Oh, crap, are you serious ? I'm already near the point of exhaustion tonight and now I find that C2C is bringing John Abramson, M.D on the show for 1st Hour Saturday Night Punnett. The topic : why America's health care system is broken and ineffective. Egads. This may be the first SNP to actually put me to sleep.

No pipe reference from Punnett last week, making it two in a row. Will he get back on the pipe wagon or is he abandoning it for good ? We'll find out this week.

"Midnight Express" kicks off and we are riding shotgun with Ian Punnett this first hour ...

IP is already hyping the Steve Quayle interview. "Revelatory radio", nice term use, IP.

e-mail reading time from Ian. Story from Liberty, Ohio. This town has a mystery scream. Animal expert says it comes from no known animal. Damn, I'd like to hear that scream.

e-mail re: "The Death Bell". Some harbinger of bad events. IP has no clue about it, but it fascinated.

e-mail promoting 60 Minutes this weekend with a story about how a whole tribe of folks survived because they had some foreknowledge.

Also, Osama bin Laden has "religious approval" to use a nuke in America. Ugh.

Cold Case from 1930. Possible break. Elderly woman has a clue. Post-mortem revelation. Sounds interesting.

Universal studios requires fingerprints for purse deposits.

Ha ha ! Ian wonders if people are remote viewing C2C and then says if so, "I'll put my pants back on !" Cracked me up there, IP, way to go.

Some story about virtual reality or something.

bayareaufoexpo.com plug, for no discernible reason.

Odd story of a frog beast known as a "Kappa".

Coyotes around Boston. Uh oh.

Gary contributes the throwback of the week, as IP talks about Fred Bell's appearance on the show last week.

Jo wants Ian to sing on the show. No thanks, Jo.

Steven is ashamed of C2C for having a past guest on the show. (I'm guessing Nancy Lieder) Ian says that happens a lot. People use shame to influence Coast. Ian wrote back to him crapping on him for trying to make him feel shameful. He managed to get the guy to write back an apology (using his own form of shame, no doubt) and said he was drunk when he wrote the e-mail. Good stuff. Ian appreciates his honesty.

"Friends don't let friends call drunk", according to Ian, who apparently has never listened to Friday night Open Lines or Colin Bennet's appearance last week.

Pre-hype for Dr. John Abramson ... next. He'll be talking about Vioxx and medical stuff.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Lesley, fresh off the critically acclaimed "Women of C2C" Grey Matters last week, takes it to new levels as she examines 2012 and how it will affect C2C. Titled "Is the End Coming Again ?", it'll appear @ binnallofamerica.com on Tuesday. Till then, read up @ Lesley's blog : http://thedebrisfield.blogspot.com/

END OF BREAK

Dr. John Abramson is from Harvard, near binnall.

Ian is asking about the TX Vioxx malpractice award. A quarter of a billion dollars ! Damn.

Abramson says the jury saw how much Merck hid data from doctors. He says what's going on in the medical industry is the "best kept secret" or something sinister like that.

Ian says people are getting killed by this.

Abramson agrees. He says cover-up involving Vioxx and Celebrex. He says FDA knew Vioxx wasn't anything special and 100,000 people had heart attacks after that. Wow.

Ian asks why Vioxx is the cause of heart attacks.

Abramson says people get equal relief from other drugs, but Vioxx causes the stuff that cause heart attacks.

IP says Vioxx causes the same relief as Alleve, but increases heart attack risks, which is what caused the big judgment in the first place.

Abramson cites a study that showed this and that Merck covered up the details. They also advertised and sold Vioxx more than ever after that. Yikes.

He says 80% of the Vioxx is taken in the US.

Ian says the pill commercials confuse him. He references the "purple pill", isn't that Viagra ? He asked his doctor is "such and such is right for me". He says the doctor said no, but I still think Ian uses Viagra, just a hunch.

Abramson says his Doctor is good. He blames advertising for driving folks to demand the pills.

Book plug where he recounts an anecdote about a patient who demanded Celebrex. Abramson wouldn't prescribe it. The dude says he'll leave if Abramson doesn't prescribe it. So Abramson did it ! Damn, nice Doctor.

Ian brings it around to doctors prescribing drugs to folks who don't need it and it is all driven by the "medical industrial complex". Since people aren't living better, it's not worth it.

Abramson says Ian is right. He says the media doesn't understand that the pills don't work. He says exercise and all that not fun stuff is the best way to improve health instead of simple pills. Boo to you, doctor, boo to you.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

binnall of america : audio, Season One ... is coming ... 9.10.5. From Crossfire to Inside Job and all points in-between, a comprehensive interview with the legendary researcher and house hold name in esoterica, Jim Marrs, conducted by binnall of binnallofamerica.com. A soon to be historic interview, as the paradigm of esoteric radio shifts, it's binnall of america : audio, Season One ... landing 9.10.5.

END OF BREAK

I just cracked open a cold orange Fanta as we slip into the 2nd half of tonight's SNP. So far ... so lame. Let's hope Abramson can bring this up into either something mildly interesting or Ian will say something amusing, like inquiring about how to remove foot acne or something.

They're opening up phone lines, so maybe someone will call in with some dopey stuff. Ian says there will be some startling statistics coming up. IP says the network newscasts are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. Good point by Punnett. Ian said "erectile dysfunction", bringing a wry smile to my face.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Khyron is taking a few weeks off, so I'm not sure how much updating he'll be doing to his blog, but keep it in mind as you go about your internet travels : khyron.net, home of Sci Fi Friday Showdown, an ongoing experiment with the number 8, first class movie reviews, and a host of other fine stuff as well. We hope to see the big K back @ BoA real soon.

END OF BREAK

Ian has "pet questions" for Abramson. "How to remove llama cysts" Just kidding.

He reads some story about how most scientific studies don't hold up in a second test.

Abramson says "this is one of the biggest secrets the public doesn't know". He said that about the last thing.

Wow. Most of the studies are funded by the drug companies. I didn't know that. Good solid info there. "Infomercial based medicine", good term by the Doc. He says the studies in the journals are paid for by medical companies.

Ian asks where the independent medical people are.

Abramson says only the brave media, citing IP. Aw, that's cute.

He says we have a crisis in America.

Ian asks if it is because of our diet and affluence. Maybe you, Mr. Ian "Chicken Fries" Punnett.

Abramson says it is the Doctors who give you medical information. He says people aren't asking the right question.

Ian's cholesterol is too high. He became a vegetarian. Hmm. He wants to know why the Doctor is interested in pushing meds.

Abramson says the "guidelines" want to triple the cholesterol drug taking folks in America. The studies cited don't add up to the need for this tripling.

Ian wants to push Abramson. He alleges kick backs.

Abramson says it is because of the guidelines, which cause bad HMO reports, then possible malpractice suits. CYA, baby.

Ian brings it all back home by showing how this affects the patient. Good grounding there, IP.

Abramson says some guys get "free lunches" and stuff like that. But it is the guidelines that are the source.

Ian wants to know more about the kick backs. Ian, you ponce.

Another dirty little secret from Abramson is that the drug companies know who gives out what medications. This helps the kick backs.

More bad stuff about these studies from Abramson.

Ian cites the gross stats about medicine in America. Obvious stuff and too lengthy to cite here. $2000 every year for every American on wasted medical stuff.

They come to the paradoxical item of how the higher the cost, the worse the medical help.

Caller Phil talks about how his mother suffered from a heart attack and stroke from medicines. He wants to know of alternatives.

Abramson says Tylenol. He cites an arthritis report that recommended the drugs, but was authored by guys tied into the drug companies.

Caller Chris was taking Vioxx and Celebrex. He wants some money for taking those drugs.

Abramson says there are lawsuits ongoing.

Caller Mike is big on natural medicine. "Eat the right stuff", is his recipe for healthy living. "7 year old girls, starting their periods and growing breasts". This makes Ian ask about this repulsive trend that has emerged.

Abramson thankfully no-sells that and says immigrants have a 30% increase in cancer upon coming to America. I'd like to see the citation on that stat.

Abramson wants us to bring the book to our doctor. (Just don't tell him you listen to C2C, you'll end up in the psyche ward)

Excited caller is ranting about something I can't quite follow him on. Medical marijuana ! That explains everything.

On that note, Dr. John Abramson has to go and SNP winds down.

Decent SNP this week. Not fantastic by any means. More than a tad dry, but the time flew by, so I can't complain too much.