on the recommendation of friends. I have good friends.

I won’t actually review the movie, that’s what Rotten Tomatoes is for.

I will tell you a funny story.

We were driving away from the theater (all of 6 in the hall on a Tuesday night) when I said: “Hey, a movie where the Americans are the good guys”,

to which my lovely wife said

“Well, it’s about actual Americans”.

There ya go. A movie review.

 

PS: I need to learn to write with fewer I’s.


Filed Under: Amusements, Family

Happy Birthday, USMC

November 10, 2012 by

I post this every year, and I still enjoy it…
original poster from: stores.ebay.com/WONDERFULART


Filed Under: Announcements

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Vet’s Day Fundraiser

November 9, 2012 by

It’s my chosen Charity, and if you have some money to help Sailors, Marines (and their families), it’s a good cause.

Dear Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society supporter,

Sunday is Veterans Day, and the Society — along with millions of Americans — will pause to honor all who serve or have served in our nation’s military.

But while we pause to reflect and express our gratitude, our mission of helping service members and their families never stops. That is why I am asking for your help today.

Donate $25 to honor Veterans and help us continue to support Sailors, Marines, and their families when facing financial difficulties:

http://action.nmcrs.org/donate-for-veterans

Since 1904, the Society has been helping Sailors, Marines, and their families deal with the unexpected.

By assisting with interest-free loans and grants for food, temporary shelter and other basic living expenses, military families can deal more effectively with unforeseen hardship.

Veterans Day is the perfect time to honor those who serve by ensuring active and retired Marines and Sailors have the financial resources they need in times of crisis. Your support will make a very real difference.

Make your Veterans Day gift to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society today:

http://action.nmcrs.org/donate-for-veterans

Thank you for your service to our great country.

Steve Abbot
Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret)
President and CEO
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

I just gave.

 


Filed Under: Announcements

Your eyes do not deceive you, it’s different

November 7, 2012 by

The first new theme for this blog in years.

It was well overdue, but as usual only a crisis can make things happen.

Something changed on the blog, I know not what, but suddenly I couldn’t get into the dash through a web browser (but could through the WordPress app, odd). After several emails with the webmaster, a trial of reinstalling the software, etc, it was determined that the theme, very custom and lovingly assembled by my great web guy, was the problem. Time for an updated theme.

Thus, this. It’ll get tweaked going forward, but for now this is the starting point. (It looks good on my iPhone, too).

It’s also a chance to clean out some dead/dying stuff from the sidebars. Remember blogrolling? Blog link lists? I noticed the number of dead blogs on Instapundit last night, and realized my blog was certainly no better on that front, so those are gone (for now; were there a great hue and cry I’d look at restoring them with updated versions, but I’m betting they’re not missed).

Thanks for coming. And thanks to Brian, the web guy!

 


Filed Under: Announcements

Theme change coming

November 5, 2012 by

Will elaborate later. In the mean time
Keep Strong and Carry On.


Filed Under: Announcements

The Aerospace Genius succeeds

November 4, 2012 by

My brother the Aerospace Genius is celebrating the sale of the 1,000th copy of his book!

http://thinkfastengineering.com/blog/

If you have time, congratulate him, and if you have a racer in the family, consider a nice book on racing for Christmas!

Congrats, brother!


Filed Under: Announcements