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Comment More evolutionary than revolutionary (Score 4, Informative) 49

This is the same technology that’s been used in left ventricular assist devices for awhile. The Thoratec HeartMate 3 even has the artificial “pulse” that this describes. Both the HeartMate 3 and HeartWare’s HVAD use magnetically levitated rotors in a centrifugal pump. The big difference here is that this is a whole-heart replacement, not just an assist device for the left heart. All of the current total artificial hearts are pneumatically powered and very loud. They’re also only used as a bridge to transplant, which I assume this would be too.

Comment Re:Huh (Score 1) 325

Optometrists aren't medical doctors, so are not members of the AMA. A quick Google search shows that their professional organization is the American Optometric Association, or AOA. So it'd be the AOA who is complaining to their local congressman. (Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and don't prescribe glasses/contacts; they do surgery on eyes.)

Comment Re:the phone may not always be in possession phone (Score 1) 150

Technically, most people (with the exception of clumsy carpenters) have 9 alternatives when it comes to fingerprints. Just stick to one until someone steals it, then switch. If [(average time it takes for someone to steal your biometric data) x 10] > (your remaining predicted lifespan), then you win!

Comment Re: Oh well. (Score 1) 130

I use pure oxygen all the time. It's piped into every room in the building where I work. I'm surrounded by people who have had minimal to no training on safe handling of pure oxygen. (I'm a physician and work in a hospital. For the record, we have pipeline supplies of nitrous oxide as well, which is a similarly strong oxidizer).

Comment Re:Gun-free zone? (Score 1) 1165

Japan, Australia, the UK and other countries with sane gun laws have murders, but almost no mass killings. The reason for this is the lack of firearms, whether you like to admit it or not, the abundance of guns is directly correlated with a high number of shootings. This is true for a lot of countries where guns are abundant (whether they're legal or not).

I know you said "almost," but still feel obligated to link to this. Don't need guns for a mass killing.

Comment As a physician... (Score 5, Interesting) 191

...I can agree this is totally true. Calling in sick does nothing but make my life harder. I feel bad about it, but from a job perspective, the alternative is piss off your co-workers who have to cover for you and get tagged with the reputation that you're lazy and trying to avoid work. Combine that with the need to get a doctor's excuse (another doctor; can't write your own), and it's just not worth it.

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