Thursday, April 30, 2009

Melting Poles

North Pole Melting




If last summer's record melting trend continues, the ice that usually floats on the surface of the Arctic Sea year-round may be gone by September. More than 70% of the current Arctic sea ice is less than a year old and only 60 inches deep. Mark Serreze, a senior researcher at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado, said there's a 50% chance that ice at the North Pole will melt completely this summer.

Planet Needs Polar Ice

Losing year-round polar ice could heat the planet faster than expected.

The Arctic ice pack helps cool the Earth in several ways:

  • The ice's reflective surface bounces the sun's rays back out of the atmosphere. Known as "albedo," this reflective property prevents rays from heating the ocean.
  • More ice keeps the ocean from absorbing heat.

Without the ice pack, the Earth's temperatures could rise:

  • Less ice means the ocean absorbs more heat, causing sea ice to melt even faster.
  • A rise in ocean temperatures may accelerate global warming.

"On any given day, sea ice cover in the oceans of the polar regions is about the size of the U.S.," said Thorsten Markus, a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Far-flung locations like the Arctic and Antarctic actually impact our temperature and climate where we live and work on a daily basis." (Science Daily, 6/30/2005)

Ice in Antarctic Increases

Although Arctic sea ice is rapidly diminishing, the amount of sea ice worldwide hasn't changed much. This is because the sea ice sheath that forms around the Antarctic each year is growing.

Dylan C. Powell, co-author of a 2005 NASA-funded study, said that the increase in Antarctic sea ice is consistent with the study's projections.

"Findings from our simulations suggest a counterintuitive phenomenon," Powell said. "Some of the melt in the Arctic may be offset by increases in sea ice volume in the Antarctic." (Science Daily, 6/30/2005)

The Antarctic ice is expanding because the seasons at the South Pole are opposite to those at the North Pole. Melting sea ice in the north means there's more moisture in the atmosphere. This causes more precipitation worldwide. So more snow falls in the Antarctic where it is winter, forming greater quantities and thicker ice.

This increase of ocean ice in the Antarctic helps keep ocean levels constant, but may have as-yet-unknown consequences for the global climate.

Pole Ice Melt Depends on Weather

Though there is a good chance that the Arctic ice will melt by the end of the summer, it's not a certainty.

"It will probably come down to how cloudy it is this summer," Mahoney said, "If there's clear skies and if atmospheric patterns resemble last year's, you're going to see a lot more melt." (ABC News, 6/30/08)

Melting Arctic Ice Opens Northwest Passage

Melting Arctic sea ice isn't bad for everyone, though. For centuries, explorers looked for a shorter route between Europe and Asia, across the top of the world, but were thwarted by the year-round ice on the Arctic sea.

Last September, the legendary "Northwest Passage"—an open waterway from Greenland to Alaska—was navigable for the first time.

Andy Mahoney, a researcher at the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center said, "If the North Pole melted out, the shipping industry would be paying very close attention." (ABC news, 6/30/08)


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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Lindsay Lohan on the Rocks in Wet Bikini



Lindsay Lohan is getting away from it all after her well-publicized breakup with Samantha Ronson.


Perhaps, Lohan just wants to reflect on life as she glazes into a warm lava birthing pool on Mau in Hawaii.


Lohan is wearing a black bikini bottom with zebra strip black and white top.


Although Lohan acting and relationships maybe on the rocks, her fashion career seems to be blossoming.




We first reported to our reader that leggings were going to be a hot fall trend in March of last year and today we can see that this trend is hotter than ever.



Lohan high price 6126 Leggings Line has been flying off the shelf at Henri Bendel, Nordstrom, Intermix and Lisa Kline since their introduction last October.


Even in these hard economic times, Lohan high end leggings line has been a best seller.








So dream on, Lindsay and dazzle us with a new line or two, - perhaps a bikini or swimsuit line?


Ah, a birthing pool, great place to give birth to a new fashion idea.


Besure to take a look at some of the hottest leggings styles, including Lindsay Lohan sizzling 6126 Legging Line and also take a look at Lindsay Lohan fashion looks, a retrospective, in photos and video clips.



If you cannot see the photos in your E-mail or news reader, just go to Lindsay Lohan on the Rocks in Wet Bikini?








Monday, April 27, 2009

About Obesity












What causes obesity?

Genetics - Genes play a part in how your body balances calories and energy. Children whose parents are obese also tend to be overweight. A family history of obesity increases your chances of becoming obese by about 25 to 30 percent. Heredity does not destine you to be overweight, but by influencing the amount of body fat and fat distribution, genes can make you more susceptible to gaining weight. You cannot change your genetic makeup by willpower any more than you can make yourself taller or shorter by wishing. But you can still achieve your weight loss goals even with a family history of obesity.

Culture - People learn to eat and cook the way in which they were brought up. Food choices and combinations are learned very early in life. Social events and family rituals are often centered around large meals.

Today's culture promotes eating habits that contribute to obesity. People may serve large portions and foods that are most readily available instead of choosing foods that are most nutritious. Cooking with butter, chocolate and other high-caloric foods is a normal part of the American diet. Also, food is often used as a reward in this country. Children are treated to sweets for cleaning their room, and the team is taken for pizza or ice cream after the game. Seldom is eating only when hunger is present.

Physical Inactivity – Overweight people are usually less physically active than normal weight adults. Seriously overweight people may have difficulty moving. The additional weight can cause pain in the feet, knees and ankles. It can cause shortness of breath, making you feel tired quickly. Also, we have so many labor-saving devices now that it is difficult for people to get exercise in the amounts the body requires. For example, we drive to the corner store for a frozen dinner. We drive home, click the garage door opener and relax on the couch with the remote control. All these devices can keep us from physical activity.

Emotional or Psychological Factors - Food is often a source of solace or celebration. If we feel blue, we may turn to food. If we celebrate a new job or birthday, we may go out to a big dinner. If a friend is grieving, we bake them a pie. Often as children, parents told us to clean our plates. Food carries many significant memories from our past. Food may be your best friend. Food may become less important in your life after weight loss, especially if you have surgery. Weight loss will allow you to acquire new interests in your life and become more active and varied in your activities.

Gender - Muscle uses more energy than fat does. Men have more muscle than women, and burn 10 percent to 20 percent more calories than women do at rest. For this reason, women are more likely to be obese.

Age - As you get older, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease, and fat accounts for a greater percentage of your weight. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. Your metabolism also slows with age. Together, these changes reduce your calorie needs. If your food intake is not adjusted, you will gain weight.

High-fat / High-Calorie Diet - Ounce for ounce, fat provides more than twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrates (nine calories for fat versus four calories for carbohydrates). This energy difference may explain how fat promotes weight gain. Yet even when caloric intake is the same, a person eating a high-fat diet tends to store more excess calories as body fat than someone eating a lower fat diet. Often low-fat foods are high in calories.

Medical Problems - Less than 2 percent of all cases of obesity can be traced to a metabolic disorder, such as low thyroid function or hormonal imbalances.


How To Prevent Obesity?

Be Active
Simple activities, such as climbing the stairs instead of using lifts, morning and evening walk in the park and swimming, can bring about tremendous changes in your lifestyle. Such activities will not only help you burn excess fat, but also help you stay active. Start doing light to moderate exercises for thirty minutes, five times a week. Switch over to the tough exercises, once you have gained stamina and strength. You may also join a health club or gym and socialize with like-minded individuals.

Keep A Check On Your Weight
Monitor your weight regularly. Weigh yourself at least once a week. This will help you figure out how much extra flab you have lost by doing simple activities or workout. In case you are being inactive and not eating healthy, you will be aware of the weight gain at an early stage. This will prevent your weight gain from being too much to get off.

Drink Plenty Of Water
Drinking lots of water will help your body detoxify all the impurities present in the system. Doctors recommend that you to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. Having a glass of warm water in the morning, with half a lemon squeezed in it, is also a good idea. Remember, water cleanses and rejuvenates your skin as well.

Stay Away From Junk Food
One of the prerequisites of staying healthy is avoiding junk foods. The smart way to stay away from junk food is not to buy them at all! Avoid frequenting the fast food chains. Keep junk food out of your house as well. If you really like stuff like pizza and burgers, indulge in them not more than once or twice a month.

Eat Slowly & Only When You Are Hungry
Do not cut any of the three meals per day. Rather, divide them into small meals, stretched over a gap of 2-3 hours. At the same time, cut off high-calorie snacks in between the meals. Eat small portions of food and do not gulp them down. Do not stuff yourself with food when you are not hungry. Eat only when your body signals you to have food. Eat slowly because the stomach takes some time to feel ‘full’.

Diet
Your diet should be balanced, with fruits, vegetables and whole grains included in it. An obese adult should have at least five servings of low-sugar fruits and vegetables on a day. A vegetable serving shall include one cup of raw or one and half cup of cooked vegetables. One piece of fresh fruit and one and half cup of canned fruit are included in a serving of fruit. You should avoid fruits and vegetables that are high in calories, like mango.




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Britney Spears Circus is Wild and Sexy!




Britney Spears is the Drama Queen of the music scene. What is her circus up to now?


Sunday, April 26, 2009

Girlie! I Don't Want To See Your Sagging Jeans and Sagging Buttocks


This is bad and ugly in public!

Girls Are Ugly in their sagging jeans and sagging buttocks.

I was at the Guaranty Trust Bank at Anthony Village in Lagos to transfer some lump sum of money to my darling when I saw a young woman in black blouse and low-rise jeans. She was good looking at first sight, but as she turned to enter the cash deposit room, what I saw put me off! The upper parts of her black buttocks were showing and she had no underwear! It was a disgusting sight. Suddenly she was no longer a pretty sight! It was undignified for a lady to be so brazen in her dressing in public.

Hello girlie! If you want to wear a low-rise pants, please at least put on a thong and even your whale tail could turn me on! But without an underwear, your buttock cleavage is a turn-off.

I can tolerate this.

Seeing girls and women in low-slung trousers and making a shameless public exhibition of their buttocks and the gluteal cleft between them is below human dignity.

You think you are pretty and sexy and invoke erotic fantasy to make you a public sex object, but my dear sister there is nothing romantic in being half naked in public, because you might be mistaken for a lunatic.




Have you read Half of a Yellow Sun?
Read this classic war novel and tell me about it.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Women of Afghanistan Speak Out



Dear Orikinla,

THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN SPEAK OUT

"Afghan women and girls want education. Many risk their lives to go to school... Human rights are not a western concept, but universal and necessary for all human beings "

Dr Sima Samar, chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and Special Human Rights Rapportuer for Sudan.

Kabul, Afghanistan, April 15, 2009: Hundreds of Afghan women stood up to an angry crowd and marched to the Parliament, calling for repeal of a new law restricting women's lives.

For the women of Afghanistan and neighboring areas of Pakistan dominated by the Taliban, recent news has been dire: The new law passed by Parliament and signed by President Karzai, forbidding women to leave the house without their husbands' permission and legalizing marital rape; a 17 year-old woman in the Swat region of Pakistan, flogged for what the local Taliban commander described as a "transgression"; continuing attacks on girls' schools. According to the Feminist Majority Foundation, hundreds of girls' schools have been destroyed and teachers murdered; young girls on their way to school had acid thrown at them.

Reaction to the new law -- and to the attacks on women which preceded it -- has been strong: President Obama said "I think this law is abhorrent. Certainly the views of this administration have been, and will be communicated to the Karzai government... The first reason we are there is to root out al Qaeda...those two things aren't contradictory, I think they're complementary..."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: "My message is very clear: Women's rights are a central part of American foreign policy in the Obama administration; they are not marginal; they re not an add-on or afterthought...So we will continue to work very hard on behalf of women and girls in Afghanistan and around the world."
Women Senators have spoken up: a bipartisan group, led by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and including Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a letter to President Karzai.

"This law should be reversed immediately," Boxer said. "Not only is this law an attack on individual freedom, but it condones despicable acts against women in their homes. By approving this law, Afghan leaders are holding back the entire country's progress and turning the nation back toward some of the most oppressive practices of the Taliban."

Responding to the public outcry, President Karzai has now promised to review the law. According to his aide, the legislation is not yet law, and will be reviewed so that it will be "consistent with the rights provided in the Constitution -- equality and the protection of women"

The State Departments is monitoring what happens next: "We're glad that President Karzai has agreed to review this law critics say permits spousal rape and severely limits women's rights," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood. "And we'll be watching this closely to see how the process develops."


Watch the video.
Video courtesy of the Associated Press.

The women of Afghanistan are risking their lives to speak up for their rights; we must continue to speak up for them.

SCIENCE COMES (BACK) TO WASHINGTON

An important policy announcement this week, and a demonstration that respect for scientific evidence and evidence-based decision making has come back to Washington:
The Environmental Protection Agency said formally that carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases "endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act." Among the problems they cause: increased drought, flooding, more frequent heat waves and wildfires, and harm to water resources, agriculture and eco-systems.
The proposed finding is open for comment review for 60 days, but I think I have my favorite already:
"'Duh' may not be a scientific term, but it applies here" said Emily Figdor, federal global warming director of Environment America. " EPA has embraced the basic facts on global warming that scientists around the world have acknowledged for years."
A very happy Earth Day to all of us concerned about the health of our families -- and our planet.

EQUAL RIGHTS AT HOME

Next Tuesday, April 28th is Equal Pay Day -- and if you wonder why that day was chosen, April 28 marks how long into the current year American women have to work to catch up with what was earned by men just in the previous year. Think what a difference that equal paycheck would make to your family!

This year, we can celebrate passage of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first legislation signed into law by President Obama, which ensures that women have a reasonable chance to sue for pay discrimination. But we could do so much more by acting, to prevent discrimination the first place. The Paycheck Fairness Act, originally sponsored by then-Senator Hillary Clinton, and now led by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) would strengthen the Equal Pay laws, and help take equal pay from the law books to our checkbooks.

We have a lot more information coming about and actions you can take on Equal Pay and the Paycheck Fairness Act -- stay tuned.

NO LIMITS IS GROWING

We're so proud to announce the next steps for No Limits: our new website will be ready soon, with resources and information about the issues you care about, and a special social networking feature that will make it easier for us all to stay connected.

You can help us grow! When you get the announcement of our new website, will you forward it to your friends?

Sincerely,

Ann Lewis


Friday, April 24, 2009

Hot Pants or Short Shorts - Sexy Celebrity Trend?


Call them Hot Pants or Short Shorts, but this style is a definite must have for the celebrity set.


Who wears short shorts, well just picture Heidi Klum, Katie Price, Pixie Geldof, Alice Dellal, Victoria Silvstedt, Katie Holmes, Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana and many more.


Use to be that one would cut up an old pair of jeans to create a pair of shorts.



Now with the shredded holes, a frayed hem and heavy distressing look in vogue, you can purchase a sexy, pair of shredded denim short shorts.



We really love this look which is very cool and sexy on warm and hot days.


So if you are looking for a pair of pre frayed, shredded 99% cotton jeans, well look no farther.


These cotton denim short shorts come with 5 pocket styling and a single button closure. Sexy cotton denim short shorts are a great addition for your spring - summer and fall wardrobe. Oh, so sexy and hot.




For all you ultra sexy divas, you know who you are, that really crave being the center of attraction - well, these ultra sexy short shorts are just perfect for displaying some well toned booty.


As black as the night and as wet as glistering vinyl can be, these daring short shorts make a seductive addition to your hot, partying nights.


These very sexy short shorts have a zipper running from front to back plus side zippers and stud detailing. Truly a hot look, for those that dare.


For a more nostalgic 60s look - flower power, hippies and Woodstock, I just adore this rainbow cord romper with feather and bead detain in the back.







Just the right outfit to wear to a spring or summer outdoor concert, at an outdoor picnic or just spending a weekend shopping at the mall.


Sexy, yet conservative and very retro glamour look.



If you cannot see the photos in your E-mail or news reader, just go to Hot Pants or Short Shorts - Sexy Celebrity Trend?









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Animal Testing










Your choice in cosmetic products will not only impact your personal health but also the life and health of laboratory animals. Tens of millions of animals a year are tortured by shocking, burning, poisoning, and mutilation for various animal experiments in the U.S.. Millions of these animals are killed unnecessarily to test the safety of cosmetics and household products. These animals include dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and primates.

Some examples of tests performed on these animals include:

The Draize Eye Test
The application of irritating and toxic substances to the eyes of animals. These animals are held in stocks to keep them from dislodging these substances and usually go blind from the tests. These animals suffer intense pain in these tests which can last up to 21 days. When the test is complete these animals may be killed or used for other tests.

Dermal Toxicity Test
Animals have potentially caustic substances applied to their shaved skin while in immobilizing devices to determine irritation levels.

Lethal Dose Tests
Force feeding, injection or inhalation of substances to determine the quantity or concentration that will cause death.

These various tests cause the animals to have convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis, and bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth and skin. The duration of these types of tests can last from months to years.

These tests do not guarantee what a reaction might be of these test substances on humans. Also, these tests do not guarantee the safety of products that end up on shelves. This is seen in the fact that conventional personal care products contain substances recognized as hazardous and continue to cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.


We do not need to test on animals to have safe and effective personal care products. The use of potentially harmful synthetic products are driving an inhumane practice of torturing animals.




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