Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Police Detainment of a Patient Following Treatment With Radioactive Iodine

We recently treated a 34-year-old man for Graves disease with 20 mCi of iodine 131. Twenty-four hours after treatment, his radioactive iodine uptake was 63%. Three weeks after treatment, he returned to our clinic complaining that he had been strip-searched twice at Manhattan subway stations. Police had identified him as emitting radiation and had detained him for further questioning.

Another reason to avoid public transportation!

Interesting search and seizure question presented. One can decline an airport search by choosing not to fly. Can one decline a subway search by choosing not to travel? Does the emission of radioactivity provide sufficient suspicion or probable cause for a so-called Terry Stop by police? Who knows?

Tuesday, January 14, 2003

Vanity Fair Magazine Cover - "The Fire and Passion of Salma Hayak"
How will you know when right wingers have come to dominate the media and pop culture?

Easy. When Vanity Fair runs a cover story like "The Fire and Passion of Salma Hayak" but instead of having just played a bisexual Stalinist of Color in the movies, the featured well-endowed actress has just played the lead in the Phyllis Schlafly biopic.