the glory and the horror

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | No consensus on IPCC’s level of ignorance

An interesting perspective by a scientist on the IPCC and the nature of knowledge in atmospheric science as it pertains to global warming.

VA bureaucracy

Above is a CNN video depicting a soldier’s experience with the VA bureaucracy. It is not an isolated incident. The funny thing is, I’m not surprised. Having worked in the VA system on and off for the last 4 years, I am not at all surprised that this is the case. There is an appalling lack of common sense among certain segments of the bureaucracy, and it is frustrating to a many of us who work there in different capacities.

The difficult is in trying to change the system. As with all bureaucracies, there is bureaucratic inertia. Once things are set a certain way, getting that changed can be a Herculean task.

That is what can be so frustrating when it comes to dealing with traumatic injuries such as the ones described above. Rehabilitation is important for patients so that they can learn how to function with their new prostheses and/or limitations. Returning to a fairly normal level of function can be a long and difficult road, and so it must be started quickly, because there can be many psychological trials along the way, which can have a dramatic effect on their physical efforts towards rehab.

The least we can do for the men and women who have put their life on the line, no matter what we think of the conflict overseas, is to push for appropriate care for service-connected injuries.