world 360

Doomsday Prediction

2009-11-04T17:08:00.000-08:00

The Prophet Hen of Leeds, 1806

History has countless examples of people who have proclaimed that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent, but perhaps there has never been a stranger messenger than a hen in the English town of Leeds in 1806. It seems that a hen began laying eggs on which the phrase "Christ is coming" was written. As news of this miracle spread, many people became convinced that doomsday was at hand — until a curious local actually watched the hen laying one of the prophetic eggs and discovered someone had hatched a hoax.

The Millerites, April 23, 1843

A New England farmer named William Miller, after several years of very careful study of his Bible, concluded that God's chosen time to destroy the world could be divined from a strict literal interpretation of scripture. As he explained to anyone who would listen, the world would end some time between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. He preached and published enough to eventually lead thousands of followers (known as Millerites) who decided that the actual date was April 23, 1843. Many sold or gave away their possessions, assuming they would not be needed; though when April 23 arrived (but Jesus didn't) the group eventually disbanded—some of them forming what is now the Seventh Day Adventists.

Mormon Armageddon, 1891 or earlier

Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, called a meeting of his church leaders in February 1835 to tell them that he had spoken to God recently, and during their conversation he learned that Jesus would return within the next 56 years, after which the End Times would begin promptly.

Halley's Comet, 1910

In 1881, an astronomer discovered through spectral analysis that comet tails include a deadly gas called cyanogen (related, as the name imples, to cyanide). This was of only passing interest until someone realized that Earth would pass through the tail of Halley's comet in 1910. Would everyone on the planet be bathed in deadly toxic gas? That was the speculation reprinted on the front pages of "The New York Times" and other newspapers, resulting in a widespread panic across the United States and abroad. Finally even-headed scientists explained that there was nothing to fear.

Pat Robertson, 1982

In May 1980, televangelist and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson startled and alarmed many when — contrary to Matthew 24:36 ("No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven...") he informed his "700 Club" TV show audience around the world that he knew when the world would end. "I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world," Robertson said.

Heaven's Gate, 1997

When comet Hale-Bopp appeared in 1997, rumors surfaced that an alien spacecraft was following the comet — covered up, of course, by NASA and the astronomical community. Though the claim was refuted by astronomers (and could be refuted by anyone with a good telescope), the rumors were publicized on Art Bell's paranormal radio talk show "Coast to Coast AM." These claims inspired a San Diego UFO cult named Heaven's Gate to conclude that the world would end soon. The world did indeed end for 39 of the cult members, who committed suicide on March 26, 1997.

Nostradamus, August 1999

The heavily obfuscated and metaphorical writings of Michel de Nostrdame have intrigued people for over 400 years. His writings, the accuracy of which relies heavily upon very flexible interpretations, have been translated and re-translated in dozens of different versions. One of the most famous quatrains read, "The year 1999, seventh month / From the sky will come great king of terror." Many Nostradamus

devotees grew concerned that this was the famed prognosticator's vision of Armageddon.

Y2K, Jan. 1, 2000

As the last century drew to a close, many people grew concerned that computers might bring about doomsday. The problem, first noted in the early 1970s, was that many computers would not be able to tell the difference between 2000 and 1900 dates. No one was really sure what that would do, but many suggested catastrophic problems ranging from vast blackouts to nuclear holocaust. Gun sales jumped and survivalists prepared to live in bunkers, but the new millennium began with only a few glitches.

May 5, 2000

In case the Y2K bug didn't do us in, global catastrophe was assured by Richard Noone, author of the 1997 book "5/5/2000 Ice: the Ultimate Disaster." According to Noone, the Antarctic ice mass would be three miles thick by May 5, 2000 — a date in which the planets would be aligned in the heavens, somehow resulting in a global icy death (or at least a lot of book sales). Perhaps global warming kept the ice age at bay.

God's Church Ministry, Fall 2008

According to God's Church minister Ronald Weinland, the end times are upon us-- again. His 2006 book "2008: God's Final Witness" states that hundreds of millions of people will die, and by the end of 2006, "there will be a maximum time of two years remaining before the world will be plunged into the worst time of all human history. By the fall of 2008, the United States will have collapsed as a world power, and no longer exist as an independent nation." As the book notes, "Ronald Weinland places his reputation on the line as the end-time prophet of God."

Cost Cutting for Business

2009-11-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

1. Refit your home and business premises for energy savings. Stop those air leaks, turn off the lights when leaving the room. In Europe many hotels have motion detectors in the hallway that turn on the lights only when someone enters the hallway and elevators that start running only when someone approaches them rather than all the time.

2. If you have a business that has a fleet of cars, when the time comes, switch to hybrids. We cut our gas bill in half with a new hybrid Camry that gets 36 mpg. There was also an attractive tax credit we received that offset a good portion of the sale price.

3. Shop at the wholesale clubs and share costs of office supplies, cleaning supplies and paper products with your business neighbours.

4. Barter. If your business offers a product or service appropriate for barter, ask a supplier if there are any trade possibilities. Or join a barter association where you offer your products or services and gain points to trade for other products or services.

5. Turn off all computers and copiers when not is use and shut off the power at the source. Some electronics use 25% of their power when in standby mode. This can be easily done by plugging the computers and copiers into a surge protector.

6. Need advertising? Craigslist.com is free. So is a Facebook Pay Per Click ad. You only pay when someone is interested enough to click on your ad and you can set a maximum daily budget.

7. Recycle, reuse. There is no longer any stigma attached to reusing printed paper and printing in house documents on the backside of the paper for cost savings.

8. Check Ebay for bulk items, office equipment and supplies.

9. Join an online forum in your industry to see what others in your niche are doing to cut costs.

10. Share advertising costs with a company in an associated industry. For example, a real estate company may share ad costs with a title company or appraiser. An accounting firm could line up with a law firm. A beauty shop could align an ad with a spa or clothing store.

11. Recycle used ink cartridges at your local office supply for credit on new cartridge purchases. We get $3.00 off on each new one.

12. Add more value to employee jobs. Can’t give a raise? One company we know found a local gym that gave excellent discounts to employees. Some local restaurants or sandwich shops may give employee discounts.

13. If things really get tough, you may be forced to outsource some positions that used to be handled in house. Google Virtual Assistants in your town to find an independent contractor to provide administrative services as needed. A virtual assistant can type letters, do data entry, marketing campaigns, graphic design and some are capable with bookkeeping processes. Best of all, you only pay them for work performed and most will work off site. Contact the International Virtual Assistant Association (IVAA) for someone local with proper credentials.

When times are tough, we need our neighbours more. By working together we have a better chance of survival as business owners.

The good news is all downturns are temporary.

With the above tips, you can save needed capital, educate your employees about cost savings and get through the tough times. Best of all, these saving ideas can survive even when the economy improves and your business recovers.

50 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do

2009-11-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

1. Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting.

2. Do not make a singleton feel bad. Do not say, “Are you waiting for someone?” Ask for a reservation. Ask if he or she would like to sit at the bar.

3. Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived.

4. If a table is not ready within a reasonable length of time, offer a free drink and/or amuse-bouche. The guests may be tired and hungry and thirsty, and they did everything right.

5. Tables should be level without anyone asking. Fix it before guests are seated.

6. Do not lead the witness with, “Bottled water or just tap?” Both are fine. Remain neutral.

7. Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.

8. Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.

9. Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically. It is not a soliloquy. This is not an audition.

10. Do not inject your personal favourites when explaining the specials.

11. Do not hustle the lobsters. That is, do not say, “We only have two lobsters left.” Even if there are only two lobsters left.

12. Do not touch the rim of a water glass. Or any other glass.

13. Handle wine glasses by their stems and silverware by the handles.

14. When you ask, “How’s everything?” or “How was the meal?” listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right.

15. Never say “I don’t know” to any question without following with, “I’ll find out.”

16. If someone requests more sauce or gravy or cheese, bring a side dish of same. No pouring. Let them help themselves.

17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.

18. Know before approaching a table who has ordered what. Do not ask, “Who’s having the shrimp?”

19. Offer guests butter and/or olive oil with their bread.

20. Never refuse to substitute one vegetable for another.

21. Never serve anything that looks creepy or runny or wrong.

22. If someone is unsure about a wine choice, help him. That might mean sending someone else to the table or offering a taste or two.

23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.

24. Never use the same glass for a second drink.

25. Make sure the glasses are clean. Inspect them before placing them on the table.

26. Never assume people want their white wine in an ice bucket. Inquire.

27. For red wine, ask if the guests want to pour their own or prefer the waiter to pour.

28. Do not put your hands all over the spout of a wine bottle while removing the cork.

29. Do not pop a champagne cork. Remove it quietly, gracefully. The less noise the better.

30. Never let the wine bottle touch the glass into which you are pouring. No one wants to drink the dust or dirt from the bottle.

31. Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong. Obviously, something went wrong.

32. Never touch a customer. No excuses. Do not do it. Do not brush them, move them, wipe them or dust them.

33. Do not bang into chairs or tables when passing by.

34. Do not have a personal conversation with another server within earshot of customers.

35. Do not eat or drink in plain view of guests.

36. Never reek from perfume or cigarettes. People want to smell the food and beverage.

37. Do not drink alcohol on the job, even if invited by the guests. “Not when I’m on duty” will suffice.

38.Do not call a guy a “dude.”

39. Do not call a woman “lady.”

40. Never say, “Good choice,” implying that other choices are bad.

41. Saying, “No problem” is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. “My pleasure” or “You’re welcome” will do.

42. Do not compliment a guest’s attire or hairdo or makeup. You are insulting someone else.

43. Never mention what your favorite dessert is. It’s irrelevant.

44. Do not discuss your own eating habits, be you vegan or lactose intolerant or diabetic.

45. Do not curse, no matter how young or hip the guests.

46. Never acknowledge any one guest over and above any other. All guests are equal.

47. Do not gossip about co-workers or guests within earshot of guests.

48. Do not ask what someone is eating or drinking when they ask for more; remember or consult the order.

49. Never mention the tip, unless asked.

50. Do not turn on the charm when it’s tip time. Be consistent throughout.

7 Solar Innovators

2009-10-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

1. BrightSource Energy (formerly Luz) is building solar power plants for utility and industrial companies around the globe. Combining decades of experience in designing, building and operating some of the world’s largest solar power plants, BrightSource is contracted to generate 2.6 gigawatts of power using its solar thermal technology. BrightSource and Southern California Edison signed the world’s largest solar energy deal in February this year.

Founded by Arnold J. Goldman, the company’s mission is to minimize its impact on the environment and to help customers reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. With more than $160 million in financing, key investors and clients include Google, PG&E, Chevron, Morgan Stanley and Vantage Point Venture Partners.

2. ZenithSolar develops solar energy power plants based on the technology of Prof. David Faimon of Ben Gurion University in the Negev. The core technology is a large optical dish upon which multiple flat mirrors are mounted. The company says that the system will harvest more than 70 percent of incoming solar energy (compared to industry averages of 10% to 40%). ZenithSolar already has a solar farm on Kibbutz Yavne that is supplying energy and hot water to 250 families. Investors include private business people from the US and Israel.

3. AORA (formerly EDIG) has based its technology on the shape of a flower. Alarmingly beautiful, the company focuses heliostats into the “petals” of its massive solar collector, which was revealed recently at the pilot plant in Israel’s Negev Desert. The world’s first solar thermal gas-turbine power station is based on the research of Prof. Jacob Karni, director of the Center for Energy Research at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, and has been funded by EZKlein.

4. Tigo Energy aims to take a stab at squeezing more power from existing power plants. The company has developed a box that renders these plants more efficient. Tigo Energy’s technology includes a real-time, always on monitoring system that it has devised so that power plant operators can receive constant updates on the performance of individual photovoltaic panels. Investors include Matrix Partners, OVP Venture Partners, and the IDB Group. Sales of the Maximizer technology are expected to begin within the next few months.

5. Solel is one of Israel’s most talked about solar energy companies, up there with BrightSource and ZenithSolar. Building solar thermal power plants in Spain and the US, Solel has invested 14 years’ worth of R&D to improve the annual electrical output of solar fields. German electronics giant Siemens has just purchased Solel for $418 million. It is currently building plants in Spain, and a 553-megawatt project, the Mojave Solar Park 1, in California’s Mojave Desert. Major investors and clients include PG&E, Ecofin and private Belgian investors.

6. Di.S.P. Distributed Solar Power holds promise for industrial rooftops. Although there hasn’t been much about them in the media, based on the technology of Prof. Avi Kribus from Tel Aviv University, the DiSP solar collectors are small, but reportedly pack a lot of punch. According to their estimates, they will be able to collect up to 75% of the sun’s power and convert it to electricity. The technology is novel because it combines both a micro-sized solar concentrator and a heat transfer system, meaning that the sunlight can be used to heat water thermally, while also providing electricity to turn on your air con. In 2006, ISRAEL21c featured DiSP as the first in a series of articles about alternative energy solutions from Israel.

7. Enstorage. Based on the research of Prof. Emanuel Peled at Tel Aviv University, Enstorage develops low-cost energy storage systems for solar and wind powered plants. While the way the sun shines throughout the day is variable, Enstorage’s technology helps generate an even flow transmission back to the grid. Current investors include Siemens, Wellington Partners, Canaan Partners and Greylock Partners.

Home Automation Saves Power

2009-10-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

Energy costs more these days -- and consumers are looking for ways to save money without taking a big lifestyle or financial hit. One option is home automation, which can help homeowners take control of energy use and shave dollars off their bills.

- How can home automation reduce energy use?

Home automation devices, incorporated into a new home or retrofitted into an existing one, can help manage heating, cooling and lighting systems to keep costs down. Energy-saving automation devices run the gamut from the basic (programmable thermostats and lighting controls) to the sophisticated (whole-house systems operated by a computer).

They can monitor the home and make adjustments to the heating and cooling systems, as well as lighting, based on predetermined criteria or information provided by sensors located throughout the house.

- What about costs?

The best news is that, with the convergence of digital and wireless trends, automated systems are now available less expensively than you might think. Today, we see systems that cost a fraction of what they did a few years ago, yet they offer the same or even better functionality.

A typical programmable thermostat costs anywhere from about $30 US to about $100, depending on the functionality. Typical whole-house automation systems can range from about $5,000 US to about $30,000, though start-up packages are available from about $1,500.

When integrating a home automation system into a new or existing home, you want to evaluate the initial cost, the expected return on investment, the ability to upgrade or expand the system, and the ease of use.

- How much can I save?

Even the most basic device -- a programmable thermostat -- can cut energy costs. Programming to set the temperature back 10 to 15 per cent for eight hours a day (from 20 to 15 C, for example) can save up to 15 per cent annually on your heating bill.

Combining conditional events, like occupancy detectors and seasonal shifts of schedules with heating/cooling control, can push that figure higher.

- What's right for my home?

Since the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is the biggest energy consumer in the home, any device that automates its operation will translate to savings on your energy bill. For example, by incorporating a programmable thermostat into your heating/cooling system, you can create regular or special events that will set back the temperature and reduce energy costs.

While stand-alone control devices can realize some money and energy savings, going the whole-house route makes the most sense -- and ultimately can give you the most bang for your investment buck.

Experts divide residential energy management systems into three categories:

- Individual control devices -- essentially thermostats, these devices are programmable and inexpensive, but they don't take advantage of data and events collected from other systems, nor do they react in concert with other systems. Without that interaction, the benefits of these devices are limited.

Distributed control systems -- these systems enable the homeowner to program and manage multiple heating/cooling zones from a single controller. They offer more options than individual control devices but lack the ability to communicate fully with other systems in the home.

- Centrally controlled systems -- these whole-house systems, managed via a touch pad, remote control, PC or similar device, integrate a variety of components and systems. These include lighting, security and irrigation in addition to the HVAC system. They also use data collected from sensors and systems throughout the home to make adjustments to maximize energy efficiency and comfort.

New Zealand spinach

2009-10-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Spinach' can be grown as a perennial in warmer climates but is typically grown as an annual. It is not related to true spinach but the leaves taste similar to, and some think better than, spinach. It does not bolt in hot weather nor does it typically turn bitter and it is valued because of its high vitamin C content.

'New Zealand' spinach, by its very nature, tends to be difficult to start and have low germination rates. The federal minimum standard is 40%. Soaking seeds in warm water for two to eight hours prior to sowing may help soften the seed coat and improve germination results. Additionally, it can take a couple of weeks for germination to occur (depending on weather). Keep soil moist until germination occurs. Flavor and texture do benefit from ample composting, mulching and watering.

'New Zealand Spinach is a very old heirloom introduced into England in 1772 by Sir Joseph Banks. It was reportedly discovered during the South Seas expedition of Captain Cook. Approximately 15 seeds per gram.

Some Interesting Facts

2009-10-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

DID YOU KNOW?

1. A human being loses an average of 40 to 100 strands of hair a day.
2. A cough releases an explosive charge of air that moves at speeds up to 60 mph.
3. Every time you lick a stamp, you consume 1/10 of a calorie.
4. A fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.
5. A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph.
6. Every person has a unique tongue print.
7. According to German researchers, the risk of heart attack is higher on Monday than any other day of the week.
8. After spending hours working at a computer display, look at a blank piece of white paper. It will probably appear pink.
9. An average human drinks about 16,000 gallons of water in a lifetime.
10. A fingernail or toenail takes about 6 months to grow from base to tip.
11. An average human scalp has 100,000 hairs.
12. It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.
13. Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood, we only have 206 in our bodies.
14. Beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it would grow to nearly 30 feet long in his lifetime.
15. By age sixty, most people have lost half of their taste buds.
16. By the time you turn 70, your heart will have beat some two-and-a-half billion times (figuring on an average of 70 beats per minute).
17. Each square inch of human skin consists of twenty feet of blood vessels.
18. Every human spent half an hour as a single cell.
19. Every square inch of the human body has an average of 32 million bacteria on it.
20. Fingernails grow faster than toenails.
21. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour – about 1.5 pounds a year. By 70 years of age, an average person will have lost 105 pounds of skin.

Amazing Lung Facts

* At rest, a person breathes about 14 to 16 times per minute. After exercise it could increase to over 60 times per minute.
* New babies at rest breathe between 40 and 50 times per minute. By age five it decreases to around 25 times per minute.
* The total surface area of the alveoli (tiny air sacs in the lungs) is the size of a tennis court.
* The lungs are the only organ in the body that can float on water.
* The lungs produce a detergent-like substance which reduces the surface tension of the fluid lining, allowing air in.

Amazing Heart Facts

* Your heart is about the same size as your fist.
* An average adult body contains about five quarts of blood.
* All the blood vessels in the body joined end to end would stretch 62,000 miles or two and a half times around the earth.
* The heart circulates the body's blood supply about 1,000 times each day.

Instructions for properly hugging a baby

2009-09-23T03:28:00.000-07:00

1. First, uh, find a baby.

2. Second, be sure that the object you found was indeed a baby by employing classic sniffing techniques.

3. Next you will need to flatten the baby before actually beginning the hugging process.

4. The 'paw slide' Simply slide paws around baby and prepare for possible close-up

5. Finally, if a camera is present, you will need to execute the difficult and patented 'hug, smile, and lean' so as to achieve the best photo quality.

Life ends but not work...

2009-09-23T03:18:00.000-07:00

A very important mail for the workaholics – Don’t Ignore

Positive approach

2009-09-16T23:56:00.000-07:00

Ten Amazing Coincidences

2009-09-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

What's in a Name?

A computer error gave two women in America called Patricia the same social security number. When the two women were brought together in an office to rectify the blunder they discovered that

*
They had both been born with the names Patricia Ann Campbell
*
Both of their fathers were called Robert Campbell
*
Their birthdays were on 13th March 1941
*
They had both married military men in the year 1959 (within eleven days of each other)
*
They each had two children aged 19 and 21
*
They both had an interest in oil painting
*
Both had studied cosmetics
*
Both had worked as book-keepers

Bullet With Your Name on It

In 1893, Henry Ziegland ended a relationship with his girlfriend.

Tragically, his girlfriend took the news very badly, became distraught and took her own life.

Her distressed brother blamed his sister's death upon Henry, he went round to Henry's house, saw him out in the garden and tried to shoot him.

Luckily, the bullet only grazed Henry's face and embedded itself in a nearby tree.

In 1913, twenty years after this incident, Henry decided to use dynamite to uproot a tree in his garden. The explosion propelled the embedded bullet from the tree straight into Henry Ziegland's head - killing him immediately.

Lucky Hughs?

On December 5th 1660, a ship sank in the straights of Dover - the only survivor was noted to be Hugh Williams.

On 5th December 1767, another ship sank in the same waters - 127 lost their lives, the only survivor was noted to be Hugh Williams

On 8th August 1820, a picnic boat capsized on the Thames - there was one survivor - Hugh Williams.

On 10th July 1940, a British trawler was destroyed by a German mine - only two men survived, one man and his nephew - they were both called Hugh Williams.

With a Quack Quack Here

Mr McDonald was a farmer who lived in Canada - nothing extra-ordinary in that - until you learn that his postcode contained the letter sequence EIEIO.

'Til Death Did Them Part

In 1996, Paris police set out to investigate a late night, high speed car crash, both drivers had been killed instantly.

Investigations revealed that the deceased were in fact man and wife.

Police initially suspected some kind of murder or suicide pact but it became apparent that the pair had been separated for several months - neither could have known that the other would have been out driving that night - it was just a terrible coincidence.

She's Behind You!

Michael Dick had been travelling around the UK with his family to track down his daughter, Lisa - who he had lost contact with ten years earlier.

After a long fruitless search, he approached the Suffolk Free Press, who agreed to help him by putting an appeal in their newspaper.

Fortunately, his long lost daughter saw the appeal and the pair were reunited. The odd thing was, his daughter had been right behind him when the free paper took the photograph - shown in the photograph above. What are the chances of that!

Licensed To Thrill

A fifteen year old pupil at Argoed High School in North Wales was to sit his GCSE examinations in 1990.

His name was James Bond - his examination paper reference was 007.

What Goes Around….

In 1965, at the age of four, Roger Lausier was swimming off a beach in Salem - he got into difficulties and was saved from drowning by a woman called Alice Blaise.

In 1974, on the same beach, Roger was out on a raft when he pulled a drowning man from the water - amazingly, the man he saved was Alice Blaise's husband.

Lightning Never Strikes Twice?

British cavalry officer Major Summerford was fighting in the fields of Flanders in the last year of WW1, a flash of lightning knocked him off his horse and paralysed him from his waist down.

He moved to Vancouver, Canada, six years later, whilst out fishing, Major Summerfield was struck by lightning again and the right side of his body became paralysed.

After two years of recovery, it was a summers day and he was out in a local park, a summer storm blew up and Major Summerfield was struck by lightning again - permanently paralysing him.

He died two years after this incident.

However, four years after his death, his stone tomb was destroyed - it was struck by lightning!

Practice What You Preach

Businessman Danie de Toit made a speech to an audience in South Africa - the topic of his speech was - watch out because death can strike you down at any time.

At the end of his speech, he put a peppermint in his mouth, and choked to death on it!

Worlds Biggest Golden Coin of 1 Million Dollar

2009-09-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here is some amazing pictures of Rarest and World's Biggest Golden Coin amounting to USD 1 Million.

World's most complicated railway line

2009-09-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

Inspite of being such a complicated Railway network, we never hear about any accidents in Frankfurt Germany.

10 mOst pOisonous Animals

2009-09-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

1. Box Jellyfish

The top prize for The World Most Venomous Animal, would go to the Box Jellyfish. It has caused at least 5,567 recorded deaths since 1954. Their venom is among the most deadly in the world. Its toxins attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. And the worst part of it is that jelly box venom is so overpoweringly painful, that human victims go in shock, drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors experience pain weeks after the contact with box jellies.

You have virtually no chance to survive the venomous sting, unless treated immediately. After a sting, vinegar should be applied for a minimum of 30 seconds. Vinegar has acetic acid, which disables the box jellys nematocysts that have not yet discharged into the bloodstream (though it will not alleviate the pain). Wearing panty hose while swimming is also a good prevention measure since it can prevent jellies from being able to harm your legs.

Jelly box can be found in the waters around Asia and Australia .

2. King Cobra

The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the worlds longest venomous snake - growing up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft) in length. Ophiophagus, literally means snake-eater as it eats other snakes. One single bite of this deadly snake can easily kill a human. This snake is even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant within 3 hours if the larger animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

Its venom is not as toxic as other venomous snakes, but King Cobra is capable of injecting 5 times more venom than black mamba and can result in mortality up to 5 times faster than that of the black mamba. It is quite widespread, ranging across South and South-east Asia , living in dense highland forests.

3. Marbled Cone Snail

This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animal on this list. One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans. If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, dont even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure. There is no anti-venom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail enumeration.

4. Blue-Ringed Octopus

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only the size of a golf ball, but its venom is so powerful that can kill a human. Actually it carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans within minutes, and there is no antidote. They are currently recognized as one of the worlds most venomous animals.

Its painless bite may seem harmless, but the deadly neurotoxins begin working immediately resulting in muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation and breathing and ultimately death.

They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia .

5. Death Stalker Scorpion

Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling). However, the Death Starker Scorpion is highly dangerous species because its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would be unlikely to kill a healthy, adult human. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.
Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and Middle East .

6. Stonefish

Maybe Stonefish would never win a beauty contest, but it would definitely win the top prize for being The World Most Venomous Fish. Its venom causes such a severe pain that the victims of its sting want the affected limb to be amputated. It is described as the worst pain known to man. It is accompanied with possible shock, paralysis, and tissue death. If not given medical attention within a couple of hours It can be fatal to humans.

Stonefish stores its toxins in gruesome-looking spines that are designed to hurt would-be predators.

Stonefish mostly live above the tropic of Capricorn, often found in the shallow tropical marine waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, ranging from the Red Sea to the Queensland Great Barrier Reef.

7. The Brazilian wandering spider

The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse. They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars.

Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism - uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.

8. Inland Taipan

The prize for The Worlds Most Venomous Snake goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia . Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000 mice. Its venom is at least 200 - 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. The Inland Taiwans extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes. Fortunately this snake is very shy and there have been no documented human fatalities (all known bites were treated with antivenin).

9. Poison Dart Frog

If you ever happen to be running through the rain forests somewhere in Central or South America , do not ever pick up beautiful and colorful frogs - it can be the Poison Dart Frog. This frog is probably the most poisonous animal on earth.The 2 inch long (5cm) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans or 20,000 mice.. Only 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin (the amount that fits on the head of a pin) is capable of killing a human or other large mammal. They are called dart frogs because indigenous Amerindians use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of their blow-darts.. Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who touches or eats it.

10. Puffer Fish

Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on earth (the first one is golden dart Frog). The meat of some species is a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh) but the problem is that the skin and certain organs of many puffer fish are very poisonous to humans.

This puffy fish produce rapid and violent death..Puffers poisoning causes deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis. Victims die from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed. Most of the victims die after four to 24 hours. There is no known antidote, Most deaths from fugu happen when untrained people catch and prepare the fish.

Statistics show that there were 20 to 44 incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in all of Japan and up to six incidents per year led to death. Since Fugus poison can cause near instantaneous death, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it.

Inventions

2009-09-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

1955–TV REMOTE CONTROL

It marks the official end of humanity’s struggle for survival and the beginning of its quest for a really relaxing afternoon. The first wireless remote, designed by Zenith’s Eugene Polley, is essentially a flashlight. When Zenith discovers that direct sunlight also can change channels on the remote-receptive TVs, the company comes out with a model that uses ultrasound; it lasts into the 1980s, to the chagrin of many a family dog. The industry then switches to infrared.

1955–MICROWAVE OVEN

In 1945 Raytheon’s Percy Spencer stands in front of a magnetron (the power tube of radar) and feels a candy bar start to melt in his pocket: He is intrigued. When he places popcorn kernels in front of the magnetron, the kernels explode all over the lab. Ten years later Spencer patents a “radar range” that cooks with high-frequency radio waves; that same year, the Tappan Stove Co. introduces the first home microwave model.

1957–BIRTH-CONTROL PILL

Enovid, a drug the FDA approves for menstrual disorders, comes with a warning: The mixture of synthetic progesterone and estrogen also prevents ovulation. Two years later, more than half a million American women are taking Enovid–and not all of them have cramps. In 1960 the FDA approves Enovid for use as the first oral contraceptive.

1958–JET AIRLINER

The Boeing 707-120 debuts as the world’s first successful commercial jet airliner, ushering in the era of accessible mass air travel. The four-engine plane carries 181 passengers and cruises at 600 mph for up to 5280 miles on a full tank. The first commercial jet flight takes off from New York and lands in Paris; domestic service soon connects New York and Los Angeles.

1959–FLOAT GLASS

There’s a reason old windowpanes distort everything: They were made by rapidly squeezing a sheet of red-hot glass between two hot rollers, which produced a cheap but uneven pane. British engineer Alastair Pilkington revolutionizes the process by floating molten glass on a bath of molten tin–by nature, completely flat. The first factory to produce usable float glass opens in 1959; an estimated 90 percent of plate glass is still produced this way.

1961–CORDLESS TOOLS

Black and Decker releases its first cordless drill, but designers can’t coax more than 20 watts from its NiCd batteries. Instead, they strive for efficiency, modifying gear ratios and using better materials. The revolutionary result puts new power in the hands of DIYers and–thanks to a NASA contract–the gloves of astronauts.

1961–INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

The Unimate, the first programmable industrial robot, is installed on a General Motors assembly line in New Jersey. Conceived by George C. Devol Jr. to move and fetch things, the invention gets a lukewarm reception in the United States. Japanese manufacturers love it and, after licensing the design in 1968, go on to dominate the global market for industrial robots.

1962–COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE

Telstar is launched as the first “active” communications satellite–active as in amplifying and retransmitting incoming signals, rather than passively bouncing them back to Earth. Telstar makes real a 1945 concept by science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, who envisioned a global communications network based on geosynchronous satellites. Two weeks after Telstar’s debut, President Kennedy holds a press conference in Washington, D.C., that is broadcast live across the Atlantic.

1962–LED

Working as a consultant for General Electric, Nick Holonyak develops the light-emitting diode (LED), which provides a simple and inexpensive way for computers to convey information. From their humble beginnings in portable calculators, LEDs spread from the red light that indicates coffee is brewing to the 290-ft.-tall Reuters billboard in Times Square.

1964–UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

Widespread use of remotely piloted aircraft begins during the Vietnam War with deployment of 1000 AQM-34 Ryan Firebees. The first model of these 29-ft.-long planes was developed in just 90 days in 1962. AQM-34s go on to fly more than 34,000 surveillance missions. Their success leads to the eventual development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles widely used today.

1964–MUSIC SYNTHESIZER

Robert Moog develops the first electronic synthesizer to make the leap from machine to musical instrument. Moog’s device not only generates better sounds than other synthesizers, it can be controlled by a keyboard rather than by punch cards. The subsequent acceptance of electronic music is a crucial step in developing audio technology for computers, cellphones and stereos.

1966–HIGH-YIELD RICE

The International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines releases a semi-dwarf, high-yield Indica variety that, in conjunction with high-yield wheat, ushers in the Green Revolution. Indica rice thrives in tropical regions of Asia and South America, raising worldwide production more than 20 percent by 1970.

1969–SMOKE DETECTOR

Randolph Smith and Kenneth House patent a battery-powered smoke detector for home use. Later models rely on perhaps the cheapest nuclear technology you can own: a chunk of americium-241. The element’s radioactive particles generate a small electric current. If smoke enters the chamber it disrupts the current, triggering an alarm.

1969–CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICE

Bell Labs’ George Smith and Willard Boyle invent a charge-coupled device (CCD) that can measure light arriving at a rate of just one photon per minute. Smith and Boyle’s apparatus allows extremely faint images to be recorded, which is very useful in astronomy. Today, its most noticeable impact is in digital cameras, which rely on CCD arrays containing millions of pixels.

1970–DIGITAL MUSIC

James Russell, a scientist with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, invents the first digital-to-optical recording and playback system, in which sounds are represented by a string of 0s and 1s and a laser reads the binary patterns etched on a photosensitive platter. Russell isn’t able to convince the music industry to adopt his invention, but 20 years later, Time Warner and other CD manufacturers pay a $30 million patent infringement settlement to Russell’s former employer, the Optical Recording Co.

1971–WAFFLE-SOLE RUNNING SHOES

Bill Bowerman, the track coach at the University of Oregon, sacrifices breakfast for peak performance when he pours rubber into his wife’s waffle iron, forming lightweight soles for his athletes’ running shoes. Three years later, Bowerman’s company, Nike, introduces the Waffle Trainer, which is an instant hit.

1972–ELECTRONIC IGNITION

Chrysler paves the way for the era of electronic–rather than mechanical–advances in automobiles with the electronic ignition. It leads to electronic control of ignition timing and fuel metering, harbingers of more sophisticated systems to come. Today, these include electronic control transmission shift points, antilock brakes, traction control systems, steering and airbag deployment.

1973–MRI

Everyone agrees that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a brilliant invention–but no one agrees on who invented it. The physical effect that MRIs rely on–nuclear magnetic resonance–earns various scientists Nobel Prizes for physics in 1944 and 1952. Many believe that Raymond Damadian establishes the machine’s medical merit in 1973, when he first uses magnetic resonance to discern healthy tissue from cancer. Yet, in 2003, the Nobel Prize for medicine goes to Peter Lauterbur and Peter Mansfield for their “seminal discoveries.” The topic of who is the worthiest candidate remains hotly debated.

1978–GPS

The first satellite in the modern Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) is launched. (The GPS’s precursor, TRANSIT, was developed in the early 1960s to guide nuclear subs.) It is not until the year 2000, though, that President Clinton grants nonmilitary users access to an unscrambled GPS signal. Now, cheap, handheld GPS units can determine a person’s location to within 3 yards.

1981–SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE

By moving the needle of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) across a surface and monitoring the electric current that flows through it, scientists can map a surface to the level of single atoms. The STM is so precise that it not only looks at atoms–it also can manipulate them into structures. The microscope’s development earns IBM researchers Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer a Nobel Prize and helps launch the emerging era of nanotechnology.

1984–DNA FINGERPRINTING

Molecular biologist Alec Jeffreys devises a way to make the analysis of more than 3 billion units in the human DNA sequence much more manageable by comparing only the parts of the sequence that show the greatest variation among people. His method quickly finds its way into the courts, where it is used to exonerate people wrongly accused of crimes and to finger the true culprits.

1985–POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Biochemist Kary Mullis invents a technique that exploits enzymes in order to make millions of copies of a tiny scrap of DNA quickly and cheaply. No matter how small or dried-out a bloodstain is, forensic scientists can now gather enough genetic material to do DNA fingerprinting. With PCR, doctors also can search for trace amounts of HIV genetic code to diagnose infection much sooner than by conventional methods.

1987–PROZAC

Prozac becomes the first in a new class of FDA-approved antidepressants called “selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors,” which block the reabsorption of the mood-elevating neurotransmitter serotonin, thereby prolonging its effects. Though at times controversial, Prozac helps patients cope with clinical depression, reshaping our understanding of how personality and emotion can be chemically controlled. Within five years, 4.5 million Americans are taking Prozac–making it the most widely accepted psychiatric drug ever.

1998–GENETIC SEQUENCING

Scientist Craig Venter announces that his company will sequence the entire human genome in just three years and for only $300 million–12 years and $2 billion less than a federally funded project established to do the same thing. Venter uses a method called “shotgun sequencing” to make automated gene sequencers, instead of relying on the laborious approach used by the government program. The result is an acrimonious race to the finish, which ends in a tie. Both groups announce the completion of the human genome sequence in papers published in 2001.

1998–MP3 PLAYER

Depending on who you ask, the MP3 is either the end of civilization (record companies) or the dawn of a new world (everyone else). The Korean company Saehan introduces its MPMan in 1998, long before Apple asks, “Which iPod are you?” When the Diamond Rio hits the shelves a few months later, the Recording Industry Association of America sues–providing massive publicity and a boost to digital technology.

2002–IEEE 802.16

The geniuses at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers publish a wireless metropolitan area network standard that functions like Wi-Fi on steroids. An 802.16 antenna can transmit Internet access up to a 30-mile radius at speeds comparable to DSL and cable broadband. When it all shakes out, 802.16 could end up launching developing nations into the digital age by eliminating the need for wired telecommunications infrastructure.

Climate Change

2009-09-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

The different definitions of climate, have done much to confuse policymakers in the discussion of climate science.

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) definition of “climate change” is :

“(Also called climatic change.) Any systematic change in the long-term statistics of climate elements (such as temperature, pressure, or winds) sustained over several decades or longer. Climate change may be due to natural external forcings, such as changes in solar emission or slow changes in the earth’s orbital elements; natural internal processes of the climate system; or anthropogenic forcing.”

The AMS defines anthropogenic forcing as

“Human-induced or resulting from human activities; often used to refer to environmental changes, global or local in scale.

The AMS defines the climate system as the

“system, consisting of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, determining the earth’s climate as the result of mutual interactions and responses to external influences (forcing). Physical, chemical, and biological processes are involved in the interactions among the components of the climate system.”

Here we have an inconsistency with the definition even by a very distinguished professional society! Climate, as defined by the AMS, is focused on the atmosphere, while the climate system consists of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. No wonder policymakers misapply this terminology.

As one example of the misuse by policymakers, the Royal Society released the following statement by Lord May:

“The science points to the need for a Herculean effort to make massive cuts in the amount of greenhouse gases that we pump into the atmosphere. So, while this encouraging new deal may play a role in this, it will only be part, and not all, of the solution.”

“But we have serious concerns that the apparent lack of targets in this deal means that there is no sense of what it is ultimately trying to achieve or the urgency of taking action to combat climate change. And the developed countries involved with this agreement must not be tempted to use it as an excuse to avoid tackling their own emissions.”

“All eyes should be on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Montreal at the end of November [2005]. Top of the agenda at this meeting should be the initiation of a study into what concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere we can allow without suffering the most catastrophic effects of climate change. This would allow us to plan cuts in worldwide emissions accordingly and provide direction to such efforts to tackle what is the biggest environmental threat we face today.”

Here the conclusion is made that to “combat climate change” we must initiate “a study into what concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere we can allow without suffering the most catastrophic effects of climate change.”

Corporate Communication-fun

2009-08-20T00:19:00.000-07:00

Engineer to Team Leader :

"We can't do this proposed project. It will involve a major design change and no one in our team knows the design of this system. And above that, no body in our company knows the formulation in which this application has been written. So even if somebody wants to work on it, they can't. If
you ask my personal opinion, the company should never take these type of projects."

Team Leader to Project Manager:

"This project will involve a design change. Currently, we don't have any staff who has experience in this type of work. Also, the language is unfamiliar to us, so we will have to arrange for some training if we take this project. In my personal opinion, we are not ready to take on a project of this nature."

Project Manager to General Manager:

"This project involves a design change in the system and we don't have much experience in that area. Also, not many people in our company are appropriately trained for it. In my personal opinion, we might be able to do the project but we would need more time than usual to complete it."

General Manager to Vice President :

"This project involves design re-engineering. We have some people who have worked in this area and others who know the implementation language. So they can train other people. In my personal opinion we should take this project, but with caution."

Vice President to CEO :

"This project will demonstrate to the industry our capabilities in remodelling the design of a complete legacy system. We have all the necessary skills and people to execute this project successfully. Some people have already given in house training in this area to other staff members. In my personal opinion, we should not let this project slip by us under any circumstances."

CEO to Client :

"This is the type of project in which our company specializes. We have executed many projects of the same nature for many large clients. Trust me when I say that we are the most competent firm in the industry for doing this kind of work. It is my personal opinion that we can execute this project successfully and well within the given time frame."

General Knowledge Test

2009-08-18T02:31:00.001-07:00

1. What is the expansion ( Full Form ) of YAHOO?
Yet Another Hierarchy of Officious Oracle

2. What is the expansion ( Full Form ) of ADIDAS?
ADIDAS- All Day I Dream About Sports

3. Expansion of Star as in Star TV Network?
Satellite Television Asian Region

4. What is expansion of "ICICI?"
Industrial credit and Investments Corporation of India

5. The 1984-85 season. 2nd ODI between India and Pakistan at Sialkot - India 210/3 with Vengsarkar 94*. Match abandoned. Why?
That match was abandoned after people heard the news of Indira Gandhi being killed.

6. Who is the only man to have written the National Anthems for two different countries?
Rabindranath Tagore who wrote national anthem for two different countries one is our 's National Anthem and another one is for Bangladesh- (Amar Sonar* *Bangla )

7. From what four word expression does the word `goodbye` derive?
Goodbye comes from the ex-pression: 'god be with you'.

8. How was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu better known?
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu is none other Mother Teresa

9. Name the only other country to have got independence on Aug 15th?
South Korea

10. Why was James Bond Associated with the Number 007?
Because 007 is the ISD code for Russia (or the USSR , as it was known during the cold war)

11. Who faced the first ball in the first ever One day match?
Geoffrey Boycott

12. Which cricketer played for South Africa before it was banned from international cricket and later represented Zimbabwe ?
John Traicos

13. Which is the only country that is surrounded from all sides by only one country (other than Vatican )?
Lesotho surrounded from all sides by South Africa ..

14. Which is the only sport which is not allowed to play left handed?
Polo.

Know about swine flu and Home Remedies

2009-08-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu Home Remidies

Know about swine flu and Home Remedies

Detailed document about Swine Flu.
Swine Flu Home RemediesEverything you need to know about Swine Flu
India is grappling with a swine flu epidemic. There is heightened panic among people following reports of growing number of HIN1 cases and the recent death of a school child in Pune. Here's an FAQ on the dreaded virus:

How do people become infected with influenza A (H1N1)?

Outbreaks in humans are now occurring from human-to-human transmission. When infected people cough or sneeze, infected droplets get on their hands, drop onto surfaces, or are dispersed into the air. Another person can breathe in contaminated air, or touch infected hands or surfaces, and be exposed.

What are the signs and symptoms of infection?

Early signs of influenza A (H1N1) are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Is there any confirmation of transmission between pigs and humans at this point?

No.

How soon can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent hand washing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
Currently available seasonal influenza vaccine does not protect against H1N1 flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.. Germs spread this way.
* Try to avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.
* If one gets sick with influenza, one must stay at home, away from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. However, if one is having any respiratory distress, one should report to a nearby hospital.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?
First and most important: wash your hands frequently. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?
Yes. Oseltamivir is the recommended anti viral drug for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with the influenza A H1N1. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster.

They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). The government has adequate stock and the drug is made available to government hospitals at the time of outbreak and would be available to you free of cost. The drug is to be administered under supervision of clinicians.
What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where influenza A H1N1 cases have been identified and become ill with influenza like symptoms e.g. fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms.

Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Fast breathing or trouble breathing* Bluish skin color* Not drinking enough fluids/eating food* Not waking up or not interacting* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough* Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen* Sudden dizziness* Confusion* Severe or persistent vomiting
Can I get influenza A H1N1 from eating or preparing pork?
Swine Flu
No. swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
DOs:
* Wash your hands* Avoid crowded places* Stay more than an arm's length from persons afflicted with flu* Get plenty of sleep* Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food
1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough orsneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Use disposablemasks in airports, crowded markets.2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially afteryou cough or sneeze3. Use alcohol‐based hand cleaners (e.g: Germ Free)4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people5. Always maintain high levels of personal hygiene, especiallybefore and after food preparation and in & out of toilets.6. While in an affected region, seek immediate medical attentionif you develop influenza‐like symptoms. (High Fever, bodypain, coughing and red nose)7. Get plenty of sleep8. Rest and take plenty of liquids9. Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food.
DO NOTs:
* Shake hands or hug in greeting* Spit in public* Take medicines without consulting a physician
1. Touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way2. Visits live animal markets, poultry and pig farms.3. Shake hands or hug in greeting4. Spit in public5. Take medicines without consulting a physician6. If you are sick, PLEASE stay at home and limit contact withothers as much as possible7. Forget to cover your mouth and nose when you cough orsneeze8. Neglect yourself and seek medical advice if needed
For people who are sick:
* Stay home and limit contacts with others as much as possible* Rest and take plenty of liquids* Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze* Seek medical advice if needed
Symptoms, Precautions, Treatment
Swine Flu Symptoms
Symptoms of swine flu infections can include:
* fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent* cough* runny nose or stuffy nose* sore throat* body aches* headache* chills* fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme* diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu
Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.
Swine Flu High Risk Groups -
Swine flu high risk groups, people who are thought to be at risk for serious, life-threatening infections, are a little different and can include:* pregnant women* people with chronic medical problems, such as chronic lung disease, like asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunosuppression* children and adults with obesity
Precautions to keep swine flu at bay -
The deadly Swine Flu has reached the Indian shores following the global outbreak and now, claimed one life. However, Swine Flu is certainly one of those diseased where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are five tips for you to keep away from the pandemic.
1. Wash your hands frequently
Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, for at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.
2. Get enough sleep
Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.
3. Drink sufficient water
Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.
4. Boost your immune system
Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.
5. Keep informed
The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.
Treatment -
If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can make the illness milder and make the patient feel better quicker. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). The U.S. CDC recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses; however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs.

Vaccination -
WHO does not expect the swine flu vaccine to be widely available until the end of 2009, noting that current production "yield" was only about half as much as expected and would cause timeline delays. There is also concern that countries which produce vaccines, 70 percent of which are in Europe, may delay sending swine flu vaccines to other countries as they may come under "tremendous pressure to protect their own citizens first," note some experts.

Many countries are planning full blown large scale vaccination camps by the end of the year.

Diving in Water

2009-08-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Why China never loses any war

2009-08-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

…WHO THE HELL WANTS TO FIGHT WITH THEM…

Why Planning Is Important?

2009-08-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

One Night 4 college students were playing till late night and could not study for the test which was scheduled for the next day.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

In the morning they thought of a plan. They made themselves look as dirty with grease and dirt. They then went up to the Dean and said that they had gone out to a wedding last night and on their return the tire of their car burst and they had to push the car all the way back and that they were in no condition to appear for the test.

Image via Wikipedia

So the Dean said they could have the re-test after 3 days.
They thanked him and said they would be ready by that time.
On the third day they appeared before the Dean.. The Dean said that as this was a Special Condition Test, all four were required to sit in separate classrooms for the test... They all agreed as they had prepared well in the last 3 days.

The Test consisted of 2 questions with a total of 100 Marks.

Q.1. Your Name............................ (2 MARKS)

Q.2. which tire burst? (98 MARKS)
a) Front Left
b) Front Right
c) Back Left
d) Back Right.....!!!

True story from IIT Bombay ...Batch 1992

Green Monday

2009-07-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

Make your green by celebrating it with green wallpapers and help to bring green revolution.

Brilliant Interview Questions

2009-07-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

Image by Dunechaser via Flickr

Some, rather most organizations reject his CV today because he has changed jobs frequently (10 i

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

n 14 years). My friend, the ‘job hopper’ (referred here as Mr. JH), does not mind it…. well he does not need to mind it at all. Having worked full-time with 10 employer companies in just 14 years gives Mr. JH the relaxing edge that most of the ‘company loyal’ employees are struggling for today. Today, Mr. JH too is laid off like some other 14-15 year experienced guys – the difference bein

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

g the latter have just worked in 2-3 organizations in the same number of years. Here are the excerpts of an interview with Mr. JH:

Q: Why have you changed 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: To get financially sound and stable before getting laid off the second time.

Q: So you knew you would be laid off in the year 2009?

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

A: Well I was laid off first in the year 2002 due to the first global economic sl

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

owdown. I had not got a full-time job before January 2003 when the economy started looking up; so I had struggled for almost a year without job and with compromises.

Q: Which number of job was that?
A: That was my third job.

Q: So from Jan 2003 to Jan 2009, in 6 years, you have changed 8 jobs to make the count as 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: I had no other option. In my first 8 years of professional life, I had worked only for 2 organizations thinking that jobs are deserved after lot of hard work and one should stay with an employer company

Image via Wikipedia

to justify the saying ‘employer loyalty’. But I was an idiot.

Image via Wikipedia

Q: Why do you say so?
A: My salary in the first 8 years went up only marginally. I could not save enough and also, I had thought that I had a ‘permanent’ job, so I need not worry about ‘what will I do if I lose my job’. I could never imagine losing a job because of economic slowdown and not because of my performance. That was January 2002.

Q: Can you brief on what happened between January 2003 and 2009.
A: Well, I had learnt my lessons of being ‘company loyal’ and not ‘money earning and saving loyal’. But then you can save enough only when you earn enough. So I shifted my loyalty towards money making and saving – I changed 8 jobs in 6 years assuring all my

Image via Wikipedia

interviewers about my stability.

Image via Wikipedia

Q: So you lied to your interviewers; you had already planned to change the job for which you were being interviewed on a particular day?
A: Yes, you can change jobs only when the market is up and companies are hiring. You tell me – can I get

Image via Wikipedia

a job now because of the slowdown? No. So one should change jobs for higher salaries only when the market is up because that is the only time when companies hire and can afford the expected salaries.

Q: What have you gained by doing such things?
A: That's the question I was waiting for. In Jan 2003, I had a fixed salary (without variables) of say Rs. X p.a. In January 2009, my salary was 8X. So assuming my salary was Rs.3 lakh p.a. in Jan 2003, my last drawn salary in Jan 2009 was Rs.24 lakh p.a. (without variable). I never bothered about variable as I had no inten

Image via Wikipedia

tion to stay for 1 year and go through the appraisal process to wait for the company to give me a hike.

Q: So you decided on your own hike?
A: Yes, in 2003, I could see the slowdown coming again in future like it

Image via Wikipedia

had happened in 2001-02. Though I was not sure by when the next slowdown would come, I was pretty sure I wanted a ‘debt-free’ life before being laid off again. So I planned my hike targets on a yearly basis without waiting for the year to complete.

Q: So are you debt-free now?
A: Yes, I earned so much by virtue of job changes for money and spent so little that today I have a loan free 2 BR flat (1200 sq.. feet) plus a loan free big car without bothering about any EMIs. I am laid off too but I do not complain at all. If I have laid off companies for money, it is OK if a company lays me off because of lack of money.

Q: Who is complaining?
A: All those guys who are not getting a job to pay their EMIs off are complaining. They had made fun of me saying

Image via Wikipedia

I am a job hopper and do not have any company loyalty. Now I ask them what they gained by their company loyalty; they too are laid off like me and pass co

Image via Wikipedia

mments to me – why will you bother about us, you are already debt-free. They were still in the bracket of 12-14 lakh p.a. when they were laid off.

Q: What is your advice to professionals?
A: Like Narayan Murthy had said – love your job and not your company because you never know when your company will stop loving you. In the same lines, lov

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

e yourself and your family needs more than the company's needs. Companies can keep coming and going; family will always remain the same. Make money for yourself first and simultaneously make money for the company, not the other way around.

Q: What is your biggest pain point with companies?
A: When a company does well, its CEO etc. will address the entire company saying, ‘well done guys, it is YOUR company, keep up the hard work, I am with you.” But when the slowdown happens and the company does not do so well, the same CEO Etc will say, “It is MY company and to save the company, I have to take tough decisions including asking people to go.” So think about your financial stability first; when you get laid off, your kids will complain to you and not your boss.

The Top 10 Weird Sex-Related Mishaps

2009-07-20T01:10:00.000-07:00

Keeping it fresh and interesting in the bedroom is imperative for a healthy sex life. It is part of human nature to try new things, experiment, and get kinky. However things don’t always pan out as planned and with all the sex happening across the globe something is bound to go terribly wrong. When mishaps happen in the bedroom, it can cause great embarrassment, a trip to the ER, or even worse.

10. The Unreliable Penis Extension
A hapless Russian man with a small penis made a last ditch effort to save his marriage which ended in disaster.

Grigory Toporov, a 47-year-old man, had feelings of inadequacy after his wife berated him for his small penis. His wife reportedly told him repeatedly that he did not measure up in the bedroom. He decided to take action and doctors fitted him with a special prosthetic penis extension.

The newly well-endowed Russian decided to take his new length for a trip between the sheets. He made the moves on his wife, resulting in a marathon session of wild sex. Then disaster struck. The penis extension broke off during intercourse, ruining the moment and her impending orgasm. This was the last straw for Grigory’s unfulfilled wife who quickly demanded a divorce.

Grigory tried to save the marriage, saying, "I told her I would get a new one but she wasn't having any of it. She said she was fed up with my failures in bed and wants a divorce."

Toporov's wife really needs to learn the whole, "motion of the ocean" bit.

9. Woman Injured In Sex Toy Mishap

Earlier this year a Maryland woman ended up in the hospital after a bloody mishap involving a homemade sex toy.

An unidentified couple was getting it on in the bedroom one Saturday night and decided to spice up their love making by using a sex toy. For reasons unknown, the sex toy, which we can assume was a dildo of some sort, wasn’t doing the trick. So what’s a guy to do when his lady needs an extra hand? Improvise. This chap decided to attach the sex toy to a Saber saw.Bad idea!

According to reports, the unidentified man placed a call to 911 saying “he had placed a sex toy over a saber saw blade, and then used the power tool on his partner, but the blade cut through the plastic and injured the woman.” The man literally drilled and sawed his lover. The 27-year-old woman, who was bleeding profusely, was rushed to the hospital by a Maryland State Police helicopter.

Police conducted an investigation into the incident and decided not to press any charges, determining the injury was a “result of a consensual act between two parties and no crime was committed.”

Next time the couple should just visit a sex shop.

8. The Case of the Broken Boner

A British couple getting it on was interrupted when the man’s penis broke mid-thrust.

Robert McClenahan, 38, was doing the deed with his wife when tragedy struck and his penis snapped in half. “We were having sex and he missed and broke his willy. We turned on the light and it was bent,” recounted his 32-year-old wife Emma.

Wait a minute, how can a penis break? Penile fractures are caused by a "tear in the tunica albuginea, the thick fibrous coat surrounding the corpora cavernosum tissue that produces an erection." It's extremely rare and most often caused by a blunt trauma to an erect penis, which results in a loud cracking or snapping sound, immediate flaccidity, and intense pain.

In the late '90s a man sued his lover in a Massachusetts court for “breaking his penis” in the case known as John Doe vs. Mary Moe:

The plaintiff was lying on his back while the defendant was on top of him. The defendant's body was secured in this position by the interlocking of her legs and the plaintiff's legs. At some point, the defendant unilaterally decided to unlock her legs and place her feet on either side of the plaintiff's abdomen for the purpose of increasing her stimulation. When the defendant changed her position, she did not think about the possibility of injury to the plaintiff. Shortly after taking this new position, the defendant landed awkwardly on the plaintiff, thereby causing him to suffer a penile fracture.

In that case the court ruled the woman was not negligent as the two were engaged in consensual sex.

Unlike his American counterpart, Robert, who required surgery to fix his member, he now laughs about his broken boner.

7. Train Track Tragedy

A South African couple was caught having sex on the wrong side of the track and literally paid for it with their lives.

Mduduzi Michael Bandezi, 28, and Sibongile Radebe, 25, met at local tavern in the Mpumalanga Province. One thing led to another and they ended up having sex on the railway tracks near the abandoned Kinross railway station. The station was no longer in regular use and the area was known as a haven for drug dealers and prostitutes. There is speculation that Sibongile was a prostitute.

According to reports, the freight train driver spotted the couple from a distance and repeatedly yelled at them to get off the tracks. However, they “continued with their business” apparently unaware of the oncoming freight train.

Mr. Bandezi died immediately at the scene, while Ms. Radebe was rushed to the hospital and died shortly after.

6. Couple Trapped in Sex Position

A Russian couple experimenting with a sexual position from the Kama Sutra was rushed to hospital after they became stuck to each other.

Valentina Sokolov, age 51, had been given a copy of the classic sex book for her 50th birthday. She and husband Ivan, age 56, decided to get kinky and practice one of the positions. They aimed for the stars and chose the Indrani or “deck chair” position. This complicated position involves “the woman drawing up her knees so her feet are jammed under her partner’s armpits.”

Things were going great for the couple until Valentina started to climax, triggering a muscle spasm that trapped Ivan inside her. The couple tried unsuccessfully to separate themselves for two hours. Finally they called an ambulance.

A medic sent to help the couple found the situation wildly amusing. He said, "We couldn't help laughing looking at them. The two lovers, who were not young at all, were in such a complicated position!"

The couple was taken to the hospital where they were separated. Ivan was so embarrassed he immediately ran out of the hospital. Valentina required surgery and made a full recovery.

5. Autoerotic INXSphyxiation

INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room, naked with a belt tied around his neck. Was it suicide or a case of autoerotic asphyxiation gone wrong?

The practice of autoerotic asphyxia, or breath control play, can quickly turn deadly. This paraphilia involves intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal. The effects of strangulation are known to cause intense erections in men and the practice dates back to the 1600s where men used it as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and impotence.

The story of 37-year-old Australian rock star Michael Hutchence is perhaps the most famous case of autoerotic asphyxiation turned deadly. The INXS front man was found alone in a Sydney hotel room on November 22nd, 1997. His cause of death was officially ruled a suicide, even though no suicide note was found and there was anecdotal evidence to suggest it was in fact caused by autoerotic asphyxiation. Hutchence’s brother Rhett believes his death was a result of this sexual fetish gone wrong and has gone to the highest court in Australia to try and overturn the verdict of suicide.

It is reported that somewhere between 250–1000 people die of autoerotic asphyxiation every year in the United States. The majority of them are men in their mid-20s. It's rumored that the recent death of actor David Carradine in Thailand was such a case.

4. I Heart You

A night of rough sex and a bizarre act of consensual "knife play" ended with a trip to the hospital and criminal charges for one Canadian couple.

After a big night of drinking, a Canadian couple decided to get freaky. An unidentified man asked his girlfriend Catherine McCoubrey, a then 25-year-old Winnipeg University student, to “carve a heart-shaped symbol onto his chest.” Catherine obliged, but accidently “pushed the knife in too deep.”

The knife pierced the man’s body, puncturing his heart. He was rushed to hospital, clinging to life. Criminal charges were leveled against Catherine. Luckily, the man made a full recovery and supported Catherine in her court case. Catherine eventually pleaded guilty to assault and was given three years of probation.

The couple is reportedly still together.

3. The Priest and the Potato

A British priest was rushed to hospital after a potato “accidently” became lodged in his rectum. The clergyman, in his 50s, said he was hanging curtains in the nude when he accidently fell back onto his kitchen table and landed smack bang on the offending potato.

Trudi Watson, who treated the unidentified male, said, "He explained to me, quite sincerely... but it's not for me to question his story.” I will! Who in their right mind hangs curtains in the nude? Is it even possible to get a potato lodged in your arse by falling on it?

The man of God underwent delicate surgery to remove the spud, maintaining all along it was an innocent accident, not a sexual experiment gone wrong.

2. Oral Sex Becomes a Mouth Full

A Singaporean businessman received the worst blowjob in the world when his penis was accidently bitten off.

The unidentified businessman was having an affair with his 30-year-old secretary. The two would sneak off to a nearby park for sex. The man was receiving a blowjob in a parked car when the car was hit by a reversing van. The impact of the crash caused the woman to chomp down of her lover’s Johnson, dismembering him.

To make matters worse, the entire incident was caught on tape by a private investigator, hired by the businessman’s wife who rightfully suspected her husband of having an affair. The investigator followed the car to the park, watched it park, and witnessed it “shake violently.” He said, “After the car was hit by the van, there was a loud scream from the woman whose mouth was covered with blood.”

The businessman was rushed to the hospital. His lover soon followed with a piece of his manhood in her mouth.

1. Sex in the City Leaves Man Legless

A 34-year-old New Yorker suffered ''extravagant complications'' after injecting cocaine into his penis in 1987, at the height of the cocaine boom in the United States. Cocaine was regularly used by men to heighten sexual pleasure and maintain an erection.

It is reported that the unidentified man “occasionally squirted a cocaine solution into his urethra.” On this occasion the man suffered from a “persistent painful erection immediately after intercourse with his girlfriend.” His erection lasted three days, at which point he sought out medical attention. Call me crazy, but after three hours I'm heading to the ER.

Later, he developed blood clots in his genitals, arms and legs, back, and chest. After 12 days in the infirmary, gangrene had taken over and his legs, nine fingers, and penis were amputated. Yikes!