Adverse effects of smoking

-- Source of Information : timeswellness.com --

There are certain specific gender related issues that make the need to ‘kick the butt’ more urgent. Read on to know how smoking affects men, women and teenager respectively.

Article written by : Dr Vasundhra Atre for Timeswellness.com, posted On Monday, May 30, 2011  

The cigarette casually hanging from the lip, a macho effect; a lady blowing smoke, gender equality, today’s woman; college students, smoking together, being with it are how the cigarette campaigns advertise the product.

Imagine, once lit, a cigarette reaches a temperature of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, releasing thousands of chemical compounds, including poisons like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, at least 43 carcinogens, and numerous mutagens. Each time the smoker inhales, all of these are drawn into the body.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of death. The fact that smoking is injurious to health and can cause respiratory ailments, thickening of the arteries, blood clots, cancer of the lung, cervix, larynx, mouth, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and kidney, and emphysema, and can cause symptoms such as reduced energy, poor athletic performance, wheezing, coughing, dizziness, and nausea, is common knowledge.

However, there are certain specific gender related issues that make the need to ‘kick the butt’ more urgent.

MEN :

• Smoking death ratios are higher than person consuming alcohol. Smoking related deaths included respiratory tract cancers, coronary artery disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Young men who smoke are likely to have lower IQs than their non-smoking peers.
• And as for the macho effect, beware the smoker’s droop. Impotence, or penile erectile dysfunction, is the repeated inability to have or maintain an erection. For men in their 30’s and 40’s the risk of erectile dysfunction is increased by around 50%.
• Smoking can also reduce the volume of ejaculate, lower the sperm count, be responsible for abnormal sperm shape and impaired sperm mobility.
• Chronic smoking causes constriction of the tiny blood vessels to the penis, which can result in eventual impotence.
• Men dread erectile dysfunction, which can lead to breakdown in relationships, anxiety or depression and apparently even after quitting smoking for as little as 24 hours can improve the quality of spontaneous erections and the ability to perform once more.
• Damaged sperm caused by some of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes can result in gene mutations that can result in miscarriage, birth defects, cancer, and other health problems for any future children. However, quitting the habit can clear up these possible problems in just two to three months.

WOMEN :

• It has been found that the highest rate of smoking (27%) occurs amongst women between 25 and 44 years of age. While women smokers suffer all the consequences of smoking that men do which include increased risk of various cancers and respiratory problems, there are certain smoking-related health risks unique to them.
• Women smokers who use oral contraceptives carry an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. The risk increases with age. It is not advisable for women over 35 who smoke to use oral contraceptives.
• During pregnancy the toxic chemicals in tobacco are passed through the blood stream to the foetus, which can potentially harm both the unborn child and the mother. Preterm delivery, low birth weight, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, miscarriage, and neonatal death, are some of the risks.
• Compared to children of non-smoker mothers children born to mothers who smoke suffer from more colds, ear problems and, respiratory problems.
• Compared to non-smokers, women who smoke and delay childbirth carry a greater risk of future infertility.
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is seen 33% more frequently in smokers than in non-smokers.
• A woman’s risk of early menopause increases three times, when started in the teens. The symptoms of menopause are noticed 2-3 years earlier than non-smokers.
• Women who smoke suffer from menstrual problems like abnormal bleeding, absence of periods, and vaginal infections more commonly.
• Women who smoke and are on hormone replacement therapy carry an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
• Women who smoke beware; smoking causes a significant increase in the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.
• Although most of the deaths in women due to ischemic heart disease are in women past menopause, the risk of smoking-related heart disease is significantly higher in young women smokers. A 50% greater risk of heart attack has been reported in women smokers over men smokers.
• Smoking may lead to the development of cervical cancer.
• Breast cancer patients who smoke may increase their risk of dying at least 25%. The risk decreases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. 
• Women smokers also experience a 40% higher risk of developing vulvar cancer.
• From the perspective of looks, smoking causes the facial skin to sag, deepening the wrinkles; cause dark circles around the eyes. Constant puckering of the lips can cause deep lines to form. Smoking stains the teeth making them yellow, while causing other dental problems. The lingering smell of stale smoke results in body odour. The fingers tend to become yellow and stained too.

TEENAGERS :

• Most adults who smoke become addicted to cigarettes as teenagers. Smoking has both short-term and long-term impact on the various body systems in teenagers.
• Bad breath and other dental problems, such as stained teeth and increased risks for cavities is an immediate effect of smoking on teenagers.
• The smell of stale cigarettes lingering in the hair, on clothing, and even from the pores of the skin can cause body odour.
• Smoking gives the skin a pale or yellow look.
• Premature signs of aging like wrinkles, especially around the lips have been shown to be the effect of smoking in teenagers by the National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health.
• Compared to non-smoking teens those who smoke have smaller lungs and hearts, which can lead to shortness of breath and persistent coughing.
• Teenage smokers are more prone to respiratory ailments, such as flu, cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
• Smoking reduces the level of physical fitness and increases the chances of injury.
• Smoking also affects the quality of sperm greatly. Teenagers who smoke heavily may never be able to sire children. If they do there is a risk that their children may suffer from various genetic defects.
• Smoking can also worsen other medical problems.

There are more reasons to quit smoking than continuing. Kick the butt, today.

Read more at : http://www.timeswellness.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=1&contentid=20110530201105301223224606a73e4f8

Mandangad - the hilly coastal Ratnagiri taluka

Mandangad is the north most taluka in Ratnagiri district. It is a hilly coastal zone. The Arabian Sea is about 35 km from Mandangad. It is famous for its fort situated nearby.

Mandangad is surrounded by villages such as Adkhal, Buri, Surle, Pat, Dhutroli, Nargoli, Bankot, Veshvi, Velas, Valota, Mahaprol, Kudk, Gharadi, Tulshi, Knzar … etc.

Climate :

It is located on higher level than sea; the weather is not that humid. The winters are cold.

Transportation :

Mandangad is 175 km from Ratnagiri, 170 km from Pune and 192 km from Mumbai. It is well connected by road. The major road transportation is ST buses.

Facilities :

There is one high school and college which is affiliated to Mumbai University. Recently one English medium school is also opened in Mandangad.

There is one government hospital and few private hospitals.

Economy :

Like other talukas in Ratnagiri district such as Khed or Dapoli, the economy of Mandangad taluka is still under developed. Even though, the people of Mandangad and its villages are well settled, the market is still not well emerged. Mandangad has good potential for growth due to surrounding strong market.

Tourist sites :

As Mandangad is close to coast, the coastal areas are beautiful places to visit, e.g. velas, bankot, vesvi … etc.

The coastal place Velas is at the distance of about 36 km from Mandangad.

Bankot is also famous for Himmatgad Fort is also called as Victoria Fort. The River Savitri approaches the sea at Bankot. Bankot is also close to Harihareshwar, ferry boats or jetties are available to reach there.

This post need more information, reader please contribute.

Ratnagiri District HSC Result – 85.89%

-- Source of Information : Sakal News, Saturday, May 28 --

Taluka wise result :

• Chiplun – 85.38 %
• Dapoli – 74.69 %
• Guhagar – 91.55 %
• Khed – 79.84 %
• Lanja – 90.84 %
• Mandangad – 86.41 %
• Rajapur - 89.39 %
• Ratnagiri 87.67 %
• Sangmeshawar - 91.23 %.

Stream wise result :

• Science - 89.62 %.
• Arts - 84.32 %.
• Commerce - 83.44 %.

Result can also be check at : http://mahresult.nic.in/hsc2011/hsc11.htm
Read more at : http://www.esakal.com/esakal/20110528/5026129298877127051.htm

Konkan Railway extra Safety Precautions during Monsoon

-- Source of Information : Konkan Railway.com --

Konkan Railway is always committed to the cause of Safety and Security of its Esteemed Passengers, which are not compromised at any cost. In order to ensure safety measures before the onset of monsoon, as also to stabilize the cuttings and make the track more safe to travel, KRCL has spent about 18.80 Cr for various Geo-safety works on its route with special attention to flattening of slopes, rock bolting, shotcreting and rock bolting inside tunnels. The Geo-safety works done on the route include earthwork for flattening of slopes and provision of berms, catchwater drain lining, RCC retaining walls, gabion walls, shotcreting, rock bolting, … etc.

Apart from the above, intensive round the clock patrolling of track on

KR Route

has been undertaken during the ensuing Monsoon. The Patrolling Squad will therefore be working round the clock along the track, between the stations and on the vulnerable sections to ensure smooth and safe working of train operations. Moreover, watchmen will also be deputed at the vulnerable sections as a precautionary measure, apart from intensifying the day and night inspections by the Officers and Supervisors.

Necessary precautionary measures have also been adopted at vulnerable locations and bridges. Adequate stock of reserve material has been made available for tackling monsoon emergencies. One excavator mounted on BFR has been kept at Ratnagiri and Verna to attend to any soil slippage / boulder fall during monsoon for immediate restoration of traffic. Necessary liaisoning is also maintained with the concerned State Government Authorities so that release of excess water from reservoirs / dams / bunds do not affect the Railway Traffic.

Konkan Railway will also be implementing a Monsoon Time Table on its KR Route in order to ensure safe, smooth and efficient train operations during the ensuing rainy season.

Dapoli Taluka - Best Tourist Place

Dapoli taluka is called as the “Mini Mahabaleshwar” because of its cool climate throughout the year. Dapoli is separated from the Sayhadri range by the Khed taluka. Dapoli has a seaboard of 50 km which stretches from Burondi, Kelshi to Dabhol. The coastline differs little in its general characteristics from that of other parts of Kokan. It is densely covered by coconut farms. The principal rivers are Bharja in the north and Vashishthi in the south. There is also a small river called Jog which flows through Sarang, Tadil and into the Arabian Sea.

Dapoli is surrounded by villages such as Anjarle, Harne, Sarang, Bhopan, Dabhol, Unhavare, Jaalgaon, Gimhavane, Asud, Vanand, Kherdi, Karde, Murud, Pangari Dabhil, Umberghar, Unaware … etc

Dapoli taluka is a good place to enjoy because of nice weather due to height, beaches, forts, temples, and caves. That is why it can be best described as a place where a hill station and a beach come together.

From historic point of view Dapoli is also the city which gave birth to many historic idols like Lokmanya Tilak, Sane Guruji , Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve , Rangler Paranjape … etc. Dapoli was also a military camp for the British soldiers.

Dapoli is also famous for education; it is a home of well-known agriculture institute Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Kokan Krishi Vidyapeeth and also has many other educational societies.

There are many Mango trees in Dapoli and near villages. There are also many Kaju and fanas trees in Dapoli Taluka.

An overview of childhood depression

-- Source of Information : timeswellness.com, Dr Parul R Sheth --

A number of factors can trigger depression at any age or at any stage, and children are no exception to this. They too can suffer from depression; anxiety, sadness, feelings of hopelessness creeping in their tiny minds. Sadly enough children are unable to communicate about what they are feeling or experiencing.

Professor Pratap Sharan, Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, points out “The prevalence of depression in children and adolescents in India needs to be understood in the context of the high and ever increasing evidence of suicidal behaviour in young Indian population.” In the general population, about 5% of children and adolescents suffer from depression at some time or the other.

Children may inherit the depressive trait. All those children who are under extreme stress due to events such as divorce of their parents, childhood abuse, loss of a parent or a close family member, setbacks at school or love life in teenagers and those with disorders associated with attention and learning, are more prone to depression.

At times children who seem to have an ideal life can still suffer from depression. When depression persists it may interfere with the child/adolescent’s ability to function. It is therefore important for adults to seek out this depression and help the child offering them plenty of love, care and support.

Different types of depressions

There are several types and forms of depression. But the common types of depression that affect kids and teenagers are - major depression, dysthymia, reactive depression, seasonal affective disorder and bipolar disorder or manic depression. Bipolar depression in children can be severe and yet it is more common in adolescents. It can occur along with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or conduct disorder (CD).

Major depression: This is a serious form of depression that may last for at least two weeks. This is a condition that brings about persistent sad moods and the child feels depressed almost every day. There can be feelings of worthlessness or guilt and unhappiness all the time.

Your child may lose interest in activities, which he/she used to enjoy, criticize, and imagine that others are criticizing them. The child harbours negative feelings; feels unloved and may even think about suicide. Children with major depression can have trouble concentrating, decision making, they neglect their looks and dressing, sleep too little or too much and may turn aggressive at times. Your child may not seem so sad but he/she can be in bad moods that remain for a long time. This depressive state can interfere with eating, sleeping and other daily activities.

Dysthymia: This is a minor form of depression but can last longer. A child with dysthymia can become irritable and gloomy for a long period of time; almost a year or even longer. There is a feeling of hopelessness and low self-esteem and problems with eating and sleeping. Unlike major depression, the problems do not interfere with day-to-day activities. The child is engulfed in sadness all the time. Experts report almost 10% of dysthymic children developing major depression.

Reactive depression: This is the most common form of depression in children and teenagers. It does not last long. The depression can be because of a reaction to an instance for example, a big fight with friends or a loss of someone close or low grades at school etc. The feelings are that of sadness and sluggishness, which are temporary. The mood lifts on its own once the child indulges in a new activity.

Bipolar disorder: Also called manic-depressive illness, affects around 1-2% of children. This is a mood disorder, which is characterized by low moods or sadness followed by an episode of high moods or mania causing irritability and volatile temper.  Bipolar disorder often develops in teenage years, which can then persist in adulthood. Mania can make your teenager overconfident and loud. Both children and adolescents experience anxiety, irritability, attention deficit disorders and behavioural problems in addition to mood changes because of episodes of depression and mania.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): A change of seasons, especially winter can cause SAD, which results in depression, fatigue, overeating etc. According to a survey carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA, about 3% of children suffer from SAD with a greater incidence occurring in the last three years of high school in the US.

Read more at : http://www.timeswellness.com/article/3/201105032011050217144777153b346a0/An-overview-of-childhood-depression.html

LTLR (Look, Think and Reap) Approach for your Investment

 Mr. Intikhab Chougule

This is a really good article written by Mr. Intikhab Chougule who is working as Associate Vice President with HSBC Group in India and has been a retail banker for past 11 years. I would request readers to read this article as Mr. Intikhab Chougule has very well shared his personal experience about an approach to the different Investment portfolios.

In the initial days of my profession in Banking Industry, I was very fascinated by few of my senior colleagues as they were always into meticulous planning of their investment. The priority was very clearly set, a good part of the earnings would always be put aside as savings for future commitment i.e. buying a house, marriage, retirement planning … etc. Initially I would find the entire exercise a little out of place as I had come from a telecom background and was quiet young, so life was all about having fun and splurging the earned money on the wants of today. But with time I realised how important it was to plan your savings.

In few years of my planning and execution, I was able to see success in quiet a few things in my life. There are always many options and ways around the things that you would want to procure or achieve in life. You have to simply sit back and think clearly as to what your want is and how you plan to achieve the same. This will have to be supported with a successful financial planning as that holds the crux of your want.

It will be an interesting exercise to take some time out from our busy schedule and do a simple comparison between the times that is being spent by our generation and the times spend by our parents. The comparison can be in terms of the lifestyle, professional options available or more interestingly a subject that can be more useful for us and that is the option of investments at those times and now.

In the times when most of us were growing up and our parents were busy fighting many battles of life, the investment options available to them were very limited. For investments, few options that immediately come to my mind are Bank Fixed Deposits, Government Bonds, Post Office schemes like National Saving Certificate, Kisan Vikas Patra, Indira Vikas Patra and the Monthly Income Scheme’s. Real Estate was considered more of a need based instrument by many and it was an investment for a long term. The investor of earlier generations used to buy Gold, but it was mainly for his personal use on occasion’s like marriages, festivals … etc, and was also at times considered to be the last resort of raising funds in the hour of need / financial difficulty.    

When we talk of economy today, the scenario has changed there has been major economic prosperity all over. Our part of the world is being looked as one of the most promising economy and with the robust growth rates that we have registered in last few years it looks very true too. Higher income levels and booming stock markets have led to more and more numbers of HNIs (High Networth Individuals). This also means the availability of huge investible surplus and a higher risk appetite with want to experiment and try new and exotic products in the name of diversification. This has resulted in emergence of new options and there are more products available like Equity, Mutual Fund, Insurance, Currency Trading, Gold, Real Estate etc.

Let us try and check few of our options in today’s time in more details:

Mutual Funds :

In past few years, Mutual funds have truly emerged as one of the most popular investment option preferred by the working class. The growth registered by few of MF schemes in the past has been simply terrific.  There are numerous MF schemes available and many different variants like Diversified, Sectoral, Floaters and Liquid etc. The most popular option used by many people in working class is Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs).

Direct Equity :

Individuals can invest in equity directly through a local broker or by utilizing the online platform of any large banks. Similarly, there is an option to avail the services of a reputed Broker/AMC and sign on the Portfolio Management Scheme (PMS) offered by them. For investors who are tech savvy, you can simply sign on with any online platform of a bank/ NBFC and on the click of a button you can apply for IPO or buy / sell shares of companies and need not worry about filling up forms or getting your refund orders back in time. Everything is instant now, right from applying for new shares to getting back your refund in your bank account. To decide on PMS provider one has to be careful though as most of them will talk about capital preservation with quality growth. They will assure the investor about good model and research-based advice and obviously about consistent returns. One has to then see whether they have process driven methods of capturing periodic gains and their performance history during volatile periods.

Insurance

Insurance was previously bought primarily for tax purposes and LIC was the only player in the market till few years back. Look at the options today; lots of private players have entered the market and are offering several choices. The schemes offered today by these players are packaged in such a way that investor looks at it not only from tax saving’s point of view but also as a retirement planning option. There are people who want to buy it only for life cover and would go for term insurance. ULIPs are hugely popular and sold as an attractive asset with Insurance/Retirement benefit.

Overseas Investment

RBI has offered an option for Resident Indians, one can invest upto 0.2 million US $ abroad in one name and minors are also included in this scheme. So if a family of four with husband, wife and two kids wants to invest abroad, they can buy real estate, stocks, derivatives, currency etc upto a total value of 0.8 million US $. This option primarily suits HNIs who would like to invest in global products. But they fully have to understand the taxation methods, systems, procedures etc.

Commodities :

A new avenue for investors in the form of Commodity derivatives has emerged; this is for the investors who want to diversify their portfolios beyond shares, bonds and real estate. Commodities may also offer potential to become a hedging tool if one has specific interest in a particular commodity.

Gold

In recent times, gold has appreciated and is considered a very safe bet for investment. In older times, the options available to investors were buying either gold jewellery or gold bars. Today you have many more options which have been refined and made easy for investors who want to invest in Gold. Few popular variants of investing in Gold are buying Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) and Mutual Fund’s scheme’s which are more specific in investing into gold mining companies across the world.

Real Estate

In my opinion, this is the best form of Investment available to the investors. Now with Banks / Institutes willing to finance the property basis your earning capacity of next few years, buying of a residential real estate has become very easy. Investor has to do an analysis of his capabilities to invest and define the utilization of the investment over a period of time. Individual investors today, also have an option of investing in reality funds. A reality fund is an entity established usually in the form of a trust or a company for collecting funds from various investors (known as contributors) which then invest these funds in portfolio companies engaged in developing real estate projects with the objective of realizing profits from such investments with in a defined time frame. Options like buying stocks of Real Estate companies which are listed on exchanges and Real Estate Mutual Funds are also available with the individual investors.

As an Investor, I would like to take an approach which gives me maximum returns with minimum risk. But the million dollar question that requires to be answered is how many of us really have the inclination of checking our options and evaluating the same. To put the above in simple words, there are many options available and in addition to every option, there will be multiple sub-options.

In all honesty, not all of us will posses the competency of assessing the best options available and hence there can be an alternate channel that can be considered while planning our investments. Every investment sector today will have core people with the capabilities of assisting you with options suitable to your investment needs and risk appetite. There are

Financial Planners who will help investors to plan, budget, identify financial goals and suggest diversification keeping in the risk appetite of the investor. I personally feel that one has to enjoy his life and leave the rest to experts and more importantly trust them. If you can trust your doctor, lawyer, Chartered Accountant and follow their instructions then there are definitely huge benefits and mental peace if you follow your Financial Planner’s advice the same way.

I personally recommend that the approach one should adopt in life towards financial investments should be Don’t Measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

Failure is not the worst thing in the world. The very worst is, not to try.

Source Submitted by : Mr. Intikhab Chougule who also contribute his articles on www.ikokani.com

Mr.Intikhab Chougle, is Associate Vice President with HSBC Group in India and has been a retail banker for past 11 years. He has completed his Bachelors in Commerce from Mumbai University and is currently pursuing his MBA with major in ‘Banking & Finance’. With a total working experience of close to 15 years in Mumbai, he has been an active member in social service in Mumbai for promoting causes like ‘education for girl child’ and promoting medical assistance for old and deserving people. He has also traveled to Malaysia, Paris, a part of UAE market for professional reasons and has acquired vast market knowledge about investments and business approaches adopted in different markets.

He believes, it is very important that we must return back to the community what we have earned and learned from the society and hence is willing to extend his support to the people who would want to seek his expertise in setting and achieving their financial goals.

He can be reached on his e-mail : intikhabchougle@hotmail.com

Amchi Mumbai - the city of dreams

Sixteen out of India’s 40 richest business tycoons call Mumbai home. So do hundreds of Bollywood actors and directors, more than a dozen of whom have taxable incomes exceeding $1 million a year. Then there are the bankers, consultants and other professionals whose pay is fast approaching global levels.

The city, a diamond-trading hub, also has enormous family wealth going back to the 19th century when Mumbai financiers made a fortune selling raw cotton to Manchester and opium to China.

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, the most populous city of India, and by some measures the most populous city in the world with an estimated population of about 18 million (as of 2006). Mumbai is located on Salsette Island, off the west coast of Maharashtra. Along with its neighbouring suburbs, it forms the world’s fifth most populous metropolitan area with a population of about 20 million. The metro population ranking is projected to rise to 4th in the world by 2015 due to an annual growth rate of 2.2%. The city has a deep natural harbour and the port handles over half of India's passenger traffic and a significant amount of cargo.

Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India, and houses important financial institutions, such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and the corporate headquarters of many Indian companies. Mumbai has attracted migrants from all over India because of the immense business opportunities, and the relatively high standard of living, making the city a potpourri of various communities and cultures. The city is home to India’s Hindi film and television industry, known as Bollywood. Mumbai is also one of the few cities that accommodate a national park, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, within its city limits.

Credit of Information : Rizvi Builder Website, www.rizvi.com

8 important manners you should teach your little ones

-- Source of Information : Yahoo India --

We all want to raise our little ones to be polite and well behaved, and learning those lessons starts at home. It’s never too early to teach your little ones basic manners! Here are eight of the most important manners you should try to teach your little ones before they go to school. They won’t remember them all, or get them right every time, but patience and perseverance should get you through:

1. Always say please and thank you :

Whether they're activities as small as giving your little one a snack, or them asking if they can play in the garden, always reinforce the importance of saying please and thank you. No matter how young your children are, you can't start enforcing this rule too early!

2. Table manners :

When your tiny tots are just learning to eat at the table, start teaching them the manners you'd like them to have for the rest of their lives! Rules like not eating with their mouths open, or not putting their elbows on the table, are good life lessons for your children to learn as soon as possible.

3. Play dates :

When you're little ones go on play dates, or to birthday parties, remind them to thank their friends parents for having them over. If you aren't going to be attending the play date or event with your little one, ensure your little ones know they should treat their friends parents (and all grown-ups) with the same respect they treat you.

4. Birthday party etiquette :

It's often said that kids go wild at birthday parties - all the sweet snacks and fun can make little ones get excited, and sometimes forget their manners. But no matter how excited your little one is on their birthday, there are some manners they shouldn't forget: to open their presents thoughtfully (not ripping off the paper, or tossing the present to one side as soon as they've seen it) and to say thank you for every gift, and to every attendee.

5. Mind the language :

There will come a moment every parent dreads: the moment your little one swears. And then finds it funny! The worst thing you can do in this scenario is laugh. Let them know that you already know that word, you think it's unpleasant, not funny, and ask your little one not to use it again!

6. Don't be mean :

Kids tease each other, and they find it funny. But this can sometimes go a step too far and lead to bullying. Make sure your little ones don't call others mean names, and don't make fun of anyone for any reason. Ganging up on someone else is cruel, not clever.

7. Excuse me! :

Once your little ones have mastered saying please and thank you, teach them to say excuse me. It's the polite thing to say when you have to interrupt someone, or bump into somebody.

8. TMI (too much information) ! :

There are some things that are too much information, and that your little ones shouldn't talk about in public! These include genitals, poo, nose picking, and all the other gory things that amuse kids!

Read more at : http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/relationships/8-important-manners-teach-little-ones-article-ilgg.html

Laughter is the best medicine

This is an article on an insight as to why laughter is the best medicine

-- Source of Information : Timeswellness.com --

The coinage laughter is the medicine has been used time and again; but in today’s stressful environment, laughter seems to be disappearing from our lives. On average people used to laugh at least 18 times a day, but today its just 6 minutes a day. On one hand children laugh 300 times a day but when it comes to adults, this frequency drops to 15 times a day.

Many researches have shown that laughter has thereupeutic benefits. According to some studies laughter therapy has shown to :

• Boost the immune and circulatory system;
• Relax muscles;
• Increase oxygen intake;
• Trigger the release of endorphins;
• Improve mental functions;
• Reduce stress;
• Lead to quality life; and
• Elevates the mood.

Dr Madan Kataria, Founder Laughter Yoga Movement says, “Researchers have proved that laughter has the ability to unwind the negative effects of stress: the catalyst for many of our health problems. More than 70% of illnesses - such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent coughs and colds, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, tension headaches, stomach upsets and even cancer - are in some way related to stress.”

Laughter and sleep

The benefits of laughter first came to light with Norman Cousin’s memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins was diagnosed with a painful spine condition. Watching comedy shows and laughing helped him feel better. According to him ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

Laughter and the heart

As per a research by the American College of Cardiology, University of Maryland done on 20 healthy people, it was reported that laughter was as beneficial to their arteries as aerobic exercises.

Laughter and cancer

All over the world there are hundreds of people in laughter clubs who suffer from cancer and many have reported that regular laughing sessions have brought a new hope into their lives. Scientific research has proved that laughter has a profound impact on the immune system, which decides the course of survival.

Dr Kataria says, “Laughter Yoga has been effectively implemented in many cancer hospitals helping the patients and the care givers to cope with the pain and trauma.” Swedish Cancer Hospital in Chicago, USA does regular Laughter Yoga while patients are taking chemotherapy.

Laughter and disabilities

Laughter has also made a major difference in the lives of many people with physical and mental disabilities. In Bangalore, the introduction of Laughter Yoga for mentally and physically challenged children has revealed a marked improvement in their motor and expressive skills and control in hyper activeness.

Dr Kataria says, “Many such people who come to these sessions in wheelchairs have shown tremendous improvement in their physical condition and mental health. Laughter Yoga has also been introduced in many blind schools and among the deaf and mute children to help them cope with their disabilities and generate a more positive attitude, which will help them to enhance their wellbeing.”

Laughter and senior citizens

In fact laughter has shown to have a positive impact on senior citizens as well. Faced with age related troubles, seniors find their physical and mental faculties on the decline. Since the cognitive abilities in seniors are compromised due to senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, they find it difficult to comprehend humour. Therefore, Laughter Yoga is the ideal form of exercise routine that can help them to get complete health benefits of laughter.

Thus, maybe we should take some time out during the day and laugh are way to good health.

Have any more interesting benefits of laughter? Share them with us and the rest of our reader, and let us all laugh our way to good health together.

Also check other health related articles on http://konkantribune.blogspot.com/search/label/Health%20%2F%20Fitness

Credit of Information to timeswellness.com, Read more at : http://timeswellness.com/article/6/2011050120110429160307765ef803f82/Laughter-is-the-best-medicine.html

How to grow your money with gold

-- Source of Information : Economic times --

The perception about gold in India has come a long way from the days when its main function was to merely adorn and act as a status symbol. The emotional investment in the metal was so huge that parting with it seemed unthinkable. Consequently, it seldom yielded worth-while returns.

Now, however, it is becoming clear that an increasing number of Indians are realising that gold deserves a place not just in the cupboard at home or the bank locker, but also in their investment portfolio.

"Gold has been a traditional favourite for Indian investors. There is a shift in the mindset of investors. They are now looking beyond gold as merely a commodity for consumption and are realising its worth as an investment avenue too. It has given steady returns over a period of time," says Sutapa Banerjee, CEO, private wealth, Ambit Capital.

The trust in gold as a safe haven and a good hedge against inflation has only soared in the backdrop of the current global economic scenario. As a result, the yellow metal is red-hot at the moment, and the entire world wants to be part of the gold rush. Though prices have shot up and are hovering around the Rs 21,000-level, they have failed to eclipse its shine.

On the contrary, the already-humungous appetite of Indians to consume gold only seems to have been whetted further. According to a recent research report from the World Gold Council (WGC), Indian gold demand has grown 25% despite the 400% appreciation in the rupee in the past decade. The study expects the demand in the country to increase by over 30% in real terms.
Keen to capitalise on the growing reliance on gold as purely an investment avenue, the manufacturers and distributors of financial products are actively promoting instruments with exposure to the precious metal. Gold ETFs (exchange traded funds) and gold mining funds are becoming popular amongst retail investors. While these are relatively simpler to comprehend, the same cannot be said about other instruments like gold-based structured products.

The workings

The key to getting the best out of such complex products is to understand how they work. Their complicated nature means that they are usually targeted at high net worth individuals (HNIs) who are supposed to be conversant with the sophistication the products entail. However, in many cases, HNIs too rely on the expertise of wealth management arms of banks and boutique firms which usually act as the distributors for these products.

"Structured products come in various forms and the underlying security is commonly equity or an index. Now, we are customising structured products with the underlying security as gold. Hence, an investor can gain from the upside in gold even as the downside is protected," explains Banerjee. Despite the nomenclature of 'structured' products, this category does not exhibit uniform features.

Such instruments are typically customised for investors except in case of products like capital-protection oriented funds or equity-linked debentures/fixed maturity plans that are designed for retail investors' consumption. Structured products broadly refer to instruments that have exposure to equities and debt in varying, but prefixed, proportion, with derivatives also forming a part of the mix.

Capital protection is also one of the features of this category, although this comes with several riders. They track the underlying theme, say Nifty, while promising a participation in the upside (read returns) and protection on the downside (as they attempt to minimise losses). Therefore, in case of gold-linked structures, the instruments will attempt to replicate the performance of gold to an extent.

Why gold?

The simplest answer is that it is 'in' at the moment. "Product manufacturers will latch on to any underlying (asset), which is the flavour of the season. Usually, this particular underlying becomes the flavour after exhibiting good performance for an extended period of time, say three-five years. We had a profusion of Nifty-linked debentures in 2007 and now we are having gold-linked products," says Jayant Pai, vice-president, Parag Parikh Financial Advisory Services.

This is a big drawback of the structures. They come into the picture when the asset is rather popular. And what is popular need not offer the best-risk-adjusted returns in future. And then, there are other macro-economic factors too, including the ones mentioned earlier. "The trend usually is that gold weakens with a rising dollar. But there have been times when gold prices have continued to rise even as the dollar strengthened. Investors are currently bullish on gold and are keen to include gold as a part of their investment portfolio in view of the global turmoil," says Ambit's Banerjee.

Best of both the worlds?

Though the idea of gaining from market performance without taking the risk of your capital being eroded sounds exciting, the complexities involved call for a more cautious approach. "Reading the fine print is important. For example, one such product offered by a broking firm averages the initial entry price and the price on each cut-off date. Hence, it is obvious that the investor will not get the full benefit of the price rise. Of course, if there is a secular fall in prices your capital will be protected," explains Pai.

"Another product has a participation rate of 165%. Unfortunately, (or may be deliberately) the detailed break-up of the cost is not given." Understanding the participation rate becomes critical here. Participation rate is the exposure of a product to movements in the price of the underlying asset.

If the participation rate is 100%, the structured product would generate a return exactly equal to the rise in the underlying asset. For example, if a structure offers you a participation of 120% of underlying, say MCX gold futures, your returns will be 120% of the returns offered by MCX gold futures over the scheme period before charges. Also, don't trust the principal guarantee clause blindly.

If the structured products are in the form of debentures, ascertain who is issuing the debentures. The protection promise is contingent upon the issuer or the guarantor (of debentures, if the product is offered in this form) not defaulting. This apart, the commitment will hold good only if you stay invested till maturity. While verifying the estimated returns, factor in the charges levied as well as the taxability of gains or losses made to get the true picture.

"Also, check the price being used as the underlying. For instance, is it the London AM/PM fix, average of London prices over a particular period, MCX gold prices, etc. If London prices are used, check out the manner in which the price in pounds is converted into rupees," advises Pai of PPFAS. Finally, don't go for a product simply because it is popular. Making predictions is a tricky business and it's no different for gold. Therefore, the best strategy is to decide the allocation to the shimmering metal in your portfolio and stick to it.

Read more at : http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-04-05/news/29384334_1_gold-etfs-indian-gold-demand-gold-rush

Will new power plants kill state mango belt

Despite the threat to agriculture, the government is pushing for no less than 14 power and mining projects in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, the mango capital of Maharashtra. The government is ignoring the pollution factor even it is known that coal-based projects extensively pollute water and land.

The government doesn’t seem to have learnt a lesson after the people’s mandate against the proposed 10,000 MW nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Ratnagiri district on Maharashtra’s Konkan coast, which poses a grave challenge to the region’s eco system. It has emerged that the government has proposed to initiate 14 other power and mining projects in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, besides the five that already exist.

The two districts currently generate 3,000 MW of electricity with the existing power plants. With zero theft of electricity, the farmers of the region, referred to as the mango capital of the country, consume only 180 MW of electricity. They fear that the new projects will irrevocably damage the eco-system by killing the fish and contaminating the water, which will ultimately affect the production of mangoes from the region.

"If every 15-20 km you put up a power plant, you may have an impact assessment for one, but what will be the cumulative impact assessment of all these coming up in this region? The government has no study on this," said Dr Vivek Bhide, Activist, Ratnagiri.

But the state government says that with the centre's moratorium on projects in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts these proposals are in abeyance. The government says it will take into consideration people's views before sanctioning projects.

"We need development but we are working to make sure it does not come at the cost of our environment," said Sachin Ahir, Minister of State, Environment.

The government's assurance aside, the dissent is growing as villagers near existing plants already face the ill-effects.

"You can maybe taste sea water, but not this well water. You can't even use it to wash your hands and feet. The skin develops an itch," said Vaman Gurav, Villager, Kunbiwadi.

''You can see the impact on the mango plantations. The fly-ash has destroyed the flowering plantations," said Santosh Bole, Villager, Kunbiwadi.

Now the Jaitapur factor has given these smaller protests an added edge.

Some of the proposed projects :

Besides the JSW and Finolex Plants that are already operational there are others in the pipeline such as :

Peoples talk :

• Advocate Pradeep Parulekar, an activist from Ratnagiri said, “We do not need all the electricity that is being generated over here. The government is forcing new projects on the land. This will affect our mango crop and the fish.” Nearly 2.5 lakh hectare is used for growing mangoes and cashews. If all these projects come up, the crops will be affected. These crops are our livelihood and this is what our region is known for, he said.
• Rajendra Wadekar, a fisherman from Madban village in Ratnagiri district, where a 15,000 MW nuclear power plant has been proposed, said that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) project at Jaitapur would kill the fish. “I sustain my family by fishing. We catch crabs and lobsters that sell at premium. If this project starts, it will destroy the Konkan belt.” The villagers are understandably angry at the government’s flip flop on the Jaitapur project. The Chief Minister said last Tuesday that the project would go ahead with increased compensation to the villagers.
• Majeed Govankar, a resident of Madban village, said that they didn’t want the compensation and were happy with fishing and farming. “If these projects begin, we aren’t the only ones affected. What will happen to the people who come to build these projects? Where will they go, once the project is completed?” he asked. “The sale of fish and export of mangoes earn enough for us. This is what the Konkan is best known for it.”

Source of Information :

• http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/may/010511-power-plants-mango-production-mumbai.htm
• http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/fuelling-dissent-coal-power-plants-102602?cp