April 27, 2013

C-SPAN Is showing the brunch for the correspondents and it looks like a scene from

Boogie Nights.

Weird conglomeration of folks.

April 24, 2013

I'm not too bright,

So I need an explanation of Andrea Mitchell's ad on MSNBC wherein she describes herself as a tough-as-nails reporter who can compete with the big boys. To exemplify how tough she is, she relates the story of when she questioned the ruler of Somalia (I believe) and asked him why he was killing the residents of Darfour. At this point, she says, the goons took her and removed her from the room. She then states that this exemplifies why she won't be shoved out of the way, and that she can hold her own.

But she WAS pushed out of the way when the thugs pulled her out of the room. I mean, kudos I suppose for asking the question, but in fact, according to her own story, she was peremptorily removed.

I've listened to this ad about 200 times, and it still doesn't make any sense. Am I missing something? Enquiring minds want to know!

April 21, 2013

Independence Visitor Center closed due to 'emergency situation'

Source: ABC Affiliate, Philadelphia

INDEPENDENCE MALL - April 21, 2013 (WPVI) -- Authorities have closed the Independence Visitor Center at Independence Mall due to an emergency situation.


The building was evacuated shortly after 12:00 p.m. Sunday.

The center located at 6th and Market streets in Philadelphia.


It appears this may be in connection with an earlier incident involving a man wearing camouflage.




Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9073727

---

Some guy was seen at around 9 AM in camouflage...no other info at this time (1:05 EST)

April 21, 2013

News Flash Philadelphia: Independence Visitor Center closed due to emergency

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9073727

INDEPENDENCE MALL - April 21, 2013 (WPVI) -- Authorities have closed the Independence Visitor Center at Independence Mall due to an emergency situation.


The building was evacuated shortly after 12:00 p.m. Sunday.

The center located at 6th and Market streets in Philadelphia.



It appears this may be in connection with an earlier incident involving a man wearing camouflage.

MORE AT THE LINK

On edit: Just came thru on the 6 ABC app...remarkable...don't hear any sirens, I'm about 10 blocks away.

April 19, 2013

I for one do not believe that all of this is for one individual -

or one small nuclear family. Blackhawk helicopters and the military are called in for several reasons, none of which involve one lone 19 year-old and his helper or two.

This is very serious and stretches far beyond that which is being reported by the MSM.

April 19, 2013

So WTF were they up to at MIT?

What were they doing or getting ready to do that the MIT police were called or noticed them?

Enquiring minds want to know!

April 16, 2013

John King's word for the day: BOLO

Be on the lookout for...

He's only said it about 437 times in the last half hour. Must have learned it today...and he's so proud of himself!

April 10, 2013

I had the most remarkable conversation with a sixteen year-old today:

Nice young lady, attends a good high school here, nice family. The memory of the conversation is so vivid that I can almost transcribe it here:

Dr. PC: Hi, I'm Dr. (PC), how are you doing today?

Young Lady: Fine, thank you. Nice to meet you. My family talks about you all the time.

Dr. PC: Yes, our politics are congruent...and they're nice people...for parents, right? (Laughter ensues)
So, what may I do for you today, do you have any particular problems with your teeth or gums, or anything you want to tell me about?

YL: No, I'm just here for a check up.

Dr. PC: Blah blah blah dental stuff.. (check teeth in the usual manner) So, are you having fun in school?

YL: Nah.....

Dr. PC: I'm sorry...are you bored, you're smart and do well, at least that's what I've heard from your family.

YL: Yeah, it's OK, but there's no one to date.

Dr. PC: Oh, no one wants to go out (notice how careful I am about asking about boys/girls/whatever - you should all be impressed by that fact)

YL: Well, it's just that the boys are all too short.

Dr. PC: (Looking her sideways in the chair) Well, how tall are you?

YL: 5 foot four.

Dr. PC: there are no boys in your school taller than 5 foot four?

YL: Not many: they all drink and smoke and that stunts your growth.

Dr. PC: Oh, I'm sorry. If forgot that all of us in my generation are so tall because they hadn't invented booze or cigarettes when we were kids.

YL: (Staring the way an adolescent stares at what she thinks is an old man) Well, you guys didn't do it like we do.

Dr. PC: (Stifling hysterical laughter - you really had to be there) Yeah, that's what everyone your age is telling me. You're probably right, we just had marijuana, hash, mescaline, peyote, LSD, 500 different kinds of beer, gin, vodka, scotch, and if we got tired of all that we always had butane lighters to sniff.

YL: Whaaaaat?

Dr. PC: I'm not saying I did any of that, but believe me, your generation did not invent boozing, drugs, popular music, or sexuality of one form or another. I think you need to look around a bit for some taller guys. I think they're out there somewhere.

Dental Hygienist: I'm running late, can we move it along here?

Dr. PC: Ah, she-who-must-be-obeyed!

April 6, 2013

I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am!

I had had an extremely unpleasant forced-personal relationship with one of the principals in the Rutgers basketball horror-show which is unfolding at the present time. Without being able to be specific, due to the extremely vindictive nature of this person, suffice it to say that this individual with whom I had to deal for more than five years was the most aggressive, arrogant, manipulative individual whom I can recall. The words 'cunning', 'politically dangerous', 'mean-spirited', 'narcissistic', might well have been coined for this man. I cannot relate any stories for it would reveal details of my existence and exactly to whom I am referring, but you may take my word that I am nearly gleeful that whatever measure of justice may be served, it is well-deserved!

I was ecsatic to see that the cover came off the scandal and can't wait for Act II.

March 31, 2013

Sunday Dental Thread: Crisis Looming.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/30/health/oklahoma-dental-warning/index.html

Tulsa, Oklahoma (CNN) -- They'd gone to W. Scott Harrington's dentist office in a Tulsa, Oklahoma, suburb to have a wisdom tooth pulled or perhaps have their jaw realigned.
On Saturday, scores of his patients were waiting to be checked once again -- this time not to replace missing teeth, say, but to find out whether they'd been exposed to hepatitis or HIV.
By 3 p.m. local time Saturday, one hour later than planned, some 420 people -- out of 7,000 of Harrington's patients from the past six years who health authorities reached out to -- had been screened for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV at the Tulsa Health Department. They came after investigators discovered unsanitary, unprofessional conditions at Harrington's office in Owasso, 14 miles northeast of Tulsa, that one official said created a "perfect storm" for infections.
Within two weeks, those tested Saturday (and when the screenings resume starting Monday) should get the results back -- all because they'd gone to see an oral surgeon with 35 years of experience.

More at the link...


As a dentist, I don't even know where to begin. We know absolutely nothing about anything in particular, but this story may eclipse that of the psychopath dentist who injected several patients with his own serum, HIV tainted, all those years ago. Although it is possible that no patients of his were exposed to any of the three diseases we so fear, AIDS, Hep B, and Hep C, due to the nature of the Internet and cable news, this will have, IMO, greater fallout. My office complies with all legal requirements, and then some, but you just never know what can happen in this setting. I went and checked that none of instruments have the slightest visible corrosion, that the sterilizer was working and that the tests came back negative.
But let me tell you, that you just never know 100% of the time that you're doing everything possible and that the regulations are extremely onerous to even discern when you read them and know what the intent is. For example, in recent years the is a reg on the books here in PA that anyone, including dentists, who takes radiographs must take a continuing education course every four years and be recertified. Which we did. Recently. It was recent only because no one informed us of the need to take this because the law was passed but no one, including the State Board or the local dental societies, bothered to contact practitioners and explain what was required of them, exactly. There's a rumor going around that you can do this with online study, but no one seems to know if that really is acceptable or not, and the fact is that of the ten people I called to find out what they'd done, not one person knew about the requirement, and they're old pros a t this. Some were incredulous that this happened and they knew nothing about it. For the record we all took the course over four hours at an accredited center for teaching it, so you folk ready to jump in can relax for a minute, until you find something else that I say reprehensible.

I see major health inspections coming to a dentist near you soon. I also see the hiring of health care attorneys to defend against major cases brought against unwitting dentists who may or may not be aware of regulations surreptitiously passed and not communicated.

It will be very interesting to hear how this plays out, both legally and in the media. Please believe me when I tell you that the vast majority of us are doing everything we can to ensure health and safety of patients and employees. Honest to God we are.