A new study has shown that dietary supplementation with lipoic acid, a natural compound found at low levels in red meat and green leafy vegetables, can significantly reduce triglycerides, a key risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
While experimenting on rats, the researchers found that supplements of lipoic acid lowered triglyceride levels up to 60 percent.
"The extent of triglyceride reduction was really dramatic, we didn't expect it to be this profound," said Regis Moreau, an assistant professor with the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
"The potential is good that this could become another way to lower blood triglycerides and help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. It's pretty exciting," he added.
The researchers found that supplements of lipoic acid appeared to affect triglyceride levels through two pathways.
They said that lipoic acid supplementation increased the rate of disappearance of triglycerides in the bloodstream, and reduced the genetic expression of enzymes in the liver that synthesize triglycerides.
"We believe that a novel means of controlling triglyceridemia in this animal model has been revealed," wrote the researchers.
"Given its strong safety record, lipoic acid may have therapeutic applications for the treatment or prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and diabetic dyslipidemia in humans," they added
Scientists have provided women the perfect excuse for extravagant shopping: a new study has linked ladies' much-loved activity to menstrual cycles.
Hertfordshire University researchers believe that women are more likely to make extravagant impulse buys in the ten days before their periods begin.
According to psychologists, shopping sprees could be a way for premenstrual women to deal with the negative emotions created by their hormonal changes.
To reach the conclusion, the research team asked 443 women about their shopping patterns. The 153 women in the sample who were in the later stages of their menstrual cycle tended to have less control of their spending, reports The Telegraph.
Professor Karen Pine of Hertfordshire University, who led the survey, told the Daily Mail: "Spending was less controlled, more impulsive and more excessive for women in the luteal phase [the days immediately before their period].
"The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions. They are feeling very stressed or depressed and are more likely to go shopping to cheer themselves up and using it to regulate emotions."
She added: "It is also a socially sanctioned way to deal with emotional overload compared to turning to drink or drugs.
"If women are worried about their spending behaviour then they should avoid going shopping at the end of their menstrual cycle."
Australian firm to install device that turns off appliances and ration electricity
An electricity company in Australia is planning to install a new electronic control box in homes, which would allow it to switch off individual appliances, such as air conditioners and plasma TVs, to ration power use.
According to a report carried out in news.com.au, the new device, made by Australian firm ETSA, would go in the meter box and remotely read meters, turn power on and off, report outages - and, if the customer agreed, ration power to an individual home.
It is controlled by an FM radio signal and on a house-by-house basis.
ETSA chief executive Lew Owens said that the new device, now being trialled, could prevent the kind of load-shedding blackouts across entire suburbs that Adelaide experienced in January, by reducing demand across the city.
ETSA wants to introduce the system some time after 2010 and could eventually roll it out into all homes in Adelaide.
It follows the successful trial by ETSA of a less sophisticated "peak breaker" box attached to air conditioners in Mawson Lakes and Glenelg, which was used to turn off refrigerated air conditioner compressors in periods of peak demand during heat waves.
"We can turn off the compressors and leave the fan circulating the air," said Owens. "We turn it off 15 minutes in every hour by an FM radio signal and the customer doesn't know it's happened," he added.
The trials found that peak electricity demand during heatwaves could be reduced dramatically by the control boxes, with Mawson Lakes homes' power consumption cut by about a third, and Glenelg's by about 20 per cent.
Owens emphasised that while ETSA planned to put the new boxes in all homes, customers would choose whether to allow it to be used to ration power.
However, he added that people who did not take this option might find they would lose all power when power demand was running at peak levels.
According to ETSA, the box is sophisticated enough to control specific equipment in the home
Ever wondered why your shoes' top gets soaked while walking on a wet pavement? Well, researchers from the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University in Ohio have got the answer for the query.
Using a high-speed video camera to film a person walking on a wet floor, researchers calculated that shoes flick up about a pint of water after walking 20 kilometres on a damp day.
The effect, however, is lessened if a person is walking slowly, reports New Scientist.
Researchers say shoes designed with car tyre treads on the soles would solve the problem by draining water away before it can be flung upwards
a mathematical model to tell if true love will last
Couples wondering if their true love is heading for a lifetime of happiness have been provided with a mathematical test to find out if they are a match made in heaven.
Although, people say there's no simple formula for a long-lasting relationship, boffins claim to have come up with a mathematical model which determines whether or not a relationship will succeed.
The calculations of Professor James Murray, a maths expert at Oxford University, were based on a 15-minute conversation between a couple.
In the study, the participants were asked to sit opposite each other and asked to talk about a contentious issue.
Each pair was told to talk about the same topic - one which they have been at loggerheads for some time - for 15 minutes.
The research team recorded the conversation and awarded the husband and wife positive or negative points depending on what was said.
The partner who showed affection, humour or happiness as they talked was given the maximum points, while those who displayed contempt or belligerence received the minimum.
From the analyses, Prof Murray, a Fellow of The Royal Society, said contempt was deemed more destructive than disgust, sadness or anger.
He said the scores of the wife and the husband were fed into the mathematical model and plotted onto a graph. The point at which the two lines meet illustrated the marriage's chances of success or failure.
"I am still absolutely amazed that human emotions can be put into a mathematical model and that a prediction can be made," The Telegraph quoted him, as saying.
"What astonished me was that a discussion, sometimes highly charged and emotional, could so easily and usefully be encapsulated in what is actually a simple model of a couple's interaction.
"It is not so much of an equation, it is trying to assess and quantify how a couple interact by giving them a scoring system.
"We take those figures and plot them on to a graph. If either the husband or the wife is consistently negative then they are going to get a divorce," he added.
According to Murray, married couples could be divided into five groups.
"Marriages can be classified into only five general types, some of which are stable and others not. Depending on the group, some couples might as well get divorced right away," he said.
The first category is the "validating" couple who are calm, intimate, who like to back each other up and share a companionable relationship. The second group are the "avoiders" couple who do their best to eschew confrontation and conflict.
The "volatile" couple, who are romantic and passionate but have heated arguments are a mix of stable and unstable, but generally tend to be more unhappy than not. The "hostile" category is when one partner does not want to talk about an issue and the other agrees, so there is no communication.
The "hostile-detached&qu ot; couple is where one is fiery and wanting to argue, while the other one is just not interested in discussing the issue.
Yellow eye is an unreliable indicator of jaundice risk in infants: Study
Paediatric researchers have found that common practice of visual inspection (looking for yellowish eye, or skin tone) is not a reliable method to predict a newborn's risk of jaundice.
The yellowness comes from a blood byproduct, bilirubin, and a child that develops high levels of bilirubin has a potentially serious condition called hyperbilirubinemia.
Researchers have now called visual inspection an unreliable method to gauge jaundice risk and said that only infants with a total absence of visible jaundice can confidently be expected to have a very low risk of hyperbilirubinemia.
"Our study tells clinicians that our ability to estimate a baby's bilirubin level, or predict the baby's risk of developing clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia, by visually observing the extent of visual jaundice, is inadequate, and not very helpful," said study leader Ron Keren, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrician in the Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
The study is the first systematic analysis of jaundice assessment as a predictor of significant hyperbilirubinemia risk. It was also the largest such study, involving 522 term and late-preterm newborns.
Clinicians have long known that neonatal jaundice progresses from head to foot, as shown by yellowing of the baby's skin.
In the study, nurses used a five-point scale to grade the farthest extent of jaundice along the newborn's body.
The nurses who did the ratings did not know the actual bilirubin levels, which were measured by other caregivers using a noninvasive device.
An analysis of the results revealed that, while there was some correlation between the extent of jaundice as rated by the nurses and the measured bilirubin levels, the extent of jaundice could not be used to estimate the bilirubin level or to accurately predict an infant's risk of developing significant hyperbilirubinemia (defined in this study as a bilirubin level for which phototherapy is recommended).
Besides, contrary to a common belief that it is harder to visually assess jaundice in dark-skinned infants, there was no significant difference in the results between black and white newborns.
The correlation between visually assessed jaundice and bilirubin level was especially weak in late-preterm infants, those at 35 to 38 weeks gestational age.
The researchers said that it is important because late-preterm infants are at greater risk of developing significant hyperbilirubinemia.
The one exception to the poor predictive value of visual assessment came in the 91 infants (17 percent of all those studied) rated by the nurses as having a complete absence of jaundice, and for whom, the actual risk of developing significant hyperbilirubinemia was extremely low, less than 1 percent.
Researchers said that even for those infants, absence of visual jaundice might require a caveat.
"Less experienced observers may be less capable of accurately assessing a complete absence of jaundice. All in all, the benefits of objective results from universal bilirubin screening may outweigh the benefit in reducing testing and costs from pursuing a selective screening approach," said the researchers.
People with memory problems at lower dementia risk
A new study led by the University of Leicester and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has revealed that people with memory problems are less at risk of developing dementia than previously thought.
The five-year study analysed data from 41 studies and dovetails with a Government focus to establish memory clinics in every town in the UK.
The study, led by Dr Alex Mitchell from the University of Leicester Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, was conducted with Dr. Shiri-Feshki of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
"This new research suggests that people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) appear to have a lower risk of progressing to dementia than previously believed," Mitchell said.
"Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an important disorder of memory and related areas found in about 1 in 6 people seen in general practice. The condition can occur in mid or late life and until recently most doctors told people with MCI that their risk of developing dementia was up to 15 percent per year making deterioration almost inevitable within 5 to 10 years.
"Our research found that the proportion of people who progressed was 10 percent per year in high risk groups and in fact only 5 percent per year in low risk groups. Moreover only a minority (20-40 percent) of people developed dementia even after extended follow-up and the risk appeared to reduce slightly with time.
"These results should be seen as positive for those with memory problems even for those that struggle with the kind of memory tests given by the GP or in a memory clinic. There is a large effort to find out who is most at risk of further decline as well to find strategies that might slow down such progress," he added.
GPs have often been reluctant to give a diagnosis of MCI because of its consequences but this current finding should encourage clinicians to identify people with memory problems.
Many such individuals stay stable for a long period and a substantial number also improve
Ratan Tata must be hoping Monday's launch of the Nano, the world's cheapest car, marks a change in fortunes for Tata Motors and the broader Tata group after a difficult second half of 2008.
For Tata, a Parsi, the formal launch follows the Parsi new year on Saturday, and offers a chance to reclaim some of the optimism of 2007 and early 2008.
Then, Tata was lauded as an Indian hero, scion of one of India's best known and most respected business families and the flagbearer of corporate India's growing foreign ambitions.
In January 2008, a year after engineering corporate India's biggest takeover, group company Tata Steel's $13 billion purchase of Corus, he drove the $2,000 snub-nosed Nano onto a Delhi stage and received a rapturous reception.
"It was not an ego trip at all, and I had no idea that it would attract this much attention," the soft-spoken 71 year-old said on Monday of his push to develop the Nano.
Less than three months after unveiling a vehicle that would revolutionise the industry by making cars affordable to most, Tata Motors agreed to buy the luxury Jaguar and Land Rover marques for $2.3 billion in last March.
But then the credit crunch hit, making funding harder to finalise, and as recession spread and car demand plummeted, the Jaguar purchase began to look like an expensive indulgence.
As the company found it hard to refinance bridging loans, investors shied away from a rights issue and its credit ratings were cut. Other Tata companies were told to put acquisition plans on hold.
And then tragedy. In November the Tata Group's landmark Taj Mahal hotel was one of the sites of militant attacks in Mumbai, in which more than 160 people died.
PARSI
Tata is a Parsi, descendants of Iranian Zoroastrians who migrated to India more than 1,000 years ago.
Unlike many of his business peers Tata prefers to remain away from the public eye and party circuit.
His judgement has been questioned before, but he has delivered results. He led Tata Motors, India's biggest maker trucks and buses, into cars in 1998 with its hatchback Indica.
The initial reception to the car was disappointing as customers complained of poor finishing and defective parts, but since over 1 million Indicas have been sold.
"I am probably the most difficult critic as a car is being produced, and I've been very pleasantly surprised and enthused by what we have finally gotten this car to be," he said of the Nano.
Despite the setbacks since mid-2008, the Cornell University graduate with a degree in architecture and structural engineering still has his eyes on the world.
Tata said the company was also looking to develop an export model for Europe, and more recently had decided it could also make one for the U.S. market.
If Tata can pull it off, the Nano could become the symbol of Indian pride he wants it to be.
"I just hope the dream that we've all had and we've worked so hard for proves itself to be the kind of product that we would like it to be," he said.
A nightmare is coming true for many macho motorists in the Peruvian capital as the entire traffic police force will soon be female.
Since surveys show female officers in Lima to be far stricter and - more importantly - less bribable than males, they will be given complete control of the chaotic streets in the city of some 8 million inhabitants, the municipal traffic police announced recently.
Their 500 male colleagues are to be transferred to other departments.
But General Arturo Davila, a man, will remain head of Lima's traffic police.
By South American standards, an unusually large number of female traffic cops has already been thundering through town on heavy motorcycles. And tough customers they are.
While traffic violations are often 'fixable' with a small gratuity for senors, the senoras and senoritas are usually merciless and impose the fine dictated by law.
As every bony knows recession is going on .In present time every body try to save it's job . In present time if a person is turned off from their compant then he/she doesn't know that when they will get another job. so i am sharing ypu a such type problem in my colony a family is living. Mr. Sharma his the head of the family. there are seven member in his family & he was working in a company as store supervisor but due to recession he was turned off before 6 month .in starting he try to manage their family without job but in present time with out money it is too difficult. he is searching job but till now he is fail. many times his friends help him but nobody can help permanently .his daughter & son prividing the home tutions but that is to sufficent to survive their family .i want to halp him & as possible i do.
Dear Friends To day i am sharing one of my problem so please give me advise
Now days i am working in a company as a QC engineer. I come from my city which is 30 km far from my work place so daily i walk out near 5 km to reach my company. since last 2 month i am observing a girl who meet me daily on way i think she is also working in a company. when first time i saw that i didn't have any feeling but now i don't know what's worng with me i feel she is attracting me i want to talk to her .Daily i try to sy "hi" to her but i fail to do tthis. one day she met me in a taxi .that time beside her & me nobody there that time i have a chance to talked to her but as ussal i was failed.
London, March 17 (IANS) Pop legend Michael Jackson is set to revamp his image ahead of his eagerly anticipated comeback shows. The singer is reportedly planning to undergo more plastic surgery.
The 'Thriller' star is making a return to the stage in July 2009 at London's O2 Arena. Ahead of his comeback, Jackson who has had various cosmetic surgery procedures in the past wants to go under the knife once again, reported contactmusic.com
'Michael has consulted some of the world's best cosmetologists and surgeons in preparation for this comeback,' said biographer Ian Halperin.
Islamabad, March 16 (DPA) The reinstatement of the Pakistan's sacked Supreme Court chief justice is a healthy sign for the fragile democracy but a bad omen for President Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, analysts said Monday.
Pakistan's judiciary, under the reinstated and independent-minded Iftikhar Chaudhry, plus re-energised opposition parties with massive street power, are expected to curtail Zardari's tendency to amass powers and run the country by himself.
'He is definitely cornered and probably he is going to remain there,' said a political analyst Ayesha Siddiqa.
Zardari had resisted reinstating Chaudhry and his colleagues after taking office last year for fear that the defiant judge might renew corruption charges against him.
And he remained defiant last week when opposition groups led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's influential legal community launched a cross-country rally dubbed the 'Long March' from southern Pakistan to the capital Islamabad.
But Zardari caved in when Sharif left the eastern city of Lahore in a massive rally and headed for Islamabad. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, in an early morning televised address Monday, announced that all judges, including Chaudhry, would be allowed to return to office March 21.
The announcement came after Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani pressed Zardari for a deal with Sharif to avoid a major political showdown in Islamabad which could threaten the country's stability, media reports said.
Defying a ban on public gatherings and a week-long crackdown on opposition workers, tens of thousands of people thronged the streets in Lahore, removing roadblocks and forcing riot police to flee, as they made their way to the city.
'He failed to understand what the people were thinking,' said Rasool Bux Raees, a political analyst and a professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences.
'The image Mr Zardari has now is of a leader who stands against the public, at least in Punjab where more than 60 percent of the population lives,' Raees said.
'He was under false impression that by just amassing power he would be able to control everything and did not realize that you have to take people along,' he added.
Zardari was not particularly popular when he took office in September 2008, after his wife was assassinated at a political rally in December 2007.
He was labelled 'Mr 10 Percent', a reference to allegations of receiving kickbacks on government contracts during his wife's two stints as prime minister in the 1990s.
He had spent 11 years behind bars on corruption charges, which he dismissed as 'politically motivated'.
Zadari's popularity further plunged when he reneged on promises of reinstating the judges, and giving up the controversial presidential powers that Musharraf had accumulated through constitutional amendments during his nine-year military dictatorship.
Two ministers from his party recently resigned from the cabinet as a protest against his policies, while a couple of senior party leaders have publicly criticised his policies.
Media reports have been rife with speculation about widening rift between Zardari and Gilani, who reportedly wants the president to reconcile with the opposition.
'Even the restoration of judges would not improve Zardari's standing because the public will give credit to Sharif, who took a bold stance on the issue of judges and succeeded,' said retired general Talat Masood.
According to Masood, miscalculations have now placed Zardari in a position where on the one hand he faces an opposition leader who is more respected by the public than he is.
On the other, Chaudhry, who is known for his judicial activism and neutrality, will keep a check on him.
'In such a situation Zardari will have to accept a considerable cut in his control over the state affairs. He will have to set certain limits for himself. He might not be used to restrictions given his nature but he doesn't have any other choice,' said Masood.
This can be generally very healthy for democracy, said Raees. 'A democratic set-up functions well when power is properly distributed in various state actors and institutions,' he added.
Despite the current political defeat Zardari has no shortage of friends. Washington and other western countries still consider him as reliable ally in the fight against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants launching cross border attacks on US-led international forces in Afghanistan.
'Whatever Zaradri's popularity level, the west prefers him to Sharif who is known abroad for his close ties with the Islamic religious parties. Americans would like to see him in power in the coming years no matter what,' said Raees.
+++++++++(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)++++ ++++++ ++++++++++`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)..·´++++++++++ + +++++++++++++`·.¸.·´++++++++++ ++ Flowers need sunshine, violets need dew, all angels in heaven know I need u. years may fly, tears may dry, but my friendship with u will never die +++++++++(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)++++ ++++++ ++++++++++`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)..·´++++++++++ + +++++++++++++`·.¸.·´++++++++++ ++ +++++++++(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)++++ ++++++ ++++++++++`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)..·´++++++++++ + +++++++++++++`·.¸.·´++++++++++ ++ A friend is sweet when its new…. but it is sweeter when its TRUE! But u know what?Its sweetest when its u. +++++++++(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)++++ ++++++ ++++++++++`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)..·´++++++++++ + +++++++++++++`·.¸.·´++++++++++ ++ A friend gives hope when life is low, a friend is a place when you have nowhere to go, a friend is honest, a friend is true. A friend is precious a friend is u. +++++++++(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)++++ ++++++ ++++++++++`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)..·´++++++++++ + +++++++++++++`·.¸.·´++++++++++ ++
Two very talented — and courageous — young superstars share the spotlight on this post, yardbirds:
First, Jazz artist Liza Lee’s new CD, Anima, is due to be released on January 27, 2009. Now, what makes this album so special is that it’s a personal comeback for her.
Y’see, two years ago, she’d just hit the jazz charts with her first release, Scarlet Mark, when Liza (pronounced like the singer Liza Manelli) suffered a stroke. Now, having made a full comeback, Liza (pronounced the same as the famous Minnelli) is back with the CD that reflects her life-altering experience.
“To me, Anima represents the feminine whisper inside of a patriarchal society,” she explains. “After my stroke I went from doctor to doctor searching for answers. I was having trouble getting back in touch both physically and creatively. Doctors told me that I might never sing or write again. These blanket statements without hope or answers were not acceptable to me.”
“I was confronted with a seeming lack of understanding regarding my plight from the primarily male dominated medical profession. This is when I learned that little research is done on how illness, disease and medications uniquely affect women’s bodies. I believe that we should increase funding for women’s health research and I’m trying to do my part with Anima.”Because she now knows that women’s health care is not on par with men’s, Liza has chosen to donate the proceeds from Anima to The Society For Women’s Health Research (SWHR), a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of all women through research, education and advocacy (www.womenshealthresearch.org). The title of the CD comes from the concept of the Anima and Animus by Carl Jung. Anima is an emotional journey. Anyway you look at it, it’s great to have her music — and inimitable voice back again!
Another great voice — with a different (and, sadly, more tragic) heartache — will be returning to stage next month! Jennifer Hudson will be singing the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. It’s the first time she’s returned to performing since the terrible murders of her 57-year-old mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 29-year-old brother Jason Hudson and 7-year-old nephew Julian King in October. (Her former brother-in-law has since been charged in the killings.)
Hudson, who had released her self-titled debut album shortly before the killings, is also scheduled to sing at the Grammys’ MusiCares event in Los Angeles a few days later. And she’s nominated for four awards at the Feb. 8 Grammy Awards. You can be sure the crowds are gonna give her a tremendous greeting at both shows!
The Super Bowl is the most viewed spectacle on television. Bruce Springsteen is scheduled to sing during halftime of the pro football championship game.
Lost and stolen mobile phones keep it safe & know what to do if you lose it.
If you lose your mobile phone, or have it stolen, not only do you have to deal with the inconvenience of not having your phone, but you could be paying for someone else�s calls!
PREVENTION
Prevention is better than cure.
Reduce your phones appeal to thieves and assist in its recovery if it is lost or stolen:
1) Treat your phone as you would any valuable item: Even if you got your handset as a $0 upfront deal, this does not reflect its true cost. Handsets are expensive - they can cost more than $1000.
* Be discrete. Keep your mobile on you. Never put it down in a public place or leave it unattended. * Switch to vibrate mode in circumstances where a ring tone might attract the attention of a thief.
2) Use your phone�s security features: Your phone has security features which you can use to stop others using your phone for example, you can set a Personal Identification Number (PIN) number which must be entered before anyone can use the phone. Read your handset User Guide to find out what features your phone has and use them. Even if your phone isn�t stolen, someone might be tempted to borrow your phone and make a few expensive calls without your knowledge.
3) Name it: Some form of personal identification on your phone can deter the would-be thief. Consider engraving your initials on your phone and the battery, and � if you have one also including your driver�s license number.
4) Know your IMEI: Every mobile phone has a unique 15-digit electronic serial number, known as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Record your phone�s IMEI number and keep it in a safe place in case your phone is lost or stolen. You can check your IMEI number by dialing *#06#.
5) Insurance: Don�t assume your phone is covered in your (or your parent�s) home contents insurance. Check and consider insuring it separately, if necessary. Remember that even if you got the phone for ‘$0 upfront�, this doesn�t mean it was free it means the cost was absorbed in the overall contract price. You may not be able to get a replacement phone for $0 upfront.
LOST OR STOLEN
If your phone is lost or stolen:
6) Notify your network carrier AND the police immediately in the event of loss or theft. Tell them your IMEI number and any other identifying features on your phone (e.g. engraved initials). Your carrier can use this number to block your phone from all networks once you report the phone lost or stolen, making it useless to any thief. Importantly, this also ensures you�re not paying for any calls made by the thief. If the handset is subsequently found, the IMEI block can be easily removed as long as you can prove you�re the original, rightful owner of the phone.
mylove....passed unknown....so did hers.....!!!!!!!!!!
my love passed unknown.... ...so did hers !!!!!! As I sat there in English class, I stared at the girl next to me She was my so called 'best friend ' I stared at her long, silky hair, and wished she was mine But she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it... After class, she walked up to me and asked me for the notes
she had missed the day before
I handed them to her
She said 'thanks' and left...
I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why... 11th Grade....... ......... ......... ......... ....
The phone rang...On the other end, it was her...She was in tears, mumbling on and on about how her love had broke her heart She asked me to come over because she didn't want to be alone, So I did As I sat next to her on the sofa, I stared at her soft eyes, wishing she was mine After 2 hours, one Drew Barrymore movie, and three bags of chips, she decided to go home She looked at me, said 'thanks' and left... I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why...
One fine day she walked to my locker "My date is sick" she said, "hes not gonna go well", I didn't have a date, and in 7th grade, we made a promise that if neither of us had dates, we would go together just as 'best friends' So we did...That night, after everything was over, I was standing at her front door step I stared at her as She smiled at me and stared at me with her crystal eyes Then she said- "I had the best time, thanks!" and left... I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why...
A day passed, then a week, then a month Before I could blink, it was graduation day I watched as her perfect body floated like an angel up on stage to get her diploma I wanted her to be mine-but she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it Before everyone went home, she came to me in her smock and hat, and cried as I hugged her Then she lifted her head from my shoulder and said- 'you're my best friend, thanks' and left... I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why...
Now I sit in the pews of the church That girl is getting married now and drive off to her new life, married to another man I wanted her to be mine, but she didn't see me like that, and I knew it... But before she drove away, she came to me and said 'you came! ' She said 'thanks' and left... I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why...
Years passed, I looked down at the coffin of a girl who used to be my 'best friend'. At the service, they read a diary entry she had wrote in her high school years This is what it read: "I stare at him wishing he was mine; but he doesn't notice me like that, and I know it. I want to tell him, I want him to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love him but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why... I wish he would tell me he loved me ! " ...'I wish I did too'... I thought to my self, and I cried... " Do yourself a favour, tell her/him you love them... They won't be there....... ......... ...Forever
we never know what god has in store for us....but he surely does love each 1 of us.....we must never feelshy 2 show our love......
The Indian sky is changing - the March winds are coming in and winter begins to bow out. Holi is the festival that carries the country into the bright days of summer. A feeling of plenty is in the air - the crops have been cut, threshed and stored or sold. The farmer is at rest and money is at hand. ‘Holi’ falls on the full moon, in the month of Phalgun, which spans the end of Februry and the beginning of March on the Gregorian calendar. A time when Spring is in the air.
The legend of King Hiranyakashipu is associated with the festival of Holi. This legend signifies the victory of good over evil, of devotion surpassing ambition. King Hiranyakashipu was an ambitious ruler, one who wanted absolute power so that he would be worshipped as God. When this wish was made known, the King's own son, Prahlad, refused to obey his father. Prahlad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, and it was only to his Lord that he gave allegiance The proud King was enraged by Prahlad's disobedience and decided to punish him severely. He asked his sister Holika for help. It was believed that Holika was immune to fire and would never be burnt, so the King asked Holika to sit in the centre of a bonfire with Prahlad on her lap, so that the fire could devour him. The bonfire was lit, and young Prahlad sat in Holika's lap, in its centre, praying to Lord Vishnu. His devotion saved him, leaving him untouched by the flames, but Holika was burnt to ashes. To mark this legend, huge bonfires are lit on the eve of Holi, especially in Bihar and the rest of North India.
Vrindavan and Lord Krishna's legend of courting Radha and playing pranks on the Gopis are also the essence of Holi. In Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna in his youth has been idealised as a lover, and it is the spirit of his lighthearted, mischievous passion of courtship that enters the Spring festival of Holi. Krishna and Radha are depicted celebrating Holi in the hamlets of Gokul, Barsana and Vrindavan, bringing them alive with mischief and youthful pranks.
Holi was Krishna and Radha's celebration of love - a teasing, affectionate panorama of feeling and colour. These scenes have been captured and immoratalised in the songs of Holi: the festival that is also the harbinger of the light, warm and beautiful days of Spring.
Holi in Barsana
Holi of Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, a village, 42 kms away from Mathura, is of particular interest. Here, men from Nandgaon, the land of Krishna come to play Holi with the girls of Barsana and hope of raising their flag over Shri Radhikaji's temple. But, instead of colours they are greeted with sticks by the gopis. Hence, the Holi get its new name here-Lathmaar Holi.
Smart enough, men come fully padded as they are fully aware what kind of welcome awaits them and also the fact that they are not allowed to retaliate on that day.
In this mock battle of sorts, they try their best not to be captured. The unlucky one's however, are forcefully led away and get a good thrashing from the women. Further, they are made to wear a female attire and dance in public. All in the spirit of Holi.
Renowned poets like Surdas, Nand-das, Kumbhan-das and others have picturesquely described how Lord Krishna received similar treatment and was forced to don a sari and wear make-up and perform dance before being released by the gopies.
The next day, it is the turn of men of Barsana. They reciprocate by invading Nandgaon and drench the womenfolk of Nandgaon in colours of kesudo, naturally occurring orange-red dye and palash. Today, the women of Nadagow beat the invaders from Barsana. It is a colourful site.
However, in the interest of tourism and safety, the state tourist board has set up excellent vantage points for the public. A large open ground, on the outskirts of the town is specially set aside for the most magnificent display of the festivities.
The week long Holi celebrations also continue in the various Krishna temples on different days. The celebrations are filled with clouds of colours and of course, much fun.
Japanese girl's letter returned 15 years later.. by fish
TOKYO (AFP) - A letter that a young girl in Japan sent into the sky in a balloon some 15 years ago has been found on a fish hauled from 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) below the Pacific.
A fisherman found the still legible piece of paper sitting on a sticky flatfish in his catch on Thursday, along with a torn-off string and the fragment of a red balloon.
He opened the folded paper, discovering it was a handwritten letter from a six-year-old girl at an elementary school in Kawasaki, 150 kilometres (93 miles) away from where the fish was caught off Choshi port.
The sender, Natsumi Shirahige, and her friends released letters as part of events to mark the school's 120th anniversary, which was in 1993.
"Our school is 120 years old... If you pick up this letter, please write to me," the letter reads, listing the school's address.
The 52-year-old fisherman said the letter was a nice surprise.
"I've been in fishing for a long time but this is unbelievable," the smiling man told the Asahi television network.
Shirahige, now a 21-year-old university student, said: "I can't get over the wonder of how the letter survived 15 years. I never expected I'd get a reply this way."
Follow these tips and you will definitely have a much faster and more reliable PC! Most of the below tips works for windows
1. Wallpapers: They slow your whole system down, so if you’re willing to compromise, have a basic plain one instead!
2. Drivers: Update your hardware drivers as frequently as possible. New drivers tend to increase system speed especially in the case of graphics cards, their drivers are updated by the manufacturer very frequently!
3. Minimizing: If you want to use several programs at the same time then minimize those you are not using. This helps reduce the overload on RAM.
4. Boot Faster: The ’starting Windows 95/98′ message on startup can delay your booting for a couple of seconds. To get rid of this message go to c:\ and find the file Msdos.sys. Remove the Read-Only option. Next, open it in Notepad or any other text editor. Finally, go to the text ‘Options’ within the file and make the following changes: Add BootDelay=0. To make your booting even faster, set add Logo=0 to remove the Windows logo at startup.
5. Restart only Windows:When restarting your PC, hold down Shift to only restart Windows rather than the whole system which will only take a fraction of the time.
6. Turn Off Animations: Go to Display Settings from the Control Panel and switch to the Effects Tab. Now turn off Show Windows Content While Dragging and Smooth Edges on Screen Fonts. This tip is also helpful with Windows XP because of the various fade/scroll effects.
7. Faster Start-Menu Access: Go to the Start menu and select Run. Now type Regedit and hit Enter. The Registry Editor will appear on the screen. Now, open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. You should see a MenuShowDelay value. If you don’t then do the following: right click on a blank space in the right pane and select New\String. Change the name in the new value to MenuShowDelay. Now that we have the MenuShowDelay value, double click on it and enter 0 in the value data field. This sets the start menu delay to 0 milliseconds.
8. Resolutions: If you are willing to do anything for faster performance from your PC, then try lowering your display resolution. The lower it is, the faster your PC.
9. Turn off Active Desktop: Go to your Display Properties and switch to the Web tab. Uncheck View My Active Desktop As a Web Page. Since the Active Desktop option under Windows 98 uses a lot of system resources, this option can have a dramatic effect on the speed of the whole system.
10. Defragment Often: Windows 98’s Defrag tool uses Application Acceleration from Intel which means that when you defragment your drive, data is physically arranged on the drive so that applications will load faster.
11. Take your PC to Bed: Using the Advanced Power Management feature under Windows 98 gives you the option to use the sleep command. That way, you can send your PC to sleep instead of shutting it down and then restarting it. It’s as simple as pressing a button and then pressing the same button to wake it up. You can tell Windows after how many minutes/hours of inactivity to automatically sleep the machine in the Advanced Power Management section of the Control Panel.
12. Faster Internet Access: If you use the internet for reference and the sites you visit are rarely updated then try the following. In IE (the same can be done in Netscape) go to Tools, Internet Options. Next, click on Settings… in the Temporary Internet Files section. Finally, select Never for the first option and double the amount of storage space to use, click OK!
13. Benchmarking: Benchmarking can be very useful when run frequently. It can tell you how your PC’s components are performing and then compare them to other machines like yours. For example, when you overclock your PC, you want to know how much more speed you have and whether it is stable. All this and more can be discovered using benchmarking. An excellent piece of software for doing this job is SiSoft Sandra which can be found in the Downloads File Archive!
14. Refresh the Taskbar without restarting: If you in some way change the taskbar, either in Regedit or elsewhere, you can refresh the task bar without restarting. Hold down Ctrl Alt Del, and double click on Explorer. Say Yes to close Explorer, but no to closing Windows. This will refresh the Taskbar and system tray.
15. Quick CD Eject: Instead of pushing the button on your drive, right-click your CD drive letter in My Computer and click on Eject. This will also remove any icons that have become associated with the CD drive.
16. Start Up Programs: Windows can be slowed down when programs run on start up. To eliminate this, check your Start up folder. You can access it from the start menu: Start, Programs, Start Up. Another way to eliminate programs from loading even before Windows actually starts is by doing the following: Click on Start, then Run. Type msconfig. It will take quite a long time for this program to load, but when you finally see it on your screen, explore the different tabs. They all have to do with how quickly your PC boots, so select what you want, and uncheck what you don’t want!
17. Fonts: When Windows starts, it loads every single font in the Fonts folder. Therefore, the more fonts you have, the slower the booting process. To get rid of unwanted fonts, simply go to the Fonts folder under c:\windows and remove whatever you don’t want. Fonts that have a red letter ‘A’ as their icon are system fonts, so don’t delete them.
18. Stretching Wallpapers: Don’t “stretch” your wallpaper in Windows 98 since it actually slows Windows down when you drag icons around on the desktop.
19. RAM Matters: If you have less than 32MB then you should seriously think of upgrading it to at least 64MB. Windows runs much more smoothly with 64MB or higher and tends to use less hard disk space for virtual memory.
20. Partitioning: A very nice little thing you can do to boost system performance. By partitioning your hard drive, splitting one physical drive into several logical ones, you can gain several advantages. 1. If you get a virus or you accidentally format a drive, not all will be lost. 2. By placing the swap file (Win386.swp) on a separate drive, The swap file will be less fragmented and thus, faster. 3. Place Windows on a separate drive and whenever you need to reinstall it, you rest assured that your data is safe on a separate drive. Partitioning can be done using a few programs such as FDisk which comes with DOS. However, FDisk formats everything on the hard disk before partitioning. Alternatively, you can use Partition Magic from Power Quest to partition your hard disk without losing your data.
Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't realize:
1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl .
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water .
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth .
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains..
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a better look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled
I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today, I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today, I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today, I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today, I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today, I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today, I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today, I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today, I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today, I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today, stretches are ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Have a "Great Day" ... unless you have other plans
Two very talented — and courageous — young superstars share the spotlight on this post, yardbirds:
Another great voice — with a different (and, sadly, more tragic) heartache — will be returning to stage next month! Jennifer Hudson will be singing the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. It’s the first time she’s returned to performing since the terrible murders of her 57-year-old mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, 29-year-old brother Jason Hudson and 7-year-old nephew Julian King in October. (Her former brother-in-law has since been charged in the killings.)
