The common cold: we are all familiar with its uncomfortable symptoms, such as nasal congestion, sore throat, and fever. Many people use products such as Sudafed to treat these symptoms, but others argue that herbal medicines such as Echinacea are more effective.
Echinacea is a type of flower, certain species of which are used in herbal medicines. Echinacea is traditionally thought to stimulate the immune system. There have been many debates about how effective Echinacea is at treating the common cold. The most recent of these studies, which pitted Echinacea against a placebo pill, adds more fuel to the fire.
Published in the December 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, this study was conducted in Dane County, Wisconsin with a total of 719 patients enrolled. The study focused on the patients' illness duration and severity. Results indicated that although illness duration amongst the participants was reduced through taking a pill of some sort, the difference in the effects of the Echinacea pill versus the placebo pill were not statistically significant.
Though these results are interesting, the authors of the study also point out its several limitations. These include the fact the results could not be generalized to cover other geographic areas, and, because the majority (88%) of the participants were white, to other racial or ethnic groups.
The debate on natural health products versus prescription or over-the-counter medication continues. Evidence from this last study is not conclusive, but points to the fact that regular medicines such as Sudafed can be just as effective as treating the common cold as
natural health products such as Echinacea. Online Pharmacies Canada, a reputable online Canadian Pharmacy, therefore recommends that people consult with their physicians before departing from traditional cold medications in favor of herbal medicines.
2011年4月28日星期四
7UP prize not among NBA's best
Fans who have hit a half-court shot at NBA games this season have won cars (Kings), a truck (Trail Blazers), cash prizes of $20,000 (Thunder) and $10,000 (Mavericks) and -- wait for it -- a year's supply of 7UP (Hornets).
The latter prize, which was awarded to a fan at halftime of Game 3 of the Lakers-Hornets series in New Orleans, might be the worst in NBA promotion history -- especially considering a fan hit a half-court shot to win $235,000 during last year's Lakers-Thunder first-round playoff series.
By contrast, the fan who hit a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot Friday didn't even get enough soda in his "year's supply of 7UP" to drink a can a day for a year.
Rather, he received coupons from the NBA-owned Hornets redeemable for two 12-packs of 7UP for 12 months, which amounts to 288 cans, or the cash equivalent of about $96.
It's safe to say the winning fan isn't "Feelin' 7UP," especially when it would've cost the soda company only $1,000 to insure against a $20,000 half-court shot prize.
One recent slogan for the lemon-lime soda was "Ridiculously Bubbly." More like ridiculously cheap.
A 7UP representative should've presented the fan with his prize while wearing a T-shirt distributed by the soda company a few years ago. The front of it featured the first part of the slogan, "Make Seven." The back was emblazoned with "Up Yours."
■ SHEEN BAILS OUT NAILS -- Former baseball star Lenny Dykstra was bailed out of jail this week by close friend Charlie Sheen, who paid $22,500 to free him.
Dykstra, who made more than $36 million in 13 seasons with the Mets and Phillies, filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and was arrested this month for allegedly embezzling more than $400,000 from his bankrupt estate.
"The rendition guilty trolls that kidnapped my dear friend 'Nails' clearly forgot that he's a fellow Vatican assassin and his best pal is a warlock," Sheen told TMZ.
Well, that clears things up. The actor obviously has pulled his life together and seen the light since his last "epic" drug binge.
How many drugs did Sheen take? Enough to kill "Two and a Half Men."
■ SHUTTLECOCK SHOCKER -- In an apparent effort to make the sport of badminton sexier, the Badminton World Federation has implemented a new rule requiring all female players to wear skirts in major tournaments "to ensure (the) attractive presentation of badminton."
We don't know what's more shocking, the controversial ruling or the fact there is a Badminton World Federation.
■ BEHIND THE GOATEE -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly grew a goatee, against his wife's wishes, and vowed to keep it until his team stopped winning most of its games.
But then he suddenly shaved it, telling Los Angeles Times reporter Dylan Hernandez the actual reason he grew it was because he had a cold sore on the left side of his lip.
Rumor has it the former Yankees star also kept his mustache for most of his playing days because of a bothersome pimple below his nose.
The latter prize, which was awarded to a fan at halftime of Game 3 of the Lakers-Hornets series in New Orleans, might be the worst in NBA promotion history -- especially considering a fan hit a half-court shot to win $235,000 during last year's Lakers-Thunder first-round playoff series.
By contrast, the fan who hit a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot Friday didn't even get enough soda in his "year's supply of 7UP" to drink a can a day for a year.
Rather, he received coupons from the NBA-owned Hornets redeemable for two 12-packs of 7UP for 12 months, which amounts to 288 cans, or the cash equivalent of about $96.
It's safe to say the winning fan isn't "Feelin' 7UP," especially when it would've cost the soda company only $1,000 to insure against a $20,000 half-court shot prize.
One recent slogan for the lemon-lime soda was "Ridiculously Bubbly." More like ridiculously cheap.
A 7UP representative should've presented the fan with his prize while wearing a T-shirt distributed by the soda company a few years ago. The front of it featured the first part of the slogan, "Make Seven." The back was emblazoned with "Up Yours."
■ SHEEN BAILS OUT NAILS -- Former baseball star Lenny Dykstra was bailed out of jail this week by close friend Charlie Sheen, who paid $22,500 to free him.
Dykstra, who made more than $36 million in 13 seasons with the Mets and Phillies, filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and was arrested this month for allegedly embezzling more than $400,000 from his bankrupt estate.
"The rendition guilty trolls that kidnapped my dear friend 'Nails' clearly forgot that he's a fellow Vatican assassin and his best pal is a warlock," Sheen told TMZ.
Well, that clears things up. The actor obviously has pulled his life together and seen the light since his last "epic" drug binge.
How many drugs did Sheen take? Enough to kill "Two and a Half Men."
■ SHUTTLECOCK SHOCKER -- In an apparent effort to make the sport of badminton sexier, the Badminton World Federation has implemented a new rule requiring all female players to wear skirts in major tournaments "to ensure (the) attractive presentation of badminton."
We don't know what's more shocking, the controversial ruling or the fact there is a Badminton World Federation.
■ BEHIND THE GOATEE -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly grew a goatee, against his wife's wishes, and vowed to keep it until his team stopped winning most of its games.
But then he suddenly shaved it, telling Los Angeles Times reporter Dylan Hernandez the actual reason he grew it was because he had a cold sore on the left side of his lip.
Rumor has it the former Yankees star also kept his mustache for most of his playing days because of a bothersome pimple below his nose.
5 miles, 40 minutes, 20 weeks
I ran five miles yesterday, bringing my week’s tally to around 17 miles. It’s a far cry from the 35 to 45 miles I was tallying this fall. But my body deserves a break. I am, after all, nearly 20 weeks
pregnant.
This all may shock some. In fact, I think the sight of me and my burgeoning belly bopping down the road has turned more than a few heads. Some friends call me crazy. My mom urges me to take it easy. At my friends I just smile, to my mom I send assurances.
Besides the physical benefits, running has always been a time for me to feed the mind and soul. There’s something meditative about the tap, tap, tap of my running shoes hitting the trail. My mind clears as the sounds of office phones ringing and keyboards clicking are replaced with wind, rivers and birds singing fitfully in the woods; in running, I find sanity.
The reasons for staying fit for life are many, and during pregnancy the benefits take on a deeper meaning. Studies have shown increased placental blood flow as a result of heightened activity. That blood is not only highly oxygenated, but it is also rich in fresh nutrients and endorphins — the feel-good hormone. Most know exercise keeps the extra pounds at bay, and for pregnant women, this can mean good things in a society with obesity levels climbing. Staying fit can mean an escape from some of the common ailments that plague pregnant women: leg cramps, fatigue, constipation, swelling, insomnia, high blood pressure and overall mood. It’s hard to argue, despite what some doctors have been saying for years, that exercise is not good for a developing fetus and the mother.
As soon as that blue plus sign — Clear Blue Easy’s equivalent of “yes, you’re pregnant” — appeared on a pregnancy test back in December, I resolved to keep running, hiking and walking as long as was comfortable and personally rewarding until the baby’s due date in September. This isn’t my first trip around the block, however.
Nearly three years ago, I had my first child — a boy. During that pregnancy, I worked as an assistant ski coach for the Juneau Ski Club. This meant spending every weekend on the slopes of Eaglecrest, hauling gear, gates and equipment — lots of drilling holes for gates, screwing in those gates and then undoing it all after a day full of being on my feet. It wasn’t until nearly my eighth month that I began to feel like downhill skiing was a bit much. It was then I switched to running. In my 39th week of pregnancy I was hiking Perseverance Trail and loving every minute. Elias was born, on time, a week later weighing in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce.
Now, many might balk at the thought of an extremely pregnant woman engaging in a typically high-risk sport like downhill skiing. But my doctor was supportive. In fact, he encouraged all types of physical activity, as long as I was skilled enough to do them safely.
This time around things have been a bit different. During my first trimester, which lasted through the winter, I was no longer spending weekends on the ski hill. And instead of jogging around Juneau for those first three months (like I had envisioned), I found myself sleeping 12 hours each night and still seeking naps at every opportunity. Then there were the headaches — the constant, pounding anguish that stretched from temple to temple and lasted for days. It took all I had just to look at my computer screen. So, those 12 weeks consisted of yoga and, well, eating. (I was really hungry!) But that’s about it. I gained 12 pounds, found a new blemish daily and suffered from painful cold sores every three weeks. Yes, pregnancy — what a joy. I must admit, I was faithfully counting down to the arrival of trimester two and hoping my body would adjust to the tiny human inside me.
It’s times like these that test new moms-to-be. Doctors and midwives might be saying a little activity will boost energy levels, though simultaneously, the body is screaming the opposite. But the pros are right, and it’s important to give the body what it craves and then some — within reason. Even a 15-minute walk will turn a dismal day around. It doesn’t take much — just do what feels best.
Because after month three, for nearly all expecting ladies, life gets great. I mean really, really great. I found myself giddy as I shopped for new running shoes. Outings felt amazing again. My energy was back and my legs, strong from the yoga and refreshed from a few months off, were ready to run again. I listened to what my body needed and since the beginning of March I’ve been hitting the pavement and trails faithfully.
Keep in mind that I’ve always been a runner. It’s not something I would recommend picking up mid-pregnancy. I think the benefits of exercise during pregnancy are far from fully discovered, but the effort has to be catered to the individual. It’s not a time to start something new. Instead, pick up an activity you know you’ll be comfortable doing safely and take it slow to begin. When I first started running again, my body (and belly) weren’t used to the bouncing. I’d walk until the round ligaments (those that support and stretch as the uterus grows) relaxed and my body warmed up. Now I feel great on all types of terrain. Yesterday, I even passed a guy on a long downhill. He couldn’t see, but I had a grin from ear to ear.
It’s also important to make sure, especially during pregnancy, that all activity is coupled with ample fluids and food. I don’t eat during activity (it gives me side aches), but I make sure to have a snack of water and complex carbohydrates or fruit available within 15 minutes of finishing a run. The sooner you replenish depleted stores, the faster your body will recover.
With the sun making more regular appearances these days, it’s time to get out and enjoy the Alaskan scenery. Trails at lower elevations, such as the Salmon Creek, Dupont and Rainforest trails, are currently snow and ice free and aren’t too long or arduous for most.
In an effort to inspire and educate other women, I’m going to continue this column until my due date in September. I’ll interview local midwives and doctors to help gain insight on how exercise can affect an expecting mom and baby. I’ll touch on topics such as gear, foods that pack a punch, preventing complications, dads, and what it’s like to be Alaskan and pregnant. I’ll offer reports on local trails and which ones clumsy ladies (especially those that can no longer see their feet) should avoid. And I’ll keep it real, offering up my own experiences — the celebrations and the challenges.
pregnant.
This all may shock some. In fact, I think the sight of me and my burgeoning belly bopping down the road has turned more than a few heads. Some friends call me crazy. My mom urges me to take it easy. At my friends I just smile, to my mom I send assurances.
Besides the physical benefits, running has always been a time for me to feed the mind and soul. There’s something meditative about the tap, tap, tap of my running shoes hitting the trail. My mind clears as the sounds of office phones ringing and keyboards clicking are replaced with wind, rivers and birds singing fitfully in the woods; in running, I find sanity.
The reasons for staying fit for life are many, and during pregnancy the benefits take on a deeper meaning. Studies have shown increased placental blood flow as a result of heightened activity. That blood is not only highly oxygenated, but it is also rich in fresh nutrients and endorphins — the feel-good hormone. Most know exercise keeps the extra pounds at bay, and for pregnant women, this can mean good things in a society with obesity levels climbing. Staying fit can mean an escape from some of the common ailments that plague pregnant women: leg cramps, fatigue, constipation, swelling, insomnia, high blood pressure and overall mood. It’s hard to argue, despite what some doctors have been saying for years, that exercise is not good for a developing fetus and the mother.
As soon as that blue plus sign — Clear Blue Easy’s equivalent of “yes, you’re pregnant” — appeared on a pregnancy test back in December, I resolved to keep running, hiking and walking as long as was comfortable and personally rewarding until the baby’s due date in September. This isn’t my first trip around the block, however.
Nearly three years ago, I had my first child — a boy. During that pregnancy, I worked as an assistant ski coach for the Juneau Ski Club. This meant spending every weekend on the slopes of Eaglecrest, hauling gear, gates and equipment — lots of drilling holes for gates, screwing in those gates and then undoing it all after a day full of being on my feet. It wasn’t until nearly my eighth month that I began to feel like downhill skiing was a bit much. It was then I switched to running. In my 39th week of pregnancy I was hiking Perseverance Trail and loving every minute. Elias was born, on time, a week later weighing in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce.
Now, many might balk at the thought of an extremely pregnant woman engaging in a typically high-risk sport like downhill skiing. But my doctor was supportive. In fact, he encouraged all types of physical activity, as long as I was skilled enough to do them safely.
This time around things have been a bit different. During my first trimester, which lasted through the winter, I was no longer spending weekends on the ski hill. And instead of jogging around Juneau for those first three months (like I had envisioned), I found myself sleeping 12 hours each night and still seeking naps at every opportunity. Then there were the headaches — the constant, pounding anguish that stretched from temple to temple and lasted for days. It took all I had just to look at my computer screen. So, those 12 weeks consisted of yoga and, well, eating. (I was really hungry!) But that’s about it. I gained 12 pounds, found a new blemish daily and suffered from painful cold sores every three weeks. Yes, pregnancy — what a joy. I must admit, I was faithfully counting down to the arrival of trimester two and hoping my body would adjust to the tiny human inside me.
It’s times like these that test new moms-to-be. Doctors and midwives might be saying a little activity will boost energy levels, though simultaneously, the body is screaming the opposite. But the pros are right, and it’s important to give the body what it craves and then some — within reason. Even a 15-minute walk will turn a dismal day around. It doesn’t take much — just do what feels best.
Because after month three, for nearly all expecting ladies, life gets great. I mean really, really great. I found myself giddy as I shopped for new running shoes. Outings felt amazing again. My energy was back and my legs, strong from the yoga and refreshed from a few months off, were ready to run again. I listened to what my body needed and since the beginning of March I’ve been hitting the pavement and trails faithfully.
Keep in mind that I’ve always been a runner. It’s not something I would recommend picking up mid-pregnancy. I think the benefits of exercise during pregnancy are far from fully discovered, but the effort has to be catered to the individual. It’s not a time to start something new. Instead, pick up an activity you know you’ll be comfortable doing safely and take it slow to begin. When I first started running again, my body (and belly) weren’t used to the bouncing. I’d walk until the round ligaments (those that support and stretch as the uterus grows) relaxed and my body warmed up. Now I feel great on all types of terrain. Yesterday, I even passed a guy on a long downhill. He couldn’t see, but I had a grin from ear to ear.
It’s also important to make sure, especially during pregnancy, that all activity is coupled with ample fluids and food. I don’t eat during activity (it gives me side aches), but I make sure to have a snack of water and complex carbohydrates or fruit available within 15 minutes of finishing a run. The sooner you replenish depleted stores, the faster your body will recover.
With the sun making more regular appearances these days, it’s time to get out and enjoy the Alaskan scenery. Trails at lower elevations, such as the Salmon Creek, Dupont and Rainforest trails, are currently snow and ice free and aren’t too long or arduous for most.
In an effort to inspire and educate other women, I’m going to continue this column until my due date in September. I’ll interview local midwives and doctors to help gain insight on how exercise can affect an expecting mom and baby. I’ll touch on topics such as gear, foods that pack a punch, preventing complications, dads, and what it’s like to be Alaskan and pregnant. I’ll offer reports on local trails and which ones clumsy ladies (especially those that can no longer see their feet) should avoid. And I’ll keep it real, offering up my own experiences — the celebrations and the challenges.
Glaxo's Profit Rises, but Sales Fall 11%
GlaxoSmithKline PLC Wednesday posted an 11% fall in first-quarter revenue, weighed by a steep drop in sales of pandemic flu vaccines and anti-virals, but said quarterly profits were supported by strong sales of new products, continued expansion in emerging markets and Japan as well as asset disposals.
For the three months to end-March, Glaxo posted a profit of £1.64 billion ($2.70 billion) before major restructuring, up 5.1% from £1.56 billion a year earlier. Net profit, which includes restructuring charges, was up 14% at £1.53 billion compared with £1.34 billion. The group booked restructuring charges of £135 million in the first quarter.
Sales in the period fell to £6.59 billion from £7.36 billion, hit by generic competition to herpes drug Valtrex, a continued steep fall in revenue from its controversial diabetes pill Avandia, and a drop in sales of flu products after last year's pandemic-linked windfall. Analysts had forecast quarterly sales of £6.66 billion.
Still, the U.K.'s largest drug maker said asset disposals delivered positive earnings per share growth in the quarter. Glaxo is selling its Quest Diagnostics stake for $1.7 billion and North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International INC for $300 million.
As a result, earnings per share came in at 32.2 pence versus 30.7 pence in the year-ago quarter. Market expectations had seen first-quarter EPS at 31 pence.
The drug industry overall is suffering as older products lose patent protection and governments and health insurers push back on pricing. But Glaxo now looks better placed than many of its rivals when it comes to patent expiries. The company said its prospects look bright going forward.
"These first quarter results are in line with the expectation that I set out in February that GSK will make significant progress during 2011 to improve sales performance, enhance cash generation and deliver new product approvals and pipeline visibility," Chief Executive Andrew Witty said in a statement.
Mr. Witty has pursued a diversification strategy since taking the helm three years ago at Glaxo, building its consumer and vaccines businesses and expanding in emerging markets.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities said Glaxo's sales and earnings performance looks set to improve from the second half of this year. "Glaxo is now sort of in the eye of the storm from a growth perspective and the stock should return to growth later on this year and we're becoming more confident about where the growth is coming from," said Mr. Valder, who rates Glaxo a buy.
Glaxo, which reports in sterling, set a first-quarter dividend of 16 pence, up 7% from a year earlier.
Glaxo recently resumed its share buyback program, suspended in 2008. Having bought back shares to the tune of £317 million in the first quarter, the company Wednesday said full-year buybacks are now expected to be at the top end of its repurchase range of between £1 billion to £2 billion.
The company doesn't provide detailed sales or earnings guidance.
Glaxo said it received a subpoena on April 18 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office of the Inspector General, "requesting production of documents relating to the group's marketing and promotion of Lovaza," a fish oil-based product designed to lower high triglycerides. The U.S. inspectors are requesting documents from January 1, 2006 to the present, Glaxo said.
For the three months to end-March, Glaxo posted a profit of £1.64 billion ($2.70 billion) before major restructuring, up 5.1% from £1.56 billion a year earlier. Net profit, which includes restructuring charges, was up 14% at £1.53 billion compared with £1.34 billion. The group booked restructuring charges of £135 million in the first quarter.
Sales in the period fell to £6.59 billion from £7.36 billion, hit by generic competition to herpes drug Valtrex, a continued steep fall in revenue from its controversial diabetes pill Avandia, and a drop in sales of flu products after last year's pandemic-linked windfall. Analysts had forecast quarterly sales of £6.66 billion.
Still, the U.K.'s largest drug maker said asset disposals delivered positive earnings per share growth in the quarter. Glaxo is selling its Quest Diagnostics stake for $1.7 billion and North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International INC for $300 million.
As a result, earnings per share came in at 32.2 pence versus 30.7 pence in the year-ago quarter. Market expectations had seen first-quarter EPS at 31 pence.
The drug industry overall is suffering as older products lose patent protection and governments and health insurers push back on pricing. But Glaxo now looks better placed than many of its rivals when it comes to patent expiries. The company said its prospects look bright going forward.
"These first quarter results are in line with the expectation that I set out in February that GSK will make significant progress during 2011 to improve sales performance, enhance cash generation and deliver new product approvals and pipeline visibility," Chief Executive Andrew Witty said in a statement.
Mr. Witty has pursued a diversification strategy since taking the helm three years ago at Glaxo, building its consumer and vaccines businesses and expanding in emerging markets.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities said Glaxo's sales and earnings performance looks set to improve from the second half of this year. "Glaxo is now sort of in the eye of the storm from a growth perspective and the stock should return to growth later on this year and we're becoming more confident about where the growth is coming from," said Mr. Valder, who rates Glaxo a buy.
Glaxo, which reports in sterling, set a first-quarter dividend of 16 pence, up 7% from a year earlier.
Glaxo recently resumed its share buyback program, suspended in 2008. Having bought back shares to the tune of £317 million in the first quarter, the company Wednesday said full-year buybacks are now expected to be at the top end of its repurchase range of between £1 billion to £2 billion.
The company doesn't provide detailed sales or earnings guidance.
Glaxo said it received a subpoena on April 18 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office of the Inspector General, "requesting production of documents relating to the group's marketing and promotion of Lovaza," a fish oil-based product designed to lower high triglycerides. The U.S. inspectors are requesting documents from January 1, 2006 to the present, Glaxo said.
2011年4月26日星期二
Bell's palsy not a cause of memory lapses
Dear Dr. Donohue: I am a 79-year-old man. Four months ago I had a mitral valve repaired and double bypass surgery. I have been doing fine until I got Bell's palsy. I also am beginning to forget things.
Do you think there is a connection, or am I getting Alzheimer's?
F.W.
Dear F.W.: Bell's palsy is one-sided facial paralysis. It's believed to be due to an infection of the nerve serving those muscles with the herpes simplex virus-1, the same virus that causes cold sores. An affected person cannot close the eye on the affected side, can't furrow the brow and has trouble drinking and eating because food and liquids dribble out of the mouth. Invariably, such people think they have had a stroke.
Advertisement
The good news is that 70 percent make a full recovery in one or two months. In another short while, 85 percent are back to near normal. Some take one or two years to regain strength in those facial muscles, and a few are left with permanent weakness.
You have to protect your eye at night and during the day. The opened eye dries out. Artificial tears keep it moistened during the day. A moisturizing eye ointment protects it at night, when a patch should cover the eye.
Bell's palsy has nothing to do with memory. It has nothing to do with the brain. Memory lapses are common at older ages. They occur at younger ages, too. Groping for a word, the inability to recall a name, misplacing the keys and wondering why you walked into a room are not harbingers of Alzheimer's. Worrisome memory slips are forgetting the names of family or very close friends, getting lost in familiar places and putting things in inappropriate places, like car keys in the refrigerator.
Dear Dr. Donohue: Four months ago, I had a pacemaker put in. Everything had been going fine until last week, when I started to get dizzy spells. They laid me up. My family doctor said I might have pacemaker syndrome, something I'd never heard of. He insists I see the heart doctor immediately. Will you explain this?
R.R.
Dear R.R.: Pacemaker syndrome is an uncommon condition in which the usually finely coordinated contractions of the upper and lower heart chambers (the atria and ventricles) have gotten out of sync.
Dizziness, shortness of breath, headache and palpitations are some of the possible symptoms.
I hope you have seen your heart doctor long before you read this. The heart doctor might have to reprogram your pacemaker, or it might have to be replaced.
To Readers: Headaches are the bane of many. The booklet on headaches explains the different varieties and their treatment. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 901, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address.
Do you think there is a connection, or am I getting Alzheimer's?
F.W.
Dear F.W.: Bell's palsy is one-sided facial paralysis. It's believed to be due to an infection of the nerve serving those muscles with the herpes simplex virus-1, the same virus that causes cold sores. An affected person cannot close the eye on the affected side, can't furrow the brow and has trouble drinking and eating because food and liquids dribble out of the mouth. Invariably, such people think they have had a stroke.
Advertisement
The good news is that 70 percent make a full recovery in one or two months. In another short while, 85 percent are back to near normal. Some take one or two years to regain strength in those facial muscles, and a few are left with permanent weakness.
You have to protect your eye at night and during the day. The opened eye dries out. Artificial tears keep it moistened during the day. A moisturizing eye ointment protects it at night, when a patch should cover the eye.
Bell's palsy has nothing to do with memory. It has nothing to do with the brain. Memory lapses are common at older ages. They occur at younger ages, too. Groping for a word, the inability to recall a name, misplacing the keys and wondering why you walked into a room are not harbingers of Alzheimer's. Worrisome memory slips are forgetting the names of family or very close friends, getting lost in familiar places and putting things in inappropriate places, like car keys in the refrigerator.
Dear Dr. Donohue: Four months ago, I had a pacemaker put in. Everything had been going fine until last week, when I started to get dizzy spells. They laid me up. My family doctor said I might have pacemaker syndrome, something I'd never heard of. He insists I see the heart doctor immediately. Will you explain this?
R.R.
Dear R.R.: Pacemaker syndrome is an uncommon condition in which the usually finely coordinated contractions of the upper and lower heart chambers (the atria and ventricles) have gotten out of sync.
Dizziness, shortness of breath, headache and palpitations are some of the possible symptoms.
I hope you have seen your heart doctor long before you read this. The heart doctor might have to reprogram your pacemaker, or it might have to be replaced.
To Readers: Headaches are the bane of many. The booklet on headaches explains the different varieties and their treatment. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 901, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address.
GSK eyes healthier times beyond Q1 flu sales gap
A sharp fall in sales of flu products after last year's pandemic-linked windfall will weigh on GlaxoSmithKline's first-quarter results, but Britain's biggest drugmaker can point to better times ahead.
Exceptional demand for vaccines and anti-flu drug Relenza flattered results a year ago. Their absence means sales will fall nearly 10 percent when it reports at 1100 GMT on Wednesday.
Profits, however, should be cushioned by chunky disposal gains on the group's stake in Quest Diagnostics and the sale of North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax.
More important than the numbers will be confidence shown by management that the company's fortunes have reached a floor -- following the furore over diabetes drug Avandia and big generic hits in 2010 -- and it is now positioned for growth.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities believes GSK's sales and earnings will move to a sustainably positive trend from the second half of 2011 and setting a base-line for this improvement is his main focus for the quarterly results.
On paper, GSK has a comparatively robust growth profile through 2015 -- certainly compared to rival AstraZeneca, where sales are expected to fall over the next five years -- but this is arguably already reflected in its rating.
GSK shares trade at around 10.9 times this year's forecast earnings, slightly above Novartis on 10.4 and well above sector laggards like AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis on 7.2 and 7.9 times respectively.
As with Novartis, which has multiple sclerosis medicine Gilenya to interest investors, GSK also has a ground-breaking new drug in Benlysta, for lupus -- though the British group has to share its profits with Human Genome Sciences.
Pharmaceutical companies across the globe are grappling with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push by cash-strapped governments in Europe to slash the prices of drugs, along with competition from cheaper generic treatments.
That means new products which really make a difference to patients are more important than ever.
So far, European drugmakers have had a mixed first-quarter report card, with Novartis last week beating expectations on the back on strong sales of its newer drugs, while Swiss rival Roche disappointed on April 14.
Exceptional demand for vaccines and anti-flu drug Relenza flattered results a year ago. Their absence means sales will fall nearly 10 percent when it reports at 1100 GMT on Wednesday.
Profits, however, should be cushioned by chunky disposal gains on the group's stake in Quest Diagnostics and the sale of North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax.
More important than the numbers will be confidence shown by management that the company's fortunes have reached a floor -- following the furore over diabetes drug Avandia and big generic hits in 2010 -- and it is now positioned for growth.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities believes GSK's sales and earnings will move to a sustainably positive trend from the second half of 2011 and setting a base-line for this improvement is his main focus for the quarterly results.
On paper, GSK has a comparatively robust growth profile through 2015 -- certainly compared to rival AstraZeneca, where sales are expected to fall over the next five years -- but this is arguably already reflected in its rating.
GSK shares trade at around 10.9 times this year's forecast earnings, slightly above Novartis on 10.4 and well above sector laggards like AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis on 7.2 and 7.9 times respectively.
As with Novartis, which has multiple sclerosis medicine Gilenya to interest investors, GSK also has a ground-breaking new drug in Benlysta, for lupus -- though the British group has to share its profits with Human Genome Sciences.
Pharmaceutical companies across the globe are grappling with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push by cash-strapped governments in Europe to slash the prices of drugs, along with competition from cheaper generic treatments.
That means new products which really make a difference to patients are more important than ever.
So far, European drugmakers have had a mixed first-quarter report card, with Novartis last week beating expectations on the back on strong sales of its newer drugs, while Swiss rival Roche disappointed on April 14.
2011年4月24日星期日
Toronto comeback falls short in ninth
First the good news: Starter Brandon Morrow came off the disabled list to make an impressive season debut and Jose Bautista hit two more home runs. He has now reached base 10 consecutive times.
But, back to cold reality: It wasn’t enough to hold off the Tampa Rays, who roughed up the Jays’ bullpen for a 6-4 win.
Morrow and Tampa starter David Price are on the cusp of becoming two of baseball’s brightest young pitching stars and didn’t disappoint. They locked in a pitching duel into the sixth inning when Morrow hit 93 pitches and — recovering from a forearm strain — had to bid farewell. By then he’d fanned 10, allowing three hits.
It couldn’t have come at a better time for manager John Farrell after having to demote two starters the past week for sub-par results. “He was outstanding. He maintained his stuff through the game. There was a pitch up in the zone that (Johnny Damon) hooked down the line for the two (-run homer to open the first inning),” said Farrell. “Other than that, he was dominating.”
There had been uncertainty about how well Morrow would come back after some suspect numbers in his Florida rehab assignment. But he struck out the side in the first after Damon’s homer and set down 15 of the next 16 Rays, handing a 2-2 game to reliever Carlos Villanueva.
“I would’ve liked to finish the inning but you can’t push it too far,” said Morrow, after watching a bullpen that ranks fourth in the AL fail to shut the door in what evolved into a three-run Tampa sixth. “It’s tough. But I understand. You can’t throw 25-30 more pitches than you have the last time out.”
Morrow threw 80 pitches in his final rehab start in Florida and Farrell didn’t want to push him beyond 90 against the Rays.
Morrow’s fastball consistently hit in the low 90s and by the fifth inning he had upped the heat, Sean Rodriguez and Reid Brignac swinging through 97 and 96 m.p.h. pitches.
Bautista was a wrecking crew, homering in the first and fourth against Price, who otherwise held the Jays’ hitless, until Jose Molina’s seventh-inning single. “I was trying to look at the video to see what (Price) was doing inning to inning,” said Bautista. “In the first inning he had two outs with three pitches. I gave him a pitch and was looking fastball and I got it in a good spot.” Home run No. 6.
“After that I saw him throwing a lot of sliders. In that (second) at-bat he threw me all offspeed and ... he left the pitch up in the zone.” The line drive cleared the Toronto bullpen wall.
A walk, as so often happens, turned into Morrow’s undoing. He left Sam Fuld aboard when he departed after fanning Johnny Damon.
Villanueva walked Matt Joyce on four pitches, and Ben Zobrist sent his 1-1 offering so deep to right Bautista didn’t even bother giving chase. They’d add another run against Casey Janssen.
Defeat hurt; for a seventh time in the last 11 games. But equally, nobody could discount the silver lining provided by Morrow’s return. “You continue to increase that over six, seven, eight innings and that’s the guy who was very effective much of last year,” said Farrell. “It was very good to see him walk to the mound and have that kind of stuff.”
shingles shot
The point of that column was that the newer study reaffirmed information from the drug company Merck, whose data showed that the vaccine seemed to protect people about 50 percent of the time from a shingles attack. The newer study showed better protection into higher ages
This is not a movie sequel like “The Son of Shingles Vaccine” or “Herpes Zoster II.” The inspiration for it was a phone call from a mighty fine internist who had read the column (and fine not just because he read the column).
He has been a passionate advocate for the vaccine since its release and shared with me some personal patient numbers he had collected (as well as anyone can in a busy practice, doing it all oneself).
Admitting that all patients may not have been included, he said only two had experienced shingles in the group who received the vaccine. The numbers for a group that had not had the shot were a bit sketchier, but several more of those he contacted had been zapped by zoster. That would lend weight (non-calorically for a change) to the argument for getting the “shingles shot.” To date, no real problematic adverse reactions have come from it, after millions of administrations.
He also made me aware of an article I’d not read yet. It was from a clinical research group headed by Dr. Barbara Yawn at Olmsted Clinic. (Not to say her papers induce drowsiness). They have done other population studies of the Olmsted County populace because it seems to be rather indigenous and not too migratory. The article reported shingles recurrences in a base of 1,669 people. These folks had had documented shingles during a prior study that had tried to calculated the frequency of shingles in that group.
This study lasted as long as 12 years for some individuals. In doing chart reviews, the defined diagnostic criteria were the same and were pretty strict for both studies. In the 1,669 people from the first study, 95 had 105 recurrences. Six people had two recurrences, and two had three recurrences (bummer!).
The encore presentation was anywhere from 96 days up to 10 years after the original shingles. In 45 percent they popped out in a different body region than the first. In roughly 25 percent, the shingles virus was documented by lab test as the true culprit, which is an important point.
The recurrence rate here of 6.2 percent is higher than rates reported in other studies with much smaller patient numbers. It seemed that a worse history of pain with the initial episode was a slight predisposition to a recurrence, although not absolutely.
What the authors tried to point out was that second zoster eruptions are more common than has been thought and taught for eons. This, in turn, runs contrary to the conventional intuitive wisdom that having shingles boosts your immunity toward the virus to protect you against recurrences. It also leads to the idea that perhaps a shingles shot should be offered to people who have already had shingles to try to prevent another potential bout of it. How ’bout that?
Like everything in this business of biology, it seems maybe it requires “further research” — and it does. The idea sounds great, but the proof is in the pudding, here the shooting and the following for many years to track the real results.
The other snag in such studies is that what looks and acts like the shingles virus can uncommonly be the cold-sore virus, which is a kissin’ cousin. You can get blistery rashes from that in other places than around mouth, which is the stereotypical area. The culture of the blister fluid clinches the right culprit.
To shoot, or not to shoot — that is the question. The answer isn’t totally clear yet. But these two pieces of information would lend credence to the advisability of doing it.
Even then, there are no guarantees here for preventing shingles. It is a lot easier to nail shingles down on a roof than it is on a body, eh?
This is not a movie sequel like “The Son of Shingles Vaccine” or “Herpes Zoster II.” The inspiration for it was a phone call from a mighty fine internist who had read the column (and fine not just because he read the column).
He has been a passionate advocate for the vaccine since its release and shared with me some personal patient numbers he had collected (as well as anyone can in a busy practice, doing it all oneself).
Admitting that all patients may not have been included, he said only two had experienced shingles in the group who received the vaccine. The numbers for a group that had not had the shot were a bit sketchier, but several more of those he contacted had been zapped by zoster. That would lend weight (non-calorically for a change) to the argument for getting the “shingles shot.” To date, no real problematic adverse reactions have come from it, after millions of administrations.
He also made me aware of an article I’d not read yet. It was from a clinical research group headed by Dr. Barbara Yawn at Olmsted Clinic. (Not to say her papers induce drowsiness). They have done other population studies of the Olmsted County populace because it seems to be rather indigenous and not too migratory. The article reported shingles recurrences in a base of 1,669 people. These folks had had documented shingles during a prior study that had tried to calculated the frequency of shingles in that group.
This study lasted as long as 12 years for some individuals. In doing chart reviews, the defined diagnostic criteria were the same and were pretty strict for both studies. In the 1,669 people from the first study, 95 had 105 recurrences. Six people had two recurrences, and two had three recurrences (bummer!).
The encore presentation was anywhere from 96 days up to 10 years after the original shingles. In 45 percent they popped out in a different body region than the first. In roughly 25 percent, the shingles virus was documented by lab test as the true culprit, which is an important point.
The recurrence rate here of 6.2 percent is higher than rates reported in other studies with much smaller patient numbers. It seemed that a worse history of pain with the initial episode was a slight predisposition to a recurrence, although not absolutely.
What the authors tried to point out was that second zoster eruptions are more common than has been thought and taught for eons. This, in turn, runs contrary to the conventional intuitive wisdom that having shingles boosts your immunity toward the virus to protect you against recurrences. It also leads to the idea that perhaps a shingles shot should be offered to people who have already had shingles to try to prevent another potential bout of it. How ’bout that?
Like everything in this business of biology, it seems maybe it requires “further research” — and it does. The idea sounds great, but the proof is in the pudding, here the shooting and the following for many years to track the real results.
The other snag in such studies is that what looks and acts like the shingles virus can uncommonly be the cold-sore virus, which is a kissin’ cousin. You can get blistery rashes from that in other places than around mouth, which is the stereotypical area. The culture of the blister fluid clinches the right culprit.
To shoot, or not to shoot — that is the question. The answer isn’t totally clear yet. But these two pieces of information would lend credence to the advisability of doing it.
Even then, there are no guarantees here for preventing shingles. It is a lot easier to nail shingles down on a roof than it is on a body, eh?
AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVNR)
Profile: AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. focuses on acquiring, developing, and commercializing novel therapeutic products for the treatment of central nervous system disorders primarily in the United States and Canada. Its lead product candidate includes Zenviatm, which has completed three Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect; and a Phase III trial for the treatment of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. The company also offers Abreva, an over-the-counter product for the treatment of cold sores. AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California.
LTN’s Options Trading Filter saw unusual Call buying volume on Thursday in AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
There were 18,523 Call contracts traded.
On the Put side: Just 123 Put contracts changed hands.
Today’s traded Put/Call ratio is 0.01, meaning that there less than 1 Call bought for each Put.
The Unusual Trading Action Alerts
1. Unusual Call Volume
2. Low Put/Call Ratio
Note: This P-C ratio imbalance implies that players are hedging their positions in anticipation of a stock move. Today’s unusual volume activity confirms that players are re-balancing their portfolios.
Shares of closed at 4.23 + 0.36- (9,30%) Thursday
The stock closed Wednesday at 3.87, and opened Thursday at 3.88.
The price was between 3.81, and on the day 4.25.
Volume of 16,877,650/shrs is 400 + % more than the 90 day average volume of 3,994,410/shrs .
AVNR is trading above its 50 and 200 Day Moving Averages.
The stock’s 52 week low is 1.31, and 52 week high is 5.80, it has a P/E ratio of N/A , EPS -0.36 , RSI is 66.68, and Div and Yield of N/A (N/A%).
LTN’s Options Trading Filter saw unusual Call buying volume on Thursday in AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
There were 18,523 Call contracts traded.
On the Put side: Just 123 Put contracts changed hands.
Today’s traded Put/Call ratio is 0.01, meaning that there less than 1 Call bought for each Put.
The Unusual Trading Action Alerts
1. Unusual Call Volume
2. Low Put/Call Ratio
Note: This P-C ratio imbalance implies that players are hedging their positions in anticipation of a stock move. Today’s unusual volume activity confirms that players are re-balancing their portfolios.
Shares of closed at 4.23 + 0.36- (9,30%) Thursday
The stock closed Wednesday at 3.87, and opened Thursday at 3.88.
The price was between 3.81, and on the day 4.25.
Volume of 16,877,650/shrs is 400 + % more than the 90 day average volume of 3,994,410/shrs .
AVNR is trading above its 50 and 200 Day Moving Averages.
The stock’s 52 week low is 1.31, and 52 week high is 5.80, it has a P/E ratio of N/A , EPS -0.36 , RSI is 66.68, and Div and Yield of N/A (N/A%).
I usually arrange to take my holidays in March
Hong Kong (HKSAR) - For Paul Lau Chung-pak, the Easter, Christmas, New Year or Lunar New Year holidays are no different from any other working days. Once he receives a call to report for duty, he wastes no time in rushing back to his Wan Chai office. This has happened time and again in the past two decades.
Asone of the front-line staff rostered to man the emergency hotline of the Home Affairs Department (HAD), he manages to get back to work from his home in the New Territories very quickly to ensure the hotline's smooth operation - during typhoons or rainstorms, when the landslip warning is in effect, or when the temporary cold or heat shelters are in use.
His absolute preparedness explains why he is never late for work.
"Just like last Sunday (April 17), the day the Hong Kong Observatory issued the amber rainstorm warning, I stayed at home to browse the Observatory's webpage to monitor the latest weather condition as soon as the sky turned dark," he said.
Joining the former City and New Territories Administration (later renamed HAD) as a Clerical Officer in 1991, he has been working in the Central Telephone Enquiry Centre for two decades. Apart from handling day-to-day telephone and email enquiries from the public, he also looks after the operation of the emergency hotline.
Paul and his colleagues have been dubbed the "Little Tiger Team". "In the mid-1980s, a TV station groomed five actors as the 'Five Tigers'.
As there were also five members on shift to man the emergency hotline, colleagues came to call us the 'Little Tigers'," he recalled.
Paul is now the team leader, and some veteran team members have already transferred to other positions or retired.
Throughout his long service Paul has handled countless enquiries. During typhoons and rainstorms, the public will usually ring the hotline enquiring the opening hours and locations of temporary shelters. The passage of Typhoon York across Hong Kong in September 1999 is one of the most unforgettable experiences for Paul.
He and his colleagues set a record of handling more than 5 000 telephone enquiries in one night. "The hurricane signal number 10 was issued. Telephone calls flooded in one after another.
When I stood down, my neck was sore. I'll never forget it."
In hot summers and cold winters, people may call the hotline to enquire whether temporary cold or heat shelters are open and if so, their opening hours and addresses. In summer, HAD will open temporary night heat shelters if the very hot weather warning issued by the Hong Kong Observatory remains in force at 4.30pm.
Similarly, in winter, temporary cold shelters will be open when the Observatory issues the cold weather warning or forecasts the temperature to drop to 12 degrees Celsius or below in urban areas. The enquiry hotline will also be activated.
Telephone calls after midnight are not uncommon. Paul said, "A kindhearted citizen once called the cold shelter hotline, saying a street sleeper somewhere might not have enough clothing and blankets.
We then contacted the relevant department to follow up immediately. Though I don't know if the street sleeper really fell sick, I have to try my best to help."
Temporary cold shelters are frequently open during the usually chilly weather at Lunar New Year, and Paul has spent a number of New Year's Eves and New Year Days at work. "No celebration, no special feeling," he said with a smile.
"As no one can perfectly forecast weather changes, I don't make early holiday plans, especially during the typhoon season.
I usually arrange to take my holidays in March or November, when there are few storms or downpours."
Though his job has inevitably disrupted his life, such as twice having to leave wedding banquets early to report for duty, he says family support and understanding are indispensable.
"My family used to complain at the beginning. When my children were young, they asked: 'Where is dad?' Even my friends were somehow uneasy that I had to stand by round-the-clock.
After so many years, I got used to it and my friends know I work on-call."
Paul's dedication also brings him satisfaction. "Although many people search for information on the Internet, the hotline can still help many people including those who are not Internet users and the elderly, or people living in remote areas or the New Territories," he said.
While saying that the "Little Tigers" should have a sense of job responsibility, initiative and a willingness to do more, he added, "Most important of all, we should continue to enrich our knowledge, so that when a citizen calls, we will be able to handle the enquiry well."
Asone of the front-line staff rostered to man the emergency hotline of the Home Affairs Department (HAD), he manages to get back to work from his home in the New Territories very quickly to ensure the hotline's smooth operation - during typhoons or rainstorms, when the landslip warning is in effect, or when the temporary cold or heat shelters are in use.
His absolute preparedness explains why he is never late for work.
"Just like last Sunday (April 17), the day the Hong Kong Observatory issued the amber rainstorm warning, I stayed at home to browse the Observatory's webpage to monitor the latest weather condition as soon as the sky turned dark," he said.
Joining the former City and New Territories Administration (later renamed HAD) as a Clerical Officer in 1991, he has been working in the Central Telephone Enquiry Centre for two decades. Apart from handling day-to-day telephone and email enquiries from the public, he also looks after the operation of the emergency hotline.
Paul and his colleagues have been dubbed the "Little Tiger Team". "In the mid-1980s, a TV station groomed five actors as the 'Five Tigers'.
As there were also five members on shift to man the emergency hotline, colleagues came to call us the 'Little Tigers'," he recalled.
Paul is now the team leader, and some veteran team members have already transferred to other positions or retired.
Throughout his long service Paul has handled countless enquiries. During typhoons and rainstorms, the public will usually ring the hotline enquiring the opening hours and locations of temporary shelters. The passage of Typhoon York across Hong Kong in September 1999 is one of the most unforgettable experiences for Paul.
He and his colleagues set a record of handling more than 5 000 telephone enquiries in one night. "The hurricane signal number 10 was issued. Telephone calls flooded in one after another.
When I stood down, my neck was sore. I'll never forget it."
In hot summers and cold winters, people may call the hotline to enquire whether temporary cold or heat shelters are open and if so, their opening hours and addresses. In summer, HAD will open temporary night heat shelters if the very hot weather warning issued by the Hong Kong Observatory remains in force at 4.30pm.
Similarly, in winter, temporary cold shelters will be open when the Observatory issues the cold weather warning or forecasts the temperature to drop to 12 degrees Celsius or below in urban areas. The enquiry hotline will also be activated.
Telephone calls after midnight are not uncommon. Paul said, "A kindhearted citizen once called the cold shelter hotline, saying a street sleeper somewhere might not have enough clothing and blankets.
We then contacted the relevant department to follow up immediately. Though I don't know if the street sleeper really fell sick, I have to try my best to help."
Temporary cold shelters are frequently open during the usually chilly weather at Lunar New Year, and Paul has spent a number of New Year's Eves and New Year Days at work. "No celebration, no special feeling," he said with a smile.
"As no one can perfectly forecast weather changes, I don't make early holiday plans, especially during the typhoon season.
I usually arrange to take my holidays in March or November, when there are few storms or downpours."
Though his job has inevitably disrupted his life, such as twice having to leave wedding banquets early to report for duty, he says family support and understanding are indispensable.
"My family used to complain at the beginning. When my children were young, they asked: 'Where is dad?' Even my friends were somehow uneasy that I had to stand by round-the-clock.
After so many years, I got used to it and my friends know I work on-call."
Paul's dedication also brings him satisfaction. "Although many people search for information on the Internet, the hotline can still help many people including those who are not Internet users and the elderly, or people living in remote areas or the New Territories," he said.
While saying that the "Little Tigers" should have a sense of job responsibility, initiative and a willingness to do more, he added, "Most important of all, we should continue to enrich our knowledge, so that when a citizen calls, we will be able to handle the enquiry well."
It’s too cold!”
I love hiking. You should too. Not just because it’s a great exercise —which doctors say you aren’t getting enough of. But also because it gets you outside in nature and around history, which you have no business living in the area if you aren’t the least bit interested in.
So, after an entire winter of making dumb excuses to not hike (“It’s too cold!” “I’m too busy!” Etc.) I decided that, confronted with the reality that spring has finally sprung, it was time to get off my ever-expanding duff and start hiking.
Now, there are many truly great places to hike in the area, but none is as truly, dauntingly awesome as the Appalachian Trail. And you don’t even have to hike all 2,175 miles to enjoy it. Those parts in Northern Virginia are best travelled at this time of the year, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, as “summer heat and humidity can be oppressive.”
There is a trailhead in Keys Gap near Harpers Ferry, W.Va., just off of Route 9 as one enters Jefferson County. This is roughly 16 miles from the center of Leesburg, and is well worth the trip.
Just last week, I decided to take an early Monday and walk into Harpers Ferry from Keys Gap, a side trip as I was on my way to visit my parents in Charles Town. I arrived at the trailhead at about 3 p.m., and had to turn around at about 5 p.m. in order to make it back to my car in time for a home-cooked meal, but I covered roughly nine miles in four hours with a bum ankle, a personal best if not any particularly astonishing athletic achievement.
And boy, in addition to negotiating plenty of ankle-turning rocks and shoe-sucking muck, there was plenty of pretty stuff to see, too.
Looking back into Loudoun County or over into Jefferson from Keys Gap is an impressive site. I didn’t run into any particularly interesting wildlife up on this stretch of the Appalachian Trail, but I know they are around. I recently saw a bear while hiking at Gambrill State Park near Frederick, Md., an adventure I will relate in a future column.
It is only rated as “moderately difficult” terrain by the ATC, but I would not recommend this trail for those who are just getting active after a long period of indolence, or if you suffer from joint pain. If you feel like you are up to it, though, it really isn’t too bad. I can handle it despite the fact that my ankles are probably in worse shape than my 83-year-old grandmother’s. Just know you will feel it the next day, and you should have an ice pack and ibuprofen available.
One piece of advice: don’t be impulsive like your humble editor and decide you are so good at hiking that you can do it on the drop of a hat, while wearing slip-on Vans. You can’t. That is dumb testosterone and poor planning talking. Wear real shoes, bring water and stretch, dummy.
So, after an entire winter of making dumb excuses to not hike (“It’s too cold!” “I’m too busy!” Etc.) I decided that, confronted with the reality that spring has finally sprung, it was time to get off my ever-expanding duff and start hiking.
Now, there are many truly great places to hike in the area, but none is as truly, dauntingly awesome as the Appalachian Trail. And you don’t even have to hike all 2,175 miles to enjoy it. Those parts in Northern Virginia are best travelled at this time of the year, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, as “summer heat and humidity can be oppressive.”
There is a trailhead in Keys Gap near Harpers Ferry, W.Va., just off of Route 9 as one enters Jefferson County. This is roughly 16 miles from the center of Leesburg, and is well worth the trip.
Just last week, I decided to take an early Monday and walk into Harpers Ferry from Keys Gap, a side trip as I was on my way to visit my parents in Charles Town. I arrived at the trailhead at about 3 p.m., and had to turn around at about 5 p.m. in order to make it back to my car in time for a home-cooked meal, but I covered roughly nine miles in four hours with a bum ankle, a personal best if not any particularly astonishing athletic achievement.
And boy, in addition to negotiating plenty of ankle-turning rocks and shoe-sucking muck, there was plenty of pretty stuff to see, too.
Looking back into Loudoun County or over into Jefferson from Keys Gap is an impressive site. I didn’t run into any particularly interesting wildlife up on this stretch of the Appalachian Trail, but I know they are around. I recently saw a bear while hiking at Gambrill State Park near Frederick, Md., an adventure I will relate in a future column.
It is only rated as “moderately difficult” terrain by the ATC, but I would not recommend this trail for those who are just getting active after a long period of indolence, or if you suffer from joint pain. If you feel like you are up to it, though, it really isn’t too bad. I can handle it despite the fact that my ankles are probably in worse shape than my 83-year-old grandmother’s. Just know you will feel it the next day, and you should have an ice pack and ibuprofen available.
One piece of advice: don’t be impulsive like your humble editor and decide you are so good at hiking that you can do it on the drop of a hat, while wearing slip-on Vans. You can’t. That is dumb testosterone and poor planning talking. Wear real shoes, bring water and stretch, dummy.
2011年4月23日星期六
Arm rested, Venters returns to action
SAN FRANCISCO -- While many were wondering why he wasn't being used in Thursday's 12-inning loss to the Dodgers, Braves left-handed reliever Jonny Venters was pestering pitching coach Roger McDowell to let him know that he felt he was healthy enough to pitch.
"We have to use him soon because he's going to kill Roger or [head athletic trainer Jeff Porter]," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said a few hours before allowing Venters to produce a perfect eighth inning in Friday night's 4-1 win over the Giants.
Venters played catch Friday afternoon and informed the Braves medical staff that he wasn't feeling any of the upper left arm soreness that he's felt over the past couple weeks. When he complained about it again after Tuesday's 27-pitch appearance against the Dodgers, the Braves decided to rest him Wednesday and Thursday.
"He told Roger that he felt good to go," Gonzalez said. "I think those two days off helped him. We'll keep an eye on him."
Gonzalez said he likely won't ask Venters to make any multi-inning appearances any time soon. But the medical staff has assured him that the left-handed setup man isn't dealing with any structural issues.
"It's a muscle," Gonzalez said. "It's not a structural thing. It's not an elbow or shoulder. It kind of moves around a little bit. Some days it's the biceps and some days it's the triceps. They're not really concerned."
Venters' performance hasn't been affected by the discomfort. The 26-year-old southpaw has allowed just one earned run and two hits in the 10 2/3 innings he has pitched this year.
"I think it was just something that needed a couple days of not throwing at all," Venters said. "It's nothing serious. It's just sore. But it never had a chance to get better."
Braves getting by without backup center fielder
SAN FRANCISCO -- When the Braves optioned Matt Young to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, they created the chance to spend the next week with a 13-man pitching staff. At the same time, they lost their only true backup center fielder.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Friday afternoon that he would likely use Martin Prado in center field if a situation arises where Nate McLouth has to leave a game within the week. Gonzalez indicated the club will likely return to a 12-man pitching staff by the start of next weekend's homestand against the Cardinals.
If he isn't replacing a player that has been placed on the disabled list, Young will have to remain in the Minors for at least 10 days. This could open the door for the Braves to promote Joe Mather, who entered Friday having hit .304 with a homer in 13 games with Gwinnett.
Freeman relishes playing in hometown area
SAN FRANCISCO -- After losing his wife Rosemary to melanoma 11 years ago, Fred Freeman assumed the responsibility of being a single parent and continued to allow his youngest son, Freddie, to pursue his passion for baseball in their hometown of Fountain Valley, Calif., which is located about 40 minutes south of downtown Los Angeles.
With the Braves at Dodger Stadium this past week, the elder Freeman had the opportunity to see his son shine in front of friends and family members. The Braves' rookie first baseman hit a pair of homers and added a double during the four-game series against the Dodgers.
This was the first time since being selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft that the 21-year-old Freeman played in his native state of California.
"He was just proud," said Freeman of his father, who is an accountant. "I think he would have been the same way if I had gone 0-fer every game. He was just happy to see me. Usually it's him having to fly cross-country to come see me. For me to be able to come home finally, it puts less stress on him, especially during tax season. It allows him to take his mind off work."
"We have to use him soon because he's going to kill Roger or [head athletic trainer Jeff Porter]," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said a few hours before allowing Venters to produce a perfect eighth inning in Friday night's 4-1 win over the Giants.
Venters played catch Friday afternoon and informed the Braves medical staff that he wasn't feeling any of the upper left arm soreness that he's felt over the past couple weeks. When he complained about it again after Tuesday's 27-pitch appearance against the Dodgers, the Braves decided to rest him Wednesday and Thursday.
"He told Roger that he felt good to go," Gonzalez said. "I think those two days off helped him. We'll keep an eye on him."
Gonzalez said he likely won't ask Venters to make any multi-inning appearances any time soon. But the medical staff has assured him that the left-handed setup man isn't dealing with any structural issues.
"It's a muscle," Gonzalez said. "It's not a structural thing. It's not an elbow or shoulder. It kind of moves around a little bit. Some days it's the biceps and some days it's the triceps. They're not really concerned."
Venters' performance hasn't been affected by the discomfort. The 26-year-old southpaw has allowed just one earned run and two hits in the 10 2/3 innings he has pitched this year.
"I think it was just something that needed a couple days of not throwing at all," Venters said. "It's nothing serious. It's just sore. But it never had a chance to get better."
Braves getting by without backup center fielder
SAN FRANCISCO -- When the Braves optioned Matt Young to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, they created the chance to spend the next week with a 13-man pitching staff. At the same time, they lost their only true backup center fielder.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Friday afternoon that he would likely use Martin Prado in center field if a situation arises where Nate McLouth has to leave a game within the week. Gonzalez indicated the club will likely return to a 12-man pitching staff by the start of next weekend's homestand against the Cardinals.
If he isn't replacing a player that has been placed on the disabled list, Young will have to remain in the Minors for at least 10 days. This could open the door for the Braves to promote Joe Mather, who entered Friday having hit .304 with a homer in 13 games with Gwinnett.
Freeman relishes playing in hometown area
SAN FRANCISCO -- After losing his wife Rosemary to melanoma 11 years ago, Fred Freeman assumed the responsibility of being a single parent and continued to allow his youngest son, Freddie, to pursue his passion for baseball in their hometown of Fountain Valley, Calif., which is located about 40 minutes south of downtown Los Angeles.
With the Braves at Dodger Stadium this past week, the elder Freeman had the opportunity to see his son shine in front of friends and family members. The Braves' rookie first baseman hit a pair of homers and added a double during the four-game series against the Dodgers.
This was the first time since being selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft that the 21-year-old Freeman played in his native state of California.
"He was just proud," said Freeman of his father, who is an accountant. "I think he would have been the same way if I had gone 0-fer every game. He was just happy to see me. Usually it's him having to fly cross-country to come see me. For me to be able to come home finally, it puts less stress on him, especially during tax season. It allows him to take his mind off work."
‘I’ll crush grapes with them anywhere, any time.”
So came a voice swirling up from the crowd, speaking for many, at a great grape event held last Sunday, where the brother-and-sister team of Alejandra and Jeronimo De Miguel held careful court. The full-bodied gratitude? ’Twas not just directed at the signature varietal of Argentina, coming at us here on the first-ever Malbec World Day — throw out your old calendars, people! — but also our impossibly glamorous, blood-related hosts.
The Toronto answer to Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal — but with goblets?! If there was even an opening for this sort of sibling sizzle, it occurred to me, then that position has been filled. I got to know them a bit, last month, after we hit the town (Buenos Aires, that is) during our converging trips to Argentina, and increasingly, I’ve noticed, the pair, who grew up here and are both McGill grads, have become must-must-haves on our own town’s social grids.
“We smashed the grapes this morning,” Alejandra told me with her easy, wide smile when we spoke at V1, an “urban winery” in the west end, where she and her brother had conspired to hold the Malbec high-ho on behalf of Wines of Argentina. Sadly, she went on to confirm, there was no stomping — à la Lucille Ball. Machines did the trick. (BTW: The crushables were flown in from the Mendoza wine region via the Trapiche’s 100% old-vine Malbec vineyards known as Finca Las Palmas. Grapes also went out to New York City as well as London for the multi-city event, and the wine that will be produced in Toronto is expected to be ready for Malbec World Day 2012.)
“It’s the one thing I miss the most,” lamented nearby Amanda Blakely, best known as one-half of “The Society Girls,” as she stood drinking only with her eyes. She was one of the many guests streaming through the afternoon event. Why, I started to ask … when duh, I remembered: She’s pregnant! Along with her other half, Ashleigh Dempster (who was also about). Through some twilight zone serendipity, both gals are expecting their first child at the same time, due within days of each other in September!
So, alas: Besides a stalking-worthy brother-sister Argentine twosome, and ladies who like Malbec but are too “with child” to have some, the event also featured a non-stop traditional asado (BBQ), a gotta-have-it tango show and, well, keeping up with a certain national pedigree, gobs of pretty pretty people.
At one point, let me just end, when a guest accidentally broke a glass, and someone else swooped in almost instantly to clean up the mess, it was noticed that the sweeper was beyond gorgeous. “Should I break my glass, too?” asked yet someone else, attentively watching.
The Toronto answer to Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal — but with goblets?! If there was even an opening for this sort of sibling sizzle, it occurred to me, then that position has been filled. I got to know them a bit, last month, after we hit the town (Buenos Aires, that is) during our converging trips to Argentina, and increasingly, I’ve noticed, the pair, who grew up here and are both McGill grads, have become must-must-haves on our own town’s social grids.
“We smashed the grapes this morning,” Alejandra told me with her easy, wide smile when we spoke at V1, an “urban winery” in the west end, where she and her brother had conspired to hold the Malbec high-ho on behalf of Wines of Argentina. Sadly, she went on to confirm, there was no stomping — à la Lucille Ball. Machines did the trick. (BTW: The crushables were flown in from the Mendoza wine region via the Trapiche’s 100% old-vine Malbec vineyards known as Finca Las Palmas. Grapes also went out to New York City as well as London for the multi-city event, and the wine that will be produced in Toronto is expected to be ready for Malbec World Day 2012.)
“It’s the one thing I miss the most,” lamented nearby Amanda Blakely, best known as one-half of “The Society Girls,” as she stood drinking only with her eyes. She was one of the many guests streaming through the afternoon event. Why, I started to ask … when duh, I remembered: She’s pregnant! Along with her other half, Ashleigh Dempster (who was also about). Through some twilight zone serendipity, both gals are expecting their first child at the same time, due within days of each other in September!
So, alas: Besides a stalking-worthy brother-sister Argentine twosome, and ladies who like Malbec but are too “with child” to have some, the event also featured a non-stop traditional asado (BBQ), a gotta-have-it tango show and, well, keeping up with a certain national pedigree, gobs of pretty pretty people.
At one point, let me just end, when a guest accidentally broke a glass, and someone else swooped in almost instantly to clean up the mess, it was noticed that the sweeper was beyond gorgeous. “Should I break my glass, too?” asked yet someone else, attentively watching.
Wild, Wild West
The boys are zapped back in time, and Dean (wearing a serape) couldn't be happier because he's obsessed with Clint Eastwood movies. At first he loves the authenticity (like Sam stepping in horse poop), but Dean quickly realizes that everything isn't like he thought. Nobody likes his outfit, the whiskey tastes like gasoline and the saloon girls are covered in cold sores.
They also watch as a man is hanged in the town square, but when that same victim goes around killing people by reducing them to ash, the boys learn that he's the phoenix. I'm kind of upset that the phoenix is just a person, like the dragons. Why can't phoenixes and dragons be awesome, mythical creatures?
Still, Dean fights the phoenix while Sam goes to meet Samuel Colt and get his gun. Colt is a surly old retired hunter who wants nothing to do with the life anymore. However, he's clearly been at this a while, because he has absolutely no problem believing that Sam is from the future. Sam gets the Colt, hurries back and gives it to Dean, who then has the shootout from the start of the episode with the phoenix. And Dean proves that he's the fastest draw in the old west, killing the phoenix and reducing it to ashes.
Castiel's Dirty Little Secret
In the present, Rachel summons Cas to an empty warehouse to talk about how she doesn't approve of his methods to fight the war against Raphael and that she knows his "dirty little secret." She then tries to stab him with an angel dagger, but he fights back and gets the upper hand, killing her. That's right, after two short scenes, the big new angel character Rachel is killed.
But it begs a bigger question: what is the dirty little secret? Was she talking about how he had Balthazar unsink the Titanic to get 50,000 new souls, or is Cas doing worse things to win his war? I'm starting to think that he's been doing some very bad things and, as much as I love Cas, I suspect he might even be the big bad of the season and helped get the Mother of All free to help him fight Raphael. I hope I'm wrong, but Castiel is definitely not behaving like a good angel this season.
Deus Fed-Ex Machina
Injured, Cas can't bring the boys back without powering up, and that involves touching Bobby's soul. I'm starting to think Bobby's soul is the most valuable thing in the world given how much it's come into play in the past year. He does and brings the boys back, right before they got the phoenix ashes. So it was all for nothing.
Or was it? Just like at the end of Back to the Future 2, a delivery man shows up at that exact moment with a package for Sam Winchester they've been holding onto forever without explicit instructions to deliver at that specific moment. Inside Sam finds his old phone he left with Samuel Colt, a note from Colt, and, most importantly, the ashes of a phoenix. It might be a little too convenient, like when Supernatural super fan Becky told them where the Colt was after reading it in the books at the end of "The Real Ghostbusters," but since it's just a rip-off of Back to the Future, I'll allow it.
They also watch as a man is hanged in the town square, but when that same victim goes around killing people by reducing them to ash, the boys learn that he's the phoenix. I'm kind of upset that the phoenix is just a person, like the dragons. Why can't phoenixes and dragons be awesome, mythical creatures?
Still, Dean fights the phoenix while Sam goes to meet Samuel Colt and get his gun. Colt is a surly old retired hunter who wants nothing to do with the life anymore. However, he's clearly been at this a while, because he has absolutely no problem believing that Sam is from the future. Sam gets the Colt, hurries back and gives it to Dean, who then has the shootout from the start of the episode with the phoenix. And Dean proves that he's the fastest draw in the old west, killing the phoenix and reducing it to ashes.
Castiel's Dirty Little Secret
In the present, Rachel summons Cas to an empty warehouse to talk about how she doesn't approve of his methods to fight the war against Raphael and that she knows his "dirty little secret." She then tries to stab him with an angel dagger, but he fights back and gets the upper hand, killing her. That's right, after two short scenes, the big new angel character Rachel is killed.
But it begs a bigger question: what is the dirty little secret? Was she talking about how he had Balthazar unsink the Titanic to get 50,000 new souls, or is Cas doing worse things to win his war? I'm starting to think that he's been doing some very bad things and, as much as I love Cas, I suspect he might even be the big bad of the season and helped get the Mother of All free to help him fight Raphael. I hope I'm wrong, but Castiel is definitely not behaving like a good angel this season.
Deus Fed-Ex Machina
Injured, Cas can't bring the boys back without powering up, and that involves touching Bobby's soul. I'm starting to think Bobby's soul is the most valuable thing in the world given how much it's come into play in the past year. He does and brings the boys back, right before they got the phoenix ashes. So it was all for nothing.
Or was it? Just like at the end of Back to the Future 2, a delivery man shows up at that exact moment with a package for Sam Winchester they've been holding onto forever without explicit instructions to deliver at that specific moment. Inside Sam finds his old phone he left with Samuel Colt, a note from Colt, and, most importantly, the ashes of a phoenix. It might be a little too convenient, like when Supernatural super fan Becky told them where the Colt was after reading it in the books at the end of "The Real Ghostbusters," but since it's just a rip-off of Back to the Future, I'll allow it.
Rolen shelved by sore shoulder
Reds third baseman Scott Rolen is still dealing with a sore left shoulder. How long he’ll be out of the lineup is the question. He was out Friday night for the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. “It’s the day-to-day thing,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “I told him to 'let me know where you are without me really pressuring you about it.' Anybody who’s ever had anything wrong, the question you hate to hear is the how-do-you-feel question. Usually, you don’t feel a whole bunch better one day to the next.”
Rolen doesn’t know when he’ll return. Could he play this weekend?
“Anything’s feasible,” he said.
The matter is made worse for the Reds by the fact Juan Francisco, Rolen’s backup at third, is on the disabled list.
“This was supposed to be Francisco’s time,” Baker said. “It’s a terrible series of events.”
Last year, Rolen missed nine games with a sore right hamstring but never went on the DL. Have the Reds thought about putting him on the DL to give the shoulder two weeks to heal?
“There’s that thought,” Baker said. “But it’s too early to think that. It’s only been two days. Last time, we waited as long as we could and it worked out. If you get him for four days rather than lose him for two weeks ... it’s a delicate balance. We’re not there yet. We’ll see what treatment does.”
The shoulder led to back and neck pain as well. Rolen saw Dr. Tim Kremchek after the game Thursday and again Friday morning. He was given two cortisone injections.
An MRI of his neck checked out OK.
“I tracked it back to San Diego,” Rolen said. “I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but I haven’t been excelling. I’m not pointing fingers but I’ve been struggling a bit with my shoulder for seven to 10 days.”
Rolen, 35, was 4-for-29 the previous eight games with two RBI and was batting .217 overall with two homers and 12 RBI.
“It's got to be a neck and back thing -- the same thing as last year,” Rolen said. “The shoulder started bothering me a little bit. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first. When that happens to me, I normally go to the mirror and video in the batting cage. I was trying to get over the hump. It gets to a certain point where you start going in the wrong direction.
“I’m trying to figure out how to catch up to 87, 88. Wait a minute. I’m trying to figure out how to finish the game. These are the thoughts in my mind. It was going the wrong way.”
Generally, it takes Rolen two or three days to get relief from the cortisone injection.
He was more sore Friday than Thursday. But the injections have taken care of the problem in the past. That’s why he wanted to take care of it now.
“Let’s hit this right now, whatever it is,” he said. “Let’s not have this drag into June and July.”
Baker was hoping to get Rolen to June and July healthy.
“Like I said in beginning of the year, I was trying to get Scottie to the hot weather,” Baker said. “The hot weather seems to help. This has been a very cold, damp spring which doesn’t lend itself to lubricating your rusty joints.”
Rolen had surgery on the shoulder in 2005. He’s dealt with it since.
“I’ve made changes to keep stress off it,” he said. “Definitely, it’s affected me. I don’t know if bothered is right word. I was on the field all last year.”
Rolen, for example, has held his hands lower in batting stance.
“I know if I look at the video, I’ll see my hands creeping up,” he said. “I’ve got to be a little more conscious of it. I went two years in Toronto and last year until a single swing in September (and) here we go again. There were two full years where it was working.
“I’ve got to pay attention to it. I’ve got to address now. I’ve got shoulder, neck and back ... It’s neck and back because of the shoulder. Knock the shoulder out, does that take care of the neck and back situation?”
Whether or not he plays, Rolen anticipated no lingering resentment between the teams from last year’s brawl in early August in Cincinnati.
“I hope it’s baseball on the field, I hope that’s where the rivalry is,” Rolen said. “I hope the rivalry is two teams that hopefully are going to be at the top of the division and fighting down the stretch for the National League Central.
“We have a good ballclub and I think they do over there.”
Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus also expected the focus to be on the game.
“I see them as another team that I’m just trying to go out and beat,” Rasmus said. “I don’t see them as a bitter rival, I’ve got some friends on the team.”
Rolen doesn’t know when he’ll return. Could he play this weekend?
“Anything’s feasible,” he said.
The matter is made worse for the Reds by the fact Juan Francisco, Rolen’s backup at third, is on the disabled list.
“This was supposed to be Francisco’s time,” Baker said. “It’s a terrible series of events.”
Last year, Rolen missed nine games with a sore right hamstring but never went on the DL. Have the Reds thought about putting him on the DL to give the shoulder two weeks to heal?
“There’s that thought,” Baker said. “But it’s too early to think that. It’s only been two days. Last time, we waited as long as we could and it worked out. If you get him for four days rather than lose him for two weeks ... it’s a delicate balance. We’re not there yet. We’ll see what treatment does.”
The shoulder led to back and neck pain as well. Rolen saw Dr. Tim Kremchek after the game Thursday and again Friday morning. He was given two cortisone injections.
An MRI of his neck checked out OK.
“I tracked it back to San Diego,” Rolen said. “I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but I haven’t been excelling. I’m not pointing fingers but I’ve been struggling a bit with my shoulder for seven to 10 days.”
Rolen, 35, was 4-for-29 the previous eight games with two RBI and was batting .217 overall with two homers and 12 RBI.
“It's got to be a neck and back thing -- the same thing as last year,” Rolen said. “The shoulder started bothering me a little bit. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first. When that happens to me, I normally go to the mirror and video in the batting cage. I was trying to get over the hump. It gets to a certain point where you start going in the wrong direction.
“I’m trying to figure out how to catch up to 87, 88. Wait a minute. I’m trying to figure out how to finish the game. These are the thoughts in my mind. It was going the wrong way.”
Generally, it takes Rolen two or three days to get relief from the cortisone injection.
He was more sore Friday than Thursday. But the injections have taken care of the problem in the past. That’s why he wanted to take care of it now.
“Let’s hit this right now, whatever it is,” he said. “Let’s not have this drag into June and July.”
Baker was hoping to get Rolen to June and July healthy.
“Like I said in beginning of the year, I was trying to get Scottie to the hot weather,” Baker said. “The hot weather seems to help. This has been a very cold, damp spring which doesn’t lend itself to lubricating your rusty joints.”
Rolen had surgery on the shoulder in 2005. He’s dealt with it since.
“I’ve made changes to keep stress off it,” he said. “Definitely, it’s affected me. I don’t know if bothered is right word. I was on the field all last year.”
Rolen, for example, has held his hands lower in batting stance.
“I know if I look at the video, I’ll see my hands creeping up,” he said. “I’ve got to be a little more conscious of it. I went two years in Toronto and last year until a single swing in September (and) here we go again. There were two full years where it was working.
“I’ve got to pay attention to it. I’ve got to address now. I’ve got shoulder, neck and back ... It’s neck and back because of the shoulder. Knock the shoulder out, does that take care of the neck and back situation?”
Whether or not he plays, Rolen anticipated no lingering resentment between the teams from last year’s brawl in early August in Cincinnati.
“I hope it’s baseball on the field, I hope that’s where the rivalry is,” Rolen said. “I hope the rivalry is two teams that hopefully are going to be at the top of the division and fighting down the stretch for the National League Central.
“We have a good ballclub and I think they do over there.”
Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus also expected the focus to be on the game.
“I see them as another team that I’m just trying to go out and beat,” Rasmus said. “I don’t see them as a bitter rival, I’ve got some friends on the team.”
'There's always hope': Snowmachine trip ends with harrowing rescue
One minute, David Joerg stopped his snowmachine on Nelchina Glacier and walked toward some blue ice to snap a photo.
The next minute, the Eagle River man was hurtling down a slick chasm, his helmet slamming against glacial walls.
Out for a late-season trip on a bluebird Saturday, Joerg had fallen into a crevasse, a deep crack in the glacier. His snowmachining buddy, Rod Hansen, watched his friend disappear into the ice.
Sixty feet down, Joerg came to a sudden stop, wedged so tightly that he could hardly breathe and couldn't turn his head. One leg hung free into an abyss to his right.
Joerg took off his helmet and used the visor to scrape the ice so he could move his head and fill his lungs.
He would spend seven hours trapped in that icy vise, blackness yawning below, the light of the surface six stories above.
'Don't look down'
Both men, together with Joerg's wife, Jamie, sat down for an interview Monday evening at the Star.
Joerg and Hansen, both 54, have known each other since 1983. Both live in Eagle River. Joerg is a heavy equipment operator, Hansen is a pipe fitter welder for Enstar.
Joerg is a daredevil, Hansen more cautious, their wives say.
On Monday, Hansen still looked shaken.
The trio agreed to this interview, and interviews with other media, to help others not make the same mistakes, they said.
Jamie Joerg's message was simple: "Stay off glaciers."
David Joerg hopes his experience will inspire young people, particularly teenagers who might be facing dark times of their own.
"Don't give up -- there's always hope," Joerg said. "Don't look down. I had the choice of looking down to nothing but darkness but I kept looking up, and that gives you hope."
They all also encouraged the public to donate to the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, the volunteer organization that extracted Joerg from the crevasse with help from the Alaska State Troopers on April 16.
Lure of powder
They rode up the snowy river bottom to the toe of the glacier, where others rode too. They could see rocks and figured that meant solid ground.
The men were actually on the glacier, and about to enter a treacherous -- and unseen -- mix of solid ice and rotting snow bridges.
They stopped for lunch. Hansen, feeling uncomfortable, told Joerg about an Enstar employee who fell into the glacier and was never found. But they kept going.
"The more you traveled there, the prettier it got," Hansen said. "It kind of lured you in."
The men saw snowmachine tracks, though they couldn't tell how old they were. Animal tracks, too. The powder was perfect.
Then the tracks stopped. The men travelled over what looked like a series of hills separated by benches. Hansen said he later realized they were just snow bridges over crevasses, with ice ledges between.
Joerg stopped his machine and got off. He waved Hansen over.
Hansen stopped. "I told him, 'No, no, no,'" he recalled Monday. "Each guy kind of pushes the other. I didn't want to go but I didn't want to be thought of as this or that."
Still on his machine, Hansen rode out and around where Joerg was standing. Joerg walked over to photograph some ice.
He gestured at Hansen -- come over!
Then Hansen heard a whoomp. He looked at Joerg. His friend's hands rose to his hips in a sudden, surprised motion. His head spun around to look at his feet.
And then Joerg just disappeared.
Decisions
Hansen didn't panic, he said, but his mind was racing.
Does he try to rescue Joerg and risk the same fate, or turn around and get help, leaving his friend all alone and potentially injured or even dead?
He looked at his watch. It was 1:15.
He thought about getting on all fours or using snowshoes to reach the spot where Joerg fell in and drop some heat packs.
But he realized he was in a "horrible" situation, he said, when a probe he took out to poke the snow didn't hit anything solid. Hansen had no phone; it probably wouldn't have worked out there anyway. The men had survival gear but no ropes or other gear that might have helped with an ice rescue.
Hansen "punched it" the 17 miles back to the lodge, again crossing what he now knew to be potentially unsafe snow bridges.
At the lodge, he called the troopers. He called his wife, Becky, and asked her to call Jamie. She called the tone of his call "anguished."
"Then I just sat and beat myself up in the room," Rod Hansen said. "Did I do the right thing, the wrong thing?"
Prayer line
The troopers got the call at 2:38 p.m. and called the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group about a man stuck in a crevasse.
In a lucky break, the volunteers were already assembled at a rescue training at McHugh Creek. That reduced response time.
They took off for Eureka in the troopers helicopter.
Becky Hansen arrived at the medical office where Jamie Joerg worked before 3 p.m. The women sat down together and prayed. They called on friends to pray, too. The Joergs worship at Kings Way Assembly of God and sometimes Community Covenant Church, the Hansens at Peters Creek Christian Center.
"I called several people to put it out on the prayer line," Joerg said.
The women and two friends got to the lodge around 5:30 p.m.
Hansen told his wife in a private moment at the lodge that he thought Joerg was dead.
Jamie Joerg said she wouldn't let herself think the worst.
"But he was feeling the whole weight and burden and the responsibility of having gone away," she said, patting Hansen on the back as she spoke Monday evening. "I kept telling him it was not his fault."
Rescue
Joerg didn't know just how far he'd fallen.
The parallel walls of ice around him angled slightly, so he could see light but not the surface.
"I looked up and I hollered for Rod," he recalled. "'Rod, can you hear me?? Go get help!'"
Joerg wedged his helmet next to him for leverage -- he knew it wouldn't crumble beneath him -- and got one foot on some snow. He dug out ice above him and tried to pack snow under his foot.
"I did make progress doing that," he said. "You gotta do something."
He had dressed warmly for the outing: wool pants, snowpants, down vest, heavy sweater. Still, the clothes soaked through with melting icewater. He was cold and wet.
Then he heard the helicopter fly over. He knew Hansen had made it out. "That was my first relief," he said.
The rescuers roped up and made their way to Joerg's "rabbit hole."
Rescue chief Bill Romberg lay on the glacier and shouted to him. Joerg shouted back: he was OK. No, there wasn't any room down there for another man. Yes, he could put on a chest harness.
On the surface, the team rigged two anchors to pull out Joerg using a trail between the crevasses that lurked on both sides of the hole.
A harness dropped to Joerg reached him in one try. He wriggled into it and the team started pulling, dragging him back up through the narrow chute.
With Joerg about 10 feet from the surface, rescuers told him to wedge himself in with his knees and elbows as they re-rigged the anchors.
Then, finally, his head popped out. Several rescuers pulled him up onto the glacier. He was cold and tired and sore.
Joerg got into the troopers helicopter around 8:30 p.m. with pilot Mel Nading and Romberg.
"After Dave was on the helicopter, we all high-fived on the glacier," said Randy Howell, a mountain rescue volunteer.
By the time the helicopter landed at the lodge, Jamie Joerg knew only that the rescuers had found the hole where her husband fell into the crevasse.
The next minute, the Eagle River man was hurtling down a slick chasm, his helmet slamming against glacial walls.
Out for a late-season trip on a bluebird Saturday, Joerg had fallen into a crevasse, a deep crack in the glacier. His snowmachining buddy, Rod Hansen, watched his friend disappear into the ice.
Sixty feet down, Joerg came to a sudden stop, wedged so tightly that he could hardly breathe and couldn't turn his head. One leg hung free into an abyss to his right.
Joerg took off his helmet and used the visor to scrape the ice so he could move his head and fill his lungs.
He would spend seven hours trapped in that icy vise, blackness yawning below, the light of the surface six stories above.
'Don't look down'
Both men, together with Joerg's wife, Jamie, sat down for an interview Monday evening at the Star.
Joerg and Hansen, both 54, have known each other since 1983. Both live in Eagle River. Joerg is a heavy equipment operator, Hansen is a pipe fitter welder for Enstar.
Joerg is a daredevil, Hansen more cautious, their wives say.
On Monday, Hansen still looked shaken.
The trio agreed to this interview, and interviews with other media, to help others not make the same mistakes, they said.
Jamie Joerg's message was simple: "Stay off glaciers."
David Joerg hopes his experience will inspire young people, particularly teenagers who might be facing dark times of their own.
"Don't give up -- there's always hope," Joerg said. "Don't look down. I had the choice of looking down to nothing but darkness but I kept looking up, and that gives you hope."
They all also encouraged the public to donate to the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, the volunteer organization that extracted Joerg from the crevasse with help from the Alaska State Troopers on April 16.
Lure of powder
They rode up the snowy river bottom to the toe of the glacier, where others rode too. They could see rocks and figured that meant solid ground.
The men were actually on the glacier, and about to enter a treacherous -- and unseen -- mix of solid ice and rotting snow bridges.
They stopped for lunch. Hansen, feeling uncomfortable, told Joerg about an Enstar employee who fell into the glacier and was never found. But they kept going.
"The more you traveled there, the prettier it got," Hansen said. "It kind of lured you in."
The men saw snowmachine tracks, though they couldn't tell how old they were. Animal tracks, too. The powder was perfect.
Then the tracks stopped. The men travelled over what looked like a series of hills separated by benches. Hansen said he later realized they were just snow bridges over crevasses, with ice ledges between.
Joerg stopped his machine and got off. He waved Hansen over.
Hansen stopped. "I told him, 'No, no, no,'" he recalled Monday. "Each guy kind of pushes the other. I didn't want to go but I didn't want to be thought of as this or that."
Still on his machine, Hansen rode out and around where Joerg was standing. Joerg walked over to photograph some ice.
He gestured at Hansen -- come over!
Then Hansen heard a whoomp. He looked at Joerg. His friend's hands rose to his hips in a sudden, surprised motion. His head spun around to look at his feet.
And then Joerg just disappeared.
Decisions
Hansen didn't panic, he said, but his mind was racing.
Does he try to rescue Joerg and risk the same fate, or turn around and get help, leaving his friend all alone and potentially injured or even dead?
He looked at his watch. It was 1:15.
He thought about getting on all fours or using snowshoes to reach the spot where Joerg fell in and drop some heat packs.
But he realized he was in a "horrible" situation, he said, when a probe he took out to poke the snow didn't hit anything solid. Hansen had no phone; it probably wouldn't have worked out there anyway. The men had survival gear but no ropes or other gear that might have helped with an ice rescue.
Hansen "punched it" the 17 miles back to the lodge, again crossing what he now knew to be potentially unsafe snow bridges.
At the lodge, he called the troopers. He called his wife, Becky, and asked her to call Jamie. She called the tone of his call "anguished."
"Then I just sat and beat myself up in the room," Rod Hansen said. "Did I do the right thing, the wrong thing?"
Prayer line
The troopers got the call at 2:38 p.m. and called the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group about a man stuck in a crevasse.
In a lucky break, the volunteers were already assembled at a rescue training at McHugh Creek. That reduced response time.
They took off for Eureka in the troopers helicopter.
Becky Hansen arrived at the medical office where Jamie Joerg worked before 3 p.m. The women sat down together and prayed. They called on friends to pray, too. The Joergs worship at Kings Way Assembly of God and sometimes Community Covenant Church, the Hansens at Peters Creek Christian Center.
"I called several people to put it out on the prayer line," Joerg said.
The women and two friends got to the lodge around 5:30 p.m.
Hansen told his wife in a private moment at the lodge that he thought Joerg was dead.
Jamie Joerg said she wouldn't let herself think the worst.
"But he was feeling the whole weight and burden and the responsibility of having gone away," she said, patting Hansen on the back as she spoke Monday evening. "I kept telling him it was not his fault."
Rescue
Joerg didn't know just how far he'd fallen.
The parallel walls of ice around him angled slightly, so he could see light but not the surface.
"I looked up and I hollered for Rod," he recalled. "'Rod, can you hear me?? Go get help!'"
Joerg wedged his helmet next to him for leverage -- he knew it wouldn't crumble beneath him -- and got one foot on some snow. He dug out ice above him and tried to pack snow under his foot.
"I did make progress doing that," he said. "You gotta do something."
He had dressed warmly for the outing: wool pants, snowpants, down vest, heavy sweater. Still, the clothes soaked through with melting icewater. He was cold and wet.
Then he heard the helicopter fly over. He knew Hansen had made it out. "That was my first relief," he said.
The rescuers roped up and made their way to Joerg's "rabbit hole."
Rescue chief Bill Romberg lay on the glacier and shouted to him. Joerg shouted back: he was OK. No, there wasn't any room down there for another man. Yes, he could put on a chest harness.
On the surface, the team rigged two anchors to pull out Joerg using a trail between the crevasses that lurked on both sides of the hole.
A harness dropped to Joerg reached him in one try. He wriggled into it and the team started pulling, dragging him back up through the narrow chute.
With Joerg about 10 feet from the surface, rescuers told him to wedge himself in with his knees and elbows as they re-rigged the anchors.
Then, finally, his head popped out. Several rescuers pulled him up onto the glacier. He was cold and tired and sore.
Joerg got into the troopers helicopter around 8:30 p.m. with pilot Mel Nading and Romberg.
"After Dave was on the helicopter, we all high-fived on the glacier," said Randy Howell, a mountain rescue volunteer.
By the time the helicopter landed at the lodge, Jamie Joerg knew only that the rescuers had found the hole where her husband fell into the crevasse.
Chipper may sit with right knee pain
Chipper Jones' surgically repaired left knee hasn't provided him any problems for nearly two months. But the veteran third baseman's right knee bothered him enough Friday night that he told Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez that he might not be ready to play against Tim Lincecum and the Giants on Saturday afternoon.
"I've got some pain in the lower inside of my knee that is preventing me from pushing off and cutting and stuff like that," Jones said after Friday night's 4-1 win over the Giants. "It's just a really sharp pain. I don't know why it's doing it. But it's been doing it for the past 10 days or so. I don't know if it was the cold, but it was really pronounced tonight."
Jones played the entirety of Friday's game and delivered a key two-run, fourth-inning double. But he seemed to be feeling some pain as he talked to reporters after the victory.
Chipper's two-run double00:00:484/22/11: Chipper Jones sends a two-run double into right, scoring Martin Prado and Jason Heyward and extending Atlanta's lead to 3-0Tags: Atlanta Braves, More From This Game, Chipper Jones, hittingShare: Facebook Twitter Email Related Video
Braves on win vs. the GiantsVenters escapes a jamMcLouth's running catch
Jones, who will turn 39 on Sunday, has four hits and four strikeouts in 17 career at-bats against Lincecum.
Braves call up Gearrin for depleted bullpen
SAN FRANCISCO -- When Cory Gearrin received a phone call from Triple-A Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage late Thursday evening, he knew his skipper wasn't calling to ask if he wanted to join him for dinner.
Fortunately for Gearrin, Brundage called to inform him that they won't be doing anything together over the next few days.
Needing to strengthen their fatigued and injury-depleted bullpen, the Braves promoted Gearrin and had him in uniform for Friday night's series opener against the Giants. To make room on their 25-man roster, they optioned outfielder Matt Young to Gwinnett.
"He's an arm who can help us get people out," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We'll use him."
This has been a tough week for the Braves' bullpen, which lost Peter Moylan (sore back) to the disabled list last week and was without Jonny Venters as he rested his sore left arm the past couple of days. In addition, Gonzalez was forced to use long reliever Cristhian Martinez for a third consecutive day during Thursday's 12-inning loss to the Dodgers.
Gearrin has posted a 2.61 ERA and worked 10 1/3 innings in six appearances for Gwinnett this year. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .167 (2-for-12) batting average. Right-handed hitters have hit .320 (8-for-25) against him. The 25-year-old right-hander was selected out of Mercer University in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
After Brundage called, Gearrin had less than 30 minutes to get to a Men's Wearhouse near Gwinnett's team hotel in Norfolk, Va.
"As soon as we got over there, they were like, 'We close in five minutes,'" Gearrin said. "I said, 'I just need a tie and a blazer.'"
The Braves will likely use a 13-man pitching staff through the remainder of this road trip. When they return home to prepare for next weekend's series against the Cardinals, they could opt to promote a position player and return to a 12-man pitching staff.
"I've got some pain in the lower inside of my knee that is preventing me from pushing off and cutting and stuff like that," Jones said after Friday night's 4-1 win over the Giants. "It's just a really sharp pain. I don't know why it's doing it. But it's been doing it for the past 10 days or so. I don't know if it was the cold, but it was really pronounced tonight."
Jones played the entirety of Friday's game and delivered a key two-run, fourth-inning double. But he seemed to be feeling some pain as he talked to reporters after the victory.
Chipper's two-run double00:00:484/22/11: Chipper Jones sends a two-run double into right, scoring Martin Prado and Jason Heyward and extending Atlanta's lead to 3-0Tags: Atlanta Braves, More From This Game, Chipper Jones, hittingShare: Facebook Twitter Email Related Video
Braves on win vs. the GiantsVenters escapes a jamMcLouth's running catch
Jones, who will turn 39 on Sunday, has four hits and four strikeouts in 17 career at-bats against Lincecum.
Braves call up Gearrin for depleted bullpen
SAN FRANCISCO -- When Cory Gearrin received a phone call from Triple-A Gwinnett manager Dave Brundage late Thursday evening, he knew his skipper wasn't calling to ask if he wanted to join him for dinner.
Fortunately for Gearrin, Brundage called to inform him that they won't be doing anything together over the next few days.
Needing to strengthen their fatigued and injury-depleted bullpen, the Braves promoted Gearrin and had him in uniform for Friday night's series opener against the Giants. To make room on their 25-man roster, they optioned outfielder Matt Young to Gwinnett.
"He's an arm who can help us get people out," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We'll use him."
This has been a tough week for the Braves' bullpen, which lost Peter Moylan (sore back) to the disabled list last week and was without Jonny Venters as he rested his sore left arm the past couple of days. In addition, Gonzalez was forced to use long reliever Cristhian Martinez for a third consecutive day during Thursday's 12-inning loss to the Dodgers.
Gearrin has posted a 2.61 ERA and worked 10 1/3 innings in six appearances for Gwinnett this year. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .167 (2-for-12) batting average. Right-handed hitters have hit .320 (8-for-25) against him. The 25-year-old right-hander was selected out of Mercer University in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
After Brundage called, Gearrin had less than 30 minutes to get to a Men's Wearhouse near Gwinnett's team hotel in Norfolk, Va.
"As soon as we got over there, they were like, 'We close in five minutes,'" Gearrin said. "I said, 'I just need a tie and a blazer.'"
The Braves will likely use a 13-man pitching staff through the remainder of this road trip. When they return home to prepare for next weekend's series against the Cardinals, they could opt to promote a position player and return to a 12-man pitching staff.
2011年4月21日星期四
Judge limits damages in woman's suit against K-Rock over shock jock's remarks
A Lee circuit judge dealt a major blow to a woman who sued the owners of 96 K-Rock, ruling she can’t seek punitive damages or use a radio standards expert in her lawsuit involving a shock-jock radio show host.
The ruling by Circuit Judge Christine Greider came Monday, 4½ years after popular radio host Joe Scott’s death and a week before “Jane Doe’s” 2005 lawsuit against Beasley Broadcast Group is expected to be heard by a jury.
Doe, formerly of Cape Coral, was a longtime girlfriend of Scott, who died in 2006, and their daughter was a teen at the time. Doe sought an injunction to halt his daily diatribes against her, morning shows in which he called Doe a prostitute, thief, drug-user, and other names, despite her complaints to the station asking him to stop.
The judge denied all except one of Doe’s motions — to bar a defense exhibit list because it was produced after a deadline — and granted all defense motions.
Greider explained she was adhering to a July case-management schedule that set dates for motions, disclosures, amendments and other requirements for the plaintiff and defense.
And, she ruled, Doe’s attorney, William D. Thompson Jr. of Fort Myers, hadn’t adhered to deadlines, as Beasley’s lawyers — Kelley Geraghty Price and David Lupo of Cohen and Grigsby — had argued.
The station’s lawyers contended they didn’t even know the address of Doe’s expert — or what his name was: Gary, Gerry or Gerald.
“It is the intent of this court to prevent last-minute gamesmanship,” Greider said, outlining why she was prohibiting Girard Westerberg of Lexington, Ky., from testifying as an expert on radio industry standards and FCC rules. “... The court understands that striking the testimony of Gerry Westerberg — or Gerrard Westerberg — is the most drastic measure available.”
Despite Thompson’s arguments that he’d complied with disclosure requirements — and that Girard also uses the name Gerry — Greider ruled he hadn’t provided the defense with what it needed, including an expert report, to help it prepare for cross-examining him or to hire an expert to counter his testimony.
Thompson also lost motions to amend Doe’s lawsuit to include punitive damages and to seek damages for defamation by implication.
Station attorney Price had argued Doe never asked for a retraction and that Thompson couldn’t seek damages for defamation by implication due to a two-year statute of limitations that expired.
Price’s motions have scoffed at Doe’s allegations, contending Doe only suffered a cold sore, not humiliation or embarrassment, and that she’d willingly been on Scott’s shows numerous times.
Last month, Price successfully whittled down Doe’s lawsuit to invasion of privacy, and negligent hiring and retention of Scott.
This week’s hearing further shaped what jurors will hear at what’s expected to be a three- to five-day trial scheduled to start next week.
Doe’s lawsuit alleges Scott, a known drug addict, was in rehab at The Willough in Naples in April 2005, when K-Rock hired him to fill a void after the popular Howard Stern show ended. Scott has admitted he’d been fired five times over 15 years due to drug problems and battles with bosses.
“... In April of 2005, defendants hired and encouraged Joe Scott to perform as an on-air personality for the express purpose of financial profit to preserve ratings and advertising revenue following their loss of the nationally syndicated Howard Stern morning drive-time broadcast,” the lawsuit says.
The next month, it alleges, Scott went on air while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or medication, defamed Doe and disclosed private details about her life. Despite her complaints, the lawsuit contends his bosses didn’t stop him or fully investigate Doe’s complaints.
Scott was fired in March 2006 after he was suspended for not showing up for work for three days. The 46-year-old Cape Coral man died nine months later, after collapsing in his home.
Greider’s ruling barring punitive damages, which are meant to punish and deter similar conduct, came after Price alleged Thompson was trying to amend the lawsuit after six years.
As a result, jurors won’t learn that Naples-based Beasley Broadcast Group’s SEC filings showed it earned more than $122 million in revenues in 2004.
If jurors award Doe compensatory damages, they could have given her four times that in punitive damages, capped at $2 million — or no cap if they found her pleas and warnings that Scott was high were ignored.
Throughout Monday’s hearing, Price argued Thompson “cut and pasted” motions and demands, never changing them over the years.
“The failure of the plaintiff to modify his requests to the current time frame (make them) completely irrelevant because Joe Scott has been deceased for five years,” Price argued.
She contended Thompson didn’t comply with her requests for years, while Thompson argued his requests for station policies, sales figures, emails and other documents were never turned over.
He’d argued he needed sales documents to prove Scott was rehired to increase sales.
It was clear Monday that Thompson disagreed with the judge’s rulings and was getting his objections and arguments on the record if an appeal were necessary to the 2nd District Court of Appeal.
The ruling by Circuit Judge Christine Greider came Monday, 4½ years after popular radio host Joe Scott’s death and a week before “Jane Doe’s” 2005 lawsuit against Beasley Broadcast Group is expected to be heard by a jury.
Doe, formerly of Cape Coral, was a longtime girlfriend of Scott, who died in 2006, and their daughter was a teen at the time. Doe sought an injunction to halt his daily diatribes against her, morning shows in which he called Doe a prostitute, thief, drug-user, and other names, despite her complaints to the station asking him to stop.
The judge denied all except one of Doe’s motions — to bar a defense exhibit list because it was produced after a deadline — and granted all defense motions.
Greider explained she was adhering to a July case-management schedule that set dates for motions, disclosures, amendments and other requirements for the plaintiff and defense.
And, she ruled, Doe’s attorney, William D. Thompson Jr. of Fort Myers, hadn’t adhered to deadlines, as Beasley’s lawyers — Kelley Geraghty Price and David Lupo of Cohen and Grigsby — had argued.
The station’s lawyers contended they didn’t even know the address of Doe’s expert — or what his name was: Gary, Gerry or Gerald.
“It is the intent of this court to prevent last-minute gamesmanship,” Greider said, outlining why she was prohibiting Girard Westerberg of Lexington, Ky., from testifying as an expert on radio industry standards and FCC rules. “... The court understands that striking the testimony of Gerry Westerberg — or Gerrard Westerberg — is the most drastic measure available.”
Despite Thompson’s arguments that he’d complied with disclosure requirements — and that Girard also uses the name Gerry — Greider ruled he hadn’t provided the defense with what it needed, including an expert report, to help it prepare for cross-examining him or to hire an expert to counter his testimony.
Thompson also lost motions to amend Doe’s lawsuit to include punitive damages and to seek damages for defamation by implication.
Station attorney Price had argued Doe never asked for a retraction and that Thompson couldn’t seek damages for defamation by implication due to a two-year statute of limitations that expired.
Price’s motions have scoffed at Doe’s allegations, contending Doe only suffered a cold sore, not humiliation or embarrassment, and that she’d willingly been on Scott’s shows numerous times.
Last month, Price successfully whittled down Doe’s lawsuit to invasion of privacy, and negligent hiring and retention of Scott.
This week’s hearing further shaped what jurors will hear at what’s expected to be a three- to five-day trial scheduled to start next week.
Doe’s lawsuit alleges Scott, a known drug addict, was in rehab at The Willough in Naples in April 2005, when K-Rock hired him to fill a void after the popular Howard Stern show ended. Scott has admitted he’d been fired five times over 15 years due to drug problems and battles with bosses.
“... In April of 2005, defendants hired and encouraged Joe Scott to perform as an on-air personality for the express purpose of financial profit to preserve ratings and advertising revenue following their loss of the nationally syndicated Howard Stern morning drive-time broadcast,” the lawsuit says.
The next month, it alleges, Scott went on air while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or medication, defamed Doe and disclosed private details about her life. Despite her complaints, the lawsuit contends his bosses didn’t stop him or fully investigate Doe’s complaints.
Scott was fired in March 2006 after he was suspended for not showing up for work for three days. The 46-year-old Cape Coral man died nine months later, after collapsing in his home.
Greider’s ruling barring punitive damages, which are meant to punish and deter similar conduct, came after Price alleged Thompson was trying to amend the lawsuit after six years.
As a result, jurors won’t learn that Naples-based Beasley Broadcast Group’s SEC filings showed it earned more than $122 million in revenues in 2004.
If jurors award Doe compensatory damages, they could have given her four times that in punitive damages, capped at $2 million — or no cap if they found her pleas and warnings that Scott was high were ignored.
Throughout Monday’s hearing, Price argued Thompson “cut and pasted” motions and demands, never changing them over the years.
“The failure of the plaintiff to modify his requests to the current time frame (make them) completely irrelevant because Joe Scott has been deceased for five years,” Price argued.
She contended Thompson didn’t comply with her requests for years, while Thompson argued his requests for station policies, sales figures, emails and other documents were never turned over.
He’d argued he needed sales documents to prove Scott was rehired to increase sales.
It was clear Monday that Thompson disagreed with the judge’s rulings and was getting his objections and arguments on the record if an appeal were necessary to the 2nd District Court of Appeal.
2011年4月20日星期三
How herpes virus affects breeding stock
HV-3 strain has no long-term effects, but precautions must be taken to prevent secondary infectionIn recent weeks, at least six cases of equine genital herpes have been reported at no fewer than three Kentucky farms, and the outbreak has prompted concerns over the diseases short-term and long-term effects on stallions and broodmares. The good news is that, unlike human genital herpes, the equine version is not a lifelong condition. It does, however, require immediate attention to prevent its spread and secondary infections.
Equine genital herpesvirus is a sexually transmitted disease that can be identified by the appearance of lesions on the shaft of the stallions penis. In the mare, it is commonly observed as a vaginal discharge. The disease is contracted by direct genital contact with an infected animal or contaminated breeding equipment.
Because it is a virus and not a bacteria, the disease is not detectable through a culture, so even a mare who comes to the breeding shed bearing a health certificate and clean culture may be carrying the virus.
Coital exanthema, its veterinary name, is classified as equine herpesvirus-3 (EHV-3). Unlike other strains of equine herpesvirus, genital herpes does not cause abortion or produce respiratory or neurological problems. Incubation period for the virus is five to seven days, with symptoms appearing about a week after exposure.
Small blisters first appear on the penis, which generally go unnoticed. The blisters progress to lesions, which then erode as sores, much like human cold sores, with a diameter of 2 millimeters (mm) to 3 mm. The lesions rapidly advance to ulcers or pustules between 5 mm to 10 mm in diameter, which are painful to the touch.
Contagious period
The stallion is contagious during the period of time when the lesions are visible, and the disease cannot be transmitted after the ulcers heal. In mares, lesions are obscure, and the vaginal discharge they produce is often presumed to be caused by a bacteria or fungus. When a culture comes back negative, the discharge is usually dismissed as inconsequential. This is typically the point when transmission occurs, with the mare sent to the breeding shed presumed to be clean.
As the virus progresses, the horses immune system develops a resistance to the disease, and symptoms begin to dissipate.
From the first exposure, the disease should fully run its course in two-to-three-weeks. However, secondary bacterial infections in the stallion can produce mucopurulent exudate (running sores) from the lesions, which complicates treatment and prolongs recovery time.
Veterinarians recommend application of a topical antibiotic to the emerging sores to prevent secondary bacterial infections in the stallion from setting in, but, because the disease is self-limiting and a virus, no other treatment is generally prescribed. Once called horse pox or spots, genital herpes leaves the stallion with telltale, unpigmented spots where the lesions occurred.
Laboratory testing is available to confirm the diagnosis of EHV-3 through cytological smears of affected skin cells of the penis but, because the virus is short-lived and inconsequential, the time and expense involved in testing is rarely warranted.
EHV-3 is different from human genital herpesvirus in that, once it runs its course, it leaves no lasting effects, nor is it a disease that infects the animal for life. Other than suspending the horses breeding activity during the period of contagion, the condition is little more than an inconvenience.
Nevertheless, barring a popular stallion from the breeding shed even for ten days at the height of the breeding season may have a considerable economic impact on the stallion station as well as the broodmare owner, who either has to short-cycle his mares estrus or wait another month to breed.
Equine genital herpesvirus is not a reportable disease, which means that veterinarians diagnosing the disease are not required by law to report it to the United States Department of Agriculture. For this reason, it is difficult to estimate how many cases of EHV-3 actually occur. News of the recent central Kentucky outbreak spread by word of mouth.
Typically, mares are only booked to one stallion per breeding season. It is conceivable that one infected stallion could have passed the virus on to numerous mares, but the question remains how it was spread among six stallions.
A different virus
Rhinopneumonitis, another form of equine herpesvirus classified as EHV-1 and EHV-4, can be deadly for the unborn foal. Rhinopneumonitis is a disease of the upper respiratory tract in young and adult horses that is characterized by a nasal discharge, fever, and coughing.
The virus tends to run its course the same as a human cold and, unless complications arise, is not cause for alarm. However, if a pregnant mare is exposed to the disease after her fifth month of gestation, rhino will attack the placenta at the point where it attaches to the mares uterus. Spontaneous abortion results when the placenta finally dislodges from the uterus, causing fetal death.
Abortion may occur months after exposure, with no symptoms present in the mare. Numerous vaccines have been developed to guard against EHV-1 and EHV-4, and are recommended for the fifth, seventh, and ninth months of gestation. Foals should be vaccinated every two months beginning at 16 weeks of age.
In adult horses, EHV-1 sometimes affects the nervous system producing incoordination, paralysis, and incontinence. Researchers theorize that the immune system in certain horses may overreact to the virus and congest the blood vessels nourishing the nerves to the hindquarters. Serious complications may develop from the horses inability to stand.
Equine genital herpesvirus is a sexually transmitted disease that can be identified by the appearance of lesions on the shaft of the stallions penis. In the mare, it is commonly observed as a vaginal discharge. The disease is contracted by direct genital contact with an infected animal or contaminated breeding equipment.
Because it is a virus and not a bacteria, the disease is not detectable through a culture, so even a mare who comes to the breeding shed bearing a health certificate and clean culture may be carrying the virus.
Coital exanthema, its veterinary name, is classified as equine herpesvirus-3 (EHV-3). Unlike other strains of equine herpesvirus, genital herpes does not cause abortion or produce respiratory or neurological problems. Incubation period for the virus is five to seven days, with symptoms appearing about a week after exposure.
Small blisters first appear on the penis, which generally go unnoticed. The blisters progress to lesions, which then erode as sores, much like human cold sores, with a diameter of 2 millimeters (mm) to 3 mm. The lesions rapidly advance to ulcers or pustules between 5 mm to 10 mm in diameter, which are painful to the touch.
Contagious period
The stallion is contagious during the period of time when the lesions are visible, and the disease cannot be transmitted after the ulcers heal. In mares, lesions are obscure, and the vaginal discharge they produce is often presumed to be caused by a bacteria or fungus. When a culture comes back negative, the discharge is usually dismissed as inconsequential. This is typically the point when transmission occurs, with the mare sent to the breeding shed presumed to be clean.
As the virus progresses, the horses immune system develops a resistance to the disease, and symptoms begin to dissipate.
From the first exposure, the disease should fully run its course in two-to-three-weeks. However, secondary bacterial infections in the stallion can produce mucopurulent exudate (running sores) from the lesions, which complicates treatment and prolongs recovery time.
Veterinarians recommend application of a topical antibiotic to the emerging sores to prevent secondary bacterial infections in the stallion from setting in, but, because the disease is self-limiting and a virus, no other treatment is generally prescribed. Once called horse pox or spots, genital herpes leaves the stallion with telltale, unpigmented spots where the lesions occurred.
Laboratory testing is available to confirm the diagnosis of EHV-3 through cytological smears of affected skin cells of the penis but, because the virus is short-lived and inconsequential, the time and expense involved in testing is rarely warranted.
EHV-3 is different from human genital herpesvirus in that, once it runs its course, it leaves no lasting effects, nor is it a disease that infects the animal for life. Other than suspending the horses breeding activity during the period of contagion, the condition is little more than an inconvenience.
Nevertheless, barring a popular stallion from the breeding shed even for ten days at the height of the breeding season may have a considerable economic impact on the stallion station as well as the broodmare owner, who either has to short-cycle his mares estrus or wait another month to breed.
Equine genital herpesvirus is not a reportable disease, which means that veterinarians diagnosing the disease are not required by law to report it to the United States Department of Agriculture. For this reason, it is difficult to estimate how many cases of EHV-3 actually occur. News of the recent central Kentucky outbreak spread by word of mouth.
Typically, mares are only booked to one stallion per breeding season. It is conceivable that one infected stallion could have passed the virus on to numerous mares, but the question remains how it was spread among six stallions.
A different virus
Rhinopneumonitis, another form of equine herpesvirus classified as EHV-1 and EHV-4, can be deadly for the unborn foal. Rhinopneumonitis is a disease of the upper respiratory tract in young and adult horses that is characterized by a nasal discharge, fever, and coughing.
The virus tends to run its course the same as a human cold and, unless complications arise, is not cause for alarm. However, if a pregnant mare is exposed to the disease after her fifth month of gestation, rhino will attack the placenta at the point where it attaches to the mares uterus. Spontaneous abortion results when the placenta finally dislodges from the uterus, causing fetal death.
Abortion may occur months after exposure, with no symptoms present in the mare. Numerous vaccines have been developed to guard against EHV-1 and EHV-4, and are recommended for the fifth, seventh, and ninth months of gestation. Foals should be vaccinated every two months beginning at 16 weeks of age.
In adult horses, EHV-1 sometimes affects the nervous system producing incoordination, paralysis, and incontinence. Researchers theorize that the immune system in certain horses may overreact to the virus and congest the blood vessels nourishing the nerves to the hindquarters. Serious complications may develop from the horses inability to stand.
2011年4月19日星期二
Don’t fear the flowers
London - Recently, the pollen count hit 220 in some parts of England - a dramatic rise from its normal level of 40 or so.
For millions of Britons with hay fever this alarming spike - measured in grains of pollen per cubic metre of air by the Met Office - will have triggered sneezing fits, runny noses, Cold Sore eyes and an itchy throat.
Indeed, on Monday my surgery was full of sufferers desperate for treatment.
Those who don’t get hay fever may think a lot of fuss is made over what can’t be much worse than a cold. But, unlike a cold, hay fever can last for weeks or even months without the right treatment. I see patients who dread spring and summer. One in ten suffers symptoms so bad they affect their ability to drive or even sleep. It is not uncommon for them to be signed off sick from work.
Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, occurs when the immune system mistakes pollen for toxins, causing the body’s cells to release histamines: chemicals which inflame the lining of the nose, throat and eyes. In the UK at this time of year, tree pollen is the main culprit. From May to August, it’s pollen from grass. In autumn, hay fever may be caused by late-flowering plants, nettles, mould and fungal spores.
Sufferers can be sensitive to one or more of these but 90 percent are affected by grass pollen.
The amount of sunshine, rain or wind affects how much pollen plants release and how far grains spread. On rainy days, pollen may be cleared from the air, causing levels to fall, which is why there may have been a bit of light relief in midweek. On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in early evening.
The UK has one of the highest hay fever rates. There has been a fourfold increase in allergies since the Fifties. It’s not clear why: theories include dietary changes, an increase in air pollutants, and over-sterilised environments which deny our immune system a chance to learn which factors are harmful or harmless.
It used to be something that mostly affected youngsters - 38 percent of UK teenagers are sufferers, compared with a quarter of the general population. But many more patients are developing hay fever for the first time in middle age or later, according to the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit at the University of Worcester. If trends continue, some estimate there could be 32million sufferers by 2030.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment options. My advice is try all and any until you find one that works. As I tell my patients: Don’t despair, hay fever can be beaten.
How do I know I have hay fever, rather than other allergies or a cold?
Rhinitis is a condition in which the inside of the nose becomes inflamed, causing sneezing, itchiness and a persistent runny nose, plus symptoms in the sinuses and eyes. It is a common condition affecting at least one in five of us, and can be caused by various allergens such as animal fur or dust. Rhinitis caused by pollen is hay fever: it tends to be seasonal, not year-long.
It is possible to be tested for different pollen allergies to confirm the diagnosis but this is not commonly available on the NHS. Unlike a cold, with hay fever you never have a temperature and your nose runs clear.
I look out for the pollen count but I’m not sure I understand it.
The pollen-count prediction is intended to give hay fever sufferers a head start to prepare for a bad day. Less than 30 is low, more than 50 is high. Most people find their hay-fever symptoms start at a pollen count of 50 or more, so if that is predicted you need to have your treatment with you.
Can I use combinations of hay fever treatments?
It is safe and sensible to combine hay fever treatments for the best results. For example, it is reasonable to use a steroid nasal spray with a daily antihistamine. Check with your doctor or pharmacist, but it is not uncommon for a patient with severe hay fever to be on three treatments to control symptoms.
How do I know which antihistamine treatment is best?
Simply, trial and error. A once- a-day, non-drowsy tablet bought over the counter is a good place to start. Many different ones are available, such as cetirizine or loratadine. If after three or four days’ use these don’t work for you, ask your GP about prescription antihistamines or an antihistamine nasal spray. However, if a blocked nose is one of your main symptoms, antihistamines are unlikely to be helpful. You can also become tolerant to antihistamines, and after years of using one type you might find you need to switch.
What if antihistamines don’t work?
Steroid sprays such as beconase or flixonase are useful for hay fever, if a blocked nose is your main symptom, and also if you want to avoid antihistamines because you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you know the time of year you usually get affected, you can start with a steroid nasal spray a few weeks beforehand to reduce the severity, but you must be consistent in your use. The sprays can cause a dry nose or mouth, so don’t overuse them. For hay fever which is so bad it is interfering with normal day-to-day life, doctors will sometimes prescribe a short course of steroid tablets to dampen down the immune system.
Are alternative treatments effective?
Many sufferers find acupuncture effective, and even resolve symptoms completely in some cases. Research is under way to evaluate this properly. Herbal remedies should be avoided as they can cause liver or kidney problems. Salt-water sprays are useful to clean out the nose regularly to remove allergens, and can be used safely by adults and children along with conventional treatment.
Is desensitisation treatment an option?
Desensitisation treatment, or immunotherapy, is useful for those with persistent symptoms. It is offered in a few NHS specialist centres and many private ones. There is a small risk of an acute reaction. You are exposed to ever larger amounts of pollen which over time reduces symptoms.
For millions of Britons with hay fever this alarming spike - measured in grains of pollen per cubic metre of air by the Met Office - will have triggered sneezing fits, runny noses, Cold Sore eyes and an itchy throat.
Indeed, on Monday my surgery was full of sufferers desperate for treatment.
Those who don’t get hay fever may think a lot of fuss is made over what can’t be much worse than a cold. But, unlike a cold, hay fever can last for weeks or even months without the right treatment. I see patients who dread spring and summer. One in ten suffers symptoms so bad they affect their ability to drive or even sleep. It is not uncommon for them to be signed off sick from work.
Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, occurs when the immune system mistakes pollen for toxins, causing the body’s cells to release histamines: chemicals which inflame the lining of the nose, throat and eyes. In the UK at this time of year, tree pollen is the main culprit. From May to August, it’s pollen from grass. In autumn, hay fever may be caused by late-flowering plants, nettles, mould and fungal spores.
Sufferers can be sensitive to one or more of these but 90 percent are affected by grass pollen.
The amount of sunshine, rain or wind affects how much pollen plants release and how far grains spread. On rainy days, pollen may be cleared from the air, causing levels to fall, which is why there may have been a bit of light relief in midweek. On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in early evening.
The UK has one of the highest hay fever rates. There has been a fourfold increase in allergies since the Fifties. It’s not clear why: theories include dietary changes, an increase in air pollutants, and over-sterilised environments which deny our immune system a chance to learn which factors are harmful or harmless.
It used to be something that mostly affected youngsters - 38 percent of UK teenagers are sufferers, compared with a quarter of the general population. But many more patients are developing hay fever for the first time in middle age or later, according to the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit at the University of Worcester. If trends continue, some estimate there could be 32million sufferers by 2030.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment options. My advice is try all and any until you find one that works. As I tell my patients: Don’t despair, hay fever can be beaten.
How do I know I have hay fever, rather than other allergies or a cold?
Rhinitis is a condition in which the inside of the nose becomes inflamed, causing sneezing, itchiness and a persistent runny nose, plus symptoms in the sinuses and eyes. It is a common condition affecting at least one in five of us, and can be caused by various allergens such as animal fur or dust. Rhinitis caused by pollen is hay fever: it tends to be seasonal, not year-long.
It is possible to be tested for different pollen allergies to confirm the diagnosis but this is not commonly available on the NHS. Unlike a cold, with hay fever you never have a temperature and your nose runs clear.
I look out for the pollen count but I’m not sure I understand it.
The pollen-count prediction is intended to give hay fever sufferers a head start to prepare for a bad day. Less than 30 is low, more than 50 is high. Most people find their hay-fever symptoms start at a pollen count of 50 or more, so if that is predicted you need to have your treatment with you.
Can I use combinations of hay fever treatments?
It is safe and sensible to combine hay fever treatments for the best results. For example, it is reasonable to use a steroid nasal spray with a daily antihistamine. Check with your doctor or pharmacist, but it is not uncommon for a patient with severe hay fever to be on three treatments to control symptoms.
How do I know which antihistamine treatment is best?
Simply, trial and error. A once- a-day, non-drowsy tablet bought over the counter is a good place to start. Many different ones are available, such as cetirizine or loratadine. If after three or four days’ use these don’t work for you, ask your GP about prescription antihistamines or an antihistamine nasal spray. However, if a blocked nose is one of your main symptoms, antihistamines are unlikely to be helpful. You can also become tolerant to antihistamines, and after years of using one type you might find you need to switch.
What if antihistamines don’t work?
Steroid sprays such as beconase or flixonase are useful for hay fever, if a blocked nose is your main symptom, and also if you want to avoid antihistamines because you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you know the time of year you usually get affected, you can start with a steroid nasal spray a few weeks beforehand to reduce the severity, but you must be consistent in your use. The sprays can cause a dry nose or mouth, so don’t overuse them. For hay fever which is so bad it is interfering with normal day-to-day life, doctors will sometimes prescribe a short course of steroid tablets to dampen down the immune system.
Are alternative treatments effective?
Many sufferers find acupuncture effective, and even resolve symptoms completely in some cases. Research is under way to evaluate this properly. Herbal remedies should be avoided as they can cause liver or kidney problems. Salt-water sprays are useful to clean out the nose regularly to remove allergens, and can be used safely by adults and children along with conventional treatment.
Is desensitisation treatment an option?
Desensitisation treatment, or immunotherapy, is useful for those with persistent symptoms. It is offered in a few NHS specialist centres and many private ones. There is a small risk of an acute reaction. You are exposed to ever larger amounts of pollen which over time reduces symptoms.
2011年4月18日星期一
ASK DR B: Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes
When Donna felt the itching and burning come back for a third time in 2 months, she started to realize that she needed to see her doctor–and fast. Though it felt like the symptoms of a yeast infection at first, by the third time it came back, the itching and burning came along with high fever and painful sores in her genital area. She also had pain in her legs and buttocks and noticeable discharge. What was also worse this time was that it seemed her urinary tract was also affected, because she had considerable pain while urinating. Though she was terribly uncomfortable and very tired, she made that visit to see the doctor right away, and he confirmed what she already knew deep inside to be true—she had a case of genital herpes.
Understanding Genital Herpes
Though it is seldom discussed and carries a longstanding social stigma, at least 45 million Americans contract the genital herpes virus every year, with approximately one million new infections occurring yearly. As many as 80%-90% of those infected fail to recognize the symptoms or show no symptoms at all and carriers can transmit the disease without having any symptoms of an active infection.[1] The reality is that genital herpes is a common and highly infectious disease that is caused by a virus. It is transmitted during sexual activity and causes blisters or groups of small ulcers (open sores) on and around the genitals in men and women. Though genital herpes is not curable, there are natural medications that can be used to treat outbreaks and minimize the symptoms.
Causes of Genital Herpes
Two types of herpes simplex virus infections can cause genital herpes. The first is HSV type 1 (HSV-1) which usually causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth, but can be spread to the genital area during oral sex. The second type, HSV type 2 (HSV-1), is the one that commonly causes genital herpes and spreads through sexual and skin-to-skin contact. This type is very common and is very contagious whether one has a visible open sore or not. The virus dies quickly outside of the body, so it’s almost impossible to get the infection through toilets, towels or other objects used by an infected person.
Understanding Genital Herpes
Though it is seldom discussed and carries a longstanding social stigma, at least 45 million Americans contract the genital herpes virus every year, with approximately one million new infections occurring yearly. As many as 80%-90% of those infected fail to recognize the symptoms or show no symptoms at all and carriers can transmit the disease without having any symptoms of an active infection.[1] The reality is that genital herpes is a common and highly infectious disease that is caused by a virus. It is transmitted during sexual activity and causes blisters or groups of small ulcers (open sores) on and around the genitals in men and women. Though genital herpes is not curable, there are natural medications that can be used to treat outbreaks and minimize the symptoms.
Causes of Genital Herpes
Two types of herpes simplex virus infections can cause genital herpes. The first is HSV type 1 (HSV-1) which usually causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth, but can be spread to the genital area during oral sex. The second type, HSV type 2 (HSV-1), is the one that commonly causes genital herpes and spreads through sexual and skin-to-skin contact. This type is very common and is very contagious whether one has a visible open sore or not. The virus dies quickly outside of the body, so it’s almost impossible to get the infection through toilets, towels or other objects used by an infected person.
2011年4月17日星期日
That cry in the wilderness is coming from Labor
Today will be one of those character forming days for the government.
The welfare sector, unions, industry and manufacturing all variously crying foul over the carbon tax and another poll showing the government still as popular as cold sores.
Greg Combet's announcement last week that compensation for the carbon tax would be so generous that some people would actually be better off has done nothing to lift support for a price on carbon. If anything, opposition has hardened.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Even the government's admirable drive to balance the budget by 2012-13 is not lighting up the world.
The poll shows 61 per cent think it an important objective ''but it can wait a couple of years''.
And despite his treachery on Q&A two weeks ago, Kevin Rudd, himself as popular as cold sores this time last year, is now preferred by 55 per cent of voters as prime minister, compared with 38 per cent for Julia Gillard.
On the other side of the fence, Malcolm Turnbull is streets ahead of Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott as preferred Coalition leader.
Turnbull is vastly more popular among Labor and Green voters than Coalition voters. In a three-horse race against Hockey and Abbott, Turnbull has the support of 54 per cent of Labor voters.
In a two-horse race against each other, Gillard and Rudd have 49 per cent of the Labor vote apiece. Labor voters want Turnbull, something which will be handy for Turnbull should the Coalition find itself battling to win the soft Labor vote as the next election nears.
At the moment, however, Abbott would win in a canter based on these figures.
The great hope in Labor was that after the voters took their baseball bats to the Keneally government at the NSW election, the hostility towards federal Labor would ease. Instead, voters still have their bats in hand and are keen for another swing.
In NSW the poll shows primary support for the Coalition at 51 per cent and 27 per cent for Labor, results almost identical to the state election. That's called brand damage.
Labor sages have warned since the last federal election that turning the polls around will be a long haul and they will remain this miserable for the ALP until at least next year.
The danger in the interim is that the damage will become irreversible because people will stop listening.
The welfare sector, unions, industry and manufacturing all variously crying foul over the carbon tax and another poll showing the government still as popular as cold sores.
Greg Combet's announcement last week that compensation for the carbon tax would be so generous that some people would actually be better off has done nothing to lift support for a price on carbon. If anything, opposition has hardened.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Even the government's admirable drive to balance the budget by 2012-13 is not lighting up the world.
The poll shows 61 per cent think it an important objective ''but it can wait a couple of years''.
And despite his treachery on Q&A two weeks ago, Kevin Rudd, himself as popular as cold sores this time last year, is now preferred by 55 per cent of voters as prime minister, compared with 38 per cent for Julia Gillard.
On the other side of the fence, Malcolm Turnbull is streets ahead of Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott as preferred Coalition leader.
Turnbull is vastly more popular among Labor and Green voters than Coalition voters. In a three-horse race against Hockey and Abbott, Turnbull has the support of 54 per cent of Labor voters.
In a two-horse race against each other, Gillard and Rudd have 49 per cent of the Labor vote apiece. Labor voters want Turnbull, something which will be handy for Turnbull should the Coalition find itself battling to win the soft Labor vote as the next election nears.
At the moment, however, Abbott would win in a canter based on these figures.
The great hope in Labor was that after the voters took their baseball bats to the Keneally government at the NSW election, the hostility towards federal Labor would ease. Instead, voters still have their bats in hand and are keen for another swing.
In NSW the poll shows primary support for the Coalition at 51 per cent and 27 per cent for Labor, results almost identical to the state election. That's called brand damage.
Labor sages have warned since the last federal election that turning the polls around will be a long haul and they will remain this miserable for the ALP until at least next year.
The danger in the interim is that the damage will become irreversible because people will stop listening.
2011年4月14日星期四
Tansy May Be Used to Treat Herpes, Study Suggests
Tansy, Tanacetum Vulgare, is a flowering plant found across mainland Europe and Asia. From the Middle Ages onwards the plant, whose folk names include Golden Buttons and Mugwort, has been used as a remedy for various conditions, from fevers to rheumatism. However, its supposed medical benefits have always been questioned.
Joint work between research groups led by Dr Habtemariam from the School of Science at the University of Greenwich at Medway and Professor Francisco Parra at the Universidad de Oviedo in Spain, published in Phytotherapy Research, has revealed the clear potential of tansy as a treatment for herpes.
Dr Solomon Habtemariam says: "We have identified several compounds in the plant with strong antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are important for healing wounds and can be used to treat the skin eruptions and blister-like lesions or cold sores that are the symptoms of herpes. The drugs currently available to treat the disease are becoming less effective as the virus is developing resistance to them. Diseases such as genital herpes are also increasing due to immunosuppressive illnesses such as AIDS.
"Our studies have proved the scientific basis for many traditional medicinal plants. We are now able to identify even more structurally complex natural products and those that are present in plants in minute concentrations with our state-of-the-art analytical facilities. In collaboration with our international partners, we are searching for novel antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents from natural sources."
Joint work between research groups led by Dr Habtemariam from the School of Science at the University of Greenwich at Medway and Professor Francisco Parra at the Universidad de Oviedo in Spain, published in Phytotherapy Research, has revealed the clear potential of tansy as a treatment for herpes.
Dr Solomon Habtemariam says: "We have identified several compounds in the plant with strong antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are important for healing wounds and can be used to treat the skin eruptions and blister-like lesions or cold sores that are the symptoms of herpes. The drugs currently available to treat the disease are becoming less effective as the virus is developing resistance to them. Diseases such as genital herpes are also increasing due to immunosuppressive illnesses such as AIDS.
"Our studies have proved the scientific basis for many traditional medicinal plants. We are now able to identify even more structurally complex natural products and those that are present in plants in minute concentrations with our state-of-the-art analytical facilities. In collaboration with our international partners, we are searching for novel antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents from natural sources."
2011年4月13日星期三
Call for new inquest into Carmel Bloom's hospital death
Carmel Bloom, 54, died in 2002 at the private Roding Hospital in Ilford after a kidney stone operation. She worked as a health controller there at the time.
Bernard Bloom called for a new inquest after a recording of a 999 call made and a list of phone calls emerged following the second inquest in 2005.
Hospital staff involved in Ms Bloom's care declined to comment to the BBC.
At the time of Ms Bloom's death the hospital was run by Bupa.
The first inquest in 2003 found she died of natural causes.
But the 2005 inquest at West London Coroners' Court found lack of post-operative care contributed to her death.
'Coughing up blood'
She was transferred to Whipps Cross Hospital in east London after the diagnosis of septicaemia which caused organ failure, the jury heard.
Ms Bloom's case was mainly handled by anaesthetist Dr Paul Timmis, consultant urological surgeon John Hines and night nurse Bridget Matthews.
Bernard Bloom said: "We have certain views which we feel are fully supported by the evidence, but they are not even vaguely compatible with the evidence or the verdict that was reached at the last inquest."
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
It showed that she'd been allowed to deteriorate into a fatal condition”
End Quote Bernard Bloom Carmel Bloom's brother
He said details have changed over the years for instance at the 2005 inquest Ms Matthews said she could not call an ambulance "until Dr Timmis had assessed the patient".
Mr Hines also told the court he did not ask anyone to phone an ambulance because "I had to wait for Dr Timmis to arrive".
But a list of phone calls made from the hospital on 29 August 2002 shows the ambulance was called before Dr Timmis could have reached the hospital.
In the emergency call to London Ambulance Service Ms Matthews can be heard saying: "She's now got pulmonary oedema, she's coughing up a lot of blood and she is very unstable actually."
But at the 2005 inquest she said: "It had not got to the stage where there was visible pulmonary oedema."
Mr Bloom believes the new evidence will show that the jury was misled.
He said: "It showed that she'd been allowed to deteriorate into a fatal condition."
Medical staff involved in the case declined to comment to the BBC.
Bernard Bloom called for a new inquest after a recording of a 999 call made and a list of phone calls emerged following the second inquest in 2005.
Hospital staff involved in Ms Bloom's care declined to comment to the BBC.
At the time of Ms Bloom's death the hospital was run by Bupa.
The first inquest in 2003 found she died of natural causes.
But the 2005 inquest at West London Coroners' Court found lack of post-operative care contributed to her death.
'Coughing up blood'
She was transferred to Whipps Cross Hospital in east London after the diagnosis of septicaemia which caused organ failure, the jury heard.
Ms Bloom's case was mainly handled by anaesthetist Dr Paul Timmis, consultant urological surgeon John Hines and night nurse Bridget Matthews.
Bernard Bloom said: "We have certain views which we feel are fully supported by the evidence, but they are not even vaguely compatible with the evidence or the verdict that was reached at the last inquest."
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
It showed that she'd been allowed to deteriorate into a fatal condition”
End Quote Bernard Bloom Carmel Bloom's brother
He said details have changed over the years for instance at the 2005 inquest Ms Matthews said she could not call an ambulance "until Dr Timmis had assessed the patient".
Mr Hines also told the court he did not ask anyone to phone an ambulance because "I had to wait for Dr Timmis to arrive".
But a list of phone calls made from the hospital on 29 August 2002 shows the ambulance was called before Dr Timmis could have reached the hospital.
In the emergency call to London Ambulance Service Ms Matthews can be heard saying: "She's now got pulmonary oedema, she's coughing up a lot of blood and she is very unstable actually."
But at the 2005 inquest she said: "It had not got to the stage where there was visible pulmonary oedema."
Mr Bloom believes the new evidence will show that the jury was misled.
He said: "It showed that she'd been allowed to deteriorate into a fatal condition."
Medical staff involved in the case declined to comment to the BBC.
2011年4月12日星期二
Don’t let herpes hamper your sex life
Dear Dr. Peg,
Recently my girlfriend was diagnosed with genital herpes. I have been with her for three years and neither of us has ever had herpes. Does this mean she cheated on me? And if I wear a condom, can I keep from getting it from her?
Dear sir,
No, it doesn’t mean she cheated on you. And no, a condom probably won’t protect you.
When someone comes down with a sexually transmitted infection, the first thing they usually want to know is who gave it to them. Sometimes that question has an answer, and sometimes it doesn’t. With herpes, there is no playing the blame game.
Herpes is a sneaky little bugger that can hide out for years, unknown and unnoticed. When it finally rears its ugly little head, it can wreak havoc on relationships with suspicion and mistrust.
A little knowledge can go a long way toward mending strained romances, so here goes:
The word “herpes” comes from a Greek word pronounced (roughly) “herpestes,” which is an adjective meaning “creeping.”
In the first century, it was thought to be the result of the body attempting to get rid of “acrid waste matter” by pushing it to the surface in blisters which would then burst and drain out the nastiness.
We now know that these blisters are, in fact, caused by a virus, which has been named after that Greek adjective.
There are two types of herpes simplex viruses, Type 1 (HSV1) and Type 2 (HSV2). Usually HSV1 lives on the face and HSV2 lives on the genitals. However, herpes viruses are flexible and can take up residence in either location.
HSV1 is extremely common, affecting about one in four Americans.
It usually comes out as a cold sore, that oozing crusty thing people get at the edge of their lip. Many of us get exposed to this virus type as children, from other children or from smooching adults.
HSV2 is usually contracted sexually, through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it. The problem is they might not know they have it. HSV can be a silent, symptom-free disease. This goes for Type 1 and Type 2. The other problem is that condoms don’t provide complete protection. Since the virus lives in the nerves, it can be passed through the skin wherever the nerves go.
Once you catch HSV, it either causes sores or it doesn’t. In either case, it proceeds to move in to your spinal nerves, where it lives happily ever after. It might emerge from time to time and cause a sore, or it might not.
You can pass it along when you have a sore, but you can also pass it along when you don’t. That’s the mystery and frustration of herpes.
After the first outbreak, further outbreaks tend to be much milder, and once you have one established herpes site on your body, it’s rare to develop another, probably because your immune system makes antibodies to the virus. Also, if you do have HSV1, you are less likely to catch HSV2.
There appears to be some cross-protection in the antibodies that are formed.
Another issue this brings up is how to handle herpes as a couple.
What do you do if one of you has it and the other doesn’t? How do you talk about this with a prospective partner?
The couples I’ve known who deal with herpes in the healthiest way are those who tell me, “We have herpes.” In other words, they see it as a shared problem. They don’t expend a lot of energy trying to prevent passing it to each other, or let it put a crimp in their sex life. Their love for each other and their desire to express that love sexually overrides their worry about contagion.
I’m not suggesting anyone blithely rub open sores all over their partner. It still makes sense to avoid contact with open sores, for comfort’s sake if nothing else. I’m just pointing out that, for the sake of your relationship, it makes sense not to obsess about it. And medically speaking, herpes is rarely a big deal.
If you have herpes and are starting a new relationship, I think it’s only fair to inform your prospective partner before you have sex.
Ideally, this won’t be on your first date, but when you are close enough emotionally to can talk freely about such things and figure out how you as a couple want to handle the situation.
This isn’t always easy, because our society still has lots of judgment and stigma around sex-related topics of any kind, and having a sexually transmitted infection can be emotionally upsetting.
If you need help, the medical practitioners and/or the counselors at the Student Health Center would be happy to meet with you and your partner to answer questions and help you discuss it together. Call 277-3136 for an appointment.
Peggy Spencer has been a UNM Student Health physician for 20 years. E-mail your questions to her directly at pspencer@unm.edu. All questions will be considered, and all questioners will remain anonymous. This column has general health information only and cannot replace a visit to a health provider.
Recently my girlfriend was diagnosed with genital herpes. I have been with her for three years and neither of us has ever had herpes. Does this mean she cheated on me? And if I wear a condom, can I keep from getting it from her?
Dear sir,
No, it doesn’t mean she cheated on you. And no, a condom probably won’t protect you.
When someone comes down with a sexually transmitted infection, the first thing they usually want to know is who gave it to them. Sometimes that question has an answer, and sometimes it doesn’t. With herpes, there is no playing the blame game.
Herpes is a sneaky little bugger that can hide out for years, unknown and unnoticed. When it finally rears its ugly little head, it can wreak havoc on relationships with suspicion and mistrust.
A little knowledge can go a long way toward mending strained romances, so here goes:
The word “herpes” comes from a Greek word pronounced (roughly) “herpestes,” which is an adjective meaning “creeping.”
In the first century, it was thought to be the result of the body attempting to get rid of “acrid waste matter” by pushing it to the surface in blisters which would then burst and drain out the nastiness.
We now know that these blisters are, in fact, caused by a virus, which has been named after that Greek adjective.
There are two types of herpes simplex viruses, Type 1 (HSV1) and Type 2 (HSV2). Usually HSV1 lives on the face and HSV2 lives on the genitals. However, herpes viruses are flexible and can take up residence in either location.
HSV1 is extremely common, affecting about one in four Americans.
It usually comes out as a cold sore, that oozing crusty thing people get at the edge of their lip. Many of us get exposed to this virus type as children, from other children or from smooching adults.
HSV2 is usually contracted sexually, through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it. The problem is they might not know they have it. HSV can be a silent, symptom-free disease. This goes for Type 1 and Type 2. The other problem is that condoms don’t provide complete protection. Since the virus lives in the nerves, it can be passed through the skin wherever the nerves go.
Once you catch HSV, it either causes sores or it doesn’t. In either case, it proceeds to move in to your spinal nerves, where it lives happily ever after. It might emerge from time to time and cause a sore, or it might not.
You can pass it along when you have a sore, but you can also pass it along when you don’t. That’s the mystery and frustration of herpes.
After the first outbreak, further outbreaks tend to be much milder, and once you have one established herpes site on your body, it’s rare to develop another, probably because your immune system makes antibodies to the virus. Also, if you do have HSV1, you are less likely to catch HSV2.
There appears to be some cross-protection in the antibodies that are formed.
Another issue this brings up is how to handle herpes as a couple.
What do you do if one of you has it and the other doesn’t? How do you talk about this with a prospective partner?
The couples I’ve known who deal with herpes in the healthiest way are those who tell me, “We have herpes.” In other words, they see it as a shared problem. They don’t expend a lot of energy trying to prevent passing it to each other, or let it put a crimp in their sex life. Their love for each other and their desire to express that love sexually overrides their worry about contagion.
I’m not suggesting anyone blithely rub open sores all over their partner. It still makes sense to avoid contact with open sores, for comfort’s sake if nothing else. I’m just pointing out that, for the sake of your relationship, it makes sense not to obsess about it. And medically speaking, herpes is rarely a big deal.
If you have herpes and are starting a new relationship, I think it’s only fair to inform your prospective partner before you have sex.
Ideally, this won’t be on your first date, but when you are close enough emotionally to can talk freely about such things and figure out how you as a couple want to handle the situation.
This isn’t always easy, because our society still has lots of judgment and stigma around sex-related topics of any kind, and having a sexually transmitted infection can be emotionally upsetting.
If you need help, the medical practitioners and/or the counselors at the Student Health Center would be happy to meet with you and your partner to answer questions and help you discuss it together. Call 277-3136 for an appointment.
Peggy Spencer has been a UNM Student Health physician for 20 years. E-mail your questions to her directly at pspencer@unm.edu. All questions will be considered, and all questioners will remain anonymous. This column has general health information only and cannot replace a visit to a health provider.
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