The snow is about done up here. Time for some links. Science:
MRSA Hospital Infections Can Cost $61,000 Each to Treat
MRSA Infections Nearly Doubled Over Last 10 Years: Study
Why Progressives Would Be "Batshit Crazy" To Listen to Nate Silver On Health Reform
Health Care on the Road to Neo-Feudalism
This isn't what we were promised
The GOP had at most 55 Senators during Bush's presidency
Greenwashing, Jared, and Stocks: Diamond Looks at Corporations and Sees Green
Defending Christmas from Christians "defending" Christmas
Journalists Cheerfully Urinating On Senate Bill's "Ideological" Critics
More like this
I think I was a little too optimistic about MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in pigs staying in pigs and not spreading to humans.
The Charge of the Light MRSA Brigade
I'm sure everyone else thinks the big news today is the announcement by the Washington State Health department requiring hospitals to report MRSA cases to the state. I think the cool news is their on-line database. We'll get to that a bit later.
If you want the short version, Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA is a must read. While I have a couple minor quibbles (more about those in a bit), they don't detract from either the importance or the style of this book.
$61,000 per MRSA hospital infection? Big deal. I'm sure the pig industry executives can easily cover that with the money they saved by over-using antibiotics.