ppp 05-26-08

Quote of the day: History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time;

it illumines reality, vitalizes memory,

provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.

Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC), Pro Publio Sestio

A young boy was spending a very hot day with his grandfather. While the boy played the old man was busy digging a hole. When the little boy asked what he was doing the grandfather replied “I am planting a shade tree”. The boy laughed and mocked the ancient “You will be dead before that stick can cast any shade”. “I know” replied his grandfather “it is for you when you grow older. Had not my grandfather planted that tree over there we would have no shade when we are finished planting this one.’”

Gas prices are up and all that some in Washington can talk about are renewable energy sources to divert questions about why they continue to block drilling in Alaska and off the coast of Florida (the Chinese will be drilling into a field off the coast of Cuba which will sap the energy under our territorial waters http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196891,00.html ). They argue that drilling will not produce any usable oil for a decade. I may be cynical but I can’t help but observe that a decade is more that one term in the Senate and 5 terms in the House of Representatives. If authorization had been granted a decade ago we would have another domestic energy source.

Drug companies “get it”! They know that investing in their developmental pipeline is critical to their existence. They know that they have to “plant those shade trees” (develop new drugs) or they will burn out the patents and their source of revenue. Congress should be encouraging drug development and allow drilling for oil instead of making it more difficult for pharmaceutical companies to do business and blocking oil field development. (Just my opinions… I could be wrong).

ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "Better than I deserve."

pps. Occasionally, some of the links require FREE registration.... I'm sure you can handle THAT slight inconvenience.

The time of day that you take your aspirin may effect the effect. Most people remember to take their daily aspirin (to prevent heart attacks) in the morning. This Spanish study says that just before bedtime is a better time. It does seem to make sense because blood that pools or is not moving tends to form clots and most of us don’t jump around much at night. With the highest concentration of aspirin at night, most people would reason that there will be fewer clots formed. This may not pan out because the effect of aspirin on the platelets lasts for about 5 days. Once a platelet has been “aspirinized” it will remain that way for its lifetime (about 5 days). Because we are constantly making new platelets they have to be exposed to aspirin when formed (which is why we take the aspirin every day).

Chantix makes the list of substances prohibited for use by truckers. It is also banned for pilots. While I am all for safety I am not convinced that the drug poses any more risk that nicotine. Sounds like bupropion and nicotine are the only options for the plane and truck jockeys. No ruling yet from the governing body of horse jockeys.

There is a lower risk of blood clots from estrogen patches than estrogens taken by mouth for “hot flashes” associated with menopause. While oral estrogens increased the risk of blood clots by 2.5 times those of women taking no estrogens, the patch increased the risk only slightly above that of non-users. Did I just hear the home thermostats of America breath a collective sigh of relief? (or was that the husbands?)

Bad DNA? Genetic malfunction? Don’t worry about getting health insurance if you are otherwise healthy. If you only have the genetic predisposition to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc the law says no discrimination in employment or health insurance. If you have specific diseases already there can be a differential in premium or denial.

6) Drug recall… products in wrong bottles… minocycline and an immunosuppressant mixed

Check the link for the lot numbers involved. Azothiaprin found in minocycline bottle.

Lift one a day for your bones…an alcoholic beverage that is. Bar bells and other strengthening exercises are important as well but that one drink a day reduced hip fractures by 20%. Alcohol abuse, however, leads to an increase in broken bones so be careful out there.

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