US Companies Bribed Indian Govt Agencies: Mr Sharad Pawar It's only a question of time

In a note acquired through RTI, the Indian Ambassador to US writes to the Principal Secretary in India about a list of companies that have paid bribes to the Indian bureaucracy.


RTI activist Ajay Marathe with the support of the network of RTI volunteers has uncovered and presented a letter from the Indian Ambassador listing major irregularities in the dealings of numerous multinationals in India. These companies have bribed Indian agencies to expedite or get around various checks and procedures to protect the Indian markets from sub-standard or dangerous products. These include:

Dow Chemicals US ---- India’s Central Insecticides Board / De-Nocil Crop protection
Control Companies INC USA ---- Maharashtra State Electricity Board
York International Corp ---- Indian Navy
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp --- Indian railways

These document are presented below.

Study Finds Surgeon Burnout Associated With Medical Errors

Study Finds Surgeon Burnout Associated With Medical Errors

Depersonalization, emotional exhaustion linked to higher chance of reporting recent errors

FRIDAY, Nov. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Among surgeons, degree of burnout was strongly associated with major medical errors, according to research published online Nov. 19 in theAnnals of Surgery.

Tait D. Shanafelt, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues analyzed data from 7,905 surgeons who responded to a survey asking about career satisfaction, burnout, depression, and major medical errors made in the previous three months.

The researchers found that nearly 9 percent reported recently making a major medical error. Reporting an error was associated with a higher risk of screening positive for depression and a clinically significant decline in mental quality-of-life score. Each one-point increase in depersonalization -- measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory -- was associated with an 11 percent higher chance of reporting an error. Each additional point on an emotional exhaustion scale was associated with a 5 percent increase.

"Since the present study is cross-sectional, we are unable to determine whether distress causes errors or errors cause distress. The findings are consistent with previous prospective studies in internal medicine and pediatric residents which demonstrate an increased risk of future medical errors among distressed physicians and imply that surgeon distress is a contributing factor to medical errors as well as a consequence," the authors write. Eric Metcalf

The best exercise: Walking the dog- Hindustan Times

The best exercise: Walking the dog- Hindustan Times

Anti–Obesity Day 2009 - Cut Flab and Stay Fit

Anti–Obesity Day 2009 - Cut Flab and Stay Fit

Anti-Obesity Day was observed all over India on November 26th, 2009. The initiative sought to spread the word about the dangers of obesity and the steps to take to cut the flab and stay fit.

This day assumes importance in the wake of the obesity statistics which shows 17 % of the young in the age group of 14-18 in India are overweight or obese. They add to the burden of overall obesity figures in India standing at a mammoth 70 million. What makes it worse is that South Asians are genetically more prone to heart disease and diabetes due obesity. Further, Indians are genetically prone to accumulation of weight around the waist, a sure health risk.

Elaborating on the enormity of the problem Pav Kalsi, care adviser at Diabetes-UK said, “We know that T-2 diabetes, which is linked to being overweight, is up to six times more common in South Asian people than the white population.”

Growing Menace

A person is medically termed obese when the body weight is 20% more than the normal weight. Body Mass Index, the measure of obesity, is calculated using the ratio of weight and height.

Standards used worldwide to measure obesity are based on data from Whites. According to this standard, a BMI of 25 or more is considered overweight and a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. Though the World Health Organization (WHO) still retains these cut off points for overweight and obese standards, it recognizes the need to develop different cut off points for different ethnic groups throughout the world.

Recently, the BMI limits have been lowered in India for better accuracy and also to avert health risks of obesity by getting more people into the fold– now, a BMI of 23 denotes overweight and a BMI of 25 and above denotes obesity.

Health Risks of Obesity

Obesity has been linked to at least 53 diseases. Not surprising, as overweight and obesity are known to impact blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance of the body, negatively. The health risks of obesity can cost life and hence tackling obesity needs serious attention.

An abnormally high BMI increases the risk of breast cancer, cancer of the colon, prostrate, kidney and gall bladder. Thus, obesity is the leading cause of premature death due to its association with chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and Type 2 Diabetes.

• Type 2 diabetes and obesity are liked directly. Studies have shown close to 85% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.
• Obesity significantly elevates the risk of heart disease and heart attack if one is 20% overweight. .
• Obese women aged 50 and above carry an elevated risk of hypothyroidism, a disorder of the endocrine system which can trigger further weight gain and a host of other problems.
• Gallstones are another major problem for the obese and for obese women the risk is more pronounced.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has outlined some of the health risks of obesity. They are:

High blood cholesterol, dyslipidemia
Insulin resistance, glucose intolerance
Congestive heart failure
Cholescystitis and cholelithiasis
Gout
Osteoarthritis
Some types of cancer (such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon)
Complications of pregnancy
Poor female reproductive health (such as menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation)
Bladder control problems (such as stress incontinence)
Psychological disorders (such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self- esteem)
Bell the Fat

A multi-pronged strategy for effective weight management and prevention of chronic diseases is crucial for those groups at risk. A healthy lifestyle with a proper diet and exercise is the only secret to maintaining optimum weight.

The prevention strategies will include a weight loss programme followed by a weight maintenance programme. The weight loss programme will combine the benefits of rigorous physical activity and a healthy diet regimen designed to knock off the additional weight in a stipulated timeframe.

Obesity which opens the Pandora’s box of chronic diseases can be prevented with just a few healthy steps:

1. Eat a balanced diet rich in proteins, vegetables and fruits. Including more fiber and less fat will do the trick, experts say. Cut down on snacks, bakery products and fast foods laden with trans fat.

2. Stay active. Engage in a 30 minute physical activity with a good pace of exercise preferably 4-5 times a week.

3. Monitor weight regularly.

Notwithstanding personal efforts, it is also imperative that the policymakers in India chip in to regulate the entry of harmful foods. Increasing the taxes of foods saturated with sugar and trans fats while reducing the cost of vegetables and fruits may be the way to go for a leaner, fitter and healthier India.

Source-Medindia
Savitha/S

How to Wake up in the Morning By Kunal Anand

The morning struggle isn’t a lonely one – there are tens of thousands in every city of the world who can’t arouse when arisen. Google is stuffed with search queries on waking up on time - 62,200,000 for ‘How to wake up’! So most of what I’m telling you isn’t something new, but stuff I’ve thought about. Here is what you can do.

Admit you have a sleeping problem. You do. Maybe you associate sleep with ‘escape’. It’s not always going to be escape; sometimes it’s just ‘rest’. And a notion can make a big difference; while rest implies an interval of recovery from tiredness, escape means going the whole way. You have to accept that just because you are under the sheets doesn’t mean your problems are going to go away. Postponing facing what the day will give you with sleep won’t make it better.

Instead, as soon as you wake up, decide to do warfare on any current problem the moment you wake up. As soon as you wake up, start working on the bitch-of-a-PowerPoint-presentation, whip out the calculator & Accounts textbook, the course book you were dreading to read, or any other such horrendous task that you were dodging. By doing this, you are switching on your ‘Let’s get it done’ mode. The morning momentum of getting things done will carry over to other tasks– including staying awake.

You might not be waking up on time because of a bad night of sleep. To get a night of peaceful rested sleep, incorporate the following ‘don’ts’ into your sleep plan.

· Don’t watch TV, or turn on the computer right before sleeping.
· Don’t Eat a heavy meal at night 2 hours before sleeping, especially something with meat. A heavy meal is difficult to digest. Sleep is meant to be restorative, and putting your gut juices into labor isn’t sleep-savvy. Instead, leave room for fresh/dry fruits. You’ll get your fiber and fat without taxing your system. Avoid caffeine, nicotine sugar and alcohol before sleep – while all pack a nice, efficient buzz, you will definitely sleep better without it, thus waking up rested.

Get some exercise. If you incorporate physical activity into your day, you will definitely fall asleep faster, and have a deeper sleep.

Make an efficient ‘sleep plan’. Learn to adjust your evening plan to incorporate a customized chill-out period (music, a quiet read), and similarly make a chilled morning routine. If the idea of a busy, action-packed, ‘energized’ morning intimidates you, work on doing something refreshing and enjoyable that keeps you awake. Why not finish a new level on the PS2? Keep thinking of new ways of making the night sleepy and the morning fun. By creating positive memories of sleeping and waking on time, a good sleep schedule won’t seem like a schedule, but a better way of doing things.

Just because you are awake doesn’t means you are mentally booted up. Like me, you also might think that it’s your rational brain telling you that it’s alright if you sleep a bit more. It’s not. It’s your sleepy head, you sleepyhead! Steve Pavlina, personal development entrepreneur recommends actually visualizing how you will wake up in the morning, until it becomes autopilot. Alternatively, you can also practice your morning drill. He writes:

“…put on your pajamas. Brush your teeth. Set your alarm for a few minutes ahead. Lie down in bed just like you would if you were sleeping, and close your eyes. Get into your favorite sleep position. Imagine it’s early in the morning… a few minutes before your desired wake-up time... “…when your alarm goes off, turn it off as fast as you can. Then take a deep breath to fully inflate your lungs, and stretch your limbs out in all directions for a couple seconds… like you’re stretching during a yawn. Then sit up, plant your feet on the floor, and stand up...Now shake yourself off, restore the pre-waking conditions, return to bed, reset your alarm, and repeat. Do this over and over and over until it becomes so automatic that you run through the whole ritual without thinking about it…When the alarm rings, you have to put yourself through the act you have practiced…”

Wake up on the same time, even on weekends. The weekend morning may make you sore, but you know that it’ll be worth it. Chart your progress – write down what time you fell asleep and what time you woke up. Try this – as soon as you wake up, jot down the exact time – you are literally ‘guilting’ yourself into staying up because you have written it down.

Good night and good morning!

9 Requisites for Happy Living-Goethe

1. Health enough to make work a pleasure.
2. Wealth enough to support your needs.
3. Strength enough to battle with difficulties and forsake them.
4. Grace enough to confess your sins and overcome them.
5. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished.
6. Charity enough to see some good in your neighbour.
7. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others.
8. Faith enough to make real things of God.
9. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.

Begin Your Day With A Walk . . .to help reduce your cardiovascular risk.

Walking as a fitness activity is a low risk and easy to start routine. It is especially easy and good for middle age men and women and has proved its health benefits in numerous studies. An eight-year study of 13,000 people found that those who walked 30 minutes a day had a significantly lower risk of premature death than those who did not.

A regular walking program can help:

• Reduce blood cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Increase cardiovascular endurance
• Boost bone strength
• Burn calories and keep weight down

Get Ready
A walking program is simple to start. All you need are comfortable clothes and shoes. Layer loose clothing, keeping in mind that exercise elevates the body's temperature. Shoes specifically designed for walking are best.

Every workout should begin with a brief warm-up and a few simple stretches. Walk around the house or in place for a few minutes to get the blood flowing to the muscles before you attempt to stretch them. Although walking primarily works the major muscles of the legs, don't forget to stretch your back, shoulders and arms. This will help to loosen up any tension you may be carrying and make your walk more enjoyable as well as more effective.

Get Moving
In the beginning you can make your routine less strenuous by limiting how fast and far you walk. Keep in mind the following:

1. Walk short distances. Begin with a five-minute stroll and gradually increase your distance.

2. Forget about speed. Walk at a comfortable pace. Focus on good posture, keeping your head lifted and shoulders relaxed.

3. Swing your arms naturally, and breathe deeply. If you can't catch your breath, slow down or avoid hills.

4. Be sure you can talk while walking. If you can't converse, you are walking too fast.

Get Fit!
Walking as a fitness activity has numerous options. Once you have reached a point where you can walk a few kilometres with relative ease, you can start to increase the intensity. Walking uphill, can help you to increase your cardiovascular endurance, is a great way to tone the legs too. Concentrate on lengthening your stride or increasing your speed. And don't forget to reward yourself after each workout with a few minutes of relaxing stretches to help prevent sore muscles. Listening to lively music while you walk is also a great way to energize your workout.

Caution: But if you wear headphones, keep the volume down and watch out for traffic that you may not hear.

Many experts recommend that you walk a minimum of 20 minutes a day. But there are no hard and fast rules. Fit walking into your schedule whenever you can (always empty stomach). It is not necessary that you walk every day, even hour-long walks two to three times a week is good habit. The best schedule is one that keeps you walking and keeps you fit!

7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe

Popular culture is loaded with myths and half-truths. Most are harmless. But when doctors start believing medical myths, perhaps it's time to worry.

Published in the British Medical Journal , researchers looked into several common misconceptions, from the belief that a person should drink eight glasses of water per day to the notion that reading in low light ruins your eyesight.

"We got fired up about this because we knew that physicians accepted these beliefs and were passing this information along to their patients," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "And these beliefs are frequently cited in the popular media."

And so here they are, so that you can inform your doctor:

1. Myth: We use only 10 percent of our brains.

Fact: Physicians and comedians alike, including Jerry Seinfeld, love to cite this one. It's sometimes erroneously credited to Albert Einstein. But MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies show no dormant areas of the brain, and even viewing individual neurons or cells reveals no inactive areas, the new paper points out. Metabolic studies of how brain cells process chemicals show no non-functioning areas. The myth probably originated with self-improvement hucksters in the early 1900s who wanted to convince people that they had yet not reached their full potential, Carroll figures. It also doesn't jibe with the fact that our other organs run at full tilt.

2. Myth: You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Fact: "There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman, a pediatrics research fellow at the university and co-author of the journal article. Vreeman thinks this myth can be traced back to a 1945 recommendation from the Nutrition Council that a person consume the equivalent of 8 glasses (64 ounces) of fluid a day. Over the years, "fluid" turned to water. But fruits and vegetables, plus coffee and other liquids, count.

3. Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.

Fact: Most physicians queried on this one initially thought it was true. Upon further reflection, they realized it's impossible. Here's what happens: "As the body’s skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting," Vreeman said. "The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit."

4. Myth: Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.

Fact: A 1928 clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker, and did not grow in faster. More recent studies have confirmed that one. Here's the deal: When hair first comes in after being shaved, it grows with a blunt edge on top, Carroll and Vreeman explain. Over time, the blunt edge gets worn so it may seem thicker than it actually is. Hair that's just emerging can be darker too, because it hasn't been bleached by the sun.

5. Myth: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.

Fact: The researchers found no evidence that reading in dim light causes permanent eye damage. It can cause eye strain and temporarily decreased acuity, which subsides after rest.

6. Myth: Eating turkey makes you drowsy.

Fact: Even Carroll and Vreeman believed this one until they researched it. The thing is, a chemical in turkey called tryptophan is known to cause drowsiness. But turkey doesn't contain any more of it than does chicken or beef. This myth is fuelled by the fact that turkey is often eaten with a colossal holiday meal, often accompanied by alcohol — both things that will make you sleepy.

7. Myth: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.

Fact: There are no known cases of death related to this one. Cases of less-serious interference with hospital devices seem to be largely anecdotal, the researchers found. In one real study, mobile phones were found to interfere with 4 percent of devices, but only when the phone was within 3 feet of the device. A more recent study, this year, found no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. To the contrary, when doctors use mobile phones, the improved communication means they make fewer mistakes.

"Whenever we talk about this work, doctors at first express disbelief that these things are not true," said Vreeman said. "But after we carefully lay out medical evidence, they are very willing to accept that these beliefs are actually false."

Original writing by Robert Roy Britt, LiveScience Managing Editor

Extra pounds, and attitudes about them, can affect doctor-patient relationships

Extra pounds, and attitudes about them, can affect doctor-patient relationships

Posted using ShareThis

Doctors can be fairly significant, one would think, in helping people combat obesity-related health problems. But a good working relationship usually begins with respect. And that might be a stumbling block.

In a new study, researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine report on their questioning of 238 patients -- and their physicians -- from 14 medical offices about their encounters. The patients for whom doctors said they had little respect just happened to have higher body-mass index scores.

Here's the news release. The study is to appear in the November issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

And here's a recent L.A. Times column from Dr. Valerie Ulene suggesting that doctors might be at least partly to blame for those weight problems: What the doc doesn't say: You're overweight

Plus, an article exploring the effect of a physician's excess weight on patients: Does a doctor's weight matter?

Apparently, attitudes about weight can affect both sides of the doctor-patient relationship.

-- Tami Dennis

Photo: Daniel Acker / Bloomberg

Thought provoking quotes;

‘At first dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable.’

'If the loser keeps his smile, the winner will lose the thrill of victory.’

‘Never look down on anybody unless you are helping him up.’

‘Whenever you win in life, win as if you are used to it … And whenever you lose in life, lose as if you have enjoyed losing for a change.’

Ten most important winners in the history of Nobel Awards

1. Marie Curie
The leading light in a family that between them amassed a remarkable five Nobel Prizes in the fields of Chemistry and Physics. She became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in 1903 when she was recognised, along with her husband Pierre and Antoine Henri Becquerel, with the Physics award for their research into radiation.

She later became the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes when she was given the Chemistry Prize in 1911 for her discovery of radium and polonium, and her further research into radium. She is among a select group of people to have won prizes in two different fields.

2. Martin Luther King Jr.
The American civil rights activist was the youngest person to be recognised by the Nobel foundation when he won the Peace Prize in 1964, at the age of 35, for his work to end racial discrimination through non-violent means.

Even after his death in 1968 King's legacy lived on, and his image is still used today as a symbol by human rights groups around the world.

3. Albert Einstein
Arguably the world's most famous scientist, Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his services to physics, especially his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.

During his career he made significant contributions to the world of theoretical physics, among them his famous theories of relativity.

4. Francis Crick, James Watson and Maurice Wilkins
These three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962for their discovery of the "double helix" structure of DNA nine years earlier.

The award was deemed controversial because of the death of Rosalind Franklin, a collaborator with Wilkins, four years earlier. Nobel foundation rules, which state the prizes cannot be given posthumously, meant her work was not recognised.

5. Jean-Paul Sartre
The French existentialist philosopher, writer and literary critic was the first person to turn down a Nobel Prize in 1964 when he declined the Prize for Literature.

Sartre is still recorded as the winner by the Nobel federation for his influential work which was "filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth".

6. Sir Alexander Fleming
Sir Alexander shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Ernst Chain and Sir Howard Florey for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effect on infectious diseases.

The Scot made his discovery accidentally when he returned to his untidy laboratory from a holiday to discover a fungus had developed that destroyed the bacteria immediately surrounding it.

7. Hermann Muller
The American won the same prize as Fleming a year later, in 1946, for his discovery of the mutating effects of X-ray radiation.

His research and continued argument against nuclear war made him a figure of great political significance in later years as nuclear weapons became an increasingly controversial subject.

8. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Russian novelist and dissident, who spent time in a Soviet labour camp after writing letters that criticised the communist regime, received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1970.

His most famous novels, The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, for which he received the award, exposed the brutality of the Soviet Union's forced labour camps.

9. The International Committee of the Red Cross
The highest number of Nobel Prize wins goes to the International Committee of the Red Cross with three separate Nobel Peace Prizes.

In 1917 and 1944 the organisation was recognised for its work during the First and Second World Wars, and it was named as a winner again in 1963, along with the League of Red Cross Societies, to mark its 100th anniversary.

10. Sir Clive Granger
The Welsh economist won the 2003 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his methods of analysing economic statistics, which revolutionised the way economists interpret financial data. His prize was shared with Robert Engle III.

Can Indians in India get a Nobel?

We’re all proud that Venkatraman Ramakrishnan has won this year’s Nobel prize for chemistry. But a questions that comes to everyones (probably only Indians) mind that why Indians have to flee India and work in a developed country for a pathbreaking discovery that puts them on the Nobel shortlist.

The first and the last time an Indian scientist won a Nobel prize while in India was when C V Raman won one in 1930. Since then, a lot of sewage has flowed down the Ganga. India ceased to be a colony. The new government of independent India laid much stress on nurturing science and technology in India.

Independence also stripped the government of the facile expedient of blaming the colonial government for failing to nurture Indian talent or build domestic institutions that would allow creative research to flourish. And we created a bureaucratic, sclerotic science and technology establishment, the apogee of whose achievement is a thermonuclear bomb that might or might not have been a dud.

Okay, that was uncharitable and undeserved. India has satellite and launch capabilities that are decent by any standards . Missiles and nuclear powered submarines shore up India’s strategic capability. All this is fine. But these are developments in technology and its application to a specific end. We are yet to see any great flourishing of basic research.

Very few institutions undertake that. Universities are, for the most part, teaching shops and examination conducting machines. Expanding the frontiers of knowledge is not a priority for Indian academia. Papers are published because that is how promotions are achieved. Very few of these papers are cited by other researchers around the world.

A sharp cleavage exists between teaching, done in universities, and research, housed in specialised state research outfits. Universities and research organisations do not interact. Faculty pay is at a steep discount to what comparable skills would fetch in industry, ensuring that very few of those who fill academic posts embody first rate talent.

Those who do, migrate to a few centres of excellence, leaving the bulk of Indian students to the tender mercies of mediocrity. Is it any wonder Indians have to flee India to win a Nobel prize?

Modified from ET Bureau

In India, a child dies every 15 seconds- The numbers alone are bound to send shivers down your spine.

A child dies every 15 seconds in India due to neonatal diseases while 20 lakh children die before reaching their fifth birthday. Over four lakh newborns are dying every year within 24 hours of life in the country. Over 20% of the world’s child deaths occur in India, the largest number anywhere in the world.

One in three of all malnourished children in the world live in India. A child who has severe acute malnutrition is at least nine times more likely to die than a child who does not. Around 46% of children under three are underweight in India. Around 28% of child deaths are linked just to poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water.

These shocking figures are part of “Save the Children” latest report. One to be made public on Friday. The report, says that in most cases, the infections and conditions that are the direct cause of death within the first 28 days of a child’s life are preventable and treatable with proven low-cost interventions.

Globally, 8.8 million children die before reaching their fifth birthday. The report says there are a small number of diseases that directly cause more than 90% of deaths in under-fives. These are pneumonia, measles, diarrhoea, malaria, HIV and neonatal conditions that occur during pregnancy and during or immediately after birth. Severe infections, asphyxia and premature births cause 86% of newborn deaths.

Every child, no matter where or to whom they are born, has an equal right and deserves an equal chance to survive. And every one of us has a moral responsibility to act and act now, said Save the Children.

The report by Save The Children, estimates that globally, an additional $40 billion needs to be spent annually to dramatically reduce child and maternal mortality worldwide to achieve the millennium development goals. Please note that the World spends 2000 billion annually on military budget (50 times more than the required sum, out of which USA spends nearly half at 900 billion per annum).

God bless the world.

Into the Wild (2007): Movie One Must See

" Happiness is only real when it is shared"

After my return from a week long intense management development course at IIM-A followed by Jaipur CT-CME and then the outreach camp at Shahjahanpur,I took some time to relax. then I came across the movie "Into the Wild" directed by Shaun Penn which is really a moving account ones' journey to seek happiness. Below is the summary....

A young man leaves his middle class existence in pursuit of freedom from relationships and obligation. Giving up his home, family, all possessions but the few he carried on his back and donating all his savings to charity Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) embarks on a journey throughout America. His eventual aim is to travel into Alaska, into the wild, to spend time with nature, with 'real' existence, away from the trappings of the modern world. In the 20 months leading up to his Great Alaskan Adventure his travels lead him on a path of self-discovery, to examine and appreciate the world around him and to reflect on and heal from his troubled childhood and parents' sordid and abusive relationship. When he reaches Alaska he finds he has been insufficiently prepared for the hardships to come. Despite making it through the winter his plan is ill-judged and prepares to return home in spring, only to find the stream he crossed in the snow has become an impassable raging torrent and that he is trapped. With no means of sustaining himself adequately he takes to eating berries and fauna, that he identifies using a book. Unfortunately, he awakes one morning to find that the berries he consumed the night before were in fact poisonous, and causes him to starve in his so sought after isolation. Throughout his epic journey the people he meets both influence and are influenced by the person he is and bring him to the eventual and tragic realisation that "Happiness is only real when shared".

Is There a Climate-Change Tipping Point?

Friday, Sep. 04, 2009
Is There a Climate-Change Tipping Point?
By Bryan Walsh

Global warming — the very term sounds gentle, like a bath that grows pleasantly hotter under the tap. Many people might assume that's how climate change works too, the globe gradually increasing in temperature until we decide to stop it by cutting our carbon emissions. It's a comforting notion, one that gives us time to gauge the steady impact of warming before taking action.

There's just one problem: that's not how climate change is likely to unfold. Instead, scientists worry about potential tipping points — triggers that, once reached, could lead to sudden and irrevocable changes in the climate, almost without warning. It's the same phenomenon of sudden collapse that can be seen in any number of complex systems that seem perfectly stable, until they're not — ecosystems, financial markets, even epileptic seizures. The trick is to identify the warning signs that indicate a tipping point — and collapse — are about to be reached and to take action to avoid them. (Read "Heroes of the Environment 2008.")

A new article in the Sept. 3 issue of Nature shows there may be ways to do this, since certain warning signals appear to be similar across a variety of complex systems. Researchers from Wageningen University, the University of Wisconsin and Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that an assortment of systems they studied all had critical thresholds that could trigger change from one state to another — changes that tend to be abrupt, not gradual. "Such threshold events don't happen that often, but they are extraordinarily important," says study co-author Stephen Carpenter of the University of Wisconsin. "They are the portals to change."

So, how do we know that change is at hand? The Nature researchers noticed one potential signal: the sudden variance between two distinct states within one system, known by the less technical term squealing. In an ecological system like a forest, for example, squealing might look like an alternation between two stable states — barren versus fertile — before a drought takes its final toll on the woodland and transforms it into a desert, at which point even monsoons won't bring the field back to life. Fish populations seem to collapse suddenly as well — overfishing causes fluctuations in fish stocks until it passes a threshold, at which point there are simply too few fish left to bring back the population, even if fishing completely ceases. And even in financial markets, sudden collapses tend to be preceded by heightened trading volatility — a good sign to pull your money out of the market. "Heart attacks, algae blooms in lakes, epileptic attacks — every one shows this type of change," says Carpenter. "It's remarkable." (See TIME's video: "Climate Central: Vanishing Salt Marshes.")

In climate terms, squealing may involve increased variability of the weather — sudden shifts from hot temperatures to colder ones and back again. General instability ensues and, at some point, the center ceases to hold. "Before we reached a climate tipping point we'd expect to see lots of record heat and record cold," says Carpenter. "Every example of sudden climate change we've seen in the historical record was preceded by this sort of squealing."

The hard part will be putting this new knowledge into action. It's true that we have a sense of where some of the tipping points for climate change might lie — the loss of Arctic sea ice, or the release of methane from the melting permafrost of Siberia. But that knowledge is still incomplete, even as the world comes together to try, finally, to address the threat collectively. "Managing the environment is like driving a foggy road at night by a cliff," says Carpenter. "You know it's there, but you don't know where exactly." The warning signs give us an idea of where that cliff might be — but we'll need to pay attention.

On 3 Ways We Can Control Our Moods

Depending on where you are with the mood, you can do three things:

Prevention

Prevention is the set of skills that have to do with how you maintain positive momentum and redirect negative momentum. It includes things like: self maintenance (what you do to take care of yourself), knowing high risk situations and warning signs (being able to "see it coming"), and cues (knowing exactly what you do that tells you exactly how you are doing- for ex. on the manic scale an 8 means what?). Finally, it means those plans that you are going to follow once you "see it coming." Prevention means becoming an expert on you with some degree of efficiency and expertise.

Coping

Coping is what you do when you know "its here." It means limiting the damage and beginning the process of positive momentum. A lot of coping is tied up with how you process your experience and the plans you have for support when you can no longer trust the way you process your experience. It means knowing that because something "feels so" does not make it so. It means having a sounding board- whether it is a script or series of statements you do or another person you can trust- that helps to clarify reality when it does not seem so clear. It is trying so hard not to leap and find yourself dealing with consequences of your mood that you really don't want to see happen.

Learning

Learning has to do with how you view the "finished product" and what you learn that you can use next time. It means seeing mistakes and seeing successes. It means viewing your experience not just as a source of deprivation, but also as a possible opportunity to learn more about life.

Author: Therese Borchard in Huffington Post. Ms Borchard also writes her blog, Beyond Blue, on beliefnet.com

Jimmy Hendrix: On Peace

Creating A False Self: Learning To Live A Lie

Why Would Someone Create a False Self?

We all, to some extent, cultivate a false self for protection, but most of us are aware of it, we know we're putting on a bit of an act in certain situations. But those whose false self functioning has become compulsive and unconscious are not aware of the mask they wear.

The idea of a false self is to ward off mounting anxiety, to help a family to maintain its denial of problems or to keep the true self safe and often hidden. That's why a child might create one in the first place, to please and placate the family system. The sad outcome however, is that the false self becomes so well constructed and adapted, or garners so much acceptance and sense of place and even power within the family that spawned it and relies on it to maintain their status quo, that eventually the true self becomes lost to us. We hide our true self so effectively that even we can't find it. And the cost of changing the way we function seems just too dear. We not only fear feeling the pain underneath the coping strategy, we may feel our very place within the family might be in jeopardy if we change.

This false self is also sometimes seen as the "idealized self" or the self through which we operate because our true self just somewhere along the line (usually quite young) felt too weak, inadequate or overwhelmed to function and gain approval in the situation in which it finds itself. So we constructed a version of self that was better, stronger and more able to cope well, a self that was less easily wounded, made anxious or devastated.

We may even come to idealize our particular false self adaptation; for example, bullying becomes 'strength' or manipulation and controlling becomes 'cleverness' or even 'compassion'. The false self steps in, when we feel unable to cope, like an actor on a stage and hides our stammering insecurity under a smoke screen of fake strength, or intellectual posturing.

We all need an ability to mask or control our baser emotions so that we don't blurt them out inappropriately where they can get us into trouble. The real danger lies not in creating a mask or false self, we all do that somewhat. The danger lies in mistaking the false or idealized self for the true self. A false self because it is an unconscious defense, can stifle the growth of a conscious, authentic self. It's the false self that strategizes and develops strength, confidence and acceptance. And the true, conscious self gets suffocated and sent into hiding.

How Did This False Self Get Created in the First Place?

Generally we think of family as one place in which we can let our hair down and be ourselves. But what if the family we're in doesn't allow for the expression of each individual's genuine self, if the family demands that we be who it needs or wants us to be to such an extent that we learn to create a false self in order to be accepted and loved? This phenomenon of false self functioning, is often seen in alcoholic families or other types of families that have impossible standards of who and what to be, such as with extreme wealth, religion or even military; it is also associated with pain filled, dysfunctional families. Many of these family types overlap e.g. alcoholism and extreme wealth. Kids who grow up in these families often learn not to express their genuine and spontaneous reactions about what they see going on around them; because if they do, they risk being attacked or put down by those in the family who are invested in maintaining the status quo and denying that problems exist.

Because it isn't safe to be open about what is going on in the emotional atmosphere of the family or for that matter to even feel what is really going inside themselves, these children may learn to live a sort of emotional lie because unconsciously, they fear that letting in the truth will overwhelm them or those they love. Family members silently collude in creating the sort of false sense of normalcy that they feel is lacking in their family. Staying safe and "looking good" become of paramount importance. To this end children and even adults become what will please and protect the system rather than who they really feel like on the inside.

The false self is an adaptive (though actually maladaptive) reaction to a dysfunctional situation. It is largely unconscious, that is the person with the false self would never know that it's false and if you were to challenge them on it, they would see you as the problem, not themselves and they would probably set about analyzing your need to criticize. If you are bold enough to confront, take on or critique a false self behavior....well...look out. The false self is there to hide, ward off or cope with unfelt, unacknowledged pain and when you challenge the behavior, whether it be compulsive talking, joking, chronic cuteness or intellectual superiority, you challenge the pain. The hurt that is hiding gets somehow triggered or touched and anger or retaliation may ensue.

When someone who has become dependent on false self functioning goes into therapy or enters a twelve step program they can go through a period of feeling very vulnerable and shaky because they are removing their coping strategy and exposing the pain underneath it. But over time new emotional habits get created and new ways of healthy coping get practiced and adopted. And this person can become much more comfortable "living in their own skin".

Top 25 Ways You’re Wrecking Your Immune System

Your immune system is what helps your body fight off disease. This system is a collection of cells and organs in your body that attacks outside contaminants that threaten your health. When your immune system is weakened, you are more likely to become sick. Indeed, a good immune system is essential if you expect to ward of illnesses and remain in good health. Unfortunately, there are many things you could be doing right now to wreck your immune system. Here are 25 things that could put your immune system — and your health — at risk.

Food

You are what you eat. And if what you eat is junk, that’s what your immune system is likely to be. While avoiding certain foods altogether is not required to maintain a healthy immune system, it is a good idea to remember moderation. Here are some of the ways that what you choose to put into your body can affect your immune system in a negative manner.

1. Too much sugar: I have a sweet tooth. However, I have to remember to moderate how much I eat. Too much sugar interferes with the body’s ability to absorb needed nutrients — especially Vitamin C (which is thought to be good for the immune system). You can end up with a hormonal and chemical imbalance when you consumer too much sugar, and that’s rarely a good thing.
2. High amounts of fat: Just as eating too much sugar can be bad for your immune system, so too can excess fat. High amounts of fat can cause toxins to get into your body’s systems — including your immune system, weakening your ability to fight of disease. Even too much unsaturated fat can cause problems with your immune system.
3. Excess protein: It is true that protein is needed for a healthy body and properly functioning immune system. However, too much protein starts to wreak havoc with your body. This is because unused protein is converted into fat for storage. And that fat can cause immune system problems.
4. Excess alcohol: Alcohol deprives the body of nutrients that can help boost the immune system. On top of that, high amounts of alcohol can actually suppress white blood cells. White blood cells are an essential part of your immune system.
5. Drugs: Illegal drugs have obvious effects on the immune system. Marijuana and other drugs can inhibit the absorption of helpful nutrients into the blood stream. However, over the counter and prescription drugs can also effect the immune system in a negative way. In fact, there is a common antibiotic that, when combined with a specific immune system, can cause serious injury.
6. Food allergies: Food allergies contribute to immune system problems. If you are lactose intolerant, or if you have Celiac disease, or some other food allergy, your immune system is affected. Every time you eat something that your body attacks, the response is harder to overcome, and your immune system is weakened.
7. Lack of probiotics: There are certain bacteria that are actually good for you. There is speculation (nothing proven) that probiotics can boost your immune system. A lack of them can leave your illness-fighting capabilities below what is needed. Yogurt is one of the most famous sources of probiotics.
8. Not enough water: Water can help you keep your immune system healthy. It aids in flushing out toxins, and that means that your immune system does not have to work so hard. Drinking water, instead of energy drinks, soda and other unhealthy beverages can be of great help to your immune system.
9. General lack of nutrition: Without proper nutrition, your body does not have what it needs to function at a high level — and that includes your immune system.

Lifestyle

How you live your life can also affect your immune system. Your lifestyle choices can ultimately influence your immune system and your overall health. Here are some of the ways that you can mess up your immune system:

1. Lack of sleep: We’re all busy, and sometimes sleep is the thing we sacrifice in order to get done everything we need to do. However, sleep is a vital component to your immune system. Rest allows your cells to regenerate, and your body’s systems to gain strength. Without adequate rest, your immune system can falter.
2. Lack of exercise: If you are too sedentary, your body does not receive the healthy exercise it needs to be strong. Regular exercise can help boost your immune system, and help you feel better in general.
3. Too much exercise: While moderate, regular exercise is good for the immune system, too much exercise can cause problems. When you are too intense, too much of the time, you actually start to harm your body. Too much physical stress can overwhelm the body, and the immune system.
4. Chronic stress: Are you stressed out and anxious? Chronic stress can actually harm the immune system through the inability of the body to respond to certain hormonal signals. So, slow down. You may be making yourself susceptible to illness.
5. Yo-yo dieting: Another habit that may affect your immune system is yo-yo dieting. Dramatic weight changes, and attempts to lose weight quickly, wreak havoc with your body. These frequent, extreme changes to the body can lead to a weaker immune system.
6. Fun in the sun: Without proper protection, your fun in the sun could turn into an immune system problem. Prolonged exposure to ultra violet (UV) rays can interfere with the way your immune system functions. While a small amount of sunlight helps with Vitamin D production in the body, too much can be harmful. Make sure to wear sunscreen while you are outside.
7. Smoking: When you smoke, you weaken your immune system. Smoking introduces harmful elements into your system, forcing your immune processes to work overtime. Children exposed to second hand smoke are especially vulnerable when it comes to their immune systems.

Health Concerns

There are a number of health concerns and conditions that can affect the immune system. It is important that, if you have these health concerns, you do what you can to compensate for your weakened immune system:

1. Aging: There’s not much you can do about this one, except live as healthy a lifestyle as you can manage. As your body ages, its processes begin to break down, and this includes the immune system.
2. Injuries: Any stress on your body can result in stress on your immune system. Injuries definitely fall into this category. Repeated injuries — from falling or sports or some other reason — can lead to reduced capacity for your immune system.
3. Depression: One of the most difficult issues facing many people is depression. But depression does more than affect your psychological wellbeing. Depression also causes an increase in hormones that can wear down the immune system.
4. Regular infections: The more your immune system is called upon, the more worn out it becomes. If you have regular infections or sickness, you can put added stress on your immune system and reduce its ability to respond to illness.
5. Not washing your hands: Many illnesses are acquired through lack of good hygiene. Poor hygiene introduces Practice good hygiene, washing your hands, and keeping cuts and scrapes clean. You should also bathe regularly and take other measures to keep your body clean. However, don’t go overboard. Like all else, moderation is needed. Excessive hygiene can be harmful as well.
6. Treatment for illness: When you are treated for illness — especially if that treatment is aggressive — you can end up with a weaker immune system. This is especially true of some cancer, HIV/AIDS and other chronic/terminal illness treatments.
7. Antibiotics: Strange as it may sound, the aggressive use of antibiotics in everything from hand soap to medications may be weakening the immune system. Antibiotics can kill helpful bacteria that aid your immune system, and you also have to be concerned about antibiotic resistance amongst some germs.
8. Seasonal allergies: If you have seasonal allergies, you may find that your immune system is affected. Allergies trigger responses in your body to fight invading pathogens. The recurring trigger leads to an immune system that can become worn down.
9. Impurities in the air: What you breath in can affect your immune system. Air pollution, dust and other particles can enter your body and trigger an immune response. Whether outside or inside, try to avoid dirty air.

Unsolicited courtesy by Miranda on Web-Nurse

Jacko’s Death and iPhone application

Michael Jackson’s death brought to light the importance of CPR in the event of cardiac arrest. Now there is a nifty new iPhone application that teaches users how to do CPR during an emergency. Apple in association with American Heart Association [AHA] has introduced Pocket First Aid & CPR for the Apple iPhone.

Pocket First Aid & CPR Guide

The American Heart Association's Pocket First Aid & CPR application
includes the most up-to-date emergency information from the American
Heart Association.

Features & Benefits		Included Items		Availability
Review first aid procedures: • anytime • anywhere • from your home • in your car • in the wilderness		• Illustrations • Videos • Storage of information on your iPhone • Updates for recent information and  AHA Guidelines		First aid can and does save lives. Be as prepared as possible with Pocket First Aid & CPR! Powered by Jive Media.

Pocket First Aid & CPR

Whether you're at home, on the road, or in the woods, the American Heart Association's Pocket First Aid & CPR application is at your fingertips with concise, clear instructions to care for you and your loved ones.

• Includes the latest up-to-date emergency information from the American Heart Association.
• Review first aid procedures anytime, anywhere. From your home, to your car, to the wilderness.
• Easy to learn, easy to use, right there when you need it.
• Manage your first aid kit checklist, to be sure you have what you need in an emergency.
• Save your medical information for quick retrieval. Look up your doctor or emergency contacts with a single click.
• Store your insurance information for easy access.

Pocket First Aid & CPR includes:

• Hundreds of pages with illustrations, including topics such as CPR, choking, bites, bruises, burns, seizures, diabetic emergencies, and more.
• High-quality and detailed videos, showing how to respond in critical first aid situations. Videos include choking, CPR, seizures, cuts and wounds, and more.
• All videos, articles and illustrations are stored on your iPhone or iPod Touch, so you can provide first aid even when out of cell phone range.
• Enter your loved one's medical information on the My Info tab. For each individual, you can save doctors' contact information, along with hospitals, emergency contacts, allergies, medications, and more. You can also save insurance information for quick access.
• As standards of treatment improve, Pocket First Aid & CPR will be updated to track those changes.

All content provided by the American Heart Association, the united states oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.

Truth About Lying

From big whoppers to little white lies, almost everyone fibs on occasion. Experts reveal why.

by Jenna Mccarthy

Nearly any one will say that lying is wrong. But when it comes to avoiding trouble, saving face in front of the boss, or sparing someone’s feelings, many people find themselves doing it anyway. In fact, more than 80 percent of women admit to occasionally telling what they consider harmless half-truths, says Susan Shapiro, author of Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie (St. Martin’s Press, $15). And 75 percent admit to lying to loved ones about money in particular. The tendency to tell tales is “a very natural human trait,” explains David L. Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at the University of New England, in Biddeford, Maine. “It lets you manipulate the way you want to be seen by others.”

To pinpoint how people stretch the truth from time to time and the potential fallout from it, learn the six most common ways that people mislead. Most lies aren’t meant to be hurtful to others; rather, they’re meant to help the one doing the fibbing. These are the six top ways people lie.

1. Lying to Save Face

What it sounds like: “Gosh, I never got the shower invitation!” “Sorry I’m late, but there was a huge pileup on the freeway.”
Why people do it: For self-preservation. While it may be instinctual, people who frequently cover up innocent errors may start to feel as if they have permission to be irresponsible. What’s more, it can become gruelling for them to keep track of those deceptions. (“Now, why did I tell her I couldn’t cochair that event?”) Eventually those lies hinder people from having close connections, says Smith. “Of course, there are relationships in which it doesn’t matter as much,” he says.
How you can avoid it:

• Think long-term. When you’re tempted to be less than truthful, consider your ultimate goal: to have a happy marriage, say, or a solid friendship. Then, when torn between fact and fiction, ask yourself, “Which will put me closer to my goal?” Usually the choice is clear.
• Keep it simple. Most of the time, a short apology is all that’s needed, and you can omit some details without sacrificing the truth. Something like “Sorry that I didn’t call you back sooner” is usually sufficient and effective.

2. Lying to Shift Blame

What it sounds like: “It’s my boss’s decision, not mine.” “My husband never told me you called.”
Why people do it: “To effectively give away power and control,” says Smith. “When done habitually, this can diminish a person’s ability to deal with life’s bigger problems.” When someone constantly saddles other people with his responsibilities, others can grow resentful of carrying this burden. Also, eternally passing the buck is downright exhausting. The deceiver keeps fielding requests but is only postponing the inevitable. Eventually the issue will have to be dealt with.
How you can avoid it:

• Dig deep. In some cases, blame shifting can signal difficulty with accepting responsibility for your actions, says Joseph S. Weiner, chief of consultation psychiatry at North Shore University Hospital, in Manhasset, New York. Maybe you were criticized for making mistakes as a child, for example, and so now you’re afraid to own up because of what other people may think of you. Once you realize this is a behaviour that can be changed, however, you can start to regain the power you may feel you don’t have.
• Flip it around. Before using a colleague or a loved one as a decoy in a minor deception, think of how the other person would feel in the same scenario. If the deception puts other people in an unfavourable light, it’s best to leave them out of it.

3. Lying to Avoid Confrontation

What it sounds like: “That’s a wonderful idea, Mom. I’ll make sure to get to the airport three hours before my flight.” “You’re doing a great job, but we can’t afford a housekeeper anymore.”
Why people do it: A believable excuse may help someone avoid an uncomfortable talk or keep that person from feeling guilty. But relying on nonconfrontation too often eventually does relationships―both personal and professional―a disservice. With people to whom one is deeply tied, it’s important to remember that “closeness is not always pleasant, and that interpersonal dealings, by their very nature, have highs and lows,” says Smith. “When you try to avoid the lows at all cost, it can have an overall deadening effect on these connections.” Even if the person on the receiving end of a lie isn’t closely tied to the fibber, the one deceiving still has to keep track of―and live by―those lies. What’s more, she may have to deal with the consequences of the lie anyway (for example, if the housekeeper finds out someone else was hired in her place).

How you can avoid it:

• Consider the options. Before you tell a fib, it helps to make a list of all the ways you could handle the situation―from delivering a total fairy tale to telling the stark truth. If, after thinking it through, you still decide a fabrication is the best choice, “it may signal that you don’t value having an honest relationship, and that in itself is worth pondering more,” says Marlene Chism, a relationship expert in Springfield, Missouri, and the author of Success Is a Given (ICARE Publishing, $15, Amazon.com). On the other hand, maybe there is an option that will allow you to tell the truth but that will still provide your desired outcome.
• Pair it with the positive. Look for the bright, true spot buried within the lie. Saying to your mother, “Your ideas are always appreciated―I called that tutor you recommended last week!―but this time I just don’t agree,” makes the truth easier to swallow for both of you.

4. Lying to Get One’s Way

What it sounds like: “I won’t be at work today. I caught that bug that’s going around.” “Officer, my speedometer must be broken.”
Why people do it: For personal gain. But when a lie like this is uncovered, the recipient is unlikely to be charitable. And the more hurtful the lie is to the person on the receiving end, the less it’s likely to be forgiven. “When getting what a person wants drives his every word and action, he will not earn people’s trust or love,” says Weiner.
How you can avoid it:

• Stop justifying. Maybe you think you deserved that day off. Or you figured it was late and there was no one on the road when you were speeding. While both rationalizations may be true, “that doesn’t make the lie any more acceptable in the end,” says Smith. If you have to convince yourself the lie is OK, chances are it’s not.
• Think of the alternative. Consider if honesty could still bring about a positive result. Example: “I know I don’t have any vacation left, but I’d be willing to come in Saturday or stay late every day next week if I could have Friday off.” Or admit to the police officer that you lost your concentration going down the hill and apologize. That may result in a warning instead of a ticket. You never really know until you try.

5. Lying to Be Nice

What it sounds like: “That dress looks fantastic on you.” “This is the best meat loaf I’ve ever tasted.”
Why people do it: In some cases, the little white lie is altruistic, says Smith, but when used excessively, it can make interactions with people less authentic. At its worst, others may feel that a person isn’t being genuine or trustworthy.
How you can avoid it:

• Walk in the other person’s shoes. People often underestimate the information that others can tolerate and even benefit from, particularly when the words are said out of friendship, says Weiner. For example, you would generally want someone to mention it if you had a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth, if your blouse had a stain, or if your pot roast could use a pinch of salt.
• Tone it down. If you feel that a certain amount of truth stretching is a vital social lubricant, the best thing to do is to avoid gushing. “That’s a great colour on you” is a lot more plausible than “That’s the most stunning sweater I have ever seen in my entire life.”
• Track it. Keeping a tally of the tales you tell for a day or a week can help you distinguish between the instances where being truthful matters and where it doesn’t. Maybe you didn’t need to tell the supermarket checkout gal that you loved her (hideous) earrings. But it made you feel better to say it, plus you got a pleasant reaction from her. Most experts say there’s no huge harm in that.

6. Lying to Make Oneself Feel Better

What it sounds like: “Eating my kids’ French fries doesn’t count.” “I’ll charge this stuff now because I’m going to pay off the credit-card bill as soon as I get my bonus.” “I never watch television.”
Why people do it: To reassure themselves. But when people start to believe their self-deceptions, it can snowball, which is especially dangerous. A clean-your-plate habit can lead to an extra 10 pounds. One shopping spree can trigger can’t-pay-the-mortgage debt. And while denying hours spent in front of the TV isn’t a crime, it might cause a person to wonder where all her time is going―or get busted humming the Law & Order theme song.

How you can avoid it:

• Plan honesty ahead. Because self-deception can become almost automatic, “stopping isn’t simply a matter of just saying in the moment, ‘Hey, should I lie to myself right now?’” says Smith. Instead, pledging to face reality in the situations where you’re most likely to deceive yourself is a smarter tactic.
• Keep your goals in sight. Whatever you want to accomplish, from sticking to a healthy diet to keeping your bank account in the black to cutting down on those television marathons, lying about what’s really going on puts you one step farther from that objective. Instead, it’s a good idea to visualize, in full detail, what it will look, feel, sound, smell, or taste like when you attain your goal. “Painting a detailed picture in your mind will help you maintain your motivation, even in the face of temptation to sabotage yourself with deception,” says Weiner.
• Help others be accountable. When people who tend to deceive themselves spend too much time with frequent fibbers or even others who tolerate that type of mendacity, their destructive habits won’t be challenged or corrected. In the most serious situations, where lying is causing someone serious damage, it helps to be a particularly truth-conscious friend and lend support as well as a gentle, watchful eye.

Indian bureaucracy the worst in Asia

Reuters

Survey:

Singapore: Jun 03, 2009

Singapore's civil servants are the most efficient among their Asian peers, a business survey on 12 economies released on Wednesday showed, but they tend to clam up unhelpfully when things go wrong.

The island-state was ranked first for a third time in a poll of 1,274 expatriates working in 12 North and South Asian nations on the efficiency of bureaucrats in those countries. The poll was last held in 2007.

During normal times, when the system is not stress-tested, it operates very well, Hong Kong-based Political & Economic Risk Consultancy said in a 12-page report of Singapore's bureaucracy.

However, during difficult times - or when mistakes are made that reflect badly on the system - there is a tendency among bureaucrats to circle the wagons in ways that lack transparency and make accountability difficult, the report said.

India's suffocating bureaucracy was ranked the least-efficient by the survey, which said working with the country's civil servants was a slow and painful process.

They are a power centre in their own right at both the national and state levels, and are extremely resistant to reform that affects them or the way they go about their duties, PERC said.

Thailand, despite four years of on-off street protests and a year of dysfunctional government was ranked third. For all the country's troubles -- or perhaps because of them -- respondents to our survey were impressed with the way Thai civil servants have been carrying out their duties, PERC said. It said state offices associated with corruption presented the most difficulties for Thai citizens and foreigners.

PERC managing director Bob Broadfoot told Reuters that the controversy around huge investment losses by Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek was a good example of how things could become less transparent in in the island-state.

The Singapore government has come under fire from lawmakers and its citizens over several investment losses, particular its exit from Bank of America which resulted in a loss of over $3 billion, according to Reuters calculation.

The survey ranked Hong Kong second. China, which has been campaigning to fight corruption in its bureaucracy and improve efficiency on the civil service, was ranked 9th in the 2009 poll, two places down from 2007.

Ranking by most efficient to least efficient economies: Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia and India.

Racism

Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum hatred for minimum (more right NO reason) : Altered quote of Abraham Heschel by me.

Winner Vs. Looser

A speech made by the 26th President of the United states of America, Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris -

‘It is not the critic who counts ; not the man who points out how the strong man , or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood ; who strives valiantly ; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming ; but who does actually strive to do the deeds ; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions ; who spends himself in a worthy cause ; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.’

Lies, Lies, and Lies: The Truth about it…

Mark Twain: Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said. When in doubt, tell the truth.

Montaigne: He who is not sure of his memory should not undertake the trade of lying. There are some whose memory never fails them!

Sam Rayburn: Son, always tell the truth. Then you'll never have to remember what you said the last time.

Sir Walter Scott: What a tangled web a liar weaves, When he practises to deceive!

Thomas Jefferson: He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual.

Virginia Woolfe: If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.

Abraham Lincoln: You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

Adrienne Rich: Lying is done with words and also with silence.

Benjamin Disraeli: There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

Demosthenes: Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.

George Eliot: Falsehood is easy, truth so difficult.

John F. Kennedy: The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic

Modern Times and Man

A man that values privileges above principles soon loses both. * Dwight D Eisenhower

Most of the change we think we see in life is due to truths being in and out of favour. * Robert Frost

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. * J Krishnamurti

Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic. * Thomas Szasz

Virtue of a weak: Jealousy

A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity. Lazurus Long

Jealous souls re not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster Begot upon itself, born on itself. Othello, Act 3, scene 4. William Shakespeare 1564 - 1616)

No one can make you jealous, angry, vengeful, or greedy - unless you want to be. Napolean Hill

Mind and Time

A still mind sees solutions that are hidden to most others.

Time is the most strechable element of all...

because - it lengthens when you are waiting…

and shortens when you enjoy the moments.

Do Good and Get Worse (To GOD of Modern Times!)

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about. The letter read:

Dear God,

I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension payment. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with, have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me?


Sincerely,


Edna

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.


Christmas came and went. A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read:


Dear God,

How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it might have been those b*****s at the post office.


Sincerely,


Edna


What Would You Say? If you were that Postman /woman

Some for the laugh and one to get serious…

Rather misogynist..

1 When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. David Bissonette

2 After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together. Sacha Guitry

3 By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. Socrates

4 Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them. Anonymous

5 The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, 'What does a woman want? Alexander Dumas

6 I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.Sigmund Freud

7 'Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.' Anonymous

'8 There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.' Sam Kinison

9 'I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't.' James Holt McGavra

10 Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it,
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.

Patrick Murra

11 The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once....! Nash

12 My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met. Henny Youngman

13 A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong. Rodney Dangerfield

14 A man inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: 'Wife wanted'. Next day he received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: 'You can have mine..' Anonymous

15 First Guy (proudly): 'My wife's an angel!' Second Guy: 'You're lucky, mine's still alive.' Anonymous

Now some serious stuff: SAVE TREES, TREES SAVE

For Ordinary....

“How odd is the logic of the mind - it seeks compromises when they are wrong, and it asks for justice when others are wrong !”

But What about those who are not ordinary!

Wait for the next....only if you are o---n--y and you won't, I know if you are extrao---n--y.

Experience

"Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again".

Stop for a while....

"Guys bad habits are like a comfortable bed. Easy to get into, but hard to get out of.”

"The difficulties we experience always illuminate the lessons we all need most.”

“If you want a place as a sun in the crowd, you have to expect some blisters.”

"Silence of a righteous and strong is a strategy, not a refuge. A weapon and not an escape.”

“Life is not about growing up or growing old. It’s about making sure you never stop growing.”

-Anonymous

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket but into your own.”

“When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast food for dinner after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I’ll never forget what he said: ’Darling, I love burned toast.’
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, ‘Darling, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she was real tired. And besides a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!’ You know, life is full of imperfect things…..and imperfect people. Like I’m not the best housekeeper or cook.

What I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults - and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences - is the one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that’s my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give you a relationship, where burnt toast isn’t a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship !!”

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket but into your own.”

Why is April 1- A day dedicated to fools!

Holidays are celebrated for all sorts of reasons. Some honour heroes, others commemorate religious events, but April 1 stands out as the only holiday that celebrates foolishness. April Fools' Day, or All Fools Day, is an odd celebration with a strange history. What other holiday asks us to play tricks and dupe our unsuspecting friends and acquaintances?

There's some uncertainty about when and where this bizarre tradition began, but the most accepted explanation traces April Fools' Day back to 16th century France. Up until 1564, the accepted calendar was the Julian calendar, which observed the beginning of the New Year around April. According to "The Oxford Companion to the Year," King Charles IX then declared that France would begin using the Gregorian calendar, which shifted New Year's Day to January 1.

Not everyone accepted this shifting of dates at the same time. Some believed that the dates should not be shifted, and it was these people who became the butt of some April jokes and were mocked as fools. People sent gifts and invited them to bogus parties. Citizens in the rural parts of France were also victims of these jokes. In those days, news travelled slowly and they might not have known about the shifting of dates for months or years. These people also endured being made fun of for celebrating the new year on the wrong day.

Picture: Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called Poisson d'Avril, which literally means the "April Fish."

Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called Poisson d'Avril, which literally means the "April Fish." One common joke is to hook a cardboard fish to the back of a person. What a fish has to do with April Fools' Day is not clear. Some believe that the fish is tied to Jesus Christ, who was often represented as a fish in early Christian times. Others say the fish is related to the zodiac sign of Pisces, which is represented by a fish, and falls near April. It's interesting to point out that Napoleon earned the Poisson d'Avril monicker when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.

It's probably no coincidence that April Fools' Day is celebrated at the same time that two other similar holidays are celebrated. In ancient Rome, the festival of Hilaria was thrown to celebrate the resurrection of the god Attis. Hilaria is probably the base word for hilarity and hilarious, which mean great merriment. Today, Hilaria is also known as Roman Laughing Day. In India, the Holi festival celebrates the arrival of spring. As a part of that festival, people play jokes and smear colours on each other.

There's no clear connection between the modern observance of April Fools' Day and these two ancient celebrations, which lends most historians to accept the French explanation for how April Fools' Day developed.

Today's Killers or Tomorrow's Doctors: What are we making?

Aman Kachru and his unfortunate parents, friends and family were not the first and sadly, may not be the last to have suffered at the hands of sadistic behaviour of their companions, colleagues or supposedly protectors (College authorities, Police, Administrations, Politicians, and Media).

The four main accused, namely Abhinav, Ajay and Naveen Verma and Mukul Sharma, were remanded to police custody for interrogation till March 16. It took a whole lot of public outcry for the police, to convert the case earlier registered as of ‘’culpable homicide not amounting to murder’’ to one of ‘murder’ under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

However, no case has yet been registered against the college authorities despite failure of the college to take action against unruly elements and undisciplined students despite past history, when first year students of this college had abandoned their hostels and took shelter in a nearby police station only a few years ago!

As eyewash, the state Government has accepted the resignation of the principal and to prevent more back lash during the next months parliament election month, perturbed chief minister declared at Shimla that he would not participate in Holi this year following the tragic death of Aman!!!

All day yesterday, media representatives too from various news channels kept reporting with disgusting lack of sensitivity, the crying, moaning and even the spot interviews of the family and friends of the unfortunate lad. None which includes, college authorities, police, administrations, politicians, and media came forward to reassure that there will not be recurrence of an incident as heinous as this ever, to the Kachru’s and other’s whose sons and daughters are now being ragged or waiting to be ragged, as I write these passages.

Shameless authorities (infact all) have done nothing despite the Supreme Court of the land has ruled some years ago that any form of ragging is to be dealt seriously as a criminal act by the responsible authorities. But as usual rules are made, strictures passed and fires keeps on burning here and there, no one cares until it starts to burn their own homes.

Many amongst the masses have been reacting angrily and suggesting all sorts of punishment to the killers, college and police authorities. They are neither wrong nor their outburst is out place considering their anguish and their past experiences of criminal apathy that now pervades almost all sections of society. These are the voices of helpless citizens who are agonizingly frustrated.

I believe that we Indians are the best firefighters in the world because it takes only a ragging fire for us to wake up and the moment it cools down, we forget everything!

Rules after rules, laws after laws and incidents after incidents have failed to make us wise enough to think ahead and devise or design systems at micro or macro levels. The result, we are seeing in the form of everyone complaining (I too may be sounding the same) but doing nothing.

Teachers and doctors are the true carers and givers (like a mother), law makers and law enforcers are the two are responsible for maintaining an orderly society (like a father) and politicians are supposedly the guiding force from the society and for the society, who can envision the road to take for the good and happiness of all (like a philosopher). Mother never expects anything from a child but can we say the same for a teacher or doctor? Sadly, the so called motherly teachers and doctors have become professionals and behave like one! Should a father create disorder in a home? Sadly again, we can not say the lawyers, judges and police acts anyway as fatherly! And forget the politicians, without naming anyone in particular “netaji” (politician) or a party, can any of us recall one which is unselfish and as true and honest?

Therefore, it is not surprising, if the whole society (family) is experiencing the disorder with no real, lasting or workable solution in sight. I don’t want to sound or appear pessimistic because I am not the one, but the treatment (solution to the problem) is as difficult as the disease (breakdown and disorder in the society) itself. It is impractical and perhaps foolish of me to expect all of us  will become saintly overnight! Although some self proclaimed "Godman" are out there doing very good business in the garb of teaching the art of living, physical and breathing exercises etc. In their so called public sessions, I see innumerable misinformed innocent people or veiled corrupt officials, politicians and businessmen around them taking a centre stage! There is no doubt most (who attend these sessions) are suffering (emotionally, spiritually or physically) and are looking for quick fixes for disappointments, frustrations and illnesses in their lives. However, none that I know and you may also know may have a real or lasting cure of their mental or physical ills! On lighter note, one thing is beside discussion that all these "Godman" have acquired a lot of political clout and have become billionaire  in this process.

Coming back to the selections procedure that we follow in any vocation. We have been placing too much emphasis on the computing power of the brain rather than the guiding power of the soul of an individual we select to be a teacher and doctor, lawyer, judge and policeman.

Worst is the selection procedure of a politician, who is first selected by a political party, based on how much muscle and money power he has and then get elected, for how much division of votes he can manipulate in his constituency. If we are really looking for a viable solution then we have to adopt a selection procedure of all encompassing the power of not only brain and money alone but also aptitude and personality of the candidate’s suitability for any job. I believe corporate selection procedures follow some of these tests in selecting their personnel; however I doubt if they continue to do any follow ups on their selected candidates subsequently. Thus we see even in corporate sector many deteriorate over a period making them not suitable for the job they do. Because the subsequent assessments in their hierarchical system is only performance appraisal and not personality and aptitude maintenance! I therefore feel that appraisal of performance must also be linked to the individual’s emotional and spiritual personality maintenance and development within the job. I am sure this will help.

In the case of a young man Aman’s death, we can see vindication to what I have said above. Four boys who were training to be life givers in the futures have demonstrated that not only they are unsuitable for the job they were training for but also they have criminal bent of extreme nature with no compassion let alone sound judgment, a prerequisite to be a doctor.

I pray to the soul departed and souls left in agony. May God bless them all with peace and stability.