Hait Relief Mission: Dr Koslow Day 5

These are my facebook posts. I am puting them together in a blog for each day. If you read posts don't need to reread. If you want to see these posts with the comments go to facebook.com/alan.koslow

Haiti Relief Update:Just finnished doing dressing changes in the OR on my two big cases from yesterday. The solius flap looked great(forgot to take photo). the arm amputation looks good also. She feels much better. I have two more big cases a gastroc muscle flap to cover infected tial fx and a Full thickness skin graft. may not have enough anesthesia & OR staff to finish one or both. lots of cases booked

February 4 at 10:57am

Haiti Relief Update:the stafing situation is getting critical. We had close to 50 nurses/emt's/drs and helpers till now. by sat they are going to be down to 12-15, No way the hosp can keep running.Most of the 15 are drs and they won't be able to do routine post-op nursing care.they desprately need nuses and emt's.The second disatser is these patients who need special care not getting it and losing their leg or life.

February 4 at 11:02am ·

Haiti Relief Update:Yesterday I had a pt that needed a blood transfusion. The pt had a HCT=17 HGB=5.5 we had arrange transport after I found out we could not get blood here(I asked the 1st dayand told enough blood was avail.). So I I forgot about the patient and today found she was not transfered because you need Hct=12/HGB=4 before they will accept you for tx for transfusion. 50% of the pts will die before.

February 4 at 11:08am

Haiti Relief Update:The original was home Sun then Sat since no flight Sun.(It would also give me a day to recover before work on Mon.) Then last night told they have reserved seats on flight fri and cannot assure getting out Saturday. i am torn because they need help and would like to stay even single day more if I can but don't want to get stranded. They cannot assure a flight till Tues. if I miss friday.

February 4 at 11:14am

Haiti Relief Update: The busiest people are in triage and urgancy(ER) they see 2-300/day then call us for a question.Interesting things I've consulted on have been baby with chronic hydrocephelis, woman with a brachial plexus injury from arm trapped 6 hrs, Uterine bleeding.They get no rest and are out in the hot sun w/o aircondition.They & the tent nurses are doing the most work & most are leaving w no replacement.

February 4 at 11:23am ·

aiti Relief Update:The pts are in 8 to a tent. They have no change of clothes & we guard what they have. They undress in the open with no privacy. today I walked into a tent and a women was standing there undressed washing herself.Those around her when not paying any attention.Tues we put a foley cath in a pt out in the open were everyone could look and see. Everyone acted like nothing was happening & ignored us.

February 4 at 11:30am

Haiti Relief Update: I am back in Des Moines. I will keep posting till I run out of things to post about. I have lots of pictures still to post and lots of video. I will spend my entire radio show Monday on Haiti. Go to DesMoineLocalLive.com at 2:00 PM central time Monday and click Watch the full video experience. I would love to have you call in and talk to me about my experience.

February 5 at 10:21pm

Hait Relief Mission: Dr Koslow Day 4

These are my facebook posts. I am puting them together in a blog for each day. If you read posts don't need to reread. If you want to see these posts with the comments go to facebook.com/alan.koslow

Haiti Releif Update:I found out the baby is doing well. Did three wound debridements under anesthesia yesterday. Then went with Dr Savam the owner of the Hospital to tour some of the damages and also to see the nice part of Haiti. we went up to the mountains at 3900 feet and saw a beautiful country.

February 3 at 8:05am

Haiti relief update:Just heard Sunday there will be almost no flights so will try to get out Saturday, back to USA. Do not know what city I will land in, will then have to find way home. Hope the airlines are accomadating.

February 3 at 8:00am

Haiti Releif Update: now for the fun part. Monday night we went to Pizza garden. I had Kibby an apetizer that is a falafal outside wityh a very spicy beef inside. Very good. The piza I had a slice of seafood and a slice of vegitarian. IT was as good as any I have had in States. All the resturants are about 20 minutes drive to an area hardly hit by earthquake. This seams to be the new social center.

February 3 at 8:07am

Nicole Ovregaard I just wanted to let you know that I have been reading your Haiti updates and find your work inspiring, its helping me get through my less than exciting school work. I want to be involved in medical humanitarian aid in the future. I know my mom told you a little bit about what I want to do but hopefully when you get back from Haiti we can talk more. Good luck!

February 3 at 2:18pm ·

Haiti relief Update:The french are playing nicer.I just did a fascinating case that the fr Plastic surgeon, he thinks fr are snoty also, helped me. I watched him do 2. A muscle flap that is never done in USA,reverse solius flap.She has a bad ankle fracture and it was poring out pus. I cleamed it out past 2 days and dripped a weak solution of clorax bleach over night. Today we did flap. Only chance to save her leg.

February 3 at 2:25pm ·

HaitiReleif Update. I have a sad case today a thirty year old mother of two who said it was hard doing her work before the quake. She had a crush injury and now her are is infected she is septic and at risk of dying. I will do an amputation to try and save her live at firstshe said she rather die then have it. The Haitian Ortho Doc talked to her and we are going to do it in a few minutes. Hope it saves her life.

February 3 at 2:31pm

Haiti releief Update:Last night wewere just aboutto go to dinner when a man was dropped onour curb by police and they left very quickly. He had no blood pressure. we worked for an hr and resucitated him but could not transport him to hospital with blood till am. So we left him with army medics at our hosp. with order...

See MoreFebruary 3 at 2:36pm

Haiti Relief Update:Last night we went to gourmet fr rest.Balsamic and gorganzola salad, trad haitian fish dish, red beens &rice(w capers) , swt potato, plantain.Hd bananas flambet for desert. lunch has been the same each day, beens&rice, corn and sardines. Itwas ok 1st day but everyday, yech.Stoped at supermarket&got 10# friut, apples(3 types),tangerines and bananas.I'mnot starving. Actually I may have not lost wt.

February 3 at 2:53pm

Haiti Relief update:It is realy amazing. Ussually you go to a new Hosp. and it takes weeks to get to feel at home. I am the senior surgeon now that every other surgeon has lweft. I am after 3 days the old dog on the block. Also you make bonds with the fellow workers like you've known them for months not days and hours. It is amazing experiance. Waiting for surgery to start. Hope to post more pics tonight.

February 3 at 2:56pm

Haiti relief update. 3rd night in a row as we were leaving 7:30 emergancy comein. Monday Baby Noah,Tues-truck hit pedestrian, tonight two, woman with dysfunctionsal Uterine bleeding and 13 Y.O. w acute appendicitis The anesthesiologist did not want to stay to do case but we finaly conjoled one to stay(keeps all 4here so their stuck anyway.They are getting patient ready for OR dr David from NYC Gen Surg will do it.

February 3 at 6:50pm

Haiti relief update:baby noah had gone to german hospital, he is doing very well, theywere able to take out I.v. the women who found him and has beentrying to

February 3 at 9:54pm

Last pozst continued:have her own baby for ten years. She feels god led her to find baby and has never left it's side. She will be able to adopt him

February 3 at 9:58pm

Lisa N. D'Amico I have been reading your posts about the miracles you are performing in Haiti. Thank you so much for doing what you can to save lives. It has been harrowing, painful, shocking, and uplifting to read what you are doing. Please be safe and know that there are many, many people back here who are inspired by what you are doing. Bless you.

February 3 at 10:04pm ·

Debbie Dicker Keep up the energy and all your good will. My prays and blessings are with you. Keep enjoying the experience. Thanks for being you! Love you cus.

February 4 at 12:15am

Hait Relief Mission: Dr Koslow Day 2 and 3

These are my facebook posts. I am puting them together in a blog for each day. If you read posts don't need to reread. If you want to see these posts with the comments go to facebook.com/alan.koslow

Have some great stories. I will post tommorow in Detail. Last night we saved a 3 month old baby that was found dehydrated in a drainage ditch. Baby Noah we named him. Also I have a new medical principal that I will be writing a letter to the editor of New England Jounal of med. Will post it here after I write it.
Tue at 2:55pm

In Haiti There is a desperate need for anesthesiologists and nurse anestetists. If you knowany that want to come I can help arrange it.
Tue at 2:58pm ·

Haiti relief update:Just heard Sunday there will be almost no flights so will try to get out Saturday, back to USA. Do not know what city I will land in, will then have to find way home. Hope the airlines are accomadating.
Yesterday at 9:00am

Haiti Releif Update:I found out the baby is doing well. Did three wound debridements under anesthesia yesterday. Then went with Dr Savam the owner of the Hospital to tour some of the damages and also to see the nice part of Haiti. we went up to the mountains at 3900 feet and saw a beautiful country.
Yesterday at 9:05am ·

Haiti Releif Update: now for the fun part. Monday night we went to Pizza garden. I had Kibby an apetizer that is a falafal outside wityh a very spicy beef inside. Very good. The piza I had a slice of seafood and a slice of vegitarian. IT was as good as any I have had in States. All the resturants are about 20 min...utes drive to an area hardly hit by earthquake. This seams to be the new social center.See More
Yesterday at 9:07am

Haiti relief Update:The french are playing nicer.I just did a fascinating case that the fr Plastic surgeon, he thinks fr are snoty also, helped me. I watched him do 2. A muscle flap that is never done in USA,reverse solius flap.She has a bad ankle fracture and it was poring out pus. I cleamed it out past 2 days and dr...ipped a weak solution of clorax bleach over night. Today we did flap. Only chance to save her leg.See More
Yesterday at 3:25pm ·

HaitiReleif Update. I have a sad case today a thirty year old mother of two who said it was hard doing her work before the quake. She had a crush injury and now her are is infected she is septic and at risk of dying. I will do an amputation to try and save her live at firstshe said she rather die then have it. The Ha...itian Ortho Doc talked to her and we are going to do it in a few minutes. Hope it saves her life.See More
Yesterday at 3:31pm ·

Haiti releief Update:Last night wewere just aboutto go to dinner when a man was dropped onour curb by police and they left very quickly. He had no blood pressure. we worked for an hr and resucitated him but could not transport him to hospital with blood till am. So we left him with army medics at our hosp. with order...s to keep urine output and bp up.He was alive in AM, we tx him. He had pelvic fx, liver injury.See More
Yesterday at 3:36pm ·

Haiti Relief Update:Last night we went to gourmet fr rest.Balsamic and gorganzola salad, trad haitian fish dish, red beens &rice(w capers) , swt potato, plantain.Hd bananas flambet for desert. lunch has been the same each day, beens&rice, corn and sardines. Itwas ok 1st day but everyday, yech.Stoped at supermarket&got... 10# friut, apples(3 types),tangerines and bananas.I'mnot starving. Actually I may have not lost wt.See More
Yesterday at 3:53pm

Haiti Relief update:It is realy amazing. Ussually you go to a new Hosp. and it takes weeks to get to feel at home. I am the senior surgeon now that every other surgeon has lweft. I am after 3 days the old dog on the block. Also you make bonds with the fellow workers like you've known them for months not days and hou...rs. It is amazing experiance. Waiting for surgery to start. Hope to post more pics tonight.See More
Yesterday at 3:56pm

Haiti relief update. 3rd night in a row as we were leaving 7:30 emergancy comein. Monday Baby Noah,Tues-truck hit pedestrian, tonight two, woman with dysfunctionsal Uterine bleeding and 13 Y.O. w acute appendicitis The anesthesiologist did not want to stay to do case but we finaly conjoled one to stay(keeps all 4here... so their stuck anyway.They are getting patient ready for OR dr David from NYC Gen Surg will do it.See More
Yesterday at 7:50pm

Haiti relief update:baby noah had gone to german hospital, he is doing very well, theywere able to take out I.v. the women who found him and has beentrying to
Yesterday at 10:54pm

Last pozst continued:have her own baby for ten years. She feels god led her to find baby and has never left it's side. She will be able to adopt him
Yesterday at 10:58pm

Hait Relief Mission: Dr Koslow Day 1

These are my facebook posts. I am puting them together in a blog for each day. If you read posts don't need to reread. If you want to see these posts with the comments go to facebook.com/alan.koslow

At airport in Chicago. Waiting for flight to Haiti. Have met up with my team. There are 5 teams going on the charter flight. I did not get the list of what to bring, and was told wrong info. So I am sign. under prepared. Told that I will have to do amputations on people without anesthesi\a. I am thinking that if... I put turnaquit up at 300 for 10-15 minutes might make it bearable. This is as bad as civil war.See More
January 31 at 3:45am ·

I most likely won't be able to post till I get back. I will do a video blog daily and post them when I get home. The internet conection at airport is too slow to post the videos I have now. I may be able to post from my satelite phone. I will take lots of pictures and video. This experience will change me. I don'...t think I can even imagine what I am getting into. I will just do my bestSee More
January 31 at 3:53am

The devistation is amazing. 200,000 bodies have been uncovered, 150,000 are expected still buried. Estimated to be over 500,000 orphans. As most families have 5-8 children there is no hope for them finding homesin Haiti.One of the physicians saw a pancaked building with an arm sticking out. The hospital we are at o...ne of only two functioning hospitals Centre Hospitalier du Sacre-Coeur, and is refered to as CDTI.See More
Mon at 1:02pm ·

The devistation is amazing. 200,000 bodies have been uncovered, 150,000 are expected still buried. Estimated to be over 500,000 orphans. As most families have 5-8 children there is no hope for them finding homesin Haiti.One of the physicians saw a pancaked building with an arm sticking out. The hospital we are at o...ne of only two functioning hospitals Centre Hospitalier du Sacre-Coeur, and is refered to as CDTI.See More
Mon at 1:02pm ·

Every where you look you see pancaked buildingsand every blockhas families sleepingin tents on the street because the buildings are not safe or they are just afraid. I have no internet access or phone or 3Gon my Droid. Blackberries and ATT have service. ATT is giving free calls to USA, so I am using oneof the other ...doc's phone. Through friday they were doing 30-40 acute operation each day.See More
Mon at 1:06pm

Since Sat. they have been doing only 15 operation daily and they have been catch-up operations. It is noon and we did 5 operations on the American side. 3 Wound debridements that I did and I watched a solias flap that the french taught one of the orthopods that I am going to be able to use in my practice(makes whole trip worthwhile in itself).
Mon at 1:10pm ·

Things in Haiti are realy slowing down they have caught up to all the initial injuries. We are still doing great good. The wound care and 2 procedures will be an issue for 3months or more. I am trying to decide if a 30Y.O. woman will require an amputation of her arm. It was crushed and didn't receive care till 5 da...ys ago, She has no sensation or motor function and it will be useless. She may be better with amp.See More
Mon at 1:27pm ·

Thought I may not get Haitian food but we went to one ofthe few surviving resturants and hadLambi (conch- a large snail) creole with fried plantain (green) and a very spicy slaw on it. Itwas great. Justhad sardines with red beens and rice. Now back to work.
Mon at 1:31pm ·

I just did another wound change under anesthesia and it was terrible. green pus thatsmelled like pseudomonus(sp?). I had both the fr plastic and am ortho look. we will try to save it but it mostlikely will need an amputation.. I spoke to the husband and he said for days she was missing and he assumed she was alive ...so he is just happy to have her. He 'leaves it in G-ds hand to save her leg'.See More
Mon at 3:37pm

I wanted to talk about anesthesiain Haiti. The hospital does not have enough drugs foranesthesia, however we can dospinals and sedation with versed(like for colonoscopy)so we can do almost any limb procedure and even an apendectomy or c-section delivery with a high epidural. SoI don't have toworry about doing amputau...ion without anesthesia now but they did two weeks ago.See More
Mon at 6:16pm ·

I was done with surgery so went for a walk( about a mile I walked) by myself(yes I felt completely safe.) I cameaccross a tent city in a public park. I was struck by how amazingly organized it is. There are paths between the tents like streets laid out on a uniform grid patern. There are tents from an aid agency and... then between and among them are tents made from sheets and some from4X8 boards.See More
Mon at 6:23pm

The Haitians in these tentcities are developinglocalecomonies. Thereare women cooking plantain and others chicken that are regually placed throughout the tent city. People sellingwaterand others with gas generators that are charging tio charge cell phones. People are settingup kitchens outside their twents and they ...are creating a small economy. Children are playing soccer.See More
Mon at 7:31pm ·

I spoke with the CEO of airline ambasadorsThe umbrella organization that gotussde here to Haiti),to see if there is someplace that I could be of more use. Don't get me wrong I am being used but I have very specialized skills that are not being used. She is going to a meeting of all the aid organizations tonight and i...n AMI may find out they can use me better. Though I will do lots ofgood enven if I stay here.See More
Mon at 7:35pm

Frommy freind ' the guy who get killed in Hollywood movies, also japanese shaking hands man:'Read somewhere online "American's" are being detained from Leaving Haiti. I just wanted to make sure you had a 'out'. (just the paranoia of my 'old' life) I am hearing we go to the airport and they put you on flights to US in ...order you show up. So you can endupany where in US but everyone is gettinfg out on day they show.See More
Mon at 7:42pm ·

My friend Suzzie who is a great friend that I rarely get together with. asked me if there was still a need foramericsan Nurses? YESY YES YES. they have a much bigger need for nurses them dooctors. Get the word out. I can connect you with ways to get down here.
Mon at 7:46pm

IHere at the hospital in Haiti there is a big turf battlebetween the French and the Americans. The fr have an organized team that trains together and works repeatedly together and have been to many disasters together. They are fully paid while here and are not volunteers. The Am are all volunteers who have never seen... each other till they got here. The Am are less organized then the Fr so the fr have been snotty.See More
Mon at 7:53pm

The french here in haiti are very very efficient but at 5 pm they leave and assume someone will take care of the post op of their p[atients.... The Americans of course.
Mon at 7:54pm ·

Goodnight everyone from Haiti Day two in country day one working. See my earlier posts. Hopefully I will still be able to post and woill be able to post video and pictures, Otherwise I will post them when I get back.
Mon at 7:57pm

Test Blog

This is a test to see if it will still post.

Motorola DROID: I'm in love.

I resisted getting an IPhone until it met four benchmarks. Well I serendipitously was in the Verizon store on Friday November 6th(the first day of release) because my phone hinge spring was sprung. I saw the signage for the new Droid and asked about it and found it met all four of my criteria to get an IPhone. I've learned that it not only met those but exceeded any and all expectations. It can truly be the IPhone Killer Motorola and Verizon wants. The four criteria were:

1. Data plan less them $70/ month for ATT: It was $30/month for Data on top of phone plan
2. Cost less then $400 or even $200: It was $100 for me with rebate with 2 yr contract
3. 16 or 32 Gigs Mem for that price: It comes with 16 and owner can increase with Mem card.
4. Being usable on Verizon ( I'm stuck with verizon plus network coverage the best): It was
5. An added bonus was that all the programing was by Google (Big Brother but the best software producers)
6. Another added bonus: All the accessories are significantly cheaper then for IPhone and they were all 25% off list (more on that below).

So I bought it.

I then had to decide on the accessories to get. So I got one of each and returned those I didn't like. Here is what I consider the minimum to get full use out of your phone (w what I paid):

1. GPS car window mount ($30, $22.50 w discount): $130 for IPhone version
2. Bedside Base ($30, $22.50 w discount)
3. Extra battery, but only if you listen to 9-12 hours of podcasts or music daily like me ($40, $30 w discount).
4. Hands free wired headset with headset button ($20 at best buy)
5. Waist/belt pouch ($10 at walmart)
6. Car Charger($12)
7. Car radio Sync (I use a cassette type that plugs into my cassette player)($20).

I want to give you some examples of how smoothly and integrated this phone and the apps are. The app I use the most is Doggcatcher. It took about 8-10 hours to get set up but saves me 30 minutes a day. It downloads all my audio podcasts I subscribe to (186) and places them in a playlist. When I have listened to them they are removed. If I want to pause them or take a phone call I click the in line headset switch and the podcasts pauses and/or answers the call. When I click again it restarts the podcast were I left off or 15 seconds before , if a call. Last week I was in New Orleans and needed to travel. I set up the GPS navigator and began listening to my podcasts. When the GPS needed to give me directions it turned off the podcast, gave the directions and resumed the podcast. I didn't miss a second. I next found out that if I got a call all I needed to do was swipe the screen with my finger and I had a handsfree speaker system that both I could hear well and it picked up my voice at normal volume from 2.5 to 3 feet away. It turned off the podcast and then when it needed to give me directions it did (I could hear it but the caller didn't). Then when the call was over it started the podcast 15 seconds before it had stopped it. That was perfectly designed and met all me needs.

Well I then had a one week odyssey of 3-4 hours a day to get it close to how I like it. That was the biggest downside. Since then I have been in love. I have been in love with three other pieces of electronics: 1) My first HP-35 in 1971 ( I was the first engineering student to have one: cost $400); 2) My first palm pilot in 1995; and 3) my first IPod Classic in 2005, when I learned about podcasts (from my friend T Morris himself {he wrote the Idiots Guide to Podcasting}). All of these devices changed my life each in its own but very significant way and they became constant companions never leaving home without them. Well the Droid surpasses them all.

I bought it planning to have it replace four devices. I found that it replaced twelve items I use all the time or daily worth $ 2300 all together. The first four on this list were the original four and here is the entire list of those items I used to use almost everyday:

1. My Phone (obvious): $100 that I paid, $400 list price.
2. My Ipod 80 Gig with two year service: $290
3. Digital Camera (Droid is 5 MegaPixals): $200
4. Video Camera ( I was about to buy flip video): $150
5. Voice recorder to dictate my medical notes: $200
6. GPS with Google Maps and Traffic alerts: $200 plus $30 per month for service.
7. Clock radio: $50
8. My travel bedside radio: $25
9. I-Home or equivelant ( I use this getting up & dressed in AM about 15-20mins/day):$50
10. Pedometer: $30-70
11. Laptop (now obsolete for travel, about 2 trips a month of 2-3 days each): $500
12. Remote temperature sensor and base next to bed: $65

Those were the devices I used almost daily. I then found out there were many devices I have not had that I now did with the Droid. Some I have gotten to use regularly while some I know I will use infrequently, but they are neat to have:

1. calculator
2. compass
3. metal detector
4. Star Trek TriCorder
5. Flash light
6. Barcode scanner
7. Leveling bubble.
8. plus many more available through apps market.

Now that I mentioned apps I have to tell you about the top apps that I use. First I have only spent $15 on apps so far and have about 100 free apps. So apps do not have to be a big expense (but they can). Here are the apps I use the most, some daily and all weekly, and now feel I cannot live without:

1. Doggcatcher ($5): My podcast catcher. It works the best of the 12 that I tried. It saves me 30 minutes everyday (15 in AM and 15 in PM)
2. Google Chrome full screen web Browser
3. Pandora internet music radio
4. e-book reader
5. Movies: Tells me what is showing and time in all the local theaters
6. YouTube: Lets me watch YouTube videos anytime anywhere
7. Facebook and Twitter aps
8. Amazon.com with bar code reader
9. weather bug
10. CardioTrainer
11. plus lots of cool games

So I want to hear if your experiences match mine. Please post this and pass it around.

facebook.com/alan.koslow

Gates Foundation Donates $ 120 M Dollars To Change Paradigm for Allelviating World Hunger

I covered Keynote speaker Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation today at the World Food Prize Symposium announcing his foundation will be donating $ 120 Million to support the worlds poorest farmers with new agricultural grants. He said. 'How do you help those people who live on less then $1 / day. Helping the world's poorest farmers grow more crops and get those crops to market will be the biggest thing we can do to eliviate hunger.'

'The Green Revolution did amazing things but it didn't do enough. It did not get to Africa, specificly Sub-Saharan Africa.'

'There is also trouble' 'The Global effort to help small farmersis endangered by an ideological wedge that threatens to split the movement in two........One side is a technological approach that increases productivity (Big Ag, many of the attendees at the World Food Prize cinf.) ...the other is an environmental approach that promotes sustainability. (the Community Food Security Coalition, their conf. preceded the World Food prize Conf.)' I posted a blog two days ago highlighting this contrast.

He goes on to say this is a false choice, that blocks important advances. 'We need productivity and sustainability, and I feel we can do both..........The next green revolution must do both and must be guided by small-holder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the envirnment.'

'We have to develop crops that can grow in a drought; that can grow in flood; that can resist pest and disease.'

'We need rigorous science to accomplish this.'

'It is essential for Africa to get a hardiar Maze that can grow in a draught and be a complete food source.' 'In some grants, we include transgenic approaches.....because it can address challenges faster.....Of course these technologies must be subject to rigorous scientific review to ensure they are safe and effective.'

We are developing this maze and it will be released royalty free to all of Africa.

Swarna sub-1 rice species was tested in India. when floods came 90% of normal crops dies. 95% of new variety survived.

Wheat rust is fast-moving and threatening the world wheat supply. 'We are partnering with 15 research stations..using a number of approaches to bread wheat varieties that will offer farmers some lasting protection.'

'We focus on small farmers and make investments across the value chain.....and look at the expertise of woman farmers who do most of the farming in Africa.'

African countries must lead. Most countries have pledged 10% of their National Budget. Ghana is the first country to do this and they have turned around their poverty and are almost at the Millennium Goal.

Here is the Video to his talk and the following discussion.

'Poor farmers are not a problem to be solved: they are the solution.'

A book will come out soon called 'Millions Fed" to follow up on 'Millions Saved' The vacine and health story.

He finished with a standing ovation and then went into a Q&A with Dr. Ejeta this years Food Prize laureate.

This was an amazing speach which clearly showed that an over riding philosophy that is rational and that doesn't try to impose a specific solution and which take into account the needs of stake holders from all levels may have a chance to change the world for the better. However this speech was followed by Dr Jeffery Sachs, the Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. In this speech he laid out an analysis that was sobering and scary. My next blog will be on that.

Food Security: Two world Outlooks, A World Apart

This week I attended two main conferences: The World Food Prize (WFP), and 'From Commodity to Community', the 13th Annual Community Food Security Conference (CFSC), with a buffer conference between them the Third Iowa Hunger Summit (IHS). (#foodprize, #csfc) I saw two movements unfortunately a WORLD APART. The first, the CFSC, was attended by 800 passionate activists. Seventy percent of them in their 20's, dungaree and tee shirt wearing, with a passion and energy level that was exhilarating. The second, the WFP, was attended by 950 gray haired, three piece suited, corporate or governmental officials. The sessions were educational, stimulating with a call to action clearly stated. What was missing was the passion of the CFSC. What was missing from both was the missed opportunity for cross pollination between the two. When I had heard the CFSC was being held immediately before the WFP I expected this was done to foster this. However, I was severely disappointed.

There were many areas of common goals between the conferences and their attendees. They both agreed that within 40 years the world population will increase 50% and the need for food will therefore double ( to take into account those living in Hunger now). That this increase needs to be done in a sustainable manner. That women were the key to success (give women: 1-Educational access {the most important}, 2-Economic equality with men, 3-health access, and 4-Political equality with men). That agricultural improvements need to be done in a sustainable manner. Climate change will significantly hinder the ability to meet the world food demand.

There were some serious areas of conflict. Simply put those attending the CFSC felt all solutions needed to be bottom up, while the WFP attendees felt the solutions need to mostly be top down (however they felt bottom-up needs to be incorporated). The CFSC attendees were violently opposed to genetically modified organisms (GMO), while the WFP attendees were it's prophets. They each have their own research the one that shows GMO's are nothing but pure evil while the other has their research that GMO's are manna from heaven. If only there could be more dialogue and sharing of those studies. There was more talking past each other then to each other. However, I did feel that the WFP attendees were more open to bringing in the CSFC people then the other way around.

Those attending CSFC complained of lack of access to the discission makers both in the US and abroad. Yet hardly any of them stayed on (actually in talking to over one hundred of them, most didn't even know anything about the WFP meeting - A failure of the CSFC to inform their members), to interact at the WFP conference. There were many world discission makers at the WFP. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak, eight Ministers of Agriculture, several former heads of state and multiple CEO's of the most important corporations in Big-AG-Biz.

The big shining light was Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, the WFP winner, in his talk at Iowa State on Monday to kick off the WFP meeting. He talked about the importance of Ag. extension type programs to get small farmers into the 21st century through education while also needing the large Ag-Biz to be the structure over this agricultural revolution.

So I hope that there is more dialogue between the dungarees and the three piece suits. We need both to move this forward and to have any chance of solving the loaming food and climate crisis.

Sustainable Food Conference, An Eye Opening: Hope for the Future.

I was at first shocked and surprised then encouraged by the distribution of attendees at the Food Security Conference. This week in Des Moines is a series of three international food conferences. The first one 'From Commodity to Community' the 13th Annual Community Food Security Conference, began Saturday 10/10 and will run through Tuesday 10/13. The first day was taken up with field trips to see the state of agriculture in Iowa. Today began with everyone at a breakfast plenary session setting the tone for the conference. But that is not what this first blog is about.

What I noticed, and as I interviewed many people, I found I wasn't the only one to notice, was that there was a bi-modal distribution of ages. Almost everyone fell into two age groups, either 20-32 or over 50. This made me wonder both about why and then what it means for the sustainable food movement. I talking to several attendees, the consensus seemed to be that those over fifty were motivated by the various movements of the sixties and early seventies. These participants felt that they had maintained their drive to improve and save the world. One women expressed despair that here 28 year old daughter was working for a defense contractor and felt having a nicer car and clothes was all she wished for. The older group was after almost four years seeing a new younger generation get enthusiastic about their causes.

The missing group, the doughnut hole, of those between 32 and 50 that were glaringly absent. To a person the attendees felt they were products of the me generation. The generation that went through high school and college and then entered the work force during the late seventies through the ME eighties and into the corporate boom of the nineties. They never got that spark of as the jewish religion says 'Tachun-o-lum', Repair the World. Fortunately, the generation to follow got the bug.

So what does this mean for the sustainable food movement. Well, the movement will survive and thrive. The young blood was both excited and enthusiastic. I saw a movement that has a new strong base that will work hard to move the movement forward. However it will be another ten to fifteen years till this momentum will cause a major shift in public opinion. That fifteen years will though have lots of small victories. Those who have been fighting this battle for four decades can be encouraged that there is a new generation who will take their fight to it succesful conclusion.

IOWA BOARD OF PHARMACY LIKELY TO RECOMMEND LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I didn't write this. It is from Iowapolitics.com. However, I post it as follow-up on my previous posts on this. This is the only rational move.

I was at the first of the Boards public hearing and testified. The patients (none of whom I would label as Pot heads were so compelling there were times I saw tears in the eyes of the Bo9ard members.

Below is the news story.

Iowa is moving a step closer to legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana.

The chairman of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy told IowaPolitics.com that if public hearings on the issue this week in Iowa City and Nov. 4 in Council Bluffs are similar to ones held Sept. 2 in Mason City and Aug. 19 in Des Moines, the board will likely recommend that the Iowa Legislature allow medicinal use of the drug.

“I would say that if all the other three had a similar kind of content that we had, the board would probably be looking at having to digest that information and make a decision that there is probably a legitimate medical use for some people,” said Vernon Benjamin, a pharmacist from Argyle.

But even if the board does eventually make that recommendation – they are expected to vote on the matter before the end of the year - there is no guarantee legislators will heed the advice of the board.

“This one is a pretty political issue, so I can’t say if they’re going to follow it or not,” said Lloyd Jessen, director of the board.

Jessen said in the past, recommendations haven’t been political and have generally been changes to bring Iowa law into line with federal law. “It's anybody’s guess if they put any weight in the recommendation or not,” Jessen said. “You have to remember Iowa is a pretty conservative state.”

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal was noncommittal on the topic, saying he will wait and see what the board’s recommendation is, whether a bill comes out of committee and what other stakeholders have to say.

“I think it’s very much up in the air,” the Council Bluffs Democrat said. “I’m certain there’s a law enforcement side to be heard on this issue.”

Thirteen states currently allow the medicinal use of marijuana, Jessen said, while another dozen are considering the issue. Michigan is the only Midwestern state that currently allows its use, while much of the western part of the country has moved toward that policy.

“It seems to be a pretty common topic right now,” Jessen said.

Ann Diehl, a public member of the board from Osceola, said she’s glad the board decided to hold the hearings. Diehl used to be a detoxification nurse at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines.

“It’s been a really interesting experience for me because I just had a totally one-sided view of it, and that was not good,” Diehl said. “I have learned a lot, and I have learned a lot about the medical benefits just from one hearing I've gone to.”

Diehl said she has heard scientific evidence and a lot of compelling stories from people who do have serious medical problems that they feel it helps. “I can say I have a much more open mind on it as far as medical use goes, but I haven’t come to any conclusion yet,” Diehl said.

Peggy Whitworth, a public board member from Cedar Rapids, attended the Iowa City meeting and said she’s been contacted by individuals eager to speak and get their thoughts on the record.

“I think those that have participated have found them interesting and helpful, and I think there are many rank-and-file citizens who are appreciative of an opportunity to express their views,” Whitworth said.

Whitworth said she encouraged the board to gather some solid information through public hearings and base any decision on science. “The reason for the hearings is to gather information from the citizens of Iowa, basically so any action by the Board of Pharmacy is grounded in reality, not simply in vague stories,” Whitworth said.

Benjamin agreed, saying board members are learning about switching the schedule of marijuana just like everybody else is. "You can’t do things like that lightly when federal law says it’s schedule one,” Benjamin said. “We wanted to make sure we had a case to argue if we do support the legalization of it.”

Hospitals in for $200 Billion Windfall Profits per Year from Health Reform.

I am amazed at the low profile the AHA (American Hospital Association) has been taking in the debate over health care reform. Think back you have heard and seen ads from every other sector but Hospitals, yet hospitals are 31% of the cost of medical care in the USA. Why have they been so quiet? Maybe they have a good reason to take a low profile. Maybe they don't want politicians and the public to realize they will be in for as much as $100-200 billion dollar windfall profits.

When you examine a major change think about who are the biggest losers and winners both before and after the change. This will help you understand the rhetoric or lack of it. Currently the hospital are, along with the uninsured patients, the biggest losers. The pharmaceutical and insurance industry the biggest. Using figures from Iowa from 2006, in a survey by the State Health Department, the states hospitals reported their expenses on unreimbursed indigent (uninsured) care. In Iowa the hospital spent $600,000,000 on care to the uninsured that was not reimbursed. This was not what they would have billed, but their actual expenses. They made this up by offsetting costs to those with private insurance. They still operated in the black. You cannot say they made a profit since they are non-profit. However many executives received large salaries and bonuses and many hospitals did expensive capital investments. This was in the face of $600 million write off. Amazing!!!

Well let us snap our finger and let every uninsured have insurance. Lets also say that this insurance will reimburse hospitals at the same rate (so they are competitive with private insurance) as private insurance. This rate is double or more over the reimbursement rate of Medicare or Medicaid. So the hospitals in Iowa will instead of writing off $600 million will be getting a check for $1.2 Billion. This is a swing on their ledger of $1.8 Billion. Now Iowa has a population of about 3,000,000 or one percent (1%) of the population of the entire country. So, if the number can be expanded to the entire country the hospitals of the United States will have as much as $180 Billion windfall profit each and every year.

$180 Billion is enough to pay f0or the cost of even the more expensive House bill for two years. So what I'm saying is that the hospitals will not be doing any more work (they are doing it now as charity) but will be making $180 Billion each year for no further work. Why not give them only $90 Billion windfall (they should be very happy with this) and pay for the entire system.

Please tell me where my logic is flawed.

Everyone Can Afford College. All Can Go.

We have a crisis in higher education. Like health care the cost of a college education is increasing at more then twice the rate of inflation, while the money available for scholarships and grants is shrinking. Many cannot attend the college of their choice or attend at all. Private Universities tend to get a disproportionate number of upper middle class to upper class students rather then the best students. I have given this a lot of thought and see a rational plan to solve this. First let me say not everyone should or needs to go to college, but some would benefit from a technical training and this covers that also. Read on to see the plan.

Society and our country benefits by having a more educated workforce and a educated class that can develop new inventions or processes. The person getting an education benefits from added earning potential. Also more lower income and middle income students will be able to attend better schools and not be worried about affording school or being saddled with burdensome debt. Many people will go into teaching or nursing since they will not need to find high paying jobs to pay off college debt. Keep reading the plan is coming.

The individual will benefit from this plan because of increased earning potential. US Census Bureau report shows that: '$4.4 million Estimated lifetime earnings of professional (i.e., medical, law, dentistry and veterinary medicine) degree-holders. This compares with $3.4 million for those with Ph.D.s, $2.5 million for master’s degree-holders, $2.1 million for those with bachelor’s degrees, $1.2 million for high school graduates and $1.0 million for high school dropouts'. Also the individual will be able to go to the best school they qualify with economic resources being no barrier and massive debt will be no barrier to taking the job they want rather then the job they need to pay off their debt. Here comes the plan.

Here is the plan. I will give the numbers to justify it below. The plan is simple students will apply to the colleges they want without concern for the cost. They will be accepted on their qualifications not the ability of their parents to afford it or the desire of the students to go into massive debt. After finishing school, graduate school and any required internships or residencies to complete their training they will pay back the loan this program gives them. They will pay back 0.75- 1.5% of their net income for each year of school they attend for 10 years. i.e. someone going to only four years of school will pay 3-6% of their income (net not gross) for ten years while those doing Medical School will pay 12% of their income for 10 years after they finish their residencies. These percentages are first guesses it may be slightly higher or lower. The final number will have inflation built in so once you fund the first four years the program will pay for itself.

Lets look at some numbers. There are approximately 5,000,000 in each grade level although only 3,000,000 graduate high school (2 million do not, see their lifetime earning potential above, I will present a plan to improve drop out levels in future blog). There are roughly 2,500,000 students entering college each year but there are 18,000,000 in colleges and universities at all levels including college, professional schools and graduate schools. 14,000,000 are in public institutions and 4,000,000 are in private. The total cost of those(14m) in public institutions is 250 billion dollars or $17,000 per student (room, board and expenses averaged of all levels) and those (4M) in private schools is 150 billion dollars or $37,000 per student. Whether private or public the students pay (via loans, scholarships, parent contribution and work study) all but $10,000. So of the 400 billion dollars spent each year on higher education $140B is paid by government, $40B by endowment funds of private universities and colleges and $210B by the student (using: loans; parents contribution, scholarships and work study). Once the program is in place and up and running it will be self supporting. This will mean that local, state and federal government will save $140B yearly or $1.4 trillion over ten years after the first four years and people start repaying loans. Both private and public schools will be able to use the money saved to improve the faculty (both pay and quality) and to improve facilities ( to accommodate the increased number of students that will be attending).

When the program starts those already in school can participate and reimburse the program at 2% each year for ten years of their net income. The repayment will be handled on the persons tax returns.

The beauty of this is that the job a person obtains and therefor the income is based upon the education they get and the field they pick. By setting reimbursement to your income if you decide to go into a low paying job you reimburse less and if you decide to go into a higher paying job you reimburse more. The individual decides. Two people with the same degree may go into opposite ends of the pay schedule.

After eight years there will be approximately 28 million (this number could be almost double if more students go to college then would have) that will be paying back into the program with an average income of $75,000(assuming a combination of those in professions and in trades, with more data this number could be precisely calculated) paying roughly 15% each (averaging those that do just bachelors and those that do graduate or professional degrees) or 315 billion dollars and thus close to self sustaining.

Any one could elect not to be part of the program but they will then need to pay full room/board/tuition of $37,000 yearly at private school and $19,000 at a public school.

This is a first approximation kind of a back of envelope calculation. I want lots of comments and criticism and if you know a college administrator please forward it to them. also to any state or federal legislators.