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Iowa City Nature Challenge Begins!
The Iowa City Nature Challenge began on April 29, 2022. It’s sponsored by the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and the Environment. According to their web site: “From April 29th to May 2nd, find and photograph plants and animals in your backyard, in parks, along city streets, on school grounds—anywhere you find nature in…
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New Hawkeye Wave Anthem Strong Contender
I formally nominated “I Lived” by OneRepublic to be the new Hawkeye Wave Anthem. On the other hand, I just noticed there is a strong contender for the new Hawkeye Wave song. Dalles Jacobus is a former Hawkeye football player who recently submitted his song, “We Wave.” He has a lot going for him. He’s…
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Not Ambivalent I’m A Hawkeye
I searched the web for a picture of ambivalence and had a tough time finding one. The featured image comes close. The reason I’m ambivalent is because of a conflict I have about the Iowa Hawkeye football program, which is currently the subject of a lawsuit by former African American players compared to the University…
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Looking Back on Gunslingers and Chess Masters
I was looking at an early version of the handbook of consultation-liaison psychiatry that eventually evolved into what was actually published by Cambridge University Press. I wrote virtually all of the early version and it was mainly for trainees rotating through the consult service. The published book had many talented contributors. I and my department…
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To Boost or Not to Boost?
To boost or not to boost? That is the question. I’m still thinking about whether or not it’s important for me to get the second booster for the COVID vaccine. What might help me decide is a little bit more information from University of Iowa Hospital epidemiologist Dr. Daniel Diekema, MD. The Omicron subvariant, BA.2,…
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The Path to Asapiprant: Perspiration or Inspiration?
I just found a University of Iowa Health Care announcement about a potential novel treatment to protect older patients from the ravages of Covid-19 infection. According to the announcement: “An experimental drug that counters immune aging, effectively prevents death in older mice with severe COVID-19, suggesting it may have potential as a therapy to protect…
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The Chicken Finally Lays An Egg
Below is an old post from a previous blog that I published on June 6, 2010. Although the title in my record is simply PM Handbook Blog, there must have been another title. Maybe it should have been more like The Chicken Has Finally Laid an Egg (you’ll get the joke later). There are two…
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The Connection Between The University of Iowa and Factitious Disorder
I found another old blog post, Thoughts on Munchausen’s Syndrome, which reminded me of a psychiatric disorder I saw probably more frequently than most psychiatrists unless they are consultation-liaison specialists. I wrote it in June of 2011. I still don’t understand the disorder and I doubt anyone else does either. The interesting connection to Iowa…
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University of Iowa Ophthalmology Always a Top Contender
Well, I suppose I should tell you why you’re seeing these oldie blog posts from a different era in my career. It’s because I didn’t know whether I’d even be able to see well enough to write after my retinal detachment surgery, which was this past Friday. So, I scheduled a few posts from the…
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Going Down Blogging Memory Lane
I’ve been going down the blogging memory lane lately and thought I’d repost what was probably the very first post I published on my first blog, The Practical Psychosomaticist. The title was “Letter from a Pragmatic Idealist.” While a lot of water has gone under the bridge since mid-December of 2010, some principles remain the…
Go Retire Psychiatrist 