Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
My first book DECEIVERS can now be previewed on Google Books....(click on the link below)
http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=8122311458
http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=8122311458
Sunday, December 19, 2010
An Excerpt From My Book: "A Matter Of Survival"
I am an Olive Ridely Sea Turtle. I get my name from the olive (or green/grey) colour of my heart-shaped shell. I am also called the Pacific Ridely.
I am one of the smallest of sea turtles inhabiting the world’s oceans. I am only about two feet long and weigh just over thirty-five kilograms. The males of my species never weigh more than thirty three kilograms. I have come to the coastal waters bordering this beach called Gahirmatha, located on the eastern coast of the country called India, to nest.
Along with hundreds to thousands of my sisters, I nest two times a year on this beach and deposit between 100 and 110 eggs per nest. Hatchlings emerge from the eggs after fifty or sixty days of incubation in the nest.
After the eggs hatch, the little turtles, my children, along with many thousands of other hatchlings, will travel across the beach to the water – their new home.
Many will not make the short distance from the nest to the sea. They will fall prey to predators like vultures from the sky or jackals and snakes on the ground. But those who cross this most important challenge so early in their lives will, like me, go on to inhabit the waters of the open ocean and the wonderful world just beneath the surface of the undulating waves.
I have travelled many thousands of miles, thru’ choppy seas and dangerous waters, to get here. I do not have many enemies in the ocean – but sharks and killer whales do attack if they are hungry and a sea turtle is the only meal ticket in sight. My sisters and I migrate like this all together, in very large numbers, about twice a year. Once nesting is over, we go back from the beaches and shallow waters to the open ocean – our home.
I live in the middle of the ocean, inhabiting the upper, sunlit regions, where most ocean organisms live. Food is abundant there – lower down, in the unlit zones, water pressure is high, temperatures are cold, and food sources scarce.
I am not vey particular about what I eat: my diet includes crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, jellyfish and tunicates. If nothing else is available, then even algae works for me. All this is abundantly available in the open ocean, in the upper, sunlit regions, where I live most of the year, except during the nesting season. Then I need to forage in coastal waters and estuaries.
The most remarkable characteristic of my species is our nesting strategy. Hundreds to thousands of us females converge in coastal waters then come ashore simultaneously in a spectacular mass-nesting event known as an “arribada” (this is a Spanish word meaning “arrival by sea”). Human scientists also term this behavior of ours as “synchronized nesting in mass numbers”.
During our massive nesting aggregations, known as arribadas or arribazones, many thousands of us female Olive Ridely Sea Turtles nest in large simultaneous waves over small stretches of beach.
We generally begin to aggregate near nesting beaches approximately two months before nesting season.
How do I know that the time is right for the arribada? Human scientists have conducted research in order to find the answer to this question and have offered several theories.
One theory suggests that we female turtles release a hormonal scent or pheromone that queues the beginning of the event. There is also evidence that these mass-nesting events coincide with certain phases of the lunar cycle. I really do not know. There is this instinct, passed down thru’ the generations, over a period of a million years, that tells my sisters and me – all of us around the same moment (give or take a few days or weeks) – when the time has come to begin our migration to the coast. For humans, this continues to be one of nature’s great mysteries.
The majority of us Olive Ridelys who live in the Indian Ocean nest in two or three large aggregations near Gahirmatha which is located in the Bhitarkanika Widlife Sanctuary of the province of Orissa in the country called India. I am told that this is one of the largest Olive Ridely nesting populations in the world, with about 400,000 of us sisters nesting every year. However, our numbers have come down very much. Legend has it that, not more than twenty years ago, 600,000 turtles, the mothers of our mothers, nested along the coast of Orissa, from Paradip to Chilika, in one week.
Since then, our numbers have reduced. We are suffering high mortality for various reasons. Many hundreds of my sisters have met their deaths due to near shore gill nets and trawl fisheries.
Humans are our biggest enemies. They hunger for our eggs. When given an opportunity, they slaughter my nesting sisters on the beach. They try to catch us at sea, with these huge nets, for commercial sale of both our meat and hides.
We Olive Ridely turtles are widely distributed across the globe in tropical and sub-tropical oceans of the world – but our largest nesting aggregations occur in the beaches of Orissa in the Indian Ocean. Nesting occurs elsewhere along the Coromandel Coast and Sri Lanka, but in scattered locations.
In the Pacific Ocean, arribadas occur only within the tropical eastern Pacific, in Central America and Mexico. In Costa Rico, arribadas occur at Nancite and Ostional beaches. There are two active arribadas in Nicaragua; Chacocente and La Flor; and a small nesting ground in Pacific Panama. My sisters tell me that there were several arribadas in Mexico, yet only one remains at Playa Escobilla in Oaxaca.
The primary threat to my species comes from human predation in the nesting habitat. The arribada with its large congregation of nesting females makes it possible for humans to collect huge quantities of eggs and kill or collect (to sell in the market) hundreds or even thousands of us turtles in one night. This practice of mass harvesting and killing over the past sixty years has caused local populations of Olive Ridelys to plummet in many areas of the globe.
I believe that the total population of my species worldwide has fallen by an astounding fifty percent during the last fifty years.
I believe that humans have labeled my species as endangered.
Another form of human intrusion that threatens us sea turtles is the permanent destruction of the nesting habitat through coastal degradation and so-called ‘development’.
‘Development’ like the huge factory complex and port that are being built near our favourite beaches in Orissa.
‘Development’ like the dredging and excavation activity that will be carried out on vast tracts of seabed near our favourite beaches to enable this port to be built. The digging up of the seabed for creation of the port will also destroy parts of the beaches we love to nest in and will disturb what human scientists call “aquatic ecosystems” – and what I know as sources of food and of life itself.
Where will we go to nest now?
Friday, October 22, 2010
The first buyer of my second book - Shivangi Dhingra....
The first buyer of my second book - Shivangi Dhingra....
Friday, October 15, 2010
My second novel: "The Inheritance" has been published...
Cheers! My second novel: "The Inheritance" has been published. Click on the following link to check out the details and also to place an order on the publisher's website: http://www.atlanticbooks.com/browse/details.asp?id=22396
Monday, October 11, 2010
10 Tips For A Healthy Heart
A strong heart is a result of healthy lifestyle choices. Be active and stress-free.
Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors — high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise — following simple changes in lifestyle.
Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.
Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Watch your diet Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.
Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.
Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.
Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.
Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.
Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.
Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors — high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise — following simple changes in lifestyle.
Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.
Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Watch your diet Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.
Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.
Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.
Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.
Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.
Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.
Friday, October 8, 2010
UK village offers 'public sex'...
(Courtesy: Puttenham Journal)
PUTTENHAM, England — There was the man they called “Bob the Builder,” who wore only a hard hat. There was the naked sunbather who remarked, “Nice day for it, isn’t it?” to a woman taking a walk. And there was the moment, Jules Perkins said, when the dizzying array of sexual forces that have somehow descended on her blameless Surrey village came together all at once, like a scene from a one-size-fits-all X-rated film.
“There were two blokes sitting side by side, watching a man and a woman having sex,” Ms. Perkins said, describing what happened as she strolled with her dog on the hill between her house and the Hog’s Back ridge. “Nearby, there were two men sunbathing together, wearing nothing but tight little white underpants.”
Later, she found a pink vibrator in the bushes.
“I gave it to the police,” she said. “They said, ‘What should we do with it?’ I said, ‘Put it in Lost Property.’ ”
Puttenham, about an hour’s drive from London, has fewer than 2,500 residents and is famous for its ancient church; its friendly pub, the Good Intent; and its proud inclusion in both the Doomesday Book — an 11th-century survey of English lands — and “Brave New World.”
Unhappily for many people here, it is also famous for being featured on lists of good places to go “dogging” — that is, to have sex in public, sometimes with partners you have just met online, so that others can watch. So popular is the woodsy field below the ridge as a spot for gay sex (mostly during the day) and heterosexual sex (mostly at night) that the police have designated it a “public sex environment.”
Public sex is a popular — and quasi-legal — activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to the large number of Web sites that promote it. (It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint.) And the police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated.
Enthusiasts’ Web sites alert practitioners to known dogging locations — more than 100 in Surrey alone — and offer handy etiquette tips for the confused or overly excited.
“Only join in or move closer if you are asked,” advises one site, Swinging Heaven, which says it has more than one million registered members.
Richard Byrne, a senior lecturer in countryside management at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire, said that modern technology has made dogging much more convenient than it used to be, thanks to search engines, Facebook groups and people tweeting about their experiences. “And of course, everybody’s got mobiles,” he said.
Swinging Heaven says that the practice began in Britain in the 1970s, and that the term comes from the phenomenon of voyeurs “doggedly” following people having sex. Others say that practitioners claim to be “walking the dog” when they are, in fact, going out to meet naked strangers in fields.
Britons are a tolerant bunch, and most probably would not care who watched whom doing what in whatever configuration, as long as they all went somewhere else. Why, Puttenham residents wonder, do they have to do it 400 yards from the village nursery school?”
“We have nothing against gays or whoever it is up there,” said Lydia Paterson, who lives here. “It’s just the principle of, ‘What on earth is going on?’ ”
A stroll through the field the other day unearthed no doggers (it was raining) but revealed much evidence of their existence. Debris — used condoms, things made of rubber, pages torn from pornographic magazines, snack wrappers, discarded tea cups — littered the area. The paths were dotted with black mats that people had conveniently left behind for the next time.
Residents have been pressing the authorities to do something, arguing that the government should simply close the rest stop that provides access to the offending field, just off the busy A31 road. That way, people hoping to have sex would have nowhere to park.
But local government officials refused, saying closing it would unfairly penalize motorists who genuinely wanted just to rest and would deprive the owner of the Hog’s Back cafe, also at the rest stop, of his livelihood.
Alternative suggestions, discussed at a recent meeting of the Surrey County Council Cabinet, included deploying rangers to patrol the site on horseback; encouraging hikers to roust doggers with actual dogs; and filling the field with potentially bad-tempered bulls.
“It was like, ‘Are you taking this seriously?’ ” Ms. Paterson said. “One cabinet member said, ‘If you close this site, there could be an increase in suicides because these people have nowhere else to go.’ ”
Some older residents sympathize with the council. “Honestly, it’s been going on for so many years,” said Jennifer Debenham, 71, a customer at the Good Intent.
Referring to a nearby village, an elderly man at the bar piped up, “At Wisley, there are two sites, one for males and one for heteros.”
Mrs. Debenham said, “I think we should just let them get on with it.”
The man added, “If you want to find out more, just put ‘dogging’ into your search engine.”
Meanwhile, frazzled residents trade tales of woe: The half-dressed men who materialize from the shrubbery and theatrically pretend to be foraging for nuts and berries. The Internet reviews (“One site listed us as the No. 2 dogging site in Europe,” Ms. Perkins said wearily). The occasion when an unsuspecting motorist went for a bathroom break in the bushes, only to be surrounded by a crowd of eager men.
“It was the quickest pee he’d ever done in his life,” Ms. Paterson said.
The council has agreed to institute an “active management plan” that might include cutting down some shrubbery and putting in security patrols. And the police recently put up a sign warning people not to engage in “activities of an unacceptable nature.”
“There was a lot of debate over the wording for that sign,” Ms. Paterson said. “I guess they didn’t want to say, ‘Don’t have sex.’ ”
PUTTENHAM, England — There was the man they called “Bob the Builder,” who wore only a hard hat. There was the naked sunbather who remarked, “Nice day for it, isn’t it?” to a woman taking a walk. And there was the moment, Jules Perkins said, when the dizzying array of sexual forces that have somehow descended on her blameless Surrey village came together all at once, like a scene from a one-size-fits-all X-rated film.
“There were two blokes sitting side by side, watching a man and a woman having sex,” Ms. Perkins said, describing what happened as she strolled with her dog on the hill between her house and the Hog’s Back ridge. “Nearby, there were two men sunbathing together, wearing nothing but tight little white underpants.”
Later, she found a pink vibrator in the bushes.
“I gave it to the police,” she said. “They said, ‘What should we do with it?’ I said, ‘Put it in Lost Property.’ ”
Puttenham, about an hour’s drive from London, has fewer than 2,500 residents and is famous for its ancient church; its friendly pub, the Good Intent; and its proud inclusion in both the Doomesday Book — an 11th-century survey of English lands — and “Brave New World.”
Unhappily for many people here, it is also famous for being featured on lists of good places to go “dogging” — that is, to have sex in public, sometimes with partners you have just met online, so that others can watch. So popular is the woodsy field below the ridge as a spot for gay sex (mostly during the day) and heterosexual sex (mostly at night) that the police have designated it a “public sex environment.”
Public sex is a popular — and quasi-legal — activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to the large number of Web sites that promote it. (It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint.) And the police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated.
Enthusiasts’ Web sites alert practitioners to known dogging locations — more than 100 in Surrey alone — and offer handy etiquette tips for the confused or overly excited.
“Only join in or move closer if you are asked,” advises one site, Swinging Heaven, which says it has more than one million registered members.
Richard Byrne, a senior lecturer in countryside management at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire, said that modern technology has made dogging much more convenient than it used to be, thanks to search engines, Facebook groups and people tweeting about their experiences. “And of course, everybody’s got mobiles,” he said.
Swinging Heaven says that the practice began in Britain in the 1970s, and that the term comes from the phenomenon of voyeurs “doggedly” following people having sex. Others say that practitioners claim to be “walking the dog” when they are, in fact, going out to meet naked strangers in fields.
Britons are a tolerant bunch, and most probably would not care who watched whom doing what in whatever configuration, as long as they all went somewhere else. Why, Puttenham residents wonder, do they have to do it 400 yards from the village nursery school?”
“We have nothing against gays or whoever it is up there,” said Lydia Paterson, who lives here. “It’s just the principle of, ‘What on earth is going on?’ ”
A stroll through the field the other day unearthed no doggers (it was raining) but revealed much evidence of their existence. Debris — used condoms, things made of rubber, pages torn from pornographic magazines, snack wrappers, discarded tea cups — littered the area. The paths were dotted with black mats that people had conveniently left behind for the next time.
Residents have been pressing the authorities to do something, arguing that the government should simply close the rest stop that provides access to the offending field, just off the busy A31 road. That way, people hoping to have sex would have nowhere to park.
But local government officials refused, saying closing it would unfairly penalize motorists who genuinely wanted just to rest and would deprive the owner of the Hog’s Back cafe, also at the rest stop, of his livelihood.
Alternative suggestions, discussed at a recent meeting of the Surrey County Council Cabinet, included deploying rangers to patrol the site on horseback; encouraging hikers to roust doggers with actual dogs; and filling the field with potentially bad-tempered bulls.
“It was like, ‘Are you taking this seriously?’ ” Ms. Paterson said. “One cabinet member said, ‘If you close this site, there could be an increase in suicides because these people have nowhere else to go.’ ”
Some older residents sympathize with the council. “Honestly, it’s been going on for so many years,” said Jennifer Debenham, 71, a customer at the Good Intent.
Referring to a nearby village, an elderly man at the bar piped up, “At Wisley, there are two sites, one for males and one for heteros.”
Mrs. Debenham said, “I think we should just let them get on with it.”
The man added, “If you want to find out more, just put ‘dogging’ into your search engine.”
Meanwhile, frazzled residents trade tales of woe: The half-dressed men who materialize from the shrubbery and theatrically pretend to be foraging for nuts and berries. The Internet reviews (“One site listed us as the No. 2 dogging site in Europe,” Ms. Perkins said wearily). The occasion when an unsuspecting motorist went for a bathroom break in the bushes, only to be surrounded by a crowd of eager men.
“It was the quickest pee he’d ever done in his life,” Ms. Paterson said.
The council has agreed to institute an “active management plan” that might include cutting down some shrubbery and putting in security patrols. And the police recently put up a sign warning people not to engage in “activities of an unacceptable nature.”
“There was a lot of debate over the wording for that sign,” Ms. Paterson said. “I guess they didn’t want to say, ‘Don’t have sex.’ ”
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
My first published book: "Deceivers" is now available for purchase online. Just click on the link:
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9553A/isbn:9788122311457/index.html
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9553A/isbn:9788122311457/index.html
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Now, 'listen' to Kamasutra for better sex
Imagine having to read out an instruction from Kamasutra while trying to get the move right - difficult right?
This age-old flaw has now been taken care of, by releasing the world's most famous sex manual in the form of audio books.
Now all you have to do is listen to the audio to get your moves right.
Beautiful Books, of London, has commissioned actor Tanya Franks to read aloud from the treatise, including its most notorious chapter, "On Sexual Union", which describes 64 different ways of making love.
The books can be downloaded for 8.99 dollars.
Kamasutra is based on ancient Hindu philosophies and was first translated into English in 1883 under the guidance of Victorian explorer Richard Burton.
"Now there's no need to feel embarrassed by reading a copy of this wonderful and important book in public - simply download it on to your mp3 player and liven up your commute to work," The Guardian quoted Simon Petherick, the managing director of Beautiful Books, as saying.
"When I was asked to read the Kamasutra I felt nervous and excited at the thought of it," Franks said.
When we finally did it I was completely relaxed and we had a great time. The only thing missing was the cigarette afterwards," she added.
This age-old flaw has now been taken care of, by releasing the world's most famous sex manual in the form of audio books.
Now all you have to do is listen to the audio to get your moves right.
Beautiful Books, of London, has commissioned actor Tanya Franks to read aloud from the treatise, including its most notorious chapter, "On Sexual Union", which describes 64 different ways of making love.
The books can be downloaded for 8.99 dollars.
Kamasutra is based on ancient Hindu philosophies and was first translated into English in 1883 under the guidance of Victorian explorer Richard Burton.
"Now there's no need to feel embarrassed by reading a copy of this wonderful and important book in public - simply download it on to your mp3 player and liven up your commute to work," The Guardian quoted Simon Petherick, the managing director of Beautiful Books, as saying.
"When I was asked to read the Kamasutra I felt nervous and excited at the thought of it," Franks said.
When we finally did it I was completely relaxed and we had a great time. The only thing missing was the cigarette afterwards," she added.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Island up for sale in Australia
Owning a private island on Tasmania's east cost may be affordable for many affluent people in Australia costing equivalent of a house worth USD 500,000.
The Picnic Island - resting in Freycinet National Park's Hazard Range in the middle of Coles Bay - is up for sale by expression of interest, according to 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
"You can't really value it as a normal block of land because it's so unique," Paul Whytcross, from Roberts Real Estate in Coles Bay said.
The island in southeastern state of Australia, is expected to sell for between USD 500,000 and USD 1 million. It has permits for a 10-person eco-lodge.
"If someone came along with a plan for a long-term lease to develop the eco-tourism side of things, that would be an option," Whytcross said.
The island's rugged sandstone rocks accommodate a large colony of little penguins and a nesting ground for short-tailed shear waters.
There are abalone, oysters and mussels, too. Despite being within 500 metres of the Tasmanian shoreline, it remains relatively untouched.
"The key thing is the conservation and preservation of the sea bird colony and that limits what you can do with it," Whytcross said.
Picnic Island is within sight of the upmarket Saffire resort and has a convict history.
The original landowner of the Coles Bay area forced his convicts to quarry sandstone on the island during downturns in the whaling season.
The vendor, a Queensland property developer, bought the island for USD 65,000 in 2005.
A planning application stipulates that the only development allowed is basic camping-style accommodation.
However, it has the unique selling feature of penguins and shear waters nesting near your campsite.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Men dread their wives' driving, finds survey
Believe it or not, one in three men dreads getting into the car if his better half is driving, a new survey has revealed.
Wondered why?
Well, many say wives and partners brake too late and they find themselves pushing their feet down into the footwell or gripping the edges of the passenger seat, according to the survey by British market researchers 'OnePoll.com'.
One in 10 of the 3,000 male respondents said he had been forced to grab the wheel as his partner took her eyes off the road and careered towards the central reservation of a motorway, the 'Daily Express' has reported.
They say women are too easily distracted by children, other drivers, even scenery.
The website said: "Most men believe they concentrate a lot better than women, read situations quicker and have better reactions."
But female-only motor insurers Sheilas' Wheels spokeswoman Asia Yasir said: "Claims data proves women are statistically safer."
Wondered why?
Well, many say wives and partners brake too late and they find themselves pushing their feet down into the footwell or gripping the edges of the passenger seat, according to the survey by British market researchers 'OnePoll.com'.
One in 10 of the 3,000 male respondents said he had been forced to grab the wheel as his partner took her eyes off the road and careered towards the central reservation of a motorway, the 'Daily Express' has reported.
They say women are too easily distracted by children, other drivers, even scenery.
The website said: "Most men believe they concentrate a lot better than women, read situations quicker and have better reactions."
But female-only motor insurers Sheilas' Wheels spokeswoman Asia Yasir said: "Claims data proves women are statistically safer."
Monday, July 12, 2010
What came first the chicken or the egg?
British researchers may have uncovered a partial answer to the age-old question, "what came first the chicken or the egg?"
According to a team, comprising researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Sheffield, the answer is "chicken" or at least a particular chicken protein.
There is, however, a further twist - this particular chicken protein turns out to come both first and last. That neat trick it performs provides new insights into control of crystal growth which is key to egg shell production.
Scientists have long believed that a chicken eggshell protein called ovocledidin-17 (OC-17) must play some role in egg shell formation. The protein is found only in the mineral region of the egg (the hard part of the shell) and lab bench results showed that it appeared to influence the transformation of (CaCo3) into calcite crystals. The mechanism of this control remained unclear. How this process could be used to form an actual eggshell remained unclear.
University of Warwick researchers Mark Rodger and David Quigley, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Sheffield, have now been able to apply a powerful computing tool called metadynamics and the UK national supercomputer in Edinburgh to crack this egg problem.
Dr David Quigley from the Department of Physics and Centre for Scientific Computing, University of Warwick, said: "Metadynamics extends conventional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and is particularly good at sampling transitions between disordered and ordered states of matter."
Using these tools, the team was able to create simulations that showed exactly how the protein bound to amorphous calcium carbonate surface using two clusters of "arginine residues", located on two loops of the protein and creating a literal chemical "clamp" to nano sized particles of calcium carbonate.
While clamped in this way, the OC-17 encourages the nanoparticles of calcium carbonate to transform into "calcite crystallites" that form the tiny of nucleus of crystals that can continue to grow on their own. But they also noticed that sometimes this chemical clamp didn't work. The OC-17 just seemed to detatch from the nanoparticle or "be desorbed".
Professor Mark Rodger from Department of Chemistry and Centre for Scientific Computing, University of Warwick, said: "With the larger nanoparticles we examined we found that the binding sites for this chemical clamp were the same as the smaller nanoparticles but the binding was much weaker. In the simulations we performed, the protein never desorbed from the smaller nanoparticle, but always fell off or desorbed from the larger one. However in each case, desorption occurred at or after nucleation of calcite."
The researchers had therefore uncovered an incredibly elegant process allowing highly efficient recycling of the OC-17 protein. Effectively it acts as a catalyst, clamping on to calcium carbonate particles to kickstart crystal formation and then dropping off when the crystal nucleus is sufficiently large to grow under its own steam. This frees up the OC-17 to promote more yet more crystallisation, facilitating the speedy, literally overnight creation of an egg shell.
The researchers believe that this new insight into the elegant and highly efficient methods of promoting and controlling crystallisation in nature will be of great benefit to anyone exploring how to promote and control artificial forms of crystallisation. '
The study appears in the international edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie.
According to a team, comprising researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Sheffield, the answer is "chicken" or at least a particular chicken protein.
There is, however, a further twist - this particular chicken protein turns out to come both first and last. That neat trick it performs provides new insights into control of crystal growth which is key to egg shell production.
Scientists have long believed that a chicken eggshell protein called ovocledidin-17 (OC-17) must play some role in egg shell formation. The protein is found only in the mineral region of the egg (the hard part of the shell) and lab bench results showed that it appeared to influence the transformation of (CaCo3) into calcite crystals. The mechanism of this control remained unclear. How this process could be used to form an actual eggshell remained unclear.
University of Warwick researchers Mark Rodger and David Quigley, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Sheffield, have now been able to apply a powerful computing tool called metadynamics and the UK national supercomputer in Edinburgh to crack this egg problem.
Dr David Quigley from the Department of Physics and Centre for Scientific Computing, University of Warwick, said: "Metadynamics extends conventional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and is particularly good at sampling transitions between disordered and ordered states of matter."
Using these tools, the team was able to create simulations that showed exactly how the protein bound to amorphous calcium carbonate surface using two clusters of "arginine residues", located on two loops of the protein and creating a literal chemical "clamp" to nano sized particles of calcium carbonate.
While clamped in this way, the OC-17 encourages the nanoparticles of calcium carbonate to transform into "calcite crystallites" that form the tiny of nucleus of crystals that can continue to grow on their own. But they also noticed that sometimes this chemical clamp didn't work. The OC-17 just seemed to detatch from the nanoparticle or "be desorbed".
Professor Mark Rodger from Department of Chemistry and Centre for Scientific Computing, University of Warwick, said: "With the larger nanoparticles we examined we found that the binding sites for this chemical clamp were the same as the smaller nanoparticles but the binding was much weaker. In the simulations we performed, the protein never desorbed from the smaller nanoparticle, but always fell off or desorbed from the larger one. However in each case, desorption occurred at or after nucleation of calcite."
The researchers had therefore uncovered an incredibly elegant process allowing highly efficient recycling of the OC-17 protein. Effectively it acts as a catalyst, clamping on to calcium carbonate particles to kickstart crystal formation and then dropping off when the crystal nucleus is sufficiently large to grow under its own steam. This frees up the OC-17 to promote more yet more crystallisation, facilitating the speedy, literally overnight creation of an egg shell.
The researchers believe that this new insight into the elegant and highly efficient methods of promoting and controlling crystallisation in nature will be of great benefit to anyone exploring how to promote and control artificial forms of crystallisation. '
The study appears in the international edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Rich and Poor: London's tale of two cities
Residents of the decaying Robin Hood Gardens estate, where grimy windows punctuate concrete, prison-like corridors, say they feel no connection with those living a short walk away in the luxury Canary Riverside complex.
Most of those in and around these overcrowded east London blocks live on incomes less than half the national average.
Their nearest green space is a small hill scarred with burned litter and the remnants of a fire.
The scene is a far cry from the gleaming business hub of Canary Wharf with its gyms and minimalist restaurants, where a penthouse flat can cost over $3.04 million.
That discrepancy - and the wider social gulf it represents -- is unlikely to pass unnoticed in the run up to Britain's May 6 general election.
The Labour party swept to power in 1997 with a promise to close the gap between rich and poor. Yet figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank indicate inequality is now higher than when Labour took office.
"It is an amazing area for all the wrong reasons," said Tim Archer, local councillor and opposition Conservative candidate for the London seat of Poplar and Limehouse, which includes both deprived Robin Hood Gardens and financial center Canary Wharf.
"We have a difference of 10 years in life expectancy within the borough. We've got huge unemployment rates, but, thanks to Canary Wharf, we also have one of the highest numbers of jobs per head. We have prosperity and deprivation cheek by jowl."
London is home to some of Britain's richest and its poorest. The city's main newspaper, the Evening Standard, ran a campaign titled "The Dispossessed" earlier this year, highlighting the plight of the capital's needy. It found that in one of the world's wealthiest cities, poor children are still being buried in mass graves.
TOUGH LONDON
London has four out of England's eight most deprived local authorities, according to official statistics.
Tower Hamlets in east London, which includes Poplar & Limehouse, is the third poorest local authority in England. Islington, spiritual home of New Labour -- the rebranded form of Labour politics that helped it to power in 1997, is eighth.
Islington shares a border with London's financial district and is known for its trendy boutiques and numerous restaurants. It was for years home to former prime minister Tony Blair.
But, the borough is deceptive. More than 40 percent of children in primary school here are defined as living in poverty and it has the highest suicide rate in England.
The problems, say residents in these boroughs, are manifold: a chronic social housing shortage, immigration, low-level crime, poor state education.
"We know that children go to youth clubs and after-school clubs and that's where they go for a meal," Kristina Glenn, the head of the Cripplegate Foundation which funds voluntary projects in Islington, told Reuters.
"The youth workers tell us that if they don't have a meal here, they're not going to eat tonight."
For many, the latest financial crisis has exacerbated the contrast between "them and us" -- prompting hand-wringing over what the opposition Conservative party calls "Broken Britain."
It has also fueled the popularity of minor parties like Respect, fronted by maverick politician George Galloway, who has capitalized on disaffection among east London's immigrant, largely Bangladeshi, population.
"The real division that counts in this borough is between the extremely rich and politicians who serve them and the rest, who are either poor or middle income, in either case struggling to get by," Galloway said in an interview, before an afternoon of hand-shaking and door-knocking at the Robin Hood estate.
This sort of complaint strikes a cord with many of London's poorest residents, who felt left out by the boom years and now say they feel the pain of rising unemployment and spending cuts.
Labour has talked down the criticism, saying crime levels have reduced, neighborhood policing has improved and unemployment remains below the levels seen in the 80s and 90s.
"When Labour came to power in 1997, there were two million homes below the decency threshold, we've now refurbished over a million, including tens of thousands in Tower Hamlets," said Jim Fitzpatrick, Limehouse Labour MP since 1997, and standing again.
But it's a tough message to sell to an electorate disaffected with politics and politicians following an expenses scandal in which many MPs were shown to be claiming for items many voters felt to be extravagant.
"There's always been this division in Islington," shopper Marion Jones said, browsing the local outdoor market. "The wealthy have got really wealthy and everyone else has just stayed the same. It's just the way it is. It'll never change."
Most of those in and around these overcrowded east London blocks live on incomes less than half the national average.
Their nearest green space is a small hill scarred with burned litter and the remnants of a fire.
The scene is a far cry from the gleaming business hub of Canary Wharf with its gyms and minimalist restaurants, where a penthouse flat can cost over $3.04 million.
That discrepancy - and the wider social gulf it represents -- is unlikely to pass unnoticed in the run up to Britain's May 6 general election.
The Labour party swept to power in 1997 with a promise to close the gap between rich and poor. Yet figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank indicate inequality is now higher than when Labour took office.
"It is an amazing area for all the wrong reasons," said Tim Archer, local councillor and opposition Conservative candidate for the London seat of Poplar and Limehouse, which includes both deprived Robin Hood Gardens and financial center Canary Wharf.
"We have a difference of 10 years in life expectancy within the borough. We've got huge unemployment rates, but, thanks to Canary Wharf, we also have one of the highest numbers of jobs per head. We have prosperity and deprivation cheek by jowl."
London is home to some of Britain's richest and its poorest. The city's main newspaper, the Evening Standard, ran a campaign titled "The Dispossessed" earlier this year, highlighting the plight of the capital's needy. It found that in one of the world's wealthiest cities, poor children are still being buried in mass graves.
TOUGH LONDON
London has four out of England's eight most deprived local authorities, according to official statistics.
Tower Hamlets in east London, which includes Poplar & Limehouse, is the third poorest local authority in England. Islington, spiritual home of New Labour -- the rebranded form of Labour politics that helped it to power in 1997, is eighth.
Islington shares a border with London's financial district and is known for its trendy boutiques and numerous restaurants. It was for years home to former prime minister Tony Blair.
But, the borough is deceptive. More than 40 percent of children in primary school here are defined as living in poverty and it has the highest suicide rate in England.
The problems, say residents in these boroughs, are manifold: a chronic social housing shortage, immigration, low-level crime, poor state education.
"We know that children go to youth clubs and after-school clubs and that's where they go for a meal," Kristina Glenn, the head of the Cripplegate Foundation which funds voluntary projects in Islington, told Reuters.
"The youth workers tell us that if they don't have a meal here, they're not going to eat tonight."
For many, the latest financial crisis has exacerbated the contrast between "them and us" -- prompting hand-wringing over what the opposition Conservative party calls "Broken Britain."
It has also fueled the popularity of minor parties like Respect, fronted by maverick politician George Galloway, who has capitalized on disaffection among east London's immigrant, largely Bangladeshi, population.
"The real division that counts in this borough is between the extremely rich and politicians who serve them and the rest, who are either poor or middle income, in either case struggling to get by," Galloway said in an interview, before an afternoon of hand-shaking and door-knocking at the Robin Hood estate.
This sort of complaint strikes a cord with many of London's poorest residents, who felt left out by the boom years and now say they feel the pain of rising unemployment and spending cuts.
Labour has talked down the criticism, saying crime levels have reduced, neighborhood policing has improved and unemployment remains below the levels seen in the 80s and 90s.
"When Labour came to power in 1997, there were two million homes below the decency threshold, we've now refurbished over a million, including tens of thousands in Tower Hamlets," said Jim Fitzpatrick, Limehouse Labour MP since 1997, and standing again.
But it's a tough message to sell to an electorate disaffected with politics and politicians following an expenses scandal in which many MPs were shown to be claiming for items many voters felt to be extravagant.
"There's always been this division in Islington," shopper Marion Jones said, browsing the local outdoor market. "The wealthy have got really wealthy and everyone else has just stayed the same. It's just the way it is. It'll never change."
Monday, June 7, 2010
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini is one of the more spiritual types of yoga.
Kundalini yoga is a form of physical and meditative yoga that comprises of various techniques using the mind, body and our senses.
The Kundalini is untapped spiritual energy at the base of the spine that can be drawn up through the body awakening each of the seven chakras of the body. Full enlightenment occurs when this energy reaches the Crown Chakra (topmost).
The Kundalini energy is often represented as a snake coiled at the base of the spine. This yoga gives special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system – both essential parts for yogic awakening.
It goes beyond the physical performance of asanas with its emphasis on breathing, meditation, mudras and chanting. However, it can be very physically intense and appeals to those who are up for both mental and physical challenges.
Some of the benefits one can derive from Kundalini yoga are:
- Kundalini yoga helps in the better functioning of the digestive, glandular, cardiovascular, lymphatic and nervous system.
- It has a direct bearing with the glandular system and hence can enhance the ability to look and feel great.
- It heightens the senses. So, your ability to taste, smell, feel and see with sensitivity are increased.
- It helps eliminate and get rid of habits such as smoking and alcohol addiction.
- It also helps overcome negative feelings and encourages positive attitude and feelings.
- You can experience better sense of self-control and, overcome anger and resentment to find inner calm and mental peace.
- It strengthens the immune system too and helps you fight off several diseases and keep them at bay. A positive mind is a great weapon against all of them.
- Kundalini yoga helps to enrich your sense of well-being and confidence that comes from the process of self-discovery of your inner self and reaching a relaxed state of mind and body.
Kundalini yoga is a form of physical and meditative yoga that comprises of various techniques using the mind, body and our senses.
The Kundalini is untapped spiritual energy at the base of the spine that can be drawn up through the body awakening each of the seven chakras of the body. Full enlightenment occurs when this energy reaches the Crown Chakra (topmost).
The Kundalini energy is often represented as a snake coiled at the base of the spine. This yoga gives special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system – both essential parts for yogic awakening.
It goes beyond the physical performance of asanas with its emphasis on breathing, meditation, mudras and chanting. However, it can be very physically intense and appeals to those who are up for both mental and physical challenges.
Some of the benefits one can derive from Kundalini yoga are:
- Kundalini yoga helps in the better functioning of the digestive, glandular, cardiovascular, lymphatic and nervous system.
- It has a direct bearing with the glandular system and hence can enhance the ability to look and feel great.
- It heightens the senses. So, your ability to taste, smell, feel and see with sensitivity are increased.
- It helps eliminate and get rid of habits such as smoking and alcohol addiction.
- It also helps overcome negative feelings and encourages positive attitude and feelings.
- You can experience better sense of self-control and, overcome anger and resentment to find inner calm and mental peace.
- It strengthens the immune system too and helps you fight off several diseases and keep them at bay. A positive mind is a great weapon against all of them.
- Kundalini yoga helps to enrich your sense of well-being and confidence that comes from the process of self-discovery of your inner self and reaching a relaxed state of mind and body.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Short sleep ups risk of premature death
People who sleep for less than six hours each night were 12 percent more likely to die prematurely than those who get the recommended six to eight hours.
The study by the University of Warwick and Federico II University Medical School, Italy, provides evidence of the direct link between short duration of sleep and an increased chance of dying prematurely.
The research also notes that consistent overlong sleeping (over nine hours a night) can be a cause for concern. While, unlike short sleeping, overlong sleeping does not in itself increase the risk of death, it can be a significant marker of underlying serious and potentially fatal illnesses.
The study looked at the relationship between the level of habitual duration of sleep and mortality by reviewing 16 prospective studies from Britain, the US, European and East Asian countries.
The study included more than 1.3 million participants, followed up for up to 25 years, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded, said a Warwick release.
Francesco Cappuccio, professor the University of Warwick and consultant physician, said: 'Whilst short sleep may represent a cause of ill-health, long sleep is believed to represent more an indicator of ill-health.'
These findings were published in Sleep.
The study by the University of Warwick and Federico II University Medical School, Italy, provides evidence of the direct link between short duration of sleep and an increased chance of dying prematurely.
The research also notes that consistent overlong sleeping (over nine hours a night) can be a cause for concern. While, unlike short sleeping, overlong sleeping does not in itself increase the risk of death, it can be a significant marker of underlying serious and potentially fatal illnesses.
The study looked at the relationship between the level of habitual duration of sleep and mortality by reviewing 16 prospective studies from Britain, the US, European and East Asian countries.
The study included more than 1.3 million participants, followed up for up to 25 years, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded, said a Warwick release.
Francesco Cappuccio, professor the University of Warwick and consultant physician, said: 'Whilst short sleep may represent a cause of ill-health, long sleep is believed to represent more an indicator of ill-health.'
These findings were published in Sleep.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
I have just returned from a week's stay in Alpbach
I have just returned from a week's stay in Alpbach - a lovely village in Tyrol, Austria. I had gone to attend a conference.
Monday, April 5, 2010
'Aral Sea' one of planet's most shocking environmental disasters: Ban Ki-Moon
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has termed the 'Aral Sea' as one of the planet's most shocking environmental disasters.
Ban Ki-Moon toured Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest lake, by helicopter as part of a visit to the five countries of former Soviet Central Asia.
"On the pier, I wasn't seeing anything, I could see only a graveyard of ships. It is clearly one of the worst disasters, environmental disasters of the world. I was so shocked," he said.
Ban Ki-Moon, who was on his six-day trip through the region called on the countries' leaders to set aside rivalries to cooperate on repairing some of the damage, reports the Telegraph.
"I urge all the leaders to sit down together and try to find the solutions," he said assuring United Nations support.
Uzbek officials complained Ban Ki-Moon that dam projects in Tajikistan would severely reduce the amount of water flowing into Uzbekistan.
It has been reported that the sea, which has shrunk by 90 percent has ruined the once-robust fishing economy and left fishing trawlers stranded in sandy wasterlands.
There are reports that the sea shrank largely due to a Soviet project to boost cottong production in the arid region and its evaporation has left layers of highly salted sand, which winds an carry as far away as Scandinavia and Japan, and which plague local people with health troubles.
Ban Ki-Moon toured Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest lake, by helicopter as part of a visit to the five countries of former Soviet Central Asia.
"On the pier, I wasn't seeing anything, I could see only a graveyard of ships. It is clearly one of the worst disasters, environmental disasters of the world. I was so shocked," he said.
Ban Ki-Moon, who was on his six-day trip through the region called on the countries' leaders to set aside rivalries to cooperate on repairing some of the damage, reports the Telegraph.
"I urge all the leaders to sit down together and try to find the solutions," he said assuring United Nations support.
Uzbek officials complained Ban Ki-Moon that dam projects in Tajikistan would severely reduce the amount of water flowing into Uzbekistan.
It has been reported that the sea, which has shrunk by 90 percent has ruined the once-robust fishing economy and left fishing trawlers stranded in sandy wasterlands.
There are reports that the sea shrank largely due to a Soviet project to boost cottong production in the arid region and its evaporation has left layers of highly salted sand, which winds an carry as far away as Scandinavia and Japan, and which plague local people with health troubles.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
6 Easy Slim-Down Strategies
More from Prevention
Losing weight is about a series of small steps--one less dessert here, an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical there--plus smart lifestyle moves that continually inch you closer to your goals. But like any change, try to do everything at once and you could wind up feeling deprived and deflated (and not in the good way). So instead of vowing to cut calories AND exercise 7 days a week AND forsake ice cream and pizza for the rest of your life, start out with a few of these research-proven tricks that can help you drop pounds. Once you've mastered one, add in another; before you know it you'll see results on the scale--no drastic changes required.
1) Weigh yourself daily
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular weight loss programs, but some studies show that daily weighing can be key to lasting weight loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to skip dessert.
2) Keep TV viewing under 2 hours a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day. Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
3) Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy a piece of fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, Ph.D., an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese. The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, he says, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
5) Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may also speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, M.D., of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to 8 glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
6) Stick to an 8-hour workday
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol. Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and cook a healthy dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Losing weight is about a series of small steps--one less dessert here, an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical there--plus smart lifestyle moves that continually inch you closer to your goals. But like any change, try to do everything at once and you could wind up feeling deprived and deflated (and not in the good way). So instead of vowing to cut calories AND exercise 7 days a week AND forsake ice cream and pizza for the rest of your life, start out with a few of these research-proven tricks that can help you drop pounds. Once you've mastered one, add in another; before you know it you'll see results on the scale--no drastic changes required.
1) Weigh yourself daily
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular weight loss programs, but some studies show that daily weighing can be key to lasting weight loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to skip dessert.
2) Keep TV viewing under 2 hours a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day. Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
3) Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy a piece of fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, Ph.D., an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese. The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, he says, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
5) Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may also speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, M.D., of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to 8 glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
6) Stick to an 8-hour workday
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol. Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and cook a healthy dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Kenyan wins Mumbai Marathon
Kenyan sprinter Dennis Ndisso won the seventh Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) held in India's commercial and film capital Mumbai this morning while Bining Lyngkhoi stood first among Indian runners in the 42-km event.
Ndisso completed the marathon in 2 hours and 12 minutes while Lyngkhoi completed in 2.20 hrs.
Sandeep Kumar bagged the Half Marathon. Hele Kebebush of Ethiopia became the winner in the foreign women's category of the SCMM.
Indian Aki Irappa was adjudged winner of the 21 km long Half Marathon in the women's category. Over 38,000 participants ran Asia's largest marathon this year.
Celebrities came out in large numbers as every year to celebrate the spirit of Mumbai.
This year's race saw runners traverse the newly-opened symbol of resurgent Mumbai, the sea link between Worli and Bandra.
The prize money this year for the full marathon is close to INR 15 million.
Ndisso completed the marathon in 2 hours and 12 minutes while Lyngkhoi completed in 2.20 hrs.
Sandeep Kumar bagged the Half Marathon. Hele Kebebush of Ethiopia became the winner in the foreign women's category of the SCMM.
Indian Aki Irappa was adjudged winner of the 21 km long Half Marathon in the women's category. Over 38,000 participants ran Asia's largest marathon this year.
Celebrities came out in large numbers as every year to celebrate the spirit of Mumbai.
This year's race saw runners traverse the newly-opened symbol of resurgent Mumbai, the sea link between Worli and Bandra.
The prize money this year for the full marathon is close to INR 15 million.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Superstar status stifled MJ's creativity, says George Michael
George Michael believes Michael Jackson's stardom corroded his musical potential.
The former 'Wham!' member thinks that the King of Pop's death was surreal in nature.
"(Jackson's death) was sad and a bit surreal, too. Jackson's influence on the industry was massive and he made some incredible albums, especially in the '80s," the Daily Express of London has quoted him as saying.
He added: "But I do feel there was some lost potential there. Maybe that level of celebrity simply puts a stop to any musical brilliance."
Jackson's 1982 album 'Thriller' had sold more than 100 million copies, but his last studio album, Invincible, had sold just over 10 million copies after its release in 2001.
The former 'Wham!' member thinks that the King of Pop's death was surreal in nature.
"(Jackson's death) was sad and a bit surreal, too. Jackson's influence on the industry was massive and he made some incredible albums, especially in the '80s," the Daily Express of London has quoted him as saying.
He added: "But I do feel there was some lost potential there. Maybe that level of celebrity simply puts a stop to any musical brilliance."
Jackson's 1982 album 'Thriller' had sold more than 100 million copies, but his last studio album, Invincible, had sold just over 10 million copies after its release in 2001.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Despite downturn, more Indians are wealthier now
Despite the worst recession since World War II, affluent Indians have not only managed to survive but in fact grew wealthier than before.
More affluent Indians along with other Asians say they are wealthier now compared to six months ago. According to HSBC Affluent Asian Tracker survey, savvy wealthy Indian investors came through the financial turmoil at the end of 2009 relatively unscathed.
Leading Asia's affluent are 70% of mainland Chinese respondents who reported a rise in net worth compared to only 46% six months ago. Similarly, across Asia, the number of affluent respondents reporting an increase in wealth in the past six months nearly doubled. In India, 68 % have reported higher accumulation of wealth compared to 28% six months ago. In Taiwan 61% reported a similar trend against 33% six months ago. In Malaysia, 55% have seen their wealth multiplying in last six months.
Majority of respondents claimed they gained their wealth through their employment comprising 89% in mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, 88 % in Indonesia, 87% in Australia, 84% in Taiwan and 79% in India.
Sandy Flockhart, chief executive officer of HSBC Asia-Pacific has commented: "Asia's workforce is powering the region's affluent who are fast becoming savvy about growing and managing their newly-created wealth. Riding on Asia's recovery and improved market sentiment, the affluent in the region, most particularly in mainland China, are regaining their confidence as investors and are providing momentum towards a more robust wealth management market in Asia." The number of affluent Asians reporting a decline in net worth over the past six months decreased significantly compared to six months ago.
On planned changes in investment risk appetite over the next six months, the survey showed that 31% of affluent mainland Chinese are willing to accept greater risk followed by 30% in India and 28% in Malaysia.
More affluent Indians along with other Asians say they are wealthier now compared to six months ago. According to HSBC Affluent Asian Tracker survey, savvy wealthy Indian investors came through the financial turmoil at the end of 2009 relatively unscathed.
Leading Asia's affluent are 70% of mainland Chinese respondents who reported a rise in net worth compared to only 46% six months ago. Similarly, across Asia, the number of affluent respondents reporting an increase in wealth in the past six months nearly doubled. In India, 68 % have reported higher accumulation of wealth compared to 28% six months ago. In Taiwan 61% reported a similar trend against 33% six months ago. In Malaysia, 55% have seen their wealth multiplying in last six months.
Majority of respondents claimed they gained their wealth through their employment comprising 89% in mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, 88 % in Indonesia, 87% in Australia, 84% in Taiwan and 79% in India.
Sandy Flockhart, chief executive officer of HSBC Asia-Pacific has commented: "Asia's workforce is powering the region's affluent who are fast becoming savvy about growing and managing their newly-created wealth. Riding on Asia's recovery and improved market sentiment, the affluent in the region, most particularly in mainland China, are regaining their confidence as investors and are providing momentum towards a more robust wealth management market in Asia." The number of affluent Asians reporting a decline in net worth over the past six months decreased significantly compared to six months ago.
On planned changes in investment risk appetite over the next six months, the survey showed that 31% of affluent mainland Chinese are willing to accept greater risk followed by 30% in India and 28% in Malaysia.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Spy cameras to watch over cops
Corrupt police personnel in India's capital city better be on guard.
Delhi Police have bought spy cameras and microphones to nail their rotten apples. The Crime Branch bought these gadgets after police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal green signalled the proposal.
"They were bought from Delhi Police's secret fund. The recordings can be used as crucial evidence against the corrupt people in the force," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
This year alone more than 200 policemen have been suspended on charges of "corruption". These include more than 15 inspectors.
These spy cams are hidden in notebooks, pens, rings and bags. Recently, nine policemen including an inspector, were suspended at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) after they were caught on camera colluding with touts in fleecing passengers.
"These operations are discreetly planned. The spy cameras are given only to officers who are trustworthy. Many people in the force have vested interests so we have to be doubly sure whether the operation would be a success or not," the officer added. Police said they are increasingly taking the help of these gadgets to contain corruption.
"These gadgets are also used to record evidence in important cases. These recordings are admissible in court if corroborated with other evidences," said the officer.
Delhi government's Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) had last year nailed several corrupt officials with the help of "electronic traps". Apart from the traditional methods like physical traps (using conventional methods like powder /notes), the ACB officials emphasised more on electronic traps.
Delhi Police have bought spy cameras and microphones to nail their rotten apples. The Crime Branch bought these gadgets after police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal green signalled the proposal.
"They were bought from Delhi Police's secret fund. The recordings can be used as crucial evidence against the corrupt people in the force," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
This year alone more than 200 policemen have been suspended on charges of "corruption". These include more than 15 inspectors.
These spy cams are hidden in notebooks, pens, rings and bags. Recently, nine policemen including an inspector, were suspended at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) after they were caught on camera colluding with touts in fleecing passengers.
"These operations are discreetly planned. The spy cameras are given only to officers who are trustworthy. Many people in the force have vested interests so we have to be doubly sure whether the operation would be a success or not," the officer added. Police said they are increasingly taking the help of these gadgets to contain corruption.
"These gadgets are also used to record evidence in important cases. These recordings are admissible in court if corroborated with other evidences," said the officer.
Delhi government's Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) had last year nailed several corrupt officials with the help of "electronic traps". Apart from the traditional methods like physical traps (using conventional methods like powder /notes), the ACB officials emphasised more on electronic traps.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
New Zealand Indians propose 20million-dollar Taj Mahal replica in Auckland
An Indian group in New Zealand has come up with a proposal to build a Kiwi version of the Taj Mahal in the Auckland suburb of Eden Tce.
The planned 20 million dollar replica will rise on the site of the existing Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland, and could include a marble mausoleum, reflection pool and gold-plated ornaments.
"New Zealanders have their Te Papa, and what we want is a building that will reflect the grandeur and the rich Indian culture and history, and be the pride of the community here," The New Zealand Herald quoted Kanu Patel, Mahatma Gandhi Centre's chairman, as saying.
"The new building will benefit not only the Indian community but also Auckland City - as a tourist attraction, maybe - so I think there is a good reason for us to be receiving support from local government and charities," he added.
The centre has over the years hosted some of the Indian community's most significant social, cultural, religious and musical events and festivals, and the Taj Mahal replica is expected to do the same on a larger scale.
"Having a piece of land this size in central Auckland is like sitting on a goldmine, and we just have to maximize its potential. Since we own the land, we will be putting all the 20 million dollars into the building, and I think it can go quite a long way," Patel said.
The project also has the approval of local business owners, who supported the whole idea.
"At the moment, what we are seeing is a lot of business moving out of the area. Hopefully, the project can attract other businesses to set up here," said Erica Liang, a cafe owner.
Paris Hilton jumps out of cake at birthday bash
Socialite Paris Hilton jumped out of a giant-sized cake to surprise her boyfriend Doug Reinhardt on his birthday. The 28-year-old star threw a surprise birthday party for her beau and doubled the effect when she burst out of the huge cake wearing a sexy hot pink outfit and a black diamond mask, reported the New York Post.
"Paris went all out for her man's birthday. No expense was spared", reported the New York Post.
He had no idea about the party and was so happy," a source said. Hilton was so keen to impress ''The Hills'' star that she organised for rap group ''Three 6 Mafia'' and hip-hop star Ya Boy to perform for the party goers.
Guests including Hollywood beauties Hayden Panettiere and Kristanna Loken partied until 3am at the nightclub Hilton has built in her home, while home videos of the couple were screened throughout the mansion. Hilton began dating Reinhardt in February this year and split with him in June.
However, the couple reunited in August when he whisked her away on a romantic break to Fiji. Reinhardt is not the only star to be presented with a giant cake on his birthday.
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise had gifted his wife actress Katie Holmes with an enormous five-tiered sponge when she turned 30 last December.
"Paris went all out for her man's birthday. No expense was spared", reported the New York Post.
He had no idea about the party and was so happy," a source said. Hilton was so keen to impress ''The Hills'' star that she organised for rap group ''Three 6 Mafia'' and hip-hop star Ya Boy to perform for the party goers.
Guests including Hollywood beauties Hayden Panettiere and Kristanna Loken partied until 3am at the nightclub Hilton has built in her home, while home videos of the couple were screened throughout the mansion. Hilton began dating Reinhardt in February this year and split with him in June.
However, the couple reunited in August when he whisked her away on a romantic break to Fiji. Reinhardt is not the only star to be presented with a giant cake on his birthday.
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise had gifted his wife actress Katie Holmes with an enormous five-tiered sponge when she turned 30 last December.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Marathi film on Phalke is India's Oscar entry
In 1914, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, widely known as Dadasaheb Phalke, declined an offer to make films in London. "I have to keep making films in my country so that it gets established as an industry at home," said the man who gave India its first full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra. Nearly 95 years have elapsed since then and the Indian film industry has become the biggest in the world, but the father of Indian cinema continues to inspire and contribute to the industry. The latest instance of this is Harishchandrachi Factory.
This Marathi language film about how Phalke made his first film has been nominated as India's official entry to this year's Oscars in the Foreign Film Category. It's the second Marathi film after Shwas (2004) to bag this honour. Its selection was announced by the Film Federation of India (FFI) and the jury was headed by veteran actress Asha Parekh.
"The inspiration for the film came from Dadasaheb Phalke. His adventure of filmmaking is the basis of the film," says Paresh Mokashi, director and writer of the film. Harishchandrachi Factory - which faced competition from 15 recent Indian films including New York and Delhi 6 - captures the first two years of Phalke's cinematic career. The two-hour-long film starts with Phalke giving up his printing business after a fight with his partner. Soon, he accidentally comes across a tent theatre, screening a silent film. An awestruck Phalke decided to make a film and was encouraged by his wife and two enthusiastic children. The Oscar-nominated film ends with Phalke delivering Indian film industry's first hit using his advertising acumen.
Mokashi started working on the film in 2005. The script was ready after three months of research on Phalke's life. "After that started the magical hunt for money to make the film. I didn't want to make a low-budget film and make absolutely no comprises in creating this period drama," he says.
This Marathi language film about how Phalke made his first film has been nominated as India's official entry to this year's Oscars in the Foreign Film Category. It's the second Marathi film after Shwas (2004) to bag this honour. Its selection was announced by the Film Federation of India (FFI) and the jury was headed by veteran actress Asha Parekh.
"The inspiration for the film came from Dadasaheb Phalke. His adventure of filmmaking is the basis of the film," says Paresh Mokashi, director and writer of the film. Harishchandrachi Factory - which faced competition from 15 recent Indian films including New York and Delhi 6 - captures the first two years of Phalke's cinematic career. The two-hour-long film starts with Phalke giving up his printing business after a fight with his partner. Soon, he accidentally comes across a tent theatre, screening a silent film. An awestruck Phalke decided to make a film and was encouraged by his wife and two enthusiastic children. The Oscar-nominated film ends with Phalke delivering Indian film industry's first hit using his advertising acumen.
Mokashi started working on the film in 2005. The script was ready after three months of research on Phalke's life. "After that started the magical hunt for money to make the film. I didn't want to make a low-budget film and make absolutely no comprises in creating this period drama," he says.
Monday, September 7, 2009
'Slumdog Millionaire' Kid Looses Father
Mohmmed Azharuddin, who featured in the Oscar winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire', has lost his father in Mumbai.
Ismail Shaikh had been suffering from advanced tuberculosis since the past two years. He had a very painful death on Friday at his Santacruz home where the family had shifted a few months ago.
Shaikh, 46, is survived by his widow Shamim, son Azharuddin, an older son and two daughters.
Shamim said that Shaikh had neglected his health and was totally immersed in making a bright future for Azharuddin, especially after "Slumdog Millionaire" became an international box office hit. She said that Azharruddin did not know much about the serious health condition of his father since the family did not want him to ignore his professional advancements.
Director Danny Boyle has written to the family expressing his condolences and support to them in this hour of grief and he is expected to visit the family some time next month.
Ismail Shaikh had been suffering from advanced tuberculosis since the past two years. He had a very painful death on Friday at his Santacruz home where the family had shifted a few months ago.
Shaikh, 46, is survived by his widow Shamim, son Azharuddin, an older son and two daughters.
Shamim said that Shaikh had neglected his health and was totally immersed in making a bright future for Azharuddin, especially after "Slumdog Millionaire" became an international box office hit. She said that Azharruddin did not know much about the serious health condition of his father since the family did not want him to ignore his professional advancements.
Director Danny Boyle has written to the family expressing his condolences and support to them in this hour of grief and he is expected to visit the family some time next month.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Not enough Facebook friends? Buy them
Who says you can't buy friends? An Australian online marketing company is selling friends and fans to Facebook members after offering a similar service to Twitter users.
Advertising, marketing and promoting company uSocial (http://usocial.net) said it was targeting social networking sites because of their huge advertising potential.
"Facebook is an extremely effective marketing tool," Leon Hill, uSocial CEO, said in a statement.
"The simple fact is that with a large following on Facebook, you have an instant and targeted group of people you can contact and promote whatever it is you want to promote," he added.
"The only problem is that it can be extremely difficult to achieve such a following, which is where we come in.
The company offers packages for Facebook, the world's number one social networking site, that start at 1,000 friends up to 10,000 friends at costs ranging from $177 to $1,167.
"All we do is send them a welcome message or friend request from the client. If they decide to go ahead and add that person as a friend or a fan then they will; if not, then they won't," Hill told Australian media.
Facebook is now the world's fourth-most visited website.
The company, which counts venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Accel Partners, Microsoft Corp and Russian Internet investment firm Digital Sky Technologies among its investors, has more than 250 million registered users.
But uSocial's packages are not without controversy.
According to some Australian websites, Twitter tried to shut uSocial down, accusing it of spamming members, while the Los Angeles Times reported that Digg.com, a website where people vote for their top news stories or websites, has also tried to shut down uSocial because it sells votes.
Advertising, marketing and promoting company uSocial (http://usocial.net) said it was targeting social networking sites because of their huge advertising potential.
"Facebook is an extremely effective marketing tool," Leon Hill, uSocial CEO, said in a statement.
"The simple fact is that with a large following on Facebook, you have an instant and targeted group of people you can contact and promote whatever it is you want to promote," he added.
"The only problem is that it can be extremely difficult to achieve such a following, which is where we come in.
The company offers packages for Facebook, the world's number one social networking site, that start at 1,000 friends up to 10,000 friends at costs ranging from $177 to $1,167.
"All we do is send them a welcome message or friend request from the client. If they decide to go ahead and add that person as a friend or a fan then they will; if not, then they won't," Hill told Australian media.
Facebook is now the world's fourth-most visited website.
The company, which counts venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Accel Partners, Microsoft Corp and Russian Internet investment firm Digital Sky Technologies among its investors, has more than 250 million registered users.
But uSocial's packages are not without controversy.
According to some Australian websites, Twitter tried to shut uSocial down, accusing it of spamming members, while the Los Angeles Times reported that Digg.com, a website where people vote for their top news stories or websites, has also tried to shut down uSocial because it sells votes.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Nooyi, Sonia Gandhi in Forbes top 15 most powerful women list
Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, Chanda Kochhar, CEO of ICICI Bank India and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Chairperson, Biocon India are the only Indians in the Forbes annual list of the 100 most powerful women.
The list, which was released last night, includes fiery chief executives, brilliant politicians and beloved queens, but the model for all women who seek influence, is the cautious and uncharismatic German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
Nooyi is listed as the third most powerful woman in the world, while Sonia Gandhi Kochhar and Shaw are ranked 13, 20 and 91 respectively. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed is the only other South Asian in the list and is ranked 78.
Americans make up 63 of the 100, while only four women from Britain make the grade
In assembling the list, Forbes looked for women who run countries, big companies or influential nonprofits. Their rankings are a combination of two scores:
Visibility - by press mentions - and the size of the organization or country these women lead.
The list is as follows:
1 Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany
2 Sheila Bair Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. U.S.
3 Indra Nooyi Chief Executive, PepsiCo U.S.
4 Cynthia Carroll Chief Executive, Anglo American U.K.
5 Ho Ching Chief Executive, Temasek Singapore
6 Irene Rosenfeld Chief Executive, Kraft Foods U.S.
7 Ellen Kullman Chief Executive, DuPont U.S.
8 Angela Braly Chief Executive, WellPoint U.S.
9 Anne Lauvergeon Chief Executive, Areva France
10 Lynn Elsenhans Chief Executive, Sunoco U.S.
11 Cristina Fernandez President Argentina
12 Carol Bartz Chief Executive, Yahoo U.S.
13 Sonia Gandhi President, Indian National Congress Party, India
14 Ursula Burns Chief Executive, Xerox Corp. U.S.
15 Anne Mulcahy Chairperson, Xerox Corp. U.S.
16 Safra Catz President, Oracle U.S.
17 Christine Lagarde Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment, France
18 Gail Kelly Chief Executive, Westpac Australia
19 Marjorie Scardino Chief Executive, Pearson Plc. U.K.
20 Chanda Kochhar Chief Executive, ICICI Bank India
21 Mary Sammons Chief Executive, Rite Aid Corp. U.S.
22 Michelle Bachelet President of Chile
23 Paula Reynolds Chief Restructuring Officer, AIG U.S.
24 Carol Meyrowitz Chief Executive, TJX Companies U.S.
25 Andrea Jung Chief Executive, Avon U.S.
26 Patricia Woertz Chief Executive, Archer Daniels Midland U.S.
27 Guler Sabanci Chairperson, Sabanci Holding Turkey
28 Barbara Desoer President, Bank of America Mortgage, Home Equity and Insurance U.S.
29 Brenda Barnes Chief Executive, Sara Lee Corp. U.S.
30 Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Chief Executive, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation U.S.
31 Ann Livermore Executive Vice President, Hewlett-Packard U.S.
32 Cathie Lesjak Executive vice president, Hewlett-Packard U.S.
33 Marina Berlusconi Chairperson, Fininvest Group Italy
34 Melinda Gates Co-chairperson, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation U.S.
35 Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House, House of Representatives U.S.
36 Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State U.S.A.
37 Jane Mendillo Chief Executive, Harvard Management Co. U.S.
38 Margaret Chan Director-general, World Health Org. Switzerland
39 Susan Chambers Executive Vice President, Global People Division, Wal-Mart Stores U.S.
40 Michelle Obama First Lady of U.S.A.
41 Oprah Winfrey Chairperson, Harpo U.S.
42 Queen Elizabeth II Queen of U.K.
43 Nancy McKinstry Chief Executive, Wolters Kluwer Netherlands
44 Gloria Arroyo President of Philippines
45 Ana Patricia Botin Executive Chairperson, Banesto Spain
46 Ann Veneman Executive Director, UNICEF U.S.
47 Yulia Tymoshenko Prime Minister of Ukraine
48 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice U.S.
49 Janet Robinson Chief Executive, The New York Times Co. U.S.
50 Dominique Senequier Chief Executive, AXA Private Equity France
51 Janet Napolitano Secretary of Homeland Security U.S.
52 Neelie Kroes Commissioner for Competition, European Union Belgium
53 Gail Boudreaux President, UnitedHealthcare U.S.
54 Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court Justice U.S.
55 Mary Schapiro Chairperson Securities and Exchange Commission U.S.
56 Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Services U.S.
57 Ellen Alemany Chief Executive, RBS Americas and Citizens Financial Group U.S.
58 Susan Ivey Chief Executive, Reynolds American U.S.
59 Amy Pascal Cochairperson, Sony Pictures Entertainment U.S.
60 Helen Clark Chairman, United Nations Development Group New Zealand
61 Judy McGrath Chief executive, MTV Networks U.S.
62 Stacey Snider Chief Executive, DreamWorks SKG U.S.
63 Navanethem Pillay High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations South Africa
64 Janet Clark Chief financial Officer, Marathon Oil U.S.
65 Sherilyn McCoy Worldwide Chairperson, Pharmaceuticals Group, Johnson and Johnson U.S.
66 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf President of Liberia
67 Tarja Halonen President of Finland
68 Mary McAleese President of Ireland
69 Virginia Rometty Senior Vice President, IBM U.S.
70 Angela Ahrendts Chief Executive, Burberry Group Plc. U.K.
71 Sri Indrawati Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Indonesia
72 Terri Dial Chief Executive, U.S. Consumer Bank, Citigroup U.S.
73 Deirdre Connelly President, North American Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithkline U.S.
74 Johanna Sigurdardottir Prime Minister of Iceland
75 Queen Rania Queen of Jordan
76 Christina Gold Chief Executive, Western Union U.S.
77 Colleen Goggins Worldwide Chairperson, Johnson and Johnson U.S.
78 Hasina Wajed Prime Minister of Bangladesh
79 Hyun Jeong-eun Chairperson, Hyundai Group South Korea
80 Amy Schulman Senior Vice President, Pfizer U.S.
81 Penny Pritzker Chairperson, Classic Residence by Hyatt U.S.
82 Drew Faust President, Harvard University U.S.
83 Melanie Healey Group President, Feminine and Health Care, Procter and Gamble U.S.
84 Elizabeth Smith President, Avon U.S.
85 Deb Henretta Group President, Asia, Procter and Gamble Singapore
86 Ann Moore Chief Executive, Time Inc. U.S.
87 Sallie Krawcheck Chief Executive Global Wealth Management, Bank of America U.S.
88 Pamela Nicholson President, Enterprise Rent-A-Car U.S.
89 Janice Fields Chief Operating Officer, McDonald's USA U.S.
90 Stephanie Burns Chief Executive, Dow Corning U.S.
91 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Chairperson, Biocon India
92 Eva Cheng Executive Vice President, Amway Greater China and Southeast Asia Hong Kong
93 Efrat Peled Chief Executive, Arison Investments Israel
94 Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi Minister of the Economy United Arab Emirates
95 Charlene Begley Chief Executive, GE Enterprise Solutions U.S.
96 Mindy Grossman Chief Executive, HSN, Inc. U.S.
97 Sharon Allen Chairperson, Deloitte and Touche U.S.
98 Anne Sweeney Co-chairperson, Disney Media Networks U.S.
99 Heidi Miller Chief Executive Treasury and Securities Services, JPMorgan Chase U.S.
100 Mary Erdoes Chairperson, JPMorgan Global Wealth Management U.S.
The list, which was released last night, includes fiery chief executives, brilliant politicians and beloved queens, but the model for all women who seek influence, is the cautious and uncharismatic German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
Nooyi is listed as the third most powerful woman in the world, while Sonia Gandhi Kochhar and Shaw are ranked 13, 20 and 91 respectively. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed is the only other South Asian in the list and is ranked 78.
Americans make up 63 of the 100, while only four women from Britain make the grade
In assembling the list, Forbes looked for women who run countries, big companies or influential nonprofits. Their rankings are a combination of two scores:
Visibility - by press mentions - and the size of the organization or country these women lead.
The list is as follows:
1 Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany
2 Sheila Bair Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. U.S.
3 Indra Nooyi Chief Executive, PepsiCo U.S.
4 Cynthia Carroll Chief Executive, Anglo American U.K.
5 Ho Ching Chief Executive, Temasek Singapore
6 Irene Rosenfeld Chief Executive, Kraft Foods U.S.
7 Ellen Kullman Chief Executive, DuPont U.S.
8 Angela Braly Chief Executive, WellPoint U.S.
9 Anne Lauvergeon Chief Executive, Areva France
10 Lynn Elsenhans Chief Executive, Sunoco U.S.
11 Cristina Fernandez President Argentina
12 Carol Bartz Chief Executive, Yahoo U.S.
13 Sonia Gandhi President, Indian National Congress Party, India
14 Ursula Burns Chief Executive, Xerox Corp. U.S.
15 Anne Mulcahy Chairperson, Xerox Corp. U.S.
16 Safra Catz President, Oracle U.S.
17 Christine Lagarde Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment, France
18 Gail Kelly Chief Executive, Westpac Australia
19 Marjorie Scardino Chief Executive, Pearson Plc. U.K.
20 Chanda Kochhar Chief Executive, ICICI Bank India
21 Mary Sammons Chief Executive, Rite Aid Corp. U.S.
22 Michelle Bachelet President of Chile
23 Paula Reynolds Chief Restructuring Officer, AIG U.S.
24 Carol Meyrowitz Chief Executive, TJX Companies U.S.
25 Andrea Jung Chief Executive, Avon U.S.
26 Patricia Woertz Chief Executive, Archer Daniels Midland U.S.
27 Guler Sabanci Chairperson, Sabanci Holding Turkey
28 Barbara Desoer President, Bank of America Mortgage, Home Equity and Insurance U.S.
29 Brenda Barnes Chief Executive, Sara Lee Corp. U.S.
30 Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Chief Executive, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation U.S.
31 Ann Livermore Executive Vice President, Hewlett-Packard U.S.
32 Cathie Lesjak Executive vice president, Hewlett-Packard U.S.
33 Marina Berlusconi Chairperson, Fininvest Group Italy
34 Melinda Gates Co-chairperson, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation U.S.
35 Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House, House of Representatives U.S.
36 Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State U.S.A.
37 Jane Mendillo Chief Executive, Harvard Management Co. U.S.
38 Margaret Chan Director-general, World Health Org. Switzerland
39 Susan Chambers Executive Vice President, Global People Division, Wal-Mart Stores U.S.
40 Michelle Obama First Lady of U.S.A.
41 Oprah Winfrey Chairperson, Harpo U.S.
42 Queen Elizabeth II Queen of U.K.
43 Nancy McKinstry Chief Executive, Wolters Kluwer Netherlands
44 Gloria Arroyo President of Philippines
45 Ana Patricia Botin Executive Chairperson, Banesto Spain
46 Ann Veneman Executive Director, UNICEF U.S.
47 Yulia Tymoshenko Prime Minister of Ukraine
48 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice U.S.
49 Janet Robinson Chief Executive, The New York Times Co. U.S.
50 Dominique Senequier Chief Executive, AXA Private Equity France
51 Janet Napolitano Secretary of Homeland Security U.S.
52 Neelie Kroes Commissioner for Competition, European Union Belgium
53 Gail Boudreaux President, UnitedHealthcare U.S.
54 Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court Justice U.S.
55 Mary Schapiro Chairperson Securities and Exchange Commission U.S.
56 Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Services U.S.
57 Ellen Alemany Chief Executive, RBS Americas and Citizens Financial Group U.S.
58 Susan Ivey Chief Executive, Reynolds American U.S.
59 Amy Pascal Cochairperson, Sony Pictures Entertainment U.S.
60 Helen Clark Chairman, United Nations Development Group New Zealand
61 Judy McGrath Chief executive, MTV Networks U.S.
62 Stacey Snider Chief Executive, DreamWorks SKG U.S.
63 Navanethem Pillay High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations South Africa
64 Janet Clark Chief financial Officer, Marathon Oil U.S.
65 Sherilyn McCoy Worldwide Chairperson, Pharmaceuticals Group, Johnson and Johnson U.S.
66 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf President of Liberia
67 Tarja Halonen President of Finland
68 Mary McAleese President of Ireland
69 Virginia Rometty Senior Vice President, IBM U.S.
70 Angela Ahrendts Chief Executive, Burberry Group Plc. U.K.
71 Sri Indrawati Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Indonesia
72 Terri Dial Chief Executive, U.S. Consumer Bank, Citigroup U.S.
73 Deirdre Connelly President, North American Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithkline U.S.
74 Johanna Sigurdardottir Prime Minister of Iceland
75 Queen Rania Queen of Jordan
76 Christina Gold Chief Executive, Western Union U.S.
77 Colleen Goggins Worldwide Chairperson, Johnson and Johnson U.S.
78 Hasina Wajed Prime Minister of Bangladesh
79 Hyun Jeong-eun Chairperson, Hyundai Group South Korea
80 Amy Schulman Senior Vice President, Pfizer U.S.
81 Penny Pritzker Chairperson, Classic Residence by Hyatt U.S.
82 Drew Faust President, Harvard University U.S.
83 Melanie Healey Group President, Feminine and Health Care, Procter and Gamble U.S.
84 Elizabeth Smith President, Avon U.S.
85 Deb Henretta Group President, Asia, Procter and Gamble Singapore
86 Ann Moore Chief Executive, Time Inc. U.S.
87 Sallie Krawcheck Chief Executive Global Wealth Management, Bank of America U.S.
88 Pamela Nicholson President, Enterprise Rent-A-Car U.S.
89 Janice Fields Chief Operating Officer, McDonald's USA U.S.
90 Stephanie Burns Chief Executive, Dow Corning U.S.
91 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Chairperson, Biocon India
92 Eva Cheng Executive Vice President, Amway Greater China and Southeast Asia Hong Kong
93 Efrat Peled Chief Executive, Arison Investments Israel
94 Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi Minister of the Economy United Arab Emirates
95 Charlene Begley Chief Executive, GE Enterprise Solutions U.S.
96 Mindy Grossman Chief Executive, HSN, Inc. U.S.
97 Sharon Allen Chairperson, Deloitte and Touche U.S.
98 Anne Sweeney Co-chairperson, Disney Media Networks U.S.
99 Heidi Miller Chief Executive Treasury and Securities Services, JPMorgan Chase U.S.
100 Mary Erdoes Chairperson, JPMorgan Global Wealth Management U.S.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Jackson harmed himself before death: Reports
In a bid to obtain powerful prescription drugs, Michael Jackson banged his head and hurt himself before his death in June, media reports say.
The pop music icon, who died June 25 after a cardiac arrest, was said to have been so desperate to fuel his addiction that he harmed himself to convince doctors to give him medication that included the strong pain killer Demerol, reports contactmusic.com.
'LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) detectives have interviewed some 30-35 witnesses so far, and it has come to light that Jackson was prone to self-harming. He'd bang his head against the wall, hit his fists and arms against furniture, anything to cause a cut or a bruise.
'He wanted to convince his doctors that he'd had an accident and was in a lot of pain -- a legitimate reason to ask for painkillers. This came up as part of the investigation into Michael's drug-taking. So far there's no evidence to prove or disprove the claims,' a source told Britain's Daily Mirror.
A family source told the newspaper that the late singer was an attention seeker and used to harm himself for that reason.
'Michael self-harmed as an attention-seeking mechanism or to gain sympathy. He enjoyed being cared for. It was a huge cry for help,' said the family member.
The pop music icon, who died June 25 after a cardiac arrest, was said to have been so desperate to fuel his addiction that he harmed himself to convince doctors to give him medication that included the strong pain killer Demerol, reports contactmusic.com.
'LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) detectives have interviewed some 30-35 witnesses so far, and it has come to light that Jackson was prone to self-harming. He'd bang his head against the wall, hit his fists and arms against furniture, anything to cause a cut or a bruise.
'He wanted to convince his doctors that he'd had an accident and was in a lot of pain -- a legitimate reason to ask for painkillers. This came up as part of the investigation into Michael's drug-taking. So far there's no evidence to prove or disprove the claims,' a source told Britain's Daily Mirror.
A family source told the newspaper that the late singer was an attention seeker and used to harm himself for that reason.
'Michael self-harmed as an attention-seeking mechanism or to gain sympathy. He enjoyed being cared for. It was a huge cry for help,' said the family member.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Now, a UFO-like flying shape photographed over stately home in England
A UFO sighting claim has once again been made in the UK, with a mystery object now being photographed hovering above a magnificent stately home in Hertfordshire.
The picture of the flying shape was clicked hovering over the house at Hatfield, near Welwyn Garden City.
It was Chris Middleton, of Welwyn, snapped the mystery object during a a visit to the Jacobean house and garden, the home of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury.
"It made no noise and I didn't see it until I put the image on my computer. If you sharpen the image and zoom right in you can see its no normal aircraft and you can see a red heat source behind it," the Telegraph of London quoted him as saying.
"I think it's impossible for there not to be something like that out there - the universe is so vast. He had the intriguing image examined by professional photographers - and none of them could explain it," he added.
Richard Wiseman, a professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, who has an international reputation for research into the paranormal, said: "It's very difficult to tell what it is because it is tricky to know how far the object is from the camera. I guess that it could be a bird or a paraglider in the distance, or a small piece of dust or debris very close to the lens. Either way, I don't think Hatfield House should be bracing themselves for a close encounter of the third kind quite yet."
The picture of the flying shape was clicked hovering over the house at Hatfield, near Welwyn Garden City.
It was Chris Middleton, of Welwyn, snapped the mystery object during a a visit to the Jacobean house and garden, the home of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury.
"It made no noise and I didn't see it until I put the image on my computer. If you sharpen the image and zoom right in you can see its no normal aircraft and you can see a red heat source behind it," the Telegraph of London quoted him as saying.
"I think it's impossible for there not to be something like that out there - the universe is so vast. He had the intriguing image examined by professional photographers - and none of them could explain it," he added.
Richard Wiseman, a professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, who has an international reputation for research into the paranormal, said: "It's very difficult to tell what it is because it is tricky to know how far the object is from the camera. I guess that it could be a bird or a paraglider in the distance, or a small piece of dust or debris very close to the lens. Either way, I don't think Hatfield House should be bracing themselves for a close encounter of the third kind quite yet."
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Japan's Gundam Robot Mania...
Courtesy wsj.com...
Like something out of a science-fiction movie, the robot stands 18 meters tall and towers above the tree line. But to the thousands of visitors who have come by Odaiba's Shiokaze Park just outside Tokyo, it is a familiar sight. It's Gundam.
The statue, a "life-size" replica of the television anime (Japanese slang for animated series) character created in 1979, was erected this month and will stand in the park through August. It was built by Bandai, the parent company of Sunrise, the animation studio that created the original series, "Mobile Suit Gundam," to celebrate the iconic cartoon's 30th anniversary and acknowledge the $528 million franchise of spin-offs, toys and books it has spawned in that time. Some fans even say the fictional robot has played a part in Japan's rise in the world of robotics engineering and technology.
Set 100 years in the future on extraterrestrial mining colonies (colonies established on other planets or moons for the purpose of extracting minerals) as well as on Earth, "Mobile Suit Gundam" imagines a radical future, where robots are commonplace. A renegade faction, the principality of Zeon (an extraterrestrial colony), has declared war on Earth Federation (a global government of the future) in a bid to become independent. The weapon of choice (created by Zeon but quickly replicated by Earth) is a "mobile suit," a robot driven by a human pilot who sits inside. The RX-78 Gundam -- named for the fictional alloy, Gundanium, from which it is made -- is used by a young pilot in defense of Earth.
Since the first series aired -- and the many other series, movies and made-for-the-Web shows that followed -- children and adults have been hooked on the melodrama featuring these giant martial robots. The mania has fueled several animated series and original Internet animations, films, manga and novels, videogames and plastic models (called pura-mo), merchandise including clothing, costumes, beach towels and even government-issued postage stamps.
Like something out of a science-fiction movie, the robot stands 18 meters tall and towers above the tree line. But to the thousands of visitors who have come by Odaiba's Shiokaze Park just outside Tokyo, it is a familiar sight. It's Gundam.
The statue, a "life-size" replica of the television anime (Japanese slang for animated series) character created in 1979, was erected this month and will stand in the park through August. It was built by Bandai, the parent company of Sunrise, the animation studio that created the original series, "Mobile Suit Gundam," to celebrate the iconic cartoon's 30th anniversary and acknowledge the $528 million franchise of spin-offs, toys and books it has spawned in that time. Some fans even say the fictional robot has played a part in Japan's rise in the world of robotics engineering and technology.
Set 100 years in the future on extraterrestrial mining colonies (colonies established on other planets or moons for the purpose of extracting minerals) as well as on Earth, "Mobile Suit Gundam" imagines a radical future, where robots are commonplace. A renegade faction, the principality of Zeon (an extraterrestrial colony), has declared war on Earth Federation (a global government of the future) in a bid to become independent. The weapon of choice (created by Zeon but quickly replicated by Earth) is a "mobile suit," a robot driven by a human pilot who sits inside. The RX-78 Gundam -- named for the fictional alloy, Gundanium, from which it is made -- is used by a young pilot in defense of Earth.
Since the first series aired -- and the many other series, movies and made-for-the-Web shows that followed -- children and adults have been hooked on the melodrama featuring these giant martial robots. The mania has fueled several animated series and original Internet animations, films, manga and novels, videogames and plastic models (called pura-mo), merchandise including clothing, costumes, beach towels and even government-issued postage stamps.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Jackson's hair made into diamonds -- for real
Since Michael Jackson's sudden death on June 25, the rumor mill over details of his bizarre personal life has ground away nearly non-stop, and on Friday, one company said it was turning his hair into diamonds. That one is true.
The claims this week included a report in Rolling Stone magazine that a prosthetic nose he wore apparently went missing when he was taken to the morgue, and a British tabloid trumpeted a headline that he fathered a secret love-child.
In one by-product of the "Thriller" singer's death, a Chicago company said on Friday it had obtained some of the hair Jackson burned while filming a 1984 Pepsi commercial and planned to create a limited edition of diamonds from it.
"Absolutely this is for real," said Dean VandenBiesen, founder of LifeGem, which has a patent on a process that extracts carbon from hair, turns it into crystals and then into high-quality laboratory diamonds.
VandenBiesen told Reuters he thought the company could make about 10 diamonds. No sale price has been set but VandenBiesen said LifeGem created three diamonds from locks of Beethoven's hair in 2007, and sold one of them for around $200,000.
Separately, the Aug. 6 issue of Rolling Stone magazine reported that not only was the left arm of Jackson's dead body "scored with needle marks" -- claims that have arisen before -- but he wore an artificial nose that was missing when he was taken to the Los Angeles county morgue.
"The prosthesis that he normally attached to his damaged nose was missing, revealing bits of cartilage surrounding a small dark hole," the magazine said in an unsourced report.
While that report could not be confirmed, Los Angeles coroner's officials did say earlier this week they were probing security breaches in their offices.
The coroner's office is expected to release an official cause of death next week which could shed light on some of the reports, including Jackson's possible use of powerful drugs.
And even as custody of Jackson's three children is set to be decided in court on Aug. 3, The Sun newspaper speculated the singer may have had a love-child raised in Norway.
Omer Bhatti, 25, sparked interest when he was spotted sitting with the singer's immediate family at Jackson's public memorial earlier this month. Bhatti reportedly spent time with Jackson at his Neverland Valley Ranch in the 1990s and was known as "Little Michael".
But another of Jackson's former proteges, singer Ricky Harlow, told celebrity website People.com on Friday that although they were close he doubted Bhatti was Jackson's son.
"They had a father-and-son type of connection," Harlow, 26, told People, "but I never thought he (Jackson) was his biological father."
In Jackson's 2002 will, the singer listed only three children now living: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr, Paris Michael Kathering Jackson and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II.
The claims this week included a report in Rolling Stone magazine that a prosthetic nose he wore apparently went missing when he was taken to the morgue, and a British tabloid trumpeted a headline that he fathered a secret love-child.
In one by-product of the "Thriller" singer's death, a Chicago company said on Friday it had obtained some of the hair Jackson burned while filming a 1984 Pepsi commercial and planned to create a limited edition of diamonds from it.
"Absolutely this is for real," said Dean VandenBiesen, founder of LifeGem, which has a patent on a process that extracts carbon from hair, turns it into crystals and then into high-quality laboratory diamonds.
VandenBiesen told Reuters he thought the company could make about 10 diamonds. No sale price has been set but VandenBiesen said LifeGem created three diamonds from locks of Beethoven's hair in 2007, and sold one of them for around $200,000.
Separately, the Aug. 6 issue of Rolling Stone magazine reported that not only was the left arm of Jackson's dead body "scored with needle marks" -- claims that have arisen before -- but he wore an artificial nose that was missing when he was taken to the Los Angeles county morgue.
"The prosthesis that he normally attached to his damaged nose was missing, revealing bits of cartilage surrounding a small dark hole," the magazine said in an unsourced report.
While that report could not be confirmed, Los Angeles coroner's officials did say earlier this week they were probing security breaches in their offices.
The coroner's office is expected to release an official cause of death next week which could shed light on some of the reports, including Jackson's possible use of powerful drugs.
And even as custody of Jackson's three children is set to be decided in court on Aug. 3, The Sun newspaper speculated the singer may have had a love-child raised in Norway.
Omer Bhatti, 25, sparked interest when he was spotted sitting with the singer's immediate family at Jackson's public memorial earlier this month. Bhatti reportedly spent time with Jackson at his Neverland Valley Ranch in the 1990s and was known as "Little Michael".
But another of Jackson's former proteges, singer Ricky Harlow, told celebrity website People.com on Friday that although they were close he doubted Bhatti was Jackson's son.
"They had a father-and-son type of connection," Harlow, 26, told People, "but I never thought he (Jackson) was his biological father."
In Jackson's 2002 will, the singer listed only three children now living: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr, Paris Michael Kathering Jackson and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising US government debt may be next (world) crisis
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Legacy of debt from Founding Fathers not celebrated on Independence Day
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all (in the US and all over the world). It's the national debt.
The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.4 trillion -- equivalent to about $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.
The mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington, economists of all stripes warn.
"Unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term, we will have neither financial stability nor healthy economic growth," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently told Congress.
Higher taxes, or reduced federal benefits and services -- or a combination of both -- may be the inevitable consequences.
The debt is complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades as stimulus and bailout spending combine with lower tax revenues to widen the gap.
Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year -- the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.
The United States went into the red the first time in 1790 when it assumed $75 million in the war debts of the Continental Congress.
Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary, said, "A national debt, if not excessive, will be to us a national blessing."
Some blessing.
Since then, the nation has only been free of debt once, in 1834-1835.
The national debt has expanded during times of war and usually contracted in times of peace, while staying on a generally upward trajectory. Over the past several decades, it has climbed sharply -- except for a respite from 1998 to 2000, when there were annual budget surpluses, reflecting in large part what turned out to be an overheated economy.
The debt soared with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and economic stimulus spending under President George W. Bush and now Obama.
The odometer-style "debt clock" near Times Square -- put in place in 1989 when the debt was a mere $2.7 trillion -- ran out of numbers and had to be shut down when the debt surged past $10 trillion in 2008.
The clock has since been refurbished so higher numbers fit. There are several debt clocks on Web sites maintained by public interest groups that let you watch hundreds, thousands, millions zip by in a matter of seconds.
The debt gap is "something that keeps me awake at night," Obama says.
He pledged to cut the budget "deficit" roughly in half by the end of his first term. But "deficit" just means the difference between government receipts and spending in a single budget year.
This year's deficit is now estimated at about $1.85 trillion.
Deficits don't reflect holdover indebtedness from previous years. Some spending items -- such as emergency appropriations bills and receipts in the Social Security program -- aren't included, either, although they are part of the national debt.
The national debt is a broader, and more telling, way to look at the government's balance sheets than glancing at deficits.
According to the Treasury Department, which updates the number "to the penny" every few days, the national debt was $11,518,472,742,288 on Wednesday.
The overall debt is now slightly over 80 percent of the annual output of the entire U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product.
By historical standards, it's not proportionately as high as during World War II, when it briefly rose to 120 percent of GDP. But it's still a huge liability.
Also, the United States is not the only nation struggling under a huge national debt. Among major countries, Japan, Italy, India, France, Germany and Canada have comparable debts as percentages of their GDPs.
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation, established by a former US commerce secretary and investment banker, argues that the $11.4 trillion debt figures does not take into account roughly $45 trillion in unlisted liabilities and unfunded retirement and health care commitments.
That would put the nation's full obligations at $56 trillion, or roughly $184,000 per American, according to this calculation.
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all (in the US and all over the world). It's the national debt.
The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.4 trillion -- equivalent to about $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.
The mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington, economists of all stripes warn.
"Unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term, we will have neither financial stability nor healthy economic growth," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently told Congress.
Higher taxes, or reduced federal benefits and services -- or a combination of both -- may be the inevitable consequences.
The debt is complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades as stimulus and bailout spending combine with lower tax revenues to widen the gap.
Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year -- the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.
The United States went into the red the first time in 1790 when it assumed $75 million in the war debts of the Continental Congress.
Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary, said, "A national debt, if not excessive, will be to us a national blessing."
Some blessing.
Since then, the nation has only been free of debt once, in 1834-1835.
The national debt has expanded during times of war and usually contracted in times of peace, while staying on a generally upward trajectory. Over the past several decades, it has climbed sharply -- except for a respite from 1998 to 2000, when there were annual budget surpluses, reflecting in large part what turned out to be an overheated economy.
The debt soared with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and economic stimulus spending under President George W. Bush and now Obama.
The odometer-style "debt clock" near Times Square -- put in place in 1989 when the debt was a mere $2.7 trillion -- ran out of numbers and had to be shut down when the debt surged past $10 trillion in 2008.
The clock has since been refurbished so higher numbers fit. There are several debt clocks on Web sites maintained by public interest groups that let you watch hundreds, thousands, millions zip by in a matter of seconds.
The debt gap is "something that keeps me awake at night," Obama says.
He pledged to cut the budget "deficit" roughly in half by the end of his first term. But "deficit" just means the difference between government receipts and spending in a single budget year.
This year's deficit is now estimated at about $1.85 trillion.
Deficits don't reflect holdover indebtedness from previous years. Some spending items -- such as emergency appropriations bills and receipts in the Social Security program -- aren't included, either, although they are part of the national debt.
The national debt is a broader, and more telling, way to look at the government's balance sheets than glancing at deficits.
According to the Treasury Department, which updates the number "to the penny" every few days, the national debt was $11,518,472,742,288 on Wednesday.
The overall debt is now slightly over 80 percent of the annual output of the entire U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product.
By historical standards, it's not proportionately as high as during World War II, when it briefly rose to 120 percent of GDP. But it's still a huge liability.
Also, the United States is not the only nation struggling under a huge national debt. Among major countries, Japan, Italy, India, France, Germany and Canada have comparable debts as percentages of their GDPs.
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation, established by a former US commerce secretary and investment banker, argues that the $11.4 trillion debt figures does not take into account roughly $45 trillion in unlisted liabilities and unfunded retirement and health care commitments.
That would put the nation's full obligations at $56 trillion, or roughly $184,000 per American, according to this calculation.
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