Know Your Body

The human body, with all its powers of endurance, its life preserving systems for combating disease and taking in nourishment, and its ability through the senses to interpret what is happening in the world outside it, is like some marvelously complex machine.
But unlike a machine, it also has the capacity for pleasure and sensitivity to pain. And no machine, however futuristic, could match the body's ability to grow and to repair broken bones and damaged tissues, or its even more remarkable ability to maintain or multiply the human population by generating new life.

All these powers and capacities, all the strengths and intricacies of the body, could be reduced to a few handful of chemical elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, proteins, minerals, fats, trace elements and water which are all contained in the body's cells - microscopic structures, only a few hundredths of millimeter in diameter, but with the ability to absorb nourishment, grow, excrete wastes and increase in numbers by dividing in two.

SYSTEMS OF THE BODY
Various collections of cells make up body tissues such as skin, muscle and bone; and tissues are grouped to form organs, such as the heart, lungs and stomach. A set of organs make up a system, and the ultimate physical aim of the systems, working together, is to convert food into energy to keep the body working.

Foodstuffs are eaten; prepared in the mouth into a form suitable for digestion; broken down in the digestive system into smaller units by the action of chemical substances called enzymes; and absorbed into the body; where they are partly used as fuel.

For the burning of fuel in the body, as for any form of combustion, a supply of oxygen is needed. This is taken in from the lungs - a major function of the respiratory system - and distributed to the tissues by the blood, carried in the blood vessels and pumped by the heart.

The blood vessels and the heart make up the circulatory system, which also conveys foodstuffs and waste products round the body.

The body needs to get rid of waste products formed by the release of energy, the process known as excretion. Carbon dioxide and some water are excreted from the lungs in the air breathed out; a little water and salts are lost from the skin in sweat, and water and salts, together with complex waste products such as urea, and uric acid, are excreted from the kidneys.


These form part of the urinary system. This also includes connecting tubes, known as the Ureters (from the kidneys to the bladder) and the urethra (from the bladder to outside the body). The bladder itself is merely a reservoir of urine. Fibrous wastes and indigestible food residues pass out of the body in the faeces.

Some of the energy produced by the body keeps the various systems working and the rest is used for movement. This is carried out by the locomotor system, consisting of muscles, which act on the bony skeleton. The bones have an important role, not only in providing a frame work for the whole body, but also in protecting the vital organs, such as the lungs and the brain, from injury.


Acting on information provided by the sense organs, such as the eyes and ears, the brain and the rest of the nervous system can control a variety of bodily processes, either directly or by causing various glands to release hormones- chemical messengers, which in turn act on the tissues.

The release of the many types of hormones into the blood stream is controlled by the endocrine system, a series of glands in different parts of the body that regulate growth and the ability to reproduce.

The body also needs to be maintained. Treatment with medicines or surgery may be required to repair the damage by injury or disease, but often the body can cope with the problem by itself.

The body’s repair system consists of the normal continual process of replacing worn-out and damaged tissues. The ability to repair itself without outside help and the ability to grow, which is particularly obvious during childhood are two of the physical properties distinguishing the living organisms from a non-living organisms. A third is the body’s ability to perpetuate the species by reproduction - the role of the reproductive system. This involves the creation of new life by the joining of two sex cells - sperm and an egg from the parents, and the subsequent development while protected inside the mother’s body.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods

Introduction

Australia's leading health research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), suggests that Australians should eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Researchers
worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly - one or two serves weekly - may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer
. Healthy ways to enjoy fish include baked, poached, grilled and steamed.


Health benefits of eating fish
Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include:

Asthma - children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.

Brain and eyes - fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina (the back of the eye).


Cancer - the omega 3 fatty acids in fish may reduce the risk of many types of cancers by 30 to 50 per cent, especially of the oral cavity, oesophagus, colon, breast, ovary and prostate.

Cardiovascular disease - eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease
and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation
, improving blood vessel elasticity, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood fats and boosting 'good'cholesterol.

Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids
The recommended daily amount of omega 3 fatty acids from fish is 200-600mg and from plants it is 1-2g.

The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of varieties of fish:Salmon (fresh Atlantic) 1,200mg

Smoked salmon 1,000mg


Canned salmon 500mg

Sardines 1,500mg

Trout (fresh rainbow) 350mg

Gemfish 300mg

Blue-eye, shark (flake), salmon, squid 250mg
Sea mullet, abalone 170mg

Canned tuna 145mg

Orange roughy or sea perch 7mg.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods
Hundreds of studies have been done on fish or fish oils and their role in the prevention or treatment of heart disease. A review in the British Medical Journal recommends fish or fish oil supplements to prevent heart attacks, particularly in people with
vascular disease. How omega-3 fats reduce heart disease is not known, but they are known to lower blood triglycerides and blood pressure, prevent clotting, are anti-inflammatory and reduce abnormal heart rhythms

A word of caution on mercury.
While it is recommended to eat one to two fishmeals a week, it is wise to avoid fish high in mercury
. Excess mercury appears to affect the nervous system, causing: numb or tingling fingers, lips and toes; developmental delays in walking and talking in
children; muscle and joint pain; increased risk of heart attack.

Fish high in mercury include shark, swordfish (broadbill) and marlin, ray, gem fish, ling, orange roughy (sea perch) and southern blue fin tuna. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, women planning pregnancy and children up to six years old should avoid these fish.


The types of fish cuts available include:
Fillet - the boneless flank of the fish.

Dressed - with head and fins (entrails, scales and gills are removed).


Steak - cross-sections taken from a dressed fish.

Gutted - whole fish with entrails removed.

Healthy ways to cook fish
Baking - make shallow cuts along the top of the fish. Put into a greased dish and cover with foil. Flavor with herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake at around 180°C and baste frequently.


Shallow frying - dry and flour the fish. Place a small amount of oil or butter in the pan. Fry the fish at a medium heat.

Grilling - cut slashes into whole fish to help the heat penetrate the flesh. Place fish on a preheated grill. Baste frequently.

Poaching - not suitable for flaky varieties. Place fish in gently simmering stock. Whole fish should be placed in a pan of cold stock, which is then slowly brought up to a gentle simmer.

Steaming - put fish in a steamer or on a plate over a saucepan containing gently boiling water. Cover.

IBM offers laid-off US workers jobs in India.......

Washington, Feb 7 (IANS) IBM is offering its laid off employees in North America a chance to take a job with the company in India, Nigeria, Russia or other countries through Project Match, a media report said.

Citing an internal company document CNN said its Project Match will help interested workers whose jobs are on the chopping block to 'identify potential opportunities in growth markets and facilitate consideration by hiring managers in those markets.'

The company also will help with moving costs and provide visa assistance, it says.

Other countries with IBM opportunities include Argentina, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey and United Arab Emirates, according to the document.

Only 'satisfactory performers' who are 'willing to work on local terms and conditions' should pursue the jobs, the document says.

CNN said IBM would not immediately confirm if it means that the workers would be paid local wages and would be subject to local labour laws.

A spokesman for Alliance@IBM, a workers' group that is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America but does not have official union status at IBM, slammed the initiative.

'IBM not only is offshoring its work to low-cost countries, now IBM wants employees to offshore themselves,' spokesman Lee Conrad told CNN. 'At a time of rising unemployment IBM should be looking to keep both the work and the workers in the United States.'

New York based IBM has confirmed recent layoffs but has not provided any specifics on the number of people affected. Conrad said IBM has laid off more than 4,000 workers in the US since the beginning of the year, but called that 'a conservative number.'

'This is unacceptable to the Alliance and we are pursuing this by asking our members and all IBM employees to contact their political representatives to demand an accounting and transparency in job cuts and offshoring from IBM,' Conrad said.

'Buy American' and H-1B restrictions to hurt

India on Friday joined the EU to wave the red flag on the 'buy American' clause in the Obama administration's $900-billion stimulus package. Commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath termed it a "protectionist measure" that would affect India-US trade ties and trigger retaliatory steps in other countries.

The clause is just another worry for India as two US Senators have introduced another amendment to the Bill, which, if passed, would prevent US companies receiving federal bailout money from hiring H-1B visa holders. The amendment would hit Indian software professionals, who use the visa programme to work with US companies.

Nath said in times of a global financial crisis, it was all the more important for governments to ensure a free flow of trade. "Protectionism is not a one-way street and is not good for the world", he said.

The 'buy American' clause in the stimulus package stipulates that raw materials like iron and steel, used in the infrastructure projects in the US, should be sourced from within the USA. Media reports say the clause could also be extended to other manufactured items. The provision aims to generate local jobs to revive the US economy.

For India, the implications are enormous. The US is India's top trading partner. In 2007-08, India's total trade with the US was $41.75 billion, with Indian exports constituting $20.72 billion, of which iron, steel and related products accounted for $1.9 billion. As the global downturn has intensified, the rate of growth of exports (April to December 2008-09) from India has declined to 17.1% from 21.76% year-on-year.

Nath had already said in the recent World Economic Forum meeting at Davos that protectionist trend is on the rise and had asked all the countries to resist taking such measures. Moreover, in November last year, the G-20 member countries, including India and the US, had committed not to implement any new protectionist measures.

Commerce secretary GK Pillai told FE that it is too early to measure the impact of the provision. "We will have to wait and watch. We will know only when a case where Indian exports are affected due to the clause comes before us. We will have to see the clauses in the US government tenders, whether it is biased towards firms in the US," he said.

He also pointed out that a vast majority of the goods in the US are imported. "If they (the US consumers) want to buy their costly drugs, that is their headache. US cars are also costly. There is more value for money in the goods made in countries like India", he said.

Trade experts and lawyers said the move is not WTO-compliant. "This clause is likely to fall foul of the WTO agreement on Government Procurement that does not permit any country to show bias to their domestic firms over companies of other countries when their government is procuring goods," said Samir Gandhi of Economic Laws Practice.

"This is certainly a trade barrier. This is a restrictive clause propping up US firms and discriminating against imports from other countries. India should find ways to join hands with other WTO members in raising the issue in the WTO forum," said Biswajit Dhar, head, centre for WTO studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

The US move has generated protests and criticism across the world, including in Canada and the European Union who have termed the decision as 'protectionist.'

Exporters in India too are worried. "Our relationship with the US traders is a long-term one. This clause will affect our exports, especially in the manufacturing sectors that are employment-intensive. The Indian government should take it up with the Obama administration and tell them that they should not insist their local manufacturers to make the products that are imported from India," said A Sakthivel, president, Federation of Indian Exports Organisation, the apex body for exporters.

Amit Goyal, president, Confederation of Indian Apparel Exporters, said, "It is a worrisome situation and the concept of free trade between nations is defeated, if America adopts a 'buy American' policy. The US is inviting a sort of trade war between countries with which it has been trading for years."

Oxford and Cambridge have now decided to remove the words CAN'T and IMPOSSIBLE from their dictionary

Jessica Cox, 25, a girl born without arms, stands inside an aircraft. The girl from Tucson, Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.



Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: using the word "can't."


Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

With one foot manning the controls and the other delicately guiding the steering column, Cox, 25, soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate. Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet.

"She's a good pilot. She's rock solid," said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel's Ray Blair Airport.

Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn't come close to Cox's abilities.


"When she came up here driving a car," Traweek recalled, "I knew she'd have no problem flying a plane."





Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early on that she didn't want to use prosthetic devices.


Past is Experience.. .! Present is Experiments. ..! Future is Expectations. ..!
Use your Experience in your Experiments to acheive your Expectations. ..!!!

New Delhi To Kanpur Train 'Hijacked'

Two drivers not authorised to drive high speed trains 'hijacked' one from New Delhi to Kanpur on Wednesday night, their colleagues originally assigned to take the train to Ranchi told presspersons. The driver and his co-driver stopped the authorised drivers from entering the engine cabin and drove off in what appears to be some kind of rivalry between drivers of different divisions of the railways.
The Ranchi-bound Gareeb Rath Express, which can reach a maximum speed of 130 km/hr, was driven 400 km to Kanpur by Harswarup, who is certified to drive trains not capable of exceeding 110 km/hr. Not only this, his co-driver, Rameshwar (who goes by only first name), too is not certified to drive a train like the Gareeb Rath, said the authorised drivers Shafi Ahmed and Manoj (who goes by only first name). However, A.S. Negi, PRO of Northern Railways, claimed the two drivers were certified to drive the train. Harswarup and Rameshwar belong to Northern Railways, while Ahmed and Manoj are from North Central Railways. Railway officials said trains such as the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express and Gareeb Rath Express are capable of touching 130 km/hr, and only drivers certified by the railways' Research Design Standards Organisation are permitted to drive such trains. After being thrown out of the cabin, a stunned Ahmed and Manoj reached Kanpur by another train and told presspersons about the goof-up. The Gareeb Rath, with nearly 1,300 passengers, was taken safely to Ranchi by another crew, railway officials told HT. Amit Malviya, PRO of North Central Railways said, "The two other drivers were deployed by the drivers' lobby under Northern Railways that led to the misunderstanding among the drivers."

Andhra engineer shot dead in US,8th in 15 months

Hyderabad: An Indian engineer from Andhra Pradesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Atlanta in the US in the eighth case of young students and professionals from the state being killed in the last 15 months.

R Sudhir Kumar (31), a native of West Godavari district, was killed at Atlanta, where he was working as a mechanical engineer with Toyota company, West Godavari district
superintendent of police, B Balakrishna said.

Kumar was reportedly killed for money, he said, but did not have details including when the incident happened.Kumar did his engineering course in the US eight years ago and was working with Toyota for the last four years, he said.

In a string of tragedies where ironically those hailing from AP met a violent end in the US in the last 15 months, software engineer N Akshay Vishal working with fraud-hit
Satyam Computers was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Arkansas on January 13 last.

Arpana B Jinaga, an IT engineer in Seattle, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her apartment on November 3, 2008. An engineering student in Southern Illinois University T Soumya Reddy was found murdered in September last. Her cousin Vikram Reddy, also a software engineer in Chicago, was also found dead nearby.

A Srinivas, a post-graduate medical student was found murdered in Pennsylvania in March while A Kirankumar and K Chandrasekhar Reddy, both PhD students, were shot dead at Louisiana University in December 2007.

On November 16 last, Pulluri Shashank, a native of Warangal in AP, survived a violent attack by unidentified miscreants in Tennesse.

Akshay, who was holding MS degree from Alaska University, had gone to US four years ago.

His murder is the seventh case of students and professional from Andhra Pradesh being killed in the US during last 13 months.

Arpana B Jinaga, 24, a software engineer in EMC Corporation in Seattle, was found murdered in her apartment Nov 3.

Shashank Pulluru, studying MS at the Middle Tennessee State University, was shot and injured by some African Americans in Tennessee Nov 15 last year.

T Soumya Reddy, 23, pursuing MS in electrical engineering at the Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville campus, was found dead in a car near a lake in Chicago in September. Her cousin Vikram Reddy, 27, who was a software engineer in Chicago, was also found shot dead nearby.

Srinivas, a PG medical student from Karimnagar, was found murdered in Pennsylvania in March.

A. Kirankumar and K Chandrasekhar Reddy, both PhD students, were shot dead by intruders in their apartment at Louisiana University in December 2007.

Sports Stars as Professional Models

Sports stars have given professional models and actors a run for their money by involving themselves in brand endorsements, fashion shows and even appearing in popular lifestyle magazines. Besides their good looks, what makes these stars even more attractive is their numero uno sporting performances as well. Check out the other side of these popular sports icon...
A former World number No1 in the woman's professional tennis circuit, Maria Sharapova has been a winner on the court and off the court. This head-turner appears in fashion shows, billboards of the brands she endorses, they include 'Canon', 'Land Rover' and 'Tag Heurer' as well as on magazines such as 'Maxim' and 'Sports Illustrated'. In photo: Tennis star and Sports Illustrated 2006 model Maria Sharapova poses for photographers, Tuesday, Feb.14, 2006, in New York. The stand-alone edition, featuring 25 of the world’s most beautiful supermodels, will reach 64 million adults in the U.S. alone and hits newsstands .

Said to be among the fastest bowlers the world has ever seen, Brett Lee has over the years produced some outstanding performances on the field. Lee is very popular in India, even off the field, endorsing brands like 'Timex', 'Gatorade' and 'Volkswagon', walking the ramp in fashion shows and even sings in a music video with legendary singer Asha Bhosle. In photo: Australian cricketer and Timex watch brand ambassador Brett Lee, center, with Indian models arrives at the launch of the Timex 'Racing Chronograph Collection', in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007. The new collection has a range of 14 men's styles watches that are priced between USD 71-143.

The 'Men in Blue' or the cricketers of 'Team India' have over the years displayed some amazing match-winning performances and won the hearts of their huge fan base. Many of these cricketers have also hit it off in the modeling world, by appearing in several brand endorsements 'Samsung', 'Pepsi' among several others and have also walked the ramp in fashion events. In photo: Indian cricketers, from left, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan, walk the ramp as they present creations by designer Shantanu Nikhil during the 5th India Fashion Week in New Delhi, India.

Anna Kournikova has once been ranked in the top ten of the Woman's singles circuit and has also won a couple of Grand Slam doubles titles before injuries caught up with her. Anna had been voted as the 'Hottest female athlete' and remains in the limelight by appearing on magazine covers, endorsing brands such as 'Omega' and 'Berlei's sports bras' and has also appeared in a music video with singer Enrique Iglasias. In photo: Tennis star Anna Kournikova poses in front of a cover of FHM magazine while promoting her fourteen international covers for the magazine at a record store in New York,.
American swimmer, Amanda Beard wowed the swimming world by winning several medals at various Olympics games. This hottie is believed to have a perfect body which has got her to grace popular magazines like 'FHM', 'Sports Illustrated' and even 'Playboy'. In photo: United States Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard poses for a photo in Los Angeles There's a lot more of the 25-year-old swimmer to see in the July issue of Playboy, where Beard is on the cover billed as "the world's sexiest athlete nude."


India's Olympic bronze medallist, pugilist Vijender Singh has performed exceeding well especially at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. This handsome hunk has walked the ramp in the 'India Couture Week' held in Mumbai and has taken to ads like 'Bajaj Allianz'. In photo: Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh displays a creation by designer Rohit Bal on the final day of the HDIL India Couture Week in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Eleven Indian designers showcased their creations during the six-day long event.

Ace Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza has entered the tennis circuit with a bang, having done well in the few Grand Slams she has played. She remains in the limelight even when not in action, through brand endorsements like 'Adidas', 'Tata tea' and 'Hyundai', fashion events and photo shoots. In photo: Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, currently ranked 32 by the WTA, poses during a photo shoot to announce her being signed as a global brand ambassador for leading sports goods manufacturer adidas in Mumbai, India.

David Beckham, the former England football captain, who currently plays for the Italian club side 'AC Milan', has been a sensation in the footballing world for over a decade. Beckham, a father of three, has also remained in the spotlight for brand endorsements like 'Adidas' and 'Armani' and for continuously reinventing his style quotient. In photo: England and Manchester United soccer star David Beckham models one of the 2002 line of Police sunglasses in London, at the launch of the spectacles. David Beckham is the captain of the England National soccer team.

The captain of the German national team, tall midfielder Michael Ballack plays his club football for the English team 'Chelsea'. Besides providing the inspiration on the field, he is often noticed in advertisements like 'Coke' and 'Adidas' and at social events. In photo: German soccer player Michael Ballack, right, looks at Heidi Klum during the final draw for the 2006 World Cup in Leipzig, Germany.


Reigning French Open champion and World No 5, Serbian Ana Ivanovic has taken to the Tennis world by storm. Besides her playing prowess, this damsel also endorses brands like 'Rolex' and 'Adidas' and is often seen at various social events. In photo: Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic smiles during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, Ivanovic is ranked fifth in the WTA rankings.
Master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar is among the list of all-time cricketing Greats and holds several records in the game. His consistent and match winning performances has made him a favourite among advertisers, which include 'Airtel', 'Visa', 'Boast' and 'The Royal Bank of Scotland'. Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar looks on during an advertisement shoot in Hyderabad,

Indian cricket captain, MS Dhoni has receiving laurels for his team's performances as well as his captaincy. Dhoni is also most sought after in the Ad world, endorsing brands like 'Reebok', 'Boast' and 'Big Bazaar'. Indian cricketer Mahender Singh Dhoni walks out of Birsa Munda airport in Ranchi, India, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Dhoni is recommended by the Indian cricket board for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Making India Proud

Indians have made the country proud world-over having excelled as scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and actors. India has a rich culture and a distinguished history, whose legacy stands tall even today. As a proud nation of a billion celebrates its 60th Republic Day, here's a look at what makes India so special...

Incredible India Inc - Indian entrepreneurs hold top positions in several multi-national companies. It's said that four out of the ten start-ups in the Silicon Valley are run by Indians. Indians are the richest Immigrant class in the US. Also, the number of companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange is more than 6000, second to only US's New York Stock exchange.

Fascinating film fraternity - Indian tinsel town is singing praises of A R Rahman, who has got a nod for the Oscars. And the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' with world-class music, an Indian cast and based on an Indian theme, doing exceptionally well in the international circuit, it's time more Indian films to get the recognition they deserve. We are way ahead of Hollywood in the numbers game, with more that 800 movies being churned out each year in India.

A nation in gold - Can you imagine an Indian wedding without the bride being decked up in all the gold ornaments? Indians consume a fifth of the world's total gold output and the percentage is increasing by the day.

Pretty 'desi' damsels - From Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen to Lara Dutta, Diana Hayden, to runner up Parvathy Omanakuttan, Indian damsels have won six Miss World/Miss Universe beauty pageant titles in the last decade, way ahead of the rest of the world. Former Miss World and Bollywood actress, Aishwarya Rai’s eyes have also been voted as the sexiest eyes in the World.

Remarkable Indian Railways - From the proposed bullet trains, to the passenger and goods trains, the Indian Railways, is one massive network serving the nation. This makes the Indian Railways, which employs more than a million people, the largest employer in the world.

Peaceful yet prepared - For peace, we stand. In an eventful history, India's among the few in the World who have never invaded nor plundered the wealth of any other country. Always on the vigil, the current Indian army is the third-largest in the World with a strong contingent of 1.5 million.

Marked in mathematics - The number zero, was perhaps, India's best ever gift to mathematics. And over the centuries, Indians have shone in many areas of research in mathematics. From Srinivasa Ramanujan to the human computer Shakuntala Devi, the list is endless.


Marked in mathematics - The number zero, was perhaps, India's best ever gift to mathematics. And over the centuries, Indians have shone in many areas of research in mathematics. From Srinivasa Ramanujan to the human computer Shakuntala Devi, the list is endless.






Medical marvels - India's contribution to the field medicine dates back to the 6th century BC when saint Sushruta, compiled a book with his findings about medicines and their uses and methods for surgery. And over the last couple of decades, the alternate stream of medicine, Ayurveda, has become one of the most sought medical streams across the world.

President Patil Says India Needs a Green Revolution - Again

President Pratibha Patil recently called on the government to stimulate Green Revolution the second time round so that all of India's growing population will be assured of food security.

Speaking on the occasion of birth centenary celebrations of Siddaganga Math pontiff Dr. Shiv Kumar Swamiji at Tumkur, she called upon the scientists and researchers to find ways to augment agricultural productivity.

President Patil recalled the yeomen services of centenarian Dr. Shiv Kumar Swamiji in providing food shelter and education to save thousands of children from underprivileged families for several decades.

The President also applauded the contribution of Swamiji in starting 45 educational institutions all over the country.

She advocated a fresh look by the government at the population policy, citing China's example.

"As China has stabilised its population, it is expected that we will surpass the population of China. Therefore, we may need to look at our population policy. To feed this population, steps must be taken to ensure that food availability is increased and that can only happen if food production and productivity are augmented," she said.

"Productivity can be enhanced by making available to our farmers better seeds, necessary irrigation facilities and marketing linkages. Scientists must constantly work with farmers to acquaint them with better agricultural practices and at the same time our research efforts in the field of agriculture must continue," she added.

OBAMA - HEALTHCARE MESSIAH FOR THE USA

On Wednesday, the 5th of November, several nations of the world awoke to a change unprecedented in history. The Americans, on the other hand, were winding up after a long day. Many of them could not go to sleep. They were listening with bated breath to the biggest bedtime story ever—of a Black man, Barack Obama, who was just elected as the president of the United States of America.
Obama has promised change - for the people of America and in America’s approach to the rest of the world. In the realm of health he has come forth with a plan that, he believes, would ensure affordable health care options for all.

Health Insurance

The primary goal of Obama’s health care plan
is to provide every American with health insurance coverage through public or private means. He wants health care coverage for all Americans that is portable, that favors patient’s choice of doctors and care (without governmental interference) and that would make insurance companies increasingly accountable.

Some of the features of Barack Obama’s health insurance plans are listed below.

• Provide every American, (regardless of pre-existing conditions) health insurance that is affordable

• Ensure that insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions to enable all Americans to get health coverage through fair and stable premiums.

• Provide health insurance that is portable (the insurance remains even if a person changes/ loses his job)

• Mandatory medical health care coverage for children

• Federal public health insurance program for individuals or businesses who are devoid of other health coverage.

• Set up a “National Health Insurance Exchange” to act as a watchdog group for private insurance. The role of this group would be to create standards and make coverage more affordable.

The annual cost estimates for his program is $50-$65 billion. Obama hopes to finance his plan by rolling back Bush’s tax cuts for the rich (those making more than $250,000).

Medical Expenses

Health care experts have opined that Obama’s reforms will save businesses $140 billion and the ordinary American family $2,500 in premiums, annually. The president-elect plans to avoid wastes in the health care system, and provide health coverage to all Americans, in order to bring down the expenses of uncompensated care.

He also proposes to cover some expensive cases and reduce the burden of employers. The employers then are expected to use the savings to reduce the health insurance premiums of their employees.

Some of the other measures towards cost cutting include:-

• Provide easy access to programs that help in managing chronic conditions.

• Conduct programs for cancer screenings, smoking cessation, and others with the help of insurance plans that are federally supported.

• Update health-related IT (Information Technology).

• Ensure transparency. Hospitals are expected to be open about safety, quality and costs of the health care provided.

Drugs

Barack Obama plans to use the bulk purchasing power of the federal government to negotiate for prescription drugs to be bought at a lower rate. He plans to bring forth programs to use more generic drugs. He hopes to encourage generic drugs to enter the market quickly and also looks forward to boosting competition in the drug and insurance markets...

Police hope to settle Hyderabad blasts case

The Hyderabad police hope to finally crack the August 25, 2007 twin blasts case in the city. Three Indian Mujahideen operatives who were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in October 2008, have been brought to Hyderabad for interrogation after they claimed that they had planted the bombs at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat. Aniquee Shafiq Syed, Akbar Ismail Choudhary and Ansar Ahmed Sheikh of Indian Mujahideen will be produced in the Nampally court and taken into police custody by Andhra Pradesh's anti-terror unit - Octopus. According to the Maharashtra ATS, Riyaz Bhaktal sent the bomb to Hyderabad by paying some money to the driver of a Pune-Hyderabad bus telling him that his brother would collect the parcel. Aniquee and Akbar collected the parcel and the duo stayed in the city for over a month to finalise things while posing as students. The police believe that it was Riyaz Bhaktal alias Roshan Khan who planted a bomb at Gokul Chat while Aniquee planted the bomb at Lumbini Park. A third bomb planted by Akbar Ismail at Dilsukhnagar did not explode. The Gokul Chat blast killed 32 people while 10 people died at Lumbini Park.