September 17th is Constitution Day and will fall on this coming Thursday. This holiday, sometimes referred to as Citizenship Day recognizes the ratification of the
United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S.
Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787. But this year, it takes on a new significance as our nation debates whether or not to provide universal healthcare to all citizens. I have heard many opponents of universal healthcare ask, “Where in the Constitution does it say that we’re entitled to universal healthcare?”. Follow me over the fold for the answer to this, and other questions about the amazing document at the core of our Democracy.
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Last night, I attended a pro-reform rally at Memorial park in Nyack, New York along the banks of the Hudson in the shadow of the picturesque Tappan Zee Bridge. Nearly 1000 people turned out to support reform of the broken healthcare system and several musical acts donated their performance to rally the crowd. The top act was none other than the legendary proponent of social justice, Pete Seeger. Follow me over the fold for more details about the evening’s events and photos taken by yours truly. Continue reading… 
AP reports that despite President Obama’s trip to Denmark, the cities of Chicago and Tokyo have been pushed out of the running leaving only Madrid and Rio to compete for the honor of hosting the games. 
This week, the President, his wife and Oprah Winfrey are making a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark to lobby the International Olympic Committee to bring the 2016 Summer Games to their shared hometown of Chicago. This is the very first time a US president has personally lobbied the IOC for this purpose. 
It keeps your pooch or pootie from freaking out at “back to school” time. According to Betsy Saul, founder of petfinder.com (link below the fold), back to school time frequently means empty houses once students return to classes and parents return to focus on work. Man’s best friend can often feel left in the lurch and anxious. Details over the fold. 
I was living in California when the smoking ban went into effect there. Smokers and barroom patrons were very upset about the law’s passage. I recall, as a musician playing in many bars and clubs, the friction caused by this switch. But folks got over it. Then I moved back to New York and remember being incredulous that folks still smoked in the bars there, until the Empire State passed its own ban. Then the wailing among bar goers began again. And again, in time, folks got over it. It seems all the friction was worth it in the end. Follow me over the fold for the latest. 
With passions running so high in the healthcare debate, and with so many powerful forces trying to manipulate the process to suit their own agendas, it gets really hard to believe anything we hear. How does one separate the truth from the lies, the policy positions from the propaganda, the facts from the noise? Let me tell you of an excellent resource for cutting through the static and getting some answers from reputable sources.
A few months ago, I wrote a post about the spread of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an antibiotic resistant pathogen. The probable result of over use of penicillin in humans and in factory farm animals, this devastating illness was rarely contracted outside of hospitals. But alarming and newly released studies show the presence of MRSA on US beaches – in the water and in the sand! Perhaps a result of offshore dumping of medical waste, this is a disturbing development. Especially as this blogger prepares to spend a week’s vacation at the beach! More details on this story and some positive developments too, after the jump. 
On the 8th anniversary of the horrific attacks of 9/11, the nation mourns the loss of life and the loss of innocence. On this day in 2001, I was living in California and working in the investment industry at a private firm. I woke up just before 6AM Pacific (just before 9AM eastern) and turned on my TV just in time to watch the second plane plow into the World Trade Towers. Where were you when you learned of the attacks? Tell your story in the comments. 
This is an open thread for Allen School Alumni to gather, get back in touch, share post-graduation experiences and more. Topic of discussion is open to all users. Begin your conversations in the comments section.