July 13, 2010

Plavix: Are pre-schoolers allowed to write precriptions for this drug?

A few minutes ago, I saw a commercial for Plavix (a drug that can prevent future heart attacks, as per the commercial) on the CBS evening news with Katie Couric. After some seemingly “doctor” stuff, which can only impress people with IQs less than room temperature in Centigrade, not Fahrenheit, the actor Doc writes a prescription for Plavix in CAPS (PLAVIX). This made me wonder: Does the law in any state (which licenses physicians) allow kindergarderners to write prescriptions for this drug? I am now seeing the impact of a science-challenged sociey on commercial advertisement. By the way, Centigarde numbers are smaller that Fahrenheit numbers.

July 9, 2010

Middle class: Run, but where to?

How Many Workers Can You Hire for the Price of One CEO?

Here is one number: 1461

CVS Caremark (CVS)
Thomas M. Ryan: $30.4 million (2009 Compensation)
Starting Cashier: $8/hour, $20,800/year
One CEO = 1,461 entry-level employees

Finally, will greed kill capitalism? One can not blame corporations- their sole purpose is to make money for their stockholders. Greed is in their DNA. It is like teaching is stranded in educators or play is in professional athletes. This is not bad, in fact it is good, because we need profit-making corporations for jobs and the like. We need “something” to require sharing of wealth. Socialism, you scream? Well, if the President of the United States can fire the CEO of GM, aren’t we already there?

June 22, 2010

Good job, General . . .

McChrystal Is Summoned to Washington Over Remarks

Finally, even the military is beginning to see the light. Please General, tell what does “progress” or “victory” or “any of the other word(s) you use” in Afghanistan mean(s) to us ordinary folks. Thanks, in anticipation.

A lesson for us in the US

Facing Deficit, Britain Unveils Emergency Budget

June 10, 2010

Call me Chevrolet

Well, GM (or should I say General Motors) employees will, from now on, be fined a quarter and heaped with other humiliations every time they call the car they make Chevy! (NPR, today) . Well, what are they teaching in MBA schools these days: Get prestige – us big words? How about prestige without bailouts?

June 8, 2010

Obama and the BP Oil Spill

I read that President Obama wants to “kick ass”. BP? Sure, but a corporation’s sole purpose is to make money for their stockholders. Perhaps he should look to his own Dept. of the Interior; maybe the Secretary? What were they doing during the last 15 months?

March 30, 2010

Towards second place . . .

Large Hadron Collider Sets Record

We used to be the first in such matters.

March 29, 2010

Health Care Reform Law: Ah, the surprises begin (#1)…..

AT&T to Take $1 Billion Charge for Health Care

Consequences of the new health care reform: Are we to lose some our current health benefits?

March 19, 2010

Once upon a time in America…

We the people loan (give?) the banks money at 0% interest. They loan it back to us at 20 %.

March 18, 2010

USA Today Article: Education Secretary and Hoops

Education Secretary Duncan: Ban NCAA teams with low grad rates

You want schools with less than 40% graduation rate be banned from NCAA post-season play. Very wimpy, Respected Mr. Secretary. What will that really do, for the athlete, if that is who you are worried about?

Why not 80, 90, or, can we get bold and say even a 100% rate? While you are at it, how about a decent quality of education, so that these athletes can get a decent job, when they graduate in a good economy. I have been in university academia long enough to know that, if you pass that rule, there will be a 40% graduation rate overnight in all NCAA schools- sort of the Lake Woebegone effect- where all children are above average. Or being in Washington, would you prefer the “smoke and mirror” analogy?

I looked at some graduation rate numbers- only your neighbor Maryland with an 8% (USA Today is my source for this and other numbers I provide) is well below your expectation; next is CA with 20%; others AR-Pine Bluff (29%), Baylor (36%), Clemson (37%), GA Tech (38%), KY (31%), Louisville (38%), Missouri (36%), Tennessee (30%), and Washington (29%) are close. So, a bump in graduation rate to 40% would be “statistically” insignificant.

Your turn.

By the way, that 40%, where did it come from? baseball – Ted Williams batting average?