You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for others – something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. – Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965
I’ve had a fabulous day today but I’ll spill the beans later in the week. I’ve met up with my old friend, Paul Freeman from OCI, in a rather unusual set of circumstances. Watch this space. The weather around Spain is pretty grim and we are having about as good as it gets…..here’s the Alicante forecast…..
Going buggy over new lice treatment
Having trouble getting rid of your kid’s head lice? Try giving him your dog’s heartworm medicine!
Yes, I know that sounds absurd. That’s exactly what I thought when I read about a recent study showing that the drug ivermectin (a common heartworm med for dogs) is more effective in treating head lice than the typical topical treatment.
Lice is one of the most common (not to mention least- threatening) childhood ailments around, yet researchers are willing to give your children powerful antiparasitic drugs to treat it. (Need any more proof that they care less about you and more about their purse strings?)
But here’s what really gets me. This drug was a complete failure in a previous study on lice. But instead of scrapping the idea, researchers decided to try doubling the dose.
And what do you know? After 15 days, 95 percent of kids on the dog pills were free of lice (no word on fleas, though).
Effective? Maybe — but that’s akin to fishing with hand grenades.
No one knows for sure what side effects this drug might unleash on children — but it’s been known to cause irregular heartbeats, chest pain, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, muscle pain and more. There’s also a risk of severe allergic reactions.
The researchers say the drug should only be used for difficult-to-control cases, but c’mon — does anyone doubt that this “treatment” won’t spread like lice once it’s approved?
In reality, NO case of lice is difficult to control if you attack it at the source. I don’t know what parents are being taught these days, but my generation grew up with a safe drug-free treatment that’s still effective today and will remain just as effective 100 years from now: shave the head, and the bugs are gone.
Wash, freeze or dispose of toys that might be infested, and you’re done with it.
It’s so easy you’d have to be missing what’s under your hair to conclude that drugs and poisons are a better option.
I can hear the whining already — other kids might laugh and point at the baldy in the classroom. But that’s what hats are for. Most kids are wearing those things
24-7 anyway, backwards, sideways and inside out.
Besides, when a kid gets lice, odds are the rest of the class has it too. Just tell ‘em to laugh and point back.
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from Ian K
Scottish couple decided to go to Spain to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.
Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Glasgow and flew to Barcelona on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day. The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, sent the email.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Blackpool , a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a minister who died following a heart attack.
The widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted. A
The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: October 16, 2008
I know you’re surprised to hear from me.. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones.
I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that Everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow.
L ooking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
…………………………………………………..
Word of the Day
aguar ah-gwar’ (transitive verb)
to water down; to spoil, to ruin, to put a damper on
EXAMPLES
Siempre aguan el vino en este restaurante. – They always water down the wine in this restaurant.
La noticia nos aguó la fiesta. – The news ruined our good time.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for aguar.
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March 30th: On this Day
1957, Buddy Knox became the first artist in the Rock ‘n’ Roll era to write his own number one hit when ‘Party Doll’ topped the US singles chart.
1963, The Chiffons started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘He’s So Fine’
1963, 16 year-old Lesley Gore recorded her breakthrough hit, ‘It’s My Party.’ The song was produced by Quincy Jones.
1967, During an appearance by Jimi Hendrix on ‘Top Of The Pops’, a technician put on the backing track of Alan Price’s ‘Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear’, to which Hendrix responded ‘I don’t know the words to this one man.’
1976, The Sex Pistols played their first show at The 100 club, London,
1985, Phil Collins started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘One More Night’
1991, Chesney Hawks started a five-week run at the UK No.1 position with his debut single ‘The One And Only.
1991, The Eurythmics started a nine-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with their ‘Greatest Hits’ LP.
1996, The Beatles went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Anthology 2.’
2000, Rolling Stone Mick Jagger made a nostalgic visit to his old school. He opened the new arts centre that had been named after him at Dartford Grammar.
2000, Mungo Jerry singer Ray Dorset was ordered to pay a former employee £620 in back wages after a tribunal heard he had harassed her after she left his company.
2003, Room 5 & Oliver Cheatham started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Make Luv.’ The track was used in TV ads for Lynx deodorant, and was a reworking of Oliver Cheatham’s 1983 hit ‘Get Down Saturday Night’.
2004, Timi Yuro, died from throat cancer aged 62. Timi was just 18 years old when she reached No.4 on the US charts in 1961 with ‘Hurt.’
2007, a man was arrested by police and detained under the Mental Health Act after trying to force his way into Paul McCartney’s mansion, screaming: “I must get to him.”
Birthday Boys and Girls March 30th
1913, Frankie Laine
1930, Rolf Harris
1942,Graeme Edge, drums, Moody Blues
1945,Eric Clapton
1950,Dave Ball, Procol Harum
1954, Lena Lovich, US singer
1955, Randy VanWarmer
1962, MC Hammer, (Stanley Kirk Burrell)
1964, Tracy Chapman,
1968, Celine Dion
1979, Norah Jones
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