Latest News Portal: April 2008

You too can build your own Laptop!!

Technology

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Laptop

Why buy a retail notebook when you can build a faster, cheaper portable system from scratch?
Building a desktop PC is like dining at one of those huge buffet restaurants: You have dozens of choices for every dish, the variety ranging from hot dogs to filet mignon and everything else in between. Building a laptop reminds us more of a prix fixe menu: You can make a few decisions here and there, but you don’t have much opportunity to customize your meal.

Indeed, building your own laptop is chock-full of challenges. Parts are harder to find, choices are fewer, and you need a steady hand to deal with small screws and the tight confines of a portable case. What’s more, there’s not nearly as much information available in books and on the Web about assembling portable systems from the case up.

Look past these limitations, however, and your DIY laptop dream can become a reality. With a thirst for challenge and a $1,400 budget, you can assemble a speedy, well-equipped mobile machine that performs better and costs less than many comparable pre-built systems. As for the difficulty in putting it all together, that’s where we come in: We’ll walk you through all the steps it takes to build a high-performance laptop from as close to scratch as you can get.

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Top 10 Discoveries of All Time

Misc

OMG_foolswantnoise_albumcover_300

This has been a huge year for intelligent design research. We took a look back at some of the most important breakthroughs. Until recently, Wired has been too hard on the proponents of creationism. To rectify that, our science desk has hired a full staff of religious zealots. Here is their first story:

10. T. rex ate coconuts
According to experts at the Creation Museum, our favorite predatory dinosaur would have fit right in at Whole Foods.

9. The Earth is only six thousand years old
Carbon-13 and potassium argon dating are myths created by the devil to cast doubt on the existence of God.

8. Stem Cells are evil
Curing terrible diseases is not worth the trouble of sacrificing some abandoned eggs from the deep freeze at a fertility clinic.

7. NASCAR is the official sport of the spiritually enlightened
Some forms of entertainment were meant for the pure of heart.

6. Guns were created by God to kill deer
It is our responsibility as humans to encroach on their habitats by building track homes and then blow the sweet crap out of them so that they don’t starve to death in the winter.

5. Liberals are evil
Even though most of the truly bizarre sex scandals have involved republicans, and democrats prefer to have affairs with women of legal age, left-wing politicians are morally more morally bankrupt than their conservative counterparts.

4. Civil Liberties are for sissies
Under the benevolent Bush II theocracy, we don’t need privacy. Like the Pope, he is in direct contact with God, so we can feel secure knowing that every one of his decisions will be fair.

3. President Bush can look directly into our souls.
Bush II looked directly the soul of Russian President Vladimir Putin and saw that he is a good man!

2. Iraq had ties to Al-Qaeda, was enriching Uranium, and all that jazz.
By bombing Iraq back into the stone age, then occupying it, we have protected our country from terrorism. Who cares if we destroyed our economy while in the process? Dubai is certainly not complaining.

1. Evolution is a myth.
Just ask Ben Stein, evil academics suppress any luminary who dares to question the mounds of evidence that life evolved gradually. Get your facts straight. It took seven days to make the earth.

APRIL FOOLS!

Everyone knows that creationists don’t do real research, they just make stuff up!

What do you think are the biggest creationist discoveries of all time?

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Rich Gets Richer, Poor gets Poorer

Facts

Rich and Poor

World cereal stocks are at an all-time low, food-aid programmes have run out of money and millions face starvation. Yet wealthy countries persist with plans to use grain for petrol. Plus Iain Macwhirter on how food prices are rocketing.

The irony is extraordinary. At a time when world leaders are expressing grave concern about diminishing food stocks and a coming global food crisis, our government brings into force measures to increase the use of biofuels - a policy that will further increase food prices, and further worsen the plight of the world’s poor.

What biofuels do is undeniable: they take food out of the mouths of starving people and divert them to be burned as fuel in the car engines of the world’s rich consumers. This is, in the words of the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, nothing less than a "crime against humanity". It is a crime the UK government seems determined to play its part in abetting. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), introduced on 15 April, mandates petrol retailers to mix 2.5 per cent biofuels into fuel sold to motorists. This will rise to 5.75 per cent by 2010, in line with European Union policy.

The message could not have been clearer if the Prime Min ister, Gordon Brown, had personally put a torch to a pyre of corn and rice in Parliament Square: even as you take to the streets to protest your empty bellies and hungry children, we will burn your food in our cars. The UK is not uniquely implicated in this scandal: the EU, the United States, India, Brazil and China all have targets to increase biofuels use. But a look at the raw data confirms today’s dire situation. According to the World Bank, global maize production increased by 51 million tonnes between 2004 and 2007. During that time, biofuels use in the US alone (mostly ethanol) rose by 50 million tonnes, soaking up almost the entire global increase.

Next year, the use of US corn for ethanol is forecast to rise to 114 million tonnes - nearly a third of the whole projected US crop. American cars now burn enough corn to cover all the import needs of the 82 nations classed by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as "low-income food-deficit countries". There could scarcely be a better way to starve the poor.

The threat posed by biofuels affects all of us. Global grain stockpiles - on which all of humanity depends - are now perilously depleted. Cereal stocks are at their lowest level for 25 years, according to the FAO. The world has consumed more grain than it has produced for seven of the past eight years, and supplies, at roughly only 54 days of consumption, are the lowest on record.

The president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, has already warned that 100 million people could be pushed deeper into poverty because of food price rises caused directly by this imbalance between supply and demand. Even consumers in rich countries are suffering. We now pay higher prices for our food in order to subsidise the biofuels industry, thanks to measures such as the renewable fuels directive.

This is not just a short-term price blip, but the beginnings of a major structural change in the world food market. Population pressure - still something of a taboo subject - is also certainly playing a part. With the world population growing by 78 million a year, and expected to reach nine billion by the middle of the century, there are simply many more mouths to feed.

In addition, rapid economic growth in India and China has created tens of millions of new middle-class consumers, all demanding western-style diets high in meat and dairy products, thereby vastly increasing the quantity of grain required for livestock production.

Weather plays a major role, too: the FAO’s latest food situation brief reports that, in 2007, "unfavourable climatic conditions devastated crops in Australia and reduced harvests in many other countries, particularly in Europe", while Southern Africa and the western United States have been hit hard by severe drought. Rising oil prices also increase the cost of food, as fossil fuels are important throughout the agricultural process, from tractor diesel to fertiliser production.

Inconsistency

The most important structural change, however, is the increasing interlinking of world energy and food markets. Once, food was just for people. Now rising demand for transport fuel - particularly in rich countries - is sucking supply away from the world food market and increasing the upward pressure on prices. In the words of Josette Sheeran, executive director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP): "We are seeing food in many places in the world priced at fuel levels," with increasing quantities of food "being bought by energy markets" for biofuels.

Rising oil prices feed back into the process. With food and fuel markets intertwined, increases in the price of oil are shadowed by increases in the price of grain. The real-world result from this structural shift may be that hundreds of thousands of people starve in the next few years - unless policies promoting biofuels are urgently reversed.

This is not to suggest that government targets on biofuels are driven by some kind of malicious desire to starve the world’s poor. Indeed, both Brown and his Chancellor, Alistair Darling, have expressed concern about the food supply crisis and the role of biofuels in causing it. But for these two political leaders to voice their concerns while allowing the increased use of biofuels in the UK to be pushed forward - all in the same week - is nothing short of bizarre.

As Oxfam’s Robert Bailey puts it: "This inconsistency at the highest levels simply beggars belief." The aid agency calculates that the RTFO represents a £500m annual subsidy from motorists and taxpayers to the biofuels industry - more than double the amount the WFP is urgently seeking from donor countries to try to mitigate the impact of food price rises on the world’s poor.

The EU, meanwhile, persists in the erroneous belief that biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The main reason for its speedy introduction of the replacement fuel initiative was as a sop to motor manufacturers who were lobbying hard against proposed higher fuel economy standards. With biofuels, the EU hoped, it could cave in to the car industry while still getting reduction in emissions.

Yet recent research suggests otherwise: two major studies published in Science magazine in February showed clearly that once the agricultural displacement effects of the new fuels on rainforests, peatlands and grasslands are taken into account, emissions are many times worse than from conventional mineral petrol. In other words, it would be better for the climate if we just went back to fossil fuels. Biofuels are not a "necessary but painful" way of saving the climate; they are a calamitous mistake by almost every criterion, whether social, ethical or environmental.

Reversing the damage

The industry claims that "second-generation" biofuels, using by-products such as corn stalks and woodchip as a feedstock, will be able to redress the balance. But if this technological advance is achieved (and that is by no means certain) it could usher in an even worse scenario: the annihilation of the world’s forests. If all plant life was seen as potentially convertible for transport fuel, there would be nothing to stop what was left of the planet’s biosphere from being strip-mined to keep rich motorists on the road. There is no simple solution. Much of the increased biofuel demand comes from the US, where Democratic and Republican politicians alike have talked themselves into a dead-end search for "energy security" - with US-grown corn top of the list.

But the UK and the EU can reverse some of the damage by immediately ditching their own biofuels policies and providing vital aid funding, principally through the WFP, to help prevent widespread starvation in the short term. Politicians need to realise that there is no such thing as "sustainable biofuels", either now or in the future. As for investors, they need to realise that pouring money into biofuels is a bad bet: subsidies will be quickly withdrawn when policymakers face up to the reality of their ghastly error.

In the meantime, millions face starvation and death from increasing hunger and malnutrition. There is no time to lose.

2008: the year of food riots

Egypt Thousands of demonstrators in Mahalla el-Kobra loot shops and throw bricks at police during protests at rising food prices and low salaries, as part of nationwide strike

Haiti At least four people killed in the southern city of Les Cayes after food prices rise 50 per cent in the past year

Côte d’Ivoire Police injure more than ten protesters as several hundred demonstrators demand government action to curb food prices

Cameroon Riots last four days and result in at least 40 deaths. Unrest is due to high fuel and food prices. Worst riots in country for 15 years

Mozambique At least four people killed and 100 injured following fuel price rises

Senegal Violent demonstrations in Dakar as prices of rice, milk and oil soar. Senegal imports almost all its food

Yemen Five days of rioting and a hundred arrests after the price of wheat doubled over two months. Protesters set up roadblocks in Sana’a and Aden

...and in Mauritania, Bolivia, Indonesia, Mexico, India, Burkina Faso, and Uzbekistan

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Top 5 Breast Feeding Myths and Facts

Health, Kids

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breast feeding 2

Breast feeding infants has always been a hot topic, mainly because of the whole "breast feeding in public" debate. That discussion will likely stay a touchy for years to come. Now, everyone knows about the health benefits to breastfeeding.
There are just some weird notions bandied about and handed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, these myths are believed to be true in many instances. Well, it is time to bust some breast feeding myths! Read on:

Myth #1 - A lot of women cannot produce enough milk for her baby.

False! Most women do have enough of a milk supply. If the baby is not gaining weight adequately or is actually losing weight, it is usually because they are not latching onto the breast properly. While the mother is still in the hospital after the birth, it is important that she take advantage of the services of a lactation consultant to ensure that the baby can and will be able to feed properly.

Myth #2 - Breast milk will go bad if the baby does not/cannot nurse for a few days.

False! Unlike cow’s milk which can sour within a few days if not consumed, breast milk is protected and not exposed to outside elements which could cause it to go bad. The breast milk will be just as good a few days later as now.

Myth #3 - Mothers who have had cosmetic breast surgery cannot breast feed a baby.

Another falsehood! Many women who have had breast augmentation or reduction have gone on to nurse their babies. It is important for women to consider the possibility of nursing future children when going for cosmetic breast surgery as some procedures do reposition the nipple and areola. If this is the case, then in some instances, breast feeding can be inhibited.

Myth #4 - Moms who breast feed have to follow strict diets and not consume alcohol or spicy food.

False! For the most part, the body digests and processes all the food a mom eats before the body makes breast milk. An occasional glass of wine or even a beer would not hurt a nursing baby. Little alcohol is passed through breast milk. The same goes for the spicy foods. Some people do claim that mothers who consume gassy foods like beans or broccoli will have a greater chance of having a baby develop colic. However, there is no conclusive research that supports the theory.

Myth #5 - Breast feeding is a great alternative for birth control.

False! There have been quite a few nursing babies who got a little brother or sister less than a year later. While in many instances ovulation is suppressed during breast feeding; only abstinence will ensure that no little surprises happen. Nursing mothers can safely take low dose birth control pills without harming their baby.

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How Safe is your USB Sticks?

Technology

usbstick3

SanDisk, one of the most important names when it comes to storage solutions, has published a report, underlining the risks of losing the data copied on USB flash drives. According to the study findings, no less than 77 percent of the corporate end users turn to USB sticks in order to store work-related material, no matter if related to projects or other information.

And because we’re talking about the data copied on USB flash drives, SanDisk informs that consumers usually transfer customer records (25 percent), financial information (17 percent), business plans (15 percent), employee records (13 percent), marketing plans (13 percent), intellectual property (6 percent), and source code (6 percent).

"Most CIOs are aware that data leaks can result in identity theft, compromise of intellectual property, and loss of trade secrets, as well as significant PR and financial damage to organizations," said Gil Mildworth, Senior Director of Marketing for SanDisk’s Enterprise Division.

Following the recent reports concerning the computer infections targeting USB removable drives, the risk of important loss tends to increase, so extra-care is recommended when copying data on such a storage device. Even more recent studies proved that flash disks are continuously attacked as Inf.Autorun, a threat which aims to propagate through USB devices, won the first position in a top concerning the most "popular" infections in 2007, according to security company ESET.

"Our survey demonstrates that, while there is some awareness of potential risks involved with unsecured USB flash drives, corporate IT execs need more effective policies, education, and technology solutions in order to mitigate the risks. Only a top-down effort involving intelligent device management, data monitoring, and centralized policy enforcement will sufficiently reduce risks, while allowing organizations to reap the productivity benefits of enhanced mobility," the SanDisk official added.

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Water as a nutrient: what you need to know

Facts, Health

water-drop-a

1) The human body is made up of 55 to 75 percent water, which is the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine and perspiration;

2) Water is continuously lost every second from the lungs, skin, urine and feces. The amount of water we need each day depends upon the body metabolism, the weather, the food we eat and physical activity;

3) Men have more water in their bodies than women. Adults lose about 2.5-3 liters of water per day. Hot weather, exercise, and air travel increase loss of water;

4) Food provides one third of water we need and the rest needs provided by drinks including drinking water;

5) Water in the body helps maintain the health and integrity of cells; keep the blood flow freely through blood vessels; eliminate the by-products of the body’s metabolism, excess electrolytes and urea; regulate body temperature; keep mucous membranes moist; lubricate and cushion joints; reduce risk of cystitis; help digestion and prevent constipation; improve skin texture and appearance; and mediate transportation of nutrients and oxygen to cells;

6) Loss of too water causes dehydration which results in symptoms including increased headaches, lethargy, mood changes and slow responses, dry nasal passages, dry or cracked lips, dark-colored urine, weakness, tiredness, confusion and hallucinations;

7) Dehydration can be caused by increased sweating, not drinking enough water, increased urination, diarrhea or vomiting and recovering from burns;

8) More water is needed in people who are eating a high protein diet or a high fiber diet; children; patients having diarrhea or vomiting; and those who are physically active or exposed to warm or hot weather;

9) Drinking too much water (many liters a day) may cause a condition known as water intoxication or hyponatremia. This happens when sodium in the blood drops to a dangerously low level. The condition causes headaches, blurred vision, cramps, swelling of the brain, coma and possibly death;

10) It is generally recommended that 6 to 8 glasses of a variety of fluids can be consumed each day. Some people may need more water if they are physically active, children, people in hot or humid environments, or breastfeeding.

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8 Questions About the Human Body That Kids Always Ask

Health, Kids, Psychology

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Kids are curious about all sorts of concepts and never stop bothering us with their thought-provoking, and annoying questions. Here are eight of them about the human body, and how to answer them.

1. Why Do Hair grow gray?

The simple answer here is because people get old. Not an answer that satisfies your average child though! It is all to do with pigment and cells. The hair is like a tube that is full of both and in-between are spaces. In young people this space is filled with a fluid and this has the job of keeping the cells and the pigments in their place. That means that young people keep their hair color really well because, let’s face it, they are full to brimming with fluids of one kind or another. As we get older we don’t produce as many - ahem - fluids and the space between the cells and the pigment is filled with air instead. This means that the pigment is gradually lost and the process of graying reflects that.

2. Why do your hands grow Wrinkly in the bath?

It’s all about sebum! This can produce hilarity among a group of ten year olds because they see bum everywhere and they love double entendres as much if not more than adults. Sebum is produced from the sebaceous gland (each hair has one at its, err, bottom) and it is pumped out to make a layer that stops Mr H20 getting in to our skin. It also keeps it bouncy and stretchy. However, we do not have any hairs on the palms of our hands - or for that matter the soles of our feet! The water can then get in to our skin and makes it wrinkly. The wrinkliness - rather than puffiness or swollenness - is caused because of the ridgy way the layers of our skin are joined together. A simple answer here might be simply because our palms aren’t waterproof!

3. Why do we Blush?

It’s all to do with sympathy! Or rather it is when our sympathetic nervous system goes in to overdrive. This is a system of nerves that we have no control over whatsoever. The nerves become more active due to what we are experiencing in the real world. So, an ordinary encounter with a friend, someone we find attractive or a customer can turn out to be socially embarrassing due to no fault of our own! Another reason for blushing is a little simpler. When we experience heightened emotions it causes an increase of blood to the face. Blood is red and you know the rest of the story. The reason we don’t stay red - now that would be funny - is that our nervous system returns to normal after a short time.

4. What is the funny bone?

Well, for a start, you can tell the inquiring infant terrible that the funny bone is, in truth, a nerve. It runs through a ridge in the bone really close to the inside of the skin. The proper name is the ulnar nerve and it is called this because its route is directly through the ulna, which is one of the bones on your forearm. It’s the bone on the outside - get them to give it a feel! The ulnar nerve is a very important nerve because it gives us the feelings we have in our hands.

When you stick people in the ribs with your elbow, they might tell you that your bones are very sharp! That is because the ulna sticks out. So, the ulnar nerve, being so close to the surface, is easy to bump. When the ulnar nerve is knocked it can be quite painful and pain can often cause people to laugh just as much as cry. This is why it is called the funny bone.

5. Why do men have Nipples?

Most kids know that women’s nipples serve a purpose. They can question though, why on earth dad has them too. Until around the tenth to fifteenth week in the womb there is no evidential difference between male and female embryos. After this, the hormones kick in (strange that it is around the same time, but only in years, in children!) and if dad has passed on a Y chromosome then a boy begins to form. When the second chromosome is an X then the embryo will become a girl. Before the hormonal kick in, however, the nipples have already been produced. Once made, they cannot be dissolved back into the fluids in the womb! So, that’s why men have nipples because at some point (for a very short amount of time) everyone is a girl!

6. Why is Urine yellow?

For the answer to this question we have to look inside the body to the kidneys. The kidneys are there to do two things - the first is to make sure that waste is filtered out of our blood. The second is to keep the amount of salt we have in our blood at the same level. So, when we take a leak the main stuff inside the urine is water, salt and the rubbish our body doesn’t need. The main substance that we don’t want from the cells in our bodies that we get rid of through our urine is ammonia. From blood it is the “hem” bit of the hemoglobin (Who put the “heem” in the hemoglobin?” as the old song goes!). This is called bilirubin and was discovered by a gentleman called William Rueben. That very poor joke aside, the ammonia and the billirubin get to the liver and are converted in to substances that are much less dangerous to us.

Urea comes from the ammonia and the bilirubin is converted to something called urobilogens. Salt, urea and water have no color. But! Urobilogens are yellow! So if you have had a lot of water to drink your urine will appear lighter. If you haven’t had much water to drink then your urine will appear yellow, getting darker and darker the more dehydrated you are. If this is too much information to take in, tell the kid it depends on the amount of bananas we eat.

7. How fast is the fastest runner?

Very fast. That’s 43 kilometers per hour, which is twenty seven miles an hour. This, of course, is only over short distances. At this point reflect that although the adult male can run at this speed for only a short amount of time a small version of an adult can ask questions ad infinitum. Then go try and figure out why.

8. Do your ear grow all your life?

Sometimes! The only parts of the ear that can continue to grow are the lobes. Most people will not experience this as once the head stops growing (although with some people it never seems to!) then so do the ears. The only organ of the human body that continues to grow throughout life is the nose - and this only a teensy weensy little bit. You could perhaps punish your offspring for their interminable biological questioning by telling them that their ears and nose will grow a millimeter a year for their whole life. That will stop them asking questions for a while as they ponder a Pinocchio like future!

Sharing the Same Password? Read this !

Research

passwords

Is there anything more dangerous than using the same password for multiple services, let’s say Gmail, Yahoo Messenger, bank account and email, and get hacked? Well, I don’t think so because it only takes a second until you lose your email and you money. And what’s worse is that most people do have the same password for several services; following a study conducted by Accenture, their percentage is almost 50 points.

According to Associated Press, Accenture has made the research with the help of 800 respondents who access the web more than twice a week and conduct all kinds of activities, others than checking the email.

"There’s a lot of confusion out there - a lot of people don’t think there’s a problem. There’s still the kind of head-in-the-sand situation: ’My identity hasn’t been stolen. I don’t know anybody who’s had their identity stolen. So it must not be happening’," Robert Dyson of Accenture commented according to AP.

The main reason for using the same password for multiple services is that most people are afraid that they may forget the secret combinations so it seems like they’re just trying to make their lives easier. However, as I have said, all the hackers need is just a second to break into one of the account and then, to get access to all the services. According to the findings of the study, 70 percent of the respondents living in the UK admitted they don’t write down their passwords which, once again, explains the fact that they’re using the same password for all their accounts.

A few days ago, security researchers have managed to prove that Microsoft Live Hotmail’s CAPTCHA can be hacked in approximately 6 seconds. As you know, a Live account can be used for a large variety of products beside Hotmail so, in case a hacker breaks into the email account, he also gets access to the other services.

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Linking Mathematics and Music ?

maths_music

The connection between music and mathematics has always fascinated scholars. Now, 200 years after Greek philosopher Pythogoras discovered the orderliness of music, researchers have uncovered its secret structure.

A team of three music professors has devised a new way of analysing and categorising music that takes advantage of the deep, complex mathematics they see enmeshed in its very fabric, the ’Science’ journal reported. The trio - Clifton Callender of Florida State University, Ian Quinn of Yale University and Dmitri Tymoczko of Princeton University - has outlined a method, known as "geometrical music theory", that translates the language of musical theory into that of contemporary geometry.

In fact, the researchers took sequences of notes, like chords, rhythms and scales, and categorised them so they could be grouped into "families". They have found a way to assign mathematical structure to these families, so they can then be represented by points in complex geometrical spaces. Different types of categorisation produce different geometrical spaces, and reflect the different ways in which musicians over the centuries have understood music.

This achievement, they expect, will allow scientists to analyse and understand music in much deeper and more satisfying ways. "The music of the spheres isn’t really a metaphor- some musical spaces really are spheres. The whole point of making these geometric spaces is that, at the end of the day, it helps you understand music better.

"Having a powerful set of tools for conceptualising music allows you to do all sorts of things you hadn’t done before. You could create new kinds of musical instruments or new kinds of toys. "But to me, the most satisfying aspect of this research is that we can now see that there is a logical structure linking many, many different musical concepts. To some extent, we can represent the history of music as a long process of exploring different symmetries and geometries.

"Our methods are not so great at distinguishing Aerosmith from the Rolling Stones. But they might allow you to visualise some of the differences between John Lennon and Paul McCartney," Prof Tymoczko wrote.

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Girls! Do You Drink Alcohol? - Blame your Gene!!

Health, Research

beer-drinking-girls-cheers

Researchers have found that although environment is most influential in determining when young women begin to drink, genes play a larger role if they advance to problem drinking and alcohol dependence.

The findings are based on a study, in which researchers examined 3,546 female twins ages 18 to 29 to find out the influences of genes and environment in the development of alcohol dependence. The way to alcohol dependence involves transitions through many stages of drinking behaviours.

The stages start from the first drink to the first alcohol-related problems, such as drinking and driving, difficulty at school or work related to alcohol use, to alcohol dependence. Environmental factors that the twins shared, such as exposure to conflict between parents or alcohol use among peers in school, exerted the largest influence on initiation of alcohol use.

Researchers found that women who had their first drink at a young age were at a higher risk of developing serious alcohol problems. They found that all transitions were attributable in part to genetic factors, increasing from 30 percent for the timing of first drink to 47 percent for the speed at which women progressed from problem drinking to alcohol dependence.

However, genetics did not explain everything. "Even when genetic factors are most influential, they account for less than half of the influence on drinking behaviour," says lead author Carolyn E Sartor, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the School of Medicine.

"That’s good news in terms of modifying these behaviours and reducing the risk of developing alcohol dependence. Genetics are not destiny, and our findings suggest that there are opportunities to intervene at all stages of alcohol use," Sartor added.

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Egypt pyramids with preserved marine fossils !!

Wonders of World

The Egyptian Pyramid

A new study has determined that many of Egypt’s pyramids contain hundreds of thousands of marine fossils, most of which are fully intact and preserved in the walls of the structures. The study was carried out by researchers from the University of the Aegean and the University of Athens.

The researchers suggest that the stones that make up the examined monuments at Giza plateau, Fayum and Abydos must have been carved out of natural stone since they reveal what chunks of the sea floor must have looked like over 4,000 years ago, when the buildings were erected.

"The observed random emplacement and strictly homogenous distribution of the fossil shells within the whole rock is in harmony with their initial in situ setting in a fluidal sea bottom environment," said Ioannis Liritzis, one of the researchers. For the study, the researchers analyzed the mineralogy, as well as the chemical makeup and structure, of small material samples chiseled from the Sphinx Temple, the Osirion Shaft, the Valley Temple, Cheops, Khefren, Osirion at Abydos, the Temple of Seti I at Abydos and Qasr el-Sagha at Fayum.

X-ray diffraction and radioactivity measurements, which can penetrate solid materials to help illuminate their composition, were carried out on the samples. The analysis determined the primary building materials were "pinky" granites, black and white granites, sandstones and various types of limestones. The latter was found to contain numerous shell fossils of "nummulites" gen. At Cheops alone, they constituted a proportion of up to 40 percent of the whole building stone rock.

Nummulites, meaning "little coins," are simple marine organisms. Shells of those that lived during the Eocene period around 55.8 to 33.9 million years ago are most commonly found in Egyptian limestone. Fossils for the organisms have also been unearthed at other sites, such as in Turkey and throughout the Mediterranean.

When horizontally bisected, a nummulite appears as a perfect spiral. Since they were common in ancient Egypt, it’s believed the shells were actually used as coins, perhaps explaining their name. According to Robert Temple, co-director of the Project for Historical Dating, "Egyptian pyramid blocks of limestone tend to contain fossil shells and nummulites, often huge quantities of them, many of them intact, and many of them of surprisingly large size."

Fossils for ancient relatives to sand dollars, starfish and sea urchins were also detected in the Egyptian limestone.

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24 tips on How Warren Buffett earns money?

"An investor needs to do very few things right as long as he or she avoids big mistakes. " Warren Buffett

One of the world’s most successful investors, Warren Buffett is the richest man on earth. Chairman of the Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s wealth jumped by $10 billion to hit $62 billion during 2007. Buffett’s life is an inspiration for investors across the globe.

So what makes the world’s wealthiest man so rich? Buffett believes that successful investing is about having common sense, patience and independent research.

’How Buffett Does It’, by James Pardoe is a great guide for investing in any market. A look into Buffett’s simple, yet intelligent mantras for investing and minting millions.

1. A frugal billionaire Buffett believes in simplicity. He advises investors to take easy decisions. Never buy when you are doubtful. Invest only if you understand the businesses well.

2. Focus on not losing money rather than making it. Don’t own any stock for 10 minutes that you wouldn’t own for 10 years.
3. A proponent of value investing, he believes that one must take decisions on his own. He doesn’t believe in listening to analysts or brokers. The best investing decisions come from oneself.

"It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results."

4. Buffett advises to invest in ’old economy’ businesses, companies, which have been around for fifty years and will continue to have a long innings.

5. We have often heard of people suffering heart attacks when markets crash. Well, Buffett advocates a sound temperament for stock market success.

6. You don’t need to be a genius to succeed in the stock markets. People who can stay cool will succeed in the long run. Always keep in mind the hidden costs, from commissions on active stock trading to high mutual fund fees.

7. Buffett always looks at businesses he can understand, look at the profits in the past, long-term potential of the company, good top level management of the company and companies that have a good value proposition. The strategy is to think about the business in the long term.
"You are neither right nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you. You are right because your data and reasoning are right."

8. Invest in businesses with great management. Always keep a track of the management of the company. The top decision makers have a lot to do with the company’s performance.

9. One of Buffet’s biggest strengths is independent thinking. Many people go by what the experts says or what others do but belief in one’s own judgement is the key to stock market success.

10. Patience pays, says Buffet. He says one must not worry too much about the price of the stocks. What’s more important is the nature of business of the company, earnings capability and its future potential.

11. Don’t target just stocks, look at businesses. How a company performs is key to its stock market performance. You must know the track record of a company before you invest in it.
"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."

12. Prices keep changing. Don’t get worried by the ups and downs. Investing is all about creating wealth. It’s important to understand the value of a stock than its price.

13. He believes that franchisee businesses are good opportunities to invest in. Avoid hi-tech, complex businesses. Look for businesses that are set to diversify and grow.

14. Never be disappointed when markets fall. Take it as a buying opportunity. Buffet says one must have lesser number of investments with more money in each lot.

15. He advises to avoid diversification. Invest in companies with sound business models. Choose a few good ones and stay invested, it will give you the benefits.
"I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars; I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over."

16. Doing nothing pays at times! One must not jump at price fluctuations and take impulsive decisions.

17. Don’t get carried away by market forecasts. Ignore market swings and remain an investor with a good business sense.

18. Buffett advises to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful. Buy when people are selling and sell when people are buying.

19. Make a list of companies, sectors that you find safe to invest in and try to stick to the list.

20. A sound business, strong management, good fundamental and low stock price should be a must-buy.
"Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular and do well."

21. Try to ignore stock charts, says Buffett. They may not give the right indicators. A stock which may have done well earlier may not do so in future.

22. Buffet spends a lot of time on reading and more importantly thinking. Reading helps investors, so spend a lot of time reading about the stocks, companies and markets. A good investor must have a good knowledge base.

23. A good investor also needs to be efficient. Investors may have great capabilities but many do not make use of it. One needs to hone skills to meet the targets.

24. Good investors never rush to make money. They give time, thought and work on investment decisions. The mistakes that others make should be a lesson for you.

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Are We Fighting For Food?

India News, World News

Food prices are rising around the world. In an interview with ABC News, Gregory Barrow, senior public affairs officer at the World Food Program (WFP), said that "the WFP has identified a number of countries that have been badly affected, and we have identified a type of country that’s most likely to suffer from rising food prices."

"The kind of country to be worst-affected is a country which depends on importing its food to meet its people’s needs, it is likely to have witnessed dramatic inflation recently, and where individuals typically spend a significant portion of their income, i.e. 50 percent or more, on food."

In INDIA, For the more than 600 million people who work in agriculture here, for the more than 600 million farmers and their families who live on less than $2 a day, it is the difference between cooking with oil and barely eating anything.

Wholesale inflation hit its highest level here in three years, and for 1.1 billion Indians, that means that fruits and vegetable prices have risen 20 percent in just the last month - mostly because of lack of irrigation and unseasonably early rainfall. To try and tame inflation, the government relaxed import duties on oils and banned exports on all but the most expensive rice.

But India is as much part of the problem as it is victim. This country is the second-largest rice producer in the world and is now exporting a fraction of what it used to, helping driving rice prices up in Asia and around the world.

And there have never been more Indians - the country adds 20 million each year - and they have never been richer, demanding more and more food, especially meat, which takes more wheat to produce.

The more that the new global giants China and India eat, the higher your food prices will go.

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Google Search Guru Udi Manber: 20 Rare Questions

Technology

Since there has been such a thing as Web search, Udi Manber has been working on Web search. Previously a computer science professor at the University of Arizona, then a senior vice president at Amazon and Yahoo’s chief scientist, Manber is now vice president in charge of search quality for Google, where he makes sure results are engineered to the utmost (near) perfection. In one of the only public interviews he’s ever sat down for, Manber gives PM a glimpse into how Google’s dominant engine helps you find what you want, how you can help it find you and how search is constantly evolving with the pace of technology. —Glenn Derene

How have you seen search evolve in the time that you’ve been working in the field?
It’s been tremendous. I like to say that it’s almost science fiction every five years. When the first search engine appeared in ‘94, compared with when I came out of academia in ‘99, compared with the way it was in 2003, compared with the way it is today—every five years there have been just incredible advances. What we do now, we couldn’t have foreseen 10 years ago. Today we’re finding a lot more information, and the questions are getting a lot harder. People expect more from us.

Does the increase in information make the job of search exponentially harder because the volume of material is so high, or easier because of the increased linkage of information?
I think some of it is easier, but overall it’s harder, because people’s expectations are so high. Ten years ago, when you found anything, it was a miracle. Okay, I shouldn’t say a miracle, but a surprise: “Hey, look at this! I got what I wanted.” Today, if you don’t find everything you’re looking for, then something is wrong. And that’s the way we look at it, too. If your question is clear, you should get the answer. But now we’re getting into a situation where the questions are no longer always clear. People want more complicated information, and that’s much harder.

What do you think a person expects from a Web search?
They want to get an answer. Our goal is very simple: We want to return to the user the answer that they need.

I’ve noticed, anecdotally, when watching people search, that they will rephrase their query over and over again until they get a proper answer. To what extent can that be fixed on the search engine side?
Many ways. First, we take that into account. The results we show you are based not only on what we know of the Web, but also what other people have searched for. Second, we are developing more tools to allow you to refine your queries—at the bottom of many pages, you’ll see query refinements. These are suggestions from us about what your next query should be. And we put it at the bottom because that’s where you run into problems—you tried to read the page, you didn’t find what you want, you may need other suggestions. Plus, we’re working on many other ways to help you with this process. [Search] is clearly a process.

What frustrates you when you do a search?
Whenever I don’t find exactly what I need. It’s frustrating. We’re very concerned with that here. When someone finds an example of something that doesn’t work that should work, we think, “How can that happen? How is it that we missed something?” Sometimes it’s a weakness in the algorithm, very often it’s something missing from the Web, like a restaurant that does not put their location on their page.

Do you find that the content on the Web is evolving to be more search-engine friendly?
It’s hard to say. It’s definitely still lacking. I wish people would put more effort into thinking about how other people will find them and putting the right keywords onto their pages.

How does search change when the content provider is in a more crowded space? Say, for instance, there are 50 Chinese restaurants all in the same area ...
It goes two ways: The content provider should think about how users will look for their content, and the user should think about what words people use to write about their content. Very often people make the mistake of using a search engine as if they are talking to another person. They use all sorts of words that a person will understand, but are not going to be in the content they are searching for. You should think about what you expect to see in the actual page and search for that. Having said that, we’re doing this, too. We will take your query and try to “understand” it and match is as best we can to the content we find on the Web.

What makes Google philosophically different from all the other search engines? What is Google searching for that others aren’t?
I don’t think it’s about philosophy. It’s about getting people what they need, and about getting the results to be as accurate and fast as possible. We’re innovating, and concentrating just on the relevancy of results. Last year we made over 450 improvements to the algorithm.

There have been a lot of fads in search of late, such as Human Assisted Search and contextual search. Do those get folded into search as a whole? What are real trends in search and what are fluff?
So let me first tell you about Google. At Google we do not manually change results. For example, if we find for a particular query that result No. 4 should be result No. 1, we do not have the capability to manually change it. We made that decision not to put that capability in the algorithm—we have to go and actually change the algorithm. That is, we have to find what weakness in the algorithm caused that result and find a general solution to that, evaluate whether a general solution really works and if it’s better, and then launch a general solution. That makes the process slower, but it puts a lot more discipline on us and makes it more unbiased.

Whether it’s at Google or not, is there a market for human-assisted search, or is that something different?
I think that the general issue is, how do you get more input from people? How do you get people to contribute more information, more content? Search is about getting lots of signals and putting them all together. The art of ranking is, how do you collect lots of signals then put them together? Signals from people are the best signals. We have several tools—and we’re going to launch many more—that will encourage people to contribute more. This does not necessarily mean one should then create the search results manually.

I’ll give you an example of something that came last week. We were evaluating a certain algorithm that adds diversity to the result. We did live experiments, which means we launched the algorithm to a very small percentage of users and then see how that compares to the result without the algorithm. One of the queries that made a difference: The query was, New York Times address. And you would think you’d understand the query, and the first result right there on the snippet gives you The New York Times. It turns out that’s not what the user was looking for. They were looking for an address given out by a New York Times reporter the day before. And because of this diversity and because of our emphasis on freshness and highlighting fresh results, that particular address appeared somewhere in the results, and that’s what the user wanted—that’s what they went to and got the result. That was something that surprised even us. You don’t think that when someone searches for New York Times address that they’re not looking for the address. Language is like that. Intention can be ambiguous.

Putting privacy aside, to what extent does finding a profile of somebody help search?
Currently, if you allow us to keep your Web history, we will improve your search. By the way, if you do this, you can always go back and remove what you want to remove or remove the whole thing or revoke that permission. But it improves search in two ways. One is, we will tune the result for you slightly. We’re not going to change the whole page—we might change position 5 to position 3 here and there, but we’ll use whatever we can from your previous searches to adapt the current search to you. The second is, we allow you to search within your Web history, which can also be very useful. You may remember something you did three months ago and you don’t remember exactly how you did it.

Could that theoretically extend back forever in time? Is there a limit to how far back something like that could extend arbitrarily, or is there a useful limit?
When we look at the personal search algorithm, obviously time gets into it. As far as you’re concerned, if you want us to keep this, it’s up to you.

Is there a literally a slider of some sort where you say, 1 month, 3 months, etc.?
I don’t believe we do that, but that’s something we can consider if that’s a big issue. I don’t think it’s a big issue. I think it’s better to keep because you might need something from two years ago.

People have two expectations: One is the expectation of privacy and to some extent anonymity, and the other expectation is effectiveness—they do want their search engine to know them. To what extent is there a balance to be struck?
I think there is a balance. And I think as far as I’m concerned, I’d like to keep it within the user and give users the choice.

While we’re talking on the subject of personalization, a colleague of mine said that search as you know it is falling to the wayside and changing dramatically as social networking comes into play—trending toward this MySpace-Facebook model where people look to their friends or their community as the take-off point. Do you see that as a bona fide trend? And, if so, does search become less important?
Search has always been about people. It’s not an abstract thing. It’s not a formula. It’s about getting people what they need. The art of ranking is one of taking lots of signals and putting them together. Signals from your friends are better signals, stronger signals. On the other hand, many searches are long-tail kinds of searches. If you’re looking for what movies to see tonight, your friend can probably give you the best information. If you’re looking for the address of the business, the Web as a whole can give you better information. If you’re looking for something obscure about anything, again the web can give you much better information. It depends on the type of search you do—and how to take all those signals and put them together.

Is it possible that a new type of search could emerge that’s based on social networking, or does that type of thing fold naturally into existing search?
I think it folds naturally. It’s just a matter of more signals.

So in other words, when I come to a Google in the future or maybe even now, the context of my social network could be folded into the search that I have there?
I can imagine if you give us permission to do that, and we find that that’s useful for some queries. The question is, what percentage of queries and what kind of queries? When should you use it and when should you not use it?

What do you think are the next coming challenges beyond what we’ve talked about?
I think one of them is a better understanding of queries and content, which is what we do all the time. If I were to point to one interesting feature that we launched recently—and unfortunately I can’t talk about coming features [since] we don’t pre-announce things—one feature we launched recently is something called CLIR. It stands for Cross Language Information Retrieval. Basically, what we do is take your query, translate it into another language, do the search in another language, translate the results back to your language so that gives you access to content in, I think, 12 different languages. So if you’re a user in Egypt, for example, and you only speak Arabic, you can write the query in Arabic, ask to translate it into English. When you then click on the results, it will translate the Web pages to Arabic for you—all of it done by Google translation. That opens the whole world to everybody. I see this as incredibly high potential.

To what extent does the change of mobile devices to more interactive devices and always-on devices as networks like LTE and WiMAX start making this seamless network possible?
So the main problem is not that they’re always on. The main problem is that the device itself is hard to read and hard to type or harder than a big screen. So you have to be more careful about extremely focused and getting the results very, very fast, which is something we know how to do. We’ve been working on specific techniques to make cell phone search better.

You have nothing to do with the advertising side, but is there a sort of “church and state” separation between the advertising side and what you do?
Yes, I told you we launched our 450 improvements. When we decide to launch something, we have a weekly meeting where all those things come together and we look at all the evaluations and we make decisions—revenues and any effects on ads do not come into those meetings. We don’t even know what the effects are. We make the decisions solely based on how good it is for search, how good it is for users. The ads are on a different part of the page, and the ad people, I assume, do the same kind of thing and try to improve the ads.

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Who killed dinosaurs ?

Science, World News

What does Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh have to do with the mass extinction of dinosaurs? A lot, say scientists who delved deep into the most famous paleontological mystery on earth.

Research has shown that a series of monumental volcanic eruptions, which created gigantic Deccan Traps lava beds in India, may have wiped out dinosaurs 65 million years ago, dispelling notions that a meteor impact in the Gulf of Mexico did the same.

"It’s the first time we can directly link the main phase of the Deccan Traps to the mass extinction," said Princeton University paleontologist Gerta Keller. The key phase of the Deccan eruptions spewed 80 percent of the lava, which spread out for miles and miles.

To explore deep into the mystery, Keller and her team will literally drill into the Rajahmundry Traps. The project is slated to take off later this year.

According to volcanologist Vincent Courtillot from the Physique du Globe de Paris, the lava is said to have released 10 times more climate-altering gases into the atmosphere than the nearly concurrent Chicxulub meteor impact.

Keller’s stunning evidence comes from microscopic marine fossils that are known to have evolved immediately after the highly mysterious mass extinction. The same telltale fossilized planktonic foraminifera were found in Rajahmundry near the Bay of Bengal, about 1,000 km from the centre of the Deccan Traps near Mumbai.

At Rajahmundry, the study says, there are two lava traps containing four layers of lava each. Between the traps are about nine meters of marine sediments. Those sediments just above the lower trap, which was the mammoth main phase, contain the incriminating micro-fossils.

Previous work had first zeroed down the Deccan eruption timing to within 800,000 years of the extinction event using paleomagnetic signatures of Earth’s changing magnetic field frozen in minerals that crystallized from the cooling lava. Then radiometric dating of argon and potassium isotopes in minerals narrowed down it to 300,000 years of the 65-million-year-old Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, now called the K-T boundary.

The micro-fossils are far more specific, however, because they demonstrate directly that the biggest phase of the eruption ended right when the aftermath of the mass extinction event began. That sort of clear-cut timing has been a lot tougher to pin down with Chicxulub-related sediments, which predate the mass extinction.

"Our results are consistent and mutually supportive with a number of new studies," said Keller. "Our K-T age-control combined with these results strongly points to Deccan volcanism as the likely leading contender in the K-T mass extinction, Keller said.

Reports say Keller and her aide Thierry Adatte from the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland, will present the stunning findings on October 30 at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Denver. They will also display a poster on the matter at the meet.

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Warning: Antartica Volcano causes Glacier Melting

Science, World News

"This is the first time we have seen a volcano beneath the ice sheet punch a hole through the ice sheet" in Antarctica, Vaughan said.

Volcanic heat could still be melting ice to water and contributing to thinning and speeding up of the Pine Island glacier, which passes nearby, but Vaughan said he doubted that it could be affecting other glaciers in western Antarctica, which have also thinned in recent years. Most glaciologists, including Vaughan, say that warmer ocean water is the primary cause of thinning.

Volcanically, Antarctica is a fairly quiet place. But sometime around 325 B.C., the researchers said, a hidden and still active volcano erupted, puncturing several hundred yards of ice above it. Ash and shards from the volcano carried through the air and settled onto the surrounding landscape. That layer is now out of sight, hidden beneath the snows that fell during the next 2,300 years.

Still, the layer showed up clearly in airborne radar surveys conducted over the region in 2004 and 2005 by American and British scientists. The reflected radio waves over an elliptical area about 110 miles, or 176 kilometers, wide were so strong that earlier radar surveys had mistakenly identified it as bedrock. Better radar techniques now can detect a second echo from the actual bedrock farther down.

The thickness of ice above the ash layer provided an estimate of the date of the eruption: 207 B.C., give or take 240 years. "It’s probably within Alexander the Great’s lifetime, but not more precise than that," Vaughan said.

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Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe

Turkey makes you drowsy. Dim light ruins your eyes. Drink at last eight glasses of water a day. These are some of the medical myths that even doctors believe, reports the British Medical Journal.

Here are the seven medical myths they identified.

1. People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

The article authors found no scientific evidence for this advice, although they found several unsubstantiated recommendations in the popular press. The source may be a 1945 article from the National Research Council, part of the National Academy of Sciences, which noted that a “suitable allowance” of water for adults is 2.5 liters a day, although the last sentence noted that much of it is already contained in the food we eat.

“If the last, crucial sentence is ignored, the statement could be interpreted as instruction to drink eight glasses of water a day,’’ Dr. Vreeman and Dr. Carroll noted. “Existing studies suggest that adequate fluid intake is usually met through typical daily consumption of juice, milk and even caffeinated drinks.’’

2. We use only 10 percent of our brains.

The belief that we use only 10 percent of our brains has persisted for nearly a century, the authors noted. Sometimes the claim is attributed to Albert Einstein, but no reference or statement has ever been recorded. The study authors found references to this myth as early as 1907 and noted that it’s often repeated by people advocating the power of self-improvement.

However, the authors said that evidence from studies of brain-damaged people, imaging and metabolic studies and other brain research shows that people use much more than 10 percent of their brains. “Numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive" wrote the authors. “Detailed probing of the brain has failed to identify the ‘non-functioning 90 percent.”

3. Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.

The claim has been repeated in movies and talk-show monologues, but it’s not true. The growth of hair and nails requires “a complex hormonal regulation” that stops after the body dies. The reason for the long-held belief may be that dehydration of the body after death, and subsequent shrinking of soft tissue, can create the illusion of growth of hair and nails.

4. Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker or coarser.

This common belief is often repeated in the media and reinforced when coarse stubble appears on the body after shaving. A 1928 clinical trial showed that shaving had no effect on hair growth, a finding confirmed by more recent studies. When hair grows back after shaving, it seems coarse because it doesn’t have the fine taper of unshaved hair. It seems darker because it hasn’t been exposed to the sun like the previously unshaved hair.

5. Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.

The idea that dim light ruins eyesight probably has its origins in eye strain, said the study authors. Bad lighting makes it hard to focus, makes you blink less and leads to dry eyes, particularly if you’re squinting. So reading in dim light is uncomfortable, but it doesn’t cause permanent damage.

6. Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy.

This myth stems from the fact that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid found in proteins and essential to the human body. Scientific studies show that sleep and mood are affected by tryptophan.

However, turkey does not contain an exceptional amount of tryptophan. Chicken and beef contain about the same amount, and pork and cheese contain more tryptophan per gram than turkey. Because turkey is consumed with other foods, absorption of tryptophan from turkey is minimal, noted the authors. The myth likely stems from the fact that everyone feels drowsy after eating a large meal because the body is using energy to digest food and blood flow and oxygenation to the brain decreases. Large meals in the United States usually occur around Thanksgiving and Christmas, holidays during which turkey is often served.

7. Cellphones create considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitals.

Anecdotal reports persist that cellphones create false alarms on monitors and malfunctions in infusion pumps. After publication of a medical journal article citing more than 100 reports of suspected electromagnetic interference with medical devices before 1993, The Wall Street Journal published a front page article on the topic. As a result, many hospitals banned the use of cellphones, perpetuating the belief.

But the study authors found no evidence to support it. At the Mayo Clinic in 2005, in 510 tests performed with 16 medical devices and six mobile phones, the incidence of clinically important interference was 1.2 percent. A 2007 study that examined cellphones “used in a normal way” found no interference of any kind during 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. In contrast, a large survey of anesthesiologists found that use of cellphones by doctors was associated with a 22 percent reduction in medical error resulting from delays in communication.

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Richest, Poorest, Largest Economies in the World

Statistics, World News

Poorest Countries in the World
Rank	Country	GDP - per capita
1	Malawi	$ 600
2	Somalia	$ 600
3	Comoros	$ 600
4	Solomon Islands	$ 600
5	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	$ 700
6	Burundi	$ 700
7	East Timor	$ 800
8	Tanzania	$ 800
9	Afghanistan	$ 800
10	Yemen	$ 900

Richest Countries in the World

Rank	Country	GDP - per capita
1	Luxembourg	$ 68,800
2	Equatorial Guinea	$ 50,200
3	United Arab Emirates	$ 49,700
4	Norway	$ 47,800
5	Ireland	$ 43,600
6	United States	$ 43,500
7	Andorra	$ 38,800
8	Iceland	$ 38,100
9	Denmark	$ 37,000
10	Austria	$ 35,500

Countries with the Largest Economies
Rank	Country	GDP
1	United States	$11,750,000,000,000
2	China	$7,262,000,000,000
3	Japan	$3,745,000,000,000
4	India	$3,319,000,000,000
5	Germany	$2,362,000,000,000
6	United Kingdom	$1,782,000,000,000
7	France	$1,737,000,000,000
8	Italy	$1,609,000,000,000
9	Brazil	$1,492,000,000,000
10	Russia	$1,408,000,000,000
11	Canada	$1,023,000,000,000
12	Mexico	$1,006,000,000,000
13	Spain	$937,600,000,000
14	Korea, South	$925,100,000,000
15	Indonesia	$827,400,000,000

The Surprising Benefits of Beer?

organic_beer

Studies have revealed that beer can produce the same benefits as drinking wine. Whether you prefer ales, lagers, stout, bitter or wheat beers, studies show that one drink a day for women or up to two drinks a day for men will reduce your chances of strokes, heart and vascular disease. It’s no secret that the stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the World and the leading cause of serious, long-term disabilities.

What’s interesting is that it was proven that those who drank one beer a week compared to those who drank one beer a day experienced no variance in reducing stroke risks. It is said that light to moderate drinkers will decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20%. A researcher reported that those who consume moderate amounts of beer (one to two a day at the most) have a 30-40% lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to those who don’t drink. Beer contains a similar amount of ‘polyphenols’ (antioxidants) as red wine and 4-5 times as many polyphenols as white wine. At times pregnant women were also allowed to have beer during their pregnancy to facilitate the baby and help him slide out easily from the mother’s womb.

Alcohol has also been attributed of its ability to increase the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) into the bloodstream as well as help to decrease blood clots. As a conditioner too, beer has excellent results on adding up to the shine of your hair. As it contains vitamin B6, which prevents the build-up of amino acid called homocysteine that has been linked to heart disease, you’re sure to have a healthy hear too.

Some interesting facts for you to ponder upon.

* Beer is nutritious if consumed in moderation
* That beer is fat-free and cholesterol free?
* Beer has a relaxing effect on the body thereby reducing stress.
* It can help you sleep better
* It helps prevent heart disease and improves the blood circulation
* It has proven to have positive effects on elderly people. It helps to promote blood vessel dilation, sleep, and urination.

On an average beer contains the following:
0mg of cholesterol
0g of fat
13g of carbohydrate
25mg of sodium protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamins B, B2, and B6

The health risks of beer
Ever heard of the ‘beer belly’? In a German study, Gerard Klose said ‘dangers begin to emerge in men measuring more than 94 centimeters around the middle, and become "really risky" at a girth of 102 centimeters’. ‘Too much fat’, he said, ‘makes diabetes, certain forms of cancer and heart disease a distinct possibility’.’

It’s no secret that high levels of fat accumulated on the body is unhealthy and can cause serious illness over time. An article in the London Times reports that fat that collects around the internal organs to form the typically male beer belly will also find its way into the bloodstream and in turn, raise your cholesterol levels. This leads to heart and vascular disease and strokes. So its best to drink in moderation. Cheers to that!

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Country's Share in Global Warming - A Report

Science, World News

Global Warming

The world’s countries contribute different amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. The table below shows data compiled by the Oak Ridge National Research Laboratory, which estimates carbon emissions from all sources of fossil fuel burning for a maximum period from 1751 to 2004 (or as long as a record is available). Here we list the 20 countries with the highest carbon emissions (data are for 2004).

THE TOP 20 CARBON DIOXIDE EMITTERS
*Country*	*Total emissions* (1000 tons of C)	*Per capita emissions* (tons/capita)	*Per capita emissions* (rank)
1. United States	1,650,020	5.61	(9)
2. China (mainland)	1,366,554	1.05	(92)
3. Russian Federation	415,951	2.89	(28)
4. India	366,301	0.34	(129)
5. Japan	343,117	2.69	(33)
6. Germany	220596	2.67	(36)
7. Canada	174,401	5.46	(10)
8. United Kingdom	160,179	2.67	(37)
9. Republic of Korea	127,007	2.64	(39)
10. Italy (including San Marino)	122,726	2.12	(50)
11. Mexico	119,473	1.14	(84)
12. South Africa	119,203	2.68	(34)
13. Iran	118,259	1.76	(63)
14. Indonesia	103,170	0.47	(121)
15. France (including Monaco)	101,927	1.64	(66)
16. Brazil	90,499	0.50	(118)
17. Spain	90,145	2.08	(52)
18. Ukraine	90,020	1.90	(56)
19. Australia	89,125	4.41	(13)
20. Saudi Arabia	84,116	3.71	(18)

The picture that emerges from these figures is one where - in general - developed countries lead in total carbon emissions and carbon emissions per capita, while developing countries lead in the growth rate of carbon emissions. Obviously, these uneven contributions to the climate problem are at the core of the challenges the world community faces in finding effective and equitable solutions.

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Read a Person's Character in 3 Steps

Psychology

You may be able to read someone’s character by studying his or her face. You’ve heard of palm reading; but what about facial reading? You don’t have to dabble in black magic to get a reading of someone’s destiny. A close look at their features, expression, and gestures may be enough to provide a glimpse of their future. Here are a few things to look for.

1. Study the person’s physiogamy. This is an older form of character study dating to the early 1800’s. Basically, you examine a person’s features, or the “map” of their face, for an indication of their strengths, weaknesses, and destination. A person with a large head may have a significant IQ, although sometimes the opposite is true, in certain cases. A low brow may denote cunning, while a wide brow suggests sensitivity and intellect. Wide-set eyes may reveal a person who is cautious and watchful, while close-set eyes hint at a limited thought span. A receding chin is sometimes reflective of one who is passive or retiring. Pursed lips often belong to fearless or aggressive individuals. These are general traits and can be assembled in a variety of ways on innumerable faces. It is up to the individual interpreter to attach meaning to their arrangement on a specific person.

2. Examine the person’s eyes. A subject who returns a frank stare may be curious or honest. A brash stare suggests arrogance, on the other hand, and may even hint at someone with something to hide. A person who cannot hold an eye-locking gaze for more than a second or two may be shy, modest, anxious, or guilty. One who stares into space or in another direction, like out the window, could be distracted or bored. Study the retina for hidden expressions of character. Although these are hard to put into words, you may be able to interpret the meaning when you see it.

3. Pay attention to gestures or expressions. A nervous tic could denote anxiety. A tight mouth might reveal someone’s nervousness, irritation, or lack of honesty. When someone turns his or her face from you in a half-angle, the person could be trying to hide something. Looking down or away also may suggest shyness or a lack of openness.

You will need to put all the clues together in a person’s face to make sense of the pattern that seems to be emerging. From it you can tell something of an individual’s character and the direction that his or her life is taking. Give it a try with someone you know to see how accurate your assessment is, and then try it, without saying anything, on someone you are getting to know, and watch to see how things turn out.

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Google Beats the Bears

Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google

0418_google

Despite analyst nay-saying and fewer paid ad clicks leading up to its first-quarter earnings announcement, the search giant reports solid growth.

The Google bears are scurrying back into the woods. On Apr. 17, Google quelled concerns that the slowing economy would finally hurt its business. Thanks to strong international growth and better payoffs from its search ads, Google (GOOG) turned in higher profit and revenue than Wall Street had expected. The shares jumped more than 17% in post-market-close trading Apr. 17, and soared 18% to $529.17 in early trading Friday. The stock closed at $449.54 the previous session.

Google had been facing increasingly stiff headwinds during the quarter, from reports of a drop-off in ad clicks on its search results pages (BusinessWeek, 4/3/08) to increasing competition and the departures of some key executives.

But the company reported that earnings, excluding employee stock compensation, rose 30%, to $4.84 a share, higher than Wall Street estimates of $4.52 a share. Gross sales were up 42% from a year ago, to $5.19 billion, while net sales after payments to Web sites providing traffic to Google totaled $3.7 billion. Both beat analysts’ expectations. "This will mean a sigh of relief from investors," says Rob Sanderson, an analyst at American Technology Research. "Google came through with a very solid quarter."
Google’s Effect

Google’s results add to signs that the faltering U.S. economy is having a muted impact on tech companies with growing international businesses. First-quarter results from IBM (IBM) and eBay (EBAY) were stronger than analysts had forecast (BusinessWeek.com, 4/17/08). In Google’s case, overseas revenue accounts for more than half the total for the first time. Other Internet companies also rallied in the wake of Google’s repost: Chinese search engine Baidu (BIDU) gained 8%, and Amazon.com (AMZN) climbed 3%.

First-quarter figures from Google may also hold clues to how another closely watched Internet company, Yahoo! (YHOO), will fare in efforts to resist an unwelcome takeover bid from Microsoft (MSFT). Better-than-expected results would give credence to Yahoo’s assertion that it’s worth more than the $31 a share Microsoft has offered. Yahoo reports first-quarter results on Apr. 22.
Currently "Well-Positioned"

Google CEO Eric Schmidt made clear the company expects few economic obstacles. "We do not see an impact at this time," he said in an analyst conference call. "We’re well-positioned for 2008 and beyond, regardless of the business environment." Moreover, in the event "economics change," Google’s targeted ads should prove even more appealing, Schmidt added, referring to the idea that companies would demand advertising with a measurable impact.

The company’s bottom line also benefited as Google kept costs under control. Although the purchase of ad-serving firm DoubleClick added 1,500 people to Google’s staff, for a total of 19,156, the company slowed the pace of hiring. Google hired about 850 people, much fewer than the 2,130 it brought in the peak third quarter. It also laid off 10% of DoubleClick’s U.S. staff and expects 15% more to leave as the companies meld.
Responsible for Ad-Click Decline

One of the biggest concerns Google faced in the runup to its results stemmed from reports of a precipitous decline in paid clicks. Figures from market researcher comScore (SCOR) suggested paid-click growth had screeched to a near-halt, rising just 1.8% in the first quarter from a year ago. Google measures paid clicks differently than comScore, which employs a panel of Internet users to gauge clicks. By Google’s count, paid clicks rose 20% from a year ago and 7% from the fourth quarter.

That’s still down from 30% year-over-year growth in last year’s fourth quarter and 45% growth in the third quarter. The slowing had put Google’s results under a microscope and contributed to the pessimism that prompted at least 16 analysts to reduce Google earnings estimates. Investors had hammered the stock, sending it down 34% so far this year, to 449.54 on Apr. 17 before the earnings report. In extended trading, Google stock rose to 525.96.

Google has attributed virtually all the decline in paid clicks to changes it purposely made. Late last year, it decreased the clickable area around ads to reduce accidental clicks. It also has been gradually reducing the number of search results that return paid ads by tweaking its search formulas to discourage ads that link to sites chiefly intended to capture clicks rather than sell products or provide useful content.

The result, Google and many analysts contended, should be an increase in what advertisers pay per click, since those clicks will be from more serious buyers. That appears to be just what happened. American Technology Research’s Sanderson says revenue per paid click rose 17.2% in the first quarter, up from a 14.7% gain in the fourth quarter and a 7.6% increase in the third quarter. Search marketing firms concur that clicks are getting more valuable. "Click prices continue to move up slowly and steadily," says Kevin Lee, executive chairman of search marketing firm Didit.
Concerns for the Future

Even if Schmidt doesn’t see clouds on the horizon, other recent reports suggest the company faces challenges ahead. Search marketing firm SearchIgnite said Apr. 15 that Google’s share of search marketing spending fell to 70.4%, from 74.5% three months ago, largely at the expense of Yahoo, whose share rose from 19.6% to 24.2%. "We’re concerned about intra-quarter trends that showed declining growth," says SearchIgnite CEO Roger Barnette.

And while Google’s numbers show ad-click growth isn’t slowing as much as comScore figures indicate, some analysts remain concerned about the decline nonetheless. Google still hasn’t proved the price-per-click increase is big enough to make up for the overall decline in clicks, says Clayton Moran, an analyst at Stanford Group. "It wasn’t as bad as the original fears…but the results don’t negate the trend," Moran says. "It is clear that growth is decelerating rather rapidly." Moran has a hold rating on Google, with a $500 price target.
Economic Impact

John Aiken, managing director of Majestic Research, believes that besides Google’s own changes, most of the decline in paid clicks is due to Google’s mainstay small and midsize business customers cutting back their search-ad spending as the economy sours. "If you’re less likely to search for a vacation to Bermuda, you’re going to be clicking less," explains R. Michael Leo, CEO of ad technology and services firm Operative.

At the same time, however, Leo sees no slowdown in online advertising to date. And the impact of the slowing economy on online advertising could yet go in Google’s favor. Although few believe the industry is immune to a recession, a downturn could drive more ad money online because ads there are more accountable, noted Andrea Kerr Redniss, a senior vice-president at ad agency Optimedia, who spoke at an ad technology conference in San Francisco Apr. 15. If so, it appears Google is in a position to benefit as much as anyone.

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YouTube Changes Up Policy Enforcement

Multimedia

YouTube has modified the way in which it will go after those who post copyrighted material or objectionable videos. Of course, the new rules stirred some outrage among certain users who feel targeted by the "YouTube Police".

The three big changes are called Strikes That Expire, New Notifications, and Muting Accounts. The Official YouTube Blog outlines what the changes entail.

For the Strikes, YouTube staffers said, "It didn’t seem fair that a user who uploads three videos that violate the Community Guidelines over the span of a year was being treated the same as someone who uploads those same videos over the course of a week. To change this, we’ve made it so that violations are now rescinded after six months." YouTube made it clear, however, that any videos that violate copyright claims are exempt from this policy.

The new notification service is meant to circumvent spam filters. "It used to be that if a video was removed for violating the Community Guidelines or due to a claim of copyright infringement, the user would be sent a notice via email," wrote YouTube staffers. "But these notices sometimes get caught by spam filters or go unread. The new system also displays the notice on YouTube the next time they access the site." That sounds fair enough. Basically, they want you to get the message that you’re in violation. This is just YouTube trying to cover its back-end a bit.

Lastly, YouTube is trying to be more understand about people who misuse the site. YouTube said, "We are experimenting with ways of correcting some types of abusive behavior that aren’t as harsh or as permanent as suspending users. What we’ve come up with is to temporarily mute users, so that they can still use the site and watch videos, but they can’t post new content. Right now it is set up to affect users who have two Community Guidelines warnings in a six-month period and will last two weeks." YouTube didn’t detail what it considers to be abusive behavior, though it is assuredly covered in the Terms of Use and Community Guidelines.

Under the post explaining all this is a large number of user comments. There is the predictable flame jobs from people who are upset, but others offer some informative insight.

One poster said, "Fantastic! I’ve been trying to point out infringing videos to people by just posting a text comment, a non-negative one I assure you, but it’s all come back at my face. This would be so nice because now users can get that warning they’ve been wanting so badly. Only uploading videos that contain 100% your own material (with the exception of material that the person has permission to use) has become such a lost concept. I’ve seen people joke as if it weren’t true. Broadcast Yourself... Not other people’s work. How difficult is that to understand?"

Another doesn’t agree. "Fine, but this is all sugar coating. Youtube, you suspend people and STILL are not giving them clear reasons, or even a hint of that they supposedly ’violated’. Where do you get off? We understand its your ’site’, but the people here are who make your money. Why do you treat your community like that? That’s horribly sick. You talk about being ’fair’, how about start there."

YouTube, it seems, will never be able to please everyone.

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Scientists on drugs to boost brain power

drugs

One in five scientists admits to using prescription drugs to improve their focus, concentration or memory, an online survey finds.

The overwhelming majority say they take the drugs to improve concentration, and about half say they do so daily or weekly.The 1427 respondents from 60 countries completed an informal, online survey posted on Nature Network, an online forum for scientists run by the publisher of the journal Nature.More than a third say they would feel pressure to give their children such performance-enhancing drugs if they knew other kids at school were also taking them."These are academics working in scientific institutions," says a Nature spokesperson about the people who completed the survey.

Most respondents were from the US and the UK, with 42 responses from Australia.The survey focused on three drugs available by prescription or via the internet.

Ritalin, a trade name for methylphenidate, is a stimulant normally used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially in children; modafinil, marketed at Modavigil in Australia, is prescribed to treat sleep disorders, but is also used unofficially to counter general fatigue and jet lag; and beta-blockers, cardiovascular drugs prescribed for heart failure and high blood pressure that also have an anti-anxiety effect.

"It alerted us to the fact that scientists, like others, are looking for short cuts," says Dr Wilson Compton, director of epidemiology and prevention research at the US National Institute on Drug Abuse.Ritalin, he notes, can become addictive, even if it is safe and effective when taken as prescribed.

Of the 288 scientists who say that have taken one or more of these drugs outside a medical context, 62% they have used Ritalin, and 44% Modavigil (marketed as Provigil in the US). Only 15% used beta blockers.More than a third bought their drugs via the internet, with the rest buying them in a pharmacy.Other reasons cited for popping pills were focusing on a specific task, and counteracting jet lag.

Willing to accept side-effects

Almost 70% of 1258 respondents who answered the question say they would be willing to risk mild side-effects to "boost your brain power" by taking cognitive-enhancing drugs.

Half of the drug-takers report such effects, including headaches, jitteriness, anxiety and sleeplessness.Wilson says he’s surprised at the rate of substance abuse shown, but cautions that the survey does not meet rigorous scientific standards.

"This is a volunteer poll of people responding to an internet survey. There might be an over-representation," he says.But previous research shows that, as the boundary between treating illness and enhancing wellbeing continues to blur, taking performance-boosting products continues to gain cultural acceptance.

"Like the rise in cosmetic surgery, use of cognitive enhancers is likely to increase as bioethical and psychological concerns are overcome," says a commentary in Nature.In the survey, 80% of all the scientists, even those who did not use these drugs, defend the right of "healthy humans" to take them as work boosters, and more than half say their use should not be restricted, even for university entrance exams.

More than half the respondents were 35 years old or younger.

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10 Great Inventions That Should Be Invented-Part 2

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6 Panacea

The panacea is a remedy that would cure all diseases, and prolong life. It is the ultimate cure for cancer, aids, viruses, everything. For millennia it has been thought of as simply a pipe dream, but as medical science advances the idea of a panacea is coming far closer to reality.

Can it be done? In theory, yes. The advances of medical science in genetics (specifically the interplay of inherited genes and the environment), and the immune system are lending more credibility to this idea every year. It is certainly imaginable within the lifetime of the current generation.

7. Energy Shield

Typically, energy shields are some form of force field designed to protect against weapons or elements by deflecting or absorbing their impact. The field is projected along the surface of, or into the space around an object. They usually work by absorbing or dissipating the energy of the incoming attack; prolonged exposure to such attacks weakens the shield and eventually results in the shield’s collapse, making the protected area vulnerable to attack.

Can it be done? This one is a toughie. Scientists are toying with the possibility, but a number of obstacles must be overcome before it could ever be conceived. Energy. The cost of the projection of such a shield would be phenomenal, to say the least. Technology. It all comes down to projecting energy into a solid form. Once we can do that, the rest is history.

8. Space Elevator

A space elevator is a proposed structure designed to transport material from a celestial body’s surface into space. The term most often refers to a structure that reaches from the surface of the Earth to geosynchronous orbit (GSO) and a counter-mass beyond. This device would facilitate construction in space, launching of satellites and space travel (via the “slingshot effect”).

Can it be done? Absolutely. The most common theory is a tether, usually in the form of a cable or ribbon, spanning from the surface near the equator to a point beyond geosynchronous orbit. As the planet rotates, the inertia at the end of the tether counteracts gravity, and also keeps the cable taut. Vehicles can then climb the tether and reach orbit without the use of rocket propulsion.

9 Terraforming

Terraforming (literally, “Earth-shaping) is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth in order to make it habitable by humans. This must become a reality if there is to ever be interstellar colonization. But isn’t the ultimate dream for humans to propagate and colonize the entire galaxy? Can it be done? Well, in theory, yes. Here’s how:

Ecosynthesis. This is a term used to describe the use of introduced species to fill niches in a disrupted environment, with the aim of increasing the speed of ecological restoration.

Paraterraforming: This is the construction of a habitable enclosure on a planet which eventually grows to encompass most of the planet’s usable area.

10 Interstellar Travel

Interstellar space travel is unmanned or manned travel between stars. The concept of interstellar travel in starships is a staple in science fiction. Interstellar travel is tremendously more difficult than interplanetary travel due to the vastly larger distances involved. Imagine being able to travel to distant worlds, discover new horizons and colonize space, all in the blink of an eye.

Can it be done? The NASA Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project identified two breakthroughs which are needed for interstellar travel to be possible:

A method of propulsion able to reach the maximum speed which it is possible to attain
A new method of on-board energy production which would power those devices.

Also Read: 10 Great Inventions That Should Be Invented-Part 1

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10 Great Inventions That Should Be Invented - Part 1

This list is in response to all the suggestions in the comments on the Top 10 Sci Fi Inventions that Shouldn’t be Invented. While there are tons of inventions that have various dangerous aspects there are many that would benefit the human race with hardly any dangers.

1 Ocean Colonization

Colony01

Ocean colonization is the theory and practice of permanent human settlement of oceans. Such settlements may float on the surface of the water, or be secured to the ocean floor, or exist in an intermediate position. Advantages of ocean colonization include the expansion of livable area and expanded resource access. Many lessons learned from ocean colonization will likely prove applicable to space colonization. The ocean may prove simpler to colonize than space and thus occur first, providing a proving ground for the latter.

Can it be done? Yes, but the economic realities must be considered. To become self-sustaining, the colony must aim to produce output of a kind which holds a comparative advantage by occurring on the ocean. While it can save the cost of acquiring land, building a floating structure that survives in the open ocean has its own costs. One of the most realistic possibilities is the export of electricity from tidal energy.

2 Transatlantic tunnel

A transatlantic tunnel is a theoretical tunnel which would span the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe and would carry mass transit of some type-trains are envisioned in most proposals. Using advanced technologies, speeds of 300 to 5,000 mph (500 to 8,000 km/h) are envisioned. The implications of such a tunnel are massive. Imagine being able to go from New York to London in less than an hour. Or shipping goods overseas at a fraction of the cost and time.

Can it be done? Plans for such a tunnel have not progressed beyond the conceptual stage, and no one is actively pursuing such a project. The main barriers to constructing such a tunnel are cost-as much as $12 trillion-and the limits of current materials science. A Transatlantic Tunnel would be 215 times longer than the longest current tunnel and would cost perhaps 3000 times as much.

3 Global Municipal Wi-Fi

Global-Network-Web-Image.02

Municipal Wi-Fi is the concept of turning an entire city into a Wireless Access Zone, with the ultimate goal of making wireless access to the Internet a universal service. This is usually done by providing municipal broadband via Wi-Fi to large parts or all of a municipal area by deploying a wireless mesh network. The typical deployment design uses hundreds of routers deployed outdoors, often on utility poles. The operator of the network acts as a wireless internet service provider.

Can it be done? Actually, this technology already exists in many cities throughout the world. However, it is not common enough to be considered mainstream. Usually, a private firm works closely with local government to construct such a network and operate it. Financing is usually shared by both the private firm and the municipal government. Once operational, the service may be free, supported by advertising, provided for a monthly charge per user or some combination.

4 Bionics

Bionic Arm

Bionics is a term which refers to flow of ideas from biology to engineering and vice versa. Hence, there are two slightly different points of view regarding the meaning of the word. In medicine, Bionics means the replacement or enhancement of organs or other body parts by mechanical versions. Bionic implants differ from mere prostheses by mimicking the original function very closely, or even surpassing it.

In technology, Bionics refers to the development of specific technologies which mimic biological adaptation to the environment. Examples include a ships hull that mimics the thick skin of a dolphin, or sonar, radar, and medical ultrasound imaging imitating the echolocation of bats.

Can it be done? Yes. This technology has been in development for a number of years and, while still in the early stages, has already produced many devices. Examples of technological bionics include Velcro and Cat’s eye reflectors. Examples of medical bionics include artificial hearts and the cochlear implant.

5 Antigravity

Antigravity is the idea of creating a place or object that is free from the force of gravity. It does not refer to countering the gravitational force by an opposing force of a different nature, as a helium balloon does; instead, anti-gravity requires that the fundamental causes of the force of gravity be made either not present or not applicable to the place or object through some kind of technological intervention. The practical applications of antigravity range from reduced transportation costs, to gravity manipulation in space.

Can it be done? The short answer to this one is no. However, there are theories that seem to indicate the existence, or at least possibility of antigravity. One of the most common is the Biefeld-Brown effect. This effect is not technically antigravity, however it duplicates the effects. Basically, a cloud of positively charged ions are attracted to a negative smooth electrode, where they are neutralized again. In the process, thousands of impacts occur between these charged ions and the neutral air molecules in the air gap, causing a transfer in momentum between the two, which creates a net directional force on the electrode setup.

Continue: 10 Great Inventions That Should Be Invented-Part 2

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Some Facts About First Time Sex.

Health, Sex

There may be a lot of questions that come up in your mind when you’re thinking about being sexually active for the first time. It’s not always easy to find the answers you need. Here are some common myths that people may believe about first time sex - and the facts!:

MYTH: You can’t get pregnant or a sexually transmitted infections the first time.

FACT: Yes you can! When thinking about being sexually active, you need to consider protecting yourself against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections by practising safer sex by using protection - this will not necessarily make sex less enjoyable. The important thing is to be safe.

MYTH: First time sex will hurt.

FACT: For some people, first time sex can be pleasurable, comfortable, and fun. For some people, first time sex does feel uncomfortable - it could even hurt. Pain during sex could mean you don’t have enough lubrication or need to try a different position. It could also mean your partner is going too fast or using too much pressure or that you are nervous. It could be a combination of all of these. If it is hurting, stop and talk to your partner. Try some more lubrication or a different position or ask your partner to go slower. If it is hurting too much, then stop because it shouldn’t be too painful. It’s important to talk to your partner about these issues and work out ways to make sex more comfortable.

Sometimes for first time sex, for girls, there might be some bleeding, this should not last long. If pain or bleeding continues, it’s important to talk to a health practitioner.

MYTH: The first time will be perfect.

FACT: TV and movies often glamorise the first time, which may give unrealistic expectations about what it’s really like. It’s OK if the first time is not perfect. It’s not uncommon to feel awkward or self-conscious about your body or sex. And sometimes unexpected things happen when having first time sex, so it’s good to feel comfortable enough to talk about it.

What Happens After I Have Sex?
After you have sex, especially if it’s your first time, you might experience a whole lot of emotional stuff - some good emotions, some confusing. For example, some people might feel worried or guilty, or sex might enhance your feelings of affection for the other person. If you are having trouble dealing with these issues yourself, you may want to talk with your partner, or with other people you can trust, such as friends, family members or a counsellor.

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Am I Ready for Sex?

Health, Sex

It seems like everyone talks about sex - friends, TV shows, magazines, movies, family. Sometimes it’s hard to work out what’s true, or what information you need to make a decision about becoming sexually active for the first time.

It’s normal to feel excited or anxious when thinking about first time sex. Just remember that there’s no right or wrong time to become sexually active - it varies for each person. It may take time to decide what and when is right for you.

Being sexually active can mean different things to different people, and can include different activities with partners that are the opposite sex, the same sex, or both. Sex is about giving and receiving pleasure in a way that is comfortable for both people.

There may be several reasons why you might choose to become sexually active:

• Thinking it might be fun
• Feeling like you’re in love
• It feels good
• As a sign of commitment
• Feeling emotionally ready to be sexually active
• Feeling informed, and you have thought it through
• Feeling prepared and ready to practice safer sex.
• You are curious and want to experiment
• Thinking all your friends are “doing it”

There may be several reasons why you might choose not to have sex:

• Not feeling ready or comfortable yet
• Haven’t found the right person
• You have religious or cultural reasons
• Feeling more anxious than excited
• Not having the means to practice safer sex (e.g. you don’t have a condom or dam with you at the time)
• Not wanting to respond to pressure from your friends or partner
• Too young legally
• Feeling you don’t have to prove yourself by having sex

It is really important that you feel like you are able to talk to your partner about how you feel, any worries you have about having sex and using contraception. It can be weird and embarrassing to have this sort of conversation, but if you’re not comfortable enough to talk about it, then maybe you aren’t ready to have sex.

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Helpful tips to get personal loans

Finance

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The personal loan is often borrowed to meet the unforeseen expenses .But if you have the habit of using personal loans to meet needless expenses you are at risk .If the expense can wait till you get the required amount on your own ,then what is the need of personal loan The article throws light on factors to be kept in mind while going personal loan way.This article covers

Questions that you should ask yourself

Types of personal loans

Factors affecting personal loans

Tips on getting best deal personal loans

Here are some very simple personal loans tips that would help you make an informed decision about the type of loan to get and who and where you could get it from. The First Question you should be really asking yourself is:

Do I really need it?
Can I manage without a personal loan?
Is it for a frivolous expense- like a holiday- that I could really avoid?
Is it possible that I could secure the money by other means- like borrowing from a relative, taking up a part time job, sale of an asset? If you can avoid it, then don’t take the monkey on your back!

A Personal Loan would vary according to certain factors

The amount that is to be borrowed
The rate of interest
Whether it is a fixed or a variable rate of interest
Loan repayment term( in months or years)
The down payment or deposit
The associated fees or costs- broker fees, prepayment fees, origination fees.
The insurance that the lender would require

In other words, you are buying a sum of money for more than it would cost the lender. It would be a mistake to consider only the rate of interest before taking a personal loan. There are also arrangements fees and penalties of prepayment that you would have to consider. Many of the "no-fee" credit lines carry with them a prepayment penalty. This is the way the lender/broker makes his profit. Please work out the total expenses of your small or big personal loan before signing up for the loan agreement.

Personal Loans are of various types, mainly Secured Personal Loans and Unsecured Personal Loans.

Secured Personal Loans
These loans are given by the lender upon the pledge of collateral by the borrower to secure the loan- like property, or a car. Subsequently as the lender stands to recover his money if there is any default in repayment, the rate of interest charged on the loan is less.

Unsecured Personal Loans
Such loans are given to the borrower with no pledge of collateral or security. As the lender faces a very high risk of losing his money should the borrower default on repayment, the interest rate is quite high.

Unsecured Bad Credit Personal Loan
Here again the borrower with a history of bad credit rating is being given a loan without forwarding any collateral on his part. All the lender has is the borrower’s signed promise to repay the loan. Therefore such personal loans are also called signature loans. Signature loans would be issued in full entirety upon the receipt of a signed activation letter or a letter of commitment from the prospective borrower. Consequently to protect the lender’s money, the rate of interest charged would be high.

Guaranteed Personal Loan
A guaranteed personal loan comes with a requirement from the lender that the borrower must be having a certain level of income and a good credit rating. He should provide the lender with sufficient proof of his ability to make the repayment.

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An inconvenient truth in Chennai

India News

2008041950340101

For as long as she can remember, little Kannagi has been living among the mountainous heaps of garbage in the Perungudi garbage dump.

Kannagi, who looks seven or eight, cannot count but she knows that the more metal pieces and plastic containers she collects, the more pleased her mother will be. Every day she trudges on hills of garbage, sifting through the waste for material that can be resold.

About 1,500 tonnes of the 3,500 tonnes of garbage generated by Chennai ends up in the Perungudi dump every day. The rest goes to the Kodungaiyur dump yard in north Chennai.

Two weeks ago, the Madras High Court directed the Chennai Corporation to float tenders for an integrated waste management facility in Perungudi. The court also said that all encroachments on the Pallikaranai marsh should be removed.

Even with an integrated waste management facility, life is not likely to change much for children like Kannagi who work as rag-pickers in the dump. At least 30 children can be found among the garbage everyday as they salvage materials for resale.

Most of the children have never been inside a school. The only school bags that they have held are the broken ones they pick up from the trash. A day’s labour fetches each of the little rag-pickers Rs. 10-Rs. 20.

The price they pay is much more. Guna, a teenager working in the dump, has a persistent cough due to the exposure to fumes from burning garbage. Another boy has a wound on his leg that has not healed because he has to wade through waste. Used bandages, syringes and old batteries dot the waste heaps.

While children should not be allowed to work, adult ragpickers can be provided with support, says G. Dattatri, a former urban planner with the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. At present, rag-pickers play an informal but significant role in waste management. The Corporation can protect the health of adults by providing masks and gloves, he said.

The city is eight years behind in complying with the Municipal Solid Waste Rules of 2000, which stipulate segregation and processing of waste. Garbage dumping in the Perungudi - Pallikaranai marshland has also harmed the ecology of the wetland and burning of wastes has polluted the air.

Exnora Founder M.B. Nirmal called for decentralised solutions to manage waste. "Rather than end-of-the-pipe solutions, source segregation of garbage must be encouraged to reduce the load on the garbage dumps," he said.

Corporation officials said the source segregation concept has been introduced in 10 of the 155 wards in the city. The drive would be extended in phases to the rest of the city in two years.

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How to live a healthy 100 Years?

Healthy Exercise

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn’t smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it’s good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we’re used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you’ll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you’re not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.

Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.

Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be ’vigorous’ exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.

Pace while you talk. When you’re on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.

Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new Food Guide Pyramid to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you’re looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners
Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you’ll automatically eat less calories.
Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you’re at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

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Are We Consuming Medicine, banned Worldwide ?

A drug banned in most parts of the world due to its side effects is still available in india,// despite reports of serious adverse events observed among several children who had been taking it in the Sub-continent.

The drug Nimesulide, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which has been reported as causing liver toxicity is still widely used in india commonly for pain relief and fever although it was approved for use in india in 1994 for painful inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders. Besides being available as a single ingredient, nimesulide is also available in more than 30 other drugs and as drops for children aged under1 year. All are unapproved by the drugs controller and therefore illegal.

The drugs controller general of india, has said that the government was appointing a committee to look into the issue of adverse reactions to the drug. However in a statement made by the deputy drugs controller, Ram Teke, has been cited as saying that there was no move to reconsider its use or approval.

At present there is no system of monitoring adverse drug reactions in india hence drugs that are banned globally or whose use is severely restricted or not approved owing to serious side effects are freely available in india. Some of the names of the drugs banned in other parts of the world but available in india include anagen, cerivastatin, droperidol, furazolidone, lynestrenol, nitrofurazone, phenformin, phenolphthalein, phenylbutazone, piperazine, quiniodochlor.

Leading doctors in india say that if a particular drug is bad and harms people’s health, it has to be banned immediately and they also stress on the fact that at present such decisions are taken only to help manufacturers and to suit the commercial interests of the pharmaceutical companies thereby affecting the drug regulatory mechanism in india and until such issues are not sorted out the existing situation would prevail.

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Girls - Tips on Menstruation cycle

Top 10 tips to ENJOY Your Periods

According to statistics, 70% of women suffer from menstrual pain or pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) which in all, can last up to two weeks every month!

Monthly hormonal fluctuations are inescapable - they are a part of the childbearing process. Unfertilized ova are regularly ejected from the body which is part of the menstrual cycle. While the menstrual cycle may be a fact of life, menstrual pain is not.

A lot of women sincerely wonder if they can ever see menstrual pain (algodismenorrhea) not as the norm in a woman’s life but a true illness. From very young, women are convinced of this “norm of life” by their parents, female friends and (what is the most frightening) gynaecologists as they themselves often have the same problems and base their advice on their own experiences.

Here are some tips that can help you to continue enjoying your life even during your period.

1. Change your world view

Having the confidence to see pre-menstrual syndrome and menstrual pain as not being normal (healthy) events able to be got rid of, is the first step to a better life during your period. An optimistic mood, not accepting the pain as an inescapable thing and giving a person the necessary psychological support for a successful cure of the problem are suggested.

2. Use an effective method of treatment

Because PMS and menstrual pain are real illnesses they need to be treated. Applicators for woman’s pads eliminate the cause of these illnesses rather than just their manifestation. This is the applicators’ principle distinction from pain-killers which only block pain signals and are not a therapy. With the regular use of applicators you may get absolute relief from pain for up to several years. As far as treating a person by means of the applicators, this may need some time at first if the pain is severe and you may continue to use additional homeopathic preparations or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin, which are both very effective anti-prostaglandins available without a prescription.

3. Keep to a healthy diet

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Take your periods as an ideal time to start keeping to the healthy diet that you planned to do long before. Firstly your thoughts will switch from concentrating on painful experiences to the search and putting into practice of the new recipes. Secondly, keeping to a healthy diet really alleviates pain. It is very important to change the character and structure of your diet: eat food with significant amounts of calcium, magnesium and carbohydrates, and more vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Instead of meat eat fish or seafood, for example eat more salmon, sardines and shrimps. Limit your intake of caffeine, alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Eat fewer refined sugars and dairy products. You may have a snack more often but take lesser portions. And what is the most pleasant thing - chocolate has a positive effect on your state of health. So, go on enjoying but in reasonable amounts!

4. Arrange out-of-town trip

Prolonged open air walks and light gardening promote calcium uptake. Why not start the habit of picnics outdoors with your family or friends during your periods?

5. Go in for sports

As well as a healthy diet, your periods are the ideal moment to start doing sports. Even if you think that it is not a suitable moment, try to do some light physical exercises. Exercise steps up the production of endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkillers. If moving around hurts, try lifting weights or riding a stationary bicycle - any activity that won’t jostle you around too much. Ideally, try to exercise regularly before your period. Exercise on a regular basis (i.e. 30 min three times a week) can improve circulation and minimize your discomfort. After several months, your menstrual flow may be lighter and less painful

6. Relax

Practising a relaxation technique can help you manage any kind of pain. Choose medication, yoga, massage or simply your favourite music. Stretching and relaxation exercises may help. Try lying on your back and contracting your abdominal muscles for 15 seconds, breathing normally. Relax and repeat the motion again. Use acupressure: elevate your feet and put your hands on your inner thighs between your groin and knees. Press in with a finger toward your thigh bone. Place your thumbs on the inside of the biggest part of your ankle bone and press in

7. Keep Warm

Don’t let your body get cold. Cold causes muscle contractions and spasms. Heat, on the other hand, can lessen the severity of cramping. Moist heat is best - a hot bath (sit in a bathtub in water that covers your pelvis), a hot-water bottle or a heating pad that circulates warm water. Whichever treatment method you choose, use it as often as necessary. Warmth increases blood flow to the pelvic region and can help relax tense muscles. Heat to the lower abdomen or back by a heating pad or warm bath can increase circulation and relax spasms. Limit the temperature and duration of treatment to avoid burns

8. Have a tea-break

Drink 8-10 glasses of water or herbal tea a day. Water (hot and cold) relieves pain, and assists in bodily functions. Drink lots of liquids but cut down on soda and coffee

9. Have a good sleep

Be sure to get adequate amounts of sleep every night

10. Orgasm

Achieving orgasm through masturbation or other means temporarily reduces painful cramps for some women. If you don’t feel comfortable with this method, that’s okay. Just do what works for you.

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Top 10 Travel Tips for All

Tourism

Check the latest travel advice for your destination and subscribe to receive free e-mail notification each time the travel advice for your destination is updated.

Take out appropriate travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, including adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online or at the local Australian embassy, high commission or consulate once you arrive, so we can contact you in an emergency.

Obey the law. Consular assistance cannot override local laws, even where local laws appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards.

Check to see if you require visas for the country or countries you are visiting or transiting. Be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry.

Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.

Check with health professionals for information on recommended vaccinations or other precautions and find out about overseas laws on travelling with medicines.

Make sure your passport has at least six months validity and carry additional copies of your passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home and keep in regular contact with friends and relatives while overseas.

Before departing from any country check whether you are regarded as a national of the country you intend to visit.

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Top Killer Disease around the World

Health, Science, World News

Killer-disease

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Your First Time SEX - Beware - Aware - No_Wear?

There can be lot of pressure to lose your virginity - that is, to have sexual intercourse for the first time. Having sex with someone just because you want to lose your virginity, or because you think all your friends are doing it, is something you may regret later.

You might feel lots of anxieties, especially the first time you ’go all the way’ - have sex. You may feel embarrassed about how you look without your clothes on, or worried about your privacy being disturbed. It’s natural to feel some worries but good communication will really help to prevent you feeling embarrassed or worried. You should be able to talk to your partner about how you feel about having sex for the first time, and about any concerns you may have. Your partner might be worried, too. Being relaxed and able to share things with your partner will really ease the tension. And if you’re too shy, or you’re not able to talk about these things with your partner - then you probably shouldn’t be having sex!

Having sexual intercourse - when a boy’s hard penis goes inside a girl’s vagina, or even just touches the outside of her vagina - is what leads to pregnancy. So, before having sexual intercourse you should think about whether you need to use contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and condoms to prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

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Where did science actually originate?

It all depends on what you mean by "science." If you mean simply being inquisitive and testing the world around you to find out what you can and can’t do, then "science" originated with the emergence of the first intelligent life forms on the planet. Through trial and error, these creatures lived their lives from day to day, learning what they needed to survive and gaining new knowledge every day from new things they tried to do (or get away with), often passing on this information to others of their kind in one way or another.

If, however, you mean the modern scientific method, that of observing natural phenomena, formulating a hypothesis about it, testing that hypothesis with experiments, collecting data, and then theorizing about the phenomena based of the information you’ve gathered and the tests you’ve conducted, then it would have to say that true science originated separately with the Greeks and the Chinese -- both these cultures used what we now know as the scientific method to discover new ways of doing things, and how the world around them actually worked.

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Is human evolution finally over?

For those who dream of a better life, science has bad news: this is the best it is going to get. Our species has reached its biological pinnacle and is no longer capable of changing. That is the stark, controversial view of a group of biologists who believe a Western lifestyle now protects humanity from the forces that used to shape Homo sapiens.

’If you want to know what Utopia is like, just look around - this is it,’ said Professor Steve Jones, of University College London, who is to present his argument at a Royal Society Edinburgh debate, ’Is Evolution Over?’, next week. ’Things have simply stopped getting better, or worse, for our species.’

This view is controversial, however. Other scientists argue that mankind is still being influenced by the evolutionary forces that created the myriad species which have inhabited Earth over the past three billion years.

’If you had looked at Stone Age people in Europe a mere 50,000 years ago, you would assume the trend was for people to get bigger and stronger all the time,’ said Prof Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, London. ’Then, quite abruptly, these people were replaced by light, tall, highly intelligent people who arrived from Africa and took over the world. You simply cannot predict evolutionary events like this. Who knows where we are headed?’

Some scientists believe humans are becoming less brainy and more neurotic; others see signs of growing intelligence and decreasing robustness, while some, like Jones, see evidence of us having reached a standstill. All base their arguments on the same tenets of natural selection.

According to Darwin’s theory, individual animals best suited to their environments live longer and have more children, and so spread their genes through populations. This produces evolutionary changes. For example, hoofed animals with longer necks could reach the juiciest leaves on tall trees and therefore tended to eat well, live longer, and have more offspring. Eventually, they evolved into giraffes. Those with shorter necks died out.

Similar processes led to the evolution of mankind, but this has now stopped because virtually everybody’s genes are making it to the next generation, not only those who are best adapted to their environments.

’Until recently, there were massive differences between individuals’ lifespans and fecundity,’ said Jones. ’In London, the death rate outstripped the birth rate for most of the city’s history. If you look at graveyards from ancient to Victorian times, you can see that a half of all children died before adolescence, probably because they lacked genetic protection against disease. Now, children’s chances of reaching the age of 25 have reached 98 per cent. Nothing is changing. We have reached stagnation.’

In addition, human populations are now being constantly mixed, again producing a blending that blocks evolutionary change. This increased mixing can be gauged by calculating the number of miles between a person’s birthplace and his or her partner’s, then between their parents’ birthplaces, and finally, between their grandparents’.

In virtually every case, you will find that the number of miles drops dramatically the more that you head back into the past. Now people are going to universities and colleges where they meet and marry people from other continents. A generation ago, men and women rarely mated with anyone from a different town or city. Hence, the blending of our genes which will soon produce a uniformly brown-skinned population. Apart from that, there will be little change in the species.

However, such arguments affect only the Western world - where food, hygiene and medical advances are keeping virtually every member of society alive and able to pass on their genes. In the developing world, no such protection exists.

’Just consider Aids, and then look at chimpanzees,’ says Jones. ’You find they all carry a version of HIV but are unaffected by it.

’But a few thousand years ago, when the first chimps became infected, things would have been very different. Millions of chimps probably died as the virus spread through them, and only a small number, which possessed genes that conferred immunity, survived to become the ancestors of all chimps today.

’Something very similar could soon happen to humans. In a thousand years, Africa will be populated only by the descendants of those few individuals who are currently immune to the Aids virus. They will carry the virus but will be unaffected by it. So yes, there will be change there all right - but only where the forces of evolution are not being suppressed.’

However, other scientists believe evolutionary pressures are still taking their toll on humanity, despite the protection afforded by Western life. For example, the biologist Christopher Wills, of the University of California, San Diego, argues that ideas are now driving our evolution. ’There is a premium on sharpness of mind and the ability to accumulate money. Such people tend to have more children and have a better chance of survival,’ he says. In other words, intellect - the defining characteristic of our species - is still driving our evolution.

This view is countered by Peter Ward, of the University of Washington in Seattle. In his book, Future Evolution, recently published in the US by Henry Holt, Ward also argues that modern Western life protects people from the effects of evolution. ’I don’t think we are going to see any changes - apart from ones we deliberately introduce ourselves, when we start to bio-engineer people, by introducing genes into their bodies, so they live longer or are stronger and healthier.’

If people start to live to 150, and are capable of producing children for more than 100 of those years, the effects could be dramatic, he says. ’People will start to produce dozens of children in their lifetimes, and that will certainly start to skew our evolution. These people will also have more chance to accumulate wealth as well. So we will have created a new race of fecund, productive individuals and that could have dramatic consequences.

’However, that will only come about when we directly intervene in our own evolution, using cloning and gene therapy. Without that, nothing will happen.’

Stringer disagrees, however. ’Evolution goes on all the time. You don’t have to intervene. It is just that it is highly unpredictable. For example, brain size has decreased over the past 10,000 years. A similar reduction has also affected our physiques. We are punier and smaller-brained compared with our ancestors only a few millennia ago. So even though we might be influenced by evolution, that does not automatically mean an improvement in our lot.’

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HIV/AIDS - Timeline- Interesting and Fearful

Before 1970s

HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) probably transfers to humans in Africa around 1930

HIV probably enters Haiti around 1966

1970s

HIV probably enters the United States around 1970
African doctors see a rise in opportunistic infections and wasting
Western scientists and doctors remain ignorant of the growing epidemic

1981

AIDS is detected in California and New York
The first cases are among gay men, then injecting drug users

1982

AIDS is reported among haemophiliacs and Haitians in the USA
AIDS is reported in several European countries
The name “AIDS” - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - is created
Community organisations in the UK and USA promote safer sex among gay men

1983

AIDS is reported among non-drug using women and children
Experts become more confident that the cause of AIDS is infectious
Three thousand AIDS cases have been reported in the USA; one thousand have
died

1984

Scientists identify HIV (initially called HTLV-III or LAV) as the cause of AIDS
Western scientists become aware that AIDS is widespread in parts of Africa
The world’s first needle exchange programme is set up in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands

1985

An HIV test is licensed for screening blood supplies
AIDS is found in China, and has therefore been seen in all regions of the world

1986

More than 38,000 cases of AIDS have been reported from 85 countries
Uganda begins promoting sexual behaviour change in response to AIDS

1987

AZT is the first drug approved for treating AIDS
The UK and other countries act to raise awareness of AIDS

1988

The American government conducts a national AIDS education campaign
Health ministers meet to discuss AIDS and establish a World AIDS Day

1990

Around 8 million people are living with HIV worldwide, according to estimates made later

1991

Thailand launches Asia’s most extensive HIV prevention programme

1993

AZT is shown to be of no benefit to those in the early stages of HIV infection

1994

AZT is shown to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
Infant HIV infections begin to fall in developed countries, due to use of AZT

1995

The Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) is established

1996

Combination antiretroviral treatment is shown to be highly effective against HIV
In developed countries, many people begin taking the new treatment
Annual global spending on AIDS in low- and middle-income countries is $300 million

1997

AIDS deaths begin to decline in developed countries, due to the new drugs
Brazil is the first developing country to begin providing free combination treatment
In other developing countries, only a tiny minority can access treatment for HIV
Around 22 million people are living with HIV worldwide, according to estimates made later

2000

President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa voices support for AIDS dissidents

2001

At a UN Special Session, world leaders set long-term targets on HIV/AIDS

2002

The Global Fund is established to boost the response to AIDS, TB and malaria
Botswana begins Africa’s first national AIDS treatment programme

2003

AIDS drugs become more affordable for developing countries
The “3 by 5” campaign is launched to widen access to AIDS treatment
The first AIDS vaccine candidate to undergo a major trial is found to be ineffective

2004

America launches a major initiative called PEPFAR to combat AIDS worldwide
After much hesitancy, South Africa begins to provide free antiretroviral treatment

2006

Circumcision is shown to reduce HIV infection among heterosexual men
28% of people in developing countries who need treatment for HIV are receiving it
Annual global spending on AIDS in low- and middle-income countries is $8.9 billion
It is estimated that $14.9 billion would be needed for a truly effective response

2007

Around 33 million people are living with HIV, according to revised estimates
Another major HIV vaccine trial is halted after preliminary results show no benefit

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Must Know: HIV/AIDS prevalence in indian states.

Health, India News

india-map

The vast size of India makes it difficult to examine the effects of HIV on the country as a whole. The majority of states within India have a higher population than most African countries, so a more detailed picture of the crisis can be gained by looking at each state individually.

The HIV prevalence data for most states is established through testing pregnant women at antenatal clinics. While this means that the data are only directly relevant to sexually active women, they still provide a reasonable indication as to the overall HIV prevalence of each area. 27 Data for six states are also available from a survey of the general population. 28

The following states have recorded the highest levels of HIV prevalence at antenatal and sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics over recent years.

Andhra Pradesh in the southeast of the country has a total population of around 76 million, of whom 6 million live in or around the city of Hyderabad. The HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics was 1.26% in 2006 - higher than in any other state - while the general population prevalence was 0.97% in 2005-2006. The vast majority of infections in Andhra Pradesh are believed to result from sexual transmission. HIV prevalence at STD clinics was 24.4% in 2006.

Goa is a very small state in the southwest of India, and is best known as a tourist destination. Tourism is so prominent that the number of tourists almost equals the resident population, which is about 1.3 million. The HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics was found to be 0.50% in 2006. Prevalence at STD clinics was 8.6% in 2006, indicating that Goa has a serious epidemic of HIV among sexually active people.

Karnataka - a diverse state in the southwest of India - has a population of around 53 million. In Karnataka the average HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics has exceeded 1% in all recent years. Among the general population, 0.69% were found to be infected in 2005-2006. Districts with the highest prevalence tend to be located in and around Bangalore in the southern part of the state, or in northern Karnataka’s "devadasi belt". Devadasi women are a group of women who have historically been dedicated to the service of gods. These days, this has evolved into sanctioned prostitution, and as a result many women from this part of the country are supplied to the sex trade in big cities such as Mumbai. 29 The average HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Karnataka was 8.64% in 2006, and 19.20% of men who have sex with men were found to be infected.

Mumbai (Bombay) is the capital city of Maharashtra state and is the most populous city in India, with around 20 million inhabitants. Maharashtra is a very large state of three hundred thousand square kilometres, with a total population of around 97 million. The HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics in Maharashtra was 0.75% in 2006, and surveys of female sex workers have found around 20% to be infected. Similarly high rates are found among injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. The 2005-2006 survey found an infection rate of 0.62% in the general population of Maharashtra. This state is home to around one in five of all people living with HIV in India.

Tamil Nadu - When surveillance systems in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, home to some 62 million people, showed that HIV infection rates among pregnant women were rising - tripling to 1.25% between 1995 and 1997 - the State Government acted decisively. Funding for the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), which had been set up in 1994, was significantly increased. 30 Along with non-governmental organisations and other partners, TANSACS developed an active AIDS prevention campaign. This included hiring a leading international advertising agency to promote condom use for risky sex in a humorous way, without offending the many people who do not engage in risky behaviour. The campaign also attacked the ignorance and stigma associated with HIV infection. 31

The HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics in Tamil Nadu was 0.25% in 2006, though several districts still have much higher rates. The general population survey of 2005-2006 found a rate of 0.34% across the state. Prevalence among injecting drug users was 24.20% in 2006 - the highest of all states and union territories.

Manipur is a small state of some 2.2 million people in the northeast of India. The nearness of Manipur to Myanmar (Burma), and therefore to the Golden Triangle drug trail, has made it a major transit route for drug smuggling, with drugs easily available. HIV prevalence among injecting drug users is around 20%, and the virus is no longer confined to this group, but has spread further to the female sexual partners of drug users and their children. 32 The HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics in Manipur has exceeded 1% in all recent years. The 2005-2006 survey found that 1.13% of the general population was infected - the highest of all states surveyed.

Mizoram - The small northeastern state of Mizoram has fewer than a million inhabitants. In 1998, an HIV epidemic took off quickly among the state’s male injecting drug users, with some drug clinics registering HIV rates of more than 70% among their patients. 33 In recent years the average prevalence among this group has been much lower, at around 3-7%. HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics was 1% in 2006.

Nagaland is another small northeastern state, with a population of two million, where injecting drug use has again been the driving force behind the spread of HIV. In 2006, the HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics was 0.93%, and the rate among female sex workers was 16.40%.

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Bachelors - House Keeping Tips

House Keeping

House Keeping Tips
Tomorrow I will do the housework, NO EXCUSES!!! (unless they’re good ones)

1. It is time to clean out the refrigerator when something closes the door from the inside.

2. If it walks out of your refrigerator, let it go!

3. The best mini-vac for an after meal clean up is the dog.

4. Keep it clean enough for healthy, dirty enough for happy.

5. Never make fried chicken in the nude.

6. Do not engage in unarmed combat with a dust bunny big enough to choke the vacuum cleaner.

7. You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later you have to start all over again.

8. If guys were suppose to hang clothes up, door knobs would be bigger.

9. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

10. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.

11. Simplify... hire a maid.

12: My second favourite household chore is ironing. My first being Hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.

13. I’m not going to vacuum ’til Sears makes one you can ride on.

14. I am a marvellous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.

15. Cobwebs artfully draped over lampshades reduce the glare from the bulb, thereby creating a romantic atmosphere. If your husband points out that the light fixtures need dusting, simply look affronted and exclaim, "What? And spoil the mood?"

16. When writing your name in the dust on the table, omit the date.

17. If dusting is REALLY out of control, simply place a showy urn on the coffee table and insist that "THIS is where Grandma wanted us to scatter her ashes..."

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Interior Decorator - Interior Designer

House Keeping

You may have occasionally heard the terms for interior decorator and interior designer interchanged. However, there is a difference between the two titles. An interior decorator generally refers to someone who deals with finishes, surfaces, furniture, and wall coverings. An interior decorator may work in a variety of venues from a design showroom to a remodeling retail store. There is no regulation regarding the work of an interior decorator. An interior designer is a more specialized career field, requiring a certain combined level of education, work experience, and licensing. An interior designer may create spaces for the inside of a commercial office building, design the lighting for a restaurant, or select the furnishings of a home. An interior designer may also deal with issues of safety like accessibility and building codes.

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Foreign-based criminals hacking into phone systems

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FOREIGN-based criminals are ripping off Australian companies by hacking into their telephone systems and racking up massive bills.

A Melbourne retailer and university were last week hit with collective phone bills of more than $100,000 of overseas calls with police still gathering evidence of more victims.

Both parties are angry with Telstra which, they say, is insisting they pay the bills.

The Camberwell Electrics Superstore was contacted by Telstra to ask why they had made $20,000 worth of overseas calls in less than two weeks, the store’s accountant, Chris Koh, said.

A Swinburne University spokeswoman said it knew nothing about the scam until it was hit by an $80,000 bill.

Police sources said the scam was carried out by overseas-based manufacturers of phone cards commonly used by students to make cheap overseas phone calls.

The card manufacturers hack into a company’s phone system, known as a private automatic branch exchange (PABX), so the calls made by card users get charged to unsuspecting victims of the scam.

"The calls were made to Romania, other parts of Eastern Europe, India, Russia and Asia out of office hours,’’ Mr Koh said.

"If you have more than two phone lines, you are susceptible, and our owner has a line at home that allows him to dial out of the office and that facility is what these people tapped into.

"That’s how they (phone card sellers) get cheap rates for their customers, through illegally tapping phone lines.’’

The hackers bypass codes, passwords and other security systems as computers run through various combinations in milliseconds until they find the right one, Mr Koh said.

Camberwell Electrics owner Graeme Hawkesford said he could not afford a $20,000 bill but Telstra was not sympathetic.

"They said it was not their issue and we should have had security. But I said: ’We did’. But we were still told we were liable and had to pay,’’ he said.

"Our phone technician said this problem had been occurring since December and as far as I am concerned they could have warned us.’’

The company has asked the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to investigate but Mr Koh said he was not confident the overseas criminals or even unknowing users of the cards could be tracked down.
"Surely there could be better communication between Telstra and the federal police to forewarn people and make sure numbers are secure before they rack up $20,000 bills,’’ he said.

Swinburne University was also fighting Telstra over the bill which included charges for phone numbers the organisation did not own, said chancellery executive director Michael Thorne.

Telstra spokesman Martin Barr, in a written statement, said the company provided information to customers on preventative measures to protect themselves from such criminal activity.

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Vegetarians Be A-Ware

Vegetarians may be at risk of not consuming enough vitamin A and iron and should increase the amount of dark-colored fruits and vegetables in their diets.

This is the latest recommendation from the Institute of Medicine panel, which adjusted the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of vitamin A and several other nutrients.

Vegetarians generally rely on foods such as carrots, broccoli and sweet potatoes to meet their vitamin A requirement, but new research suggests the body is only able to absorb about half the amount of usable nutrient as was previously thought.

Non-vegetarians typically consume enough vitamin A, which is essential for reducing the risk of birth defects and guaranteeing optimal vision, from dairy products, fish and liver.

The RDA for vitamin A is now 900 micrograms per day for men and 700 micrograms per day for women. This requirement can be met by eating a half-cup of cooked carrots.
As for iron, vegetarians may need to double their intake because the body absorbs this mineral less efficiently from cereals, bread and vegetables than it does from meats.

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SEX ! A MEDICINE

sex-a-medicine

1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Scientisttest shows that woman that have sexual relation produce big amounts of estrogen which make hair shiny and soft.

2. To make love in soft and relaxed way reduces the posibilities of suffering from dermatitis and acne. The sweat produced cleans pores and make the skin shine.

3. To make love allows you to burn calories accumulated in this romantic love scene.

4. Sex is the safest sports. It strenghtens and tonify all muscles. It is more enjoyable than 20 lapses in the pool.

5. Sex is an instanteneous cure against depression. It frees endorphines in the blood flow, creating to flow, creating a state of euphoria and leaves us a feeling of well being.

6. The more we make love, the more our capacity to do more. A body sexually active releasesa higher amount of Pheromene. This subtle aroma excites the opposite sex!.

7. Sex is the safest tranquilizer. It is 10 times more effective than valium.

8. To kiss everyday allows you to avoid destist. Kisses aid saliva in cleaning teeth and lower the quantity of acid causing enamel weakening.

9. Sex relieves headaches. Each time we make love it releases the tension in our veins.

10. To make love a lot can heal nasal congestion. Sex is a natural antihistaminic. It help fight asthma and spring allergies.

Health Benefits Of Regular Sex

Medical community at last recognised the health benefits of sex. According to researchers, sex increases immunity levels in the body by increasing the secretions of required hormones and immunoglobulins. Regular sex reduces the risk of getting cancer and heart diseases. Doctors finally agreed to the fact that sex is the best enjoyable exercise to control ones weight. Health benefits of sex:

1. According to British Medical Journal, chemicals released during intercourse enhance the skin texture.

2. Couples who do sex at least thrice a week are at 50% less risk of getting heart attack. Romantic hormones like testosterone reduce heart attack risk by strengthening heart muscles.

3. Oxytocin which is released during intercourse reduces stress levels in the body. Oxytocin is a trust hormone which strengthens bond between couples.

4. According to one research, speakers who had good sex session at previous night delivered good speeches in the following day. Sex may enhance ones confidence levels.

5. Endorphins released during sex have the capacity to reduce pain in the body.

6. Regular sex increases Immunoglobulin-A levels by 30 times which raises immunity, according to Wilkes University researchers in Pennsylvania.

7. Old couples should do sex or kissing to enhance some hormone levels in the body.

8. During sex, heart beats 80-150 times which is a good exercise to strengthen muscles.

9. One sex session is equal to running for 1 kilometre. Bedroom is the best gym. Burn calories.

10. Prolactin released during sex increases the capacity of smell.

11. Sex reduces breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

12. Couples who have good sex life will achieve anything in professional life.

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Health hazards of High Tech Rooms

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The amount of work-related illness is likely to soar over the next 10 years, research has found. The study, commissioned by Norwich Union Healthcare, found that far from improving the working environment, the march of new technology could lead to an epidemic of sickness-related industrial claims.

Nearly three-quarters of GPs surveyed predicted that the number of patients suffering from work-related illness will rise over the coming decade.

Personnel directors took an equally gloomy view. Nearly half admitted that technological advances in the workplace were creating new complaints, while 68% said companies needed to re-think their approach to occupational health.

Among the complaints which are set to become commonplace are repetitive strain injury (RSI), bad backs and eye strain.

Challenges for the millennium

Sue Summers, Norwich Union Healthcare spokesperson, said: "Managers will face all sorts of challenges in the new millennium, not least the possibility of increased staff absence resulting from today’s office environment.

"Our research shows that companies need to start thinking about re-evaluating the way in which they look after the health of their employees - in order to ensure their workplace is a safe and healthy environment."

The research was welcomed by the Heath and Safety Executive, which said positive action was needed to raise awareness of "modern occupational health challenges".

The survey was based on responses from 100 GPs and 100 personnel directors.

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How Cellphone -Tower Radiation Affects Us?

With mobile phones now as ubiquitous as their land-line counterparts, few people worry about the potential health risks associated with flipping open a handset or standing near a cell tower.

But among researchers who study the effects of electromagnetic emissions from mobile phones and towers, the prevailing wisdom is that it’s too early to conclude that they are harmless to humans.

"At the moment, there are too few properly controlled scientific studies to draw any strong conclusions," said Elaine Fox, a professor in the psychology department at the University of Essex who is studying whether the electromagnetic fields emitted from mobile-phone base stations have a direct effect on human health.

Fox’s project is one of several that received funding last month from the United Kingdom’s Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research program, a group formed in 2001 to report on whether exposure to cell-phone radiation adversely affects people’s health. The group formed following the publication of a report that failed to find evidence of health risks, but noted that research to date was not expansive enough to conclude that no dangers exist.

Topics of past research include the potential link between brain tumors and mobile-phone use, effects of mobile-phone radiation on blood pressure, and the possible link between cancer incidence in early childhood and proximity to mobile-phone base stations.

As part of the current studies, researchers are examining the scientific basis of "electrical sensitivity," a collection of symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue, that some people believe is caused by exposure to wireless phones and towers.

Fox’s research, an extension of a volunteer study that begun in January, will investigate whether some people are particularly sensitive to cell-phone electromagnetic fields. In the first stage of the project, Fox collected survey results from 4,000 participants, about 6 percent of whom indicated some degree of symptoms, such as headaches or burning skin, that they attributed to electromagnetic fields.

The second part of the project, launched in November, involves testing people who identify themselves as hypersensitive to electromagnetic fields alongside people who are not, to establish whether mobile-phone base stations really are affecting health and well-being.

Another research group, based at King’s College in London, is testing 120 people, half of whom consider themselves hypersensitive to mobile-phone emissions. James Rubin, a research fellow at King’s College who is overseeing the project, is hoping to submit findings for publication by the end of next year, provided he finds enough volunteers.

"People who report being hypersensitive to mobiles are often understandably cautious about taking part in a study which involves exposure to a mobile-phone signal," he said. The study will examine whether mobile-phone signals cause such symptoms as headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, and whether they affect the levels of certain hormones that are important in regulating metabolism.

Since cell-phone adoption reached critical mass in the mid-1990s, research into the effects of long-term mobile-phone usage has also become more feasible. However, representatives of the cell-phone industry say they have yet to see any findings that should give mobile users reason for alarm.

"There is no conclusive evidence that wireless phones contribute to health risks, and the same goes for towers," said Erin McGee, a spokeswoman for the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration takes a similar position on health risks caused by mobile-phone base stations.

"Measurements made near cellular and PCS base-station antennas mounted on towers have confirmed that ground-level exposures are typically thousands of times less than the exposure limits adopted by the (Federal Communications Commission)," the agency states on its website.

The FDA also maintains that there’s no scientific evidence to link any health problems to mobile-phone use. On the other hand, the agency says there is no proof that they are absolutely safe.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, expects to complete health-risk assessments in 2007 under its International EMF Project, which examines effects of exposure to electric and magnetic fields up to 300 GHz in frequency, which includes cellular-phone emissions.

Libby Kelly, executive director of the Council on Wireless Technology Impacts, an activist group favoring greater regulation of electromagnetic emissions, believes health agencies are understating the risks posed by wireless phones and towers.

She cited a study released in October by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, which found that 10 or more years of mobile-phone use increases the risk of acoustic neuroma -- a benign tumor on the auditory nerve. However, the study was conducted on analog mobile phones that had been in use for more than a decade, and researchers said they could not say whether results would be similar after long-term use of digital phones.
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Wi-Fi Causes Health Problem : Report

Electromagnetic field sensitivity is an empirical chimera.

Riding in on peer-reviewed research, but flunking every major test, the idea that wireless technology amounts to a modern health threat presents a conundrum to proponents and skeptics alike. With Wi-Fi networks blanketing homes, schools and even whole cities, they’ve become the latest flash point in a struggle that’s arced from power lines to microwaves, cell phones and even computers, spanning decades of debate.

To sufferers of EMF sensitivity, however, such academic battles are exasperating. To them, it’s as if their symptoms, and even their sanity, are under attack. "A professor called it Compulsive Risk Assessment Psychosis, otherwise known as CRAP,’" said Rod Read of ElectroSensitivity-UK, a registered charity in Britain. "He says everyone is deluded. It insults and abuses people who are sick. I thought that went out with the Victorian era."

British author Kate Figes recently described a sensation akin to being "prodded all over your body by 1,000 fingers" when in the presence of a Wi-Fi signal. When Michael Bevington fell ill, he blamed a network recently installed at the prestigious school where he’d worked for 28 years: "Over the weekend, away from the classroom, I felt completely normal."

Plans for a Wi-Fi network at an Illinois school were scuppered after parents filed a lawsuit. The president of Canada’s Lakehead University banned Wi-Fi on campus, likening it to second-hand smoke. In March, Toronto’s public health department questioned plans to install a citywide network. ’It’s the whole insidious and invisible exploitation of the EM spectrum," said Read, who estimates between 1 percent and 3 percent of the population may be susceptible. "To the sensitive, it’s like being shouted at all the time."

Sufferers report headaches, nausea, stomach upsets, tinnitus, brain fog and short-term memory among the symptoms, Read said. Skeptics, however, suspect that blaming EMF sensitivity for their ills amounts to an easy answer to almost any medical problem. "There is no known mechanism by which EMF from any source -- power lines, cell phones or Wi-Fi networks -- can cause health problems of any kind," said Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine. "In fact, there is nothing that even needs explaining."

While some groups focus on nonspecific symptoms, others claim links to more severe conditions such as cancer.

"We’re in it for a long fight," said Cindy Sage of Sage EMF Design, a California environmental consulting firm that profiles locations for their EMF characteristics. "Around the world, we’ve seen the affected giving up hope. But they’re burning down cell towers in Israel, dismantling them in Ireland, taking it to a civil disobedience level when they can’t get their governments to respond."

Scientists recognize the dangers of high-frequency ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays unleashed by nuclear fallout. Non-ionizing radiation, however, such as Wi-Fi signals, cellular networks, television broadcasts and visible light, cannot break down atomic bonds and has long been considered safe.

"The fields that are induced by Wi-Fi transmissions are well below those that could cause problems to humans," said Chris Guy, head of The University of Reading’s School of Systems Engineering. "The maximum power that is allowed to be transmitted by any Wi-Fi unit is one-tenth of a watt."

EMF sensitivity advocates, however, believe studies reveal that even these low-frequency, low-power fields can cause subtle damage to human tissue, citing evidence of cell death, faster-growing tumors and DNA damage.

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Are Computers Slowly Killing You?

The first thing to know is that the risks are not likely to affect you unless you are a "habitual" computer user. In other words, you’re sitting at the computer pretty much all day, every day. Oh yeah... that’s all of us! That’s not to say that the occasional computer user won’t have problems. Everyone’s level of sensitivity is unique.

The buzz started in the 80’s and culminated in the 1992 Health and Safety DSE (Display Screen Equipment) regulations. Then came Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome followed by ergonomics. The hype has subsided, since we all know the computer isn’t going to kill us - but we have learned a lot over the past 20 years about potential health risks and more importantly, we’ve learned ways to avoid being at risk when we’re using computers. Let’s look at some of the most common medical problems and what you can do to avoid them.

Eye Strain:

Position your terminal at right angles to the window if possible; avoid facing directly into bright light (coming at you from behind your computer screen).

Install an anti-glare screen.

Adjust the brightness controls on the screen until they are comfortable to your eyes.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

Adjust your chair or table height to have your elbow angle at 90-100 degrees.
Position your keyboard so that you don’t have to bend your hands uncomfortably upward to reach the keys; place a raised wrist rest on the table in front of the keyboard if necessary.
Clinch your fists, hold for one second, then stretch your fingers out wide and hold for 5 seconds.
Organize your workday, if possible, to intersperse other tasks with your computer work so that you’re not sitting at the computer for several hours without a break. Variety is key.
Hold the mouse loosely and click lightly.

Neck and Back Strain:

Check your posture - sit up straight.
The monitor screen surface should be approximately 18-24 inches away from your torso.
Preferably chairs should be on wheels, have backrest tilt adjustment, and have arms.
Be sure you have enough desktop space for work papers and other equipment.

Conjunctivitis (itchy, bloodshot eyes) and Dermatitis:

Be sure the screen doesn’t flicker or wave - this could indicate that service or adjustment is needed.
Look away from the screen periodically.
Don’t forget to blink - your eyes need the moisture.

The next wave of health concerns focuses on electromagnetic fields and the cathode ray tube in the computer screen showering us with negatively charged electrons. But don’t let that keep you up at night. It’s best to follow the preventive steps listed above, which by the way are things YOU can do without spending a penny.

This summary was gathered from a variety of sources and is provided as a primer to inspire you to research further on your own. If you’d like to explore the subject further, try these resources:

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Cars warns about hazards

A huge European project dealing with car and road safety has developed a system that will read satellite navigation maps and warn the driver of upcoming hazards, sharp bends, dips and accident black spots, which may be invisible to the driver.

Even better, the system can update the geographic database, thus letting drivers themselves update the maps. Consider: You are driving along an unfamiliar road, using your satellite navigation to find your way. At the same time, smart technology in your car is tracking the route, recognising the terrain and upcoming bends and intersections, to keep you informed.

The PReVENT system is equipped with information on accident blind spots, dips in the road, and more. It can even link into other in-car wireless communication systems to communicate with other vehicles in the vicinity.

"The analysis of many situations can be dramatically improved by an awareness of the location," says Matthias Schulze, coordinator of the EU-funded project. PReVENT, comprising of more than a dozen projects, focuses on specific road safety issues, with all individual projects supporting and feeding each other in some way. It means the impact is greater than the sum of its parts.

For example, one project known as MAPS&ADAS works on the development, testing and validation of safety-enhanced digital maps. The project is also involved with creating a standard interface for an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System).

Other components such as ’LateralSafe’ use sensors to scan the blind-spot lane and your current lane, while ’SafeLane’ ensures that drivers stay in the correct lane. InterSafe, another sub-project, would help negotiate intersections: A new traffic light, installed with a wireless alert system developed by InterSafe, can warn oncoming cars of its existence and that it is about to turn red.

MAPS&ADAS developed a protocol whereby the car can compare that information to the data supplied on the map. If the new traffic light is not marked on the map, the car can update the map database. "A lot of the sub-projects took advantage of each other’s work," Schulze says.

"Ultimately, it would mean that cars are updating existing maps all the time. It is an elegant application with enhanced functionality that shows how existing technology can squeeze the maximum out of the installed base," he adds. But it could be a long time before that sort of map-making functionality becomes available. It requires transmitters installed in the streetscapes across the landscape, warning cars of upcoming hazards.

"We did not fully develop this technology, but we developed the protocols and systems required to set it up, so that when the infrastructure is in place, it can be quickly integrated into new systems," Schulze informs. It all means that ’map reading for dummies’ technology could be transformed into a very, very smart safety system.

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Morning sex can keep you hale and hearty

According to a research from Queen’s University in Belfast, a good morning session at least three times a week, decreases the risk of heart attack or stroke by half and a regular session improves circulation, thereby reducing blood pressure.

According to a study in New Scientist, a steamy session twice a week enhances IgA, an antibody that provides protection against microbes that multiply in body secretions, reports The Sun.

Morning sex also helps in alleviating arthritis and migraine. It burns around 300 calories an hour that simultaneously diminishes the risk of developing diabetes. Moreover, an American study involving 300 sexually active women whose partners did not use condoms revealed that they were less prone to depression.

Sex increases the production of testosterone that provides stronger bones and muscles thus helping to stave off osteoporosis. A good morning session can make the hair shine and skin glow by raising the output of oestrogen and other hormones associated with it.

According to Yale School of Medicine researchers, it can aid in averting endometriosis, a condition where the tissue that normally lines the uterus, grows in other parts of the pelvis. However, the researchers have also warned that having sex more than three times a week can have a negative impact on our immune system thus lowering its resistance.

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Want to Boost your Brain? Eat Chocolate and have sex!!

If you really want to boost your brain power, eat dark chocolate, consume cold meat and have plenty of sex, if possible every day.

A team of international researchers has carried out a study and found that while dark chocolate and plenty of cold meat for breakfast boost grey matter, sex keeps the brain fit in later life, the Daily Mail reported.According to the study, those wishing to improve their mental ability should also avoid smoking cannabis, watching soap operas and hanging out with those who moan.

Instead, cuddling a baby, cheating at homework, reading out loud and doing a business degree can boost their mind power. The theories of the researchers are contained in the book Teach Yourself: Training Your Brain.

"What we eat and drink, how we learn at school and what type of moods we have are all crucial. People can make lifestyle choices that will constantly increase our cognitive capacity throughout our adult lives. Mix with people who make you laugh, have a good sense of humour or who share the same interests as you, and avoid people who whinge, whine and complain, as people who are negative will make you depressed," the book’s author and one of the researchers, Terry Horne, was quoted as saying.

The book also contains mental exercises and radical thinking on how diet, the environment, stress and other aspects of modern life affect our mental capacity. The researchers have claimed that sex has a very positive impact, listing seven chemical reactions the brain undergoes during intercourse which actually helps in improving its functioning ability.

The books says that sex raises levels of oxytocin or the ’trust’ hormone which increases a person’s readiness to think of novel or risky solutions to a problem. Elements in dark chocolate also prove to be beneficial. Magnesium and antioxidant chemicals increase the supply of oxygen to the brain and reduce the chances of brain damage through a stroke.

Ditching a low-fat diet is also recommended to boost performance.

The book suggests a breakfast of eggs, fish or cold meat, a lunch of protein-based foods such as oily fish and dark green vegetables, and carbohydrates for dinner - but not caffeine, alcohol or red meat. Children should not do homework on their own - minds function better when working with parents or classmates, according to the researchers.

The book also says that speaking in front of a class helps pupils because of the repetition involved. And adults can boost memory by counting aloud to 99 in threes as fast as they can.The researchers have recommended that readers should seek a concept known as BLISS - Body-based pleasure, Laughter, Involvement, Satisfaction and Sex - which all enable the mind to perform well.

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How To Organize Your Kitchen

House Keeping

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Kitchens are very sophisticated rooms with a lot of fitted appliances and cabinets. For this reason renovating a kitchen can cost an absolute fortune. You may have to replace or refinish cabinets, replace floors, and even contend with specialist problems including plumbing and electricity. To do a number of these difficult tasks you will have to hire professionals which can be very costly. It’s important to plan for such a complex project so that it doesn’t run away with you!

Many people find it difficult to create detailed plans on paper and so they may benefit from computer software. There are lots of pieces of software about which can help you create your kitchen in 3D.

Advantages of using software

There are lots of good reasons to use software to plan your kitchen rather than paper because it’s much more accurate. Computer software will also make it possible to see lots of different design ideas and compare them to find out which one you like the best.

It’s often quite difficult to find out how things will look in your home. Even if you go to home hardware stores and see their displays it is still very difficult to imagine how it will look, plus there are so many different components there’s just too much for most people’s imagination! Kitchen remodeling software will help you to visualize how the finished project will look.

Another very good reason for using kitchen remodeling software is that they will help you to estimate costs. This cost estimator will help you to stick to your budget and take most of the guess work out of renovation projects.

If you buy a good piece of software then the plans it will generate will be detailed enough in order to show to the bank. These plans would also be suitable to show to your contractor so you can get the job done right. Buying the right software will be a fantastic way to get your project off to a good start.

Here are some great tips:

1.Start by removing items in cabinets and drawers. As you do this trash any items that you don’t use or need. Or simply put them aside to donate them to your favorite charity.

2.-Dispose of any items that you don’t use. This is the first and most important step in arranging your kitchen.

3.As you remove items take advantage and clean very carefully. This is the opportunity to get things cleaned, so take your time.

4.Start organizing each cabinet and drawer. Use dividers for silverware and cooking utensils.

5.Place any items that you don’t frequently use on the higher shelves.

6.Remember to place any detergents, sharp objects out of children’s reach.
Some appliances such as toasters, can openers, blenders, may be placed all together preferably in the same area. This will avoid the use of unnecessary countertop space.

7.Clear counter top space. The less items on the countertop the better. It makes it much easier for cleaning and neater.

8.Perhaps you would like to add a fruit tray or some flower arrangement to make the kitchen look fabulous.

How to arrange Cut flowers in Kitchen

Research confirms that flowers bring on a smile and make us feel happy even in the kitchen, where most women find place.

Spring tulips are the most colorful choice, and at their best prices. One or two bunches of tulips all-of-a-kind is the way to go. Tulips are good on their own; nothing else is needed.

Some tips on keeping cut flowers:

These flowers can be kept at tin can or a Baccarat crystal vase! Put a bunch of tulips in a water pitcher, a printed can, a flea market jug or your mother’s favorite vase.

When you bring a bunch home, first give the stems a fresh cut to open up their water-uptake channels. Choose a vase. Don’t limit yourself to vases scaled to the stem length the flowers come with. Cut stems to fit. Stems short or long, either way is perfect.

Quick tricks with tulip leaves. When you want lots of flowers, vases can look crowded if too many leaves are in the way. Then lose some leaves! It’s easy to strip off leaves by pulling them downward with a quick gentle tug. To get more flowers in one arrangement, place some “leaf-less” flower stems throughout the arrangement, particularly in the center. Just retain the leaves on the outermost tulips, positioning some of these so the lower leaves fan gracefully outward over the container edge.

How To Organize Your Kitchen If You Have Arthritis

With a little creativity and organization, your kitchen can be arranged to help protect your joints and conserve energy.

1.Arrange your kitchen with simplicity and efficiency in mind.

2.Store kitchen items near the area they are used.

3.Install cabinet handles which are easy to grasp.

4.Install vertical dividers to store pans and trays so that they are not stacked.

5.Store spices in a drawer rather than in a high cupboard.

6.Use plastic containers with lids instead of heavy canisters for coffee, sugar, and flour.

7.Use lightweight dishes and lightweight, nonstick cookware. Choose silverware, knives, and kitchen gadgets with handles which are comfortable to grip.

8.A stove should have controls in the front rather than the back to eliminate reaching.

9.Small electric appliances make many cooking tasks easier.

10.Raise the front bottom edge of the refrigerator so it closes automatically.

11.Store frequently used items in cupboards between knee and shoulder height to eliminate unnecessary bending and reaching.

12.Purchase storage containers with easy-off lids.

13.Use plastic chip-clips instead of twist-ties for closing bags of food.

Tips:

1.Change whatever seems awkward or inconvenient in your kitchen.

2.A kitchen designed with simplicity will allow you more independence.

3.When arranging your kitchen keep safety rules in mind.

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Yahoo to test Google AdSense; Microsoft objects

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Yahoo, after years of battling Internet rival Google for online advertising, said itwould launch a limited test of Google’s AdSense for Search service.

The announcement drew a sharp response from Microsoft, which warned that a Yahoo-Google partnership would cover some 90 per cent of online advertising.The test is expected to last up to two weeks and will be limited to no more than three percent of Yahoo search queries, Yahoo said in a statement on Wednesday.

The programme will deliver Google ads alongside Yahoo’s own search results.The Sunnyvale, California-based company said the test will apply only to traffic from yahoo.com in the US and will not include Yahoo’s network of affiliate or premium publisher partners.

Yahoo said the testing does not necessarily mean it will “join the AdSense for Search programme or that any further commercial relationship with Google will result.”Yahoo is also fighting off a takeover bid from software giant Microsoft, arguing the offer undervalues the Internet firm.

Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, said in a statement: “Any definitive agreement between Yahoo and Google would consolidate over 90 per cent of the search advertising market in Google’s hands.”

He added: “This would make the market far less competitive, in sharp contrast to our own proposal to acquire Yahoo. We will assess closely all of our options.”Smith said Microsoft remains committed to a USD 44.6 billion takeover offer for Yahoo.

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Is tech threatening your love life?

Our personal space has now become our personal cyberspace. There is little room for that close cuddle in bed anymore, as couples prefer sleeping with their phones and laptops!

Do you sleep with your wife/husband, girlfriend/boyfriend or your laptop? Is it your mobile phone that you grope for the first thing after you rub your eyes in the morning?

Do you plug in your MP3 player or tune into the radio on your phone as soon as you step out of your home/office/college? If you answer in the affirmative to any or all of these, chances are that your personal space has become your personal ‘cyber’space!

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Pretty girls, unattractive men gel well

Women seeking a lifelong mate might do well to choose the guy a notch below them in the looks category. New research reveals couples in which the wife is better looking than her husband are more positive and supportive than other match-ups. The reason, researchers suspect, is that men place great value on beauty, whereas women are more interested in having a supportive husband.

Researchers admit that looks are subjective, but studies show there are some universal standards, including large eyes, "baby face" features, symmetric faces, so-called average faces, and specific waist-hip ratios in men versus women.

Past research has shown that individuals with comparable stunning looks are attracted to each other and once they hook up they report greater relationship satisfaction. These studies, however, are mainly based on new couples, showing that absolute beauty is important in the earliest stages of couple-hood, said lead researcher James McNulty of the University of Tennessee. But the role of physical attractiveness in well-established partnerships, such as marriage, is somewhat of a mystery.

The new study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Family Psychology, reveals looks continue to matter beyond that initial attraction, though in a different way. McNulty’s team assessed 82 couples who had married within the previous six months and had been together for nearly three years prior to tying the knot.

Researchers videotaped as each spouse discussed with their partner a personal problem for 10 minutes. The tapes were analyzed for whether partners were supportive of spouses’ issues. "A negative husband would’ve said, ’This is your problem, you deal with it,’" McNulty said, "versus ’Hey, I’m here for you; what do you want me to do?; how can I help you?’"

A group of trained "coders" rated the facial attractiveness of each spouse on a scale from 1 to 10, with the perfect 10 representing the ultimate babe. About a third of the couples had a more attractive wife, a third a more attractive husband and the remaining partners showed matching looks.

Overall, wives and husbands behaved more positively when the woman was better looking. Dan Ariely, a professor of behavioural economics at MIT’s Programme in Media Arts and Sciences and Sloan School of Management, said, "Men are very sensitive to women’s attractiveness. Women seem to be sensitive to men’s height and salary."

In couples with more attractive husbands, both partners were less supportive of one another. McNulty suggests wives mirror, in some ways, the level of support they get from husbands. "The husband who’s less physically attractive than his wife is getting something more than maybe he can expect to get," McNulty told LiveScience. "He’s getting something better than he’s providing at that level. So he’s going to work hard to maintain that relationship."

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Warning - Bird flu virus may have mutated

The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus has passed from human-to-human in China, raising fears that the virus may have started to mutate. In a highly rare case, genetic tests on a 52-year-old father diagnosed with bird flu in the Jiangsu province of China has shown that he was infected by H5N1 from his 24-year-old dying son.

Both members of the family were diagnosed with avian influenza infection within a week of each other in December 2007. However, scientists from China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention who said that the father got infected while caring for his son in the hospital reported in the ’Lancet’ on Tuesday that the transmission was "limited and non-sustained", allaying fears that the virus is evolving fast to pass easily from human-to-human to cause the next big influenza pandemic.

Experts predict that around 20% of the total world population will fall ill during the next pandemic and 28 million may need hospital care.

To be doubly sure against a sustained transmission, China has tested 91 people the two men had come into close contact with. None of these people have been found to be infected.

Speaking to TOI from New York, Dr David Nabarro, one of the world’s best known influenza scientists and the UN coordinator for avian and human influenza, said, "Such instances of sporadic human-human transmission are expected and are reminders that we should maintain maximum amount of vigilance. We can’t predict when and where the virus will mutate to cause the next big pandemic. However, what’s relieving is that the virus did not show sustained infection."

According to Prof Angus Nicoll, influenza coordinator at the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the first such human-to-human transmission was recorded in Hong Kong in 1997 when a nurse got infected from a patient.

He told TOI from Sweden, "Such transmission is rare. There is also no evidence that the virus has changed behaviour to easily shift from human to human according to the Chinese scientists, that could cause a chain of infections. But countries must maintain a good surveillance system to track and identify human cases rapidly."

Dr Paul Gully, senior advisor on avian influenza at WHO, added from Geneva, "No further transmission from the father or the son seems to have happened. However, such transmissions have occurred in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Those residing in Jiangsu province should be under close watch to identify if a next generation of transmission has happened or not for certain."

So far, 376 cases of human infection with the H5N1 form of bird flu have been recorded in 14 countries since November 2003, mostly in South-East Asia.

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Sex sells and everyone's buying, in China

World News

The world’s oldest profession has hit China with a vengeance and the new social norms are way afar from what Mao Zedong, for whom women formed half the world, had pushed for.

No surprise then, Mao is a figure on mass-produced cigarette lighters because, as a saleswoman frankly put it, "He sells". A few hundred metres from Tiananmen Square, China’s best known address with Mao staring in the background, solicitation of the new class of tourists and business visitors is no anathema.

A famous state-run plush five star hotel, which witnessed history being made, is now party to the novel social script, for instance. A good number of young girls and boys around it are busy in the new calling for hours after sundown. Some still call it "massage" but most animatedly whisper the new mantra - "hot sex, look look" - to any alien who passes by.

They are ready to go any place, any far. The rates, quoted in Yuan, can be misleading because China is a market of very smart bargains. Do not, therefore, be shocked if business cards bearing pretty smiling faces and bold-print phone numbers are shoved under your door as you check in. You do not have to be lucky to meet your date in the lobby or the lift; just a little adventurous, and a new China opens its doors for you.

Fashion and makeup - westernized and expensive too - are mindboggling as the new generation of confident girls loves to sport knee-length boots, stockings and smart suits. The vocation is hardly a spinoff of poverty; it looks like a considered option in a money-driven urban milieu. If keeping off HIV is the worldwide slogan, a wide awake China plays it safe quite religiously.

"There are different degrees starting from classical Chinese oil massage. Of course, there are no limits but not everyone does everything. All services are available but you should not be knocking at the wrong doors. We’re very particular about what is on offer to avoid confusion," said a masseur.

Shanghai, which loves to compete with the best global shopping destinations, is a much different story and very sophisticated too when it comes to "comfort stay".

Explicit "eye candy" invites are liberally splashed in newspapers and the weekends are crazier. The new bold world thrives on mobile phones because numbers matter the most to connect.

Downtown Shanghai, especially its myriad shopping districts, is very different because in other parts, it is hard to spot mannequin-like women, sitting across glass exteriors with a lot of flesh on display. It’s a market that peaks just around midnight.

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Remote lie detection raises ethical issues

A new way to remotely monitor blood pressure, pulse rate and sweating could be used to screen for health signs as well as to administer lie detection tests on people without their knowledge or consent.

While researchers stress their work remains only proof-of-concept, a commercial version using sub-terahertz waves could theoretically help remotely monitor medical patients, evaluate athletic performance, diagnose disease and detect lies.

The key is in the surprising shape of human sweat ducts.Recent advances in imaging technology reveals that sweat ducts, the tiny tubes that connect sweat glands to the outside of the skin, are helical, or shaped like corkscrews.

"At this point it’s not clear why nature chooses to create sweat ducts shaped like antennas," says physicist Professor Aharon Agranat of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a co-author of a study in Physical Review Letters.

When co-author and colleague Professor Yuri Feldman saw these sweat gland images, they reminded him of the helical antennas often used in basic engineering classes.

First, look at the twists

By measuring certain factors like the number of twists, any beginning electrical engineering student can calculate the wavelength of energy the antenna would interact with, say the physicists.

The wavelength of human sweat glands falls in the sub-terahertz, or sub T-ray, range.Full T-rays have been used in a variety of other applications recently, from uncovering hidden artwork to finding concealed weapons. T-rays, unlike their energetic cousins x-rays, are harmless.

Next, build a machine

By creating a machine that generates and detects sub T-rays, the scientists say they can look at which wavelengths interact with the millions of tiny ’antennas’ buried within the body’s largest organ, the skin.

While sweating doesn’t produce T-rays, sweat production changes the wavelength that is bounced back off the sweat duct antenna.

By measuring these wavelengths, scientists can, in turn, calculate how much and where a person is sweating.

Then, look at the sweat

Different parts of the body sweat depending on the reason. Eating a spicy chilli pepper causes sweat beads to break out on the forehead. Sunbathing causes sweat glands to be activated on the chest and back.

Various diseases and medical conditions activate other sweat glands, while also changing blood pressure and pulse rate.Eventually, with the development of an accurate sweat map and other studies, the physicists hope to create a tool that can diagnose diseases based on where a person is sweating.

In later tests the researchers also measured blood pressure and pulse rate remotely, by monitoring the kinds of sweating directly linked to changes in these vital signs.

Remote monitoring

Currently the only way to measure blood pressure is by using an inflatable pressure cuff or a surgically implanted monitor. The only way to measure sweat is through a cumbersome process that uses electrodes on a small portion of skin.

The new method can do both remotely and constantly.While cautious about the new research, James Wolff, a doctor at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts, who was not associated with the study, says "this could open up a whole new area of research".

Because it has never been possible to monitor sweat, pulse and blood pressure remotely, no one has thought about what the technique could be used for, says Wolff.

Sweaty liars

The device could also be used as a remote lie detector, without their knowledge or consent.When a person lies, it triggers physiological responses: faster pulse, higher blood pressure and increased sweating. A polygraph machine measures these responses, but it has to be physically attached to a person.

Trained professionals can evade polygraphs, but if a person doesn’t know they are being constantly tested the new method could be more effective.Jonathan Marks, a professor of bioethics at Pennsylvania State University, says that lie detection using this method would still have problems with accuracy.

A person already anxious over something else when they are being scanned could trigger a false positive."There are concerns about people’s privacy," says Marks. "Is there a justification for screening people en masse for physiological data?

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Should I have a baby?

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It’s the biggest decision of your life, and could be the most fulfilling. Here are the major issues to consider as you work out whether it’s time to become a parent.

Emotional

If you’re feeling down, lonely or unloved, it’s easy to think a baby will be the solution to your problems. Yes, a child may adore you unconditionally, but unless you feel good about yourself there’s little chance you’ll be able to meet their emotional needs in return.

You need to feel stable and fulfilled if you’re going to provide a baby with a loving home. Don’t be tempted to go for it as a means of filling an emotional hole. Also, be sure you feel able to talk openly about your feelings, preferably with the other potential parent of your child. Does he or she share your desire to become a parent? Is he or she prepared to make sacrifices as you are?

In addition, consider how you’d behave as a parent under pressure. Small children can behave appallingly at times, so you have to be absolutely sure you can keep your cool and not place them at risk of any kind of abuse. Of course, we learn many parenting skills by experience, but this is one issue where you have to know you won’t lose it when the going gets tough.

Domestic

What kind of environment can you offer a child? If you’re still living at home, at war with your parents or squeezed in with little room to breathe, will a child be able to thrive as you hope? Yes, the local authorities will seek to house a single parent or young family, but this really shouldn’t be a reason for having a baby. And if you are setting up a new home, can you afford to furnish it?

Financial

Babies aren’t cheap and even with careful budgeting it can be a stretch for some parents. With commitment and carefuly planning, you will find a way to fund parenthood. Just be sure to think things through with a level head.

If you’re at school or college right now, for example, a baby is likely to make a tough time much tougher. Are you prepared to make sacrifices with your education, even if you plan to return to it at a later date? Juggling parenthood with a career can be equally daunting, so consider what kind of support you’d receive from your employer. Will they offer any kind of maternity (or paternity) package, over and above your statutory allowance, and just how flexible will they be when you need to leave early to relieve your childminder?

Long term

A newborn baby doesn’t take up much space, eat a great deal, or demand that you give it a lift to the shops. In time, however, you’ll be faced with childcare considerations, sorting out schooling and out-of-school activities. Being a parent can be as rewarding as it is demanding, of course, but it’s vital that you think beyond the super-cute bundle of joy that first springs to mind when you consider having a baby.

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What is Active Investment?

What is Active Investment?

While going through the details of Reliance Regular Savings Equity Fund on its website, I noticed that it involves an Active Investment. Can you please clarify what is meant by ’Active Investment’? How is this style different from other styles? Would also like to know if mutual funds are allowed to do intra-day trading or not? I had taken a personal loan of Rs. 7.5 lakh to clear some old family debts. I intend to set up a SWP in one or two mutual funds for the next four years which would supplement me to pay the loan EMIs. Can you suggest two equity mutual fund schemes which may be ideal for this purpose?
-Amit Bhattacharjee

When it comes to investing, there are two styles to it - Active and Passive. Active investing is a strategy in which the fund manager is highly involved in buying and selling of stocks (in case of mutual fund). Here the aim of the manager is to beat the returns generated by the corresponding benchmark or an index.

On the other hand, in the passive style of investment, stocks are bought with a long term perspective. Here the portfolio is not as frequently churned as it is in active investing and the manager does not resort to profit booking based on short term price fluctuations. Indexing is an example of passive form of investing. An index fund invests in same stocks, in the same proportion, as in an index like Sensex or Nifty

Coming to your second query, we would not recommend you to initiate a SWP in equity mutual funds to help you pay your EMIs. If you invest one time in equity funds and then opt for a SWP, you would be assuming high market risk. If your investment value goes down over time and you withdraw funds (via SWP), you are in a way booking losses. So you can approach this in two ways. Firstly, as the interest that you will be paying on the loan would be quite high, it would be a wise decision to clear a part of the loan and save on interest. Secondly, if you wish to go the SWP way, then opt for a pure debt fund like Kotak Flexi Debt or ICICI Prudential Long Term and then opt for a SWP as they are low risk funds.

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No ban on anti-China protests: India tells China

Politics News

There will be no ban on protest rallies by Tibetans in India, the government clarified to China on Friday after Chinese officials asked if the central government would take a cue from the communist leaders ruling West Bengal.

The clarification comes after reports that the CPM-led West Bengal government, known to be ardent sympathisers of China, banned protest rallies by Tibetans around April 17. However, in Delhi, Tibetan rallies are generally confined to the Jantar Mantar area.

As India’s turn to host the Olympic torch relay on April 17 draws near, there has been apprehension of increased pressure from China regarding the security arrangements. Recently, a four-member security team from China was let in by the government, after Tibetan protesters breached the perimeter walls of the Chinese Embassy here, marking a security embarrassment for the government.

Government sources said details of the security system for the torch relay was being worked out with the Chinese. But Chinese requests for being part of the security cordon for the Olympic flame have been turned down by India, which has told the Chinese that it was perfectly capable of carrying out the security drill.

However, the flame is guarded by a ring of Chinese heavies, all martial arts trained and known to be knocking down obstacles in their way as was seen in London and Paris this week. But the bottomline is that there will be Chinese securitymen around on that day, how much they penetrate the security cordon is still up for negotiation.

India has very good reasons for not allowing Chinese securitymen on the torch route. Apart from the sovereignty issue, there is always the risk that some Tibetan protester might get roughed up by them, which would not be acceptable, said security officials.

The protests have certainly put a sharp edge to India’s relations with China, not least because of the fact that in the face of what has appeared to be gross provocation by the Chinese, both diplomatically and politically, India has remained silent.

However, the fact that the PM told visiting US lawmaker Nancy Pelosi that he considered the Dalai Lama the "greatest living Gandhian" gives an indication of the way India sees the Tibet issue. In fact, the government fully intends for Vice-President Hamid Ansari to meet the Dalai Lama after the present crisis blows over. It’s also no coincidence that the government gave a "no-objection certificate" to the young Karmapa Lama to visit the US at this time.

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Grandma's advice to virgin grand-daughter

There was a virgin that was going out on a date for the first time and she told her grandmother about it.
Her grandmother says, "Sit here and let me tell you about those young boys. He is going to try to kiss you; you are going to like that, but don’t let him do that." She continued, "He is going to try to feel your breast; you are going to like that, but don’t let him do that. He is going to try to put his hand between your legs; you are going to like that, but don’t let him do that.
Then the grandmother said, "But, most importantly, he is going to try to get on top of you and have his way with you. You are going to like that, but don’t let him do that. It will disgrace the family." With that bit of advice in mind, the granddaughter went on her date and could not wait to tell her grandmother about it.The next day she told her grandmother that her date went just as the old lady said. She said, "Grandmother, I didn’t let him disgrace the family. When he tried, I turned him over, got on top of him and disgraced his family."

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Raj demands 80 per cent job quota

Politics News

Following Supreme Court’s green signal to the quota law, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Thursday demanded 80 per cent reservation for locals in both the private and the public sector.

Raj Thackeray sent at least 45,000 copies of his letters to industrialists:

demanding 100 per cent job reservation for Marathi speakers in upcoming industries,

asking non-Maharashtrian employees to vacate their jobs for locals,

and ensuring that locals get recruited in organisations like BEST and RBI.

Party leaders say corporate do not have any choice in the matter.

"After accepting the letters if they don’t admit the locals, then we know what needs to be done," MNS Kamgar Sena leader Manoj Chavan warned. Corporate declined to speak on record. The Indian Merchants Chamber had on Wednesday come out with a strongly worded statement, which was hurriedly withdrawn hours later. Corporate executives, however, are unhappy with the diktat and feel that the MNS is over stepping its limits.

They say everybody should be given equal importance in a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai.

It seem the fledgling MNS is going all out to build a constituency, but their climb to the top of the political ladder may prove to be a bumpy ride for the corporate sector in Maharashtra.

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Boy kills grandmother for denying daily dose of porn

India News

A 21-year-old boy on Thursday murdered his grandmother as he could not watch porn and horror movies after she moved in to his room.

Abhishek Patil, 67-year-old Shantabai’s grandson, used a stone pestle to smash in Shantabai’s head. Abhishek confessed his crime and said he was angry because he had to share a room with his brother Viren after his grandmother recently moved into the family’s home in Kolhapur.

“In the beginning, he told us another story, but we found that the evidence went against what we were told,” SP Kolhapur Sukhwinder Singh said.

Abhishek, who is from an affluent family, also attacked his younger brother Viren to make police think the attacks were by intruders. He said the assailants escaped from his grasp. But police remained suspicious and Abhishek broke down on further questioning. The second-year engineering student is now in custody while the police are investigating the case.

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Electricity from stoves? Soon

If everything falls in place for him and his fellow researcher, Professor Arun Majumdar says a villager in India may be able to produce electricity for his home from a chullah, or a stove that uses wood, coal, dry leaves, or cow-dung to make fire.

During winter, instead of turning on heaters, a person anywhere in the world would be able to use a simple power-jacket utilising his body heat to stay warm. The same body heat could even be used to recharge a cell phone.If this sounds farfetched, you need to find out from Majumdar why he believes that day is not too far.

For years, Majumdar and fellow investigator Peidong Yang have been trying to see if energy routinely lost as heat during production of electricity could be harnessed using silicon nanowires.

About a year ago, Majumdar and his colleagues discovered it is possible to achieve substantial improvement in thermoelectric energy efficiency at room temperature in silicon nanowires. The high performance thermoelectric capability in silicon, Majumdar says, opens up tremendous possibilities for human welfare and cost savings.

"To give you an example," Majumdar said, "90 per cent of the world’s power is generated by heat, whether it is steam turbines, coal-fired power plants, or gas turbines. It is all heat-to-power conversion. These engines operate at approximately 30 to 40 per cent efficiency which means that about 60 to 70 per cent of the heat is lost.

"If we could convert even 2-3 per cent of that lost heat into electricity," he continued, "the number would be absolutely staggering. It is almost half the United States’ electrical capacity."

He said thermoelectric materials that have the ability to convert heat into electricity could be used to capture much of the heat that is currently wasted.

"These devices can be used both as power generators and also as refrigerators or air-conditioning devices. So the same devices, if you hook them up to a battery, will become a refrigerator. Thus if your jacket is filled with these devices on a
hot and humid day, you can carry your own air-conditioning in your jacket," Kolkata-born Majumdar, who came to the US in 1985 after a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay, said.

Majumdar, who holds nine patents and has authored a book and over 150 articles in journals, said the Berkeley Laboratory is not the only one doing such research.

"There are others like MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] who are also into this. We are a community," he said.

He said a whole series of work started in 2001 and then he and his team observed something that pushed them to do further research and confirmed their findings over and over again until the discovery some months ago.

The results of the discovery were published in an article written by Majumdar and chemist Yang in the scientific magazine Nature in January.There is a challenge though in the otherwise bright prospect for the use of the new technology -- how to make it cost efficient and performance efficient. "It is actually a combination of performance and cost. The cost has to come down in order of magnitude. Right now if you buy one of these units -- which is about an inch by an inch -- it is about $10. This has to come down to $1 or less than a dollar, and the performance has to double. So, it is not easy," Majumdar said.

But the professor, whose research interests are in the broad area of energy conversion and storage in solid-state materials and devices, heat and charge transport in nanostructured materials, and electrochemical and bimolecular phenomena in micro- and nano-fluidic devices, is pretty hopeful about the future.

Asked what gives him confidence, Majumdar said the fact that one can do it in silicon gives rise to optimism. "Silicon has $10-billion industrial infrastructure, which is producing chips or electronics. If you can take that infrastructure and turn part of it towards energy, you do not have to do much.

"Silicon wafers are already cheap. The packaging and processing conditions are all known. The fact that this is happening in silicon is a big deal. That is a big promise," he said.

Majumdar, who got interested in nanotechnology about 20 years ago and for whom the ’profession has become a passion,’ says that the thermoelectric capabilities of silicon open up new vistas for making life easier and comfortable, especially in developing countries like India.

He says technology can enable people in rural areas to use local resources to generate electricity, citing the fact that there are many in India who are off the electricity grid.

"If you take a chullah for cooking and wrap a thermoelectric device around it, you would generate electricity. Similarly, if you take a kerosene lantern, which although is a very inefficient way of generating light, and wrap a thermoelectric
device on the top from where the heat goes up and use that waste heat, you can generate electricity for your home," Majumdar said.

"That is very much possible, if the cost costs come down and it becomes scalable," he said.

Majumdar does not want to specify how long one has to wait before the technology can be commercialized although he says there is somewhat of a pressure on them to start a company.

"But we are backing off a little at this stage because we want to do a little more research. From the promise of a material to reality of systems takes at least about 10 years," he said.

"When I said reality of systems, I mean that someone has to manufacture it, someone has to sell it and people have to use it. From that perspective a lot of work is still to be done," Majumdar said.

The research at the Berkeley Lab, which is a Department of Energy national laboratory, has been funded by the DEO’s Office of Basic Energy Science.

Majumdar is a member of the Nanotechnology Technical Advisory Group to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. He served as the founding chair of the ASME Nanotechnology Institute, a former member of the Council of Materials Science & Engineering of the Department of Energy, and is currently Chair, Advisory Committee of the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation.

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War on rising prices may leave exporters high, dry

The finance ministry’s reluctance to provide new incentives to exports and the political focus on taming inflation have robbed this year’s update of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) of the usual pomp and exporters looking for sops are in for disappointment.

Barring additions to the focus-product, focus-country, vishesh krishi & gram udyog yojna; continuation of interest subsidy, and reduction of import duty for the export promotion capital goods (EPCG) scheme, proposals for most new sops have been nixed by the finance ministry.

The farm sector and labour-intensive exports will be the focus of export promotion while import liberalisation in some sectors like capital goods is on cards to tackle inflation.

Interestingly, the unusual lack of sops this year is despite the 11% appreciation of the rupee last year which has led to decline in export of traditional goods like textiles and handicrafts.

“The focus now is on containing inflation as elections are round the corner. Moreover, this is the concluding year of the five-year policy and the government is not making too many changes as the next long-term policy is due next year,” government sources said.

On its part, the finance ministry is reluctant to pump in more resources for export promotion despite exporters’ complaints about rupee appreciation. “Finance minister P Chidambaram has cleared a handful of new schemes, but they would face implementation problems like the service tax exemption,” they added.

Setting the mood, the government has already reduced the duty entitlement pass book (DEPB) credit on several items and banned exports of several items like rice. The outgo on account of the DEPB scheme is likely to be lower despite growth in exports and details of its extension would be part of the FTP announcement.

One bright spot for exporters is the allocation of around Rs 400 crore to continue cheaper credit for exports. The export subvention scheme expired on March 31. It will be extended now with an enhanced allocation, sources said.

The commerce & industry is expected to come out with measures for procedural simplification to cut transaction costs and reduce the 5% customs duty on imports through the EPCG scheme. The 5% duty on EPCG may either be reduced to 2% or scrapped, they added.

DEPB on some more steel items may be withdrawn. This list contains intermediate products like bars and rods which do not have too much value addition. The government has already cut DEPB on several steel items.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

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Japan Inc on desert safari in Rajasthan

Several Japanese companies including Nissin, Mitsui and air-conditioning major Daikin are in talks with the government to buy large tracts of land in the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor. All the companies have shown interest in setting up factories in Rajasthan’s Neemrana district due to cheap real estate.

Daikin has committed an investment of Rs 1.5 billion. The other companies are also lining up investments. Apart from Daikin, the government expects another Rs 2-billion investment in the region. Nissin, a major component supplier to Honda, has bought 6,000 sq m in Neemrana.

The Neemrana industrial park, a part of the corridor, is being developed by the Rajasthan government. The industrial park is close to Indira Gandhi International Airport in the Capital.

“Daikin has committed to start its factory in Neemrana by mid-2009. The company would use the factory for producing air-conditioners for exports. Mitsui too is in the process of buying real estate in the area,” a commerce ministry official said.

The government has offered 51% stake in the $90-billion Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corp (DMICDC) to financial investors IL&FS and IDFC. The Centre will hold just 49% equity in the project. The Centre plans to divest 6% stake to six states: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The 1,483-km corridor is planned along the dedicated freight corridor between Delhi and Mumbai. The DMICDC steering authority is chaired by finance minister P Chidambaram. The committee includes officials from commerce, labour, food processing ministries, industry and Planning Commission.

According to the proposal, the work on the corridor will be executed in two phases, with the first phase being completed during 2008-12. The second phase would extend from 2012 to 2016. The first phase will witness setting up of one investment region of 200 sq km and another industrial area of a smaller size in each state barring Delhi.

Although the corridor will pass through six states including Delhi, the national capital will not be able to reap benefits in terms of industrial development due to paucity of land.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

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Shah Jahan's dagger auctioned for 1.7 mn pounds

World News

An elegant personal dagger carried by emperor Shah Jahan was sold at a London auction for an astounding 1.7 million pounds - more than three times the expected bid.

"Of course we are very happy - it was a great sale," said a spokeswoman for auctioneers Bonhams minutes after the dagger went under the hammer on Thursday. She was unable to immediately disclose name of the buyer. The dagger, which has fine gold inscriptions and decorations and dates back to 1629-30, was expected to attract bids of around 300,000 to 500,000 pounds.

It was the star attraction at an auction of objects belonging to the late French collector Jacques Desenfans, who spent over 50 years amassing Indian, Islamic and Southeast Asian arms and armour, early pottery and works of art. The inscriptions in the nasta’liq script on the 40.8 cm-long dagger include Shah Jahan’s official titles, date and place of birth, and the honorific parasol, the ancient pan-Asian symbol of divinity of royalty, all of which point to the fact that it was the personal dagger of Shahjahan.

In an article written for the Bonhams Magazine, New Delhi-based author William Dalrymple says: "The emperor’s love of beautiful and precious objects - damascened and gold-embellished blades, enamels and hammered metals, precious lapidary, inlaid hard stones and inscribed gems - was something many visitors commented on."

Dalrymple said Edward Terry, the chaplain to the British ambassador, described Shah Jahan as "the greatest and richest master of precious stones that inhabits the whole earth".

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Sugar-powered cars on the anvil

Sugar-powered cars may be in our future. Researchers have developed a "revolutionary" process for converting plant sugars into hydrogen, which they claim could be used to cheaply and efficiently run vehicles.

According to the researchers, the conversion process involves combining plant sugars, water and a cocktail of powerful enzymes to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide under mild reaction conditions. The new system helps solve the three major technical barriers to the so-called "hydrogen economy" the roadblocks involve how to produce low-cost sustainable hydrogen, how to store hydrogen and how to distribute it efficiently, the researchers said.

"This is revolutionary work. This has opened up a whole new direction in hydrogen research. With technology improvement, sugar-powered vehicles could come true eventually," lead researcher Percival Zhang of Virginia Tech University said. Zhang and his colleagues believe they have found the most promising hydrogen-producing system to date from plant biomass. They think they can produce hydrogen from cellulose, which has a similar chemical formula to starch but is far more difficult to break down.

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Indian Navy hoists tricolour at North Pole

Indian Army

A ten-member team of the Indian Navy has created a record of sorts by reaching the North Pole and hoisting the tricolour there. Three of the ten members of the team have also joined the elite club of adventurers to have successfully reached both the North Pole and the South Pole as well as the Mount Everest.

"We are very happy and proud for having hoisted our national flag at the very top of the world," said Commander Satyabrata Dam, leader of the ski expedition team, from the North Pole in a teleconference with the media here. In the last leg of Navy’s "Three Poles" challenge which comprises the South Pole, the North Pole and the Mount Everest, the expedition team reached the North Pole at 2016 hours IST on Wednesday.

The Indian Navy has already completed successful expeditions to the Mount Everest and the South Pole, respectively in 2004 and 2006. "We have reached here after a physically demanding and painstaking journey. Now it seems like we are on some different planet where the Sun remains with us all the time and the temperature hovers around minus 40 degree Celsius," said Commander Dam.

Earlier, Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta greeted the expedition team for its daring mission and hoped the force will carry on it adventurous spirit in the future. Speaking at a conference, Rear Admiral Shekhar Sinha and Principal Director Adventurous Activity, S C Joshi termed the expedition as a historic endeavour which has made the nation proud.

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Health Misconception - redefined

We’ve all heard them - right from when we were kids and mum scolded us for reading in bad light to the beauty on TV who swears by guzzling litres upon litres of water to purify and cleanse - health mantras that have been handed down over the ages. But do they hold any value health-wise?

To answer just that, we took a look at some of the most common rules we live by and find out if they’re true or just urban legends.

~ Eight glasses of water a day

They all recommend it -- the catwalk model with the perfect figure, the actress with the flawless complexion, the fitness freak with abs of steel and everyone in between. And most people buy into it too. Every second teenager is guzzling water in the hope of washing out their system, detoxifying the body, and what have you. But does it actually work?

According to health portal Mayoclinic.com, while there are recommended levels of water intake, it is by no means a one-size-fits-all solution. Factors like diet, body type, environment and weather among others have quite a say in how much water you should ideally drink.

If your diet is high in other sources of water -- beverages (soups and juices, even tea and coffee qualify here), fruit and vegetables (watermelon, cucumbers are very high in water content) you can comfortably knock off a glass or two.If you lead a sedentary lifestyle -- long hours at the computer and little to no exercise, your requirement goes down a bit too.

So, drink when you’re thirsty and not just to complete your day’s quota.

~ If you’re cold, you’ll catch a cold
The reason one catches the common cold is due to exposure to the cold virus -- contact with a person already suffering from a cold or contact with a contaminated surface. Cold temperatures will not affect your immunity in any way, unless in extreme cases or hypothermia.

7 easy ways to avoid a cold

If you do want steer clear of the heavy head and clogged nasal passages that usually accompany a cold, you might want to read this!

~ A bad day will make you grey
There’s this joke doing the rounds online: A mother says to her young daughter, "See this strand of grey hair? Whenever you’re naughty and have me worried, another strand turns grey." To which the kid promptly replies, "You must have troubled Grandma a lot when you were little, she has no black hair left at all!"

Which one of us hasn’t heard that stress turns hair grey? Chances are, almost all of us have. What might come as a surprise though is that while almost everyone subscribes to that belief, there is no actual scientific evidence to support it.
Beat that headache with yoga!Greying is just another sign of growing old, like wrinkles. It’s in our genes. While some of us might go grey in our 60s, others might show hints of graying as early as their late teens. So while getting strung out about something might not actually turn your youthful locks to silver, it’s just as good an excuse to keep your cool.

~ Reading in poor light will ruin your eyes
Another old wives’ tale this. Yes, reading in poor light can tire the eyes, says palmereye.com, but when it comes to actually damaging your eyesight, poor light cannot be named as a factor. This hold true for television viewing and long hours staring at the computer screen too. Prolonged periods will fatigue the eyes, and might cause slight watering but long-term damage is usually very rare.

~ Coffee is bad for you
True, coffee is a diuretic (it tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of water). However, according to a report, your intake of water through the day will more than make up for the water lost due to a cup or two of coffee.

The caffeine content in coffee is also said to be addictive. While regular coffee drinkers do complain of headaches and drowsiness if they suddenly give up their daily brew, a gradual decrease in intake over a few days can just as easily keep those headaches at bay.

However, when it comes to pregnant women or people suffering from stress-related diseases, consulting a doctor would be best.

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India to launch remote sensing satellite this month

India will later this month (April 2008) launch a remote sensing satellite equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced scientific instruments, space agency officials said here.

Cartosat-2A, as the all-weather, reconnaissance satellite is called, will be used to plan urban and rural development projects. It can also be used for intelligence gathering, the officials said Friday.

"The tentative launch date is April 28," Indian Space Research Organisation chairman G. Madhavan Nair told reporters in Bangalore where the agency is based.

"The exact date and time will be finalised in a fortnight after factoring weather and other relevant data," he added.

Identical to the mapping satellite Cartosat-2, which was launched in January 2007, the 680-kilogram (1,500-pound) Cartosat-2A will be placed in a polar orbit at an altitude of 630 kilometres (391 miles).

The satellite will be launched by the Indian-developed rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, from the Sriharikota space station in southern India.

India started its space programme in 1963, and has since developed and put several of its own satellites into space. It has also designed and built launch rockets to reduce its dependence on overseas space agencies.

Space agency chairman Nair said the body has finalised a project report concerning a manned mission by 2014-15.

"The report is being submitted to the government for approval and budgetary allocation," he said. "The Space Commission, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will meet next week or so to review the report and take a decision."

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Bachchan: Don't question my loyalty: Big B

amitabh

Stung by comparisions with superstar Rajnikanth, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan on Friday said no one had the right to question what he has done for Mumbai.

’’No one needs to question what I have done for Mumbai, for I know what I have done,’’ Bachchan told reporters in Mumbai.

He was reacting to a question on an article in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana that compared him with Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who is agitating for Tamil Nadu on the issue of Hogenakkal water project.

The article: Rajnikant Khalya Meethala Jaagla (Rajnikant has been loyal) said though he was born in Maharashtra and grew up in Karnataka, he took sides with Maharashtra after achieving superstardom.

The article said ’’several actors who live in Mumbai achieve fame and glory. But when it comes to taking a firm stand on the issue of Marathi or regional pride many of film stars including Amitabh Bachchan backtrack’’.

Reacting to the allegations, Bachchan said, ’’Do you think I am not doing much for Maharashtra? If that’s what you think, then it is unfortunate’’.

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India state disputes tiger count

India News

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Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Orissa have rejected the results of a fresh count of the tiger population.

It shows that Orissa has between 37 to 53 of the 1,411 tigers in India. But authorities say a 2005 local census found 192 animals in the state. The count found a steep fall in India’s tiger population from 3,642 animals in a federal census in 2002.

Poaching and urbanisation are blamed for the decline in tiger number in the country. Authorities in Orissa are disputing the results of the new consensus by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

"We don’t agree with the figures. We are proud of our tigers," state chief minister Naveen Patnaik said.Faulty count? The census also found that the number of animals in Similipal Tiger Reserve, one of the largest tiger reserves in India, was around 20.

Authorities say a local census in 2005 had found 101 tigers in Similipal alone. "Tigers are difficult to spot here because of the dense forests. That is why we dispute the figures for Similipal" said Bijay Ketan Patnaik, the state’s chief wildlife warden.

Federal authorities have denied the allegation that the census was faulty. "Our figures for Orissa are robust and based on unexceptionable science and fieldwork in which the state forest authorities were also involved," said Rajesh Gopal of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Orissa-based conservationist Biswajit Mohanty said that the state government should punish local officials who had been counting tigers."Instead of finding faulty with the figures, the government should take to task officials responsible for misleading people with the number of tigers in the state," he said.

The latest census, released on Tuesday, said that there had been a decline in tiger population all over India.The only exception was the southern state of Tamil Nadu where the animals’ numbers had gone up to 76 from 60 five years ago.

Wildlife experts say urgent efforts should be made to save the animals. Experts blame the government for failing to crack down on poachers and the illegal trade in tiger skins.

Tigers are poached for their body parts - skins are prized for fashion and tiger bones are used for oriental medicines.Tiger pelts can fetch up to $12,500 in China. According to reports, there were 40,000 tigers in India a century ago.

The country is home to 40% of the world’s tigers, with 23 tiger reserves in 17 states.

Oil price up $2 as economy slows

Oil

prices climbed more than $2, tipping beyond $106 a barrel, after weaker-than-expected job data indicated further signs of a slowing economy. Crude oil futures for May rose $2.4 a barrel to settle at $106.23 in New York. Meanwhile London Brent crude, finished $2.38 higher at $104.9.

Commodities are viewed as an attractive alternative investment to dollars. Reports of a fire at an Exxon Mobil US refinery also contributed to the rise, prompting fears over petrol supplies.

The summer is typically a time of high petrol consumption in the US, as people take holidays, so any signs that supplies will be disrupted can help push up prices. The dollar weakened in relation to the euro after a official data showed employers cut 80,000 jobs in March - the biggest monthly job decline in five years.

"Crude futures were higher as the dollar weakened," said Nimit Khamar, an analyst with Sucden in London. When the dollar weakens it becomes cheaper for foreign buyers to invest in commodities.

Is DNA Repair A Substitute For Sex?

Birds and bees may do it, but the microscopic animals called bdelloid rotifers seem to get along just fine without sex, thank you. What’s more, they have done so over millions of years of evolution, resulting in at least 370 species. These hardy creatures somehow escape the usual drawback of asexuality - extinction - and the MBL’s David Mark Welch, Matthew Meselson, and their colleagues are finding out how.

In two related papers published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the team proposes an interesting hypothesis: Bdelloid rotifers have been able to give up sex and survive because they have evolved an extraordinary efficient mechanism for repairing harmful mutations to their DNA.

“We think, in the bdelloid rotifer, genomic changes together with environmental changes have conspired to create something that is able to exist in the absence of sex,” says Mark Welch, an assistant scientist in the MBL’s Josephine Bay Paul Center.

Their results have medical implications, because DNA repair capacity is an important factor in cancer, inflammation, aging, and other human conditions.

In animals that do have sex, DNA repair is accomplished during meiosis, when chromosomes pair up (one from the father, one from the mother) and “fit” genes on one chromosome can serve as templates to repair damaged genes on the other chromosome. The bdelloid, though, always seems to reproduce asexually, by making a clone of itself. How then, does it cope with deleterious mutations?

In the first PNAS paper, MBL adjunct scientist Matthew Meselson and Eugene Gladyshev, both of Harvard University, demonstrate the enormous DNA repair capacity of bdelloid rotifers by zapping them with ionizing radiation (gamma rays), which has the effect of shattering its DNA into many pieces. “We kept exposing them to more and more radiation, and they didn’t die and they didn’t die and they didn’t die,” says Mark Welch. Even at five times the levels of radiation that all other animals are known to endure, the bdelloids were able to continue reproducing.

“Because there is no source of such intense ionizing radiation on Earth, except if we make it, there is no way these organisms could have evolved to be radiation resistant,” says Mark Welch. Instead, they propose that bdelloids’ DNA repair capacity evolved due to a different environmental adaptation - tolerance of extreme dryness.

Bdelloids, which live in ephemeral aquatic habitats such as temporary freshwater pools and on mosses, are able to survive complete desiccation (drying out) at any stage of their life cycle. They just curl up and go dormant for weeks, months, or years, and when water becomes available, they spring back to life. Mark Welch and his colleagues showed that desiccation, like ionizing radiation, breaks up the rotifers’ DNA into many pieces. Presumably, the same mechanisms they use to survive desiccation as part of their life cycle also protect them from ionizing radiation.

“That’s the next thing we are looking at. How are the bdelloids able to repair this many double-stranded breaks in their DNA? Do they have better enzymes, more enzymes?” Mark Welch says.

One feature that may confer exceptional DNA repair capacity on the bdelloids is described in the team’s second PNAS paper. Here, they give evidence that the bdelloid rotifer, like most animals, originally had two copies of each chromosome. But at some point in its evolution, it underwent a “whole-genome duplication,” giving it four copies of each chromosome and hence of each gene. Normally, lineages that undergo whole-genome duplication lose the duplicate genes over time. The bdelloid, though, has kept most of its duplicate genes throughout its evolutionary history.

“We believe they have kept most of their duplicate genes because they are serving as templates for DNA repair,” says Mark Welch. One possible result of DNA repair is gene conversion, in which the gene being repaired ends up having an identical DNA sequence to the gene repairing it. This can introduce the kinds of changes into the gene pool that sex usually does. (For example, a gene coding for brown eyes may repair a gene coding for blue eyes on its paired chromosome, and end up turning the blue-eye gene into a brown-eye one.)

“We think that gene conversion resulting from DNA repair resulting from adaptation to (desiccation in) its environment may provide enough of the advantages of sex that bdelloids can survive,” Mark Welch says.

Genetic link tied to smoking addiction

Scientists have pinpointed genetic variations that make people more likely to get hooked on cigarettes and more prone to develop lung cancer - a finding that could someday lead to screening tests and customized treatments for smokers trying to kick the habit.

The discovery by three separate teams of scientists makes the strongest case so far for the biological underpinnings of nicotine addiction and sheds more light on how genetics and lifestyle habits join forces to cause cancer.

"This is kind of a double whammy gene," said Christopher Amos, a professor of epidemiology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of one of the studies. "It also makes you more likely to be dependent on smoking and less likely to quit smoking."

A smoker who inherits these genetic variations from both parents has an 80 percent greater chance of lung cancer than a smoker without the variants, the researchers reported. And that same smoker on average lights up two extra cigarettes a day and has a much harder time quitting than smokers who don’t have these genetic differences.

The researchers disagreed on whether the variants directly increased the risk of lung cancer or did so indirectly, by causing more smoking.

The three studies, funded by governments in the U.S. and Europe, are being published Thursday in the journals Nature and Nature Genetics.

The scientists studied the genes of more than 35,000 white people of European descent in Europe, Canada and the United States. Blacks and Asians will be studied soon and may yield different results, scientists said.

They aren’t quite sure if what they found is a set of variations in one gene or in three closely connected genes.

The gene variations, which govern nicotine receptors on cells, could eventually help explain some of the mysteries of chain smoking, nicotine addiction and lung cancer. These oddities include why there are 90-year-old smokers who don’t get cancer and people who light up an occasional cigarette and don’t get hooked.

"This is really telling us that the vulnerability to smoking and how much you smoke is clearly biologically based," said psychiatry professor Dr. Laura Bierut of Washington University in St. Louis, a genetics and smoking expert who did not take part in the studies. She praised the research as "very intriguing."

The smoking rate among U.S. adults has dropped from 42 percent in 1965 to less than 21 percent now.

The new studies are surprising in that they point to areas of the genetic code that are not associated with pleasure and the rewards of addiction.

That may help explain why some people can quit and others fail, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Md., which funded one of the studies.

"It opens our eyes," Volkow said Wednesday. "Not everyone takes drugs for the same reason. Not everyone smokes cigarettes for the same reasons."

One clue is in the location of the just-discovered variants, on the long arm of chromosome 15, Volkow said. It is in an area that, when damaged during tests on animals, makes them depressed and anxious. While some people smoke because it helps them focus or gives them a physiological reward, others do it to stave off depression.

That suggests that adding antidepressants to some smokers’ treatment could help them kick the habit.

Bierut said a simple, inexpensive test could be developed to screen people for the variants. Kari Stefansson, lead author of the largest of the three studies, agreed. He is chief executive of deCode Genetics of Iceland, which already does prostate cancer genetic tests.

Ronaldo told to carry on entertaining by Ferguson

Sports

Sir Alex Ferguson put up a robust defence of Cristiano Ronaldo last night, saying he was bewildered by the accusations of Roma’s David Pizarro that the Manchester United player did "spiteful things" to humiliate his opponents.

"As far as I’m concerned Ronaldo can carry on doing what he does," said Ferguson. "He’s a winner. Opponents can’t kick him out of the game because he’ll always get up and play. He wants to express his talent and that is why people are prepared to pay £40 or £50 to watch him.

"It might be annoying for his opponents because he’s prepared to take the ball to them and show these talents, but you can’t deny the boy’s confidence and courage to do that. It’s a breath of fresh air to see players with expression in their game and Ronaldo will not be intimidated."

United’s 2-0 defeat of Roma put them in the driving seat for a place in the Champions League semi-finals, probably against Barcelona. Should United progress Ferguson will not need to concern himself with stifling Ronaldinho, however. The Brazilian was yesterday ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing a muscle in his right leg in training on Thursday. Scans confirmed that he would be out of action for about six weeks.

Ronaldo may have the chance to shine alone then, not that Pizarro would be appreciative. He spoke angrily of a player who had a "big head" and was "very arrogant". The former Chile international had shown his displeasure on the pitch, picking up a booking for one challenge on his Portuguese opponent.

"It won’t worry Ronaldo," said Ferguson. "The most important message to send out is that here is a great player who’s not afraid to take the ball and beat men. That’s what Ronaldo is saying when he plays. In whatever fashion he does it, I don’t care. He is paid for his ability and his expression of that ability. We don’t encourage our players to humiliate opponents, but fans want to see players like Ronaldo who are prepared to show talent."

Pizarro’s reaction was not the only thing to bemuse the United manager. He also had to deal with a newspaper report that claimed Owen Hargreaves had been unable to break into the team on a regular basis because Ferguson was punishing him for being late for training and team meetings. "It’s absolutely rubbish," said an indignant Ferguson. "His time-keeping is perfect. I don’t know where these stories come from."

Ferguson also revealed that he intended to fight his Football Association charge of improper conduct for comments he made about the referee Martin Atkinson following United’s FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth. "I will contest it," said Ferguson, who intends to highlight Atkinson’s mistakes to justify describing him as a "disgrace". When he was asked why he felt he could get away with it, Ferguson replied incredulously, "Were you at the game?"

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Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking'

Multimedia

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation.

The study, by Dr Vini Khurana, is the most devastating indictment yet published of the health risks.

It draws on growing evidence - exclusively reported in the IoS in October - that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. Cancers take at least a decade to develop, invalidating official safety assurances based on earlier studies which included few, if any, people who had used the phones for that long.

Earlier this year, the French government warned against the use of mobile phones, especially by children. Germany also advises its people to minimise handset use, and the European Environment Agency has called for exposures to be reduced.

Professor Khurana - a top neurosurgeon who has received 14 awards over the past 16 years, has published more than three dozen scientific papers - reviewed more than 100 studies on the effects of mobile phones. He has put the results on a brain surgery website, and a paper based on the research is currently being peer-reviewed for publication in a scientific journal.

He admits that mobiles can save lives in emergencies, but concludes that "there is a significant and increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumours". He believes this will be "definitively proven" in the next decade.

Noting that malignant brain tumours represent "a life-ending diagnosis", he adds: "We are currently experiencing a reactively unchecked and dangerous situation." He fears that "unless the industry and governments take immediate and decisive steps", the incidence of malignant brain tumours and associated death rate will be observed to rise globally within a decade from now, by which time it may be far too late to intervene medically.

"It is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking," says Professor Khurana, who told the IoS his assessment is partly based on the fact that three billion people now use the phones worldwide, three times as many as smoke. Smoking kills some five million worldwide each year, and exposure to asbestos is responsible for as many deaths in Britain as road accidents.

Late last week, the Mobile Operators Association dismissed Khurana’s study as "a selective discussion of scientific literature by one individual". It believes he "does not present a balanced analysis" of the published science, and "reaches opposite conclusions to the WHO and more than 30 other independent expert scientific reviews".

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Clintons made $109m over seven years

World News

Hillary and Bill Clinton have made more than $109m (£55m) since they left the White House seven years ago, according to tax records released yesterday.

The Clintons paid more than $33m in taxes on their income and donated about $10m to charities between 2000 and 2007. Their recent income came largely from their best-selling books, Bill Clinton’s public speechmaking and the former president’s payments from an investment firm partly controlled by the Dubai government.

Hillary Clinton has faced pressure from presidential rival Barack Obama to release her tax returns since his were unveiled last month. Her campaign ultimately outdid Obama’s by releasing the Clintons’ estimated taxes for 2007, which show a joint income of $20.4m.

The disparity between the Democratic candidates’ financial situations is striking. Both are considered wealthy by American standards, but the Clintons reported more than $16m in joint income in 2006, while the Obamas made slightly less than $1m.

Clinton earned more than $10m from the Dubai-linked firm, Yucaipa Companies, since 2005. The couple also earned $800,000 in the past two years from InfoUSA, a database company under investigation by US securities agents for misusing corporate funds.

"The Clintons have now made public 30 years of tax returns, a record matched by few people in public service," a campaign spokesman said in a statement.The Clintons last made their returns public in 2000 when they reported an adjusted gross income of $416,039.

Nearly half of the Obamas’ 2006 income came from the publication of his second book, The Audacity of Hope.

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