| The Many Faces of Big Pharma’s Disease Mongering
Most people blame Big Pharma and the docs in its pocket for elevating everyday anxiety to depression, depression to bipolar disease and childhood behavior problems to major psychiatric diseases. But there are others to thank for the national pathology of creating and treating diseases that aren't even there. There's the 200 US medical education and communication companies (MECCs) who ghostwrite journal articles for Big Pharma–"just sign here, Doc; we've reviewed the data"–for $20,000 to $40,000 per article. Like Complete Healthcare Communications (CHC) whose phalanx of 40 medical writers, editors and librarians has submitted over 500 manuscripts to journals for clients Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Wyeth, Schering-Plough and AstraZeneca according to its promotional materials, with an acceptance rate of 80 percent.
Bush Annouces $20 Billion Arms Deal for Saudis
Mansour al-Turki, spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry, said security forces have been able to thwart a series of attacks in recent years in part because of much more active assistance from the public. "They have recognized that the al-Qaida ideology is an ideology to inflame terrorism rather than trying to set up a new approach for Muslim societies," he said. Al-Turki also said communication in other areas remains poor. Last week, for instance, the national security adviser in the U.S.-backed government in Iraq announced that "hundreds" of Saudis had been arrested in Iraq on suspicion of militant activities and were ready to be returned to their homeland. Saudis learned about that announcement in the media, al-Turki said, because except for an occasional conference, the two security forces rarely communicate.
Bar Set High for Apple at 2008 Macworld Expo
It's going on a diet. A prevailing theory is that Jobs will unveil an ultra-portable notebook, weighing somewhere between 2 and 4 pounds, that would fill a hole in Apple's computer lineup. American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu predicts the slim "MacBook Mini" could be priced at $1,500 to $2,000 and could feature a flash memory drive instead of a standard hard drive to reduce the weight, boost battery life, and make it more rugged and reliable. — And it's going faster. As in 3G, a speedier cellular network option for Web browsing or other data features on the iPhone. Apple may not be ready to discuss this at Macworld, but its carrier partner AT&T Inc. has already revealed that a 3G iPhone is planned for 2008. Even though Apple is staying mum until Tuesday, it's still got everybody else talking.
Alaska resort is making a play for winter skiers
John Byrne III, who bought the resort last year, also is negotiating with the U.S. Forest Service to build a lift that would open hundreds of acres of raw terrain in the Chugach Mountains to highly skilled off-piste skiers and snow-boarders. But the top priority, Byrne said, is making steep and rugged Mount Alyeska less daunting for novices. Intermediate runs, most on the harder side, make up about half of the 1,400 acres of groomed trail. Another 10 percent are sculpted for beginners and 37 percent are black diamonds, the most difficult. "Alyeska has lots of great expert terrain, which I love, but what we really need now is more good beginner and intermediate terrain," Byrne said. This season, the resort is offering new ski-school classes and has carved out some mellower runs to give skiers and snowboarders more options on the mountain.
What's up with ... Ted Hendricks
I don't even think they had a Media Day during my first Super Bowl, but I was too young to even notice. Baltimore had so many All-Pros, and that was only my second year in the league. Other than the local press guys from Miami, I don't remember too much media." .
Beautiful Miss Idaho in LCHS Parade
Below, Family Phil's shot of historic downtown Wallace. BTW, Phil has a Little-Ears-Have-Big-Windows post here. *HBO's still trying to figure out what Stebbijo/Your Choice means by done-r here. *CDADave/Thin Air is trying out a new look as he prepares to return to the HBO blogosphere in a big way on Monday. He's asking folks what they think here. *Amy Crooks/That's Life. Life Goes On sounds as though she's been working hard for her money and not blogging too much here. *Marianne Love/Slight Detour has some fascinating historical info about Bonner County, including how Hoodoo Creek was formed and how Sagle got its name after losing out to Eagle in southern Idaho here. Also: Herb Huseland/Bay Views puts in his 2 cents about the inheritance tax here, Digital Fog has another fine parody here, ErinG/Idaho Native is getting nervous about the birth process here and Cis Gors/From A Simple Mind analyzes an online quiz she took here.
Irish's Thang scores clutch goal to force tie with Spartans
Sucharski moved to the slot and fired a shot through a screen the beat Pearce just inside the right post for his sixth goal of the year and second of the weekend. The Irish continued to pour on the pressure in the third period, but Lerg continued to slam the door on Notre Dame with the help of a suffocating defense that blocked 17 shots on the night. "They (Michigan State) play a system that makes it hard to get pucks through to the net," said Jackson. "Four guys back in the neutral zone all the time; four guys in front of the net makes it hard to get shots on goal. That's why Michigan State is such a good team. As the clock wound down, the Irish pulled Pearce with 1:20 left for a sixth attacker. They got a face off outside the Spartans' zone and took a time out to set up a play while Pearce came back in with just under a minute left.
Sir Trevor McDonald's Second Coming
His head is as grizzled and tightly sprung as a judge's wig, his upper lip rimmed with a thin line of white moustache, as though he has been drinking Guinness. Weekends of tennis and the gym have given him that loose but upright walk of the well-honed man. In a youth-obsessed industry, would a well-preserved, competent woman of his years have survived ageism so well? Former presenters Anna Ford and Selina Scott doubt it. Ever the diplomat, he says: "It won't surprise you to learn that I am against all forms of ageism. At my time of life I couldn't hold another position." His old-fashioned courtesy, believability and gravitas - with a light seasoning of pomposity - have made McDonald an unusually likeable éminence grise. Unnecessary polls have confirmed him as the most reassuring, reliable and trustworthy of the faces on television.
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