Even on the ground, space elevators may have uses – space – 26 September 2006 – New Scientist Tech

Even on the ground, space elevators may have uses – space – 26 September 2006 – New Scientist Tech

Thomas P.M. Barnett on ’cause celebre’ for jihadists

If you have not heard of Thoms P.M. Barnett, then you need to see his brief, and read his two books.  His blog is worth reading today.  I especially liked today’s entry:

Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog: How low do we go?
’cause celebre’ for jihadists

Finished reading Pandora’s Star

Last night, I finally finished Peter F. Hamilton’s Pandora’s Star.  This is a science fiction book that contains several enabling technologies including transportation portals that are enabled by wormholes that make rockets unncecessary, a way to interface directly into a human’s nervous system allowing people to augment their abilities and be connect into a Unisphere which is like an interstellar internet, a way to store people’s memories and experiences, rejuvination that allows for people to live indefinately, and a re-life process just in case your body dies.

There are also several aliens and interesting human institutions that are explored in the book.

It is a good read, a little long in places, but definately worth reading.

Pandora\'s Star

 

Now it time to read the next book in the series, Judas Unchained.

Judas Unchained

Charter Schools

A friend of mine is trying to open a charter school here in Texas.  It will be called Guidance Academy.

 There are a number of other charter schools in Texas.  They are governed by the Texas Education Agency, paid for with public money, and ran by private organizations. 

 

Christopher Blizzard » Blog Archive » One Laptop Update

Christopher Blizzard » Blog Archive » One Laptop Update

EMBARRASSING MEDICAL EXAMS

1. A man comes into the ER and yells, “My wife’s going to have her baby in the cab!” I grabbed my stuff, rushed out to the cab, Lifted the lady’s dress, and began to take off her underwear. Suddenly I noticed that there were several cabs — and I was in the wrong one.

Submitted by Dr. Mark MacDonald, San Francisco

2. At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly deaf female patient’s anterior chest wall. “Big breaths,” I instructed. “Yes, they used to be,” replied the patient.

Submitted by Dr. Richard Byrnes, Seattle, WA

3. One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when told a Wife that her husband had died of a massive myocardial infarct. Not more than five minutes later, I heard her reporting to the rest of the family that he had died of a “massive internal fart.”

Submitted by Dr. Susan Steinberg

4. During a patient’s two week follow-up appointment with his cardiologist, he informed me, his doctor, that he was having trouble with one of his medications. “Which one?” I asked. “The patch, the Nurse told me to put on a new one every six hours and now I’m running out of places to put it!” I had him quickly undress and discovered what I hoped I wouldn’t see. Yes, the man had over fifty patches on his body! Now, the instructions include removal of the old patch before applying a new one.

Submitted by Dr. Rebecca St. Clair, Norfolk, VA

5. While acquainting myself with a new elderly patient, I asked, “How long have you been bedridden?” After a look of complete confusion she answered…

“Why, not for about twenty years – when my husband was alive.”

Submitted by Dr. Steven Swanson, Corvallis, OR

6. I was performing rounds at the hospital one morning and while checking up on a woman I asked, “So how’s your breakfast this morning?” “It’s very good, except for the Kentucky Jelly. I can’t seem to get used to the taste” the patient replied. I then asked to see the jelly and the woman produced a foil packet labeled “KY Jelly.”

Submitted by Dr. Leonard Kransdorf, Detroit, MI

7. A nurse was on duty in the Emergency Room when a young woman with purple hair styled into a punk rocker Mohawk, sporting a variety of tattoos, and wearing strange clothing, entered. It was quickly determined that the patient had acute appendicitis, so she was scheduled for immediate surgery.

When she was completely disrobed on the operating table, the staff noticed that her pubic hair had been dyed green, and above it there was a tattoo that read, “Keep off the grass.” Once the surgery was completed, the surgeon wrote a short note on the patient’s dressing, which said, “Sorry, had to mow the lawn.”

Submitted by RN no name

AND FINALLY!!!…………….

8. As a new, young MD doing his residency in OB, I was quite embarrassed when performing female pelvic exams. To cover my embarrassment I had unconsciously formed a habit of whistling softly. The middle-aged lady upon whom I was performing this exam suddenly burst out laughing and further embarrassing me. I looked up from my work and sheepishly said, “I’m sorry.

Was I tickling you?” She replied, “No doctor, but the song you were whistling was, “I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener”.

Dr. Wouldn’t submit his name