Liver Lines: August 21, 2009
One of the complications of cirrhosis can be the development of hepatic encephalopathy. This may manifest as full-blown disorientation or stupor but there are also subtle changes that can occur. Difficulty sleeping, problems with short-term memory and the inability to answer seemingly simple questions such as simple math or spelling may be signs of a problem.
From the Desk of Legislator Dave Mejias: August 14, 2009
Keeping Kids Safe on the Internet
This summer I sponsored and passed legislation in Nassau County that protects children on the Internet by banning all convicted sex offenders from social networking and Internet dating websites. Working closely with nationally renowned advocacy groups Parents For Megan’s Law & the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect we were able to pass this important legislation to provide a safer environment for our children to surf the Internet. While researching this legislation it became apparent how dangerous a place the Internet can be for unsupervised children. Sexual predators are using the Internet and websites like MySpace and Facebook to prey on children. They are also using online dating services like Match.com to identify single mothers to exploit their children.
County Executive’s Column: August 7, 2009
Nassau’s ‘Next Generation’
On July 22, I held a forum with Nassau’s “Next Generation” of current and former residents between the ages of 20-35 to discuss the county’s future. Some of these young adults currently reside in Nassau, and some have moved away, to places nearby like New York City, and even as far as Switzerland. It was a great opportunity for all of us to discuss Nassau County’s future and how to attract young professionals like themselves to Nassau.
Letter: How to Fight Rate Increases
Aqua-New York Water customers now have a way to fight Aqua-New York Water’s plan to raise the average monthly bill by 12 percent.
To make sure that Aqua-New York Water customers have the chance to speak publicly on this issue, I urged the New York State Public Service Commission to hold public hearings within the community. The PSC, which must approve this rate increase before it takes effect, has agreed and will be holding two local public hearings:
Letter: Transaction Fees Hurting Small Businesses
Have you ever wondered why some of your favorite small stores ask you not to use your credit card for low-dollar purchases? It has to do with a huge, hidden credit card fee that costs Americans $48 billion a year – more than annual fees, late fees and over-the-limit fees combined.
Unless you’re a retailer, you’ve probably never heard of it, but it’s costing you and us money on everything we buy, whether you use plastic or not. And it’s crippling thousands of Long Island small businesses, even as they’re already struggling to survive this economy.
From Sustainable Long Island
Secession Might Not Be L.I.’s Solution to Recession, But a Regional Agenda Is
Times have changed. From what seems like our never-ending economic downturn, we are all facing new insecurities about what the future holds for ourselves and our children. We’ve been engulfed in chaos, gloom and swarms of inconsistent responses to this crisis. We are questioning even more, what will it take for us to be better equipped, more prepared next time a recession hits?
Parenting Plus: July 24, 2009
Hello Dalai
The Dalai Lama and the New York State Senate
On May 9, 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate the Dalai Lama offered an invocation for the New York State Senate, calling for compassion during tough times. The 73-year old spiritual leader of Tibet spoke from the chamber floor about honesty and transparency and told the senators and spectators about his deep respect for American values. “This house,” he said, “I think demonstrates the American democratic system.” Ya think?
Liver Lines: July 24, 2009
Many people have been concerned about cholesterol levels in liver disease, especially in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. People with primary biliary cirrhosis or simply, PBC, have elevated cholesterol levels in the blood. In the early stages of the disease, the good cholesterol or HDL is markedly elevated. As the disease progresses, the paradigm switches and LDL or the bad cholesterol becomes more dominant. The ramifications of an elevated serum cholesterol in PBC are not clear. In the absence of other risk factors, most studies show that elevated cholesterol in this condition is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease. This should be good news for the many people in our area with PBC.
Liver Lines: July 17, 2009
The potential effects of common medications on liver function often lead to concerns about their use. Almost every medication in existence today can cause liver test abnormalities and most carry warnings to use with caution in people with underlying liver disease. We are all aware that too much acetaminophen can be toxic to the liver or that some cholesterol lowering agents can cause mild changes in liver enzymes. The real questions are: Are these changes important? How do they occur and are they preventable? The last question is the easiest to answer. Most of the minor changes in liver enzymes are not preventable. Many people take over-the-counter products called “liver detoxifiers or purifiers” in order to prevent liver injury. Although many people spend a lot of money on these natural products, the whole concept of a liver purifier is non-scientific and none of these products have been proven to be advantageous to the taker. They are, of course, advantageous to the seller. In fact, many of these products are associated with significant liver injury.
Letter: Don’t Blame Albany for Financial Woes
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