A surgeon in Trenton, NJ mistakenly removed part of a man’s right lung.  There had been a tumor discovered in his left lung that was to be removed.  Ok…. Even as severe a mistake as this is, it’s still a mistake.  Sure there will be a penalty, and we feel for the patient, but these things do occasionaly happen right?   Well the surgeon took it farther.  He lied to the patient and changed the records to show another growth on the right lung to cover himself.  There was no growth on the other lung.  This guy screwed up, cost the patient the possibility of the normality he may have still had with the procedure done corrected, then tried to cover it up to save himself.

The board determined that Perera’s actions constituted gross negligence.

The board said the “tragic error” could have been prevented if Dr. Perera had taken “the most basic and minimal of actions that should be taken by a surgeon in advance of surgery.”

…

Under the ruling, Perera can appeal for an early restoration of his medical license after six months.

Six months?  Falsifying records, lying to patients, after removing the wrong lunch, and he has the chance of getting his license back in 6 months!?

STORY

PBS has a new series that follows the USS Nimitz in its deployment to the Persian Gulf to support the Iraq War. The Documentary is insightful and gives a look at what’s going on over there off the land.

You can also watch the already aired episodes of the 10 part series on PBS’s website.

Carrier

The NPR Intelligence Squared US (IQ2US) audio podcast is a series of recordings of public debates held in New York focusing on hot-button issues (most specific to the U.S.) like immigration, affirmative action, and global warming. The debates are held in the Oxford-style meaning there are one motion (topic), one moderator, three speakers for the motion, and three speakers against the motion.

Prior to the start of the debate, visitors cast their votes for or against the motion. During the debate, the results of the initial vote are shown, and the visitors vote again at the end of the debate to decide which side “won.”

If you’re tired of cable news “debate” where the only real argument is who can yell louder and longer, then this is a wonderful change.  People properly informed, debating real issues for more than just sound bites.

Intelligence Squared

What we could have had for the price of the Iraq War - Now estimated at a final cost of $3 Trillion (conservatively):

• Forget drilling in Alaska, forget ethanol, forget hybrids. As long as we’re spending, let’s go straight to hydrogen. It is estimated to cost $500,000,000 to build the infrastructure.
• Design, build, and upgrade all US highways, roads, and streets needed for the next 50 years. Price: $950,000,000,000.00
• Completely eliminate world hunger along with the diseases associated with hunger and poverty for 365 days. Price: $195,000,000,000.00
• teach every man, woman and child on the planet to read. Considering the fact that nations like Somalia and Sierra Leone have adult literacy rates of only about 35%, that is money well spent. Price: $5,000,000,000.00
• Pay for 1 year of college for 20 million people Price: $400,000,000,000.00
• Advanced technology can save trillions of dollars lost in the transmission of electrical power. Think megawatt transistor switches, superconductor conduits, not to mention the gains from replacing worn out infrastructure. And JOBS Price: $100,000,000.00
• From ArsTechnica EDUCAUSE calls for the construction of a national fiber network that would reach every home and business, with the $100 billion cost split equally between the federal government, the states, and a private- or public-sector entity that would actually build and maintain the network. Because fiber networks can increase speeds simply by carrying more wavelengths at once, the report notes that such an investment in infrastructure might “provide adequate broadband connectivity for several decades.” Price: $100,000,000,000.00
• Provide an integrated national High Speed Rail system, using Alstom’s proven technology (which currently holds the world record for the fastest train at over 550kph (340+mph). This system would connect all of America’s major cities together with high-speed electric trains, powered at least partially by sustainable wind and solar energy facilities located in or near the Right Of Way. Price: $300,000,000,000.00
• Everyone secretly knows that switching to solar is a really, really good idea, though businesses invested in dirty coal, cancerous nuclear or other unclean options are unlikely to say it out loud. But how do we pay for the $420 billion overhaul of the nation’s energy infrastructure? Well, we could have picked up the tab easily if we didn’t spend $3 Trillion on this war. Price: $420,000,000,000.00

And there are many more.

Breathing Earth. Real-time tracker of carbon dioxide emissions in countries all over world; also births/deaths, constantly updating real-time tracking while you’re on the site.

Real Time “Map” of CO2 Emissions All Over World

ESA Provides Hi-Res Worrying Maps of Space Debris

Between the launch of Sputnik on 4 October 1957 and 1 January 2008, approximately 4600 launches have placed some 6000 satellites into orbit, of which about 400 are travelling beyond geostationary orbit or on interplanetary trajectories.

Today, it is estimated that only 800 satellites are operational - roughly 45 percent of these are both in LEO and GEO. Space debris comprise the ever-increasing amount of inactive space hardware in orbit around the Earth as well as fragments of spacecraft that have broken up, exploded or otherwise become abandoned. About 50 percent of all trackable objects are due to in-orbit explosion events (about 200) or collision events (less than 10).

Interesting pictures showing just how cluttered it’s getting up there.   And it’s all gonna be pulled back down by gravity eventually.

Google Earth’s new mapping program takes you on a virtual reality tour with the UN refugee agency of some of the world’s major displacement crises and the humanitarian efforts aimed at helping the victims.

The first use of this geospatial tool focuses on refugees and displaced people located in remote areas of Chad, Iraq, Colombia and Sudan’s volatile Darfur region. Sit in front of your computer and, with a few clicks, see, hear and develop an emotional understanding of what it is like to be a refugee.

Highlighted are not only the physical area of the camp and surrounding country, but key parts of daily life such as education and health in photo, text and video format. Within seconds, Google Earth brings the daily life of a refugee camp into your home thousands of kilometres away.

LINK

BELLEVUE, Ohio — Police said an Ohio man has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a picnic table.

Police arrested Arthur Price Jr. after an anonymous tipster dropped off three DVDs that reportedly showed Price in the act.According to NBC Toledo, Ohio, affiliate WNWO-TV, the videos show Price tilting the metal round picnic table on its side and then laying up against it to have sexual intercourse with the table. Afterward, he can then be seen cleaning the table and the deck.

During questioning, he reportedly admitted to having sex with the table. Police said he also admitted to bringing the table inside his home for sex.Price faces four counts of public indecency. He was freed after posting $20,000 bond, authorities said.

Link to story

In explaining her “experience”, Hillary Clinton has mentioned that she remembered “arriving in Bosnia under sniper fire”.  The problem?  She arrived smiling and meeting officials and children.  Very different from her version.

CBS Exposes Clinton Bosnia Trip 

The Global Integrity Report is a tool for understanding governance and anti-corruption mechanisms at the national level. Written by local researchers and journalists, the Report is characterized by an innovative, award-winning research methodology; a robust peer review process; and start-to-finish transparency.

Global Integrity Report