February 2, 2015 | In: I've Been Thinking
My first ASHP was Miami in 1995—the same year the society announced that the “h” in its abbreviated name would henceforth stand for Health-System rather than Hospital as documented on its birth certificate. Recognizing that its core membership...
January 7, 2015 | In: I've Been Thinking
On my daily walks, I’ve been listening to Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I’m at Christmas of 1943—the year Bing Crosby’s newly recorded “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” began tugging...
November 10, 2014 | In: I've Been Thinking
During the 2008 presidential campaign, I thought Tina Fey did a good Sarah Palin—so good that when the governor from Alaska joined the comedian on Saturday Night Live, it seemed as if Tina Palin and Sarah Fey were impersonating each other. A mesmerizing...
July 10, 2014 | In: I've Been Thinking
The bulk of the word consequence is sequence. In sequence, outcomes (intended or not) follow actions. Typically, consequences is used in reference to negative outcomes. In 1974, Richard Nixon had neither intended nor anticipated the devastating...
May 12, 2014 | In: I've Been Thinking
Between innings at a Mariners’ game, I got chatting with a visitor from New York about how in 1958, the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Adding injury to insult, I mentioned how their Hall of Fame centerfielder, Duke Snider, moved onto my...
April 18, 2014 | In: I've Been Thinking
Stumbling onto “South Carolina’s Homepage,” The State, I read about some hospitals that are into reading palms, which prompted me to rush over to wikihow.com to brush up on the subject. The brief preamble of How to Read Palms says, “The objective...
March 7, 2014 | In: I've Been Thinking
My late father-in-law habitually looked for the nearest exit before taking his seat at movies, banquets, or ball games, insisting, “Always be ready to escape a disaster.” My colleagues and I arrived a few minutes late for our last breakout session...
November 12, 2013 | In: I've Been Thinking
In the Goblet of Fire, Professor Dumbledore informs Harry Potter of the evil Lord Voldemort’s eminent return, then warns: "Dark and difficult times lie ahead, Harry. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” ...
October 15, 2013 | In: I've Been Thinking
Boston is my favorite public transit city. I’m like a kid while being transported by user-friendly Charlie through the labyrinth beneath her historic streets. It’s not uncommon for outsiders to say Bostonians are not so user friendly. Stereotyping...
July 31, 2013 | In: I've Been Thinking
These days we call the US Post Service [sic] snail mail. But in 1775, Ben Franklin’s innovation sped up letter travel between Philadelphia and San Francisco from forever to a few months. In 1844, Samuel Morse accelerated message delivery...