We saw a really pretty sunrise this morning. Sunrises always make feel expectant, hopeful, and a little excited. It reminded me of that show “Sunrise Earth,” anyone remember those? They didn’t even have music, just the sounds of nature and the scene of dawn slowly giving its own introduction.
Category: Brief Messages or Announcements
December Rain
Today is a rainy day in December around Eastern Iowa. We’re justing hanging out waiting for Spring.
Special Mention on Dr. George Dawson’s Post Today
I just want to send a link to Dr. George Dawson’s post The Phenomenological Suicide Assessment – The Legacy of Dr. H. It’s a great Christmas gift to teachers and learners everywhere. Happy holidays to George and everyone else.
Dr. Susan Shen University of Iowa Psychiatrist Wins Prestigious Avenir Award for Research!
This just in! University of Iowa Psychiatrist Dr. Susan Shen, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and, hold on to your hat, she’s the first female psychiatrist, the first from Iowa, and only the third psychiatrist overall to receive to win the Avenir Award (French for “future), a highly competitive grant!
The $2.3 million dollar grant will help fund her lab’s research into the underpinnings of substance use and psychiatric disorders. The grant is administered through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Give Dr. Susan Shen a big shout-out!
American Flags Flying at Half-Staff Today in Honor of Iowa Soldiers Killed in Enemy Attack in Syria
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all public buildings in Iowa to fly all flags at half-staff until sundown today in honor of two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and an American civilian interpreter killed in an enemy attack in Palmyra, Syria on December 13, 2025.
Pearl Harbor Day Today
Today is Pearl Harbor Day and it reminds me of the time we made a trip to Hawaii in 1997 and visited the USS Arizona Memorial. There was a guy named Norm in our tour group and he and his wife Lee (Leota) made friends with me and Sena. They were in their seventies at the time. Norm wept openly when we stood inside the memorial and viewed the names of those killed in the attack. I don’t think he served in WWII. He would have been only 16 years old at the time. I think he was just very affected by the loss of so many lives. Standing in the place where so many died can make us want to cry. You could call it normal—and it is sad. We exchanged Christmas cards with Norm and Lee for years afterward until they passed.
Men in Black 5 a Thing Now?
I just saw something on the web which look like Men in Black 5 could be for real. Supposedly, maybe, I dunno—but I hope so.
It may be more than a rumor, but there are doubts about whether Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will reprise their roles as Agents K & J respectively. Sony Pictures may or may not be confirming this depending on what article you read. Maybe somebody is drafting a script but I’m not sure.
I can’t confirm whether Frank the talking pug will be in it, but I doubt it because I think he passed away. Agent K will get around pretty well in a plutonium powered mobility scooter and Agent J will take Serutan (remember, that’s Natures spelled backward!) just before pressing the little red button.
Serleena will not stick her 3-foot-long green tongue into Agent K’s ear. I can never stand to watch that part.
Yours truly might be involved—but I really can’t say at this time because I’m still negotiating my contract.
Thank you for your time.
Snowstorm Barreling Toward Iowa!
We’re going to get about a foot of snow starting tonight according to the weather report. There are webcams about Iowa that will document the storm, which will occur across most of the state.
We’ve charged up the batteries in the Voltask electric snow shovel, which got quite a workout last winter. We took videos of using it that racked up over 5,200 views. Search my site with the term “electric snow shovel.”
Enjoy Thanksgiving!
We hope everybody has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in the News
I just saw a news item today that is interesting for two reasons, at least to me. It’s about people who have Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. The physician interviewed for comments about it is Dr. Chris Buresh who used to be an emergency department physician at the University of Iowa. He’s now at the University of Washington UW Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital.
His comment was published in a couple of local newspapers and he pointed out that even small amounts of marijuana can make people start throwing up.
The other reason it’s interesting to me is that I gave a grand rounds on eating disorders back in 2016. I had a slide on Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (see featured image above). There’s a reference from 2016 that probably is still useful.
- Brewerton, T. D. and O. Anderson (2016). “Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome masquerading as an eating disorder.” International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Go Retire Psychiatrist 