WakeMate Sleep Analytics Device Warns Consumers to Not Use the USB Charger After Units Have Burst Into Flames-Mobile Health Application

<p>You can read the entire article at Tech Crunch and it appears the unit itself is ok but<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR5KDe735aI/AAAAAAAAm-A/mKfB39NFMzA/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="158" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR5KDiCPvDI/AAAAAAAAm-I/k5rFq2HaPss/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="160" /></a> when you need to recharge and analyze your sleep patterns again, the charger could blow up.  The chargers were made in China.</p> <p>For me personally I’m not into analyzing sleep right now as all I care about is whether or not I get sleep.  There are several companies that make such a device and <a href="http://www.wakemate.com/compare/">WakeMate has a comparison</a> here of how they stack up.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>It was only days ago that we wrote that after nearly a year of delays, the first <a href="http://www.wakemate.com/">WakeMate</a> units were <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/20/after-nearly-a-year-of-delays-wakemate-is-finally-shipping/">finally shipping to customers</a>. And now there’s some more bad news — really bad. Some of the initial units are apparently bursting into flames because of any issue with the USB charger included.</p> <p><strong>Repeat: Do not use the USB charger included with the shipping WakeMate units.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR5KELfLDkI/AAAAAAAAm-Q/CIbX-jin7bk/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="207" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR5KEdkYauI/AAAAAAAAm-Y/UuRXHDBgJP0/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="348" /></a></p> <p>The USB chargers were sourced through a Chinese vendor. We paid to have the proper certification and safety tests performed here in the U.S. for the chargers. However, tonight we were informed by a customer of a safety incident with the black USB chargers. Therefore, effective immediately we are recalling ALL USB charger bricks and informing our customers that it is not safe to use these USB chargers to charge your WakeMate.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/31/wakemate-usb-fire/">WakeMate Warns Users Of Major Safety Issue With Product After One Bursts Into Flames</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:de5c7579-629b-4a8a-b68d-baca570e4f98" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/WakeMate" rel="tag">WakeMate</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sleep" rel="tag">sleep</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analytics" rel="tag">analytics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobile+healthcare" rel="tag">mobile healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/battery+chargers" rel="tag">battery chargers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/USB" rel="tag">USB</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobile+health" rel="tag">mobile health</a></div>

WakeMate Sleep Analytics Device Warns Consumers to Not Use the USB Charger After Units Have Burst Into Flames-Mobile Health Application

You can read the entire article at Tech Crunch and it appears the unit itself is ok but when you need to recharge and analyze your sleep pa...

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Synthetic Life Announced by Craig Venter–All About the Code and Sequencing the Genome

<p>This may be a little heavy for most to comprehend but this is more of a technical <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/j-craig-venter-and-life-with-man-made.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="164" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR5EMVjCzhI/AAAAAAAAm9w/CNwZhDFqgU8/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="186" /></a>report on how synthetic life and cell control was created.  This is about a 25 minute video.  Pay particular attention here to his comments talking about “debugging” as we have this too with software for healthcare and for medical devices, listen to the time elements he talks about and when crunching down on programmers, realize the complexity of this process. <strong>He talks about the code within the code and within the code. </strong></p> <p>He’s announcing the first synthetic cell from 4 bottles of chemicals and using yeast.  This is the first self replicating species who’s parent is the computer and has it’s own website too.  Notice the use of “booting the cell”.  </p> <p><strong><u>Mathematicians are the key he said here up front of the biotech side,</u></strong> again getting the code so the secondary portion can work.  He mentions the policy issues with the White House and Congress (if they understand it).  Flu vaccines with Novartis are discussed and how much faster the vaccine can be made.  Also mentioned is use of his technology with oil companies to develop new strings of algae at the end of his talk.   BD</p> <p><object height="326" width="426"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/podcast/CraigVenter_2010P.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/CraigVenter-2010P.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=863&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=craig_venter_unveils_synthetic_life;year=2010;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=evolution_s_genius;theme=inspired_by_nature;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=to_boldly_go;event=TED+in+the+Field;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="426" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/podcast/CraigVenter_2010P.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/CraigVenter-2010P.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=863&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=craig_venter_unveils_synthetic_life;year=2010;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=evolution_s_genius;theme=inspired_by_nature;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=to_boldly_go;event=TED+in+the+Field;"></embed></object></p> <p>If this is a bit heavy, use the link below to see the recent 60 Minutes video and interview with Craig Venter.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/j-craig-venter-and-life-with-man-made.html"><font size="2">J. Craig Venter and "Synthetic Life" With Man Made DNA–60 Minute Report (Video</font>)</a></h4> <p>Here’s another video from a couple years ago with sequencing discussed on the boat done by Wired and PBS.</p> <p><object height="265" width="425"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/embed/289"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/embed/289" quality="high" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="265" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> </object></p> <blockquote> <p>Craig Venter and team make a historic announcement: they've created the first fully functioning, reproducing cell controlled by synthetic DNA. <img align="right" border="0" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TDder4Yhk2I/AAAAAAAAffs/X12D82_F-vo/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="155" />He explains how they did it and why the achievement marks the beginning of a new era for science. </p> <p>In 2001, Craig Venter made headlines for sequencing the human genome. In 2003, he started mapping the ocean's biodiversity. And now, in 2010, he's created the first synthetic life forms -- microorganisms that can produce alternative fuels</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2010/week52/Friday/123105.htm">http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2010/week52/Friday/123105.htm</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:554b5e63-bb45-44be-82f9-a03d3b6fdbfd" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Genomics" rel="tag">Genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/R+and+D" rel="tag">R and D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chemicals" rel="tag">chemicals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA+Testing" rel="tag">DNA Testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Research+and+Development" rel="tag">Research and Development</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Craig+Venter" rel="tag">Craig Venter</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Synthetic+Genomics" rel="tag">Synthetic Genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a></div>

Synthetic Life Announced by Craig Venter–All About the Code and Sequencing the Genome

This may be a little heavy for most to comprehend but this is more of a technical report on how synthetic life and cell control was created....

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12 Year Old Finds Porn Applications on New Coby Kryos Tablet–Runs Android OS

<p>You can watch the video and make your own conclusion.<strong>  The company said there </strong><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR43y1zE16I/AAAAAAAAm9Q/EF0Xag-2RIw/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><strong><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="127" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR43zA5woqI/AAAAAAAAm9Y/S-KSF-sJXkY/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="208" /></strong></a><strong>were “adult” software programs in the library and to me this seems to be a real possibility of where the applications came from rather than being pre-loaded</strong>.  Perhaps there was not a strong enough limit to allow those applications to be added to the library?  </p> <p>That would seem to address the claim that all the original package seals were in place and perhaps <strong>the kids went right in to add some new applications and found them in the library before notifying their parents and perhaps porn apps should either not be included or a little more difficult to get.  BD</strong></p> <p><object height="268" id="otvPlayer" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kfsn&section=&mediaId=7866769&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kfsn&section=&mediaId=7866769&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></embed></object></p> <blockquote> <p>MARION, Ill., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- An Illinois couple said their 12-year-old daughter was shocked to find the tablet PC she received for Christmas was pre-loaded with pornographic applications.</p> <p>Jay Hardin of Marion said he and his wife bought a pair of Coby Kyros pads, tablet computers similar to the Apple iPad, for their daughters, ages 12 and 15, and the younger girl quickly discovered her computer was pre-loaded with two applications called "Boobs! Butts! Babes!" and "Undress Me," WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, Ill., reported Thursday.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/12/30/12-year-olds-tablet-pre-loaded-with-porn/UPI-87731293741433/">12-year-old's tablet pre-loaded with porn - UPI.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4ce8753f-467d-4084-a52b-a65aec2199a0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Coby+Kryos" rel="tag">Coby Kryos</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tablet+pcs" rel="tag">tablet pcs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Android" rel="tag">Android</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/programs" rel="tag">programs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/application+library" rel="tag">application library</a></div>

12 Year Old Finds Porn Applications on New Coby Kryos Tablet–Runs Android OS

You can watch the video and make your own conclusion.   The company said there were “adult” software programs in the library and to me this ...

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Considering a Total Knee Replacement-Some Straight Talk from an Orthopedic Surgeon

<p>This is great and who better to hear it from than a surgeon who this for a living.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR4rHdiTR7I/AAAAAAAAm8o/cUKHP99FWOU/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="141" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR4rHyttBQI/AAAAAAAAm8w/5V9ujE-nbck/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="199" /></a>Sometimes with all the information we have floating around out there today we might not always get some of the information we need and then too marketing enters the picture and sometimes clouds issues too.  Give a listen to Dr. Luks and I found it very informative and down to earth and done in a language we all can understand.  </p> <p>He also mentions a pulmonary embolism and it’s potential during surgery.  Back in 2009 I had the opportunity to get educated myself on this topic with a quick interview I did with Cook Medical and how patients can be evaluated prior to surgery for potential clots with an interventional procedure.   BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/09/pulmonary-embolisms-pe-cook-medicals.html"><font size="2">Pulmonary Embolisms (PE) – Cook Medical’s Next-Generation (IVC) Filter Delivery System</font></a></h4> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8b075ca0-cdf5-4105-ad4d-3dd5610e3b12" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="e1d1249d-990e-4cd1-91e2-9ad0c10feced" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjkkNI3XDCk" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('e1d1249d-990e-4cd1-91e2-9ad0c10feced'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"379\" height=\"230\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/yjkkNI3XDCk?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/yjkkNI3XDCk?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"379\" height=\"230\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR4rIMl2VLI/AAAAAAAAm84/Z6NcSPUoKes/video0059c79583da%5B15%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:379px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Knee Implants</div></div> <blockquote> <p>If you are considering a total knee replacement you are in significant pain, likely have a significant disability and your quality of life is probably suffering as well.   </p> <p>A total knee replacement is a BIG procedure… you must be well informed, and you MUST be *ready* for it.  You should understand the procedure, the risks, the potential complications and the realistic goals!  Once you understand that you can then make an informed decision whether or not you feel the “risk-benefit” ratio is in your favor.  </p> <p>When all is said and done you have a 90+% chance of doing “well” and being pleased.  But it will not be a quick and easy path. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://hjluks.tumblr.com/post/2544171918/considering-a-total-knee-replacement">Musings of an Orthopedic Surgeon - Considering a Total Knee Replacement?</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:bfd16d51-a8ad-480a-95d2-d4e6fed09e62" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Knee+replacement" rel="tag">Knee replacement</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/anesthesia" rel="tag">anesthesia</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/orthopedic+surgery" rel="tag">orthopedic surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/straight+talk" rel="tag">straight talk</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/knee+surgery" rel="tag">knee surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Howard+Luks" rel="tag">Howard Luks</a></div>

Considering a Total Knee Replacement-Some Straight Talk from an Orthopedic Surgeon

This is great and who better to hear it from than a surgeon who this for a living.  Sometimes with all the information we have floating arou...

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Fire At Quanxin Pharma Kills 5-Second Pharmaceutical Factory Explosion This Month in China With Worker Casualties

<p>When we hear news of such, it’s reminds us of outsourcing thoughts too.  As the article states this is the second blast/fire this month as another such incident 2 <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR4fxgzldCI/AAAAAAAAm8I/diwYJtn6B8I/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="203" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR4fyKBb7oI/AAAAAAAAm8Q/nt9j0MOH8JQ/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="274" /></a>weeks ago also killed 5 people.  I didn’t find any references to whether or not they manufacture for any US drug companies, which is very common these days too or they could have been a supplier for another pharmaceutical company too.  </p> <p>When we hear of drug shortages,<strong><u> this makes me think of the fact that we have no US manufacturers of propofol in the US anymore</u></strong> and are dependent on one factory in Germany and if something like this occurred there, where would we be?  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/app-pharmaceuticals-launching-drug.html"><font size="2">APP Pharmaceuticals Launching Drug Hotline in US–Check Status Of Fresenius Propoven (Propofol)-The Only US FDA Approved Drug</font></a></h4> <p>Does anyone else think about such things like the FDA?  Just something crossing my mind this morning.  This is shame for those in China for sure and safety needs to be addressed everywhere and if you read the news today you see safety being scarified all over for the sake of profits.  The Wall Street Journal had the video below.  BD  </p> <p><object height="363" id="wsj_fp" width="412"><param name="movie" value="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashvars" value="videoGUID={545FE2BE-C098-402A-A2DA-8479A7E3D70D}&playerid=1000&plyMediaEnabled=1&configURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/" name="flashPlayer"></param><embed src="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoGUID={545FE2BE-C098-402A-A2DA-8479A7E3D70D}&playerid=1000&plyMediaEnabled=1&configURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/" name="flashPlayer" width="412" height="363" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> <blockquote> <p>Five people were killed and eight injured in an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Kunming, Yunnan Province Thursday morning. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.</p> <p>The explosion occurred at a tablet-manufacturing workshop of the Kunming Quanxin Pharmaceutical Company at around 10 am Thursday, according to a statement released by the Guandu district government Thursday afternoon.</p> <p>About 13 workers were in the workshop when the explosion happened, the Yunnan Information Daily reported.</p> <p>Two weeks ago, an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Huanggang, Hubei Province, resulted in four deaths and five people being injured, China Central Television reported.</p> <p>"It is common sense that a factory cannot be built near residential areas," Niu Fengrui, director of the Center for Urban and Environmental Studies at the <a href="http://china.globaltimes.cn/">Chinese</a> Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times Thursday.</p> <p>"Scientific urban planning will gather all factories in one area of a city that is far away from residential areas," Niu added.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-12/607579.html">Factory explosion leaves five workers dead - GlobalTimes</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6b7f9bd6-1617-449e-b879-591c8ed85cd2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Quanxin" rel="tag">Quanxin</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma" rel="tag">Pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/China" rel="tag">China</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pills" rel="tag">pills</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medications" rel="tag">medications</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/deaths" rel="tag">deaths</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/safety" rel="tag">safety</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/imports" rel="tag">imports</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/exports" rel="tag">exports</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a></div>

Fire At Quanxin Pharma Kills 5-Second Pharmaceutical Factory Explosion This Month in China With Worker Casualties

When we hear news of such, it’s reminds us of outsourcing thoughts too.  As the article states this is the second blast/fire this month as a...

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CMS Physician Compare Site-Same as Websites For Profit? Same MD Convicted of Medicare Fraud and Dead Chimney Doctor on the List

<p>Well if you read the Medical Quack often enough you know that I have poked around these site a bit as I want to check for accuracy after finding my former doctor who had been dead for 7 years still listed.  I think everyone got the word via this blog and <img align="right" border="0" height="186" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S8yqQdyAjvI/AAAAAAAAdbw/B6954InBybk/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="185" />she does not appear any more but the other 2 that I have blogged about are on this list too.  Below is Dr. Justice who admitted committing Medicare fraud and is to be sentenced in February, site still shows him accepting Medicare as full payment.  <strong>I did look though and the state has not revoked his license yet!  Is a sentencing date and admission of Medicare fraud (and this was his second time) not enough?  </strong></p> <p>Dr. Justice’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 28. He previously served as the director of the cancer center at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif.  <strong>You might be able to still get an appointment if you pay cash I guess as I don’t think he can still bill Medicare.</strong>  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/avvo-physician-rating-service-cant-get.html"><font size="2">Avvo Physician Rating Service Can’t Get Accurate Information Listed on Doctors - One OC Oncologist Sitting in Jail for Fraud</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/prominent-orange-county-oncologist.html"><font size="2">Prominent Orange County Oncologist Pleads Guilty to Medicare/Insurance Fraud – Over $1 Million</font></a></h6> <p><a href="http://www.medicare.gov/find-a-doctor/provider-results.aspx?specgrp=Oncology&loc=Fountain%20valley,%20CA&ptype=PHP&pref=Yes&gender=Unknown&ln=justice&lat=33.7091847&lng=-117.9536697"><img alt="image" border="0" height="226" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR0OA8bi8UI/AAAAAAAAm3I/gkrkn9yGfuc/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="416" /></a></p> <p>Here’s the information about the “Dead Chimney Doctor” from Bakersfield and there’s a video at the link below.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/california-doctor-who-passed-away-in.html"><font size="2">California Doctor Who Passed Away in September With Being Stuck in a Chimney Still Searchable on MD Referral Sites</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR0OBVAdMvI/AAAAAAAAm3Q/5ygRJaKb0SI/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="233" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TR0OBhVocUI/AAAAAAAAm3Y/cewjSX7P5VM/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="430" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><u>Is everyone drinking the same “data base” Kool Aid here?  </u></strong></p> <p><strong>Well at least I know CMS is not trying to profit like HealthGrades and Avvo and a bunch others by selling data and getting consumers to pay for subscriptions to get detailed information beyond what is listed.</strong>  HealthGrades made millions and was bought up a few months ago by a private equity group.  The AMA and I even had a nice chat about these site and specifically at that time about my former “dead doctor” that had never been removed from the data base at that time.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TGXoC6oU-oI/AAAAAAAAghY/8yrzko9Ey48/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p><strong><u>I just hope CMS is not getting bilked on having to pay for this with the errors found here as it is all our tax dollars</u> and furthermore hope they are not having to pay a company like HealthGrades for the use of the data or license.</strong>  </p> <p>I am glad they are looking into getting their own data infrastructure updated as we have 8 year of ignore basically from the prior administration.  It’s ok to have listings but if you have read my former posts too on this topic we found a guy from an IPA who never practiced medicine listed along with many retired doctors and a few other dead doctors listed, which was contributed by doctors who read here.  </p> <p><strong>CMS need to connect to the Social Security Death Index as again we don’t want dead doctors billing any more charges like what happened in 2009.</strong>  People wanting to commit fraud mine this data too and look for loopholes with inaccurate or non updated information so in essence having the ratings as they are with out being indexed and checked for accuracy can be a big enticement for fraud.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/dead-doctors-and-inaccurate-md-listings.html"><font size="2">Dead Doctors and Inaccurate MD Listings On the Web Can Be a Real Hunting Ground of Information to Mine For Crooks Relative to Fraudulent Medical Billing</font></a></h4> <p><strong>So at this point do we need this and run the gambit of exposing more data for fraudulent use or give it up?</strong>  The ratings are not fair and doctors hate it anyway and for good reason.  One oncologist I know felt so bad for former doctors he used to compete against got on the web and gave them some nice ratings so their web presence wouldn’t suffer because he knew what was on the web was not right.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TGXoDxmtlZI/AAAAAAAAghg/kWJQc2TjiD8/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p>On a related topic with folks not getting their data straight, the City of Buffalo paid out over 2 Million for insurance premiums on dead employees with never a mention from the insurer about any annual mammograms or other preventive services and I hear that from doctors all the time too that they get them, but a few on patients who have passed away a few years prior.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/city-of-buffalo-has-paid-over-2-million.html"><font size="2">City of Buffalo Has Paid Over $2 Million to Provide Health Insurance for Hundreds of Dead People-Some as Many as 4 Years</font></a></h4> <p>I’m just a data person here and with the full on demand for accurate data and transparency with consumers, the other side needs to be shown as well so we can all get accurate data and this is especially important when insurance companies hang something over your head that is not accurate and entered years ago by a healthcare facility.  <strong>There are mistakes all over the place and to hold consumers to the fire as what has happened the last couple of years is wrong as insurers go with a straight and dry algorithm and many times the information used by insurance companies to score you is rattled with errors too. </strong> BD</p> <h4 align="center"><u><strong><em><font color="#c0504d">Algorithms to rate Doctors are flawed all over the web.</font></em></strong></u></h4> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Thursday improvements to its Physician Directory tool with the launch of the first phase of its Physician Compare website, which provides consumers with more information about providers including data about quality of care. <br />The Physician Compare website was required by the Affordable Care Act of 2010, and contains information about physicians enrolled in the Medicare program, including doctors of medicine, osteopathy, optometry, podiatric medicine, and chiropractic. The site also contains information about other types of health professionals who routinely care for Medicare beneficiaries, including nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, registered dietitians, physical therapists, physician assistants and occupational therapists.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/cms-launches-first-phase-physician-compare-site">CMS launches first phase of Physician Compare site | Healthcare IT News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:13cc816a-269d-4fa2-bc9a-68367cfbdb7f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Oncology" rel="tag">Oncology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Orange+County" rel="tag">Orange County</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Glen+Justice" rel="tag">Glen Justice</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fraud" rel="tag">fraud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insuance" rel="tag">health insuance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+billing" rel="tag">medical billing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/American+Cancer+Society" rel="tag">American Cancer Society</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer" rel="tag">cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/treatment" rel="tag">treatment</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/AVVO" rel="tag">AVVO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CMS" rel="tag">CMS</a></div>

CMS Physician Compare Site-Same as Websites For Profit? Same MD Convicted of Medicare Fraud and Dead Chimney Doctor on the List

Well if you read the Medical Quack often enough you know that I have poked around these site a bit as I want to check for accuracy after fin...

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Surgeon Sentenced to a Year In Prison for Having His Office Manager Fill in For Him To See Patients And Bill Medicare for the Visits

<p>This had to be an interesting court case and a new move that I have not heard of to have your office manager fill for the doctor.  The office manager is also required to pay up with some restitution.  If you want a day off, this is not the way to do this <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzsPRWydWI/AAAAAAAAm2E/XoxXiHqb4H8/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="214" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzsPva_0fI/AAAAAAAAm2M/UPRvbR0AUm8/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="158" /></a>and better to find another doctor, as most MDs would do.  According to the article here the office manager also wrote some prescriptions too. </p> <p><strong>I wonder how the patients felt about this?</strong>  Perhaps this is how this all came to light?  Granted working in a practice you learn a lot about healthcare but not to be exercised to this extreme and what if there had been a call to perform an emergency surgical procedure would the office manager have filled in there too <grin>.  BD </p> <blockquote> <p>A Columbus surgeon is to spend a year and a day in federal prison for having his office manager pose as a doctor when he was out of the office.</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Dr. Charles C. Njoku, 61, had Veronica Scott-Guiler see patients and prescribe medication from January 2005 through March 2009 at the People's Family Medical Center, 1279 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.</p> <p>Judge Algenon L. Marbley sentenced him yesterday in U.S. District Court on charges of health-care fraud and improperly prescribing medicine.</p> <p>Njoku said none of his patients was hurt as a result of their treatment by Scott-Guiler.</p> <p>"I have done the best I can to serve humanity," he said.</p> <p>Njoku has a medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., and has had an Ohio medical license since 1983. The State Medical Board had not taken any action on his license as of yesterday.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/12/30/surgeon-sentenced-to-year-in-prison.html?sid=101">Surgeon sentenced to year in prison | The Columbus Dispatch</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:38afc13c-2b20-47fd-a99b-b207b42e0cf5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgeon" rel="tag">surgeon</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fraud" rel="tag">fraud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Office+Manager" rel="tag">Office Manager</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctor" rel="tag">doctor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a></div>

Surgeon Sentenced to a Year In Prison for Having His Office Manager Fill in For Him To See Patients And Bill Medicare for the Visits

This had to be an interesting court case and a new move that I have not heard of to have your office manager fill for the doctor.  The offic...

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Stent Catheter Recall-NanoCross Dilation Catheter Could Break During Use–Need Bar Code Technology to “Scan that Catheter”!

<p>When you look at the website though instead of the recall having center stage first I <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNGTq6qtI/AAAAAAAAm0A/nBAwd5cmIZk/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="124" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNGyzpN9I/AAAAAAAAm0I/oR6CJb9EjkY/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="187" /></a>see the notice about the “biggest healthcare spinoff in US history” listed and when you go further down you do see the recall notice on the page.  <strong>When it comes to news, spinoff trumps recalls and potential dangers it looks like.</strong>  </p> <p><strong>Recalls of both medical devices and drugs are growing for a number of reasons.  First of all, we have a lot more information available today than what we have ever had and we need to capitalize on this opportunity quickly.</strong>   We read in the news every day it seems about quality control issues, devices needing software updates and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/microsoft-tags-microsoft-msdn-posts.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="43" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNHKUqkqI/AAAAAAAAm0Q/zIoRXFt6r68/image%5B15%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="149" /></a>so on.  How do we get the word out quickly and efficiently?  If one has times they can certainly search the web and put out a full on effort to find all of this every day, but healthcare workers have the same problems we all have and that is time.  When human lives are involved, time is everything. </p> <p><strong>I started this campaign a year ago with lots of support from readers and have sent this to the FDA, DEA and a few drug and device companies.</strong> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNHaCeKGI/AAAAAAAAm0Y/Fwxw7voDods/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNHsqaOYI/AAAAAAAAm0g/4wvhaQfdZPE/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="161" /></a> I said a year ago that recalls would accelerate and that we did not need to be the BP of recalls, which that is where are certainly headed.  <strong>No drug or device company is above this occurring today and many suggest RFID solutions which are good too, but the bar codes go to the web and can offer more detailed information so combine the solutions.</strong>  It's about time someone does a pilot on this!  Everyone who reads here, keep voting!!  There are stories and I have posted a couple here in the past where people had died getting implanted with a device that has been recalled and was missed being pulled from inventory and the surgeons had no idea it had been recalled.<u>  In the day where we have a technology solution for this, it’s shame luddites still exist and don’t collaborate and pursue answers and prefer to put <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_ReaTKJ2nI/AAAAAAAAeI4/_w011D2X1yU/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />patients in danger.  </u></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/microsoft-tags-microsoft-msdn-posts.html"><font size="2">Microsoft Tags – Microsoft MSDN Posts Ideas from the Medical Quack About Use in Healthcare!</font></a></h4> <p>We sit around and worry about advertisements and menthol cigarette regulations for example,  but we can’t get our nose out to create some real safety solutions.  Scan that knee, hip, defibrillator before you use it, takes a few seconds and will help hospital registries function and less mistakes</p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/fda-publishes-information-on-how-to.html"><strong><font size="2">FDA Publishes Information on How to Identify Recalls – Why Not Scan That Stent With A Cell Phone and Make It Easy for the Public and Manufacturers To Keep Up, Notify And Automate Compliance</font></strong></a></p> <p><img border="0" height="86" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_cYrKEcX-I/AAAAAAAAeOA/_Zre_9Hzr2w/image_thumb%5B22%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="390" /></p> <p><strong>On another recall from Abbott on glucose testing strips in the news last week look at this massive amount of products that jeopardize consumer safety.  <u>Everyone talks but no action from the luddite birds nest today. </u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/abbott-diabetes-care-recalls-tons-of.html"><font size="2">Abbott Diabetes Care Recalls Tons of Glucose Test Strips–The US Has the FDA Recall Blues-Solution Has Been Touted Here for a Year-It’s Time for a Fix–Readers Have Voted</font></a></h4> <p><strong><font size="2"><em><u>Collaboration is just buzz word that everyone uses for their marketing</u> today but nobody does squat to pursue safety technology. I think this is post # 62 that I have made in a little over a year’s time.  </em></font></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm238306.htm">Here’s the actual page from the FDA</a></strong> at this link where you can see the multiple lot numbers that are being recalled, there’s a ton of them.  Sure would be easier to scan that catheter with a bar code on the packaging.  So far though this idea has not had any impact on the FDA and/or drug and device companies and gee they would stand to save money on this process to and of course I have even advocated this for over the counter products too so everyone would win.  FDA would have a synchronized cloud data base to check for compliance.  <strong>Seems like we just prefer to subject people to dangers and not get the information out there and if you look at my poll, consumer want it as well as pharmacists, doctors and hospitals.  You know this technology can even be used to authenticate physicians for e-prescribing too, duh!</strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/06/razcode-microsoft-tags-using-smart.html"><font size="2">RAZCODE (Microsoft Tags) Using Smart Phones to authenticate MDs When e-Prescribing Controlled Substances</font></a></h6> <p>Also, why not get a heat map and find out where those catheters are, it can be done once the luddites open their ears. Bing maps will do it for you and he’s a screenshot of those who have scanned my bar codes from this blog!</p> <p><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJmlWcrzZhI/AAAAAAAAhik/Y-I04K0DhWA/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/microsoft-tag-bar-codeswhos-been.html"><font size="2">Microsoft Tag Bar Codes–Who’s Been Scanning the Medical Quack–The Bing Heat Map Tells All And Could Help Find Stolen or Expired Drugs and Devices With This Methodology</font></a></h6> <p>In the meantime, luddites continue on and the non participants just shine this technology on and we wonder why consumers don’t participate in health technology.  It's all about a buck and by the way, watch 60 minutes this week and see the story they have coming up.  Here’s the preview below and when recall information is needed, it needs immediate information to be available.  The preview here shows a story about the wrong drugs being put in the wrong bottles and yes I commented over there too, doing my best.  </p> <p><strong>If you are a patient undergoing an interventional heart procedure, pray that the defective devices have been removed from the hospital inventory</strong> and again I invite you to look at the huge list at the FDA recall press release.  Also just from 2 days ago, hope that this drug was pulled from hospital inventories too.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/american-regent-recalls-dexamethasone.html"><font size="2">American Regent Recalls Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injections Due to Particulates in Product-Need Barcodes</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Would it not be so much easier for someone to take a cell phone and scan their inventory?  It only takes a few minutes for updated information <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNIIFrQfI/AAAAAAAAm0o/nh7uEoRhGL8/s1600-h/image%5B19%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="104" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNIbX9zjI/AAAAAAAAm0w/dckg1bTuDL0/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="150" /></a>to be sent to the bar codes as again they can be updated at any time. </strong></p> <p><strong>I can go to <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/smartphone-scanning-coming-to-best-buy.html">Best Buy and use this technology</a> to find out about a Canon Printer though!  We live in foolish world of luddites at times.  BD</strong></p> <p><embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&uvpc=http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/uvp_cbsnews.xml&contentType=videoId&contentValue=50098001&ccEnabled=false&hdEnabled=false&fsEnabled=true&shareEnabled=false&dlEnabled=false&subEnabled=false&playlistDisplay=none&playlistType=none&playerWidth=425&playerHeight=239&vidWidth=425&vidHeight=239&autoplay=false&bbuttonDisplay=none&playOverlayText=PLAY%20CBS%20NEWS%20VIDEO&refreshMpuEnabled=true&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7195431n&adEngine=dart&adCallTemplate=http%3A//www.cbs.com/thunder/ad.doubleclick.net/adx/request.php%3F/can/news/%7B%25videoNode%7D%3Bsite%3Dnews%3Bshow%3D%7B%25videoParentNode%7D%3B%7B%25videoFeatPath%7Dpartner%3Dnews%3Blvid%3D%7B%25videoId%7D%3Boutlet%3DCBS+Production%3BnoAd%3D%7B%25videoNoAd%7D%3Btype%3Dros%3Bformat%3DFLV%3Bpos%3D%7B%25posDart%7D%3Bsz%3D320x240%3Bord%3D%7B%25random%7D%3B&adPreroll=true&adPrerollType=PreContent&adPrerollValue=1" /></embed></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Plymouth</strong><strong>, MN</strong> – December 15, 2010 - ev3, a Covidien company, has initiated a voluntary recall of specific lots<a href="http://www.covidien.com/covidien/pages.aspx?page=Home"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzNI7U0iKI/AAAAAAAAm04/LFpfNbtoHTw/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="175" /></a> of the <a name="OLE_LINK1">NanoCross™ .014" OTW PTA Dilatation Catheter </a>due to the potential for the catheter shaft to crack or break during use. Cracking or breaking of the catheter shaft may result in the inability to inflate or deflate the balloon, and may result in material separation and potential embolization. The device failure may lead to unplanned intravascular or open surgery, significant vasospasm, prolonged tissue ischemia, tissue, injury, infarct, bleeding and/or death.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the recall as a Class I recall.  FDA classifies a recall as Class I when the agency believes there is a reasonable probability that the use of the recalled product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.</p> <p>The NanoCross 0.014" OTW PTA Dilatation Catheter is intended to dilate stenosis in the iliac, femoral, ilio-femoral, popliteal, infra-popliteal, and renal arteries, and for the treatment of obstructive lesions of native or synthetic arteriovenous dialysis fistulae.  The NanoCross Dilatation Catheter is not an implant.  It is removed and discarded after the procedure is completed.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm238306.htm">ev3 Initiates Voluntary Recall of Specific Lots of NanoCross™ .014" OTW PTA Dilatation Catheter</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1afc7969-3216-4790-a97e-1d88fccae9b2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/NanoCross" rel="tag">NanoCross</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Covidien" rel="tag">Covidien</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/catheters" rel="tag">catheters</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/stents" rel="tag">stents</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/recalls" rel="tag">recalls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft+Tags" rel="tag">Microsoft Tags</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bar+codes" rel="tag">bar codes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/RFID" rel="tag">RFID</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DEA" rel="tag">DEA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/luddites" rel="tag">luddites</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/safety" rel="tag">safety</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a></div>

Stent Catheter Recall-NanoCross Dilation Catheter Could Break During Use–Need Bar Code Technology to “Scan that Catheter”!

When you look at the website though instead of the recall having center stage first I see the notice about the “biggest healthcare spinoff i...

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McKesson Acquires US Oncology–To Include Pay for Performance EHR Oncology Solutions

<p>The acquisition contains a lot of technology solutions here, if not almost all <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TM7uN5Q3meI/AAAAAAAAigs/bVC_tJzwoOc/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />technology solutions with those algorithms.  I guess we are beginning to see this focused everywhere today with modeling physician performance adding additional compensation for the business models.  In the text below you can see the statement about the ability to  “strengthen their financial performance” for oncologists.  </p> <p><a href="http://www.usoncology.com/corporate/Misc/Websites?p_url=www.iknowmed.com"><img alt="image" border="0" height="237" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzAJlIcOLI/AAAAAAAAmzQ/Q1xgSYzCEPM/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="395" /></a></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.usoncology.com/cancercareadvocates/HowWeAdvanceCancerCare/DeployHealthcareIT"><u>From the website technologies listed include:</u></a></strong></p> <p><em>• Allow the safe and secure electronic storage of patient health information to avoid common problems associated with paper records <br />• Provide physicians and other clinicians remote access to health records at any time <br />• Enable point-of-care decision support to assist in the delivery of high-quality care <br />• Identify clinical trials appropriate for a specific patient’s fight against cancer <br />• Empower information sharing, collaboration, and communication among oncologists <br />• Enable the benchmarking of pathways compliance and variation, as well as the measurement of a broad range of quality measures <br />• Support robust healthcare informatics and data analysis — including patient clinical outcomes measurement — that allow for the documentation of clinical quality </em></p> <p>It seems like everything today in healthcare is based on pay for performance being aligned to saving money at the bottom line.  <strong>Granted there’s a lot of money to be saved with better methodologies but in my little opinion, <u>we could also address the root and negotiate better drug prices </u>and not have the entire burden on the shoulders of the doctors, that’s just common business sense.  </strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.innoventoncology.com/web/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="234" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzAKFpAilI/AAAAAAAAmzY/ZkSUWgRORWI/image%5B13%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="393" /></a></p> <p>Insurers are big in this area too with their own pilots and programs for oncologists with a pilot program in northern California. <u> As a patient with a life threatening disease though, all you want is care and it would be nice if the healthcare business entities could put this together and not have all the complicated business intelligence plans that have to roll over to the doctors with having to be prudent chemotherapy shoppers.</u>  Sure there will always be some of this but it would do nothing for me to know the doctor was getting paid for his/her performance and I think the business side of healthcare could do a better job of this instead of passing the buck for pricing.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/health-insurers-focusing-on-cancer.html"><font size="2">Health Insurers Focusing on Cancer Treatments - Pilot Programs To Follow Standard Treatments & New Payment Structures</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Clinical trial awareness here is good though to allow access for patients in need for sure and the sharing of information with doctors is keen too for better treatments.</strong>  Overall we have a glut of software in healthcare today and it is usually all pretty good but training, learning curves, etc. all tend to hinder the adoption process with a bit of being a bit overdone and of course software adaptation as it has been discussed on the web for a number of years is more beneficial to the payers than the doctors as they just want to treat and hopefully cure the patient with the best decision making out there today.  With the current glut of software for use, t’s like going into a store and having too many choices and you walk out with nothing so I hope is not carrying over into healthcare, especially oncology.  CIOs everywhere are today over burdened as well and are looking at a burnout situation too.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>On Dec. 30, 2010, <a href="http://www.mckesson.com/">McKesson Corporation</a>, a leading healthcare services and information technology company, announced that it successfully completed its acquisition of US Oncology, a leading integrated oncology company.<a href="http://www.usoncology.com/cancercareadvocates/HowWeAdvanceCancerCare/DeployHealthcareIT"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRzAKRlTXkI/AAAAAAAAmzg/zGSmbBLUqUs/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="193" /></a></p> <p>With the completion of the acquisition, <a href="http://www.unitingtoadvancecare.com/nov1_2010_press.php">initially announced</a> on Nov. 1 and valued at approximately $2.1 billion, McKesson now delivers one of the most comprehensive sets of oncology practice management offerings in the country to enable community oncologists to strengthen their financial performance, advance the science of cancer care and provide the highest quality care for patients. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.unitingtoadvancecare.com/">McKesson Acquires US Oncology</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9c72ed3a-e7c8-4379-bf7c-350b5c16b1fb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/US+Oncology" rel="tag">US Oncology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/McKesson" rel="tag">McKesson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/oncology" rel="tag">oncology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer" rel="tag">cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mergers+and+acquisitions" rel="tag">mergers and acquisitions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a></div>

McKesson Acquires US Oncology–To Include Pay for Performance EHR Oncology Solutions

The acquisition contains a lot of technology solutions here, if not almost all technology solutions with those algorithms.  I guess we are b...

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Beware of the DNA Snatchers of the Future

<p>Private investigators soon may take on a whole new identify.  As we have all read your DNA can easily be picked up off a glass where you drank some water, a beverage at a bar and so on.  We currently have GINA to protect us from <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRywCoIR6BI/AAAAAAAAmx8/_bwd-g1N2_s/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="216" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRywDo255sI/AAAAAAAAmyM/-b9TP-ZSvkQ/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>companies using DNA information against us but what about other consumers?  There are kits out there where you can send in to get information on paternity suits for example, a bunch of those on the web.</p> <p>We have new technology emerging out there too with a “desktop” sequencing machine soon to arrive.  As technology is rapidly evolving we need to give some thought to some of these areas.  The <strong><a href="http://www.iontorrent.com/products-ion-pgm/">Ion Torrent</a></strong> is available for sale or will be soon.  As you can see, it sits on a desktop, just like a printer and is called the personal genome machine and does it’s work in about 2 hours. <strong> So what happens when an employee who has access decides to do a little work on their own?  Could that occur?  </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/life-technologies-debuts-ion-torrent.html"><font size="2">Life Technologies Debuts Ion Torrent Machine-Cheap Genes at $500 for Single Sequence</font></a></h4> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 343px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:fc35e63b-7627-4502-b949-439594f07b95" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="5ca21cf0-4e0d-4663-ab87-0df3d7e49777" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3jPTBU9vF8" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('5ca21cf0-4e0d-4663-ab87-0df3d7e49777'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"343\" height=\"209\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/W3jPTBU9vF8?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/W3jPTBU9vF8?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"343\" height=\"209\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRywD6n3QvI/AAAAAAAAmyU/DmOqUGiFaOU/video2b11e585e391%5B27%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:343px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Ion Torrent</div></div> <p>Just think back to how calculators evolved with the use of a chip and you have the same thing going on here with semi conductors and the size of the device is getting smaller.  What happens when a sample is collected?  We all know of course this is not a good thing to do without the other person’s knowledge, but when did that every stop those who don’t care about the law?  We all know the answer to that one. <strong> When you look at health insurance is this a new “black market” for adding extreme intelligence as we all know “data” is such a huge selling block today and right now even without any DNA information, our data makes huge profits for a lot of companies that are traded on Wall Street.  </strong></p> <p><strong>What happens when your DNA gets stolen and used illegally?</strong>  We all know what a hassle it is with our personal information but what do you do about something like this?  I<strong> think the machine is great and it is being used at a hospital in Massachusetts and it will move technology and research for treatment and disease perhaps a bit faster</strong> but there’s always the dark side we need to think about ahead of time.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p><u>The next big privacy battle may be over who has access to your DNA.</u></p> <p>It is becoming surprisingly easy for someone to test your DNA without permission. Every drop of saliva you leave on a Styrofoam coffee cup or hair follicle that falls to the floor contains DNA that in theory can be tested for everything from ancestry to disease risk. In 2009 <i>New <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRywEQaCpKI/AAAAAAAAmyc/yeJiXmUSoMw/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="166" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRywE3YGCzI/AAAAAAAAmyk/K_UV8glQ7ko/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>Scientist</i> writer Michael Reilly "hacked" a colleague's genome using samples from a water glass. He found labs willing to extract DNA from the glass and amplify it, producing enough DNA to send off to a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company. </p> <p><strong>Within weeks Reilly had results predicting his colleague was at risk for baldness, psoriasis and glaucoma.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0117/features-dna-databases-gene-scans-genome-hackers.html">Genome Hackers - Forbes.com</a></p> </blockquote> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:84600a8e-a143-4537-ab1c-73a63b8071e6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Life+Technologies" rel="tag">Life Technologies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genes" rel="tag">genes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA" rel="tag">DNA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dna+machine" rel="tag">dna machine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ion+Torrent" rel="tag">Ion Torrent</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/phara" rel="tag">phara</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/testing" rel="tag">testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/semi+conductors" rel="tag">semi conductors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/privacy" rel="tag">privacy</a></div>

Beware of the DNA Snatchers of the Future

Private investigators soon may take on a whole new identify.  As we have all read your DNA can easily be picked up off a glass where you dra...

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Could HealthVault Develop a Hack For Kinect Like World of Warcraft Has? (Video)

<p>Back in September I wrote a post about the small number of individuals using <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwvxWEzvAI/AAAAAAAAmv8/rh-apTYakAo/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="154" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwvyqVBBFI/AAAAAAAAmwE/mITkieFrlVs/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>personal health records and efforts of those who are trying to make setting up a PHR fun, and until now there was no way to make it fun as hard as software folks worked at it.  The consumer still knows the difference between a game and work.  Partners in Boston came up with what they called a “fun” algorithm to <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwvy7kll0I/AAAAAAAAmwM/ZLIJM7lFjoc/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="224" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwvzlicmrI/AAAAAAAAmwU/TnOqwP77H0w/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="135" /></a>convince consumers that applications were fun, but again they are not.<strong>  Well now if HealthVault is listening….hmmm…maybe we are on to something here? </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/whats-on-agenda-tonightworld-of.html"><font size="2">What’s On the Agenda Tonight–World of Warcraft or Work on My Personal Health Record</font></a></h4> <p><u>Now that you can literally calibrate your body</u> with the Kinect hack from USC it could make working with your PHR a little more fun and there’s also the games that help you get more exercise, so perhaps HealthVault needs to add an interface with using your body to work the program?  Anyone else think this is a good idea?  <strong>There could be a separate section in HeatlhVault to store you games and see what your heart rate is while playing?  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwv0LhAT_I/AAAAAAAAmwc/fQtRBDo586w/s1600-h/image%5B15%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="63" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwv0QTK3GI/AAAAAAAAmwk/N7VN9q-Dtmo/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="140" /></a></strong></p> <p><strong>At the end of the video suggestions are made for rehabilitation purposes for those recovering from orthopedic surgeries as an example.  He also suggests that if you have a child stuck on World of Warcraft for hours, suggest that one hour be done with Kinect</strong>.  If you are going to jump around a bit, walk and chew gum and get a heart rate while you are at it.  </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 366px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:81e8968b-1ea8-4b47-91e3-a53cf3b63943" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="582db31a-b561-449b-920c-ae1524a89f7f" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62wj8eJ0FHw" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('582db31a-b561-449b-920c-ae1524a89f7f'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"366\" height=\"222\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/62wj8eJ0FHw?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/62wj8eJ0FHw?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"366\" height=\"222\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwv1mir0zI/AAAAAAAAmws/cEL0mBwlX9s/video589f1e62ca4e%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:366px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Kinect–Microsoft–USC</div></div> <p><strong>Sean at HealthVault is probably going to think I have either lost my mind here or maybe will start working on a HealtVault hack after reading this <grin>.  Kinect makes a lot more sense than any of the other “game” approaches I have seen around and it gets you up and moving and away from the keyboard too.  BD  </strong></p> <blockquote> <p>A group from the University of Southern California has created the coolest <a href="http://mashable.com/tag/kinect">Xbox Kinect</a> hack yet: gesture-based spell casting and controls<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwv1zS3MPI/AAAAAAAAmw0/MoD4ttjAH3c/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="178" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwv3c7D2nI/AAAAAAAAmw8/wbYRNK6lN34/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a> for <em>World of Warcraft</em>.</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies has created and released <a href="http://people.ict.usc.edu/%7Esuma/faast/">FAAST</a>, or the Flexible Action and Articulated Skeleton Toolkit. It’s a middleware toolkit that helps integrate full-body motion controls for games via the Kinect’s sensors. Essentially, ICT makes it possible to map full-body gestures to different keyboard commands.</p> <p>Currently FAAST is only available for Windows<a href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/574203-Windows"> ()</a>, but the Institute intends to develop a Linux<a href="http://www.blippr.com/apps/392202-Linux"> ()</a> version. It also plans to open-source the project so other developers can create more dynamic projects with the toolkit. The Institute hopes that FAAST will help open a whole new world of healthy gaming.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://mashable.com/2010/12/29/world-of-warcraft-xbox-kinect-magic-video/">"World of Warcraft" + Xbox Kinect = Magic [VIDEO]</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:65c34b02-4982-4849-826d-b5a9de9e7d62" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/role+models" rel="tag">role models</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tech+computer" rel="tag">tech computer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cell+phone" rel="tag">cell phone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/education" rel="tag">education</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/information" rel="tag">information</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+literacy" rel="tag">health literacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+health+records" rel="tag">personal health records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Kinect" rel="tag">Kinect</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/games" rel="tag">games</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/USC" rel="tag">USC</a></div>

Could HealthVault Develop a Hack For Kinect Like World of Warcraft Has? (Video)

Back in September I wrote a post about the small number of individuals using personal health records and efforts of those who are trying to ...

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Healthcare Reform Putting Additional Pressure on Public and Medicaid CIOs-The Health IT Bubble Gets Closer As Money And Digital Literacy is Scarce

<p>I’ll go back to this one more time and again mention how valuable those with Health IT experience are today.  I said this back two years ago after the election that folks with hands on IT experience were needed and that figure heads should be out, and <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TPcCrCz3PHI/AAAAAAAAkR8/VDN6tbojetE/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />it’s coming full circle.  Why do I see some of this ahead of the game, because I used to write code and wrote an electronic medical records system and couple that with 25 years of sales you get a hybrid that can walk and code at the same time to be a little humorous here.  <strong><u>The demands and wants from the Non IT Literate are going to burn out the CIOs</u> as they don’t understand nor do most take time to learn.</strong>  I made this post a few weeks ago.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/cio-confidence-in-meaningful-use-drops.html"><font size="2">CIO Confidence In Meaningful Use Drops-The New Left Curve of Technology That Arrives Daily Contributes-Don’t Burn These Folks Out</font></a></h6> <p><strong>I have spent the last part of 2 years trying to educate readers as to what the processes are as I have watched this build and understand the mechanics behind it.</strong>  Those who have no first hand experience have to rely on others for figuring this out.  I have also spent a good deal of time around doctors and watching them <strong>work, back when I was writing the EMR I spent many hours observing and if you have not been there and done that, you cant see the same picture</strong>.  Here’s a good quote from the article and its very true as clinicians in hospitals are bombed.  Not only do we have meaningful use going on but now add on accountable care organizations and all of which require data processes to work and everyone is over loaded, all so the insurance companies basically can their data as a a big part of this.  </p> <p><em>“Hospitals have had the infrastructure in place for years, but it has been difficult to convince them to participate,” Daniel said. “They have so many reporting requirements that unless it is a requirement, it’s difficult to get them to do it”</em>. </p> <p>Now the public CIOs are having issues too and they have budgets and need to implement systems too and it’s no magic shake of the want and if you read this article in it’s entirety, you can see where they <strong>too are trying to get up to speed with healthcare IT technologies themselves!  </strong></p> <p align="center"><strong>YOU NEED IT LITERATE LEADERS TODAY AND THE MORE HANDS ON KNOWLEDGE AND USE THEY HAVE, THE BETTER IT IS FOR EVERYONE. </strong></p> <p align="left">In one fashion when things were simpler the IT technicians made some of what they do look easy but now there’s no way they can even think about making it look easy at all because of varied data systems, tons more data to analyze and constant pressures to make money. There may be some states where health IT-related issues haven’t hit home yet, but it will happen.  Back at the Federal level CMS announced they need to update too and are pushing everyone else in that direction to get ready and get the data in order.  </p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/cms-releases-plan-for-much-needed-it.html"><strong><font size="2">CMS Releases Plan for a Much Needed IT Infrastructure Upgrade With Computers, Data Systems And Those Updated Algorithms</font></strong></a></p> <p>You have problems like this with insurance running the Medicaid programs to let people die and not get their drugs due to trying to run everything on an algorithm and not looking at individuals.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/hmo-patient-receives-letter-from-hmo-in.html"><font size="2">HMO Patient Receives Letter from HMO in Michigan To Discontinue Life Saving Medication-Patient Being Denied Access Via The “Guideline Algorithm”</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Insurance companies are waiting to come in and scoop up some money and situations like the link above will continue and grow.  They will profitize everything with their business intelligence algorithms  and care will suffer.  </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/insurers-setting-up-to-bid-on-state.html"><font size="2">Insurers Setting Up to Bid on State Medicaid Plans-Bring in IT Infrastructure and Data Systems to Run It on Outsourced Basis</font></a></h4> <p>Figure heads are throwing money and grants every which direction and that is a good thing by all means but again unless one understands how data system work and come together, unreasonable demands and rules are created due to lack of knowledge.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/meaningful-use-money-and-data-being.html"><font size="2">Meaningful Use-Money And Data Being Thrown Every Which Way To See What Sticks With Limited Expertise And Not Enough Time at the Top to Lead a Full Debugging Process</font></a></h4> <p><u>One final note on all of this too is the creation of way too many technologies and <img align="right" border="0" height="239" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRqV9j7VK-I/AAAAAAAAmko/BGshsYFASiw/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="247" />lack of standards and collaboration makes the job harder too.</u>  Everyone runs around and talks about Innovation <u>but they forget Collaboration and we are certainly seeing it now as all innovation may not survive but collaboration must work and thus the need to dump or combine technologies quickly is upon us</u>.    </p> <p><strong><u>The“back door deals” that happen outside the knowledge or consulting of the CIO </u></strong>is beginning to happen more frequently and without a CIO that ties everything together, companies end up spending tons more than needed and sometimes areas of security are left untied, so the<u> CIO needs to be included and consulted with and not to the point of burning them out either</u>, and I am starting to see some of that with complicated IT infrastructures.  The It illiterates in a company want a 30 second answer when it is not possible without a study and full analysis, so don’t get impatient with the CIO. <strong> Gaps between what consumers and employees want versus what can be implemented safely and with cost effectiveness are growing.  BD</strong></p> <h4 align="center"><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/health-it-next-bubble-and-how-long-will.html"><em><font size="2">Health IT The Next Bubble and How Long Will It Take to Pop–Probably When The Money Runs Out</font></em></a> <hr /></h4> <blockquote> <p>Lisa Feldner is getting a crash course in health care. The North Dakota CIO came to state government with a background in education, having served as the technology director for Bismarck Public Schools. But in the last year, she has quickly become conversant in terminologies related to electronic health record incentive programs, health information exchange (HIE) and Medicaid eligibility systems. <br />Because her Information Technology Department centrally manages most of the state’s computer systems, questions about the interoperability of health data often land on her desk.</p> <p>At the federal level, beyond the more than $20 billion in provider incentives for health IT adoption, HITECH allocates approximately $2 billion in grants for other projects, including work force development, telehealth initiatives and research. State-level HIE programs will get $564 million in grant funding. <br />That means public CIOs must become more knowledgeable about and involved in health IT policy issues, say analysts and consultants. “It is absolutely critical that state CIOs be involved in deciding what role the state should play in governance of health information sharing,” said Mark Danis, vice president of public-sector health for IT services company Keane. “It should be part of state CIOs’ strategic planning for next year.”</p> <p><strong>If state CIOs are feeling overwhelmed by the change of pace, the CIOs of state Medicaid agencies are feeling even more anxiety. Ivan Handler, CIO of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, thinks about the HITECH Act and health reform every day.</strong> “We have to move on eligibility and enrollment,” he said. “We have to be prepared to handle a half million new Medicaid enrollees in 2014.” Illinois’ systems that handle Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Child Support Services were developed in-house more than 20 years ago. <br />“We have to upgrade everywhere, and we are doing planning activities around that,” Handler said, <u>“but we cannot do five to seven separate technology initiatives at once to re-create our own infrastructure. Our staffing is down, and we cannot afford to buy applications in the traditional way.”</u></p> <p>To help CIOs like Campbell, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to offer an enhanced federal matching rate of 90 percent for the design and development of new systems and 75 percent for the maintenance and operation of Medicaid eligibility systems. But even that may not be enough. “With the budget situation in Washington state, it is difficult to come up with the 10 percent,” Campbell said. </p> <p>“Some states just won’t have the intestinal fortitude to take this on, because they haven’t made progress on health IT, or they don’t have the people, knowledge or resources,” Keane’s Danis said, predicting that states with outdated eligibility systems will not be jumping into it. But there’s a short list of states that, regardless of which party is in power, have already made progress and will pursue their own exchanges. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.govtech.com/pcio/Federal-Health-Care-Reform-Puts-Pressure-on-CIOs.html">Federal Health-Care Reform Puts Growing Pressure on Public CIOs</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3ffb4a4f-5573-49c9-a4f5-a252c6e20c7a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CIOs" rel="tag">CIOs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+systems" rel="tag">data systems</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bubble" rel="tag">bubble</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ONC" rel="tag">ONC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data" rel="tag">data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/code" rel="tag">code</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicaid" rel="tag">Medicaid</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bugets" rel="tag">bugets</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/stimulus" rel="tag">stimulus</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/children" rel="tag">children</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a></div>

Healthcare Reform Putting Additional Pressure on Public and Medicaid CIOs-The Health IT Bubble Gets Closer As Money And Digital Literacy is Scarce

I’ll go back to this one more time and again mention how valuable those with Health IT experience are today.  I said this back two years ago...

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Medical Marijuana Records Found in Trash Dumpster

<p>It has been difficult enough for those who use medical marijuana but now they can <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwQC6QTx-I/AAAAAAAAmvA/t8DTokgl150/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="140" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRwQDJ-BmrI/AAAAAAAAmvI/2jNEs9qqMYQ/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="125" /></a>join the security breach group as someone threw their files to include social security numbers and other personal data into the trash.  This happened in Colorado and they should be covered under HIPAA too.  New owners purchased a dispensary and it appears they dumped the records in the trash.  I guess next time get a high tech dispensary so this doesn’t happen again, at least in this fashion.  BD </p> <blockquote>A Denver resident got a surprise yesterday when he took his recycling out: He found a binder full of information about people who have applied for or have received medical marijuana licenses.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://coloradoindependent.com/70820/medical-marijuana-records-found-near-dumpster">Medical marijuana records found near dumpster | Colorado Independent</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:612fb195-c8f8-4110-a077-3dd5cef1efa5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+marijuana" rel="tag">Medical marijuana</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HIPAA" rel="tag">HIPAA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Colorado" rel="tag">Colorado</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a></div>

Medical Marijuana Records Found in Trash Dumpster

It has been difficult enough for those who use medical marijuana but now they can join the security breach group as someone threw their file...

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Keith Richards Talks About The Luxury of Using Merck Cocaine

<p>In his book he wrote about his use of the product and how pharmaceutical cocaine was so much better and pure than what he found on the street and grated he had the money and I guess the connections to get it years ago.  We all know that this man like Ozzie Osborne defy the odds and are still living to tell about it.  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRvyhY-grlI/AAAAAAAAmuQ/Ko8cWlyShFM/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRvyh0GMMqI/AAAAAAAAmuY/UsjAF_Xjaxk/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="171" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/keith-richards-unveils-his-new-book-and.html"><font size="2">Keith Richards Unveils His New Book and Autobiography “Life”–Will He Have His Genes Sequenced Someday…</font></a></h4> <p>Pharmaceutical cocaine is not normally used to snort but rather as a local anesthetic and I don’t even know how much of it is still used today but years ago it was common.  Merck and Parke-Davis paid Sigmund Freud to test their cocaine, and endorse it too.  Keith Richard though has agreed to donate his body to science when he passes on.  BD</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/guitarist-keith-richards-being-medical.html"><font size="2">Guitarist Keith Richards - Being A Medical Marvel</font></a></h6> <blockquote> <p>Guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire Keith Richards should have died a long time ago. He was a heroin addict for many years, which earned him the number one spot for ten years on New Musical Express’ list of rock stars most likely to die. He was also an aficionado of Merck cocaine—the pharmaceutical kind, a pure luxury compared to the street powder. In his autobiography <em>Life</em>, Richards confesses that the Rolling Stones’ 1975 tour was “fueled by Merck cocaine. It was when we initiated the building of hideaways behind the speakers on the stage so that we could have lines between songs.”</p> <p>As Richards lets his supplier describe it (because the rocker’s memory is dim in that passage): </p> <p><em>“Pharmaceutical cocaine cannot be compared in any way to cocaine produced in Central or South America. It is pure, does not bring on depression or lethargy. A totally different type of euphoria, one of creativity, exists immediately when it is absorbed by the central nervous system. There are absolutely no withdrawal symptoms.” </em></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/zinamoukheiber/2010/12/24/merck-cocaine-behind-some-of-those-fabulous-rolling-stones-songs/?partner=yahootix">Merck Cocaine: Behind Some Of Those Fabulous Rolling Stones Songs - Zina Moukheiber - Healthworks - Forbes</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ef8b9a13-e430-412f-8f4b-40d446f6cca5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Keith+Richards" rel="tag">Keith Richards</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing" rel="tag">sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genes" rel="tag">genes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/books" rel="tag">books</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/autobiography" rel="tag">autobiography</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Rolling+Stones" rel="tag">Rolling Stones</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Merck" rel="tag">Merck</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cocaine" rel="tag">cocaine</a></div>

Keith Richards Talks About The Luxury of Using Merck Cocaine

In his book he wrote about his use of the product and how pharmaceutical cocaine was so much better and pure than what he found on the stree...

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Congress Will Read the US Constitution Out Loud when They Return Next Week-Anyone Heard of a Podcast?

<p><strong>I mention podcast as that is how the rest of the US citizens get quite a bit of the information we are responsible or knowing today.</strong>  How long is this going to take when legislation could be going on?  This is the issue today with citizens and general consumer digital literacy facing the antiquated methodologies of the folks from the 70s mentality.  Everything we do now is being driven toward a “self help” web format so are those folks not up to par here? <strong>Sometimes in my blog posts I refer to those who are not up to general consumer literacy as the “non participants”. I am not talking about having extensive awareness here, just what is expected from the rest of us, although any knowledge on how technology and algorithms work in the law making areas is huge plus!!!!</strong></p> <p>I have said this and so have many on the web that it is time for digital laws, in other words<u> reformat this stuff and add some visuals as it will make it easier for members of Congress to deal with too</u> and not have to revert back to something like reading the entire Constitution out loud.  <u>I would much rather see them spend time learning about the properties of a pdf document </u>as when the Pledge for America was written it left all the authors on there, who are staff members who were former lobbyists.  Rachel Maddow had the catch on that one.  Maybe I should keep quiet or they will reading that Pledge out loud next.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJzXFoKfdEI/AAAAAAAAhoQ/KKwaX31O2m0/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/properties-of-adobe-pdf-document-rachel.html"><font size="2">The Properties of an Adobe pdf Document -Rachel Maddow Rips the GOP on Lack of General Consumer IT Knowledge And Exposes the Input and Authors of the Content–Lobbyists</font></a></h4> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0" height="245" id="msnbc667ab0" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=39336480&width=420&height=245" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc667ab0" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=39336480&width=420&height=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 5px; width: 420px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; color: #999; font-size: 11px">Visit msnbc.com for <a style="border-bottom: #999 1px dotted; height: 13px; color: #5799db !important; font-weight: normal !important; text-decoration: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com">breaking news</a>, <a style="border-bottom: #999 1px dotted; height: 13px; color: #5799db !important; font-weight: normal !important; text-decoration: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">world news</a>, and <a style="border-bottom: #999 1px dotted; height: 13px; color: #5799db !important; font-weight: normal !important; text-decoration: none !important" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">news about the economy</a></p> <p>Our governor here in California has an executive order for digital literacy and I’m sure they would share with Washington.  It’s a good thing with all ranking individuals from libraries to the PUC talk out and state what is needed.  <strong><u>She says even you work at Burger King you need this so does this apply to Washington? </u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/california-governor-initiates-digital.html"><font size="2">California Governor Initiates Digital Literacy Campaign By Executive Order</font></a></h4> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 360px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e9909856-505d-41f5-949d-7218bcd8a0c5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="a8dc5c51-0b04-48e6-bc0d-299f2740b308" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtTTZ0UxiV4" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('a8dc5c51-0b04-48e6-bc0d-299f2740b308'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"360\" height=\"219\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/PtTTZ0UxiV4?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/PtTTZ0UxiV4?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"360\" height=\"219\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRvtgHZOu6I/AAAAAAAAmuA/MyGKaOVon-w/video06bb4c298c95%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:360px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Digital Literacy Program–CA Department of Education</div></div> <p>With complex data systems and information sharing, you can’t merely just take a stand and then go back and ask technologists to “make it work for you” as those days are long gone and big expenses and consequences are at stake. </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/department-of-algorithms-do-we-need-one.html"><font size="2">“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?</font></a></h6> <p><strong>With Gordon Brown talking recently, it was somewhat disturbing to hear his comment that he made saying “he had no idea on how connected the banks had become”,</strong> well <u>here we go back to the 70s</u> and lots of folks asleep at the wheel while intelligence and technology continued to work on their side and again the rubble of what we have left to deal with today. <strong>Back in August of 2009 I was talking about Algorithmic centric laws </strong>and really it would help members of Congress too and lawmaking might become easier to have all the information one needs in front of them.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/are-we-ever-going-to-get-some-algorithm.html"><font size="2">Are We Ever Going to Get Some Algorithm Centric Laws Passed for Healthcare!</font></a></h4> <p>We need digital laws someday soon!  We need to govern those laws with technology in place that can comprehend and see what insurance companies are doing as they have pulled the wool over the eyes of the non participants in digital technology.  <strong>This blog has talked about that for 2 years.  </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/department-of-algorithms-do-we-need-one.html"><font size="2">“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="227" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TRvl_f4J51I/AAAAAAAAmtw/K0qtYjStt00/image%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="235" /></font></a></h4> <p>How important are these algorithms today?  <strong>Well it turned out Goldman Sachs put a guy in jail for stealing theirs, <u>algos mean money and they also mean fraud.</u></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/goldman-stolen-code-has-algorithmic.html"><font size="2">Goldman Stolen Code – Has Algorithmic Fraud Become A Business Model in HealthCare Too?</font></a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-wall-street-lied-to-its-computers.html"><font size="2">How Wall Street Lied to Its Computers – Software and Programming</font></a></h6> <p><strong>So while the Constitution is being read so go all those formulas aka the algorithms that create fraud.</strong>  I would really like to<strong> see Congress become participants and understand some of this as if you don’t the world is all over you and as we have seen this year</strong>, those who are not don’t look too smart and lose a ton of respect when all of this is expected from consumers.  I’m not the first one to write about this as my source was and I just added to it.  </p> <p><strong>Modern day times with banks, employers and almost all others would use something like a Podcast</strong>, and it saves a ton of time so please join the rest of us with digital consumer literacy and maybe use some of it?  It certainly would have helped to not have that staff member who lobbied for many big companies to be exposed, again digital literacy and why<strong> I am scared when I see the 70s doing a rerun in front of my eyes as the rest of the world doesn’t function that way.  BD</strong></p> <blockquote> <p>When Republicans take over next week, they will do something that apparently has never been done before in the <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/Session_Dates/index.html">221-year history</a> of the House of Representatives. </p> <p><strong>They will read the Constitution aloud. </strong></p> <p>And then they will require that every new bill contain a statement by the legislator who wrote it citing the constitutional authority to enact the proposed law. </p> <p>The reading of the Constitution will occur Jan. 6, one day after the swearing in of Speaker-designate <a href="http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/John_A._Boehner">John Boehner</a> (R-Ohio). The 4,543-word document, including all 27 amendments, could be read aloud in just 30 minutes. But the exercise probably will last longer. </p> <p>"You can do the talk, but you have to do the walk," said Clifford Atkin, a leader of the New Boston Tea Party in Woodbury, Conn., who likened the increased focus on the Constitution to a religious conversion. </p> <p>Beth Mizell, who leads a loose affiliate of tea party activists in tiny Franklinton, La., has attended weekend classes on the Constitution that she compared to church Bible study. She said she is heartened that Congress is taking these steps. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/29/AR2010122901402_pf.html">Two new rules will give Constitution a starring role in GOP-controlled House</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3401d6e2-3b25-40de-ad1e-0e3b2a4779b6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pledge+to+America" rel="tag">Pledge to America</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GOP" rel="tag">GOP</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/non+participants" rel="tag">non participants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/70s" rel="tag">70s</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/*+track+tapes" rel="tag">* track tapes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/digital+literacy" rel="tag">digital literacy</a></div>

Congress Will Read the US Constitution Out Loud when They Return Next Week-Anyone Heard of a Podcast?

I mention podcast as that is how the rest of the US citizens get quite a bit of the information we are responsible or knowing today.   How l...

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