Boy dies after sand tunnel collapse in New Jersey

Boy dies after sand tunnel collapse in New Jersey - A 12-year-old boy who was rushed to the hospital after a sand tunnel collapsed on him at a New Jersey beach has died.

The boy and his brother were digging a tunnel at the Long Branch, N.J., beach late Tuesday when it collapsed on him, trapping him under the sand, police and witnesses said. Lifeguards pulled the boy out of the sand and began administering CPR. He was unconscious "with blood trickling from his nose," a witness told the Asbury Park Press.

 

(Thomas P. Costello/APP.com)

The boy was rushed to Monmouth Medical Center, where he was placed in the pediatric intensive care unit. He was pronounced dead on Wednesday afternoon, hospital officials told the paper.

According to NBCNewYork.com, a fire truck responding to the tunnel collapse struck a man holding his infant son, "knocking them both to the ground." Both were taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center, NBC said. The father suffered broken limbs; the baby was "injured but not severely."

Sadly, deaths from sand tunnel collapses are not terribly uncommon. According to CBS News, there were at least 16 beach-hole-related deaths between 1990 and 2010. According to a 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine—"Sudden Death from Collapsing Sand Holes"—there were 31 over a 20-year span.

"At least once a day, lifeguards have to stop someone from digging a hole too deep," a lifeguard told the North County (Calif.) Times after an 18-year-old man nearly suffocated in a sand tunnel collapse. "Holes are a hazard for everyone who uses the beach." ( The Lookout )

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Juror says he’s too homophobic and racist to serve, now faces prosecution

Juror says he’s too homophobic and racist to serve, now faces prosecution - A British man who said his "extreme homophobic and racist views" should make him ineligible for jury duty now faces prosecution over the claim.

The Daily Echo reports that the man's identity is being kept anonymous for now but that Judge Gary Burrell QC read the leader in open court. In the letter, the man writes:

"I strongly believe that it would be a serious injustice to the legal system to select me for jury service.

 

Judge Gary Burrell dismissed a potential juror who said he was too racist to serve. (Southampton Crown Court)

 

 

"I hold extreme prejudices against homosexuals and black/foreign people and couldn't possibly be impartial if either appeared in court. Therefore it would not be in the court's interest to have me a juror."

In addition, the man said that if he were selected, he also would not pay attention to the case and would simply vote with the majority.

The man had been selected to serve on a jury in the case of a man on trial for assault and reckless driving. And while Burrell questioned the authenticity of the man's claim, he nonetheless dismissed him from jury duty.

Though he escaped jury duty, the man could soon find himself on trial. The prosecutor and defense attorneys in the case, barristers Rebecca Austin and Robert Bryan, stepped outside their traditional role of legal combatants to lodge a joint complaint against the man.

Under Britain's Contempt of Courts Act, he could face prison time or a fine for failing to serve on jury duty.

"The Attorney General's Office is aware of this case, and we await more information from Judge Burrell," said a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. ( The Sideshow )

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Here’s what hockey in a Roman amphitheatre looked like

 

Here’s what hockey in a Roman amphitheatre looked like (Spoiler: It was awesome) - Fortunately for us, they aren't locked out in the Erste Bank Eishockey League. Over the weekend, Pula Arena, a 2,000-plus-year-old Roman amphitheatre, was transformed into the greatest outdoor hockey venue we've ever seen. Medvescak Zagreb played a pair of games against Olimpija Ljubljana and UPC Vienna Capitals in front of over 7,000 fans.

As we told you last month, it took six days to transport 150 tons of equipment from Italy to Zagreb, Croatia. Through partners, sponsors and ticket sales, the entire weekend, which also included a legends game, cost the team around 500,000 Euros (approximately $627,000 USD).

In the end, Olimpija Ljubljana — after a two-hour ice delay thanks to some rain the day before -- took the first game on Friday 3-2, but Medvescak rebounded on Sunday blanking the Vienna Capitals 4-0.

On Saturday, the legends game featured hockey greats from Croatia and Russia with the Russians winning 10-3. The game featured the likes of Valeri Kamenski, Dmitry Mironov, Andrei Kovalenko, and even KHL president Alexander Medvedev playing on the Russian side.

With their success in returning to the EBEL, it appears likely that Medvescak will be joining the KHL next season, according to Medvedev, though the team hasn't confirmed that it will be moving on from the EBEL just yet.

Finally, with the unique setting and beautiful scenary, the chance for some fantastic photography was there… and we weren't disappointed:

So we've now had outdoor hockey games in a Roman amphitheatre and a glacier. The KHL's minor division has discussed the possibility of hosting a game this season aboard an aircraft carrier. Suddenly, Michigan Stadium doesn't seem as cool. ( Puck Daddy)

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Why doughnuts can make you depressed...and the other surprising, everyday triggers that can cause depression

Why doughnuts can make you depressed...and the other surprising, everyday triggers that can cause depression - Depression is a blight that leaves few families untouched.

Last year alone, 5.5 million Britons took antidepressants, according to research just published by scientists at the universities of Warwick and Stirling.

Bereavement, money and relationship worries are among the well-known triggers, says chartered psychologist Dr Rick Norris, founder of Mind Health Development and a practising NHS clinician.

As much as they might cheer us up at the time, comfort foods such as doughnuts can be bad for the waistline and for mental well-being

However, there are many other causes, for which medication might not be the only answer.

For, as the experts reveal, our everyday activities - from what we eat to our exposure to the sun - can also lead to low mood...

HOT WEATHER

Most people will be cheered by this week’s weather, but for many thousands of others, it means one thing: depression.

That’s because they suffer from the summer form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — here, depression is triggered not by lack of sun, but by too much of it. Up to 600,000 Britons are thought to suffer from ‘summer SAD’.

It’s thought to be linked to sensitivity to heat and hormonal imbalances — one theory is that when it’s hot the body produces less of the thyroid hormone, leading to a lack of energy.

Another theory is that hot weather reduces the ability to cope with mental stress.

Up to 600,000 Britons are thought to suffer from 'summer SAD'. It's thought to be linked to sensitivity to heat and hormonal imbalances

‘In people with summer depression, you see a decreased appetite and insomnia; with winter depression, you get an increased appetite and increased sleep,’ explains Dr Alfred Lewy, director of the sleep and mood disorders laboratory at Oregon Health and Science University.

There is also an increase in the suicide rate during hot weather — analysis of more than 50,000 suicides in England and Wales between 1993 and 2003 showed the suicide rate rose once the average daily temperature reached 18C. This could be linked to a drop in the brain’s levels of serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’, which can dip in the summer months.

‘There are likely to be several factors involved,’ says lead researcher Dr Lisa Page, of Kings College London’s Institute of Psychiatry.

‘People tend to drink more alcohol in summer — not only does it have a depressive effect, it also disinhibits us, so we are more likely to act impulsively. Hot weather also disturbs sleep and this could possibly tip someone over the edge.’

THE PILL

Women taking birth control pills are almost twice as likely to be depressed as those who don’t, according to a 2005 study from Monash University, Australia.

‘It’s entirely possible that the Pill can change mood in some women who are sensitive to it,’ says Dr Ailsa Gebbie, vice-president of the faculty of sexual and reproductive health at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

‘We don’t know why, but it’s thought to be linked to the serotonin pathways in the brain. On the other hand, hormonal contraceptives can also be very helpful for treating PMT.’

The sugar crash that follows eating a doughnut can make you feel worse

DOUGHNUTS

As much as they might cheer us up at the time, comfort foods such as doughnuts can be bad for the waistline and for mental well-being.

‘We tend to crave sugary and fatty foods for a quick mood fix, but the sugar crash that follows could make you feel worse,’ explains Helen Bond, of the British Dietetic Association.

‘Our mood is determined by a steady supply of energy from blood glucose to the brains.’

Information is carried between the cells by chemicals such as dopamine. Rising levels of dopamine can boost mood; falling levels are linked to sadness.

While it’s best to eat foods that release their energy slowly, such as wholegrain bread, ‘if you fancy something sweet, chocolate might do the job,’ adds Helen Bond.

‘A neurotransmitter called phenylethylamine is thought to be released from eating it, leading to feelings of alertness. Choose chocolate with more than 85 per cent cocoa to avoid the sugar crash.’

STREET LIGHTS

Too much light in the bedroom —from street lights, a night light or even the glow of a TV screen — can have a negative effect on the brain, scientists at Ohio State University have found.

In animal studies, they discovered that exposure to dim light at night over time can cause changes in the hippocampus, an area of the brain linked with depression — hamsters who’d been affected showed depressive symptoms, such as failing to eat treats.

TEA AND COFFEE

‘I’m always amazed by the number of people I see who feel depressed because of sleep problems, yet who drink endless cups of tea and coffee, even late into the evening,’ says Dr William Shanahan, executive medical director at Capio Nightingale.

‘They feel utterly miserable because they can’t sleep at night and feel dreadful the next day.

‘It’s remarkably common. The golden rule is no caffeine after 4pm — an espresso after dinner can be fatal for your sleep.’

BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS

Some beta-blockers for high blood pressure (such as propranolol), and retinoids, which treat skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis, have been linked with depression.

‘We are now fairly confident that beta-blockers can cause depression in some people,’ says Professor David Taylor, director of pharmacology and pathology at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

‘The same goes for Roaccutane, which is prescribed for acne, and possibly interferon, used in multiple sclerosis and hepatitis patients. What isn’t clear is why these drugs may be having this effect.’

Smoking may increase the risk of severe depression by 93 per cent

CIGARETTES

Smoking may increase the risk of severe depression by 93 per cent, scientists at the University of Melbourne found.

The study of 1,043 women, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that of those who were smokers, 15 per cent went on to develop major depressive disorder, compared to 6.5 per cent of non-smokers.

‘Nicotine creates a sense of relaxation, so people smoke in the belief that it reduces stress and anxiety, but this is only temporary,’ says Dr Eva Cyhlarova, head of research at the Mental Health Foundation.

Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine, the feel-good brain chemical.

While this temporarily increases the supply, it also encourages the brain to switch off its own mechanism for making dopamine, so in the long-term the supply decreases.

OVERACTIVE THYROID

A common cause of low mood or depression is an overactive thyroid (increased activity of the thyroid gland), which affects elderly people in particular, says Dr Mark Vanderpump, consultant endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

‘A simple blood test from your GP can rule this out. The most common cause of an overactive thyroid is Grave’s disease — by producing too many hormones, you can feel irritable.’

THE INTERNET

In a study in China last year of 1,000 teenagers, those who used the internet excessively were found to be two and a half times more likely to develop depression.

‘Our lives are being invaded by technology and this can be exhausting for the brain,’ says Dr Richard Graham, an expert in technology addiction at Capio Nightingale Hospital, London.

‘If you are constantly on the internet or phone, it can bring about symptoms of depression.

‘You can become less confident in real social situations as you become more confident in virtual worlds. If you’re spending more than two hours a day using the internet, and it’s not for work reasons, you have cause for alarm.’

VEGETARIAN DIET

There’s evidence to suggest that a lack of unsaturated fatty acids — compounds found in oily fish — may contribute to depression, says Dr Eva Cyhlarova, of the Mental Health Foundation.

Earlier this year, U.S. scientists found that women who took fish oil during pregnancy had a lower risk of post-natal depression.

‘My worry is that vegetarians may struggle with getting an adequate supply of these important nutrients. While some nuts and seeds provide fatty acids, the body has to convert them. The problem is that nutrients are lost in this process.’

PROCRASTINATING

While depression can cause us to procrastinate, poor time management can also be a trigger, says clinical psychologist Dr Funke Baffour.

‘Leaving everything until the end of the day means you feel as though everything is spiralling out of control. Working in the evening will also knock out things that can help stave off depression, such as eating a healthy dinner and spending time with family.’

ATKINS DIET

Carbohydrates raise the level of the ‘feel-good’ brain chemical serotonin, helping you feel happy, content and combating low mood, says Helen Bond.

Conversely, low-carb dieters are susceptible to mood swings, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.

Scientists there have found that a lack of carbohydrates causes the brain to stop regulating serotonin, causing feelings of anger and depression — dubbed ‘Atkins attitude’, after the famous low-carb Atkins diet.

Women who undergo plastic surgery are up to three times more likely to kill themselves

COSMETIC SURGERY

People who’ve had cosmetic surgery can sometimes suffer from depression a year or two later, says Dr Mark Vanderpump.

Women who undergo plastic surgery are up to three times more likely to kill themselves, according to research published in the journal Current Psychiatry Reports.

Cosmetic surgery patients also had a three-times higher rate of death due to self-destructive acts, such as binge-drinking.

‘It might be that these people don’t like the results or that they struggle to accept their new look,’ says Dr Vanderpump. ( dailymail.co.uk )

Blog : Shadow Of Death | Why doughnuts can make you depressed...and the other surprising, everyday triggers that can cause depression

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Teenage binge-drinkers 'at risk of brain damage' as scans reveal it thins area that helps you concentrate

Teenage binge-drinkers 'at risk of brain damage' as scans reveal it thins area that helps you concentrate - Going on a bar crawl is often considered a rite of passage among teenagers going to university and is the standby entertainment for sports clubs and societies.

But these nights out could be causing serious damage to their developing brains, according to a University of Cincinnati study.

A team led by Tim McQueeny took high-resolution brain scans of 29 weekend binge drinkers who were aged between 18 and 25. The men drank five or more drinks a night while the women had four or more drinks.

They found high alcohol intake was linked to cortical-thinning of the pre-frontal cortex - the section of the brain related to paying attention and making decisions. It is also key in processing emotions and controlling impulses that otherwise lead to irrational behavior.

Mr McQueeny examined the brain's gray matter, the parts of brain cells that do the thinking, receiving and transmitting of messages.

Drink danger: The brain only stops developing when you hit your mid-20s

'We have seen evidence that binge drinking is associated with reduced integrity in the white matter, the brain's highways that communicate neuron messaging, but alcohol may affect the gray matter differently than the white matter,' he said.

The pilot study examined whether the researchers could see a relationship between gray matter thickness and binge drinking among college-aged young adults.

They found that greater number of drinks per binge is associated with cortical thinning.

'Alcohol might be neurotoxic to the neuron cells, or, since the brain is developing in one's 20s, it could be interacting with developmental factors and possibly altering the ways in which the brain is still growing,' he warned.

The findings affect a significant population. A report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies found 59 per cent of British young adults had gone drinking with the intention of getting drunk.

In the U.S., the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that 42 per cent of Americans aged between 18 and 25 have engaged in binge drinking.

Mr McQueeny added that the depressant effects of alcohol emerge later in life, so for young adults, the effect of alcohol can be very stimulating and activate tolerance over time.

'In the past, in terms of what's known about the physical toll of alcohol, the focus on neurobiology has been in pathological populations and adult populations who were disproportionately male, so there was a significant gap in research in terms of when people started risky drinking.

'We're looking at developmental aspects at an age when binge drinking rates are highest, and we're also looking at gender effects,' he said.

Mr McQueeny's advisor, Professor Krista Lisdahl Medina, added: 'Our preliminary evidence has found a correlation between increased abstinence of binge drinking and recovery of gray matter volume in the cerebellum.

'Additional research examining brain recovery with abstinence is needed.'

Mr McQueeny will present the findings this week at the 34th annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Atlanta. ( dailymail.co.uk )

Blog : Shadow Of Death | Teenage binge-drinkers 'at risk of brain damage' as scans reveal it thins area that helps you concentrate

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Smoking in your car 'more damaging to health than breathing in exhaust fumes'

Smoking in your car 'more damaging to health than breathing in exhaust fumes' - Smoking in your car is more damaging to health than breathing in exhaust fumes, a leading doctor has claimed.

Douglas Noble, a British Medical Association public health expert, made the claim as his colleagues called for tougher tobacco and alcohol controls.

BMA members voted in favour of a ban on smoking while driving, more restrictions on licensing hours and introducing a minimum price of alcohol.

Dr Noble said: 'In cars, particle concentrations are 27 times higher than in a smoker's home and 20 times higher than they used to be in pubs

The union hopes to use its influential position to persuade the UK Government and its counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to tighten up its licensing legislation.

Those against stricter regulations say it would intrude upon people's liberty - and labelled a ban on smoking while driving as being 'unenforceable'.

But supporters insist the measures, if implemented, would improve the nation's health as well as saving the NHS money.

London-based Dr Noble said: 'In cars, particle concentrations are 27 times higher than in a smoker's home and 20 times higher than in a pub, in the days when you could smoke in public places.

'It would be safer to have your exhaust pipe on the inside of your car than smoke cigarettes in terms of fine particular matter released.

'A ban would protect pregnant women and children.'

Cigarettes and alcohol was a key area of debate during the third day of the BMA's week-long annual conference in St David's Hall, Cardiff.

As well as backing calls for a blanket ban on smoking in cars, members supported two motions for more restrictions on the sale of alcohol.

BMA Scottish Council member Sue Robertson said: 'Less time selling drinks, equals less drinks being sold.

'The annual healthcare costs of alcohol in England alone are £1.7 to £2.4 billion.'

Delegates at the conference also heard calls for a minimum alcohol price to be introduced - saying it would stop cut-price drinks deals by supermarkets, which were putting many pubs out of business.

Dr Robertson added a charge of at least 50p per unit would reduce binge drinking and save the NHS £1.31 billion in 10 years.

Some doctors expressed unease about the plans - saying they were too "interfering".

Charlie Bell, a medical student at Queen's College, Cambridge University, said: 'The best way to tackle the problem is (through) education.

'We're the BMA, not the BNA - the British Nannying Association.'

But despite the calls, the motions were overwhelmingly backed by members - who also gave their support for more transparency between tobacco companies and politicians.

The British Lung Foundation said it was delighted by the BMA's stance.

The charity's director of communications Miranda Watson said: 'Doctors are on the front-line when it comes to dealing with the impact of passive smoking on children.

'We're thrilled the BMA is supporting our campaign to end smoking in cars carrying children. With doctors backing our campaign, the Government can't afford to stall.'

Pro-smoking lobbyists Forest labelled the BMA's move as another attack on smokers and freedom of choice.

Director Simon Clark said: 'An outright ban on smoking in cars would be a gross intrusion of the state on people's private lives.

'If such legislation was put in place then I fear it would be a step towards trying to implement a ban on smoking in the home.

'People should have the right to choose.' ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Is It Healthier to Skip Washing Your Hair?

Is It Healthier to Skip Washing Your Hair? - The average woman spends about 23 minutes styling/drying her hair, according to one report. So, if, say, half of that time is spent on blow-drying, on top of the 22 minutes she spends in the shower (again, let's say half of that is spent washing and conditioning hair), a daily hair-washer is dedicating more than two and a half hours each week to maintaining her locks. But what if she just ... stopped?

While nearly 40 percent of women shampoo on a daily basis, according to a survey conducted by Women's Health magazine, there seems to be a growing number of women (and men) who are ditching the monotony of daily showers in hopes of getting healthier, prettier hair.

And these people -- part of what has been dubbed the "no 'poo movement" -- are gaining momentum, sometimes even going weeks without washing. Jessica Simpson is doing it. So is Robert Pattinson. In a recent article for W magazine, writer Christa Souza chronicled her journey of going a whopping six weeks without washing her hair (check out her journey, dubbed "The Great Unwashed," here). And designer brand Proenza Schouler's CEO Shriley Cook recently told Into The Gloss that she stopped washing her hair six weeks ago.

There have long been groups of people in the United States, of course, whose hair type doesn't require daily washing. African American women, for instance, will often report only needing to wash their hair once every one to two weeks, says Amy McMichael, M.D., a dermatologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She also says women of Hispanic descent tend to wash their hair less often, as it's typically on the thicker side. People with oilier, thinner hair are usually the ones who become frequent washers.

But while there's an obvious timesaving benefit to skipping the daily wash, is it healthier for your hair and scalp?

"By no means do I think it's a necessity of health to wash your hair ever day," McMichael says, explaining that the habit has developed more out of our hygiene culture of "good smells" than of any real necessity. Yet that doesn't necessarily mean the opposite is true. "I don't know that there's any scientific basis that washing the hair less is more healthy either."

The scalp and the hair are two different entities -- the scalp is the "living part," which needs to be cleansed of oils to stay healthy, while the hair is the "dead part" that can become dried out after washing with a too-harsh shampoo.

The argument is that lathering up on a daily basis strips the hair of important, healthy oils that can cause it to break off over time. And while those detergent aspects of shampoo may be good for your scalp, they can take a toll on your hair, says Louise O'Connor, owner of 0C61 salon in New York City. She recommends skipping a day between shampoos and, if needed, just rinsing it and putting a little conditioner through the hair to keep it healthy. When you do wash, she says to be careful to only cleanse the scalp and hairline instead of lathering up the whole way down to your ends, which can be very abrasive to the hair.

For oily-haired girls who want to give no-shampoo a try, O'Connor suggests using dry shampoo on off days soak up the grease and give the hair some texture. Apply it to the roots and work it through, she says, and then go over the whole thing with a hairdryer.

But for those who want to take "no poo" beyond a few days, though, proceed with caution when it comes to the health of your scalp. People with dandruff, for instance, will find that not washing hair just makes the problem worse, says George Costarellis, M.D. a dermatologist and director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic.

And skipping the lather may also stunt hair growth. "If you take it to the extreme and you don't wash your hair for a week or so, the dead hairs will accumulate in the scalp," Costarellis says. Getting that dead hair out can stimulate new hair to grow in, and he says he's also seen patients who have gone so long without cleansing that the hair has become matted to a point where it needs to be cut out. ( huffingtonpost.com )

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How many credit cards do you have in your wallet or purse? Zero? Two? Ten?

How many credit cards do you have in your wallet or purse? Zero? Two? Ten? - A few years ago, I discovered that I had over ten open credit card accounts at the age of twenty five. I had two Discover cards, three Citi cards, two MBNA cards (now Bank of America), and three American Express cards (one personal, one business, and one corporate).

I had opened more than one credit card a year since eighteen, which is the earliest you can usually get a credit card on your own (minors can't be bound to legally binding contracts on their own), and it was far too many.

They each served a purpose back when I opened them. Several offered 0 percent balance transfer offers that I could arbitrage with a high yield savings account, back when they yielded 5 percent. The corporate credit card was for work and the business one helped organize my business finances. Each had a purpose but several had outlived that purpose.

I kept them because I saw no harm in having a lot of cards. I was also always told that your FICO credit score is negatively affected if you closed an account. If keeping them didn't hurt and closing them did, I might as well keep them right? Fast forward to today and I now carry three cards (two American Express, one Citi), with one card locked away (my oldest credit card, a Discover card).

Why did I close the other accounts? Simplicity. How do you close accounts while minimizing the damage? On the Citi cards, I consolidated my lines of credit into the oldest of the accounts (which happens to have the best rewards), the card I carry now. The others, I ignored the credit score advice and closed them anyway.

I already purchased a home, I had a car, and I didn't anticipate needing a new loan anytime soon. I figured that as long as I kept my credit utilization low, through consolidation and strategic credit line increases, I'd be OK. Today, my credit card finances are simpler, my credit score barely noticed, and I don't have ten credit cards. ( news.yahoo.com )

Blog : Shadow Of Death | How many credit cards do you have in your wallet or purse? Zero? Two? Ten?

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Want a good life? Keep her happy

Want a good life? Keep her happy - Keeping your woman happy is just the beginning of changing your relationships for the better.

Always be yourself

Woman are much more attracted to men who display a lot of self-confidence because men who believe in themselves are 'oh so very sexy.' You must have seen guys that are none too attractive with a beautiful woman. This is because she is attracted to his self-esteem and personality, which actually make an ugly guy look attractive.


Little things count

If you know she needs help with something, just do it without asking because she will feel like you really do notice what is going on and she will love you for it. Woman do notice and appreciate these things.


Don't take her for granted

Let her know everyday, or at least whenever you are with her, that she is special to you and you want to be with her and no one else. It really is okay to look but don't make a big deal out of how stunning the woman at the next table is. A woman wants to feel like she is the most beautiful in the room in your eyes, so if you want to keep your woman happy, make sure she feels that way.


Make her laugh

Women love men with a good sense of humour even though men seem to think that it's good looks that attract a woman. If you can make a woman laugh, she will be much more likely to feel connected to you.


Be sensitive

Try to be aware of how she is feeling because unfortunately woman sometimes go through some emotional days. If you are sensitive to whatever she may be going through, she will be aware of it and will definitely appreciate that you care enough to pay attention. ( indiatimes.com )

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Indonesians Appeal to UNESCO to Save Fabled Temples From Volcano

Indonesians Appeal to UNESCO to Save Fabled Temples From Volcano - The Prambanan temple complex was built in the 9th century and includes temples dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva with reliefs depicting episodes from the Ramayana, the ancient Hindu epic. And, as if lifted from the pages of such a legend of destruction and rebirth, fears have arisen that powerful flowing volcanic mud produced by Mount Merapi, the volcano that erupted in October and November, could now destroy the historic structures.

Dewi S. Sayudi, an official with the Volcanic Technology Development and Research Center, said that there is a serious threat to Prambanan because the nearby Opak and Gendol Rivers are carrying large amounts of volcanic debris, called lahar, the Jakarta Post reports. "The lahar that we have seen so far is just the tip. The flows carry only a small portion of the thick layers of volcanic debris from the slopes of Merapi," he stated.

Lahars act like concrete, flowing when carried by water but becoming solid when deposited on land. Mount Merapi's recent eruptions were the most powerful in a century and are estimated to have spewed over five billion cubic feet of volcanic debris. Now, as Indonesia heads into the rainy season, rain has caused this debris to flow from the volcano's peak, creating a wall of lahar in the Opak River that measures a little less than a mile wide and over six miles long.

Prambanan temple officials are continuing to monitor the flow of the Opak River but no special precautions have been taken. Bambang Hargono, head of the Serayu-Opak River Region Agency, told the Jakarta Post that all the dams set up to stop volcanic debris were at full capacity, and that his agency plans "to dredge the river to normalize the stream and reduce the risk of lahar next year." But Rajan Zed Prambanan, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, is alarmed by the danger and issued a statement asking UNESCO — which has designated Prambanan as a World Heritage Site — to intervene to save this "world archaeological treasure."

Debris from Mount Merapi is only the latest potential danger in a centuries-long series of catastrophes to befall Prambanan, which is located on the border of Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces. Historians believe that the temple complex was built around 850 by the Hindu Sanjaya dynasty to mark its return to power after replacing the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty. When the court left the region — possibly due to the eruption of Mount Merapi — the site was abandoned. The temples were damaged in the 16th century after an earthquake, and in the 19th century stones from the structures were frequently looted. The most significant temples were reconstructed in the 20th century, with the work finished only in the 1990s. The Java earthquake of May 2006 damaged the site, and many of the temples are still off-limits for safety reasons.

With the tall, pointed spires that are characteristic of Hindu sacred architecture, Prambanan's tallest structure is the temple to Shiva the Destroyer, which measures 154 feet high. Traditional Javanese dance has been performed at the site during every full moon since the 1960s and helped to make Prambanan a favorite archaeological and cultural destination. ( artinfo.com )

Blog : Shadow Of Death | Indonesians Appeal to UNESCO to Save Fabled Temples From Volcano

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Mothers admit to parenting lies

Mothers admit to parenting lies - Many mothers are under so much pressure to appear like perfect parents that they cover up how much television their children watch or what they cook their families, according to a survey.

Such "white lies" also extend to how much "quality time" mothers spend with their partner, website Netmums said its survey of 5,000 people suggested.

The parenting site said mothers often made each other feel "inadequate".

"Mums need to be more honest with each other," said Netmums' Siobhan Freegard.

The website is calling for a more honest approach to family life and an end to the guilty subterfuge of mothers who feel unable to achieve an idealised view of parenthood.

Mothers are under pressure to keep up an image of coping, says the survey

Sleeping, not baking

Almost two-thirds of those surveyed said they had been less than honest with other mothers about how well they were coping and almost half covered up financial worries.

Almost a quarter of mothers admitted to downplaying how much television their children actually watched - and one in five "span a yarn" over how long they played with their children.

Ms Freegard, co-founder of the site, said there had been another example of a mother who was exhausted and went back to bed during the day, but explained her failure to answer the phone as being because her hands had been covered in flour while making cookies.

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It's just very difficult to put your hands up and admit that you parent differently to your friends”

End Quote Becky Mother

The need to keep up a good impression among other parents becomes even more important for mothers who are living far away from their own extended families, she said.

But the survey suggested that this fear of not being a perfect parent was not driven by images of celebrities in glossy magazines.

Instead the sense of inadequacy was caused by peer pressure from other mothers at the school gate or the nursery, the survey found, with more than nine out of 10 comparing themselves to other mothers.

The website is launching what it calls The Real Parenting Revolution, which encourages parents to accept the reality of how they live, rather than feeling bad about not living up to a myth of perfection.

"It's the imperfections that make us human," Ms Freegard said.

'Profound pressures'

One mother, known as Becky, who responded to the survey explained that it was difficult to be honest: "My friend was telling me about how she limited her son's access to the PlayStation and I agreed, telling her that I also limited my son to an hour a day, after homework.

"After I'd said it, I kicked myself for not telling the truth - I mean, it's no big deal.

"It's just very difficult to put your hands up and admit that you parent differently to your friends."

Parenting expert and sociologist Frank Furedi said that parents were under "profound pressures" from society. He said that a culture of parenting "incites parents to lie and to turn child-rearing into a performance."

He added that even with the best intentions, reports such as these increased the pressure on parents: "Parents are always being judged in one way or another - including by this report. The real solution is to lay off parents and publish less reports."

Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said that it was common for people to feel that they were being judged in a variety situations. She advised parents to avoid comparing themselves with others.

"You're in competition with no-one but yourself - all you can do is the best for you and your kid." ( bbc.co.uk )

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