Thoughts and Musings from a Public Health Grad

Chris Christie

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:32:00 -0500

For a guy who can’t reach his own shoes, you would think Chris Christie would know how frustrating it is being unable to tie the knot.

One day our children are going to be wondering, “wait… people used to care about who could or couldn’t get married?! WHY?! That’s so dumb.” To them I have this to say, “Yes. It was very dumb and some people felt that their beliefs gave them the right to infringe on others happiness and could stop them from getting married.”

Though it might take a while, I am certain that we can get to the point where people are able to marry who they love, regardless of sex, and that those who opposed this change will be embarrassed of what they did.

Shame on you Gov. Christie.

America Bikes | Take Action

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:21:39 -0500

America Bikes | Take Action:

I’ve called and emailed my representative and the house committee. Be sure that you do the same.

Next Thursday, the House Transportation Committee will vote on the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, a bill that eliminates crucial funds for biking and walking. Representatives on the Transportation Committee are key positions to save dedicated funding for biking and walking.

If your representative is on the Transportation Committee, you are in a unique position to ask your elected official to preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking. Checkthis list to see if your representative is a Transportation Committee member. If so, please take a moment to contact them and let them know they are putting thousands of Americans, as well as our environment, at risk. If your representative is not, please contact them anyway and remind them that bicycle infrastructure is key to improving America’s transportation, particularly in the current economic climate. You can also call the Committee offices directly and voice your concern at (202) 225-9446.

America Bikes is working to introduce an amendment that will preserve funding for biking and walking. During Thursday’s vote, Representatives on the Transportation Committee will have the opportunity to pass this amendment to save biking and walking. We need to send a message to Congress that biking and walking deserve a share of transportation funding.

Professors offer more than $10,000 for proof that Bachmann’s story about HPV is true

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:46:48 -0400

Professors offer more than $10,000 for proof that Bachmann’s story about HPV is true:

I think this is an incredible response to Bachmann’s idiotic and dangerously irresponsible statement.

Two bioethics professors have offered to pay more than $10,000 for medical records that prove the anecdote Bachmann told after Monday night’s Republican presidential debate is true, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

"I reject the idea that we have to strip away collective bargaining rights to compete in a global..."

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:41:16 -0400

“I reject the idea that we have to strip away collective bargaining rights to compete in a global economy.”

- Obama (via kateoplis)
I really think Obama is spot on with this statement. Stick to your guns on this Mr. President.

ourpresidents: This weekend will be the 76th anniversary of the...

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:11:43 -0400

FDR signs the Social Security Act

A Social Security Check Poster

ourpresidents:

This weekend will be the 76th anniversary of the Social Security Act

On August 14, 1935 legislators and advisors crowded into the White House Cabinet Room to witness the signing of the Social Security Act. News photographers and film crews recorded the moment for history as FDR put his signature on the bill. Standing directly behind the President was the person most responsible for it - Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. The headline in that day’s Washington Post read “New Deal’s Most Important Act.”

-read more at The FDR Library

I wonder what other monumental changes FDR would have made if he had lived longer. Universal health care? A push towards equal rights? Either way, he certainly did a lot of good for this country. Maybe we can learn a lesson from the New Deal and find ways to put people back to work, focusing on improving our country, and the lives of everyone who lives here.

Why Do Americans Pay More For Healthcare? (The Daily Beast)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:33:05 -0400

Why Do Americans Pay More For Healthcare? (The Daily Beast)

"The Westboro Baptist Church is no more a church than Church’s Fried Chicken is a church."

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:38:18 -0400

“The Westboro Baptist Church is no more a church than Church’s Fried Chicken is a church.”

- Jon Stewart (via redeemedheart)

Amazingly well put.

While I hope the news Osama Bin Laden’s death brings some...

Mon, 02 May 2011 18:06:46 -0400

While I hope the news Osama Bin Laden’s death brings some closure for those who lost loved ones, friends, and neighbors in the 9/11 attacks and subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, I simply can not agree that the death of a human being should ever be celebrated - no matter how abhorrent their actions may have been. This is not to say that I don’t think good can come from this, but rather that the act of celebrating the taking of a life is loathsome. The fact that people were rallied in the streets gives me mixed feelings. I’m saddened by the fact that so many would celebrate in a death, but gives me hope that maybe we can get our act together and rally around more positive issues (health care, ending wars, etc).

Granted this is my personal opinion, and I am thankful that I live in a country where I am able to voice it because so many have sacrificed so much to protect that right.

This was a nice little article, but it brought to mind what our...

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:00:05 -0400

This was a nice little article, but it brought to mind what our cities could be like with better bicycle infrastructure, and what implications this could have for our elderly populations. If the roads get safer for biking, will the elderly be more inclined to get out and bike? My hope is that with the implementation of Boston’s HubWay Bike sharing system we will see more people biking, and amongst them I hope to see elderly individuals. Part of this is driven by the fact that it gives me hope that this will be me one day… at least with any luck. I certainly don’t want to be shut up in some assisted living facility all day. Being able to go out and be a part of the city is such a wonderful experience for the young and old. Hopefully cycling will be a means to help.

At 103, he’s a three-wheeled wonder

If it were up to Octavio Orduño, he’d still be cruising Long Beach on a two-wheeled bicycle. But his wife insisted he get a tricycle. The city wants to make him an ambassador for cycling: ‘He’s our poster boy for healthy, active living around here.’ (VIA LA TIMES)

Stop Arizona From Removing Balbir Singh Sodhi from 9/11 Memorial

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:45:12 -0400

Stop Arizona From Removing Balbir Singh Sodhi from 9/11 Memorial:

This is ridiculous and disgraceful. Shame on you Gov. Jan Brewer. Get loud people.

Thanks to livejamie for bringing this to my attention.

So this is pretty clever. A fertility clinic in Copenhagen...

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:03:57 -0400

So this is pretty clever. A fertility clinic in Copenhagen needed a method to transport specimens through the city. Not only did they select a fast and reliable method of transportation, but like many other companies, they took the opportunity to advertise with their selected vehicle. More information about the sperm bike can be found at Neatorama or Copenhagenize.

Earth Day Cover (by Linzie...

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:01:05 -0400

Earth Day Cover (by Linzie Hunter via typostruction)

Here’s to hoping that the world is able to really put these into motion and making our planet a better and more healthy place. Happy Earth Day 2011 everyone.

City of Boston Launching Bike Sharing Program

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:44:57 -0400

City of Boston Launching Bike Sharing Program:

$6 Million dollars, 600 bicycles, and 61 stations planned for July, 2011. I have not the words to describe how excited I am that the City of Boston has finalized their deal for a bike sharing network in the city. This program will hopefully have a lot of positive impacts for the cycling community here on Boston, but the one’s I’ll really be looking for are:

Motorists becoming more accustomed to cyclists because we will be EVERYWHERE
Greater demand for cycling infrastructure
Traffic calming. There is NO reason that people need to go more than 25mph within a city. Doing so is unsafe for everyone, but especially pedestrians and cyclists.
More recognition of cycling as a legitimate form of transportation because IT IS.
People treating cycling as mainstream or reasonable. I cannot count the number of times people have surprisingly said something like “You biked here?” to me.

See more on the Globe and the City of Boston.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Japan. Despite all...

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:32:06 -0500

Thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Japan. Despite all of the disasters of the past few years, I still can not even begin to imagine how devastating and terrifying this must be.

"Just as we listen to social media, so too do the governments of other countries."

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:14:26 -0500

“Just as we listen to social media, so too do the governments of other countries.”

- (@pjcrowley) Assistant Secretary of State PJ Crowley

So very true. Social media has given people a powerful voice and our governments are wise to listen to this voice.

Interesting article from the NYTimes regarding Tai Chi and...

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:10:00 -0500

Interesting article from the NYTimes regarding Tai Chi and Meditation (forms of complementary and alternative medicines aka CAM) as a method for preventing falls amongst geriatrics. While I’ve been a student of Tai Chi since high school, I didn’t know much about the concept of CAM until graduate school, where one of my favorite professors really got me interested. Not only was this an area of study and research for him, but he also teaches Tai Chi to students and staff of the medical campus. It still amazes me that an hour long session of Tai Chi and meditation could provide such an amazingly huge release for stress. I guess I should really try to stick with these practices as I get old. I can relate to the article’s statements that Tai Chi assists with development of balance and core strength. For anyone who hasn’t tried Tai Chi before, it can be quite a work out, despite being so serene and peaceful.

"…the Justice Department will now take the position in court that the act should be struck down..."

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:00:07 -0500

“…the Justice Department will now take the position in court that the act should be struck down as a violation of same-sex couples’ rights to equal protection under the law…”

- NY Times

This is great news. Now to keep the ball rolling to have congress repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Once more, call your law makers. Make them know that you don’t support this kind of legislation, and that you want same-sex couples to be treated as equals.

Why Save PBS? - via Chris Bishop ——- I remember...

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:00:07 -0500

Why Save PBS? - via Chris Bishop

——-

I remember watching NOVA and Sesame Street as a child, and have all intentions of making sure they are a part of my children’s future. Call your congressional representatives and make sure that they know you want these amazing resources to be operating and available to future generations, and that you want your tax dollars going into making the future a better place through the availability of educational resources like these that promote the arts, sciences, and everything else that PBS stands for.

These kind of outbursts by public officials amaze me. Whether...

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:31:47 -0500

These kind of outbursts by public officials amaze me. Whether intended to be humorous or not, a public official should be held to a standard of conduct that is above inciting violence against peaceful protest. Good to see that Mother Jones reports that Jeff Cox was appropriately terminated by the Indiana Attorney General’s office.

Update: The Indiana attorney general’s office has confirmed to Mother Jones that Jeff Cox was terminated Wednesday.

How individuals in these types of positions think that they can respond to political unrest like this just blows my mind. I guess it’s a good reminder that social media is a powerful tool, and should be treated as such. Once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back.

Amazing infographic of how social media managers might spend...

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:00:07 -0500

Amazing infographic of how social media managers might spend their day. One of the more interesting aspects of this infographic is the mention of scheduling. I for one do utilize scheduling as a tool - I find the bombardment of materials at one point in time to be less interesting and less effective for communicating than if a steady stream of materials are scheduled to post throughout the day.