How much is a Marine General worth?

Update: The Winning bid comes in at $21.00. Way to go mom! Just kidding. Twenty one bucks. Not bad especially since I see the same guy is selling an autographed photo of Gen. James Mattis (among others) that's at $20.17 with a day left on the auction. Mattis is soon to be a Marine 4-star in command of United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM).



Apparently the bidding starts at $5.00. An autographed photo of Marine Corps Brigadier General Michael M. Brogan is being auctioned here on ebay bidding standing now at $5.00.

Yes, the last name is the same. As noted in a 7/27/2007 post Mike, the commanding officer of Marine Corps Systems Command, is my oldest brother.

So ya better hurry! As of this post only 3 days left on the auction.

Lone Star Chapter Family Camp

Friday we're off to the Lone Star Chapter of the NHF's Third Annual Family Camp for the weekend.

The first two years of Hemophilia Family Camp have been great successes and the chapter hopes for bigger and better things this year.

It's been a great time to catch up with friends, share stories and learn some new things.

Once again the camp will be at Camp For All, outside Brenham, TX. Camp For All is a fantastic facility that's been serving special needs groups since 1998.

My boys have loved all the activities especially the canoeing, archery and the ropes course.

U.S. out strong after first day Foursomes

That's why I don't bet on sports. Whoda thunk it. Impressive start by the U.S. side going up 5 1/2 to 1/2. Tiger and CHIII held off Choi and Tiger's own recent match-play nemesis, Nick O'Hern. Big kudos to Glover/Verplank for their impressive win over the formidable team of Appleby/Goosen.

The Presidents Cup

They played to a 17-17 tie in 2003 and the U.S. took the Cup in 2005, 18 1/2 to 15 1/2.

This year the teams are as evenly matched as they've ever been. The difference; Tiger Woods. I know, his Presidents Cup record is only 10-9-1, but he's not that far removed from his dominant year-end run in the FedEx Cup playoffs and should bring the U.S. 4 points.

First Day Foursomes prediction: U.S. 3 - Inter. 3

With the Matches going like this:

Match 1 - U.S.

Match 2 - International

Match 3 - Halved

Match 4 - Halved

Match 5 - International

Match 6 - U.S.

The best Matches:

Match 1 - Stricker/Mahan vs. Scott/Ogilvy -- three of the hottest players in Stricker, Mahan and Ogilvy.

Match 4 - Toms/Furyk vs. Els/Cabrera -- this should be a blow by blow grind to the end.

China's paradox

They're two they're four they're six they're eight
Shunting trucks and hauling freight
red and green and brown and blue
they're the really useful crew

(too bad they're toxic to me and you)

Once again toys coming out of China are found to contain high levels of lead in the surface paint and some metal parts.

So the country that hasn't allowed imports of foreign-made factor products for nearly 20 years (see post below) out of concern for its hemophilia population has very little trouble exporting toxic toys (including our buddy Thomas) around the world and says it's no big deal.

In Bejing, Commerce Ministry spokesman Wang Xinpei on Thursday said: "Our attitude toward the toy problem has always been the same, that the problem is one in a thousand. We'll still be highly responsible and seriously solve the problem."

Nice. I'm all for China being connected to the world market but hey you've got to play by the rules. We don't send stuff that hurts your people, you don't send stuff that hurts our people.

More hemophilia news (from 1921)

Horse serum for persistent bleeding.

Insert your own horse-related cliche.

How about a little Hemophilia news from around the web:

Imports of blood drug approved

China approves imports of recombinant factor VIII.

What an interesting little article!

We can complain, whether on the left, right or center, about U.S. government bureaucracy, the FDA, etc. But how about this gem,

“The authorities imposed the ban in 1986, in response to a case of HIV infection caused by imported factor VIII that was detected around 1983.”

So the Chinese communists banned foreign-made factor for 20 years although there hasn’t been a case of viral transmission from a factor product since 1990-1991 (reference needed). Interesting.

And how about this:

“Larry Zhang, regional head for Asia Pacific of Bayer Healthcare, said the treatment would be made available at a lower price in China than in other countries because of the financial difficulties that many patients here face and the lack of a comprehensive health insurance scheme.”

“…lack of a comprehensive health insurance scheme.” In other words the deep pockets of a third party payer.

“Recombinant-clotting factor will cost no more than 5 yuan (65 cents) in China, Zhang said. The average international price is 30 yuan.”

I’m no math whiz but if 5 yuan is $.65 then the average international price of 30 yuan is $3.90. That seems to be about 2-3 times the U.S. price (or at least a reasonable U.S. price).




Doc's a role model in triathlon

Hemophilia doc runs marathons and triathlons. Calling Dr. Hoots to the starting line.



Is Flamel Catching On?

From the Motley fool:

Flamel Technologies has signed a deal to develop an improved formulation of an unnamed Wyeth drug.

"BeneFIX and ReFacto both fit the criteria for compounds that could benefit from Flamel's Medusa platform. They are proteins for which a new long-lasting formulation would definitely increase patient convenience and compliance, especially since they are administered intravenously or via an injection. Equally as important is that the drugs lose patent protection in 2011 and 2010, respectively."

Competition for longer lasting factor products is always welcome. Choice and competition can only benefit the consumer.