A recent study looking at acupuncture for the prevention of migraine attacks demonstrates all of the problems with acupuncture and acupuncture research that we have touched on over the years at SBM. Migraine is one indication for which there seems to be some support among mainstream practitioners. In fact the American Headache Society recently recommended acupuncture for migraines. Yet, the evidence is simply not there to support this recommendation, which, in my opinion, is a failure to understand a science-based assessment of the clinical evidence.
We performed a multicentre, single-blind randomized controlled trial. In total, 480 patients with migraine were randomly assigned to one of four groups (Shaoyang-specific acupuncture, Shaoyang-nonspecific acupuncture, Yangming-specific acupuncture or sham acupuncture [control]). All groups received 20 treatments, which included electrical stimulation, over a period of four weeks. The primary outcome was the number of days with a migraine experienced during weeks 5-8 after randomization. Our secondary outcomes included the frequency of migraine attack, migraine intensity and migraine-specific quality of life.
Compared with patients in the control group, patients in the acupuncture groups reported fewer days with a migraine during weeks 5-8, however the differences between treatments were not significant (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the number of days with a migraine during weeks 13-16 in all acupuncture groups compared with control (Shaoyang-specific acupuncture v. control: difference -1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.77 to -0.5], p = 0.003; Shaoyang-nonspecific acupuncture v. control: difference -1.22 [95% CI -1.92 to -0.52], p < 0.001; Yangming-specific acupuncture v. control: difference -0.91 [95% CI -1.61 to -0.21], p = 0.011). We found that there was a significant, but not clinically relevant, benefit for almost all secondary outcomes in the three acupuncture groups compared with the control group. We found no relevant differences between the three acupuncture groups.
There are multiple methodological problems with this study. The first is that it is single-blind, which means the acupuncturists knew what type of acupuncture they were giving, including sham acupuncture, which was their control. Previous studies have shown that the perceived empathy of the practitioner affects the outcome, and so unblinded acupuncturists who are giving "real" acupuncture may just be a bit more enthusiastic than those who know they are giving sham acupuncture. This would tend to result in a false positive outcome.
Second, the acupuncture treatments used electrical stimulation. This is very problematic because it mixes modalities – acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical stimulation – therefore we cannot say which component is responsible for the outcome. Mixing variables is sloppy research, and I wonder why, with three acupuncture arms, they did not include one without electrical stimulation to control for that variable.
Also, the number of treatments given was very aggressive, and not practical. Some have noted that perhaps this is a difference between Chinese and Western application of acupuncture, and that in the US doing 20 treatments over 4 weeks is expensive and not practical. This is a good way to maximize placebo effects, however.
Despite all of these shortcomings, all of which would bias the study in the direction of being positive, the study was negative. For the primary outcome measure there was no statistically significant difference between any of the acupuncture groups and the sham acupuncture group. Once again we see that it does not matter where you stick the needles. Since acupuncture is the practice of stimulating acupuncture points with needles, we can conclude that acupuncture does not work for migraines.
Some of the secondary outcome measures were significantly different, but clinically irrelevant. You always have to be cautious about secondary outcome measures. It is easy to look at many secondary outcomes and choose the ones (even subconsciously) that show the biggest effect. Also, researchers often forget to control for multiple comparisons when doing the statistics. Simmons et al recently pointed out that exploiting researcher "degrees of freedom" can easily result in a false positive result. What this means is that researchers make many decisions about how to look at the data and which data points to look at, and can innocently bias those decisions in the direction of seeing a positive outcome. The degrees of freedom are greater when you have lots of secondary outcome measures to choose from. Picking a primary outcome at the beginning of a study, however, is more constraining.
The study also did not include a placebo acupuncture group – one in which there is no needle penetration, or tooth picks are used instead of needles. Studies using blinded placebo acupuncture generally show no difference in outcome, leading us to conclude that not only does it not matter where you stick the needles, it doesn't matter if you stick the needles. In short – the needles don't matter. The training of the acupuncturists doesn't matter. All of the cultural beliefs about meridians, acupuncture points, and chi do not matter. All that matters is the kind and amount of attention given by the acupuncturist to the patient. In other words – acupuncture is entirely a non-specific placebo intervention. It is the irrelevant magical ritual surrounding the attention from an empathic practitioner. This study is further confirmation of that basic conclusion.
There is no evidence for an effect of 'true' acupuncture over sham interventions, though this is difficult to interpret, as exact point location could be of limited importance. Available studies suggest that acupuncture is at least as effective as, or possibly more effective than, prophylactic drug treatment, and has fewer adverse effects. Acupuncture should be considered a treatment option for patients willing to undergo this treatment.
The authors find it difficult to interpret the fact that there is no evidence for a difference beetween "true" acupuncture and sham acupuncture. Let me help them. The key point that acupuncture supporters miss when reviewing the evidence is the difference between blinded and unblinded comparisons. In general blinded comparisons are much more reliable than unblinded comparisons, in any area of science. In medicine, and with acupuncture specifically, we have evidence for a large placebo effect, which is strongly affected by practitioner empathy and the attention that goes with the ritual of acupuncture.
What the evidence essentially shows is that blinded comparisons with acupuncture are negative, and unblinded comparisons are positive. This is not hard to interpret at all – it means acupuncture does not work. Whenever we see a phenomenon disappear with the application of proper blinding, we conclude the phenomenon is not real. A phenomenon that depends upon not being blinded is an illusion. Acupuncture is the N-rays of medicine.
Until acupuncture researchers can show a consistent, statistically significant, and clinically relevant effect from blinded comparisons of acupuncture to sham or placebo acupuncture, there is no reason to think that there is any underlying reality to acupuncture as a specific intervention. The best conclusion we can make today, based on all available evidence, is that acupuncture adds nothing to the non-specific effects of the attention from the practitioner. Acupuncture does not work for migraine, and recommendations to use acupuncture are misguided and unscientific.
I generally do not see this confusion in non-CAM areas of medicine. CAM, it appears, has an anti-science field around it that confuses researchers and prevents them from properly interpreting negative outcomes.


text:
Acid TripStephanie Perry2017-09-12T13:49:14-07:00
We're Sweet on Sour
Author: Michael Harlan Turkell
This post is sponsored by Abrams Books, as part of the Abrams Dinner Party.
I adore balsamic vinegar — the stronger, the better! You should never let me be in charge of pouring oil and vinegar for your bread, because I'll dump out a pool of balsamic with a teeny tiny droplet of olive oil on top. So I figured Acid Trip, a book-length love letter to vinegar, would be perfect for me.
To start with, it's a handsome book, nicely designed and full of beautiful photos of delicious-looking food, giant vinegar vats, and other behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of vinegar. The recipes are interspersed throughout the text, and the recipe index is at the front, not the back — an unusual choice for a cookbook, but ideal for lazily browsing through as a reader. (I'd strongly recommend supplying yourself with a crusty loaf and some oil and vinegar, or you'll be feeling hunger pangs quickly.)
As a foodie memoir, this book is at its best. The author's travels are divided by region, including Italy, France, Austria, Japan, and North America (the largest section). He meets with chefs, manufacturers, and experts who share their passion for vinegar — and their recipes. The chapter on Italy goes into detail about the official appellation for authentic balsamic vinegar and why it's worth the jaw-dropping prices. My favorite chapter was on Japan, where vinegar has a long history as a preservative for fish in the pre-refrigeration era, and where, as you might expect, vinegar enthusiasts are deeply passionate about their unique regional varieties.
As a cookbook, Acid Trip is less successful. The recipes span the globe, and include savory and sweet, some cocktails and shrubs, and even a guide to making your own vinegars. Some of the author's own recipes are a little weird (pickled sausages?). You'll find everything from Japanese ceviche to chimichurri chicken wings to vinegar pie.
But the recipe I tried first was pretty much a disaster. I love seafoam candy, but had never made it, and hadn't realized it uses vinegar (the reaction between vinegar and baking soda causes the dramatic inflation that gives the candy its light, airy texture). My first batch looked right, but smelled burned. My second attempt — during which I watched my thermometer like a hawk — flat-out scorched. Googling in frustration, I realized that every other seafoam recipe in the world calls for medium heat, precisely because high heat will burn the sugar — but the Acid Trip recipe specifically directed to cook the syrup on high. My third batch, cooked on medium heat, didn't burn… but it failed to fluff up properly and came out unpleasantly dense and sticky (maybe due to the honey, which other recipes don't call for). With such a basic error in a simple recipe, I'm now skeptical about spending money on costlier ingredients for the other recipes (having wasted a bag of sugar and half a jar of honey on this one). Maybe I'll try the Fried Egg with a Spoonful of Vinegar to build trust.
If you enjoy food writing or have a love of the sour and pickled, this is a fun and attractive coffee table book, and certainly pretty enough to give as a gift to your favorite vinegar lover. But I think I'd keep it out of the kitchen.
10 Tempting Cookbooks from Seattle's Favorite Restaurants
5 Mouth-Watering Literary Cookbooks
Cookbooks for Summer Cooking
Slow Cooker Cookbooks for Cozy Cooking

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Scorers: Paul Charnley 2, Unknown.
Meir KA looked to be cruising to victory when goals from Scott Rosney, Steve Bott and Craig Brooke's took them clear at Coleshill Town. And when the injured home keeper had to be replaced by Coleshill boss Martin Sockett, an avalanche of goals seemed likely. But the home side finally took the honours 5-4 thanks to two goals from debutant Paul Charnley.


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Nations Best®Corned Beef and potatoes make a wonderful fry up. This hash is enhanced with orange zest, for a subtle, citrus flavor. Top with poached eggs for a traditional combo.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Add the corned beef, potatoes, gravy, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the orange zest, and salt and pepper.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of parsley. Serve immediately.


After you have received a commitment of funding from the Department, the process moves into execution of a contract and clearance of special and general conditions. Depending on the program, funds can be released through direct loans for development, acquisition, and rehabilitation; or through grants, generally to local jurisdictions, for relocation assistance, supportive services, and rental assistance. Your award letter identifies an individual who can guide you through the process.
At each step from award through construction or rehabilitation to loan or grant close-out and long-term oversight and monitoring, Department staff will be available to provide technical assistance. From time to time, workshops are held to inform the public about particular programs or aspects of programs that are of interest to both the general public and potential and current recipients of funds.
At the project's completion, oversight of rental projects' loans or grants will be transferred to Asset Management and Compliance (AMC). AMC manages compliance with laws and regulations and regulatory agreements for rental projects funded by the Department. Most rental projects are governed by the Uniform Multifamily Regulations. Owner loans made directly by the Department to homeowners are also monitored by AMC.
For rental projects funded by the Department, each program's operational rules are shown on the Rental Housing Compliance Regulatory Table. Some requirements apply to all rental projects and can be found in the All Rental Projects' Reporting Requirements page. Additional program-specific requirements for rental projects are described in detail. For owner loans, individual security documents recorded with loans or grants prevail. For more information, contact Asset Management and Compliance at (916) 263-2771.


text:
Review: Etihad Business Class On The A380
Review: Etihad Business Class On The A380 Image 1 of 4
Dec 13 2022, 5:22 am
In this review, I look at Etihad's Business Class product on the A380 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow. This was, in fact, the second leg of a two-part Etihad journey that started in Hong Kong. You can also read our review of the Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi in Etihad Business Class.
You can read all my Etihad flight reviews in Business Class to get a clearer picture of the product. Etihad and Qatar are the best Middle Eastern airlines to fly on, with Emirates coming in third. To find out more read our comparison of Etihad vs. Emirates vs. Qatar Airways.
Business Class gave us priority check-in and boarding at Abu Dhabi, a relief with 480 people waiting to board. First Class & Business Class is boarded on the Upper deck, making you feel superior until you see the cabin, divided into two sections, with 9 First Class seats and a huge 70 Business Class seats. The seats are in a dovetail design, with forward and rear seats offering increased personal space. The 22-inch wide seats are very comfortable, and you can put your feet up in a "hole" where your feet go when the seat is converted to a bed.
The seat converts to a comfortable, fully flat bed of 6'8". Seats on the aisle have a small sliding privacy screen, and there is concealed storage, a meal table, and a separate side table for personal belongings and laptops when dining or sleeping. Personal lights (rather low level), water bottle, .socks, amenity bag with nice lip salve and face cream, 15.4" touch screen TV, and magazines. There is also a lobby between Business and First Class which has comfortable seating for six guests and is fitted with seatbelts, power supply, and connectivity points. We were at the front, and I did not see this being used. I personally didn't like the luggage compartment, which was very small and hung down head-high above the seating area when opened.
We were offered orange juice while waiting for takeoff, then the steward brought the breakfast menu and offered us drinks and snacks. I chose when to be woken (2 hours before landing) and gave the steward my breakfast order. Then to sleep, I was, exhausted and hardly noticed the mood lighting, but I did enjoy the huge furry rug, which allowed you to snuggle down and tuck your feet in, and the pillow was reasonable.
Breakfast was delicious and beautifully served with hot rolls. However, items were forgotten, which was disappointing. I had to remind the steward to bring milk for the cereal, and we were only given one cup of tea. The staff were very nice, but with so many people, it was not nearly as personal as on the A330 we took for the first leg of our journey.
I managed to sleep, so from that perspective, I can recommend this flight. I liked the TV, you could watch the plane take off and land via the external tail-mounted cameras (landing was exciting as it was daylight), and there was information about where we were and how long left until landing, etc. Taking off was a bit hair-raising. We trundled along the runway for an age before taking off, and we began to wonder if we would run out of runway! The landing at Heathrow was absolutely perfect. We hardly felt the plane touch down.
We waited for ages for our luggage as there was so much luggage to disgorge, and although our luggage had a priority sticker, it was one of the last off! However, the Etihad chauffeur desk was easy to find near the exit. We were dispatched speedily with an excellent driver in a luxury sedan parked nearby (you are entitled to free transport up to 100 miles in Etihad Business Class).
All in all, this experience of Etihad Business Class resulted in decent sleep but the breakfast service let it down.
Find out what Etihad First is like on the A380 (with onboard shower!) and Etihad features in my top 10 Best Business Class airlines for long-haul travel.


This Proverbs 16:24 plaque features a contemporary honeycomb design and make the perfect gift for a special friend.
A wooden plaque with the bible verse Proverbs 16:24 'Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul'. The sign has honeycomb background to complement the verse. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or in a family room.


James P. Wind is a distinguished visiting professor and director of the Large Church Leadership Project, based at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. Prior to this position, he was president of the Alban Institute. Reverend Dr. Wind is a prominent voice in the wider conversation about the role of religion in America and the value of congregations. An ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he served as a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois from 1978 to 1990. Reverend Wind also served as program director, religion division, at Lilly Endowment.
From 1985 to 1990, he served as director of research and publications and senior associate of the Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics in Chicago, Illinois. From 1981 to 1984, Reverend Wind was a research associate at the Divinity School's Institute for the Advanced Study of Religion, where he was director of the Evaluation of the Study of Congregations.
He has written two books, The Bible and the University: The Messianic Vision of William Rainey Harper and Places of Worship: Exploring Their History, and coedited five others, Carriers of Faith: Lessons from Congregational Studies, Clergy Ethics in a Changing Society, New Dimensions in American Religious History, and American Congregations, volumes 1 and 2.


DiMoDA (Digital Museum of Digital Art) es una institución virtual pionera, dedicada a encargar, preservar y exhibir obras de arte de Realidad Virtual de vanguardia. En esta ocasión presenta su tercera exposición completa, New Talismans y Mind // Body, comisariada por DiMoDA, co-curada con Nhung Walsh para Siggraph Asia 2017.
DiMoDA (Digital Museum of Digital Art) is a pioneering virtual institution dedicated to commissioning, preserving and exhibiting avant-garde Virtual Reality works of art. On this occasion we present the third complete exhibition, New Talismans, curated by DiMoDA , co-curated with Nhung Walsh for Siggraph Asia 2017.
Visit from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.


text:
Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes
Dawson Church, Oliver Baumann, Peta Berenice Stapleton
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Research
A greater acceptance of mind-body approaches in psychology is emerging. Research indicates that supplementing established and evidence-based psychological techniques (e.g., behavioral, exposure and cognitive processing) with physiological or somatic interventionssuch as acupressure, meditation, yoga and biofield therapies -enhances therapeutic outcomes.Characterized as the "fourth wave" of psychology (Gallo, 2009), these therapies view psychological problems as interactions involving energy fields. This is the reason why they are collectively referred to as energy psychology. Energy fields have become essential tools in treatment and diagnosis, with devices such as EEGs, fMRIs, MEGs, PEMS and TENS machines providing medicine with a new window of understanding into the functioning of brain and body. Among the techniques that produce changes in these energy fields are meditation, the stimulation of acupoints, neurofeedback, eye movements, imagery and intention.By 2022, more than 400 papers on these therapies had been published in peer-reviewed journals, including meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and outcome studies. They demonstrate the efficacy of these approaches for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, with treatment effects often an order of magnitude greater than conventional therapies. Moreover, therapies in the counselling space focused on the relationships between the mind, body, brain, and behavior are now being recognized as effective treatments by various official bodies, including the US Veterans Administration, the UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the World Health Organization.The studies in this Research Topic examine the evidence for the efficacy of interventions supplementing traditional approaches such as talk therapy.In their Hypothesis and Theory article, Chan and colleagues propose a temporospatial neuroscientific model of the brain and self, which provides a detailed description of the temporal structure of transitive psychological processes that take place during psychotherapy and ultimately lead to healing. More specifically, the model provides guidance for when specific psychotherapeutic techniques are optimally employed to elicit neuroplastic changes in the brain, leading to neural activity changes associated with more adaptive, coherent, and energetic thought patterns and behaviour.Focussing on the psychological consequences of catastrophic events, Feinstein reviews the evidence for the effects of acupressure-based energy psychology techniques, on disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Findings across more than 30 countries indicate energy psychology has immediate and long-lasting benefits and has led to the reduction or even complete elimination of disaster-related psycho-symptomatology. Feinstein's review further highlights evidence for the underpinning mechanisms of those treatment effects, with several imaging studies indicating that changes in brain activity accompany cognitive shifts.The effects of another energy healing technique, Reiki, which involves a therapist placing their hands on or close to a client's body to activate self-healing processes, are evaluated in a systematic review by Zadro and Stapleton . The systematic search yielded 14 high-quality randomized controlled trials. These showed, compared to placebo, Reiki had substantial and significant effects on symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, stress and burnout, without producing adverse effects.Church and colleagues investigated the effects of EcoMeditation -a novel form of mediation that involves a sequence of active physical tasks to reduce mind wandering -on measures of psychological wellbeing as well as the experience of flow and transcendent states. Studies are increasingly measuring not only reductions in dysphoria, but the acquisition of elevated states such as happiness and transcendence. A pre-post comparison found both reductions in adverse psychological conditions and significant increases in flow and peak states. In a second study, Church and colleagues identified the beneficial effects of guided meditation on a range of objective markers (EEG, cortisol, immunoglobin) that correlated with improvements in psychological symptoms related to PTSD, depression and somatic symptoms. They also proposed a new standard for evaluating EEG datasets, the ratio of delta to high frequency beta brain waves.In a registered clinical trial, Krings and colleagues investigated a novel treatment approach for depression, combining Behavioural Activation Treatment (BATD) with an Attention Training Technique (ATT). Results showed positive effects on all aspects of depression symptomatology in the short-term (i.e. 2 weeks) but not longer-term (i.e. 3 months). Results further indicated that concurrent delivery of both treatments was more effective than sequential delivery. Booster sessions may potentially prolong the positive treatment effects.Hauber and Boon provides an interesting contrast by not focusing on the therapeutic method but on how the nature of first-session therapeutic relationship has the potential to enhance psychotherapeutic outcomes. Using a sample of high-risk adolescents, the authors found that therapeutic relationship quality significantly positively affected treatment outcomes. Highquality first-session therapeutic relationships lead to a doubling of treatment effectiveness, while low-quality relationships rarely lead to positive outcomes. Related to this work, Meier analyzed the causes of ceiling effects (positive-end response clusters) in measures of the therapeutic alliance (i.e. the quality of the relationship between the therapist and their client). The study analyzed self-report response patterns of drug-abuse patients drawn from an archival database. Replicating previous research they found ceiling effects on measures of the therapeutic working alliance. However, the analysis suggests that these effects are due to genuine reflections of commonly positive experiences of the therapist-patient relationship, even though social desirability influences cannot be entirely neglected.Finally, Church and colleagues provide a systematic review of the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), the most widely-used form of energy psychology, on psychological and physiological disorders. This study updates an earlier meta-analysis by Church ( 2013) and analyses 41 additional randomized controlled trials. Results confirm the earlier investigation and show EFT is efficacious for a range of psychological conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder), as well as physiological disorders (e.g., pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions). It should be considered a firstline evidence-based primary care treatment. Taken together, these nine studies provide an indication of the future direction of the field.They show that the newest generation of therapies, and especially energy psychology, are producing outcomes that can make a profound impact on public health. They demonstrate that natural drug-free methods and effective psychotherapy are able to effectively treat a wide range of disorders, often in brief time frames and without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204
10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204Licence: CC BY
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204/fullLicence: CC BY
Dive into the research topics of 'Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
psychology Social Sciences 100%
energy Social Sciences 62%
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church Social Sciences 38%
meditation Social Sciences 37%
Church, D., Baumann, O., & Stapleton, P. B. (2022). Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, [1116204]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204
Church, Dawson ; Baumann, Oliver ; Stapleton, Peta Berenice. / Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes. In: Frontiers in Psychology. 2022 ; Vol. 13.
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title = "Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes",
abstract = "A greater acceptance of mind-body approaches in psychology is emerging. Research indicates that supplementing established and evidence-based psychological techniques (e.g., behavioral, exposure and cognitive processing) with physiological or somatic interventionssuch as acupressure, meditation, yoga and biofield therapies -enhances therapeutic outcomes.Characterized as the {"}fourth wave{"} of psychology (Gallo, 2009), these therapies view psychological problems as interactions involving energy fields. This is the reason why they are collectively referred to as energy psychology. Energy fields have become essential tools in treatment and diagnosis, with devices such as EEGs, fMRIs, MEGs, PEMS and TENS machines providing medicine with a new window of understanding into the functioning of brain and body. Among the techniques that produce changes in these energy fields are meditation, the stimulation of acupoints, neurofeedback, eye movements, imagery and intention.By 2022, more than 400 papers on these therapies had been published in peer-reviewed journals, including meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and outcome studies. They demonstrate the efficacy of these approaches for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, with treatment effects often an order of magnitude greater than conventional therapies. Moreover, therapies in the counselling space focused on the relationships between the mind, body, brain, and behavior are now being recognized as effective treatments by various official bodies, including the US Veterans Administration, the UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the World Health Organization.The studies in this Research Topic examine the evidence for the efficacy of interventions supplementing traditional approaches such as talk therapy.In their Hypothesis and Theory article, Chan and colleagues propose a temporospatial neuroscientific model of the brain and self, which provides a detailed description of the temporal structure of transitive psychological processes that take place during psychotherapy and ultimately lead to healing. More specifically, the model provides guidance for when specific psychotherapeutic techniques are optimally employed to elicit neuroplastic changes in the brain, leading to neural activity changes associated with more adaptive, coherent, and energetic thought patterns and behaviour.Focussing on the psychological consequences of catastrophic events, Feinstein reviews the evidence for the effects of acupressure-based energy psychology techniques, on disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Findings across more than 30 countries indicate energy psychology has immediate and long-lasting benefits and has led to the reduction or even complete elimination of disaster-related psycho-symptomatology. Feinstein's review further highlights evidence for the underpinning mechanisms of those treatment effects, with several imaging studies indicating that changes in brain activity accompany cognitive shifts.The effects of another energy healing technique, Reiki, which involves a therapist placing their hands on or close to a client's body to activate self-healing processes, are evaluated in a systematic review by Zadro and Stapleton . The systematic search yielded 14 high-quality randomized controlled trials. These showed, compared to placebo, Reiki had substantial and significant effects on symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, stress and burnout, without producing adverse effects.Church and colleagues investigated the effects of EcoMeditation -a novel form of mediation that involves a sequence of active physical tasks to reduce mind wandering -on measures of psychological wellbeing as well as the experience of flow and transcendent states. Studies are increasingly measuring not only reductions in dysphoria, but the acquisition of elevated states such as happiness and transcendence. A pre-post comparison found both reductions in adverse psychological conditions and significant increases in flow and peak states. In a second study, Church and colleagues identified the beneficial effects of guided meditation on a range of objective markers (EEG, cortisol, immunoglobin) that correlated with improvements in psychological symptoms related to PTSD, depression and somatic symptoms. They also proposed a new standard for evaluating EEG datasets, the ratio of delta to high frequency beta brain waves.In a registered clinical trial, Krings and colleagues investigated a novel treatment approach for depression, combining Behavioural Activation Treatment (BATD) with an Attention Training Technique (ATT). Results showed positive effects on all aspects of depression symptomatology in the short-term (i.e. 2 weeks) but not longer-term (i.e. 3 months). Results further indicated that concurrent delivery of both treatments was more effective than sequential delivery. Booster sessions may potentially prolong the positive treatment effects.Hauber and Boon provides an interesting contrast by not focusing on the therapeutic method but on how the nature of first-session therapeutic relationship has the potential to enhance psychotherapeutic outcomes. Using a sample of high-risk adolescents, the authors found that therapeutic relationship quality significantly positively affected treatment outcomes. Highquality first-session therapeutic relationships lead to a doubling of treatment effectiveness, while low-quality relationships rarely lead to positive outcomes. Related to this work, Meier analyzed the causes of ceiling effects (positive-end response clusters) in measures of the therapeutic alliance (i.e. the quality of the relationship between the therapist and their client). The study analyzed self-report response patterns of drug-abuse patients drawn from an archival database. Replicating previous research they found ceiling effects on measures of the therapeutic working alliance. However, the analysis suggests that these effects are due to genuine reflections of commonly positive experiences of the therapist-patient relationship, even though social desirability influences cannot be entirely neglected.Finally, Church and colleagues provide a systematic review of the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), the most widely-used form of energy psychology, on psychological and physiological disorders. This study updates an earlier meta-analysis by Church ( 2013) and analyses 41 additional randomized controlled trials. Results confirm the earlier investigation and show EFT is efficacious for a range of psychological conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder), as well as physiological disorders (e.g., pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions). It should be considered a firstline evidence-based primary care treatment. Taken together, these nine studies provide an indication of the future direction of the field.They show that the newest generation of therapies, and especially energy psychology, are producing outcomes that can make a profound impact on public health. They demonstrate that natural drug-free methods and effective psychotherapy are able to effectively treat a wide range of disorders, often in brief time frames and without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.",
author = "Dawson Church and Oliver Baumann and Stapleton, {Peta Berenice}",
doi = "10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204",
journal = "Frontiers in Psychology",
publisher = "Frontiers Media SA",
Church, D, Baumann, O & Stapleton, PB 2022, 'Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes', Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13, 1116204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204
Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes. / Church, Dawson; Baumann, Oliver; Stapleton, Peta Berenice.
In: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 13, 1116204, 20.12.2022.
T1 - Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes
AU - Church, Dawson
AU - Baumann, Oliver
AU - Stapleton, Peta Berenice
N2 - A greater acceptance of mind-body approaches in psychology is emerging. Research indicates that supplementing established and evidence-based psychological techniques (e.g., behavioral, exposure and cognitive processing) with physiological or somatic interventionssuch as acupressure, meditation, yoga and biofield therapies -enhances therapeutic outcomes.Characterized as the "fourth wave" of psychology (Gallo, 2009), these therapies view psychological problems as interactions involving energy fields. This is the reason why they are collectively referred to as energy psychology. Energy fields have become essential tools in treatment and diagnosis, with devices such as EEGs, fMRIs, MEGs, PEMS and TENS machines providing medicine with a new window of understanding into the functioning of brain and body. Among the techniques that produce changes in these energy fields are meditation, the stimulation of acupoints, neurofeedback, eye movements, imagery and intention.By 2022, more than 400 papers on these therapies had been published in peer-reviewed journals, including meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and outcome studies. They demonstrate the efficacy of these approaches for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, with treatment effects often an order of magnitude greater than conventional therapies. Moreover, therapies in the counselling space focused on the relationships between the mind, body, brain, and behavior are now being recognized as effective treatments by various official bodies, including the US Veterans Administration, the UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the World Health Organization.The studies in this Research Topic examine the evidence for the efficacy of interventions supplementing traditional approaches such as talk therapy.In their Hypothesis and Theory article, Chan and colleagues propose a temporospatial neuroscientific model of the brain and self, which provides a detailed description of the temporal structure of transitive psychological processes that take place during psychotherapy and ultimately lead to healing. More specifically, the model provides guidance for when specific psychotherapeutic techniques are optimally employed to elicit neuroplastic changes in the brain, leading to neural activity changes associated with more adaptive, coherent, and energetic thought patterns and behaviour.Focussing on the psychological consequences of catastrophic events, Feinstein reviews the evidence for the effects of acupressure-based energy psychology techniques, on disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Findings across more than 30 countries indicate energy psychology has immediate and long-lasting benefits and has led to the reduction or even complete elimination of disaster-related psycho-symptomatology. Feinstein's review further highlights evidence for the underpinning mechanisms of those treatment effects, with several imaging studies indicating that changes in brain activity accompany cognitive shifts.The effects of another energy healing technique, Reiki, which involves a therapist placing their hands on or close to a client's body to activate self-healing processes, are evaluated in a systematic review by Zadro and Stapleton . The systematic search yielded 14 high-quality randomized controlled trials. These showed, compared to placebo, Reiki had substantial and significant effects on symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, stress and burnout, without producing adverse effects.Church and colleagues investigated the effects of EcoMeditation -a novel form of mediation that involves a sequence of active physical tasks to reduce mind wandering -on measures of psychological wellbeing as well as the experience of flow and transcendent states. Studies are increasingly measuring not only reductions in dysphoria, but the acquisition of elevated states such as happiness and transcendence. A pre-post comparison found both reductions in adverse psychological conditions and significant increases in flow and peak states. In a second study, Church and colleagues identified the beneficial effects of guided meditation on a range of objective markers (EEG, cortisol, immunoglobin) that correlated with improvements in psychological symptoms related to PTSD, depression and somatic symptoms. They also proposed a new standard for evaluating EEG datasets, the ratio of delta to high frequency beta brain waves.In a registered clinical trial, Krings and colleagues investigated a novel treatment approach for depression, combining Behavioural Activation Treatment (BATD) with an Attention Training Technique (ATT). Results showed positive effects on all aspects of depression symptomatology in the short-term (i.e. 2 weeks) but not longer-term (i.e. 3 months). Results further indicated that concurrent delivery of both treatments was more effective than sequential delivery. Booster sessions may potentially prolong the positive treatment effects.Hauber and Boon provides an interesting contrast by not focusing on the therapeutic method but on how the nature of first-session therapeutic relationship has the potential to enhance psychotherapeutic outcomes. Using a sample of high-risk adolescents, the authors found that therapeutic relationship quality significantly positively affected treatment outcomes. Highquality first-session therapeutic relationships lead to a doubling of treatment effectiveness, while low-quality relationships rarely lead to positive outcomes. Related to this work, Meier analyzed the causes of ceiling effects (positive-end response clusters) in measures of the therapeutic alliance (i.e. the quality of the relationship between the therapist and their client). The study analyzed self-report response patterns of drug-abuse patients drawn from an archival database. Replicating previous research they found ceiling effects on measures of the therapeutic working alliance. However, the analysis suggests that these effects are due to genuine reflections of commonly positive experiences of the therapist-patient relationship, even though social desirability influences cannot be entirely neglected.Finally, Church and colleagues provide a systematic review of the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), the most widely-used form of energy psychology, on psychological and physiological disorders. This study updates an earlier meta-analysis by Church ( 2013) and analyses 41 additional randomized controlled trials. Results confirm the earlier investigation and show EFT is efficacious for a range of psychological conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder), as well as physiological disorders (e.g., pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions). It should be considered a firstline evidence-based primary care treatment. Taken together, these nine studies provide an indication of the future direction of the field.They show that the newest generation of therapies, and especially energy psychology, are producing outcomes that can make a profound impact on public health. They demonstrate that natural drug-free methods and effective psychotherapy are able to effectively treat a wide range of disorders, often in brief time frames and without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.
AB - A greater acceptance of mind-body approaches in psychology is emerging. Research indicates that supplementing established and evidence-based psychological techniques (e.g., behavioral, exposure and cognitive processing) with physiological or somatic interventionssuch as acupressure, meditation, yoga and biofield therapies -enhances therapeutic outcomes.Characterized as the "fourth wave" of psychology (Gallo, 2009), these therapies view psychological problems as interactions involving energy fields. This is the reason why they are collectively referred to as energy psychology. Energy fields have become essential tools in treatment and diagnosis, with devices such as EEGs, fMRIs, MEGs, PEMS and TENS machines providing medicine with a new window of understanding into the functioning of brain and body. Among the techniques that produce changes in these energy fields are meditation, the stimulation of acupoints, neurofeedback, eye movements, imagery and intention.By 2022, more than 400 papers on these therapies had been published in peer-reviewed journals, including meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and outcome studies. They demonstrate the efficacy of these approaches for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, with treatment effects often an order of magnitude greater than conventional therapies. Moreover, therapies in the counselling space focused on the relationships between the mind, body, brain, and behavior are now being recognized as effective treatments by various official bodies, including the US Veterans Administration, the UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the World Health Organization.The studies in this Research Topic examine the evidence for the efficacy of interventions supplementing traditional approaches such as talk therapy.In their Hypothesis and Theory article, Chan and colleagues propose a temporospatial neuroscientific model of the brain and self, which provides a detailed description of the temporal structure of transitive psychological processes that take place during psychotherapy and ultimately lead to healing. More specifically, the model provides guidance for when specific psychotherapeutic techniques are optimally employed to elicit neuroplastic changes in the brain, leading to neural activity changes associated with more adaptive, coherent, and energetic thought patterns and behaviour.Focussing on the psychological consequences of catastrophic events, Feinstein reviews the evidence for the effects of acupressure-based energy psychology techniques, on disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Findings across more than 30 countries indicate energy psychology has immediate and long-lasting benefits and has led to the reduction or even complete elimination of disaster-related psycho-symptomatology. Feinstein's review further highlights evidence for the underpinning mechanisms of those treatment effects, with several imaging studies indicating that changes in brain activity accompany cognitive shifts.The effects of another energy healing technique, Reiki, which involves a therapist placing their hands on or close to a client's body to activate self-healing processes, are evaluated in a systematic review by Zadro and Stapleton . The systematic search yielded 14 high-quality randomized controlled trials. These showed, compared to placebo, Reiki had substantial and significant effects on symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, stress and burnout, without producing adverse effects.Church and colleagues investigated the effects of EcoMeditation -a novel form of mediation that involves a sequence of active physical tasks to reduce mind wandering -on measures of psychological wellbeing as well as the experience of flow and transcendent states. Studies are increasingly measuring not only reductions in dysphoria, but the acquisition of elevated states such as happiness and transcendence. A pre-post comparison found both reductions in adverse psychological conditions and significant increases in flow and peak states. In a second study, Church and colleagues identified the beneficial effects of guided meditation on a range of objective markers (EEG, cortisol, immunoglobin) that correlated with improvements in psychological symptoms related to PTSD, depression and somatic symptoms. They also proposed a new standard for evaluating EEG datasets, the ratio of delta to high frequency beta brain waves.In a registered clinical trial, Krings and colleagues investigated a novel treatment approach for depression, combining Behavioural Activation Treatment (BATD) with an Attention Training Technique (ATT). Results showed positive effects on all aspects of depression symptomatology in the short-term (i.e. 2 weeks) but not longer-term (i.e. 3 months). Results further indicated that concurrent delivery of both treatments was more effective than sequential delivery. Booster sessions may potentially prolong the positive treatment effects.Hauber and Boon provides an interesting contrast by not focusing on the therapeutic method but on how the nature of first-session therapeutic relationship has the potential to enhance psychotherapeutic outcomes. Using a sample of high-risk adolescents, the authors found that therapeutic relationship quality significantly positively affected treatment outcomes. Highquality first-session therapeutic relationships lead to a doubling of treatment effectiveness, while low-quality relationships rarely lead to positive outcomes. Related to this work, Meier analyzed the causes of ceiling effects (positive-end response clusters) in measures of the therapeutic alliance (i.e. the quality of the relationship between the therapist and their client). The study analyzed self-report response patterns of drug-abuse patients drawn from an archival database. Replicating previous research they found ceiling effects on measures of the therapeutic working alliance. However, the analysis suggests that these effects are due to genuine reflections of commonly positive experiences of the therapist-patient relationship, even though social desirability influences cannot be entirely neglected.Finally, Church and colleagues provide a systematic review of the effects of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), the most widely-used form of energy psychology, on psychological and physiological disorders. This study updates an earlier meta-analysis by Church ( 2013) and analyses 41 additional randomized controlled trials. Results confirm the earlier investigation and show EFT is efficacious for a range of psychological conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder), as well as physiological disorders (e.g., pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions). It should be considered a firstline evidence-based primary care treatment. Taken together, these nine studies provide an indication of the future direction of the field.They show that the newest generation of therapies, and especially energy psychology, are producing outcomes that can make a profound impact on public health. They demonstrate that natural drug-free methods and effective psychotherapy are able to effectively treat a wide range of disorders, often in brief time frames and without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
Church D, Baumann O, Stapleton PB. Editorial: The Future of Psychology: Approaches to Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022 Dec 20;13. 1116204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1116204


Despite the enormous concern people have about the proposal, the public will not be able to see the new application and the by-law that would amend the city zoning by-laws until late Friday night, and they won't be allowed to speak up at the Planning Committee meeting, which is not an open public meeting where members of the public may ask questions or offer comments. That's not fair.
public participation at Thursday's meeting will be at the discretion of [the] Planning Committee, which leaves people not knowing what to expect and discourages them from getting involved.
Whether you are a in support of a new high-rise in downtown Kingston or not, this week we challenge you to let the City know how you feel. Without a proper public meeting, it is up to us to make our views known through letters to editor and to Kingston City Council. We have one week to make our voices heard, so speak up ygk!
I'm pretty sure the picture, which is also at the front of the building, is intentionally misleading. The high-rise pictured would clearly touch down on the northern side of Queen Street. It definitely is not rising from even the back of the Capital Theater.
I think this is relevant, as they know it'll look terrible, so they minimize the impact with visual cheats.


to join Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He is a beautiful man, husband, and father.
God Speed to all of our Soldiers!
while for a quick return I pray.
memorizing the things that I will not be able to keep.
yet so scared to be left here alone.
never hearing his voice over the phone.
so much too precious to be left unsaid.
and there is so much raging in his head.
and nights so late he was too tired to see.
All this preparation so they can serve and protect the free.
it is all so hard to explain.
They just want their daddy when they call his name.
as his forehead I lean down and kiss.
I know that miles are only symbols while we are apart.
the love we have in our heart.
I will hold him and tell him good bye.
" We love you, and we will be here waiting for you."
These tears I shed at 1:00 A.M.
and stands tall for the red, white, and blue.
We love you Bryan Lee Crumpler!


In the Face of Death, Bake!
We had a death in the family yesterday. 16-year-old Sylvia, Rich's cat, passed away. The little noodle had lost a bit of weight in the last few weeks, and over the weekend she stopped eating. She even turned away some hand-shredded rotisserie chicken. That was a telltale sign that this was no hairball disruption. Second sign that something was seriously amiss: my cat Lucy, who normally hisses and bats at Sylvia whenever Sylvia crosses her path, sat quietly by Sylvia's side all day Sunday.
Anyway, Sunday we made Sylvia as comfy as possible, bringing her water bowl to her, petting her and telling her how pretty she was. The plan was to take her to the vet first thing Monday morning. It was a rough day for both of us -- Rich, especially -- and we spent the evening at home, watching TV, reading the paper, thinking about our little sweetie.
And baking. You see, whenever I am upset I bake. It's distraction, it's comfort, it's something I have utter control over.
So peanut butter cookies it was! I looked through about a half dozen cookbooks, comparing recipes, ingredients, yields. After deciding on a classic recipe from my King Arthur Flour baking book, I retreated to the kitchen. Peanut butter! Butter and sugar! Peanut butter chips! All good stuff, and the work was all-consuming.
The batter done, I readied my three cookie sheets, two Silpat liners, and six cooling racks. Then I began the cookie-baking process: drop cookies onto sheet; press each with fork tines; bake 5 minutes, rotate pan in oven, bake 5 minutes more; remove from oven; place cookies on cooling rack; load up a second cookie sheet and repeat process.
It took hours. And in between, I went upstairs to where Sylvia was sitting quietly, and I'd pet her and tell her how pretty she was. Then back downstairs, drop cookies onto sheet, press each with fork tines, etc.
Anyway, when we got home last night, Rich and I dug right into the Tupperware of cookies, and reminisced about that little black-and-white (tuxedo, right?) cutie pie. It was sad, and it was sweet, and the cookies were a welcome distraction and comfort.


LCCSSA & Teamster (Support Staff) Evaluations due by January 18th of each year.
New Employee introductory Evaluation due 90 days after start date.
NEO (New Employee Orientation) Every other month on the third Tuesday.
Student Payroll to be approved by supervisors by 3rd of month.


text:
Critical Role One-Shot: Trinket's Honey Heist
Articles needing citations/1x41, Emon, Places,
Gilmore's Glorious Goods.
Gilmore's Glorious Goods was a shop in the Abdar's Promenade district of Emon.
Building Description Edit
Fan art of Gilmore's Glorious Goods, by Jack Gallagher.[art 1]
The building itself was wide and only a single story, and it was described by Matthew Mercer as "[t]he worst or best funhouse to enter, based on your opinion." The exterior was made up of deep blue and purple fabrics draped over the building, which had been painted with various colors. The entryway had no door, but rather many beads and cloth drapes that were meant to be pushed aside.
The interior of the shop was magically enchanted to be bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. In reality, the business was quite a large two-story building. Incense and perfumes permeated the place, "like a terrible medieval Sephora." A series of everburning candles in sconces adorned the walls. On the first floor, tables bearing glass cases resided within the center of the room, and there was a long, wooden counter on the far end. Behind that was the entrance to Gilmore's private quarters. On the far left wall was an area where an herbalist worked on various potions. The second story was where adventuring gear could be found, such as belts, armor, weapons, and enchanted rings.
Notable People Edit
The shop was staffed by Gilmore and his employees, who dressed in blue and purple robes similar to the cloth draped over the building itself.
Sherri: Half-elf; employee at Gilmore's Glorious Goods.
Shaun Gilmore: Human sorcerer; owner of Gilmore's Glorious Goods; sponsor of Vox Machina.
The Story So Far Edit
The members of Vox Machina were regular customers of Gilmore's. They earned a sponsorship after saving the royal family of Emon. The main perk of this sponsorship came in the form of a significant discount.
Just before the Chroma Conclave's attack, Gilmore had been working to open a second shop in Westruun. However, his storefront and much of his inventory was destroyed (or looted) during Thordak's occupation of Emon.[1]
↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41).[citation needed]
↑ Fan art of Gilmore's Glorious Goods, by Jack Gallagher (source). Used with permission.
Retrieved from "https://criticalrole.fandom.com/wiki/Gilmore%27s_Glorious_Goods?oldid=59875"
Articles needing citations/1x41


Place the NEBTR number "990080707" in the START SHOPPING box and click "START shopping" Every purchase you make NEBTR will receive a donation!
You have known Yankee Candles for years. They are the perfect gift for anyone on your list, for any occasion, including yourself! Every purchase you make through NEBTR will generate a donation to help us vet our foster dogs. You get a candle, the dogs get life saving surgery, it's a win/win. Every time you light your candle, you will know you helped make the future of a NEBTR dog brighter. THANK YOU!


text:
SURPRISE: The Senate Just Cleared A Key Hurdle In Extending Unemployment Benefits
Brett LoGiurato
The Senate cleared a key procedural hurdle in extending long-term unemployment benefits to approximately 1.3 million Americans for another three months.
The vote advanced by a razor-thin margin of 60-37.
In the end, enough Republicans (six) joined Democrats in moving along the bill. The bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) needed 60 votes to advance.
The six Senate Republicans who voted to advance the bill were Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Dan Coats (Ind.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), and Heller. There are 53 Democrats in the Senate, plus two Independents who caucus with Democrats.
Senators applauded on the floor when it was clear the bill had enough votes to advance.
President Barack Obama will speak from the White House at 11:40 a.m. ET on extending unemployment insurance. The White House supports the bipartisan Senate bill, but the House of Representatives has signaled it is unlikely to take it up. Republicans have been open to an unemployment extension, but want the costs offset with other spending cuts.
Democrats now hope to move to final passage on the bill by the end of the week, but it's unlikely that an extension will be taken up in the House without a deal to pay for the approximate $US6.5 billion cost.
As drafted, the bill would restore unemployment benefits at an average of $US256 weekly. The unemployment benefits expired for those 1.3 million long-term unemployed on Dec. 28.
politics-us


by John C. Dvorak -- "If competition wasn't manic enough for the beleaguered cell phone industry, NTT DoCoMo's anticipated entry in the U.S. market within 12 to 18 months won't help.
"Critics of the U.S. cellular industry continuously point to NTT DoCoMo's (NYSE: NTT - news) i-mode phone as the prime example of how far behind the U.S. market is compared to others. The DoCoMo phone might be one of the most successful consumer electronics products ever released in Japan, and it is just a matter of time before it is unleashed on the U.S. market.
"By acquiring a 16% stake in AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE - news) in November, NTT DoCoMo is assured of one entry point to introduce the i-mode phone. The company, with a market cap that hovers around $200 billion, is looking to buy other entry points in the U.S and elsewhere.


The British SA80 Assault Rifle: Was it ahead of its time?
Home Land The British SA80 Assault Rifle: Was it ahead of its time?
A Royal Marine from 42 Commando aims an SA80.
It is no doubt that, despite serious issues, the SA80 was revolutionary in its design.
The rifle has a unique bull-pup design and was originally manufactured in Great Britain, in the Enfield works. However, while this rifle during its inception was touted as being revolutionary, based in part on its sci-fi appearance, its functionality came into question.
The SA-80 is different to many rifles, as its magazine is located at the rear of the gun, behind the trigger. Firstly, the barrel length is longer to provide for accuracy and it is easily transportable. A paratrooper or armoured troops could use this gun, and actually, there is also a carbine derivative of this gun for use in the Army Air Corps, Royal Navy and other branches of services. It operates from a selective fire gas-operated design feature. As such, the weapon uses a short stroke gas piston located above the barrel, which is fed gas by a regulator. This is different to the M16 weapons platform which is based upon a direct gas impingement system. While the Colt M-16 is a very significant gun, it is prone to fowling in the chamber, as the spent gunpowder is still within the barrel, and it needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Therefore, the SA-80 and its rotating gas impingement system have an advantage over its American counterparts.
The Bullpup layout means that the action of the rifle occurs behind the rigger system. This means that the design can be quite compact, and is achievable without compromising on its overall barrel length. The current barrel length of the modern SA-80A2 is 518mm. This makes this Assault Weapons system unique, and combat worthy in its current form. However, this has not always been the case as we shall see in this article.
The article is split up into three sections, with the history of the industrial design of the weapon, the deployment of the first SA-80 gun, and the design defects, thirdly, the attempt to remedy those defects by Heckler and Koch to create the SA-80A2 platform, and conclusion with a question as to whether we should carry on updating this design? Or should we purchase a superior weapons system – in my argument the Israeli 'Tavor' assault rifle, would be the best option?
Let's start with the history of the rifle's development. Its first prototype was named the EM-1 and the EM-2 respectively. The combat system started development in the late 1940s. The British government had an ambitious plan to change the cartridge of the new rifle and create a new type of assault rifle, which was different to the Lee Enfield bolt action rifle used in the Second World War. The experience of combat during the Second World War led designers to come up with a radically different new rifle concept – known as the EM-1 and the EM-2 (which were both of bullpup designs). These two prototype guns were supposed to have 7mm ammunition, however, political decisions at the top levels of NATO wanted to standardise its cartridges for small arms of member states to make it logistically simpler and easier to rearm. Therefore, when NATO adopted the current 7.62 x 51mm cartridge – otherwise known as the NATO cartridge, it brought a death knell to the revolutionary rifle development, and the government abandoned plans in favour of an off the shelf rifle. As such, the British Army adopted the Belgian FN FAL rifle.
Historically 1969 was the year, that brought this revolutionary design back on the table once again, and the Enfield factor began to consider a new type of small arms weapon system. In October, 2nd 1985 was the official launch of the new SA80 assault rifle in London. It was a crucial moment for the rifle to get the international recognition, with defence officials, and key industry specialists, generals, military attaches and journalists at the launch.
However, the gun was actually not ready for the ceremony at all. It was kept a secret to the public. It was a testimony of the failure of the industry to fully be able to appreciate and understand the complexities of making a cheap, mass-produced gun for the Army. The industrial engineers who designed the gun never shot a gun, so in theory, their design looked good on the drawing paper, but in action, despite its science fiction appearance, this could not be further from the truth. In industrial design language, form and function were not matching the needs of the end user – in this case, the British Army infantry soldier being deployed on the front.
When looking at the comparison between the original M-16 rifle made by Colt, and the original SA-80 to that of the AK-47 – the superior weapon to come out of these comparisons was ironically the Soviet Union's AK-47 and its variant designs. This is a testament to how a simple manufacturing process, with a gun with a crude, but workable design, and 7 moving parts became one of the most prolific small arms in hot spots around the world.
However, the SA-80 had its first operations in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and soon the FN FAL was replaced by these new bullpup designs. However, it was not until the First Gulf War that the true extent of the difficulties encountered by the infantry soldier of this design was uncovered. There were tales of British Army soldiers swapping their SA-80 rifles for AK-47s. The First Gulf War demonstrated the difficulties of fighting in desert conditions, with sand getting into the firing mechanism, and causing problems with the rifle's ability to extract spent ammunition. The inability to fire meant that the Assault Rifle had to be cleaned during combat, and reassembled again in the hope of firing. This put lives in danger.
Due to the beleaguered nature of the rifle, the redevelopment of the rifle underwent a major update in 2002 by Heckler and Kock and the SA80A2 rifle remains in service as of 2017. While the SA80 rifles were upgraded to a new standard. This new design looked the same, but its internals was different. Also significant was the adoption of the railing system at the barrel which allowed for the inclusion of a grenade launcher. Also, a hand grip was introduced on the rail, which allowed for greater user-friendly experience, and better targeting of the rifle.
These updated rifles went into action with the British Army and saw service in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Sierra Leone and other conflict zones where British troops were deployed. Overall, the SA-80 has been deployed to the following conflicts including the Troubles in counter-terrorist operations in Northern Ireland, to the Bosnian War in peacekeeping operations, the Kosovo War, under peacekeeping missions to the Sierra Leone conflict, the Iraq, and Afghanistan Wars.
Another interesting point to highlight is that there are a number of users of this platform, which enhances its credibility as a weapons platform. As part of British Aid, Zimbabwe had the SA-80, it has been used by Bolivia, in particular by its Special Forces, by Jamaica since 1992, Mozambique, and Nepal both part of British military aid, and Papua New Guinea. Over territories include Gibraltar as it's the standard rifle for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, and also used in Bermuda by the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
To conclude, while the original SA-80 assault rifle was seen to be a more accurate design it was beleaguered with problems which could only be remedied by a refit of the system in the form of SA80-A2. The government had to spend around £500 million according to some estimates to make numerous modifications and upgrades to make the weapon systems better. Now according to Janes Defence Weekly, there is a potential for an SA-80A3 version which could extend the weapon system lifespan to beyond 2025.
The main questions become: should the Ministry of Defence be looking for a more up to date weapon system? In addition, should it consider a weapons system being purchased from elsewhere?
"Potential for an A3 version"!! It's already in production and has been launched. Catch up UKDJ!
Why is my comment awaiting moderation still?
Not yet – the US is doing a lot of work on a 6.5 – 7mm round and it looks as if the days of the 5.56 are over, but like everything it will take time.
I think we wait and see what happens with the calibre's and then make a decision. The SA80 works and is good, we should look at managing whatever stocks we have with a view to retiring in 2030's.
When Margaret Thatcher was frantic to sell off the state owned Royal Ordinance Company she added a sweetener of a large order for this rifle even though she was told that the development was not finished and it was not ready for use.
Good article – but it doesn't cover the options and your preference for the Tavor in it.
Agreed Pacman, now HK are also making replacement receivers as well as all the other major action components, they can carry on in service well into the 2030's.
No point replacing the system until a new NATO calibre is selected.
The rifle is still too heavy, has terrible ambi controls and is a mess to dissassemble. The tavor has already been replaced by the X95 in Israel to make it even shorter and include a button release. I would replace it with the LMT MARS.
The tavor has already been replaced by the X95 in Israel to make it even shorter and include a button release.
Still the Tavor, just the latest iteration.
Even the Falklanders were not prepared to use the SA 80.
No one would argue that the rifle has terrible ergonomics (training largely negates this issue) or that its too heavy, that aside, its here, its reliable, accurate and effective.
HK support the L85 and continue to refine and upgrade the rifle.
When a new calibre is eventually selected (no hurry here, its not a funding priority) , a new off the shelf design will replace it.
As someone who owns both Tavors and AUGs the Styer A3 and Aussie F90 variant of the AUG edges it out due to adaptability. For example in order to change the ejection for a left hander on the Tavor requires an Armorer. On the AUG it is a change of bolt and swapping the ejection port cover during field stripping. Also while all three are well made the Austrian and Aussie made guns just feel quality. Not to mention both are lighter and carry more naturally. However the Tavor is significantly cheaper in the US than those 2.
No, it just requires time and patience. Irrelevant now, as the X95 fixes that time-consuming annoyance over the TAR-21.
I take it you live in the US if you own those rifles.
I live in the US and I've seen the Tavor rifles, X95s, Steyr Augs and they're pricy. AR15s are more economical to buy. I don't have any experience with bullpups.
The A3 marking is applied to designate newly HK manufactured receivers.
It doesn't represent a major upgrade in itself, just minor manufacturing improvements to the original designed body.
This is a crucial steppingstone to future improvements that will include new forend, full length rail and other mods.
The SA80 was on display at the Queens Silver Jubilee at Sennelager in 1977. At the time it was designed for both left & right handed filters. Bit to save costs it the became only for right handed filters.
The Austrian STEYR was produced after the FRENCH Famas F1 which entered initial service in 1971, variants – the G2 et al are still used today.
I wouldn't worry to much about the SA80 having a rocky introduction. Just have a read about the US M16 and even the Lee Enfield 303. I think the only thing they need to work on for the future is it's weight. Apart from that it's probably the finest assault rifle in the world.
Sterling took the MOD to court over infringing their patent for the L2 SMG and won in 1966. Whilst ROF were allowed to finish their contract they couldn't export them and a fee had to be paid back to Sterling. Not the first time or last time it would happen, apparently there was a fair amount of bad blood between RoF/RSAF Enfield and Sterling over the years!
There's a great 1980's picture of a joke Sterling AR18 "bullpup" assembled from scrap parts at the Sterling factory for the wind up value.
Great piece of Sarcastic humour!
the size and weight , design is not the question. it is The stopping power of the ammo. the 5.56 is great up to 100 metres beyond that it can take several rounds to drop a man. 7.62 will put a man down up to 300m and beyond. but the SA80 is great for built up areas as a close quarter weapon, compared to the SLR.