Thursday, March 22, 2007

read before using


The biggest industries in the world are:

- armaments

- pharmaceuticals

- illegal drugs

- oil

These enterprises share at least two qualities: They are vigorously aggressive and almost psychotically secretive.


The biggest selling pharma pill in the world is Pfizer's Lipitor. It is a statin drug used to lower bad cholesterol levels for heart patients or anyone else who feels this is necessary or a good idea. Most cardiologists, for example, self-prescribe a statin, usually lipitor.


Aggression?


A tiny news release out of Dallas today advises that the American Heart Association has changed its take on how and what children should take to help with their cholesterol levels.


This is the most spurious and questionable reporting and science. Did Pfizer support this study?


A major study also just released from Norway looked at two large groups of heart patients. One group was put on a severe program of diet, exercise and statin drugs. The other was told to "just live your life normally." Result? The exact same number of people in each group died of heart disease.


This is not to say that statins are a sham or that they should be dismissed. I take an older formulation statin drug every night before bed. Next month, we'll have a look at my blood cholesterol levels.


But, to encourage more children to take more drugs on one study with no real details explained is downright evil.


Don't believe everything you read, and read the labels on everything you think you believe.

Black, Black, Black


The Trial of Conrad Black is the most fun in town, the town in this case being Chicago. If you're not following this melodrama, you're not really up and breathing. It's got everything: more money than you can shake a Todd Bertuzzi stick at, power, greed, theft, betrayal, sex, bad words, local color, and the best ingedient of all - the chance to lay a good wager. Will he or will he not do jail time? Is Radler taking the fall, allowing the Good Lord to walk?


Last night, at the Third City Salon, sponsored by Bob Ranfsord, Virginia Richards and me, the 15 or so guests could hardly get into their soups and salads or focus on the subject at hand (Global Warming - Do You care?) for all the chattering excitement about "the trial."


O.J., the Trial of the Century? Ha!

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow ((Hey Oh))

soft rock rules...