Update On Dr. Shitbag

Hepatitis C Doctor Inspection Report Released

Health Department Releases Report in Dr. Thomashefsky Investigation

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department released an inspection report into the investigation of Allen Thomashefsky, the Santa Barbara doctor accused of malpractice that lead to several patients contracting Hepatitis C.
Health officers made three visits to his office on 2320 Bath Street over a period of three months.
Thomashefsky specializes in "regenerative injection therapy" and sports medicine.
The report found that during an unannounced visit to Thomashefsky's medical practice by health officials, the physician did not wash his hands prior to an injection procedure. "When questioned, the physician stated that the sink was in the kitchen, he didn't want to walk back and forth, and believed his hands were clean," the report says.
He also reused syringes to inject patients with multi-use vials. Needles were changed.
According to the report, the physician did not wear gloves during the procedure either and when asked to wear gloves, he replied, "He has been practicing the same way for over 30 years and has never had a patient report any problems...The physician declined to wear gloves and used bare hands during the procedure."
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the receptionist, who had no medical training, has a significant role in processing all specimens for re-injection. Syringes with patient identifying information were never labeled. "When asked how the receptionist ensures that patient syringes aren't inadvertently switched, she stated that she just keeps them straight," states the report.
Some corrections by Thomashefsky's practice had been implemented since the first announced visit by health officials. This included the use of a new syringe to enter a multi-dose vial, multi-dose vials were all dated, and a one-page infection control protocol was in the process of being written. However, infection control breaches continued according to the report:

• Lack of designation of clean/dirty areas in exam room #1, the centrifuge in exam room #2, and the kitchen.

• Lack of proper infection control training for the receptionist, including OSHA blood borne pathogen training.

• Lack of Vaccination against Hepatitis B for the receptionist.

• Neither the physician nor the receptionist wore gloves during procedure or handling of patient specimens.

• Potential for contamination of clean medical vials with patient's blood during procedure.

• Potential for contamination of clean patient specimens next to sink by "oily fat" being disposed of into the kitchen sink and splattering on patient specimens.

• Lack of labeling of syringes containing patient specimens.

• Improper disposal of biological hazardous waste.

We have obtained a full copy of the report. To read it, click here.
The California Medical Board continues to investigate this case, and could still take action against Thomashefsky. He is scheduled to go in front of the Medical Board later this week. A completed investigation report is expected in November-December 2015.
Thomashefsky corrected the problems. He was cleared to re-open his medical practice in Santa Barbara in September.
Public Health Officer Dr. Charity Dean said there were so many violations, it's hard to tell how his patients were infected with Hepatitis C.
"There were multiple infection control breaches. There were multiple potential ways the Hepatitis C virus could have been spread. Could have it been through reuse of a syringe? Maybe. Could it have been through contamination of clean and dirty areas? Maybe. I don't think we will ever know," Dean said.
Copyright © 2015 NPG of California, LLC

*****

If this idiot ran a restaurant, he would probably not have been allowed to re-open and assault more customers.

Yogi Is Gone

                     Yogi Berra dead at 90

15-time All-Star

The Future Ain't What It Used to Be

Shitbags and Stoopit Regulators

People should have gone to jail for this:

Medical Office Responsible For Transmitting Hepatitis C To Patients Can Reopen

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -

The Santa Barbara medical office of Dr. Allen Thomashefsky may reopen after it was shut down for unsafe injection practices.

The Public Health Department for Santa Barbara County released the following statement:

"Santa Barbara County Health Officer, Charity Dean, MD, MPH, has rescinded the Health Officer Order closing the medical office of Dr. Allen Thomashefsky. This action follows a number of measures that have been implemented to assure infection control practices are maintained at the medical office.

The Health Officer Order closing the medical office was implemented on March 19, 2015, after an inquiry revealed that the Hepatitis C virus may have been transmitted between patients and that appropriate and standard infection control precautions were not being practiced. Since that time, a number of key actions have been taken by Dr. Thomashefsky including adopting a detailed and extensive Infection Control Manual, hiring a consultant who will be monitoring infection control practices on an ongoing basis, and local monitoring by Public Health officials."

Genetic testing of Dr. Thomashefsky's former patients revealed at least four people who had procedures at his office the same day tested positive for Hepatitis C. A fifth may have contracted the deadly disease prior to treatment.

Dr. Thomashefky's practice is still limited in Oregon.

The Oregon and California Medical Boards are still investigating the case.

People are going to die from medical malfeasance, but what the hell? Give the assholes another chance.

DAC Is In Trouble Again

David Allan Coe has the Willie Nelson syndrome, but not the fan base to extract himself from this predicament.




From TASTE of COUNTRY:

Country singer David Allan Coe owes the IRS nearly a half-million dollars for taxes due as far back as 1993. The singer pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing the due administration of the IRS on Monday (Sept. 14) and could face three years in prison plus a $250,000 fine. 

Coe, known for his hit “Take This Job and Shove It,” owes more than $466,000, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. This includes taxes from 2008 to 2013 when he either failed to file income tax returns or didn’t pay taxes owned. Interest and penalties are part of the figure. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says that instead of paying his taxes, the 76-year-old used his money earned from concerts to cover other debts and gambling. Furthermore, he arranged to be paid in cash, but not in $50 bills as, according to the news release, “he believed they were bad luck and would not gamble with them.” 

WLWT-TV reports that the majority of the money owed comes from the 2009 tax year. Coe plays approximately 100 shows each year and has arranged a system where his road manager picks up the cash, pays himself and the band and gives the remaining money to Coe. IRS officials point to this setup as another way he was impeding their ability to collect taxes. 

Coe is known as being part of the outlaw movement of country music. He spent significant time in prison during the 1960s for crimes like auto theft and armed robbery, and says his sentence was extended after he killed another inmate who was in search of a sexual favor. The legitimacy of that story is debated.

Guess ya just can't keep it all.

Doves, Hawks and Dodo Birds

Vox has an interesting article pointing out the relative hawkishness of the American public vs. the International Relations scholars. Below is the graph:



It seems we have learned very little from 20 major wars, according to George Carlin.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

America’s biggest gun problem is the one we never talk about

by Dylan Matthews and Estelle Caswell on August 11, 2015

There is a gun for nearly every person in America. The overwhelming majority of people who die from guns in the US do not die because someone shot them — they die because they shot themselves.

*****

 Guns killed 33,636 people in the United States in 2013. But while homicides and mass shootings dominate the headlines, nearly two-thirds of those deaths — 21,175 — were suicides. That's the real gun problem in the US, and we barely ever talk about it.

Another public health truth update for the doubters.

Guns, cars and money bring out the worst in people.

Captain Blackheart Dives Again

Russia's Stunt-Loving Putin Rides to Bottom of Black Sea

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSAUG. 18, 2015, 12:20 P.M. E.D.T.

Where is the Flying Spaghetti Monster when we really need it?

MOSCOW — Another summer, another trip to the bottom of a sea for Russia's adventure-loving president.
Vladimir Putin climbed into a three-seat submersible craft Tuesday to check out an ancient sunken ship found recently in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea — the peninsula annexed by Russia last year from Ukraine. He descended 83 meters (272 feet) to see the remains of the Byzantine trading ship, which he said dated back to the 9th or 10th century.
On previous trips deep underwater, Putin has explored the Gulf of Finland and Lake Baikal in submersibles. He also went scuba diving in the Kerch Strait that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, where he brought up fragments of ancient Greek jugs, or amphorae, that his spokesman later admitted had been planted.

 

Yup. I can see it now. Putin and The Donald with their fingers up their asses, um, on the Button. There goes my Social Security

The Stickiness Of Prejudice

We are hearing a thunder of voices pointing out wage and price stickiness is the reason for our present economic conundrum, I have nothing useful to contribute to that wonkish discussion. Yes, there may be an adjustment period in order to reach some sort of sustainable economic regime, but the composition of that adjustment should be proportionate. The question I want to ponder is the stickiness of prejudice and the most obvious costs or benefits of this semi-visible phenomenon . This is a horribly disproportionate problem, mainly affecting people on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.

Police State or Safer State?

The Donald and The Duck

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Donald Trump is a showman of extraordinary guile and aggressiveness, but he is certainly not Presidential material. A misogynistic, racist 1 percenter, he would sell US all out for a round of applause. Anyone who thinks he is a man of the people, just is not thinking, which places them firmly in The Donalds territory.

On the other hand, it is fun to watch our scurrilous national politicians panic at the thought of kowtowing to a steaming pile of shit.

The overriding question is, "Who will be the Porky of the GOP?"

Porky's Duck Hunt (1937) by voiceman91

SOB

SOB, say what???

My lovely wife of 34 years sent me to Wendy's this evening. She wanted a "Son of Baconator" and I thought, "yeah, right. do I look stoopit?". I was sure I wouldn't have to say those words, until I arrived at Wendy's and was greeted with an impossible number of "Baconator" ads...then I was unsure if I could say those words. I managed to stutter them out between guffaws until the invisible waitress inquired if I would like a "Son of Baconator Combo". Is this English? Or am I being spoofed? WTF? Can I get "Sister of Baconator", too? A combo used to be a musical group. A "Baconator" sounds like a fat movie anti-hero. Seriously, who the fuck thinks this shit up? If I had ever said "Son of Baconator Combo" to my grandfather, I would still have a bruise on the side of my head. Hey, onward and upward. American culture reaches a new low.

Which Reminds Me

Go Bernie!

Video Blogging at 5:00 am

Success??? WOW!

What the Fuck Does This Mean?

Vox has another non-statement to challenge US.

Map: 16 states have more people in prisons and jails than college housing

In 16 states, there are more people in prisons and jails than college housing.
This map by MetricMaps shows which states (blue) have more people in college housing and which states (red) have more people in correctional facilities:

 

World Confusion

CS&N

On Gettin' Older

From: Worthwhile Canadian Initiative

Frances Woolley is a very incisive economist.

Posted by Frances Woolley on January 02, 2015 @  Worthwhile Canadian Initiative

The economics of stuff

Some simple observations:

1. Economies grow when people buy stuff.

2. Over time, people accumulate more and more stuff.

3. People can only handle so much stuff. Sock drawers get full of socks. Cupboards get full of cups. Bookshelves get full of books.

4. It's hard to get rid of stuff. Economic models typically assume disposing of unwanted things costs nothing. But life isn't like that. Sorting out stuff that can be tossed from stuff that is worth keeping takes time and effort.

5. People are "loss averse". Throwing things away - clothes that don't fit, vinyl LPs - hurts psychologically.

6. There's no need to replace perfectly good stuff. True some stuff, like mobile phones, only lasts a year or three. But other stuff, like cast-iron frying pans, lasts for decades.

     Taken together, observations 2 through 6 imply that, as people get older, they buy less and less stuff. Combined with observation 1, these observations explain why countries with aging populations experience lower rates of economic growth.

     This post could have been called, "Secular Stagnation and Cast-Iron Frying Pans".  Secular stagnation is sometimes thought to be caused by an imbalance between savings and business investment. The economics of stuff explains secular stagnation in terms of household investment, that is, investment in consumer durables.
     Buying cast-iron frying pans is a form of investment - one that pays dividends for decades in the form of excellent grilled cheese sandwiches. But I already own three cast-iron frying pans - I'm not planning on buying any more for the foreseeable future.
     The economics of stuff suggests secular stagnation is due to deficient population growth, as well as population aging. It doesn't matter how many old people there are, as long as the population is growing, young people will come along who will need to buy stuff. But if there is no net population growth - or if the number of old people exceeds the number of young people - the young no longer need to buy stuff. They can get all the cast-iron frying pans (and furniture and wine glasses and vinyl LPs) they need from old people, who are happy to get rid of it.
     All of what I've written here is basically common sense, but it points to two limitations in the micro-foundations of other explanations of secular stagnation. First, because other explanations fail to take into account the limitations of people's capacity to store stuff, and people's (irrational) aversion to getting rid of stuff, they fail to predict the extent to which people's demand for new stuff falls over time. Second, they treat "consumption" as something that lasts one period and then disappears. That's wrong.
     Stuff is messy and hard to deal with. But that's not an excuse for tossing it out of economic analysis. (Emphasis mine. L.S.)