CURRENT EVENTS

EpiPen

Mylan CEO’s Pay Rose Over 600 Percent as EpiPen Price Rose 400 Percent per NBC News. 

In 2007 the company bought the rights to EpiPen, a device used to provide emergency epinephrine to stop a potentially fatal allergic reaction and began raising its price.

After Mylan acquired EpiPen, the company also amped up its lobbying efforts. In 2008, its reported spending on lobbying went from $270,000 to $1.2 million, according to opensecrets.org.

Legislation that enhanced its bottom line followed, with the FDA changing its recommendations in 2010 that two EpiPens be sold in a package instead of one and that they be prescribed for at-risk patients, not just those with confirmed allergies. And in 2013 the government passed a law to give block grants to states that required they be stocked in public schools. (Source:  NBC News)

Vote for Change

I hope the increase in Lobbying efforts and the increase in product cost and executive compensation wasn’t lost on any of you.  It seems more and more of our elected career politicians are influenced by big donors.

Vote for Pedro

(Vota por Pedro)

During this USA Presidential Election season, I have suggested a number of non-career political candidates for your consideration.   Here is another non-career political candidate that I suggest to you.  After all, who wouldn’t want all their wildest dreams to come true.

And can you ever receive a better endorsement than this:

PHYSICAL TRAITS 

Honor Thy Temple

Many of us are concerned with aging.  Well, here is something I came across that can help you determine how old you will be five years from now.  I’ve tested this and it really works.

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

It isn’t that difficult to understand.

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

I’m shocked at some of the crude things that appear on Facebook news feeds.  What I see says more about the person saying it than the person being described.

You may want to think about what you post, share and like on Facebook.

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

Learn to think for yourself.

MISCELLANEOUS 

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Young People’s Story of the

Medieval World

By V.M. Hillyer & E.G. Huey

I read this book last week, written in 1966, and learned a few things I didn’t know about the Medieval World.  It is amazing what you can learn from a well written children’s book.  It doesn’t have to be this particular book.

You may want to look through your child’s library and see what jewels are there.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

 Napoleon Dynamite 

Surely, you have seen this movie and may want to watch it again.  If you haven’t seen it, you absolutely must.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Have you ever been to Montreal, Canada

The question was have you ever been to Montreal, Canada:

75% – Have been to Montreal

12.5% – No, but plan to go

12.5% – No, and have no plans to go

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Term Limitations

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

For those of you around when this song came out, what do you think this time, are the times they are a-changing?

The Times They Are A-Changin

By Bob Dylan

ART OF THE WEEK

Statute of Liberty in New York Harbor

  

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931 – ) was the first democratically elected President in 1990.

Mikhail Gorbachev played a key role in dismantling the Communist grip on power in both the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. His aspirations for democracy and reform opened up the way for the end of the Cold War and the bringing down of the Berlin Wall.

Mikhail Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1990 and was removed from Presidential office in 1991, during a failed coup attempt.

Gorbachev was born in March 1931 in Stavropol, the North Caucuses to a poor peasant family. At the age of 11, the district was occupied by the Germans for three years.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

Thanks to Samantha for commenting on last week’s post. I urge you to let me know what you are thinking via a blog comment.

My thanks to Mahevash, who started following my blog (Currently 82 followers) and Lynn who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 90 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends.  Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Anne, Annette, Brenda, Carol, Joanne, Linda, Lucinda  Marti, Nandini & Nicole, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you have read my book, please consider posting an evaluation of it on Amazon.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.  The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885