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A comparative study of Kaishora Guggulu and Amrita Guggulu in the management of Utthana Vatarakta
Anju P Ramachandran1, Shyam M Prasad1, UN Prasad2, S Jonah3
1 PhD Scholar, Department of Kayachikitsa, Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
2 Professor & Principal, S.D.M. College of Ayurveda, Udupi, Karnataka, India
3 Professor, Department of PG studies in Kayachikitsa, S.D.M. College of Ayurveda, Udupi, Karnataka, India
Anju P Ramachandran
PhD Scholar, Department of Kayachikitsa,Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat
Vatarakta is the major example of Vata vyadhi, caused due to avarana pathology. The scenario of Utthana Vatarakta occurred owing to the margavarana pathology, which can very well be correlated with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease. The literature enlists a number of Guggulu prayogas in the management of Vatarakta. An additional cavernous revise was indispensable to bring out the precise outcome of these products. Keeping these visions in mind, the particular comparative study was performed with Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu, which are explained in the same context. This is a single-blind comparative clinical study with a pre-test and post-test design, wherein a minimum of 30 patients of either sex, suffering from Utthana Vatarakta, in an age limit of 16 to 70 years, were selected and randomly categorized into two groups. The 15 patients of group A were treated with oral administration of Tab Kaishora guggulu 1 g thrice a day and the group B patients with Tab Amrita guggulu of the same dose pattern with anupana of lukewarm water. The therapeutic effect of the treatment was assessed in both the groups based on specific subjective and objective parameters. The results obtained were analyzed statistically in both the groups and the comparative effect was assessed using the unpaired "t" -test. In the present study, 80% of the patients from both the groups had madhumeha (Diabetes mellitus), shonita mada (Hypertension) or both. Fifty percent of the patients in group A and nearly 60% of the patients in group B, suffering from Utthana Vatarakta, had the habit of smoking. In both the groups, a statistically significant improvement was observed in all the criteria of assessment. The outcome of the study revealed an identical therapeutic efficacy of Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu in Utthana Vatarakta. The use of Kaishora guggulu or Amrita guggulu as shamana Aushadhas was a perfect selection in the management of rakta margavaranajanya Utthana Vatarakta.
Keywords: Utthana Vatarakta, Margavarana, Raktavahasrotas , Atherosclerosis, Peripheral Vascular Diseases
Ramachandran AP, Prasad SM, Prasad U N, Jonah S. A comparative study of Kaishora Guggulu and Amrita Guggulu in the management of Utthana Vatarakta. AYU 2010;31:410-6
Ramachandran AP, Prasad SM, Prasad U N, Jonah S. A comparative study of Kaishora Guggulu and Amrita Guggulu in the management of Utthana Vatarakta. AYU [serial online] 2010 [cited 2022 Jan 21];31:410-6. Available from: https://www.ayujournal.org/text.asp?2010/31/4/410/82027
Ayurvedic texts judge Vata as the most significant in the midst of the tridoshas, due to its six-fold distinguishing features like spreading, quick action, vigor, capability to vitiate other doshas, autonomy, and the power to create the maximum number of diseases. [1] At the same time, it is also assumed that the life of living beings absolutely depends on Rakta. [2] Vatarakta is an illness where both vata and rakta are afflicted by distinct etiological factors. [3] The occurrence of Vatarakta is also possible when the customary gati of the vata is hindered by the morbid kapha dosha and medas. [4]
The status of Utthana vatarakta is often compared with the atherosclerotic ischemic limb disease in the allied sciences due to the outstanding similarities. Atherosclerosis is a generalized phenomenon that can occur in any of the large- to medium-sized arteries. Atherosclerosis habitually does not present with any symptom until it brutally narrows an artery or blocks it completely. The type of artery and the location of the plaque vary from person to person. If either happens and blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it can result in a heart attack. If it blocks the blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain, it results in a stroke. Furthermore, if the blood supply to the extremities is reduced, it can cause a complexity in walking and ultimately lead to gangrene. Peripheral arterial disease can impair physical health and diminish the ability to walk. If left untreated, it is the leading cause of foot or leg amputation. A person with peripheral arterial disease has six to seven times greater risk of death from coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke than the rest of the population. [5]
The same thought has been highlighted in Ayurvedic literature under the designation of Margavarana. It is a widespread observable fact that ends up in a variety of disorders based on the site of the affliction. A reference of Margavarana involved in the pathogenesis is accessible in the contexts of Hridroga, Gulma, Vatavyadhi, Vatarakta, and so on. When the process of Margavarana takes place in the rakta marga due to the abnormal and excessive accumulation of morbid kapha and medas in the srotas, it ends up in the manifestation of Vatarakta.
Review of previous works done [6],[7],[8],[9]
Close to 37 studies have been conducted all over India on Vatarakta. An analysis reveals that most of the studies were carried out by considering Vatarakta as gouty arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Very few studies have been performed considering Vatarakta as an ischemic limb. Even after the towering prevalence of the disease in the present population, very few research studies have been conducted in this regard, which mainly deal with the outcome of the Shodhana therapies. However, the results of these small numbers of studies are extremely promising.
As it is an Avaranajanya Vyadhi, different preparations with drugs having Srothosudhikaraka and Vyadhi Hara Rasayana-properties like Guggulu are exclusively indicated in the management of v0 atarakta . The herbal preparations like Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu, consisting mainly of ingredients like Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Triphala (Terminalia chebula Retz, Terminalia bellerica, Emblica officinalis), Gudoochi (Tinospora cordifolia), [10] and so on, are said to be useful in curing the illness. [11]
Thus, getting immensely inspired by the above-mentioned data, the present study was carried out with a target to hit upon a better efficacious Shamana Oushada in stipulation of Margavarana Janya Vatarakta.
To evaluate and compare the efficacy of Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu in patients suffering from Utthana Vatarakta.
Source of the data
The patients who attended the OPD and IPD of the S.D.M. Ayurveda Hospital, Kuthpady, Udupi, Karnataka, during the period of September 2006 to August 2007, with signs and symptoms of Utthana Vatarakta, were screened. Among these, 30 patients who fulfilled the criteria of inclusion, mentioned a little later in the text, were included in the study. The selected patients were randomly categorized into two groups, with each group consisting of 15 patients.
Patients within the age group of 16 - 70 years, presenting with Pratyatmaka Lakshana of Utthana Vatarakta and also with the symptoms of peripheral atherosclerotic disease were included in the study.
Exclusion criteria
Patients with severe toxicity, ulceration, progressive gangrenous changes, and suffering from diseases of immunological basis and syphilis were excluded from the study.
Following are the investigations carried out on all 30 patients for the conduction of this study:
Hb%, ESR, RBS, lipid profile.
Doppler ultrasound in selected patients.
The study was a single-blind, comparative, clinical study with a pre-test and post-test design.
Group A: Fifteen patients with oral administration of Tab Kaishora guggulu in a dose of 1 g thrice a day.
Group B: Fifteen patients with oral administration of Tab Amrita guggulu in a dose of 1 g thrice a day. Anupana-lukewarm water.
The study had received prior approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee.
The assessment criteria is shown in [Table 1].
Table 1: Assessment criteria
Assessment of overall effect
Complete remission - 100% relief.
Marked improvement - reduction in the mean symptom score by 75 - 99% of the initial score.
Moderate remission - reduction in the mean symptom score by 50 - 74%.
Average remission - reduction in the mean symptom score by 25 - 49%.
Unchanged - reduction in the mean symptom score by < 24% of the initial score.
Of the 30 patients of Vatarakta studied in this research, the maximum number of patients in both the groups (nearly 40%) belonged to the age group of 51 - 60 years. Following this, the maximum number of patients was in the 61 - 70 years age group. Sixty-six percent of the patients of group A and 73% of the patients of group B were male. The majority of patients in group A (73%) as well as group B (86%) were Hindus, in the present study. Eighty percent of the patients of group A and 93% of the patients of group B were married persons. It was observed that 26% of the females in group A and 20% from group B, in this study, were housewives. Also, it was found that the largest category of patients in both the groups was engaged in other occupations. The study revealed that most of the patients in both the groups belonged to the middle and the rich socioeconomic status (70%).
The present study revealed that 20% of the patients from both the groups had Madhumeha and 16.6% had Shonita Mada (hypertension). The maximum number of patients (73 and 66%) had the habit of taking a mixed diet. A dominance of Madhura Rasa in the diet was observed in most of the patients from both groups. Fifty percent of the patients of group A and nearly 60% of the patients in group B suffering from Utthana vatarakta had the habit of smoking. In the present sample, all the patients in both the groups had Dvandvaja Praktiti. Also, in the present study, all the patients had Madhyama Samhanana. Similarly, in the present sample of patients suffering from Santarpanajanya Vatarakta, more than 80% of the patients in both the groups had either Pravara or Madhyama, Abhyavaharana, and Jarana Shakti. Of the 30 patients suffering from Vatarakta taken for the study, 70% of the patients had gradual onset of the disease, and in 30%, the onset was insidious. None of the patients had a sudden onset of illness.
Vatarakta is a Vatavyadhi Prabheda. The illness is considered to be the finest illustration of an Avarana Vyadhi, as an opening from the etiopathogenesis to the complications, the illness follows the characteristic presentation of Avarana. Compared with the other Vatavyadhi, Vatarakta possesses a special place in the literature, due to its high prevalence in the society, increased incidence as age advances, step-wise succession, and so on.
From the overall view of the etiology, it is obvious and unambiguous that the precise etiological factors of Vata Dosha as well as Rakta Dhatu are accountable for the causation of illness. At the same time, an alternate form of Vatarakta also exists, which is the result of Kapha-medo Avarana in Rakta Marga. Whatever be the grounds, an obstruction in the path of Rakta Dhatu is the core pathology of the disease.
Of the 30 patients of Vatarakta studied in this research, the maximum number of patients in both the groups belonged to the age group of 51 - 60 years and 61 - 70 years, respectively. It is an established fact that atherosclerosis usually becomes symptomatic during the fifth or sixth decade of life. The present observation of 70% of the patients between these two age groups corroborates the same. The illness definitely has a predilection for the male sex compared to the female sex, till the menopausal age. Sixty-six percent of the patients of group A and 73% of the patients of group B were males. This shows the increased incidence of the disease in males. The study revealed that most of the patients in both the groups belonged to the middle and rich socioeconomic status. Inactive life fashion is ordinary among this category of people. Sedentary lifestyle has a clear-cut role in the causation of the illness. Similarly, the sample indicates the prevalence of the illness in middle and higher class people. Apart from Vatarakta, the common disorders were aberration of medas, seen as Madhumeha, Shoniata Mada (hypertension), and Hridroga. In agreement with the etiology and basic pathology that is common in these diseases, they tend to coexist in patients, as in the present study, revealing the same tendency, wherein 80% of the patients from both the groups had Madhumeha, Shonita Mada or both.
The dominance of the Madhura Rasa in the diet of most of the patients from both groups once again confirms the role of the Kapha- and Meda-vitiating factors in the production of the illness. The Abhyavaharana or Jarana Shakti of the persons indicates the possibility of Santarpana or otherwise. moderate or good Abhyavaharana Shakti, and Jarana Shakti indicates the high probability of indulgence in Santarpana, leading to disease manifestation. Similarly, in the present sample of patients suffering from Santarpanajanya Vatarakta, more than 80% of the patients in both groups had either Pravara or Madhyama Abhyavaharana and Jarana Shakti. Smoking is one among the most established risk factors of atherosclerosis. Fifty percent of the patients of group A and nearly 60% of the patients in group B suffering from Utthana Vatarakta had the habit of smoking.
Patients of both groups, A and B, showed marked remission of the symptom of pain after intervention. The results are shown in [Table 2], [Table 3] and [Table 4]. The comparison of effect of therapy is shown in [Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3] and [Figure 4]. In group A, the initial mean score was 1.40, which came down to 0.933 after treatment, exhibiting a statistically, highly significant improvement, with P < 0.001 and about 66.6% relief. At the same time, group B patients also showed marked improvement, with reduction in the initial mean score of 1.26 to 0.46 after intervention. This was statistically, highly significant, with P < 0.001 and about 63.14% relief. When compared, through the unpaired "t" -test, the difference between the two groups was not significant statistically. Burning sensation was one of the cardinal symptoms of Vatarakta, which was relieved by 66% in group A patients and by 55% in group B patients. This improvement, when compared using the unpaired "t" -test, did not show any difference between the two groups. Seventy-six percent improvement was observed in the symptom of 'malaise' in group A patients, while Group B patients showed 73% relief. This improvement after the treatment was found to be highly significant (P < 0.001) in both the groups as per the paired "t" -test. When given for the unpaired "t" -test, this difference was not statistically significant. It showed that Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu were equally helpful in managing the symptom of malaise.
Table 2: Effect of therapy on the subjective and objective parameters in patients of group A
Table 3: Effect of therapy on subjective and objective parameters in patients of group B
Table 4: Comparison of the effect of treatment in both groups using the unpaired t-test
Figure 1: Comparison of the effect of treatment on pain
Figure 2: Comparison of the effect of treatment on local color change
Figure 3: Comparison of the effect of treatment on peripheral pulses
Figure 4: Overall effect of treatment
Tenderness is another symptom of Vatarakta. In group A, the initial mean score of the patients for tenderness was 1.00, which was reduced to 0.20 after the treatment. In group B, the initial mean score of the patients for tenderness was 1.00, which was reduced to 0.26. The improvement was 80% and 73%, respectively. This improvement was statistically significant in both groups. The unpaired "t" -test showed equal efficacy of Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu in this regard as the difference was not statistically significant. In case of the symptom of edema, the change that occurred with the treatment in both groups was greater than what could be expected by chance; there was a statistically significant change (P < 0.010), as assessed by the paired "t" -test. As per the unpaired "t" -test, this difference was not a statistically significant one. Thus, Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu were equally effective in managing the symptom of edema. Patients treated with Kaishora guggulu in group A and with Amrita guggulu in group B had no significant difference in local color changes. The difference obtained in group A was not statistically significant (P = 0.164). In group B patients, the initial score of 1.00 remained the same even after treatment. In unpaired "t" -test, the difference mean showed by group A was 0.133 against the 0.000 difference in the mean of group A. However, this change could not be concluded because of the higher efficacy of Kaishora guggulu on local color change. Forty-five percent improvement was observed in the score of walking ability in group A; 1.467 was the initial mean score recorded in the 15 patients of Utthana Vatarakta This was brought down to 0.800 after the administration of Kaishora guggulu. In the second group, the initial mean score was 1.33, which was reduced to 0.733, showing 45% improvement. This improvement after the treatment was found to be highly significant (P < 0.001) as per the paired "t" -test. The unpaired "t" -test showed equal efficacy of both the yogas in dealing with the same. The mean initial score of peripheral pulses was 1.400 before the treatment, in patients of Utthana Vatarakta of group A. This initial mean score came down to 1.00 after the treatment. The improvement to the tune of 28% was significant (P = 0.009), as revealed by the paired "t" -test. In group B, the initial mean score was 1.200, which reduced to 0.200 after the intervention. This change in group B was not statistically significant as the P-value suggested P = 0.082. However, this higher response was not statistically significant according to the unpaired "t" -test.
The overall assessment in both the groups revealed equal efficacy of both the yogas in managing the illness. Sixty-six percent of the patients from both the groups showed an average remission of symptoms and signs. Moderate remission was observed in nearly 13% of the patients. None of the patients from both the groups showed complete remission or marked improvement. In the remaining 20% of the patients in each group, the tune of improvement was > 24%, which came under the unchanged category.
All the 30 patients taken for the study had some or the other form of improvement in the symptoms of Vatarakta.
In short, when the overall assessment was performed, both the groups did not show any remarkable difference in the final results. Both Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu were equally effective in the management of Margavaranajanya Vatarakta. However, an individual analysis of the symptoms assessed in both groups by the paired "t" -test showed minor differences. Fifteen patients of group A treated with Kaishora guggulu showed relatively marginal improvement in almost all the symptoms and signs of Utthana Vatarakta. Even then, these differences were not significant from the statistical view point. Thus, these insignificant improvements observed in group A could not be concluded as the better efficacy of Kaishora guggulu in treating the illness of Santarpana Nidanajanya Margavaranaja Utthana Vatarakta. Here, the marginal difference observed could be due to the random sampling variability.
Probable mode of action
Obstruction in the Rakta Vaha Srotas causing hindrance to the normal movement of the Vata Dosha, is the root pathology behind the manifestation of the illness Vatarakta. This obstruction is established by the arterial color Doppler study.
In case of Santarpana Nidana Janya Vatarakta, the approach toward the management varies. Here, the objective of the entire treatment is to eliminate the Margavarana that has already occurred and is progressing in the Rakta Vaha Srotas. Therefore, in the initial stage of handling, the administration of Snehana and Bhruhmana are contraindicated.
In this situation, one has to go for Kapha-Medo Kshapana Chikitsa. Practically, this is implemented by methods of physical exercises, Virechana, gomutra-shilajatu-guggulu prayoga, and so on. After clearing the root of Rakta and Vata, the general line of management of Vatarakta is useful. Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu are the two significant yogas taken from Bhaishajya Ratnavali and are indicated in Vatarakta Chikitsa. The combination and properties of the drugs in both the preparations shows the efficiency of the yogas in clearing the Margavarana. In both the preparations, Guggulu, Gudoochi, and Triphala are the chief ingredients.
Guggulu is one extraordinary drug that possesses Anabhishyandhi, Snigdha, and Sroto Shuhdhikaraka actions. It is considered as the best drug for the management of Meda Avruta Anila. It is the best drug that can be administered in this condition, as it is proved that it has an optimistic outcome in negating the incriminatory action of the morbid Kapha Dosha as well as the Medo Dhatu.
Guduchi is the drug of choice in Vatarakta. It acts as Vyadhipratyneeka and is a magnificent Rasayana. Triphala is well known for its Rookshana and Kapha Medo Hara effects. All the other ingredients of the yogas also work in the same pattern.
Apart from these, the recent experimental studies performed on these drugs also reveal the same; that the ingredients in both the yogas are highly efficacious in treating the state of hyperlipidemia. These points are good enough to support the selection of these two yogas for the present comparative study in the management of Vatarakta.
The Rookshana property of drugs like Danti (Baliospermum montanum), Triphala (Terminalia chebula Retz., Terminalia bellerica, Emblica officinalis), Vidanga (Embelia ribes), and Guggulu (Commiphora mukul) are believed to act on abnormally accumulated Kapha Dosha and Medas. Tikshna and ushna drugs like Pippali, Shunthi, Maricha, Vidanga, Danti, and so on, are present in Kaishora guggulu as well as Amrita Guggulu, and Guggulu is stated to have a positive action on Srotovishodhana. The same is reflected in the results, as there is a definite improvement in the walking ability and marginal improvement in peripheral pulses. There is clear - cut evidence for improvement in circulation. Improvement in circulation means reduction in Margavarana, which in turn leads to reduced morbidity of Vata Dosha.
Apart from this, ingredients like Guggulu definitely have an action on the pacification of Vata Dosha too. Therefore, the average positive response obtained in a major percentage of patients taken for the study can be well understood as remission of Margavarana to a certain level and also due to release in the obstruction of Vata Dosha.
The average remission of symptoms observed in the results of both the groups definitely shows a marginal improvement in the circulation and a resultant pacification of the morbid Vata Dosha to a certain extent following the medication. Reduction in the chief presenting symptoms like pain, burning sensation, and malaise also indicates reduction in the morbidity of Vata Dosha.
Marginal improvement in the symptom of the local color change is suggestive of reduction in the severity of the morbidity of Rakta Dhatu. The changes seen after the intervention in both the groups are definitely satisfactory. The therapeutic efficacy of Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu in Utthana Vatarakta has proved to be similar. However, the ultimate aim of complete remission of Margavarana and total relief from the symptoms has not yet been achieved. In short, of course, the results are constructive, but not complete.
The entire notion of Margavarana can be well correlated to the pathology of atherosclerosis, and the state of Utthana Vatarakta to that of Peripheral arterial disease in the modern dialect. Results show noticeable improvement in the symptoms and signs of Utthana Vatarakta after the intervention in both the groups. The outcome of the study reveals the identical therapeutic efficacy of Kaishora guggulu and Amrita guggulu in Utthana Vatarakta. The use of Kaishora guggulu or Amrita guggulu as Shamana Oushadhas is a perfect selection for the management of Rakta Margavaranajanya Utthana Vatarakta.
1. Vaidya BHP. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya, Shareera Sthana, Angavibaga Adhyaya, 3/84. 9 th ed. Varanasi: Chaukambha orientalia; 2002. p. 402.
2. Yadaviji T. Agnivesha, Charaka, Dridabala, Charaka samhita, Sutra Sthana, Vidhishoniteeya Adhyaya, 24/4. 5 th ed. Varanasi: Chaukambha Sanskrit Sansthan; 2001. p. 134.
3. Chakrapanidatta, commentator Charaka samhita, Chikitsa sthana, Vatashonita Chikitsa Adhyaya, 29/1. 5 th ed. Varanasi: Chaukambha Sanskrit sansthana; 2001. p. 627.
4. Ibidem, Charaka samhita, Vatashonita Chikitsa Adhyaya, 29/156, Page no. 638.
5. Creager MA, Dzau JV. Vascular diseases of extremities, In: Henry N, Ginsburg I, Goldburg J, editors. Harrison's principles of internal medicine. 15 th ed. New York: Mc Graw Hill publications; 2000. p. 1486-87.
6. Ramachandra NS. The effect of Lekhana basti in the management of sthoulya, (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Mysore: Mysore University; 2002. p. 121.
7. Sanjeevani R. A clinical study on the management of Sthoulya by Panchatikta and Lekhana basti (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, IPGTand RA. Jamanagar; 2001. p. 136.
8. Sathish. Conceptual study of vatarakta VIS-A-VIS T.A.O. and clinical management with, Manjistadi kshara basti. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Bangalore: Rajiv Gandhi University of health sciences; 2003. p. 133.
9. Patil KV. A clinical study to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Vataraktantaka Rasa and Lekhana basti in Vatarakta. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation Bangalore: Rajiv Gandhi University of health sciences; p. 151.
10. Shaha B. Nigantu Adarsha, Purvardha, 2 nd ed. Varanasi: Chaukhamba bharati Academy; 1999. p. 614.
11. Dasa G. Bhaishajya Rathnavali, Chapter 27/98-108. shastri A, editor. 18 th ed., Varanasi: Choukamba Surbharati prakashan; 2007. p. 598.
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3], [Table 4]
Ramachandran AP
Prasad SM
Prasad U N
Jonah S
Utthana Vatarakta
Margavarana
Raktavahasrotas
Peripheral Vascular Diseases
Results and Disc...
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"While a little bit of pressure can inspire workers to rise to the challenge, people who work for overly demanding bosses usually feel frustrated that their efforts are not rewarded, and as a result, they are unlikely to continue to pump out high quality work," Friedman says.
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The June 2013 issue of More magazine included tips for people making transitions later in their careers. I spoke with one jobseeker looking for a new position after losing her job, and offered my advice on strategies to uncover opportunities and break through some barriers.


There is a perception, often fueled by the media, that because it's inexpensive, fast food is mainly consumed by lower income people. However, if you visit one of these restaurants in a nice middle class neighborhood, you will likely see at least a few luxury cars in the parking lot or exiting the drive through. And even President Trump—a certified billionaire—has been spotted with food from McDonald's. But if anecdotal evidence isn't enough, new research shows that individuals all across the socioeconomic spectrum are eating fast food and eating it regularly.
The study, which took place at the Ohio State University in Columbus, found that people from lower, middle, and higher income households all partake in the consumption of fast food, and those in the lowest income brackets aren't even the ones indulging the most.1 The subjects were more than 8,000 men and women taking part in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a long-running investigation focused on tracking cohorts of participants born in certain groups of years.
The volunteers answered questionnaires in 2008, 2010, and 2012 relating to their consumption of fast food. During the years covered, the participants were all middle aged, somewhere in their 40s or 50s. They were asked such questions as how many times in the previous seven days they had eaten fast food at establishments including Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and the like.
It turned out that, when all the results were tallied across the board, a whopping 79 percent of the subjects reported consuming fast food at least once during any of the weeks included in the study. What's more, 23 percent of the people said they had eaten three or more of their meals from fast food restaurants.
When the respondents were classified into 10 groups based on their income levels, the outcomes remained remarkably consistent. Among those with the lowest 10 percent of income, approximately 80 percent consumed fast food at least once in a research week. But the figures were very similar among those in the wealthiest income bracket, with 75 percent of that population consuming fast food at least once in a research week. But those in the middle of the socioeconomic scale were found to be the most likely to choose fast food, with 85 percent eating it at least once in a research week.
The percentages were also converted to an average number of fast food meals consumed over the course of the three weeks focused upon in the years covered. Those in the lowest income group ate approximately 3.6 fast food meals on average, while the richest group ate approximately 3.0, and the middle-income group ate approximately 4.2. And the patterns of consumption did not appear to change even in cases of a dramatic shift in wealth, for better or for worse.
So if affordability isn't the main factor driving people to choose a fast food restaurant over one with a healthier menu, what is? The researchers suggest that fast food consumption may have more to do with its convenience and fast turnaround time. And if you ever eat fast food, you can probably confirm those are your most common reasons as well. Fast food is quick and easy—and dare I say, fast. And in many neighborhoods, these restaurants are ubiquitous.
Therefore, no matter what your income, eating fast food is more than likely a habit, and not a healthy one. But this is a habit you can break with a little effort (if you can maintain resistance to the kids' nagging). It is often a matter of planning ahead so that you don't end up tired, hungry, and pulling into the drive-through just to make your life easier. Because let's face it, you are likely not scheduling your fast food dinners in advance, but instead grabbing them in a rush on your way home or in-between activities.
When you know you're going to have the type of hectic day that often results in a fast-food run, consider bringing along healthy snacks to satisfy you until you can get home to make a nutritious dinner. If the problem isn't immediate hunger but the lack of desire to start cooking after a long day, prepare your meal in advance. Perhaps you can cook a double portion the night before or dedicate some time over your weekend to cooking a few meals to freeze for the week. Or simplest of all, at least for middle and high income households, you can make use of one of the new wave of meal delivery services. In any case, a little foresight can go a very long way to keeping you out of the fast food place and on track with a healthy eating plan.
1. Zagorsky, Jay L. and Smith, Patricia K. "The association between socioeconomic status and adult fast-food consumption in the U.S." Economics & Human Biology. November 2017. Accessed 10 May 2017. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X16300363.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Add onclick event listener for all s Pure "vanilla" javascript answers only.
I have a web page with a bunch of images, and I want to put some javascript at the bottom of the page that lets the user click on any image to enlarge it (I'm going to implement this with a modal).
Here is my attempt at binding a click to every :

function enlargeImage(imgElement){
    window.alert("Hi, I'm going to enlarge this image: "+imgElement.src);
    // create modal with
}

var imageNodes = document.getElementsByTagName('IMG');
for (var i=0; i<imageNodes.length; i++)
{
    imageNodes[i].addEventListener('click', enlargeImage(imageNodes[i]));
}
img{
width:100px;
}

Click on an image to enlarge it

What works about this:
The image url gets transferred correctly.
What's wrong about this:
At page load it creates the modal, rather than when the image is clicked. It doesn't seem to actually bind any event-handlers either.

*

*Why would it do that, if it's just binding the event (why is it calling the function)?

*How do I make it work like I want to?

A: Use for the eventlistener a callback function which calls enlarge with thisas parameter.

function enlargeImage(imgElement){
    window.alert("Hi, I'm going to enlarge this image: "+imgElement.src);
    // create modal with
}

var imageNodes = document.getElementsByTagName('img');
for (var i=0; i<imageNodes.length; i++)
{
    imageNodes[i].addEventListener('click', function() {
        enlargeImage(this);
    });
}
img {width:100px;}

Click on an image to enlarge it

A: Using a generic handler instead of binding a seperate handler to each img seems to work.
window.onclick = function(clickEvent) {
  if (clickEvent.target.tagName=="IMG"){
    window.alert("Hi, im going to enlarge this image: "+clickEvent.target.src);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


« Can You Believe It's My 2nd Blogoversary?
Mom set her empty plate on the table and went to sit in the comfy chair to rest for a while. Lucky for me she fell asleep. I hardly ever get bacon and I wasn't very happy that I didn't get any this time. I decided to take matters into my own paws and get up on the counter to see if she had left anything there — and guess what! She left the uncooked bacon out on the counter!
Now, admittedly, uncooked is not quite the same as cooked, but it wasn't bad. Remember, I eat raw all the time so it wasn't that much different. I pulled some of the pieces down on the floor and ate two or three half strips of bacon. They were pretty filling so I left three pieces laying there on the kitchen rug. I just couldn't finish them. My loser brofurs didn't even come check it out so they didn't get any.
Mom looked pretty surprised when she got up and went in the kitchen. She obviously forgot she left the bacon out. Mom doesn't know for sure I'm the one who did it but she's caught me on the counter before. She told me she's pretty sure it was me but I made no admission. I think she was even more certain when she caught me drinking water every couple of hours for the rest of the day. Who knew bacon would make even kitties thirsty?
I hope you have some similar luck in the near future!
Tagged bacon, bacon lover, cat, cat photos, cat treats, Christy. Bookmark the permalink.
How cute you are, Christy! But remember not to eat raw things the next time. It is not good for your health and you can make your mother worried, you know?
Thanks for your concern but I eat a homemade raw diet all the time. Raw is best for kitties.
Oh, Christy. You are so funny! I can't blame you for getting into the bacon. Bacon is irresistible. My kitties would have run off with all of it!
Christy you are a smart girl. When you want something you take matters into your own hands!
I hear bacon is tasty. I've sniffed it, but it didn't interest me. I'm glad you (or some other kitty) got to enjoy a tasty treat.
Well done! Mom own fault she shouldn't have left the bacon on the counter.
You got to do what you got to do babe, especially where bacon is concerned!
Guess you taught your mom a lesson, Christy!
I hope she doesn't remember it!
Um, is it wrong that we licked the screen photo of your bacon? For the record, it didn't taste like bacon at all.
christy…now yur talkin total lee awesum snax !!!
Wow! I wish my humans ate bacon – I'm a counter girl (and so is Binga), so we'd be bound to get lucky at some point.
Christy gurl yur sorta notty but oh so cute!!!!
Mee hopess thee uncooked bacon did not hert yur bowelss……if mee ate it raw…well it wood not bee good fur mee!
An mee will keep yur secret; purromise!!
Oh Christy! MAJOR SCORE!!! I've never had uncooked bacon but I just bet it's VERY nommy….kinda like ham would be…..bravo for you being brave enough to see something (or smell it) and GO AFTER IT!
Thank you for the chuckle 🙂 How nice of you to leave some for your brothers.


text:
The Middle Eastern Models to Watch in 2020
The faces defining a generation
Mille Team
It seems like the fashion world has finally opened its arms to Arab talent.
With Gigi and Bella Hadid, Imaan Hammam, and Nora Attal becoming global household names, it's safe to say that Middle Eastern models have become a staple in the fashion industry. And they're just getting started.
We're in the midst of a radical shift. Seeing recognisably-Arab faces strutting down the runways is becoming the norm. And that's thanks in-part to the global demand for representation. But as any Arab would attest, it's also a sign of a culturally shift, whereby untraditional career paths are far less scrutinised by friends and family.
It goes without saying that we owe this to these pioneers: Afef Jinifen, Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, and Kenza Fourati. Not to mention, the Algerian muse to legendary designer Azzedine Alaïa, Farida Khelfa.
To celebrate those who followed in their footsteps and continue to shake things up, we've rounded up the newest faces to watch. These are the Middle Eastern models you'll want to take note of in 2020.
Ali Latif
https://www.instagram.com/p/By_IZn6o9eD/
Tunisian-born, France-based model Ali Latif has taken both Paris, Milan and New York by storm. He's recently become the face of Issey Miyake and Versace. Not only that, but he's also made his mark on the beauty industry, as the face of Balmain Hair.
Sid Oudainia Beaulieu
https://www.instagram.com/p/B553eFioC-I/
You'll probably recognise him as the face of Paris's hottest new label, Casablanca. The Algerian model has taken Paris by storm. Having already starred in a Saint Laurent campaign and a Carhartt campaign, he's the model of the moment.
Qaher Harhash
Known as the first Palestinian male model (Yes, long before Anwar Hadid), Harhash paved a lane of his own. You'll find his face in campaigns for Versace, and in the pages of 032c, Vogue and GQ. And he's only just getting started.
Elias Riadi
https://www.instagram.com/p/B40JxDIgJY5/
You probably recognise him as one of the stars of YouTube's PAQ, Elias Riadi, who is half Moroccan and half Cyprian, quickly garnered a massive following upon the release of his show, and with it came a modelling contract with none other than Next Models. The young model has walked for Casablanca, and was recently the face of Diesel's new campaign.
Azza Slimene
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7EMdcYDrCY/
Born and raised in Tunisia, Azza Slimene is the 22-year-old model to watch. Having made her Paris Fashion Week debut in 2018, Azza went on to walk for brands like Chanel and Yohji Yamamoto, becoming the first Arab model to do so. Slimane is a rising global star.
arab talent
Moroccan Footballer Romain Saiss To Star in Upcoming Netflix Docuseries About the 2022 FIFA World Cup
French-Lebanese Trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf Was Nominated For a Grammy
Jordan's Got Talent! The Creatives From Amman You Need To Know
Dubai-Based Marcelina Releases New RnB Infused Single 'Dunya'


text:
package org.apache.sling.validation.impl;

import org.osgi.service.metatype.annotations.AttributeDefinition;
import org.osgi.service.metatype.annotations.ObjectClassDefinition;

@ObjectClassDefinition(name = "Apache Sling Validation Configuration", description = "Allows to influence the validation behaviour")
public @interface ValidationServiceConfiguration {
    @AttributeDefinition(name = "Cache Validation Results on Resources", description = "If enabled will cache the validation result from calls to ValidationService.validate(Resource,ValidationModel) and expose it via Resource.adaptTo('ValidationResult.class').")
    boolean cacheValidationResultsOnResources() default false;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: What's the point of having wmemcpy? This question applies both to C and C++.
memcpy basically copies raw memory from an address to another address.
So my question is: what's the point of wmemcpy?
I mean, it's still contiguous space, and copying it is still the same process. It shouldn't matter if it's made of up wchar_t's, or should it?

A: From MSDN documentation of wmemcpy:

memcpy copies count bytes from src to dest; wmemcpy copies count wide
  characters (two bytes).

So the difference is on how many bytes will be copied with the given same arguments,when you say:
memcpy(src,dest,2);//2 bytes will be copied
wmemcpy(src,dest,2);//4 bytes,i.e 2*2 bytes will be copied

Other than this difference and possible convenience of use when using wmemcpy when copying wchar_t arrays, i don't think there is a difference between the two and the existence of wmemcpy is really necessary.

A: Interfac will ensure you copied whole wchar_t number of symbols. You won't be able to copy odd number of bytes


Eric is the Operating Partner of Magic Johnson Enterprises and oversees the company's day-to-day operations of its largest portfolio companies including President and CEO of EquiTrust, Managing Partner of JLC Infrastructure and Managing Director of the award-winning television network, ASPIRE. Prior to joining MJE, Mr. Holoman held leadership positions in private banking with Bank of America and Wells Fargo. In June 2017 Eric retired from the Banc Of California (Banc) board where he served on the Compensation, Executive and Governance committees. He has been active in public service, having served on the Board of the LA City Employees' Retirement System including two terms as President. More recently, Mr. Holoman served as VP of the Board of the LA DWP. Mr. Holoman has a BS in Finance from the USC and is a member of the Board of the Marshall School of Business. Recently Mr. Holoman Joined the Board of Directors of Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Paul is the Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary of EquiTrust and oversees the day-to-day business operations, including legal affairs, compliance and regulatory matters. Mr. Miller joined EquiTrust in 2015. Prior to joining EquiTrust, Paul served as Special Deputy Receiver to the Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the Special Deputy Receiver. Prior to his appointment as Special Deputy, his career spanned private corporate practice and government. Mr. Miller graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law where he serves on the Alumni Board of Directors, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Miller is a Board Member of the Anti-Defamation Leagues' Upper Midwest Division, serves as Chair of his home town Business and Economic Development Commission and is an Illinois Commissioner to the Uniform Law Commission.
Kenn is the Chief Investment Officer of EquiTrust and oversees the investment portfolio. Mr. Matheny joined EquiTrust in 2016. Kenn previously served as the Senior Investment Officer at the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS). Prior to TRS, Mr. Matheny was a Senior Vice President at Associated Banc-Corp. Early in his career, he received leveraged finance and capital markets training at Heller Financial/GE Capital and also worked for Franklin Street Equity Partners. Kenn has also been active in public service, having previously served on the Board of the Sue Duncan Foundation and the YMCA. He received a B.S. in Public Finance and Economics from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business where he was awarded the Robert A. Toigo Fellowship.
Joseph is the Chief Actuary of EquiTrust where he oversees and directs product development and management. Mr. Norton joined EquiTrust in 2017. Joseph has 17 years of industry experience in building life and annuity business through pricing, modeling, valuation, and risk management. Mr. Norton earned a BS in Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Management Information Systems. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Rosemary is the Senior Vice President of Policy Administration and Community Relations and oversees the EquiTrust day-to-day administrative operations. Ms. Parson joined the company in 2003. She received the 2011 Business Record Women of Influence award and continues to oversee community-relations initiatives. Prior to joining EquiTrust, Rosemary held executive positions with CNO Financial Group (formerly Conseco, Inc.). She studied at Ball State University and is a Fellow, Life Management Institute. Ms. Parson serves on the state of Iowa's Technical and Commercialization (innovation) Committee. She serves on several boards, including Children and Families of Iowa, The Des Moines Community Foundation, Pyramid Theatre and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. Ms. Parson actively mentors young-adult students in the areas of financial literacy, banking, education and character.
Ana is the Vice President of Product Management and is responsible for the product development, pricing and profitability management for both annuities and life insurance. Ms. Bumgardner joined EquiTrust in 2003 and has been instrumental in the development of each EquiTrust annuity and life product. Ana entered the insurance industry in 1994 after graduating from Drake University with a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science. Prior to joining EquiTrust, she served for 10 years in the actuarial-product area at ING. Ana is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Ms. Bumgardner also serves as President of the community board for the Iowa chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She leads the EquiTrust Cares Committee, which organizes activities to support the community, such as Habitat for Humanity, Children and Families of Iowa, and Meals for the Heartland.
Jeanne is the Vice President of Sales and oversees the growth, management and analysis of the EquiTrust distribution. She also oversees marketing communications and advertising. Ms. Taylor joined EquiTrust in 2003. Prior to joining EquiTrust, Jeanne was the Marketing Coordinator for GE Financial serving a 9-state region. Jeanne also held positions and was an agent with Guardian and AXA. Ms. Taylor graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Education. Among her community commitments, Jeanne served 3 elected terms on the West Des Moines Community School Board, serving her last year as President. She holds insurance licenses in three states and served on the National Association for Fixed Annuities (NAFA) Board of Directors.
Carol is the Vice President of Information Technology and oversees the Company's information technology operations. Ms. Woodruff joined EquiTrust in 2003. Prior to joining EquiTrust, she held various positions in information technology and project management at FBL Financial Group, Inc. Carol is active in reading mentoring programs through the United Way of Central Iowa as well serving in a variety of other volunteer capacities. Carol earned a BA from Luther College and an MBA from Iowa State University. She is also a Fellow, Life Management Institute.
Katie is the Vice President of Human Resources and leads the human resources and talent acquisition strategy for the Company. Ms. Banks joined EquiTrust in 2015. Prior to joining EquiTrust, Katie was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Institutional Capital LLC. Previously, Katie was a Regional Human Resources Manager at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Katie earned a Masters of Business Administration from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and undergraduate degree from Florida State University. Katie co-founded the HR Financial Services Consortium in Chicago. She is a member of the Chicago Society for Human Resources Management where she serves as a committee member on the Orientation Committee and the Education Committee.


text:
| Penn track and field's Grace O'Shea experiments with Olympic skeleton
Penn track and field's Grace O'Shea experiments with Olympic skeleton
O'Shea trained for two weeks in Lake Placid with future Olympians
By Kathryn Xu 10/12/21 11:41pm
Now Junior Grace O'Shea jumps over a hurdle at Franklin Field during a meet on April 4, 2021. Credit: Samantha Turner
In between an internship with Bank of America and the upcoming college track and field season, junior Grace O'Shea spent two weeks of her summer at the Team USA bobsled training camp.
In order to qualify for the training camp, O'Shea participated in the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Digital Combine, where she had to complete an involved series of recordings, including an interview, videos of career highlights, and tapes of various jumps and time sprints. After finishing all that, O'Shea received a call from a random number while she was sitting in her backyard in Lake Placid, N.Y.
"I literally almost rolled out of my chair," O'Shea said. "[I was] super pumped."
The details were still not entirely hashed out — O'Shea had to find the time to travel to the training center while she was doing a summer-long internship in sales and trading — but she knew she absolutely wanted to do seize the chance. And as soon as she resolved to pursue the opportunity, the situation was sorted: she found time during her internship training to go to a dorm room in Lake Placid for two weeks in order to train in skeleton with future Olympians.
Penn women's volleyball Autumn Leak comfortable in her leadership role
Freshman Leo Burney is a stable presence on men's soccer defense
Following in her sister's footsteps, junior Sydney Huang is a key field hockey contributor
O'Shea's path to skeleton was not destined throughout her track and field career, but it was foreshadowed. One of the assistant coaches at O'Shea's high school had formerly competed in the Olympic Trials. An alum from O'Shea's high school had switched from pursuing a professional track career in the United Kingdom to joining Team USA for bobsled.
All of this started when O'Shea's high school head coach, Bill Manzo, began working with his new transfer student, he suggested that she might excel at skeleton.
"I always told [my coaches], '[Doing skeleton] wouldn't be feasible, I'm gonna pursue college track,'" O'Shea said. "And then years later, I found myself stepping foot in the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. for the exact sport."
Skeleton is a winter sliding sport, in the same family as bobsled, where a person rides a sled down a frozen track, head-first. Unlike some other sliding sports, skeleton is always single-person, and involves a 40- to 50-meter sprint before jumping onto the sled and sliding down.
The sprint in skeleton is done while pushing the sled, so it requires a different form from standard sprinting, but many track athletes — sprinters especially — are still recruited because of their speed. For O'Shea, who has an exceptionally explosive first 30 to 40m, as well as hurdling experience, success at skeleton was almost natural.
"She has incredible speed. She's very agile," Manzo said. "For a hurdler, who has to learn how to be fast, then collapse their body and be low, going over a hurdle to maintain speed, it just seemed like she would be predisposed to being able to take to [skeleton], which she obviously did."
Throughout her high school track career, Manzo got to see O'Shea's speed and dedication on full display. O'Shea wanted to be the N.J. state champion from the very beginning of her work with Manzo — and upon her graduation from Ramapo High School, O'Shea was a two-time N.J. state champion.
O'Shea's high school track records are littered with accolades. In her junior year of high school, she became the 55m hurdles N.J. state champion. In her senior year, after she was nominated as the favorite to repeat in the 55m hurdles, O'Shea was disqualified for leaving her lane after hurdles were knocked into her path.
"She was crushed. I mean, she was clear-cut going to be the New Jersey state champion," Manzo said. "And then three days later, she crushed the Bergen County record at the Eastern State Championship."
The time she recorded there now ranks third all-time in N.J. Continuing on in college, all of the work that O'Shea put into track is still paying dividends. O'Shea ranks seventh all-time in program history in the indoor 60m event, second all-time in the indoor 60m hurdles, and sixth all-time in outdoor 100m hurdles. And, oddly enough, this summer, one of the biggest pay-offs was the opportunity to participate in the Team USA training camp.
There were six to seven other prospective female skeleton athletes and around 10 other bobsled athletes in Lake Placid along with O'Shea. They all ate together in the dining hall and used the training centers and weight room. While she was there, O'Shea also had the chance to meet athletes on the upcoming 2022 Olympic team in Beijing, as well as an old friend from high school who was doing bobsled.
Every day, O'Shea and other prospective athletes practiced sled-pushing mechanics on a push track that Team USA had. On the very last day, their practice culminated in a push competition, where the athletes were granted three pushes, with the goal of recording the fastest time over all three pushes. O'Shea finished first of all the athletes there.
"She's very competitive. With hurdling, she made herself an excellent student of the sport because she wanted to excel," Manzo said. "So with skeleton, there was no doubt in my mind that she would show up, she would watch, listen, she would learn, she would adapt to whatever they asked her to do, and she would flourish."
"The moment and opportunity in general is really something I'll remember my whole life," O'Shea said. "And I feel really blessed that Team USA even granted me this opportunity."
What O'Shea got out of her experience — beyond, of course, the opportunity to work with Olympians and world-class training staff — was also a mental reprieve from a disappointing past season where Penn track and field athletes were unable to compete, except against other local teams in the spring.
"I think from the outside, people think that athletes kind of have a permanent spark. And I think that really couldn't be further from the truth," O'Shea said. "I was just dying to feel my spark or competitiveness again. And the idea of just going to the Olympic Training Center to compete against some of the best athletes in the nation was really a dream come true."
From the beginning, O'Shea knew that she was going to have to juggle being a college athlete, never mind adding training for an entirely different sport on top of that. O'Shea was invited to the USA National Push Championships but had to decline due to college track commitments.
"I plan on reassessing after my college track and undergrad years conclude," O'Shea said. "It's tough to see opportunities [pass] by, but I know that there's always the Olympics in Milan coming up in a few years and potentially after college."
For Manzo, who has been her high school coach and continued to be a large figure in O'Shea's life, seeing O'Shea succeed from college track to bobsled is just a matter of seeing all her hard work and dedication come to fruition.
"Unfortunately, I'm not surprised," Manzo said with a laugh. "I would love to be shocked by news like this… But to see her on the podium at an NCAA tournament, to see her become a member of Team USA, to see her put a medal on someday — I would be proud as if it was one of my own children doing it. But I wouldn't be surprised. Nothing will surprise me as she continues to climb the ladder, in whatever she chooses to do."
The future is still wide open for O'Shea. She still has two full seasons left at Penn left to accomplish anything in track, before she'll graduate and have the opportunity to pursue skeleton. And if there's anything to learn from Bill Manzo, it's that whatever happens, it shouldn't be a surprise.


text:
Home India Study reveals India ranks highest among countries at risk of Zika virus
Study reveals India ranks highest among countries at risk of Zika virus
At least 2.6 billion people, over a third of the global population, live in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific where Zika virus could gain a new foothold, researchers warned on Friday, with 1.2 billion at risk in India alone.
These are people who reside in as-yet unaffected parts of the world with the right climate and abundant mosquitoes for the virus to settle, spread and propagate an epidemic like the one besetting the Americas and Caribbean, they said.
"According to our most conservative scenario, populations living within the geographical range for Zika virus were highest in India (1.2 billion people), China (242 million), Indonesia (197 million) Nigeria (179 million), Pakistan (168 million), and Bangladesh (163 million)," said a study. This is a theoretical possibility, however.
Whether or not the mosquito-borne virus would take off in any of these countries would be determined largely by a crucial unknown factor: Do the people there have immunity? Sporadic cases of Zika have previously been reported in Africa and Asia, but nobody knows whether they were widespread enough for populations to acquire resistance to the virus.
Another mystery is whether immunity to the African Zika strain would offer protection against the Asian strain currently in circulation. "If Zika immunity is widespread, introduced Zika will fizzle out fast," Derek Gatherer of Lancaster University said in a comment on the study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
"On the other hand, if it enters another unprotected population, we may see a repeat of what we have already seen in Brazil and other parts of Latin America." The research team used air travel data, maps of mosquito-spread and climate conditions, and information on population density and health spending to draw up an epidemiological risk model.
Benign in most people, Zika has been linked to a form of severe brain damage called microcephaly which causes newborns' heads to be abnormally small, and to rare adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which can result in paralysis and death.
In an outbreak that started mid-2015, more than 1.5 million people have been infected with Zika in Brazil, and more than 1,600 babies born with abnormally small heads and brains. Seventy countries and territories have reported local mosquito-borne Zika transmission, with Brazil by far the hardest hit.
17 countries have reported cases of microcephaly or other central nervous system malformations in babies, and eighteen signalled an increase in GBS, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
There have also been rare cases of person-to-person sexual transmission. "As the Zika virus epidemic in the Americas intensifies and expands, hundreds, and possibly thousands, of infected travellers are now transporting the virus to distant regions of the world," the researchers wrote.
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The majority of homes listed have multiple offers make sure you work with an agent that knows how to compete in a competitive market. They can guide you through the process step by step.
If you are doing financing it starts with your loan.


text:
Tag: assistance
Taliban govt welcomes US allowing assistance
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) welcomes recent decision by US Treasury Department allowing American government agencies along with international and non-governmental organisations and banks to facilitate flow of food and medicine to the IEA," Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi was quoted as saying in a statement
RPF women, doctors help woman give birth in train coach
"As the train neared Malda Town Station, the woman complained of strong labour pain and they contacted the helpline number of the Railways. The station manager of the Malda Town Station immediately conveyed the matter to the RPF and their dedicated team to help women, Meri Saheli, reached the station with doctors and nurses.
Heavy rains to lash Kerala | Red alert issued, CM Vijayan seeks Centre's help
Fishermen have been advised to reach safety by 5 October.
Kerala floods: UAE extends Rs 700 crore offer of assistance
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered a financial assistance of Rs 700 crore to flood-ravaged Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Tuesday.
India provides medical assistance to Yemen
India on Wednesday provided medical assistance worth about $1 million to Yemen in response to a request from the Yemeni government. According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar presented a box of anti-cholera medicines to Yemeni Ambassador Abdulmalik Abdullah Al-Eryani at a token handing …
Continue reading "India provides medical assistance to Yemen"
Punjab govt to give Rs. 75,000 aid for SC, inter-caste marriages
The Punjab government will give an assistance of Rs. 75,000 for marriages of couples belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) as well as the inter-caste marriages in the state. A spokesperson of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Minority Welfare Department, Punjab, on Friday said that under the new scheme the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Trusts …
Continue reading "Punjab govt to give Rs. 75,000 aid for SC, inter-caste marriages"


Handgun Permit Review Board – Appeals – Both Houses passed identical versions of a bill to abolish the Handgun Permit Review Board which had been used to overrule the decisions of the State Police denying handgun carry permits. In its place, a person whose permit is denied may request to appeal the decision to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) instead of the board. The Governor has signed the House Bill.


Live Casinos - Casino Answers!
What Is The Best Time To Play At A Live Casino?
How Do I Get Chips At A Live Casino?
How Do I Cash Out At A Live Casino?
Why Are There No Windows In Casinos?
Casinos are full of little tricks to get you to stay and spend your money. In fact, I've already looked at why there are no clocks in a casino. However, that's just one of the tricks they employ.
In The US, Do You Have To Go To Vegas To Play In A Casino?
Who Are The Main Casino Operators In The US?
Do I Get Free Drinks At A Live Casino?
What Is The Biggest Casino In Las Vegas?
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play At A Live Casino?
What Should I Wear to a Casino?
Whats the Smallest Casino in Las Vegas?
Who are the Main Casino Operators in the UK?
How long does a casino stay open for?
What is the Smallest Casino in the World?
What is the Biggest Casino in the World?


text:
Share this Story: Sask. NDP calls on premier to delay budget as economy darkens
Cheer Fund 2021
Sask. NDP calls on premier to delay budget as economy darkens
Arthur White-Crummey • Regina Leader-Post
Provincial NDP leader Ryan Meili Photo by Matt Smith /Saskatoon StarPhoenix
As oil prices swing wildly and COVID-19 cases mount in Canada, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the premier to delay a provincial budget that could be out of date the moment it's tabled.
In a press conference Tuesday, NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the budget will be "a work of fiction" if it's released as scheduled on March 18. He warned that the premier is planning to campaign on a budget that ignores the toll lower oil prices and troubled markets will take on the province .
Sask. NDP calls on premier to delay budget as economy darkens Back to video
"Give us a platform that's in the real world," Meili urged Premier Scott Moe. "He wants to put out a budget, which we know is on fake numbers, and run on that budget. And frankly that would be irresponsible and dishonest."
The budget document was finalized on Feb. 28 , before oil prices lost roughly a quarter of their value and fears of a pandemic spread panic in financial markets. Oil royalties bring in about 4.5 per cent of provincial revenue, while a recession could devastate other revenue sources.
"If they put out a budget with the projections from last month, they're lying to the people about what our finances look like," said Meili
Premier Scott Moe signalled that the government won't be deterred from its March 18 budget date.
"We're not going to make panicky decisions or knee-jerk reactions to what has, to date, been a couple of days of variable market forces," said Moe.
"If those market forces continue to be variable and negative out into the next number of weeks and months, the appropriate time for us to realign our budget would be at the first quarter," Moe added.
The first-quarter update would usually come in the summer or early fall. Meili said waiting that long makes no sense.
He argued that a delay of two weeks would be "reasonable." He's also calling for the government to release the third-quarter update showing the existing state of the province's finances for 2019-20.
He said the government should also release its pension liabilities, which Finance Minister Donna Harpauer previously said could increase by hundreds of millions of dollars in light of a recent interest rate cut.
"These are the steps that need to be taken to re-establish confidence among the Saskatchewan people and to make sure that we're not getting a budget which… is a fiction," said Meili, "a document that won't be worth the paper it's printed on."
Harpauer called Meili "Dr. Doom" on Tuesday and accused him of panicking.
She noted that the government has reduced its dependence on oil revenues. The last oil crash created a $1.3-billion shortfall in the province's finances for 2015-16. If oil stays at $30 per barrel for all of 2020, Harpauer said the impact would be far less.
But it would still cost the province about half a billion dollars.
Harpauer has expressed "optimism" that the downturn will be a short-term challenge. Oil did rebound slightly on Tuesday, with the benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reaching about US$34 a barrel.
Both Harpauer and Moe noted that budgeting relies on 12-month projections, not one time prices. But private forecasters are already adjusting their 12-month estimates of where oil will be over 2020.
Barclay's, a major British bank, cut its year-long forecast for WTI to just US$40 a barrel this week. That's about $16 lower than its estimate from just weeks before, around the time the budget was finalized.
Harpauer said it would be possible to delay the budget. But she also suggested it would be pointless. Even if the markets remain troubled, she has no plans to change the government's spending plans.
If an election is called for the spring, Meili said his party's platform will make realistic economic assumptions.
"We're willing to make sure that our platform is designed in the real world," said Meili.
awhite-crummey@postmedia.com
Regina Public moves all high schools online for several days
Storm packs punch, leaving damaged and ditched vehicles in wake
Regina man charged after four recent break-ins
Europe's Smelters Call for Action to Combat Soaring Energy Costs
SHA letter sent to Saskatoon physicians in attempt to free up hospital beds


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Passport: Watch Live as FP Honors Secretary of State John Kerry at Annual Diplomat of the Year Awards Watch Live as FP Honors Secretary of State...
Watch Live as FP Honors Secretary of State John Kerry at Annual Diplomat of the Year Awards
Foreign Policy will be naming U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as its Diplomat of the Year.
By FP Staff
| October 20, 2015, 7:02 PM
US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks before a working lunch at the State Department in Washington, DC, December 10, 2014. AFP PHOTO/JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
On Oct. 20, Foreign Policy will be naming U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as its Diplomat of the Year. Kerry will be recognized for his hard work and key achievements, most notably his role in negotiating the Obama administration's historic nuclear deal with Iran. Kerry is the latest in a distinguished list of diplomats honored with the award, including IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde (2014), former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns (2013), and Chan Heng Chee, Singapore's former ambassador to the United States (2012).
Two inaugural awards, Commercial Diplomat of the Year and Citizen Diplomat of the Year, will be presented to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and the Vital Voices Global Partnership, respectively.
The entire event, including Kerry's keynote remarks, will be live-streamed here:
Tags: Commerce Department, Diplomacy, Passport, State Department, women's rights


Isabella Blow was a fashion editor, a style icon and a muse for several designers. Starting off as Anna Wintour's assistant, she eventually became editor of Tatler magazine. Blow is credited for discovering talented designers such as Philip Treacy and Alexander McQueen when she bought his Central Saint Martins graduates collection for £5000 per outfit! Isabella Blow was most known for her flamboyant outfits, which were nearly always accompanied with an exquisite Philip Treacy hat.
"Her humour and eye was eccentric, but her brain really wasn't," said Nicky Haslam.
If these reasons don't make you love Isabella Blow then you must be a crazy person!
Amazing pics! She really was a pioneer. It's true, she reminds me of Lady Gaga.
Thank you :) I love her so much! She really was extraordinary!
Ugh I don't know why I haven't been yet, I'm definitely going to try to go before it ends!
Awesome post and pix - cool way to tell about an interesting person!


The Global 4C project presents a new market theory, called the Holistic Market Hypothesis (HMH), and a public policy for climate mitigation, called the Global 4C Risk Mitigation Policy (i.e. Global 4C). The HMH is a hypothesis that the classical theory for market externalities is inadequate for addressing the climate crisis. A major issue is that the economic welfare theory of Arthur C. Pigou (1920)—which underpins the 'standard model' for pricing carbon—does not address the systemic risk created by the economic system. The HMH is a theory that systemic risk is a second externality, called a systemic externality. The new theory is that the systemic externality is created by a strong physical coupling between carbon and energy, such that the problem of climate change should be considered a thermodynamic market failure—and not a classical market failure. The Holistic Market Hypothesis (HMH) is presented in three peer-reviewed publications (see banner links; see Holistic Market Hypothesis).
The 'systemic externality' of carbon is defined here as the cost of managing the systemic risk of unwanted climate change. This cost is currently overlooked by leading economists because it is not formally explained by Pigou's economic welfare theory. The systemic externality of carbon is the cost of implementing a comprehensive risk management plan using a global carbon reward and parallel currency, and it may also be termed the cost of 'preventative insurance'.
(Ambition Type 2) economists who prefer biophysical economic methods should assess and support the Risk Cost of Carbon (RCC) for the aim of implementing reward-based monetary policies as understood using risk assessments, monetary policy, and cost-effectiveness analysis.
The economic optimum is a tradeoff between (Type 1) market efficiency and (Type 2) climate safety. This tradeoff is achieved through a combination of (1) carbon taxes, and (2) a global carbon reward. Regulations and conventional policies are included in the policy toolkit, however the carbon tax and the global carbon reward are considered to be the 'principal' policies.
Under the Holistic Market Hypothesis (HMH), a systemic externality is the cost of 'risk management', and it is an externalised cost that was overlooked by Pigou. The systemic externality of carbon is a far more serious problem than market inefficiency, and this is because the systemic externality is the cost of achieving a 'safe climate'.
The systemic risk is created by (a) structural features of the economy and (b) dynamic climate tipping points. A structural challenge is that the world economy is becoming more energy and resource efficient over time, and this efficiency is contributing to greater overall consumption and 'brown growth' that is driving more carbon emissions and is making the climate problem worse.
Systemic externalities are managed with seigniorage payments and currency trading that is enabled with a parallel currency system. The systemic externality is 'internalised' into the existing economy with a parallel economy. The parallel economy provides a rebalancing of the existing economy to achieve net-zero (or net negative) carbon emissions within a finite time period. The cost of achieving this global goal is termed the Risk Cost of Carbon (RCC). The RCC is assessed each year in a comprehensive risk assessment.
The Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) is an intra-market externalised cost, and it is addressed within markets by applying carbon taxes of some kind.
The Risk Cost of Carbon (RCC) is an inter-market externalised cost, and it is addressed by managing the world economy with a parallel currency as the 'global carbon reward'.
The welfare theory of Pigou provides us with a measure of the marginal spillover cost of carbon emissions—the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC). The SCC is internalised into the economy with carbon taxes to improve the efficiency of markets, but the goal of establishing a safe climate is not the same as improving market efficiency. The goal of climate safety is to remain within the carrying-capacity of the Earth's life support system. This new goal includes the associated objectives of providing ecological and social regeneration.
The Solar Dollar is a proposed trading name for a future parallel currency that addresses the Risk Cost of Carbon (RCC) and limits the systemic risk of unwanted global warming (see P2PF Wiki Solar Dollar). The name 'Solar Dollar' is not essential to the working of the policy, however this trading name is recommended for cultural reasons. A generic name for all currencies that are implemented under the Global 4C policy is Complementary Currencies for Climate Change (4C).
The current proposal for a parallel currency is consistent with the advice of thought-leaders in the field of central bank finance.
Michael Metcalfe's TED talk is not an endorsement of Global 4C, however it does show that the current proposal for Carbon Quantitative Easing (CQE) is consistent with the advice of thought-leaders in the field of central bank finance.
The main objective of the Global 4C policy is to manage climate systemic risk over a rolling 100-year planning horizon. A hypothetical objective is to achieve a 67% chance of not exceeding 2 degrees Celsius of global warming (see Problem and Solution).
An important feature of a global carbon reward is that the price of 4C—the reward currency—will track the Risk Cost of Carbon (RCC) via an exchange rate mechanism. The currency exchange rate mechanism is used to manage the purchasing power of 4C (refer Solar Dollar) and to internalise the RCC into the global financial system. The global carbon reward is not a subsidy. The 4C reward and exchange rate mechanism are complementary to other conventional policies.
The decision to mitigate carbon emissions and apply for 4C rewards is voluntary, and the decision is made by individuals, communities, firms, and government agencies. There are no direct costs to fund the policy, and so there are no new taxes for individuals and firms, and there are no demands placed on national fiscal budgets. The 4C rewards will provide economic stimulus and new financial liquidity to the scale needed to manage the climate risk. 4C will have the downstream effect of allocating energy and other resources within the world economy to provide ecologically and socially beneficial outcomes.
The 4C parallel currency is an international 'unit of account' for carbon mitigation services, and it is offered as a predictable 'store of value' for investors; but the 4C parallel currency is not used as a 'medium of exchange' for general trade. 4C is a financial security that offers a 'yield' for investors, and it is traded by market actors and investors in currency markets. The approach is macroeconomic, and trading is conducted in open markets with central banks as the 'buyers of last resort'.
Central banks will play a key role. They will undertake 'carbon quantitative easing' (CQE) and currency trading in open markets. CQE will support a managed long-term bull market in 4C trading and will attract private wealth into the 4C currency market. In other words, 4C will act like a sovereign bond and will have a predictable long-term yield.
The Silver Gun Hypothesis is developed from the Holistic Market Hypothesis (HMH). The Silver Gun Hypothesis explains the thermodynamic nature of the economy and why the economy becomes more efficient with time. It also explains why the Global Carbon Reward is needed to manage climate risk and to achieve the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. This hypothesis requires experimental testing. If the hypothesis is proven correct, then it will fundamentally change the narrative on climate change economics and policy (see the Silver Gun Hypothesis).
The Silver Gun Hypothesis builds on the idea that carbon is strongly coupled to energy flows because of the physical properties of carbon. The hypothesis is that climate policies need to take into account the entropy of carbon in the environment because entropy (and the time-asymmetry of entropy) determines the kinds of objective that can be achieved with carbon taxes and carbon rewards. The concept of entropy is important for understanding why carbon is the main structural element of living organisms, and why it is a primary influencer of the Earth's climate. The problem of climate change is, in effect, a problem of managing the entropy of carbon in the environment.
The Silver Gun Hypothesis leads to a major new interpretation that achieving a net-zero or a net-negative carbon balance will require a parallel currency and a parallel economy. This finding may be as significant to human society as the inventions of language and money. If implemented, the parallel economy may be as significant to the Earth's biological history and carbon balance as the evolution of multi-cellular organisms: animals, fungi and plants.
Tax exempt donations can be made via PayPal or to Jonathan Cloud at the Centre for Regenerative Community Solutions and New Jersey PACE (501c3) a Non-Profit Organisation. We are happy to provide details and receipts for expenses to verified donors. Thank You.
Bitcoin donations to 'Global 4C' are very much appreciated.
Governor of the Bank of England (BoE), Mark Carney, has recently reiterated that global banks cannot ignore climate change dangers and the financial risks from extreme weather and vulnerable assets. According to the article, the governors of the Bank of England and France's central bank have warned that the global financial system faces an existential threat from climate change.


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Home Press Releases NDA: Prof Osinbajo Emphasises on Military Science
NDA: Prof Osinbajo Emphasises on Military Science
Samuel Anyanwu
he Minister of Defence presenting the Honorary Degree to the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Late Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru' s widow.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has advocated for the development of a curriculum on modern weaponry and engineering to shape Military thought and philosophy of Cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo who was speaking at the combined Convocation of the 68 Regular Course of Cadets and Post Graduate Students, affirmed the power of knowledge in the Military profession and suggested the prioritisation of science and engineering education.
"In this direction, those modern disciplines that bother on sound Military thought and philosophy should be given priority with subjects such as Modern Weaponry and Engineering; intelligence, logistics and asymmetric relevant to our contemporary need rather than argumentative judgments and mere regurgitation of facts, theories and thesis." He posited.
The Vice President who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi expressed optimism that the efforts would rejuvenate the country's military performance and guarantee best practice in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
To the convocated Cadets and Post Graduate Students, the Vice President advised, "You should know that knowledge is power. It is meaningful to you when you develop the corresponding skill sets and competence to the application of its principles to life situations and appeals."
The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf, in his address, said the two thousand eight hundred and five graduands are products of 5 faculties and 9 centres of excellence in Research.
"Over the years the Academy has made its mark as the foremost Military University in Sub Saharan Africa through its contributions to human capital development in both military and academic circles".
Gen Manu expressed appreciation to the Federal Government whose support to the Academy has remained unflinching, adding that the institution will not relent in producing the desired results of its mandate.
Group picture of the Minister of Defence (M) and other dignitaries at the event
High light of the event was the presentation of Certificates to the graduating Cadets and Post graduate students as well as conferment of Honorary Degrees on some distinguished Nigerians including Dr. Aliko Dangote, the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Late Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and Late Alh Ahmed Mohammed Joda for their contribution in Nation building.
Victoria Agba-Attah
Osinbajo
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Urban Adamah buys phenomenal new site in Berkeley
By Andy Altman-Ohr | May 31, 2013
Urban Adamah executive director Adam Berman calls it "a once-in-a-generation find" — the 2.2-acre site next to a creek in northwest Berkeley that his nonprofit has purchased.
In announcing the acquisition last week, Berman said he hopes to move the agency's community farming operation and educational programs to the new site in the fall of 2014. The new site is more than double the size of Urban Adamah's current location, and eventually will allow for two times as many annual visitors and more than four times as much food production.
When complete, it would make Urban Adamah the largest Jewish urban farm in the country and the largest urban farm and environmental education center in the urban East Bay, he added.
Adam Berman
Urban Adamah, which launched in the summer of 2010 to spread ideals of sustainable farming and food justice (adamah means "earth" in Hebrew), currently is located in West Berkeley, a block off San Pablo Avenue not far from the 4-year-old Berkeley Bowl supermarket. The lease on that property expires at the end of 2014.
The new property is an empty, weed-covered lot at 1151 Sixth Street in Berkeley, 11⁄2 blocks north of Gilman Street and about halfway between San Pablo Avenue and the Eastshore Freeway.
The cost of the new property is $2.1 million, Berman said, and Urban Adamah is in the midst of a frenzied capital campaign to raise $2.5 million (the extra money will help with the move and building up the new site).
"We've already raised $1.3 million [in pledges], but we really, really still have to raise $1.2 million to make the project happen," Berman said. "Without additional support, we won't be able to close the deal. We've now got 75 days [as of May 23] to come up with that money." Closing date on the property is Sept. 15.
Tending the crops at Urban Adamah photo/cathleen maclearie
"The new property is phenomenal," Berman continued, explaining how it abuts a restored section of Codornices creek and forest habitat, and is surrounded by public parks and sports fields. "These amenities will enable us to add educational and recreational opportunities for our program participants that are not possible on our current site. They will benefit everyone — from our summer campers and Hebrew school-on-the-farms students to visitors for our holiday festivals and environmental workshops."
Berman said the new site will allow Urban Adamah to increase its number of visitors from 10,000 to 20,000 a year, and its food production from 12,000 pounds to 50,000 pounds annually, once the farm is completely built out, which might take years. There also will be more chickens and goats, and an aquaponics program to raise fish.
"The site will also make it possible for us to think creatively and in a long-term way about developing programs and trainings that serve the larger Jewish community of the Bay Area," he said, noting that Urban Adamah has had 18,000 visitors since first opening and currently runs programs for more than 40 Jewish organizations from Los Gatos to Napa.
Urban Adamah also has grown and donated more than 20,000 pounds of organic produce since it opened, Berman said. The food is distributed through food banks and a free farm stand.
As part of the fundraising effort, there are naming opportunities: $750,000 for the campus, $200,000 for the campground, $75,000 for the chicken coops, $36,000 for the medicinal herb garden, and $5,000 apiece for benches and fruit trees, among others.
To find out more about making tax-deductible donations, visit www.urbanadamah.org/about-us/capital-campaign, call (510) 649-1595 or email Berman at adam@urbanadamah.org.
Andy Altman-Ohr
Andy Altman-Ohr was J.'s managing editor and Hardly Strictly Bagels columnist until he retired in 2016 to travel and live abroad. He and his wife have a home base in Mexico, where he continues his dalliance with Jewish journalism.
Follow @andytheohr
Tags: Urban Adamah
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January 01, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in Volume 11
Singapore's 2013 - annus horribilis or annus mirabilis?
This is a special issue of Newzzit, a look back at 2013, albeit with a twist.
The stories are not arranged chronologically. Rather, I have picked an important event in a particular month. Assigned the topic the event deals with to that month, and woven everything that happened in Singapore related to that particular topic in the story of that month.
For example, the story of January (month) deals with politics (topic) and narrates every important political event that made news in 2013. Be it the Punggol East by-election in January, empty ballot boxes found in August or the PAP's Convention in December.
Even though some stories might have been left out due to paucity of space, I sincerely hope that after reading our 11th issue, you will have a general idea about what happened in Singapore in the past one year.
Readers who want to share more stories, which they think mattered in 2013, are welcome to do so on Newzzit's website.
May 2014 be the best for all of us!
January 01, 2014 /GAURAV SHARMA
January - Politics: By-election defeat leads call to transform
The year started with defeat for the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in Punggol East Single Member Constituency (SMC) on January 26, and ended with a resolution at party's convention calling to "transform the PAP". In between, there was also the discovery of empty ballot boxes used in 2011 Presidential Elections.
February - Immigration: Population White Paper to "fair" treatment of Singaporeans
On February 16, a protest rally was held against the 6.9 million projected population of Singapore in 2030, as indicated in the Population White Paper put forward by the government. Another protest followed up in May. The government reacted by introducing the new Fair Consideration Framework, which requires employers to consider Singaporeans "fairly" before hiring overseas workers.
March - Crime: Todd and Kovan
The death of a young American engineer, Shane Todd, which occurred in 2012 came into spotlight again, when Institute of Microelectronics (IME), a Singapore government research agency, rebutted in March an article published in the Financial Times (FT) a month earlier. A coroner's inquest was held and the death was ruled a suicide. Later in the year, the police department was shaken when Iskandar Rahmat, one of their own, was accused of double-murders on July 10 in the Kovan area.
April - Health: Dengue is still a menace
The PM launched a National Dengue Campaign (NDC) with the slogan "Do the Mozzie Wipe Out" on April 28, as the country witnessed a rise in the number of dengue cases and dengue clusters. By the year-end over 22,000 cases were reported with seven patients loosing their lives.
May - Corruption: Few aberrations, but system still works
Three cases hit the headlines this year. The trial against the six City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders accused of embezzling more than S$50 million began on May 15. On May 29, former National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor Tey Tsun Hang was found guilty of corruption in the "sex-for-grades" case. Two days later, on May 31, former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim was also found guilty in "sex-for-contracts" corruption case. Earlier on February 14, former Central Narcotics Bureau chief Ng Boon Gay was acquitted of all corruption charges by the District Court.
June - Environment: Looking forward to a hazy June again?
June 21, 2013, was immortalised in Singapore's environmental history as the date when Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hit 401 – the highest in country's history, beating the previous highest PSI reading of 226 witnessed in 1997 by a comfortable margin. The reason was the fires caused by illegal slash-and-burn land clearance method adopted by poor farmers in Riau province, Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Palm Oil companies in the region came into controversy as a result.
July - Sports: Some unexpected results
July brought the best sports news of the year. On July 2, Singapore's LionsXII won the Malaysian Super League (MSL) title at Jalan Besar with no less than the PM in attendance. Later, in September, Ng Ser Miang made an unsuccessful bid at the coveted presidency of the International Olympic Committee, followed by National Service (NS) deferment to Singapore's top swimmer Joseph Schooling in October. Schooling later shone for the city-state at SEA Games held in Myanmar in December. Singapore also remained in news throughout the year for allegedly being the base of an international football match-fixing syndicate.
August - People: Let's build a better Singapore together
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave, what some have called his most impressive National Day Rally (NDR) speech over the last decade, on August 18. While announcing few "strategic shifts", he also drew curtains to the fourth year-long Singapore conversation in just over 20 years.
September - Society: Poverty and race issues need to be addressed
This month drew attention to the fact that while Singapore has come a long way forward in terms of racial harmony, there is still some work that needs to be done in this regard. The Suara Musyawarah report and survey findings published by the Institute of Policy Studies in September were a testimony to that. Moreover, the issue of poverty and how the "bottom-fifth" low-income Singaporeans are struggling to survive amidst growing inflation was a persistent discourse all through out the year. Interestingly, a study by the National Institute of Education of over 3,000 students from 18 secondary schools across the Island revealed that they don't have a strong grasp of democracy and its principles.