This is Public Health

Best use of social media for public health I’ve seen in awhile. I’m going to have the chorus stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

Wiikend

Wiikend

PB+J+Salmonella!

Fun story, so I clicked on the abc story about peanut butter crackers being pulled off the shelves because of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. The short ad before the story? For Reese’s peanut butter cups. Worst pairing ever.

- suse

The 111th time around

Cause I have way too much time on my hands I was looking though govtrack.us at the new bills/actions introduced by the 111th Congress already this year. There are about a bajillion, so I didn’t look at all of them. I did look at a few and here are the ones I’ll be watching:

- H.R. 2: To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. (Yay SCHIP! Expand away, but do so wisely, thanks.)

- H.R. 18: Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty Equalization Act of 2009 (long overdue, and interestingly sponsored by a Republican)

- H.R. 11 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and S. 182: Paycheck Fairness Act (I’m not up on all the details of both bills, how they will be implemented in ‘real life’ and if they will actually get results, but I’m interested to see how these play out. Hillary Clinton is the main Senatorial sponsor of S.182, so that’s one thing she won’t be doing anymore.)

- H.R. 59: Ex-Offenders Voting Rights Act of 2009 (Allows for felons to vote after a certain period. I’m interested cause I had a previous discussion with someone about how it was interesting that felons can be in office, but they can’t vote.)

On the list to watch because of absurdity or awesomeness of name:

- H.R. 390: College Football Playoff Act of 2009 (That’s right folks, no more BCS rankings determining bowl games, Congress is asking for a full on playoff system, and, unsurprisingly, it is sponsored by a Texan.)

- H.R. 386: CLASS Act of 2009 (Get it, CLASS act, get it? Also could be good, well from my point of view, I think it is giving more tax breaks to those who are currently repaying their student loans. Yeah, I’m a huge supporter of that.)

- H.R. 227: Sanctity of Human Life Act (It is as bad as you think it is. ‘The life of each human being begins with fertilization’. Oy. You can believe that, but don’t put what are basically religious beliefs into law and impose them on the nation. It is also a nice little way to get around the whole debate of Roe v Wade and just make all abortion completely illegal as they would be ‘murders’ under this law. Maybe we should look to actually provide access to low cost family planning programs and contraceptives, but of course, that just encourages sex, silly me.)

- H.R. 87: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act of 2009 (I’m only in this for the name. Don’t see why this wouldn’t pass, just puts the option of giving $1 or more to the Federal Treasury on tax returns. Most definitely wins for best name.)

Also, Senator Inouye from Hawaii has three (that I saw, maybe more?) interesting health related bills that would expand public health service loans to also cover graduate programs in professional psychology, to expand Medicare coverage to include nursing school clinics, and to provide health care practitioners in rural areas with training in preventive health care, including both physical and mental care.

Also, also, the House has two resolutions that are to stop Congress from automatically getting a pay raise in 2010. Very interesting. Lets see if they actually vote to not give themselves more money.

- suse

eat more chicken?

looks like nyu might be losing their exclusive chain restaurant cred because according to another blog, there’s some viral campaign promoting chick-fil-a around town. has anyone else see the “eat more chicken” stickers? i kinda love that this is the same method utilized in the public health campaign. it’s kind of like at the end of those bad movies where the villain and hero finally meet and the villain starts his monologue, “you know, you and i are actually not so different….”

oh and by the way, i finally found out where the chick-fil-a in nyu is located.  but i still don’t get why nyu was so lucky to get the only chick-fil-a in nyc for so long, but oh well…who do i need to swipe in before the other chick-fil-a opens?

video on urban renewal/gentrification/disinvestment

I don’t usually have much patience for long youtube videos, but this one is amazing (and not really that long, only 10 min).

I like one lady’s description of ‘direct action’ near the end. Usually when I hear ‘direct action,’ people are talking about some form of protest (or sometimes destruction), not about the direct action of fixing up an empty house so that people can live in it.

~ missingwhitewomanohmy

Public Health Meets the 21st Century!!!

Super quick post, but our heroes over at California Newsreel and Spirit of 1848 have brought the wonderfulness of the Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? series to YouTube!! But not only that, bring on the podcasts! Now you can be the cool kid on the subway with your ipod rocking out to Nancy Krieger!

Those of you reading this who believe in truth, social justice, and the public health way, join the Spirit of 1848 listserv!!! Do it. You know you want to.

This is Public Health (Gossip)

Blind item!  What newly blonde, coiffed, and poised former first daughter and first daughter hopeful may be attending a certain topish ranked school of public health?  Your answer is after the jump!