text:
The Faculty of Homeopathy have also put up a YouTube channel presenting videos of practitioners speaking about why they use homeopathy: www.youtube.com/user/facultyofhomeopathy
4Homeopathy have also created a series of videos on homeopathy http://www.findahomeopath.org.uk/WhatIsHomeopathy/Movies]]>
Rome 2015 International Homeopathic Conference Report
http://hpathy.com/scientific-research/extraordinary-evidence-homeopathys-best-research/ '… There have been hundreds of research studies on homeopathy with positive results. Rather than make you slog through a list of them, we'll show you the ten most amazing and convincing…'
http://hpathy.com/scientific-research/database-of-positive-homeopathy-research-studies/ '… Our homeopathic colleague and friend, Robert Medhurst, has been compiling positive research studies related to homeopathy since last several years. He initially shared a compilation of positive homeopathic research studies with us in 2010 and since December 2013, he has been sharing his findings with the community every month through Hpathy.com…' http://www.adelaidehillsnaturopath.com.au/about-robert.html
http://www.carstens-stiftung.de/core-hom/login.php Core Hom '… The CORE-Hom database has emerged from the need for a publicly available and reliable source of information in the field of homeopathy clinical research. The search grid offers a way to navigate this data, offering the possibility of searching the data through clinical condition or clinical field, name of author and more. The database was designed with the strongest scientific rigor in mind, to offer researchers and the general public a solid foundation from which to assess the quality of homeopathy trials as well the many clinical fields to which they relate. Registration and use of CORE-Hom are free of charge…'
http://ayushportal.nic.in/ Ayush Portal '… Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) was established as an autonomous organisation in 1978, under the Dept. of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Primarily a research body, CCRH has a multi-dimensional approach to research and its varied research activities include 'Survey, collection and cultivation of medicinal plants', 'Drug standardisation', 'Drug proving', 'Clinical verification' and 'Clinical research'. Besides, CCRH also collaborates with other research bodies for researches and monitors extramural researches…'
Of interest:
*From http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/05/16/editor-in-chief-of-worlds-best-known-medical-journal-half-of-all-the-literature-is-false/ '… In the past few years more professionals have come forward to share a truth that, for many people, proves difficult to swallow. One such authority is Dr. Richard Horton, the current editor-in-chief of the Lancet – considered to be one of the most well respected peer-reviewed medical journals in the world. Dr. Horton recently published a statement declaring that a lot of published research is in fact unreliable at best, if not completely false. "The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness." (source http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736%2815%2960696-1.pdf)…'
For a background to The Lancet, please read http://sueyounghistories.com/archives/2008/08/09/dark-beginnings-for-the-lancet/
'… This website responds to the criticisms of homeopathy made on the Sense About Science website. These criticisms are not valid, and it is unfortunate that a website presenting itself as scientific and sensible can be so unscientific, and so insensible of its subject. The website is criticising nothing but its own mistaken understanding of homeopathy, not homeopathy itself. The same applies to theNightingale Collaboration website. (Some parts of the account of homeopathy given on that website are exactly the same. Is similarity on homeopathy acceptable in small doses?)…'
From http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-01-31/raipur/46869136_1_handicapped-persons-sensation-homoeopathy: '… RAIPUR: If the claims of the Directorate of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), are to be believed, a pilot project of testing homeopathy drugs on leprosy patients has proven successful in restoring sensation to the affected parts of body.
According to officials, the project started for patients from the districts of Raigarh and Janjgir-Champa, had shown encouraging results with over 80% of them recovering senses to their affected body parts.
The project, Prevention of Disability in Leprosy Cured Persons through Homeopathy, was started in January 2013 following a MoU signed by the Department of Aayush with the Society for Welfare of Handicapped Persons and State Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh. Under the project, 2,700 such patients- who had undergone multi drug allopathic treatment for leprosy but were suffering from ulcer and lack of sensation in affected body parts- were selected and administered homeopathic drugs for a year to restore sensation. According to project head, Dr Dhruv Chakravarty, Society for Welfare of Handicapped Persons, though the multi-drug allopathic treatment cures leprosy, it often fails to cure the lack of sensation and disability in the affected body parts.
"After the year-long homeopathy course, it was found that more than 80% of the patients had recovered the senses in their affected body parts and their wounds had healed," said Dr Dhruv. Positive effects of the medicine were found on the nerves, the bones and the immunity of the patients, they said.
Officials said chief minister Raman Singh had been informed about the success of the experiment during a simple ceremony organized at his residence on the eve of World Leprosy Prevention Day on Wednesday. He congratulated the team for successful results of the test.
CM instructed principal secretary of Health Department, MK Raut to discuss about the benefits of this treatment with doctors of Society for Welfare of Handicapped Persons and to explore the possibilities of expanding this project to other parts of the state…'
From http://www.homeopathy-ecch.org/Progressive Portuguese Government Shows Belgian Government The Error of Its Reactionary Way
lei_n._71-2013_tnc.pdf NB The wording of the new Portuguese law begins at the bottom right of the first page. An approximate English translation is available here: port – eng law.pdf
'… On the 2 September 2013 the Health Minister of the Portuguese Government, Paulo Macedo, introduced the enacting legislation that lays down the future legal framework for the regulation of the practice homeopathy and 6 other CAM disciplines in Portugal. Lei 71/2013 is the product of a long process extending over a number of years and clearly sets out the requirements in terms of education and regulation for practitioners of CAM disciplines who do not have a conventional medical training but who wish to practise their discipline competently and responsibly.The law establishes a framework that will facilitate the regulated growth of 7 new healthcare professions that will make a valuable contribution to the future healthcare of Portugal's people. Given the current crisis in healthcare precipitated by the failure of whole categories of medicines such as antibiotics, hospital systems under severe strain and the growing burden of chronic disease in an ageing population, these new professions will have an increasingly relevant role to play in helping maintain health and treating ill-health effectively in the future.
The new Portuguese law stands in direct contrast to the way the Belgian Minister of Public Health, Ms Laurette Onkelinx has acted in this regulatory arena. In 1999 a perfectly good law, known as the Collas Law, was introduced onto the Belgian statute books aimed at establishing the regulation of homeopathy and three other disciplines by practitioners in a very similar way to that now achieved by the Portuguese Government. Unfortunately, after a long period in limbo, the law has latterly been through a highly questionable consultation process that has resulted in a perversion the original intention of the law.
After much lobbying by the Belgian homeopathic doctors the Collas law now defines homeopathy as a 'medical act' and restricts its practice to doctors, dentists and midwives. As a result homeopaths who currently practise in Belgium will now have to stop practising and non-one else can train in the future to be a homeopath in Belgium. Clearly, while Portugal promotes the future healthcare of its people, Belgium simply protects a small minority of doctors' interests…'
Sociedade Homeopática de Portugal
(Homeopathic Society of Portugal)
Luís de Camões nº 65 – 2º Esq.
2795-126 Linda-a-Velha
tel.: +351-214-193886
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sociedade Portuguesa de Homeopatia
(Portuguese Society of Homeopathy)
Rua Andrade Corvo, 16, R/C-Dtº
1000 Lisboa
tel.: +351-21-3153355 / 3153626
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
See also http://avilian.co.uk/2013/10/11/undue-industry-influences-that-distort-healthcare-research-strategy-expenditure-and-practice-a-review/
'… Drug companies, regulatory bodies and research groups are in a deadlock over plans to throw open the vaults of sensitive data gleaned from clinical trials. But just as the battle seems to be coming to a head, a study (B. Wieseler et al. PLoS Medicine 10, e1001526; 2013) has revealed exactly why the restricted information could be so valuable to researchers.
According to the analysis, crucial trial information, such as mortality rates and serious side effects, is missing from much published data. But it can frequently be found in standard non-public documents prepared by industry, known as clinical study reports (CSRs). Missing information uncovered by the study includes details of depression symptoms in trials for anti- depressant drugs, and details of heart attacks and strokes in diabetes-drug trials. "These are very, very important variables and outcomes," says the study's lead author, Beate Wieseler, head of the drug-assessment department at the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in Cologne, Germany.
Wieseler strongly supports making all CSRs publicly available. "That is not an option, but a necessity," she says. "There should be no question that these documents be made available."
The issue of CSR access is shaping up to be a key sticking point in a major European push to make available more data from clini- cal trials. Drug companies send the reports to the European Union's European Medicines Agency (EMA) when they apply for licences to sell their products, and the agency has made clear that it would like to release the forms as part of a drive to increase transparency. It is currently drawing up a policy to that effect. Advocates of transparency say that such a policy will allow greater scrutiny of the benefits and harms of drugs, and will help researchers who are working on cures for diseases.
Some companies, including pharmaceuticals giants Roche, based in Basel, Switzerland, and GlaxoSmithKline in London, have already said that they will make their CSRs available to vetted researchers. But industry has pushed back against the wider moves to greater transparency.
In an e-mail to Nature, Richard Bergström, the director-general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), said that in their current state, CSRs are fundamentally unsuitable for publication. The EFPIA believes that the EMA's proposed mechanisms for protecting the commercially sensitive and personal details contained in many of these documents are inadequate — the mechanisms require that information be 'de-identified' and released only for bona fide research purposes. Such personal data must be properly redacted if these documents are to be made public, says Bergström.
"My members are very concerned about this," he says. "If the EMA accepts our redactions, we have no problem." If the agency disregards the EFPIA's concerns, however, Bergström warns that there may be a series of lawsuits against the EMA.
The EMA has already been taken to court by two biotechnology companies, AbbVie of North Chicago, Illinois, and InterMune of Brisbane, California, to block release of their information under existing rules, whereby any researcher can request information. The cases are ongoing and have severely restricted releases of other requested data.
But advocates of greater transparency are fighting for the EMA to release all data, which they say can easily be anonymized.
In the study, Wieseler and her team examined the information in 101 CSRs given to them by pharmaceutical companies, and compared it with the information about the same clinical trials that is available in the public domain, found in journal publications and reports in trial registries.
The unpublished sources provided considerably more information on the key findings, or outcomes, relating to the treatments being assessed, including mortality rates and adverse events. In total, the team found 1,080 out- comes relevant to patients. Complete information was available for 86% of these in the CSRs, but for only 39% in the publicly available information. When looking only at outcomes related to harm — such as adverse reactions to a drug — the researchers found that complete information was found for 87% of outcomes in the CSRs, but for only 43% in public records. In some cases, no public information was available at all for a given CSR. But when looking only at cases in which there was both a CSR and a public document, the researchers found similar proportions of missing information in the publicly available records (see 'Inside drug-company data vaults').
"Does it surprise me? No. Is this stuff really important? Yes," says Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK, and co-founder of a group called AllTrials, which campaigns for more clinical-trial transparency. "It's becoming obvious that what's portrayed in the journal world does not reflect the whole truth."
In a public consultation that ended last week, the EMA's proposals attracted support from other quarters. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the UK drug regulator, says that it welcomes the EMA's proposals, "and will work to align our position with theirs".
A joint response from UK biomedical- research funders, including the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council also backs the EMA's plans. However, the group voices concerns over the sharing of data from individual patients; it says that more safeguards should be put in place to ensure that data are given only to trusted researchers who will not "wrongfully contradict" the results of trials.
The EMA hopes to have its policy in place by the start of next year. Documents without sensitive personal data will be made available for download from its website, whereas those that do contain such data will be available only after anonymization to vetted researchers. Documents with commercially confidential information will be released separately…'
See http://avilian.co.uk/2008/08/25/scientific-research-and-homeopathy-overview/
See also http://avilian.co.uk/2012/09/14/false-positives-fraud-and-misconduct-are-threatening-scientific-research/
See also http://avilian.co.uk/2013/10/18/secrets-of-trial-data-revealed-records-of-side-effects-seen-in-clinical-tests-are-missing-from-publicly-available-documents/
From http://onlinelibrary.wiley.
Abstract: Background: Expenditure on industry products (mostly drugs and devices) has spiraled over the last 15 years and accounts for substantial part of healthcare expenditure. The enormous financial interests involved in the development and marketing of drugs and devices may have given excessive power to these industries to influence medical research, policy, and practice.
Material and methods: Review of the literature and analysis of the multiple pathways through which the industry has directly or indirectly infiltrated the broader healthcare systems. We present the analysis of the industry influences at the following levels: (i) evidence base production, (ii) evidence synthesis, (iii) understanding of safety and harms issues, (iv) cost-effectiveness evaluation, (v) clinical practice guidelines formation, (vi) healthcare professional education, (vii) healthcare practice, (viii) healthcare consumer's decisions.
Results: We located abundance of consistent evidence demonstrating that the industry has created means to intervene in all steps of the processes that determine healthcare research, strategy, expenditure, practice and education. As a result of these interferences, the benefits of drugs and other products are often exaggerated and their potential harms are downplayed, and clinical guidelines, medical practice, and healthcare expenditure decisions are biased.
Conclusion: To serve its interests, the industry masterfully influences evidence base production, evidence synthesis, understanding of harms issues, cost-effectiveness evaluations, clinical practice guidelines and healthcare professional education and also exerts direct influences on professional decisions and health consumers. There is an urgent need for regulation and other action towards redefining the mission of medicine towards a more objective and patient-, population- and society-benefit direction that is free from conflict of interests.
Introduction: A universal characteristic of most healthcare systems in developed countries is the heavy focus on pharmacological approaches for treating and preventing chronic disease and the considerable expenditure on high-tech medical equipment, devices and technologies. This focus is often linked to astonishing financial interests, such as the $130 billion a single drug (Lipitor) generated over 14 years [1], an amount that is higher than the 2010 gross domestic product of 129 of the 184 countries in the world [2]. Besides traditional drugs, biologics and devices can also produce huge revenue. For example, the manufacturers of anti-TNF biological drugs and therapies have created a $10 billion annual market [3, 4] even though these agents are used for indications with rather modest, incremental benefits. The market for drug-eluting stents for coronary artery disease is $4·6 billion per year in the United States alone [5], even though a large share of the indications for which these stents are used (e.g. stable coronary disease) has no supporting evidence [6-9]. This excessive financial capacity and the associated political and lobbying power allow the industry to dictate the rules of the healthcare game to serve its interests at several levels. The industry's interests are often at stark contrast to those of the patients and the society. In this article, we try to analyse the multiple complex pathways through which the industry has directly or indirectly infiltrated healthcare systems including strategic direction, expenditure, research, medical education and daily clinical practice. How the industry influences healthcare research, strategy, expenditure and practice:
How the industry influences healthcare research, strategy, expenditure and practice: The industry has created means to intervene in all steps of the processes that influence healthcare research, strategy, expenditure and practice. These include evidence base production, evidence synthesis, understanding of harms issues, cost-effectiveness evaluation, clinical guidelines formation, healthcare professional education and direct influences on healthcare professional decisions (Fig. 1).Address: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. (E. Stamatakis); School of Public Health, Prevention Research Collaboration, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia (E. Stamatakis); University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK (R. Weiler); Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine and Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (J. P. A. Ioannidis); Department of Statistics, Stanford University School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (J. P. A. Ioannidis).References:
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From http://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2013/robert-downey-jr-indio-downey-rehab-drugs-pain-med-addiction-1003/ '… Robert Downey Jr. is no stranger to the life of addiction, and now it seems as if his oldest son, 20-year-old Indio Downey, is seeking help in rehab for his addiction to prescription pain medication. Apparently, Indio's mother, Deborah Falconer, confirmed to the National Enquirer that he has sought treatment. However, she also noted that we wasn't necessarily "addicted," as he was only taking one pill a day. But, in my opinion, when you don't need the meds, then one-a-day is one too many. It's not a vitamin, folks. If Indio's addiction is true, then we're so glad he's seeking treatment while he's still young and his body malleable. "He was not addicted," says Debbie. "He was taking one pill a day," and his rehab primarily consists of "holistic, natural and orthomolecular" treatments."We are hoping to do it the homeopathic way rather than with medications."…'
From http://www.contactmusic.com/story/robert-downey-jr-s-son-seeking-drug-treatment_3888526 '… The Iron Man star's ex-wife Deborah Falcone, has revealed 20-year-old Indio is currently receiving "holistic, natural and orthomolecular" therapy at an undisclosed treatment facility.. Falcone explains her son, who is a promising musician and actor, was only taking one prescription pain pill a day and does not have addiction issues. However, Downey Jr. reportedly fears his son is battling the same issues he fought 20 years ago, when he was in-and-out of drug rehab facilities and jail...'
From http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Oct-10/234128-alternative-medicine-lacks-regulation.ashx#axzz2hGjKdgpm BEIRUT: Alternative medical treatments are becoming ever more popular in Lebanon. Holistic treatments such as reiki, acupuncture, homeopathy and Chinese herbal medicine are catching on with the public, thanks to word-of-mouth recommendations and increased international exposure via celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and David Beckham, practitioners say. These treatments are currently exempt from state regulation and in the absence of self-regulatory bodies, which often govern non-mainstream medical practices in countries such as the U.S. and the U.K., qualified practitioners say there is little to prevent charlatans from passing themselves off as experts.
In addition, there is an ongoing problem, which started several years ago and has yet to be resolved, with television ads for supposed herbal cures that may expose the public to danger, says Professor Antoine Boustany, president of the Lebanese Order of Physicians.
Many of those practitioners in Lebanon who are properly qualified say that they would welcome a system of regulation.
Dr. Edmond Ibrahim, who is qualified in both Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, which he spent four years studying in China, runs his own practice in Beirut.
He says that the formation of a Lebanese syndicate for TCM – which includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and tuina acupressure massage – would solve many of the problems facing practitioners and the public alike, helping to prevent quacks from offering potentially dangerous services and engendering greater confidence in alternative medicine among the public and mainstream medical professionals.
"We don't have rules here," he says. "We don't have a syndicate. It's a governmental problem. … There are too many people who say they're acupuncturists but probably they are not."
Eva Zaatari, who studied acupuncture in the U.K., completing a three-year bachelor's degree in Chinese medicine and acupuncture at the University of Westminster, stresses that acupuncture is a complementary – rather than an alternative – treatment, as it supplements Western medicine instead of competing with it.
In spite of this, she says, local doctors are often distrustful of non-mainstream medicine.
"In Lebanon it's really not the same as in the U.K.," she elaborates. "In the U.K. they rely on acupuncture now. Even general practitioners refer patients to acupuncture, for example for migraines or insomnia, because they tend to not want to give so many medications anymore."
Unlike in the U.S., where most states require that acupuncturists have a national board certification in order to practice, in the U.K. acupuncturists don't have to register with the state, she explains.
However, most qualified acupuncturists register with the self-regulatory British Acupuncture Council.
"It's not compulsory," she explains, "but it's preferable and no patient will go to anyone else."
But in Lebanon, there is no way for alternative practitioners to become officially recognized as professionals.
"When I came back to Lebanon the first thing I did is to go to the Health Ministry and ask them what status I have," Zaatari recalls, "because I'm already a dietician … For acupuncturists it's still a vague area. They told me 'As long as you don't [prescribe] 'medicine' it should be fine.'
"If there was a syndicate that would really help things," she adds, "because acupuncture is invasive. You are putting needles in somebody's body, so it has to be very clean. We should follow very rigid guidelines … If they're not sterile then you can really cause damage – infections from needles can be very serious."
Ibrahim says herbal medications can also be dangerous in the wrong hands, despite the widely held misconception that anything herbal must be harmless.
"Chinese medicine is a system," he stresses, "it's not only giving herbs. There is theory, there is a diagnosis and there is a treatment – it's like Western medicine."
When it comes to prescribing herbal remedies, however, there is widespread confusion as to the laws. Ibrahim, who believes he is currently the only Lebanese practitioner qualified in traditional Chinese medicine, says that due to the complicated process of registering medications with the Health Ministry, he does not currently import the medicine himself. Instead, he recommends patients bring them from abroad.
When it comes to the current regulations, ministry officials, the LOP and practitioners all provide differing information, suggesting a chaotic and poorly regulated system.
Boustany explains that herbal medications are not considered medicine by the Health Ministry and are therefore not subject to the same regulations and registration procedure as pharmaceutical drugs.
"A specialized committee is needed to look into the case," he said. "We believe that all items related to the healing or treatment of people should be supervised and checked by the Health Ministry before hitting the market or even authorized to be imported."
Dr. Armouni, head of the department of food supplements at the Health Ministry, says that all imported foodstuffs and drugs are subject to strict safety checks and regulations, but adds that she knows nothing about the status of Chinese herbal medicine or homeopathic herbal remedies.
"I can't answer with regard to how homeopathy or acupuncture or Chinese medicine works," she said.
While Chinese herbal medicine must be imported, homeopathic remedies are prepared at one or two homeopathic pharmacies in Lebanon, says homeopath Yvonne Siblini.
"Homeopathy is not legalized in Lebanon as yet, though we still have pharmacies – you can explain to me how that goes," she told The Daily Star.
Lebanon is not alone in failing to come up with a system to regulate herbal medication. Many countries allow herbal medicines to be prescribed and sold without subjecting them to quality checks, including Germany and the U.K.
However, increased awareness of the dangers associated with this lack of regulation in recent years has pushed many countries to begin monitoring alternative practitioners.
A 1968 U.K. law, known as the "herbal exemption" allows unlicensed remedies to be made and supplied by practitioners following a one-to-one consultation, but a 2011 Department of Health announcement called for this law to be changed in favor of implementing strengthened medicines legislation, including a statutory register for practitioners.
As the popularity of alternative treatments in Lebanon increases a similar need is making itself felt.
HRI Barcelona 2013 – Key Facts
• 180 delegates from over 30 countries
• Presenters from over 20 countries
• 42 oral presentations + 25 posters
• Diverse programme included basic research, fundamental research, clinical research, qualitative
research, pathogenetic trials, disease prevention, veterinary research and ethics
Read about more about scientific research on homeopathy
The Homeopathy Research Institute's 1st International Research Conference, 'Cutting Edge Research in Homeopathy', took place in Barcelona in May-June 2013. With a programme dedicated solely to high-end, robust scientific research, this was the first gathering of its kind in a decade. After 18 months of preparation and anticipation, the HRI team was delighted to witness the event being hailed as a resounding success by respected peers from around the world. Find out more in the full HRI Conference Report here.
The primary goal for this conference was to gather together the best researchers in the world, from as many subfields of homeopathy research as possible. Thanks to input from HRI's Scientific Advisory Committee, plus other expert reviewers from around the world who kindly volunteered their time, this goal was achieved.
The high calibre of presentations was evident throughout the intensive programme which included talks by five Professors and 40 Doctors (PhDs and medics), from institutions as far afield as Universidade Paulista (Sao Paolo, Brazil), University of Verona (Italy), University of Berne (Switzerland) and the Finlay Institute (Havana, Cuba).
Discussions of new findings captured the 'cutting edge' theme of the conference, particularly a session looking at possible mechanisms of action of homeopathic medicines. Other sessions concentrated on the pragmatic realities of delivering homeopathy within public health systems e.g. in Italy and the UK. Clinical studies testing homeopathic products for specific named conditions (e.g. teething in children), were presented by several European research teams, as well as trials showing the effectiveness of individualised homeopathic prescribing (the type of care delivered by most homeopaths) for conditions such as PMS and ADHD.


text:
"Where Are We in the Multiverse?" (@ Why There is and Why There Is Anything)Here's the first paragraph: There are two avenues from modern physics to the belief that the universe we see around us is not all there is, but is instead one of infinitely many like it. The first is inflationary cosmology; the second is quantum mechanics. Though very different, these two multiverse models share two features: first, they both posit objective physical probabilities that tell us how likely we are to b … [Read more...]
Interesting Blog Post about a Multiverse
March 27, 2014 by 58 Comments
Reply to Prof. Feser's Fourth Question
February 28, 2014 by 56 Comments
Ed, Here is your fourth question to me: "4. In response to another reader's question, about Craig's version of the First Cause argument, you wrote: "Both theists and atheists begin with an uncaused brute fact. For Craig it is God, and for me it is the universe." Now, as you know, the expression "brute fact" is typically used in philosophy to convey the idea of something which is unintelligible or without explanation. And your statement gives the impression that all theists, or at least most of t … [Read more...]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What would you like to do?
How long does the pain from shingles normally last?
- 2 weeks to 4 months and the pain can be unbearable! I thought I
had messed up my shoulder bad! It first started on my shoulder and
felt like a bruise, then just a tiny quarter size rash appeared,
after about a week I could barely use my arm so I went to the Dr.
and she said it was shingles. I was so relieved that that my
shoulder rotary cuff was not messed up and no surgery was needed!
But the pain is real, my Dr. put me on Valtrex and Lortab, it still
took almost a week for the pain to subside where I could actually
use my arm again. It was almost impossible to get any sleep. It has
been 2 weeks since it started and there is still some pain and
throbbing but it is so much better now, so there is hope, just hang
in there!
- My husband has recently had shingles this is his 5th week of pain. He has gone back to work but is still in agony. His rash is clearing up, but the pain for him is tremendous. The doctor has prescribed him Co-codamol but it seems to be doing very little. His employees at work say that the pain should only last a week and they are giving him a hard time about it, which is making him very run down and tired. He is getting no sleep at night and can't settle.
- I have shingles and I suggest that your husband go back to his Doctor for stronger pain meds. I am on Morphine patches for the pain and its been 5 weeks for me now. The rash is almost gone, but the pain hasn't. My Doctor says the pain is Postherpetic Neurqalgia. And one of the most difficult pains to control. Remember to be very determined when talking to Doctor, don't let him just shrug off the pain.
- As below and in other answers, the rash will clear up in two to three weeks, but the pain is intense, and can go on for much longer. In my case, a friend said that it is an illness that can start when a person is run down, and a bit exhausted. After three weeks I took her advice, and started eating lots of rich nutritious food, mince pies (it was before Christmas), chocolate cheese cakes, frittatas, etc. I even nearly tried her remedy of Guinness with condensed milk. I would say that I started to feel better for the first time after that.
- I have had shingles for about four weeks. The pain started deep in my ribs, several ribs still feel bruised. It was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain, so it was too late to benefit from the anitiviral. The rash is minimal, just two patches, one on the shoulder blade, the other just under my left breast. The rash never oozed, looked more like insect or spider bites. I take prednisone, neurontin and Tylenol with codeine. I read that it's important to take extra vitamin C, so I use a packet of Emeren -C every day. I tried the lidoderm patch but it irritated my skin. I try to dress in light layers of cotton clothing, by day's end nothing is comfortable. I guess that I am having a milder form of shingles pain, I have been able to go to school (I'm a teacher) and with Valium I do get sleep at night. My husband rubs my back every night, and it's the only thing that really comforts me. He uses a light touch, especially on the left side where the rash and pain are, but it seems that the light movement of his hand, which warms as he massages, really helps. The last few days, I seem to have more energy and more tolerance for the pain.
Was this answer useful?
Thanks for the feedback!
Is it normal if you had shingles months ago but continue to get the horrible pain with no rash and how long does it continue?
Answer . You may need to ask your doctor for a little help with this one. Shingles pain can continue for quite a while after the condition has supposedly cleared up.. Ans…wer . Yes, it's possible. Nerve pain is a common lingering side effect of shingles. It can lessen over time and even disappear, but some people need pain management therapy to deal with the pain. There are a lot of resources on the web devoted to shingles.
How long do shingles last?
Shingles outbreaks can last three to four weeks. The blister stage of shingles can last three to five days.
How long does the rash last from shingles?
I can tell you that it lasts longer than two weeks because i have shingles right now and it has been two week and these are just starting to ooze, i know its gross. I have bee…n looking on many other sites and they have said that it will last for about a month. I think that it really depends on the person and how bad your shingles are now. Many of the cases will vary so depending on how long you have had them and how bad they are, you can guess how long it will last. I would recommend that you go to your doctor but i went to mine and she told me this was supposed to last 5 days and that's definitely not the case. Good luck with the pain
How long will you have shingles and when does the pain go away?
i have shinges for 3 weeks . i still have pain in the back . on the right side . on my stomack area and soft red marks . i like to knew long in have to suffer with shing…les ? email@example.com
How long do the shingles last?
The visible symptoms of shingles usually lasts about 2 weeks. The full period including when general illness or skin soreness are the only symptoms usually lasts abo…ut a month. However, some patients may develop Post-Herpetic Neuralgia which is the most serious complication of shingles. Post-Herpetic Neuralgia can last for months or years and can be very painful.
How long does shingles in the mouth last?
Shingles in the mouth can last up to one month. However, if they are treated and you receive antibiotics for the shingles, they were heal at a much faster rate than if you… allow them to heal naturally.
How long can shingles last?
I have shingles since the first sting under left arm Sept 25th thought I got a bug bite the next day there was no bite just terrible itching in about a week the rash started s…till not much pain just itching the second week pain near the rash it progressed all the way around my chest to mid back felt like a vise is holding me clamping down from front thru to back. unbearable at times my doc said it was shingles I already knew had it small patch on right shoulder when i was a teenager. Took neurotin and antiviral full dose quit the neurontin it made me so dizzy couldn't walk went to another doc she gave me percocet helps me sleep and get thru the day it is now 5 weeks still have pain it is constant but aleve helps it now my doc said it is post pain and could last two months or off and on rest of your life. I'm a retired RN in all the yrs i worked never heard of anyone having it that long it will go away but when is the secret.I will for sure get the vaccine when I'm healed.
Can a liver transplant patients get shingles and how long does it last?
Liver transplant recipients can get shingles. Shingles which is caused by Varicella zoster, the virus responsible for chicken pox. Following chicken pox infection the virus ca…n lie dormant in nerve endings for many years. Shingles requires prompt treatment in immunosuppressed individuals. Treatment can be given orally in the form of Aciclovir, if however the shingles rash does not respond to this then Intra-venous Aciclovir should be administered. The painful rash usually clears up after 2-3 weeks however the area affected may remain painful and sensitive for some time after a shingles outbreak.
How long does a shingle roof last?
They are usually guaranteed for 30 years. However, they are now making a shingle that is guaranteed for 50 years.
How long does shingles pain last?
Months to a decade if you are talking about the neuralgia that comes with it
How long does a case of the shingles last?
I wish I had a definite answer for you but I don't. Shingles break outs vary in how long stay around. A lot depends on diet, immune system, and stress. The great thing is now …they have medication that can lessen the time and the amount of Shingles. My Grandma has had Shingles twice. The first time she had a ton of them but her recovery time was longer and the second time she went to the doctor immediately and received Valtrex resulting in less Shingles but they lasted for 2 months! You just never know. Some things to make you more comfortable if you do contract Shingles: - Ibuprofen - An anti-itch cream or lotion - Clean your shingles with soap and water twice a day. - Use a cool compress to keep your rash cool to relive pain and itching - Add a small amount of vinegar to your compress for extra help with pain and itching - Relax in an Oatmeal or Baking Soda bath - Try one of the treatments for Shingles: Zovirax, Valtrex, or Famvir
How long does fatigue last after shingles with no rash?
I would say that you can't reliably diagnose zoster (shingles) without the rash. Some specialists have coined the term "zoster sine herpete" for symptoms (usually pain) withou…t any rash that they believe is due to the varicella virus (the cause of chicken pox and then shingles) but the existence of this has been difficult to establish and it is nearly impossible (some would say impossible) to diagnose in most clinical settings.
How long does fatigue from shingles last?
The answer of course is, "it depends". Usually the fatigue will reduce and then disappear as the breakout does, much like it does with that other viral infection you have alre…ady experienced, the flu. In a minority of cases however, the fatigue may last for weeks or even months.
Is it normal to have shingles rash and pain over 2 weeks?
I have shingles in my scalp and the pain is 10+ this is week 5 and the Dr. Said it could last several more they now have me on Hydrocodone and the haelp but the pain is BIG
How long does neuralgia from shingles last?
It can last for years and become a chronic condition lasting up to a lifetime. This is not in all people, of course. Neuralgia may also be acute and disappear when the shingle…s do.
How long does shingles vacine last?
The answer is not sure. The current recommendation is just 1 vaccine for people older than 50. The vaccine is relatively new so no one knows for sure how long it will last.
Does the pain after shingles last long?
how long does pain of shingles last even after rash has been gone for several weeks


text:
In Berlin last weekend, people kept asking me about the May 6 British election and I kept asking them the German for "hung parliament." None could help me. The German for "hung parliament" is simply "parliament," because the proportional representation system the country adopted in 1949 routinely produces parliaments with no overall majority, the result so feared in Britain. At a quick count, the Federal Republic has had less than two years of single-party or tolerated minority government in the past 60. Yet it somehow fails to resemble the ghastly chaos with which conservative, popular British newspapers like the Daily Mail and The Sun are now trying to scare their readers.
An example quite beyond parody appeared in Tuesday's Sun, where the bare-breasted Page 3 girl ("26, from London") was described as follows: "Becky is concerned by the prospect of electoral reform in a hung parliament. She said: 'In legislatures with proportional representation, minority or coalition government is often the norm. I'd hate to live in a country like Italy that has had 61 governments in 65 years - even if I do love Italian food.' " This gem followed a front page proclaiming: "Well Hung … and Shafted" (also hard to translate into German). The lead story noted warnings by "Tories and top businessmen" that a coalition "would plunge the country into chaos."
Obviously, it does not follow that because you have a "hung" parliament like Germany, you will end up with German economic success, any more than it follows that you will end up with Italian political instability - or Italian food, for that matter. But Germany does show that you can have an effective economic policy with a coalition; and Greece shows that you can have a lousy one with a clear single-party majority. It all depends who does it and how.
Every variant has its own strengths and weaknesses. Designed to prevent the rise of another Hitler, the German system now has almost too many checks and balances. For example, the German part of the Eurozone-IMF bailout for Greece has been held hostage to the May 9 provincial elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, which will affect the balance of power in the upper house. Yet, as Greek government debt is reduced to junk status and the yield on Greek two-year bonds briefly soared to a staggering 38 per cent on Wednesday, it has become clear that the markets are not inclined to wait.
There was a time, about 10 years ago, when I heard some Germans arguing that they needed Britain's "first past the post" electoral system. Only thus could decisive economic reforms pull Germany out of its post-unification trough. But the past decade has proved those siren voices wrong. Germany has made tough economic adjustments, forcing down unit labour costs, and it has done so largely in co-operation with the unions. German-style "change through consensus" takes longer, but is less socially divisive and ultimately more durable.
As the bond market sharks circle around Europe, sniffing blood, this is not the perfect moment to set about reforming the British electoral system. That moment was Tony Blair's election victory in 1997, when it could have accompanied devolution to Scotland and Wales. But Labour refused the historic chance.
As a recent study from the British Academy's new policy centre shows, the first-past-the-post system worked reasonably well back in 1951, when 97 per cent of the vote went to Conservatives or Labour. In the 2005 general election, those two parties got just 69 per cent between them. This gradual erosion of two-party politics has been turned into a mudslide by popular revulsion at the recent MP expenses scandal.
So this may not be the perfect moment, but it is where Britain is now. Unless there is a major shift in the last week of the campaign, it will have a "hung parliament." Then, British politicians will need to start behaving more like Germans - but without clear rules, without experience of the game and 10 times faster.
For if German "change through consensus" takes a long time, so does its coalition-building. Talks go on for weeks. In Britain, urgent, painful decisions will need to be made about public spending and taxation in order to keep the bond-market sharks at bay. If the Eurozone summit set for May 10 fails to save Greece, then the sharks will have plenty of continental European fare to feast on. If that summit pulls Greece out of the water, mauled but still alive, and slings a rope to Portugal, then the sharks might just fancy a little nibble at the legs of fair Britannia, splashing around in unfamiliar waters.
So what takes five weeks in Germany needs to happen in about five days in Britain. German consensus-building, British speed. Starting on the morning of May 7, Britain's political leaders will have to start behaving like grown-ups - not like the schoolboys we see shouting in the House of Commons.
Whether this is a formal coalition or a tolerated minority government, there must be agreement on a way forward on electoral reform and a way forward on public finances. After a half-century of unjust exclusion, the Liberal Democrats would be both mad and wrong not to insist on the former; the national interest demands the latter. The lead British analyst for Moody's credit rating agency recently told the Financial Times that a fiscal plan agreed to by coalition "could actually be quite positive, because it would imply broad popular support." But the politicians will have to get there, and fast - to a place they have never been before, while committing to spending cuts for which none have prepared the British public.
And that is only the beginning. They will then have to make up a whole new way of doing politics, as they go along, without any rulebook to guide them. It should be quite a ride.
Timothy Garton Ash is professor of European studies at Oxford University.Report Typo/Error
Follow us on Twitter: @GlobeDebate


text:
Subject: Re: [htdig] more solaris problems
From: Geoff Hutchison (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Date: Mon Jan 15 2001 - 17:54:45 PST
At 7:13 PM -0500 1/15/01, Ronald Edward Petty wrote:
>I found these articles on the problem but not sure if this is correct or
>is there some other way to fix this
Obviously the GCC website is a good reference and you are unlikely to
find better advice elsewhere. I can say that the code does compile on
Solaris, so I would normally think it's some sort of compiler error,
though most of these are usually picked up by the configure script.
>I did as -version and it is gnu... so um what is wrong ... any ideas?
No, but someone on the gcc mailing list might have some.
-- -Geoff Hutchison Williams Students Online http://wso.williams.edu/
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Mon Jan 15 2001 - 18:29:18 PST


text:
Microsoft Windows Launches Through the Years
Microsoft is about to set off on one of its most important launches in the history of the company.
Caught flat-footed when Apple released the iPad, which quickly began dominating the market, Microsoft is no longer in the spotlight. It's all about the iPad, and Apple launches are typically some of the most anticipated events of the year.
It wasn't always like that. And with Microsoft launching the tablet-oriented Windows 8 operating system and its own tablet, the Surface, it's looking to get back into the spotlight.
Microsoft launched its operating system in 1985 with Windows 1.0, and has since pushed through multiple versions. Let's take a look at some of the major Windows launches over the years, and how well the operating systems fared.
Windows 3.0
The third version of Windows is notable because it was the first to become pre-installed by PC makers, giving Microsoft a considerable advantage over other software makers and boosting its widespread use.
Microsoft enhanced its graphics for this version with 16 colors and improved icons, rivaling Apple's Macintosh. Microsoft said 3.0 plus its successor version, 3.1, sold 10 million copies in the first two years.
3.0 was also notable for another reason: It was the first Windows version to include the popular Solitaire game.
Windows 95
Windows 95 launched with a splashy rollout including a Rolling Stones-backed TV commercial blitz. It was the first version to mesh Internet support and to introduce several now familiar features including the Start menu.
There seemed to have been just as much excitement as an Apple product today. Comedian Jay Leno even appeared onstage with Bill Gates, the chief executive at the time:
Windows 98
The enthusiasm died down a little bit with Windows 98, with less excitement and fewer Rollings Stones songs during a midnight launch. Here's a bit from an early WSJ story:
Some retail stores opened at midnight to make the most of the first sales of the latest incarnation of Windows. But it took discount offers and promotions to create lines reminiscent of the streams of computer enthusiasts who scrambled to get their first copies of Windows 95.
In a nationwide promotion, CompUSA Inc. offered customers anew computer with Windows 98 — but no monitor — for $98. CompUSA was also selling CD-ROM drives and modems for 98 cents each. But only 10 of each product were available at each store.
This was the first time Microsoft designed an operating system for consumers, not businesses, and it included Web-friendly elements including an instant-messaging service. Windows 98 famously crashed when Bill Gates led a public demonstration.
Windows ME
Windows ME, its next consumer-facing operating system, didn't fare much better. Here's a clip from Walt Mossberg's review of the software:
Normally, the introduction of a new version of the near-ubiquitous Windows operating system is an epic event in computerdom. In the past, consumers have actually lined up at stores at midnight to be the first to buy new editions of Windows.
Windows Me, however, is nothing like that. In fact, it's the final, sputtering iteration of the aging consumer Windows product line that last saw a really significant release five years ago, when Windows 95 came out. Since then, we've had only the scandalously unreliable Windows 98. If Microsoft's plans hold up, this whole lineage will be scrapped as early as next year in favor of a consumer version of Microsoft's far superior corporate product, Windows 2000.
Windows ME was plagued with bugs and didn't offer much of an upgrade over Windows 98, and was inferior to the corporate-focused Windows 2000. "Even if you fare better than that, the benefits of Windows Me are slender," Mossberg wrote at the time.
Windows XP
Microsoft's saving grace came at the hands of Windows XP, which many corporations still employ today. It was considered both a solid piece of technology, and a big leap for Windows design and ease of use. Windows XP remains in use on roughly one-third of the world's computers.
It was the "end of an era" for MS-DOS, a command prompt, Gates said at a presentation.
Not much needs to be said about XP, since odds are you (or someone you know) owns a computer that is still running the software.
Windows Vista
Then came Windows Vista, a slow-moving early disaster following the success of Windows XP. Long-delayed, with nanny-like security settings and power-hogging features, Vista was the version that almost brought Microsoft to its knees. Many companies and consumers simply bypassed it.
Facing off against increasing momentum from Apple's operating systems, Vista was an overhaul of the interface, which included many Mac-like features. "Nearly all of the major, visible new features in Vista are already available in Apple's operating system, called Mac OS X, which came out in 2001 and received its last major upgrade in 2005," Mossberg wrote at the time.
The New York Times' David Pogue, at the time, disagreed (but the point was not wasted):
Any excitement quickly died off, as owners needed a newer PC to get the full benefit of Windows Vista. "To get the full benefits of Vista, especially the new look and user interface, which is called Aero, you will need a hefty new computer, or a hefty one that you purchased fairly recently," Mossberg wrote at the time.
Windows 7
Windows 7 was an apology of sorts, and was well received following the Windows Vista debacle. Headlines like "Even in Test Form, Windows 7 Leaves Vista in the Dust" were pretty common. Here's another take from Mossberg on the release:
In just two weeks, on Oct. 22, Microsoft's long operating-system nightmare will be over. The company will release Windows 7, a faster and much better operating system than the little-loved Windows Vista, which did a lot to harm both the company's reputation, and the productivity and blood pressure of its users. PC makers will rush to flood physical and online stores with new computers pre-loaded with Windows 7, and to offer the software to Vista owners who wish to upgrade.
Windows 7 has sold more than 600 million software licenses.
Windows 8
And now we reach the next phase. Tomorrow, Windows 8, the next evolution of Microsoft's operating system, will come out with its Surface tablet.
This is new territory for Microsoft. In a lot of ways, it's like Windows XP, sacking an old way of running Windows. In lieu of a start menu, there's an array of tiles. In lieu of programs, there are apps. Instead of a bulky PC or laptop, users carry around a small pane of glass with a cover that doubles as a keyboard.
Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to market this device in an attempt to match the momentum Apple carries with it when it launches products. The last images shown in some ads are a tagline, "Windows Reimagined," and the date Oct. 26, the official launch for Windows 8-powered computers:


text:
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS Theodore Roosevelt's (CVN 71) executive officer conducted training April 16 with several key members of the ship's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team.
As part of the Navy's Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign, Cmdr. Mark J. Colombo directed the training as part of a comprehensive review of the command's SAPR programs.
"In addition to the training we are providing each of our Sailors as part of the Navy's Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I wanted to take the time to review our command programs with the core cadre of experts charged with training, preventing, and responding to sexual assaults," said Colombo.
Participants in the high-level discussion included command SAPR representatives, victim advocates, religious ministries, legal, medical, DAPA, NCIS and public affairs personnel.
"Every person in this room plays a role in either training, preventing, or responding to a sexual assault," said Colombo. "To the extent that sexual assault is an attack on a Sailor, I want to make sure we clearly understand our respective roles and have the programs in place to ensure we can adequately address this important issue."
"Prevention and response are equally important in the SAPR program," added Colombo. "In a perfect world, we would focus all of our efforts on successfully preventing sexual assaults, thus eliminating the need for a response capability. Regrettably, we can't rely on the ideal scenario, so we need to be prepared to properly respond to sexual assaults as well, with the primary focus on supporting the victim."
In an effort to achieve 100 percent training for every Sailor, SAPR representatives are also participating in deckplate training with each of the 18 departments aboard Thedoere Roosevelt. The biggest push from the ship's leadership is for Sailors to have a plan andstsick with it when on liberty.
"Prevention is key, and intervention is big," said Chief Electronics Technician (SW/IDW) Latoya R Blaine. "The more people see it and more people stop it from happening the less cases we will have."
"If you see a person trying to take your Shipmate out of that plan, you need to have the courage to stand up and stop it," said Blaine. "Bystander intervention is key for successful prevention."
Theodore Roosevelt is also spreading the word throughout the ship with a comprehensive internal strategic communication plan to promote awareness about sexual assault.
"Action will let others know that sexual assault can happen to them - this will help prevent it," said Blaine. "People will start being more aware of their surroundings and looking for signs when they are on liberty. They will start looking out for their shipmates' best interests without compromising fun."
"We can't save everyone, but if we can save one person, then this training is not wasted," said Blaine. "We want to be there for those who are affected, we want to say, 'we want to help you, Shipmate.' We want others to know the resources that are available, because that emotional burden may be with you for the rest of your life, and it could be our burden too."
Sexual assault prevention and response is an important element of the readiness area of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative which consolidates a set of objectives and policies, new and existing, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Department of the Navy is working to aggressively to prevent sexual assaults, to support sexual assault victims, and to hold offenders accountable.
Help raise awareness by joining the conversation on social media using #SAAM.
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
For more news from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn71/.


text:
Sherry-Braised Short Ribs with Potato-Apple "Risotto"
Scott Dolich, the chef and owner of Portland, Oregon's Park Kitchen restaurant and an F&W Best New Chef 2004, loves beef short ribs for their versatility. "It's a great cut for dinner parties," he says. "You can braise the short ribs a day or two in advance and warm them in the oven when you need them." Dolich simmers the short ribs in an aromatic sherry-infused broth, then pairs the meltingly tender meat with an ersatz risotto, replacing the rice with diced potatoes and apples.
Slideshow: More Braising Recipes
- Active:
- Total Time:
- Servings: 4
- Time(Other): plus overnight salting
- 8 meaty beef short ribs (6 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and smashed
- 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
- 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Freshly ground pepper
- Potato-Apple "Risotto", for serving
How to make this recipe
Generously season the short ribs with salt, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Bring the ribs to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add 4 of the short ribs and cook over moderately high heat until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a roasting pan. Repeat with the remaining short ribs.
Add the onions, apples, garlic, carrot and celery to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Scrape the vegetables into the roasting pan. Add the sherry to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato puree, bay leaves and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the short ribs. Cover the roasting pan with foil and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the meat is very tender.
Transfer the short ribs to a platter and cover with foil. Strain the cooking liquid through a coarse sieve set over a large saucepan, pressing on the solids and pushing the vegetables through as much as possible. Skim off the fat with a ladle. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set 2 short ribs on each plate and coat with sauce. Serve the Potato-Apple "Risotto" alongside.
Make Ahead
The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Discard the fat on the surface and reheat, covered, in a 350° oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.
Suggested Pairing
Look for an acidic red that can cut through the saltiness of the braising liquid and the risotto. Try a silky, fruit-filled cru Beaujolais.


text:
A 3d chatroom where the things people write gravitate toward eachother based on total strength of associations between those short texts. Strength is a competition of who spends the most computing time trying to associate the texts, similar to Bitcoin's "proof of work" system. While there is unlimited space in the system overall, the space around any specific text is limited by 3d space, which drives competition for what people want that text to be associated with. It can be used like a forum or chatroom to associate text with responses, or to associate election candidates names with their positions on the issues, or to associate your website URL with things. Many possible uses, and a global competition for what gets associated to what else. In this peer to peer network, pairs of short text are communicated based on highest "proof of work" (see Bitcoin's design doc) on each pair, so the pairs of text that the most time is spent toward associating will spread through the network.
- Intuitive 3d controls: Move mouse to steer. Mouse wheel to rotate. Mouse buttons are gas, reverse, and brakes. Point near text to see lines to what texts its connected to.
- The program is very small but version 0.3.1 is 1.1 megabytes because it comes with some example data of Wikipedia page names and links between them. Version 0.3.3 is interactive flying in 3d. Later versions will combine flying and those ways of flowing the text and lines together.
- Try it now at http://FreeSpeechJustPayShipping.com (the link above)
Other Useful Business Software
User Ratings
User Reviews
Freespeechpay works good.
Sounds really cool. Will be downloading when I get home.


text: Hi everyone, Just a quick post to let you know that we will be closed for a week after today and will reopen at 9am on Thursday 2nd September. Any orders placed online between this time will be processed when we get back and any emails will also be answered as soon as we re-open. I'd also like to take this time to thank everyone for there constant support and making it such a pleasure to run DPM Performance. Speak to you soon. Damian @ DPM Performance


text:
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Fast loans no credit check offer instant decision loan without checking your past credit history. Click here for Quick loans with no hidden charges and low interest rate as well. For more information please visit http://www.fastloannocreditcheck.co.uk/
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text:
Intern Tyler's Last Day at 600 KCOL
Well, today is my last day as an intern at 600 KCOL. It was a great experience all around, and I had a ton of fun during my internship, but all good things must come to an end.
I started in late May, and I definitely wasn't expecting the hands-on experience I received. With Jennifer Morgan, I ran the soundboard, blogged like nobody's business, found local stories to put on the air, and contributed to KCOL's Facebook page.
About halfway through the internship, I started working with the web guy, Tom. He showed me how to use analytical tools, how copyright works, how to publish according to copyright laws, and how to expand online reach. I've always known the basics on this, but to see behind the scenes in digital marketing adds another dimension to it.
I could not have asked for a better internship. This was my first real introduction to the business world, and it was invaluable experience I can use in the future. I also learned that radio personalities, like a few I recognized, are just regular people who broadcast for a living. (It's surreal to see them all in a meeting!) Also, working here is comfortable, since all of my co-workers were friendly people. I'm extremely glad I chose this opportunity over something else.
Thanks to Liberty Common High School and Bob Schaffer for telling me about the internship, and to Jennifer Morgan, as well as everyone at the station, for making such a great internship possible.
This is Intern Tyler, signing off.


text:
I have four of the collection's shades to show you.
A dark gothic purple with silver microshimmer. In some lights it looks like it has pink microshimmer.
A dusty rose foil shade. It reminds me a little of OPI Meet Me on the Star Ferry.
A silver foil shade with gold microshimmer. This really stands out against tanned skin, Some say Wet n Wild Fergie in Goin' Platinum is a similar shade.
A melted gold foil shade. It looks like true gold. Not too yellow or copper. I like the way it looks on me,
See anything you like? Have I succeeded in tempting you all into getting a couple of these? 😀


text:
Today's Devotional
Know It AllWhat strengthens the church?
Top Music Videos
- Channel Views: 4,157
- Total Upload Views:
- Subscribers: 18
- Joined: October 01, 2010
- Last Visit Date: 2010-10-17T19:56:50
My name is Jessica. I am a fanatic of music and its my life. Im in love with God and he is absolutly amazing! I am a very athletic and active person. I love hangin with my friends and singing and dancing. Im a hip-hop dancer and have been for 5 years. I sing almost everywhere i go and sing to almsot every song on the radio! lol jp but the ones i know at least. I love meeting new people and making friends. Im very outing and nice is what alot of people say about me. Im also very sarcastic but in a good way! I love to laugh and im very weird but thats just me.


text:
The copper market is set to get even tighter after
The forecast was part of a disappointing March quarter report in which production in key commodities iron ore, coal, uranium and alumina was severely hampered by wet weather.
Rio had given several warnings that its iron ore production figures were likely to be weak due to cyclones and a train derailment that prevented it from getting new stock to the port of Dampier for nine days during the period.
Rio had put in a record performance of 60.8 million tonnes of production in the Pilbara in the December quarter – including production from its joint venture partners – versus its installed capacity of 55 million tonnes.
Brokers had bet Rio would be able to produce 55 million tonnes in the March quarter despite the wet weather, but Rio managed only 50.5 million tonnes.
The 17 per cent fall compared with a 15 per cent decline in production reported by
Deutsche Bank analyst Paul Young said he thought
The miner is ramping up capacity at its operations, and extrapolating from Port Hedland Port Authority figures it may have been able to manage flat production.
Rio has forecast 225 million tonnes of annual production from the Pilbara this year, which implies it will need to produce at an annualised rate of 232 million tonnes in the remaining quarters to meet its target.
The high iron ore price means the steel making material is now responsible for about 70 per cent of Rio's earnings, making it a key focus for the market.
However, Rio is a large producer of other commodities, particularly copper, aluminium and coal. BT Investment Management portfolio manager Tim Barker said the 24 per cent fall in copper production compared with the same period last year was "a bit of a concern".
Production at Escondida – a joint venture with BHP – fell by 19 per cent compared with the same period last year as the amount of ore taken to the concentrator reduced along with the grade.
Rio's coal production also fell during the quarter, but this was not a surprise to investors in light of the heavy rains in Queensland.
Rio reported a 29 per cent decline in hard coking coal production compared with the previous quarter.
Rio's thermal and semi-soft coking coal subsidiary,
However, Coal & Allied said these sales should be offset by demand from other parts of Asia.
Coal & Allied reported a 12 per cent fall in coal sales to 4.8 million tonnes during the March quarter.
However, it has maintained its guidance for a 5 per cent to 10 per cent rise in annual production.
Rio shares closed $1.29 lower at $85.71, while Coal & Allied shares closed 84¢ lower at $123.26.
The Australian Financial Review


text: NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Glencore's (GLEN.L: LSE) quarterly results are out and they weren't very good, showing an adjusted EBITDA drop of 17%. But guess what? The shares rallied almost 6% today. That's because the miner and trading firm is nearing the final clearance from the Chinese government to merge with miner Xstrata (XTA.L: LSE), a deal that has been twice postponed but will launch Glencore to becoming the fourth-largest miner of global base metals. And it is not their size as a miner that is significant. It is their continuing quest to swallow up mining assets that is most significant, driving their trading and marketing arms. While being only the fourth-largest miner, their prominence in derivative trading is hardly so humble -- already 70% of global zinc trade and more than 50% of global copper trade crosses their desks. It's that kind of financial dominance that drives the continued acquisition of physical assets. Understanding and managing the physical flow of base metals including zinc, copper, alumina and lead as well as much of the coal and oil trade allows a marketing arm to have a great advantage in crafting and profitably trading the financial commodity markets. It is a complex profit model, but in short, Glencore is working to create an OPEC-like cartel in global base metal trade. See my video above for more about the monster that Glencore is slowing becoming. Follow @dan_dicker This article is commentary by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.


text:
Glory Review May 5/10 - 5/17: Carnival Glory Cruise Review by ocho514
Overall Member Rating
Glory Review May 5/10 - 5/17
Destination: Eastern Caribbean
Embarkation: Port Canaveral (Orlando)
We left SC for Port Canaveral on Friday 5/9 at around 1 am. After making a few stops along the way, we arrived at the Radisson on the port around 10 am. (I suggest that if you are going to be staying at the Radisson and will be arriving before the normal 3pm check in time, you should do the online check in on their website and you can enter your arrival time and they will have your room ready). For the price ($129 which includes breakfast for 2, free parking for the length of the cruise, and a shuttle over to the port) this was one of the nicest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in.
We arrived at the port around 11:30 a.m., and were on the ship within 30 minutes...I was expecting at least an hour wait but...they rush you right through which was awesome!! We had lunch on the Lido deck and then went to our cabin (Upper Deck 6373) at 1:30 pm to put away our carry on's. We met our cabin More steward Renato from the Philippines, who was great and took really good care of us all week. We then changed into our bathing suits and headed back up to the Lido deck to get some sun. We headed back to our cabin around 3:30 p.m. to get ready for the dreaded muster drill, and our luggage was already there. We had time to put a few things away and then the announcement was made to head to the muster stations. This wasn't so bad, but I was really mad that sail away started during the muster drill...I mean come on, you can't wait 5 more minutes!!!! Anyway, we pretty much ran through people with life jackets in hand and up the 5 flights of stairs to get back up to the Lido deck to be able to enjoy what was left of the sail away.
Nassau: We were some of the first in line to get off of the ship. We walked through town caught the #10 A Jitney over to cable beach and got off right in front of the Wyndham and Sheraton resorts. We then went inside and bought a day pass for $15 each which includes the use of their beach, lounge chairs, pool, and other facilities. The beach was beautiful, was not crowded, and the pool was awesome. After hanging out here for a couple of hours we took a cab back into town and then had lunch at Senor Frog's. After lunch we made a mistake......and walked through the straw market. Not fun......people pestering you to buy something, braid your hair, give a $20 donation and they will give you a little beaded necklace, etc...oh yeah and it is at least 100 degrees under this big white tent with so many people and stuff everywhere that you can barely walk through. We got out of there as quickly as we entered, and headed down the street to get a T-shirt from Hard Rock. At 2:00 p.m. we were sailing away from Nassau, and on our way to St. Thomas. After enjoying the sun and the waterslide we went in to get ready for formal night. We then went and had some formal pictures made which all turned out great and we spent way too much money on them. We had late seating for dinner (8:15 p.m.) in the Platinum dining room and only ate dinner in the dining room on both formal nights (Sun & Thurs). The food in the dining room was delicious. Our waiters were great and brought my husband an extra lobster tail without us even having to ask. Our table mates never showed up either night....but that is ok, it would have been nice to meet some new people though. St. Thomas: We had to go through immigration before getting off the ship which was a pain. It took about 45 minutes of waiting in line until we were finally cleared and able to get off. We had a tour with Godfrey's tour company (which I highly recommend!!) Godfrey was great. I just can't say enough good things about him. He was 30 mins. early to pick us up and since not everyone that had booked the tour had gotten off of the ship yet, rather than make us wait he took us downtown and dropped us off for some shopping and told us he would be back to pick us up. Next we made our way to "Mountain Top" for some great photo opportunities and Godfrey told us some more about the island. Afterwards, we were then given the choice to spend 2 hrs at Coki Beach, Megan's Bay, or Sapphire Beach. We chose Sapphire Beach since we heard that it would be the least crowded.
St. Maarten: This was my favorite port!! Orient Beach here we come.....It costs us $14 (for both) for the taxi ride to Orient Beach since there was another couple that rode in the taxi with us. The taxi driver was very informative and told us about the island being half Dutch and half French and the reasons for this. We were let out at Bikini Beach which seemed to be in the center of Orient Bay. We then walked onto the most beautiful beach we have ever seen and will absolutely be going back there for sure!! The sand was so soft and powdery, and the water so clear! I pretty much had to pry my husband from the lounge chair and drag him back to the taxi because he did not want to leave...lol. The only problem we had at Orient Beach was that every 5 minutes there were people walking up and down the beach wanting you to buy necklaces, or bracelets, or towels from them....and they seemed to get mad if you said no thank you...but I didn't care...I was on vacation and did not want to be harassed! After getting way too much sun and ready for some lunch we took a taxi back to the ship. This time it was $18 since no one rode with us. We had lunch on the ship, took showers to get the sand off and headed back down the dock to take the water taxi over to town for some shopping. On the last 2 days the seas seemed to be really rough. The ship swayed back and forth pretty bad and you could see people walking side ways down the halls including me. I also have to give major props to the Glory Dancers, it still amazes me at how they can get up on stage and dance with the ship moving back and forth so much...they were great!! I talked to several people who had actually gotten seasick on these days, and our cabin creaked and vibrated even though the captain said there 10 ft swells. My last cruise on the Carnival Imagination, you could not even tell you were moving but on this ship.....you could most definitely tell!! I never got sick but I was taking Bonine twice a day. My husband only took Bonine on the first day and was fine for the rest of the cruise....he still says that it is all in your head....and if you think about it too much you will make yourself sick.
I also have to say that Ami Castro, the main singer on the Glory did a fantastic job....she is really talented and I am sure that Carnival is not paying her what she is worth. The other guy that was singing with her in the Rock down Broadway show was terrible. They could have probably found someone out in the audience that could sing better than he could. The shows were good especially Justin Illusion and the Legends show on the last night. During this show guests dress up as different musicians and sing and dance on stage. We had James Brown, Elton John, Gloria Estefan, Britney Spears, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Aretha Franklin, Elvis of course, and Frank Sinatra who brought down the house. The cruise directory Mark Price came out dressed as Dolly Parton and danced to 9 to 5 which was hilarious. He did a really good job all week.
Debarkation was slow and we were some of the last people to get off the ship (around 10:15 am) Next time we will carry our luggage off ourselves so that we will not have to wait so long.
This was a great cruise and we had a lot of fun. Less
Published 05/21/08
Cabin review: 6373
Read Cruise Critic's Carnival Glory Review >>
Cruising the seas with RC on t...
Amazing Equinox Experience
Great Ship - More to do than I...
Lots of winners and few losers...
Disappointed in this Cruise
Lots of winners and few losers...
Not bad for what it is
Sponsored Links


text:
Stillwater, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - Oklahoma State will lose practice time this season because the program's Academic Progress Rate dropped below the NCAA minimum.
The Cowboys will lose the equivalent of one practice per week this season for failing to have an APR score of 930 over a four-year span, or a score of 940 during a two-year gap.
OK State scored a 929.41 over the last four years.
"We are taking steps to ensure that our APR numbers improve moving forward," Cowboys athletic director Mike Holder said. "We are accountable for what we do and, ultimately, we are here to serve our student-athletes and do our best to keep them on track to be lifelong contributors to society."
The team avoided a postseason ban due to its recent improvement in APR.


text:
September 13, 2008, the Talladega County Hunter Education
Association and ACEOA members assisted the Department of
Conservation in holding the first shooting sports day for the youth
of Talladega County. Seventy-five participants enjoyed events which
included a 22 rifle station, a shotgun and trap station, a muzzle
loader station, and an archery range. ACEOA members manned several
of these stations and provided support and instruction for
participants. The archery range, which was the most visited station,
included nine 3-D targets (see photos) and Mathews Genesis bows. The
archery targets, food, and much of the equipment used was purchased
with funds donated by ACEOA. The Talladega County Hunter Education
Association and the people of Talladega County would like to thank
ACEOA and the Alabama Department
Conservation for helping make this day a success. The generous
donation by ACEOA provided an opportunity to expose children to the
outdoors and the shooting sport in a controlled, supervised, and
positive manner. This investment in today's youth will pay dividends
for conservation for generations to come.


text:
Feminism | Posted by Helen H on 11/16/2009
Honor Killings
I told Julie I was meaning to write about this ever since I submitted my first post here, but I've been delaying it.
However, my friend Elena just sent me this article from a Jordanian magazine, "Jo", and I thought it was about time for a little rant (or a big one). Official statistics are scant, but the chilling fact is that brothers and fathers and relatives are killing their sisters and mothers on a notion that the women are tainting the family honor, they are being treated sympathetically by courts, and bragging about their noble actions. The thought sickens me, but the bleak reality remains.
Here's the link to the article, if you'd like to have a read.
So, the article begins with establishing the problem. Women are being killed in the name of "honor". This so-called honor is determined using a terribly unreliable method (checking for blood after penetration). And the worst part is, it's considered normal.
At that point I was thinking, "Cool. This article is pretty good."
Of course, they have to screw up somehow, right? Here's part of the last paragraph:
"We can be conservative and teach our daughters how to preserve themselves… We should make them decide by free will to take the safe path… that's the only guaranteed way to make it happen. Otherwise we'll be wasting our time, trying to show that we're the kings of the jungle and fooling ourselves into thinking everything is OK, while in reality we might be losing control."
Preserve ourselves? Take the "safe" path? Bullshit.
I understand this standard of safety and preservation probably comes from a religious perspective, but, really, this isn't taking us anywhere. It's like saying, "We think the girl should be a virgin on her wedding night. We're not going to kill her for it, though."
I'll admit, taking the killing part out of honor killing is an improvement, but the idea is still there. The idea that the "safe" path is the sex-free one, that virginity equals preservation, and that relationships taint a woman and maim her entire family's fucking honor.
Read other posts about: honor killings, pre-marital sex
Post Your Comment
Alex F @ at 6:24 pm, November 16th, 2009
kanadra @ at 1:22 am, November 17th, 2009
I've never really heard much about honor killings. That article was shocking and apalling. Especially the fact that it was written in such an… Accepting? Tone. Like this is the way it is, don't expect it to get better. I kept expecting the writer to twist something and burst into sarcasm at the realism of how wrong it was to treat a woman like cattle… But it just wasn't there.
I do like the line about free will, though. Not that there is a "safe" or "right" path to take… But that the writer seemed willing to admit that women have a choice about it. At least they/we have that much.
B. @ at 12:36 pm, November 17th, 2009
"MAKE them decide by free will to take the safe path"
Wait, what?(If someone MAKES you decide something, how is it free will?)
Sounds like brainwashing to me xx
Toongrrl @ at 12:52 pm, November 17th, 2009
Girlfriends be glad we live here. I hope things get better for our sisters in places like Jordan and Turkey.
Helen H. @ at 1:37 pm, November 17th, 2009
Toongrrl, I live in Jordan, and what depresses me as how these things are so terribly under-reported.
Yes, I come from a well-to-do family and I'm probably not at risk of being killed for honor (who knows, though?), but there is so much we Jordanians ourselves don't know about. I mean, it's a tiny country, but they manage to hide things so well. I am always afraid of becoming too engrossed in my own situation and relative safety that I just forget about the women who are probably living just outside my city and have to face things like this all the time.
Jordanian @ at 2:59 pm, December 3rd, 2009
You have totally misunderstood the author's intentions here; you have actually undermined his argument. He was denouncing violence against women and the double standard that exists in our country. Instead, of focusing on that, you have decided to take his words out of context and made a presumption that he is subtly advocating these kinds of actions. He was simply saying in the last paragraph that if society wants to preach abstinence, there is more productive and less violent ways to do so. In the same way that the looney Christian Right in the US preaches for abstinence; through family values workshops etc.
I am a liberal myself and believe that everyone, women and men, should have the right to live their lives as they see fit. But I have no right to dictate my values to others. Your views are endemic of a pretentious model of thinking that assumes Western values are somehow superior to other. You would have more credibility if you did not come from a country that chooses to force these values through the barrel of a gun while supporting the most oppressive, anti-feminist regimes in the World(Saudi Arabia, the Kharazi Government in Afghanistan among this exclusive list of progressives.)Consider looking in your backyard before judging others.
Helen H. @ at 11:13 am, February 2nd, 2010
Thanks, Jordanian, for your comment.
But I think you've misunderstood my intentions, as well.


text:
Laura Necula (email@example.com)
Wed, 5 Aug 1998 12:27:26 -0700
I would really appreciate if you could help me!
I have tried to configure and install htdig, on our account on the host
server. Everything was fine, until I ran ./htmerge command. It said that
it couldn't open the database 'db.wordlist'. The reason I found was that
I typed in the htdig.conf file, the search-url "www.catsemi.com" and our
site is a virtual one. When I wrote the "www.and.com" URL (in
htdig.conf file), which is our host address, everything was fine, htdig,
htmerge and htnotify ran excellent and the search engine searched in our
host site without any problems.
I need to know what I have to do to make it search on our virtual site.
Is there any solution? Please respond as soon as possible. Thank you
very much.
Best regards,
Catalyst Semiconductor
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