text: Well, This is my first time blogging with an IPad! And, so far it's pretty super. The little on-screen keyboard works just like a real one. Not really what this post is about, but... I thought you would enjoy hearing about my fun new toy. I got it to help me publish pictures from my camera, and so far it far exceeds my expectations. Next week, our command has some special operations going on for about five days. The best thing about this is that I get an extended weekend. It will be the first since Christmas, and a much needed one at that. Since it has been in the upper eighties all week, I'm planning on hanging at the beach all weekend, getting some R & R, and prepping my house for a mom visit!!! Thats right, I finally talked my mom into coming to Florida for spring break. Who wouldn't Kill for that? Five days in paradise, pretty much. Spending time with the kid, drinking, going out, meeting a bunch of sailors, tanning every day, good southern food and reggae music. It should be a blast. I'm bursting with excitement. She got the tickets, and we both went wow, it's actually gonna happen. Yes! Let's hope Gabe is still here by then and can meet mom. This morning I took the E-4 advancement test. It was six in the morning when we started the test, and I finished at eight thirty. Not shabby... I think I got a decent score. The bad thing is that now I have to wait for may for the scores to come out. Here's hoping...I did get my NIOC ribbon, rocker, patch, and some other little Decors for my uniform. I really enjoy the rewards system of the military. :) Want to know what else in the military I love? Next month I should be getting LASIK eye surgery! The navy is paying for corrective surgery so I no longer have to wear contacts. This has me beside myself, but that's not all... This summer I'm also getting braces, courtesy of the navy. It's good to get all this out of the way while it's free, along with a bachelor degree and some extra schooling, not to mention great job training and skills for everyday managements and goal processing. This is by far the best job I could dream of for this time in my life. A few weeks ago, Gabe and I went to the local pet store. We met my future puppy, a little st Charles dog. He was absolutely the cutest thing I ever saw, cuddled up against us with sleepy eyes and little droopy ears... I want the baby so bad! I can't get him right now, I'm getting ready to go on a ship. But one day! Oh yeah. I might be getting re-stationed elsewhere in a few months. In fact, very likely. San Diego and Hawaii are my two top ports, but Japan is being offered as well. I'll keep you updated on that. And, that is all... Early day tomorrow,nfollowed by a weekend in which I shall finish a post I've been working on for a while, and hopefully some pictures took...!


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The Arthritis Foundation is one of the leading worldwide private, nonprofit contributors to arthritis research. Since its inception in 1948, the Foundation has invested almost $500 million to support the work of 2,653 scientists in 236 research institutions across the country.
See the 2014 Pacific Region Research Award Recipients.
The Arthritis Foundation's research strategy focuses on three types of arthritis: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis. Through a disciplined peer-review process, Innovative Research and Arthritis Foundation Investigator grants are awarded to the highest nationally rated studies with the greatest potential to create breakthroughs.
Explore the profiles, publications, and grant data of hundreds of scientists who have received funding from the Arthritis Foundation.
INITIATIVE 1: Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects 27 million Americans and results in one million joint replacements every year. Presently, there are no medications to slow or stop osteoarthritis and no tools to identify early stages of the disease. Two major research initiatives are underway to address the needs of patients with osteoarthritis:
1) The OA Biomarkers Initiative and 2) The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Intervention Initiative.
OA Biomarkers Initiative
This major initiative brings together the Arthritis Foundation, the Foundation for National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium and OARSI (OA Research Society International).
Research Goal
Identify and classify biological markers of knee OA progression through use of medical imaging and biochemical markers.
Learning will be used to monitor the progression of OA and support development of new OA drugs and treatment options to prevent the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury Intervention Initiative
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common among young athletes. About 200,000 ACL repairs are required in the United States each year. ACL tears often lead to a diagnosis of OA within 10 to 20 years. With the support of generous donors, the Arthritis Foundation recently awarded a $1 million, multi-institutional grant that could revolutionize future treatment for OA.
Research Goal
Lay the groundwork to establish a new clinical strategy for OA drug development and to prevent the onset of OA after ACL injuries.
There will be treatment for the disease, not just its symptoms, so people can avoid the progressive damage of OA and reverse its course. People will also know whether or not they are at risk of OA so they can take steps to prevent it.
INITIATIVE 2: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects 1.5 million people in the U.S. – most of them women. The disease can be highly unpredictable, ranging from extreme inflammation, rapid progression and joint degradation in one patient to limited inflammation and a small degree of joint deterioration in another. Research advances can lead to development of personalized patient therapies and needed treatments.
Research Goals
• Identify genetic, molecular and immunologic factors that predict RA risk
• Increase knowledge about genetic or environmental factors that affect the initial development or progression of RA
• Better understand patient response to RA therapies which will slow progression and inhibit long-term effects of the disease
Key Initiative
The Arthritis Internet Registry is a large clinical database that allows researchers to exam- ine similarities and differences between patients and their responses to treatments. The data can help to determine how genetic factors relate to treatment responses and lead to development of the safest and most effective treatments for RA patients. The Arthritis Internet Registry (AIR) has more than 3,700 online registered patients and urgently needs more people to provide information that will lead to desired research breakthroughs. If you qualify, please visit: http://goo.gl/810hvm to register.
Improved treatments that are safe and effective over the long-term will be developed so that patients can regain good health and enhanced quality of life.
INITIATIVE 3: Juvenile Arthritis
Nearly 300,000 children endure the debilitating pain and disabling effects of the many forms of juvenile arthritis (JA). Until a cure is found, JA robs them of the joys of childhood and continues to affect their lives as they transition to adulthood.
Research Goals
• Identify who is at risk for juvenile arthritis based on genetics or environment
• Develop therapies to rapidly reduce or prevent the effects of JA
• Develop new drugs that are safer and better for children with arthritis
Key Initiatives
During its 10-year partnership with CARRA (Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance), the Arthritis Foundation has contributed more than $2.3 million to fund JA research and support the national CARRA registry (www.carranet-work.org) of more than 8,000 patients. The CARRA registry provides the long-term information that can lead to development of the safest and most effective treatments for children with JA.
Safe and effective treatments will be available at the onset of the disease so children with JA can rapidly regain good health and long-term quality of life.

subset: commoncrawl


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Happy New Year everyone!
Did ya'll survive the holidays? Dr. Dick just barely made it through this annual ordeal by the skin of his teeth. The holidays are supposed to bring out the best in folks, right? Then, what's with all the lunatic behavior this time of the year?
Leave it to all the wretched holiday hype to spike our self-critical nature. Just when ya thought it was safe to take a peek in the mirror, along come those age-old bugaboos to scare ya back into the closet of self-doubt. Consider this month's grab bag of frightened souls.
Hey Dr. Dick –
I've always had a low self-image. Then about two years ago I decided to do something about. I began going to the gym regularly and eating better. It paid off…now I have a better image of myself and have been dating more. I am seeking a LTR but only seem to met and slept with unavailable women. I'm starting to turn this back on myself…sure now I'm good enough to sleep with, but not have a relationship with! Thoughts?
—K in NYC
Dear K,
You're looking for a LTR and you're sleeping around with unavailable women? Darlin', what do you suppose is wrong with this picture?
Dr. Dick suspects that you still need to do some serious work on the self-image thing. I applaud your efforts to get in shape and eat right. Good for you! However, heaping recriminations upon yourself for your lack of success in the dating game, particularly while pursuing the unavailable, is downright self-defeating.
Rethink this strategy immediately.
Good luck,
Dr. Dick
Doctor Dick,
I only have one testicle. I was born that way. It has a huge effect on my self-confidence. I consider myself a good-looking guy and I work out at the gym to try and look and feel the best I can. But even so, whenever I meet a guy and we have sex, I am always terrified that when he notices, he'll freak out or suddenly be turned off. Even though the guys I have been with (not that many) haven't had a problem with it, I feel it is a problem. And also, I have trouble ejaculating—whether that is physiological or psychological, I don't know.
I have two questions. 1) Would having only one testicle reduce my sex drive and make it harder for me to ejaculate? 2) I have pondered the idea of having a prosthetic testicle inserted (so at least I wouldn't LOOK any different to other guys). Do you know much about this procedure and if it is safe?
Thanks very much
Dear David,
Whoa, aren't you all tied up in a BALL of knots? (Big pun intended!)
You're obsessing about something that apparently is of no consequence to your partners. Hey, if they don't give a shit that you're shy a nut, why should you?
Celebrate your uniqueness, instead of living in shame. Your "irregularity" is neither life threatening, nor is it particularly obvious.
Consider the great length some guys go to in an attempt to hide the "shame" of what they perceive as a personal inadequacy. Like the guy who wears a really terrible toupee (or any toupee for that matter) in an effort to mask his hair loss. Is this not completely ridiculous, not to mention counterproductive? I mean, doesn't his folly call even more attention to the very thing he wishes to conceal?
I propose that it's your anxiety about "being found out" that's getting in the way of your sexual performance, not having just one testicle. Nor do I believe that it's interfering with your sex drive. But I advise you consult your physician if you think you have a hormonal imbalance. A regular injection of testosterone will remedy that.
You ask about surgery; well, it's a simple enough procedure. But there are always risks, like the possibility of infection for example. Besides, you'll always know that one of your balls is a fake. And in time, you'll probably begin to obsess about that, too.
David, this problem of yours can be solved in a less drastic and invasive manner than surgery. Choose self-acceptance over the knife and be happy.
Good Luck,
Dr. Dick
Dr. Dick:
I am writing because I am a very self-conscious person and am afraid to date anyone because of how I look underneath my good-looking clothes. I was born with problems that left scars and veins on my body, making my younger years hell. I am very self-conscious when it comes to wearing shorts, which I never wear, and being naked with someone. I want to be with someone and look normal, like all the other people. I enjoy looking and feeling good about myself, but when it comes to revealing my true identity I lose all confidence. I am afraid of rejection because I am different.
I want a boyfriend who hot and has a body to die for, but I don't base my dating prospects on looks, but on personality. I know there are others out there with the same philosophy, but it is hard to see. What should I do? I want to meet someone and have fun, but I have this fear of being rejected and not being what they expect.
— Jordan
Dear Jordan,
I can't tell from your comments if you are a man or a woman. That's actually a good thing, because my advice is the same regardless of your gender. Our society can be a heartless place for those of us who don't fit the "ideal" of youth and beauty perpetuated by the popular culture. And it looks to me like you're guilty of the same bullshit you accuse others of perpetuating. You want a lover who is physically perfect, but you don't want others to discriminate against you for not being so. Aaaa, hello! If you allow this unhappy double standard to control your sense of wellbeing, you have only yourself to blame.
Throw off the shackles that ensnare you. They're all self-imposed, not to mention self-defeating. Learn to accept yourself for who you are, with all your assets and liabilities. And you'd do well to be a little less of a snob where others' looks are concerned.
Good Luck,
Dr. Dick
Dear Dr. Dick,
I'm an attractive, talented and fun loving guy who has never had a lover in the 23 years that I've been openly gay. Sure I get a lot of looks and flirtations but rarely from the ones I'm attracted to. It seems that unless you work out 4 to 5 times a week you're not worth their time or attention. In fact, if you read personal ads you'll find that the majority of them use that as a prerequisite. Mind you, I'm not flabby or out of shape, I'm just tall and thin (6'3″, 175#). This has made me very self-conscious about myself and in turn has produced performance anxiety. I find myself working so hard to please a man sexually that I can't "get it up" to save my life. I joined a gym a couple of times. But after a year of religiously working out (both times), I never saw any visible improvement in my body so I stopped going. Another aspect of my frustration is the fact that I have been HIV+ for 12 years and I am developing the "skinny arms and legs syndrome" from my drugs. Sex has become a very complicated issue for me. Half the time I'm self-conscious about my body and the other half afraid of passing on HIV or getting some new sexual disease. Any advice?
—Sex Fan
Dear sex fan,
You bet I have some advice. In fact, if you've taken the time to read this far in this column, you already have a good idea of what my take on all of this is.
Some gay men have turned discriminating against other gay men into an art form. If it's not about muscles, then it's about age, race, HIV status, where one lives, the clothes one wears, the car one drives—the litany goes on and on. If you buy into this dehumanizing nonsense, as it appears you have, you do it at your own peril, darlin'! You give this ugly thing power over you, and it will erode what little self-confidence you have left.
Let me make a couple of quick comments. First, do you use the same superficial standards to measure potential partners that you say others reject you by? That's a common enough scenario (check out the letter above). But this cycle of oppression needs to stop somewhere; why not with you?
Second, working to please a partner is a good thing. But taking it to an extreme is not. Obsessing about pleasing a partner, so much so as to let it interfere with your sexual performance, or worse, your mental health, is very dangerous.
Finally, fear, whatever its guise, will always and everywhere diminish your ability to pursue and enjoy your sexuality. I guarantee that being so afraid of getting or passing on a disease or being afraid of rejections because of your body type will cripple your sexual performance.
I suggest you begin 2004 by taking your fears, apprehensions and frustrations to a professional. A sex-positive therapist will help you overcome these stumbling blocks so that you can happily get on with the rest of your life.
Good Luck,
It's my sincere hope that, with the dawn of the New Year, we'll find the courage to scuttle all this self-defeating crap, and in doing so, make the word a much better place in which to live.


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The Small Leather D Bag
€850.00 €850.00
€430.00 €430.00
All orders will be fulfilled by Burberry Limited and shipped from the UK. When you place your order, you accept Burberry's Terms and Conditions and confirm that you have read our Privacy Policy.
Size Guide
Use the Size Guide to choose the best fit for your measurements.
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- Shaped to reference the D-ring, a slim shoulder bag in contrasting Italian-tanned leathers with multiple card slots and zipped compartments.
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text:
Senior Stephanie Houtman
WILLIMANTIC, CT-Eastern Connecticut used a 24-4 second half run to pull away as they defeated the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's women's basketball team, 66-54, in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader at Geissler Gymnasium Saturday.
The Corsairs took an early 14-9 lead behind eight consecutive points by junior forward Colleen Moriarty (Canton, MA/Canton HS) and three-pointers from sophomore forward Erika Bornemann (Canton, MA/Canton HS) and freshman guard Kelsey Garrity(Somerville, MA/Somerville HS). The Warriors rallied back with a 10-0 run, fueled by eight points from freshman guard Kristina Forsman (Newington, CT/Newington HS), grabbing a 20-14 lead with 7:54 left in the first half. The teams battled back-and-forth over the final six minutes of the first half, forcing a 28-28 tie at the break.
Coming out of the locker room, the Corsairs pulled ahead with a 7-4 run, and a pair of free throws from Moriarty put UMD up 35-32 with 16:42 to play. Tied 35-35 with 15:09 on the clock, Eastern Connecticut took a commanding lead with a 24-4 run over the next nine minutes, powered by 11 points from Forsman and 10 points from freshman forward Shannon McCourt (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield HS). The Corsairs outscored the Warriors 13-7 in the final six minutes.
UMD was led offensively by Moriarty with a team-high 23 points and 14 rebounds. Senior guard Stephanie Houtman(New Bedford, MA/New Bedford HS/Bridgewater State) scored17 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor, with six rebounds and two assists. Bornemann and Garrity each added seven points in the loss, while Bornemann added 11 rebounds. Forsman led all scorers with a game-high 24 points, with four rebounds and two assists. McCourt chipped in 20 points along with a game-high 16 rebounds, while senior center Jaymie Sommers (Voluntown, CT/Griswold HS) also grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds with nine points. UMass Dartmouth shot 35.5% (22-of-62) from the floor, while Eastern Connecticut connected on 36.6% (26-of-71) of their attempts. The Warriors outrebounded the Corsairs, 50-42, during the contest.
"We failed in every phase of the game today," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Amanda Van Voorhis. "We didn't match their intensity. Eastern Connecticut was the better team and they deserve all the credit for the win. They did what they needed to do and we didn't do anything to stop them."
The Corsairs dropped to 14-9 and 5-7 in the Little East Conference with the loss, while the Warriors improved to 7-15 and 3-9 in LEC play with the defeat. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they visit UMass Boston Tuesday evening.


text:
Are you searching for Cardiac Devices in New Hampshire?Our team can help you with your Cardiac Device Monitoring needs
To get your questions answered, you can reach out to us by phone or email.
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Rhythm Management Group gives its clients the support that the physicians need to observe the high quality heart device of their patients in the United States of America. If the patients want solutions for maximizing the welfare of life advantages that they can have from their implanted apparatus, our duty is to provide it. Our services were designed for all implantable cardiac apparatus like the following: Heart Failure monitors, single, dual and multi-lead Pacemakers, defibrillators, and the latest implantable Loop Recorders.
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Rhythm Management Group provides you with monitoring and assistance for Cardiac Devices in New Hampshire.


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This is quite an interesting multi use product that moves away from the argan oil trend. This product can be used on dry hair for shine and control and wet hair for styling purposes to add softness and to protect the hair. I love the funky orange packaging although the oil itself is just clear.
Once again this is a highly highly concentrated product – I used a 50p coin sized amount of this and it was way too much. I now use a tiny squirt, about 5p sized in my frizzy hair and its enough to tame flyways and also add softness – it does make the hair really really soft and stroke able, and I daresay, helps with knots too.
There are a lot of different types of oils in this product! Oilve, Coconut, Grapeseed, Sweet Almond, Safflower etc. etc.
Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Isododecane, Dimethiconol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Gardenia Tahitensis (Tiare) Flower Extract, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Squalane, Tocopherol, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Fragrance (Parfum).
The first ingredient still is Silicone though, so it depends how you feel about it – I don't really mind it in a hair product.
I really like this product – although I have so many serums (the last one I finished was Keratase Oleo Relax which is ok but can be heavy) this one makes my hair look quite naturally soft shiny and healthy.
A bit expensive at £20 but is really good if you don't use too much to just keep your hair looking like YHBB (your hair but better).
Buy at Boots here.
*PR sample


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Nurse K over at Crass-Pollination writes about the "Sono-Seekers." It's a totally true and frustrating abuse of the ER. Basically, these are pregnant women who come in to the ER just for the purpose of getting an ultrasound (absent any medical indication for an ultrasound).
There's an important distinction here: when there's legitimate concern for a miscarriage, I don't at all mind seeing pregnant women. A miscarriage is traumatic and scary, and the unknown prospect of losing a pregnancy is a hard thing to live with. So these folks come to the ER, because they are genuinely anxious and there is often no other venue for them to get an answer promptly. That's fine; it's what we're here for. (No, technically not an emergency, but a reasonable use of the ER, IMHO.)
But Nurse K is right on the money that there is a subset of patient who just want a picture of their baby and have either no symptoms or minimal/exaggerated symptoms to justify an ultrasound. I also have noted a tendency for these individuals to be younger (or emotionally less mature) and government-funded. Many times I have had them complain that they don't want a pelvic exam or blood tests -- they just want the ultrasound. Commonly, they have known for a while that they are pregnant, but haven't yet bothered to see an OB.
The way I handle it is designed, however, to answer the critical medical question in the most efficient manner possible, and coincidentally, happens to frustrate the sono-seekers. If the patient has previously had a documented IUP, and has an unimpressive history or findings on exam, I just check fetal heart tones. Normal FHTs do not exclude the possibility of miscarriage, but they do make it an order of magnitude less likely. I find that reasonable women (i.e. not the malingerers) generally are greatly reassured by this -- both my reassurances that their chances of keeping the baby are good, and by the simple therapeutic value of hearing their child's heartbeat. And conversely, if FHTs are absent or abnormal, then there is at least some medical indication for an ultrasound. But it annoys the malingerers to no end when I tell them that there is no medical indication for an ultrasound and discharge them with a referral to OB.
If, however, the patient has not previously had an ultrasound (and I do have to check the records, since some of the sono-seekers lie and say they have not), then I am more or less stuck with some sort of imaging to rule out an ectopic. Some might say that the presence of FHTs essentially excludes an ectopic, but I am not that brave. I do a bedside ultrasound on these folks, and I document a positive IUP and fetal heart movement for the medical record. But our bedside machine does not print out the little pictures which the sono-seekers so cherish, and I don't make a big production of "show and tell" with the exam (i.e. reviewing the fetal anatomy, speculation on gender, etc). It's a quick "Ah, here it is. Looks OK" and show's over. It's often a three-hour investment of time for the 30-second exam, and again, leaves the malingerers unsatisfied.
It sounds judgmental and even vindictive, doesn't it, this strategy to block these folks from accomplishing their goal? But it is not without reason. People who abuse the ER for some sort of secondary gain, be it narcotics, ultrasounds, or what-have-you, are tying up limited resources and diverting these resources from people who really need them. When you have ambulances being diverted from overcrowded EDs every thirty seconds, when you have waiting rooms full and patients in the hallway, it's not surprising that we get jealous of the resources we do have. Part of the way to do that is by not rewarding the bad behavior. It's easy enough for me to go ahead and order the ultrasound, or to go ahead and write the prescription for vicodin. But positive reinforcement only encourages more of the same.
I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one fighting the good fight.
28 July 2007
Nurse K over at Crass-Pollination writes about the "Sono-Seekers." It's a totally true and frustrating abuse of the ER. Basically, these are pregnant women who come in to the ER just for the purpose of getting an ultrasound (absent any medical indication for an ultrasound).
Posted by shadowfax at 9:09 AM
14 comments:
Commonly, they have known for a while that they are pregnant, but haven't yet bothered to see an OB.ReplyDelete
Either that or the home pregnancy test was positive just yesterday (or even a few hours ago) and the "cramping and spotting" magically happened today so...can I have an ultrasound?
And I've NEVER seen an ER doc do a beside U/S for OB. I wish they would though.
Do you if you suspect that a woman is not a sono seeker give them extra time with the sono?? The reason that I ask is when I was 7 weeks pregnant, I had vaginal bleeding. I had the kindest ER dr. I was in another state miles from home. The first time it happened, I assumed I had done too much and had ran in the airport and was carrying heavy bags upstairs. Things my dr told me NOT to do. I rested and it stopped. The second time, I did absolutely nothing to bring it on. I was on business for two weeks and it happened a week later. I sat on it for a day and hoped it would stop. It didn't so I called my dr's office long distance. It was a Sunday so he wasn't open (he has since told me to page him through the hospital even if I was in another state). So I called my health insurer's nurse line. She asked me a series of questions and then directed me to immediately go to the nearest ER and they would pay for it minus my copay. Even out of state.ReplyDelete
I arrived and I had the kindest ER dr and nurse. They treated me with compassion. I was started on an iv for fluids, had bloodwork and urine drawn. Then they had to call an US tech in from home. She was awful. She said didn't anyone tell you that this could be implantation bleeding (at 7 weeks?). Um no I was directed by the nurse for my health insurance to come in. She was awful. Wanted to fill my bladder with a foley. The nurse told her I had been drinking water. In fact my bladder was too full and I had to go empty it some. She did show me the baby had a heartbeat but was very rude.
I saw the ER dr and he wanted to keep me overnight for observation. However I HAD to be in a class the next day. Any time lost in the class was a cause for failure and had waited over a year for this class. He allowed me to leave and I was to go to class, put my feet up, then go to the hotel and order meals in. I was to do as little as possible. I promised and they gave me all the reports and I took them to my dr. It ended up that I had a fibroid that was causing the bleeding. I wish the sonographer had been more compassionate and the nurse for me, lit in to her like you wouldn't believe when that happened. Oh and the sonographer told the dr that I was being uncooperative when I requested not to fill my already full bladder with a foley. Thank God the ER dr and nurse told her she was nuts.
I was just curious if you gave everyone the standard treatment, or if you really suspect that they are not a sono seeker the full range of tests. BTW, they never used a doppler. That heartbeat was music to my ears during the sono. No I didn't get a pic, but I didn't ask either. The bleeding eventually resolved and I have a healthy 2 year old now.
Can you arrange the screen so the sono-seeking patient can't see it? That might be an additional disincentive.ReplyDelete
I'm impressed that you manage to take steps toward curtailing abuse of the system while under pressure from demanding patients. As a health care premium-payer, I thank you.
I love the ones that come in wanting a pregnancy test ... give me a break. Proceed to the drugstore, do not pass go, thank you very much.ReplyDelete
Good job on the technique, though. :)
- Sonographer tired of being ON CALL!7/29/2007 9:33 AM
Bravo to not satisfying the sonoseekers. You left out only one fact that I often witnessed. These "symptoms" often occur in the middle of the night. As a registered OB/Gyn sonographer, I did more than my share of 2am STAT ultrasound exams to "rule out ectopic" or "suspected fetal demise." You were absolutely correct in your summation of their "situation" (younger or less mature, etc.) The sonoseekers I encountered typically had several people in the room with them, and wanted all to come back to Ultrasound with them. I normally allowed only one guest to accompany them. There was no show and tell, no gender determination or picture given. I simply explained to them that this had been deemed and emergency exam by the physician due to their symptoms. My task was to determine the condition of their pregnancy. While some may think this callous, you must understand that we typically had worked a 10 hour day, perhaps already been called in for other emergency exams, and had a 10 hour day ahead of us tomorrow.ReplyDelete
To pe mommy, I apologize for your experience. It is the repeated occurence of the above mentioned sonoseekers that cause the healthcare professional to become jaded. If I was able to determine that the patient was not a "seeker" (normally very easy to spot) then I would take extra time, show you the baby, and help to reassure you. Many women in your situation feel that it is their fault that this is happening. While it is important to follow your Dr's instruction, the guilt that "It's all my fault" brings in unbearable and counterproductive. Again, I apologize to you from our profession. Many of us went into Sonography due to our desire to serve, and compassionate manner. Some of us lose sight of that during 10 hour days with 20 patients on the schedule and Dr's offices calling and forcing you to do an exam today, simply because they can. (Interestingly these are often the same Doctors that I call for an appointment and can't be seen for 2-6 weeks.) I am not excusing the behavior of the sonographer, just trying to explain it. I hope your pregnancy is smooth sailing from now on.
PE mom,ReplyDelete
Yes, I am generally very nice and sympathetic to the "real" patients. How much time I spend is more dependent on how busy I am, but I'll usually take a second to explain what I am looking at. I think the sonographer below eloquently explains why they get a little grumpy.
Nurse K,
ER docs doing ultrasound is only beginning to catch on nationwide. Most residents are trained in doing it now, but there are still obstacles in implementing it in community ERs.
Yes, I can prevent the patient from seeing the screen altogether. I don't want to be a TOTAL dick, though.
Thanks guys, I was just curious. My daughter is now 2 years old. I actually got sick of sonograms with her. I had them every week after 26 weeks for chronic htn w/superimposed severe pih. I never ever thought I would say that.ReplyDelete
I am planning on getting pregnant again in the fall and suspect that I will have bleeding problems again as I have bleeding problems ever since my last daughter was born. But I have an awesome obgyn now. He was new to me when I started with my daughter.
It would piss me off to have someone come in giggling and texting and inviting all their friends and it was 2am too. I can assure you I was not like that at all, in fact I was all by myself.
Nurse K,ReplyDelete
ER docs doing ultrasound is only beginning to catch on nationwide. Most residents are trained in doing it now, but there are still obstacles in implementing it in community ERs.
A couple of our newer docs/recently graduated residents I've seen bust out the U/S for various reasons, including to diagnose gallstones quickly when it's not clear if a problem is gallbladder or cardiac.
Nurse K and PE Mommy:ReplyDelete
I do a bedside US on most, if not all, of my pregnant pts to at least document FHTs. If there's ANY question about the viability or health of the pregnancy, I'll do more...often a transvaginal (3 times this month we've caught ectopics that the "official" scan by radiology missed.)
As for discouraging the "sonoseekers" (I like that term!), I NEVER give out images. NEVER. And yes, it's very easy to arrange the US so the pt can't see the screen.
I tell people 2 reasons for not giving out images (or telling gender):
1) straight up, b/c some people come for that only, and instead of "choosing" who I do and don't give them to, I've chosen to just NOT give them
and 2) I'm not an OB. My US machine is not as good as an OBs. So, anything I see on there I use to rule out emergencies, and nothing else. If I give the image out, and it shows something I didn't see b/c I'm not trained to see it (cardiac defect?), then I am in effect telling the patient that "everything's fine" and she may not get another US...the one that diagnoses the problem; now I'm at fault for missing it.
I tell them "your baby appears to be in the right place, and it's heart is beating appropriately. You still need to see your OB and have an official US to make sure it's developing correctly."
oh...and about doing US to see gallstones:ReplyDelete
I hope one of 2 things is happening: either your docs are accredited to do GB US, or, they take a quick look to quickly triage the pt, sending them for a formal US if they're concerned, but NOT fully ruling out stones if they don't.
If they're not accredited, then their US is legally worthless and should not be used for diagnosis. Seeing stones and then sending for the formal to eval for cholecystitis is fine; NOT seeing stones and being comfortable that you have another diagnosis is ok (but the US should not be used in the final decision making); telling a patient "I, who am not certified to do this, do not see a problem, so you can go home" is medicolegally a bad thing.
Yes, it's confusing...why do it if you can't use it in your decision making? It's why I typically don't.
- Anonymous7/30/2007 8:09 AM
Nurse K: EP's (versus "ER docs") routinely do bedside US to diagnose an IUP. More recent graduates from EM residencies are usually trained & credentialed in this skill set. EP's that have been practicing awhile can take a course to get credentialed. We perform US studies in a focused and limited fashion (e.g. is there an IUP, FAST exams, obvious cholecystitis resulting in immediate surgical consult versus waiting for formal US by radiology, etc...).ReplyDelete
Isles: I agree with Shadowfax that turning the screen away from the patient would be a dick move. And mean.
Tired Sonographer: Do your job and quit the whining. We are all overworked. Get over yourself. And your inability to get an appt with your PCP for 2-6 weeks has absolutely nothing to do with their need for a same day US. Poor you. Poor bitter you. Quit your job if you are tired of being on call. As for limiting the number of people who accompany the patient into the exam room -- what gives you the right to make this call? Do you change the amount based on the patient's race or appearance? Do you change the amount based on your judgmental perspective of whether or not the patient is a "seeker?" Do you change your policy for patients you like? People who make policy to suit themselves rather than just doing what is best for the patient are jerks. You are a jerk.
Hibgia: You choose never to give pictures to your patients. I can respect that but wonder why a quick press of the print button (assuming the printer is working) is such a hurdle. Why bother to choose who to give pics to and who not to? Just give pics to all who want one. Trust me -- it will make you feel better by making them feel better regardless of their motivation for coming to the ED. Also, the presence of some "defect" on the image does not make you liable or responsible for same. Unless you are otherwise credentialed your liability ends at IUP versus non-IUP.
Board Certified EP currently stationed overseas
You're right, it would make me feel good to make the patient feel good. However, you imply that I choose who to give them to...nope, exactly the oppositve, I have chosen not to choose, and just not to do it. And yeah, the liability thing really isn't that realistic, just a thought.ReplyDelete
It's not necessarily about discouraging them from coming to the ED for a US/picture (although that's a part of it), but to ENcourage them to get a "real one." If all of their expectations are met in the ED (your baby's healthy, it's a girl, and here's her picture), then a significant number will see that as their prenatal care...not a good thing for the patient (either of them).
I do for them what directly helps the baby...prenatal vitamins if they're not on them, r/o ectopic, make sure there's a heartbeat, counseling about drugs, smoking, and the need for good prenatal care. Giving a picture may help them emotionally, but then hurt them in the long run.
It's a reminder...the ED is not where to come for your prenatal care.
- Anonymous7/30/2007 10:47 AM
Hibgia: Fair enough about choosing not to choose. No argument...ReplyDelete
I am not pushing for determining the sex of the baby or anything beyond a diagnosis of IUP versus ectopic.
And I agree that proper prenatal care should take place outside the ED. You make an excellent point. But I respectfully disagree that giving them a picture will cause any harm when properly counseled to f/u for all the other stuff you mention.
However, I just walked out of bed #8 in my ED after doing a TVUS to diagnose an IUP in a woman with threatened miscarriage @ seven weeks gestation. TVUS showed IUP with good cardiac activity but patient had lots of bleeding and pelvic cramping similar to her menstrual cramps. I gave her a picture (they accepted my offer of same) but wondered if it was appropriate as I suspect she will abort in the next 72 hours. Made me wonder if it was cruel to offer...
So what do I know???
I think telling someone they've miscarried or probably will miscarry is the single worst thing I have to do. For some reason, that affects me more than telling someone their father/grandfather/etc has died.ReplyDelete
I'm sorry you just had to do that...


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Sunday, March 27, 2011
A reminder about Whiskyfun's tasting week
A reminder to anyone interested in Japanese whisky that you really have to take a look at Whiskyfun's Japanese whisky tasting sessions. He has been posting since the Great East Japan Earthquake hit and it is a really powerful reminder of the vigour of the Japanese whisky industry at a time when most of the news coming out of Japan is doom and gloom.
2 comments:
- lafew said...
Any news on the Nikka's Miyagikyo Distillery? Is it within the evacuation area?
- April 2, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Miyagikyo is not in the evacuation area and has not been seriously damaged in the quake. I got a message from Miake-san at the distillery and updated this post with it: http://nonjatta.blogspot.com/2011/03/earthquake-update.html
The distillery is well outside the current 20 and 30 km evacuation zones. It is about 110 km away.
- April 2, 2011 at 11:14 AM
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Browse Items (26 total)
Group of Surviving Veterans of the Seventh Regiment
Arrival of the United States Navy at Newport
Governor William Sprague
Governor James Y. Smith
Roll of Deceased Soldiers Buried at Lovell General Hospital
General Assembly Resolution authorizing a hospital for treatment of R.I.'s sick and wounded soldiers
Private Henry Hicks
Prepare for the Draft
Lt. Francisco Ballou
William B. Ellis letter, 1862
Aug. 13th 1862
Mr. Edward C. Mauran, Adj. Gen.
of Rhode Island
Dear Sir
I hereby submit
to you my application for the
Surgeoncy of the regiment of
colored men called for in your
state by the proclamation of
Governor Sprague
I am…
William H. Johnson letter, 1862
New Bedford Aug. 10, 1862
Respected Sir
You will pardon for
the securing liberty I have taken to write
you this stranger; but I trust welcome
epistle. I see by the public periodicals
of this day that the 6 Rhode Island
Regiment authorized…
L.C. Lockwood letter, 1862
New York
Aug. 7 / 62
Gov. Sprague
Honored Sir,
Can you accept a
Company or Companies
from New York, to join
the Colored Regiment
of which you have
ordered the formation
if so, please send
information immediately
to J. McCune Smith
John H Williams letter, 1862
Excellency Gov. Sprague
Dear Sir
Noticing your
intention to raise a Colored Regt. In your
State. I would respectfully recommend
to your favorable notice as Chaplain
of said Regt. Rev. John N. Mars of
this place, a colored man of talent
Letter from Lemuel Freeman, 1862
Aug. 11
West Scituate Mass. 1862
Gov. Sprague Sir I am a Colored
man and would like to enlist
in the Colored regiment of your
state will you please writ to me
if I can join and what bounty
your state pays recruits and what
aid the famileys…
John Norris letter
Buffalo Aug. 6th/62
Gov. Sprague
Dr. Sir
I See
from the papers that
you are organizing
a Colored Regiment in
your state - If this is
the fact I should be
glad to know whether you
would accept a colored Col-
ored Company from


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Nihar Shah
Nihar Shah is Co-Leader of the Emerging Economies Research Program at LBNL and also leads LBNL's research on alternate refrigerants and energy efficiency for Heating, Ventilation, Airconditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) equipment and product-specific techno-economic analysis efforts on the costs of energy efficiency of equipment including analyses on Room ACs, multi-split ACs, Refrigerators, Ceiling Fans, TVs, and PC Monitors. His other research interests include demand response, advanced manufacturing, and water policy and technology.
Nihar's work has been featured in various media including the New York Times, Washington Post, Economist, Forbes Magazine, NPR, and numerous other publications. He regularly advises multilateral institutions, governments, industry, and regulators on energy policies and programs.
Prior to joining LBNL, Nihar worked at the California Public Utilities Commission. He received a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer in California.


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MySpace undergoes another facelift
Ailing social network MySpace has announced its fourth major redesign as it seeks to regain relevance in the face of falling numbers.
The site, now part-owned by Justin Timberlake, aims to focus more on music and offer deeper integration with Facebook and Twitter.
But it faces stiff competition from online platforms offering to connect artists and fans.
According to measurement firm comScore, the MySpace audience is 54 million.
This is down from hundreds of millions at its peak in 2005.
A message on the website announced the redesign: "We're hard at work building the new MySpace, entirely from scratch."
"But we're staying true to our roots in one important way - empowering people to express themselves however they want," the message continued.
It called on fans to join "our brand new community" and offered a sneak preview of the redesign.
Those interested in joining were asked to leave an email contact and "expect an invite soon".
The new-look MySpace says it aims to put music at the heart. Users can control audio content from a navigation panel and pair photograph albums with playlists in a kind of social media mix tape to mark any occasion.
A Discover tab within the navigation panel will offer access to trending artists, music, mixes, radio, videos, news, and forthcoming concerts. The items can be dragged into personal folders.
There is also an emphasis on what's called Artist Pages, with the promise of lots of tracks, albums and videos.
Band platform
MySpace was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp empire in 2005.
It paid $580m (£361m) for the social network but users and advertisers left the site for rival social sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The site underwent a major makeover in 2010, rebranding itself as a "social entertainment site".
But it was not enough and in June 2011, News Corp sold it to online advertiser Specific Media at a huge loss.
A further rebrand after the sale promised it would become "the number one online community music destination".
Music and media analyst Mark Mulligan said he thought this latest rebrand was the "deepest" yet.
"At its peak, MySpace was a trailblazer for bringing together fans and artists but it faces stiff competition from sites such as TopSpin and Pledge Music which offer artists tools to establish relationships with fans," he said.
"It can't just do what they used to do even if they do it better," he said.
"It has to offer artists a reason why they would go there rather than on Facebook. It needs to become a social platform for bands and not just an alternative to Facebook," he said.


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Welcome to Hal Leonard Choral online. We have a wealth of new and innovative materials for your choirs and classrooms. These are materials that you've come to trust, resources that work, and music that will enrich your students' lives.
Choral & Classroom Promotions
Homeschooling Resources
Choral Composers
Choral Abbreviations
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Margaret Pisani, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary); Co-Director Sleep in the ICU Task Force
Departments & Organizations
Internal Medicine: Diversity Committee | Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Program; ICU Research Working Group; Sleep in ICU Research Group; Tuberculosis Program; Winchester Chest Center
Office of Cooperative Research
Dr. Pisani is a board certified internist who specializes in pulmonary and critical care medicine. She directors the fellowship programs for the section of PCCSM. As a clinician-investigator with expertise in pulmonary, critical care, sleep medicine and chronic disease epidemiology, Dr. Pisani's research focuses on improving the care and outcomes of critically ill patients. She holds an MPH in chronic disease epidemiology and brings this training and her research focus to her role as mentor for fellows and junior faculty doing clinical and translational work in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. In addition, she has extensive experience in conducting longitudinal clinical research studies both in the critical care setting and the outpatient setting. Her current research focuses on sleep in critically ill patients and its impact on delirium and other patient centered outcomes.
Education & Training
|Yale School of Public Health (2001)
|Temple University (1994)
|New Jersey Institute of Technology (1987)
|Iona College (1985)
|Yale University School of Medicine
|Chief Resident
|Yale-New Haven Hospital
|Yale-New Haven Hospital
|Board Certification
|AB of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (1998, recertified: 2009)
|Board Certification
|AB of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease (2000)
|Board Certification
|AB of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) (2001)
Professional Service
American College of Chest Physicains (2013 - 2017) Scientific Programming and Advisory Committee
American College of Chest Physicians (2013 - Present) Woman's Health Network


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How to milk a naked mole-rat
For the sake of science, Olav Oftedal has milked bats, bears and a lot of other mammals. But a naked mole-rat was something new.
"The thin, hairless skin is so translucent that you can see the milk accumulating in the mammary glands," says Oftedal, of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md. For once he could tell exactly which glands were full.
"In most small mammals," he says, "the big problem is you have hair that can wick the milk away. You have a capillary tube, and you're trying to catch the milk so it can't touch any hair." Naked mole-rats, though, are helpfully hairless.
Oftedal collected milk from the queens of Heterocephalus glaber colonies at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. In colonies of dozens or hundreds of mole-rats, only the queen reproduces.


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MIDDLEBURY — Kate Gridley is accustomed to toiling many hours in her studio to produce some of the most stunning and realistic portraits you will ever lay your eyes upon.
It is usually a solitary endeavor, but Gridley these days has a dozen sets of eyes — of her own creation — that are following her every move. Those eyes are peering our from the portraits of 12 young men and women that Gridley is painting as part of a new exhibit titled, "Twelve: Oil Portraits of Emerging Adults."
MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury residents on Jan. 17 will be asked to comment on a proposed 2012-2013 municipal spending plan of $8,417,735, representing an increase of 1.74 percent ($148,370) that would require a 1.8-cent bump in the local property tax rate.
The Middlebury selectboard recently approved the budget for public hearing after agreeing on a combined total of $116,443 in cuts and revenue adjustments since November, when they first began cobbling together a fiscal year 2013 spending plan.
MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury resident Heather Smith wondered if something was amiss when she saw police cruisers pull into the parking lot in front of her John Graham Court home on Christmas Day.
Smith became even more perplexed when she heard one of the officers ask a neighbor where he could find her son, Logan. Logan isn't quite old enough yet to attend classes at Mary Hogan Elementary School, so Smith knew it was quite unlikely he had run afoul of the law.
VERGENNES — After a spirited discussion about local democracy, on Dec. 20 Vergennes aldermen agreed to put a measure on the March ballot that, if approved by city residents, would increase the threshold needed by petitioners to force a citywide revote from 5 to 10 percent.
That compromise move came after a proposal by residents Cheryl Brinkman and Alex McGuire requesting the council place an article on the ballot to raise the petition bar to 20 percent.
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ADDISON COUNTY — On Dec. 21 at approximately 7:30 a.m. Vermont State Police Trooper Andrew Leise stopped a 1995 Jeep Cherokee traveling southbound on Route 7 in New Haven after he saw it being driven approximately one vehicle length behind a vehicle directly in front of it at speeds between 58-60 miles per hour.
During the stop, VSP K9 "Argus" sniffed around the car and alerted on it, indicating to police that illegal drugs were present.
VERGENNES — Vergennes aldermen are considering a request from Friends of the Vergennes Opera House (FVOH) President Allison Rimmer that the City Hall theater receive $15,000 of ongoing annual city support in response to budget woes brought on by the recession.
Rimmer told aldermen on Dec. 20 that the FVOH will also approach the selectboards in Ferrisburgh, Addison, Panton and Waltham for financial help, much as Bixby Library officials have done — and with much the same rationale.
MONKTON — After winging the first round of an applied science competition in November, a group of young inventors from Monkton honed their programming skills, fine-tuned their robot construction techniques and brainstormed solutions to real-world problems.
2011 probably won't go down as a banner year here or worldwide.
Water provided many memories, and not many of them pleasant. One of 2011's first images that seared itself on my consciousness came from msnbc.com. I logged on one morning and was stunned to see for the first time a picture of Japan's east coast after the devastating tsunami.
A later image that lingers is the video of Bartonsville's covered bridge collapsing into Irene's surging waters.
In between fell spring's seemingly unceasing rain.
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Boy, time sure does fly when you're having fun (or just plain busy), doesn't it?
Turns out that this here blog turned 4 a couple weeks ago, and I missed posting about it completely. Only when someone here at work asked me how long I've had LENNDEVOURS did I do a little thinking and realize that LENNDEVOURS turned 4 on March 15.
I'm not the self-congratulatory kind, so let me just take a moment here to thank all of my readers, contributors and of course the New York wine community. Without each and every one of you (even the people in the wine world who can't see the big picture), this blog wouldn't be as successful as it is today.
And to Mrs. LENNDEVOURS, the amazingly tolerant Nena, thank you for always supporting me in my wine-obsessed endeavors. I love you.


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Industrial Practice
Industrial devices have always been built for the long haul—but today, trusted components are reaching end of life status. Applications require more memory to support new features. New processors require more power. Devices require improved networking capabilities to facilitate remote management of devices and processes, and compliance with safety regulations remains a pressing concern.
As part of our comprehensive industrial solution, the Wind River Industrial Services Practice consists of a team of engineers with extensive experience migrating legacy code to a new platform and implementing new features without incurring risk or sacrificing reliability. We can help your engineers integrate new technologies quickly, maintaining flexibility with standardization. Combined with Wind River Education Services and support network, the Industrial Services Practice improves time-to-revenue by delivering reliable, high-quality, cost-effective solutions.
- High-quality, on time, on budget. Our services team has proven expertise in completing device software projects for the industrial market. We know how to manage complex development and integration tasks, ensuring excellent quality and timely delivery.
- Focus on adding value. By co-sourcing your integration and development work with Wind River Industrial Services, you can concentrate on projects that will deliver higher value and sustainable competitive advantage for your company.
- Insider ecosystem knowledge. Our consultants excel at configuring Wind River Platform for Industrial Devices to perform optimally with our hardware and software partner's products. We leverage this in-depth knowledge to deliver the best solution for your business, cutting development costs and speeding time-to-revenue.
Why Wind River
Specialized Expertise
Wind River's global team of more than 140 device engineers understands the scalability requirements that industrial device manufacturers must meet, and we've built our platforms to address those needs. If you or your customers have unique requirements, Wind River can also create a customized solution. Our extensive industry experience includes IEC 61508 for regulatory compliance, networking standards such as TCP/IP, IPv4/v6, and IPsec, and safety networks for tagging and authentication.
IP Portfolio
While becoming industry experts, we've assembled a portfolio of intellectual property (IP) that supports our services practice. Using this portfolio of customizations, accelerators, and enhancements can reduce the cost of your solution and decrease your time to completion. Wind River Professional Services will seamlessly integrate our IP into your solution and tailor it according to your needs.
Wind River works within a precisely structured methodology that ensures your project will be completed within the estimated time and at or below the estimated cost, with the top-notch quality you expect. Project execution involves a set of management and development processes based on industry standards, as documented in the Project Management Institute's Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The PMBOK was compiled from the best practices of project managers across many markets and disciplines, and Wind River has applied these best practices to our industry-leading project management approach.


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Better choices best
To the Journal editor:
I'm completely baffled and confused when it comes to health care and all the funds that filter into it.
The Affordable Health Care Act was developed to help alleviate the problem of too many unfortunate hard working Americans, having no means to acquire or afford health insurance. Also (there are) concerns with taxes verses Medicare and Medicaid.
Only time will tell if Obamacare will even work, but in the meantime, can someone please explain how and why we can afford to build all of these new hospitals and clinics?
During these turbulent times involving health care and the much needed funds keeping it intact?
It's not like the old buildings aren't structurally sound, usually being sold and used for different purposes. How can we be struggling and concerned about affording the entire health care system and insurance involved, at the same time having the ability to spend hundreds of millions for constructing shiny new places that house the very concerning issues at hand?.
It creates jobs is the wrong answer, if one can't even afford to use the new facilities built. It seems too many have more then enough money now for everything "materialistic" (thanks to plastic overtaking real money), yet can turn around and claim not having enough for other urgent bills or services.
It's easy blaming Washington and the government, considering they, too, take the same route themselves, playing the blame game instead of tackling the tough issues headon.
But the only way anything will eventually get better is if we individually start making much better personal choices on a daily basis and (taking) better care and responsibility when it comes to our own health and wallets in the future.
Joan E. Wiitanen


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As with the Nuflex warming gel the accompanying cooling gel appears to do what it says on the tube (also in a spray version), but the feel good factor is much more obvious than with the warming gel when it comes to treating your post exercise aches and pains.
Again, where opinion divides is whether, or to what extent, it can really help in speeding up the recovery or healing process.
While the majority of physios and soigneurs appear to promote the notion that massage or physical warm ups/downs are more critical, the oily medium used for rubs being secondary, this is a product that's aimed principally at athletes looking for home 'solutions' rather than to trained and paid masseurs, and as such it's pleasant to use. You smooth it on rather than massaging it in and the cool tingly effect is fairly instant, remaining for an hour or so after application.
The instructions recommended that you should apply it 'several times a day' after exercise, so a 100ml tube will disappear pretty quickly. If you're the cost conscious type you're probably only going to be using it after competitive events or more vigorous training sessions.
The dominant ingredients are lemon oil as 'natural aspirin', anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic and analgesic plus peppermint oil to increase blood circulation and act as an anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. As with the warming gel, these are big claims that, in the words of our tame soigneur, "conjure up elements of reality that will certainly appear to work for some."
Actually, I found the cooling gel to be far more effective (or at least satisfying to use) than the accompanying warming gel. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anaesthetic effects appear to be more than just skin deep and the strong menthol aroma reflects the almost instant effect it has on your legs. It goes on easily and within just a couple of minutes has obvious dulling effects on minor post exercise muscle aches.
I kept using it several times a day for a couple of days after hard sessions. The ache-dulling effect certainly isn't as long lasting as an occasional Ibuprofen fix, but the feel-good aspect is streets ahead.
The claims for the ingredients and their effects sound ambitious but the feel-good effect is fairly potent.
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Nuflex Muscles & Joints cooling gel
Size tested: N/A
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
For post exercise recovery. It appears far more effective than the accompanying warming gel. The sensation of using it is pleasant but the effect is very temporary
Very pleasant to use and surprisingly effective in the short term, but not as long lasting as a (much cheaper) Ibuprofen.
Disappears quickly if you use it regularly.
Easy and very pleasant to use
Expensive for regular use.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Ambitious claims matched by glimmers of reality.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The potent smells.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? No.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? No.
Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?
Very pleasant to use but could become an expensive habit.
About the tester
Age: 58 Height: 181 Weight: 78kg
I usually ride: Merlin Ti My best bike is: Ibis Silk SL
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,


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Monday, October 4, 2010
An open Letter to Mike Henry, Inventor of the Henry Milker
I love you. I know these are strange words coming from someone you don't even know, but they had to be said. This morning, the first morning I have been able to successfully milk my goat, I tearfully praised your name for inventing such an ingenious, simple contraption, the Henry Milker.
I purchased your product, with trepidation I might add, after two weeks of pure milking hell. Though this was our, mine and my doe's, first freshening, it was not easy for me to come to this decision. I'm a real do-it-yourself kind of gal who comes from a long line of Swiss dairy farmers. To not be able to milk my own goat by hand would be committing high treason against my ancestral heritage. But the kind of milking protestations going on in my backyard were not normal, not even for a goat. Let's just say words like "fidgety" and "dancer" don't even begin to describe the type of behavior that my Nigerian Dwarf would display on the milking stand. My doe, Lucy, would go into full body spasms at the slightest touch to her udder, we're talking full on hee-hawing donkey bucking here. My hands and forearms are scratched and bruised from the beating I've been handed at the hooves of my little caprine "friend".
I tried everything to pacify my dear doe. During milking I'd put her in the stanchion, give her some grain and treats, brush her mottled coat, stroke her nose, and sing children's lullabies in a soft, soothing voice. I told her that she was the best goat in the world and that I loved her. She nuzzled me, returning the affection. But the moment I moved my hands towards her teats, she would squat down until her udder touched the floor of the stand. I could usually get her back up, though as I started to squeeze she would begin the three year old tantrums. You know, the kind seen in shopping malls and grocery stores everywhere. The gauntlet is thrown. The stomping of small feet begins with a chorus of "No" ad infinitum.The body is thrown to the ground, from which proceeds dolphin-like flailing accompanied by a screeching that would frighten a Banshee. The only solution is to pick the beast up, throw it over your shoulder, and march out of the store with little kicking legs leading the way and tiny fists pounding on your back picking up the rear. Don't think I didn't consider trying that with the goat. However, under closer scrutiny, I realized that milking would be impossible in this position.
I moved on to stronger measures. I added components to my stanchion, creating a small corral with only an inch in any direction for movement. Her feet were still able to move so she tromped on my hands as if they were grapes in old school wine making. I made a "humane" fabric hobble for her, which she pulled her legs out of in less than 30 seconds. I tied her collar to the fence so that she couldn't move her head around so much. I had hoped that together with the hobble this would decrease her momentum to escape. Nope. I tethered her leg to the milking stand. That lasted longer than the hobble by about... five seconds. I tethered her leg to the stand by winding a long strand of cloth from the top of her leg to the bottom as if I were putting her in a splint. I wrapped the fabric so tight that I couldn't pull out a piece of my sweatshirt that had gotten stuck, so I removed the jacket and tied up her other leg with the sleeves. I went into the house to get a clean jar - the one I had was ruined from her hoof landing in it - and when I returned both of her legs were free. Houdini was a hack compared to this goat. I even had my husband, Esteban, nicknamed "Chestaban" by co-workers for his muscly build, hold her legs while I milked. He could only hold her for about 10 minutes, after which he was completely fatigued and bruised by her forceful hind kicks.
I tried lecturing my little lady. When "stop it", "calm down", and "get over it" were rebuffed, I moved on to not so vague threats. "Do you know what they call goats like you in Mexico? Birria. Do you really want to go there?" I tried reasoning. "Suck it up goat lady! This is a woman's lot. You have babies; you get milked. I've been milked. You're going to be milked. That's life!" I know she was listening to me because she would turn her head in my direction with pleading eyes that said "Please stop doing this to me!"
Day in, day out, this was our routine. Get up. Attempt to milk goat using above strategies. Get ass kicked. None of this was helped by the fact that my doe has very small teats, one of which, a double teat, the vet made more problematic by attempting to cut one side off. What to do? I looked forward to milking like I would an appointment for a root canal. Wracked with guilt about the obvious torture that I was putting my doe through and unable to use my hands anymore due to pulled muscles and bruising, I considered giving up. Dreams of fresh cream, butter, ice creams, and cheeses dissolved into nightmares of getting a hoof planted in my face. Then I remembered what it is that separates us from the animals: our higher reasoning abilities.
Clearly, I was not going to be able to muscle or talk my way through this one. So I spent some time on the Interwebz doing a little research on how to milk a stubborn goat. Milking machines looked promising, but at a $1-2 grand price tag that was completely out of the question for one goat. Didn't they have a hand pump for goats like the one I had used while breastfeeding? Yes! I found a couple of your competitors' products, however one had too many parts, used plastic bottles, and was still a bit cost prohibitive. The other, though less expensive, had a tendency to break, or so I had read. I loved that your milker had a pressure gauge and was compatible with wide mouth glass canning jars as they are easy to find and a breeze to store. But it was your 30 day money back guarantee that sealed the deal for me. I'm a cheap skate and hate financial risks. I know I could have saved a couple bucks and built my own hand pump, but frankly after getting my butt kicked on a daily basis, I was ready to pay for someone else to have worked out the kinks on this build.
The day the Henry Milker arrived I ran to the goat enclosure to give it a whirl. It was my last hope at salvation and I needed to know immediately if there was any reason to hold on. The kids had been nursing on their mama all day so I knew I wouldn't get much milk. She fussed about having the teat cup put on and the pre-pump hand milking, but she didn't seem so rattled by the actual suction. This was working, but the 1/3 cup I extracted was underwhelming. The next day I gave Lucy a break from all the udder fondling and put her kids away for the night in separate housing. First thing in the morning, I went out, Henry Milker in hand, nervous that things might go south. She was so full I could hardly wring any milk out into the strip cup, but I did get it flowing. Once I hooked the pump up to her teat, Holy Mary, Mother of God, the milk she was a flowing! By the end, I had gathered nearly a quart, which is excellent production for a dwarf in a single milking. And even then she was only half emptied! Plenty left for the kids.
To be sure, she still kicked and bucked and I even got a hoof in the nose, but all that gorgeous sweet sweet milk was safe in the jar, unable to be touched by her manure coated hooves that landed into the bucket at every previous milking attempt. No more throwing out the precious few drops, barely enough to cream a coffee, due to contamination. The only recommendation that I would add is that you give folks the option of having longer tubing. My goat's udder hangs at the same height as the top of a quart jar, which makes it awkward to keep the jar on the stand as the stiff tubes have a tendency to knock it over. I would really like to set the jar on the ground so that it wouldn't be repeatedly kicked over, but it won't reach. It's not really a biggie since of course I can buy some longer tubing for cheap. Just a small suggestion.
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to you. You have saved my very milky doe from becoming dinner, rekindled my excitement for producing my own dairy products, and prevented GPS (Goat Protection Services) from being called out to my little urban farm. I promise to name my first cheese after you.
In all sincerity, thank you from the bottom of my udders,
Heidi Kooy, proud goat milker
15 comments:
I hope our milker works as well as yours!ReplyDelete
I am laughing so hard my side hurts! This one of the best pieces I have ever read! Truly publishable! mama of proud goat milker!ReplyDelete
Dear Heidi,ReplyDelete
I have to admit that I have never read a funnier story in my entire life, and I'm pretty old. I believe your story is a perfect example of the great American Spirit...don't just give up when things get a little tough, get tougher and figure it out! I love your story.
Mike Henry
Inventor of the Henry Milker
You're the best Mike! I was just going to email you. Part of my post, the part where I talk about the cool features of your milker, got erased and I just fixed it.ReplyDelete
That is awesome! Nice that you found a way to milk the goat in an efficient way.ReplyDelete
I love my henry milker! I lucked out, and have been able to hand milk, but the machine is amazing, and I love that no poo feet get in!! lol Can't wait to read more about your urban farm!ReplyDelete
A brilliant and hilarious post, although I did wince at the 'hoof in the nose' part. Apparently I've been fortunate to only have milked passive goats thus far, but if we do finally add diary goats to the farm next year, and they fuss, I'll be sure to give Mr. Henry's milker a try!ReplyDelete
He wrote you back!!! Oh my god the story and his writing back is so so funny.ReplyDelete
I loved that - almost moved to get a goat and a Henry Milker myself!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 12, 2010 at 9:05 PM
Great post.. made me laugh out loud. Henry Milker is giving DeLaval an udder run for the money.....ReplyDelete
Anna Scott
As someone who actually attempted to milk Heidi's goat, I can attest to every last detail of the doe's behavior. Not a drop was saved from that experience.ReplyDelete
I milk my two does by hand every day without so much as a stamp of the hoof. But it's still work. After seeing the picture posted of the 3/4 full jar, I can say that I'm truely impressed. The Henry Milker must be a truely amazing piece of equipment.
Heidi - I'm going to have to swing by and see it in action. I may just have to break down and buy one for myself. Anything to make a job faster and more efficient is a sound investment for me.
Happy cheese making!!!
I may have to break down and get one too. I just hate straining my milk and I have a doe I haven't started milking yet that behaves more like a deer every time I take her by the collar!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 17, 2012 at 9:17 AM
I borrowed a Henry Milker and used it on a small teated Alpine doe last night- after milking one teat out I tried to use the other milk cup on the far side of the doe - no luck, then I realized the lid wasn't screwed on tight enough to make the vacuum. After that adjustment- it worked fine- I got 2 quarts from her! Normally, it would take at least 10 -15 min. to get her milked out, with a foot in the buckets, lots of dancing and major frustration on my part. She kicked a bit, but the Henry worked quite well. It isn't constant vacuum, so I don't believe it will hurt the teats- maybe it will make them a bit longer so I can actually milk her correctly! I am seriously considering purchasing one.ReplyDelete
Thank you for your funny and informative letter!
Old goat lady from Ohio
- AnonymousJuly 3, 2013 at 5:04 PM
from two old pa goatsReplyDelete
we purchest the henery milker and love it so much we are telling all our friends . if anyone out there has goats they need the henery milker. thanks again
I purchased the Henry Milker approx. 2 months ago, and not only do I love it, but my Alpine, Cherry Bomb seems to love it, too. She produces a half-gallon at each milking, so I have to use half-gallon jars, because the quart jars will overfill on one side. The half-gallon jars have a slightly thicker rim than the quart jars, and the washer is so thin that it is difficult to get a seal. It works great on the quart jars, though. Do you have a thicker washer? Or could I use 2 washers and get a better seal? Or do you have different sized lids (wide mouth) that fit the half-gallon jar better?ReplyDelete


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**voted north america's BEST running store**
(by our parents)
Welcome to Sedona Running Company...your shoe fit specialists and Sedona's #1 running store (by default). Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, sales pitches, rants, Ponzi scheme ideas, advice, or foot problems. You should DEFINITELY sign up to receive our Borderline-Offensive-And-Politically-Incorrect Bi-monthly Newsletter so you can read about running in Sedona and marketing stuff and caffeine induced thoughts that may or may not have originated in my brain. Send me an email to sign up since I don't really know (or care to know) how to put one of those convienent newsletter sign-up boxes on the side of this page.
No other retailer in the area can match our expertise on the trails here in Sedona. Our staff collectively covers over 9,000 miles on the local trails EVERY YEAR (and yet we still find time to pretend like we all have real jobs here at the store). Stop in and let us point you in the right direction for your next hiking or running adventure (and then buy stuff out of guilt...just like it says in our marketing plan).
Going to the Grand Canyon? Thinking about going to the Grand Canyon? Heard of the Grand Canyon? (these are all rhetorical questions, so don't actually answer them) Stop and see us first...we have covered every trail in the canyon in our 12+ annual trips and can talk to you about everything that you need to know.
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STEP 1 - Go to Arizona.
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Updated: Missing teen possibly in the South Lake Tahoe area
Update: Police received a report from Mount Pleasant police on the afternoon of July 19 that Autumn Ellison has returned to South Carolina and is no longer in the Lake Tahoe area. The original story is below.
Police in South Carolina believe a missing 16-year-old may be in the Lake Tahoe area. Autumn Ellison has been missing from Mount Pleasant, S.C. since July 7 and may be associating with friends at Lake Tahoe or in the Reno area, according to a Thursday statement from South Lake Tahoe police.
Ellison is described as a white female who is 5-foot-1, 100 pounds, with long brown hair and blue eyes. Mount Pleasant police believe Ellison does not want to be located and will likely provide false identification to authorities. She may be at risk, but details have not been given to South Lake Tahoe police, according to the statement.
A Facebook page regarding information about Ellison's whereabouts, http://www.facebook.com/findautumnellison, has been set up. Police ask anyone with information about Ellison to call the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at 530-542-6100 or Detective Cpl. Daniel Eckert of the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 843-884-4176.


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Although blackouts have been a recent problem in the Golden State, San Francisco's Moscone Center was a bright light in the region a few weeks ago, thanks in part to Lightfair International 2002. More than 14,600 lighting architects, designers, engineers, and end-users from around the world were on hand to preview thousands of products offered by more than 550 exhibiting companies. As energy and sustainability issues have become increasingly important in the lighting world, lamp and ballast choices now center around incandescent-halogen or halogen infrared (HIR) lamps, T8 and T5 linear fluorescent lamps, CFLs, and second-generation, pulse-start metal halide lamps. These sources and electronics-based controls and ballasts were among the biggest attention getters June 3 to 5 at the show.
New technology receiving a lot of attention from show attendees included solid-state light sources like LEDs and the further development of the digital addressable lighting interface (DALI), a communications protocol for lighting control currently under development as an open standard.
Solid-state lighting. A number of exhibitors, including Cooper Lighting, showed traffic signals and other LED-powered fixtures for specific applications, such as step lights or in-ground patio uplights. Here, the long-life and ruggedness of LEDs can be put to good use. Many at the show considered LumiLeds' Luxeon Star 5W to be the most powerful solid-state light source currently available because it generates the highest possible flux density (lumen/mm2) in a white light source and produces a flux of 100W.
In a pre-show seminar, Jim George of Permlight, Tustin, Calif., said the definition of an LED varies depending on whom you ask. "We need to get hold of this as a group so we can bring this science into practical applications," he said. "The solid-state industry uses two colormetric terms of 'dominant wavelength' and 'purity' to classify LEDs, which are not part of the lighting industry vocabulary. In addition, LEDs are just a component of a larger, evolving solid-state light source industry that has a different starting point than our lighting industry."
The future of solid-state lighting will be directed somewhat by the Next Generation Lighting Industry (NGLI), a $5 billion proposal from the U.S. Deptarment of Energy. The House and Senate have two separate bills concerning the NGLI that are expected be consolidated into a single bill by a joint committee and presented for final passage and funding later this year.
Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI). Already used in Europe, DALI-enabled wall controllers and ballasts supporting this communications protocol were shown at a number of booths, and they're making inroads into the domestic market as evidenced by the list of manufacturers that support the technology, including Hunt, Leviton, the Watt Stopper, Universal Ballasts, Osram Sylvania, and Philips.
For the first time, the Judges Citation Award went to two products, both DALI enabled: Starfield Controls, Inc.'s, Louisville, Colo., line of wall box controllers and Tridonic, Inc.'s, Norcross, Ga., PCX Excel ballast, which serves two 26W CFLs. This strengthens the idea that DALI could revolutionize lighting controls in a few years, allowing simplified dimming of fluorescent ballasts and easy monitoring and control of every type of light source and other powered devices, such as window draperies and shades.
Product highlights. As is usually the case, new products took center stage at Lightfair this year, and the spotlight was trained on the Product Showcase Award winners. Cooper Lighting went home the big winner as its Lumiere Monaco 2002 took the prize for Best New Product of the Year. The winners in 17 other categories can be found here. The award winners weren't the only ones who made a good showing in San Francisco, though. The following products were some of the most eye-catching at the show.
The SPXX from GE Lighting, Cleveland, is a 350W ceramic metal-halide lamp with a 92 CRI, 80% lumen maintenance, and 35,000 initial lumens, making it ideal for compact fixtures in display applications. The company's Diamond Precise line offers the same concentrated beam as a low-voltage source in a line-voltage screw-in lamp, using an integral transformer. With a 21W rating and 5,000 hr life, the lamp provides 250 lumens. In addition, the company's Silv-Ir lamp, rated at 4000 hrs, has a silverized reflector and a rugged filament, helping to reduce maintenance.
The Octron XPS Ecologic high-lumen T8 U-lamp from Osram/Sylvania, Danvers, Mass. offers 3,000 initial lumens, 85 CRI, and up to a 30,000-hr life when matched with a PSX ballast for 2X2 fluorescent fixtures. The company's Quicktronic DALI ballasts for T8 and T5 lamps are suited for daylight harvesting and energy management as well as architectural dimming. The company also has a line of LED modules, called Backlight, Effectlight, Linearlight, and Markerlight, with circular, rectangular, and square designs.
The MasterColor T6 single-ended CDM metal halide lamp from Philips Lighting, Somerset, N.J., is available in 35W and 70W ratings and designed for use in compact accent and retail display fixtures. With a color temperature of 3000k and a CRI of 83, the lamp-to-lamp color consistency of this new source is very high. A 65W incandescent halogen reflector lamp with a 3,000-hr life can replace other reflector lamp types.
Universal Lighting Technologies', Nashville, Tenn., line of Triad T8 low-profile electronic ballasts operates standard or high efficiency T8 lamps and is available with a 0.78 or 0.88 ballast factor and <10% THD. This company's line of compact fluorescent electronic ballasts range from 13W to 70W, provide universal input voltage (108V to 305V) and operate on programmed rapid start technology. Its low profile ballasts serve 14W to 54W T5 and T5/HO lamps and are available for 347V applications.
The Optanium line of electronic ballasts, dimming ballasts for T5/HO lamps, and Matchbox line of miniaturized electronic ballasts from Advance Transformer Co., Rosemont, Ill., fit a variety of 4-pin CFLs and T5 diameter fluorescent lamps. The company also introduced its Xitanium line of drivers for LED light sources.
The Cold-Pak low-temperature fluorescent emergency ballast from Bodine, Collierville, Tenn. can withstand temperatures from –20°C to +55°C, making it suitable for cold storage facilities, exterior stairways, and parking garages.
Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, Pa., promoted architectural dimming for T4 4-pin compact fluorescent lamps for a variety of locations, such as boardrooms, restaurants, patient rooms in hospitals, and partitioned spaces/ballrooms. The company shared its research on light perception through display charts, which indicated that a 1% light level is perceived as 10% by the human eye. It also introduced Faedra, a single-gang box dimmer, which allows multiple location dimming, user present light levels, variable fade time, and tap-on/off operation. The Sivola motorized drapery system allows automatic window shade operation, which is appropriate in commercial and industrial facilities for cutting glare and permitting daylight harvesting techniques.
The PerfLyte line of fluorescent fixtures from Lightolier, Fall River, Mass., can be pendant- or wall-mounted. Models are available in a variety of direct and direct/indirect distributions for T8, T5, and Biax lamps.
The performance series FNPV enclosed and gasketed fluorescent fixture from Hubble Lighting, Orange, Conn., holds T8 and T12 lamps in 2-ft, 4-ft, and 8-ft housing lengths. The luminaire is suitable for 25C operation.
Garden City, N.Y.-based WAC Lighting's new line of metal-halide track heads serve 20W to 100W metal halide lamps. The company also presented its 009L framing projector track head that creates a rectangular or square area of light.
A unique two-piece, quick-release fixture mounting system offered by Accessmount LLC, Twinburg, Ohio, uses magnets for placement and clips for securing lighting fixtures as heavy as 15 lb. Concentric rings provide electrical contact in any orientation. A pole with two-pronged a handle at one end allows fixture removal without the use of a ladder.
Next year's event will take place May 5 to 8 in New York City at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.


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There were some interesting developments this month, and some continued trends. In the US, Google and Bing had a share of the spoils as the only search engines to gain market share. Whilst here in the UK, Google's market share reduced marginally, with Bing and 'other' search engines gaining most ground.
Looking at the UK statistics, figures from Hitwsie have revealed that Google still dominates the market, although continue the monthly trend of dropping search volume – if only fractionally. Statistics show a monthly reduction from 90.16% in February to 90.02% in March meaning a 0.13% drop in the search market.
Those who have gained from this drop include Bing, with a 0.05% increase from 4.19% in February to 4.24% in March, thus continuing their slow but steady rise in the market. The biggest winner though comes from the 'other' category, which has increased its share from 1.35% in February to 1.49% in March, an increase of 0.14%. It could be speculated this rise may be as a result of mobile search, which has risen exponentially since the proliferation of smart phones and tablets. This was revealed last month within Hitwise's annual awards as mobile search engines were some of the most used throughout 2010 [See: Experian Hitwise Awards 2010: And the Winners are…].
In the US, Bing continue their growth within the market and Google's slow monthly reductions seems to have stopped with a 0.30% rise this month.
According to figures from ComScore Google's market share rose 0.30% from 65.40% in February to 65.70% in March. The growth figures (0.30%) were exactly the same for Bing who also experienced a rise from 13.60 % in February to 13.90% in March.
Last month, we reported that Yahoo and Ask both experienced stagnation [See: Search Engine Market Share Statistics – March 11] and this month, their share actually dropped by 0.40% and 0.10% respectively. With Yahoo's continuing market plateauing/loss, and a market share currently at 15.70%, it may not be long before Microsoft's Bing, currently at 13.90% of the market, actually overtake them.
Other search statistics on the US markets, notably Hitwise actually reported that Google suffered a whole 3% loss this month, with Bing (including Bing powered search) and Yahoo the direct benefactors showing a 12% and 5% increase respectively. It should be noted these statistics are for web searched only and utilise a smaller sample than the ComScore statistics. This highlights a significant difference in how search engine market statistics are calculated.
In summary, Google maintain their stranglehold on the Search Engine Market Share on both sides of the pond and Bing continues to gain a slow but steady grip on the market. As a result Yahoo, Ask and AOL have all suffered again. This month also saw a big rise for 'other' search engine in the UK that may be as a result of the rise of mobile search.
Am interested in the percentage of search that is coming from Facebook, which I think must be increasing slowly.
Unlike 08 numbers, 03 numbers cost the same to call as geographic landline numbers (starting 01 and 02), even from a mobile phone. They are also normally included in your inclusive call minutes. Please note we may record some calls.