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Naturopathy, sometimes referred to as "natural medicine," is a largely pseudoscientific approach said to "assist nature" [1], "support the body's own innate capacity to achieve optimal health" [2], and "facilitate the body's inherent healing mechanisms." [3] Naturopaths assert that diseases are the body's effort to purify itself, and that cures result from increasing the patient's "vital force." They claim to stimulate the body's natural healing processes by ridding it of waste products and "toxins." At first glance, this approach may appear sensible. However, a close look will show that naturopathy's philosophy is simplistic and that its practices are riddled with quackery [4].
The notion of a "vital force" or "life force"—a nonmaterial force that transcends the laws of chemistry and physics—originated in ancient times. Historians call it the doctrine of vitalism. No scientific evidence supports this doctrine, but a huge body of knowledge, including the entire discipline of organic chemistry, refutes it. Vitalistic practitioners maintain that diseases should be treated by "stimulating the body's ability to heal itself" rather than by "treating symptoms." Homeopaths, for example, claim that illness is due to a disturbance of the body's "vital force," which they can correct with special remedies, while many acupuncturists claim that disease is due to imbalance in the flow of "life energy" (chi or Qi), which they can balance by twirling needles in the skin. Many chiropractors claim to assist the body's "Innate Intelligence" by adjusting the patient's spine. Naturopaths speak of "Vis Medicatrix Naturae." Ayurvedic physicians refer to "prana." And so on. The "energies" postulated by vitalists cannot be measured by scientific methods.
According to a comprehensive report presented to the United States Congress in 1970 by the now-defunct National Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NANP):
Naturopathy . . . is the technique of treatment of human disease which emphasizes assisting nature. It can embrace minor surgery and the use of nature's agencies, forces, processes, and products, introducing them to the human body by any means that will produce health-yielding results.
Naturopathy is based upon the tendency of the body to maintain a balance and to heal itself. The purpose of naturopathic medicine is to further this process by using natural remedies . . . as distinct from "orthodox" medicine (allopathy and osteopathy), which seeks to combat disease by using remedies which are chosen to destroy the causative agent or which produce effects different from those produced by the disease treated. . . .
Naturopathy places priority upon these conditions as the bases for ill health: (1) lowered vitality; (2) abnormal composition of blood and lymph; (3) maladjustment of muscles, ligaments, bones, and neurotropic disturbances; (4) accumulation of waste matter and poison in the system; (5) germs, bacteria, and parasites which invade the body and flourish because of toxic states which may provide optimum conditions for their flourishing; and (6) consideration of hereditary influences, and (7) psychological disturbances.
In applying naturopathic principles to healing, the practitioner may administer one or more specified physiological, mechanical, nutritional, manual, phytotherapeutic, or animal devices or substances. The practitioner's end aim is to remove obstacles to the body's normal functioning, applying natural forces to restore its recuperative facilities. Only those preparations and doses which act in harmony with the body economy are utilized, to alter perverse functions, cleanse the body of its catabolic wastes, and promote its anabolic processes [1].
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) has stated that "naturopathic medicine has its own unique body of knowledge, evolved and refined for centuries" and is "effective in treating all health problems, whether acute or chronic." [5] According to a 1989 AANP brochure:
The main difference [between naturopathic and conventional medicine] is in philosophic approach. Naturopathic physicians treat patients by restoring overall health rather than suppressing a few key symptoms. Naturopathic physicians are more concerned with finding the underlying cause of a condition and applying treatments that work in alliance with the natural healing mechanisms of the body rather than against them. Naturopathic treatments result less frequently in adverse side effects, or in the chronic conditions that inevitably arise when the cause of disease is left untreated." [6]
Naturopaths offer treatment at their offices. A few operate spas where patients may reside for several weeks. Their offerings include fasting, "natural food" diets, vitamins, herbs, tissue minerals, homeopathic remedies, cell salts, manipulation, massage, exercise, colonic enemas, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, natural childbirth, minor surgery, and applications of water, heat, cold, air, sunlight, and electricity. Radiation may be used for diagnosis, but not for treatment. Many of these methods are said to "detoxify" the body. Some states permit naturopaths to prescribe various drugs that are listed in a formulary maintained or authorized by their licensing board.
What's Wrong with the Above Picture?
Scientific research has identified measurable, causative factors and specific methods of preventing and/or treating hundreds of health problems. Naturopaths have done little more than create glib generalities. The above theories are simplistic and/or clash with science-based knowledge of body physiology and pathology. For example:
- "Balance," "vitality," and "harmony with the body" are vitalistic concepts. Like "optimal health" or "supporting" of the body, these concepts are vague and cannot be objectively measured or scientifically tested.
- Naturopaths pretend that precise medical treatment is less important than "maintaining body balance."
- Whether infectious disease occurs depends on the degree of exposure to an infectious organism, the virulence of the organism, and the body's ability to resist. A person does not need to be "toxic" or "imbalanced" in order to catch a cold.
- Some diseases are an inevitable result of genetic make-up. Others have little to do with hereditary factors.
- The general concept of treating disease by "strengthening the immune system" is unsubstantiated and clashes with the fact that in some conditions, such as allergies or autoimmune diseases, the immune system is overreactive.
- Naturopathy's claim that "natural methods" can treat cancer by strengthening the immune system is unsubstantiated, and the notion that cancer represents a failure of the immune system is simplistic [7]. In the late 1950s, it was hypothesized that the immune system guards against cancer cells in ways similar to its protection against infectious organisms. However, subsequent research has demonstrated that relationships between cancers and the immune system are highly complex and that successful tumors develop "tolerance" mechanisms that enable them to invade the body without activating immune responses that would destroy them. The rapidly developing science of cancer immunotherapy is aimed at detecting and defeating these mechanisms. One way might be to mobilize T- cells to attack and destroy cancers, but this will not be simple to do [8]. Merely increasing the number of such cells won't work. Thus the odds that any dietary measure, herb, or other "alternative" approach will solve the problem of cancer by increasing immune surveillance should be regarded as zero.
Naturopaths assert that their "natural" methods, when properly used, rarely have adverse effects because they do not interfere with the individual's inherent healing abilities. This claim is nonsense. Any medication (drug or herb) potent enough to produce a therapeutic effect is potent enough to cause adverse effects. Drugs should not be used (and would not merit FDA approval) unless the probable benefit is significantly greater than the probable risk. Moreover, medically used drugs rarely "interfere with the healing processes." The claim that scientific medical care "merely eliminates or suppresses symptoms" is both absurd and pernicious.
Most of the things naturopaths do have not been scientifically substantiated; and some—such as homeopathy—clearly are worthless. In many cases, naturopaths combine sensible dietary advice (based on medically proven strategies) with senseless recommendations for products.
A Brief History
Modern-day naturopathy can be traced to the concepts of Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), Benedict Lust (1872-1945), Henry Lindlahr (1853-1925), Bernarr Macfadden (1868-1955), and John H. Tilden, M.D. (1851-1940). Father Kneipp, a German priest, opened a "water cure" center after becoming convinced that he and a fellow student had cured themselves of tuberculosis by bathing in the Danube River. Kneipp also developed herbal methods using whole plants. Lust, also German, was treated by Kneipp and in 1892 was commissioned to establish Kneipp's practices in the United States. In 1895, he opened the Kneipp Water-Cure Institute in New York City and began forming Kneipp Societies whose members had been using Kneipp's methods or other "drugless therapies." Subsequently, he acquired degrees in osteopathy, chiropractic, homeopathic medicine, and eclectic medicine [9].
In 1901, Lust organized a national convention and chaired a committee that endorsed the use of massage, herbs, homeopathy, spinal manipulation, and various types of occult healing. In 1902, he purchased the rights to the term "naturopathy" from John H. Scheel, another Kneipp disciple, who had coined it in 1895. That same year, he began referring to himself as a naturopath, opened the American Institute of Naturopathy, and replaced the Kneipp Societies with a national naturopathic organization. Lindlahr further systematized naturopathy and opened a sanitarium and a school in a Chicago suburb. Macfadden popularized exercise and fasting. Tilden contributed notions about "auto-intoxication" (said to be caused by fecal matter remaining too long in the intestines) and "toxemia" (alleged to be "the basic cause of all diseases"). [10]
Naturopathy's grandiose claims attracted the sharp pen of Morris Fishbein, M.D., who edited the Journal of the American Medical Association and spearheaded the AMA's antiquackery campaign for several decades. He noted:
Whereas most cults embrace a single conception as to the cause and healing of disease, naturopathy embraces everything in nature. . . .
The real naturopaths were, of course, such healers as Father Kneipp . . . and others who advocated natural living and healed by use of sunlight, baths, fresh air, and cold water, but there is little money to be made by these methods. Hence the modern naturopath embraces every form of healing that offers opportunity for exploitation. [11]
The practices Fishbein debunked included:
- Aeropathy: baking the patient in a hot oven
- Alereos system: spinal manipulation plus heat and mechanical vibration
- Astral healing: diagnosis and advice based on reading the patient's horoscope
- Autohemic therapy: giving a solution made by modifying and "potentizing" a few drops of the patient's blood
- Autotherapy: treating infections with potions made from the patient's infected tissues or excretions
- Biodynamochromic diagnosis and therapy: administering colored lights while thumping on the patient's abdomen
- Bloodwashing with herbs
- Chromopathy: healing with colored lights
- Electrotherapy with various devices
- Geotherapy: treating disease with little pads of earth
- Irido-diagnosis: diagnosis based on eye markings—now called iridology
- Pathiatry: self-administration of spinal adjustment, massage, and traction
- Porotherapy: treatment applied through the pores of the skin to the nerves said to the control internal organs
- Practo-therapy, a fancy term for intestinal irrigation
- Sanatology, based on the notion that acidosis and toxicosis are the two basic causes of all disease
- Somapathy: spinal adjustment followed by applications of cold or extreme heat
- Tropo-therapy with special nutritional foods
- Vit-O-Pathy, a combination of 36 other systems
- Zodiac therapy, combining astrology and herbs
- Zonotherapy (now called reflexology): pressing on various parts of the body to heal disease in designated body "zones." [11]
Most of these methods disappeared along with their creators, but some (or their offshoots) are still used today.
The total number of naturopathic practitioners in the United States is unknown but includes chiropractors and acupuncturists who practice naturopathy. The AANP was founded in 1985 and is closely allied with the 4-year naturopathic colleges. Its membership is said to be limited to individuals who are eligible for licensing in states that issue licenses. Its online directory contains about 1300 names. The American Naturopathic Medical Association (ANMA), founded in 1981, claims to represent about 2,000 members worldwide. Although some have recognized credentials in other health disciplines, others merely have an "ND" degree obtained through a nonaccredited correspondence school. The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (HANP), which requires a recognized professional degree and additional homeopathic training, lists about 50 members in the United States and Canada.
The AANP published the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine six times between 1990 and 1996. The issues ran from about 80 to 100 pages. The third issue was devoted to "Non-Standard HIV/ARC/AIDS Management." The fifth, which attacked immunization, contained papers suggesting that vaccines may be a factor in causing cancer and that homeopathic prophylaxis using nosodes would be effective and safer than standard vaccines. (Nosodes are homeopathic products made from pathological organs or tissues: causative agents such as bacteria, fungi, ova, parasites, virus particles and yeast; disease products; or excretions. There is no scientific evidence that nosodes are effective, and the FDA has ordered several manufactures to stop making preventive claims for them. The sixth issue of the journal promoted the use of "natural" products for cancer and contained an absurd article claiming that measuring the electrical resistance of the skin may be a useful way to diagnose the early stages of cancer and AIDS.
In December 2009, the AANP, partnered with publisher Karolyn A. Gazella, began producing the online Journal of Naturopathic Medicine, which is published monthly.
A 1927 AMA study listed 12 naturopathic schools with fewer than 200 students among them [12]. During the 1920s and 1930s, about half the states passed laws under which naturopaths and/or "drugless healers" could practice. However, as modern medicine developed, many of these laws were repealed and all but a few mail-order schools ceased operations. The doctor of naturopathy (N.D.) degree was still available at several chiropractic colleges, but by 1957, the last of these colleges stopped issuing it. The National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) was founded in 1956 in Portland, Oregon, but, until the mid-1970s, had very few students. From 1960 through 1968, the average enrollment was eight and the total number of graduates was 16. [1]
Today, within the United States, a "doctor of naturopathy" (N.D.) or "doctor of naturopathic medicine" (N.M.D.) credential is available from five full-time schools of naturopathy and several nonaccredited correspondence schools. Training at the full-time schools follows a pattern similar to that of chiropractic schools: two years of basic science courses and two years that include working in outpatient clinics. Because medical school programs also last four years that include two years of basic science training, many naturopaths claim that their education is equivalent. There are several big differences, however.
- The quality of medical school programs is vastly superior to those of naturopathic schools. Medical school faculties are much larger and better trained, and the scope and depth of clinical experience are much greater because people going to medical school clinics encompass the full gamut of disease.
- Much of naturopathy's coursework embraces practices—such as homeopathy—that have zero validity.
- Some naturopathic graduates take an additional year of postgraduate training where they work in an outpatient setting. However, most go directly into practice. Nearly all medical school graduates undergo 3-6 years of additional full-time specialty training that includes work with hospital inpatients.
The leading accredited school, Bastyr University, in Seattle, Washington, was founded in 1978. Besides its N.D. program, Bastyr offers a B.S. degree program in Natural Health Sciences with majors in nutrition and Oriental medicine; a B.S. program in psychology; B.S. and M.A. programs in applied behavioral sciences; M.S. programs in nutrition and acupuncture/oriental medicine; and a certificate in midwifery. Bastyr has also provided health-food retailers and their employees with home-study programs that promote "natural" approaches for the gamut of disease. Students in the naturopathic degree program are required to take three courses in homeopathy and can elect to take three more. The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Scottsdale, Arizona, was founded in 1992. The University of Bridgeport College of Natural Medicine in Bridgeport, Connecticut, began classes in 1997. The National University of Health Sciences, located near Chicago, which has offered chiropractic degrees since 1966, got its doctor of naturopathy program approved in 2006.
Naturopathy schools receive much of their financial support from companies that market dietary supplements, homeopathic products, and/or herbal remedies.
The naturopathic programs offered by correspondence schools span much less time and include no experience with actual patients.
In 1987, the U.S. Secretary of Education approved the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) as an accrediting agency for the full-time schools. As with acupuncture and chiropractic schools, this recognition was not based upon the scientific validity of what is taught but on such factors as record-keeping, physical assets, financial status, makeup of the governing body, catalog characteristics, nondiscrimination policy, and self-evaluation system. NCNM, Bastyr, and Southwest became accredited.
In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education staff and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) asked U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley to deny CNME's application for renewal of recognition. The recommendation was based on evidence that CNME did not respond appropriately to violations of its standards at Southwest College. The staff report [13] and testimony at a NACIQI meeting [14] indicated that in 1997 and 1998, the school underwent an administrative upheaval that had nearly led to its closure. Several officials resigned or were abruptly fired, classes were suspended for two weeks, and the school's bank accounts were temporarily frozen after the school's chief financial officer was fired. CNME testified at the hearing that it had closely followed the situation and urged school officials to correct the problems. However, the Department of Education staff and a majority of NACIQI members concluded that CNME had failed to issue a timely order to show cause why Southwest should not have its candidacy for accreditation ended [14].
In January 2001, Riley agreed that CNME's approval should not be renewed [15]. However, CNME reapplied, was approved in 2003, and has remained approved since that time.
Legal Status
Naturopaths are licensed as independent practitioners in 16 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington), the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands [16].They can also legally practice in a few others. Efforts are on the way to to press for licensure in the remaining states. Graduates of the 4-year schools assert that licensing is needed to protect the public from unqualified practitioners. However, the existing naturopathic licensing boards have done little or nothing to protect the public from naturopathy's widespread quackery.
Since the proposed laws would set educational requirements that many of ANMA's members could not meet, ANMA has vigorously opposed the licensing efforts. The National Council Against Health Fraud has pointed out:
The difference between more and less educated naturopaths is . . . . like comparing more and less educated witch doctors. It could actually be argued that less-schooled naturopaths are safer because they may have a smaller bag of tricks and, because they don't consider themselves "primary health physicians" are more apt to refer patients to M.D.'s for additional care [17].
Naturopathic services are not covered by Medicare or most insurance policies. Expansion of naturopathic licensing will make naturopaths appear more legitimate and could help them gain passage of "insurance equality" laws that force insurance companies to cover their services.
Scope of Practice
Most naturopaths allege that virtually all diseases are within their scope. The most comprehensive naturopathic publications that illustrate this belief are the Textbook of Natural Medicine [18-21] and the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine [22-24]. The textbook, now in its fourth edition, was written for students and professionals; the encyclopedia, now in its third edition, was written for the general public. Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., N.D., president (later president emeritus) of Bastyr University, and Michael T. Murray, N.D., a faculty member, edited the textbook and co-authored the encyclopedia.
Both books recommend questionable dietary measures, vitamins, minerals, and/or herbs for more than 70 health problems ranging from acne to AIDS. For many of these conditions, daily administration of ten or more products is recommended—some in dosages high enough to cause toxicity. Some treatments are recommended even though the authors indicate that the evidence supporting them is preliminary, speculative, or even conflicting. The textbook discuss many dubious diagnostic tests as though they have validity. Arnold Relman, M.D., Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of The New England Journal of Medicine, has written a devastating review of the textbook's second (1999) edition in which he concludes:
Many of the treatments recommended in the Textbook . . . are not likely to be effective, and treatments proven to be effective are often totally ignored. This could endanger the health and safety of patients with serious diseases who relied solely on care from a naturopathic practitioner [25].
The third edition of the Encyclopedia recommends inappropriate testing that could lead to the diagnosis of nonexistent problems and inappropriate treatment of many if not most patients who consult naturopaths. For example:
- The chapter on hypothyroidism claims (incorrectly) that taking one's armpit temperature upon awakening is a reliable test for thyroid function and that naturopaths prefer treating hypothyroidism with desiccated thyroid. The book also states that "health-food-store thyroid preparations . . . . may provide enough support" to help a mild thyroid problem, even though the FDA requires such products to be hormone-free. Scientific physicians consider desiccated thyroid (made from dried animal glands) inferior because its potency can vary from batch to batch. Synthetic thyroid hormone does the job efficiently. Using a product that might contain no hormone is even more ridiculous.
- The chapter on "detoxification" improperly links dental amalgams to "fatigue, headache, insomnia, nerve disorders, high blood pressure, impaired memory and concentration," falsely claims that 25% of Americans suffer from heavy metal poisoning, and advocates periodic fasting plus various supplements and herbs.
- Page 112 states that the best way to determine the "body load" of heavy metals is through challenge testing. This advice is pernicious because most people have trace amounts of lead and mercury circulating harmlessly in their blood stream. In challenge testing (also called provoked testing), a chelating agent is administered that temporarily increases excretion. The resultant test report typically suggests abnormalities for which the practitioner recommends "detoxification." [26] The widespread involvement of naturopaths with nonexistent metal toxicity is illustrated by searching with Google. In November 2013, my search for "naturopath + metal toxicity" yielded 31,300 hits and my search for "Naturopath + amalgam" yields 2.3 million hits.
- The "Candidiasis" chapter espouses Dr. William Crook's fad diagnosis of "candidiasis hypersensitivity" and includes Crook's three-page questionnaire for determining the probability that "yeast-connected problems are present." The questionnaire does not have the slightest validity.
- The chapter on angina gives a glowing recommendation for chelation therapy, which the scientific community regards as worthless.
- The chapter on "cellulite" falsely claims that a gotu kola extract has "demonstrated impressive results."
In The Complete Book of Juicing, Murray recommends juices for treating scores of ailments. He also advises everyone to use supplements because "even the most dedicated health advocate . . . cannot possibly meet the tremendous nutritional requirements for optimum health through diet alone." [27] These ideas lack scientific validity.
In another book, Murray claims that juicing is valuable because fresh juice provides the body with "live" enzymes [28]. This idea is absurd. The enzymes in plants help regulate the metabolic function of plants. When ingested, they do not act as enzymes within the human body, because they are digested rather than absorbed intact into the body [29].
Pizzorno and Murray have claimed that "in most instances, the naturopathic alternative offers significant benefits over standard medical practices." That statement is preposterous. For the few illnesses where their encyclopedia acknowledges that medical treatment is essential (because otherwise the patient may die), they propose naturopathic treatment in addition. In many passages, they describe prevailing medical practices inaccurately.
A Revealing Anecdote
Pizzorno's book Total Wellness: Improve Your Health By Understanding Your Body's Healing Systems contains a chapter titled "Strengthen Your Immune System," in which the following anecdote is used to illustrate how naturopaths regard "immune suppression" as an underlying cause of disease:
Several years ago I began to develop large warts on several of my fingers. Warts are an interesting phenomenon; they tend to grow or recede according to how well the immune system is functioning. Although I treated them several times with thuja oil (a standard naturopathic treatment for warts), they had not responded very well. I was perplexed because I was living a pretty healthful lifestyle and using a therapy I'd used successfully for a lot of patients.
Then I visited the dentist. As I've only had one cavity, I hadn't been to the dentist for several years. Surprisingly, X-rays revealed an abscess in that one tooth—the filling had not been sealed properly. A week of antibiotics cleared the infection, and within three months all my warts were gone. Even though I had had no other symptoms, the abscess was continually draining my immune system. [30]
Any sensible preventive dental-care program should include visits every 6-12 months for professional cleaning (to remove gumline calculus to prevent gum disease), a check for early signs of tooth decay (cavities), and occasional x-ray examination to look for hidden problems. How come Pizzorno—despite all his talk about prevention—does not believe he should have dental check-ups like the rest of us? What does it mean that he permitted large warts to develop on his fingers without seeking medical treatment? (You can decide this for yourself.)
Did fixing the abscess actually lead to the disappearance of the warts? I doubt that this has been scientifically studied. However, it is well known that most common warts disappear spontaneously within two years or can be effectively removed with simple, nonscarring medical treatment [31].
Another Revealing Glimpse
The AANP claims that "naturopathic physicians are not opposed to invasive and suppressive measures when these methods are necessary [and] make referrals for such treatment when appropriate." [6] I doubt that the majority of naturopaths fit this description. Many naturopaths espouse nutrition and lifestyle measures that coincide with current medical recommendations. However, this advice is often accompanied by nonstandard advice that is irrational. Although naturopaths claim to emphasize prevention, most oppose or are overly critical of immunization. The AANP presents an overly negative view of immunization [32].
Several years ago, as part of a child-custody evaluation, I examined records from nine naturopaths who had treated a child whose mother was antagonistic to medical care and was briefly enrolled as a naturopathy student. The child was not properly immunized and did not see a medical doctor until she developed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus shortly before her eighth birthday. Although episodes of "chest congestion," "chronic cough," "vaginitis," "urinary burning" and "asthma" were noted in the records, there were no indications that these problems had been adequately diagnosed or appropriately treated. (One episode of "chest congestion," for example, was treated with homeopathic remedies.) Three of the practitioners used a Vegatest device to diagnose "allergies" to sugar and many other foods and had recommended severe dietary restrictions, even though the child had not reacted adversely to any of the foods. (The Vegatest is quack device that merely measures the amount of moisture on the skin and how hard the practitioner presses a probe against the patient's fingers or toes.) Another practitioner recommended chelation therapy after diagnosing "heavy metal poisoning" with a hair analysis. The recommended treatments for both actual and nonexistent conditions included regimens of up to 35 pills a day, including some supplements in potentially toxic doses. The only medical referral took place after the child developed severe signs of diabetes. Although the nine naturopaths do not constitute a random sample, their unscientific practices were consistent with typical naturopathic writings.
Scandal in Arizona
In May 2001, the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Board of Medical Examiners fired its executive director, John L. Brewer, D.C., following allegations that he shredded documents, copied exams, and misrepresented his credentials. According to a report in the Arizona Republic, a board member had discovered that Brewer did not receive a naturopathic degree from a college in Los Angeles as he had claimed on his license application [33].
In June 2000, the Arizona Auditor General had severely criticized the board's performance. The most serious deficiencies involved the naturopathic licensing examination, which had not been validated to ensure that it tests what naturopaths would need to practice safely. Even worse, the board consistently "adjusted" scores upward so that everyone taking the exam since 1998 passed it. With the February 1999 exam, for example:
- Although none of the 18 applicants scored the necessary 75%, all scores were adjusted upward.
- The board gave full credit for about one-sixth that were "too difficult."
- Since 9 out of 18 applicants were still too low, additional "adjustments" were made.
- One applicant got full credit for 90 incorrect answers on part 2 of the 3-part test.
The Auditor General's report also noted that complaints to the board had not received adequate attention and that record-keeping and overall management had been inadequate [34].
The Bottom Line
In 1968, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) recommended against Medicare coverage of naturopathy. HEW's report concluded:
Naturopathic theory and practice are not based upon the body of basic knowledge related to health, disease, and health care which has been widely accepted by the scientific community. Moreover, irrespective of its theory, the scope and quality of naturopathic education do not prepare the practitioner to make an adequate diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment. [35]
Although some aspects of naturopathic education have improved in recent years, I believe this conclusion is still valid. I believe that the average naturopath is a muddlehead who combines commonsense health and nutrition measures and rational use of a few herbs with a huge variety of unscientific practices and anti-medical double-talk.
- National Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Outline for study of services for practitioners performing health services in independent practice. Portland OR: NANP, Sept 10, 1970. In Social Security Amendments of 1970. Hearings before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate, Ninety First Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 17550. September 14, 15, 16, 17, and 23, 1970. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970, pp 734-754.
- Introduction to Level 2: The Natural Foods Education Program, Lesson 1. Seattle, WA: Bastyr College, 1990.
- Turner RN. Naturopathic Medicine: Treating the Whole Person. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England: Thorsons Publishers Limited, 1984, 1990.
- Beyerstein BL, Downie S. Naturopathy: A critical analysis. Naturowatch Web site, May 14, 2004.
- Naturopathic medicine: What it is . . . What it can do for you. Undated flyer, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Seattle, Washington, circa 1990.
- Twenty questions about naturopathic medicine. Flyer, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Seattle, Washington, 1989.
- Green S. Barrett S. Can any "alternative" cancer treatment strengthen the immune system? Quackwatch web site, Jan 21, 2008.
- Pardell DM. Immunology and Cancer. In Abeloff MD and others, (editors). Clinical Oncology, Third Edition. Philadelphia: Elsevier / Churchill Livingstone, 2004, pp 113-138.
- Cody, G. History of naturopathic medicine. In Pizzorno JE Jr, Murray MT, editors. A Textbook of Natural Medicine. Seattle, 1985-1996, John Bastyr College Publications.
- Tilden JH. Appendicitis: The Etiology, Hygienic and Dietetic Treatment. Denver: self-published, 1909.
- Fishbein M. Naturopathy and its professors. Fads and Fallacies in Healing. New York: Blue Ribbon Books, 1932, pp 117-139.
- Baer HA. The potential rejuvenation of American naturopathy as a consequence of the holistic health movement. Medical Anthropology 13:369-383, 1992.
- Staff Analysis of the Petition for Continued Recognition Submitted by Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. U.S. Department of Education, December 1999.
- Transcript of the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity, Dec 6, 1999.
- Barrett S. Naturopathic accreditation agency loses federal recognition. Quackwatch, Feb 9, 2002.
- Verify the credentials of a naturopathic physician. NDverify.com, accessed Nov 13, 2013.
- Garcia JA. Naturopathic Physicians, 1998 Sunset Review. Colorado City, CO: Office of Policy and Research, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Oct 15, 1998.
- Pizzorno JE Jr, Murray MT, editors. A Textbook of Natural Medicine. Seattle, 1985-1996, John Bastyr College Publications.
- Pizzorno JE Jr, Murray MT, editors. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 2nd Edition. London, Churchill Livingstone, 1999.
- Pizzorno JE Jr, Murray MT, editors. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 3rd Edition. St. Louis, Churchill Livingstone, 2006.
- Pizzorno JE Jr, Murray MT, editors. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 4th Edition. St. Louis, Churchill Livingstone, 2012.
- Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. . Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Rocklin CA, Prima Publishing & Communications, 1990.
- Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 2nd Edition. Rocklin CA, Prima Publishing & Communications, 1998.
- Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 3rd Edition. New York, Simon & Schuster, 2012.
- Relman A. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Book review, Jan 9, 2001.
- Barrett S. How "provoked" urine metal tests are used to mislead patients. Quackwatch, updated June 10, 2017.
- Murray MT. The Complete Book of Juicing. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing, 1992.
- Korditch JT with Murray MT. The Juice Advantage. Seattle, WA: Trillium Health Products, 1992.
- Barrett S. "Enzyme deficiency." Quackwatch, March 11, 2003.
- Pizzorno JW Jr. Total Wellness: Improve Your Health By Understanding Your Body's Healing Systems. Rocklin CA, 1996, Prima Publishing & Communications.
- Berkow R, editor. Merck Manual, 16th Edition. Rahway, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1992.
- Barrett S. Comments on the AANP position on childhood vaccinations. Quackwatch, Dec 29, 2001.
- Fehr-Snyder K. Naturopathic board director on leave. Arizona Republic, May 11, 2001. Naturopathic Board votes to votes to fire chief: Allegations tied to credentials, paper shredding. Arizona Republic, May 12, 2001.
- Davenport DK. Performance Audit: Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Board of Medical Examiners. Report No. 00-9, June 2000.
- Cohen W. Naturopathy. In Independent Practitioners under Medicare: A Report to Congress. Washington, D.C, 1968, US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, pp 126-145.
Reader Protest
I am a student of naturopathic medicine, and upon perusing your web site felt the need to comment to you. I am furious and at the same time saddened, if that is possible; how dare you write articles titled "Ayurvedic Mumbo-Jumbo" and "Aromatherapy, Making Dollars out of Scents"? Why do you need to be so incredibly flippant and dismissing, what are you afraid of? It is you who are unfairly misleading the public. You critique/critisize and dismiss medicicinal practices (ayurvedic, CTM, herbalism),from countries that are thousands of years old, seducing the general public with stats, tests and the scientific method. What you are forgetting to mention to people is that Allopathic (western) medicine is less than 400 years old, a mere infant in the life cycle of medicine and healing. Allopathic medicine is responsible for countless numbers of deaths due to poor diagnosis, deadly drug interactions, using human beings as guinea pigs for new and improved drugs (only to find years later the damage many of these drugs have caused) and the 'instant fix', band-aid approach to healing.
I look forward to reading ALL of the articles on this site, I am sure that doing this will further my faith in Alternative Medicine. You see, alternative medicine is not interested in insulting western medicine in order to further its healing practices; to be fair to all, why don't you include articles on the many dangers and deaths of modern medicine? I think it would round out this site nicely.
This article was revised on November 26, 2013.


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Guided walks offered at NH Audubon Society
Walks offered for Oct. 12
Pondicherry and the Dahl Sanctuary in Conway are the sites of two upcoming guided walks as part of NH Audubon Society's Passport to Nature Guidebook series.
Ruth Smith of the NH Audubon Society said on Saturday, Oct. 1,2 from noon to 4 p.m., walks will be offered in Jefferson at the Pond.
On that same day, another event is planned for the Dahl Sanctuary in Conway from 10 a.m. to noon.
She noted the cover of NH Audubon's Passport to Nature Volume 1 features a photo of Pondicherry.
The Passport is a full color, 40-page booklet highlighting six of NH Audubon's wildlife sanctuaries.
Unique natural and historical features are described for each property.
A rubber stamp is hidden in a passport box along each trail and users who visit multiple sanctuaries can collect the stamps in their passport booklet.
Those who collect four of the six stamps may submit their name for a drawing to receive a copy of Mary Holland's book, "Naturally Curious."
"We really want people to get out and explore these really remarkable properties," she said, Thursday, noting a people can purchase the passport online or visit the Mountain Wanderer store in Lincoln.
There are about eight to 10 stamps for each of the six properties included in Volume I and that includes the Dahl Sanctuary in Conway, the McLane Center in Concord, the Massabesic Audubon in Auburn and the Deering Wildlife Sanctuary.
Next year, in honor of the organization's 100th birthday, Volume II will be released with some of the other sanctuaries featured.
Smith said there are 39 properties statewide within NH Audubon. For more information, visit www.nhaudubon.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Baumbach-Reardon, Lisa L
- Lake, Douglas F
- Bussey, Kimberly
- Arizona State University
- 1 Getz, Julie Elizabeth
- 1 Kusumi, Kenro
- 1 English
- 1 Public
- Race
- African American
- 1 Caucasian
- 1 Caveolin-1
- 1 Health Disparities
- 1 Molecular biology
- 1 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Reverse Fountain Cytoplasmic Streaming in Rhizopus Oryzae
- Diné Research Practices and Protocols: An Intersectional Paradigm Incorporating Indigenous Feminism, Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies and Diné Knowledge Systems
- Developing an Augmented Reality Solution for Mapping Underground Infrastructure
- Characterization of 2D Human Ankle Stiffness during Postural Balance and Walking for Robot-aided Ankle Rehabilitation
- Using Molecular, Cellular and Bioengineering Approaches Towards Understanding Muscle Stem Cell Biology
In the U.S., breast cancer (BC) incidences among African American (AA) and CA (CA) women are similar, yet AA women have a significantly higher mortality rate. In addition, AA women often present with tumors at a younger age, with a higher tumor grade/stage and are more likely to be diagnosed with the highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. Even within the TNBC subtype, AA women have a worse clinical outcome compared to CA. Although multiple socio-economic and lifestyle factors may contribute to these observed health disparities, it is essential that the underlying biological differences between CA and AA TNBC …
- Contributors
- Getz, Julie Elizabeth, Baumbach-Reardon, Lisa L, Lake, Douglas F, et al.
- Created Date
- 2015


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1 of 3
A luxurious calf leather photograph album with elegant gilt-edged leaves of black card. Smythson recommends using photograph corners and arranging photographs on one side of each page to protect them for years to come. Personalise for a special touch.
- Dove grey photograph album in printed calf leather
- Hardbound
- 50 Gilt-edged leaves of black card
- Made in England
- Dimensions: W40.7 x H31cm / W16 x H12.25"
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With its fine French calfskin that's both hardworking and subtly structured, the Grosvenor collection's pieces are perfectly suited to your weekday. Spring Summer sees our timeless Grosvenor Slim Briefcase reimagined in a new isle blue shade.
Large Photo Album
Sorry this item is currently out of stock. For more information or to check in-store availability please contact our Customer Service Team on +44(0) 2076298558


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Affidavit of Susan Wright in Response to Affirmation in Opposition to Motion to File a Memorandum of Law Amicus Curiae
N.Y. Co. Ind. No 10938/96
Cal. No. 98-10474
1. I, Susan Wright, am the Executive Director of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) .
2. I write this affidavit in response to the DA's Brief in Opposition to the NCSF request to file an Amicus Curia Brief. I am at a loss as to why the Appellate Division of the DA's office has labeled the NCSF a "phantom entity. In August 1998, I contacted Martha Bashford at the D.A.'s office because she had worked with one of the NCSF Board organizations, Gay Male S/M Activists (GMSMA) , on a criminal case (the so-called Dangerous Top, Michael Payte). (see Appendix A, Village Voice article by Guy Trebay.) Martha Bashford suggested I send an email proposing that: the NCSF and the DA's office have a meeting to ensure the DA's position would not harm our constituents. I received no response to my requests, and contacted Martha Bashford again in October 1998. We spoke briefly, but no arrangements were made at that point for a meeting. In late l998, the NCSF began considering the necessity of filing an Amicus Brief.
3. The NCSF was founded in 1997 and consists of 20 organizations with a combined membership of 6,500. The NCSF is an advocacy and lobbying organization that supports the understanding and tolerance of sexual minority practices. The NCSF has been noted by the New York media in this capacity (see Appendix B, article from the New York Blade which cites NCSF's activity on sexual liberation issues). NCSF is in the process of incorporating in the State of Virginia and applying for a 501(C)4 status. Our accountant is: Rob Lyons at (301) 6648204; and our filing attorney is Jeff Yablon at Shaw Pittman, 2300 N. Street N.W , Washington DC 20)37. The executive office of the NCSF is currently in my home office at 381 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11211 (718)383-3318. Additional information on NCSF can be provided upon request.
The Board of Directors of the NCSF consists of representatives from five of the largest and oldest organizations (dating back to 1971) in our coalition. Most of these organizations enjoy formal not-for-profit status in their own right. (See Appendix: one-page mission statements from each of the five organizations sitting on the Board of the NCSF.) The Board Members are:
Susan Degnan
The Eulenspiegel Society
P.O. Box 2783
New York, NY 10163-2783
(212) 388-7022
Joe Holt
The Society of Janus
P.O. Box 426794
San Francisco, CA 94142
(650) 985-7117
Athena Lyons
National Leather Association- International
3439 N.E. Sandy Boulevard #155
Portland, Oregon 97232
(614) 899-9148
Jack McGeorge
Black Rose
P.O. Box 11161
Arlington VA 22210
(202) 686-5880
Bob Zieniewicz
Gay Male S/M Activists
332 Bleecker Street, #D23
New York, NY 10014
(212) 727-9878
The other fifteen organizations that belong to the NCSF are: Boston Dungeon Society (Massachusetts), Connecticut Munches (Connecticut), Knot For Everyone (New Jersey), LATCHES (National), Ohio Leather Coalition (Ohio), People Exchanging Power – PEP (Ohio), Memphis Power Exchange (Tennessee), The Power Exchange (Maryland), The Red Chair (Alabama), The Rose Garden (Southwest), SigMa (Washington DC), SMART – Sado Masochist Alliance Real Time (Ohio), St. Louis Leather & Lace (Missouri), TALON (North Carolina), and The Tri-State Couples Club (Pennsylvania).
6. On January 7th 1993, the NCSF received a copy of the D.A.'s brief which by eliminating consent as a defense and denying the constitutionality of practicing sadomasochism, effectively criminalizes sadomasochistic activity. The NCSF retained Michael T. Fois as Counsel of Record to file an Amicus Brief on behalf of our organization. At that time, we believed oral argument was scheduled for mid-February.
7. This is the first time the NCSF has injected itself into any legal proceeding, however the NCSF has been active in both National and local sexual minority issues. we release a weekly Media Update (archived on our website at www.ncsfreedom.org) covering sexual minorities in the news media, and as part of our anti-defamation efforts, the NCSF opposed the State University of NY's condemnation of President Bowen for including sexual minority topics in a Women's Conference at SUNY New Paltz. The NCSF participated in Lobby Day in April 1997 in Washington DC, lobbying for equality in the workplace for sexual minorities. The NCSF is currently analyzing the 1,000+ returned surveys from the lst National Survey of Violence & Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities, and in the summer of 1998, I gave over 50 radio interviews around the country on the preliminary results of this survey.
8. The reaction of the D.A. after the attempts the NCSF has made to open a dialogue on this matter simply proves the need for diligent representation of sexual minority issues. Mark Dwyer states in his Opposition: "under the Penal Law, if a sadomasochist engages in conduct that falls within the assault statutes (e.g., in intentionally causing physical injury or I serious physical injury to another) , he is guilty of assault, regardless of whether the victim I consents." There are tens of thousands of practitioners of sadomasochism in New York who would be justifiably concerned with this statement, as it comes from a D.A. who has already concluded that hot candle wax is "a dangerous weapon." The NCSF contends that consent is the basis for determining if an activity is sadomasochism rather than assault. The DA has ignored our offers to educate them as to sadomasochistic practices and the nature of consent in those practices. We hope this Court is more receptive.
Susan Wright
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 0 1 PR6010126
Qualified in Kings County
Commission Expires July 13, 2003


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Saw this on "Montana Cowgirl Blog" along with some 120 comments... And we think the BC legislature is way out there.....
http://mtcowgirl.com/2011/02/17/nutjob- ... gislature/
Nutjob Bills in the Montana Legislature
For your reading pleasure, here are some of the major pieces of legislation that have been put forward by the Tea Party Republicans who are now in control of the legislature. This is not a joke. These are real bills, and they are currently taking priority in the Montana legislature. Enjoy.
1. Legalize hunting with hand-thrown spear (Senate Bill 112)
2. Create fully-armed militia in every town (House Bill 278)
3. Allow legislators to carry weapons in the Capitol (Senate Bill 279)
4. Create an 11 person panel with authority to nullify all federal laws (House Bill 382)
5 Allow guns in schools (House Bill 558)
6. Eliminate educational requirements for persons seeking job of State Superintendent of Schools (HB 154)
7. Lift nuclear ban for purpose of building a nuclear reactor in the Flathead Valley (House Bill 326)
8. Withdraw the United States of America from the United Nations (Senate Joint Resolution 2)
9. Eliminate all state incentives for developing wind power (House Bill 244)
10. Omit Barack Obama's name from the 2012, ballot because his father was born outside of America (House Bill 205)(this guy was on CNN this week)
11. Compulsory marriage counseling for people seeking a divorce (House Bill 438)
12. Give sheriffs authority over the federal government in terror investigations (Senate Bill 114)
13. Legalize hunting with silencers (House Bill 174)
14. Lift the prohibition on carrying concealed weapons in bars, churches and banks (House Bill 384)
15. Eliminate law that requires landlords to install carbon monoxide detectors (House Bill 354)
16. Require the federal government to prove in court that the National Parks were lawfully aquired. (House Bill 506)
17. Officially designate the "Code of the West" as the "Code of Montana" (Senate Bill 216)
UPDATE: 18. Declare that global warming is good. (House Bill 549)


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4″ Single Bar Racks
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Lawmakers take action following Story Co. courthouse attack
Lawmaker: We need to protect those who protect us
State lawmakers are preparing to take action on the case of two Story County prosecutors who were attacked by a man in broad daylight at the courthouse.
Legislators said they were surprised and stunned by a video that caught 31-year-old Major Robinson asking for a prosecutor by name and then hitting him in the face before going on to hit another attorney.
"I was horrified," said Rep. Robert Bacon. "I couldn't believe it."
"It's very disturbing," said Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell.
Story County attorney Stephen Holmes said Thursday he wants an assault against a prosecutor to be changed to a felony just like it is when it happens to a police officer.
"We need to protect those who are trying to protect us," said Bacon.
Bacon is introducing an amendment to a House bill that would make Holmes' wish a reality if it passes both chambers.
"It does surprise me," said Hamilton County attorney Pat Chambers.
Chambers said he's never felt threatened, but he would support an amendment to the law.
"I think it would a good idea. I don't think that we are all that different than health providers or people that are coming onto the scene secondarily," said Chambers.
Some legislators think a change in the law is not enough.
"An individual who is angry isn't thinking, 'I wonder what the penalty is when I assault this person,'" said Wessel-Kroeschell.
Bacon said an amendment might make the individual think twice before attacking a prosecutor.
"They're the ones with no protection, so at least, if you attack an attorney, you're going to pay the price," said Bacon.
Bacon said House Bill 573 would make it a felony to commit an assault on a public bus driver, and his amendment would add any employee of a county attorney's office to the list.


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Tiny Prints Facebook page to find out how to personalize one of the following greeting cards FREE: Checking It Twice (shown at right) or Santa's Scroll. Hurry! This offer ends 11/9/11 at 11:59 pm (PT). I just ordered mine, and I'm so excited to see the look on my boys' faces when they get it! (My apologies to my email subscribers who will be receiving this news the next day.)
address labels from the Tiny Prints collection! I'd love if you would tell them that "Susan Heim on Parenting sent me!" in the Untitled Question field of the form!
And, now, on to the giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive 50 Christmas or holiday cards from Tiny Prints!
MANDATORY ENTRY: To enter, visit www.tinyprints.com/shop/picture-christmas-cards.htm and check out the beautiful cards from Tiny Prints. Then leave a comment on this post with the name of the design(s) you would choose if you won! You must do this to enter the giveaway.
After fulfilling the mandatory entry above, you may earn optional, additional entries if you... (Leave a separate comment for each item you do.)
- Like Tiny Prints on Facebook. (1 entry)
- Follow @tinyprints on Twitter. Leave your twitter username in your comment. (1 entry)
- Tweet this giveaway -- up to 3x a day. (Please space them at least an hour apart.) Leave a separate comment with the URL of each tweet. (1 entry per tweet) Tweet
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- Subscribe to Susan Heim on Parenting via email, RSS, Google Friend Connect and/or Kindle. Leave a comment for each subscription method. (1 entry for each subscription method)
- Place a button for Susan Heim on Parenting on your blog and/or a text link on your blog roll. Post a comment with your blog's URL. (1 entry for button; 1 entry for text link)
- Enter another current giveaway on Susan Heim on Parenting. (1 entry per giveaway entered)
One winner will be randomly selected from the qualified comments received by Monday, November 21, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET. Please leave an email address on one of your comments if it's not available on your Blogger profile. Winner must respond to the notification email within 72 hours or another winner will be drawn. Contest is open to US residents only.
CONTEST CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner: turq!


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Welcome to RedWolf Airsoft,
You've been selected to try the beta version of our new online store.
Would you like to try our completely new experience?
For those people who work really hard for their money, getting various
upgrade parts for their airsofts might be a big step. Here are a few tricks you
can do to your Hi-Capa just with a Leatherman and Superglue. This guide is also
helpful if you need to install some parts yourself. Naturally all modifications
are done at your own discretion, and you should be conscious about your own
skill level. These tricks are tested to work, but
done incorrectly may cause your pistol to malfunction or even break.
Before doing anything, you need to know how to disassemble the pistol. Start
by removing the magazine, making sure the gun is empty and field stripping it.
Knock out the retainer pin of the mainspring housing in the heel of the grip,
and pull the mainspring housing off the grip. Then turn the safety levers up
beyond their normal travel. The hammer needs to be cocked, or the levers won't
move. Only a little bit of turning is enough so you can pull the left safety
lever off the gun. Be cautious, as part H51-49 is under spring tension. It's
best to take out the spring and H51-47 as well, and put them somewhere where
they will not be lost. When reassembling, use a thin knife blade or a piece of
paper folded a few times to push the pin to the front while installing the left
safety lever. The right lever and grip safety can also be removed now.
To take off the grip, remove the screws on both sides of the grip, and one
Phillips screw from inside the dust cover, holding the trigger guard. The screw
heads on the sides of the trigger guard are fake, so leave them alone. On the
left side of the firing mechanism is another Phillips screw, normally hidden by
the left safety lever. Removing that allows you to simply lift the left side of
the firing mechanism off.
While the trigger pull of the Marui Hi-Capa is quite nice as it is, there's
always room for improvement. Getting a steel sear and hammer improves trigger
pull a lot (although they can also use a bit of modification, just like with
real guns), but the original parts can provide good results as well. Let's make
it short and sensitive!
Looking at the firing mechanism, you will notice that the step on the hammer
is quite big, The picture shows the sear keeping the hammer fully cocked. Making the step smaller will
make the pistol shoot with less trigger travel. If you take too much material
off, the gun might be able to be fired with the safety on, so be sure to check
whether the safety works or not after you're done. Filing it down way too much
may cause the gun to fire short bursts occasionally, which is not good. It's better to take a little at the time and assemble the gun in between.
Some people prefer carrying the pistol in condition two, with the hammer down on a loaded chamber. People with any realsteel experience will (or at least should!) have serious issues pulling the trigger on a loaded chamber, but lowering the hammer slowly will get it caught in the half cocked position. To allow yourself to decock the pistol without dryfiring, you can file
the cam pin on the right side of the trigger flat. The hammer in the picture is
made by Carom Shot, so the pin could be pulled out just with pliers and
installed back later, if desired. The principle however is the same. You still
have to remove the magazine when decocking to prevent releasing any unwanted
gas, but at least you have the option to
lower the hammer slowly without getting the hammer caught in the half-cocked
position. When drawing the pistol, you only need to cock the hammer for the first shot.
When you pull the trigger, the sear lets the hammer fall and strike the firing pin. If
the trigger can't be pulled back enough, the gun won't fire, but any unnecessary
travel after the sear has tripped is overtravel in a negative sense. To reduce
overtravel to minimum, some manufacturers make triggers with a screw for
adjustment. Here's a cheap and effective alternative, if you don't mind doing
some work for your gun.
With the grip removed from the gun, insert a small flat screwdriver into the
magazine catch retainer. Push and turn 90 degrees to the left to unlock, and
remove the magazine catch. The trigger and trigger bar can now be pulled back
out of the frame. Adding material to the step in the back of the trigger will
decrease overtravel. After finishing both surfaces flat and smooth, use
superglue to attach the material to the trigger. While we always do this with a small hex nut for accurate trigger stop, you can glue a piece of plastic to this area to achieve the same result, although with less accuracy and lack of adjustment. You won't have to assemble the entire
pistol to test the results in between, but it will take some trial and errors
before you get the optimal result. Removing over-travel completely is not
advisable, because even just a little dirt buildup in the firing mechanism will
stop you from shooting.


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The tendency of wealthy individuals and families approaching or in retirement to keep personal insurance policies largely untouched for years on end exposes them to the threat of lifestyle-changing losses and unnecessarily high annual expenses, according to ACE Private Risk Services.
A white paper released this week by ACE Group's high-net-worth personal insurance business says that the most serious threats to retirees' or near-retirees' net worth come from exposure to big liability lawsuits and significant property loss at home. As well, many people overlook savings opportunities in their personal insurance plans.
The paper includes a guide to build and maintain a personal insurance plan into retirement.
"Financially successful couples and individuals in or near retirement face some of the most complex decisions about insurance at any time in their lives," Robert Courtemanche, division president of ACE Private Risk Services, said in a statement.
"Retirees and pre-retirees should craft a personal insurance program with sufficient umbrella liability coverage to match their at-risk assets, ensure their home is covered to its full replacement cost instead of its market value, as well as seek savings through higher deductibles and bundled insurance policies."
The white paper's 13 recommendations for wealth protection and strategic expense management in retirement planning:
1. Purchase umbrella liability insurance to match at-risk assets.
Wealth tends to attract lawsuits. A jury award or settlement in a case involving an accident that resulted in serious injury could approach tens of millions of dollars. ACE research has found that more than 40% of wealthy households have less than $5 million in umbrella liability coverage, including 21% that have none at all.
2. Seek full replacement cost coverage for your home.
Most homes in the U.S.—a significant, if not the largest, component of net worth for people near retirement—are underinsured. The best insurance policies will provide full replacement cost coverage for the home structure, including rebuilding with similar quality materials, even if that cost exceeds the coverage limit in their policy.
3. Increase homeowner and auto deductibles.
Increasing these deductibles can save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars per year in insurance premiums. An increased deductible on a million-dollar home from $500 to $2,500 could save $900 a year, according to ACE.
4. Name trusts and limited liability companies on insurance policies.
Wealthy families and their advisors must remember to name trusts and LLCs—set up to shield homes, valuable collections and financial assets and maximize wealth transfer—on the appropriate insurance policies, or risk leaving themselves or the trust unprotected against liability lawsuits.
5. Attend to liability risks from hobbies turned into small businesses.
Turning a longtime hobby, such as a vineyard, farm or horse stable, into a small business can create substantial liability risks.
6. Make sure the homeowners policy includes ample coverage for loss assessments if the residence is part of a property association.
Have your insurance agent review the association's bylaws and insurance program to understand your responsibility for loss assessments, which can sometimes amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
7. Take inventory of home contents and make sure the coverage limit for personal property matches its replacement cost.
An ACE analysis of 400 homes valued between $2 million and $7 million found that homes owned by people born before 1940 were more than twice as likely (66%) as those owned by people born after 1970 (30%) to be underinsured for contents. Overall, nearly half were underinsured for contents, and the average amount of underinsurance was $600,000.
8. Ensure that the homeowner policy includes coverage for building code upgrades.
Retirees who have lived in their homes for decades are particularly at risk if their insurance does not adequately cover the cost of bringing a damaged residence into compliance with the latest ordinances and laws.
9. Use the added protection of a valuables policy for jewelry, art and wine collections.
According to an ACE study, 94% of all wealthy households have valuable collections, and nearly 40% do not have all of their precious collections protected by a valuables policy. Instead, they rely solely on their homeowners policy, possibly not realizing that these policies restrict the amount of coverage for fine collectibles and breakage of fragile items.
10. Address the need for director's and officer's liability coverage if volunteering as a charity's board member or trustee.
Volunteer board members and trustees can be sued personally for the actions or inactions of the charitable organization, most commonly wrongful employment practices. These types of suits are not covered by a basic umbrella liability policy. Although the organization usually carries insurance to protect itself, coverage limits may be inadequate to cover some of the worst cases.
11. Get credits for loss prevention systems and upgraded plumbing, electrical and heating systems.
Most insurers offer premium credits for safety and security systems installed in homes and automobiles, but many people fail to take advantage of them. Either they do not tell their agent about the presence of the systems, or the agent fails to ask them about the systems.
12. Bundle different policies with the same carrier.
Using different carriers for auto insurance and homeowners insurance because they promise savings forgoes the opportunity to earn package discounts that can be 10% or higher, according to ACE. In the best cases, the policies can be written as part of one package with common term dates and one consolidated bill, saving the retiree time as well as money.
13. Insure classic cars with a classic car policy, not a standard auto policy.
People in or near retirement who own classic cars may not realize they can insure these vehicles with a classic car policy, which typically costs much less than a standard auto policy. Classic car policies cost less because insurance companies know the cars are driven only rarely and usually very carefully.
Check out other AdvisorOne stories on Risk Management, including:


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About Us
Binbox started as a self-serve publisher network where you could earn money to share your links. Our goals have always been to be the top-paying and most user-friendly pastebin. As of today we are one of the only pastebins that allows you to publish, earn, and advertise all from one network. Most importantly our success has been due to our cooperation and support for our members.


text:
Eyewear :
Authentic Eyeglasses
Authentic Theory Eyeglasses
authentic theory eyeglasses: designed in collaboration with theory, l'amy america produced this collection of women's ophthalmic and sunglass frames in keeping with the brand's modern aesthetic. the collection focuses on the brand's core values of innovation, fit and material quality. never overdesigned, the look is clean and minimal. the frames feature both richly hued and beautifully translucent acetate, artisan-brushed metal surfaces and a subtly-rendered logo signature, exclusive to this collection. theory optical and sunwear models offer a unique niche in today's luxury eyewear market.
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text:
Woman loses baby in horror Murphy's Creek crash
A TOOWOOMBA woman is not only having to come to terms with the fact that she might never walk again, but is having to process the loss of her unborn baby after a horror car crash in Murphy's Creek last week.
Ellie Dunn was involved in a serious traffic crash at the corner of Murphy's Creek Road and Watts Road on July 6, when the car she was driving hit a tree at about 3pm.
She was trapped in the car for about five hours and was airlifted to Brisbane in a critical condition.
Her fiance Matt Hamilton's sister, Emma Hamilton, decided to launch a GoFundMe page to help with the medical costs for Ellie's recovery, expected to take months, if not years, as well as making sure Matt could remain by Ellie's side at the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital.
"She's stable, but is in the ICU at the moment," Ms Hamilton told The Chronicle.
"She had surgery on Monday and Tuesday and had more scheduled for yesterday.
"I can't believe what a fighter she is, given the circumstances."
Ms Hamilton said on the GoFundMe page Ellie had to fight for her life after the crash.
"With so much blood loss and her left leg being beyond fixable she's had it amputated," Ms Hamilton said.
"Doctors are still hoping to be able to save her right leg.
"If this wasn't devastating enough, Ellie was 23 weeks pregnant. Despite tremendous efforts by doctors and everyone involved their little baby boy wasn't able to be saved.
"They don't want him to be forgotten in all of this."
The GoFundMe page has so far raised about $2000.
"We really appreciate everyone's support so far," Ms Hamilton said.
"We've had lots of messages wishing Ellie well, so hopefully that will give her a bit more of a push to keep fighting.
"She has such a hard and long road to recovery ahead, not only physically but emotionally. I am so incredibly proud of what an absolute fighter Ellie is.
"Ellie and Matt have endured such tragic loss and have so much more to face yet."
The GoFundMe page can be found at https://bit.ly/2L5MNSI.


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The Educational Value and Significance of the Ethics Bowl
Participating in the Ethics Bowl develops students' intellectual abilities and capacities, deepens their ethical understanding, and reinforces their sense of ethical commitment. With regard to the development of intellectual abilities and capacities, the most salient ethical issues for college and university students are complicated and ambiguous. Contrary to the implied message of a best selling book published several years ago, everything one needs to know about ethical issues on topics such as cheating, plagiarism, personal relationship, gender inequality, campus political controversies, and business or professional ethics in a future career can't be learned in kindergarten. Dealing with such issues places heavy demands upon students' abilities to discern, analyze, and evaluate, as well upon their capacity to maintain a well-organized mental focus under conditions of intellectual (and emotional) uncertainty. Ethics Bowl participation brings all these abilities and capacities directly into play.
Furthermore, students deepen their ethical understanding of complex, ambiguous, and highly viewpoint dependent questions through participating in the Ethics Bowl. Ethical understanding in connection with such issues consists largely of the capability to view from the inside ethical positions with which one disagrees, so that one understands the concerns motivating those positions, and, to some extent, appreciates their force. In this regard, students report that when discussing Ethics Bowl questions before a competition, team members often begin from sharply divergent positions, but as discussion proceeds one or the other of two outcomes tends to result. Sometimes differences of opinion narrow with further discussion. In many instances, however, this does not happen, and yet the students still succeed in reaching agreement upon what their response will be to a given question if asked it at the Ethics Bowl. This is because the team members who personally disagree with the response have come to view it as a defensible position that a reasonable and responsible person could hold. (For a discussion of the relationship between the Ethics Bowl and the fostering of the virtues internal to the practice of deliberation central to American democratic government, see Robert F. Ladenson, "The Educational Significance of the Ethics Bowl," Teaching Ethics, Vol. 1, no. 1 (2001) pp. 71-75).
Finally, participation in the Ethics Bowl can reinforce a student's sense of ethical commitment. Although the natural competitive inclination of the students undoubtedly sparks their interest in the Ethics Bowl, in our experience this factor hasn't at all predominated the event. Thus, at the conclusion of the ethics Bowl events conducted over the past several years, the contestants, judges, moderators, and audience have not focused their attention primarily upon who won and who lost, despite the events' competitive intensity. Instead, the "post Ethics Bowl" atmosphere, unlike the post World Series, or the post Super Bowl, with their emphases upon the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat, have seemed much more like the coming together, or bonding, characteristic of joint participation in significant and valued activity, guided by shared standards with which the participant deeply identify. This is the way it ought to be in our judgment, and the way we want to keep it.
We believe strongly that Ethics Bowl can fill a unique niche in practical and professional ethics education. It is also great fun.
How Ethics Bowl is Played
In Ethics Bowl a moderator asks two teams of three to five undergraduate students questions that pose ethical problems on topics ranging widely over areas such as the classroom (e.g. cheating or plagiarism), personal relationships (e.g.) dating or friendship), professional ethics (e.g. engineering, architecture, business, the military, law, medicine, etc.) or social and political ethics (e. g. free speech, gun control, healthcare, etc.) In an Ethics Bowl competition two teams are asked different competitions.Each team answers its question according to the following format. After the moderator poses a question to a team the team gets one minute to confer, after which it must stat its answer. (The team does not respond completely cold, however, because prior to the Ethics Bowl each competing team receives a set of cases that present ethical issues upon which the questions a team must answer at the Ethics Bowl are based.)
After the team states its answer to the question posed by the moderator the judges then have an opportunity to ask the team brief follow-up questions to elicit a teams' viewpoint on ethically important aspects of the question, or to seek clarification of a team's response. After the judges have asked their questions, the opposing team then has one minute to present a response to the first team's answer. The first team then has an opportunity to respond to the opposing team's comments.
The judges have been instructed prior to the Ethics Bowl concerning the criteria they are to apply in evaluating the teams' answers, which are the following:
- Clarity and Intelligibility - Has the team stated and defended its position in a way that is logically consistent and which allows the Judges to understand clearly the team's line of reasoning?
- Focus on Ethically relevant Factors - Has the team identified and discussed the factors the Judges consider ethically relevant in connection with the case?
- Avoidance of Ethical Irrelevance - Has the team stayed on track by avoiding preoccupationwith issues that the Judges do not regard as ethically relevant, or as only having minor ethical relevance, in connection with a case?
- Deliberative Thoughtfulness - To what extent, in the judge's opinion, has the team made a careful and reasonable comparative assessment of the considerations it identifies as ethically relevant in its statement and defense of its position?
When the Ethics Bowl Will Be Held
Consult the Hoffberger Center Calendar of Events for the next scheduled Ethics Bowl competition.


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Amy at Mom Advice shares her recipe for creamy pumpkin pasta.
Amy writes:
This creamy pumpkin pasta is one of my favorite fall dishes and my entire family loves it. The kids think it looks like macaroni and cheese so it doesn't take much coaxing to get them to try a bite. My husband loves the turkey sausage and the meaty flavor of this dish. Me? I just love the creamy pumpkin taste in my mouth!


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Full set of mats as in the cad drawing.
Reinforced heel pad on driver's mat for durability.
Anti-slip backing to help prevent unwanted movement..
Choice of trim colours and patterns.
Any necessary clips or fittings included.
›See more product details.
Imported from UK
Jeep Grand Cherokee MK2 (1999-2007) Tailored Car Mats Our custom car mats are perfectly tailored to fit your Jeep Grand Cherokee MK2, and are compatible with all models from (1999-2007) Choose from four different grades of carpet, including Standard, Premium, Luxury, and Super Luxury, all tailor-made to the highest standards of quality and durability. You can also choose from a wide range of colour trims for that extra touch of style and personality for your car's interior.All our carpet car mats feature a non-slip granulated backing to ensure stability underfoot and help eliminate movement within the footwell. The driver's mat also features a heel pad for extra durability and comfort, and is included on all grades of carpet.Our fitted car mats are also available in heavy duty rubber for easy cleaning and hard wearing.We make everything to order using our state-of-the-art CNC cutting machines and software, so you can be sure your mats are made just for you to your chosen specifications. Your order will also include any necessary clips and fixings to secure your mats in your car.Custom Tailored and made to order Anti-slip backing to reduce mat movement Reinforced heel pad on driver's mat for durability Choice of trim colours and patterns Any necessary clips or fittings included Full set of mats as in the cad drawing Manufactured and shipped from here in the UK Please see main gallery image to confirm the shape and clip position (where applicable) for your model of car. For some vehicles OE clips can't be sourced so universal clips may be supplied. Please note that all mats and other parts and accessories sold are suitable only for UK right-hand drive vehicles only unless otherwise stated.Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or queries.
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Mission & Values
Our mission is to create and sustain comfortable, caring environments for those who depend on us.
Our goal is to help our residents achieve maximum independence, while supplying excellent social, physical and emotional support. We offer exceptional wellness programs, social activities and health care in a family atmosphere to create a community you will enjoy calling home. Our team of dedicated and compassionate staff is there when you need them.
We are committed to fulfilling our mission by conducting ourselves according to our core values.
- Honesty – We are truthful in all our relationships
- Integrity – We are consistent in our responses
- Reliability – We do what we promise
- Excellence – We perform each task to the highest standards
- Respect – We treat everyone as we wish to be treated
- Compassion – We are considerate in our decisions and actions


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This weekend it was my little brother's Birthday along with the 4th of July along with a 10k, look for the 10k recap coming up tomorrow! We had parties, parties, parties at the new pad and it went off wonderfully. It was a crazy busy weekend and though I didn't get in as much running as I wanted, I'm still close to being on track, since I did run the 10k and this morning I got in an 8 miler. 8 miles before work is a ton for me so I'm really happy with that. Not so happy with my new shoes, but those will be reviewed soon as well.
On the 2nd, Shea and I actually got to go to the Angel game and though Fuentes blew it in the 9th inning… no suprise there, it was still a blast. I love my Angels!
The 3rd of July was a little family housewarming and it was so nice to have everyone over. We tested out the BBQ in the backyard and it was awesome. No one died from food poisoning.
Then the 4th was the big bash and many people stopped by. It was fantastico. Beamer says Happy Fourth of July!
We had our red, white and blue all ready to go with hotdogs, hamburgers, a ton of drinks and a keg, which keg stands were done on. What are we in high school? It was really fun though. To end it all off, my brother's birthday is on the 5th of July! So the party just didn't stop all weekend long!
I am so proud of him and all he supports me in. He is such a blessing in my life and I'm so glad he's my family! Even though he made me late every single day in high school, it takes him longer than me to get ready, he yells at me constantly over how I used to keep the bathroom and how messy I was, and how I traumatized him when he ran away and I didn't chase him when he was little. Glad those days are behind us and now I'm clean and he's, well, still usually late. :)
So happy Birthday little Koo. Hope you had a spectacular day, and a great year full of fun memories. I'm so glad that you were chosen to be my little bro!
He came to ride next to me for the last 3 miles of the Long Beach Marathon last year, and always makes me feel proud of my running accomplishments. He is a great athlete himself, and his respect for running makes me proud of what I do.
Even though he hates taking pictures with anyone, he is one of the best guys I know. He makes me laugh so hard and has the best one-liners I've ever heard.
He's always there for me and I'm so glad that he's my little brother. Who turned 22! Sheesh! I never saw that one coming!
He makes me laugh more than anyone I know, and we make quite a good team when it comes down to it. Who knew I would have such an awesome brother? He is the most OCD kid I know, (I showed up to take him out to lunch yesterday and he's vacuuming his house….) and I love him so much.
Happy 22nd Birthday Kooie. Happy 4th of July. Happy Summer and Happy, Happy Days.


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Gloria Pall, sexy hostess of '50s LA TV show, dies
Gloria Pall, the sultry hostess of a 1950s Los Angeles TV show that was canceled because it was deemed too hot for television, has died.
Her son Jefferson Kane tells the Los Angeles Times ( https://lat.ms/TDKKGX ) that Pall died Dec. 30 of heart failure at a Burbank hospital. She was 85.
Pall was cast by KABC-TV in 1954 to introduce each week's romantic movie. Appearing as "Voluptua," the statuesque Pall greeted viewers with a breathy coo and made sexy poses and flirtatious remarks.
The station canceled the show after seven weeks amid pressure from religious and parent groups, and lackluster commercial sponsorship. The protests attracted national media attention.
Pall, who later became a real estate agent, said her character was simply being suggestive.


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Un-American in the name of Jesus?
By Christian Piatt
(Originally printed in PULP)
I used to go to a lot of basketball games with my dad in Dallas. We have both been enthusiastic Mavericks fans for almost three decades, so you can imagine how excited I was when they won their first NBA championship this year.
Anyhow, before each game they go through the typical ritual of playing the Star Spangled Banner, and I would always stand up, face the flag and put my hand over my heart. But then a new announcer one year asked people to "please rise to honor God and America with the singing of our National Anthem."
"That's messed up," I said.
"What?" said my dad, "They do the same thing every game."
"Yeah but this new guy says that the Star Spangled Banner honors God," I said, "but there's nothing in the verse they sing at the games about God anywhere. It has nothing to do with God."
My dad grumbled something about my lack of patriotism and turned back toward the flag. But ever since, that moment has stood out in my mind as a perfect example of one of my biggest annoyances with American culture: our tendency to comingle a Christian identity with national patriotism.
So I was particularly interested to hear that Goshen College, a relatively small Mennonite school in Indiana, had decided to no longer play the National Anthem before any sporting events sponsored by the college. The reasoning, offered in a public statement issued by the college, was as follows:
"Historically, playing the national anthem has not been among Goshen College's practices because of our Christ-centered core value of compassionate peacemaking seeming to be in conflict with the anthem's militaristic language."
Unsurprisingly, the decision caused a ruckus, especially once news outlets such as Fox Radio got hold of it. But even local city councilmen decried the move, suggesting that those in charge were violating "the American way," and should relocate to somewhere like Cuba or Iran for a while until they learned to appreciate what they have here at home.
I posted a link to this news story on my Facebook page and asked people to respond. Following are a handful of comments from the many I received:
"It's such a hard issue because the song is both a symbol and a song … I agree with the college that it isn't a very Christian tune. It is about war. However, to ban it is, I fear, short-sighted. The song is a symbol of American unity. To ban it risks saying 'we don't want to be a part of the nation.' I'm not sure that's what they want to say." (From a lawyer)
"I support the ban, the choice and the school's right to make their own decision independent of the city council or any other political body." (From a minister)
Ashley Quinn: "I wonder where the whole tradition of the anthem at sporting events started anyways. Probably something to do with the whole combative, competitive nature of many sports. I don't think it makes any sense for a group of people devoted to peacemaking to sing it before they do anything." (From a bartender)
Carl Gregg: "For anyone who watched the Super Bowl, there is a breathtaking mix of sports, nationalism, and military imagery. Ultimately, Christianity is trans-national, seeking to build the Beloved Community irrespective of national borders. The school is making one small step against the massive idolatry that is ubiquitous in our society of putting biological family and nation before God." (From another minister)
"In the article I noticed people calling this anti-American. I don't see it that way at all. Americans are at our very best when we are tolerant of others. You know, that whole 'land of the free' verse." (From a retired Marine)
I'll gladly concede that my circle for friends doesn't represent the full socio-political spectrum, but I found the comments generally encouraging. For most of my life, it's been sold to me that being a good Christian also meant supporting our country, wars, death penalty and all. But I think we'd be doing both our faith and our patriotism a favor if we made clear in our own minds that not everyone who is a Christian, as grateful as we may be for the freedom we're afforded here, agrees morally with how we got here.
Christian is the creator and editor of the BANNED QUESTIONS book series, which include BANNED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE and BANNED QUESTIONS ABOUT JESUS. He co-created and co-edits the "WTF: Where's the Faith?" young adult series with Chalice Press, and he has a memoir on faith, family and parenting being published in early 2012 called PREGMANCY: A Dad, a Little Dude and a Due Date.
For more information about Christian, visit www.christianpiatt.com, or find him on Twitter or Facebook.


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The sedak success formula: ahead of its time and listening to the customer
Innovation is a consistent process at sedak which is supported by three outstanding assets: new glass processing techniques, skilled sedak human resources, and excellent plant facilities. These three factors combined make sedak the only glass processor and full-service supplier in the world who can perform all types of processing on panes of glass up to 20m (787in) long. sedak therefore makes it easier than ever for clients and developers to turn exciting architecture, unusual designs, and visionary buildings into reality.
Our current, primary target is to expand our supply business. To this end, we are consistently concentrating on first-rate quality products manufactured by an excellently trained staff, who gain first-class expertise through the sedak training and tuition program.
And tomorrow? Architecture thrives on fascination with new ideas, and sedak is always enthusiastic about the future. For example, the world's largest flatbed printer for large-format ceramic printing on glass. Or new processing techniques setting standards worldwide. sedak's range of large-format insulating and safety glass products will grow, as will the degree of automation in our production.
However, one thing will never change: sedak's close relations with partners and customers, because a partner-based, fair relationship and full customer satisfaction are our greatest incentives.


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Kevin Duffy: Auriemma, UConn women in class by themselves
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Perhaps greatness isn't the correct word. Maybe hatred isn't either.
Because greatness doesn't do justice to what we've seen in Storrs this season.
And can it truly be hatred if Geno Auriemma and Muffet McGraw shook hands, smiled and laughed a little bit before one unbeaten team annihilated the other?
Well, let's revisit recent events. You decide. How often does a coach refuse to applaud for a rival's individual award (especially when that individual may go down as the best individual in her sport)?
How often does a coach publicly say, "We've gotten pretty good at beating them"?
How often has a coach been given every opportunity to make nice (or at least indifferent), only to confirm that, yeah, hatred's probably the right word?
"I think that is a fair assumption," McGraw said Monday.
And how often did UConn score in the paint Tuesday night?
Often enough to deliver a 79-58 victory over an undefeated team, just an outlandish accomplishment itself. Enough to deliver Auriemma his ninth national title, surpassing Pat Summitt, launching him into an unprecedented realm of greatness. Enough to propel this team, these 40-0 Huskies, into a similar domain.
McGraw's Irish were competitive for 20 minutes, helpless for the next 20. Oh, make no mistake, she hated this. I think that's a fair assumption.
In a cordial post-game handshake, McGraw told Auriemma, "I thought we were playing the Miami Heat for a while."
His team up 21 as the countdown to perfection ticked, Auriemma pleaded, "C'mon, dig in, dig in!" Soon after, he pulled Bria Hartley; the senior guard sobbed wildly as she shared a long embrace with her coach. Moriah Jefferson smiled wide as she hugged assistant Marissa Moseley. So did Stefanie Dolson, who exited with 17 points and 16 boards, and Breanna Stewart, who had 21 points, nine rebounds and another Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.
For Auriemma, that's nine titles in the past 20 seasons. That's him becoming the most successful coach in the history of women's basketball.
And his Huskies? 40-0, not one game decided by single-digits, not a chance for 37-0 Notre Dame. If this isn't the best women's basketball team ever, cases can be made for precious few others.
"We beat a great, great team tonight," Auriemma said. "We played better than I thought we were going to play."
It's a shame Natalie Achonwa spent this Tuesday night on the Notre Dame bench with a black brace strapped around her left knee. Maybe she could have momentarily slowed Dolson and Stewart and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who accounted for the bulk of UConn's astounding 52 points in the paint. She couldn't have reversed the outcome, though.
No fibbing during Lent: "They just overpowered us," McGraw said. "They killed us inside."
When it was close in the first half, you could still tell which side felt the pressure. After an early unforced turnover, Kayla McBride retrieved the ball from out of bounds and pounded it twice into the ground with full force. Even a perfect team knew it had to play a perfect game against these Huskies. Now that's a different type of greatness.
What seemed inevitable since last April, when the world caught a glimpse of Stewart's limitless ceiling, eventually commenced. Auriemma got No. 9 three hours west of good ole Knoxville, Tenn. He got it against McGraw and the Irish.
"I don't think it really matters where you win it, who you're playing against," Auriemma was saying Monday. "Anytime you win a national championship, it's pretty special. When Pat won No. 8, there may have been a perception out there nobody's ever going to catch Pat."
"So if Connecticut or anybody else were to win eight or nine, somebody's going to come around someday and win 10," Auriemma continued. "I'm really not a numbers guy. I've said this 100,000 times. Wednesday morning when I wake up, win or lose, my life doesn't change one iota."
For the numbers guys and gals, the significance of this is clear-cut: Auriemma has won nine championships in the past 20 years. Pat Summitt's eight rings spanned over 23 seasons. Case closed, as far as I'm concerned.
But the conversation will surely involve all coaches, pitting Auriemma against John Wooden and others from the men's game. It's a fun debate. It's interesting. It will ultimately go nowhere.
The men's college game and the women's game are different animals. There's crazy parity on the recruiting trail in men's hoops. Lower-ranked guys can develop into legitimate stars. Remember the No. 98 ranked recruit in the class of 2010? Yeah, he just had his jersey placed on the Huskies of Honor wall Tuesday. In women's hoops, it seems the brightest collegiate stars are almost always the top recruits.
The men's game provides the early-defection element, too, which is why Mike Krzyzewski doesn't have a prayer of catching Auriemma's title count. And John Calipari gets Anthony Davis for one season; Auriemma gets Stewart for four. The conversation ends there.
For Auriemma, always asked about the numbers, the conversation always comes back to his players. How many do they leave UConn with?
"Now, Stewie said she came to Connecticut to win four national championships," Auriemma said Monday. "That's what I think is more significant for Bria and Stefanie Dolson, to win a National Championship their senior year. That's pretty significant, because they only get X amount of chances to do it."
So X = two more for Breanna Stewart.
How much do you think Muffet McGraw hates that?
firstname.lastname@example.com; @KevinRDuffy


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Article content
And the plot thickens.
The running theory surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's pre-World Cup injury had been that excessive use was causing tendinitis to flare up in the premier striker's left knee. Which makes sense -- a player's body can only take so much wear and tear over a season before it starts to break down.
However, at least one person is willing to disagree with this logic.
That person is a Ghanaian witch doctor named Nana Kwaku Bonsam. He believes Ronaldo's injury troubles can actually be traced back to him.
Bonsam, whose full name translates to "Devil of Wednesday," according to the Guardian, told Angel FM that he cursed the 29-year-old in February. Portuguese officials confirmed the Real Madrid star's ailment on Wednesday.
"I know what Cristiano Ronaldo's injury is about, I'm working on him," Bonsam said to the Ghanaian radio station. "I am very serious about it. Last week, I went around looking for four dogs and I got them to be used in manufacturing a special spirit called Kahwiri Kapam.
"The injury can never be cured by any medic, they can never see what is causing the injury because it is spiritual," the witch doctor added. "Today, it is his knee, tomorrow it is his thigh, next day it is something else."
Ronaldo missed a friendly versus Greece over the weekend and is scheduled to sit out another Cup tuneup on Friday against Mexico.
Portugal opens its World Cup schedule on June 16. They meet Ghana on June 26 to close out Group G action.
tap here to see other videos from our team.