Reigning in the Medical Industrial Complex

That medical science has advanced over the last century and that it has provided benefit for many is a statement of fact and of the obvious. It is also possible to have too much of a good thing. More to the point, as with most industries, and yes healthcare is an...

Moving On Whilst Learning

The vast and I do mean vast majority of people have moved on from Covid and are living their lives again. This is evidenced by, amongst other things, the data on travel, the low uptake of additional boosters and that masks are a rare sight. Some have not moved on and...

Hitting 100

There is a lot of doom and gloom in health. Whilst the media report on the occasional “breakthrough” or “game changer” medication, which usually isn’t, most of the commentary is downcast. We have epidemics of everything from viruses to obesity to vaping. Each of these...
A Long Two Weeks

A Long Two Weeks

Most readers will be old enough to remember “two weeks to flatten the curve”. This was over two years ago. Finally, most of the world is actually living with Covid. Even Anthony Fauci has had to (grudgingly) concede that the pandemic phase is ending, and we are in the...

Time – The Finite Resource

Time – The Finite Resource

Many years ago, I attended a seminar where the presenter made the point that the only limited resource, we have is time. When you pause to reflect, it is the case that all of us have a finite amount of time on this planet. Furthermore, the amount of time when we are...

The Present Moment

The Present Moment

Regular readers may recall that I have previously written about the TV program SAS Australia and the fascination in seeing what people may be capable of. The program must be doing well as there is currently a third season and it being run at the start rather than end...

Counting Down To Sanity

Counting Down To Sanity

Part of me would have loved to start this year’s blog with something other than Covid-19. However, it remains the predominant, and in some jurisdictions, the only health issue that people have any interest in. It is as if heart disease, diabetes, cancer and depression...

Almost Groundhog Day

Almost Groundhog Day

One of the great movies of all time, in my opinion, is Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray as a weatherman trapped in the same day. Every event and interaction he has is identical and he remembers that whilst everyone else is living it as if it was the first time....

Who Will Ring The Bell?

Who Will Ring The Bell?

It is easy to tell when a sporting event is over. Either a prerequisite number of wins have been attained (e.g. tennis) or a finish line has been crossed. In time-based games, a siren or bell sounds to inform players, umpires and the crowd that time is up, and the...

Have A “Can Do” Approach

Have A “Can Do” Approach

The term reality TV is a bit of a misnomer. It is generally a soap opera with unpaid actors. Big Brother and Survivor were the first of the genre and to the surprise of many are still on our screen some 20 years later. A further twist has been celebrity versions of...

It Is All Just Greek To Me

It Is All Just Greek To Me

Even in these unusual times in which we live, the basics in health still matter. There was an interesting piece in The Weekend Australian, exploring the life expectancy of first generation migrants from Greece living longer than the national average. The article by...

Olympic Lessons

Olympic Lessons

Like most people, my interest in sports like swimming, high jump, and canoeing, to name but three, increases for the two weeks of the Olympics. There is something that touches us about seeing people who excel at what they do. Regardless of whether it is winning gold...

Questions Not Beliefs

Questions Not Beliefs

As Led Zeppelin said “you know sometimes words have two meanings” Words do mean different things to different people.  The dictionary defines science as “…knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation, experimentation and systematic study”. It...

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

Winter is coming in the southern hemisphere. In fact, it has arrived early in some parts with record cold, rain and even snow in May.  It will come as a surprise to experts, bureaucrats, and politicians (but not regular readers here) that in winter there are an...

The Lost And Found

The Lost And Found

Let’s start by rewinding about a year. Lockdowns were imposed as temporary measures to “flatten the curve”.  This was to enable health systems to cope with cases as they arose – not to end up with no cases. Australia had such remarkable success in its quest that the...