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?

Just one month later, as we are now painfully aware, a failed legislative coup paralyzed the system that the Dalai Lama praised in the house that he sanctified. Since that time the State Senate deconstructed into a child’s game of “Who gets to hold the gavel.”

County Executive’s Column - July 17, 2009

Dome Illumination to Raise Awareness of Pancreatic Cancer

This month, Nassau County, in cooperation with the Lustgarten Foundation, is hosting a ceremony and building illumination for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Over 37,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year –which is why our goal is to raise awareness in order to prevent and fight this disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1999-2005 was 5.5 percent. We must work together to thwart pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is rarely discovered early. There are no warning signs and screening tests are often ineffective. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is not usually found until it spreads to other parts of the body. Out of all the people who have pancreatic cancer, 90 percent are above the age 55 and 70 percent are older than 65. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in both genders.

Lavine Lauds Ravitch Selection

New York State Assemblyman Charles D. Lavine (D-Glen Cove) has issued a statement on Governor David Paterson’s selection of Richard Ravitch for New York’s Lieutenant Governor.

 “While the constitutional crisis resulting from the attempted coup in our State Senate continues to damage New York’s economy as well as its collective psyche, our citizens can at least find some comfort in Governor Paterson’s appointment of Richard Ravitch to serve as lieutenant governor,” the assemblyman said. “Because of Ravitch’s storied career and lifetime of public service, New Yorkers can breathe more easily with the knowledge that our state will be in the best of hands should the governor leave the state or be unable to serve. 

What Do You Know About Herricks? - July 10, 2009

Creating the Herricks School District (Part II)

In 1928, district voters authorized the construction of a second schoolhouse to serve the hundreds of homes already constructed in Williston Park and Albertson. In order to operate multiple schools with separated grades, they first had to hold a special meeting to authorize the transformation of Common School Nine into Union Free School District Nine. By that time, more than two-thirds of Nassau County’s Common schools had already made the very significant jump to Union status.

Liver Lines

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.

From the Desk of Senator Craig Johnson: July 3, 2009

The Senate Stalemate

Over the last few weeks, the residents of the State of New York have unfortunately seen government at its worst. On June 8, the Senate Republicans, with their new leader, Pedro Espada of the Bronx, derailed the end of the legislative session with a poorly thought out coup attempt.

Out & About

Roslyn Estates was listed as the sixth wealthiest community in the United States based on a recent Business Week survey. This survey was based on average income vs. median. One super wealthy resident can tip the balance, throwing the average way up. This is the same problem when measuring a school district based on average test scores without considering a million other factors. Six of 25 of the wealthiest communities nationwide, according to this survey, are right here on Nassau County’s North Shore. When determining wealth, did the survey factor in the cost of living here?

Liver Lines - June 26, 2009

The international community recognized the importance of liver disease on May 19, World Hepatitis Day. One in 12 people worldwide have chronic hepatitis, including roughly 350 million with HCV and 170 million with HBV. Morbidity and mortality from these conditions are high with the world’s health authorities estimating that at least one million people die each year of hepatitis, especially in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America where it is endemic.

Parenting Plus - June 26, 2009

Mind Over Matter

More low income and middle-class families than ever are in need of low cost, high quality community-based mental health care. Yet, as I reported in my April 2009 column, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) in conjunction with the New York State Department of Health is aggressively pursuing a “reform” plan (clinic reform) for these critical services that will result in a system of community care where only those children and families with Medicaid “fee for service” insurance coverage will be assured continued access to care. This will leave a significant number of children and adults living on Long Island in the lurch.

Desk of Herricks Superintendent Dr. John Bierwirth - June 19, 2009

Macauley Honors College

Several years ago Jane Modoono and I both visited a new engineering school, Olin, just outside of Boston. Besides the innovative curriculum, which was being assisted by some of the nation’s most prestigious science and engineering universities such as MIT, Olin was also intriguing because it offered all students four years of free tuition. Given the unique nature of the college we did not feel that it was an option which would work for all students. It was however, one which many of our students may not have known about.