Friday, July 16, 2010

The barefoot bandit.

'Barefoot bandit' suspect set for transfer to Washington -- CNN

The boy who has fan clubs and even t-shirts with his face on them has finally been caught. Colton Harris-Moore, 19, has been caught will be extradited from Florida to Washington where he will face more charges. He earned the nickname 'barefoot bandit' when he broke into houses allegedly wearing no shoes. The teen has been wanted since he escaped a halfway house back in 2008 and the FBI had offered a $10,000 award for his arrest. He will be transferred sometime within the next couple weeks aboard a secure plane called "con air." He was finally captured in the Bahamas after he had crashed a stolen plane there. He plead guilty in the Bahamas of illegally crash landing a plane, paid a $300 fine, and was sent on his way to Florida. He was sent to Florida because in cases such as this you are extradited to the place closest to where the crime happened. He is wanted in other states besides Washington for multiple break ins of homes and airports and also stealing vehicles. Harris-Moore is facing up to ten years in prison. Monique Gomez, the Bahamian lawyer who represented him in the Bahamas, says she believes that he wishes he would have done things differently in his life and is remorseful, but remains in good spirits. While waiting for his hearing to begin the Miami Federal Court on Friday he was even seen sharing laughs with another detainee according to the article.

When I first heard about this case I will have to admit I was interested. A 19 year old boy who has been able to evade the police and the FBI for two years seemed pretty crazy to me. (I am sure there are crazier things, but still.) He even taught himself how to fly a plane! I feel sorry for the people who were affected by his crime spree. But still it makes you wonder about this kid and his intelligence (obviously not very smart because he should of thought better of his actions) but maybe he can turn his life around. Maybe he can aid the police in future and turn his life of crime into something promising instead of continuing it. He is very young and would still be very young even if he was sentenced to ten years and he has a lot of life to live and time to make things better.

July Effect

Hospitals really can be deadlier in July, study shows -- MSNBC

So, apparently, you should try and avoid hospitals at all cost during the month of July. Sound crazy? Well, there may actually be some evidence to back this up. Two new studies have now found evidence that backs up what doctors, nurses, etc. have been apparently saying for years. Michael Cohen, a pharmacist and the president for Institute Safe Medication Practices, said, "I have to say, I wouldn't have surgery on a Friday. Staffing is down and quite honestly you might not get the best treatment." In a study conducted at the University of California in San Diego they found that fatal medication errors rose 10% at teaching hospitals in the United States. David P. Phillips, a sociology professor who conducted the analysis said, " ..the notion that deaths go up in July, the month that just-graduated medical residents start their new jobs, likely because of mistakes caused by inexperience." Phillips examined death certificates between 1979 to 2006 and found only an increase in July; he also found that the increase was also higher in countries with more teaching hospitals.

Another article by Web Weekly further supported the previous research, but they think there are ways to handle the so called "July effect." Program director at the Internal Medicine Residency at BWH Joel Katz says, "my goal is not to avoid change, because it is necessary, but to manage it." He also says the most experience faculty and staff act as attendings during these months of chaos to supervise and further the education of the new interns. Katz says he also incorportates the use of information technology as well to minimize the risk of errors.

There are tons of things on the Internet about this phenomena. I have never heard of it, but it seems to make sense with all of the new physicians, nurses, etc. entering the hospitals. All in all I suppose it is best to avoid the hospitals in July unless out of necessity (Though, I think this is just about anybody and everybodys general rule anyways.)

Here is a blog written by a doctor about the July effect that I found to be very interesting.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Cry me a river.

Lohan 'scared to death' of jail, plans to appeal -- Reuters

Lindsay Lohan has violated her probation stemming from her 2007 drunk driving arrest and cocaine possession case. She did not attend alcohol education classes the court ordered her to attend weekly When the judge sentenced her to a 90 day jail term Lohan was beside herself and just couldn't believe it. The Lohans have hired a new attorney in their attempt for an appeal. Dina Lohan, Lindsay's mother, said that Lindsay, "didn't get a shot at fairness."

This is ridiculous. I am ashamed this even made the news, but obviously I was sucked into and read it unfortunately. Lindsay Lohan should have to serve the sentence. Anyone else would have to serve their sentence if they violated their probation. I believe on the news today I saw that not only did she violate her probation once, but a reported 7 times! She does not deserve special treatment. It was also reported that she will only have to serve 1/4 of the time if she has good behavior.

So, Ms. Lohan, suck it up and do it. A lot of celebrities who have served jail time actually rejuvenated their careers; maybe there is some good to come out of this after all. Next time you are supposed to be in court don't get caught on camera partying in Cannes because you supposedly lost your passport. You should have stayed home and you wouldn't have had to worry about it. See you soon.

130 years of life.

Georgia Claims 130-Year-Old Person Is World's Oldest Woman -- Associated Press

Antisa Khvichava lives in the former Soviet republic of Georgia and yesterday was her birthday, her 130th birthday to be exact. Khvichava was born on July 8, 1880. She lives in the mountains with one of her grandkids and says she has always been healthy and worked her entire life, at home and outside the home. She retired at the age of 85 from tea and corn picking. Her age could not actually be verified due to the loss of her birth certificate, but plenty of people backed up her claim of being 130 years of age. She does admit that she is not in the best of shape anymore physically (she is extremely limited what she can do), but they say her mind is still extremely sharp. She celebrated her birthday with folk music played on her lawn and with traditional dishes of her area.

This article made me curious, who was/is the oldest person in America? According to this the oldest woman in America was Mary Joesphine Ray who died at the age of 114. Ms. Ray was born on May 17, 1895. Born in Canada, she came to live in the United States at the age of 3 with her parents. She married in 1923, but her husband died in 1967. She lived in Maine for 60 years then lived in Florida, Massachusetts, and finally New Hampshire. She had two sons, eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.

So, what is the key to a long life? And what things can we do to better take care of ourselves to enjoy a longer life? This article lists ten tips (might I add in detail) for how to live a longer life. Some of the things on the list include not smoking, changing your diet, educating yourself, reducing stress, and the list goes on and on.

These women should be inspiration for other people to want to be healthy. Not only have they got to see their kids grow up and have kids they have seen multiple sets of grandchildren grow and experience life. So, we should all aspire to live a healthier life and stick around for the ones we love. Talk about living a full life, imagine the things you could experience and see after 130 years. So, the reoccurring message here is be healthy!

Friday, July 2, 2010

QWERTY tummy?

Your keyboard can give you food poisoning: Keyboards can be up to five times dirtier than toilet seats, study found -- Tech News Daily

Keyboards can be dirtier than toilet seat? Yes, it has been proven true. And according to the article from Tech News Daily this dirtiness can be avoided if we practice what they call "desktop hygiene." People cause their keyboards to become filthy by going to the restroom and not washing their hands and also eating at their computers. One bug that researchers have found lurking on peoples keyboards is one that causes food poisoning which causes nausea and diarrhea. People who catch the bug from their computer keyboards are calling the sickness QWERTY tummy. Keyboards have also been known to attract more than just germs. When people eat at their computers crumbs and other leftover goodies tend to fall between the keys and we all know what is attracted to food...mice. The article states that one woman was typing on her keyboard and couldn't figure out why seeds were popping out because she didn't recall eating anything with seeds in it; later it was determined that these were not seeds but mouse droppings. To save you from all of these unfortunate things here is how to properly clean your keyboard from the people at Tech Daily News:

1.) Make sure there are no specific cleaning instructions in your owner manual.
2.) Get a lint free cloth and a computer safe cleaning solution.
3.) Turn your computer off and unplug your keyboard.
4.) Use an air duster to break free all of the things in between the keys.
5.) Moisten your cloth with the cleaning solution.
6.) Wipe off the keys.
7.) Let it dry before plugging it back in.

You can also purchase a keyboard cover that protects the spaces between the keys and will make it a lot easier when you go to clean your keyboard.

Crib-Sleeping Vs. Co-Sleeping

Crib Sleeping Vs. Co-Sleeping: Where does your baby spend the night? -- Parenting

"Where is your baby sleeping?" The article starts off by saying this is one of the most dreaded questions by new parents; being a new mom myself I have to admit I don't care much for this question either. Both sides are quick to judge one another. When the survey was conducted mothers who placed their babies in the crib to sleep (referred to in the article as crib-sleepers) thought mothers who slept with their children (referred to in the article as co-sleepers) were irresponsible, putting the child's life at risk, spoiling the baby, and taking the easy road. Co-sleepers on the other hand use James McKenna's (Ph.D.) work which has found that in countries where co-sleeping is the norm they actually have a lower SIDS rate. Co-sleepers, like crib-sleepers, chose their sleeping arrangement based upon safety issues as well (they felt their baby was safer sleeping with them) and they feel that crib-sleepers will not have as close of a bond with their mothers.

On another website it discuss the work of McKenna and pediatrician William Sears who both say that the risk of SIDS is lowered due to co-sleeping and that other things benefit from co-sleeping as well. McKenna's research has shown that babies who co-sleep spend less time in Level III sleep where the apnea risks increase and they also learn to imitate breathing patterns of their parents. It also says that babies who sleep with their parents will actually be more independent than other children, perform well in school, have a high self-esteem, and have fewer health problems.

Co-sleeping may not be the right thing for everyone, but it may not be as bad for babies as some used to think. There may actually be benefits to be had from co-sleeping. But all scientist and doctors in support of co-sleeping agree that the only way to do it is to do it the safe way. Before you even consider co-sleeping with your child you should look at this and make sure you have done everything on it to ensure that your baby is as safe as he or she can possibly be.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Nonprofit restaurant.

Panera Co. to open more pay-what-you-wish eateries -- Associated Press

Panera Co. has opened a nonprofit eatery in Clayton, Mo. The idea behind the restaurant is pay what you can. After you have placed your order the cashiers tell you a suggested price and you can pay a little more, pay a little less, or pay absolutely nothing at all. It is designed to help those in need; ones who can't afford a meal and the extra money goes to charities. To control those who might be tempted to take advantage they have posted signs saying "You're on our honor," and employees explain how the restaurant is supposed to work when customers first arrive. They say they have had a few take advantage, but after a month in to the test run they have found out that people aren't so bad and really do want to try and help.

I think this concept is a great idea. Not only can someone who is in need get a free meal, but people can also make a difference by donating and their money goes to someone else in need. Panera is really giving back to the community; in these hard economic times this could really make a difference in many peoples lives. If other restaurants decided to do things similar to this I think it would be outstanding. I just hope that people don't abuse this because that would be extremely unfortunate. In the article it said that a teenager had come in and purchased $40 worth of food and ended up paying just a couple dollars for it. People need to realize what this restaurant has been setup to do and respect that they are trying to take a difference; they can't make a difference in the community if they community doesn't want to pitch in a little themselves.

Asian carp.

Watching a news program this morning I heard something about Asian carp and how they had made an appearance in the Great Lakes and to be honest didn't think much of it. Then, this afternoon while skimming new articles on the Internet I saw Group: Congress must lead on Asian carp and decided to see what this was all about. The article is brief and says that it seems the fish have made it past the electric barriers set up to prevent it entering the Great Lakes and the group the Great Lakes Alliance does not seem thrilled. Then, it states why; the group is afraid (along with others) that the Asian carp could potentially ruin the $7 billion a year fishing industry of the Great Lakes.

Now I am extremely interested in these fish. How did they get here and what makes them so dangerous to the fishing industry?

The EPA website says Asian carp were imported to the United States around 1970 by catfish farmers. They imported the carp to help keep their ponds clean (algae, etc.). When floods occurred the ponds would overflow and the fish were introduced to the Mississippi River.

Now, exactly why they are so dangerous? Apparently they are so feared because of their tremendous size and appetite. An AP article (which has a picture of the carp caught that started this big new story) says they can grow to be 4 feet in length and weigh up to 100 pounds.

I think these groups and fishermen have great reason to fear these fish. A $7 billion a year fishing industry is no joke. If the fish can do as much harm as they think it can it could really sabotage an industry and tons of peoples lives. As Andy Buchsbaum says in the AP article (president of National Wildlife Federation's office of the Great Lakes), "If the capture of this live fish doesn't confirm the urgency of this problem, nothing will." This is a big deal to the people up there who make their living off of the Great Lakes in one way or another. Something definitely needs to be done about these fish to save an industry. Hopefully they find out the problem and the seriousness of the matter and can get it taken care of before it worsens.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Woman has goal to become word's fattest.

Woman aims to become world's fattest -- 9 News

A woman here in the U.S. wants to become the world's fattest. She hopes to weigh in at 1,000 pounds in the next two years. She says in the articles that this might be hard, "running after my daughter keeps my weight down." She already requires aid to get around, but continues to eat massive amounts of food in hopes of reaching her goal. She also tries to do as little as possible in hopes of packing on the pounds. Her partner Philippe, they met on a dating site for plus-size people, is really supportive of her plan. She will need to consume 12,000 calories in order to make the 1,000 pound mark. So, how does she pay to feed her enormous appetite, I thought you would never ask; she has a website that men pay to watch her eat fast food.

Wow.

I have to admit this article game a good chuckle, but at the same time it really frustrated me. Sure if you want to risk your health and put your life in danger to get attention fine with me, but when you have a baby you can no longer just think of yourself. There are plenty of other ways for this woman to get attention from the media besides gaining weight. She is risking losing her life and this means that her child would be without a mother. You should want to be able to be active and play with your child and play an active part in their life; she is missing out. She would rather do as little as possible so she can reach her goal. She is selfish. I hope she reconsiders this silly goal and starts thinking about her baby.

Oil spill.

Allen: Oil collection rate from ruptured Gulf well increasing -- CNN

This pretty much sums up what has been taking place in the last 60 days in the Gulf. As of now they are estimating that the offshore well in the gulf could be leaking as much as 60,000 barrels a day. By midnight Thursday Adm. Allen said within the 24 hour period they had collected 24,000 barrels of oil and officials anticipate by July they should be able to collect a total of 80,000 barrels of oil per day. The two relief wells that are being drilled, viewed as the solution to the disaster in the gulf, is ahead of schedule. BP CEO Tony Hayward testified on Thursday at Capitol Hill but was extremely vague when it came to answering questions saying that he would he elaborate more later once investigations had been conducted. All in all both sides are pointing a lot of fingers at each other and not focusing on the urgency of the situation and what needs to be done now not later.

So could this tragedy have been prevented? Should we stop offshore drilling? What or who is to blame for this catastrophe?

These questions in my opinion can and should be figured out later. We need to work together. Devastating news about the spill seems to get worse everyday. They now know that along with the oil leaking methane gas is also leaking posing even more of a threat to oceanic life. Our government should focus on statistics and all that stuff later we need to clean up and take action worry; about numbers and all that jargon later. We need to take care of the people's whose lives have been dramatically altered by the spill. Let's worry about the energy plan and all that later; offshore drilling for now has been suspended and we need to focus on what is right in front of us. We can only take on so many things at once regarding this event and we need to take care of the most important and put off what can wait. Both sides need to come together for the greater good of the country and I bet they would be surprised at what could be accomplished.

The following link provides live footage of the oil leak and pictures.