How Creative Is Your Doctor? - NYTimes.com

<div id="well" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div align="left"><div class="entry-content"><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; "><em>What are you doing creatively these days?</em></div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">It's not a question you hear commonly, and certainly not in a medical journal. But that was the title of a <a href="http://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Fulltext/2012/11000/What_Are_You_Doing_Creatively_These_Days_.20.aspx" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none;">commentary in a recent issue of Academic Medicine.</a> It caught my eye, because medicine is a field with a strong history of creativity, but its daily practice feels less and less so. Health care is being pushed steadily toward standardization, insisting on an algorithmic approach to diagnosis and treatment. Some ramifications of this trend have been beneficial, but many of these algorithms have been mechanized to the point where there is little need for human beings and their intricately personal neural networks.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Part of this stems from the way in which we are taught to think about clinical medicine. Medical school can seem like an ongoing exercise of committing lists to memory, the only creativity being the mnemonics for memorizing branches of the facial nerve or diseases with anion-gap metabolic acidosis. When students present cases, there is a sense of roteness. A patient with chest pain, for example, becomes, "Rule-out M.I. (myocardial infarction). Get an EKG, serial troponin levels, stress test, cardiology consult…."</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Some of this roteness, of course, is thoroughness. You need to cover all your bases to ensure you are not missing anything serious. But rote recitation inhibits the ability to think beyond diagnostic straightjackets.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">In one of my recent clinic sessions, I saw four patients with diabetes over the course of a morning. One was a young man whose glucose, weight and early-onset heart disease resist control, despite jogging 10 miles a day and eating like a rabbit. Another was an elderly woman with fragile bones, congestive heart failure and a medication list longer than my arm. A third was a middle-aged man unable to compromise a single French fry in his diet. And the fourth was a middle-aged woman whose depression snowplows all of her other salutary efforts.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Other than insulin dysregulation, these patients have nothing in common. Yet our medical approach is expected to be "standardized."</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Dr. Niamh Kelly, the author of the creativity essay, wonders what it would take "to bring the notion of creativity into the everyday delivery of health care." It is a question we, as a profession, should take seriously. Patients and diseases do not come as prepackaged widgets. A slavish approach to standardized treatments without any creativity can do more harm than good. "It is much more important to know what sort of a patient has a disease," the famous Sir William Osler is reputed to have said, "than what sort of a disease a patient has."</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">When I talk to medical students about how creativity can fit into the medical world, I often cite the case of Witty Ticcy Ray, profiled by Dr. Oliver Sacks in his now-classic book, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat." Ray had a severe case of Tourette's syndrome. The unpredictable bouts of facial grimaces and grunts — often laced with expletives — interfered with many aspects of his life. When Dr. Sacks prescribed Haldol, the tics were eliminated, and Ray's job and family life were markedly stabilized as a result.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">But in addition to removing the tics, the Haldol had a "side effect" of flattening out Ray's ability to improvise as a jazz drummer. Typically, the medical profession would not have done much at this point beyond nodding sympathetically about having to take the bad with the good.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">But Ray and his doctor came up with a plan: Ray would take his medication Monday to Friday, and be the "sober, solid" person that his job required. On weekends, however, he'd ditch the Haldol and be the "witty ticcy Ray," reveling in the frenetic, free-wheeling music that he so loved.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">This solution was quite simple, but it was also remarkably creative because it looked beyond the standard definitions of "treatment success" and "medication side-effects." It is unlikely that this arrangement would have come about in the algorithmic approach to medicine that is insisted upon today.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">How do we teach creativity in medicine? For one thing, Dr. Kelly suggests, people's creative sides should be brought to the forefront. She imagines water-cooler conversations and medical conferences that start by asking, "What are you doing creatively lately?" There is likely more creative talent lurking in medical professionals, and in patients, than we suspect. Bringing it forward could have a salutary effect on the medical interactions that follow.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Explicitly focusing on the creative process is the important next step. Many medical schools are beginning to incorporate arts, literature and humanities into the curricula. Critics deride this as fluff, but I think it is crucial in medical education.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Poetry is one of my favorite tools because of its unselfconscious focus on metaphor. By definition, metaphor requires the stringing together of parts of the mind that don't normally work together. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/health/quest-to-eliminate-diagnostic-lapses.html?pagewanted=all" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none;">Master diagnosticians</a> and scientists cogitate in the same way, actively considering ideas that don't normally sit together.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">If all patients and their diseases presented in exactly the manner of the textbooks, then the algorithms would be sufficient. Computers could surely do our job much more efficiently. Lord knows, they certainly wouldn't keep misplacing their reading glasses.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">But the human condition is far messier — in health and even more so in illness. Complex biology and the many overlays of social, psychological and economic issues make medicine a complicated, and nuanced, affair. The serpentine logic often seems closer to literary metaphor than to the orderly taxonomy of knowledge that we cut our teeth on.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">It is our job as clinicians to work with patients to untangle these metaphors. For this, solid medical knowledge is necessary but not nearly sufficient. We need to flex the oddball neurons that connect the disparate corners of our consciousness. They need to be honed in the same manner as muscles at the gym, with ongoing stretches and workouts.</div><div style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The next time you see your doctor, you might want to ask what he or she is doing creatively these days.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; "><i><a href="http://danielleofri.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Danielle Ofri</a> is an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine and editor in chief of the <a href="http://blr.med.nyu.edu/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">Bellevue Literary Review</a>. Her most recent book is <a href="http://danielleofri.com/books/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">"Medicine in Translation: Journeys With My Patients."</a></i></div></div></div></div><br><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/how-creative-is-your-doctor/?pagewanted=print">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/how-creative-is-your-doctor/?pagewanted=print</a>

How Creative Is Your Doctor? - NYTimes.com

What are you doing creatively these days? It's not a question you hear commonly, and certainly not in a medical journal. But that was th...

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Monday, Monday

<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.archidose.org/wp/">A Weekly Dose of Architecture</a> Updates:</span><br /><br />This week's dose features the <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/03/18/three-projects-by-toyo-ito/">Three Projects by Toyo Ito</a>:<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/03/18/three-projects-by-toyo-ito/"><img alt="this week's dose" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Mar13-18-1024x673.jpg" title="This week's dose" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The featured past dose is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2001/04/09/tower-of-winds/">Tower of Winds</a> in Yokohama, Japan, by Toyo Ito:<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2001/04/09/tower-of-winds/"><img alt="this week's dose" src="http://www.archidose.org/Apr01/winds3.jpg" title="featured past dose" /> <img alt="this week's dose" src="http://www.archidose.org/Apr01/winds4.jpg" title="featured past dose" /></a><br /><br />This week's book review is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/03/18/renovacao-praca-do-toural/"><i>Renovação Praça do Toural, Alameda de São Dâmaso e Rua de Santo António, Guimarães 2010 - 2012</i></a> by Nuno Miguel Borges (L):<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/03/18/renovacao-praca-do-toural/"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/guimaraes-toural.jpg" title="This week's book review" /></a> <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2012/10/08/toyo-ito-forces-of-nature/"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ito.jpg" title="This week's book review" /></a><br />(R): The featured past book review is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2012/10/08/toyo-ito-forces-of-nature/"><i>Toyo Ito: Forces of Nature</i></a> edited by Jessie Turnbull.<br /><br />: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">American-Architects <a href="http://www.american-architects.com/en/pages/50x50">Building of the Week</a>:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.american-architects.com/projects/projects_detail/40178">Lavaflow 7 - Mayer/Penland House</a> in Pahoa, Big Island, Hawaii, by Craig Steely Architecture:<br /><a href="http://www.american-architects.com/projects/projects_detail/40178"><img alt="this week's Building of the Week" src="http://c214210.r10.cf3.rackcdn.com/files/projects/40178/images/900:w/L7_1.jpg" title="Current Building of the Week on american-architects.com" width="640" /></a>

Monday, Monday

A Weekly Dose of Architecture Updates: This week's dose features the Three Projects by Toyo Ito : The featured past dose is Tower of Wi...

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In Dublin's Fair City....

We were in Dublin City today and took the dog for a walk in St Stephen's Green. It is a good sized park in the centre of town just off Grafton Street. I especially like the band stand! <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU0put_2auxzvR7lBdEs0ARIWqIdncnKUdWt9N4yOqmaE69bH01duQrdL4IiMWBmJVlmuJ6PYqS-xzQnoAlCjdwb7knB2-d260ySqdECMRk8CfcyQN4BF47m4_mKYcqCCD3EnD77i-Jx_/s640/blogger-image--1965874262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU0put_2auxzvR7lBdEs0ARIWqIdncnKUdWt9N4yOqmaE69bH01duQrdL4IiMWBmJVlmuJ6PYqS-xzQnoAlCjdwb7knB2-d260ySqdECMRk8CfcyQN4BF47m4_mKYcqCCD3EnD77i-Jx_/s640/blogger-image--1965874262.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_S1HKllqFYt61D3SOXu3pmtqAn6pbPoQFkSf8DjohUbJcKHzEvxUv_lwMs8wCaZi9qb623Vt7tcuRu5ACXh3mODKLievNQs5aGov9AluZ4GkIsHuKDIELRab3da918MHFLp_rhZZSJHQ/s640/blogger-image--1426077561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_S1HKllqFYt61D3SOXu3pmtqAn6pbPoQFkSf8DjohUbJcKHzEvxUv_lwMs8wCaZi9qb623Vt7tcuRu5ACXh3mODKLievNQs5aGov9AluZ4GkIsHuKDIELRab3da918MHFLp_rhZZSJHQ/s640/blogger-image--1426077561.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzET1A7yl-QnR3jgup_HrdVNo3nvFU2HGYoJ4r3ykkqEz9wBCyWoWS2XQ7FzRyDNxUG68iSNvsTy_Wh2nL1AnjcFhT9_rLZ-3zCZmParEzDWWpkj_0WBHFdalUckxT-r9gZZLkeg0NSvI/s640/blogger-image--364274285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzET1A7yl-QnR3jgup_HrdVNo3nvFU2HGYoJ4r3ykkqEz9wBCyWoWS2XQ7FzRyDNxUG68iSNvsTy_Wh2nL1AnjcFhT9_rLZ-3zCZmParEzDWWpkj_0WBHFdalUckxT-r9gZZLkeg0NSvI/s640/blogger-image--364274285.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G2cGbqXlbRwVJ8WJLG6MrZj-EQoiWX_UCfREBaX1pupBIHJBkMJdlst_zNz7YyK-dpvpj0L2sblfhBolPLCzBVHTFdmuIRymwp3kzebpL20OiVyYurykyDEDkUznTsWlwI3Tffcd0N1a/s640/blogger-image-1070720141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G2cGbqXlbRwVJ8WJLG6MrZj-EQoiWX_UCfREBaX1pupBIHJBkMJdlst_zNz7YyK-dpvpj0L2sblfhBolPLCzBVHTFdmuIRymwp3kzebpL20OiVyYurykyDEDkUznTsWlwI3Tffcd0N1a/s640/blogger-image-1070720141.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0GaeajNEW4DKpbHhfyiph2MMnCk0FDkLpaVDlQanpBA3abj5xtN8Z8Awod-KqvEQaJLKS5x1mTeMqKLQ0fLmnuOu8dWQJWWSS7pHH8YbMXLIEs9fhUq5q2BKN3GLOFN5dDNQ35GE0Aor/s640/blogger-image-363068188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0GaeajNEW4DKpbHhfyiph2MMnCk0FDkLpaVDlQanpBA3abj5xtN8Z8Awod-KqvEQaJLKS5x1mTeMqKLQ0fLmnuOu8dWQJWWSS7pHH8YbMXLIEs9fhUq5q2BKN3GLOFN5dDNQ35GE0Aor/s640/blogger-image-363068188.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlfkBRBiyW5J_8RvfniIfFVlhocdUxnG9z9G5rdTmrxUlSNJGduSV8qGUE2HCe-Ny5rW_43kNDq4Z0e5p9BeMbZlBQmNSnjd_OiHFevqrdWEBVHBmKZc_YFU1AB0zaEFiEvbga6LYbqQo/s640/blogger-image-905116278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlfkBRBiyW5J_8RvfniIfFVlhocdUxnG9z9G5rdTmrxUlSNJGduSV8qGUE2HCe-Ny5rW_43kNDq4Z0e5p9BeMbZlBQmNSnjd_OiHFevqrdWEBVHBmKZc_YFU1AB0zaEFiEvbga6LYbqQo/s640/blogger-image-905116278.jpg" /></a></div>

In Dublin's Fair City....

We were in Dublin City today and took the dog for a walk in St Stephen's Green. It is a good sized park in the centre of town just off G...

Read more »

Barre Bars Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV618AwM2B0Id1GcQP6cJsOWSRqC5O05JUxdHZVmY3BsNg1wrHcNWjPb4hX-38DDzxavIvsbUwwNQl4YmuDoY_qKWpZgfcybT85sI_dooNUY-qpjYfJRlxiMEBxrG8cAnxiB07U56Xf4k/s1600/header.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV618AwM2B0Id1GcQP6cJsOWSRqC5O05JUxdHZVmY3BsNg1wrHcNWjPb4hX-38DDzxavIvsbUwwNQl4YmuDoY_qKWpZgfcybT85sI_dooNUY-qpjYfJRlxiMEBxrG8cAnxiB07U56Xf4k/s320/header.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I look for in a snack is something that will keep me full, delicious, made from real ingredients and this snack has just that! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6703S4auDgPXqkt472S2NcamPnWs2RwJbWG_mekkPe8pIarDF6o_3UBHniX-LT8iMstqDXtZ8iVqPelBhuu39UP82LVeDKyxV4CWBvPI4vrCOpxV_s0KuS2BVSU1W95KwQuaHGUBjJY/s1600/Barre+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6703S4auDgPXqkt472S2NcamPnWs2RwJbWG_mekkPe8pIarDF6o_3UBHniX-LT8iMstqDXtZ8iVqPelBhuu39UP82LVeDKyxV4CWBvPI4vrCOpxV_s0KuS2BVSU1W95KwQuaHGUBjJY/s320/Barre+bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What comes to mind when I think of these bars I received for review from a company called <a href="http://realfoodbarre.com/">Barre Bar</a> is that they are made up of whole ingredients and are exceptionally great for athletes and professional dancers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This tasty treat not only is delicious but it doesn't weigh you down to the point after eating you just don't want to move!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2010 Julia (maker of Barre) was on a mission for the perfect snack for athletes using only simple ingredients.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She then brought her first concoction to test to her friends and colleagues and they loved it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made to provide energy to your performance such as a basketball player, or a ballet dancer, did you know that Julia is a ballet dancer herself?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her and her partner and coworker Aaron who was an energy bar connoisseur </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">himself set out to make more bars for others to enjoy and that's just what they did.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later on in 2010 Barre Bars were born.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These bars are amazing, and here is why.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Facts:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gives you energy to perform your best</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All natural ingredients</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keeps you fuller longer</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Flavors:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Black Swan Chocolate Berry</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ballerina Spiruluna</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oder them here! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://realfoodbarre.com/">http://realfoodbarre.com/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like Them On Face Book Here: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/realfoodbarre"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/realfoodbarre</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Follow Them On Twitter here:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/realfoodbarre">https://twitter.com/realfoodbarre</a></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Due to FCC guidelines:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barre Foods sent me their energy bars in exchange for a product review. All the opinions expressed are my own.</span></div></div>

Barre Bars Review

What I look for in a snack is something that will keep me full, delicious, made from real ingredients and this snack has just that!  What co...

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How Good Is Your Hospital? Depends Who You Ask | PBS NewsHour

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">How good a hospital is St. Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital? Depends on whom you ask.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The Leapfrog Group, a respected nonprofit that promotes patient safety, gave an "A" to this Michigan hospital. The company Healthgrades named it one of America's best 50 hospitals.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But the Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that accredits hospitals, and U.S. News and World Report omitted St. Mary from their best hospital lists. Consumer Reports gave it an average safety score of 47 points out of 100, citing high numbers of readmissions, poor communication with patients and excessive use of scans. Medicare, which has a <a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/December/21/medicare-hospitals-value-based-purchasing.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">new program rewarding hospitals</a> for meeting certain quality measures, is reducing St. Mary's payments by a fraction this year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Evaluations of hospitals are proliferating, giving patients unprecedented insight into institutions where variations in quality can determine whether they live or die. Many have similar names, such as "<a href="http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Best Hospitals Honor Roll</a>," "<a href="http://www.healthgrades.com/quality/top-hospitals-2013" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">America's Best Hospitals</a>" and "<a href="http://www.100tophospitals.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">100 Top Hospitals</a>." <a href="http://www.healthcarereportcard.illinois.gov/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Illinois</a>,<a href="http://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/CompareCare/SelectChoice.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Florida</a> and other states have created their own report cards. In some places, such as California, there are more than a dozen organizations offering assessments on hospital quality.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But those ratings, each using its own methodology, often come to wildly divergent conclusions, sometimes providing as much confusion as clarity for consumers. Some hospitals rated as outstanding by one group are ignored or panned by another. Ratings results from an individual group can change significantly from year to year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"We've alternatively been labeled the least safe hospital in Maine and the safest hospital in Maine," said Dr. Douglas Salvador, vice president of quality at Maine Medical Center in Portland.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">And the ratings do not always jibe with the views of authorities who oversee hospitals. For instance, UCSF Medical Center has gotten good grades from multiple safety raters even as California public health officials have fined it $425,000 repeatedly for <a href="http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/APCountySanFrancisco.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">endangering patients</a>. As ratings multiply, more and more hospitals have something they can boast about. A third of U.S. hospitals -- more than 1,600 -- last year won at least one distinction from a major rating group or company, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis. In the greater Fort Lauderdale hospital market, 21 of 24 hospitals were singled out as exemplary by at least one rating source. In the Baltimore region, 19 out of 22 hospitals won an award.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"I worry a lot about these ratings," said Jerod Loeb, executive vice president for health care quality evaluation at the Joint Commission. "They're all justifiable efforts to provide information, but at the end of the day every single one of them is flawed in some respect. Rather than enlightening, we may be confusing."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; ">There are so many report cards on hospitals that the Informed Patient Institute runs a <a href="http://www.informedpatientinstitute.org/index.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">website</a> that grades the raters. Carol Cronin, its executive director, said most report cards are not easy for consumers to use. "A lot of them don't help users quickly understand which hospital is better than another," she said.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But many hospitals are eager to trump these distinctions in their marketing. Healthgrades, U.S. News and Leapfrog not only encourage this but also profit from it by charging licensing fees to hospitals that want to advertise their awards. "A hospital cannot buy an award, they must achieve it," Healthgrades said in a statement.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Healthgrades and Truven Health Analytics, which publishes the 100 Top Hospitals, offer consulting services to hospitals that want to improve their overall performances. Jean Chenoweth, a Truven senior vice president, said the list doesn't earn Truven any money but it "gives the company a lot of visibility."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://www.med.nyu.edu/people/andrew-w-brotman-md" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Dr. Andrew Brotman</a> chief clinical officer at NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, said the fees can be substantial. "Healthgrades, which is one we did well on, charges $145,000 to use this even on the website as a logo, so we don't do that," he said. "U.S. News is in the $50,000 range. Leapfrog is $12,500."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Consumer Reports bars hospitals from using its ratings in marketing, but patients must subscribe to read them online. (Others generally provide free access to ratings on their sites.) The Joint Commission does not charge hospitals that make its top quality list.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">A Pew Research Center survey found <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Health-online/Part-Two/Section-2.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">14 percent</a> of Internet users consulted online rankings or reviews of hospitals and medical facilities. Florence Harvey, 70, said when she moved to Washington, D.C., last fall, she picked a health plan and doctor affiliated with Washington Hospital Center after reviewing all the local hospitals rankings on U.S. News' website. "That was the one that had the best across-the-board ratings," she said.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But Harvey may be an anomaly. <a href="http://sackler.tufts.edu/Faculty-and-Research/Faculty-Profiles/Peter-Lindenauer-Profile" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Dr. Peter Lindenauer</a>, a professor with Tufts University School of Medicine based in Springfield, Mass., said the limited research on rankings "suggests they have had very little impact on patient behavior."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; ">That's not surprising since many admissions, such as those due to a heart attack or car crash, have an immediacy that rules out comparison shopping. Also, researchers note, many patients defer to their physicians' recommendations or go to the hospital where their chosen surgeon has privileges. Still, rating groups say the ratings help keep the pressure on hospital executives to keep quality up.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Patient safety has to be a priority 24-7," said Leah Binder, Leapfrog's president. "The minute it slips off the priority list, that impacts the rating."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The calculations that go into these ratings are complex. Most hospital assessments synthesize dozens of pieces of data Medicare publishes on its Hospital Compare <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">website</a>, including death rates and the results of patient satisfaction surveys. They also examine other sources and use private surveys to create user-friendly lists or grades, which they display on their websites.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The <a href="http://www.jointcommission.org/accreditation/top_performers.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(9, 64, 108); font-weight: bold; ">Joint Commission</a> looks at how frequently patients received recommended treatments, such as flu shots for those with pneumonia. Consumer Reports examines the numbers of patients who die or are readmitted, infection rates and Medicare patient surveys of their experiences. Leapfrog looks at data from its surveys of hospitals, the consistency with which hospitals followed safe surgical practices and frequencies of infections and some types of patient harm. Healthgrades analyzes detailed Medicare records to find death and complication rates for 27 procedures and conditions.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Ratings and ranking programs certainly offer people information they can use to make their hospital selections, but we don't recommend relying on any one of them completely," Jennifer Kennedy, a spokeswoman for St. Mary Mercy, said in an e-mail. "None are able to tell the whole story or paint a complete picture of the care that is delivered."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The ratings groups believe the public benefits from the multitude of ratings. Dr. John Santa, who directs Consumer Reports' health ratings, said consumers benefit from different vantages just as they do for cars or electronic devices, and the competition spurs each rating group to get better. "We think that's consistent with good science," Santa said.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Avery Comarow, health rankings editor for U.S. News, agrees. "People go to hospitals for different reasons and priorities," he said. "I'm not sure there could be a single rating system that can do it all."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Some of the hospitals that do the best in the rankings have limited respect for them. Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., last year received praise from Leapfrog, U.S. News, the Joint Commission, Truven and Healthgrades. But Dr. William Adair, vice president for clinical transformation, says the hospital doesn't license any of the distinctions. "We're all made a little bit uneasy, to be frank about it," Adair says. "Some of these organizations are looking for revenue. It blurs the effectiveness of the ratings processes."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">Still, many hospitals are happy to use the praise. Dr. Brotman from NYU said: "Even though there's not a hospital executive who won't tell you that they have a great deal of skepticism about a lot of the methodology, there's not one who will tell you they don't want to be on the lists."</p></div><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/how-good-is-your-hospital-depends-who-you-ask.html">http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/how-good-is-your-hospital-depends-who-you-ask.html</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

How Good Is Your Hospital? Depends Who You Ask | PBS NewsHour

How good a hospital is St. Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital? Depends on whom you ask. The Leapfrog Group, a respected nonprofit that promotes pat...

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BumbleBar Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweQlrJ3ZHeT-fo3F0YrfX6J_k1tuYz80hLaesd1juhmlXdr0cC390YSLeFxuVtiz328P4LGdqjg6HkMDcg0ufPBuzDOy9yuoRjE7sH_VXLMIbIWeGY16zfuDgE5JCqZA3JW317fjHd_s/s1600/bumble+bar+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweQlrJ3ZHeT-fo3F0YrfX6J_k1tuYz80hLaesd1juhmlXdr0cC390YSLeFxuVtiz328P4LGdqjg6HkMDcg0ufPBuzDOy9yuoRjE7sH_VXLMIbIWeGY16zfuDgE5JCqZA3JW317fjHd_s/s1600/bumble+bar+banner.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was sent some of <a href="http://bumblebar.com/index.html">Bumble Bar's</a> sesame snacks for review.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The great thing about these bars is that they are tiny and you can put them in any bag to take along with you anywhere to enjoy a snack without over eating, or just as a pick me up!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The flavors I was sent were:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate Crisp</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amazing Almond</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Original Peanut</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpGBIG3zR8o-l_dAfx_mE3R3nTM_-ceNFCP_Z5JoDvnsksJuXntykJAW2xMiJqX1ZY7UvKU_PjaTZv5VvVmwogdDPbtrgJA8eHmXar85g-xDIY6mz11Vs2iqmYrgA4VB88YdnQtFzUwo/s1600/bumble+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpGBIG3zR8o-l_dAfx_mE3R3nTM_-ceNFCP_Z5JoDvnsksJuXntykJAW2xMiJqX1ZY7UvKU_PjaTZv5VvVmwogdDPbtrgJA8eHmXar85g-xDIY6mz11Vs2iqmYrgA4VB88YdnQtFzUwo/s320/bumble+bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facts:</span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">organic</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">kid approved</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gluten free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">packed with energy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">healthy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">delicious</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">vegan approved</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can order them here!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Website:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bumblebar.com/index.html">http://bumblebar.com/index.html</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like them on Face Book here:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/BumbleBar/182186641796901?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/pages/BumbleBar/182186641796901?fref=ts</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Follow them Via Twitter here:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/bumblebar"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/bumblebar</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Due to FCC guidelines:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bumbe Bar sent me their sesame bars in exchange for a product review. All the opinions expressed are my own.</span></div></div>

BumbleBar Review

I was sent some of  Bumble Bar's  sesame snacks for review. The great thing about these bars is that they are tiny and you can put them ...

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Library Director - Milford Public Library

<strong>Library Director - </strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Milford Public Library</span></strong> is seeking a community oriented, adaptive and technically proficient Director to lead a growing, progressive library toward the next generation library. This is a unique opportunity to work in the wonderful shoreline community of Milford, Connecticut, located just 90 minutes outside of New York City. The Director will work with a dynamic Board of Directors, in a team environment composed of 15 full time, dedicated staff members, temporary workers and volunteers, to design and implement programs and services to serve a variety of cultures and age groups. Duties: For a complete job description and application, please visit our website, <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.ci.milford.ct.us" href="http://www.ci.milford.ct.us/" target="_blank">www.ci.milford.ct.us</a>. Click on City Departments, then Personnel, then Employment Opportunities. Requirements: Master’s Degree in Library Science from an accredited ALA Institution and 7 years public library experience, including five years of increasing administrative experience. Able to effectively administer and supervise the work of the Library, work well with government offices and community organizations, be a visionary for technology and libraries of the future, and act as a community outreach collaborator. Experience with SIRSI DYNIX (or similar) automated book circulation system preferred. Good sense of library public relations and publicity. Salary Range: $83 - $89.6K per year (2% increase scheduled for July 2013). Benefits: Defined benefit pension plan, medical, dental and life insurance. Paid time off includes sick time, personal business time and vacation leave. To Apply: Submit cover letter, three references, completed/signed application, and resume by <span style="color: red;">April 12, 2013</span> to John O’Connell, Personnel Director, 70 West River Street, Milford, CT 06460, or email <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us" href="mailto:lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us">lpisacane@ci.milford.ct.us</a>.

Library Director - Milford Public Library

Library Director - Milford Public Library is seeking a community oriented, adaptive and technically proficient Director to lead a growing,...

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Garnier Hydra Recharge Results

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/garnierHydra.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=5610521272&Campaign=6404167871&Uid=1264101&token=ab48985081c0a672d08bd2a42a668be9" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I've been using my Hydra Recharge products that I've received from Bzzagent and Garnier for quite some time now and love how soft it's made my hair feel.  </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm so glad I was a part of this campaign on Bzzagent because before I started using this product my hair was full of static, and sort of dried out looking.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not only does it make it oh so soft but it smells amazing!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a shot of me after I have been using it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFp7wmr24yiRxAr18cZDRG3wZrZxw4isjTS8iqGLp8HnZrV_iafzdWOr09cVtNmM31Sfh6jWeAC9bg2lYZZnJMRGy4_IjZaWMreVlNf018TovExh8wgR94cffaq0Oh53YuM0LTMEFBVE/s1600/Hydra+Recharge+results.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFp7wmr24yiRxAr18cZDRG3wZrZxw4isjTS8iqGLp8HnZrV_iafzdWOr09cVtNmM31Sfh6jWeAC9bg2lYZZnJMRGy4_IjZaWMreVlNf018TovExh8wgR94cffaq0Oh53YuM0LTMEFBVE/s320/Hydra+Recharge+results.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Garnier Hydra Recharge Results

   I've been using my Hydra Recharge products that I've received from Bzzagent and Garnier for quite some time now and love how soft...

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30 Days of writing #2: Get your students writing for 60 seconds with oneword.com

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>_____________________________________________</b></i></span><br /><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>If you are a South African teacher reading this we would like to tell you about a writing opportunity and a free online writing course that is coming up with SchoolNetSA  as part of the amazing <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2013/03/30-days-of-writing-1-welcome-to-african.html" target="_blank">African Storybook project</a> and website that is being developed for Africa. Our 30 days of writing posts will lead up to giving more information about this. WATCH THIS SPACE!</b></i></span><br /><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>__________________________________________________________</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More and more one can see how amazing it could be if all the students in a class have tablets. Imagine having just one or two minutes each day to get the students writing! This website <a href="http://oneworld.com/">http://oneworld.com</a> is designed for just that. All you have to do is:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You’ll see <strong>one word</strong> at the top of the following screen.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You have <strong>sixty seconds</strong> to write about it.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click <strong>go</strong> and the page will load with the cursor in place.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t <strong>think</strong>. Just <strong>write</strong>.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihx9GHB4MGHcDBzdrTLBOcFbUA11g3c3dteUnR4QBFAQoiayETj3sqXXNDNOSkPrI7rOiCKB4sDO2dpPCCHSVu1ooEhsPzDAMfwMt6mOFYDytbnYYdd6STgFm0Nwr_KwYl82L1YZNMM5E/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="242" /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Advantages of daily writing practise:</b></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This could get students into the habit of just writing and thinking out of the box. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By writing every day, the students gain fluency while getting a chance to practice important punctuation, spelling, and style skills in context</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The students will soon start writing more fluently. </span></li></ul><div><br /></div></div>

30 Days of Writing Writing 30 Days of writing #2: Get your students writing for 60 seconds with oneword.com

_____________________________________________ If you are a South African teacher reading this we would like to tell you about a writing oppo...

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Director - Simsbury Public Library

<b>Director - </b><b><span style="color: #48286d;">Simsbury Public Library</span></b>. The Town of Simsbury, population 23,500, is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the country. The Library Director is responsible for leading this progressive and innovative Library with a staff of 18 FTE and $1.4m annual budget. The Director advocates for the Library, plans and oversees a comprehensive offering of valuable programs serving all facets of the community, and implements policies established by the Library Board of Trustees. The Library is a Department of the Town of Simsbury. This 40 hrs/wk position has a salary range of $70,000-$105,000 and full benefits package. Minimum Qualifications: Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program. 6 years of progressively responsible experience in library work. A minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience. All applications must be submitted online only at: <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.simsbury-ct.gov/jobs" href="http://www.simsbury-ct.gov/jobs" target="_blank">www.simsbury-ct.gov/jobs</a> by Sunday, <span style="color: red;">April 14th, 2013</span>. The full job description is available on the Town’s website. If you have any problems while using the online application system, call (860) 658-3230.

Director - Simsbury Public Library

Director - Simsbury Public Library . The Town of Simsbury, population 23,500, is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in ...

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Director of Library and Information Services (LIS), Academic Affairs - Mitchell College, New London

<strong>Director of Library and Information Services (LIS), Academic Affairs - </strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Mitchell College</span></strong> (New London) is currently seeking a Director of Library and Information Services to provide the oversight, vision and leadership for Library and Information Services (LIS), which extends both throughout and beyond the institution. The Director will be responsible for the delivery of services and ensuring a supportive and collaborative environment that enables the members of the campus community to access and use information resources and technologies confidently in teaching, learning, research, administration, and outreach. The Director must support the College’s mission and values, encouraging a strong service orientation on the part of the Library and Information Services team for building working relationships campus-wide. This position reports directly to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. For a full position description, <a _fcksavedurl="http://community.mitchell.edu/document.doc?id=1411" href="http://community.mitchell.edu/document.doc?id=1411" target="_blank">click here</a>. Required Education and Experience: ALA-accredited graduate degree. Five years of supervisory, administrative, and management experience in a higher education library setting blending traditional services and an educational technology component. Exemplary communication abilities. Experience in furthering information and communication technology literacy in a higher education environment. Awareness and understanding of current and emerging technologies in higher education. Knowledge of current issues and trends in academic information services such as instructional technology and design, assessment, copyright and fair use, and scholarly communication. Demonstrated success in fostering a team-oriented, collaborative, and collegial environment. Proven record of professional ethics and a commitment to building strong relationships that are reflective of the College’s <a _fcksavedurl="http://community.mitchell.edu/Mission" href="http://community.mitchell.edu/Mission" target="_blank">mission and core values</a>, embracing individuality, inclusion, involvement, innovation, and integrity. This is an FLSA exempt (37.5 hr week) position and is paid bi-weekly, as a 100% full-time appointment, with regular College benefits. The salary is commensurate with experience and the start date will be as soon as possible after the close of the search. For full consideration, please send a cover letter, your CV/resume and 3 references (contact information or letters) by <span style="color: red;">April 16, 2013</span> to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:jobs@mitchell.edu" href="mailto:jobs@mitchell.edu">jobs@mitchell.edu</a>. For further information regarding our application procedures, you may visit <a _fcksavedurl="http://community.mitchell.edu/Employment" href="http://community.mitchell.edu/Employment" target="_blank">http://community.mitchell.edu/Employment</a>. Mitchell College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability and genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

Director of Library and Information Services (LIS), Academic Affairs - Mitchell College, New London

Director of Library and Information Services (LIS), Academic Affairs - Mitchell College (New London) is currently seeking a Director of Lib...

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Head of Facilities and Security - Russell Library, Middletown

<strong>Head of Facilities and Security - </strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Russell Library</span></strong> (Middletown) seeks a building and maintenance manager with supervisory and construction project management experience to develop and direct the maintenance, repair and upkeep of the Library’s buildings, grounds and capital equipment. This position oversees and performs security services to ensure safety of staff, patrons, and property. Applicants should have project management and supervisory experience, as well as hands-on maintenance and repair skills. The beginning salary is $58,486 per year, with benefits, for a 40-hour work week. The Head of Facilities and Security: Develops near-term and long-range plans and objectives for the department. Recommends appointments and trains, supervises and evaluates employees. Oversees the maintenance, cleaning and repair of buildings and grounds to ensure the safety and appearance of facilities. Evaluates the safety and energy efficiency of buildings and equipment and recommends repair, replacement or procedures as needed. Serves as liaison with architects, engineers, contractors and public officials on building repair or equipment replacement and with local safety officials on emergency and security issues. Develops and administers security procedures for public, employees and property, and serves as security officer while on duty. Recommends department budget and administers approved budget. Oversees purchases of equipment, materials, supplies, and vendor contracts as needed. The skills and knowledge required would generally be acquired with graduation from a vocational technical school, or successful completion of an apprenticeship training program, and five years of progressively responsible experience in building maintenance or construction work, including three years of supervisory or lead maintenance experience; or any equivalent combination of education and skills which demonstrates possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Experience and/or training in security, public safety, or law enforcement are also preferred. Candidate must be flexible about scheduling, have strong interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to maintain composure in difficult situations, sometimes involving unruly members of the public. Applications are available online at the Russell Library website: <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.russelllibrary.org/about_us/employment.html" href="http://www.russelllibrary.org/about_us/employment.html" target="_blank"> http://russelllibrary.org/about_us/employment.html</a>. Applications must be submitted by Monday, <span style="color: red;">April 1, 2013</span> to: Arthur Meyers, Library Director, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown, CT 06457.

Head of Facilities and Security - Russell Library, Middletown

Head of Facilities and Security - Russell Library (Middletown) seeks a building and maintenance manager with supervisory and construction ...

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Weathering steel

<p>Check out the patina that has developed on our Corten Steel.  It will continue to change and get darker. I love it, so organic.  </p><p>Here are some <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.505707469465594.1073741831.122333021136376&type=1">Before & After</a> pics.</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdpQdmgKMpyfzWs4njcIVBBq980EuDQNVyoXmx1mCYUjW6pcbrj4sXg2JMolIj04HtsabM1vItAyPVcTwBImz-mDHNWI833M5CxpPL_6W6uM1th2mFNEzn_r9Y4XxMW0efzzUWLpZ_rp7/s1600/20130318_151929.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdpQdmgKMpyfzWs4njcIVBBq980EuDQNVyoXmx1mCYUjW6pcbrj4sXg2JMolIj04HtsabM1vItAyPVcTwBImz-mDHNWI833M5CxpPL_6W6uM1th2mFNEzn_r9Y4XxMW0efzzUWLpZ_rp7/s400/20130318_151929.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTJRwcFaL8tO2JY-rp5f9FJD97ivYILA4PdunmEM0ZhQOcYPTjcf6KSUqhGTikzBk0Gkp3FYHvct_6l1fTOjQ6SYXwFvpgn-pI4NpyYyj2cgZqJLqgFQjdujcY65hML1P-lV37JQdePOL/s1600/20130318_152047.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTJRwcFaL8tO2JY-rp5f9FJD97ivYILA4PdunmEM0ZhQOcYPTjcf6KSUqhGTikzBk0Gkp3FYHvct_6l1fTOjQ6SYXwFvpgn-pI4NpyYyj2cgZqJLqgFQjdujcY65hML1P-lV37JQdePOL/s400/20130318_152047.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TJcUzhLhBd6G-I6R6dF14HM_Eg3l7-xcZwnHPWLTTLgHfnhgi_KekUlnP3uZlTMSSGWDaftrUW6xR05asJvSRWEwy66tTdO3JcYBlDv_f6sitDNqwA9qAiwJp5QkEVpSpS8M5hY4Bdj/s1600/20130318_152059.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TJcUzhLhBd6G-I6R6dF14HM_Eg3l7-xcZwnHPWLTTLgHfnhgi_KekUlnP3uZlTMSSGWDaftrUW6xR05asJvSRWEwy66tTdO3JcYBlDv_f6sitDNqwA9qAiwJp5QkEVpSpS8M5hY4Bdj/s400/20130318_152059.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU4yFrWQcgs44CTqPcnqkYdisk73ajfmfKLrqoAjHPsJVYEoZ_gn20Fij7NlyI7feCGgi9W4PjRXRSwTeY8nvvHA2yB3xMu87h6Ol5FllH-HASAAtyRrZ_CBTWu_MXKpLpntN8vMjKoDd/s1600/20130318_152006.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU4yFrWQcgs44CTqPcnqkYdisk73ajfmfKLrqoAjHPsJVYEoZ_gn20Fij7NlyI7feCGgi9W4PjRXRSwTeY8nvvHA2yB3xMu87h6Ol5FllH-HASAAtyRrZ_CBTWu_MXKpLpntN8vMjKoDd/s400/20130318_152006.jpg" /> </a> </div>

Weathering steel

Check out the patina that has developed on our Corten Steel.  It will continue to change and get darker. I love it, so organic.  Here are so...

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Wilkies Chocolate

<p>I saw an article in the Irish Times about a new chocolate maker in Dublin.  <a href="http://wilkieschocolate.ie/">Wilkies Chocolate</a> is handmade in Dun Laoghaire using a process that takes five days or so .  I saw that bars were available in<a href="http://www.fixxcoffeehouse.ie/"> Fixx Coffee</a> in Dawson street for €4.95 so we popped in to get a bar and see what it tasted like.</p><p>It is nicely packaged (a little too much glue on the seal however makes it difficult to open without breaking the chocolate thereby robbing you of your first chocolate "snap") in brown paper with an attractive print.</p><p>Taste wise it is a very bitter chocolate that goes well with coffee. I love bitter chocolate so I thought it was delicious.</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefHwPCbTygMZSe2hB21WLx6fClklFZGrWaYHDNcJ_K3xaVFaSe2p2N7Smd1eruFxfV7iucozYGqNGcGzhW0Kaq27Xc9ZuN3KpU1WKoEETnuIrUfboZP6TxcOwvspe5rbSMT5RQzWDlxOc/s1600/20130318_154848.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefHwPCbTygMZSe2hB21WLx6fClklFZGrWaYHDNcJ_K3xaVFaSe2p2N7Smd1eruFxfV7iucozYGqNGcGzhW0Kaq27Xc9ZuN3KpU1WKoEETnuIrUfboZP6TxcOwvspe5rbSMT5RQzWDlxOc/s400/20130318_154848.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEF3N_SixEfzckdtUO5HIgPauHbGEkNEc3kJGgxhmkdAMf65UA5ATideKyrat3YdieLGsEZiBvY35fB87qD7AeB8jzU07-LARwM1cIMV6ZLZnXv0au2q1jHOFY0S8o3Uagadb5Ahw2OquZ/s1600/20130318_154654.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEF3N_SixEfzckdtUO5HIgPauHbGEkNEc3kJGgxhmkdAMf65UA5ATideKyrat3YdieLGsEZiBvY35fB87qD7AeB8jzU07-LARwM1cIMV6ZLZnXv0au2q1jHOFY0S8o3Uagadb5Ahw2OquZ/s400/20130318_154654.jpg" /> </a> </div>

Wilkies Chocolate

I saw an article in the Irish Times about a new chocolate maker in Dublin.  Wilkies Chocolate is handmade in Dun Laoghaire using a process ...

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The Farm

Ciaran ate breakfast in The Farm awhile back and said it was the best breakfast ever. This a restaurant that prides itself on the quality of its food and is fully organic. We went this morning and I can honestly say it was the best poached eggs and sausage I have ever tasted. It was cooked unbelievably well and service was great too. This is another place that we will now have to try for dinner! <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB9YdpQZYHhdcLUZwVpUf6UUk-Xm_nBHvr52UBDDQkjbRlE_ot2oXpjK_YlJUTTEavChrx0MPZDhM2Paa0e1he0_A6CFdn7e-YfKDzeXRgYU-lXt5EV5R7aNrd_fvV6zU7zILfGEO20OR/s640/blogger-image-1432608353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB9YdpQZYHhdcLUZwVpUf6UUk-Xm_nBHvr52UBDDQkjbRlE_ot2oXpjK_YlJUTTEavChrx0MPZDhM2Paa0e1he0_A6CFdn7e-YfKDzeXRgYU-lXt5EV5R7aNrd_fvV6zU7zILfGEO20OR/s640/blogger-image-1432608353.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxu72Tjl388uWgt8eBd14HY1TDnwt-EhVzR8TohLPQwdQclFsSkGZlw0VQJttzVHLahuKDRX1A0rNLOAGzP5P_T6sdxASSuxvsd5Yukifkr9PiND1Ql42mTYw1oFr99Uod-GXWIpeo1x3/s640/blogger-image--783833532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxu72Tjl388uWgt8eBd14HY1TDnwt-EhVzR8TohLPQwdQclFsSkGZlw0VQJttzVHLahuKDRX1A0rNLOAGzP5P_T6sdxASSuxvsd5Yukifkr9PiND1Ql42mTYw1oFr99Uod-GXWIpeo1x3/s640/blogger-image--783833532.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTRvbKniX-8gnNAqQeEx-GHp0gv8Pamu0WRGmHZ1npfUQqihDCgJ119qbfTKJb1Oq95B0GwUhar10mKyCMUB-qYKMyaYQT8B6wyv4oJwZ17D5T7K27BQChGwKGeE26OJKvKuL8AO5-kmU/s640/blogger-image--1722800222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTRvbKniX-8gnNAqQeEx-GHp0gv8Pamu0WRGmHZ1npfUQqihDCgJ119qbfTKJb1Oq95B0GwUhar10mKyCMUB-qYKMyaYQT8B6wyv4oJwZ17D5T7K27BQChGwKGeE26OJKvKuL8AO5-kmU/s640/blogger-image--1722800222.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPKrU0fUG-NxFupEEsU2LfxB0ZK4GYKKa1U2Y61bw4tjUSsiEJ2aMymYNiNAvba-2v_197lz64aqL04DGWm-UvfMS_ZOn6d6uO6AZLnnVaMN2DpspYNg_OhLgZOXjRJSlh7RhukOTMKs2/s640/blogger-image--393086799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPKrU0fUG-NxFupEEsU2LfxB0ZK4GYKKa1U2Y61bw4tjUSsiEJ2aMymYNiNAvba-2v_197lz64aqL04DGWm-UvfMS_ZOn6d6uO6AZLnnVaMN2DpspYNg_OhLgZOXjRJSlh7RhukOTMKs2/s640/blogger-image--393086799.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvD_8Vx6wEH_r2odc0XBNdOBEQHqXEnhbndA156_SDzofYlUbeWjm9rhCnmGiLMe0iuc_CJ-xmrUupHjTm-VIx95ERYsJzQ_4e-lN5dpHErdK_fDSCxJvnQCMwXOQoZCdtWia8R1XIyoM/s640/blogger-image--257645456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvD_8Vx6wEH_r2odc0XBNdOBEQHqXEnhbndA156_SDzofYlUbeWjm9rhCnmGiLMe0iuc_CJ-xmrUupHjTm-VIx95ERYsJzQ_4e-lN5dpHErdK_fDSCxJvnQCMwXOQoZCdtWia8R1XIyoM/s640/blogger-image--257645456.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodKUcixAYpHUhEZXpcqeV_q5sdkb5m-kg2H5yF-1ZRGEUhzu4rq7fUrEPR2H7Mgp-vSpG6juoGKk9eMqiJiRM3LmK6r-MAXsUUrXFFRJGjJJMD415fOGRIN0_aO5D0dGAychR6NXpz23D/s640/blogger-image--825263454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodKUcixAYpHUhEZXpcqeV_q5sdkb5m-kg2H5yF-1ZRGEUhzu4rq7fUrEPR2H7Mgp-vSpG6juoGKk9eMqiJiRM3LmK6r-MAXsUUrXFFRJGjJJMD415fOGRIN0_aO5D0dGAychR6NXpz23D/s640/blogger-image--825263454.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43okKOEBKG5BqpgKCyavpeneR8cW59N1_4nofmNK90Q6JzmNDQRx7wO2csed3ujqICIc5vnrmavQLKGVNw7Mg7TpJbksJm8Ov1leJPmzEEKXcFuTEs9We0SkZOyYGWYJc5147QxvO-lwH/s640/blogger-image--2036545777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43okKOEBKG5BqpgKCyavpeneR8cW59N1_4nofmNK90Q6JzmNDQRx7wO2csed3ujqICIc5vnrmavQLKGVNw7Mg7TpJbksJm8Ov1leJPmzEEKXcFuTEs9We0SkZOyYGWYJc5147QxvO-lwH/s640/blogger-image--2036545777.jpg" /></a></div>

The Farm

Ciaran ate breakfast in The Farm awhile back and said it was the best breakfast ever. This a restaurant that prides itself on the quality of...

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Women and the Treatment of Pain - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><nyt_text style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div id="articleBody"><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">To the list of differences between men and women, we can add one more: the drug-dose gender gap. Doctors and researchers increasingly understand that there can be striking variations in the way men and women respond to drugs, many of which are tested almost exclusively on males. Early this year, for instance, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was cutting in half the<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/health/fda-requires-cuts-to-dosages-of-ambien-and-other-sleep-drugs.html" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">prescribed dose of Ambien</a> for women, who remained drowsy for longer than men after taking the drug.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Women have hormonal cycles, smaller organs, higher body fat composition — all of which are thought to play a role in how drugs affect our bodies. We also have basic differences in gene expression, which can make <a href="http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hs_healthfacts_dat" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">differences in the way we metabolize drugs</a>. For example, men metabolize caffeine more quickly, while women metabolize certain antibiotics and anxiety medications more quickly. In some cases, drugs work less effectively depending on sex; women are less responsive to anesthesia and ibuprofen for instance. In other cases, women are at more risk for adverse — even lethal — side effects.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">These differences are particularly important for the millions of women living with chronic pain. An estimated 25 percent of Americans experience chronic pain, and a disproportionate number of them are women. A review published in the Journal of Pain in 2009 found that women faced a substantially greater risk of developing pain conditions. They are twice as likely to have multiple sclerosis, two to three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and four times more likely to have chronic fatigue syndrome than men. As a whole, autoimmune diseases, which often include debilitating pain, <a href="https://www.aarda.org/women_and_autoimmunity.php" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">strike women three times more frequently than men</a>.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">While hormonal, genetic and even environmental factors might influence the manifestation and progression of autoimmune diseases, we don't yet know the reason for this high prevalence in women.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Pain conditions are a particularly good example of the interplay between sex (our biological and chromosomal differences) and gender (the cultural roles and expectations attributed to a person). In 2011, the Institute of Medicine published a report on the public health impact of chronic pain, called "Relieving Pain in America." It found that not only did women appear to suffer more from pain, but that women's reports of pain were more likely to be dismissed.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">This is a serious problem, because pain is subjective and self-reported, and diagnosis and treatment depend on the assumption that the person reporting symptoms is beyond doubt.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The oft-cited study "The Girl Who Cried Pain: A Bias Against Women in the Treatment of Pain" found that women were less likely to receive aggressive treatment when diagnosed, and were more likely to have their pain characterized as "emotional," "psychogenic" and therefore "not real."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Instead of appropriate care for physical pain, this can lead to treatment for mental health issues that might not even exist. The situation is further complicated by the fact that antidepressants are absorbed differently in women and vary in effectiveness, depending on hormonal cycles.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The routine attribution of abdominal pain from conditions like appendicitis or gastrointestinal disease to gynecological problems can also delay or complicate the diagnostic process. A 2008 study published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine, designed to gauge gender disparities among emergency room patients complaining of abdominal pain, found that even after adjusting for race, class and triage assessment, women were still 13 to 25 percent less likely than men to receive high-strength "opioid" pain medication. Those who did get opioid pain relievers waited an average of 16 minutes longer to receive them.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, for which definitive causes have not been identified and concrete diagnostic tests are not available, illustrate the problems associated with the perceived reliability of the female patient as narrator of her pain. Women are more likely to receive diagnoses of many of these more nebulous conditions — fibromyalgia, which affects about six million patients in the United States, is nine times more likely to be diagnosed in women than in men — and this discrepancy surely contributes to the widespread skepticism that still exists over the legitimacy of these disorders.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">I AM a sufferer of pain and chronic disease. Like many, I've had physical symptoms (in my case, respiratory problems and infections) explained away as emotional. My freshman year in college, I was in the emergency room, flanked by machines and struggling to breathe while doctors lobbed questions at me: Why wasn't I responding to the medication the way they expected I would? Was I just too anxious? Could I not handle stress, and was that making me sick?</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">I was 23 before I was given a correct diagnosis of a rare genetic lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia. I'd been sick since birth, but long diagnostic journeys are occupational hazards of living with conditions doctors don't often see. Still, my journey was unnecessarily protracted by my doctors' dismissal of my symptoms as those of a neurotic young woman.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">For all the medical advances of the past few decades, we still know shockingly little about pain and how to control it. Sex-based research is a crucial part of understanding not just the underlying mechanisms of pain, but the most effective ways to treat it for men and women alike. The Institute of Medicine report found gaps in research, particularly in terms of effective treatments, as well as in the oversight of pain research. The report recommended that these problems be addressed and that strategies to resolve them be implemented by 2015.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Among those improvements must be a renewed focus on discovering why women respond differently to some drugs and diseases, as well as an emphasis on training physicians to better diagnose and manage women's pain. A report by the Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women found that inadequate physician training in diagnosing and treating just six pain disorders that affect women either exclusively or predominantly, including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, added as much as $80 billion a year to America's health care bills.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Part of the reason the diagnosis and treatment of women's pain lag so much is simply the pace of medical research itself, which is slow to move from publication to clinical practice. Unfortunately, if anything, changes in assumptions about gender evolve even more slowly.</p><nyt_author_id><div class="authorIdentification" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 15px !important; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 24px; font-style: italic; ">Laurie Edwards is <a href="http://www.laurieedwardswriter.com/blog/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px !important; line-height: 22px; ">the author</a> of the forthcoming book "In the Kingdom of the Sick: A Social History of Chronic Illness in America" and a writing teacher at Northeastern University.</div></div></nyt_author_id><nyt_correction_bottom><div class="articleCorrection" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em; "></div></nyt_correction_bottom><nyt_update_bottom></nyt_update_bottom></div></nyt_text><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; "></span></div><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/opinion/sunday/women-and-the-treatment-of-pain.html?_r=1&&pagewanted=print">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/opinion/sunday/women-and-the-treatment-of-pain.html?_r=1&&pagewanted=print</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Women and the Treatment of Pain - NYTimes.com

To the list of differences between men and women, we can add one more: the drug-dose gender gap. Doctors and researchers increasingly unders...

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How to Watch March Madness Live Online

NCAA March Madness 2013 starts off with the selection Sunday on 17th March and the Final 4 on April 6th.The Final Four weekend will have loads of action with a Special Pre-Game Musical Performance, Final 4 team open practices, Reese's College All-Star Game and more.<br /><br />The <b>March Madness Schedule for 2013</b> starts off with 68 teams and looks like this<br /><br />March 19-20 - First Round<br /><br />March 21 - 22 - Second Round<br /><br />March 23-24 - Third Round <br /><br />Regionals<br /><br />March 28-29th - Sweet 16<br /><br />March 30th - 31st - Elite 8<br /><br />April - 6th  - Final Four<br /><br />The culmination of NCAA Championship Games with the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Games Finals on April 8th to be held at the Georgia Dome at Georgia, Atlanta.<br /><br />Watch the NCAA Championship Games or the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Games Finals or the <b>March Madness Live Online Streaming</b> at the official NCAA Basketball MMOD website.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ncaa.com/march-madness.">http://www.ncaa.com/march-madness.</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />You can collect your printable March Madness Bracket at any of the sports website. Here is a link to one<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2013/3/17/4116652/ncaa-bracket-2013-full-printable-march-madness-bracket">http://www.sbnation.com/2013/3/17/4116652/ncaa-bracket-2013-full-printable-march-madness-bracket</a><br /><br />Here is something interesting that says its a complete "Idiots Guide to Filling Out Multiple March Madness Brackets" at Bleacher Report!<br /><br /><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1571559-complete-idiots-guide-to-filling-out-multiple-march-madness-brackets">http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1571559-complete-idiots-guide-to-filling-out-multiple-march-madness-brackets</a><br /><br />So Basketball buffs  - March is for you!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

March Madness Live Online Streaming March Madness Schedule NCAA Basketball MMOD NCAA Championship Games printable March Madness Bracket How to Watch March Madness Live Online

NCAA March Madness 2013 starts off with the selection Sunday on 17th March and the Final 4 on April 6th.The Final Four weekend will have loa...

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Giveaway Reminders

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a reminder if you enter any of my giveaways you have to follow my blog and also do the tasks to enter such as follow me on Twitter etc.</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and have a nice day! </span></u></b></div>

Giveaway Reminders

Just a reminder if you enter any of my giveaways you have to follow my blog and also do the tasks to enter such as follow me on Twitter etc....

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Sometimes Ya Got Nothing...And Everything!!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cheeeeeeers!!  Post-St. Patrick’s Day Matt-Man here…<br /><br />Hey…I have a question for you all.  Have you ever fallen asleep at you’re your computer at say, 10:30 at night when you are supposed to have something up on your website by midnight?<br /><br />No…Well I have!!  And that happened to me last night…go figure, right?<br /><br />So, I wake up 7:30 this morning and I…gots…nothin’.<br /><br />So I say to myself…”Hey the Irish had<i> their</i> day yesterday, let’s give the Colombians and the British<i> their</i> day today.”  So Here I go…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7b0R8zefrOytgUc-hutAQqBBpRr74HqjG1xslzp_wZhnMZQoLu_3IY92ziK10PZuODKYIg6svm7BgdwLYX8TX_Xh4COqk5Vdi8AFy78Mvq1iA9lti5x4cn6ADaC7E6LzdS09qRcbRaY/s1600/Sofia+Vergara+Sexy+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7b0R8zefrOytgUc-hutAQqBBpRr74HqjG1xslzp_wZhnMZQoLu_3IY92ziK10PZuODKYIg6svm7BgdwLYX8TX_Xh4COqk5Vdi8AFy78Mvq1iA9lti5x4cn6ADaC7E6LzdS09qRcbRaY/s400/Sofia+Vergara+Sexy+Hot.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Brilliant right?  Hell yes it is and thank you, this concludes my post.<br /><br />Ohhhhhhhh okay…I really don’t have anything, so let’s talk about yesterday’s IWS Radio Show which was AWESOME!!<br /><br />Jayman and I launched our new two hour format, and by golly, we filled 1 hour and 58 minutes of it.  Not too bad for our first foray into a long show.<br /><br />In addition to Jay and I being our typical charming and witty selves, we had laughter, music, and entertainment galore!!<br /><br />We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and all things Ireland as only IWS Radio can.<br /><br />We had music from The Cranberries, The Irish Rovers, Denis Leary, and many others.<br /><br />We called out and got LIVE, on the street reports of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, from Billy the Kid who was tending the Beer Mine, and my brother Marty who was setting up for his band’s gig at the Buckeye Club here in Bagwine, Ohio!!  Those two provided us and everyone with some good radio right there.<br /><br />Kirk Douglas gave a very impassioned weather report.  We drooled uncontrollably as we listened to a piece from the Dick Morris political file.  And we had local Redneckville news covered with a straightforward report by Dixie Ozark on chickens gone bad.<br /><br />We talked Pope Francis, CPAC, and St. Patrick’s Day plans.  And in addition…<br /><br />Joshua revealed the low down happenings in Hollywood, Paul Piatt read some very moving and uplifting Irish poetry, Slyder Balzcock reported on the All-Ireland Hurling Finals, and our very own Buddy Acapella sang Lily the Pink.<br /><br />Folks, you need to listen to this show, because you won’t find funnier shows this on Cable TV.<br /><br />Thanks to those of you listened LIVE and if you’d like to listen to the show in archives you can click on the IWS Funny Machine right c’here…<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="105" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4547455&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4547455&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="105" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object></div><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;"></div><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /> <a href="http://mattmaniws@ymail.com%20/">mattmaniws@ymail.com </a><br /><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS">@mattman_iws</a></span></div>

Sometimes Ya Got Nothing...And Everything!!

Cheeeeeeers!!  Post-St. Patrick’s Day Matt-Man here… Hey…I have a question for you all.  Have you ever fallen asleep at you’re your computer...

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monday monday

Top 'o the morning to ya. (sorry, I couldn't resist) I trust you had a wonderful weekend and are just pleased as punch for another Monday.<br /><br />Spring break has begun at my house so I have two girls at home just waiting to be entertained. They will be so excited to hear that they get to spend the day running <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/one-room-challenge.html" target="_blank">ORC</a> errands with me. That is what I call spring break fun.<br /><br />While I give the girls the good news I'll leave you with this picture. A last bit of green to wrap up the holiday weekend.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1WVCFWkltKJV1RlSdzrl6kkV8caAX8Hif8J4JMmXp9vDMe2gMySuwi616P5rZoWvivRn-Ck9W0ddH0siMBc0GHeDHyM8pSbUUpTdZTAGKzwHb0g2wpA83eKxRXJDkgJIf1l1dTLy9qNV/s1600/beach-house-decorating-ideas-0710.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1WVCFWkltKJV1RlSdzrl6kkV8caAX8Hif8J4JMmXp9vDMe2gMySuwi616P5rZoWvivRn-Ck9W0ddH0siMBc0GHeDHyM8pSbUUpTdZTAGKzwHb0g2wpA83eKxRXJDkgJIf1l1dTLy9qNV/s640/beach-house-decorating-ideas-0710.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/beach-house-decorating-ideas-0710?src=spr_FBPAGE&spr_id=1451_7298511" target="_blank">source</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>See you back here on Wednesday for the <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/one-room-challenge.html" target="_blank">big reveal!!!</a><div><br /></div>

spring monday monday

Top 'o the morning to ya. (sorry, I couldn't resist) I trust you had a wonderful weekend and are just pleased as punch for another M...

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