Tuesday, October 12, 2004
FDA...Fooled Dem All?
The FDA has been quoted as wanting to "....maintain the gold standard in drug safety that has become a hallmark in this country." Immediately upon reading this tripe, a few issues spring to mind: Thalidomide, VIOXX (and, likely its counterparts like Celebrex) and the current shortage of flu vaccine. The last two of these are news of the last 30 days and will prove responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. Thalidomide (for you young readers) is an FDA-approved drug, which was responsible for thousands of devastating birth defects.
The facts show that, while the FDA is a terribly bloated, self-serving federal bottleneck, which adds billions of dollars of medical costs to our healthcare system annually; it could be argued that it is less effective in what it purports to do than many other countries' guardian systems.
Today many states, like Blagojevich's Illinois, are involved in a staredown with the FDA, with a goal of breaking down the barriers to affordable prescription drugs for Americans. I certainly think such rebellion is appropriate.
Sacred cows, like the vaunted FDA need close scrutiny and constant checks and balances. Neither appear to guide this juggernaut. The crucial shortage of flu vaccine for this year would never have occurred, had the FDA used a basic quality control system like ISO 9000 (used by most commercial institutions) to monitor the manufacturers of the vaccine at all stages of development and production.
The whole mystique and self-protective nature of the AMA and FDA are mirrored in the everyday "art" of the druggist (oops...I mean PHARMACIST). They (or more likely their assistants) enter and check the veracity of the prescription with a computer program (big whoop here!) Then they take the pills out of the big bottle and put them in a little bottle (whoop number 2.) On two occasions, I have been given the WRONG pills and would have taken them, had I not already become familiar with the correct appearance. I know from talking to others that this is a routine situation. I consider this abhorrent error in a task that most seventh graders could perform. It is analogous to correctly preparing an order at a Baskin-Robbins.
Most federal and state programs cry out for close scrutiny and receive none, save that of the politicians, in whose best interest it is for them to prosper. This is a travesty of the worst sort and its impact is too expensive and dangerous to bear.
The facts show that, while the FDA is a terribly bloated, self-serving federal bottleneck, which adds billions of dollars of medical costs to our healthcare system annually; it could be argued that it is less effective in what it purports to do than many other countries' guardian systems.
Today many states, like Blagojevich's Illinois, are involved in a staredown with the FDA, with a goal of breaking down the barriers to affordable prescription drugs for Americans. I certainly think such rebellion is appropriate.
Sacred cows, like the vaunted FDA need close scrutiny and constant checks and balances. Neither appear to guide this juggernaut. The crucial shortage of flu vaccine for this year would never have occurred, had the FDA used a basic quality control system like ISO 9000 (used by most commercial institutions) to monitor the manufacturers of the vaccine at all stages of development and production.
The whole mystique and self-protective nature of the AMA and FDA are mirrored in the everyday "art" of the druggist (oops...I mean PHARMACIST). They (or more likely their assistants) enter and check the veracity of the prescription with a computer program (big whoop here!) Then they take the pills out of the big bottle and put them in a little bottle (whoop number 2.) On two occasions, I have been given the WRONG pills and would have taken them, had I not already become familiar with the correct appearance. I know from talking to others that this is a routine situation. I consider this abhorrent error in a task that most seventh graders could perform. It is analogous to correctly preparing an order at a Baskin-Robbins.
Most federal and state programs cry out for close scrutiny and receive none, save that of the politicians, in whose best interest it is for them to prosper. This is a travesty of the worst sort and its impact is too expensive and dangerous to bear.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Heavy Excuses
Seems like most of us have lots of excuses for being overweight. With me it was job stress and no time to exercise. (Yes, I KNOW that is very feeble.)
For most of us, scientists say, it is "normal" to accumulate extra pounds as we move beyond middle age. I don't think we should use that as an excuse to lay it on (although, I did for several years.
What I find so disturbing is the number of kids and young people who appear grossly overweight and COMPLACENT about it. Females like to throw up a smokescreen about their "unique" problems with food and weight gain. I am certain that it is a much more basic issue: gluttony!
I know exactly how tantalizing junk food can be. Its siren song has lured me to the dangerous reefs many times. It takes dedication, a bit of knowledge and activity to get weight off and keep it off.
The huge numbers of huge youth are going to add things to our future demographics that we have never had to deal with before, and that is the thrust of this piece. When you are too fat at 10 or 20 or 30 to be a healthy, productive member of society, then you are a liability. Type II Diabetes can, absolutely, be prevented and/or reversed through diet and exercise. These efforts must be deliberate and continuous.
For most obese folks it's all about losing the battle of delayed gratification. I can be callous enough to say that I wouldn't care if they were only hurting themselves, but their imperfections attack our wallets in many negative ways. Their lives would be immeasurably better if they would do what it takes to solve their problems, but the important thing for me is that my life would be better too.
For most of us, scientists say, it is "normal" to accumulate extra pounds as we move beyond middle age. I don't think we should use that as an excuse to lay it on (although, I did for several years.
What I find so disturbing is the number of kids and young people who appear grossly overweight and COMPLACENT about it. Females like to throw up a smokescreen about their "unique" problems with food and weight gain. I am certain that it is a much more basic issue: gluttony!
I know exactly how tantalizing junk food can be. Its siren song has lured me to the dangerous reefs many times. It takes dedication, a bit of knowledge and activity to get weight off and keep it off.
The huge numbers of huge youth are going to add things to our future demographics that we have never had to deal with before, and that is the thrust of this piece. When you are too fat at 10 or 20 or 30 to be a healthy, productive member of society, then you are a liability. Type II Diabetes can, absolutely, be prevented and/or reversed through diet and exercise. These efforts must be deliberate and continuous.
For most obese folks it's all about losing the battle of delayed gratification. I can be callous enough to say that I wouldn't care if they were only hurting themselves, but their imperfections attack our wallets in many negative ways. Their lives would be immeasurably better if they would do what it takes to solve their problems, but the important thing for me is that my life would be better too.
Friday, October 08, 2004
Grammar by Grampa
Why do people feel empowered to discard everything they were taught regarding the basic rules of composition? Instead of bastardizing our language, we should preserve it as one of the important mechanisms that embodies society.
Junk and clutter like Hip-Hop and Rap inveigle themselves into our popular culture based on sounding "cool" and informed. A dissection of the medium reveals a chanting, rythym-based melange of crude utterances. I will, readily, admit that my generation's Rock and Roll had little positive statement to make, but it really didn't pretend to. Nor was it scatalogical and misogynistic, rather it reveled in the adoration of the opposite sex. Such indictment is a bit off the beam of this piece, but it does point up the insidious nature of "pop" culture (adding culture to that phrase is strectching things a bit thin.)
I have always appreciated fine communication, whatever form it may take. The written word, an eloquent speech, a powerful painting or a haunting melody has held each of us in their sway (at least once.) Why do we feel compelled to cheapen our attempts at communication by treading the paths of "modern" shorthand. Such garbage as failing to punctuate, spell properly and use correct grammatical constructions are killing and perverting a system which has had a long and difficult evolution towards clarity and beauty.
If we all took a few extra seconds to do our part in regaining good communication skills, we would, at very least be taking a stand for something worthwhile. Let's be honest, to do anything else can only be the result of extreme laziness or obsequious pandering to the god of Now.
Junk and clutter like Hip-Hop and Rap inveigle themselves into our popular culture based on sounding "cool" and informed. A dissection of the medium reveals a chanting, rythym-based melange of crude utterances. I will, readily, admit that my generation's Rock and Roll had little positive statement to make, but it really didn't pretend to. Nor was it scatalogical and misogynistic, rather it reveled in the adoration of the opposite sex. Such indictment is a bit off the beam of this piece, but it does point up the insidious nature of "pop" culture (adding culture to that phrase is strectching things a bit thin.)
I have always appreciated fine communication, whatever form it may take. The written word, an eloquent speech, a powerful painting or a haunting melody has held each of us in their sway (at least once.) Why do we feel compelled to cheapen our attempts at communication by treading the paths of "modern" shorthand. Such garbage as failing to punctuate, spell properly and use correct grammatical constructions are killing and perverting a system which has had a long and difficult evolution towards clarity and beauty.
If we all took a few extra seconds to do our part in regaining good communication skills, we would, at very least be taking a stand for something worthwhile. Let's be honest, to do anything else can only be the result of extreme laziness or obsequious pandering to the god of Now.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Kentucky teachers "Acting up."
Some Kentucky teachers have been acting like problem children of late. When the governor published a projection of the healthcare budget for state workers for next year, many teachers went berserk. They have been allowed to languish in a dream world of free medical insurance. In the coming year they were going to have to actually pay for health insurance!
They immediately threatened to strike (illegal for them.) A group of teachers in Western Kentucky took advantage of the fact that the governor was in the area for an unrelated meeting, and DEMANDED an improptu meeting. When he agreed, he was met by an unruly rabble, many of whom were openly drinking (illegal in public there) and hostile. They carried signs, which contained misspellings and bad grammar. He was shouted down when he tried to deal with the realities of their issues.
Kentucky is not famous as a bastion of learning or literacy, or even good high school graduation rates. Since it is clear that a great deal of the blame for that situation rests squarely on the teachers, one would expect a bit more forebearance on their part.
Health care costs rise, for ALL of us, more than 15 percent each year. This has been a fact of life for many years. Is it fair? Is it right? I don't know, but it is reality. These teachers should have been weaned from "free" medical insurance, as were most of us, many years ago. Sometimes, the cloistered halls of schools insulate people too much from the reality of life as it really is. These events seem to bear that out.
They immediately threatened to strike (illegal for them.) A group of teachers in Western Kentucky took advantage of the fact that the governor was in the area for an unrelated meeting, and DEMANDED an improptu meeting. When he agreed, he was met by an unruly rabble, many of whom were openly drinking (illegal in public there) and hostile. They carried signs, which contained misspellings and bad grammar. He was shouted down when he tried to deal with the realities of their issues.
Kentucky is not famous as a bastion of learning or literacy, or even good high school graduation rates. Since it is clear that a great deal of the blame for that situation rests squarely on the teachers, one would expect a bit more forebearance on their part.
Health care costs rise, for ALL of us, more than 15 percent each year. This has been a fact of life for many years. Is it fair? Is it right? I don't know, but it is reality. These teachers should have been weaned from "free" medical insurance, as were most of us, many years ago. Sometimes, the cloistered halls of schools insulate people too much from the reality of life as it really is. These events seem to bear that out.
Indian Wrongs (er...Rights?) in Upstate New York
I grew up in upstate New York and will always have fond memories of that area. I college, I took an elective course detailing the culture and history of indians of New York State.
My respect for those people came from the simple fact that they not only lived, but prospered, in a place that received 200 inches of snow in a winter. The mechanics of their daily life and their deep spiritual beliefs of the natural world seemed powerful and inspirational to me.
In 1978 I had accepted a job in another state and put my New York home on the market. I soon learned that banks were reluctant to offer mortgage money to buyers in that area due to a lawsuit that indian tribes had, demanding return of a large tract of land to them. I was lucky enough to find a buyer who arranged for private financing. Sometime later, I heard that the indians had been granted some lovely federal land nearby.
A few years ago, this spectre emerged once again. I have several relatives who are property owners in that same area. The claims seem, to me, like those of a blackmailer, who, having been paid once, continues to lean on the "PAY ME" button, interminably.
There are many inconsistancies between the "rules" that these "indians" want to play by and those I have had to play by. Perhaps most irritating is the fact that the purported indians have little or no formal proof of their heritage.
I have made many bad deals in my time, but I always had to "eat" the bad choices. "Take backs" have not been available. These "indians" want to be given property and rights which the rest of us aren't, to attone for "injustices of the past." Regarding (supposed) injustices: That was THEN - another time, other people (on both sides); this is NOW!
The indians that I respected did not carve out a life by whining and getting preferential treatment. Their sense of dignity would not allow such a pitiful life.
My respect for those people came from the simple fact that they not only lived, but prospered, in a place that received 200 inches of snow in a winter. The mechanics of their daily life and their deep spiritual beliefs of the natural world seemed powerful and inspirational to me.
In 1978 I had accepted a job in another state and put my New York home on the market. I soon learned that banks were reluctant to offer mortgage money to buyers in that area due to a lawsuit that indian tribes had, demanding return of a large tract of land to them. I was lucky enough to find a buyer who arranged for private financing. Sometime later, I heard that the indians had been granted some lovely federal land nearby.
A few years ago, this spectre emerged once again. I have several relatives who are property owners in that same area. The claims seem, to me, like those of a blackmailer, who, having been paid once, continues to lean on the "PAY ME" button, interminably.
There are many inconsistancies between the "rules" that these "indians" want to play by and those I have had to play by. Perhaps most irritating is the fact that the purported indians have little or no formal proof of their heritage.
I have made many bad deals in my time, but I always had to "eat" the bad choices. "Take backs" have not been available. These "indians" want to be given property and rights which the rest of us aren't, to attone for "injustices of the past." Regarding (supposed) injustices: That was THEN - another time, other people (on both sides); this is NOW!
The indians that I respected did not carve out a life by whining and getting preferential treatment. Their sense of dignity would not allow such a pitiful life.
