Podcasting Becomes Mainstream Overnight. Medical Procedure Guides on the iPod

With Apple's backing in its iTunes program, podcasting hit mainstream overnight. Forty eight hours after iTunes 4.9 included podcasting support, the program became the most popular podcast-management software.


It Is So Easy to Subscribe

There are more than 7,000 podcasts to choose from, covering almost every topic under the sun. And this number is going in only one direction - up... All podcasts so far are free.

Apple is making subscribing to podcasts so easy that if you don't have an iPod yet, you should go and get one. Your outlook on how you get information and entertainment will change dramatically.


Medical Procedures Step-by-Step

The photo iPods are used to show "podcasts that walk you through various acts of PC surgery, with photos popping up to accompany the spoken instructions " (CNet). This is an excellent opportunity to place medical procedure guides on the iPods. Our own central line placement guide is leading the search engine queries. It would be nice if we could place it, along with text, as a photo-enabled podcast, illustrating the procedure step-by-step. We will give it a try. May be after Odeo launches the third section of their website - creating podcasts (Odeo - Listen, Sync, Create)... ZDnet calls the images-enabled podcast, a photocast - see an example here (7 MB file).

Update:
Medical procedures on the iPod is closer to reality now since the new video iPod was launched. Russell Beattie is suggesting portable How-To videos.

Reference:
In one stroke, podcasting hits mainstream - CNet
Introducing ZDNet's 'PhotoCasts' - ZDNet
Quick Idea: Portable How-To Videos - Russell Beattie.com
Image source: sxc.hu

President Bush's Physical - A Good Example on How to Have a Healthy Lifestyle

President Bush is in top shape for his age but this did not come only as a consequence of his genetic predisposition. It looks like he works hard to keep himself healthy. Read more in the Guardian article.

We are waiting for the detailed report with references to the current guidelines on Kevin, M.D. He did a great job analyzing the vice-president's physical report last week.

By the way, the annual physical is not recommended by any national medical society.

Update:
Kevin, M.D. heard our request and provided a comprehensive analysis of the President's physical examination.

What about HIPAA?
This is public information, available from all major news agencies and newspapers, and more importantly - made public with the patient's permission. HIPAA rules permit the publication of such health information.

References:
Doctors Give Bush High Marks on Physical - Guardian.

Further reading:
Dick Cheney's physical: An analysis - Kevin, M.D.
Vice President Cheney Gets Atrial Fibrillation. Dr. Wes, 11/2007.
Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

Updated: 11/26/2007

The Podcast of an Open Heart Surgery Patient

This is an interesting website describing how it feels to be a cardiac patient.

A 64-year-old man tells his story about having AFib, going through DC cardioversion and a mitral valve repair. And it is all true - you can see the healing scar from the open heart surgery.

The podcast is hosted on libsyn.com. The website is called EKGWatch.com.

Image used with permission: ekgwatch.com

Which One is Better - Google Maps or MSN Virtual Earth?

Just compare the zoom of Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA on Google Maps and MSN Virtual Earth. You have to admit that Virtual Earth definitely adds something to the table...The details are so much better that it looks like a different place.

Read more in MSN "deletes" Apple on Scoble's blog. He also links to the video featuring the Virtual Earth team showing off their project.


More Google News

Google Personalized (i.e. Google "Portal") has far more features to offer now - RSS feeds, WaPost, USA Today, CNN... The Gmail integration, Google news, weather and stock quotes are standard. Give it a try.


References:
Google's Big Threat - BuyGoogle.com
Microsoft wipes Apple off the map - USA Today
Image source: Wikipedia

How a Critical Care Podcast Was Born

June 2005

Richard Savel, MD, an intensivist in Brooklyn, NY asked in the forum of the Society of Critical Care Medicine why there isn't a critical care podcast:

"I commute every day from Manhattan via subway and have been getting into listening to podcasts. There should be a Critical Care podcast. SCCM could use it to give updates. It could be great. They could tape lectures around the country on critical care issues and distrubute them via an RSS feed and people could listen to them on iPods. Anyone who knows anyone at SCCM that could make this happen."

That was in June, and some of his colleagues were not even sure what a podcast is. "Sounds like something to do with iPod?", asked Ratnani.

Dr. Savel provided the "CME" and the Wikipedia link. "If you have an iPod--and almost everyone does--then you can listen to podcasts."


July 2005

Then it looks like for a month nobody did anything... but actually, somebody did. Dr. Savel contacted the SCCM, joined the NYC Podcasting Association, and booked hosting on PodBus.com. When you want something to happen, your best option is to go ahead and make it happen.

The first Critical Care Podcast was born on July 21!

Educational and stylish, with a classical music introduction, you can find the podcast in the iTunes library or subscribe here. Download the first edition of the podcast here.

Congratulations to the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Dr. Savel. This is the first podcast by a national medical society. Who will be next? AMA, ACP or the Society of Hospital Medicine?

I added the Critical Care Podcast to the Odeo channels tagged with "medicine".


August 2005

The Critical Care Podcast is featured on the official SCCM website.


References:
Richard H. Savel, MD is the Associate Director of Surgical ICU, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

SCCM Syndication - Subscribe to the SCCM Podcast
Critical Care Podcast in the SCCM forum
Subscribe to Medical Podcasts on Odeo
Image source: sxc.hu

Spell with Flickr

This is a little funny spelling game that you should try - spell with Flickr photos:



References:
How to find the best photos on Flickr. Lifehacker.com

Google Maps Hybrid - Take the Game to the Next Level

There are Google Maps "Plain" and Google Maps Satellite. What happens when you combine them? Google Maps Hybrid! Not bad. Actually, not bad at all.

An Example

See Cleveland downtown:

-On Google Maps "Plain". What is this grey spot in the center of the picture? This is the Browns stadium.

-See how much more things you can see on Google Maps Satellite. Hey, this triangular glass structure is the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame! But there are no signs, you have to guess what is what.

-Check the same area on Google Maps Hybrid. Suddenly everything looks easier to understand.

Reference:
Test drive this hybrid vehicle - Google Blog
MSN Virtual Earth

Image source: Wikipedia

Blog Owner Makes One Million Per Year from Google's AdSense

The medical bloggers field is growing by the day, although there is no money-making involved, yet...

The owner of Weblogs Inc. wrote in his blog that their AdSense earnings are $ 2,739 per day, which makes it more than one million per year. No wonder Google shares are $ 312 today. What's wrong with Yahoo? Their shares are at $ 30 and Google is at $ 300 - ten times more...

"Look ma, seven figures and no salespeople!" writes Scoble. It looks like blogging can be a serious business after all.

Google makes it easier by including AdSense in the Blogger template itself.

References:
$1M a year in Google Adsense (or why 2,739 is my favorite number) - Calacanis.weblogsinc
Get Rich Quick(er) - Blogger Buzz
Google and Yahoo diverge more - BuyGoogle.com
Any gas left in Google? - USA Today
Image source: factsbuffet images

Subscribe to Medical Podcasts on Odeo

It cannot be easier than that - just check Odeo's tag for "medicine", and there you go - you can see about half a dozen medical podcasts. Odeo is free to use and you can either listen to the podcasts online or download them to your MP3 player to listen later.

Odeo tags work in the same way as Flickr tags - the user labels a certain MP3 (or a photo) with the category they think it belongs to. I am still the only owner of the tag "CXR" on Flickr... :-)

Kevin's Interview About Medical Blogging

The "granddaddy" of the medical bloggers - Kevin, M.D. is featured in the latest podcast of The Journal of Medical Practice Management. Congratulations, Kevin! The interview is really nice and very informative. They should have just made the sound quality a little better but it is the content that matters anyway.

Kevin covers most of the important issues - patient confidentiality, HIPAA, keeping up-to-date, using Google, patient information on the net, blogging as a hobby, etc. The reference to our post about case reports and HIPAA is flattering. This podcast is a must-have if you would like to educate your colleagues and patients what medical blogging is. Download it here (20 MB mp3 file, 20 min interview).

References:
Case Reports and HIPAA Rules
A List of Medical Podcasts on KidneyNotes.blogspot
SoundPractice.net Interviews with Medical Bloggers:
Podcast Interview with MedPundit Founder Sydney Smith (nome de plume)
Interviews with Dr. Robert Centor of DB's Medical Rants and Dr. Joe Stirt of BookOfJoe - via Kevin, M.D.
UBC Google Scholar Blog features the Top Five Podcasting Articles in Medicine (March 2006).
Image source: sxc.hu

Update 2/20/2007:

Odeo is for sale.

Interesting Links

Forget About DNR, AND is Less Frightening
DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) can sound too much like giving up, especially to patients who want "everything" to be done. "Everything", includes electric shocks to the heart, intubation and being on ventilator, for unknown time (often in vegetative state). Some people dislike the idea of "bringing them back" so much that they go the extent to tattoo "DNR" on their chest.

In any way, over the years, the DNR term has became loaded with misunderstanding, like the one that if you are DNR, your doctor will be less proactive in treating you (false). That is why a new term is suggested - AND, i.e. Allow Natural Death.

References:
Language Makes Difference to Cancer Patients - NPR
Time to abandon the DNR - Memag.com, (link via Kevin, M.D.)
DNR Tattoo - EMT Blog

Dick Cheney's Physical: An Analysis
Kevin, M.D. offers a good general screening guide for most people over 60, using the vice-president as an example.

So This Is Clerkships, Part One and Part Two
Graham, a 3rd year medical student, describes his surgical clerkship.

Surviving a Deposition - Tips from the Field
Dr. Tony who is an ER physician in Tennessee, and reviews medical records for an insurance company, gives tips on surviving a deposition.
(link via Kevin, M.D.)

"Pass-Out Game" Than Can Be Deadly
A 10-year-old Idaho boy was found dead, apparently killed while trying to get high by playing the "pass-out game". The "game" consists of gradual choking (by self or others) which can have deadly consequences. Read more in the CNN story.
Source:
Boy dies playing 'passing out game,' officials believe - CNN
Mother missed signs of 'choking game' - CNN

Image source: Wikipedia

Doctors from the Top Medical University are Blogging on Yahoo

Johns Hopkins Hospital is the number one hospital in quality according to the U.S. News & World Report annual Honor Roll.

Six of its leading specialists are blogging on Yahoo in the Health Expert Blogs section. The content is owned by Johns Hopkins University and provided to Yahoo.

The blogs are focused on DM, asthma and allergies, depression and anxiety, cholesterol and heart disease, breast cancer, nutrition and weight loss, and sexual health.

Apart from informing the public, this is a clever way of marketing the top hospital in the U.S. to an even larger audience. Let's see when the rest of the top 5 will start their blogs - Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and UCLA Medical Center. How about podcasting?

The field of blogging doctors has been growing fast recently, just check Medlogs.com, which aggregates most of the medical blogs (98) in one place. Some of them, like Kevin, M.D. have started "commercial" blogs in addition to the regular one. The weekly best of the medical blogosphere is featured in the Grand Rounds which are hosted by a different blog every week.

(link via Kevin MD)
Image source: commons.wikimedia.org

More info:
Medical Blogs: A Podcast Interview with Kevin Pho, M.D. of KevinMD.com - SoundPractice.net

A List of Medical Programs for Palm PDAs

Check it out. Most programs are free, simple to use and, actually, very good. If you have a Pocket PC but you still want to use Palm programs, don't give up - there is a solution. StyleTap is a system emulator that lets you run your favorite Palm programs on a Pocket PC.

(via MedPDA)

More info:
Useful Pocket PC Programs
More Medical Schools Requiring PDAs. Associated Press.
The Top 15 PDA Resources for Family Physicians. FPM, July/August 2006.
Image source: morguefile.com

NEJM Audio Feed - Home-Made

Subscribe to the home-made RSS feed for the NEJM Audio. This way you will get notified automatically when new MP3 interviews with study authors are published:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/NEJMAudio (via KidneyNotes)

Update:
NEJM publishes its own podcast feed now:

http://podcast.nejm.org/nejm_audio_interview.xml

It is about time the NEJM and the other members of the "big five" provided clearly visible RSS feeds, so doctors will not have to engineer work-arounds.

The list of all MP3 files published on NEJM is available on MSN Search.

Update 12/10/2006:
Most medical journals have prominent RSS feeds now.

References:
New England Journal of Medicine Audio Feed
How to Turn a Search into a Feed. KidneyNotes.com.
NEJM RSS Feed for Image of the Week
Image source: sxc.hu

Portable Firefox on a USB Drive

If you cannot install software on the PC at work or any other place but you want a secure internet browsing, the Portable Firefox is for you. Put your USB drive in, and click on the Portable FF icon. That's it!

The Portable FF is part of the Mozdev project. Download the zip file and unzip it in a directory on the USB drive. After that, as mentioned before, you just click on the Portable FF icon on the USB drive, and the full FF launches. When you are done, just take the drive out. As always, this version of FF is free.

Update 12/05:
John Haller who made Portable Firefox has just launched PortableApps.com which promises to make all your favorite desktop programs portable. Well, not all of them - just the good ones.

Update 3/06:
Opera, the fastest and most secure browser on earth is also available as a portable app. Check out the list of portable applications from Wikipedia.

References:
Firefox in your pocket - Download Squad
Portable Applications and Other Software News You Can Use
The Ultimate USB Key - PC Magazine
Firefox in Wikipedia
First Computer-On-a-USB Stick - Dave's iPAQ
List of portable applications from Wikipedia

Related:



The Best Keyboard Shortcut in Firefox - Type Web Addresses Quickly. Digital Inspiration.
Portable Apps. White Coat Rants, 2010.

Updated: 01/02/2010

Odeo - the Life of a Start-up Company in Pictures

The founder of Blogger, after leaving Google, started another company aimed at making subscribing to and creating podcasts easier. Odeo is a San Francisco start-up finalizing a promising product. See the photos from Odeo's blog to get a feel of the life of a brand new start-up company.

You can use Odeo to listen to podcasts and transfer them to your MP3 player. And soon, very soon - to create your own podcast with Odeo Creatr, I guess...The synchronization program is called Syncr, which reminds you of Flickr with their Uploadr and Organizr. Mark Jen, who will remain in history as the blogger fired from Google, made Downloadr - a program that lets you download photos from Flickr as a bunch, instead of one by one. Do you sense the trend in the names?

If you have a minute or two, check the Flickr photo stream of the fellow medical blogger KidneyNotes,

More info:
Podcasting's big break - Future Tense. The new version of Apple's iTunes is distributing some 3,000 "podcasts".
Big Media Wants a Piece Of Your Pod - NYTimes.
Writing the codes on blogs. Companies figure out what's OK, what's not in online realm - San Francisco Chronicle.
Image source: sxc.hu

Update 2/20/2007:

Odeo is for sale.

Flickr is Becoming the Instant Information Portal that Speaks in Pictures

If you use Blogger/Blogspot, you know what message you get when you access their photo server photos1.blogger.com directly: "This server speaks in pictures".

The message is the same (only more visual), when you search Flickr for current events, like the hurricane Dennis

Flickr is fast becoming the instant information portal that speaks in pictures. Thousands of its users are uploading photos from their cell phones and digital cameras immediately after an event, as first-hand witnesses. They are almost like AP or Reuters photo reporters on the scene. It seems like the way people are getting information about current events is about to change.

References:
Flickr blog
Photo-sharing sites as new form of online news - NPR, Future Tense
Witness Photos on Web Captured London Drama - NYTimes
Flickr Backup downloads your Flickr photos to your desktop

Anticoagulation Cases Q & A

Combining IVC filter and Coumadin

Q:
75 yo AAF with a PMH of DVT and PE, was treated with Coumadin, and had a GI bleeding due to diverticulosis. After that, Coumadin was stopped and an IVC filter was placed one year ago. Now she is admitted with a new DVT. Should you restart oral anticoagulation?

A:
Yes. After evaluating the bleeding risk for this particular patient, oral anticoagulation is likely to provide additional benefits to the IVC filter al. Two years after placement, IVC filters do not decrease the PE risk, and actually increase the risk for new DVT. Coumadin use is recommended in these patients with IVC filters, although there are no RCTs to support it. The level of evidence is experts' opinion.

Source:
Inferior vena caval filters - UpToDate (paid subscription required)
Venous Thromboembolism Therapy - Cleveland Clinic MedEd.com


Anticoagulation before and after an invasive procedure

Q:
48 yo CF, a smoker with recurrent DVTs is anticoagulated with heparin IV drip during hospital stay. She has a lung nodule on CXR and a bronchoscopy is recommended. How may hours before the procedure you should stop the heparin, and when should you restart it?

A:
For surgeries, heparin should be stopped 6 hours before, and restarted 12 hours after the surgery (if there is no evidence for bleeding).

For procedures, this time can probably be shortened to stopping heparin 2-4 hrs before the procedure, and restarting it 2-6 hrs post procedure. For all patients, Coumadin can be restarted at the normal dose on the night of the procedure.

Source:
Management of anticoagulation before and after elective surgery - UpToDate
Colonoscopy - American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
Oral rivaroxaban is non-inferior to standard therapy for symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) and DVT (NEJM, 2012).
Image source: Wikipedia

See more Questions & Answers here.

Consumer Reports' Best-Buy Drugs

It is just like the cars review - the CR magazine lists the best drugs you can buy for your money. Take it with a (small) pinch of salt and plenty of advice from your doctor. The main therapeutic classes used in everyday practice are here, and more are coming:

-CCB
-NSAIDs - are there are any best-buys left in this group? :-)
-ACEi
-PPI
-SSRI
-Statins
-Beta-blockers

(via KidneyNotes.blogspot)
Image source: Wikimedia

Case Reports and HIPAA Rules

Imagine this scenario:

You are a medical blogger (doctor, nurse, student) and just saw a very interesting patient. You would like to describe the patient as a clinical case on your blog, in order to share it with other health care professionals (some non-medical readers may visit your blog as well).

Question:

Is this case report allowed under HIPAA regulations?

Answer:

Yes, if you observe certain rules. If your opinion differs, please comment in the section below and add the relevant references. It is extremely important to check your employer social media policy which can be more restrictive, and extend or overwrite the general HIPAA rules. HIPAA is a law by the federal government of the United States.

Case Reports and The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996

Physicians must assure that the case report does not contain any of the 18 health information identifiers noted in the HIPAA regulations, unless authorization from the individual (s) has been obtained. The authorization is not required if neither of the 18 identifiers below are used in the case report.

List of 18 Identifiers:

1. Names;

2. All geographical subdivisions smaller than a State, including street address, city, county, precinct, zip code, and their equivalent geocodes, except for the initial three digits of a zip code, if according to the current publicly available data from the Bureau of the Census: (1) The geographic unit formed by combining all zip codes with the same three initial digits contains more than 20,000 people; and (2) The initial three digits of a zip code for all such geographic units containing 20,000 or fewer people is changed to 000.

3. All elements of dates (except year) for dates directly related to an individual, including birth date, admission date, discharge date, date of death; and all ages over 89 and all elements of dates (including year) indicative of such age, except that such ages and elements may be aggregated into a single category of age 90 or older;

4. Phone numbers;

5. Fax numbers;

6. Electronic mail addresses;

7. Social Security numbers;

8. Medical record numbers;

9. Health plan beneficiary numbers;

10. Account numbers;

11. Certificate/license numbers;

12. Vehicle identifiers and serial numbers, including license plate numbers;

13. Device identifiers and serial numbers;

14. Web Universal Resource Locators (URLs);

15. Internet Protocol (IP) address numbers;

16. Biometric identifiers, including finger and voice prints;

17. Full face photographic images and any comparable images; and

18. Any other unique identifying number, characteristic, or code (note this does not mean the unique code assigned by the investigator to code the data)

12-Word Social Media Policy by Mayo Clinic: "Don’t Lie, Don’t Pry, Don’t Cheat, Can’t Delete, Don’t Steal, Don’t Reveal" (http://goo.gl/1Jwdo).

References:

The Human Research Protection Program - UCSF.edu.
HIPAA Resources - The Privacy Rule - NIH.gov.
Single Case Report Policy - Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Medical Case Report Policy - Louisville.edu.

Cleveland Clinic Social Media Policy for Employees (PDF), from Association of Pediatric Program Directors, 2009.
The Purpose of this Blog - Dr.Charles.blogspot.
Image source: morguefile.com.

Related reading:

Twitter, HIPAA, Privacy and Freedom of Speech. Phil Baumann, 07/2008.Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information. Code of Federal Regulations.
Do you need IRB approval for a Case Report? See for yourself here: http://goo.gl/v3zF3 and http://goo.gl/P1eea
ER nurse blog "impactednurse" back online - reason for taking it offline - a reader identified de-identified X-ray on Facebook http://goo.gl/ey9Up
HIPAA found in Hippocratic Oath: Keep the patients’ secrets a secret. Also: My colleagues will be my brothers and sisters http://bit.ly/pGObLI
Dr. Wes: HIPAA, Case Reports, and the "Small Cell" Problem, 2011.

Comments from Twitter, 2011:

@symtym (Tim Sturgill): What about more restrictive state rules? States may be much more restrictive, e.g., California; also medical societies and organizations, e.g., AMA. There are lots of ways to run foul. For example, this doctor did, without HIPAA being an issue - state law only:

Example: http://www.symtym.com/2011/09/report-reprimand-repercussions.html

Or Rhode Island… medical boards have lots of latitude. RI did not invoke HIPAA, not applicable; they had separate laws to utilize. No info released; shouldn't mix HIPAA specific rules with separate state authority - big point. A key issue is multiple "sovereigns" and their rules are brought into play. There is no doubt synergyy, but the emphasis is multiple authorities and multiple legislative hx, agendas, interests, etc... I think if is very very important (b/c we are so use to and blinded to HIPAA) to be concerned about the many ways...

2005 National NOW Conference

Maybe I won't have a ton of time to go on and on about the conference, but here are some highlights:

* The main reason to be in Nashville was to vote on senior leadership. The Kim Gandy's (i) slate vs. Rosemary Dempsey's slate. Both are great speakers and honestly if either of them won, I wouldn't worry too much about either kicking ass. Kim Gandy & her slate did win thou.

* Rosemary and her slate did congratulate Kim & her slate on Sunday morning during a resolution hearing.

* I met a ton of fab women including another Veronica from Chicago. I totally freaked her out when I found her since I guess I was kinda stalking her for 24 hours. But now we're buddies. She also said that she's always felt a psychic connection with Frida and then we debated if Frida was just a representation for me. We're both totally into the whole "we're here, meeting for a reason" train of thought.

* I got to see Ellie Smeal, Patricia Ireland, Carol Moseley Braun, and Martha Burk again. Obviously, to them it was our first meeting, but they meet a zillion people a day. Why should they remember me? OK, besides me being one of a handful of Latinas there...but back to the conference.

* I got to meet Katie Hnida. I not only wanted to meet her because of her courage to speak out about rape on college campuses, but she played football! Don't think I'm downplaying her courage - I was almost in tears while she spoke - but the fact that she played college football and scored 3 extra points...that's just fab. I got to shake her hand, thank her for everything, bonded over baseball (for about 5 seconds), and got an autograph. Sadly, I lost my program book.

* We rallied on Saturday and that was a lot of fun. But it was damn hot out!

* I also got myself on the hook for $600 to go towards funding one paid internship for next summer to a low-income student. It was like a bidding war. One woman got up during the resolution process and said she'd donate $600 if someone matched it. A friend of mine matched it. Then another friend did too. I thought, why the hell not!? And I think that within 10 minutes we had next year's internship funded. It still needs to pass the National Board, but since there is funding, that should be just a formality. Watch for some fundraising news in the next week or so.

* One member I know let her membership lapse and couldn't vote. Can you believe that? She went all the way there to find out she wasn't an updated member. HA!

Overall, it was a great weekend. I got a lot done and have a lot to consider. The lack of Latinas is starting to get disheartening, especially at the 20s-30s area. Let me be specific, the lack of Latinas in leadership roles is unnerving.

I've put a lot of time, energy, money, and love into NOW. While I'd love to be paid back by holding a senior leadership position one day, I'd be more happy to look around the conference hall and see a sea of Latinas staring back at me. *big sigh*

Interesting Links

Robert Scoble's List of Inspiring Programs

This is the Scobleizer reply to the people who call "Windows software uninspiring." Check out the list, you will find at least a few programs you will be tempted to try. The mind-mapping software is especially interesting

Scoble reads more than a thousand blogs daily via RSS, and his own blog has become a rich source of information of what is going on in the IT industry. He has a slight Microsoft bias but that's normal, he works for MS after all.

More info:
Tool for Thought - NY Times
Use Pocket PC Mind-Mapping Software to Organize Your Ideas and Be More! - Pocket PC Magazine


National Do Not Call Registry

The freedom from the telemarketers is just a click (or two) away on this .gov website. You can register both your home and cell phone numbers.

Image source: Wikipedia

Is Blogger/Blogspot Service Good or Bad?

Obviously I am biased since this blog is hosted on Blogspot, but I have been reading recently some complaints by different bloggers about the Blogspot-hosted blogs, and wanted to say a few things.

"Is Blogger the worst free blogging service?", the BlogHerald asks.

I don't think so.

Just check the comments under the same post on BlogHerald. Synastry writes:

Blogger is "a free service which gives you ad-free webspace, while letting you operate commercially if you choose, tons of bandwidth, 300Mb of image hosting, rich-text editing, a relatively fast web interface, is pretty liberal in what you put up, maintains great Help features, allows you to tinker with the template and ftp it to other sites, and will even provide pay-per-click advertising, if that i’s what you want. You can set up as many blogs as you wish and it i’s used widely across the world. It was the first in the field and is being constantly updated and improved."

I thinks this answers the question for now.

What do you think?

Less than 5% of Web Users Subscribe to RSS - What Does That Mean to You?

"Less than 5 percent of Internet users currently employ RSS readers, MediaPost says. That minority consists mainly of media and tech professionals, and bloggers who contend with information overload on a daily basis." - ZDNet.


For Blog/Web-masters:

It may be reasonable to include an old-fashioned "enter your email address to subscribe" form on your blog. Medical professional are busy people and not too many of them have the time (or desire) to learn new techno things, like RSS. On the other hand, it is likely that for now, only 5% of your non-medical readers will subscribe to your RSS feed.

The bottom line is, if you do not want your subscription audience to be only of medical bloggers, you may consider adding an email subscription form (as I just did). The venture capitalist blog (avc.blogs.com) confirms the same thing.

It is not RSS vs. email but rather RSS and email.

The email form on the blog is still powered by RSS. There are 3 services available - Bloglet, R|Mail, and RssFwd. Bloglet seems to be the best, and also their JavaScript form is prettier and more customizable.

Update 10/04/05:
Feedburner just joined the group with Back to the Future: Introducing Email Subscriptions.


For Blog Readers:

If you would like to receive updates from your favorite blogs, you can either:
-subscribe to RSS (this is the better option)
or
-enter your email in the subscription form (if there is one) on the blog

References:
Less than 5% of Web users use RSS readers by ZDNet
Email vs. RSS - A VC
Using RSS Feeds - The Easy Way to Stay Up-To-Date
Knowledge of Tech Terms - Google Blogoscoped
FeedBlitz Email Subscription Service: Feedburner Feeds in Your Inbox - Quick Online Tips
The anti-RSS hype - Scobleizer