Question:

Anyone know what this is?  Did Fender ever use this circuit in any of it’s amps? Thanks in advance. Mr Soul http://www.MusicIsLove.com

Response:

Anyone know what this is?  Did Fender ever use this circuit in any of it’s amps?

Yes, some of the silverface fenders from the 70s had this feature to help balance slightly mismatched Output tubes (cheaper than tube matching I suppose). Negative bias applied to the grid of the tube can control the amount of plate voltage and output power of the tube. What it consisted of was the way the bias level pot was reconfigured with a few resistors to enable it to be adjusted like a balance control in your stereo so that any uneven plate voltage between 2 tubes (or sets of tubes) could be evened out by directing either more or less negative bias control to one tube or the other. The Normal bias pot (if there is one) would deliver only equal level changes to the set of tubes thus not accounting for any missmatch. In my amp I have individual bias pots for each of 2 tubes which controls both balance as well as level (allows one to dial in varying amounts of harmonic distortions and set the threshold of tube breakup when the output stage is pushed) Have a look at some schematics of old super reverbs etc. to see the way the different pot wireing scheme. Cheers Savy

Response:

Did the ‘67 Deluxe Reverb (AB763) have this circuit?  I don’t think it does. Mr Soul

Response:

Did the ‘67 Deluxe Reverb (AB763) have this circuit?  I don’t think it does. Mr Soul

No, it does not.  It has a direct bias adjustment.  Both tubes are adjusted using the one bias pot, and that’s why you have to have matched output tubes. This type of bias network is much preferred over the later "bias balance" network.  But as has been mentioned ad infinitem here, you can combine the two circuits to get bias adjustment AND bias balance, which gives you the best of both worlds. http://www.hoffmanamps.com/charts/Biascircuits.htm http://www.hoffmanamps.com/charts/bias_conversions.htm   –E

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Question:

If I was to obtain my CPA here in America, and work for a little while then move to either the UK or Australia would being a CPA carry any weight over there?  Would it be laterally transferrable, or would it just be recognition (if that)?  Is there a test similar in the UK or Australia to the CPA in America? Thank you, Geoffrey

Response:

Would advise you visit http://www.icaew.co.uk/ http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/cps/rde/xchg http://www.icaa.org.au/ and review the relevant section.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If I was to obtain my CPA here in America, and work for a little while then move to either the UK or Australia would being a CPA carry any weight over there?  Would it be laterally transferrable, or would it just be recognition (if that)?  Is there a test similar in the UK or Australia to the CPA in America? Thank you, Geoffrey

Response:

I guess it depends what work you do. Clearly, the tax & corporate laws are different. Also, the accounting standards are different (Australia is moving to European standards on 1 Jan 2005). But then, I see the occasional advert for accountants who know a bit about American standards. You’re lucky that so many multinationals are domiciled in the US! Here are three good job search engines from Australia www.seek.com.au www.mycareer.com.au www.cajobs.com.au

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Recently met a CPA working for PwC. Shortage of accountants down under…maybe   it’s worth considering joining one of the big firms, get your CPA and ask for a secondment. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I guess it depends what work you do. Clearly, the tax & corporate laws are different. Also, the accounting standards are different (Australia is moving to European standards on 1 Jan 2005). But then, I see the occasional advert for accountants who know a bit about American standards. You’re lucky that so many multinationals are domiciled in the US! Here are three good job search engines from Australia www.seek.com.au www.mycareer.com.au www.cajobs.com.au

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Question:

This message was cancelled from within Mozilla.

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Exposure of Zionist Crimes PALESTINE REFUGEE RIGHTS GROUP DEMANDS FULL EXPOSURE OF ZIONIST CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY CALLS TORTURE OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS UNDER ZIONIST OCCUPATION A TEMPLATE FOR US AGGRESSION AGAINST IRAQ Decades of torture, humiliation and physical abuse endured by the people of Palestine under Zionist occupation have served as a template for the tragedy the US has created in Iraq and all of the Arab world . In addition, land theft, home demolitions and the depletion of the Palestinian social structure defies every tenet of international humanitarian law. Al-Awda, The Palestine Right of Return Coalition joins the Arab peoples in the world-wide condemnation of the United States occupation of the sovereign nation of Iraq, which flaunts all international rules of law. We also condemn the use of mercenaries in Iraq ("sub-contractors") in its attempts to privatize war in an effort to remove it from the glare of public scrutiny. US actions in Iraq are now being held up to a mirror for all the world to see. We demand no less for the people of Palestine: A full accounting of the crimes against humanity perpetrated upon the Palestinian people since the imposition of the Zionist state, to be overseen by The International Criminal Court. That the United States be held accountable to all international laws regarding its complicity in the maintenance of the years long Zionist occupation of Palestine. Along with calls for holding responsible all aggressors involved in the preemptive and illegal war against the people of Iraq, we demand the same hold true for all parties responsible for the condition of the Palestinian people, based on laws governing the Geneva conventions prohibiting the use of torture, cruelty and other forms of mistreatment. In addition, the distortion and outright defiance of all UN resolutions regarding the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes and lands (since 1947 until today) must be seriously addressed by international bodies. While what continues to be a humanitarian disaster of epic proportion for the Palestinian people, it must be understood that the war against Iraq has its roots in the imposition of the Jewish Only state in the Middle East, since 1947. Only when the Palestinian refugees return to the homes and land they were uprooted from, can stability return to the region. Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition is one of the largest networks of grassroots activists dedicated to Palestinian human rights. Our website may be viewed at http://al-awda.org

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Question:

I have the evaluation version of Simply Accounting installed that allows for 30 sessions before it stops working. There doesn’t appear to be any place in this package to install a serial number. Anyone know if I have to reinstall Simply Accounting once I have purchased the full version… or is there a way to pop in the serial #? — "Its the bugs that keep it running."                                       -Joe Canuck

Response:

Popping the serial number means that you get a free copy – right? You sound like a good accounting type – Enron could have done with your skills Phone them, and they will take you through the process, when of course you pay!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have the evaluation version of Simply Accounting installed that allows for 30 sessions before it stops working. There doesn’t appear to be any place in this package to install a serial number. Anyone know if I have to reinstall Simply Accounting once I have purchased the full version… or is there a way to pop in the serial #? — "Its the bugs that keep it running."                                       -Joe Canuck

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Popping the serial number means that you get a free copy – right? You sound like a good accounting type – Enron could have done with your skills Phone them, and they will take you through the process, when of course you pay!

I’m not an accounting type. I have a 25+ year career history working in IT in the corporate world. I was tempted to deal with this issue in my original post since I just knew someone out there would second guess my intentions and raise it. My question was purely technical from a system administration point of view. Based on the fact that this evaluation version is already populated with data and that there is no visible means for entering a serial number… I have concluded it will be necessary to uninstall this evaluation and install the "real* version. Everyone is either a critic or a cynic… I think you are both!  :-) — "Its the bugs that keep it running."                                       -Joe Canuck

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Question:

I ‘ve been looking for employment, and I took a temp-to-hire job that was kind of thrust on me by a pushy recruiter. It sounded interesting, and I used to work in the same town, so I was familiar with the area, etc etc…well, it ended up taking me an hour each way to get there (two years ago it took half an hour) . I was supposed to do bookkeeping and data entry, and last weekend I fired up Quickbooks and MS Office and reacquainted myself with them. I was looking forward to it. This company had been short-staffed for so long that they gave me crappy tedious tasks. For four days I stood at the copier and made copies of reports (went through five reams of paper in one morning alone), and assembled them for mailing, and ran them through the postage meter and gave them to the mailman, and answered the phone. That’s IT. Oh, and copied and assembled huge 3-ring-binder inspection manuals. All the while the regular staff was complaining, one woman hated computers and it took her 4 hours to find a city on Mapquest and get driving directions. I offered to help her, but she refused. I was told that the dress code was casual (there was a lab in the basement where they did testing so it was kind of dusty) , but for the first two days I actually looked nicer than the other workers. In fact, one lady wore the same polyester pants for 3 days, and she looked like she hadn’t had a shower in a week! So, on Wednesday, I wore jeans. A nice pair of jeans, tailored, cuffed, and pleated, no pockets, with a new spread-collar polo shirt. Even my husband told me I looked nice that morning. But at work, the office manager took me aside and said "I don’t know if you were told, but you’re not allowed to wear jeans, it’s in the policy handbook."   I was absolutely humiliated, and in the already pissy mood I was in, that reprimand just threw me over the edge. I hid in the copier room copying mountains of reports until lunchtime, then I went out to my car and changed into a pair of black leggings that were in a bag for the Salvation Army. They looked like crap. But they weren’t made of that evil denim. No one said anything after lunch, the office manager was too busy training another temp on the accounting program! I was now seriously pissed! This guy had a shaved head with scars all over from being in a halo , his neck was fused , his eyes went in two dirfferent directions, (now I’m not dissing accident victims) and she was being all nice to him because he was a guy!  I was on the vege of tears all day, I felt totally ridiculous for that, I missed my kids and my cats and my little house, but I held it in until the drive home. Oh, and I was crying so hard I almost hit a UPS truck. I had a huge headache from the noise of the copier, phone, postage meter, and fax machine, because none of them were ever idle. On Friday I took the cowards way out and just didn’t go in. I had spent eight hours driving that week, a whole DAY. I stayed in bed and let hubby get the older kids off to school. The temp agency called, he took a message, and that afternoon I sent them an email. I was just too much of a wimp to call. I don’t even care if they pay me. They’ll never know that I am really a good employee, who was appreciated and commended, and was even an emploee-of-the-year once. I’m just the stupid temp who wore jeans, hid in the copier room, and kept messing up when transferring phone calls. Becky

Response:

Your story struck a chord with me.  The same thing happens to me all the time.  But I’m beginning to believe it’s my fault.  I’m not patient enough and I certainly can’t deal with the disappointments too well.  I have had these talks with myself before!  On my last job I worked hard to keep myself in control for 7 months.  I was told I was in line for a promotion to a programming postion and I had worked hard to learn everything I needed to know.  When the time came they didn’t give me a chance but hired someone off the street!  It was the last straw in a series of disappointments and I quit.  Now I’ve been out of work for 7 months and, it seems, no one will hire me.  I know I have to be more "thick-skinned" but I don’t seem to know how. My point is:  I think we are depressed because we are "too sensitive".  We take too much "to heart" and disappointments send us into a tailspin.  Oddly enough it is this trait that seems to bring out the creativeness in us and make some of us great artists!  If we can just find a way to reconcile our

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Question:

An old friend of mine was moving this weekend and stopped by to say his farewells.  He had something in his hand that I couldn’t make out until he got closer.  It turned out to be a fairly rust covered Stanley Bailey.  His grandfather used it quite frequently when Charlie was just a little sprout, but he had no use for it.  He gladly gave it up – visited for a few, and left.  I immediately took it AS IS to a piece of scrap on the floor and what shavings I made!  Cleaned it up, (never even sharpened the blade yet) and now has a place in standing in my "dedicated" plane drawer.  Also got creative and built a little something extra for my Dewalt 12-1/2.  The pic is on alt.binaries.pictures. furniture.  It weighs a ton, but the old lawn mower wheels nicely move around where I need it.  Thank God for scrap 4×4 stock and 2×12’s. — Jim Mc Namara Future Collectibles Sugar Land, Texas

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Nice gloat, JIM! Nice to see an old plane put to good use, instead of in some snotty collector’s lot.   There’s no accounting for friendship! Woodchipz

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He’s been a good friend for about 7 years . . . been through a lot together. I think he knew the value as a collector piece, but knew I’d put it to good use. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Nice gloat, JIM! Nice to see an old plane put to good use, instead of in some snotty collector’s lot. There’s no accounting for friendship! Woodchipz

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An old friend of mine was moving this weekend and stopped by to say his farewells.  He had something in his hand that I couldn’t make out until he got closer.  It turned out to be a fairly rust covered Stanley Bailey.  

<Snip    Interesting, yesterday afternoon, while I was out at the picnic table putting the final touches on a clock case I had just made, my neighbor walked into the back yard and asked me to come with him for a minute. He took me out to his pick-up truck parked in front of my house.  There was some heavy iron on the bed.  Two old cast iron 12" planers, one was a Sears Roebuck, the other a Parks Woodworking machine.    I own a DeWalt 12.5" but… I now have the Parks in my garage.  Cast iron base, three bladed head, a magnetic starter switch, clutch driven infeed roller, and is dual V-belt driven by a gigantic physically sized motor.  I suspect although huge, the HP rating is probable 3/4 (I can’t see the face plate with out removing the motor).    I switched the unit over from 220V to 110V to see if it works (no 220V in the garage) and it purrs.  Much quieter than the DeWalt.     SWMBO wanted to know what I planned to do with another planer, saying it will be in the way. (It reminded me of bringing home a stray puppy and being told that I couldn’t keep it.)  Although I really can’t figure out why I’d need two planers, I just smiled and said, "We’ll think of something." Jack Novak

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has. Tricia, LOTS of TaeBo bashing over on the aerobics ng, basically against the techniques that can harm joints, etc. (overextension or joints). But a good cardiokickboxing class taught by certified professionl aerobics instructors and done right can help you burn lots of cals. I have been to one now for 2 weeks, and if you read the literature, or take the class, you will see that the workout burns 500-1000 kcals for the hour you are there (a lb. of fat is ~3500 kcal). Bring lots of bottled water, rest and drink up when needed, and go at your pace starting out. — Randall Oelerich, MD,MA     Anatomist-Physiologist,    | "The Journey is the Thing." Cell Biologist, and Web    | <http://www.mindquest.net Spinner Extraordinaire.    | Biology * Science * Health

Another word of caution here,,,, make sure the certified instructor has attended these type of workshops to learn the proper teqniques and form. Martial Arts is a whole different type of movements than a regular cardio vascular class. All cerfified instructors have NOT been trained t teach a Tae Bo type of class. Most health clubs are really pressuring the instructors to add this to their class, resulting in them teaching a class they are not ready to teach or qualified to do. I am ACE certified, and am experiencing this firsthand, and have only attended 2 workshops so far on this, ( I also have bought instructional videos ) NOT BILLY BLANKS TAPES!!!!! and adding intervals of kickboxing type moves  to my classe,. a little at a time. This type of workout has to be modified to accomedate beginners that constantly come into our classes.  Even seasoned regular participants have to be instructed on proper form, or injuries WILL occur! All we are saying, is no matter what you chose to do, know your body, know your strengths and weaknesses, and work out accordingly. Remember, repeating any type of movement for a long time  will make you sweat ( and stress that particular joint!) Most importantly, be careful, and enjoy what you are doing. ASK THE INSTRUCTOR HIS OR HER QUALIFICATIONS!!!!!! Melinda (who doesn’t mean to be on a soapbox, but hates to see anyone get injured !!)

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 I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has.

Tricia, LOTS of TaeBo bashing over on the aerobics ng, basically against the techniques that can harm joints, etc. (overextension or joints). But a good cardiokickboxing class taught by certified professionl aerobics instructors and done right can help you burn lots of cals. I have been to one now for 2 weeks, and if you read the literature, or take the class, you will see that the workout burns 500-1000 kcals for the hour you are there (a lb. of fat is ~3500 kcal). Bring lots of bottled water, rest and drink up when needed, and go at your pace starting out. — Randall Oelerich, MD,MA     Anatomist-Physiologist,    | "The Journey is the Thing." Cell Biologist, and Web    | <http://www.mindquest.net Spinner Extraordinaire.    | Biology * Science * Health

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How tall are you Tricia?  Weight loss goes kind of slow the closer you get to goal.  Start writing down what you are eating and figure out the calories. Are you drinking all your water? 184-146(145-150) 5′6"  Portion Control and Behaving Myself since August 1998. Linda             "Most People are Heavy from What they Eat Before,                After and In Between Meals Than From the                        Actual Meals Themselves."           —- Thin Tastes Better by Dr. Stephen P. Gullo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –     Hi all! I am pretty new to the group. I have lost 30 pounds but have reached a plateau for the last few months. With summer coming i decided it was time to get serious again. I would like to lose 20 more pounds and I have joined the race to 120 to help motivate me.  I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has. Thanks, Tricia 170/140/120

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    Hi all! I am pretty new to the group. I have lost 30 pounds but have reached a plateau for the last few months. With summer coming i decided it was time to get serious again. I would like to lose 20 more pounds and I have joined the race to 120 to help motivate me.

Glad to have you aboard. I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has.

I was doing a lot of Tae Bo for a while.  It is certainly a more intense workout than the typical exercise tape.  These days I am still doing some Tae Bo, but am focusing more heavily on my new treadmill.  I found that I could really feel it in my knees when I did Tae Bo several days running, and I wasn’t sure that was a good thing. But then I am 30 years old, and so out of shape that I’m practically gaseous. You may have better luck with daily Tae Bo.  I know that a lot of other people do it every day.  My latest habit has been to do some isolated Tae Bo moves combined with a trot on the treadmill. Some of us in the Race to 120 have also made a commitment to post to Exercise Club 99 every day.  Care to join us?  It does help me to be motivated to exercise when I know I’m supposed to post an accounting. Melissa 140/128/110 (who will return to daily posting when her home computer is fixed up)

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Hi Tricia, I saw your post, and I just couldn’t resist….I love the Tae-Bo workout!! I got it because I was getting bored with just running and swimming everyday. I find that Tae-Bo is fun and high energy. It really gets me sweatin’!! I’ve noticed that my body is more toned, especially my upper body. As far as losing weight though, I haven’t noticed a significant drop in the numbers. I posted a question a while ago about this and some of our friends here advised me that it might be due to muscle gain since I also run and swim. I don’t know?! Good Luck with your workout. Remember….Be Strong! (LOL) Please keep me posted on your progress. We can compare notes from time to time. Take care! Emily 160/130/110 Be Natural at http://www.naturalland.com     Hi all! I am pretty new to the group. I have lost 30 pounds but have reached a plateau for the last few months. With summer coming i decided it was time to get serious again. I would like to lose 20 more pounds and I have joined the race to 120 to help motivate me.  I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has. Thanks, Tricia 170/140/120

Response:

    Hi all! I am pretty new to the group. I have lost 30 pounds but have reached a plateau for the last few months. With summer coming i decided it was time to get serious again. I would like to lose 20 more pounds and I have joined the race to 120 to help motivate me.  I have really decided to focus on exercise and toning my body and was wondering if anyone has had great results from the Tae-Bo tapes. I just got the Basic tape and have done it 2 days. It seems really fun and boy does it make me sweat. I’d appreciate any advise or information anyone has. Thanks, Tricia 170/140/120

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Question:

Were oing to try IVF for the first time and are looking for guidence (ie. Clinics, Stats, etc…). Any response would be very grateful. Thank You, Pete

Response:

Were oing to try IVF for the first time and are looking for guidence (ie. Clinics, Stats, etc…). Any response would be very grateful. Thank You, Pete

Rachel Browne did some IVF hints and they can be found via: http://www.pinelandpress.com/toc.html (other good stuff at that site also) Meg F

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You may want to visit our web site – In particular we have a chart that will help you look at criteria necessary for certain IVF procedures: http://www.inciid.org/chart.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Were oing to try IVF for the first time and are looking for guidence (ie. Clinics, Stats, etc…). Any response would be very grateful. Thank You, Pete

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We are also goint to try IVF for the first time.  We are going to the Pacific Fertility Clinic in LA.  They have terrific success rates which are AUDITED by an outside accounting firm. We have been pleased so far. lisa

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We are also goint to try IVF for the first time.  We are going to the Pacific Fertility Clinic in LA.  They have terrific success rates which are AUDITED by an outside accounting firm. We have been pleased so far. lisa

Lisa, are you going to do the 90% deal with them? We have also signed up with them. I am wondering whether to try for the access progam and get the discount or do the 90%. My only problem,my specialist here tells me is that my tubes are blocked. I already have one beautiful 5 yr old girl.Who knows how miracles happen. let me know, Alice

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are also goint to try IVF for the first time.  We are going to the Pacific Fertility Clinic in LA.  They have terrific success rates which are AUDITED by an outside accounting firm. We have been pleased so far. lisa Lisa, are you going to do the 90% deal with them? We have also signed up with them. I am wondering whether to try for the access progam and get the discount or do the 90%. My only problem,my specialist here tells me is that my tubes are blocked. I already have one beautiful 5 yr old girl.Who knows how miracles happen. let me know, Alice

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Question:

Before you flame this, Fred, just know that I am only reporting my own experiences.  They’re not necessarily applicable to everyone, a fact of which I am painfully aware as I see friends who are unresponsive to certain medications get sicker.

That’s the main point I have been trying to make. However, while you are giving a glowing report, there are many many others out there who have crashed on these drugs and when they hear other guys boasting of their own success, how do you think that makes them feel? — especially when they already have gotten the message that their failure may have been due to not dosing correctly, etc — in other words, they are made to feel that their failure is their own fault when it isn’t. I think everyone should have hope and a good outlook, I am just warning about this drunken enthusiasm that has become almost frantic. I am not talking about you or others on this board when I say this — I have been witnessing lots of manic enthusiasm that makes the comments on this board pale in comparison (I will post an example soon). The other side of this double-edged sword is seen when people get overly enthusiastic about their "success" that they cannot see their health in realistic terms. When their CD4s go back below baseline and the viral load starts moving back up (often way higher than before) then how do you think they feel? I haven’t even raised the issue of the "back to work" hype, but that is just another manifestation of this problem that is heaping more guilt into the mix. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few individuals in this group have argued that their personal experiences with the combination/protease inhibitor cocktail drugs is all the proof they need to convince themselves and everyone else that these drugs "work". While I don’t dispute the claims of these individuals, I simply point out that their statements are simply anecdotal reports and such reports are subjective (especially when the person has an obvious emotional attachment to the treatment and is clearly being defensive in regards to their treatment decisions). Unfortunately, these individuals seem to be unaware of what is actually happening to many other patients on these drugs and what the doctors in the treatment community ahve been reporting. I have archived far too many posts and messages from doctors and patients to put up on this board. … Yes, Fred, but there are an _awful_ lot of those anecdotal reports.  (I know, so what.)  I just wish more of them would post here.

I have no problem with reports of success, just the mania that seems to go with it. I recently posted the results of an herb study — take a close look at it. I, for one, would be the last person to say that these medications are going to work for everyone.  Clearly, they don’t.  I’ve been lucky.  I believe that my body responded well to medications because it was basically naive to such substances.  (I spent most of my life very healthy — taking nothing more than aspirin — until my first "OI" — an outbreak of shingles in 1992 .  I have always foregone OTC symptom relief, relying on my body to take care of itself.  Now, it needs help.)

I hope your luck continues. I don’t dispute that some people are doing well on these drugs, and I understand your position in being focused on the results. However, there is a convincing amount of scientific research that strongly suggests that these drugs are accomplishing the benefit you feel through pathways other than those claimed for these drugs. In fact, the other pathways offer a much more accurate accounting for the "side-effects", "resistance" and the symptomatic improvement. I will offer that research for those who are interested in considering alternative explanations that have the same result, but may not have the same outcome — it isn’t right to offer false expectations of outcome as bait to get people on these drugs, especially those who are healthy. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is a message from a Harvard doctor I received about 2 weeks ago:          We are seeing a number of cases of extensive inflammatory          reactions in patients who had MAI and are on triple drug          antiretroviral therapy (including a protease inhibitor).          This might be a consideration here, esp given the rising alk          phos and no increase in bilirubin and transaminases.  One          person we are now taking care of had MAI in his lungs and          mediastinal lymph nodes, and came in with pulmonary          infiltrates and lymphadenopathy.  Mediastinoscopy was done          and granulomas were seen.  No MAI could be cultured, and          none could be seen with special stains and DNA probes of the          tissue.  He did very well when put on steroids for a while. Of course steroids (corticosteroids such as prednisone) are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive — this is why this guy "did very well". It is certainly well-known that MAI can be very difficult to "see."  No argument there.  (I’ve done my reading on that one.  There are some good articles in Project Inform (http://www.projinf.org/) that address this issue.)  I wonder if he was taking corticosteroids

Co-pathogens can break out when you do something that adds to the immune suppression (suntanning, stress, prednisone, etc.). That is a risk with the cocktails, especially for the non-responders. be awfully rough on the body – I had some heavy prednisone when I was hospitalized with PCP used as an anti-inflammatory, and I hated it) or anabolics.  Last summer, I did the standard 11-week cycle of deca, testosterone and B-12 to combat wasting from MAC, and it worked wonders for me.  20 pounds in two weeks, and I’ve continued (although at a slower rate) upward since then.

The anabolics are making KS worse and adding to immune suppression and in some cases, progression of disease. Mark Milano discussed his experience in this regard (drop in CD4s) in one or more posts (sci.med.aids database would have his post). It is not uncommon to see people with late-stage disease break out with OIs after using the triple drug cocktails — MAC (MAI) is one of the most common OIs in these guys. I have seen MAC outbreaks in a few patients within a few days of starting a protease inhibitor cocktail. At least in my case, my OIs were all in place _before_ I started taking any antiretroviral medications, and long before I started Norvir.  

MAC and CMV etc. are subclinical in nearly everyone who is positive. All these bugs need is for the immune system to drop its guard just long enough. I dealt with them one at a time:  PCP, TB, MAC.  My health is still not perfect — I have "up" days and I have "down" days.  But I was having nothing but "way down" days before I added Norvir to my diet.  Which doesn’t mean that’s how it will work for someone else.

Right. I like hearing about people feeling better, but I am afraid for them for good reasons. If someone is heading down fast, then they should give these drugs a go before they do. On the other hand, I have seen patients return to health when they have a good doctor who knows what to do (they call it the "practice" of medicine for a reason). I don’t say that anything you believe and post here is wrong.  I’m not a scientist or researcher.  I’m just a simple, ordinary, guy-next-door with AIDS.  I can only report my experiences and hope that some see them as an alternative.

I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately some of the lively personalities on this board like to portray my point of view much different than it really is. Some think I am "anti-drug" and they are dead wrong and I tell them that — but they keep repeating that ridiculous charge. In fact, I may be too radical for them in the sense that I believe that ALL THE DRUGS should be available to anyone who has a life-threatening disease, whether the drug is marijuana, crixivan or even heroine. The government has no business telling you what is bad for you under these circumstances. However, there comes a moral obligation to also provide you with ALL the information about those drugs without sugar-coating anything, and that is what is happening today. The drug companies hold back a LOT of data that the public should have access to, and that is wrong. So if I am "anti" anything, I am anti-bad and anti-cherry-picked data — if you are buying these drugs, the drug companies owe you the whole enchilada, not just the cheese. Fred

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Before you flame this, Fred, just know that I am only reporting my own experiences.  They’re not necessarily applicable to everyone, a fact of which I am painfully aware as I see friends who are unresponsive to certain medications get sicker. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few individuals in this group have argued that their personal experiences with the combination/protease inhibitor cocktail drugs is all the proof they need to convince themselves and everyone else that these drugs "work". While I don’t dispute the claims of these individuals, I simply point out that their statements are simply anecdotal reports and such reports are subjective (especially when the person has an obvious emotional attachment to the treatment and is clearly being defensive in regards to their treatment decisions). Unfortunately, these individuals seem to be unaware of what is actually happening to many other patients on these drugs and what the doctors in the treatment community ahve been reporting. I have archived far too many posts and messages from doctors and patients to put up on this board. …

Yes, Fred, but there are an _awful_ lot of those anecdotal reports.  (I know, so what.)  I just wish more of them would post here. I, for one, would be the last person to say that these medications are going to work for everyone.  Clearly, they don’t.  I’ve been lucky.  I believe that my body responded well to medications because it was basically naive to such substances.  (I spent most of my life very healthy — taking nothing more than aspirin — until my first "OI" — an outbreak of shingles in 1992 .  I have always foregone OTC symptom relief, relying on my body to take care of itself.  Now, it needs help.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is a message from a Harvard doctor I received about 2 weeks ago:          We are seeing a number of cases of extensive inflammatory          reactions in patients who had MAI and are on triple drug          antiretroviral therapy (including a protease inhibitor).          This might be a consideration here, esp given the rising alk          phos and no increase in bilirubin and transaminases.  One          person we are now taking care of had MAI in his lungs and          mediastinal lymph nodes, and came in with pulmonary          infiltrates and lymphadenopathy.  Mediastinoscopy was done          and granulomas were seen.  No MAI could be cultured, and          none could be seen with special stains and DNA probes of the          tissue.  He did very well when put on steroids for a while. Of course steroids (corticosteroids such as prednisone) are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive — this is why this guy "did very well".

It is certainly well-known that MAI can be very difficult to "see."  No argument there.  (I’ve done my reading on that one.  There are some good articles in Project Inform (http://www.projinf.org/) that address this issue.)  I wonder if he was taking corticosteroids (which unarguably can be awfully rough on the body – I had some heavy prednisone when I was hospitalized with PCP used as an anti-inflammatory, and I hated it) or anabolics.  Last summer, I did the standard 11-week cycle of deca, testosterone and B-12 to combat wasting from MAC, and it worked wonders for me.  20 pounds in two weeks, and I’ve continued (although at a slower rate) upward since then. It is not uncommon to see people with late-stage disease break out with OIs after using the triple drug cocktails — MAC (MAI) is one of the most common OIs in these guys. I have seen MAC outbreaks in a few patients within a few days of starting a protease inhibitor cocktail.

At least in my case, my OIs were all in place _before_ I started taking any antiretroviral medications, and long before I started Norvir.  I dealt with them one at a time:  PCP, TB, MAC.  My health is still not perfect — I have "up" days and I have "down" days.  But I was having nothing but "way down" days before I added Norvir to my diet.  Which doesn’t mean that’s how it will work for someone else. I don’t say that anything you believe and post here is wrong.  I’m not a scientist or researcher.  I’m just a simple, ordinary, guy-next-door with AIDS.  I can only report my experiences and hope that some see them as an alternative.

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Same here, except I didn’t have TB, I got CMV. And I don’t take Norvir, I take Crixivan. All the OI’s came before the heavy-duty medications, and the infections were so debilitating, and left me so weak and dispirited, that I would wake each day with the feeling: "I will never be healthier than I am right now." Because of the PI, that turned out not to be true. For months, my health and the way I feel has improved by the week. I can work again, I have gained entirely too much weight (when before I was losing 5 pounds a week without trying), and even the hair I lost through radiation is coming back. Fred Shaw recently wondered in a post, "Why are these guys so afraid of me?" Well, I’m certainly not afraid of him for myself. He’s not a doctor, he doesn’t do any research himself, he doesn’t even cite any research himself, and he has a fairly smooth tongue. In the absence of intellectual back-up, a smooth tongue can be a dangerous thing. I have no doubt that there are men and women out there who want to believe that this expensive, hard-to-tolerate cocktail is poison and will do them no good. Shaw’s palaver may be the modicum of encouragement they need to forego the medication that could give them back their lives, or might prevent the near total destruction of the immune system that HIV wreaks, when it is allowed to develop unchecked. I’m not afraid for myself, and no more are you, I suspect. This is a debate only in form; in substance, the choice for AIDS sufferers may be life or death. If Shaw is wrong, he shrugs his shoulders and finds another set of news-groups to harrass; but those who followed his advice are sick or dead. MMM – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – At least in my case, my OIs were all in place _before_ I started taking any antiretroviral medications, and long before I started Norvir.  I dealt with them one at a time:  PCP, TB, MAC.  My health is still not perfect — I have "up" days and I have "down" days.  But I was having nothing but "way down" days before I added Norvir to my diet.  Which doesn’t mean that’s how it will work for someone else.

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A few individuals in this group have argued that their personal experiences with the combination/protease inhibitor cocktail drugs is all the proof they need to convince themselves and everyone else that these drugs "work". While I don’t dispute the claims of these individuals, I simply point out that their statements are simply anecdotal reports and such reports are subjective (especially when the person has an obvious emotional attachment to the treatment and is clearly being defensive in regards to their treatment decisions). Unfortunately, these individuals seem to be unaware of what is actually happening to many other patients on these drugs and what the doctors in the treatment community ahve been reporting. I have archived far too many posts and messages from doctors and patients to put up on this board. Here is one I happened to read today: This is a message from a Harvard doctor I received about 2 weeks ago:          We are seeing a number of cases of extensive inflammatory          reactions in patients who had MAI and are on triple drug          antiretroviral therapy (including a protease inhibitor).          This might be a consideration here, esp given the rising alk          phos and no increase in bilirubin and transaminases.  One          person we are now taking care of had MAI in his lungs and          mediastinal lymph nodes, and came in with pulmonary          infiltrates and lymphadenopathy.  Mediastinoscopy was done          and granulomas were seen.  No MAI could be cultured, and          none could be seen with special stains and DNA probes of the          tissue.  He did very well when put on steroids for a while.

Of course steroids (corticosteroids such as prednisone) are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive — this is why this guy "did very well". It is not uncommon to see people with late-stage disease break out with OIs after using the triple drug cocktails — MAC (MAI) is one of the most common OIs in these guys. I have seen MAC outbreaks in a few patients within a few days of starting a protease inhibitor cocktail. Fred

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Question:

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 Does anyone have the listing of the Video tape of the Amazon, I believe it’s at sea world or something like that, singing Frank Sinatra? I saw this on Amazing Animals on the Discovery Ch a few months ago and have been unable to locate it in any video directory. I can’t say that I’m a fan of Franks but my Amazon likes to mimic other Amazons and there is no accounting for taste, so if he wants a copy to mimic so be it. I promised him I would try to get it. But no luck yet.

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