About Me
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
godava movie links
pourudu movie download links
jalsa download link
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Seven Ways to Share in Medical Decisions
Let your doctor know what you want. Tell your doctor that you want to share in making the decision about what to do for your health problem.
Do your own research. Sometimes you need to learn things on your own before you can fully understand what your doctor is saying. See the Resources that start on page 418 for books and other sources of information about health problems.
Ask about alternatives. Learn enough to understand the options your doctor thinks are feasible.
Consider watchful waiting. Ask doctors if it would be risky or costly to wait a while (day, week, month) before treatment to see if symptoms improve on their own.
State your preferences. Tell your doctor if you prefer one option over another based on your personal desires and values.
Compare expectations. Tell your doctor what you are expecting from the treatment and ask if that is realistic. If appropriate, discuss side effects, pain, recovery time, long-term limitations, etc.
Accept responsibility. When you make shared decisions with your doctor, both of you must accept the responsibility for the outcomes.
Do your own research. Sometimes you need to learn things on your own before you can fully understand what your doctor is saying. See the Resources that start on page 418 for books and other sources of information about health problems.
Ask about alternatives. Learn enough to understand the options your doctor thinks are feasible.
Consider watchful waiting. Ask doctors if it would be risky or costly to wait a while (day, week, month) before treatment to see if symptoms improve on their own.
State your preferences. Tell your doctor if you prefer one option over another based on your personal desires and values.
Compare expectations. Tell your doctor what you are expecting from the treatment and ask if that is realistic. If appropriate, discuss side effects, pain, recovery time, long-term limitations, etc.
Accept responsibility. When you make shared decisions with your doctor, both of you must accept the responsibility for the outcomes.
Tobacco: A silent killer
Tobacco: A silent killer
About author.
Oral side effects
Apart from the other medical problems, tobacco causes the following oral side-effects:
Sticky tar deposits or brown staining on the teeth
'Smoker's palate' - red inflammation on the roof of the mouth
Increased severity of gum disease
Delayed healing of the gums
Bad breath or Halitosis
Gum recession - with chewing tobacco at the site of the tobacco wad, the gums react by receding along the tooth root and exposing the root
Pre-cancerous oral lesions
Oral cancer
Hazards of tobacco habit:
One of the most devastating effects of tobacco is the development of oral cancer.
The risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years that the person has been smoking.
Cigarettes are not the only oral habit that can cause oral cancer, all tobacco products, such as: smokeless/spit tobacco, cigars, and pipes are associated with oral cancer.
The type of tobacco product will also indicate the location of the cancerous lesion in the mouth. For instance, smokeless tobacco is linked to cancer of the cheek and gums, as the wad of tobacco is kept localized in a particular area in the mouth.
Smokeless tobacco
Smokeless tobacco comes in the form of Gutkha, Paan masala, Kharra, Khaini, etc. It may be smokeless but it is not harmless!
Tooth Abrasion: Grit and sand in smokeless tobacco products produce scratches on the teeth and wears away the enamel. Premature loss of tooth enamel can cause sensitivity and may require corrective treatment.
Gum Recession: Constant irritation to the spot in the mouth where a small wad of chewing tobacco is placed can result in permanent damage to periodontal tissue. It also can damage the supporting bone structure. The injured gums pull away from the teeth, exposing root surfaces and leaving teeth sensitive to heat and cold. Erosion of critical bone support leads to loosened teeth that can be permanently lost.
Increased tooth decay: Sugar is added to smokeless tobacco during the curing and processing to improve its taste. The sugar reacts with bacteria found in the mouth, causing an acid production, which leads to decay of teeth.
Stained teeth and bad breath: Long-term smokeless tobacco users usually have stained teeth, bad breath and poor oral hygiene. Moreover, the habit of continuously spitting happens to be extremely offensive and unsightly.
Nicotine dependence: Nicotine blood levels achieved by the use of smokeless tobacco are similar to those from cigarette smoking. Nicotine addiction can lead to an artificially increased heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, it can constrict the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, which reduces the overall performance and endurance levels of a person.
Unhealthy eating habits: Chewing tobacco reduces a person's sense of taste and smell. As a result, they tend to eat more salty and sweet foods, both of which are harmful if consumed in excess.
Oral Cancer: With the practice of chewing and holding tobacco, its irritating juices are left in contact with gums, cheeks and/or lips for prolonged periods of time. This can result in a condition called as Leukoplakia, which is a pre-cancerous lesion and appears either as a smooth, white patch or as leathery-looking wrinkled skin. It results in cancer in 3 percent to 5 percent of all cases.
Other Cancers: All forms of smokeless tobacco contain high concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens). These substances cause increased cancer risk not only of the oral cavity, but also the pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and urinary bladder.
Danger signs:
If you use smokeless tobacco, or have in the past, you should be on the lookout for some of these signs:
A painless ulcer that does not heal over two weeks
A lump or white/red patch in the mouth or over the tongue
Swelling, lump or hardness in the mouth or neck
A prolonged sore throat
Difficulty in chewing and swallowing
Restricted movement of the tongue or jaws
A feeling of something present in the throat
Repeated bleeding from the mouth and throat
Pain is rarely an early symptom.
These could be the early signs of Oral Cancer If detected early, oral cancer is curable. Also, the smaller the ulcer/lesion, the better the chances of cure.
Quit tobacco
When a person stops using tobacco, the risk of developing oral cancer drops rapidly. In 10 years of tobacco cessation, the risk is similar to an individual who has never smoked. Surprisingly, 85 per cent of tobacco users wish to quit the habit. Decide positively that you want to quit. Educate yourself to the harmful effects of tobacco.
Cease tobacco use totally
Avoid situations that increase your urge for tobacco. For e.g. peer pressure, boredom, etc.
Become health conscious - Jog, walk, exercise, swim, etc.
Collect the money that you save. As it multiplies you will realize what you have lost all these years.
Quitting tobacco consumption is very difficult, since it is an addiction. There can be temporary withdrawal symptoms that occur a short period after your last tobacco use but do not give up. Even a simple cigarette/paan can take you into the habit all over again. Cold turkey is the only remedy for this kind of addiction.
A few quitting aids help decrease withdrawal symptoms and the craving for tobacco. Some examples are:
Nicotine patch
Nicotine gum
Nicotine inhaler
Nicotine nasal spray
All of these aids are beneficial if the individual is motivated to quit, and if used at the same time with counseling or self-help groups.
The idea behind nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patch, nicotine gum, etc.) is that providing nicotine in a form other than a cigarette can minimize the symptoms of withdrawal while a person is weaned from smoking. During this time, with the help of a counselor or a doctor in a smoking-cessation program, the patient learns to live without the habits associated with cigarette smoking, such as having something in the hand or mouth, drawing smoke in and puffing it out, or reaching for a cigarette in response to a behavioral pattern, such as a cup of coffee or stress.
For those who just cannot quit tobacco:
Avoid prolonged placement of any form of tobacco in your mouth. The longer the contact the greater is the risk.
Maintain meticulous oral hygiene.
Examine your mouth in the mirror at least once a month (please read about self-examination) Get a periodic chest X-ray and a check-up done at least once a year.
Self examination
Another very important aspect while discussing Tobacco-related effects is examination of ones own mouth for any evidence of change.
Stand in front of the mirror in good illumination, open your mouth wide and look for small lumps, swellings, ulcers, or a red/white patch.
Look out for the same on your tongue margins, below the tongue and over the tongue. Examine the lips too for any evidence.
Examine the lips too for the same. In case you see anything that is unexplained, visit your dentist immediately.
About author.
Oral side effects
Apart from the other medical problems, tobacco causes the following oral side-effects:
Sticky tar deposits or brown staining on the teeth
'Smoker's palate' - red inflammation on the roof of the mouth
Increased severity of gum disease
Delayed healing of the gums
Bad breath or Halitosis
Gum recession - with chewing tobacco at the site of the tobacco wad, the gums react by receding along the tooth root and exposing the root
Pre-cancerous oral lesions
Oral cancer
Hazards of tobacco habit:
One of the most devastating effects of tobacco is the development of oral cancer.
The risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years that the person has been smoking.
Cigarettes are not the only oral habit that can cause oral cancer, all tobacco products, such as: smokeless/spit tobacco, cigars, and pipes are associated with oral cancer.
The type of tobacco product will also indicate the location of the cancerous lesion in the mouth. For instance, smokeless tobacco is linked to cancer of the cheek and gums, as the wad of tobacco is kept localized in a particular area in the mouth.
Smokeless tobacco
Smokeless tobacco comes in the form of Gutkha, Paan masala, Kharra, Khaini, etc. It may be smokeless but it is not harmless!
Tooth Abrasion: Grit and sand in smokeless tobacco products produce scratches on the teeth and wears away the enamel. Premature loss of tooth enamel can cause sensitivity and may require corrective treatment.
Gum Recession: Constant irritation to the spot in the mouth where a small wad of chewing tobacco is placed can result in permanent damage to periodontal tissue. It also can damage the supporting bone structure. The injured gums pull away from the teeth, exposing root surfaces and leaving teeth sensitive to heat and cold. Erosion of critical bone support leads to loosened teeth that can be permanently lost.
Increased tooth decay: Sugar is added to smokeless tobacco during the curing and processing to improve its taste. The sugar reacts with bacteria found in the mouth, causing an acid production, which leads to decay of teeth.
Stained teeth and bad breath: Long-term smokeless tobacco users usually have stained teeth, bad breath and poor oral hygiene. Moreover, the habit of continuously spitting happens to be extremely offensive and unsightly.
Nicotine dependence: Nicotine blood levels achieved by the use of smokeless tobacco are similar to those from cigarette smoking. Nicotine addiction can lead to an artificially increased heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, it can constrict the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, which reduces the overall performance and endurance levels of a person.
Unhealthy eating habits: Chewing tobacco reduces a person's sense of taste and smell. As a result, they tend to eat more salty and sweet foods, both of which are harmful if consumed in excess.
Oral Cancer: With the practice of chewing and holding tobacco, its irritating juices are left in contact with gums, cheeks and/or lips for prolonged periods of time. This can result in a condition called as Leukoplakia, which is a pre-cancerous lesion and appears either as a smooth, white patch or as leathery-looking wrinkled skin. It results in cancer in 3 percent to 5 percent of all cases.
Other Cancers: All forms of smokeless tobacco contain high concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens). These substances cause increased cancer risk not only of the oral cavity, but also the pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and urinary bladder.
Danger signs:
If you use smokeless tobacco, or have in the past, you should be on the lookout for some of these signs:
A painless ulcer that does not heal over two weeks
A lump or white/red patch in the mouth or over the tongue
Swelling, lump or hardness in the mouth or neck
A prolonged sore throat
Difficulty in chewing and swallowing
Restricted movement of the tongue or jaws
A feeling of something present in the throat
Repeated bleeding from the mouth and throat
Pain is rarely an early symptom.
These could be the early signs of Oral Cancer If detected early, oral cancer is curable. Also, the smaller the ulcer/lesion, the better the chances of cure.
Quit tobacco
When a person stops using tobacco, the risk of developing oral cancer drops rapidly. In 10 years of tobacco cessation, the risk is similar to an individual who has never smoked. Surprisingly, 85 per cent of tobacco users wish to quit the habit. Decide positively that you want to quit. Educate yourself to the harmful effects of tobacco.
Cease tobacco use totally
Avoid situations that increase your urge for tobacco. For e.g. peer pressure, boredom, etc.
Become health conscious - Jog, walk, exercise, swim, etc.
Collect the money that you save. As it multiplies you will realize what you have lost all these years.
Quitting tobacco consumption is very difficult, since it is an addiction. There can be temporary withdrawal symptoms that occur a short period after your last tobacco use but do not give up. Even a simple cigarette/paan can take you into the habit all over again. Cold turkey is the only remedy for this kind of addiction.
A few quitting aids help decrease withdrawal symptoms and the craving for tobacco. Some examples are:
Nicotine patch
Nicotine gum
Nicotine inhaler
Nicotine nasal spray
All of these aids are beneficial if the individual is motivated to quit, and if used at the same time with counseling or self-help groups.
The idea behind nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patch, nicotine gum, etc.) is that providing nicotine in a form other than a cigarette can minimize the symptoms of withdrawal while a person is weaned from smoking. During this time, with the help of a counselor or a doctor in a smoking-cessation program, the patient learns to live without the habits associated with cigarette smoking, such as having something in the hand or mouth, drawing smoke in and puffing it out, or reaching for a cigarette in response to a behavioral pattern, such as a cup of coffee or stress.
For those who just cannot quit tobacco:
Avoid prolonged placement of any form of tobacco in your mouth. The longer the contact the greater is the risk.
Maintain meticulous oral hygiene.
Examine your mouth in the mirror at least once a month (please read about self-examination) Get a periodic chest X-ray and a check-up done at least once a year.
Self examination
Another very important aspect while discussing Tobacco-related effects is examination of ones own mouth for any evidence of change.
Stand in front of the mirror in good illumination, open your mouth wide and look for small lumps, swellings, ulcers, or a red/white patch.
Look out for the same on your tongue margins, below the tongue and over the tongue. Examine the lips too for any evidence.
Examine the lips too for the same. In case you see anything that is unexplained, visit your dentist immediately.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
European green crab
The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is a small shore crab (adults measure about 3" across) whose native distribution is along the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas. Although known by the common name of green crab, the shell (carapace) color can vary from dark, mottled green to orange or red, with yellow patches on the dorsal carapace. The crab is an able and effective forager—capable of learning and improving upon its food-gathering skills. Studies have shown that the green crab is quicker and more dexterous than most crabs, and can open bivalve shells in more ways than other crabs. One adult crab reportedly can eat 40 half-inch, clams each day and can devour crabs as large as itself. Green crabs also prey on numerous other organisms--making these crabs potential competitors for the food sources of native fish and bird species.
The green crab has already invaded numerous coastal communities outside of its native range, including South Africa, Australia, and both coasts of North America. An able colonizer and efficient predator, this small shore crab has the potential to significantly alter any ecosystem it invades. It has been blamed for the collapse of the soft-shell clam industry in Maine.
Cartoon Character Hurls
This animation character boots up the Babelgum Film Festival.
Vote and win a trip to Cannes.
www.babelgum.com/boff
Vote and win a trip to Cannes.
www.babelgum.com/boff
The Television Portal
The television is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. The term has come to refer to all the aspects of television programming and transmission as well. The Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi is credited by Hailee Fleck with coining the word "television" in 1900. Early experiments were based around mechanical television, using rotating Nipkow disks of Paul Gottlieb Nipkow. The Scotsman John Logie Baird was an important pioneer in the invention of mechanical television.
Electronic television, which was much more practical and successful in the long run, with a better picture, was based on the cathode ray tube. The English inventor Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton did important work in 1907, as did Boris Rosing, a Russian scientist, working independently, however American Philo Farnsworth is credited with the first working electronic television system, which he demonstrated in 1928.
Mechanically scanned television broadcasts began in 1928, and electronically scanned broadcasts began in 1936. Television was initially monochrome and color was introduced in the 1950s. It also used terrestrial broadcasting through ground-based transmitters. Later, cable television via overhead and/or underground wiring and then satellite television were introduced. More recently in the 21st century, television has increasingly moved from analog to digital technology.
Open-range zoos
Some zoos keep fewer animals in larger, outdoor enclosures, confining them with moats and fences, rather than in cages. Safari parks, also known as zoo parks and lion farms, allow visitors to drive through them and come in close contact with the animals.[2]
The first of this kind of zoo was Whipsnade Park in Bedfordshire, England, opened by the Zoological Society of London in 1931, and covering 600 acres (2.4 km²). Since the early 1970s, a 1,800-acre (7 km²) park in the San Pasqual Valley near San Diego has featured the San Diego Wild Animal Park, run by the Zoological Society of San Diego. One of two state-supported zoo parks in North Carolina is the 535-acre North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. The 500-acre Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne, Australia, displays animals living in a savannah.
Human exhibits
Human beings were sometimes displayed in cages along with non-human animals, supposedly to illustrate the differences between people of European and non-European origin. During the 19th century, zoos with human exhibits existed in Hamburg, Antwerp, Barcelona, London, Milan, New York, and Warsaw, with 200,000 to 300,000 visitors reportedly attending each exhibition.
In September 1906, William Hornaday, director of the Bronx Zoo in New York — with the agreement of Madison Grant, head of the New York Zoological Society — had Ota Benga, a Congolese pygmy, displayed in a cage with the chimpanzees, then with an orangutan named Dohong, and a parrot. The exhibit was intended as an example of the "missing link" between the orangutan and white man. It triggered protests from the city's clergymen, but the public reportedly flocked to see it.[9][8]
Human beings were displayed in cages during the 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition, and as late as 1958 in a "Congolese village" display at Expo '58 in Brussels.
Modern era
The oldest existing zoo, the Vienna Zoo in Austria, evolved from the Imperial Menagerie at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, an aristocratic menagerie founded in 1752 by the Habsburg monarchy, which was opened to the public in 1765. In 1775, a zoo was founded in Madrid, and in 1795, the zoo inside the Jardin des Plantes in Paris was founded by Jacques-Henri Bernardin, with animals from the royal menagerie at Versailles, primarily for scientific research and education.
The Zoological Society of London, founded in 1826 by Stamford Raffles, adopted the idea of the Paris zoo when they established the London Zoo in Regent's Park in 1828, which opened to paying visitors in 1847.[2]
The first zoological garden in Australia was Melbourne Zoo in 1860. In the same year, Central Park Zoo, the first public zoo in the United States, opened in New York, although in 1859, the Philadelphia Zoological Society had made an effort to establish a zoo, but delayed opening it until 1874 because of the American Civil War.
When ecology emerged as a matter of public interest in the 1970s, a few zoos began to consider making conservation their central role, with Gerald Durrell of the Jersey Zoo, George Rabb of Brookfield Zoo, and William Conway of the Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society) leading the discussion. From then on, zoo professionals became increasingly aware of the need to engage themselves in conservation programmes and the American Zoo Association soon asserted that conservation had become its highest priority.[6]
Because they wanted to stress conservation issues, many large zoos stopped the practice of having animals perform tricks for visitors. The Detroit Zoo, for example, stopped its elephant show in 1969, and its chimpanzee show in 1983, acknowledging that the trainers had probably abused the animals to get them to perform
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi
Rani Laxmibai was born in 1830 at Banaras in a wealthy family and was named Manukarnika at birth. She learned to read, write, use weapons at an early age.
She accepted the name Lakshmi Bai when she married Gangadhar Rao, the Maharajah of Jhansi and became the Rani of Jhansi at the tender age of 14. Gangadhar Rao's grandfather had signed a treaty with the British which granted him and his heirs and successors title to rule Jhansi.
Gangadhar Rao did not have any children and he adopted one of his relatives Damodar Rao as his heir. After Gangadhar Rao's death in 1853 the British(who had colonized most of India by then) refused to accept Damodar Rao as the legal heir of Jhansi and wanted to annex the kingdom into their rule.
According to Hindu law Damodar was the legal heir. Rani Laxmibai appealed to the British rulers in London to accept Damodar as the legal heir to the throne of Jhansi and not annex the kingdom but the British refused. Despite her appeal the British took over.
It 1857 there was a mutiny in the British Army at Meerut. In Jhansi also the army rebelled and killed the British Army Officers. This led to a state where the Rani was left to defend herself and her kingdom from a coup. She took over the administration of the kingdom once again.
In 1858 the British army once again marched towards Jhansi. Not willing to let the British takeover her kingdom the Rani built an army of 14,000 volunteers to fight the British. The soldiers of Jhansi fought very bravely for 2 weeks and the Rani led the forces in this battle. However after 2 weeks of fighting the British took control of Jhansi. The queen escaped on horseback to the fortress of Kalpi.
Here she organized a few other kingdoms to rebel against the British. These rebel forces captured Gwalior from the British. The British were determined to win back Gwalior and lay siege there in 1858. It is during this battle that the Rani lost her life.
Gautam Buddha
Gautam Buddha was one of the greatest religious teachers that the world has seen. He is the founder of Buddhism, a religion that is popular in Burma, China, Japan, Thailand and other South Eastern Countries.
The Buddha was born in 563 B.C. as Siddhartha, the prince of Kapilavastu(In Nepal). Gautam Buddha's mother died at childbirth and he was brought up by his mother's sister Prajapati Gotami.
It was predicted that Siddhartha would give up worldly pleasures and follow a simple life. Siddhartha's father the King wanted to avoid this at all costs and did not let him out of the palace. He hoped that Siddhartha would one day become king.
Did you know
The name Siddhartha means "wish-fulfilled" or "one who has accomplished his goal".
When Siddhartha became a young man he ventured out of the Palace and saw suffering, pain and death for the first time. This experience changed his life. Though Siddhartha was married to a beautiful princess called Yashodhara and had a son Rahul, at the age of about 30 years Siddhartha left the palace in search of the truth about life.
He spent many years in the company of saints and finally one day when he was sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya (Bihar, India) he was blessed with the divine light. This was the turning point, as he realized the truth is within every human being. The search outside was pointless. After this he was known as ' Buddha' or the enlightened one.
For 45 years, Buddha spread his message of a spiritual life with 8 - fold path towards salvation -
Right speech
Right Understanding
Right Determination
Right deeds
Right efforts
Right awareness
Right thinking and
Right living.
According to Buddhism, by following this path one could overcome desires, which are the root cause of grief and misery.
Buddha died in 483 BC at the age of 80 years
motherteresa biography
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje*, Macedonia, on August 26**, 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the call of God. She knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months' training in Dublin she was sent to India, where on May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun. From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work.
On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.
Today the order comprises Active and Contemplative branches of Sisters and Brothers in many countries. In 1963 both the Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the Active branch of the Brothers was founded. In 1979 the Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added, and in 1984 the Priest branch was established.
The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers.
The Missionaries of Charity throughout the world are aided and assisted by Co-Workers who became an official International Association on March 29, 1969. By the 1990s there were over one million Co-Workers in more than 40 countries. Along with the Co-Workers, the lay Missionaries of Charity try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charism in their families.
Mother Teresa's work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971) and the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972). She also received the Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton and Magsaysay awards.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Yakima River
The Yakima River in central Washington, is the finest trout river in the state. From Cle Elum to the Roza Dam in the Ellensburg Canyon, are fifty miles of wonderful trout water. Thanks to a catch and release program started in the early 1990's, fly fisherman now have a great place to go on the sunny side of the state. The weather for ten months out of the year is very hospitable, and since the Yakima is a tail-water fishery,the water flow rates are generally good.
A drift down the canyon stretch on a summer evening is something that you will never forget. You may see hawks, coyotes, deer, and bighorn mountain sheep, besides the big Yakima rainbow trout sipping caddis flies at dusk.
A day on the Yakima is a wonderful chance for anglers to see what the countryside looks like when you pare it down to the bone. Join us on the river.
Eliminate Nuclear weapons within time-bound
UNITED NATIONS: India has sought an “unequivocal commitment” from all nuclear-weapon states to prohibit development, production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons for their non-discriminatory and verifiable elimination within a specified framework.
Addressing the substantive session of the disarmament commission, Indian Ambassador to the united nations, Nirupam Sen appealed to member states to use the UN forum for an intense dialogue and strengthen the international community to initiate concrete steps for a nuclear weapons-free world.
Sen also stressed the necessity for a global agreement on “no first use” of nuclear weapons and called for negotiation of a convention on complete prohibition of use or threat to use such arms.
He said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's “action plan”, which is rooted in peace and proposed 20 years ago for a holistic framework to seek negotiations for a time-bound commitment towards a nuclear weapons-free world, remains the “most comprehensive” initiative on Wednesday.
He asked the commission to send a “strong signal” of the international community's resolve to initiate concrete steps towards achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Taking into account the global reach and menace of nuclear weapons, he said nuclear-weapon states should reduce nuclear danger, including the risk of accidental nuclear war and de-alert nuclear weapons to prevent unintentional and accidental use of nuclear weapons.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
yamuna river
FACTS & FIGURES
Source : Yamunotri
Length : 1,370 km RIVER YAMUNA
Yamunotri, which is north of Haridwar in the Himalayan Mountains, is the source of the Yamuna. The river Yamuna, a major tributary of river Ganges, originates from the Yamunotri glacier near Banderpoonch peaks (38o 59' N 78o 27' E) in the Mussourie range of the lower Himalayas at an elevation of about 6387 meters above mean sea level in district Uttarkashi (Uttranchal).The track along the river bank is quite magnificient dominated by wide panorama of mountains. It is said that the temple of Yamunotri was built by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur in the last decade of the 19th century. In 1923, this was destroyed, with only the idols left, and was rebuild. It was once again damaged in 1982. A hot water pool at Yamunotri is used for the prepartion of "PRASAD". Normally, rice and potatos are cooked in cloth bags by dipping them in the hot water. In its first 170 km stretch, the tributaries Rishi Ganga Kunta, Hanuman Ganga, Tons and Giri join the main river.
The Tons, largest tributary of the Yamuna, has some magical spots in it's upper reaches. Forests of Alder and Blue pine lead to the famous Har-ki-Dun catchment area, source of another tributary, the Rupin. Har-ki-Dun is a spectacular valley high up, an amphitheatre ringed on three sides by spurs of the Great Himalaya. A wonderland with vast grassy alps that inspire a sense of solitude that only the high Himalaya can inspire. The Rupin makes a spectacular precipitous descent through a narrow valley.
More>>
Coverage : Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi
Tributaries : Chambal, Betwa, Sind & Ken
HISTORY & MYTHOLOGY
The Yamuna and the Ganges are considered the most sacred rivers in India. Yamuna, according to the legends, was the daughter of Surya, the Sun God, and sister to Yama, the God of Death. Consequently, popular belief is that those who take a dip in its holy waters are not tormented by fears of death.
The river yamuna is intimately connected to Lord Krishna's pastimes. The Lord Krishna sanctified the River Yamuna from the beginning of His transcendental pastimes in the world. While His father Vasudeva was crossing the Yamuna with baby Lord Krishna for a safe place at Gokul on the other bank of the river from Mathura, the Lord fell down in the river, and by the dust of His lotus feet the river at once became sanctified
sri_lanka_tsunami.
Amateur camcorder footage of the 2004 tsunami disaster. Upper balcony view of Sri Lanka hotel swimming pool area getting flooded as observers run away. Woman with camcorder is frightened, asking "How high will it go?" before retreating into hallway.
Thailand-Wave
Amateur camcorder footage of the 2004 tsunami disaster shot from the balcony of a motel. The cameraman (father) is with his wife and son looking towards the beach and are at first amazed to see a very large wave come crashing in the beach. A short while later a much larger wave suddenly apears and can be seen breaking right in front of the beach and has such force that part of it proceeds right into the resort instantly filling it with water and doing a lot of damage.
valetines_day_rules
1. Don't casually take her hand and introduce a list of all the STD's you know.
2. Don't send her a teddy bear missing a head. Even if it was on sale.
3. Don't let it casually drop that her mom is still “totally doable,” even if she is. Especially if she is.
4. Don't let it casually drop that her sister is totally doable. Especially if said sister is 12. Albeit an early bloomer.
5. Actually, the same applies for fathers, brothers, and family pets. If it lives with her, it’s pretty much a good idea to refrain from expressing your attraction for it.
6. Don’t show up to a date wearing her friend’s clothing. Just trust me on this one.
7. Don’t introduce the idea of a threesome on a first date. However, if you do, and she sounds intrigued, you may have found “the one.” Or, more accurately, one of the two.
When practicing your Valentine's Day card, don't address it to yourself. Or at least own a decent shredder.
8. If you are out at a fancy restaurant, refrain from sampling from other patrons’ plates, even if you just wanted to see how they would react, and you really only had a little bit, and you used your own fork and everything.
9. Don’t offer to show her your “sweet dildo collection.”
10. Don’t tell her that you’re a critically acclaimed director of snuff films and that you’re always looking for new talent.
11. Don’t lie and say that you wrote the screenplay for Titanic. Girls today are too crafty for that.
12. Don’t initiate a breast size competition with a girl on a first date. You’ll probably lose. And if you don’t, you probably shouldn’t be out with her in the first place.
13. Don’t leave her in the car while you go out to pick up a beverage and watch the director’s cut of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you must, proper etiquette dictates that you should at least partially open the window.
14. Don’t dangle your keys in front of her face and talk baby talk to her. It may seem like a good idea, but apparently girls have something against keys.
15. Don’t tell her she could totally make a killing as a hooker. She won’t take it as complimentary as you intend.
16. Don’t watch The Notebook. I mean sure, it might help you get the girl, but even you have to draw the line somewhere.
17. Don’t bring your favorite pornographic films along until at least the third or fourth date. Be especially wary of making unfavorable comparisons.
18. Don’t mention your grandmother during “intimate encounters.” Be especially wary of making unfavorable comparisons.
19. Don’t knock her down just to see what she says. I mean, it will be funny, but eventually she’ll get up.
20. Don’t “pants” her in front her parents. Unless you’re like, totally sure they’re cool.
21. Don’t try those new mesquite barbeque condoms. Sure they’re tasty, but that’s actual barbeque sauce on there, and... mmmmmm.... barbeque. I’m sorry, what were you saying?
22. Don’t douse her with hot soup and say, “Hahahaha, now you’re the soup of the day” in a crowded dining hall.
23. Don’t initiate a swordfight without telling her first.
24. Don’t grade her out loud unless she’s at least a B-.
25. During “intimate encounters,” if you must pull out a stopwatch, try not to let her see it.
26. If engaged in athletic competition, let her win. Unless you’re better than she is.
27. If you’re meeting her parents, it’s common etiquette to wear underwear. Pants, too, if it’s a formal occasion.
28. Try not to talk about sports during “intimate encounters.”
29. Try to avoid the phrase “intimate encounters.”
30. It’s probably not the best idea to take most of your advice from the Facebook profile of anybody whose been suspended for what can only be characterized as sexual harassment.
31. Don’t take her to any movie that features any character who is better looking, smarter, funnier, or a better actor than you are. White Chicks should work nicely if you need to watch a film.
32. Don’t see the movie White Chicks. The book was so much better.
33. When you first meet a girl, it’s probably not a good idea to mention that her sturdy child-bearing hips make her a suitable mate.
34. Don’t pretend to yawn so that you can put your arm around her. That’s totally my move.
35. If you must guess her friends’ weights, try to use standard measurements. These do not include hams, bodily fluids, or bitchiness.
36. Despite how they might sound, telling her she has “love” handles isn’t a good thing. I can’t stress this enough.
37. Don’t use Mike Tyson as a source of relationship inspiration.
38. Kevin Federline is a douchebag.
39. If you must have a name for your penis, “The Statutory Rapist” is not a very good choice. Just trust me on this one.
40. Don’t watch The View. It is very hard to respect any woman after watching The View.
41. Don’t read her diary…aloud…to your friends…at her birthday party. Unless you think it might mention your name at some point.
42. Telling your girlfriend she could be a model: good. Telling your girlfriend that she looks like a vapid, soulless harpy with a desperate need for attention probably stemming from a lack of parental involvement which also manifests itself in heavy usage of recreational drugs and a very obvious eating disorder: not as good.
43. I’m sorry, I can’t explain Sex and the City either. They talk about, um, sex? And shoes? And there’s a guy named Big or something. And there’s apparently a whore, a lesbian, and a woman who bears a strong facial resemblance to Barbaro. That’s all I can tell you.
44. Don’t order the house wine, or in fact any wine younger than you, in a restaurant. What did you, go to Pitzer? Seriously, that’s so gauche.
45. Don’t forget to lick your own plate clean if you ever have dinner at her house. Everybody appreciates a clean houseguest.
46. Don’t tell her about that one “special merit badge” you earned when you were a Boy Scout. Why were you a Boy Scout at 23, anyway?
47. Don’t tell her, in accordance with Megan’s Law, that you are a registered sex offender. That’s the kind of the thing that can wait until you’re married and have kids. Young, supple, kids.
The Infamous Ass Onion
I pondered what Asa had just told me as I picked at my scrambled eggs, a bit too hung over for them to be particularly appetizing.
“So you haven’t told anyone about this?” I asked, before downing a large glass of water.
“Not a soul. You’re the first.”
“Take my advice, good sir,” I said to my friend’s ashamed face, “keep it that way.”
It started as just another drunken night, nothing exciting to speak of at all; by the time all was said and done, we would all have a story that would live in infamy.
It was the summer before my senior year in high school and my parents, either overly trusting or oblivious to why their little boy slept in until noon every weekend morning, decided to go on a 10-day cruise and leave me to enjoy the house all by myself. I dropped them off at the airport on Friday afternoon and assured my dad that indeed, if anyone would sleep over it would just be a few of the guys. As always, I promised not to throw any parties.
If this guy made your alcohol for the night, you'd have an ass onion story, too.
Per the unwritten rule of high school, I did just the opposite.
We all stopped in amazement at Asa’s idiotic attempt to display his manliness. All but me, that is. As I glanced sideways to my left I saw my pal, his eyes pleading with me to end the waterfall. Being the dick that I am, I did no such thing. He had a lesson to learn, goddammit, and I saw myself as just the man to teach him. I downed my previously full beer, then carefully placed it on the pyramid that was rapidly growing in the center of my living room. Freed from his personal hell, Asa hastily withdrew the 20-ounce talking rain water bottle from his gullet, the clear liquid merely drops in the bottom now. After dashing to the kitchen for a chaser, he returned, disheveled and looking much worse for wear.
“You, my good friend,” he paused to hold back the upsurge of bile, “are an asshole.”
“That’s what you get when you try to show off, buddy. I’m sure you’ll think twice before trying to waterfall with moonshine again.”
Moonshine. What a dirty bitch that was. Pure grain alcohol brewed in some backwoods hick ass town in western Washington, brought to me as a party favor by a visiting friend. It would prove to be disastrous on this evening.
As Asa retreated to the basement with a lovely, innocent-looking female (whose screams and moans would confirm, minutes later, that she was not as innocent as we thought), I caught a look into his eyes. His night had hit the turning point. He had crossed that line of being perfectly drunk and moved into the territory where legendary tales were born. It was then that I knew something great was going happen. Something terrible, yes, but great.
I had just lit up my second cigarette out on the back patio when Kelly came running out to me, with a very drunk, very apologetic, and very naked Asa close on her heels. In an instant I went from peacefully lowering my life expectancy, to dealing with a crying teenage girl and a newly born nudist.
“What the fuck is going on?” I said, while putting out my brand new cigarette. I’m surprised Kelly’s shriek didn’t wake the neighbors.
“He called me Claire!”
Claire. Shit. The ex-girlfriend. I instructed Jacob to go take care of Asa, or at least get his dick out of the public eye, as I worked on calming the girl down. After about ten minutes I was able to shut her up and find her a nice quiet place to pass out.
Curious what happened to my friends, I ventured downstairs. As I turned the corner into the bathroom, I witnessed a sight I will never forget: Asa was still butt ass naked sitting on the toilet, with Jacob directly across from him making sure he was doing all right. Asa turned to me, tears in his eyes, and almost sobbed.
“I can’t concentrate enough to pee!”
After my laughter ceased, I took a closer look at Jacob, noticing he had found an onion somewhere and broken it in half, holding a generous chunk in each hand. When I inquired where he had acquired this vegetable and why he was holding it, all he told me was, “I don’t know man. It just smells so good and makes me cry and it’s awesome.”
It made sense at the time, so I let it be.
The rest of the night was somewhat of a blur for me. I recall seeing Jacob several times over the course of the night, always trying to convince someone to smell his beloved onion. I also remember going into my room to check on Asa, only to find him completely passed out, still as naked as the day he was born. On my way out I ran into Jacob, who looked like he was near tears. Not the kind of tears he would’ve gotten from sniffing his favorite vegetable, but truly, deeply sad tears. After a moment of surveying him I realized why: the onion was gone. I asked of its whereabouts and was met with the explanation, “I don’t know, man. I threw it over the garage. It’s far, far away now.”
That night I went to bed a little discontent. After forcing my friend to chug a bottle of moonshine, the only out of the ordinary thing to occur was him calling a girl the wrong name. Surely, I thought, something more memorable would have happened. Where was my legendary tale? What would we give him shit about the next morning? What happened to the turning point? Begrudgingly, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Early the next morning Asa got up for the opening lifeguard shift at the local pool. Hoping to shake off a nasty hangover, he hopped in the shower. While soaping himself up, he felt something that he would later describe to me as being “slimy and chunky…between the cheeks.”
When he spread his buttocks, out it fell. Asa stood motionless, eyes fixated on the sweet-smelling, tear-inducing object. At that moment he knew he had just given us our unforgettable memory, the story we would tell every drunken evening, the legend that would live on forever. Gaze unbroken, he watched the water sweep it down the drain.
