Karuna HIV: HIV Centre on Second Life!

Karuna Centre on Second Life




Karuna HIV: Stories from Second Life

Came across a novel idea, called Karuna, to celebrate the lives of those dealing with HIV/AIDS and making information, support, and creative services available to them in the Second Life community.

Karuna means to ease suffering and bring about happiness and well-being in the world.

Karuna is a Second Life SIM to help people deal with the consequences of HIV/AIDS.

Second Life, as you know is a free 3D virtual world imagined and created by its Residents. Although, Second Life interface and display are similar to most popular massively multiplayer online role playing games (or MMORPGs), it is massively popular among net-savvy patients.

Though these stories are from avatars, they are equally as “real”.

Karuna was conceived not just as an information and education resource, but as a place where creativity and community could grow and thrive as well. As a result, the island was designed to be inviting, restful, and imaginative.


There are six main areas on Karuna, each with its own charm and secrets to be discovered and explored:

1. The Garden of Experience
2. Resource Centre
3. Community Centre
4. Island of Hope
5. Memorial Centre
6. Auditorium and Event Space


The Garden Of Experience

In the Garden of Experience stories of all kinds are collected and shared. You can take free writing courses, attend weekly storytelling and music events, meditate to the relaxing sounds of chakra sound bowls, embark on story and poetry quests, play drums, and plant flowers in honor of loved ones.

The Resource Centre

The Resource Centre provides information and educational. The centre is staffed by a consumer health librarian and offers a wide range of factual data and links to real life resources about HIV/AIDS.

Memorial Centre

At the Memorial Centre you can feature photos of those you have lost to AIDS, the mountain quickly morphed into a symbol of hope, featuring cascading falls, a stunning observation deck, and a secret cave where you can float and listen to singing crystals.


What are Healing Quests at Karuna?

“Healing Quests” are part of the ongoing efforts at Karuna to celebrate the lives of those dealing with HIV and AIDS. Participants in the quests embark on a journey of self-discovery designed to help them tell stories.

Why should people go to Karuna?

There is a small but growing number of people dealing with HIV/AIDS who have come to Second Life to explore and find sources of community and support. Karuna provides such a resource to those dealing with HIV/AIDS.

So without much ado, go on to Karuna at Second Life to see it for yourself!

There you might find a small group of avatars is sitting on stumps around a crackling campfire. Like most avatars, they are each exceptionally attractive. Buff bodies, voluptuous curves, and intricate tattoos abound. Clothing is decidedly stylish, and the only hairs out of place are calculated fashion statements.

What makes these avatars unique, however, is that they part of a small but growing number of people dealing with HIV/AIDS who have come to Second Life to explore and find sources of community and support.

Many HIV Patients turn to the Net for the latest, updated information on HIV and for these net-savvy patients AIDS.gov also writes about Karuna.

AIDS facts!

AIDS

View more presentations from Abhishek Shah.

Some AIDS facts:


1. The ABC of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome A = Abstinence B = Be Faithful C = Condoms

2. DID YOU KNOW?

3. every 9½ minutes, someone in the United States is infected with the virus.

4. There are more than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV.

5. Of those 1 million people living with HIV, 1 of 5 don't know they are infected. (People who have HIV but don't know it can unknowingly pass the virus to their partners.)

6. Despite new therapies people with HIV still develop AIDS.

7. More than 14,000 people with AIDS still die each year in the United States.

8. SOME BACIS FACTS

9. HOW IS HIV TRANSMITTED?

10. By having sex, with a person who has HIV infection.

11. By sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment with a person who injects drugs and has HIV.

12. From women with HIV to their babies, before or during birth or through breastfeeding after birth.

13. From getting a blood transfusion from a person with HIV.

14. HOW IS HIV NOT TRANSMITTED?

15. shaking hands or hugging a person with HIV/AIDS.

16. using a public telephone.

17. drinking fountain.

18. using restroom.

19. swimming in the pool.

20. sharing a drink.

21. coughed or sneezed.

22. mosquito bite.

23. 3 critical ways of reducing your risk of getting HIV and live longer.

24. 1 Don't have sex at all.

25. 2 Only have sex if you are in a mutually monogamous relationship and you have both tested negative for HIV.

26. Use a condom every time you 3 have any kind of sex. Yes, any kind.

27. BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. HOW? READ ON.

28. We should know whether or not we are infected with HIV.

29. We should If we are know infected, we whether or should seek not we are medical infected care. with HIV.

30. We should If we are We should know infected, we protect whether or should seek ourselves not we are medical and others infected care. from HIV. with HIV.

31. We should If we are We should We should know infected, we protect educate whether or should seek ourselves ourselves not we are medical and others and others infected care. from HIV. about HIV. with HIV.

32. THIS WAY YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE AS AN INDIVIDUAL

33. We should mobilize to overcome the challenges and barriers to HIV prevention;

34. We should fight ignorance and complacency related to HIV;

35. We should increase the awareness about the severity of epidemic and the continued impact that HIV is having on our communities;

36. We should increase the awareness about the severity of epidemic and the continued impact that HIV is having on our communities;

37. We should work to prevent stigma and discrimination—and to increase support for people living with HIV.

38. There’s a lot to do

39. There’s a lot to do THINK ABOUT IT.

40. We must recognize the epidemic here, in this country, for the crisis that it still is;

41. We must recognize the epidemic here, in this country, for the crisis that it still is; We must implement the programs that scientific evidence tells us are most effective;

42. We must recognize the epidemic here, in this country, for the crisis that it still is; We must implement the programs that scientific evidence tells us are most effective; We must ensure that those who need effective prevention interventions have access to them;

43. We must recognize the epidemic here, in this country, for the crisis that it still is; We must implement the programs that scientific evidence tells us are most effective; We must ensure that those who need effective prevention interventions have access to them; We must come together to intensify efforts and the stop this epidemic.

44. It’s possible . . . . . . . . . . . .

45. Together, we have the power to change the course of the HIV epidemic.

46. We will see the Sunshine. Together.

Michael Jackson Dies! ? Drug Overdose?

The King of POP, Michael Jackson dies of a massive heart attack! The LA times reports in detail!

Now when such a high profile artist dies of a heart attack, many people will think that he has taken a drug over-dose.

I am sure that he may have overdosed on prescription drugs or snorting cocaine, but that will be known shortly after the post-mortem that is being held.


MJ has had a very troubled life from his childhood, I am sure you all are aware of that and that he is very likely to be on presciption drugs for lots of percieved disorders and stress!

Nevertheless, i am a big fan of MJ and will miss his songs and dance numbers!

May God Rest his Soul in Peace!

iStraw - Prevents Delhi Belly! Water Purification Straw!

iStraw

The first time, I looked at iStraw, I thought you can’t be serious, how can a product so small clean upto 500 litres of water. That is what the manufacturers claim, 500 litres of sterile water from a straw. But the ease and the portability of the iStraw is such that, you will love the convenience of it. All you have to do is “Suck”!

Lets face it, who would want to spend their entire holiday on the loo, by not drinking filtered water. That is not even including the hassle to see a Doctor and to pay for antibiotics for dysentery. Imagine a long wait in A & E with stomach cramps and frequent urgent trips to the loo!

If you don't know what Delhi Belly is, it is just another name for Traveller's Diarrhoea!

iStraw water purifier is suitable for Personal use to help protect you, your family and friends against water borne bacteria and protozoa that are present in the drinking water and ice of many countries.

A bargain, I would say at £19.99.




So what are the Technical facts about iStraw?

iSTRAW is a lightweight portable instant microbiological water purification drinking straw fitted with a special membrane, developed and tested in Australia, which uses Micro-filtration technology to clean your water rather than expensive and bad tasting water cleaning tablets.

Use iStraw and help the environment!

•
Using the iSTRAW reduces your plastic bottle waste, lessening landfill, saving the environment and decreasing your Carbon footprint by upto 600Kg C02 and for this reason it is a GREEN endorsed prdouct.

Britons still consume 3 billion litres of bottled water a year, and there lies the ecological rub, which starts with packaging. Most bottled water is siphoned into PET bottles.
• 13bn plastic bottles sold in the UK last year, just 3bn were recycled.
• 27m Tonnes of plastic used to bottle water worldwide each year.
• 9,000 Tonnes of CO2 produced each year taking Volvic the 1,000km from south east France to Britain. Evian travels 930km from Lake Geneva, producing 14,000 tonnes of CO2. British supplier Highland Spring produces 5,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.


What precautions you should be taking when using iStraw?


1. The iStraw must not be used to purify cloudy or slightly salty (brackish/turbid) water.
2. The iStraw must not be used to purify hot water - that is to say water having a temperature over 32°C or 90°F
3. The iStraw must not be frozen otherwise damage to it's special filter membrane will occur.

For optimum results, submerge the inflow opening of the iStraw in the receptacle holding water to a depth no greater than the high water mark shown in diagram. Once submerged, simply sip through the mouthpiece as one normally sips through a standard straw.

Replace the mouthpiece cover once the iStraw is used.

Do not use the iStraw in conjunction with a pump to filter water.

Nice Short Story!

The following short story was sent by New Delhi Airport Hotel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
An elderly man in Mumbai calls his son in New York and says,

'I hate to ruin your day son,

but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce;

35 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!'

'Dad, what are you talking about?' the son screams.

'We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the old man says.

'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this,

so you call your sister in Hong Kong and tell her!'

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.

'Like heck they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this.'

She calls Mumbai immediately, and screams at the old man,

'You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there.

I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow.



Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR.....??'

and she hangs up..



The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife.

'Okay', he says,

'It's all set. They're both coming for Diwali and paying their own airfare!!'




MORAL:
No man / woman is busy in this world all 365 days.
The sky is not going to fall down

if you take few days LEAVE and meet yOur dear ones.
OFFICE WORK IS NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE and



MONEY MAKING IS NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE.

Orthopaedic Astronaut Surgeon!

Othropaedic "Astronaut" Surgeon

The extent to which Orthopods ( Orthopaedic Surgeon's) go to make sure that their is NO infection in their joints!

Not content with layered drapes ( Paper, cloth, cloth & finally disposable paper & plastic 4th layer), positive pressure laminar flow enclosure and now Orthopaedic space suits above!

No chance that even the Swine Flu virus can pass through that hood!

Even an Orthopod finds it hilarious!

Ha.... he..... he .......

Nurses in UK clean equipment in Bathrooms!

The Royal College of Nursing says it is essential that health care staff have the time and space to clean everyday hospital equipment to keep the patient environment protected from health care associated infections. The comments come as an RCN commissioned survey of 2000 nursing staff shows that one in three nurses do not have access to a dedicated room for cleaning vital hospital equipment, leaving some with no choice but to decontaminate equipment for patients in bathrooms.

Findings were based on an ICM survey of 2,000 nurses, commissioned by the RCN, showing that frontline nurses face huge challenges in the every day battle against healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) like MRSA and C diff.

The RCN described the results as "shocking", but the Department of Health said it was for individual trusts to make proper arrangements.

The RCN has also called for:

* new wards to be designed with dedicated decontamination rooms and enough space for safe and clean storage
* every trust to protect training budgets for nurses
* every nurse to be given the opportunity to update their infection prevention training
* every nurse to have access to round-the-clock cleaning services.


No wonder we have ever increaing levels of C. Diff, MRSA, VRE and so many other deadly infections. It's shocking that some nurses have no choice but to store equipment in hospital bathrooms.

People need to recognise that fighting infection is about much more than just hand washing.

Swine Flu on Twitter Comic!

Swine Flu is making news on Twitter!.

Warning: this comic contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors).

Related Posts:

* Tracking Swine Flu

* Google Patients

Hydroxycut for weight-loss: Product Recal by FDA

Hydroxycut is a popular weight loss product which has been recalled by the FDA. This is due to a death due to liver failure and other instances of serious health problems.

The Food and Drug Administration states serious adverse health effects to consumers taking this weight loss product.

The Hydroxycut brand, which had been widely sold at national chain stores including GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe, includes pills, drinks and powders marketed to boost energy, burn calories and fat, and control appetite.

Americans spent about $1.7 billion on weight-loss supplements last year, out of a total of about $25 billion spent annually on dietary supplements, according to estimates from Nutrition Business Journal, a market research firm.

Since the regulatory authorities see dietary supplemants as different from medicines, they have to undergo less rigorous testing and therefore the side effects are seen post marketing.

Dietary supplements do not need prior F.D.A. sanction to go on sale. Manufacturers of dietary supplements are themselves responsible for ensuring and documenting the safety and efficacy claims of their products.

The agency said the consumers were healthy before using Hydroxycut and took the recommended dose. Because the formula for Hydroxycut has changed over time and because the products contains different amounts of a proprietary blend of ingredients, the agency said it had not yet determined which of the product’s ingredients might constitute a health hazard.

Tracking Swine Flu Pandemic

Since Swine Flu has been raised to the level of a pandemic, I thought I will do another post. Read about Swine flu and stay informed. Stay calm and don't panic.

WHO has raised the swine flu alert from Phase Four to Phase Five. This phase is characterised by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one region.

While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase Five is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication, and implementation of planned mitigation measures is short.

Here are some tips to Track Swine Flu:-

* Check Health Map for the latest reports on Swine Flu

* Check Google maps for further updates.

* NHS gives frequent updates on its site, keep upto date with the latest developments.

* Search for the latest Swine Flu Tweets on Twitter

* Keep checking the Centre for Disease Control's site for further notices. Mexico & USA is where the maximum cases are being reported, so it makes sense to check them out periodically.

* If you have recently traveled to Mexico, you can contact your doctor or General Practioner, if the following are present:-

* Fever of 38°C or more
* history of fever AND flu-like illness (two or more of the following symptoms: cough, runny nose, limb/joint pain, headache)
* other severe/life-threatening illness suggestive of an infectious process

You can check your symptoms using this NHS symptom checker.


Foremost, Stay Calm and Don't panic.

Swine Flu - Some facts

With all the recent outcry about swine flu, it is important to remember that you can easily prevent the spread of infection by using basic common sense.

As it is a type of flu virus, the advise for flu is also true for Swine Influenza as well.

* Using tissues while coughing or sneezing and throwing them into the bin asap.

* Washing hands with plenty of soap & water

More about Swine flu can be read here.

NHS direct states the following:-


Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you have recently travelled to Mexico or another affected area AND have one of the following:

* Fever of 38°C or more
* history of fever AND flu-like illness (two or more of the following symptoms: cough, runny nose, limb/joint pain, headache)
* other severe/life-threatening illness suggestive of an infectious process

You can check your symptoms using this symptom checker.

Related Posts:

* Tracking Swine Flu

Unhappy With labour - Sign Petition for Brown to Resign !

Just came across this awesome e-Petition, if you are unhappy with the handling of Gordon Brown, the current British Prime Minister for whatever reason and want a change at 10, Downing Street - and you feel strongly about it, go ahead and sign the petition here.

It gives the following simple message:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to resign.

The Deadline to sign up is by: 22 October 2009 – Signatures: 6,651 as of 25th April, 2009 @ 1450 hrs.

Second Opinion! Medical Humour!

Got the following by email, posting it here for you all to enjoy and laugh your head off!

---------------------------------------------------------------
Second Opinion!




The doctor said, 'Joe, the good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration.




You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.'




Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He had no choice but to go under the knife. When he left the hospital, he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.




He saw a men's clothing store and thought, 'That's what I need... A new suit.'




He entered the shop and told the salesman, 'I'd like a new suit.'




The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, 'Let's see... size 44 long.'




Joe laughed, 'That's right, how did you know?'




'Been in the business 60 years!' the tailor said.




Joe tried on the suit it fit perfectly.




As Joe admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, 'How about a new shirt?'




Joe thought for a moment and then said, 'Sure.'




The salesman eyed Joe and said, 'Let's see, 34 sleeves and 16-1/2 neck.'




Joe was surprised, 'That's right, how did you know?'




'Been in the business 60 years.'




Joe tried on the shirt and it fit perfectly.




Joe walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, 'How about some new underwear?'




Joe thought for a moment and said, 'Sure.'




The salesman said, 'Let's see... size 36.




Joe laughed, 'Ah ha! I got you! I've worn a size 34 since I was 18 years old.'




The salesman shook his head, 'You can't wear a size 34. A size 34 would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache.'




New suit - $400
New shirt - $36
New underwear - $6
Second Opinion - PRICELESS

Jade Goody Boosts Cervical Screening

Jade Goody may have been idolized or criticized, one thing is certain that she has had a positive effect on the Cervical Screening programme and making the non- compliant womenfolk rush to their doctors to have that long forgotten cervical smear done.

I hope that Jade's very public battle against cervical cancer will encourage women to not only get themselves vaccinated but also to be more aware of the symptoms that need to be reported to their GP's.

Their have been calls to lower the official age of women who are eligible for cervical screening, Dr. Crippen says that this should not be done only because of Jade, but on evidence based medicine. Something that I agree with!

Young Indians with Ischaemic Heart Disease

Got some shocking news today. One of my wife's cousins, who is a 30 year old male, slightly obese was admitted with Central Chest pain to a Hospital. At that time, I thought, it would be something like a musculo-skeletal chest pain (medical term for a pulled muscle in the chest or rib cage), but today I came to know that it was a mini heart attack, with ECG changes!!!

That is something serious!! Now the poor chap is going to have an angiogram ( this is a test which Cardilogist perform by injecting a dye into the arteries supplying the heart) to see whether the arteries are blocked or not.

I have written a few times that Indians are more likely to have a heart attack and why should we exercise to target our heart rate and the fact that smoking kills.

I guess that Indians need to focus on some basic lifestyle changes as tabulated below..

1. Regular exercise. Exercise means targeting your heart rate according to your age.

2. Taking regular medication if known to have higher Blood pressure

3. Stop smoking – active and passive.

4. Avoid ghee, butter and food rich in fats.


I have not been exercising for the last few days ( nay Months!!!) and I think, the time has come to practice what I preach.

I pray to God that my cousin, may get well soon! I hope this is a lesson for us all NOT to neglect our health.

Time to don my running shoes and go for a jog!!

6 Blogging Tips for New Bloggers

6 Blogging Tips for New Bloggers was inspired by an excellent post by Sunil, Are you slow poisoning your blog. He writes some excellent points on how to take control of your poorly performing blog.

So what are the points that you as a blogger should keep in mind while blogging, I have added some of my own thoughts.

1. Keep the post short and sweet. Golden Rule.

2. Regular posting:

The newspapers publish everyday and the news comes at the same time on the telly every hour. This creates a regular schedule in the mind of the viewer. Supposing you want to hear the news today and you switch on the TV @ 1800 hrs for the news, instead you find that they are doing re-runs. That would be a dampner.

So post regularly and make a schedule and stick to it.

3. Suss out your readers:

Try to suss out which type of blog reader you are getting and tailor content accordingly. This is a medical and travel blog, therefore I write about medicine and travel.

4. Scannable Posts:

Sunil says that you should create content that is scanable, read his post here. Studies have shown that readers are "time poor" and they scan posts to go to the meaty bits quickly.

5. Excessive Pop Up adverts & Insisting on Subscription:

Some of the blogs I visit send a Pop up with the goal of getting you to subscribe to their blog, I find that highly annoying and hate it and spoils my user experience.

6. Reader Interaction:

Try to reply to your readers as that builds rapport and gets you regular readers. In case you are wondering, what's the fuss with regular readers? Regular readers build a community of friends and likelyhood that they are bloggers themselves and will write a post which will link back to yours.

Hopefully these tips will make your blog a dynamic one and may you gain many readers!

Related Posts:

* Publish a Custom URL on Blogger

Doncaster Mobile Spray Tanning - Vanity by Kim

Doncaster Mobile Spray Tanning by Kim Hodgson, utilising the latest spray technology combined with tanning solution made from the finest ingredients, Vanity By Kim delivers the most authentic looking, long lasting spray on tan imaginable in any shade desired, from lightly sun-kissed through to the darkest of European Tans.

Kim has a knack of spraying it on correctly and properly. You just have to allow it to air dry for just 30 minutes and that's it - within 24 hours you will have a glorious golden tan. IT'S THAT EASY! And Kim Hodgson will do it for you at your home in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

The Business name Kim uses is:

Vanity by Kim

Mobile Spray Tanning in Doncaster

Kim can only be contacted by Phone. Her phone number is 07960446057.

If you are wondering how much it costs, she charges only 15 Pounds per application.

Related Posts:

* Doncaster Laser hair Removal

* Doncaster Dentitsts

* Dermal Fillers Doncaster, Sheffield

* Mobile Spray Tanning in Doncaster

Indian Medical Blogs

I am adding the following button to this post to as per the Indian Medic. He feels that the Indian Doctors are underrepresented in the blogging community, and therefore this venture.

6 Tips to Increase Online Productivity for Doctors

6 Tips to Increase Online productivity for Doctors

If you are a Doctor and spending lots of time online, here are a few tips to make the most of your time and increase productivity.

1. Make a To Do List: As internet is becoming more and more important to keep up with changes, research and CPD (Continuing Professional Development), it pays not to waste time on the internet. My strategy is to prioritize work and make a to-do list and tick them one by one, so that I know that today’s jobs have been done.

2. Twitter Wasters: If you are glued to Twitter and becoming a Twitter waster, then it is time to reduce the time you spend on Twitter and use that more productively. See how much time you waste on Twitter by using this cool tool. If you are into Twitter and tend to waste your time, use TweetDeck to make several groups.

3. Email: Avoid Checking Email First Thing in the morning, unless this is required in your job, let it go until after you’ve completed your top priority of the day. Try to process email in batches; say two or three times a day.

4. Cut Down on Random Surfing: With sites like Stumble Upon, Twitter and Digg, it is very easy to lose track of time and before you know, hours have gone by.

5. Bloggers stop checking your stats: As a Blogger, I have been guilty of checking my stats continuously, especially since my post on How Doctors Choose Specialty went viral on Stumble Upon and garnered 20 K visitors in 2 days. I am sure many of us do that. It’s fun, but counter-productive.

6. Utilize Google Reader: as explained in an excellent post by Ves Dimov on How to Deal with Information Overload.

Blog of the Day Award

I have been awarded the Blog of The Day Award - see the site here.



If you would like to be win this prestigious award, please go to the Blog of the Day Awards blog and follow instructions. If you are lucky, like me, you will also get the award.

;-)

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Skoda India - How to lose customers the Skoda way!

Read his harrowing tale of a Skoda customer, Harish Kanchan,
on BHP forum.

According to his post, Harish is fighting with Skoda for the last one year now. I quote Harish -

You may be aware their dealer in mumbai, Nummer Eins had replaced spurious parts in my car to the tune of around 4 lakhs. They had even stolen the 3rd injector and the steering rack and substituted them with fakes. They did not spare the battery either. I took the matter up with skoda.

Skoda replaced all the faulty parts in my car with originals. They then tried to pull a fast one on me. They wanted me to give them an undertaking as a precondition for delivering my car with rectified original parts. The undertaking mentioned that these spurious parts were not put by their dealer.

I refused to do so and Skoda asked me to pay for the repairs and take delivery of the car.

Also, the night after the parts were replaced, Skoda official Yogesh Vaidya, tried to smuggle out the spurious parts removed from my car out of jmd showroom after it was shut and i had gone back home. Some one known to me at jmd called me up and informed me. I rushed to jmd to see the parts just about being loaded in a car. Guess whose car? Nummer Eins car. Can u imagine? The fake parts were being taken back to Nummer Eins under instructions of Karthik Ramesh. Car enthusiasts at team bhp - draw your own conclusion.

Also, Nummer Eins, meanwhile tried to hush me down with attractive offers of cash, new car and threats. I chose to fight.

Apparently, this is not new as can be seen by an old Mid Day Report.


I am gob smacked that big car companies such as Skoda (Remember they are Owned by VW) can let such a thing happen. They have a duty towards their customers and are responsible for the customer care. That’s what we think when we buy a VW vehicle!

I cannot comprehend that any car company would keep a customer’s car with them for 1 YEAR after they themselves have messed it up.

The fun starts when1 year down the line the frustrated customer, Harish Khanchan in this case, publishes on a car forum his story. Now since the harrowing tale is exposed on the internet and is getting exposure in front of millions of netizens (remember they are the potential customers and Skoda India is launching a new small car in India), the damage control by the company starts in earnest.

Now this has some lessons on “How to alienate your customers and screw your potential sales” – the Skoda representative goes to the forum and issues the forum owners a legal threat for discussing Skoda India’s customer care! WOW!

A sensible customer care manager would have said at this point, let us undo the wrong done here and compensate our customers. For a huge company like Skoda & VW, who trade in billions of dollars a year, replacing a single car is peanuts. This would not only earn them credibility and brownie points but also reassure potential customers.

On the other hand, Skoda Auto India operations head and board member (sales & marketing) Thomas Kuehl, is planning to launch a small car in India.

After reading BHP forum on the internet, does he really think that Indian Customers are going to buy Skoda’s Small car???

Really!!!!!!!!!!

ENT Masterclass.com - ENT journal from Doncaster Royal Infirmary

Mr. S Quraishi, Ear Nose and Throat Consultant in Doncaster Royal Infirmary has launched the highly-commended Journal of ENT Masterclass, at a ceremony attended by top medical experts from around the country.

Having worked under him as a trainee, I am not surprised that he is finally getting recognition for his hard work. Mr. Quraishi, is a pro-active, dedicated consultant who cares for the trainees as well as his patients with boundless energy, enthusiasm and patience. I remember he used to come to Doncaster from Nottingham (a good 45 minutes drive one way) at the crack of dawn for a teaching class for his trainees in ENT. To say that I am proud of the fact that I trained under him would be an understatement.

As both Editor of the Journal and Director of ENT Masterclass training, Mr Quraishi proudly conducted the launch proceedings in the Post-graduate centre at Doncaster Royal Infirmary alongside other members of his editorial team and the Trust’s Chief Executive, Nigel Clifton.


Mr Quraishi’s brain child the ENT Masterclass was started in 2005, is a training concept, aimed at delivering free high-quality training in Otolaryngology or ENT. It has gone from strength to strength and is now in its fifth year. It has established itself as an internationally acclaimed training event, with courses specialising in a range of topics from rhinology to radiology, attracting attendees from other parts of Europe and as far afield as Asia.

With places snapped up months in advance, ENT Masterclass is one of the most sought-after courses by trainees in the UK and the organisers continue to use the post-graduate facilities at Doncaster Royal Infirmary as a training base.

According to Mr Quraishi:

With the launch of the Journal, Doncaster’s ENT Unit has established a very high academic profile nationally and internationally. The support of Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, sponsorship, and the volunteers that help with the logistics, has enabled us to keep the courses and journals completely free of cost to the trainees.

He added:

I and my team look forward to continued support from the Trust in order to continue the success of the Masterclasses and enable us to produce the second edition of the Journal next year.

Nigel Clifton congratulated the Masterclass team on their achievement, assuring the audience of continued support for the various courses organised at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Kudos to Mr. S Quarashi for all his hard work and making Doncaster Royal Infirmary as a hub of academic excellence!

Cake of Resignation

Neil Berrett came up with an "Original idea" for resigning from the job by writing his resignation letter on a cake.

This is what he has written on the cake and this was what he posted on his Flikr post

--------------------------------------

Today I gave a two week's notice of my intent to resign. The letter was written in frosting on a full sheet size cake. The cake was delicious and it was well received.


"Dear Mr. Bowers,

During the past three years, my tenure at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard has been nothing short of pure excitement, joy and whim.

However, I have decided to spend more time with my family and attend to health issues that have recently arisen. I am proud to have been part of such an outstanding team and I wish this organization only the finest in future endeavors.

Please accept this cake as notification that I am leaving my position with NWT on March 27.

Sincerely,

W. Neil berrett"

3/16/2009 12:41 - I did submit a paper resignation letter. It's hard to file away a cake.
-----------------------------------

Another smart Guy has taken this oppurtunity to apply for his job -

Dear Mr. Bowers,

I understand a position has recently become available and I would like you to consider me for the job. I am not entirely sure what it entails, but I am very smart, a quick learner and flexible. I am also able to recognize an opportunity as it presents itself and take advantage of it, even if it arrives disquised as a photo of a sheet cake.

My full resume is available to you; as baked goods, on standard resume paper or as a pdf file. As I am here at your pleasure, your preference is mine as well.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,
Rufus from http://www.dogwalkblog.com/

Being Fat is Hazardous to Health

A study published in The Lancet, reports being severely obese is as hazardous to health as a lifetime of smoking, shortening life by a decade, a group of Oxford University experts has warned.

Even moderate obesity cuts life expectancy by about three years, says the Clinical Trial Service Unit.

The researchers complied the data from almost a million people from around the world. Increasilgly, adults in both devepoed and developing countries are now considered obese, with a body mass index (BMI) above 30.

BMI is useful for assessing the extent to which fatty tissue causes ill health.It is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.

A person 1.70m (5 ft 7") tall would be considered moderately obese if they weighed 90kg (14 stone) rather than the ideal 70kg (11 stone).

Each incremental rise in BMI above the healthy zone of 20-25 increased premature death risk, the Clinical Trial Service Unit concluded.

Severe obesity - a BMI of 40 to 50, which applies to about 2% of the UK population - reduced life expectancy by about 10 years.

Moderate obesity - a BMI of 30-39, which applies to one in four UK adults - reduced life expectancy by three years.

Much of the obesity-related risk is down to heart disease and stroke, and to a lesser extent cancer.

The researchers estimate, as many as one in four deaths from heart attack or stroke and one in 16 cancer deaths are due to being overweight or obese.

So the options are either we cycle, climb stairs or wait for a Heart attack or stroke.

As an Indian, I am more likely to get a heart attack and therefore the luxury of doing nothing will cost me dearly.

Comeon bike, lets go for a ride and get some of this fat off the waist.

Twitter Doctors

I have been mulling about writing a post about Doctors on Twitter for some time now, but due to time constraints, I have not been able to.

Today, while reading the Scanman's Blog, I came across the Doctors on Twitter post by Dawson. You beat me to it, Dawson!

Edit : Just found an old post by Kidney Notes who had compiled a list way back in Oct. 2007 on Doctors and Medical Students on Twitter. If you are on twitter, you can join the list by commenting or emailing the above 2 bloggers.


I have linked to the post above and if you are also connected to the medical community and are using Twitter, you can email Dawson via his Medical Student Blog.

If you would like to Join me on Twitter, here is my Profile - Abhishek Arora.

My avatar on twitter is a pic in theater scrubs.

Related post: How Doctors Choose Specialties

Warning: Humorous!

24 Indian's Enter The World's Richest Club

Two dozen Indians made it to the Forbes list of 'World's Richest' with four of them among the top 10, as Warren Buffett dethroned Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who held the top slot for 13 straight years.

Steel czar Lakshmi Mittal, heading the world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal, is in the fourth place with a personal fortune of $45 billion. A long-time resident of London, he is also Europe's richest resident, notes the US business magazine.

Next comes Mukesh Ambani, 'Asia's richest resident, who heads petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company by market cap' with $43 billion.

The year's biggest gainer, Anil Ambani, is in the sixth place with a fortune of $42 billion. He is up $23.8 billion in the past year, and is closing the gap with his estranged brother Mukesh.

K.P. Singh, now the world's richest real estate baron after listing his real estate development company DLF in 2007, takes the eighth place in the list with $30 billion.

Declaring Buffett as the richest man on the planet, Forbes said: 'Riding the surging price of Berkshire Hathaway stock, America's most beloved investor has seen his fortune swell to an estimated $62 billion, up $10 billion from a year ago.'

That massive pile of scratch puts him ahead of Gates, who is now worth $58 billion and is ranked third in the world after Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu with an estimated net worth of $60 billion.

The other 20 Indians in the billionaires list are :-

1. Shashi and Ravi Ruia (43)

2. Azim Premji (60)

3. Sunil Mittal and family (64)

4. Kumar Birla (76)

5. Ramesh Chandra (86)

6. Gautam Adani (91)

7. Savitri Jindal and family (110)

8. Anil Agarwal (164)

9. Adi Godrej and family (178)

10. G.M. Rao (198)

11. Indu Jain (236)

12. Dilip Shanghvi (260)

13. Jaiprakash Gaur (277)

14. Shiv Nadar (277)

15.Uday Kotak (288)

16. Cyrus Poonawalla (307)

17. Anand Jain (327)

18. Chandru Raheja (368)

19. Tulsi Tanti (368)

20.Rakesh Wadhawan and family (428).


Notable Billionaires


The Forbes list also mentions two Indians, Gautam Adani ($9.3 billion) and Sameer Gehlaut ($1.2 billion), as 'notable billionaires'.

'Adani is a college dropout who spurned his father's textile trading business to seek his own fortune... Today he is Asia's richest newcomer thanks to two big public holdings, Adani Enterprises, and Mundra Port, one of India's first private-sector ports,' it says.

'India's youngest self-made billionaire, Gehlaut' is an engineer from the elite Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He started online brokerage Indiabulls with two college friends in 1999. He still heads the company and is its largest shareholder.

A few young tycoons were able to make money this past year in the face of financial turmoil, Forbes said. Among them Indian pharmaceutical kings Malvinder and Shivinder Singh added $100 million to their combined net worth.

Sheffield Doctors in Health Campaign

Sheffield GP Dr Richard Oliver, and Dr Roger Dalton from Accident and Emegency at the Northern General Hospital, have both agreed to have their photos plastered on city buses for a campaign to encourage patients to think carefully about where they go for treatment.

The Sheffield Doctors Health campaign urges people to consider whether a trip to their doctor or A&E is the best place for them - or advise from the NHS phone line, NHS Direct.

Concerns are growing that too many people are using services inappropriately.

As a doctor working in Sheffield A & E, I have faced scores of patients with minor ailments that do not need to seen in A & E and can be better treated by their Gp's or even the NHS help line, The NHS Direct. As a doctor in A & E, you are forever racing against the 4 hour Govt. target to see the patients. The recent cold snap has just made things worse, with immense pressure on the NHS resources.

According to Dr Dalton: "We've had a really busy few weeks in A&E at The Northern, as people are suffering the effects of the recent cold snap and need hospital care."

"However we are also seeing lots of people with minor illnesses such as coughs and colds that really don't need emergency care.

"The campaign is really about trying to get people to stop and think which service is best for them, and ring NHS Direct if they are in any doubt."

Hopefully, this campaign will instill a "Think before heading to A & E approach" and therefore lead to more efficient use of resources.

Related Posts about Sheffield:-

* Dermal Fillers Sheffield

* Twitter Doctors

* How Doctors Chose Specialties

Girls Prefer Tall & Well Built Men

Men need to stop slouching around and lose some weight ... oh, and they could do with being a bit taller too.

That's the stark message from women, who are fed up with short blokes who drag their knuckles - and their beer bellies - up and down Britain's streets.

And all you "metrosexuals" in touch with your feminine sides can wipe the smug grins off your toned and moisturised faces as well - because you lot need to toughen up.

The depressing news for the modern British man came in a survey of 1,000 adult women by shoe specialists MBT.

However, there was a glimmer of hope for confused and beleaguered blokes - stand up straight and proud and you're halfway there.

Apparently, what women want is a gentleman - perhaps slightly flawed - who stands tall, a bit like super-spy James Bond or Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

Sadly for women, Bond and Darcy are fictional characters. And most real-life men simply can't live up to them.

Some 94 per cent of women are physically turned off by slouching knuckle-draggers such as Oasis star Liam Gallagher. They claim that the hunched look displays a lack of confidence, while standing tall signifies the opposite.

Skinny jeans are a big turn-off too. Standup comedian Russell Brand may have women falling at his feet, but he also has 98 per cent of them pointing and laughing at his jeans and girlie eyeliner.

Too much weight is, of course, a turn-off, with 79 per cent of women finding beer bellies and treble chins deeply unattractive.

Advertisement - article continues below »

A third of women also complain that modern men are just not tall enough - and 23 per cent think they are too effeminate.

There is help at hand, however. Physiotherapist say simply standing correctly could make a world of difference to the average British bloke.

"Women believe British men don't measure up physically to their standards, but a massive improvement in how they are perceived can be achieved by the line and position of their body."

Imagining a piece of string is pulling you up from the back of the head can help improve posture, he said. And regular back-stretching exercises are also recommended if you want to impress the ladies.

Time to show a bit of backbone, chaps!

WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE

79% dislike excess weight, preferring toned bodies like 007 Daniel Craig's

94% of women turned off by modern cavemen like Liam Gallagher

98% would avoid men in eyeliner and skinny jeans... Just 2% left for Russ then!

Are Doncaster Dentists Smiling in Recession?

A recent article shows that The Dentists in The States are smiling all the way to the banks. I wonder whether the same is true with Dentists in Doncaster? After all, Dentistry is a recession proof industry.

Apparently, Many people grind their teeth subconsciously when faced with stress like losing a job or the presumed assumption that their job is under threat. The grinding of teeth can cause the teeth to fracture.

The one guy is 63-years old, just lost his job at a health insurer, and is afraid he'll never find another one again. The other has three kids, one in college, and lost his construction job. The stress caused them to both grind their canines and molars. So they both wound up in the office of Dr. Woody Oakes, a dentist from New Albany, Indiana, with a fractured tooth. "You do see that — someone lost their job, and they come in with their jaws clenched," says Oakes, who is also the editor of The Profitable Dentist magazine. "You can fracture your teeth when you do that."


There's at least one profession for which the recession might not bite: dentistry. According to Sageworks, a firm that tracks private company financial performance, dentist's offices had higher profit margins than any other industry in 2008. With average profit margins at 17%, dentistry outpaced accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services, legal services, and mining support services among the top five performing professions in '08. Dental margins rose about 1.5% from 2007, according to Sageworks.

In spite of recession, the Doncaster dentists are smiling all the way to the bank, as are other dentists. So if you are thinking of a career in this time of recession, do consider dentistry and come back to Doncaster as a Dentist.

Related posts about Doncaster & Dentitsts

* Doncaster Laser Hair Removal

* Review of Dermal Fillers in Sheffield

* Delhi Dentitst

Need to Regulate RMP 's in India - Lesson's from Gujrat Hepatitis B spread

When will the Govt of India regulate the NON Medically Trained RMP's ( Registered medical Practioners)?

Please remember that these guys (Indian RMP's) have not had formal training in allopathic medicine (do not have MBBS or MD degrees) - which are the basis for practising as a doctor all over the world - and allowed to practise by the Govt. of India.

When they are allowed to set up practises and put up boards - claiming to be Doctors - the illerate and the ignorant, needy & poor patients prefer to go these Non MBBS & non MD - doctors - as they charge less than a qualified doctor!

How can someone charge less when the basic cost of a sterile needle & syringe is high for many poor patients? They do so by RE-USING used needles and as a result the spread of infectious diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV & AIDS etc.

This kind of practise should be condemned and these so called doctors (Quacks) should be left to rot in prison.

This is not something new as this has been reported here and here.

When will the patients and doctors take a stand and ban the practise of RMP's in India? The Indian Govt. (in my opinion) - will do nothing to stop the practise of RMP's.

According to WHO, injections are one of the most frequently used medical procedures.

* The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 12 billion injections are given annually, 5% of which are administered for immunization and 95% for curative purposes.

* Unsafe injection practices (especially needle and syringe re-use) are commonplace in low-income country health settings, and place both staff and patients at risk of infection with blood-borne viruses (BBVs).

* It is estimated that up to 160000 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 4.7 million hepatitis C and 16 million hepatitis B infections each year are attributable to these practices. The problem is complex and fueled by a mixture of socio-cultural, economic and structural factors.

This is a pathetic state of affairs that the poor patients have to live with dreaded & often crippling diseases. Many of the Hep. B patients go on to develop Hepatocellular cancer of the Liver and may pass on the disease to their wives by having un-protected sexual inter-course and the cycle of transmission of disease has started once again.

Hepatitis B is a blood-borne microorganism transmitted by exposure to the hepatitis B virus through infectious body fluids. Hepatitis B has a wide range of symptoms. It may be mild, without symptoms, or it may cause chronic hepatitis. In some cases, hepatitis B can lead to full-blown liver failure and death

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With four more deaths Sunday, the toll following hepatitis-B virus infection in Modasa sub-district in Gujarat has gone up to 16, officials said. Police complaints have been lodged against seven medical practitioners for irregularities which might have led to the spread of the virus.

“The four deaths were reported from Modasa taluka,” said district health official H.F. Patel.

First information reports (FIRs) have been registered against seven registered medical practitioners (RMPs) of Modasa, Talod and Dhansura talukas of Sabarkantha district under different clauses of Medical Act.

“We investigated the premises of 10 RMPs of which seven have been found guilty of irregularities,” H.F. Patel said.

Samples of syringes and other equipments from different medical practitioners have been taken to ensure that proper medical norms were being observed.

There is visible panic in neighbouring sub-districts of Modasa town of Sabarkantha district fearing the spread of the virus after cases of infection began a week ago.

“Some people in Modasa town have already left their homes and gone to Himmatnagar and other nearby places to live with their relatives and friends,” said a local.

Modasa and Dhansura talukas have 34 patients admitted to various hospitals.

Meanwhile, additional director of the State Epidemic Department Pradip Kumar and regional director of health K.B. Patel examined several affected people.

“We had taken as many as 93 blood samples and sent it to Ahmedabad and Vadodara for investigation,” said H.F. Patel.

According to Patel, the state government had sought the help of the union health department Saturday.

A team from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and the Director General of Health Services is expected to arrive anytime now, he added.

“Our awareness campaign is continuing through distribution of pamphlets and through the media and we have asked the people not to panic as the situation is under control,” H.F. Patel added.

England - How True!

Got this via Facebook!


How true!

Ankle Sprains Treatment with a Plaster cast is the Best Option

Contrary to popular teaching of ankle sprain management, a New study by Lancet states that :-

A short period of immobilisation in a below-knee cast or Aircast results in faster recovery than if the patient is only given tubular compression bandage. We recommend below-knee casts because they show the widest range of benefit.

The researchers carried out a pragmatic, multicentre randomised trial with blinded assessment of outcome. 584 participants with severe ankle sprain were recruited between April, 2003, and July, 2005, from eight emergency departments across the United Kingdom and the recovery following 3 treatment options were assesed and outcome measured.

Ankle sprains in the United Kingdom are treated on the R.I.C.E - principle:-

R - Rest

I - Ice

C - Compression bandage - refers to the tubular Compression bandage, called Tubi grip

E - Elevation

The patient is advised to keep the foot and toes moving and to gently weight bear as pain allows.

But the researchers found that a tubular bandage was consistently the worst treatment.

In patients with severe ankle sprain attending eight emergency departments, a 10-day below-knee cast was associated with a speedier recovery in terms of ankle function, pain, symptoms and activity three months later.

The second best treatment was an Aircast brace which limits movement of the ankle and the worst - the tubigrip ( the current treatment offered to millions of UK patients in the NHS).


A plaster cast costs £16.46, the researchers said, compared with £39.23 for an Aircast brace, £215 for the Bledsoe and £1.44 for a tubular compression bandage, the researchers said.

Can this research paper be a "practise-changing, high quality research" - only time will tell.

Chyetanya Kunte Vs Barkha Dutt & NDTV - A Fiasco

To those who are new to the Chetan Kunte ( Chyetanya Kunte) Vs. Barkha Dutt & NDTV s fiasco. Here are the salient points:-

Barkha Dutt reports live during the Mumbai attacks orchestrated by Pakistan sponsored terrorists and shows live coverage of NSG commando’s movements on national TV, thus possibly compromising the whole operation. This is well known in the media and the media have come under critism for the same from the San Fracisco Chronicle and The Christian Science Monitor.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sureesh Mehta and The Information & Broadcasting Ministry, has expressed anger at the electronic media’s coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks & Kargil War. Hindu reported on “the famous shot” which killed 3 soldiers as below. The following quote from The Hindu summarizes it well.

The competition among news channels to score brownie points reminded him of the “famous shot” during the Kargil War that led to the destruction of an ultra-powerful artillery gun of the Army. Three soldiers died and the Colonel, who yielded to a woman reporter’s entreaty to fire the gun for the camera’s benefit was dismissed from service.

Senior government officials have been chafing at the “intrusive coverage” by the electronic media.

Admiral Mehta said he was disturbed by the “extra heavy reporting” on the attacks. “When operations are taking place, you are reporting that two commandos are going inside. They [terrorists] were in live contact with their masters, who were telling them what the channels were reporting. I think it requires a certain amount of restraint in ongoing operations. Do you really have to give minute-by-minute coverage? Media is an enabling instrument. Today it is a disenabling instrument.

Coming back to the Mumbai Attacks, Kunte writes a post entiteled “ Shoddy Journalism” – see Google cahe – scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.

• Following that Barkha & NDTV sends him a lawyer’s notice for libel here (See Barkha Dutt's comment) and Kunte takes down his post and publishes an apology.

* If you read the content of Kunte's apology carefully- he makes the points again that he has made in the post "Shoddy Journalism" and cleverly drafts an apology!


This has led to the a wave of anger in the blogosphere, on the David Vs Goliath situation. Obviously, Kunte has retracted his post as he is no match to the behemoth NDTV’s muscle.

What is ironic that the people ( read Barkha Dutt & NDTV) who espouse freedom of speech and shout about it from every nook and corner are the first ones who have tried to curtail the freedom of speech of another, in this case Kunte!

“We The People” (Tongue in Cheek) for Barka Dutt’s program on NDTV, have disliked this kind of behaviour so much that bloggers have been writing about this incident all over the world.

There are numerous Facebook groups that have become a medium for expressing an outrage for the common people, as this is being perceived a justifiable criticism of Barkha Dutts reporting.

The various groups protesting are:-

* Barkha Dutt for worst Jounalist on the planet

* Take Barkha Dutt off air.

* Barkha Dutt wants to Gag Free Speech.


To say that the behaviour of Barkha Dutt is beyond comprehension, even egregious, is a foregone conclusion.

If they had not reacted in such a manner and all this storm in a teacup would not have happened and Kunte's post might have have generated any reaction. The obvivous boomerang effect has been that bloggers have taken up Kunte's case and created a media hype which Barkha Dutt and NDTV will regret. This has forced Barkha & NDTV on a defensive.

The Indian journalists feel that they are the High and mighty and should not be criticised, esp. by a bloke with a computer. Barkha has wondered whether blogs should be regulated in the past and so has this kid.

This just goes to show that the Indian Journalists have not come to accept the point that Sousveillance is here to stay and that bloggers have the freedom to express their viewpoint.


The following are the reactions in The Blogosphere. Is NDTV & Bakra Dutt going to sue them all & Wikipedia and Twitter.

BTW, I read this NDTV's shot in its own foot and I am sure you will enjoy Reading CKunte's blogpost on NDTV as much as I did. It has since been removed, but thanks to Rohit who has made a PDF file availabe for us to read and grin. ;-)

Watch this space for further updates......

Edit: I thought this will be a small list - but I am surprised by the number of Bloggers who have taken up Kunte's cause and the number of people who have signed up on The Facebook. They are in the thousands!! Is Barkha listening to "We the people"???

* Desi Pundit writes about a Blogger is silenced By NDTV

* Shipriya - Shame on NDTV & Barkha Dutt

* Lekhni - writes a bed time Story about Blog freedom

* bangalore Bytes - Shame Shame NDTV

* The comic Project - Throw The constitution Away

* Rohit says that NDTV's assault on Free Speech

* Prem Panicker on When Free Speech Bears a Price Tag

* Sandeep says Barkha Dutt & NDTV - The Joke is on you

* Falstaff harks about Da Butt

*Vimoh writes - An Open Letter to NDTV

* Gaurav writes on Bullying By NDTV

* Prateek's take on Muffling a Blogger

* Gaurav condems Barkha Dutt & NDTV

* Amit's take on this incident

* Slacker slams NDTV

* NSG criticises Media

* Gaurav from vantage Point writes about NDTV

* Another Abhishek's take on NDTV

* Monterio's take is here

* Sanjukta's writes here

* Beyond work writes on NDTV

* Venkatesh Sridhar on Why NDTV lost His respect

* Amrutha writes about Intimidation By NDTV

* Trailblazer on Shoddy Intimidation

* Prasoon on Freedom of speech

* Naavi on NDTV need to Apologize

* Churumuri on Will Bakra & NDTV sue Facebook

* Rahul Siddharthan on a fan Letter to Barkha.

* Nanopolitician on Congratulations NDTV

* Arzan on Barkhagate

* Harini on Losing the Plot

* Amrit on Barkha Dutt

* Kufir on NDTV, Listen to the Defiance

* Binu on why barkha should walk the talk

* Vinod Sharma on Barkha Dutt & Free- Doom of Expression

* Binary on Mr Goliath, every action has a ten times large reaction

* Jo on Are we a free Country

* Rezwan on Indian Blogger silenced

* Mad Momma on We, The bloggers.

* Subaltern media on NDTV Vs Kunte

* Aditya Mhatre on Kunte vs NDTV

* Stop watching NDTV

* Veena on Libel & Truth Defense

* Pragmatic on Reject The biased media

* Chandni on You disappoint me Barkha Dutt

* Nick Farell on Indian Blogger Silenced

* Rakesh on Pigeon Heads

* Sandeep's take on Fragile basis to Support barkha Dutt

* Cyril Gupta on What's Wrong with barkha Dutt

* Barbar Indian's on taliban media

* Kufir at Blogbharti 0n Hail Barkha Dutt

* Manasi writes a balanced review on Withdrawl Symptoms

* Kiran's appeal on stop watching Empty Tv & Parkha Strutt

* Balaji on Screw barkha Dutt

* Shubho on The Megalomania of barkha Dutt

* Online Journalism Blog's here

* Arzhan on BarkhaGate

* Hemant Morajkar on Mediaah again: Indian blogospehere takes on NDTV

* Mayank on CKunte,NDTV and Barkha Dutt and the big farce of freedom of speech

* Subhash on Bed and Breakfast Delhi Blog

Media Stories

* Firos at Miday - Why Bloggers are angry With Barkha Dutt

*

Tax Structure in India!

TAX STRUCTURE IN INDIA

1) Q. : What are you doing?
A. : Business.
Tax : PAY PROFESSIONAL TAX!

2) Q. : What are you doing in Business?
A. : Selling the Goods.
Tax : PAY SALES TAX!!

3) Q. : From where are you getting Goods?
A. : From other State/Abroad
Tax : PAY CENTRAL SALES TAX, CUSTOM DUTY & OCTROI!

4) Q. : What are you getting in Selling Goods?
A. : Profit.
Tax : PAY INCOME TAX!

5) Q. : How do you distribute profit ?
A : By way of dividend
Tax : Pay dividend distribution Tax

6) Q. : Where you Manufacturing the Goods?
A. : Factory.
Tax : PAY EXCISE DUTY!

7) Q. : Do you have Office / Warehouse/ Factory?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY MUNICIPAL & FIRE TAX!

8) Q. : Do you have Staff?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY STAFF PROFESSIONAL TAX!

9) Q. : Doing business in Millions?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY TURNOVER TAX!
A : No
Tax : Then pay Minimum Alternate Tax

10) Q. : Are you taking out over 25,000 Cash from Bank?
Ans. : Yes, for Salary.
Tax : PAY CASH HANDLING TAX!

11) Qus.: Where are you taking your client for Lunch & Dinner?
A. : Hotel
Tax : PAY FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT TAX!

12) Q.: Are you going Out of Station for Business?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY FRINGE BENEFIT TAX!

13) Q.: Have you taken or given any Service/s?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY SERVICE TAX!

14) Q.: How come you got such a Big Amount?
A. : Gift on birthday.
Tax : PAY GIFT TAX!

15) Q.: Do you have any Wealth?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY WEALTH TAX!

16) Q.: To reduce Tension, for entertainment, where are you going?
A. : Cinema or Resort.
Tax : PAY ENTERTAINMENT TAX!

17) Q.: Have you purchased House?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY STAMP DUTY & REGISTRATION FEE !

18) Q.: How you Travel?
A. : Bus
Tax : PAY SURCHARGE!

19) Q.: Any Additional Tax?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY EDUCATIONAL, ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL & SURCHARGE ON ALL THE CENTRAL GOVT.'s TAX !!!

20) Q.: Delayed any time Paying Any Tax?
A. : Yes
Tax : PAY INTEREST & PENALTY!

21) INDIAN :: can i die now??
Ans :: wait we are about to launch the funeral tax!!!


Received this in an email and found it to be humourous, therefore sharing it on my blog.

Blogger tips

I am sure you will love the blogger tips that this blogger writes about on his blog!

Blogcatalog

Susheel Hadigal Weds Ashlene D'Almeida

We attended the marriage of Susheel Hadigal & Ashlene D'Almeida. Susheel is the son of Dr. H.J Gowri and the late Dr.H.V.Rao from Sonia Clinic, Manipal. Ashlene is the daughter of Harry & Reena D'Almeida.

The couple got married on the 3rd of December,2008 at the Valley View Hotel in Manipal. We all wish both of them a happy married life.

Susheel and Ashlene got married according to the Hindu rituals in Valley View. The wedding ceremony was followed by a lavish lunch and dinner feast.

The newly married couple have made a wedding website, thegunduwedding.com. Legend has it that they both consider themselves slighlty u....mmmmm h...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... over-weight and thus the name. Gundu means fat in Kannada, I am told.

NDTV.com blocked by Google - Site with Malicious software

If you have tried logging on to NDTV.com today, you will be met by a page by Google stating the above. Even if you were to type in the URL as shown in the image above - it will not let you proceed. And therefore, the site is not accessible at all. Even the Mighty NDTV is helpless in front of Google.

The following message is shown on the screen:-

----------------------------------------------------------------
"Safe Browsing
Diagnostic page for www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv

What is the current listing status for www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv?

Site is listed as suspicious - visiting this website may harm your computer.

Part of this site was listed for suspicious activity 1 time(s) over the past 90 days.

What happened when Google visited this site?

Of the 833 pages that we tested on the site over the past 90 days, 6 page(s) resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. The last time that Google visited this site was on 2008-11-21, and the last time that suspicious content was found on this site was on 2008-11-20.

Malicious software includes 19 scripting exploit(s), 2 trojan(s). Successful infection resulted in an average of 4 new processes on the target machine.

Malicious software is hosted on 6 domain(s), including douhunqn.cn, ppexe.com, 61.31.235.0.

2 domain(s) appear to be functioning as intermediaries for distributing malware to visitors of this site, including douhunqn.cn, 61.31.235.0.

Has this site acted as an intermediary resulting in further distribution of malware?

Over the past 90 days, www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv appeared to function as an intermediary for the infection of 1 site(s) including purplefunnel.com.

Has this site hosted malware?

Yes, this site has hosted malicious software over the past 90 days. It infected 1 domain(s), including purplefunnel.com.

How did this happen?

In some cases, third parties can add malicious code to legitimate sites, which would cause us to show the warning message.

Next steps:

* Return to the previous page.
* If you are the owner of this website, you can request a review of your site using Google Webmaster Tools. More information about the review process is available in Google's Webmaster Help Centre."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

NDTV.com has been blocked by Google for sending malicious viruses, trojans and scripting exploits.

Overall, I as a user of NDTV.com has been observing that the site has been flooded with adverts, pop ups and pop unders etc which have made using the site so cumbersome.

Every page you click on, there will a pop up. Even the sophisticated pop up blockers of Firefox are unable to block them.

For some time, they have been making the user experience sour, we have to see some kind of advert to read the content.

There are other newspapers like NYtimes and latimes - which also have to use adverts to keep their service alive. But NDTV has been the worst of the lot will all the malicious software being used to keep an eye on the online activity of the user.

Hopefully, the managers will take a lesson and also think about the online users and in the future enhance our web experience and improve the usability of the site.

This means stopping all the pop ups, malicious viruses, trojans and scripting exploits.

Lets us see what transpires.

VuMedi - Surgeon only Video sharing website!

As a surgeon have you ever wanted to discuss the technical details of a procedure that you are going to perform or had a question which you wanted answering for a new procedure?

Now you can do that on a new video sharing website for surgeons only. VuMedi is a surgeon-only video sharing website where you can view, upload, and discuss surgical videos.

This is great news for all surgeons and surgical trainees as this is a surgeon only site where they can meaningful knowledge exchange and enhance their skils by learning from each others experiences.

If you have been to the likes of You Tube which is open to all, you will find that the site is inundated with meaningless and often random videos and comments. On VuMedi, you can always be sure to be watching the highest quality surgical videos and be engaged in truly worthwhile discussions with other surgeons.

Why should you register for VuMedi?

* As a surgeon you can share medical knowledge in videos and discussions, this enhances your cerdibilty among your colleagues and makes you popular. If the qulaity of discussion is excellent, other surgeons will come and ask you for your advise, making you an authority figure on that subject.

* You gain from the knowledge and experience of others.

* Networking - VuMedi can be used as a means of networking with other surgeons.

* Increasing Private Practise - Being an authority on one or more procedures, has other benefits like being reffered patients to take on by other surgeons who do not do that specific procedure.


What about patient confidentiality?

All surgical videos that are "de-indentified", or do not contain identifiable patient information, can be freely distributed. So before you upload your videos, you have to make sure to erase any identifiable information using any of the video editing softwars available on the market.

If a patient can be identified, you must receive permission from the patient to post this video.

Should I register annoymously?

Given the nature of the subject matter, it is crucial to understand the backgrounds of the surgeons with whom you are exchanging knowledge. Also, for all the reasons mentioned above, it makes sense to register with your full name and details.

The profile information is optional because some users desire this privacy. But if you upload videos or make comments in discussion, please fill out the details in your profile because it increases the overall quality of knowledge exchange.

If you are an active user, your feedback on the site will help others to sign up.

Fart gas ( stink bomb) to lower blood pressure - New Study reports!

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, found that the "Fart gas" (also known as Hydrogen Sulphide) is produced in the cells lining blood vessels by an enzyme called CSE, can be used to control blood pressure. Although the study was conducted on mice, researchers think that if used correctly Fart gas or Hydrogen Sulphide may help in lowering blood pressure.

The same gas - hydrogen sulphide - a toxic gas generated by bacteria living in the human gut - is responsible for the foul odour of flatulence or fart.

Researcher Dr Solomon Snyder said: "Now we know hydrogen sulphide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension."

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, an expert in vascular pharmacology at Barts and The London Medical School, said: "This study shows that smelly hydrogen sulphide is also likely to have a role in regulating blood pressure and it will be a bit of an impetus for scientists to develop more specific tools to work out what's going on.

"We know hydrogen sulphide is not good for us at high levels but it seems that at the lower levels in the body it is essential."

Dr Allan MacDonald, a reader in pharmacology at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "Treatments based on hydrogen sulphide could become important in a variety of cardiovascular diseases," he said.

Therefore, if some clever researcher can come up with an idea of delivering the gas somehow to lower blood pressure, he will be able to make billions of it.

Of course, the delivery method has to be other than the nose.


Come to think of it, no one is going to like having a stink bomb up their nostrils every few hours !!!!

;-)

Delhi Airport Hotels! Bed n Breakfast Delhi - A Good Deal Better!

I have been searching for some special, good, safe and clean places to stay near the airport in Delhi, India. It is difficult to get to know which one to go for on the Internet.

Hopefully my recommendation will be useful for travellers going to Delhi. I searched for some decent, mid-range accommodation near the Delhi Airports. All the big, 5 -star hotels are expensive, while the budget hotels are priced so low that it is actually scary.

One is advertising for 20 USD - how on earth can you deliver a room which is clean, safe and is maintained well for 20 USD per night beats me. This comes with free airport pick -up. The room costs, the petrol & driver costs and to have cleaners etc etc - how come some can hotel do that for 20 USD is beyond my comprehension.

There must be some catch. The 20 USD room might be a window less room on the top floor next to the kitchen or something with just enough space to crawl. Needless to say, I gave it a miss.

Anyway here is my list :-

Hotels near Delhi Airport - I found that they are expensive & not worth the money.

Therefore I looked for a Bed and Breafast near Delhi Airport and found Inn at Delhi. This was just 10 kms from the Indra Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and at 50 GBP was a steal.

I was going to pay 100 GBP for some of the Hotels. I had free Indian breakfast, free use of the Wi-fi Broadband and a comfortable night on a super matteress.

I forgot to mention this little place is just adjacent to the embassies and is surrounded by 3 parks which helped me overcome my jet-lag.

Would I recommend it! You Bet!

In fact - this was recommended by my friend - see his review of Inn at Delhi.

Thanks!

Air Pollution Increases The risk of Appendicitis!

Reserachers from The university of calgary suggest that appendicitis may be caused by Increasing Air Pollution.

This is a new finding by the researchers. Researchers identified more than 5,000 adults who were hospitalized for appendicitis in Calgary between 1999 and 2006 and studied the relationship between air pollutants and the development of appendicitis.

For the study, researchers used data from Environment Canada that collects hourly levels of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter of varying sizes. The findings showed that higher concentrations of air pollutants were associated with the occurrence of appendicitis in the population. The effect of air pollution was strongest during the summer months when people were more likely to be outside.

“In developing countries appendicitis rarely occurs; however, as these nations become industrialized the incidence of appendicitis increases,” says Dr. Gilaad G. Kaplan, the principle investigator from the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine and member of the Calvin Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation. “Our paper provides epidemiologic evidence that some cases of appendicitis may be triggered by exposures to air pollutants. This relationship may explain the drop in the incidence of appendicitis in North America and Europe in the latter part of the twentieth century”.

So, if you get appendicitis when visiting a polluted city - blame it on air pollution! Does that mean that there will be a less incidence of appendicitis in less polluted countries? That is wishful thinking!

How Doctors Choose Specialities!

Have you ever wondered How Do Doctors Choose their Specialties?

1. The Crazy Medical student with the Non Existent Attention Span chooses - "Emergency Medicine".

2. The Crazy Medical student with Significant Attention Span chooses - "Psychiatry".

3. The Sane Medical student who is not so hard working and afraid of the Light Chooses - "Radiology".

4. The Sane Medical student who is not so hard working and Afraid of the Dark and Thinks Big Chooses - "Dermatology".

5. The Sane Medical student who is not so hard working and Afraid of the Dark and Thinks Small Chooses - "Opthalmology".

6. The Sane Medical student who is Very hard working and has a nice attitude, who loves to work with adults chooses - "Medicine".

7. The Sane Medical student who is Very hard working and has a nice attitude, who loves to work with children chooses - "Paediatrics".

8. The Sane Medical student who is Very hard working and whosse attitude doesn't matter, who loves to work when patients are asleep chooses - "Anaesthesia."

9. The Sane Medical student who is Very hard working and whoose attitude doesn't matter, who loves to work when patients are dead chooses - "Pathology".

10. The Sane Medical student who is Very hard working and whoose attitude is mean chooses - "Surgery".

This flow chart is obviously made by a Medical doctor hating all Surgeons! Enjoy!

Related Posts : Twitter Doctors

NHS critised for Varicose Vein Surgery Rationing!

A former NHS Consultant has critised the NHS for "rationing varicose vein treatment" to patients.

This according to him is causing a number of complications such as ulcers to increase. The problem was that varicose veins were seen as a "cosmetic problem", he said.

The usual Treatment options for Varicose Veins are:-

1. Surgery for Varicose Vein called High Tie, Stripping and Avulsions

2. EVLT ( Endo Venous Laser Therapy)

3. Conservative (i.e to treat it non -operatively)

However, Professor Bruce Campbell, a consultant vascular surgeon at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, disagrees and points to his survey, carried out two years ago, which suggested that while over a third of hospitals would not treat varicose veins if they were only a cosmetic problem, rather than causing pain or discomfort, only 12% were denying treatment to those with symptoms.

He said: "It may well be that some people will present later with ulcers, but there is no real evidence to support this.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said it was up to local PCTs to set clinical priorities, adding: "Any patient requiring varicose vein treatment for clinical reasons should expect to get treatment in their local area."

Black Men more Suscetible to Prostate Cancer!

The British Journal of Cancer reports that black men living in England have a three times higher risk of prostate cancer than white men.

Prostate cancer is the second commonest cancer in men.

They also tend to be diagnosed five years younger, a study of all cases in London and Bristol found.

The results which cannot be explained by access to diagnostic tests, awareness of the condition or screening. Studies done in the US had already reported a higher rate of prostate cancer in black men in their country.

The researchers said prostate cancer at a younger age was more likely to be due to greater biological susceptibility to the disease.

The researchers are now doing further work to see if there are any differences in survival between the two groups.

Studies looking at whether PSA ( Prostate Specific Antigen) should be used as a routine screening test are also being done and it may be that it is recommended for some high risk groups but not everyone.

The study indicates that there is a true biological difference between ethnic groups ( whites and blacks) and this knowledge could potentially lead to improved care for men at higher risk of developing prostate cancer.

What that means is that further research investigating whether there are any differences in access to treatment or care for prostate cancer between black and white men to help us understand how we can meet the needs of those most at risk from the disease.

Another Great Video from Cycle India

Another Great Video from Cycle India

This video shows the type of things that you can expect on the Cycle India 2010. So what are you all waiting for - Sign Up now!




You can read the post from Cycle India here

Kick The Butt or Pay Up! India's tough stance!

Indian Government announced that smoking would be banned in all public places from October 2nd,2008.

The ban would include hotels, restaurants and offices, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said in Delhi on Tuesday.

If someone is caught smoking in any public place, then a fine of Rs 200 or USD 5/- or GBP 3/- would be imposed on that person in accordance with the National Tobacco Control Act.

Facts about Tobacco Use in India

* In India, 900,000 people die due to tobacco related diseases per year

* In India The tobacco contributes to 56.4% and 44.9% of cancers in men and women, respectively

* India has the largest number of oral cancer cases in the world which is due to tobacco.

* Tobacco smoking accounts for 82% of Chronic obstructive lung disease in India

* Tobacco indirectly causes lung tuberculosis. Prevalence of TB is about 3 times as great among the ever-smokers as among the never-smokers. The heavier the smoking, either cigarettes or bidis, the greater the prevalence of TB among smokers. Mortality from TB is 3 to 4 times as great in ever-smokers as in never-smokers.

* Tobacco has been linked to cancer of the lungs, mouth, pharynx, larynx, stomach, urinary bladder, gall Bladder, penis (and possibly others). In India, total number of tobacco related deaths are likely to be between 800,000 to 900,000 per year.

* Tobacco leads to heart and blood vessel disease, myocardial Infraction (Heart Attack), Angina (Chest Pain), sudden Cardiac Death (Unheralded sudden death), stroke (Brain Attack), peripheral Vascular Disease (Gangrene of legs)

* There is 'one' tobacco related death every 8 seconds.

* Pregnant women, who smoke, have a greater chance of losing the baby, or having a baby with a low birth weight, or babies with developmental problems, or sudden infant deaths (sudden unexplained cot deaths)

* Smoking / tobacco consumption is a cause of impotence in men

* Smoking / tobacco suddenly raises the blood pressure and reduces the blood flow to the heart.

See the following video to see what goes into your lung with Just one Cigarette


Do You Smoke? U Got To Watch This...

See my previous Post on Smoking Kills Video.

It is wonderful news for all of us who have to inhale the smoke of others passively.
Hopefully this will be the end of the "Wicked Weed".

CycleIndia.org

Cycle India is a Charity which raises money for Heal, which is a UK based charity for indian Children.


Cycle India is looking for around 40 cyclists to take part in our sponsored bike ride in India. The event takes place in January 2010 so there’s still plenty of time for people to sign up, raise the required amount and get fit enough to take part.

They are looking for 50 people in total from the UK to join up with people from the US and India to cycle around 200 miles over 4 days through Southern India. All the money raised by the cyclists will go to Heal, a small charity dedicated to providing education to children from extremely under privilieged backgrounds in India. We want to remove as many children as possible from the cycle of Poverty.

See the Video below to experinence the 2008 Cycle trip to India




The Purpose behind it

Heal is keen to build another Heal Village in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. We have been donated some land which will provide enough space to build a residential school and health centre which will provide education for over 1000 underprivileged children.


Are you up for It!

To take part you need to pay a £250 registration fee and then raise a minimum £2500 for Heal. If you raise £2500 (or pay the figure partly yourself) then all your main costs for the trip are covered, including flights, bikes, food, accommodation etc. As the overall costs will be around £1000 per person, thus a profit of at least £1750 per person goes to the charity.

As Heal has very small administration costs and all administration staff are volunteers, then the money you raise will go a long way. Cycle India 2008 raised over £100,000 after costs, which was an amazing effort. For Cycle India 2010 we are trying to beat that total by including more cyclists this time.

See the Video below about Heal




All you have to do is to sign up for the trip by contacting Mathew Glover, Head of Fundraising - Heal UK, matthew@heal.co.uk

Climb Stairs for a Healthy Life!

Taking the stairs instead of the lift at work could save your life, claim Swiss researchers.

Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, a study of 69 people found.

This translates to a 15% cut in the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, calculate the University of Geneva team, which presented the paper.

The results were revealed at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

The team recruited 69 participants having a sedentary lifestyle, meaning they did less than two hours of exercise or sport each week and climbed fewer than 10 flights of stairs each day.

Over the 12 weeks of the study, the volunteers, who were hospital employees at the university, were asked to use the stairs exclusively at work instead of taking the lift.

On average, the number of flights of stairs - classed as climbing up or down one storey - rose from five per day to 23.

After the three months of the trial, tests showed they had better lung capacity, blood pressure and cholesterol measurements.

Their weight, body fat and waist measurements also dropped, and their capacity for doing aerobic exercise improved.

Taken together, this equates to a 15% reduction in the chances of dying young, which in my opinion is a huge difference.

This study was done over a 12 week period and there was a 15% reduction in their chances of dying young.

What would happen if someone were to make a life style change and take stairs instead of lifts or escalators for ever.

This goes on to prove again and again that exercise is good for the human body and we should make time to exercise on a regular basis.

I have highlighted the same on my numerous previous posts

1. Alzheimer's Dementia slowed by exercise

2. Cycling your way to health

3. Target Heart Rate

Ibuprofen Better for Childhood Fevers!

Ibuprofen is better at alleviating childhood fever than paracetamol and should be the drug of first choice, say researchers from University of Bristol.

The reserach paper published by Dr Alastair D Hay and team, called the PITCH trial - Paracetamol plus ibuprofen for the treatment of fever in children (PITCH), in the BMJ suggests using Ibuprofen first and then paracetamol plus Ibuprofen.

This is what they have to say :-

"Parents, nurses, pharmacists, and doctors wanting to use medicines to supplement physical measures to maximise the time that children spend without fever should use ibuprofen first and consider the relative benefits and risks of using paracetamol plus ibuprofen over 24 hours."

Guidelines published last year by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) say either ibuprofen or paracetamol can be used for children unwell or distressed with fever.

But they say that, due to the lack of evidence, the two drugs should not be given together or alternated.

This paper adds to what is currently being practised. Currently parents are advised to use simple options for treating fever like physical measures (taking cool fluids and dressing lightly) and the antipyretic (fever) drugs like paracetamol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen.

Evidence for physical measures is now redundant as it mostly pertains to tepid sponging, which is no longer recommended.


What this paper adds is that to use :-

1. Ibuprofen first when a child is having fever
2. To start/ add paracetamol if the child is not responding to ibuprofen

It goes without saying that physical measures should be practised (for example taking cool fluids and dressing lightly) before going in for the pharmacological intervention.

Chewing Gum Enhances Bowel Recovery After Bowel Surgery

Researchers from the Department of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital, London report that chewing gum aids in bowel function recovery after bowel surgery.

Their study published by the Archives of Surgery states that Chewing gum appears to speed up the return of normal bowel function by stimulating nerves in the digestive system.

In each study, a group of patients chewed sugarless gum three times per day following surgery for a period of five to 45 minutes and were compared with patients who did not chew gum.

Patients who chewed gum passed gas and had a bowel movement sooner than those who did not chew gum - signs that their bowel function returned sooner.

Any type of abdominal surgery can slow down or halt bowel function - a condition known as ileus, which can cause serious complications.

Good for the chewing gum manufacturers and for the patients who have had Ileus.

All they have to do now is chew gum, instead of having Naso-gastric tubes put in.


On a serious note, Chewing is a bit like eating and it starts peristalsis, which is the movement of the bowel. There is some evidence that chewing gum might help, but not enough that bowel surgery patients are routinely being advised to chew gum.

Free Hicham Yezza!

This post is not about health BUT is in support of a Reseacher at Nottingham University, called Hicham Yezza.

Hicham Yezza (nicknamed Hich) was arrested at his office at the University of Nottingham under the Terrorism Act 2000 on May 14, 2008, along with his friend Rizwaan Sabir, a postgraduate student researching terrorism in the university’s Politics and International Relations department.

His crime possession on his office computer an open-source, edited version of a document called ‘The Al-Qaeda Training Manual‘, which Rizwaan had downloaded from the U.S. Department of Justice website and passed on to Hich, who was helping him draft his PhD proposal.

According to Rizwan, he had forwarded the document to Hich - as he wanted to print the document ( 140 page) cheaply.

You can hear Rizwan's statement here




I am told that the alleged document is here.

Now, the same document or rather a more detailed version of the same document, is available to buy in book form on Amazon.co.uk

These unjustified arrests led to the biggest demonstration in the University of Nottingham's history - this can be viewed below.




This is a serious threat to Academic Freedom.

His friends and bloggers have taken up this with a zeal and have launched a site Support Hicham Yezza and press reports and others can be read here, here and, here


How can you help!

1. Donation
2. Join Facebook support Group
3. Sign an iPetition

Hello Health!

A new health care delivery model based on the net has been introduced by the makers of Hello Health.

They are a introducing a Web 2.0 concept to health care and making patients take charge of their own health. This is what they say about Hello Health :-

"Hello health was announced at the Health 2.0 conference in San Diego. hello health is the consumer brand of healthcare delivery powered by the Myca platform. It’s Geek Squad with doctors and a Netflix-priced monthly membership subscription fee — it is a branded healthcare “experience” that mixes “concierge service for all,” with house/office calls and web visits via email, IM, video chat, and text messaging. It’s Fed Ex, Apple, Whole Foods, Amazon, Toyota, Fresh Direct, and Geek Squad all applied to healthcare delivery."


According to their website - this is their story

"Once upon a time, going to your doctor was simple. You knew his first name, or perhaps just called him “Doc.” He lived just down the street and made house calls. And if you were sick, you would see him that day, because, well, you were sick.

Then things started to change. Although medicine has made some amazing advances in keeping us healthy, we now have to contend with dietitians, insurance premiums, running shoes, deductibles, HMOs, OTC drugs, specialists, fat-free salad dressing, and therapists. Daunting, isn't it?

But don't worry, we've made going to the doctor easy again. Hello Health serves as your old-fashioned neighborhood doctor, remodeled for today's lifestyle— an experience found nowhere else in health care. And, on top of being accessible and affordable, we focus on you, as a real live, busy person. "

At the moment they are only able to offer their services at Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY.

Hello Health is located in Williamsburg, at 105 Berry Street between North 7th and North 8th Streets. Membership and services are available to anyone in the New York City area. House calls are only available to anyone living in the 11211, 11222, and 11206 zip codes.


So it is very limited at the moment, but as more and more doctors sign up - they will be able to offer their services to other area's as well.

All the best to the Hello Health Team.

The Story of Stuff

Whats the Story of Stuff? Listen and see the excellent video above to see the TRUE story of stuff with Annie Leonard.

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

See the Story of Stuff website for further details.

Highly recommended!!

GP Trainee.Org

Lets talk about GP training!

The above photo taken from the photo- blog of Rajat Srivastava gives a rare glimpse into the life of a GP trainee!

An excellent website, called GP Trainee, made by one of my friends Dr. Rajat Srivastava as a GP specialist training resource is making news in the ranks of GP trainees.

It provides useful links to GP trainee sites, provides calculator tools like cardiovascular risk calculator, eGFR calculator and Growth chart for children.

You can become a member of the GP trainee forums and ask questions and inter-act with fellow trainees.

On the whole, I would say it is a brilliant idea, so go forth and check it out. Well done Rajat!

Hopefully, Rajat will take things further and make it an excellent resource.

Amit Yadav

Dr Amit Yadav, an Indian Doctor employed by the Scarborough Hospital Accident & Emergency underwent a harrowing experience according to his friends.

Apparntly, early on the morning of 23rd of October 2005, a female patient attended Scarborough Hospital A&E with injuries due to domestic violence. She made an allegation against Dr Yadav of conducting inappropriate examination.

The details of the incident can be read on the site made by them Appeal for Dr Amit Yadav.

The friends of the doctor state that he is innocent has been denied justice. He was found to be guilty by a jury on a British court and is currently serving a 2 year sentence in jail. His name has been placed on the Sex - Offenders List and he will most certainly lose his GMC status. They state on their website

"The conviction appears to have rested on forensic evidence which appears highly questionable. Besides the patient was facing certain very serious personal issues and she is likely to have been in a very difficult emotional state at the time."

Going by the messages left for him on the message board, nurses and Doctors working in Scarborough A & E, it seems that he is wrongly framed. many believe it is an instance of justice denied.

The doctor's fault was that he did not take a Chaperone in the room while examining a female patient.

A chaperone is a person whose has a role to witness both a patient and a medical practitioner and to be a safeguard for both parties during a medical examination or procedure.

His friends led a massive Net campaign to raise money with the help of BAPIO and succeeded in raising approximate £20,000/-. This money was used to launch an appeal for Dr Amit Yadav.

Such an outpouring of sympathy and money has been unprecedented. The appeal has been turned down by the Appeal Court.

The poor doctor has to endure the rest of the sentence and can never clear his name. It is just so unfortunate.

Doctor's should have a chaperone all the time when with a female patient, not only for patient safety but also for their own.

Racism in The NHS!

Racism in the NHS is rife, is well known to many of us. We all know that being an Ethnic Minority doctor or a female doctor is bound to get unfavourable treatment in the NHS.
The NHS is famous for its “old boy” network where it pays to know someone higher up. In the past and at present, jobs go to the one with connections, with the right type of skin and with the right name! Read that as if your one of your parents is a consultant in the NHS, you will get a job. If you are a White and if you have a British sounding name, you will get a job.

In fact, one of the doctors I know changed his name to a Christian sounding name and Lo Voila he suddenly gets short-listed for the same Registrar posts, which he was not in the past as he had a foreign sounding name.

In fact a Talk by Dr Aneez Esmail to Greater Manchester SHA 2000, titled Racism in the NHS will open the eyes of those sceptics who believe that racism does not exist in the NHS.

The Guardian published a leaked report Titled "Abscess of Racism in the NHS exposed" which discusses the issue further.

"The NHS is riddled with institutional racism and persistently fails to give patients from the black and minority ethnic communities the services they need and deserve."

Another Doctor's view on Racism can be read on the Student BMJ "Trying to overcome Racsim in the NHS". He had to give up General Surgery and take up Accident and Emergency.

Racism is still rife in the NHS. In fact the Clinical Director of my Unit (a white ) doctor, says that openly and tells that you wont be shortlisted as you are not white.

The BBC's take on this can be read here.

In fact the problem is so rife that The Chief Medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson declared last week that ethnic minority doctors in the NHS faced systematic racism, prejudice and harrassment, saying many doctors’ careers have been impeded due to this.

In his annual report on the State of Nation's health, he draws attention to Achieving racial equality in medicine. And this is as recent as the 14th July 2008.

Personnel Today reports in this article that HR teams are allowing a minority of racist line managers to make working life tough for migrant medics.

The GMC admits to the fact that doctors trained overseas were twice as likely to face formal disciplinary hearings once a complaint had been made as those who graduated in the UK.

A General Medical Council (GMC) report showed that less than 16% of complaints against UK-trained doctors resulted in a fitness-to-practice hearing. More than 31% of cases against those trained elsewhere in the EU, and almost 34% of those trained outside the EU, led to a hearing.

That the NHS is racist is a foregone conclusion and with this in mind British Association of Physician's of Indian Origin (BAPIO) was formed.

BAPIO has had a mojor success when it won a Landmark Victory at the House of Lords. The Department of Health guidelines regarding HSMP doctors were illegal.

Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? At present, things look as bleak as ever. Things might improve in the future. Winds of change are gathering momentum and BAPIO is playing its part in helping Asian doctors, but I for one wouldn't hold my breath!

US Politics: A child's guide to US foreign Policy!

On my many stumbles across the net, I came across this post on Sandya's blog -
US Politics: A child's guide to US foreign Policy!


It is a satirical take on the US Politics and the Decision making that has become the trade mark of the US government!

Excellent read - highly recommended by me and hence this post!

Makes me think what a farce it has been all along!

Poor Bra Choice leads to Breast Damage

The scientists from the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at The University of Portsmouth, have found that women are damaging their breasts by wearing wrong bras.

They have found that the breasts could be damaged and fragile ligaments irreparably stretched by wearing the wrong bras. The research team has tested about 50 bra designs on hundreds of women over the past three years under the leadership of Dr Joanna Scurr, a breast biomechanics expert. Her research proves that breasts move up to 21cm during exercise and they move up and down, in and out and from side to side. Most bras are designed to limit just vertical movement.

Wendy Hedger, a researcher on Dr Scurr’s team, said: “Many women have strong preferences for certain styles of bra and won’t buy anything else. They won’t even look at anything that doesn’t look like the sort of bra they are used to wearing. In sports bras, for example, many women won’t buy a bra that resembles their everyday bra and does up at the back – they think if it can’t be pulled over their heads like a crop top then it’s not a real sports bra. But this is not true and many sports bras do up at the back in the same way as a traditional bra and do a very good job of supporting women.

“Some women forget that their shape and size change and they might have to go through several changes in bra size over their lifetime especially after breastfeeding and the menopause.”

The breast biomechanics research team started testing bras and the movement of women’s breasts more than three years ago. They have also helped design a new sports bar for women who play high-impact sports. Dr Scurr agreed to help a New Zealand bra manufacturer give their existing high-impact bra a major overhaul and the new bra goes on sale in Europe this summer.

This is good news for the active women who are into fitness in a big way.

Caution against Using Cell Phones!

Dr Heberman from the University of Pittsburgh urges caution in Precautionary Advise regarding cell phone use.

He has given "Practical Advice to Limit Exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted from Cell Phones"

1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.

2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures.

3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone's electromagnetic fields.

4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.

5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.

6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure.

For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.

7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.

8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.

9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.

10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.


What this means for "Gadget-men" among us who use their mobile phones for long durations is that they can get adversely affected by the electro-magnetic radiation being emitted by the cell phones.

Research has not yet found out whether prolonged cell phone use results in Brain cancer or not. The publication has been delayed by 2 years and therefore Dr. Heberman suggests that we should rather be safe than sorry and limit the use of Cell phones as much as we can.

He further suggests that their use by pregnant women and children should be reserved for emergency use only.

Bad news for the cell phone industry and for the cell phone mad users.

Alzheimer's Dementia slowed by Exercise

According to a research paper published by the Journal of Neurology, being physically fit can reduce the advance of Alzheimer's Dementia.

The study looked at 121 people aged over 60, around half of them in the early stages of the disease. Those with Alzheimer's who were less fit had four times more signs of brain shrinkage than those who were fit.

Dr Jeffrey Burns, from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, said he was one of the first to look at whether exercise could affect the progress of the illness.

His volunteers underwent a treadmill test to see how fit they were and then their brains were scanned for shrinkage, which is one way of measuring the severity of their Alzheimer's. He said: "People with early Alzheimer's disease may be able to preserve their brain function for a longer period of time by exercising regularly and potentially reducing the amount of brain volume lost.

Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and nutrients to brain cells.

"This is one possible explanation why dementia progresses slower in people who are physically fit.

"Exercise also reduces your risk of developing dementia so it's important to take regular exercise. A healthy heart means a healthy brain."

So what it boils down to is that; if you keep fit, you live longer.

Exercise has many benefits and one of them is it slows down dementia.
Great news for fitness freaks. It doesn't have to be a gym trip, even small amounts of exercise on a regular basis will do wonders. You can cycle your way to health or go for a brisk walk!

Any form of exercise will help as long as you make sure that you reach your target heart rate!

My previous post on crash diets increase the risk of sudden death will hopefully guide you towards exercising and eating sensibly rather than going binge crash dieting!

Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India - 2010

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. With a population of over 15 million, Delhi is one of the largest cities in the world. This will be the largest multi-sport conducted to date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawarhar Lal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, India.

The problems anticipated by the Govt. of Delhi are of Accommodation for Common Wealth games in Delhi. The Govt. wants to entice people and companies to set up Bed and Breakfast / Hotels for the duration of the games and provide guesthouses to tourists.

Only time will tell if this initiative is successful or not.

Travel Blogs I Read

I read a only a few Travel blogs. Some of them are-

1. Kunzum - This blog is written by Ajay Jain who travels to new places and writes about them on his blog. If you are India-centric traveler, this is a good blog to read.

2. The Wandering Mind - Anu writes about her travels on her blog. It is full of interesting places she visits.

3. Bed and Breakfast Delhi Blog

4. My Delhi Travel

5. New Delhi Bed and Breakfast

6. New Delhi Hotels

7. Accommodation in Delhi

More about these blogs when I do a full review on them.

Tips for Traveling to India - Part 2

This post is continued from my earlier post Tips for traveling to India

6. Food Is Spicy:

In general, food is spicy. In most places in India, especially in the northern and western regions, cow is a sacred animal. So beef is not widely available. If not from high-priced hotels, meat may not be a good option. For strict non-vegetarians, it always better to go for fish, especially in coastal places.
Read Restaurants in New Delhi before going to eat out in New Delhi.

7. Beware of Cunning Agents and Pick-pockets:

Once in India, keep in mind that not all people approaching you are genuinely interested in helping you. Some people earn their daily bread by cheating the helpless tourists. Also, always keep only small amount of hard cash with you. Debit cards or credit cards will do. When you are in trouble or have lost way, it is better to approach a police man. Most of them understand English, though may not be able to speak in English.

8.Bargain Hard:

When you go for shopping, don’t purchase anything without bargaining. It is common in India. This bit of advise is for road side stalls only. If you enter a big mall or a posh shop, remember bargaining is frowned upon.

9. Respect Holy Places:

If you go to holy places, such as temple or mosque, remove your footwear before entering. Also do not smoke inside the holy places. Some places require you to cover your head and/or wash your hands or feet.


10. Always Carry ID Cards:

If you land on some trouble, the first thing authorities ask for is an identity card. If you can produce a valid passport and or some other equally sound identity proof, your safety is half ensured.

Best tip:

Book in advance. If trying to get away from the boring, impersonal hotels of New Delhi try Bed and Breakfast Delhi.

Tips for Traveling to India

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when traveling to India

1. The Subcontinent:

India is a vast country with 28 states, each of which is a small country by its own right. Each state has its own language, culture and climate. Actually it is like many nations existing within a single large nation. No wonder India is called a subcontinent. The only thing common is an impressive array of unique tourist places.

The idea of size can be assessed by the fact that the whole of U.K can fit into the state of Uttar Pradesh

2. The Summer-winter Divide:

The majority of places in India experience two diametrically opposite weather changes in a year. Summer is extremely hot and humid, while winter is chillingly cold and foggy. Generally, summer starts in March and extends till July, when the monsoons take over. Winter arrives three months later at November and goes on till February. So be prepared to dress for the weather.

3. Book Accommodation in Advance:

A lot of good hotels in India provide online reservation facility or you can call them and book rooms. Scan the web and book a hotel room that suits your budget well in advance. Otherwise one may never know when an emergency creeps up. An all-India level examination or a massive political rally in a particular place can quickly fill the hotel rooms. So it is better to reserve the hotel rooms in advance. Bed and Breakfast in Delhi is a recent introduction by the government of Delhi - so they are worth checking out.


4. Land on Metros:

The four metro cities in India are well-connected in international aviation map. So identify the metro city nearest to the place you want to go. Delhi (Northern India), Mumbai, better known as Bombay (Western India), Kolkata, better known as Calcutta (Eastern India), and Chennai, earlier known as Madras (Southern India), are the four metros in India. They are generally well connected and give you an in-sight into the customs and culture of the state. If you want to see the Tourist Attractions in New Delhi read here.

5. Keep a Map:

You have plenty of options for travel within India. Nowadays air tickets are becoming cheaper, with lot of domestic airline players coming into the fray. Trains are a good option, as train services exist even to remotest and farthest places in India. Official website of Indian railways is good place to visit while planning a trip to India. Always keep a map so that one can even depend on bus services or boat services to travel.

This post is split into 2 parts, Read the Tips for Traveling to India Part 2

Bristol - England's Firsy Cycling City

Bristol has been named England's First Cycling city in a £100 million Government campaign to encourage cycling.

This is Indeed good news for regular Cyclists, like myself, who tend to cycle for work and leisure. I wrote about Cycling your way to Health in a previous post. And in these sky rocketing petrol price days, the government scheme aims transform cycling by creating dedicated cycle lanes, better facilities and more training for children in Bristol. Among the features in Bristol will be the UK's first major bicycle rental network, modelled on a scheme in Paris.

I hope that this is rolled out all over the country and more and more people are encouraged to cycle to work and for leisure.

See this Cycling video

According to BBC, The Public Health Minister and Bristol South MP Dawn Primarolo said the scheme would help tackle growing levels of obesity in the UK.

"For most people, a great way to keep healthy is by building physical activity into everyday life, such as cycling to work or school," she said.

In developing countries like India, which has a large pool of cyclists, measures like dedicated cycle tracks on the road, cycling campaign by the Government and economic initiatives to cycle industry will go a long way to ease congestion, control pollution and ease the health problems of its population.

If you cycle to work & for leisure, please feel free to jot down your experiences.

Dangers of Body Piercings!

A new study published in the British Medical Journal found one in 10 people - and nearly half of all younger women - had a body piercing other than on the earlobe.

* Almost half of women aged 16-24 have had such a piercing.

* In those aged 16-24, health problems occurred with about a third of piercings and further help was sought in about one in seven, leading to hospital admission in about one in 100.

The article Body Piercings in England states that the complication rates are higher when body piercings are performed by non- specialist groups. Also many tend to get their body pierced by friends, relatives or some belong to the DIY (do it yourself)group!

The joint study between the Health Protection Agency and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine asked a sample of more than 10,000 people aged 16 and over in England whether they had been pierced somewhere other than the earlobe, and if they had suffered any complications as a result.

They found approximately 10% had some sort of body piercing, with women and younger people most likely to have one.

In women, the most common piercings were, in order:

1) navel
2) nose
3) ear
4) tongue
5) eyebrow
6) nipple
7) lip

In men:

1) nipple
2) eyebrow
3) ear
4) tongue
5) nose
6) lip
7) genitals.

To summarize, nipple piercing was the most popular in men, but one of the least popular in women, while navel piercing was by far the most popular in women (accounting for more than a third of all piercings in women) and much rarer in men.

The most common problems reported with piercings in those aged 16-24 were

1) swelling,
2) infection,
3) bleeding.

Not surprisingly, problems were most likely to be reported with

1) tongue piercings (50%),
2) piercings of the genitals (45%) and
3) nipple (38%).

Transmission of Blood borne diseases like Hepatitis B and C and HIV remain the most feared complication of these procedures if proper precautions are not taken.

According to BBC, the spokesman for the British Liver Trust, which offers advice on avoiding hepatitis infection, said: "It is important to remember the long-term problems that can occur, particularly if you get a piercing from a non-specialist.

"You put yourself at a high risk of contracting hepatitis B or C, both of which are serious, life-threatening conditions which can be fatal.

"You may not know you have contracted the virus until later on in life when the damage has already begun."

New Delhi Dentist - Review

I recently visited Delhi for a bit of work and Dental Tourism on the side. I particularly liked the information given on the site of New Delhi Dentist for Overseas Patients and for Dental tourism in Delhi.

I reached the clinic via Delhi Metro - a air-conditioned Tram like train on a concrete elevated track - like the London Underground - but on an elevated track. The nearest station to the clinic was Kohaat Enclave and I took a rickshaw.

The Dental Clinic (site name is New Delhi Dentist ) was very neat and clean and I was greeted by the receptionist who was very courteous. I had made an appointment and was seen to promptly - no waiting etc as is so common in England.

Dr. Arun Grover asked a thorough Dental and Medical history and after examination told me what was wrong and explained the whole thing to me in detail. This process took more than 30 minutes and I was amazed by his insight. He gave me an estimate of how much the treatment would cost me and I was amazed by the price difference.

In England, if you walk into a dentist office they take a minimum of 50 pounds for registration plus the cost of treatment and other things - the bill can easily run into a few hundreds if you have a slightly complicated treatment.

I was very impressed with the service he provided. And the icing on the cake was the bill. I was amazed that the dental care prices are so different in different parts of the world. Dr Grover has trained in England, Guy's and St. Thomas of London - so I knew that the treatment would be world class.

The best part was that he charges the Delhites and overseas patients alike and he publishes the charges on his notice board in the clinic.

Other Dental practices in India charge differently as they view the foreigner's as a "cash cow" - apart from Dr. Arun Grover.

Overall, I would rate his services as 5- star and I am happy to recommend his services to anyone and when I go back again to Delhi, I will surely get a Dental checkup.

By the way, I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast in Delhi during my stay and was amazed at their services - but that would be another blog post! :-)

My friend stayed at this place and his Delhi Inn Review can be read on my Blog.

American Army's Secret Weapon - Prozac!

Increasing levels of stress in the US Army regulars in Iraq have started a new trend - the deployment of anti- depressants in the armamentorium of the ordinary foot soldier.
According to one of the soldier's serving in the Iraq war for non-existent Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD) -

"When you search someone's house, you have it built up in your mind that these guys are terrorists, but when you go in, there's little bitty tiny shoes and toys on the floor — things like that started affecting me a lot more than I thought they would."

Soldier's per se are known to have a rough -tough image with admission's of mental health problem's being rare. The soldier's who admit to having problem's are given a supply of various anti-depressants to help them cope. US Army doctors have this to say.

The medicines are intended not only to help troops keep their cool but also to enable the already strapped Army to preserve its most precious resource: soldiers on the front lines.

The levels of stress are increased manifold when images of dead parts of small children or the shattered body of your best friend are constantly in your sight. These pills cannot erase the images imprinted in the mind of a young soldier but they do help with the symptoms of stress and anxiety and may help them to get back to full functioning capacity.

The use of anti-depressants restoring a soldier to "full functional recovery" allow the Army to avoid the cost of training and re-deployment of new recruits.
The downside to that is the long -term effects of Army regulars needing medication for depression and related mental health disorders.

This shows that the US Army is keen to have bandaged soldier's on active duty to what is already an over-stretched force and avoid the cost of training an re-deployment of new recruits.

According to a study, repeated re-deployments to the war zone are responsible for the increasing mental health disorders faced by the Army regulars.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is common in soldier's facing the enemy everyday in difficult circumstances and having to face indelible memories of friends and foes bodies being blown off or "liquefied".

How this medicated, "Prozac-propped" US army of dazed zombies is able to do an increasingly difficult job which needs high level of concentration and split second decisions, is anybodies guess?

Delhi or New Delhi - Are they different?

Lots of people ask me whether Delhi is the same as New Delhi!

People think that these 2 are different cities - but they are one.

The Capital of India is New Delhi, this was made the capital by the then British rulers to showcase their total control over the Indian Subcontinent, in the year 1911.

Before that Calcutta ( now known as Kolkata)was the capital of India.

The task of building the new part of Delhi was given to an architect called Edwin Lutyens. Lutyens designed the new part with particular emphasis to wide tree lined roads, proper layout and a pedestrian friendly approach.

In contrast the Old part of Delhi is congested with narrow lanes and is not pedestrian friendly. Old Delhi houses markets which have been used for centuries for trade and are full of colour and activity.

If you are a traveler and want to visit Delhi, it is best to visit the Old part and the Lutyens part of Delhi - to get a true picture of life in Delhi.

In summary, Old Delhi and New Delhi are the same city. If you decide to travel to New Delhi, stay at a Bed and Breakfast in Delhi, India and try to get guided tours to both the old and the new part of Delhi - to get a feel of the city.

3 Sun-Screen Lotions to avoid this Summer!

A research published by Which - shows that 3 sun-screens fail to deliver the Sun Protection factor that they claim.

The 3 sun-screens to avoid this summer are:-

1. Marks & Spencer Formula Lotion - its actual SPF of 7.1 was less than half of that stated 15.

2. Malibu High Protection Lotion was found to be 10.2

3. Tesco Sun Protection Medium Lotion, with an SPF of 12, narrowly missed out on the 12.5 required to pass the industry standard test.


Best Buys Sunscreen Lotion

1. Sainsbury’s Sun Protect Lotion

2. Asda Sun System

3. Wilkinsons Wilko Sun Protection System Moisturising Sun Lotion.

All of them cost £3/- or less.


"Jessica Ross, editor of Which? Online, said: ‘Claims made by some sunscreen manufacturers are way off the mark and there are some shockingly bad products out there. Yet protecting yourself from the sun really doesn’t have to cost the earth.’"

So, when you go shopping for a sunscreen, buy the best buys and avoid the others. It is no use slapping some cream on and having no protection from the sun.

Review of Dermal Fillers in Doncaster, Sheffield

Currently, there is lots of interest in the Cosmetic Treatment Market for "Non Surgical Aesthetic Treatment". This article is to help raise awareness among residents of Doncaster & Sheffield about dermal fillers.

What is a Dermal Filler?

• A substance made from natural or synthetic material
• Injected into the skin, helps restore skin to its youthful appearance
• Thickness of the filler used depends on the depth of wrinkles or lines it is used to fill.

What makes a good Dermal Filler?

• Safe- non- allergic, no animal products, non cancerous
• Looks and feels natural
• No down time
• Affordable
• Long lasting
• Biocompatible

What are the types of fillers?

1. Natural Polymers:

• Proteins – (for eg: silk, insulin) COLLAGEN
• Carbohydrates – (for eg: cellulose, starch) HYALURONIC ACID

2. Synthetic Polymers:

• (for eg: Plastic, nylon, Teflon)
• Poly- L-lactic acid (Sculptra)
• Polymethyl methacrylate (Artefill)
• Calcium hydroxyapatite ( Radiesse)

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a naturally occurring sugar. Its most important characteristic is its water retaining ability. HA is found naturally in eyes, hair, skin, joints and gums. Cross linking of HA makes it less degradable in the body. Examples of HA dermal fillers include Restylane, Hylaform, Juvaderm etc.

Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers are used to fill in:

• Frown Lines
• Lines between the nose and the lip
• Smokers lines around the mouth
• Lip enhancement


Dermal Fillers like Sculptra and Radiesse are used for facial volumising and contouring for :

• Cheeks
• Jawline
• Chin
• To fill in acne and trauma scars


Department of Health states that "Any fillers placed on the market as medical devices must meet the requirements of the Medical Devices Directive. Such materials must be CE-marked, which indicates that the manufacturer has verified that the product will not compromise the clinical condition or the safety of patients when used under the conditions and for the purposes intended, and that any risks are acceptable when weighed against the benefits anticipated from the clinical use intended by the manufacturer."

The risks of having dermal filers for "skin Rejuvenation" are

1. Allergic reaction to the material used
2. Nodule formation
3. Bruise to the treated area

How to chose a "Skin Rejuvenation" Provider

We as consumers should go to qualified people who have received training in handling and using dermal fillers.

I would personally go to a Doctor. Many people go to dentists and nurses too. Wherever you go make sure you choose a health provider who is registered with the "Health care Commission".

In Doncaster and Sheffield area Healthy Skin Clinic provides Dermal fillers in Doncaster and the treatments are done by a female doctor GP.

Related Posts about Doncaster & Sheffield:-

* Doncaster Laser Hair Removal

* Dentists in Doncaster

* Delhi Dentitst

* Sheffield Docotrs - health campaign

* Doncaster Spray Tanning - Vanity by Kim

Project 4oarsome!

This post is on the request of Nick Dennison - who is a member of Team 4Oarsome.

This is a group of 4 guys who are taking part in the 2009 Woodvale Transatlantic Rowing Challenge- which is a rowing competition. The row takes approximately 50 days across 3000 miles of the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean.

They are racing in order to raise money for two great Charities, Help for Heros and CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young). Their site 4oarsome shows the map of the journey.

According to Nick, "We shall row in pairs two hours on, two off for 50 days braving high seas, salt sores and monster wildlife; aiming to be the first crew across the line in Antigua. We shall drink desalinated water and require 9000 calories of food each per day which shall be made up from dehydrated ration packs and high calorie snacks."

The Crew consists of James Scott: Dentist, Nick Dennison: Doctor, Ali Mcleod: Surveyor, Ed Jones: Biologist/ researcher.


They are asking for your support by becoming their "Landcrew" and supporting their charities.

Nick says "Check out our site 4oarsome for further details about the boys, the race, the boat and the charities. The site will be updated regularly to keep you all in the loop."

Inevitably there shall be a beard-growing competition for the “lost at sea look"......

The Atlantic Rowing Race will start on the 2nd December 2009.

All the best to the Crew of 4Oarsome !

Edit:- As a Promotional offer, BnB Delhi is offering free 1 night stay to members of Team 4 Oarsome!

Update: I write a lot on Doncaster and here are some related posts on Doncaster, South Yorkshire.


* Doncaster Dentists

* Review of Dermal Fillers in Sheffield

* Sheffield Doctors in Health campaign

* Doncaster Spray Tanning

Delhi Inn - Review!

The above picture shows some of the fruits he was served there.

My friend visited Delhi and stayed at Inn @ Delhi and was very impressed at the hospitality and decor and by the excellent company he got.

So impressed was he that he has asked me to blog about it! This is his review.

He chose Delhi Inn because of a review he saw on Tripadvisor and he was so taken by it; he decided to go & stay with them and try it out.

He traveled to Delhi in April 2008 and was greeted at the airport by a placard bearing taxi driver, who was professional and took him straight to Delhi Homestay. There he was greeted by the owners who "asked" how his journey was and served him a welcome drink. he was quite taken by that - having traveled and stayed at "dull & impersonal" hotels extensively - he was just not prepared for this kind family treatment. He couldn't believe that owners ( Mr. Subhash Chander & Mrs. U Subhash) could be so caring & nice. His past experience of Delhi was that of "pushy people" out to get your money from the rickshaw valla's ( tuk-tuk owner's - as they are called in Delhi) to the hotel owners.

He was taken to his ground floor room with a separate entrance, which he chose out of the other rooms as he wanted some independence and found out that the rooms were quite big from the usual Delhi hotel Rooms.

He had breakfast and was raving about the quality of breakfast he received ( fresh fruit daily with a different Indian dish every day) and the lively breakfast conversations. He was particularly impressed by the fact the owners treated him as their son and even took him for their "Birthday Part" to a posh club in Delhi, Gymkhana Club.

His stay of 3 days was extended to 10 days and he enjoyed every moment of it.

He especially liked the fact that he could go for a leisurely stroll in the 3 parks/gardens around the Delhi Inn in the evenings and get some peace & quite from the maddening crowd.

The location of the BnB is such that you are right next to the Mexican embassy and their are security guards all over the gated colony and one feels quite safe; having heard stories of muggings etc in Delhi.

Overall, he says that he will rate his experience as 5- star and would definately recommend it again.

Edit - See our latest Review of Inn at Delhi.

Cycling your way to Health

I read with interest the following news item that –

“Rising petrol prices, growing awareness of environmental issues and the popularity of cycling as a recreation sport has fueled a surge in demand for bicycles around the world.”

If you look at it closely, it makes perfect sense to use Push Bikes (as they are called in England) or cycles – as often as possible. If your work place is near to home – then ditching the gas guzzling, carbon spewing, environmentally hazardous monster ( some guys call it a “car”) – makes a hell of a difference to the environment. Not to mention the obvious benefits to health and saving a little money.

Some guys I know are so lazy that they take out the cars for 300 yards trip as well! When will some people have the sense to walk or bike and be health conscious!


Not only cycling is good for the battle weary beleaguered ozone layer and environment, it has obvious benefits (read weight loss, good cardio-vascular workout and savings).

Hopefully with the rising oil prices we will see more interest in cycling our way to health.

A short re-cap on the health benefits of Cycling

Cycling increases your strength, Stamina, aerobic fitness and general muscle function with little risk of over-exertion or strain. It also encourages healthy behaviour, especially diet. Research says that once you are feeling healthy after shedding a few pounds, you become more health conscious.
Lowering Risk of Heart Attack
The heart muscles are strengthened, resting pulse is lowered and blood fat levels reduced. People who cycle regularly suffer far less heart diseases than people who don’t.

Shedding excess Weight

By burning body fat, and raising your metabolic rate you can lose weight. Cycling is also a more comfortable form of exercise for the over weight than many other activities. If you are over weight and trying to lose weight, cycling is certainly gentler on your knees than pounding the pavement with the knees getting the shock waves going through them with every heel strike.
Reducing Stress
Your anxiety, stress and depression are all alleviated, partly due to the exercise itself and also the sheer pleasure of riding a bike. In medical speak; this is due to the release of endorphins. Endorphins are “feel good” hormones that are usually released after a good workout and make you feel better. Bicycling is often faster across town than any other way of transport, especially in busy, congested cities like London for example. So, no more getting stuck in traffic jams and losing your cool.

Saves Money

Bicycling is a fuel-free form of transport. By switching from car & motor bike to cycle for short journeys, you save on petrol cost. Moreover, you don’t waste time exercising for the sake of it. Cycling fits into your daily routine.
Go green with Biking
Cycling is healthy, both for you as an individual, and also for the community you live in. You help to cut air, noise pollution and traffic congestion. Using a bicycle is easy, cheap, convenient, healthy and fun.

Sounds too good to be true!

Try it yourself. Join the millions of people who experience the sheer pleasure of riding a bike.

Spotlight On

This post will list the Spotlight On reviews done by me for easy reference and better navigability.

I will be using the spotlight section to write posts on prominent personalities or topics that I know of and find interesting.

1. Ibuprofen Better for childhood Fevers

2. CycleIndia.org

3. VuMedi- Surgeon only video sharing website

4. Barkha Dutt, Chetanya Kunte & NDTV

Reviews by Abhishek

This post will list the reviews done by me for easy reference and better navigability.

1. Laser Hair Removal Doncaster

2. Healthy Skin Clinic Doncaster

3. Delhi Inn Review

4. Project 4Oarsome

5. Review of Dermal Fillers in Doncaster and Sheffield

6. New Delhi Dentist - Review

7. GPTrainee.org

8. Hello Health

9. Delhi airport Hotels - Bed n Breakfast Delhi

10. VuMedi - Surgeon only video sharing website

11. NDTV.com

12. Chyetanya Kunte Vs Barkha Dutt & NDTV

Heart Disease Trends Reversing in Women in England

Oxford and Liverpool university researchers believe death rates among women aged under 50 may be plateauing after continuous falls since the 1970s.

They studied all deaths in England and Wales from 1931 to 2005 and found the pace of the drop had started to slow.

Heart disease death rates for all age groups increased until the 1970s, but have been falling continuously since.

The research paper titled “Patterns of coronary heart disease mortality over the 20th century in England and Wales: possible plateaus in the rate of decline” published in the BMC Public Health journal, were disturbing.

In Conclusion the report states - "Although CHD mortality rates continue to drop in older age groups the actual burden of coronary heart disease is increasing due to the ageing of the population. The rate of improvement in CHD mortality appears to be beginning to decline and may even be reversing among younger women."

The report pointed out that obesity and diabetes levels have been rising in younger age groups over the last 10 years, while physical activity levels have fallen.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director for the British Heart Foundation, which helped to fund the study, said the findings were "worrying".

"Heart disease should be a very real issue for all women, and younger generations must take action now to cut down their risk."

Read my previous posts on Target Heart Rate to measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program.

Also see Smoking Kills Video - to stop smoking, another risk factor for Heart Attacks in Women.

Crash Diets Increase risk of Sudden Death

A study by the University of Scotland published online, suggests that binge eating and crash dieting may significantly reduce life expectancy.
Researchers from Glasgow University observed that fish given a "binge then diet" food regime had a reduced lifespan of up to 25%.

The scientists believe that the findings could have implications for teenagers and growing children who follow extreme patterns of dieting.

“Professor Neil Metcalfe said: “The fish on the fluctuating diet put just as much effort into breeding – the males became brightly coloured as usual and the females produced the normal number of eggs. However, on average their lifespan was three-quarters that of animals eating a constant amount every day.”

The research found that the difference in lifespan was not a consequence of more rapid ageing but an increase in the risk of sudden death.

They seem to suggest that Binge eating and then dieting, commonly seen in teenagers who are acutely “image aware” can lead to sudden death.

The study recommends that eating a constant amount of food every day is a healthier option.

Laser Hair Removal Doncaster

I was invited by Skin Clinic Doncaster to review their laser hair removal Doncaster process.

Doctor of the Skin Clinic uses the aesthetic laser Suprano, a state of the art diode laser which is virtually painless and very effective for hair removal.

Here is a summary of what I learnt:-

* A series of 6-12 treatment sessions may be needed though improvement may be noticed after just one.

* Each treatment session may take 15 -30 minutes depending on the treatment area.

"Skin Clinic Doncaster's website states that a wide selection of skin complaints can be successfully treated with lasers like:

1. Permanent hair reduction
2. Colour and texture improvement
3. Facial and leg thread veins
4. Rosacea and mild inflammatory acne
5. Small haemangioma
6. Acne scars
7. Freckles
8. Warts and verrucae
9. Photo rejuvenation- skin tightening of face, cheek and neck
10. Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles: under the eye, crow’s feet and forehead
11. Tattoo removal"

Although laser hair removal is painless and permanent, it might take a few sessions for it fully remove unwanted hair - it depends on the skin and hair type.

I liked the fact that a Doctor is doing these procedures, after undergoing training and attending various courses abroad and getting the requisite certification. It is not run by a nurse or a hair dresser.

Most of the women, i was told, go to their local beauty saloon for Laser Hair Removal in Doncaster. They are not aware that Skin Clinic offers painless and permanent hair removal by laser in Doncaster. What a shame when you can have the same treatment by a trained, professional Doctor!

Related Posts:-

* Doncaster Dentists

* Review of Dermal Fillers in Sheffield

* Sheffield Doctors in Health campaign

* Doncaster Spray Tanning

Indian's More Likely to have Heart Attack!

A study on the effects of Heart Disease on the Indian Population published by The Lancet states that -


“Around 60% of the world’s heart disease burden is expected to occur in India within the next 2 years. India also has higher rates of the types of heart disease that lead to worse prognosis than developed countries, and on average, heart disease occurs at a younger age in the Indian population. These are the conclusions from the authors of the CREATE Study - a prospective registry study in 89 centres from 10 regions and 50 cities in India.”

Heart Disease kills 7.1 million people globally every year.

It has been long known that South Asia has the highest level of acute coronary syndromes in the world, but this is the first comprehensive research which provides statistical data about heart disease.




The team studied nearly 21,000 heart attack patients admitted to 89 hospitals in 50 cities across the country.

The risk factors for Heart Disease in India are the same as elsewhere in the world and include the following:-

1. Tobacco use

2. High levels of lipids in the blood due to diets rich in saturated fat (ghee, butter, coconut oil)

3. Hypertension

4. Smoking – See my previous post about Smoking Kills

Factors specific to India are:-

1. The time taken to get access to medical help. On average, it took 300 minutes to reach a hospital in India, twice as long in rich nations. "Few patients used an ambulance to reach the hospital. Most used private or public transport" due to financial constraints, the report says.

2. Poverty also prevents most Indians from obtaining routine treatments including surgical procedures because most of them have to pay for it themselves.

3. The Indian patients were younger by three to six years than those in richer nations.

As Indian’s we need to be extra vigilant about Heart Disease.
The preventive steps that everyone should take to prevent heart disease are:-

1. Regular exercise. Exercise means targeting your heart rate according to your age.

2. Taking regular medication if known to have higher Blood pressure

3. Stop smoking – active and passive.

4. Avoid ghee, butter and food rich in fats

Target Heart Rate

What is "Target Heart Rate"?

Target heart rate is a way to measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate.

Is “Brisk walking” enough for achieving Target Heart rate?

Some people can't or don’t measure their pulse exercising. If this is true for you, try using a "conversational pace" to monitor your efforts during moderate activities like walking.




If you can “walk and talk” at the same time, you aren't walking too hard. The concept of “saer” ( Routine early morning walk – popular in India – where you meet your friends to talk more and walk less, a “walk – talk –social catch up session”) is probably just an eye-wash.

Use the “Target Heart Rate” calculator below, to get an estimated Target Heart Zone.


Age Target HR Zone Average Maximum Heart Rate 100%
50–85 % 50–85 %


20 years 100–170 beats per minute 200 beats per minute
25 years 98–166 beats per minute 195 beats per minute
30 years 95–162 beats per minute 190 beats per minute
35 years 93–157 beats per minute 185 beats per minute
40 years 90–153 beats per minute 180 beats per minute
45 years 88–149 beats per minute 175 beats per minute
50 years 85–145 beats per minute 170 beats per minute
55 years 83–140 beats per minute 165 beats per minute
60 years 80–136 beats per minute 160 beats per minute
65 years 78–132 beats per minute 155 beats per minute
70 years 75–128 beats per minute 150 beats per minute



Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. The figures above are averages, so use them as general guidelines.

Note of Caution: A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

Smoking Kills - Video

Quit Smoking -

This is the "Metallic" voice of someone using a Voice - Device because his Voice Box has been taken out ( called a Laryngectomy in Medical Speak) due to Laryngeal Cancer.

Smoking not only causes Lung but also Laryngeal Cancer.

The tar going into the Smoker's lung can be seen by the video shown below.

You will realise why Smoking is called "Slow Motion Suicide" - Keep watching the amount of tar that comes out of 200 plus cigarettes - which many smokers consume in a few days.


Still Smoking? Watch This

Edit - See my Latest Post on Kick the Butt - India's Tough Stance

Incredible India Video

Just found this Video at You Tube - quite interesting! Therefore posting here!

Brings memories of India and makes me wish I was there!

If you enjoyed this video and want to see more of these - do check out Bed and Breakfast New Delhi - it shows some more Indian Video's that you will like!

Skin Clinic Doncaster

Skin Clinic Doncaster is a skin clinic which has recently opened in Doncaster- with the aim of providing specialist Cosmetic care. It is run by a General Practitioner ( G.P) and provides various cosmetic treatments in Doncaster like Dermal Fillers, Medical Micro dermabration, Radio frequency Treatment– Body reshaping and Cellulite treatment and wrinkle relaxing treatment.

It is located at The SCOTT PRACTICE Premises, I Greenfield Lane, Balby, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN4 0TG.

Healthy Skin Clinic Doncaster states on its website -

Healthy Skin Clinic is the creation of a Doncaster Lady GP whose genuine interest in Dermatology and beauty have allowed her to consider how medical and cosmetic advancements combined with technology could give cosmetic improvements to the skin. Following market demands to supply effective medical treatments without going under the knife Healthy Skin Clinic selected a range of aesthetic treatments based upon the most effective procedures available today. All of the treatments at Healthy Skin Clinic are virtually pain free and offer long lasting effects without the need for any anaesthetic or recovery time. Performed by an experienced GP with specialist training in this field, you can be assured of a highly discreet, professional service for both men and women.

Aesthetic treatments offered at the ‘Healthy SKIN’ clinic make it possible for everyone to look your BEST and boost self confidence. The essence of feeling BEAUTIFUL is being comfortable in your own skin. Glowing skin reflects health and happiness inside and all it takes is a little extra care!"

Obviously this is very good news for people at Doncaster especially ladies who can benefit from the Services offered at the Healthy Skin Clinic Doncaster!

Read my other posts on Dermal Fillers in Doncaster and on Laser Hair Removal in Doncaster.

Sons !

Here is another joke that I received via email and I am posting it here so that I can share something with you all!

Our lives are so full of stress and trying to run from pillar to post, from one deadline to another - that we do not take time off to have some fun and jokes.

So here is another one for all those stressed out souls - something to laugh about!
If you want to read more - click on the label " Humor".

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Four friends, who hadn't seen each other in 30 years, reunited at a party. After several drinks, one of the men had to use the rest-room. Those who remained talked about their kids.

The first guy said, "My son is my pride and joy. He started working at a successful company at the bottom of the barrel. He studied Economics and Business Administration and soon began to climb the corporate ladder and now he's the president of the company. He became so rich that he gave his best friend a top of the line Mercedes for his birthday."

The second guy said, "Darn, that's terrific! My son is also my pride and joy. He started working for a big airline, went to the flight school to become a pilot. Eventually he became a partner in the company, where he owns the majority of its assets. He's so rich that he gave his best friend a brand new jet for his birthday."

The third man said: "Well, that's terrific! My son studied in the best universities and became an engineer. Then he started his own construction company and is now a multimillionaire. He also gave away something very nice and expensive to his best friend for his birthday: A 30,000 square foot mansion."

The three friends congratulated each other just as the fourth returned from the rest-room and asked: "What are all the congratulations for?" One of the three said: "We were talking about the pride we feel for the successes of our son...What about your son?"

The fourth man replied: "My son is gay and makes a living dancing as a stripper at a nightclub."
The three friends shifted uncomfortably. "Hmmmm, what a shame," one replied.
The fourth man replied: "No, I'm not ashamed. He's my son and I love him. And he hasn't done too bad either. His birthday was two weeks ago, and he received a beautiful 30,000 square foot mansion, a brand new jet and a top of the line Mercedes from his three boyfriends!!!"

Google Patients

Google Patients

Google patients – I refer to those patients who come to my clinic or to the Accident & Emergency with a print out of their presumed diagnosis on the basis of Googling their symptoms. They usually have made up their mind about their “self – diagnosis” and have a firm conviction that all their symptoms fit into that “diagnosis”. They are usually immune to logic and explanation by a doctor. You may have all the experience and expertise in your specialty, but it is hard to convince these “Google patients” otherwise.

Another thing I have noticed is the amount of health advise given by fellow sufferers on Yahoo Answers. If you haven’t been to Yahoo Answers, I suggest you go and pay a visit. You can see the blind leading the blind. As a doctor, I am sure you would have experienced the rare patient, whose diagnosis you are uncertain of. Mind you that is after taking a complete history and performing a physical examination and having done some basic ( or complex) investigations.

And yet you will see, complete strangers giving advice on Yahoo Answers, to complete strangers after reading one paragraph about their current ailment on the net. I have been guilty of the same, just to try & see whether I can do it without actually seeing a patient and yet found it so hard. Advising on the net, without actually having the normal doctor – patient interaction, is like shooting in the dark. Whether the advise is correct or not, no-one knows.

This is quite dangerous as the Google patient ( or for that matter, Yahoo patient) is already presuming a diagnosis before actually been seen by a Doctor.

So, the typical Google patient walks into your office armed with a print out, to either get a confirmation of “His diagnosis” or to argue with you as to why the Google Diagnosis is incorrect. And we as clinician’s spend increasing amount of time to dissuade them otherwise.

This is obviously a very dangerous practice and needs to be discouraged, yet you will see the on line world full of this.

Unless it is your own doctor or someone who knows your medical history, it is dangerous to go for online advice. I do not recommend this practice and would advice extreme caution before asking for online advice.

Funny and True Definitions!

Penning down some Funny and (True) Definitions:- Enjoy !

School: A place where Papa pays and Son plays.

Life Insurance: A contract that keeps you poor all your life so that you can die Rich.

Nurse: A person who wakes u up to give you sleeping pills.

Marriage: It's an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters.

Tears: The hydraulic force by which masculine willpower is defeated by feminine waterpower.

Lecture: An art of transferring information from the notes of the Lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through "the minds of either"

Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Dictionary: A place where success comes before work.

Conference Room: A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on.

Father: A banker provided by nature.

Boss: Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician: One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after.

Doctor: A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by bills.

Classic: Books, which people praise, but do not read.

Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Office: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

Yawn: The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.

Etc.: A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.

Committee: Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Experience: The name men give to their mistakes.

Atom Bomb: An invention to end all inventions.

Philosopher: A fool who torments himself during life, to be wise after death.

Seocontest2008

Winners make things happen - losers let things happen!

Just now received an email from SEO Delhi with this topic - so decided to blog about it!
Therefore thought that i will get pro-active and try and make this a success!

To look on the positive side of this contest I am learning a lot ! At the moment i am concentrating only on link building for seocontest2008 site.

Hopefully something will come out of the insane amount of time i am putting in towards learning SEO & SEM.

Hopefully, i will look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say, 'I am too Blessed to be Stressed and too Anointed, to be Disappointed!

Botw

Cash Making Online via Best of the Web!

Directory Submissions work well for many of the sites, so that they can get contextual one sided links to your websites.

Directory submissions will add authority to your sites!

How to publish a custom URL on Blogger!

This seems to be a frequent question on Google groups - therefore i thought i will write it down.

Log into your blogger account and click > settings > publishing > click on advanced settings and write your domain name - it should be http://www.yourdomainname.com and click save settings.

Then log into your DNS (Domain Name System) control panel and point your server to ghs.google.

"DNS server determines what site a given address takes you to. So far, you have a domain name but none of the servers on the internet know what to do with it yet. To take care of this, you need to create a CNAME record for your domain with the DNS, associating your domain with ghs.google.com."

For example - your registrar is yahoo small business - log into your account - click Domain Control panel > advanced DNS settings > click add record add www. and enter ghs.google.com - then click submit so that it looks like www.yourdomainname.com

1. In the Source field, enter only the sub domain you want to use. For example, if you designated www.mydomain.com as the address of your blog, enter www in the Source field.
2. Enter ghs.google.com in the Destination field.
3. Click Submit

The above 3 points are taken from blogger help - BUT this does not work properly - if you follow the above steps your domain will get a 404 error notice.

to circumvent that you need to modify your "A record" and point it to blog spot/blogger server

the blogger server is 72.14.207.191 - so if you modify your a record as above - it should point your domain to your blogger account.

Hope this helps!

Money Saving Idea's - Telephone!

Telephone - say no to 0870 numbers

Ever tried making calls to 0845 or 0870 numbers ( also called Revenue sharing numbers) - invariably you get billed upto 8 to 10p/ minute - even if you are complaining to say Sky or Aol - these so called National rate numbers are actually money making gimmicks by companies. So if you are put on hold for say 15 minutes - which is often the case - therefore, you end up paying £1.20 to £1.50 for being on hold.

These companies get a cut ( typically 2 -3 p/ min or more) out of the money they charge you say 8- 10 p/ minute - which pays for their employees, expensive elephone equipment and gives them a nice profit. And all this money comes out of your pocket. In my opinion, this is a rip off. After all you are complaining about their services and they are charging you !!! This is a double whammy !

So what can you do to avoid massive bills - you can be Net Savvy and search for alternate numbers - geographic numbers so that the calls are cheaper.


1. One way of doing that is to go to a web site - saynoto0870.com and doing a search for alternative numbers. This way you get geographic numbers which you can call and save you a bundle.

2. Be savvy and look for alternate numbers which companies like HSBC, Asda etc give on their credit card bills or any other official mail or their web sites - for calling from overseas - these numbers are usually geographic numbers and you can call them from Uk and save yourself a bundle. For eg. AOL gives this number +44 117 919 1100 when calling from overseas and 0844 499 5555 when calling from UK. Read here

3. If you do not get a geographic number by the above 2 methods - then you have to search the forums of saynoto0870.com to get the numbers and request them on the forum. This is a lengthy way to get the geographic numbers - and i recommend this to people who can wait.

4. Some companies give geographic numbers for sales - which can be used to connect to another department - thus avoiding Premium rate charges!


FACTS

1. British gas fined £5,000/- for keeping customers hanging on to Premium rate numbers. Read more here .

2. The Department for Work and Pensions, made £268,000 last year from 0845 hotlines to advise those on low incomes about benefit and winter fuel payments. Interesting !

3. Many compnaies boost their profit by letting customers wait on the premium rate numbers before answering - all at your expense !