Friday, January 31, 2014
Body of Autistic Boy From Queens Found
This blog stays on the cases it reports,so it informs you that the body of a young teenage boy,Avonte Oquendo,14,who had been missing since October 2013,was found by a young woman on January 16 along the rocky banks of the East River in Queens,New York.The bones were identified on January 21 by DNA testing that matched his remains with relatives'samples.His striped shirt and Air Jordan sneakers were also found at the scene.
The remains of the boy,who was severely autistic and could not speak,were located several miles northeast of Riverside School,where video captured his exit from a side door when a security guard stopped him from leaving the front way.No cause of death had been determined,the Medical Examiner said.*
The case is actually not unique.Like Alzheimer's patients,autistic children are given to elopement,or wandering off at the slightest opportunity-sometimes with fatal consequences.This blog discovered there have been several similar cases in recent years.It stands to reason that their poor communication skills and having no comprehension of danger can get them into serious trouble.
Death by drowning is a common theme in these cases.Near Montreal in May 2011,the body of three year-old Adam Benhamama was found near the banks of the Mille-Illes River in Terrebonne,Quebec more than a month after he disappeared.He had vanished while playing with his seven year-old sister when his father stepped into a friend's house for a minute.
On May 19,2013,the body of seven year-old Owen Elliot Black was found floating in the water off Perdido Key,Florida.The initial massive sea,air and land searches for the blonde child had yielded nothing.He had been vacationing with his mother when he slipped away.
It is believed that water attracts such children because it soothes their overstimulated nervous systems.At the same time,it is impossible for caregivers to be on top of them every single minute.The children know this,and many of them seize the few opportunities they get to explore their surroundings.Some have proposed tracking the children with GPS as a solution;others say we should not treat them like wildlife that way.*
This blog offers its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of these children.
The remains of the boy,who was severely autistic and could not speak,were located several miles northeast of Riverside School,where video captured his exit from a side door when a security guard stopped him from leaving the front way.No cause of death had been determined,the Medical Examiner said.*
The case is actually not unique.Like Alzheimer's patients,autistic children are given to elopement,or wandering off at the slightest opportunity-sometimes with fatal consequences.This blog discovered there have been several similar cases in recent years.It stands to reason that their poor communication skills and having no comprehension of danger can get them into serious trouble.
Death by drowning is a common theme in these cases.Near Montreal in May 2011,the body of three year-old Adam Benhamama was found near the banks of the Mille-Illes River in Terrebonne,Quebec more than a month after he disappeared.He had vanished while playing with his seven year-old sister when his father stepped into a friend's house for a minute.
On May 19,2013,the body of seven year-old Owen Elliot Black was found floating in the water off Perdido Key,Florida.The initial massive sea,air and land searches for the blonde child had yielded nothing.He had been vacationing with his mother when he slipped away.
It is believed that water attracts such children because it soothes their overstimulated nervous systems.At the same time,it is impossible for caregivers to be on top of them every single minute.The children know this,and many of them seize the few opportunities they get to explore their surroundings.Some have proposed tracking the children with GPS as a solution;others say we should not treat them like wildlife that way.*
This blog offers its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of these children.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Market Views:Microsoft's Roadmap and Tesla's Prospects
On the the recent slide in the stock market,I don't think it's gonna turn into much,said Andrew Burkly,managing director at Oppenheimer&Co.We're expecting kind of a 5-10% dip.Earnings season's been OK.People are looking to rotate into more of a global capex story.Overall we think the earnings season is turning out pretty well.*
We're not strong on the fundamentals of Microsoft,but on the opportunity for change,according to Rick Sherlund,US Technology Research Team head at Nomura Securities.If you were to take an internal candidate for CEO and pair it with CFO Amy Hood,you could come up with a pretty good conclusion.
I think you need radical changes in the business itself,more services in the cloud.Enhance shareholder value with dividend increases and share buybacks.That gives you the freedom to change more businesses to business light with lowered margins.*
In the long run,you have to bet on emerging markets growth,said Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.Basically the flattening of the world is getting great opportunity in these countries.*
December's Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.1%,the smallest increase since 2012.December existing home sales rose 1.0%.The national median home price was 198,000 dollars,up 9.9% from December 2012.*
Tesla Motors is selling its Model S electric sedans starting at 121,000 dollars in China.They are being shipped now for March or April delivery.Hong Kong alone took 300 orders in August.China is the number one market for luxury auto sales and has a pollution problem,making it a promising territory for Tesla.*
Asian markets were down in Tuesday trading on worries about Chinese economic data and the Fed meeting later today.US stock futures rose,however,after three straight days of decline.*
Tesla Motors(TSLA)
We're not strong on the fundamentals of Microsoft,but on the opportunity for change,according to Rick Sherlund,US Technology Research Team head at Nomura Securities.If you were to take an internal candidate for CEO and pair it with CFO Amy Hood,you could come up with a pretty good conclusion.
I think you need radical changes in the business itself,more services in the cloud.Enhance shareholder value with dividend increases and share buybacks.That gives you the freedom to change more businesses to business light with lowered margins.*
In the long run,you have to bet on emerging markets growth,said Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.Basically the flattening of the world is getting great opportunity in these countries.*
December's Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.1%,the smallest increase since 2012.December existing home sales rose 1.0%.The national median home price was 198,000 dollars,up 9.9% from December 2012.*
Tesla Motors is selling its Model S electric sedans starting at 121,000 dollars in China.They are being shipped now for March or April delivery.Hong Kong alone took 300 orders in August.China is the number one market for luxury auto sales and has a pollution problem,making it a promising territory for Tesla.*
Asian markets were down in Tuesday trading on worries about Chinese economic data and the Fed meeting later today.US stock futures rose,however,after three straight days of decline.*
Tesla Motors(TSLA)
Monday, January 27, 2014
Industry Showcase:The 2014 Grammy Awards
The recording industry celebrated its achievements of the past year Sunday night at the 56th annual Grammy Awards,awarding its golden grammaphone statue to the winners.Held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles,the ceremony is distinguished by the fact that it isn't just talk,but features substantive live performances of whole compositions,not just clips like other awards ceremonies.
A legion of luminaries not only attended the awards,but participated by presenting awards,performing songs or both.Keith Urban and Gary Clark,Jr. performed a memorable version of "Cop Car" with the two fine guitarists trading and combining riffs.The Magic Dragons and Hendrick Lamar practically blew the stage up with their rendition of "Radioactive,"and Taylor Swift was very animated even while sitting at the piano in "All Too Well,"throwing her head back several times.
Song of the Year went to New Zealand's Lorde(Ellie Yelich O'Connor) for "Royals" and Album of Year to France's Daft Punk,who dressed in robot costumes,for "Random Access Memory."
Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performed together in a new song by Paul and Starr sang his solo classic "Photograph."The Beatles were being honoured for the fiftieth anniversary of their arrival in America and an all-star televised gala concert,including another performance by Paul and Ringo,will be broadcast on CBS to mark the occasion on February 9.
Among others performing were Stevie Wonder,Lindsay Buckingham,Carole King,Willie Nelson,Kris Kristofferson,Madonna and Pink.
The recording industry showed a lot of imagination as well as appreciation for the past in an extravaganza full of strobe light and pyrotechnics as well as spirited music.
Sony Group Ltd(SNY),Warner Music Group(WMG)
A legion of luminaries not only attended the awards,but participated by presenting awards,performing songs or both.Keith Urban and Gary Clark,Jr. performed a memorable version of "Cop Car" with the two fine guitarists trading and combining riffs.The Magic Dragons and Hendrick Lamar practically blew the stage up with their rendition of "Radioactive,"and Taylor Swift was very animated even while sitting at the piano in "All Too Well,"throwing her head back several times.
Song of the Year went to New Zealand's Lorde(Ellie Yelich O'Connor) for "Royals" and Album of Year to France's Daft Punk,who dressed in robot costumes,for "Random Access Memory."
Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performed together in a new song by Paul and Starr sang his solo classic "Photograph."The Beatles were being honoured for the fiftieth anniversary of their arrival in America and an all-star televised gala concert,including another performance by Paul and Ringo,will be broadcast on CBS to mark the occasion on February 9.
Among others performing were Stevie Wonder,Lindsay Buckingham,Carole King,Willie Nelson,Kris Kristofferson,Madonna and Pink.
The recording industry showed a lot of imagination as well as appreciation for the past in an extravaganza full of strobe light and pyrotechnics as well as spirited music.
Sony Group Ltd(SNY),Warner Music Group(WMG)
Friday, January 24, 2014
Boston Area Stunned by Childbirth Deaths
The deaths of two young mothers at the same hospital within a month of each other has shocked and saddened the Boston,Massachussetts community.Both women were in good health when they checked into South Shore Hospital in Weymouth to give birth.Colleen Celia,32,already the mother of three children ages 6,9 and 14,was a patient service coordinator at Vanguard Medical in Braintree.Christie Lee Fazio,30,who gave birth to her first child,was ironically a nurse at South Shore.Fazio died on December 14,2013,and Celia on January 15,2014.
The hospital delivers about 3600 babies a year.An internal investigation into the deaths is already underway,and a state investigation was automatically triggered by the rare circumstances as well.Our teams responded swiftly and aggressively-they did everything possible,the hospital said in a statement.It is too early to know the exact nature of the factors that led to these tragic outcomes.All signs suggest that the two situations were unrelated,unanticipated and unpredictable,the hospital contends,adding that the staff was devastated by the losses.*
Both women had reportedly undergone caesarean sections.Colleen Celia developed an amniotic embolism,a blockage caused by a mother's amniotic fluid getting into her bloodstream;while Christie Fazio started bleeding soon after her surgery,according to hospital and family sources.Their babies are doing well.*
According to the CDC,there are about 650 maternal deaths a year during pregnancy and after childbirth in the US.In 2008,there were 24 maternal deaths per 100,000 US pregnancies,the World Health Organisation calculated.*
This blog extends its sincere condolences to the mothers' friends and families.
The hospital delivers about 3600 babies a year.An internal investigation into the deaths is already underway,and a state investigation was automatically triggered by the rare circumstances as well.Our teams responded swiftly and aggressively-they did everything possible,the hospital said in a statement.It is too early to know the exact nature of the factors that led to these tragic outcomes.All signs suggest that the two situations were unrelated,unanticipated and unpredictable,the hospital contends,adding that the staff was devastated by the losses.*
Both women had reportedly undergone caesarean sections.Colleen Celia developed an amniotic embolism,a blockage caused by a mother's amniotic fluid getting into her bloodstream;while Christie Fazio started bleeding soon after her surgery,according to hospital and family sources.Their babies are doing well.*
According to the CDC,there are about 650 maternal deaths a year during pregnancy and after childbirth in the US.In 2008,there were 24 maternal deaths per 100,000 US pregnancies,the World Health Organisation calculated.*
This blog extends its sincere condolences to the mothers' friends and families.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Market Views:GM,Tesla and the Fate of Coal
Burberry's numbers were great,but the store numbers were bad,said CNBC analyst Jim Cramer.They were all digital.*
At Bank of America,your expenses are going down.Deposits are going up.I think the stock is more of a buy than Citigroup.*
I think GM stock going down is just a screaming buy.Whether there is a price war,what's far more important is the pension headwind going tailwind.
There's an element of rigour that Ford and GM have that Tesla has to stick to.This is a cult stock,so their recall of the word "recall" was tweeted.This is a press release company.When they go up from two to four cars in China,I'm talking about a big revenue increase.I'm not gonna get in the way and short this stock.Their cars are loved.These are sea change stocks.If you believe in electronics and solar,then you believe CEO Elon Musk is giving you two great stocks in Tesla and SolarCity.*
BMO has upgraded Intel from hold to buy on PC sales stabilising.There is a point at which I buy Intel.If the Hewlett-Packard comeback is for real,then Intel and Microsoft are possibilities.*
A lot of people think coal is coming back.Oh,will you give me a break?Coal is going away.The shrinkage of coal because of the EPA is just taking people's breath away.They're not even buying equipment to mine coal.*
BlackRock had an amazing quarter.CEO Larry Fink is doing a great job there.
American Express is doing very well.They're doing a remarkable job at expense control,but my charitable trust has sold it.That stock is not where I want it to be.I think Capital One is the leader in that category,master investor Jim Cramer observed.*
Captial One Financial(COF),General Motors(GM),BlackRock(BLK),Intel(INTC),Tesla(TSLA),SolarCity(SCTY),Burberry Group PLC(BRBY),Bank of America(BAC)
At Bank of America,your expenses are going down.Deposits are going up.I think the stock is more of a buy than Citigroup.*
I think GM stock going down is just a screaming buy.Whether there is a price war,what's far more important is the pension headwind going tailwind.
There's an element of rigour that Ford and GM have that Tesla has to stick to.This is a cult stock,so their recall of the word "recall" was tweeted.This is a press release company.When they go up from two to four cars in China,I'm talking about a big revenue increase.I'm not gonna get in the way and short this stock.Their cars are loved.These are sea change stocks.If you believe in electronics and solar,then you believe CEO Elon Musk is giving you two great stocks in Tesla and SolarCity.*
BMO has upgraded Intel from hold to buy on PC sales stabilising.There is a point at which I buy Intel.If the Hewlett-Packard comeback is for real,then Intel and Microsoft are possibilities.*
A lot of people think coal is coming back.Oh,will you give me a break?Coal is going away.The shrinkage of coal because of the EPA is just taking people's breath away.They're not even buying equipment to mine coal.*
BlackRock had an amazing quarter.CEO Larry Fink is doing a great job there.
American Express is doing very well.They're doing a remarkable job at expense control,but my charitable trust has sold it.That stock is not where I want it to be.I think Capital One is the leader in that category,master investor Jim Cramer observed.*
Captial One Financial(COF),General Motors(GM),BlackRock(BLK),Intel(INTC),Tesla(TSLA),SolarCity(SCTY),Burberry Group PLC(BRBY),Bank of America(BAC)
Monday, January 20, 2014
Hong Kong Developer Confident
China's Q4 GDP growth was 7.7%-the slowest growth in 14 years,although more than the expected 7.2%.Nonetheless,Citigroup remains bullish on China.The Chinese New Year is generally when shares rally.It is on January 31 this year.*
I think the property market will continue to be strong,said Irene Lee of Hysan Development Company Limited in Hong Kong.We will not stop enhancing our properties.We will not stop making sure that every single building is updated and enhanced.
We are very confident in Causeway Bay.We are very resilient.We will continue to look at opportunities.At Causeway Bay,we make sure we have diverse offerings and are focusing on our locals as well as visitors.*
Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and having a US ADR programme,Hysan says it is a leading property investment,management and development company.It has an investment property portfolio of over four million sqaure feet of high quality office,retail and residential space,and is the largest commercial landlord in Causeway Bay,a vibrant 24-hour district of Hong Kong.
Typical of Hysan's projects is the landmark Hysan Place tower,which is a mixed use,LEED-certified building with 15 levels of office space and 17 of retail.Located at 500 Hennessy Road,it is directly linked to public transport.*
Hysan is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes;the FTSE4Good Index and Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index.The company minimises impact to the environment by emphasising energy efficiency;indoor environmental quality;and waste management across its portfolio of buildings.
Hysan also owns and manages some 1200 car parks.*
Hysan Development Co Ltd(OTN:HYSNF)
I think the property market will continue to be strong,said Irene Lee of Hysan Development Company Limited in Hong Kong.We will not stop enhancing our properties.We will not stop making sure that every single building is updated and enhanced.
We are very confident in Causeway Bay.We are very resilient.We will continue to look at opportunities.At Causeway Bay,we make sure we have diverse offerings and are focusing on our locals as well as visitors.*
Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and having a US ADR programme,Hysan says it is a leading property investment,management and development company.It has an investment property portfolio of over four million sqaure feet of high quality office,retail and residential space,and is the largest commercial landlord in Causeway Bay,a vibrant 24-hour district of Hong Kong.
Typical of Hysan's projects is the landmark Hysan Place tower,which is a mixed use,LEED-certified building with 15 levels of office space and 17 of retail.Located at 500 Hennessy Road,it is directly linked to public transport.*
Hysan is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes;the FTSE4Good Index and Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index.The company minimises impact to the environment by emphasising energy efficiency;indoor environmental quality;and waste management across its portfolio of buildings.
Hysan also owns and manages some 1200 car parks.*
Hysan Development Co Ltd(OTN:HYSNF)
Friday, January 17, 2014
Danish Woman Brutalised in New Delhi
Long after a sensational crime splashed across the front pages,India still has failed to solve its mob sexual violence problem.This was pointed up on Wednesday when a Danish tourist,age 51,was raped,beaten and robbed in central New Delhi by a gang of ruffians.Fifteen homeless men were detained and two were taken into custody after an extensive search Wednesday,and at least one more was being held on Thursday.
The woman said she was held at knifepoint for three hours by seven or eight men near the Connaught Place popular shopping district.She had gotten lost and approached them for directions to her hotel.They led her to a remote place where they beat,gang-raped and robbed her.
India's sexual violence issue has been in the world news since a female medical student was raped and killed by such a gang in December of 2012,raising the outcry against it to a new level.The media are focused on it,but it has eluded any efforts made so far to counter it.The burning question now is,what further measures are needed and whether existing ones will be effectively implemented.
The woman said she was held at knifepoint for three hours by seven or eight men near the Connaught Place popular shopping district.She had gotten lost and approached them for directions to her hotel.They led her to a remote place where they beat,gang-raped and robbed her.
India's sexual violence issue has been in the world news since a female medical student was raped and killed by such a gang in December of 2012,raising the outcry against it to a new level.The media are focused on it,but it has eluded any efforts made so far to counter it.The burning question now is,what further measures are needed and whether existing ones will be effectively implemented.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Ford To Hire Thousands More,Mulally Says
Ford Motor Company has unveiled a new version of its popular F-150 pickup truck that features an aluminum frame.It'll save us over 150 pounds in weight,CEO Alan Mulally said.I come from aluminum,the former Boeing executive recalled with a smile.Pound for pound,it's tougher than steel.I think the customers are absolutely gonna value the toughness.
Those ecoboost engines alone are gonna increase the fuel efficiency 25%.The Ford team has been laser- focused.I love serving Ford.We have 23 new vehicles-twice the number we've ever done.I will stay at least through 2014.
Clearly our plan is to continue the dividend even through a downturn.In China,our sales were up over 50%.It's a very important market for us and they love the Ford brand.Their economy is growing 7.5%.We really love being able to serve China.
We think the US economy is gonna expand upwards of 2.5% through the end of next year.We are gonna hire another 11,000 worldwide.In the US,we will hire another 5,000,Mr.Mulally told CNBC.*
Ford Motor Company(F)
Labels:Ford Motor Company,Alan Mulally,F-150,ecoboost engine,automotive industry,aluminum,Boeing,CNBC,China
Those ecoboost engines alone are gonna increase the fuel efficiency 25%.The Ford team has been laser- focused.I love serving Ford.We have 23 new vehicles-twice the number we've ever done.I will stay at least through 2014.
Clearly our plan is to continue the dividend even through a downturn.In China,our sales were up over 50%.It's a very important market for us and they love the Ford brand.Their economy is growing 7.5%.We really love being able to serve China.
We think the US economy is gonna expand upwards of 2.5% through the end of next year.We are gonna hire another 11,000 worldwide.In the US,we will hire another 5,000,Mr.Mulally told CNBC.*
Ford Motor Company(F)
Labels:Ford Motor Company,Alan Mulally,F-150,ecoboost engine,automotive industry,aluminum,Boeing,CNBC,China
Monday, January 13, 2014
2014 The Year of Asia;Golden Globe Awards
Asia is now much better prepared for any market sentiment compared to the 1990s,said Takehiko Nakao,new President of the Asian Development Bank.I think Japan is becoming stronger because the policies of the Bank of Japan are working.Prime Minister Abe is very intent on reform.What is important is to implement it and give an impression to the market that Japan is changing.
Myanmar is very important geophysically because it can connect Southeast Asia with South Asia.Its leaders are very keen on reform and we should support it.*
We can expect that Asian economies will benefit by the fact that trade will come back in 2014.Deutsche Bank is forecasting 6% greater growth and at ABN Amro,we agree with that,said Didier Duret,CIO of ABN Amro Private Banking.I think 2014 signifies the comeback of the Asian economies.
We like China very much.The industrials and electronics should do very well.The expectations are very low,so there is plenty of upside.*
India's current accounts deficit has been reduced and confidence has been coming back to the rupee.It is the best performing Asian currency the past few months,up almost 11% against the dollar.The rupee's only going to continue strengthening,analysts say.
Comex gold futures were up 0.31% Monday morning,and the MSCI Asia Pcific index rose 0.53%.*
Golden Globe Awards Highlights:
Best Picture:Drama,12 Years a Slave;Comedy or Musical,American Hustle
Best Actor:Drama,Matthew McConaughey,Dallas Buyers Club;Comedy or Musical,Leonardo Di Caprio,The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Actress:Drama,Cate Blanchett,Blue Jasmine;Comedy or Musical,Amy Adams,American Hustle
Best TV Series:Drama,Breaking Bad;Comedy or Musical,Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Best Supporting Actress:Comedy or Musical,Jennifer Lawrence,American Hustle
Myanmar is very important geophysically because it can connect Southeast Asia with South Asia.Its leaders are very keen on reform and we should support it.*
We can expect that Asian economies will benefit by the fact that trade will come back in 2014.Deutsche Bank is forecasting 6% greater growth and at ABN Amro,we agree with that,said Didier Duret,CIO of ABN Amro Private Banking.I think 2014 signifies the comeback of the Asian economies.
We like China very much.The industrials and electronics should do very well.The expectations are very low,so there is plenty of upside.*
India's current accounts deficit has been reduced and confidence has been coming back to the rupee.It is the best performing Asian currency the past few months,up almost 11% against the dollar.The rupee's only going to continue strengthening,analysts say.
Comex gold futures were up 0.31% Monday morning,and the MSCI Asia Pcific index rose 0.53%.*
Golden Globe Awards Highlights:
Best Picture:Drama,12 Years a Slave;Comedy or Musical,American Hustle
Best Actor:Drama,Matthew McConaughey,Dallas Buyers Club;Comedy or Musical,Leonardo Di Caprio,The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Actress:Drama,Cate Blanchett,Blue Jasmine;Comedy or Musical,Amy Adams,American Hustle
Best TV Series:Drama,Breaking Bad;Comedy or Musical,Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Best Supporting Actress:Comedy or Musical,Jennifer Lawrence,American Hustle
Friday, January 10, 2014
Robotic Surgery:Overhyped and Sometimes Dangerous
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have raised serious concerns about the trend of robotic surgery in hospitals.Sifting through news reports and court records,they pieced together a disturbing picture of a technology that has gone somewhat wild-sometimes with fatal consequences.Harmful events were vastly under-reported.*
The New York Times added that medical device expert Diana Zuckerman also questioned the trend of adopting the costly technique,which is known as Da Vinci surgery and sold by Intuitive Surgical of California's Silicon Valley.Little is known of the real disadvantages of the equipment,according to Zuckerman,and the injuries and deaths it may cause,even as it is widely marketed to consumers.*
Between January 2000 and June 2012,the FDA received thousands of reports of errors made by the equipment.Some of these resulted in injuries or deaths.A total of 71 people died and 174 were injured just in the reported incidents.It is believed that an untold number of other cases were never reported by hospitals.
Principal author of the study Dr.Martin A. Makary,associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,said the whole issue is symbolic of a larger problem in American health care,which is a lack of proper evaluation of what we do.We adopt expensive technologies,but we don't know what we're getting for our money-if it's of good value or harmful.In health care,one fifth of the economy,we have this haphazard smattering of reports that relies on voluntary self-reporting with no oversight,no enforcement and no consequences.
Years of data tell us that for many procedures,there's no benefit to the patient over standard minimally invasive surgeries.While the robotic provides a benefit in some operations,most uses are for procedures where there are no advantages and there may be potential risks,Dr.Makary noted.*
The problem seems to be a combination of system faults and inadequate training of surgeons,in the context of heavy promotion of the devices and pressure to use them within hospitals,coupled with lax oversight.The upshot is,be cautious when this type of surgery is recommended to you.Carefully consider the downside of the lack of a surgeon's skilled hands touching your body,of the lack of all the surgeon's five senses being used to carry out your operation,plus his or her level of training and experience with the technology.*
Intuitive Surgical(ISRG)
Labels:Johns Hopkins Universty,Intuitive Surgical,Da Vinci surgery,robotic surgery,Food and Drug Administration,Silicon Valley
The New York Times added that medical device expert Diana Zuckerman also questioned the trend of adopting the costly technique,which is known as Da Vinci surgery and sold by Intuitive Surgical of California's Silicon Valley.Little is known of the real disadvantages of the equipment,according to Zuckerman,and the injuries and deaths it may cause,even as it is widely marketed to consumers.*
Between January 2000 and June 2012,the FDA received thousands of reports of errors made by the equipment.Some of these resulted in injuries or deaths.A total of 71 people died and 174 were injured just in the reported incidents.It is believed that an untold number of other cases were never reported by hospitals.
Principal author of the study Dr.Martin A. Makary,associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,said the whole issue is symbolic of a larger problem in American health care,which is a lack of proper evaluation of what we do.We adopt expensive technologies,but we don't know what we're getting for our money-if it's of good value or harmful.In health care,one fifth of the economy,we have this haphazard smattering of reports that relies on voluntary self-reporting with no oversight,no enforcement and no consequences.
Years of data tell us that for many procedures,there's no benefit to the patient over standard minimally invasive surgeries.While the robotic provides a benefit in some operations,most uses are for procedures where there are no advantages and there may be potential risks,Dr.Makary noted.*
The problem seems to be a combination of system faults and inadequate training of surgeons,in the context of heavy promotion of the devices and pressure to use them within hospitals,coupled with lax oversight.The upshot is,be cautious when this type of surgery is recommended to you.Carefully consider the downside of the lack of a surgeon's skilled hands touching your body,of the lack of all the surgeon's five senses being used to carry out your operation,plus his or her level of training and experience with the technology.*
Intuitive Surgical(ISRG)
Labels:Johns Hopkins Universty,Intuitive Surgical,Da Vinci surgery,robotic surgery,Food and Drug Administration,Silicon Valley
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
The Worry For 2014;The Wolf of Wall Street
If you're trading off of China,you shouldn't be that bullish.If you're trading off of the US,you should be,said CNBC analyst Jim Cramer.*
As for the new film "The Wolf of Wall Street,"I'm about getting rich carefully;they're about getting rich at the expense of the customer.Was it really like that?No.*
I don't think this downgrading of any US bank is gonna work.The big story of 2014:commercial construction.Watch the commercial construction market.That's gonna be the big story for the banks in 2014.*
Twitter is a cult.Being a cult did work for Amazon.It continues to work for Amazon,but they're the only ones it worked for.Twitter remains a juggernaut without any valuation parameters.Social,mobile and the cloud are the trilogy that makes all tech higher.*
Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren came on "Mad Money" and said this is a great holiday season.Macy's is on a roll.Lundgren is a marketable CEO.They've figured out how to have clout.The company and stock have done well.Because the group is a dog,people don't recognise it.*
Netflix and Tesla are both cult stocks like Twitter.Ford sells as many cars in a day as Tesla does in a year.It's the big worry for 2014.The bubble for some NASDAQ stocks is the big worry for you and for me,because we've seen it before,expert investor Jim Cramer warned.*
Twitter(TWTR),Amazon(AMZN),Macy's(M),Tesla(TSLA),Netflix(NTFX)
As for the new film "The Wolf of Wall Street,"I'm about getting rich carefully;they're about getting rich at the expense of the customer.Was it really like that?No.*
I don't think this downgrading of any US bank is gonna work.The big story of 2014:commercial construction.Watch the commercial construction market.That's gonna be the big story for the banks in 2014.*
Twitter is a cult.Being a cult did work for Amazon.It continues to work for Amazon,but they're the only ones it worked for.Twitter remains a juggernaut without any valuation parameters.Social,mobile and the cloud are the trilogy that makes all tech higher.*
Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren came on "Mad Money" and said this is a great holiday season.Macy's is on a roll.Lundgren is a marketable CEO.They've figured out how to have clout.The company and stock have done well.Because the group is a dog,people don't recognise it.*
Netflix and Tesla are both cult stocks like Twitter.Ford sells as many cars in a day as Tesla does in a year.It's the big worry for 2014.The bubble for some NASDAQ stocks is the big worry for you and for me,because we've seen it before,expert investor Jim Cramer warned.*
Twitter(TWTR),Amazon(AMZN),Macy's(M),Tesla(TSLA),Netflix(NTFX)
Monday, January 6, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
MedImmune,Hopkins Sign Research Pact
An R&D company and a research university have joined forces in the quest for new treatments for a number of serious illnesses,such as cancer,rheumatoid arthritis and infectious diseases.MedImmune,the Gaithersburg,Maryland biotech firm that is a subsidiary of pharma titan AstraZeneca,and Baltimore's The Johns Hopkins University signed the five year,6.5 million dollar research agreement on 11 December.*
The broad-scale,long-term partnership calls for both institutions to contribute funding,personnel and materials to the joint efforts and training programs.We believe this significant collaboration with JHU will create a new standard in how academia and inustry can work together,said Dr.Bahija Jallal,executive vice president at MedImmune.Our partnership with this prestigious research university will leverage each organisation's strength;advance research in critical therapeutic areas;and strengthen Maryland's presence as a growing hub in the bioscience industry.*
We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with MedImmune researchers to accelerate the development of new therapies to treat a variety of serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis;rheumatoid arthritis;chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;and certain types of cancer,said Landon King,executive vice dean of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.We believe that by working together to leverage the strength of each organisation,we can make significant advances.*
MedImmune focuses on the discovery,development and commercialisation of small molecule and biologic prescription medicines,pioneering innovative research and exploring novel pathways across its key therapeutic areas.It is best known for its vaccines FluMist and Synagis(R),which helps prevent respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants.*
AstraZeneca(AZN)
The broad-scale,long-term partnership calls for both institutions to contribute funding,personnel and materials to the joint efforts and training programs.We believe this significant collaboration with JHU will create a new standard in how academia and inustry can work together,said Dr.Bahija Jallal,executive vice president at MedImmune.Our partnership with this prestigious research university will leverage each organisation's strength;advance research in critical therapeutic areas;and strengthen Maryland's presence as a growing hub in the bioscience industry.*
We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with MedImmune researchers to accelerate the development of new therapies to treat a variety of serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis;rheumatoid arthritis;chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;and certain types of cancer,said Landon King,executive vice dean of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.We believe that by working together to leverage the strength of each organisation,we can make significant advances.*
MedImmune focuses on the discovery,development and commercialisation of small molecule and biologic prescription medicines,pioneering innovative research and exploring novel pathways across its key therapeutic areas.It is best known for its vaccines FluMist and Synagis(R),which helps prevent respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants.*
AstraZeneca(AZN)
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