Monday, February 25, 2008

holistic healing



"Take care of your liver"
-

Show Original Post

Jim said...
TRUE


your body has been designed by God


it is self maintaining


u dont need meds and docs


poor folks in India sleep on the pavement


and eat stale food


and drink dirty water but they dont fall sick


their immune system is very strong


the body can fight almost any disease


but we have weak minds


we worry


the mind affects the body functions


diabetes and bp gets aggravated by mental tension


u need to get back to nature


change your life style


my dad said


if u have a good shit in the morning


then all will be well


excretion happens through shit and sweat


hence exercise is needed


worry happens when u dont have faith


look at the birds of the air


they neither sow or gather into barns


yet your heavenly father looks after them


worry is a killer


u worry when u r late


u worry when u loose your job


u worry when your child is late from school


u worry when your child falls sick


u worry when u have less money


u worry when u have more


bcoz u have to pay more taxes


to ease the worry


u take to drink


and u smoke


or u pop a pill


dont worry


put your hands in the hands of the Lord


the lord is your shephered
Monday, February 25, 2008 10:47:00 PM
Jim said...
oooopppss


i forgot to mention pee


drink plenty water


flush your kidneys
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:46:00 AM
Jim said...
if u r talking of holistic healing


u cant shy away from sex


sex is another important body function that affects your mind too


if it is deprived


we lost our animal instincts after we got civilized


just as the animals bred in captivity (zoos and the dogs and cats in our home)


this leads to deviant behaviour


just as some catholic priests (who are made to take the oath of celibacy)


exhibited deviant behaviour and the Vatican had to shell out millions in compensation


and the church of Christ took a hit


it is interesting to note that Jesus didnt focus on sex


He just said Love God


and Love your neighbor


but the church lost focus and we had Pope Urban II going on Jehad (Crusades)


Bush and Blair publicly proclaiming :


God told me to attack Iraq
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:55:00 AM



Sex as an outcome of Love is holy



casual sex is wrong



if u r horny


and your lover is not in the mood


it is wrong to have sex with her


it amounts to rape











...

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Cricket just gott bigger


...

Indian sports'. biggest payday
TeamTOI
· Assuming he bowls his entire quota of four overs in each of the maximum possible 16 Indian Premier League matches, Ishant Sharma will earn almost Rs 1 lakh per delivery.
· M S Dhoniwill get Rs 37.5lakhfor one Twenty20 match - over 10 times what he gets for every Test match he plays. Looking at it another way, a Delhi University professor would earn a total of Rs 2.2 crore over a career of about 35 years.Dhoni will make thrice that amountfor afortnight of match play.



· Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath .Jayasuriya walking out together to open an innings will no longer happen only in the wildfantasies of cricketfans. They'll do so for Mumbai, creating the potentially most destructive opening combo in the history of cricket. And should they have an off-day, there's always Chris Gayle and Sourav Ganguly to provide somefireworksfor Kolkata.



-'lV- elcome to cricket, IPL style. In one frantic day of auction action, the rules of the game have been rewritten forever, and cricket will never be the same.Even before the first ball of IPL has been bowled, it has already provided compelling spectator sport. As 75 top players went under the hammer on a single day at a downtown five-star Mumbai hotel, fans were riveted by the drama.In a nation made up of a billion selectors, there were plenty who argued that some of the bids, and prominent snubs, by the eight franchisees made absolutely no sense. They huddled . together, discussing and debating the figures that poured in.



"Great bargain", they said for some deals; "way overpriced" for others. Incidentally, all these figures are for the first year;the players will get the same amount for the next two years too although they can be sold at a high- .~r price during the transfers in February.


M SDhoni Andrew Symonds Sachin Tendulkar Sourav Ganguly Yuvraj Singh Rahul Dravid Sanath Jayasuriya Ishant Sharma Irfan Pathan Jacques Kallis Brett Lee R P Singh Harbhajan Singh Virender Chris Gayle Robin Uthappa (Play' " 5 ill ~ ,d II' Icons)
Rs 6.0 cr Rs 5.4 cr Rs 4.5 cr Rs 4.4 cr Rs 4.3 cr Rs 4.1 cr Rs 3.9 cr Rs 3.8 cr Rs 3.7 cr Rs 3.6 cr Rs 3.6 cr Rs 3.5 cr Rs 3.4 cr Rs 3.3 cr Rs 3.2 cr Rs 3.2 cr
Chamara Silva, RP Singh, ChamindaVaas. Nuwan Zoysa Avg cost per player: Rs 2.1 cr
Mohali:10 Yuvraj Singh. Brett lee, Mahela Jayawardene. Irian Pathan.Kumar Sangakkara, S Sree'Santh, Ramesh Powar. Piyush Chawla, Simon Katich, Ramnaresh Sarwan Avg cost per player: Rs 2.3 c:r
Kolkata:ll SotJrav Ganguly, Shoaib Akhtar.Ricky Ponting, Brendon Bangalore: 10 McCullum, Chris Gayle. Ajit Rahul Dravid. Anil Kumble, Agarkar, David Hussey, Ishant Jacques Kallis, Zaheer Khan. Sharma, Murali Kartik, Umar Mark Boucher, Cameron White, Gol. Tatenda Taibu Wasim Jaffer, Dale Steyn. Avg c:ost per player: Rs 2.2 er Nathan Bracken; Shivnarine D Ihi 11 Chanderpaul' __e_ _:~. _____ Avg c:ost per player: Rs.1.9 c:r Virender Sehwag. Daniel Vettori.. ~.'. Shoaib Malik. Mohammad Asit, Hyderabad: 11 AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Farveez Maharoot. Tillakaratne Symonds. Herschelle Gibbs. Dilshan, Manoj Tiwary, Gautam Shahid Atridi. Scott Styris, Gambhir, Glenn McGrath VVS laxman. Rohit Sharma. Avg cost per player: Rs 2.1 cr
Adam Gilchrist Rs 2.8 cr Shaun Pollock K Sangakkara Rs 2.8 cr Ani! Kumble Shahid Afridi Rs l.6 cr M Jayawardene M Muralitharan Rs 2.4 cr Shane Warne Herschelle Gibbs Rs 2.3 cr Ricky Ponting
Jaipur: 8 players hired Shane Warne, Graeme Smith.Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal,';' Yusut Pathan, Mohammad Kait, Munat Patel. Justin langer Avg eost per player: Rs 1.5 cr
Chennai: 11 MS. Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan, Matthew Hayden. Jacob Oram, Stephen Fleming, parthiv Patel.Joginder Sharma. Albie Morkel, Suresh Raina. Makhaya Ntini, Michael Hussey Avg cost per player: Rs 2.2 cr
MUmbai:8
Sachin Tendulkar. Sanath JaY.asuriya. Harbhajan Singh.Shaun Pollock. Robil1 Uthappa.Lasith Malinga. Dilhara Fernando, loots Bosman Avg cost per player: Rs 2.5 c:r
MOST WANTED· It's not just a batsman's game after all Slo11 Avg (Rs C:r) Batting All-Rounders Keeper-Batsmen Bowling All-Rounders Bowlers Batsmen
Rs 2.2 cr Shoaib Akhtar Rs 2.0 cr Mathew Hayden Rs 1.9 cr VVS Laxman Rs 1.8 cr Glenn McGrath Rs 1.6 cr Chaminda Vaas
Rs 1.7 cr Rs 1.5 cr Rs 1.5 cr Rs 1.4 cr Rs 0.8 cr
Asth(lhl tic. III andJ\( almost dOli manding III Ponting?Wh several factI chisees put It of course, t h the IPL is, all explain why part of Indll did better III other consld as well, like:
Multitasking the highest-I>;eters, most h tiple skills, ;factor in '1'20.raking it in dashing wic er-batsmen-I ni, Gilchrist Cullum, all-," like Symon Kallis, batsl bowlers like J who are quitl hajan and Br.
Controversy p.l been trauma troversy but j ed his markel the second hil among overse jan Singh, did cool Rs 3.4 cr paid spinner, Kumble (Rs 2 c even Sreesant for himself, it who make heE

US Spy satellite to plummet to Earth

A "large" US spy satellite has gone out of control and is expected to crash to Earth sometime in late February or March, government sources say.
Officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the satellite had lost power and propulsion, and could contain hazardous materials.
The White House said it was monitoring the situation.
A spokesman said "numerous" satellites had come out of orbit and fallen back to Earth harmlessly over the years.
"We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause," said Gordon Johndroe, who speaks for the US National Security Council.
Questioned by The Associated Press, he would not be drawn on whether the US would try to destroy the satellite, perhaps with a missile.
An unnamed official quoted by AP said the US government was keeping lawmakers and other countries abreast of the situation.
Fuel hazard
The satellite contains the rocket fuel hydrazine, a government official told AP on condition of anonymity.
A colourless liquid with an ammonia-like odour, the fuel is a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who comes in contact with it.
John Pike, director of the defence research group GlobalSecurity.org, said an uncontrolled re-entry could risk exposure of US secrets.
Spy satellites typically are disposed of through a controlled re-entry into the ocean so that no one else can access the spacecraft, he was quoted by AP as saying.
The military expert believes that shooting the satellite down would create debris that would then re-enter the atmosphere and burn up or hit the ground.
In his estimate, the satellite weighs about 20,000 pounds (9,000kg) and is the size of a small bus.
It is possible, he adds, that this one died as long as a year ago and is just now getting ready to re-enter the atmosphere.
Another expert, Jeffrey Richelson of the National Security Archive, said the satellite was probably a photo reconnaissance satellite.
Into the ocean
AP notes that the largest uncontrolled re-entry by a US space agency (Nasa) craft was Skylab.
The 78-tonne abandoned space station fell from orbit in 1979.
Its debris dropped harmlessly into the Indian Ocean and across a remote section of western Australia, the US news agency says.
In 2002, officials believe debris from a 7,000lbs (3,200kg) science satellite hit the Earth's atmosphere.
It rained down over the Gulf, a few thousand miles from where they first predicted it would crash.
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Life After Death
By Bill Newcott, September & October 2007



If life is a journey, what is the destination? We asked people 50 and over to share their most deeply held beliefs. The result is an illuminating glimpse into America’s spiritual core




For all the nudging and pushing and jockeying for position among the sweaty tourists who surround me on the floor of the Sistine Chapel this summer morning, it’s nothing compared with the cyclone of activity going on up there on the front wall.



In Michelangelo’s painting The Last Judgment there’s little doubt about who’s going where. On the left, a swirl of saints and martyrs ascend Heavenward, their faces a mix of rapture and shock. They soar triumphantly, flanking the figure of a Risen Christ. On the right, it’s a decidedly downward trend, a slightly more populated mix of eternal unfortunates being dragged, pushed, and hurled into the abyss. I step around behind the altar—a vantage virtually no one else seems interested in—and marvel at the nearly hidden figures of three apelike creatures, seemingly the gatekeepers of a fiery furnace that is glimpsed just beyond.



In appearance and execution The Last Judgment is archetypical Mannerist art. But the fact is, the nuts and bolts of Michelangelo’s vision are shared by the vast majority of 50-plus Americans.



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Saturday, February 16, 2008

Sorry hunny but u may have gotten infected

ABOUT THIS SITE
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are more common than you know. In the U.S. alone, there are 15 million new cases each year. Talking to your sex partners, even virtually, helps take away the stigma associated with STDs. AND it's scientifically proven to reduce transmission.
** Did you know that some of these STDs make it 6-10 times more likely to transmit HIV from an infected person to his or her sex partner - no matter who has the STD first?
TIPS ABOUT THE SITE
Notify everyone you've had sex with in the past six months. Oral sex counts, too.
Try looking through your old emails and your online address book to complete the list.
If you decide to compose a personal message, put yourself in the other person's shoes. Think about how you were told—what you liked and what you didn't—and put the best of it into words.
You don't have to provide detailed medical info—this email card will automatically provide links to what they need to know.
You can send postcards anonymously or from your email address. Historically, when you tell a sex partner(s) yourself, it's more likely s.he will "hear" the message and get tested.
No information will be collected or shared with any public or private agency.
The site was developed by Internet Sexuality Information Services, Inc. (I.S.I.S). We would especially like to thank our community advisory board for this project.
I.S.I.S., Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to developing and using Internet technologies to prevent disease transmission and enhance the sexual well-being of individuals and communities. Our mission is to provide leadership, innovation, educational resources and research in online sexual health promotion.
go here


The film follows the story of a young Texan named Joe Buck (Jon Voight), who works washing dishes in a seedy restaurant. He wishes to leave the restaurant, declaring to a workmate, "What the hell have I got to sit around here for?" As the movie opens, Joe dresses himself like a rodeo cowboy, packs a suitcase, and quits his job. He heads to New York City in the hope of leading the life of a "kept" man. He tells people he meets, "I ain't a for-real cowboy, but I am a hell of a stud!"



Joe's naiveté becomes evident as quickly as his cash disappears upon his arrival in New York. He is hilariously, yet sadly, unsuccessful in his attempts to be hired as a "stud" for wealthy women. The naive Joe meets the crippled Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), a third-rate con man who easily tricks Joe out of twenty dollars by offering to introduce him to a well-known pimp, who instead turns out to be a religious fanatic.



Joe flees the scene in pursuit of Ratso, but he is long gone. As Joe's money quickly runs out, he finally attempts to make money by sleeping with another man, but even this plan goes awry. (The novel does refer to previous homosexual activity by Joe, but explains that he'd pursued it more in hopes to please a male friend than out of desire.)



Joe then spots an unsuspecting Rizzo at a diner. Joe has been homeless after being locked out of his hotel room for failure to pay the bill. He has been sleeping in all-night movie theaters and bus stations. Joe angrily shakes Ratso down for every penny he has, but Ratso surprisingly offers to help Joe, by sharing his "place"; an apartment in a condemned building. Joe reluctantly accepts the offer, and they begin a "business" relationship, helping each other pick pocket, steal and further attempt to get Joe hired as a "stud".



The events of Joe's life are told in mostly chronological order, interspersed by flashbacks. He had been to church and baptized as a boy, but had only frightening memories of the experience, and he related religion with disappointment. The only two people Joe loved were his grandmother Sally, and his onetime girlfriend "Crazy Annie" (called "Chalkline Annie" in the novel). His grandmother raised Joe after his mother abandoned him, but often left him alone to go off with boyfriends. (One of them, a wrangler named Woodsy Niles, was Joe's only father figure.) Sally died while Joe was away serving in the Army. Annie had been a promiscuous girl, who changed her ways after meeting Joe. This didn't sit well with the men of their hometown. After the two were caught together having sex in a car, Annie was sent to a mental institution. She remains a constant presence in Joe's mind.



Ratso's story comes mostly through things he tells Joe. His father was an illiterate shoeshiner who worked in a subway station, developed a bad back, and "coughed his lungs out breathin' in that wax every day!" Ratso learned shining from his father, but refused to follow (such as he could, after polio crippled one leg) in the old man's footsteps.



Joe and Ratso also steal things as they need them, and pull minor scams like loading up on saltine crackers and ketchup at diners, and checking every coin slot they see for change. They are both completely alone without each other, and a genuine bond develops between the two men. Ratso had a cough when the two first met during the summer, and as the story progresses, his health steadily worsens. His symptoms indicate a likely case of tuberculosis, but Ratso refuses to see a doctor, professing he'll be fine "when I get to Florida!" In the meantime he consumes cough medicines.

Joe and Enrico
At one point, a bizarre-looking couple approach Joe and Ratso in a diner and hand Joe a flyer inviting him to a party. The two men go together and enter into a Warhol-esque party scene (with some of the Warhol superstars in cameo appearances). The naive Joe smokes an entire marijuana joint thinking it was a cigarette, then takes a pill offered to him and begins to hallucinate. He leaves the party with a socialite (Vaccaro), who agrees to pay him $20 for one night with him. Ratso falls down a flight of stairs, but insists he is fine, and makes his own way home.



Joe and the socialite attempt sex, but he suffers from temporary impotence. After sleeping, they play a puzzle game together. She suggests that Joe may be gay, then continues to mildly tease him. Joe is suddenly able to perform, and the two have rough, enthusiastic sex.



When Joe returns home later, Ratso is in bed, sweating and feverish, and admits to Joe that he is unable to walk. Joe wants to take Ratso to a doctor, but Ratso adamantly refuses, saying he does not want to end up in Bellevue Hospital or someplace worse. He wants to leave New York for Miami; this has been his goal the whole time. Ratso is clearly gravely ill. A frightened Joe is determined to take care of his friend, and leaves the apartment.



Joe picks up an older male customer (Barnard Hughes), who tries to send him away at the last minute out of guilt. Joe is enraged when the customer gives him a religious medallion, instead of cash when Joe says he needs it. He beats and robs the man, stuffing the telephone into his mouth when he tries to call for help.



With the money, Joe buys two bus tickets to Florida. Joe stops to buy new clothing for Ratso and himself on the way. Joe throws away his cowboy outfit, and declares "I ain't no kinda hustler." Ratso's physical condition is clearly serious, and the point is driven home by a bus scene in which Ratso awakens to find he has urinated on himself. When he tells Joe, Joe makes a joke by saying, "You just made a stop that wasn't on the schedule." They laugh together, but their powerful denial is now evident. As they reach Florida and near Miami, Joe talks about plans to get a regular job, only to ultimately realize that Ratso has died sitting beside him.



After Joe informs the bus driver, the driver tells him that there is nothing else to do but leave him there until they arrive in Miami. The final scene is of a horrified Joe seated beside his dead friend, placing his arm around him, with several of the other passengers standing up and turning around in their seats to stare.

With more money in hand, and the loneliness of being away from their families, many labourers turn to promiscuity

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FEATURE

India: Safety, Not Sermons

Migrant Tamil labourers in Kerala had not been prime target for HIV awareness messages. However, a 1999 survey by Kochi-based NGO Centre for Advanced Projects and Solutions (CAPS) found that over 50 per cent of the labourers monitored suffered from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Labour migration from the poor farming towns of Tamil Nadu - such as Theni, Kambam and Dindigal - began about 15 years ago, with the collapse of the farming-based economy there. These migrants were either small-scale farmers or farm labourers. However, with the rains failing for several seasons together, many of them started looking out for new jobs. And the situation in neighbouring Kerala, especially its metros, was ideal for them.

The metros, led by Kochi, were undergoing a facelift, thanks to the huge demand for housing and office spaces. The new age companies in sectors like information technology and financial services brought in hundreds of employees, who moved to the cities with their families. The skilled construction labourers of Kerala had migrated to the Middle East long ago, and many of those who did not migrate were educated and did not want to do non-office jobs. This is when the Tamil labourers came in.

"More than half the construction workers from Tamil Nadu live in Kochi. This place is to us what the Middle East is to the Malayali," says M Manikantan, who migrated to Kerala from Kodai Road about five years ago.

"Back home, all of us were rain-dependent for our livelihood. Here we have work through the year, except during the peak of monsoon, and the pay is really good," he says, beaming. These migrant labourers now also work on agricultural land, ploughing and tilling, work as gardeners, run barber shops and undertake laundry jobs.

There are over one lakh Tamil labourers in Kerala, and nearly 50,000 of them are in Kochi, according to CAPS figures. They get about Rs 250 a day in Kerala - much more than their earnings in their hometown - and they get work six days a week. Many of them live away from families, visiting them once in a while. With more money in hand, and the loneliness of being away from their families, many labourers turn to promiscuity. Moreover, for women labourers, it is often necessary to please the mason to ensure steady flow of work. Multi-partner sex and unsafe sex are both vulnerability factors for HIV/AIDS and other STIs. The diseases then spread to the non-migrant population as well.

When CAPS activists first approached the labourers in 2000 they found them very resistant to intervention. The activists, therefore, decided to focus on one area for maximum effectiveness. They zeroed in on Vathuruthy, where over 20,000 Tamil labourers live in rented accomodation.

"In 2000 we began conducting medical camps in the area, talking about general health problems and hygiene. Slowly, we came to reproductive health," recalls Babu Joseph, Director, CAPS. Initially, people were suspicious of the activists and rejected the idea of condom use. The CAPS workers, though, kept up their efforts.

They went to pick-up spots (place from where labourers are picked up for work) early in the morning and spoke to the labourers about general health. Over time, they were able to build a rapport with some labourers, who confided in them. These people were then encouraged to visit the CAPS office and listen to health classes at their convenience (usually Sundays or late evenings). Word soon spread and the classes grew in strength.

Posters and huge hoardings were put up in pick-up spots, and these drew many to the programme. Street plays and poster exhibitions were conducted on the theme. The labourers were also given an opportunity to talk about their problems on the phone if they wanted to maintain anonymity. CAPS owes its success to the various linkages it created with workers' unions, government and private hospitals, social clubs and religious organisation.

"I was spotted by CAPS workers who felt that I could be an effective tool to communicate HIV/AIDS to my fellow workers," recalls Manikantan. Thus, Manikantan is now a field organiser who speaks to others of his community about safe sex and the perils of STIs. He takes them to the Voluntary Testing and Counselling Centre (VCTC) and also spots peer educators, who in turn speak to labourers vulnerable to STIs.

CAPS's work with Tamil migrant labourers is particularly significant in light of the fact that the labourers did not consult doctors when they fell sick. They were suspicious of Malayali doctors and hospitals. The hospitals were also unreceptive. Also, the labourers did not know the symptoms of STIs. But all of these things changed slowly. The activists identified clinics and, with the help of sympathetic doctors, created a friendly atmosphere for labourers. Within a year of starting the intervention, many labourers began going there for regular check-ups.

Activists also had some trouble while canvassing for the use of condoms,which sometimes hurts religious sentiments in communities that disapprove of birth control. Also, goondas and organised criminals began to fear that their fiefdom was under threat. The CAPS workers, though, managed to convince them that they are working only to minimise health problems.

Five years down the line, in high vulnerability areas like Vathuruthy, people store condoms at home, and several houses function as condom outlets. Outside Vathuruthy, small shops near work sites or pick up spots, which the labourers frequent, are used as condom outlets. People keep track of condom usage and report to the CAPS office regularly.

Remitha (name changed), a labourer-turned-sex worker, confides, "It's not that we have stopped sex work. But now we insist that our clients use condoms. As a result of this, we have fewer health problems."

While CAPS provided condoms free of cost for the first couple of years, people are ready to buy them now. Medical records show that repeated treatments for STIs have drastically reduced. Migrants say that because of awareness programmes, they are able to relate symptoms to diseases, and consult the doctor immediately. Unwanted pregnancies and abortion, especially in Vathuruthy, have plummeted.

Joseph says it is difficult to bring migrant labourers to single-partner behaviour. In many parts of Tamil Nadu, the number of women he keeps is a marker of a man's financial and physical capabilities. "When there is no social taboo against these activities, it is difficult to make them unlearn what they accumulated over generations. The best option is to teach them safety methods so that the diseases do not spread to others," he says.

Courtesy: Women's Feature Service

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day


Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification.

Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.

Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance.

The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.


In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)


Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.


Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".
Special thanks to American Greetings.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

US politics vs Indian politics




Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama met on Sunday for a cup of coffee. Both were tired after last week's Super Tuesday. This US election campaign was seemingly endless and draining them of their energy. Obama sipped his cappuccino and pointed to a newspaper headline and took a deep breath. "I wish I was an Indian," he said.


Hillary looked at him suspiciously and asked, "You mean North Indian or South Indian?" Obama was confused. "What do you mean?" he asked. "It's not like North American and South American! North Indian and South Indian belong to the same country - not different continents!""We could learn a thing or two from these Indian politicians, " pointed out Hillary. "They easily divide people on the basis of state, language, caste, community, religion and thus ensure a substantial voting percentage for their respective parties!"Obama nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he sighed. "Here we go on and on, speech after speech, creating a good impression on the American public after spending sleepless nights doing our homework on what's the need of the hour for the larger good of the country…



And in India, all they have to do is make an irresponsible, provocative speech and cause a riot!"Hillary looked thoughtful. "But I bet we could change the face of American politics and do something similar! After all, 60 % of our great country is made up of immigrants —Italians, Mexicans, Chinese, Indians….


I guess my ratings will soar the moment I blame these immigrants for all the problems in our country and launch a verbal attack on famous immigrants like Arnold Schwarzenegger, demand a ban on pizza and gelato and exhort my Democrat party members to beat up Indian taxi drivers in New York, Italian restaurateurs in Los Angeles and sabotage multiplexes showing Japanese horror films…""We can do that?" asked an excited Obama. "Are you sure we can actually damage the social fabric of America for our political gains and get away with it?


That's fantastic! I never realised we could become as dangerous as terrorists and not be accountable for our words or deeds, and blame all the damage to public and private property in the bargain as the emotional reaction of the common man!""It gets even better," says Hillary. "We can demand apology from everyone but never apologise to anyone! Have you ever heard an Indian politician saying sorry?" http://us.f541.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=sureshnair2004@gmail.com ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---- If you wish to cry in despair ... please do, and then, laugh at yourself and think how we can overcome the baddies in our political arena. Join the citizens groups who are causing a change for the better. If none exist in your neighbourhood, start one. All help is available. Think of Citizen Candidates, think of 'breaking rules and retaining values', etc. Be part of the brave new India. --


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Monday, February 11, 2008

How to protect yourself from unnecessary medical testing


With tests and scans providing a scientific basis for medical practice, they should only be used as an aid to diagnosis by doctors
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·.-.·
Today, outpatient testing has tripled in the last 10 years; in fact, laboratory tests, X-rays and scans now account for over 25 per cent of hospital .bills.

If you undergo enough tests, there is a mathematical certainty that they will show something wrong with you. Many cynics call these abnormalities 'incidentalomas', and these can often result in unnecessary surgery as well.

A problem with all medical tests, no matter how well they are performed, is that they may give rise to false positives and false negatives.· False positives are test results, which are abnormal ('positive'), even though the patient has no disease.

A false positive result causes needless anxiety, and will often lead to a situation in which the patient will have to undergo even more tests to prove or disprove the previous results.·

Conversely, test results which are normal ('negative'), even though the patient does have the disease are called 'false negatives'.

These results could also cause problems, because they may induce a false sense of security, thereby leading to a delayed or missed diagnosis.·

Most tests have a wide range of normality, and can only very rarely yield a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer as to whether a patient has a particular disease or not.The real irony is that today many patients demand that the doctor 'order' the latest 'whole body scan' to confirm that they are 'healthy' because they often have more faith in a computer-generated report than in a doctor's skills.Health check-up schemes which perform a 'comprehensive panel of tests' have also become very popular.

DR ANIRUDDHA MALPANI
,------------------,t HERE IS A CHECKLIST, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT FACTORS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE IN FOR A MEDICAL TEST.
Medical Test checklist
Test name .;...........................Description ...........................
Purpose ......................... . . . . .To confirm diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................To exclude diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................Where will the test be done? Clinic? ...Independent lab? . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . .Hospital? .............................Cost of test in: Clinic ..................Independent lab ......................
. Hospital ..............................Are there risks associated with the test (i.e., is the test invasive)?If yes, whatrisks? ......................Are there less invasive tests that might give the same information?If the test result is abnormal what willbe done next? ........................If the rest result is normal what will be
done? ................................COMMENTS
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You should fill out this checklist for every medical test

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Green crusader, Gandhian activist Baba Amte dead



From correspondents in India, 09:31 PM IST
Baba Amte, who devoted a lifetime to ministering leprosy patients shunned by society and fighting for the environment, died here early Saturday. He was 94. He will be buried Sunday as per his wish that every part of his body be utilised rather than add to the pollution.
'Baba had told us he should be buried so that micro-organisms in the soil feed on his body and every bit of it gets utilized rather than the ash polluting the water sources,' his son Vikas said.
Born Murlidhar Devidas Amte, who later was anointed Baba Amte, the renowned social worker died Saturday at his Anandvan ashram here.
He had been suffering from blood cancer for last six months and was on a life support system. He died at 4.15 a.m., Vikas said.
He is survived by his wife Sadhana and sons Vikas and Prakash.
A recipient of several national and international awards, including the Magsaysay, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan, Baba Amte established his leprosy rehabilitation centre at Anandvan in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra in 1951.
The Gandhian held the nationwide Bharat Jodo or Knit India campaign from December 1985 to April 1986 to promote peace and unite people across the country.
Baba Mate founded the world renowned Anandvan leprosy rehabilitation centre in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district. He also brought to the centre-stage the issue of colossal environmental destruction that mega developmental projects cause in their wake through his crusade against big dams, especially the Narmada dam.
Though he was unable to sit for the last over four decades because of an impaired backbone, he never ceased to work and remained mentally agile almost till the end of his life.
In a statement issued from Jalgaon in Maharashtra where she was on a tour, President Pratibha Pateil said: 'Baba Amte was an unique example of a person who committed his life to the welfare of destitute.'
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: 'Baba Amte's life long struggle to unite people across the length and breadth of the country on national and Gandhian lines and to eliminate all forms of discrimination and bias truly make him a saint of our times.
'The footprints of Baba Amte will be permanently embedded in the sands of time and will be a guiding beacon for all those working for the common good.'
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh will attend the funeral besides a number of his cabinet colleagues, Chandrapur district guardian minister Anees Ahmed told IANS.
Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni was likely to represent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the funeral, Ahmed said.
Amte's family members, who were initially reluctant to accede to the government's request for a state funeral, relented when its emissaries told them the state owed it to the outstanding social worker on behalf of the people, the officials said.
Central ministers Praful Patel, Sushilkumar Shinde and Vilas Muttemwar besides Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and his cabinet colleagues Satish Chanturvedi, Anil Deshmukh and Ahmed called on the bereaved Amte family and paid their condolences.
Condolence messages continued to pour from all over the world all through the day including those from President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Dalai Lama, the Buddhist leader who was Baba's personal friend, called to express his grief, Baba's son Vikas told IANS.


R K Misra journeys from village to Lead India


10 Feb 2008, 0139 hrs IST,TNN

Lead India winner R K Misra (second from left) with his family in New Delhi (TOI Photo)


NEW DELHI: It was a journey that began 42 years ago in Sonari, a small, impoverished village in UP's Sitapur district. The stage shifted to IIT Kanpur, then Tokyo University. A series of start-ups followed, with a stint in the US thrown in. But on Saturday night, life came full circle for R K Misra. As he outlined a plan to set up a cooperative dairy farm to transform life in the village where he was born, the jury and audience was visibly moved. After 10 rounds of challenging tasks and the scrutiny of hawk-eyed judges, it proved to be the decisive moment, helping Misra emerge winner of the Lead India contest. The man who never hesitates to speak his mind has often said that he believes he could be prime minister of India within 18 years. He has now taken a huge stride forward towards his ambitious goal. On Saturday, Misra showed just why he been a successful entrepreneur.


Asked how he would utilize the prize money of Rs 50 lakh if he won, he rattled off a well thought-out plan with time-bound targets and actionable goals. Wasn't he thinking small by focusing on just a dairy farm, asked permanent jury member Kiran Bedi. "I believe in leading by example. This farm will not only provide sustainable employment but also serve as a role model for other villages.


The biggest problem in India is ineffective implementation. There is a lot of talk, but little action. That is why my motto is 'work more, talk less'," said Misra to a round of thunderous applause. Questions from the other judges followed. As a person born in UP, who is now settled in Bangalore, what did he feel about protests against migrants, asked India's solicitor-general Goolam E Vahanvati. "I don't think most citizens support such protests. They are carried out by a handful of people with vested interests. Treat them as a law and order problem, crack down on them, and the problem will vanish," responded Misra.


When former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijay Singh asked him how he would ensure an efficient service delivery mechanism to rural areas, Misra mentioned his efforts to improve Bangalore's roads through public-private partnership. He suggested making panchayats aware of the Right to Information Act. He also paid tribute to another special judge, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, saying, "I am a huge fan of his".


Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Pliss marry me

- Hello To Viewers My Name is Shekhar , I am single i don't have female, If anyone want to Marie to me u can visit to my home. I am not a good education but i working all field in bangalroe.. if u like me u welcome to my heart...when ever u want to meet pls visit my resident or send u letter.. Thanks yours Regards Shekhar ~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i want very simple girl. from brahmin educated family from orissa state she is also know about RAMAYAN, GEETA BHAGABATA, and other homework (Homework?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wants a woman who knows me better and can adjust with me forever. she may never create any difficulties in my life or her life by which the entire life can run smoothly. thank you (The principle of running life smoothly was never so easy!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ she should be good looking and should have a service. she Should have one brother and one sister. she should be educated. (ain't it unique !! 1 brother 1 sister criteria !) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am a happy-go-lucky kind of person. Enjoys every moments of life. I love to make friendship. Because friendship is a first step of love. Iam looking for my dreamgirl who will love me more than i. Because i love myself a lot. If u think that is u then why to late come on ........hold my hand forever !!!(The dilwale dulhaniya effect) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i am simple boy.I have lot of problem in my life because of my luck nowi am looking one gal she care me and love me lot lot lot (I don't know why but this is one of my favorites)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ My wife should be as 'Shivani' as in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and as Tanwerr as in KSBKBT...... (Ok I haven't seen these soaps but I am sure he must be demanding too much,ain't he?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i want a girl with no drinks if she wants she can wear jeans in house but while stepping out of house she should give respect to our cast (by not wearing her jeans? Wat the hell...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ HYE I AM A GOOD LOKING BOY,WHO HAS THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE ANY BODY TO LOUGH.I BELIEVE IN GOD AND ACCORDING TO ME FRIENDS ARE THE REAL MESSENGER OF GOD. THE 3 THINGS I AM LOOKING FROM A GIRL ,THEY ARE 1.THEY MUST BELIEVE IN GOD.2. THEY HAVE TO LIKE MY PROFFESION AND THEY SHOULDNOT GET BORED WITH ME WHEN I WILL TRY TO MAKE THEM LOUGH. (all of us are loughing{laughing}) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ whatever she may be but she should feel that she is going to be someonebride and she must think of the future life if she is too like this she would be called the woman of the lamp (I am clueless, I feel so lost. Can anyone tell me what this boy wants) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i love my patner i marriage the patner ok i search my patner and i love thepatner ok thik hai the patner has a graduate ok (I am again clueless but I liked the use of "ok". The person is suffering from "Ok-syndrome") ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ HI IAM VERY COOL NUATHER OK MY HOBBY IS SEE T.V AND NEWS OK I HAVE 1 CARAND 1 BONWL OK MY MOTHER ALSO GOOD OK MY FARUET WORLD IS OK (the "ok syndrome" again)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am pran my family history my two brother two sister and Father&mother sister complity marred (somebody please explain in comments section how to get married 'completely'?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ iam very simpel and hanest. i have three sister one brother and parent. iam doing postal sarvice and tailor master my original resdence atkalahandi diste naw iam staing at rayagada dist. (actually what is this guy doing? Postal service or tailor..??) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ my name is muhamad and i am unmarried. pleaes you marrige me pleaes pleaes pleaes pleaes pleaes pleaes pleaes (height of desperation! J ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Iwant one girl who love me or my mother. she love me heartly or shehavea frank she's skin colour 'normal'not a black or not a whitey. IThink the main think is heart if your heart is beautiful then you are beautiful.but iam not a handsome guy or not a good looking. but my Mom say that Iam a good guy. My father already expired . THE CHOICE IS YOUR. bye bye.(uttama purushan) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ iam kanan. i do owo businas.one sistar.he was marred. (No comments)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ I AM LITTLE FAIR INDIAN COLOUR. I DON'T HAVE ANY HABIT. (maybe the poor guy meant BAD habits) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ hello i am a good charactarised man. i want to run my life happily.idivorced my first wife.her charactor is not good'. i expect the good minded and clean habits girl who may be in the same caste or other caste accepted ....(but credit cards not accepted..???) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ my colour is black,but my heart is white.i like social service(Zebra..???) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i'm looking out for who lives in bombay , girl simple who trust me lotshould be roman catholic, LOVE ME ONLY. (Now that criterion is a must, isn't it?)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ to be married on jan-2006. working woman perferable (this guy has fixed the marriage date too! But he is yet to find a bride.I wish him best of luck on behalf of all of us. I am sure he will get one soon.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ i would like a beautyfull girl. and i do not want her any treasure. because girl is the maharani.( Now she is going to be a lucky girl! Any takers?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ssc failed three times and worked with privated ltd company which not paying salary at present. (Any takers again?)

Wikipedia Refuses To Remove Pictures of Mohammed from Entry,


despite 90,000+ signatures on an online petition (though a quick skim of a few signatures suggests that not all of them endorse the petition's views).

Good for Wikipedia. An encyclopedia may certainly choose not to include such pictures, and still remain true to its mission. (I don't think it would be right for the encyclopedia to remove important historical details that some people are offended by, though the encyclopedia authors would surely have the First Amendment right to do this; but drawings representing the subject are not a necessary part of an accurate discussion of the issue.)

But I think an encyclopedia may also properly refuse to succumb to such pressure, and I approve of the Wikipedia editors' refusal here.

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Sunday, February 03, 2008

sell your kidney if u need money




Understanding the Indian Kidney Bazaar
Shantanu Dutta, 19 September 2007, Wednesday

The number of people succumbing to kidney failure in India often goes unnoticed. To make matters worse, renal therapy is costly. Legislation on the subject is fraught with practical difficulties. This is where the kidney-selling racket kicks in.
ONE OF THE lesser known stories in India’s health sector is the number of people dying of kidney failure every year. In over 90 per cent of the people developing kidney failure in India, the outcome is death. In 2004-05, it is estimated that over 1,00,000 people died because of kidney failure. Renal disease remains a major, though largely unrecognized, public health issue in India. An estimated 1,00,000 people develop end-stage-renal-disease or chronic renal failure every year. This is in addition to a pre-existing pool of about 20,00,000 sufferers. A person with chronic renal failure requires renal replacement therapy in the form of either dialysis on a continuing basis or a renal transplant. Both are expensive options that require recurring expenditure over the person’s lifetime. Further, treatment for renal disease is still largely in the private healthcare sector, where costs are high.

This is where the kidney-selling racket kicks in. The relevant legislation in India, viz., the ’Transplantation of Human Organ Act’, 1994 (THO, 1994) deals with organ donation in the country. It has since been possible to undertake multi-organ transplant activity from brain-dead donors.

The purpose of the law is:
1. To define brain death also as death
2. To stop commercial dealing in organs
3. To define the first relative (father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter and wife) who could donate organs without permission from the government. In the event of the donor not being a first relative, an approval has to be obtained from a government-appointed Authorization Committee in each State of the country.


Such a racket thrives in India in spite of the regulatory framework because cadaver organ donation has never really caught on in India, either in terms of response from prospective donors or in terms of the requisite hospital infrastructure. 60,000 accident cases are reported in India every year.

While many of these victims are brought to the hospital in a brain-dead state, their organs are not efficiently harvested for the following reasons:
• Many of these victims are not even attended to in hospitals, as they are expected to be shifted to referral or government hospitals. While this happens, the victims die.
• Brain-death certification is to be given by an approved neurologist. There are not many of them around. They must be available when the accident victim is brought in. They must have the infrastructure to conduct the tests before declaring that the patient is brain-dead. After this is done, an organ bank has to be coordinated with. In many places the trauma / neuro unit is not located close to the organ bank. Hence the effort is quite often not made and sometimes it is made too late.
• Most people inherently fear donating organs, post-death.
How does one respond to the kidney racket? Typically the response should come from the police; they should use a piecemeal approach and enforce the law with an iron hand; they should arrest some of the guilty medical professionals and some donors who have sold their kidney since sale of human organs is an offence. Somehow I don’t think that the legal and police response will really work in India. There will always be poor people in the country and there will always be people willing to pay for the organ the poor people sell.


I think other ways will work better than this coercive way. In a country of a billion plus where people sell their daughters for Rs.10.00, why would a man not sell his kidney for a significantly higher sum of money? He would and no law can stop that practice because he has his own compulsions which outweigh all other considerations. So what would work?

Firstly, simplify the law, especially for cadaver organ donations. The present system which lays down that organs can be harvested only from brain-dead cadavers and brain-death has to be certified by a neurologist is rather utopian. Where on earth will we find all this manpower? Also in a country where people do not exactly line up to donate their organs and the mourning relatives want to complete the last rites, the requirement of certification will only kill whatever little inclination exists to donate kidneys as well as other organs. The law needs to be humane in other ways too. In case the donor of a kidney is a non-relative, he or she has to prove that he or she has a special affection for the recipient which has motivated the donation. Genuine benefactors might be hard put to demonstrate the reasons for their affection, but this is where the racketeer has his script ready.


Secondly, organ donation has to become a mass movement like blood donation has become in many parts of the country. There was a time when mobilising blood for a patient was something of a nightmare because there were myths and stories associated with the after-effects of blood donation and what it might do to a person. But once those myths were unravelled and revealed for the old wives’ tale that it was, the fear attaching to blood donation vanished and today on occasions like Republic Day and Independence Day, blood donation camps are effortlessly arranged. NCC cadets and NSS students also participate in such camps.


The same game needs to be played out in respect of organ donation too by invoking religious texts and roping in the services of teachers, if need be. The teachings of the various religions need to be explained and interpreted in a manner that will put to rest the fears and apprehensions of the people, somewhat akin to the way in which the services of the Maulavis are being sought to dispel fears about the polio vaccine among Muslims with at least some degree of success.


Let us remember that it is estimated that every year over 100,000 people are diagnosed as having kidney failure in India. Due to various reasons, including the non-availability of organs, only about 2,500 kidney transplants are done. In a country of our size, it is a very, very small number indeed.




Other Article(s) by Shantanu Dutta
Social responsibility - Not just corporate responsibility
The school that Anna built
Healthcare: How the Church can stay relevant
The World of Global Conversations
Battle for the ‘third space’

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Friday, February 01, 2008

Thats what the Imperialists did with us with crack cocaine


I’m not a hunter but i am told, that in places like in the Arctic, where indigenous people sometimes might hunt a wolf, they’ll take a double edged blade. And they’ll put blood on the blade, and they’ll melt the ice and stick the handle in the ice,so that only the blade is protruding. And that a wolf will smell the blood and wants to eat, and it will come and lick the blade trying to eat.

And what happens is when the wolf licks the blade, of course, he cuts his tongue, and he bleeds, and he thinks he’s really having a good thing. And he drinks and he licks and he licks, and of course he is drinking his own blood and he kills himself.

Thats what the Imperialists did with us with crack cocaine.
You have these young brothers out there who think they are getting something they gonna make a living with…

They getting something [so] they can buy a car, like “the white people have cars, why can’t i have a car?”

They getting something [so] they can get a piece of gold, “White people have gold, why can’t i have gold?”

They getting something to get a house, “White people have a house, why can’t i have a house?” And they actually think that there’s something that’s bringing resources to them, but they’re killing themselves just like the wolf was licking the blade.

And they’re slowly dying without knowing it.That’s whats happening to the community, you with me on that? That’s exactly, precisely what happens to the community. And instead of blaming the hunter who put the damn handle and blade in the ice for the wolf, what happens is the wolf gets the blame. Gets the blame for trying to live. That’s what happens in our community.

You don’t blame the person, the victim. You blame the oppressor. Imperialism, white power is the enemy, was the enemy when it first came to Africa and snatched up the first African brothers here against our will. [It] is the enemy today, and thats the thing that we have to understand.

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