WHO's happy? Not the pigs

World Health Organization is not happy at all, nor should they nor you be thus.  They are freaking out about the newest and latest bad guy virus to hit the market.  The epicenter of such is Mexico City from their swine.  It could be the most feared epidemic (locally spread)/pandemic (global spread) which has been predicted to arrive.  You see, the Spanish flu epidemic which happened in 1918 which killed from 20 to upper 50 million estimated was one of the three this century.  Usually 3 occur each century.  They say that the severity of the virus increases in the century but the initial pandemic has the highest mortality (more people die), and this is our first of this century.  It has been reported 1,400 thus far have been infected and 86 Mexican's have died from this swine flu virus.  It has shut down the Mexican capital and has spread to the US where now 20 have been infected, however not yet one mortality.  

I hope it fizzles like the 1974 case did, but as I quote the Incredibles "Luck favors the prepared, darling..."  Time to start listening to the prophets voice and get those food storages and gardens planted.  If your quarantined to stay home, then life will get rough without the fresh food stuffs around.  I recommend getting some backyard chickens too.  And why not?  

And finally, a fun little pun...

It had once been said, that when our country had elected an Afro-American as president of the United states pigs would fly.  Well, 100 days after President Obama's election, swine flu!

Go OLKAHOMA! Go WOMEN!

Makes me proud to be a part of this state.  Though not a native, I'm certainly proud of the citizens here.  They actually stand up for what is morally... "right". :)

Oklahoma has become the first state to give a pregnant woman the right to use force to defend her unborn child.

 

Under the "Use of Force for the Protection of the Unborn Act" -- signed into law by Governor Brad Henry -- a mom-to-be is legally justified in using deadly force if she "reasonably believes" an attacker is "threatening her unborn child" and "use of force or deadly force are immediately necessary to protect" that child.   The law was actually prompted by an incident in Michigan, according to Maressa Treat, Oklahoma state director of Americans United for Life (AUL). "There was a lady who was attacked -- she was pregnant with triplets, and she ended up losing her babies," she explains. "The attacker ended up dying, and she was convicted."   The conviction was later successfully appealed, but Treat tells OneNewsNow the incident sent shock waves all the way to Oklahoma.   "Oklahoma has the highest rate per capita of violence against pregnant women," she says. "So it's incredibly important that we are not only going out and saying that we're going to protect life, but that we make the proper steps to protect all life."   The legislation was developed by Americans United for Life, but it is available for any state to consider. An AUL press release argues that every pregnant woman in America "deserves the right to protect her unborn child from violence and harm."

Aspirin update

For all of you whom have loved ones on Aspirin like I do.  Here's the latest and greatest...

Recommendations for Aspirin Use Updated

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued an update to its recommendations for use of aspirin as a cardiovascular disease prophylaxis. According to the recommendations, published in the March 17, 2009, Annals of Internal Medicine , physicians should consider prescribing low-dose aspirin, about 75 mg per day, for men age 45 to 79 who are at risk for heart attack and for women age 55 to 79 who are at risk for stroke. USPSTF notes that the low-dose seems just as effective as higher doses but poses less of a bleeding risk. USPSTF advises physicians considering recommending aspirin use for patients to consider risk factors such as age, blood pressure, diabetes and smoking habits, and the guidelines target patients whose heart attack or stroke risks outweigh their risks of gastrointestinal bleeding. Additionally, the guidelines do not encourage the use of aspirin in women under age 55 or men under age 45.  

Obama's homies... continued attraction to the criminal type

Is it just me, or are there an insurmountable amount of crooks B. Obama hangs around?  It hasn't become any better for him either.  Kathleen Sebelius, a sketchy Governor of Kansas at best has been caught lying about funds.  Is this a good sign?  I mean, oops, I messed up on my taxes.  Well, okay, who doesn't right?  Maybe she should get an accountant.  Or, maybe she actually did like everyone else does in her realm.  But then to lie about getting donations from a Doctor Till who's an abortion provider.  She admitted to the first $12,450.  But then the next three installments adding up to $23,000 she "forgot" to include on the public record.  But no problem, after all, it was just another "slip up".  I guess we as the american population are as gullible as they think we are.  Believe me, this instance is only the tip of the iceberg of many other scandalous things she has done as Governor.  It's like finding a cockroach in your house then thinking, "ah it's probably the only one".  Do we really want such a fiscally irresponsible candidate for our Secretary of Health and Human Services.  I think not! Obama, go fish! 

Me me me all the way home...When to have kids?

A highly debated topic in the field of medicine with female physicians.  I always hear the phrase, when I'm in (...you name it...)or when I'm finished with (...you name it...) THEN I'll have children.  Fill in the blank with things like, college, medical school, residency, after a few years in practice.  I don't think this is something just isolated to medicine.  I think it's an epidemic reaching out much further.

Is it any wonder why families now only have one or two children when just 50 years ago people were having 4-6 kids as a norm.  I'm going to extrapolate a little here... why are people being so dang selfish?  Is it because we want what our parents have, so were willing to sacrifice having children for objects, and things?  Is it because it's hard?  Is it because our tax burden is so great that we can't survive on one income alone?  Is it a combo of any of the above or are there things that I missed?  

I admit children take a bunch of time, are demanding, and you can't get anything "productive" done.  But when you take a step back, look at life in the long perspective... what is the meaning of life?  Why are we here on this earth?  Is it to serve ourselves?  Is it to get self gratification?  Are we just a selfish generation, not willing to serve and raise children in the kind loving way our parents raised us?  Are Chrisitians not so Christian after all?  If they aren't, and are actually selfLESS people, then why is the population of non-christians rising, and that of Christians falling?  

I personally have a great wife with more patience in one pinkie than in my whole body.  Don't get me wrong, I love wrestling my kids and playing with them as much as I can.  But as a man, (and as all men need their cave time), I couldn't handle kids 24 hours a day.  I don't know how she does it.  I guess she has that greater perspective.  

My golden calf...Thank you credit cards!

WEll, not quite a golden calf.  That would require worship.  But it is shiny.  I would like to thank CitBank credit cards for this purchase.  You see, I have come to love our credit card.  Unlike too many unfortunate others, we have harnessed the power of such devices.   I mean seriously, who else actually PAYS you to spend money?  We get 1-5 percent back on purchases, depending on were the purchases were made. i.e. grocery stores and gas give you more back than say, buying flowers online for your wife.  Thank goodness I don't do much of the latter. Phew!  So, here it is, my beauty...and Debbie.

Medical socialism... we're already there!

A little less horrendous as in Europe, but none the less, in many ways, we are already there...I'll try to explain.

You see, there is a BIG problem brewing.  It's been brewing now for some time now, and finally it is about time for the taste test.  You see, I work with three bosses all of whom are above the age of 65.  One has just retired, another one is about to retire in September, and our director's love of his life, his sole purpose to keep going, his wife, just passed away two weeks ago.  The reason this is significant is not only because I might be out of a job soon, but the patient population we take care of is predominantly welfare.  Doctors don't get paid to take care of welfare unless you are in a teaching environment and you also have residents to help you keep the volume of patients up in order to make it a profitable business.  The other ENT doctors around town will only take a certain low percentage of their patients as welfare in order to stay afloat fiscally.  It takes a non-urgent/non-emergent patient 6 weeks to even be seen by us in the clinic.  With our current surgery schedule, due to recent events, it will take a person a month to get the deed done.  On welfare?  Expect at least 2 1/2 months till something gets done.  

So, if our doctors call it quits, where will these self-demanding patients go?  And yes, even though they aren't paying for the surgery, they are very demanding.  Like the prophet and apostles said, there is a "Society owes me", mentality out there.  I digress...so, these patients go out and try getting in to the other private ENT doc's in town?  Not very easily they don't.  You see, private doc's can't take more than a low percentage of welfare...say 10-20%.  If they take more, profit margins take a steep drop, so much that they can go into the red if they aren't careful.  The huge overhead, and 50% tax load makes the business daunting.  

It already takes the Indian Health Care system weeks and months to get people through their red tape (very socialistic run system) in order to get their cancer cut out of their head or neck.  We've had several cases where the cancer ate out through their skin before they could see us in the clinic.  We had to admit them through the ER.  By then, it's way too late.  Sound familiar?  That's how Brazil's socialist health system works too.  Don't believe me?  Go talk to some of the docs from down there.  I did, and it was very... again, daunting.  Sure, you can get a free boob job after you get put on the list for 4-6 years.  Just don't have a complication from surgery, or get sick.  You'll be a dead woman/man walking.

Like a wise man told me repetitively over my youthful years, "There is no such thing as a free lunch".  Someone always pays.  In addition to this, if you don't pay for something with money, you pay it in time. 

Obama loves guns, and so do I

Finally, some ideology we have in common!

Well, I would have to say, he is doing an awfully good job.  I walked into Walmart the other day and talked to the gun salesman.  I asked him how gun sales were going.  He said eh, so so.  Then he added that the ammo sales were up so much for 9mm and 22cal. that he didn't even bother to stock them.  He just puts the crate behind the counter and passes them out after the crate arrives.  My neighbor went to buy some 9mm at this same Walmart.  He was lucky enough to be one of the first in line when the crate came in.  After a couple of hours, the crate was empty.  Nice work Obama.

So, what do I do?  I need the gun before I can buy the ammo!  I've been wanting a shotgun and other guns for a long long time.  The largest gun show in the nation comes by twice a year.  I decided it was my time to go and see what it was all about.  Let me tell you... To borrow the words of my buddy who went with me, "It was the biggest shot of testosterone a guy could get in a day", and no needles were necessary.  Guns, galor, knives of EVERY kind, ammo, cans to put ammo in, blow dart tubes, non lethal tazers of every kind.  You name it, it was there.  I just wish I had more money, and a wife who would let me forget practicality for  a day ;).  So, even though gun prices were up this year, my buddy found me a sweet deal from a guy selling one hardly ever shot in many years.  Well, happy birthday to me.  Here is my new 20 gauge Winchester semi-automatic 1400 series.   Yeah, it's sexy.  And so are you Debbie.