Enthusiasm for the Polypill continues unabated. The Polypill consists of low doses of three blood pressure medicines, a cholesterol-lowering agent and some aspirin. Proponents of the pill argue that it “lowers heart disease by up to 80%”. This is a little misleading. It nearly halves your chances of getting your first heart attack. After that, [...]
Interesting piece on drug lords using unsuspecting absent asian landlord’s houses as “drop boxes” for pseudo-ephedrine, the raw ingredient of “P”. Border seizures have increased by 1200% in the past 5 years, indicating a huge surge in importation of the illegal precursor. Distributors seek out rental properties from the classified adverts in local Chinese and [...]
Don’t you just love Phil Goff’s pronouncements? Today he is telling the world that, if he was prime minister (which, thank the Lord, he is not), he would have stripped Richard Worth of his portfolio because he failed to manage a conflict of interest properly. Now, I agree this was a dumb thing to do. Worth [...]
President Obama finds reality is considerably less pleasant than rhetoric: Obama also raised the possibility of a controlled bankruptcy to help either or both companies to “restructure quickly and emerge stronger” – uttering the term that industry and union officials have warned repeatedly could lead to the collapse of an entire domestic industry. Welcome to [...]
In a discussion on a previous post (Does Not Work) Roger Nome (who appears to have taken over from Millsy as the resident lefty – Thanks for caring, Rog), mentioned the difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute being the stuff experienced in Africa and Relative being 60% of the median income or less. When it [...]
We are still a very long way from having countrywide-accessible patient records on computer. Several DHBs are slowly making inroads on the exchange of this information, but it really needs a strong government initiative. Unfortunately, it appears that the Ministry of Health is too concerned with irrelevancies at the moment, as this quote reveals: Doctors may [...]
Apparently Nick Smith is touting the idea of charging 5c a plastic bag to try and encourage people to use more eco bags. Let me say at the outset, that I use reusable bags all the time. I find that their handles are much easier on the hands, the bags are stronger and, contrary to [...]
Sunday Star Times reports: Record numbers violently abused South Auckland babies have been hospitalised with severe injuries in recent weeks, shocking police and child welfare agencies and leading to speculation that the economic recession is contributing. Detective Inspector Mark Gutry, of Counties-Manukau police, told the Sunday Star-Times that investigations had been launched into the cases [...]
Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article. (MacDoctor definition) And now for another bit of political innuendo from the ever-obliging HoS. Leaked survey reveals questions over nuclear ban New Zealanders are being asked whether the Government should allow nuclear-powered ships back into our waters. Since the 1980s [...]
Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article. (MacDoctor definition) The Herald on Sunday continues to vie for tabloid of the year: Demolition fears for Sir Ed’s home The future of Sir Edmund Hillary’s home is uncertain, amid family fears that it may be bulldozed by its new owners, and [...]
