tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60415550247043815392024-03-08T04:32:32.141-08:00mynewkeralamtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-35728054160943232102012-04-09T03:14:00.000-07:002012-04-09T03:15:14.108-07:00Does Microwaving Veggies Kill the Nutrients?Does microwaving "kill" nutrients? What about other cooking methods? What's the best way to cook food for maximum nutrition? We wanted to know, so we went to SHAPE's diet doctor, Mike Roussell, PhD, to get the scoop. Here's what he had to say: <br /><br />Despite what you might read on the Internet, microwaving your food does not "kill" nutrients. In fact, it can make certain nutrients more available to your body . In terms of the impact on your food's nutrients, microwaving is the equivalent of sautéing or heating up in a pan (just a lot more convenient). Research on this topic shows that whenever you cook greens (broccoli, spinach, etc), some of the B vitamins and other water-soluble vitamins are lost. The amount you lose depends on the duration and rigor in which the food is cooked-steaming broccoli in the microwave for 90 seconds is a lot different than nuking it for five minutes. Another example: Sautéing green beans in a pan allows for much better vitamin retention than if you were to boil them. Boiling leaches the most nutritients out of your food, so with the exception of potatoes, try to avoid boiling your vegetables.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />RELATED: Ugly Foods with Surprising Health Benefits<br /><br /> Although cooking vegetables does reduce the amount of certain vitamins, it can also liberate other nutrients, like antioxidants, allowing for greater absorption by the body. Research from the University of Oslo found that microwaving or steaming carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, green and red peppers, and tomatoes led to an increase in the antioxidant content of the foods (in that the antioxidants become more available for absorption). And still more research shows that lycopene, the powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes and watermelon their red color, is better absorbed by the body when it's consumed in cooked or processed tomato products-salsa, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, etc.-rather than fresh tomatoes. <br /><br />Eating cooked vegetables has its pros and cons, but the bottom line is that it's important to eat your food in a variety of ways. Enjoy raw spinach in salads and go for wilted or steamed as a side dish with dinner.<br /> <br /><br /><br />RELATED: The Smartest Things Ever Said About Dieting<br /> <br /><br /><br />If you use a microwave to steam your veggies, be careful not to add so much water that you're actually boiling, and watch the clock to avoid overcooking (the amount of time needed will vary greatly, depending on the type of vegetable and how small it's cut). The primary takeaway is to incorporate both raw and cooked foods into your diet. It's the easiest way to ensure that you're getting the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.<br /> <br /><br />Dr. Mike Roussell, PhD , is a nutritional consultant known for his ability to transform complex nutritional concepts into practical habits and strategies for his clientele, which includes professional athletes, executives, food companies, and top fitness facilities. Dr. Mike is the author of Dr. Mike's 7 Step Weight Loss Plan and the 6 Pillars of Nutrition.<br /> Connect with Dr. Mike to get more simple diet and nutrition tips by following @mikeroussell on Twitter or becoming a fan of his Facebook page<br />.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-59222829155999825302012-04-09T03:10:00.000-07:002012-04-09T03:12:39.070-07:00WHY YOU AREN'T NOT LOOSING THE WEIGHTHalf of Americans down at least one sugary drink a day, and some guzzle more than 567 calories’ worth—that’s almost the calorie equivalent of a Big Mac in a glass. Gulp! SELF experts Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D., reveal better-for-you bevvies (cocktails included) from your favorite spots so you can sip and stay slim.<br /><br />At the smoothie shop…<br /><br />SKIP IT Jamba Juice Original (24 ounces) Aloha Pineapple Smoothie (410 calories, 1.5 grams fat)<br />Sip it Jamba Juice 16 oz Apple ’n Greens Smoothie (220 calories, 1 g fat)<br />We applaud the high-fiber fruit and calcium-rich yogurt in the Aloha Pineapple. But sherbet adds mega sugar (91 g here!), and the shake falls too short on protein to make a balanced lunch. Swap it for the Apple ’n Greens to cut 190 calories and 51 g sugar. Our pick also has 2 g more fiber, thanks to extra fruit (mango, peach) and veg (spinach, kale). Pair it with 1 oz protein-packed nuts for a complete lunch.<br /><br />At the coffee shop…<br /><br />Skip it Starbucks Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato with whipped cream, extra vanilla syrup and caramel (440 calories, 21.5 g fat)<br />Sip it Starbucks Tall Coffee Frappuccino with skim milk, no whipped cream (160 calories, 0 g fat)<br />There’s room for treats in every diet, but the added syrup and caramel and whipped cream turn the Macchiato from a small splurge into a calorie and fat overload. Trade it for the Coffee Frappuccino: It has the same craveable qualities. (Creamy texture? Check! Tastes like a milk shake? Yep!) But forgoing the high-cal extras and opting for skim milk trims 280 calories and 21.5 g fat. And it’s still plenty flavorful, so the smaller cup is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.<br /><br />At the convenience store…<br /><br />Skip it Snapple Lemon Tea (160 calories, 0 g fat per 16-oz bottle)<br />Sip it Honest Tea Half & Half Organic Tea with Lemonade (100 calories, 0 g fat per 16.9-oz bottle) <br />Four of the Snapple ingredients—water, tea, citric acid and natural flavors—are virtually free of calories and sugar. That means the drink’s 36 g (3 tablespoons) of sugar come from the only other listed ingredient: added sugar. By contrast, Honest Tea delivers the same refreshing tea-and-lemon combo for 60 fewer calories. It does have some added sugar but 12 g less than Snapple does. Honest Tea also contains all-natural ingredients, making it a good alternative to soda, which has artificial stuff.<br /><br />At the gym…<br /><br />Skip it Juice Generation 24 oz Mucho Mango Smoothie (370 calories, 4 g fat)<br />Sip it Juice Generation 20 oz Pure Energy Juice (150 calories, 0 g fat)<br />Juice Generation’s blends are made with lots of produce and nothing artificial—bravo! But the smoothies are too high in calories to count as a snack, which shouldn’t exceed 200 calories. If you want a small pre- or postworkout pick-me-up, our choice, Pure Energy Juice, gives you 5 g energizing protein for 220 fewer calories. If it’s lunchtime, opt for the 24-oz Protein Buzz Smoothie (410 calories, 6 g fat). Blended with fruit and hemp, soy or whey protein, it’s more of a meal than other less caloric choices, and has the ideal combo of carbs and protein.<br /><br />At happy hour…<br /><br />Skip it Oaxaca old-fashioned with tequila, mezcal, agave and bitters (159 calories, 0 g fat)<br />Sip it Club soda and a splash of fresh lime juice with a shot (1.5 oz) of tequila (100 calories, 0 g fat)<br />You know a cocktail a day may help protect your heart, but we’d offer this advice: Order carefully. Specialty drinks often have multiple types of liquor, and every 1.5-oz shot adds an additional 97 calories. (Plus, some bartenders are heavy-handed.) Also, beware excess agave: The plant-based sweetener can be 80 percent fructose, a sugar shown to increase belly fat in a study at the University of California in Davis. Stick to one type of booze with a zero-calorie mixer like club soda. Cheers!<br /><br />Making healthy choices doesn’t have to be boring! Impress guests and save on calories (without sacrificing taste) by whipping up one of these tasty yet light cocktails.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-48610368370863864652012-01-27T19:04:00.000-08:002012-01-27T19:05:44.507-08:00ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ് =സ്റ്റോപ് ഓണ്ലൈന് പൈരസി ആക്ട് (Stop Online Piracy Act)ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ് പതിവായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവര്ക്ക് കുടിവെള്ളം പോലെ പരിചിതമാണ് ഗൂഗിളും വിക്കിപീഡിയയും. ജനവരി 18-ന് ഈ രണ്ട് സൈറ്റുകളും സന്ദര്ശിച്ച ജനകോടികളില് പലരും അന്നേവരെ കേട്ടിട്ടില്ലാത്ത ഒരു വാക്ക് തങ്ങളുടെ ഇഷ്ടസൈറ്റുകളുടെ കഴുത്തിന് നേരെ വാളോങ്ങി നില്ക്കുന്ന വിവരം അറിഞ്ഞ് നടുങ്ങി. സോപ, അതാണാ വാക്ക്.<br /><br />സ്റ്റോപ് ഓണ്ലൈന് പൈരസി ആക്ട് (Stop Online Piracy Act) എസ്.ഒ.പി.എ. അഥവാ സോപ. ഒരു നിയമത്തിന്റെ പേരാണിത്, നിയമമായിട്ടില്ല എന്നു മാത്രം, ബില് രൂപത്തില് അമേരിക്കയിലെ കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സുകാര് (യു.എസ്സ്.ജനപ്രതിനിധികള്) ചര്ച്ച തുടങ്ങിയിട്ടേ ഉള്ളൂ. 18-ന് വിക്കിപീഡിയയുടെ വെളുത്ത പ്രസാദാത്മകമായ പതിവ് പേജിന് പകരം കറുത്ത പേജാണ് സന്ദര്ശകരെ എതിരേറ്റത്. 'സ്വതന്ത്ര വിജ്ഞാനം ഇല്ലാത്ത ലോകമൊന്ന് സങ്കസങ്കല്പിച്ചുനോക്കു' കറുത്ത പേജിലെ വെളുത്ത അക്ഷരങ്ങള് പറഞ്ഞു.<br /><br />'മനുഷ്യ ചരിത്രത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ വിജ്ഞാനകോശം സൃഷ്ടിക്കാന് ഞങ്ങള് കോടിക്കണക്കിന് മണിക്കൂറുകള് ചെലവിട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഇപ്പോള് യു.എസ്സ്.കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സ് സ്വതന്ത്രവും തുറന്നതുമായ ഇന്റര്നെറ്റിന് മാരകമായി നാശം വരുത്തുന്ന നിയമനിര്മാണം നടത്തുന്നതിനെ പറ്റി ആലോചിക്കുകയാണ്. അവബോധം വളര്ത്താന് വേണ്ടി ഞങ്ങള് 24 മണിക്കൂര് വിക്കിപീഡിയ ബ്ലാക്കൗട്ട് ചെയ്യുകയാണ്' എന്ന് മാത്രമാണ് പേജ് പറഞ്ഞത്. കൂടുതല് അറിയേണ്ടവര്ക്ക് ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്താല് നിയമത്തിന്റെ പൂര്ണരൂപവും അത് നെറ്റിന് മേല് ഉയര്ത്തുന്ന ഭീഷണികളും വായിച്ചറിയാം.<br />മൊസില്ല, ഗൂഗിള്, ഫേസ്ബുക്ക്, റെഡ്ഡിറ്റ് എന്നിവരും ഇതേ രീതിയില് തന്നെയാണ് അന്ന് സന്ദര്ശകരെ എതിരേറ്റത്. എല്ലാ സൈറ്റുകളുടെയും വിവരണങ്ങള്ക്കടിയില് ഇങ്ങനെയും ഒരു വാചകമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു: 'കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സിനോട് പറയു: ദയവായി വെബ് സെന്സര് ചെയ്യരുത്'. ആ വാചകം വായനക്കാരെ അവര്ക്ക് ഒപ്പിടാനുള്ള ഒരു പെറ്റീഷനിലേക്കാണ് നയിക്കുക. തങ്ങളുടെ നിയോജകമണ്ഡലത്തില് നിന്നുള്ള കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സ് അംഗങ്ങളെ പറ്റി കൂടുതല് പഠിക്കണമെന്നും പലരും സന്ദര്ശകരെ നിര്ദേശിച്ചു. <br /><br />അന്നേ ദിവസം അമേരിയ്ക്കകത്തു നിന്നും പുറത്തുനിന്നുമായി ദശലക്ഷങ്ങളാണ് പെറ്റീഷനില് ഒപ്പിട്ടത്. അതിലുമേറെപ്പേര് ഫോണിലൂടെ തങ്ങളുടെ കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സ് അംഗങ്ങളെ വിളിക്കാനും അവര്ക്ക് മെയിലയ്ക്കാനും ശ്രമിച്ചു.<br /><br />നിങ്ങള് നോ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു. നിങ്ങള് കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സിന്റെ സ്വിച്ച്ബോഡുകള് അടപ്പിച്ചു, അവരുടെ സെര്വറുകളെ ഉരുക്കി. ലോകമെമ്പാടും സോഷ്യല് മീഡിയയിലും വാര്ത്തകളിലും നിങ്ങള് നിറഞ്ഞുനിന്നു. സ്വതന്ത്രവും മറയില്ലാത്തതുമായ ഇന്റര്നെറ്റിന്റെ രക്ഷയ്ക്കായി ദശലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് മനുഷ്യര് സംസാരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു, വിക്കിപീഡിയയുടെ ജിമ്മി വേല്സ് പെറ്റീഷനില് ഒപ്പിട്ട 16.2 കോടി മനുഷ്യര്ക്ക് കൃതജ്ഞത പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് എഴുതി.<br /><br />യു.എസ്സ് സെനറ്റിലെ അംഗങ്ങളുടെ ശരാശരി പ്രായം മധ്യവയസ്സിനും വളരെ മുകളിലാണ് -ആകെയുള്ള 100 അംഗങ്ങളില് 90 പേരും 50 കടന്നവരാണ്. 25 ശതമാനത്തിനും പ്രായം 70-നു മേലെയും. മിക്കവര്ക്കും പൊതുവായുള്ള ഗുണം കമ്പ്യൂട്ടറും ഇന്റര്നെറ്റുമായി വലിയ ബന്ധമില്ല എന്നതു തന്നെ (കഴിഞ്ഞ പ്രസിഡന്റ് തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പില് ഒബാമയോട് മത്സരിച്ച ജോണ് മക്കൈന് ഇ-മേയ്ല് വായിക്കാന് ഭാര്യയുടെ സഹായം തേടുന്ന ടൈപ്പായിരുന്നു). കമ്പ്യൂട്ടര് നിത്യോപയോഗ വസ്തുവായി കരുതുന്ന യുവതലമുറയെ 'നേഡുകള്(nerds)' എന്നാണവര് കളിയാക്കുക.<br /><br />ഇന്റര്നെറ്റിനെ പറ്റി ഒരു നിയമം ഇവരൊക്കെ തയ്യാറാക്കാന് മിനക്കെട്ടത് തന്നെ നാട്ടിലെ ഏറ്റവും മാംസപേശിയുള്ള ഒരു ലോബി, അതായത് മാധ്യമ വ്യവസായം, ഈ നിയമം വേണമെന്നുവരെ നിര്ബന്ധിച്ചതു കൊണ്ട് മാത്രവും. ടൈം-വാണര്, കമ്പനി പോലെ പത്രം, മാഗസിന്, ടിവി, സിനിമ, റേഡിയോ, വെബ്, മ്യൂസിക്ക് എന്നിങ്ങനെ പല മാധ്യമവിഭാഗങ്ങളിലായി ശതകോടി ഡോളറുകളുടെ ബിസിനസ്സ് നടത്തുന്നവരാണ് പലരും. എല്ലാവരും തങ്ങളുടെ എല്ലാ നഷ്ടങ്ങള്ക്കും മുഖ്യകാരണമായി കാണുന്നത് ഒറ്റൊന്നാണ്: പൈരസി, അഥവാ ബൗദ്ധിക സ്വത്ത് ചോരണം.<br /><br />ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് മുതലാളിമാരും ലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് തൊഴിലാളികളുമുള്ള ഈ വ്യവസായ മേഖലയില് നിന്ന് 135 ബില്യണ് ഡോളറിന്റെ മോഷണമാണത്രെ പൈരറ്റുകള് നടത്തുന്നത്. കാര്യം നേരായിരിക്കണം, പത്തോ അമ്പതോ കോടി ഡോളര് മുടക്കി ഹോളിവുഡിലെ ഒരു പ്രൊഡ്യൂസര് നിര്മിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രം റിലീസ് ചെയ്തതിന്റെ പിറ്റേന്ന് ചില്ലറക്കാശിന് ഡൗണ്ലോഡ് ചെയ്ത് നല്കുന്ന വിജ്ഞാന കടല്ക്കൊള്ളക്കാരുടെ എത്രയോ സൈറ്റുകള് വെബ്ബിലുണ്ട്. സിനിമകള് മാത്രമല്ല, പുസ്തകങ്ങളും സംഗീതവും സോഫ്റ്റ്-വേറുകളും വരെ ഇങ്ങനെ പരസ്യമായി, ആദായവിലയ്ക്ക് നെറ്റില് വാങ്ങാന് കിട്ടും. ഇവയൊക്കെ യഥാര്ഥ ഉത്പാദകരോട് ചെയ്യുന്ന ദ്രോഹം ചില്ലറയുമല്ല. വ്യാജ ഉത്പന്നങ്ങളുടെ ഓണ്ലൈന് വ്യാപാരമാണ് വെബ്ബില് കൊഴുക്കുന്ന മറ്റൊരു അധോലോക വ്യവസായം.<br /><br />കാര്യം നിസ്സാരമല്ല, ഒന്നോ രണ്ടോ മുതലാളിമാരുടെ മാത്രം പ്രശ്നവുമല്ല. പ്രശ്നത്തിന്റെ ഗൗരവം അറിഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ട് തന്നയാണ് 12 വര്ഷം മുമ്പ് ഡിജിറ്റല് മില്ലേനിയം കോപിറൈറ്റ് ആക്ട് (ഡി.എം.സി.എ.) എന്ന നിയമം യു.എസ്സ്. കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സ് ഏകകണ്ഠമായി പാസ്സാക്കിയത്. പകര്പ്പവകാശമുള്ള സാങ്കേതികവിദ്യ, സാമഗ്രികള്, സേവനം എന്നിവയുടെ നിയമവിരുദ്ധമായ ഉത്പാദനം വിതരണം എന്നിവയെ ശിക്ഷാര്ഹമായ കുറ്റങ്ങളാക്കി മാറ്റുന്ന ഈ നിയമം ഫലത്തില് വിജ്ഞാനക്കൊള്ളയ്ക്ക് കാര്യമായി തടയിട്ടില്ല. കാരണം ഈ നിയമങ്ങള് അമേരിക്കയില് പ്രവര്ത്തിക്കുന്ന ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ് സൈറ്റുകളുടെ മേല് മാത്രമേ നടപ്പാക്കാന് കഴിയു. സ്വീഡനിലോ റഷ്യയിലോ ബീജിങ്ങിലോ സേര്വറുള്ള ഒരു പൈരറ്റിനെ ഡി.എം.സി.എ.യ്ക്ക് ഒരു ചുക്കും ചെയ്യാന് കഴിയില്ല.<br /><br />ഈ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്ക്ക് ശാശ്വതപരിഹാരമായിട്ടാണ് യു.എസ്സ്. കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സിന്റെ രണ്ട് സഭകളായ പ്രതിനിധി സഭയിലും സെനറ്റിലും രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ രണ്ട് പക്ഷത്തുനിന്നുമുള്ള ഓരോ അംഗങ്ങള് -സെനറ്റില് ഒരു റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കനും പ്രതിനിധിസഭയില് ഒരു ഡെമോക്രാറ്റും- ഓരോ ബില്ലുകള് തയ്യാറാക്കിയത്. ഇതില് ആദ്യത്തെ ബില് പിപ (പ്രൊട്ടക്ട് ഇന്റലക്ച്വല് പ്രോപ്പര്ട്ടി ആക്ട് -Protect Intellectual Property Act-- അഥവാ പി.ഐ.പി.എ.) 2010-ല് തന്നെ വലിയ കോലാഹലങ്ങളുണ്ടാക്കാതെ സഭയില് വന്നുപോയി. രണ്ടാമത്തെ ബില്ലും കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സില് പുഷ്പം പോലെ പാസ്സായി നിയമമാകുമെന്നാണ് ഈ ബില് രംഗത്തുവന്ന കഴിഞ്ഞ നവമ്പറില് എല്ലാവരും കരുതിയത്.<br /><br />പക്ഷേ രാഷ്ട്രീയക്കാര് വെറും 'നേഡുകള്' എന്ന് കളിയാക്കി തള്ളുന്ന ഡിജിറ്റല് തലമുറ അത്ര നിസ്സാരമല്ലെന്ന് പെട്ടന്നെല്ലാവര്ക്കും മനസ്സിലായി. നേഡുകളിലെ ബുദ്ധിയുള്ളവര് ബില്ലിന്റെ 54 പേജും കഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട് വായിച്ചപ്പോഴാണ് കുറ്റം തടയാനെന്ന പേരില് യു.എസ്സ്. ഗവണ്മന്റ് നിയമമാക്കാന് പോകുന്നത് അതിലും വലിയ കുറ്റമാണെന്ന് പലര്ക്കും മനസ്സിലായിത്തുടങ്ങിയത്. അമേരിക്കന് മാധ്യമവ്യവസായത്തെ, കൃത്യമായി പറഞ്ഞാല് ഹോളിവുഡ്ഡിനെ, സംരക്ഷിക്കാന് കൗബോയ് സിനിമകളില് മാത്രം പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാവുന്ന അധികാരങ്ങളാണ് സോപ യു.എസ്സ്. സര്ക്കാരിനു നല്കുന്നത്. അല്പകാലം മുമ്പെ ചൈനീസ് ഗവണ്മന്റ് ഗൂഗിളിനോട് അന്വേഷണഫലങ്ങള് സെന്സര് ചെയ്തു മാത്രമേ നെറ്റ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവര്ക്ക് നല്കാന് പാടുള്ളു എന്നു പറഞ്ഞപ്പോള് ചൈന 'ഫ്രീ സ്പീച്ചിന്' കൂച്ചുവിലങ്ങിടുന്നു എന്ന് ആരോപിച്ചവര് ഇപ്പോള് ഗൂഗിളിനെ തന്നെ ബ്ലാക്കൗട്ട് ചെയ്യാന് സര്ക്കാരിന് അധികാരം നല്കുന്ന നിയമമാണ് സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നത്.<br /><br />അമേരിക്കയ്ക്ക് വെളിയിലുള്ള സെര്വറുകളെ ഉപയോഗിച്ചുള്ള വ്യാപാരം തടയാനാണ് ഇത്തവണത്തെ ബില് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നത്. പുതിയ നിയമം അമേരിക്കയ്ക്ക് വെളിയിലുള്ള പൈരറ്റുകളുടെ പ്രാണവായു കട്ട് ചെയ്യാനുള്ള നിഷ്ഠുര വകുപ്പുകള് നിറഞ്ഞതാണ്. പൈരറ്റ് ആണെന്ന് ഏതെങ്കിലും അമേരിക്കന് കമ്പനി ആരോപിക്കുന്ന സൈറ്റുമായി പേപാല്, മാസ്റ്റര്കാര്ഡ് തുടങ്ങിയവര് പണമിടപാട് നടത്തരുത്, നടത്തിയാല് അവരും കുറ്റവാളികള്. സേര്ച്ച് എന്ജിനുകള് പൈരറ്റുകളുടെ ലിങ്കുകള് അന്വേഷണഫലം കാട്ടുന്ന പേജുകളിലൊരിടത്തും കാട്ടരുത്, കാണിച്ചാല് ഗൂഗിളിന്റെയും യാഹുവിന്റെയും കാര്യം ഗോപി. എന്തിനേറെ പറയുന്നു, തങ്ങള് ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ് പ്രേക്ഷകര്ക്ക് നല്കുന്ന ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ് ബന്ധത്തിലൂടെ ഉപയോക്താവിന് ഏതെങ്കിലും പൈരറ്റിന്റെ സൈറ്റില് എത്തിപ്പെടാന് പറ്റിയാല് സര്വീസ് പ്രൊവൈഡറായ ടെലികോം കമ്പനിയും അഴിയെണ്ണും. ഇതിനെയൊക്കെ സെന്സര്ഷിപ്പെന്നാണ് വിളിക്കുക, ഒരു ഗൂഗിള് എക്സിക്യൂട്ടീവ് പറഞ്ഞു.<br /><br />ഇതിനേക്കാളൊക്കെ വലിയ പ്രശ്നം കോപിറൈറ്റ് ലംഘനം നടന്നതായി കോപ്പിറൈറ്റ് ഉടമയുടെ വെറും പരാതിയുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തില് ഇതൊക്കെ ചെയ്യുകയുമാവാംഎന്നതുതന്നെ. ചുരുക്കിപ്പറഞ്ഞാല് സിനിമയിലെ രംഗങ്ങളുടെ സ്റ്റില്ലുകള് കൊടുക്കുന്നതു പോലും കുറ്റാരോപണത്തിന് മതിയായ തെളിവുമാണ്.<br /><br />പഴയ ഡി.എം.സി.എ. പൈരറ്റുകളെ മാത്രമാണ് ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ടിരുന്നത്. നെറ്റ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന ഉപയോക്താവ് ഫയലുകള് അപ്-ലോഡ് ചെയ്യുന്ന യൂട്യൂബ് പോലുള്ള സൈറ്റുകളെ നിയമം ആക്രമിച്ചിരുന്നില്ല. പകര്പ്പവകാശമുള്ള ചലച്ചിത്ര ദൃശ്യമോ സംഗീതമോ ആരെങ്കിലും അപ്-ലോഡ് ചെയ്തതായി കണ്ടാല് കോപ്പിറൈറ്റ് ഉടമയ്ക്ക് സൈറ്റിനോട് പരാതിപ്പെടാം. അവര് ഫയല് അപ്-ലോഡ് ചെയ്ത ഉപയോക്താവിനെ വിവരമറിയിച്ച ശേഷം നിശ്ചിത സമയത്തിനുള്ളില് ഫയല് സൈറ്റില് നിന്ന് നീക്കിയാല് മതി. അപ്-ലോഡ് ചെയ്ത മനുഷ്യന് താന് ഉപയോഗിച്ചത് പകര്പ്പവകാശമുള്ള വസ്തുവല്ലെന്ന് വേണമെങ്കില് കോടതയില് തെളിയിക്കുകയുമാവാം.<br /><br />'ബില്ലിന്റെ പ്രഖ്യാപിതലക്ഷ്യങ്ങളെ ഞങ്ങളും അനുകൂലിക്കുന്നു. നിര്ഭാഗ്യവശാല്, തയ്യാറാക്കപ്പെട്ട രൂപത്തിലുള്ള ബില്, നിയമാനുസൃതമായി പ്രവര്ത്തിക്കുന്ന യു.എസ്സ്. ഇന്റര്നെറ്റ്, ടെക്നോളജി കമ്പനികളെ വെബ്ബുകള് നിരീക്ഷിക്കുക എന്ന അനിശ്ചിതമായ ബാധ്യതയ്ക്കും ശാസനത്തിനും മുന്നില് തുറന്നിടും', ഗൂഗിളും ഫേയ്സ്ബുക്കും പോലുള്ള ടെക്നോളജി വമ്പന്മാര് നവമ്പറില്ത്തന്നെ കോണ്ഗ്രസ്സിനു സമര്പ്പിച്ച നിവേദനത്തില് പറഞ്ഞു.<br /><br />എന്നാല് 'നേഡുകളുടെ' ഇത്തരം വാദങ്ങളൊന്നും പരിഗണിക്കാതെ മുന്നോട്ടുപോകുന്ന മട്ടിലായിരുന്നു രാഷ്ട്രീയക്കാര്; 'അവന്മാര്ക്കൊക്കെ പ്രായോഗിക രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തെ പറ്റി എന്തറിയാം' എന്ന മട്ടില്. പക്ഷേ, ജനവരി 18 -ന് നെറ്റ് വഴി ലഭിച്ച നിവേദനങ്ങളുടെ എണ്ണവും ടെലിഫോണ് സ്വിച്ച്ബോഡിലെ ട്രാഫിക്ക് ജാമും കണ്ടപ്പോള് നേഡുകള് നിസ്സാരന്മാരല്ല എന്ന് ജനപ്രതിനിധികള്ക്ക് തിരിഞ്ഞു. ബില്ലിന്റെ അവതാരകനായ ടെക്സാസില് നിന്നുള്ള റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കന് അംഗം ലമാര് സ്മിത്ത് തീയില് ചവിട്ടിയതു പോലെ പിറകോട്ടു ചാടി. ബില്ലിലെ വിവാദപരമായ വകുപ്പുകള് മാറ്റാതെ അത് സഭയില് അവതരിപ്പിക്കില്ല, അദ്ദേഹം ആണയിട്ടു.<br /><br />രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിന്റെ ഇരുപക്ഷത്തുമുള്ളവര് സോപയിലെ സെന്സര്ഷിപ്പിന് സമമായ വ്യവസ്ഥകള്ക്കെതിരെ മുന്നോട്ടുവരാന് തുടങ്ങിയിട്ടുണ്ട് ഹോളിവുഡ് വേഴ്സസ് സിലിക്കണ് വാലി' എന്ന് അമേരിക്കക്കാര് കളിയാക്കുന്ന ഈ യുദ്ധത്തില് എല്ലാവരും ചേര്ന്ന് വില്ലന് സോപയെ തോല്പ്പിച്ചു. ഇതിന്റെ അര്ഥം ഇനി ഇന്റര്നെറ്റില് സമ്പൂര്ണ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യമായിരിക്കും എന്നല്ല. ഇന്റര്നെറ്റിന്റെ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യത്തിന് ചങ്ങലയിടാന് പലര്ക്കുമുള്ള കൊതി ഇവിടെ അടങ്ങില്ല. സോപ യുദ്ധത്തില് ശക്തമായി പങ്കെടുത്ത ബോയിംഗ്ബോയിംഗ് എന്ന സൈറ്റിന്റെ എഴുത്തുകാരനായ കോറി ഡോക്ടറോവ് പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ 'കോപ്പിറൈറ്റിനെ ചോല്ലിയല്ല യുദ്ധം. കോപ്പിറൈറ്റ് യുദ്ധങ്ങള് കംപ്യൂട്ടേഷന് മേഖലയില് വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന നീണ്ട യുദ്ധങ്ങളുടെ ബീറ്റ വേര്ഷന് മാത്രമാണ്.'mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-79494205269318001152012-01-27T18:40:00.000-08:002012-01-27T18:41:08.755-08:00സ്ത്രീകളെ വെറും ഭോഗവസ്തു മാത്രമായി കാണുന്ന ഒരു സംസ്ക്കാരമാണ് കാസനോവസ്ത്രീകളെ വെറും ഭോഗവസ്തു മാത്രമായി കാണുന്ന ഒരു സംസ്ക്കാരമാണ് കാസനോവ എന്ന സിനിമ മലയാളി സമൂഹത്തിലേയ്ക്ക് പകര്ന്ന് നല്കുന്നത്. 23 കോടി രൂപ മുടക്കി രണ്ട് വര്ഷക്കാലത്തോളും വിദേശ രാജ്യങ്ങളില് ചിത്രീകരണം നടത്തി പ്രേക്ഷകരുടെ നീണ്ട കാത്തിരിപ്പിനൊടുവില് കേരളത്തിലെ 138 തിയറ്ററുകള് ഉള്പ്പെടെ ലോകത്ത് 300 തിയേറ്ററുകളില് എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്ന ‘കാസനോവ’, കേരളീയ സംസ്ക്കാരം അതുമല്ലെങ്കില് ഭാരതീയ സംസ്ക്കാരം എന്നു നമ്മള് വാതോരാതെ പ്രസംഗിക്കുന്ന പാരമ്പര്യത്തില് സ്ത്രീകള്ക്ക് നല്കുന്ന സാമൂഹിക അംഗീകാരത്തിന് മുന്നില് തിരശ്ശീലയിട്ട് സ്ത്രീയുടെ വ്യക്തിത്വത്തെ വെറും പുരുഷന്റെ കാമപൂര്ത്തീകരണത്തിനുള്ള ഉപകരണം മാത്രമാക്കി പ്രദര്ശിപ്പിക്കുകയാണ്. രാജ്യം ലഫ്റ്റനന്റ് കേണല് പോലെ പരമോന്നതമായ ഒരു പദവി നല്കി ആദരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു നടന് നായക വേഷം കെട്ടി മലയാളി സമൂഹത്തിലേയ്ക്ക് പകര്ന്ന് നല്കാന് പറ്റിയ ഒരു സന്ദേശമായിരുന്നോ ഇതെന്ന് മോഹന്ലാല് മാത്രമല്ല, സദാസമയം കൂടെ നടക്കുന്ന സ്തുതിപാഠക സംഘവും ഈ സിനിമയുടെ പിന്നണിയില് പ്രവര്ത്തിച്ചിരുന്നവരും ആലോചിക്കേണ്ടതായിരുന്നു.<br /><br /><br />'കാസനോവ' എന്ന പേരിന്റെ ചരിത്ര പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിലേയ്ക്ക് നോക്കിയാല്, ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ ഇറ്റലിയിലെ വെനീസില് 1725 ഏപ്രില് 2 നു ജനിച്ച് 73 വര്ഷം ജീവിച്ച് 1798 ജൂണ് 4 മരണമടഞ്ഞ ജിയോവാനി യാക്കോപ്പോ കാസനോവയാണ് ലോകപ്രശസ്തി നേടിയ കഥാപാത്രം. രതിസാഹസികനും എഴുത്തുകാരനുമായിരുന്ന കാസനോവ, അതിരില്ലാത്ത സ്ത്രീലമ്പടതയുടെ പേരില് പ്രശസ്തനായിരുന്നു.മാത്രവുമല്ല അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പേരു തന്നെ വശീകരണത്തിനു പര്യായവുമായി പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. ഇതുപോലൊരു കഥയെടുത്ത് ഇത്രയും പ്രചാരം നല്കി അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിന് തുനിഞ്ഞ മോഹന് ലാല് മാപ്പ് അര്ഹിക്കാത്ത കുറ്റമാണ് ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നതെന്ന് ആരെങ്കിലും കുറ്റപ്പെടുത്താലും തെറ്റ് പറയാനാവില്ല. സിനിമയ്ക്ക് സാധാരണ മനസ്സുകളെ സ്വാധീനിക്കാനുള്ള ശേഷികൊണ്ട് തന്നെ ഈ സിനിമ കേരളീയരുടെ മനസ്സില് സൃഷ്ടിച്ചേക്കാവുന്ന ഒരു പുതിയ ധാരണയും വളരെ അപകടകരമായ ഒന്നാണ്.<br /><br /><br />കാസനോവയുടെ കഥ പറയുന്ന സിനിമ ഇതിനു മുന്പും പല ഭാഷകളിലും ഇറങ്ങിയിട്ടുള്ളതായി ചിലയിടങ്ങളില് വായിച്ചറിഞ്ഞു. ഹംഗറിയിലും ഇറ്റലിയിലും അമേരിക്കയിലുമെല്ലാം ഇറങ്ങിയിട്ടുള്ള സിനിമ പോലെയല്ല, കേരളത്തില് ലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് ആരാധകരുള്ള ഒരു നടന് നായക വേഷം ചെയ്യുന്ന സിനിമ സമൂഹത്തില് സൃഷ്ടിച്ചേക്കാവുന്ന ചലനങ്ങള്. ബോബി-സഞ്ജയ് സഹോദരന്മാര് സ്ക്രിപ്റ്റ് എഴുതുമ്പോഴും റോഷന് ആന്ഡ്രൂസ് സംവിധാനം ചെയ്യുമ്പോഴും കുറച്ച് കൂടി സാമൂഹിക പ്രതിബദ്ധത കാണിക്കാവുന്നതാണ്.<br /><br /><br />പൂ കച്ചവടക്കാരനായ നായകന് ലോകത്ത് എവിടെ ചെന്നാലും സ്ത്രീകളുമായി കിടപ്പറ ബന്ധമാണ്. കഥയുടെ കേന്ദ്രമായ ദുബായ് നഗരത്തില് നായകന് വന്നിറങ്ങിയാല് മാതാപിതാക്കളും കാമുകന്മാരും ഭര്ത്താക്കന്മാരും തങ്ങളുടെ വീടുകളിലെ യൗവനത്തിലെത്തിയ എല്ലാവരേയും സൂക്ഷിക്കേണ്ട അവസ്ഥ. അല്ലെങ്കില് എല്ലാ യുവതികളും ഇയാളുടെ കൂടെ പോകുമത്രെ. അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര പൂക്കച്ചവടക്കാരനായ ഇയാള്ക്ക് സ്ത്രീകളെ വശീകരിക്കലാണ് പ്രധാന പണി. അതിനു വേണ്ടി പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഇയാളൊന്നും ചെയ്യുന്നില്ല മറിച്ച് സുന്ദരികള് ഇയാളുടെ വലയിലേയ്ക്ക് ചെന്ന് വീഴുകയാണ്. എല്ലാ ദിവസവും ഓരോ സ്ത്രീകളോട് കിടപ്പറ പങ്കിടുന്ന നായകന്, രണ്ടായിരം സ്ത്രീകളുമായി ബന്ധമുണ്ടെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് കേള്ക്കുന്നുണ്ടല്ലോ എന്ന പത്രലേഖകന്റെ ചോദ്യത്തിന് നല്കുന്ന ഉത്തരം അത് ശത്രുക്കള് പറഞ്ഞു പരത്തുന്നതാണെന്നും, യഥാര്ത്ഥത്തില് അതിലും കൂടൂതലുണ്ടെന്നും പറഞ്ഞ് ആരാധകരെ പുളകം കൊള്ളിക്കുന്നുമുണ്ട്.<br /><br /><br />ലോകത്ത് എവിടെ പോയാലും ഇയാള്ക്ക് കിടക്ക വിരിയ്ക്കുന്ന പെണ്ണുങ്ങള് മാത്രമുള്ള കഥ പറഞ്ഞിട്ട് പെട്ടെന്ന് നായകന് വേണ്ടി കന്യകയായ ഒരുവള് കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നത് കാണിക്കുന്നു. ഇത്രയും കാലം അസന്മാര്ഗികളായ സ്ത്രീകള്ക്കൊപ്പം രമിച്ച് നടന്നിരുന്ന നായകന് വേണ്ടി സ്വഭാവശുദ്ധിയുള്ളവളും പരിശുദ്ധയുമായ ഒരുവള് വരുന്ന രംഗം കാണിക്കുന്നു. തന്റെ കന്യാത്വം ഉറപ്പിച്ച് കാണിക്കുന്നതിനായി ശ്രേയാ ശരണ് പറയുന്ന ഡയലോഗ് തന്നെ സ്ത്രീത്വത്തിന്റെ മുഖത്ത് കാര്ക്കിച്ച് തുപ്പുന്ന ഒന്നാണ്. ലോകത്തെ ബാക്കി സ്ത്രീകളെല്ലാം അവരുടെ കാമുകന്മാരെയും ഭര്ത്താക്കന്മാരെയും വഞ്ചിച്ച് അഴിഞ്ഞാടാന് നടക്കുന്നവരും നായിക മാത്രം പരിശുദ്ധയും. കാണുന്ന സ്ത്രീകളെ എല്ലാം തന്റെ കാമപൂര്ത്തീകരണത്തിന് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന നായകനെ കണ്ട് സായൂജ്യമടയുന്നത്, അനുദിനം പീഢനങ്ങള് വര്ദ്ധിച്ചു വരുന്ന കേരളീയ സമൂഹത്തിലാണ്.<br /><br /><br />നായകന് ഇന്റര്നാഷണല് പൂക്കച്ചവടക്കാരനാണെങ്കില് ഇത് കാണുന്നവര് വീടുവീടാന്തരം കയറി ഇറങ്ങുന്ന നാട്ടിലെ പാവപ്പെട്ട പാത്രക്കച്ചവടക്കാരും മാര്ക്കറ്റിങുകാരും വിദ്യാര്ത്ഥികളും ഓട്ടോറിക്ഷാക്കാരും എല്ലാം ഉള്പ്പെടുന്ന സാധാരണക്കാരാണ്. പിഞ്ചുകുഞ്ഞിനെ മുതല് വൃദ്ധയെ വരെ പീഢിപ്പിക്കുന്ന വാര്ത്തകള് പുതുമയല്ലാതെയായി മാറിയിരിക്കുന്ന കേരളത്തില് കാസനോവ പോലെ രണ്ടായിരം പേരുമായുള്ള ബന്ധം ഒന്നുമല്ല, യഥാര്ത്ഥത്തില് അതിലും കൂടുതലുണ്ട് എന്നു സ്ഥാപിക്കാനായി ആളുകള് ഇറങ്ങിയാലുള്ള അവസ്ഥ എന്തായി തീരും. അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര പൂക്കച്ചവടക്കാരനായ കാസനോവയ്ക്ക് ഒട്ടേറെ വിദേശ രാജ്യങ്ങളില് പോയി പലരോടും കിടപ്പറ പങ്കിടാന് പറ്റിയേക്കും. പക്ഷേ സിനിമ കാണുന്ന ലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് മലയാളികളില് കുറച്ച് പേര്ക്കെങ്കിലും ഇതൊരു അനുകരണീയമായ കഥാപാത്രമായി തോന്നിയാല് അതിന്റെ ഇരകളായി തീരാന് പോകുന്നത് കേരളത്തിലെ പെണ്വര്ഗത്തില് പെട്ടസാധുക്കളായിരിക്കും.<br /><br /><br />സ്ര്തീയെ അമ്മയായും സഹോദരിയായും മകളായും കാണണമെന്ന സന്ദേശം നല്കുന്ന സിനിമയില് മാത്രമേ അഭിനയിക്കാവൂ എന്നൊന്നും ലാലേട്ടനോട് വാശിപിടിക്കുന്നില്ലെ. പക്ഷേ സ്ര്തീ പുരുഷന്റെ കാമപൂര്ത്തീകരണത്തിനുള്ള , മാംസപിണ്ഡമാണ് എന്നു പറയാതെ പറയരുത്. ഇത്തരമൊരു മ്ളേച്ഛ സംസ്ക്കാരം മലയാളി സമൂഹത്തില് ഉണ്ടാവാന് ഇടവരാതിരിക്കട്ടെmtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-29186875247464826202011-11-27T15:40:00.000-08:002011-11-27T15:43:09.827-08:008 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating8 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating<br /><br /><br /><br /> We know that herbs and spices do more than simply add flavor to food. They let you cut down on some less-healthy ingredients, such as salt, added sugars and saturated fat, and some have inherent health benefits, many of which Joyce Hendley reported on for EatingWell Magazine. <br /><br /><br />Modern science is beginning to uncover the ultimate power of spices and herbs, as weapons against illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. "We're now starting to see a scientific basis for why people have been using spices medicinally for thousands of years," says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of Healing Spices (Sterling, 2011). <br /><br /><br />Aggarwal notes that in his native India, where spices tend to be used by the handful, incidence of diet-related diseases like heart disease and cancer have long been low. But when Indians move away and adopt more Westernized eating patterns, their rates of those diseases rise. While researchers usually blame the meatier, fattier nature of Western diets, Aggarwal and other experts believe that herbs and spices-or more precisely, the lack of them-are also an important piece of the dietary puzzle. "When Indians eat more Westernized foods, they're getting much fewer spices than their traditional diet contains," he explains. "They lose the protection those spices are conveying." <br /><br /><br />While science has yet to show that any spice cures disease, there's compelling evidence that several may help manage some chronic conditions (though it's always smart to talk with your doctor). What's not to love? Here we've gathered eight of the healthiest spices and herbs enjoyed around the world. <br /><br /><br />Chile Peppers <br />May help: Boost metabolism. <br />Chile peppers add a much-appreciated heat to chilly-weather dishes, and they can also give a boost to your metabolism. Thank capsaicin, the compound that gives fresh chiles, and spices including cayenne and chipotle, their kick. Studies show that capsaicin can increase the body's metabolic rate (causing one to burn more calories) and may stimulate brain chemicals that help us feel less hungry. In fact, one study found that people ate 16 percent fewer calories at a meal if they'd sipped a hot-pepper-spiked tomato juice (vs. plain tomato juice) half an hour earlier. Recent research found that capsinoids, similar but gentler chemicals found in milder chile hybrids, have the same effects-so even tamer sweet paprika packs a healthy punch. Capsaicin may also lower risk of ulcers by boosting the ability of stomach cells to resist infection by ulcer-causing bacteria and help the heart by keeping "bad" LDL cholesterol from turning into a more lethal, artery-clogging form. <br />Don't Miss: Foods That Blast Belly Fat <br /><br /><br />Ginger <br />May help: Soothe an upset stomach, fight arthritis pain. <br />Ginger has a well-deserved reputation for relieving an unsettled stomach. Studies show ginger extracts can help reduce nausea caused by morning sickness or following surgery or chemotherapy, though it's less effective for motion sickness. But ginger is also packed with inflammation-fighting compounds, such as gingerols, which some experts believe may hold promise in fighting some cancers and may reduce the aches of osteoarthritis and soothe sore muscles. In a recent study, people who took ginger capsules daily for 11 days reported 25 percent less muscle pain when they performed exercises designed to strain their muscles (compared with a similar group taking placebo capsules). Another study found that ginger-extract injections helped relieve osteoarthritis pain of the knee. <br />Must-Read: 5 Foods That Fight Pain Naturally <br /><br /><br />Cinnamon <br />May help: Stabilize blood sugar. <br />A few studies suggest that adding cinnamon to food-up to a teaspoon a day, usually given in capsule form-might help people with type 2 diabetes better control their blood sugar, by lowering post-meal blood-sugar spikes. Other studies suggest the effects are limited at best. <br /><br /><br />Turmeric <br />May help: Quell inflammation, inhibit tumors. <br />Turmeric, the goldenrod-colored spice, is used in India to help wounds heal (it's applied as a paste); it's also made into a tea to relieve colds and respiratory problems. Modern medicine confirms some solid-gold health benefits as well; most are associated with curcumin, a compound in turmeric that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin has been shown to help relieve pain of arthritis, injuries and dental procedures; it's also being studied for its potential in managing heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Researcher Bharat Aggarwal is bullish on curcumin's potential as a cancer treatment, particularly in colon, prostate and breast cancers; preliminary studies have found that curcumin can inhibit tumor cell growth and suppress enzymes that activate carcinogens. <br /><br /><br />Saffron <br />May help: Lift your mood. <br />Saffron has long been used in traditional Persian medicine as a mood lifter, usually steeped into a medicinal tea or used to prepare rice. Research from Iran's Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital at Tehran University of Medical Sciences has found that saffron may help to relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and depression. In one study, 75% of women with PMS who were given saffron capsules daily reported that their PMS symptoms (such as mood swings and depression) declined by at least half, compared with only 8 percent of women who didn't take saffron. <br />Must-Read: 4 Foods to Boost Your Mood <br /><br /><br />Parsley <br />May help: Inhibit breast cancer-cell growth. <br />University of Missouri scientists found that this herb can actually inhibit breast cancer-cell growth, reported Holly Pevzner in the September/October 2011 issue of EatingWell Magazine. In the study, animals that were given apigenin, a compound abundant in parsley (and in celery), boosted their resistance to developing cancerous tumors. Experts recommend adding a couple pinches of minced fresh parsley to your dishes daily. <br /><br /><br />Sage <br />May help: Preserve memory, soothe sore throats. <br />Herbalists recommend sipping sage tea for upset stomachs and sore throats, a remedy supported by one study that found spraying sore throats with a sage solution gave effective pain relief. And preliminary research suggests the herb may improve some symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease by preventing a key enzyme from destroying acetylcholine, a brain chemical involved in memory and learning. In another study, college students who took sage extracts in capsule form performed significantly better on memory tests, and their moods improved. <br />Related: 5 Foods to Help Ward Off Colds <br /><br /><br />Rosemary <br />May help: Enhance mental focus, fight foodborne bacteria. <br />One recent study found that people performed better on memory and alertness tests when mists of aromatic rosemary oil were piped into their study cubicles. Rosemary is often used in marinades for meats and poultry, and there's scientific wisdom behind that tradition: rosmarinic acid and other antioxidant compounds in the herb fight bacteria and prevent meat from spoiling, and may even make cooked meats healthier. In March 2010, Kansas State University researchers reported that adding rosemary extracts to ground beef helped prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs)-cancer-causing compounds produced when meats are grilled, broiled or fried. <br />Don't Miss: Drink This to Cure a Headache & 4 More Home Remedies From Your Kitchen <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong>mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-70979945101514574712011-08-09T04:12:00.000-07:002011-08-09T04:13:15.767-07:00അമേരിക്കന് പ്രതിസന്ധിഅമേരിക്കന് പ്രതിസന്ധി: ഇന്ത്യക്കു തുടക്കം കടുപ്പമായാലും ഒടുക്കം കരുത്താവുമെന്ന് വിദഗ്ധര്
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<br />അമേരിക്കന് സാമ്പത്തിക പ്രതിസന്ധി താല്ക്കാലികമായി ഇന്ത്യക്ക് ദോഷം ചെയ്യുമെങ്കിലും ഭാവിയില് ഗുണകരമാണെന്ന് വിദഗ്ധര്.
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<br />ബാങ്കിംഗ്, സ്വര്ണ, ഐടി ഓഹരി വിപണികളില് മുന്നേറ്റത്തിനു കാരണമാകും. ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ബാങ്കിംഗ് അടിത്തറ കൂടുതല് ശക്തമായതിനാല് അമേരിക്കന് കാറ്റ് ഇന്ത്യയെ പിടിച്ചുകുലുക്കില്ലെന്നും അവര് പറയുന്നു. എണ്ണ വില കുറയുന്നത് നാണ്യപ്പെരുപ്പം കുറയ്ക്കും. ഇത് ഇന്ത്യന് സമ്പദ്ഘടനയെ കൂടുതല് ശക്തമാക്കും. അങ്ങനെയായാല് എളുപ്പത്തില് ഇന്ത്യ ചൈനയ്ക്ക് മുന്നിലെത്തുമെന്ന് പ്രവചിക്കുന്നവരുമേറെ. ആസന്നമായ ആ കുതിച്ചുചാട്ടത്തിന് ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധി നിമിത്തമായേക്കാം.
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<br />ഓഹരി വിപണി
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<br />ഇക്വിറ്റി മാര്ക്കറ്റില് മുന്നിലെത്താന് പറ്റിയ സമയം
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<br />അമേരിക്കന് സാമ്പത്തിക പ്രതിസന്ധി ഇന്ത്യന് ഓഹരി വിപണിയെ ഉത്തേജിപ്പിക്കുമെന്നും തളര്ത്തുമെന്നും വാദിക്കുന്നവരുണ്ട്. ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ തകര്ച്ച താല്ക്കാലികമാണ്. ഓഹരി വിപണികള് കുറേക്കാലത്തേക്ക് സമ്മര്ദ്ദത്തിലാകുമെങ്കിലും അസംസ്കൃത വസ്തുക്കളുടെ വിലയിടിവ് ഇന്ത്യ ഉള്പ്പെടെയുള്ള വികസ്വര രാജ്യങ്ങള്ക്ക് ഗുണംചെയ്യുമെന്ന് റിലയന്സ് മ്യൂച്ചല് ഫണ്ട് കമ്പനിയുടെ കൊച്ചിയിലെ ക്ലസ്റ്റര് മാനേജര് സുബിന് ഫിലിപ്പ് അഭിപ്രായപ്പെടുന്നു.
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<br />രണ്ടുവര്ഷമെങ്കിലും ഓഹരി മാര്ക്കറ്റില് നില്ക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നവര്ക്ക് വലിയ ലാഭമുണ്ടാക്കാന് കഴിയും. വിദേശധനകാര്യ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങള് ചെറിയ ലാഭമെടുത്തുപോലും നിക്ഷേപം പിന്വലിക്കാനും ഇടയുണ്ട്.
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<br />വിദേശ കമ്പനികള് ഇന്ത്യയില് ഓഹരി നിക്ഷേപത്തിനു താല്പര്യം കാണിച്ചുതുടങ്ങിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. അമേരിക്കന് പ്രതിസന്ധി പെട്ടെന്ന് ഉണ്ടായതല്ല രണ്ടുവര്ഷമായി പ്രതീക്ഷിച്ച പതനമാണ്. ഇക്വിറ്റി മാര്ക്കറ്റില് ഇന്ത്യന് കമ്പനികള്ക്ക് മുന്നിരയിലെത്താന് പറ്റിയ സമയമാണിപ്പോള്. ബ്രസീലിനും ചൈനയ്ക്കും ഉല്പ്പന്നങ്ങള് സൃഷ്ടിക്കാനുള്ള ശേഷി മാത്രമാണുള്ളതെങ്കില് ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് ഉല്പന്നേതര വിപണിയും ലാഭകരമാണ്. കഴിഞ്ഞ ഒന്നര മാസത്തിനിടയ്ക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും വരാത്ത പണമാണ് ഇന്ത്യന് ഇക്വിറ്റി മാര്ക്കറ്റിലെത്തിയത്.
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<br />സ്ഥിരതയുള്ള സര്ക്കാരാണ് വിപണി ഉയരാന്വേണ്ട പ്രധാന ഘടകം. ഇറ്റലി, സ്പെയിന് എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില് നിന്ന് ബോണ്ട് ഇഷ്യു വന്നുതുടങ്ങി. ഇത് ഉയരുന്നതോടെ മിക്ക ഇന്ത്യന് കമ്പനികള്ക്കും നേട്ടമുണ്ടാക്കാനാവും. ഇപ്പോള് ഇന്ത്യന് വിപണി ആയിരം പോയിന്റ് താഴെപ്പോയാലും ഭയക്കേണ്ടതില്ല; ഭാവിയില് ഇരട്ടി വളര്ച്ചയാണുണ്ടാവുകയെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം പറയുന്നു. അമേരിക്കയിലെയും യൂറോപ്പിലേയും മൂല്യശോഷണം നിക്ഷേപകരുടെ ശ്രദ്ധ ഇന്ത്യയിലേക്കും ചൈനയിലേക്കും തിരിക്കും. ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ പ്രതിസന്ധി താല്ക്കാലികമായി ഇന്ത്യന് ഓഹരി വിപണിയെ ബാധിക്കുമെങ്കിലും വര്ഷാവസാനത്തോടെ സ്ഥിതി മെച്ചപ്പെടും.
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<br />ഐടി രംഗം
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<br />ഇപ്പോള് സുരക്ഷിതം; ഭാവിയില് ആശങ്ക
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<br />അമേരിക്കന് സമ്പദ്വ്യവസ്ഥ മാന്ദ്യത്തിനടിപ്പെട്ടാലും തങ്ങള്ക്കു പിടിച്ചുനില്ക്കാന് കഴിയുമെന്നാണ് രാജ്യത്തെ ഐ.ടി. വിദഗ്ധര് പറയുന്നത്. 2008 ല് മാന്ദ്യമുണ്ടായപ്പോള് തങ്ങള് സമ്പാദ്യത്തിനനുസരിച്ച് കാര്യങ്ങള് നീക്കിയെന്നും ആ അനുഭവത്തിന്റെ വെളിച്ചത്തില് ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധിയും മറികടക്കാന് കഴിയുമെന്നും അവര് വാദിക്കുന്നു. അമേരിക്കയുടെ വിപുലമായ കണ്സ്യൂമര് മാര്ക്കറ്റിനെ കേന്ദ്രീകരിച്ചാണ് ലോകകയറ്റുമതിയുടെ അച്ചുതണ്ട് തിരിയുന്നത്.
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<br />ലോകം വീണ്ടും സാമ്പത്തിക മാന്ദ്യത്തിലേക്കു നീങ്ങുമെന്ന ആശങ്ക ഉയര്ന്നിട്ടുണ്ട്. എന്നാല് മാന്ദ്യം യാഥാര്ഥ്യമല്ലെന്നാണു കരുതുന്നത്. പ്രതിവര്ഷം 600 കോടി ഡോളറിന്റെ വരുമാനം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്ന ഇന്ത്യന് ഐ.ടി. കമ്പനികളുടെ ബിസിനസിന്റെ 60 ശതമാനവും അമേരിക്കയുടെ സംഭാവനയാണ്. വ്യവസായ, വാണിജ്യ മേഖലകളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട സംഘടനകളായ ഇ.ഐ.ഐ, എഫ്.ഐ.സി.സി.ഐ, അസോചം, എഫ്.ഐ.ഇ.ഒ. എന്നിവയെല്ലാം അമേരിക്കയുടെ റേറ്റിംഗ് താഴ്ത്തിയത് ഉത്കണ്ഠയുണ്ടാക്കുന്നു.
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<br />എന്നാല് അമേരിക്കന് വിപണിയിലെ തിരിച്ചടികൊണ്ട് നിലവില് സംസ്ഥാനത്തെ ഐ.ടി. രംഗത്ത് തിരിച്ചടിയില്ലെന്നാണ് ഇന്ഫോപാര്ക്ക് സീനിയര് ടെക്നിക്കല് അഡ്വൈസര് കെ. കുര്യന് പറയുന്നത്. പാശ്ചാത്യനാടുകളില് നിന്നുള്ള ഓര്ഡര് കുറഞ്ഞാല് മൂന്നുനാലു മാസം കഴിഞ്ഞേ അതിന്റെ പ്രതിഫലനം ഇന്ത്യന് ഐ.ടി. മാര്ക്കറ്റിനെ ബാധിച്ചുതുടങ്ങൂവെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞു.
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<br />സ്വര്ണനിക്ഷേപം
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<br />ഡോളറിന്റെ തളര്ച്ചയില് സ്വര്ണം കുതിക്കും
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<br />അമേരിക്കന് സമ്പദ്വ്യവസ്ഥ കൂടുതല് പ്രതിസന്ധിയിലാണെന്ന വാര്ത്തകളും സ്വര്ണത്തിലുള്ള നിക്ഷേപ താല്പര്യം വര്ധിപ്പിച്ചതുമാണ് ആഗോള വിപണിയിലെ വില ഉയരാന് കാരണം. ഡോളറിന്റെ തളര്ച്ചയാണ് സ്വര്ണവില ക്രമാധീതമായി ഉയര്ത്തുന്നത്.
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<br />നിക്ഷേപകര്ക്ക് സ്വര്ണത്തില് വിശ്വാസ്യത ഏറി. നിക്ഷേപമായി സ്വര്ണം വാങ്ങിക്കൂട്ടുന്ന പ്രവണത കൂടുകയാണ്. ആഭരണങ്ങള്ക്ക് ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതല് സ്വര്ണം വിറ്റഴിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന ഇന്ത്യയില് ഇത് സാധാരണക്കാരെ വലയ്ക്കും. ഡോളര് ദുര്ബലമായി യു.എസ്. ഡോളറുകള് ആകര്ഷകമല്ലാതാവുന്നത് സ്വര്ണത്തിന്റെ ഡിമാന്റ് വര്ധിപ്പിക്കും. ജപ്പാന് കഴിഞ്ഞ 15 വര്ഷമായി മാന്ദ്യത്തെ നേരിടുകയാണ്. ഈ സാഹചര്യത്തിലാണ് ലോകം മുഴുവന് സ്വര്ണത്തെ ഒരു പ്രധാന നിക്ഷേപ മാര്ഗമായി കാണുന്നതെന്ന് സൗത്ത് ഇന്ത്യന് ബാങ്ക് എക്സിക്യൂട്ടീവ് ഡയറക്ടര് ഏബ്രഹാം തര്യന് പറയുന്നു. 2008 ല് 800 ഡോളറായിരുന്നു സ്വര്ണ വില. 2011 ല് 17000 ഡോളറായത് ഈ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തിലാണ്. അമേരിക്കന് പ്രതിസന്ധി ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് ഗുണകരമാകുമെന്നാണു പ്രതീക്ഷ. ക്രൂഡ് ഓയില് വില താഴേക്കുപോകും. ഇതുവഴി ഇന്ത്യയുടെ വലിയൊരു തലവേദനയായ നാണ്യപ്പെരുപ്പം പരിഹരിക്കപ്പെടും. സ്വര്ണം ഒഴികെയുള്ള ഉല്പന്നങ്ങള്ക്ക് ആവശ്യകതയും വിലയും കുറയും.
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<br />അമേരിക്കന് സര്ക്കാരിന്റെ വായ്പ എടുക്കാനുള്ള പരിധി ഉയര്ത്തേണ്ട സാഹചര്യത്തിലേക്ക് ധനസ്ഥിതി നീങ്ങിയപ്പോള്തന്നെ കൂടുതല് സുരക്ഷിതമായ നിക്ഷേപമെന്ന നിലയില് സ്വര്ണത്തിലേക്ക് ഇടപാടുകള് മാറുകയാണ്. ഒരുദിവസം തന്നെ രണ്ടും മൂന്നും തവണ സ്വര്ണ വില ഉയരുന്ന സ്ഥിതിവിശേഷമാണ് ഇപ്പോഴുള്ളത്. കഴിഞ്ഞദിവസം കൊച്ചിയില് രാവിലെ പവന് 400 രൂപയുടെ റെക്കോഡ് കുതിപ്പുണ്ടായി. ഉച്ചയ്ക്കുശേഷം 160 രൂപ കൂടി വര്ധിച്ചു. സ്വര്ണത്തിന്റെ ചുവടുപിടിച്ച് വെള്ളി വിലയും ഉയരുകയാണ്. മൂന്നുമാസത്തെ ഉയര്ന്ന നിരക്കിലാണിപ്പോള്. കിലോഗ്രാമിന് 1500 രൂപ കൂടി 60,100 രൂപയായി.
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<br />ബാങ്കിംഗ് രംഗം
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<br />നാണ്യപ്പെരുപ്പം കുറയും; പലിശയും
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<br />ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ സംഭവവികാസങ്ങള് യു.എസില് നിക്ഷേപിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളുടെയും സര്ക്കാരുകളുടെയും ആത്മവിശ്വാസം കുറയ്ക്കും. പ്രതിസന്ധി ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് ഗുണം ചെയ്യും.
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<br />രാജ്യം എളുപ്പത്തില് ചൈനയ്ക്കൊപ്പം എത്തും. ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ബാങ്കിംഗ് സംവിധാനം കൂടുതല് പ്രബലമാണ്. ലോകമാന്ദ്യംവന്നാല് ക്രൂഡ് വില കുറയും. ആറുമാസമായി വില കുറയുന്നുണ്ട്. ഇങ്ങനെവന്നാല് നാണ്യപ്പെരുപ്പം കുറയും. ഇന്ത്യ വളരെ സൂക്ഷിച്ചാണ് കഴിഞ്ഞവര്ഷങ്ങളില് നിക്ഷേപം നടത്തിയത്. ചെറിയശതമാനമേ യു.എസ്. ബോണ്ടുകളിലേക്ക് പോയിട്ടുള്ളൂ.
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<br />യു.എസ്. വേണ്ടത്ര നിക്ഷേപ യോഗ്യമല്ലാതെവരുമ്പോള് ആ പണം ചെറിയതോതിലെങ്കിലും ഇന്ത്യപോലുള്ള ഉയരുന്ന സമ്പദ്ഘടനകളിലേക്ക് വരാം. അങ്ങനെവന്നാല് ഓഹരി വിപണിക്ക് ദീര്ഘകാലത്തേക്ക് സഹായകമായേക്കാം. ഇനി റിസര്വ് ബാങ്കിന്് റിപ്പോ, റിവേഴ്സ് റിപ്പോ നിരക്കുകള് ഉയര്ത്തേണ്ടിവരില്ല. പടിപടിയായി താഴ്ത്തുകയാവാം. നാണയപ്പെരുപ്പം കുറയ്ക്കാന് ഇപ്പോള് പലിശ കൂട്ടുന്ന രീതി ഫലം കാണുന്നില്ല. നാണ്യപ്പെരുപ്പം കുറഞ്ഞാല് ഇന്ത്യയിലെ പലിശനിരക്കുകള് കുറയും. ഇന്ത്യന് ബാങ്കുകള്ക്ക് യു.എസ്. ബോണ്ടുകളില് വളരെ കുറഞ്ഞ നിക്ഷേപമേയുള്ളൂ. അതുകൊണ്ട് ഇന്ത്യന് ബാങ്കുകളെ അല്പംപോലും ബാധിക്കില്ല. പലിശനിരക്ക് കുറയുന്നത് ബാങ്കിംഗിന് ഉണര്വേകും. വായ്പ എടുക്കുന്നത് വര്ധിക്കുമ്പോള് സാമ്പത്തികരംഗത്ത് ഉണര്വേകും. വികസന പ്രവര്ത്തനങ്ങള്ക്ക് വേഗം കൂടും. വിപണിയിലേക്ക് പണം ഒഴുകിയാല് ഡിമാന്റ് വര്ധിക്കും - ഏബ്രഹാം തര്യന് പറയുന്നു.
<br />E-mail to a friendmtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-80216164248650367002011-04-09T03:24:00.001-07:002011-04-09T03:24:56.516-07:005 Things Not to Buy at CVSYou’d think that the core competency of a drugstore would be filling prescriptions, so why are the pharmacies at CVS (and all its competitors) in the very back of the store? Because that way, you’ve got miles of aisles to navigate — and baskets full of impulse buys to resist — on the way. The drugstore chains have been growing by offering higher-end cosmetics, more store brands, expanding their grocery offerings, and even selling prepared food. Would you like a CVS salad with your Lipitor? No store can be all things to all people all the time, though, so don’t let the one-stop shopping convenience empty your wallet. Below are five items you’d be better off buying elsewhere, for reasons of price, quality, or selection. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br />1. Batteries<br />In a Consumer Reports test in 2009, CVS’s alkaline AA batteries came in dead last among 9 different brands, behind those of Walgreens and Costco (the Panasonic Evolta topped the list, holding its charge more than twice as long as the CVS brand). <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />More from CBS MoneyWatch.com: <br /><br />5 Things You Should Buy at CVS<br /><br />4 Things Not to Buy at Target<br /><br />4 Things Not to Buy at Costco <br /> <br /><br />2. Bottled Water<br />This is one product that’s usually cheaper at supermarkets; plus they usually stock more brands. A case of 24 half-liter bottles of Arrowhead water, for example, was recently selling for $5.99 at CVS, versus $3.79 at Safeway. Beside the Arrowhead, CVS only carried Nestle Pure Life water in addition to its store brand, while Safeway was offering Aquafina, Dasani, Fiji, Crystal Geyser, Evian, and its in-house brand — all selling for $5.49 or less per case. And unless you get lucky and snag a sale somewhere, warehouse stores Costco and BJ’s will be the cheapest of all. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />3. Hair Dryers<br />CVS has several hair dryers to choose from — as long as you like Conair. That was the only brand on the shelf of three Los Angeles CVS stores, although a CVS spokesperson says that the store usually stocks more than one brand. Bed, Bath and Beyond was recently stocking six brands of hair dryers, including a Consumer Reports Best Buy, the Revlon Ionic Ceramic Pro Stylist, for $19.99. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />4. Cereal<br />The markup on cereal at supermarkets is already high, and it typically costs even more at CVS, where floor space is limited. For example, a box of Total cereal that costs $5.79 at CVS was selling for $3.99 at a local supermarket. You might hit a good sale, but before throwing down your cash, make sure it’s a real sale, not just a marketing move masquerading as a deal. In one Southern California CVS store, a sign beneath single-serving cups of cereal read, “Stock Up! 10/$10.” The regular price per cup? $1.00. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />5. Small Appliances<br />Unless you need to press a prom dress in a panic, take a pass on CVS’s appliances. The basics that CVS sells — irons, toasters, blenders, coffeemakers — can be useful in a pinch, and none of them costs more than about $40. But there are only two or, at most, three brands to choose from in each category, and those low prices can be found at other places where there’s more of a selection. For example, Sears recently had 12 irons on display, five of them for under $40. <br /><br />.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-47902601561106438562011-02-12T03:36:00.000-08:002011-04-09T03:08:33.176-07:00MALAYALAM FILIM SONGSmtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-88349753428031778662011-02-27T10:08:00.000-08:002011-02-27T10:11:50.258-08:00Amazing story !!!.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery. He wanted people's opinion about his caliber and painting skills.<br />He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below aboard which read -"I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake."<br />While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the painting.<br />Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master's place and burst into tears.<br />This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying"I'm useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I'm not worth becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like dying"<br />Master smiled and suggested "My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt flawless painting. Do as I say without questioning it. It WILL work."<br />Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled.<br />"Come with me." master said.<br />They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read -"Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. I have put a box with colors and brushes just below. Please do a favor. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it."<br /><br />Master and disciple walked back home.<br />They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!<br /><br />Moral of the story:<br />It is easier to criticize, but DIFFICULT TO IMPROVE!<br />So don't get carried away or judge yourself by someone else's criticism and feel depressed...<br /><br /><br /><br />JUDGE YOURSELF! YOU ARE YOUR BEST JUDGE!!!mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-36143298872902837322010-10-16T01:28:00.000-07:002010-10-16T01:30:39.412-07:0010 Energy-Efficient Moves to Do in a WeekendWith winter approaching, why not give these 10 DIY weekend projects a try? They range in price from $10 to no more than $250 -- money you should easily recoup with improved efficiency or when you go to sell your home. You'll be saving cash and going green at the same time.<br /><br />1. Replace Your Showerhead<br /><br />Estimated Time: 15 minutes<br />Estimated Cost: $10 to $60<br /><br />Install a new WaterSense-labeled showerhead, and you could save more than 2,300 gallons of water annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Using less hot water will cut your energy bills, and your local utilities may provide a rebate, too. EPA vouches that models labeled WaterSense still provide a satisfying shower.<br /><br /><br />Your showerhead is a water-waster if it fills a gallon bucket in 20 seconds. To find out how much water and money you could save in your home with water-saving improvements, use the calculator at EPA.gov.<br /><br /><br />2. Add Aerators to Your Faucets<br /><br />Estimated Time: About 5 minutes per faucet<br />Estimated Cost: $2 to $10<br /><br />You can save another 500 gallons of water annually simply by replacing a standard aerator, which delivers more than 2.5 gallons per minute, with a low-flow one, with a flow of 0.5 to 1 gallon per minute. The low-flow aerators will cut water and energy usage while maintaining adequate water pressure. Unsure whether your faucets are water wasters? Put a quart container under the sink faucet and let 'er flow. If the container fills in less than five seconds, get busy.<br /><br />In the kitchen you might want greater flow, say 2 to 4 gallons per minute, for filling a pot or the sink.<br /><br />3. Install a Water-Efficient Toilet<br /><br />Estimated Time: One hour<br />Estimated Cost: $200 or more<br /><br />EPA estimates that a family of four that replaces a home's older toilets with WaterSense-labeled models will, on average, can save more than $90 annually on their water bill and $2,000 over the toilet's lifetime.<br /><br />Concerned about performance? Read the rave reviews of the American Standard Cadet 3 high-efficiency toilet ($198) at Home Depot. For example, "... easy to install and flushes like no tomorrow. You hit that handle, your problems disappear." For how to install tips Bob Vila can help you. If you still don't feel comfortable, you can always hire a contractor for about $150.<br /><br />4. Switch to CFLs<br /><br />Estimated Time: 15 minutes <br />Estimated Cost: $2 to $15 for specialty bulbs<br /><br />As the days get shorter, you'll keep on the lights longer. Now's a good time to switch from traditional incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). Energy-Star qualified CFLs use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescents.<br /><br />Start with your five most frequently used fixtures and you can save more than $65 annually. Don't forget about your hardest-to-reach locations, too. Don't want to climb a ladder? Use the Bayco 11-foot Light Bulb Changer ($20).<br /><br />5. Install a Programmable Thermostat<br /><br />Estimated Time: A half hour<br />Estimated Cost: $25 to $250<br /><br />With a programmable thermostat you can preset temperatures for your home that will automatically reduce heating and cooling when you don't need it as much. Energy Star says an average household can save about $180 annually on their energy bills by properly setting their programmable thermostat and maintaining those settings.<br /><br />This is a low-voltage wiring installation that will involve 2 to 10 wires. If you don't feel comfortable following the instructions, a heating-and-air-conditioning contractor will probably charge you $75 to $150 for installation<br /><br />6. Build or Install an Insulated Attic Hatch<br /><br />Estimated Time: Several hours <br />Estimated Cost: $30 if DIY; $30 to $240 for ready-made models<br /><br />If your attic entry is uninsulated your home gains heat in summer and loses it in winter, jacking up your energy bills.<br /><br />You also have your choice of several, ready-made products. Check out: Battic Door Home Energy Conservation Products, The Energy Guardian Kits, the Attic Tent and the Draft Cap.<br /><br />7. Stop Chimney Drafts<br /><br />Estimated Time: 15 minutes<br />Estimated Cost: $55 for ready-made draftstopper<br /><br />Even with the damper closed, in winter your home's heated air goes up the chimney and in summer hot outdoor air comes down. When you're not using it your fireplace, plug the flue with a chimney balloon like the Draftstopper from Battic Door Energy Conservation Products.<br /><br />For a really cheap alternative, you can make one out of an old seat cushion or a pillow placed in a heavy plastic bag. Stuff the cushion into the flue and tie a long tail to it, so you don't forget about it the next time you make a fire.<br /><br />8. Drain Sediment From Your Water Heater<br /><br />Estimated Time: 15 minutes<br />Estimated Cost: $0<br /><br />To ensure your water heater's performance and longevity, drain it annually to get rid of accumulated sediment -- sand, minerals or other non-soluble stuff that settles at the bottom of the tank. A good tip-off that you need to do this? The heater sounds like a coffee pot, making bubbling or burping noises.<br /><br />The basic strategy: Attach a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the rank and run it outdoors or to a utility tub.<br /><br />9. Replace Your Washing Machine Hoses<br /><br />Estimated Time: 10 minutes<br />Estimated Cost: $10 to $20<br /><br />Washing machine hoses don't last forever, regardless of the material they're made from -- reinforced rubber of stainless-steel reinforced (even those touted as "burst-proof"). A broken one can deluge your home with hundreds of gallons of water per hour, and your homeowners insurance probably won't cover the flood.<br /><br />Check the hoses frequently for rusting, bulging, cracking, fraying and leaks -- signs that you should replace the hoses now. Otherwise, State Farm recommends that you replace them every three to five years. While you're at it, check the hoses leading to water heaters, dishwashers and refrigerator icemakers.<br /><br />10. Add Insulating Window Treatments<br /><br />Estimated Time: One hour for drapes; half hour per blind<br />Estimated Cost: $30 to $200 and up<br /><br />You can increase your comfort and cut your energy bills this winter with thermal window coverings. Duette Architella honeycomb shades, by Hunter Douglas (from $202 per blind), is the only window covering that qualifies for the federal energy-efficiency tax credit of 30% of the cost, up to a maximum of $1,500, if you install them before December 31. The shade more than doubles the insulating value of a double-paned, low E window (when "inside mounted" and fully recessed within the window casement).<br /><br />Other options: Country Curtains sells foam-backed thermal curtains and insulated liners that you can hang behind your existing curtains with heavy-duty double rods that hold curtain and liner.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-56151340060463700642010-07-10T03:40:00.000-07:002010-07-10T03:41:07.130-07:0010 Brands That May Disappear in 201124/7 Wall St. regularly compiles a report of brands that are likely to disappear in the near-term. Last April, and again in December, we published our findings. Usually, it would take a full year before such a list could be compiled again. However, the current economic climate has accelerated this process and a majority of the brands on the first two lists are either gone, have been acquired, or have filed for bankruptcy.<br /><br />With a number of the brands on the December list either gone or on a short-term path to extinction, 24/7 Wall St. has put together the latest version of the Ten Brands That Will Disappear. To qualify, we expect that brand to be gone by the end of 2011, or for its parent to be sold or go into Chapter 11.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Reader's Digest was once the most widely read magazine in the world. According to the company, it still may be when its overseas editions are taken into account. Last August, the company took its U.S. operations into Chapter 11 to decrease debt. It emerged from bankruptcy in February with $525 million in exit financing. The company cut the number of issues it publishes a year from 12 to 10 last year. It also cut its circulation guarantee for advertisers to 5.5 million copies from 8 million. It would have been unthinkable just a few years ago that a magazine as old and famous as Reader's Digest would be shuttered. However, Reader's Digest as it is known in the U.S. will be gone.<br /><br />Blockbuster was the national leader in the video rental business for nearly two decades. Now it is contemplating Chapter 11 to eliminate debt. The company lost $65 million last quarter. Its revenue continues to fall rapidly as firms such as Redbox and NetFlix (Nasdaq: NFLX - News) siphon off its revenue. Blockbuster has more than 6,000 stores, so it is hard to imagine that the company could disappear. But, there is some precedent, even if it is on a smaller scale. Blockbuster rival Movie Gallery said in February that it would close all of its 2,400 U.S. stores. Blockbuster's model of renting movies through physical locations has been destroyed by cable and satellite video on demand, DVDs via mail and dispensing machines. Blockbuster may still be around as a company that has movie kiosks and a small mail and Internet-delivered content business. But its brick and-mortar business is dead.<br /><br />Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, the car rental company, is for sale. Hertz (NYSE: HTZ - News) is a potential buyer, as is Avis Budget (NYSE: CAR - News). Each of the larger car rental firms would use the Dollar Thrifty business to expand their market share. That does not mean that they would keep the brand. The current company is not much of a business. It made only $27 million last quarter on revenue of $348 million. It has more than $1.5 billion in "debt and other obligations." The number of vehicles that Dollar Thrifty operates at any one time is only 95,000 compared to 420,000 for Hertz. The firm's customer base and some of its locations may be valuable, but Dollar Thrifty can't compete with Avis and Hertz. A decade ago, the car rental industry was able to support six independent brands. A significant drop in business and leisure travel and sharp competition among the companies has already caused the creation of Avis Budget. Dollar Thrifty will be the next casualty of the industry's consolidation.<br /><br /><br />T-Mobile, the U.S. wireless provider, is owned by telecom giant Deutsche Telekom (DTEGY.PK - News). It is the No.4 cellular company in an American market that only supports two really successful firms -- AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless. Even the third-largest company in the market -- Sprint-Nextel (NYSE: S - News) -- has 50 million customers. T-Mobile had 34 million customers at the end of last year. T-Mobile only had a profit of $306 million in 2009. That was down from $483 million in 2008. T-Mobile not only faces three larger competitors, it also has to begin to offer 4G service to compete with Sprint's new WiMax service and LTE-based products from AT&T (NYSE: T - News) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ - News). T-Mobile may seek a partner to offer a 4G network, but there are no super-fast broadband networks likely to be finished before its three rivals offer the service. As it now stands, T-Mobile has no future in the U.S. A merger with Sprint-Nextel has been mentioned several times. The combined company would have a customer base about the same size as AT&T or Verizon. And the transaction would probably make Deutsche Telekom a large owner of the combined operation. Another alternative would be a merger with Virgin Mobile. Maybe Deutsche Telekom will just change the firm's name.<br /><br />Moody's Corp. may have the name with the largest negative brand equity in the U.S. Scandals about the company's rating of mortgage-backed securities and allegations that the firm compromised it ratings process to get business have ruined the company's image. Moody's is more than 100 years old, but the reputation it built over those years is irretrievably lost. There is a chance Moody's could be ruined by civil actions, four of which are pending, and by charges brought by the U.S. government. Overseas authorities may bring a number of actions against the company as well. Moody's activities are almost certainly to be more regulated, which will squeeze margins and hurt sales. Moody's may end up selling its accounts to a new rating company, which would probably hire many of its employees. Pacific Investment Management Co. and other institutional investors have talked about taking on some if not all the roles that the current rating firms play. Research houses like Alliance Bernstein (NYSE: AB - News) could also take on some of those rolls. Part of Moody's operation may stay alive, but there is not much left to salvage in the brand.<br /><br />BP: The case against the BP brand is not so much that the company will enter bankruptcy. It is that BP may end up breaking into pieces for its own sake. This may be to put the liabilities for the Deepwater Horizon spill into a company that also holds escrow capital to cover the huge costs of clean-up and suits. BP may also want to separate its successful refining operations from its exploration business, or recreate an American- based company similar to BP America, which existed for two decades. A restructuring of BP would also allow the firm to take a badly crippled brand and give the oil operation a new name -- much as it did when it changed its name from British Petroleum. The second time may be the charm.<br /><br />RadioShack is one of the oldest retailers in the U.S. It was founded in 1921 and in the early 1960s was purchased by Tandy Corp. The Tandy name was used for some of Radio Shack's retail stores. RadioShack is currently a takeover target. There have been rumors that the company may be taken private via a leveraged buyout or purchased by Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News), probably for its locations. Best Buy would certainly not keep the RadioShack brand because it is considered downscale and does not have the reputation for quality products and service that Best Buy enjoys. RadioShack has already begun to rebrand itself as "The Shack," an indication that it knows the older brand is a burden.<br /><br />Zale Corp. was founded in 1924 by the Zale brothers. It was one of the earliest retailers to offer the ability to buy items on credit. By 1980, Zale had revenue of over $1 billion. In 1992, Zale filed for bankruptcy and by the end of that decade, its revenue was $1.3 billion -- about the same as it is today. Zale has been at death's door for some time. Its market value is down to $48 million. The company is trying to turn itself around, but most experts are not convinced. The company recently made the Forbes list for firms with extreme financial risk. In the last quarter, the retailer lost $12 million on revenue of $360 million. Zale is also in a very crowded market that includes retailers as large as Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT - News). Golden Gate Capital recently put money into Zale to buy it time. New money may defer the point at which Zale goes under, but it won't prevent it.<br /><br />Merrill Lynch may have been acquired, but that will not keep it safe. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Banks and other large financial services firms have a habit of buying large retail brokerage houses and then changing their names. Shearson is gone. So is EF Hutton and Prudential. In most cases the parent company wants to put their own names on the door. That is very likely to happen to Merrill Lynch, which was at one point the largest full-service broker in the U.S. Merrill is now owned by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC - News), and the buyout spawned a number of scandals that kept Merrill's name in the paper for weeks and did a great deal to harm its name with customers. Bank of America will follow a time honored tradition, and Merrill Lynch will become BofA Investment Management.<br /><br />Kia Motors Corp. is one of the two car brands of Hyundai of South Korea. It has always been a marginal brand. Its stable mate, Hyundai USA, has a reputation for high quality cars like the Sonata and Genesis. Kia sells "low rent" cars and SUV nameplates like the Sorento and Rio. As GM and Ford (NYSE: F - News) have already discovered, it is expensive to maintain multiple brands and storied car names, including Pontiac, Saturn and Mercury, are disappearing. Most Kia cars sell for $14,000 to $25,000. Hyundai has several cars in the same price range. Hyundai's Sonata has quickly become one of the best-selling cars in America, and its Genesis flagship model competes with mid-sized BMWs and Mercedes. The parent company will take a page from several other global car companies and dump its weakest brand.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-75516815566997744192010-05-19T00:49:00.000-07:002010-05-19T00:50:45.287-07:00പ്രാര്ത്ഥന അനുഗ്രഹത്തിന്റെ താക്കോല്ഹൃദയത്തില് നിന്ന് മാലിന്യം നീക്കം ചെയ്യാനുള്ള ഉപാധിയാണ് പ്രാര്ത്ഥന. പ്രാര്ത്ഥനയിലൂടെ മനസിനേയും ഉപവാസത്തിലൂടെ ശരീരത്തേയും ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കുകയാണ് നോമ്പുകാലത്തിന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യം.<br /><br />ഭൗതിക മോഹങ്ങള് മൂലം ദൈവസ്മരണയില് നിന്ന് അകലുന്നവരെ നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടവരെന്ന് കരുതുന്നു. അവരുടെ ഹൃദയങ്ങളില് പുണ്യം നിറയില്ല. അവരുടെ പ്രവൃത്തിയും വാക്കും പിഴച്ചതായിത്തീരും.<br /><br />ദിക്റുകളില് ഏറ്റവും മുഖ്യമായത് “അല്ലാഹു വല്ലാതെ മറ്റ് ആരാധ്യനില്ല” എന്നതാണ്. ഈ സത്യവിശ്വാസം ശിഷ്ട ജീവിതത്തിലും മുറുകെ പിടിക്കാനുള്ള കരുത്തു നേടുകയാണ് നോമ്പുകാലത്തിന്റെ ആവശ്യം.<br /><br />“നിന്റെ നാഥന് വിധിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു, നീ അവനെ അല്ലാതെ ആരാധിക്കരുത്”. എന്ന വാചകം ഓര്ക്കുക. സൃഷ്ടാവായ ദൈവത്തോടാവണം മനുഷ്യന്റെ പ്രാഥമികമായ കടപ്പാട്. അതിനൊടൊപ്പം തന്നെ പ്രധാനമാണ് മാതാപിതാക്കളോടുള്ള ബാധ്യതയും.<br /><br />സ്വന്തം അച്ഛനമ്മമാര്ക്ക് വേണ്ടിയാണെങ്കിലും നീതിയുടെ പക്ഷത്ത് നിന്ന് വ്യതിചലിക്കരുത് എന്നും പലസ്ഥലങ്ങളിലും നബി വ്യക്തമാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ദൈവത്തോടാവണം ഏറ്റവും അടിയുറച്ച കടപ്പാട് കാഴ്ചവയ്ക്കേണ്ടത്.<br /><br />അതിനുള്ള ഏറ്റവും മികച്ച വഴിയാണ് പ്രാര്ത്ഥന. അല്ലാഹുവിനെ സ്തുതിക്കുന്നവര് സര്വ്വവും അവനില് അര്പ്പിക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. അവന്റെ കഴിവുകളില് സംശയാലുവാകരുത്. പ്രാര്ത്ഥന എന്നത് അനുഗ്രഹത്തിന്റെ താക്കോലാണ്. <br /><br />തിന്മകളില് നിന്ന് സ്വയം അകന്നു നില്ക്കാനുള്ള മനസാന്നിധ്യമാണ് അല്ലാഹുവിനോട് നിങ്ങള്ക്കുള്ള കടപ്പാട് വ്യക്തമാക്കുക. അല്ലാഹുവിന്റെ നാമങ്ങളോ അവനോടുള്ള പ്രാര്ത്ഥനയോ നിരന്തരം ഉരുവിട്ട് മനസിനെ അല്ലാഹുവിന്റെ സന്നിധിയില് ഉറപ്പിച്ച് നിര്ത്തുമ്പോള് മാത്രമാണ് അത് സാധ്യമാകുക.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-40832701790052436782010-05-19T00:44:00.000-07:002010-05-19T00:45:03.971-07:00കലിയുഗ ദുരിതം മാറ്റാന് ജപംകലിയുഗത്തിലെ ദുരിതങ്ങള് മറികടക്കാന് എന്തു ചെയ്യണം എന്ന് നാരദ മഹര്ഷിക്ക് സംശയം. ആശങ്ക അകറ്റാനായി നാരദര് ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ അടുത്തെത്തി. നാരായണ മന്ത്രം ജപിച്ചാല് കലിയുഗ ദുരിതങ്ങള് മറികടക്കാനാവും എന്നായിരുന്നു ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ഉപദേശം. ബ്രഹ്മാവ് നാരായണ നാമം നാരദര്ക്ക് ഉപദേശിച്ചു കൊടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു;<br /><br />“ ഹരേ രാമ ഹരേ രാമ രാമ രാമ ഹരേ ഹരേ<br />ഹരേ കൃഷ്ണ ഹരേ കൃഷ്ണ കൃഷ്ണ കൃഷ്ണ ഹരേ ഹരേ “<br /><br />ലൌകിക ജീവിതം നയിക്കുന്ന സാധാരണക്കാര്ക്ക് മുക്തി നേടാനുള്ള പരമമായ മാര്ഗമാണ് നാമജപം. നാമജപത്തിലൂടെ സാലോക്യം,സാമീപ്യം, സായൂജ്യം, സാരൂപ്യം എന്നീ നാല് മുക്തികളും പ്രാപ്യമാവുമെന്നായിരുന്നു ബ്രഹ്മോപദേശം.<br /><br />ഭക്തര് ബ്രഹ്മ ലോകത്തിലോ വിഷ്ണു ലോകത്തിലോ ശിവലോകത്തിലോ എത്തിച്ചേരുന്നതിനെ സാലോക്യ മുക്തി എന്നും ഭഗവാന്റെ സമീപത്ത് എത്തിച്ചേരുന്നതിനെ സാമീപ്യ മുക്തി എന്നും ഭഗവാന്റെ രൂപത്തെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നത് സാരൂപ്യ മുക്തി എന്നും ഭഗവാനില് ലയിച്ചു ചേരുന്നതിനെ സായൂജ്യ മുക്തി എന്നും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു.<br /><br />കലിയുഗത്തില് മനുഷ്യ മനസ്സിന് ചിന്താ ശേഷി കുറയുകയും മലീമസപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. ദിവസേനയുള്ള നാപജപത്തിലൂടെ മനസ്സിന് തെളിച്ചം ഉണ്ടാക്കാന് കഴിയും. തെളിച്ചമുള്ള മനസ്സില് ദുര്ചിന്തകള് കുറയുകയും ഏകാഗ്രത വര്ദ്ധിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുമെന്ന് മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠര് ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നു.<br /><br />മൂന്നു കോടി നാമം ജപിക്കുന്ന ആള്ക്ക് രോഗപീഡ ഉണ്ടാവില്ല. നാല് കോടി നാമം ജപിക്കുന്ന ആളിന് ദാരിദ്ര മുക്തി നേടാനാവും. അഞ്ചു കോടി നാമം ജപിക്കുന്ന ആള്ക്ക് അയാള് ജ്ഞാനിയായി തീരും. ആറ് കോടി നാമം ജപിച്ചാല് മനസ്സ് ശത്രു വിമുക്തമാവും (അനാവശ്യ ചിന്തകള് അലട്ടാതിരിക്കും). ഏഴ് കോടി നാമം ജപിച്ചാല് ആദ്ധ്യാത്മികമായി ഏറെ ഉയരെ എത്തുകയും ആയുസ്സ് വര്ദ്ധിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും. ഒമ്പത് കോടി നാമം ജപിച്ചാല് പവിത്രമായ മരണം സംഭവ്യമാവും പത്ത് കോടി നാമം ജപിച്ചാല് സ്വപ്നത്തില് ഭഗവല് ദര്ശനമുണ്ടാവും എന്നും മുനിവര്യന്മാര് ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നു.<br /><br />നിഷ്ഠയോ നിയമങ്ങളോ കൂടാതെ വിശ്വാസത്തോടും അര്പ്പണ മനോഭാവത്തോടും മുക്തി നേടാന് കലിയുഗത്തില് ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന മാര്ഗ്ഗമാണ് നാമജപം. ശുദ്ധമായ സ്ഥലത്ത് ഇരുന്ന് നിത്യേന നാമജപം നടത്തുന്നത് ഗ്രഹപ്പിഴകള് ഒഴിഞ്ഞു പോവാനുള്ള ഉത്തമ മാര്ഗമായും ആചാര്യന്മാര് പറയുന്നു.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-78248131554770566112010-05-13T01:37:00.000-07:002010-05-13T01:39:07.593-07:00Four myths about eggsBy Lori Bongiorno <br />Posted Tue May 4, 2010 12:09pm PDT <br />Related topics: Health, Food and Drink, Tips, Organic More from The Conscious <br /><br />Choosing eggs is not nearly as simple as it should be. After all, the average egg weighs about 2 ounces. How many decisions can you possibly have to make for something so small and seemingly simple? Well, let’s see: Brown or white? Large or small? Organic or not? <br /><br />And those decisions are just the tip of the iceberg. Egg cartons can be stamped with any number of labels, some meaningful, others not so much. <br /><br />It's not always easy to separate fact from fiction when it comes to eggs. Below are some of the most common misperceptions. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Myth: Brown eggs are different than white. <br /><br />Fact: The only difference between a brown and white egg is the color of the shell, which is merely a reflection of the breed of the hen. In general, but not always, hens with white feathers and earlobes lay white eggs and those with dark feathers and red earlobes lay brown eggs.<br /><br />One isn’t healthier, more “natural,” or more eco-friendly than the other. There aren’t any differences in nutritional quality, flavor, or cooking characteristics. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Myth: Free-range eggs come from hens that roam freely outdoors.<br /><br />Fact: The claims are not regulated for eggs, according to Consumer Reports. So there is no guarantee that the hen that laid the eggs ever saw the light of day. Of course, it may have spent time outdoors, but the “free range” label doesn’t mean anything. The following labels are also meaningless when it comes to eggs: “free roaming,” “hormone free,” and “raised without antibiotics.” <br /><br /> <br /><br />Myth: Organic eggs are healthier. <br /><br />Fact: They certainly can be, but it all depends on the chicken’s diet. Organic eggs come from hens that are fed a 100-percent organic diet. However, what really matters when it comes to nutrition is whether the hens were raised on pasture. Studies, such as those conducted at Penn State University and by Mother Earth News, found that eggs from chickens that ate grass and insects contained higher levels of omega-3 fat, and vitamins E, A, and in some cases D. <br /><br />If you want eggs from hens that are raised on pasture or spend a lot of time outdoors, then you’ll have to find a farmer you trust at your local farmers’ market.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Myth: Egg substitutes are simply eggs (or egg whites) without the shells. <br /><br />Fact: Most products have added stabilizers, thickeners, vitamins, carotenes, and, sometimes, spices, according to Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. She also points out that they cost about twice as much as real eggs. (A pound of egg substitutes weighs slightly less than a dozen small eggs.) <br /><br />Of course, if you can’t eat egg yolks for health reasons or have no use for them, egg substitutes are a good option, and most products only have a tiny percentage of additives. Just read the labels before buying.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-28757554855853740262010-03-20T23:44:00.000-07:002010-03-20T23:46:09.281-07:00Should You Buy or Rent?Renting may be smarter if home prices in your area will fall further.<br />More from Kiplinger.com <br /><br /> <br />If you're a renter, you may be champing at the bit to buy a house after watching prices fall for four years. Is it time to jump? It may well be, especially if you want to capture the home buyer's tax credit (you'll need to have a contract by April 30 and close by June 30). But before you leap, you need to go beyond calculating the impact on your monthly budget and figure out how much home-price froth is left in your local housing market.<br /><br />Bubble Zone<br />The price-rent ratio -- a city's median home price divided by median annual rent -- is one sign of how stable home prices are likely to be. We have included the average monthly mortgage payment (based on a 10 percent down payment and 5.3 percent interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage) and median apartment rent. <br /><br /><br />Most Stable<br /><br /> Metro Area Price Rent Ratio Monthly Mortgage Payment Apartment Rent <br /> Cleveland, Ohio 12 $788 $696 <br /> Detroit, Michigan 13 $762 $757 <br /> Tampa, Fla. 14 $909 $776 <br /> Indianapolis, Ind. 14 $828 $628 <br /> Atlanta, Ga. 14 $823 $756 <br /> Inland Empire, Cal. 15 $1,057 $996 <br /> Las Vegas, Nevada 15 $916<br /> $795<br /> <br /> St. Louis, Mo. 15 $891<br /> $682<br /> <br /> Cincinnati, Ohio 15 $892<br /> $667<br /> <br /> Jacksonville, Fla. 15 $1,028<br /> $758<br /> <br />Least Stable<br /><br /> Metro Area Price Rent Ratio Monthly Mortgage Payment Apartment Rent <br /> Oakland, Cal. 34 $2,934 $1,233 <br /> San Jose, Cal.<br /> 34 $3,428 $1,449 <br /> San Francisco, Cal.<br /> 30 $3,736 $1,732 <br /> Orange Cty., Cal.<br /> 29 $3,128 $1,444 <br /> Seattle, Wash.<br /> 29 $2,147 $926 <br /> Salt Lake City, Utah<br /> 27 $1,296 $694 <br /> New York, New York 27 $7,083<br /> $3,327<br /> <br /> Portland, Ore.<br /> 26 $1,627<br /> $762<br /> <br /> San Diego, Cal.<br /> 26 $2,263<br /> $1,278<br /> <br /> Tuscon, Ariz. 25 $1,122<br /> $604<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Encouraging signs<br />A key number to consider when switching from renter to homeowner is the price-rent ratio. This figure compares a city's median home price with its median annual rent. At the housing market's peak in 2005, the national median home price had inflated to nearly 21 times the median annual rent. By the third quarter of 2009, however, the ratio had deflated to 15, returning to the historical norm, according to Hessam Nadji, managing director of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage company in Encino, Cal.<br /><br />If the price-rent ratio where you're looking to buy is 18 or higher, your market may still be in the bubble zone, with a greater probability that home prices will fall after you buy. That could put you underwater -- meaning your home would be worth less than what you owe on the mortgage. If the ratio has fallen below 15, there's less chance that home prices will sink.<br /><br />The table on Rent or Buy above shows the ten cities in which home prices are least likely to drop further, as well as those most likely to fall further, based on price-rent ratios. We also show the gap between median monthly apartment rents and median monthly mortgage payments. Five years ago, the difference between monthly mortgage payments and rent was $745 nationally; by the end of 2009, it was just $181.<br /><br />To get a rough estimate of your local price-rent ratio, divide the average list price of several homes that meet your criteria by the average annual rent of several rental units with the same number of bedrooms and comparable amenities.<br /><br />Weighing the decision<br />A year ago, the price-rent ratio in Phoenix was 14 -- down from almost 19 a year earlier. Home prices had fallen by half, and mortgage rates were at historic lows. Financial planner Brendan McNamar decided it was finally time for him to buy. He had rented since moving to the city in 2006, just after the housing bubble peaked, and was sitting on a nice nest egg from a home he had sold in 2004.<br /><br />McNamar shopped for a long time, made offers on several houses and eventually bought a ten-year-old, four-bedroom, three-bathroom short sale listed for $219,000. (In a short sale, the sellers get permission from the lender to sell for less than the mortgage amount.) The house had sold for $355,000 in 2007. McNamar offered the full price, which the bank eventually accepted after 90 days. He put down 20% and took out a 30-year mortgage with a low fixed rate of 5.25%. He pays $1,176 a month (including taxes and insurance), which is more than twice his former monthly rent of $550. But because he hadn't owned a home in the past three years, he was able to snag the $8,000 first-time home buyer's tax credit.<br /><br />From an investment perspective, McNamar wanted a house that would allow him to break even or earn a profit if he sold in three years. But given that prices have fallen even further in Phoenix since last spring -- the price-rent ratio is a rough guide, not an infallible one -- he reckons that his break-even point now may be four years away. But it's not a big financial setback to him because he has no plans to move.<br /><br />Good deals for renters<br />Renting can be a smart strategy while waiting for this choppy housing market to settle down. Consider Jeremy Portnoff and his wife, Heather, of Edison, N.J. By mid 2009, the median home price in Edison had fallen a healthy 19%, to $317,000, from the market's peak in mid 2006.<br /><br />The Portnoffs had their heart set on a home with three or four bedrooms to accommodate the family they hope to have, plus an office for Jeremy. The house they could afford was a starter home, probably a small townhouse -- which, on an after-tax basis, they figured would cost them about the same as renting.<br /><br />But the Portnoffs also figured that if they sold it in three years, real estate commissions would consume any gains they could reasonably expect. Plus, Jeremy believed that the price of their ideal home in that area would continue to decline.<br /><br />So they took a pass on buying and got a great deal on renting a two-bedroom townhome -- $1,550 a month, $300 less than when they looked at the same development three years before. The couple prudently plan to continue to pay down debt and save for a larger down payment on their next home.<br /><br />In some markets, rental prices have dropped as supply has increased. By the end of 2009, the vacancy rate nationally had grown to 8.2%, a 30-year high, according to Nadji, of Marcus & Millichap. Meanwhile, rents had fallen 5.8% from the year before.<br /><br />Markets with the highest vacancy rates include Jacksonville, Fla. (forecast at 14% in 2010), Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Tucson. Renters in such markets can afford to shop around and negotiate hard. A building's leasing manager may be willing to lower the rent to attract or keep your business.<br /><br />Nadji expects the vacancy rate nationally to tighten up a bit (to 7.8%) by year-end and start a rapid recovery beginning in 2011, with very strong rent growth between 2011 and 2015. Demographics (five million people will enter the peak renter age range of 20 to 34 over the next decade) and plummeting construction starts in 2009 and 2010 drive his forecast.<br /><br />Not all cities have an excess of rental units, though. In some large cities, such as New York, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., vacancy rates have remained tight -- and home prices have remained stubbornly high.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-29873283849494732712010-03-18T01:04:00.000-07:002010-03-18T01:06:03.214-07:005 New Rules for a Healthy Credit ScoreThe rules that credit-card companies have to live by changed dramatically with the enactment of new regulations last month. Now, some of the rules for consumers striving to maintain good credit are changing, too.<br /><br />For the most part, card holders would still do well to pay on time, keep their balances low and refrain from applying for too many credit cards at once. But some of the old tenets may not always hold up, as credit-card companies continue to adapt to the new environment and look for ways to run their for-profit businesses.<br /><br />Case in point: Many issuers introduced annual or inactivity fees in the weeks leading to or immediately after the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act went into effect. "Now folks have to decide -- do they want this card badly enough to pay the fee, or do they close it," says Barry Paperno, the consumer operations manager at FICO (FICO). It's a question of more than just losing a credit line. Closing a credit card can have a big impact on one's credit score. That is, unless you do some groundwork in advance.<br /><br /><br /><br />With the help of some easy -- if often counterintuitive -- steps, you can improve and retain a healthy credit score even in today's fast-changing credit environment. Here are five:<br /><br />Open More Credit Cards<br /><br />For years, credit experts warned that opening new credit cards will hurt your credit score -- not to mention enable you to run up huge debts. That's still true: The length of your credit history and new credit make up 15% and 10% of the FICO score, respectively. But with credit issuers lowering credit limits left and right these days, having too few credit cards puts a much more important credit-score component at risk: credit utilization, or how much of your available credit you're using. Credit utilization makes up 30% of your score. "More cards mean more available credit and more options if an issuer decides they don't like you," says John Ulzheimer, president for educational services at Credit.com. Generally, having four or five credit cards is better than having just one or two, he says.<br /><br />Expanding your credit-card portfolio isn't something you should do tomorrow -- it's a strategy to be executed over time. If you have just two cards, now is the time to open a third. But wait at least six months or a year until you apply for a fourth.<br /><br />Max Out (Some of) Your Credit Cards<br /><br />A quirk of credit score math actually makes it advantageous to max out certain cards. How? It's a matter of what the issuer tells the credit bureaus.<br /><br /><br /><br />Some types of payment cards don't report credit limits to the credit bureaus. They include all charge cards from American Express (AXP) and may include some high-end credit cards that are marketed as having no preset spending limit, such as Visa (V) Signature and MasterCard (MA) World. (These cards have a credit limit, but card holders can exceed it and must pay off the excess in full on their next bill.)<br /><br />When the FICO scoring system comes across such an account, it will either bypass it for the purpose of calculating credit utilization, or substitute the credit limit value with that of the highest balance on record for the account. The most current FICO scores from TransUnion and Equifax (EFX) bypass charge cards, according to Paperno. So as far as those two bureaus are concerned, your charge card spending will not affect your utilization.<br /><br />But in cases where the FICO formulas substitute the credit limit value with that of the highest balance, consumers who spend roughly the same amount each month could end up with lower scores than they deserve. The solution: run up a balance that's much higher than usual, and your utilization ratio will improve in the following months, Ulzheimer says, and so will your score. (Just pay off that balance in full the next month to avoid interest charges.) Your score will drop during the month for which your card appears maxed out, so don't execute this strategy if you're shopping for a mortgage or another large loan.<br /><br />To find out if you have cards that don't report a credit limit, check your credit report. You can order one free report a year from each of the three credit bureaus on AnnualCreditReport.com. Charge cards are typically reported as "open," while other credit-card accounts are reported as "revolving," Paperno says.<br /><br />Don't Ask for a Lower APR<br /><br />In the old days, consumers were encouraged to call their credit-card companies and ask for lower interest rates. "There really wasn't a downside to doing that," says Gerri Detweiler, an adviser with Credit.com. "These days, if you call you may trigger an account review." Should that happen -- and if the credit issuer doesn't like what they see -- they may cut your credit limit or actually hike your interest rate. This is where having multiple credit cards may come in handy, Detweiler says. "Don't make that call unless you have a back-up card where you could transfer that balance."<br /><br />Closed a Card? Don't Pay It Off<br /><br />Under the old rules, interest-rate hikes applied to your existing balance and future purchases. However, since the enactment of the CARD Act, lenders can apply rate increases only to balances going forward. That said, if you closed an account before the CARD Act to opt out of a rate hike, you may not want to rush paying off every last penny of that balance. In a little-known quirk, FICO counts the credit limits of closed accounts towards utilization ratios only as long as there's a balance on that account. "You may have a $100 balance on a card with a $10,000 limit, and it's doing wonderful things for utilization," Paperno says. "Once you pay that down, that utilization no longer counts toward your credit score." That means your credit score could take a dip because you paid off that balance.<br /><br />Mix Business and Personal<br /><br />Before the passage of the CARD Act, credit experts routinely advised business owners to keep business and personal expenses separate: use a business credit card for the business, a consumer credit one for their own expenses. Not any more. The CARD Act doesn't apply to business credit cards, so using a personal card for your business expenses is safer, says Detweiler. On the flip side, that may easily hurt your credit, especially if your business expenses are high. Even if you pay those high balances in full each month, they will be listed on your credit report and you could appear overextended. (Of course, there's no guarantee that this isn't happening to you even if you're still keeping things separate. Some issuers now report business credit card accounts to the consumer credit bureaus.) "There's no easy answer here," Detweiler says.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-42475173888228543832010-03-17T01:10:00.000-07:002010-03-17T01:11:36.396-07:00Want a Bigger Tax Refund? Don't ItemizeSix reasons why many taxpayers can save money and time by claiming the standard deduction.<br /><br /><br /><br />Did you know you can legally take a deduction that is more than the total of your receipts? It's called the standard deduction and for a lot of taxpayers it's a money and time saver.<br /><br />Year after year taxpayers spend hours hunting down and organizing all their receipts and canceled checks for totally legitimate deductions -- gifts to charity, medical expenses, unreimbursed business expenses and so on. Then they're told by their tax professionals, (or discover while using software such as Intuit's TurboTax or H&R Block's At Home) that all their conscientious record keeping is for naught. Those itemized deductions won't be showing up on their tax returns, because they'll get a bigger refund by claiming the "standard deduction."<br /><br />Often people are left feeling a little cheated and confused by the process. So it helps to understand why you may be better off not itemizing, particularly this year. Here are six reasons:<br /><br />1. The Standard Deduction Isn't So Small or So Standard<br /><br /><br /><br />The standard deduction is an amount assigned to each filing status. The base amount for 2009 is $5,700 for a single filer and double that -- $11,400 -- for a married couple filing jointly. A head of household (a single parent with kids, for example) gets a standard deduction of $8,350. There are additions to these standard amounts for those who are blind or over age 65.<br /><br />In addition, for 2009 filers using the standard deduction can claim some extra breaks, including a $1,000 per couple ($500 for a single) deduction for real estate taxes paid. In fact, there are so many special breaks the Internal Revenue Service created a new tax form this year: Schedule L, Standard Deductions for Certain Filers. You use Schedule L to claim the extra real estate tax deduction, certain casualty losses and a special deduction for sales tax on a new vehicle purchased after Feb. 16, 2009 and before the end of 2009. With such add-ons, the standard deduction can quickly become a large number, and more beneficial than deducting your actual expenses. The common complaint I hear is: "I don't get to take anything anymore." I explain it as "Let's Make A Tax Deal." Behind door No. 1 are all your receipts and behind door No. 2 is the standard deduction. You want to pick the door that will get you a bigger deduction.<br /><br />2. Medical Expenses Aren't Easy to Deduct<br /><br />The list of allowed medical deductions is long and includes out-of-pocket expenses such as medical co-pays, dental work, glasses, $0.24 per mile to get to and from medical appointments, nursing home costs, health and long-term care insurance and even the cost of adding a wheelchair ramp to your home. (Note: If you're self-employed, the cost of medical insurance is deductible on more favorable terms on your Schedule C.)<br /><br />One point of confusion: Many people help pay for their health insurance with pre-tax money taken out of their pay. Even though those insurance premiums are a big and rising expense, they aren't deductible since they come out of untaxed money.<br /><br />Here's another catch: You can only deduct medical expenses to the extent they exceed 7.5% of your income. So most people, while they may feel their out-of-pocket medical costs are high, will not qualify for much of any medical deduction unless they have a catastrophic illness or a family member in a nursing home.<br /><br />Let's take the example of Charlotte, a single mom filing as a head of household. Charlotte works in a job with medical insurance and has an adjusted gross income of $42,000, She had out-of-pocket medical expenses totaling $3,300. But only expenses above $3,150 (7.5% of $42,000) are deductible for Charlotte. So she can deduct only $150 in medical expenses. (If she had a medical flexible spending account at work, she could have paid all of her expenses out of that -- pre-tax.)<br /><br />3. Some Real Estate Taxes Are Deductible Either Way<br /><br />Yes, real estate taxes on your first and second home are deductible. Charlotte paid real estate taxes of $1,200. That means if she itemizes, she can deduct $1,200. But remember, for 2009, if she claims the standard deduction, she can deduct $500 of that tax anyway.<br /><br />4. Your Deductible Mortgage Interest Could Be Shrinking<br /><br />Yes, this can be a big itemized deduction. But as you pay down your mortgage your interest deduction is lower, and that write-off becomes less valuable as an itemized deduction. Moreover, when you refinance to get a lower interest rate, your mortgage deduction also goes down. Note that points you pay on a new mortgage may be deducted in full the year you pay them, but those paid to refinance a mortgage must be deducted over the life of the new loan. Also be aware that closing costs are never deductible on a personal residence, although many of my clients seem to be told otherwise.<br /><br />5. Charity Requires Record Keeping<br /><br />You need receipts for any and all donations, including $20 you put in the church collection plate on Sunday. The Internal Revenue Service is serious about the records part, and if you're chosen for one of its "correspondence audits," it will deny charitable deductions you can't substantiate.<br /><br />You cannot take a deduction for your time, but your travel to perform charitable works is deductible at $0.14 per mile. Back to Charlotte, who keeps fastidious receipts, gives generously and volunteers frequently at her church. Between donations and mileage, her deduction for charitable giving if she itemizes is $2,200.<br /><br />6. Miscellaneous Deductions Are Deductible, but ...<br /><br />Various items, including preparation fees, safe deposit box fees, and unreimbursed job related expenses are also deductible -- but like medical deductions, only to the extent that they exceed a certain percentage of your income. For miscellaneous deductions, that is 2%.<br /><br />Charlotte paid $195 to have her taxes done, $30 for a safety deposit box and $560 in job search expenses. Her total is $785, but only amounts above $840 (2% of $42,000) are deductible. So she can't claim any miscellaneous itemized deductions.<br /><br />Let's recap. Charlotte's allowed deductions, if she itemizes are: real estate taxes, $1,200; sales tax on a car $650; state and local income tax withholding from her pay, $1,100; medical expenses, $150; mortgage interest, $3,000; charity, $2,200. Grand total: $8,300. (Normally, you can deduct either state and local sales taxes or income taxes, but the car provision is an extra for 2009 that can be claimed in addition to state and local income taxes.)<br /><br />Charlotte's standard deduction, as figured on Schedule L, is $8,350 for head of household status, $650 for the car taxes and $500 for real state taxes. Grand total: $9,500. So she, like many filers, receives of a larger tax break by not itemizing.<br /><br />In some cases, whether itemizing saves you money will vary from year to year. But the point is this: Don't assume you're being deprived of some benefit if your tax preparer or your tax software tells you to take the standard deduction.<br /><br />Cheryl Morse has been an enrolled agent specializing in individual and small-business taxes for more than 25 years and is a tax manager with Emerging Business Partners in eastern Massachusetts. She is a national instructor for the National Association of Tax Professionals, an instructor for the University of Massachusetts Tax School and area chair of the IRS Taxpayer Advocacy Panel.<br />Copyrighted, Forbes.com. All rights reserved.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-56238098942946356892010-03-03T23:54:00.000-08:002010-03-03T23:55:21.667-08:00The 5 foods you should eat every dayEating right on a budget can be a challenge, but it's certainly not impossible. Consider this your cheat sheet to the 5 inexpensive foods you should eat everyday for optimum health.<br /><br /><br /><br />#1 Leafy greens<br />Medical experts call them one of nature's miracle foods. Leafy greens like Swiss chard and kale are high in nutrients like folate and vitamins A and C that can lower your risk of cancer. Just one cup of dark, leafy greens a day could also prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.<br /> <br />#2 Nuts<br />Many nutritionists recommend nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts because they're high in natural fiber. Fiber slows your digestive process, keeping hunger and unhealthy mid-afternoon snacks at bay. Goodbye vending machine runs!<br /> <br />#3 Onions<br />Studies show that consuming onions on a regular basis may reduce symptoms of asthma and the risk of developing stomach cancer. Add them to soups and stir-fry, and just remember -- the stronger the onion, the greater the health benefit.<br /> <br />#4 Whole grains<br />Refined grains, like white rice and pasta, have lost 90% of their nutritional value through the refining process. As if that weren't reason enough to choose whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and whole oats, a recent study showed that a diet rich in whole grains actually flattens your belly by reducing fat storage in your lower abdominal region.<br /> <br />#5 Yogurt<br />Making yogurt part of your daily eating routine can improve your digestion -- if you're buying the right stuff. Check that the label lists "active cultures" to make sure you're getting healthy probiotics, and pick a yogurt rich in vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-55016099990339121962010-02-16T05:50:00.000-08:002010-02-16T05:51:10.139-08:00Gov't: 34 deaths alleged in Toyotas since 2000WASHINGTON – Complaints of deaths connected to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles have surged in recent weeks, with the alleged death toll reaching 34 since 2000, according to new consumer data gathered by the government.<br /><br />Complaints to a database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the popular Toyota Prius hybrid grew by nearly 1,000 in just over a week.<br /><br />On Monday, Transportation Department spokeswoman Olivia Alair said NHTSA is quickly gathering information to help guide the government's examination of sudden acceleration, the Prius braking system and other safety issues.<br /><br />Toyota Motor Corp. has recalled 8.5 million vehicles globally during the past four months because of problems with gas pedals, floor mats and brakes, threatening the safety and quality reputation of the world's No. 1 automaker. The government typically receives a surge in complaints following a recall. None has yet been verified.<br /><br />The new complaints reflect the heightened awareness of the massive recalls among the public and underscore a flurry of lawsuits on behalf of drivers alleging deaths and injuries in Toyota crashes. Three congressional hearings are planned on the Toyota recalls.<br /><br />In the past three weeks, consumers have told the government about nine crashes involving 13 alleged deaths between 2005 and 2010 due to accelerator problems, according to a NHTSA database. The latest complaints come on top of information from consumers alleging 21 deaths from 2000 to the end of last year.<br /><br />The database also shows that new complaints skyrocketed over the 2010 Prius gas-electric hybrid, which was recalled last week to replace braking software.<br /><br />When NHTSA opened its investigation of Prius on Feb. 3, the government had received 124 consumer complaints. Through Feb. 11, the government had a total of 1,120 complaints alleging 34 crashes, six injuries and no deaths.<br /><br />The government has renewed an investigation into potential electromagnetic problems in vehicles built by Toyota and other manufacturers. Consumer groups have pointed to potential electrical problems while the company has said recalls to fix sticking gas pedals or accelerators that can become jammed will address the problem.<br /><br />Toyota spokeswoman Martha Voss said the company takes "all customer reports seriously and will, of course, look into new claims." Toyota was taking steps to improve quality control and investigate customer complaints more aggressively, Voss said.<br /><br />Testing by Toyota, NHTSA and Exponent, an outside consulting firm hired by Toyota, has found no evidence of problems with Toyota's electronics, said Toyota Vice President Bob Carter at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, Fla.<br /><br />"There is no problem with the electronic throttle system in Toyotas," Carter said Monday. "There's not anything that can even remotely lead you in that direction." Carter said Exponent was told to tear the components apart to try to find anything wrong and initial tests could find nothing.<br /><br />Carter said Toyota has repaired about 500,000 of the 2.3 million vehicles recalled over a potentially sticky gas pedal.<br /><br />Toyota has received many complaints over vehicle speed control in the 2009 and 2008 model years, according to an Associated Press analysis of government data.<br /><br />In 2009, Toyota received the most complaints that year — a total of 130 for Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles. Ford and its Mercury brand received the second-highest with 14, followed by General Motors and Honda vehicles with 9.<br /><br />Among Toyota vehicles in the 2009 model year, the Camry led the list of models with 52 complaints, followed by Corolla (17), Tacoma (16) and Prius (13). The AP found eight of the top 10 vehicles with complaints over vehicle speed control were manufactured by Toyota.<br /><br />In the 2008 model year, Toyota vehicles received 176 complaints of vehicle speed control, followed by Ford with 44 and Chrysler with 25. In that year, Prius had 31 complaints, followed by Tacoma with 28 and Camry with 25.<br /><br />Since Jan. 27, NHTSA has processed 686 complaints from consumers about problems related to "vehicle speed control" on cars and trucks manufactured by Toyota, nearly all of them submitted through NHTSA's Web site or by e-mail. <br /><br />Regarding the AP analysis, Alair, the Transportation Department spokeswoman, noted that Toyota had a large market share of vehicles in the U.S. but said she could not comment on the AP figures without further analysis.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-44404657574234703042010-02-12T03:26:00.000-08:002010-02-12T03:27:21.446-08:00Your Cell Phone Company's Dirty Little SecretMobile phone companies have been lauded for slashing the cost of unlimited voice plans, but many wireless customers' monthly bills are actually going to get a bit more expensive.<br /><br />Last month, both Verizon and AT&T lowered their unlimited voice plans by $30 to $70 per month. Sprint recently unveiled a plan that allows unlimited calls to any mobile device for $60 per month. That brought the three biggest mobile carriers' prices closer to rival T-Mobile, which offers a $60 per month unlimited plan, and in line with a slew of low-cost carriers that offer similar plans for about $40 per month.<br /><br />But as the wireless giants go around touting their lower voice prices, data plan costs have been quietly moving higher for some non-smartphone customers.<br /><br />It began with Verizon Wireless. Last month, that company began requiring certain non-smartphone customers to subscribe to a data plan that costs at least $10 per month. Mobile experts believe Verizon's move marks the first step in a larger trend to make up for carriers' lost revenue from voice.<br /><br />"There's a big shift going on among mobile companies, in which there is a price reduction on voice and an increased emphasis on selling and requiring data services," said Dan Hays, partner at PRTM. "It is like a dirty little secret."<br /><br /><br />The New Smartphones<br /><br /><br />Smartphone owners are used to paying for an unlimited data plan with T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T customers doling out the most: roughly $30 per month. Sprint offers a slightly different service, but also requires smartphone users to subscribe to an unlimited plan.<br /><br />But non-smartphone customers aren't used to high-priced data plans. Less expensive, limited data plans have been largely available but not widely adopted. Verizon said it began to require new customers who purchase so-called "3G multimedia" phones to subscribe to a data plan in part so that they could get the full functionality out of their phones.<br /><br />"Many customers didn't understand they could use the Web on their phones," said Brenda Raney, spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless. "We hope that people who were reluctant to use data plans because they didn't know it was affordable will use them now."<br /><br />Previously, Verizon offered non-smartphone customers two data plans: $10 for up to 25 megabytes or $20 for up to 75 megabytes. In January, Verizon eliminated the $20 plan and replaced it with a $30 unlimited plan that was previously available only to smartphone users.<br /><br />3G multimedia phones include a wide array of phones, ranging from the LG enV Touch, which has a touch screen and a QWERTY keyboard, to the Motorola Entice, essentially a standard flip phone that can access the mobile Web.<br /><br />Other carriers are planning similar data requirements for their non-smartphone devices in the next several months, analysts say.<br /><br />"Non-smartphone users aren't using as much data as smartphone users, but they're getting closer," said Ramon Lamas, mobile device analyst with IDC. "Carriers see them as a breeding ground for increased data usage."<br /><br /><br />Data Overload Vs. Revenue<br /><br /><br />It's not just about increasing revenue, say analysts. Carriers are banking on the consumer-friendly aspect: phones are more fun and useful with the Internet.<br /><br />"The 'naked aggression' reason is to boost revenue to offset declining voice revenue," said Charles Golvin, mobile analyst with Forrester Research. "But carriers also realize consumers won't get the enjoyment out of their devices without data."<br /><br />But analysts caution that carriers need to be careful of data overload. 3G data networks are already in high demand from smartphone users, and smartphone usage was up 40% in 2009, according to an IDC study. AT&T has had well-documented 3G network troubles in New York and San Francisco due to the success of the data-hogging iPhone.<br /><br />"Carriers are getting people to move to data, but they're doing it cautiously," said Lamas. "Rather than have everyone move to data immediately, they're testing the waters and taking the people who can weather higher prices first."<br /><br />"Look how much revenue AT&T is getting from the iPhone," said Golvin. "It's easy for Verizon to make hay of AT&T's problems, but it's a problem that Verizon wishes it had."mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-60722443064814564062010-02-12T03:16:00.000-08:002010-02-12T03:18:46.159-08:00Relatively few complain about ToyotaNEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite a torrent of high-profile recalls that have tarnished Toyota's once stellar reputation, a study published Wednesday reveals that the automaker actually gets fewer customer complaints per car than the majority of its competitors.<br /><br />Edmunds.com reviewed more than 200,000 complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over the last decade and found that Toyota ranked 17th among the top 20 automakers in the overall number of complaints per vehicle sold.<br /><br />The results come amid a series of recalls totaling more than 8.1 million Toyotas worldwide, including 400,000 of the popular 2010 Prius hybrid for problems associated with sticking brake pedals, software glitches and faulty floormats.<br /><br />The study was based on the percentage of complaints each automaker received versus the total number of vehicles they sold in the United States between 2001 and 2010.<br /><br />As a result, British carmaker Land Rover had the highest proportion of complaints relative to the number of cars it sold. The company received 0.6% of the total complaints in the database, while its sales amounted to only 0.1% of all new cars sold in the United States.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Toyota had 9.1% of all the complaints in the database. But the company was number 17 on the list because its sales made up 13.5% of the U.S. market.<br /><br />According to the study, Toyota had fewer complaints than its American rivals. Ford was number 10 on the list, while General Motors came in at number 11.<br /><br />The only automakers to receive fewer complaints than Toyota were Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and the Mercedes-made Smart Car. <br /><br />Among the other automakers that ranked high on the list were Suzuki and Isuzu, which came in at numbers 2 and 3 respectively. German automaker Volkswagen came in at number 4.<br /><br />The complaints lodged against Toyota ranged from minor problems with lighting to more serious issues such as sudden acceleration and difficulty steering. But the study did not rate the reported incidences for severity.<br /><br />Edmunds.com said that it found some unreliable reports in the database, including one complaint indicating that 99 people had died in one vehicle as a result of an accident. It also said that about 10% of the complaints appeared to be duplicates.<br /><br />Quality control: Not just Toyota's problem<br />While the issues raised by Toyota's recent recalls shouldn't be overlooked, quality control concerns are apparent across the entire automobile industry, said Jeremy Anwyl, Edmunds.com chief executive.<br /><br />"A broader view shows that consumer complaints reflect an industry issue, not just a Toyota issue," said Anwyl. "It is no longer an option for car companies to dismiss consumer complaints, even if the event is difficult to replicate or diagnose."<br /><br />Some automakers assume that customer complaints are the result of driver error and not necessarily a reflection of design problems, said Jeannine Fallon, an Edmunds.com analyst.<br /><br />"It depends on the culture of the car company," she said. "But it's clear now that Toyota has not had very many conversations with NHTSA."mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-36310533044927493392010-02-03T16:00:00.001-08:002010-02-03T16:00:37.466-08:00Prius brakes questioned; Toyota probe expandsWASHINGTON – Americans should park their recalled Toyotas unless driving to dealers for accelerator repairs, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Wednesday — then quickly took it back — as skepticism of company fixes grew and the government's probe expanded to other models in the U.S. and Japan. Questions now are being raised about the brakes on Toyota's marquee Prius hybrid.<br /><br />The Prius was not part of the most recent recall, but Japan's transport ministry ordered the company to investigate complaints of brake problems with the hybrid. LaHood said his department, too, was looking into brake problems. About 100 complaints over Prius brakes have been filed in the U.S. and Japan.<br /><br />Harried dealers began receiving parts to repair defective gas pedals in millions of vehicles and said they'd be extending their hours deep into the night to try and catch up. Toyota said that would solve the problem — which it said was extremely rare — of cars unaccountably accelerating.<br /><br />At a congressional hearing, LaHood said his advice to an owner of a recalled Toyota would be to "stop driving it. Take it to a Toyota dealer because they believe they have a fix for it." His comments prompted new questions and rattled Toyota stockholders, causing shares to plunge 8 percent before they recovered, declining 6 percent for the day.<br /><br />LaHood later told reporters, "What I said in there was obviously a misstatement. What I meant to say ... was if you own one of these cars or if you're in doubt, take it to the dealer and they're going to fix it."<br /><br />Adding to Toyota's woes, LaHood said his department had received new complaints about electronics and would undertake a broad review, looking beyond Toyota vehicles, into whether automobile engines could be disrupted by electromagnetic interference caused by power lines or other sources. Toyota has said it investigated for electronic problems and failed to find a single case pointing that direction.<br /><br />Toyota Motor Corp., in a statement, said if owners were experiencing problems with the accelerator pedal "please contact your dealer without delay. If you are not experiencing any issues with your pedal, we are confident that your vehicle is safe to drive."<br /><br />But the damage was done for many drivers.<br /><br />Meredyth Waterman, who bought a 2010 Toyota Corolla in December, said the alarming statements from Washington confused her and she planned to wait until her dealer told her to come get the fix to bring her car in for repairs.<br /><br />"If it is largely believed to be a rare instance, why would he tell people to stop driving their cars?" asked Waterman, of Burrillville, R.I. "It was an irresponsible thing to say."<br /><br />The confusion came as the world's No. 1 automaker dealt with fresh probes in the U.S. and Japan over the Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid, and growing interest from congressional and other government investigators. Toyota has shut down several new vehicle assembly lines and is rushing parts to dealers to fix problems with the accelerators, trying to preserve a reputation of building safe, durable vehicles.<br /><br />Since October, Toyota first recalled about 5 million vehicles over problems with floor mats trapping gas pedals and now, in a recall announced Jan. 21, some 2.3 million vehicles amid concerns that gas pedals could become stuck or slow to return to the idle position. The latest recall involves 2009-10 RAV4 crossovers, 2009-10 Corollas, 2009-10 Matrix hatchbacks, 2005-10 Avalons, 2007-10 Camrys, 2010 Highlander crossovers, 2007-10 Tundra pickups and 2008-10 Sequoia SUVs.<br /><br />Lawmakers who are now digging into the recalls said they would also look into the Prius. Rep. Bart Stupak, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce investigative subcommittee, said his panel would request a briefing from Toyota officials about the hybrid.<br /><br />New York Rep. Edolphus Towns, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sought more information about the acceleration issue from Yoshi Inaba, chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor North America and asked the question on the minds of Toyota owners: "Is it safe to drive the Toyota models that have been recalled?"<br /><br />Towns' committee, which is planning a Feb. 10 hearing, also wants more details on how Toyota handled complaints about pedal entrapment, reports of stuck accelerators and electrical problems. Other panels in the House and Senate also are planning hearings.<br /><br />Many consumer groups have questioned whether Toyota's fix will work and have asserted it could be connected to problems with the electronic throttle control systems.<br /><br />Joan Claybrook, who formerly lead Public Citizen, a watchdog group, noted that Toyota told owners during last year's recall to remove floor mats to keep the accelerator pedal from becoming jammed. "I don't think that's what the issue is. I think it has to be electronic when it slam dunks and takes off and goes 120 miles an hour," Claybrook said.<br /><br />The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, meanwhile, asked CTS, the Indiana company that made the pedals behind Toyota's latest recall, if the same problem could exist for other automakers. CTS makes pedals for Honda, Nissan and a small number of Ford vehicles in China, but the auto supplier has said the issues are limited to Toyota alone. <br /><br />LaHood, who plans to speak with Toyota President Akio Toyoda about the recalls, said the government is considering civil penalties against the carmaker. But he also said that it appeared "Toyota is making an all-out effort to do all that they can to fix these cars." <br /><br />The Obama administration has been forced to backtrack on several statements during its first year, though LaHood's warning was particularly striking. <br /><br />Last year, when LaHood suggested the administration consider taxing motorists based on how many miles they drive instead of how much gasoline they buy, his comments were quickly rejected by the White House. Vice President Joe Biden triggered a day of backtracking after publicly swearing off trains and planes because of swine flu worries. <br /><br />LaHood's comments irked many dealers, who have been fielding calls from nervous customers for days. Most dealers are just getting the parts, a steel shim a couple of millimeters thick, to be inserted in the pedal assembly to address potential friction that could cause the pedal to stick. <br /><br />The secretary "has the best of intentions, but unfortunately we can't fix 100 cars at the same time," said Adam Lee, head of Lee Auto Malls and owner of a Toyota dealership in Topsham, Maine. "I'm sure he has the best of intentions but it may not be very constructive for us." <br /><br />Earl Stewart, who owns a Toyota dealership in North Palm Beach, Fla., said LaHood's comments "could instill panic." Stewart was expecting to begin making repairs — at half an hour per vehicle — later Wednesday. <br /><br />"We're leaving our service department open 'til the last customer tonight," he said. "After Ray LaHood's statement, it might be all night."mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-51721032331415578752010-01-30T20:00:00.000-08:002010-01-30T20:01:27.960-08:00Toyota Shows How Giants StumbleAt General Motors, they used to call their surging competitor "Mr. T," as if intimidated by a muscular rival who seemed able to seize market share at will. But Toyota suddenly looks pretty meek, thanks to a mystifying safety problem that has led to a huge recall, an unprecedented production shutdown, and an ugly dent in a once sterling reputation.<br /><br />This corporate nightmare has mushroomed since last fall, when Toyota recalled about 4 million vehicles because of floor mats with a propensity to slip down into the driver's side foot well, potentially interfering with the pedals and causing sudden acceleration. Now Toyota has recalled an additional 2.3 million vehicles for a problem that sounds similar, but the company says it's different: faulty gas pedals that can stick if they become worn, causing--once again--sudden acceleration.<br /><br />[See 15 cars fueling the auto recovery.]<br /><br />Recalls aren't unusual. Here's what normally happens: The owner gets notified of the recall and brings the car to a dealer, where the problem is fixed in a day or two with no charge to the customer. But this recall is more confusing and far more draconian than usual. For one thing, Toyota announced the recall before there was a fix in place, so dealers didn't even know what to do if you brought them the car. Toyota implies that most of the recalled vehicles can still be driven safely, but it also offers these instructions for people who feel their car might have a sticky gas pedal: "The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off, and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance." Beyond that, Toyota has also issued some Dukes of Hazzard style maneuvers drivers should use if they're cruising along and the pedal does, in fact, stick, such as shifting into neutral or turning off the ignition (but don't take the key out!). Do they teach that in driver's ed?<br /><br />If you're a concerned parent with a suspect Toyota, you could easily imagine that the gas pedal seems a little stickier than usual. And do what? Risk your kids' lives by driving them around in a death trap? Pull off on the side of the highway and call a taxi? Garage the car and rent something safe--at $300 per week--until Toyota figures out what's going on? Stressing out your customers like that isn't exactly the way to win repeat business.<br /><br />The sales and production stoppage suggests an even bigger problem, with lots of legal liability. Toyota has stopped selling or building eight models, including the Camry, Corolla, and RAV 4, which represent more than 50 percent of its sales. That will cost Toyota millions, maybe billions, of dollars. It already ranks near the top in the annals of corporate meltdowns, and it's not necessarily over. GM, meanwhile, is poaching Toyota customers with special financing and other incentives, along with cars that go the speed you want them to.<br /><br />[See 10 products that boomed during the recession.]<br /><br />How did this happen? Toyota itself may not even know yet, and it could take months or years for the full story to develop. But Toyota's dramatic comedown isn't as sudden as it might seem. Some industry-watchers feel the saga has been building for years and may even have been inevitable.<br /><br />In his 2009 book, How the Mighty Fall, business guru Jim Collins outlined five stages of decline that many big companies go through. Mostly he wrote about companies that lose their edge gradually, even imperceptibly, until thousands of tiny termite holes bring down the house. Toyota might qualify as an accelerated version of such a collapse.<br /><br />Toyota has grown steadily into the world's biggest automaker, earning customer loyalty for the reliability and longevity of its vehicles. But problems have been slowly building. The T100 pickup sold in the 1990s failed to hit Toyota's usual mark for quality, with some critics complaining that it was an underpowered make-do truck that paled next to American counterparts. Beginning around 1999, thousands of Toyota owners complained about mysterious "sludge" buildup that wrecked their engines, prompting criticism that Toyota was growing too fast and skimping on quality; Toyota resisted the claims but settled a class action lawsuit brought by owners in 2007. Toyota owners have also complained about faulty head lamps on the Prius hybrid, and more than 100,000 Tundra pickups were recalled in 2009 for problems with rusting frames. On the business side, Toyota badly miscalculated when it built a new pickup plant in Texas, with sales far below projections.<br /><br />[See 21 things we're learning to live without.]<br /><br />Consumers have noticed. Surveys by CNW Marketing Research in Brandon, Ore., show that from 1997 to 2007, Toyota consistently ranked at the top for nonluxury car makers, neck and neck with Honda. For 10 straight years, consumers rated Toyota 9.1 or higher, on average, out of 10. In 2008, that rating slipped below 9 for the first time, and in the latest survey--which took place before the gas-pedal recall--respondents gave Toyota an 8.5 rating. That's lower than the ratings for Honda, Buick, Mazda, Volkswagen, Ford, and even Saturn.<br /><br />Toyota's recent history lines up fairly well with Collins's taxonomy of decline. His first stage is "hubris born of success," which certainly could apply to Toyota. For years, Toyota was a model of efficient manufacturing, mimicked even by firms in different industries. That may have convinced the firm's leaders they could grow rapidly and maintain quality at any size. Next in the evolution of decline comes "undisciplined pursuit of more." Toyota definitely had grand ambitions--to become the world's biggest automaker--but it's not clear yet if the firm was undisciplined or simply took risks that went against it. Collins's third stage is "denial of risk and peril," which many critics certainly saw in Toyota's rigid refutation of consumer complaints. Stage four is "grasping for salvation," which is what Toyota seems to be doing now.<br /><br />[See 4 things that could derail a recovery.]<br /><br />It's a safe bet, however, that Toyota will escape Collins's fifth stage: "capitulation to irrelevance or death." Despite its woes, Toyota remains a strong brand and a powerful company, and falling on its sword today may be the best path toward a corporate rebound. Surveys by BrandIndex, a market research firm, show that Toyota's "buzz" score--reflecting consumers' immediate perception of the brand--have dipped to historic lows. But positive impressions of Toyota still outweigh negative ones, which means customers are likely to return if the company solves its problems once and for all--and makes amends. "Consumers are pretty forgiving of blue-chip brands," says Ted Marzilli of BrandIndex. "Prospects are still quite good for Toyota, provided the issue is resolved quickly, there is clear communication to consumers, and there are no more issues in the near future." And humility replaces hubris.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-54792772224506731982010-01-30T04:17:00.000-08:002010-01-30T04:18:22.830-08:00Texas Leads U.S. in High-Growth CitiesA new survey finds the Lone Star State is leading in terms of growth rate and household income. Atascocita, Tex., is No. 1 in the state <br />Tired of reading about how rotten the real estate market is? Here's some good news that shows that even during the worst of the recession plenty of American cities, towns, and suburbs continue to grow.<br /><br />One such place is Atascocita, Tex. A mostly residential community 20 miles from Houston, it gained more than 1,800 households in 2009, an 8% year-over-year increase, according to new data from Little Rock-based data firm Gadberry Group. Over the decade, amenities that have helped attract residents to this wooded locale include Lake Houston, just east of the city; the school district; and proximity to the city of Houston. With new roads in the area under construction, "we're starting to see major industry start to take a look at the area," says Mike Byers, president of the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce.<br /><br /> <br />Migration levels nationwide stayed low last year as homeowners saddled with pricey mortgages stayed put--but there are some positive trends. Research by the Gadberry Group shows that some areas, resisting the effects of the recession, continue to attract both domestic and foreign migrants and, as an effect, bring in new businesses to provide services. While other cities across the U.S. have contracted, these have continued to grow.<br /><br />Some states are better off than others, though. As thousands of people left places such as New Orleans and Flint, Mich. (the country's two fastest-shrinking cities), in the last decade, communities with the best mix of economic activity, proximity to job centers, and a good environment for families continued to grow. While not entirely spared by the economic downturn (some homes in these areas are now in foreclosure), people continued to move in during 2009.<br /><br />Texas Grew the Most<br />Texas came out on top of Gadberry's survey, with four high-growth cities: Atascocita, Katy, Mansfield, and Wylie. The report only included areas larger than 10,000 occupied households that met requirements for growth rate, household income, length of residence, and other factors.<br /><br />Larry Martin, principal of the Gadberry Group, says many of the places with the biggest housing growth at the beginning of the last decade, such as Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, also saw the biggest drop-off since the economy sank. Texas, however, enjoyed relatively strong housing and job markets over the last 10 years, thanks in large part to the presence of major employers in the robust energy business. As of December, the state unemployment rate was 8.3% (lower than the national rate of 10%), according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also had the largest state population growth between July 2008 and July 2009, according to a December release by the Census Bureau. "New homes are still being built and people are still moving into these homes" in Texas, says Martin.<br /><br />Part of the state's strength, says Mark Mather, a demographer at the Population Reference Bureau in Washington, D.C., is its diversified economy. Main industries include petroleum refining, chemical production, aerospace, and information technology.<br /><br />Meanwhile, areas that depended on the housing boom are now dealing with high foreclosure rates. Places such as Summerlin South, Nev., which appear in Bloomberg BusinessWeek's slide show of fast-growing cities, gained population but, like the rest of the state, may be dealing with high mortgage default rates.<br /><br />"If you live by migration, you also die by migration," says Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute. "It doesn't guarantee continued growth."<br /><br />New Business Opportunities<br />Migration is typically highest among people in their 20s seeking jobs near large urban cores, but employment opportunities are not the only draw. "Amenities are also important in migrational decisions," says Johnson. Many families consider factors such as schools and recreational amenities like scenic areas and parks.<br /><br />This is a consideration now in Spring Hill, Tenn., which gained 7,645 households since 2000 as many young families moved to the town for affordable housing and work at the General Motors plant, which is now idle. Dustin Dunbar, chairman of the Spring Hill Economic Development Commission, says this has created demand and opportunity for businesses that provide youth activities and entertainment. "We hope to recruit some businesses to cater to our largest demographics," he says.<br /><br />While migration in 2010 may remain sluggish, "we'll see a continuation of urban sprawl once the economy bounces back," says Mather.<br /><br />Fastest Growing Cities by State<br /><br />Arizona: Buckeye<br />Number of households: 18,112<br />Pct. Chg: +10% since 2008 (+261% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $52,927 (–6% since 2000)<br /><br />Why: Buckeye is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in Arizona and has seen a large influx of Asian residents, especially Vietnamese, according to Gadberry. While many new housing units are planned, the price of real estate in Buckeye has dropped nearly 12% since 2008, according to Trulia, and thousands of properties are in the foreclosure process.<br /><br />California: Lincoln<br />Number of households: 21,997<br />Pct. Chg: +10% since 2008 (+250% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $90,608 (+16% since 2000)<br />Why: Lincoln, a suburban development 30 miles from Sacramento, is the fastest-growing suburb of California and the third fastest-growing town in the U.S. New office buildings, shopping centers, housing developments, and custom home properties have gone up in recent years as a part of the local development plan, according to ZipRealty.<br /><br />Georgia: Braselton<br />Number of households: 13,929<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+118% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $113,664 (+67% since 2000)<br />Why: Gadberry Group noted Braselton, a suburb of Atlanta, as a remarkable high-growth area due to increases not only in population, but also average income and average household net worth ($532,628). Companies operating here such as Sears Logistics, Tractor Supply, Mitsubishi, and Progressive Lighting have helped to generate jobs.<br /><br />Indiana: Avon<br />Number of households: 11,521<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+73% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $97,355 (+35% since 2000)<br />Why: Avon has experienced rapid growth since the 1990s due to its convenient location 10 miles from Indianapolis, where health care, social services, and education are the leading industries, according to Simply Hired.<br /><br />Iowa: Urbandale<br />Number of households: 16,402<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+44% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $93,655 (+12% since 2000)<br />Why: Urbandale, within an hour's drive from Kansas City and Minneapolis, has a lower unemployment rate than the national average. The insurance and finance industries are major employers.<br /><br />North Carolina: Wake Forest<br />Number of households: 17,803<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+118% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $82,771 (+18% since 2000)<br />Why: Not far from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle, Wake Forest has attracted residents with excellent quality of life, public schools, and health-care resources. Gadberry also notes the high percentage of children and ethnic diversity here.<br /><br />South Carolina: Fort Mill<br />Number of households: 10,474<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+91% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $72,090(+23% since 2000)<br />Why: Companies such as Continental Tire and music distributor Muzak are located in Fort Mill, near Rock Hill, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C. While many financial companies moved into the area during the housing boom, they have mostly pulled out, reported The Wall Street Journal.<br /><br />Tennessee: Spring Hill<br />Number of households: 11,814<br />Pct. Chg: +10% since 2008 (+183% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $92,347 (+44% since 2000)<br />Why: Spring Hill saw the fourth-largest increase in number of households on Gadberry's list, driven largely by the jobs created by GM's plant, which manufactured Saturn vehicles until 2008, when it started making the GM Traverse.<br /><br />Texas: Atascocita<br />Number of households: 23,917<br />Pct. Chg: +8% since 2008 (+108% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $99,272 (+26% since 2000)<br />Why: Atascocita, 18 miles from Houston, boasts golf courses and country clubs. Residents can also boat and fish in nearby Lake Houston, a manmade lake. According to Gadberry, the number of Hispanic households increased by 278% since 2000, making it the largest-growing segment of the population.<br /><br />Utah: South Jordan<br />Number of households: 13,622<br />Pct. Chg: +9% since 2008 (+82% since 2000)<br />Average household income: $108,300 (+37% since 2000)<br />Why: Development in this city, 10 miles from Salt Lake City, was fueled by the availability of land and large lots, planned communities, and a charming rural atmosphere. The new Daybreak Community development is expected to attract many more residents.mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041555024704381539.post-62586202062312240332010-01-30T04:14:00.000-08:002010-01-30T04:15:21.574-08:00Honda sets own recall as Toyota details actionTOKYO/PARIS (Reuters) – Toyota said its global safety withdrawal would take up to 1.8 million vehicles off Europe's roads and rival Honda announced its own recall, placing the vaunted pedigree of Japan's carmakers under fresh scrutiny.<br /><br />The move by Honda, tipped to benefit from Toyota's woes, came as suppliers, consumers and analysts weighed the financial impact on Toyota of its recall and its suspension of U.S. sales.<br /><br />Investors also assessed the fall-out for an industry just emerging from global crisis as well as the damage to Japanese automakers' prized reputation for safety and reliability.<br /><br />"It's not that their vehicles are worse than the others, (the recalls are) just showing maybe that their vehicles are like the others," said IHS Global Insight analyst Carlos Da Silva.<br /><br />"The race to cost cuts and the competition between all brands is so fierce that even the mighty Japanese are doing things that are not as reliable as they were."<br /><br />In a rare piece of positive news for Toyota, a source told Reuters that its U.S. sales could resume by the third week in February if a remedy to potentially sticking accelerator pedals was rolled out smoothly.<br /><br />BENEFITS<br /><br />Barclays Capital analysts still thought Honda would benefit from Toyota's massive recall, while Ford, GM, Hyundai and Nissan Motor Co also stood to gain market share in the short-term.<br /><br />Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, this week suspended North American sales and production of eight models and widened its recall to China and Europe, bringing the total to around 8 million units, more than the number of cars and trucks it sold worldwide in 2009.<br /><br />Toyota said Friday it would recall eight models in Europe, totaling as many as 1.8 million units in Europe.<br /><br />A Toyota spokeswoman said the company was still checking on whether any vehicles in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa had an accelerator problem.<br /><br />Honda said it would recall 646,000 of its Fit/Jazz and City models, including 140,000 in the United States, because of a faulty window switch, after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year.<br /><br />In an unusual move, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman said the panel would investigate how effectively Toyota responded to concerns about sticking pedals and slipping floormats.<br /><br />KNOCK-ON EFFECTS<br /><br />In Tokyo, some worried about the effects on Japan's image and economy.<br /><br />"If Toyota has hard times, there's a high probability that also Japan will," said Takeo Namekata, a 62-year-old office worker. "Particularly, trade will suffer."<br /><br />Suppliers were expected to see some fallout.<br /><br />"If Toyota gets the flu, its suppliers will also be sneezing," said Kevin Chen, president of Gasgoo.com, a major Chinese auto parts trading platform. <br /><br />International component makers were most at risk, said Tatsuya Mizuno, president of Mizuno Credit Advisory, because it might encourage Toyota to switch to Japanese suppliers, he told Reuters Insider television. <br /><br />Analysts have estimated the sales halt could cost Toyota at least 50 billion yen ($556 million) in operating profit a month, almost as much as it made in the September quarter. <br /><br />SAFETY REPUTATION <br /><br />IHS Global Insight's Da Silva said Japanese carmakers would be able to salvage their reputations as long as they moved quickly to show the recalls were isolated incidents. <br /><br />Recalls can show companies care about the cars they build, and don't simply wash their hands of them once they are driven away from the showroom, he added. <br /><br />Toyota shares have dropped 17.6 percent since January 21, when it said it would broaden its recalls by a further 2.3 million vehicles. Shares ended down 2 percent in Tokyo Friday. <br /><br />Industry analysts and executives estimate it will cost some $250 million in warranty costs alone for Toyota to address the smaller of the two recalls underway in the United States. <br /><br />The automaker also faces the fallout from the larger recall that began last year and was broadened this week for vehicles at risk of having floormats that can jam under accelerator pedals. <br /><br />(Additional reporting by Bernie Woodall, Soyoung Kim, Kevin Krolicki in Detroit; Chang-Rang Kim and Taiga Uranaka in Tokyo; Janaki Krishan in Mumbai; Fang Yan in Shanghai; Tiisetso Motsoeneng in Johannesburg; Rhys Jones in London and Helen Massy-Beresford in Paris; Editing by David Cowell)mtvhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01350939107637383707noreply@blogger.com0