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Earth Day 2023: Water What We Want to Grow
Happy Earth Day! Yesterday, Sena worked pretty hard out in the garden spaces. She has planted ten river birch trees. I did my usual spring lawn edging, which followed the first mow of the season a couple of days before by the lawn mowing service. The vinca is coming up in the garden circle in…
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Update to Chat with Bard
My recent chat with Google Bard, about which I posted on April 11, 2023, contained an error by Bard on all those strikes by physicians. Today I asked some follow-up questions: How many physician strikes have occurred in the United States? “There have been a few physician strikes in the United States, but they are…
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How’s It Hanging, Bard?
I read the experiences of Dr. Ron Pies and Dr. George Dawson with Google Bard (see my post Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence). So I had my own conversation with Google Bard yesterday. Hi, Bard; how’s it hanging? “I am doing well, thank you for asking! I am excited to be able to help people with…
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National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk May 6, 2023
There is a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk scheduled for May 6, 2023 at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. See the announcement here.
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“Stink, Stank, Stunk!”
I’m just puzzled lately over what seems like a contradiction between two ideas I’ve seen in the news and in TV commercials. It’s all about body odor. There is this study that was recently published about stinky armpit odor possibly making the practice of mindfulness meditation more effective. This contrasts with the usual meaning of…
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Random Connections
Today, I read Dr. George Dawson’s blog post, “How I ended up in a high-risk pancreatic cancer risk screening clinic.” As usual I was impressed with his erudition, scientific literacy, and rigorous objectivity, even as it pertained to a deadly disease which runs in his family genetic history. I couldn’t help admiring his courage. And,…
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Catatonia Education Resources
I noticed what is, for me at least, a new educational resource for catatonia. There’s an aricle about it in the March 2023 issue (Vol.51, No. 3) of Clinical Psychiatry News. The resource is available at University of Rochester Medical Center website. They include pdf files and training videos for assessment of catatonia. There are…
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Behind the Mask Policy
Tomorrow I’ll get to see how the new Covid-19 face mask policy works at the University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics. It goes into effect today. I’m going to see the dentist, as I have periodically for years, even during the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, the idea of masked dental patients is ironic. The rule…
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Face Masks Optional at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Starting March 8, 2023
As of March 8, 2023, face masks will be optional for visitors, patients, and employees at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.
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Xylazine More About Death Than the Walking Dead
The recent news stories about xylazine-adulterated fentanyl (also known as Tranq) describe it as turning users into zombies because it causes skin necrosis. This can lead to abscesses which may require amputations. Even more important, it can kill users. Xylazine, which is an animal tranquilizer (hence the name “Tranq”) is said to be available for…
