One dollar bill

The rupee weakened on Monday because of increased import payments especially for oil, and dealers said the local unit is likely to come under further pressure in the medium term because of a bleak outlook for the country’s economy.

The rupee ended at 89.10/15 to the dollar, compared with Friday’s close of 89.00/10. It dropped to a record low of 89.45 on Wednesday.

“The rupee’s weakest traded level was 89.18 today and there were payments of about $80 million,” said a bank dealer.

Your Option

Smoking Kills

“And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire and that is easy for Allah” [Qur'an 4:29]

“And do not throw yourselves into destruction.” [Qur'an 2:195]

Smoking has turned out to be far more lethal than suicide bombings for Pakistan over the years. According to The Network, a consumer rights’ protection organization, around 100,000 people die of tobacco-related diseases annually in Pakistan, while the number of lives claimed by suicide bombings over the last nine years comes to around 6,000.
Panelists at a discussion on smoking prevention and control on Monday had a unanimous opinion that until the current anti-smoking laws were enforced, smoking-free-Pakistan would be a distance dream.

Presenting a recent Asian Development Bank report, The Network’s Advocacy and Research Coordinator Dr. Anwar Rafay said Pakistan had lost 5,704 lives to around 332 suicide bombings, which it witnessed since 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US.
He said the country currently had around 25 million smokers, while the annual tobacco-related deaths were 98,640.

According to him, National Health Survey of Pakistan, 1990-94, and Pakistan Health Education Survey, 1999, stated 55 per cent of households had at least one smoker but the recent data had now shown that the problem had worsened. TN representatives said 40 per cent of men and nine per cent of women in the country smoked tobacco. He further said the annual per capita consumption of tobacco in the country was 392 cigarettes per adult annually.

He said media and anti-smoking advocates should collaborate for forcing government into implementing Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Guidelines and the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers’ Health Ordinance, 2002.

Dr. Anwar alleged tobacco industry carried out hidden promotional activities despite strict ban. He said recently, his organization highlighted promotional activities of a tobacco giant in the flood-affected areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the garb of corporate social responsibility, but its coverage on media caused Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to step in and order prompt halt to the activities. He praised journalists for helping The Network make Pakistan smoking-free and wanted them to do more for the cause.

Another speaker said around 12,000 new children in the age bracket of 6 to 15 began tobacco intake every day. He said tobacco companies should not be encouraged by media even if they did something for humanitarian grounds because it would indirectly promote them.

NEW FORM OF SMOKING : SHISHA …A DELICIOUS KILLER!!!

Recently however, shisha has rapidly gained popularity in Yemen, especially among qat chewers. “Yemenis smoked the mada’a in the past, but shisha is now a major fad in Yemeni society.“The health ministry and official information should really establish a health education curriculum in schools and public places about the effects of smoking shisha and other tobacco products. Kids start smoking shisha to imitate celebrities and to be fashionable,”

“One shisha smoking session is equivalent to smoking 60 cigarettes,” said Dr. Ahmed al-Motarreb, a specialist in heart disease at the cardiac center of the Al-Thawra Hospital in Sana’a. “I advise smokers to stop immediately, because it damages the body by causing wrinkled skin, sexual impotence and many chronic diseases. The reason behind the increase in the shisha smoking phenomenon is that people do not take the health risks seriously.”   Research published in the Journal of Periodontology (Nov. 2005) found that the effects of water pipe smoking are the same as that of cigarette smoking.The prevalence of periodontal (gum tissue) diseases in the study was 30 percent among shisha smokers, 24 percent in cigarette smokers and eight percent in non-smokers.  “Research from this study shows that the relative risk for periodontal disease increased five-fold in water pipe and 3.8-fold in cigarette smokers, compared to non-smokers,” said Dr. Kenneth A. Krebs, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Sheesha Smoking

There is a myth that hookah smoking is safer than smoking cigarettes because the hookah smoke is filtered through water before it is inhaled. But recent studies have found that hookah smokers actually inhale more nicotine than do cigarette smokers because of the massive volume of smoke they inhale…According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) advisory, a typical one-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette. Even after passing through the water, the tobacco smoke produced still contains high levels of toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens).Hookahs are marketed as being a safe alternative to cigarettes. This claim is false. The water does not filter out many of the toxins. In fact, hookah smoke has been shown to contain concentrations of toxins, such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, “tar,” and heavy metals, that are as high or higher than are seen with cigarette smoke. Several types of cancer, including lung cancer, have been linked to hookah smoking. Hookah is also linked to other unique risks not associated with cigarette smoking. For example, infectious diseases including tuberculosis (which can infect the lungs or other parts of the body), aspergillus (a fungus that can cause serious lung infections), and helicobacter (which can cause stomach ulcers) may be spread by sharing the pipe or through the way the tobacco is prepared.
Researchers found increased levels of nicotine and cotinine (a byproduct of nicotine) in the blood plasma, saliva and urine of shisha smokers, which is further evidence that water pipe smoking affects the periodontal tissues in the same way as cigarette smoking.  Abdel-Hafiz al-Khameri, a professor of psychology at the University of Sana’a and the head of the Human Development Foundation, said that stress is a major psychological factor driving people to smoke the shisha.“Many young adults resort to chewing qat and smoking shisha to kill time. Shisha and qat help them temporarily escape from their financial and emotional problems.Finally , I can say that Smoking shisha (Arabic water pipes, sometimes known as hookahs) brings the same risks as smoking cigarettes. It can lead to lung cancer and many other health problems. Smoking can also affect your mental health.so THINK before its too late !!!!

But the protest descended into a night of violence which saw homes and businesses in flames, police cars set alight and a double decker bus left a burnt-out shell.

Petrol bombs and stones were thrown at police in riot gear as they tried to bring the situation under control.

Shops were looted in the chaos, with people taking electrical goods and armfuls of clotheS.

Buildings including a supermarket and a carpet shop were set alight during the riots.
The trouble saw 26 police officers injured in the unrest, and 42 people werearrested for offences including violent disorder, burglary and theft.

Stuart Radose had to flee his flat above a Carpetright shop last night as a fire ravaged the building.Describing the scenes last night, he told Sky News: “We live on the top floor. We could see the rioters coming closer. Aldi was on fire and barricades were being made by rioters. It was really scary.”

Responding to last night’s scenes of violence, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The rioting in Tottenham last night was utterly unacceptable.

“There is no justification for the aggression the police and the public faced, or for the damage to property.

“There is now a police investigation into the rioting and we should let that process happen.”

By the early hours of the morning, crowds of looters were smashing shop windows in a retail park near Tottenham Hale tube station and plundering goods from almost every store.

Teenagers and adults were said to have turned up in cars and filled their boots with stolen items, unimpeded by police.

Others arrived on foot and piled shopping trolleys high with looted televisions and other electronic goods, a woman who has lived locally for 10 years but did not want to be named said.
A member of staff at The Carphone Warehouse said every phone in the shop had been stolen.

The sense of anger at what the looters had done was clear.
Nadine Knight, 24, who works in administration at a planning and architecture firm said: “I’m completely and utterly disgusted by what the community has managed to do here.

“They need to come together a bit more and help the community, not damage it.
“I’m so upset, I can’t believe it.”

Another local resident, Norman McKenzie, 37, who works as a security guard at the Next clothes store in the retail park, was also appalled.

He said: “I can understand they’re angry and above all that there’s unemployment and cutting benefits so everything comes together and the cup is full.” . He had been told by his employer not to go to work today “because of the riot”.

Christian Macani, 22, who works in environmental sciences, asked a question that was on the lips of many in his neighbourhood this morning.

“What does this achieve?” he said. “They can’t get away with this, can they?
“People really don’t think. It’s stupid, this. They’ve achieved absolutely nothing. It’s a joke.”

Eight police officers were being treated in hospital today, with Scotland Yard saying at least one had suffered head injuries in the clashes.

Chocolate Mania

Forget love … I’d rather fall in chocolate!” – Anonymous

Ever since I watched the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I childishly envisioned myself in a chocolate world..where everything was made of chocolates of different kind…And even though my obsession with chocolates dated back to my birth (figuratively) the idea this film inculcated in me added more bars to that obsession. With Ammi and everyone asking me to cut on my chocolate craving, I was all the more tempted to devour just one more, to end my day’s quota.

Precisely, this fatal attraction has moved me to write about the munchy delight I am head over heels in love with.

Chocolate is made by fermenting the seeds from the cacao tree, grounded to cocoa mass, liquified into two components cocoa solids and cocoa butter, which are then processed for the different kinds of chocolates.

“There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.” – Anonymous

Types:

Dark chocolate: made by mixing fat, sugar and cocoa has an almost zero milk component. It is used for eating and cooking alike.

Semisweet chocolate: a dark chocolate with half as much sugar as cocoa, and is frequently used for cooking purposes.

Bittersweet chocolate: An Unsweetened chocolate or chocolate liquor to which some sugar (less than a third), more cocoa butter and vanilla is added. Usually used in baking and cooking.

Milk chocolate: is solid chocolate made with milk in the form of milk powder, liquid milk, or condensed milk.

White chocolate: Sometimes, not even called a chocolate as it is a confection based on sugar, milk, and fat without the cocoa solids.

Health benefits:

“It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested… that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work.” – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

While we are tempted by such a range of choc -variety, let’s also see how we can justify our chocolate cravings to our parents.

The much cursed chocolate which my mother would’nt let me have because she feared it would rot my pretty teeth. But there’s so much more to it..let’s go down in the nitty gritty of things.

The following studies have been presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s Annual Meetings. One study with more than 44,000 participants found that those who ate a weekly serving of chocolate were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate no chocolate.

· A 2008 study showed a small bar of dark chocolate a day lowers the levels of protein, associated with inflammation, in blood. 

· Recent studies show that blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters. This in turn prevents the formation of blood clots, that leads to heart attacks. Chocolate intake also lowers blood pressure, and help prevent formation of artery plaques and improve blood flow.

· Eating chocolate may even help with numbers. A study report in 2009 revealed that people became good at counting backwards in groups of three after they had consumed a hot cocoa drink containing large amounts of a compound found in chocolate. These compounds, called flavonoids, which may increase blood flow to the brain.

· Anti-cancerous benefits of chocolates are also worth mentioning because flavonoids are linked to help reduce the cell damage that promote tumor growth. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries. They also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Wow…all these benefits… aren’t you already to devour some chocolates now. Go and do that..but I’ll sure catch up with you soon with some great chocolate recipes…How about that?

There’s more to life than chocolate, but not right now.
– Author Unknown

Despite my opposition and discomfort in ‘finding a girlfriend’ in an alien land, my cousin introduced me to a friend’s friend – Maheen*.

My first interaction with this girl was through the cell phone, or text messages to be more precise. After this introduction, we didn’t talk till one fine day in the middle of the night my phone rang. It was two in the morning and I could barely open my eyes, but out of courtesy I attended Maheen’s phone call.

“Hi, what’s up? I hope I haven’t disturbed you?”she said.
“No, it’s okay…” I murmured.
“I have set up a plan to meet you tomorrow, but don’t call or text me unless I do so, because if my bhai catches me he will kill you.” she advised me.

Totally perplexed, I listened to her plan quietly. I was astonished and scared that I was prone to be killed by someone’s brother without having ever met her.

“I can’t come alone. My friend, Zahra will come with me. Do you have a male friend who is single and ready to give her company?” she asked.
“Er… okay, I will manage.” I said, feeling simultaneously amused and confused.
“Fair enough. I will see you tomorrow then, and yes, do get me a Ufone card because I am running out of balance. I love you. Bye!”

I kept sitting silent for a long time, and then asked my cousin who I should take with me to give company to the girl’s chaperon/friend? He ‘arranged’ for another friend of his, Sherdil who was ‘very popular’ among the females in his college. The idea of being surrounded by so many strangers gave me butterflies in my stomach. I pleaded with my cousins to pull me out of this weird situation, but they told me to put up with it.

The next day, accompanied by this Sherdil guy, we went to pick Maheen and her friend up from college. As I approached the college gate, Maheen sent me a missed call. I was confused and called her back immediately.

“You didn’t get me my balance loaded!” she blurted over the phone. Feeling embarrassed, I told her I would do so once we were off to lunch.

We waited for around 25 minutes outside her college, when two girls appeared from nowhere wearing burqas. I was once again bewildered to see them. They sat in our car and took their burqas off, and I was introduced to Maheen, and another lady.

We then drove off looking for food. As we stepped out at a restaurant, Maheen’s phone rang and I saw her going pale as she talked on the phone.
“Are you alright?” I asked her.
“It was my mother, she told me that my bhai is off to pick me up from college!” she cried.

Sherdil had a bright idea:
“You can go and drop Maheen back to college, while Zahra and I can go for lunch if you guys don’t mind?”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I agreed at once.

Feeling angry yet sympathetic to the poor girl’s plight, I drove back to drop her to college.  On the way, Maheen kept crying and pushed me to drive faster and faster. I got so worried to see her crying so bitterly, I ended up breaking a signal.

What next?
A traffic cop in appeared from nowhere and asked for my driving license. By this point I was infuriated. I gave some money to Maheen and she headed back to college in a rickshaw, and then I called my cousins to help me with the cops. That day I took an oath never to even think of going on a date in Pakistan again.
*names of individuals have been changed to protect their identities.

Chapman, who teaches middle school science, said he never thought, “‘What am I going to do?’ It was ‘What are we going to do.’ … It was one step at a time.” The 28-year-old groom will be by his bride’s side when her father wheels her down the aisle.The bride has refused to name the woman who caused the accident, who will also be attending the wedding. “She was tragically hurt, mentally and emotionally,” Friedman said. “And I was tragically hurt, physically.”

In the past year, Friedman has become active, learning wheelchair rugby and texting with friends using her knuckles instead of her fingers.For his part, Chapman can’t wait to be married. “I’ll be happy and relieved to see her coming down the aisle,” he says. “It’s something we’ve been working on for quite a while.”The two will tie the knot on Friday..

Posh and Becks named their new arrival Harper Seven after her delivery by Caesarean section in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The unusual name provoked lots of discussion, and David has given his version of how it was chosen in a video posted on his Facebook page.He said: “A lot of thought goes into our children’s names. And Harper was a name that we’ve loved for a long time for a couple of reasons.

“One of them is that Harper is an old English name which we love. And the other reason is that Victoria’s favourite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. The author was Harper Lee.

And Becks revealed there were more reasons for Harper’s surprising middle name than just his England and Manchester United shirt number.

He explained: “A lot of people have just assumed it’s my shirt number, which I wore for many years – and part of it is.

“I had so much luck around wearing that number wearing it for England and Manchester United. It was such an influential number throughout my career and a lucky number. But that wasn’t the main reason.

“The other reason was because it symbolises spiritual perfection. Seven wonders of the world. Seven colours of the rainbow.

“And in many cultures of the world it’s regarded as a lucky number. So we love the name. We love Harper Seven and are very proud of having her in our lives and in our family. It’s an amazing time.”

Harper joins David and Victoria’s three boys Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, six.

And the clearly delighted new dad, 36, is enjoying his family’s expansion.

He said: “We love the name, we love Harper Seven, we’re very proud of having her in our lives, in our family, and it’s an amazing time for our family right now.”

The LA Galaxy ace, 36, said that having a girl in the family was “really incredible”.

He said: “We have three beautiful healthy boys already and are so lucky to have that. And now to have a beautiful girl, having a daughter is a whole new thing.

“Having pink and lilac in the house. You have to be lot more delicate with girls than with boys. I am not used to that so it’s a whole new experience but an amazing one.

“To have that little bundle of joy in your hands and her making her little noises and opening her eyes. It really is an incredible moment for us.”

Posh, 37, welcomed Harper into the world at 7.55am on Sunday.

Speaking on Twitter yesterday, Victoria said: “Baby Harper is the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen, I have fallen in love all over again.

“We all feel so blessed and the boys love their baby sister so much.”

The American Idol judge shocked the showbiz world on Friday with news of the split from Latino singer Marc Anthony after seven years.

The couple, who have three-year-old twiinsMax and Emme, said in a ­statement: “We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult ­decision.

“We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters. It was a painful time for all involved “

Marc could be entitled to half her ­£217million ­fortune – if there was no pre-nup.

J-Lo, who sang Love Don’t Cost A Thing, was married to Cuban waiter Ojani Noa for 10 months in 1997 and dancer Cris Judd from 2001 to 2003.

SHE’S just announced her marriage is over but Jennifer Lopez is proving that she’s moving on – by singing at a lucrative wedding.

She is being paid more than $1million for her performance in the Ukraine tomorrow, it is claimed

A source said: “It’s a wealthy guy who wanted JLO and was willing to pay top dollar “

Lopez, 41, and Latin singer Marc Anthony, 42, said last week they were divorcing after seven years.

The couple have three-year-old twins Max and Emme.

Eat Healthy Foods during Tough Times

Organic, free-range, grass fed, non-gmo, dye-free and gluten-free are some of the popular labels that accompany certain healthy food choices these days. Sadly, along with these labels come high prices. According to global organic farming statistics, in 2009 the United States was the number one country (followed far behind by Germany and France) with the largest domestic markets for organic food.

During economic downturns many people need to tighten their belt and re-assess their purchasing habits. Eating healthy when times are tough can be a real challenge. It takes a little ingenuity, patience and research to find where and how you can obtain many of the healthy foods you’ve come to love and appreciate.

Organic vs. Non-Organic

Advertising campaigns can really sway consumers into thinking that what they are purchasing and what they need to purchase are two completely different things. Do not get sucked into the hype. Although organic farming has created a gold rush of business for many corporations much of it is overtly sensationalized, so much so that even the word ‘organic’ has been considerably stretched thin. To compare what may be best to purchase and avoid when considering healthy food choices, it is best to consult the “clean 15” and the “dirty dozen” lists of foods that are susceptible to pesticides and which should be bought organic.

The Dirty Dozen

During tough times you may want to avoid these fruits and vegetables unless you want to buy them organic. The following non-organic foods have been cited as testing positive for between forty-seven and sixty-seven pesticides:

• Sweet bell peppers
• Domestic blueberries
• Lettuce
• Imported grapes
• Cherries
• Apples
• Nectarines
• Potatoes
• Strawberries
• Peaches
• Kale, collard greens and spinach
• Celery

The Clean Fifteen

These fifteen foods present very small amounts to zero traces of pesticides and can be purchased as inexpensive as possible without compromising your health:

• Cabbage
• Kiwi
• Asparagus
• Sweet onions
• Cantaloupe
• Watermelon
• Eggplant
• Sweet peas
• Pineapples
• Sweet corn
• Mango
• Onions
• Avocado
• Grapefruit
• Sweet potatoes

Buy in Bulk but Buy Smart

With so many warehouse shopping opportunities these days it is worth the initial yearly membership fee to get in on some of the ground floor bargains. By purchasing food in bulk you can still make healthy choices without paying exorbitant individual prices. Assess what you or your household consumes on a regular basis and purchase those items in bulk accordingly. It is important to not let your wide eyes do your shopping when you enter these havens of everything or before you know it you will be leaving with four hundred dollars worth of cases of pickles, candy and mayonnaise.  Stick to what will be used quickly so it does not sit in your refrigerator and spoil or take up necessary shelf space.

Go Easy on the Flesh

Meat, poultry and fish prices are on the rise almost daily. In addition, many of these animal products are tainted with antibiotics and irradiation. Cutting back on your meat consumption and replacing your meals with pasta, rice and beans or salads will not only go easier on your pocketbook but will definitely add to more quality health. Legumes alone are high in protein, fiber and minerals that the body has an easier time digesting and assimilating.

Store Brands

Store brands have become savvier in competing with name brands by improving their ingredients, packaging and especially, price. Do not be afraid to try store brand pastas, salsas, snacks, frozen foods and more. You may be surprised at the comparable quality as well as savings.

Coupon-Mania

Do not get caught up in the coupon traps so many stores are apt to set up. It may seem like a good deal at first to purchase three of the expensive name brand items at what seems to be a lower price but after checking the weight or amount it may not hold up. Slow down when you shop and if possible shop alone with your own music in your headphones. This will enable you to concentrate better and not be confused by outside disturbances.

Junk Foods are Less Expensive but Can They Be Healthy?

This is a fine line because junk foods have become more inconspicuous with their packaging and ingredients. Stay away from sugar, high fructose and corn syrup and instead look for things such as pretzels, crackers, rice or soy ice cream and the like. These items can be less expensive while at the same time healthful.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you eat healthy when times are tough. Preparing food at home and keeping vigilant will go a long way and just may stick, even when tough times subside.

Triumph unveils 'Support Japan Bra' printed with worldwide messages

Major lingerie maker Triumph International Japan Ltd said Wednesday it has created a special underwear set featuring messages of encouragement sent from the offices of its group companies around the world to lift the spirits of disaster-stricken Japan. The lingerie consisting of a strapless bustier and a matching skirt is called the ‘‘Support Japan Bra’’ and was created as part of this year’s unique concept bra series, which the company releases biannually to reflect social trends of the time, it said, adding they are not for sale.

The company collected handwritten messages from 54 employees at its offices in 36 countries and regions, including Russia, China, France and Turkey, along with relief goods for the areas devastated by the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

The messages such as ‘‘Japan’s strength and courage is inspiring the world!’’ and ‘‘You’ll make it,’’ written in employees’ own languages are printed along with corresponding flags on the bustier and skirt.

A Triumph official in charge of public relations said the company had thought of voluntarily refraining from releasing the semiannual lingerie series this year but decided to release it. ‘‘We thought it better to deliver our feelings of support through the product,’’ the official said.

Hikaru Kawai, 20, a company model who hails from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, which was hard hit by the twin disasters, said at a press event held to release the product that ‘‘I hope to help lift the spirits of people in the devastated areas’’ by modeling the special lingerie.

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