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03-06-2006 Quote of the day: I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on. Beryl Pfizer
SDROWSSAP We all use passwords and PINs all of the time. I'll bet that each of you has about 5 active at any time. E-mail accounts (home and work), phones, credit cards, bank accounts, and more. I saw Clear and Present Danger on TV the other night and the expert was able to crack the password of a thief within 2 minutes. Not too farfetched. The head of computer security at a former employer was a HUGE Perdue fan. His blood took on the school colors and he lived for "his" team to play anyone in anything. He blanched when I correctly guessed his NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR password was "Perdue". He also changed it within 5 minutes. Are you careful with your passwords? Do not write them down and keep them next to your computer or in your address book. Don't use kids names, pet names, home or cell phone numbers, birthdates or anything that makes sense to anyone. The addition of case sensitivity and the addition of numbers or symbols has made it more difficult to guess but identity theft continues to grow. If your receive an e-mail from "Microsoft", "your bank" or other institution to click on a link to update your password, account information, or other "secret stuff" : DO NOT DO IT. If it looks like a legitimate request then type the URL of the institution into your browser yourself and follow the links. Too many times the e-mails you receive are "spoofs" and try to get you to go to a mock up site to enter passwords that can be used to steal your money or ID. Be careful out there! (ps. The title is passwords spelled backwards and FYI, I don't use that in my password list). =================================================== ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Employed"
pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience.
1) "I am a postal worker but, it's OK…I'm on the patch." An established antidepressant (selegiline) is now available in patch form. No dietary restrictions on the low doses but patients have to avoid certain foods known to interact with MAO inhibitors, 2) Hot patch is bad medicine Heat from a fever or strenuous exercise can cause drug patches to release drug into your system at an unsafe rate. Let's hope that postal route isn't too tough. http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/health/14022261.htm 3) E-ureka! Henry Ford hospital filled about half a million electronic prescriptions last year. The used the full extent of software tools looking for duplications, drug interactions, and generic opportunities. Generic rates went up by almost 8% which translated into BIG savings. (Do subscribers the Detroit FREE Press have to pay?) http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/BUSINESS01/602230479/1002/BUSINESS 4) Medicare might limit the number of Part-D plans offered. Fed is looking for comments but most seniors have 20 to 40 plans to choose from (Up to 3 for each provider in the area). This makes for much confusion and a lot of inaction (…if inaction can be measured!). Any changes would be for 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/25/AR2006022500308.html ==================================================== 5) Not tonight… I have a headache. Oral contraceptives linked to migraines and other headaches. About 14,000 women were in the study. Unlike drug studies where serum concentrations can be measured, observation or reporting are the only ways to measure this side effect. http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=11403341&src=eDialog/GetContent 6) Unsafe at any speed? The drug known to millions as DARVON (generic is propoxyphene) is the next target of Public Citizen. They routinely petition to have drugs removed from the market. This one has been around for about 40 years. Groups claims it is implicated in 6% of all drug related deaths. We will see how this one plays out. (Trivia: This product is the dextro-form of the drug and is used for pain. The levo-form was marketed as Novrad [Darvon spelled backwards] and used as a cough suppressant). 7) Potatoes lead to diabetes? Over 100,000 female nurses were studied since 1976. About 85,000 met all of the criteria. Eating potatoes in any form (French fries too) were associated with a higher risk of type-2 diabetes. I'm not sure it was the potatoes…may just be the extra calories and weight. Take a peek at the abstract and judge for yourself. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/83/2/284 ------------ Have a SUPER-FANTASTIC week. Steve Disclaimer: "Pepin's Pharmaceutical Prattle" (AKA "The Prattle") is the property of PHARMWORKS, LLC and Steven M. Pepin, Pharm. D, BCPS. The opinions expressed are those of the bald-headed author. To start or stop any drug without the advice and supervision of your physician would be stupid. So don't do anything based upon what you read here without professional advice. To be added to or removed from the distribution list please e-mail your request to spepin@pharmworks.com . All insightful comments from readers are thoughtfully considered (the rest are callously discarded). Copyright 1998-2006 PHARMWORKS, LLC all rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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