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Posts by Arthur Ruiz2

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Big Pharma: A plague on humanity? in Health · Sep 17, 2006

A vaccine targeting cervical cancer has been developed. For several years now, science has established a clear link between cervical cancer and the HPV-virus, which allowed researchers to successfully produce a vaccine against that specific virus. I have to say, in most other medical cases, things aren't quite this straightforward; while a vaccine works effectively for cervical cancer, achieving similar results for other types of cancer remains a much more difficult challenge.

Big Pharma: A plague on humanity? in Health · Sep 2, 2006

Maria Nguyen4 said:With all due respect, healthcare should be about more than just the bottom line....

I wasn't actually criticizing doctors, though there is certainly plenty to say about them. First off, many people entering medical school are simply those whose parents have deep pockets, rather than those who possess the actual intellectual drive or the human empathy required for the job..

Because medical training is such an exhaustive process, students are forced to spend their prime years "grinding away" at a desk during the exact time they should naturally be socializing, going out, and enjoying life...

They are essentially robbed of that specific chapter of their youth...

Then, once they finally enter the workforce, they feel a sudden burst of freedom and try to make up for all those missed experiences from their younger years...

(Does anyone realize how many scandals exist between doctors, nurses, and patients?)

Consequently, by chasing after those distractions, they neglect their profession and eventually end up being some of the least competent professionals in any field...

But fortunately for them, the sheer scale of the system tends to mask their ignorance and mistakes...

(Now someone is inevitably going to accuse me of being jealous of doctors!)😁

Ah, that first sentence of yours. I wouldn't say the pharmaceutical industry is *purely* business, but it definitely is one. Medicines aren't handed out for free—that only happened back in the days of Tit, and he passed away. Even then, he wasn't getting things for free; he was paying for them and then distributing them to the masses.
Regarding medical school, what you said isn't entirely accurate. I’ll give you this: you're right that there are cases where an uncle or a wealthy relative covers the tuition. I won't argue that point because I'm sure there are plenty of fools out there who think having the title "Doctor" means every door in America swings wide open for them. However, none of those idiots understand the reality of surviving such a grueling program; they hit a wall long before they ever graduate. Only then does the real learning begin. What you learn in a classroom is nothing compared to the real world.
Most young people who decide to enroll in medical school genuinely want to be there. They are willing to sacrifice the social life, the outings, and everything else you mentioned specifically because they are driven to become physicians.
And yes, they study hard. But engineers, architects, mathematicians, dentists—they all study hard too. The only trick with these paths is that you really have to stop and think: do you want to grind for the next six years, and then continue grinding for the rest of your life to do work you love, or not?
Medicine is massive and incredibly serious, which is why it requires time and genuine passion. No fool finishes that degree unless they truly, deeply want to.
That's also why so many students enroll in med school... only to drop out later. It isn't worth the effort if you aren't one hundred percent certain.

Big Pharma: A plague on humanity? in Health · Aug 31, 2006

They’ve been researching those new pesticides for over a decade.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. At the end of the day, Big Pharma is driven by profit. That’s just how business works. But there’s this underlying assumption that doctors, pharmacists, or researchers should somehow work for free. People seem to think these professionals should live on thin air and maintain this impossible level of saintly altruism, even if it means they can't provide for their families. They act as if it's somehow non-Ethical for someone to receive a paycheck for examining patients, dealing with biological hazards, or being exposed to radiation and various toxins during medical procedures.
The expectation is that they should do all this for nothing and still show up with a smile. Apparently, working overnight shifts or treating patients with high-risk conditions like AIDS or Hepatitis B and C shouldn't come with compensation.
As long as humanity exists, medicine will exist, because diseases aren't going anywhere. If you honestly believe you can just "solve" cancer once and for all, feel free to roll up your sleeves and try.
Before antibiotics were ever discovered, millions of people died from simple things like pneumonia... millions... and that went on for centuries.

Medical diagnoses in Latin? in Health · Aug 22, 2006

coastalrider94 said:I actually happen to know what those terms mean because my college curriculum included Latin and the anatomy of the nervous system. 😬

I agree that basic brain structures—honestly, pretty much every part of the body—have specific Latin names. Doctors and other specialists have to learn them because there’s really no other way to study medicine effectively. 😁 But the issue here isn't about the Latin terms themselves; it's about writing the medical REPORTS exclusively in Latin. If you're a doctor with the time and patience to sit down and explain every single term to every patient who cares, more power to you. I respect that, but I assume most doctors simply don't have that kind of time... and I mean MOST of them.

Think about it: what happens if a report is ten years old and you suddenly need it for something, but all you have is this Latin diagnosis? Am I supposed to track down my doctor just to get a translation?
In any case, we shouldn't make a huge deal out of the Latin usage since it's how doctors communicate with one another, but why not just include an American English translation too? After all, only a tiny fraction of people in the US have advanced degrees, and even among those, how many actually studied Latin in med school? It's probably only necessary for doctors and students or Latin professors to have those extra explanations provided. 😬 ?!?

Fair enough. I'm not against using the native language; there's absolutely no reason to insist on writing everything in Latin when English works perfectly fine.
But even if you translate everything into plain English, you still might not fully grasp the clinical details. I am IN FAVOR of translations, but I don't think it will necessarily help a layperson understand exactly where a bone was broken. They'll know it happened, certainly, but they won't understand the precise location. And honestly, does it really matter to the average person how a specific fracture is phrased in Latin? 😬
Besides, if someone needs that diagnosis ten years down the road, they'll likely be taking it back to a doctor anyway, since the doctor will probably need to review it too.

Medical diagnoses in Latin? in Health · Aug 22, 2006

Grace Carter80 said:Sulcus means groove
🙂

😬
What about all the different types of grooves then?
And what kind of practical benefit would that actually offer patients? Would we even be able to pinpoint the exact location of a groove back then?
It would be like how regional dialects work—everyone would have their own specific terminology. One group might call it a groove, while another calls it a furrow or a depression, or whatever else they decide. We’d end up with doctors divided by their local slang, where every tiny anatomical detail becomes a point of confusion because of how it's named...🤣

Medical diagnoses in Latin? in Health · Aug 21, 2006

coastalrider94 said:So, it basically means two doctors are trying to communicate using Latin...🙏 😬

I still don't think they should use so much Latin. For instance, I have some medical records from ten years ago—especially from my ophthalmologists—and I look at them now and can't make heads or tails of anything, even after half an hour of staring. 😁 It's fine if you just ask for an explanation when something isn't clear... but what am I supposed to do with those old records? If I want to look back at what I was suffering from, I can't understand it because I've forgotten everything the doctor explained to me a decade ago.?!

The worst situations are always right after an X-ray, like when I break my arm. They take the image, hand me a piece of paper with the doctor's opinion, and of course, it's all written in Latin. In the time it takes to get from the X-ray room to the casting station, I could have a nervous breakdown just trying to figure out if that "contusio" means it's broken, cracked, bruised, or crushed. 😬

Dear doctors, and the rest of the old guard: instead of swearing by the sanctity and necessity of Latin as a communication tool, why don't you just provide a simple translation into plain English right next to the diagnosis??

Well, how else would you name the femur?
Or the medulla oblongata?
Or the medulla spinalis?
Many of these terms exist in other languages too, but they aren't used because even if I told you we were talking about the spinal cord, you might not know exactly where that is. Don't get me wrong, I don't know many of these terms either, but they simply don't have direct replacements. It's just easier to remember and use them this way; one specific word tells you exactly what it is.
How would you even name the Sulcus?
It’s just a tiny little groove. There are hundreds of them, and they all start with "sulcus" followed by some other descriptor.
Where exactly is the leg fracture? Everything is in Latin, and it makes it very easy to pinpoint the location once the term is mentioned.
Latin terms should be adapted to our native language, but you'll never be able to invent a perfect substitute for many Latin words that have been in use for hundreds of years.
Simply put, it's impossible. I don't understand a lot of things myself, but I realize you can't call a Sulcus anything else because that's what it is, and there is no alternative.

Doctor stories: What are your experiences with diagnoses? in Health · Aug 13, 2006

About six months ago, a woman went in for a routine checkup, and her doctor spotted a mole during the exam. He looked at her and said, "Spit on me if this isn't cancer!!!"
Turns out, it was.

Medical diagnoses in Latin? in Health · Aug 13, 2006

Even if we switch everything over to English, most patients aren't going to grasp half the terminology used. Even when things are translated into plain English, you’ll still find yourself needing a doctor to sit down and explain what those terms actually mean.
Beyond that, a condition like an ileus is still going to be an ileus. Doctors are naturally going to mix medical Latin with standard American English because finding direct replacements for certain technical terms just isn't always practical. Personally, I think medical records should be kept in one's native language, but every physician needs to be proficient in Latin. After all, doctors across America and all over the world rely on that shared Latin foundation to ensure clear communication when collaborating on a case.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

Give it another read

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:You’re such a saint... honestly, I should nominate you for an American passport (if you don't have one already)... because it's rare to find someone who will spend so much time discussing San Francisco with tourists without mentioning a single thing about the mosques or the architecture back home in Canada.

That is truly the mark of a selfless American citizen... such selflessness and dedication...😉

You're out of your mind...🙄 ...maybe some anti-psychotics would help.
I am going to keep telling you: "Read it again." Just go away.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:You really should have just asked them!
You know as well as I do that Swedes value being politically correct, so they wouldn't offend you; they’d probably tell you everything is great... while thinking "damn Muslims" once they get back home.

I don't quite agree with you there. Maybe those are just the types who rely on social welfare programs.
From what I've experienced, they aren't afraid to speak their minds. They are polite (unlike you), but they aren't hypocrites. Either way, you always know exactly where they stand.
I would be happy to discuss extremism, Catholicism, or Protestantism with you, but you aren't really up for a constructive conversation. It seems like something is eating at you, preventing you from actually reading posts properly, which turns every debate into a petty back-and-forth. Besides, this post is probably too long for you anyway. 😉

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:😁 😁 🤣 🤣 👍

But did you actually bother asking them?
Did you make any real effort to interview anyone about how they view Venice as some sort of traitorous city??

I didn't specifically ask them about that. Regardless, why go out of your way to degrade Venice by calling it a traitorous city?😕
It would be genuinely helpful if you read the previous posts, even if you're having a rough day... I mean, isn't it just poor etiquette to argue with someone based solely on your own frustrations?🙄

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:You didn't tell us if those engineers actually liked the mosques over in East Memphis, did you?😁

I honestly have no idea. I never asked them, and they haven't said anything to me. Unlike you, even if they hadn't liked it, it wouldn't really matter much. And frankly, I couldn't care less whether you like it or not.
In any case, they'll be coming to Boston too. Maybe this time they'll actually have a better organizer. Otherwise, it seems you've finally grasped the childish version of this argument.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:So she wasn't their guide, but she organized the whole tour for them??

Do you actually realize how transparently hypocritical you’re being here?

First, it was that Venice isn't worth visiting because it's boring. Then, once people called you out on it, suddenly it's "Unknown"—maybe it's just because their tour organizer didn't set things up properly? (And look at that, the organizer was an American woman... apparently, they can't get anything right.)

The more this person reads you, the more they seem to align with Judas, though I could have seen that coming regardless.

For heaven's sake, man, agree with whoever you want. I knew Judas had his issues long before he started agreeing with you.
Central Park lives up north in Northern Europe and hangs out with people I actually know. So, let her sit there with them, and when they decide they want to visit Venice, she picks up her phone (while still sitting up north in Northern Europe) and organizes their trip to Venice (still sitting up north in Northern Europe without having moved an inch). My group and I simply agreed to meet up since I was nearby, and that's how it happened.
There, that's the simplified version just for you.
I'm done playing games with you; go bother someone else, I have work to do.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

A raging hen... that’s exactly how I put it.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:Hannah, I live in Sweden and I already know—even without your input—what most Swedes think about our Atlantic Ocean. Most of them have such positive reactions that they end up coming back after their very first visit...

Well, here we go again. It really makes you wonder how much any of this is actually worth believing, doesn't it?!!??

Isn't it interesting that they chose specifically to comment on the name of a guide (Mary) while talking to you??

To be honest, both you and this whole story just stink. If you'll excuse my bluntness, I can't find a better way to put it.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't care who liked San Francisco and who didn't... I respect everyone's opinion.

Oh, you absolute moron... go read my post on this exact topic ONE MORE TIME... you total idiot... just shut your mouth, seriously, you're being completely dense.
Mary is NOT a guide, you complete idiot. Go ahead, read it one more time... just do it...

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:Look, I’m not some kind of fanatic who’s going to start acting out or causing harm just because someone insults my faith. You’re free to say whatever you want...

I don't see any reason to lack basic decency or disrespect someone else's beliefs... regardless of what they might be.
Besides, I don't think anyone should be engaging in such a crude and low-level argument in the first place.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:Look, I'm not some fanatic who’s going to start lighting fires or killing people just because my faith was insulted. Say whatever you want...

Are we talking about those same Protestants from the recent poll where over 70% said they’d never want to live in a community where Muslims make up more than 50%?

No, they aren't. These are different people. Why are you getting so defensive and acting like a wounded bird? It's actually fascinating to watch how people react to stuff like this. For instance, a few people responded quite normally, basically saying, "Hey, if they love them, they love them, and if they don't, they don't." However, a handful of people—including you—reacted with this sudden aggression directed right at me. I didn't organize this, nor did I carry it out; I simply listened to what was being said. You haven't offered a single constructive thought, and instead of directing your criticism toward Mary, who actually organized the thing, you're aiming it at me when I wasn't even involved.
Honestly, you're completely missing the mark. You didn't even read the post properly, let alone grasp the point or try to see things from any other perspective.
Just a total loose cannon.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:Well, now everything is perfectly clear!
"Engineers" who actually understand the language and still need a tour guide through San Francisco?🤣 🤣

Can you please stop twisting things and making yourself look foolish?

Who exactly is struggling with the language, which language, and what guide are we talking about?
Do you have air conditioning at your place? If not, maybe go spend some time cooling off in the fridge.

Check out what these "tourists" are doing on the Atlantic Ocean in Close to Politics · Aug 1, 2006

frozenheron25 said:Give me a break... I guess since there isn't a cathedral nearby to go bash their heads against, they've lost interest.
Would that actually be interesting to them?

And what am I supposed to do here? Offend your Catholicism?
🙄
Regardless, they're Protestants, so they tend to be more moderate; they don't seem to care nearly as much about the church or the crucifixes.😉 ...they don't have the whole saint thing either.