Philadelphia’s City Council is one of the best opportunities for independent political candidates to win a seat in an important office. The 1951 City Charter established a 17-member Council consisting of 10 District and seven At-Large Council Members. Democrats could easily win all seven At-Large seats, but parties are only allowed to nominate five candidates…. Continue reading
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Debunking a Classic Anti-Vaccine Claim
One of the strongest arguments in support of vaccines comes from a historical perspective. The argument is simple. A hundred years ago everyone in the world would be infected or affected by a disease that is today, vaccine preventable. Since the invention and widespread use of vaccines, diseases like polio, diphtheria, and rubella are virtually… Continue reading
Does history really repeat itself?
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It is a beautifully simple, insightful, and now famous piece of wisdom from George Santayana, an American philosopher and poet, in 1905. With those words Santayana was explaining that the first step in progress was making sure you don’t regress. His argument was simple:… Continue reading
Death Investigation in Pennsylvania
When someone dies unexpectedly in Pennsylvania, authorities launch a death investigation. A quality investigation is important; it can be an effective tool to protect public safety and health. In Pennsylvania, the person in charge of determining the cause of death and issuing a death certificate is either the county coroner or medical examiner. A 2003… Continue reading
Good News: Philadelphia HPV Immunization Rates are High
This graph shows that Philadelphia’s 2014 teen rates for ≥1 dose of HPV vaccine are higher than the state and national averages. Last week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the National Immunization Survey (NIS) for adolescents in 2014. Since it was licensed in 2006, HPV vaccine rates have been far… Continue reading
The Fight for LGBT Rights in Philadelphia (1965-85)
On June 14, more than 25,000 people attended the Philly Pride Parade and Festival; among them were Mayor Michael Nutter, Governor Tom Wolf, and many others. This year marks 50 years since the first public gay rights demonstration in Philadelphia, and 2015’s event was far different from 1965. This 50 year history is the story… Continue reading