Insights

<p>Nearly half a million Texans live in substandard conditions in <em>colonias</em> —2,300 unincorporated and isolated border towns with limited access to potable water, sewer systems, electricity, sanitary housing or health care. These predominantly Hispanic, overwhelmingly impoverished villages, which dot the 1,248-mile Texas-Mexico border from the Gulf of Mexico to El Paso, present a state public health nightmare. But despite decades of public outcry, campaign promises and legislative action, conditions in the <em>colonias</em> have improved relatively little. Using the Dennis A.

<p><a href="http://www.reportingonhealth.org/blogs/rethinking-blog-networks-and-eth… reported</a> in this space, ScienceBlogs, the popular blog collective that hosts popular blogs such as <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula">Pharyngula </a>and <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/insolence">Respectful Insolence</a>&nbsp;(and my own blog, <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/whitecoatunderground/">White Coat Underground</a>), is having some troubles. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Enough of LeBron James, already! Here’s our daily round-up of health news and resources for your work and enjoyment.</p> <p><strong>Gaga Eyes:</strong> So-called “circle lenses” that make your eyes look manga-huge are gaining a following among women channeling their own Lady Gaga. But these over-the-counter, unregulated contact lenses pose <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-07-08-lady-gaga-contacts_N.htm… health risk</a>, reports USA Today, following <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/fashion/04lenses.html">a recent story in the New York Times</a>.</p>

<p>Even before <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/chicago%E2%80%99s-buried-bodies-part-3-doctor-discipline-ball-bounces-legislative-court">the Supreme Court of Illinois</a> pulled the rug out from under a patient safety law that allowed consumers to review malpractice histories for doctors, state <a href="http://housedem.state.il.us/members/flowersm/index.htm">Rep. Mary Flowers</a> was looking for a way to repair the damage.

<p>After a 30-year career writing about health, Susan Brinks found herself in the throes of her own medical story.</p> <p>She has been a freelancer since being laid off from the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> in October 2008, and her COBRA -- the post-employment extension of her health insurance -- runs out on July 20.</p>

<p>Here’s our daily round-up of news and resources for your work and pleasure:</p> <p><strong>ScienceBlogs:</strong> If you’ve been following the ScienceBlogs/PepsiCo debacle, it’s over: ScienceBlogger PZ Myers reports that the blog network <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/07/pepsico_has_been_expelled.ph… “expelled” Pepsi’s “Food Frontiers” blog</a>.</p>

<p>By now, you've probably <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2010/jul/07/scienceblogs-bloggin… about the controversy</a> over <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/">ScienceBlogs</a>&#039; decision to launch a blog sponsored and written by PepsiCo. ScienceBloggers <a href="http://www.reportingonhealth.org/users/palmd">Dr.

<p><em>(Note: <a href="http://www.reportingonhealth.org/users/palmd">Peter Lipson MD</a> and I are both members of Scienceblogs, which imploded spectacularly during the past 24 hours over the managers' decision to accept a paid blog by PepsiCo. Peter cross-posted his&nbsp;</em><a href="http://www.reportingonhealth.org/blogs/rethinking-blog-networks-and-eth… on the controversy</em></a><em> here at RoH, and with the OK of site managers here, I'm doing the same to comment and reply.)</em></p>

<p>Here’s what we’re reading today at ReportingonHealth:&nbsp;</p> <p>"You could nominate Gandhi to be head of CMS and that would be controversial right now." That gem of a quote, from a CBS News story on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20009850-503544.html">Donald Berwick’s recess appointment to run Medicaid and Medicare</a>, &nbsp;comes courtesy of Tom Scully, who held that job under President George W. Bush.</p>

<p>Dr. Phillip D. Foley of Middletown, Ind., might have a second career as an inspector for the <a href="http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=SPEECHES&… Safety &amp; Health Administration</a>.</p> <p>This incredible human being was able to write an average of <a href="http://heraldbulletin.com/breakingnews/x546199543/Doctor-linked-to-over… prescription per minute</a> without hurting his wrist.</p>