In his first television appearance, "Angel of Death" serial killer nurse Charles Cullen tells Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes he is sorry for murdering scores of patients, but he isn't sure he would have stopped if he hadn't been caught.
Cullen is the first serial killer to appear on 60 Minutes in its 45 years on the air and though he says he murdered between 30 and 40 victims on his confession tape -- portions of which will be broadcast for the first time -- some suspect he killed many more. Cullen's interview and the first interviews with key figures in his arrest will be broadcast on 60 Minutes Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts
Friday, April 19, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Dealing With People From The Dark Side
I was reading the recent sad DEA news release and the ABC News report, New York Doctor Charged as Head of $10 Million Oxycodone Ring. According to an excerpt from the ABC News report -
Although I often share news reports about the [allegedly in this case] failings of those who've taken an oath to do no harm, I thought it was important to point out this one case to remind us that visiting the dark side requires dealing with people who've spent their entire lives in the dark side, and who are seriously darker than we could ever think of being.
It's not only having to worry about the risks of getting caught by the police, convicted in a court of law, and serving long prison sentences often associated with turning to the dark side. There's also the more serious risks and consequences that come from dealing with the shady people that we enlist to help us perpetrate our unethical and illegal schemes. They're not the soft, white-collar criminal types.
Some of these people are hardened violent criminal psychopaths.
Would you trust them with your life? For instance -
Do you remember Michael J. Kerkowski, a pharmacist who in the early 2000s ran afoul of the law by selling controlled substances to drug users and others without prescriptions? In order to perpetrate his crimes, Kerkowski enlisted convicted criminals Hugo Selenski and Paul Weakly to enable him, under the mistaken assumption that they were unconditionally trustworthy.
But Weakly and Kerkowski had other plans. They decided that even more money could be made by torturing, robbing, and murdering Kerkowski (and his unwitting girlfriend), taking the illegal profits for themselves, and then burying their bodies in his back yard. Pretty gruesome, huh? And now, over ten years later, the courts are still trying to convict Selenski for their murders.
And then there was the pharmacist whose schemes for buying stolen prescription drugs caused him to become a victim of one of America's most-prolific serial killers, Richard Kuklinski: The Iceman, a psychopath whose violent crimes paralleled those of America's first known serial killer.
Paul Hoffman, a pharmacist, was suckered into a scheme to buy stolen Tagamet® for pennies on the dollar from Kuklinski when he disappeared in the spring of 1982. Kuklinski never really had the stolen drugs and murdered Hoffman after he showed-up with the cash. A year later, his car was found in the rented warehouse that Kuklinski used for his car theft racket. Hoffman’s body was never found.
Kuklinski later confessed to this murder [begins at minute 27:50 of documentary], saying he first shot Hoffman but that he didn’t die immediately, so he finished him off by using a tire iron. He then shoved Hoffman’s body into a 55-gallon drum and left it near Harry's Corner Luncheonette, in New Jersey. He periodically checked on the drum to see if had been discovered, and eventually it disappeared.
So, now that we're reading more reports of firearms and underworld "muscle" being involved in what were formerly simple white-collar crimes of healthcare fraud, is taking a short visit to the dark side and entrusting the people you'll find there worth the risk? How much is enough? Be happy with what you've got and don't turn on the people who trust you with their lives, or it may just happen to you.
Investigators said 41 members of Pennsylvania "drug crews" were among those arrested in connection with the case. Officers seized a total of 28 firearms from them. "The firearms recovered in this case also highlight how the gun violence associated with cocaine and heroin trafficking is now the muscle in the illegal oxycodone trade,"..Of course, I'm always intrigued with these type of criminal schemes and what could possibly possess educated, responsible, well-paid, white-collar healthcare professionals already living comfortable lives, to embrace the dark side of human nature? Is greed that powerful of a force?
Although I often share news reports about the [allegedly in this case] failings of those who've taken an oath to do no harm, I thought it was important to point out this one case to remind us that visiting the dark side requires dealing with people who've spent their entire lives in the dark side, and who are seriously darker than we could ever think of being.
It's not only having to worry about the risks of getting caught by the police, convicted in a court of law, and serving long prison sentences often associated with turning to the dark side. There's also the more serious risks and consequences that come from dealing with the shady people that we enlist to help us perpetrate our unethical and illegal schemes. They're not the soft, white-collar criminal types.
Some of these people are hardened violent criminal psychopaths.
Would you trust them with your life? For instance -
Do you remember Michael J. Kerkowski, a pharmacist who in the early 2000s ran afoul of the law by selling controlled substances to drug users and others without prescriptions? In order to perpetrate his crimes, Kerkowski enlisted convicted criminals Hugo Selenski and Paul Weakly to enable him, under the mistaken assumption that they were unconditionally trustworthy.
But Weakly and Kerkowski had other plans. They decided that even more money could be made by torturing, robbing, and murdering Kerkowski (and his unwitting girlfriend), taking the illegal profits for themselves, and then burying their bodies in his back yard. Pretty gruesome, huh? And now, over ten years later, the courts are still trying to convict Selenski for their murders.
And then there was the pharmacist whose schemes for buying stolen prescription drugs caused him to become a victim of one of America's most-prolific serial killers, Richard Kuklinski: The Iceman, a psychopath whose violent crimes paralleled those of America's first known serial killer.
Paul Hoffman, a pharmacist, was suckered into a scheme to buy stolen Tagamet® for pennies on the dollar from Kuklinski when he disappeared in the spring of 1982. Kuklinski never really had the stolen drugs and murdered Hoffman after he showed-up with the cash. A year later, his car was found in the rented warehouse that Kuklinski used for his car theft racket. Hoffman’s body was never found.
Kuklinski later confessed to this murder [begins at minute 27:50 of documentary], saying he first shot Hoffman but that he didn’t die immediately, so he finished him off by using a tire iron. He then shoved Hoffman’s body into a 55-gallon drum and left it near Harry's Corner Luncheonette, in New Jersey. He periodically checked on the drum to see if had been discovered, and eventually it disappeared.
So, now that we're reading more reports of firearms and underworld "muscle" being involved in what were formerly simple white-collar crimes of healthcare fraud, is taking a short visit to the dark side and entrusting the people you'll find there worth the risk? How much is enough? Be happy with what you've got and don't turn on the people who trust you with their lives, or it may just happen to you.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Who's Really Exploiting The System?
If there's one common complaint that I've heard coming from retail pharmacists and techs nationwide, it's about dealing with seemingly able customers who they consider are abusing the welfare system. I've even heard some of them say that they "hate" those leeches. Although it's never bothered me as much as some of my former colleagues, I can understand their anger.
Imagine working in pharmacy located in a poorer section of town and constantly dealing everyday with customers who seem to have no overt physical problems, dress nicely, drive expensive vehicles, and perhaps even wear more bling than you, and who then use Medicaid/AHCCCS/ Workers Comp or some other type of social welfare program to pay for their prescriptions.
And to top it off, you find out that some of those welfare recipients can't speak English, increasing your suspicions that they might not even be Americans!
It's not hard to understand why those pharmacists and techs are angry at people who they think are exploiting the system. They've struggled, they've sacrificed, they've worked hard and put up with a lot of bullshit to earn everything they've got. Why should their hard-earned tax dollars be spent supporting people who are being allowed to suck off the system? Who wouldn't agree with that? I know that I do.
Of course, things aren't always what they seem to be.
I'm sure that many welfare recipients aren't exploiting the system and truly need the help. Although a few of us have probably said it, wishing that we could be in their shoes to live their lives of ease isn't the answer. If you've dealt with some welfare patients behind the scenes, and see how they really live, you wouldn't wish their quiet lives of desperation on your worst enemies.
That being said, yes, I'm also sure that there are some welfare patients exploiting the system. And you want to know what? It's not fully their fault. Lack of enforcement is the problem. Exploitation of any system would rarely occur if it was designed appropriately and the rules enforced to protect it.
But, exploiting the system is what America is all about. That's how we roll.
The problem with America today hasn't been caused by some poor schlub who may taking advantage of the social welfare system. America, and the rest of the world too, is in crisis because of the lack of enforcement against corporate crime, and corporate welfare. That's where most of our tax dollars are being spent. That's where the bulk of any type of investigation and reform should be directed.
As such, when you begin to read investigative reports into crimes involving the social welfare system, ask yourself why, especially during this period in time, are such investigations are being conducted?
Is it because the social welfare system is truly in crisis and could cause the American economy to fail? Or is it because the grand old "party of hate" is attempting to redirect your anger away from the real crimes being committed against the American public, in an effort to exploit you?
So, if you feel the need to have to hate people, then make sure that you're hating the right people.
Imagine working in pharmacy located in a poorer section of town and constantly dealing everyday with customers who seem to have no overt physical problems, dress nicely, drive expensive vehicles, and perhaps even wear more bling than you, and who then use Medicaid/AHCCCS/ Workers Comp or some other type of social welfare program to pay for their prescriptions.
And to top it off, you find out that some of those welfare recipients can't speak English, increasing your suspicions that they might not even be Americans!
It's not hard to understand why those pharmacists and techs are angry at people who they think are exploiting the system. They've struggled, they've sacrificed, they've worked hard and put up with a lot of bullshit to earn everything they've got. Why should their hard-earned tax dollars be spent supporting people who are being allowed to suck off the system? Who wouldn't agree with that? I know that I do.
Of course, things aren't always what they seem to be.
I'm sure that many welfare recipients aren't exploiting the system and truly need the help. Although a few of us have probably said it, wishing that we could be in their shoes to live their lives of ease isn't the answer. If you've dealt with some welfare patients behind the scenes, and see how they really live, you wouldn't wish their quiet lives of desperation on your worst enemies.
That being said, yes, I'm also sure that there are some welfare patients exploiting the system. And you want to know what? It's not fully their fault. Lack of enforcement is the problem. Exploitation of any system would rarely occur if it was designed appropriately and the rules enforced to protect it.
But, exploiting the system is what America is all about. That's how we roll.
The problem with America today hasn't been caused by some poor schlub who may taking advantage of the social welfare system. America, and the rest of the world too, is in crisis because of the lack of enforcement against corporate crime, and corporate welfare. That's where most of our tax dollars are being spent. That's where the bulk of any type of investigation and reform should be directed.
As such, when you begin to read investigative reports into crimes involving the social welfare system, ask yourself why, especially during this period in time, are such investigations are being conducted?
Is it because the social welfare system is truly in crisis and could cause the American economy to fail? Or is it because the grand old "party of hate" is attempting to redirect your anger away from the real crimes being committed against the American public, in an effort to exploit you?
So, if you feel the need to have to hate people, then make sure that you're hating the right people.
Friday, February 1, 2013
I'm Just A Professional
A 50-year-old Canton pharmacist who owned and operated 26 pharmacies in the metro-Detroit area was sentenced to 17 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.
According to the USDOJ press release -
Attempting to rationalize poor choices by saying "Everyone else is doing it.", using the excuse that "I'm just doing my job." or that "I'm just a professional following orders." isn't going to save your ass.
I understand that there a lot of inequities in both the healthcare and judicial systems, and that you may be thinking that you're in desperate financial circumstances, but the Government is CRACKING DOWN HARD on both healthcare fraud AND prescription drug abuse. Don't let our job defeat you.
Make the right choices and don't put yourself in a position that you may later come to regret.
According to the USDOJ press release -
Evidence presented at a six-week jury trial concluding in August 2012 showed between 2006 and 2011, the pharmacies billed Medicare and Medicaid more than $57 million. At least 25% of those billings were for drugs that were either medically unnecessary never dispensed. Additional amounts were fraudulently billed to private insurers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.I know that I've discussed this topic before, and probably will again, but if this USDOJ press release doesn't illustrate the legal consequences of difficult choices a healthcare professional faces in the workplace every day, and learning to say "NO!" when it's appropriate, then I don't now what else will.
The pharmacies operated on a business model that paid kickbacks to physicians in exchange for writing prescriptions for expensive medications. The affiliated doctors would also write prescriptions for controlled substances, without regard to medical necessity, which would be filled at the pharmacies and distributed to paid "patients" and patient recruiters. The expensive non-controlled medications would be billed but not dispensed.
Of the 26 defendants charged in the original indictment in this case, 20 defendants have either pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial. Six defendants are scheduled for trial in June. Out of 12 pharmacists charged, 11 have been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty, with one waiting to be tried. Out of four doctors charged, two have pleaded guilty, with two waiting to be tried. (my emphasis)
Attempting to rationalize poor choices by saying "Everyone else is doing it.", using the excuse that "I'm just doing my job." or that "I'm just a professional following orders." isn't going to save your ass.
I understand that there a lot of inequities in both the healthcare and judicial systems, and that you may be thinking that you're in desperate financial circumstances, but the Government is CRACKING DOWN HARD on both healthcare fraud AND prescription drug abuse. Don't let our job defeat you.
Make the right choices and don't put yourself in a position that you may later come to regret.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Singer In Rock Band Charged With Bank Fraud
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Central California - the frontman of a Los Angeles-based rock band has been charged with submitting false documents to banks to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars worth of loans, money that he allegedly used to fund his band and his lavish lifestyle.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, between August 2009 and April 2011, the frontman obtained four loans from Comerica Bank totaling approximately $6.25 million. He then defaulted on those loans, causing Comerica to suffer losses of approximately $6 million.
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time sympathizing with any bankers who may have been taken advantage of by a Moody musician who in his anger may have thought, like the President, that clawing back some of those profits was the best way to hold bankers accountable for the actions that led to America's economic crisis.
If you ask me, it doesn't sound like the bankers in this case conducted appropriate due-diligence, and should hold themselves responsible for their losses. It would also seem to me that a good case could be made based solely upon a judicial double-standard. Why is this singer being criminally-prosecuted when so many bankers who basically did the same thing are only being civilly-prosecuted?
It'll be interesting to see what a jury of his peers decides, and how this case turns out.
Word in the street is that the band's frontman has allegedly put together a formidable defense team to fight the charges. As a matter of fact, someone leaked me this video of their opening argument.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, between August 2009 and April 2011, the frontman obtained four loans from Comerica Bank totaling approximately $6.25 million. He then defaulted on those loans, causing Comerica to suffer losses of approximately $6 million.
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time sympathizing with any bankers who may have been taken advantage of by a Moody musician who in his anger may have thought, like the President, that clawing back some of those profits was the best way to hold bankers accountable for the actions that led to America's economic crisis.
If you ask me, it doesn't sound like the bankers in this case conducted appropriate due-diligence, and should hold themselves responsible for their losses. It would also seem to me that a good case could be made based solely upon a judicial double-standard. Why is this singer being criminally-prosecuted when so many bankers who basically did the same thing are only being civilly-prosecuted?
It'll be interesting to see what a jury of his peers decides, and how this case turns out.
Word in the street is that the band's frontman has allegedly put together a formidable defense team to fight the charges. As a matter of fact, someone leaked me this video of their opening argument.
Accepting Responsibility
You know.. no one is perfect. Like the bad apples analogy I posted a while back, we all have varying degrees of imperfections. That's why the corporations are building robots to replace us. But, the key is to acknowledge our imperfections and not allow them to get the best of us.
If you've been a pharmacist for a while, then you'll know that there are many good pharmacists, who for whatever reasons, fall victim to their impulses and cross over that fine line between right and wrong, ethical and unethical. And that's okay. Any rational person realizes that we can't always be perfect in our behaviors. Sometimes we're gonna slip.
But, it's also important to understand that whenever we screw up, we need to own up to our mistakes. As long as they're not done to intentionally harm someone, most everyone can empathize with our faults and mistakes if we accept responsibility for them and do our best not to let them happen again.
It's only when we deny our mistakes, cover them up, and try to fight "the man" when the shit hits the fan and the consequences become severe. So, if there's anything I'd like my readers to embrace, it would be to be honest, accept responsibility, and to recognize where the fault actually lies.
If you've been a pharmacist for a while, then you'll know that there are many good pharmacists, who for whatever reasons, fall victim to their impulses and cross over that fine line between right and wrong, ethical and unethical. And that's okay. Any rational person realizes that we can't always be perfect in our behaviors. Sometimes we're gonna slip.
But, it's also important to understand that whenever we screw up, we need to own up to our mistakes. As long as they're not done to intentionally harm someone, most everyone can empathize with our faults and mistakes if we accept responsibility for them and do our best not to let them happen again.
It's only when we deny our mistakes, cover them up, and try to fight "the man" when the shit hits the fan and the consequences become severe. So, if there's anything I'd like my readers to embrace, it would be to be honest, accept responsibility, and to recognize where the fault actually lies.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
The Presidential Inauguration
While the Democrats were celebrating the inauguration of President Obama today, someone sent me this video clip of some alleged HSBC bankers relaxing and enjoying their freedom at a NY Republican nightspot, while reminiscing about the past and deviously thinking up new ways to manipulate the president for four more years.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Fredo The Pharmacist
I see the profession of pharmacy as a brotherhood, one big family, but sometimes dysfunctional.
And like some dysfunctional families may do in order to fully understand the root cause of a problem before taking any action, we first try to address an individual family member's bad behaviors by calling them in to discuss it with one of their brothers from the state board of pharmacy.
But that doesn't always work to correct the problem.
As what can happen in many big families, there's often a competitive jealousy driving some members to try to prove their individual superiority, regardless of the potential consequences, that sometimes gets in the way of the entire family's best interests and may lead to their elimination from the family.
But don't just take my word for it, see for yourself.
And like some dysfunctional families may do in order to fully understand the root cause of a problem before taking any action, we first try to address an individual family member's bad behaviors by calling them in to discuss it with one of their brothers from the state board of pharmacy.
But that doesn't always work to correct the problem.
As what can happen in many big families, there's often a competitive jealousy driving some members to try to prove their individual superiority, regardless of the potential consequences, that sometimes gets in the way of the entire family's best interests and may lead to their elimination from the family.
But don't just take my word for it, see for yourself.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Hitler's Children
Their family names alone evoke horror: Himmler, Goering, Göeth, Hoess. What's it like for Nazi Party members offspring to have grown up with a surname that immediately raises images of mass murder and genocide? How do they live with the weight of their ancestors' crimes? How do they cope with the fact that they are the children of one of the greatest abominations in history?
Hitler’s Children is a unique documentary film that reveals, for the first time, the ways in which family members of high rank senior Nazi officers from Hitler’s inner circle struggle with the burden of carrying a terror-inducing surname.
During detailed interviews, descendants of Frank, Goering, and Himmler, amongst many others, share the feelings of guilt and responsibility that accompany them in their daily lives. What happens when the children of the perpetrators of this genocide eventually meet with the children of the victims?
Already broadcast on BBC, Hitler’s Children distribution rights in North America have been purchased and it's expected to screen in theaters in the U.S. in 2013. Here's the trailer -
Related posts: The Real Drug Nazi
Hitler’s Children is a unique documentary film that reveals, for the first time, the ways in which family members of high rank senior Nazi officers from Hitler’s inner circle struggle with the burden of carrying a terror-inducing surname.
During detailed interviews, descendants of Frank, Goering, and Himmler, amongst many others, share the feelings of guilt and responsibility that accompany them in their daily lives. What happens when the children of the perpetrators of this genocide eventually meet with the children of the victims?
Already broadcast on BBC, Hitler’s Children distribution rights in North America have been purchased and it's expected to screen in theaters in the U.S. in 2013. Here's the trailer -
Related posts: The Real Drug Nazi
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
The Middle-Aged Pharmacist Conundrum
I read a comment in a forgotten pharmacy forum a while back in which a frightened young commenter said that she couldn't think of anything worse than to be a middle-aged pharmacist out there trying to find a job. She said that she would put up with anything in her present position in order to not lose her job and become one of "those" pharmacists.
That comment stuck with me. Not only because of the fear behind it, but because that middle-aged pharmacist, and that same scenario, could easily apply to me.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't a little fear behind my decision to quit working in pharmacy, especially since I've been doing it so long and didn't have something else lined up beforehand. There's always that fear of the unknown.
But as time has passed, I've realized that my fear is really unfounded. There's no actual basis for it, it's only in my mind. There's nothing to be afraid of, I've planned and prepared for this time in my life. No matter what happens, I will survive. I've come to learn that fear is no justification for my actions.
So then, why would such a young commenter be so afraid of something 25-years into her future?
Working as a pharmacist, she would be generating a very comfortable income. If she lived below her means, avoided accumulating debt, saved a significant portion of her income and invested it wisely, upon reaching middle-aged she would be in such a safe financial position that fear shouldn't factor into her decision-making. Not being able to find a job at that age would be the least of her worries.
But on the other hand, I've worked with some older pharmacists who lived high on the hog their entire career, thinking that the gravy train would never come to an end. They hadn't prepared themselves for the worst case scenario, and now they're stuck working, not because they want to, but because they think that they have no other choice. Fear guides their actions.
If you haven't noticed, most of the pharmacist crimes that I've reported in my blog or on Twitter, were perpetrated by middle-aged pharmacists, people old enough to know better, but probably willing to do just about anything because they were desperate for money.
It seems to me that those pharmacists' fear of losing the lifestyle they grew accustomed to became greater than the fear of the consequences of crossing over that ethical line.
Perhaps it's one "those" middle-aged pharmacists that the young commenter is afraid of becoming?
But, on the other hand, perhaps "putting up with anything" out of fear could lead a young pharmacist into becoming one of those pharmacists upon reaching middle-age? Something to think about.
But, don't just take my word for it. Watch this hidden video of a middle-aged pharmacist interviewing for a position with a less-than-reputable independent pharmacy owner, and choosing to compromise his ethics during the fifth decade of his life in order to become employed.
That comment stuck with me. Not only because of the fear behind it, but because that middle-aged pharmacist, and that same scenario, could easily apply to me.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't a little fear behind my decision to quit working in pharmacy, especially since I've been doing it so long and didn't have something else lined up beforehand. There's always that fear of the unknown.
But as time has passed, I've realized that my fear is really unfounded. There's no actual basis for it, it's only in my mind. There's nothing to be afraid of, I've planned and prepared for this time in my life. No matter what happens, I will survive. I've come to learn that fear is no justification for my actions.
So then, why would such a young commenter be so afraid of something 25-years into her future?
Working as a pharmacist, she would be generating a very comfortable income. If she lived below her means, avoided accumulating debt, saved a significant portion of her income and invested it wisely, upon reaching middle-aged she would be in such a safe financial position that fear shouldn't factor into her decision-making. Not being able to find a job at that age would be the least of her worries.
But on the other hand, I've worked with some older pharmacists who lived high on the hog their entire career, thinking that the gravy train would never come to an end. They hadn't prepared themselves for the worst case scenario, and now they're stuck working, not because they want to, but because they think that they have no other choice. Fear guides their actions.
If you haven't noticed, most of the pharmacist crimes that I've reported in my blog or on Twitter, were perpetrated by middle-aged pharmacists, people old enough to know better, but probably willing to do just about anything because they were desperate for money.
It seems to me that those pharmacists' fear of losing the lifestyle they grew accustomed to became greater than the fear of the consequences of crossing over that ethical line.
Perhaps it's one "those" middle-aged pharmacists that the young commenter is afraid of becoming?
But, on the other hand, perhaps "putting up with anything" out of fear could lead a young pharmacist into becoming one of those pharmacists upon reaching middle-age? Something to think about.
But, don't just take my word for it. Watch this hidden video of a middle-aged pharmacist interviewing for a position with a less-than-reputable independent pharmacy owner, and choosing to compromise his ethics during the fifth decade of his life in order to become employed.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Finding Benjaman
In 2004, Benjaman Kyle woke up with no identification, no clothes, and no memories. And eight years later, no one, including the United States Government has any idea who he is. So, this Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks for my memories, as bad as some of them might be.
Source: Finding Benjaman
Source: Finding Benjaman
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Can Science Stop Crime?
Are criminals born, or are criminals made? What's the secret to stopping crime? David Pogue, from Nova Science Now, gives the third degree to scientists pushing the limits of technology, not only to solve horrific murders but also to try to prevent crimes before they even happen. Here's the trailer -
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The House I Live In
Drug addiction - it's a terrible problem in America.
I don't profess to have all of the answers as to why people abuse drugs, nor do I have a solution to the problem. There is no simple solution to such a complex problem. But, I do think that many of us agree that how we've been addressing this problem for the past forty-years isn't working very well.
Perhaps it's time we tried approaching the problem from a different point of view?
In theaters this beginning this month the documentary, The House I Live In, examines the economic, as well as the moral and practical, failures of the so-called "war on drugs," and calls on the United States to approach drug abuse not as a "war," but as a matter of public health.
We need "a very changed dialogue in this country that understands drugs as a public health concern and not a criminal justice concern," says the film's director, Eugene Jarecki.
Jarecki also says, "The 'tough on crime' strategy failed. We created a war on drugs, which is a trillion dollars spent over 40 years, 45 million arrests, leading to nothing. Drugs are cheaper, purer, more available than ever before, and used by younger and younger people. Who can stand by that?"
I think a lot of people might agree with him. The House I Live In is showing in Phoenix next month. I'll make sure to see it and report my review in the comments section of this post.
Source: The House I Live In
I don't profess to have all of the answers as to why people abuse drugs, nor do I have a solution to the problem. There is no simple solution to such a complex problem. But, I do think that many of us agree that how we've been addressing this problem for the past forty-years isn't working very well.
Perhaps it's time we tried approaching the problem from a different point of view?
In theaters this beginning this month the documentary, The House I Live In, examines the economic, as well as the moral and practical, failures of the so-called "war on drugs," and calls on the United States to approach drug abuse not as a "war," but as a matter of public health.
We need "a very changed dialogue in this country that understands drugs as a public health concern and not a criminal justice concern," says the film's director, Eugene Jarecki.
Jarecki also says, "The 'tough on crime' strategy failed. We created a war on drugs, which is a trillion dollars spent over 40 years, 45 million arrests, leading to nothing. Drugs are cheaper, purer, more available than ever before, and used by younger and younger people. Who can stand by that?"
I think a lot of people might agree with him. The House I Live In is showing in Phoenix next month. I'll make sure to see it and report my review in the comments section of this post.
Source: The House I Live In
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Mesa, Arizona Police Use Cutting-edge Technology
Although I often think that the increasing use of technology empowers corporations and Big Brother to abuse their powers, here's one instance that it may accomplish just the opposite.
Fifty Mesa police officers are piloting a year-long program that has them wearing camera headsets made by Scottsdale-based company Taser International. Cronkite News reporter John Genovese shows how the cameras document the officers' every move and keep their supervisors in the loop.
Mesa Police Cameras from Cronkite News on Vimeo.
Fifty Mesa police officers are piloting a year-long program that has them wearing camera headsets made by Scottsdale-based company Taser International. Cronkite News reporter John Genovese shows how the cameras document the officers' every move and keep their supervisors in the loop.
Mesa Police Cameras from Cronkite News on Vimeo.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Genocide: Worse Than War
I've discussed the horrors of genocide, and the human behavior surrounding it, a few times before on The Cynical Pharmacist. I'm always intrigued by human behavior and about what causes intelligent people to embrace the dark side of life.
Although originally produced a couple of years ago, it's just now that I discovered the documentary entitled "Worse Than War" on my local PBS station. It's a must-watch for the younger generations.
It's a film that documents the multiple genocides of our century, discussing the reasons behind them, why they continue to occur, and what can be done to prevent them. Although I disagree with Mr. Goldhagen's solution to prevent future genocide, I found his film informative and thought-provoking.
You can watch the entire film on your local PBS station, or the linked website. Here's a clip from the film of interviews with imprisoned murderers who participated in the Rwanda genocide -
There's a reason why I posted this one clip from the documentary. It highlights the mentality of those criminals who perpetrate these types of crimes against humanity. To me, most crimes are perpetrated because of two things - ignorance and selfishness.
If you notice in this clip, the one criminal discusses his crimes only as they relate to himself. He doesn't believe ignorance played a role, and doesn't see how he was manipulated by psychopathic leaders to commit his crimes. He expresses no remorse, nor empathy. It's all about him.
Like I've said in my previous posts about crimes against humanity, the small groups of selfish sociopaths and psychopaths who create these hateful situations almost never personally commit their crimes themselves, yet are still able to achieve their goals, and are seldom held accountable.
They're successful because of their abilities to manipulate ignorant and selfish people (video) into supporting their efforts and committing the crimes on their behalf. They find enablers.
And this is where I disagree with the filmmaker's solution for preventing future genocide.
To me, the only solution in preventing the further atrocities of genocide comes from within each of us. It's not something that requires "other" people to address and prevent, especially selfish, apathetic, or corrupt politicians from other countries.
Genocide would never occur again if most of us were a little more skeptical and less trusting, looked beyond our own selfish motivations, controlled our emotions, and didn't enable these psychopaths to suck us into their sinister schemes. It's often as simple as being aware, and just saying "NO".
Although originally produced a couple of years ago, it's just now that I discovered the documentary entitled "Worse Than War" on my local PBS station. It's a must-watch for the younger generations.
It's a film that documents the multiple genocides of our century, discussing the reasons behind them, why they continue to occur, and what can be done to prevent them. Although I disagree with Mr. Goldhagen's solution to prevent future genocide, I found his film informative and thought-provoking.
You can watch the entire film on your local PBS station, or the linked website. Here's a clip from the film of interviews with imprisoned murderers who participated in the Rwanda genocide -
There's a reason why I posted this one clip from the documentary. It highlights the mentality of those criminals who perpetrate these types of crimes against humanity. To me, most crimes are perpetrated because of two things - ignorance and selfishness.
If you notice in this clip, the one criminal discusses his crimes only as they relate to himself. He doesn't believe ignorance played a role, and doesn't see how he was manipulated by psychopathic leaders to commit his crimes. He expresses no remorse, nor empathy. It's all about him.
Like I've said in my previous posts about crimes against humanity, the small groups of selfish sociopaths and psychopaths who create these hateful situations almost never personally commit their crimes themselves, yet are still able to achieve their goals, and are seldom held accountable.
They're successful because of their abilities to manipulate ignorant and selfish people (video) into supporting their efforts and committing the crimes on their behalf. They find enablers.
And this is where I disagree with the filmmaker's solution for preventing future genocide.
To me, the only solution in preventing the further atrocities of genocide comes from within each of us. It's not something that requires "other" people to address and prevent, especially selfish, apathetic, or corrupt politicians from other countries.
Genocide would never occur again if most of us were a little more skeptical and less trusting, looked beyond our own selfish motivations, controlled our emotions, and didn't enable these psychopaths to suck us into their sinister schemes. It's often as simple as being aware, and just saying "NO".
Friday, June 29, 2012
PBS POV | Granito: How to Nail a Dictator
In a stunning milestone for justice in Central America, a Guatemalan court recently charged former dictator Efraín Rios Montt with genocide for his brutal war against the country's Mayan people in the 1980s — and Pamela Yates' 1983 documentary, "When the Mountains Tremble", provided key evidence for bringing the indictment.
Granito: How to Nail a Dictator, a documentary by Pamela Yates, Paco de Onís, and Peter Kinoy, tells the extraordinary story of how a film, aiding a new generation of human rights activists, became a granito — a tiny grain of sand — that helped tip the scales of justice. Here's the trailer -
Related Link: Guatemala: The Secret Files
Granito: How to Nail a Dictator, a documentary by Pamela Yates, Paco de Onís, and Peter Kinoy, tells the extraordinary story of how a film, aiding a new generation of human rights activists, became a granito — a tiny grain of sand — that helped tip the scales of justice. Here's the trailer -
Related Link: Guatemala: The Secret Files
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The Gate | A Short Film
In today’s global environment, it doesn’t matter where you live in the world, everyone is at risk from soulless bastards selling unsafe pharmaceuticals. Counterfeit drugs defraud consumers and deny patients therapies that can alleviate suffering and save lives.
Unfortunately, in some cases, these drugs have caused great harm and fatalities.
THE GATE from Joyrider Films on Vimeo. | Hat tip: Short of the Week
Don't become a victim when buying drugs online! Using just one of the thousands of Internet sites that are anything but legitimate pharmacies can become a prescription for disaster.
Do your homework first. Visit the Partnership For Safe Medicines and learn how to find the safest online pharmacies and recognize the warning signs of a rogue online pharmacy with their tipsheet.
Unfortunately, in some cases, these drugs have caused great harm and fatalities.
THE GATE from Joyrider Films on Vimeo. | Hat tip: Short of the Week
Don't become a victim when buying drugs online! Using just one of the thousands of Internet sites that are anything but legitimate pharmacies can become a prescription for disaster.
Do your homework first. Visit the Partnership For Safe Medicines and learn how to find the safest online pharmacies and recognize the warning signs of a rogue online pharmacy with their tipsheet.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Arizona Prison Healthcare
I'm one for avoiding most anything described as a "system", and I've previously shared my opinion about the subject. But, if you live in the state of Arizona, avoiding the the criminal-justice system should be paramount to anything else. It's something even Caucasians should be concerned about.
Avoiding the legal system in Arizona is of even greater importance if you happen to have a medical condition or a health concern. It's still the "Old West" when it comes to law enforcement around here. I'm sure you've probably read the multiple case reports of prisoners needlessly dying because their medical conditions weren't addressed quickly or properly.
But still, people don't believe (or forget) these types of things continue to be reported.
Remember, it's often the Warden, Sheriff or other politician in charge of directing prison healthcare, not the individual doctors, pharmacists, nurses or other healthcare professionals. Fair or not, that's just the how the "system" operates.
So, before deciding to commit that crime in Arizona, always keep in mind the possible consequences of becoming incarcerated and incorporated into the system. Do your best to avoid it.
I thought I'd post this old CCTV video taken from inside the prison hospital just to solidify my point.
Related Link: Health-care quandary for Arizona's prisons
Avoiding the legal system in Arizona is of even greater importance if you happen to have a medical condition or a health concern. It's still the "Old West" when it comes to law enforcement around here. I'm sure you've probably read the multiple case reports of prisoners needlessly dying because their medical conditions weren't addressed quickly or properly.
But still, people don't believe (or forget) these types of things continue to be reported.
Remember, it's often the Warden, Sheriff or other politician in charge of directing prison healthcare, not the individual doctors, pharmacists, nurses or other healthcare professionals. Fair or not, that's just the how the "system" operates.
So, before deciding to commit that crime in Arizona, always keep in mind the possible consequences of becoming incarcerated and incorporated into the system. Do your best to avoid it.
I thought I'd post this old CCTV video taken from inside the prison hospital just to solidify my point.
Related Link: Health-care quandary for Arizona's prisons
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The Bookeeper Of Death
If you're any type of humanities history buff like I am, or if recent history has already proven it to you, then you should know that the organizers and leaders of massive crimes against humanity or society rarely suffer any consequences from their horrific deeds.
Many of these criminal leaders eventually get off Scot-free or with minimal punishment once they're brought to "justice". And it's usually only the people who foolishly listened to them, then followed and carried-out the orders from these psychopaths, who ever get severely punished for these crimes.
But yet, to this day, many people continue to follow the orders of such psychopathic leaders and enable their crimes, no matter how horrific. Just how these psychopaths are still able to convince educated people of the world to blindly do what they say continues to amaze me.
People just do not have the ability to say "NO!" in these type of situations and will always place their own selfish interests above anything else, even if to the point of torture, murder, and even genocide.
If any of my previous posts haven't convinced you of that yet, then watch the story of Comrade Duch (Kaing Guek Eav) a Cambodian mathematician who served as the Khmer Rouge commandant at Tuol Sleng prison in the late 1970s and who oversaw the torture and murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. Out of an estimated 17,000 people imprisoned at Tuol Sleng, there were only seven known survivors.
In this documentary Comrade Duch is brought up on charges of crimes against humanity at a special UN tribunal, and three of the prison’s seven survivors describe what they endured at Tuol Sleng.
Watching wrenching footage of his own brutality and facing the distraught families of his victims, Duch apologizes—leaving many to question his sincerity and raising the issue of forgiveness in the name of reconciliation. The full documentary can be seen on Global Voices, through June 19th or on your local PBS station.
Many of these criminal leaders eventually get off Scot-free or with minimal punishment once they're brought to "justice". And it's usually only the people who foolishly listened to them, then followed and carried-out the orders from these psychopaths, who ever get severely punished for these crimes.
But yet, to this day, many people continue to follow the orders of such psychopathic leaders and enable their crimes, no matter how horrific. Just how these psychopaths are still able to convince educated people of the world to blindly do what they say continues to amaze me.
People just do not have the ability to say "NO!" in these type of situations and will always place their own selfish interests above anything else, even if to the point of torture, murder, and even genocide.
If any of my previous posts haven't convinced you of that yet, then watch the story of Comrade Duch (Kaing Guek Eav) a Cambodian mathematician who served as the Khmer Rouge commandant at Tuol Sleng prison in the late 1970s and who oversaw the torture and murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. Out of an estimated 17,000 people imprisoned at Tuol Sleng, there were only seven known survivors.
In this documentary Comrade Duch is brought up on charges of crimes against humanity at a special UN tribunal, and three of the prison’s seven survivors describe what they endured at Tuol Sleng.
Watching wrenching footage of his own brutality and facing the distraught families of his victims, Duch apologizes—leaving many to question his sincerity and raising the issue of forgiveness in the name of reconciliation. The full documentary can be seen on Global Voices, through June 19th or on your local PBS station.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Trying To Get Over
Even after the too-numerous-to-count news reports coming out of the state of Florida about pill mills and prescription drug abuse over the past five-years, there's still reports of highly-educated, superfly, healthcare professionals thinking that they're going to get over on "The Man".
According to the U.S. Attorney's Middle-District Office in Florida -
Tampa, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore yesterday sentenced Dr. Sanjeev Grover (49, Lutz) to five years in federal prison for dispensing and distributing Oxycodone pills outside the professional scope of professional practice. He pled guilty on February 14, 2012.
According to court documents, Dr. Grover sold prescriptions for Oxycodone pills to a confidential informant and to an undercover agent on five occasions, between April and June 2011.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Middle-District Office in Florida -
Tampa, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore yesterday sentenced Dr. Sanjeev Grover (49, Lutz) to five years in federal prison for dispensing and distributing Oxycodone pills outside the professional scope of professional practice. He pled guilty on February 14, 2012.
According to court documents, Dr. Grover sold prescriptions for Oxycodone pills to a confidential informant and to an undercover agent on five occasions, between April and June 2011.
Dr. Grover met the confidential informant twice in a Burger King parking lot in Lutz, FL. The first sale involved four separate prescriptions, each for 60 eighty-milligram pills. The second sale included eight prescriptions, each for 180 thirty-milligram pills. On two other occasions, Dr. Grover met with the confidential informant and the undercover agent in a business center parking lot in Palm Harbor, Florida. During the first meeting, he sold six prescriptions. Four of the prescriptions were for 180 thirty-milligram pills and the other two for 180 fifteen-milligram pills. During the second meeting, he sold them twelve separate prescriptions, each for 180 thirty-milligram pills. On the fifth occasion, Dr. Grover sold six prescriptions to the undercover agent in a Walgreens parking lot in Palm Harbor. Each prescription was for 180 thirty-milligram pills.Here's Mr. O'Neill's video report to the news media about this case -
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