Lack of handwashing kills 100,000 per year?

After I finished laughing at the fact that there is a Hand Hygene Resource Center I laughed some more because there is actually a guy who works there. Then, after that, I didn't have very much to say about the article so I went and read some of the things that the others have posted about it. All I read was people being disgusted with doctors being forgetful. I don't think that it is honestly a big of a deal as they say it is. Sure, germs are bad but are they as dangerous as we have come to think? Do they really kill the 100,000 people that die of infections each year? All of the statistics that are thrown around in this article it would be enough to convince anybody to wash his hands but are they accurate? How exactly does one measure percentage of hygene compliance in a hospital? do they follow every doctor and nurse around the hospital for a day? Do they ask the doctors to estimate? We will never know I suppose. I am not saying that it is ok for doctors to never scrub up but is it necesary to call them arrogant? A few stats don't make an article true. I am one to fall for just about anything but this screams "I am trying to make you panic for no reason" to me. I would say think twice before becoming a hypochondriac because of this article.

Please, Malcolm, would you make something explode?

Generally when I start one of these posts I know where I am going and pretty much what I am going to say but, here I am at a loss. Nothing witty or even slightly entertaining comes to mind. He is very dry. For someone who uses words relating to sticky so often he turns out to be quite the opposite. Not exactly my kind of writer and not exactly my kind of book. Don't get me wrong; I love reading as much anything and I greatly enjoy the ego boost I get from knowing more about Dutch AIDS babies than people who havn't read the book but, when I am reading it seems to fall short of my expectations. I think that my problem is the same as the one Miriam mentioned in her post about Heath Ledger (I am sorry Miriam for mentioning you in multiple blogs but nobody else has bothered to say anything of intrest to me yet besides you). There is no meat on this books bones. Pure fact with no lacy ellaboration. I know that this book wouldn't take very well to the addition of a paragraph of sappy romance but, maybe just maybe a chase scene? exploding car or boat? I am sad to say that my goldfish like attention span does not agree with this textbook-like piece of writing. Despite my dislike for the writing style there was one thing that I really did find interesting. I think that the Winston cigarette example he uses is amazing. A commotion-making ad like that is genious. I was watching TV and an ad came on for a weight loss food plan and over the thirty second time period that the commercial was on there were at least three errors. Unlike the cigarette company, I don't think that these women were doing it on purpose. Every time I see that add I am forced to grumble very mean things under my breath. Sure, you lost 130 pounds but I am sure that at least 30 of those pounds were pure brain matter.