Entries Tagged 'Levitra' ↓

Earlier this week I got an e-mail to tell me that someone called Levitra had commented on one of my entries on the VoxPolitics weblog.

Since it's a group weblog for "e-democracy titbits and crumbs", we get quite a few comments from random readers, and often they are useful and informative, so I read it with interest.

Sadly, it was not about the latest e-voting disasters in California - a topic of great interest to me - but a rather obvious piece of spam.

It said; "Interesting comments and a Superb Web Site" and then, like so many spam e-mails, had a link to a site that wanted to sell me a Viagra alternative.

Over the next few days I got 20 more, most offering Viagra substitutes but one featuring a cable TV scam - presumably for the times when I would have used up all my Viagra supplies.

Every one of them was posted as a comment on the blog, and they could only be removed individually through the administrative pages of the site, which takes ages.

It felt like the digital equivalent of flyposting - coming home one day to find your windows covered with posters for dodgy clubs and bands you have never head of.

Although the term flyblog has been used already to mean either blogging about flying, or blogging while flying, I would like to claim it for the practice of posting spam comments to people's blogs like this: I have just been comprehensively flyblogged.

Clever program

A quick online search revealed that the problem has been around for a while, but until recently it was largely done by individuals who would visit blogs and post their adverts, along with a link to whatever dodgy website they were promoting.

It had not happened to any of the sites I am involved with, so I had not noticed it or heard about it.

Now, however, it seems to have been automated: some clever programmer working for one of these iniquitous outfits has written a tool that goes around a list of weblogs and collects information on the various posts made to it.

It then creates the right HTML to fool the blogging software into thinking that a comment has been entered, and the resulting advert is posted to the blog as if it was legitimate.

That would explain why my colleague and fellow VoxPolitics poster James Crabtree is now getting 20 to 30 of these spam comments a day, reaching the point where he no longer has the time to remove them.

What is worse, there is no obvious way to block these posts without putting serious obstacles in the way of those who have legitimate comments to make.

Asking people to register before they post comments, or making them validate their comments by sending an e-mail and waiting for a reply, just get in the way. Building blacklists of sites that flyblog will be as ineffective as attempts to blackmail e-mail spam.

Blogs evolved out of a desire to remove barriers to online conversation, and restricting their ability to add comments would seriously reduce the sort of lively debate that makes them so interesting.

Perhaps the worst thing about flyblogging is that it is not covered by any of the spam laws that I am aware of, and probably is not illegal under data protection or hacking laws.

After all, a public blog with an accessible comments page is hardly a closed system, and even if you have an acceptable use policy saying what sort of postings you welcome, that is not legally binding either.

It is hard at first to see why the spammers are doing this. I am unlikely to be reading the comments on the latest mobile voting trials when I suddenly come across an advert for vicodin and feel so interested that I click on it.

Search rankings

One theory is that the real target is Google. A spammer's site with lots of references in well-indexed blogs will have a higher Google PageRank, so that anyone foolish enough to actually go searching for the product will find the spammer's site.

It is an interesting, but as yet unproven, hypothesis.

Whatever the reason, it is moving from a minor to major irritant. None of the other blogs I contribute to or run has been affected yet, but I can only assume it is a matter of time before the spammers move in, as they did first with UseNet and then with e-mail.

It depresses me to think that any open medium can be so easily undermined by people with no scruples, no sense of responsibility and no idea of the damage they are doing.

It also feels a lot more personal and intrusive than e-mail or UseNet spam.

A blog is a place to express your views in a public arena, and having some unknown people fill the space with advertising is the online equivalent of finding that someone has pinned a card advertising "private massage" to your coat when you were not looking.

I feel quite upset by this, and angrier with the spammers and their lack of respect for the principles of online co-operation than I have been for years. 

The root of a South African tree traditionally used to boost male potency could form the basis of a new drug.

Scientists believe they have found the active ingredient of the violet tree, and have applied for patents.

For centuries, the root of the tree has been chewed by South Africans suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Some of the profits from any drug could find their way back to the traditional healers who "prescribe" it.

The violet tree is found not only in northern South Africa, but also in other African countries.

Dr Marion Meyer, head of the botany department at the University of Pretoria, told a South African news agency that chemicals extracted from the root had been tested in the laboratory.

When it was added to samples of "smooth muscle" - the type of tissue found in the penis, the muscle relaxed to allow more blood to flow into it.

This suggests there is a possibility it could offer an alternative to exisiting drugs Viagra and Levitra, which also work by increasing blood flow into the penis.

Blockbuster drugs

Dr Meyer said that traditional healers would benefit should a drug based on the violet tree ever be registered.

"They are pleased to be getting recognition for something they have been using for centuries."

Viagra has proved to be one of the most successful drugs in recent pharmaceutical history, earning millions for maker Pfizer.

However, the violet tree will not be competing with it for a while, as it will be at least three years before human trials of the extract can start, and another two years before a drug could be launched.

Originaly from Source

Erectile dysfunction is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.

Due to the sensitive nature of the condition, it is difficult to estimate how many men it affects.

However, it is believed about 5% of 40-year-old men and up to 25% of 65-year-old men may have the condition.

How does an erection occur?

The penis contains two chambers full of spongy tissue called the corpora cavernosa.

When a man becomes sexually aroused impulses from the brain and local nerves cause muscles in the corpora cavernosa to relax, allowing blood to flow in and fill the spaces within the tissue.

This creates pressure in the corpora cavernosa, making the penis expand.

A membrane called the tunica albuginea helps trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, thereby sustaining erection.

The erection is lost when the muscles contract to stop blood flowing into the penis, and open outflow channels.

What causes erectile dysfunction?

A successful, sustained erection requires a sequence of events to occur in a precise fashion.

Anything which disrupts this sequence can lead to problems either getting, or keeping an erection.

The most common cause of erectile dysfunction is damage to the tissues, either the nerves, arteries, muscles or fibrous tissue.

This is often linked either to disease. Conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular disease account for around 70% of cases of erectile dsyfunction.

In some cases the condition is caused by damage to the nerves and arteries near the penis which can occur during surgery, particularly for prostate and bladder cancer.

Physical injury to the penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder or pelvis can also be a factor.

Erectile dsyfunction is also a side effect of some common medications, including blood pressure drugs, antihistamiines, antidepressants and tranquilizers.

Experts believe that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause up to 20% of cases.

Smoking, which affects blood flow, has also been linked to the condition.

Can it be treated?

Yes. There is a range of ways to treat erectile dysfunction.

Doctors will consider psychotherapy for patients who are likely to benefit, but alternatives include drugs, vacuum devices, and surgery.

Drug Therapy:

One drug in particular, Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate), has become an international phenomenon since its launch in the late 1990s.

The drug, also known as Sildenafil, does not directly give a man an erection. It works by boosting the natural mechanism that leads to an erection.

When a man is sexually aroused, certain tissues in his penis relax. This allows large amounts of blood to flow into the muscle, thus producing an erection. Viagra helps by elevating the levels of the chemical that causes the tissues to relax.

These effects were discovered accidentally. The drug was originally developed to improve blood supply to the heart in angina sufferers.

In a small number of cases, people who have taken Viagra have complained of headaches, flushing and stomach-ache.

It can also cause some visual problems, including an increased sensitivity to light, blurred vision or an inability to tell the difference between blue and green. Men who are already taking medicines that contain nitrates, such as nitro-glycerine, are strongly advised not to use Viagra because the combination can lower blood pressure too much.

Another drug, Levitra (Vardenafil), works first time for nearly nine out of 10 men (87%) who are experiencing erection difficulties.

Penile injections:

The injection of drugs directly into the tissues of the penis to trigger an erection was more common before the advent of new drugs such as Viagra.

The drugs relax muscles and increase blood flow to create an erection.

Vacuum Devices:

These work by creating a partial vacuum around the penis, which draws blood into the organ.

The devices have three components: a plastic cylinder, into which the penis is placed; a pump, which draws air out of the cylinder; and an elastic band, which is placed around the base of the penis to maintain the erection after the cylinder is removed and during intercourse.

Surgery:

There are different types of surgery:

Implanted devices, known as prostheses, can restore erection in many men.

These can come in different forms. For instance, paired rods can be inserted into the corpora cavernosa to enable the user to manually adjust the position of the penis.

Alternatively, inflatable cylinders can be inserted inside the penis and expanded using pressurized fluid.

In some cases doctors may attempt to repair blockages in damaged arteries. However, this usually only works if the blockages are not widespread.

It is also possible to tie off veins to reduce the leakage of blood that can reduce the rigidity of an erection. However, experts have raised questions about the long-term effectiveness of this procedure, and it is rarely done.

This page contains basic information. If you are concerned about your health, you should consult a doctor.

Originaly from Source

After a two year investigation into the murky world of on line pharmacies and Internet "cheap cigarettes", Americas Watchdog and its Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants have a worldwide recommendation to all consumers. This can be summed up in three words: "Don't Do It". The investigation concluded that the "on line drugs and cigarettes could be lethal or you could get charged for something you never get". By doing business with a on line cigarette or drug "retailer", a consumer may have just given their credit information to the Russian Mafia or organized crime.

(PRWEB) May 21, 2007 — Americas Watchdog is one of the premier consumer advocacy groups in the United States. The group has formed a piracy & counterfeiting task force to take on sellers of "on line" counterfeit drugs or cigarettes. The group is warning all consumers worldwide to avoid doing business with "on line" pharmacies or cigarette "retailers" unless they can provide credentials. Aside from potential lethal counterfeit drugs or cigarettes, consumers expose them selves to possible identity theft or paying for something they never get. "Who wants to do business with the Russian Mafia or organized crime"? Americas Watchdog's Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants are seeking corporate partnerships to curb this growing worldwide problem with buy operations designed to expose the counterfeiters or their "retail" outlets. The two areas to be targeted are:

*Counterfeit Cigarettes
British American Tobacco has reported that more than one in 20 cigarettes smoked worldwide is either smuggled or counterfeit.

The cigarette industry, like many other industries, faces an unprecedented challenge from counterfeit products. The WCO estimates that 190 billion counterfeit cigarettes are produced each year in China, making it "a major source country for European/US markets".

Americas Watchdog and its Global Piracy & Counterfeit Consultants warn that counterfeit cigarettes, which may look identical to those purchased legitimately over the counter, can contain hazardous levels of damaging toxins, including arsenic. The black-market cigarettes have higher levels of tar, nicotine and carcinogenic chemicals from contaminated tobacco leaves. In other words, counterfeit cigarettes could be dangerous.

Americas Watchdog and its Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants are warning consumers not to purchase counterfeit cigarettes or "on line cigarettes" as they could be a serious health hazard. In addition by purchasing counterfeit cigarettes a consumer may actually be enriching terrorists or organized crime. Americas Watchdog would welcome the opportunity to work directly with British Tobacco, the Altria Group, Reynolds American, Altadis or other cigarette manufacturers in order to curb and or disrupt the manufacturing or distribution of counterfeit cigarettes.

*Counterfeit Drugs
The FDA recommends that consumers who have purchased drugs from certain web sites not use the products because they may be unsafe. Laboratory analyses are underway for intercepted products that were destined for the U.S. market. Preliminary laboratory results to date have found counterfeits of the following drug products: Lipitor" /> News | News Photos | Images | Web

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Lipitor, Diovan, Actonel, Nexium, Hyzaar, Ezetrol (known as Zetia in the United States), Crestor, Celebrex, Arimidex and Propecia. All of these medications require a prescription from a licensed health care provider to be legally dispensed.

DRUG NAME
USE(S)

LIPITOR
Cholesterol disorders

CRESTOR
Cholesterol disorders

ZETIA (US name) / EZETROL (Canadian name)
Cholesterol disorders

DIOVAN
High blood pressure

HYZAAR
High blood pressure

ACTONEL
Osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

NEXIUM
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

CELEBREX
Arthritis-related pain

ARIMIDEX
Breast cancer

PROPECIA
Male-pattern baldness

According to the FDA, drug counterfeiters defraud consumers by selling products that resemble legitimate drugs but may contain inactive or incorrect ingredients; contain improper doses of active ingredients; or be otherwise contaminated. Purchasing ED products on line from illegitimate websites involve risks such as::

— Fake or "generic" ED drugs may be manufactured in unregulated factories, often in regions of the world that do not share the same rigorous standards for pharmaceutical manufacturing applied in the U.S.

— The drugs may contain dangerous additives

— The illegal drugs may not work as claimed, or at all

— Illegitimate pharmacies may take payment but not ship ordered products, or shipped products may be seized by the U.S. government because they are illegal

— Web sites that distribute counterfeit ED pills, including "generic Viagra", Cialis and Levitra have been found to abuse credit card information.

Americas Watchdog and its Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants (Http://GP-CC.Com ) strongly encourage consumers in the US and worldwide to stay away from Internet cigarette "retailers", Internet pharmacies or computer pop ups for ED or other medical conditions. According to Americas Watchdog's President, "these counterfeit drugs could actually kill you. If a consumer wants to be safe, consult a physician or a licensed pharmacy, rather than trusting someone you don't know anything about on the Internet." As a part of one of their investigations, Americas Watchdog ordered a sedative from an "on line pharmacy", and they were sent a blood thinner instead.

Americas Watchdog wants to shut down all illegal Internet pharmacies and assist in the prosecution of illegal "on line pharmacies" or counterfeit drug manufacturers and counterfeit cigarette manufactures or "retailers". If you are an executive or a law firm representing Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Astrozeneca, Aventis, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Bristol Meyers or any other pharmaceutical company or an executive or law firm representing Altria, Reynolds American, British American Tobacco or other cigarette manufacturers, please contact America's Watchdog's Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants to learn more about our global anti-counterfeiting initiatives. If you are a consumer, a law firm representing a corporate client or a corporate executive and would like more information about Americas Watchdog's worldwide counterfeiting initiatives, please contact them at their web site Http://GP-CC.Com or call 866-714-6466.

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Americas Watchdog
THOMAS MARTIN
866-714-6466
E-mail Information
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