These past 2 weeks have been huge for football fans all over the world with the double header in england,the milan derby in italy and the el derby in spain.This is the stuff that football paradise is made of!
As a Chelsea fan,it wasn't particularly a joy for me to watch as the guys lost to wenger's side somewhat undeservedly but lost all the pity they deserved with a shockingly anemic display at ewood park.
From the neutral perspective however,some great football was on display with deep strategic battles all over the pitch at anfield and the emirates in both double header games.It goes without saying that the 3 points were massive in both situations, what with liverpool dropping off the pace 10 points adrift of leaders arsenal.
It's all a strange feeling of deja vu as i see both man-utd and arsenal churning out victories even when they were not playing that well...an oft cited mark of champions in this league.
We all know that the African cup of nations will play a big part in the coming weeks...but just how much arsenal and chelsea would be affected remains to be seen...fergie will certainly be rubbing his hands with glee.One thing that's certain is that pompey are bound to head straight for the mid-table anonimity they are better acquainted with after what amounts to 1/2 of the 1st team head to ghana.
The milan derby did not throw up much surprise in the final result since most watchers expect inter to stroll to the scudetto again this season...what was surprising was how balanced the game itself appeared to be.I frankly expected the agility and youth of inter to overwhelm an aged rossoneri well past its sell-by date...at least liverpool will take some solace in this fact as they prepare to upstage the nerazurri in the knock-out stages of the champs lge.(ancelloti may wanna investigate how dida conveniently misjudged that 2nd goal though)
The el derby was the grandest surprise of them all.Just how Baptista managed to wreck catalan festive celebration is still beyond me.Look at this barca team...with more household names than any other team in the world,yet they've been turning out some dismal results of late.All is not well at the Nou camp and they need to call an inquest.Ronaldinho was not even going to start this one...and what was yaya toure doing in the starting line up??If he's that good then it may confirm a popular notion that other african teams are merely going to accra to watch the ivoreans crowned african champs in february.
I wish y'all a merry xmas and a prosperous,happy new year.For football fans,it promises to be a bumper package of african cup of nations,knock-out stages of champs lge,premiership photo finish and the european cup (minus england!).
Bring it on.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Giggle
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago,but I don't know where I am."
The woman below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied thewoman, "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help so far."
The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."
"I am, "replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
The woman below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied thewoman, "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help so far."
The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."
"I am, "replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
Middle class
Recent events in my personal life have inevitably shifted the focus of the microscope on the concept of the 'middle class' in america.
In his last campaign for the oval office,senator John McCain was heavily criticized by the conservative far right after he'd succintly referred to them as 'agents of intolerance'.This is just one of a cacophony of political suicidal acts that had ensured the maverick senator from arizona may never occupy the white house.
If you need any reminders about the struggling american economic middle class,you only need to tune in to CNN in the early evenings to hear the rants of Lou Dobbs who by now sounds like a broken record on this issue and his other trademark:'illegal immigration'.
Sadly,though,the economy is not the only facet of american life where the middle class seems to be vanishing.Every ideological,religious and philosophical dimension is dominated by extremism these days....you are either a religious fanatic or a psychopathic infidel,disgracefully liberal or boringly conservative,pet worshipper or dog fighter,far left or far right.Any attempt to even try to pander to both sides meets with comparable dogged opposition and you end up friend of neither and even foe to all!
Noone can share a harmless joke any more..and you ignore political correctness at your own peril...ask Don Imus. Many miss the 60s and 70s (probably best remembered as the age of innocence) when you could allow your kids to ride their bicycles in the open street in the neighbourhood while you enjoyed the game on TV. All that is gone as pedophiles now rule the streets.
One just hopes that in all things,common sense and tolerance will prevail.It is crucial for our continued mutual existence to be able to accomodate differences in opinion and beliefs no matter how diametrically opposed to ours.
Bring back the middle class.
In his last campaign for the oval office,senator John McCain was heavily criticized by the conservative far right after he'd succintly referred to them as 'agents of intolerance'.This is just one of a cacophony of political suicidal acts that had ensured the maverick senator from arizona may never occupy the white house.
If you need any reminders about the struggling american economic middle class,you only need to tune in to CNN in the early evenings to hear the rants of Lou Dobbs who by now sounds like a broken record on this issue and his other trademark:'illegal immigration'.
Sadly,though,the economy is not the only facet of american life where the middle class seems to be vanishing.Every ideological,religious and philosophical dimension is dominated by extremism these days....you are either a religious fanatic or a psychopathic infidel,disgracefully liberal or boringly conservative,pet worshipper or dog fighter,far left or far right.Any attempt to even try to pander to both sides meets with comparable dogged opposition and you end up friend of neither and even foe to all!
Noone can share a harmless joke any more..and you ignore political correctness at your own peril...ask Don Imus. Many miss the 60s and 70s (probably best remembered as the age of innocence) when you could allow your kids to ride their bicycles in the open street in the neighbourhood while you enjoyed the game on TV. All that is gone as pedophiles now rule the streets.
One just hopes that in all things,common sense and tolerance will prevail.It is crucial for our continued mutual existence to be able to accomodate differences in opinion and beliefs no matter how diametrically opposed to ours.
Bring back the middle class.
syndrome of the week
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder that involves a distorted body image. It is generally diagnosed in those who are extremely critical of their physique or self-image, despite the fact there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.
Most people wish they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance, but people suffering from BDD, generally considered of normal or even attractive appearance, believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation at their appearance. They tend to be very secretive and reluctant to seek help because they are afraid others will think them vain or they may feel too embarrassed to do so.
Ironically, BDD is often misunderstood as a vanity-driven obsession, whereas it is quite the opposite; people with BDD believe themselves to be irrevocably ugly or defective.
BDD combines obsessive and compulsive aspects, which links it to the OCD spectrum disorders among psychologists. People with BDD may engage in compulsive mirror checking behaviors or mirror avoidance, typically think about their appearance for more than one hour a day, and in severe cases may drop all social contact and responsibilities as they become homebound. The disorder is linked to an unusually high suicide rate among all mental disorders.
A German study has shown that 1-2% of the population meet all the diagnostic criteria of BDD, with a larger percentage showing milder symptoms of the disorder (Psychological Medicine, vol 36, p 877). Chronically low self-esteem is characteristic of those with BDD, due to the value of oneself being so closely linked with one's perceived appearance. The prevalence of BDD is equal in men and women, and causes chronic social anxiety for those suffering from the disorder.
Most people wish they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance, but people suffering from BDD, generally considered of normal or even attractive appearance, believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation at their appearance. They tend to be very secretive and reluctant to seek help because they are afraid others will think them vain or they may feel too embarrassed to do so.
Ironically, BDD is often misunderstood as a vanity-driven obsession, whereas it is quite the opposite; people with BDD believe themselves to be irrevocably ugly or defective.
BDD combines obsessive and compulsive aspects, which links it to the OCD spectrum disorders among psychologists. People with BDD may engage in compulsive mirror checking behaviors or mirror avoidance, typically think about their appearance for more than one hour a day, and in severe cases may drop all social contact and responsibilities as they become homebound. The disorder is linked to an unusually high suicide rate among all mental disorders.
A German study has shown that 1-2% of the population meet all the diagnostic criteria of BDD, with a larger percentage showing milder symptoms of the disorder (Psychological Medicine, vol 36, p 877). Chronically low self-esteem is characteristic of those with BDD, due to the value of oneself being so closely linked with one's perceived appearance. The prevalence of BDD is equal in men and women, and causes chronic social anxiety for those suffering from the disorder.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Syndrome of the week
Cheyne-Stokes respiration (also known as periodic breathing) is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by oscillation of ventilation between apnea and hyperpnea, to compensate for changing serum partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The condition was named after John Cheyne and William Stokes, the physicians who described it.
This abnormal pattern of breathing can be seen in patients with strokes, head injuries or brain tumors, and in patients with congestive heart failure. In some instances, it can occur in otherwise normal people during sleep at high altitudes. It can occur in all forms of toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. It is a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning, along with syncope or coma.
Hospice personnel often note the presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing as a patient nears death, and report that patients able to speak after such episodes do not report any distress associated with the breathing, although it is sometimes disturbing to the family. This type of respiration is also often seen after morphine administration.
Cheyne-Stokes respirations are not the same as Biot's respirations ("cluster breathing"), where groups of breaths tend to be similar in size. They differ from Kussmaul respirations in that the Kussmaul pattern is one of consistent very deep breathing at a decreased or normal rate.
N.B: I previously worked at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland where a big Neurology unit is named after William Stokes who also co-described the Stokes-Adams attack.
The condition was named after John Cheyne and William Stokes, the physicians who described it.
This abnormal pattern of breathing can be seen in patients with strokes, head injuries or brain tumors, and in patients with congestive heart failure. In some instances, it can occur in otherwise normal people during sleep at high altitudes. It can occur in all forms of toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. It is a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning, along with syncope or coma.
Hospice personnel often note the presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing as a patient nears death, and report that patients able to speak after such episodes do not report any distress associated with the breathing, although it is sometimes disturbing to the family. This type of respiration is also often seen after morphine administration.
Cheyne-Stokes respirations are not the same as Biot's respirations ("cluster breathing"), where groups of breaths tend to be similar in size. They differ from Kussmaul respirations in that the Kussmaul pattern is one of consistent very deep breathing at a decreased or normal rate.
N.B: I previously worked at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland where a big Neurology unit is named after William Stokes who also co-described the Stokes-Adams attack.
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