| Wednesday, August 30, 2006 |
| DID YOU KNOW???? |
1). How long did the Hundred Years War last?
2). Which country makes Panama hats?
3). From which animal do we get catgut?
4). In which month do Russians celebrate the Octoner Revolutions?
5). What is a camel's hair brush made of?
6). The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?
7). What was King George VI's first name?
8). What color is a purple finch?
9). Where are Chinese gooseberries from?
10).What is the color of the "Black Box" in a commercial airplane?
ANSWERS
1. 116 YEARS
2. ECUADOR
3. SHEEP AND HORSES
4. NOVEMBER
5. SQUIRREL FUR
6. DOGS
7. ALBERT
8. CRIMSON
9. NEW ZEALAND
10.ORANGE
(Source: THEMESSENGER) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 12:25 AM |
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| Tuesday, August 29, 2006 |
| THE GREAT WALL OF ARABIA |
No. you won't be able to see it from space, but Saudi Arabia, unnerved by the violence next door in Iraq, plans to spend up to $7 billion on a partly virtual fence along it's 500-mile border with Iraq. The ultramodern barrier will combine fencing, electronic sensors and sand berms. Saudi and U.S. sources tell TIME the kingdom is seeking bids from contractors, including U.S. defense giant Raytheon. (A Raytheon spokesman says the Saudi asked the company not to comment.)
Saudi diplomats say the fence is intended to stop weapons and drug smuggling and illegal immigration. But they admit they fear that Iraq's militancy could spill south. "We're worried about the war in Iraq coming into Saudi Arabia and spreading into the whole region," says Nail al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi embassy in Washington. "Having some of these guys heading toward the Saudi border is something we want to make sure does'nt happen."
While good fences may make good neighbors, this one will not ensure Saudi Arabis' security. The kingdom has had at least five deadly terrorist attacks since 2003, and some of the perpetrators were homegrown.
(Source:TIMEMAG by Timothy J. Burger) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 3:53 PM |
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| BANNED: FINE FOOD AND FUN |
WHEN CHICAGO'S BAN ON THE SALE OF FOIE GRAS(goose liver) came into force last week,liver lovers revolted. One pizzeria began serving pies topped with the fatty delicacy to protest a law that even Mayor Ricahrd Daley called silly. Chicago isn't the only place with rules drafted by the Ministry of Loopy Laws.
Here are four others.
NO BAD HABITS
If you're in Alabama, don't dress up as a nun, priest or rabbi for Halloween. Impersonating "a minister of any religion" is punishable by fine or jail.
NO BIKE BAGGAGE
If you're biking in Palm Bay, Fla., you'd better go it alone. City laws says bikers may not drag anything behind them, including a "sled, person on roller skates, wagon or toy vehicle".
NO LAPSES OF STYLE
Fashion police alert! Check the mirror before going out in Carmel, N.Y. A decades-old ordinance prohibits men from donning a mismatched jacket-and-pants combo.
NO PLAYING IN THE STREET
Hopscotch in front of the house? Street hockey? Not in Chico, Calif. "Baseball or any other game" is banned from any "sidewalk, lane or alley".
(Source: TIMEMAG/Notebook by: Nina Vizcarrondo) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 3:42 PM |
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| Saturday, August 26, 2006 |
| THE MISTAKE-MAKER'S QUIZ |
No matter how smart you are, you have probably made mistakes at one time or another. But it's also very likely that you will find some mistakes cause you more trouble than others. The following quiz can help you zero in on those chapters that will be most interest to you.
Rate your reaction to the following fifty statements on a scale of 0 to 4, with 0 representing the least relevance to your life and 4 representing the most relevance to your life. Put an X in one block before each statement. Scoring directions will be found at the end of the quiz.
Think of the numbers in this ways:
0 means: There is no time in my life when this statement would apply to me.
1 means : There have been rare instances when I have felt this way.
2 means : I sometimes feel this like this.
3 means : I frequently feel like this.
4 means : I feel this statement applies to me most of the time.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (1). I overreact to minor problems.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (2). Others accuse me of making mountains out of molehills.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4_/ (3). I am pretty excitable.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (4). There's no point in trying because I know that nothing will work.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (5). I know in advance that things will go wrong.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (6). I can tell what others are thinking.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (7). People who are close to you should know what you want.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (8). You can always tell what people are tjinking from their body language.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (9). When people spend time together, they become attuned to each other's thoughts.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (10).I've been upset about what I thought someone was thinking -- then found that I was wrong.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (11).It's my responsibility to keep my loved ones happy.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (12).When things go wrong, I always feel its' my fault.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (13).I find I am criticized more than other people.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (14).You can tell when people are attacking you -- they don't have to be specific or mention your name.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (15).I feel I've been unfairly blamed for things that are beyond my control.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (16).I get into trouble because of overconfidence.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (17).My confidence in myself seems to put people off.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (18). I feel that if you are successful in one thing, you can be equally successful in anything.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (19).Other people have been responsible for my failures.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (20).Once you achieve success, you can relax because momentum keeps you at the same level.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (21).People have a way of honing in on the areas where I am most sensitive to criticism.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (22).I have a sixth sense about criticism. I can always tell when people mean me.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (23).Negative comments from others can really hurt me, even make me feel depressed.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (24).I hear negative comments and dismiss compliments.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (25).I think all comments have about equal weight.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (26).I get upset if I leave something unfinished.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (27).Being considered "just average" or "one of the crowd" is an insult.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (28).I'd rather turn in no work at all rather than turn in work that is below the standard I have set for myself.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (29).It's important to me that others see me as someone who never deviates from impeccable standards.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (30).Even a small mistake is enough to ruin my day - or my life.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (31).Compared to others, I'm a loser.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (32).I'm very competitive.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (33).Hearing about the success of others upsets me.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (34).Not being where I ought to be now gets me down.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (35).I think you have to make comparisons with others if you want to be successful.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (36).The world is a very dangerous place.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (37).You have to be very careful about what you do and say if you don't want to get into trouble.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (38).I don't like to take chances.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (39).I've lost some opportunities because I wasn't willing to take a risk.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (40).I avoid doing things if I think I could get hurt or be rejected.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (41).I feel guilty about something I should have done in the past.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (42).I believe it's important to live by the rules.
0/-/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (43).When I look at the past I see more failure than success.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (44).I feel under pressure to do the right thing.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (45).I find myself overwhelmed by all the things I need to do.
0/-/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (46).The opinions of others dont' matter to me.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (47).People accuse me of not listening to them.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (48).I feel defensive when people ask-or tell-me to do somehting.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (49).I think things should be done my way or no way.
0/_/2/_/3/_/4/_/ (50).I tend to procrastinate. I even put off doing important things.
How to Score Your Answers
Look at the pattern of X's you have drwan. If you find that, next to every statement, you have marked only those boxes numbered 0 or 1, then you have very little difficulty with these mistakes - and probably very little difficulty in dealing with the challenges of your life.
However, most people will find that they have marked a 2 or aboe to at least some of the questions. Where that is the case you may very well find a cluster of X's in ther higher numbers. Those clusters provide a clue to the particular mistkaes of thinking that are most troublesome to you.
(Source:THE 10 DUMBEST MISTAKES SMART PEOPLE MAKE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM by: Dr. Arthur Freeman and Rose DeWolf) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 4:02 PM |
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| Friday, August 25, 2006 |
| HOW TO KEEP YOUR FRIDGE - AND FOOD - IN TOP SHAPE |
While handling and storing food properly might be scond nature for some people, to others it's a total mystery. Here are answers to some common questions, according to Kathy Knutson, a food science teacher at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences; Michael Artlip, chair of the culinary school at Kendall and the Food Marketing Institute.
**How cold should your refrigerator be?
Set the temperature to below 40 degrees because bacteria multiples rapidly at temps between 40 and 140 degrees. Also, don't overload the fridge. Air should be able to circulate freely to cool all foods evenly. Freezers should be kept below 0 degrees.
** What's the best way to store raw meat?
When you bring meat home from the store, remove it from packaging, wash it, dry it, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before putting it in the freezer. If you leave it on the package, warp it with something else. Meat will get freezer burn if moisture escapes it.
** Should I store tomatoes in the refrigerator or leave them on the counter?
Leave them at toom temperature until they are ripe, because tomatoes won't ripen in the refrigerator. Then try to use them as soon as possible before they spoil,because refrigerating tomatoes can make them mealy and grainy. Only put tomatoes in the refrigetor after they have been cut.
** Is other produce better kept in the refrigerator or on the counter?
As a rule of thumb,store fruits and vegetables the way they've stored at the grocery store. Most fruit does'nt have to be refrigerated unless it's been cup up.
** Should you store bread in the refrigerator or on the counter?
Refrigerating bread will make it stale quicker. However, keeping it at room temperature will make it mold quicker. What to do? After buying a loaf of bread, set aside the amount you expect to use in the next few days and keep that at room temperature. Store the rest in the freezer until you're ready to use it.
** How long does milk last after the "sell" date?
Most dairy products are goodfor 10 days beyind the "sell by" date. But be careful. Every time you leave milk out and it warms up, its shelf life is shortened. So always smell it before drinking, regardless of the expiration date, because rotten milk can make you sick.
** If mold is growing on your food, can you cut it off and assume the rest is OK to eat?
It depends on the food. With firmer food items like cheese, cut the mold off - plus another half inch - and eat the remainder. But don't mess with mold on softer foods like bread, where it's more likely to spread. If the bread is in a bag, mold spores are in the bag and will permeate the food. And always smell the product because sometimes mold isn't large enough to see, but you can smell it.
(Source: REDEYE by Alexia Elejaide-Ruiz) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 11:30 PM |
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| DON'T BELIEVE THESE ANIMAL MYTHS!! |
DOGS HAVE BEEN OUR CLOSE companions for at least 12,000 years, cats for 8,000. They warm our feet, guard out homes and love us unconditonally. But as with all long-term relationships, misunderstandings are bound to crop up. And the animals can't correct us! It's about time we debunked some of the most persistent beliefs that owners mistakenly hold about their pets.
Cats always land safely on their feet.
Cats dont have nine lives, so keep them off the terrace. Cats are naturally flexible and have an amazing ability to right their bodies. But that does'nt necessarily protect them from harm. "Cat can break their front legs and jaw when they land on their feet," reports Dr. Ann Hohenhaus of New York's Animal Medical Center. Urban vets often see kitten who've fallen from high-rises. Oddly, they can survive falls of less than five stories and sometimes more than nine. The drops in between are most lethal.
Dogs and cats require annual revaccinations.
Although exact protocols are still debated, it is now known that certain vaccines, such as distemper and rabies, don't need to be given yearly after initial doses and boosters. Check with your vet - don't just go for the shots. Pets age faster than we do. Regular visits allow for early detection of problems.
Pets can be spiteful.
Pets can become stressed when left alone and may seek comfort by finding a "scent picture" of you in your favorite chair or shoes --anything that smells like you. They also may express their stress by chewing or leaving a puddle. But that does'nt mean they did it with a "this will teach my human a lesson!" intent. It's unlikely that dogs and cats are even capable of such thought patterns.
Old dogs can't learn new tricks.
Dogs can learn to perform at any age. Though the body may be slow, his mind is more than willing to learn anything that makes his new owner happy. Says Aimee Sadler, training behavior coordinator at the Longmont (Colo) Humane Society.
Neutering makes cats and dogs fat and lazy.
Not so. "It's not neutering but eating too much that makes animals overweight", says Dr. Thomas Carpenter, president-elect of the American Animal Hospital Association. Neutering your pets protects them from medical problems such as testicular and mammary cancers and uterin infections. And laziness? The dogs that routinely protest our borders are neutered. If you want to call them lazy, do it from a few feet back.
Dogs "know" when they've been bad.
You come home to find your trash can overturned, bits of tinfoil strewn across the kitchen. Your dog looks "guilty" - head low, tail tucked. What he is tellin you is he knows when you're upset. It's not proof that he understood at the time that raiding was "wrong". Dogs live in the moment. Want to keep your dog out of your garbage? Put away the trash can . Prevention really works.
Low-shed breeds of dogs and cats are "sage" for people with allergies.
Not quite. For more people, it's the dander and saliva, not the fur, that trigger an allergic response. Some breeds of dog or cat may cause a bigger or smaller reaction in certain people, but no breed is universally "hypoallergenic". Pet lovers can minimize reactions by keeping animals out of their bedroom, regular grooming (by someone else), vacuuming waith a hepa-filter and following doctor's advice.
(Source:PARADEMAG by : Sarah Wilson and Brian Kilcommons) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 1:58 AM |
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| Monday, August 21, 2006 |
| IN STEP WITH FANTASIA |
HER LIFE READS LIKE A SCREENPLAY AND THIS WEEKEND Fantsia Barrino - the 2004 American Idol winner - plays herself in a Lifetime TV movie based on her autobiographical best-seller, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.
When we spoke, the 22 year old Fantasia was frank about her acting, "It's hard palying yourself", she said, "It's hard going back to when you were 13 or 14. But I got my game face on and gave it my all".
Consider the tumultous route young Ms. Barrino took to stardom; A poor girl from a broken home in North Carolina, she had a child out of wedlock in her teens and was functionally illiterate (and ashamed to admit it). Somehow - against all odds, and with a sassy manner and a great big voice -- she climbed out of poverty and made it to the top.
How did a singer who had difficulty reading and writing pen a best-seller? It turns out she had a collaborator, writer Kim Green, to whom she dictated. "She was amazing," Fantasia said. "I had her crying, I had her laughing. We really went there". More significantly, Fantasia is now reading and writing herself, following a tough bout of tutoring.
"I got tired of getting on a plane and seeing my friends pull out a book and start reading", she told me. "I now have a drive to read. It's amazing. I can pull out a book now too". Then she added, "I smile when I pass a bookstore and see my book".
The Lifetime film was shot in New Orleans, and Fantasia said she's going to put the money she gets from the movie back into New Orleans relief. What did she think of the jazz joints in the French Quarter? "Oh, my God, those places have legends playing in them", she said. "They called me up onstage, and every one was dancing. It was like church."
Personal
Born June 30,1984, in High Point, N.C.
Single. One daughter; Zion, 5.
Why You Know Her
She won American Idol in season 3 (2004)
Released the hit songs,
"I Believe", "Truth Is" and "Free Yourself"
What You Don't Know
She might be sitting behind you on a ferrish wheel.
"My idea of the perfect day would be spent at an
amusement park with my family".
She also knows her way around a salon: "If I weren't
a celebrity, I'd be a hairstylist".
In her new autobiography, Fantasia never names her daughter's father,c alling him simply "B". I asked if "B" tried to re-enter her life afger she became famous. "NO", she said. "But thank God, he sees Zion whenever he wants. We were so young, and I want Zion to be able to make decisions for herself eventually."
Fantasia grew up singin in church and retians much of the that spirit. But she said, "I can do lots of different types of music".
Her idols? Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. With the film and a new album due later in the year, how is she handling fame? "I want to say I have a normal life", said Fantasia, "because I carry myself that way". And does she ever watch American Idol, the show that made her famous? "Sure", she replied. "I have my favorites. And I watch a little too much. The show is so addictive".
(Source: James Brady/PARADEMAG.) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 8:40 PM |
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| IT'S OKEY TO EAT EGGS --- ENJOY! |
Studies say there is no need to remove eggs from your diet.
For more than 30 years, I've been telling my heart patients - and anyone who was vulnerable to cardiac disease and hardening of the arteries -- to avoid eating eggs. In so doing, I was following the advice of the medical establishment and nutritional scientists. Their logic was that, since the plaques that narrow arteries in the heart, brain and elsewhere contain cholesterol, it made sense to avoid cholesterol rich foods. One egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol. That's a lot - especially considering that the daily upper limit of cholesterol consumption is just 300 mg a day.
However, now we've learned that the cholesterol we eat has very little effect on its level in the blood. What's more inportant is how much saturated fats and trans-fatty acids we consume. (Eggs may have taken a bad rap because of the other foods people eat with them, such as ham, butter, and margarine) So doctors are rethinking their advice about not eating eggs.
Recent data obtained from long term studies of dietary habits in more than 100,000 men and women have shown that one egg a day has no cardiovascular disease in healthy men and women. (For diabetics, however, it can inrease the risk of hearT disease.)
Here's what I tell my patients; If you are healthy and your cholesterol level is normal, eat as many eggs as you like. However, reduce your intake of saturated fats (bacon, red meat, whole milk and other dairy products) and avoid the trans-fatty acids in junk food, fried foods and potato chips. Eggs are one fo the healthiest foods you can eat.
(Source: Second Opinion by Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld/PARADE MAG) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 8:27 PM |
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| Friday, August 18, 2006 |
| MAKING SENSE OF STEM CELLS |
THE EMBRYO
The most versatile stem cells come from embryos, meaning they are also the most controversial.
WHAT THEY ARE
Stem Cells are nature's master cells, capable of generating every one of the many different cells that make up the body. They have the ability to self-renew, which means that they are theoretically immortal and can continue to divide forever if provided with wnough nutrients. Because they are so plastic, they hold enormous promise as the basis for new treatments and even cures for disorders ranging from Parkinson's and heart disease to diabetes and even spinal-cord injury.
WHERE THEY COME FROM
LEFTOVER OR DEAD-END IVF EMBRYOS
Why are they useful. More than 400,000 embryos created during in vitro fertilization lie frozen in clinic tanks in the U.S. Many of them will be discarded, so the embryonic stem cells that exists inside them could be salvaged.
Drawbacks. The freezing process may make it harder to extract stem cells. Some of the embryos were the weakest ones created by infertile couples and may not yield high quality stem cells.
ADULT STEM CELLS
Why they are useful They exist in many major tissues, including the blood, skin and brain. They can be coaxed to produce more cells of a specific lineage and donot have to be extracted from embryos.
Drawbacks. They can generate only a limited number of cell types, and they are difficult to grow in culture.
UMBILICAL-CORD CELLS
Why they are used. Although they are primarily made up of blood stem cells, they also contains stem cells that can turn into bone, cartillage, heart muscle and brain and liver tissue. Like adult stem cells, they are harvested without the need for embryos.
Drawbacks. An umbilical cord is not very long and doesnt' hold enough cells to treat an adult.
NUCLEAR-TRANSFER EMBRYOS
Why they are useful These embryos are created using the technique that created Dolly the cloned sheep. Stem cells can be custom made by inserting a patient's skin cell into a hollwed human egg. Any resuklting therapies would not run the risk of immune rejection.
Drawbacks. The process has not yet been successfully completed with human cells, and it requires an enormous amount of fresh human eggs, whcih are official to obtain.
****** THE PROCESS ******
1. EMBRYO. An egg is fertilized or cloned to form an embryo. The embryo begins to divide.
2. ONE TO FIVE DAYS. The embryo divides into more and more cells and forms a hollow ball of cells called a blastocyst.
3. FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS. Embryonic stem cells begin to form along the inside of the blstocyst, creating the innner cell mass.
4. STEM LINE. The cells are scraped away and grown on a layer of feeder cells and culture medium.
Muscle Cells
could repair or replace a damaged heart.
Pancreatic Islet Cells
Could provide a cure for disbetes.
Nerve Cells
Could be used to treat Parkinson's spinal-cord injuries and strokes.
5. TISSUE PRODUCTION. Groups of stem cells are nurtured under specialized conditions, with growth factors that direct the cells to become any of the body's more than 200 vaious tissues.
(Source:TIMEMAG/SCIENCE by Nancy Gibbs) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 2:20 PM |
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| Wednesday, August 16, 2006 |
| T E R R O R I S M..... |
SAFER BY DEGREES
Terrorism has changed air trvel dramatically. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has thousands of screeners and machines to detect weapons and explosives, but gaps remain:
CURBSIDE
Improvement National Guard troops now patrol airports.
Problems Curbside check-in, briefly suspended after 9/11, is again offered. The often hectic process at crowded airports can increase the potential for lethal suitcases to enter the system.
CHECK-IN
Improvement Identifications are closely checked at counters.
Problems The growing use of electronic tickets means a passenger without bags no longer has to stop at the counter to get a boarding pass, eliminating one layer of security.
SECURITY
Improvement Checked and carry-on bags are scanned and serached more often. The TSA has installed explosives-detection systems at most commercial airports to screen checked bags and is testing phone-booth-size machines that use puffs of air to detect explosives residue on passengers.
Problems Private security companies are increasingly being used, diluting the TSA's mandate and possibly creating greater vulnerability. Government reports have cited insufficient training and the need for better technology.
SPOT THE BOMB
None of the items nely banned by the TSA would explode if mixed. The fear is that those common containers could be filled with bomb ingredients and carried openly onto aircraft, to be combined later.
Good News Liquid explosives tend to be quite volatile, and concocting a bomb on a plane in flight woild be a difficult. noxious job.
Bad News Explosives can be made to look like almost anything - drinks, even a child's toy. The use of machine that detect bombs and traces of explosives is spreading, but liquid-chemical sniffers aren't in airports - yet.
RESTAURANTS
Improvement The TSA grants varying levels of clearnace to the mostly minimum-wage employees of airport stores.
Problems Boarding-area concessions can pose a serious threat. A restaurant worker, for example, could pass a knife to a passenger.
BOARDING
Improvement Only ticketed passengers and employees are allowed in boarding areas.
Problems Passengers connecting from smaller airports might have undergone less rigorous screening but still have full access to gates.
ON THE TARMAC
Improvement The process for obtaining worker credentials is tighter.
Problems Many people -- including cleanrers, caterers, mechanics, refuelers and baggage handlers - have access to planes, and the grounds of a large airport can be difficult to secure. In 2003, for example, three fioshermen wandered onto a runway at New York City's John F. Kennedy Inernational Airport and walked around formore than an hour until they sought police for an exit. At air-cargo facilities, neither cargo nor personnel undergo the same scrutiny as airline passengers and their luggage.
(Source: TIMEMAG by Amanda Ripley) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 3:12 PM |
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| Tuesday, August 15, 2006 |
| MILESTONES IN AMERICA |
In 1915 the U.S. population had grwon to 100 million. By 1967 it had doubled. How 2006 compares with those milestones:
PRICE OF MILK (per Gallon):
1915 - $0.36cents
1967 - $1.03
2006 - $3.04
THE MILITARY
(Active duty military personnel)
1917 - 174 thousand
1967 - 3.4 million
2006 - 1.4 million
PRICE OF NEW HOME
1915 - $ 3,200
1967 - $24,600
2006 - $290,600
VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS
1915 - 2.5 million
1967 - 98.9 million
FIRST-CLASS STAMP
1915 - 2 cents
1967 - 5 cents
2006 - 39 cents
GALLON OF GAS (regular)
1915 - 15 cents
1967 - 33 cents
2006 - $3.04
WORLD POPULATION
1915 - 1.6 billion
1967 - 3.5 billion
2006 - 6.5 billion
DOWN ON THE FARM (number of farms)
1915 - 6.5 million
1967 - 3.2 million
2006 - 2.1 million
HOUSEHOLD SIZE (people)
1915 - 4.5
1967 - 3.3
2006 - 2.6
SOURCE: The U.S. Census Bureau & CHICSUNTIMES) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 12:29 AM |
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| LOOK AT AMERICA NOW: SOON YOU'LL BE 1 OF 300 MILLION |
Today, approximately 1 in 8 people in the U.S. are immigrants.
Wetlands are shrinking by 100,000 acres a year, mainly because of development.
More than 11,000 babies are born in the U.S. each day.
Approximately 46percent of the nation's lake are too polluted to swim in.
Latinos driving continued U.S. population growth.
THE CENSUS BUREAU'S U.S. POPULATION CLOCK is ticking toward October, when demographers say America's population will hit 300 million.
Population change includes any movement, such are returning military or civilians who were overseas, says Howard Higan, of the Census Bureau. But in trying to pinpoint when the population reaches 300 million, what matters are births, deaths and immigration.
More than 11,000 babies are born a day, and since the 1950's more than 2,870 immigrants' a day enter the United States. The 300 millionth American need not be a U.S. citizen.
Latinos -- immigrants and those born in this country -- are driving the population growth, accounting for almost half the increase last year, more than any other ethnic or racial group. White non-Hispanics, who make up about two-thirds of the population, accounted for less than one-fifth of the incrase.
When the population reached 200 million in 1967, there was no accurate tally of U.S. Hispanics. The first effort to count Hispanics came in the 1970 census, and the results were dubious. The Cnesu Bureau counted about 9.6 million Latinos, a little less than 5 percent of the population, but the bureau acknowledged that figure was inflated.
The Census Bureau says the Population Block (www.census.gov) will over to 300 million in mid-October.
But Peter Francese, founder of American Demographics magazine and a demographic trends analysts for New York ad agency Ogilvy & Mather, says Oct. 27 is the statistically likely date, as well as the 300th day of the year.
"This is not a matter of opinion", Francese says. "It is a matter of mathematical calculations".
The United States, which ranks third in population behind China (1.3 billion) and India (1.1 billion), is still gaining people while many other industrialized nations aren't. Japan's population, for example, has been shrinking, as has Russias'.
'Volatile mixture'
Not all are celebrating though.
In an upcoming report by the Center for Environment and Population, the Connecticut-based research group concludes that "America's relatively high population growth and high rated of resource consumption and pollution make for a volatile mixture resulting in the largest environmental impact per capita... in the world".
Americans occupay about 20 percent more developed land per capita that they did 20 years ago, partly because the average number of people per household has dropped while the average size of home has grown, the report found. About 40 percent of the nations' rivers and 46 percent of its lakes are too polluted for fishing and swimming. Wetlands are decreasing by 100,000 acres a year, maily because of development.
"The scientific data pretty much across the board shows that we in the U.S. are reaching many of the nation's ecological limits, one by one, and that many (limits) are linked to population trends," Vicky Markham, the center's director, told the San Diego Union Tribune.
(Source: Gannett News Service with AP Contributing) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 12:05 AM |
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| Monday, August 14, 2006 |
| VARIETY OF EXPLOSIVES USED IN RECENT TERROR ATTACKS |
Officials say the plot to bomb as many as 12 U.S. bound flights from Britain involved a liquid-based explosive. The plot recalls a failed 1995 scheme by imprisoned Ramzi Yousef that involved nitroglycerin hidden in a bottle of contact-lens solution. Most recent high profile terror attacks have relied or more conventional explosives.
SELECTED RECENT TERROR ATTACKS
1.) Location: Bali, Indonesia
Date: Car and suicide bombings at a pair of nightclubs popular with tourists kill 202 people.
Explosives Used: About two pounds of TNT at one location and about 220 pounds of ammonium nitrate, commonly used for fertilizer, at the other.
2.) Location: Istanbul
Dates: Nov.15 and Nov. 20,2003
Attacks: Suicide truck bombings outside two synagogues, a British bank and the British consulate kill 62.
Explosive used: An unspecified amount of ammonium nitrate.
3.) Location: Madrid
Date: March 11,2004
Attack: Ten Backpack bombs on commuter trains kill 191.
Explosive used: About 22 pounds dynamite per backpack, with cell phones used to trigger detonators.
4.) Location: Taba, Egypt
Date: Oct. 7,2004
Attack: A car bomb explodes at a Hilton hotel on the Sinai Peninsula, killing 34.
Explosive used: About 1,100 pounds of TNT.
5.) Location: London
Date: July 7,2005
Attack: Synchronized suicide bombings on subway trains and a double-decker bus kill 52.
Explosive used: Triacetone triperoxide, or TATP, a mixture of widely available chemicals including acetone, hydrogen peroxide and mineral acid.
6.) Location: Amman, Jordan
Date: Nov. 9,2005
Attack: Suicide bombers kill 57 at three hotels.
Explosive used: Each bomber had up to 22 pounds of RDX, a powerful military explosive, packed with ball bearings to inflict maximum dmaage.
7.) Location: Mumbai, India
Date: July 11,2006
Attack: Synchronized blasts on the city's rail system kill at least 190
Explosive used: A mixture of RDX, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil.
(Sources:Tribune Archieves, News Reports, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 4:58 PM |
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| Sunday, August 13, 2006 |
| LONDON TERROR PLOT: BOMBS EASY TO MAKE, HARD TO DETECT |
Liquid with peroxide similar to failed 1995 nitroglycerin plot.
The sort of liquid explosive that authorities suspect was to be used in the alleged airliner terror plot in Britain is easy for anyonw with a working knowledge of chemistry to make -- and difficult for ordinary airport checkpoints to detect, experts say.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation sent a memo to law enforcement agencies on Thursday saying the explosive would have been "peroxide-based", with otherwise safe ingredients mixed onboard the targeted airplances during flight to make a bomb.
A Favorite of Terrorists
The information, reported Thursday by the New York Times suggests the bombers planned to use a well known explosive that can be made fromingredients found in ordinary household items, including nail polish remover.
That explosive has been around for more than 100 years, is based on a widelay available formula and isa favorite of terrorists bomb-makers. It was used in the July 2005 suicide bombings in London and numerous Palestinian bombings in Israel. It is also extremely unstable and highly dnagerous even for trained chemists to make -- qualities that caused bombmakers to nickname it "Mother of Satan".
Although many would be terrorists have been killed while trying to make the mixture, its instability might not be a drawback for suicide bomber intent on destroying an airplane. The easy availability of the ingredients make it especially attractive to terrorists, experts said.
"You don't really need to go to a chemical facotry to find these things -- it's just common household stuff" said SonBinh Nguyen, a professor of chemisty at Northwestern University.
Prior to mixing the individual ingreidents of such an explosive would be difficult for ordinary airport security measures to detect. In the U.S., powerful scanning machines inspect every items checked as luggage at major airports -- a step that should catch most explosives, experts said. Carry on bags go thorugh a much less effective -- and less expensive X-ray machine.
Nitroglycerin, the primary ingredient in many terrorist bombs, could be detected during inspection of carry on bags, but only if a passenger is a "selectee" designated for a more thorough search by bomb sniffing dogs and equipment. Even those added measures might not detect the unmixed ingredients for a perocide-based weapon.
"As things stand now, you can't find these explosives if they're carried on someone's person", without any close exam, said aviation security consultant Douglas Laird.
Flames easily sparked
Both peroxide-based explosives and nitroglycerin are highly sensitive to physical shocks and sparks from elecrical sources.
The FBI and Homeland Security memo noted that all a peroxide explosive would need to detonate is "fire or an electrical charge", which could come from a cell phone, laptop battery, flashbulb or numerous other ordinary electric devices.
Any such item could supply "a lot of heat generated very quickly," said Phil Eaton, a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Chicago, including potent explosives.
"The fact is that most common explosives are fairly simple to make", Eaton said.
Eaton and many other experts noted that although recipes for making such explosives are widely available through the Internet, they often contain chemical errors or misleading directions -- and gravely understate the risks of mixing together volatile compounds.
High Security concern
Liquid based explosives are at the top of many security experts lists of concerns, in part because they are relatively easy to make. Bomber Ramzi Yousef was prepairing to use nitroglycerin in a narrowly aerted plot to down as many as 12 airlines over the Pacific in 1995. Yousef, since convicted for the plot and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, actually carried out a trail run for the Pacific airliner bombing, authorities believe.
Using nitroglycerin he concealed in a contact lens solution bottle, he assembled a bomb in the lavatory of a Philippine Airliner, That bomb, timed to go off after Yousef left the plane, killed a Japanese businessman after the aircraft toof off again.
"When Yousef tested his bomb, he found it wasnt' big enough to take down an airliner",said aviation security expert Glen Winn, who was manager of corporate security for United Airlines in Chicago when Yousef's plot came out.
Yousef's case illustrates the danger inherent in such liquid explosives. His conspiracy unraveled when a fire started at his group's bomb making lab in the Philippines, alerting police to the scheme. Even so, Winn said " we came within a hair's breadth of something awful happening".
It's still unclear precisley how a bomber or group of bombers would have used a peroxide based weapon. It tkaes a large amopunt of such explosives to cause catastrophic damage; the bombers who struck London's public transportation system last year carried backpacks full of it.
Peroxide-based explpsives were one component of the device that shoe bomber Richard Reid tride to ignite on a flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001. But Laird, the security expert, said he's not sure such a small amount of explosive could have broguth down Reid's plane.
"There's a real question about whetehr he had the right quantity to have a catastrophic result", Laird said.
Some experts speculated that the mixture might have been meant to create a large fire rather than an explosion. Laird said the risk of a bomber carrying liquids that could be mixed to make a peroxide-based bomb is great enough to warrant upgrading security at American airports.
Better screening is more costly
One measure that might help would be replacing the X-ray machines now used for carry on bags with the same powerful CT scanners used to checked luggage at major airports -- an alternative that could costs up to $1 million extra for each checkpoint.
Short of such a major step, experts said it may be nearly impossible to catch a terrorist determined to bring elements of a liquid explosive on a flight.
"It's very difficult", said Billie Vincent, former security director for the Federal Aviation Administration. To be sure of preventing such an attack, he said, "Basically, you can't let anyliquids go on the airplane in the passenger cabin".
(Source:CHICTRIB by: Jeremy Manier/jmanier@tribune.com) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 3:40 PM |
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| Saturday, August 12, 2006 |
| DEPRESSION .......... |
People with bipolar disorder can live full lives with appropriate treament. You can, too. Only a health care provider can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe appropriate treatment. But you can start by answering the questions below, which are intended only to help you talk to your doctor. Regardless of your answers, be sure to share them with your doctor.
1. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and ....
... you felt so good or so hyper that other people thought you were normal self, or you were so hyper that you got into trouble? /__/YES /__/NO
... you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights and arguments? /__/YES /__/NO
... you were much more talkative and/or spoke much faster than usual? /__/YES /__/NO
... thoughts raced through your head and/ or you could'nt slow your mind down?
/__/YES /__/NO
... you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had active and/or did many more things than usual? /__/YES /__/NO
... you have much more energy than usual? /__/YES /__/NO
... you were much more active and/or did many more things than usual? /__/YES /__/NO
... you were much more social or outgoing than usual -- for exmaple, you telephone friends in the middle of the night? /__/YES /__/NO
... yow were much more interested in sex than usual? /__/YES /__/NO
... you did things that were unusual for you or that other people might have thought were excessive, foolish or risky? /__/YES /__/NO
... spending money got you or your family into trouble? /__/YES /__/NO
2. If you checked "YES" to more than one of the above, have you experienced several of these during the same period of time?
3. How much of a problem did any of these situations cause you (like being unable to work; having family, money, or legal problems, and/or getting into serious arguments or fights?
No problem /__/
Minor problem /__/
Moderate problem /__/
Serious problem /__/
(Source: Robert M A. Hirschfield, MD/contact: isitreallydepression.com |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 2:35 AM |
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| Friday, August 11, 2006 |
| MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST MAKE MEL(Gibson) HAPPY |
Attacking anti-Semitism has'nt got us far in 3,000 years. It's time for some changes.
MOST TIMES, WHEN SOMEONE SPOUTS OFF ABOUT HOW the Jews are, I blow it off as ignorance. If the guy just got to know us, he would totally dig us. We're funny and warm and smart and totally self-effacing. We send Ben Stiller to Iran for a few weeks, Mahmoud Admadinejad will beopening up Noah's bagel shops in all the strip malls in Tehran. The only problem is that with just 0.2 percent of the world's population, we can't do anearly as many personal appearances as we'd like. That's why we took the media.
But Mel Gibson knows us - personally. He's been in Hollywood for more than 20 years. If Mel doesn't like us, maybe it's finally time to stop blaming everyone else for the bigotry and scapegoating and start to look at ouselves. As the saying goes, If people hate you for 1,000 years, maybe you can blame them; if you're persecuted for 2,000 years, maybe you're unlucky; but if they still want to kill you after 3,000 years, you have to ask yourself if you're doing something wrong.
So we Jews are goin to have to make some slight adjustments to get on the world's good side. No more smiting our enslaves with locuts or refusing to convet during Inquisitions or giving ourselves Oscars for Holocaust documentations. We've got to up our likability, get on people's good sides.
The first thing we have to do is to drop the Chosen People marketing bit. It's not working. Not only is it not scaring people off as it was designed to do, but it comes off as sort of arrogant. I'm suggesting we change our official slogan to Just One of the Guys or the People Who Believe in Most of YOur Bible or even the People Who, if History Is a Guide, Are Not Among God's Favorites. We'll nedd to get Karl Rove involved.
You known how a lot of Jewish performers change their names so they don't offend anyone with all that Jewishness? Emmanuel Goldberg change his name to Edwared G. Robinson, and Jonathan Leibowitz threw us all off the trail with Jon Stewart. How about if all the rest of the Jews do that too? I'm considering Joe Crockett. I also like the sound Johnny Slayer.
Plus, coming up with 14 million new names will be a kind of WPA project for all the Jewish writers. Because we have to back off the controlling-the-media thing a tad.
We could do ourselves a lot of good by stopping our whole Protocols of the Elders of Zion plan. It's been more than 100 years since the book has been out, and we have yet to come close to our goal of (I'm using the Iranian translation here) "extracting from the hands of the Lord many stars and galaxies". In fact, we have to yet extract one single star or galaxy.
Let's drop it! One of our methods of controlling the universe, according to the book, was to get people hooked on alcohol. And look how that backfired last week.
Also, we need to stop killing other people's messiahs. O.K., it was actually the Romans who killed Jesus, but we were there. And even if it had been us, you'd think the Catholics would thank us, since otherwise they'd have churches today full of statues of a bald old guy clutching his heart in hospice care, and who's showing up every Sunday for that? But still, it's better if we stay far away from any messiahs. Even if a guy clearly isn't the Messiah but just saying he is - walk away. There's nothing to gain there.
Until Gibson told his arresting officers that "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world". I did'nt realize that was our thing. If it is, let's drop it. I would have thought that the guy who made Braveheart, The Patriot, Gallipoli and When We Were Soldiers and had directed some of the most violent, angry scenes in cinema would love war.But I guess he does'nt.
And most of all, we have to stop this finger wagging at Gibson. Endeavor agent, Ari Emmanuel has written that no studio should work with him anymore. Bad call. We don't want to get in a battle here. In popularity contest between Mel Gibson and Jews, it does'nt look good for the Jews. Better we laugh this off, maybe respond with a gibe at the Australians, like how they have a chuckle and subtly suggest another dead language for hism to teach himself for his next movie. We've got to give that guy much busywork as possible.
(Source: ESSAY/TIMEMAG by: JOel Stein) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 2:53 PM |
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| Tuesday, August 08, 2006 |
| HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU? |
1). ON A SANDARD TRAFFIC LIGHT, IS THE GREEN ON THE TOP OR BOTTOM?
2). HOW MANY STATES ARE THERE IN THE U.S.?
3). IN WHICH HAND IS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY'S TORCH?
4). WHAT SIX COLORS ARE ON THE CLASSIC CAMPBELL'S SOUP LABEL?
5). WHAT TWO NUMEBRS ON THE TELEPHONE DIAL DIDN'T HAVE LETTERS BY THEM?
6). WHEN YOU WALK, DOES YOUR LEFT ARM SWING WITH YOUR RIGHT OR LEFT LEG?
7). HOW MANY MATCHES ARE IN A STANDARD PACK?
8). ON THE UNITED STATED FLAG, IS THE TOP STRIPE RED OR WHITE?
9). WHAT IS THE LOWEST NUMBERS ON THE FM DIAL?
10). WHICH WAY DOES WATER GO DOWN THE DRAIN, COUNTER OR CLOCKWISE?
11). WHICH WAY DOES A "NO SMOKING" SIGN'S SLACH RUN?
12). HOW MANY CHANNELS ON A VHF TV DIAL?
13). ON WHICH SIDE OF A WOMEN'S BLOUSE ARE THE BUTTONS?
14). WHICH WAY DO FANS ROTATE?
15). HOW MANY SIDES DOES STOP SIGN HAS?
16). DO BOOKS HAVE EVEN-NUMBERED PAGES ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE?
17). HOW MANY LUG NUTS ARE ON A STANDARD CAR WHEEL?
18). HOW MANY SIDES ARE THERE ON A STANDARD PENCIL?
19). SLEEPY, HAPPY, SNEEZY, GRUMPY, DOOPEY, DOC, WHO'S MISSING?
20). HOW MANY HOT DOG BUNS ARE IN A STANDARD PACKAGE?
21). ON WHICH PLAYING CARD IS THE CARD MAKERS TRADE MARK?
22). ON WHICH SIDE OF A VENETIAN BLIND IS THE CORD THAT ADJUSTS THE OPENING BETWEEN THE SLATS?
23). THERE ARE 12 BUTTONS ON A TOUCH TONE PHONE. WHAT 2 SYMBOLS BEAR NO DIGITS?
24). DOES A MERRY-GO-ROUND TURN COUNTER OR CLOCKWISE?
*** IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU SCORED -- PLACE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BOX AND I WILL ANSWER IT AND TELL YOU HOW MANY ANSWERS YOU SCORED!!
(SOURCE: Sent by a friend via email from a hospital lab in chicago) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 2:00 AM |
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| Monday, August 07, 2006 |
| IRAQ WAR: IS SENDING MORE TROOPS TO BAGHDAD BEST WAY TO BRING THEM HOME? |
IRAQ'S PRIME MINISTER, NOURI al-MALIKI got President Bush's pledge to pour more troops into Baghdad -- a promise that virtually foreclosed major withdrawals before November's midterm elections. Al-Maliki also urged Congress to send more reconstruction aid. And he warned the UNited States not to abandon Iraq, as it did after the Persian Gulf War when it stood aside as Saddam Hussein crused a Shiite rebellion.
WHY ARE WE STILL THERE?
Why is the United States in Iraq? That is the question that is increasingly difficult for the White House to answer coherently -- and honestly. Bush noted that the horrific and intensifying violence in Uraq of recent weeks is "terrible". But who -- and what -- is the enemy?Sectarian violence is now the main problem in Iraq. But Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants U.S. troops to remian. Consequently, when he spoke to Congress, he depicted the fight in Iraq as a struggle pitting lovers of democracy againts "terrorists" connected to those who attacked the United States on Sept. 11,2001.
The cause -- despite al-Maliki's Bush-like rhetoric -- is no longer combating jihadists. It's making Iraq safe from Iraqi religious extremists. Al-Maliki's government cannot protect Iraqis' from their own neighbors, so he is looking to Bush tobe his nations's cop on the beat. But can the U.S. military be an effective polic force in a society increasingly plagued by sectarian violence that has little, if anything, to do with the fight against al-Qaida and Islamic jihadism?
(David Corn, the Nation)
WINNING IS THE ONLY OPTION
Whatever one thinks about the number of U.S. tropps overall in Iraq, there is no question too few have been deployed in the capital. So, news that American troops will be redeploying from relatively peaceful areas of the country to help out in Baghadad is encouraging.
There is an almost willful defeatism in these criticisms of our position in Iraq, as if the only point is to prove that we should never have toppled Saddam Hussein in the first place. But what is truly unrealistic is to think that the United States has any choice now but to win in Iraq. The regional mess we'd inevitably have to clean up if we lose could make out current difficulties look like child's play.
(Opinion Journal -- Wall Street Journal)
FIGHT 'em Or FORGIVE 'em?
With the war now mainly a fight for Baghdad between Sunnis and Shites, another focus should be on a new plan to reconcile the two sides with an amnesty.
An offer of forigeness was made last month by al-Maliki. On July 22, an Iraqi national commission on reconciliation, made up of leaders of various political and religious stripes, met for the first time -- although some Sunni leaders did not attend. Iraq will need to tread carefully in choosing which insurgents should be punished or forgiven. Right now the offer is extended only to "those who have not takne part in criminal and terrotists acts and war crimes and crimes against humanity." That may exclude many insurgents but not the thousands of supporters working behind the scenes.
Al-Maliki has asked Iraqis to unite their splintered nation with "brotherhood and love." For Arab Sunnis and Shiites to see their own futures that together is a leap of faith. Having an amnesty "bridge" may help them do it.
(Christian Science Monitor)
HOW IT LOOKS TO ONE GI
Baghdad has descended into complete anarchy, as near as I can tell. We have police investigating in northern Iraq who are scared to drive down there to attend an investigator's course for fear they will be stopped by Sunni or Shia checkpoints and killed. And these guys are police! This is the dark side of the big shift in the U.S. strategy/presence over the last year. As we've reduced our forces, dissengaged from the cities and consolidated on masive super-FOBs (forward operating bases), we have lost the ability to impose our will on the streets of Iraq. It's frustrating.
(U.S. soldier's e-mail to andrewsullivan.com)
THE WAY OUT IS TO GET OUT
Civil war is raging across central Iraq. Baghdad is splitting into hostile and heavily armed districts. Minonirites, be they Sunni or Shia, are being killed or forced to flee. It is at this moment that the new Iraqi prime minister travelled to his sponsors in the West.
Al-Maliki's visit, during which he spoke confidently about disarming militias, has more to do with the White House's domestic political agenda than with the dire reality of Iraq. The American adminsitration wants to have live Iraqis say in the lead-up to midterm elections in November that progress is being made.
Can anything be done to lead Iraq out of this savage civil war? Friction between Shia, Sunni and Kurd was always likely after the fall of Saddam. But what has divided the communites most is their differing attitudes to foreign occupation. Ending this is essential if this was is to be brought to an end.
(Patrick Cockburn,CounterPunch)
GIVE IRAQIS SIX MONTHS
Our troops are doing all they can -- and our cause remains just and good. It's too early to walk away. But the Iraqis have to get their act together. We can't keep the training wheels on the bicycle forever.
We should never publicize a timetable for a troop withdrawl, but here's what Bush shoild shave told al-Maliki: "We'll give you six months. If your government can't produce a unified response to sectarian violence that treats all sides impartially, we'll withdraw our troops and our support. Then you can fight it out among yourselves".
Failure in Iraq would be a victory for terror. In the short run. But the terrotists might then find themselves mired in along and crippling struggle. An Iraqi civil war might become al-Qaidas' Vietnam, not ours.
(Ralph Peters, New York Post)
(Source:SUNTIME/CONTROVERSY/controversy@suntimes.com) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 12:41 AM |
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| Tuesday, August 01, 2006 |
| DEPRESSION AND HEART DISEASE. CAN YOU DIE OF A BROKEN HEART? |
FOR CENTURIES, we have linked our love for another with our heart, health. In poetry, prose, music and movies, we have reinforced the notion that happiness and love keep a heart healthy, while loneliness and depression break it. A recent article in The Journal of the American Medical Association seems to support that assumption. In it, Mary Whooley, a physician at the University of California, San Francisco, discussed the evidence linking depression to heart disease. To me, it suggests that treating depression may lead to better heart health.
Here's how an unhealthy mental state might affect one's heart health:
BIOLOGICAL ISSUES.
Depression trigger biological systems that create a less helathy environment for the heart. Such physiological changes may heighten succeptibility to arrhythmias (abnormal heartheats), increase the inflammatory markers associated with cardiovascular disease and thicken blood, which raises clotting risk.
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
Derpressed patients with coronary disease are less likelu to follow dietary advice, less likely to exercise andless likely to take prescribed medicine.
Whooley was quick to point out that there is much more to learn about mental health's effect on heart health. Still, 20percent of people being treated for coronary artery disease and 33percent of those being treated for heart failure have depression. Many of these folks go undiagnoses or donot get adequate treatment. Whether treating their depression will improve their ability to manage heart disease is still being stuided, but one thing is certain: Treatment will improve their qualities of life.
(Source: USAWEEKENED by: Dr. Tedd Mithcell, president and medical director of Dallas Cooper Clinic) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 3:42 PM |
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| About Me |
|
Name: infraternam meam
Home: Chicago, United States
About Me: I am now at the prime of my life
and have been married for the past 25 years.
Sickly at times, but wants to see the elixir vita,
so that I will be able to see my grandchildren from my two boys.
See my complete profile
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