Thursday, October 25, 2012

WPSR Community Forums for Health Professionals



Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility 
Engaging the community to create a healthy, peaceful and sustainable world.
You’re Invited! 
Join WPSR health professionals, friends, family, and colleagues for a unique health forum:

“Critical News & Views: Preventing Environment Related Disease”
Thursday, November 15     
4:45 – 7:00 pm
Ramblin Jack’s, 520 East 4th AveOlympia, WA

Expect brief & lively presentations on the latest research and implications for practice by WPSR and our Olympia partners. Light appetizers, spirits & spirited discussion on the issues WPSR supports:

  • Why multiple coal trains in the state of Washington may be harmful to human health
  • How we can protect children from exposure to toxic chemicals in their environment 
  • Why nuclear power plants are a threat to public health
  • How some Washington hospitals are leading the healthy food revolution 
We are delighted to offer this program to the Olympia community! RSVP’s welcome: mary@wpsr.org.  

Hosted By:

Alex Hamling, MD, MBA, Board Member and Tracy Bier, M ED, Executive Director, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility

Evan Hirsch, MD, ABIHM, Hirsch Holistic Family Medicine                                          

Beth Doglio, Campaign Director, Climate Solutions

Edward Cates, MD, Pioneer Family Medicine

1604 NE 50th Street, Seattle WA 98105 ~ Phone: 206.547.2630  ~  www.wpsr.org

Friday, October 5, 2012

Marking the passing of Sebastian and Colonel





I call your attention, for this evening and tomorrow morning will mark the farewell passing and final rights of Heidi's and I's two beloved chickens: Sebastian and Colonel.
Sebastian with his butt facing you! 

Colonel on her roost pole and peaking out from the way back! 

These two chickens represent one third of the new influx of six pullets that we raised through their "teenage" years as the matured into their "adult" life and development of their chicken personalities.

Seeing how this is our second round of pullets, with the first ending in 4 out of 4 being hens that remarkably walked, talked, and acted like roosters and all headed back to Vashon Island, Heidi and I were immediately suspicious about Sebastian.  With good foresight, we named him with a HIM name!  He just always had that "rooster" look over his smug beak.

As we know, here in Seattle, "roosters are not permitted" and must be dealt with accordingly; even if the day you decide to do the deed is the day prior to your wedding.  For more ideas about what is permitted and not permitted, I'll direct your readings towards the Seattle Municipal Code, Title 23 - Land Use Code.
Ariel and Billina (alive and well!)

Not having the expertise on dispatching live animals, there was a mighty battle that lead to the subduing of the crowing Sebastian.  His fresh carcass promptly went into the freezer after being double bagged, while Heidi and I headed off to our "Non-rehearsal Rehearsal Dinner" at Mamma Melina:

Dr. Alex and Heidi at our "Non-rehearsal Rehearsal Dinner."

For weeks Seb remained alone in his cold dark tomb until last week when Colonel joined him after she had a presumed and unfortunate neck injury that never healed well.  For the past two weeks, Colonel had a  constant creak in her neck and was unable to walk.  Eventually, despite setting up water and feed bowls close to her beak she was unable to successfully heal and we had to do what was right for her too.

Go figure! Here in King County there are handy guidelines on how to dispose of dead fowl:
     1. "Individual dead birds weighing less than 15 pounds can be disposed of in the household garbage. Place the bird in two sealed plastic bags."
     2. "A bird weighing less than 15 pounds may also be buried on the owners' property. But disposal in the garbage is usually a better option to avoid predators digging up the carcass."

We chose option 1, and this action will be carried about the time the sun rises this morning.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Alex