Lone Star

The future ain't what it used to be. -Yogi Berra

The second amendment to the U.S. constitution holds that it is the right to keep and bear arms. While the founding fathers could not have imagined the technological advances in firearms, the United States Supreme Court ruled (and recently, I might add), that the right to keep and bear arms was in fact, an INDIVIDUAL RIGHT, and not one reserved for only militias. That being said, when the Supreme Court handed down this ruling, there was no restrictions mentioned as to the type of arms that could be kept. Further, I’m convinced that when the matter was under review by the Supreme Court, they were more than ‘adequately aware’ of the technological advances, and the types of weaponry available on today’s markets! The term ‘slug’ refers to one piece of shot in the shell. In the case where there are multiple projectiles, the round is then referred to as a ‘shot shell’, and the number of pieces of shot in each shell is determined by the size of the individual shot, or what the shot is used for. For example, 000 buckshot contains only 7 projectiles, where as a shotgun shell loaded with ‘birdshot’ will contain significantly more projectiles, but of a smaller diameter. I’ve read multiple accounts of this story, and nowhere have I seen any mention of the suspects girlfriend, whether fleeing from the house or not. Secondly, in those multiple reports, I haven’t seen any mention of anyone being found in possession of any amount of money. My question is where are these ‘facts’ being gleaned from? I agree that the question of ‘Why was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in the first place?” is the one that deserves the answer first. Had the existing laws been enforced, this ex-convict should have NEVER been allowed to purchase, own or ‘hold’ this firearm in the first place! If I’m reading things correctly, if this person has multiple felony convictions, South Carolina must not have a ‘habitual offender’ statute in place. In some states, 3 felony convictions (not necessarily for the same ‘type’ of crime, [i.e.; drugs], the person is deemed a ‘habitual offender’ and is sentenced to life in prison, usually with no chance of parole) This is sometimes referred to as the ‘three strike law’. In closing, I have to agree with the poster that mentioned creating new laws, when we don't enforce the ones currently 'on the books'. New legislation is not the answer. There's enough laws 'on the books' already to regulate the firearms, and who can and cannot have what.

I knew I could count on Dust doin 'the right thing'!

What I've found and practice almost religiously is that the day AFTER a major 'candy holiday' is the BEST time to 'stock up'! Easter and Halloween are usually the best times for selection! I can get all the black jelly beans and candy corn that I can stand the day after those two 'holidays'! (and let's not forget the 'peeps'!)

This wasn't about patients in the ER hallways, but rather on the floors.

The only 'problem' I see with the 'specific pens, is that when you're using the 'only for paperwork' pen, you're only using that as a 'buffer' to continue your habit. (It's ok, it's the 'paperwork only' pen!) This will be like any other 'behavior modification' to get rid of a bad habit, (like biting fingernails). Germs and bacteria are 'transferable, so everything we come in contact with on a daily basis, (especially frequent contact), must be treated as 'suspect'.

[align=center:ed7f278ae7]Hospitals ease ER crowding with beds in halls Study finds no harm caused by moving patients ready for admissions[/align:ed7f278ae7] CHICAGO - There’s no phone and no television. Only a screen offers privacy. But heart patient Edward Gray understands why the hospital put him in a cardiac unit hallway. “They sent me up here to make room for other emergency patients,” Gray, 78, said last week from his bed in the hall of a New York area hospital. “This is the way things are in hospitals.” It may not sound like ideal health care, but hospital officials nationwide are being urged to consider hallway medicine as a way to ease emergency department crowding, and some are trying it. Leading the way is Stony Brook University Medical Center at Stony Brook, N.Y., where a study found that no harm was caused by moving emergency room patients to upper-floor hallways when they were ready for admission. The study’s lead author says all hospitals should look at the program’s success. “This is yet another battle cry for hospitals to get off their duffs and stop stacking people knee deep in the emergency department,” said Dr. Peter Viccellio, who is clinical director of the hospital’s emergency department. He is to present the study’s findings Tuesday at a meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians in Chicago. Hospital-wide problem Crowding is a hospital-wide problem that has been handed off to emergency departments, Viccellio said. His idea hands the problem back to the entire hospital. Before the change, when his hospital filled up, patients were admitted but held in the ER in a common practice called boarding. On busy days, “things would grind to a halt and people would wait to be seen,” Viccellio said. Infectious patients would wait in the ER’s hallway for isolation rooms to open up elsewhere in the hospital. Holding patients in ERs can cause deaths, doctors say. In a 2007 survey of nearly 1,500 emergency doctors, 13 percent said they personally experienced a patient dying as a result of boarding in the emergency department. The survey was conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians. The new study found slightly fewer deaths and intensive care unit admissions in the hallway patients compared to the standard bed patients. That was no surprise, Viccellio said, because the protocol calls for giving the first available rooms to the sickest patients. Intensive care patients never go to hallways. The study is based on four years of Stony Brook’s experience with more than 2,000 patients admitted to hallways from the ER. Other hospitals resist the idea, doctors say. Dr. Michael Carius, who heads the emergency department at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Conn., would like it adopted at his hospital. But nurses and government regulators have resisted, citing safety issues, “as though the emergency department hallway is a safer environment,” he said in frustration. “When you’re full of admitted patients, you’re no longer an emergency department, you’re just a holding area,” Carius said. ‘They could see the problem’ In Texas, all it took to convince nurses at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital was a tour of the ER, said Barbara VanWart, emergency nurse manager. “They could see the problem and help us make things happen because now it’s before their eyes,” VanWart said. The hospital started its hallway protocol in 2005. Dr. Kirk Jensen of the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass., said the best reason to adopt the concept is the way it gets the whole hospital involved in finding rooms more quickly for admitted patients. “It’s out of sight, out of mind, even if they know that patients are there in the emergency department,” Jensen said. With patients in their own hallways, “they get a lot more creative and aggressive with workflow practices.” When Stony Brook began the hallway practice, the staff noticed “the miracle of the elevator,” said Carolyn Santora, who heads the hospital’s patient safety efforts. Somehow, rooms became available by the time hallway-bound emergency patients made it upstairs, she said. Nurses hate seeing patients in their hallways, Santora said, and that’s fine with her. I want them to hate it. I want them to do everything to expedite flow to get the patient out of hallway.” Gray, the hallway patient at Stony Brook, came to the ER with chest pains and was stabilized before being sent upstairs. He is a retired nurse and said hospital crowding deserves attention from lawmakers. “I wish the $700 billion went for hospitals, roads and bridges and not to bail out those folks on Wall Street,” he said.

Timmy had a birthday, and I missed it? Cheers mate, I hope it was a good one! I'm sorry I missed it!

The thing about these kinds of threads is not once has ANYONE said ANYTHING about law enforcement getting into EMS as a 'side bar' to supplement THEIR annual income! How many Sheriff's Departments around the country have a 'paramedic division'? If 'bunker gear and EMS' is such a 'bad combination', does that mean that BULLETS and EMS is a better match? Or is it that only Firefighter's are 'too dumb' to be able to do more than one thing? I've been on this site for almost 3 years now, and not once has this topic EVER come up with such vehmence as it does about the 'dumb firemonkeys/hose jockies/smoke eaters, (or whatever other derogatory term you choose to use)'! Come to think about it, the subject of law enforcement getting into EMS has NEVER come up (that I'm aware of). The usual things I've ever seen about EMS and law enforcement being mentioned in the same post is talking about the 'donut eaters' is riding along with a restrained patient, or arguing with the 'flat footed crowd' about who has control of a scene, and let's not forget the ever popular 'canaries of haz-mat scenes'!

I'm just wondering why Terri is flashing my picture around like that!

Ruffles, I see by your offer to sell a 'bridge to nowhere', you've been to Ketchican, AK! #-o :laughing5: :laughing5: :laughing5: :laughing5: :laughing5: http://www.newsweek.com/id/165478?GT1=43001

Happy Birthday My favorite Annie-droid!!! :wav: :occasion4: :occasion1: :occasion8: :occasion9: :occasion6: :occasion5: :occasion2: :occasion7: :wav:

Glad to see that you're keeping a positive outlook, Ruffles! I know about the 'out of work' thing. It looks like I'm going to have to keep from disclosing the shoulder injury so that I can actually complete an application. Hopefully, I won't end up destroying the shoulder in the process. Don't be a stranger! LS

Thanks y'all, for the warm wishes! The 'granny stripper-gram' was 'interesting' to say the least! It was also very informative, as I found a new way to Cucamonga by looking at her wrinkles and vericose veins!

Happy Birthday internet based nephew o' Mine!!! Hope the firey's were standing by for all those candles! :wav: :icescream: :occasion4: :occasion1: :occasion2: :occasion5: :occasion6: :occasion7: :occasion8: :occasion9: :wav:

Every unit I've ever worked on had a radio in the cab of the truck, as well as a 'remote mic and speaker' in the back for the attending to make hospital radio report. When I'm driving, my partner will handle communications between our truck and dispatch, and if they're attending, then communication is limited to notifying dispatch of our status (departing for the hospital, or calling arrival to the hospital), anything other than that is probably going to be unnecessary use of the radio, and is only a 'distraction' to the driver. Rarely, if ever, will the driver give hospital notification report, (unless the attending is in the process of performing CPR).

Ruffles, I think you still have my number...if you need an ear, or a shoulder....feel free to give me a call! I may not have all the answers, but I can listen...and its what friends do...

I couldn't agree more!

What big eyes you have grandpa!

You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose.. But you cant pick your friend's nose!

I'll give you $50.00 for it!

Robin Williams

The folding stretchers are definitely nice, especially when working in places with limited room. Unfortunately, there are some instances where you have to find 'alternative measures' to getting the patient to the cot. It's extremely humorous when you see a crew that has no idea of the concept that whatever you did to get the cot to the patient, will have to be done to get back to the rig. Sometimes patients just don't bend that way!

Are you referring to the ones that had the smaller wheels on the frame of the cot that would roll along the floor of the rig until the carriage wheels were lifted by being pressed against the frame of the truck. At that point you would lower the foot of the cot back down and it was supposed to ride along on the 4 carriage wheels into the lock mechanism? More times than not, the framework of the 'legs' on the cot would get bent because they wouldn't fold up properly so you had to 'bump' them against the trucks bumper a little harder each time. Finally, it would get so bad that you had to have your partner lift the carriage wheels up and hold them till they made contact with the floor of the rig. Ahh yes, those WERE 'the days'!

Idleness is the holiday of fools.