E-Borne Newsletter : Summer, 2003
Roger P. Freeman, D.D.S., Editor Roger@iAwareables.comDear friends and colleagues,
Welcome to the SUMMER, 2003 edition of the IA E-Borne Newsletter, our way of keeping the awareably curious informed of IA's latest activities. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. And NO, we won't put our images on a ...!
Note: We mail this occasionally quarterly newsletter to friends, colleagues and customers of record. If we have mistakenly included you in this mailing, and you wish to be removed from our subscriber list, please refer to end of the newsletter for instructions. We'll miss you, but we promise to honor your request.
Here's what looms should you venture further:
- EMERGENTS
- OUTBREAK. NEW AWAREABLES.
- MEDIA WATCH: MAX (NOT YOUR MASSEUR)
- TripStixx: A new IA product for the savvy traveler
- ROTARY INTERNATIONAL LICENSE
- CONFERENCE UPDATES
- AWARELETS: SARS SINGAPORE SLING TOBACCO TREATY FOODIES BEWARE
1. "EMERGING, RE-EMERGING...WHATEVER!"
This "emerging" thing is getting out of hand. Don't look now but these "new" emergents are starting to run the asylum. Marburg, Lassa, Ebola, Nipah and Hendra viruses (avoid fruit bats!); HIV; Hanta; Lyme; Monkeypox; W. Nile, and this year, the mask manufacturer's favorite, SARS. Not to mention the "re" emergents, like TB, malaria, influenza et al. Who's counting, but...is anyone else hearing footsteps...?
2. OUTBREAK
- NOW AVAILABLE @ http://www.5clickstore.com/iawareables/index.cfm?CategoryID=0
VACCINIA TIES & SCARVES: A history lesson on silk, right down to the bifurcated needle. Dedicated to a lot of courageous public health warriors.
STREP PNEUMONIA TIES: Stylish, monochromatic design. Strep goes with anything, don't you think?
NEURON SCARVES: These will make you more sensitive, for sure.
ANTHRAX (BIOHAZARD) SCARVES: Preparedness at its most luxurious.
ESTROGEN SCARVES (The safe HRT!): Flash! These are beauties, and you can always remove them pending hormonal overload! HIV TIES AND SCARVES: Never ceases to amaze how such a terrifying condition can look so good.
Due, September, 2003:
SARS Neckties Poliovirus: Eradication Series (Rotary logo) BIONOTES: Science-themed notecards for the ultimate route of transmission. Outbreak Edition includes neurons, e.coli, stem cells, staph, rhinovirus and biohazard (anthrax). Also available, special Eradication Edition poliovirus with Rotary International logo.
These cards are just plain communicable!
3. MEDIA WATCH: GLOBAWAREABLES
- You might have missed our shorts in the German glossy mag called MAX. The IA BioBoxers were featured in the "menshen, moden, marken" section. We have no clue what that means, but it seemed important. Not to be outdone, the French weekly, VSD magazine, plans similar spread in their science and techno section next month. We do get around!
4. TRIPSTIXX
And you thought we had a thing for ties! Check out The World's Most Unique Chopstixx. The perfect travel companion for your Asian adventure. An ingenious pocket sized, self-contained set of washable, HYGIENIC, detachable chopsticks. For personal use at either banquet or sushi bar, international or domestic. An IA patented, world first, featured in Washington Post Travel section, 8/10/03!
"3000 years in the making and worth the wait!"
5. ROTARY INTERNATIONAL LICENSE
IA has been granted licensing rights to use the Rotary International and PolioPlus logos on our poliovirus designs. RI, along with WHO, is a leader in the campaign for global eradication of polio. Watch for updated poliovirus necktie, scarf and BioNotes designs with Rotary logos...and keep in mind that every purchase will result in a portion donated to Rotary's worldwide efforts.
6. CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 2003
- ASM (Microbiology)in Washington D.C. last May was a huge success. The conference christened the new convention center, and except for the picky secret service dudes closing the place down prior to GW's fund raiser (with some of us still in it!), we found the place top notch.
AVMA (Veterinary Medicine), Denver, in July, in collaboration with Iowa State University Center for Food Security and Public Health: our first experience with the woofers and tweeters. The Iowa State group is a sensational bunch of commited professionals, with current focus on Bioterrorism Awareness Education relative to zoonotic (don't kiss the dog) diseases. We always thought we were a little "out there" amongst the major commercial players at these conventions. But that was before we stumbled on the Urn Booth at AVMA. They even gave free samples (unfilled). Made us feel postively main stream.
Up and coming:
- ICAAC (Chemotherapy) Chicago: September 2003 Booth 436
- IDSA (Infectious Disease) San Diego: October 2003 Booth 946
- APHA (Public Health) San Francisco: November 2003 Booth 1901
7. AWARELETS:
Interesting, but not NECESSARILY valuable info...
- A - 1. SARS. The last regional hot spot was contained, when the WHO removed Taiwan from its "infected" list, but not without a warning that this corona-critter could turn out to be a seasonal visitor. More's the importance of crucial early detection. The problem: SARS appears to be one of those "perfect storm" patho-puppies, "transmitted through coughs and sneezes even before it debilitates its victims." YOU'RE IN LUCK, THOUGH; OUR PENDING DESIGN IS EXCLUSIVELY NECK-BORNE!
A - 2. SINGAPORE SLING. The Singapore Restroom (yes, restroom) Association recently received a five-star rating for one of its own, the first such award in a nationwide "Happy Toilet" campaign to flush out dirty lavs. According to their spokesperson, Jack Sim, we each (speak for yourself, Jack!) spend three years of our lives on the porcelain throne. The association sees clean lavs as a way for Singapore to "maintain its reputation as a magnet for human talent and investment." Never really thought of it as a talent, actually.
A - 3. 2003's GREAT PUBLIC HEALTH SUCCESS.Dr. Jay Glasser, president of the American Public Health Association, recently nominated the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control adopted in May by the World Health Assembly, as this years landmark public health event. Over ten years in evolution, this "tobacco treaty" mobilizes global cooperation to actually control the "world's leading candidate of preventable deaths." This is a major step forward, one which you can be sure future generations will look back on and say, "...what took you guys so long?"
A - 4. FOODBORNE PFENOMINA. Source: "Food Safety Educator", US Dept of Agriculture.
52% of college menus offer sushi, in spite of shortage of trained sushi chefs. See A-2 above.
Raw (salmon, oysters, milk) is the rage. All are potentially dangerous pathogens. Ditto, A-2.
Restaurants are experimenting with cooking techniques to capture faltering consumer interest. Q: Just how do you know when that pit-roasted piggy is done?
One-half of allergic reactions take place in restaurants, with Asian cuisine (nuts, seafood) the largest offender.
Convenience stores are becoming more involved in food service, 90% preparing fresh food on site. That's a Big Gulp.
Brace yourself: there are 16 million bacteria per square centimenter at the kitchen sink - versus 100 M per,at the toilet. Restaurant inspector's favorite bacterial target: the can opener!
Have a great Labor Day. How's the Xmas shopping coming? Groan... Next newletter early December, when groan turns to arghh!
Awareably yours,
RPF
Roger P. Freeman, D.D.S., and THE IA TEAM
