Refreshing News

Japanese scientists create Hollywood's 'Avatar' robot

2012-02-14T17:39:00.003-08:00

The sci-fi world of the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar has been brought one step closer to reality with the creation of a robot that mimics the movements of its human controller.

Telesar V transfers marbles from a cup to another cup for a demonstration at Tachi's laboratory in Yokohama

Japanese scientists have developed a robot that allows humans to direct its actions while also enabling them to see, hear and feel the same things as their android counterpart.

The TELESAR V robot can be seen as perhaps the first step towards a real-life echo of the Hollywood film Avatar, in which US soldiers were able to remotely control the genetically engineered bodies of an extra-terrestrial race they wished to subdue.

Describing the sensation of using the robot, Sho Kamuro, a researcher, told AFP: “When I put on the devices and move my body, I see my hands having turned into robot hands.

“When I move my head, I get a different viewpoint from the one I had before. It’s a strange experience that makes you wonder if you’ve really become a robot.”

The TELESAR V robot – the TELexistence Surrogate Anthropomorphic Robot - is operated by a human controller, who wears special equipment including headgear, gloves and a vest in order to direct the actions of the android machine.

The gloves are made of thin polyester lined with semiconductors and tiny motors to enable the user to “feel” what the robot is actually touching, distinguishing between sensations such as smooth or bumpy and hot or cold.

Meanwhile, the images in the line of vision of the “eyes” of the robot are captured on camera and appear in three-dimensional form on small video screens in front of the user’s eyes.

Such devices could be most usefully deployed in situations where it is too dangerous to send humans, according to Professor Susumu Tachi, who specialises in engineering and virtual reality at Keio University's Graduate School of Media Design.

One such scenario was the use of the robots in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was severely damaged in last year’s earthquake and tsunami.

"I think further research and development could enable this to go into areas too dangerous for humans and do jobs that require human skills," said Professor Tachi,
“It’s important to make robots that can work in a radioactive environment and that’s what we’re aiming at.”

Barack Obama warns China it must live up to its international responsibilities

2012-02-14T17:36:00.001-08:00

Barack Obama warned China it had live up to its international responsibilities yesterday as the country's next president made a crucial visit to Washington ahead of his expected rise to power.

Against a backdrop of sharp differences between American and China over the issues of Iran, Syria and human rights, the US president used some forthright diplomatic language to allude to the "areas of tension" in their relations.

Xi Jinping, the 58-year-old chemical engineer who is expected to become China's Communist Party leader this autumn and then president soon after, looked on as Mr Obama said it was critically important that China helped to bring "stability, order and security" to what has been dubbed the 'Asian century'.

Urging China to take a growing role in world affairs, the president said: "We have tried to emphasise that because of China's extraordinary development over the last two decades that with expanding power and prosperity also comes increased responsibilities."

In return, Mr Xi called for “greater balance” in trade and investment between the United States and China.

“We should tap our cooperation potential, create more bright spots in our cooperation and strive for greater balance in trade and investment between the two countries,” he said.

“We should address each other’s economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation, not protectionism, and uphold the mutually beneficial pattern of China-US economic relations and trade."

The remarks came hours after the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had a "frank and in-depth" exchange of views with China's top diplomat Dai Bingguo, who described the on-going violence as "essentially Syria's internal affair."

The Chinese vice-president was also greeted by calls from a cross-party group of American former national security officials who issued an open letter urging China to cut its oil imports from Iran in support of international sanctions against Tehran.

Mr Xi's visit to Washington is intended as an exercise in "relationship-building", introducing the future Chinese leader to the American people, and follows in the footsteps of similar visits to the US made by other coming Chinese leaders prior to their taking power.

The diplomatic choreography will aim to present the new Chinese leader as a more sympathetic character than China's current president, the expressionless Hu Jintao, with Mr Xi offering that he is fond of NBA Basketball, Hollywood films and has great admiration for "the hospitable and industrious American people".

Greeting his counterpart, Vice President Joe Biden, Mr Xi promised "an in-depth and candid exchange of views", urging that the US-China relationship be based on "mutual respect".

"I hope to engage with a broad cross-section of the American people," he added.

Despite the niceties, the Obama administration has taken an increasingly tough line with China on trade and security issues after a softer start in 2009. Last year, the president announced a "strategic pivot" to the Pacific to counter China's increasingly aggressive posturing in the South China Sea.

Mr Obama's remarks on trade referred to the thorny issue of China's undervalued currency, with the perceived unfairness of China's trade policies the subject of increasingly strident election campaign rhetoric.

The Republican candidates have all promised a tougher line with China, with Mitt Romney, the front-runner promising to name China as a 'currency manipulator' on his first day in office and confronting Beijing's military rise head-on.

"We need to take a stronger stand than we've been doing and be prepared for the fact that the Chinese aren't going to like it and are going to complain about it," Aaron Friedberg, a China adviser on Mr Romney's foreign policy and national security advisory team told The Telegraph.

The sense China is more of economic threat than an opportunity had dented US public attitudes to China over the past year, with strongly unfavorable views about China outnumbering strongly favorable ones by about 3 to 1, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll.

China's worsening human rights record, including a crackdown in Tibet and a wave of arrests against dissidents following the Arab Spring uprisings, has also served to highlight the ideological political differences between Washington and Beijing.

As the leaders met inside, outside the White House a group of several hundred demonstrators waved Tibetan and American flags and chanted "Wake up USA! Wake up Mr Obama!". Others carried placards and pictures of the artist Ai Weiwei who was detained for 81 days last year.

"Xi Jinping is the next leader of the Chinese Communist Party and we need Barack Obama to be our voice and carry out message of human values. It is his job and his duty," said Khenrab Palden, the general secretary of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.

Barack Obama weighs major cuts to US nuclear arsenal

2012-02-14T17:33:00.004-08:00

The Obama administration is weighing options for a sharp reduction to the US nuclear stockpile, including cutting up to 80 percent of America's deployed warheads.

The cuts could reduce the US nuclear stockpile to its lowest levels since the 1950s

While no final decision has been made, plans drawn up by the Pentagon raise the idea of cutting the US's strategic weapons from 1,550 to just 300.

Other options include more modest cuts 700 or to 1,000, the Associated Press reported, citing a former administration official and a congressional aide.

If President Barack Obama were to embrace the most radical option - and a spokesman said that the plans had not yet been submitted to the White House - it would reduce the US nuclear deployment to the lowest levels since the 1950s.

Mr Obama has repeatedly voiced his desire to see a world "free of nuclear weapons" and gave a major speech in Prague in 2009 calling for the Cold War powers to cut their stockpiles.

A year later he returned to the Czech capital, one of the front lines of the Cold War, to sign a replacement to 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), which reduced the number of weapons deployed by Russia and the US to their current level of 1,550.

The administration is likely to propose that Russia match whatever reduction is eventually decided on, rather than cutting the US stockpile unilaterally.

A spokesman for the Pentagon refused to comment on the specific weapon numbers but said that Mr Obama has requested that the military begin developing "alternative approaches" for US nuclear strategy.

It was not clear what the timescale for a decision would be, or even if the president planned to make one before November's elections.

News of the possible cuts is likely to be seized upon by Mr Obama's Republican opponents, who sharply criticised his deal with Russia in Prague.

In an article in 2010, Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner, said the treaty could be Mr Obama's "worst foreign policy mistake yet". The treaty was eventually ratified by the US Senate, securing the support of 11 Republican senators.

US prepares mega cities against 26/11-type attacks

2012-02-14T06:09:00.001-08:00

Learning a lesson from the 2008 Mumbai attacks, several American security and intelligence agencies have conducted a series of workshops in six major US cities to tackle such terror strikes, US Homeland Security Department has said.

The information on preparations made to prevent Mumbai-type terrorist attacks has been provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its annual budgetary proposals to the Congress.

"To address the current threat environment, FEMA partnered with the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the National Counter-terrorism Center, and the Department of Justice/ Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct in six major cities across the country a series of workshops focused on response to a Mumbai-style terror attack," it said.

While names of the cities have not been released, reports in the past have indicated them to include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington.

DHS said that the New York Police Department (NYPD) had sent its team on the ground even as the Pakistan-based terrorists were carrying out mayhem in Mumbai in November 2008.

It said that it had signed an MoU with India last year to ensure the timely exchange of critical cyber security information and expertise between the two governments through the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team and DHS' United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

Through this arrangement, the governments and the cyber security community of the countries will have the ability to coordinate with their counterparts on a broad range of technical and operational cyber issues, it said in the budgetary proposal.

Referring to last year's India visit of the Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, the department said the US launched the Homeland Security Dialogue with India - the first comprehensive bilateral dialogue on homeland security issues between the two countries.

Focus was on securing the global supply chain, trafficking of illicit goods and materials, and protection of critical cyber infrastructure, it said.

US focus on Asia inflating China defence budget?

2012-02-14T06:04:00.002-08:00

China's defence budget will double between 2011 and 2015 and outstrip the combined spending of all other key defence markets in the Asia-Pacific region, global research group IHS said Tuesday.

The US government's "renewed Asia-Pacific focus" is helping fuel China's expansion of its defence budget, according to IHS Global Insight's Asia-Pacific head Sarah McDowall.

China's defence budget stood at USD 119.8 billion last year and will rise to USD 238.2 billion in 2015, marking a combined annual growth rate of 18.75 per cent during the period, the US-based IHS said in a forecast.

The 2015 figure exceeds the combined total of the next 12 biggest defence budgets in the region, forecast to hit USD 232.5 billion, and will be almost four times second-placer Japan's defence spending that year, it added.

"Beijing has been able to devote an increasingly large portion of its overall budget towards defence and has been steadily building up its military capabilities for more than two decades," said Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist for IHS Global Insight.

"This will continue unless there is an economic catastrophe."

The growth in China's defence budget -- which averaged 12 percent annually from 2000-2009 -- will benefit from the projected surge in the gross domestic product of Asia's largest economy in the next three years.

China will use the additional cash to modernise its equipment while reducing its manpower, resulting in a higher amount of funding per member of its armed forces, IHS said in its report.

Aside from China and Japan, the report also tracks the military spending of India, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and New Zealand.

9 Essential Oils with Huge Health Benefits

2012-02-14T03:59:00.000-08:00

Essential oils have their place secured in a natural beauty routine: They’re natural, chemical-free alternatives to everything from traditional cosmetics to potentially toxic fragrances. But many can do a lot more than just smell good: While we can’t say with authority the 10 oils highlighted here are miracle cures, throughout history they’ve been credited with treating problems including digestion issues and acne; increasing concentration; killing germs and much more.

Peppermint

The bright scent of peppermint does more than freshen your breath: It is also used to soothe nausea and other stomach issues, help stop itching, and cool overworked muscles (thanks to the menthol).Add drops of peppermint oil to a bowl of hot water and breathe in the steam to fight congestion, or rub diluted oil into sore muscles. And that’s not all: Peppermint is a key ingredient in oil mixtures that fight PMS, act as an all-natural alternative to VapoRub, cool sore throats, and quiet headaches — and it’s often credited with increasing concentration, so ideal for a mid-afternoon alternative to coffee pick-me-up.

Lavender

For Anita Boen, who runs an organic farm that provides herbs and oils to upscale spas, lavender is a go-to oil for almost any situation: Not only is it one of the few oils that is gentle enough to use undiluted, it’s a “virtual first aid kit in a bottle.”The antibacterial properties allow it to fight germs (which is why it’s also such an important ingredient in many all-natural cleaning products for home and body), and, like peppermint, it’s often credited with aiding digestion and helping fight headaches.

Lavender oil’s soft scent is said to help calm the nervous system, improve sleep quality, combat joint pain, and fight everything from urinary disorders and respiratory problems to high blood pressure and acne.

Sesame

Sesame oil may be best known for its moisturizing qualities, which make it a favorite ingredient for hair and skin treatments.But the health benefits go beyond beauty: Sesame oil has a slight SPF factor, contains fatty acids believed to lower stress and blood pressure, and has been shown to help slow the growth of cancer in cells.

Rose

This rose by any name will smell as sweet: Look for it labeled as Rose Otto, rose oil, or rose essential oil, and choose oils produced in Bulgaria and Turkey for the highest quality. These slightly-distilled oils won’t have the strong scents of oils used for perfumes, but they are more popular with aromatherapists. Nature’s Gift calls rose oil “the ultimate woman’s oil,” because it has a reputation for improving hormone balance, treating PMS and menopause, counteracting problems in the bedroom, and improving the look and health of your skin.

Geranium

Planet Green suggests including geranium oil as an ingredient in a PMS-fighting solution, but it’s also well-known for its astringent properties — which allow it to refresh skin — and its styptic aspects, which calm inflammations and stop hemorrhaging.You can also use geranium oil to treat acne, and oily skin, boost circulation, and decrease bloating. The oil can reduce the appearance of scars and blemishes, get rid of body odor, and contract blood vessels to diminish the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Pine

The sharp tang of pine oil may call up Christmas trees and rugged aftershaves, but this tree’s needles also offer antiseptic, antibacterial, and analgesic properties that make it a favorite of holistic health experts.Pine oil is said to help treat skin issues — including psoriasis, eczema, and pimples; speed up metabolism; act as an antidote to food poisoning; ease joint pain and arthritis; kill germs; and battle respiratory problems that go along with cough and cold season.

Clove

Spicy clove oil is one of the main ingredients in Tiger Balm, an all-natural remedy said to temper hangover headaches — but holistic health practitioners find other uses for it, too.It’s a popular choice for dental issues, including tooth and gum pain, and some sites recommend using it for bad breath (although whether you’d rather have your breath smell like cloves is up to you).

Clove oil is also antiseptic, so diluted versions can treat bug bites, cuts, and scrapes; other suggested treatments help clear up earaches, digestion problems, nasal congestion, stomachaches, and headaches. As an added bonus, it’s an aphrodisiac — and therefore a popular form of stress relief.

Black Pepper

It might not be as sweet-smelling as the more floral entries on this list, but black pepper oil still has its place in your natural health arsenal.Pepper had its day as one of the world’s most valuable spices, in part because of its healing properties, which include aiding digestion, undoing cramps and convulsions, warming muscles to ease joint pain and arthritis, and curing bacterial infections.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm essential oil, also known as Melissa essential oil after the plant’s Latin name, Melissa officinalis, doesn’t look like much, but it has plenty of benefits. It’s an antidepressant, it keeps your nervous system working smoothly, it calms anxiety and inflammation, it counteracts insomnia, it heals ulcers, it fights bacterial infections, and has been credited with treating herpes, headaches, and high blood pressure.

Theobroma Cacao: A Taste of the Fountain of Youth

2012-02-14T03:41:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Theobroma cacao, the scientific name of the plant from which raw cocoa powder is derived and the main ingredient in chocolate, literally means “food of the gods.” It is a famous plant with a lengthy and rich history; a symbol of love that cuts across cultures; a power food packed with antioxidants, phytochemicals, minerals and the building blocks of neurotransmitters and other “feel good” hormones; and a medicine backed by modern research with far-reaching implications for treating cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases. Some experts are even saying the health-giving properties of cacao will potentially benefit public health equal to or more than antibiotics and anesthesia. The beautiful thing is that raw organic cocoa, a derivitive of the cacao plant, is readily available in health food stores.

What is the difference between “cacao” and “cocoa”?

Cacao refers to the plant, its pod, the beans within, and the pure paste of the bean. Cocoa is the powder made from the cacao bean, which is mashed into a paste and then pounded to extract the cocoa butter. This powder is increasingly being referred to as “cacao powder”, rather than “cocoa powder” in organic circles. It is believed the name “cocoa” came about as the result of a misspelling by early English traders.

History

Theobroma cacao is native to Central and South America. Historical documentation cites cacao and its products a cure for almost everything from fatigue, indigestion, emaciation, and hemorrhoids to respiratory ailments, cancer, depression and heart problems. The ancient people of Central America, the Mayans and Aztecs, believed this plant could impart immortality. Well, this amazing plant probably will not impart immortality to its consumer, but if there was ever a food to do so cacao would be the one. Throughout history, the cacao plant has been used as currency, food and medicine. In fact the cacao bean is still used as a form of currency in some areas of South America. The Aztecs revered theobroma cacao because of its central role in their culture. They even believed the plant to have divine origins. Due to this belief, the consumption of cacao was usually reserved for royalty, warriors, and other high society people. While the Spanish were exploring the Americas in the 1500s, theobroma cacao was being introduced to Europe. Although initially consumed by the European elite, cacao quickly spread through Europe to the masses. Chocolate, cacao’s most familiar product, has its origins in Europe.

Quality Control

So what about chocolate? Can we consider it a health food? It is important to realize that most research is conducted on raw cocoa powder and not chocolate. With that being said there is some indication that chocolate can be a healthy addition to the diet, but the real magic happens with raw organic cocoa powder. As the sugar and milk portion increases in chocolate, the health benefits of the chocolate decreases. The greatest health benefits are derived from unprocessed cocoa rather than a processed version of it and so raw organic cocoa is superior to dark chocolate which is better than milk chocolate. Dutch processed or alkalinized cocoa helps to reduce the acidity of raw cocoa, but also destroys some of its medicinal power. Raw cocoa powder that is not organic contains pesticide and herbicide residues.

There is also controversy surrounding the high amount of lead found in some cacao products. Lead is a heavy metal that can cause damage to the body when ingested in almost any amount. The evidence seems to point to the manufacturing process of raw cocoa as the source of lead. An October 2005 study in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that the cacao bean itself has very little lead; in fact, it has one of the lowest levels of lead of any natural food. There are insignificant amounts of lead found in raw beans but significant amounts found in some chocolate products, leading one to conclude the manufacturing process is the culprit. Unfortunately, no one is exactly sure where all the lead is coming from. To be safe and promote maximal health benefits and to prevent potential lead exposure, choose raw organic cocoa powder. You can also call your favorite chocolate company and ask about their policies for testing heavy metals in their products.

Health Effects and Myths about Cacoa

Constituents in Cocoa

What is it about raw organic cocoa powder that makes it such a powerful medicinal food? For starters, is it is packed full of antioxidant-rich phytonutrients. Antioxidants help to quell the fire of free radicals our bodies generate and are exposed to every day. One way to measure the antioxidant potential of a food is by its ORAC value. ORAC is the acronym for “Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity” and is a measure of the potential antioxidant capacity of a food. In theory, the higher the ORAC value, the higher the concentration of antioxidants present in a food. Organic raw cocoa has the highest ORAC value of any food. The US Department of Agriculture/Journal of the American Chemical Society has released data on high ORAC value foods per 100 grams compared to unprocessed raw cocoa (28,000): dark chocolate (13,210), prunes (5,770), blueberries (2,400), kale (1,770) and broccoli (890). According to the USDA, the average American gets 1200 ORAC value/day in their diet. They go on further to say that Americans should strive to get between 3000-5000 ORAC value/day. One tablespoon of cocoa powder, which is about 5g, has an approximate ORAC value of 1400, which gives you almost half of what you need.

The phytonutrients that give raw cocoa powder its high antioxidant value are a group of compounds called polyphenols or more specifically flavonoids. Cacao has more flavonoids than any known food. Two flavonoids in particular, catechin and epicatchin, are found in extremely high amounts in cocoa powder and have copious amounts of research supporting their health benefits. These two flavonoids, along with hundreds of other known phytochemicals in cacao, appear to prevent and even treat some of today’s most devastating diseases. Interestingly, this myriad of flavonoids in cacao appears to be absorbed intact into the human blood stream (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov 2002) which allow them to exert their medicinal power on the body.

Many Americans are deficient in the minerals copper and magnesium, both of which are found in cacao. Cacao contains about 0.8 mg of copper per 100 g and is therefore a great food source of copper. Copper has many uses in the body, including the oxygenation of red blood cells and aiding in cellular energy production. Cacao also has the highest amount of magnesium of any known food source, approximately131 mg per 100 g of cacao. This mineral, which plays a significant role in cacao’s health giving properties, is required by over 300 hundred enzymes in the body and is crucial for cardiovascular health, optimal blood pressure and protein synthesis.

Cocoa (a derivitive of cacao) and chocolate have the reputation of making people euphoric and happy. This is probably why chocolate is the gift of choice on Valentine’s Day. There is a wide array of chemicals in cacao that cause euphoria, including phenyethlamine (PEA), serotonin, tyramine and anandamide. One of the most well-known is phenyethlamine (PEA) which helps the body release its own opium-like compounds, called the endorphins, and also boosts levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Endorphins and dopamine gives one a sense of well-being and can act as an anti-depressant. PEA and dopamine flood the brain when we fall in love or have an orgasm. The other “feel-good” chemicals in cacao are serotonin and tyramine. Most people are deficient in the neurotransmitter serotonin and this is why many Americans are prescribed anti-depressants which boost serotonin levels. Tyramine helps reduce anxiety and balance mood, but can also trigger migraines in sensitive people. Another constituent found in cacao that alters the mental state in a pleasurable way is anandamide, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means “bliss”. This chemical binds to the same receptor sites in the brain as THC, the active constituent in marijuana. It is no wonder that cacao, via chocolate and cocoa, has the reputation of being an antidepressant, aphrodisiac and a calming stimulant.

Health Effects of Cacao

As naturopathic physicians, we have such a great appreciation for the medicinal properties of raw organic cocoa. One thing we learned in medical school is if we want to cure disease, we can learn from populations around the world where those diseases do not exist. The Kuna people of San Blas, off the coast of Panama, are turning out to be wonderful teachers for the rest of the world thanks to the ongoing work of Norman K. Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School. He found that the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke – four of the most common killers today, are almost nonexistent in these people. As part of living by their traditional ways, they drink an average of 5 cups of cacao per day, making them the world-record holders of a flavonoid rich diet.

There has been much modern research conducted on this ancient plant with astoundingly positive results. Most notably, the positive effects of drinking raw organic cocoa have been illustrated for various parameters of cardiovascular dysfunction including high blood pressure and diabetes. There is also sound research stating that cacao has immune stimulating effects, can be used adjunctively to treat cancer, help oxygenate the brain and promotes detoxification of industrial chemicals in the body.

Through randomized controlled trials, many researchers, including Fisher et al. in the Journal of Hypertension and Taubert et al. in JAMA have demonstrated that habitual cacao intake lowers blood pressure via its high arginine content and the nitric oxide pathway. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Other protective mechanisms cacao can offer against cardiovascular disease come from its potent antioxidant profile. The flavonoids in cacao raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol and both lower and protect LDL or “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized (damaged by free radicals) in the blood, which helps fight against plaque formation according to Baba et al. in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007. Flammer et al. in Circulation 2007 demonstrated that cacao reduces platelet aggregation, or in other words thins the blood. Platelets are sticky little cell fragments that help our body repair injury, but can also contribute to plaque formation in the arteries. Cacao acts as a natural blood thinner when taken daily.

One of the most deadly complications from diabetes mellitus (type II diabetes) is heart disease. Cacao protects us from these complications and also helps to promote insulin sensitivity according to Grassi et al. in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005.

Cancer is fast becoming the number one killer of Americans. Colon and reproductive cancers like breast and prostate cancer are among the most common types of cancers. Components of cacao, notably the polyphenols have shown to stop proliferation of breast, prostate and colon cancer cells while sparing normal cells by researchers at Georgetown University’s Department of Oncology and others including Bisson et al. Journal of Medicinal Food 2007 and European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2008 and Carnesecchi et al. in Cancer Letters 2002.

Research is also showing cacao to help immune function, cognition, and detoxification. Cacao can both upregulate specific immune cells and help modulate immune function. It appears to increase brain oxygenation which has beneficial implications for diseases like dementia. And finally, raw organic cocoa powder with its high fiber content has been shown to facilitate the excretion and detoxification of environmental contaminants from the body.

Cocoa Myths

There is some confusion about the source of cocaine and cocoa. Cocaine is derived from the plant Erythroxylon coca which is a different plant than the one cocoa and chocolate come from, Theobroma cacao. Good quality chocolate is also unlikely to cause weight gain because of its lower sugar content. Data appears to suggest that raw organic cocoa powder aids fat loss. There is also the myth of chocolate or cocoa causing high cholesterol. Raw cocoa powder contains very little cocoa butter, and although cocoa butter contains saturated fat, specifically stearic acid, this fat has a neutral effect on blood lipids. What about the myth of cocoa/chocolate being addictive? Compared with coffee, cocoa has very low caffeine content and does not impart withdrawal symptoms. Some people will also say chocolate causes acne, but again the research does not substantiate this.

Conclusion

It is easy to see that cacao not only plays a multi-factorial role in protecting us from chronic degenerative diseases but also goes a long way to making us feel good by its mood enhancing and nutritive properties. It may not impart immortality to us yet, but it is certainly immortalized in human history. How wise the ancient peoples were to realize the powerful and far reaching implications of this amazing plant. Modern research is beginning to prove what the ancients already knew: raw organic cocoa is truly a gift from the gods. We invite you to taste this magical food and discover its many medicinal benefits yourself.

5 Ways to Transition to a Plant-Based Diet

2012-02-14T03:38:00.000-08:00

At first glance, following a vegan diet may seem overwhelming, if not impossible. But it doesn’t have to be. These five tips can help make the transition to veganism easier:

1. Don’t go cold turkey on animal products. Instead, gradually wean yourself off non-vegan foods. If you’re making a chicken stir-fry, only use half your usual amount of chicken and replace the other half with tofu. Continue to reduce the amount of animal protein you use, and increase the amount of plant-based protein until you don’t miss the animal protein at all. Try these other vegan substitutions:

Use lentils in place of ground beef in meatloaf or burgers.
Try black beans in tacos or burritos instead of steak.
Add white beans to marinara sauce instead of meat.
Top your salad with edamame (soybeans) instead of chicken.

2. Know where to get your nutrients. It can be tricky for new vegans to get all their necessary vitamins and minerals since they’re no longer getting them from animal proteins. But feeling healthier will make sticking to your veganism easier. Here’s how to have a well-rounded vegan diet:

Protein: Chickpeas, lentils, peas, nuts, nut butters, and whole wheat bread.
Fat: Nuts, nut butters, avocado, coconut, and oils.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D fortified orange juice, soy milk, and rice milk.
Calcium: Dark green leafy vegetables, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and calcium-fortified soy milk and orange juice.
Iron: Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Flaxseed, canola oil, tofu, edamame, and walnuts.
Vitamin B12: Nutritional yeast.
Zinc: Whole grains, legumes, and nuts.

3. Know what to swap. You can still make some of your favorite dishes. You just need to make some swaps to make them vegan. In place of:

One egg: Use ¼ cup of tofu, 1 small banana mashed, or ¼ cup of applesauce.
Cow’s milk: Try soy, rice, or nut milk.
Cheese: Try soy cheese, which is available in many grocery stores. Crumbled tofu can replace ricotta or cottage cheese in dishes.

4. Find vegan inspiration. There is no shortage of vegan cookbooks out there. A quick trip to the bookstore or your local library will show you just how much vegan information exists. There’s also a host of vegan food blogs that offer tips, recipes, and vegan product reviews.

Two popular ones that are full of delicious recipes and photographs are Peas And Thank You and Oh She Glows.

5. Focus on what you can eat … not what you can’t. You may be surprised to learn that some of your favorite foods are already vegan: including
Fruit smoothies
Two bean salad
Spaghetti
Guacamole
Hummus
Vegetarian baked beans

Other dishes can easily be made vegan. Try pizza without cheese, soy hot dogs, soy ice cream, and bean tacos without cheese and sour cream.

Adopting a vegan diet may seem challenging at first, but armed with these tips, you’ll be able to make the switch successfully.

Flowers to help your health and wellbeing

2012-02-14T03:36:00.000-08:00

Who could have guessed that those brightly-colored, ornaments in your vases can be more than just a decoration? Our flowers inside our homes, in our gardens, our porch, also have health benefits to us humans. They make us well inside and out.

Physical Health Benefits

Edible Flowers

Not all flowers can be eaten. In fact, some are even poisonous, so drop that flower you instantly grabbed after reading the sub-heading and pay attention! Some types of flowers do not only make your stomach full, but also healthy! How about that?

Examples of edible flowers and what they can do to improve your health include non-white Rose petals, which contain polyphenol which acts like an antioxidant to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Daylilies are packed with Vitamin B, Squash Blossoms have Vitamin A in them, Orange Marigold petals contain lycopene and other cancer-fighting nutrients, while Yellow Marigolds have lutein which is good for the eyes.

It is more advisable to just use home-grown flowers for health purposes instead of the florist-bought ones. These flowers may have been exposed to chemicals and you wouldn’t want to eat them!

Floral Tea

Floral Teas are of course, teas which come from flowers. They are hand-picked and are preserved to save the aroma and taste. They are far better than your usual tea, as they are caffeine-free, and because you get it in a natural way, phytochemicals can be derived from it such as vitamins, terpenoids and flavonoids.

Each flower differs in health benefits because each one has its own unique properties. Some good floral teas are: Chamomile, which helps relieves toothache and insomnia, and helps with better digestion. Lemon Balm is a summer tea that is useful as a relaxant. Jasmine contains anti-bacterial and anti-aging components. Chrysanthemums are cool flowers, literally, as they have cooling effects that are good for people with fever, sore throat and other illnesses.

Flower Pollen

First of all, flower pollen is NOT bee pollen. Bee pollen has high potential for allergic reactions. Based on some studies, flower pollen can help in weight loss. Ingesting flower pollen decreases hunger pangs, so you won’t feel hungry every now and then. They can also be very helpful in avoiding the simplest illnesses like colds and allergies because pollen can strengthen one’s immune system.

Although flower pollen is ultimately tiny, it is loaded with nutrients such as amino acids, enzymes, strings of minerals (including trace minerals), all known vitamins, antibiotic substances and steroid hormones.

Hibiscus

You can find this flower in warm, tropical locations. They can charm their way to you not only with their vibrant colors but also with their health benefits. In some places like Jamaica, it is mixed with soft drinks, while in other places, Hibiscus is commonly made into tea. This flower is popularly known to contain Vitamin C, and its leaves are sometimes also used to cure some ailments. Based on studies made in China, extracts from Hibiscus can lower cholesterol levels.

Roses

Do not be surprised that roses have more to offer than we already know. Maybe this is why they are the crowd favorite. These popular Valentine’s Day flowers are claimed to have therapeutic effects, physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Stemming (No pun intended) from 10th Century Persia, rose water and rose oil have already been used in skincare, as it acts as astringent to the skin, getting rid of the redness caused by enlarged capillaries. Roses can also serve as antiseptic to eye infections.

Ultimately, the scent of the rose itself does wonder to the human body. It relieves stress, and we can all testify to that. It can combat certain types of stress, specifically nervous tension, peptic ulcer and heart disease. Some also use it as a mild sedative and anti-depressant.

It is important to remember to only use genuine rose oil, rose water or rose hips or else it may offer zero therapeutic benefits.

Ylang-ylang

Ylang-ylang is a flower that can be widely found in the Asia Pacific region. It can be used as an antidepressant. This is very helpful when you want to forget your stress and anxiety. It is also an antiseptic as it works well with burns, cuts or abrasions. In some cases, Ylang-ylang can serve the lovers out there, as it is also known to be an aphrodisiac.

Another benefit we can all get is that it is a hypotensive herb, as it is an agent in lowering blood pressure. It does not stop there, it also makes the nervous system stronger and helps in healing nervous disorders. And of course, like most flowers do, it acts as a sedative, calming every part of our body and feelings. Our skin benefits from it too as it can keep it moisturized and balances oil in the skin. That is a lot of benefits from just one flower.

Emotional Health Benefits

For Women

Females have a very special attachment to flowers. Seeing it as a display or walking through the garden, flowers have the tendency to calm women down. Moreover, when they receive flowers, it’s like a wave of happiness consuming them very slowly but surely. After that, the whole day ahead of them seems bright and sunny. Normally, that is what happens when flowers surround women.

Studies show that flowers are obviously preferred to be seen or received more often compared with other gifts such as food or candles.

For Men

There are some men who do appreciate flowers but not as much as women do. Flowers are usually given by men to women and not the other way around. In that sense, having their loved ones receive the flowers they’ve given is the emotional benefit for men. It gives them great satisfaction knowing that their efforts are truly appreciated.

For the Elderly

According to studies, older people react in the same way as the younger ones do when they receive flowers. Their mood shifts to a more positive note. They become more interested in doing things like talking to peers and are generally happier. They are easier to talk with and the elated mood may last for a quite some time.

According to the studies done in New Jersey, there is no definite correlation that the elderly improved their memories upon receiving the flowers, although the participants in the study score high in the episodic test.

Flowers at Home

After waking up, it is almost as good as drinking your favorite coffee when you spot flowers brightly greeting you with their splash of colours reflecting around the bedroom. Generally speaking, as mentioned before, flowers have this irresistible effect in them, that they can turn a bad mood upside down, erasing that unpleasant frown (Yes, I attempted to rhyme a little). So it is very advisable, no matter how big or small your home is, to make it cosier by adding touches of flowers in the main areas like the living room or the porch. You may not notice it, but mornings will be less hard on you.

Flowers at Work

For us working people, we constantly need inspiration to get us going through the day. We always want to be productive when we go to work. Unfortunately, sometimes we have a bit of mental block when all we see everyday is that large pile of papers and cabinets full of more pending paperwork. A study in Texas showed that having some flowers in the office instantly brightens up the room, leading to more innovative thinking and better problem solving techniques.

Being in a nice environment puts you in a mood to be creative, like you are walking in a park while admiring nature at its finest. So bosses, stock up on flowers if you need to get a lot of work done with your people!

Now that we are far more convinced that flowers are abundant blessings to us all, we are more aware of how to utilise them. They are more than just mere decorations. If we take good care of them, they might be the ones to take good care of us someday, too.

Minimizing late night snack damage

2012-02-14T03:35:00.000-08:00

We all know eating after dinner is usually considered a no-no, but if you must have a late night snack some options are much better than others.

Eating after dinner is consider taboo for a number of reasons. For dieters, it can be a disaster. Its not good for the digestive system to have to work so hard late at night, and usually leads to less sleep for you.

Sometimes though it can be difficult to avoid munching on something when you finally get to sit down and relax at the end of a busy day. In these cases a compromise has to be made. If you must eat in the evening after dinner, choose a snack with the least late night consequences.

Here a few suggestions:

You may want to go for the foods that are high in probiotics as these are a natural aid to digestion.
Fruit is a good alternative, but only some make a good choices for this time of night. Blueberries are a good choice as they tend to be more filling and they are easier to digest with less natural sugar content.

Choose the type of food you are craving, but make sure it is a healthy choice. Avoid grabbing whatever is closest in the cupboard or refrigerator. If its not what your body is looking for, then you can bet you will be back looking for something else before the night is over.

Sweet:

If its chocolate you are after then go for dark, you will consume less. A great alternative would be some figs which have a sweetness to them and again are very filling.

Salty:

You could choose between some low fat multigrain lightly salted crackers or even a small quantity of nuts. Go easy with the salt choices though, especially at night.

Just not sure?

If you can't quite figure out what it is you are looking for then perhaps a healthy granola bar will do the trick for you. Also, apple slices with some peanut butter on them is a good option as well.
Another alternative is if you had some left over vegetables that you enjoyed at dinner, heating up another serving of these may be beneficial. Make sure these are easily digestible veggies that you are consuming though.

Rember to also give some thought to whether you are looking for a snack simply because you are used to multi tasking. For example, are you only looking for something to munch on because you are watching TV?

These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking a little more of why you may be wanting a late night snack, and what some lesser of two evils may be.

Israeli Embassy’s car hit by explosion in Delhi

2012-02-13T05:38:00.001-08:00

A car belonging to the Israeli Embassy was gutted after it suddenly exploded in the VVIP area of Delhi on Monday. Wife of a senior diplomat is said to be among the four injured.

The Innova SUV car, bearing diplomatic number 109 CD 35, went up in flames after it exploded near a petrol pump, metres away from 7 Race Course Road – PM’s residence. Another car in the vicinity was also damaged.

As per unconfirmed reports, the car was being tailed by two men on a motorcycle. The man riding the pillion seat threw in ‘something’, following which there was an explosion in the car.

Four persons are said to be injured and have been rushed to a nearby hospital. Among the injured is a 42-year-old lady who is posted as an administrative attaché in the Israeli Embassy.

Initial reports said that the CNG cylinder of the vehicle had exploded but it was now clear that the car was not CNG-run.

Sources told Zee News that there is a possibility the car was specially ‘targeted’. The fears were compounded as in a similar incident, an explosives-laden car was found near the Israeli Embassy in Georgia today. That device was defused by police.

The blast created a flutter among security agencies including elite SPG guarding the Prime Minister. A high alert was immediately sounded and the entire area has been cordoned off.

Explosive experts are at the spot and are trying to ascertain the exact nature of the blast.

Google ‘plans secret lab’

2012-02-13T05:28:00.001-08:00

Google has begun a $120million project at its California headquarters to build a major new test facility.

Analysts had been bracing for a slight slowdown in Google's growth

The new facility, which is already under construction, will include buildings that are screened against external radio waves and can be used to test advanced new wireless projects for the home. Other experiments will look at the use of rare gases and innovative optical coatings.

The company has already demonstrated new concepts for the ‘Android@Home’ brand, which would allow users of Google mobile phones to control light switches, music systems and domestic appliances.

Google is also reportedly modifying a separate lab as part of its advanced ‘Project X’ scheme and is set to include as yet unspecified ‘precision optical technology’. It is also building new anechoic and thermal chambers to test sound and radiation patterns.

Apple is also in the process of building its own new facility, which was one of the projects that founder Steve Jobs was working on closely before his death last year. Other Silicon Valley corporations such as IBM and HP already have similarly impressive facilities.

Google’s plans additionally include a ‘Google Experience Center’, that will offer meeting rooms and a history of the company’s achievements, aimed at major and prospective clients. It will be able to cater for up to 900 VIPs.

Although the bulk of Google’s revenue still comes from search advertising, it is increasingly seeing returns from its ‘Google Apps’ business software division and is reportedly planning a new ‘home entertainment device’ that could be marketed under its own brand. The company has recently launched a version of its Chrome web browser for Android mobile phones, and says it expects increased revenues from an improved web experience.

Project Architect Andrew Burnett wrote to Mountain View, California, officials last year that "The Experience Center would not typically be open to the public - consisting of invited groups, and guests whose interests will be as vast as Google's range of products, and often confidential. Therefore, the Experience Center must also operate somewhat like a museum, exhibit, or mercantile space allowing flexibility in the exhibits so that as Google's products and needs change, the space can adapt."

The project is part of an 800,000 square foot plan to refurbish Google’s campus.

"Just as we continuously work to improve our products, it's important to iterate on our workspace to keep us productive," the company said. "That's why we are adding additional meeting and work space to our campus in Mountain View."

Mushrooms: Immune-Boosting Remedy

2012-02-13T01:22:00.000-08:00

Some of the most potent immunosupportive agents come from mushrooms, and science is just beginning to tap into this vast natural medicine warehouse.

There are mushrooms that kill viruses, mushrooms that kill bacteria, and even mushrooms that kill yeast—which may surprise you, given they’re both fungi.

Some mushrooms destroy cancer cells, and others facilitate nerve regeneration.

Fungi are incredibly resilient, even surviving radioactivity. They can actually harness radiation to thrive, as was found by a robot sent to map the inside of the entombed Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 1999. The robot found a hardy fungus chowing down on 200 tons of melted radioactive fuel.

In addition to bringing us nutrition and powerful medicine, mushrooms offer great benefits for the planet.

You may be surprised to learn that mushrooms have the following green applications:

Eradication of carpenter ants by producing a pesticide that tricks the ants into eating it

Producing a low carbon footprint type of ethanol

Breaking down the neurotoxins in nerve gas

Producing a fully compostable fungal-based packing material that could potentially replace plastics and styrofoam

Bioremediation: Cleaning up waste from petroleum, toxic chemicals (PCBs, TNT), and bacteria such as E.

Of the 140,000 species of mushroom-forming fungi, science is familiar with only 10 percent, according to world-renown mycologist Paul Stamets in “The Most Powerful Medicine in Nature.” About 100 species are being studied for their health-promoting benefits. Of those hundred, about a half dozen really stand out for their ability to deliver a tremendous boost to your immune system.

Mycelium: Mother Nature’s Internet

Mushrooms are nature’s recycling system. If it weren’t for mushrooms, we wouldn’t have plants, because mushrooms (and their “parent” mycelium) break down rocks and organic matter, turning them into soil that provides the framework to nourish plants..

Mushrooms are actually only the fruiting body of a more vast fungal form—the mycelium. The mycelium is a fascinating cobweb-like mat that infuses nearly all landscapes. It is through the mycelium that the fungus absorbs nutrients from the environment. When two compatible mycelia combine, the resulting mycelium occasionally forms fruiting bodies called mushrooms. The mushrooms make spores, which fly away to make new mycelial colonies, and the lifecycle is complete.

Mycelial mats can be too small to see or cover vast areas of ground.

Their extreme tenacity makes the soil spongy and able to support 30,000 times its weight. A single cubic inch of soil can contain 8 miles of mycelium cells. The largest living organism on Earth is a mycelium in Eastern Oregon that covers 2,200 acres, is one cell wall thick and 2,000 years old.

Paul Stamets believes fungal mycelia and the intricate, branching network they form function as “the Earth’s Internet,” a complex communication highway that is sort of Mother Nature’s neural net. In some ways, mycelia are “sentient” and seem to demonstrate learning. If one pathway is broken, it develops an alternate path. According to Stamets, when you step on it, it knows you’re there and “leaps up” in the aftermath of your footstep, trying to grab debris. The mycelia—not JUST the mushrooms—contain many of the healing agents for which mushrooms are revered.

Hanging with Fungi Increases Your Odds of Survival

We’re more closely related to fungi than we are to any other kingdom. We share the same pathogens, meaning bacteria and viruses. As a defense against bacterial invasion, fungi have developed strong antibiotics, which also happen to be effective for us humans. Penicillin, streptomycin, and tetracycline all come from fungal extracts.

The predominant mushrooms displaying antiviral activities are the polypores, sometimes called bracket fungi or woody conks, tough and fibrous fungi characterized by many tiny holes on the underside of their caps. Polypores have been dubbed the “frontier” of new medicines and are thought to be the ancestors to most of the gilled mushrooms. Interestingly, there are no known poisonous polypores, whereas there are more than one hundred poisonous gilled mushrooms.

Paul Stamets recently discovered that a very rare polypore called Agaricon is effective against the poxviruses—including smallpox. This has the Department of Defense very interested, as smallpox is one of the most feared bioterrorism agents. Agaricon was also found to be effective against flu viruses.

History tells us that living in cooperation with fungi will increase our odds of survival. After major extinction events, it was the fungi that thrived because they didn’t need light and lived on dead organic matter. Organisms pairing with fungi flourished, and those that didn’t fared poorly.

Many of the mushrooms valued for strong medicinal properties grow on trees, as opposed to the ground dwellers you’ve likely seen.

These tree fungi concentrate the unique elements that the host tree has absorbed over its lifetime, which may be ten or twenty or even HUNDREDS of years. Many of these mushroom species are long-term residents of Old Growth Forests and play an essential role in nutrient recycling by decomposing old trees. The mushroom wraps itself around these special nutrients, capturing them in the fruiting body of the organism and turning it into a little medicinal powerhouse. Maybe it’s time for us to embrace the mushroom and harness it’s medicine the way the Asians have done for thousands of years.

Blends of Mushrooms Are More Effective Than Any One Mushroom Alone

It is therapeutically best to utilize a blend of several mushroom species, because “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” For one thing, it is easier for pathogens in your body to adapt and become resistant to one mushroom than to several. Secondly, each mushroom species has a unique arsenal of anti-infective and immunomodulating agents.

These special agents include:
Polysaccharides
Glycoproteins
Ergosterols (steroid-like compounds that create vitamin D in sunlight)
Triterpenoids

You might have heard the term “beta glucans.” The agents listed above are precursors to the more complex compounds, beta glucans. It is the synergism between ALL of these elements that makes mushrooms so medicinally powerful when consumed as a whole food—mycelium included.

Because mushrooms have such powerful immune-boosting effects, it isn’t surprising that some have great potential for battling cancer. Mushrooms with anti-tumor activity appear to increase the number and activity of killer T and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes, with no toxicity to healthy cells. Cancer cells are notorious for “hiding” from chemo agents. New research has shown that certain mushroom extracts help chemotherapy drugs better locate and identify cancer cells by “uncloaking them,” thereby making chemo more effective.

This is getting some open-minded oncologists very excited! Medicinal mushrooms also strengthen your immune system if you are undergoing chemo, so cancer patients get a double benefit. The list of health benefits science is revealing to us about mushrooms is still growing, but thus far includes the following:

Increased longevity
Liver protection, including protection from adverse effects of alcohol consumption
Destruction of cancer cells; improved outcomes for people receiving chemo and radiation
Improved blood flow
Kidney support
Improved respiratory illnesses, including asthma
Cholesterol and blood sugar normalization
Reduced risk for heart disease, decreased platelet aggregation and improved blood flow
Nerve regeneration (Lion’s Mane mushroom)
Improved skin and hair
Increased sexual function and athletic ability

It’s important to eat ONLY organically grown mushrooms. Remember, what makes mushrooms so potent is that they absorb and concentrate whatever they grow in—good OR bad. Mushrooms are known to concentrate heavy metals, and air and water pollutants.

Now that you have the overview, let’s take a look at a few of my favorite health-enhancing mushroom species. We’ll start with a delicious little mushroom you have probably seen on your dinner plate or at your local market—the shiitake.

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

Shiitake is a popular culinary mushroom used in dishes around the world. It contains a number of health-stimulating agents, including lentinan, the polysaccharide for which it was named. Lentinan has been isolated and used to treat stomach and other cancers due to its antitumor properties, but has also been found to protect your liver, relieve other stomach ailments (hyperacidity, gallstones, ulcers), anemia, ascites, and pleural effusion.

One of the more remarkable scientific studies demonstrating shiitake’s antitumor effect was a Japanese animal study, where mice suffering from sarcoma were given shiitake extract. Six of 10 mice had complete tumor regression, and with slightly higher concentrations, all ten mice showed complete tumor regression.

Shiitake mushrooms also demonstrate antiviral (including HIV, hepatitis, and the “common cold”), antibacterial, and antifungal effects; blood sugar stabilization; reduced platelet aggregation; and reduced atherosclerosis. Shiitake also contains eritadenine, which has strong cholesterol-lowering properties.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Reishi is known as Lingzhi in China, or “spirit plant.” It’s also been called “Mushroom of Immortality”—a nickname that kind of says it all. Reishi has been used medicinally in Asia for thousands of years. One of its more useful compounds is ganoderic acid (a triterpenoid), which is being used to treat lung cancer, leukemia and other cancers. The list of Reishi’s health benefits includes the following:

Antibacterial, antiviral (Herpes, Epstein-Barr), antifungal (including Candida) properties
Antiinflammatory, useful for reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
Immune system up-regulation
Normalization of blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure
Reduction of prostate-related urinary symptoms in men

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

Cordyceps, also called caterpillar fungus or Tochukasu, is a favorite of athletes because it increases ATP production, strength and endurance, and has anti-aging effects. This parasitic mushroom is unique because, in the wild, it grows out of an insect host instead of a plant host. Cordyceps has an enduring history in both traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine.

Cordyceps has hypoglycemic and possible antidepressant effects, protects your liver and kidneys, increases blood flow, helps normalize your cholesterol levels, and has been used to treat Hepatitis B. It has antitumor properties as well.

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

Turkey Tail is also known as Coriolis, or “cloud mushroom.” Science is showing that Turkey Tail mushroom holds an arsenal of cancer-blasting compounds. Two polysaccharide complexes in Turkey Tail are getting a great deal of scientific attention, PSK (or “Kreskin”) and PSP, making it the most extensively researched of all medicinal mushrooms with large scale clinical trials.

A seven-year, $2 million NIH-funded clinical study in 2011 found that Turkey Tail mycelium improves immune function when dosed daily to women with stage I–III breast cancer. Immune response was dose-dependent, with no adverse effects.

In addition to breast cancer, Turkey Tail has been found to hold promise for other cancers, including stomach, colorectal, lung, esophageal, nasopharyngeal, cervical, and uterine. PSP has been shown to significantly enhance immune status in 70 to 97 percent of cancer patients. Turkey tail is also being used to treat many different infections, including aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, E. coli, HIV, Herpes, and streptococcus pneumonia, and is hepatoprotective. It may also be useful for CFIDS.

Himematsutake (Agaricus blazei)

The last mushroom I’d like to mention is the newcomer on the block: Himematsutake, also called Royal Sun Agaricus, a relative of the common button mushroom. Himematsutake was not cultivated in the East until fairly recently but is now a very popular natural medicine, used by almost a half million Japanese.

Himematsutake mushroom is attracting many scientists worldwide due to its remarkable anticancer properties related to six special polysaccharides. Like many other medicinal mushrooms, this fungus can also protect you from the damaging effects of radiation and chemotherapy. But its benefits don’t stop there—Himematsutake can also decrease insulin resistance in diabetics, normalize your cholesterol, improve your hair and skin, and even treat polio.

There are many more mushrooms deserving mention—far too many to include here. But at least you can begin to appreciate the scope of benefits mushrooms have to offer, based on the handful of examples above.

Final Thoughts

A carefully designed blend of medicinal fungi can deliver a powerful therapeutic punch, whether you just wish to help protect yourself from seasonal colds or flu, or you have a more serious condition such as cancer. Either way, these special mushrooms can be an excellent adjunct to a healthful diet and lifestyle to improve your immune health

Theobroma Cacao: A Taste of the Fountain of Youth

2012-02-13T01:18:00.000-08:00

There is also controversy surrounding the high amount of lead found in some cacao products. Lead is a heavy metal that can cause damage to the body when ingested in almost any amount. The evidence seems to point to the manufacturing process of raw cocoa as the source of lead. An October 2005 study in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that the cacao bean itself has very little lead; in fact, it has one of the lowest levels of lead of any natural food. There are insignificant amounts of lead found in raw beans but significant amounts found in some chocolate products, leading one to conclude the manufacturing process is the culprit. Unfortunately, no one is exactly sure where all the lead is coming from. To be safe and promote maximal health benefits and to prevent potential lead exposure, choose raw organic cocoa powder. You can also call your favorite chocolate company and ask about their policies for testing heavy metals in their products.

Constituents in Cocoa

What is it about raw organic cocoa powder that makes it such a powerful medicinal food? For starters, is it is packed full of antioxidant-rich phytonutrients. Antioxidants help to quell the fire of free radicals our bodies generate and are exposed to every day. One way to measure the antioxidant potential of a food is by its ORAC value. ORAC is the acronym for “Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity” and is a measure of the potential antioxidant capacity of a food. In theory, the higher the ORAC value, the higher the concentration of antioxidants present in a food. Organic raw cocoa has the highest ORAC value of any food. The US Department of Agriculture/Journal of the American Chemical Society has released data on high ORAC value foods per 100 grams compared to unprocessed raw cocoa (28,000): dark chocolate (13,210), prunes (5,770), blueberries (2,400), kale (1,770) and broccoli (890). According to the USDA, the average American gets 1200 ORAC value/day in their diet. They go on further to say that Americans should strive to get between 3000-5000 ORAC value/day. One tablespoon of cocoa powder, which is about 5g, has an approximate ORAC value of 1400, which gives you almost half of what you need.

The phytonutrients that give raw cocoa powder its high antioxidant value are a group of compounds called polyphenols or more specifically flavonoids. Cacao has more flavonoids than any known food. Two flavonoids in particular, catechin and epicatchin, are found in extremely high amounts in cocoa powder and have copious amounts of research supporting their health benefits. These two flavonoids, along with hundreds of other known phytochemicals in cacao, appear to prevent and even treat some of today’s most devastating diseases. Interestingly, this myriad of flavonoids in cacao appears to be absorbed intact into the human blood stream (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov 2002) which allow them to exert their medicinal power on the body.

Many Americans are deficient in the minerals copper and magnesium, both of which are found in cacao. Cacao contains about 0.8 mg of copper per 100 g and is therefore a great food source of copper. Copper has many uses in the body, including the oxygenation of red blood cells and aiding in cellular energy production. Cacao also has the highest amount of magnesium of any known food source, approximately131 mg per 100 g of cacao. This mineral, which plays a significant role in cacao’s health giving properties, is required by over 300 hundred enzymes in the body and is crucial for cardiovascular health, optimal blood pressure and protein synthesis.

Cocoa (a derivitive of cacao) and chocolate have the reputation of making people euphoric and happy. This is probably why chocolate is the gift of choice on Valentine’s Day. There is a wide array of chemicals in cacao that cause euphoria, including phenyethlamine (PEA), serotonin, tyramine and anandamide. One of the most well-known is phenyethlamine (PEA) which helps the body release its own opium-like compounds, called the endorphins, and also boosts levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Endorphins and dopamine gives one a sense of well-being and can act as an anti-depressant. PEA and dopamine flood the brain when we fall in love or have an orgasm. The other “feel-good” chemicals in cacao are serotonin and tyramine. Most people are deficient in the neurotransmitter serotonin and this is why many Americans are prescribed anti-depressants which boost serotonin levels. Tyramine helps reduce anxiety and balance mood, but can also trigger migraines in sensitive people. Another constituent found in cacao that alters the mental state in a pleasurable way is anandamide, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means “bliss”. This chemical binds to the same receptor sites in the brain as THC, the active constituent in marijuana. It is no wonder that cacao, via chocolate and cocoa, has the reputation of being an antidepressant, aphrodisiac and a calming stimulant.

Health Effects of Cacao

As naturopathic physicians, we have such a great appreciation for the medicinal properties of raw organic cocoa. One thing we learned in medical school is if we want to cure disease, we can learn from populations around the world where those diseases do not exist. The Kuna people of San Blas, off the coast of Panama, are turning out to be wonderful teachers for the rest of the world thanks to the ongoing work of Norman K. Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School. He found that the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke – four of the most common killers today, are almost nonexistent in these people. As part of living by their traditional ways, they drink an average of 5 cups of cacao per day, making them the world-record holders of a flavonoid rich diet.

There has been much modern research conducted on this ancient plant with astoundingly positive results. Most notably, the positive effects of drinking raw organic cocoa have been illustrated for various parameters of cardiovascular dysfunction including high blood pressure and diabetes. There is also sound research stating that cacao has immune stimulating effects, can be used adjunctively to treat cancer, help oxygenate the brain and promotes detoxification of industrial chemicals in the body.

Through randomized controlled trials, many researchers, including Fisher et al. in the Journal of Hypertension and Taubert et al. in JAMA have demonstrated that habitual cacao intake lowers blood pressure via its high arginine content and the nitric oxide pathway. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Other protective mechanisms cacao can offer against cardiovascular disease come from its potent antioxidant profile. The flavonoids in cacao raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol and both lower and protect LDL or “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized (damaged by free radicals) in the blood, which helps fight against plaque formation according to Baba et al. in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007. Flammer et al. in Circulation 2007 demonstrated that cacao reduces platelet aggregation, or in other words thins the blood. Platelets are sticky little cell fragments that help our body repair injury, but can also contribute to plaque formation in the arteries. Cacao acts as a natural blood thinner when taken daily.

One of the most deadly complications from diabetes mellitus (type II diabetes) is heart disease. Cacao protects us from these complications and also helps to promote insulin sensitivity according to Grassi et al. in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005.

Cancer is fast becoming the number one killer of Americans. Colon and reproductive cancers like breast and prostate cancer are among the most common types of cancers. Components of cacao, notably the polyphenols have shown to stop proliferation of breast, prostate and colon cancer cells while sparing normal cells by researchers at Georgetown University’s Department of Oncology and others including Bisson et al. Journal of Medicinal Food 2007 and European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2008 and Carnesecchi et al. in Cancer Letters 2002.

Research is also showing cacao to help immune function, cognition, and detoxification. Cacao can both upregulate specific immune cells and help modulate immune function. It appears to increase brain oxygenation which has beneficial implications for diseases like dementia. And finally, raw organic cocoa powder with its high fiber content has been shown to facilitate the excretion and detoxification of environmental contaminants from the body.

Cocoa Myths

There is some confusion about the source of cocaine and cocoa. Cocaine is derived from the plant Erythroxylon coca which is a different plant than the one cocoa and chocolate come from, Theobroma cacao. Good quality chocolate is also unlikely to cause weight gain because of its lower sugar content. Data appears to suggest that raw organic cocoa powder aids fat loss. There is also the myth of chocolate or cocoa causing high cholesterol. Raw cocoa powder contains very little cocoa butter, and although cocoa butter contains saturated fat, specifically stearic acid, this fat has a neutral effect on blood lipids. What about the myth of cocoa/chocolate being addictive? Compared with coffee, cocoa has very low caffeine content and does not impart withdrawal symptoms. Some people will also say chocolate causes acne, but again the research does not substantiate this.

Conclusion

It is easy to see that cacao not only plays a multi-factorial role in protecting us from chronic degenerative diseases but also goes a long way to making us feel good by its mood enhancing and nutritive properties. It may not impart immortality to us yet, but it is certainly immortalized in human history. How wise the ancient peoples were to realize the powerful and far reaching implications of this amazing plant. Modern research is beginning to prove what the ancients already knew: raw organic cocoa is truly a gift from the gods.

What Your Face Says About Your Health

2012-02-13T01:07:00.000-08:00

Your body’s unique intelligence has a way of telling you when something is wrong and it needs help. Not understanding this language makes it difficult to know when your body is talking to you. In Eastern medicine a doctor will read what is written in your face, tongue, eyes, skin, and pulse. The signs of depletion are all there and may have been for some time.

Visual diagnosis is an ancient tool used by traditional healers to discover the strengths and weaknesses, and health (or lack of health), within the body. Once awareness of what’s happening inside the body becomes evident, it can be used to diagnose an illness or prevent an illness from fully manifesting. Awareness of your body is the key to figuring out the necessary diet and lifestyle adjustments to obtain vibrant health. In Oriental diagnosis each organ is seen in relation to all the others, with energy flowing in one continuous circuit.

This energy, called ki (Japanese), chi (Chinese) or prana (Indian), runs through the body in pathways called meridians that are associated with each organ: liver, gallbladder, heart, small intestine, stomach, spleen/pancreas, lung, large intestine, kidney, and bladder. Your face is the most revealing part of your body and provides insight into the larger internal body systems. According to Oriental diagnosis each area of your face manifests a corresponding organ and how it is functioning in the body. For example:

* The mouth is the entrance to the digestive tract.
* The nose is the entrance to the respiratory system.
* The eyes are connected to the optic nerve, brain and nervous system.
* The ears are the auditory system.

How this looks on your face:

* Your cheeks represent lungs and their condition.
* Tip of the nose is heart.
* Nostrils represent the bronchi of the lungs.
* Middle part of the nose is stomach.
* Upper part of the nose is pancreas.
* Under the eyes reflect your kidneys.
* Between the eyebrows shows liver condition.
* The temples reflect your spleen.
* Your forehead represents small intestines.
* Peripheral forehead the large intestine.
* Upper forehead shows the bladder.
* Ears can reflect kidney function.
* Your mouth reflects the condition of your entire digestive tract.
* Around the mouth indicates the condition of your sexual organs.

You can easily apply these guidelines to your personal health:

* Women tend to break out under their lower lip when approaching their monthly menstruation or with hormone fluctuations.
* Gum and tooth infections are related to the condition of the intestines and much of this can be resolved by improving your diet and allowing the organs to detoxify naturally.
* Someone with a large bulbous nose shows a heart straining against clogged arteries.
* Swollen under-eyes reflect kidneys unable to work properly, and a retention of fluid from eating too much salt and fatty foods.
* The classic lines between the eyebrows shows your liver working hard to keep up with your lifestyle.
* Yellowing of the whites of the eyes can indicate liver jaundice.

Basically, the condition of your health is all right there, each morning, in front of your eyes. Your face never lies. It shows us when energy becomes blocked in any part of the body, it affects us both internally and externally. According to visual diagnosis every blemish, mole, and discoloration has a deeper meaning. Pay attention, watch and listen to your body and it will let you know when your health condition changes from day to day.

Caramel Coloring in Soda: What You Should Know About This Ingredient

2012-02-13T01:02:00.000-08:00

Colas, diet and regular, contain a variety of potentially hazardous ingredients. Caramel coloring, found in cola, has shown a positive association with risk of hypertension or high blood pressure. In fact, The Journal of the American Medical Association conducted a study and found that it was not the caffeine in soda that raised blood pressure, but rather the caramel coloring that may be responsible for the increased risk of hypertension.

Caramel coloring acts as an emulsifying agent that keeps flavor oils suspended in a solution. It is made by heating food-grade carbohydrates (such as corn syrup) to high temperatures. Usually an acid such as acetic, lactic or phosphoric acid is added to break the bonds between the sugars as it is heated to caramelization. The result is a burnt sugar that is the world’s most widely consumed (by weight) food coloring ingredient. It is not found only in colas, but also in sauces, gravies and baked goods.

One must question why this additive is included in so many products. We are a society that eats with our eyes. Color is the first impression that “sets the table” for other sensory experiences. Caramel coloring gives breads a deeper shade of brown, provides beer with a full-bodied appearance and lends baked goods a uniform appearance.

The FDA reports that the absolute safety of any food coloring substance can never be proven. The decisions about the safety of color additives are made on the best scientific evidence available. Because scientific knowledge is constantly evolving, federal officials often review earlier decisions to assure that the safety assessment of a food substance remains up to date. For the time being, caramel coloring is on the GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) list. However, within this same listing, you will find high fructose corn syrup and some artificial sweeteners, products with known health implications.

Read the ingredient labels on the food products you purchase. The higher the ingredient is on a label, the more of the ingredient there is in that product. Purchasing food items that have a shorter list of ingredients usually means getting foods closer to their original, naturally occurring form and less of a chance for that food to contain color additives and chemicals.

Is eating bread crust really good for you?

2012-02-13T00:57:00.000-08:00

The best thing since sliced bread may be bread crust: Researchers in Germany have discovered that the crust is a rich source of antioxidants and may provide a much stronger health benefit than the rest of the bread.

This is good news for those who like to complement their holiday meals with bread stuffing, which is rich in crust, but bad news for those who prefer to remove crusts from their bread, as they may be sacrificing healthful antioxidants.

Although previous studies have suggested that bread contains compounds that have a cancer-fighting potential, much focus has been placed on its abundance of dietary fiber, which is believed by some to help prevent colon cancer. The current study is the first to identify a cancer-fighting compound that is concentrated in the crust, says Thomas Hofmann, Ph.D., lead researcher for the study and formerly with the German Research Center of Food Chemistry in Garching, Germany.

Using a conventional sourdough mixture containing rye and wheat flour, Hofmann and his associates analyzed bread crust, bread crumbs (the pale softer part of the bread) and flour for antioxidant content and activity. They found that the process of baking bread produced a novel type of antioxidant, called pronyl-lysine, that was eight times more abundant in the crust than in the crumb. The compound was not present in the original flour.

Using human intestinal cells, Hofmann's collaborator Veronika Faist, Ph.D., a researcher at the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science in Kiel, Germany, showed that this crust-derived antioxidant is the most effective component in bread for boosting the level of phase II enzymes, which have been shown in previous studies to play a role in cancer prevention.

The researchers are currently conducting animal tests to determine whether bread crust and pure pronyl-lysine actually boost antioxidant levels in plasma, but results have not yet been published.

Pronyl-lysine is formed by the reaction of the protein-bound amino acid L-lysine and starch as well as reducing sugars in the presence of heat. Chemists have long known that this same process, called a Maillard reaction, is responsible for producing the brown color associated with the surface of baked breads. The same reaction also produces flavor compounds and other types of antioxidants.

Pronyl-lysine is formed during baking in both yeast-based and yeast-free bread, also known as "tea bread." The antioxidant is likely to be more abundant when bread is broken down into smaller pieces and baked, as with stuffing, because the smaller pieces contain more surface area on which these reactions can occur in comparison to larger bread products, like loaves and buns, the researcher says.

In general, dark-colored breads (such as pumpernickel and wheat) contain higher amounts of these antioxidants than light-colored breads (such as white bread). Strong over-browning of bread, however, reduces the level of these antioxidants, says Hofmann.

8 secret acupoints to cure travel ills

2012-02-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

Feeling nauseous, anxious or dehydrated? The cure is in your own hands

After stowing the passport and the traveler's checks, it’s straight to the airport pharmacy for most long-haul fliers for the pills, tonics and remedies used to alleviate aches and ills.

But there is another choice -- acupressure.

Acupressure is the practice of pressing or massaging certain points on the body said to stimulate self-curative abilities.

For each of the points descibed below, you may need to press or rub the point in 20-30 second intervals for up to 10 minutes before the effect is felt. You may also need to use it repeatedly throughout the day.

Play around with what works best for you.

1. Motion sickness and nausea: Anti-vomiting point

Ever seen those wrist bands people wear for boat or car trips? Those are designed to press on this point to relieve motion sickness and nausea. This is also the number-one point I tell fellow travelers about.

Locate: Inside of the forearm, two thumb width above the wrist crease, between the two tendons. The point is actually located below surface level so pushing deep is more effective.

2. Neck and back pain: Back-movement point

Long days traveling, cheap hotel pillows and carrying a mammoth-sized backpack can cause neck, shoulder or lumbar pain. Rubbing this point eases these complaints.

For a stiff neck, rub in small circles while slowly turning the head one direction and then the other.

Locate: Make a loose fist and, looking at the pinky side, find the last crease (just below the biggest knuckle). Along that line at the intersection of the two slightly different shades of skin is the point.

3. Sore throat and lightheadedness: Cold-relief point

Overnight flights, sudden climatic changes and air pollution can all increase a traveler’s susceptibility to the common cold.

Rubbing or pressing this point relieves symptoms associated with colds, including sore throat, cough, sneezing and body aches, plus lightheadedness.

Locate: Loosely interlock your thumbs at the webbing -- both palms facing down, keeping your wrists straight, extend your index finger to the skinny edge of your wrist.

Under the pad of your index finger in the prominent bone you’ll find a small depression -- that’s the point. Reverse which hand is on top to find the point on the other side.

4. Headache, constipation and fever: Release point

Whether you feel a headache coming on from dehydration, too much drinking, or just the pains of traveling, press this point to relieve headaches and general pain.

When all the unfamiliar food of Asia or the oftentimes poor diet of a traveler leaves you constipated, massage here. This point is also used to reduce fever.

Caution: This point can induce labor, so do not use on pregnant women.

Locate: Spread your index finger and thumb, then place the joint of your opposite thumb along the webbing and bend the thumb over. Just in front of the tip of your thumb is the point -- search around until you find the sore spot.

5. Digestive issues: Stomach-solution point

Exotic food, an unfamiliar environment and less-than-sanitary conditions can wreak havoc on normal digestion. Use this point for abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation, as well as the oftentimes accompanying fatigue and weakness.

A harder massage may be required, but it should feel tender when you have found the right point.

Locate: It is on the outer shin just below the knee. Relax the leg straight, place your four fingers on your knee with the index finger against the knee cap.

Mark the horizontal level under the pinky finger. At that level, using the middle section of your middle finger, place the knuckle on the shin bone, where the second knuckle lands (going toward the outside of the leg) is the vertical line.

At the intersection is the point.

6. Insomnia and disturbed dreams: Peaceful-sleep point

When jetlag catches up with you or new surroundings leave you unable to sleep, a light press on this point can help ease you into a restful slumber and reduce excessive dreaming.

Locate: Find the styloid process muscle on the side of the neck, follow that up to where it meets the skull. There it forms an A-like depression with the skull going toward the back of the head -- that’s the point.

7. Anxiety and over-thinking: Spirit-calming point

Perhaps you’re stressed about your business trip or just worried about all your travel plans. If your mind is racing, use this point to relieve anxiety and calm down.

Lightly rubbing or pressing the point reduces stress and also aids falling asleep (combine with Peaceful-sleep point).

Locate: Look at the underside of your wrist and find the last tendon on the pinky side. Just inside that tendon on the wrist crease next to the palm is the point.

8. Overall wellness: Supplementary point

Acupoints are often used in combination for greater effect. This point can aid the success of the above listed points for dry or sore throat and dizziness, headache and constipation, lower back pain, insomnia, fatigue.

This point may also provide some comfort when you’re stuck on a bus with no bathroom breaks.

Locate: On the inside of the ankle, in the depression located halfway between the Achilles and the most prominent point of the ankle bone, rub or press here.

For best effects ...

Putting pressure on acupoints, known as acupressure, encourages “Qi” or energy flow, straightens out imbalances in the body, activates the immune system and aids proper circulation.

When finding acupoints, follow the instructions provided but always seek to find the sore or tender point, usually next to a bone or tendon, as that will be most effective.

Points are symmetrical on both sides of the body and one side may work better than the other. Some points and conditions respond better to massage while others to pressing. Sometimes lighter pressing works better, other times harder.

Arab League seeks UN peacekeeping force in Syria

2012-02-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

Arabs will end their observer mission to Syria and will ask the UN Security Council to send an international peacekeeping force to end the bloodshed there, according to a draft resolution obtained on Sunday.

Arab ministers met in Cairo to revive diplomatic efforts after Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution that called for President Bashar al-Assad to step aside. That resolution was based on an Arab peace plan and had Western backing.

The draft resolution also called for tighter implementation of economic sanctions Arabs previously imposed on Syria, halting diplomatic cooperation with Syria and called for providing aid and political support to the Syrian people.

As part of the Arab efforts, Tunisia said it would host the first meeting on February 24 of a "Friends of Syria" contact group made up of Arab and other states and backed by Western powers.

"How long will we stay as onlookers to what is happening to the brotherly Syrian people, and how much longer will we grant the Syrian regime one period after another so it can commit more massacres against its people?" Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal asked ministers at the start of the League session.

"At our meeting today I call for decisive measures, after the failure of the half-solutions," he said. "The Arab League should ... open all channels of communication with the Syrian opposition and give all forms of support to it."

The draft proposed scrapping the Arab monitoring mission which had been sent to Syria in late December but which was criticized by Syria's opposition as ineffective from the outset. It also faced internal dissent and logistical problems.

The Sudanese general leading the observers quit on Sunday.

"I won't work one more time in the framework of the Arab League," General Mohammed al-Dabi, whose appointment had been criticized because of Sudan's own rights record, said.

"I performed my job with full integrity and transparency but I won't work here again as the situation is skewed," he added.

The draft resolution instead called for "the UN Security Council to send an international peacekeeping force to Syria."

Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby told the ministers he was proposing a new joint Arab-UN monitoring team to Syria, an idea he has already proposed to the UN secretary-general. That plan has drawn only lukewarm support from diplomats in New York.

Syrians 'deserve freedom'

Arabs will also call for tightening sanctions that include halting investments and stopping financial dealings with the Syrian government. Analysts and diplomats say the measures have had limited impact so far because Iraq and other neighbors have not implemented them.

Although a senior Arab League official said ministers in the meeting were inclined to support Syria's opposition, Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Ben Adessalam said recognizing the Syrian National Council was "premature and requires the opposition get unified." But he called for action to help the Syrian people.

"The Syrian people deserve freedom as much as their brothers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other Arab states that witnessed major political change," Ben Adessalam told ministers.

He announced that Tunisia would host the meeting of "Friends of Syria," a plan proposed by France and the United States after Russia and China blocked the Security Council resolution.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said the new forum would provide "a good opportunity to try to create a clear international direction to help the Syrian people to exit the crisis."

Gulf states have been leading moves to isolate Assad. They announced last week that they were recalling their ambassadors from Syria and expelling Syria's envoys.

Libya and Tunisia, both countries where popular revolts toppled authoritarian rulers last year, have done likewise.

The Saudi minister criticized the Security Council's failure to back the Arab plan for Syria but did not name Russia and China. Elaraby said the veto, cause of much Arab frustration, exposed the failings of the Council's voting system.

Diplomats at the United Nations said Saudi Arabia had circulated a new draft resolution backing the Arab plan for the General Assembly, rather than the Security Council, to consider. Assembly resolutions are non-binding but cannot be vetoed.

However, Riyadh denied on Sunday reports that it had formally presented the resolution to the assembly.

Egypt's news agency said Elaraby had proposed appointing former Jordanian minister and UN envoy to Libya, Abdel Elah al-Khatib, as the League's special envoy to Syria. But a source in the meeting said Khatib's name was not put forward.

Free Syrian Army is all that stands between civilians and tanks

2012-02-11T18:38:00.001-08:00

As Syria's rebellious cities are bombarded and the regime's tank crews prepare to move, only a rag-tag and poorly armed but determined army stands in their way.

Yesterday, calls from inside Homs said that only Bab al-Amr remained as a pocket of FSA resistance, but that army tanks were approaching

The last straw for Captain Abu Mahmoud came when 13 of his fellow officers were lined up and shot by a Syrian firing squad. They had been identified as potential deserters - all officers have their own team of watchers from military intelligence to monitor their behaviour - and were executed just in case, he said.

He was headed at the time with his Third Division for Idlib in the north, scene already of many battles and massacres in this encroaching civil war. He turned tail, shook off his spies and went home.

In a fine example of how the paranoias of dictators eventually make themselves come true, he is now with the Free Syrian Army on the front line of the battle for Homs.

He is a helpless spectator as the Syrian tanks and artillery, which his Free Syrian Army cannot match, drop round after round of shell fire on to the defenceless citizens of the Homs neighbourhoods Bab al-Amr and Khalidiya, enclaves now to match the names of Sarajevo and Misurata.

Calls from inside Homs said that only Bab al-Amr remained as a pocket of FSA resistance, but that army tanks were approaching.

Other formerly free areas such as Inshaíat were under regime control, another Free Syrian Army soldier said.

In these places, there is no longer any visible life. People who were among the last to leave the city as the army moved in to follow up on days of artillery assault say that no-one can go out for fear of the shelling and the snipers who take aim at men, women, and children in the street.

One hospital contacted by telephone in the city said it had only three patients and five nurses. Most of the population is sheltering in the lower floors and basements of houses, crammed 30 to a room.

But despite the obvious threat of retribution when the regime turns to face him, Capt. Abu Mahmoud is now marshalling defences of the liberated area the other side of the government line, between Homs and the Lebanese border, and even driving the army back. His men have pushed government troops four miles from positions they held recently, and now occupy a line roughly between the old military airport and the military training school, he said.

"After Homs, 100 per cent sure they will turn against us," he said. "They have tanks but we have heavy arms. Praise be to Allah we will beat them."

The ruthlessness of the army's assault on Homs must cast that claim in doubt. The clear intention of the Assad forces is to repeat the massacre of the nearby city of Hama in 1982, when President Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez, and uncle, Rifaat, ordered the deaths of tens of thousands following an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Residents of that city at the time recall the results. One Christian woman described to The Sunday Telegraph how, as a young girl, she saw her next door neighbours executed in their back yard, including a nine-year-old playmate.

It was brutal, and it succeeded: there was no concerted internal opposition to Assad rule for three decades afterwards.

This time, though, the Assad modus operandi seems not to be working. Rather than intimidating them, residents of the surrounding area say it has made them more determined than before to hold out.

"I don't know if the government knows what I am doing here, and I don't care," said Dr Abbas, who has become the de facto civilian leader of the free area defended by Capt. Abu Mahmoud and his men. "None of us cares."

This area did not throw off its shackles in one bound, as happened with the free cities of the Libyan uprising. But after months of demonstrations, arrests and shootings, gradually a group of respected citizens took the shape of an informal civilian council led by Dr Abbas who is not in fact a doctor but a dentist and an owner of several factories in Syria and abroad.

The Free Syrian Army managed to turn it into a regime-free area, last week evicting regular forces from a pair of buildings occupied by the police and military intelligence, or Mukhabarat. An outpost in what was once the regional hospital is the only government hold-out within sniper range of heavily built-up areas.

Dr Abbas - who like otehrs in this area were nervous about giving their whole names - reckons that this pocket of land contains 110-120,000 people, and stretches to the Lebanese border. It is mostly contiguous, though there is a problem with pockets inhabited by Shia Muslims.

While he insists that the uprising is not sectarian - "We just want democracy, we don't care whether people are Sunni, or Alawite or Shia, or Christian. Have I asked you what you are?" he says - he also adds that the Shia villages are a problem because of their links with Hizbollah in Lebanon, the Shia militant group backed by the Assads.

This has made parts of both sides of the border no-go areas.

But throughout this area he and other council members supervise the arrival of supplies, including medicines, brought in from Lebanon, and relief efforts for the families of those arrested by regime forces, or whose houses have been shelled and destroyed.

They have also set up a field hospital in an abandoned house, which also operates as a place for council members to meet daily and review their work. Lunch-time discussion sessions are regularly punctuated by the arrival of the injured, like a man yesterday with a bullet-hole through his knee.

Four months ago, Dr Kasem, its senior doctor, left his post at the government hospital and joined the opposition. He had already begun operating secretly on injured rebels, keeping them off the books.

He knows, he says with a nervous laugh, that he is "for it" if the regime troops re-take this place. "The government has a blacklist, and we are all on it," he said.

But this is the difference from events of Hama 30 years ago. While that was an organised uprising from a particular opposition faction, none of these men, whether doctors and businessmen like Dr Abbas and Dr Kasem, or career soldiers like Abu Mahmoud, had any inkling of what was going to happen, only a longstanding grievance. When they saw an opportunity, they seized it, as did similar figures across the country.

"We have had 40 years of it," Dr Abbas said. "Forty years of security running our lives." He says that President Assad is a "liar", because of his early promises of reform when he came to power in 2000.

"He said the right things, about democracy and everything," he said. "Things I thought came out of his mouth. But I think he did not understand the system himself."

Now, he says, he has proved himself as "criminal", like his father.

It is hard to disagree, when considering events down the road in Homs, or the random sniper fire and shell-bursts that send people here scurrying for cover and have turned those parts of town still in the line of fire into wastelands.

It is also hard, though, to be confident about these men's futures.

Abu Mahmoud admits that they are short of weapons - in reality, they have only a few light arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Dr Abbas snorts imperiously when asked if he is afraid. "We are not doing it for ourselves. We are doing it for our sons, so they can have a future," he said. "We will never let him rule us again like he did before."

But the women are clearly nervous, sheltering inside as their menfolk go to war. And when pushed, even Dr Kasem looks sheepish. "Of course we are all afraid," he said and, only half-jokingly, adds: "If they come, I shall run for the border."

NYPD Marijuana Crusade Led to Cops Killing a Teenager in the Bronx

2012-02-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

NYPD Marijuana Crusade Led to Cops Killing a Teenager in the Bronx. "The cops followed him, broke into his home and killed him in his bathroom while he was trying to flush a small amount of marijuana down the toilet."

An 18-year-old teenager, Ramarley Graham, was killed in his home in the Bronx last week by plainclothes cops. A member of the narcotics unit shot the unarmed teenager in his bathroom.

While details of the tragedy are still unfolding, it appears that the teen had a small amount of marijuana on him, so walked home to get away from the cops because he didn’t want to be arrested. The cops followed him, broke into his home and killed him in his bathroom while he was trying to flush a small amount of marijuana down the toilet. The police officer who shot Graham said he believed the young man had a gun. He did not – no weapons were found.

The bottom line is that an 18-year-old is dead because of the insane marijuana arrest crusade by the NYPD.

Graham’s family and the community are righteously demanding justice. There was a passionate protest of hundreds of people outside the 47th Precinct station in the Bronx Monday night, where they condemned police violence and the almost-routine killings of unarmed men like Mr. Graham. Graham’s sister is quoted in yesterday’s New York Times, saying “This is not just about Ramarley. This is about all young black men.”

Incidentally, just the day before the tragic killing, the New York City media was buzzing about the 2011 marijuana arrest numbers. There were more than 50,000 marijuana arrests in 2011, the second-most in NYC history and the most in more than a decade. The NYPD bust more people for small amounts of marijuana than any other crime in the city. And these 50,000 arrests are overwhelmingly young black and Latino men – even though, according to the government’s own data, they are no more likely to use or sell marijuana than young whites.

The amazing thing is that 7/8 of an ounce of marijuana is decriminalized – if police find marijuana in your belongings, they’re supposed to just give you a ticket, instead of arresting you, unless the marijuana is being smoked or in “public view.” So if under an ounce is supposed to not lead to arrest, why are 50,000 arrests happening a year? Because the NYPD stops and frisks more than 600,000 people – mostly young black and brown men – and then tricks them into emptying their pockets. And when marijuana is then pulled out, the police arrest them for marijuana in “public view.”

There has been a big campaign by the Drug Policy Alliance, Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives (IJJRA), and VOCAL-NY slamming the NYPD for these illegal arrests. In September it seemed like the campaign had reached a breakthrough when Police Commissioner Kelly ordered his police to stop making improper marijuana arrests. Last week’s news about the 2011 statistics, however, shows that the Commissioner’s order has not stopped these arrests – and New York City remains the marijuana arrest capital of the world.

Getting arrested for marijuana is no small matter – not least because it creates a permanent criminal record that can easily be found on the Internet by employers, landlords, schools, credit agencies, licensing boards and banks.

And if these 50,000 arrests a year are not destructive enough, we have an 18-year-old teenager who is dead, killed by the NYPD looking to make another small bust for marijuana. No one has ever died from smoking marijuana. But the war on marijuana has taken way too many lives.

Air Force Removes 'God' From Logo: Rep. J. Randy Forbes Leads Objection To This Move

2012-02-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

Dozens of members of Congress are upset that the Air Force has removed the Latin word for "God" from the logo of an Air Force acquisitions office.

Led by Rep. J. Randy Forbes, co-chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, 36 lawmakers Monday (Feb. 6) sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz objecting to the removal of "God" from the logo of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO).

The logo was recently removed, according to Forbes, after objections by the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers.

Jason Torpy, president of the association, said the word "God" had no place in the logo because not all members of the military are religious. "We just hope (the Air Force) can provide more equal opportunities for atheists and humanists in the military."

"The action taken by the RCO suggests that all references to God, regardless of their context, must be removed from the military," the congressional letter states. "We ask that you reverse this perplexing decision."

According to the lawmakers, all members of the bipartisan prayer caucus, the RCO patch logo previously included the motto "Opus Dei Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus" (Doing God's Work with Other People's Money), an inside joke among RCO members. Caucus members say it was changed to "Miraculi Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus" (Doing Miracles with Other People's Money).

The letter argues that "courts consistently have upheld the constitutionality of our national motto, 'In God We Trust,' despite the obvious mention of God."

"Obviously the Constitution doesn't treat God like a dirty word," said Luke Goodrich, deputy general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. "Religion is a part of this history."

Ahmadinejad: Iran to announce 'very important' nuclear developments as country marks anniversary of revolution

2012-02-11T05:32:00.001-08:00

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the Islamic Republic would soon announce "very important" achievements in the nuclear field, state TV reported.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

He was speaking on the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

Tens of thousands of Iranians joined state-organised rallies across the country to mark the occasion.

Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei chanted "Death to Israel" and "Death to America".

"In the coming days the world will witness Iran's announcement of its very important and very major nuclear achievements," Mr Ahmadinejad told a crowd at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square in a speech relayed live on state television.

Tension with the West over Iran's disputed nuclear work has risen in recent weeks. The United States and its European allies have imposed new sanctions to try to force Tehran back to talks before it produces enough nuclear material for an atom bomb.

Iran says its nuclear programme has only peaceful purposes.

Mr Ahmadinejad told the cheering crowd that Iran has broken the "idol" of the Holocaust, which underpins the creation of the Israeli state and US hegemony.

"The Iranian nation has smashed a new and modern idol. The world arrogance (the United States) and colonialists (the West), in order to dominate the world, created an idol called the Zionist regime (Israel)," he said.

"The spirit of this idol was a story called the Holocaust.

"The Iranian nation with courage and wisdom smashed this idol to free the people of the West (of its hold)," he said.

Argentina accuses Britain of sending nuclear missiles to Falklands

2012-02-11T05:28:00.000-08:00

Argentina has stepped up its sabre-rattling rhetoric over the Falkland Islands by accusing Britain of sending nuclear missiles to the South Atlantic.

Britain accused of sending Trident nuclear missiles in a submarine to the South Atlantic.

The South American country's foreign minister claimed that Trident nuclear missiles were being carried on board a submarine deployed to the region by the Royal Navy.

It comes as tensions continue to rise over the islands, which are claimed by the Argentinians as their territory.

The allegation was immediately rebuffed by a senior British diplomat, who also described claims by the Argentinians that military bases on the island could be used to launch attacks on South America as "absurd".

Hector Timerman, the Argentinian foreign minister, accused the British of sending the nuclear submarine into a nuclear-free zone and lodged a formal protest at the United Nations.

He said Britain was "militarising the region" after the Royal Navy sent one of its most advanced warship to the islands, and as Prince William enters the second week of his six-week tour of duty there as an RAF search and rescue pilot.

The Royal Navy has not confirmed the presence of any submarine near the Falklands, but was reported to have sent a Trafalgar-class vessel, which cannot carry nuclear weapons.

Mr Timerman, however, insisted that a Vanguard-class submarine, which carries Trident nuclear missiles, was operating in the region.

He produced maps and photographs to back up his claims, stating that the nuclear submarine posed a threat to regional security.

"Argentina has information that within the framework of the recent British deployment in the Malvinas Islands they sent a nuclear submarine ... to transport nuclear weapons to the South Atlantic," said Mr Timerman, at a press conference in New York.

"Thus far the UK refuses to say whether it is true or not. Are there nuclear weapons or are there not?

"The information Argentina has is that there are these nuclear weapons."

He said the deployment of nuclear arms in the region would violate the Treaty of Tlatelolco for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, designed to create a nuclear-free zone in the region.

The inflammatory claim appeared to be part of an aggressive attempt by Buenos Aires to isolate Britain at the United Nations in advance of the thirtieth anniversary of the Argentinian invasion of the Falklands and their successful recapture by a British task force.

Mr Timerman displayed a map showing UK bases across the South Atlantic between South America and Africa, pointing out that the "Empire's capital" was 4,000 miles away.

He went on to show a series of photographs of what he claimed were state-of-the-art war ships, planes and a nuclear submarine he said was Vanguard, flagship of the Vanguard fleet which carries Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent.

He also produced aerial shots of military bases and two runways in the Falkland Islands. The foreign minister also claimed that the British defence budget had been cut in every area except the South Atlantic.

Mr Timerman said Britain was using an "unjustified defence of self-determination" to maintain a military base on the Falklands, which allowed it to dominate the Atlantic.

He criticised David Cameron for recently accusing Argentina of acting like “colonialists,” saying: "It is perhaps the last refuge of a declining power.

"It is the last ocean that is controlled by the United Kingdom – Britannia rules only the South Atlantic.

“Argentina cannot lose a territory because there is a group . that chooses to live a different fate. This population came after the invasion. This is not an indigenous population.

"The UK is using the unjust defence of self-determination for 2,500 inhabitants as an excuse to become a military base."

Quoting John Lennon, who he described as the great musician, poet singer, he urged the British Government to "give peace a chance."

But the claims were dismissed by the British ambassador to the United Nations at his own press conference in New York.

Sir Mark Lyall Grant said "We do not comment on the disposition of nuclear weapons, submarines."

"I don't know how he knows about submarines. I certainly don't know. The whole point of nuclear submarines is that they go all around the world and you don't know where they are. That's why they're a deterrent."

Sir Mark described the idea that the UK was "militarising" the situation "manifestly absurd".

"Before 1982 there was a minimal defence presence in the Falkland Islands," he said.

"It is only because Argentina illegally invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982 that since then we had to increase our defence posture.

"Nothing has changed in that defence posture in recent months or recent years."

Sir Mark said the UK had been in the Falklands since before Argentina existed, and the islanders were entitled to self-determination under the UN charter.

"We are responsible for the security of the Falkland Islands and we will defend that robustly,” he said.

“Nothing has changed in our defence posture in recent months or recent years.

“The only thing that appears to have changed is the politics in Argentina.”

Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner has ramped up her rhetoric over the Falklands in recent weeks and is preparing for a re-election campaign, leading to claims she is trying to exploit the issue for her own political gain.

The Argentinian accusations of nuclear force came despite a plea from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, to both countries to avoid an “escalation".

Before meeting Mr Timerman, the UN secretary-general’s office issued a statement in which he "expressed the hope that the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom will avoid an escalation of this dispute and resolve differences peacefully and through dialogue".

Britain insists that current military operations in the Falklands, including the presence of Prince William as part of an RAF search and rescue mission and the deployment of the Royal Navy destroyer Dauntless to the region, are "entirely routine".

Argentina has made much of Prince William’s presence on the islands, with one government official comparing him to a "conquistador".

Tensions over the Falklands – which Argentina refer to as Las Malvinas – have been further fuelled by the discovery of possible oilfields in its territorial waters.

And the debate became increasingly heated in recent days after Mrs Kirchner gave a speech in which she claimed that UK "militarism … implies a grave risk for international security …"

Sir Mark said: “It is not for Argentina and the UK to discuss the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands over the heads of the people who live there, some of whom have been there for over 200 years.”

German soldiers found entombed in a perfectly preserved World War One shelter (17Pics)

2012-02-11T00:54:00.000-08:00

Nearly a century later French archaeologists stumbled upon the mass grave on the former Western Front during excavation work for a road building project. Many of the skeletal remains were found in the same positions the men had been in at the time of the collapse, prompting experts to liken the scene to Pompeii. A number of the soldiers were discovered sitting upright on a bench, one was lying in his bed and another was in the foetal position having been thrown down a flight of stairs.

Twenty-one German soldiers entombed in a perfectly preserved World War One shelter have been discovered 94 years after they were killed. The men were part of a larger group of 34 who were buried alive when a huge Allied shell exploded above the tunnel, near the small town of Carspach in the Alsace region in France, in 1918 causing it to cave in.

Thirteen bodies were recovered from the underground shelter but the remaining men had to be left under a mountain of mud as it was too dangerous to retrieve them. As well as the bodies, poignant personal effects such as boots, helmets, weapons, wine bottles, spectacles, wallets, pipes, cigarette cases and pocket books were also found. Even the skeleton of a goat was found, assumed to be a source of fresh milk for the soldiers.

Archaeologists believe the items were so well preserved because hardly any air, water or lights had penetrated the trench. The 300ft long tunnel was located 18ft beneath the surface.

Michael Landolt, the archaeologist leading the dig, said: "It's a bit like Pompeii. Everything collapsed in seconds and is just the way it was at the time. Here, as in Pompeii, we found the bodies as they were at the moment of their death. Some of the men were found in sitting positions on a bench, others lying down. One was projected down a flight of wooden stairs and was found in a foetal position.

"The collapsed shelter was filled with soil. The items were very well preserved because of the absence of air and light and water. Metal objects were rusty, wood was in good condition and we found some pages of newspapers that were still readable.

"Leather was in good condition as well, still supple. The items will be taken to a laboratory, cleaned and examined."

The dead soldiers were part of the 6th Company, 94th Reserve Infantry Regiment. Their names are all known. They include Musketeer Martin Heidrich, 20, Private Harry Bierkamp, 22, and Lieutenant August Hutten, 37. Their names are inscribed on a memorial in the nearby German war cemetery of Illfurth.

The bodies have been handed over to the German War Graves Commission but unless relatives can be found and they request the remains to be repatriated, it is planned that the men will be buried at Illfurth.

The underground tunnel was big enough to shelter 500 men and had 16 exits. It would have been equipped with heating, telephone connections, electricity, beds and a pipe to pump out water. The French attacked the shelter on March 18, 1918 with aerial mines that penetrated the ground and blasted in the side wall of the shelter in two points.

It is estimated that over 165,000 Commonwealth soldiers are still unaccounted for on the Western Front.

A large hammer possibly used to help dig the tunnel has been found at the site

A leather gun holster has been preserved

Archaeologists slowly uncover the buried shelter

A drinks cup and the remains of a gun

Preserved timbers that formed the walls of the tunnel.

Timbers lining the tunnel

20 Pain Cures You Can Find in Your Kitchen

2012-02-11T00:29:00.000-08:00

Make muscle pain a memory with ginger

When Danish researchers asked achy people to jazz up their diets with ginger, it eased muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to 63 percent of them within two months. Experts credit ginger’s potent compounds called gingerols, which prevent the production of pain-triggering hormones. The study-recommended dose: Add at least 1 teaspoon of dried ginger or 2 teaspoons of chopped ginger to meals daily.

Cure a toothache with cloves

Got a toothache and can’t get to the dentist? Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight, say UCLA researchers. Experts point to a natural compound in cloves called eugenol, a powerful, natural anesthetic. Bonus: Sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves on meals daily may also protect your ticker. Scientists say this simple action helps stabilize blood sugar, plus dampen production of artery-clogging cholesterol in as little as three weeks.

Heal heartburn with cider vinegar

Sip 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before every meal, and experts say you could shut down painful bouts of heartburn in as little as 24 hours. “Cider vinegar is rich in malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed the breakdown of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn pain,” explains Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, AL.

Erase earaches with garlic

Painful ear infections drive millions of Americans to doctors’ offices every year. To cure one fast, just place two drops of warm garlic oil into your aching ear twice daily for five days. This simple treatment can clear up ear infections faster than prescription meds, say experts at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Scientists say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium, selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally toxic to dozens of different pain-causing bacteria. To whip up your own garlic oil gently simmer three cloves of crushed garlic in a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, strain, then refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Chase away joint and headache pain with cherries

Latest studies show that at least one in four women is struggling with arthritis, gout or chronic headaches. If you’re one of them, a daily bowl of cherries could ease your ache, without the stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East Lansing’s Michigan State University. Their research reveals that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their brilliant red color, are anti-inflammatories 10 times stronger than ibuprofen and aspirin. “Anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue inflammation, so they can prevent, as well as treat, many different kinds of pain,” explains Muraleedharan Nair, Ph.D., professor of food science at Michigan State University. His advice: Enjoy 20 cherries (fresh, frozen or dried) daily, then continue until your pain disappears.

Fight tummy troubles with fish

Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases...if your belly always seems to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces of fish weekly to ease your misery. Repeated studies show that the fatty acids in fish, called EPA and DHA, can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, cramping and belly pain and, in some cases, provide as much relief as corticosteroids and other prescription meds. “EPA and DHA are powerful, natural, side effect-free anti-inflammatories, that can dramatically improve the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract,” explains biological chemist Barry Sears, Ph.D., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA. For best results, look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout and herring.

Prevent PMS with yogurt

Up to 80 percent of women will struggle with premenstrual syndrome and its uncomfortable symptoms, report Yale researchers. The reason: Their nervous systems are sensitive to the ups and downs in estrogen and progesterone that occur naturally every month. But snacking on 2 cups of yogurt a day can slash these symptoms by 48 percent, say researchers at New York’s Columbia University. “Yogurt is rich in calcium, a mineral that naturally calms the nervous system, preventing painful symptoms even when hormones are in flux,” explains Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a professor of gynecology at Yale University.

Tame chronic pain with turmeric

Studies show turmeric, a popular East Indian spice, is actually three times more effective at easing pain than aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, plus it can help relieve chronic pain for 50 percent of people struggling with arthritis and even fibromyalgia, according to Cornell researchers. That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme that churns out a stream of pain-producing hormones, explains nutrition researcher Julian Whitaker, M.D. and author of the book, Reversing Diabetes. The study-recommended dose: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of this spice daily onto any rice, poultry, meat or vegetable dish.

End endometrial pain with oats

The ticket to soothing endometriosis pain could be a daily bowl of oatmeal. Endometriosis occurs when little bits of the uterine lining detach and grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these migrating cells can turn menstruation into a misery, causing so much inflammation that they trigger severe cramping during your period, plus a heavy ache that drags on all month long. Fortunately, scientists say opting for a diet rich in oats can help reduce endometrial pain for up to 60 percent of women within six months. That’s because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-making protein that triggers inflammation in many women, making endometriosis difficult to bear, explains Peter Green, M.D., professor of medicine at Colombia University.

Soothe foot pain with salt

Experts say at least six million Americans develop painful ingrown toenails each year. But regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt water baths can cure these painful infections within four days, say scientists at California’s Stanford University. The salt in the mix naturally nixes inflammation, plus it’s anti-bacterial, so it quickly destroys the germs that cause swelling and pain. Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt into each cup of water, heat to the warmest temperature that you can comfortably stand, and then soak the affected foot area for 20 minutes twice daily, until your infection subsides.

Prevent digestive upsets with pineapple

Got gas? One cup of fresh pineapple daily can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say researchers at California’s Stanford University. That's because pineapple is natually packed with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that help speed the breakdown of pain-causing proteins in the stomach and small intestine, say USDA researchers.

Relax painful muscles with peppermint

Suffering from tight, sore muscles? Stubborn knots can hang around for months if they aren’t properly treated, says naturopath Mark Stengler, N.D., author of the book, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice: Three times each week, soak in a warm tub scented with 10 drops of peppermint oil. The warm water will relax your muscles, while the peppermint oil will naturally soothe your nerves -- a combo that can ease muscle cramping 25 percent more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers, and cut the frequency of future flare-ups in half, says Stengler.

Give your back some TLC with grapes

Got an achy back? Grapes could be the ticket to a speedy recovery. Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels, significantly improving blood flow to damaged back tissues (and often within three hours of enjoying the first bowl). That’s great news because your back’s vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs are completely dependent on nearby blood vessels to bring them healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is essential for healing damaged back tissue, says Stengler.

Wash away pain injuries with water

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York’s Manhattan College, say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Why? Experts say water dilutes, and then helps flush out, histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues. “Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints’ lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine,” adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. “And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain.” One caveat: Be sure to measure your drinking glasses to find out how large they really are before you start sipping, she says. Today’s juice glasses often hold more than 12 ounces, which means five servings could be enough to meet your daily goal.

Heal sinus problems with horseradish

Latest studies show sinusitis is the nation’s number one chronic health problem. And this condition doesn’t just spur congestion and facial pain, it also makes sufferers six times more likely to feel achy all-over. Horseradish to the rescue! According to German researchers, this eye-watering condiment naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do. The study-recommended dose: One teaspoon twice daily (either on its own, or used as a sandwich or meat topping) until symptoms clear.

Beat bladder infections with blueberries

Eating 1 cup of blueberries daily, whether you opt for them fresh, frozen or in juice form, can cut your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTIs) by 60 percent, according to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University. That's because blueberries are loaded with tannins, plant compounds that wrap around problem-causing bacteria in the bladder, so they can’t get a toehold and create an infection, explains Amy Howell, Ph.D. a scientist at Rutgers University.

Heal mouth sores with honey

Dab painful canker and cold sores with unpasteurized honey four times daily until these skin woes disappear, and they’ll heal 43 percent faster than if you use a prescription cream, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates. Raw honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation, destroy invading viruses and speed the healing of damaged tissues, say the study authors.

Fight breast pain with flax

In one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks. Scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens, natural plant compounds that prevent the estrogen spikes that can trigger breast pain. More good news: You don’t have to be a master baker to sneak this healthy seed into your diet. Just sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce or add it to smoothies and veggie dips.

Cure migraines with coffee

Prone to migraines? Try muscling-up your painkiller with a coffee chaser. Whatever over-the-counter pain med you prefer, researchers at the National Headache Foundation say washing it down with a strong 12- ounce cup of coffee will boost the effectiveness of your medication by 40 percent or more. Experts say caffeine stimulates the stomach lining to absorb painkillers more quickly and more effectively.

Tame leg cramps with tomato juice

At least one in five people regularly struggle with leg cramps. The culprit? Potassium deficiencies, which occur when this mineral is flushed out by diuretics, caffeinated beverages or heavy perspiration during exercise. But sip 10 ounces of potassium-rich tomato juice daily and you'll not only speed your recovery, you'll reduce your risk of painful cramp flare-ups in as little as 10 days, say UCLA researchers.

Survival With The Healthy Food!

2012-02-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

There are times in your life when there is something that you want more than money. It is nothing but the food, which is the basic entity which every living creature on this earth needs. In times of long distance travelling, or in times, when the natural calamities are happening, one needs to find the better ways for transporting the food for the victims of the natural disasters like Tsunami, earthquake or flood affected people etc. For this purpose, it is very important to concentrate more on this survival food storage. Storage of this food is a kind of an art because choosing the right food for the right conditions, which, at the same time serves the purpose is not an easy task. Immense care should be taken to store the food properly.

Now, The next important thing we need to think is, what are those food list that needs to be, and can be carried through such long distances to reach the people in need. Some of the important food items that are carried should not only fill in the stomach of the person, but care should be taken such that the person gets all the nutrition required for the healthy survival of the person!
Some of those food that could be packed and carried through far places are as follows:

-> Dry Sprouts :
Sprouts are some of those few food, that contains almost every nutrition that a normal person needs to be healthy. The best advantage of sprouts is that, they can be packed well and carried through the distance. They are very rich with the proteins and fibers, which are very important for the human body! Another advantage of sprouts is that, it helps in curing the diseases at a very fast rate and it also helps a lot for the diabetes patients to promote the production of insulin in the body. It also helps to remove the toxins in the human body. This is a must carry food to the victims. They can be packed well, so transporting them is also very easy. Without this, the survival food list is always incomplete.

-> Dehydrated food :
The next option along with the sprouts, to the survival food list are the dehydrated foods. The shelf life of these dehydrated foods are short, but they make up a very good option when it some to supplying it to the other places as the food will be utilized and they can be stored for a few days.

-> Freeze dried food :
The freeze dried food give us a wide variety of options for the utilization. These food can be anything from the the fruits, vegetables and meat. The main advantage of the freeze dried foods to the dehydrated food is that, the shelf life of the freeze dried food is larger than the dehydrated food. These food not only satisfies the appetite, but also gives us a variety for the intake of the food. The beef, pork, baked chicken and many more food like this provides the best food for the storage purpose and ready to eat too. Again, it makes a perfect addition to the survival food list!

-> Jarred Foods :
The Jarred food on the other side are those simple food which provide a lot of mineral supplies in the food. The main advantage of these type of jarred food is that, they have a longer shelf life and a best option for long term food storage. These mineral supplements are very necessary to provide strength to the bones and provide with that needed Iron and Iodine content to the human body! Some of the jarred food items are, luncheon meat, milk fish, almonds, baked beans, pickles, and many more. They also provide a variety to the food.

-> Canned food :
Canning of the food is another option for storing and preserving the food in the edible state for a longer period of time. Some of the canned food last for a shelf life of around 1 - 5 yrs. To prevent the food from spoiling, these food are pasteurized, boiled and freeze dried to keep them edible for a long time. The canned foods provide a better alternative to the chemicals and preservatives found in the other prepared food! The advantage is that, packing of these food prevent from the micro-organisms to enter the food package. The pressure canned food include the meat, dairy products, seafood etc.

Along with the stocking of the survival food items, stocking up of water is the most important thing. Water is the basic element of any living person. There is no life on earth without water. Without water, any survival food storage is of no use to the people in need of it!

Winter weather: snow blankets parts of Britain again (21Pics)

2012-02-11T00:27:00.000-08:00

A postman delivers post in the picturesque village of Thornton-le-Dale in North Yorkshire, following a covering of overnight snow.

A brave man goes for a dip in a partly-frozen swimming pond on Hampstead Heath, north London

People visit Stonehenge in Wiltshire, following overnight snow

Bichon Frise puppies run in snow at Sinnington, North Yorkshire

A woman with an umbrella walks through the snow falling on Westminster Bridge in London

Snow covers the Yorkshire Wolds outside Millington, East Yorkshire

Snow covers the ground next to the Houses of Parliament in London

Snow settles on the Burghers of Calais statue commemorating an episode during the Hundred Years' War between England and France by Auguste Rodin, next to the House of Lords in Victoria Tower Gardens, London

Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, following overnight snow

A swan tries to free itself from ice on a frozen lake in Virginia Water, Surrey, southern England

Snow covers the area around Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium

People walk in the snow in Dunnington, York

Two dogs play next to the frozen Queen's Mere pond in the snow on Wimbledon Common

A British Airways plane is de-iced and cleared of snow at Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport in West London

Daffodils stand on a snow-covered table at the Occupy London camp outside St Paul's Cathedral

Geese walk in the snow at St James's Park, London

Mark Proud from Weardale looks at the icicles at Tebay in Cumbria

People walk through a snow covered Green Park, London

A heron sits on ice on a Virginia Water lake in Surrey in southern England

A frozen lake in Sixfields, Northampton, following overnight snow

Snow covers cars in Swindon, Wiltshire

US father shoots daughter's laptop for insolent Facebook post

2012-02-10T19:56:00.000-08:00

An angry American father shot his daughter's laptop nine times with a handgun after she posted on Facebook complaining about her chores.

Tommy Jordan, of North Carolina, decided to teach his 15-year-old daughter Hannah a public lesson after she wrote a Facebook post complaining how difficult her parents made her life.

Deciding that a grounding wouldn't be sufficient, Mr Jordan decided to silence his daughter's Facebook outbursts with his pistol.

The video begins with Mr Jordan sat on a chair in a field reading through his daughters Facebook post and counter arguing each point she raises.

He then points out how easy her life is compared to his teenage years, he points out that by her age, he had moved out, got two jobs and was a volunteer fireman.

After seven minutes he then gets up and points the camera at his daughters laptop on the ground saying, "That right there is your laptop, this right here is my .45."

He cocks the weapon and fires nine rounds into the laptop commenting on the seventh shot, "Oh yeah and after that comment you made about your mom, your mom told me to be sure I put one in there for her. So that one's from her."

The video has been watched more than 1.5 million times since it was posted on Youtube just two days ago.

Mr Jordan then took to Facebook to defend his actions and explain more of the build up to the video.

September 11: victim's remains identified after more than a decade

2012-02-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

More than a decade after the September 11 attacks, New York's Chief Medical Examiner has identified the remains of Karol Ann Keasler, a woman who worked at an investment bank in the south tower of the World Trade Center.

Karol Ann Keasler worked as an event planner at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods on the 89th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center

Ms Keasler was an events planner at the investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods which had offices on the 89th floor of the building.

The 42-year-old's remains were matched as staff retested samples found during the initial recovery in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the US.

She was engaged to be married and planned to move Russia with her fiancé, who was born in St Petersburg.

The newest identification brings the number of victims to have some portion of their remains identified to 1,633 out of the 2,753 people who died.

Another 1,120 never had any remains recovered.

Tiniest Telecommunications Laser Ever Made, 200 Nanometers Wide

2012-02-10T19:36:00.001-08:00

Smallest Telecommunications Laser A scanning electron micrograph image shows the constituent ring of the coaxial structure of the tiny laser, containing the gain section and the cover silica layer.

Lasers are getting smaller and more powerful .Researchers are reporting the smallest telecommunications-frequency laser ever built. The laser is one-fifteenth the size of the light waves it can produce, and it works at room temperature.

Small lasers that produce wavelengths of light larger than themselves could be used to explore the fundamentals of quantum electrodynamics, and they could also have practical uses, including chip-based optical communications and ultra-high-resolution imaging. Lasers can transmit information faster than traditional semiconductors, and they might be more practical than quantum computers .

These new lasers are an efficient step in that direction because they don’t require a high threshold to start lasing. They could even be designed to remove the threshold entirely.

A laser threshold is the energy level beyond which a laser’s power increases rapidly. When the laser cavity — the place where light waves are amplified — is very small, the threshold energy must be very high, but a lot of this input energy is wasted. This makes the tiniest lasers impractical. To get beyond this limitation, Mercedeh Khajavikhan and colleagues at the University of California-San Diego used a cylindrical co-axial arrangement — co-axial as in the type of cable that runs from your wall to the TV. Khajavikhan and colleagues built nanoscale lasers whose co-axial arrangement allowed them to capture all the energy of the larger laser that was used to pump them up, a huge improvement in efficiency.

“These nanoscale resonators should provide a powerful platform for the development of other QED devices and metamaterials in which atom–field interactions generate new functionalities,” the authors write.

IT guy answers daughter's Facebook rant by shooting her laptop

2012-02-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

An angry American IT pro has responded to a rude Facebook post from his daughter by riddling her laptop with a fusillade of bullets and posting video of the shooting on YouTube.

Here it is, with the incensed dad leading in by reading out the offending Facebook post and offering a few points in response before emptying his .45 – apparently loaded with "exploding hollow point rounds"* – into his daughter's machine.

Viewers will note that the testy IT-guy's daughter had seemingly blocked her Facebook diatribe from being viewed by her parents, despite the fact that it was notionally addressed to them. Not only did she show an undoubtedly misguided faith in Facebook's privacy defences (all the more unwise, as her father points out, when one has a dad who works in tech), the obstreperous teen also showed a very poor awareness of cliche, leading off her remarks with the statement that she is not her parents' slave.

For those preferring a summary to audio, the oppressed teen seemingly objected to doing such chores as cleaning, emptying the dishwasher and making her bed, and felt that her parents should pay her for doing these things rather than nagging her to get a job. The young lady added that "we have a cleaning lady for a reason", and also suggested that her parents should get off their fat asses and pour their own coffee.

Her dad, who apparently discovered these thoughts while upgrading his daughter's machine, begs to differ before moving on to the aforementioned enpopment of caps in the hapless laptop. Piling on the punishments, he adds that he expects to bill his daughter both for the software added to the machine and for the cost of the bullets expended in destroying it.

"When you're not grounded again," he adds, "whatever year that turns out to be, you can have a new computer. When you buy one."

The online community seemed broadly to stand behind the enraged, pistol-packing IT dad, with the vid standing at well over 36,000 likes compared to just 3,000 dislikes.

US liberalises visa procedures for Chinese

2012-02-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

The US has liberalised visa procedures for non-immigrant Chinese as it stepped up efforts to woo more tourists to help its ailing economy.

Starting next Monday, qualified non-immigrant Chinese applicants to the US can renew their visas without undergoing another interview if their visas expired less than 48 months ago.

The scheme was launched under a pilot programme announced yesterday by US Ambassador Gary Locke, state-run China Daily reported today.

US consular officers handled over a million visa applications from China in 2011, a 34 per cent increase. The growth rate accelerated to 48 per cent in the last three months of 2011.

Now almost 90 per cent of non-immigrant applications from Chinese nationals are approved, Charles Bennett, minister- counsellor for consular affairs at the US embassy, said.

Chinese tourists to the US, on average, spend more than USD 6,000 per trip, compared with about USD 4,000 spent by all other international travellers, according to statistics from the US Department of Commerce.

More than 800,000 Chinese visitors contributed USD five billion to the US economy in 2010.

The new initiative includes B (temporary visitors for business and pleasure), C1 (transit), F (students), J (exchange visitors) and other categories, covering 95 per cent of the total visas issued by the US embassy and consulates across China, according to Locke.

The previous policy only allowed an interview waiver within 12 months of the expiration date.

"We expect that this will benefit tens of thousands of applicants in China, saving them time and money, and making it easier for them to travel to the United States more frequently," Locke said.

On January 19, US President Barack Obama signed an executive order to significantly increase travel and tourism to the US, with the goal of increasing visa-processing capacity in China by up to 40 per cent in 2012.

This goal, combined with previous measures announced by the US embassy to streamline the application process to allow Chinese applicants to be interviewed in a more efficient manner, is the country's latest effort to attract more visitors from emerging economies, such as China, to boost the ailing US economy, the report said.

"We find that once a country relaxes its visa policy for Chinese tourists, it usually produces immediate results in the growth of visitor numbers," Jiang Yiyi, director of China Tourism Academy's International Tourism Development Institute, said.

Locke, however, did not respond directly to a question on whether this initiative was aimed at boosting the US economy. The pilot programme does not apply to first-time applicants.

Soundtrack to a re-election: Obama's playlist unveiled

2012-02-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

The soundtrack to Barack Obama's re-election campaign has been unveiled, and it reveals the political condundrum faced by his image makers.

Barack Obama's re-election soundtrack has been unveiled

The President must walk a thin line in the run up to November's election, empathising with voters haunted by tough economic times, while still pushing home the message that he is improving things, and making it clear that there is hope for a better future.

Mr Obama's eclectic playlist contains music by campaign-trail perennials like U2, the usual gritty ballad from Bruce Springsteen and soul classics reflecting his crossover racial appeal by Aretha Franklin and Nicole Willis.

British rockers Electric Light Orchestra's song "Mr Blue Sky" is included, with the lyrics "There ain't a cloud in sight, it's stopped rainin' ... it's a brand new day" presumably inspiring hope.

For an obligatory dose of patriotism country music star Dierks Bentley and his song "Home" will be a sentimental appeal to small-town American values in tough times.

Bruce Springsteen, who headlined rallies for 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry and also featured in Obama's inauguration concert in 2009, will also boom out of Mr Obama campaign speakers.

The Boss's new song "We Take Care of Our Own" debunks patriotic delusions like some of his 1970s classics like "Born In the USA" and references the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

"I've been stumbling on good hearts turned to stone/The road of good intentions has gone dry as a bone," Springsteen sings.

In 2008, Mr Obama used to bound on stage to U2's "City of Blinding Lights" and he will use the Irish icons again this year to suggest a second term could be better than the first, with the song "Even Better than the Real Thing."

Mr Obama's list is rounded out by stars like James Taylor, REO Speedwagon, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Ricky Martin, Ray Lamontagne and Noah and the Whale.

And the Al Green hit "Let's Stay Together" which Mr Obama crooned at a recent fundraising event in New York, causing a YouTube sensation, is also included.

In 2008, Mr Obama trumped his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton after a primary victory with Steve Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered".

Vitamins To Cure Depression

2012-02-10T03:44:00.000-08:00

Depression is a state of mind which exhausts not only body of a person but his mental well being as well. Vitamins are very beneficial in the case of depression as they help in keeping it at bay.

Empirical researches have also shown certain vitamins to be extremely effective in clinical depression.

A number of recent studies have inspired psychiatrists and doctors to prescribe Vitamin rich dietary supplements for the patients suffering from mild as well as severe depressions like bipolar syndrome, personality disorder or even schizophrenia.

Vitamins regulate hormone creation and help in proper functioning of our internal organs. Hormone secretion is extremely beneficial in sustaining physical and emotional balance in human being.

Vitamin C and E in depression
Free radicals are the major cause of cognitive dysfunction. Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are known to combat these radicals in the body. Regular intake of Vitamin C and E could definitely reduce impact of free radicals on the patient’s mind. Again a high level of vanadium is found among people suffering from excessive depression. Vitamin C is found helpful in controlling vanadium during depression.

Vitamin B in depression
Excess of stress could trigger depression. Vitamin B (folateare) is an age old remedy for combating stress and other depression related symptoms.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is beneficial for nervous system as it helps in cellular respiration. The chemical change that takes place due to intake of B3 helps in boosting memory and regulating sex hormone.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) helps molding enzymes and converting nutrients into energy. This helps in building serotonin, melatonin and dopamine. Deficiency of Vitamin B6 results in unbalanced immunity and excess of mental chaos.

Other B group vitamins such as B3 and B12 are also equally effective in cognitive disorder. The whole Vitamin B group is effective in curbing depression and is recommended in the diet supplements of people suffering from mild or severe depressive disorders.

Although vitamins are essentially helpful in combating depression, it is advisable to add their intake after properly consulting one’s psychiatrist or doctor.

Here's What Your Health Care Future Holds

2012-02-10T03:43:00.000-08:00

The first expert you ask for medical advice in 2025 may not be your doctor. Instead, perhaps you'll consult your health avatar, a digital assistant that knows your entire health history and makes personalized recommendations.

It's one of many possibilities for what primary care could look like in 13 years, according to "Primary Care 2025: A Scenario Exploration," a new report by the Institute for Alternative Futures, a nonprofit think tank based in Alexandria, Va.

The institute worked with 50 health care experts to create four scenarios of the future, each one based on different assumptions. Funded by a grant from the Kresge Foundation, the project shows how a wide range of social, political and economic issues could affect health care and health insurance coverage. It also makes recommendations to achieve the best future.

"You don't have the future air-dropped on you 10 years from now," says Eric Meade, the institute's vice president and senior futurist. "The future depends on actions you take along the way."

The scenarios range from a grim prediction of desperation to hopeful outlooks for a well-functioning health care system.

"It's when we're able to acknowledge our fears and focus on aspirations that we're able to create the future we would prefer," Meade says.

Here's a look at where things stand now and some of the best and worst possible outcomes for the future, according to the report.

Avatars provide more primary care

Now: Companies market a variety of online health and wellness programs and applications to help consumers track and improve their health.

Future best case: You still see doctors, but largely take care of yourself with the help of a digital avatar, which gives dependable advice based on your health data. You also learn by connecting with people who have similar conditions through social health networks.

Future worst case: Avatars vary widely in quality. Some companies market products to patients using free, low-quality avatars. This eventually leads to tragedy. In 2020, some 3,000 people die after taking their avatars’ advice and using an herbal product that causes a lethal interaction with their prescription medications. Regulators and industry associations promise safety of give-away avatars will improve, but many people continue to distrust virtual doctors.

Upscale practices charge yearly fees

Now: Concierge medicine includes upscale primary care practices that charge a yearly fee, or retainer, for enhanced care, such as cell phone access to your doctor, access to a suite of comprehensive tests and screening (including tests your insurance company wouldn’t cover), and personalized health coaching.

Future best case: Concierge medicine continues to provide cutting-edge care to the very rich. Innovations that are developed in these practices are adopted everywhere, so eventually all patients benefit.

Future worst case: The gap in the quality of care between rich and poor widens. The rich get great care. Most low-income Americans lucky enough to have coverage have high-deductible catastrophic health insurance plans and have to pay out of pocket for most of their care. Medicare and Medicaid patients face long lines.

Medical records go electronic

Now: Despite predictions in the 1980s that all medical records would be electronic by now, many health care providers are still converting from paper.

Future best case: Sophisticated electronic medical record systems reduce costs and improve care. Your record includes health data and information about your genetics, stress level, injury history, and social and economic circumstances to help doctors tailor treatment. Smartphone apps monitor your diet, physical activity and sleep patterns, which produces data you can enter into your record.

Future worst case: Poor people are stuck with an early version of electronic medical records, which includes limited billing and administrative information but doesn't improve care.

Primary care doctor shortage impacts care

Now: Medical experts have been warning for years about a shortage of primary care doctors because too few medical students have been choosing the field and instead going into more lucrative specialties.

Future best case: Technology that helps patients care for themselves, along with a team approach to care -- including nurses, social workers and community health workers -- mitigates the shortage of primary care doctors.

Future worst case: Many doctors, nurses and pharmacists work into their 70s, and there are not enough of them to go around. A black market thrives with unlicensed caregivers diagnosing and doing minor surgeries on patients desperate for care.

Health insurance exchanges emerge

Now: States are developing health insurance exchanges -- markets for individuals and small groups to buy health insurance. Exchanges will play a major role in health care starting in 2014, when virtually everyone is required to have health insurance under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the federal health care reform law.

Future best case: The health insurance exchanges expand the range of health insurance options, and almost everyone has health insurance.

Future worst case: The health insurance exchanges are unsuccessful in most states, prompting Congress to delay the mandate requiring everyone to have health insurance.

Illegal bronzing agent known as 'Barbie drug' can be fatal

2012-02-10T03:42:00.001-08:00

Nicknamed "the Barbie drug", Melanotan II promises to make users "tanned, thin and turned on", but doctors warned it could also prove to be fatal.

Initially popular with bodybuilders, the injectable drug is used by models, brides-to-be, actresses and others seeking an instant tan.

A 10mg vial of the synthetic hormone which increases the levels of melanin -- the skin's darker pigment -- can be bought online for $40.

But Australian Medical Association board member Dr Richard Kidd urged people to be cautious because the full extent of the drug's dangers remained untested.

It had been banned in Canada and throughout Europe after reported side effects including nausea, flushing, the darkening of freckles, high blood pressure, scarring, suppressed appetite, spontaneous erections and increased libido.

"People should not be messing with something that's unproven and theoretically increases the risk of skin cancers, particularly melanomas," Dr Kidd said. "You might end up accidentally killing yourself.

"There haven't been any proper clinical studies done on humans. They're putting dollars before people's lives."

Last year the Therapeutic Goods Administration banned Australians from buying it overseas for personal use without a prescription.

But that did not stop sales and the drug is still freely promoted and available online to Australians.

One distributor, Pure Peptides, is listed as being based in Australia and the US and claims it was flooded with more than 10,000 orders in the past year. Another, Pure Melanotan, even boasts an Australian distribution centre.

"All Australian orders are shipped from our local Australian distribution center via Australian Post Express, No Customs & No Duties or fees," its website says.

Both companies were unavailable for comment.

The TGA said it was unaware of any Australian warehouses but warned supplying the drug in Australia could be an offence under state and federal laws.

"It continues to be unlawful for Melanotan to be imported and sold on a commercial basis," a spokeswoman said.

"In addition it is now unlawful to import Melanotan for personal use unless the substance is prescribed by a medical practitioner registered in Australia."

US Marines posed with banner of Nazi SS

2012-02-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

A US Marine sniper team posed with a flag emblazoned with the symbol of the Nazi SS while on duty in Afghanistan, the Pentagon has admitted.

The logo resembling that of the notorious Nazi SS appeared in a photograph of US Marines taken in the Sangin district of Afghanistan in 2010

A photograph leaked onto the internet showed the heavily-armed troops crouching in front of the banner as it hung below the American flag.

The lightning symbol, once worn by the unit tasked with the extermination of Europe's Jews, sparked immediate outrage and put the Marines back on the defensive just weeks after an online video showed troops from a different unit urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters.

The photograph was reportedly taken in September 2010 by members of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion at a base in the Sangin district of Helmand province.

It was brought to the attention of the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force's Inspector General in November of last year and the troops were immediately ordered to stop using the symbol.

The Pentagon refused to say whether the Marines involved had been disciplined, saying it was matter for commanders at their base in Camp Pendleton, California.

While the battalion has been redeployed to Afghanistan, none of the soldiers in the photograph are still serving with it.

A second picture, reportedly taken before 2004, showed a marine sniper with an SS symbol carved into the side of the his rifle.

A spokeswoman said the icon had been used by the troops to identify themselves as scout snipers, a designation unique to the Marine Corps, and was never intended to have Nazi connotations.

In a statement the Corps said: "Certainly, the use of the 'SS runes' is not acceptable and scout snipers have been addressed concerning this issue. 'SS runes' are prohibited from use as a symbol or any other use."

"Rest assured, the Marine Corps does not allow the use of 'SS runes'."

The SS or Schutzstaffel originated as a personal bodyguard to Adolph Hitler but rose to become one of the most feared organisations in the Third Reich. Under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler, the unit acted as the supreme enforcer of loyalty to the regime and manned the concentration camps.

Scientists reach underground lake that could "transform the way we think about life"

2012-02-09T18:58:00.001-08:00

It has lain, silent and unseen, buried under miles of ice for 20 million years. Now, after more than two decades of drilling, Russian scientists have reached the pristine surface of a gigantic freshwater lake - Lake Vostok in Antarctica - and what they find there could change everything.

The Vostock research camp in Antarctica

The vast depths of Lake Vostok could hold life from the distant past, or clues to the search for life on other planets. Scientists have described reaching the lake as "a meeting with the unknown".

"In the simplest sense, it can transform the way we think about life," Nasa's chief scientist Waleed Abdalati told The Associated Press by email.

As such, researchers have been wildly anticipating the break-through for years.

There are hopes it will allow a glimpse into microbial life forms that existed before the Ice Age, or precious evidence of what conditions must be like on the ice-crust moons of Jupiter and Saturn, or under Mars' polar ice caps - and whether life could survive there.

Valery Lukin, the head of Russia's Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) in charge of the mission, said Wednesday that his team reached the lake's surface Sunday.

"There is no other place on Earth that has been in isolation for more than 20 million years," Lev Savatyugin, a researcher with the AARI who was involved in preparing the mission, told The Associated Press.

"It's a meeting with the unknown."

Savatyugin said that scientists hope to find primeval bacteria that could expand the human knowledge of the origins of life.

"We need to see what we have here before we send missions to ice-crust moons, like Jupiter's moon Europa," he said.

The project, however, has drawn strong fears that 60 metric tons (66 tons) of lubricants and antifreeze used in the drilling may contaminate the pristine lake, which is roughly the size of Lake Ontario in Canada.

The Russian researchers have insisted that the bore would only slightly touch the lake's surface and a surge in pressure will send the water rushing up the shaft where it will freeze, immediately sealing out the toxic chemicals.

Lukin said in a statement that about 1.5 cubic metres of kerosene and freon poured into tanks on the surface from the boreshaft, proof that the lake water streamed from beneath, froze, and blocked the hole.

The scientists will later remove the frozen sample for analysis in December when the next Antarctic summer comes.

Lake Vostok, about 3.8 kilometres (2.4 miles) beneath the surface, is the largest in a web of nearly 400 known subglacial lakes in Antarctica.

Scientists in other nations hope to follow up with similar projects.

Researchers believe that microbial life may exist in the dark depths of the lake despite high pressure and constant cold - conditions similar to those expected to be found under ice crust on Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's move Enceladus.

Anonymous’ hacks Syrian president’s email with ’12345′ password

2012-02-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

Unknown members of the hacker collective “Anonymous” reportedly broke into the private email account of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad this week and learned that the embattled dictator is not one much for electronic security.

That’s because he picked the second-weakest password around: “12345,” according to documents published by Israeli news magazine Haaretz. Security researchers say the only password that’s weaker is “password.”

The “12345″ password was not just on al-Assad’s computer: documents show it was also used by several others in the Syrian Ministry of Presidential Affairs, accessed by “Anonymous” this week.

Emails allegedly obtained from 78 inboxes revealed the government’s messaging strategy ahead of al-Assad’s recent interview with U.S. journalist Barbara Walters. During that interview, Walters called al-Assad a “dictator by accident” who’s really a “mild mannered ophthalmologist.”

Emails revealed by “Anonymous” showed that many of his lines were rehearsed, and that he gave canned responses about violence in the country and their refusal to allow foreign journalists in.

The Walters interview took place shortly after the United Nations estimated that Syrian death squads had killed over 4,000 protesters in demonstrations against al-Assad, including over 300 children.

That toll has risen to more than 6,000 as of Feb. 7, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. At least 15,000 have been severely injured, the group estimates, and approximately 1,000 Syrian soldiers have died in the fighting, which many see as a burgeoning civil war.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that the interview “either says that he’s completely lost any power that he had within Syria — that he’s simply a tool — or that he’s completely disconnected with reality.”

Laser-switched magnetic storage is 1,000 times faster than current hard drives

2012-02-09T08:08:00.001-08:00

Hold onto your hats: An international team of scientists working in England, Russia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands have completely rewritten the rules of magnetic storage. Instead of switching a magnetic region using a magnetic field (like a hard drive head), the researchers have managed to switch a ferrimagnetic nanoisland using lasers. Storing magnetic data using lasers is up to 1,000 times faster than writing to a conventional hard drive.

To achieve this, the researchers created ferrimagnetic nanoislands (pictured above) out of an alloy of iron and gadolinium (a rare earth metal). When these nanoislands are struck by a 60-femtosecond laser (0.06 picoseconds, or 0.00006 nanoseconds) their magnetism switches (pictured below). If you know a little about the science of magnetism, you’ll know that this behavior is rather funky as we usually associate heat with destroying magnetism, rather than switching it.

In total, it takes a nanoisland five picoseconds to switch state (from binary 0 to binary 1). By comparison, it takes about one nanosecond to switch the value of a magnetic region on a hard drive platter. In other words, we are looking at a storage technique that’s about 1,000 times faster than current hard drives. Instead of storing hundreds of megabytes per second, the use of femtosecond lasers would enable the transfer of gigabytes or terabytes per second.

That’s not all! Current hard drive platters have a density of around three terabits per square inch, but nanoislands are so small that you could cram in 53 terabits per square inch. Instead of a terabyte per platter, we would be looking at 15 terabytes per platter and 45TB hard drives. Apparently femtosecond lasers are more efficient than spinning a hard drive head around at thousands of RPM, too, though the researchers don’t give any hard figures.

Finally, though, it’s worth noting that the scientists only discuss how to write data, not read. Ferrimagnets, like antiferromagnets, don’t generally have a magnetic field. In other words, York’s nanoisland storage medium can’t simply replace a hard drive platter. At the moment, data is probably read using a scanning tunneling electron microscope — and for the time being, they’re still very much room-sized devices.

Statistical model unlocks barriers to use of fingerprint evidence in court

2012-02-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Potentially key fingerprint evidence is currently not being considered due to shortcomings in the way it is reported, according to a report published today in Significance, the magazine of the Royal Statistical Society and the American Statistical Association. Researchers involved in the study have devised a statistical model to enable the weight of fingerprint evidence to be quantified, paving the way for its full inclusion in the criminal identification process.

Fingerprints have been used for over a century as a way of identifying criminals. However, fingerprint evidence is not currently permitted to be reported in court unless examiners claim absolute certainty that a mark has been left by a particular suspect. This courtroom certainty is based purely on categorical personal opinion, formed through years of training and experience, but not on logic or scientific data. Less than certain fingerprint evidence is not reported at all, irrespective of the potential weight and relevance of this evidence in a case.

Today's Significance paper, which publishes in advance of the full study in the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A later this year, highlights this subjectivity in current processes, calling for changes in the way such key evidence is allowed to be presented. According to Professor of Statistics Cedric Neumann, "It is unthinkable that such valuable evidence should not be reported, effectively hidden from courts on a regular basis. Such is the importance of this wealth of data, we have devised a reliable statistical model to enable the courts to evaluate fingerprint evidence within a framework similar to that which underpins DNA evidence."

Neumann, from Pennsylvania State University, and his team devised and successfully tested a model for establishing the probability of a print belonging to a particular suspect. After mapping the finer points of detail on a "control print" and "crime scene print", two hypotheses were then tested. The first test, to establish the probability that the crime scene print was made by the owner of the control print (the suspect), compared the control print with a range of other prints made by the suspect. The second test, to establish the probability that the crime scene print was made by someone other than the suspect, compared the crime scene print with a set of prints in a reference database. A likelihood ratio between the two probabilities was calculated; the higher the ratio indicating stronger evidence that the suspect was the source of the crime scene print.

"Current practice allows a state of certainty to be presented which is not justified scientifically, or supported by logical process or data," said Professor Neumann. "We believe that the examiner should not decide what evidence should or should not be presented. Our method allows all evidence to be supported by data, and reported according to a continuous scale."

US ambassador's wife's jewellery worth £6 million recovered

2012-02-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

Jewellery worth £6 million, reported stolen by the wife of a former American ambassador, has turned up after five years in the home of a Dutch hotel maid who mistook the gems for costume jewellery.

Dawn Arnall thought her jewels had been stolen and reported the theft to police in The Hague, insurers then paid out after an investigation failed to find either the jewellery or the thief.

But the two earclips, two rings and two necklaces had been found by a maid who handed it in after spotting a black velvet bag left in the hotel lounge.

After six months in the hotel's lost and found department, waiting to be claimed by its rightful owner, the jewels were handed to the maid, who took them home.

Because of the size of gems, the cleaner assumed for nearly four years that the collection must be costume jewellery, but last October took them to be valued for their expensive looking settings.

The jeweller was then "flabbergasted" to find that jewellery described to him as copies was actually worth £5.9 million, with a five-carat pink diamond in one of the necklaces worth £3.4m alone.

"It would not surprise me if the jeweller is still on a respirator," a Dutch police spokesman joked about the find.

After, putting the gems in the bank vault, the maid went to the police. Mrs Arnall, the original owner, has asked for jewels back and the collection has been returned to the United States insurance that paid out for its loss.

The maid is still hoping that her honesty will be rewarded with a 10 per cent or £585,000 finder fee but the American insurer is under no obligation to pay out.

The ambassador himself, Roland Arnall, died in March 2008, shortly after cutting short his term in office in the Netherlands because of ill health.

Mystery of 200-year-old shipwreck found off US coast

2012-02-09T07:26:00.001-08:00

For two centuries it rested a mile from shore, shrouded by a treacherous reef from the pleasure boaters and beachgoers who haunt New England's southern coast.

Researchers lower an underwater robot to explore the shipwreck

Now, researchers from the US Navy are hoping to confirm what the men who discovered the wreck believe: that the sunken ship off the coast of Rhode Island is the USS Revenge, commanded by Oliver Hazard Perry and lost on a stormy January day in 1811.

"The Revenge was forgotten, it became a footnote," said Charlie Buffum, a brewery owner from Connecticut who found the shipwreck while diving with friend Craig Harger. "We are very confident this is it."

On Wednesday, Buffum and Harger braved the raw weather of Block Island Sound to accompany the researchers as they surveyed the wreck site.

The Navy - along with help from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - is using high-tech sensor equipment to map the site, a first step toward retrieving possible artifacts.

If they're successful, they will illuminate a critical episode in the life of one of the greatest US naval officers - and an enemy of Britain.

Perry is remembered as the Hero of Lake Erie for defeating the British navy in the War of 1812. He was famous for reporting simply "we have met the enemy and they are ours" after the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

Two years earlier, the Revenge and its 25-year-old commander were en route from Rhode Island to Connecticut when the ship hit a reef in heavy fog. The area is infamous for its rocky, tide-swept reefs that lurk just beneath shallow waters.

When the Revenge struck the reef, Perry ordered the crew to dump some of the ship's canons to lighten the load. The mast was cut. But it wasn't enough to free the ship.

The crew abandoned the Revenge, and not a single man died.

Harger and Buffum found the shipwreck six years ago after finding a cannon on the sea bed.

They kept their find a secret for five years as they searched the site for more artifacts.

They remain convinced they found the Revenge. After all, they said, no other ship carrying canons from that period is known to have sunk in the area.

The Navy won't accept their theory until they have evidence that the remains laying up to 15 feet underwater are indeed the Revenge.

"We were of course interested immediately when we heard," said George Schwarz, an underwater archaeologist with the U.S. Navy's History and Heritage Command, which oversees the identification and management of sunken naval vessels. "If it is the USS Revenge, then it's 200 years old and it's an incredibly important part of American history."

Student wears same jeans 15 months

2012-02-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

An Edmonton student wore the same pair of jeans for 15 months without washing — in the name of fashion, and science.

Josh Le, a student at the University of Alberta, wore the same pair of blue jeans for 15 months to test the bacterial count on the raw denim.

Josh Le, who attends the University of Alberta, wore the skin-tight jeans from September 2009 to December 2010 to see how dirty raw denim jeans could get without washing.

Raw denim jeans have no chemicals traditionally used to treat the material.

Le also wanted to personalize the jeans and determine how they would mould to his body.

At the end of the 15 months, Le swabbed the jeans for bacteria. He then put the garb through a washing machine, after which he wore the jeans another two weeks before re-testing.

And the results surprised Le and his professor, Rachel McQueen.

"They were similar," McQueen said of the bacteria count of the freshly washed pair, compared to the prewashing levels. "I expected they would still be much lower than after 15 months."

In all, there were five kinds of skin bacteria in the jeans, and mostly in the crotch area, where between 8,500 and 10,000 bacterial units per square centimetre were found. However, McQueen said because Le was healthy, with no skin problems or cuts, there was no health concern.

Controlling odour was a different concern, Le said, admitting the jeans began to smell after a few months.

He solved that problem, however.

"I triple-bagged them and put them in the freezer," he said.

Washington set to become seventh state to approve gay marriage

2012-02-08T20:33:00.001-08:00

Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage on Wednesday, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the US to allow same-sex couples to wed.

Opponents of Proposition 8, California's anti-gay marriage bill, celebrate outside of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco

The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples.

The Washington House passed the bill on a 55-43 vote. The state Senate approved the measure last week and Democratic Governor Chris Gregoire is expected to sign the measure into law next week.

However, gay couples can't begin walking down the aisle just yet.

The proposal would take effect 90 days after the governor signs, but opponents have promised to fight gay marriage with a ballot measure that would allow voters to overturn the legislative approval.

If opponents gather enough signatures to take their fight to the ballot box, the law would be put on hold pending the outcome of a November election.

Otherwise gay couples could wed starting in June.

Washington state has had domestic partnership laws since 2007, and more than a dozen other states have provisions, ranging from civil unions to gay marriage, supporting same-sex couples.

Gay marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington DC.

Legislators in New Jersey are expected to vote on gay marriage next week, and Maine could see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot.

Proposed amendments to ban gay marriage will be on the ballots in North Carolina in May and in Minnesota in November.

A depressed Army reservist who made a phone call for help says dozens of police responded by surrounding his home and arresting him

2012-02-08T08:25:00.002-08:00

A depressed Army reservist who made a phone call for help says dozens of police responded by surrounding his home and arresting him, vandalizing and searching his place without a warrant, seizing his dog and killing his tropical fish.
Matthew Corrigan, who lives alone with his dog, sued the District of Columbia in D.C. Federal Court.

Confronted with a massive police presence after his plea for help, Corrigan says, he denied officers permission to enter his house, but they entered and trashed it anyway, saying, "I don't have time to play this constitutional bullshit!"

Corrigan says the debacle started on Feb. 2, 2010.
"Corrigan telephoned what he believed to be the 'Military's Emotional Support Hotline' because he was depressed and had not slept for several days," the complaint states.
"The number Corrigan called was in fact the National Suicide Hotline. When he stated that he was a veteran, he was asked if he had firearms, to which he said yes. He said nothing about being suicidal or using a firearm or threatening anyone. After a short conversation, Corrigan hung up, turned off the phone, took prescribed sleeping medication, and went to bed.
"At approximately 4 a.m. in the morning of Feb. 3, 2010, Corrigan awoke because he heard his name being called over a bullhorn. There were floodlights outside his front and back doors and an estimated 8 police officers in the back yard and 20 in the front yard.

"Corrigan turned on his phone and found that Officer Fischer of the 5th District was calling him, asking him to come out, which he did at about 4:50 a.m., locking the door behind him. He was handcuffed and put in the back of a SWAT truck.

"When Officer John Doe I (upon information and belief, Officer John Doe I is Lieutenant Robert Glover) asked Corrigan for the key to his apartment, he informed the officer: 'There is no way I am giving you consent to enter my place.' Officer John Doe I stated: 'I don't have time to play this constitutional bullshit!' and ordered that Officers John Does II-V, members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), enter the apartment." (Parentheses in complaint).
Corrigan says police took him to a VA hospital, broke his front door and entered his apartment without a warrant, where they confiscated his guns, vandalized his place and took his dog to an animal shelter.
"Although the officers had no information that there were explosives in Corrigan's home and the home had been secured, John Does VI-X, the Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team, entered Corrigan's home without a warrant and searched for explosives," the complaint states. "The EOD team opened closed containers and used X-ray equipment to search closed containers.
"After the initial warrantless search, the EOD team brought in a dog to search for firearms.

"During the search of Corrigan's home, John Does II-XV seized three firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition for those firearms and others. The three firearms were a rifle, which was unloaded and trigger-locked in a locked hard-side container under his bed, a hand gun which was in a hard case in a drawer in the closet, and another handgun which was in a zipped bag on the shelf at the bottom of a clothes rack (pillows and blankets were on top and next to the bag). The locked cases were taken but the broken latches were left on the floor. The ammunition was stored in a sealed plastic crate and the rest was in boxes, in their original packing, in a milk crate, which was stored under a sleeping bag in a utility closet.

"Corrigan's eyeglasses were broken and thrown in a corner." (Parentheses in complaint).
Corrigan says he spent three days in the VA hospital, because "having weapons pointed at him upon leaving his apartment triggered his PTSD hyper-vigilance and caused irregular heartbeat."
After he was released from the hospital and determined not to be a suicide risk, Corrigan says, police arrested him and put him in jail, where he remained for almost 2 weeks.
"When Corrigan returned to his apartment 16 days after being seized, he found that John Does I-XV had left the front door unlocked and unsecured, had left the electric stove on, had cut open every zipped bag, had dumped every box and drawer, had broken locked boxes from under the bed and the closet, and emptied shelves into piles in each room. All his tropical fish in his 150 gallon aquarium were dead."
Corrigan seeks more than $500,000 in damages for constitutional violations.

Last surviving veteran of First World War dies aged 110

2012-02-08T08:25:00.001-08:00

Mrs Green passed away in her sleep at a care home in Norfolk just two weeks before her 111th birthday.

The great-grandmother signed up to the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) 93 years ago in September 1918, when she was aged just 17.

She was the last surviving person to have served in WWI following the death of British-born sailor Claude Choules in Australia last year.

During the First World War she worked at Narborough Airfield and RAF Marham, Norfolk, as an Officer's Mess steward.

Mrs Green, who was born in London, lived with her daughter May, 90, in King's Lynn, Norfolk, but had moved into Briar House care home shortly before Christmas where she died on Saturday.

Her family paid tribute to the veteran, describing her as "a great woman".

Her daughter May said: "She so nearly made it to her 111th birthday. It is very sad. We are grateful for all the nice tributes."

Mrs Green's younger daughter June Evetts, from Oundle, Northants., 76, said: "I'm very proud of her and she was very proud of the recognition she received."

Mrs Green spent her war days working ''all hours'' serving officers breakfast, lunch and dinner and would often spend time wandering the base simply ''admiring the pilots''.

Before her death she said: ''I enjoyed my time in the WRAF. There were plenty of people at the airfields where I worked and they were all very good company.

''I would work every hour God sent but I had dozens of friends on the base and we had a great deal of fun in our spare time. In many ways I had the time of my life.

''I met dozens of pilots and would go on dates. I had the opportunity to go up in one of the planes but I was scared of flying.

''It was a lovely experience and I'm very proud.''

Her story came to light after Andrew Holmes, a British correspondent for the US-based Gerontology Research Group, traced her name using the National Archive.

Mr Holmes tracks and validates the ages of people over 110 and also keeps track of British men and women who are older than 107.

He was stunned to locate a service record on the National Archive for Florence Beatrice Patterson, the grandmother's maiden name.

Mr Holmes traced the records further and was surprised to find Florence had joined the WRAF in September 1918 - two months before the war ended on November 11, 1918.

He said: ''It's a common misconception that a veteran must be someone who saw action or fighting in the trenches.

''A veteran is someone who served in one of the Armed forces, regardless of their role - a medic, an ambulance driver or a waitress - they all count.

''Obviously the last surviving veterans of any war are likely to be the youngest and therefore would not have served long.''

Last May the only living male First World War combat veteran, British-born sailor Claude Choules, died in Australia at the age of 110.

Britain's last survivor of the First World War trenches Harry Patch - known as 'The Last Tommy' - who died in July 2009 aged 111.

RAF Squadron Leader Paula Willmot said RAF Marham, where Mrs Green was stationed for seven months, would pay its respects to the veteran "in true style".

She said: "We will be supporting the family at the funeral. We are sending a number of our stewards as a tribute to her.

"We kept in contact with her and visited her just before Christmas to give her a Christmas cake, which she was delighted with.

"We were due to visit her on Friday to celebrate her 111th birthday. It is a very sad occassion, but what an amazing woman.

"She is very much a Norfolk lass. We have very good memories of her. RAF Marham will be paying its respects in true style."

Florence celebrated her 110th birthday on February 19, last year with her daughter May, who was her full-time carer.

She is also survived by her son Bob, 86, who lives in Edinburgh, and four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was married to husband Walter, a railway porter in 1920, for 50 years until his death in 1970.

Andrew Holmes, UK correspondent for the Gerontology Research Group, confirmed Mrs Green was the only remaining WW1 veteran in the world.

He said: "I am saddened by her death. Florence was the sixth oldest person in the UK and the only remaining WW1 veteran in the world."

Sian Taylor, deputy manager of Briar House care home in King's Lynn, Norfolk, said Mrs Green "always had a smile on her face."

She said: "Florence came to us on November 23 last year. She was a lovely, very well mannered woman and she always had a smile on her face.

"She was immobile, but would talk about the old days to the carers and other residents who would visit her in her room.

"A carer took her some water at 5am on Saturday and sadly found she had died in her sleep."

CCTV police officer 'chased himself' after being mistaken for burglar

2012-02-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

The junior officer, who has not been named, was monitoring an area hit by a series of burglaries in an unnamed market town in the country’s south.

As the probationary officer from Sussex Police searched for suspects, the camera operator radioed that he had seen someone “acting suspiciously” in the area.

But he failed to realise that it was actually the plain-clothed officer he was watching on the screen, according to details leaked to an industry magazine.

The operator directed the officer, who was on foot patrol, as he followed the "suspect" on camera last month, telling his colleague on the ground that he was "hot on his heels".

The officer spent around 20 minutes giving chase before a sergeant came into the CCTV control room, recognised the “suspect” and laughed hysterically at the mistake.

The details of the operation blunder were leaked to Police magazine, which is published by the Police Federation, this week by a senior officer who witnessed the embarrassing incident.

Sussex police were unable to provide further details of the incident, the officers involved or where it occurred.

The anonymous officer, believed to be the PC's sergeant, told the monthly magazine: "An officer who joined a team in Sussex as a new probationary officer was soon very keen to do any plain-clothes operations and be as proactive as possible.

"He would be waiting at the end of his shift hoping to be unleashed for a further couple of hours of plain-clothes duties.

"On one such occasion in a little market town in Sussex which has suffered a spate of town centre shop break-ins, officers were on plain-clothed foot patrol when a report was received of a suspect male in one of the side roads.”

"The CCTV operator soon had the suspect on camera and everywhere he saw the male the keen PC was on his heels – radioing in to say he was in the same street.”

He added: "Every time the man darted in to another side alleyway, the PC was turning immediately into the same alleyway, but every time the CCTV operator asked what he could see there was no trace."

It was at this point that the sergeant entered the control room where he recognised the junior officer.

"With the sergeant's sides aching from laughter he pointed out to the PC that the operator had been watching him unaware that he was a pain-clothes officer – thus the PC had been chasing himself round the streets."

A police source told : "We've had a couple of funnies lately, but all taken in good spirit."

On Tuesday night a spokesman for the force, which has about 3000 officers, could not provide any further details on the operation due to a lack of information.

He added: “Policing is often a serious business, so we all enjoy moments of light relief.

“This story was shared anonymously with the Police Federation magazine, so unfortunately without the date or location, confirming the details and locating the officer is harder for us than it was for the CCTV operator.”

Analysis: Santorum victory means Republicans still have not lost their hearts to Romney

2012-02-08T06:32:00.001-08:00

Mitt Romney's march to a possible Republican presidential nomination just got a lot longer and harder.

Rick Santorum's victories last night are a blow for Romney - and the Republicans

Front-runner Mr Romney left Tuesday's round of three nominating contests with another reminder of his own shortcomings, after a two-state winning streak that had placed him firmly in the driver's seat in the nomination race.

Bad losses to rival Rick Santorum in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota raised more questions about whether conservative Republicans are ready to give their hearts to a millionaire former Massachusetts governor who once supported abortion rights and a government requirement that people have health insurance.

Mr Romney may still be the front-runner in the race to pick the Republican candidate to challenge President Barack Obama in the November 6 US election. But nothing is coming easily for him in this most volatile of Republican nominating races.

"This shows Republicans are not ready yet to just automatically pull the lever for Mitt Romney," Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said. "He still has to seal the deal."

The next big showdowns will be in Michigan and Arizona on February 28. Mr Romney grew up in Michigan, where his father was a former governor and car executive, and Arizona could be another high-stakes showdown similar to Florida.

"He wanted to run through February and roll into Super Tuesday as the presumptive nominee, and that's just not going to happen now," Republican strategist Ford O'Connell said. "This is a wake-up call for Romney, but it's not the end-all."

Super Tuesday is March 6, with contests in 10 states.

Mr Romney's campaign will try to paint Mr Santorum, a former US senator from Pennsylvania, as another old Washington hand who backed big government spending during his time in Congress.

"I think we'll see differences in approach that will be explored," Romney senior adviser Stuart Stevens told reporters in Denver. "I just don't think it's a time when people are looking to Washington to solve problems with Washington."

Mr Romney, a former head of a private equity firm, has touted his business experience as the cure for an ailing economy in states like Florida and Nevada, where high unemployment and depressed housing markets made the economy a top concern.

But in Midwestern states like Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota - all won by Mr Santorum - that has not been enough to sell a more rural and conservative electorate.

Mr Romney also could face second-guessing about his post-Florida strategy. He demolished Newt Gingrich there last week with a wave of negative attack ads, but since has largely ignored Mr Gingrich and Mr Santorum to aim his criticism at President Barack Obama.

He also largely skipped campaigning in Missouri and Minnesota to focus instead on Colorado, which he won in 2008 and was expected to win on Tuesday.

"Team Romney might need to tweak its strategy. So far they've been successful in going negative on their opponents and touting his business experience," Mr O'Connell said.

"But obviously Republican primary voters are hungry for something more. A lot of folks see him as a single-issue candidate right now," he said.

Mr Santorum has been happy to stay out of the mud-slinging battle between his two rivals and portray himself as the issue-oriented true conservative in the race.

Mr Romney's campaign began lobbing criticism at Mr Santorum over the past two days, hitting him for backing spending bills and local spending projects known as earmarks when he served in the Senate.

Mr Romney's campaign still seems confident its financial and organizational muscle will be enough to ultimately win the nomination, even if the conservative base is not enthralled.

He has far outpaced his Republican rivals in raising money, with nearly $57 million brought in by his campaign and $30 million raised by the pro-Romney "Super PAC."

Sensing he was headed for a bad night, the campaign sent reporters a memo on Tuesday outlining why he would win the nomination in August even if he stumbled on Tuesday.

"Governor Romney will be competing across the country and collecting delegates in state after state, even if other candidates pick up some wins," Romney's political director Rich Beeson said.

In an interview with conservative radio host Scott Hennen earlier this week, Mr Romney shared his vision of how the campaign would play out, and it did not include a primary campaign that lasts all the way to the convention in August when the nominee formally will be named.

"Most likely, the party regulars will surround one of the people who they think has the best chance of beating Barack Obama, and start raising money for the general election," Mr Romney said.

But a confident Romney campaign had expected February would be a good month, too, with many of the contests coming in states he won in 2008 - including Minnesota and Colorado.

While Mr Romney had not campaigned in Missouri or Minnesota, the loss in Colorado, where he spent the last two days, was harder to shrug off.

"Losing Colorado is a five-alarm fire for Romney," Mr Bonjean said.

US presidential historian admits stealing letters from George Washington and Marie Antoinette

2012-02-08T06:28:00.001-08:00

A US presidential historian has admitted stealing dozens of historical documents including letters signed by George Washington, Sir Isaac Newton and Marie Antoinette.

Documents signed by George Washington were among those stolen

Barry Landau, 63, admitted he and an assistant, 24-year-old assistant Jason Savedoff, swiped items from museums across the US, and sold selected documents for profit.

The pair face up to five years in prison for their conspiracy and 10 years for the theft.

In Landau's New York apartment, authorities uncovered over 4,000 items traced as being stolen from libraries and museums Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. Among the trove were signatures from Franklin Roosevelt, Napoleon Bonaparte, Karl Marx and others.

The pair were originally indicted last year with the theft of dozens of historical documents, in a spree from December 2010 through July last year upon their arrest.

Landau admitted he researched items to steal and the pair had methodically targeted the repositories and libraries "posing as researchers" for access, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Among the documents Landau and Savedoff stole was a letter dated April 1, 1780, from Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, to American Revolutionary War naval fighter John Paul Jones, which they stole from the New York Historical Society.

The pair also snatched some 60 documents from the H. Furlong Baldwin Library at the Maryland Historical Society in July, taking some 60 documents, including a land grant dated June 1, 1861, to a soldier from the Maryland Militia who fought in the War of 1812, and signed by president Abraham Lincoln.

That document was valued in excess of $100,000, officials said.

Landau, who claimed to be "America's Presidential Historian," has made regular TV appearances discussing presidential issues. His website claims "personal relationships" with presidents and their families, and shows him photographed with five US presidents.

His collection of presidential memorabilia contained over a million items, including 26,000 presidential menus and invitations, according to the website.

Landau's sentencing was scheduled for May 7, but no date has been set yet for Savedoff's sentencing.

US drone kills 10 in Pakistan

2012-02-08T06:24:00.001-08:00

American drones have killed as many as 10 people in the first such missile strike since Barack Obama officially acknowledged the covert CIA programme.

The attack is the first since Barack Obama acknowledge the covert CIA programme

the Haqqani network to launch operations against international forces across the border in Afghanistan, according to local intelligence officials.

"Two missiles were fired on a compound killing at least 10 in a house believed to be in the use of militants," said an intelligence official.

Foreign fighters may have been among the dead in the village of Tappi about 10 miles from the main town of Miranshah, he added.

The US had long declined to comment on the use of unmanned drones against militant targets in Pakistan.

The programme is hugely controversial and blamed by Pakistani politicians for turning tribesmen into Jihadis.

However, last month Mr Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize shortly after taking office, confirmed that the US was using unmanned aircraft in the skies over Pakistan.

"For the most part, they've been very precise precision strikes against al Qaeda and their affiliates, and we're very careful in terms of how it's been applied," he said in a webchat.

Mr Obama's administration has ramped up the use of drones as ground forces struggle to contain the militant threat in Afghanistan.

Tactics include targeting funeral gatherings and rescuers at the scene of recent attacks, according to research published by the Bureau of Investigative Reporting at the weekend.

The strikes were halted in November last year. Relations between the two allies nosedived in the aftermath of a Nato cross-border raid which killed 24 Pakistani troops.

However, the drones have since restarted their missions even though Pakistan has yet to re-open its roads to Nato supply convoys en route to Afghanistan.

Factbox: Earth's oldest living things

2012-02-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

A seagrass has leapt to the top of the list of oldest known living organisms after being dated as being up to 200,000 years old.

The oldest living beings are all cloning organisms which can reproduce asexually, helping them to avoid damaging mutations and escape parasites.

Aside from the seagrass, the five oldest known living organisms, as listed in the new study, are:

1. King's Lomatia - a Tasmanian plant that is believed to be 43,600 years old

2. Box huckleberry – also known as box-leaved whortleberry, a low North American shrub that is more than 13,000 years old

3. Creosote bush - a plant common in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts of North America that is more than 11,000 years old

4. Quaking aspen – also known as white poplar, a tree native to cooler areas of North America that is more than 10,000 yearsn old

5. Black Spruce - a species of spruce native to northern North America that is more than 1,800 years old.

Health Benefits of Mangos

2012-02-07T02:42:00.000-08:00

A comfort food. Mangos really can make you feel better! Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and can be held partially responsible for that feeling of contentment we experience during and after our daily mango ritual. Yes, it is quite natural to crave those mangos!

Mango, both in its green and ripe form is a very good tenderizing agent due to these same enzymes, therefore ideal to include in any marinade (see Mango Marinade under Sauces category in our Recipe Guide). In India they use a sour mango powder containing ground up green mangos called Amchur, both as a seasoning and tenderizing aid.

We all know the importance of fiber in our diets. If you are eating your mango-a-day, irregularity is not a problem for you and so we'll spare the gruesome details regarding constipation, piles and spastic colon. Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially with regards to the heart; may help prevent certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels. An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. For those of you who are physically active, whether working out or constantly on the go, mangos are also a great way to replenish that lost potassium. Deliciously rich in anti-oxidants, potassium and fiber - the mango is the perfect fruit! Truly 'the king of fruit'.

Mangos are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as a good source of Potassium and contain beta carotene.

Mangos are high in fiber, but low in calories (approx. 110 per average sized mango), fat (only 1 gram) and sodium.

Mangos are a good staple for your daily diet.

5 Stress-busting snacks

2012-02-07T02:41:00.000-08:00

Everyone deals with stress in their own way. Some people work out. Others clean. Still others meditate. But for most of us, when stress strikes, the biggest urge we have is to eat. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, if you learn to snack the right way.

Reduce stress with the right snacks

Stress less snack #1: Chips

What you crave: Potato chips
What you should reach for: Baked tortilla chips and salsa
Salty and crunchy, baked tortilla chips mimic the taste of our potato faves without the added fat and calories. What's more, because they're usually made with corn, they're high in fiber and iron. Dip them in a sweet or tangy salsa (try this homemade salsa) to add a healthful zip (vitamins like vitamin C and magnesium) and you get a heart-healthy snack that's packed with soul-soothing nutrients.

Stress less snack #2: Frozen yogurt

What you crave: Ice cream
What you should reach for: Frozen yogurt
There's nothing quite like a bowl of ice cream to soothe a stressed out soul. The only problem? Ice cream is loaded with a body bloating number of calories and fat. So instead of the creamed variety, why not reach for frozen yogurt? You'll get the same icy-cool buzz with half the fat and calories. And because yogurt is loaded with calcium and tryptophan (which converts to the mood stabilizer serotonin) you're bound to feel better after a few small spoonfuls.

Stress less snack #3: Fruit

What you crave: Fruit juice
What you should reach for: A piece of fresh fruit
Sweet drinks like juice cause your blood sugar levels to spike – and if you're stressed, you'll crash even harder. So instead of a glass of fruit juice, get your sweet fix straight from the source and reach for a piece of fruit or try this fresh fruit salad. It will give you the sweetness you're craving without the crash-and-burn effect of juice (and as an added bonus, fruit is loaded with heart-healthy vitamins and loads of fiber).

Stress less snack #4: Fish

What you crave: Fried chicken
What you should reach for: Baked fish
When you're super stressed, it may seem like a good idea to reach for a savory piece of fried food like chicken – even if you aren't that hungry! But because anything fried is loaded with fat and calories, you'll pay for it in the long run. Instead of sabotaging your diet and ruining your appetite for your next meal, have an early lunch or dinner – bake some fresh breaded fish. You'll save calories, satisfy your need for a real meal, and benefit from the fish's ticker-friendly omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Plus, the lean protein will help stabilize your blood sugar levels, which tend to fluctuate when you are under stress.

Stress less snack #5: Chocolate

What you crave: Chocolate
What you should reach for: Chocolate (there's no substitute!)
Recent studies have proven a heart-healthy bite of this dark and sweet treat can actually help you unwind during high-strung times. That's because chocolate, especially dark chocolate, stimulates the body to release endorphins (a feel good chemical), giving you an all-natural high. And all you need are a few small pieces to feel the calming effects. So the next time you're stressed, let go of the guilt, and have a few small bites of a quality dark chocolate bar. It will ease your stress and do your body good.

Phytonutrients

2012-02-07T02:40:00.000-08:00

Phytochemicals (phytonutrients) from the greek word phyto (meaning "from plants") are neither vitamins nor minerals. Phytochemicals (phyt onutrients) are natural chemical compounds such as beta-carotene that occur naturally in plants that are believed to have positive benefits on health.

Researchers presently estimate that there are 30,000 to 50,000 of these phytochemical (phytonutrients), although only about 1,000 have been isolated so far. Of these, a mere 100 have been analyzed and tested. Some of the well-known phytochemicals (phytonutrients) are lycopene in tomatoes, isoflavones in soy and flavanoids in fruits.

Phytochemical (Phytonutrient) Health Benefits

For many years, researchers have recognized that diets high in fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, seeds, nuts and legumes prevent diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure. They once believed that it was the vitamin, mineral, fiber and enzyme contents of these plant-derived foods that were preventing malnutrition and disease.

However, in the 1990s, phytochemicals (phytonutrients) compounds were discovered and modern science began acknowledging disease-protective elements of phytochemicals (phytonutrients). It is now believe that phytochemicals (phytonutrients) can protect the our 100 trillion cells, tissues, membranes, mitochondria, bloodstream, skin, organs and immune functions from the onslaught of synthetic chemicals, toxins, bacteria, pesticides, viruses, fungi, yeast, microbes, mutagens, food additives, pollution, free radicals, aging and the onslaught of many degenerative diseases. This ever increasing body of research that has brought phytochemicals (phytonutrients) the forefront of serious worldwide nutritional research.

How Phytochemicals (Phytonutrient) Work

There are many phytochemicals and each works differently. These are some possible actions:

Antioxidant actions - Most phytochemicals have antioxidant activity and protect our cells against oxidative damage and reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Phytochemicals with antioxidant activity: allyl sulfides (onions, leeks, garlic), carotenoids (fruits, carrots), flavonoids (fruits, vegetables), polyphenols (tea, grapes).

Anti-bacterial action - The phytochemical allicin from garlic has anti-bacterial properties.

Hormonal action - Isoflavones, found in soy, imitate human estrogens and help to reduce menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis.

Interference with DNA replication - Saponins found in beans interfere with the replication of cell DNA, thereby preventing the multiplication of cancer cells. Capsaicin, found in hot peppers, protects DNA from carcinogens.

Stimulation of enzymes - Indoles, which are found in cabbages, stimulate enzymes that make the estrogen less effective and could reduce breast cancer rsik. Other phytochemicals, which interfere with enzymes, are protease inhibitors (soy and beans), terpenes (citrus fruits and cherries).

Physical action - Some phytochemicals bind physically to cell walls thereby preventing the adhesion of pathogens to human cell walls. Proanthocyanidins are responsible for the anti-adhesion properties of cranberry. Consumption of cranberries will reduce the risk of urinary tract infections and will improve dental health.

Phytochemicals (Phytonutrients) Sources

Some of the most well-known phytochemicals (phytonutrients) are lycopene in tomatoes, isoflavones in soy and flavanoids in fruits. Other sources of phytochemicals (phytonutrients) include:

Fruits

apricots
bee pollen
dark colored berries (e.g., bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, elderberry, hawthorn, loganberry and raspberry and strawberry etc.)
dark plums
grapefruit
guava
mango
oranges
peach
pink grapefruit
purple grapes
red grapes
red oranges
watermelon

Vegetables

Avocado
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Collard greens
Corn
Kale
Leek
Parsley
Peas
Red beets
Red peppers
Non-GMO (non genetically engineered) soy sprouts
Soy beans
Non-GMO fermented soy (miso, natto, tempeh)
Spinach
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnip greens
Watercress
Yams
Zucchini

Nuts, seeds and grains

Raw nuts (e.g., peanuts)
Raw seeds (flax seeds, pumpkin seeds etc.)
Legumes
Whole grains (e.g., wheat, flax, rice bran)

Herbs

Basil
Black pepper
Coriander
Ginger
Rosemary
Turmeric

Herb Extracts

Bilberry
Ginkgo biloba
Ginseng
Grape seed
Grape skin
Green tea
Milk thistle

List of Phytochemicals (Phytonutrients)

Alkaloids

Caffeine
Theobromine
Theophylline

Anthocyanins

Cyanidin
Malvidin

Carotenoids

Beta-Carotene
Lutein
Lycopene

Coumestans

Flavanolls

Flavonoids

Epicatechin
Hesperidin
Isorhamnetin

Monoterpenes

Geraniol
Limonene

Organosulfides

Allicin
Glutathione
Indole-3-Carbinol
Isothiocyanates
Sulforaphane

Phenolic Acids

Capsaicin
Ellagic acid
Gallic acid
Rosmarinic acid
Tannic acid

Phytosterols

Beta-Sitosterol

Saponins

Triterpenoids

Ursolic acid

Xanthophylls

Astaxanthin

Other Phytochemicals

Damnacanthal
Digoxin
Phytic acid

Obama approval soars to 50 percent on jobs figures

2012-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Boosted by rising US jobs figures, President Barack Obama's approval rating has hit the magical 50-per cent mark and he has opened up a double-digit lead over his likely Republican opponent in November, a poll showed on Monday.

The poll by the Washington Post and ABC television found Obama reaching the 50 percent barrier, seen as a critical threshold for an incumbent seeking reelection, for the first time since Osama bin Laden was killed last May.

Pollsters said Obama's ascent comes as the US economic recovery appears to be finally taking hold, with voters appearing more confident and comfortable with his policies.

The latest US figures released last week found that the unemployment rate has fallen to 8.3 per cent, the fifth straight monthly decline since August, when it was 9.1 per cent.

The US president now holds a solid 11 percentage point lead over the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney, in a hypothetical general election match-up, according to the survey.

Obama leads Romney 52 to 43 per cent among all Americans, and a narrower 51 to 45 per cent among registered voters, his first time topping 50 per cent in a head-to-head match-up with Romney since July, the pollsters said.

But the president still has substantial work to do: Among the all-important independent voters likely to determine the outcome of the election, 47 per cent approve and 50 per cent disapprove of the way he is handling his job.

His approval numbers are much better than they had been a few months ago however, they had been as low as 34 per cent among swing voters.
As the Republican nomination battle grows more bitter and divisive, the public's view of Romney, seen as the clear frontrunner after back-to-back wins in Florida and Nevada, has soured, the poll found.

Fifty-five per cent of those who are closely following the campaign said they disapprove of what the Republican candidates have been saying.

US closes Syrian embassy, presses Assad to go

2012-02-06T18:15:00.001-08:00

The US closed its Syrian embassy Monday and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus in a dramatic escalation of Western pressure on President Bashar Assad to give up power, just days after diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to end the crisis collapsed.

The US evacuated all its diplomats from the country as Syrian forces intensified a shelling assault on the restive city of Homs. The offensive began Saturday, the same day Syria's allies in Russia and China vetoed a Western- and Arab-backed resolution aimed at trying to end the brutal crackdown on dissent.

"We have been relentless in sending a message that it is time for Assad to go," President Barack Obama said during an interview with NBC. "This is not going to be a matter of if, it's going to be a matter of when."

Also Monday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague told lawmakers that Britain is using multiple channels to express its "abhorrence" at the violent crackdown, and has summoned Syria's ambassador to the Foreign Office to convey that message.

"This is a doomed regime as well as a murdering regime," Hague said. "There is no way it can recover its credibility internationally."

The onslaught on Homs has reinforced opposition fears that Assad will unleash even greater violence to crush dissent, now that protection from China and Russia against any UN-sanctioned action appears assured.

Already, more than 5,400 people have been killed since the Arab Spring-inspired uprising that began in March, according to the UN.

The decision to close the embassy is the most dramatic US move so far after 11 months of a violent crackdown by Assad's regime.

Even as the US stepped up pressure on Assad to quit, Obama said a negotiated solution in Syria is possible and it should not be resolved by foreign military intervention.

The State Department warned last month it would close the embassy unless Assad's government stepped up its protection. It cited concerns about the safety of personnel and recent car bombs.

In Homs, shells slammed into a makeshift medical clinic and residential areas, killing at least 23 people in the third day of a new offensive on the epicenter of the country's uprising, activists said. Another 10 people were reported killed elsewhere.

In Cairo, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby said he was "extremely alarmed and concerned" at the use of heavy weapons by regime forces. The League been an important diplomatic force trying to stem the bloodshed, and its proposal for a transition to democracy in Syria was the basis for the UN Security Council resolution that Russia and China blocked in a vote Saturday.

The government denied shelling Homs, however, and said "armed terrorist groups" were attacking civilians and police in several neighborhoods. The state-run news agency also said Monday that gunmen killed three soldiers and captured others at a checkpoint in the Jabal al-Zawiyah region of Idlib province, which borders Turkey.

Syria has blocked access to trouble spots in the country and prevented independent reporting, making it nearly impossible to verify accounts from either side as the conflict spirals out of control and turns increasingly violent.

Homs, which many refer to as "the capital of the Syrian revolution," has become a flashpoint of the nearly 11-month-old uprising against Assad. Several neighborhoods in the city, such as Baba Amr, are under the control of rebels.

The threat of both sides turning to greater force increased Saturday when Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution aimed at ending the bloodshed.

UN Ambassador Susan Rice says China and Russia are running the risk of suffering the same sort of international isolation as Assad because of their double veto.

Moscow and Beijing "will come to regret" their votes, Rice told "CBS This Morning."

On Saturday, Syrian forces killed up to 200 people in Homs — the highest death toll reported for a single day in the uprising — according to several rights groups. There was no way to independently confirm the toll.

While government forces have in the past used tanks and other weapons, the increased number of victims appear to have resulted from the indiscriminate use of artillery, according to the activists' reports.

"As of 6:30 this morning, the shelling intensified with a rate of one shell every two minutes," Baba Amr activist Omar Sheker said during Monday's bombardment.

The uprising began with mostly peaceful protests against Assad, but government forces responded with a fierce crackdown. Now, army defectors and others are taking up arms to fight back, raising fears of civil war.

China said Monday it was forced to use its veto because the vote was called too soon, before the parties could work out differences in the proposal. But China denied playing spoiler and said it wants to see an end to violence there.

China and Russia have drawn the wrath of the United States, Europe and much of the Arab world for the weekend veto. China says the resolution put undue emphasis on pressuring the Syrian government and prejudged the result of any dialogue between the parties in Syria.

"On the issue of Syria, China is not sheltering anyone nor do we intentionally oppose anyone. We uphold justice and take a responsible attitude," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Monday.

Also Monday, an explosion ripped through a gas pipeline in Homs, the state-run news agency, SANA, reported. SANA blamed terrorists. The regime says terrorists acting out a foreign conspiracy are behind the uprising, not protesters seeking change.

The Local Coordination Committees activist group said Monday's shelling in Homs hit a makeshift clinic in Baba Amr, causing casualties.

At least 17 people were killed across the city on Monday, according to the LCC and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Activist Shaker said a paramedic was wounded in the shelling of the clinic and two people who were standing outside died instantly. He added that many volunteers at the hospital were wounded as well as people receiving treatment.

Syria's state-run TV denied government forces were besieging the area, saying activists in the city were setting tires on fire to make it appear as if there was a bombardment.

Syrian security forces are "chasing the terrorists and clashing with them," it said.

On Sunday, the commander of rebel soldiers said force was now the only way to oust Assad, while the regime vowed to press its military crackdown to bring back stability to the country.

"We did not sleep all night," Majd Amer, another activist in Homs, said by telephone. Explosions could be heard in the background. "The regime is committing organized crimes."

Amer said shelling of his neighborhood of Khaldiyeh started at 3 a.m., and most residents living on high floors either fled to shelters or to lower floors. He said electricity was also cut.

US 'deeply concerned' as Egypt activists said to face trial

2012-02-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

The United States said Sunday it was "deeply concerned" at the news that dozens of activists including 19 Americans could go on trial in Egypt over the alleged illegal funding of aid groups.

"We have seen media reports that judicial officials in Egypt intend to forward a number of cases involving US-funded NGOs to the Cairo criminal court," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"We are deeply concerned by these reports and are seeking clarification from the government of Egypt," Nuland told reporters travelling with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In Cairo, a judicial source told AFP that 44 people would face trial, one day after Washington said it would review aid to Cairo if it pursued its months-long crackdown on non-governmental organisations.

The offices of several local and international NGOs including Freedom House and the International Republican Institute were raided in December by Egyptian authorities as part of a probe into alleged illegal funding.

Then last month, Egypt barred some US members of the NGOs from leaving the country and American officials said "a handful" subsequently took refuge inside the US embassy, fearing arrest.

"The Egyptian military's handling of this issue has been a disaster," said Charles Dunne, director for Middle East and North Africa programs for Freedom House.

"This represents another escalation by the Egyptian government in its war on civil society – and it's not just the US organisations, it's the Egyptian organisations," he told AFP.

Europe deep freeze reaches North Africa as it claims more than 300 lives

2012-02-06T06:15:00.000-08:00

The bitterly cold weather that has brought much of Europe to a standstill claimed more victims as the blanket of snow reached as far south as North Africa.

The snow makes driving very hazardous in Montenegro

Freezing temperatures claimed more victims in Ukraine, Poland, France and Italy. French authorities on Sunday found the body of a homeless man who had frozen to death, bringing to at least 306 the number of cold-related deaths reported across the continent.

Transport was badly disrupted, with people stuck in cars and trains blocked by snow and ice, amid warnings that the freezing temperatures will continue into the week.

In Ukraine, one of the countries most severely affected, another nine people died from the cold snap, bringing the death toll there to 131.

Many of the victims were homeless people who froze to death on the streets.

Seven people died in Italy, where heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures brought chaos for drivers and rail passengers and prompted runs on supermarkets, with worried shoppers emptying the shelves of food.

Rome was blanketed in white by the heaviest snowfall in 27 years, with children sledging down the slopes of the Circus Maximus, the ancient Roman chariot-racing arena, cross-country skiers taking to the banks of the Tiber and tourists building snowmen in St Peter's Square, in front of the Vatican.

Cars trying to drive in the capital were fixed with snow chains - a rare sight for a city known for its mild winters and scorching summers.

A shipping accident in the port of Civitavecchia near Rome, in which a ferry smashed into a breakwater and gashed an 80ft long hole in its hull, raised fears of a second Costa Concordia disaster.

The incident caused terror among more than 250 passengers and forced the vessel's evacuation, three weeks after 32 people were killed when the Concordia struck a rocky shoal off the Tuscan island of Giglio and had to be grounded. In Venice, parts of the lagoon froze over as temperatures plummeted to minus 10C.

In Poland the bad weather claimed another eight more lives, bringing the death toll to 53.

In Serbia, around 70,000 people remained cut off in villages enveloped in snow, with police and the army stepping in to provide basic necessities.

In Bosnia, avalanches and strong winds isolated hundreds of villages in remote areas, and a state of emergency was declared.

Greece declared a state of emergency in the Peloponnese peninsula after torrential rain caused widespread flooding.

So far eastern and central Europe have suffered most from the extreme weather, but the cold front was moving west, affecting flights out of France and coating the Eiffel Tower with snow.

The cold weather extended as far south as Algeria, with rare snowfall on several towns and cities. Roads were blocked and villages in mountainous areas were cut off. At least 16 people were reported to have died - five of them from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to gas heating.

Russia and China brave Arab and Western fury to veto UN resolution on Syria

2012-02-04T17:06:00.001-08:00

Russia and China last night vetoed a UN resolution calling on President Bashar al-Assad to step down, provoking a furious reaction from the West and risking an angry backlash from the Arab world.

"Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people now. He must step aside and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately." President Barack Obama

It was the two countries’ second use of their security council vetoes to shield the Syrian leader from UN condemnation since the uprising against his rule began last year, and came despite worldwide outrage at the slaughter of up to 330 people in Homs during the previous night.

The five hour shelling of the rebellious city’s civilian population, in which 99 women and children were reportedly among those killed, was the worst single act of violence in the 11 month-long uprising.

Russia said it could not support a resolution backing an Arab League plan for a swift transition of power and elections. It was understood to have demanded a last-minute change dropping a call, already agreed by Syria in November, for tanks and artillery to be withdrawn from the streets.

That was rejected outright by Western governments after residents of Homs reported an extraordinary bombardment overnight by mortars and heavy artillery, shattering houses and sending the injured and dying flooding to hospitals and makeshift clinics. At least 200 were killed, with some activists giving figures as high as 330.

“This is a new massacre to add to the other Assad regime massacres,” a lawyer and activist in the city who gave his name as Abu Jihad told The Sunday Telegraph. “We ask for international intervention to stop this.”

William Hague, the foreign secretary, said Russia and China had “let the Syrian people down” and their veto would encourage more killing.

“Russia and China faced a simple choice today: would they support the people of Syria and the Arab League or not?” he said. “They decided not to, and instead sided with the Syrian regime and its brutal suppression of the Syrian people in support of their own national interests.”

Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, who had earlier discussed Moscow’s concerns directly with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said: “I thought that there might be some ways to bridge, even at this last moment, a few of the concerns that the Russians had.

“I offered to work in a constructive manner to do so. That has not been possible.”

But Russia insisted that the resolution was “unbalanced” and amounted to an attempt by the West to force regime change in Syria.

China’s representative to the UN, Li Baodong, said: “To push through a vote when parties are still seriously divided over the issue will not help maintain the unity and authority of the Security Council, or help resolve the issue.”

Earlier, world leaders had united to condemn the attack on Homs. “Yesterday the Syrian government murdered hundreds of Syrian citizens, including women and children, in Homs,” President Barack Obama said in a written statement.

“Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people now. He must step aside and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately.”

Mr Hague said: “The Syrian regime’s actions display President Assad’s cold-blooded cynicism in the face of mounting international pressure for the UN security council to do its utmost to end the bloodshed.

“The escalating violence underlines the critical importance of the security council adding its weight to the Arab League’s efforts to end the crisis in Syria.”

The assault began without warning at 10pm on Friday, activists in the city and in London said, and lasted five hours. Rami Abdulrahman, of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said his contacts had counted 237 dead, including 99 women and children.

Activists speaking by phone from inside the figure said the number was higher, but even the lower figure would make the assault the bloodiest single atrocity of the uprising.

The government claimed film footage showing the victims was a set-up using the bodies of people kidnapped and killed by “armed gangs”, and said it was a deliberate attempt to build up hostility towards the regime in advance of the UN resolution.

Within hours of the bombardment starting, pictures flooded YouTube and television stations of bodies piling up in chaotic aid stations, disfigured by explosions. Lines of lifeless young men splattered with blood packed the rooms of a mosque in one particularly gruelling clip, though it could not be confirmed they were victims of the attack.

Another clip showed a teenage boy, his face covered by his jacket.

“We were sitting inside our house when we started hearing the shelling. We felt shells were falling on our heads,” a resident called Walid said . “The morning has come and we have discovered more bodies, bodies are on the streets. Some are still under the rubble.”

Mr Abdulrahman said the attack was unaccountable, because there had been less conflict than usual in the city during the day, usually a day of intense protest after Friday prayers.

But he said the regime’s attention had turned to Homs after a troop of soldiers had been ambushed with several deaths by Free Syrian Army fighters in Deraa, in Syria’s far south.

“Two hours later they started the first bombing in Homs,” he said.

Of those who died, most were from Khalidiya, a suburb that has been under effective rebel control. “Abu Jihad”, who lives in Khalidiya, spoke as mass funerals began in the street behind him, divided into batches of 25 and 50, he said, to minimise the chance of troops attacking the funeral processions.

A crowd 100,000 strong had gathered in the central square of Khalidiya, renamed Hurreya or Freedom Square, and were chanting against the regime, he said.

“They fired mortars at us, just to punish us,” he said. “The attack targeted civilian areas and civilian people, because Khalidiya is a symbol of the revolution in Homs.”

Homs has suffered by far the most casualties of any province of the uprising. The Free Syrian Army has been patrolling some streets openly, and fighting cat-and-mouse battles with the regular army.

Mohammed Saleh, who lives outside the city but has relatives inside, said that following the bombardment there were skirmishes a mile away on the road to Hama, with soldiers firing wildly in all directions and causing more civilian casualties. The fighting centred on a base of the Mukhabarat, or General Intelligence Department.

At the United Nations, Britain, the US and France determined to go ahead with the security council vote, believing that after constant negotiations and amendments the Russians were merely playing for time.

They rejected amendments tabled by Russia putting equal blame on the “armed elements” of the opposition for the violence that it said would enable it to support the resolution.

Mr Lavrov said Russia could not support any resolution that “took sides” in a civil war, but said his amendments were conducive to an agreement.

The draft had already been watered down from the original, which repeated almost verbatim an Arab League timetable for Mr Assad to cede powers to his deputy, oversee the formation of a unity government with the opposition, and hold elections within six months.

The subsequent version said Syria should move “in accordance with” the Arab League plan, but Russia wanted this further altered to merely “take into account” the plan.

Anger over events in Syria spilled over into European and Arab capitals, with several Syrian embassies being stormed including in London and Berlin. The embassy in Kuwait had its windows smashed, while a mob entered the ground floor of the embassy in Cairo and set fire to it.

Syria releases the 7/7 'mastermind’

2012-02-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

The alleged terrorist mastermind behind the July 7 London bombings is reported to have been freed from a Syrian jail by President Bashar Assad's regime.

Abu Musab Al Suri

Abu Musab al-Suri had been held in Syria for six years after being captured by the CIA in 2005 and transported to the country of his birth under its controversial extraordinary rendition programme.

But he is now said to have been released as a warning to the US and Britain about the consequences of turning their backs on President al-Assad’s regime as it tries to contain the uprising in the country.

Al-Suri, also known as Mustafa Setmariam Nasar, was al-Qaeda’s operations chief in Europe and has been accused of planning the London bombings, in which four British-born terrorists detonated three bombs on the Underground and another on a bus, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700 others in 2005.

In a statement released after the attacks, al-Suri said: “[In my teachings] I have mentioned vital and legitimate targets to be hit in the enemy’s countries … Among those targets that I speciﬁcally mentioned as examples was the London Underground. [Targeting this] was and still is the aim.”

A mechanical engineer, he is also wanted in Spain in connection with the Madrid train bombings in 2004, which left 191 dead, and for links to an attack on the Paris Metro in 1995.

A judge has also ordered his arrest with other members of a Spanish terror cell that helped prepare the way for the September 11 attacks in 2001 on New York and Washington.

With his red hair, green eyes, pale features and trimmed beard, Syrian-born al-Suri was able to easily pass as a European and plot some of al-Qaeda’s worse atrocities.

Married to a Spanish woman, he spent three years in London in the 1990s, before moving to Afghanistan to run two of Osama Bin Laden’s terrorist training camps where he began experimenting with chemical weapons and set up sleeper cells in Europe.

While in this role, he conceived the plan to attack the London transport system and may have met some of the British-born suicide bombers led by Mohammad Sidique Khan when they are believed to have visited terrorist train camps in Pakistan.

Al-Suri, who had a £3 million US State Department bounty on his head, was reportedly captured in Pakistan in November 2005 and handed to the CIA.

His hideout was thought to have been identified after US intelligence intercepted a call from his wife.

In a move that has never been officially confirmed, the Americans then reportedly turned him over to Syria where he had been held for the past six years in the Aleppo prison, on its border with Turkey.

Quoting local sources, Syrian opposition website Sooryoon.net revealed al-Suri’s release last week.

It said: “The timing of his release raises a lot of questions and observers believe the release may indicate the regime is stopping security co-operation with the Americans and thus releasing all those Washington considers a threat to its interests.”

The release comes as President al-Assad is facing huge international pressure after he responded to peaceful anti-government protests which began in March last year with overwhelming military force leaving thousands of civilians dead and wounded.

With the uprising continuing and heavy fighting on the streets of the capital Damascus, European and Arab countries last week drafted a UN resolution calling for the president to stand down, only for it to be blocked by the Russians who said they would veto the strong wording.

But if al-Suri is now a free man, it will be a blow to the attempts to dismantle al-Qaeda’s leadership and undermine its ability to launch terrorist attacks following the death of Osama Bin Laden last May and the death of Anwar al-Awlaki in a US drone attack in Yemen last September.

Before al-Suri’s capture, he was seen as a possible successor to Bin Laden, though the pair had been bitter rivals.

His wife Helena, who converted to Islam and lives in Qatar with al-Suri’s four children, said: “I have not heard anything official or unofficial since my husband disappeared in 2004.”

She added: “I hope that one day we will be together again.”

Anti Putin protests return to Moscow's freezing streets

2012-02-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

Anti-government protesters returned to Moscow's streets with renewed vigour and a more defiantly anti-Putin message on Saturday, despite temperatures that plunged to minus 20.

Demonstrators gather for a massive protest against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's rule in Moscow

Russian police watches opposition supporters carrying a Pirate's flag marching during an about hundred thousand strong rally for fair elections in the centre of Moscow, Russia

On a day that saw temperatures fall below 20 degrees Celsius, a vast column of people under communist, nationalist and liberal banners marched from a central Moscow square to rally on Bolotnaya Ploshchad across the Moskva river from the Kremlin.

Although the title of the demo was "For free elections," the prime sentiment of many demonstrators seemed to be getting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to resign.

Chants of "Putin Leave!" and banners with variations on the theme of "Putin, you're fired!" predominated.

Police estimated "up to 40,000" people attended the march, though independent observers and several Russian newspapers put the number closer to 100,000.

From within the crowd, attendance seemed to be at least equal to the December 24 rally, which attracted between 50,000 and 100,000 demonstrators.

Pundits had warned that the protest movement – a motley alliance including westernising liberals, communists and monarchist nationalists – had shown signs of fracture and fatigue after pulling off the largest anti-government protests since the 1990s in December.

But instead of staying home, and in defiance of advice from the country's top doctor who warned people not to go out, the crowd lapped up the cold, singing along with Russian rock legend Yuri Shevchuk in a rendition of a song called "Moroz" (frost).

Protesters, many of whom were dressed in furs and ski gear, cheered "the sun is with us!" as clouds cleared.

The crowd included presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov and former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, a close friend of Mr Putin – though neither took to the stage.

Meanwhile, pro-Putin groups held their own, simultaneous counter-demonstration in the south west of the city.

Speakers at the rally, dubbed "We have much to lose" warned the crowd of the dangers of a Ukraine-style "Orange revolution."

Police estimated 138,000 people rallied at the pro-Putin event. The opposition quickly dismissed that figure as grossly inflated. Russia's state-owned news agency RIA Novosti said its correspondent thought the real attendance was "much lower" than the official figure.

Mr Putin, who is on a trip to the Urals, expressed "surprise" at the size of the rally and offered to pay part of the fine the rally organisers would face for exceeding the planned attendance of 15,000.

Rumours circulating on the internet that most of the pro-Putin demonstrators had been bussed in from outside Moscow and had been paid 1000 roubles (about £20) each were impossible to verify.

The Gazeta.ru online newspaper quoted several participants who said they were state employees who had been ordered to attend by their bosses.

Speakers at the opposition demo reiterated demands for a rerun of the marred parliamentary vote of December 10 and again called on Russians not to "give a single vote to Putin."

The organisers have promised to return to Moscow's streets on February 26, two weeks before the elections.

But despite a sense amongst the demonstrators on Bolotnaya today that the Kremlin is on the back foot, it is unclear whether they can have an impact on the outcome of the March 4 elections.

Opinion polls show Vladimir Putin polling well ahead of his nearest rivals, and there is no single candidate the very disparate opposition are likely to rally around.

The liberal core of the opposition movement is likely to baulk at voting for Putin's nearest rival, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, in the event of a second round run off.

Britain on snow alert as Europe freezes over

2012-02-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

Large parts of Britain were placed on amber alert on Saturday in readiness for widespread snow expected to bring chaos across the country.

cicles form on the fountain in Trafalgar Square, London

Ginny Marsh admires a frozen fountain at The Bush Hotel, Farnham, Surrey

The Met Office’s severe weather warning, which is at its second highest level, urges people to be prepared as forecasters warned of up to six inches of snow across Cumbria, Lincolnshire, East Anglia, North Yorkshire, the Peak District and the Midlands.

Sub-zero temperatures are expected in much of the country, with the mercury likely to hit 15.8 Fahrenheit (-9C) across the Midlands.

The coldest temperature recorded in Britain on Friday night was 9.48F (-12.4C) in South Newington, Oxfordshire.

Temperature of 12.92F (-10.6C) was recorded in Chesham, Buckinghamshire at 2am on Saturday morning, with 13.46F (-10.3C) in Benson, Oxfordshire.

More than 220 people have died across Europe as a result of the cold snap, with Ukraine bearing the heaviest toll.

People have been found dead on the streets in some countries, while thousands have been trapped in mountain villages in Serbia. In Italy, Venice’s canals started freezing over and even Rome was dusted in snow.

The lowest temperatures recorded on the continent were in the southwest of the Czech Republic, where they dropped as low as -36.5F (-38.1C) overnight on Thursday.

The Met Office's amber alert applies to Yorkshire and Humber, the West Midlands, East Midlands, east and south west England, as well as London and south-east England, and north-west England.

A yellow alert, which warns people to “be aware”, was in place for parts of Scotland, Wales and north-west England.

Much of England is also under a Cold Weather alert of level 3, which warns of “100% probability” of severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow.

The big chill has seen daytime temperatures plummet four or five degrees lower than average for February – traditionally the coldest month of the year.

Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: “We will see a frontal system that will push south eastwards across the UK and the rain associated with it will turn to snow.

“There will be some significant accumulations quite widely across much of England. Away from the South West and across eastern parts of Scotland we are looking at 5 to 10cm (1.9 inches to 3.9 inches) of snow in many areas.

And for many parts of northern England, East Anglia and the Midlands we may see up to 5.9 inches in places.

“Wales and the South West along with parts of western Scotland will mostly see rain. There will be rain for Northern Ireland as well but I think elsewhere we are looking at risk of snow.

“It should clear away south eastwards by tonight. It will probably clear all but the far South East and East Anglia by dawn tomorrow.”

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said an army of council staff and volunteers would be at work to make sure vulnerable people were cared for, and residents were also being encouraged to call in on elderly neighbours.

He said: “Motorists are being advised to check the latest weather and gritting updates on council websites and ‘gritter Twitter’ feeds, as well as refresh themselves on winter driving guidance and what to stock in their car.

“Thousands of new grit bins have been placed in estates and side streets, residents have been given their own bags of salt along with salt spreaders in some neighbourhoods, and arrangements have been made with parish councils, community groups, snow wardens and farmers to grit hard-to-reach areas.

“There is no law against people clearing pavements or public spaces. Ministers have repeatedly welcomed public-spiritedness and said common sense, benefit of the doubt in favour of helpfulness and a responsibility on people to tread carefully in slippery conditions should prevail in the face of complaints.”

British Gas said its fleet of all-weather 4x4s was on standby to get engineers out to customers and keep Britain warm during the cold snap.

A spokesman said the company had received more than 200,000 calls in the last five days, compared with 120,000 to 140,000 during a normal winter week, and was expecting a further 50,000 this weekend, compared with 20,000 normally in the winter.

The Department for Transport maintained it was now better prepared than ever for severe winter weather. It said salt stocks stood at more than 2.4 million tonnes – a million more than last year.

A spokeswoman said January 2011 salt stocks were 810,000 tonnes, while January 2012 stocks were 2.497 million tonnes – a 208% increase.

The AA said its patrols attended around double the usual number of breakdowns on Friday.

Temperatures have plunged to new lows in Europe where a week-long cold snap has now claimed more than 220 lives as forecasters warned that the big freeze would tighten its grip over the weekend.

Across mainland Europe 223 people have died from the cold weather in the last seven days, with 122 dead in Ukraine alone – 78 dying on the streets.

The EU said that vital Russian gas deliveries had dropped in nine countries, with Russian giant Gazprom invoking flexibility clauses as it also braves a cold snap. Supplies fell 30 per cent in Austria and 24 per cent in Italy.

Ukraine’s emergencies ministry said almost 1,600 people have sought medical attention for frostbite and hypothermia and thousands have flocked to temporary shelters.

The chilling temperatures killed eight more people over 24 hours in Poland, bringing the death toll to 37 since the deep freeze began a week ago, police said.

In Bulgaria parts of the River Danube froze over, while another six people were found dead from the cold, bringing the overall tally to 16 in the last week, according to local media.

Most of the dead in the European Union’s poorest country were villagers found frozen to death on the side of the road or in their unheated homes, the reports said.

In neighbouring Romania two more people died, bringing the overall toll to 24, and hundreds of schools remained closed.

In Rome, residents experienced only their second day of snow in 15 years, with white flakes covering palm trees, ancient Roman ruins and Baroque churches across the capital.

Up to two inches of snow fell in some districts and ancient monuments like the Colosseum were closed to visitors for fear of damage to the structure.

Canals in Venice, where temperatures fell as low as 23F (-5C), started freezing. However trains resumed normal service across the country except in and around Bologna and on a local line near Rome after days of delays.

Three people in Italy have died due to the extreme weather in recent days, including a homeless man found in Milan on Thursday.

In Estonia, a man was found frozen to death on a street in Tallinn, the first reported death there.

France also reported its first death after an 82-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer’s wandered out of his home in his pyjamas in the eastern French village of Lemberg and died of hypothermia.

One person died in Serbia, but teams of workers ploughed through snowdrifts to get food, supplies and aid to thousands of residents of mountain villages cut off by the weather.

“To help a woman who needed to reach a hospital we were breaking through six foot snow drifts, which lasted for two and a half hours,” said Vedran Taskovic, a rescuer in the southeastern town of Vranje.

The cold snap has also killed people in the Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Austria and Greece.

The first snows to hit Belgium caused more than 1,100 kilometres (700 miles) of traffic jams on roads and highways, said automobile associations. The last record was 948 kilometres registered in February 2010.

US Election 2012: the view from YouTube - January 27

2012-02-04T04:50:00.000-08:00

Every week we'll bring you the best US election viral videos. Here's five from a week that saw Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich go toe-to-toe in Florida while Barack Obama gave the State of the Union.

1. At one point during the tense exchanges that opened Thursday's debate in Florida, Mitt Romney's face began twitching uncontrollably, with a smile lurking at the edges of his features.

After a moment it became clear why: he was about to turn Newt Gingrich's accusation that he owned shares in Freddie Mac right back into the former Speaker's face.

2. This Office parody riffs on Romney's unfortunate "I like being able to fire people" comment. It's the handiwork of MoveOn.org, a major Left-wing political group. Can you spot the Hollywood actor behind the makeup ? (without reading the description)

3. This 'behind-the-scenes' look at how the drafting of the State of the Union embodies how the Obama White House sees itself: modern, spontaneous, open and backed by a heroic score. The reality is that, like every administration, this one is highly-secretive, ultra-choreographed and terrified of unscripted moments.

4. In an effort to unsettle Newt Gingrich, Romney's operatives began sending surrogates to his events in Florida. This video shows the Utah Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, a Romney supporter, getting into a deeply hostile conversation with RC Hammond, Gingrich's main spokesman.

5. And one from the vault: this week the famously liberal Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank announced he would marry his long-term partner, Jim Ready. Frank is standing down in November but here's one of the highlights of a long and colourful career.

Syria: Over 200 people killed in Homs before UN vote

2012-02-04T04:45:00.000-08:00

More than 200 people were killed in shelling by Syrian forces in the city of Homs, activists said on Saturday, as the UN Security Council prepared to vote on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

Death tolls cited by activists and opposition groups ranged from 217 to 260, making the Homs attack the deadliest so far in Assad's crackdown on protests which erupted 11 months ago, inspired by uprisings that overthrew three Arab leaders.

Residents said Syrian forces began shelling the Khalidiya neighbourhood at around 8 pm (1 pm EDT) on Friday using artillery and mortars. They said at least 36 houses were completely destroyed with families inside.

"We were sitting inside our house when we started hearing the shelling. We felt shells were falling on our heads," said Waleed, a resident of Khalidiya.

As news of the violence spread, a crowd of Syrians stormed the Syrian embassy in Cairo in protest, and rallies broke out outside Syrian missions in Britain, Germany and the United States.

It was not immediately clear what had prompted Syrian forces to launch such an intense bombardment, just as diplomats at the Security Council were discussing the draft resolution supporting the Arab League demand for Assad to step aside.

Some activists said the violence was triggered by a wave of Army defections in Homs, a stronghold of protests and armed insurgents who Assad has vowed to crush.

"The death toll is now at least 217 people killed in Homs, 138 of them killed in the Khalidiya district," Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said, citing witnesses.

"Syrian forces are shelling the district with mortars from several locations, some buildings are on fire. There are also buildings which got destroyed."

A Syrian activist said Assad forces bombarded Khalidiya, a key anti-Assad district, to scare other rebel neighbourhoods. "It does not seem that they get it. Even if they kill 10 million of us, the people will not stop until we topple him."

The opposition Syrian National Council said 260 civilians were killed, describing it as "one of the most horrific massacres since the beginning of the uprising in Syria".

It added that it believed Assad's forces were preparing for similar attacks around Damascus and in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour.

Another group, the Local Coordination Committees, gave a death toll of over 200. It is not possible to verify activist or state media reports as Syria restricts independent media access.

One activist said residents were using primitive tools to rescue the people. They feared many were buried under rubble.

"We are not getting any help, there are no ambulances or anything. We are removing the people with our own hands," he said, adding there were only two field hospitals treating the wounded. Each one had a capacity to deal with 30 people, but he estimated the total number of wounded at 500.

"We have dug out at least 100 bodies so far, they are placed in the two mosques."

UN vote

At the United Nations, the Security Council was due to meet at 10 am (1500 GMT) to vote on a draft resolution endorsing an Arab League plan calling for Assad to resign.

It was unclear if Russia, which has opposed significant council action on Syria would vote in favour, abstain or veto it.

Western diplomats in New York said the latest violence might make it more difficult for Russia to block it. "Would they dare, with what is happening in Homs?" one diplomat said.

The British UN mission posted on Twitter: "After the horror in Homs Friday (it is) vital all Council members back (the) resolution".

Russia has balked at any language that would open to door to "regime change" in Syria, its crucial Middle East ally where Moscow operates a naval base.

In Cairo, a crowd stormed the Syrian embassy smashing furniture and setting fire to parts of the building in protest over the Homs bloodshed.

The gate of the embassy was broken and furniture was smashed on the second floor of the building, a witness said. It was the second attack on the mission in a week.

In London, more than 100 Syrians hurled stones at the Syrian embassy, smashing windows and shouting slogans, and five people were arrested after trying to break in, according to TV reports.

In Washington, about 50 people took part in a nighttime rally outside Syria's embassy, chanting "Down with Assad".

Some carried signs including one that juxtaposed pictures of Assad and Adolf Hitler. "We want to show solidarity with the people in Syria being killed every day," said Mohammad Kousha, a Syrian living in Washington.

In the cities of Hama and Idlib, activists said hundreds of people took to the streets in solidarity. They chanted in Idlib: "Homs is bombarded, and you are still sleeping?"

Letter from a Civil War slave to his master, 150 years on

2012-02-04T04:39:00.000-08:00

The dignified retort of a free slave to his former owner has been rediscovered 150 years after it was first used to illustrate the tensions between blacks and whites following the American Civil War. Here is the letter in full:

To My Old Master, Colonel P.H. Anderson, Big Spring, Tennessee

Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this, for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Colonel Martin’s to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable.

Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again, and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this. I would have gone back to see you all when I was working in the Nashville Hospital, but one of the neighbors told me that Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance.

I want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here. I get twenty-five dollars a month, with victuals and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy, the folks call her Mrs. Anderson, and the children Milly, Jane, and Grundy go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. They go to Sunday school, and Mandy and me attend church regularly. We are kindly treated. Sometimes we overhear others saying, “Them colored people were slaves” down in Tennessee.

The children feel hurt when they hear such remarks; but I tell them it was no disgrace in Tennessee to belong to Colonel Anderson. Many darkeys would have been proud, as I used to be, to call you master.

Now if you will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again.

As to my freedom, which you say I can have, there is nothing to be gained on that score, as I got my free papers in 1864 from the Provost-Marshal-General of the Department of Nashville. Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back, and deduct what you paid for our clothing, and three doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are in justice entitled to. Please send the money by Adams’s Express, in care of V. Winters, Esq., Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have little faith in your promises in the future. We trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to the wrongs which you and your fathers have done to me and my fathers, in making us toil for you for generations without recompense. Here I draw my wages every Saturday night; but in Tennessee there was never any pay-day for the negroes any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those who defraud the laborer of his hire.

In answering this letter, please state if there would be any safety for my Milly and Jane, who are now grown up, and both good-looking girls. You know how it was with poor Matilda and Catherine. I would rather stay here and starve and die, if it come to that than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters. You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood. The great desire of my life now is to give my children an education, and have them form virtuous habits.

Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me.

From your old servant, Jourdon Anderson.

Digestion and Absorption of Food

2012-02-04T00:12:00.000-08:00

The gastrointestinal (GI) system includes the gastrointestinal tract (mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine) and accessory organs (salivary gland, liver, gallbladder, pancreas) that secrete substances into the tract via connecting ducts.

GI system breaks down particles of ingested food into molecular forms by enzymes (digestion) that are then transferred to the internal environment (absorption).

Functions of GI organs

The GI tract begins at the mouth, where digestion begins with chewing. Saliva containing mucus and the enzyme amylase is secreted from 3 pairs of salivary glands, located in the head. Mucus moistens the food and amylase partially digests polysaccharides (starches). Food then reaches the stomach through the pharynx and esophagus.

The stomach is the sac that stores and digests food macromolecules into a solution called chyme. Glands lining the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid that dissolves food particles and protein-digesting enzymes, called pepsin.

Final stages of digestion and most of the nutrient absorption occurs in next portion of the tract: the small intestine. The small intestine is divided into 3 segments - duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. From its exocrine portion it secretes (1) digestive enzymes and (2) a fluid rich in HCO_3- ions to neutralize the acid from stomach. The liver secretes bile. Bile contains HCO_3- ions and bile salts to solubilize fats. Bile reaches the gall bladder through hepatic ducts and is stored in the gall bladder between meals. During a meal, bile is secreted from the gland by smooth muscle contraction and reaches the duodenum portion of the small intestine by the common bile duct.

Monosaccharides, amino acids and mineral salts are absorbed by transporter-mediated processes while fatty acid water diffuse passively.

Undigested material is passed to large intestine, where it is temporarily stored and concentrated by reabsorption of salts and water. Finally, contractions of rectum, the last part of large intestine, expel the feces through the anus.

Structure of GI Tract Wall

The luminar surface is covered by a single layer of epithelium containing exocrine and endocrine cells. The exocrine cells disintegrate and discharge into the lumen, releasing their enzymes. The epithelia with an underlying layer of connective tissue (lamnia propia) and muscle (muscularis mucosa) are called mucosa. Below the mucosa is a layer of inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle called muscularis externa, which provides the forces for moving and mixing the GI contents. The outermost layer of the tube is made up of connective tissue called serosa. The luminar surface of the tube is highly convoluted into projections called villi and microvilli; both of which increase total surface area for absorption. The center of each villus has a single blunt-ended lymphatic vessel called lacteal. Venous drainage from the intestine transports absorbed materials to the liver for processing via the hepatic portal vein.

Digestion and Absorption

Carbohydrate

Digestion begins in the mouth by salivary amylase and completed in the small intestine by pancreatic amylase. Monosaccharides, such as glucose, galactose and fructose, are produced by the breakdown of polysaccharides and are transported to the intestinal epithelium by facilitated diffusion or active transport. Facilitated diffusion moves the sugars to the bloodstream.

Protein

Proteins are broken down to peptide fragments by pepsin in the stomach, and by pancreatic trypsin and chemotrypsin in the small intestine. The fragments are then digested to free amino acids by carboxypeptidase from the pancreas and aminopeptidase from the intestinal epithelium. Free amino acids enter the epithelium by secondary active transport and leave it by facilitated diffusion. Small amounts of intact proteins can enter interstitial fluid by endo- and exocytosis.

Fat

Fat digestion occurs by pancreatic lipase in small intestine. A monoglyceride and two fatty acids are produced in the digestive process. Large lipid droplets are first broken down into smaller droplets, by a process called emulsification. Emulsification is driven by mechanical disruption (by contractile activity of GI tract) and emulsifying agents (amphipathic bile salts). Pancreatic colipase binds the water-soluble lipase to the lipid substrate.

Digested products and bile salts form amphipathic micelles. These micelles keep the insoluble products in soluble aggregates from which small amounts are released and absorbed by epithelial cells via diffusion. Free fatty acids and monoglycerides then recombine into triacylglycerols at the smooth ER, are processed further in the Golgi and enter the interstitial fluid as droplets called chylomicrons, which are then taken up by the lacteals in the intestine.

Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed and stored along with fats. Most water-soluble vitamins are absorbed by diffusion or mediated transport. Vitamin B₁₂, because of its large size and charged nature, first binds to a protein, called intrinsic factor, which is secreted by the stomach epithelium, and is then absorbed by endocytosis.

Water

The stomach absorbs some water but most is absorbed at small intestine by diffusion.

Regulation of GI Processes

Control mechanisms of the GI system regulate conditions in the lumen of the tract. Reflexes are initiated by:

(1) Distension of wall by volume of luminal contents

(2) Chyme osmolarity

(3) Chyme pH

(4) Chyme concentrations of specific products.

Neural Regulation of the GI tract

Impulses to the GI muscles and exocrine glands are supplied by enteric nervous system, the local nervous system of GI tract, which allows local, short reflexes, independent of CNS. Long reflexes through the CNS are possible via sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, which also innervate the GI tract.

Hormonal Regulation

Endocrine cells are scattered throughout GI epithelia and surface of these cells is exposed to the lumen. Chemical substances in the chyme stimulate them to release hormones into blood.

Phases of GI control

Each phase is named according to where the receptor for a reflex is located. These phases do not occur in temporal sequence.

1. The cephalic phase is initiated when sight, smell, taste, chewing, and emotional states stimulate receptors in the head. Reflexes mediated by sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers activate secretory and contractile activity.

2. The gastric phase is initiated by distension, acidity, and the presence of amino acids and peptides in the stomach. This phase is mediated by short and long reflexes and activates the secretion of gastrin.

3. The intestinal phase is initiated by distension, acidity, osmolarity of digestive products in intestine and is mediated by GI hormones and short and long neural reflexes.

Mouth, Pharynx, and Esophagus

Chewing is controlled by somatic nerves to the skeletal muscles and the reflex activation of mechanoreceptors on the palate, gums and tongue.

Autonomic nerves in response to chemoreceptors and pressure receptors in mouth stimulate saliva secretion.

Swallowing is mediated by pressure receptors on walls of pharynx, which send impulses to the swallowing center in the medulla oblongata. The center activates muscles in the pharynx and esophagus. Multiple responses occur in a temporal sequence. The palate is elevated to prevent food from entering the nasal cavity, respiration is inhibited and the epiglottis covers the glottis to prevent food from entering trachea (windpipe). The upper esophageal sphincter opens and food enters the esophagus and moves toward the stomach by muscle contractions called peristaltic waves. Food then moves to the stomach when the lower esophageal sphincter opens. A less efficient, or faulty, lower esophageal sphincter results in the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus (gastro-esophageal reflux), this reversal results in heartburn and over time contributes to ulceration of esophagus.

Epithelium lining the stomach invaginates into the mucosa, forming tubular glands. Parietal (oxyntic) cells secrete acid and intrinsic factor and chief cells secrete pepsinogen. Also scattered throughout are enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, which secrete histamine, and other cells that secrete somatostatin. The antrum, a lower portion of the stomach, secretes gastrin.

Increased protein content in a meal stimulates release of gastrin and histamine, which in turn stimulates HCl secretion. Somatostatin inhibits acid secretion by inhibiting the release of gastrin and histamine. Enterogastones in the duodenum also inhibit gastric acid secretion.

The precursor pepsinogen, which is produced by chief cells, is converted to pepsin by the acid in the stomach.

The stomach produces peristaltic waves in response to the arrival of food. The pyloric sphincter between the stomach and duodenum opens to release small amounts of chyme into the duodenum with each wave. These waves are generated by pacemaker cells in the longitudinal smooth muscle layer and are spread out by gap junctions. Gastrin, distension of stomach etc. stimulate gastric motility while distension of duodenum inhibits it.

Pancreatic Secretions

Inactive trypsinogen is secreted by pancreas and is later converted by the intestinal enzyme enterokinase to active trypsin, which digests proteins. Pancreatic amylase and lipase are secreted in active forms. The pancreas also secretes bicarbonate ions.

Secretion of pancreatic enzymes is stimulated by cholecystokinin (CCK), the secretion of which is triggered by the detected presence of fatty acids and amino acids in the small intestine. The secretion of bicarbonate ions is stimulated by secretin, which is triggered by acidity in small intestine.

Bile Secretion

Bile contains bile salts, which solubilize fats, and bicarbonate ions, which in turn are used to neutralize stomach acids. Bile salts, secreted by hepatocytes (liver cells) enter the GI tract and are reabsorbed by transporters in the intestine and are returned to the liver via the portal vein. This recycling pathway is called the entero-hepatic circulation.

The sphincter of Oddi controls the entry of the bile duct into the duodenum. When the sphincter is closed, secreted bile is shunted into the gallbladder. The presence of fat in the intestine releases CCK, which relaxes the sphincter to discharge bile salts into the duodenum.

Small Intestine

The most common motion of the small intestine is stationary contraction and relaxation, called segmentation. Segmentation results in little net movement. The chyme is mixed and brought into contact with the intestine wall and then moved slowly toward the large intestine. The movements are initiated by pacemaker cells in the smooth muscle layer.

After most of the materials are absorbed, segmentation is replaced by peristaltic activity called migrating motility complex, which moves any undigested material to the large intestine. The candidate intestinal hormone, motilin, initiates migrating motility.

Large Intestine

The large intestine consists of 3 parts: the cecum, colon and rectum. The primary function is to store and concentrate fecal material for elimination. Chyme enters the cecum through the ileocecal sphincter, which relaxes and opens as a result of the gastroileal reflex.

Na⁺ is absorbed along with water. K⁺ and HCO_3- ions are secreted into the lumen. Undigested polysaccharides (fiber) are metabolized to short-chain fatty acids by the residing bacteria and these are then absorbed by diffusion. A small amount of vitamin K is also produced and absorbed. Bacterial metabolism produces a mixture of gases, called flatus.

Motility and Defecation

Regular contractions of the circular smooth muscle produce a slow rhythmic segmentation movement. The undigested material moves slowly in order to provide resident bacteria time to grow and multiply. Following a meal, there is a wave of intense contraction, called mass movement. The internal anal sphincter is made of smooth muscle and closes the anus, while the external anal sphincter is made of skeletal muscle and is under voluntary control. Both sphincters regulate the anal opening and closing. Mass movement of fecal material into the anus initiates the defecation reflex, which is mediated by mechanoreceptors. The two sphincters open to expel the feces. If defecation is delayed, rectal contents are driven back into colon by reverse peristalsis until the next mass movement.

Pathophysiology of the GI Tract Ulcers

Ulcers are eroded areas of gastric surface and breaks in the mucosal barrier, which expose the underlying tissue to corrosive action of acid and pepsin. Damage to underlying blood vessels may cause bleeding.

Vomiting

The vomit reflex results in the forceful expulsion of toxic gastric contents. This reflex is coordinated by the vomiting center in the medulla oblongata. Various mechano- and chemo- receptors in the stomach and elsewhere can trigger this reflex. Increased salivation, sweating, heart rate, pallor etc. accompany the reflex. Abdominal muscles contract to raise abdominal pressure while the lower esophageal sphincter opens and gastric contents are forced into the esophagus (retching). If the upper esophageal sphincter opens, contents are then expelled from the mouth (vomiting). Excessive vomiting can lead to loss of water and salts, which will ultimately result in dehydration.

Gallstones

Excessive secretion of water insoluble cholesterol in bile results in formation of crystals, called gallstones, which can close the opening of gallbladder or the bile duct. If a stone prevents bile from entering the intestine fat digestion and absorption decreases. If a stone blocks the entry of the pancreatic duct, it prevents pancreatic enzymes from entering the intestine, thus preventing the digestion of other nutrients. A blocked bile duct inhibits further secretion of bile, resulting in accumulation of bilirubin in tissues, producing a yellowish coloration called jaundice. Jaundice is common in newborns and is rectified by sunlight exposure.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance results from a lack of the enzyme lactase which digests lactose, the sugar in milk. The lack of lactase results in the incomplete digestion of lactose to glucose and galactose.

Constipation and Diarrhea

Constipation is the absence of defecation due to decreased motility of the large intestine. This results in excess absorption of water from feces, making it hard to expel.

Dietary fiber, which is not digested in small intestine, can produce distension and increase motility.

Diarrhea results from decreased fluid absorption, or increased fluid secretion resulting in increased luminal fluid, which in turn, causes distension and increased motility. Diarrhea results in decreased blood volume, loss of water and other nutrients.

Health Benefits Of Apple Juice

2012-02-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

‘An apple a day keeps the doctor at bay’, we all grew up learning this phrase but rarely was the actually meaning behind this phrase ever explained to us. Its simple, an apple has so many hidden properties to it that it helps to ward of many illnesses and ailments.

While the fruit is known to be healthy, the juice is even healthier. Apples have several minerals and nutrients in them. These nutrients help to get rid of common ailments like common cold, headaches, fevers and cough.

The juice of the apple acts as an anti oxidant. This helps to boost your immune system when you are ill. It also is known to be helpful in preventing heart diseases and certain types of cancers. Women are recommended apple juice as the first food post labor. It helps to reduce bleeding and increases growth of blood and skin cells.

Apples are compared to Almonds when you are talking about improving brain activity. What happens here is that the nutrients in the apple help to increase cognitive powers of the brain and therefore help to increase brain activity.

If you are on a diet to loose weight then apple juice can definitely help you. Drinking a glass of the juice in the morning will boost your immune system by 20 %. This leads to your body burning more fats in your body.

There is a risk in drinking apple juice though. If you are buying packs or cans at the store; then there are higher chances of you drinking sugar water with apple concentrate in it. This is not helpful. The key is to checking the carton before buying. If the carton states that it is 100% juice then it is safe; however anything else can be harmful as the added sugars will load you up with pounds.

How to choose the right apples?

You must buy apples in bulk. Always buy a kilo or two as they make a great snack. Apples have a shelf life of 3 months if they are refrigerated. When buying apples, you must llok for cloudy looking fruits as these have higher amount of anti oxidants.

Hackers can read your credit cards through clothes

2012-02-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

Pickpockets no longer need to touch their victims — they can use cheap technology to read credit cards through peoples’ pants.

Hacker Kristin Paget proved as much with a demonstration at the Shmoocon hacker conference in Washington last week.

With a $50 Vivotech RFID (radio frequency identification) credit card reader, she wirelessly read a volunteer’s credit card standing near her on a stage before using a $300 magnetizing tool to put the data onto a blank card, reports Forbes’ Andy Greenberg.

Paget then used a credit card-swiping iPhone attachment and voila! She stole $15 bucks from her “victim” before paying him back immediately, Greenberg wrote.

Fears that hackers will steal personal or banking information have also sparked an industry of wallets, passport covers and individual credit card holders made of stainless steel or even aluminum foil to block unwanted radio signals from lifting information.

While Paget’s demonstration has been possible for years, questions about contactless payments are rising to the surface as RFID-enabled credit cards become ubiquitous (just look for a triangle made of arches to see if your credit card is RFID equipped).

In Canada, Visa’s payWave and MasterCard’s PayPass make it easy for consumers to tap their RFID-enabled cards on a terminal and pay quickly at thousands of merchants across the country, including Impark and McDonald’s.

The terminals may not accept transactions of more than $50.

MasterCard uses encryption technology and Visa embeds chips to prevent theft over the contactless systems, according to their websites. Both say the cards must be waved very near to the machines to work, and Visa adds that “only secure readers at authorized merchants” can process its cards.

But with the right machine, stealing credit card numbers, expiry dates and transaction codes is as simple as waiting for people to walk by on a crowded street, said project scientist and hacker 3ric (pronounced Eric) Johanson.

Consumers shouldn’t be too worried — at least not yet, Johanson said. Criminals will choose the easiest method to steal credit card information, which at the moment is hacking insecure websites “from the comfort of their own home,” he said.

If data was stolen, it would be difficult to use online as most websites require an address for confirmation, he said. Each contactless transaction involves a unique CCV code, but an “ample” number of those can be collected in just a few seconds, he explained. Scams would only be detected if the consumer used their card before the attacker had time to make fraudulent purchases.

Despite the logistical challenges, it’s just a matter of time before RFID hacks become commonplace, Johanson said.

There are additional steps credit card companies can take to protect consumers, such as demanding a pin number, yet that’s unlikely to happen because it would slow down the payment process, he said.

“My general advice to people is to demand that their credit card companies offer them a non RFID-enabled card,” he added.

By the end of 2012, all Canadian passports will come equipped with RFID technology, according to Passport Canada. The RFID information will only become accessible if bar code on the second page has already been scanned, meaning the passport needs to be open for people to get data. New American passports already have this technology.

Yale Discovers a Fungus That Eats Plastic

2012-02-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Plastic is possibly the greatest commercial creation of last 150 years. It's made it into tupperware, saran wrap, toys, car parts, computer parts, smartphones, and shopping bag all over the world. The only problem is that polyurethane is not biodegradable, and recycling plastic can be equated to just turning it into another product, so all that plastic already in landfills will stay there for centuries to come.

Scientists have not found a single way to break down polyurethane--luckily, nature has found a way on its own. Yale scientists recently found a fungus in the Amazonian rainforest that naturally eats polyurethane.

This is the first fungus species, identified by the Yale researchers as Pestalotiopsis microspore, which exclusively subsists on polyurethane. It can also grow in an anaerobic (air-less) environment, which will hopefully allow it to take root in the deepest regions of our trash heaps.

Jonathan Russell, a Yale scientists of the group, has managed to isolated an enzyme the fungus uses decompose plastic. The scientists hope to use the extracted chemical to eliminate plastic trash and to help in bioremediation projects.

Sorry, Most of Your Tweets Are Worthless

2012-02-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

While some of your tweets might be of utmost importance to you, most people could not care less, according to a study from a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, and Georgia Tech.

The team created a Web site called Who Gives a Tweet? to assess the value of thousands of tweets. Over the course of 19 days in December, 1,443 people visited the site to analyze 43,738 tweets from 2,014 accounts. The site found that people enjoyed just over one third (36 percent) of tweets. On the other hand, they felt neutral toward 39 percent of tweets and disliked 25 percent.

"A well-received tweet is not all that common," Michael Bernstein, a doctoral student at MIT and one of the researchers, said . "A significant amount of content is considered not worth reading, for a variety of reasons."

The study found that 140-character messages about someone's mood, such as "so excited for the weekend," or current state, like "making a sandwich," were among the most repulsive. However, tweets that included questions, information, or links to articles promoted by journalists, were more likable.

"If we understood what is worth reading and why, we might design better tools for presenting and filtering content, as well as help people understand the expectations of other users," said Paul Andre, another researcher and a doctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon.

From the results, the researchers cobbled together some advice for people looking to increase the value of their feed. For example, they warned against whining , divulging inane personal details, and posting old news (see slideshow below). They also indicated that it's important to offer an opinion and keep tweets short.

Among the 200 million tweets that Twitter said its users send per month, there's bound to be a gold mine of detestable content. Who Gives a Tweet is no longer accepting users to have their tweets analyzed, but you can still sign up on the site to rate the tweets of others.

US announces changes in the F-1, H-1B visas

2012-02-03T07:05:00.001-08:00

Amidst pending comprehensive immigration reform, the United States has proposed several steps including changes in the F-1 and H-1B visas to attract foreign skilled workforce, a move likely to benefit professionals from countries like India.

Prominent among these reforms include providing work authorisation for spouses of certain H-1B visa holders, 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students to include students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, allow for additional part-time study for spouses of F-1 students and allow outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic achievement.

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that on February 22, it would launch its 'Entrepreneurs in Residence' initiative with an Information Summit in Silicon Valley.

This will bring together high-level representatives from the entrepreneurial community, academia and federal government agencies to discuss how to maximize current immigration laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent.

These moves are in support of President Barack Obama's, efforts to meet 21st century national security and economic needs, the Department of Homeland Security said, adding that he is deeply committed to fixing our broken immigration system so that it meets national security and economic needs.

As a part of comprehensive immigration reform, Obama supports legislative measures that would attract and retain immigrants who create jobs and boost competitiveness in the US, including creating a "Startup Visa," strengthening the H-1B programme, and "stapling" green cards to the diplomas of certain foreign-born graduates in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Coldest day of winter expected as frozen Britain to hit -12C and six inches of snow forecast

2012-02-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

Britain's whiteout weekend will deliver up to six inches of snow and ice this weekend with temperatures falling to -12 and windchill making it feel significantly colder.

The Met Office said snow will deliver what is expected to be the biggest and most widespread snow dump of winter.

Saturday is expected to be the coldest day of winter, with -12C temperatures due in the early hours feeling like -15C due to bitter windchill.

The majority of England will remain at 0C or lower all day - but feeling like -6C in Siberian winds.

Transport chaos is forecast, with widespread ice and snow lying until at least Monday, while weekend sport faces postponements, including football and horse racing.

Twitter users have reported frozen canals and lakes, while other tweeters dug out toboggans ready for a weekend of sledging.

Powys, dropped to a teeth-chattering -11.3C in the early hours of Friday morning - Britain’s coldest temperature recorded this winter, beating the -10.5C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, on January 16.

The sub-zero freeze hit nationwide early yesterday, with Braemar, Aberdeenshire at -10.9C, Benson, Oxon, at -10.8C and Woburn, Beds, at -9.9C.

Some places spent all day anchored below freezing, with Wainfleet, Lincs at -2.5C at 12noon, while other parts scraped 1C or 2C for a few hours before tumbling back below 0C, with snow flurries in the east again.

Friday night was due to see widespread -6C to -8C lows, with a new record winter low of -12C in places, a severe frost and up to two inches more snow from Kent to The Wash.

The Met Office issued an amber “be prepared” warning for today (Sat) for almost all of England bar the south-west and far north, predicting between two and four inches of snow between 12noon and midnight.

Most other parts of England, Wales and southern Scotland are on yellow alert for an inch to two inches of snow.

move east - with all parts including in low-lying areas due to be affected.

A third yellow warning was issued for almost all of England and Wales for snow to continue overnight until tomorrow lunchtime. (Sun)

Independent forecasters Netweather and Weatherquest both predicted up to 15cm of snow in parts of the midlands and east.

Today (Sat) is also expected to be the coldest day of winter, with the Met Office forecasting that most of the country away from the south-west will remain below 0C all day.

The snow is expected to lie until Monday at least, with widespread ice and freezing fog making for nightmare travel conditions.

The Met Office said windchill is making temperatures feel colder than they are - meaning overnight -12C temperatures were feeling like -15C.

Forecasts said windchill will double this afternoon (Sat), taking 6C off how temperatures feel, making most places feel sub-zero as 30mph wind gusts hit England, with up to 45mph on Irish Sea coasts and in Scotland.

Tonight (Sat night) will be less cold at -4C due to cloud cover - but feeling like -10C due to windchill.

A sheep watches as it stands in snow that has settled on Dartmoor

Met Office forecaster Dave Britton said: “Temperatures fell to their lowest level this winter in many places on Thursday night.

“Friday night was due to see temperatures fall to -6C to -8C in many places, and perhaps as low as -11C in rural areas. We could even see temperatures as low as -12C.

“Windchill is also affecting how temperatures feel. It affects the body and makes temperatures feel several degrees or more colder than they actually are.”

Netweather forecaster Paul Michaelwhite said: “Snow amounts are likely to peak in central and eastern parts on Saturday night, with 10-15cm possible in places, perhaps more on hills.

“Travel disruption is very likely, although there is uncertainty over which areas are at highest risk.

“At least the snow will encourage people to venture out by sledge rather than by car.”

Independent Weatherquest forecaster Dan Holley tweeted: “Expecting 15cm of snow in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire on Saturday night.”

US Fed's Ben Bernanke warns on eurozone stress

2012-02-02T16:27:00.001-08:00

The chairman of Federal Reserve said that there have been "positive" developments in eurozone debt crisis in recent weeks, but warned that a slow US recovery remains vulnerable to any shock from the troubled region.

Mr Bernanke warned that a slow US recovery remains vulnerable to any shock from the troubled eurozone.

Testifying before Congress, Ben Bernanke said that the decision in December by the European Central Bank to offer cheap three-year loans to Europe's banks "has taken away some of the financial stress and given it a little more breathing space".

The comments from the world's most powerful central banker came as the latest batch of US economic data offered some hope that America's recovery is at least sustaining the momentum it finished last year with.

The number of new applicants for weekly jobless benefits dropped 12,000 to 367,000 last week, a steeper declined than economists had forecasted.

Questioned by the House Budget Committee in Washington yesterday, Mr Bernanke acknowledged that "fortunately, over the past few months, indicators of spending, production and job market activity have shown some signs of improvement".

The release today of a jobs report for January is expected to show that 145,000 Americans found jobs during the month, as the unemployment rate held at 8.5pc.

While encouraging, it's unlikely to dislodge Mr Bernanke's fundamental view that the recovery in the world's biggest economy remains frustratingly slow. The strength of that conviction was underlined last week when the Fed surprised some on Wall Street by pledging to keep interest rates at record low levels until the end of 2014.

And though highlighting the blitz of ECB money as a positive in Europe, the Fed chairman added that "it is important to conclude that there are still deep fundamental problems, not just fiscal issues, slow growth issues, but also issues of competitiveness."

Leon Panetta 'believes Israel could attack Iran in the spring'

2012-02-02T16:24:00.001-08:00

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a "strong possibility" that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations this spring, it was reported today.

Reports claimed the defence secretary anticipates an attack in the spring

A column in the Washington Post newspaper claimed the Pentagon chief believes that a Israeli strike could go ahead within months.

When asked about the opinion piece by reporters travelling with him to a Nato meeting in Brussels, Mr Panetta did not deny the claim.

"I'm not going to comment on that. David Ignatius can write what he will but with regards with what I think and what I view, I consider that to be an area that belongs to me and nobody else," he said.

"Israel indicated they're considering this (a strike), we've indicated our concerns," he added.

The Post columnist said Mr Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."

President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold," he said.

"But the White House hasn't yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."

Mr Panetta said Sunday in an interview with CBS that Iran needed "about a year" to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, and one or two more years to "put it on a deliverable vehicle."

Iran insists its nuclear project is peaceful and has threatened retaliation over the fresh sanctions, including possibly disrupting shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Israeli media reported in October last year that the option of pre-emptive air strikes on Iran was opposed by the country's intelligence services but favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

Israeli television said Mossad chief Tamir Pardo raised the possibility of a unilateral strike on Iran during a visit last week to Washington.