I get a kick out of these articles that talk of "risk of death". Isn’t the risk of death always 100% for all of us? How can an activity possibly increase our risk of death? It’s absurd language, and yet it appears daily in our media. Experts: Sitting too much could be deadly – Yahoo! [...]
Posts under ‘Health’
How unsafe is safe enough for you?
The headlines assuring us that vaccines are safe are large, front page, and numerous. One might think that somebody is trying to convince us of something. But this story was somewhat buried in the on-line press. This article could supplement a discussion on students’ feelings about the safety of vaccines and their health care in [...]
Discussing misconceptions about life in the US
I’m often surprised by some of the misconceptions my students from Taiwan and China have about the US. They often have wildly, usually media-induced, positive ideas about the standard of living and general levels economic, health, and social security. Articles such as the one below can be used to stimulate discussion about how and why [...]
And for those of you who thought cocaine was a safe drug…
Drug abuse is probably less frequently a topic of discussion in ESL classes than in some content courses, but that probably also depends on location. Regardless, here’s an important article that discusses a highly dangerous drug added sometimes added to cocaine. It’s not often that I see such specific, detailed information about the danger of [...]
Have you been irradiated today?
Here’s an interesting article claiming that small doses of radiation are good for you. This reference to the apartment buildings occurs in the second half of the article. I remember these buildings being in the news, and I’m pretty sure they were in our fair city of Kaohsiung, out towards Hsiaokang. Regardless, I hope this [...]
Background on AB 390: California Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act
My students here in Taiwan are, understandably, confused as to how state government in the US works. Shawn Hamilton, State House Examiner in Sacramento, regularly publishes well researched and written articles covering legal and social issues in California with an eye towards how those issues play out in California state politics. I’m blogging some of [...]
Have trouble getting quality supplements mailed internationally?
I’ve resisted joining affiliate programs for many years, but the products and service of Physician Formulas have been so good over the years that I’ve decided to join their affiliate program. Living in Taiwan, it is sometimes hard to find the supplements I want, and if I can find them, they’re often very expensive. I [...]
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Swedish Covenant Hospital – Chicago This hospital site has excellent on-line health resources. Not only have they made an abundance of information available, they have used an excellent design making the site easy to navigate and unburdened by annoyances like advertisements and confusing menus. Well done ladies and gentlemen! A good place to start is [...]
Poison pizza
The recent melamine mess could serve as a basis for many classroom activities. The following story, though short, has many implications, one being the extent to which melamine from China has entered the wider food chain. Another question this article gives rise to, especially regarding international food corporations, is one of responsibility. Pizza Hut admits [...]
Bad milk, bad coffee
Yet another article on the bad milk scandal that is increasingly affecting Taiwan. This raises a lot of questions about the practice of buying goods made in Taiwan rather than China on the assumption that Taiwanese goods are safer. That logic tends to break down if components of the Taiwanese goods are from China. Regardless, [...]