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Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Severe Texas drought bringing snakes closer to humans
The drought that has been choking Central Texas is affecting people and critters alike. Snakes have been in search of relief, which they are increasingly finding in neighborhoods.
"It was pretty big," Manor Police Sergeant Ryan Phipps says of a snake his comrade shot and killed in a woman’s backyard Monday.
Inside the roughly seven foot long serpent was the carcass of a full grown rabbit. The woman found the lengthy reptile while raking the grass in the suburban subdivision Shadow Glen. That specimen was the biggest, but certainly not the first, slithering visitor to surprise someone in these parts recently. Lately, Manor police have gotten at least one snake call a week.
Snakes pushed out of their habitat, into the baking badlands of Central Texas, are looking for a place to cool down.
"You need to go outside and check your yard before you let your animals out, and also your children, because getting bitten by a rattlesnake is not a good thing," warns Jerome Williams, president of the Greenbury Village Homeowner’s Association in Manor.
He warned residents in a letter Wednesday that several rattlesnakes have recently been found in some yards around the neighborhood, "They're out so we definitely want to let people to know to be on the lookout.
"But not everybody has gotten the memo. A little more than half the way through the year, the number of snake bites treated in Austin nearly equals the total for all of last year. Looking specifically at statistics from UMC Brackenridge, there were 36 snake bites treated in 2008. So far this year, there have been 29 bites treated at that hospital, with another 14 bites reported at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
Considering the trend, doctors say it’s not a bad idea to know what to do if you’re bitten.
"Forget what you have seen in the Old Western movies. Don't suck the poison out, don't put a tourniquet on. Just go to the nearest emergency department. None of that stuff works," says Dr. T.J. Milling.
Dr. Milling says to seek treatment quickly if you even suspect you have been bitten. While snake bites in Central Texas generally are not fatal, they can be under certain circumstances. Besides, the bite will become more painful as time passes.
Dr. Milling, who is the clinical research director for dell children’s and UMC Brackenridge, is currently working on a study with the aim of developing a test that could detect how much venom is in any given snake bite wound. That would allow doctors to better tailor the amount of treatment, which can cause allergic reactions in some cases.
If trends keep up the way they have been going, Dr. Milling and his colleagues could have plenty more bites to study here in Central Texas.
Copyright 2009, Four Points Media Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
"It was pretty big," Manor Police Sergeant Ryan Phipps says of a snake his comrade shot and killed in a woman’s backyard Monday.
Inside the roughly seven foot long serpent was the carcass of a full grown rabbit. The woman found the lengthy reptile while raking the grass in the suburban subdivision Shadow Glen. That specimen was the biggest, but certainly not the first, slithering visitor to surprise someone in these parts recently. Lately, Manor police have gotten at least one snake call a week.
Snakes pushed out of their habitat, into the baking badlands of Central Texas, are looking for a place to cool down.
"You need to go outside and check your yard before you let your animals out, and also your children, because getting bitten by a rattlesnake is not a good thing," warns Jerome Williams, president of the Greenbury Village Homeowner’s Association in Manor.
He warned residents in a letter Wednesday that several rattlesnakes have recently been found in some yards around the neighborhood, "They're out so we definitely want to let people to know to be on the lookout.
"But not everybody has gotten the memo. A little more than half the way through the year, the number of snake bites treated in Austin nearly equals the total for all of last year. Looking specifically at statistics from UMC Brackenridge, there were 36 snake bites treated in 2008. So far this year, there have been 29 bites treated at that hospital, with another 14 bites reported at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
Considering the trend, doctors say it’s not a bad idea to know what to do if you’re bitten.
"Forget what you have seen in the Old Western movies. Don't suck the poison out, don't put a tourniquet on. Just go to the nearest emergency department. None of that stuff works," says Dr. T.J. Milling.
Dr. Milling says to seek treatment quickly if you even suspect you have been bitten. While snake bites in Central Texas generally are not fatal, they can be under certain circumstances. Besides, the bite will become more painful as time passes.
Dr. Milling, who is the clinical research director for dell children’s and UMC Brackenridge, is currently working on a study with the aim of developing a test that could detect how much venom is in any given snake bite wound. That would allow doctors to better tailor the amount of treatment, which can cause allergic reactions in some cases.
If trends keep up the way they have been going, Dr. Milling and his colleagues could have plenty more bites to study here in Central Texas.
Copyright 2009, Four Points Media Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Yankees pitcher Wang to have season-ending surgery
July 28, 2009 CBSSports.com wire reports
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Yankees starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his injured right shoulder Wednesday.
The Yankees made the announcement after Tuesday night's 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay.
New York manager Joe Girardi said there is no timetable for when Wang will return next season, and that the team will know more about a potential timeframe after the procedure.
Wang was examined Tuesday by noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews. The right-hander went on the 15-day disabled list July 5 with a strained right shoulder.
"It's a tough loss for us," Girardi said. "I feel for him. He's been through a lot the last 14, 15 months. Hopefully this is will be the end of the surgeries for him and he'll have the rest of his career be real healthy. We'll be there for him and we'll help him get through this. We'll get him back pitching as soon as we can."
After winning 19 games in 2006 and 2007, Wang missed the final 3½ months last season after injuring his right foot while running the bases in Houston. He's just 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games this season, after missing time from April 19 to May 21 with a hip injury.
"All you can do is get it fixed, rehab it and move on," Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland said. Copyright 2009 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Yankees starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his injured right shoulder Wednesday.
The Yankees made the announcement after Tuesday night's 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay.
New York manager Joe Girardi said there is no timetable for when Wang will return next season, and that the team will know more about a potential timeframe after the procedure.
Wang was examined Tuesday by noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews. The right-hander went on the 15-day disabled list July 5 with a strained right shoulder.
"It's a tough loss for us," Girardi said. "I feel for him. He's been through a lot the last 14, 15 months. Hopefully this is will be the end of the surgeries for him and he'll have the rest of his career be real healthy. We'll be there for him and we'll help him get through this. We'll get him back pitching as soon as we can."
After winning 19 games in 2006 and 2007, Wang missed the final 3½ months last season after injuring his right foot while running the bases in Houston. He's just 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games this season, after missing time from April 19 to May 21 with a hip injury.
"All you can do is get it fixed, rehab it and move on," Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland said. Copyright 2009 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Monday, July 27, 2009
美國警察權威高 總統也讓步
2009-07-27
中國時報
【中央社】
美國總統歐巴馬日前公開批評警察執法仍無法擺脫種族歧視陰影，引起警界反彈，逼得歐巴馬出面說明。美國警察權威不容挑戰，連總統也不得不讓步。
7月16日，哈佛大學知名黑人教授蓋茨出遠門回家，因為沒有鑰匙無法進門，便請黑人計程車司機一起破門而入，路人以為有人闖空門報警，警察隨即趕到。
蓋茨向警察表明身份，說明自己是房子的主人。但警察還是繼續盤問，引起蓋茨不滿，向警察咆哮。白人警察克勞里幾次警告之後，將他銬上手銬，帶到警局處理，4小時後才放人。
歐巴馬在記者會上被問到這個問題時，顯然對他這位黑人教授朋友遭受的待遇相當不以為然。他說，麻州康橋警方處理此事「行為愚蠢」。這是歐巴馬一月上任以來首次就涉及種族的問題發表評論，沒想到就踢到鐵板。
在多個警察團體的強烈抗議下，歐巴馬親自打電話向那位執勤的警官致意，對自己用辭不當表示遺憾。白宮發言人也出面解釋，歐巴馬絕非批評執勤警官愚蠢。
歐巴馬自己是黑人，因此對黑人的遭遇感受特別深刻，但從整個事件可以看出，其實單純是美國警察執法權威不容挑戰的問題。
美國法律規定，警察在執法時，若嫌犯反抗，可以逕行逮捕。若嫌犯的動作令警察有理由相信是要進行襲擊，警察可以使用適當暴力制止，必要時包括開槍。
而且美國警察開槍不必先對空鳴槍示警，而是直接開槍射擊目標。因為他們認為鳴槍示警，往往只會讓嫌犯逃得更快，或為警察本身招來危險。
初到美國的人，總有許多「前輩」會傳授經驗。美國警車在公路上通常不閃警燈，一旦它在你後面閃起警燈並響起警報器，你必須立即停到路邊，等候檢查。如果你以為他不是在閃你而繼續前進，他們會立刻用無線電召來其他警車前後包抄，那麻煩就大了。
停到路邊後的標準動作是，搖下車窗，雙手繼續扶在方向盤上，乖乖等候警察前來盤問。千萬不要急著打開前座置物箱找證件，以免警察誤會你要拿槍抵抗，發生不幸。
警察通常會先在他的車子裡以電腦查你的車籍資料，時間可能耽誤很久。此時，即使你有急事，也必須耐住性子等候，千萬不能下車找他理論，以免警察誤會你有對他襲擊意圖而先開槍。
警察在執勤過程，只要有充足理由懷疑，就可以舉起手槍，喝令車內人雙手抱後腦下車接受搜查。警察的動作可能會很粗魯，但你不能反抗。如果不服氣，可於事後向法庭提出告訴，但如當場對警察咆哮，或有肢體反抗，輕者戴上手銬送警局，重者可能當場斃命。
根據警方事後提出的報告，哈佛大學教授蓋茨這次先是對警察要求出示證件不予配合，只拿出並沒有登記住址的哈佛教職員證件，接著又對警察大呼小叫。
警察請他到門外說話，蓋茨說：「好，我出來跟你媽講話。」克勞里拿出手銬警告，要他停止叫罵，他依然不理，終於發生被銬上手銬帶走的情況。
蓋茨如此反應，或許反映出他對美國黑人遭到警察懷疑甚至騷擾的不滿，但最終看來，似乎是一起美國警察在權威遭到挑戰時如何反應的實例。
歐巴馬自己承認不完全清楚當時的情況，卻介入這樣的一件事情，弄得自己有點難以下台。據報導，歐巴馬在電話中請蓋茨和克勞里本週跟他一起喝啤酒，希望能化解這次的風波。980727
中國時報
【中央社】
美國總統歐巴馬日前公開批評警察執法仍無法擺脫種族歧視陰影，引起警界反彈，逼得歐巴馬出面說明。美國警察權威不容挑戰，連總統也不得不讓步。
7月16日，哈佛大學知名黑人教授蓋茨出遠門回家，因為沒有鑰匙無法進門，便請黑人計程車司機一起破門而入，路人以為有人闖空門報警，警察隨即趕到。
蓋茨向警察表明身份，說明自己是房子的主人。但警察還是繼續盤問，引起蓋茨不滿，向警察咆哮。白人警察克勞里幾次警告之後，將他銬上手銬，帶到警局處理，4小時後才放人。
歐巴馬在記者會上被問到這個問題時，顯然對他這位黑人教授朋友遭受的待遇相當不以為然。他說，麻州康橋警方處理此事「行為愚蠢」。這是歐巴馬一月上任以來首次就涉及種族的問題發表評論，沒想到就踢到鐵板。
在多個警察團體的強烈抗議下，歐巴馬親自打電話向那位執勤的警官致意，對自己用辭不當表示遺憾。白宮發言人也出面解釋，歐巴馬絕非批評執勤警官愚蠢。
歐巴馬自己是黑人，因此對黑人的遭遇感受特別深刻，但從整個事件可以看出，其實單純是美國警察執法權威不容挑戰的問題。
美國法律規定，警察在執法時，若嫌犯反抗，可以逕行逮捕。若嫌犯的動作令警察有理由相信是要進行襲擊，警察可以使用適當暴力制止，必要時包括開槍。
而且美國警察開槍不必先對空鳴槍示警，而是直接開槍射擊目標。因為他們認為鳴槍示警，往往只會讓嫌犯逃得更快，或為警察本身招來危險。
初到美國的人，總有許多「前輩」會傳授經驗。美國警車在公路上通常不閃警燈，一旦它在你後面閃起警燈並響起警報器，你必須立即停到路邊，等候檢查。如果你以為他不是在閃你而繼續前進，他們會立刻用無線電召來其他警車前後包抄，那麻煩就大了。
停到路邊後的標準動作是，搖下車窗，雙手繼續扶在方向盤上，乖乖等候警察前來盤問。千萬不要急著打開前座置物箱找證件，以免警察誤會你要拿槍抵抗，發生不幸。
警察通常會先在他的車子裡以電腦查你的車籍資料，時間可能耽誤很久。此時，即使你有急事，也必須耐住性子等候，千萬不能下車找他理論，以免警察誤會你有對他襲擊意圖而先開槍。
警察在執勤過程，只要有充足理由懷疑，就可以舉起手槍，喝令車內人雙手抱後腦下車接受搜查。警察的動作可能會很粗魯，但你不能反抗。如果不服氣，可於事後向法庭提出告訴，但如當場對警察咆哮，或有肢體反抗，輕者戴上手銬送警局，重者可能當場斃命。
根據警方事後提出的報告，哈佛大學教授蓋茨這次先是對警察要求出示證件不予配合，只拿出並沒有登記住址的哈佛教職員證件，接著又對警察大呼小叫。
警察請他到門外說話，蓋茨說：「好，我出來跟你媽講話。」克勞里拿出手銬警告，要他停止叫罵，他依然不理，終於發生被銬上手銬帶走的情況。
蓋茨如此反應，或許反映出他對美國黑人遭到警察懷疑甚至騷擾的不滿，但最終看來，似乎是一起美國警察在權威遭到挑戰時如何反應的實例。
歐巴馬自己承認不完全清楚當時的情況，卻介入這樣的一件事情，弄得自己有點難以下台。據報導，歐巴馬在電話中請蓋茨和克勞里本週跟他一起喝啤酒，希望能化解這次的風波。980727
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wang may meet with Andrews on Monday
Team is no longer counting on right-hander to return in '09
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
07/24/09 8:43 PM ET
NEW YORK -- The medical files relating to Chien-Ming Wang's injured right shoulder were reviewed on Thursday by Dr. James Andrews, and the noted sports orthopedist apparently saw enough of a problem that an in-person visit may become necessary.
Wang could meet with Andrews on Monday amid concern that his season could be over. The right-hander has been on the disabled list since July 5, and manager Joe Girardi said that the team is no longer counting on his return this year.
"He's down, I'm sure," Girardi said. "What he's been through the last 13 or 14 months has not been easy to go through. All players want to be on the field. When I look at him, he has a smile on his face, but I'm sure inside that this has not been enjoyable for him."
Wang's visit with Andrews would take place one week to the afternoon since he played catch on the field at Yankee Stadium, his first on-field activity since being placed on the DL for the second time this season.
The club was optimistic that the informal exercise would be Wang's first step toward potentially rejoining the rotation for the stretch drive, but he had to cut the session short after feeling tenderness in his right biceps. He later visited with both Dr. David Altchek and Yankees team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad to discuss the problem.
"Obviously, I want to be helping on the field with my teammates," Wang said through an interpreter. "Right now, I can't do anything."
Wang's recent history has been marked by injury. His season was cut short last year by a sprain of the Lisfranc ligament in his right foot, an injury sustained while running the bases on June 15 in Houston.
A 19-game winner in 2006 and '07, Wang was 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games this year, including nine starts, and spent time on the DL from April 24 to May 22 with weakness in the abductor muscles of both hips.
"It's been a long and frustrating year," Wang said. "With my foot injury and now my shoulder, I started off the season terribly. It's definitely frustrating."
Because of the latest setback, Girardi is no longer counting on Wang's help as the Yankees try to hold off the American League East and return to the postseason after last year's absence.
"I don't really have a best-case scenario," Girardi said. "I thought the best-case scenario would be that he would pitch Sept. 1. I'm not sure if that's possible now."
Wang has a history with Andrews -- who performed arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in 2001 -- so it is likely that if a surgical procedure was deemed necessary, Andrews would perform it. The hurler missed the entire 2001 Minor League season rehabilitating from that procedure.
Without Wang on track to return to the rotation, the Yankees have acknowledged some weakness in the depth of their staff. New York recalled right-hander Sergio Mitre from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to serve as the fifth starter, but if another move is necessary, the Yankees would transition Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen or consider Triple-A choices Kei Igawa and Ivan Nova.
General manager Brian Cashman has also not ruled out the idea of trading for a starter to help boost the club in July or beyond. But no matter the move, they have no choice but to push Wang farther out of the equation.
"I think you kind of have to look at it that way," Girardi said. "Anyone who suffers an injury, I don't think that you can say that you're going to count on them on [a given] day. There's setbacks that take place.
"You don't know when you're going to get a guy back, so you have to count on the guys that are on the roster at that time. We would love to have him back as soon as possible, but it's not something that I can tell you is going to happen."
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
07/24/09 8:43 PM ET
NEW YORK -- The medical files relating to Chien-Ming Wang's injured right shoulder were reviewed on Thursday by Dr. James Andrews, and the noted sports orthopedist apparently saw enough of a problem that an in-person visit may become necessary.
Wang could meet with Andrews on Monday amid concern that his season could be over. The right-hander has been on the disabled list since July 5, and manager Joe Girardi said that the team is no longer counting on his return this year.
"He's down, I'm sure," Girardi said. "What he's been through the last 13 or 14 months has not been easy to go through. All players want to be on the field. When I look at him, he has a smile on his face, but I'm sure inside that this has not been enjoyable for him."
Wang's visit with Andrews would take place one week to the afternoon since he played catch on the field at Yankee Stadium, his first on-field activity since being placed on the DL for the second time this season.
The club was optimistic that the informal exercise would be Wang's first step toward potentially rejoining the rotation for the stretch drive, but he had to cut the session short after feeling tenderness in his right biceps. He later visited with both Dr. David Altchek and Yankees team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad to discuss the problem.
"Obviously, I want to be helping on the field with my teammates," Wang said through an interpreter. "Right now, I can't do anything."
Wang's recent history has been marked by injury. His season was cut short last year by a sprain of the Lisfranc ligament in his right foot, an injury sustained while running the bases on June 15 in Houston.
A 19-game winner in 2006 and '07, Wang was 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games this year, including nine starts, and spent time on the DL from April 24 to May 22 with weakness in the abductor muscles of both hips.
"It's been a long and frustrating year," Wang said. "With my foot injury and now my shoulder, I started off the season terribly. It's definitely frustrating."
Because of the latest setback, Girardi is no longer counting on Wang's help as the Yankees try to hold off the American League East and return to the postseason after last year's absence.
"I don't really have a best-case scenario," Girardi said. "I thought the best-case scenario would be that he would pitch Sept. 1. I'm not sure if that's possible now."
Wang has a history with Andrews -- who performed arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in 2001 -- so it is likely that if a surgical procedure was deemed necessary, Andrews would perform it. The hurler missed the entire 2001 Minor League season rehabilitating from that procedure.
Without Wang on track to return to the rotation, the Yankees have acknowledged some weakness in the depth of their staff. New York recalled right-hander Sergio Mitre from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to serve as the fifth starter, but if another move is necessary, the Yankees would transition Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen or consider Triple-A choices Kei Igawa and Ivan Nova.
General manager Brian Cashman has also not ruled out the idea of trading for a starter to help boost the club in July or beyond. But no matter the move, they have no choice but to push Wang farther out of the equation.
"I think you kind of have to look at it that way," Girardi said. "Anyone who suffers an injury, I don't think that you can say that you're going to count on them on [a given] day. There's setbacks that take place.
"You don't know when you're going to get a guy back, so you have to count on the guys that are on the roster at that time. We would love to have him back as soon as possible, but it's not something that I can tell you is going to happen."
Friday, July 24, 2009
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