When I was an undergrad at Boston University, I took a course in the department of sociology in “medical administration.” I was compelled to understand the social context of medical practice, for whatever reason. I remember little of the course itself. There was a very attractive older woman sitting next to me who amused herself by “adopting” me, which she thought gave her a right to criticize my then overweight figure and poor clothes.
I remember more about her than I do about the professor, a wacky guy the university had seen fit to import from New Zealand. He had published a couple of relevant papers down there, but was still pretty new to the American health care system. He told us that New Zealand had lots of sheep and was a big wool producer. He talked about this great wool magnate who had this neat wool mill — a big one — and how it was he actually became quite wealthy. This was someone who knew about the tremendously loud machines that were used to process the wool. The wool mill owner decided to hire only deaf people. They asked for little; generally, they had problems finding jobs. They were really happy and thankful to be able to work, so they worked hard. They did not have any kind of a problem with the very loud machines.
That struck me so much then that I remember the story now, 50 years later. Even then, I already felt that I would be in some kind of a management position as a physician and could do something that clever, becoming as rich and powerful as that New Zealand guy. The professor had said something about Americans not thinking that way. The opportunity has not really presented itself.
Probably the closest I ever came was when I was running the day treatment center at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Oklahoma. I had a lot of schizophrenic gentlemen who were not rich in social skills, but many of whom liked computers better than people. Certainly, they related to computers better than they related to people. I tried to get them computers, maybe even a little training. Read more on How to Employ an Individual with Asperger’s…
Filed under Asperger's by on Jan 15th, 2013. Comment. 
I happened to be watching CNN when Mr. Buckley, the father of an unarmed Marine killed in Afghanistan, was sharing his story. He was fighting tears and so was the CNN reporter. I was not doing too great myself.
I started the American Natural Health Initiative because I think American social behavior simply does not value human life. It’s not hard to find instances that support this — ridiculous profits for big corporations, the sorry state of our healthcare system, industrial toxins that persist despite knowledge of their danger, or genetic engineering that puts profit above human health. I am and will continue to be against all of these nefarious anti-human forces. These concerns are dwarfed, however, by the urgency to fight my own country about what the military is doing. As I say this, please remember that I am an honorably discharged veteran.
First, I openly send condolences to the family of Lieutenant Buckley of Long Island. I applaud his father’s courage, for it was obviously difficult for him to come forward. I must thank him for doing so and assure him that his son’s death — which his son saw coming — was not in vain. Lieutenant Buckley was gunned down in the heinous manner of an execution. An Afghan soldier, armed with an AK47, shot him on a basketball court where there were witnesses. The Afghan soldier had informed Lieutenant Buckley — as he apparently had in the past — that he did not belong where he was. For all intensive purposes, the perpetrator has “disappeared.” The stated purpose of the Marines – the unarmed ones in Afghanistan — is to help train our “ally” in police and military operations. As far as I can figure, the unarmed Marines are supposed to be doing things like playing basketball with our Afghan friends — who are armed. They even share a barracks. Read more on Marine Killed — But Was It A Casualty Of War?…
Filed under Government, Healthcare reform, News, war by on Sep 22nd, 2012. Comment.