How does the Ferguson, MO trial and Occupy Wall Street (OWS) relate to RXs?
 OWS put out a blurb on twitter: Maalox may be part of a compounded medication to spray on your and your fellow protestors after just being sprayed with pepper spray.

Note from another site: use at your own risk, not for the inexperienced.

Considering all the problems with compounding, perhaps the wisest advice is to refrain from situations where one will need to be exposed to the offending agent.

Option two, it'll be self limiting so best not to use drugs. What's the benefit if the risk outweighs the benefit?

OWS also advise you to not trust the media. Since a Nature Made ad (put on the internet, a form of the media) says listen to RPHs, OWS (through a syllogism says shouldn't trust RPhs), but if one can't trust the media, one also shoudn't trust its own twitter-feed since it too is part of the media. :-)


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-24/ferguson-grand-jury-decision-live-feed

On Corporations Merging together.... 
Picture from iconfinder.com.

Joe E. Lewis: "The way taxes are, you might as well marry for love."

Walgreen Co. Common Stock (WAG)

Alliance Boots Holdings Ltd (BOOT)

WAG Married BOOT, but Wag's foreign bride will not be taking WAG overseas. After much discussion, excoriation by the New York Times, and realization that inversion would also result in HIGHER taxation (BOOT'S COUNTRY WANTS prior year TAX REVENUE), the inversion was delayed indefinitely. Oh, also the prospect that Americans may not subsidize ¼ of the company's profits through medicare/medicaid in the future may play a role. The possibility that Americans would shop at other pharmacies instead played a role. The possibility that the IRS would audit, confiscate, fine, and sue WAG pharmacies also played a role. This created a bit of flummoxed faces on Wall St which expected WAG to flee to foreign soils in hopes of lowering its tax bills.

Image source:
https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/53253/marriage_party_rings_wedding_icon#size=128

From the Washington Examiner the following states have an airport which will be screening travelers from Ebola infected countries:

VA

IL

GA

NJ

NY

At least the Ellis Islanders will sleep better at night. Have some sympathy for them, only twelve years ago they and the Old Dominion suffered through 9-11. As for the rest of the country, they'll have to depend on the air lines and their public health system.

Tangential post because
(1) Wal-mart is a store that incorporates a pharmacy in its business model.
(2) There is a lot of concern about anti-bacterial resistance in humans, and some more seasoned peers say people do not mention that amount given to animals....
(3) Customers frequently like natural over synthetic. Numerous people ask "is there some herb I can take for my ailments instead of some pill?"
Walmart is attempting to bring organic food to its stores at prices similar to its non-organic products.

This article: "Wal-Mart Promises Organic Food for Everyone" By Andrew Martin
mentions examples where one organic product cost the same (or less) than a non-organic product. Walmart uses the Wild Oats brand. The examples were organic cinnamon applesauce, black beans and quinoa were either the same or cheaper than a non-organic version.

When I was younger I was told that "organic" meant no extra herbicides, pesticides, insecticides. Less chemicals in one's body. Sounds great. Normally one has to pay more for a better quality product. However, the article states that the organic producers are not producing in the most efficient manner. Wal-mart's size would allow for greater products produced at the same cost, which is more efficiency. If it is possible due to economies of scale, then so much the better for the consumer that has a demand for organic foodstuffs selling for the same price as a non-organic version.

For the full text read page one and two below:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-06/wal-mart-promises-organic-food-for-everyone#r=shared

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-06/wal-mart-promises-organic-food-for-everyone#p2

An online ebola survey from Drug Topics had over 2/3s of responders doubting the local hospital could cure an ebola outbreak.

Meanwhile in California, on the horizon: Plastic bags targeted for removal, and it is not just in pharmacies. For the full criteria of stores see the end of this blog*.

Existing California law requires store owners to recycle plastic bags on site until 2020. Paper bags will be available, but only if the customer pays a dime per paper bag. Starting July 2015 "compostable bags" will be available in limited areas for a price of at least a dime, but it could be higher. 

All subsequent quotes will be from the law 
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB270

For the technical policy wonk it is: CHAPTER  5.3. Single-Use Carryout Bags

Reusable bags would be available if:
"certified reusable grocery bag producer and to meet specified requirements with regard to the bag’s durability, material, labeling, heavy metal content, and, with regard to reusable grocery bags made from plastic film on and after January 1, 2016, recycled material content."

Failure to comply with the law is inadvisable:
"The bill would allow a city, county, or city and county, or the state to impose civil penalties on a person or entity that knows or reasonably should have known it is in violation of the bill’s requirements. The bill would require these civil penalties to be paid to the office of the city attorney, city prosecutor, district attorney, or Attorney General, whichever office brought the action, and would allow the penalties collected by the Attorney General to be expended by the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to enforce the bill’s provisions."

Plastic bag companies are going to have to design a re-usable bag for California To lessen the pain the state will allow for funding in the form of loans & tax credits:

"(e) Applicants for funding under this section may also apply for funding or benefits from other economic development programs for which they may be eligible, including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(1) An income tax credit, as described in Sections 17059.2 and 23689 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(2) A tax exemption pursuant to Section 6377.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code."

Loans are also available.

42288.

 (a) Notwithstanding Section 42023.2, the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the Recycling Market Development Revolving Loan Subaccount in the Integrated Waste Management Account to the department for the purposes of providing loans for the creation and retention of jobs and economic activity in this state for the manufacture and recycling of plastic reusable grocery bags that use recycled content, including postconsumer recycled material.

(b) The department may expend, if there are applicants eligible for funding from the Recycling Market Development Revolving Loan Subaccount, the funds appropriated pursuant to this section to provide loans for both of the following:

(1) Development and conversion of machinery and facilities for the manufacture of single-use plastic bags into machinery and facilities for the manufacturer of durable reusable grocery bags that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of Section 42281.

(2) Development of equipment for the manufacture of reusable grocery bags, that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of Section 42281.

(c) A recipient of a loan authorized by this section shall agree, as a condition of receiving the loan, to retain and retrain existing employees for the manufacturing of reusable grocery bags that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of Section 42281.

(d) Any moneys appropriated pursuant to this section not expended by the end of the 2015–16 fiscal year shall revert to the Recycling Market Development Revolving Loan Subaccount for expenditure pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 42010) of Chapter 1.

The 5 types of stores that qualify:

(1) A full-line, self-service retail store with gross annual sales of two million dollars ($2,000,000) or more that sells a line of dry groceries, canned goods, or nonfood items, and some perishable items.

(2) Has at least 10,000 square feet of retail space that generates sales or use tax pursuant to the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code) and has a pharmacy licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(3) Is a convenience food store, foodmart, or other entity that is engaged in the retail sale of a limited line of goods, generally including milk, bread, soda, and snack foods, and that holds a Type 20 or Type 21 license issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

(4) Is a convenience food store, foodmart, or other entity that is engaged in the retail sale of goods intended to be consumed off the premises, and that holds a Type 20 or Type 21 license issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

(5) Is not otherwise subject to paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4), if the retail establishment voluntarily agrees to comply with the requirements imposed upon a store pursuant to this chapter, irrevocably notifies the department of its intent to comply with the requirements imposed upon a store pursuant to this chapter, and complies with the requirements established pursuant to Section 42284.