• 

« Notre tête est ronde pour permettre à la pensée de changer de direction. »

“Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.”

de Francis Picabia 1922

What is the total number of deaths for Americans killed in all our wars since 1775 and those killed by firearms in the U.S. since 1968?

The answers are 1.17 million and 1.38 million.

American Car Culture: dead or alive?

The number of miles driven in the U.S. has dropped 9% since its peak in 2005. Indeed, drivers under 34 years old are driving 23% less miles. On the other hand, U.S. monthly car sales reached a 5-year high in June. 

Recent mice and human test tube studies show that salt causes increased formation of the immune-system cells that are implicated in disorders in which the immune system attacks, rather than defends, the body. This research provides yet another reason to reduce salt in one’s diet. 

Can we get on the same page?

Three pieces in the most recent New England Journal of Medicine deal with an impending problem in health care. A shortage of primary care clinicians is predicted as the population ages and millions gain insurance in 2014. Since the United States will have insufficient numbers of primary care doctors, relying on nurse practitioners to provide services appears to be a solution. However, many of our current physicians and nurse practitioners, even though working side by side, perceive they inhabit different universes. There is a pressing need for dialogue and collaboration between physicians, nurse practitioners, and the public. Otherwise, all will end up unhappy.

Spring is here!