eyelash growth

After ten years in the mainstream ­music scene, maturation and change is natural. Abandoning your sound is not, and that’s exactly what Linkin Park has done on their latest release.

If you listen closely, you can tell “A Thousand Suns” is actually Linkin Park. The album is more similar to their last release “Minutes to Midnight” rather than their certified diamond debut “Hybrid Theory”and their multi-platinum follow-up “Meteora.”

Gone are the heavy guitars and abrasive screaming of Chester Bennington. Instead, the band traded them in for electronic and synth effects. The album has an airy feel in comparison to past efforts, as multiple tracks are broken up by interludes.Mike Shinoda brings back a rapping presence that was absent on the past albums. unlike his past verses, these seem less inspired and more repetitive.

The album is void of the unshakable hooks that were prevalent in past releases, so much so that even the album’s single “The Catalyst” feels out of place on rock radio.

The record’s lone gem is its third track, “Burning in the Skies,” but since no other track lives up to its quality, it simply serves as an example of the potential the band was unable to reach on the release.

Linkin Park may have warned fans that this would be an experimental release, but that doesn’t excuse the haphazard album. maybe it’s time for the band to team-up with hit-making producer Rick Rubin and return to their multi-platinum ways … or fully commit to this new sound and actually make it work.

<a href="http://kykernel.com/2011/12/05/commonthread-6/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://kykernel.com/2011/12/05/commonthread-6/Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:51:56 GMT”>Linkin Park changes style for ‘A Thousand Suns’

After The only Way Is Essex, Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore, the structured reality bandwagon rolled into Liverpool with Desperate Scousewives, which debuted with more than 500,000 viewers on E4.

It remains to be seen whether the new E4 series wins a Bafta, like the only Way Is Essex, but it certainly has the most puntastic title.

Desperate Scousewives, which the Radio Times said was “about as lifelike as the terracotta tans, straightened bleached blonde locks, acrylic fingernails and foot-long eyelashes” of its stars, averaged 562,000 viewers, a 3.1% share, between 10pm and 11.05pm on Monday on E4, including the E4+1 audience.

The first of the eight-part series performed well for E4, 24% up on the channel’s slot average for the past three months, but failed to hit the ratings heights of 1 million-rating TOWIE. Early days, though.

The Guardian’s John Crace said it was “predictable, vacuous and with a tongue in as many cheeks as possible, Desperate Scousewives is a show that leaves you feeling just that bit grubbier for having guiltily enjoyed it”.

Ewan McGregor’s sometime travel buddy Charley Boorman zoomed on to Channel 5 with his latest motorcycle adventure, Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers.

His new show averaged 753,000 viewers between 9pm and 10pm, a 2.9% share of the audience, between 9pm and 10pm.

Boorman lost out to Channel 4 documentary Digging the great Escape, which had a total audience of 2.2 million viewers across Channel 4 and Channel 4+1, a 9.1% share of the audience, and BBC2’s Choir: Unsung Town Revisited, with 2.3 million viewers (8.7%).

The slot was predictably won by ITV1’s I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of here!, which had a total audience of 8.7 million viewers, a 33.8% share, between 8.30pm and 10pm, including ITV1+1.

Lord Sugar’s Young Apprentice continued its lukewarm ratings performance with 3.5 million viewers (15.4%) between 9pm and 10pm.

Panorama’s investigation into the Private Finance Initiative, presented by John Ware, was watched by 3.1 million viewers, an 11.9% share, between 8.30pm and 9pm. It was a return to form for the current affairs show which dipped to 2.1 million viewers last week.

Earlier, BBC1’s regional current affairs show Inside Out had 3.6 million viewers (15.4%) between 7.30pm and 8pm.

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. for all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. if you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”.

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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/nov/29/desperate-scousewives-e4?newsfeed=truetag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/nov/29/desperate-scousewives-e4?newsfeed=trueTue, 29 Nov 2011 11:46:48 GMT”>Desperate Scousewives debuts with more than 500,000 viewers

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<a href="http://www.imperfectparent.com/topics/2011/12/06/family-finds-snake-in-christmas-tree/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.imperfectparent.com/topics/2011/12/06/family-finds-snake-in-christmas-tree/Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:01:13 GMT”>Page not found « Minor Topics

A Quick Look at Potential Implications of the new York State Athletic Commission’s Decision to License Antonio Margarito for His Rematch with Miguel Cotto

            about two-and-a-half years ago, Standing 8 Court explored the question of what the implications would be if the new York State Athletic Commission (the “Commission”), one of the most stringent commissions in the country, licensed the now-deceased WBC lightweight champion Edwin (El Inca) Valero despite the revelation that he sustained a head injury in a 2001 motorcycle accident.  At the end of the analysis, it was concluded that given its prior history of disallowing boxers with head injuries to compete in new York State, “the Commission would be best served to stay consistent and keep Valero out of new York State.”  this past month, a new chapter was added to the debate on where the Commission should draw the line in issuing licenses to boxers with potentially career threatening injuries when it licensed Antonio Margarito in advance of his December 3, 2011 rematch with Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden.  The concern stemmed from the fact that Margarito required a cataract removal and intraocular lens placement in his right eye as a result of injuries sustained to same in his November 13, 2010 bout against Manny Pacquiao.  Over the initial objections of several Commission members, Margarito was licensed after undergoing an examination by a new York-based ophthalmologist of the Commission’s choosing.  The Commission’s decision begs the question as to whether his licensure, despite the recent cataract, will create a slippery slope in new York State that could result in other boxers with potentially career threatening injuries to either be licensed or threaten legal action in order to receive consideration similar to that which was afforded to Margarito. a quick look follows.

            A Recap of the Medical Testing Required for Licensure in new York State

             in new York, in order to “obtain a license or the renewal of a license to box, all boxers shall submit to a thorough medical examination by a physician approved by the medical advisory board.”   Said medical examination must include “a complete physical examination, an electroencephalographic examination, electrocardiographic examination, CAT scan, dilated eye examination by a licensed ophthalmologist and laboratory and other tests and examinations as may be required by such physician and/or the commission.”   Underscoring the importance of the pre-licensing medical examinations, new York mandates elsewhere in its laws governing professional boxing that:

“[a]ny professional boxer applying for a license or renewal of a license…shall undergo a comprehensive physical examination including clinical neurological and neuropsychological examinations by a physician approved by the commission.  if, at the time of such examination, there is any indication of brain injury, or for any other reason the physician deems appropriate, the boxer shall be required to undergo further neurological and neuropsychological examinations by a neurologist including, but not limited to, a computed tomography or medically equivalent procedure.  The commission shall not issue a license to a boxer until such examinations are completed and reviewed by the commission.  The results of all such examinations herein shall become a part of the boxer’s permanent medical record as maintained by the commission.  The costs of all such examinations called for…shall be assumed by the state if such examinations are performed by a physician or neurologist approved by the commission.” 

            in addition, a boxer shall present to the Commission his or her “medical history relating to any physical condition, medical test or procedure which relates to his ability to box, and a record of all medical suspensions[]” along with their application for a license.   

            The above laws leave little room for disguising evidence of, or omitting information about, a boxer’s medical conditions and history.  They also leave no room for the removal of any medical findings from a boxer’s permanent record.    although a boxer denied a license on medical grounds always has an opportunity for a hearing before the Commission can take “any final action negatively affecting such person’s individual privileges or property granted by a license duly issued by the commission[,]”  therefore, an ophthalmologic injury such as Margarito’s will forever be in the medical record of such a boxer requesting the hearing and could render the hearing over before it started if there were well-founded concerns that such an injury could raise. 

            notwithstanding the above, the Commission alone has and “is vested with the sole direction, management, control and jurisdiction…over all licenses to any and all persons who participate in…boxing, sparring or wrestling matches or exhibitions” in the State of new York..   The inference then is that no matter what is in a boxer’s medical file, it is ultimately within the Commission’s discretion whether or not a boxer should be granted a license despite a given condition.  in that case, in addition to evaluating the condition itself, the analysis of a given boxer then becomes a balancing test between such issues as whether a given decision would subject the Commission to liability in the event of an injury to a boxer, whether it comports with public policy to license a given boxer, what kind of precedent the licensure of one boxer could set for the licensure of another boxer, and where the Commission could draw the line in licensing certain boxers with questionable medical conditions over others.  each of these items will be applied below to Margarito’s situation, as they previously were as to Valero in “Edwin Valero: Would an Exception Knock Out the Rule?,” available at http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1535/2009-04-13.html.

The Commission’s Potential Liability if Margarito is Injured due to a Vision Problem in His right Eye

            It was recognized by the new York Court of Claims in Joey Gamache’s lawsuit against the Commission stemming from the brain damage that he suffered in his February 26, 2000 knockout loss to Arturo Gatti at Madison Square Garden that the statutory and regulatory scheme that governs professional boxing in new York “does indeed create…a duty of care which runs from the Athletic Commission directly to the licensed boxers under its jurisdiction and control.”  as applied to Margarito, if he sustains an eye injury this weekend in his rematch with Cotto, or is brutally knocked out by a punch he could see coming because of pre-existing limitations of his right eye, the Commission could theoretically be found liable in a subsequent lawsuit.  despite the additional examination that it required Margarito to go through, therefore, the Commission essentially licensed Margarito at its peril.

Was it Previously against Public Policy in new York State to License a Boxer with a known Ophthalmologic Injury?

Though new York State has consistently disallowed boxers with known brain injuries from being licensed, indicating that allowing boxers with known brain injuries to box in new York is against public policy, no such argument can be raised by looking at its history of boxers with ophthalmologic or other health problems which may or may not actively impact a boxer’s safety or wellbeing when he in the ring. Further, Margarito is not going into the ring with an untreated cataract clouding his vision. He is going in with an artificial lens that some would argue may actually make his vision better than it was even before the cataract he sustained after facing Pacquiao. Given the state of the science of ophthalmology, therefore, it is not a quantum leap to assert that granting Margarito a license despite his recent cataract was not against existing public policy in new York State.  Indeed, Standing 8 Court has spoken with at least one ophthalmologist in new York who had performed corrective procedures on several amateur and professional boxers and mixed martial artists who have gone on to compete within state lines without an issue.

                        What Kind of Precedent Did Licensing Margarito Set?

It would not appear that Margarito’s licensure necessarily created any new precedent.  although Margarito’s licensure is shrouded in suspicion given the amount at stake at the time that the outside evaluation was demanded, the granting of a license after further ophthalmologic testing  is consistent with the regulatory framework summarized above as to the medical clearance of boxers.  if anything, the steps Margarito had to take because of his cataract should make it clear to other boxers with a history of ophthalmologic issues that it is no sure thing that they will be licensed in new York State and that they have to be prepared for heightened scrutiny by the Commission.  Most boxers coming before the Commission with ophthalmologic issues would likely be of a lower profile and lower impact than a main event boxer on an HBO PPV-televised card at Madison Square Garden.  if the Commission had Margarito break camp, fly in from Mexico, and submit to an ophthalmologic examination before voting to license him, best believe they would do the same with you.

            Is the Commission Capable of Drawing a Line Between One Eye Injury and another?

            there are myriad different ophthalmologic conditions, from glaucoma and cataracts, to detached retina and macular edema.  An ophthalmologist can readily identify all such conditions, evaluate a boxer accordingly, and opine as to whether they feel such a condition would materially affect a boxer’s safety in the ring in advance of licensure. thus unlike with a brain injury, where some of the effects may not be fully understood or even detectable at the time of an evaluation and thus a high degree of discretion is in order, ophthalmologic injuries are more readily diagnosed and understood.  At its most extreme, the Commission and its doctors can readily distinguish between a major ophthalmologic problem, such as blindness, and a marginal injury, such as a scratched cornea, and issue or deny licenses accordingly.

            in sum, unlike the licensure of someone such as Valero or new York’s own “Baby” Joe Mesi, each of whom had a history of brain injury, it does not appear that the licensing of Margarito will create a slippery slope in new York State that could either result in boxers with potentially career threatening injuries being erroneously licensed or give other boxers a real leg to stand on in any legal action against the Commission for denying them a license where it granted Margarito one.   even if Margarito being licensed ever again is hard to swallow for some given his hand wrap scandal, therefore, the rules about medical clearance before licensure in new York State do not appear to be at peril of being swallowed by any exception made for him. 

Paul Stuart Haberman, Esq. is a new York-based health and sports law attorney.  He is also a new York State licensed boxing manager and the Chairman of the Sports Law Committee of the new York County Lawyers Association. Paul can be e-mailed at haberman@8countnews.com. He can also be followed on Twitter at @Standing8Court. 

<a href="http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/4892/2011-12-02.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/4892/2011-12-02.htmlSat, 03 Dec 2011 04:49:00 GMT”>Will the Exception for Margarito Knock Out the Rule?

By Ken Hanner (about the author) become a Fan   — Page 1 of 1 page(s)

opednews.com

Acupuncture and other forms of Chinese medicine have been known to be more effective in treating certain diseases than Western medicine. Now, through the work at her clinic in Rockville, Maryland, Dr. Wanzhu Hou offers new evidence that Chinese medicine is effective in treating asthma, allergies and immune-related illness. Her book, Treating Autoimmune Disease with Chinese Medicine (Elsevier), cites 30 years of clinical research and treatment experience. the book compares traditional Chinese and Western medical theories and proves treatment results based on Western biomedical standards. the cure for these diseases has largely eluded Western medicine even though a vast portion of the U.S. population suffers from such ills. some 50 million Americans, or 20% of the population, “suffer from autoimmune diseases,” according to a report by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. “Women are more likely than men to be affected.” Completely different than the Western approach to health issues, traditional Chinese medicine refers to acupuncture and herbal medicine that naturally treat autoimmune diseases in multiple ways. Traditional Chinese medicine looks at the body as a whole rather than focusing on treating a specific symptom. Dr. Hou explains how it treats autoimmune disease primarily by seeking to suppress the immunity to reduce the reaction and rebuild or reverse the tissues that were damaged by dysfunctional immunity. Disordered immunity usually destroys more than one tissue and organ and causes the overlap of diseases. in Chinese medical theory the treatment is based on pathologic differentiation, not according to the name of a disease. that approach leads to clinical treatment that gets success, according to Dr. Hou. There are three causes of all diseases: infection, noninfectious and injury. No matter which of these reasons cause a disease the result is a breakdown of the defense system where damaged cells do not function well, creating other negative health issues. the immune system is like an army in our body–its function is to protect the body from infection and protects and hunts “bad” unhealthy cells, like cancer cells, in order to maintain a healthy condition. if the immune system makes a mistake it will cause autoimmune and degenerative diseases, which make the body sick and accelerates aging. the immune system also plays an important role in noninfectious diseases when infection or injury triggers an immune system reaction. Cells and tissues damaged from disordered immunity are called different names of diseases in clinic. Mediating a disordered immunity is the key point in determining the prognosis of autoimmune diseases and anti-aging process. Generally speaking, treatment should include finding the causes of the diseases and the environment of lysis’ cells damaged by disordered immunity. Autoimmune diseases have different clinical symptoms depending on the kind of tissue that was damaged. the purpose of Chinese medical treatment is to rebuild the stricken cells and help them to function properly. for example, Hashimoto disease is caused by an antibody that destroys thyroid tissue, restricting the thyroid gland from producing enough thyroxine. A deficiency of the hormone causes lower metabolism symptoms including feeling cold, fatigue, weight gain, edema, hair loss or heavy period. Western medicine treats the problem by giving the patient thyroxine to replace the insufficiency of thyroid hormone, but never cures the problem as more thyroxine is needed when the disordered immunity destroys more thyroid tissues. No matter whether the thyroxine from outside sources is made from natural products or chemically by a p harmaceutical factory the purpose is the same: to replenish the hormone insufficiency. But with other autoimmune diseases such as hepatitis, glomerulonephritism, there is nothing that could replace the liver and kidneys’ biochemical and function, and following the Western medical concept, would require a liver or kidney transplant . in Treating Autoimmune Disease with Chinese Medicine , Dr. Hou cites case studies to show how such treatment can greatly benefit patients. Case Study No. 1

This patient was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs), overlaps Lupus, scleroderma, Raynaud’s phenomenon . she was a genius student at an Ivy League college. 

some 14 years ago, doctors at a famous hospital told her she would face death in three-to-six months and suggested that she have a lung transplant that could extend her life for a few years until the immune system again attacked and destroyed the new organ. Her life seemed to collapse as she was rejected for lung transplant surgery, her boyfriend left her and all her parents could do was cry, washing themselves in tears. Her only wish was that she could graduate from college before the disease stopped her. after a three-month clinical trial at that famous hospital, she started her specific individual treatment with Chinese medicine. Her skin and pressure in her lungs gradually began getting better. she was able to breathe freely and started exercising. Soon, she successfully graduated from college and found a good job in computer science. While working, she continued the treatment of Chinese medicine, and her health continued to improve, allowing her to go from a part-time job to full-time work. the biggest the benefit for her is the improvement in her biomedical data–all the numbers went to normal. Not only didn’t she get the lung transplant but all the organs are now in the normal range! Case Study No. 2 Chinese medicine treats autoimmune diseases beyond pain relief. This woman went to China with her husband and visited a clinic, seeking treatment for her long-suffering constipation. she took herbal medicine which worked and gave her relief. Back in her hometown, she came to our clinic and with various symptoms and after having been diagnosed a host of afflictions including breast cancer (post surgery), hyperthyroidism, GERD (stomach reflux), constipation, osteoarthritis and asthma. While she didn’t need to get an organ transplant, an immune system function disorder caused her Grave’s disease and cancer. Being a nurse, she was able to explain her Chinese medical treatment’s protocol to her doctor and got support from her specialist so that she could receive the benefit of integrative therapy to treat her diseases. she began taking acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment. As her thyroid function began getting better, her specialist gradually began reducing her medication — high doses of methimazole (Tapazole). Finally her medication was cut to zero as her thyroid function returned to normal and a gradual reduction of her anti-thyroid antibody gradually. at the same time, her constipation and GERD healed. Case Study No. 3 the treatment for autoimmune disease with Chinese medicine is repeatable. This person was diagnosed with scleroderma and pulmonary hypertension and received steroid treatment to suppress the disordered immunity in the traditional Western method. at the same time, she received Chinese medical treatment and her shin recovered and her lung pressure went down to normal. she stopped all her treatment and was able to return to her normal life! Her specialist told her, “We are not going to treat you. you are already back to normal.”

No matter what the name of an autoimmune disease, the cause is the disordered immunity that destroys tissues that leads to clinical symptoms. Chinese medical treatment is not trying to suppress the immunity and replace the organ’s chemical, but mediates the immunity and protects the antigen (damaged organ), reversing damaged tissues.

the most important thing in the treatment is replacing the deficiencies of the organ function. for example, hypothyroid is given thyroxine; type one, diabetes is treated with insulin. Second, is to suppress the activity of immunity. Normally Western medicine gives steroidal treatment, but not Chinese medicine. Third, is to work on the antigen that is the suffered organ–an important step for leading a patient to successfully overcome autoimmune diseases. Fourth, is to resolve the problem that remained in the environment or tissues and organ. Chinese medicine does not mimic the insufficiency organs’ chemical but recovers the tissues and organs’ function.

Dr. Hou said it is her hope that by publishing this book she can help people can learn about this natural way to health and “lead patients to walk out of the mire and into the light.” you can find more information at www.anmedicine.com

Ken Hanner is a freelance writer/editor based in Austin, Tex. to view all comments:

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<a href="http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Natural-Way-to-Heal-Dise-by-Ken-Hanner-111118-700.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Natural-Way-to-Heal-Dise-by-Ken-Hanner-111118-700.htmlSun, 20 Nov 2011 15:09:24 GMT”>A Natural Way to Heal Diseases