Bird Flu: Personal Preparedness Must Include These 4 Critical Areas
Posted by admin in environment on 12 30th, 2009The recent hurricanes Katrina and Rita have been powerful reminders of how destructive the forces of nature can be, and how preparation for them can mitigate their effects. Avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu,?is a powerful force of nature that we must prepare for suffer the potentially devastating health and financial consequences. Bird flu is a viral contagious disease, just like the regular seasonal flu, but it might turn out to be 70 times more deadly. And, because of the nature of the virus, it might be most deadly for healthy children and adults, and pregnant wome nmust like the so-called Spanish flu of 1918-19 was. The report of the U.S. National Intelligence Council’s 2020 Project, Mapping the Global Future, identified a global pandemic (an epidemic that is worldwide) as the single most important threat to the global economy. According to Shigeru Omi, regional director of the World Health Organization, the world is now in the gravest possible danger of a pandemic.?And according to Dr. Robert Webster, a world-renowned influenza researcher at St.
The bird-flu virus is extremely contagious; it is transmitted though casual contact with a contagious person (who might not have any symptoms during the first 24 hours of infection), through touching contaminated objects , and through the air. Because of this, you want to stay away from people as much as possible, and that means spending more time at home. Your children will not be at school, they will be home. If your home is on the 73rd floor in an apartment building in New York City, how are you going to avoid other people? You might want to think of an alternative living situation for a few months.
The same principle applies to your work setting. If you can telecommute, that is the best scenario. If you don’t telecommute now, but because of the type of work you do it might be a possibility, discuss it with your employer. If you will have to continue to work closely with others at your job site, what can be done there to help protect you and others from infection? How can policies and procedures be amended to minimize contact with coworkers or customers? Are there hand-washing stations available? What are your employer’s plans for dealing with the coming pandemic? Discuss these and related issues with your employer and coworkers.
The author is a roofer and good at roofing at http://roofingcompany.co.nz/
read comments (0)Police Officers Have Found that Stun Guns Have Decreased Effective Results When Zealous Rules Hinder Their Utilization
Posted by admin in environment on 12 27th, 2009Stun guns are now authorized for use by police officers in all U.S. states now permit the use of stun guns to be used by police officers.Consequently of the final state to allow stun gun use means its permitted use has been radically limited.Because of limit ability it is hardly a viable option. Considering the maze of regulations, police officers are more likely to use their handgun than risk overstepping the tight boundaries regarding usage of stun guns.
Stun gun availability can be a hindrence
One of the major limits in New Jersey’s policy is that municipalities with less than 25,000 residents can only have one officer authorized to carry a stun gun. Because that officer cannot be in more than one place at any given time there is a significant chance that situations that should not need to escalate to lethal force will unfortunately rise to that level.
If stun guns are meant to decrease the number of fatalities and/or injuries in police events then it makes no sense to set such an extreme limit on the number of stun guns available to the police. New Jersey’s Star-Ledger makes the interesting point that police officers who have not earned the trust to acquire and carry a non-lethal weapon are all as a result carrying guns - but if you trust the officers with lethal weapons such as a gun then why not non-lethal weapons such as a stun gun?
Split Second Police Decisions on Stun Gun Usage
Police officers are required to make split second decisions in tense situations and the list of stun gun rules in New Jersey makes a difficult situation even more complex. Usage is permitted upon the mentally ill, for example, a difficult diagnosis to make in the middle of an incident, but not to prevent a suspect from fleeing, to keep a suspect compliant, or to prevent property damage.
Is it surprising, then, that officers would reach for their handgun, with rules and regulations that are readily understood, rather than the stun gun?
Therefore if the utilization of a stun gun has been proven to lessen the number of injuries and fatalities during police incidents then usage should not be disabled by government officials who are overcautious.
An Assessment of Four Good Printers and Which One is Right For You and Your Agency
Posted by admin in environment on 12 26th, 2009Laser printer cartridges can be very confusing. Sometimes we are asked, “Which is the best laser printer for me?” This isn’t an easy inquiry to lay to rest because it depends on what you require your printer to do. There are many different types of ink printer cartridges.Do you wish for an all in one laser printer, a very straightforward single function inkjet printer or a tiny photo printer? How much are you ready to spend? Also, do not overlook that the purchase price isn’t the sole cost you will have. There is the expense of the replacement photo printer cartridges. We have reviewed four printers across all categories to satisfy your curiosity. This starting point should help you in your search. If you’re interested in certain categories, printers cartridges or products, you should at least have a base level of information with which to begin.
Canon Pixma MX330- The Canon Pixma MX330 is not the best producer of high quality prints, nevertheless it is perhaps the most flexible printer in the under 0 class. A 1.8 inch LCD screen, simple to work features, together with an auto-document feeder makes this printer an outstanding alternative for individuals and families that are on a strict budget.
Canon Pixma MX7600-The Canon Pixma MX7600 is a multifunctional printer and this model is a considerable improvement over the last one. With new features such as an upgraded control cockpit, auto duplexer and a generous number of faxing alternatives, the MX7600 is a very fine value.
Brother HL 2040-If you are on a tight budget and can’t expend a lot, this particular version can meet your needs. Shoppers might be able to get a laser printer for less than 0 that may work just fine for both workplace and family usage. It works on both Windows and MAC so there is no need to lose sleep about set up or compatibility issues. The printer is exceedingly lightweight and does not use up a lot of room. It has an interface that is pretty undemanding and exceptionally user friendly.
Brother HL-5250DN- This Brother printer is network equipped and promises high-quality graphic and text prints for your small business or home use. There is a good element called a duplexer which allows you to save paper and the simple to understand setup directions make putting in place a snap. At 30 pages per minute output for text, the printer’s speed is decent. There is merely one slight catch and that is the paper tray. It can barely hold 300 pages which is fairly small and simply fitting if you are using it for family purpose or running a really small enterprise operation.
My Eco-Friendly Choice, Advice About Green Friendly
Posted by admin in environment on 12 25th, 2009There are plenty of ways to choose a green-friendly lifestyle, like consumption of organic food and using solar lights or hybrid cars, but it all resumes to personal convictions and beliefs. There is a common belief that green-friendly products equal lack of comfort, and if we think how eager we are to pamper our bums with ultra-soft toilet paper, we may understand how true this is. Well, you may not know or care that very soft toilet is made from virgin fiber wood that requires the cutting down of trees. Next time when you fancy yourself as a green-friendly person, think about your daily habits and find out how serious your environmental concern really is.
The food you eat tells a lot about how green-friendly you are. Lots of people have started using organic food because of health problems or out of concern for the environment. A vegetables garden will produce very nice food that can be kept 100% pesticide free. And here we have an inexpensive way of covering the need for beans, peas, tomatoes, carrots or peppers. If you don’t have the possibility to grow the vegetables yourself, you can buy from local green-friendly farms.
Then, to continue the list of green-friendly lifestyle examples we come to the importance of outdoor activities. How much time does your child spend in front of the computer or watching TV? The choice of the leisure activities should be from those that require spending time outside. Walking or playing outside in a natural setting, doing sports, going hiking, cycling or climbing are just a few examples of how you can develop a green-friendly lifestyle for the entire family. If more parents thought like this, there would be fewer video-game consoles sold all over the world.
A green-friendly life is defined by several other elements. From the effort to reuse and recycle to the building of a sustainable house, there are many ways to stay environmental. We do separate our waste for recycling but very sometimes not even that happens and we don’t even care where the garbage goes. We forget that the very fish we have for dinner comes from a dirty ocean and that it could carry the germs and toxins that we fed it in the first place.
Acquire the Inclusive Things of Environmental Products
Posted by admin in environment on 12 24th, 2009The trading of environmental products on many markets worldwide corresponds to the effort of implementing a new paradigm. When such items are available in regular stores and markets, their exposure is higher and the number of buyers will increase significantly. Environmental products have a long way to go before turning into viable solutions for the average consumer, but with the right governmental support, things should go for the better. Joining the green revolution has turned into a trend and a cultural belief as more and more people commit to the reuse and recycle guideline. What is the essence of the governmental initiative for such products?
First of all, producers need a form of stimulation in order to commit to the manufacturing of environmental products. Given the preponderance of mechanized industries, the processing of environmental products demands for special work conditions. Therefore, rebates or incentives are considered to be the best marketing strategies to compensate for the effort. Nevertheless, the very idea of going green remains inarticulate or confuse for many consumers and potential investors alike. One will hardly know the name of a company that produces environmental products. People need to learn what they have to gain by choosing environmental products over traditional ones.
The media does speak about the environment, yet the consumers’ interest in environmental products remains low despite all the talk. A clear and targeted message, this is what people need to hear in order to determine why they should join the green cause. Efficiency, transparency and authenticity in solutions, such are the grounds on which to promote environmental products worldwide. The market is very much segmented into pessimists, green enthusiasts, pragmatics and people of faith.
Too few people commit radically to change something for society or environment, but the number of those interested in personal health and wellness is a lot higher. The latter category is the most important because it probably represents a majority, and these consumers should be interested in saving money and promoting good health by purchasing high-quality environmental products at low rates. It’s hard to predict the direction in which we are headed. What remains crystal clear is that all environmental products need intense exposure in order to be adopted in a wider green context.
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Earth Friendly Products - Why Should We That?
Posted by admin in environment on 12 24th, 2009Goods and services with no negative impact on the environment are known as earth friendly products, for example organic food, hybrid cars or solar lights. Such items are easy to recognize by the eco-labels, nevertheless, not everybody will get the same exposure to earth friendly products. In some countries the very concept is pretty vague and people lack the basics of green education. Plus, the present international standards do not allow for a standardization and the implementation of an all green regulation. The regulators are meant to provide guidance because the single specification of environmentally friendly on a product label is not enough.
Earth friendly products do receive a better exposure on the market. The consumers’ awareness increases slowly but surely, which means that in time, lots of environmentally harmful products will be banned for good. Momentarily, organic food is probably the most advertised because of the benefits it provides for health. This seems to be the right alternative to the conventional food saturated with chemicals, pesticides and additives. Nevertheless, the range of earth friendly products is a lot wider than we may ever suspect, and the complexity goes a lot farther than the bio-degradable bags we get at the supermarket.
Green living, clothing, green building, pet care, toys, gifts, furniture, body and bath products and lots of others make the main categories of earth friendly products that you can shop for. Some items are now widely available on the shelves of the supermarkets, but others can only be purchased online. Just search for them, and you won’t feel disappointed. You can first find some information on the Internet, and then check the local supply store to see whether they have the items available.
To sum it up: there is no toxicity for body or environment in earth friendly products. Raw materials, no toxic dies or toxic chemicals: this is what defines such items best. For the moment, we cannot speak of a predominance of earth friendly products, but there is no doubt that the diversity has significantly increased over the last ten years. The offer should increase proportionately with the demand. Plus, eco-friendly products have the support of international organizations such as Greenpeace that act as major contributors to the protection, conservation and regeneration of the environment worldwide.
Greening Up Your Holiday Season
Posted by admin in environment on 12 24th, 2009As the holiday season inches closer, you might be thinking of ways you can make your Christmas more environmentally friendly. According to experts, we throw away about 25% more garbage during the holidays than we do at other times of the year. If you’re trying to limit your own consumption, it might be worth thinking about ways to reduce the amount of waste this Christmas season. If you think wisely about your consumption and implement the ideas right, you will probably end up saving money. Just as you can save a lot of money by tracking down business coupon at the office, you can save money by reducing your consumption.
Business software coupons are way to lower the bottom line at the office, and of course, we’re always looking for ways to save money. You can easily save money at home, by implementing several simple steps to limit your energy consumption. For example, when you hang your lights this year, put them on an automatic timer. Just run them for 4 – 5 hours, when visibility is most desirable. Once it gets late, few people will see the lights, so turn them off! Not only are you limiting your energy consumption, you’re also saving money! Replace your old, inefficient Christmas lights with new-fangled LED lights, which are much more earth friendly.
When you are shopping for out-of-towners, consider choosing smaller gifts that require minimal packaging. You could always mail gift cards or cash in a card as well, which will reduce your impact. If you are shipping something, be sure to avoid foam peanuts and Styrofoam; you probably have some kind of scrap paper or newspaper hanging around that you can shred for packaging purposes.
Bring your own shopping bag when going to the mall. It’s easy to remember to bring them to the grocery store, but you can also bring them with you when you’re shopping for other things. Or, you could consider using the first bag you get as your only bag, consolidating everything as you go along. There is no rule that you have to carry items purchased at a store in their plastic bag!
These are just a few of the ideas you can use to “green” up your holiday season! Try to get creative and think of some more great ideas.
Pollution and Environment
Posted by admin in environment on 12 24th, 2009Pollution is the fouling of the environment, that is, land, water and air- by waste, smoke, etc. Every industrial country faces the problem of waste. As factories make new goods for people to buy, old ones are thrown out with the household trash. Burning this garbage pollutes the air, throwing it into rivers and seas pollutes the water while piling it up leads to unpleasant rubbish heaps, which take up much-needed space.
Our beautiful ecosystem is being systematically damaged by industrial pollution channeled into rivers like Ganga and Yamuna, nuclear wastes from atomic plants routed into the world’s oceans and poisonous gases like carbon dioxide mixed with the ozonosphere. Besides, tropical rain forests and green pastures are disappearing under the pressure of a proliferating population. Dams are being built over rivers such as the Narmada to change nature’s well-balanced surface equations between flora and fauna. Elsewhere sloping mountainous terrain is being converted into mini oceans to supply electricity to the ever-starving industrial stomach of our age. Elephants, tigers, wild rhinos of South Africa and many other forest creatures have become endangered species.
Consumerism has created a garbage glut in the world. Consumers in industrialized countries throw out staggering amounts of refuse like cartons, cigarette butts, polythene bags and plastic containers, which mix with the water of rivers and oceans and fertile crop-yielding soil of the earth. If too much sewage is poured into seas, lakes and rivers, the water can no longer dilute it,as a result all the oxygen gets used up and the fish die. The bacteria which normally break down the refuse into harmless matter also die, only harmful bacteria which do not need air remain and these cause diseases.
Owning a car has really become a status symbol these days. The arrival of Maruti 800 on the roads of India already brought a revolution in the world of automobiles. And now the upcoming Nano will bring about a new revolution. But the increase in the number of cars has added to various pollution problems. The smoke-emitting guzzlers have made cities like Delhi living gas chambers. The growing number of vehicles; have vitiated the atmosphere. The amount of harmful gases in the air is alarmingly on the rise. They affect our eyes and lungs giving rise to all kinds of respiratory diseases.
On the landmass, eco-destroying monsters are deforestation, dams constructed to generate electricity and serve irrigational facilities, and soot and toxic gases resulting in the greenhouse effect. Some American environmentalists like Jeremy Rifkin blame the world’s population of cattle for most of the ecological ills. These creatures we feed and fatten to get their meat, spoil streams and underground aquifers. Tropical rain forests are turning into pastures for this gluttonous herd. In Saharan Africa, the burgeoning population of cattle is denuding the arid lands of fertile vegetation. In Netherlands, population of pigs poses a major ecological threat. Their manure defiles water supply with excessive nitrates and acidifies local soils.
Building dams over rivers is like clotting the blood of nature and stopping its pulse from beating. Scientists have proved that dams and embankments cause more floods and do more harm than good. Flooding is a boon of nature when occurring in limits. It cleanses and renews river basins, expands feeding and breeding grounds of plants, fishes, birds and wildlife, and spreads fresh layers of fertile silt from which we get bumper crops.
Getting rid of plastics is particularly difficult- with time, wood and paper decay through the action of bacteria, but plastics never decay.
Pollution must be controlled and the sooner the better. It will cost a great deal, both in terms of money and a change in lifestyle. For example, acid rain can be arrested by checking harmful fumes before they go out from power station chimneys. This may push up the price of electricity, but is for the better. Also, the packaging of goods in bright plastics and the ‘throwaway’ culture should be discouraged. As industry needs a regular supply of raw materials, the best solution to the problem of waste is to make use of it as a raw material by reusing or recycling it. Governments must not allow construction contractors who are largely responsible for manmade floods to plunder the timber wealth of forests.
The introduction of metro has eased the traffic on the roads of Delhi to a little extent. It provides a comfortable, cleaner and cheaper alternative to the office-goers. The day is not very far when unconventional sources of energy will be used to drive cars.
The Japanese solution to environmental hazards is burning, burying, reducing and recycling waste products. In U.S., more than 2,000 garbage burning plants work day and night in addition to 125 large incinerators. Another Japanese solution is aqua culture, which they have introduced in their industries to keep them clean. An Italian chemical giant has manufactured a plastic substitute, which reduces the greenhouse effect.
A high governmental priority will be to educate citizens about environmental risks, economic and health dangers of resource degradation and the real cost of natural resources. Greater emphasis should be placed on promoting awareness, undertaking and competence in schools, colleges and training institutions. NGOs and public-spirited individuals can bring about significant measures on polluting units for adopting abatementprocedures/policies. A system of certification of goods that are environment friendly should be set up. Only then this vast country of ours and the whole world will become a pleasant and clean place to live in.
Geo Engineering – Perhaps The Only Way Out
Posted by admin in environment on 12 23rd, 2009Global warming and climate change perhaps the most talked matter today, rightly so because it poses dangers that may lead to wiping out nature and the entire animal & bird population of the Planet closely followed by the human species.
International efforts to tackle the problem have perhaps been a bigger failure than even the Doha Round of Negotiations! Political issues and matters of selfish interests of nations always rule over the bigger problem at hand, that of Global Warming. The question remains, should we wait for a renewed Kyoto Protocol? Or is it time we realize that political hassles will not let us stop this menace and therefore we should look for ‘politically amiable’ solutions.
Geo engineering is perhaps one of them. Geo Engineering is a technique of large scale manipulation of the Earth’s environmental set up to reduce the impact of carbon emissions. There are three major techniques under this method that can be used, namely, Solar radiation management, Greenhouse gas remediation and Arctic geoengineering. Some of the techniques proposed under Geo Engineering may seem to some as taken out of some Scientific Fiction book by a crazy author!
The tipping point in the field of Solar radiation management came in 2006, when the Nobel Prize—winning atmospheric scientist Paul Crutzen published an editorial examining the possibility of releasing vast amounts of sulfurous debris into the atmosphere to create a haze that would keep the planet cool. To implement this system precursor gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can be released using artillery, aircraft and balloons. The price tag that comes with this technique is even more amazing : somewhere between a few hundred million dollars and a couple of billion dollars every year. This technology also has support in an event that took place in 1991. Mount Pinatubo erupted, releasing 15m tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere which formed a thick cloud of aerosol particles and within 15 months this had spread across the world, reflecting a significant proportion of the sun’s energy back into space. Average global temperatures fell by over 0.5 degrees celcius.
The Arctic region represents a major cause of concern. The impact of Global Warming can be especially seen in ice covered areas like the Arctic where the ice sheet is rapidly melting. This is an important concern also because it drastically increases sea levels and may cause calamaties by submerging low lying islands. Therefore, geo engineering offers a specific plan for this concern called Arctic Geo engineering under which the aim would be to enhance the polar ice cap by spraying or pumping water onto the top of it which would build thicker sea ice. Ice serves as an insulator and therefore ice on the surface would freeze quicker than that below. River water is being suggested to be used in this case as it is not saline. Presence of salt may in fact reduce freezing capacity and leads to the new layer of ice become perforated.
Geo Engineering is increasingly being looked upon as a viable solution by a lot of developed and developing countries alike. In fact in 2001, President Bush had withdrawn US support from the Kyoto Protocol. This meeting therefore represented something like a US counterproposal to Kyoto, an ‘alternative approach to climate change’. President Obama is also looking at proposals and asking his efficient team of scientists to explore most effective possibilities. Geo Engineering should not be promoted as a technique to be applied in isolation. In fact, it should be used as a supplementary technique along with the main aim of reducing carbon emissions. It is only then can we expect to reduce global temperatures and avoid the destruction of our planet.
Busting the Autism Stereotypes
Posted by admin in environment on 12 21st, 2009As with anyone with a physical or mental disorder, autistic people deal with a wide range of reactions from others, from full support to uncaring ignorance. Unfortunately, even those who support autistic family members, co-workers, and friends may not understand autism very well. This leads to stereotypes, which can result in hatred, embarrassment, or other unhappy situations. By becoming educated about autism, you can help others in your community cope with this disorder.
It is most important to note that not all autistic people are the same. Other diseases and disorders have their own sets of rules, but autism is such a complex medical condition, that everyone reacts differently to it. Autistic people are usually rated on a functional scale, with high-functioning people being able to hold jobs and low-functioning people needing 24-hour-a-day care. Symptoms include behavioral challenges, uncontrollable movements, speech and communication difficulties, and emotional inadequacies. Some show all symptoms, while other show few, and still others may have most under control to the point where you cannot tell they have autism at all.
Because every person is different, no one thing can be said about autism and be true overall. However, most autistic people have trouble communicating emotions. This does not mean that an autistic person does not feel. He or she simply cannot express this feeling. It also does not mean strong relationship bonds are not possible. On the contrary, many autistic people are happily married and in love. Forming relationships is more difficult for most, but can be accomplished over time.
Many people believe that being autistic coincides with being a genius in some aspect. While it is true that some autistic individuals have extraordinary math, music, and art skills, this number is nowhere near the majority-in fact, relatively few autistic people function outside of the normal range in any skill. This stereotype is perpetuated in the movies and on television, because the story of a talented person fighting disadvantages (such as autism) makes a good plot. However, this is not the norm, so nothing more than the best they can personally do should be expected from an autistic person. However, it is important to note that autism is not a form of mental retardation. Some autistic people are mentally retarded as well, but most are not and should not be treated as such.
The author is an Auckland plumber and his latest ebusiness is roof restoration and more information on http://iroofing.co.nz/
