Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Also try the 2008 World News Quiz of the year.
What would you tell your grandchildren about 2008 if they asked you about it in, let’s say, 20 years’ time? If the answer to a quiz question was 2008, what would the question be? The year that markets collapsed, or perhaps the year that Obama became US president? Or the year Heath Ledger died?
Let’s take a look at some of the important stories of 2008. Links to the original Wikinews articles are in all the titles.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
On Monday, Google published on their blog that they are testing a new product named Google Base, in which users will be able to upload their own articles to a database. This allegedly will complement the current services offered by Google.
Examples of contributions may include recipes, scientific findings, and other pieces of information one may wish to share. Several news agencies are reporting that Google Base will be used for classified ads. According to the Google Base website, which was made inaccessible to the public after a few hours, both were examples of entries you could post.
Google Base is expected to be a major competitor of craigslist, which is partly owned by eBay.
By Malcolm Moorhouse
Bedrooms form the core of the house. Everyone wants to decorate the bedroom very elegantly and nicely so that it looks beautiful and cool. The bed is the center of attraction, but sometimes the small size and lack of space of a bedroom makes it look cluttered and untidy. In this situation platform beds are the best option one can go for.
A platform bed is a bed which consists of a mattress placed on a solid platform raised off the floor by legs or framing. The space below the platform bed can be utilized for storage purposes. Platform beds do not have springs.
Types of platform bed:
One can select a platform bed from the two varieties available.
* The wooden platform bed – Wooden platform beds are usually made from oak wood or maple wood. They offer warmth as well as beauty to any type of bedroom decor. They are available in many different sizes like full size, king or queen size, and twin size. Though they are usually designed to support a mattress, they can be changed and customized for use with box springs. Altering the height of the headboard and lowering the size of the slate board allows for this. The wooden platform bed is generally given a Danish oil finish.
* The metal platform bed – Metal platform beds come in many varieties from the contemporary metal platform bed to the traditional ones and they are all available in a variety of colors. The beds have predrilled holes to allow for the adjustment to the height of the bed.
* Special quality steel is used for more strength and durability of the bed. To avoid stripping and over tightening of the bolts a special Allen key is used. Steel cross bars sheets of Masonite are used for support at the side railing.
* DIY beds, from plans and instructions available on the internet
Advantages of platform beds:
1. You can make a platform bed yourself from readily available plans found on the internet
2. They provide a better mattress support area since it does not have a box spring underneath.
3. It increases the storage space and makes the room looks clean and tidy.
4. These beds are very affordable.
5. Allergies to dust can be avoided, as dust does not get collected under the bed.
6. They are portable and comfortable.
To buy a platform bed:
There are many web sites and on line merchants from where you can buy a platform bed. These web sites offer the latest designs for platform beds at very reasonable prices.
They are available in a wide range of prices so its very easy to choose a bed that suits our budget. Alternatively you could make a platform bed, the plans are readily available on the internet
About the Author: Malcolm Moorhouse Web: finda-bed.com Email: info@finda-bed.com Copyright Malcolm Moorhouse 2006
Source: isnare.com
Permanent Link: isnare.com/?aid=61950&ca=Home+Management
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Shortly after ending its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the government of Iran has now ordered the IAEA to discontinue some of its surveillance of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Tehran has also asked the agency to remove any and all signage from their nuclear sites by the end of next week.
This is in response to the Saturday resolution by the IAEA to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council, which was made without waiting for the director of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, chairman of the IAEA, to finish preparing a report on Iran’s civilian (and allegedly military) nuclear programs for the regular IAEA meeting scheduled for March 6. ElBaradei had given Iran until March to answer IAEA questions. By a vote of 27 to three (with five abstentions), and without the information in ElBaradei’s report planned for March 2006, the IAEA recommended that the matter of the Iranian nuclear program be brought before the Security Council.
The recommendation claims that there are serious concerns about Iranian nuclear aims, and the agency does not have confidence that the program is intended solely for civilian or other non-military use. Although the meeting was taken without waiting for ElBaradei’s March report, the recommendation requests ElBaradei to make his report anyway, including a list of “steps Iran needs to take to dispel suspicions about its nuclear ambitions” by March 6.
The IAEA’s resolution calls for Iran to reinstate a freeze on its nuclear programs, consider ending construction of a plutonium-producing heavy water reactor, and to continue allowing the IAEA’s purposes and actions in Iran. However, the council will not implement any further action until ElBaradei makes his full report on March 6.
ElBaradei also reported to the IAEA Monday that Iran would also demand a reduction in the amount of facilities inspections from the agency, and that they would discontinue their agreement to the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the agency reported Iran to the Security Council. This protocol entitles the IAEA to hold unannounced inspections of facilities, increased surveillance capability, and placing IAEA seals on nuclear equipment.
Other diplomatic ventures are being planned. On February 16, Iranian officials will meet with the Russian government in Moscow to discuss the possibility of Russia enriching uranium for export to Iran in exchange for a halting of its nuclear enrichment program. And Wang Guangya, China’s ambassador to the UN, said Monday that “Even with the adoption of this IAEA resolution, it is the belief of most of the members there that a diplomatic solution is the way out within the framework of the IAEA.”
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Cecile Willert is running for the Green Party of Ontario in the Ontario provincial election, in the Ajax—Pickering riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.
Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Consumption of grilled or baked fish at least once a week can preserve the brain structure of seniors and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by three to five times, according to the results of a recent US study.
The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, asked 260 volunteers with an average age of 76, about the frequency of their fish consumption. Ten years later, brain scans were carried out on those being researched. Those who regularly ate fish were found to have better preservation of parts of the brain related to memory. An additional five years later, 31% of those who did not regularly consume fish contracted mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. Of those who ate fish at least once a week, between three and eight per cent contracted the aforementioned medical conditions.
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According to The Daily Telegraph, consumption of grilled or baked fish increases the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, providing a greater amount of blood flow to the brain; therefore prompting a reduction in inflammation and internal gathering of plaque encountered in the lead-up to Alzheimer’s disease. Fried fish does not reduce the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease due to the low amount of Omega 3 it contains.
Dr. Cyrus Raji, who took leadership of the study, called it “the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer’s risk.” Raji concluded that “people who consumed baked or [grilled] fish at least one time per week had better preservation of grey matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.”
The Alzheimer’s Society’s research manager, Dr. Anne Corbett, stated: “This moderately sized study adds weight to existing evidence suggesting that eating fish reduces your risk of developing cognitive decline.” However, she contested these findings, saying they “did not account for lifestyle factors such as other foods or exercise”, which may have affected the overall outcome. Dr. Corbett advised consumers to “eat a healthy diet including fruit and vegetables along with taking regular exercise and giving up smoking” to reduce the risk of contracting dementia.
Meanwhile, Alzheimer’s Research UK lead researcher, Dr. Simon Ridley, believed the study had not clarified “whether other underlying factors may have contributed to the lower risk in people who eat fish.” There is “a clear need for more conclusive research into the effects of dietary fish on our cognitive health,” according to Dr. Ridley.
The results of the study are to be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
Submitted by: Arati Shah
The growth of an organisation is determined by the productivity of their employees. The productivity is achieved when the employee is focused, healthy and has a positive competitive work environment. A healthy human state leads to low absenteeism and better work quality and output. Employee productivity has a direct tie to company wellbeing and the bottom line. Ensuring employee wellness can be a big return on investment for any business.
Challenging targets, thinking out of the box ideas is something employees at workplace are constantly thinking about. This makes it vital for corporates to take into account not only physical wellness of an employee but also understand the mental stress each employee is going through. Thus, companies conduct corporate wellness programs creating a culture of health and wellness in the workplace.
Fatigue, flu, and virals are a very common phenomena reported at work places. Issues like diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol are observed in the vast majority of Indians. Erratic work schedules, long commuting hours, work related stress, financial stress, family responsibilities, unhealthy eating etc. can be responsible for the above health conditions.
A company can truly effect a positive change by encouraging healthy eating and more exercise. Companies that show that they care about their employees end up with more engaged and happily employed workers. Conducting interesting fitness programs or fun exercising activities keeps employees refreshed during the day and helps them enjoy workplace environment as they have something fun to look forward to between their stressful work schedules. Providing employees with healthier lunch and snack options, morale boosting activities, fitness classes, relaxation techniques are ways by which a company can work to enhance the eating and lifestyle habits of their employees.
Pre-planning and choosing healthy foods and eating them in a timely fashion ensure a constant form of energy to the body to maintain consistency at work. In one way employees can make their lunch times more healthier is by organizing Potlucks at workplace where different types of healthy recipes can be shared and discussed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nutritious food is the main entity which builds the human immune system. It also prevents one from contracting any form of metabolic diseases. Not to forget some form of physical activity and relaxing techniques that can work holistically to work towards a healthier being.
A holistic corporate wellness program not only helps an employee achieve a healthier and fitter life, it proves that the company is willing to take steps to improve employees quality of life and happiness. The employee in return is even more motivated than before to work for the companys welfare. He is in a better mind frame to work, analyse, intervene and take action on time.
A nutrition desk at the workplace is another excellent way to promote individual employee health. An experienced nutritionist can work on the specific health goals of the employees. i.e a sports nutritionist for fitness, a therapeutic dietitian to handle an ailment, a dietitian for weight loss etc. Giving employees access to qualified counsellors can help alleviate an employees stress so that they are in a better position to handle personal and work pressures.
Bottom line: A happy, healthy employee is a productive employee.
About the Author: Arati Shah is an astute nutritionist having expertise in offering all types nutrition to different individuals and corporate.She is one of the top 10 dietitians who can also guide one through weight loss in Mumbai (
cafenutrition.com/weight-loss-consultants-mumbai
) and corporate wellness programs (
cafenutrition.com/corporate-nutrition-wellness-programs/
) with same efficacy. She heads the Nutrition team in Mumbai and takes personal interest in every client.
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=1968611&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet}
Monday, March 28, 2005
San Jose, California — As the April 15 deadline for U.S. private citizens to file their 2004 income tax returns draws near, the government is reminding sellers on eBay that they may have to report any proceeds from sales on the auction site as taxable income.
This could be a surprise to some of the 135 million registered eBay users who consider trading on San Jose-based auction site to be a non-taxable hobby. Complicating matters, eBay says it doesn’t report individual sales figures to the government – users are responsible to report any profits on their own tax returns.
The amount of money traveling through eBay is big business. $33.8 billion worth of merchandise was sold on the site in 2004, up from $5.2 billion in 2000.
Although eBay pays taxes on its share of the sales (5.25 percent cut from each transaction as of Feb. 18), the IRS fears some small businesses are using the site to dodge tax responsibility. Adding to the confusion, some sellers may legally be a taxable business without realizing it.
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has a nine-point checklist it uses to determine whether or not a money-making activity is legally a business, which means money made is taxable, or a simple hobby – where it is not taxable. The IRS can consider a person to be a legal “business” even though they never incorporated or claimed to be one.
According to Woodbury, New York-based accountant Bart Fooden in an Associated Press interview, the IRS looks for such things as evidence that the auction seller depends on the eBay sales income to pay for activities other than maintaining the hobby, acts in a businesslike manner when selling on auctions or puts enough time and effort into the eBay activities that there is an obvious intent to make a profit.
But Fooden said in the same interview casual users probably have nothing to worry about. Those cleaning out closets or the garage and selling off junk for less than the original price paid are not turning a profit, so that money is not considered income and is not taxable.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006Local Government workers in the UK withdrew their labour yesterday as part of a dispute over pension entitlements. The members of 11 different trades unions were involved in the 24hr strike. As the day began they declared that support for the strike was solid. Although the strikers work for local councils, their pay and conditions are agreed nationally. The Local Government Association which represents the local councils in England and Wales declared predictions that 1.5 million people would stay away from work as “wildly optimistic”.
The Unions’ complaint is that local government workers are being treated unfavourably compared to other public sector employees. They say that agreements on pensions that have been reached with civil servants, teachers and health workers will allow those staff to continue to retire at 60 while local government staff will be forced to work until they are 65. Civil servants work for national government, teachers work for local councils but have their own pension arrangements and most health workers are employed by the state-controlled National Health Service.
The Local Government Association claims that if council workers continue to be able to retire at 60, it will increase the levels of Council Tax (a tax on people living in properties which funds a proportion of local government expenditure) by 2%.
The striking workers provide a wide range of services from assisting teachers in the class room, through inspecting kitchens for hygiene to provising care to the vulnerable in society. In some places council workers collect tolls for road tunnels or manage ferries. Mainstream media have reported on the strike all day with heavy coverage of disruption to commuters where transport has been affected. The unions have emphasised the large number of their members who are women working in low paid jobs.
The Government which regulates the scheme claimed that the early retirement provisions (called the rule of 85) were age-discriminatory and had to be removed.
The strike ended at midnight. The Unions have not declared any further strike days.
The Unions involved were AEP, AMICUS, CYWU, GMB, NAPO, NIPSA, NUJ, NUT, TGWU, UCATT and UNISON.
Monday, November 5, 2007
In the 1980’s and the 1990’s there were multiple allegations of sexual abuse of children or non-consenting adults in the context of Satanic rituals that has come to be known as The Satanic Panic. In the United States, the Kern County child abuse cases, McMartin preschool trial and the West Memphis 3 cases garnered worldwide media coverage. One case took place in Jordan, Minnesota, when children made allegations of manufacturing child pornography, ritualistic animal sacrifice, coprophagia, urophagia and infanticide, at which point the Federal Bureau of Investigation was alerted. Twenty-four adults were arrested and charged with acts of sexual abuse, child pornography and other crimes related to satanic ritual abuse; only three went to trial with two acquittals and one conviction. Supreme Court Justice Scalia noted in a discussion of the case, “[t]here is no doubt that some sexual abuse took place in Jordan; but there is no reason to believe it was as widespread as charged,” and cited the repeated, coercive techniques used by the investigators as damaging to the investigation.
One of the most visible Satanic organizations—though one that was never a suspect or charged in any of the Satanic Panic cases—is the Church of Satan, founded by Anton LaVey. Members of the Church, such as Peter H. Gilmore, Peggy Nadramia, Boyd Rice, Adam Parfrey, Diabolos Rex, and musician King Diamond, were active in media appearances to refute allegations of criminal activity and the FBI would later issue an official report debunking the criminal conspiracy theories of this time.
Gilmore feels Satanists are often misunderstood or misrepresented. LaVey’s teachings are based on individualism, self-indulgence, and “eye for an eye” morality, with influence from Friedrich Nietzsche and Ayn Rand; while its rituals and magic draw heavily from occultists such as Aleister Crowley. They do not worship—nor believe in—the Devil or a Christian notion of Satan. The word “Satan” comes from the Hebrew word for “adversary” and originated from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally applied to an angel. Church of Satan adherents see themselves as truth-seekers, adversaries and skeptics of the religious world around them.
On a windy October day in Central Park, Wikinews reporter David Shankbone sat down with the High Priest of the Church, Peter H. Gilmore, who has led LaVey’s congregation of Satanists since his passing in 1997 (he became the High Priest in 2001). They discussed the beliefs of the Church, current events, LaVey’s children and how Satanism applies to life and the world.