Brendan Shea's Blog, page 30

This Inhaler Rocks!

This Inhaler Sucks

Actuation in medical terms is the process of release of product by inhalation via inspiration. All inhaler’s I’ve used have a canister of product, a mechanism that actuates the product, and a chamber opposing the actuator nozzle that delivers the product to the user.

[image error]Basic Inhaler Diagram

Over the decades, I’ve used many rescue inhalers, and for several years, I’ve used Ventolin, an excellent product. Ventolin works well, has not provided side effects for me, and is affordable.

[image error]Ventolin – An Excellent Product

I recently went to Kaiser, to pick up a new inhaler. I usually stick with their convenient mail-order service, especially with COVID-19. This time, however, I’d forgotten to order the product in time, so I had to drive to the pharmacy. It isn’t far, so it wasn’t too bad.

They handed over a new product at the counter. Instead of ventolin, they gave me Perrigo’s generic Albuterol Sulfate HFA inhaler. The photo on the box showed a sleek and modular product, so I figured the ever-efficient Kaiser had discovered something cheaper, but also better, as the non-emergency inhaler, Alvesco, was a good replacement for QVAR, which was discontinued at that time.

[image error]Outstanding Alvesco Maintenance Inhaler

Unfortunately, when I got the Perrigo product home, after the first few dosages, the inhaler stopped emitting the product on demand, but started to retract the product. I came to a few conclusions about this product:

[image error]Perrigo Generic Albuterol Inhaler Actuator –
Defective in my opinion and in others



“It’s supposed to emit product, not retract it…”



“This product (literally) sucks”



“The canister content is okay, but the actuator does not work”

I thought maybe the actuator was clogged, but wasn’t sure how to rinse and clear it as with the easy Ventolin actuator. Maybe I’ll have to try that because I trekked to Kaiser and exchanged the product, but the new one did the same thing.

I asked the pharmacist why they were not dispensing Ventolin, and she reported that Kaiser is trying to cut costs by using the Perrigo product… I’ve used products in the past that were generic forms of Albuterol, not just the name brands, Ventolin or Proventil, but the actuators usually work, and if not, a quick rinse, dry and drain, tends to do the trick.

The Perrigo product seems cheap, not merely inexpensive. Apparently I’m not alone in my opinion that the actuators seem defective, and while the active cansiter ingredient itself seems okay to me, I’m glad I still had a bit of Ventolin left, because I’m using the Ventolin actuator, which works. While the Perrigo canister is a bit short for the Ventolin actuator, the arrangement works, I get relief when breathing is more difficult, and my money is not ultimately wasted.

[image error]Perrigo Canister too short for Ventolin Actuator

I read that Federal Authorities raided Perrigo as a probe into potential price-fixing, in 2017, but later that year they were bought out by private investment firm, SK Capital. Who knows what any of that means, I just hope that with COVID-19 supply-chain issues and corporate financial wranglings, that asthma sufferers continue to have access to working rescue inhalers.

With all the wildfires in California this year, there’s got to be thousands more, with no history of asthma, who are having trouble with breathing, coughing, and other such issues. I’m glad to have what I need for breathing thus far, and hope you do too.

This Inhaler Rocks!

[image error] Teva ProAir® HFA Inhaler

Update as of 10/18/2020: I ordered a new rescue inhaler from Kaiser, and they seem to have switched to the far superior Teva ProAir HFA; the actuator is modular, as with the Perrigo, but Teva did not stop their design process with aesthetic values, but have excelled beyond a generic:

The actuator works smoothly and consistentlyThe product in the canister is effectiveThe actuation is quieterThe delivery does not have a powdery aftertaste



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(drugs.com has an abysmal review of the Perrigo Albuterol Inhaler)

Thoughts on the Debate

Tonight’s debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris was termed, “a debate, not a debacle”, by NBC News. It might have been Savannah Guthrie who coined this, but I’m not sure.

Here are my thoughts on the debate, in brief:

I thought Mike Pence scored a few points:

The Trump Administration has shown some leadership in the following areas –Gaining some economic groundPulling out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement which might have been flawed and weakened usNot showing vulnerability at key timesI believed him when he said he was opposed to abortionI thought he made a good point about the friendship of Ginsburg and Scalia

I thought Kamala Harris scored many points:

The Biden/Harris Ticket has indicated they will address some key flaws in the current Trump leadership –They will ensure that economic advantage will be distributed with more parityThey will ensure that alternate energy sources will be further developedThere will be more jobs as a result of their environmental agendaThere will be a meeting of the minds in Washington DC to address the problems of race and other divisive issues1There will be no tax increases for Americans earning less than $400K per yearThe Corona Virus will be taken seriouslyMeasures will be taken to ensure schools can reopen, but only with proper distancing and PPE, and smaller teacher to student ratios

I felt Mike Pence showed many weaknesses:

He evaded most questionsHe answered with subjects not on the tableHe disrespected his time limitsHe interrupted Kamala Harris repeatedlyHe appeared to be smugHe disrespected Senator Harris personallyHe disrespected Senator Harris professionallyHe disrespected the moderatorTrump did the same thing but proved less shrewd in the implementation than his VPThat is not a compliment to Pence

The only weaknesses Harris seemed to show:

She evaded the question about whether she’d stack the benchShe seemed to posture a bit, but Pence seemed to posture a lot

My last post was about respect for authority. I hope I have been respectful. Both speakers are leaders in our government. I suppose I am vacillating and fighting myself on issue of respect for leaders and on whom is truly holding up Christian principles in government.

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1This point was actually made specifically by Joe Biden in his recent Town Hall Address

(reposted innovation) A Culture of Learning

In the 1860s, cigar factory workers in Cuba banded together to hire “Lectors” to read to them while they rolled and cut cigars. These Lectors would read the newspapers and great literature…

A Culture of Learning

[image error]Guest Blogger via LinkedIn Post, Stephen Mansfield;
this is an unsolicited but permissible repost



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Wishing You Well, Mr. President

Dear Readers, we at FitzGerald Press apologize for being politically devisive. We have our own political thoughts, but the Bible says to uphold those in authority, and that when we deride the authorities, we are deriding God.

I’m not sure that means we always agree with the authorities, and I am not in favor of racism or prejudice as I have said; I’ll stand by my convictions. I just want to present them or hold them in my heart according to scriptural parameters.

Black lives matter to me, and they should matter to all.

Wish you well is a sentiment to our president and our first lady, borrowed from the title of a book by one of my favorite authors. Whether my understanding of praying for our leaders and of proper respect for authority had been restored, I’d still be wishing the president a speedy recovery:

He is a human beingHe is in authority over meI shouldn’t harbor ill will towards anyone

Again:

I support free speechI support peaceful protestI believe Jesus’ mandate to:Feed the hungryHeal the sickClothe the naked

I support Martin Luther King’s dream, and know that we as a nation need to do more than just dream.

The late George Floyd is a human beingThe late Breonna Taylor is a human beingThe late Michael Brown is a human being

I guess it is not necessary for me to reassert my belief that black lives matter in order to wish the president well. I feel that these two things are not mutually exclusive, and that prompted me to be more thorough in this post:

Praying for the president, and Black lives matter. No contradiction to me, but not the easiest premise perhaps. Please let me know of your comments.

For myself, I’d say all people have wicked thoughts; it’s what I do with mine that counts: Focusing on God’s Word and taking the higher path is my hopeful choice.

The Bible says that, “He who remains stiff necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy“, so I want to be teachable.

God bless you. With love, FitzGerald Press.

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Now I Remember!

Now I remember what I wanted to tie in with the Jeff Ranieri post theme of yesterday: We can change our personal environment, and we can work to change our physical environment and to improve the world, but only God can change certain things about the world; so while we need to work on ourselves and our world, we need to ask God, to change the bigger picture.

I am speaking for myself here. Last night, NBC Bay Area Anchor, the talented Raj Mathai, was interviewing two-time California Governor and former Oakland Mayor, Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown. Brown was aptly commenting on the need to be politically centrist and environmentally responsible.

I agree with Mr. Brown, but will now pivot from my recent posts to counter that we also need to look to our maker, because whether He is going to,

“renew the face of the earth…”, if, “day and night…Heaven and Earth shall not cease…”, and, “there will be no more crying nor pain…” in Heaven,

…, and I believe in those things, but however they come about, it will be of God’s doing. To be clear, we must do what we can to help our climate and Earth, but we must also ask God to help us and the Earth, because God is the ultimate authority and it is His plan that will succeed.

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Jeff Ranieri and The Vernal Equinox

Kinda’ sounds like a rock band… Morris Day and The Time… Hootie and The Blowfish… Geoff Moore and The Distance…

To the appropriate delight of his fellow team anchors’, NBC Bay Area, Chief Meteorologist, Jeff Ranieri, today deftly explained the vernal equinox, Indian Summer, and winter, by way of two lemons and two popsicle sticks, in what I estimated to be a great illustration that anyone could follow.

I have not been able to locate a video of it as yet, but here is a video from him today on Twitter that may relate somewhat. Basically, he demonstrated the Earth’s 23.5 degree tilt and how its rotation around the Sun at a tilt, causes winter in our hemisphere in particular, as well as hot weather during a lot of autumnal periods.

I thought this was really cool, and so did his co-anchors. If you wanted to teach your kids basic science, and some of us adults could learn this way too, Jeff’s visual teaching was rudimentary, easy to follow, and included a bit of humor. That’s the best way to teach if you ask me. Variety it up.

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(reblogged) George Floyd To Get Minneapolis Street Section Named For Him — Deadline

A part of Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis where George Floyd died will be renamed in his honor, city officials have decided.  The city will refer to the blocks between 37th and 39th streets as George Perry Floyd Jr. Place, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The City Council approved the renaming Friday, with Mayor Jacob Frey’s…

Preview (opens in a new tab)

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Seven Current Reads

Here are some books I’m currently reading. At this moment, my attention is divided between several excellent volumes, and there are a few books I’d like to buy when the budget allows, so here are the current cadre of contenders for my attention:

THE KIRKWOOD SCOTT CHRONICLES: Skelly’s Square

by Stephen Black

The book opened with a war scene reminiscent of a Dumas’ novel, sparely written yet stunningly complex and descriptive. Anytime I find a writer who avoids cramming the page with annoying words but manages to fill the soul with meaning and vision, I know I’ve found a writer of quality.

The book continues with a modern tale of a man struggling with mental illness but that seqment is tied in with a spiritual battle related to the first part. I’m excited to finish the book, but it is intense for me as a reader with mental illness, so I’m taking it in with small but pleasurable doses.

For more information about this talented up and coming writer from Northern Ireland, please visit his website, Fractured Faith Blog, on WordPress.

[image error]The First Segment of
The KIRKWOOD SCOTT CHRONICLES

2. UPLIFT THE RACE the construction of SCHOOL DAZE

by Spike Lee with Lisa Jones

I have been interested in African American culture for decades but have a guilt complex around this book independent of that. The author kindly signed my copy of this book some thirty-two years ago, likely at B. Dalton Booksellers, but I’ve only read it in fits and starts. It’s a great book.

My version is a first edition and the anecdotal shares from various staff and players are insightful, interesting and entertaining. I like to come back to Mr. Lee‘s book every few years, and read or reread about Ossie Davis, Laurence Fishburne and others involved with the film.

It’s a fun way to interact with a book, but in these times we’re in, while this book might not be the most up to date, reading books about African American culture and struggles should be a priority for anyone who wants to better understand today’s crucial racial dilemma, myself included.

I’m so addicted to a few mystery writers that when this type of nonfiction comes along, explosive and radical, relevant and fascinating, I have to revisist it. I’m just more into watching amazing films like BlacKkKlansman1 than reading. That’s just how I best take in true stories. In great depressions I’ve thrown out most prized treasures, however this one’s survived them all.

[image error]Spike Lee signed my copy in 1988
at B. Dalton Booksellers in NYC

3. The Films of HARRISON FORD

by Lee Pfeiffer & Michael Lewis

Pre-COVID, I took walks around my office park, located against a major freeway on the one hand, and amongst peaceful majestic Redwoods and Pines on the other. Many were the times I trudged around the park, in search of respite from the stress of what is thankfully a very good job.

In maybe the third year of walking, I noticed one of the tenants had carefully placed about fifty or so books neatly at a curb of a parking section. I quickly perused them visually, and the only one that interested me was about film star Harrison Ford.

My favorite Ford movies hands down are Blade Runner, The Empire Strikes Back, Witness and The Fugitive. If I think longer, I recall others with fondness: The Frisco Kid (a real gem, with the late Gene Wilder), blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Mosquito Coast2 and Working Girl, with costars Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver.

This volume is not a supermarket glossy book, nor an in-depth hardback bookstore biography. It is somewhere between: a large thickish paperback with lots of photos but plenty of insightful text; it is the perfect level of exploration for me… the Goldilocks solution. I recommend it as a fun and intersting jaunt of reasonable quality.

[image error]I found this fun book at a curbside Giveaway

4. Under the Lilac Tree (out of print)

by Ella Smyth

Ella is a brilliant writer who penned a book about loss from direct experience, but created a vehicle to convey her sorrow that is unique and comforting. I am very much enjoying Under the Lilac Tree, and hope to finish it soon so that I can write a full length review on Amazon and on goodreads.

5. Rule of Law

by Randy Singer

Singer writes legal thrillers with a Christian perspective but I really enjoy his even-handedness. I haven’t read much of Rule of Law yet, but in most of his books, he runs the gamut of each story’s issue. There was a book he wrote about the gun control debate, for example, and it was very balanced.

Today with all the mass shootings, despite the spiritual and psychiatric aspects, I’m more in favor of gun control, but the author wrote at a time when things were different, and he may not have been completely impartial, but would probably make a good judge as his mind seems to consider both sides of an argument.

My favorite book of his is The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ and The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney, but I also love Directed Verdict, Self Incrimination and The Judge Who Stole Christmas. If you are a reader who enjoys variety, you may appreciate Singer, as he employs both romance and humor to spike his thrillers with flavor.

[image error]I started reading Singer with
The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney

6. Walk the Wire

by David Baldacci

I was never a cop, I’m not a big guy except in the middle and in the ego, and I’ve never been part of the FBI, but otherwise, I identify with Amos Decker as a character, having suffered loss, searching for direction. If you’ve never read an Amos Decker novel, I highly recommend the series. Some are gruesome, others more caperish, still more are poignant. Most all three. I’m looking forward to getting ahold of a copy of the new Decker below:

[image error]The Latest Amos Decker

7. Guilty Not Guilty

by Felix Francis

I read a lot of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers growing up, but when my mom gave me my first Dick Francis novel, Reflex, in 1982, I was in love. Francis’ protagonists were men I identified with and aspired to be like. I identified with the loners who had to endure suffering and I aspired to be a quiet hero as all of them are.

I’m not sure I succeeded, but before his father’s passing, dad and son Felix began the passing of the torch, so that Felix succeeded his father Dick (and mother Mary, who did a lot of the work) in writing the stories.

The elders were awarded masters, and some of Felix’ work is also quite good. I hope he proves to be as good as his parents. I enjoy his efforts and want to read his latest. It is a standalone, not a recurring character, as far as I can tell, and standalone’s have their merits.

[image error]The Latest Felix Francis

1I would assert that BlacKkKlansman should have been a best picture Oscar nominee; how the Academy overlooked Spike’s amazing and timely work is beyond me.

2The Mosquito Coast was fascinating to me, viewing as a kid. The film received mixed reviews and box office was abysmal, considering it lost over $10M dollars according to Google. The story was not an easy one to watch, but was extremely compelling.

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RIP/RBG

So, I don’t know a lot about the late Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but while I was still quite conservative, I heard of her ironic friendship with fellow, but conservative Justice, the late Antonin Scalia. Perhaps they were my bridge to a more centrist view that I consider to be more balanced than either my past liberal or conservative leanings.

[image error]A Night at the Opera

At some point, I came to believe that we as Americans might want to eschew either relying solely on the right or the left wing, but rather to be holistic and comprehensive in our approach to life.

[image error]What I call, “The Whole Bird” (no hand gesture implicit)

As I noted in a recent post, if a conservative references the Bible in saying the environment will be okay with the New Earth, as I used to do, a liberal could quote Genesis, indicating our mandate to watch over the Earth.

[image error]Genesis 1:26-28

The operative word is, “Dominion”, or rule, but this was before the fall, so I’m going to argue that taking charge of animals and such was not an oppressive enterprise in any way. While it is important to have hope and patience as we await the New Earth, we must attend to what lies before us in our immediate environment.

I’m guessing RBG was a proponent of abortion, or, a woman’s right to choose, and while I’m against the taking of life, especially in this context, it is hard for me personally, to choose what someone else should do, particularly if they are raped or molested.

I hope that people are cogniznant of life existing in the womb, and abhor the idea of a helpless preborn child being harmed. I’m not sure how to communicate that, however, least of all by argument or legislation. Those choices seem least productive as methods of conveyance. Anytime I argue by force, I create a worse situation.

I’m glad Ruth Bader Ginsberg was able to empower many who were marginalized by race, sex and other inequities, and hope that the best aspects of her struggles and causes live on through others, and that the conservative side opens up their perspectives also. She was a powerhouse on the bench, but had a winning smile too.

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Black Lives Matter

We here at FitzGerald Press want to publicly acknowledge and assert that Black Lives Matter, and that we wholeheartedly support the Black Lives Matter movement. We’ll be commenting and reporting more on this subject in times to come, but hope that one day, Martin Luther’s dream will truly come to fruition. There’ll be no more pain in Heaven, but that’s no excuse to not try for a solution now. That would be like saying the New Earth will be without polution; we are still caretakers of the current Earth, NOW. The Bible tells me so in Genesis.

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