Late post from 15 Feb 2019:

Hellooooo Friday.

Here's the recap of the 15 Feb 2019 news:

• Our own Army organization got less-than-positive press this week when Army families testified before the House Armed Services Committee on problems with military housing.  We're talking black mold, rats, and lead paint stuff.  One family complained about ticks raining down inside the house -- they discovered a bat infestation in the attic.  Our organization's General is on the mat for Army housing, but the other Services sound just as bad.  Luckily, I'm not in that section :o 
• The military Services' senior enlisted members testified before another HASC hearing this week and DID mention a program that is in our section:  childcare.  As the senior Marine said, readiness is a 3 legged stool:  unit readiness, individual readiness, and family readiness.  Every warrior tries to balance that stool. 
• How do you turn an injection into a pill?  Some drugs, like insulin, can't be taken via pill form.  The molecules are too big to be absorbed before the stomach's enzymes destroy them.  Researchers are testing a method to deliver these types of medicines via a "turtle" pill that attaches to the stomach wall and injects into the bloodstream.  Great news if you suffer from needle-phobia.
• another story comparing the cost of drugs in the U.S. to other countries...this time it's insulin from Mexico.  A 3-month supply in the U.S. = $3,700 versus Mexico = $600.   This price gouging is criminal.  Also saw a similar story on CBS.
• North Koreans are injecting/snorting crystal meth much like Americans drink Red Bull.
• The FDA is reviewing a nasal spray that treats depression.  The "special sauce" in the spray is also known by its street name, Special K 
• What's In My Food This Week 
• 59 pounds of "underprocessed" pork sausage was recalled in Texas.  Your guess is as good as mine on what that means...perhaps they forgot to kill the pig before shrink-wrapping it?
• "SalmonellaTennessee" in your chocolate tahini spread from a Philly company.  Did you know there was particular strain of Salmonella named for Tennessee?  I'm not sure how to take that... 
• plastic parts floating around in your Cold Pressed Juice Watermelon packs sold by Publix, Winn Dixie, and Walmart nationwide. 
• Salmonella in baby formula (rice milk) in Europe (doesn't appear to be in the U.S.) 
• Eating "ultra-processed" foods increases your risk of death by 14% or more.  Instant noodles and soups, breakfast cereals, energy bars and drinks, chicken nuggets, etc...scientists suspect that many of the additives to processed foods are turning out to be carcinogens.
• The Africa Misery Index 
• Ebola claimed 100 child victims in the Congo 
• Measles claimed 300+ deaths in Madagascar 
• Not really health related, but...Russia has plans to unplug from the internet to test their cyber defenses.  Wonder how the average schmuck is going to react to having their Facebook disabled for a while?

Please have a wonderful weekend, and keep the Storch family in your thoughts.