The Rich Man and the Beggar

Have you ever tried to change yourself? Tough, huh? But sometimes we have no choice. Once in a while, during a lifetime, we get a good look at what we are, and when we see what we are, we become so disturbed that a change can't be avoided.

It's actually the seeing that creates the change. It's almost as if the change takes place immediately upon that seeing, as if our eyes suddenly open and change is inevitable. Maybe our karma will continue to drag us down the same old tracks for awhile, like a heavy freight train with its brakes squealing and sparks flying, but the change is set in motion, sometimes beyond our control. Once that light bulb goes off, how can we go back to what we were? We can't, and although we might try, there is no more life left in our old ways.

This can be likened to a beggar who sees a rich man coming down the path. The rich man is to the beggar only a handout, and the beggar to the rich man only a bother. A handout and a bother; not two human beings.

And the rich man stops for a moment, he doesn't know why, and looks into the beggar's eyes. The rich man has never done this before. The beggar feels self-conscious, and asks the rich man what he wants, and the rich man says that he doesn't know. The beggar asks for money, yet the rich man continues to look into the eyes of the beggar, and the rich man feels a strange compassion for the first time in his life, and wonders why.

Years later, the rich man becomes ill, loses all of his wealth, and his family deserts him. One day, he finds himself on the same path where he met the beggar those many years ago, and now, he is nothing but a beggar himself.

A rich man comes down the path, and the beggar looks up, but the rich man looks away. He can't stand the sight of someone so disgusting. Open sores cover the beggar's body and his eyes are watery and almost closed. He wears only rags.

As the rich man passes by, the beggar pleads, "Please look at me. Please see me," but the rich man continues down the road. And as he does, the beggar remembers when he looked into the eyes of another beggar years ago, and that memory sustains him now. And suddenly, his karma is forever healed.

By:- E. Raymond Rock

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Meditation as a Life process

Meditation is not solely a formalized practice. There are many ways to meditate besides sitting cross legged on a zafu (cushion) on the ground. It is wonderful to have the discipline to “sit” daily...and God is available to us 24 hours a day no matter what we are doing.
You can take God everywhere you go. You can dedicate all actions to God - Goddess. This is the highest form of worship. As you shower, bathe, make breakfast, drive to work, are at work, talk to others, think on God as you do everything every day and night. Make it a point , a discipline to remember God - Goddess.

Use a name of God and repeat it continuously to bring God - Goddess awareness to and in your present moment of now with all you do. Om Namaha Shivaya (sanskrit) is powerful. Babaji says it is more powerful than the atomic bomb. It translates to,” I surrender to God -Goddess”, “I am that I am”, or “Thy will will be done” or “Infinite Being, Infinite Intelligence, Infinite Manifestation”. You can use God’s name in any language.

When you consciously choose to include God in everything you do, you become more gentle unto yourself, more compassionate with others. You become more mindful, more present. You tend to slow down. Your whole life becomes a meditation. Then you can do standing, walking , laughing meditations or any other kind of meditation you invent.

Top 10 health tips

Where do Nurses find Problems?

My patient was screaming down the hallway of his extreme pain, the nursing supervisor just called and taking a longer time to come and attend their duty, when I called the surgeon about his patient who was getting out of control, I got yelled as I didn’t call him sooner, what do I suppose to do?

My patient was screaming down the hallway of his extreme pain, the nursing supervisor just called and taking a longer time to come and attend their duty, when I called the surgeon about his patient who was getting out of control, I got yelled as I didn’t call him sooner, what do I suppose to do? The patient was quit hitting at staff and I tried my best to control him first then I called his doctor to get some fix for the patient’s restraints. I was just helpless; no one was there to help me because I’m the traveler nurse? Do you think being a traveler nurse, I m entitled to get such a behavior? asks Barbara Smith working as a travel nurse for last five years.
It is right that it is the duty of a nurse to take good care of her patient and work every thing to ease off her pain. But, what when a particular patient requires more attention, others cannot be neglected. In fact, every patient likes to gain lots of attention, which is just not possible. Being a part of travel nursing, you may have to deal with such as odd situations in your life.

Often travel nurses complaint of verbal abuses from physicians and from administrators, which has become so common these days. In fact, in recent studies, about 90% of registered nurses have emphasized on verbal abuses by the physicians, which sounds so depressing. The crucially of the working as a medicine practitioner is that they need to be called in the middle of the night, but it is just it is needed the most.

Above all, travel nurse often have to face abuses by patients as well during the work day/night. There is no one to take care of nurse in case they get assaulted or get injured. So, proper protection is needed from the medical facility. If you want to get rid of such difficulties as a travel nurse, you must search thoroughly online and find an ultimate solution for this. Healthcareseeker.com is striving to make conducive environment for nurses to work in different places and get the best of working atmosphere.

Holistic Pregnancy and Birth

Giving birth changes a woman's life forever. Holistic birth care prepares a woman for birth in mind, body and spirit. Every woman's experience of birth is unique, and no amount of preparation in body, mind and spirit will ever dictate what a birth will be like. Holistic birth care accepts that necessary obstetric intervention can become part of the perfect birth experience in a loving way if it is welcomed and accepted by the woman and her partner as part of their decision making process. Women need to feel safe, secure, happy and private in their chosen birthing environment.
Good holistic birth care begins long before pregnancy manifests! Pre-conceptual care is essential to prepare body, mind and spirit for pregnancy. This can include:

Proper Nutrition through organic food and herbs; Natural Healing for menstrual problems; Avoidance of environmental toxins, geopathic and electromagnetic stress; Creating a harmonious home and office environment; Balancing body energy, e.g. through Shiatsu; and Clearing emotional and unresolved birth issues, e.g. through Rebirthing and Metamorphic technique. Flower essences can help to clear the auric field of mother and baby.

Birth - The baby feels the physically uncomfortable process of being weighed and washed immediately after birth, as well as the psychological effect of being removed from its mother's arms unnecessarily. Pioneering obstetrician Michel Odent states that the first hour after birth should be undisturbed to allow maximum potential for bonding and initial breastfeeding.

Prenatal counselling to help resolve anxieties associated with giving birth is necessary for many women who have had a traumatic birth and who are frightened about giving birth again. The healing process can be enhanced by touch therapies like Shiatsu and Aromatherapy. Flower essences are very supportive at this time, particularly where grief connected with the previous birth is evident.

Post Partum Care - The desire to "get back to normal" can cause serious health problems in many women, e.g. uterine misalignment leading to menstrual problems and relationship difficulties. Holistic Partum Care includes Ayurvedic diet for rapid energy return and plentiful breast milk, natural womb care and preparation for return to menses, healing remedies for perineal stitches, Caesarian scars, sore nipples, etc.

Debra Norton trained as a nurse and midwife over twenty years ago, She now teaches a holistic approach to birth care to expectant parents and midwives. The article provides a list of books for further reading.

Do All Girls High Schools Create Stronger Women?

This question is in the top 10 that I get asked when I tell someone I work in education equity. Some assume that I must support all girls high schools as the answer for increasing women in non-traditional fields for a variety of reasons including that girls won't be distracted by the boys, without boys there is no harassment (obviously stated by a man or a woman who forgot what high school was like!), or whipping out the old adage that girls just do better in math & science (my bread & butter) in an all girls classroom.

Simply put, no. I don't.

There are valid reasons to send your child to a single-sex school and I admit to daydreaming about having gone to Smith. But that is more about Smith not the all women thing. A few weeks ago on the DC Metro Moms Blog (sister to the Chicago Moms Blog where I contribute), KC mused about what she would be like if she had gone to an all-girls school and wonders if the only way her daughter will come out strong is to send her to an all-girls school. As fate would have it an email popped into my inbox a few days later about a new study out. On single sex schools! The Goddess does love me.

KC is correct when she notes that:

Some studies have shown that girls attending all-girls schools do develop more
confidence in themselves as students and are more likely to continue on in
fields like math and science. They seem to do better on standardized exams
across the board, independent on baseline level of achievement and socioeconomic
status. When observing co-ed classrooms, boys often dominate discussion while
girls are at times victims of subtle sexism. While both boys and girls seem to
do better academically in same-sex schools, this difference is greatest for
girls.

My usual response is that a lot of the effects of an all-girls classroom is from the smaller class size. In "University Students from Single-Sex and Coeducational High Schools," Karpiak et. al, surveyed current students at the University of Scranton about their majors, high school experience, and attitudes towards gender roles. They also looked at historical data on students from both groups (SSHS & CoEdHS) about their declared major freshman year and their actual degree major.

The results?

In sum, students from single-sex high schools entered college less concentrated
in majors traditional for their gender and more likely to have declared a
gender-neutral major than those from coeducational high schools. However, by
graduation, the advantage for women from single-sex high schools had
disappeared. In contrast, men from single-sex high schools were significantly
more likely than those from coeducational schools to hold gender-neutral majors
at graduation.

Further:

Secondary school is time-limited. In order to translate into differences in the
college experience and the labor market, the single-sex high school's moratorium
from gender socialization must result in changes that can withstand the social
realities of a world populated by both women and men.

Thus in order for the real increase in strength girls obtain in their all-girls high schools, society as a whole must also change or else they slide backwards. Of course by society we also mean that the men of the world must become more egalitarian. But what if they are off in all-boys high schools? Are they becoming more egalitarian as one might assume from their higher rates of enrolling in non-traditional male majors?

It appears that something about the single-sex setting—perhaps direct sexism
(Lee el all., 1994), exacerbation of "macho male cultures" in schools (Jackson,
2002), and/or lack of daily exposure to competent female peers in the high
school classroom—corresponds with less egalitarian attitudes in males. Our
results suggest that, at least for men, holding more flexible ideas about
possible careers for one's gender does not necessarily translate into broader
notions of egalitarianism.

So while our girls are off getting all Buffy-ified, knowing who Alice Paul is, and finding their voice, our boys might be off learning that Harriet Nelson is the ideal mate. When the two meet in college or even later in the workforce, I doubt this will lead to ideal dating situations much less work environments. It really is sad to think that any benefits that girls gain in not having boys in the classroom is lost because the boys don't have girls in their classrooms. Even when we're making boys more egalitarian, we're kinda losing!

Of course the study team acknowledges that this study needs to be done with a much larger and more diverse sample, but it really is one of the first to look at the lasting effects of going to a single-sex high school. And in the end do we want our daughters to enter as engineering majors or become engineers?

To KC I say, there are many strong women who have emerged from co-ed public schools. Your daughter can be one of them. But that is a decision for her and the family to make. Heck, those of us who went to a co-ed school might be stronger because we survived.

Diet and Exercise - Secrets Of Good Health

A balanced diet and physical activity are the two time-tested secrets of good health. If you are overweight and want to shed some pounds, regular exercise has repeatedly proven itself as the most effective way to achieve permanent weight loss. Though dieting can often help you reach your weight loss goals quicker and more drastically, you will eventually gain back all of the weight lost during your diets once you get back into your old eating habits. Rather than entering the cycle of yo-yo dieting and rapid gains and losses, it is much more sensible and healthy to gradually change your eating habits, and to embark on a fun and consistent exercise program.

For years, a low-fat or low-calorie diet was considered the only cure for obesity. However, these diets tended to increase your appetite. Now, it's been determined that a low-carb diet is more practical and effective. Low-carb diets are low in carbohydrates and higher in proteins, fats
and oils. You appetite remains under control because fatty foods satisfy the cravings most people have. By eating a diet higher in fat actually increases weight loss faster than if you were fasting. You should avoid trans-fats and only eat fats such as olive oil and flax seed oil

A low-carb diet is high in fat and protein. No diet should be attempted without physical activity. Being active does not mean working yourself to exhaustion. Any type of physical activity is sufficient, especially if you were a couch potato. Little changes like adding fifteen minutes
of exercise a daily can have a positive effect. Being motivated is one of the biggest problems dieters have. Once you begin to see the changes in your body, you'll be motivated to spend more time exercising.

Before starting a weight loss exercise program, you should first consult with your doctor to assess your cardiovascular health to insure that your body can take the strain of
exercise. Let the doctor decide how much you should do and how much is too much.

If you are considering starting an excise program for the first time, you might want to think about joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer. Free classes of aerobics and stair-stepping are usually offered to their members. Some gyms also offer yoga and kickboxing.

It is important to remember when exercising that you should focus on getting healthy more than the numbers on your scale. Many people gain a little weight when they first begin an exercise program because they are building muscle. As a rule, muscle weighs more than fat. As you gain muscle you'll start burning more calories and fat. So even if you choose not to diet and only exercise, you can still loose weight. It is also important to eat well balanced healthy
meals to sustain you through your workout sessions.

National Health Care

Hillary Clinton announced her support for a universal health care system. If Hillary is to become president she hopes to extend coverage to over forty-seven Americans that are currently without health care. She strongly believes that “every man, woman, child—should have quality, affordable health care in America” (Los Angeles Times). Though this may seem like a strong humanitarian rights move, it is only an attempt to correct what once failed. When Clinton served as the first lady to her husband she attempted to create a similar bill, yet was unsuccessful. It is this failure that “almost derailed Bill Clinton’s presidency and helped put Republicans in control of Congress for years to come” (Los Angeles Times). This incident alone is enough for the public to question Clinton’s affectability. For if she was not able to fallow through as first lady how will she be able to handle presidency. Thus, this idealistic goal is an attempt to gain the publics trust, and ensure them that she has learned from her failures, and will not allow the government to repeat the past. In a way she is drawing attention to her situation. Before anyone can even question her credibility, or bring up this past failure, she drew attention to it herself, and is ensuring the people that she is fighting to overcome it by saying, “Perhaps more than anybody else I know just how hard this fight will be” (Los Angeles Times). Universal health care is not a new issue among democratic presidential nominees, I propose that come 2008 it will be one of the leading debates. Hillary Clinton, however, may have the most to gain by highlighting this debate.

One can also not ignore the negative side effects of national health care. Taxes will be raised in order to compensate for this program, and patient care will decrease do to the magnitude of patients seeking care. Those that will feel the greatest effect from the health care are those that have to pay for it, through taxes, but do not even get to receive the benefits of health care. With Hillary’s plain if you are currently happy with your health care you can continue to pay for it, and not receive the government program. Regardless of this however you will still need to pay for it. To me this seems fare from fair. For some families will be taxed heavily for something they do not what and do not need. It seems like Hillary’s solution to the gross importation of people with health care to those that do not have it, is to force the people that do have it to pay for those that do not.

Chronic Infection of the Ear

What are the Symptoms?

Grayish or yellowish pus will seep from the ear periodically. You may have some amount of hearing loss, depending on how long the infection has been present.

What are the Risks?

If the infection reaches an advanced stage, it may spread to a portion of the bone behind the ear called the mastoid process. If this occurs, you may need to have an operation called a mastoidectomy. In the rare cases of unsuccessful treatment, the bones of the ear may become damaged. This can cause permanent deafness.

What Should be Done?

If the infection is viral, the risks are minimal. If the infection is bacterial, and if treatment is delayed too long, there is a danger that the problem may become chronic, or that the infection may spread to a portion of the bone behind the ear called the mastoid process. If it does spread to the mastoid process, an operation that is known as a mastoidectomy may become necessary. In this relatively simple operation, an incision is made behind the ear and the infected bone is removed.

See your physician, who will probably examine your ears with an otoscope and arrange for X-rays of your head to find out if the infection has spread to the mastoid area. Only then can the doctor determine if you need a mastoidectomy.

What is the Treatment?

Self-help: Keep the ear dry and clean. Wipe away any discharge with a cotton swab.

Professional help: The physician will probably clean the ear and may prescribe an antibiotic in tablet form and ear drops containing an antibiotic. This treatment is aimed at eliminating the infection, drying up the ear, and preventing any discharge for a period of three months.

Protect Your Sexual Health

Sexuality is part of being human. Love and sexual intimacy contribute to healthy relationships, and to our happiness.

Research has shown that sex is more important to happiness than money. After analyzing data from 16,000 people, English researchers estimated that the happiness gained from increasing intercourse from once a month to once a week is equivalent to the happiness generated by getting a $50,000 raise.

Along with the positive aspects of sexuality, however, there are illnesses that can affect your sexual health. But by taking precautions, you can stay well.

Among the issues that can affect your sexual health are:

Birth control
Impotence and desire issues
Sexually transmitted diseases
Body image
Sexual satisfaction
How Your Health Affects Your Sex Life

Experts agree: There is an important relationship between overall health, overall lifestyle, and sexual satisfaction. Research also suggests that certain physical conditions that go along with obesity also affect sex drive, further dampening the desires of those who are overweight.

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बच्चा देर से पैदा करिए, हनीमून पैकेज पाइए

Carrer in Nursing jobs with Information

Nursing jobs seem to be opening up everywhere, and salaries are on the rise.

Several nursing agencies are offering international nursing jobs with exceptional assignments, competitive pay rates, and free accommodation. The other responsibilities of home nursing jobs include providing an extensive range of services from very specialized home care to supportive long-term care for people of all ages.

Institutional Nursing for schools and colleges is also a growing field for nursing jobs.

Travel nursing is a job for the young nurse, rarely are travel nursing jobs offered to people beyond forty. More new nursing jobs will be open than jobs in any other field.

There are many health care organizations that provide travel nursing job programs, offering weekly or monthly assignments to the nurses. California has widened the avenues for nursing jobs to overcome the shortage for nurses faced by different cities within the state. Using the internet to find nursing jobs online in this area of nursing are limitless.

Finding personal care nursing jobs online is another way to find employment. Using the internet to find nursing jobs online is also a good way to see the types of jobs that are out there. Travel nursing jobs will not only offer you excellent money in addition to free housing and insurance, they will also let you see the entire country, experience different cultures, taste different cuisines, and above all meet new people.

In recent years, home nursing jobs have become one of the fastest growing occupations, as more and more nurses are in demand. Though there is no dearth of travel nursing jobs, a prospective candidate will do well to do solid homework before joining the fray. Of the different types of nursing jobs, contract nursing is rapidly becoming the favoured RN career opportunity.

Travel nursing jobs are available around the continental United States and in Alaska and Hawaii as well. The Internet is the best medium to search for nursing jobs in Nevada, especially for people living outside the state. Since communication plays a vital role in the provision of health care, knowledge of the language is a desirable qualification while seeking international nursing jobs.

Nevada nursing jobs mainly include working in a doctor's office, hospital, or private care facility. Part-time nursing and travel nursing jobs are best suited for those who enjoy traveling and variety in the work place. In this continually changing environment, it is important to study the trends in nursing jobs in order to determine a successful career path.

In view of shortages of experienced nursing staff, there is a good scope for travel nursing jobs. Nursing jobs offer not only good pay, but also flexible schedules. What could travel nursing employment offer that regular nursing jobs can't match.

If you are a willing nurse eager to try out travel nursing jobs, an exciting career awaits you. California travel nurse jobs are among one of the highest paying nursing jobs in the country.

Mediation in Dictionary

Webster's dictionary defines meditation as follows:

1 : to engage in contemplation or reflection
2 : to engage in mental exercise (as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness

transitive verb

1 : to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over
2 : to plan or project in the mind : intend, purpose


Note that the very first definition is 'to engage in contemplation or reflection'. Now, I don't know about you, but if you've got anywhere near the busy brain that this author does, it's quite a challenge to 'quiet' your mind. That is, if you actually sit and try to quiet it. All sorts of stuff flies through your head, pulling your thoughts every which way, and within 10 minutes of deep breathing and trying to relax, you pretty much give it up and move on to something else. I know that's what I did for a long time.

Then, one day while I was pulling weeds and playing in my garden, it suddenly hit me. I had not one single thought buzzing in my head. I was so completely immersed in the soil of my garden that I'd literally turned my brain off and was in that state of "just being". It was quite the enlightening moment for me. I realized in that moment that meditation MUST be different for everyone, because we are each so different, we are each wired so differently, that it would be silly to expect that my arrival at this so-called 'blissful state' would be anything at all like the next person's arrival. Each person must find her own method. Made sense to me.

So, after I came to this realization, I started paying close attention to everything I did on a daily basis. I started really zooming in on the times during my day when my mind was quiet, especially when I was NOT attempting to make it so. And I came up with quite a few things that put me in that state without effort, without frustration and with great effectiveness.

Things like the gardening I just spoke of. Or brushing my very large German Shepherd. Or deep-cleaning my home (yes, I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys the cleaning process). Or walking in the canyons with my dog. Or sitting on my front porch watching the horses eat. All these things completely clear my mind and get me to a state of quiet. I am, as they say, in close connection to Source during these times, because I am not THINKING, I am merely BEING. And I believe THIS is exactly what meditation is all about.

Now that I am aware of this, I set aside an hour each day to do one of these things, knowing that I will arrive effortlessly and also knowing that if I set an intention of what I'd like to resolve or hear or learn, I can accomplish this when I have reached that place of quiet. It's really made a huge change in my perspective, one that I am most grateful for.

Please read this Article also :- Fitness For Young Children

Tips for Healthcare Savings

Save at the Pharmacy

There are several ways to save money at the pharmacy. If you own a business, both over-the-counter and prescription medications are tax deductible. When you file taxes, you can use medical bills as leverage to save on your tax bill. This adds up quickly when buying expensive prescription drugs.

There are also special discount cards designed specifically to save you dollars at the pharmacy. With these cards, you can get antibiotics prescribed by a physician at discounted rates and short-term medications such as painkillers, which you shouldn't have to do without when you need them. Also with many discount prescription drug cards and pharmacy plans, you can visit almost any major pharmacy chain.

Another way to save on prescription drugs is to always ask for a "generic" brand. Generic brands can be substituted for name brand prescription drugs if the physician permits it. Generic drugs are often less expensive but have the same healing properties. There are also herbal remedies that can sometimes be substituted for prescription medications. Check with your doctor and pharmacist to see if this is a possible solution.

Saving at the Dentist

You can also realize savings on your annual dental cleaning as well as root canals. Getting a crown can really make you dig deep into your purse. Luckily there are health savings plans that can help you with these and other orthodontia needs so your beautiful smile can be a reality instead of just a wish. Just as medical doctor bills and prescription drugs, dental bills are also tax deductible if you own a business.

There are also independent dental insurance plans you can purchase if your current insurance company does not offer a dental plan. You can use the Internet to research plans that are available in your state. Though these plans often have a very limited maximum payout per year, they can be helpful in saving on individual dentist bills if you go regularly.

Savings on Vision Care

Does a saving of up to 60% on vision care interest you? It should, knowing that a pair of eyeglasses just five years ago was well over $350! Not to mention the average eye exam at around $75. Yes, vision care can get quite expensive these days. You don't have to put off going to the eye doctor any longer just because you can't afford it. Most people do put it off for that very reason.

Healthcare savings plans and discount cards are also available for vision care. And yes, this too is tax deductible for business owners. Another way to realize savings on eyeglasses is to keep your same frames when getting a new prescription. The new lens can be placed in your old frames so you won't have to pay for new frames.

With these savings, you don't have to feel guilty for taking care of your much-needed eyesight any longer.

Savings on Hearing Care

That old saying, "Nothing lasts forever" can be so true. It seems that the hearing is usually one of the first senses to start fading. You shouldn't have to be embarrassed when the time comes that a hearing aid is needed to boost your hearing. It's all a part of life. Whether you are more interested in ordering products through the mail or visiting a local hearing aid center near you, there are healthcare savings plans to help you save money on hearing products and exams.

20 Facts About Human Body

20 Little Known Facts About The Human Body

A human being loses an average of 40 to 100 strands of hair a day.

A cough releases an explosive charge of air that moves at speeds up to 60 mph.

Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

A fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.

A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

According to German researchers, the risk of heart attack is higher on Monday than any other day of the week.

After spending hours working at a computer display, look at a blank piece of white paper. It will probably appear pink.

An average human drinks about 16,000 gallons of water in a lifetime.

A fingernail or toenail takes about 6 months to grow from base to tip.

An average human scalp has 100,000 hairs.

It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood we have only 206 in our bodies.

Beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it would grow to nearly 30 feet long in his lifetime.

By age sixty, most people have lost half of their taste buds. By the time you turn 70, your heart will have beat some two-and-a-half billion times (figuring on an average of 70 beats per minute.)
Each square inch of human skin consists of twenty feet of blood vessels.

Every human spent about half an hour as a single cell.

Every person has a unique tongue print. Every square inch of the human body has an average of 32 million bacteria on it.

Fingernails grow faster than toenails.

Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour - about 1.5 pounds a year. By 70 years of age, an average person will have lost 105 pounds of skin.

My baby won’t stop crying – is it Colic?

What is Colic?

Websters Dictionary defines Colic as: Paroxysms of pain. This condition usually occurs in the abdominal region but may occur in other body regions as well.

(Paroxysms - . A sudden uncontrollable attack; "a paroxysm of giggling"; "a fit of coughing".)

But really that doesn't answer your question. In terms of babies, we know that colic causes babies to cry and cry, much more than other babies who are not suffering from colic. What are signs of Colic? Babies with colic cry and often appear to be in pain. They may draw their legs or arms in tight toward their bodies. Or other times they stretch out their arms and legs and stiffen, then draw up tight again. You may notice that baby's face turns bright red from excessive crying.

Babies are diagnosed with colic when their crying lasts for more than three hours a day. You may find that colicky babies get fussier toward the end of the day, but colic can happen at any time.

A baby with colic may cry for long periods or may cry almost all of the time. When your baby cries, they may swallow air. This swallowing is likely to give your baby uncomfortable gas. Having an extra amount of gas in your baby's tummy will make it look swollen and feel tight, which can of course make your baby more uncomfortable. What Causes Colic? This has long been a question without a definite answer. Still no one is quite sure what actually causes colic. Babies with colic are healthy, so it does not appear to be caused by a medical problem. And colic is not caused by the way a baby is cared for. Without a doubt it is not any fault of the parent.

And without a doubt, try massaging your baby's tummy. In some cases, gently massaging baby's tummy has helped to move uncomfortable gasses out of the intestinal tract relieving tightness and discomfort. Using your full soft hand, massage should be given to your baby in a clockwise circular motion. This massage specifically pinpoints the digestive tract and should help to ease your baby's pain by helping them to pass painful gas. How to cope when your baby has colic? If your baby has colic, surely your family life has been turned upside down. You may find it extremely stressful and upsetting when your baby is crying for hours and cannot be easily comforted. Of course like many parents, you may feel guilty even though you are not the cause of your little one's colic. No one wants to see their baby in pain.

It's very important to be sure to take care of yourself, as caring for a baby with colic can be extremely stressful.

Don't blame yourself or your baby for the constant crying - colic is nobody's fault. Try to relax, and remember that your baby will eventually outgrow this phase. It is absolutely okay if you need a break. It may be necessary for you to call on friends or family as reinforcement.

If you're unsure whether your baby's crying is colic or a symptom of another illness, call your doctor.
Exercise bike hire - Fitness equipment - Power plate

X is for eXtreme Fitness

Too Much Of Anything Is Bad

Just like you shouldn't stuff yourself on a diet of chocolate and soda day in and day out, so you shouldn't be pumping iron day in and day out without proper recovery. It's also important to realize that when you punish yourself in these kinds of workouts that you run the risk of injury (which can lay you up and defeat your fitness plan) or exhaustion (which can lay you up and defeat your fitness plan).

Reactions to Extreme Fitness

When you engage in extreme fitness, your body goes through a few specific things:

• Damaged muscles - this is normal because the point of strength training is to tear up your muscles so that during repair (24 to 48 hours), they grow stronger
• Shock - if you don't give your body the time it needs to repair itself, you can create a shock or alarm in your body
• It will try to adapt - pushing past the 'pain' may give you a momentary boost, but the constant damage can lead you to overcompensating with other muscles that can lead to injury in their muscles
• Exhaustion or collapse - you may begin to feel ill or exhausted, not only are you combating pain, but also the need of your body to collapse because it will demand recovery

Generally by the time you get to the exhaustion stage, chances are increased by 50% that you will abandon all future workouts with a defeatist attitude. So if you're a beginner or intermediate level exercise buff - avoid the eXtreme workout - instead, make sure you take the time to alternate your workouts to focus on different muscle groups and take the time for proper recovery. Your body and your workout will thank you in the long run.

Speed dating Tips By Deepak Shrivastava

Perfect Lips

Nothing impresses your friends more than a perfect lip line, because it is the hardest makeup application to do.To get it, avoid applying the lip pencil too heavily, which will be difficult to blend and soften into the lipstick. Keeping your mouth closed lightly trace the lip line with the lip pencil so it can barely be seen, but can be used as a guide line.

Hold the brush horizontally to trace along the lip line, and do a little bit at a time, backing up and going over it again. Don't try to get the whole line in one stroke.

The best lip brush is a sable with a slightly tapered edge, not straight one.

This provides more control and a cleaner line.If you are really pressed for time, apply lipstick only on the bottom lip and press your lips together. Then, blend out to the lip line with the edge of a lip brush, not the tip, for a precise line, or use a dampened cotton swab for a soft, natural lip line.

When finished, instead of blotting the lips by biting a tissue, lay the tissue across both lips while your mouth is closed. This will imprint your lips, including the edges of the mouth where lipstick usually bleeds. Perfect!

What Is Baby Acne ???

It is accepted that Acne is part of growing up for teenagers and and even young adults. The body changes and as we get older the surge of hormones all contribute to the likelihood of acne breaking out. However, as many new parents are discovering it is possible for a new born baby to show signs of acne and although many parents would either discount it or ignore the problem until diagnosed by a doctor it is actually quite common.

Signs to look out for :

It usually takes the form of small white pimples or whitehead's on the baby's face, forehead chin or cheeks and tends to be aggravated by the baby's dribbling, or when they bring up formula and milk. It is essential to be aware that detergent used for washing your baby's clothes can also be a cause of baby acne, however If the skin which is infected looks red and scaly it is possible that it could be another condition commonly known as baby eczema.

Root Causes

Studies have shown that Baby acne can possibly be attributed to hormones just like teenagers and young adults, however the hormone is passed from the mother whilst the child is in the womb. There are also tests being carried out to determine whether or not the medications which are administered to the baby could cause acne, however despite the ongoing studies it is still not fully understood.

Acne Baby Treatment

Baby acne is usually short lived and invariably lasts less than a month, however if you feel that it is not clearing up or if it is lasted more than twelve weeks it is advisable to speak with your doctor or clinic. It is also recommended that you don't try to apply medication yourself as the cream and medicines which are primarily aimed at older sufferers could actually make the condition worse. The baby's skin is extremely sensitive and will almost certainly react badly to the creams and oils and could cause the baby acute discomfort.

It is recommended that the acne baby rash isn't overly washed as it can easily make the condition worse. The best way is to try and wash the baby's face once a day with a very mild baby soap and warm water. Try to stop yourself fro scrubbing the effected area and pat it dry with a soft cotton towel. Baby acne is not caused by grease or dirt as in teenagers so you need to be patient with baby acne and the problem will gradually disappear. The fact is that babies don't have the same hang ups as adults and if it is cared for it will go away as quickly as it appeared.

The secret book - The book The Secret, while an informative and wonderful read, does not provide the true secret to happiness and fulfillment. Join Hu Dalconzo and the Holistic Learning center staff as they teach the secrets that the book didn't offer.

Dangers of Cosmetic Surgery

An anesthetic complication during plastic surgery killed her. She was the rising American novelist. She was none other than Olivia Goldsmith.

This unpleasant situation puts a kind of conflict whether we opt for the cosmetic surgery or not.

The risks, if any, depend on the kind of surgeries done and the patients' health conditions including diabetes, allergies and heart problems. However, cynics reject the idea of cosmetic surgery as the means of outer perfection; they rather accept the natural beauty.

Get the blood tests and physical reports before looking for a cosmetic surgeon; you should also consult with the surgeons to know the post-effects of this surgery so that you can be prepared.

Some General Risks:

- Bleeding

Within the first 24 hours of the surgery, there is a possibility of blood clotting in the operated area. It is called Hematoma. This is generally reduced as the body immunity takes over, but sometimes the excess blood is required to be taken out by a needle. A large hematoma will squeeze the tissue and blocks the oxygen circulation. This leads to skin death and similar other complications like infection, wound separation and necrosis.

- Suture Effect

The body can reject suture, a foreign object, resulting in a visible suture splitting outside the skin. It might produce scar, which in turn might project suture granuloma, a bumpy skin. If the bacteria infect the area, it could cause infection like suture abscess. As such, the skin becomes red, tender and there might even be the pus around the suture.

- Necrosis

In times of facelift, tummy tucks and breast reduction the Necrosis is highest possibility due to the insufficient supply of oxygen to the operated area with primary signs of blue, purple or grey cast. Later it will turn black and may smell if it is not treated at its earliest stage by releasing suture and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Tips for Muscle Building

Tips for Muscle Building
Proper bodybuilding exercises technique: - First steps in muscle building training are easy. Spend the first few weeks in gym knowing the exercises. During the first few weeks of muscle building training, the muscles react to the stress put on them, even with relatively light weights, with important increase in strength and muscle tension.

Train whole body on one workout: - Every major muscle group should be trained and developed to prevent muscle imbalance on muscle building training. The major muscle groups include legs, calves, chest, shoulders, back, arms and abdominals.

Muscle building exercises: - Chose compound movements for each body-part (multi-joint movement like bench press, squat, dead lift etc).

Weights: - During the first couple of muscle building training sessions, you will want to go pretty light just to get a feel for how to do the movement correctly. After you feel comfortable with the form, begin adding weight. Train in the range at 10-12reps.

Sets: - A set is combination of any number of reps of a single exercise. You should have somewhere between 2-4 sets for each exercise of the muscle.

Breathing: - Start each set with a deep inhalation and exhale as you push through the most difficult part of the lift. Inhale at the top (or the easiest portion of the lift) and exhale as you push.

Rest between sets: - Rest as long as it takes for you to feel recovered from your previous set. That normally ranges from 60 to 90 seconds. Larger muscle group stake a bit longer to recover smaller muscle groups clear low pH levels and are ready to go more quickly.

Training frequency: - Your body requires a minimum of 48 hours to fully recover after muscle building training sessions. Physiological processes at the cellular level require rest and nutrients before you can train that same muscle group again. For beginner train three times a week. An ideal schedule could be: Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

Arises problem with Suger

The problems with sugar are well documented in major medical journals worldwide. Yet we continue to ignore the warnings.

Sugar has been shown to:

Increase the risk for breast cancer
Double the risk for biliary tract cancer
Deplete B vitamins and chromium
Interfere with the absorption of calcium and magnesium
Cause heart disease
Increase cholesterol and insulin levels
Raise blood pressure
Raise triglycerides
Weaken the immune system
Cause a deficiency of copper
Cause varicose veins
Damage the kidneys
Cause or worsen arthritis
Cause migraine headaches
Increase the acidity of the stomach
Cause gallstones
Contribute to obesity

Dental Health and Bad Breath

Poor dental hygiene and periodontal disease can be a source of bad breath. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, collecting bacteria and emitting hydrogen sulfur vapors. A colorless, sticky film of bacteria forms on your teeth.

If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and cause tooth decay, Eventually, plaque-filled pockets can form between your teeth and gums , worsening this problem and your breath. Dentures that aren’t cleaned regularly or do not fit properly also can harbor odor-causing bacteria and food particles.

If you do not brush and floss daily, particles of food remain in the mouth, collecting bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Food that collects between the teeth, on the tongue and around the gums can rot, leaving an unpleasant odor. Dentures that are not cleaned properly can also harbor odor-causing bacteria and food particles.

One of the warning signs of periodontal disease is persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth. Periodontal disease is caused by plaque, the sticky, colorless film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. The bacteria create toxins that irritate the gums. In the advanced stage of the disease, the gums, bone and other structures that support the teeth become damaged. With regular dental checkups, your dentist can detect and treat periodontal disease early.

Bad breath is also caused by dry mouth , which occurs when the flow of saliva decreases. Saliva is necessary to cleanse the mouth and remove particles that may cause odor. Dry mouth may be caused by various medications, salivary gland problems or continuously breathing through the mouth. If you suffer from dry mouth, your dentist may prescribe an artificial saliva, or suggest you using sugarless candy and increasing your fluid intake.

Eliminating periodontal disease and maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath. Schedule regular dental visits for a professional cleaning and checkup. If you think you have constant bad breath, keep a log of the foods you eat and make a list of medications you take. Some medications may play a role in creating mouth odors. Let your dentist know if you’ve had any surgery or illness since your last appointment.

Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush your tongue, too. Once a day, use floss or an interdental cleaner to clean between teeth. If you wear removal dentures take them at night. Clean them thoroughly before replacing them the next morning.

Mouthwashes are generally cosmetic and do not have a long-lasting effect on bad breath. If you must constantly use a breath freshener to hide unpleasant mouth odor, see your dentist, If you need extra help in controlling plaque, your dentist may recommend using a special antimicrobial mouth rinse. A fluoride mouth rinse, used along with brushing and flossing, can prevent tooth decay.

Regular checkups will allow your dentist to detect any problems such as periodontal disease, a dry mouth or other disorders that may be the cause. Maintaining good oral hygiene, eliminating periodontal disease and scheduling regular professional cleanings are essential to reducing bad breath.

By Jim Martinez

Skin Care Prevention

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.Skin cancer the abnormal growth of skin cells most often develops on skin exposed to the sun.

Causes of Skin Cancer

1.Ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

2.Sunburn.

3.Heredity.

4.Environment (Cloud cover).

Symptoms of Skin Cancer

1.Change in a wart or mole.

2.Red, tender, flat spot that bleeds easily.

3.Small, fleshy bump with a smooth, pearly appearance.

4.Shiny bump that may look like a mole or cyst.

5.Skin growth that looks like a wart.

6.Patch of skin that feels scaly, bleeds, or develops a crust.

Most skin cancers can be treated by removal of the lesion, making sure that the edges are free of tumor cells. The excisions provide the best cure for both early and high-risk disease. Radiation therapy and cryotherapy can provide adequate control of the disease; both, however, have lower overall cure rates than surgery.

Easy steps for a Healthy Skin

Step 1: Drink Water
Pure Water has long been considered as the natural treatment or an almost free treatment
for any skin condition because of its being alkaline. It prevents dehydration which is
capable of producing sebum or oil from the sebaceous glands. Your skin needs water in order
for it to function best, thus doctors and nutritionists suggest that a daily intake of 2
leter of water per day is highly needed.

Step 2: Exercise daily
Aside from considering a healthy diet, exercising your body also helps keep your skin
healthy. Note that a proper exercise does not only keep the body fit by regulating the
oxygen; it also improves the glow of the skin as well.

Step 3: Watch Your Diet
Nutrition plays a vital role in skin health too. Specific foods such as those acidic foods
and dairy products are said to be effective in causing an allergic reaction in some people.
Also, one of the widely debated topics in the area of nutrition today is chocolates. Some
say that chocolate does affect the condition of the skin, while others say it doesn’t.
Whatever the result may be, the best advice is just to follow a nutritious diet that has a
number of fresh fruits and green-leafy veggies, as well as fiber

Step 4: Consider Exfoliants
Many experts say that exfoliating your skin is another great way to attain a beautiful
skin. So, try to invest in a good body exfoliant or “loofah”, as it is commonly called, as
it is capable of eliminating the dead skin cells from your body. Accordingly, this should
be done once or twice a week so to free the skin to breathe. What’s more, exfoliants help
to put off ingrown hair from developing
However, it is essential to avoid using any body exfoliant on the skin on the face. The
main reason for this precaution is that the facial tissue is more sensitive and finer than
those tissues of the body

Step 5: Consider a Healthy Routine for Facial
When it comes to facial skin care, getting into a healthy beauty routine is not bad. Most
of the doctors today greatly suggest that you cleanse, moisturize and tone your skin twice
every day. When cleaning, never fail to remember cleaning the area on the neck, including
your face. Apply a moisturizer or neck cream after.

Step 6: Heal Your Feet
When it comes to skin care, the feet are often neglected. So, if care you found no time for
a professional pedicure, try to fill a football or basin with warm water and add your
favorite essential oil. Soak your feet for about fifteen minutes. Then, dry them and apply
a rough skin remover onto them. Rinse this off and dry you feet well. And, if you consider
pedicure, simply add some body cream to your feet for an easy and quick fix pedicure

Step 7 : Avoid Too Much Exposure to the Sun
One of the most common precautions when it comes to skin care is avoiding too much exposure
to the sun. As you may know, over exposure to sunlight causes sunburn. So, while current
sun blocks only block out the UVB rays and still let in harmful UVA rays, it is still wise
to cover up before venturing into the hands of Apollo. If possible, use a wide brimmed hat
while tending your garden to keep the sun from your face

जीवन रक्षक हो सकता है सांप का जहर

नई दिल्ली। चंद लम्हों में इंसान को मौत की नींद सुला देने वाला ब्लैक कोबरा और वाइपर सांप का जहर कैंसर जैसी जानलेवा बीमारी के इलाज में मददगार साबित हो सकता है। एक नए शोध में इस बात की संभावना जाहिर की गई है।
कोलकाता के इंडियन इंस्टिटयूट आफ केमिकल बायोलाजी के विशेषज्ञों के एक दल ने पाया है कि सांप के जहर में मौजूद प्रोटीन का इस्तेमाल कैंसर रोधी दवाओं को तैयार करने में किया जा सकता है। वैज्ञानिक सांप के जहर से ऐसे प्रोटीन को पृथक करने की कोशिश में हैं, जिनमें कैंसर रोधी तत्व पाए जाते हैं। जहरीली कोशिकाओं की वृद्धि को भी रोकते हैं। विशेषज्ञों की टीम का नेतृत्व कर रहीं अपर्णा गोम्स ने बताया है कि शोधकर्ताओं द्वारा उपलब्ध कराए गए तथ्यों के आधार पर उनकी टीम इस तरह की दवा विकसित करने पर काम कर रही है। बकौल गोम्स वैज्ञानिकों ने अभी भारतीय मोनोसेलेट कोबरा और रसेल्स वाइपर के अपरिष्कृत जहर के कैंसर रोधी कारकों (कारसिनोजेनिक) का चूहों की त्वचा, ट्यूमर और रक्त संबंधी कैंसर पर परीक्षण किया है।
गोम्स के मुताबिक सांप का जहर कई जहरीले प्रोटीन और एंजाइम का एक दुरूह मिश्रण होता है। यह प्रोटीन न केवल मनुष्य की त्वरित मौत के लिए जिम्मेदार होते हैं, बल्कि कैंसर और कई अन्य बीमारियों के इलाज में भी कारगर मददगार साबित हो सकते हैं। यह अध्ययन साइंस जर्नल 'एथोनोफमोकोलाजी' प्रकाशित किया गया है। इस अध्ययन में सांपों के जहर में मौजूद अवयवों पर प्रकाश डला गया है, जिनमें बीमारियों से निपटने को लेकर तमाम संभावनाएं हैं। इस अध्ययन के मुताबिक वैज्ञानिकों ने कैंसर प्रभावित चूहों पर सांप के कुछ कम घातक जहर का परीक्षण किया है। परीक्षण के नतीजे बताते हैं कि चूहों की उम्र में आनुपातिक वृद्धि तो हुई ही, उनमें एंटी-आक्सीडेंट (गैर उपचायक) प्रणाली भी मजबूत हुई। सांप के जहर में कोशिकाओं को जहरीला बनने से रोकने की क्षमता होती है। रक्त कैंसर के मामले में सांप का जहर कोशिकाओं को मरने से बचा सकता है। सांप का जहर त्वचा कैंसर उत्पन्न करने वाले सरकोमा के निर्माण को कम कर देता है।

WATER FOR SALE

Just at the time governments are backing away from their regulatory responsibilities, giant transnational water, food, energy and shipping corporations are lining up to take advantage of the world's water shortage, acquiring control of water through the ownership of dams and waterways; the development of new technologies such as water desalination and purification; control over the burgeoning bottled water industry; the privatization of municipal and regional water services, including sewage and water delivery; the construction of water infrastructure; and water exportation.

'Water is the last infrastructure frontier for private investors," says Johan Bastin of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Tragically, water is also the last frontier of nature and the commons.

The Globe and Mail of Canada states that privatizing water looms as the national mega-industry of the next decade, with potential investment in the tens of billions of dollars. "Water is fast becoming a globalized corporate industry." In May 2000, Fortune magazine stated that, in a world fleeing the vagaries of technology stocks, water is the best investment sector for the century. The World Bank places the value of the current water market at close to $1 trillion; however, with only 5 percent of the world's population currently getting its water from corporations, the profit potential is unlimited.

The world of privatized water is overwhelmingly dominated by two French transnationals. Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux (which built the Suez Canal and had 1999 profits of $1.5 billion on sales of $32 billion) and Vivendi SA are referred to as the General Motors and Ford Motor Company of the water world. Both are ranked among the 100 largest corporations in the world by the Global Fortune 500. Between them they own, or have controlling interests in, water companies in over 120 countries on five continents, and distribute water to almost 100 million people in the world.

Suez's CEO, Gerard Mestrallet, says that he wants to take a page from his country's past and develop in his company the philosophy of "conquest" as Suez moves into new markets around the world. Suez is more than just a water company. According to Fortune, "its a fresh invention ...a diversified utility that offers cities a full range of infrastructure services, from water and sewer to trash collection, cable TV, and electric power." The company, which projects an annual 10 percent expansion of its water business, has just signed its first major business contracts in China, which Mestrallet says "will be a prime market at the onset of [this]century."

Both Suez and Vivendi are vying for the lucrative U.S. market, estimated to be the world's largest with annual revenues at $90 billion. New U.S. Iaws have opened the way to greater private sector involvement in the U.S. water supply and treatment business. Until now, this sector has been almost exclusively controlled by small public-sector operators. Now these companies are poised to promote the massive privatization of the American water market. In 1999, Suez paid $1 billion for United Water Resources and bought two major water treatment chemical producers, Nalco and Calgon, for $4.5 billion. In the same year, Vivendi purchased U.S. Filter Corp. for more than $6 billion in cash, giving the new company a projected revenue of $12 billion in annual sales. Vivendi also owns 42 percent of Air and Water Technologies (AWT).

Another French company, SAUR, owned by the construction company, Bouygues, is also emerging in a number of countries. The Spanish transnational Aguas de Barcelona is active in Latin America, and Great Britain's Thames Water and Biwater are acquiring water concessions in Asia and South Africa. United Utilities of Britain has joined up with the American construction and engineering giant, Bechtel, to promote privatization schemes in North and South America.

Recently, a number of large pipeline and energy and electricity companies have entered the water field, promising great stock profits from what they are calling "convergence"-the prospect of a single company carrying natural gas, water and electricity to millions of customers on a for-profit basis. General Electric has joined forces with the World Bank and investment speculator George Soros to invest billions of dollars in a "Global Power Fund" to privatize energy and water around the world, according to the Guardian Weekly.

U.S. energy giant Enron, having acquired Wessex Water PLC of Britain, is bidding for huge contracts against the established players for newly privatized water services in Bulgaria, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin and Panama under its new water division, Azurix. The RWE Group, Germany's largest electricity producer, is also emerging as a major player in water and wastewater services.A POOR TRACK RECORD

The privatization of municipal water services around the world has a terrible track record. Since water services were privatized in France, customer fees have increased by 150 percent. The government of France also reports that the post-privatization drinking water of over five million people was contaminated. For most of the past decade, French magistrates have been investigating allegations of corruption against executives of the two major French water companies who have been convicted on three occasions of paying bribes to obtain water contracts in France.

Public Services International (PSI) reports that in England, between 1989 (the year water was privatized) and 1995, there was a 106 percent increase in the rate charged to customers, while the profits of the companies increased by 692 percent. The salary of the highest paid director of North West Water, for example, increased by 708 percent. As a result of these price hikes, the number of customers who have had their water disconnected has risen by 50 percent since privatization. British water corporations have been among the worst environmental offenders in the U.K. Between 1989 and 1997, Anglian, Severn Trent, Northumbrian, Wessex (a subsidiary of Enron) and Yorkshire were successfully prosecuted 128 times.

Furthermore, privatization is almost always accompanied by lay-offs. In Great Britain, the private companies fired almost 25 percent of the work force, approximately 100,000 workers, when they acquired rights to the water system. In December 1999, when companies were ordered by the government to make price cuts, they announced thousands of further layoffs, even though they were enjoying wide profit margins. In central Europe, private water companies reduced the work force of seven cities (whose rights they acquired) by 30 percent in just a few years. In Sydney, Australia, after the Water Board was privatized, thousands of workers lost their jobs and prices for consumers almost doubled in four years.When water is privatized, the public often loses its right to access information about water quality and standards. A furor erupted when it was discovered in the summer of 1998 that the water supply of Sydney, Australia, now controlled by Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, contained high levels of the parasites giardia and cryptosporidium and that the public had not been informed of the problem when it was first discovered.

In Ontario, Canada, the government introduced what it called a "Common Sense Revolution." Key to this "revolution" were massive cuts to the environment budget, the privatization of water testing labs, the deregulation of water protection infrastructure, and massive lay-offs of trained water testing experts. In fact, in 1999, just after a Canadian federal government study revealed that a third of Ontario's rural wells were contaminated with E. coli, the Ontario government dropped testing for E. coli from its Drinking Water Surveillance Program and, a year later, closed the program down entirely.The results were catastrophic. E. coli outbreaks in a number of communities sent waves of panic through rural Ontario. In June 2000 at least seven people, one of them a baby, died from drinking the water in the small town of Walkerton. The town had subcontracted to a branch plant of a private testing company from Tennessee. The lab, A&L Laboratories, discovered E. coli in the water, but failed to report the contamination to provincial authorities, an option it has under the new "common sense" rules. A lab spokesman said that the test results were "confidential intellectual property" and, as such, belonged only to the "client" -the public officials of Walkerton who were not trained to deal with the tests.

WORLD BANK IN THE LEAD
The story in the non-industrial world is far worse because international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are aggressively promoting the privatization of water. As Public Services International explains, the policies of these institutions distort nations' choices by imposing water privatization as a condition of loans and debt relief, financing water transnationals in preference to efficient public enterprises, and selling water utilities to reduce national debt.

World Bank-sponsored water privatization projects promote monopolies and protect rampant corruption and bribery and are often negotiated entirely in secret. The agreements are considered "intellectual property" and the public has no access to their terms. Collusion with dictators such as Indonesia's Suharto are too frequent. The Bank often puts up the lion's share of the investment while the company takes home the profits. Suez promised to invest $1 billion to privatize the water system of Buenos Aires, but only put up $30 million; the rest came from a World Bank agency.

When water is privatized, prices are set on the open market. Says Suez Director During, "We are here to make money. Sooner or later the company that invests recoups its investment, which means the customer has to pay for it." The result in the Third World is that millions of poor people are paying exorbitant prices for water, while others have been cut off. Because the companies are motivated by profit and not public service, they have no incentive to supply the poor with affordable water.

For example, in India, some households pay a staggering 25 percent of their income on water. The water system of Manila, in the Philippines, was divided by the World Bank into two zones in 1997, each run by a separate consortium. One consortium included Bechtel, the other, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux. Only months into the new arrangement, these consortiums sharply raised customer rates, contrary to their proclaimed intention to keep rates low, to compensate for revenues lost due to the regional currency crisis. A year later, Biwater Plc. corporation increased water rates in Subic Bay in the Philippines by 400 percent.

For example, in India, some households pay a staggering 25 percent of their income on water. The water system of Manila, in the Philippines, was divided by the World Bank into two zones in 1997, each run by a separate consortium. One consortium included Bechtel, the other, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux. Only months into the new arrangement, these consortiums sharply raised customer rates, contrary to their proclaimed intention to keep rates low, to compensate for revenues lost due to the regional currency crisis. A year later, Biwater Plc. corporation increased water rates in Subic Bay in the Philippines by 400 percent.

The union's position is firm "Water privatization is a crucial issue for public debate. Human lives depend on the equitable distribution of water resources; the public should be given a voice in deciding whether an overseas-based transnational corporation whose primary interest is profit maximization, should control those critical resources...Water is a life-giving scarce resource which therefore must remain in the hands of the community through public sector delivery. Water must not be provided for profit, but to meet needs."

The union's position is firm "Water privatization is a crucial issue for public debate. Human lives depend on the equitable distribution of water resources; the public should be given a voice in deciding whether an overseas-based transnational corporation whose primary interest is profit maximization, should control those critical resources...Water is a life-giving scarce resource which therefore must remain in the hands of the community through public sector delivery. Water must not be provided for profit, but to meet needs."

Further, the global trend to commodify what has been a public service reduces the involvement of citizens in water management decisions. Private water projects brokered by the World Bank, for example, have minimal disclosure requirements. A water corporation executive at the March 2000 World Water Forum in The Hague, said publicly that as long as water was coming out of the tap, the public had no right to any information as to how it got there. The concentration of power in the hands of a single corporation and the inability of governments to reclaim management of water services allows corporations to impose their interests on government, reducing the democratic power of citizens.Pro-privatization advocates argue that they are seeking private-public partnerships, and give assurances that governments will still be able to establish regulations. However, because the provision of water services itself does not provide sufficient return, water corporations are increasingly seeking exclusive control over water service provision through acquisitions of infrastructure and water licenses and closing the loop around public involvement. In early 1999, when the government of Ontario announced the break up of the public utility, Ontario Hydro, into three new private companies, it also made public its intention to eliminate access to information laws.In their support for large-scale project financing, the World Bank and others give preference to large multi-utility infrastructure projects that favor the biggest corporations, leading to monopolies against which local suppliers cannot compete. To add insult to injury, the World Bank is underwriting these giant corporations with public money, and often incurs the risk, yet the private company reaps the profit. And often governments, supposedly representing their people, have to assure a return to the shareholder. For example, Chile had to guarantee a profit margin of 33 percent to Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux as a World Bank loan condition-regardless of performance.

Most disturbing, the close alliance between governments, the World Bank and the water companies gives these corporations undue influence over government policies, such as deregulation and free trade, and preferred access to upcoming water contracts that favor their interests. The stated goal of the World Bank water loan to Budapest was to "ease political resistance to private sector involvement." In the Philippines, the water corporations can appeal government decisions and actions against them to an international arbitration panel appointed by the International Chamber of Commerce.

form of "democracy insurance." A recent contract between this Azurix corporation and the Argentine government guarantees cash payment for "expropriation" if a future government changes its mind and wants to bring water services back under public control.

WATER WAR
In 1998, the World Bank refused to guarantee a $25 million loan to refinance water services in Cochabamba, Bolivia, unless the government sold the public water system to the private sector and passed the costs on to consumers. Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in the world, finally acquiesced. Only one bid was considered, and the company was turned over to Aguas del Tunari, a subsidiary of a conglomerate led by Bechtel, the giant San Francisco engineering and construction company.

In December 1999, before making any infrastructure investments, the private water company, Aguas del Tunari, announced the doubling of water prices. For most Bolivians, this meant that water would now cost more than food; for those on minimum wage or unemployed, water bills suddenly accounted for close to half their monthly budgets, and for many, water was shut off completely. To add to the problem, the Bolivian government, prompted by the World Bank, granted absolute monopolies to private water concessionaires, announced its support for full-cost water pricing, pegged the cost of water to the American dollar and declared that none of the World Bank loan could be used to subsidize water services for the poor. All water, even from community wells, required permits to access, and even peasants and small farmers had to buy permits to gather rainwater on their property.

The selling-off of public enterprises such as transportation, electrical utilities and education to foreign corporations has been a heated economic debate in Bolivia. But this was different; polls showed that 90 percent of the public wanted Bechtel out. Debate turned to protest and one of the world's first "water wars" was launched.

Led by Oscar Olivera, a former machinist turned union activist, a broad-based movement of workers, peasants, farmers and others created La Coordinadora de Defensa del Agua y de la Vida (the Coalition in Defense of Water and Life) to "de-privatize" the local water system. Between January and early February, 2000, hundreds of thousands of Bolivians marched to Cochabamba in a showdown with the government, and a general strike and transportation stoppage brought the city to a standstill. Police reacted with violence and arrests and in early April 2000, the government declared martial law. Activists were arrested during the night; radio and television programs were shut down in mid-program. A 1 7-year-old boy, Victor Hugo Danza, was shot through the face and killed.

Finally, on April 10, 2000, the directors of Aguas del Tunari and Bechtel abandoned Bolivia, taking with them key personnel files, documents and computers and leaving behind a broken company with substantial debts. Under popular pressure, the government revoked its hated water privatization legislation. With no one to run the local water company, Servico Municipal del Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (SEMAPO), the government handed water services over to the work force of SEMAPO and the people, complete with debts.

The people accepted the challenge, and set out to elect a new board of directors for the water company and to develop a new mandate based on a firm set of principles. The principles stated that the company must be efficient, free of corruption, fair to the workers, guided by a commitment to social justice (providing first for those without water), and it must act as a catalyst to further engage and organize the grassroots.

The first act of the new company was to operationalize a huge water tank in the poorest neighborhoods, establishing connections to 400 communities that had been abandoned by the old company. Then the company established an active presence in the neighborhoods, listening to the people and working with them to solve problems. In Summer 2000, La Coordinadora organized its first public hearings on SEMAPA to begin a public process on building a broad, consensus-based definition of what the company must become, and received many proposals from civil society.The company has also taken a strong stand against any compensation to Bechtel for its "losses." Bechtel is suing the government of Bolivia for close to $40 million at the World Bank's International Court for the Settlement of Investment Disputes. It is claiming "expropriation" rights under a t992 Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that Bolivia signed with Holland. Bechtel, an American company, must have sensed the conflicts in Bolivia brewing. In late 1999, it moved its holding company for Tunari from the Cayman Islands to Holland, thereby gaining the right to sue South America's poorest country.

While the Bolivian government has officially said it will fight this challenge, there are those in the government who feel it best to pay Bechtel its compensation to prove that Bolivia is ready for economic globalization and will be a "good" global player in the WTO. There is a real concern that the government of Bolivia is now in secret negotiations with Bechtel to settle that dispute out of court.

In the early months of 2001, a very disturbing pattern of surveillance, infiltration, harassment and physical attacks against members of La Coordinadora emerged. It is widely understood that both La Coordinadora and SEMAPA have powerful enemies in the echelons of power in the Bolivian and state governments. A failure on the part of the citizens to run their own water company could be used as a warning to others around the world who stand up to water privatization and the power of the World Bank.

HIGH-TECH WATER GUZZLERS
Similar water conflicts are growing in the computer industry, where big corporations are claiming unfair shares of local water supplies. Computer manufacturers use massive quantities of de-ionized freshwater to produce their goods and are constantly searching for new sources. Increasingly, this search is pitting giant high-tech corporations against economically and socially marginalized peoples in a battle for local water sources.

Electronics is the world's fastest-growing manufacturing industry, according to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. Giants such as IBM, AT&T, Intel, NEC, Fujitsu, Siemans, Phillips, Sumitomo, Honeywell, and Samsung have annual net sales exceeding the gross domestic product of many countries. Originally thought to be a "clean" industry, high-tech has left a staggering pollution legacy in its short history. In 1980, the U.S. Congress set up the Superfund program through the EPA to locate, investigate and clean up the worst sites in the nation. Presently, the Silicon Valley has more EPA toxic Superfund sites than any other area in the U.S. plus more than 150 groundwater contamination sites, many related to high-tech manufacturing. Close to 30 percent of the ground water beneath and around Phoenix, Arizona, has been contaminated, well over half by the high-tech sector.

There are currently about 900 semi-conductor manufacturing plants, or fabrication facilities (fabs) making computer wafers (used for computer chips) around the world. Another 140 plants are now under construction. These plants consume a staggering amount of water. For example, Intel Fab, a software company located on the high desert near Albuquerque, New Mexico, is permitted to use nearly 6 million gallons (18 million liters) of water per day, or enough to supply a small town. At this rate (including the new plants under construction) the industry will be using over 500 billion gallons ( 1,500 billion liters) of water and producing over 100 billion gallons (300 billion liters) of waste water each year. Much of the new construction for high-tech manufacturing is in water-poor countries or in the desert, but as local activists say, 'Water flows uphill to money."

The question is: where will the water come from? The Southwest Network for Economic Justice and the Campaign for Responsible Technology explains "In an arena of such limited resources, a struggle ensues between those who have traditionally enjoyed these resources and those newcomers who look at these resources with covetous eyes."

High-tech companies are engaging in mechanisms to capture traditional water rights water pricing, whereby industry pressures governments for subsidies and circumvents city utility equipment to directly pump water, thus paying much less than residential water users pay for water; water mining, whereby companies gain rights to deplete the aquifers while driving up the access costs to smaller users such as family farmers; water ranching, whereby industry buys up water rights of ranches and farmers; and waste dumping, whereby industry contaminates the local water sources and then passes the costs on to the community.Despite increasing industrial demand, conservation programs aimed at ordinary people are not applied to industry. "While some residents tore out their lawns last year [ 1996] to save water," the Albuquerque Tribune wrote of a city conservation project, "it poured with increasing volume through the spigots of industry." While residents had to decrease their use by 30 percent, Intel Fab was allowed to increase its use by the same amount. In addition, Intel pays four times less than the city's residents for its water. Perhaps the most disturbing trend, however, is the deliberate destruction of a local pueblo traditional acequia-a collective system of agricultural water distribution-to feed the voracious appetite of the high-tech giants.

Under the new commercial system, water is separated from the land it belongs to and transported great distances; this is anathema to the local indigenous ways. Says John Carangelo, a mayordomo of the La Joya Acequia Association, "In New Mexico, where the total finite supply of water is allegedly fully appropriated, the location of a high-tech industry is dependent on the purchase of existing water rights. This high demand for water and their vast financial resources makes water a valuable commercial product." He warns that water trading could hollow out rural America.

Local sources, however, will clearly not be sufficient to meet industrial needs, given the aquifer depletion taking place in many high-tech-intensive areas. The companies are starting to look farther afield within their own countries or abroad for new sources of water; the global trade in water provides a possible new source. Given the rapid growth of high-tech companies in the non-industrial world, particularly China, it is entirely possible that current bulk water exports are being negotiated to feed the voracious water appetite of the global technology industry.

from....
Blue GoldIndex of
WebsiteHome Page
William Danshin
www.watercorp.com

बच्चा देर से पैदा करिए, हनीमून पैकेज पाइए

मुंबई। है न मजेदार। शादी के बाद दो साल तक बच्चा पैदा मत करो। बस, सरकार आपके लिए एक और हनीमून मनाने का प्रबंध करेगी। लेकिन आर्थिक मदद के जरिए। सरकार यह सब देश की तेजी से बढ़ रही जन्म दर घटाने के लिए कर रही है।
महाराष्ट्र के सतारा जिला प्रशासन ने यह अनूठा 'हनीमून पैकेज' शुरू किया है। इसके तहत दो साल तक बच्चे पैदा न करने वाले दंपति को पांच हजार रुपये का हनीमून पैकेज प्रदान किया जाएगा। इसी प्रकार यदि कोई दंपति तीन साल तक बच्चे पैदा नहीं करता तो उसे 7500 रुपये का हनीमून पैकेज दिया जाएगा। जिला स्वास्थ्य अधिकारी वीएच मोहिते के अनुसार यह धन एक दंपति के लिए किसी मशहूर स्थान पर दो से तीन दिन तक दूसरा हनीमून मनाने के लिए पर्याप्त है।
सतारा की जनसंख्या करीब 30 लाख है। यहां करवाए गए एक सर्वे के अनुसार जिले में प्रतिवर्ष करीब 25 हजार शादियां होती हैं। नवदंपतियों में से 87 फीसदी शादी के पहले साल ही बच्चा पैदा कर लेते हैं। अधिकारियों को आशा है कि यदि 20 फीसदी दंपति भी इस आफर का फायदा लेना चाहेंगे तो इससे प्रतिवर्ष चार हजार बच्चों के जन्म में देरी होगी।
देश की आबादी इस समय करीब एक अरब दस करोड़ है। यह दुनिया का दूसरा सर्वाधिक आबादी वाला देश है। 1.7 प्रतिशत वार्षिक जनसंख्या बढ़ोतरी के साथ 2005 तक भारत नंबर एक पर विराजमान चीन को पीछे छोड़ सकता है।

Too Much Sun Is Bad For U

As we all know, there are various forms of cancer that exist today and are ongoing problems. Every year many people alone in USA suffer from cancerand some other illness. The reason is due to a lack of understanding and knowledge on the people’s part. When a person knows enough about a particular thing, they improve their chances of living a healthy life. Making smart choices in what you eat and what you choose to participate in are good examples.

Skin cancer is one of many forms of cancers that people seem to neglect. People may want to go outside to play ball or walk around the beach all day. They may not want to skip doing something fun and interactive for a reason that they do not really know about. However, it is the fastest growing cancer in the United States. Over a million people were diagnosed with skin cancer in recent years. Skin cancer is actually a malignant growth on the epidermis (layor of skin). This is caused by ultra violet rays from the sun and can be caused by burns.Fortunately, there are ways to detect the formation of skin cancer.

When looking at your skin, you should look for brown or black lesions, or a thicken patch of red. If you have skin cancer, certain treatments such as cryotherarpy, which freezes the cancer off, can be used. Remember, that the most effective way to avoid these problems is to exercise smart actions. Avoid staying in the sun too long, use sun block and wear protective clothing when you can. There are some clothes that are UV protected which means they can provide further protection.

IS OUR WATER CLEAN ENOUGH

IS OUR WATER CLEAN ENOUGH?



THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS’ POSITION:
“It’s definitely not clean enough. We think industrial CEOs should replace their bottled water with water taken directly from their effluent streams. But we suspect that ‘Dioxin Tea with a Twist of Lemon’ will not become a favorite.”

THE POLLUTERS’ POSITION:
“Yes, it’s clean enough. There are no longer any rivers that are actually on fire, and Deep Purple proved that a little ‘Smoke on the Water’ can be a good thing.”

THE WATER’S POSITION:

“You’d think I would be very upset about all the toxic industrial waste, the endocrine disrupting chemicals, the pesticide and fertilizer runoff from lawns and farms, the untreated sewage, and all the rest of the pollution that finds its way into me. But, hey, I’m inanimate. So if you bio-reactive water-drinkers don’t care about all that contamination, why should I?”

Peter Barabus — Effluent Manufacturers Industrial Association "We haven't seen anyone able to walk on water recently, so how polluted can the water be?"
Perhaps you accept the Non-Sequitur Society's position on water pollution: 'Some water contaminants are natural, so man-made contaminants are irrelevant.' If not, you might like to find out just how relevant they are in our water pollution effects.

keep child from taking up smoking

When Children Smoke -

Life is full of decisions, and one of them is whether or not to smoke cigarettes. Unfortunately, the decision to smoke is made by some people at an early age. It's not unusual for pediatricians and family physicians to discover that the twelve-year-old youngster with recurring sinus problems, bronchitis, and viral infections has a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

Children who spend a lot of time alone and whose parents are not actively involved in their lives, are more likely to take up smoking. Youngsters with low self-esteem, who are easily influenced by older kids, may smoke in order to feel accepted by their peers. They often begin their smoking habit by asking their older friends for cigarettes, and by swiping cigarettes from their parents who smoke.

Where the damage begins

As with adults, the biggest impact of cigarettes is on the child's lungs. Our respiratory tracts are covered with cilia (tiny hairs on the tissue surface) which are constantly in motion, sweeping out particles, dust, and pollution from the respiratory system. When the cilia are damaged by cigarette smoke and tar, the young smoker develops a cough in order to expel the foreign matter that is now collecting in the lungs and bronchial tubes.

Eventually, smoking has an impact on the youngster's athletic performance, because the lungs' ability to move air quickly in and out becomes impaired. While some of this impairment is reversible if the individual stops smoking by age 20 or 25, in heavy smokers a percentage of the damage will be permanent even after quitting.

Why children smoke

We know that children take up smoking for different reasons. The most commonly shared factor among young smokers is the influence of adults closest to them. When children see their parents smoke, they deduce that smoking is an acceptable, adult thing to do. This conclusion is reinforced by what they see in the marketing media. Magazines, newspapers, and billboard images tell them that smoking is attractive, sexy, and cool: it's a very macho thing to do if you are a young boy, and it makes young girls glamorous and thin.

How we prevent our children

The single best thing parents can do to prevent their children from becoming smokers is to not smoke themselves. If you are a parent who smokes, quit now. By quitting, you will send a very positive message to your children. In effect you are saying: It is not okay to do something that is harmful to your body just because it feels good. Setting a good example for your kids is the best way to teach them to make smart choices.

Drinking Alcohol Forbidden on the Diet

During the induction stage of the Atkins diet, drinking alcohol is strictly forbidden. It is only allowed during the maintenance stage of the diet and it should not be the first item that is re-introduced to the diet. Drinking alcohol, such as rum and wine, should be avoided on the Atkins diet as they contain sugar. The reason why drinking alcohol is forbidden through most of the Atkins diet is because it basically stops the fat burning activities in the body and can cause blood sugars to become unpredictable. The liver makes ketones from alcohol, and the body should remain in ketosis even while drinking. Nevertheless, alcohol is converted much easier than fatty acids are, and thus the liver produces the ketones using alcohol rather than the fat that is available. This means that fat burning does not reoccur until all of the alcohol is out of the system.

People who drink alcohol while on the Atkins diet can find themselves feeling the effects much quicker than normal, because the alcohol is rapidly broken down into ketones. This can cause problems for the drinker, and is why alcohol is probably best to be avoided. Alternatively light or limited drinking of alcohol during the Atkins diet should not have too many adverse effects, especially if the drinker has eaten properly beforehand, allowing for slower absorption of the alcohol. Alcohol is also high in calories and is generally avoided during any form of dieting.

By:-Roland Parris Jefferson

Sex is one of the enjoyable parts of life

What is CIALIS?

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Benefits of CIALIS

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Can I include fibre in a gluten free diet?

By Frann Leach

To keep your digestive system working properly and avoid constipation, it's important to include fibre in your diet. There are also studies that show increasing fibre intake reduces the risk of various types of cancer and other serious health problems such as ischaemic heart disease.

When people talk about including fibre (or “roughage” as my grandad used to call it) in their diet, they are mostly thinking of wheat bran - proprietary products such as All Bran, Sultana Bran and Weetabix are often recommended by GPs, along with wholegrain bread. But what if you're trying to exclude gluten from your diet? Are there any other sources of fibre available?

In fact, despite the overwhelming attention paid to wheat bran as a source of fibre, there are many other sources available. Fibre is found in plant stems, roots, leaves, pods and seeds. Rice bran or soy bran is probably the easiest like-for-like substitute for wheat bran, but you can get your fibre from peas and beans, nuts or dried fruit, and many fruits and vegetables.

Some sources are fairly obvious. For example, celery is very noticeably fibrous, particularly the older outer stems.

Sources of fibre suitable for the gluten intolerant include:

rice (brown or white, though the brown has a greater fibre content) and rice products, rice bran

possibly oats (although these may also cause symptoms in some people)

pulses/legumes: baked beans, broad beans, butter beans, French beans, haricot beans, runner beans, soya beans, soya bran, lentils, peas

salad and stirfry vegetables: beansprouts, beetroot, celery, cucumber (with the skin on), lettuce, peppers, radishes, spring onions, tomatoes, watercress

green vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sprout tops, spring greens, spinach

root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, potatoes (especially if eaten with their skins), swede, turnips

other vegetables: cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms, parsley, sweetcorn

crisps (especially if prepared with the skin left on)

fruit: apples, apricots (fresh or dried), avocado pears, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, blackcurrants, cranberries, gooseberries, goji berries, grapes, grapefruit, huckleberries, lemons, melon, oranges, passion fruit, peaches (fresh or dried), pears, pineapple, plums, raspberries, strawberries, currants, dates, figs (fresh or dried), prunes, raisins and sultanas

So, can you include fibre in a gluten free diet? Yes, yes, and yes again.