Cofiant

A great way to trick Google

2011-09-08T21:18:00.000+01:00

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CheersMike

Prof Hooper's response to the Department of Health regarding the classification of ME

2011-08-31T13:42:00.009+01:00

I thought this was an interesting article considering all the bad press ME and CFS sufferers are getting at the moment, as the author gives permission to repost.
The original post was in response to the article in The Telegraph by Max Pemberton entitled "Protesters have got it all wrong on ME".

On the 18th of July, Professor Hooper sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and to the Secretary of State for Health on the discrepancy between the departments' classifications of ME. This letter is already in the public domain:

http://www.meactionuk.org.uk/d...

To date he has received no response from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions but has received a reply from the Department of Health. The following letter is Professor Hooper's response to that reply:

http://www.meactionuk.org.uk/B...

From Malcolm Hooper Ph.D.,B.Pharm.,C.Chem.,MRIC
Emeritus Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Sunderland, SUNDERLAND SR2 3SD

Chief Scientific Adviser to the Gulf Veterans' Association President: the National Gulf War Veterans and Families Association, NGVFA,
(2002)

Mr Adam Butler
Customer Service Centre
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS

28th August 2011

Your ref: TO00000632586

Dear Mr Butler

re: The major discrepancy between the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions on the same medical issue

Thank you for your letter of 11th August 2011 sent in response to my letter of 18th July 2011 to The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions that was copied to The Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, Secretary of State for Health, on whose behalf you replied.

I am grateful for the courtesy shown by Mr Lansley, a similar courtesy not having been shown by Mr Duncan Smith from whose Department I have received no acknowledgement, so this letter will be copied to him.

In my letter I drew attention to a serious error in the Statutory Payments Manual (SPM 50605) used by decision-makers, namely the categorisation of ME as a mental health disorder.

In your reply you confirm that this error was the responsibility of the DWP: “You suggest that guidance used by decision-makers in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is unsatisfactory. The DWP’s Health and Benefits Division was responsible for drafting the guidance”.

It is, of course, the case that Professor Peter White, a psychiatrist who works for the permanent health insurance industry, was and remains lead advisor on “CFS” to the DWP and, despite irrefutable evidence that he is incorrect, he is firmly committed to his belief that ME is a somatoform (mental) disorder and he advises the DWP accordingly.

Herein lies the major discrepancy between two Departments of State: whilst the DWP rejects the WHO ICD-10 classification of ME as a neurological disorder and follows Professor White’s beliefs that it is a mental disorder, the Department of Health nominally accepts the WHO ICD-10 classification of it as a neurological disorder.

There are in fact two related issues, one being the discrepancy between two Departments of State outlined above and the other relating specifically to the DoH, this being the failure of the DoH to comply with the 1995 mandate to observe the WHO-ICD-10 classification system (see below).

The first issue

To summarise (and reiterate) the position of both Departments of State and their previous public statements about the nature of ME:

1. the Department of Health accepted ME as an organic disease in 1987 (Hansard, HC 27th November 1987, column 353)

2. in a letter dated 13th March 1992 to James Pawsey MP (ref: POH (3) 2484/200), in his capacity as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, Stephen Dorrell MP set out the official view of the Department of Health on ME: referring to the Disability Handbook produced by the Disability Living Allowance Board, the Minister stated: “The Handbook recognises that in some persons with ME there is evidence of persisting viral infections in muscles, with some evidence of muscle damage. Hence, a physical cause for ME is recognised”

3. on 16th August 1992, Stephen Dorrell MP, Minister of Health, went on public record confirming that “ME is established as a medical condition” when he addressed a meeting of the Leicestershire ME Group

4. not only the DoH but also the DWP recognises that ME is a physical disorder.
In the British Library Current Awareness Topics Update for March 2000 is listed (on page 6) the following: Social Security Ruling, SSR 99-2p; titles II and XVI; evaluating cases involving chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Fed Regist 1999 Apr 30;64(83);23380-4: “In accordance with 20 CFR 402.35(b)(1), the Commissioner of Social Security gives notice of Social Security Ruling SSR 99-2p. This Ruling clarifies disability policy for the evaluation and adjudication of disability claims involving Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
This Ruling explains that, when it is accompanied by appropriate medical signs or laboratory findings, CFS is a medically determinable impairment that can be the basis for a finding of “disability”. This Ruling ensures that all adjudicators will use the same policies and procedures in evaluating disability claims involving CFS, and provides a consolidated statement of these policies and procedures”

5. this was reported in the Disability Rights Bulletin, Summer 2000, in the following terms: “In assessing DLA higher rate mobility component for people with ME, recent guidance advises decision makers to assume in the vast majority of cases that the claimant has a physical disablement. The Commissioner, in CDLA/2822/99, held that an award of the higher rate mobility component can be made on the basis of the physical element of the condition. Guidance (DMG Memo Vol 10-3/00) advises decision makers that, in the vast majority of claims, if a doctor says the claimant has ME or CFS then that can be taken as an opinion that they have a physical disablement”

6. on 18th September 2002, the Director of Communications at NICE issued a Communications Report which stated: “Following discussions with the Department of Health and other national agencies the Institute has adopted a new classification system that will be applied Institute-wide” (2.7.1.1); “The ICD classification has been used as a basis for the new Institute classification directed at the informed reader” (2.7.1.4);
“ICD-10…classification codes are mandatory for use across England” (2.7.1.5)

7. ME has been included as a neurological disorder in the UK Read Codes (F286)
used by all GPs since 2003

8. by letter dated 11th February 2004 to the Countess of Mar, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, Lord Warner, confirmed that the DoH accepts the WHO classification of ME as a neurological disorder. That letter was placed by Lord Warner in the House library for access by all MPs.

9. ME has been included in the National Service Framework for long-term neurological condition since its inception in 2005

10. the DoH has confirmed on numerous occasions, many documented in Hansard, that the DoH itself and the UK Government accepts ME to be a neurological disorder, for example on 2nd June 2008 the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Darzi, was unequivocal: “My Lords, the Government accept the World Health Organisation’s classification of CFS/ME as a neurological condition…. I have acknowledged that CFS/ME is a neurological condition… the Government…have made it clear that… it is a neurological rather than a mental condition”

11. by letter dated 3rd August 2011 (reference TO00000632783), Tim Morgan from the Department of Health Customer Services Centre confirmed the following: “The ICD-10 is an NHS Information Standard….The NHS has a long history of using the ICD. There is a legal obligation for Department of Health to provide ICD data to the WHO for international comparison. The NHS was mandated to implement ICD-10 on 1 April 1995, at which time there was a formal consultation (emphasis added)….Implementation…applies to NHS organisations and their system suppliers, such as acute and foundation trusts,
primary care trusts, and the NHS Information Centre”. (It is, of course, the case that Government officials such as yourself may use bogus names -- known as “office names” -- when writing to members of the public [“Civil servants use bogus names to sign official letters”; Roya Nikkhah; Sunday Telegraph; 20th June 2004], so the true authorship of both your own letter and that of Tim Morgan remains unconfirmed but must nonetheless be taken as authoritative documents).

You say in your letter: “As you may know, in 2007, NICE published Clinical Guideline 53 (CG53) on the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME in adults and children, to advise the NHS on the treatment of CFS/ME in England and Wales”. The documentary evidence outlined above makes it all the more troubling that the NICE Guideline Development Group which produced CG53 expressly rejected the WHO classification of ME as a neurological disorder and voted to remove from its deliberations its initial acceptance of ME as an organic disorder, this being confirmed by patient representative Tanya Harrison in her letter of resignation dated 16th July 2007 from the GDG: “the final straw came when the group voted to remove that ME/CFS is a physical illness”, which reflects the beliefs and advice of Professor Peter White to the DWP.

Mindful of the above evidence, it will not be sufficient for you to reply to this current letter saying that this discrepancy between two Departments of State is a medical matter for the PCTs to address.

It is a policy issue and thus a matter for the two Secretaries of State themselves to address and resolve without further delay.

The WHO has classified ME as a neurological disorder since 1969 and ME cannot be taxonomically considered by the DWP or any other Department to be a somatoform disorder; that the DWP persists in doing so is all the more disturbing when, in another Department of State, the entire NHS is mandated to regard ME as a neurological disorder.

The second issue

Given that the NHS has been mandated since 1995 to implement the ICD-10 classifications, and given that “mandatory” means “obligatory, compulsory” and that a mandate is “an official or authoritative instruction or command”, not only the DWP but also the NHS has patently failed to comply with the 1995 mandate to implement ICD-10 classifications.

Influenced by the Wessely School (who act as advisors to other Government departments and to NICE as well as to the DWP), not only the Wessely School themselves but also many NHS neurologists are in breach of the 1995 mandate that pertains throughout the NHS: 84% of neurologists questioned stated that they do not believe ME exists as a neurological condition (J Psychsom Med 9th April 2010), despite the reported evidence of markers of severe ganglionitis having been found in the central nervous system in several post mortem samples.

In one particular case, that of 32 year-old Sophia Mirza who died in November 2005 (whose death certificate recorded that she died of [ME]CFS), examination of her spinal cord showed inflammatory changes affecting the dorsal root ganglia, which are the gateways for all sensations going to the brain through the spinal cord. These inflammatory changes affected 75% of Sophia’s spinal cord.

At the inquest held on 13th June 2006, one of the pathologists stated: “ME describes inflammation of the spinal cord and muscles. My work supports the inflammation theory because there was inflammation in the basal root ganglia”.

Dr O’Donovan (the neuropathologist who had examined the spinal cord) stated that ME “lies more in the realms of neurology than psychiatry, in my opinion”.

Given that NHS staff are mandated to use ICD-10 codes, I should be grateful if you would explain why such a medically unsustainable situation has been allowed by the DoH to remain unchallenged for the last 16 years, since there is a legal obligation for the DoH to provide accurate ICD data to the WHO.

Recently, 26 expert authors (from 13 countries) produced the International Consensus Criteria for ME (Carruthers B et al; J Int Med 20th July 2011) and they strongly advocate that ME be removed from the NICE CG53 definition of “CFS/ME”.

This should become a priority since, despite the fact that in ICD-10 the WHO currently indexes “CFS” only to ME at G93.3, the Wessely School psychiatrists and their adherents who work for the insurance industry have hijacked the term “CFS” to mean a syndrome of “chronic fatigue” (which is classified in ICD-10 at F48.0 as a mental disorder but which the Wessely School erroneously insist is synonymous with ME).

It is essential that in relation to internationally defined ME, UK Departments of State begin implementing evidence-based policy instead of creating expedient policy-based evidence (which the Wessely School has done successfully for almost 25 years) and separate ME from “CFS/ME”. This is now very important, especially as Professor Peter White confirmed in writing to the Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet (a copy of which was sent to me) that: “The PACE trial paper refers to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) which is operationally defined; it does not purport to be studying CFS/ME”. That statement is mystifying, since the PACE Trial documentation consistently refers to “CFS/ME”. Professor White’s statement also raises the question as to why he received £5 million from the MRC (co-funded by the DoH, the DWP and the Scottish Chief Scientist’s Office) to study chronic tiredness that is prevalent in many primary psychiatric disorders, yet he asserts that the results of his PACE Trial are generalisable to those with a serious neurological disorder that he now claims he was not studying after all.

These issues are of utmost importance not only to 250,000 people in the UK and their despairing families who are struggling to cope with a devastating neurological disorder, but also to the clinicians who see for themselves that people with classic ME are physically, not mentally, ill but who are thwarted in their attempt to investigate and support them by the overarching influence of the Wessely School.

I therefore once again call upon both Secretaries of State to provide informed and firm leadership by re-circulating directions that the 1995 mandate to comply with the ICD-10 classifications must legally be complied with by clinical and clerical staff in both Departments of State and that any individuals who refuse to comply are held personally and publicly accountable for any failure to observe that mandate.

It is obviously imperative that different Departments of State have a unified position regarding the nature of a serious disease such as ME and it is equally important that the legal requirements of the WHO be observed by the UK, which currently is not the case as far as ME is concerned. I should therefore be grateful if you would clarify what action is being taken by your own Department about these important issues.

Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Hooper

Chronic fatigue syndrome researchers face death threats from militants

2011-08-29T15:05:00.007+01:00

I thought this was an interesting article considering all the bad press me and cfs sufferers are getting at the moment, and as the author gives permission to repost, I shall.

This letter was submitted by Professor Hooper to the Observer, in response to the article by Robin McKie “Chronic fatigue syndrome researchers face death threats from militants”, published on Sunday the 21st of August 2011, Link

Professor Hooper was contacted out of the blue by the reader’s editor of the Observer. They spoke at length on the telephone and the editor asked Professor Hooper to respond to Robin McKie’s article.

The editor indicated that the responses to the article were building up into a feature length article for the Magazine section and Professor Hooper agreed to submit a longer article as well as a letter.

He received an acknowledgement from the reader’s editor saying it was there intention to use the letter but the following day he received a further email from the same person to say it would not be published.

From Malcolm Hooper Ph.D.,B.Pharm.,C.Chem.,MRIC
Emeritus Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Sunderland, SUNDERLAND SR2 3SD

Chief Scientific Adviser to the Gulf Veterans’ Association
President: the National Gulf War Veterans and Families Association, NGVFA, (2002)

25 August 2011

Dear Sir

No right-minded person condones any campaign of vilification against psychiatrists but equally, no right-minded person can condone what psychiatrists like Wessely have done to the UK ME community over the last 25 years.

It is indefensible to liken people with ME to the Animal Liberation Front; this is an attack on the whole ME community, not only the few people who have behaved irrationally.

ME has been in the medical literature for the last 70 years and classified by the WHO as a neurological disorder since 1969.

The recent International Consensus Criteria for ME produced by 26 world experts from 13 countries shows ME to be a complex, chronic illness of which post-exertional malaise (inability to recover after exercise) is the cardinal feature. This makes exercise dangerous and sometimes fatal. There are multiple symptoms and multiple clinical signs showing dysfunction and dysregulation of all the major organs and systems of the body.

No NHS clinician has the autonomy to regard ME as a somatoform disorder. The Department of Health has confirmed in writing that: “ICD-10 is an NHS Information Standard…..There is a legal obligation for Department of Health to provide ICD data to the WHO for international comparison. The NHS was mandated to implement ICD-10 on 1 April 1995, at which time there was a formal consultation…. Implementation…applies to NHS organisations and their system suppliers, such as acute and foundation trusts, primary care trusts, and the NHS Information Centre”. The Wessely School psychiatrists, many GPs and NHS neurologists are in breach of this mandate.

For Wessely School psychiatrists to continually ignore the scientific evidence is wilful ignorance but to advise the DWP decision-makers and train ATOS examiners that ME is a mental disorder is deceitful and abusive; to section patients with ME and remove them from their distraught families is abusive; to make sick people worse by inappropriate interventions is abusive; to deny them financial support necessary to survive is abusive; to mock them and to misinform others about their serious disorder is abusive; to insist that they suffer from wrong thinking and a fear of activity when they suffer from a very serious medical disorder with reproducible multiple systemic abnormalities is abusive.

These psychiatrists, who have direct and lucrative links with the Insurance industry, have been reported to Parliament. The industry stands to lose £ millions if it has to pay out for a severe life-long physical illness whereas psychiatric (functional, somatoform) conditions are usually excluded and lower benefits paid by the DWP.

The true ME story has yet to be told.

Malcolm Hooper

Permission to repost.

Disability Rights Campaigners Protest outside the Atos Origin HQ

2011-01-26T20:14:00.002Z

As part of the Coalition of Resistance's 'National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts', Disability rights campaigners demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by HM Government's Professor Harrington, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides.

Read full article

Its about time people in the UK started to stand up for themselves instead of been bullied and brainwashed by the right wing media, who are inciting hatred towards disabled people.

New Online Dating Site

2010-07-21T09:35:00.003+01:00

Online dating has become very popular in recent years. Dateinn.com offers great opportunities to everyone looking for meeting people, for romantic dating and making new friends. It takes only a couple of minutes to register with our dating site, and gives you hours of dating fun, together with seemingly endless possibilities to meet new single people from all over the world, make new friends, go on dates and enjoy good company. With thousands of worldwide personals you have plenty of potential partners to choose from. Dateinn.com will make your life a whole lot more fun with all that dating . This is a great place to find relationships or devoted partners for long-term relationships or marriage. Come on Step up to the bar at the DateInn.

The Point, Cardiff

2009-03-05T23:44:00.008Z

RIP
Beautiful art music venue in a converted church in Cardiff Bay, is forced to close after complaints of noise by the neighbours who had moved into new flats that were built close by.
What a bunch of wankers.
People should know what is in the area before they move there.
The whole idea of moving to certain areas is because you are supposed to like them.

It's rather like building flats or houses next to a motorway, then the residents complain about the noise and have the road closed so they can sleep at night, yeah right.
But sadly back to the real world, its happened in this case.
Serious shame and piss poor performance on behalf of Cardiff council.

Too many developers turning buildings into flats down the bay. The Coal Exchange comes to mind.
Hopefully with the recession, developers will have better things to worry about, such as trying to avoid insolvency like the rest of us.

Please read the BBC article

Fluorine added to UK drinking water

2009-03-05T23:27:00.006Z

So the UK government is allowing the local health authorities to force the water companies to add fluorine to drinking water. In order to prevent tooth decay in children. This is because sadly some parents in the UK are basically incapable / incompetent or both, when it comes to teaching their children to brush their teeth and use mouthwash, whilst letting them eat crap containing large amounts of sugar.
Here is a good Guardian link on the subject.

Another good link is also about the high level of fluorine in tea and the potential risk it poses.

By the way I have been drinking tea since I was a small child, so have ingested plenty of fluorine and I have plenty of fillings.

Attracting and dating women

2009-02-02T14:40:00.003Z

*Cool* website I just found

Check this site out:

I just discovered a rather unusual website, and I thought you
might be interested in it too.

It shows men how to get women to approach you first for a date,
no matter their looks, age, or income.

Talk about a role reversal. What I like about this is, when a
woman approaches you, it gets rid of all your fear of rejection.
Plus, you know she likes you for sure.

Anyway, you can check it out at:

http://www.thrub.com/women.html

PS. Oh yeah, I think this website may come down soon, so it's a
good idea to check it out right now.

http://www.thrub.com/women.html

Become a Hypnotherapist

2008-11-20T16:57:00.003Z

WIN (Welsh Institute of NLP) is offering a complete easy to follow
certificated, comprehensive, ‘HOME STUDY’, DVD course in HYPNOTHERAPY.
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Planting in preparation for a greener tomorrow

2008-10-06T22:20:00.003+01:00

NEW trees were planted in a Sheffield park as part of a campaign to make the city greener.
Conservation experts are worried the city is losing its urban forest and have published a report detailing the decline.

It is estimated around 35,000 - or 70 per cent - of the city's trees will be lost over the next 40 years and action needs to be taken to reduce the impact of this loss.

But it can take as long as 40 years for newly-planted trees to become established and make a significant contribution to the environment.

The report focuses on the Broomhill, Central and Nether Edge areas of the city and surveyed more than 50,000 trees in council and private ownership.

Council bosses launched the report with a tree planting session at the South Yorkshire Wood Fair in Endcliffe Park.

Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, the council's cabinet member for environment, said: "We are keen to work with people in the local community to plan future tree planting and to identify the best locations where this can happen successfully.

"We also want to work with local schools to raise awareness of the importance of trees to the environment and to organise a support programme to advise people on the best species for planting in the area and how to maintain the trees properly."

Coun Mohammed planted the first of six London Plane trees in Endcliffe Park.

Suggestions for planting locations may be sent in to Tim Shortland in the council's Parks and Countryside Service at Meersbrook Park, Brook Road, Sheffield, S8 9FL or by telephoning 0114 2734190.

Source: Sheffield Star
Location: Sheffield

Original article

Turning a new leaf

2008-10-06T22:11:00.003+01:00

By David Bocking

Thousands of trees in Sheffield are expected to die over the next ten years. David Bocking reports on how the city aims to keep its green mantle

It'll be worth keeping an eye on Sheffield's golden canopy this autumn.

First of all an extra 5,000 or 6,000 assorted trees are due to appear around the city over the next few months, thanks to a £50,000 grant allocated by the council.

But also cast a glance at Sheffield's tree-lined avenues, in Nether Edge or Broomhill, for example.

These are the old trees, planted in a 30 or 40 year period in the late 1800s as the Victorians sought to mark their pride in their city by planting ash, lime and sycamore for future generations. Enjoy them now, because many won't be around much longer.

"It's like having a population of octogenarians," says Dan Lewis, the council's tree and woodland manager, "Because they're even-aged, thousands of them are going to die over a short period of time."

A recent audit of trees in Nether Edge, Broomhill and central Sheffield found that nearly 8,000 are likely to die over the next ten years and nearly three-quarters of the trees in this area (as many as 35,000) are likely to be lost before 2050.

"I found that frightening," says Dan. "Any trees we plant now are going to take 40 years to grow, so we can't wait."

Actually, Dan has been waiting for quite some time. He's been warning of the imminent loss of our tree-lined streets and gardens for more than 12 years and now, it seems, the replanting is finally set to begin.

The council says the £50,000 tree budget is probably the greatest single amount ever allocated specifically for tree planting in the city and represents a major boost to Sheffield's 'urban forest'.

"Sheffield has probably the best urban treescape in the country," says Dan.

Viewed from above Sheffield has nearly 15% tree cover, or nearly 54 square miles of tree canopy within the city boundary.

In some American cities the figure is closer to 50% but 15% is very good for urban Britain, says Dan.

"In a city that's just brilliant, You go to Norfolk Park or other vantage points and it's just fantastic. And many of those Victorian trees were planted by ordinary people."

And that's the plan for the new 'urban forest'. The council will be looking for Sheffield people, local schools and other organisations to suggest places where trees are needed. Then, after a successful site visit, the proposers will be invited to plant their own local trees.

"It's an awareness raising campaign," says Dan.

"It's not just about putting trees in the ground, it's about engaging with the public and helping to generate local pride."

The new trees will be rather different to the large-leafed trees of 130 years ago.Many will be easier to maintain as they produce smaller leaves and drought resistant species have been selected to withstand our changing climate.

"The way the climate is going, we've got to hedge our bets now," says Dan, possibly not intending a pun.

So as well as selected native trees, we'll be seeing the honey locust and the gingko or maidenhair, which dates back 190 million years.

The planting programme will in itself help Sheffield deal with some of the effects of pollution and climate change: trees and their leaves help to remove potentially deadly air pollutants like PM10s (from vehicle exhausts) by collecting them on their leaves, where they are washed out of the air into the ground.

They also help to slow water run-off and flooding and urban trees can help regulate temperature in heatwaves.

Dan hopes to see an increase in tree cover in the city centre – he's identified potential sites on Devonshire Green, off West Street, in several car parks and even on Fargate.

"It's up to the people of Sheffield where they're going to be. I'd love to see 10% tree cover in the city centre but I don't know if that will be possible."

He walks through the streets of Nether Edge as he talks, frowning up at the towering centenarians, many of which are finally losing their will to live.

"We're looking at what the Victorians did for us but we should be doing something for the next generation. They don't have a voice as yet but we can't just can't just sit here without putting something back."

l More information at Sheffield Wood Fair in Endcliffe Park tomorrow. Or, says Dan: "Ring 2500500, say 'Can we have a tree?' and we'll look into it".

Source: Sheffield Telegraph
Location: SHEFFIELD, SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Original article link

The Rainforests of the Sea

2008-09-23T21:26:00.004+01:00

A coral reef is a collection of biological communities making one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. For this reason coral reefs are often referred to as the Rainforests of the Seas for their astounding richness of life. Due to their structural complexity, corals are one of the most productive ecosystems on earth, providing important services to mankind including fisheries, coastal protection, medicines, recreation and tourism.

The World land trust WLT and its local partners are committed to saving critically threatened habitats, and their wildlife, throughout the world. And by saving vital habitats we are also helping save Life on Earth. Mangroves protect vulnerable coastal communities and provide essential spawning grounds for fish and invertebrates, while coral reefs slow down potentially damaging tidal waves as well as acting as sensitive indicators of water quality. Coral reefs are also considered ‘medicine chests’ of the future, as scientists believe that their organisms could well hold the key to cures for cancer, and coral skeletons are already being used as bone substitutes in reconstructive bone surgery. Coral reefs are home to a huge concentration of wildlife and it is estimated that one-third of all fish species depend on coral for their existence.
Going on Holiday? Don’t buy local jewellery, hair slides or sunglasses made from coral or tortoise shell, or bottles of turtle oil or conch shells.
Conch, formerly a major food source, is now considered endangered due to over-fishing, and hawksbill turtle is endangered, mainly as a result of illegal hunting. Buying anything made of coral risks the future of nearly a million species that depend on the reef for survival.

Please make a donation today to the WLT’s Reef & Mangrove Appeal. For a donation of £25 or more you will receive a personalised certificate, either for yourself or on behalf of a loved one, to record your support. We will also send you and your gift recipient WLT News giving updates on all WLT’s projects, twice yearly. Makes a great Birthday or Christmas gift.
World land trust

Restoring Mangroves

2008-09-23T21:17:00.005+01:00

The World Land Trust (WLT) first became involved in mangrove regeneration ten years ago when we helped purchase Danjugan Island in the Philippines. Back in 1996 the local community on the adjacent island of Negros realised too late that it had been a huge mistake to destroy the mangroves around their island. They were witnessing a good deal more coastal damage as well as soil erosion, and WLT helped them replant mangroves which are now well established.
Gerry Ledesma, the Philippine Reef & Rainforest Project Director in the Philippines, now works with the local fishermen to protect the coral reefs around the island which have been declared a Marine Reserve and Sanctuary.
In response to the 2004 tsunami, WLT was contacted again by existing partners as well as other overseas NGOs for help in the recovery of mangroves and restoration of coral reefs. The Trust has established a Reef & Mangrove Appeal, funds from which are assisting urgent regeneration projects.

This appeal aims to help as many local organisations in as many countries as possible, and how effective this is depends on the funds we are able to raise. Two projects have been agreed so far. The first is to expand the mangrove replanting in the Visayan Island Group, in the Philippines, working once again with our partners, the Philippine Reef & Rainforest Conservation Foundation, and the second is in India where we are working with our partners, The Wildlife Trust of India, on coral replanting and restoration in Gujarat. We have also been discussing with Sri Lankan and Indonesian conservationists ways in which the Trust can help their mangrove and reef conservation and restoration work.

Although mangrove trees may seem rather nondescript at first sight they possess several ingenious and unique adaptations making them one of the most important trees on earth. For a start they are the only species of tree which flourishes in sea water. And although they don’t bear fruit or nuts they regenerate quickly from what are called propagules. These are seed pods which start to germinate while still attached to the tree, eventually falling into the water where they take root in the mud.
In tropical areas of the world the location of mangroves often run parallel to coral reefs and they have a very special relationship: mangroves thrive in brackish, nutrient-rich waters, while coral reefs need clear, nutrient poor waters. Mangroves also act to purify the water of silt, human waste and nutrients which in turn provides clean water for the corals to thrive. Mangroves provide vital structure to the coastline, their arching roots trapping sediment that would otherwise be washed back by the waves. And the pools which are created by the root system provide spawning grounds for fish and habitat for many different species of animals, including bats, lobsters, manatees and birds.
If you wish to make a donation please contact the World land trust

Carbon Balancing with the World Land Trust

2008-09-18T21:33:00.008+01:00

For individuals and companies
A breath of fresh air.

The World Land Trust (WLT) officially launched its Carbon Balanced programme in March 2005 at London’s Rainforest Café. The programme aims to give individuals, as well as companies, an opportunity to address the carbon dioxide emissions we are all responsible for. Rainforests absorb between 400 and 500 kg of carbon per hectare (or 162-202 kg per acre) every year.
This is a rough estimate as figures will change depending on the soil types and leaf litter. But there is no question that a mature rainforest tree is capable of absorbing many times more carbon than a newly planted tree in a temperate climate. Saving tropical forests with WLT will lock up valuable carbon and help off-set the damage caused by modern day living.

Climate Change—an issue that affects everyone
Carbon emission reduction is now recognised as the most important element in the fight against climate change. In the 21st century global temperatures are expected to increase between 1.4° and 5° C; a larger rise than any in the last 10,000 years. The main reason for this is thought to be the burning of fossil fuels and the clearance of forest. This has caused the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, or what are now termed “greenhouse gases”, to increase. To help prevent carbon dioxide concentrations continuing to rise in the 21st century it is essential that the world reduces the amount of fossil fuels burned and slows down the destruction of tropical rainforests. And with World Land Trust it is possible to Assess, Reduce and Offset your CO2 emissions.

Where are the Tropical Forests which can lock up my Carbon?
WLT has been involved in land purchase and protection of rainforests and other threatened habitats since 1989 and is currently working with Fundación Jocotoco (FJ), our partners in Ecuador, to purchase more forest regions in Ecuador. The land being purchased for carbon offset is up to 80% degraded (i.e. it has been cleared for agriculture or other farming use). FJ monitors the regeneration of forest on the land continuously and takes detailed measurements of the total carbon stock after three years, and periodically thereafter up to 25 years and beyond. Our calculations are based on conservative estimates of the total amount of CO2 that will be sequestered on this acreage as it regenerates. Our figures also allow an additional percentage of 40% for ‘leakage’ (events such as natural fires, land slides etc) which reduce the carbon stock or which release CO2 stored in the forest).

Growing forests act as carbon sinks; that is to say they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. We would calculate the area of degraded rainforest that would need to be secured, regenerated and protected to offset your annual CO2 emissions. This calculation will be based on a figure of 3 tonnes CO2 being sequestered per hectare per year for a 20 year period.
Perhaps the single most important by-product of offsetting your CO2 is that you will be helping preserve biodiversity. A good level of biodiversity returns to an area of forest within two years of regeneration and by working in the tropics regeneration is far quicker than in temperate climates.

Climate change is the biggest environmental threat facing the planet. It could displace a billion people around the world, wrecking homes, transport, agricultural systems and devastating wildlife. It affects each and every one of us and we all have a role to play.

Shopping List, for instance:
£10 will balance ..
A couple's electricity for One Year

£25 will balance ..
One person's car use for One Year
One person's return flight to
Australia

£50 will balance ..
One person’s gap year/career break
with travel costs
A couple's fuel, transport and energy
use for One Year

£100 will help balance ..
A family holiday in West Coast, USA
A family's hot water for One Year

£150 will help balance ..
A wedding and honeymoon

£200 will help balance ..
One long haul family holiday

All figures are approximate

The World Land Trust Carbon Balanced programme provides you with a way to help reduce your impact on the environment whilst contributing to urgent global conservation needs. It also helps preserve endangered species by providing secure habitats.
WLT’s carbon balancing IS:
• Aimed at generating funding for biodiversity and conservation.
• Created by a registered charity with a fifteen year track record in conservation and protection of endangered species and their habitats.
• Project managed by a not for profit organisation.
• Locally managed by individuals from communities surrounding the project areas.
• Targeted at threatened areas of global importance.
• Reducing the effects of carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere.
• Based on the latest findings and constantly carrying out research to improve accuracy of offsets.
• The best of both worlds in terms of benefiting the environment and wildlife.
WLT’s carbon balancing IS NOT:
• Generating a profit for private individuals/shareholders.
• Creating mono-culture forests.
• Exploiting developing countries.
• Disenfranchising local communities.
• Encouraging people to create more carbon dioxide emissions; emissions reduction are a core part of being carbon balanced.
• Performing so called ‘blind offsets’. We are completing our own research so that we can accurately monitor the carbon dioxide offsets we provide.
YOU CAN reduce your carbon dioxide emissions and support rainforest conservation.
Please visit us here to help the planet.

Typical UK Summer Driving

2008-08-25T22:34:00.009+01:00

On Thursday 24 th July I decided to drive from Sheffield to visit Cardiff for a few weeks.
This is a journey that usually takes just over 3 hours.

However on that day this how the events occurred.
Driving south on the M1 where the 50mph restrictions are , north of Nottingham, we came to a halt and moved about 50m (Yes - meters) in around 30minutes, eventually things started to move slowly (Considering it was probably the hottest day of what was a crap summer, you can imagine that my temperature gauge was getting quite high, plus the fact that I drive a Renault Megane Coupe and for some unknown reason when idling they tend to almost stutter and stall, and difficult to restart).
The cause was the moving of two very over sized loads down the motorway in the middle of the afternoon, you would expect these things to travel in the early hours of the morning wouldn't you!.

Bye now as the traffic was moving freely, however notices started to appear that the M42 was blocked at junction 11, and to expect long delays. So I thought I would be clever and continue down the M1 and take the M69 to Coventry and on to Worcester via Stratford to join the M5.
Well all went fine until just past Coventry when we all came to a halt again and spent the next half an hour traveling towards a traffic roundabout (I forget the exact location).
It seems a pick up truck made contact with a Jaguar (car that is), and the two drivers who could easily have moved to a nearby lay by to discuss matters, decided to annoy everyone and block the road up instead.

So after a nice drive across country to Worcester it was plain sailing down the M5 and onto the M50 through Ross on Wye until just past Symonds Yat, over the hill almost in Wales, and guess what.
Yes, another 15 - 20 minutes to get to Monmouth, reason closing off the inside lane of a dual carriage way so some work men from Monmouthshire Council can pick up litter from a grass verge alongside the road. Please can someone in Monmouthshire get a grip.

Eventually got to Cardiff after 6 and a half hours, very frustrated and angry.
Also consider all the wasted petrol / diesel from all those thousands of stationary vehicles going nowhere.

Are Short Term Financial Gains Killing Our Planet?

2008-07-19T16:31:00.004+01:00

An article written by Jonathon Porritt

The polar ice caps are melting, species are facing extinction and our climate has become more erratic than ever before. It is impossible to deny the need for intense change in the face of today’s gathering ecological crises. Now that scientific facts support the theories behind global warming, why aren’t more people paying attention—and how do we stop the damage?

Jonathon Porritt, adviser to the UK Prime Minister and author of the new book, “Capitalism as if the World Matters,” (Earthscan 2007) says the first step towards implementing change is to alter the approach to conventional environmentalism. To win people over and get them on board, he suggests focusing on the positive. “Change will not come by threatening people with yet more ecological doom and gloom,” says Porritt. “The necessary changes have to be seen as good for people, their health and their quality of life – and not just good for future generations.”

As the book title suggests, the biggest players in the game- businesses and politicians- must undergo a paradigm shift. “Anything vaguely resembling ‘business-as-usual’ is no less than a death warrant for the highest ideals of contemporary civilization,” says Porritt. “And that means we have to dig a lot deeper than today’s superficial, febrile political debates seem inclined to do.”

While Porritt acknowledges the big picture can be very threatening, he believes positive and profound change is possible. Through his work with Forum for the Future, an organization that works with a very wide range of some of the world’s biggest international companies, Porritt acts as an adviser to a number of chief executives. Porritt says the message that capitalism can be a change-agent for our future is starting to resonate. “Like it or not (and the vast majority of people do), capitalism is now the only economic game in town,” says Porritt. “And that, of course, means that the emerging solutions have to be fashioned with the embrace of capitalism.”

Porritt suggests that today’s model of capitalism is more and more dependent upon liquidating our necessary natural resources. This in turn has a ripple effect of magnifying divides between the rich and the poor worldwide.

Porritt suggests that there are three ways we can transform capitalism in order to stop this from getting worse:

•Pay real prices for the things that we take out of nature
•Get the balance right between the short and long term
•Promote responsible consumption (energy, food, travel, etc)

“This combination is the most likely to provide a serious political alternative to today’s economic and political beliefs,” say Porritt. “Sustainable growth is understood as answering the inescapable challenge of living within our “natural limits,” providing unique opportunities for responsible and innovative capital creators, and offering people a more equitable and more rewarding way of life.”

“Capitalism as if the World Matters” offers real-world solutions to the ‘destruction of the world’ problems that our global society faces. Porritt has put his experience to work, outlining frameworks for sustainable capitalism and pointing to the initiatives some governments and businesses are already beginning to follow. As Porritt so adroitly points out, unless conventional environmentalism throws its weight behind this type of progressive political agenda, the planet will continue to face steep decline.

Book Available at: Amazon and www.earthscan.co.uk

Visit www.forumforthefuture.org.uk for more information.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com

The Power Generated From Sun And Wind

2008-07-19T16:25:00.003+01:00

An article written by James Cooper

The term green energy refers to the generation of power, usually electrical power, through renewable resources – in other words, using energy sources that don't run out because we've used some of them. Green energy contrasts with power provided by fossil fuel, the emissions of which create toxic hydrocarbons that make us and our earth sick. Some green energy sources are sun, wind and water.

Green energy produced by the sun is called solar energy, generally captured through solar panels. There are two types of these solar panels. Each uses its own technology to create this green solar energy. Solar water heater collectors are green energy panels that absorb the suns energy and transfer it to water to heat it Solar or photovoltaic electric panels transform the radiation from the sun directly into electrical energy. For the best efficiency in solar green energy homeowners or contractors should mount the panels on a roof that faces south and at a 30 degree angle from the horizontal, and not near any shade or shadow caused by surrounding buildings, trees or chimneys.

Solar energy systems for water hearing are the most popular green energy in use in the United Kingdom. Connected to a homes hot water system, the solar panels provide more than half of each UK households hot water for a year. The two choices in solar collectors to heat water are evacuated tubes or flat plates.

Wind has been a source of green energy for several years. The primary early use of this green energy is to pump water and mill grain. Recently improvements in the technology of wind turbines have enabled the use of harnessed wind for the generation of electricity. In high wind areas such as Palm Springs CA, for example, you'll see hundreds of wind turbines turning continually on the hills along the major thoroughfares. The electricity these generate then get exported to a grid for local use or for energizing a standalone application.

Wind as green energy has enormous potential both offshore and onshore for farming. It is one of the safest and cleanest of any of the renewable energy methods. The largest green energy source is the UK's use of wind energy. There you'll find small green energy battery charging by wind at the lower end of the wind energy spectrum and huge wind farms that produce vast amounts of electricity at the higher end. While wind is currently producing less than one percent of the worlds energy green or otherwise, it has the potential for providing more than 10 percent. The expectation is that this will happen within the next twenty years, especially due to its highly competitive cost. Green energy from wind is very simple to create and maintain, and still leaves the surrounding land available for farming or development.

Of course, as with any green energy, neither solar or wind energy produce emissions or pollutants during their operation. About the only negative for either is the fact that some folks object to the look of the wind turbines, claiming it has a negative visual impact. Others disagree.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com

How to use guided imagery to overcome self doubt

2008-07-12T16:03:00.007+01:00

This article was originally found here on the Dreammanifesto site

By Kiwan Rockefeller, Ph.D. in Success on March 16th, 2007.

Confidence is a tricky thing. One moment you feel on top of the world, able to accomplish all your hopes and dreams, and the next minute you feel your knees buckle - you become tongue-tied and are unable to even say hello. How can confidence be so strong one moment and then so fleeting and elusive the next. What magic ingredients do superconfident people possess that make them appear unflappable? And, most importantly, you ask, How can I become more confident and self-assured in life

Real Confidence: What It Is and What It Isn't
Like a strong tree that bends in hurricane-force winds, real confidence is rooted in what your inherent abilities are, and firmly grounded in the core belief that you do have the skills to act with certainty and assurance. Often times marked by a feeling of relaxed coolness, real confidence gives you freedom from embarrassment, and the conviction that "I can do it!" As faith in yourself, real confidence stems from faith in yourself. It is without haughtiness or conceit; it is the recognition that you are adequate, capable, competent and have the resources to accomplish the tasks at hand.

Real confidence isn't something on the outside that you need to acquire, a specific quality of life in the far-off distant future, or the expectation of reaching an unrealistic goal without applying yourself. It's important to know that real confidence isn't arrogant, aggressive, or stubborn. It doesn't require brute willpower, or sheer force of personality. Neither is real confidence manipulative, controlling of others, or demanding. Most certainly, real self-confidence isn't about making others yield to your demands or making them feel inferior while they cower beneath your supremacy.

Yours to Reclaim
When nurtured from childhood, real confidence gives you a solid foundation for independence. When your parents or caretakers instill self-reliance in you, even when you make mistakes, you grow up knowing you can trust yourself.

But many of us have to find this out ourselves and struggle to reclaim confidence as our natural birthright. Even if you were vulnerable in childhood when your basic beliefs were formed, with each passing day you have the opportunity to reclaim your confidence and banish deceptive feelings of helplessness. Your feelings of helplessness can be replaced with the conviction that you have what it takes, you can feel better about yourself, and that you can create positive growth in your life.

Real confidence is within you at all times. It's always been there; it's just been misplaced, forgotten, or trampled upon. Real confidence is your natural birthright. What makes this book unique is that you can use guided imagery and the power of your own imagination to feel confident.

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Have you ever remodeled a room? Planned a vacation? Gotten dressed in the morning? Have you ever applied for a new job, prepared to make a speech, or worried about a difficult conversation in the future? Any activity that requires you to look ahead into the future, or plan ahead all begins with a picture in your mind, or an image.

Beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and ideas are represented and deeply rooted in imagery. Imagery can be thought of initially as pictures in your mind; yet imagery is so much more than pictures in your mind. It is a full sensory experience; it's made of thoughts that you can see, feel, hear, taste, and smell. Imagery can be about events that have happened in the past or have yet to happen. Rich in symbols, imagery tells us how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we plan for the future. Imagery is a window into your inner world - the world of dreams, daydreams, fantasies, and your creative imagination. Imagery is also a reflection of your outer world, the world of self-image and confidence. My new book, ‘Visualize Confidence: How To Use Guided Imagery to Overcome Self-Doubt‘ (2007) will help you focus the power of your creative imagination, by using your natural ability to image, and to gain new levels of confidence.

Negative Imagery
Many of the images we hold in our minds, such as pleasant memories, a beautiful sunset, a prayer or meditation, an upcoming summer vacation, are positive and life affirming. However, most of the time the images we play over and over in our minds are fearful, worrisome, and full of self-doubt. These are the images that undermine our confidence.

Let?s say you've been asked to give a new marketing strategy presentation to senior management at work. As you begin preparing for this event, you automatically remember presenting your sixth-grade book report. Your body starts to tense up, your heart begins to race, your palms begin to sweat, your muscles tighten - and now, instead of feeling confident, you're anxious and afraid. The negative imagery has put you in a bad mood and you begin to project all the things that could go wrong. You start to ruminate on a variety of negative thoughts and images: "Will the boss be pleased" Will I embarrass myself in front of all my colleagues? What if I stutter? What if I sweat? I can't handle this!? Your confidence flies out the window as a cascade of activity begins in your brain, clouding your mind and making your body a hodgepodge of muscle tension, aches and pains. And your confidence tanks.

Not a positive picture, is it?

Positive Imagery
Now, let's imagine you've spent years dreaming about going to Italy. You've watched all the travel and history shows on television about Rome and the Renaissance, and your favorite food is spaghetti. In your mind's eye, you can see yourself cruising along the Mediterranean or floating down Venice's Grand Canal in a gondola, your fingers gently skimming the cool water. You daydream about standing in the Sistine Chapel imagining Michelangelo maneuvering the heights on scaffolding. You're tasting wine in Tuscany and smelling the delicious aroma of food being prepared in a little out-of-the-way neighborhood restaurant. You picture yourself flying across the ocean and landing in another world, thinking, Hey, I'm finally here; this is a dream come true! You're confident your trip will be great.

Now, this is a positive picture!

The Mind Is a Powerful Ally
Your mind responds equally to both negative and positive images. It doesn't matter what you're imagining because your mind and body don't know the difference. This process of responding equally to both negative and positive imagery is the basis of your creative imagination empowerment. It's this very basic process that you'll learn to harness by reading this book.

In today's Western world, the power of the imagination isn't always valued, except in specific artistic endeavors. Our culture often tends to downplay it as insignificant or frivolous and not having much to do with day-to-day life. Many people dismiss imagination with an it's all in your head attitude, as if this were a bad thing. We've forgotten or misplaced the awareness that creative imagination opens our souls and minds to new possibilities and opportunities not available to the cognitive, rational mind.

When you learn to focus your creative imagination, you'll have at your disposal a powerful ally. Your creative imagination is a partner available to you anytime and anyplace to help you turn your dreams into reality and gain confidence. With focus and learning to utilize this power, you'll be able to live free from self-doubt and become the person you've always wanted to be.

In his bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (2004), Stephen Covey suggests that when you use the power of your creative imagination you align with your deepest values in life, because the creative imagination is personal, positive, visual, and emotional. And don't you deserve to live the best life possible, free from self-doubt Of course you do! There's no need to let self-doubt stop you cold, time and time again.

Excerpted from Visualize Confidence, copyright (c) 2007 by Kirwan Rockefeller. Used with permission of the publisher, New Harbinger Publications. For more information visit: Kirwan Rockefeller’s website

Available at amazon:
Visualize Confidence: How to Use Guided Imagery to Overcome Self-doubt

Help protect rainforests and wildlife habitats.

2008-07-03T22:20:00.004+01:00

The World Land Trust is a international conservation organisation who's patron is none other than David Attenborough.
World land trust has helped purchase and protect more than 300,000 acres of rainforest, wetlands and other threatened wildlife habitats worldwide by working with local indigenous peoples.
You can help them save and protect even more of our planet, by making an online donation. £50 or the equivalent saves an acre of rainforest. The rest of the donation goes to a great cause - looking after the future of this planet.
£25 helps protect half an acre of rainforest with the original 'Save an Acre' conservation charity.

Why support World Land Trust?

Because they take Direct Action to save threatened habitats.

Rainforests absorb Carbon Dioxide (CO2) the main greenhouse gas which is the main contribution towards global warming.

They take direct action to save tropical forests and other wildlife habitats: they buy it, acre by acre.

The land they buy is protected indefinitely as private reserves owned and managed by local organisations for the benefit of both wildlife and people.

Their Mission

* To protect and sustainably manage natural ecosystems of the world. To conserve their biodiversity, with emphasis on threatened habitats and endangered species;
* To develop partnerships with local individuals, communities and organisations to engage support and commitment among the people who live in project areas;
* To raise awareness, in the UK and elsewhere, of the need for conservation, to improve understanding and generate support through education, information and fundraising.

Learn the secrets of Seduction

2008-07-03T22:19:00.001+01:00

Learn the Complete Course of Skills to become highly successful in approaching and dating any woman you choose.

The course is on a hard drive for study in your own time at home.
It is backed up with 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring sessions to suit your schedule, needs and personal goals.
You will learn specific NLP and Hypnosis techniques.
These are proven to enhance communication skills in any setting.
Learn life changing powerful 'ways of being' useful not only in Seduction but also in Sport, Sales, Leadership, Relationships and Management.
Get it now! You will change your life forever.

The Course is the equivalent of more than 40 DVD's.
The unique ‘5 C’s Model’ integrates how to be:
Cool, Calm, Comfortable, Confident and in Control, anytime, anywhere, with anyone.
Get your inner game sorted, now!

This course is run by James Angove a Master NLP practitioner who is based in Cardiff Wales. James set up the Bio Unit in the early 1980's and was pioneering in being one of the first alternative therapy centers, as well as being the first NLP practitioner in Wales.

You can visit his sites here
The Bio Unit
Therapist Online
NLP Training
Seduction Wales

Enhance your Relationships

2008-07-03T22:17:00.003+01:00

Do you want to Enhance your relationships, Feel good about yourself, and Enjoy yourself.
Then visit Venus2Uranus with an incredible range of Sex Aids / Toys, Lingerie, DVDs etc.

They are a no nonsense company that is growing fast through its customer service reputation, after-sales service and their attention to detail. Specializing in adult products for women, couples and men, they are different from other adult companies in that they design and manufacture their own fabulous range of quality leather bondage and associated leather products.
They have an easy-to-use website which is packed with helpful advice and large, clear images. Their sex toys, lingerie and complimentary products are carefully selected and accurately described; there’s something for every budget and customer requirement. Orders are discreetly billed and packaged, and most are dispatched within 1-2 days.
Venus2Uranus is a company going places.

Photographers rights in the UK

2008-07-03T22:15:00.000+01:00

As a photographer and someone who recently ran a video editing / filming business, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the amount of coverage in the media, about people with cameras being on the receiving end of some very misplaced attitudes by the authorities.

A few of the articles listed here a worth reading especially the one from the guardian.

Innocent photographer or Terrorist from the BBC

Guardian Article

What I suggest is that camera manufacturers such a Canon for example (with their range of affordable Digital Rebel SLR cameras) have a greater advertising campaign for their SLR cameras. As soon as people realise that owning a SLR camera isn't expensive, and that its not rocket science to use one. Then hopefully more people will be walking around and enjoying taking images with them.

In the mean time there is an open e-petition which can be signed if you are a UK citizen which closes on the 13th September 2008. Which asks to clarify the laws surrounding photography in public places.

Petition Here

RU 21 Hangover cure

2008-07-03T22:14:00.010+01:00

Here's one way of waking up with a clear head after a good night out.

RU-21 is a revolutionary dietary supplement for consumers of alcohol.

RU-21 is a safe and effective dietary supplement for consumers of alcohol developed by scientists at the Russian Academy of Science over the course of a 25 year long research project studying alcohol metabolism.

Sales of RU-21 throughout the world are now reaching record levels. Already a hit in America RU-21 is now a worldwide phenomenon! Shortly after the initial market tests monthly sales figures of RU-21 in South Korea alone topped $2.5 million.

RU-21 is an all-natural supplement that has been clinically proven to regulate alcohol metabolism in order to prevent alcohol-related damage to the vital organs of the body.

Following its U.S. launch in 2003 RU21 received coverage in hundreds of leading newspapers, magazines, and TV and radio stations in well over 100 countries, becoming the world's most publicized dietary supplement.

Naturally, success of RU-21 resulted in dozens of copycat products being rushed to market. Many of them blatantly deceive consumers by claiming superior efficacy because of a number of added ingredients.

The truth is that adding a bunch of extra ingredients, even if they have demonstrated benefits of their own, does NOT automatically enhance the formula that has a specific biochemical purpose. If it did, why not use multivitamins for every need?

In fact, adding ingredients that have no history of clinical testing on account of interaction with alcohol may result in an adverse biochemical reaction that could cause significant harm to a consumer.

RU-21 is a product of many years of research. Its clinically proven efficacy rests on synergistic effects of carefully combined ingredients in meticulously calculated amounts.

HOW IT WORKS - RU-21 INGREDIENTS

To assist the body in processing alcohol, ingredients in RU21 enable certain biochemical reactions that enhance enzyme functions of the body, while oxygenating the cells, keeping the energy levels up and metabolic pathways running properly.

RU-21 is a dietary supplement. All ingredients are considered GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) by the USFDA.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C activates anti-oxidant systems of the central nervous system, liver and hormone-active tissues and supports the adrenal gland cortex, which produces anti-stress hormones.

Succinic and Fumaric Acids
Succinic and Fumaric acids are substrates which are crucial to alcohol metabolism, and important in the Krebs cycle. Succinic and Fumaric acids boost the aerobic oxidation process in mitochondria by activating the second half-cycle of tricarboxylic acids. Succinic substrate, which is independent of NADH-dehydrogenase, prevents the toxic byproducts of ethanol metabolism from causing hypoxia, which often results from the accumulation of suboxidized metabolites, and from impeding NADH oxidation in the respiratory chain of cells.

Please note that RU-21 will not prevent you from getting drunk. It will make the following morning more pleasant.

Buy it from here

global warming & the environment - "Harmful Effects of Deforestation"

2008-07-03T22:13:00.001+01:00

Article by Nathalie Fiset

Human beings always have been and probably always will be to some extent dependent on forests. Trees were their habitat, their environment, their source of food and their protection from enemies. Forests are very important to man, and other organisms, and one of the biggest problems the world is facing today is the threat of totally losing the forests due to massive deforestation and suffering the harmful effects of deforestation.

Deforestation can be defined as the large scale removal of forests. Deforestation occurs when forests are converted to non-forest areas for urbanization, agriculture, and other reasons without sufficient reforestation. It is the permanent destruction of forests and woodlands.

At present, forests are considered among the most endangered on the planet. Everyday at least 80,000 acres of forest vanish from Earth. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations show that the rates of deforestation has not abated and has actually increased by 8.5% from 2000-2005 compared during the 1990s. FAO has approximated that about 10.4 million hectares of tropical forest have been permanently destroyed from 2000-2005 compared to 10.14 million hectares in the period of 1990-2000.

The process of deforestation is often a complex pattern of progressive fragmentation of the forests. Mistakes of this sort could lead to forest destruction. Along with this destruction is the extinction of many species, heavy soil erosion, greenhouse effect, silting of rivers and dams, flooding, landslides, denuded upland, degraded watershed, and even destruction of corals along the coast.

Extinction of Thousands of Species - Destruction of the forests leads to a tragic loss of biodiversity. Millions of plants and animal species are in danger of disappearing as a result of deforestation. Tropical forests are much more biologically diverse than other forest and a very serious effect of deforestation in tropical countries is the loss of biodiversity.

Heavy Soil Erosion - One function of the forest is that its roots hold the soil in place. Without trees soil erosion and landslides easily happen. When heavy rains and typhoons come, soil is easily carried to lower areas especially to communities at the foot of the mountains.

Greenhouse Effect - Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The continued degradation of our forest heightens the threat of global warming because the trees and other plants that takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be used for photosynthesis are gone. The burning of wood or its decay contributes to the release of more carbon which combines with oxygen in the atmosphere thus increasing further the levels of carbon dioxide that causes greenhouse effect.

Silting of Rivers and Dams - Deforestation results in the silting of rivers sediments deposit which shortens its life span and clogs irrigation system. As a result of deforestation, the reservoir behind many dams are filled with sediments more rapidly than expected.

Flooding - One major importance of forest is that they absorb water quickly in great amount during heavy rains. But due to massive deforestation there are no trees to absorb the water thus resulting to the loss of many lives.

Landslides - The roots of the trees bind soil to it and to the bedrock underlying it. That is how trees prevent soil from getting eroded by natural agents like wind or water. When trees are uprooted, there will be nothing to hold the soil together thus increasing the risk for landslides which can cause seriously threaten the safety of the people and damage their properties.

Denuded Upland - After several harvests of the forest the cleared land is no longer suitable for planting trees. It has become a desert. The transformation of a forest to a semi-desert condition is called desertification.

Degraded Watershed - When forest mountains are denuded, watersheds are degraded and this leads to the loss of sustained water supplies for lowland communities. This is because trees affect the hydrological cycle. They can change the amount of water in the soil, groundwater, and in the atmosphere. Destruction of Corals along the Coast - Coral areas are degraded and coral reefs are affected by siltation. As a result of deforestation there is an increase of flooding during the rainy seasons and decreased stream flow in dry seasons.

The forest provides us with many products and important services. It stops soil erosion, refreshes the air, and protect us from typhoons and other calamities. But if rampant deforestation is not controlled it will result to several problems. In one way or another, the denuded forests will back fire and people will certainly lose to the harmful effects of deforestation.

Human beings always have been and probably always will be to some extent dependent on forests. Trees were their habitat, their environment, their source of food and their protection from enemies. Forests are very important to man, and other organisms, and one of the biggest problems the world is facing today is the threat of totally losing the forests due to massive deforestation and suffering the harmful effects of deforestation.

Deforestation can be defined as the large scale removal of forests. Deforestation occurs when forests are converted to non-forest areas for urbanization, agriculture, and other reasons without sufficient reforestation. It is the permanent destruction of forests and woodlands.

At present, forests are considered among the most endangered on the planet. Everyday at least 80,000 acres of forest vanish from Earth. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations show that the rates of deforestation has not abated and has actually increased by 8.5% from 2000-2005 compared during the 1990s. FAO has approximated that about 10.4 million hectares of tropical forest have been permanently destroyed from 2000-2005 compared to 10.14 million hectares in the period of 1990-2000.

The process of deforestation is often a complex pattern of progressive fragmentation of the forests. Mistakes of this sort could lead to forest destruction. Along with this destruction is the extinction of many species, heavy soil erosion, greenhouse effect, silting of rivers and dams, flooding, landslides, denuded upland, degraded watershed, and even destruction of corals along the coast.

Extinction of Thousands of Species - Destruction of the forests leads to a tragic loss of biodiversity. Millions of plants and animal species are in danger of disappearing as a result of deforestation. Tropical forests are much more biologically diverse than other forest and a very serious effect of deforestation in tropical countries is the loss of biodiversity.

Heavy Soil Erosion - One function of the forest is that its roots hold the soil in place. Without trees soil erosion and landslides easily happen. When heavy rains and typhoons come, soil is easily carried to lower areas especially to communities at the foot of the mountains.

Greenhouse Effect - Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The continued degradation of our forest heightens the threat of global warming because the trees and other plants that takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be used for photosynthesis are gone. The burning of wood or its decay contributes to the release of more carbon which combines with oxygen in the atmosphere thus increasing further the levels of carbon dioxide that causes greenhouse effect.

Silting of Rivers and Dams - Deforestation results in the silting of rivers sediments deposit which shortens its life span and clogs irrigation system. As a result of deforestation, the reservoir behind many dams are filled with sediments more rapidly than expected.

Flooding - One major importance of forest is that they absorb water quickly in great amount during heavy rains. But due to massive deforestation there are no trees to absorb the water thus resulting to the loss of many lives.

Landslides - The roots of the trees bind soil to it and to the bedrock underlying it. That is how trees prevent soil from getting eroded by natural agents like wind or water. When trees are uprooted, there will be nothing to hold the soil together thus increasing the risk for landslides which can cause seriously threaten the safety of the people and damage their properties.

Denuded Upland - After several harvests of the forest the cleared land is no longer suitable for planting trees. It has become a desert. The transformation of a forest to a semi-desert condition is called desertification.

Degraded Watershed - When forest mountains are denuded, watersheds are degraded and this leads to the loss of sustained water supplies for lowland communities. This is because trees affect the hydrological cycle. They can change the amount of water in the soil, groundwater, and in the atmosphere. Destruction of Corals along the Coast - Coral areas are degraded and coral reefs are affected by siltation. As a result of deforestation there is an increase of flooding during the rainy seasons and decreased stream flow in dry seasons.

The forest provides us with many products and important services. It stops soil erosion, refreshes the air, and protect us from typhoons and other calamities. But if rampant deforestation is not controlled it will result to several problems. In one way or another, the denuded forests will back fire and people will certainly lose to the harmful effects of deforestation.

Article By: Nathalie Fiset

Article Source: http://www.bestglobalwarmingarticles.com

"Comment"
You can help prevent deforestation by supporting the World Land Trust a charity that buys areas of Tropical rainforest and is actively participating in reforestation as well as other wildlife habitat saving projects.

The Polar Bear Faces Extinction.

2008-07-03T22:09:00.002+01:00

Article from Go Articles written by Jerome Exner.

It should be no secret to anyone that the Arctic "Polar Bear" is facing some of its most drastic climate changes it has been through, since its existance. The ice-packs which these animals live on is being melted away by green-house gas's, and more commonly refered to by most as "Global Warming".

As our earths climate warms, these ice-packs are melted and broken apart making it harder for the polar bear to find its food. This causes the polar bear to swim great distances, in order to hunt for its next meal. Wildlife conservationists have actually seen polar bears drown because they just couldn't make it to the nearest ice flow .

Recent study shows that the polar bear populations are declining at an alarming rate . Fewer cubs are being sited every year, which means that their reproductive cycle is being effected also. This animal is slowly being starved to the brink of extinction .

To save the polar bear , we have to start thinking about reducing green house gas emissions. We must find other means to fuel our economy, which could diminish the effects of global warming through time, and lessen our dependence on "fossil fuels".

The polar bear is not the only one of the species in this habitat which are being affected. The Walrus, seal, arctic fox, arctic hare, and many others are being affected also. Oil exploration in the northern regions should be stopped, stopping the potential for human error, and thus preserving our environment. How far will we push our environment without looking back to see the effects it has incurred, and devastation it has caused.

To conclude, Global Warming is a very serious issue in todays fast paced world we live in, lets "hope" that it is recognized globally and dealt with by our politicians and governments because after all, they are the people who can truly make a difference.
If you want to read more on global Warming and fossil fuels, you can visit the authors web-site.

http://bigeasyclub.com/index.html

"Comment"
The sooner we start reforestation projects such as the ones funded by the World Land Trust and others the better.

Nature Call for snappers

2008-07-03T22:08:00.001+01:00

Budding wildlife photographers are being encouraged to get snapping on the subject of Dragonflies and Damselflies near to the Chesterfield and Erewash canals in Derbyshire England.
British waterways is launching the photography competition as part of their annual wildlife survey which records biodiversity on the inland waterways.
The overall winner will be awarded £100 and a separate competition is being run for children aged 12 and under.
For details visit
www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/features/wildlife before September 30, 2008.

NLP Hard Drive Practitioner Course

2008-07-03T22:06:00.001+01:00

The Welsh Institute for NLP, (WIN),’s perspective on learning NLP and acquiring the skills and competencies of a course of study.

There are as many reasons for studying NLP as there are people. NLP is to be found in use in business, education, psychology, therapy, social work, politics and other areas where advanced ways of communicating are required. Many people study NLP to acquire the life skills it incorporates and are not interested in ‘certification’. At the Welsh Institute for NLP, (WIN), we consider the attainment of NLP for life skills to be paramount as this enhances quality of life and personal development over and above ‘certification’. The majority of people who study NLP with WIN are simply not doing so for ‘certification’ but to obtain the perspective on the world that it apports. At WIN it is held that this is totally in keeping with the spirit of modeling and awareness that was the precursor to its development and continued study.

Hard Drive Contents:

1 Metaphor Training with David Gordon, 5 DVDs.

2 Introduction to NLP;

i Connirae Andreas, Introduction, MP3.

ii The NLP of Achievement, six different trainers, MP3.

iii Intro. to NLP Pocket Book in pdf. Format.

3 NLP Practitioner Course, 8 sections and 2 appendices.

4 Various other NLP examples.

Approaching the course.

The NLP course can now be studied at your own pace and because people learn in different ways, in your own time. The trick is to stay relaxed! Be like a child, be curious, when you see something that interests you, you can pause the drive, have a think, then go over it again. Learning NLP puts you in a special group of people. For instance you’ll learn;

How the mind works.
How you can get along with just about anybody.
What you can learn about others from their unconscious body language.
The secret power of using the right tone of voice.
The hidden hypnotic power of the correct phrase.
How to be aware of your own hang-ups and what to do about them.

And much more.

Enjoy the adventure of learning NLP. Some people simply watch for an hour a day, then read that part of the workbook, then observe and try it. You can practice with yourself,

Special language skills, reading body language, experimenting and making changes on yourself. If you can find someone to practice with so much the better. Some people find it useful to keep a diary of progress.

How to learn in this training

Robert Dilts once interviewed a very successful inventor to discover his strategy for creativity. When Robert asked, "What do you do when you think you have the solution to a problem, you try it, and it doesn't work?" The inventor replied, "Oh, that's just a solution to a different problem."

Feel free to make mistakes, and glean from them all the learning you can.
Do something you wouldn't ordinarily do, and discover what happens.
Practice, practice, practice.
Focus on your personal communication goals, and stretch.
Remember that performance and learning are different. Learning happens best in a relaxed, comfortable state of mind. Studying this course affords learning. Applying what you learn affords improved performance.
Give yourself lots of feedback about how you learn.
Suspend judgment and criticism (especially of yourself) during the learning process. An open-minded sceptic can learn. Sometimes people experience confusion in a learning state.
Relax, accept and trust that your confusion will resolve.
Practice each skill again. By making the effort to practice each skill at least six times, it is more likely you will integrate the material to a level of unconscious competence.

The ‘Four Stages of Learning’

Unconscious Incompetence
Conscious Incompetence
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence

~ Be kind to yourself and enjoy each stage!

This course is run by James Angove a Master NLP practitioner who is based in Cardiff, Wales. James set up the Welsh Institute of NLP the early 1980's and was pioneering in being one of the first alternative therapy centers, as well as being the first NLP practitioner in Wales.

You can visit his sites here
The Welsh Institute of NLP
Therapist Online
NLP Training
NLP Wales