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Monthly Archives: December 2007
Unlike most cough medicine, honey actually works
With many children’s cough syrups being pulled from the market because they don’t work, an old folk remedy — honey — may work just as well or better, researchers report.
In a study of kids having trouble sleeping because of cough, a research team at Penn State College of Medicine compared the effectiveness of a little bit of buckwheat honey before bedtime versus either no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), the cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines.
“Honey provided the greatest relief of symptoms compared with the other treatments,” concluded lead researcher Dr. Ian Paul, Penn State’s director of pediatric clinical research.
Poem of the Week: 12/2/07-12/8/07
This week’s poem of the week is Robert Frost’s Nothing Gold Can Stay.
Rant of the Week: 12/2/07-12/8/07
Everyone knows that government regulations are ridicules and overly complex. But sometimes it is hard believe just how ridicules they are.
Essay of the Week: 12/2/07-12/8/07
Have you ever wondered what the end of civilization looks like? Have you ever wondered what causes civilization to collapse? Read this essay and all your questions will be answered. Read the Police Inspector’s blog if you think that this essay is describing an isolated problem. In fact, his latest post will put a more personal touch on the essay.
Three Links for Sunday Reading
A long time ago as far as most people’s memory’s go, Japan had a major real estate bust that lead to a major economic downturn. To fight the down turn Japan’s government borrowed massively to pour a lout of concrete. Now Japan is starting to pay the price. Spiegel has the story.
China’s government thinks that it can set prices for all kinds things. From oil to currency, there is little of importance that trades freely in China. Now this fetish for control is beginning to have predictable economic affects. The Australian has the story.
We are all religious fundamentalists. Our values are not shaped by reason because reason has nothing to say when it comes to values. Nothing illustrates this like the argument over killing cats to save birds. New York Times has a detailed look at the problem.
Tower of Bureaucracy
Someone recently asked my help in figuring out what tariffs applied to the fabric they wanted to import. I balked, because that’s not really a fabric question—that’s a red-tape question, and bureaucracy is not my specialty. He insisted, and so—after making it quite clear I was no expert and not in the least bit interested Click Here to continue reading.