Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Bad Commentors
Due to constant posting by people with links to porn I have had to curb commenting rights. Sorry for the inconvenience, but it's a hassle having to always moderate the comments for crap.
Artistic Solar Panels Catch More Sun + Look Good Doing It
Solar panels are traditionally flat, and there’s a problem with that: they can only catch some rays from one angle. If they are to get the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day, they need to track the sun’s movement in the sky and readjust their positions which, of course, takes electricity. Therefore, the ideal way to generate solar power would be to maximize the usable surface area of the solar panel. MIT power engineering professor Jeffrey Grossman thinks he might have the perfect way to do that.
For inspiration, Grossman looked toward trees: they spread their leaves in every direction to ensure they get as much sunlight as possible. Then he and a graduate student went to work developing a computer program that would use the principles of evolution to “grow” the most efficient solar collectors possible. The results were these strangely beautiful origami-like structures with multiple surfaces.
Artistic Solar Panels Catch More Sun + Look Good Doing It
Solar panels are traditionally flat, and there’s a problem with that: they can only catch some rays from one angle. If they are to get the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day, they need to track the sun’s movement in the sky and readjust their positions which, of course, takes electricity. Therefore, the ideal way to generate solar power would be to maximize the usable surface area of the solar panel. MIT power engineering professor Jeffrey Grossman thinks he might have the perfect way to do that.
For inspiration, Grossman looked toward trees: they spread their leaves in every direction to ensure they get as much sunlight as possible. Then he and a graduate student went to work developing a computer program that would use the principles of evolution to “grow” the most efficient solar collectors possible. The results were these strangely beautiful origami-like structures with multiple surfaces.
These folded designs are about two and a half times more efficient than flat solar panels, and they can produce energy throughout the entire day while staying stationary. Some of the shapes created by the program were so complicated that they would be impossible to produce in the physical form, so the team simplified them. Grossman believes that these efficient solar panels could be shipped to their destinations flat, then simply folded out once they’re in place. The team is continuing their research and gearing up to produce a prototype.
For inspiration, Grossman looked toward trees: they spread their leaves in every direction to ensure they get as much sunlight as possible. Then he and a graduate student went to work developing a computer program that would use the principles of evolution to “grow” the most efficient solar collectors possible. The results were these strangely beautiful origami-like structures with multiple surfaces.
Artistic Solar Panels Catch More Sun + Look Good Doing It
Solar panels are traditionally flat, and there’s a problem with that: they can only catch some rays from one angle. If they are to get the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day, they need to track the sun’s movement in the sky and readjust their positions which, of course, takes electricity. Therefore, the ideal way to generate solar power would be to maximize the usable surface area of the solar panel. MIT power engineering professor Jeffrey Grossman thinks he might have the perfect way to do that.
For inspiration, Grossman looked toward trees: they spread their leaves in every direction to ensure they get as much sunlight as possible. Then he and a graduate student went to work developing a computer program that would use the principles of evolution to “grow” the most efficient solar collectors possible. The results were these strangely beautiful origami-like structures with multiple surfaces.
These folded designs are about two and a half times more efficient than flat solar panels, and they can produce energy throughout the entire day while staying stationary. Some of the shapes created by the program were so complicated that they would be impossible to produce in the physical form, so the team simplified them. Grossman believes that these efficient solar panels could be shipped to their destinations flat, then simply folded out once they’re in place. The team is continuing their research and gearing up to produce a prototype.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Free Thinker
Not too long ago an acquaintance sent me a passive aggressive email about how great his religion is and daring me to pass it along if I 'didn't care what other people thought'.
Those afraid of being judged or hated or ridiculed he thought would be the 'strong' ones to pass it along. But he never thought, those who do not agree, and who were not afraid of judgment, hatred, or ridicule from him, would choose not to pass it along. Perhaps it was the arrogance of the assumption that what he had to say was so great and trying to 'trick' others into doing what he wanted was such an underhanded tactic.
So I wrote back to him. If you don't care what your friends have to say, why choose to be friends with them? True friends will look out for you and give you advice, wanted and unwanted, because they care. If you did not think they cared, if you did not CARE that they cared, why do you have friends at all?
I chose my friends carefully. They will call me out on my actions if they think I'm wrong. Their perspectives are different, but they do so because they care about me. If I dismissed what they had to say, it means I think little of them as friends. To me, that is wrong. Great friends I hold onto because what they say and do are good and they help me be a better person. And the guy who sent me the email was merely someone I met once in my life and had a rare correspondence with. He never struck me as a genuine person because it seemed like, one day a month, he got some program to generate emails for him in reply to everyone in his inbox. Sure he sort-of answered the emails, but not in a way like he read them. More like a passing glance or misinterpretation.
Well, he definitely cared what I had to think, he just didn't care about the minor details such as what I was saying, just that I disagreed with his tactics and personally, I disagreed with many things in the overall literature in which he chose to pick out a few pretty lines. Those lines didn't define the work as a whole and as a result, it would give the false impression that the work was, in my opinion, good, or that I agreed.
I said, thank you for thinking what you wrote was to help people, but I don't agree with the origins or the beliefs. But in thank you, I give you a quote from another religion that is very wise,
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." -- Buddha
My acquaintance was absolute appalled that I would quote from Buddha. How dare I remember something a scam artist and human turned idol to be worshipped said? Despite what Buddha said making sense and the fact that my acquaintance knew nothing about Buddha, (and no, the guy didn't even read the quote either. Just that I used something said in another religion offended the hell out of him.)
He responded with more passages from the work of his religion and how his god gave me free will but I'm choosing wrong by not following his word, (which pretty much aren't his god's words but rules and regulations cobbled together by a bunch of power hungry old men). In addition, I am foolish to think that I could decide for myself what is right or wrong or that the morals I follow are decent, (since I didn't learn them from his religion, common sense and decency just doesn't exist in people who aren't of his ways). To top it off, he added, if I did believe in his god, I would be living in paradise after death. Wow, doesn't that sound dandy?
So, instead of trying to be a good person through opening my eyes and learning and doing good, and especially trying to be a good person, not for any reward, but just because I think that's the right way to live my life, is wrong?
There has to be a carrot at the end of the stick or threat of eternal torment?
My email in response called him out on his hypocrisy and passive aggressive techniques to force his beliefs on me, and that he really didn't know anything about his religion at all. I kept thinking of this great scene from 'Chicago', the movie, where Lucy Liu finds her lover in bed with another woman. Her now ex-lover says, 'Are you going to believe what you see or believe what I tell you?'
I had the same feeling with this now former acquaintance. Despite everything in history he was telling me to ignore the sins committed and ignored by his religion, and just believe my acquaintance when he says, 'my way is all good, now obey the rules that I preach.'
Well, here's another quote from the infamous Buddha:
"A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker."
Those afraid of being judged or hated or ridiculed he thought would be the 'strong' ones to pass it along. But he never thought, those who do not agree, and who were not afraid of judgment, hatred, or ridicule from him, would choose not to pass it along. Perhaps it was the arrogance of the assumption that what he had to say was so great and trying to 'trick' others into doing what he wanted was such an underhanded tactic.
So I wrote back to him. If you don't care what your friends have to say, why choose to be friends with them? True friends will look out for you and give you advice, wanted and unwanted, because they care. If you did not think they cared, if you did not CARE that they cared, why do you have friends at all?
I chose my friends carefully. They will call me out on my actions if they think I'm wrong. Their perspectives are different, but they do so because they care about me. If I dismissed what they had to say, it means I think little of them as friends. To me, that is wrong. Great friends I hold onto because what they say and do are good and they help me be a better person. And the guy who sent me the email was merely someone I met once in my life and had a rare correspondence with. He never struck me as a genuine person because it seemed like, one day a month, he got some program to generate emails for him in reply to everyone in his inbox. Sure he sort-of answered the emails, but not in a way like he read them. More like a passing glance or misinterpretation.
Well, he definitely cared what I had to think, he just didn't care about the minor details such as what I was saying, just that I disagreed with his tactics and personally, I disagreed with many things in the overall literature in which he chose to pick out a few pretty lines. Those lines didn't define the work as a whole and as a result, it would give the false impression that the work was, in my opinion, good, or that I agreed.
I said, thank you for thinking what you wrote was to help people, but I don't agree with the origins or the beliefs. But in thank you, I give you a quote from another religion that is very wise,
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." -- Buddha
My acquaintance was absolute appalled that I would quote from Buddha. How dare I remember something a scam artist and human turned idol to be worshipped said? Despite what Buddha said making sense and the fact that my acquaintance knew nothing about Buddha, (and no, the guy didn't even read the quote either. Just that I used something said in another religion offended the hell out of him.)
He responded with more passages from the work of his religion and how his god gave me free will but I'm choosing wrong by not following his word, (which pretty much aren't his god's words but rules and regulations cobbled together by a bunch of power hungry old men). In addition, I am foolish to think that I could decide for myself what is right or wrong or that the morals I follow are decent, (since I didn't learn them from his religion, common sense and decency just doesn't exist in people who aren't of his ways). To top it off, he added, if I did believe in his god, I would be living in paradise after death. Wow, doesn't that sound dandy?
So, instead of trying to be a good person through opening my eyes and learning and doing good, and especially trying to be a good person, not for any reward, but just because I think that's the right way to live my life, is wrong?
There has to be a carrot at the end of the stick or threat of eternal torment?
My email in response called him out on his hypocrisy and passive aggressive techniques to force his beliefs on me, and that he really didn't know anything about his religion at all. I kept thinking of this great scene from 'Chicago', the movie, where Lucy Liu finds her lover in bed with another woman. Her now ex-lover says, 'Are you going to believe what you see or believe what I tell you?'
I had the same feeling with this now former acquaintance. Despite everything in history he was telling me to ignore the sins committed and ignored by his religion, and just believe my acquaintance when he says, 'my way is all good, now obey the rules that I preach.'
Well, here's another quote from the infamous Buddha:
"A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker."
I Am A Witch by Sandi Thomas
| I loved this poem! Found on: http://www.iamawitch.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20030903000605295 When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a "Witch". When I stand up for those I love, they call me a Witch. When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts, or do things my own way, they call me a Witch. Being a witch entails raising my children to be strong people | |
| Who have a solid sense of personal and social responsibility Who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in Who love and respect themselves for the beautiful beings they are. Being a witch means that I am free to be the wonderful creature I am, With all my own intricacies, contradictions, quirks and beauty. Being a witch means I won't compromise what's in my heart. It means I live my life MY way. It means I won't allow anyone to step on me. When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak up against it, I am defined as a witch. The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone else's maid or when I act a little selfish. I am proud to be a witch! It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should" be. I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. By Goddess, I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that! So, try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won't succeed. And if that makes me a witch, so be it. I embrace the title and am proud to bear it. I love this, I can call myself a witch now and not feel bad about it! SO MOTE IT BE! | |
Friday, June 25, 2010
Kill The Witch 66 By Lady Guinevere
From http://hubpages.com/hub/Kill-The-Witch
In the Bible it says suffer the Witch and that people should stay away from them..........but what exactly is a Witch by their definition? If it is soothsaying and fortune telling---then that would be many times in the Bible by the Prophets such as Joseph who told the Egyptian rulers of the famines and things of that nature that would be to come. If it is healing with herbs and things from the Earth--then that would be the Pharmacuetical Companies we have today. If it is by curses and spells--then that would also include the Exorcisms that the Catholic Church does. So what exactly is a Witch that others aren't doing in today's world in science and technology and theology? Can anyone distiguish the differences?
Back in the times that the books were written anyone who did anyting that was not understood by a man was evil. That was then and that was in another time period where science was not--at least not to the extent that it is today........that is why when you read the Bible you must also take into account of the times and the society of those people's.
Leprosy was considered a curse and was thought to be demon posession, but today is is now just a disease that can be treated. Many afflictions of the time of Christ were thought to be curses and demon posession and anyone who tried and was successful at treating it was considered a Witch, espeially if the witch was a woman. Those people who delved in healing from the Earth wer Pagans. Still today we find that the lack of understanding on how those things work conjures up all kinds of names and prejudice by those who call themselves Christians. There have been many stifdes in today's world yet the Bible keeps many in the dark about them. They just have no idea of what things are because they are too afraid to learn that things are not always what they seem and that there is a whole other world out there then what is in that Bible. Even Jesus said that there would be and not to judge things and to seek the truth other than from the Bible. The Bible was written in a time were there weren't medical professionals that could treat just about anything and there wasn't the advance technology that we have today--they didn't have a clue then about what might be coming to the world. Yet they still judge things by the rules way back then.
In the Bible it says suffer the Witch and that people should stay away from them..........but what exactly is a Witch by their definition? If it is soothsaying and fortune telling---then that would be many times in the Bible by the Prophets such as Joseph who told the Egyptian rulers of the famines and things of that nature that would be to come. If it is healing with herbs and things from the Earth--then that would be the Pharmacuetical Companies we have today. If it is by curses and spells--then that would also include the Exorcisms that the Catholic Church does. So what exactly is a Witch that others aren't doing in today's world in science and technology and theology? Can anyone distiguish the differences?
Back in the times that the books were written anyone who did anyting that was not understood by a man was evil. That was then and that was in another time period where science was not--at least not to the extent that it is today........that is why when you read the Bible you must also take into account of the times and the society of those people's.
Leprosy was considered a curse and was thought to be demon posession, but today is is now just a disease that can be treated. Many afflictions of the time of Christ were thought to be curses and demon posession and anyone who tried and was successful at treating it was considered a Witch, espeially if the witch was a woman. Those people who delved in healing from the Earth wer Pagans. Still today we find that the lack of understanding on how those things work conjures up all kinds of names and prejudice by those who call themselves Christians. There have been many stifdes in today's world yet the Bible keeps many in the dark about them. They just have no idea of what things are because they are too afraid to learn that things are not always what they seem and that there is a whole other world out there then what is in that Bible. Even Jesus said that there would be and not to judge things and to seek the truth other than from the Bible. The Bible was written in a time were there weren't medical professionals that could treat just about anything and there wasn't the advance technology that we have today--they didn't have a clue then about what might be coming to the world. Yet they still judge things by the rules way back then.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Bubblegum Crisis by Kenichi Sonada
My favorite anime that inspired me to pursue mechanical engineering. I was blown away by the characters, the storyline, and most of all, the technology.
Here's the plot summary from http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=201
In the near future, Tokyo was left flattened as a result from a great earthquake. A new city, MegaTokyo, was then recreated due in no small part from the aid of a multi-million dollar company, Genom Corp. Genom created and mass-produced biomechanical creatures called Boomers to aid in the restoration of MegaTokyo. When the Boomers began to run out of control, the ADPolice at first tried to stop them, but they proved to be far more difficult to deal with than was first imagined. Under the ever looming Boomer threat, a group of four girls from varying degrees of society banded together. Calling themselves The Knight Sabers, they were the only ones with enough firepower and resourcefullness to defend the fledgling MegaTokyo from Genom and it's berserk Boomers.
My favorite character is Sylia Stingray, who creates a group of mercenaries equipped with her technological creations to counteract Genom's illegal activities.
Sylia Stingray
from http://www.absoluteanime.com/bubblegum_crisis/sylia.htm
Sylia Stingray is the leader and benefactor of the Knight Sabers. Her ingenius tactics and extensive knowledge of technical sciences, medical procedures, etc., has kept her organization, the Knight Sabers, together. Sylia is exceptionally attractive, but this is matched by her cold, dangerous nature that led her to kill two men.
In the year 2022, the dawn of boomer technology, Doctor Stingray was assassinated by the treacherous Genom Corporation. After their father's death, Sylia and her little brother were all that was left of their family. Sylia inheritted her late father's huge fortune as well as an enormous amount of data concerning her father's research. All this data was directly input into her brain (this technique was also part of Doctor Stingray's boomer technology). In this way, Sylia was reborn as a kind of "super-lady".
Soon, Mega Tokyo was being terrorized by Genom's boomers. Sylia, upset at such an abuse of her father's technology, decided to bring down Genom and its boomers. In the year 2030, with the completion of her "hardsuit" design (a compact and powerful armored soldier), Sylia began to recruit women for her group of punishers, the Knight Sabers.
Sylia is an incredible fighter, the most efficient from the group, and uses the most brutal methods out of the Knight Sabers for bringing her opponent down. She has a thirst for revenge that cannot and will not be quenched until GENOM is brought down. She is haunted by the 'death' of the first man she killed, Brian J. Mason, and her ties to him suggest that she, too, may be a Cyberdroid.
Here's the plot summary from http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=201
In the near future, Tokyo was left flattened as a result from a great earthquake. A new city, MegaTokyo, was then recreated due in no small part from the aid of a multi-million dollar company, Genom Corp. Genom created and mass-produced biomechanical creatures called Boomers to aid in the restoration of MegaTokyo. When the Boomers began to run out of control, the ADPolice at first tried to stop them, but they proved to be far more difficult to deal with than was first imagined. Under the ever looming Boomer threat, a group of four girls from varying degrees of society banded together. Calling themselves The Knight Sabers, they were the only ones with enough firepower and resourcefullness to defend the fledgling MegaTokyo from Genom and it's berserk Boomers.
My favorite character is Sylia Stingray, who creates a group of mercenaries equipped with her technological creations to counteract Genom's illegal activities.
Sylia Stingray
from http://www.absoluteanime.com/bubblegum_crisis/sylia.htm
Sylia Stingray is the leader and benefactor of the Knight Sabers. Her ingenius tactics and extensive knowledge of technical sciences, medical procedures, etc., has kept her organization, the Knight Sabers, together. Sylia is exceptionally attractive, but this is matched by her cold, dangerous nature that led her to kill two men.
In the year 2022, the dawn of boomer technology, Doctor Stingray was assassinated by the treacherous Genom Corporation. After their father's death, Sylia and her little brother were all that was left of their family. Sylia inheritted her late father's huge fortune as well as an enormous amount of data concerning her father's research. All this data was directly input into her brain (this technique was also part of Doctor Stingray's boomer technology). In this way, Sylia was reborn as a kind of "super-lady".
Soon, Mega Tokyo was being terrorized by Genom's boomers. Sylia, upset at such an abuse of her father's technology, decided to bring down Genom and its boomers. In the year 2030, with the completion of her "hardsuit" design (a compact and powerful armored soldier), Sylia began to recruit women for her group of punishers, the Knight Sabers.
Sylia is an incredible fighter, the most efficient from the group, and uses the most brutal methods out of the Knight Sabers for bringing her opponent down. She has a thirst for revenge that cannot and will not be quenched until GENOM is brought down. She is haunted by the 'death' of the first man she killed, Brian J. Mason, and her ties to him suggest that she, too, may be a Cyberdroid.
Hedy Lamarr: Invention of Spread Spectrum Technology
From: http://www.women-inventors.com/Hedy-Lammar.asp
Although better known for her Silver Screen exploits, Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr (born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler) also became a pioneer in the field of wireless communications following her emigration to the United States. The international beauty icon, along with co-inventor George Anthiel, developed a "Secret Communications System" to help combat the Nazis in World War II. By manipulating radio frequencies at irregular intervals between transmission and reception, the invention formed an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemy personnel.
Lamarr and Anthiel received a patent in 1941, but the enormous significance of their invention was not realized until decades later. It was first implemented on naval ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequently emerged in numerous military applications. But most importantly, the "spread spectrum" technology that Lamarr helped to invent would galvanize the digital communications boom, forming the technical backbone that makes cellular phones, fax machines and other wireless operations possible.
As is the case with many of the famous women inventors, Lamarr received very little recognition of her innovative talent at the time, but recently she has been showered with praise for her groundbreaking invention. In 1997, she and George Anthiel were honored with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Pioneer Award. And later in the same year, Lamarr became the first female recipient of the BULBIE™ Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, a prestigious lifetime accomplishment prize for inventors that is dubbed "The Oscar™ of Inventing."
Proving she was much more than just another pretty face, Lamarr shattered stereotypes and earned a place among the 20th century's most important women inventors. She truly was a visionary whose technological acumen was far ahead of its time.
Although better known for her Silver Screen exploits, Austrian actress Hedy Lamarr (born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler) also became a pioneer in the field of wireless communications following her emigration to the United States. The international beauty icon, along with co-inventor George Anthiel, developed a "Secret Communications System" to help combat the Nazis in World War II. By manipulating radio frequencies at irregular intervals between transmission and reception, the invention formed an unbreakable code to prevent classified messages from being intercepted by enemy personnel.
Lamarr and Anthiel received a patent in 1941, but the enormous significance of their invention was not realized until decades later. It was first implemented on naval ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequently emerged in numerous military applications. But most importantly, the "spread spectrum" technology that Lamarr helped to invent would galvanize the digital communications boom, forming the technical backbone that makes cellular phones, fax machines and other wireless operations possible.
As is the case with many of the famous women inventors, Lamarr received very little recognition of her innovative talent at the time, but recently she has been showered with praise for her groundbreaking invention. In 1997, she and George Anthiel were honored with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Pioneer Award. And later in the same year, Lamarr became the first female recipient of the BULBIE™ Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, a prestigious lifetime accomplishment prize for inventors that is dubbed "The Oscar™ of Inventing."
Proving she was much more than just another pretty face, Lamarr shattered stereotypes and earned a place among the 20th century's most important women inventors. She truly was a visionary whose technological acumen was far ahead of its time.
Friday, March 12, 2010
10 Things Your Mechanic Won't Tell You
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1315/10-things-your-mechanic-wont-tell-you/
AnnaMaria Andriotis and Walecia Konrad, SmartMoney.com
1. “You might be in the wrong garage.”
There are many choices as to where consumers can take their car when it’s in need of maintenance or repair. Those include going to the car dealer, a department or chain-store franchise, or an independent mechanic at a service station. Where you should go depends on what type of repair your car needs and its age and condition. But in most cases, mechanics in each type of repair shop may try to convince you that they’re the best ones for the job.
Work under factory warranty should go to the dealer, says Mark Eskeldson, founder of CarInfo.com, which provides consumer-protection advice to car buyers and owners. That’s where you’ll find some of the best-trained mechanics who are trained to fix problems that pop up with new car models, he says.
But because dealer overhead is high, expect to pay top dollar for repairs not covered under your warranty.
Before leaving your car at an independent mechanic’s shop, find out if the mechanics are certified and if they’re getting training (i.e. at a community college) for repairs on new car models. Because most owners of new car models take them to the dealer for repair, it’s likely that an independent car shop will be more experienced in repairing older cars, he says. Because independents don’t have the high volume of a chain shop, they may be easier to establish a relationship with.
MORE AT SMARTMONEY.COM
* » Has Your Car Been Recalled?
* » Car Seats Get Cushier
* » Brokering the Best Car Deal
Chain and department-store shops often advertise free services for routine services like oil changes or tune-ups, but beware if their mechanic insists that your car needs major repairs after he inspects it. Get a second opinion to confirm it isn’t a ploy to get you to spend more money, he says.
2. “My fancy certificates might not mean very much.”
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifies auto technicians (or mechanics) in eight specialties, including brakes, electrical systems, engines, and heating and air-conditioning. They also provide credentials for diagnostic and emission technicians. Although auto mechanics must have two years of hands-on work experience and pass an extensive standardized exam to become certified, an ASE sticker in your repair shop’s window is no guarantee that the work will be done properly or that all of the technicians employed are ASE certified, says Tony Molla, a spokesman for ASE.
Most repair shops hire both certified and uncertified mechanics. And only 33% of ASE mechanics are certified in all eight specialties and earn “master technician” status. Be sure to ask who is going to do the work on your car and what areas that person is certified in. Also check to see when the certification expires. ASE-certified mechanics are supposed to recertify every five years.
In addition, look for repair shops that are endorsed by AAA with work being guaranteed for a minimum of 12 months or 12,000 miles. These facilities must meet rigorous standards and guarantee their work for all customers, says Robert Sinclair, a spokesman for AAA New York. Also, AAA agrees to arbitrate disputes between its members and approved repair shops.
3. “I make unnecessary repairs.”
You drop off your car at a mechanic’s shop for routine maintenance or a repair only to find out that the mechanic made additional repairs that you didn’t request but that he deemed “necessary.”
Recommendations for unnecessary maintenance are a common complaint among consumers, says Sherry Mehl, the chief of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) in California. (The bureau works to protect consumers within the automotive repair marketplace.) For instance, shops can suggest flushing a radiator or fluids, which can harm some cars, she says. (Car owners’ manuals specify if flushing will help.)
Consumer complaints about auto parts and repairs are on the rise, according to the Federal Trade Commission. For 2009, the FTC has 2,689 complaints, up from 2,438 in 2008 and 1,698 in 2007. It was dishonest practices that cost Santa Ana-based EZ Lube $5 million in a civil settlement for unfair business practices in December 2007. An investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office “uncovered a pattern of unfair and deceptive business practices at several EZ Lube locations where consumers were being sold unneeded parts and services,” according to the DA’s statement. As part of the settlement, EZ Lube agreed to pay restitution to anyone with a legitimate claim over the past five years. (When reached for comment, a spokesperson for EZ Lube referred us to a company’s press release on the matter, which reads: “It is our goal to make sure all of our customers are protected by the highest safeguards in the industry when they bring their vehicle to one of our stores.”)
“Most unnecessary repairs are due to the fact that cars are so incredibly complex that often a shop ends up trying a few things in order to solve the problem,” says Jack Gillis, author of "The Car Book" and director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, a consumer-advocacy organization. When a repair baffles a mediocre mechanic, he or she will probably keep replacing suspect parts until the problem is finally solved. Many of the parts replaced may have nothing to do with the problem, but you’ll probably end up paying for them anyway, he says.
4. “You might be charged for work that hasn’t been done.”
It happens on purpose. It happens by mistake. Either way, it happens. Let’s say you drop your car off at the garage to have the fluids, belts and filters replaced. But the garage is busy, the mechanic who works on your car is a new hire, and the station manager hasn’t left very clear instructions. As a result, the belts never get replaced, but you drive away thinking you’ve got brand-new ones. When Gillis worked at the Department of Transportation in the 1980s, he says it was one of the most common complaints, and that it remains so today.
A good way to avoid the problem of work that was supposed to have been done but wasn’t: Ask to see the old parts. In some cases, mechanics can give you the parts they’ve removed from your car. (One exception is if the warranty requires they be sent back to the manufacturer.) “If you have a concern that a part was replaced when it shouldn’t have been, you should ask for it back,” says Mehl. (Rules vary by state; in California, for example, mechanics can give parts to customers.) California residents can contact BAR, and it’ll send a representative to examine the customer’s invoice and the part. “If it’s not faulty, we can take disciplinary action,” she says.
In addition, Gillis suggests taping to your steering wheel an itemized list of all the repairs you want made. That way the mechanic who works on it — in most cases not the person you talked to when you drove in — will have direct instructions from you.
5. “You should get a second opinion.”
Getting a second opinion is a must for major repairs, since it’s a competitive business and prices can be all over the map. You may have to pay a few dollars more for an extra estimate, but the hundreds you could potentially save by shopping carefully will more than make up for it.
When exactly is it time to seek out a second opinion? A general rule of thumb is that you should get more than one mechanic’s take on a repair if you expect to pay more than $200 for it, says Gillis. If your mechanic calls in the middle of a job with a laundry list of additional repairs, that’s also a good time to seek another opinion of the problem and an estimate for the cost of fixing it. Beware of the mechanic who tries to stop you by saying that he’s already taken apart the engine or the transmission. If you were able to drive the car into the shop, you should be able to drive it back out for a second opinion.
6. “Rebuilt parts can be as good as new — and less expensive.”
When it comes time to replace a part on your car, you can save money by buying it used. But often you must specify that you want a remanufactured part or the mechanic will likely install an expensive new one.
However, recycled parts aren’t right for every replacement. “Customers may save some money, but buying a recycled part isn’t so simple,” says Chuck Sulkala, executive director of the National Auto Body Council and owner of a Boston-based car body shop. “You need to make sure it provides exactly what you’re looking for and what you need.” For example, a customer who needs to replace a car’s fender and gets a salvaged one could find that its moldings or side lights are different, he says, even if the fender comes from the same car model that’s just two or three years older. Sulkala says: “You can use it, but what good is the molding going to do if it’s in the wrong location?”
7. “Your car is too high-tech for me.”
Cars have become incredibly sophisticated over the past 10 years, but some mechanics haven’t caught up. Car dealers are required by most manufacturers to buy the expensive diagnostic equipment needed to pinpoint the source of computer problems. That means their technicians are more likely to be factory-trained in these complicated repairs.
Still, not all mechanics are properly trained in the computerized systems found in most cars today, says Gillis. That could be because independent car mechanics have to bear most of the costs when upgrading their technology. Independent car technicians must make the same investment in sophisticated diagnostic equipment if they expect to be able to diagnose and repair these complex cars, says Molla.
If you drive an expensive European car, consider checking out specialty shops that focus on one or two foreign makes. Mechanics at these outfits are often as well or better trained than those at the dealer and they usually charge less. Meanwhile, most Japanese and Korean models are serviceable by independent repair shops, says Molla.
8. “I may send your car somewhere else for repairs — which will cost you.”
Let’s say you’re taking your car in for several repairs at once — replacing the battery and headlamps, changing the oil, and repairing the fuel-injection system. Some independent shop may not have the facilities or expertise to do them all in-house, and if so, it may pay another shop to do all or part of the work. This kind of auto-repair outsourcing can add significantly to the final price tag on the job, since your mechanic will have to charge a premium for the work he subbed out.
“If I have to carry all of the equipment in order to fix everything on a vehicle, it would make no sense,” says Sulkala, especially if he doesn't do that type of work on a daily basis. For example, he’s not asked to upholster cars often, so when a customer requests that he says, “I’ll bring it someone I know and trust who has that expertise.” As a result, the customer might incur additional costs. But, he adds, the price charged is at a discounted wholesale rate and not at a retail door rate.
When you take your car in for repairs, ask if all the work will be done on-site before you agree to anything. If your mechanic tells you he needs to subcontract some of it, tell him not to do those repairs and take the car yourself to a shop that can handle the rest of the job.
9. “The less you know about your warranty, the happier I am.”
Confusion about your warranty is good for a repair shop. After all, it’s not in an independent mechanic’s best interest to tell you when a repair is under warranty because if he’s mum, he can charge you for it. Dealerships, meanwhile, make little money on warranty repairs, so they look to get as much non-warranty work as possible.
The way dealership warranties often work is that if you get the car repaired somewhere else and something goes wrong as a result of that repair, the cost of fixing the problem will no longer be covered by the warranty. So say you get an oil change at a quick-service franchise shop and the mechanic does something wrong that eventually damages your engine; the dealer doesn’t have to honor your warranty when your engine is finally repaired, says Gillis. But some dealers like to take it a step further by making it seem as if you have to bring your car to them for all repairs or risk losing your warranty protection.
Don’t fall for it. Taking routine work such as oil changes, tire rotations, and even your 10,000-mile checkups to the less-expensive chains won’t jeopardize your warranty in most cases. Nor will emergency repairs that would normally be covered under the warranty. Just be sure to keep all your receipts, says Gillis. That way, if the dealer tries to claim you have an engine problem because you failed to get an oil change, for example, you can prove otherwise.
10. “You have more power here than you think.”
If you feel you’ve been wronged by an auto mechanic, you can take action. File a complaint with your state’s Better Business Bureau and the attorney general’s office. This will help unsuspecting consumers who check on the reputations of potential car mechanics to avoid shoddy repairmen.
In some states, you have even more recourse; in California, BAR will attempt to resolve each complaint it receives. To check if your state has a similar agency, contact your state highway department. Finally, if your auto-repair garage is endorsed by the AAA, contact the organization. If your complaint is egregious enough, or joined by others, the outfit may lose the AAA’s seal of approval. “This is an exceedingly rare event,” says Sinclair. “Shops work hard to obtain and retain their AAA certification and would bend over backwards to correct any problems that may lead to a loss of AAA’s ‘seal of approval’.”
AnnaMaria Andriotis and Walecia Konrad, SmartMoney.com
1. “You might be in the wrong garage.”
There are many choices as to where consumers can take their car when it’s in need of maintenance or repair. Those include going to the car dealer, a department or chain-store franchise, or an independent mechanic at a service station. Where you should go depends on what type of repair your car needs and its age and condition. But in most cases, mechanics in each type of repair shop may try to convince you that they’re the best ones for the job.
Work under factory warranty should go to the dealer, says Mark Eskeldson, founder of CarInfo.com, which provides consumer-protection advice to car buyers and owners. That’s where you’ll find some of the best-trained mechanics who are trained to fix problems that pop up with new car models, he says.
But because dealer overhead is high, expect to pay top dollar for repairs not covered under your warranty.
Before leaving your car at an independent mechanic’s shop, find out if the mechanics are certified and if they’re getting training (i.e. at a community college) for repairs on new car models. Because most owners of new car models take them to the dealer for repair, it’s likely that an independent car shop will be more experienced in repairing older cars, he says. Because independents don’t have the high volume of a chain shop, they may be easier to establish a relationship with.
MORE AT SMARTMONEY.COM
* » Has Your Car Been Recalled?
* » Car Seats Get Cushier
* » Brokering the Best Car Deal
Chain and department-store shops often advertise free services for routine services like oil changes or tune-ups, but beware if their mechanic insists that your car needs major repairs after he inspects it. Get a second opinion to confirm it isn’t a ploy to get you to spend more money, he says.
2. “My fancy certificates might not mean very much.”
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifies auto technicians (or mechanics) in eight specialties, including brakes, electrical systems, engines, and heating and air-conditioning. They also provide credentials for diagnostic and emission technicians. Although auto mechanics must have two years of hands-on work experience and pass an extensive standardized exam to become certified, an ASE sticker in your repair shop’s window is no guarantee that the work will be done properly or that all of the technicians employed are ASE certified, says Tony Molla, a spokesman for ASE.
Most repair shops hire both certified and uncertified mechanics. And only 33% of ASE mechanics are certified in all eight specialties and earn “master technician” status. Be sure to ask who is going to do the work on your car and what areas that person is certified in. Also check to see when the certification expires. ASE-certified mechanics are supposed to recertify every five years.
In addition, look for repair shops that are endorsed by AAA with work being guaranteed for a minimum of 12 months or 12,000 miles. These facilities must meet rigorous standards and guarantee their work for all customers, says Robert Sinclair, a spokesman for AAA New York. Also, AAA agrees to arbitrate disputes between its members and approved repair shops.
3. “I make unnecessary repairs.”
You drop off your car at a mechanic’s shop for routine maintenance or a repair only to find out that the mechanic made additional repairs that you didn’t request but that he deemed “necessary.”
Recommendations for unnecessary maintenance are a common complaint among consumers, says Sherry Mehl, the chief of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) in California. (The bureau works to protect consumers within the automotive repair marketplace.) For instance, shops can suggest flushing a radiator or fluids, which can harm some cars, she says. (Car owners’ manuals specify if flushing will help.)
Consumer complaints about auto parts and repairs are on the rise, according to the Federal Trade Commission. For 2009, the FTC has 2,689 complaints, up from 2,438 in 2008 and 1,698 in 2007. It was dishonest practices that cost Santa Ana-based EZ Lube $5 million in a civil settlement for unfair business practices in December 2007. An investigation by the Orange County district attorney’s office “uncovered a pattern of unfair and deceptive business practices at several EZ Lube locations where consumers were being sold unneeded parts and services,” according to the DA’s statement. As part of the settlement, EZ Lube agreed to pay restitution to anyone with a legitimate claim over the past five years. (When reached for comment, a spokesperson for EZ Lube referred us to a company’s press release on the matter, which reads: “It is our goal to make sure all of our customers are protected by the highest safeguards in the industry when they bring their vehicle to one of our stores.”)
“Most unnecessary repairs are due to the fact that cars are so incredibly complex that often a shop ends up trying a few things in order to solve the problem,” says Jack Gillis, author of "The Car Book" and director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, a consumer-advocacy organization. When a repair baffles a mediocre mechanic, he or she will probably keep replacing suspect parts until the problem is finally solved. Many of the parts replaced may have nothing to do with the problem, but you’ll probably end up paying for them anyway, he says.
4. “You might be charged for work that hasn’t been done.”
It happens on purpose. It happens by mistake. Either way, it happens. Let’s say you drop your car off at the garage to have the fluids, belts and filters replaced. But the garage is busy, the mechanic who works on your car is a new hire, and the station manager hasn’t left very clear instructions. As a result, the belts never get replaced, but you drive away thinking you’ve got brand-new ones. When Gillis worked at the Department of Transportation in the 1980s, he says it was one of the most common complaints, and that it remains so today.
A good way to avoid the problem of work that was supposed to have been done but wasn’t: Ask to see the old parts. In some cases, mechanics can give you the parts they’ve removed from your car. (One exception is if the warranty requires they be sent back to the manufacturer.) “If you have a concern that a part was replaced when it shouldn’t have been, you should ask for it back,” says Mehl. (Rules vary by state; in California, for example, mechanics can give parts to customers.) California residents can contact BAR, and it’ll send a representative to examine the customer’s invoice and the part. “If it’s not faulty, we can take disciplinary action,” she says.
In addition, Gillis suggests taping to your steering wheel an itemized list of all the repairs you want made. That way the mechanic who works on it — in most cases not the person you talked to when you drove in — will have direct instructions from you.
5. “You should get a second opinion.”
Getting a second opinion is a must for major repairs, since it’s a competitive business and prices can be all over the map. You may have to pay a few dollars more for an extra estimate, but the hundreds you could potentially save by shopping carefully will more than make up for it.
When exactly is it time to seek out a second opinion? A general rule of thumb is that you should get more than one mechanic’s take on a repair if you expect to pay more than $200 for it, says Gillis. If your mechanic calls in the middle of a job with a laundry list of additional repairs, that’s also a good time to seek another opinion of the problem and an estimate for the cost of fixing it. Beware of the mechanic who tries to stop you by saying that he’s already taken apart the engine or the transmission. If you were able to drive the car into the shop, you should be able to drive it back out for a second opinion.
6. “Rebuilt parts can be as good as new — and less expensive.”
When it comes time to replace a part on your car, you can save money by buying it used. But often you must specify that you want a remanufactured part or the mechanic will likely install an expensive new one.
However, recycled parts aren’t right for every replacement. “Customers may save some money, but buying a recycled part isn’t so simple,” says Chuck Sulkala, executive director of the National Auto Body Council and owner of a Boston-based car body shop. “You need to make sure it provides exactly what you’re looking for and what you need.” For example, a customer who needs to replace a car’s fender and gets a salvaged one could find that its moldings or side lights are different, he says, even if the fender comes from the same car model that’s just two or three years older. Sulkala says: “You can use it, but what good is the molding going to do if it’s in the wrong location?”
7. “Your car is too high-tech for me.”
Cars have become incredibly sophisticated over the past 10 years, but some mechanics haven’t caught up. Car dealers are required by most manufacturers to buy the expensive diagnostic equipment needed to pinpoint the source of computer problems. That means their technicians are more likely to be factory-trained in these complicated repairs.
Still, not all mechanics are properly trained in the computerized systems found in most cars today, says Gillis. That could be because independent car mechanics have to bear most of the costs when upgrading their technology. Independent car technicians must make the same investment in sophisticated diagnostic equipment if they expect to be able to diagnose and repair these complex cars, says Molla.
If you drive an expensive European car, consider checking out specialty shops that focus on one or two foreign makes. Mechanics at these outfits are often as well or better trained than those at the dealer and they usually charge less. Meanwhile, most Japanese and Korean models are serviceable by independent repair shops, says Molla.
8. “I may send your car somewhere else for repairs — which will cost you.”
Let’s say you’re taking your car in for several repairs at once — replacing the battery and headlamps, changing the oil, and repairing the fuel-injection system. Some independent shop may not have the facilities or expertise to do them all in-house, and if so, it may pay another shop to do all or part of the work. This kind of auto-repair outsourcing can add significantly to the final price tag on the job, since your mechanic will have to charge a premium for the work he subbed out.
“If I have to carry all of the equipment in order to fix everything on a vehicle, it would make no sense,” says Sulkala, especially if he doesn't do that type of work on a daily basis. For example, he’s not asked to upholster cars often, so when a customer requests that he says, “I’ll bring it someone I know and trust who has that expertise.” As a result, the customer might incur additional costs. But, he adds, the price charged is at a discounted wholesale rate and not at a retail door rate.
When you take your car in for repairs, ask if all the work will be done on-site before you agree to anything. If your mechanic tells you he needs to subcontract some of it, tell him not to do those repairs and take the car yourself to a shop that can handle the rest of the job.
9. “The less you know about your warranty, the happier I am.”
Confusion about your warranty is good for a repair shop. After all, it’s not in an independent mechanic’s best interest to tell you when a repair is under warranty because if he’s mum, he can charge you for it. Dealerships, meanwhile, make little money on warranty repairs, so they look to get as much non-warranty work as possible.
The way dealership warranties often work is that if you get the car repaired somewhere else and something goes wrong as a result of that repair, the cost of fixing the problem will no longer be covered by the warranty. So say you get an oil change at a quick-service franchise shop and the mechanic does something wrong that eventually damages your engine; the dealer doesn’t have to honor your warranty when your engine is finally repaired, says Gillis. But some dealers like to take it a step further by making it seem as if you have to bring your car to them for all repairs or risk losing your warranty protection.
Don’t fall for it. Taking routine work such as oil changes, tire rotations, and even your 10,000-mile checkups to the less-expensive chains won’t jeopardize your warranty in most cases. Nor will emergency repairs that would normally be covered under the warranty. Just be sure to keep all your receipts, says Gillis. That way, if the dealer tries to claim you have an engine problem because you failed to get an oil change, for example, you can prove otherwise.
10. “You have more power here than you think.”
If you feel you’ve been wronged by an auto mechanic, you can take action. File a complaint with your state’s Better Business Bureau and the attorney general’s office. This will help unsuspecting consumers who check on the reputations of potential car mechanics to avoid shoddy repairmen.
In some states, you have even more recourse; in California, BAR will attempt to resolve each complaint it receives. To check if your state has a similar agency, contact your state highway department. Finally, if your auto-repair garage is endorsed by the AAA, contact the organization. If your complaint is egregious enough, or joined by others, the outfit may lose the AAA’s seal of approval. “This is an exceedingly rare event,” says Sinclair. “Shops work hard to obtain and retain their AAA certification and would bend over backwards to correct any problems that may lead to a loss of AAA’s ‘seal of approval’.”
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dr. Hoi Sang U, Surgeon’s good will reaches Africa
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jan/29/surgeons-good-will-reaches-africa/
By Janet Lavelle, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
John R. McCutchen / Union-Tribune
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
When the nearly blind patient met Dr. Hoi Sang U in a Zambian hospital nearly two years ago, he knew the UCSD neurosurgeon had traveled halfway around the world to save his life and possibly his sight.
What Mulenga Kaluba didn’t know was that whatever the obstacles, U would continue his volunteer medical care, even making it possible for his patient to journey from southern Africa to the United States.
“I’m the kind of doctor who believes, when you’re my patient, I never abandon you,” said U, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical School since 1978. “You’re stuck with me for life, no matter where you are or what it takes.”
This week, Kaluba, 41, is recovering from a second surgery to remove a benign tumor on his pituitary gland that had pushed against his optical nerve, robbing him of sight in his left eye and much of the vision in his right. Although the tumor wasn’t cancerous, it could have been deadly if allowed to grow.
It was a similar surgery to the one U performed on Kaluba under austere conditions in July 2008 at University Teaching Hospital in Zambia. U had volunteered to do the surgery on a medical mission funded by a Solana Beach-based charity called Variety Children’s Lifeline International.
When Kaluba’s tumor began growing again, U arranged funding for him to come to San Diego for the second surgery, performed last week. Kaluba is receiving post-surgical treatment at UCSD’s Shiley Eye Center and will undergo five rounds of radiation next week at UCSD Medical Center.
Kaluba and his wife, Brenda, then will return home to their three daughters in Chipata, a small city in eastern Zambia, where he owns a motorcycle parts shop and she works at a bank.
The tumor has been the second great health challenge in Kaluba’s life. He has used crutches since 1993, when he lost a leg in a bus accident.
With no one able to treat the tumor back home, the Zambian government paid for Kaluba and his wife to come to San Diego.
U enlisted other UCSD physicians, including neurosurgeon John Alksne and neuro-ophthalmologist Leah Levi, to donate their services. The medical center will pick up the rest of the medical costs.
U is paying for the couple’s personal expenses, including lodging.
Dr. Thomas McAfee, dean of clinical affairs at UCSD, said he approved the charity care because he was impressed with U’s commitment to this distant patient.
“I was so struck by the fact that Dr. U went to Zambia on his own time and volunteered his professional efforts to do surgery,” McAfee said. “We’re proud to have him on our faculty.”
This week, doctor and patient sat down to talk about how their lives came together, punctuating the conversation with the teasing that started in Zambia when U asked Kaluba whether he was afraid of surgery.
“I told him I knew he didn’t come all this way to kill me,” Kaluba recalled in a distinctly British accent. “After the surgery, Professor U came to see me and said, ‘Well, it looks like you aren’t dead yet.’ ”
As an internationally recognized specialist in treating tumors of the pituitary, U has traveled extensively to teach the procedure and monitors patients in China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Hong Kong, where he was born.
The delicate surgery can be risky because the pituitary, a pea-size gland at the base of the brain, lies between the optic nerve and the carotid arteries that send blood to the front of the brain. The tumor is accessed through the sinus cavity.
U said the journey to operate on Kaluba in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka, gave him the chance to instruct doctors at the country’s only medical teaching hospital.
Conditions in Zambia, where life expectancy is 38 and per-capita annual income is $1,500, were typical of a developing country.
“Zambia is a country of 12 million people and two neurosurgeons,” U said.
Because of a shortage of nurses, the hospital courtyard was filled with relatives camping out to care for hospitalized family members, he said.
U had brought along medical equipment, including a $250,000 electronic microscope purchased with donated funds. He quickly ran into a problem.
“The electricity for the microscope went out three or four times during the surgery,” making it impossible to remove the entire tumor, U said.
When he was told last fall that the tumor was growing, U began the effort to bring Kaluba to San Diego.
Brenda Kaluba said her husband was overcome by the news that the trip had been arranged.
“We did a lot of praying over this,” she said. “When I read him the e-mail, he cried.”
Kaluba recalled a more excited reaction. “I said: ‘Thank God I have this tumor! At least I’m going to see a place I’ve always dreamed of.’ ”
U picked them up at the airport and stopped at an In-N-Out Burger for their first taste of American food. Since then, he has taken the couple to the beach for their first view of the ocean.
Since the operation, tests on Kaluba’s right eye have been promising. “The fact that he had some measurable improvement after surgery makes us very optimistic,” U said.
Kaluba said that even with limited vision, he has been overwhelmed at the sight of the ocean and the seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before describing his greatest hope.
“I would like to be able to read again one day,” Kaluba said after a pause. “The first thing I would like to do is go to a church and read the Bible, if I can find a church where I can sit and do that. I really thank God for all of this.”
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
By Janet Lavelle, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
John R. McCutchen / Union-Tribune
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
UCSD neurosurgeon Hoi Sang U performed surgery last week on Mulenga Kaluba of Zambia. U had traveled to Zambia in 2008 to remove a tumor behind Kaluba’s eye. When the tumor returned, U raised money to bring him to San Diego for a second operation.
When the nearly blind patient met Dr. Hoi Sang U in a Zambian hospital nearly two years ago, he knew the UCSD neurosurgeon had traveled halfway around the world to save his life and possibly his sight.
What Mulenga Kaluba didn’t know was that whatever the obstacles, U would continue his volunteer medical care, even making it possible for his patient to journey from southern Africa to the United States.
“I’m the kind of doctor who believes, when you’re my patient, I never abandon you,” said U, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of California San Diego Medical School since 1978. “You’re stuck with me for life, no matter where you are or what it takes.”
This week, Kaluba, 41, is recovering from a second surgery to remove a benign tumor on his pituitary gland that had pushed against his optical nerve, robbing him of sight in his left eye and much of the vision in his right. Although the tumor wasn’t cancerous, it could have been deadly if allowed to grow.
It was a similar surgery to the one U performed on Kaluba under austere conditions in July 2008 at University Teaching Hospital in Zambia. U had volunteered to do the surgery on a medical mission funded by a Solana Beach-based charity called Variety Children’s Lifeline International.
When Kaluba’s tumor began growing again, U arranged funding for him to come to San Diego for the second surgery, performed last week. Kaluba is receiving post-surgical treatment at UCSD’s Shiley Eye Center and will undergo five rounds of radiation next week at UCSD Medical Center.
Kaluba and his wife, Brenda, then will return home to their three daughters in Chipata, a small city in eastern Zambia, where he owns a motorcycle parts shop and she works at a bank.
The tumor has been the second great health challenge in Kaluba’s life. He has used crutches since 1993, when he lost a leg in a bus accident.
With no one able to treat the tumor back home, the Zambian government paid for Kaluba and his wife to come to San Diego.
U enlisted other UCSD physicians, including neurosurgeon John Alksne and neuro-ophthalmologist Leah Levi, to donate their services. The medical center will pick up the rest of the medical costs.
U is paying for the couple’s personal expenses, including lodging.
Dr. Thomas McAfee, dean of clinical affairs at UCSD, said he approved the charity care because he was impressed with U’s commitment to this distant patient.
“I was so struck by the fact that Dr. U went to Zambia on his own time and volunteered his professional efforts to do surgery,” McAfee said. “We’re proud to have him on our faculty.”
This week, doctor and patient sat down to talk about how their lives came together, punctuating the conversation with the teasing that started in Zambia when U asked Kaluba whether he was afraid of surgery.
“I told him I knew he didn’t come all this way to kill me,” Kaluba recalled in a distinctly British accent. “After the surgery, Professor U came to see me and said, ‘Well, it looks like you aren’t dead yet.’ ”
As an internationally recognized specialist in treating tumors of the pituitary, U has traveled extensively to teach the procedure and monitors patients in China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Hong Kong, where he was born.
The delicate surgery can be risky because the pituitary, a pea-size gland at the base of the brain, lies between the optic nerve and the carotid arteries that send blood to the front of the brain. The tumor is accessed through the sinus cavity.
U said the journey to operate on Kaluba in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka, gave him the chance to instruct doctors at the country’s only medical teaching hospital.
Conditions in Zambia, where life expectancy is 38 and per-capita annual income is $1,500, were typical of a developing country.
“Zambia is a country of 12 million people and two neurosurgeons,” U said.
Because of a shortage of nurses, the hospital courtyard was filled with relatives camping out to care for hospitalized family members, he said.
U had brought along medical equipment, including a $250,000 electronic microscope purchased with donated funds. He quickly ran into a problem.
“The electricity for the microscope went out three or four times during the surgery,” making it impossible to remove the entire tumor, U said.
When he was told last fall that the tumor was growing, U began the effort to bring Kaluba to San Diego.
Brenda Kaluba said her husband was overcome by the news that the trip had been arranged.
“We did a lot of praying over this,” she said. “When I read him the e-mail, he cried.”
Kaluba recalled a more excited reaction. “I said: ‘Thank God I have this tumor! At least I’m going to see a place I’ve always dreamed of.’ ”
U picked them up at the airport and stopped at an In-N-Out Burger for their first taste of American food. Since then, he has taken the couple to the beach for their first view of the ocean.
Since the operation, tests on Kaluba’s right eye have been promising. “The fact that he had some measurable improvement after surgery makes us very optimistic,” U said.
Kaluba said that even with limited vision, he has been overwhelmed at the sight of the ocean and the seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before describing his greatest hope.
“I would like to be able to read again one day,” Kaluba said after a pause. “The first thing I would like to do is go to a church and read the Bible, if I can find a church where I can sit and do that. I really thank God for all of this.”
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
Janet Lavelle: (760) 476-8201; janet.lavelle@uniontrib.com
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Healing Power of Herbal Tea
by By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Fri, Feb 05, 2010, 1:19 am PST
from http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/23753/the-healing-power-of-herbal-tea/
Tea goes back to China almost 5,000 years ago. Herbal teas were specially blended from plants that exhibited medicinal properties to maintain health and prevent illness. Find out what makes tea so beneficial and how you can craft your own custom blend to stay healthy!
What is tea?
Technically speaking, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, and includes four main varieties: black, oolong, green, and white tea.
Black tea, produced when tea leaves undergo an oxidizing process that turns the leaves black, has the strongest flavor and the highest content of caffeine—about one third the caffeine you would get from the same cup of coffee. Oolong tea is slightly less oxidized and has less caffeine. Green tea is steamed, rolled and dried immediately after harvest, which halts the oxidation process, allowing the leaves to retain their green color. White tea undergoes the least processing—the young tea buds are picked and then air-dried. All of these varieties have different health benefits, with green tea and white tea leading the pack.
Green tea from Camellia sinensis
Experts believe that flavonoids are the key health-promoting ingredient in tea. These polyphenol antioxidants are present in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been found to help prevent cell damage. Recent research suggests that tea may protect against heart disease and many types of cancer.
What about herbal tea?
Well, herbal tea is not really tea at all, but actually an infusion or tisane made from various leaves, flowers, fruit, or herbs. Herbal tea is sometimes enjoyed for its delicious taste and many times enjoyed for its medicinal properties.
Lemon Verbena herbal tea
While real "tea" boasts many healthy benefits, a major pro to herbal tea is that it is caffeine-free. Also, you can tailor your tea to your needs by selecting herbs and plants that address the health issue you want to target.
The list of tea recipes that follow are just a few combinations to help you heal.
1. Warming tea for cold hands and feet
For a warming tea from head to toe, make cinnamon and clove tea by putting 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 teaspoon of cloves in 3 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 3 cups each day. Drink one cup in the evenings to warm your insides, which encourages a good night's sleep.
Specially blended Winter Tea makes use of herbs that expel cold while warming and tonifying your kidneys.
2. Pore-opening tea for combating a cold
This is a traditional Chinese remedy for a "wind cold", which usually occurs during seasonal changes and is often a result of exposure to drafts. At this early stage, Chinese medicine suggests that perspiration is helpful in removing the pathogens from the skin.
Boil one chopped garlic clove, three slices of ginger, one chopped scallion, some basil, and a pinch of cinnamon in 24 ounces of water for five minutes. Drink the tea hot and go to bed. Cover up and prepare to sweat. Sweating opens the pores, releasing trapped pathogens from the skin. Drink at least 3 cups of tea daily until symptoms subside.
For "wind heat" type of cold, which is characterized by high fever, sweating, sore throat, cough, headaches, and a yellow nasal discharge, you would see a Chinese medical practitioner for an herbal blend that is individualized for your needs.
3. Alertness-Enhancing Tea
The next time you need to spice up your concentration, instead of reaching for harsh stimulants like coffee, try the potent yet gentle energizers in your spice rack. Studies have found that compounds in everyday herbs and spices can increase mental function and physical vitality. All these herbs and spices contain volatile oils that stimulate your senses and increase alertness: dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, bay, peppermint, ginger, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, onion, chives, garlic and leek. Make a tea from any combination and drink whenever you need a pick-me-up.
4. Herbal Hearing Aid Tea
The traditional Chinese remedy for diminished hearing is to make a tea from herbs that gently restore the ear. Make a hearing aid tea by boiling together for 15 minutes: 4 cups of water, 1 heaping tablespoon each of oregano, cilantro, rosemary, and sage, combined with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 3 slices of fresh ginger. Drink three cups a day for three weeks and hear the difference.
5. Stomach-Settling Tea
Ginger has been shown to soothe the digestive lining and balance gastric juices. Make ginger tea by slicing fresh ginger root into 2 inch long slices and boiling in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Strain out the ginger and sip the tea slowly. Drink ginger tea as often as you need to settle your stomach and keep nausea away.
Or steep 1 teaspoon each of mint, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil in a cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating.
Among my patients, a very popular herbal tea is Internal Cleanse Tea, which is specially combined to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, balance emotions, and ease digestion.
Internal Cleanse herbal blend for detoxifying
Try the whole Tao Tea collection, specially blended to bring you balance in mind, body, and spirit.
Brewing Tips
Follow these tips for best benefits:
* Tap water affects the taste of tea. It is best to use fresh filtered water. To learn about a high-performance filtration system that I recommend, click here.
* To extract the most beneficial compounds from the tea leaves or bags, let them steep for three to five minutes.
* It is best to drink tea unsweetened and without milk, which can minimize some of the health benefits. Forgo the sugar and try instead honey, stevia products, or a stick of cinnamon.
* For maximum health benefits, I suggest you work with a licensed acupuncturist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to find an herbal blend tailored specifically to your needs.
I hope you reap the powerful healing benefits of tea! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
from http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/23753/the-healing-power-of-herbal-tea/
Tea goes back to China almost 5,000 years ago. Herbal teas were specially blended from plants that exhibited medicinal properties to maintain health and prevent illness. Find out what makes tea so beneficial and how you can craft your own custom blend to stay healthy!
What is tea?
Technically speaking, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, and includes four main varieties: black, oolong, green, and white tea.
Black tea, produced when tea leaves undergo an oxidizing process that turns the leaves black, has the strongest flavor and the highest content of caffeine—about one third the caffeine you would get from the same cup of coffee. Oolong tea is slightly less oxidized and has less caffeine. Green tea is steamed, rolled and dried immediately after harvest, which halts the oxidation process, allowing the leaves to retain their green color. White tea undergoes the least processing—the young tea buds are picked and then air-dried. All of these varieties have different health benefits, with green tea and white tea leading the pack.
Green tea from Camellia sinensis
Experts believe that flavonoids are the key health-promoting ingredient in tea. These polyphenol antioxidants are present in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been found to help prevent cell damage. Recent research suggests that tea may protect against heart disease and many types of cancer.
What about herbal tea?
Well, herbal tea is not really tea at all, but actually an infusion or tisane made from various leaves, flowers, fruit, or herbs. Herbal tea is sometimes enjoyed for its delicious taste and many times enjoyed for its medicinal properties.
Lemon Verbena herbal tea
While real "tea" boasts many healthy benefits, a major pro to herbal tea is that it is caffeine-free. Also, you can tailor your tea to your needs by selecting herbs and plants that address the health issue you want to target.
The list of tea recipes that follow are just a few combinations to help you heal.
1. Warming tea for cold hands and feet
For a warming tea from head to toe, make cinnamon and clove tea by putting 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 teaspoon of cloves in 3 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 3 cups each day. Drink one cup in the evenings to warm your insides, which encourages a good night's sleep.
Specially blended Winter Tea makes use of herbs that expel cold while warming and tonifying your kidneys.
2. Pore-opening tea for combating a cold
This is a traditional Chinese remedy for a "wind cold", which usually occurs during seasonal changes and is often a result of exposure to drafts. At this early stage, Chinese medicine suggests that perspiration is helpful in removing the pathogens from the skin.
Boil one chopped garlic clove, three slices of ginger, one chopped scallion, some basil, and a pinch of cinnamon in 24 ounces of water for five minutes. Drink the tea hot and go to bed. Cover up and prepare to sweat. Sweating opens the pores, releasing trapped pathogens from the skin. Drink at least 3 cups of tea daily until symptoms subside.
For "wind heat" type of cold, which is characterized by high fever, sweating, sore throat, cough, headaches, and a yellow nasal discharge, you would see a Chinese medical practitioner for an herbal blend that is individualized for your needs.
3. Alertness-Enhancing Tea
The next time you need to spice up your concentration, instead of reaching for harsh stimulants like coffee, try the potent yet gentle energizers in your spice rack. Studies have found that compounds in everyday herbs and spices can increase mental function and physical vitality. All these herbs and spices contain volatile oils that stimulate your senses and increase alertness: dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, sage, bay, peppermint, ginger, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, onion, chives, garlic and leek. Make a tea from any combination and drink whenever you need a pick-me-up.
4. Herbal Hearing Aid Tea
The traditional Chinese remedy for diminished hearing is to make a tea from herbs that gently restore the ear. Make a hearing aid tea by boiling together for 15 minutes: 4 cups of water, 1 heaping tablespoon each of oregano, cilantro, rosemary, and sage, combined with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 3 slices of fresh ginger. Drink three cups a day for three weeks and hear the difference.
5. Stomach-Settling Tea
Ginger has been shown to soothe the digestive lining and balance gastric juices. Make ginger tea by slicing fresh ginger root into 2 inch long slices and boiling in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Strain out the ginger and sip the tea slowly. Drink ginger tea as often as you need to settle your stomach and keep nausea away.
Or steep 1 teaspoon each of mint, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, sage, and basil in a cup of hot water. Drink after each meal to soothe and prevent bloating.
Among my patients, a very popular herbal tea is Internal Cleanse Tea, which is specially combined to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, balance emotions, and ease digestion.
Internal Cleanse herbal blend for detoxifying
Try the whole Tao Tea collection, specially blended to bring you balance in mind, body, and spirit.
Brewing Tips
Follow these tips for best benefits:
* Tap water affects the taste of tea. It is best to use fresh filtered water. To learn about a high-performance filtration system that I recommend, click here.
* To extract the most beneficial compounds from the tea leaves or bags, let them steep for three to five minutes.
* It is best to drink tea unsweetened and without milk, which can minimize some of the health benefits. Forgo the sugar and try instead honey, stevia products, or a stick of cinnamon.
* For maximum health benefits, I suggest you work with a licensed acupuncturist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to find an herbal blend tailored specifically to your needs.
I hope you reap the powerful healing benefits of tea! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)