Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Another win for semaglutide

While I don’t find this surprising, it underscores the power of modern pharmacology. Many drugs deliver only incremental improvement, but semaglutide–like anti-hypertensives and statins–looks transformative for many people. “The diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide significantly reduced symptoms and improved quality of life in people with obesity and the most common form of heart failure […]

Voting Yes on CalCare Means No on SB770

A bit of Political Activism Here . . . It appears SB770 is a way to slow the move to Single Payer healthcare in California. AB 1690 needs to be approved. HC4US joins union nurses in California who champion AB 1690, which sets in motion a single-payer health care coverage system for all residents in […]

Battle of the Cultures in Getting the Job Done

Two completely different cultures trying to understand one another. I have worked for Japanese, Korean, and German management. How the Japanese and Koreans addressed me was far different than how they address the workers of their descent. The Germans were far more open than the other two cultures. Overhead Costs; TSMC may not be burdened […]

Initial Jobless Claims, Continue to Suggest Slow Weaking

Initial claims improve weekly, continue to suggest slow weaking  – by New Deal democrat [Reminder: I’m still traveling, so with no economic news, don’t expect a post tomorrow.] Initial jobless claims declined to 230,000 last week. The more important 4 week average increased to 236,750. Continuing claims, with a one week lag, declined slightly to […]

Public funding for bringing transformative drugs to market

AB: It is a government policy to turn the fruits of its research over to private industry without any strings attached. The 1980 Bayh-Dole Act allows the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and universities housing government-funded scientists to patent and transfer (for royalties, of course) their scientific discoveries, research tools, and drug candidates to private […]

Unlike homeowners, home builders can alter their product and pricing point

Unlike homeowners, home builders can alter their product and (much more flexibly) their price point  – by News Deal democrat Yesterday I noted that home builders, unlike existing homeowners trying to sell their existing house, have flexibility in the size and amenities of the house they will build, as well as the price they are […]

Open Thread August 23, 2013 – Starting Aug. 1, the sale of energy inefficient lightbulbs was banned in the US.

A minimum standard for lightbulbs has been set at 45 lumens (brightness) per watt. Most traditional incandescent and halogen lightbulbs won’t make the cut. Switching over from older lightbulbs to newer LED bulbs will “conserve energy and help consumers save on their energy bills.” This according to the rule announced in April last year. Changing Energy Costs, […]

Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials Still an Issue

I have written on women being included in clinical trials in 2019. The article I was asked to write included Clinical Trials, reviewing the issues with Essure, and also Maternal Mortality. Three issues which had much detail and information, difficult to cover it all , and could have been much longer. A Woman’s Right to […]