This gives a WHOLE NEW MEANING to the "troll under the bridge"
Let's put it this way, if I was the mama Billy Goat Gruff, I wouldn't go near this bridge myself, let alone the little BGG....
Paroled sex offenders living under Miami highway bridge
MIAMI -- Several paroled sex offenders are living under a noisy highway bridge and fending off rats each night, because they cannot find housing in compliance with strict county ordinances for violators, state officials and one of the men said Thursday.
At least three men are making their home under the Julia Tuttle Causeway, which connects Miami with neighboring Miami Beach, said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Corrections Department. One of the men under the bridge said he was among five.
The state decided they could live under the bridge because the men were unable to find housing they could afford and that did not violate Miami-Dade county rules, which say sex offenders must live at least 2,500 feet from places children gather.
They must stay there between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. because a parole officer checks on them nearly every night, Plessinger said.
"This is not an ideal situation for anybody, but at this point we don't have any other options," Plessinger said. "We're still looking, the offenders are still actively searching for residences."
[...]
"This is an injustice," said the man who wouldn't give his name. "I completed my sentence."
The man refused to discuss the crime that landed him under the bridge, but state records show a host of offenses for the men who live there: sexual battery, molestation, abuse, grand theft. Many of the crimes are against children.
"Public safety is our main focus and we feel like public safety is being achieved in these individuals," Plessinger said. "But this is a problem that is going to have to be addressed. If we drive these offenders so far underground or we can't supervise them because they become so transient it's not making us safer."
Most homeless shelters won't take the men, Plessinger said, because they're sex offenders. One that would is within the prohibited range of a school or daycare center. She said one of the men, for example, found dozens of residences he was happy to live in, but parole officers vetoed all of them because they violated county rules.
Plessinger said she believed the state first authorized sex offenders to live under a bridge last June. Before the causeway, some of the men lived under a bridge in downtown Miami. They were forced to leave, Plessinger said, when it was determined they were within range of a daycare center.
The man under the causeway on Thursday said he had been there for about six weeks. He said he fears for his life.
Here's the creepy part:
Ironically, putting the men here hasn't kept them out of reach of children. On Thursday afternoon, down the concrete slope from the men's makeshift home, a family with young children played in the bay next to their boat, oblivious to the sex offenders who call a place under a bridge their home. (emphasis mine, --Ed.)
Personally,I could give a crap that they can't find a place to live. Shoulda thought of that BEFORE you raped or molested, asshole. Living with rats is HIGHLY appropriate for this kind of vermin.
At least the state isn't putting them up at taxpayers' expense. Out of prison, off the taxpayers' dole and still living in shit. Nice Job.
Posted by: Amanda at April 06, 2007 07:44 AM (Yc9Qw)
2
Good...keep them where we can find them, and don't let them be living a better life than their victims. They don't deserve the rights of others.
Posted by: Mrs. Who at April 07, 2007 01:55 PM (9FXen)
3
I disagree.
Not that I like sex offenders, or think they shouldn't be punished.
But they weren't sentenced to this.
Want the death penalty for sex offenders? Fine - lobby for it. Petition for a ballot measure. Maybe the Supreme Court will decide it's not "cruel and unusual" punishment and let it stand - though I doubt they'd let this stand if it was a "punishment".
(Heck, if it's for aggravated rape, I'll sign the petition and vote for it myself.)
But the state passing laws to prohibit a general class of people living, in effect, anywhere? And having this be a pseudo-punishment for crime, but not under the control of the courts?
Serious justice, due-process, and rule-of-law issue with doing it like that.
I'm all in favor of harsh punishments for real sex offenders (see caveat below), but I want them done properly, up front, under proper judicial supervision, NOT as a "screw them, they're bad, who cares?" thing.
Because once that starts, it tends to spread to places one doesn't want it. I'm hesitant to bring up the abused words of Rev. Niemuller, but they seem apt. Even scum deserve the protection of the law - if only because if they don't have it, it erodes for everyone else. (I don't think the slippery slope is very steep, but I do think it's there.)
In short: As part of sentencing, sure, as an option if the judge thinks it needful. For an entire class of offenders, automatically and without appeal? No.
(And none of this brings up the other issue with "sex offense" laws, which is that in some states, you can become a "sex offender" by peeing behind a bar - it's "indecent exposure".
Shall every one of those people be denied the ability to live anywhere, or be killed? I'm sure Beth doesn't think so, but that's the problem with "sex offender" - it doesn't mean, legally, the same as "rapist" or "child molester", which is what people interpret it as.)
Full disclosure: I'm speaking only about rule of law and legal issues; I have no personal connection to anything involved in any way.
Posted by: Sigivald at April 09, 2007 04:12 PM (4JnZM)
It's not often when you know the genesis of a story idea
...and you don't even know the reporter.
But this story, from Sunday's Raleigh News and Observer, well, it's not hard.
Hispanic DWIs rooted in immigrants' culture
When Eliseo Hernandez came to the United States 30 years ago, he thought he drove better after a few beers. Driving drunk had been normal back in Mexico, he said. But Hernandez, 54, learned of its perils firsthand. He quit the practice after falling asleep at the wheel and hitting a tree 18 years ago.
Then, last year, a young Hispanic man who authorities say was drunk nearly killed Hernandez's only son, Diego, in a crash on a rural Johnston County road. Eliseo Hernandez's daughter, who was nine months pregnant, lost her unborn child in the accident.
Hernandez has spent the past year following Diego through four hospitals and 14 brain surgeries. Diego only recently began to smile again and might never walk.
Hernandez said he hopes his painful journey will teach his friends and family a lesson. Car accidents are the top killer of Hispanics in North Carolina, and the disproportionate number of alcohol-related arrests and wrecks are an embarrassment to a minority already beleaguered by hard feelings over illegal immigration.
"It makes the Mexicans look bad, very bad," Hernandez said. "The American people say 'Oh, it's just another Hispanic, the same as the others.' "
It was a commonly held assumption among the Orange County sheriff's deputies and other local cops that a hispanic man driving to the ABC (state-owned liquor store) was probably already drunk. And that if you pulled over a hispanic man, chances are he would fail a roadside sobriety test.
DWIs are far higher among hispanics than any other culture in NC, and for a while this was seen as racial profiling by police and State Troopers. In CA, many times the DWI hispanic driver is also an illegal alien. Interesting now to see this article owning that DWI/DUI is sometimes part of the culture.
1
But if it's part of their culture, then it must be okay. Right?
Posted by: Contagion at April 05, 2007 04:06 PM (T4WRc)
2
"The first step is admitting you have a problem."
That, or the first step is a night in jail. I prosecute DUI's, among other misdemeanors. It genuinely makes me sick just how wasted some of these people out on the road are, and how unbelievably irresponsible someone could be to drive in that state.
I also had a former colleague in a previous job who's now serving seven years in state prison for DUI manslaughter. EVERY DUI has the potential to end that way.
Posted by: Dave J at April 05, 2007 05:29 PM (SKqxt)
Now this is more like it
I would use some cliche title like "Fat and Happy" but that would insult ME, so I didn't.
This so perfectly expresses my attitude about my body.
Fat happens. Get over it. Yes, I can diet and exercise. In fact, I do. But my body happens to LIKE being this size, I guess. So what? Why should you care? Projecting YOUR insecurities on me, huh? I'm happy, my husband thinks I'm sexy, and the doctor says I'm 100% healthy except for a disease that has NOTHING to do with my weight.
So why should I waste my time being upset about it? Seriously.
As my buddy Cartman once put it, "I'm not fat, I'm festively plump."
h/t RG
2
Oh holy crap!! She is my freeking hero!!!
You can sit my me, Sister. 215 and a 16-18. Unless it's a top - then bigger is better. :-)
This is the size my body has settled at. According to my doctor I am VERY healthy. And by God I am happy as hell with myself.
Posted by: Richmond at April 04, 2007 12:58 PM (e8QFP)
3
Be happy with yourself, dear! That's the only thing that matters.
The people that irritate me are the self-loathers who descend into victimhood and scream about it. And they are many groups, not just overweight.
And for the record - though I didn't watch the whole thing so I may have missed some - (a) the smoking chick looked to be about as big as her friend in the car, and (b) I would not describe any of the ones I saw as "fat".
1
At the moment... trying to stay dry. I know there were several things we were planning on - but at the moment I can't remember a single one. So maybe the plans were all in my imagination. Wouldn't be the first time. Heh.
Posted by: Teresa at March 02, 2007 12:11 PM (gsbs5)
6
I don't know about you, but I know my Saturday will involve wearing a sparkly top that sheds glitter everywhere while singing about white horses' sleeping habits, Johnny's missing bits and parts, and a Canadian who tries to use a river as a voicemail service.
Oh, and I'm getting my hair cut in the morning. I'm thinking I might grow it out to your length or so. Thoughts? (Maybe your DH won't think I have a boy haircut anymore.
)
Posted by: Contagion at March 02, 2007 03:44 PM (pBx72)
8
Red Bull and Absolut are my partners in crime this weekend
Posted by: Sissy at March 02, 2007 08:34 PM (y2kUf)
9
Oddly enough, I'm doing the same thing as Kj. And cruising for bargain airfare to Rome. Any ideas?
Posted by: ZTZCheese at March 02, 2007 09:00 PM (GcuaU)
10
Tomorrow-housewifey stuff; clean, and declutter.
Sunday-nephew's 1st birthday party, and in the evening, a few people are coming over to watch the UFC fight, which will be recorded on the DVR from the night before so that we don't have guests over until l in the morning.
Somewhere in between-read a case study for school and write a short paper on it, due on Tuesday.
In other words, not much. ;-)
Posted by: Amanda at March 02, 2007 09:12 PM (wBkwz)
11
This fine Saturday morning? Snowed in at home here in Iowa, after a week of the most implausible chain of massive snowstorms, one after another.
By Sunday afternoon, I'm supposed to be on my way down to Dubuque for a few days of study leave.
Them snowplows better get crackin'.
Posted by: Paul Burgess at March 03, 2007 05:47 AM (7EVyU)
12
I'm up in Mammoth, just came off the mountain from skiing.
Moon rise tonight, there is a total lunar eclipse. We'll see the last little bit of it, as Europe gets to see all of it, but stick your head out at moon rise tonight!
Posted by: Bill at March 03, 2007 01:10 PM (sAose)
13
Church newsletter, laundry, feeding the girls every five minutes (they *must* be growing), wine... The usual. ;-)
Posted by: Richmond at March 03, 2007 06:13 PM (e8QFP)
Posted by: Mrs. Who at March 04, 2007 09:01 AM (9FXen)
15
When I ain't got much to say..which is damn seldom..I just scan the NY Times..Will Rogers once said that was where he got most of his material..I believe it.
Posted by: GUYK at March 04, 2007 03:44 PM (Xbba2)
16
The same thing I do every weekend: sleep and work. I don't have a life, so that's about the extent of it all....
Posted by: Thomas Warlock at March 04, 2007 05:13 PM (4XTVw)
Quiet around here, no?
Real life interferes. Between work, choir rehearsals, and a pair of illnesses (DH and I both had the creeping crud) I've been neglecting y'all.
And frankly, I haven't been that motivated by what's going on in the world. More like disgusted into oblivion. Lately it's been easier to just turn it off than to vent about it.
We did watch the Oscars, though. As expected it was a lovefest for Manbearpig, who didn't really win an Oscar. He wasn't eligible, actually. Also not surprising, the adoration heaped on Hollywood's two "current" issues: global warming and gayness.
Ugh.
Do some people just not get it? There was NO major hoohah (which was a good damn thing, IMO) when two black actors won, or that latinos and asians were front runners in several categories. Just "the most diverse Oscars ever." So can we get over the Gay thing already? Please. Hell, gay people have been winning Academy Awards for years. Really. And they get married and have babies, too. It's a beautiful thing, so can we just move on?
And this whole Global warming thing. Honestly people, 30 years ago we were terrified of a new ICE AGE. Really and truly. 30 years from now, we'll be back there. I promise. And the Apostle of this new religion is the BIGGEST wastrel of all.
There's nothing wrong with being an environmentalist. I think it's important to conserve and recycle and reuse and repurpose and be smart about our energy choices and decreasing pollution in general, not just CO2. But we can not get hung up on the idea that WE are causing global warming. That's like saying a bucketful of water drains the ocean. On a 5 billion year old planet, with a sun that provides millions of times MORE energy than we can ever hope to produce without nukes, it is difficult to predict exactly how our weather is affected, if at all, by us.
What we should do is continue to study the Earth's processes and how we affect them, how other factors affect them, and how time affects them. This will take longer than the 20-some years we have been hooked on global warming. Far longer, in fact. Especially as we know that weather cycles are probably a century long, or longer.
And, if we really want conservation, we need to practice what we preach. Like Ed Begley, Jr ., rather than algore.
1
Yeah, Begley puts his money where his mouth is... that's a rarity with that crowd. Can you see Streisand riding her bike around town instead of having posh wheels?
Gore used more energy in August than we use in an entire year at our house. Hypocrite.
Hope y'all are feeling better soon, CTG!!
Posted by: Marie at February 28, 2007 05:37 AM (keaCm)
2
Your mind and your frankness are beautiful things!
Of course, you are beautiful, too!
; )
Posted by: Christina at February 28, 2007 08:01 AM (fvP3J)
Cloudy with a chance of fire alarm
As is usual for a Tuesday morning, DH's alarm went off at 5:30 am. Unusually enough, however, he opened our sliding glass door and woke me so I could enjoy the sound of the rain. Then he got back into bed and we snuggled with the dog and listened to this morning's storm.
Until about 5:50. At 5:45 there was a terrific downburst and a great gust of wind.
And then the neighbor's alarm system went off. The rain had shorted the alarm bell mechanism on the fire system in the townhouses next door. By 6:05 the firemen were knocking on doors looking for a fire or malfunctioning sprinklers. Finding none, they left.
Alarm still ringing. E flat, in case you were wondering.
The alarm FINALLY was silenced at about 7:30 am, although I'm not sure if it dried out or they got an alarm repairman in to fix it.
1
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.... (I'm not feeling well, so I deserve the sleep)
Posted by: Thomas Warlock at February 17, 2007 07:45 PM (++2bU)
2
I found your blog in my search on the trem: Feminist Manifesto. This linked to your 3/8/06 entry: " My Own Feminist MAnifesto."
In reading it, I would like to just mirror back two of your own quotes for the sake of inquiry. What I ask is; how have these eveloeved for you ove the past year?
The quotes are:
"And really, I have no real knowledge of the modern feminist movement."
"The original aim of the feminist movement was equality. Well, we've got that."
I am curious.
Thanks,
Kerrie
Posted by: Kerrie at February 18, 2007 11:03 AM (GKyMu)
3
Hi Caltechgirl_
The spelling in my first comment reflects a lack of editing. I apologize for those meaning entanglements.
In a simple effort to take responsibility for my own spelling foibles, the corrections were supposed to read:
MAnifesto/ Manifesto...
eveloeved/ evolved...
ove/ over
What do you think of the intentional spelling differences in girl/ girrl?
Thanks again,
Kerrie
Posted by: Kerrie at February 18, 2007 11:17 AM (GKyMu)
Funnies
One of the things I find most useful in recovery from ANY illness is laughter. Especially the drop your teeth, wipe off the keyboard , run for the bathroom kind of laughter you find all over the net.
Today, I bring you three examples of such. And if you don't think it's that funny, you must excuse my sense of humor. It's high on cold medicine.
First up, political humor from Goldstein (too good to NOT steal)
"Q: Why did the Neocon cross the road?"
a. To push over an old woman and take away her healthcare subsidies b. To beat those Dixie Chicks traitors with a tire iron c. Because, though he was really hungry for the blood of an innocent brown person, he decided to settle for some McNuggets and a medium Diet Coke d. THE MONIED JOOOS TOLD HIM TOO! e. To burn down a Planned Parenthood, deny battered women a voice, and further the aims of the Christofascist Patriarchy f. all of the above g. none of the above h. don't even look at me, you same-sex married homosexual gay fag
Because the night....
If the timestamp on this thing posts even remotely correctly, you'll see that it's well after 1am here on the left coast. Although the insomnia is a constant presence, I was holding it at bay pretty well over the last few weeks courtesy of some sleepytime allergy meds that were helping me get to sleep. Then this sinus thing came along, with Phinneas Gage pain. Literally. I've thought about bashing in the left side of my face more than once in the last week. It has to be less painful than what has been keeping me up at night.
And really, that's why I went to the damn doctor at all. I hate fucking doctors, really. They always want to tell me that they know more than I do about what's wrong with me. Really, ego man? Living in my body doesn't give me any clues? Not to mention that I have TAUGHT doctors before. Nervous system of the head and neck. Just happens to be my specialty.
Either that or they want to shit on me for being fat. Guess what? That's an easy answer, but it's wrong. WRONG. My heart's good, my BP is good, my load-bearing joints are healthy, and frankly, none of that has ANYTHING to do with why my fucking face hurts, thank you very much.
So it's taken me a while to actually go in and see someone. In fact, I hadn't even been to a primary care doc since before I left NC. I've been seeing my EXCELLENT, KICK-ASS rheumo like clockwork for a year, and I've been for my annual girly parts checkup, but I've never had a reason to see anyone else. So I put it off until I couldn't put it off any more.
I actually liked the doc. I liked that she sat and talked to me for a few minutes, that she seemed interested in making sure the RA was getting taken care of, and that she didn't seem to be in a rush to put me out on the street again.
But I digress. Evidently the little troll in my ear decided it doesn't like broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. It is currently throwing a tantrum in my left ear that feels like my teeth are turning to molten lava and my jaw is about to follow suit, and then everything is going to drain out my ear canal. So I'm propped up on the couch, trying to drink warm chai tea and relax enough to do some meditative breathing in addition to the pain pills I took earlier. Hopefully that will put the monster off. It worked this afternoon, but the pain wasn't so intense.
I really don't know how people handled shit like this before good damn drugs.
On the other hand, I think I now know why Van Gogh cut off his ear.
1
.... ouch.... get well soon.... and keep denying the urge to lop off your ear!...
Posted by: Eric at February 14, 2007 05:25 AM (NlzwQ)
2
Oh sweetie, I hope you feel better soon.
(((hugs)))
Posted by: wRitErsbLock at February 14, 2007 05:26 AM (+MvHD)
3
Arrrrghhh! Thinking of you... Hope you're feeling better soon.
Posted by: Paul Burgess at February 14, 2007 06:19 AM (7EVyU)
4
Oh man... that bites. I hope you don't have to put up with that much longer!
Posted by: Marie at February 14, 2007 06:23 AM (keaCm)
5Either that or they want to shit on me for being fat.
California fat, or Wisconsin fat? Weight seems to be the catch-all cause of everything these days, perhaps because the doctors don't have to do anything to treat it?
Phinneas Gage pain
Holy cow! Talk about your splitting headaches.
Posted by: Aaron at February 14, 2007 07:37 AM (fedZm)
6
Okay, my teeth are hurting in sympathy for you. Having had migraines since childhood (cluster migraines around my right eye) I literally can "feel your pain". I hope the antibiotics kick in quick and get rid of the nasties so your head doesn't hurt anymore. {{{gentle hugs}}}
Posted by: Teresa at February 14, 2007 08:07 AM (gsbs5)
7
We had the cement-sinus from hell last week. It got up to a 102+ fever during the Memorial Service for my FIL before subsiding, but the drainage continued and the brain-ache. I started popping guaifenesin tablets (generic mucinex) and that began to relieve the pressure - still getting the snap-crackle-pop in the cranium and ear though, and the taste-buds are shot - beer doesn't taste any good and that's a crime against Spaten. However the 2-buck Chuck Shiraz is ok.
Happy Valentine's Day anyhow.
Posted by: DirtCrashr at February 14, 2007 08:50 AM (VNM5w)
"We (the collective) do not want the government to pass laws about our right to murder our unborn children, but we're not up in arms about the government forcing us to inject foreign matter into our little girls' bodies?"
1
I'm opposed to making it mandatory, at least without further study of long term effects, but this statement says much: The agency said the 28 reported cases do not exceed the number that might be expectedNot that it would deter the shysters.
2
They're touting it as the be all end all of preventing... what is it? Cervical cancer... or something like that in about 30 years if you're one of the few who gets the virus and then has cancer as a consequence.
Once again we have people pushing something to "help the children". This is argument they apply when they want to persuade anyone that they should stop asking questions and just take the damned medicine.
Unfortunately not too many people will question this lest they be thought to be a bigoted right-wing Christian Nazi. To be one of the "cool" parents, you need to just accept this and let them vaccinate.
ARG!!!
Posted by: Teresa at February 13, 2007 10:19 PM (gsbs5)
3
one thing that scares me is that since I'm only the step-mom, if the egg donor decides to use my step-child as a guinea pig, my opinion won't matter.
and my husband seems to be ignoring the topic. he's still trying to cope with his little girl having to wear a bra.
Posted by: wRitErsbLock at February 14, 2007 05:29 AM (+MvHD)
4
In medical cost vs. benefit modeling (which strongly informs national medical public policy making and far too strongly informs the medical policies of HMOs), the most critical component is a value called "cost per life year gained."
If the cost per life year gained is under $50,000, that is generally considered a decent investment by US medical policy makers. If "cost per life year" gained is over $100,000, that is generally considered a wasteful medical policy because that money could surely be put to much better use elsewhere. Yes, this is cruel and heartless to some degree, but wide scale medical cost allocations do need to be made and, more relevantly, are continually made using these cost plus risk vs. benefit analyses. Think HMOs. Now consider why pap smears, blood tests and urine tests aren't recommended every month for everyone. Testing monthly could definitely save more than a few lives, and there is no measurable associated medical risk. But the cost would be astronomical versus the benefit over the entire US population when comparing these monthly tests to other therapies, procedures and medicines.
Now on to GARDASIL. By the time you pay doctors a small fee to inventory and deliver GARDASIL in three doses, you are talking about paying about $500 for this vaccine. And because even in the best case scenario GARDASIL can confer protection against only 70% of cervical cancer cases, GARDASIL cannot ever obsolete the HPV screening test that today is a major component of most US women's annually recommended pap smears. These tests screen for 36 nasty strains of HPV, while GARDASIL confers protection against just four strains of HPV.
Now let's consider GARDASIL's best case scenario at the moment -- about $500 per vaccine, 100% lifetime protection against all four HPV strains (we currently have no evidence for any protection over five years), and no risk of any medical complications for any subset of the population (Merck's GARADSIL studies were too small and short to make this determination for adults, these studies used potentially dangerous alum injections as their "placebo control" and GARDASIL was hardly even tested on little kids). Now, using these best case scenario assumptions for GARDASIL, let's compare the projected situation of a woman who gets a yearly HPV screening test starting at age 18 to a woman who gets a yearly HPV screening test starting at age 18 plus the three GARDASIL injections at age 11 to 12. Even if you include all of the potential medical cost savings from the projected reduction in genital wart and HPV dysplasia removal procedures and expensive cervical cancer procedures, medicines and therapies plus all of the indirect medical costs associated with all these ailments and net all of these savings against GARDASIL's costs, the best case numbers for these analyses come out to well over $200,000 per life year gained -- no matter how far the hopeful pro-GARDASIL assumptions that underpin these projections are tweaked in GARDASIL's favor.
Several studies have been done, and they have been published in several prestigious medical journals:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.290.6.781
http://tinyurl.com/2ovy95
http://tinyurl.com/2tbuma
None of these studies even so much as consider a strategy of GARDASIL plus a regimen of annual HPV screenings starting at age 18 to be worth mentioning (except to note how ridiculously expensive this would be compared to other currently recommended life extending procedures, medicines and therapies) because the cost per life year gained is simply far too high. What these studies instead show is that a regimen of GARDASIL plus delayed (to age 21, 22, 23, 25 or 27) biennial or triennial HPV screening tests may -- depending on what hopeful assumptions about GARDASIL's long term efficacy and risks are used -- hopefully result in a modest cost per life year savings compared to annual HPV screening tests starting at age 18.
If you don't believe me about this, just ask any responsible OB-GYN or medical model expert. Now, why do I think all of this is problematic?
1) Nobody is coming clean (except to the small segment of the US population that understands medical modeling) that the push for widespread mandatory HPV vaccination is based on assuming that we can use the partial protection against cervical cancer that these vaccines hopefully confer for hopefully a long, long time period to back off from recommending annual HPV screening tests starting at age 18 -- in order to save money, not lives.
2) Even in the best case scenario, the net effect is to give billions in tax dollars to Merck so HMOs and PPOs can save billions on HPV screening tests in the future.
3) These studies don't consider any potential costs associated with any potential GARDASIL risks. Even the slightest direct or indirect medical costs associated with any potential GARDASIL risks increase the cost per life year gained TREMENDOUSLY and can even easily change the entire analysis to cost per life year lost. Remember that unlike most medicines and therapies, vaccines are administered to a huge number of otherwise healthy people -- and, at least in this case, 99.99% of whom would never contract cervical cancer even without its protection.
4) These studies don't take in account the fact that better and more regular HPV screening tests have reduced the US cervical cancer rate by about 25% a decade over the last three decades and that there is no reason to believe that this trend would not continue in the future, especially if we used a small portion of the money we are planning on spending on GARDASIL to offer annual HPV screening tests for all low income uninsured US women.
5) The studies assume that any constant cervical cancer death rate (rather than the downward trending cervical cancer death rate we have today) that results in a reduced cost per life year gained equates to sound medical public policy.
As I said before, if any of you don't believe me about this, please simply ask your OB-GYN how the $500 cost of GARDASIL can be justified on a cost per life year gained basis if we don't delay the onset of HPV screening tests and back off from annual HPV screening tests to biennial or triennial HPV screening tests.
The recommendations are already in: http://tinyurl.com/33p9q6
The USPSTF strongly recommends ... beginning screening within 3 years of onset of sexual activity or age 21 (whichever comes first) and screening at least every 3 years ...
Posted by: mhatrw at February 15, 2007 12:57 PM (O39pn)
5
Replica Cartier watches Cartier is one of the most prestigious brands. Cartier watches became the best seller watch in 2008 and they are very welcomed
by celebrities. Cartier replicas, round, square, rectangular, equipped with mechanical, automatic or quartz movements, all
feature the matchless combination of aesthetics and technical progress. Join in Cartier replica watches, you will find it so
amazing.
Posted by: anthony at April 24, 2009 12:13 AM (pbQca)
It's official. I am in fact a child.
Sorry for the lack of posting, but now I know for sure why I have been feeling like poo: I have an ear infection. Courtesy of someone else's child.
As the doctor said today, one of the crappier things about being treated for RA is that you catch EVERYTHING that comes along because the drugs suppress your immune system. In my case allergies = vulnerable sinuses -> sinus infection -> ear infection.
So excuse me while I suck my thumb and tug on my left ear until the antibiotics kick in.
1
Hey! That doesn't look like Tom "Christ" Cruise!
Posted by: Bill at January 24, 2007 05:11 PM (bpbQx)
2
Yeeeesh, so glad I missed it. I'm all for freedom of religion, but...but what?
I still don't get Scientology, and don't plan on ever making a day out of learning the particulars, thank you very much.
Posted by: Erica at February 03, 2007 02:02 PM (n1ABe)
It's another Boy! Congratulations to the Smallholder and Mrs. Smallholder on the birth of the latest Jr. Smallholder, who weighed in at 8lbs, 6 oz, and is reported to have lots of red hair!
Karma
This blog has often looked at the subject of Karma, perhaps a funny thing for me to believe in, but time and time again it has proved to be exactly how things work.
Today, two examples of Karma, one good, and one bad.
First, good karma in the story of Shawn Hornbeck. When their son disappeared 4 and a half years ago, Pam and Craig Akers took a proactive role. They never lost hope, they learned what they would need to do to bring Shawn home, and they formed a foundation to bring information and hope to families in the same situation. The Shawn Hornbeck foundation has helped many people in the last 4 and a half years. And today, Shawn is home, thanks to another kid and a pair of alert policemen. Karma.
Second, bad karma. You know how every time you call a repairman or have something installed you have to wait for them? In our case it's a new dishwasher that should have been installed a week ago. For some reason it had to be installed today instead of last week.
The instructions were that the dude was supposed to call before he arrived so that we could call the landlord, since he had to approve any extra installation expenses.
Well, as you can imagine, he didn't call, and so we had to call the landlord after he arrived.
Which means he had to wait for us. He was not happy. And then when he found out that the landlord doesn't live in our complex he walked out in a huff.
1
Such wonderful news that they found those missing boys today. :-)
Posted by: Richmond at January 13, 2007 11:06 AM (e8QFP)
2
That is wonderful news. And what special people they must be to continue with such hope.
As far as repairmen go, I think they need a little attitude adjustment. I wonder where utility companies and repairmen think their time is more valuable. Yep, I'm going solar and digging a well.
Posted by: Tink at January 13, 2007 12:05 PM (vfIfd)
3
Karma - reminds me that "My Name is Earl" is probably the funniest show on now.
Goodnight Ralph
2007 has been a rotten year for the Georgia Aquarium so far. First they lost Gasper, a male beluga whale, when he had to be euthanized because of a long illness with osteomyelitis. Yesterday they lost another of their stars, a young adult male Whale Shark named Ralph. No one knows yet what caused his rapid deterioration.
Here's Ralph happily swimming along in October, when I visited:
<
And here's Gasper:
Sad, especially as the Georgia Aquarium is a lovely facility. Very clean and well organized, and the animals are clearly well taken care of. Another fun thing about the place, as you can see from these 2 photos, it is PERFECT for photography when other people don't get in the way and/ or leave the flash off. there are tanks overhead and underfoot and makes for some neat viewing of the marine (and river) animals on display. I was quite taken with the place, and I hope that these are two isolated incidents that don't repeat themselves in the other exhibitions.
1
Uh-Oh! Shall I come beat someone up for you? I'd be happy to. I've been itching to beat on someone for quite a while... I just didn't have anyone handy. I'd be happy to throw myself into the fray and wreak major havoc.
Hang in there... oh yeah, don't kill anyone (doesn't look good on the resume).
Posted by: Teresa at January 09, 2007 06:00 PM (gsbs5)
Also....
In anticipation of today's Friday F*ck Off, here's a list of people I'd like to tell to F*ck off:
LA Drivers Leftards who let power go to their heads Feminists People who pick on the weak assholes who don't pay their child support People who slam their siblings in public People who don't pick up their dog poo Egomaniacs Incompetents Cashiers who don't know how to use their registers Target jackass house guests who complain for a week. About EVERYTHING Litterbugs Fucktards who drive SLLLLLOW in the left lane. Especially on the Arroyo Parkway. cagastro and pals that little ronery North Korean fuck, too TV network executives Sales tax Stuffed shirt bureaucrats telemarketers the replacement mailman idiots who wash their sidewalks. Talk about wasting water. Fuckers. This is CA. dook basketball Nick Saban Dan LeBatard. Where the Fuck is Wilbon, goddammit?? the NIH study section who told me that they love my science and acknowledge that I have the expertise to do the work, but they don't think I have enough experience. Ads on the delete screen on the TiVo. WTF is that about? I pay enough for the fucking service as it is. Sorority Chicklets The Girls Gone Wild guy. And all the little sluts on those videos too. Cheap much? vegan evangelists enviroNazis Clueless fucks who think that if they keep those Kerry/ Edwards bumper stickers on, that they can live in denial that the election is over. John Kerry John Edwards sheeple who actually believe the media in all instances without question and did I mention fucking stupid LA drivers?
1
A little tense?
(BTW, I went through journalism school and worked on the school newspaper with Dan LeBatard. Super nice guy and very talented as a writer. I have no beef with him.)
Posted by: rSM at January 05, 2007 04:12 AM (IyNwh)
2
Wow. Glad you didn't add people who ask for the same thing 2 or 3 times... or is that included under 'incompetents'? GRIN. Hope your year is starting to look better now.
Posted by: vw bug at January 05, 2007 05:54 AM (5wNak)
3
**chuckling softly to myself, hoping CTG doesn't overhear and tell me to eff off!**
Posted by: wRitErsbLock at January 05, 2007 06:14 AM (MwQOF)
4
Excellent list - just excellent. I love this one best:
"that little ronery North Korean fuck, too"
Well put ROFLMAO.
Posted by: Teresa at January 05, 2007 07:38 AM (gsbs5)
5
This list is great. I'll throw in my hat to L.A. drivers as well. For all the time people in this city have to actually spend driving, you'd think they'd eventually get good at it, let alone just plain competent. Nope. It's amazing. L.A. drivers when it rains? Forget about it. That's a f@#$ off long enough to fill a book.
Posted by: Emily at January 05, 2007 08:01 AM (lXDk3)
Posted by: Christina at January 05, 2007 10:36 AM (NUhQR)
7
I like your style. :-) I actually feel better just having read that... Thanks.
Posted by: Richmond at January 05, 2007 02:28 PM (e8QFP)
8
Impressive list!
Wash the sidewalks?! Some people have waaaay too much time on their hands.
Posted by: Marie at January 05, 2007 07:03 PM (keaCm)
9
LA Drivers - I don't live there...
Leftards who let power go to their heads - who?
Feminists - no comment
People who pick on the weak - but they're so much fun...
assholes who don't pay their child support - I do, so I'm safe
People who slam their siblings in public - they're idiots, and deserve to be outed
People who don't pick up their dog poo - one more reason to NOT have pets
Egomaniacs - such as me?
Incompetents - such as my family?
Cashiers who don't know how to use their registers - ha! that's classic
Target - I just shopped there today, but only because I got a gift card from my boss
jackass house guests who complain for a week About EVERYTHING - kick them out and don't allow them to call a taxi...
Litterbugs - damn straight
Fucktards who drive SLLLLLOW in the left lane, Especially on the Arroyo Parkway. - slow drivers should have their license revoked
cagastro and pals - who?
that little ronery North Korean fuck, too - um...
TV network executives - I don't watch television, so....
Sales tax - agreed
Stuffed shirt bureaucrats - hell yeah!
telemarketers - click
the replacement mailman - going postal rocks!
idiots who wash their sidewalks. Talk about wasting water. Fuckers. This is CA. - I live in the middle of nowhere... no sidewalks (I miss the city)
dook basketball - what?
Nick Saban - who?
Dan LeBatard. Where the Fuck is Wilbon, goddammit?? - who and who?
the NIH study section who told me that they love my science and acknowledge that I have the expertise to do the work, but they don't think I have enough experience. - can't get experience without getting a job, but can't get a job without experience; catch 22, the chicken and the egg
Ads on the delete screen on the TiVo. WTF is that about? I pay enough for the fucking service as it is. - no clue what you're talking about
Sorority Chicklets - never met one
The Girls Gone Wild guy. And all the little sluts on those videos too. Cheap much? - never saw the videos
vegan evangelists - that's a new one on me
enviroNazis - tree~huggers?
Clueless fucks who think that if they keep those Kerry/ Edwards bumper stickers on, that they can live in denial that the election is over. - who cares? Junior won...
John Kerry - I know the name, and the face, but the only thing I really know about him is that he's married to the steak sauce chick and was an idiot... second- or third-hand knowledge, at best
John Edwards - I assume from the above statement that this guy ran with Kerry.... I don't watch the news, so...
sheeple who actually believe the media in all instances without question - I know a lot of those...
and did I mention fucking stupid LA drivers? - see first answer
Posted by: Thomas Warlock at January 05, 2007 08:20 PM (kTf66)
10
*smirk*
Yeah, my day went kinda like that, too.
Posted by: Mia at January 05, 2007 08:50 PM (Dlq0g)
11
I have to tell you, it was very cathartic to read your list!
Posted by: Bou at January 06, 2007 06:37 AM (PQFHD)
12
LA drivers?!
Heh... try navigating your way through the rush-hour circus in Midtown Manhattan.
It's common for NY drivers/cabbies to be plastered (so to speak) on the front pages of our three dailies for plowing into showroom windows and mowing pedestrians in greenmarkets down.
Posted by: Erica at January 06, 2007 03:59 PM (n1ABe)
Still recovering....
I suppose I owe you all an update. Haven't really written anything of consequence for a while. Sorry about that, but I've been a little out of pocket.
Christmas was great. We spent the week in Fresno, enjoying the cold and the fog as only natives or long-time residents can. Santa Claus was particularly nice to us, actually. I got a small (read: $30 on Black Friday sale) microwave for my office and a new bluetooth headset for my cell phone (it looks like a ladybug!). DH got a fishing pole and a tackle box, as he has recently resumed his fishing habit with my dad, aka FishMagnet. We also got to play with the nieces and nephew.
However, the best part of the week was just being able to sleep late and relax and not be on a schedule.
Since we got back, work has been kicking my ass. I did a lot of extra stuff before the break so that I would have it done. Good damn thing I did, because I would otherwise be living at the office trying to keep up! Good thing that microwave was under the tree :-)
I feel highly unmotivated to discuss politics or current events. There's just not much worth mentioning. The Democrats are doing their "In your face" dance, Jerry Ford is still dead, and so is Saddam. Castro is still NOT dead. Using the Koran at the swearing in is literally a tempest in a teapot, even if the bastard is only doing it to make a political point. The shit never changes, you know.
1
I think you've nailed it on all the politics. It's why I've had such a hard time trying to figure out something to blog lately. Sorry about the extra work -hope things ease up soon.
Posted by: Teresa at January 05, 2007 07:33 AM (gsbs5)
Too much Champagne, too little sleep, up early for the Rose Parade, too much traffic, rich food, USC football, and the coolest damn game I've ever seen, courtesy of Boise State.
)
<
assholes who don't pay their child support - I do, so I'm safe
People who slam their siblings in public - they're idiots, and deserve to be outed
People who don't pick up their dog poo - one more reason to NOT have pets
Egomaniacs - such as me?
Incompetents - such as my family?
Cashiers who don't know how to use their registers - ha! that's classic
Target - I just shopped there today, but only because I got a gift card from my boss
jackass house guests who complain for a week About EVERYTHING - kick them out and don't allow them to call a taxi...
Litterbugs - damn straight
Fucktards who drive SLLLLLOW in the left lane, Especially on the Arroyo Parkway. - slow drivers should have their license revoked
cagastro and pals - who?
that little ronery North Korean fuck, too - um...
TV network executives - I don't watch television, so....
Sales tax - agreed
Stuffed shirt bureaucrats - hell yeah!
telemarketers - click
the replacement mailman - going postal rocks!
idiots who wash their sidewalks. Talk about wasting water. Fuckers. This is CA. - I live in the middle of nowhere... no sidewalks (I miss the city)
dook basketball - what?
Nick Saban - who?
Dan LeBatard. Where the Fuck is Wilbon, goddammit?? - who and who?
the NIH study section who told me that they love my science and acknowledge that I have the expertise to do the work, but they don't think I have enough experience. - can't get experience without getting a job, but can't get a job without experience; catch 22, the chicken and the egg
Ads on the delete screen on the TiVo. WTF is that about? I pay enough for the fucking service as it is. - no clue what you're talking about
Sorority Chicklets - never met one
The Girls Gone Wild guy. And all the little sluts on those videos too. Cheap much? - never saw the videos
vegan evangelists - that's a new one on me
enviroNazis - tree~huggers?
Clueless fucks who think that if they keep those Kerry/ Edwards bumper stickers on, that they can live in denial that the election is over. - who cares? Junior won...
John Kerry - I know the name, and the face, but the only thing I really know about him is that he's married to the steak sauce chick and was an idiot... second- or third-hand knowledge, at best
John Edwards - I assume from the above statement that this guy ran with Kerry.... I don't watch the news, so...
sheeple who actually believe the media in all instances without question - I know a lot of those...
and did I mention fucking stupid LA drivers? - see first answer
