By Tom Cushing
E-mail Tom Cushing
About this blog: The Raucous Caucus shares the southpaw perspectives of this Boomer on the state of the nation, the world, and, sometimes, other stuff. I enjoy crafting it to keep current, and occasionally to rant on some issue I care about deeply...
(More)About this blog: The Raucous Caucus shares the southpaw perspectives of this Boomer on the state of the nation, the world, and, sometimes, other stuff. I enjoy crafting it to keep current, and occasionally to rant on some issue I care about deeply. My long, strange career trip has included law and management jobs in two Fortune 50 companies, before founding the legal search and staffing firm Cushing Group, Recruiters. I've lectured on negotiation and settlement strategy, and teach graduate courses at Golden Gate University (Adjunct of the Year for a doctoral seminar on business, law and society). Illinois, Texas and California (Inactive) admitted me to law practice; I hold JD and MBA degrees from the University of Illinois, and a BGS from the University of Michigan, with Distinction. There -- Go Blue! Personally, my daughters are a lawyer in NY, and a pre-med student in NM - their lives-and-times often animate these columns. I'm active in animal advocacy matters, having led a citizen team that took Alameda's city animal shelter to a non-profit operation - we saved $600K annually and the lives of some 700 companion animals/year vs. the City's best alternative. I'm delighted with that success. My family has re-homed 144 foster animals over many years; we host four boisterous border collies of our own. Mostly for humane movement efforts, I was nominated for GQ magazine's 2009 Better Men, Better World Award. You may notice that many of my rants relate to critter issues. In addition to the Raucous Caucus blog, I frequently contribute to The BARK magazine, and am a proud Moderator emeritus on the popular news and humor website
www.Fark.com. I prefer scotch over imported beer
(Hide)View all posts from Tom Cushing
Fauci: “This is a game changer”
US-based drug maker Pfizer announced today that it has successfully test-marketed its covid vaccine in a unique package with the company’s Erectile Dysfunction pill Viagra. Emergency FDA approval is anticipated shortly.
“We know that there’s been vaccine resistance among older men, especially in some parts of the country,” said CEO Albert Bourla. “We were stuck for how to address that - running some ideas up the flagpole, and this one popped-out. The Venn diagrams of potential customers and vaccine resistors overlap almost perfectly.”
The company chose Utah, Nebraska and Arkansas to test its concept. “We were particularly gratified by the reception in the Beehive State,” continued Bourla. “The governor’s office called it a win/win for public health, under the state's motto ‘Go forth and multiply.’”
Nebraskans were similarly upbeat: “It’s been a long year here, and there just ain’t that much to do,” said one Cornhusker.
The CDC’s response has been upbeat. “We hope that other vaccine makers will get creative and market their own package deals. We favor stiff competition, but Pfizer’s clearly got out ahead. I mean, what’s J&J got to offer – Tylenol?”
Pfizer will conduct its campaign under the title “Operation Hard Immunity.”
America’s epidemiologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, expressed optimism. “This is big. It being April First, we’d be Foolish to think the pandemic won’t peter-out in the second quarter.”
