Double Whammy for the Apollo 50th

Yes, Captain Navarre in Ladyhawke

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Fran Blanche

Triple sad today - I just read that Rutger Hauer has died! https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/rutger-hauer-rugged-dutch-actor-known-for-an-inhuman-role-dies-at-75/2019/07/24/9082aec6-ae38-11e9-bc5c-e73b603e7f38_story.html

Fran Blanche

Can read the link, requires login.

EEVblog

It is a sad truth that much of medical practice, especially medical studies, focus on young to middle-aged adults, often excluding the very young and the very old. Many things simply work differently in younger and older bodies, and all too often practicing doctors and nurses are unaware of the limits of their body of knowledge and expertise. Both pediatrics and gerontology specialists need to be included in at least the evaluation of new research and new therapies, which still happens all too seldom. The FDA itself must take a huge part of the blame in its failure to limit the use of new therapies to the populations in which they were studied and tested. That said, attention must also be paid to managing the process of "when things go wrong". As is so often the case, seeing early success often leads to subsequent over-confidence and even negligence, and the cascade of poor treatment received by Neil Armstrong may well prove to be an example. We need to treat our medical system more like we treat our space programs: Understand the risks, proceed with caution, continuously reevaluate, yet don't be paralyzed by indecision. As an engineer with decades of experience building safety-critical systems in multiple industries, I've seen first hand how easy it can be to be surprised by something arising in an area we thought was thoroughly understood. I literally can't imagine what it must be like for medical professionals where this can happen far more often, where it is easiest to attribute to the differences between particular patients, rather than to one's self.

BobC

I suppose they published this on a day of celebration to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the event. Wish they had chosen another time to do it.

First, condolences to all who knew him. As one ages and gains experience of life, one begins to worry more about living too long, than of dying too soon. I suspect that Armstrong might have felt that way, not wanting to become a relic who is wheeled out to show the people on this occasion or that. He lived and died his way. Happy landings, Neil.

Michael S Wilhelm

This is tragic. A needless death, arguably preventable if not for the negligent post-surgical care he received. Last month, my mother went in for a valve replacement, I happened to be visiting when the nursing staff removed her pacing wires and it was as routine a procedure as anything. Of course, complications happen (TMI: my mom suffered a fatal embolism within a week of being discharged, I have an appointment with her GP today to go over the autopsy), but the calls made by Neil's physicians in response to his are certainly questionable. I feel for his family, no settlement can correct the fact that he was lost to a hospital f*ckup. Neil Armstrong should have been here for Apollo 11's 50th.

Too often medical procedures are mishandled and protecting the image/reputation of the institution is the only goal of administrators. Sad, and criminal -

Kendra Akin

sorry, the link is shite

Erik Broeders